MIL OSI – Source: Tonga Government – Tonga’s Prime Minister looks forward to first visit of Australian Foreign Minister this week.
[caption id="attachment_2696" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Tongan Prime Minister, Akilisi-Pohiva. Image by Selwyn Manning.[/caption]
In a statement this morning, the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Hon Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva, said he was looking forward to the first visit to Tonga of the Australian Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop.
“Australia has been a longtime, close and important partner to Tonga so I am pleased that the Hon. Julie Bishop will be undertaking her first visit to Nuku’alofa this week.
“I look forward to discussing with her areas of mutual interest at the national, regional and international level”, the Prime Minister said.The Australian Foreign Minister will arrive in Nuku’alofa on Wednesday 1st April 2015.
“During her visit she will undertake a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister followed by a meeting with key Cabinet Ministers. She will also visit various projects where Australia’s aid has taken a lead role in developing, which includes Defence, Police, Health, Fisheries and Women’s Issues.
“The Foreign Minister is also scheduled to meet with key private and agricultural sector representatives. She will depart Nuku’alofa on 2 April 2015.”
–
]]>
Australia’s Foreign Minister Set To Visit Tonga – Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva
US Dept of Defense Details Ongoing Coalition Airstrikes in Syria and Iraq
MIL OSI – Source: United States Department of Defense – US Dept of Defense Details Ongoing Coalition Airstrikes in Syria and Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 31, 2015 U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. “The strategy has not changed,” said Col. Wayne Marotto, task force public affairs officer. “The focus remains to drive ISIL out of Iraq. We have struck at ISIL’s command and control, supply lines, fighters and leaders, and military and economic infrastructure and resources. We have debilitated ISIL’s oil producing, processing and transportation infrastructure. We are seeing successes in this fight. It will take time, but we will succeed in our mission.” Officials reported details of the latest strikes, which took place between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today, local time, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Airstrikes in Syria Bomber aircraft conducted one airstrike in Syria: — Near Kobani, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position. Airstrikes in Iraq Attack, fighter and bomber aircraft conducted seven airstrikes in Iraq, approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense: — Near Bayji, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions. — Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, one ISIL checkpoint and destroyed 31 ISIL vehicles and two ISIL anti-aircraft artillery weapons. — Near Ramadi, an airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL buildings. — Near Sinjar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroyed an ISIL building and suppressed ISIL movement. — Near Tikrit, an airstrike struck multiple ISIL buildings. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group’s ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting airstrikes in Syria include the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. –]]>
April Fools Release: TAXPAYERS’ UNION TO PURSUE PUBLIC FUNDING
MIL OSI – Source: Taxpayers Union – Press Release/Statement Headline: MR: TAXPAYERS’ UNION TO PURSUE PUBLIC FUNDING – April Fools Day Release 1 APRIL 2015 The Taxpayers’ Union has announced its intention to pursue taxpayer-funding to support its advocacy of value for money from every tax dollar. Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:
“Since its inception in October 2013, the Taxpayers’ Union has relied solely on donations and membership subscriptions to allow us to expose government waste and ensure taxpayers receive value for money for every tax dollar spent.”
“Over the past eighteen months we have come up against sophisticated taxpayer-funded lobby groups such as ASH, Fish & Game, the Health Promotion Agency, anti-sugar group FIZZ, Generation Zero and even the Council of Trade Unions and Business NZ. Combating their calls for a high-tax future for New Zealanders has in itself been taxing on our own finances.”
“It has become clear that what is needed is another taxpayer-funded lobby group to save taxpayers from the groups they are forced to fund.”
“Today we have lodged an application to receive funding from Treasury to become a taxpayer-funded lobby group to oppose the other taxpayer-funded lobby groups, who in turn lobby taxpayer-funded bureaucrats, politicians and themselves.”
Editors note: Please refer to the date of this release.
NOTES TO EDITORS: The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power. It’s here to fight government waste and make sure New Zealanders get value for money from their tax dollar. The Taxpayers’ Union operates a 24 hour media line for comment on taxpayer issues. Representatives are available on (04) 282 0302. High resolution images and logos are available on request or online at http://www.taxpayers.org.nz/resources –]]>WWF says on US Climate Pledge a ‘Big Deal’
MIL OSI – Source: World Wildlife Fund – WWF says on US Climate Pledge a ‘Big Deal’ World Wildlife Fund issued the following statement from Lou Leonard, Vice President, Climate Change in reaction to today’s formal submission of the US’ contribution to a global climate pact expected to be signed in Paris later this year: “Climate disruption cuts across national borders and our solutions must do the same. We can only face this threat if we act together. Today, the United States joins a growing group of countries proposing national contributions to a global climate pact. Ahead of negotiations in Paris this December, nearly every nation on Earth will be on this list, marking a major turning point on climate cooperation. “Politically, today’s announcement is a big deal. It signals that US climate policy over the next decade will begin to line up with growing majorities of Republicans, Democrats and Independents, as well as key business leaders, calling for climate action now. By developing this target based on existing authority, the United States is signaling that countries should have confidence it can deliver. To maintain that confidence, a strong final rule this summer to cut carbon pollution from new and existing power plants will be critical. “In fact the US must do more than just deliver on this pledge; the 28% domestic target can and must be a floor not a ceiling. As the largest contributor to climate impacts already here today, the United States has a responsibility to lead and do its fair share. When compared to what scientists warn us is needed to avoid the worst impacts to our cities, our food systems and water supplies, the US pledge falls short. “Although a milestone, the unprecedented collection of country pledges ahead of negotiations in Paris aren’t likely to cover the entire bill for the world’s fossil fuel feast over the past century. Rather than pretending that this first round of pledges is enough, we need to accept this gap as our common challenge. Ahead of Paris, all countries should focus on ways to ratchet up additional cooperative action and design a new international regime that collectively closes this science gap as quickly as possible. By turning the page from conflict to cooperation, the Paris agreement can begin a new chapter in the struggle against climate change. “The US should come to Paris ready to join this new era of climate cooperation by adding to its domestic contribution with an additional concrete commitment to work with other nations, businesses and civil society to take a big bite out of the gap.” –]]>
Ombudsman Releases Guide to changes to the Ombudsmen Act and official information legislation
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Ombudsmans Office – Guide to changes to the Ombudsmen Act and official information legislation
April 1, 2015
Some changes have been made to the Ombudsmen Act (OA) and official information legislation as part of an omnibus Statutes Amendment Act. Read our quick reference guide to the changes, which came into effect on 26 March 2015. The key change to the OA is to give the Ombudsman the ability to refuse to investigate a complaint if, after preliminary inquiries and having regard to all the circumstances of the case, they consider an investigation is unnecessary. The key changes to the official information legislation include:- Explicit recognition that requests can be made and communicated in any way, including orally.
- Clarification that agencies can ask for oral requests to be put in writing if that is reasonably necessary (if the requester declines, or is unable to do so, the agency must record its understanding of the request and provide that to the requester).
- Confirmation that partial transfers of requests can be made.
- Clarification around when an amended or revised request is a new request that replaces the original one for the purpose of calculating the maximum statutory timeframe for response.
- Confirmation that information may be released in electronic form or by electronic means (subject to the requester’s preference).
- Clarification that agencies must make reasonable efforts to locate documents before refusing a request on the basis that they do not exist or cannot be found.
- A new function under the official information legislation for the Ombudsman to investigate complaints that an agency has failed to make and communicate its decision on a request as soon as reasonably practicable.
