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Health Investigations – Failure to obtain informed consent for procedure during labour C21HDC01363

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner

Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall today released a report finding a registered midwife breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) for failing to obtain a woman’s consent for a procedure during labour.
The woman went into labour with her first child a few days prior to her due date. Labour was progressing normally when the midwife told the woman she was going to check the progress of dilation.
At the same time as checking dilation, the midwife also did a ‘stretch and sweep’ procedure, claiming this would help ‘ramp up contractions’. Not only did the woman report pain from the ‘stretch and sweep’ procedure, but it was done without her knowledge and consent.
The woman’s birth plan outlined her preference for no interventions in her birth, unless medically necessary, and she did not tick the box for ‘sweeping of the membrane’. She also stipulated that she would like to be given time to consider any procedure before it was done.
The woman claimed the ‘stretch and sweep’ procedure was, “treated more as a ‘routine’ part of labour that my midwife could use [at] anytime due to her position of knowledge and power.”
In her report Ms Wall said: “Relevant standards for midwifery practice outline the competency required of a midwife to work in partnership with the woman/wahine/birthing person, including respecting their needs to be self-determining in promoting their own health and wellbeing. A ‘stretch and sweep’ is considered an invasive procedure that requires discussion with the woman/birthing person and their consent to it.”
Ms Wall found the midwife breached Right 6(2) of the Code, which gives consumers the right to the information needed to make an informed choice or give informed consent. Additionally, the midwife also breached Right 7(1) for providing services without the woman’s consent.
During the HDC investigation, the midwife failed to provide HDC with relevant information or a response to the woman’s concerns. For failing to facilitate the fair, simple, speedy and efficient resolution of the complaint, Ms Wall found the midwife breached Right 10(3).”I am critical of her failure to engage with the process and to provide resolution and closure of the concerns for the woman,” Ms Wall said.
Ms Wall recommended that the midwife provide a written apology to the woman and, should she return to practice, undertake training on informed consent and complaint management.
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Education News – New careers strategy supported by communities, careers workforce and government agencies

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

A great milestone was achieved today with the release of the National Career Systems Strategy.
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is the lead government agency responsible for careers in Aotearoa New Zealand, and as kaitiaki of the Strategy, is responsible for leading and coordinating its implementation.
TEC Chief executive Tim Fowler said the National Career Systems Strategy sets the direction for the careers system in Aotearoa New Zealand and the future state we want to move towards.
“It outlines the vision, strategic priorities and actions that collectively support the strengthening and futureproofing of NZ’s careers system. This strategy is the ‘guiding star’ for the careers sector and is designed to provide advice, support, and guidance for anyone at any stage of their career,” Tim Fowler said.
“The key focus areas of the strategy build on the good work already happening within the careers system and signal the Government’s commitment to addressing the barriers and challenges people currently face when making career decisions. This strategy has been developed for today and the future, ready to support new skills, new roles and the capability needed to achieve growth.”
“People are at the heart of this strategy, with its vision focused on people being empowered to understand themselves and their aspirations and can navigate careers’ opportunities that fit throughout their lives,” said Tim Fowler.
The TEC collaborated with other government agencies, the careers workforce, education providers, business, Māori and other community representatives, and more than 700 stakeholders to develop the strategy.
Tim Fowler said the careers system needed a strategy that was inclusive and that would meet the needs of current users, while bringing together a large and diverse group of stakeholders, providers and influencers that make up the careers sector.
Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ) President Cherie Perrow acknowledges the contributions of Heather Lowery Kappes, the former president, as well as the CDANZ National Executive and its members. Cherie says the Career Systems Strategy provides a cohesive and collaborative framework, enhancing the quality and accessibility of career support across Aotearoa benefitting all New Zealanders
Career and Transition Education Association (CATE) President Craig Dyason said the strategy takes a lifelong coordinated approach and will support young people in the first step of their career journey and empower educators with the resources they need to deliver effective career education and guidance.
The National Career Systems Strategy has three focus areas – strengthening communities, growing quality careers support and ensuring equitable access.
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Environment – Wellington study could improve worldwide access to coastal freshwater – NIWA

