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Ōpōtiki Mongrel Mob Barbarians death: MP says new powers to crack down on gangs used for first time

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz

New laws aimed at cracking down on gang activity were used for the first time yesterday following a funeral procession near Whakatāne for a slain Mongrel Mob boss, Justice Minister Kiri Allan says.

The funeral procession for Mongrel Mob leader Steven Taiatini. Photo: LDR / Andrew Warner

Hundreds of motorcyclists accompanied by utes disrupted traffic as they descended on the Bay of Plenty town on Wednesday for the funeral of Ōpōtiki Mongrel Mob Barbarians president Steven Taiatini.

Police today revealed Taiatini died after being hit by a vehicle in Ōpōtiki and a burned-out Holden Colorado 4×4 found on Waiotahe Valley Rd, was likely to have been involved. A homicide investigation has been launched.

Allan, who is also the East Coast MP, said it had been “heart-wrenching and devastating to witness things unfold” in her electorate.

“To have this level of disruption is really hard, acknowledging too the anguish and fear that was going through the town, especially in the early stages.”

Allan said she understood police had used new legislation that allowed them to obtain an urgent warrant if there were fears of gang conflict or if any kind of criminal activity was occurring.

A police operation in Ōpōtiki on Wednesday night resulted in firearms and weapons being seized, and eight gang-related vehicles stopped and searched. Firearms, ammunition and weapons were found in five.

Two people were charged for firearms offences and two were summoned to appear in court for possession of offensive weapons and drug-related charges.

Among other things, the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Bill, introduced in March, amended existing law to create new targeted warrants and additional search powers to find and seize weapons from gang members during a gang conflict and expanded the range of offences where police can seize and impound cars, motorbikes, and other vehicles.

It also created a new offence of discharging a gun with intent to intimidate and provides police with the ability to seize cash over $10,000 when found in suspicious circumstances.

Allan said the changes meant warrants could now be applied to geographical areas rather than needing to be applied to individuals.

The changes also provided more powers for penalising people firing a gun to intimidate, or in drive-by shootings, as well as in seizing bikes and cars that were being driven recklessly.

She said it was up to the police how it exercised those powers and the government was making sure police now had the tools it needed to prosecute.

She believed police were resourced well enough to deal with Wednesday’s activity in Whakatāne, which included out-of-town support. More than 100 police officers were involved.

“That has not been a concern from police, that they felt under-resourced.”

She was working with the community and police and ways to support police and the town and communities were at the forefront of her mind, she said.

“We’ve got to let the police do what they need to do, there are a range of operational decisions they need to make.

“It’s not a time to make big, grand political statements whilst there is a really live, ongoing issue.”

Police have been approached for comment.

Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air

Daughter of woman who died with her granddaughter in house fire in Tonga dies one month later

By
Kaniva Staff
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A daughter who lamented her mother and granddaughter’s horrific death in disbelief has passed away a month after the tragedy.

Vika Taukolo

Vika Taukolo’s death on June 6 came after her 82-year-old mother Seluvaia Taukolo and her five-year-old granddaughter Victoria Grace died in a house blaze in Tofoa on May 6.

Reporting the fatality on her Facebook account at the time, 59-year-old Vika wrote

“Tragedy struck today, and the feeling is not only overwhelming but there’s a sense of loss that cannot be explained”.

“There’s a void that cannot and will never be filled.

“I can only thank God for the eternal plan of salvation that has and will always be a comfort to me.

“Mate he ‘ofa atu mom and Victoria Grace. your smiling and loving face will be forever engrained in our hearts”.

Meanwhile, tributes are pouring in after her death.

“It’s been so so long since the last time and even longer now that you’ve passed but rest assure we will all reunite in that glorious Eventide”, a commenter wrote on Facebook.

“I love you dear friend and may you Rest In God’s love”.

“May Vika rest peacefully in the loving arms our our God Almighty”, one commenter wrote.

“What??!! Wow, I’m so sad to hear that. Dear Vika, such a sweet girl. Oh my heart. She has suffered so many losses. When will she get a break”.

Vika’s body was expected to be laid to rest today at a cemetery in Tofoa.

Vika, the eldest of her siblings, lost his brother Motekiai Taukolo in 2021. Her younger brother Mofuike Taukolo died a year earlier.

