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Body of Tongan fisherman reportedly among bodies of three men found on New Zealand’s Māhia beach

By
Kaniva Staff
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A body of a Tongan fisherman has been reportedly found on the shores of Māhia this morning.

He was named as Taina Sinoti, as tributes for the lost fishermen were posted online by anxious loved ones.

A man who appeared to be Taina’s father said “kuo’ ne tatau mai”, describing the death of his son in Tongan on Facebook.

Taina was one of three fishermen missing off the East Coast two days ago.

“Formal identification is ongoing, but they are believed to be the fishermen reported missing on Monday,” a police spokesperson said.

Earlier, two of them were spotted alive in huge seas yesterday.

The staff at Maritime NZ and its Rescue Coordination Centre this morning extended their thoughts and condolences to those impacted by the tragic events off Gisborne.

Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club president Roger Faber was part of a group of three boats that went out on Monday. Two had turned back as the weather turned nasty, while the three fishermen were on the third boat, which went missing.

Faber told Three’s AM Show this morning the community would be “absolutely broken” to wake up to hear the three men’s bodies had been found – especially after two had been spotted alive.

”We all thought, hey we’re going to have a great outcome – but to have this news this morning is absolutely devastating,” he said.

He added the worst part was being unable to do anything.

”Every boat in this marina would have been out searching if they possibly could have, but the conditions just haven’t allowed us to do that. It’s gut wrenching.”

The Coastguard had had to turn back last night before reaching the men, due to the weather conditions.

”I know those guys, they …pride themselves in being able to do the job,” he said. “It would have been one of the hardest things they would have probably ever had to [do].”

‘Sea and weather conditions were too severe’

RCCNZ general manager Justin Allan said it was a difficult and complex search and rescue operation.

”Weather conditions in the area were severe, and rescuers went right to their limits to get to the area we received reports the people in the water were, confirm their location and attempt to remove them from the sea.

”Responders from the region, as well as rescue aircraft sourced from across the North Island had to battle atrocious conditions; including swells of up to and at times more than six metres, 50-knot winds and low visibility, showing how determined they were to reach the men in the water.

”Unfortunately, the sea and weather conditions were too severe.”

One of the missing men was named last night as Elwood Higgins, as tributes for the lost fishermen were posted online by anxious loved ones.

A woman who said she was a relative of one of the missing men made an emotional plea yesterday for her brother to be found.

“Come on my brother, [I am] breaking into pieces over here listening to this storm kicking in. Feeling sooo exhausted, scared and helpless,” she said.

“[I have] already been through enough heartbreak for this lifetime. Make your way home to us and bring your mates home with you too xx.”

“Atrocious weather conditions” hampered the desperate search last night, more 24 hours on from when authorities were told a vessel had not returned to port in Gisborne just before 4pm on Monday, Maritime New Zealand said.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Boeing P-8 Poseidon dropped a life raft in the area where the men were last seen by a bulk carrier off the coast of Mahia just after 4pm yesterday.

Coastguard, rescue helicopter trusts, Napier Harbour Tugs, the Defence Force and volunteering vessels were involved in the mass search operation.

Yesterday’s search was suspended about 7pm with an expectation it would resume at first light this morning. Rescuers examined drift patterns throughout the night and ensured enough resources were ready to continue the search.

Three bodies found in search for missing Gisborne fishermen

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Three bodies have been located on the shore at Mahia following a search and rescue operation.

Three fishermen were reported missing after failing to return from a fishing trip on Monday.

While formal identification was ongoing, police believed the bodies to be the fishermen reported missing.

“Police thoughts are with their families at this difficult time.”

Earlier, two of them were spotted alive in huge seas yesterday.

The staff at Maritime NZ and its Rescue Coordination Centre this morning extended their thoughts and condolences to those impacted by the tragic events off Gisborne.

RCCNZ general manager Justin Allan said it was a difficult and complex search and rescue operation.

”Weather conditions in the area were severe, and rescuers went right to their limits to get to the area we received reports the people in the water were, confirm their location and attempt to remove them from the sea.

”Responders from the region, as well as rescue aircraft sourced from across the North Island had to battle atrocious conditions; including swells of up to and at times more than six metres, 50 knot winds and low visibility, showing how determined they were to reach the men in the water.

”Unfortunately, the sea and weather conditions were too severe.”

One of the missing men was named last night as Elwood Higgins, as tributes for the lost fishermen were posted online by anxious loved ones.

