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NZ Herald Morning Headlines | Nicola Willis is set to announce details of cost relief measures for low-to-middle income households today; Canterbury crowned top regional economy. A 45-year-old man from a “religious organisation” that has a presence in New Zealand, Australia, Samoa and Fiji has been arrested and charged with sexual offending. Police said the man was due to appear in the Christchurch District Court this afternoon, charged with unlawful sexual connection, indecent assault, strangulation and rape. “Today’s arrest follows a number of allegations, and partner agencies are supporting those that have come forward,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Baillie. “It is possible there may be other allegations that we are not yet aware of, and I strongly encourage any survivor to speak with us, should they wish to.

Tana Umaga will leave Moana Pasifika for the All Blacks at the end of the Super Rugby season. Photo / Photosport“I know what I’m getting myself into and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”Umaga said leaving his role at Moana Pasifika was hard. “It’s going to be hard leaving, but I’m not going to be too far. Debbie Sorensen, CEO of Moana Pasifika, said the club were happy for Umaga. Neil Barnes has been brought in as senior assistant coach, Scotsman Mike Blair is set to join as attack coach and Jason Ryan will remain in his role as forwards coach.

The relief package targets low- to middle-income working families and will be temporary. Willis said relief would come through a boost to the in-work tax credit - part of the Working for Families scheme. "And I'd also note, working families face the obligation to get to and from work each day. Public transport already subsidised - WillisFree public transport, as the Green Party has asked for, will play a "very important role" over the coming months, Willis said. And our commitment is that we will make sure public transport remains an option for New Zealanders during this crisis."

Photo: Air NZAir New Zealand says four return flights to Samoa for April and May have been cancelled due to rising fuel costs. Air New Zealand said it had nine services to Samoa each week and described the change as "minimal". Airlines are seeking assurance from the government, as the supply of jet fuel could be limited. We saw it in 2022 and 2023 when we had insufficient jet fuel imported into the country." Meanwhile, regional airlines are warning key air links are under growing pressure due to the rising fuel prices and operating costs.

CBX Energy has applied to drill in the Canterbury Basin. Photo: New Zealand Petroleum and MineralsA newly-formed company is launching a fresh bid to find oil and gas off the coast of Otago. CBX Energy's prospecting plans follow a number of numerous failed searches for oil and gas in the Canterbury Basin and neighbouring Great South Basin. Oil Free Otago protesters outside a hearing on OMV's plans to drill in the Great South basin in 2019. The proposal outlines a programme of technical and economic studies, including work on a Canterbury Basin development strategy.

Photo: RNZThe government will be hearing from officials later this week on possible steps towards "demand restraint", Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says. On RNZ's Morning Report programme today, Jones said New Zealand consumed 24 million litres a day - nearly half of which was diesel, a third petrol and the rest aviation fuel. Channel Infrastructure chief executive Rob Buchanan and Shane Jones atop a 30-million-litre jet fuel tank. "If we are to increase and store more diesel fuel in New Zealand, we need to increase the storage. Following Jones, Labour leader Chris Hipkins told Morning Report it was a "private decision made by the fuel industry" that would not have hindered New Zealand's fuel security.

It is the largest publicly traded company on the Tel Aviv stock exchange and maintains a large R&D facility in Tel Aviv. Given events in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, the timing of this proposed partnership could not be worse for Otago. As a public institution tasked with the education and development of people, the University of Otago has a responsibility to respect human rights in all aspects of its operations. Our partnership with PANW disregards these commitments, prioritising financial opportunity over our role as ‘‘critic and conscience’’. • Olivier Jutel, David Jenkins, Richard Jackson and Fairleigh Gilmour are members of Otago Staff for Palestine.

Photo: RNZHome loan borrowers are taking cashback incentives to stay with their current banks, as competition continues in the mortgage market. That prompted other lenders to match it, and in some cases offer borrowers incentives to stay, too. Helen Stuart, a mortgage adviser at Compass Mortgages, said she had seen "retention payments" offered by several banks lately, especially when someone had all their lending come off a fixed term. "The number of retention payments we organised was probably higher than the number of refinance deals we concluded. We'll always endeavour to give our customers the most competitive offer - our bankers can sometimes offer cash contributions to existing customers."

Managing cover through life stagesAccording to Southern Cross data, members in their 50s typically maintain their cover while still employed, with some benefiting from employer-subsidised group health insurance schemes. By their 60s, members begin claiming more frequently, often to avoid lengthy public hospital waiting lists. Savage said this is also the decade when members start reviewing how to keep premiums manageable while retaining meaningful cover, particularly for those who have left the workforce and lost access to employer-subsidised plans.

However, board chairman Steven Joyce has noted a lack of information on Cr Ong and said the board felt its current membership was appropriate, public documents released last week show. Cr Ong said he was happy to contribute his oft-referenced banking background to the company. In the annual shareholders’ meeting agenda, Mr Joyce noted the board did not have ‘‘sufficient information regarding Mr Ong to form a view regarding the specific relevant skills and expertise that he would bring to the NZME board’’. Cr Ong said, given this, he was pleased to allocate his time to ‘‘serve our community in other great, board ways’’ such as with NZME. Last year, Cr Ong lodged a complaint against Cr John Chambers for ‘‘discriminatory remarks’’, but this was found to be without substance.

Riders gather at Pūrākaunui Bay for the 28th and final Catlins Canter on Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDThey cantered through the Catlins for the final time. Last weekend marked the 28th and final Catlins Canter, which has been a fundraising activity for Owaka Lions. This time around, more than 90 riders participated in the two-day trek in which they negotiated a ‘‘variety of terrain’’, Owaka Lions member Warren Burgess said. ‘‘It’s been fantastic, from the volunteers to the landowners, everyone has done their bit.’’Over the 28 years of the Catlins Canter, the Owaka Lions Club had raised somewhere from ‘‘$250,000 to $300,000’’ for the broader Owaka community.

Dunedin artist Aroha Novak stands by her nearly completed Glasgow St mural, which includes a large tuna, or eel. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYA Dunedin artist has paid tribute to South Dunedin’s traditional name and historical estuary in a new mural. Dunedin multidisciplinary artist Aroha Novak was completing her mural on a Cargill Enterprises building in Glasgow St yesterday. Ms Novak said she designed it in homage to Kaituna, the traditional name of the South Dunedin area. The mural is one of eight featured in ‘‘Ebb and Flow’’ — a street art festival organised by the South Dunedin Street Art Trail, which features large-scale, live mural painting and street art workshops.

Wanaka-based Seventy Squares co-founders Tristan Penrose and Jason Bint are building compact homes dovetailing architectural designs and affordability for home buyers seeking a first home or wanting to downsize. Their homes fit within new rules allowing standalone dwellings no larger than 70sqm to be built without consent, provided they meet building code standards. Both of them have been builders for 20-plus years constructing architectural homes more latterly in Central Otago, but have bigger plans for the compact Seventy Squares designs. They follow a design checklist of efficiently built homes within buyers budgets in a simple design without compromising on quality. ‘‘We will always build larger architectural homes — that market isn’t going anywhere.

Gun City Dunedin manager John Simpson adds an orange hat to a shop mannequin as deerstalkers prepare for the roar. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERYDeerstalkers are being urged to be 100% sure of their targets when they head into the hills for the roar this year. The roar or rut — from mid-March to the end of April — is when stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of hinds. ‘‘Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have? ‘‘Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting.