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Houses shot at in Auckland’s Onehunga, Māngere East

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

A house has been shot at in Auckland’s Onehunga, while there was also a second gunfire incident in Māngere East overnight.

Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell

Officers were called to reports of gunfire on Haddon Street in Māngere at about 11pm.

There is a large police presence at the scene this morning, and a number of bullet holes can be seen in the window of the house.

A nearby resident said the shooting had come out of the blue and was worrying, especially for those with children.

“It’s a worry what’s happening in the community,” he said.

Police say no injuries have been reported, and anyone with information should get in contact.

House in Haddon St in Māngere East hit by gunfire

Police at the scene in Māngere this morning. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell

It was the second shooting at an Auckland property overnight, with another house shot at in Onehunga earlier in the evening.

Officers were called to an an address on Ahuwhenua Crescent after receiving reports of gunshots about 10.30pm.

“Thankfully, no injuries have been reported in relation to this matter,” Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Friend of the Auckland City crime squad said.

The suspected offenders had left the area before officers arrived on the scene.

However, police were following leads “which includes reviewing a significant amount of available CCTV footage in and around the area”.

An RNZ reporter at the scene could see an apple sized hole in the garage door of one of the apartments.

Garage door hit by bullet in Onehunga

The apartment that was shot at. Photo: RNZ / Finn Blackwell

Neighbour Dani was visiting her sister at the time of the incident.

“There was a massive bang like a massive shot. At first we thought it was just like metal or something like that but once we came outside the neighbours came up and said there were men with rifles who had shot through the garage of next door,” she said.

Her sister had lived at her house for two years and nothing similar had happened before.

Another resident said it was usually a very quiet area.

There would be more officers in the area during the day, Friend said.

There are also reports of a second incident involving gunshots occurred in Haddon St in Māngere East shortly after 11pm.

An RNZ reporter at the scene said stickers on the windows show where the gunshots had hit the house.

Police have not commented on this incident so far on Thursday.

Police said they wanted to speak to anyone in the area or who had information.

Large fire sends plumes of black smoke into air above Nuku‘alofa

By
Kaniva Staff
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Fire and Emergency crews have contained a fire at Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa.

Reports said the services were responding to the fire at a building at the Church of Tonga’s property at Pīkula.

There were no reports of injuries

One report said the president of the church and staff were at the scene.

Top plumbing apprentice wants to see more women in the industry

By
Kaniva Staff
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By Libby Kirkby-McLeod of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

New Zealand’s first woman to win the top prize for an apprentice plumber wants to see more young women encouraged to join the profession.

Maria Contreras Huerta is an apprentice plumber at Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas Services. Photo: RNZ/Libby Kirkby-McLeod

Maria Contreras Huerta is in her last year as an apprentice plumber at Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas Services. Along with being this year’s winner of the 2024 Plumbing Awards overall apprentice prize, she has been nominated for a National Association of Women in Construction excellence award.

There were no other girls in her Wintec training classes and she is the first female apprentice at her company.

In total, women only make up about 5 percent of the plumbing industry.

“Obviously I did know there’s not much females in plumbing, but I honestly didn’t really care about that aspect, I just really wanted to do plumbing,” Contreras Huerta said.

Her workplace had been very supportive, and she was optimistic that the number of women in the trade would grow, especially if the industry could make it more obvious that it welcomed them.

“Even like trade events around schools, instead of just having a guy there, or a boss there, have two different apprentices,” she suggested.

For some young women, it may be intimidating to approach tradesmen, she said. However, she met her boss Dave Strong for the first time at her school’s career day fair.

Strong hired Contreras Huerta as an apprentice and said she had everything he expected of his apprentices – she was proactive, enthusiastic, and had a good attitude.

He has been a plumber for 42 years and often has apprentices. At present his company has five, including Maria.

“It’s the only way the industry will survive is by training new people in. I’m going to retire one day so someone’s got to take my place and you can only do it by training people,” he said.

