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Tonga government takes aim at Validus after New Zealand ban: Justice Minister

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Tongan government will look at the Dubai-based Validus after the New Zealand Financial Market Authority put a temporary ban on the promotion of the company’s multi-level marketing scheme.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Samiu Vaipulu has confirmed this to Kaniva News this morning.

“‘E fai ‘a e ngāue ki ai”, he said in Tongan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Samiu Vaipulu. Photo/Fale Alea ‘o Tonga

Promoters of Validus, which is registered in the United States, are prohibited in New Zealand from: 

  • making offers, issues, sales or other acquisitions or disposals of financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and
  • accepting applications for financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and
  • distributing any restricted communication that relates to:
    • the offer, or intended offer, of financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and/or
    • the supply, or possible supply, of a financial advice service to any person; and
  • accepting further contributions, investments, or deposits in respect of financial products promoted under the brand or name Validus; and
  • supplying a financial advice service to any person; and
  • supplying the financial service of keeping, investing, administering, or managing money, securities, or investment portfolios on behalf of other persons”. 

The FMA previously said: “We are concerned that Validus is operating in breach of the New Zealand financial markets legislation”.

“Validus is providing financial services in New Zealand without registration as a financial service provider as required by the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008.

“We strongly recommend that investors do not trade or invest with entities that are not registered and/or licensed in New Zealand.”

The company has expanded its services to include Tonga with promoters from Australia and New Zealand arriving in the kingdom recently.

It came after promotions on social media including setting up of a Facebook account under the name Validus Tonga. It has more than a thousand followers.

It is understood Validus promoters held various meetings in Tongatapu including Nukunuku and Malapo this month.

Pyramid scheme

The Australian Securities & Investment Commission said Validus is a scam and warned people to be wary of the company.

“Validus encourages investors to recruit new investors into the scheme. This is a classical sign of a pyramid scheme”, it said.

Pyramid scheme is a form of investment illegal in Tonga, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere in which each paying participant recruits two or more further participants, with returns being given to early participants using money contributed by later ones.

The Tongan community has already been affected by scams, including pyramid schemes in which people have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Last year, two women had been found guilty at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court for running a pyramid scheme.

The two accused, Viola Tupa (Tupa), and ‘Anaseini Pongi (Pongi) were charged with advertising a scheme in Kolomotu’a , where profits earned by participants in the scheme largely depended on increases in the number of participants in the scheme.

In 2021 it was reported that Tongans in New Zealand who put thousands of dollars into pyramid scheme, Tongi Tupe Nu’usila, have been left without cash for food or rent as the country is plunged into lockdown.

“Those recruited into the scheme are told if they put in anything from $2,500 – $10,000, after three weeks they can turn up to collect big money every Saturday, turning over profits of thousands of dollars”.

Unanswered questions

People who attended Validus meetings in New Zealand had been left with many unanswered questions.

They asked  “why it was when you Google the one American residential address posted on one of the company’s several websites, several other firms with the same address”.

“I wanted to know why his firm was offering financial services but had not registered with any of the financial regulators in the countries in which it was operating.

“I wanted to hear his response to a warning by the Australian Securities & Investment Commission that Validus “had classical signs of a pyramid scheme”.

“I wanted to know why it seemed as if the only way to make money in Validus was to recruit others to join”.

Several people injured at West Auckland home, armed police attend

By
Kaniva Staff
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Several people have been left with minor injuries after an incident at a home in West Auckland this morning.

Police said they were called to the scene on Claverdon Drive, Massey just before 4am.

One person has been hospitalised with moderate injuries.

Police who attended were armed as a precaution.

Inquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing

New weather warnings for flood-hit regions

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz

MetService has issued an orange wanting meaning heavy rain is on the way for cyclone-hit Hawke’s Bay.

Workers scoop out silt in the rain in Pakowhai near Napier today. Photo: RNZ / Phil Pennington

From now through until 10am on Saturday people the region can expect 150 to 200mm of rain about the ranges and also away from the ranges north of Hastings (this includes the Esk Valley area and the Wairoa District), and 75 to 100mm elsewhere.

The heaviest falls are likely from 3pm on Friday, with peak rates of 20 to 30mm/hr possible.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence controller Ian Macdonald says people who live on the Heretaunga Plains area where stopbanks failed should make preparations in case they need to evacuate.

