The man and a woman, travelling with two toddlers, were arrested on Monday after a police chase during which they allegedly shot at police officers.
The 25-year-old unemployed man and a 20-year-old woman, a company director, faced six joint charges of using a firearm against police.
They had allegedly shot at officers while road spikes were set up on Monday just south of Palmerston.
They were also jointly charged with failing to stop for police and stealing a Land Rover from Picton.
Outside the court after the couple's appearance, the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Sergeant Mike Ryder, of Oamaru, said the investigation was still in the early stages.
He did not want to give specific details on further charges, but expected "a large number" relating to the couple's behaviour in the days before the Palmerston incident.
Justice of the peace Bill Saxton granted both defendants interim name suppression.
He also granted interim suppression of the names of the six police officers who were allegedly shot at.
The man's counsel, Michael de Buyzer, of Oamaru, said the defendants had been arrested on Monday evening and had had no opportunity to contact family or close friends to tell them "of their circumstances".
The public interest would be served by knowing two people had been charged and held in custody, he said.
The remand would also give police sufficient time to complete inquiries.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Tom Scouller said the six police officers named in the court documents worked in a small community and did not need their names in the newspaper nor on television "at this early stage".
Both defendants, with their consent, were remanded in custody without plea to reappear in the Oamaru court on February 18.
They arrived at the court together, but segregated, in a white van, and were individually handcuffed to police officers throughout, including in court.
As the man was led from the police van to the courthouse, he responded to a question from gathered news media with gestures, yelling an obscenity and "White Power".
Both remained silent in court and when they were returned to the van.
The two children - aged 18 months and 3 - who were in the Land Rover when it crashed at Palmerston, and were then carried by the couple until they surrendered to police, had been placed in the care of Child, Youth and Family and would stay there while the couple were in custody.
Det Sgt Ryder did not want to speculate on what would happen to them after that.
Police wanted to speak to people who were in two vehicles stopped by police on State Highway 1 at Mount Royal Hill, about 1km south of Palmerston, during the incident.
Both were facing south when the Land Rover was heading north and when a firearm was presented to police at the side of the road.
Det Sgt Ryder said police had spoken to the driver of one car who had been very helpful. They wanted to speak to the second driver.
Det Sgt Ryder also praised the people of Palmerston for their co-operation. Many had been inconvenienced by the incident, he said.
