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University Research – School speed limits create safety lottery – UoA

Source: University of Auckland

Auckland Transport’s safe speed proposals will lead to a postcode lottery for child safety, say public health advocates.

The safety of children in Tāmaki Makaurau will be heavily impacted by which suburb they live in and which school they attend, shows new scorecard analysis of Auckland Transport’s Katoa, Ka Ora proposals.

AT is proposing to bring in new speed restrictions around schools from next year, but public health advocates are concerned about variation between local board areas and urge Aucklanders to submit on the plan before the 28 August deadline. See https://haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/kko
Healthy Auckland Together, a coalition of groups advocating for safe and healthy environments, carried out the analysis and produced the scorecard. 
“Almost one in five local board areas received an ‘F’ (Fail), and 36 schools across Auckland will miss out altogether – they will see no reduction in speed limits at all”, said Professor Alistair Woodward, University of Auckland public health researcher and chair of the Healthy Auckland Together transport network.
“Safe speeds save lives and help our children be more active. But our analysis of the Auckland Transport proposals shows which area you live in, and which school your child attends, will determine whether or not they can travel safely to school.”
“We need permanent safe speed bubbles around all our schools if we’re serious about saving children’s lives.”
The analysis ranked each local board based on:

  • what proportion of schools had permanent 500m safe speed ‘bubbles’ around them (covering two-thirds of the radius or more)
  • whether schools had permanent or variable speed limits outside the school gates
  • how many schools in each area missed out on any form of speed reduction. 

“Speed reduction proposals need to reflect the reality that many children come and go from schools across a wide catchment area, and not just around 9am or 3pm,” Woodward said.

“Operating limited speed reductions on one access road outside each school, for a brief window of time, won’t give children the protection they need to feel confident walking or cycling.”
Māngere-Ōtāhuhu, Manurewa and Waiheke all received the highest scores with 100 percent of schools in their areas proposed to have (or already applying) some form of speed restriction; the vast majority of these schools are also set to see safe speed bubbles applied. Waiheke has already had most of its protections implemented as part of previous phases of the Auckland Transport speed-management plan.
Tragically, every week in Auckland 12 people die or receive a serious injury due to crashes on our roads.
Active transport users (e.g. cyclists and walkers) account for 36 percent of deaths and serious injuries due to crashes, while children make up six percent.
Auckland Transport’s own research shows 75 percent of children and parents say they would walk or cycle to school more often if roads were safer. Furthermore, its evidence also shows why permanent speed limits are preferable to variable ones: 85 percent of deaths and serious injuries outside of schools occur when variable limits are not operating.

Auckland Transport’s Katoa, Ka Ora proposal consultation runs until 28 August, and Aucklanders can have their say by visiting: www.haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/kko

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Transport News – Transporting New Zealand supports Government changes to the roadside drug testing regime

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Road freight peak body Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is pleased with the Government’s Friday announcement that the roadside drug testing regime will be changed, keeping drug impaired drivers off the road.
Random oral roadside drug testing was scheduled to begin back in March 2023, but was indefinitely deferred by the Government after Police advised sufficiently accurate saliva tests didn’t exist.
The changes announced by the Government last week will see positive saliva tests sent to the lab for evidential testing before an infringement notice is issued. Drivers who have two positive screening tests will be banned from driving for 12 hours, as well as receiving an infringement fee and demerit points.
Transporting New Zealand Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih has welcomed the change, saying that a practical fix to the stalled roadside drug testing regime is well overdue, after the initial implementation failure.
“Transporting New Zealand has been advocating for a robust random roadside drug testing regime for years, to ensure the safety of all road users. Between 2019 and 2021, drug and alcohol impairment were a factor in 43 percent of fatal crashes. Unless we get serious about this country’s approach to drug impaired driving, New Zealand certainly isn’t on the Road to Zero.”
Seeing a reduction in drug-related harm on the roads is a particular priority for Transporting New Zealand’s commercial road freight operator members.
“For commercial drivers, including truck drivers, New Zealand’s public roads are their workplaces. They share these roads with members of the public who may not have the driving hours, skills, or drug-testing regimes that professional drivers have. While businesses can mitigate their own health and safety risks, they cannot mitigate the randomness of drugged drivers on public roads,” says Kalasih.
The Government’s announcement follows the National Party’s transport spokesperson’s pledge at Transporting New Zealand’s June conference that they would ensure the rollout of the random roadside drug testing regime if elected.
“Setting politics aside, we just need these fixes implemented and a robust roadside drug testing regime in place as soon as possible,” says Kalasih.  
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Weather News – Settled Weather Ahead – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 21 – Friday 25 August – After this weekend’s wild weather, MetService is forecasting an easing trend during Monday as a broad trough of low pressure exits to our east. This paves the way for a ridge of high pressure to bring a settling influence mid-week.

