Police have recovered a number of guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition after searching a property in Auckland’s Papatoetoe last night.
(Source: New Zealand Police)
The police Eagle helicopter located a vehicle of interest linked to an incident where a gun was allegedly pulled on a person on Monday night.
Area commander for Counties Manukau West inspector Dave Christoffersen said police then went to the property the car was parked outside.
Armed staff asked those inside to come out, which they did, and police searched the property.
They found “numerous” guns as well as ammunition. The haul included two shotguns, two SKS assault rifles and a MSSA rifle.
(Source: New Zealand Police)
Two patched members of the TwoEight Brotherhood gang have since been charged — each facing 10 charges relating to the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
“There is no tolerance for intimidation or violence, and we will continue to go after those who are involving themselves in this offending,” Christoffersen said.
“Police will continue to investigate the initial firearms incident from Monday night, which fortunately did not result in any injuries.”
A Virgin pilot was the first to receive warnings from the Chinese military mid-flight of a live fire exercise in the Tasman Sea, before alerting aviation officials.
Airservices Australia representatives told a parliamentary hearing yesterday evening, 49 flights had to be diverted last Friday after the People’s Liberation Army-Navy broadcast it was undertaking hazardous activity in the busy airspace.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie grilled officials on the chronology of events.
Airservices Australia chief executive Rob Sharp confirmed his organisation became aware of the risk to aircraft at 9.58am on Friday.
“It was in fact Virgin Australia advising that a foreign warship was broadcasting that they were conducting live firing 300 nautical miles east of our coast,” he said.
“That is how we first found out about the issue.”
Sharp said within two minutes, by 10am, air traffic control commenced a hazard alert to let all flights in the area know there was danger.
Deputy chief executive Peter Curran told the hearing the Virgin pilot had received the transmission on an emergency frequency monitored by pilots – but not air traffic control.
“We cannot hear what was said, and the pilot of the Virgin aircraft heard what was said from the Chinese vessel, relayed it to air traffic control, and air traffic control passed that through our system and started giving hazard alert into all the aircraft on the frequency,” he said
Curran said just after 10am the organisation’s national operations centre contacted Defence Joint Operations Command to advise of the situation.
He said Airservices Australia wasn’t sure if it was a potential hoax or real, but that the information was passed on.
Curran said the usual notice period for a military to provide an alert about activity was 24 to 48 hours.
In response to the reports, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed the Australian military was aware soon after the alert was received.
“I’ve spoken with the chief of the defence force about what has occurred,” he told reporters.
“Australia has had frigates both monitoring by sea and by air.”
The live fire exercise follows a run in with the Chinese military earlier this month, where a fighter jet fired flares in front of a RAAF surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea.
Lawyer Nalesoni Tupou has accused Professor Siosiua Lafitani of lying and challenged his legal expertise after Lafitani claimed that Tupou was not telling the truth when commenting on matters related to the kingdom’s democracy.
Professor Siosiua Lafitani (L) and Lawyer Nalesoni Tupou
The Auckland-based Tongan lawyer was responding in support of a previous editorial by Kaniva News debunking Professor Lafitani’s claim that Tonga’s 2010 political reform was not a change to democracy.
Tupou and Kaniva News are among a number of media personnel Lafitani has accused of promoting speculative information (“fakanāfala”) and unenlightened thinking (“fakakaukau fakapo‘uli”) because of his view that Tonga is not a democracy.
Lafitani has continued his attack against Kaniva News editor Kalino Latu. We will respond to that in a separate story shortly.
As our editorial mentioned previously, Lafitani also made untruthful claims including allegations that he was the first scholar to have introduced the idea of democracy to Tonga in 1988.
He also claimed that the word democracy was not written in the Tongan constitution and that was why he believed Tonga was not a democratic form of government.
After Kaniva News ran the editorial with supporting evidence refuting Lafitani’s false claims Tupou shared the editorial on Facebook warning Lafitani that we had printed the truth.
“Loi ‘a Lafitani”, Tupou wrote in Tongan, saying Lafitani was lying.
Tupou told Lafitani he, as a lawyer, had successfully represented court cases in Tonga which had been based on democratic principles.
Tupou contacts Lafitani
Lafitani claimed in his response to Kaniva News’ editorial on Facebook that Tupou had contacted him after the story was published.
In their communication, Tupou asked Lafitani to correct his claims reported by Kaniva News.
Tupou also wanted to know about Lafitani’s expertise in law and constitution.
He said Lafitani was a “social scientist and anthropology scholar . . . . never a scholar of law or constitutional law.”
He asked Lafitani about the location of his Lo‘au University and whether it was registered in Tonga or Texas. He also wanted to know who was funding his university.
Lafitani’s responses
Lafitani declined to respond to Tupou’s inquiries whether he was qualified in law and constitutional matters.
