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31 August 2023 Kāinga Ora invites public feedback on the Tauranga Western Corridor proposed key features Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities is inviting the public to provide feedback on the proposed ‘key features’ of a potential Specified Development Project (SDP) for the Tauranga Western Corridor. 

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

Supporting collaboration between the public and private sectors and mana whenua, the SDP process is a tool that can be used to plan and deliver complex and transformational urban development projects, helping address Aotearoa New Zealand’s housing shortage.

Kāinga Ora General Manager Urban Planning and Design, Katja Lietz, says feedback is being invited as part of the assessment phase of the SDP process.

“In response to the significant housing need in Tauranga and a request by Tauranga City Council, Kāinga Ora selected the Tauranga Western Corridor for assessment as a potential Specified Development Project (SDP) in September 2022.

“Establishing an SDP is a comprehensive and multi-stage process – of which the assessment is the first -which offers a number of opportunities for public input, meaning projects can be shaped by local needs and aspirations.

“Since selecting the Western Corridor for assessment, we’ve worked closely with our SmartGrowth partners, mana whenua, key stakeholders, landowners, and developers, gathering insights to shape the proposed key features.

“Now we are asking for public feedback on the proposed key features – the proposed project area, project objectives and governance body – and this can be done either online or in person.”

SmartGrowth, a partnership including the three partner councils (Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council),central government and tāngata whenua, estimates an additional 43,000 homes are needed in the Western Bay of Plenty sub-region by 2048, and has identified the Western Corridor as a regionally significant location for accommodating some of this growth.

Tauranga City Council requested Kāinga Ora explore the use of the SDP process to help deliver large-scale housing and urban development (including necessary infrastructure improvements) in the proposed project area.

The proposed project area for the SDP includes the Tauriko West and Keenan Road urban growth areas, an extension to Tauriko Business Estate and other potential longer-term growth areas in the Western Corridor.

The proposed key features Kāinga Ora is considering for the potential SDP include the:

  • proposed project area, defined by clear geographical boundaries.
  • proposed project objectives describing what the project aims to deliver.
  • proposed project governance body, being the entity that will oversee the project.

The public is invited to provide feedback, either online or in person, from 31 August to 29 September 2023.

The feedback collected will be considered by Kāinga Ora, including if any changes to the proposed key features are required. A summary of the feedback received will also be provided alongside the final assessment report and recommendation Kāinga Ora must prepare for the Minister of Housing and the Minister of Finance, who will jointly decide if the area should be established as an SDP.

“We appreciate that people may have misconceptions that Kāinga Ora is involved in this process in its role as a developer of public housing but that is not the case. As the government’s urban development authority, we have a mandate to enable homes of all types (public, market and affordable) to be built,” says Ms Lietz.

“SDPs can help to create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities as they generally seek to incorporate all the facilities needed to make an area liveable, including a range of housing options, public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure, recreational facilities, employment, and education.

“We’re early in the SDP process and no decisions have yet been made on whether or not to establish the project as an SDP.

“If an SDP is established, we’ll work with our partners, stakeholders, landowners, and the community to create a development plan, with further opportunities for the public to provide feedback on how housing and urban development should be shaped and delivered in the area.”

Find out more about the proposed key features and provide feedback at https://specified-development-projects-kaingaora.hub.arcgis.com/(external link)

Drop-in session

Where: Tauriko Settlers Hall
When: Saturday 16 September, 12-2pm

Read more about Specified Development Projects   

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Accident or medical, new research shows we need to treat conditions equally to get people back to work

Source: University of Waikato

After receiving a head injury from a car accident in 2014, I was given support through the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) to recover and return to work as a health professional.

But I am keenly aware that those who have brain injuries after medical events – such as a stroke – are often left to negotiate health and rehabilitative services with significantly less support.

To be covered by ACC, your injury has to be caused by an accident. New Zealanders suffering from strokes, cancers or mental health conditions, along with other non-accident injuries, are subsequently disadvantaged by the cause of their health condition. And this can have a considerable financial and emotional toll.

Partly because of my own experience, for my doctoral research I looked at the services that were available to support people with health challenges who did not qualify for ACC – essentially any condition that affects a person’s ability to work or study, but which wasn’t caused by an accident.