MetService meteorologist Andrew James has some detail, “The sting in the tail of this trough is a southerly making its way up the North Island during Monday. There are strong wind Watches in place for Wellington, coastal Gisborne, Whanganui, as well as for Northland, Auckland, and Coromandel Peninsula. This trough brings showers too, and some of those could be heavy with hail in Northland, Auckland, and Gisborne.”

Farther ahead, the ridge holds tight over central and northern New Zealand bringing clear and calm weather from mid-week through to the weekend.   “A few fronts bring some wet weather to the far south of the South Island, but they really lose oomph as they move north, with only negligible precipitation north of about Oamaru,” continues James.

Though the weather settles down quickly on Monday, the sea takes a little longer to calm. Swell warnings remain in force for both coasts of both islands through to Tuesday evening.

For media enquiries or to arrange an interview with one of our meteorologists please call 04 4700 848 or email metcomms@metservice.com

Understanding MetService Severe Weather Warning System

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (Localised Red Warning) – take cover now:

This warning is a red warning for a localised area.
When extremely severe weather is occurring or will do within the hour.
Severe thunderstorms have the ability to have significant impacts for an area indicated in the warning.
In the event of a Severe Thunderstorm Red Warning: Act now!

Red Warnings are about taking immediate action:

When extremely severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Issued when an event is expected to be among the worst that we get – it will have significant impact and it is possible that a lot of people will be affected
In the event of a Red Warning: Act now!

Orange Warnings are about taking action:

When severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather
In the event of an Orange Warning: Take action.

Thunderstorm Watch means thunderstorms are possible, be alert and consider action

Show the area that thunderstorms are most likely to occur during the validity period.
Although thunderstorms are often localised, the whole area is on watch as it is difficult to know exactly where the severe thunderstorm will occur within the mapped area.
During a thunderstorm Watch: Stay alert and take action if necessary.

Watches are about being alert:

When severe weather is possible, but not sufficiently imminent or certain for a warning to be issued
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather.
During a Watch: Stay alert

Outlooks are about looking ahead:

To provide advanced information on possible future Watches and/or Warnings
Issued routinely once or twice a day
Recommendation: Plan

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University and Tech News – From classroom to commerce: the future of blockchain and digital assets – UoA

Source: University of Auckland

The government must encourage and facilitate the use of cryptocurrencies, digital assets and blockchain to enable Aotearoa to flourish and prosper in the digital age, says University of Auckland academic Alex Sims.

Associate Professor Sims is one of two independent specialist advisers whose recommendations are included in the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee’s report (released on 17 August) exploring the current and future nature, impact, and risks of cryptocurrencies.

The Committee endorsed the independent advisers’ report, which contains 22 recommendations that, when taken together, would see New Zealand adopt a more proactive approach to the relationship between regulation and innovation.

Sims and fellow adviser Jeremy Muir, a partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts, say that cryptocurrencies (and other digital assets) and the technology they use, blockchain technology, offer opportunities and challenges for New Zealand.

Challenges include the volatile price of some cryptocurrencies, and the use of cryptocurrencies by criminals to launder money, fund terrorism or carry out scams, although these issues are not unique to cryptocurrencies and also occur within the traditional banking system.

Despite the challenges, restricting the use of digital assets (including cryptocurrencies) and other uses of blockchain technology in Aotearoa would not automatically protect New Zealanders from harm and doing so would limit the country’s growth and development in the digital economy, says Sims, who, together with Muir, recommends that the government adopt policy settings to encourage developments in digital assets and blockchain in New Zealand.

Their report advises facilitating reputable and trustworthy New Zealand blockchain businesses through various measures. They say this can reduce harm, increase employment in high-paying tech jobs and increase New Zealand’s tax revenue.

This kind of action must, says Sims, be balanced by enhancing regulation to deal with scams and other consumer protection issues and by educating the public about digital assets.