Other areas are under a heavy rain watch and thunderstorms are possible in Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty about and west of Te Puke from 2am on Friday until 1am Saturday.

Gisborne can expect periods of heavy rain, with thunderstorms possible in the 36 hours from 2pm today. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, MetService says.

Auckland can also expect to be drenched tomorrow with some heavy rain and possible thunderstorms from midday until 10pm.

Meanwhile, as of Wednesday afternoon 346 people remained listed as uncontactable in flood-affected areas.

Police have deployed four specialist victim recovery dog teams to the Eastern District to help in the search.

The death toll remains at 11 – nine people in Hawke’s Bay, and two firefighters in Auckland.

About 700 people displaced by Cyclone Gabrielle across the North Island are still seeking shelter at Civil Defence centres.

Cyclone-hit Pacific workers well cared for but worried about work

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz

Seasonal workers from the Pacific are bunking in emergency shelters after Cyclone Gabrielle tore through New Zealand’s North Island as they wait to hear if there’s still work available for them.

Photo: RNZ/ Anusha Bradley

Alusio Kaloudau, a team leader of a Fijian Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) group, said they are staying in Flaxmere Community Centre in Hastings in Hawke’s Bay on the east coast.

During and after the storm the group of 21 workers were forced to move into three different shelters.

Kaloudau said his team was told to “just relax” by one of the RSE caretakers when they arrived at the first shelter.

“Those of us who are from Fiji we don’t relax, we just do whatever we need to, so we put all the tables aside for other people to come and stay, then we managed to cook some food,” he said.

Kaloudau said his group continued to help out at each of the shelters they went to.

The Hawke’s Bay Cook Islands Community Centre has also taken in more than 75 RSE workers from different Pacific countries.

However, the centre’s president Derek Teariki said he didn’t know how long they would be able to host the workers.

“The help out there is really good, the supplies are coming in, there are a lot of organisations and communities helping as well,” Teariki said.

“We just don’t know how long they are going to last at the Cook Islands Community Centre. We will look at it day by day.”

More than 400 workers from the Pacific were evacuated to the The Samoan Assembly of God church in Napier after being displaced by floodwaters that swept through North Island towns during Cyclone Gabrielle.

Photo: RNZ/ Anusha Bradley

Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale, the founder of Samoa RSE recruiter organisation Falealili Seasonal Workers Programme, said his group needed to be rescued from the roof of their accommodation during the cyclone.

Tuatagaloa said there was “certainly fear” amongst the men as the water started to rise and he was thankful for their “good sense” to climb on the roof.

Since being rescued, Tuatagaloa said his team had been very well looked after.

“They have been overwhelmed with the generosity and the love and the care that that has been shown by their employers,” Tuatagaloa said.

“A lot of the boys didn’t even have suitcases, they had just a backpack when they went to New Zealand. But now they’ve got suitcases, they’ve got all the clothing they need, and they’ve been fed very, very well. And the accommodation they’ve been re-allocated to is great.”

Tuatagaloa said Samoa’s history with tropical cyclones would have prepared the workers for the weather event, even though they are a bit different.

“We know how to sleep in the sand and live on nothing for a day or two. Sure it’s inconvenient and stressful at times, but we’re a resilient people and that will have helped for sure.”

The cyclone caused damage to farms and closed off forestry blocks making some of the workers’ future uncertain.

However, Tuatagaloa said he had been assured by one of the employers, Johnny Appleseed, there was still work available.

“There is enough work for them cleaning up and there is some some crop to be harvested, so they don’t have to be sent back home, not just yet anyway.”

However, he said there was not enough work for those in Samoa hoping to arrive in Hawke’s Bay this month.

“It’s very sad because they were all looking forward to it.

“All the airfares are paid for and they’re ready to get on the plane. We got notice late last week, from our partners in New Zealand to say that sorry, there’s no point in bringing them up because there would not be any work for them.”

Tuatagaloa said the RSE workers planning to go to New Zealand may still be able to find work in Australia.

Solomon Island workers all safe

Solomon Islands New Zealand High Commissioner, Eliam Tangirongo, said the country had 200 RSE workers in Hawke’s Bay who are safe. But there was uncertainty over whether they would continue working.

