The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it is not aware of any remaining New Zealand citizens or permanent residents still seeking to leave Gaza.
Foreign affairs minister Winston Peters said on social media that one citizen left overnight via the Rafah crossing into Egypt, accompanied by a family member.
They are currently being offered support by the New Zealand embassy in Cairo.
Last month, the ministry said there were 20 New Zealanders trying to leave Gaza.
A Ha’asini man had been sentenced to one year and sixth months after providing illicit drugs to a child, 14, at Veitongo.
The last six months of his imprisonment term was suspended for 12 months on conditions.
Acting on a tip-off, the Police located Fili Napa’a, 31, in the driver seat of his vehicle with two passengers, one on the front passenger seat and one at the back seat.
They found and confiscated part of a plastic bag on a compartment of the driver’s door.
They also discovered a plastic bag containing suspected cannabis branches and leaves on the driver’s seat floor, a .22 rifle beside the driver’s seat and an empty pocket on top of the speedo meter.
The Police also found $20 on a compartment underneath the radio-set.
A test tube containing a suspected methamphetamine inside the sun visor of the driver’s seat was also found as well as three packets of suspected cannabis on the back seat.
A yellow bowl containing cannabis leaves and cannabis leaves were found on the floor of the back seat.
The Police also searched Napa’a’s house at Ha’asini where they discovered more cannabis leaves and branches as well as drugs paraphernalia which they later tested and confirmed as illicit drugs.
The prisoner had previous convictions in which he received a suspended sentence for theft count in 2011.
In 2012 he was fined for drunkenness and escaping custody.
In 2014 he was fined for drunkenness and assault.
In 2019 he was fined for possession of illicit drugs.
Justice Cooper reduced Napa’a’s sentence for his guilty plea based on the following conditions:
He must report to probation within 24 hours of his release
He must be put on probation
He must complete a drug awareness course, and
He must not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment
“18 months imprisonment, the final 6 months suspended for 12 months on the above conditions”.
Australians who have invested in crypto-currency schemes have lost hundreds of millions of dollars according to a new report in the Guardian.
Tongan promoter of Hyperfund scam in the USA Setaita Folau Tanaki recently warned that Tongan investors who had invested $100,000 and more in the scam had been unable to withdraw their money
Reported losses to these schemes total more than Aus$350 million since 2020. The actual amount lost is likely far higher, with research suggesting just 13% of losses are reported.
The most prominent schemes named in Australia have been HyperFund, HyperVerse and Blockchain Global.
Unfortunately, the Tongan community is highly likely to have its own victims.
Kaniva News has reported several stories in recent years about Tongans in different parts of the world who have been lured into investing their money in these schemes which promise huge rewards, only to see their money disappear.
The latest losses in Australia should act as a warning to would-be investors.
Sometimes the money is the victim’s life savings, such as the $5300 lost by a mother who was conned into investing in a crypto-currency scheme
Tragically, even when the evidence is put in front of them, some Tongans have denied that there is a problem and continued to persuade friends, relatives and into throwing their money away.
Unlike New Zealand, Australia’s financial authorities appear to have been completely lax in trying to regulate these schemes and have not taken any meaningful legal action against them.
In September 2021 New Zealand’s Financial Market Authority warned: “The FMA are concerned HyperFund may be operating a scam. HyperFund operates on a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) model and claims to offer passive investment opportunities. We have received reports of them recruiting affiliate investors in New Zealand. It is not registered or licensed to provide financial services/products in New Zealand.”
Sam Lee, the founder of the failed Blockchain Global cryptocurrency exchange. Photograph: Blockchain Global/Facebook
Illegal
In New Zealand pyramid schemes are illegal under the Fair Trading Act. They usually offer a financial return based on payments made by new recruits. Returns depend on the recruitment of new members, not sales of a product or service. Only the tiny number of people at the top of the pyramid would likely make money, since the number of possible new recruits in any community would be limited.
