The Christchurch mosque gunman is expected to be sentenced today after three days of harrowing statements from the victims of his crime.
The judge last night confirmed the gunman won’t speak in his own defence but will instead make comment through a court-appointed lawyer before Justice Cameron Mander delivers his fate.
The decision puts an end to months of worry that the terrorist would use the court as a platform to spread his hateful ideology.
Instead, the sentencing has become the survivors’ moment. Around 100 victims have stepped forward to speak this week with more raw emotions seen in court yesterday.
The son of one of the victims delivered a scathing rebuke of the killer, while Linwood mosque hero Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah told the gunman he’s lucky he didn’t catch him the day of the attacks.
Mr Aziz had chased the gunman with nothing but an Eftpos machine during the shootings.
Justice Mander acknowledged Mr Aziz’s courage as he stood down from court yesterday, with the entire public gallery also erupting in applause.
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Mini cluster emerges
The Government is now asking asymptomatic people to get tested for Covid-19 as a new mini cluster is identified in Auckland.
Five people associated with the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship church have tested positive in the past few days with members who attended weddings or church services between August 7-11 urged to get tested.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says the cases are likely related to the wider Auckland cluster, but they have not yet found the link between them.
Despite that uncertainty, Aucklanders don't appear to be heeding the call to ramp up testing with no sign of queues at the new pop-up testing stations across the city yesterday.
Meanwhile, Stuff reports the Maritime Union and Ports of Auckland have expressed concerns about the risk international seafarers pose to New Zealand’s border.
They say crew members have been coming ashore for medical treatment without first being tested for Covid-19 and want further investigation into testing ship crew prior to arriving at New Zealand’s ports.
The testing of returnees in managed isolation facilities was also back in the spotlight yesterday, with the Government ruling out making day three testing compulsory .
They say the mandatory testing at day 12 is enough to keep the public safe.
Mask guidelines on way
Schools find out today if students will have to use face masks on public transport.
The Government is announcing guidelines for the mandatory use of face coverings, with a decision expected around which age groups should be required to wear them.
Health Minister Chris Hipkins has already said secondary school students should wear masks on buses.
Meanwhile, the Government says three million more masks are on the way this week for those who need them.
It comes as concern grows over face coverings for Pasifika communities, with many south Auckland providers stripped of supply .
Students struggling through pandemic
Students are currently contending with much more than masks on school buses. Covid-19 has caused major disruption throughout the school year, especially for those sitting NCEA.
Auckland secondary schools are already planning catch-up classes and holiday lessons, with the city’s Secondary Principals' Association saying some senior students have missed so much learning they will need to come back next year instead of leaving school.
Other students have had to sacrifice their schooling in order to seek employment and support their families.
Aorere College head girl Aigagalefili Fepulea’i-Tapua’i told TVNZ’s Breakfast the situation is only getting worse .
She says the issues of education inequality existed prior to the pandemic, but the virus has placed a “magnifying glass” on them.
Nats wade into water debate
National is promising to scrap new rules protecting New Zealand’s lakes and rivers if it wins the October election.
A package announced by the Government last month includes new health standards at swimming spots and tougher controls on farming practices such as winter grazing and nitrogen pollution.
The Government yesterday announced adjustments to some of the regulations to make them more practical, but National says it’s too tough on farmers.
The party’s agriculture spokesperson David Bennett said the regulations would be “gone by lunchtime” if they’re elected.
The Green Party’s environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage says those comments are reckless and dangerous.
"The opposition wants to throw out these safeguards yet have no plan to clean up waterways and stop pollution in urban or rural streams and rivers," she says.
More disruption at NZX
New Zealand’s stock exchange will be hoping for disruption-free trading after two halts in as many days.
The NZX has been hit by overseas cyber attacks over the past 48 hours with yesterday’s attack leading to a trading halt that lasted hours.
One expert believes the attacks could have been “easily avoided” , while another says this style of attack is “serious” and “a form of extortion”.
Other news of note this morning:
A pedestrian has died after being struck by a car in Hamilton last night.
Two people have been killed in a third night of protests following the shooting of a Black man by police in the US state of Wisconsin.
First lady Melania Trump has portrayed her husband as an authentic, uncompromising leader in her speech on the second night of the Republican National Convention.
Protests against staff and service cuts at the Canterbury District Health Board are expected to ramp up today .
The Bonus Bonds scheme is set to end after 50 years due to 'historically low' interest rates.
An Auckland golf resort’s been dealt a fine of more than $86,000 for discharging raw sewage into the environment.
And Auckland Zoo is celebrating its newest addition after a baby southern white rhino was born at the zoo for the first time in 20 years.
And finally...
Do you use full stops in your text messages? Then you, my friend, are committing a digital crime.
A new book about online etiquette claims the full stop can be seen as passive aggressive given there’s already an obvious end to text messages. Go figure.
According to the book, voicemail should also be avoided at all costs. So, say it in a text next time. Just don’t use a full stop. Period.
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