Author: MIL OSI Publisher

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Consumer News – Savvy Powerswitch users save over $5 million on their power bills

Source: Consumer NZ

Over the past year, New Zealanders who switched power provider using Powerswitch collectively saved over $5 million.

“That’s $5 million that will stay in the pockets of people paying for power, rather than bolstering the profits of electricity retailers,” said Paul Fuge, Powerswitch manager.

Powerswitch is a free and independent comparison service run by Consumer NZ that helps people check they’re on the best plan to meet the needs of their household. Powerswitch data shows people who switch providers can typically save $385 a year on their power bill.

“We want to see even more people using the Powerswitch service to check whether they could be getting a better deal.

“When more people switch, it generates competition in the market and forces retailers to sharpen their prices to hold on to their customers.

“There’s no such thing as premium electricity – so why pay more than you have to?” said Fuge.

“In our latest energy survey, 62% of people said they were concerned about their electricity costs, and 19% of households reported they had experienced financial difficulty paying their monthly power bill in the last 12 months.  

“Despite the savings available, the number of people changing provider remains stubbornly low. The paradox is bamboozling.

“According to data from the Electricity Authority, only around 6% of households changed provider in the last year, excluding people moving house.

“For every one percent of households that switch electricity provider there would be collective savings of around 7 million dollars a year. That’s money that should be retained by hard-working New Zealanders instead of boosting power company coffers,” said Fuge.

Consumer estimates over 40% of households have been with the same power provider for more than five years. The big four retailers and their subsidiaries provide power to more than eight in ten households across the country.

“Time and time again, our research shows that customers with the smaller power providers are more satisfied with the service they receive, including the price they pay for their power. But still, so many people stay with the big providers.

“It only takes a matter of minutes to check, switch and then save. It really could not be simpler.

“This winter we also have a dedicated Powerswitch call centre to help people who have limited online access or struggle to use the internet.

“We want as many people as possible to check to see if they could be saving. Together we can bring down the country’s power prices,” said Fuge.

The Powerswitch call centre number is 0800 266 786 – the team is available on weekdays between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Notes

In the year ended June 2023, there were 662,742 Powerswitch users and 27,314 switch requests on the Powerswitch site.

The power plans available on the Powerswitch site make up almost 97% of the market.

About Consumer

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

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Government News – Privacy Commissioner frustrated by firearms privacy breach

Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner

The Privacy Commissioner is frustrated by the New Zealand Police’s recent serious privacy breach.
The breach involved the inadvertent disclosure of 147 firearm owner’s email addresses by Te Tari Pūreke, the police’s new firearms safety authority on Wednesday, 26 July, 2023.
“This is frustrating, given the significant known risk of email address errors and the opportunity the new authority had to design in system guardrails,” says Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster.
This is the fourth breach of firearm owners’ personal information by the police in under four years.
“We found out about this privacy breach via the media. We had to ask the police to notify us,” said the Commissioner.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner was formally notified by the police at 10.28pm on July 27 of the serious breach.
“We understand the police sent out an email to affected people within minutes of the serious breach occurring. But this was an avoidable serious privacy breach.
“The purpose of the firearms register is to effectively regulate the legitimate possession and use of firearms to keep all communities safe. It can only do this if firearms owners trust that their personal information will be protected’, says Mr Webster.
The email error meant recipients of a bulk email were able to see the email addresses of everyone else who received the message.
“Email address errors were significant known risks, which were clearly signalled by my Office during the firearms registry policy process and by other privacy experts in the design and implementation of Te Tari Pūreke’s systems and processes. This should have been better managed”, said Mr Webster.
“I regard email privacy breaches caused by typical human mistakes as system design errors. I expect any agency that relies on communication via email, especially bulk email, to have system and process guardrails in place to help prevent human error and keep staff and the public safe.
Mr Webster said it was his hope the establishment of a special purpose Firearms Safety Authority would contribute to community safety – and the secure management of firearm owners’ personal information is an important part of that.
“I note that since the email breach, Te Tari Pūreke has put in place a new interim email policy and a pause on all email to groups while technology-based guardrails are put in place.
‘I will be asking Te Tari Pūreke to provide me with assurance that they have implemented robust systems and processes across the authority to protect the sensitive personal information they hold. 
This work is essential to gaining the trust and confidence of firearms owners in the new authority,” says the Commissioner.
For agencies who rely on email, particularly bulk email, to communicate with the public, some useful guardrails include:
  • ‘delay-send’ rules to allow
errors to be identified and reversed;
  • disabling ‘auto-complete’
addressing functions to reduce the risk of the incorrect email address
being used;
  • removing access to the ‘cc’
line to eliminate the potential for common “cc” vs “bcc” mistakes; and
  • ensuring that email
addresses are checked and potentially tested before being used to send
communications or information, particularly sensitive information.
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Child Poverty and Climate Change – Over 11 million children born during world’s hottest month on record: Save the Children

