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IHC Chair Tony Shaw awarded ONZM in New Year Honours

Source: IHC

Tony Shaw has devoted his life to advocating for people in and out of the courtroom. The Chair of IHC Chair has been honoured for services to people with intellectual disabilities and the community.

Retiring IHC Chief Executive Ralph Jones says Tony is both an esteemed businessperson and a community driven individual, and IHC and people with intellectual disabilities have greatly benefited from both.

“We want to congratulate Tony on this well-deserved honour and thank him for his generosity with time and expertise,” says Ralph. “It is with pride that we join him in celebrating and recognising his achievement.”

Tony has built a reputation not just as a strong advocate during a long legal career, but as a leader and trusted advisor, as comfortable chairing multi-million companies as taking on a community project or mentoring young professionals.

Tony’s association with IHC is a long one. As a young lawyer starting out in Timaru, he was asked to go on the committee of the IHC South Canterbury Branch in 1983. At that time committees were mostly made up of women who had a child with an intellectual disability, but he found a cause that resonated deeply with his natural inclination to advocate for people who needed his help.

By 1993 Tony had been elected President of the South Canterbury Branch and then in 1998 he joined a new national IHC Board of Governance. He was on the board from 1998 to 2005.

Tony took over as IHC President in 2002 during a period of major health and welfare reform in New Zealand that impacted on people with intellectual disabilities. This meant huge changes for the organisation as it managed a new environment of contracting for services and competition between providers. IHC was at the same time campaigning on two fronts: for the government to move people out of the large institutions into the community and to ensure school-aged children with disabilities could be enrolled in mainstream education.

Tony has led IHC twice: first as IHC New Zealand President from 2002 to 2005, becoming an IHC New Zealand Life Member in 2005. From 2007-19 he was one of two IHC-appointed trustees on the IHC Foundation Charitable Trust. He was, for many years, a Trustee and Chair of the Donald Beasley Institute, which supports disability research and education. He then returned to the board in 2019, taking over as Chair from 2020.

Tony said he came back to a far more complex organisation, partly because of the growth of the IHC subsidiary Accessible Properties, which is now New Zealand’s largest non-government registered and accredited community housing provider. His return also coincided with COVID-19 and the massive task of keeping 4,000 disabled people and 4000 staff safe.

During a 42-legal career Tony worked regularly in the criminal court, later focusing on commercial and general litigation work, where his experience and passion towards advocating for others was put to use outside of the courtroom.

Tony has made major contributions in other fields – as Chairman of Ritchies Transport Holdings, New Zealand’s biggest privately owned passenger transport business, and as Chairman of the South Island Masters Games. Tony supported the development of sport in Timaru, becoming a member of the Aorangi Stadium Trust from 2008 to 2012.

IHC would also like to congratulate other recipients including Laurie Hilsgen recognised as an Honorary Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to family carers, Barry de Geest as a Companion of the King’s Service Order for services to disabled people and Gary Williams as a Companion of the King’s Service Order for services to survivors of abuse in care.

About IHC New Zealand

IHC New Zealand advocates for the rights, inclusion and welfare of all people with intellectual disabilities and supports them to live satisfying lives in the community. IHC provides advocacy, volunteering, events, membership associations and fundraising. It is part of the IHC Group, which also includes IDEA Services, Choices NZ and Accessible Properties.

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Activist News – Urgent Call to Action: Human Rights Violations Against Healthcare Workers and Patients of Kamal Adwan Hospital

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand

Date: 31st December, 2024 – The international community must respond to the escalating human rights violations targeting healthcare workers and patients at Kamal Adwan Hospital in the besieged Gaza Strip. Reports of attacks on this vital medical facility highlight grave breaches of international humanitarian law and the rights of civilians in conflict zones.

Kamal Adwan Hospital, a lifeline for tens of thousands of people, has been subjected to direct assaults, obstructing critical medical services. Healthcare workers, striving to save lives under relentless pressure, face life-threatening dangers daily. Patients, including vulnerable children and the elderly, are being denied their fundamental right to safe and accessible medical care.

In recent weeks, eyewitness accounts and verified reports have revealed:

  • The deliberate targeting of ambulances and medical personnel en route to assist the injured.
  • Significant damage to hospital infrastructure, severely limiting its operational capacity.
  • Psychological trauma inflicted on patients and healthcare providers due to repeated threats and attacks.