A woman claiming to be a relative of one of the missing men made an emotional plea for her brother to be found.

“Come on my brother, [I am] breaking into pieces over here listening to this storm kicking in. Feeling sooo exhausted, scared and helpless,” she said.

“[I have] already been through enough heartbreak for this lifetime. Make your way home to us and bring your mates home with you too xx.”

“Atrocious weather conditions” hampered the desperate search last night, more 24 hours on from when authorities were told a vessel had not returned to port in Gisborne just before 4pm on Monday, Maritime New Zealand said.

Wild weather pounds East Coast, orange heavy warnings issued

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

Gisborne’s emergency sewer valve has been opened due to fears of sewage overflowing back into homes and onto roads.

(File image). Photo: Unsplash / Daoudi Aissa

High winds have also downed trees and cut power to homes in what could be a difficult night for residents.

The region was currently being hammered by severe weather.

The council has established an emergency centre in Tolaga Bay school and issued a flood warning for nearby Hikuwai River near Willow Flat.

Civil Defence officer Greg Shelton said the river level was nearing nine metres, but its banks could handle up to 13 metres.

There were orange heavy rain warnings for Gisborne/Tai Rāwhiti about and south of Ruatoria and Hawke’s Bay north and south of SH5.

An orange strong wind warning was also in place for Gisborne/Tai Rāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay from Wairoa northwards, including Māhia Peninsula.

Severe gale southerlies could reach 120 km/h in exposed places, MetService said, with the strongest winds are expected in coastal places.

At 3pm, there was 44mm of rain recorded at Gisborne Airport, according to the Gisborne District Council.

The council said the city’s wastewater system has been flooded with intense rain draining from residential homes.

Ground water levels had already very high due to rain that started at the weekend, and combined with more rain today has resulted in surface flooding finding its way into the sewer, it said.

To stop sewage overflowing back into homes and onto roads, the council had to release the excess water.

It opened the emergency sewer valve at Gladstone Road into the Turanganui River at 2.30pm.

Scour valves to the Taruheru River were opened at Palmerston Road and at Oak Street at 3pm and at Owen Road into the Waimata river at 3.08pm.

“We only open the valve when it’s absolutely necessary and only in the areas with issues.

“The discharge is highly diluted with rain water, but still poses a health risk.

“We’ll notify the Hauora Tairāwhiti Medical Officer of Health, water user and sports groups,” the council said.

Temporary warning signs would be installed and the council advised no swimming, fishing or gathering shellfish in rivers and beaches until at least five days after the valves were closed and warning signs were removed.

Meanwhile, the council said Tiniroto Road was closing overnight at the bluffs from 7pm, with contractors scheduled to inspect it tomorrow at 7am to make a decision on reopening it.

SH35 was also closed between Anaura Road and Mata Road, Mangatuna.

There were also slips south of Tutira on State Highway Two from Wairoa to Napier.

Two dead, two critically injured in mini-bus rollover near Mildura

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By theage.com.au

Two people have died and nine others are injured after a mini-bus rolled over and crashed into a tree near Mildura.

Police say the passengers were migrant workers employed at nearby farms.(ABC News; Photograph supplied: Network 10)

Victoria Police said the bus was travelling south along the Calder Highway on Tuesday morning when it crashed at Carwarp – a tiny town about 36 kilometres south of Mildura.

“Sadly, two passengers died at the scene,” police said in a statement.

Sergeant Mark McDonald of the Mildura Highway Patrol Unit said some of the farm workers were Samoans, and all were employed on nearby properties.

“We believe it [the minibus] was attempting to overtake another vehicle and lost control and collided with a tree,” he said. 

Another passenger suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, arriving shortly before midday.

Ambulance Victoria said paramedics responded about 7.45am, taking eight people to the Mildura Base Hospital.

The male driver of the bus and three passengers suffered serious injuries. Four other passengers were taken to hospital for observation.

Two people have died and nine others have been injured after a mini-bus rollover in Victoria’s north-west.

“The circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be established and the investigation remains ongoing,” police said.

The Calder Highway between Kulkyn Way and Brownport Road is expected to be closed for several hours.

Sergeant Mark McDonald from the Mildura Highway Patrol Unit will address the media at 12.30pm.

With additional reporting by Kaniva News

Car fire blocks SH20A lanes to Auckland Airport

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police are responding to a vehicle fire on George Bolt Memorial Drive, Māngere this morning.

The fire was reported at 5.53am.