Source: NIWA

A new NIWA study in Wellington Harbour will help scientists find untapped drinking water around the world.
For the first time, NIWA used several techniques to map and understand the Waiwhetu Aquifer. This is a reservoir of drinking water that lies beneath the Hutt Valley and Wellington Harbour, and it releases freshwater from deep under the seabed via natural springs.
NIWA Marine Geoscientist Dr Joshu Mountjoy designed the study. He said it was motivated by the lack of knowledge about large coastal aquifers around New Zealand, with Wellington Harbour being the perfect test site.
“Up to 70% of Wellington’s drinking water comes from the Waiwhetu Aquifer. A lot of work has been done over the years to understand where the aquifers are and where the freshwater is, but until now, we didn’t know where in the seabed the freshwater was leaking through.
“Due to Wellington’s vulnerability to earthquakes, ensuring access to drinking water is a priority in case a source is cut off or damaged, and the Waiwhetu Aquifer is a critical resource for our resilience,” said Dr Mountjoy.
Natural freshwater springs are located in the ocean as well as on land. They provide a window into submarine aquifers but finding them is challenging.
To bypass costly drilling, NIWA showed that other techniques can be harnessed to track ocean-based freshwater springs and sample the water, helping scientists to understand a huge amount about submarine aquifers.
“We used every tool we had available to understand the nature of these natural springs, including acoustic measurements, seafloor samples, remotely operated vehicles, and seawater sampling. We wanted to see which techniques worked best with a mind to apply them to other locations in the future,” said Dr Mountjoy.
Through many novel methods, NIWA recorded video footage and acoustic soundings of freshwater flowing out of various pockmarks in the Harbour. There are several hundred of these, the largest of which are over 100m across.
“We managed to create a detailed map of freshwater springs in the Harbour, which will be important for managing the aquifer as a drinking water resource for Wellington.
“We can start applying the techniques we used here to find freshwater leaking out of other aquifers, such as in Marlborough, Canterbury, and Hawke’s Bay. These are barely understood beyond the coastline but are vitally important.
“We are at the beginning of understanding offshore groundwater systems around the world, which that might be the most important resource some countries have. The implications are huge, especially for drought prone and water scarce areas,” said Dr Mountjoy. 
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Weather News – Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 28 – Thursday 31 August – With meteorological spring just around the corner, MetService is forecasting a relatively settled, though chilly, end to winter.

MetService Meteorologist David Miller says, “A couple of weak fronts will bring a few showers to parts of the country today, but with high pressure building over the country, mostly fine conditions can be expected for much of the week.”

As is often the case though, there are a few exceptions to the rule. A few showers can still be expected in the far south tomorrow, then an approaching trough may bring periods of rain to northern parts of the North Island on Wednesday. Finally, showers are expected about western parts of the South Island from later Wednesday into Thursday with an increasing northwest flow. But for the most part, fine weather will be the dominant feature for the last week of winter.  

In addition to the fine weather, the high pressure will bring lots of clear skies and light winds, which are the perfect ingredients for frosty mornings.  

“Inland areas of both islands will see cold starts to their days. Hamilton and Taupō, for example, are forecast to reach -2C and -3C respectively, while Christchurch is looking at -1C tomorrow morning. With Auckland Airport forecast to reach 3C tomorrow morning, it is possible that a light frost could even be seen in parts of Auckland city,” says Miller.

“Somewhat paradoxically, Invercargill may well be one of the warmer spots of the country tomorrow morning with an overnight low of 7C expected, showing the effect that cloud cover and wind can have on overnight temperatures.”

August comes to a close with above average daytime temperatures after a month that has been marked by cold temperatures. Parts of Otago and Southland may reach maximum temperatures 5°C warmer than average for this time of year, with Alexandra set to hit 18°C on Thursday and 16°C for Gore and Invercargill.