Source: Save the Children

About 11.2 million children [i] were born in July 2023 which is expected to be the hottest month ever recorded on earth, said Save the Children, as the climate crisis threatens to undo decades of progress in children’s rights and wellbeing, including the fight against hunger.
This milestone is a grim reminder of how many young lives continue to be blighted by the climate crisis, growing up in a world with soaring temperatures and unprecedented environmental risks.
Pregnant women are also more vulnerable during a heatwave, with exposure to high temperatures, including in early stages of pregnancy, associated with premature birth and stillbirth.
The child rights organisation urged world leaders to take immediate action to do everything in their power to curb warming temperatures to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, in order to limit the impact of dangerous extreme weather events on children’s lives.
As well as being the hottest month recorded globally, July also broke two other records: Thursday 6 July was the hottest day ever recorded [ii] and record low levels of Antarctic sea ice [iii]. These followed the world’s hottest June on record [iv] and extreme marine heatwaves during May, June and July, with sea surface temperature the highest ever recorded [v].
Save the Children research released with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel found that children will face on average seven times as many heatwaves, twice as many wildfires and three times as many crop failures as their grandparents under initial Paris Agreement emission reduction pledges. In New Zealand, the research showed tamariki born in 2020 will face 5.6 times as many heatwaves, 4.3 times as many droughts, 1.5 times as many wildfires, 1.4 times as many river floods and 1.3 as many crop failures than their grandparents.
Children in lower-income countries and those already impacted by poverty and discrimination are particularly affected. For example, children in Afghanistan face up to 18 times as many heatwaves as their grandparents’ generation, while in Mali, they could face up to 10 times as many crop failures. 
But the research emphasises that if warming is limited to 1.5C, the additional lifetime exposure of newborns to heatwaves will drop by 45%, by 39% for droughts, by 38% for river floods; by 28% for crop failures, and by 10% for wildfires.
Kelley Toole, Global Head of Climate Change at Save the Children, said: ” For children born into the world in July 2023, life looks starkly different to what their parents and grandparents have been used to. And a future that caters to their rights, needs, health and security looks further and further out of reach.
“But we do still have a narrow window of time and with the right ambition and decision from leaders to rapidly phase out the use and subsidy of fossil fuels and curb warming temperatures, we can act to make the world a brighter pace for children. We also need to ensure children’s rights, needs and voices are placed at the heart of climate finance and loss and damage funding arrangements.”
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Home consents down in the June 2023 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Building consents issued: June 2023

Home consents down in the June 2023 quarter – Media release

1 August 2023

The number of new homes consented in the June 2023 quarter was 9,888, down 20 percent compared with the June 2022 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

“The June 2023 quarter marked the second quarter in a row where there was a decrease in both the number of stand-alone houses and the number of multi-unit homes consented,” said construction and property statistics manager Michael Heslop.