He also refused to respond to the queries about his university’s registration and who was funding it. He claimed that Tupou’s queries were of a personal nature, drawing a parallel with the Tongan practice of “lau ako mo lau ngaue,” which involves the practice of bragging about one’s intelligence and achievements.
He insisted that Tupou’s queries should have been directed to the Lo‘au University’s board of directors, but said the University was not accountable to Tupou.
Regarding his claim that he was the first person to introduce democracy to Tonga in 1988, he told Tupou he and Kaniva News should do thorough research about his 1988 speech. He failed to mention that we pointed out that the Late ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s Matalafo Laukai radio programme had introduced the idea of democracy to the country in 1981, seven years before Lafitani’s speech.
This was followed by the Kele‘a newspaper, which was established in 1986 to pursue the Matalafo Laukai programme after the government banned it in 1983. Pohiva was dismissed from the public service as a teacher in 1984 because he openly shared his ideas for a democratic government.
Lafitani also claimed that his lecturer, Professor Futa Helu of ‘Atenisi University, was unhappy about his speech and told him in Tongan that he was “kaaimu’a.” This is a negative saying similar to English proverb “the early bird catches the worm.” In this sense, it means Professor Helu wanted to be the one who first made such a speech about democracy.
Editor’s comment:
Professor Lafitani should be transparent about his background and his university. He was the one who first made serious accusations against Tupou and Kaniva News.
He has promoted his university to the public, so the public, including Tupou, has the right to know everything about the university including who is funding it and whether it is registered or not.
These are essential requirements that are common in most recognised universities in the Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia.
Those universities have official websites in which everything about the institutions such as lecturers’ qualifications and backgrounds, constitution, policy, contacts, schedules, courses and a repository for their students’ research thesis and dissertations are made available to the public.
Lo‘au University no longer appears to be operating its two websites, known previously as Nuama and Lo‘au ‘University. It appears the University is now being operated through Facebook and has some videos on Youtube.
The university was launched by Minister for Education Dr. ‘Ana Maui Taufe’ulungaki on January 7, 2014. It was described by the media at the time as “Tonga’s first online virtual university.”
A former building inspector for Auckland Council has been sentenced to 11 months’ home detention after pleading guilty to 21 charges of accepting bribes as a public official.
A judge’s hammer (file picture). (Source: istock.com)
Nicholas Bright accepted the bribes, which included cash payments and home renovations, in connection with his role as a building inspector, the Serious Fraud Office said.
It added the “corrupt activities” lasted for over two years.
The renovation work included gas fitting work, installation of a heat pump, double-glazed windows and a new carpet. The cash payments totalled more than $35,000.
Auckland Council referred the matter to the SFO after an internal investigation identified irregularities in Bright’s inspections.
Serious Fraud Office director Karen Chang said tackling bribery and corruption involving public officials remains a “key strategic focus” for the SFO – particularly where health and safety may be compromised.
“When public officials engage in corruption, it weakens New Zealand’s reputation as an attractive place to invest. As this case highlights, it can also have real consequences for everyday Kiwis, undermining confidence and trust in the safety and compliance of our buildings.”
Chang encouraged public sector professionals in key roles, such as procurement and finance, to engage with the SFO’s counter fraud centre.
“The SFO is committed to strengthening counter-fraud capabilities across the public sector. I encourage agencies to connect with our Counter Fraud team to enhance their systems and processes for identifying fraud risks and red flags.”
In being sentenced at the Manukau District Court, Bright received credit for pleading guilty early, remorse and cooperating with the investigation.
A company director who is linked to the case is set to appear in the Manukau District Court next month.
‘Significant breach of our trust’
In a statement to 1News, Auckland Council building consents manager Ian McCormick said it was “extremely disappointing” to learn of “this individual’s significant breach of our trust”.
“Thankfully, the council had good systems in place which allowed us to identify anomalies in the former staff member’s behaviour, and to quickly launch a full audit and investigation. This was followed by an immediate suspension and referral to Police.
“While the former staff member’s behaviour was unacceptable, we have thoroughly reviewed all work carried out in relation to this individual and have not found any evidence of compromised building work.”
Many motorists have seen it towering over State Highway 1 in Auckland’s Manukau – but few so far have seen its interior.
The massive new temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is set to open soon, and, for a short period of time, it has invited members of the public to take a look inside.
The recommend desk inside the temple. (Source: Supplied)
It is the second temple of its kind in New Zealand. The first was built in Hamilton in 1958, and resource consent for a proposed 37-metre tall temple in Porirua has been granted.
Elder Peter Meurs told Breakfast it will be a “unique opportunity” to view the inside of the temple.