I investigated whether they were effective in getting people back into work, and also looked at how we assess the outcomes of these programmes. What I found was the significant gap in resources and services and the need for a wraparound service, or at the very least, targeted support on the road to recovery.

Helping people back to work helps us all

The amount of support available after illness or injury can make a significant difference to a person’s life.

A 2013 study found 79% of people who received ACC support after a brain injury from an accident were in paid work one year after the injury. But this dropped to 50% for those with a similar brain injury not caused by an accident (such as a stroke).

While ACC will pay up to 80% of a person’s income, New Zealanders on Jobseeker Support-Health Condition or Disability (JS-HCD) receive a weekly payment of just NZ$337.

But it’s not just about the money. As one person who was living with a long-term health condition told me:

Work isn’t just for the finances. It’s the people. It gets you out of bed. I miss it. I want to work. I want to be a part of the society that’s around me. I want to walk down the street and feel I am a part of that.

Learning from ACC’s success

The outcomes for those who receive ACC show what can happen when people access tailored support after an injury.

ACC offers a wraparound rehabilitative service targeted to a person’s individual needs to return to working life.

But systems to support people with health conditions and disabilities tend to be siloed into speciality organisations. These are not designed to meet complex individual needs.

So why not apply a wraparound, cross-agency approach to health and injury issues similar to ACC? It could be applied to people receiving the JS-HCD benefit.

The idea is not breaking entirely new ground.

Between 2016 and 2021, Te Whatu Ora-Waikato and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) partnered to pilot the Realising Employment through Active Coordinated Healthcare (REACH) programme.

The goal of the REACH programme was to remove the barriers experienced by people living with health conditions and disabilities through a “whole person” approach.

Support included a key worker who met with the client regularly to build strategies to manage health and mental wellbeing, as well as a living well coach who provided tailored support for reentry into the workforce once their health was stabilised.

People in the REACH programme were also able to access funding for services that were not covered by MSD.

During my 18 month research period, 138 people participated in REACH and 96 completed the programme. Those who had completed the programme were 53% more likely to gain paid employment or enrol in full-time study than those who did not participate.

But funding for REACH was pulled before the outcomes were fully assessed. The pilot ended in 2021, ahead of the restructure of the district health boards into Health New Zealand-Te Whatu Ora and the Māori Health Authority.

A short-term focus misses the growing problem

The number of New Zealanders living with long-term health conditions is growing. Despite many wanting to return to work, this population often falls into the cracks between health and social services.

My research suggests that integrated and individualised services like REACH are effective in helping people with health conditions and disabilities achieve positive outcomes, including returning to work.

But the removal of funding for the REACH programme highlights the bigger barriers for people who don’t qualify for ACC support in getting back to work: ineffective assessment of outcomes and a focus on the short-term costs and benefits.

Replicating the ACC model for people living with health challenges holds potential. But we are going to need sustained and long-term funding for such programmes, as well as patience to achieve the desired results.

Michelle Cameron, Senior Lecturer, Te Huataki Waiora School of Health, University of Waikato.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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29 August 2023 New developments to further boost supply of housing in Dunedin Kāinga Ora is planning to purchase 18 new homes and build up to nine more across two ideally located sites in Dunedin to bring more homes to the Otago community.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

Kāinga Ora has signed an agreement with a local developer to purchase 18 brand new two-bedroom homes at 27 Napier Street, Mornington once they are completed. This development also includes a community room for the whānau who will live there.

Regional Director Otago, Southland and South Canterbury, Kerrie Young says the new homes will be used to meet the urgent need for public housing in Dunedin and provide more people with a warm and dry place to call home.

“Dunedin continues to be a priority area for us based on current demand. We are particularly focussed on delivering more new homes in areas of the city that are well connected to amenities, open green spaces and services.

“We’re delighted to have partnered with a local developer on this high quality development. The homes are well suited to modern lifestyles and all come with their own off-street parking.

“Another great feature of this development is a community room which residents and other community services will be able to make use of,” says Ms Young.

Aerial image of the Middleton Road site

Kāinga Ora has also purchased the former Hilltop Funeral Home on Middleton Road, Corstorphine.

The site borders an existing Kāinga Ora home that will be demolished at the same time as the existing buildings on the newly acquired site, so it can be included in the redevelopment.