Other recommendations in their report include:

  • Education about the benefits, best practices and risks of digital assets is necessary. This includes secondary and tertiary educational institutions considering developing courses in relation to digital assets, blockchain and the broader Web context as part of a wider focus on technology and its place in New Zealand’s future. 
  • That the government ensure that regulators, in particular, the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) and the Commerce Commission, are well-resourced to deal with bad actors in the digital asset space and ensure consumers have confidence interacting with digital assets, whether for investment, business, or enjoyment.     
  • That the digital assets industry in New Zealand, in consultation with regulators, develops a best practice code or guidance with minimum standards for the custody of digital assets.     
  • That the government direct the FMA (as lead agency) to establish a formal sandbox to allow organisations to test innovations concerning digital assets and services. A formal sandbox signals that New Zealand is keen to facilitate the growth of this industry and would assist regulators’ knowledge of the technology, developments and ventures in this area. 
  • That the government direct the creation of a cross-agency working group (Digital Assets Cross-Agency Working Group) to lead the government’s work with industry in the development of policy for digital assets in New Zealand. And that this working group hold “blockchain-sprint” equivalent or similar events to develop new ideas and strategies for industry growth.
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Climate News – Extreme weather research gets a boost – NIWA

Source: NIWA

NIWA has launched a $5 million per year package of new projects aiming to tackle some of New Zealand’s most pressing challenges, including responding to and preparing for extreme weather events.
NIWA already undertakes extensive research in forecasting, climate change and extreme weather, natural hazards, atmospheric science and Māori environmental research. This new investment will allow NIWA to double down on efforts in these areas.
The new package includes an additional $2.3 million per year for extreme weather-related research, including forecasting impacts from extreme weather and also to support climate change resilient infrastructure development.
An additional $1.85 million per year has been allocated to work with Māori on climate adaptation and to better deliver NIWA science to iwi/hapu and Māori businesses. NIWA is also investing in new projects to fast-track solar and wind forecasts for renewable energy production and to measure and verify agricultural greenhouse gas emission reductions.
“Following Cyclone Gabrielle and other extreme weather events in early 2023, NIWA urgently reprioritised some of our research to gather data in the immediate aftermath and to help affected communities recover from these events. This was complemented shortly afterwards by additional government funding to expedite our research into flood prediction and hazard risk assessment,” says NIWA Chief Executive John Morgan.
“These new investments will accelerate our efforts to increase New Zealand’s ability to respond to and prepare for future extreme weather events. As we have seen across the world in recent years, some of the biggest impacts of climate change have been increases in extreme weather events – such as storms, floods, droughts and wildfires.
“We know that such extreme events are going to become more frequent and more intense, and we need to be better prepared. Advanced, high-precision forecasts that link different hazards, such as rainfall with river flooding, will help all New Zealanders – including iwi, emergency managers, government, councils and the public – to face the challenges our changing climate brings,” says Mr Morgan.
The funding for these new projects is coming from NIWA’s Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF). This is government funding that focuses on research programmes and scientific infrastructure that have long-term beneficial impact on New Zealand’s health, economy, environment and society. Each year NIWA re-evaluates how its SSIF is best used.
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Awards – Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga has multiple finalists in Best Design Awards

Source: Te Pukenga

Twelve Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga projects have been named finalists for the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2023.
Seven visionary projects by Dunedin School of Architecture ākonga are among those shortlisted for the finals event, regarded as the annual showcase of excellence in graphic, spatial, product, interactive and motion design in New Zealand.
These include two separate concepts for contemporary art buildings named after celebrated artist Ralph Hotere, to repurposing St Dominic’s Priory, to combining a gin distillery with a dance studio in central Dunedin, to a project that aims to stimulate a deeper connection to Milford Sound/ Piopiotahi.
Otago Polytechnic’s School of Design also features strongly, boasting five projects among the Best Design Awards finalists.
These include a bespoke furniture project, a 2D mobile video game, branding and installations for a food event, as well as two music video projects for Dunedin bands.
“To have 12 finalists at New Zealand’s most prestigious design awards is an outstanding achievement,” says Chris Williamson, Executive Director, Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.
“The latest nominations continue Otago Polytechnic’s strong representation over many years at the Best Design Awards.
“Previous Best Awards finalists and winners have gone on to launch their design careers in New Zealand and overseas.”
The Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2023 will be held in Auckland on 6 October.
Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga Best Design Awards finalists:
School of Architecture
School of Design
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Politics News – Irresponsible ACT policy threatens independent public service

