Resources Minister on repeal of new oil and gas ban
The opposition says the government's move to scrap the 2018 oil and gas ban shows it is more interested in doing the bidding of multinational companies than supporting ordinary New Zealanders. Resources Minister Shane Jones spoke to Corin Dann.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Chinese national charged in Australia under foreign interference laws
AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt at a press conference announcing that a Chinese national has been charged with foreign interference offence in Canberra. Photo: Australian Federal Police Australian police said on Monday they had charged a Chinese national with "reckless foreign interference", accusing the woman of spying on local Buddhists for Beijing. Assistant police commissioner Stephen Nutt said the unnamed woman had been covertly gathering information on the Guan Yin Citta Buddhist association in Australia's capital, Canberra. Nutt said she was working under the command of China's Public Security Bureau, the country's main domestic law enforcement body. "We allege the activity was to support the intelligence objectives of China's Public Security Bureau," said Nutt, from the special investigations division of the Australian Federal Police. "It is a crime carried out by, or on behalf of, a foreign principle involving covert or deceptive conduct." The woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - is an Australian permanent resident. She was arrested and charged with "reckless foreign interference" after police raided a number of houses in Canberra over the weekend. "During the searches, a number of items, including electronic devices, were seized and will undergo forensic examination," police said in a statement. Reckless foreign interference carries a maximum of 15 years in prison. China's sprawling security apparatus has long been accused of infiltrating community organisations as a way to keep tabs on expats and dissidents. But it is rare that a major trading partner such as Australia so bluntly links Beijing to a covert influence plot. "At a time of permanent regional contest, offenders will attempt to spy on individuals, groups and institutions in Australia," said Nutt. Australian police have foiled a series of foreign interference plots in recent years, but these have typically targeted migrant communities. Nutt said this case was unusual in that it also appeared to be targeting Australian citizens. "This is the first time the AFP has charged a person with foreign interference that allegedly involves targeting members of the Australian community," he said. Police started investigating the woman in March 2025 after receiving a tipoff from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Australia's top counter-espionage agency. Australia's spy chief Mike Burgess last week warned of the mounting domestic security threat posed by foreign actors such as China. "Foreign interference of the kind alleged is an appalling assault on Australian values, freedoms and sovereignty," Burgess said on Monday. "Anyone who thinks it is acceptable to monitor, intimidate and potentially repatriate members of our diaspora communities should never underestimate our capabilities and resolve." - AFP
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
The 'right to choose' key to the Cook Islands-NZ relationship
Foreign Minister Winston Peters with Minister for Pacific Peoples Shane Reti celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Cook Islands constitution in Tāmaki Makaurau. Photo: RNZ / Teuila Fuatai New Zealand's foreign minister says Cook Islanders are free to choose whether their country continues in free association with New Zealand. Winston Peters made the comment at a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the constitution of the Cook Islands in Auckland today. Peters attended the community event hosted by the Upokina Taoro (East Cook Island Community Group) as part of an official contingent of MPs. Minister for Pacific Peoples Shane Reti and Labour Party deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni also attended. "We may not be perfect, but we've never wavered from our responsibilities wherever they lay," Peters said. "For six decades, we have stood by ready to support the Cook Islands economic and social development, while never losing sight of the fact that our financial support comes from the taxes of hard working New Zealanders," This week's anniversary comes at a time of increasing tension between the two nations. At the heart of that are four agreements between the Cook Islands and China, which Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed in February. The New Zealand government said it should have been consulted over the agreements, but Brown disagreed. The diplomatic disagreement has resulted in New Zealand halting $18.2 million in funding to the Cook Islands, which is a realm country of New Zealand. Under that arrangement - implemented in 1965 - the country governs its own affairs, but New Zealand provides some assistance with foreign affairs, disaster relief and defence. Peters today said the "beating heart" of the Cook Islands-New Zealand relationship was the "right to choose". "Cook Islanders are free to choose where to live, how to live, and to worship whichever God they wish." After his formal address, Peters was asked by media about the rift between the governments of the Cooks Islands and New Zealand. He referred back to his "carefully crafted" speech which he said showed "precisely what the New Zealand position is now". Brown has previously said that if New Zealand could not afford to fund the country's national infrastructure investment plan - billed at $650 million - the Cook Islands would need to look elsewhere. Brown also said in at the time that funding the development needs of the Cook Islands was a major motivator in signing the agreements with China. Discussions between officials from both countries regarding the diplomatic disagreement were ongoing. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Cryptopia customer tried to bribe court registrar for information about company's case
A man claiming to be an affected party in the collapse of a multimillion-dollar cryptocurrency company has tried to bribe a court registrar to release information related to the case for $2 million in Bitcoin. New Zealand-based company Cryptopia was allegedly hacked in January 2019, leading to the loss