According to the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, the average age of certifying plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers is 49.

Strong had seen many changes in the industry, and different approaches to attracting people into the workforce, including the establishment of apprentice training organisation MasterLink.

“When they first started 25 years ago you couldn’t get apprentices. You had industry wanting to train, but schools weren’t keen on having kids becoming tradespeople.”

Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas Services managing director Dave Strong.

Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas Services managing director Dave Strong. Photo: RNZ/Libby Kirkby-McLeod

MasterLink is owned by Master Plumbers and specialises in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprenticeships. It sends local apprentices to Wintec for block course training.

Plumbing teacher Daniel Kotze said people needed to remember that plumbing was a lifeline service.

“I think it’s a necessary job in our community. To be able to have drinking water is very important, and also for personal hygiene, that’s what plumbers and drainlayers bring to the table.”

Wintec plumbing team leader Amy Opperman organises a Wāhine in Trades event each year to highlight women succeeding in the industry.

She believed the industry and the public were open to seeing more women in trades.

“Business owners will actually get in touch with us here and say ‘I’d really like to see if there are any females available to join our team’,” she said.

She had been told many customers liked to deal with women tradespeople.

Contreras Huerta said she had found that too – older women living alone especially appreciated her turning up, she said.

“You are going into someone else’s life pretty much, your home is something very private to you.”

She said training as a plumber had affected many areas of her life.

“Before my apprenticeship I wasn’t that confident, but I’ve built confidence and I’m stronger in myself mentally and physically,” she said.

And she said plumbing was not just about unclogging toilets.

“Everyone thinks it’s about poop and human faeces! There is so much variety, and there’s way wider aspects of it, and you can always specialise in something. You don’t have to go into plumbing, you can specialise in gasfitting, or even drainlaying.”

Tongan community in NZ warned after immigration consultant allegedly charging fake job offers

By
Kalino Latu
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The Tongan community in Aotearoa is being warned after claims a Tongan licensed immigration consultant was allegedly demanding payments in return for fake job offers. 

Sālote Heletā Lilo says she had been receiving complaints about the scam. Photo/Facebook

It has been alleged that the consultant’s clients were paying for these job-offers to assist their immigration applications. 

A legal expert has previously warned that an employer or a recruiter in New Zealand cannot charge people for job offers.

Experienced Licensed Immigration Advisor Sālote Heletā Lilo made the claim this morning, but provided no further details. She said the man had just left for Australia.

Lilo said she had been receiving complaints about the consultancy in question. She identified the suburb at which the consultancy was based in her Facebook page. Kaniva News has decided not to publish it. We have been unable to contact the accused.  

Lilo called on those who fell victim to the alleged scam to contact her office for assistance.

“I appeal to those who were affected by this scam to contact me as soon as possible so we can contact Immigration New Zealand to assist you and your family”, she said in Tongan.

The revelation came after the Immigration Advisors Authority (IAA) investigated an elaborate passport scheme involving a South Auckland Tongan church promising residency for cash in 2021.

In that scam, over-stayers and those wanting residency were told if they joined the church and paid $500 per person or $800 per family a High Court judge would sign off on their residency.

Reverend Tevita Paipa, who helped collect passports and money from over-stayers, told 1 NEWS he would give an interview about it, but had to pray and fast first.

Fake Job offers

Fake visas and offers to sell jobs in New Zealand are not new.

In February, migrant workers were urged to educate their family and friends overseas if they spotted potential immigration scams.

“An employer or a recruiter can’t charge you for a job”, Senior Investigator Helen Garratt was quoted by the New Zealand Herald as saying.

Garratt said a general rule to follow was that if a job offer in New Zealand sounded too good to be true, it probably is. However, there were specific signs that people could watch out for to protect themselves from falling prey to a scam.

“So beware of offers asking you to pay a large sum of money in return for a visa and a job. Also, paying a sum to have your visa application fast-tracked is another sign the offer could be a scam,” Garratt said.

