Security expert warns theft risk at radioactive site near NZDF can't be discounted
The risk of organised crime groups stealing radioactive sources from a facility near Palmerston North is 'remote but not impossible', according to Auckland-based security analyst Paul Buchanan.
He made the comments as a report obtained by the Herald under the Official Information Act (OIA) warned storing the country's radioactive
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RNZ News
28 minutes ago
- RNZ News
'Nowhere to go' for more than 100,000 Kiwis: The worsening reality of homelessness
Cookie has lived on and off the streets for most of his life after stints in state homes, a boys home, and jail. Photo: Davina Zimmer At 10.30am on a cold day in central Auckland, 61-year-old Cookie sits on a small blue bottle crate on the pavement, strumming his guitar and singing. The impromptu performance is taking place in Cookie's 'lounge'. On the ground next to him is his small mattress with a light duvet - that is his bedroom. All of it is surrounded by road cones to protect his patch. Cookie has lived on and off the streets for most of his life after stints in state homes, a boys home, and jail. He says he has seen a sharp rise in the number of people living rough on the streets in recent months, which puts a strain on available food and resources. Statistics back that up - according to Auckland Council, the number of people sleeping rough or in their cars in the city has risen from 426 last September to 653 this January. Cookie blames family breakdowns and a rise in mental health issues for the increase in street living, and says the latter plays a role in behavioural fallout. Experts point to several other factors as well, including unaffordable housing, a housing shortage, the cost-of-living crisis, and social and systemic factors. "If we're really honest, there's been a crisis around homelessness for a very long time in Aotearoa," says Aaron Hendry, who set up an organisation, Kick Back, to offer wraparound support for young people sleeping rough, including 24/7 accommodation, health services, and legal advice. "I think what we're seeing though is an escalating crisis." At the time of the 2023 Census, 112,496 people were estimated to be severely housing deprived. But the number of people actually living rough on the streets has jumped since then, according to those working with the homeless. "The truth is that no one, no government, has really done enough, fast enough, to respond to homelessness and to respond to youth homelessness specifically. Yet, over the last couple of years, we've seen some very intentional decisions which are exacerbating the crisis and making the experience of homelessness far more dangerous and far more likely to occur." He says one of the obvious examples is the move to introduce stricter entry criteria for emergency housing, and the requirements that make it more difficult to stay. "The reality that we have seen ... is young people going into Work and Income and asking for support for shelter and being denied that support and as a result having to sleep on the streets and not being able to get access to housing. He's seen children as young as nine turn up looking for help. "Experiencing homelessness is really, really dangerous... The consequences are significant trauma, it's often really significant mental health deterioration, physical health deterioration. In the worst-case scenario, people die in really dangerous and complex situations." He suggested New Zealand follow the lead of Wales, which trialled the "Duty to Assist" legislation, which is a homelessness prevention strategy that's been successfully implemented to enforce the human right to housing. It holds local authorities accountable for their role in preventing homelessness. "In practicality in New Zealand this would mean that if you went to Work and Income and you were sleeping on the street or maybe you were at risk of experiencing homelessness because something was going on, Work and Income would have an obligation - a legal obligation - to provide you with support to prevent that experience of homelessness or get you shelter tonight so they could start supporting you to get into stable accommodation." He has some other "simple advice" for the government. "They could roll back their emergency housing reforms, they could roll back the reforms around the welfare system, which has made it more punitive on people, they could start committing to a strong public housing build programme ... they could invest in a strategy to end and prevent homelessness. "Right now the government could make some really clear decisions to start working toward a future where homelessness doesn't exist. "If my child was sleeping on the street, on Queen Street tonight, it would be a crisis for me and I would do everything I could to make sure that that child was looked after, right? "I think our government needs to understand that they have the same level of responsibility for children in this country and for all of us as a society and we need to understand that homelessness is a crisis, and respond to it with the energy that a crisis would demand." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
Otago Daily Times
an hour ago
- Otago Daily Times
Access to file on police woman's death abused
Lyn Fleming. Photo: supplied An internal police investigation has revealed 50 employees snooped into the file relating to the death of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming without good reason. Snr Sgt Fleming died after she and Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay were struck by a vehicle while on foot patrol in the early hours of the morning on New Year's Day in Nelson. The 62-year-old succumbed to her injuries in the hospital that day, surrounded by her family and Snr Sgt Ramsay suffered serious injuries. Snr Sgt Fleming was the first policewoman to be killed in the line of duty in New Zealand. A 32-year-old man charged with offences linked to Snr Sgt Fleming's death pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder earlier this year. His interim name suppression was still in place and he was due to appear again in August. Weeks after Snr Sgt Fleming's death, police launched an internal investigation into alleged misuse of an intelligence database called the National Intelligence Application (NIA), which holds sensitive information about incidents and offending, as well as information about the public. Police employees, including civilian staff, have access to the database, but their use was tracked and audited. They were required to have a valid work reason for accessing anything within the system. Following an audit in January, a memo was sent to staff by the Deputy Commissioner of frontline operations Tania Kura, noting that a number of employees had checked the file relating to Snr Sgt Fleming's death, despite it not connecting to their duties. "Alarmingly and disrespectfully, we have found people randomly checking the files on the devastating incident in Nelson," the memo read. "Unauthorised use of NIA will not be tolerated and final decisions on any sanctions for staff will be decided by a dedicated team." An Official Information Act request released to NZME confirmed there have been a total of 76 instances of misuse of NIA in 2025. A total of 116 police employees were investigated as part of the internal audit and 76 staff were found to have a legitimate reason for accessing the file. An internal police investigation revealed 50 employees looked at the file relating to the death of Snr Sgt Fleming without good reason. By Jeremy Wilkinson
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Man hands himself in after double stabbing at Pakuranga Night Markets
Two people were left in critical condition on Saturday evening after an incident at a night market in Pakuranga. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER A man has been charged after two people were stabbed at Auckland's Pakuranga Night Markets , after handing himself in to police on Sunday evening. The 23-year-old man faces two charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and will appear in the Manukau District Court on Monday Police said the man handed himself in to police at the Manukau Police Station and they were not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident. Police earlier confirmed that two victims were stabbed and are recovering in hospital. Emergency services were called to Aylesbury Street and Reeves Road near the Night Market in Pakuranga at about 6.45pm Saturday. Hato Hone St John said three ambulances, three rapid response vehicles and one operations manager responded to the scene. Ambulance officers treated and then transported two patients in critical condition to Middlemore Hospital. On Sunday, police said both had undergone surgery and were stable, and the assault appeared to be an isolated incident. On Saturday night, the Auckland Night Market posted on its social media page, alerting patrons to what happened and saying the Pakuranga market was closed for the evening. "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding," it said. "This is an isolated incident, and all other markets will continue as planned." The organisers of the market have been approcahed for comment. A later post claimed the fight started after those involved made eye contact while browsing hats. "Looking back, it was truly something that should never have happened," the post said. "No matter the situation, it's always best to avoid conflict and not escalate things." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