These actions contravene the Geneva Conventions, which unequivocally protect medical facilities and personnel in times of war and conflict. The targeting of healthcare facilities is a war crime and an affront to human dignity.

We call on the international community to take immediate and decisive action by:

Condemning the attacks: Governments, human rights organizations, and civil society must denounce these acts unequivocally.

Demanding accountability: Pressure must be exerted on those responsible for these violations to face justice.
Supporting the healthcare system: Immediate humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and equipment, must be delivered to Kamal Adwan Hospital and other affected facilities.
Ensuring protection: The international community must push for mechanisms to guarantee the safety of healthcare workers and patients in conflict zones.

This crisis is a test of our collective humanity. The lives of the innocent should never be collateral damage. We urge all stakeholders to stand in solidarity with the healthcare workers and patients of Kamal Adwan Hospital and to demand an end to these unconscionable violations.

Maher Nazzal
Palestine Forum of New Zealand

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Fire and Emergency honours recipients congratulated

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Board Chair Rebecca Keoghan has congratulated five firefighters from Prebbleton, Papamoa, Ōtāne, Whangārei and Mataura who have been recognised in the 2025 New Year’s Honours List released today.
“These honours are a worthy recognition of the many years of dedicated service these five recipients have made to Fire and Emergency and their communities,” says Rebecca Keoghan.
The recipients are:
– Paul Francis Burns, Prebbleton – Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Search and Rescue and Fire and Emergency New Zealand
– Ian Martyn Pickard, Papamoa – Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
– John William Oliver, Ōtāne – King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
– Ian (Harry) Peter Carter, Whangārei – King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community
– Neville Gordon Phillips, Mataura- King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and ice sports
“On behalf of everyone at Fire and Emergency and the communities that our recipients have served so diligently, I would like to extend my congratulations.” Says Rebecca Keoghan.
Additional information – Paul Burns, Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Search and Rescue and Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr Paul Burns served 40 years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand and was a member of the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Southern Team in Canterbury for 20 years.
Until retirement in 2024, Mr Burns held several positions with Fire and Emergency including as Chief Fire Officer of several brigades across Canterbury, having obtained the rank of Senior Station Officer in 1994. He became the Leader of the Canterbury based Task Force 2 of USAR in 2002, contributing to the response efforts following the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. As a member of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) he has mentored USAR teams aiming to achieve their International External Classification (IEC), and has written the IEC-IER handbook used by the WHO accreditation process for medical teams. He was a member of the INSARAG Training Working Group between 2010 and 2024, and represented the 57 USAR teams globally. He was a mentor with the United States Agency for International Deployment, working with the Virginia USAR team who he helped achieve attaining the highest classification. He mentors the Urban Search and Rescue Teams for the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. Mr Burns has previously contributed to the training of staff working at Scott Base in Antarctica, both from New Zealand and the United States.
Additional information – Ian Pickard, Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr Ian Pickard has served more than 50 years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand as a member of several fire brigades, starting in the Timaru Fire Brigade in 1971.
