logo
Wellington's Terrace Tunnel reopens after armed police halt traffic

Wellington's Terrace Tunnel reopens after armed police halt traffic

RNZ News11-06-2025

Police conducted an armed stop in the Terrace Tunnel on Wednesday.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Terrace Tunnel on State Highway 1 in Wellington has reopened after an armed police stop.
Police say around 11.30am on Wednesday they received a report of a person pointing a firearm at another member of the public in Kilbirnie.
Police said they then followed a vehicle of interest travelling north towards the Terrace Tunnel where an armed stop was conducted.
Police conducted an armed stop in the Terrace Tunnel on Wednesday.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The northbound side of the Terrace Tunnel was temporarily closed but has now reopened.
An RNZ reporter on the scene said police cars were blocking the left-hand lane while police on motorbikes were directing traffic.
Police were scattered over the empty portion of the road, she said.
Traffic management and a tow truck had arrived on the scene shortly before midday, she said.
Police have taken two people have been taken into custody.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero
,
a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sentencing reforms come into effect as govt targets crime
Sentencing reforms come into effect as govt targets crime

Otago Daily Times

timean hour ago

  • Otago Daily Times

Sentencing reforms come into effect as govt targets crime

By Natalie Akoorie of RNZ Sentencing reforms which will cap discounts judges can give to an offender and introduce aggravating factors at sentencing, have come into effect as the government targets tougher crime consequences. The Labour Party says the move will only exacerbate an already clogged court system, add huge costs to the taxpayer by increasing the prison population, and will not reduce crime or the number of victims. But Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the sentencing reforms, which came into effect on Sunday, were about restoring real consequences for crime. Communities and hardworking New Zealanders should not be made to live and work in fear of criminals who had a "flagrant disregard for the law, corrections officers and the general public", he said. "We know that undue leniency has resulted in a loss of public confidence in sentencing, and our justice system as a whole. We had developed a culture of excuses." The tougher stance was part of the government's plan to "restore law and order, which we know is working", he said. "It signals to victims that they deserve justice, and that they are our priority." The changes include: • Capping sentence discounts when considering mitigating factors • Preventing repeat discounts for youth and remorse • Introducing aggravating factors at sentencing for offences against sole charge workers and those whose home and business are interconnected • Encouraging the use of cumulative sentencing when someone commits a crime on bail, in custody or on parole • Requiring courts to take victims' needs and interests into account at sentencing Act backs reforms Act MP Nicole McKee welcomed the new rules saying there had been a steady erosion of public confidence in the justice system. "Offenders faced fewer and shorter prison sentences, while communities paid the price." She said police data showed a 134 percent increase in serious assault leading to injury from 2017 to 2023 under "Labour's failed experiment of being kind to criminals". "We've restored Three Strikes, and from today additional measures are coming into force to make the message even clearer." She said the vulnerability of people who worked alone or in a business attached to their home would be "recognised in law" thanks to Act's coalition agreement to crack down on retail crime with the introduction of the aggravating factors. 'Smart on crime' Labour's spokesperson for Justice Duncan Webb, however, said tough on crime sounded good but did not actually have the effect of reducing crime. "We've got to be smart on crime as well. We've got to address the causes of crime which we know are poverty, family violence, mental illness and addiction, and until we address those, there'll continue to be crime and there'll continue to be victims." Tougher sentences were just one option, he said. "If we're gonna be serious about reducing crime and reducing harm, we've got to address those causes of crime." Evidence showed tough on crime initiatives such as the Three Strikes law, which the government had reinstated, did not reduce victims, Webb said. "Victims are absolutely central to the approach and the best thing we could ever have is avoiding someone becoming a victim and that means addressing the causes of crime before crime occurs. "And absolutely I understand that when people are victims of crime they want to see the perpetrator punished and that's the right thing to happen, but I'd rather see the appropriate amount of resources put into mental health, reducing poverty, [and] eliminating homelessness, because those are things that create crime and we've seen them all increase under this government." The fact white collar crime such as fraud - which was one of the few crimes that responded to deterrents - was not captured by Three Strikes was inconsistent, Webb said. Webb said he had sought feedback from those in the social services, intervention, and criminal justice sectors. "They're all frustrated with the fact the direction that's being taken is going to clog up the courts, it's going to create more offenders, it's going to create more victims and it's not actually going to address what we really want to address which is the things that cause crime."