Documentary hopes to inspire next generation with story of composer’s musical life and legacy

By
Kalino Latu
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University of Otago vice-chancellor David Murdoch steps down

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz

The vice-chancellor of the University of Otago is stepping down after less than 18 months in the post.

Otago University professor David Murdoch will return to the Christchurch campus as a distinguished professor. Photo: POOL/ Robert Kitchin

Professor David Murdoch has been on sick leave since March this year but has since recovered.

During his absence, the university has been considering making several hundred staff redundant in a bid to save $60 million.

He will return to its Christchurch campus as a distinguished professor.

The university said professor Helen Nicholson would continue as acting vice-chancellor until a permanent replacement was found following a global search.

Tonga police investigate after three dead in separate unexpected incidents

By
Kalino Latu
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Police are investigating after three people died on Saturday June 10.  

The victims were two boys aged 10 and 11 from Lapaha and a 59-year-old man from ‘Utulau.

Nuku’alofa Central Police Station. Photo/Kalino Lātū

The 10-year-old deceased was out with a friend for an early morning bike ride at Lapaha.

The victim lost control of the bike and crashed into a toa tree on the side of the road.

He injured his head before he was rushed to the Vaiola hospital and pronounced dead upon arrival.

The 11-year-old deceased from Lapaha was helping his grandmother at home with their laundry on Saturday morning. He was asked to lift a bucket full of water but he slipped and hit his head on the edge of the cement floor. The machine fell on him. He was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead upon arrival.

A 59-year-old man from ‘Utulau was found dead in a car on a roadside between Tokomololo and ‘Utulau.

There was no sign of anything suspicious found on the car or on the deceased, Police said.

Police were awaiting the result of a post mortem examination to establish the man’s cause of death

“Tonga Police offers its heartfelt condolences to the families during this difficult time. Wishing you all the Heavenly Father’s peace, comfort, courage, and guidance at this time of sorrow”.

Public outrage after Vava‘u school rugby coach caught on camera brutally flogging players because he did not ‘accept defeat’

By
Kalino Latu
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A man who viciously struck high school rugby team players who lost a game in  Tonga’s Vava‘u islands has caused public outrage.

Reports claimed a video showing the incident was taken in a  rugby field after another school‘s players defeated the Vava’u High School boys’ rugby team.

Kaniva News could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

The coach, who was reportedly one of the teachers at the school, threatened to injure the boys and made degrading remarks against the winning team.

He told his team he did not accept being defeated.

The man is overheard in the video calling his players together and began telling them off.

“’Unu mai ke ongo atu e kapekape”, he said in Tongan. This translates into English as “Move up here so you can hear me swearing.”

He then said: “Ikai tali e fo’i”, which means in English as he did not accept being defeated.

He also said: “Loto keu fahi’i e fo’i ‘ulu ‘o e kau tama kete ‘e _ _ ko eni”, in English, it translates as “I wish to chop off the heads of these players whose gutlessness stank.”

“Omai e va’akau ki heni”, means “Bring the stick here” in English.

“Taa’i ‘eni koe pea ke ‘ilo leva”, in English means “I am going to beat you so that you now know.”

“Tuku e kete ‘e_ _ mo e fakamā”, in English means “Stop being stinking gutless because it is embarrassing.”  

“‘Ai ke ke mate ma’a e ‘apiako,” he said. In English this  means “Make yourself dead for the school.”

“Ha’u pe timi ta’eteuteu ko ee’ ‘o va’inga homou ‘atamai”, in English means “That team which did not prepare well to play, outplayed you.”

Then he said: “Ikai ke fiema’u ia”, in English,”That is not wanted.”

“Ha’u e timi haua koee nau omai pe o laiki moutolu kau ‘atamai lelei”, the coach said. In English, this means “That team of vagabonds came and destroyed you, who are intelligent.”

“Me’a ia kou fehi’a ai. Ikai ke fiema’u e fo’i”, means in English, “That’s what I hate. Defeat is not wanted”.

The one minute 16 seconds-long video clip has been widely shared on social media this evening with one group racking up more than 250 reactions, more than 270 comments and more than 170 shares.

The video showed the man striking three players who were sitting on the field apparently at random. The players were taken by surprise.

It appeared that one of the players was struck on the back of his neck. 

The victims appeared to be shocked and in pain, but remained sitting throughout their ordeal.

Critics reminded the coach that he must accept defeat as that was what sportsmanship was meant to be.

“That is too much and unacceptable”, a commenter said of the beatings.

“He should be sued and taken to court”, another commenter wrote.

“Part of the game is to accept the defeat. If you can’t, you don’t belong there. Uncivilised act from a leader. [Thanks for playing whanau]. You deserve a better coach”.

He has been criticised for his comments about the winning school.

Vava’u High School is a government school and enrols only the top students in the island group who pass the primary schools’ national high school entrance examinations.

Peter O’neill charged for giving false evidence in UBS inquiry

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz

A former Papua New Guinea prime minister Peter O’Neill has been charged with three counts of giving false evidence at a commission of inquiry into a $US1.2 billion loan acquired in 2014 by his then government.

PNG PM Peter O’Neill Photo: AFP / Peter Parks

The inquiry in 2020 was investigating whether the country’s leaders broke the law in approving the loan from Swiss bank UBS.

The Post Courier reports police spoke to O’Neill at Kone Police Headquarters in Port Moresby.

Hundreds of disgruntled supporters and friends of the Lalibu-Pangia MP gathered in front of the building.

O’Neill has since been released.

He told reporters outside the police station that the charges are all part of a game by his political opponents to intimidate him.

“As far as I know that I did not mislead the commission of inquiry, but we will test this in court,” ONeill said.

“It is only in regard to those statements, the three counts of a charge, saying that I have lied under oath.”

“They believed my political opponents and other people who went and made statements in the commission of inquiry.”

He was released after being interviewed at the Boroko Police Station.

“This is all part of the game that they’re playing to try and intimidate me and harass me,” he told supporters outside the police station.

“But let me tell you that I am not going anywhere. I will be here. Nobody will intimidate me and nobody will shut me up.”

He added the police “acted professionally, despite much of the pressure coming from our political opponents”.

Covid-19 update: 9883 new cases reported, 37 more deaths

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

There were 9883 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Aotearoa in the week to Sunday and a further 37 deaths attributed to the virus.

A total of 4722 were reinfections.

The seven-day rolling average of cases was down, to 1408.

There were 228 people in hospital at midnight Sunday, with seven cases in intensive care.

Last week, 12,028 new cases were reported and a further 59 deaths attributed to the virus.

Meanwhile, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated their guidance on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in April 2023.

“All individuals above the age of six who had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine were considered to be “up-to-date” with COVID-19 vaccination.

“Conversely, individuals were considered to be not “up-to-date” if they had not received a single dose of a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine”.

Recent research has not been able to document the efficacy of the bivalent vaccine, while the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) XBB variants were the dominant circulating strains. Given that these viral variants remain the dominant circulating strains, it is reasonable to ask whether “up-to-date” individuals, with a vaccine of inconclusive effectiveness, are protected against COVID-19 as compared to their not “up-to-date” counterparts.

Addressing this issue, a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server investigates whether not “up-to-date” individuals had a higher risk of COVID-19 than “up-to-date” individuals.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Na’e ‘i ai ‘a e keisi fo’ou ‘e 9883 ‘o e Koviti ‘i Aotearoa ‘i he uike kuo ‘osi ngata he Sāpate pea mo ha toe mate ‘e 37 tu’unga he vailasi.

Ko e toko 4722 ko e kau toe puke.

Ko e ‘avalisi ‘ene vilo mai ‘a e ngaahi keisi ‘i he ‘aho ‘e 7 kotoa pe ne holo hifo ki he toko 1408.

Ko e  toko 228 ne nau ‘i he fale mahaki he tu’uapō ‘o e Sāpate’ pea toko fitu ‘i he ‘initenisivikea’.

‘I he uike kuo ‘osi na’e lipooti ai ha keisi fo’ou ko e toko 12,028 mo ha toe mate ‘e 59 tupu mei he vailasi.

Taimi tatau pe kuo fakahā mei ‘Amelika mei he Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ‘a hono talamuiaki ‘a ‘enau takiekina ki he huhu malu’i mei he 2019 ki he 2023.