Paid Parental leave increases – but more work needed – CTU
MIL OSI – Source: Council Of Trade Unions – Paid Parental leave increases – but more work needed Workers are pleased that, from today, paid parental leave increases from 14 to 16 weeks, but unfortunately New Zealand is still well behind the support that other countries offer to new parents, the Council of Trade Unions said. ”The OECD average is 22 weeks paid parental leave, and the amount paid to workers overseas is generally higher. In New Zealand the maximum weekly paid parental leave payment is currently $504.10 before tax, which is just 85% of the minimum wage,” said Sam Huggard, CTU Secretary. “Union members will continue campaigning for better paid parental leave – through nationwide campaigns but also through influencing workplace policy and in collective agreement negotiations.” “Paid parental leave is a big issue for families and especially for women union members who constitute 58% of union membership. More than a third of workers who are covered by a collective employment agreement have parental leave provisions that are above the legal minimum. These union members and their unions lead the way in good paid parental leave provisions.” “This is evidence of the power of workers coming together to negotiate their terms and conditions together, but we need a much more supportive state provision for all workers including those who currently don’t have access to a union,” Huggard said. “2006 was when the Government last researched New Zealanders use of paid parental leave. That was 10 years ago now and we believe that it’s time to update the research. In 2006 the evidence was that new parents were returning early to work because of financial pressures. That situation is likely to have worsened.” “Our paid parental leave provisions still remain low by international standards and though there is a shift in the right direction, it is nowhere near as good as it needs to be.” Huggard said. –]]>
Commerce Commission to review regulated broadband non-price terms
MIL OSI – Source: Commerce Commission – Commerce Commission to review regulated broadband non-price terms The Commerce Commission has today announced it will formally review the non-price terms of the Unbundled Bitstream Access (UBA) Standard Terms Determination (STD) under the Telecommunications Act. UBA is one method of supplying broadband services – allowing retail telecommunications companies to provide internet services over Chorus’ copper network without the need to physically install their own equipment. The UBA STD sets the baseline price, general terms and service description that Chorus must offer to retail companies. Telecommunications Commissioner Dr Stephen Gale said the UBA STD was first released in 2007, before Chorus existed, and the non-price terms needed to be properly reviewed to assess whether they are still fit for purpose in today’s environment. “Last year Chorus announced it intended to introduce new commercial UBA services and make changes to the delivery of regulated internet services, including withdrawing the VDSL service and making changes that may limit internet performance at peak times. Spark requested we conduct an investigation into whether Chorus’ proposal was in breach of the STD. As part of the investigation we commissioned external legal advice that expressed concerns it could,” Dr Gale said. “While the STD is workable, we recognise there is some uncertainty over its requirements and the process for launching new commercial services. With Chorus putting a hold on its proposed changes and the statutory freeze on reviewing the STD now expired, the time is right to undertake this work.” The Commission has closed its investigation into Chorus’ proposed changes to its regulated network and considers any outstanding issues identified will be dealt with in the review. The UBA STD review will run parallel but separate to the current final pricing process for Chorus’ wholesale services. At this stage the Commission expects a draft decision for this review will be released for consultation shortly after the final pricing determination is made later this year.
Background
Under the current UBA STD, Chorus is able to offer commercial UBA services and variants at different prices to the regulated UBA service. However, before doing so, Chorus must provide notice to the Commission under clause 10 of the UBA STD General Terms. On 14 May 2014, Chorus announced that it intended to introduce new commercial UBA services (Boost variants). As part of the introduction of the Boost variants, Chorus also proposed two changes to the regulated UBA service:- capping aggregate throughput at the handover point; and
- withdrawal of VDSL as a regulated UBA service.
Remuera: Two Arrested After High-Speed Eagle Pursuit
Two men have been arrested in Remuera after driving at high speed and in a dangerous manner around Eastern Auckland for about 25 minutes this evening. At about 7pm a Police motorway patrol sighted a stolen car wanted in connection with a robbery at a South Auckland Dairy travelling on the Southern motorway. The car fled from the officer and left the motorway at Mount Wellington. The pursuit was abandoned by ground units within a few minutes when the car was driven at very high speed and in an erratic and dangerous manner. The Police helicopter Eagle was able to keep the car in sight as it drove around Mount Wellington, Panmure, Glen Innes, and Remuera for about 25 minutes. The car was eventually dumped in the Remuera area and the two occupants ran away on foot. They were arrested a few minutes later by Police ground units.
Keith Rankin on Subsistence and the Benefit
Analysis by Keith Rankin – First Published on Scoop.co.nz.
[caption id="attachment_2652" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Rural Northland poverty in the spotlight. Image courtesy of Localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz.[/caption]
YESTERDAY ON RADIO NEW ZEALAND’S MORNING REPORT “Te Manu Korihi for 30 March 2015“, Mana’s Hone Harawira discussed the matter of unemployed Maori returning to their home rural villages losing their ‘job-seeker’ benefits, and how this process may be the death knell for some of those villages.
In traditional times, through much of the world, people subsisted in villages in essentially cash-free local economies. Periodically, times of optimism away from the village would create demands for hired labour; people would flow from their villages to these labour hotspots and return when those cash-earning opportunities subsided.
We should note that there is something good and natural about lives secured in villages, mixed with possibly substantially periods away from those villages working in the rhythmic cash economy. That form of living is not an anachronism; it’s just that we (especially Maori) have become used to extended almost-permanent city living while still maintaining those rural roots, and seeding cash and non-cash investment into those communities.
We do not need to worry that, one day in the future, when opportunity calls; potential workers high on the benefit will eschew that call. It just doesn’t happen like that. Traditional subsistence communities complement (and sustain) urban capitalism; they do not and will not undermine the process of labour flow.
Our Liberal forebears in the 1890s recognised the importance of income flow as a balance between land and labour (and between cash and non-cash provision), with settler workers strongly encouraged to lay down semi-rural roots through substantial plots of land on long-term lease. These lands gave them opportunities for limited subsistence in capitalist down-times. These lands gave workers some bargaining power in setting wages and conditions of employment. We still see it today – albeit upmarket – with semi-rural lifestyle properties. We wouldn’t deny the ‘job-seeker benefit’ to an unemployed worker whose address was a two-hectare property on the city outskirts.
The whole notion of public equity, and the (possibly small) unconditional benefits that follow from that concept, helps us to restore the balance. An unconditional publicly-sourced income allows us to ride out the capitalist down-times while at the same time helping to nourish our many near-subsistence communities. These communities provide social stability and individual breathing space to both our tangata whenua and to many of our people with shorter bloodlines in Aotearoa.
For city-only people, a public equity benefit allows the creation and sustenance of semi-subsistent urban communities during the capitalist down-times, and – as an unconditional safety net – helps to ensure that employment contracts are fair. People should not have to spend these downtimes in fruitless searches for employment in dire competition with other similarly placed people. Better that they use this down time as semi-subsistent urban entrepreneurs.
Public equity benefits are good for capitalism, but may not be seen as good for capitalists. (See Chris Trotter’s The Common Affairs Of The Whole: Why National is so bad for Capitalism in The Daily Blog, 28 March 2015.)
When proper jobs with proper wages appear, the history of capitalism shows that the latent workforce is responsive to employment opportunities. Indeed, by allowing people to live semi-subsistence lives (remote rural or otherwise) in their downtimes, rather than having to choose between remote full-subsistence and destructive urban dependency, the downtimes themselves become shorter. When jobless and underemployed people are still able to spend, the wheels of capitalism turn more smoothly.
–]]>
Tonight on Evening Report – March 31 2015
Tonight on Evening Report we lead with a video cross to Hanoi to gauge how delegates from South East Asia, meeting on nuclear disarmament in Vietnam, have responded to news New Zealand has been spying on its trading partners. This and more in tonight’s edition.
Keith Rankin on Subsistence and the Benefit
[caption id="attachment_2652" align="alignleft" width="150"] Rural Northland poverty in the spotlight. Image courtesy of Localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz.[/caption]
YESTERDAY ON RADIO NEW ZEALAND’S MORNING REPORT “Te Manu Korihi for 30 March 2015“, Mana’s Hone Harawira discussed the matter of unemployed Maori returning to their home rural villages losing their ‘job-seeker’ benefits, and how this process may be the death knell for some of those villages.
In traditional times, through much of the world, people subsisted in villages in essentially cash-free local economies. Periodically, times of optimism away from the village would create demands for hired labour; people would flow from their villages to these labour hotspots and return when those cash-earning opportunities subsided. FULL ARTICLE from 7:30pm.
