Latest news with #EastAuckland
RNZ News
21-07-2025
- General
- RNZ News
New kaupapa Māori health hub opens for young parents in East Auckland
Photo: Supplied A new kaupapa Māori health and social services hub will open on Tuesday in East Auckland, offering wrap-around support for young parents and whānau to "come together again". Te Whare Piringa, located on Ngāti Pāoa whenua in Glenn Innes, is the first iwi-led space of its kind in Aotearoa. A whare designed not just for parenting support but to reconnect whānau across generations. The opening of the re-designed whare will mark the first step in a broader shift for Ki Tua o Matariki, formerly known as E Tipu E Rea , a kaupapa Māori service supporting mātua taiohi (young parents), pēpi and their wider whānau. Rooted in te ao Māori, the whare offers parenting wānanga, shared kai spaces, and areas designed for kōrero, play and connection between pēpi, mātua taiohi and kaumātua. Ki Tua o Matariki chief executive Zoe Witika-Hawke (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Paoa) said the whare represents a deeper commitment to whānau wellbeing. "Te Whare Piringa isn't just a new whare, it represents a shift in how we show up for our whānau," she said. "Being on Ngāti Pāoa whenua carries deep cultural and spiritual significance for us. It allows us to continue our important mahi supporting mātua taiohi and pēpi in our rohe, while also caring for our descendants on their own whenua." The name Te Whare Piringa was gifted by the Glen Innes community and speaks to the vision of a space for connection, and collective healing. Ki Tua o Matariki Chief Executive Zoe Witika-Hawke (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Paoa) said Te Whare Piringa represents a deeper commitment to whānau wellbeing. Photo: Supplied "This will bring us closer to our vision of intergenerational care and reconnect us with the traditional ways our people have always raised tamariki - together, as a village," Witika-Hawke said. "In a world where so many are parenting in isolation, we're creating a space where whānau can come together again. When aunties, uncles, kuia, koroua and cousins share in care, our tamariki thrive. That's the future we're building." The transition to the name Ki Tua o Matariki - which can be understood as "beyond Matariki" - also signifies a renewed committment for the group. "Ki Tua o Matariki is about where we're heading," Witika-Hawke said. "It reminds us that the wellbeing of our mokopuna depends on the whole pa harakeke - the strength of the village around them. That's the kaupapa guiding us, now and into the future."
RNZ News
07-07-2025
- RNZ News
Over 200 work visas linked to companies connected to Vietnamese organised crime rings
Police say dozens of people have been arrested and thousands of cannabis plants destroyed as part of search warrants. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police More than 200 people with valid work visas have been linked to inoperative companies connected to Vietnamese organised crime rings in East Auckland, Immigration New Zealand says. Police believe there are multiple groups operating cannabis grow houses across the city . Dozens of people have been arrested and thousands of cannabis plants destroyed as part of search warrants. A number of Vietnamese nationals have also been deported . RNZ can reveal police do not believe the grow houses uncovered are operated by solely one syndicate. "Police enquiries continue into the operations we have uncovered previously, including working with partner agencies where appropriate," police said. "Grow houses are not a new phenomenon for Police. These have been around for decades. We have encountered these sorts of operations over many decades right around the country." Police said the proliferation and size of some operations, particularly in the Auckland region, had changed. "Police have previously voiced our concerns over safety given some of the dangerous and dodgy electrical wiring that our staff encounter. "It poses not only a risk to those who are operating the illegal set up, but also neighbours and our staff who turn up to these addresses." Do you know more? Email The presence of syndicates in Auckland was likely proportionate to the population, police said, including the availability of rentals and the ability to blend in given the density of housing. A grow house uncovered last month. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police Documents from Immigration NZ show staff have worked with police under Operation Clementine to disrupt Vietnamese organised crime rings in East Auckland. The operation identified 38 businesses of interest. Immigration and police found 203 people who held valid work visas linked to 11 companies found to be inoperative, or believed inoperative. Sixty-two offshore visas had been cancelled before the holders were able to reach New Zealand. A further eight visas were cancelled at the border and eight other passengers were offloaded from flights into the country. Immigration NZ general manager for immigration, compliance and investigations Steve Watson told RNZ it had been working for roughly three months with police to target the crime groups. "Our work is focusing on the visa aspect of it," he said. "After receiving some information, we did a bit of work and commenced a three month operation that involved some accredited employer companies that we believed were employing migrants but in breach of their visas." Watson said 16 infringement notices had been issued to the companies illegally employing staff. Thirty-eight deportation liability notices had also been issued, with two people leaving the country voluntarily. Watson said those with deportation notices were still in the appeal period of the process. "We are just monitoring them to understand what their next steps are," he said. "If they don't appeal, or there's no further action, they will be deported." There were only another couple of weeks to appeal the notices, Watson said. "What we're seeing here is organised crime working through what appear to be legitimate businesses. "The way to disrupt that is for government agencies to work together, and lawfully and intelligently share information with each other, in order to disrupt what is actually organised crime behaviour," he said. Immigration NZ has been working with Police to target the international crime groups. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police Watson urged those migrants wanting to come to New Zealand to do so through official channels or an accredited agent. "Some of these people have paid significant amounts of money for visas when they didn't need to," he said. "We would encourage people to follow the correct process, in order to safeguard themselves when applying for a visa." December 2023 Police arrested 10 people, found 6886 plants and seized 10 kilograms of cannabis with a street value at the time of $16-25 million, through search warrants at properties across Waitematā and Counties Manukau. Up to $100,000 cash was also seized. Twelve migrants unlawfully in the country also faced deportation. Police at the time suggested the crime syndicate was predominantly operating across the Waitematā and Counties Manukau Police districts. May 2024 Police seize up to $15 million worth of cannabis from parts of rural southern Auckland, arresting nine people. More than 4300 plants were destroyed in Āwhitu, over 150 destroyed in Runciman and more than 1000 plants were destroyed in Glenbrook. Four Vietnamese nationals were arrested at Āwhitu. A further five Vietnamese nationals were arrested at the site in Glenbrook, Police said. September 2024 Police destroyed 953 cannabis plants and 13 kilograms of cannabis in East Auckland. An estimated $289,323 of stolen electricity had been used across properties, including in Somerville, Botany Downs, Pakuranga and Ōtara. Police found electrical fuses had been replaced at the rental properties they searched, some of which were so hot they could not be touched. They said wires in the affected fuses had melted and they could have caught fire. October 2024 Officers arrested 11 people, seized and destroyed 3385 cannabis plants and 48 kg of dried cannabis across Counties Manukau, Central Auckland and Waitematā District. The estimated value of the seizures at the time, based on estimated yield of the plants, was $18m. The majority of those arrested were in New Zealand illegally, Police said, and 11 Vietnamese Nationals were deported. Police reminded landlords to be vigilant when renting out their properties. They asked landlords to ensure there were regular property inspections and to carry out thorough vetting, including obtaining two forms of photo ID and sighting the original document. They also asked neighbours to be vigilant. Anyone who noticed suspicious activity, such as deliveries of easy grow and fertiliser bags being dropped off or signs a meter has been tampered with, was urged to contact Police. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
17-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
33,000-hour effort to restore Auckland's Mangemangeroa Reserve
life and society 14 minutes ago Over 25 years, a volunteer group in East Auckland has quietly achieved something remarkable - a transformation of the Mangemangeroa Reserve from farmland into thriving native bush. Friends of Mangemangeroa have planted over 115,000 natives and restored eight hectares of coastal forest, contributing more than 33,000 volunteer hours. Friends of Mangemangeroa chair Marion Skelton says the achievement reflects what long-term, community-led environmental work can accomplish - not just for the land, but for those who give their time to it.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Council warns of washed up asbestos on East Auckland beaches
Asbestos-containing material (ACM) was found washed up at beaches in Glendowie, Karaka Bays and up theTāmaki River towards Panmure. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council Auckland Council is warning that fragments of fibre cement board washing up on beaches in East Auckland contain asbestos. The council said 5-10cm long pieces of asbestos-containing material (ACM) were found at Glendowie and Karaka Bays. It said small amounts of ACM were also found further up the Tāmaki River towards Panmure. The council said warning signs had been put up at affected beaches, and cleanups were underway to remove the material. Auckland Council's Manager of Environmental Health, Mervyn Chetty, said the risk to the public was low and people did not need to avoid the beaches. Asbestos-containing material (ACM) was found washed up at beaches in Glendowie, Karaka Bays and up theTāmaki River towards Panmure. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council But he advised people not to touch the fragments if they did come across them. "We are asking people to take a common-sense approach and to simply leave ACM alone for the council to collect. "Dogs and children should also be prevented from picking up the material." The council said they were continuing to investigate the source of the ACM, but Chetty said it was likely from historic construction waste. "Unfortunately, waste disposal practices were not always what they are today. The ACM we're finding now is likely to be decades-old construction waste that was dumped near the shoreline, which over time has fragmented and dispersed along beaches due to natural processes like tides and weather." Inhaling significant amounts of airborne asbestos can lead to respiratory issues, including lung cancer. But Health New Zealand Medical Officer of Health Dr David Sinclair said the riskiest situation was when dust was generated from ACM being cut or damaged, such as during construction work. "In outdoor settings such as the affected beaches, we'd expect the level of asbestos dust to be minimal, especially when the material is below the high tide mark and damp. "However, people should inform Auckland Council if they find ACM so it can be removed, and not disturb the ACM pieces or collect them." The council said it would continue to inspect and monitor beaches in the East Auckland area to determine the scale of the issue. It reminded people to responsibly secure and dispose of construction and household waste, to avoid them making their way to waterways and beaches, particularly after storm events. Anyone with information about the source of the washed-up ACM is asked to report it to healthenforcement@ Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- RNZ News
Police rescue runaway horse in Flat Bush, Auckland
Police say the horse's owner has not been found. Photo: 123rf Police in East Auckland have successfully rescued a runaway horse after it fled from officers on Sunday night. Officers were called to Ravello Rise in Flat Bush after the horse was spotted by a member of the public. It was spooked by police arriving, galloping down Jeffs Road and through a number of side streets, narrowly missing being hit by a car. Officers slowed the horse using a handful of grass, after which it was sedated and taken to a veterinary clinic in Clevedon. Police said the horse's owner has not been found.