Earlier this year In February, the New Zealand Financial Markets Authority issued an interim stop order against Validus Oceania and associated members, which effectively banned it from operating.
In California the state’s Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation has issued a ease and desist order against Sam Lee, operator of a failed financial scheme.
International law enforcement agencies have identified crypto-currencies at the centre of global money laundering operations by drug and human trafficking cartels.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warned that crypto-currencies like Bitcoin were being used to launder criminal proceeds and began training law enforcement officials across the Pacific.
The people who benefit most from crypto-currencies are not those who lose all their moneys, but international criminal gangs.
Kaniva News says:
Do not invest in crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin or any kind of pyramid scheme. They are a fraud, offering unrealistic returns that cannot be sustained. You may get some return, but ultimately your money will disappear. Any profits you make will come from other people being defrauded. Any investment you make may well benefit criminal gangs. Investing in crypto-currencies and pyramids is not only foolish, it is also unethical and immoral.
By Lauren Crimp of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
Police say it is possible they have uncovered a human trafficking and migrant exploitation ring in Hawke’s Bay, sparked by a “distraught” victim raising the alarm.
A 44-year-old man facing three charges of rape, and one of unlawful sexual connection, was remanded in custody and granted interim name suppression at Hastings District Court on Thursday.
He was arrested following a joint operation between Hawke’s Bay police and Immigration New Zealand, called Operation Wentworth.
The operation began when a victim contacted police “after fleeing and asking for help”, Detective Senior Sergeant Sally Patrick told RNZ.
“She was distraught,” Patrick said.
“She went to a person that she trusted, and then they phoned police and we attended straight away.”
The woman accused the man of rape, and Patrick said the other information she gave led police to believe migrant exploitation and human trafficking were also at play.
Human trafficking charges would likely be laid in the new year – but police first had to follow due process and seek the solicitor-general’s consent to lay those charges, which took some time, Patrick said.
Police “highly suspect” there were other victims – and other potential perpetrators, too, she said.
They had so far carried out three search warrants in Hawke’s Bay, and two migrants were served Deportation Liability Notices as a result.
The investigation might go outside the region, and police were “potentially” looking at a human trafficking and migrant exploitation ring, Patrick said.
“That’s why we are reaching out to any victims to get in contact, and that’s not always easy,” she said.
“The type of exploitation that they’re subjected to makes them also scared to come forward.”
That could be for a number of reasons, she said – including fears they might be deported, not having financial support, and if English was not their first language.
“We want people to know that they can come forward and police will absolutely speak to them and try and support them where we can.”
The man is due to appear in Hastings District Court again next week.
Anyone with information can contact police on 111 and quote file number 231129/1010 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, police said.
Immigration New Zealand declined to comment further, as the investigation is ongoing.
Tongan Consumer Affairs has warned the public about buying bottles of Tiger lager beer in the kingdom claiming the product’s expiry dates had been intentionally removed.
Tiger Lager Beers purchased in Tonga without expiry date labels
The authority also warned that the public be curious about buying the beer at bars and liquors and make sure they have their expiry dates on the bottles before any purchase was made.
Photos of the product shared on Consumer Affairs’ Facebook page showed labels which said the “Crystal World Acclaimed Asian Lager” was made in Singapore.
Date marks indicate how long products such as alcohol can be kept before they start to deteriorate or becomes unsafe to drink.
The warning came after the authority said yesterday an enquiry with its office led to an investigation about noodle products which a consumer wanted to know about its place of manufacture and processing.
The authority confirmed the noodle was being processed in Tonga and its packing boxes were imported from Samoa.
The Consumer Affairs also warned buyers it is their responsibilities to make sure any products they were going to purchase were still fresh and safe to consume.
A vehicle was pulled from the water at Popua Community Park on Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu.
Car being pulled from the water at Popua park. Photo/Screenshot
The white hatchback car was showed on a streamed video with registration plate number TTP2-7.
It was unclear when did the incident happen.
There were no reports of injuries.
