Category: MIL-OSI

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Lower Hutt man ‘left with nothing’ after large slip hits family home

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Lower Hutt man whose family was forced to flee their home when a large slip fell away from beneath the building says they will be “left with nothing”.

Aaron Pahl said time appeared to go into slow motion when a 10 by 30 square metre expanse of his back yard slid away on Monday – leaving the deck and the rear foundation hanging exposed.

“I was outside and I heard it start cracking, like all the trees just start cracking and crunching. So I pretty much screamed out to my kids ‘get your arses up here now!’ and I watched the whole thing just slide down the bank,” Pahl said.

Pahl said nearly 16 years of saving and hard work had gone down the drain as he, his partner and three children salvaged what they could from the building and sought advice as to what options they had following the slip.

“I don’t see a light. I don’t know, I honestly don’t know. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody man. It’s just like another test, I guess, but it’s not one that I was in any shape or form prepared for,” Pahl said.

The view from Stokes Valley painter Aaron Pahl’s house after a slip left the house uninhabitable on Monday morning. Supplied

The family’s home was issued with a dangerous building notice following the slip.

Pahl said he’d been told re-stabilising his property with retaining walls could take years but demolishing the home would exhaust practically all of his insurance for property.

“The reimbursement from my insurance company would be enough to cover the remainder of my mortgage and then the demolishing fee.

“I was talking to one of the engineers and he’s like ‘if they were to demolish it you’re looking at a couple of hundred thousand dollars. There wouldn’t be much left from that’.

Stokes Valley painter Aaron Pahl says he shouted to his children to get to safety when a large slip fell away from the base of his home – leaving the house uninhabitable -on Monday morning. SUPPLIED

“I’ve worked for the last 16 years to provide this for my family. To get to where I am today and I’m literally going to walk away with nothing. It’s just painful,” Pahl said.

Pahl said his insurance company had agreed to provide just under $12,000 in an accommodation supplement but the money was only likely to house his family for the next three or four months.

Until they could find a place the family of five – with two pets – were staying at Pahl’s father in law’s three bedroom home in Featherston.

Pahl said he was hugely grateful but the small space and extra distance to work and his children’s schools were adding to the family’s burdens.

“It’s added three hours plus a day just to get the kids to school and get myself to work and get my wife to work and it’s breaking man. The two younger one’s are sharing a double bed. They had their own rooms and stuff at home and they’ve just been crammed into a room and ‘that’s where you sleep’,” Pahl said.

He said he’d barely slept since the slip and – while he had some friends he could talk to – the events of the last week were weighing heavily on his shoulders.

“I work for myself and I’ve not been able to work since this happened because I’ve had so much to deal with and [I’m] just watching everything just crumble.

“I’ve got some really good friends and they’re always there to lend and ear. But I still feel like this is my problem and I’ve got to deal with it. I’ve always been that type that is like ‘you carry the shit that’s on your shoulders mate’. I’m tradesman that’s what we do,” he said

Pahl said the family had started a give-a-little page under the heading Help Support Our Family After Stokes Valley Landslide.

“I didn’t want to at first. I didn’t want to ask but, it’s like, if we don’t we’re absolutely screwed. They always say it’s going to get worse before it gets any better but I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel,” Pahl said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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UPDATE – University Research – Penguins prefer white plastic, new study shows – UoA

Source: University of Auckland – UoA

White plastic appears to pose a particular hazard for penguins, new research from the University of Auckland has found.

University of Auckland research fellow Dr Ariel-Micaiah Heswall tested plastic colour preferences of king and gentoo penguins at Kelly Tarlton’s Sealife Aquarium in Auckland.
 
She found the 46 gentoo and 23 king penguins interacted far more often with white plastic than other colours, possibly because white reminds them of prey, eggshell or their own feathers.
 
Penguins are known to eat plastic bottlecaps, so red, blue, black and white caps were used in the experiment.
 
The seabirds chose white almost twice as often as black, and about 45 percent more often than red or blue.
 
White plastic could be a “sensory trap” for penguins, because it might lure them with a colour that appeals to their senses, but has harmful consequences when they eat it, says Heswall, from the University’s Faculty of Science and Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society – Ngā Ara Whetū.
 
Previous studies have found more white and clear plastics than other colours in the guts of seabirds in New Zealand and internationally.
 
