Category: MIL-Submissions

Only 46% trust school technology policies and online security measures

Nearly two-thirds of Kiwi parents worry children post things on social media that could impact them later in life

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – 24 August 2023 – Large language models like ChatGPT have captured the world’s attention in the past months for their impressive ability to craft short stories, write poems, and provide human-like answers to questions in seconds, have been presenting a new technology-related dilemma for parents in New Zealand.

A new survey from Norton, a Cyber Safety brand of Gen, has found that Kiwi parents, many of whom already feel their children are too addicted to screens, now face a new challenge from AI chatbots—the ease at which they can be used for completing schoolwork.

Over half (51%) of New Zealand parents with school-aged children between 4 and 17 said they would not allow or trust their children to use AI to complete schoolwork.

However, nearly 2 in 3 respondents (59%) with children under 18 years of age said their children go online independently, for either fun or education. This could make it challenging for parents to monitor how their children are using the internet.

Furthermore, only 46% of all respondents with children 17 years or under trust school technology policies and online security measures, while 36% of parents with school-aged children believe schools are not doing enough to educate and protect children from online threats.

“I wouldn’t want my children to use AI tools to do their homework, because answers can come too easily, and I worry they won’t learn to become independent thinkers. But it’s almost impossible to prohibit them from taking the easy way out because to be fair, who wants to spend hours putting in the grind when a pretty good response is produced within seconds from the glut of AI tools?”, says Nerida Jantti, digital content creator and professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars.

“I think schools need to give both students and parents more guidance about how genAI should or shouldn’t be used for school, and they also need to do more to teach kids about how to protect themselves from online threats.”

Apart from worries about how AI may be misused by children, parents are also concerned about other online risks, including:

50% are worried their children are exposed to inappropriate content
44% are worried they are being befriended by someone online who is trying to scam/manipulate their children (e.g., grooming)
43% are worried about cyberbullying
31% are worried about their children getting addicted to the internet/ social media.

Even though parents are concerned about online risks for their children, 69% of respondents are confident they know enough about online safety to keep their families safe. This confidence is perhaps reflected in how Kiwi parents place a premium on privacy even whilst they share their children’s lives on social media.

Of the 30% of respondents with school-aged children who post photos of their kids, 58% are careful about features in the picture that identify the school, and 70% are careful about things in the picture that identify their children’s home.

87% of respondents who post photos of their children online use privacy settings, and 85% of respondents who share photos of their children online have strict privacy settings on their social media accounts to ensure they share only within their network.

Of the parents who have posted photos of their children online, 80% of them do so on Facebook, 42% on Instagram, and 13% utilise Snapchat for that purpose.

“It’s encouraging to see that Kiwi parents in general seem vigilant about what they post online about their children.Photos of kids online can attract the attention of predators who might use the information for malicious purposes, as they inadvertently reveal information about a child’s location, routines, and daily activities. Furthermore, once photos are posted online, parents lose control over how those images might be used, shared, or manipulated by others,” says Mark Gorrie, Managing Director APAC, Norton.

“Parents nowadays also need to juggle the fine line between allowing children to explore the internet while protecting them from online threats. For instance, 61% of Kiwi parents worry that their children might share personal information that could lead to identity theft.

“Fortunately, Norton offers Norton Family, which provides parents with the insights they need to help keep their children safer and focused when online. Parents can see their child’s search terms and viewed videos, monitor for age-appropriate content, set screen limits, and more. This tool has become even more relevant as generative AI tools soar in popularity and children are being tempted to use them for school.”

To help parents keep their kids safe and from inappropriately relying on generative AI, Norton recommends parents to:

Understand: Ask children about how they use their devices. Get involved and invested in their online activities to understand the unique risks they may be exposed to. An open dialogue about safe internet practices can help get kids into a better rhythm of sharing their online experiences openly, allowing parents to address challenges early on.

Educate: Talk to your children about the most ubiquitous online threats such as cyberbullying, screen addiction, and grooming, and arm them with the ability to spot these risks. Help children understand the pros and cons of using AI tools for education or fun and have a go at some of these tools together.

Curate: Curate a variety of AI tools that are suitable for your children’s age. Set boundaries about when they are encouraged or allowed to use those tools.

Take charge: Install safeguards such as cybersecurity software on digital devices at home. Cyber safety plans such as Norton Family and Norton 360 Premium offer a range of features to help parents monitor their children’s Internet usage and help keep everyone’s data and devices safe.