Justice Minister proposes higher penalties for assaults against first responders
Justice Minister proposes higher penalties for assaults against first responders

RNZ News

timean hour ago

  • RNZ News

Justice Minister proposes higher penalties for assaults against first responders

The proposed legislation was promised in National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has proposed the introduction of higher penalties for people who assault first responders. Goldsmith's proposal would expand the current assault against police to also cover prison officers and all first responders. The new offence of assaulting a first responder with intent to injure would mean up to five years in prison - two years higher than the standard offence. Actually injuring them would carry a sentence of up to seven years and counts against the three strikes regime, which can impose mandatory minimum sentences. The proposed legislation was promised in National's coalition agreement with New Zealand First. More to come ... Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Sentencing reforms to 'restore law and order' come into effect
Sentencing reforms to 'restore law and order' come into effect

Otago Daily Times

timean hour ago

  • Otago Daily Times

Sentencing reforms to 'restore law and order' come into effect

By Natalie Akoorie of RNZ Sentencing reforms which will cap discounts judges can give to an offender and introduce aggravating factors at sentencing, have come into effect as the government targets tougher crime consequences. The Labour Party says the move will only exacerbate an already clogged court system, add huge costs to the taxpayer by increasing the prison population, and will not reduce crime or the number of victims. But Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the sentencing reforms, which came into effect on Sunday, were about restoring real consequences for crime. Communities and hardworking New Zealanders should not be made to live and work in fear of criminals who had a "flagrant disregard for the law, corrections officers and the general public", he said. "We know that undue leniency has resulted in a loss of public confidence in sentencing, and our justice system as a whole. We had developed a culture of excuses." The tougher stance was part of the government's plan to "restore law and order, which we know is working", he said. "It signals to victims that they deserve justice, and that they are our priority." The changes include: • Capping sentence discounts when considering mitigating factors • Preventing repeat discounts for youth and remorse • Introducing aggravating factors at sentencing for offences against sole charge workers and those whose home and business are interconnected • Encouraging the use of cumulative sentencing when someone commits a crime on bail, in custody or on parole • Requiring courts to take victims' needs and interests into account at sentencing Act backs reforms Act MP Nicole McKee welcomed the new rules saying there had been a steady erosion of public confidence in the justice system. "Offenders faced fewer and shorter prison sentences, while communities paid the price." She said police data showed a 134 percent increase in serious assault leading to injury from 2017 to 2023 under "Labour's failed experiment of being kind to criminals". "We've restored Three Strikes, and from today additional measures are coming into force to make the message even clearer." She said the vulnerability of people who worked alone or in a business attached to their home would be "recognised in law" thanks to Act's coalition agreement to crack down on retail crime with the introduction of the aggravating factors. 'Smart on crime' Labour's spokesperson for Justice Duncan Webb, however, said tough on crime sounded good but did not actually have the effect of reducing crime. "We've got to be smart on crime as well. We've got to address the causes of crime which we know are poverty, family violence, mental illness and addiction, and until we address those, there'll continue to be crime and there'll continue to be victims." Tougher sentences were just one option, he said. "If we're gonna be serious about reducing crime and reducing harm, we've got to address those causes of crime." Evidence showed tough on crime initiatives such as the Three Strikes law, which the government had reinstated, did not reduce victims, Webb said. "Victims are absolutely central to the approach and the best thing we could ever have is avoiding someone becoming a victim and that means addressing the causes of crime before crime occurs. "And absolutely I understand that when people are victims of crime they want to see the perpetrator punished and that's the right thing to happen, but I'd rather see the appropriate amount of resources put into mental health, reducing poverty, [and] eliminating homelessness, because those are things that create crime and we've seen them all increase under this government." The fact white collar crime such as fraud - which was one of the few crimes that responded to deterrents - was not captured by Three Strikes was inconsistent, Webb said. Webb said he had sought feedback from those in the social services, intervention, and criminal justice sectors. "They're all frustrated with the fact the direction that's being taken is going to clog up the courts, it's going to create more offenders, it's going to create more victims and it's not actually going to address what we really want to address which is the things that cause crime."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store