Last year a Licensed Immigration Advisor was arrested after they become involved in a scam selling false job offers to offshore migrants and fraudulently obtaining work visas through Immigration New Zealand’s Accredited Employer Work Visa category.

The scam required migrants to pay between NZ$20-$40,000 for a job and a visa. Upon arriving in New Zealand, they found the jobs did not exist. They were subsequently housed in overcrowded properties.

The adviser was charged with two counts of providing false and misleading information to Immigration New Zealand, an offence under section 342(1)(b) of the Immigration Act 2009 which carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and/or a $100,000 fine.

Immigration consultancy law

Under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 anyone giving immigration advice must have a licence unless they are exempt. Exempt people include lawyers with a current New Zealand practising certificate and Citizens Advice Bureaux staff among others.

The Authority is independent of Immigration New Zealand and cannot give immigration advice or influence a visa application.

Police widen search for missing Ronny Okeke, appeal for dashcam footage

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

The investigation into a missing Auckland man is now being focused on the southern Auckland and Waikato area.

Ronny Okeke. Photo: Supplied / Police

Police said it had now been 40 days since 60-year-old Ronny Okeke was last seen or heard from.

The Sandringham man was last seen on CCTV leaving New World Mount Roskill on 27 April. Earlier that day, Okeke attempted to call his wife, who is based overseas. The call went unanswered.

He was then reported missing on 3 May.

Ronny Okeke was last seen on CCTV leaving New World Mount Roskill on 27 April. Photo: Supplied / Police

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said police were continuing to try and piece together Okeke’s disappearance and were keeping an open mind about the circumstances surrounding the case.

“This is still a missing person’s inquiry, but naturally we have serious concerns for Ronny given the length of time since he was last heard from,” Baldwin said.

In a fresh appeal, police were asking for dashcam footage captured between the Kaimai Ranges and Ramarama in south Auckland between 10pm on 27 April and 7pm on 28 April.

Police specifically wanted footage from people travelling between the Kaimai Summit Loop Track and Ramarama during those times.

“We would also ask anyone who stopped at a lay-by between these locations with footage to contact us,” Baldwin said.

“We understand that this is a broad request, but we are appealing to anyone with footage to make contact with us, so that we can establish whether it may be relevant to the inquiry.”

Police could be contacted by calling 105 or going on its website, quoting file number 240501/3879.

Information could also be given anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Prime Minister announces big change for Fijians entering NZ

By
Kaniva Staff
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By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced nearly $27 million for projects in Fiji and removing the need for transit visas for Fijians entering New Zealand.

It follows a leader-to-leader meeting between Luxon and his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka in Fiji, as part of the New Zealand prime minister’s first trip to the Pacific.

The two countries have also set a goal of boosting two-way trade — currently about $1.4b a year — to $2b a year by 2030.

The projects announced today are funded from New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation programme, and include:

  • A further $3.6m to Fiji’s Climate Relocation of Communities Trust Fund
  • $572,000 for an upgrade to the High Temperature Forced Air (HTFA) Facility at Nadi International Airport alongside Australia, to help Fijian horticultural exporters meet New Zealand’s strict biosecurity requirements
  • $15.3m for a New Zealand Plant and Food Research-led programme to support farmers in five Pacific countries including Fiji adapt to the impacts of climate change on production
  • $7.5m for the Fiji government’s economic reform programme, which is focused on improving fiscal management, sustainability and economic resilience.

Luxon and Rabuka, who has been Fiji’s Prime Minister since 2022, also released a joint statement recognising the “deep and broad historical, cultural, and people-to-people connections” between the two countries and committing to refresh their Duavata Partnership next year, when it is set to reach maturity.

He said the change to allow Fijian nationals to enter New Zealand without the need for a transit visa was also a “tangible demonstration” of New Zealand’s commitment to Fiji.

“Many Fijian nationals travel through New Zealand to reach other destinations in the Pacific and around the world — we expect this will have a positive economic impact for the region.