“We acknowledge the history and the significance this site will have for number of whānau within the community. With this in mind, the site will be blessed prior to any site clearance and preparations getting underway.

“Layout designs are currently being developed with a view to lodge applications for resource and building consents, at which point we’ll be able to provide an update on our plans for the site.

“We are looking forward to delivering new homes on the Napier Street site and plans being confirmed for our Middleton Road development,” Ms Young says.

See what’s happening in the Otago region.

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Niger’s resource paradox: what should make the country rich has made it a target for predators

Source: University of Waikato

A month after the coup in Niger that toppled the democratically elected civilian government of Mohamed Bazoum, the country’s neighbours are still debating the possibility of military intervention.

The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) – a coalition of west African countries, which includes Niger – has said it intends to send in a taskforce to topple the military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, which ousted Bazoum on July 26.

But the plan to intervene is not without controversy. Niger, a landlocked nation, shares borders with Mali, Algeria, Libya, Chad, Benin and Burkina Faso. These countries have expressed solidarity with the military junta and have committed to oppose any potential Ecowas intervention.

France, which occupied Niger from 1890 until independence in 1960, has also considered intervention – it has a small contingent of troops in the country ostensibly to combat jihadi insurgency in the Sahel region – which the junta has given them notice to withdraw. Algeria has also denied France permission to fly over the country.

For now, the situation remains fluid and uncertain. But beneath the surface of daily news headlines is an intricate web of geopolitical competition and strategic agendas that have profound consequences for the Nigerien people.

The recent coup underscores a geopolitical rivalry deeply rooted in colonial and neo-colonial legacies and intensified by some western nations’ drive for the control of Niger’s resources.

Although Niger grapples with extreme poverty, leading to widespread malnutrition and hunger among its citizens, it is the world’s seventh-biggest producer of uranium. This juxtaposition of mineral wealth and societal poverty underscores the irony of a nation abundant in resources yet plagued by profound economic hardships.

First discovered in 1957 at Azelik by a French colonial expedition looking for copper deposits, Uranium now ranks as Niger’s second-largest export in monetary value – surpassed only by gold. The country is a principal supplier of uranium to the European Union (EU) and contributes between 15% and 17% of the uranium fuelling France’s electricity generation.

Meanwhile, the country struggles to produce its own electricity because Nigeria recently terminated its power supply to the nation as a sanction against the military junta, leaving much of the country in darkness.

Western exploitation

Given its abundant natural resources, it seems counterintuitive for Niger to rank among the world’s poorest nations. Yet its economic and political struggles have deep roots in historical foreign interventions, exploitation and resource extraction. This situation has, for decades, been further compounded by misguided and ineffective leadership, often conniving in exploitation by foreign interests.

While some Ecowas members oppose the coup in Niger and have threatened military intervention against the coup leaders, some western countries are manoeuvring to uphold their interests. The Nigerian senate opposes military intervention, with one of its members alleging that Ecowas would merely be doing France and America’s bidding. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu suggested that if there is to be military action, it should be carried out by French and US troops.

Colonial powers and other major geopolitical actors have profoundly influenced Niger’s contemporary situation. France, referred to by the New York Times recently as the “Former Coloniser that Stayed”, has already warned that any attack on its interests in Niger will be met with retaliation. Meanwhile the reported presence of Wagner Group mercenaries in the country, after a request from the coup leaders, is a proxy for Russian interests in Niger.

But following the reported death of Wagner Group boss, Yevgeny Progozhin, after his private jet is understood to have crashed on a trip from St Petersburg to Moscow on August 23, the status of the Wagner Group activities in Niger – and Africa generally – is uncertain. However, their operations may come under the direct control of Russia’s military.

African resources, western interests

Another important resource issue threatened by instability in Niger is the trans-Saharan gas pipeline (TSGP), designed to transport natural gas from Nigeria through Niger and on to Algeria and then to Europe. One of the drivers of this project in the past two years has been the European need to wean itself off Russian gas supplies in light of the war in Ukraine.

Yet again, western resource needs are dictating events in supposedly independent and sovereign African countries.

The dominant narrative in west Africa frequently presents foreign interventions as benevolent efforts to stabilise the Sahel region, in particular, against the threat of jihadi insurgency. Yet a deeper examination uncovers a more intricate reality. As western powers strive to shape political dynamics in Niger – driven not just by a desire for stability but also to preserve their dominance and control over resource allocation – they portray Niger, and by extension, Africa, as mere markets within the global economy. This ignores the potential humanitarian consequences of such interventions for the people of Niger and west Africa in general.