“That is something that we are yet to receive a definite response on,” he said.

“There’s a possibility that they could be moved around to other farms, or other parts of New Zealand in the coming months.

“While some of them may be involved in the rebuilding and reconstruction phases.”

President of the Fiji Tairāwhiti Community, Iliesa Batisaresare, is in Te Poho o Rāwiri Marae in Gisborne helping the affected community.

Batisaresare said seasonal workers and people in the forestry industry were also uncertain if work was available.

He said the visa conditions meant they could not work outside of their prescribed businesses. With forestry roads closed he wants to know if the Fijian community could work for other companies.

Man in court after Police raid black market selling alcohol in Nuku‘alofa

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga Police have disrupted an illegal liquor sale conducted at a residence at Ngele’ia on Saturday 18.

Photo/Kaniva Tonga News

They seized approximately over 500 cans/bottles of various alcoholic beverages.

The owner, who has been charged for selling liquor and running a business without the required licences, appeared in court earlier today.

“Tonga Police recognizes the increase of clandestine markets, mostly known as ‘Black Markets’ in Tonga, which operates mainly for the illegal sale of alcohol amongst other products”, a statement said.

“Tonga Police urges the public to abstain from operating these illegal markets as they contribute to crime such as Domestic Violence, Housebreaking and Theft, and we have also witnessed many lives lost unnecessarily on our roads due to drink driving”.

Tongan ferry told to stay out of New Zealand waters because it posed biosecurity threat

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga’s inter-island ferry, the MV ‘Otuanga’ofa, was told to stay out of New Zealand waters  for three weeks because it posed a biosecurity threat, Kaniva News can reveal.

The ‘Otuanga’ofa arrived in Auckland in September 2022 and was expected to return to the kingdom last October.

MV ‘Otuanga’ofa moores at Auckland’s Titan berth. Photo/Kalino Lātū

New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries told Kaniva News that the ferry was ordered back to sea for being “non-compliant with New Zealand’s biosecurity regulations.”

The Ministry said she was allowed back into port to collect provisions.

However, even though the ferry had been ordered to leave port to be cleaned, there was a delay because vital equipment was not working.

Kent Smith, manager of Maritime New Zealand’s General Regulatory Operations, said  his department became aware in early October that the ‘Otuanga’ofa had no functioning AIS (Automatic Identification System) which broadcasts the vessel’s details and location to other vessel’s in the vicinity.

Because the AIS was required as part of the vessel’s safety equipment, Maritime New Zealand detained the vessel for 24 hours to allow the issue to be rectified.  The vessel sailed as directed by MPI Biosecurity on the evening of October 6.

“As of mid-February the vessel remains in Auckland,” Smith said.

Sources have reported that the vessel was told to remove marine growths from its hull and eliminate a cockroach infestation.

New Zealand has extremely strict regulations to prevent infestation by foreign species. In January two cruise ships were the subject of action by the Ministry of Primary Industries.

Sources have told Kaniva News  the ‘Otuanga’ofa could have been cleaned in Tonga before the vessel arrived here to avoid incurring further costs.

Once the ferry met MPI’s requirements it was allowed back into port and was dry-docked  at the Titan Marine Engineering Ltd wharf.

The vessel was expected to sail on January 31, but last night, February 21, was still at the Titan Marine wharf.

There is speculation that the vessel will stay in Auckland into March because more maintenance needs to be done before New Zealand authorities will allow the vessel to sail.

Tonga’s Minister of Transport told a press conference in late January that when the ferry arrived in New Zealand some unforeseen mechanical and electrical issues were identified which were not addressed when the ‘Otuanga’ofa was being repaired in Fiji in 2018.

The ‘Otuanga’ofa was given to Tonga by the Japanese Government in October, 2010 to replace the Princess Ashika, which sank in Tonga’s worst maritime disaster.

MPI regulations

The Ministry for Primary Industries says marine pests and diseases introduced to New Zealand on vessel hulls (biofouling) are regarded as a threat to the country’s marine environment and resources. All vessels arriving in New Zealand must provide evidence of biofouling management prior to arrival.