“This change will mean that Fijian nationals will be able to transit New Zealand with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), similar to many other Pacific countries,” he said.

Luxon arrived in Fiji from Niue last night and presented a gift of a harmonica ahead of their meeting.

It appeared to be received well by Rabuka, who proceeded to play a few notes. Luxon said he had been told Rabuka was a prodigious harmonicist and hoped Rabuka would enjoy the gift in times he needed to relax.

The harmonica was one of three of its kind in New Zealand, Luxon said.

Rabuka’s gift was slightly humourous in nature, a playing shirt of the Fijian Drua Super Rugby team.

In the last round of Super Rugby before the playoffs, Luxon’s beloved Crusaders were relying on the Drua losing to make the top eight and qualify for the finals.

The Drua instead won, knocking the Crusaders out of the top eight and finishing a dismal season for the Canterbury team.

Luxon, who had repeatedly guaranteed the Crusaders would reach the playoffs, accepted the shirt in good but somewhat resigned spirits.

However, he said the result was for the best as Rabuka would’ve been “very grumpy” if the Drua hadn’t made the playoffs and therefore the Crusaders missing out meant potentially avoiding a “diplomatic incident”.

Auckland Airport baggage handler Kimela Piukana pleads guilty to Operation Selena meth import scheme

By
Kaniva Staff
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By Craig Kapitan, www.nzherald.co.nz

An Auckland Airport baggage handler has admitted his participation in an organised crime syndicate that was initially suspected by police of attempting to smuggle nearly 500kg of methamphetamine into New Zealand via overseas commercial flights.

Māngere Bridge resident Kimela Kolo Piukana, 24, entered the guilty plea today from the dock in the High Court at Auckland, two and a half years after he was arrested at the conclusion of a lengthy undercover police and Customs investigation dubbed Operation Selena.

Piukana was alleged to be part of a group of airport workers who on several occasions in 2021 were tasked with secretly removing illicit drug shipments stowed aboard Malaysian Airlines flights from Kuala Lumpur and Air New Zealand flights from Los Angeles.

“The drugs were subsequently driven off airport grounds and on-supplied to other members of the syndicate,” court documents state.

The scheme diverted the drugs from being screened by Customs.

Piukana initially faced multiple drug importation-related charges upon his arrest in November 2021. He pleaded guilty today to a charge of participating in an organised criminal group that carries a punishment of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

As part of the guilty plea, Piukana also conceded he “contributed to the activities of the syndicate by passing important messages between key members”.

Authorities outlined several examples in court documents, including a series of messages in January 2021, in which there was discussion of a “test bag” being used to try out the scheme.

“Tell him duffel bag with a photo of it and make sure the bag has a fake tag on it and to message once the plane takes off with it,” Piukana was instructed to tell the alleged syndicate leader.

Authorities intercepted a message months later in which Piukana told another alleged syndicate member that a shipment had been delayed and would be coming a different day.

The agreed summary of facts for Piukana’s guilty plea does not list specific amounts of methamphetamine that were smuggled into New Zealand, other than to state they were “commercial quantities”.

Police alleged at the time of Piukana’s arrest that the group had either successfully smuggled or tried to smuggle roughly 500kg of methamphetamine. While the cost of methamphetamine can fluctuate wildly, that amount has been described by police in prior drug import cases as having a value of between $50 million and $90 million in New Zealand — considered one of the most profitable meth markets in the world.

“This type of offending is highly concerning not only because of the harm drugs are doing to the community, but the ability to place unchecked items into aircraft … threatens the integrity and security of air travel,” Detective Inspector Paul Newman said at the time of the arrests, estimating that an influx of 500kg of the drug on to the underground market would have caused “around $550 million in community harm … particularly in vulnerable communities”.

Customs intelligence manager Bruce Berry commented at the time of the arrests that the scheme showed a disturbing trend: “Organised crime in New Zealand is becoming more sophisticated … in subverting systems at the border”.

