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RNZ News
25-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
'Blunt tool': Government to strengthen election 'treating' offences
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER The government is moving to strengthen the offence of treating, by creating a buffer zone around polling stations where free food, drink and entertainment is banned. It is a move officials said was "blunt" and "superficial", but would make it more straightforward to identify offending. Treating is the practice of influencing a voter by providing them with free food, drink, or entertainment. It is already an offence, but the law is poorly understood and rarely prosecuted. New Zealand has strict rules in place aimed at preventing voters from being unduly influenced. Election advertising or campaigning is not permitted within 10 metres of a voting place during advanced voting, and not at all on election day itself. It means voters can head to the ballot without someone else trying to change their mind. But the line between hospitality and influencing is where the confusion comes in, and what the government is hoping to clear up. "There has been some confusion in the past around what is and isn't treating. This will make the rules crystal clear," Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said. Rather than clarify what is or is not treating - or whether it amounts to corrupt intent - the government has instead established a new offence, creating a 100-metre buffer around polling stations. Within that buffer, free food, drink and entertainment will not be allowed, with a maximum penalty of $10,000. In a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS), Ministry of Justice officials said controlled areas around voting places would make it more straightforward to identify and prosecute offending and was more readily enforceable than the status quo. "The offence will not require that a person intends to corruptly influence an elector. Instead it will only require that they knowingly provided food, drink and entertainment within the controlled area," they said. But it was not their preferred option. "A key drawback of this option is that it is a blunt tool which does not exclusively capture harmful or corrupt behaviour. It draws a superficial line around voting places which may be arbitrary if the influencing behaviour occurs just outside the controlled area." In its inquiry into the 2023 election, the Justice Committee heard concerns from submitters that there may have been breaches of the treating rules at Manurewa Marae . The marae was used as a polling booth at the 2023 election. The marae's then-chief executive, the late Takutai Tarsh Kemp , won the Tāmaki Makaurau seat that year. The Electoral Commission had looked into complaints about the provision of food at the marae, and found it did not meet the test for treating. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis said this had likely influenced the government's decision to strengthen the offence. "Because of concerns about how that particular polling place was operating, they've decided to put in this law that says if you're basically trying to do something nice for voters within 100 metres of a polling place, that will become an offence," he said. "There's a lot of reasons why you might want to have things like free barbecues, someone on guitar singing, making it more of a community, communal experience. Because that actually might get people to engage with the electoral process more. "So I do wonder if this is another example of where a problem arose, and in response to that a hammer has been taken out to smash the walnut, and we end up overreacting." Officials recommended clarifying the law to make it easier to understand and more enforceable, as well as a lower intent threshold and penalty. "A lower threshold would make a clear connection between the incentive given and the outcome sought by providing it. This option seeks to make it clearer that genuine intent is required to improperly influence a voter, and this is different to customary practices such as manaakitanga." The controlled areas option was seen as having the potential to have a disproportionate effect on voting places that serve Māori communities. "It is consistent with the practice of manaakitanga to welcome and show appreciation for people with food, drink, and/or entertainment. This option would prohibit and criminalise these cultural practices in the areas around voting places." The ministry's preferred option was to amend the bribery offence to prohibit the use of food, drink or entertainment. "Treating is similar to bribery in the sense that an incentive is provided with the intention of procuring a specific outcome. The key difference is the incentive that is offered - for bribery, it is something of pecuniary value, and for treating it is food, drink, or entertainment. The purpose of combining these into a single offence is to remove the distinction to make it easier to understand and apply." Under this option, officials said it was unlikely manaakitanga would be inappropriately captured. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- RNZ News
Cyclists pelted with glass bottles by teenager
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER A teenager has been arrested after cyclists competing in a Hawke's Bay race last month were pelted with glass bottles. On Saturday 19 April, people were seen throwing bottles at cyclists from a black ute on Mutiny Road in Poukawa, police said. One person was hit and fell off their bike, but they were not seriously injured. An 18-year-old man, who was a passenger in the ute, faces two charges of assault with a weapon and is due to appear in Hastings District Court on Friday. Police seized the ute and are trying to speak with the driver. "We would like to take this opportunity to remind road users that cyclists are legal road users under the Land Transport Act, who will on occasion ride two abreast, particularly in organised ride or race situations," said acting Detective Sergeant Steve Leonard. "Please be patient and overtake when safe to do so for all parties, ensuring everyone arrives at their destination safely."
RNZ News
06-05-2025
- RNZ News
Police treating vehicle blaze in Bluff as suspicious
The fire caused substantial vehicle damage. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Police are looking for witnesses after a suspicious vehicle fire in Bluff on Sunday. They said a man carrying a petrol can was seen running away from a parked Ford Courier ute after it was set a light. Senior constable Pete Jenkins said the man was seen running south on Henderson Street, where he was picked up by a dark-coloured vehicle. "We want to talk to this man, and also need to hear from anyone who has information that could help our enquiries," he said. The fire - that caused substantial vehicle damage - started at about 3:40pm on Marine Parade.