Two southbound lanes are blocked and motorists heading towards the airport are advised to expect delays or seek an alternate route.

Waka Kotahi is warning motorists heading to the airport to delay their journey or use SH20B.

Two left southbound lanes towards Auckland Airport are blocked, just before the Landing Drive intersection.

Two fire trucks were at the scene and there was no injuries.

In a statement, police said officers were attending after the fire was reporter shortly before 6am.

“Two southbound lanes are blocked and motorists heading towards the airport are advised to expect delays or seek an alternate route.”

Veteran Greens MP Keith Locke, often a voice for the Pacific, dies after a long illness

By
Philip Cass
-

A New Zealand politician with a strong connection to Tonga’s Democracy movement has died.

Former Greens MP Keith Locke has died after a long illness, aged 80.

He served as an MP from 1999 to 2011.

While in Parliament, he was a notable critic of New Zealand’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan and the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002, and advocated for refugee rights.

He was appointed a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to human rights advocacy in 2021, received NZ Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender award in 2012, and the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand’s Harmony Award in 2013.

Locke was often a voice or the Pacific in the New Zealand Parliament.

In 2000 he spoke out on the plight of overstayers who were facing deportation under the National Party government.

As the Green Party’s then immigration spokesperson, he supported calls a review of the overstayer legislation.

“We are a Polynesian nation, and we increasingly celebrate the Samoan and Tongan part of our national identity,” Locke said at the time.

“How can we claim as our own the Jonah Lomu’s and Beatrice Faumuina’s while we are prepared to toss their relations out of the country at a moments notice?”

The Greens MP had links to Tonga through his relationship with Democracy campaigner and later Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

Locke defended Hon. Pohiva in 1996 when he was a spokesperson for the Alliance Party. He said he was horrified that Pohiva  and two colleagues had been jailed for comments in their pro-democracy newspaper Kele’a. He criticised the New Zealand government for keeping silent about what he described as a “gross abuse of human rights.”

In 2004 Locke called on the New Zealand Government to speak out about what he called the suppression of the press in Tonga.

Locke, who was then the Greens Foreign Affairs spokesman, said several publications had been denied licences, including an offshoot of the New Zealand-produced Taimi O Tonga newspaper.

“We owe it to the Tongan people to support them in their hour of need.  We should speak out as a Pacific neighbour,” he said.

In 2007, ‘Akilisi was again charged with sedition, along with four other pro-democracy MPs, for allegedly being responsible for the rioting that took place following a mass pro-democracy march in Nuku’alofa.

“As the Greens’ foreign affairs spokesperson I went up to Tonga to support ‘Akilisi and his colleagues fight these trumped-up charges. I was shocked to find that the New Zealand government was going along with these sedition charges against five sitting MPs,” Locke said in an interview.

“I was in Tonga not long before the 2010  elections with a cross-party group of New Zealand MPs. We were helping Tongan candidates understand the intricacies of a parliamentary system.

“At the time I remember ‘Akilisi being worried that the block of nine “nobles” MPs could frustrate the desires of what were to be 17 directly-elected MPs. And so it turned out. Despite winning 12 of the popularly-elected 17 seats in 2010, the pro-democracy MPs were outvoted 14 to 12 when the votes of the nine nobles MPs were put into the equation.”

“However, in the two subsequent elections (2014 and 2017) the Democrats predominated and ‘Akilisi took over as Prime Minister. I am not qualified to judge his record on domestic issues, except to say it couldn’t have been an easy job because of the fractious nature of Tongan politics. And ‘Akilisi has been in poor health.

“As Prime Minister he took an admirable stand on some important international issues, such as climate change. At the Pacific Island Forum he criticised those countries which stayed silent on the plight of the West Papuans.”

Locke said that Tonga may not yet be fully democratic, but that great progress had been made under Pohiva’s “humble and self-sacrificing leadership.”

Person seriously injured after incident at South Auckland jewellery store

By
Kaniva Staff
-

A person has been taken to Middlemore Hospital with serious injuries after an incident this evening at a South Auckland jewellery store.

The incident happened at Pooja Jewellers on Kolmar Rd, Papatoetoe about 5.45pm.

Police are making enquiries following a robbery at a Kolmar Road store in Papatoetoe, reported around 5:45pm.

The Eagle helicopter responded to the area, however the offenders left in a vehicle prior to arrival and were not located.

One person in the store has been seriously injured after being assaulted, and was being transported to hospital.