During today’s brief High Court hearing, Justice Mathew Downs set a sentencing date for August. He allowed Piukana to remain on bail until then — a matter that was not opposed by Crown prosecutor Matthew Nathan. The judge also approved a request by defence lawyer Benjamin Mugisho to not immediately enter a conviction for Piukana, who intends to seek a discharge without conviction at sentencing.

The plea comes three months after Ralph Anthony Vuletic, a former Ferrari-driving Auckland property hotshot, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for his part in the alleged airport imports and a separate but similarly sophisticated scheme at Ports of Auckland.

Others have pleaded not guilty and await trial.

Craig Kapitan is an Auckland-based journalist covering courts and justice. He joined the Herald in 2021 and has reported on courts since 2002 in three newsrooms in the US and New Zealand.

Frustrated Aucklanders tell police minister of assaults and abuse in central city

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

Police Minister Mark Mitchell admits there is a “big problem” in central Auckland, but he said improvements had already been seen.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell addressed frustrated residents and business owners in Auckland’s CBD. Photo: Melanie Earley/RNZ

More than 100 frustrated residents and business owners attended a public meeting with Mitchell at Ellen Melville Centre on Tuesday night, telling him they don’t feel safe and want to see more police officers on the street.

Mitchell told Morning Report there had been a 60 percent increase in the number of officers doing foot patrols in Auckland’s central business district since the new government indicated it wanted to see more cops on the beat. However, he said he didn’t know what the number of officers was.

“The reality is… we know that we have got a big problem in our Auckland CBD.”

Mitchell blamed that on the previous Labour government.

Statistics showed things had improved in the last six months, he said.

“I’m certainly not saying that we are on top of the problem but we’re making moves in the right direction.

“Crime is trending down in the CBD, we’ve got a lot more work to do and I acknowledge that.”

It wasn’t simply a matter for police, the council and local business association were also involved, Mitchell said.

“We’re going to get there; we’re definitely going to make our CBD much safer than what it is presently.”

Many at the meeting spoke of wanting to see a police station return to the central city, and raised concerns about the slow response from police as well as the rise in antisocial behaviour on Queen Street.

Mitchell told the crowd there had been a 58 percent increase in foot patrols around the city in the last six months. But one resident stood up and claimed that was “bollocks”.

“I can count on one hand the number of police I’ve seen on the beat in the last three years in the central city,” the man said and was met with a round of applause from the crowd.

He said last week he had to hold someone down who had stolen alcohol from an inner city supermarket until police arrived and that same day he said he dislocated his shoulder trying to chase a person who had stolen items from another store he was in.

“It’s not safe and I want to see cops rotating up and down the streets all day,” the man said.

Queens Arcade property manager Ian Wright told Mitchell he had dealt with “hundreds” of incidents in the CBD including attacks and intimidation.

“Today there was a teenager who came in and she attacked some shoppers who she didn’t even know. Last week we had a sex offender lock himself in one of the stores with some girls.

“I’ve been assaulted, abused and intimidated, it’s a daily occurrence here.”

crime meet web

The crowd at a public meeting with Police Minister Mark Mitchell on Tuesday night. Photo: Melanie Earley/RNZ

The central city needed to be a welcoming place for visitors, Westmere resident Gael Baldock said. She said as a woman she felt unsafe taking public transport.

“I don’t feel as safe as I used to – I had a friend who was attacked recently on Wellesley St by a man she didn’t know who hit her in the face.”

Baldock did note she had seen more police officers on the street in Point Chevalier and on Karangahape Rd recently, but less so on Queen St.

“I’ve seen the community patrol out there but not that many police, more would be good and I think taking away the central station was a major problem.”

Community Patrols NZ chair Chris Lawson said it was tough out there for officers and residents.

He lived and did regular patrols in the CBD and had spent 20 years working as a police officer.

“I’ve seen people peeing and pooing in the streets, fighting, stealing and I am concerned about crime. There’s a fair amount of it happening lately and people are concerned for their safety which is why so many people are here.”