Mr Pickard became Station Officer in Timaru in 1979. He was the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society, an organisation operated by firefighters for the wellbeing of firefighters and their families. As Chair, Board member and Trustee for 30 years, he was instrumental in the purchase of the first of the Society’s holiday homes and establishing the ‘Healthcare99’, a healthcare plan for firefighters and their families. As Chief Fire Officer of the Dunedin Fire District from 1995, he deployed Community Safety Teams to place emphasis on fire prevention, and fire risk reduction, a shift from emergency response. As Assistant Fire Region Commander of Operations of the Southern Fire Region from 1997 to 2004, he led the 71 volunteer brigades and two career Fire Districts in the Southern region. He led the rollout of the Station Management System, a software system which allows for tracking and planning of work across all fire stations. Mr Pickard has volunteered and led teams with the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team during adverse weather events in numerous countries, including the 2016 Tropical Cyclone in Fiji.
Additional information – John Oliver, King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr John Oliver has served more than 50 years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand and has been a member of the Ōtāne Volunteer Fire Brigade since 1972.
Mr Oliver has been the Chief Fire Officer of the Ōtāne Volunteer Fire Brigade for 50 years and has been a driving force behind the brigade-owned water tankers which provide water deliveries. He has helped design and develop three water tankers, donating the first to another brigade. They act as resources for Fire and Emergency to respond to larger incidents in the community and neighbouring districts, if town supply was compromised. In 2019 he introduced a lapel pin to represent firefighters who have passed away, the design consisting of the kawakawa leaf which holds significance as a symbol of death in Māori culture, leaves are shaped in a heart, a symbol for courage and fortitude, and blue koro patterns and red koru symbolising the deep connection between firefighters and their communities. He has driven the development and build of the new Ōtāne tennis courts for the community as a member of the Ōtāne Sports club, and has been a member of the Ōtāne Arts and Crafts Centre. Mr Oliver has created an event hub for Fire and Emergency on annual Waitangi Day celebrations, educating the community on fire safety.
Additional information – Ian (Harry) Carter, King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community
Mr Harry Carter has served more than 43 years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand and has been a member of the Portland Volunteer Fire Brigade since 1980.
Mr Carter’s service across 43 years with Fire and Emergency has seen him hold various positions including Chief Fire Officer of the Portland Fire Brigade, where he mentored and provided advice and training to incoming Chief Fire Officers. He has attended and led training sessions at the Portland Fire Brigade and has facilitated training sessions across Te Tai Tokerau Northland on leadership and formed the Portland Cadet Group for children aged 11 to 16. The group aims to educate children on life skills such as personal care, respect, and fire brigade etiquette. He was a Portland School Board of Trustees member from 1989 to 1998 and continues to have a close supportive relationship with the school. As a long-standing member of the Portland Residents and Ratepayers Association, he has served as Chair and is currently Secretary. Mr Carter facilitates community discussion and feedback to and from groups such as Waka Kotahi and the Whangārei District and Northland Regional Councils.
Additional information – Neville Phillips, King’s Service Medal (KSM) for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and ice sports
Mr Neville Phillips has volunteered for more than 50 years with the Gore and Mataura Volunteer Fire Brigades.
Mr Phillips is a Life Member of the Mataura Brigade and held several offices between 1993 and 2020, including Deputy Chief Fire Officer. He has been involved with waterway competitions for 50 years as a competitor, judge and coach. He has chaired the Mataura Brigade’s Centennial Committee. He was President of the Otago Southland Fire Brigade Association from 2000 to 2001 and was previously President of the Northern Southland Sub Association from 1995 to 1996. He was a foundation member of the Gore and Districts Ice Skating Club (now Ice Sports Southland) in 1978 and remains involved as a current member. He spent 18 years on the Committee, with two years as President, and spent six years with the New Zealand Ice Skating Association, including as President from 1995 to 1996. He was delegate to the Otago Southland Ice Skating Sub Association for 10 years and has played and organised ice hockey in Gore. He was involved in the construction of three ice skating rinks in Gore, one of which remains today. Mr Phillips was a councillor on the Mataura Community Board from 2003 to 2013 and has served four terms on the Gore District Council since 2013. 
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2024 in review: 35 children born into hunger every minute in 2024 – Save the Children