RNZ News
04-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Education Minister launches new Parent Portal
Education Minister Erica Stanford. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER The government has launched a new 'Parent Portal' - an online resource intended to help families to play their part in their child's learning. "This is about giving parents clarity, confidence, and practical tools to support their child's learning journey," Education Minister Erica Stanford said on Sunday. She said it would provide a clear, easy-to-understand, year-by-year guide to what children will be learning in English and maths under the new curriculum. The Parent Portal will include: "This is the first time parents will have access to such a comprehensive and practical resource," Stanford said. She added that more resources would be added to the platform over time. "Parents are a crucial part of their child's education journey. Available on any device, the portal is about restoring their place at the heart of learning and giving them the confidence to make a real difference." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Dozens of clubs seek honours at Waka Ama Long Distance National Champs
More than 1000 people from 59 clubs all over the country have gathered in Porirua for the three- day Waka Ama Long Distance National Championships this weekend. Hundreds of spectators are scattered across the shore of the Ngāti Toa Domain to catch a glimpse of the paddlers in the harbour. The event attracts hundreds of spectators. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Waka Ama chief executive Lara Collins said the first day on Thursday was a beautiful day to kick off the competition. "Couldn't have a nicer day out here, very little wind, pretty calm, flat conditions, great for rudders single paddling... it's also a qualifying event for Brazil so some people that are out there racing will be trying to qualify to represent Aotearoa at the world championships," Collins said. Waka Ama chief executive Lara Collins Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Competitors needed to have resilience, stamina and timing to go the distance of 24 kilometres. "People are training, four, five six times a week doing 10,15, 20 kilometres a day so over 100 kilometres a week. "Really mental fitness, aerobic fitness, being able to maintain your heart rate at a certain level for all of that time. Keep in time with the rest of your crew and make sure your brain doesn't drift off into something you're thinking about then all of a sudden you're out of time." Ngatuire Hapi, 21, raced 16 kilometres yesterday in a single waka. Ngatuire Hapi is giving this year's long distance world championships a miss. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Her first long distance national championship was back in 2018 and she has represented Aotearoa overseas in both sprint championships and long distance championships. But she's decided to give this year's long distance world championships a miss. "Since 2022 I've done a world's campaign every year and I love it so much but the one campaign or that one race consumes my entire year so this year I wanted to focus on doing a lot more long distance races, local ones, maybe go over to Australia. "We went over to Sydney a few months ago and I wouldn't be able to do that if I was focusing on a world's campaign," Hapi said. Paddlers were also feeling the loss of one of the country's most successful paddlers, Kiwi Campbell who died last November . Her last time competing in the long distance championships was last year in October when she was representing her club Horouta in Gisborne. Hapi said she felt sadness seeing Campbell's team-mates but feels her wairua going out onto the water. "Especially our Autaikura team, she taught us all in different times but we were all taught by Kiwi at one stage so we're hoping to go out and make her proud and have her at the top of our whakaaro," Hapi said. Meanwhile, other paddlers have the Long Distance World Championships in Brazil on their minds such as Nga Hoe Horo paddler Rob Cameron. Nga Hoe Horo paddler Rob Cameron. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER He has been paddling for 18 years and said the over 60s' age category was not to be underestimated. "Well, it's more competitive than you think in our age group, the one aim is to stay in the team and not get put out by a younger man because there's a lot of range between 60 and 70 which is the age group we paddle in and you've got to stay fit to keep your seat," Cameron said. His team is aiming to represent Aotearoa in Brazil in August and will have its qualifying six-man race today. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Peter Cowan, 63, has only been paddling for two years and said it was one of the best things he has ever taken up in his life. "I think it's life changing for me in terms of my age and it gave me an opportunity to exercise, well-being, connecting with older men. We talk about our medication, we talk about our health and swap experiences so awesome for me," Cowan said. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER His daughter Mariana Cowan came along to support him while he competes yesterday and loved how vibrant and welcoming the waka ama community is. "Just good to see everyone out there, exercising and being active especially the different age groups and watching them finish the race has been really cool... It's been cool seeing everyone embrace the Māori culture as well. "Dad always comes home saying he's been able to speak about his mental health and he's a lot more happier and he says he feels a lot more younger now than when he was in his twenties cause he's out there on the boat." Nona Taute was also enjoying soaking up the atmosphere while he was not on the water. "I love it, beautiful place, a lot of people, the vibes are good, everyone's happy to be here and happy to support all the paddlers, it's awesome. Pretty vibrant, there's good kai, the sun's out and lots to do, lots to watch and it's also good to catch up with everyone in the waka ama whānau," Taute said. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