REPORTS:
Research on the price of protest in West Papua released – PMC
MIL OSI – Source: Pacific Media Centre – Analysis published with permission of PMC Headline: The price of protest in West Papua – Research
Image: Demotix
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
NZ Government launches tax modernisation programme
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – Tax modernisation programme launched Revenue Minister Todd McClay today released the first two in a series of public consultations designed to modernise and simplify the tax system. “Taxes are an important part of a well-functioning modern economy, but it’s important that the costs imposed by taxation are kept to a minimum. The way we run the tax system must keep pace with the needs of taxpayers,” says Mr McClay. “We need to make tax simpler. That’s why today I am launching public consultation to consider ideas for a tax administration for the future.” Mr McClay launched the programme at a breakfast hosted by the Wellington Employers’ Chamber of Commerce. “We need tax administration to be simple to use and new technology can help achieve that” Mr McClay says. The first document, Making Tax Simpler – a Government green paper on tax administration aims to introduce New Zealand to the overall direction of the tax administration modernisation programme and seeks feedback on that direction. Consultation on that topic closes on 29 May 2015. “This is an opportunity to stand back, look at our tax system as a whole and make changes that will simplify the system for the benefit of all New Zealanders. At the same time, we will modernise the technology that runs the tax system.” Says Mr McClay. The second consultation document, Better Digital Services outlines proposals for greater use of electronic and online processes allowing faster, more accurate, more convenient interactions with Inland Revenue. Consultation closes on 15 May 2015. “We are already working with New Zealand software development companies on solutions to simplify and significantly reduce the amount of time businesses spend on tax compliance. A working group with 20 representatives from small, medium and large software developers has been meeting since October last year to co-design how GST and PAYE information can be transferred to IRD in the future. In tandem, IRD is working with MYOB and Xero on how we can simplify tax processes for small businesses. “The scale of the change proposed for the tax administration is unlike anything we’ve contemplated before and the proposals contained in the consultations launched today will affect us all at some level. “This is your chance to help us build a simpler tax system because a simpler system is a better system” Mr McClay says. To make a submission or to read the full details of proposals, go to www.makingtaxsimpler.ird.govt.nz – -]]>
FBI Charges Former Federal Agents with Bitcoin Money Laundering and Wire Fraud
MIL OSI – Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI – Former Federal Agents Charged with Bitcoin Money Laundering and Wire Fraud Two former federal agents have been charged with wire fraud, money laundering and related offenses for stealing digital currency during their investigation of the Silk Road, an underground black market that allowed users to conduct illegal transactions over the Internet. The charges are contained in a federal criminal complaint issued on March 25, 2015, in the Northern District of California and unsealed today. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag of the Northern District of California, Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson of the FBI’s San Francisco Division, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) San Francisco Division, Special Agent in Charge Michael P. Tompkins of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General Washington Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Lori Hazenstab of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General in Washington D.C. made the announcement. Carl M. Force, 46, of Baltimore, was a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Shaun W. Bridges, 32, of Laurel, Maryland, was a Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service (USSS). Both were assigned to the Baltimore Silk Road Task Force, which investigated illegal activity in the Silk Road marketplace. Force served as an undercover agent and was tasked with establishing communications with a target of the investigation, Ross Ulbricht, aka “Dread Pirate Roberts.” Force is charged with wire fraud, theft of government property, money laundering and conflict of interest. Bridges is charged with wire fraud and money laundering. According to the complaint, Force was a DEA agent assigned to investigate the Silk Road marketplace. During the investigation, Force engaged in certain authorized undercover operations by, among other things, communicating online with “Dread Pirate Roberts” (Ulbricht), the target of his investigation. The complaint alleges, however, that Force then, without authority, developed additional online personas and engaged in a broad range of illegal activities calculated to bring him personal financial gain. In doing so, the complaint alleges, Force used fake online personas, and engaged in complex Bitcoin transactions to steal from the government and the targets of the investigation. Specifically, Force allegedly solicited and received digital currency as part of the investigation, but failed to report his receipt of the funds, and instead transferred the currency to his personal account. In one such transaction, Force allegedly sold information about the government’s investigation to the target of the investigation. The complaint also alleges that Force invested in and worked for a digital currency exchange company while still working for the DEA, and that he directed the company to freeze a customer’s account with no legal basis to do so, then transferred the customer’s funds to his personal account. Further, Force allegedly sent an unauthorized Justice Department subpoena to an online payment service directing that it unfreeze his personal account. Bridges allegedly diverted to his personal account over $800,000 in digital currency that he gained control of during the Silk Road investigation. The complaint alleges that Bridges placed the assets into an account at Mt. Gox, the now-defunct digital currency exchange in Japan. He then allegedly wired funds into one of his personal investment accounts in the United States mere days before he sought a $2.1 million seizure warrant for Mt. Gox’s accounts. Bridges self-surrendered today and will appear before Magistrate Judge Maria-Elena James of the Northern District of California at 9:30 a.m. PST this morning. Force was arrested on Friday, March 27, 2015, in Baltimore and will appear before Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan of the District of Maryland at 2:30 p.m. EST today. The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the FBI’s San Francisco Division, the IRS-CI’s San Francisco Division, the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General in Washington D.C. The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network also provided assistance with the investigation of this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Haun and William Frentzen of the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney Richard B. Evans of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. – –]]>
East Asia and the Pacific: Criminal Charges Filed against Protesters in Burma
MIL OSI – Source: United States Department of State – East Asia and the Pacific: Criminal Charges Filed against Protesters in Burma The United States State Department has issued a statement of concern after Burma authorities laid criminal charges against peaceful protesters. The US State Department “… is concerned by reports that the Government of Burma has filed criminal charges against peaceful protesters engaged in campaign activities advocating reform of the National Education Law. “We call for the immediate, unconditional release of all individuals being detained in the country as a result of exercising their right to peacefully assemble. “Transparency, accountability, and justice are vital for the Burmese Government’s expressed goals of social stability, peace, and democracy. “We strongly urge an impartial and credible investigation into the events of March 5 and 10, in cooperation with civil society, that would hold accountable all those involved in the violence, including security forces who applied excessive force. Only an impartial investigation and accounting will advance the country’s goals of mutual trust and national reconciliation and avoid deepening division.” –]]>
New steps against kauri dieback – Govt
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – New steps against kauri dieback
Conservation Minister Maggie Barry today announced the Albany Scenic Reserve in Auckland will be closed until further notice to prevent the spread of kauri dieback.
The 40 hectare Department of Conservation reserve is infested with the spores which cause dieback, a disease ravaging New Zealand’s forest giants. Several kauri trees growing next to the track through the reserve are visibly infected with it.
“Closing the reserve was not a decision I took lightly, but as we go into winter the threat posed to our majestic kauri by dieback requires decisive action,” Ms Barry says. “The risk of someone unwittingly spreading the disease from Albany to healthy trees is simply too great to be ignored.”
“I am also announcing the start of a major track upgrade programme which is aimed at keeping 400km of paths through kauri forests elsewhere open. This is the beginning of a roll-out of measures to contain the spread of the disease.”
“It may be necessary to close other kauri forests on DOC land in future and I am taking advice about where else it might be required.”
Kauri dieback, caused by the microscopic spore Phytophthora taxon Agathis (PTA), attacks the tree’s roots and destroys tissues which carry water and nutrients, gradually starving kauri to death. Nearly all infected trees die and there is currently no cure.
PTA can be spread easily through mud and water contaminating footwear, vehicle tyres and machinery without proper disinfection.
“Dieback has spread through the North Island forests and represents the single biggest threat the species has ever faced. The Government is committed to ensuring the disease is met and beaten,” Ms Barry says.
Last year’s budget gave the Department of Conservation $21.6 million towards upgrading tracks through kauri forest to prevent the spread of dieback.
$10.7 million will be spent on track improvements and another $10.9 million on operational costs over four years.
More than 100km of paths will be upgraded to remove mud from the track surface, 5km of boardwalks installed to keep feet clear of the tree’s root systems and 300 new cleaning stations set up at track entrances and exits.
Signage will also be upgraded to ensure the public are fully informed of the threat and do what they can to prevent its spread.
Meanwhile, the multi-agency Kauri Dieback Management Programme continues research into the cause of the disease, its spread and possible treatments.
—
]]>
Law change proposed to ban cosmetic testing on animals
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Government – Headline: Law change to ban cosmetic testing on animals
The Government will introduce a change to the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill to ban the use of animals for testing finished cosmetic products and ingredients, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced today.
“To the best of our knowledge there never has been any animal testing for cosmetics in New Zealand, but this amendment will send an important message that this kind of testing is unacceptable to New Zealanders and will never happen here.”
Mr Guy has introduced a new Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to the Bill before it is expected to be debated later today.
The new SOP bans animal testing in New Zealand for finished cosmetic products and ingredients, where those ingredients are being tested for the exclusive purpose of developing a cosmetic.
“The Government has decided to introduce an alternative to the original SOP introduced by Green MP Mojo Mathers because of concerns the wording may have been too broad. This could lead to unintended consequences such as banning testing on ingredients in medicines that New Zealanders depend on.
“I want to thank Mojo Mathers for her work on this issue. Although the Government has introduced slightly alternative wording, this amendment still captures the principle of her SOP.
“It’s important to note we already have a strong framework for any animal testing done in New Zealand. Any testing for products like medicines has to be approved by an independent ethics committee and has to show the benefits will outweigh any harm caused.”