Source: PSA

The ACT party’s public service policy released today shows it has no concept of why the public service needs to be independent of the whims of Ministers.
“ACT wants to turn back the clock more than 100 years and allow our independent public service to be more susceptible to inappropriate political interference,” said Kerry Davies, National Secretary for the Public Service Association, Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
ACT today announced it would amend the Public Service Act to allow Ministers to set three-year public performance targets for chief executives and set performance pay for them, among a range of measures it claims would drive better performance of departments.
“This is a solution looking for a problem with our public sector already one of the most trusted and efficient in the world according to the OECD.
“Ministers already have considerable power to set the direction of travel for departments. Now ACT wants to upset the balance between Ministerial oversight and the independence of the public sector.
“The problem to an effective public service is not about giving Ministers more power, it’s about resources and skills shortages and long-term planning, which is marred by a three-year Parliamentary term – those are the problems Mr Seymour should be focused on.
“Of course, chief executives need to perform, and Ministries need to be accountable – there are plenty of checks and balances in our system right now including rigorous oversight from Treasury, Select Committees, the Auditor-General and the Public Service Commission.
“A strong and independent public service got us through the pandemic, and Mr Seymour seems to now want a public service he can easily bend to his whims.
“ACT seems to be suggesting if chief executives are not performing according to their KPIs, they will have their pay docked or even worse, sacked.
“This is a slippery slope to political interference in the public sector. We decided in 1912 that we didn’t want to go down that route where jobs went to the mates of MPs and the country has been better off for it. [1]
“We know ACT wants to slash the public service, including halving the size of MBIE, and doing away with some Ministries altogether. Mr Seymour last week made violent and dangerous comments about disbanding the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
“That inflammatory and reckless language coupled with today’s policy shows why New Zealanders should fear what ACT has in mind for the public sector and the quality services public sector workers deliver around the country.
“This is a wake-up call for National which needs to tell voters where it stands on ACT’s dated and damaging policies.
“Mr Seymour, your inexperience and naivety has been laid bare today. National Leader Christopher Luxon should be worried.”
[1] Public Service Act 1912 established an independent public service where chief executives could only be hired and fired by the Public Service Commissioner.
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Environment News – Mana Rākau celebrates tree protection law

Source: Mana Rākau

The community tree protection group which formed over the struggle to protect a stand of native trees in Canal Road Avondale is celebrating a new law which ends the nationwide prohibition on general tree protection.

The Natural and Built Environment Bill passed its third reading this week in Parliament and nullified a clause in the Resource Management Act which prohibited local councils from putting in place general tree protection.

“In the years since John Key removed general tree protection we’ve seen total carnage of our urban ngāhere. Bringing back tree protection is a long time overdue and is the vital first step in saving and restoring the tree canopies in our towns and cities,” says tree protector and arborist Zane Wedding.

“Mana Rākau is now calling on all political parties at election time to commit to general tree protection and put in place the necessary rules to require all local councils to implement meaningful tree protection.”

The group says that while it was a National Government that removed general tree protection they are optimistic that comments made at the Select Committee by Senior National MP Chris Bishop this year mean even a change of Government won’t see tree protection overturned again.

“We are optimistic that whether we have a Labour or National led government after the election that, given how terrible the loss of trees has been without rules, that everyone should now realise that we need legal protection of trees if we want to keep them standing,” says Wedding.

During the submission of Zane Wedding, Mark Lockhart and Steve Abel at Select Committee this year, Chris Bishop stated, “I am fast coming around to the view that we need good urban tree protection to make more liveable cities not only from a climate point of view.”

To ensure tree protection laws are fully implemented Mana Rākau intends to deliver an already 10,000 strong petition to Parliament, after the election, which calls for tree protection.

“Whomever the Government is after October 14, we will hold them to account for protecting trees which are vital to the liveability and survivability of our cities and our planet,” says Wedding.  

The issue of general tree protection was put in the headlines in 2020 during the gruelling struggle to save the Canal Road native trees in Avondale which led to New Zealand’s longest ever urban tree occupation lasting 245 days. The Canal Road tree campaign ended with a covert poisoning of the trees and later a huge police mobilisation which held protesters at bay while Developer Paul Macey and landowner Daniel Raymond cut the stand down on 9 March 2021.