About the 2023 Norton Cyber Safety omnibus survey

The research was conducted online in New Zealand by Dynata on behalf of Gen among 1,020 adults aged 18+, of which 345 are parents of children under 18. The survey was conducted from 4 July 2023 to 15 July 2023. Data are weighted where necessary by age, gender, and region to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

About Norton

Covering period of Fri 25 – Sun 27 August – A ridge of high pressure remains over the country, bringing settled conditions for the rest of the working week. However, a few showers will affect the upper North Island and the Far South, but for much of Aotearoa New Zealand it’s light winds, clear skies and cold nights. 

Highlights

• Raine & Horne achieves a significant milestone with the launch of its 10th New Zealand office in the historic town of Kawakawa in New Zealand’s picturesque Bay of Islands region.
• Raine & Horne Kawakawa, led by experienced principal Gerard Ponsonby, solidifies the super brand’s presence in the Northland’s real estate market after a calculated entry into New Zealand.
• The innovative approach of Raine & Horne Kawakawa includes leveraging the pioneering social media marketing platform, Amplify, to showcase properties globally.
• Looking forward, the October General Election will prompt extension of traditional spring market until summer.

Kawakawa, New Zealand – [24 August 2023] – Super brand Raine & Horne has achieved a significant milestone marked by the launch of a 10th office in New Zealand in the historic town of Kawakawa situated in the picturesque Bay of Islands area within the Northland region.

Raine & Horne Kawakawa is led by experienced principal Gerard Ponsonby who in June shifted his offices in Kaitaia, Paihia, and Mangonui[i] to Raine & Horne.

Mr Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne, remarked, “This is a significant milestone for Raine & Horne, as it establishes our 10th office in New Zealand, further extending our presence in the dynamically evolving Northland’s real estate market.

“I’m delighted that Gerard has taken this decision to open a brand-new office in Kawakawa, solidifying our standing as a real estate brand of choice in New Zealand.”

Full-service real estate excellence for Kawakawa property owners

The launch of Raine & Horne Kawakawa will deliver a full-service real estate operation to Kawakawa, a town that holds the distinction as the sole location in New Zealand where a train line runs through its main street.

Mr Ponsonby notes that real estate excellence will be a hallmark of Raine & Horne Kawakawa’s ethos.

“Our dedication to excellence is evident in our full-service real estate solutions to vendors, buyers, and investors in Kawakawa. We have sales and property management departments, which we will seek to immediately grow. A new property manager is also slated to join our team, ensuring our clients receive exceptional service.”

Embracing innovation with Amplify

In addition to its physical address at 33 Gillies Street Kawakawa, innovation lies at the heart of the new office’s strategy, with the introduction of Raine & Horne’s pioneering social media marketing platform, Amplify is set to be a gamechanger.

Mr Ponsonby explained. “Since joining Raine & Horne we have leveraged Amplify to market properties, resulting in strong enquiries, even attracting interest from international investors including a buyer from Italy recently. Through Amplify’s capabilities, we have the potential to showcase Kawakawa properties to buyers worldwide.”

Since linking with Raine & Horne in May, Mr Ponsonby has been pleased with the support of the super brand. “Despite market challenges, Raine & Horne’s unwavering commitment to us remains unchanged. The brand’s core values, coupled with support from leaders like Angus Raine and General Manager Steve Worrad, with whom I have a longstanding relationship, provide a solid foundation for our continued success.

“Raine & Horne has been incredibly supportive, and the down-to-earth nature of Steve and Angus is reminiscent of the values our previous group held years ago but no longer.”

General Election will extend traditional spring market into summer

Looking forward, Mr Ponsonby anticipates a delayed start to the traditional spring sales market due to the New Zealand General Election scheduled for October 14.

“In times of elections, individuals tend to hold off on major economic decisions until they have a clearer picture. This holds especially true for property transactions, given their significance.

“Consequently, we project a delayed start, with the spring market extending until Christmas and into January.

Teletrac Navman and Civil Contractors New Zealand 2023 Construction Industry Survey reveals the state of civil construction in New Zealand

Auckland, 24 August 2023: New Zealand’s infrastructure is not able to cope with increased severe weather events and the impacts of climate change. That’s one of the key findings from the annual Construction Industry Survey, a partnership between Teletrac Navman and Civil Contractors New Zealand.

Only 7 percent of survey respondents expressed confidence in the ability of New Zealand’s infrastructure to cope with climate change including erosion and severe weather events. At the same time, confidence in industry outlook and future pipeline of work declined, with 56 percent expecting no turnover growth in the next 12 months (compared to 48 percent in 2022).