Source: Save the Children

LONDON / GENEVA, 30 December 2024 – At least 18.2 million children were born into hunger in 2024, or about 35 children a minute, with conflict and climate crises combining to drive at least 800,000 more children into hunger over the year, according to a Save the Children analysis. 
Analysis of U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data showed the number of children born into hunger rose by around 5% in 2024 compared to a year earlier and 19% more than the 15.3 million recorded in 2019 when progress on tackling childhood hunger began to stall. [1] 
Conflict, displacement, extreme weather events, and the increasing relative cost of food have all contributed towards a decline in children’s nutrition globally.
Children born into hunger this year include babies born in countries facing a risk of famine or catastrophic conditions of acute food insecurity including South Sudan, Haiti, Mali and Sudan, where famine-levels of malnutrition have spread across half of the country’s 18 states. [2]
In addition, there was a warning in early November of a strong likelihood that famine was imminent or already underway in the northern Gaza Strip and 345,000 people across Gaza could face catastrophic hunger in the coming months.[3] The occupied Palestinian territory is not included in the annual FAO data on undernourishment,[4] but the warning came from the leading global authority on hunger, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
Hannah Stephenson, Global Head of Hunger and Nutrition at Save the Children, said: 
“Over 18 million newborns this year – 35 children a minute – were born into a world where hunger is their reality from their first moments of life. Hunger knows no boundaries. It erodes childhoods, drains children’s energy and risks robbing them of their futures. Children should be free to play or expand their minds in class. No child should be worrying about when their next meal will be.
“We need immediate funding and safe access for humanitarian lifesaving services for children and families in desperate need of food, nutrition, healthcare, safe water, sanitation and hygiene, social protection and livelihoods support. We have the tools to significantly reduce the number of malnourished children right now, like we have in the past.
“However, if we do not tackle the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, we will continue to see the reversal of progress made for children.”
Children are always the most vulnerable in food crises and without enough to eat and the right nutritional balance, children are at high risk of becoming acutely malnourished. Malnutrition can cause stunting, impede mental and physical development, increase the risk of contracting deadly diseases, and ultimately cause death.
In countries where at least 20% of the population is facing hunger, the Democratic Repubilc of Congo (DRC) was expected to have the highest number of babies born undernourished this year at around 1.6 million with conflict remaining a key driver of hunger in the DRC and globally.
Climate shocks such as floods and droughts meanwhile increasingly threaten children’s access to food. More than 1.4 million babies were born into hunger in Pakistan, one of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries.[5] Pakistan saw the second highest number of babies born into hunger among countries with over 20% undernourishment.
Uzma-, 28 , lives in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan and is struggling to feed her five children, including 17-month-old Inaaya-, who is malnourished, and twin girls who were born in November. Her husband runs a small shop but does not earn enough to support the family. Save the Children supports Uzma’s- family with nutrition and with information on how to improve their hygiene practices.
“With my husband’s limited income and the need to focus on Inaaya’s- recovery from malnutrition, it is very hard to ensure that all our children have enough to eat. Sometimes, our older boys don’t get as much food as they need or the most nutritious meals. It worries me that they might not be eating enough to grow strong and healthy.
“Our newborn twin daughters also have special needs, and meeting those adds to the pressure. The overall food situation for our family is very challenging, and it feels like an ongoing struggle to make sure all five children have enough to eat. As a mother, it hurts deeply to see my children go without [food].” 
Despite its relatively small population, Madagascar also had one of the highest numbers of babies born into hunger in 2024.
Aina-, aged 6 months, was one of around 400,000 babies born into hunger in the island nation. Her mother, Genie-, faced difficulties caring for and feeding her daughter because of the high cost of food and lack of money. She fed Aina-, who is exclusively breastfed, only twice a day, before and after returning from work in the field.
“My habits had had an impact on her diet and Aina’s- weight. She got progressively thinner and often felt hot and irritable,” said Genie-.
Save the Children taught Genie- how to feed her daughter healthily using lower-priced, locally available food as well as the importance of frequent breastfeeding.
Save the Children is calling on world leaders to address the root causes of acute food and nutrition insecurity including working harder to reduce conflicts, tackling the climate crisis and global inequality, and by building more resilient health, nutrition and social protection systems.
The child rights organisation is also calling for greater collaboration, dialogue and investment across sectors to bolster response planning and implementation, as well as our abilities to act early and prevent predictable shocks from turning into crises.  
[1] For the analysis, Save the Children used data from the UN Population Prospects for 2024 and the latest country data on hunger from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), measured by undernourishment. The most recent published FAO country data used here is up until 2021-2023 as country data up to 2022-2024 has not yet been made publicly available. Data on prevalence of undernourishment is only available for the total population. In this analysis we estimate that the share of children affected by hunger is equivalent to the average of the total population, applying undernourishment rates to the number of births in each country. This likely underestimates the true effect as we would expect that poorer communities – in most countries home to proportionally more children – are more likely to be affected by hunger. According to the analysis, more than 21.5 million children were born into hunger in 2001. In 2018, the number dropped to about 14.5 million but then jumped up to 15.3 million in 2019. In 2024, there were an estimated 18.2 million undernourished births at a minimum.
[3] Gaza Strip: Acute Food Insecurity Situation for September – October 2024 and Projection for November 2024 – April 2025
– Names changed for anonymity
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Weather News – A tumultuous end to the year – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 30 December 2024 – Thursday 2 January 2025 – MetService is forecasting rain with thunderstorms, localised downpours and hail for central parts of Aotearoa New Zealand today as a low-pressure system deepens in the east.