—
]]>
Woman dies after crash between vehicle and a mobility scooter in Levin
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Police – Woman dies after crash
A woman has died in hospital after a collision between a vehicle and a mobility scooter on Oxford Street, Levin, on Thursday 26 March, 2015.
The crash happened at approximately 4pm and emergency services attended the scene.
Preliminary indications suggest the woman, who was riding the mobility scooter, was waiting on a median strip on the road when the collision occurred.
The woman sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Palmerston North Hospital, however she passed away yesterday (30 March, 2015) in the presence of her family.
She was Marie Hall, aged 83, of Levin.
Levin Police assisted by the Serious Crash Unit are investigating and inquiries are ongoing to determine the factors behind the crash.
Officers are continuing to speak to the male driver of the vehicle who did not sustain any injuries but was left shaken from the crash.
–
]]>Time to show RMA housing affordability plans – Labour
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Labour Party – Time to show RMA housing affordability plans Labour is challenging the Government to reveal its plans to make housing more affordable through amending the Resource Management Act, Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford says. “Labour remains willing to consider the proposals on housing affordability on their merits and will work constructively with the Government if they stack up. “Nick Smith has blamed the RMA for the housing crisis. That is nuts. It is yet another attempt to scapegoat others for the failure of National’s housing policy. Under National, Auckland building rates are 40 per cent less than they were under Labour in 2004 – under the very same RMA. “Today’s underwhelming consent data shows building rates are persistently falling far below what Auckland needs just to keep up with population growth. “Labour’s view is a National Policy Statement under the RMA on affordable housing is the best way to change how Councils administer the Act. “But if the Government has other ideas on RMA reform that will ease the housing crisis, we are all ears. “If the Government is not willing to put its cards on the table, then we can only conclude that all the talk of housing affordability was just a way of dressing up its deeply unpopular attempt to gut the RMA’s environmental principles,” Phil Twyford says. –]]>
Revised controls for moving purchased fruit and vegetables outside the Fruit Fly Controlled Area
MIL OSI – Source: Ministry for Primary Industries – Revised controls for moving purchased fruit and vegetables outside the Fruit Fly Controlled Area
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) today announced changes to the movement controls for fruit and vegetables in the Queensland fruit fly Controlled Area.
These changes will enable customers to purchase fruit and vegetables from MPI-Approved Retailers within the Controlled Area that they can take outside of the Controlled Area.
“For the public and the retailers approved by MPI, it will mean that shopping for fresh produce within the Controlled Zone will be getting closer to normal,” says Veronica Herrera, Director, Investigation, Diagnostic Centres and Response.
“MPI-Approved Retailers will be required to take precautions when purchasing and selling fresh produce, to avoid potentially spreading Queensland fruit fly. They will source all fruit and vegetables for sale from outside the Controlled Area, and protect the produce from exposure to Queensland fruit fly during transit to stores. Some retailers may also be required to cover fruit and vegetables in their store with a fruit fly resistant mesh so that fruit flies cannot lay eggs on the produce.”
Approved retailers will be required to seal the fresh produce in a supermarket plastic bag so customers are able to safely move it out of the Controlled Area. Customers may not remove the fruit from the plastic bag until it is outside the Controlled Area. MPI requires that customers keep their receipt as proof of purchase when they move the produce out of the Controlled Area.
“The Horticulture industry has been fully supportive of these changes and is working with MPI and retailers in the Controlled Area to source fresh produce that can be purchased, transported and sold under the new movement controls,” says Dr Herrera.
People will be able to identify approved retailers in the Controlled Area as they will display this MPI poster .
A list of approved retailers and more information is available on MPI’s website: http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests/queensland-fruit-fly
–]]>Local Government invited to support UFB, RBI and Mobile Black Spot programmes
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment MBIE – Local Government invited to support UFB, RBI and Mobile Black Spot programmes
31 March 2015
Local authorities are being asked to get involved in identifying the next priorities and ways they can support better connectivity of broadband and mobile coverage in their areas.
Examples of the actions local authorities could take to support their bid for better connectivity include:
- working with residents and businesses to identify opportunities for broadband use and support rapid uptake
- developing a Digital Enablement Plan for the community
- facilitating consent processes for new infrastructure
- making deployment quicker and less expensive by providing information about existing infrastructure
- providing assistance in developing or operating new sites (for example, by making land available or providing access or track maintenance).
Submissions are due by 3 July 2015.
Read more about the programmes and register your interest on MBIE’s Economic Development Information website.
–
]]>Seeking fish for injured yellow-eyed penguins
MIL OSI – Source: Department of Conservation – Seeking fish for injured yellow-eyed penguins Only six days of fish stock remains to feed 77 threatened yellow-eyed penguins in penguin rehabilitation centres in Otago. The penguins have been hospitalised over the last five weeks after suffering lacerations to their feet, legs and abdomen following attacks by barracouta, a predatory fish on the Otago coast. A shortage of salmon smolt, which are the optimal food for hospitalised penguins, has lead to Penguin Place on Otago Peninsula and the Penguin Rescue Trust in North Otago to look for alternative fish to feed their patients.
Penguin Place’s rehabilitation co-ordinator Julia Reid said any offers of fish would be greatly appreciated. “We’ve used fish such as silverside and smooth oreo dory before, but they are larger and need to be cut to size before feeding. We need fish that are 10-20cm long (able to be fed whole) and untreated.” At present Penguin Place has only six days fish supply remaining for 57 penguins in care.
Penguin Rescue Trust Manager Rosalie Goldsworthy said she was keen to hear from anyone who can supply the trust with untreated bait fish, preferably with a high fat content, in the range of 100 to 200 gram smolts. The trust is treating 20 penguins at its facility. Department of Conservation (DOC) Coastal Otago Services Manager David Agnew said adult penguins in rehabilitation need to moult within the next month, which requires them to near-double their body weight for the 24-day fast as they replace their feathers with a new waterproof set.“The penguins removed from the wild for veterinary care and rehabilitation will have an average stay of 24 days in care before being released back to their breeding site. So far, four adults had been released back to the Catlins, and more will be released in coming weeks as the birds are fattened for their moult,” David said.
He thanked St Kilda Veterinary Centre, Massey University’s Wildbase, Wellington Zoo and Air New Zealand for helping to treat penguins with extensive injuries that require longer-term surgery and hospital care that cannot be given in Otago. The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust is co-ordinating the appeal for fish or donations.Background information
Penguin Place thanks fish suppliers that have supported them so far – King Salmon, Akaroa Salmon and Sanfords. As of today, Penguin Place had received an offer of 2 tonnes of silverside and 1 tonne of jack mackerel from Ngai Tahu Fisheries. This will keep the penguins fed for a while but rehab centres are still keen to hear of any other offers, particularly salmon smolt. – -]]>New dwelling consents decreased in February
MIL OSI – Source: Statistics New Zealand – New dwelling consents decreased in February The number of new dwellings consented was 0.6 percent lower in February 2015 than in February 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. “The trend for new dwellings has more than doubled since March 2011,” business indicators manager Neil Kelly said. “But it is now showing signs of decreasing after generally increasing for almost four years.” The seasonally adjusted number of new dwellings consented decreased 6.3 percent in February 2015. Excluding apartments, this number fell 1.4 percent. A total of 1,758 new dwellings were consented in February 2015 (including 160 apartments). The regions that consented the most new dwellings were:
- Auckland – 528 (including 98 apartments)
- Canterbury – 517 (including 62 apartments)
- Waikato – 195.
- all buildings – up $136 million (12 percent) to $1.2 billion
- residential work – up $43 million (5.9 percent) to $769 million
- non-residential work – up $93 million (25 percent) to $469 million.
Homicide investigation launched following assault at Christchurch Men’s Prison
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Police – Homicide investigation launched following assault at Christchurch Men’s Prison
New Zealand can hold its head high, sports professor says
MIL OSI – New Zealand can hold its head high, sports professor says New Zealand can hold its head high, sports professor says
New Zealand can hold its head high in the cricketing world, University of Canterbury sports coaching professor Richard Light says.
The efforts and spirit of the team captivated the nation and took New Zealanders on an exciting ride to the pinnacle of one day cricket, the head of the university’s School of Sport and Physical Education says.
“The Black Caps played the Cricket World Cup in a way that represented the spirit of New Zealand, making a very positive statement to the world about New Zealand.
“They played with confidence, aggression, belief in themselves and the team and were a joy to watch. They were fearless, and as one of Australia’ most combative captains, Steve Waugh, asked his teams to do, left nothing on the field. Any team that does that can never have any regrets.