As Niger faces political instability and possible violent conflict, there’s a pressing need to critically evaluate the motives and repercussions of foreign intervention.

Beyond the veneer of the quest for democracy and stability, the various players’ deeper strategic intentions must be scrutinised. This is the key to understanding the multifaceted dynamics in the Sahel region and their broader global implications.

Francis Okpaleke, PhD Candidate, Politics and International Security, University of Waikato and Olumba E. Ezenwa, Doctoral Research Fellow, Conflict, Violence, & Terrorism Research Centre, Royal Holloway University of London

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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25 August 2023 Kāinga Ora enables a men’s respite house in Gisborne A respite house for men has recently opened in Gisborne, thanks to the support of Kāinga Ora’s Community Group Housing.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

The respite house – Whare Ahuru – is a time-out space for men who are struggling to maintain a violence-free lifestyle. It is a pilot, with Kāinga Ora providing a house adapted to meet the service provider’s needs.

Gisborne’s Tauawhi Men’s Centre and Tairāwhiti Men Against Violence have long had a vision of opening of a respite house for men.

Tim Marshall, Tauawhi Men’s Centre coordinator said in the Gisborne Herald, “The pilot takes a different approach to addressing family harm. If it’s the man who is being unsafe towards his family, it makes more sense for him to come away so that his partner and children can stay where they are. The traditional model is for Women’s Refuge to provide a space for women and children, but this often means leaving their home for something they are not responsible for.”

Te Puni Kokiri and local iwi Te Runanganui o Tūranganui a Kiwa are funding the lease and the service. Tauawhi Men’s Centre manages the lease and delivers the support service. “Tauawhi Whare Ahuru is a space that men can come to for a few days until it’s safe to return home. Ideally it will develop into a space that men can access in a preventative sense, before violence and/or police intervention occurs,” Tim added.

Tauawhi Charitable Trust were able to open their Whare Ahuru with the support of Kāinga Ora community group housing, in particular supported housing regional lead Bonnie. “This really was a team effort with Tauawhi putting in the hard mahi to achieve this excellent outcome, says Bonnie. “I am stoked for our tāne, whānau and hapori to have this service available in Tairāwhiti.”

Pictured above outside Tauawhi Whare Ahuru are (from left) Tauawhi Men’s Centre coordinator Tim Marshall, Kāinga Ora general manager national services Nick Mailing, manager supported housing delivery Naomi Price, director supported housing Karla Fisher and supported housing regional lead Bonnie Moana, Tauawhi trustee and patron Ralph Walker, Tauawhi Whare Ahuru kaitiaki Moetahi Kennedy, Coby Te Pairi of Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, David Johnstone of Tauawhi Men’s Centre and Tauawhi Whare Ahuru kaitiaki, Curtis Bristowe of Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou and Tauawhi Whare Ahuru project manager Kim Torrez. Thanks Gisborne Herald for the photo.

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28 August 2023 Finalists in the NZ Rainbow Excellence Awards 2023 For the first time, Kāinga Ora has been nominated in two categories for the New Zealand Rainbow Excellence Awards 2023.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

Held annually, the New Zealand Rainbow Excellence Awards are the only Rainbow-focused awards programme in Aotearoa New Zealand, and acknowledge workplace leadership, innovation, best practice and collaboration in relation to LGBTTQIA+ communities.

As an organisation, we strive to ensure that we provide a working environment where all our people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work and we are proud to have been nominated as finalists in two categories:

  • ​​​​The Rainbow Tick Training and Development Award: Recognising organisations who provide training and development initiatives internally to improve Rainbow inclusion.
  • The Rainbow Tick Non-Commercial Sector Award: Recognising and celebrating organisations within the non-commercial sector who demonstrate leadership and innovation in the area of Rainbow diversity and inclusion within and/or across their sector.

These nominations reflect our commitment to embracing diversity and inclusion for both staff and customers, including our employee-led Rainbow Network which is championing awareness of the Rainbow communities.