Ko e tokotaha kotoa ‘i ‘olunga he ta’u ono’ kuo’ ne ‘osi ma’u ha huhu malu’i ‘e taha ‘o e Koviti 19 kuo lau ko kinautolu ia kuo kakato a’u ki he huhu malu’i fakamuimui taha’, ‘a honau huhu malu’i.

Kehe mei ai, ko kinautolu ne ‘ikai ke kakato a’u ki he fakamuimui taha ‘a honau huhu malu’i ko kinautolu ko ee te’eki ‘i ai ha’anau fo’i huhu malu’i ‘e taha’.

Kuo te’eki lava ‘e ha fakatotolo fakamuimui ke tokiumeni ‘a e ola lelei ‘o e huhu malu’i lōua’ lolotonga ia ko e fōtunga kehe ‘o e severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) XBB ‘a e fōtunga fo’ou ‘o e vailasi ‘oku kei vilo’ ni holo’.

Koeuhi ko e kei vilo holo ‘a e ngaahi fōtunga fo’ou ko eni ‘o e  vailasi ‘oku ‘uhinga lelei ke ‘eke pe ko kinautolu ko eni kuo kakato a’u ki he fakamuimui taha ‘a honau huhu malu’i oku nau malu’i mei he Koviti’ fakahoa kia kinautolu ne ‘ikai.

‘E ma’u ‘a e tali ki ai mei he link ko eni medRxiv* 

Tongan barrister appointed district court judge in New Zealand

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A Tongan barrister in Auckland is among three new judges who have been appointed as District Court Judges in Aotearoa.

Tania Sharkey has specialised in family law, particularly since she emerged with a master’s degree from the Auckland Law School 20 years ago

Tania Margaret Sharkey comes from Tonga’s Houma, Tongatapu town and she also of Irish descent. After initially working as a solicitor in Auckland, Ms Sharkey established herself as a barrister at Friendship Chambers in Manukau, practising mainly in the family law area. 

In early 2020, Ms Sharkey was appointed Lead Counsel Assisting of the Pacific peoples’ investigation in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in Care. She has been a Parole Board member since 2020, and has held various legal positions, including President of the Pacific Lawyers Association (2018-2021) and several years as Family Law Section Regional Representative (South Auckland).

Judge Sharkey will be sworn in on 4 August 2023 and will take up her appointment at the Manukau District Court.

Ms Sharkey along with Tania June Warburton and Ali’imuamua Sandra Alofivae have been appointed as District Court Judges, Attorney-General David Parker said.

The appointees will take up their roles in July, August and September respectively, replacing judges who are about to retire.

Tania June Warburton, solicitor of Wellington, has been appointed as a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction, to be based initially in Wellington.

Ms Warburton was as a judge’s clerk to the then Chief Justice, Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, before becoming Crown Counsel with Crown Law in 1999. In 2013 she was appointed Deputy Chief Legal Counsel at the Ministry of Justice. Since 2015 has worked at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet as legal advisor to the Prime Minister.

Judge Warburton will be sworn in on 28 July 2023.

Ali’imuamua Sandra Alofivae, barrister of Auckland, has been appointed as a District Court Judge with a general jurisdiction, to be based in Manukau.

Ms Alofivae worked as a solicitor for several sole practitioners before establishing the partnership of King Alofivae Malosi in 1994. She was a partner in that firm before setting up practice as a Barrister Sole in 2005. She was one of the first lawyers to be appointed to the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court in Auckland.

Ms Alofivae has had a corporate governance career alongside her legal practice. In 2016, she was appointed the independent Chair of the South Auckland Social Wellbeing Board and in 2018 she was appointed as a Commissioner to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in Care.

Judge Alofivae will be sworn in on 4 September 2023.

Man shot in South Auckland, investigation underway

By
Kaniva Staff
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An investigation is underway after a man was shot in South Auckland tonight.

Police said they were called to the scene on Jack Conway Avenue in Manukau at around 6.05pm.

A police spokesperson said: “On arrival, those involved in the incident were unable to be located.

“At 7.35pm, police located the victim, who had suffered non-life threatening injuries.”

The man was treated by Ambulance staff and taken to hospital.

Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.

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