“The final was probably a little disappointing but the team’s performance at the tournament is beyond criticism. The team played the same way in the final that had taken them unbeaten through the rest of the tournament but on this occasion their lack of experience at this level was probably a disadvantage.
“Playing in front of 93,000 spectators in one of the greatest sport stadiums in the world with the weight of a nation on their shoulders is a tough ask, and particularly against a team like Australia that is so intensely competitive. Nobody choked – they did not quite play their best.
“New Zealand had been at the top their game for the entire tournament but it was widely assumed that if Australia were able to be at the top of their game in the final they would triumph.
“We should not let one game, even though it was the final, detract from the amazing achievement of the Black Caps and what they have done for New Zealand cricket.
“We should celebrate their fabulous achievement and look forward to the future. New Zealand has now emerged as a major player in world cricket and we should be ensuring that we build on this success.
“Prime Minister John Key said before the final that he expected huge growth in cricket among New Zealand girls and boys and this needs to be the focus of well thought out plans to grow the game. This is not only to boost the numbers playing cricket but also to follow the wonderful example set for the whole country by the Black Caps that goes beyond merely winning.
“The success of the Black Caps rested on a team-first ethos, belief in each other and the team as a collective, confidence and freedom of spirit that not only won games but won many fans in New Zealand and elsewhere. Above all, the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play demonstrated by the Black Caps set them apart from many other teams including Australia.
“The Black Caps provided a much-needed example of how teams can win without compromising the values and ethics of sport that are so often threatened. In this regard, New Zealand was the winner on Sunday night,” Professor Light says.
–]]>‘Remarkable’ professor retires after 45 years – Massey University
MIL OSI – Source: Massey University – ‘Remarkable’ professor retires after 45 years
Massey University’s longest serving academic, Professor of Animal Physiology Heather Simpson, has retired after 45 years on staff and more than 50 years at the university.
Professor Simpson started her PhD in 1965 when she also began demonstrating part-time. Her teaching roles have involved educating virtually every vet to have graduated from New Zealand since the course was first offered.
After completing her PhD, Professor Simpson continued to demonstrate part-time while also raising her two children. She then became a part-time lecturer in 1976, then a full-time senior lecturer in 1994, an associate professor in 2000 and was promoted to professorin 2007.
She has seen the veterinary degree grow over this time and says interests have changed.
“We started with about 30 students and now we are at over 100. People used to come in and say ‘I’m doing vet because I come from a sheep farm’ now they’re saying ‘I want to be a vet because of my love of my pony or cat’.”
She says her fondest memories are of meeting and getting to know students “especially in the smaller practical classes. Those classes were a lot of fun.” She has developed relationships with students from all over the world.
Professor Simpson has also served on numerous committees, including the University Research Committee and chaired the Palmerston North Research Committee. She was patron of the Veterinary Students Association, supervised 16 doctoral and 5 doctoral students and has more than 60 publications.
Her research has focussed on the biology of parasites found in the gut of sheep, an area she says is both an important health problem and interesting because it requires and understanding of “the relationship between two organisms and the struggle between them”.
Head of the Institute of Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Professor Paul Kenyon says Professor Simpson has had a highly successful teaching and research career. “She has taught pretty much every Bachelor of Veterinary Science class since we started offering the degree. She is such an integral part of our team.”
Her husband, Dr Bruce Simpson, says he is extraordinarily proud of what his wife has achieved. “Biased as I might be, she is a remarkable women. Not only was did she love to mix with students, she worked with scientists across many disciplines.”
The previous longest-serving academic staff member was chemist Professor Sylvia Rumball, who had completed 42 years when she retired in 2009. College of Sciences Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Anderson also retired this week after 44 years with Massey.
Professor Simpson will continue to help her current PhD students and has an honorary position with AgResearch. However now she also has more time for her other interests: tending to her orchids, stamp and shell collections, and getting to the golf course more often.
“I have plenty of things to keep me occupied.”
– –
]]>New air services agreements strengthen global links – NZ Govt
MIL OSI – Source: National Party – New agreements strengthen global links The approval of 10 new and amended air services agreements, or arrangements, will strengthen global links for Kiwi travellers and businesses, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says. Cabinet has approved new air services agreements with Bahrain, Colombia, Egypt, Greece, Oman, Serbia and the Seychelles that will give greater options for New Zealanders travelling to those countries. It has also confirmed arrangements reached with the Czech Republic and Curaçao to provide opportunities for airlines to offer code-share services, where two or more airlines share the same flight. “The new arrangements mean that airlines from these countries will have the opportunity to offer services to New Zealand if they see commercial opportunities – unhindered by the regulatory barriers that characterise much of international aviation. “Similarly, New Zealand airlines now have the opportunity to offer services in these markets”, Mr Bridges says. An amendment to an agreement with China announced in November last year, has been confirmed, doubling the number of services airlines that can operate between both countries. “The amendment provides immediate opportunities for continued growth in air services between New Zealand and China following an increase in weekly services from three to 21 in the last four years,” Mr Bridges says. The agreements with Bahrain and Oman mean that New Zealand now has air services agreements with all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. “These agreements remove the barriers for Gulf carriers seeking to fly to New Zealand and will pave the way for stronger links with the Middle East, further underpinning the Government’s Gulf Trade Strategy,” Mr Bridges says. All 10 agreements or arrangements were negotiated by Ministry of Transport officials at the International Civil Aviation Negotiation Conference held in Indonesia in November 2014. Since the Government launched its International Air Transport Policy in August 2012, over 40 new or amended agreements have been negotiated. “The government will continue to seek opportunities to open and expand new and existing air links with other countries,” Mr Bridges says. More information about New Zealand’s international air services agreements is available on the Ministry of Transport’s website www.transport.govt.nz/air/internationalairservices Background information: International air services are highly regulated. Under a global system dating back to the 1940’s, airlines are only able to operate services between two countries where the governments involved have entered into a treaty-level arrangement referred to as an air services agreement. Air services agreements set the conditions under which international air services may be operated. There are several thousand bilateral air services agreements in-force globally, resulting in a complex web of regulation. –]]>
Turkey: Draconian reforms give police wide-ranging powers to repress dissent
MIL OSI – Source: Amnesty International NZ – Turkey: Draconian reforms give police wide-ranging powers to repress dissent
 |
|
| clashes between the Turkish riot police and the protestors around Taksim. June 2013 © Mehmet Kacmaz / NarPhotos | |
Survey shows complex views about New Zealand’s relationship with Asia
MIL OSI – Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation – Survey shows complex views about New Zealand’s relationship with Asia
New Zealanders feel more connected with and positive toward people from Asia, but less positive about the economic benefits of New Zealand’s relationship with the region, a new survey has found.
Respondents in the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s annual survey, New Zealanders’ Perceptions of Asia and Asian Peoples 2014, reported a higher level of involvement with Asian people and cultures and an increased sense of integration between Asian and non-Asian New Zealanders.
Contributors to the report commented that Asian people had become more visible in their own lives. They had Asian neighbours, colleagues and healthcare professionals. These personal connections had become more common and everyday, so they felt that Asians were ‘one of them’ in the community.
The survey also finds high levels of support for language learning in schools, with Chinese viewed as the most valuable foreign language to learn.
But survey respondents were less positive about the benefits of the New Zealand’s economic relationship with Asia, particularly when it came to investment. The survey found fewer people agreed with a survey statement that investment from Asia would have positive impacts on New Zealand’s economy (from 74 percent in 2013 down to 64 percent in 2014); and more people agreed with a survey statement that New Zealand was allowing too much investment from Asia (up from 36 to 41 percent).
Although still a minority, an increased number of people agreed with the statement that Asian people were responsible for rising house prices (up from 33 to 39 percent). This view was most likely to be held by Auckland residents (54 percent) but the survey also found greater numbers of Wellington residents shared this view than they did in 2013.
Asia New Zealand Foundation chairman John Luxton said the Foundation had been tracking New Zealanders’ opinions of Asia and its peoples since 1997. “The latest survey is nuanced and complex. It shows a growing acceptance of Asian people as part of the fabric of New Zealand life, and an increased understanding of the need for our education system to reflect the significance of Asia to New Zealand.
“The survey also shows some concerns about investment from Asia and the perceived impact of Asian buyers on the housing market, which perhaps isn’t surprising given the prominence of those issues in the media. Overseas investment from non-Asian countries and housing purchases by non-Asian buyers simply do not attract the same level of attention.