In the bapistry inside the temple. (Source: Supplied)
“We hope many will come. This temple has been built carefully and to the highest possible standards. It is simply beautiful, but we promise when you come, the spirit you will feel in the temple is really special.”
Meurs said when people attend a tour of the temple, they will see where sacred ceremonies are performed, places where families connect, beautiful artwork, and many things related to New Zealand
Elder Peter Meurs told Breakfast it will be a “unique opportunity” for members of the public to view the inside of the temple. (Source: Breakfast)
While the Church has about 30,000 regular church buildings around the world, Meurs said this is only the 203rd temple of its kind, which is reserved for special occasions.
“This is a very special place. We don’t come here on Sunday, we worship in our normal buildings on Sunday and we have activities during the week. This temple is reserved to come closer to God and as a place to feel his presence.”
A sealing room in the temple. (Source: Supplied)
The Church is inviting everyone to come and learn about the temple. It is open to the public between February 27 and March 22. Once the temple is dedicated, it will only be open to members of the Church.
Those who wish to attend are able to make a booking through the Church’s website.
The celestial room inside the temple. (Source: Supplied)The top of the grand staircase inside the temple. (Source: Supplied)
An RSE worker had been deported to Tonga after missing work due to spending time with a prostitute.
Police had been called to check on the employee after his employers discovered he had not been at work for three days.
“The situation unfolded after allegations surfaced that the individual had “tricked” the worker, leading to legal repercussions and eventual removal from the country”, a report by Stuff said.
It said the Tongan RSE worker was “lured” off his farm in the middle of the night by a sex worker who “tricked” him into believing they were in love and should be together.
Police confirmed in a statement that officers went with immigration staff to a property in Motueka on January 22 and arrested a man.
He was held in police custody until being flown to Auckland two days later and escorted to his flight home.
“Police routinely escort deportees across the country as a precaution and to ensure they arrive at their designated flights,” a spokesperson was reported by Stuff as saying.
Fadia Mudafar, national manager of immigration compliance with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), said there were no restrictions on what RSE workers did in their leisure time, as long as they complied with their visa conditions.
In the case of the Tongan national in Motueka, the man had breached his visa by “absconding from his place of employment”.
It is understood that sex workers frequently approached RSE workers in a situation that appeared to have been organised by certain gang members.
“The workers would often fall in love with the women, who would keep fleecing them for money and threaten to tell authorities or their families if they didn’t pay”, the sources said, according to Stuff.
“The workers would often fall in love with the women, who would keep fleecing them for money and threaten to tell authorities or their families if they didn’t pay, the sources said.
Sometimes the women would claim they’d fallen pregnant to extract more cash”.
Prostitution is allowed in New Zealand, and Police reportedly said after the arrival of RSE workers in the country, they are provided with safety guidelines.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said overnight he would be ready to give up the presidency if doing so would achieve a lasting peace for his country under the security umbrella of the NATO military alliance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky answers media questions during his press conference, in Kyiv, Ukraine.q (Source: Associated Press)
Speaking at a forum of government officials in Kyiv marking the three-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky said, “If to achieve peace, you really need me to give up my post, I’m ready.”
Responding to a journalist’s question on whether he’d trade his office for peace, Zelensky said, “I can trade it for NATO.”
His comment appeared to be aimed at recent suggestions by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that elections should be held in Ukraine despite Ukrainian legislation prohibiting them during martial law.
Earlier, Zelensky said Russia launched 267 strike drones into Ukraine overnight on Saturday, more than in any other single attack of the war.
Ukraine’s air force said 138 drones had been shot down over 13 Ukrainian regions, with 119 more lost en route to their targets.
Three ballistic missiles had also been fired, the air force said. One person was killed in the city of Kryvyi Rih, according to the city military administration.
The attack came as leaders in Kyiv and across Europe are seeking to navigate rapid changes in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump, who in a matter of days has upended years of firm support for Ukraine, leading to fears that he would join with Moscow to force a settlement to the war without involving Ukraine and its European backers.
Ukraine fears Trump’s policy shift toward Putin
Trump’s engagement with Russian officials and his agreement to reopen diplomatic ties and economic cooperation with Moscow marked a dramatic about-face in US policy.
Zelensky has expressed fears that Trump pushing a quick resolution would result in lost territory for Ukraine and vulnerability to future Russian aggression, though US officials have asserted that the Ukrainian leader would be involved if and when peace talks actually start.
Trump, however, prompted alarm and anger in Ukraine when this week he suggested that Kyiv had started the war, and that Zelensky was acting as a “dictator” by not holding elections, despite Ukrainian legislation prohibiting them during martial law.
Russia’s deputy foreign minister on Saturday said preparations were underway for a Trump-Putin meeting, a further sign that the Russian leader’s isolation, at least for the Trump administration, was beginning to thaw.
