Latest news with #Ōtara
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Live weather updates: Thousands of homes without power after another night of wild weather
Flooding in Ōtara overnight. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Response Team South Base Thousands of households have passed the night without power after strong winds and heavy rain downed trees, lifted roofs and flooded roads. The storm band that left the Nelson Tasman district flooded again and soaked much of the rest of the country has been slowly making its way east overnight. The Nelson Tasman region remains under a state of emergency, with evacuations, widespread flooding, slips, power cuts, and pleas to conserve water. RNZ is New Zealand's statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Live: Thousands of homes without power after another night of wild weather
Flooding in Ōtara overnight. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Response Team South Base Thousands of households have passed the night without power after strong winds and heavy rain downed trees, lifted roofs and flooded roads. The storm band that left the Nelson Tasman district flooded again and soaked much of the rest of the country has been slowly making its way east overnight. The Nelson Tasman region remains under a state of emergency, with evacuations, widespread flooding, slips, power cuts, and pleas to conserve water. RNZ is New Zealand's statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to hand. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
29-06-2025
- RNZ News
Ōtara Kāinga Ora tenant evicted after repeatedly abusing agency staff
By Catherine Hutton, Open Justice reporter of An Ōtara Kāinga Ora tenant has been evicted after the agency told him to remove his dogs from the property. Photo: Supplied / NZME A Kāinga Ora tenant has been evicted from his home after repeatedly becoming aggressive and yelling "f*** you" at staff when he was told to remove his dogs from the property. The agency applied to end Vena Funaki's period tenancy at the Ōtara house, arguing that he swore at staff, and was aggressive and intimidating. But to have Funaki's tenancy terminated by the Tenancy Tribunal, Kāinga Ora had to show three incidents of anti-social behaviour had occurred in three months. According to the tribunal's recent decision, it was able to do so. The first incident occurred in a Kāinga Ora office in September last year when Funaki met to discuss his dog allegedly attacking a tradesperson, as well as the condition of the property. As the meeting was coming to an end, Funaki yelled "f*** you" at two staff members and continued to use explicit language in the foyer as he left the building. Two weeks later, two Kāinga Ora staff visited the Bairds Road home to check the dogs had been removed, as discussed at the earlier meeting. The decision stated Funaki was aggressive when he answered the door and during the conversation, became agitated. He told the pair to "f*** off", the decision noted, describing Funaki as yelling and being aggressive and intimidating. A month later, on 31 October, two senior housing support managers visited the property after reports the dogs were still there, and again to discuss the condition of the house. Funaki told the pair he had the dogs and would challenge Kāinga Ora in court. The decision stated that as the pair left the property, Funaki used "unacceptable language", including yelling at them to "f*** off" and waving his arms. Funaki denied receiving two of three notices Kāinga Ora said it had fixed to his front door, as well as leaving a copy in his letterbox after each incident. The tribunal found Kāinga Ora had provided Funaki with the necessary written notice after each incident and hadn't acted in a retaliatory way. It ordered the tenancy to be terminated and for Funaki to be evicted. When approached by NZME about the case, Kāinga Ora said it did not comment on Tenancy Tribunal decisions but referred to information relating to disruptive behaviour on its website. That information stated that as of July last year, the agency had changed its approach to disruptive behaviour by its tenants. It noted this included working to understand what's driving the behaviour and referring tenants to specialist social and health services to address underlying issues if needed. However, if behaviour did not change, it would end tenancies and not offer the tenant another home, it stated. Data on its website showed that in the current financial year, 63 tenancies have been terminated without offering a tenant another home, compared to 12 in the year before. -This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
RNZ News
20-06-2025
- RNZ News
Auckland couple plan legal action after police officer avoids assault charges