Some scientists have suggested that’s because white and clear plastics make up the bulk of the millions of tonnes of plastic floating in the ocean.
 
However, Heswall’s new research shows penguins select white plastic, even when it’s not more plentiful than other colours.
 
A study she published in June last year showed white and clear plastics were most often found in the guts of 13 species of North Island seabirds.
 
Yellow and gold plastics were the next most commonly found inside the seabirds.
 
While red and green plastics were widespread on Auckland beaches, they were less often found in the seabirds’ guts.
 
Plastic was found inside all 19 of the Buller’s shearwaters they examined.
 
“It’s a big problem, but at least we’re beginning to understand it better,” says Heswall.
 
Putting a lid on the production of white and clear plastics could reduce the threat for many seabird species, she says.
 
The penguins showed least interest in the black bottlecaps and seldom pecked the blue ones.
 
“Generally, black plastic is least often found inside most species of seabirds internationally.
 
“There needs to be more research, but if manufacturers replaced white plastics with black, that could potentially make a big difference for seabirds,” Heswall says.
 
Globally, 28 percent of seabirds are classified as threatened and seven percent are critically endangered.
 
Eating plastic poses risks of starvation, as plastic can fill or obstruct the birds’ gut.
 
Sharp plastics can puncture the gut, but soft plastics, such as balloons, are more likely to result in immediate death for seabirds, Heswall says.
 
Microplastics can leach into seabirds’ blood streams, changing hormone balances and sometimes causing plasticosis, a disease marked by chronic inflammation and scarring in the digestive tract.
 
Heswall says the penguin experiments were carefully designed to avoid stressing the birds or posing a risk of plastic being swallowed.
 
Even though the penguins were free to move around the enclosure, some chose to interact with the plastic caps in all but three of the 41 trials.
 
Two or three times, the penguins responded to the bottlecaps with courting or reproductive behaviours, flapping their wings and bowing repeatedly.
 
“It was quite funny to watch.
 
“The penguins sometimes tried to rotate and turn a bottlecap, a behaviour they typically only display with their eggs.”
 
Having grown up in Brunei, Heswall only discovered the wonders of seabirds when she moved to New Zealand ten years ago.
 
“I had no idea of the diverse world of shearwaters and petrels, let alone that New Zealand was the seabird capital of the world.
 
“I fell in love with seabirds during my university studies,” says the 28-year-old.

MIL OSI

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Banks Peninsula locals frustrated by flood clean-up response from authorities

Source: Radio New Zealand

Community-led cleanups are continuing in flood-damaged Banks Peninsula, but nagging frustration remains over the response from local authorities.

The peninsula was still under a state of emergency as efforts to restore access to isolated properties continued, almost 72 hours after the region was hammered by a merciless storm.

Although State Highway 75 had reopened and telecommunications restored, some properties remained cut off with multiple local roads still blocked.

The Christchurch City Council’s response teams were using helicopters to get into areas inaccessible by road.

A total of seven local roads remained shut with another eight roads restricted to residents and emergency services.

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Helicopters could be regularly seen and heard over Okuti Valley on Thursday.

Meanwhile, business owners previously cut off were getting on with the recovery, helped by overdue sunshine and 28 degree temperatures.

Little River Campground owner Marcus Puentener said this week’s flooding was the worst he had seen in 30 years.

Two days earlier he awoke to the nearby Okuti River pouring through the campground, washing away an on-site bridge and leaving a trail of debris.

Puentener said a task-force of volunteers would help with the clean up in the coming days.

Little River Campground owner Marcus Puentener. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

“We’ve got our services up and running again. We’ve got toilets, showers and kitchen area all usable, so we are open,” he said.

“However the drive into the camp is a bit rough. We’re mainly looking at ground works at the moment, clearing the river, putting shingle down on the drive to make it a little bit safer for people to drive in.”

Assistance with the clean up was needed with the campground on Okuti Valley Road due to host multiple events, including a wedding in two weeks.

Although community support for affected property owners remained a prominent feature, the response from authorities had room for improvement, Puentener said.

Damage in Little River. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

“People have got water, people have got food, that’s the main thing. But people are trapped in their properties,” he said.

“This is where it gets slightly frustrating. We’ve had a lot of clip boards and not many foot soldiers on the ground. The clipboard-to-digger ratio is all wrong.”