Onlookers can be overheard saying no one was inside the car when it was pulled out of the water.
A car seat with yellow and black colours, spotted on the foreshore close to the where the car was removed, was said to be from the car in question.
The person who streamed the incident provided no further details.
The incident came after a car was pulled from the Tu’imatamoana wharf early this year following police desperate search for a missing man. Police later said at the time the body of the missing man Talanoa Leakona Lemoto was found inside the car.
One of New Zealand’s most prominent Pacific health leaders says he has “no confidence” in the Government after stepping down from almost every advisory role.
Sir Collin Tukuitonga (Source: Auckland University)
Long-standing champion for health Sir Collin Tukuitonga told RNZ Pacific he has resigned as the chairperson of Te Whatu Ora Pacific Senate, a week after the new government officially took over.
“I really don’t want to work for this Government. I have no confidence. They are not going to treat Pacific people well and I want to be free to speak up and speak out.”
Sir Collin had also stepped down from several other government advisory groups.
“I was appalled at the decision to repeal the smokefree legislation, because it is Māori and Pacific people who are going to pay the price. That really annoyed me no end.”
Sir Collin said he was unhappy with how the Government was scrapping legislation “for tax cuts,” which he believed “was immoral”.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has previously said scrapping smokefree laws would help fund tax cuts.
However, Sir Collin said disestablishing the Māori Health Authority/Te Aka Whai Ora was “pre-mature and ill-advised,” and that “Māori deserve better”.
“The Government needs to do more with and for Māori. They have some of the worst health outcomes in the country as do our [Pacific] people.”
‘Use the power of his voice to advocate for his people’
The Niuean-born New Zealand doctor, public health academic, public policy expert and advocate for reducing health inequalities of Māori and Pasifika people has been a leading force informing governments on indigenous and Pacific health needs.
He was instrumental in providing the previous government expertise during the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw Pacific people have the highest vaccination rates out of any other group.
Shane Reti. (Source: rnz.co.nz)
Minister for Health and Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti praised Sir Collin for being “one of New Zealand’s most prominent Pacific health leaders, as well as in the region and globally”.
“Collin has always been one to use the power of his voice to advocate for his people. I wish him very well for the future.”
The National Pacific Health Senate was established in March last year under the Labour-led government aimed at “providing objective, strategic advice to Te Whatu Ora and support it to deliver more equitable health outcomes for Pacific peoples.”
Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua was also “appalled” by the Government’s recent decisions.
Pakilau Manase Lua (Source: Supplied)
Although he believed Reti deserved a fair go at the role, so far he was “saddened” the Government was “sending all the wrong signals”.
Pacific Senate will ‘play an important role’ for Pacific people – CEO
Sir Collin said Te Whatu Ora Pacific Senate remained unchanged and would not be disestablished, unlike the Māori Health Authority/Te Aka Whai Ora.
Chief executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa previously said the Pacific Senate would “play an important role for Pacific people, as Te Whatu Ora builds a new health system with a focus on achieving equity”.
“The group will provide clinical advice, public health advice and technical advice that is for Pacific, by Pacific.”
Twelve members are part of the National Pacific Health Senate, including Tunumafono Fa’amoetauloa Avaula Fa’amoe (MNZM), Samoan paediatrician and researcher Dr. Teuila Mary Percival (QSO).
Fepulea’i Margie Apa (Source: rnz.co.nz)
Sir Collin said he had only spoken with one member about stepping down as chair.
Sir Collin’s resignation also comes at a time where the National, ACT and New Zealand First coalition Government is reviewing race-based policies, including the potential to scrap programmes offering Māori and Pacific easier pathways to enter medical school.
“I don’t know what the Government has in mind but I hope common sense prevails,” Sir Collin, said.
The lack of Pacific representation within the New Zealand government was a concern, he said.
“From 11 MPs in Cabinet to no one at all…. people say you can do good things without representation. I don’t think so. Winnie Laban says if you are not at the table, you’re dinner.”
