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Maritime NZ reply to TAIC preliminary report into i-Catcher capsize

Source: Maritime New Zealand

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) today released its preliminary report into the capsize of charter fishing vessel, i-Catcher, off Kaikōura on 10 September 2022. Five of the 11 people on board lost their lives.
Maritime NZ Deputy Chief Executive Regulatory Operations, Deb Despard, says this was a tragic incident.
“I want to offer my sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this incident, as well as to everyone else who has been affected,” she says.
In its recommendations TAIC raised issues about how vessels’ fuel systems are inspected by maritime surveyors, particularly the parts of the system that cannot be seen and easily accessed because they are under decks or behind bulkheads.
Maritime NZ is acting on TAIC’s recommendation and is engaging with surveyors who inspect vessels, owners and operators who run them and maritime industry organisations so they are all aware of this important issue when conducting surveys and carrying out maintenance.
“We are working on guidance for the industry to remind them about some of the considerations raised.
“We are treating this as a priority and will communicate it to the industry as quickly as possible,” Ms Despard says.
Maritime NZ’s investigation into the incident is continuing. Any enforcement action must be taken no more than a year after the incident. In fairness to everyone involved, and to protect the integrity of the investigation, Maritime NZ cannot make any further comment about the incident until the investigation is concluded.
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Weather News – A Reprieve from Rain, but Cold Continues

Source: MetService

Covering period of Thursday 3rd – Monday 7th August – Following the coldest night of 2023 for Auckland which hit a mere 2.5°C, MetService is forecasting more cold temperatures over Te Ika-a-Māui /the North Island this weekend. However, there will be brighter skies over much of the country as we leave the wild weather of the last week behind.

The last remnants of the wild weather hold out in the Chatham Islands, with a Strong Wind Watch in place until 10am Friday morning.

It was not only the atmosphere that was wild either: a heavy southwesterly swell combined with king tides led to waves of almost thirteen metres battering Baring Head in Wellington Harbour in the early hours of Thursday morning. With large waves continuing Thursday and Friday for the eastern North Island, caution is advised for anyone in and around the water until the end of the working week.

Otherwise, southwesterly winds settle and clouds clear as Thursday ends, revealing a healthy coating of snow.

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor details, “The term ‘bluebird day’ comes to mind when considering conditions at ski fields on Friday, and likely Saturday also, with a developing ridge of high pressure bringing sunshine and light winds.”

With the clear skies come the cold nights; expect a frosty Friday morning over the central North Island, and the north and east of Te Waipounamu/the South Island. These chilly temperatures persist for the North Island throughout the weekend, but a weak cold front will disrupt the South Island late in the day on Friday – with light snow flurries possible to 600 metres.

Moving into Saturday, the east of the North Island collects the dregs of the dying front early in the day and showery northwesterlies develop in the west of the South Island. Expect a dry day elsewhere in Aotearoa for not only the first round of knockouts in the football World Cup in Auckland and Wellington, but rugby fans in Dunedin also.

O’Connor notes, “Saturday looks to be the best opportunity this weekend to address any outdoor tasks that the wild weather kept you from earlier in the week.”

“Sunday again sees an area of low pressure skimming the bottom of the South Island and a set of cold fronts moving up the country – a wet end to the weekend, and a wet beginning to the second week of August.”

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

Understanding MetService Severe Weather Warning System

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

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

Red Warnings are about taking immediate action:

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

Orange Warnings are about taking action:

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

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

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

Watches are about being alert:

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

Outlooks are about looking ahead:

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

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Recreation News – Elusive birthplace of Lake Wānaka salmon revealed

