I have been out on the ground this afternoon with Mayor Andrew Little. I want to acknowledge the proactive work done by the regional council to prepare for the worst of the weather which we expect this evening.

For those in the North Island, here’s an important update on Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, expected to make landfall late Saturday night/Sunday morning. MetService says this has the potential to be a significant and damaging storm, but you have time to prepare. You might want to consider bringing inside or securing anything that might blow away, make sure drains are free, check in on the neighbours, and be prepared for possible power cuts. Stay safe everyone and look after each other. Follow MetService and your local Civil Defence group, or just visit getready.govt.nz

Further updates to our travel advice for a number of Middle East countries have been made today. Additional consular officers are being deployed to the NZ Embassy in Ankara. Updates on the status of airspace and airline operations will be shared with registered Kiwis today. Register on SafeTravel.govt.nz to stay informed and receive updates like these. Read more here: mfat.govt.nz/middle-east

Our Embassies in the Middle East are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide support to New Zealanders. If you require urgent consular assistance, please call the New Zealand 24/7 Consular Emergency Line on 64 99 20 20 20. Find info at mfat.govt.nz/middle-east

It is with a heavy heart that I send my thoughts and condolences to the family that have lost two of their loved ones in the Welcome Bay slip. Our thoughts as a country are with you. Thank you to teams that worked so hard to recover them, I know how you will be feeling.

Extreme weather continues to cause dangerous conditions across the North Island. Right now, the Government is doing everything we can to support those impacted. Minister Mark Mitchell and I have been receiving briefings over the past 24 hours, and we are actively monitoring situations across the country – including the major incident in Mt Maunganui, where the Minister is on the ground. To the emergency responders, Defence Force personnel, and all those who are putting themselves in harm’s way to keep Kiwis safe, the whole country is grateful. We continue to urge people in affected areas to follow the advice of local authorities. More information can be found on your local Civil Defence website.

It’s 2026 and worth reminding people of what they haven’t seen in two summers now, and won’t see in public again while National is in Government. Gang patches. Happy New Year.

I want to acknowledge our Sikh community who showed calm and composure in the face of a protest designed to offend and intimidate them. In NZ we should choose calm dialogue to discuss differences. Not intolerance, intimidation and bullying.

My thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the cowardly terrorist attack in Bondi. My focus is on the safety and security of our own Jewish community and ensuring we are doing all we can to prevent this happening in our own country.