MPI warns visiting vessels to organise an underwater inspection and act on all biofouling found and to make sure a recent underwater inspection or underwater cleaning report is supplied to MPI.

Vessels that cannot provide verifiable evidence may be ordered to  have a hull inspection on arrival to New Zealand. The vessel’s itinerary can be restricted, entry to New Zealand waters can be restricted  or MPI can require a hull cleaning within 24 hours of arrival.

Any work is at the expense of the ship’s owner or operator.

Cruise ships

In early January the cruise ship Viking Orion was restricted to visiting approved ports and asked to leave New Zealand waters because of algae on its hull.

Two weeks later the Seven Seas Explorer was ordered to anchor 22 kilometres off Tauranga, outside New Zealand territorial waters, while the hull was cleaned.

A survey of the cruise ship’s hull while she was docked in Auckland revealed tubeworms, barnacles and oysters.

Penitiketo ‘Uhatafe gets home detention after killing partner with one slap at Auckland party

By
Kaniva Staff
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By Newstalk ZB

A man who killed his partner with a single blow to her head at a party in Manurewa has been sentenced to five months home detention.

‘Umukisia Tu’iono. Photo/Facebook

Penitiketo Uhatafe, 47, pleaded guilty last year to the manslaughter of his partner Umukisia Fiva, also known as Umukisia Tuiono, while they were on an extended holiday to New Zealand from Tonga.

She was 34 and the mother of a teenage daughter.

He appeared for sentence on Tuesday morning represented by Lorraine Smith in the Auckland High Court, before Justice Anne Hinton. The Judge said the short home detention sentence acknowledged the seven months he had already spent in prison plus the almost two years on electronically monitored bail.

Crown prosecutor Christopher Howard sought a starting point of four to four-and-a-half years while Smith submitted three-and-a-half years was appropriate.

Howard acknowledged it was a singular assault and that its lethal outcome was not intended.

But he said there were a number of aggravating features to the offending.

Uhatafe fled the scene rather than administer aid to his partner.

The assault was “completely unprovoked” and involved a degree of forethought because it was preceded by a threat, Howard said.

“It is a relationship in which Ms Fiva should have been entitled to feel safe.”

The Crown supported a discount of 15 percent for his previous good character, his remorse and his efforts at rehabilitation.

The Judge resisted a good character discount.

Penitiketo ‘Uhatafe

“I probably can’t allow a discount of good character for someone who’s killed his partner,” Justice Hinton said.

“But it could be characterised as rehabilitation and remorse.”

The Crown also suggested a further eight month discount to take into account the seven months he had spent in prison, plus the 22 months on electronically monitored bail.

Howard said the most that should be applied for his guilty plea was 15 per cent, given it came two years after he was charged.

Smith said the Crown relied on the case of Tyrone Palmer, a young man in Invercargill jailed for 22 months in 2016 for manslaughter following a one-punch assault described as a “king hit”. However, Palmer’s lethal assault was different from Uhatafe’s, Smith said.

“There is no suggestion in the summary of facts that Mr Uhatafe delivered a king hit,” she said.

Smith sought a 20 per cent discount for his guilty plea plus discounts for a number courses he has completed and community work he has voluntarily undertaken.

“It certainly shows real effort on his part,” Smith said.

Smith sought a discount of 15 per cent for a cultural report suggesting Uhatafe’s kava habit instilled by his father had developed into a drinking issue, a report the Crown said should be given no weight at sentencing.

Justice Hinton said there were a number of aggravating factors, including the breach of trust, the previous threat of violence and the fact he had targeted his partner’s head.

“You must now live with the reality that you were responsible for taking her life and depriving her daughter of a mother.”

However, Justice Hinton said she needed to take into account the case law of similar manslaughter decisions – what are referred to as the “one-punch” cases.

Justice Hinton applied the same starting point as in the Palmer case, four years imprisonment.

The Judge applied 10 per cent for the factors outlined in his cultural report, including his socio-economic deprivation growing up and the daily kava drinking sessions instilled by his father.

A 15 per cent discount was given for the guilty plea plus a further discount for a letter of remorse and the 60 hours community work already undertaken voluntarily out of a promised 200.

“I see you have taken very seriously working on your anger and alcohol issues.”

