Source: International Criminal Court (video statements)
Duterte case: Day 3 of confirmation of charges hearing – 2nd session
First Responders – Springvale fire
Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Fire and Emergency New Zealand firefighters are working to contain a large grass fire at Springvale, near Clyde in Central Otago this evening which is threatening properties.
Thirteen crews from around the area are responding supported by four helicopters. Another five crews are on their way.
Fire and Emergency is also working alongside Police to support evacuations of impacted properties.
The fire is emitting a lot of smoke which is drifting towards Alexandra. If you are in the vicinity of the smoke, please stay inside and keep windows closed.
The public is also being warned to take extra care while undertaking any hot works in the area, for example welding, grinding and lawn mowing, as a large number of resources are responding to the fire at Springvale.
Fire and Emergency also asks the public to please stay away from the area so firefighters can do their job to contain the fire.
Sharlene Smith homicide: Vehicle of interest identified
Source: Radio New Zealand
The vehicle of interest in the Sharlene Smith investigation. Supplied / NZ Police
Police investigating the death of a grandmother whose body was found at a Hawke’s Bay worksite earlier this month have identified a likely route taken by a vehicle of interest.
Police have issued a fresh appeal for help from the public in the investigation into the death of Sharlene Smith, 64, from Rotorua.
Smith’s body was found at a property on Taihape Road in Omahu, near Hastings, on 3 February.
Police earlier described the incident as the “tragic and avoidable death of a much-loved mother, grandmother and sister”.
In a statement released this afternoon, Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Kris Payne said police had identified a likely route taken by a vehicle of interest.
“We know this vehicle was used on the day Sharlene’s body was left at the worksite, and officers have carried out extensive work to locate and review CCTV footage from the relevant timeframe.”
The route taken by a vehicle of interest in the Sharlene Smith murder investigation. Supplied / NZ Police
Anybody who saw a white 2005 Mazda 3 sports hatchback between 8am and midday on Sunday 1 February 2026, – travelling from the Awatoto area, through Taihape Road/Omahu Road and the Fernhill area, and into Marewa, Napier – is urged to contact police.
“We are asking anyone who saw this vehicle, or who has home, business, or dashcam CCTV footage from those areas during that time, to please contact Police if not already spoken to,” said Payne.
Two items belonging to Smith are believed to have been discarded along the same route: a handbag and a Samsung Galaxy A06 mobile phone.
A handbag that is being sought as part of the Sharlene Smith murder investigation. Supplied / NZ Police
Anyone with information can contact police by calling 105 and referencing file number 260203/9739. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Property Market – $40m wiped from property market in Q4, but figures show improvement on last year – RealEstate
Source: RealEstate.co.nz
- 1,374 listings recorded a price drop in Q4 2025, the lowest number in two years
- Only 3% of all listings were reduced, the lowest portion in two years
- $41,309,345 million was the total value of price reductions, the lowest total price drop in a quarter
- Stable OCR could be first sign of a property market recovery in 2026.
Latest data from realestate.co.nz shows that more than $40 million was trimmed from property asking prices across New Zealand in the last quarter of 2025.
In a shift that may signal improving market conditions, the total amount that dropped out of the market was $14 million less than the $55 million slashed in Q4 of 2024 *
In Q4 2025, fewer properties reduced the price of their listing. And of the listings that did drop their price, they did so by slightly less than any other quarter.
*This data reflects the difference between a property’s original asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. While it doesn’t show the final sale price, it provides a strong signal of how much sellers are adjusting to meet buyer demand.
Is the property market in recovery?
Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says the latest figures could be an early indicator that the market is beginning to swing in a different direction.
“While $40 million coming out of the market is still significant, fewer vendors reduced the price of their property last quarter than we’ve seen over the two years prior, an indication that the overall amount trimmed from the market in Q4 is a result not of smaller reductions but by fewer properties needing to reduce their price.”
Williams says: “This indicates that sellers may be starting to price more realistically from the outset, and buyer confidence could be slowly returning. It’s not a full recovery yet, but it could be one of the first signs that conditions are beginning to stabilise.”
How much are sellers cutting property asking prices by?
Nationally, vendors who reduced their asking prices in Q4 2025 took an average of $30,065 off each listing.