The resilience of Okuti Valley locals had been bolstered by a community-led emergency radio network to communicate during emergencies when power, internet and cell coverage was down.

Okuki Valley Rd resident Rennie Davidson said the nearby community hall stored essential supplies, including a generator, batteries, gas canisters, a cooker and first aid kits.

Rennie Davidson. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

“Some of the older people in the community find the ability to communicate really reassuring, that we are working as a community and we are,” he said.

“We’ve just been organising water for someone’s toilet that can’t flush. There’s a whole heap of stuff that we can do which doesn’t cost a lot of money, but supports people that otherwise might be struggling.”

The network was self-organised into eight “clusters”, arranged by location.

The community was still largely reliant upon Civil Defence during significant weather events, Davidson said.

Dave Harvey, who lived on State Highway 75 in Coopland east of Little River, admitted he was one of “the lucky ones”.

Apart from a snapped tree that protruded over his next door’s neighbours section, he mostly evaded the brunt of the deluge.

“We had a bit of inundation in the shed. Other than that this whole valley survived pretty well. Obviously I’m devastated for the neighbours further down the river who have been gravely impacted.”

Council local controller Anne Columbus said roading crews had been prioritising known communities to restore roading access to those affected.

“With the reinstatement of communication channels on the Peninsula [on Thursday], we are now starting to form a clearer picture about the damage to properties and infrastructure,” she said.

“The assessment of damage will continue over the next few days as our ground crews gain access to affected areas.”

Two rubbish skips had arrived in Little River, which residents could use to dispose any flood-damaged waste.

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Health – The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) recognises that a 4.4% increase in private health insurance premiums will place additional pressure on Australian families

Source: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

Australians are paying more for cover. But the funding flowing to patient care is not keeping pace with the real cost of delivering surgery.

Over the past three years, more than 400,000 Australians have downgraded from top-tier (“gold”) hospital cover to lower levels of insurance. Many policies now come with exclusions, meaning patients discover they are not fully covered when they need treatment.

“Bronze”, “silver” and “gold” labels hide huge differences in exclusions, excesses and clinical coverage, meaning two people on the same tier can face wildly different bills. Australians need real transparency and standardisation so consumers can compare value and know what they’re actually paying for before they need surgery.

At the same time, insurers are returning a smaller share of premiums directly to care than in previous years. Industry data shows benefits paid as a proportion of premiums are sitting in the mid-80% range – down from around 88% historically.

RACS welcomes legislation introduced this week that would ban “product phoenixing” – a practice used by some private health insurers to rebrand or replace policies in ways that drive up premiums without delivering additional value to consumers. But wider reform is needed.

RACS believes Australians deserve stronger guarantees that the vast majority of every premium dollar goes to patient care.

Surgeons are also dealing with a system where:

Medicare rebates have not kept pace with inflation for decades.
private health insurers pay different benefit amounts for the same procedure, sometimes differing by hundreds of dollars. Surgeons are forced to work across dozens of varying fee schedules to reduce patient gaps.
no-gap payments have failed to keep up with rising healthcare costs for decades.

When Medicare and private insurance benefits fall behind the real cost of operating theatres, staff, equipment and compliance, the shortfall does not vanish. It is either absorbed by hospitals and doctors or passed on to patients. This funding gap is the key driver behind rising out-of-pocket costs. RACS recognises the need to improve the affordability of specialist care. At the same time, we understand many surgeons are already prioritising their patients’ needs at personal financial cost and are struggling to keep up.

Fee reform is a two-way street

If government expects fee restraint, then Medicare must be properly indexed and insurers must ensure a higher proportion of premiums go directly to clinical care. RACS supports a minimum 90% payout ratio so Australians can be confident their premiums are funding treatment, not overhead.

Transparency measures such as the Australian Government’s mandatory Medical Costs Finder system can help patients understand fees. But transparency alone will not fix an underfunded system.

Private healthcare plays a critical role in keeping pressure off the public hospital system. If private surgery becomes financially unsustainable, waiting lists in the public sector will inevitably grow.

Australia delivers strong surgical outcomes by international standards. That system has been built on high standards and a functioning public–private balance. Rising premiums must translate into real value for patients – not reduced coverage and higher out-of-pocket costs.

