Police are scrapping their controversial Armed Response Teams after a six-month trial of the concept, a move that advocates say is a step in the right direction.
The decision follows strong community feedback opposing an armed police force, with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster saying it’s clear the response teams “do not align with the style of policing that New Zealanders expect”.
As detailed in this lengthy feature from Re: last week, those opposed to the response teams say arming police “normalises” the killing of New Zealanders and will ultimately lead to the deaths of Māori and Pacific people.
Advocates now say future decisions on police reform must be more inclusive of Māori.
NZ Police Association President Chris Cahill says the initiative was “hobbled from the start” due to a lack of consultation on the concept of ARTs, adding that it’s disappointing that “the positives of the ARTs” are now lost.
Dunedin woman Melissa Lama, who launched a petition urging police to scrap the ARTs, also told RNZ’s Checkpoint communication was important.
She says police need “to really ask communities what safety looks like to them”.
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Floyd farewelled in Houston
Meanwhile, family and friends have gathered to farewell George Floyd , two weeks after he was killed in police custody.
Mr Floyd’s death has sparked global outrage and protests right around the world.
He will be buried next to his mother in the Houston Memorial Gardens following the private funeral service.
Newlyweds recount honeymoon horror
Six months on from the deadly volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island, American couple Matt and Lauren Urey have spoken exclusively to 1 NEWS about the moment their dream honeymoon turned into a nightmare.
The newlyweds were visiting the island on that fateful day last year and have described the terror of an eruption that unfolded in deathly silence .
The Ureys both suffered extensive burns and spent two months apart in separate hospitals. They’ll discuss that experience and who they believe should be held to account in the second part of their story on 1 NEWS this evening.
Families have also paid tribute to two Whakatāne tour guides who lost their lives during the eruption as they marked the six months since the tragedy.
Tipene Maangi’s partner Kuini Morehu-Waenga says time hasn’t healed her pain yet, while Hayden Marshall-Inman’s brother Mark says his family still go to the water’s edge on the ninth day of each month to remember him and the others who died on Whakaari.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she’s waiting for a time to officially commemorate the eruption, saying “it will still be incredibly raw for the community”.
Robot recovery at Pike River
The first big discovery of the Pike River mine re-entry mission has been revealed, with the recovery of a robot that had been sent into the mine to assess damage.
Police say they’re retaining the robot as part of the ongoing investigation into the deaths of the 29 men in the mine in 2010. They can’t comment on any footage that may have been captured by the robot.
Dinghy Pattinson from the Pike River Recovery Agency told 1 NEWS they can see another robot which should be recovered soon, with the next milestone being finding a loader sitting 1500 metres up the mine tunnel.
Big changes for workplaces
Hundreds of workers are deserting central cities as companies decide to give up their expansive office blocks following the country’s Covid-19 lockdown.
Major insurer AMP is one of those companies that’s decided it’s time for change and will be closing its city centre offices in Wellington and Auckland. Smaller offices for collaboration purposes will be found in the suburbs. The company denies it’s a cost-cutting measure.
Meanwhile, a survey by Wellington City Council has revealed two-thirds of people want to work from home more following lockdown. Survey respondents said working from home suited their lifestyle better, cut commuting times, saved them money and improved their wellbeing.
New rules for funerals
While New Zealanders now have the freedom to gather in bigger numbers at Alert Level 1, health authorities have revealed new rules for Kiwis flying into the country to attend funerals.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says with the border now acting as a “safety net”, people in managed isolation will no longer be able to apply for exemptions to attend funerals and tangihanga.
He says they can still apply for compassionate leave to be with a small group of loved ones before or after a funeral, but not to attend the actual event given there’s no restrictions on the number of people who can be there.
Yesterday also marked the last of Dr Bloomfield’s regular Covid-19 updates to the country. He’ll now only brief Kiwis as needed.
Other news of note this morning:
A four-year-old Flaxmere boy who was found severely beaten at a property in Hastings has been discharged from Starship Hospital over the lockdown period and is “defying projections” .
Consumer NZ says Air New Zealand's refusal to give passengers refunds for cancelled flights means a law change is quickly needed.
Scientists are worried after a survey finds anti-vax sentiments have become more entrenched among nearly a third of Kiwis.
Protecting Scott Base from Covid-19 has forced Antarctica New Zealand to cancel two thirds of its science programme for the coming season.
National MP Paul Goldsmith concedes it was not the best choice of words to tell Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to "stick to her knitting" after she expressed anger over job cuts at The Warehouse.
A GST holiday for shoppers is being touted as 'an idea we need to take seriously' to kickstart the economy.
And a five-year-old boy who lost both his legs as a baby is on a mission to raise money for the London hospital that saved his life.
And finally...
Former Hurricanes first-five Beauden Barrett is expecting a few verbal jabs – both on and off the field – when he runs out for the Blues against his old team this weekend.
He says former teammates TJ Perenara and Dane Coles will no doubt have some “cheeky comments” to make during the match.
And he’ll be getting an earful from the spectators, too, with Hurricanes diehard John Campbell saying he’s ready to loudly express his disappointment at seeing Barrett in blue.
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