1717 days ago

We Say/You Say: Policing social media

Reporter Whangārei Leader

Hi Whangārei,

Three tools have been trialled or used by Police to search publicly available information during investigations, but they will not reveal which ones.

Some of these have sparked controversy overseas, including one tool that was used to track Black Lives Matter protesters or monitor electronic chatter.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has defended using these digital tools, and faced criticism for it, with digital rights groups worried online surveillance is escalating.

Auckland technologist Andrew Chen has argued police need to more transparent when deploying a tool and its justification.

Police said the 2020 stocktake was a "snapshot" only and was only revealing what it could to build public confidence.

What do you think about this approach? Find out more by clicking the 'Read More' button. You can share your thoughts below and don't forget to type NFP if you don't want your comments used in your local community paper.

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More messages from your neighbours
3 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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1 day ago

🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

Do you think you know the answer?

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22 days ago

Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.

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