Severe Thunderstorm Watches have been issued for the eastern North Island, Tasman and western parts of Marlborough from 1pm to 9pm today (Monday). Severe thunderstorms in these areas could generate localised downpours and possibly large hail.

MetService meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon warns, “Downpours associated with especially energetic thunderstorms can cause surface or flash flooding, as well as poor visibility for those hitting the roads today. Large hail is also a hazard and could cause damage to vehicles or crops. We’ll be issuing Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for any intense storms as they occur, so please keep an eye on metservice.com.”

While the thunderstorms are forecast to die off tonight, periods of heavy rain continue for eastern areas until tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. Heavy Rain Watches are in force for the eastern North Island and Marlborough, including the already sodden Wairoa District. Southerly winds also strengthen across the country as the low deepens; a Strong Wind Watch is in place for Wellington from 10pm tonight until 10am tomorrow morning.

As the clock strikes twelve some of the best places to welcome the New Year will be in the far south and west of New Zealand. Wotherspoon elaborates, “The rain in the east eases significantly tomorrow as the low-pressure system begins to pull away, but a few showers will still be lingering into the New Year. Although it will be a windy day in Auckland for Tuesday, the winds should be easing and the sky clearing as we head towards midnight. On the South Island, Queenstown will welcome in 2025 under clear skies.”

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Activist News – Protest against Israeli tennis player at the ASB Tennis Classic today

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

 

PSNA is supporting the protest at the ASB Tennis Classic this afternoon to express outrage at the participation of Israeli tennis player Lina Glushko.

 

In Glushko’s own words:

 

“In these tough days, what my country is going through I can’t be more proud and happy to play with the Israeli flag next to my name and win matches”

 

Glushko has served in the Israeli military and is an Israeli army reservist. She is representing the rogue, apartheid state of Israel at the tournament.

 

“It is utterly unacceptable that the ASB Tennis Classic would include a reservist soldier from an army committing genocide in Gaza” says PSNA National Chair John Minto.

 

“Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) and United Nations officials have all condemned Israel for crimes of genocide and extermination in Gaza”

 

Within the last few days Israel has renewed attacks on Gaza’s hospitals as it tries to drive the entire Palestinian population from northern Gaza in a massive ethnic cleansing operation called the General’s plan.

 

Palestinians have faced 76 years of brutal Israeli occupation, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and genocide and have repeatedly called for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel to bring international pressure for change. This means ending sporting, cultural, economic and diplomatic relations with Israel.

 

“Apartheid is a crime against humanity wherever it is practiced. Just as we protested apartheid South African players at sports tournaments in the past we are protesting an Israel player today”

 

14 years ago Palestine solidarity supporters protested Israeli player Shahar Peer at the same tournament.

 

“Politics and sport are always strongly linked and Glushko’s presence is part of Israel’s strategy to normalise its racism and apartheid against Palestinians. New Zealanders will have none of it”

 

ASB itself is already morally crippled with its investments in companies such as Motorola which are complicit in building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Now it is helping to normalise Israeli genocide by having Lina Glushko compete.

 

PSNA has previously written to the government asking it to suspend all visas for Israelis who have served in the Israeli military from coming to New Zealand. We have not yet had a response. 

John Minto

National Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

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Activist News – Opposing the Normalization of Apartheid Through Sport – PFNZ

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand (PFNZ)

[Auckland, New Zealand] – The arrival of Israeli tennis player Lina Glushko to compete in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the normalization of systemic oppression and apartheid. Glushko’s participation in the event sends a troubling message that undermines the values of justice, equality, and human rights.

Welcoming Israeli athletes to Aotearoa is not a neutral act. It normalizes the systemic injustices perpetrated by the Israeli state against Palestinians. Just as the international sports community united to oppose South Africa’s apartheid in the 20th century, we must now stand firm against Israel’s ongoing violations of international law and human rights.

Lina Glushko, a former Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier, symbolizes a regime that:

  • Implements apartheid policies: As documented by leading organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
  • Operates under leadership accused of war crimes: With an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued against Israeli officials.
  • Continues its illegal occupation of Palestine: In direct violation of international law and countless United Nations resolutions.

While sports often aim to transcend politics, they cannot be isolated from the realities of injustice and oppression. By welcoming athletes representing an apartheid regime, we risk ignoring the voices of the oppressed and allowing sports to be used as a tool for whitewashing human rights abuses.

