Stories from New Zealand

New Zealand Police have extended their contract with Japanese technology firm NEC to maintain fingerprinting services. The extension follows delays in the tender process for a new National Automated Fingerprint Identification System that began in 2024.

Submissions closed today regarding proposed changes to New Zealand immigration laws. The changes would remove the right to appeal for overstayers on visitor visas or temporary migrants who commit a crime.

ACT Brumbies prop James Slipper admitted the team lost momentum following a 45-12 loss to the Hurricanes in Christchurch last Saturday. Slipper cited a poor kicking display in the first half as a costly factor in the defeat.

A 37-year-old man was arrested in Coromandel early Tuesday morning following a police raid. Police responded to a property on Tai-Dua-Fiddianga Road in Coromandel at approximately 7:00 PM on Monday after a man was reported with a gun.

Lyle Bay cafe owner Maria Boyle stated the business will definitely close if sewage issues are not resolved before next summer. Boyle described the current situation as a disaster. The cafe is located in Wellington.

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says councillors will discuss offering grants from a maximum $150,000 fund on Thursday. Little stated that a $35,000 grant would not be enough to cover losses but would provide some help.

A sewage plant continues to discharge untreated sewage through an outfall pipe located approximately one kilometer offshore during heavy rain. Maria Boyle stated that the support for local businesses is badly needed after revenue losses. South Coast beaches have been reopened despite the ongoing discharge. The plant is reportedly Wellington owned and employs fewer than 20 people. Chief Operating Officer Charles Barker stated the organization is not an insurance company and cannot alleviate every business risk. The company expressed a sense of responsibility toward businesses in the community. A Wellington diving business owner stated that customers do not feel safe diving on the south coast following a moor point failure. Additionally, sewage is released through a short pipe near the shore during rainfall. No date has been provided for the repair of the plant.

The Botanist cafe in Lyle Bay has seen revenues cut by up to 50 percent due to raw sewage spilling near the shore. Co-owner Maria Boyle stated that streets emptied in early February following the spill. The business may be forced to shut if the issue is not resolved by summer.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed she shut down an event in her office in May 2025. The incident occurred ahead of the budget period. Willis stated the decision followed the use of offensive language during a function hosted for press gallery journalists.

The government and Channel Infrastructure expect diesel to be available at the Marsden Point storage facility by late June or early July. The project is costing taxpayers $21.6 million.