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Northland News – Don’t use waste oil on playing fields; NRC

Source: Northland Regional Council

The Northland Regional Council is warning sports bodies, schools and other organisations not to use waste oil to mark playing fields after coming across the issue in the region recently.
Council Chair Tui Shortland says the council had recently written to sports bodies and codes including rugby, rugby league, hockey, soccer and athletics as well as schools and its district council counterparts warning against the practice.
“The use of waste oil in this way does not comply with the permitted activity rule for discharges to land in the Proposed Regional Plan for Northland.”
“Continued discharges to land of waste oil can cause contamination of soils, contaminate ground water and where the application is near stormwater drains the discharge can cause contamination to surface water.” “People using the fields may also experience skin irritation and infections if they come into contact with the substance.”
“There are also multiple non-hazardous and non-ecotoxic products available specifically designed for marking sports grounds.”
The regional council warns future use of waste oil to mark sports grounds may result in formal enforcement action. 
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Arts News – A remarkable gift for Wellington’s national music centre

Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra are delighted to announce a transformative $2 million gift from acclaimed filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dame Fran Walsh.

Their generous contribution will enable the fit out of state-of-the-art recording studios in the Wellington Town Hall basement, and further solidify the city’s reputation as a vibrant hub for arts and culture.

When the Town Hall re-opens, it will be a world-class music and recording venue with improved rehearsal and performance spaces. It will be a base for civic and community events and part of a national music centre in partnership with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO), Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī, and Wellington City Council.

The Town Hall will be the only facility in New Zealand with renowned acoustics and state-of-the-art recording facilities, complementing Wellington’s world-class post-production facilities already recognised by major international film companies.

Sir Peter and Dame Fran say they’re delighted to support New Zealand’s first orchestral recording studios and welcome the opportunity to support local people and talent to thrive.

“New Zealand has long needed a dedicated music recording facility, so it’s wonderful that the NZSO and Victoria University have finally achieved this.”

They say the Town Hall is an exceptional asset for Wellington and was built to be a live performance venue.

“This amazing new facility has far more significance than just being an old building that’s been converted into a recording studio.

“Twelve years ago, we recorded the music for our Hobbit movies in the old Town Hall with the NZSO and the help of London’s Abbey Road studios and several of their best sound engineers.

“After they’d spent a couple of weeks analysing the auditorium, the Abbey Road engineers declared Wellington’s old Town Hall to be ‘one of the best acoustic spaces’ they had ever encountered.

“Think about that for a moment… when the Town Hall was built, microphones and tape recorders didn’t exist—they hadn’t been invented. It was built to be a live performance venue with the sound of every voice and instrument bouncing perfectly from wall to wall.

“Those clever Victorians sure understood the complex science of acoustic engineering.”

Housed in the refurbished basement of the Town Hall the recording studios will provide a complete in-house package of recording and mixing capability to rival established studios throughout the world. Box-in-box construction will ensure the studio spaces are acoustically isolated, providing the most advanced level of recording facilities available.

NZSO Chief Executive Peter Biggs says Sir Peter and Dame Fran’s generosity will ultimately benefit all New Zealanders.

“The NZSO has a proud history of recording for film, including Hollywood blockbusters. Our aim is to play on many more films and the new facilities will enable us to do so.

“While the recording suite is significant for the NZSO, it will also help raise the profile of Aotearoa New Zealand as a one-stop shop for filmmaking talent, whether it’s acting and directing, visual effects or film scoring. This is essential for Aotearoa New Zealand to continue to attract international productions and to produce world-class homegrown films and television series.”

Chair of the national music centre fundraising campaign, Dame Kerry Prendergast, thanked the donors for their generous support.

“I’m thrilled to be moving forward in the next steps of revitalising our beloved Town Hall.

“Sir Peter and Dame Fran’s generosity will not only empower our local talent in Aotearoa, but also provide a world-class space for film scoring and recording which rivals other countries. I have the deepest gratitude for their invaluable contribution.”

As construction progresses, the University, NZSO, and WCC will collaborate closely to ensure that the facility embodies the vision of nurturing and promoting music in New Zealand.