“However, the survey also shows that the majority of New Zealanders view the Asian region as important to New Zealand’s future, second only to Australia. In particular, they recognise the importance of exports to Asia and tourism from the region.”
Dr Andrew Robertson of Colmar Brunton, which carried out the survey for the Asia New Zealand Foundation, said it conveyed a sense that: “New Zealanders differentiate between individuals and corporations. They stand up for the individual and for small businesses. They are a bit more skeptical about companies coming to New Zealand and investing in New Zealand, and what they think that means for New Zealand jobs.”
The survey also found that eight out of 10 New Zealanders (83 percent) thought that school children should learn a language other than English. Chinese was most commonly named as the language school children should learn, but nearly five times as many secondary school students learn French as Chinese.
Mr Luxton says the Foundation has been working with partners on a range of initiatives to help boost the numbers of school students learning Asian languages. “This doesn’t mean that every New Zealand child should be compelled to learn Chinese but access to Asian languages needs to be equitable. Asian languages shouldn’t – and needn’t – come at the expense of te reo Māori. Children learning te reo will be better placed to pick up other languages.”
Asia New Zealand Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan organisation dedicated to building New Zealand’s links with Asia through a range of programmes, including business, culture, education, media, research and a leadership network.
About the survey
New Zealanders’ Perceptions of Asia and Asian Peoples in 2014 was prepared for the Asia New Zealand Foundation by Colmar Brunton. The results are based on 1,000 telephone interviews carried out between 6 October and 9 November 2014, and a follow-up online forum. The results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
In an accompanying podcast, Asia New Zealand Foundation director of research Dr Andrew Butcher discusses the survey findings with media specialist and Asia New Zealand Foundation trustee Trish Carter; New Zealand Institute of Economic Research principal economist Shamubeel Eaqub; and Victoria University of Wellington’s BNZ Chair in Business in Asia, Professor Siah Hwee Ang. Listen to the podcast
–]]>Bystanders jump into the water to rescue male in trouble
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Police – Bystanders jump into the water to rescue male in trouble
At approximately 10.35pm on Monday 30th March 2013 Wellington Police received a report of a male person in the water, near Burdons Gate in Eastbourne.
The male was yelling for help.
The following units responded
· Hutt Police
· Wellington Maritime Police
· Westpac Rescue Helicopter
· Ambulance Service, along with Eastbourne Volunteers and Seaview Fire Service
In the meantime persons on shore were trying to locate the location of the person in the water and once they located him with a torch, they saw he was in difficulty and his head went under water, at this stage he was more than 50 metres from shore.
Two members of the public, a male and a female entered the water and swam out to the male who had become unconsicous and managed to bring the male into shore, where they commenced CPR. Police staff along with Fire Service arrived a short time later and continued CPR and the male was taken to Hospital in a serious condition.
The identity of the male is not known at this stage:
He is described as a male Indian approximately mid twenties to mid thirties. He was wearing a Maroon colour short sleeved poloi shirt and a pair of black light weight trousers. He was not carrying any form of ID on him.
Police would like to hear from anyone who knows the identity of this male and they should contact the Lower Hutt Police on: (04) 560-2600
Senior Sergeant Andre Kowalczyk said that the actions of the two members of the public who entered the water is to be applauded, they did an excellent job in very difficult circumstances and their efforts to enter the water to save this mans life were exceptional. The two rescuers are both young people and their actions were extremly brave.
–
]]>Litigious Approach to School Discipline Worrying Trend
MIL OSI – Source: Family First – Litigious Approach to School Discipline Worrying Trend
Media Release 30 March 2015
Family First is warning that a litigious approach to school disciplinary decisions will undermine the authority and special character of individual schools and has the potential to send some schools bankrupt. The comments come in response to two recent cases where parents have gone to court to challenge school rulings, including the St Bede’s rowers and the haircut ruling at Hasting’s St John’s College last year.
“Schools are working hard to instill values, discipline and respect in their students and they should be allowed to develop policies and rules to the benefit of the whole school community – not just the rights and demands of individual students and their parents,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ
“Parents rushing to courts and the decisions in these two most recent cases smack of politically correct human rights nonsense – especially ‘children’s rights’ – and shows a lack of respect to the role of authority and values of a particular school,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“The actions of the schools were reasonable and were not disproportionate, and were respected by the overwhelming majority of the wider school community. If parents don’t like the values of the school, they should challenge the rules through the Board of Trustees which is a representative group of parents anyway, or go elsewhere.”
“If every parent went to the court every time they disagreed with a decision, schools would quickly go bankrupt on legal fees,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“Where does this all stop? Can pupils now challenge for the right to have piercings all over their face, or to wear mufti rather than uniform, or to play in school sports teams despite wagging class throughout the term, or refusing to wear the required team uniform or attend practices?”
Family First has previously criticised a court ruling that overturned a St John’s College school decision to set a hair standard.
“We would encourage the Minister of Education to determine how to protect schools from expensive and inappropriate legal action, on behalf of many other schools who call for adherence to school rules, discipline, tidiness, and standards in their schools.” –]]>
Children Concerned About Sex, Violence in Media – Study
MIL OSI – Source: Family First – Children Concerned About Sex, Violence in Media – Study
Media Release 30 Mar 2015
Family First NZ says that the Children’s Media Use Study by NZ on Air and the BSA is sounding alarm bells about the levels of violence and sexual content being viewed by children 9-14 years old, and the concerns of the children themselves and also their parents.
The study shows that parents’ main concerns with television include children being exposed to violence (71%), sexual content (61%), adult programmes (40%), and bad language (39%). Online, it is children being exposed to sexual material (72%), violence (46%), unintentional access to inappropriate sites (44%), or adult sites (36%).
Three in five children said they have been exposed to some content on TV or online that they didn’t like, or that bothered or upset them. Exposure to aspects of violence, sex, pornography and inappropriate advertising has increased since 2007. Foul language is the most common type of challenging content heard on radio.
“The good news is that parents are being far more active in monitoring their children’s use – but why are children being exposed to this material in the first place. Our first concern should be the protection and welfare of children,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“The Broadcasting Standards Authority which ironically commissioned the research have tried to argue that their standards are reflecting community standards and that there is a ‘softening’ of attitudes. However, it is quite clear that as they allow broadcasters to push the boundaries, the standards are lowered, offensive material becomes more mainstream, and is then used far more in the media. Families are now telling us that they think it is pointless complaining, yet they are more and more concerned about declining standards.”
“Also of concern is that only one in three parents have software on devices to prevent access to certain objectionable or inappropriate online sites,” says Mr McCoskrie.
In 2013 the BSA released a survey which shows that their own standards are out of sync with the views of the public. The survey, What not to Swear: The acceptability of words in Broadcasting, reveals that highly offensive words – deemed unacceptable by half of the respondents in their survey – can still be heard anytime from 8.30pm onwards on television in NZ, and often during so-called family movies.
“Parents are sick and tired of lunging for the remote to protect children from offensive and inappropriate content – including promos for upcoming adult-rated programmes during the early evening, and even during news programmes which children may be watching for educational purposes,” says Mr McCoskrie.
Family First continues to call for the development and enforcing of higher standards for TV, film, radio and advertising content including stronger censorship of violence, sexual content and objectionable language, and a complete overhaul of the BSA, ASA and Censorship Board with greater community and family representation. Family First has already called on the government to join the UK in having pornography blocked by their internet provider unless they specifically choose to receive it.
–]]>
NZDF Hard at Work in Vanuatu
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand Defence Force – NZDF Hard at Work in Vanuatu
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) sealift vessel HMNZS Canterbury has begun unloading vital stores and equipment to assist Vanuatu in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Pam.
Fourteen NZDF personnel and three New Zealand Fire Service staff landed at Rovo Bay on Epi Island yesterday to start repairs at the Vailame Medical Centre. Work is also scheduled for this weekend at the local school in the hope that the buildings can be ready for classes tomorrow.
The tasks have been prioritised in consultation with Vanuatu Government representatives who are on site with the aid teams.
The Commanding Officer of HMNZS Canterbury, Commander (CDR) Simon Rooke, said that it was very satisfying to be getting the much-needed aid to Epi and the outlying islands.
“Everyone is really happy that we are here and are moving stores and personnel ashore. On Saturday a landing craft took 15 tonnes of Red Cross stores to a neighbouring island, then took the NZDF engineering teams ashore, and the helicopter was also busy moving people to where they needed to be.
“The beauty of this ship is that we have a platform that can put a very capable force to work, but we don’t put any additional demands on the island,” CDR Rooke said.
