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Education News – Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga footballing ākonga keeping her hand in

Source: Te Pukenga

Like many football fans, Tessa Nicol’s passion for the sport has been well-stoked in recent weeks.
Yet the Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga ākonga (learner) is no spectator. A goalkeeping coach, she’s been in the thick of the action, her experiences ranging from heading to Fiji recently to help the New Zealand Under-20 women’s team qualify for the World Cup in Columbia in 2024, to being invited to a closed training session with the Switzerland team in Dunedin.
And now she’s about to pack her bags for Festival 23, an eight-day “football-for-good” event in Sydney (August 6-14), which coincides with the quarter-final stages of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
One of 70 women from around the world to participate in the Sydney leadership workshop, Tessa describes the next chapter as “the icing on the cake” in a year that has been full of opportunities.
“Attending Festival 23 will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. We will be involved with running festivals for children and youth, learning about sustainable sporting practices, tackling gender issues and, of course, attending a FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-final match.
“For me, the big one will be making connections with other fabulous women from around the world, learning about their challenges and what they’ve done to overcome them.”
Tessa admits it’s been a challenge to manage the demands of study with all her opportunities, but the understanding and support of her Otago Polytechnic academic supervisors has helped greatly.
“It feels like I’ve only just come back from Fiji, where I was goalkeeper coach for the NZ Under-20 team, and now I’m about to head off to Sydney.”
Tessa is in the third-year of studying a Bachelor of Applied Science at Otago Polytechnic. Her final-year project has a strong goalkeeping focus, an area she is keen to develop.
“My project is centred around identifying the need for goalkeeper-specific coaching and development. The football community has regularly expressed the importance of our goalkeepers and the part they play in a team.
“I enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Science knowing that I wanted to have a role in football of some kind. The programme initially appealed to me because of the variety of classes. I wanted to understand the sport and health sector holistically so I could help people more.
“That said, I’ve learned more – and had more opportunities- than I thought I would ever have studying.
“I’ve been able to explore other areas I am interested in outside of football as well, such as PE teaching, health issues in the community and research projects for other sporting organisations.”
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Pest Control – Forests do not fall silent from 1080,10-year study shows – OSPRI

Source: OSPRI New Zealand

 A 10-year study has found no significant negative impact of 1080 poison on bird and insect populations in the Wairarapa and instead points to the biodiversity benefits of widespread pest control.
The study was conducted by Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington with results published in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology and the international journal, Conservation Biology. It tracked the populations of 12 bird species in Remutaka and Aorangi before, during, and after three aerial 1080 operations were used for predator control in the area over a 10-year period. The results showed there was an overall positive response of native bird species’ populations when pest mammals were controlled by aerial 1080.
Parallel monitoring of native beetles and wētā also found no negative effects of aerial 1080, and instead showed that when rodent populations were reduced the abundance of beetles and wētā increased.
Te Herenga Waka’s Stephen Hartley, an associate professor at the University’s School of Biological Sciences, is one of the researchers and authors of the study. He says the motivation for the study was to see what the principal causes of changes in bird populations were – in the context of mammalian predators (rodents, stoats and possums), mast years and aerial operations.
“It was Dr Olivia Vergara’s PhD that examined the responses of the insects in the area, and Dr Nyree Fea who demonstrated the positive response of native bird species’ populations when pest mammals are controlled.”
“Mast years, when trees produce abundant fruit and seed, benefit many forest birds, but only if pests are simultaneously controlled. This is something that can only currently be achieved effectively and at scale with aerial 1080.”
Dr Hartley says the wider study has been a significant undertaking, involving committed teams of research assistants visiting seven sites on six occasions every year for ten years. The data collected, forming the basis of three MSc and two PhD students’ theses. OSPRI’s Research Manager, Richard Curtis, says the study proved that 1080 was an effective tool for pest control and had a positive impact on native bird populations and insects. “We found that the forests did not “fall silent” following the use of 1080, on three separate occasions. The significance of this study is its duration and the consistency of the findings over 10 years.” The research was commissioned by OSPRI with the intention of looking into the effects of 1080 on the forest ecosystem, including birds and insects.
Dr Curtis says the results of these studies are ‘reassuring’, demonstrating that 1080 can be used to control pests without harming native birds.
“While our long-term research programmes continue to look for alternatives to 1080, with technology playing an ever-greater role in pest control, these studies show that 1080 is an effective tool for pest control, with flow-on benefits for native fauna. For now, it remains the only effective pest control option at scale, helping to eradicate TB from possums across millions of hectares of remote bush around the country. Moreover, as its use becomes ever more refined, it is important to continue to monitor the impact of 1080 on all mammalian predators and native biodiversity.”
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Politics and Human Rights – Minister Little must stop harmful immigration legislation – Amnesty International

Source: Amnesty International
“Forcing through this legislation would be frankly bewildering,” said Lisa Woods, Campaigns Director at Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand.
“The proposed Bill poses unacceptable risks to the human rights of people seeking refuge in this country – people who have often lived through unspeakable suffering at the hands of authorities.
“We do not believe that the measures contained in the Bill that extend detention are “proportionate” or “necessary” as required under international human rights law,” said Woods.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees detention guidelines state a person seeking asylum must be brought promptly before an authority to have a detention decision reviewed – in the first instance taking place within 24-48 hours of the initial decision to detain. The extension under the Bill is not consistent with this guideline.
Furthermore, there appears to have been a complete lack of consultation with impacted people prior to the introduction of the Bill, including people with lived experience of seeking asylum, organisations who support people seeking asylum, the Judiciary and lawyers working in this area.
“The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee has been clear that they could not recommend that the Bill progresses. The fact that nearly all of the submissions received were opposed to the legislation highlights the concerns of the many New Zealanders who raised their voices too,” said Woods.
“It appears that the Government is pushing through these changes because it is worried that the current system cannot deal effectively with the possible arrival of larger numbers of people seeking asylum. In that case, the solution is to equip its border and legal systems with the resources they need to ensure that all people are treated fairly and in a way that upholds human rights.
“Instead, what the Government is doing is adjusting the rules in a way that deprioritises human rights. This sends a worrying message and sets a dangerous precedent for future changes to the law.
“Our message is clear – the Government must uphold all rights for people seeking refuge and they must create a system that can do so in a fair and timely way,” said Woods.
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand is concerned that there is currently a lack of clarity about where people seeking asylum may be detained. This includes children, people who are pregnant, people who are breastfeeding, elderly people and people with a disability.
“The fact that some people seeking asylum could still be detained in prisons is simply unacceptable. Just last year, the Government pledged to stop using prisons to detain people seeking asylum but they are yet to make the necessary legislative change. This is a particularly harmful practice that should be abolished,” said Woods.
In 2014 the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visited Aotearoa New Zealand and raised concerns about the use of criminal justice facilities to detain people seeking asylum. In their report presented to the Human Rights Council in 2015, they recommended the abolishment of this practice.
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Mining News – Mining industry asks new government to think big – Straterra

Source: Straterra Inc

The mining industry is calling on the next elected government to think smart, think big and think ahead when it comes to mining, says Straterra chief executive, Josie Vidal.
Straterra has sent its election hopes in a brochure to 119 MPs, along with a cup that points to the mined minerals that are required for an electric car, asking them to think about the valuable role of mining prior to the general election on 14 October.
“We want the next government, whatever its makeup, to back modern mining and acknowledge it operates under some of the highest standards in the world, which actually gives New Zealand an advantage and a selling point,” Vidal says.
“In asking the next government to think big, we believe it’s time for New Zealand to seize the once in a generation opportunity that the world’s move to green technology and a low carbon future offers. We have more mining potential and we want to be able to tap into that, as well as continue to supply the minerals we currently mine to the world – a world demanding more mining.
“Responsible mining, when all conditions are met, makes a positive contribution to the environment and to society.
“In the race to secure supply of the minerals needed to reach the big goals agreed to in the Paris Agreement our government needs to think ahead. What do we have here and how can we contribute to the big push to electrify transport, build renewable energy transmission, and advance technology.
“Our Election 2023 manifesto addresses mining and the environment, the need for a critical minerals strategy, and the value of mining and the contribution it will make to both adapting to, and mitigating climate change.
“Those who don’t want mining in New Zealand to continue paint a less than accurate picture of what modern, responsible mining looks like, and incorrectly conflate mining with climate change, seeing it as a problem when in fact, it is part of the solution.
“This won’t stop mining. It will shift it to places that might not mine as responsibly as we can. And New Zealand will become more dependent on imports and compromise energy security.
“There is a way we can protect the environment and mine for the minerals we need to retain and progress modern living for the good of everyone. In fact, New Zealand can lead the way in this.
“We want policy and law that encourages investment in mining in New Zealand and allows an effects-based, case-by-case approach to proposals for development that addresses the balance between social, cultural, environmental, and economic priorities. We need fewer constraints, appropriately targeted, not more.
“To reach the goals set for renewable electricity generation and decarbonisation we must rely on science, data, facts, and technology, and trust human ingenuity. That requires an enabling approach,” Vidal says.
Straterra is the industry association representing New Zealand’s minerals and mining sector. 
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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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Animal Welfare – Shocking new footage shows calf drowning in mud

Source: SAFE For Animals

On the eve of a new campaign targeting the dairy industry, SAFE received shocking footage showing a new-born calf drowning in mud.
SAFE Campaign Manager Emma Brodie says the treatment of bobby calves continues to be a black stain on the dairy industry and New Zealand’s reputation.
“We can’t fool ourselves into thinking New Zealand takes animal welfare seriously when there are calves drowning in mud,” says Brodie.
“Cases like these are exposed by animal rights groups every year. It’s clear there needs to be a serious overhaul of the industry, and the Government needs to take responsibility.”
SAFE has launched online advertising to raise awareness for the ongoing plight of bobby calves, an issue that remains at the forefront of dairy production in New Zealand. Around 36% of the dairy calves born annually in New Zealand are killed as bobby calves compared with 19% in Australia and just 6% in the United States.
“What we’d like to see instead is support for farmers to transition out of animal agriculture, and more Government investment in Aotearoa’s burgeoning plant-based sector.
“Animal suffering does not have to be a defining feature of Aotearoa’s food system. The markets for plant-based proteins and milks have grown exponentially. We should be capitalising on that potential, and diversifying New Zealand’s export market away from its dependence on animal-based products.”