By Al Williams, Open Justice reporter of Celeste Howell and Anaru Mano are unhappy with how a police callout was handled. Photo: Supplied/ NZME - Jason Dorday A couple at the centre of a police assault are considering taking legal action after an officer who stomped, tackled, punched and kneed one of them avoided prosecution. Anaru Mano and Celeste Howell, who was eight months pregnant at the time, have questioned why the officer was not charged with assault and believe police have mishandled the investigation. Police decided that, despite there being enough evidence to prosecute the officer, it wasn't in the public interest to do so. The Independent Police Complaints Authority (IPCA), which oversaw the investigation, agreed. However, the couple say the officer, who has since resigned and is believed to have moved overseas, should have been held to account for his actions. "He should have been prosecuted," Howell said. "We would like to see him brought back to New Zealand and prosecuted. "It's not finished - he left without consequence for his actions." The couple were living in a Lifewise facility in Ōtara, South Auckland, in November 2023, when police were called to reports of a family harm incident. The organisation provides housing and wraparound support for young people who do not have a safe or stable place to live, and aims to support them. Howell says she was struggling with her mental health on the day police were called. Mano was trying to restrain her, as she tried to flee the property. When two officers arrived, they spoke to the couple, before escorting Mano outside the building. According to a summary from the IPCA, the officers were trying to handcuff Mano, but he resisted by keeping his arms at his sides. He was then tackled to the ground and punched by one of the officers. Howell, who was on the second-floor balcony and watching events unfold, tried to verbally interject, before throwing a clay plant pot, which hit the officer on the back. Both officers then tried to drag Mano away. He tried to hold on to a fence and was pulled away. The officer who had punched and kneed Mano then stomped on his torso. Howell then threw a plastic plant pot, which missed both officers. After being handcuffed, Mano was escorted to a nearby police car. As additional officers arrived, the officer who had punched and stomped on Mano re-entered the building and arrested Howell. She alleged the officer "man-handled" her, causing her to fall, handcuffed and belly-first, down concrete stairs. She also claims he struck her on the back of the neck, when escorting her to a police car. Anaru Mano and Celeste Howell Photo: Supplied/ NZME - Jason Dorday Mano was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and assault on a person in a family relationship. Howell was also arrested and charged with assault with a weapon for throwing the pot plants. However, she managed to locate CCTV footage of what happened and gave it to her lawyer, James McGilvary. The charge against Mano of resisting arrest was withdrawn, as was Howell's charge of assault with a weapon. Mano instead pleaded guilty to a single charge of assault on a person in a family relationship. However, the couple do not feel justice has been served. McGilvary says he is now helping them find a lawyer to build a civil case against police for their handling of the case. They have also considered a private prosecution against the officer, but know it would be time-consuming and costly, given the officer is believed to be overseas. Mano is also unhappy with his assault conviction and wants to appeal it. The couple both deny that Mano assaulted Howell that day, but he says he felt pressured to enter a guilty plea. "I pleaded guilty to dragging her inside. I would like to appeal the conviction." He knows "it doesn't look good" that he pleaded guilty, but says he felt he had to. He claims the duty lawyer told him he had no other choice, as he was facing up to two years in jail. McGilvary says the evidence against Mano did not support a charge of assault on a person in a family relationship and he would have advised him to fight it. "As part of the police case against Celeste, I received a copy of the evidence police used to prove the family violence charge against Anaru. "I would have advised Anaru to plead not guilty and been confident of success at trial." Celeste Howell and Anaru Mano discuss the investigation with lawyer Jamie McGilvary. Photo: Supplied/ NZME - Jason Dorday After the couple were arrested, a complaint was made that police used excessive force against them both. While police found force was used against Mano, allegations of excessive force being used on Howell were unsubstantiated. Howell remains adamant that she was "rag-dolled" and thrown to the ground by the same officer who arrested her partner. McGilvary says CCTV in the lobby of the building appeared to have stopped recording at the moment, when Howell claims she was pushed to the ground. "The camera does, however, show Celeste being picked up off the ground and subsequently marched to the back of a patrol car by the same officer. His hand is visible on Celeste's back, forcing her to bend uncomfortably at the waist and placing pressure on her pregnant belly." McGilvary believes there was "ample evidence" to charge the officer for the excessive force he used on Mano. He said the officer's actions, including the force he used around Mano's throat, were contrary to the police policy on use of force. The police report omitted other assault allegations, despite them being captured on CCTV, he