We urge the international and local sports community to remain consistent in their principles by refusing to host representatives of regimes that perpetuate apartheid. The global boycott of South African athletes during apartheid proved that sports can be a powerful force for change. The same principle must apply today.

Take Action

We call on all New Zealanders who stand for human rights and equality to join us in expressing opposition to the normalization of Israeli apartheid through sports. Together, we can send a clear message: Aotearoa will not be complicit in the whitewashing of systemic oppression.

Maher Nazzal
Palestine Forum of New Zealand

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Govt Employment – Border Operations staff take strike action tomorrow after zero pay offer – PSA

Source: PSA

Immigration Border Operations staff begin strike action tomorrow at 6am, joining other colleagues at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, insulted by the Ministry’s recent zero pay offer.
The Immigration Border Operations staff, being essential workers, must give longer notice to take strike action. Tomorrow, they join some 3000 other PSA members who began action on 17 December.
PSA members will not undertake unpaid essential or non-essential work, and take rest and meal breaks together at specific times.
“These are critical workers who have been totally disrespected by this Government which is determined to run down the public service at every step regardless of the consequences,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, acting National Secretary Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
Immigration Border Operations workers at New Zealand’s four international airports ensure only properly documented travellers arrive and leave the country, amongst other duties.
They work alongside counterparts in Customs, Police, MPI and other agencies who help keep New Zealand safe from threats and hazards by reducing the risks from people, goods, or craft arriving at our border.
“Border Operations staff and all MBIE workers deserve a fair pay rise that respects the valuable work they do across the economy and one that reflects the cost-of-living pressures on their budgets – the PSA will keep pushing for that,” said Fleur Fitzsimons.
MBIE workers are the latest group of workers to be offered a zero percent pay increase. It follows New Zealand Defence Force civilian staff being offered the same. These workers are also undertaking industrial action.
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Communications – New Zealand’s sinking feeling: 2024’s toughest PR challenges revealed

Source: Blackland PR
Wellington PR company Blackland PR today issued its annual list of the toughest public relations challenges for 2024, showing that the most difficult communications jobs in New Zealand were handling boat catastrophes and energy shortages.
Criticism of electricity generators following business closures due to high energy prices was rated the toughest issue because the event combined the highest public profile with the strongest range of emotional reactions, social impact and complexity of actors involved.
The top 5 included the global Microsoft outage, May energy shortages, Interislander grounding, and HMNZS Manawanui sinking
Blackland PR Director Nick Gowland said 2024 was a tough year for organisations handling issues. They could no longer rely on Covid 19 to divert public attention or serve as an excuse for blame when things go wrong.
“2024 was a year confidence and optimism sunk to new lows.  The national gloom was made real with major physical failures.
“It was bookended with two very high-profile and embarrassing mistakes. Both involved boats and both were human screw-ups with handling autopilots.  
“The Interislander grounding shows how simple mistakes can be used as evidence to confirm existing assumptions people have about organisations.”
He said the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui was a cause for national embarrassment and seemed to confirm that in New Zealand this year many things were not working well.
“It’s rare for non-government issues to rank so highly in terms of profile, but they were kept running by extensive social media, office water cooler chat, and news media speculation on the causes.”
Energy shortage issues featured prominently in the rankings, responsible for 4 of the top 10 toughest challenges.
“Top of our list were accusations that high wholesale prices forced the closure of businesses because it added a new tier of emotional reaction to the issue.
“These issues ranked very highly because everyone uses energy, and reasons for the shortages and prices were complex, interdependent, and required multiple actors to resolve, and communicate.
“It was much easier for people to construct simple answers to a complex problem and assign blame.  High profile, retail generators found themselves unfairly criticised in news media as responsible for job losses.”
Mr Gowland said communicators in 2024 had to deal with very unusual issues; rats in supermarkets, allegations of mishandling bodies, and lollies contaminated with methamphetamine.
“Photos of rats perched on supermarket shelves sparked disgust and therefore outrage. It spawned a months’ long national craze to find rats.  No supermarket was safe.”
He said the long life of the supermarket rat story was unusual as attention on issues faded more quickly than normal this year.
“Kiwis are emotionally drained after years of bad news, mistakes, and poor treatment from institutions. They didn’t have enough energy to get mad at everything.”
Mr Gowland said 2025 was also likely to be a very tough year, but companies could make it easier on themselves and consumers by being more upfront of problems, earlier.
“In the white heat of a public issue, it’s easy to blame and hard to explain.  Businesses can best prepare by telling customers when issues are likely, and to give unambiguous, practical information on what they’re doing or what customers’ need to do.
“Businesses sometimes trip up by explaining too much, but with unspecific language. This confuses, creates inertia and feeds cynicism.  One piece of direct, actionable information is usually all that’s required to convince.”
“A large part of PR is prevention. PR’s role is to think about the worst possible outcome and change things before they happen, or get too bad. 
BlacklandPR is a Wellington-based PR consultancy built for the social era. It specialises in today’s type of tough issues, using modern techniques to help organisations talk with real people.
BlacklandPR uses a scoring system that ranks issues out of 10 for four factors – Impact (how many people are consciously affected directly or indirectly), Profile (media coverage and ‘talkability’ in everyday life), Emotion (the intensity of emotional reaction), and Complexity (complications and technicalities of the issue).
In previous years BlacklandPR’s PR Challenges list has been headed by events such as the Covid 19 lockdowns, Roastbusters, the Fonterra botulism issue, and the Flag Referendum.