RACS stands ready to work with government and insurers to modernise Medicare, improve consistency in insurer payments, and ensure patients are not left carrying the burden of a funding model that no longer reflects the real cost of safe surgical care.

MIL OSI

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Bill paves way for MCERT

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has introduced legislation to Parliament to establish the new Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), a key step in delivering its ambitious reform agenda across housing, transport, urban development and the environment.

The Environment (Disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Bill paves the way for the Ministry for the Environment to integrate into MCERT alongside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Ministry of Transport, and the local government functions of the Department of Internal Affairs.

“The new agency will be at the heart of tackling some of New Zealand’s greatest economic and environmental challenges, from housing affordability and our infrastructure deficit to climate adaptation,” RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says.

“The Ministry for the Environment is the only agency forming MCERT that was established by statute. That means it is the only Ministry that requires legislative change to enable the new department to be created, and we are moving swiftly to make that happen.”

Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says the amendment to the Environment Act will formally disestablish the Ministry for the Environment and transfer its statutory responsibilities to the Secretary for the Environment.

“MCERT will administer the Environment Act, with its chief executive fulfilling the role of Secretary for the Environment, ensuring a seamless transition and continuity of environmental oversight.

“Environmental functions remain a core part of the new Ministry’s work. Bringing related portfolios together in one department will provide integrated, practical advice that both protects our environment and lifts prosperity for communities across New Zealand.”

MCERT is set to be established from 1 April 2026 and become operational from 1 July 2026. A chief executive for the new agency will be appointed in the coming months.

MIL OSI

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A tragedy avoided

Source: New Zealand Police

Being prepared almost certainly saved a rock fisherman’s life at Piha.

Police were contacted at 7.43am on Wednesday by a fisherman advising one of his companions had fallen into water at The Gap.

Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Jamieson says the Police Maritime Unit took over incident control of the water rescue.

“The Police Eagle helicopter deployed over South Piha, and soon caught sight of the fisherman, and the crew could see he was well prepared,” he says.

“He had been fishing with a lifejacket on, and another fisherman had thrown an emergency life ring out to him.”

Meanwhile, Police Maritime Unit had called out Surf Life Saving NZ at Piha.

Acting Senior Sergeant Jamieson says Eagle kept watch from above while an IRB was heading to the location.

“Although he was struggling in the current, the devices were doing a good job at keeping him afloat while help was on the way.”

The man was soon uplifted and brought back to shore.

First responders are praising the event, as the fisherman walked away safe and well.

“Time and time again we have seen these stories end in a tragedy, and these rescue responses turn into recovery missions,” acting Senior Sergeant Jamieson says.

“This is a story where things were done correctly; the man was prepared and wearing a lifejacket and there were people equipped with a phone so that they could call for help.”

Acting Senior Sergeant Jamieson acknowledges the various resources involved.

“There was good collaboration between Northern Emergency Communication and Dispatch, Police Maritime Unit, the Police Eagle helicopter and Surf Life Saving NZ which brought about a prompt rescue.”

Surf Life Saving New Zealand GM – Northern Region, Zac Franich says the outcome highlights the importance of wearing the appropriate safety equipment when rock fishing, particularly a life jacket.

“This is a really positive outcome, and the fact the fisherman was wearing a lifejacket made a critical difference,” he says.

“When people are swept into the water while rock fishing, conditions can change very quickly. A lifejacket helps keep you afloat, conserves energy and buys crucial time for rescuers to reach you. Were it not for the lifejacket, we could very easily have been reporting on a fatal drowning.”

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

A video of the rescue has been posted to the North Shore, Rodney & West Auckland Police Facebook page.

MIL OSI

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Crucial SH35 connection restored

Source: New Zealand Government

State Highway 35 will once more connect Tairāwhiti to eastern Bay of Plenty, when it reopens at 7am tomorrow, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

It’s been three weeks since heavy rainfall and flooding caused slips above and below the road, closing the road between Pōtaka and Te Araroa isolating the communities in between.

“NZ Transport Agency crews have been working alongside local contractors since the storm at the end of last month to restore access as quickly, and safely, as possible,” Mr Bishop says.

“While there have been multiple slips along this stretch of state highway, the focus has been on two particular areas – the Waikura slip between Pōtaka and Hicks Bay, and the largest slip of all, the Punaruku slip, closer to Te Araroa.