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Business Appointments – NZHL Appoints Group General Manager Strategy

Source: NZHL

Home loan and insurance adviser network NZHL (New Zealand Home Loans) has appointed Michael Beattie as Group General Manager Strategy to support their growth agenda.
Beattie has over 20 years’ experience in the finance sector, most recently with AMP, Westpac, and running his own strategic advice business.
This role will join the leadership team and be responsible for driving NZHL forward to meet their ambitious growth aspirations.
NZHL CEO Kip Hanna says Beattie was selected due to his extensive industry background and experience as a pragmatic, hands-on strategist.
“I believe Michael (Beattie) has the skill set and passion to push NZHL forward. His alignment with NZHL’s proposition is crucial given we are a purpose-driven organisation.”
“Advisers have never been more important with ongoing economic uncertainty. Homeowners are actively seeking personalised advice – they want coaching and support.”
“Our purpose is to help Kiwis become financially free and independent and to support them to make better financial decisions alongside sensible insurance protection.”
“Choosing a home loan is the most difficult and important financial decision many Kiwis will ever make. Our strategic goal is to reach more Kiwis – and ultimately partner with them on their journey to financial freedom,” says Hanna.
Auckland-based Beattie is excited to join Hanna and the NZHL team on November 6th.
“I’ve always been curious about how companies can help people achieve their financial goals, whatever they might be, and to help create intergenerational wealth.”
“That’s been a key reason why I wanted to join NZHL and be part of a future where we can help even more Kiwis achieve their financial freedom, faster,” says Beattie.
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Unions – Rising profits accounted for more than half of domestic inflation during cost-of-living crisis

Source: First Union

JOIN MEDIA RELEASE: FIRST Union, NZCTU and ActionStation
WHAT: Launch and presentation of report: Profit-Led Inflation in Aotearoa New Zealand (attached)
WHEN: 9.30am – 10.30am, Monday 28th August
WHERE: Garden Room, St. Peter’s on Willis Street, 211 Willis Street, Te Aro, Wellington. Best entrance is off 90 Ghuznee Street.
WHO: ActionStation, NZ Council of Trade Unions, FIRST Union
A new report released today by FIRST Union, NZ Council of Trade Unions and Action Station argues that rising profits – not wages – have been the primary driver of domestic inflation during the cost-of-living crisis.
“This report reveals that from mid-2021 to the end of 2022, rising profits contributed more than half of domestic inflationary pressure, while labour costs accounted for less than a third”, said FIRST Union Researcher and Policy Analyst Edward Miller.
“Many communities that are enduring rising prices while businesses post record profits have reached the same conclusion. They know that they are also on the receiving end of an inflation policy response that disproportionately impacts the poor and vulnerable”, said Miller.
Profit-led inflation in Aotearoa uses the same methodology as reports by the OECD, European Central Bank and the Australia Institute to decompose the profit and labour contributions to domestic inflationary pressure. Sector- and firm-level data provide further insight into how rising profits have fed into prices, looking at food, transport and housing.
“Over the past year, inflation has been the grand excuse for anyone to wield at their disposal. It provides cover for business owners to push up prices while withholding wage rises. It has been sharpened as a weapon for political gain by parties wanting to shrink government and the public sector. All of this has distracted us from the big businesses driving inflation,” said Kassie Hartendorp, Director of ActionStation.
“While our communities have been struggling from rising prices for the basics, big business has been shamelessly profiting off customers’ misery. This report shows that our largest corporations have been driving inflation at a time when people are struggling the most. We need policies that will address the root of the problem and ease the pressure for all of us,” said Kassie Hartendorp.
“These findings should open new discussions about the appropriate policy responses for reducing inflationary pressures. We need to tackle inflation in both the short and the long-run, and to make sure that the costs of our inflation response are falling on those who have benefitted the most over the past few years”, said CTU Policy Director Craig Renney.
“In the long-term, inflation reduction requires investment in those things that will make a consistent difference. We need to tackle rents, energy and transport costs, and to make sure that Kiwis have access to high quality public services. Doing this will not only reduce inflation, it will create the more productive and sustainable future”.
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Climate News – Best approach to climate safety is cutting climate pollution now – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is welcoming the Green Party’s Climate-Safe Communities plan released today, but issues a reminder that the best way to keep communities safe from the climate crisis is to stop it from escalating. The Green Party announced a policy to provide a new $750 million urban nature fund, alongside a wide range of measures to support more resilient cities.
“This policy is strong, but ultimately climate safety is dependent on our willingness to cut climate pollution now,” says Greenpeace spokesperson Christine Rose.
“We’re seeing the impacts of the climate crisis worldwide, from Cyclone Gabrielle here in Aotearoa, to the devastating fires in Maui, Hawai’i. But we still have the chance to stop this crisis from getting worse.
“It’s time to talk about the cow in the room. We need action on Big Dairy, New Zealand’s worst climate polluter. The industry has been allowed to pollute unchecked, pushing predatory denial and delay that has captured successive Governments. It’s long past time for that to change.
“Investments in climate-safe communities need to be supported by reducing climate pollution from New Zealand’s most polluting industries – agriculture, transport, and energy – to address the cause, not just the symptoms, of climate change,” says Rose.
“We’re glad to see a commitment to walkable, cyclable cities, making room for urban streams, tree protection and urban jobs for nature included in this policy announcement, but there is much more to do.
“We need urgent action now to cut climate pollution, and that’s why this year’s election must be a climate election. The Greens must commit to prioritising climate, by making both emissions reductions and climate-safe communities bottom lines in post-election negotiations, and take on New Zealand’s worst climate polluter – intensive dairy.”
Greenpeace, alongside more than forty other organisations, is calling on all political parties to adopt ten key actions for a safe and stable climate and healthy environment – including action on intensive dairy’s climate pollution. These are outlined in a plan known as Climate Shift. More than 13,000 New Zealanders have signed on in support of the plan since it launched in June.
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Taxation Policy Debate – Salute to Salvation Army’s Spotlight on Tax