An initiative of the Rainbow Network has been for Kāinga Ora to take the Pride Pledge, and we are currently in our second year of Pride Pledge Gold level membership. This values-based commitment means demonstrating our dedication to the safety, visibility and inclusion of all the Rainbow members of our community and workforce.

We are also proud to provide our people with the opportunity to build on their diversity and inclusion capability within the organisation; earlier this year launching our Rainbow Awareness Learning Module to help improve understanding of our Rainbow workforce, customers and communities. The module is intended as an introduction to how we can all support in the creation of a safe and supportive workplace for our Rainbow communities at Kāinga Ora, and be more inclusive of our Rainbow customers.

Congratulations to our all our people across the organisation who have supported, and continue to support, Rainbow inclusion kaupapa at Kāinga Ora. We are making great progress in promoting a more diverse, equitable and inclusive place to work, and are proud to see this recognised with two Rainbow Excellence Awards nominations.  

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Waikato bolsters health leadership team

Source: University of Waikato

The University of Waikato has announced three key appointments to Te Huataki Waiora School of Health, as it focuses on delivering academic programmes that help meet the current and future workforce needs in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Last month it was announced that, if it is elected at the next general election, a future National government would support the development of a third medical school at the University of Waikato to help address workforce challenges.

“We are fully committed to establishing the medical school and believe it is needed as the workforce and system challenges in health will not improve if we keep doing the same thing,” School of Health Dean, Professor Jo Lane, says.

“As a university we are focused on supporting fairer health outcomes in our communities and achieving this by delivering a full range of allied health programmes.”

The University has appointed Professor Ross Lawrenson as its new Director of Medicine at the School of Health. Formerly a GP and the University’s Professor of Population Health, Professor Lawrenson has more than 25 years’ research experience and has a particular interest in the importance of primary care on health outcomes.

Professor Lawrenson is an investigator on a number of Health Research Council collaborations and has held a number of governance roles including being on the Board of Pharmac from 2016 to 2020, Chair of the National Screening Advisory Committee from 2009-2016, and NZ Chair of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (AFPHM). He was previously Dean of the Postgraduate Medical School at the University of Surrey and then Assistant Dean University of Auckland.

“Ross is a highly experienced, well known and hugely respected expert and we are excited about what he will bring to this position,” Professor Lane says.

As well as his appointment, the School of Health has appointed Dr Ryan Paul (Ngāti Maru) as Associate Professor – Medicine, and Dr Rawiri Keenan (Te Atiawa, Taranaki), as Associate Professor – Primary Care.

Dr Paul has been a senior lecturer in diabetes and endocrinology since 2016. He is the Immediate Past President of the New Zealand Society of Endocrinology, President Elect of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes, Convenor of the New Zealand National Diabetes Guidance Group and a Clinical Associate of the Maurice Wilkins Centre. Dr Paul was awarded New Zealand Medical Educator of the Year in 2019 and established the Advanced Diabetes Management Course.

“Ryan provides the School of Health with key strategic partnerships, relevant for both teaching and research, including clinical leadership within the Medical Research Centre, and he has initiated professional development activities for primary care practitioners,” Professor Lane says.

Dr Keenan is a vocationally registered GP who has held various local and national roles alongside clinical work. Currently he is a member of the National Mortality Review Committee and Patient Reported Measures Steering Group for Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality and Safety Commission and the National clinical assembly for Te Aho o Te Kahu (Cancer control agency).

“Rawiri has excellent links with Māori doctors across New Zealand and is much valued for his guidance on tikanga in the health setting. He is invaluable to our health research efforts providing credible Māori input into our research applications and provides mana and expertise to our Māori health initiatives across the School of Health.”

Professor Lane says the University is pleased to have such capable and experienced practitioners take on these important leadership roles within its growing and socially-responsive School of Health.

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Scholarship recipient honours cherished former staff member

Source: University of Waikato

Third year Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Science student, Petra Guy, is the inaugural recipient of the Huy Tien Vu Scholarship.

The scholarship, established in memory of Huy Vu in 2022 and funded by the University of Waikato community, provides support to an extraordinary student studying in year three or above towards an undergraduate degree programme offered by the Waikato Management School. The scholarship is worth $5,000 and is awarded annually, with preference given to students from Vietnam and/or students from a refugee background.