Justice Hinton applied the 8 month discount sought by the Crown for the nearly two years spent on restrictive electronic bail, taking the sentence to 21 months, within range for home detention.

The final sentence was five months home detention. Justice Hinton said this was much lower than it would have been given Uhatafe had already spent seven months in prison and two years on restrictive electronic bail.

Uhatafe and Fiva had been in a relationship for about five years when they came to New Zealand for a holiday in March 2020.

Covid-19 travel restrictions kept them in the country and on September 26, 2020, the couple went to a birthday party at the home of Uhatafe’s friend in Manurewa.

The revellers gathered on the home’s wooden deck where they ate and drank on long tables.

The party continued into the early hours. About 3am, the couple were sitting next to each other with several other guests.

A summary of facts released to the Herald by the court said Fiva used a phone to video one of the guests singing at the party.

This angered Uhatafe, who began arguing with Fiva.

“The defendant told her that, if she did it again, he would slap or smack her,” the summary said.

“He took the phone from her and placed it on the table. The deceased picked up the phone again, and they continued to argue.”

Uhatafe then stood up and hit Fiva once on the left side of her head “with significant force”.

She slumped forward in her chair unconscious, then fell onto the deck.

Another guest saw the assault and threw a glass at Uhatafe, who ran from the property to a family members home nearly, chased by several men from the party who saw the assault.

Meanwhile other guests went to the aid of Fiva, giving first aid, administering CPR and calling an ambulance.

Paramedics and police arrived and attempted CPR but did not find any signs of live.

Fiva was pronounced dead at the scene.

Uhatafe was found at a nearby home.

“When interviewed, he stated had struck the deceased once with an open palm and that she fell from her chair onto the deck.”

Both Fiva and Uhatafe have children. Family of Uhatafe including his sister, uncle and aunt were in the public gallery during sentencing.

Fiva’s family elected not to take part in the sentencing process.

Covid-19 update: 8220 new cases, 24 deaths and 162 in hospital

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku taupotu i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

There have been 8220 new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand over the past week, and 24 further deaths.

Of the new cases, 3429 were reinfections.

Of the deaths being reported today, one was from Northland, seven were from the Auckland region, four were from Waikato, one was from Taranaki, one was from MidCentral, one was from Whanganui, one was from Nelson Marlborough, six were from Canterbury and two were from Southern.

One was in their 20s, one was in their 50s, one was in their 60s, two were in their 70s, 12 were in their 80s and seven were aged over 90. Of these people, nine were women and 15 were men.

There were also 162 people with Covid-19 in hospital as of midnight Sunday, including four in ICU.

The seven-day rolling average of cases is now 1160, up from last week’s figure of 1148.

Figures reported last week showed there had been 8396 new cases, with 32 deaths and 171 people hospitalised.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

‘I he uike kuo ‘osi kakato, kuo ‘i ai ha kau puke fo’ou ‘i he Kōviti 19 ‘e toko valuafe uangeau uofulu kuo lipooti ‘i Nu’usila.pea mo e kau pekia ‘e toko uofulu mā fā.
Ko e kau puke fo’ou ko ia, ko e toko toluafe fāngeau uofulu mā hiva [3429] na’a nau ‘osi puke kimu’a.
Ko e kau mate ko ia kuo lipooti mai ‘i he ‘aho ni, ko e toko taha mei Northland, fitu mei ‘Aokalani, fā mei Waikato, taha mei Talanaki, taha mei MidCentral, taha mei Fanganui, taha mei Nelson Marlbough, ono mei Kenitapeuli,  pea ua mei Southern.  
Ko e toko taha na’e ta’u uofulu tupu, ta’u nimangofulu tupu ‘a e toko taha, ta’u ongongofulu tupu ‘a e toko taha, ta’u fitungofulu tupu ‘a e toko ua, ta’u valungofulu tupu ‘a e toko hongofulu mā ua, pea ta’u hivangofulu tupu ‘a e toko fitu. Ko e toko hiva leva ‘o e kakai ko ‘eni ko e kakai fefine pea toko hongofulu mā nima ko e kakai tangata.
Pea ‘i he tu’apō ‘o e pō Sāpate kuo toe ‘i ai mo e kakai kuo nau puke ‘i he Kōviti – 19 ‘e toko teau ongongofulu mā ua ‘oku nau tākoto falemahaki kau ki ai mo e toko fā ‘oku nau ‘i he ‘iuniti tokanga’i makehe.
Ko e lau fakauike ko ia ‘o e kau puke ‘oku ‘i he ‘avalisi ko e toko tahaafe teau ongongofulu [1160], ko e ‘alu hake ia ‘a e toko lahi ‘aki ‘a e toko tahaafe teau fāngofulu mā valu [1148].
Ko e toko lahi ko ia kuo lipooti ‘i he uike kuo ‘osi na’e hā mei ai ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e kau puke fo’ou ‘e valuafe tolungeau hivangofulu mā ono [8396], oea mo e kau pekia ai ‘e toko tolungofulu mā ua, pea tākoto falemahaki ‘a e toko teau fitungofulu mā taha [171]. 