Continued uncertainty has a major impact on the ability of the industry to deliver the infrastructure the country needs. The definition of a clear, committed and funded pipeline of work remains the issue likely to have the most positive impact on the industry, increasing in importance from last year (now 84 percent vs 71 percent in 2022).Close to half of businesses (45 percent) view increased funding for infrastructure and maintenance projects as the most important initiative from an incoming government following the 2023 election.

Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard says we need to build more resilience in the country’s infrastructure to protect our country’s social and financial wellbeing. “Infrastructure investments are long-term. Sometimes the benefits of urban planning, water management and transport investment are not felt for decades. This timeline doesn’t align with our three-year political cycle of the governments who makes the decisions around infrastructure development.

“Furthermore, if we talk about pipeline, we can’t forget the easiest thing to scale up is maintenance. As a country, we have not invested enough in maintenance or projects to retrofit existing infrastructure over past decades to make infrastructure resilient in the face of extreme weather events. We must work smarter, and technology enables this,” adds Pollard.

Industry Outlook

Optimism in the sector is decreasing, with only 34 percent confident in the civil construction industry outlook (declining from 41 percent in 2022). Furthermore, significantly fewer will be looking to increase staff in the next 12 months (54 percent vs 63 percent in 2022) and 56 percent expect no turnover growth in the next 12 months. These numbers tell us that without this committed and funded pipeline of work, businesses don’t have the confidence to continue to invest in people and technology.

To improve optimism in the industry Pollard says proactive planning is needed: “The country’s civil contractors need to better understand what will be built, and where. Contractors need project certainty to invest in people and equipment, so it’s important projects proceed when planned.

“Funding announcements are one thing, but for real industry confidence, we need to know when physical construction will happen, so those who can build the infrastructure that the country needs, can invest in the people and equipment they require to get the job done.”

Climate Change Resilience
This year, climate change has started to pose a major threat to the physical and financial resilience of the civil construction industry. Contractors are often first responders in a natural disaster, working to repair and restore damaged infrastructure. 47 percent of respondents had been directly involved in emergency or disaster response over the past year, with 69 percent saying ongoing projects have been impacted by extreme weather events, with project delays, insurance claims and the need to renegotiate contracts being the main resulting outcomes.

Only 7 percent are confident in New Zealand’s infrastructure’s ability to deal with extreme weather events – a 10 percent reduction from last year’s report. This shows an urgent need to invest in maintenance, renewals and resilience to future-proof at-risk infrastructure.

Sustainability is inevitably an important topic for civil contractors. 45 percent of contractors say clients have indicated sustainability practices will impact procurement decisions, and 31 percent have won a contract based on broader outcomes, including sustainability and innovation. Technology will also help improve reporting requirements – in particular sustainability reporting.

Contractors also see technology as a key tool to improve disaster recovery efforts, and 36 percent expect that recovery work from major weather events and climate mitigation efforts will create opportunities for their businesses over the next three years. There has also been an increase this year (27 percent) in contractors looking to innovative technologies like AI to help solve industry challenges.

Working Smarter with Technology
One of the few areas where confidence has increased is in the ability of new technology to improve business efficiency and overcome challenges. The survey found that utilising existing technology to its full extent will help future proof the industry, and 52 percent of businesses report that they need on-site tech to win work.

“Technology plays a vital role in emergency situations and challenging working conditions like disaster recovery after severe weather events. Features of existing technology can be put to use in such situations to support workers and improve safety and efficiency”, says Jim French, Construction Industry Specialist at Teletrac Navman.

“It is also reassuring to see more contractors are looking into innovative technologies like AI, as it has the potential to not only help improve business operations but also help solve current industry challenges. We’re seeing an exponential growth in the possibilities of AI technology, and as the industry grapples with more complex infrastructure projects, the insights and analysis AI provides will prove to be invaluable.”

The results of the survey and the civil construction industry’s response to these challenges will be further discussed by a panel of senior construction industry leaders at The Civil Contractors Conference in Auckland on 1 September.

The 2023 Construction Industry Survey is available for download here. https://marketing.teletracnavman.com/marketing/assets/Presentations/2023%20CCNZ_r3.pdf

Notes

2023 Construction Industry Survey Key Findings

Confidence:

Only 34% are confident about the industry outlook (down 7%)
28% confident in the future pipeline of work
18% confident in the government’s commitment to infrastructure
9% confident in adequate funding for capital and maintenance
7% confident in ability of infrastructure to cope with climate change.