said. Examples included the officer placing his hand on the back of Mano's head and subsequently pushing it with force into the roof of the patrol car, while he was in handcuffs. "It is my opinion that the evidence in support of Celeste's claim that the officer pushed her to the ground is stronger than that used to charge Anaru with an assault on Celeste." There was clear circumstantial CCTV evidence of Howell being picked up off the ground, while lying face down, as well as the officer's anger. "This, coupled with the statements of both Celeste and Anaru, may have been enough to secure a conviction. "[The] decision to not prosecute the officer in this case, despite damning evidence... lacks transparency and negatively impacts public trust in New Zealand Police, in my view." Counties Manukau district commander Superintendent Shanan Gray said that, before prosecuting anyone, police "will always assess the specifics of each case pursuant to the Solicitor-General's prosecution guidelines, which includes a public interest test, among other criteria". Police determined prosecution of the officer would not be in the public interest, he said. The officer's resignation concluded the employment process for him under the Public Service Commission's guidelines. The Independent Police Complaints Authority, which oversaw the police investigation, said in its summary that it agreed with the police findings and "overall accepts the outcome reached". IPCA assurance manager Andrew MacNeill said the organisation was notified of the complaint by police in June 2024. After completing a triage and assessment process, the IPCA decided the case did not meet the threshold to conduct an independent investigation. He said the case categorisation process took into consideration a range of factors, including: MacNeill said police began a criminal investigation and an employment process. The authority actively oversaw the investigation and completed reviews, as the investigation progressed. "At the conclusion of the police investigation, we completed our final review and agreed with the findings. "Whilst the police are the decision-makers on whether to commence a prosecution, we can confirm that we were satisfied that police gave due consideration to the Solicitor-General's prosecution guidelines, including applying the public interest test. "We also considered it important that police followed the Public Service Workforce Assurance Standards in relation to employment investigations into allegations of serious misconduct and we confirmed that this was completed." NZME has been unable to reach the officer for comment. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald . Photo: Open Justice
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Ōtara youth challenged to design new town centre playground
A new playground is coming to Ōtara, a project led by local rangatahi. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council Ōtara's only town centre playground is getting a fresh start with local youth leading the charge. Auckland Council removed the playground and seating area in January in a bid to deter antisocial behaviour and public drinking outside the Ōtara TAB, leaving some of the community disheartened . It followed a local board decision in November 2024 to relocate the town centre playground. In a rare show of youth-led democracy, rangatahi are not only guiding the design but asking the community to help decide its location before consultation closes on 20 June. A drop-in session was being held at Ōtara Music Arts Centre (OMAC on Friday night. Ōtara Papatoeote local board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia said they wanted to empower young people to decide on things that they will use. "Nobody knows what's best for youth than the youth themselves," he said. "This is a playground they decided over, and hopefully they'll take care of it and help find solutions if any issues come up." Community youth groups like TOPs (The Ōtara-Papatoetoe Squad), PACT, Ōtara Youth Hub, TYLA Youth Development Trust, and Adullam Boys are helping guide the public consultation. Apulu said the consultation was also a chance to think more broadly about safety and support in the area. "Ōtara Town Centre is for everyone, and we want it to be safe for everyone too. For those affected by antisocial behaviour, how can we activate the space in a positive and safe way? And how can we involve social services to help address the drinking issues our people are facing?" Manukau ward councillor Lotu Fuli said different groups had asked to remove the playground due to their children being exposed to antisocial behaviour. The original playground was moved from the Bairds Road Reserve as an answer to the community's concerns. There are four proposed locations for the new playground: Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council While the rangatahi are leading the project and design, Fuli said there would be constraints due to budgets. The final proposal is expected to go to the local board for approval in October, with building scheduled to start between April and June 2026. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
