Minister of Defence Judith Collins, KC, Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Garin Golding, and President of the Court of Inquiry, Commodore Melissa Ross, speak on the final report into the sinking of New Zealand Navy ship Manawanui.
An Australian Navy ship on its way to Wellington accidentally blocked wireless internet and radio services across parts of the North and South Islands this week.
HMAS Canberra was approaching Wellington early Wednesday morning when the block happened, the Guardian reported.
“HMAS Canberra became aware that their navigation radar wasinterfering with Wi-Fi in the Taranaki to the Marlborough region on approach to Wellington,” an Australian Defence Force spokesperson told the Guardian.
“On becoming aware, HMAS Canberra changed frequencies rectifying the interference. There are no ongoing disruptions.”
Two days later, an unrelated Chorus fault yesterday morning cut internet for around 90 minutes to thousands in the lower North Island and Hawke’s Bay, including Wellington, Hutt Valley, Kapiti, Palmerston North and Napier.
That fault, which one internet service provider estimated affected 90% of customers in the regions, was due to “human error during planned works”, RNZ reported Chorus saying.
HMAS Canberra was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in 2014 and made its flagship the following year. Photo / Royal Australian Navy
In Wednesday’s HMAS Canberra incident, the radar was apparently heard on the frequency used by many internet providers and radio stations, forcing commercial operators to stop using the channel around 2am, the Guardian reported.
New Zealand’s radio spectrum management regime provided access to a range of different radio spectrum bands for different purposes, some of which involved sharing, a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment boss told The Guardian.
“Some spectrum bands are free of charge and available for anyone to use – such as the shared spectrum bands for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth,” said Dan O’Grady, the ministry’s manager of radio spectrum policy and planning.
“The interference that occurred on Wednesday was in one of these shared bands.”
The 230m navy flagship changed frequencies, ending the interference, after being made aware of the disruption by the New Zealand Defence Force.
“We contacted the Australian Defence Force and the issue was resolved,” a defence force spokesperson said.
“We have no comment to make on the nature of the event. For further information we suggest you contact the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.”