Onitolosi Latu’s appeal against murder conviction rejected

By
Kaniva Staff
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By AAP Newswire

A man jailed for 28 years after murdering his girlfriend has failed to have his conviction overturned.

Onitolosi Latu (right) remains behind bars for murdering his girlfriend after a failed appeal. -AAP Image

Onitolosi Etuini Atiai Latu, 31, was found guilty ​by a NSW Supreme Court jury in 2018 of murdering his girlfriend Rhonda Baker in Liverpool in August 2016.

The Court of Criminal Appeal on Friday found no miscarriage of justice took place when the jury considered his “tendency” to act violently towards the woman.

Ms Baker, 26 when she died, suffered facial and rib fractures, a “caved-in” eye bone and one-centimetre deep cuts on her lips.

She died in hospital from a brain injury as a result of the multiple blows Latu inflicted to her head.

Latu appealed his conviction, claiming the use of tendency evidence was a miscarriage of justice.

The prosecution had referred to a series of emails between Ms Baker and Latu during the trial as evidence to establish that he had a violent tendency.

Ms Baker wrote in an email that Latu allegedly told her “you better shut the f*** up or I am going to cave your head in”, the crown prosecutor told the jury.

The appeal was rejected on the basis that the trial did not show real chance or significant risk that the relationship evidence would be wrongly used, Justice David Davies said.

A forensic pathologist, Dr Istvan Szentmariay, had confirmed that one of Ms Baker’s bones had “caved in” as a result of being assaulted by Latu.

The jury had also heard Latu’s history of violence towards Ms Baker during their relationship.

An apprehended domestic violence order was issued at the end of April 2016 as a result of a person witnessing Latu assaulting Ms Baker in a car.

Latu will remain behind bars until at least August 2037 before being eligible for parole.

Cyclone Gabrielle: No evidence to support large number of deaths, PM says

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By rnz.co.nz

The public has been warned against believing “outlandish claims” about a large number of fatalities following Cyclone Gabrielle.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the new measures are in response to a growing number of cases worldwide. Source: 1 NEWS

It comes as police confirm another death of a person in Puketapu, near Napier, is being investigated.

The person is believed to have died after being caught in floodwaters.

Formal identification is yet to take place and more information would be provided when it became available.

The death would bring the confirmed toll to eight.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said people need to be prepared that there will be more deaths, but at this stage, he is not aware of anymore others that have not already been reported.

“It’s no good to anybody speculating about how many people may have been injured or how many people may have died in this tragedy,” Hipkins said.

“We will certainly share that information as soon as we can but I have heard some outlandish claims out there at the moment that there is no evidence to support.”

He said he was not aware of any further deaths when he left Wellington this morning.

“That’s not to say that there won’t be more information that we will know when we get back to Wellington and reconnect with that network.

“All I will say is that we will report verified information as soon as we are in a position to do that.

“Where people have died, obviously the first priority is to get in touch with their families and make sure that they know what is happening and that can lead to a delay in terms of when it is publicly reported.”

The eighth death has since been reported.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said there was no indication that the number of deaths was significantly larger than those that have been confirmed so far.

Coster said there was still a lot of work to do searching homes and if people were found, their family would be contacted first and media told.

Among the deaths were two firefighters, Dave Van Zwanenberg and Craig Stevens, who died following a landslip in Auckland’s Muriwai.

Two-year-old Ivy drowned and died in the flash flooding in Eskdale.

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