2024 Toughest PR Challenges 
Organisation affected
High wholesale spot prices and blame for business closures
Electricity generators
Global Microsoft outage
Interislander grounding
May energy shortage, criticisms on lack of resilience
Government
HMNZS Manawanui sinking
Ministry of Defence
Shortages of gas
Gas industry
Increased financial scams
Budget 2024 not including the funding of 13 cancer drugs
National Party
Pylon maintenance leads to power outages in Northland
Transpower
Decision to cap new Dunedin hospital spend
Government
Public sector cuts
Government
Government response to Hikoi
Government
Shortages of various staple medicines
Release of report into abuse in state care
Government
Rats photographed in supermarket
Woolworths
Classroom mobile phone ban implementation
Government
Allegations of mishandling bodies
Tipene funerals
Food parcel lollies contaminated with meth
Auckland City Mission
TOW principles bill support beyond 1st read
Government
SolarZero liquidation
NZ Green Investment Fund
Credibility of RBNZ following surprise decision to cut rates
Women Hurricanes Haka critical of government
Hurricanes
Actura New Zealand collapse and cancellation of space camps
Responding to criticism of traffic management changes
Financial woes, CEO resignation and pressure on board to resign.
Fletcher Building
Accusations of poor animal welfare practices at zoo
Orana Park
Criticism of NZ Herald publishing Hobsons pledge advertisement
Golriz Ghahraman shoplifting
Green Party
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Black Saturday protest at Devonport Naval Base, Tāmaki Makaurau, 28 December 2024

Source: Bloody Sāmoan Art Studio

On Saturday 28 December, a protest will be held outside the Devonport naval base to commemorate the 95th anniversary of Aso Pogisā – Black Saturday.

Saturday 28 December, 1929, the New Zealand Military Police fired a Lewis machine gun into a peaceful crowd parading through the streets of Apia with the return of exiled Mau members. The incident resulted in the death of 11 Sāmoans, among them the leader of the Mau, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III.

The Mau was a non-violent movement for Sāmoan independence from colonial rule in the early 20th century.

In October 2024, the HMNZS Manawanui ran aground on the south coast of Upolu, Sāmoa. Over the last four months, more than 200,000 litres of diesel have polluted the Moana and damaged the reef, significantly impacting the lives of villagers in Tafitoala and Safata.

While in Sāmoa for CHOGM, Christopher Luxon refused to meet with the affected villagers and barely eked out an insincere apology for the incident or offered relief or recompense for the damage.

After three and a half months, a barge has finally arrived in Sāmoa with equipment to safely extract the fuel tanks from HMNZS Manawanui.

Artist and organiser Michel Mulipola says, “The protest action today wasn’t only to commemorate and remember the lives lost on Aso Pogisā, the Mau movement, and the historical acts of violence the New Zealand government has enacted against Sāmoans but also to highlight the responsibility this current government and navy have for the environmental and societal impacts of the Manawanui shipwreck.”

Ia manuia,
Michel Mulipola
Bloody Sāmoan Art Studio