Climate change, severe weather and emergency response:

69% have had extreme weather events impact their projects, with project delays and contract changes being the main resulting outcomes.
Only 7% are confident in NZ infrastructure’s ability to deal with extreme weather events. This is a 10% reduction from last year’s reported confidence.
36% expect that recovery from major weather events and climate mitigation efforts will create opportunities for their businesses over the next three years.
47% of respondents had been directly involved in emergency or disaster response
27% use technology to improve disaster recovery efforts.

Solutions:

We need clearer project pipelines from the Government to be able to plan and prepare for climate risks.84% think development of a clearer pipeline of central and local Government work will have a positive impact.
Quote from respondent: “Keep investing in the trades training. Maintain a consistent pipeline of work so companies can continue to keep apprentices employed.”
Close to half of businesses view increased funding for infrastructure/maintenance projects as the most important initiative from an incoming government following the 2023 election.
52% of businesses report they need on-site tech to win work. Technology also helps improve reporting for the NZ Government – in particular sustainability reporting.

About Teletrac Navman

Teletrac Navman aims to be the driving force behind the industries that transform and sustain our futures by offering simple and intelligent solutions that enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability. As a connected mobility platform for industries that manage vehicle and equipment assets, Teletrac Navman simplifies the complex so that its customers can transform the way they work through cloud-based solutions that leverage AI to unlock the power of operational insight. Teletrac Navman manages more than 700,000 vehicles and assets around the world. The company operates globally, with offices worldwide and headquarters in Orange County, CA.

Teletrac Navman is part of Vontier, a global industrial technology company uniting critical mobility and multi-energy technologies and solutions to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving, more connected mobility ecosystem. For more information visit www.TeletracNavman.co.nz.

About Civil Contractors New Zealand

Founded in 1944, Civil Contractors New Zealand represents the interests and aspirations of more than 780 member organisations and businesses. These members are responsible for the physical construction of NZ’s transport, water, energy and other civil infrastructure networks. Members include large, medium-sized, and small businesses in civil engineering, construction and general contracting, and associate members who provide valuable products, support and services to contractor members. For more information, visitwww.civilcontractors.co.nz.

The results of a survey of 775 New Zealand teachers have been published today by the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. Teachers were asked about the classroom environment, how students were handling digital technology, and about online learning during lockdowns. They were also asked about their perceptions of students’ experiences of bullying and the results have been compared with young people’s own reports of being bullied.

The teachers who took part in this survey were approached because they were teaching young people from the University of Auckland’s Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. In total, 775 teachers of 1,271 young people from the Growing Up study took part in the survey. Most of the young people were students in year 7 at school.

“This is a very large survey of New Zealand teachers and it’s unique in that we have a wealth of information from their students as well. The findings we are sharing today contribute to a deeper understanding of the educational experiences of young people which can be used by schools and policy makers,” said Dr Kane Meissel, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland | Waipapa Taumata Rau.

Some of the main findings are:

Most teachers reported their students were in class environments which teachers said were positive and engaging places to learn.
When asked about the use of digital technology, teachers reported that nearly 14 percent of students had difficulty staying on task, and around 15 percent of students had difficulty discerning the accuracy of information found online.
Two-thirds of teachers indicated that the distance learning environment (during the pandemic) did not adequately support student’s learning.
Young person reports of experiences of bullying were much more frequent than teacher reports.
One in 10 teachers reported they were not using learning resources that explicitly included any of the following diverse identities: Māori, Pacific, Asian, persons with disabilities, or transgender identities.

According to Dr Meissel the findings can be used by schools, for example the findings about bullying.

“This information is likely to be useful for teachers and principals. They may be surprised to see teachers reported their students as having less frequent experiences of bullying than students reported themselves – for example we found around 6 percent of teachers reported their students being hurt physically at school, but nearly 11 percent of the same young people reported this type of bullying. These findings suggest more can be done to identify bullying and foster school environments where bullying is not accepted.”

Dr Meissel also says the data from the teacher survey can be used for further research to understand how the school context influences developmental outcomes.

The findings we are reporting today are part of much larger data sets about young people in theGrowing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study. We invite data users and future research collaborations to better understand how the school environment supports the wellbeing of young people,” said Dr Meissel.

About Growing Up in New Zealand:  

Growing Up in New Zealand is Aotearoa’s largest contemporary longitudinal study of child development following thousands of children from before birth. The children in the study reflect the ethnic and sociodemographic make-up of children born in New Zealand in the early 21st century.  
The study is focused on what works to optimise child development and well-being.  
Children and families generously give their time to the study. Growing Up in New Zealand is a University of Auckland study, managed by UniServices Limited and is funded by the New Zealand Government and administered by the Ministry of Social Development.