Latest news with #SouthAuckland
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Dogs attacks could lead to lack of guide dogs in South Auckland.
Blind Low Vision New Zealand is now reluctant to place guide dogs in South Auckland due to roaming dog attacks. File photo. Photo: 123RF Sight-impaired people living in the Southern Auckland could miss out on a guide dog after a savage attack on a handler and his guide dog. Blind Low Vision New Zealand said there had been several incidents, including a roaming dog attack last year that saw one of its clients taken to hospital and the guide dog relocated out of Auckland. It is now reluctant to place guide dogs in South Auckland. Blind Low Vision head of guide dogs Pete Hoskin told Checkpoint it was having a significant impact on the independence of their clients. "This has been an increasing problem over the last two years with no real trigger that we're able to put it down to, but what we're experiencing on a daily and weekly basis is a number of events that are causing us to redeploy our resources across different parts of Tamaki Makaurau." A handler and dog were attacked last year, he said. "He subsequently ended up being in hospital and as a result of the treatment had an allergic reaction to the medication. That was a result of the infection from the dog bite and subsequently spent eight weeks in the hospital requiring a couple of blood transfusions. "The dog still is working and is working very well, but that's not to say that if it was ever put in a situation where it was sprung by another dog, that it would be able to work effectively after that." He said the situation was made worse for clients, as they could not necessarily see or identify the risk before it was right before them. "The incidents that are occurring to able bodied people within Tamaki-Makaurau, one yesterday in the botanical gardens, a four-year-old killed a couple of months ago, they've got the benefit of being able to see and hear. "The vision impaired community don't have that benefit so they're not able to mitigate or minimise that risk." Clients who were deaf and blind were also vulnerable, he said. "[It] just exponentially creates that problem even further for them in the sense that they can't hear any dog approaching them." He said with trainers, there had been seven incidents related to roaming dogs. "Recently, we had one trainer [who] had two incidences in one week where other dogs have physically jumped out of moving vehicles down the main street and then chased them along the street where they've had to then jump into a shop." Blind Low Vision were now reluctant to place dogs in South Auckland, he said. "We do unfortunately have a client in South Auckland that we have said no to placing a dog to due to the severe risk of the environment that the community that the client is in." He said the person had already been attacked twice in the area, while walking with a guide dog. "With no reduction in the amount of dogs in that area and the increase in attacks in that area, that risk is too severe to place a dog." They were investigating potential solutions with AI, although it was in its infancy, he said. "I think there's a couple of things before technology. [We] fully support the release with the SPCA and the council around desexing. "We [also] strongly advocate for some personal accountability. As owners of these dogs, ensuring that their dogs are secure at all times, whether that's in a vehicle or in their home environment, to prevent them from getting out into the community and causing this chaos." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Sight impaired at risk of losing guide dogs after dog attacks
Roaming dog attacks in Auckland could mean sight impaired people living in the southern suburbs could miss out on a guide dog after a savage attack on a handler and his guide dog. Blind low vision New Zealand said there's been several incidents, including a roaming dog attack last year that saw one of its clients having to go hospital and the guide dog having to be relocated out of Auckland. It's now relucant to place guide dogs in South Auckland. Pete Hoskin, head of Guide dogs for Blind Low Vision spoke to Lisa Owen.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Auckland Council issuing free vouchers for de-sexing services to combat roaming dogs