Lawson said the Community Patrol was looking for more volunteers.

“It was a tough decision to start a patrol in the CBD because we’re a risk averse group, but we’re getting out there and doing what we can.

Patrol members were trained not to be involved in conflict, Lawson said.

Mitchell couldn’t tell residents if or when a new police station would be built in the city, but said until that time increased foot patrols would continue.

“I think a physical presence of officers on the beat is more important.”

Tongan tenor back from New York picked for place in prestigious Lexus music competition

By
Philip Cass
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Tongan tenor Manase Latu has been selected as a semi-finalist in Aotearoa’s premier opera singing competition, the 2024 Lexus Song Quest.

Of these 10 semi-finalists, one is Auckland based Tongan tenor Manase Latu who has recently completed the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera.  2018 Finalist in Lexus Song Quest. Photo/Supplied

Latu is a graduate of Auckland University and won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London. He was supported as an Emerging Artist with New Zealand Opera as well as the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation.

He has just completed the Lindemann Young Artist Development  Programme at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

He was the first singer of Tongan heritage – and one of just two from New Zealand – to join the programme.

During the summer of 2022, Latu was selected as a Renee Fleming Artist for The Aspen Music Festival and School where he performed Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni under the baton of Dame Jane Glover.

Latu was selected as one of 10 semi-finalists from a pool of 29 applicants by preliminary judges Andrea Creighton and Peter Lockwood.

He was a finalist in the  2018 Lexus Song Quest.

Latu and the other semi-finalists will perform for head judge, Grammy Award-winning South Korean lyric coloratura soprano Sumi Jo on July 27-28 at St Andrew’s on The Terrace, Wellington.

She will select the five finalists who will perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra at the Grand Final Gala at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on August 3.

Latu was born in New Zealand, but spent his early childhood in Tonga surrounded by church music and traditional Tongan music. After returning to Auckland he was educated at St Kentigern’s. He joined the high school choir in 2011.

He said his passion or music was driven by his love for music and the opportunity to represent his family, his country and his motherland on the international platform.

TVNZ financial woes deepen with projected loss of at least $28m

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission

TVNZ is warning of a large underlying loss amid a worsening advertising downturn.

The state-owned broadcaster said it now expected an underlying loss of between $28 million and $33m in the 2024 financial year.

It said on top of the underlying loss, TVNZ’s full-year result would include a significant non-cash write-down as the value of its assets would be affected by future earnings forecasts.

It said traditional television advertising was down nearly 16 percent from last year, and only partially offset by digital revenue, despite revenue growth on its TVNZ+ streaming platform.

Jodi O'Donnell, new TVNZ chief executive

Jodi O’Donnell Photo: Supplied / TVNZ

“We have made significant strides in our path to being a digital-first broadcaster over the past six months, however, as a fully commercially funded organisation, we are exposed to the ad market,” chief executive Jodi O’Donnell said.

“Since we announced our interim position, the advertising downturn driven by recessionary conditions and structural market change has deepened. TVNZ’s revenue position as a result has deteriorated, despite a continued focus on cost saving initiatives,” O’Donnell said.

In its half-year results announced in March, TVNZ reported a bottom line loss of $16.8m, and an underlying loss of $4.6m.

Following the results, TVNZ announced 68 jobs would be cut, including its Sunday and Fair Go programmes.

However, the Employment Court ruled it had failed to consult with staff before cancelling the programmes and cutting jobs.

O’Donnell said despite the tougher results, it was not looking for a government handout.

“While we strongly support regulatory and legislative change to encourage a fairer playing field and fit-for-purpose operating environment, we are not seeking financial support from the Crown,” O’Donnell said.

She said TVNZ’s balance sheet was “robust”.

In response to the tougher television advertising market, TVNZ said it would be accelerating its digital changes.

“We will continue to invest aggressively in a digital future to build online audience and revenue scale, and to secure a profitable and sustainable future for the business,” O’Donnell said.

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