Regionally, Marlborough recorded the largest average drop, with sellers trimming $50,500 from their original asking prices. Gisborne followed at $49,333, while Northland, Wellington, and Coromandel rounded out the top five with average reductions of $38,479, $37,607, and $35,645, respectively.
Overall, fewer vendors dropped their prices in the final quarter of 2025, with the lowest percentage of price drops occurring in 11 of the 19 regions.
Signs of stabilisation heading into 2026?
The data suggests the intense repricing seen throughout 2025 may be easing.
“The significant amounts we saw slashed from the market in the earlier quarters of 2025 certainly hasn’t continued, which is a sign confidence is slowly returning to the market,” says Williams. “The stability of the OCR in this week’s announcement should also be an encouraging sign that the market may not be too far away from hitting its stride in 2026.”
realestate.co.nz is helping buyers and sellers move. Properties listed on realestate.co.nz that drop their price can receive free billboard advertising, while buyers who have saved them are alerted instantly.
About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)
Realestate.co.nz – your home for property search.
We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. We are certified carbon neutral (2024 & 2025) and in 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.
Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.
Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.
Want more property insights?
Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time: https://www.realestate.co.nz/insights
Glossary of terms:
Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.
Price drop reflects the difference between a property’s original asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. While it doesn’t show the final sale price, it provides a strong signal of how much sellers are adjusting to meet buyer demand.
Person injured in dog attack in Timaru
Source: Radio New Zealand
Emergency Services were called to Andrew Street at about 8.30pm Saturday. RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
A person has been injured after a dog attack in Timaru.
Emergency services were called to Andrew Street in the suburb of Marchwiel about 8.30pm Saturday.
The person had suffered injuries to their hand from a dog bite.
Hato Hone St John confirmed it had sent an ambulance to the scene.
“Our crew assessed and treated one patient who was transported to Timaru hospital in a moderate condition,” a spokesperson said.
Animal Control was also in attendance.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
RNZ – Government defends homeless move on orders as opposition slams them for being ‘cruel’
Source: Radio New Zealand
The government has confirmed it will give police powers to issue move-on notices. Nick Monro
The government insists move-on orders are just one tool in the toolkit, as it seeks to curb anti-social behaviour and rough sleeping in city and town centres across New Zealand.
Opposition parties have slammed the proposal, however, describing it as “cruel” and “despicable.”
The government has confirmed it will give police powers to issue move-on notices.
The notices will apply for disorderly or threatening behaviour, as well as for begging or rough sleeping.
It will be left to the individual officer to decide exactly how long the order lasts, with a limit of 24 hours, the distance the person needs to move away from, and what support the person needs, if any.
Officers will have to make it clear to the individual that a breach will be an offence, with maximum penalties of fines up to $2000, or up to three months imprisonment.
At the announcement, justice minister Paul Goldsmith insisted the government was not criminalising homelessness.
“What we’re criminalising is a refusal to follow a move-on order,” he said.
Justice minister Paul Goldsmith. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Goldsmith said a ‘reasonable distance’ would mean different things in different parts of the country, and denied it would simply shift the problem elsewhere.
“If you’re told to move on and you go up the road and you start doing the same behaviours again, well then you’ll be subject to another move-on order until the message gets through that society doesn’t tolerate these activities.”
Police minister Mark Mitchell said police use discretion “thousands of times a week,” and there was a range of options available to them.
He said the move-on orders filled a “gap” in the police response.
Police minister Mark Mitchell. RNZ / Mark Papalii
“We’ve got something that will formalise it, that will actually hopefully get them engaging with those services and actually fix those issues, and at the same time we won’t have people living on our streets. I don’t think any fair-minded Kiwi in our country wants to see people out living on our streets.”
Mitchell said the “default setting” would be to work with someone, to try and find whether the solution was a health, mental health, or housing response.
But some simply did not want to listen to police.
“Many of the people that choose to come in and set up and live on the streets and cause the social problems that we see are also vulnerable themselves.”
Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown said he had met with non-government organisations and government agencies across Auckland, as well as the council, to see what actions could be taken to improve safety.
Welcomed by business
Auckland’s central business association Heart of the City had lobbied for social and economic needs to be addressed, and while there had been improvements, anti-social behaviour continued to cause concern.
Its chief executive Viv Beck said she was pleased the government had “listened” in terms of bringing in additional police, a new downtown police station, a housing and outreach ‘action plan,’ and now the move-on orders.
Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck. Supplied / HOTC
Beck said Auckland was an “aspirational city,” which meant ensuring people were housed and looked after.
“This is another, if you like, another tool in the kit to be able to ensure that we are really ready to capitalise on now, after ten years of disruption for a whole variety of reasons, that our city can actually grow, we can continue to attract investment, and that we’re aspirational so people are looked after if they’re in need but that it’s a really safe, welcoming place for everyone.”
Ian Wright, property manager of the Queen’s Arcade in downtown Auckland, said there was no use creating a “beautiful place” if it was unsafe outside.
He said the council and Heart of the City had started to bring in guards, and the government had allowed for more police on the beat, which had made a difference.
“We’re not where we need to be. But I think this is very much another key tool in the toolbox that will greatly facilitate the change process and just put the icing on the cake to where we’ve been,” he said.
Wright said it was mostly “recidivist offenders” engaging in intimidation, harassment, and general unsocial behaviour.
“We had a gentleman that was around living on the street on Commerce Street, around the corner. He was there for months, and he wouldn’t accept help, but now he’s accepted help, and he’s obviously been taken back into care and he’s getting the care he needs.
“So I don’t see it as displacement of the problem. That’s not a solution. It’s very much about holding people to account, drawing the line in the sand, and saying we’ve actually got a right to be here too. The people, the visitors, we want it to be safe and secure. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”
‘Punch-down politics’ – opposition
Labour was concerned the policy would not just be a tool, but the go-to tool.
Deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni said the policy was cruel.
“This is another instance of the government oversimplifying a problem, trying to sweep it under the carpet, acting like it’s just a law and order issue, when the reality is it’s so much more complex than that,” she said.
Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni RNZ / Angus Dreaver
“The government need to be investing in mental health. They need to be building the homes that New Zealanders need. They need to be investing in addiction services. They need to be supporting and resourcing the social and health services that work with so many of the people that we’re seeing on our streets. They’re not doing any of that. Instead, they’re saying that they’re going to criminalise these people and then effectively saying that it will become the police’s responsibility.”
Goldsmith said the government had put additional resources into housing, with 300 extra spots for homeless people, and not all of them were being taken up.
The move-on orders, he said, were to deal with those who refused to take up that extra help.
Green Party co-leader and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick, said the policy was some of the most “despicable, bottom of the barrel, punch-down politics” she had seen from the government.
“You are not solving a problem if you are simply trying to move it out of sight and out of mind,” she said.
Green Party co-leader and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick. RNZ / Reece Baker
Frontline police she had spoken to had made it “pretty abundantly clear” they did not have the resources to solve the issues either.
“If the government wants to deal with the issue of homelessness, I have a very clear solution for them: provide housing and the necessary wrap-around support for people to be able to stay in that housing. Unfortunately, the government has decided to do the complete opposite of that, shredding the necessary resources for our communities to thrive.”
Advocate fears ‘street-to-prison pipeline’
Aaron Hendry, director of youth development organisation Kick Back, was particularly concerned the orders could be used on people as young as 14.
His organisation worked with tamariki as young as 9 who were experiencing homelessness, often coming from complex situations where their whole family needed support.
“The idea that police will just be moving children on without intensively providing support to these kids is really concerning,” he said.
“We are concerned around what is looking like a really clear street-to-prison pipeline, with the lack of resources invested to ensure that people are looked after.”
He said social service providers had made it clear to ministers that the resources were not there, and that the move-on orders would not solve the problem and could cause more harm.
“Whānau that are sleeping rough in the city centre are often reaching out to Work and Income for support, being denied support, and as a result are ending up on our streets. That’s a real clear decision the government’s making to criminalise whānau for experiencing homelessness, as a consequence of the decisions they have made to restrict access to shelter and support.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
NZ Govt – Move-on orders to target disorderly behaviour
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is providing police with the power to issue move-on orders as a tool to deal with disorderly behaviour in public places, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.
“New Zealanders are fair-minded people, and our culture is one where we seek to help those who are in need, but that doesn’t mean we should accept our city centres, particularly our showcase tourist spots, becoming places of intimidation, and dysfunction,” Mr Goldsmith says.
“Our main streets and town centres have been blighted by disruption and disturbance. Businesses are declining as some bad behaviour goes unchecked. It needs to stop.