Inspector Keki Wilson says: “Police are working to piece together exactly what occurred, we are speaking with a number of witnesses and will conduct a scene examination.”

“Violent incidents like these rightly cause concern, and Police is committed to holding offenders to account.

“Enquiries remain ongoing to locate the offenders and their vehicle,” says Inspector Wilson.

If you have any information that may assist in locating those involved please contact Police on 105 and reference event number: P059142364.

Human rights chief renews call for changes to RSE scheme

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Aui’a Vaimaila Leatinu’u, PMN

Pre-existing issues in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme must be addressed before any plans to expand the workforce are made, the Acting Chief Human Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo says.

Her comments follow Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s announcement last week that he wants thousands more seasonal workers from Pacific island countries in Aotearoa.

During his visit to Papua New Guinea, Luxon met with his PNG counterpart James Marape and both leaders discussed a refreshed partnership that could boost the number of places for short-term RSE horticultural workers coming to Aotearoa.

But Commissioner Sumeo says while the expansion is a “good opportunity” to bring in more labourers from the region, she has not seen changes to the industry since a government inquiry uncovered “a lot of concerns around the treatment of Pacific workers”.

The damning review released in November 2022 by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) found that many of the workers were living in conditions that amounted to modern-day slavery.

Speaking to William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Sumeo said the inquiry found the treatment of seasonal workers in Aotearoa was racist and she called for an urgent overhaul of the RSE Scheme.

“Inadequate accommodation, issues around pay deductions, and so forth,” she said.

“What we’re hearing and certainly through the engagements of the commission is that industries want to do better. They know that these problems exist. The industry has worked to provide guidance around human rights.

“There’s a conference on RSE that’s happening soon down in Hawke’s Bay, and we’re hoping to attend that so we can address those things like proper recruitment practices, and pastoral care and so forth.”

The RSE programme employs workers from PNG, Nauru, Tuvalu, Kibati, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and Sāmoa, for up to nine months in any 11 months and return home between seasons.

There are 19,500 workers for the 2023/2024 season. The minimum wage in New Zealand is $23.15, so that would make the minimum hourly rate for RSE workers $25.47 ($23.15 +10 per cent).

The inquiry also identified multiple human rights issues followed by several recommendations, including minimal wage deductions that comply with wage-related acts in NZ, reasonable rent rates on wage, and improved access to healthcare.

Following its inquiry, MBIE issued a report to Cabinet last year suggesting several RSE Scheme improvements, including better accommodation standards, health insurance, guidance, and pay for team leaders alongside worker access to superannuation.

Former immigration minister Michael Wood said at the time that changes were underway to ensure RSE workers were better treated.

He told reporters the changes would also ensure that employers, under the RSE scheme, were undergoing educational modules so they were “crystal clear” about their obligations.

The pressure to improve the scheme has drawn international attention. Sāmoa pushed the MBIE’s recommendations at the Universal Period Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in late April.

Sumeo said Sāmoa was the only Pacific nation to confront New Zealand and request they implement the RSE Scheme review.

“So, this is great timing if the New Zealand government wants to increase the number of RSE workers,” she said.

“It will improve the scheme and will ensure the dignity and rights of our Pacific workers are upheld. We know our industries will benefit from that.”

“Let’s address these concerns and make things right before we bring more of our people here to support us.”

-This article was first published by PMN.

Court reviews Reserve Bank’s decision sacking Development bank CEO and Chairman

By
Kaniva Staff
-

The Tonga Development Bank (TDB) has been granted Court permission to challenge the Governor of the National Reserve Bank’s decision to dismiss its CEO and Chairman, the bank has claimed.

Tonga Development Bank.Photo/Kalino Lātū

As Kaniva News reported previously, the Tonga National Reserve Bank (TNRB) has permanently banned Development Bank CEO ‘Emeline Tuita from holding any position with the TDB.

The Reserve Bank also wanted to remove the Development Bank’s chairman, Peni Vea.

The Development Bank said this evening it believed the decision on May 17 to sack Tuita and Vea was unlawful.

“We are pleased to advise that the Court has granted leave for the Court to review the directives”, the TDB said in a statement.

“Additionally, the Court has issued an injunction prohibiting the Governor and the National Reserve Bank of Tonga from disseminating any further information to the media or any other third parties regarding these directives”.

It was just the latest in a string of controversies and disputes.

As Kaniva News reported previously the Reserve Bank accused the Development Bank of endangering the economy.

