Phil Pennington
USAR vehicles in "crisis" says senior officer
Urban Search and Rescue have trucks so old they keep breaking down and are not safe.
This, from OIA papers that include an email from the day Cyclone Gabrielle hit in which a senior Urban Search and… Audio
Concern over fleet of search and rescue vehicles
The country's fleet of specialist search and rescue vehicles is so bad that the rescuers have begun rebelling.
New papers show Search and Rescue teams have warned Fire and Emergency for four years… Audio
Private contractor hired to fix run down courts
A Justice Ministry team in charge of fixing the country's run down courts has hired a private contractor on $2,000 a day.
An OIA shows the property team has been flooded with contractors and… Audio
Transmission Gully's impacts on streams and fish investigated
A landmark motorway once lauded for its green credentials is now racking up environmental black marks.
Transmission Gully is being operated near Wellington by a consortium of financiers and… Audio
US contractor late on half a billion dollar NZ transport project
A US contractor has signalled it is running behind time on its half-a-billion-dollar New Zealand transport project.
Cubic Transportation Systems has suffered recent setbacks, losing out on huge… Audio
Coroner issues findings eight years after toddler's death
Eight years after a toddler died at the hands of his mother's boyfriend in Southland, a coroner has finally issued the official findings in the case.
There are no surprises - four state agencies have… Audio
New facial recognition technology rolled out by government despite racial bias concerns
The government begins the roll out of new facial recognition technology next week despite an "untested risk" around racial bias.
No tests have been done for bias on New Zealand's unique population… Audio
Confusion and duplication hinders public health system - report
The country's nationwide public health system set up last year to address weaknesses brutally exposed by Covid, is really struggling.
The confusion and duplication is such that in one case 10… Audio
Progress report on Te Whatu Ora highlights shortfalls
A progress report on the new health authority - Te Whatu Ora - has found major shortfalls, 16 months into its rollout.
The reforms that set up Te Whatu Ora last year are meant to have most of the… Audio
System to counter terrorism and extremist violence in limbo
A landmark threat-reporting system for the public to counter terrorism and extremist violence is in limbo.
The outgoing government failed to get a final plan for the new system over the line before… Audio
FENZ yet to conclude review of Loafers Lodge response
Almost six months after the fatal Loafers Lodge fire in Wellington, Fire and Emergency has yet to conclude its review of how it responded.
It says the independent review has been delayed.
Reporter… Audio
Government facial recognition technology has high failure rate according to documents
Facial recognition technology has failed almost half the time in tests of a landmark government system called Identity Check.
Official information documents raise the prospect of it failing even more… Audio
Reducing number remanded in custody a 'top priority' say police
Police want to cut the number of people remanded in custody.
Forty-four percent of people in our prisons are on remand and police saying reducing that number is a top priority even while… Audio
New $26 million police plan aims to fix resourcing issues
The police are trying to get officers back on to the front line, after they were diverted to help courts facing a growing backlog of jury trials.
Police's own problems with lack of resources and… Audio
Cancer patients dying while new system is set up say advocates
Advocates for cancer patients say they are suffering and dying waiting for a new national system to be set up, that will bring better access to care.
Te Whatu Ora is in the early stages of… Audio
Surveillance technology used by police challenged in court
The police use of surveillance technology allowing them to collect footage of vehicle number plates is being challenged in court by defendants.
At the heart of the arguments is whether the tech… Audio
US Water Warrior tells NZ crowd water problems are getting worse
A US water warrior immortalised by Hollywood has told a New Zealand crowd that water problems are getting much worse. But Erin Brockovich's message to a Water NZ industry conference today is that… Audio
Report shows rescuers couldn't get vital resources before Cyclone Gabrielle
Firefighters were left scrambling to find vehicles, communications equipment, extra staff, and air support as Cyclone Gabrielle bore down on the country.
Newly released reports from the days leading… Audio
Briefings show delays surrounding reforms at Te Whatu Ora
Briefings by a powerful committee with the Health Minister's ear, reveal strife and delays surrounding reforms at the health agency Te Whatu Ora.
They show months into the biggest ever overhaul to… Audio
Te Whatu Ora to check labs after workers' exposed to fumes
Te Whatu Ora is moving to check the safety of hospital laboratories nationwide.
This comes after workers' exposure to toxic fumes and typhoid, delays in test results jeopardising patient care, and IT… Audio