The Front Page podcast: Investigations into fatal standoff with police, gloomy outlook for economy

Police at the scene near Richmond Park, Christchurch, where a man has died of stab wounds after a protracted standoff with armed police overnight. Photo / Dean Purcell

Each weekday The Front Page keeps you up to date with the biggest news in New Zealand. Today, a man has died following a lengthy standoff with police in Christchurch, the flooding on the West Coast has claimed a woman's life, the NZDF mourns a Navy sailor who died in a training exercise in Devonport, and what the latest OCR announcement means for those with mortgages. Hosted by Juliette Sivertsen.

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An investigation's underway to determine whether or not a man who died after a police stand-off in Christchurch had any link to the March 15 mosque attacks.

Police started looking for the 54-year-old after firearms were discovered at a St Martins property late yesterday.

The man was found in a parked vehicle in the Richmond Park area around 12.30am.

Officers negotiated with him for a number of hours, but when they approached the vehicle they found he was critically injured, with what appeared to be a stab wound.

A knife was located in the vehicle.

He died at the scene.

Community welfare officers were checking with residents this morning.

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Another community seeking assurances about their safety is Dunedin's Muslim community.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been meeting with leaders there today.

Dunedin is the city where the man accused of the Christchurch terror attacks had been living.

Ardern says as well as discussing the outpouring of love and support they've received, the community wanted to talk about how to ensure they continue to feel safe.

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Since the attacks, our spy agencies are keeping an eye on more people.

The Minister responsible for the GCSB and SIS, Andrew Little, says he's authorised intrusive activity and signed more warrants.

Little says the purpose of a warrant is to authorise and effectively make lawful what would otherwise be unlawful activity.

He won't say whether they're centred on white supremacists, but Little says the agencies are responsible for investigating terrorism and violent extremism.

Little has the final say over which people the agencies spy on and signs off all warrants.

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Organisers of Friday's National Remembrance Service for the victims of the shooting have secured Cat Stevens to join the star-studded line up.

The Remembrance Service, Ko Tātou, Tātou We Are One, will be held in North Hagley Park starting at 10am, jointly led by the city of Christchurch, the Government of New Zealand, Ngāi Tahu and the Muslim community.

It will be broadcast simultaneously at events in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin as well as regional towns.

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Tragedy on the West Coast as the region is hammered by an extreme weather front and record rainfalls.

A 66-year-old woman has died after being swept away by flooding.

Police confirmed that a body was recovered near flood waters in the Arahura Valley, north of Hokitika, this morning.

Police say an initial scene investigation shows the woman got out of the vehicle she was driving, and tried to cross floodwaters on foot, but was swept away.

The front has caused significant flooding, closed major roads and schools, forced evacuations and demolished a bridge on the West Coast.

Most weather stations along the coast had recorded just under 200mm since the rain event started on late Sunday, with stations inland getting well above 200mm.

Niwa says the Cropp River waterfall, inland from Hokitika, saw 1086 millimetres of rain in just 48 hours - the highest ever recorded 48-hour total in New Zealand.

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Heartbreak for the Royal New Zealand Navy.

A sailor has died following an incident during a dive training exercise on Monday night at the Devonport Naval Base.

New Zealand Defence Force confirmed today Zachary Christopher Yarwood, aged 23, died in North Shore Hospital yesterday.

A Defence Force spokesman says the sailor was taking part in advanced diver training in about six to eight metres of water when the incident happened.

Colleagues gave the man immediate first aid at the scene and called emergency services.

Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor says the Navy is mourning a young sailor who had already packed so much into his career and embodied their core values of courage, commitment and comradeship in everything he did.

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In a New Zealand first, the Department of Internal Affairs has charged a venue manager for allegedly failing to take responsible steps to identify a problem gambler.

The charge comes with a maximum penalty of $5000 and a criminal conviction.

The DIA wouldn't give any further details of the case, as it's now before the courts, and won't identify the name of the venue.

But a spokesperson did confirm the defendant was a person connected to a pokie machine venue, not a casino.

It's the first time a person in New Zealand has been charged for failing to identify a problem gambler.

DIA says it regularly carries out audits and uses mystery shoppers to test whether venues' harm practices are working.

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A somewhat gloomy outlook for our economy.

The Reserve Bank has kept its official cash rate on hold at 1.75 per cent but said the next move is likely to be down.

At the last OCR review in February, the bank said the next move could be up or down.

But today, the bank said given the weaker global economic outlook and reduced momentum in domestic spending, the more likely direction of our next OCR move is down.

In its statement, the bank said the global economic outlook had continued to weaken, in particular amongst some of our key trading partners including Australia, Europe, and China.

The New Zealand dollar fell by about one US cent to 68.16cents, from just over US69c before the 2pm announcement.

Senior economist at Kiwibank Jeremy Couchman described the market reaction as savage.

ASB's chief economist Nick Tuffley says upcoming business confidence surveys will be very important between now and May's monetary policy statement from the Reserve Bank.

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Exciting new developments towards a zero carbon future.

Mercury says it will build a 33-turbine wind farm at Turitea near Palmerston North at a cost of $256 million.

It's the first big power station announcement for five years and will be the country's third largest wind farm.

It will add to Mercury's Waikato hydro and geothermal power plants and a trial solar scheme in Auckland.

That means the company's now involved in all four areas of renewable energy.

Chief Executive Fraser Whineray says wind was the next logical expansion.

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Officials have confirmed that about 90 per cent of deer on a block on New Zealand's largest farm were killed during a 1080 poison drop targeting possums.

The drop was carried out by TBFree NZ in October 2017 over a 62,000ha block on Department of Conservation-owned Molesworth Station

It was part of a nine year programme to eradicate bovine tuberculosis.

Eight helicopters using GPS dropped toxic bait at 2kg/ha over the station, but the operation was halted when scores of red deer were found to have killed.

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Australian furniture and designer chain Coco Republic is set to open its first New Zealand store this year.

It'll open in the revamped and expanded $790 million Westfield Newmarket in Auckland.

Coco Republic sells furniture, homeware and design services.

New Zealanders have been able to buy items from the chain online in the last few years.

Director and co-owner of the business, Anthony Spon-Smith, says the retailer had wanted to come here for ages, and seized the opportunity to open in the new Westfield, due to open later this year.

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That's the Front Page for today, Wednesday March 27, making sure you're across the biggest news of the day. For more on these stories, check out The New Zealand Herald, or tune in to Newstalk ZB.

You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcasts here, iHeartRadio here, and Stitcher here.

If you like to stay up to date on social media, you can find host Juliette Sivertsen on Twitter.