Petra, who attended Melville High School, hasn’t had the easiest path to study. Growing up as a Cambodian with a refugee background was a challenging experience. Petra’s upbringing was masked by the trauma that her Nan experienced during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, meaning that she had to grow up a lot faster than other kids her age.

“The biggest issue I had growing up was trying to be a normal kid while my Nan was trying to get over what happened in her past.

I had to start working at a very young age as she was too old to work. I have been balancing a lot of things ever since I was a kid.”

At high school Petra faced even more adversity when classes in economics and finance were cancelled due to the lack of uptake by other students. Passionate about these subjects, Petra began ‘cross-schooling’.

“Afterschool I would sit and watch recorded lessons from another local secondary school so I could take the subjects I wanted. I had to do it to get University Entrance.”

While Petra has faced difficulties in her early life, she credits these experiences for shaping her into the person she is now.

“Growing up in this environment has taught me the importance of hard work, perseverance and the power of education.”

When enrolling at Waikato, Petra was excited about the opportunity to learn more about business. She says she loved the creativity of business and how it can benefit a community, but she also craved something that would satisfy the logical side of her mind.

With this in mind, she enrolled in a conjoint programme with a Bachelor of Business in Digital Business and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

“I wanted to pursue computer science as a challenge but now I really enjoy it. It tickles the yes/no side of my brain while business allows me to be more creative.”

Over the past few years, Petra has excelled academically in both subjects and her willingness to take on this challenge has paid off.

Being awarded this scholarship will open doors for Petra, who hopes to put the money towards a car.

“Each day I travel to campus by bus from Matamata. The only bus that comes is 5:30am and 6:30pm. Getting the scholarship will allow me to be more active in the Waikato community because of the freedom that a car will give me.”

Petra says she is incredibly grateful to have been awarded this scholarship but admits that living up to the legacy that Huy left behind does feel a bit daunting.

“I didn’t know Huy personally, but the mere articles I have read remind me of why I do what I do and why I need to aim for the sky. People like him, who believe in us, are the reason we can look beyond our past and strive for a brighter future.

I am determined to make the most of this opportunity and to be a continuation of light he brought to the University of Waikato.”

Michelle Jordan-Tong, Waikato Management School’s Associate Dean Academic and a friend and colleague of Huy, says that “Huy would be impressed by Petra’s achievements to date and by her passion for giving back to the community. Like Petra, Huy was a strong advocate for the value of education and for supporting others to succeed”.

Huy, who died suddenly in January 2022, was an integral part of the University. He believed in the importance of creating an inclusive and safe environment for both staff and students and creating opportunities for people to grow. He was renowned for his authenticity, his compassion, his willingness to go the extra mile, his wonderful sense of fun and his ability to make a competition out of almost anything.

To honour his memory, friends, family and colleagues can donate to the Huy Tien Vu scholarship fund here.

The University Foundation will acknowledge all donations with relevant tax receipts and information.

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17 August 2023 Significant new housing development for Blenheim Kāinga Ora has completed construction of 10 new one-bedroom public homes in central Blenheim.

Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

Residents will begin moving into the single-level, full universal design homes on the corner of Richmond and Charles Streets in Blenheim later this month. Local iwi blessed the homes at the public housing complex earlier this week.

Julia Campbell, Regional Director Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast, says the homes will help to address some of the urgent need for housing in Marlborough. A total of 216 applicants are on the Ministry of Social Development public housing register in the region, 117 (54%) of whom are waiting for a one-bedroom home.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming people into these new warm and dry homes which will provide a stable place for them to live well,” she says.

One of the new homes on Richmond and Charles Streets in Blenheim

The homes, which are part of the Government’s housing programme, include features that make them more accessible, such as wider doors and level entry access. They have also been built to a 6-Homestar rating, which means they will be warmer, healthier and more energy efficient. All of the homes have their own carparks.

Ms Campbell says four homes were previously on the Charles Street site before it was redeveloped.

“As part of our redevelopment programme, we’re looking to increase the number of homes in Blenheim by replacing some of our older homes on large sections that are past their best with additional warm and dry homes.

“These homes are in a great central location, with shops and other services all within easy reach,” she says.

Ms Campbell says a mixture of current customers and people from the public housing register will live in the homes.

“Our specialist team is currently speaking with people who will benefit from living in these new homes. Before placing a customer in a Kāinga Ora home, we talk to them about both their housing needs and connections to the community, and other groups, to help us make a suitable housing match,” she says.