Source: Better taxes for a Better Future

A spotlight on inequality and a bold challenge to improve Aotearoa’s tax system is a welcome call to action from The Salvation Army, says the Better taxes for a Better Future campaign.

The Salvation Army today released the first of its ‘Pressing Issues for Our People’ briefing series ahead of the 2023 General Election –  with one of the first three issues being the unfairness of Aotearoa’s tax system.

“We agree that Aotearoa’s tax system is not fit for purpose – that purpose being to help alleviate the tax impact on the least well-off in our society,” says Better taxes for a Better Future spokesperson Glenn Barclay.

“The Salvation Army also rightly points out that a sufficient tax system would ensure the government has enough revenue so that everyone, especially the least well-off, can access affordable healthcare, education and housing.”

Glenn Barclay agreed that tax is a pressing issue this election year.

“There’s no time to kick the can down the road on tax – these issues need addressing now.”

The Salvation Army paper highlights the fact that wealth is very unequally shared in Aotearoa – the wealthiest 10% of the population control half of all wealth, while the poorest half of the population own less than 10 percent of all wealth.

The briefing paper also points out that a group of just over 300 of the wealthiest New Zealanders, who on average earn $8 million per year, paid less than 10 percent of their annual income in tax.

That is less than the rate paid by the lowest income earners (10.5%) – many of the people that The Salvation Army helps daily.

Alongside The Salvation Army and 20 other organisations, the Better taxes for a Better Future campaign is calling for a tax system that:

raises more revenue to enable us to address the social, economic and environmental challenges we face.
ensures people who have more to contribute make that contribution: that we gather more revenue from wealth, gains from wealth, all forms of income, and corporates.
makes greater use of fair taxes to promote good health and environmental health.
addresses the tax impact on the least well-off in our society.
is fully transparent, for example, by requiring the disclosure of information on ownership and beneficiaries of entities such as trusts.