“If you want to understand the sad state of a world without tree protection you just have to look at the barren Canal Road site today.”  

“But this week, as the law allowing tree protection was passed, we felt like our struggle at Canal Road, though those amazing trees were lost, was not for nothing, and contributed to protecting what remains.”

Mana Rākau is a community group dedicated to advocacy for the protection of trees in recognition of their inherent value and their importance for human wellbeing, mātauranga Māori, biodiversity, and climate change.

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Politics News – PSA condemns ACT leader’s comment on Ministry for Pacific Peoples

Source: PSA

The Public Service Association (PSA) says the harassment of staff at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples on Thursday morning is alarming and disquieting.
The PSA also condemns media comments made by ACT Leader David Seymour about the Ministry.
The incident at the Ministry’s office took place before Seymour made his comments, and there is no direct link between these two specific incidents.
However, PSA National Secretary Duane Leo says that Seymour’s comment is just the latest attack on the public service, and on institutions such as the Ministry, the Human Rights Commission and Ministry for Women, which aim to support groups facing systemic inequity.
“These attacks go far beyond holding the public service to account. Their effect is to drum up resentment towards specific groups – public servants, Pacific peoples, and others.
“In our view the constant targeting feeds a polarised political environment that is often dangerous to those specific groups. The harassment of Ministry employees is an example of how things can escalate in such a hostile environment.”
Seymour’s framing of his comment as a “joke” showed a lack of awareness from a senior politician.
“It is never a joke for someone in a position of power or a political leader to talk about killing people,” said Leo.
Background
The Ministry for Pacific Peoples has said in a statement that on Thursday morning two people tried to enter its Wellington office to film and get comment from staff in relation to sensitive expenditure.
On Thursday afternoon in a radio interview, ACT leader David Seymour, made a reference to sending Guy Fawkes – famous for plotting to blow up the English Parliament – into the Ministry. He was answering a question about ACT’s policy to abolish the Ministry. “In my fantasy we’d send a guy called Guy Fawkes in there and it’d be all over, but we’ll probably have to have a more formal approach than that,” Seymour said.
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Health and Schools – Healthy school lunches alleviate hunger, poverty, mana: study

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

The latest research into the impact of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako – Aotearoa’s free school lunch programme – provides more important evidence of wide benefits including a reduction in food insecurity for students and whānau.
Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) wants to see Ka Ora, Ka Ako expanded because we believe all children should flourish. A petition calling on the doubling of the programme was submitted to Parliament in June.
The Government agreed to fund the programme until the end of 2024 at its current size – 25 per cent of schools in the most disadvantaged areas. National Party leader Chris Luxon this week committed to retain the programme in its current form as long as it represented value for money.
Over 80 per cent of the families in the study were experiencing significant financial insecurity and 82 per cent identified as Māori.
Student participants in the study reported the lunches had alleviated hunger in a way that was mana-enhancing for everyone because everyone ate the same meal together.
For parents, the lunches had a big impact on their grocery bill and increased financial security.
Parents also commented on their child’s change in food preferences, towards healthier options.
“My daughter asked me to buy a pumpkin at the supermarket, ‘Mum, can we get a pumpkin?’ ‘What for?’ ‘Pumpkin soup’.”
The research found internal delivery models, such as having on-site cooks, achieved greater benefits and uptake by students than those with external caterers, including working through initial hesitancy.
Schools with an external caterer reported lower uptake of the lunches, and students were more likely to have a negative perception of the food provided.
The principals said food insecurity was a huge problem, and student hunger had resulted in behavioural issues prior to the programme. They all wanted the programme to continue and were concerned about the potential impact of removing free lunches, having seen the benefits for their students and whānau.
McKelvie-Sebileau said the research showed improvements could be made in some cases such as involving school communities in the choice of lunch provider, increasing the attractiveness of the menus to limit food waste, and closing tuckshops at lunch time.
“They could get stricter on what schools need to do to make it work, like they cannot run a healthy food programme and sell lasagne toppers at the tuckshop.”
“The food environment needs to be protected, so the lunch programme is really valued and has the most impact.”
HCA co-chair Lisa Te Morenga said it was imperative the lunches were both high quality and tasted good.
“A lot of critics worry about food waste, but when the food tastes good, kids will eat it.”
She said providers cooking the food on-site had a lot more flexibility to respond readily to kid’s preferences and reduce food waste.