“Having combined reconnaissance teams of NZDF, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vanuatu Government personnel going ahead of us sets up access for us, allowing us to prioritise work and decide what to put where and when.
“It has been a really well co-ordinated activity. Everyone here has the same sense of purpose and vision, and we are all determined to provide maximum effect to improve the situation of the people on these islands as soon as possible.
“We are all focused on the same thing so that makes it really easy to work together,” he said.
–]]>Evening Report Video Cross To Hanoi – NZ’s Reputation in South East Asia
Evening Report: We Cross To Hanoi To Talk With Matt Robson on NZ’s Reputation in South East Asia After The Snowden GCSB Revelations Evening Report: We Cross To Hanoi To Talk With Matt Robson on NZ’s Reputation in South East Asia after revelations that the New Zealand Government’s GCSB has been spying on ASEAN member states and officials. Interviewer: Selwyn Manning (in Auckland). Here in New Zealand the issue of the John Key Government’s credibility has arisen, especially since New Zealand First leader Winston Peters achieved a huge win against the National Party machine in the Northland by-election. But what is the mood in South East Asia after it was revealed the New Zealand Government, via the GCSB, had been spying on our friends and significant trading partners in that region? We cross live to Hanoi, Vietnam, to talk to former Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Matt Robson. MIL Video: This video is copyright to Evening Report and Multimedia Investments Ltd (MIL).]]>
Gareth Renowden on Totten hots up, ice shelves melting: it’s grim down south
Hot-Topic.co.nz
Totten hots up, ice shelves melting: it’s grim down south
Much news in recent weeks from Antarctica, and none of it good. An Argentinian base on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula recently reported a new high temperature record for the continent — 17.5ºC. A team of scientists has discovered that East Antarctica’s Totten Glacier — which drains a catchment that contains enough ice to raise sea levels by 3.5 metres — is vulnerable to melting caused by warm ocean water lapping underneath the ice and reaching inland1. Another group has stitched together satellite data on ice shelf thickness gathered from 1994 to 2012 and found that the ice shelves — mostly stable at the beginning of the period, are now losing mass fast2. From the abstract:
Overall, average ice-shelf volume change accelerated from negligible loss at 25 ± 64 km3 per year for 1994-2003 to rapid loss of 310 ± 74 km3 per year for 2003-2012. West Antarctic losses increased by 70% in the last decade, and earlier volume gain by East Antarctic ice shelves ceased. In the Amundsen and Bellingshausen regions, some ice shelves have lost up to 18% of their thickness in less than two decades.The Amundsen region is home to the Pine Island Glacier, notorious for its current rapid loss of mass, and probably already past the point of no return for long term total melt. The map below shows the big picture: large red dots are ice shelves losing mass. Blue dots are shelves gaining mass.
Ice shelves are important features of the Antarctic cryosphere. They buttress the ice piled up on the land, slowing down the flow of ice into the ocean. As the shelves lose mass, the flow of ice from the centre of the continent can speed up, adding to sea level rise. There’s a very good overview of the process — and the findings of the Paulo et al paper — in this excellent Carbon Brief analysis.
The study of the Totten Glacier — one of the fastest thinning glaciers in East Antarctica — is the first to look at the detail of the sea floor and ice thickness in the area. The study finds that there are “tunnels” under the ice leading into a deep trough inland that cold convey warm water inland — the same process that has destabilised the Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica. As the authors suggest, rather drily, “coastal processes in this area could have global consequences”.
These signs of rapid changes around the coasts of Antarctica, together with hints that large parts of the huge East Antarctic ice sheet are at risk of following West Antarctica into the sea, suggest that even if sea levels only rise by a metre by the end of this century as the IPCC projected last year, the longer term picture will be a great deal wetter than that. After all, there is the equivalent of 60 metres of sea level rise locked up in East Antarctica.
For a very good overview of the state of our understanding of what’s going on in Antarctica, I recommend a listen to VUW’s Professor Tim Naish being interviewed by Radio New Zealand National’s Kim Hill last Saturday. Naish even covers what’s happening to the sea ice down there, but a longer term study of the sea ice is getting under way, led by another VUW prof — Jim Renwick.
- Greenbaum JS et al, (2015), Ocean access to a cavity beneath Totten Glacier in East Antarctica, Nature Geoscience, doi:10.1038/ngeo2388 [↩]
- Paolo, F.S. et al, (2015), Volume loss from Antarctic ice shelves is accelerating, Science, doi/10.1126/science.aaa0940
Keith Rankin Reflecting on the Northland By-election
Analysis by Keith Rankin – First Published on Scoop.co.nz.
[caption id="attachment_2497" align="alignleft" width="300"]
National Hoardings – Northland. Image: Courtesy of Twitter.com/stevenljoyce.[/caption]
NATIONAL’S VULNERABILITY in Northland should have taken nobody by surprise. Winston Peters is a very natural fit in his turangawaeawe. National, on 49% in Northland at the general election did not even have a majority of party votes. Patrick Gower finally noted this in The Nation this weekend, but was completely unaware of its significance; a majority of votes in 2014 were cast for other parties. Instead Gower told us that Northland had been a safe National seat since its inception in 1966! (When will the media stop calling the winning margin in an FPP election a ‘majority’?)
Who does Gower’s research? The Northland seat has existed of course since New Zealand became a self-governing colony (long before 1966); albeit under different names. In 1966, under the name of Hobson, Northland was won by the Social Credit leader Vernon Cracknell. Of all the ‘expert’ commentators, the only one I ever heard mention this was Don McKinnon on Q+A yesterday.
In character, Northland may be closer to Westland (now West Coast – Tasman), a conservative electorate that is quite different to more typical farming regions such as those in Waikato, Taranaki and Southland. Northland has always been fertile territory for a party like New Zealand First, when the moment was propitious.
The most significant presence in Russell on Saturday night may have been Shane Jones, another Maori blokey populist from the North. I can certainly see Jones coming back to Parliament in 2017 on the New Zealand First list, and becoming NZ First leader and Northland candidate in 2020.
Now that New Zealand First have this electorate, it has become New Zealand First’s ‘home’ electorate. I cannot see National coming up with a man or woman of the north who could win this seat from a Winston Peters or a Shane Jones.
Another significance of Northland is that even the mainstream media is just about getting to understand both FPP and MMP voting. Electorate contests are FPP, a system that only works in a head-to-head contest (and then only at the local level; watch out for lottery-like happenings in the upcoming United Kingdom election). Andrew Little figured this out quick enough. In an FPP contest, the only reason to vote for an ‘also-ran’ electorate candidate is if you are completely indifferent about who actually wins, or if the contest appears to be ‘no contest’ (such as Selwyn or Waikato).
What the media present to their consumers as scandalous ‘deals’ (eg around Willow-Jean Prime this time) are now seen as what they always have been; common-sense politics.
In general elections, it is the party vote, not the electorate vote that National and Labour need from Northland. At a national level, these head-to-head FPP electorate contests mainly give local colour and ensure a semblance of geographical balance. They also give smaller parties a home base, an opportunity to maintain their proportionality in the party vote without having to meet a 5% threshold.
Because in MMP elections (not FPP by-elections) the actual election is the Party Vote, tribal voters do not have to vote for their party’s candidate when they can actually vote for their party (unlike in the UK). It frees them to vote in their electorate for someone who can win, and who they believe will represent them better than the other man or woman who could win.
The mainstream media are on the verge of getting this. Almost everyone else got it long ago. The outrage about electorate ‘deals’ has always a mainstream media beat-up.
–]]>
WEST PAPUA: Leaders meet solidarity groups in Brisbane
MIL OSI Analysis – Pacific Media Centre/Pacific Media Watch
ULMWP spokesman Benny Wenda … at the solidarity meeting in Australia. Image: Free West PapuaMonday, March 30, 2015
Item: 9187
BRISBANE (Free West Papua Campaign/Pacific Media Watch): West Papuan leaders of the newly formed United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), including Benny Wenda, Octovianus Mote and Rex Rumakiek, met in Brisbane over the weekend with Australian and some Aotearoa/New Zealand solidarity groups. As their campaign for full membership for West Papua to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) gains momentum, the ULMWP met to strengthen campaign support for the July MSG meeting in Honiara, where the application for West Papuan membership will be considered. The newly formed ULMWP is the coordinating body representing all organisations in the struggle for West Papuan self-determination as a unified front.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 New Zealand Licence. ]]>
Peters Winning Speech: We Asked You To Send A Message And You Have
MIL OSI – Source: New Zealand First – Speech – We Asked You To Send A Message And You Have
New Zealand First Leader and Northland by-election candidate, Rt HonWinston Peters
Speech at Duke of Marlborough Hotel
Russell
28th March,2015
WE ASKED YOU TO SEND A MESSAGE AND YOU HAVE
[caption id="attachment_2529" align="alignleft" width="300"]
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.[/caption]We must thank the people of Northland who put aside their party preferences and came out to vote for Northland.
