Stories by Phil Pennington
News
Private group cleared to use cameras to identify plates on Transmission Gully
A private consortium has been given the green light to run motorway cameras to identify drivers' number plates and vehicle type to uphold a commercial contract. Audio
One person working on short-term fixes to NZ's disaster coordination system
The National Emergency Management Agency has just one person dedicated to working on a short-term fix of the disaster coordination system that let people down during Cyclone Gabrielle.
IRD data sharing: Safety of anonymising detail to be examined
Inland Revenue has confirmed it will look into the safety of how it anonymises the taxpayers' details it provides to Facebook and other social media platforms.
Thousands of taxpayers' details given to Facebook for ads
Inland Revenue is giving hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' details to social media platforms for marketing. Audio
Is New Zealand ready for the next big space race?
Analysis - Space has rapidly become more hostile for geopolitical reasons, but what are the threats, and what is New Zealand doing to assess them?
Fire and Emergency runs out of money for lifesaving gas monitors
It has equipped 51 of NZ's busiest fire stations so far, but lacks funding for another 49. Audio
NZDF helps train Japanese military to monitor satellites
The New Zealand Defence Force is helping the United States to train the Japanese military to monitor satellites.
Police put off decision on body cameras until next June
Police will not reconsider whether to put body-worn cameras on frontline officers for at least another 10 months.
Strict laws control space launches from New Zealand - Rocket Lab
It follows criticism from a security expect who says launches that support US military aims have not been questioned enough.
Documents reveal what joining Aukus could mean for NZ
A briefing to ministers shows defence officials have been zeroing in on what joining pillar two might mean for New Zealand.
MSD bans 'deceptive and underhanded' use of fake social media profiles
RNZ inquiries have revealed the ministry secretly used the fake profiles for years, before suspending the practice in 2021 when Parliament was asked about it.
Government warned 'young serious offenders' could be glorified
The government has been warned its moves on youth crime could lead to teenagers glorifying the "young serious offender" category it is setting up. Audio
Public-private partnership for NZDF housing no different in cost than usual approach - officials
The rundown NZDF housing estate needs billions spent on it, but the main project has not secured any government funding despite plans dating back to 2017.
Te Whatu Ora diverts digital upgrade funding to payroll system
A payroll emergency took precedence over the long-term fix for the digital and data system.
American company announces deal to fly to space from Canterbury
The first of several test flights is set for November from the new runway in Kaitorete Spit.
No customers sign up for NZ's new spaceport
The fledgling national aerospace centre is in strife after failing to attract investors, underspending its budget and not making enough return on investment. Audio
Staffing forces hospital department shutdown a day before Minister's visit
A staffing shortage forced a hospital scanning department to shut down for two and a half hours just a day before the Minister of Health turned up at it, to announce faster scanning.
NZ Police finally has facial recognition policy - but is it strict enough?
It says there must be a delay between gathering the footage and analysing it, as the risks of live facial recognition "outweigh the potential benefits". Audio
Transport officials look overseas for road tolling models amid calls for more user-pays
Newly released documents show Transport Ministry officials travelling to Australia, Ireland and Denmark for ideas.
'Transformational shifts' in healthcare put at risk by reset
A plan to transform healthcare through fewer specialist hospitals, more ambulances to link them and more community care is in limbo.
Mouldy military housing needs fixing, but money is short - govt
"Significant" investment is needed to help military families suffering from black mould, damp and draughts. Audio
Health NZ unable to tell if $42m winter health plan was effective
Too many initiatives were included in the plan, so "determining any change" was difficult, report shows.
Down the drain: Millions spent on fixing hospital pipes, and more to come
Almost $70m has been spent fixing hole-riddled hot water pipes at Wellington Regional Hospital but "considerable risk of failure" remains.
Can 'outdated' government tech support benefit crackdown?
The tech has been described as putting so much pressure on MSD staff, they have less time to support clients to find work. (File image)
Leaky school has rebuild delayed after found to be earthquake prone
The Ministry of Education has flip-flopped for a decade between repair or rebuilding of a 15-year-old school that leaked from the start.