“Currently, police officers have limited options to respond, particularly when it doesn’t reach the level of offending. It means many disruptive, distressing, and potentially harmful acts can occur before officers have any means of intervention. It doesn’t make sense.
“Our government is committed to fixing the basics in law and order, and building a future where shoppers, visitors, residents and their families can feel safe in our communities,” Mr Goldsmith says.
Therefore, the Government has agreed to amend the Summary Offences Act, to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to people who are:
- Displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening or intimidating behaviour.
- Obstructing or impeding someone entering a business.
- Breaching the peace.
- All forms of begging.
- Rough sleeping.
- Behaviour indicating an intent to inhabit a public place.
These orders will:
- Require a person to leave a specified area for a specified amount of time, up to 24 hours.
- Require a person to move on a reasonable distance from the area, as specified by the constable.
- Apply to people aged 14 or older.
- Be issued in writing, as is operationally appropriate.
“This is about public safety and providing our frontline with additional enforcement powers to ensure the public can feel and are safe,” Mr Mitchell says.
“In terms of where people will be moved on to, they will be required to move a reasonable distance away from the area, as specified by the constable.
“Naturally, every situation will be different. Some people may require support services, some may not. Police have the expertise to assess and determine what support is required, if any – they do this every day.
“Our police officers are familiar with the locations they work with and already have strong networks and partnerships with social and housing services. I expect Police will work closely with these providers as they develop their operational guidance for the frontline,” Mr Mitchell says.
New Zealand Government – Move-on orders to target disorderly behaviour
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is providing police with the power to issue move-on orders as a tool to deal with disorderly behaviour in public places, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.
“New Zealanders are fair-minded people, and our culture is one where we seek to help those who are in need, but that doesn’t mean we should accept our city centres, particularly our showcase tourist spots, becoming places of intimidation, and dysfunction,” Mr Goldsmith says.
“Our main streets and town centres have been blighted by disruption and disturbance. Businesses are declining as some bad behaviour goes unchecked. It needs to stop.
“Currently, police officers have limited options to respond, particularly when it doesn’t reach the level of offending. It means many disruptive, distressing, and potentially harmful acts can occur before officers have any means of intervention. It doesn’t make sense.
“Our government is committed to fixing the basics in law and order, and building a future where shoppers, visitors, residents and their families can feel safe in our communities,” Mr Goldsmith says.
Therefore, the Government has agreed to amend the Summary Offences Act, to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to people who are:
- Displaying disorderly, disruptive, threatening or intimidating behaviour.
- Obstructing or impeding someone entering a business.
- Breaching the peace.
- All forms of begging.
- Rough sleeping.
- Behaviour indicating an intent to inhabit a public place.
These orders will:
- Require a person to leave a specified area for a specified amount of time, up to 24 hours.
- Require a person to move on a reasonable distance from the area, as specified by the constable.
- Apply to people aged 14 or older.
- Be issued in writing, as is operationally appropriate.
“This is about public safety and providing our frontline with additional enforcement powers to ensure the public can feel and are safe,” Mr Mitchell says.
“In terms of where people will be moved on to, they will be required to move a reasonable distance away from the area, as specified by the constable.
“Naturally, every situation will be different. Some people may require support services, some may not. Police have the expertise to assess and determine what support is required, if any – they do this every day.
“Our police officers are familiar with the locations they work with and already have strong networks and partnerships with social and housing services. I expect Police will work closely with these providers as they develop their operational guidance for the frontline,” Mr Mitchell says.
Dogs that injured three people in Christchurch could be euthanised, councillor says
Source: Radio New Zealand
Animal control officers seized two dogs after the attack in the Christchurch suburb Brywndwr. Sam Sherwood / RNZ
The two dogs that attacked and injured three people in Brywndwr yesterday could be euthanised, a councillor says.
One person has critical injuries, another was seriously injured, and a third was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Animal control officers seized two dogs after the attack.
Fendalton ward councillor David Cartwright said it was “absolutely devastating”.
“My thoughts go out to [the victims], their family, and obviously the first responders who would have been faced with what I understand is quite a gruesome situation when they arrived.”
Staff would now work through what happens to the dogs, he said.
“My understanding is that there will be an investigation, and then a possible euthanasia for the dogs, if it’s found that they are … violent or uncontrollable.”