We must thank all of those people within our party, and so many who are not members but who nevertheless have done all they possibly could to bring us home in front tonight.
To all those people who gave us financial support to fund this campaign our sincere gratitude. To all those people who helped the campaign along the way with kindness and encouragement, thank you indeed.
May I say to my opponents in this campaign you have not to despair you have our understanding and sympathy and no one should hold you accountable for past neglect and political abandonment.
If they do, then they will show they have no understanding of the economic and social conditions of this electorate called Northland.
We went along hundreds of country roads and to many hamlets to speak to those New Zealanders.whether on farms, in small factories or in shops, to share their anxiety at the lack of sympathy there is in the corridors of power for their persona; and family situations. Whether it be a young Northlander looking for a job with decent wages or a farmer in a critical industry yet struggling to survive with high interest rates and a deeply damaging currency.
In the Northland by-election New Zealand First took “the road less travelled”, or never travelled at all.
We went to thousands of forgotten people and they have responded and that has made all the difference.
What this means is that New Zealand First has put the voters of Northland first.
In a real campaign devoid of stage managed spin laden platitudes this by-election was about what really maters to the voters of Northland.
So we campaigned on the real state of jobs, poverty, education, housing, roads and infrastructure, businesses and primary product enterprises in Northland.
We in Northland know we are not alone and there are many regions suffering from years of neglect and a lack of a genuine regional development policy. They have seen their regions being hollowed out while resources are poured in elsewhere.
No one should underestimate how difficult this campaign was from the outside. Just four weeks ago when we knew we were ready we launched our campaign, 17,412 votes behind.
We have to put aside our political differences up here if we are going to restore this province and this electorate to its rightful position in New Zealand
That’s why we are here in Russell tonight, symbolic of where the power once lay in this country, with the full intention that hereafter, it will be restored.
We made a commitment to you in this campaign that if you voted for us then there would never be a future important economic and social issue in the corridors of power without they first turned and asked, “but what does Northland think?”
We asked you to to send them a message, and you have – so resounding that they must now respond.
–]]>
NZ ICT sector thanked for work on IRD transformation
Headline: NZ ICT sector thanked for work on IRD transformation
Revenue Minister Todd McClay has thanked the New Zealand ICT sector for their collaboration with Inland Revenue on the modernisation and simplification of New Zealand’s tax system.
“Tomorrow we will launch two discussion documents that will outline the overall direction of the modernisation and ask for feedback. I would like to acknowledge the hard work already put in by the ICT sector,” says Mr McClay.
In October 2014 a working group with 20 representatives from small, medium and large software developers was established to co-design how GST and PAYE information could be transferred to Inland Revenue in the future.
“This group is helping Inland Revenue design smart ways to file returns electronically from within software packages. For example, businesses will be able to submit their GST and payroll information directly to IRD with the press of a button,” says Mr McClay.
In parallel, Inland Revenue is working with major software developers, MYOB and Xero.
“We are using their extensive knowledge to learn how we can simplify processes for small businesses.
“The Government is making a major investment in simplifying the tax system for New Zealand taxpayers, so we want to make sure it delivers significant improvements for third parties and New Zealand as a whole, not just Inland Revenue,” says Mr McClay.
– –
]]>
John Key now admits no broad support for RMA changes – Labour
MIL OSI – Source: Labour Party – John Key now admits no broad support for RMA changes John Key has now been forced to admit that he never had the broad political support to gut the Resource Management Act, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson Megan Woods. “Cornerstone legislation such as the RMA should never be changed without genuine consultation with all the parties in Parliament. “Now that National has lost Northland John Key is suddenly talking of ripping up the changes. It shows that the Government only ever had a knife-edge majority for any change. “This is the second time National has had to abandon their attempts to change the RMA. Last term they could not get the numbers, even from their own support partners, after Minister Amy Adam tried to gut it. “The fact is that the Government has not revealed any detail of what changes they are proposing for the RMA. All we have ever had is an over-cooked speech from Nick Smith in January. “A bottom line for Labour is that we will not support the gutting of the fundamental principles of the RMA – this is the tool for protecting ordinary people’s enjoyment of their property and their environment. “Labour is happy, and has always been happy, to look at any sensible changes that do not water down our environmental protections,” says Megan Woods. –]]>
New Zealand’s dark history and violent present revealed in award-winning plays.
MIL OSI – Source: Creative New Zealand – New Zealand’s dark history and violent present revealed in award-winning plays. PLAYMARKET is pleased to announce the ADAM NZ PLAY AWARD winners for 2015: Anders Falstie-Jensen for Centrepoint and Hone Kouka for Bless the Child. The Adam NZ Play Award recognises and celebrates the best in new writing for the theatre. Director of Playmarket Murray Lynch announced the win at Circa Theatre on 28 March 2015 alongside four other special award winners. Based on meticulous research and interviews Centrepoint is a fictional take on the story of New Zealand’s most notorious community. In order to save their marriage, Kate and Neil decide that a change is needed. Inspired by the vision of Bert Potter, they sell everything they own and, with their two young children, move to Centrepoint. As they embrace the community’s radical lifestyle their family is changed in ways that they could never have imagined. Anders Falstie-Jensen was born in Denmark and has lived in Aotearoa since 2001. He is one of the founding members of The Rebel Alliance Theatre Company. He has worked as a director, writer, producer and in many other roles in the theatre. His writing credits include A Night of French Mayhem (2007), The Bomb (2008) and Standstill (2012). Bless the Child eloquently and passionately highlights the tragic issue of violence against children. Another Maori child has died and hotshot lawyer Khan Te Ahi Richards is reluctantly dragged in to the case to defend the mother as the whanau close ranks. Shardae, mother to the deceased child, is demonised and guilty until proven innocent. Who killed baby and will they be found out? Affecting all is Ruaumoko, god of earthquakes and unborn children. Hone Kouka (Ngati Porou, Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Kahungunu) is an acclaimed Maori writer, winner of the Bruce Mason Award (1992) and multiple Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. His plays, which have been produced throughout Aotearoa and around the world, include Waiora, Nga Tangata Toa, The Prophet, Tu and the solo show I, George Nepia. Hone has published five books and co-founded theatre production house Tawata Productions with Miria George. Tawata produces the works of emerging and established Maori, Pasifika and tauiwi playwrights and the Matariki Development Festival. Hone became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Contemporary Maori Theatre in June 2009. Dean Parker was named Runner Up for his play Polo, an hilarious evisceration of class and politics set amongst the Auckland glitterati and full of sparkling dialogue and despicable characters. Highly Commended was awarded to Tom McCrory for his play Significance in which an ageing Shakespeare muses on the death of his son. The Adam NZ Play Award, now in its eighth year, is the only one of its kind for new writing. Playmarket’s only entrance requirements are that the playwright be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and that the play has not yet had a production. The award is generously funded by the Adam Foundation. Playmarket is also very grateful for the support of Circa Theatre, and major funders: ASB Community Trust and Creative New Zealand. ADAM AWARD WINNERS 2015 Anders Falstie-Jensen for Centrepoint and Hone Kouka for Bless the Child Runner-up: Dean Parker for Polo Best Play by a Woman Playwright: Michelanne Forster for The Gift of Tongues Best Play by a Maori Playwright: Hone Kouka for Bless the Child Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright: David Mamea for Kingswood Highly Commended: Tom McCrory for Significance Finalists: Aroha Awarau for Officer 27 Sam Brooks for Spitting it Out Kip Chapman for Hudson and Halls Live! Denis Edwards for Service to Love Pip Hall for Squeak Squeak – Tales of the White Mouse Nathan Joe for Who is Sada Abe? Part One: Bullfight of Love Riwia Mackenzie-Brown for The Violet and the Huia Feather Ken Mizusawa for Why We Do What We Do? James Nokise for The Last Part Gavin McGibbon for Congregation Robyn Patterson for The World’s First Fight April Phillips for Charlotte Badger – Miscreant, Mother, Mutineer! John Smythe for Where there’s a Will Aroha White for 2080 –]]>