In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade press service, a Ukrainian soldier passes by in partially occupied Toretsk, the site of heavy battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine. (Source: Associated Press)
Reacting to the latest Russian attacks, however, Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that the overnight attack “demonstrates that avoiding calling Russia an aggressor does not change the fact that it is one.”
“No one should trust Putin’s words. Look at his actions instead,” Sybiha said in a statement on social media.
Ukraine continuing dialogue with US over mineral deal
Ukrainian officials on Sunday discussed a deal that would allow the US to access Ukrainian rare earth minerals, a proposal Trump’s administration is pushing for but that Zelensky earlier declined to accept because it lacked specific security guarantees.
At the forum in Kyiv where Zelensky made the offer to give up his presidency in return for peace and NATO membership, his chief of staff Andrii Yermak said the government was considering investment opportunities both with the US and European countries “which includes minerals, their development and extraction”.
Yermak left the forum early along with Economic Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko for what he said were talks with US representatives on a potential deal. He said Ukraine’s mineral resources represent “a very important element that can work in the general structure of security guarantees — military guarantees and others.”
Yermak pushed back on the notion that Ukraine had rejected US proposals but said any agreement “must meet the national interests of Ukraine, and undoubtedly, must be interesting to our partners”.
Before leaving the forum, Svyrydenko said there are US$350 billion worth of minerals on Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia. This calculation, however, is partly based on geological maps dating back to 1940s and 1960s, she said, adding: “We have to conduct geological exploration and confirm the deposits we have on paper.”
Meanwhile, Putin in a special televised message Sunday praised Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine for defending “their native land, the national interests and the future of Russia”.
Putin used his speech, on Russia’s Defender of the Fatherland Day, to pledge greater social support for military personnel and new weapons and equipment for Russian forces.
“Today, as the world is changing impetuously, our strategic course for strengthening and developing the Armed Forces remains unchanged,” he said, adding that Russia would continue to develop its armed forces “as the essential part of Russia’s security that guarantees its sovereign present and future.”
Tropical Cyclone Rae is expected to gradually intensify into a Tropical Cyclone Category 3 in the next 24 hours, Tonga MetService said.
Rae, currently a Tropical Cyclone Category 2, was located southwest of ‘Esia, Niuafo’ou, and west of Hihifo, Niuatoputapu, the MetService reported at 7am Monday, Tonga time.
It sustains winds of 50-55 knots (100-110km/hr) near the centre and gusts up to 70-75 knots (140-150 km/hr).
The MetService issued warnings for different areas of Tonga, including associated clouds with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong to gale-force winds.
A gale warning remains in force for Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou land areas.
A strong wind warning remains in force for Vava’u, Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua land areas.
A gale warning, heavy damaging swell and small craft advisory remain in force for Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou coastal waters.
A gale warning and small craft advisory remain in force for Vava’u and Ha’apai coastal waters.
A strong wind warning and small craft advisory remain in force for Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau coastal waters.
A tropical cyclone warning has been issued for Tonga’s Ha’apai, Niua and Vava’u groups.
The groups, including Tongatapu and ‘Eua, are advised to prepare for potentially severe weather conditions, including strong winds, heavy rainfall, and possible flooding.
MetService said in its tropical cyclone advisory number 05 for Tonga said that tropical depression 09f is expected to gradually intensify into a tropical cyclone category 1 in the next 6-12 hours.
Associated clouds, heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong to gale-force winds will affect the Niuas today. Strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms will extend onto the Vava’u and Ha’apai group this afternoon and then Tongatapu and Eua by tomorrow morning.
The warning from the Fua’amotu Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre at 1pm Sunday 23 February 2025 said that a gale warning remains in force for Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou land areas.
It said a strong wind warning remain in force for Vava’u, Ha’apai, Tongatapu and ‘Eua land areas.
A gale warning, heavy damaging swell and small craft advisory remain in force for Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou coastal waters.
The strong wind warning previously enforced for Vava’u and Ha’apai coastal waters are now upgraded to a gale warning.
A strong wind warning and small craft advisory remain in force for Tongatapu, ‘Eua, tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau coastal waters.
It said tropical depression 09f was located near southwest and northwest of ‘Esia, Niuafo’ou, or west-northwest of Hihifo, Niuatoputapu, or northwest of Neiafu, Vava’u, or Northwest of Pangai, Haapai, or north-northwest of Nukualofa, Tongatapu, north-northwest of ‘Ohonua, ‘Eua at 1pm this afternoon.
The system is currently moving south at the speed of six knots.
MetService said it is crucial to stay informed through local news updates and follow any emergency guidelines provided by the government.
Communities are urged to secure property, stock up on essential supplies, and ensure that evacuation plans are in place if necessary. Safety should be the top priority as the situation develops.