The new homes were built by Blenheim construction company CMT Group Limited and took a year to complete. This latest development follows the completion of a 14 two-bedroom Kāinga Ora complex at Brewer Street in Blenheim in October last year.

There are 142 new public homes in the town in the pipeline until June 2025. This number is subject to consenting processes and construction timelines. 

See what’s happening in the Marlborough region.

One of the new homes on Richmond and Charles Streets in Blenheim

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Captive kiwi management researcher takes out tight competition

Source: University of Waikato

In early August, ten fearless University of Waikato PhD researchers faced off in the final of the University’s 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Doctoral competition. Each took on the challenge of distilling years of research into a 3 minute talk with a single illustrative slide.

But there can be only one, and it was Te Aka Mātuatua School of Science animal behaviour researcher Rebecca Connor who took out the Professor John D. McCraw Memorial Trophy and $1000 cash prize.

Ms Connor gave a lively presentation on her research into the captive management of the famously shy kiwi. In taking on the challenge of a three minute presentation, Ms Connor said:

“I would never turn down the chance to talk about kiwi! I love this amazing bird, and hope through communicating my research in an effective manner I can inspire others to care about this bird as well. I think it’s really important that scientists can communicate their research so non-experts can understand it, and make better informed decisions as a result.”

Ms Connor’s work is focused on the welfare of captive kiwi, this is birds kept in enclosures at zoos or aquariums.

“Animals in captivity simply don’t thrive if we don’t get it right. And even when we’re getting it right, we can always find ways to improve.”

She pointed to the recent example of Paora, a North Island brown kiwi hatched at Miami Zoo. A national furore erupted when New Zealanders saw footage of $40 tourist encounters with him in a brightly lit room. Ms Connor credited the Zoo with their quick action, and their work with Save the Kiwi and the Department of Conservation (DOC) to improve kiwi welfare. DOC has sent out the Kiwi Husbandry Manual to all American zoos holding kiwi.

2023 3MT Winner Ms Rebecca Connor.

The plight of Paora has underlined the urgency of her work.

“When it comes to kiwi, our national icon and much loved taonga, there’s a lot that we simply don’t know. My research focuses on trying to fill in some of the knowledge gaps in the DOC manual.”

She also cautions, “While the plight of Paora needed to be addressed, I’d also like to see the same level of outrage and action around what is happening for these unique birds in the wild at home. 14 kiwi have been killed by dogs in the last few months and there’s been little response.”

The first part of Ms Connor’s PhD study was a survey of facilities in New Zealand and around the world, to assess how they looked after their kiwi.

“I found huge variations. For example kiwi were fed anywhere from once, to three times a day; temperature ranged from 12 to 24°; and enclosure size varied between 25 to 500m2.”

Ms Connor is now looking at what works best for kiwi, and what environmental and husbandry variables they prefer. She explains, “I’m now measuring the behaviour of kiwi in nocturnal houses. For example exactly where in the enclosure they spend their time as well as their responses to things like lighting and sound levels, feeding frequency, and visitor behaviour.”

Ms Connor said her 3MT win was a surprise, “All of the finalists did such a great job of communicating important research. I feel very fortunate to have been the winner on the night.”

2023 3MT Runner up and People’s Choice Winner Ms Larissa Kopf.

The runner-up was Larissa Kopf, a PhD candidate with the School of Engineering. She also received the People’s Choice Award for her presentation on developing new thermography techniques for assessing large structures like bridges for internal faults.

The 3MT competition has been run through the Te Mata Kairangi School of Graduate Research since 2009. Dean of Graduate Research, Professor Karin Bryan said:

“It celebrates the exciting research happening at Waikato, and importantly it develops research communication skills, while building a candidates’ ability to effectively explain their work to a non-specialist audience.”

On the finals this year, Professor Bryan added, “It was an usually tight competition that left us all guessing until the moment the winner was announced. It was fabulous seeing so many keen students rising to the challenges and giving it a go”.

Ms Connor will represent the University of Waikato at the 2023 Virtual Asia-Pacific 3MT Competition, hosted by the University of Queensland, where she’ll line up with around 600 university representatives from across 59 countries in late September.

The ten University of Waikato 3MT Doctoral finalist presentations can be viewed here.