In the June 2023 quarter there were 4,281 stand-alone houses consented, down 21 percent compared with the June 2022 quarter, and 5,607 multi-unit homes, down 18 percent over the same period.

Multi-unit homes include townhouses, apartments, retirement village units, and flats.

Visit our website to read this news story and information release or to download CSV files:

CategoriesMIL-OSITagsMIL OSI
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Government welcomes startup report

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has welcomed a report from the Startup Advisors Council on steps to support a thriving startup sector in New Zealand.

Research, Science and Innovation Minister Ayesha Verrall and Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds have thanked the Council members for their work, which has been underway since 2022.

“We will take time to carefully consider the Council’s report and their valuable recommendations to support and strengthen the environment for New Zealand startups,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“The report has identified challenges and opportunities facing many startup businesses across the country.

“A thriving startup ecosystem will make a significant contribution to the shift to a high-wage, low-emissions economy and we are committed to continuing to fostering growth, innovation and job creation,” Ayesha Verrall said.

The report makes 25 recommendations centred on four themes. These include fostering greater connectivity, support for attracting and growing talent, increasing access to capital and supporting a cultural shift to encourage more entrepreneurialism.

“The Council engaged widely in developing their recommendations. I want to acknowledge their contribution and that of the wider startup community in developing this report,” Barbara Edmonds said.

“There is a role for all of us in responding to these. The call to improve diversity of startups is something we’re working on with New Zealand Growth Capital Partners and there are actions the private sector can also take to improve the representation of Māori and women in the sector.

“Establishing the Council was just one way we are supporting startups. We have invested $300 million into the Elevate NZ Venture Fund, including $40.5 million in Budget 2023. As a result, we’ve seen a significant increase in capital and transactions in the market since the Fund launched in 2020.

“We value opportunities to work in partnership with businesses, investors and communities. We will be considering how to maintain a collaborative and open approach to the startup sector now that the Council’s initial term has formally ended.

“This report provides a solid foundation to progress the Government’s activity in this space. Officials will now carry out further work to support next steps and we look forward to sharing more soon,” Barbara Edmonds said.

The Council’s report is available on the MBIE website.

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Pregnancy warning on alcoholic drinks required from today

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

All packaged alcoholic drinks sold in stores must from today carry labels warning that alcohol can cause harm to unborn babies.

“New Zealand Food Safety wants to support pregnant people to be able to make the right health choice for themselves and their babies,” said New Zealand Food Safety deputy-director general Vincent Arbuckle.

“Pregnant people and those supporting them need to be aware of the risk that alcohol presents for their unborn child, and the potentially life-changing consequences drinking while pregnant can have.”

Food Standards Australia New Zealand developed the new labelling requirement, which will be monitored in New Zealand by New Zealand Food Safety. Manatū Hauora/the Ministry of Health supports the new requirement.

Manatū Hauora deputy director of public health Dr Harriette Carr says: “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can have a major impact on someone’s quality of life but it’s completely preventable.”

Each year, between 1,800 and 3,000 babies are born with FASD in New Zealand, which can result in heart defects, behavioural problems, and intellectual disability. There is no cure for FASD.

“Warning labels on alcohol can support increasing public awareness and understanding of risks of drinking alcohol while pregnant,” Dr Carr says.

The new warning label is required on any packaged drink for retail sale that contains more than 1.15% alc/vol.

“The mandatory warning label is just one way to convey the message about the risk to unborn children from consuming alcohol while pregnant,” said Mr Arbuckle.

“The label supports advice from doctors, midwives, Manatū Hauora, and many other groups that there is no safe amount of alcohol that can be consumed while pregnant. Drinking alcohol while pregnant can have lifelong consequences for unborn babies.”

The date when the labels become mandatory, 1 August 2023, was announced in 2020. Many businesses have chosen to add the warning labels to their products well in advance of this date, so consumers may be accustomed to seeing them on alcoholic drinks already.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand has detailed requirements and examples of the warning label for businesses on its website.