Staff would work alongside police, talk to any witnesses, and be sure that they had impounded the correct dogs, said Cartwright.
The Dog Control Act says dogs can be impounded if they’ve attacked a person or another dog.
The owner of a dog that causes serious injury can be imprisoned for up to three years or fined up to $20,000.
The court will also order the dog destroyed if they owner is convicted, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Christchurch City Council referred RNZ to police, who are investigating.
Cartwright said he also planned to ask staff to review local bylaws to ensure they were fit for purpose.
But he said a central government review of the Dog Control Act would have the biggest impact in preventing attacks.
Shane Jones says dog owners must be held accountable with hefty jail terms RNZ / Mark Papalii
The Christchurch attack comes the same week 62-year-old Mihiata Te Rore was killed by dogs while visiting a home in the Northland town of Kaihu.
Northland local and cabinet ministerShane Jones said the current laws were not fit for purpose and “homicidal dogs” were scattered around Northland – with the problem worsening over years.
Dog owners must be held accountable with hefty jail terms, he said.
Te Rore was the fourth person in New Zealand killed by dogs in the last four years, three of which were in Northland.
Elizabeth Whittaker was killed in an attack in 2023 while Neville Thomson died in a 2022 attack. A four-year-old boy was also killed in an attack in the Bay of Plenty last year.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Property Market – $40m wiped from property market in Q4, but figures show improvement on last year – RealEstate
Source: RealEstate.co.nz
- 1,374 listings recorded a price drop in Q4 2025, the lowest number in two years
- Only 3% of all listings were reduced, the lowest portion in two years
- $41,309,345 million was the total value of price reductions, the lowest total price drop in a quarter
- Stable OCR could be first sign of a property market recovery in 2026.
Latest data from realestate.co.nz shows that more than $40 million was trimmed from property asking prices across New Zealand in the last quarter of 2025.
In a shift that may signal improving market conditions, the total amount that dropped out of the market was $14 million less than the $55 million slashed in Q4 of 2024 *
In Q4 2025, fewer properties reduced the price of their listing. And of the listings that did drop their price, they did so by slightly less than any other quarter.
*This data reflects the difference between a property’s original asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. While it doesn’t show the final sale price, it provides a strong signal of how much sellers are adjusting to meet buyer demand.
Is the property market in recovery?
Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says the latest figures could be an early indicator that the market is beginning to swing in a different direction.
“While $40 million coming out of the market is still significant, fewer vendors reduced the price of their property last quarter than we’ve seen over the two years prior, an indication that the overall amount trimmed from the market in Q4 is a result not of smaller reductions but by fewer properties needing to reduce their price.”
Williams says: “This indicates that sellers may be starting to price more realistically from the outset, and buyer confidence could be slowly returning. It’s not a full recovery yet, but it could be one of the first signs that conditions are beginning to stabilise.”
How much are sellers cutting property asking prices by?
Nationally, vendors who reduced their asking prices in Q4 2025 took an average of $30,065 off each listing.
Regionally, Marlborough recorded the largest average drop, with sellers trimming $50,500 from their original asking prices. Gisborne followed at $49,333, while Northland, Wellington, and Coromandel rounded out the top five with average reductions of $38,479, $37,607, and $35,645, respectively.
Overall, fewer vendors dropped their prices in the final quarter of 2025, with the lowest percentage of price drops occurring in 11 of the 19 regions.
Signs of stabilisation heading into 2026?
The data suggests the intense repricing seen throughout 2025 may be easing.
“The significant amounts we saw slashed from the market in the earlier quarters of 2025 certainly hasn’t continued, which is a sign confidence is slowly returning to the market,” says Williams. “The stability of the OCR in this week’s announcement should also be an encouraging sign that the market may not be too far away from hitting its stride in 2026.”
realestate.co.nz is helping buyers and sellers move. Properties listed on realestate.co.nz that drop their price can receive free billboard advertising, while buyers who have saved them are alerted instantly.
About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)
Realestate.co.nz – your home for property search.
We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. We are certified carbon neutral (2024 & 2025) and in 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.
Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.
Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.
Want more property insights?
Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time: https://www.realestate.co.nz/insights
Glossary of terms:
Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.
Price drop reflects the difference between a property’s original asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. While it doesn’t show the final sale price, it provides a strong signal of how much sellers are adjusting to meet buyer demand.