It said the Development Bank had behaved imprudently.

“One of the primary functions of the NRBT is to regulate and supervise banks and to ensure that they promote and conduct sound and safe banking practices,” the Reserve Bank said.

“The NRBT is also responsible for keeping the prices of goods and services stable and inflation low, managing of the foreign reserves and exchange rates and combating money laundering.”

The Reserve Bank said earlier the TDB was conducting unsafe and unsound banking practices which could threaten the financial system.

Police raided the Development Bank on May 24.

Police said they were responding to a complaint about an alleged breach of the Banking Act.

In turn, the Development Bank said it was taking legal action against the police.

Seasonal worker jailed after admitting raping girl at train station

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

A seasonal worker who dragged an 11-year-old girl into the toilets of the Blenheim train station to rape her has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Steven Tari Tambean Garae, 24, earlier pleaded guilty to rape and unlawful sexual connection after the attack on the schoolgirl last April. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Garae, who is from Vanuatu, was on a Recognised Seasonal Employer limited visa at the time.

In the Blenheim District Court, Judge Tony Zohrab said it was a random attack, a brutal violation of an 11-year-old girl on a toilet floor.

“You sacrificed her present and future wellbeing to satisfy your selfish sexual desires and your selfish behaviour has led to a catastrophic impact on the victim and her family.”

The court heard how the victim had been riding a bike with her friend who was on a scooter, one Sunday morning in April 2023, when Garae began following them.

Blenheim District Court

Steven Garae, 24, was sentenced to seven years in prison, when he appeared in the Blenheim District Court for the rape and sexual violation of a school girl. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee

Garae started a conversation with the victim and when they were close to the train station in Sinclair Street, he dragged her by the wrist into a public toilet, locked the door, then sexually violated and raped her.

The girl’s friend ran across State Highway 1 to get help from people in a bakery close by.

The attack lasted seven minutes after which Garae ran off. He was later found by police and arrested. He initially claimed the sex was consensual, before admitting he had raped the girl.

Judge Zohrab said in a victim impact statement, the girl said she was now treated differently, that people were more protective of her while some friends had distanced themselves and others teased her and called her names.

“She said she feels sad almost all the time and feels like it is getting worse, not better.

“She says she used to like herself but she doesn’t like herself much anymore and she feels what happened sometimes was her fault.”

Innocence taken away – grandmother

Her grandmother told the court that Garae had given the victim a lifetime sentence.

“He has taken the innocence away from our granddaughter and now we find it hard to trust people and to trust that this will not occur again.

“She cannot understand why she cannot go out on her own like other children her age.”

For some time after the assault she had lost her appetite and could not eat, she was taking medication to sleep at night and was seeing a child psychiatrist but there were ongoing concerns for her mental health.

The girl had to fly to Auckland for a sexual assault forensic exam, including pregnancy and STI tests, where it was revealed she suffered internal injuries as a result of the rape.

Her grandmother said she felt “sick to the stomach that a person could think they could do such sexual acts on an 11-year-old child” and think it would be consensual.

Outside court, family members expressed their disappointment with the prison sentence, which came with a minimum period of imprisonment of three and a half years, which they said was not long enough.

Aggravating features

Crown prosecutor Jackson Webber said it was an “appalling rape of a vulnerable girl” and the kind of offending that was “terrifying for the community”.

He said there were a number of aggravating features; the element of abduction, a degree of premeditation, the fact the victim was young and vulnerable and that she had suffered several indignities which had a profound effect on her wellbeing.

“It was so stark, so violent, it was just horrendous offending that sets the community on edge.”

Defence counsel Emma Riddell said Garae had not coped well with being sent to New Zealand and his segregation while incarcerated had increased his mental impairment.

She said Garae would be deported once he had served his sentence and would not be released back into the community or be allowed to enter the country again.

“But what the Parole Board is going to need to see is that he is undergoing some treatment before they can be satisfied that he should be deported to Vanuatu to ensure the Vanuatu community is safe.”

Judge Zohrab said Garae’s selfish behaviour had a catastrophic impact on the victim, her family and the wider community.

“This sort of offending strikes right at the heart of one’s sense of community wellbeing.

“Locals in Blenheim are wondering what is going on in their community if two 11-year-old girls can’t go out on a bike and a scooter at 9.30am in the morning without being violated in this way.”

From a starting point of 10 years, Garae was given a 25 percent discount for an early guilty plea and a 5 percent discount for his youth and previous good character.

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