“A quarter of a million cubic metres of rocks and soil came down in the Punaruku slip, and workers have shifted 25,000 cubic metres of it to restore access.

“Now, NZTA has confirmed the section of SH35 from Pōtaka through to Hicks Bay and around to Te Araroa will be open daily between 7am and 7pm from tomorrow morning. That means people and freight will again be able to travel all the way through to Gisborne.

“Outside those opening times, the road will close again to allow crews to continue working.

“We know how important this is for medical appointments, to replenish supplies and reconnect with family and friends.

“It’s been a tough three weeks for communities stuck in between the cordons, and while there have been limited convoys in place, the work to restore public access is no mean feat. I’d like to thank the community for their patience and support over this period, and East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick for her strong local advocacy.

“I’d also like to thank all the crews who have been working so hard around the clock and in all kinds of weather conditions to make this re-opening possible.

“The road may be open, but it’s still very fragile. Crews will be working on it for some time to come. People travelling through will need to remember to take extreme care – the journey will take longer, the road will be down to single lane in multiple locations, and lower speeds and traffic management will be in place

“For communities up and down SH35, the sight of hi-vis vests, hard hats and rollers has become all too common since Cyclone Gabrielle. There’s going to be more of that to come and I’m thanking people in advance for their support – it makes all the difference for the crews on the ground.”

MIL OSI

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Firearms seized in ongoing investigation

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have recovered a cache of weaponry as part of an ongoing investigation into a family harm event.

Counties Manukau West Police responded to Māngere address on Sunday afternoon.

“A disagreement between family members occurred, when a firearm was allegedly presented by one member,” Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Steve Albrey says.

“The man left the address in a vehicle along with an associate, and Police were contacted.”

Police responded to the area, locating this vehicle leaving a Kirkbride Road address.

“An armed traffic stop was carried out and the driver was taken into custody,” Senior Sergeant Albrey says.

“Police have returned to the Kirkbride Road property and made an armed approach to the address and invoked a search at the property.”

Inside, Police seized a range of firearms and ammunition.

“This included a pistol, revolver, pump-action shotgun and two rifles.”

Senior Sergeant Albrey says a cross bow and an imitation pistol were also recovered.

Meanwhile, units also stopped a second vehicle in connection with the family harm incident, taking that driver into custody as well.

“Our enquiries are continuing, and we expect charges will be laid,” he says.

“It’s a good outcome for the Māngere community that these firearms are now out of circulation.”

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

MIL OSI

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Infrastructure Commission clarifies suggestion of Auckland Harbour Bridge toll

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tom Kitchin

The Infrastructure Commission has moved to clarify its suggestion around tolling the Auckland Harbour Bridge, with the government considering whether a toll will help pay for a new Waitematā Harbour crossing.

The government has been at pains to stress no decisions have been made around tolling the existing bridge, and the Infrastructure Commission said it was not specifically recommending a toll over options like targeted levies.

In the National Infrastructure Plan, published on Tuesday, the Infrastructure Commission said new revenue would be needed to help fund a new crossing, and a $9 toll on the existing bridge and the new crossing could raise between $7 billion to $9 billion.

On Tuesday, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said it was a “big decision” for the country to make, and a decision he would not get ahead of.

Infrastructure Commission chairperson Geoff Cooper told RNZ the plan highlighted that given New Zealand already invested a large proportion of its infrastructure spend in transport, there was a need to increase user revenues if additional major projects were to be added to the network.

“This could mean increasing existing charges, introducing new charges like tolls, or investing in ways that increase usage and growing the revenue base,” he said.

He said the Waitematā Harbour crossing was one such example where the consideration was needed, and for projects that could not proceed within existing funds, new revenue mechanisms, which could be tolls, target levies, or other charges, should be investigated.

“To illustrate a scenario for what this might look like, we present high-level analysis that a $9 toll on both new and existing crossings could raise up to $7-9 billion to help pay for the crossing,” he said.

“However, we have not undertaken a detailed comparison of alternative revenue options, and hence we do not specifically recommend a toll over options like targeted levies. Ultimately it will be up to decision-makers to decide on the best mechanism for paying for new infrastructure such as this.”

Finance minister Nicola Willis said a $9 toll was a “completely hypothetical scenario”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand