Latest news with #SamuelRillstone
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- RNZ News
Wellington's Terrace Tunnel reopens after armed police halt traffic
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.
RNZ News
30-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Health and Disability Commission says operating budget $1.9m less than previous years
The Health and Disability Commission lost nearly 10 percent of its funding in this year's Budget. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone The Health and Disability Commission cannot yet confirm whether it will have to make any staff redundant after losing nearly 10 percent of its funding in this year's Budget. A spokesperson for the consumer health watchdog said the total operating budget was $1.9 million less than in previous years. "This is due to the end of time-limited funding ($2.9m) that was provided in 2021 and extended for 2024/25." That has been "partly offset" by an extra one-off $1m for the 2025/26 year to help the HDC clear a backlog of complaints. When asked whether any jobs would be lost as a result, the commission said no decisions had been made. "We are not in a position to comment any further until we have completed engagement with our staff. "We remain committed to fulfilling our critical function to uphold people's rights and manage complaints." The $2.9m in time-limited funding was introduced by the Labour Government in 2021, to ensure the HDC had capacity to protect the rights of patients using assisted dying services. The new government axed the funding in its 2024 Budget, but subsequently extended it for another year. According to its 2024 annual report, the number of complaints to the HDC increased 52 percent over five years. The 3628 complaints received by HDC in 2023/24 was the highest number of complaints ever received in a single year, which placed significant pressure and led to delays in resolving some of them. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Lobby group members raise red flags over ferry fleet's resiliency issues
The Aratere. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Members of public and transport lobby groups are raising red flags about resiliency issues resulting in Aratere's retirement . KiwiRail has announced that the Interislander ship will retire by the end of August and has warned that it would affect capacity for the service with their fleet reduced to two ships. The Aratere is the only vessel in the Interislander's fleet which is rail enabled, which means rail freight can roll on and off it. That means it can't use another wharf in Picton, while port upgrades there and in Wellington are underway for two new ferries set to arrive in 2029. It could also reduce jobs associated with the ships. Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy advised passengers to book their trips early, especially for peak season around Christmas time. "We don't have full ferries all the time with three [ferries], so we'd expect to have fuller ferries and, probably, people will be travelling at non-traditional times - earlier in the morning, later in the evening," he told Morning Report. Roy would not say whether prices would increase after the Aratere retires but assured there would be no price-gouging. "Nothing considerable... there could be a price increase anytime, but we watch our prices and monitor them like any good business. We work hard to keep the cost down." Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi RNZ asked Wellingtonians what they thought of the news. Jenna said that it would be annoying to have to travel at less popular times. "Nobody's going to wake up early to go on transport to get somewhere, that's just really annoying actually." She said it would make her think more about flying across Cook Strait rather than sailing. Jackie told RNZ the decision to retire the ferry was short sighted. She said the Interislander ferries were an essential link and it needed to have appropriate levels of capacity. "Really important, and really important that its rail enabled." Evan told RNZ the ferries sailed at "pretty odd times" now. "So, if they are reducing the fleet, it's only going to make things worse." He said it could make people look at other travel options and he was concerned about prices on the service going up. Transporting New Zealand chief executive Dom Kalasih told Midday Report the lower number of ships could have flow on effects if one is taken out of service suddenly. "It is almost a given that a ferry will be out for unplanned reasons and so it's what sort of disruption is caused then and how that's managed." Kalasih said it was not clear yet whether the cost of freight would go up, but that there was increased risk of price increases. New Zealand motor caravan association Bruce Lochore said the Aratere's retirement would make travelling across the Cook Strait "a little tougher". "It's going to be at capacity just about full time and the risk of one breaking down is a concern." Lochore said the fact that there was less capacity meant there was more risk of prices increasing. "We'll just have to watch that, but we haven't had any indication from Interislander that they are looking at price rises at this point." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Watch live: Parliament debates Te Pāti Māori MPs' punishment for Treaty Principles haka
Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipa-Clarke was among those to perform a haka, at Parliament, after the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, on 14 November, 2024. Photo: RNZ/ Samuel Rillstone Parliament will debate the proposed punishments of Te Pāti Māori MPs for last year's Treaty Principles haka when the House sits at 2pm on Tuesday. The Privileges Committee recommended suspending Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer for 21 days. MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who started the haka but had since expressed contrition, faces a one-week suspension. If the debate is still going when the House rises at 10pm, Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee will decide whether it takes precedence over members' day on Wednesday or is adjourned until the next sitting day after the Budget, in early June. All 123 MPs will be allowed to speak, and if any amendment is put forward, they would be allowed to speak again. Follow RNZ's live coverage of the debate. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
09-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
New Zealand's sexual violence rates higher than global average, Australia's
About 500 people gathered on Courtenay Place in Wellington to rally against sexual violence in 2021. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone New Zealand has rates of sexual violence against teenagers above the global average, ahead of even a badly afflicted Australia, according to new research. A study published in The Lancet took a look across more than 200 countries over the last three decades. Among people aged 12 to 18, it estimated almost 30 percent of New Zealand women and one in five men had experienced sexual violence. Australian rates were just below that, but above those of most other high-income countries. The global rate was 18.9 percent for women and 14.8 percent for men. The study found significant differences between countries and regions. The US and UK rates for men were around 16 percent, versus almost 22 percent in New Zealand. Montenegro and Mongolia had particularly low rates, and the Solomon Islands and Cote d'Ivoire, high. "The prevalence... is extremely high for both females and males across the globe," said the researchers, noting these were probably underestimates given the difficulties getting data. "An overwhelmingly high proportion of survivors first experienced sexual violence during childhood, revealing a narrow yet sensitive window that should be targeted in future prevention efforts." They reviewed three global epidemiological databases. New Zealand's high rates were despite the government spending $70 million on a 25-year plan launched in 2021 to combat sexual and family violence. Reports on the plan, Te Aorerekura, found rates of sexual abuse of girls may have actually gone back up recently. The researchers said the rates showed routine surveillance was vital, and that survivors needed more government-funded support "for the rest of their lives". The second phase - with far fewer targets, after the first phase had too many, the government said - includes a review of the $1.3 billion spent on family and sexual violence services and contracts. "We're focused on doing a smaller number of things, but doing them more effectively," said the minister responsible for the plan, Karen Chhour. Community health professor Janet Fanslow at the University of Auckland told the Science Media Centre the study "should not be allowed to sit on a shelf somewhere" but be a catalyst for investment. "It is no longer sufficient to take a piecemeal approach hoping that individual parts of the system will eventually join up," she said. A primary objective of Te Aorerekura for four years had been to join up the efforts of about a dozen government agencies. Last year's review found a very spotty outcome. Dr Rachel Roskvist, a forensic medical examiner and expert in sexual assault and non-fatal strangulation and suffocation, said comprehensive relationship and sexuality education was needed. "What is not seen in this work is the prevalence among transgender, gender fluid, non-binary or intersex individuals, groups known to be at risk for sexual violence." If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