Pregnancy warning labels downloadable files – Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Anyone who is pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, should not drink any alcohol. They should talk to their doctor or midwife if they have any questions about keeping their baby healthy while pregnant. You can also contact the Alcohol Drug Helpline for free, confidential information and support via their website, on 0800 787 797 or free text 8681.

Alcohol Drug Helpline

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Emergency Management Minister to visit Fiji & Vanuatu to strengthen cooperation on natural disaster response

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty, will travel to Fiji and Vanuatu today to further strengthen cooperation between the countries in building resilience to natural disasters.

Kieran McAnulty will depart on 1 August to meet with his Ministerial counterparts in Suva and Port Vila, and to spend time with local disaster management teams.

“New Zealand and our Pacific whānau have a proud history of supporting each other whenever severe weather hits, and working together on recovery and resilience,” Kieran McAnulty said.

“Earlier in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle, Fiji sent personnel over to assist us, and New Zealand sent assistance over to Vanuatu when they were hit shortly after that.

“Our nations share whānau and community. When disasters strike our Pacific neighbours, it affects our Pacific communities back home – and vice versa. We’re all in this together,” Kieran McAnulty said.

National Emergency Management Agency’s Rapid Response Team regularly deploys staff to Pacific nations as part of a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade-funded Pacific Disaster Risk Management Programme.

“The impacts of climate change are increasingly being felt across the Pacific, and it’s more important than ever that we work together to strengthen our collective disaster resilience.

“Fiji and Vanuatu have a wealth of experience in dealing with natural disasters such as cyclones, tsunami, and earthquakes. I’m really looking forward to learning from them, and to see what help we can offer.

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Privacy Commissioner frustrated by firearms privacy breach

Source: Privacy Commissioner

The Privacy Commissioner is frustrated by the New Zealand Polices recent serious privacy breach. The breach involved the inadvertent disclosure of 147 firearm owners email addresses by Te Tari Preke, the polices new firearms safety authority on Wednesday, 26 July, 2023. This is frustrating, given the significant known risk of email address errors and the opportunity the new authority had to design in system guardrails, says Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster. This is the fourth breach of firearm owners personal information by the police in under four years. We found out about this privacy breach via the media. We had to ask the police to notify us, said the Commissioner. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner was formally notified by the police at 10. 28pm on July 27 of the serious breach.

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Update from the Mayor on Category 3 Buyout negotiations

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says negotiations for a cost sharing agreement for voluntary buying outs of high-risk (Category 3) residential properties in the region are progressing, and he is optimistic the two parties will reach a resolution soon.

“Auckland, like every other region, will require significant support from central government to be able to afford the cost of the proposed property buyouts, and longer-term investment to improve the city’s resilience to these events.

“Affordability and cost control will be key, and decisions on the scope and speed of the fix up will depend on the extent of government support.

“We understand people want clarity on this as soon as possible. We are working as fast as we can, but it is complex work and we owe it to all ratepayers to proceed carefully,” Mayor Brown said.

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Don’t get blown away by windy weather

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Drivers travelling in the lower North Island and upper South Island will need to be on top of their game with gale-force winds forecast to hit the regions from 6pm tonight.

The Metservice has issued a wind warning for Wellington, Wairarapa, and Marlborough. It runs from 6pm Tuesday through to five am Wednesday morning.

 

Severe gale north westerlies, with gusts reaching 120 km/h, are forecast. This will affect all main highways in Wellington and Wairarapa, and State Highways 1, 6, 62, and 63 in the upper South Island.

 

It means drivers of high-sided vehicles (eg trucks, vans, and campervans) and motorcycles will need to take extra care in exposed areas, such as State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill.

 

Road users must drive to the conditions and be prepared for hazards. They should also check road and weather conditions before they travel, as strong winds can bring down trees and powerlines. This means roads can be closed at short notice.