The Government begins the tricky process of repatriating a woman with alleged links to ISIS, Taranaki iwi express concerns over wastewater testing, and NZ gets on the Olympic medal table.
As the Government agrees to repatriate a woman with alleged links to ISIS and her two young children, questions have turned to security measures and support for reintegrating the family into Kiwi life.
Suhayra Aden and her children have been held in Turkey since crossing the border from Syria earlier this year. Her situation became the subject of a trans-Tasman spat after Australia scrapped her once dual citizenship, leaving her with just New Zealand citizenship.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says accepting Aden’s return allows for New Zealand authorities to better plan for her arrival and rehabilitation , a task that one international expert says won’t be easy .
Police have confirmed they are investigating Aden, while terrorism suppression laws allow the High Court to impose control orders, which could include electronic monitoring and curfews.
Other organisations say the welfare of Aden’s children should be front of mind.
Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft says New Zealand has “a chance to start again with them”. He says the children have a right to a full, free life “regardless of the actions of their parents”.
Anjum Rahman of the Islamic Women’s Council also told RNZ she hoped the New Zealand public would allow Aden’s children to grow up well, adding it would be “the best outcome for everyone” .
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Questions over Taranaki testing
Taranaki iwi have voiced their concern over the response to Covid-19 being detected in New Plymouth’s wastewater last week.
Ngāti Ruanui say no other wastewater systems are being monitored in the region and are questioning why other plants, including those in Hāwera and Stratford, are not being tested.
No community cases of Covid-19 have been found since the wastewater results came back positive, although hundreds of Taranaki locals continued to turn up for testing yesterday .
Kiwis anxious to flee Australia
Stranded New Zealanders are hopeful the Government will organise extra flights to get them home as the scramble to leave Australia this week continues.
Kiwis have until Friday to fly home before the travel bubble closes, however Jacinda Ardern says the Government will consider extending that deadline if spaces on “green flights” become a problem.
It comes as South Australia prepares to exit lockdown tonight having recorded one new community case of Covid-19 yesterday. Restrictions in Victoria also look set to begin easing tonight.
The news isn’t as good for New South Wales though, where 145 new cases were reported yesterday with half of those circulating in the community while infectious .
Details about how their lockdown will proceed are set to be revealed in the coming days, while police are warning anyone planning a repeat of last weekend’s anti-lockdown rallies will be arrested .
NZ on the medal table
New Zealand has its first medal from the Tokyo Olympics, with Hayden Wilde winning bronze in the men's triathlon yesterday.
Elsewhere, mountain biker Anton Cooper and swimmer Erika Fairweather missed out on joining Wilde on the medal table.
Meanwhile, other Kiwi athletes continued their march towards gold, with the All Blacks Sevens notching up an important group stage win over Argentina, and the women’s Black Sticks continuing their unbeaten run with victory over Japan .
Tennis doubles pair Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus also progressed to their quarterfinals without picking up a racket , after their opponents forfeited due to a positive Covid test.
And if you want to organise your Olympic viewing for today, the schedule of Kiwi athletes in action is here .
Housing market off the boil?
The booming property industry is now the biggest contributor to New Zealand’s economy , according to the Property Council – but new Reserve Bank data suggests the housing market may be cooling off .
Figures show home buyers borrowed less in June than in previous months, with a noticeable shift in lending to investors, particularly when it comes to high risk lending.
Other news of note this morning:
- The US is in an “unnecessary predicament” of soaring Covid-19 cases fuelled by unvaccinated Americans and the Delta variant, according to their top infectious diseases expert.
- Samoa's Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has finally conceded defeat in April’s election, with new Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa now ready to "get the house in order" .
- RNZ reports it’s been a slog finding people willing to take part in this weekend’s mass Covid vaccination event.
- The jury in the trial for two people charged following a fatal police shooting in Auckland are entering a second day of deliberations.
- The Council of Trade Unions is questioning why those living at Gloriavale aren’t being given the same employment rights as others.
- The ACT Party has released its economic proposals - including a promise to scrap the Government's upcoming immigration overhaul.
- Public outcry is building in Christchurch after the council decided to reduce capacity for the city’s new stadium .
- Warriors skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been granted an immediate release from the club in order to return home from Australia before borders close.
- And Jacinda Ardern may have dismissed turning 41 as a "boring, nothing” milestone yesterday, but her visit to a Northland school still generated a bit of birthday fun .
And finally...
A group of Gisborne grannies who gather every Friday night to play bingo had to up their game recently after two intruders tried to steal their $700 bounty.
Elaine Lamont told Seven Sharp she and the rest of her group were three games into their evening when a "couple of hooded-up wannabes" arrived and made a move for their money.
But, as it transpires, the thieves had picked the wrong grannies to mess with...
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