Photo: Unsplash / Michael Anfang Auckland Council has started issuing vouchers for free dog de-sexing services to deal with what it calls a roaming dog crisis in the city. Between January and 22 May 2025, the council said it received 6197 reports of roaming dogs and impounded 2460. Auckland Council Animal Management manager Elly Waitoa said the issue was growing faster than they could keep up with. "We are seeing far too many Auckland dog owners failing to desex or even register their dogs. The result is more roaming dogs, more attacks, and more pressure on already stretched animal services." As part of a pilot programme in collaboration with the SPCA, desexing vouchers were being issued by animal management officers and shelter staff directly to the public via email. "They'll be able to offer vouchers to people who experience financial hardship, their dog might have had multiple pregnancies, unwanted litters, or who clearly need support with getting their dogs de-sexed," Waitoa said. The vouchers would be redeemable at 17 participating vets. She said they were initially targeting 10 priority suburbs, mostly in South and West Auckland, with the free vouchers. "We're focusing on high-risk areas for dog attacks and communities that are most at risk of being harmed or injured by a dog that is roaming or comes out and attacks." She said 3000 dog attacks on people and animals were reported to the council in 2024. She said the council recognised that de-sexing a dog isn't cheap, and she had seen prices range from $180 to $750. They aimed to de-sex aims at least 445 dogs across Manurewa, Papakura, Ōtara, Papatoetoe, Māngere, Henderson, Massey, Pukekohe, Māngere East, and Mount Wellington. People were currently not able to apply for the vouchers. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Oranga Tamariki youth worker loses appeal, dismissal for excessive force upheld
By Shannon Pitman, Open Justice reporter of Youth residence Korowai Manaaki. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi A youth worker who was initially awarded nearly $30,000 for unfair dismissal after pushing a teenager who called her a derogatory name has now lost her case on appeal. The Employment Court has ruled that her dismissal was justified, determining she used excessive force and should receive no compensation as a result. Ioana Hill worked at the Oranga Tamariki youth residence, Korowai Manaaki, in South Auckland between 2017 and 2021. In March 2021, Hill was in the Nikau unit alongside four male staff members and six male rangatahi. A disagreement occurred between Hill and one of the teenagers over a missing pen and the boy was told to sit at the non-participation table (NPT). According to a recently released decision, he muttered, "F***** s***" as he walked towards the table, which caused Hill to feel embarrassed, humiliated and degraded in a room full of boys. She approached the teen who continued to aggressively repeat, "You f***** s***, you're a s***, you're a s***". Fearing for her safety, she used a technique called the train stop and pushed the boy backwards. He fell onto a chair. The boy went to get up again and Hill performed a second train stop but reported her hands missed his chest and moved towards his collarbone, pushing him back further than she anticipated. Hill left the unit upset, reported the incident to a team leader and admitted she had "f***** up". Oranga Tamariki conducted a review and dismissed her after viewing CCTV that showed her hand around his neck in a back-and-forth choking motion. The letter informing her of dismissal for serious misconduct said she had initiated the altercation when there had been no lawful ground to use force. Hill took her dismissal to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) in 2024. It found she was unjustifiably dismissed and awarded her $29,000. Oranga Tamariki appealed the ERA decision recently, taking Hill to the Employment Court. Much of the ERA decision found Hill's actions were warranted as she was acting in self-defence, but Judge Merepaia King disagreed. "The purpose of a youth justice residence is to provide a safe environment and high standard of personalised care for rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki's care," she said. "Oranga Tamariki care for some of the most complex and challenging rangatahi in New Zealand. These rangatahi come from backgrounds of criminal offending, mental health or addiction issues and physical, sexual and emotional trauma. "There is an inherent power imbalance between staff and rangatahi. This is due to the legitimate and authorised power and control that Oranga Tamariki employees have over rangatahi in the youth justice residence." Although King acknowledged Hill was acting in self-defence, she said the teen did not pose any threat to Hill's safety, the safety of others or to property. "He was making offensive comments, but nevertheless he was complying with her instruction to go to the NPT in the corner of the room." Judge King ruled Hill used excessive force and the ERA erred in finding that Hill was unjustifiably dismissed. Despite this finding, Judge King found Oranga Tamariki conducted an inadequate investigation and criticised flaws in procedures, including an immediate dismissal. "Oranga Tamariki ought to have conducted a more thorough investigation before it rejected her position that she had feared for her safety at the time of the incident." Hill told NZME the four-year legal battle was about standing up for what was right. "I was invited more than once to consider an early resolution but chose to see the case through. I maintained my position throughout, and, despite the appeal, I'd rather bear the cost of pursuing justice than walk away quietly," Hill said. Iain Chapman, DCE for Oranga Tamariki youth justice services and residential care, told NZME that the safety of children sits at the core of its work and he welcomed the court's decision on this matter. "Our focus in the appeal was to ensure that the court accurately applied our regulations to this employment matter," Chapman said. "The regulations are intended to ensure force is only used in limited and appropriate circumstances." The previous order to pay $15,643.86 in lost wages and $14,000 in compensation has been set aside. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Cop who stomped on man during South Auckland arrest resigns, avoids prosecution after police investigation
By Al Williams, Open Justice reporter of Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller Police decided not to charge an officer who stomped on a man during an arrest, saying that despite having enough evidence to prosecute, it wasn't in the public interest to do so. The alleged assault happened during a family harm callout at a home in Ōtara, South Auckland in 2023. According to a summary from the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), two police officers were trying to handcuff the man but he resisted by keeping his arms at his sides. He was then tackled to the ground and punched by one of the officers. When the man tried to get to his feet, the same officer used his knee to strike the man in the head, before later stomping on his torso. "CCTV footage captured footage of the man's arrest and the force used against him," the IPCA said. The man's pregnant partner, who was watching on and threw pot plants at the officer to try to stop the assault, was also arrested. She claimed she was "man-handled" while handcuffed, causing her to fall belly-first down concrete steps, and that she was struck on the back of her neck. A complaint that police used excessive force when arresting the couple was later laid. The officer resigned during the investigation, which eventually found allegations excessive force was used on the woman were unsubstantiated. However, there was evidence regarding the alleged assault on her partner. "There was sufficient evidence to charge the officer with assaulting the man. However, police determined it would not be in the public interest to prosecute the officer." The IPCA, which oversaw a police investigation into the incident, said in its summary it agreed with the police findings and "overall accepts the outcome reached". Counties Manukau district commander Superintendent Shanan Gray said police assess each report pursuant to the Solicitor General's prosecution guidelines, which include a public interest test, among other criteria. "When there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, police will not hesitate to do so. However, only after determining that that is the most appropriate outcome for a specific situation." When NZME asked police what factors went into deciding what cases were in "the public interest" when it came to prosecuting an officer, police said there was no further comment and the factors were "available online". The two officers were called to the family harm incident on 7 November 2023. When they got there, they spoke to the couple before escorting the man outside the building and arresting him. The man initially complied with the officers' instructions while calling out to his partner, who was on the second-floor balcony of the building and watching events unfold. His partner tried to verbally interject as he was punched and kneed before throwing a clay plant pot, which hit the officer on the back. Both officers then tried to drag the man away from the building. He tried to hold on to a fence and was pulled away. Once pulled free, the officer who had punched and kneed the man then stomped on his torso. The man's partner then threw a plastic plant pot, which missed both police officers. After being handcuffed, the man was escorted to a nearby police car. As additional officers arrived, the officer who had used excessive force against the man re-entered the building and arrested the woman. She alleged the officer "man-handled" her, causing her to fall, handcuffed and belly-first, down concrete stairs. She said he also struck her on the back of the neck when escorting her to a police car. The couple were separately charged with assault. A resisting arrest charge against the man was later withdrawn. The IPCA accepted the police finding that there was evidence that the officer man-handled the woman, caused her to fall, or struck her on the back of the neck. In reviewing the matter, the Crown offered no evidence in respect of the woman's charge of assault with a weapon, which the IPCA said was subsequently dismissed by the court. Despite the officer's resignation, police concluded his employment process followed Public Service Commission guidelines. Gray said police acknowledged the authority's summary. "Police acknowledge the IPCA's summary report following a complaint that an officer used excessive force when arresting a man and his pregnant partner. "We note the authority is satisfied with the outcome of the investigation." - This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