Source: Fish and Game NZ

A long search for the birthplace of Lake Wānaka salmon has raised hopes to help protect their struggling population.
Otago Fish & Game has been surveying Southern Lakes tributaries for spawning land-locked Chinook salmon for the past five years.
Surveys had found salmon spawning sites in the Hāwea and Wakatipu catchments, but the location of Wānaka sites remained a mystery until now.
“We’re relieved to finally locate one of the spawning locations for Lake Wānaka salmon,” Cromwell-based Otago Fish & Game officer Mason Court said.
“While lake Hāwea and Wakatipu have productive salmon fisheries, the Wānaka salmon population has been struggling.”
The spawning salmon were spotted this winter in an unnamed tributary of the Makarora River during an on-foot survey of possible historic spawning locations.
“We can now work with landowners and other agencies to assess how we can improve this stream’s conditions to support salmon spawning in the Wānaka catchment.”
Fish & Game officers would continue the search for other Wānaka salmon spawning streams, Mr Court said.
Previously, Fish & Game had taken eDNA water samples from Makarora River to work out the upper limit of the salmon population. Although the samples had tested positive for the past two years, spawning salmon had not been visually sighted.
“Land-locked salmon are smaller than sea-run salmon, and therefore are harder to spot using a helicopter,” Mr Court said.
“So, we’ve relied on old-fashioned foot surveys combined with high-tech eDNA testing to find them”.
“Another challenge is that, like all Pacific salmon, Chinook salmon die after spawning, and their remains are quickly consumed by birds, mammals, trout and eels”.
“They vanish from sight with barely a trace.”
Chinook salmon were introduced to some South Island rivers from California in 1901 and began spawning, creating a valued sports fishery.
The salmon in the Southern Lakes have been landlocked since Roxburgh Dam was built in 1953 and are among of the purest strains of the species in the world.
The bright-silver fish range in size from only 500 grams to 1kg and are highly regarded for their eating qualities.
“The Wānaka salmon population declined in the early 2010s due to unknown reasons,” Mr Court said.
Under a 10-year management sportsfish plan, Otago Fish & Game committed significant resources to the Upper Clutha salmon fishery.
In the 2020-21 season, Fish & Game surveys recorded only 17 salmon caught by anglers in Lake Wānaka, Mr Court said.
“The numbers are still low.
“The decline in the Wānaka population is suspected to have affected sea-run populations of the lower Clutha River/Mata-au.”
A previous study found more than 60 per cent of sea-run salmon caught by anglers in the lower Clutha River/Mata-au were the progeny of land-locked lake-rearing populations above the Clyde and Roxburgh dams.
Anyone who sights salmon in the Wānaka catchment river system is asked to contact Otago Fish & Game.
WHAT IS FISH & GAME?
Fish & Game manage trout, salmon and game birds to provide healthy recreation for Kiwis.
We work to protect the environment that anglers and hunters have enjoyed as a tradition for over 150 years.
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Art News – Award-winning Bay of Plenty artist Alex Miln announces his latest exhibitions

Source: rochesterprgroup.com

Award-winning Papamoa-based artist Alex Miln is pleased to announce two upcoming exhibitions in New Zealand, which will showcase his unique 3D sculptural art pieces, which combine a clever play on form, function and medium with a dash of satire.

From 12 August – 14 September, Alex will be showcasing his ‘Signs Fiction’ exhibition at the Soul Gallery in Hamilton.  The works within the exhibition question how Americana popular culture has seeped into New Zealand and helped to shape Kiwiana pop culture.  

Alex says, “Kiwiana didn’t develop in isolation, it was inspired by American popular culture, which has slowly infiltrated our society. While we have our own perceptions about our own iconic imagery, the works that I’ve created ask us to put aside our own perceptions and look under the rug to uncover the full story, even if it reveals an inconvenient truth. With my works, my aim is to shine a light at the issues and topics that people often wish to ignore, helping to encourage a debate regarding the origins and myths that exist behind our popular culture in New Zealand.’

Alex’s complex and provocative pieces, which are constructed with plywood and aluminium, are painted with up to 13 layers of paint to create the illusion of an aged patina. Topics that feature heavily in his retro-inspired works include politics, religion, and his take on Americana. Common subjects depicted within his works include American diners and motels, automobile references, and churches.

The Signs Fiction exhibition contains 13 striking works created by Alex, all of which have been cleverly created within a tight budget.  

Alex said, “Given that funds were limited, it restricted our ability to use neons, so instead we used paint to create our own iconic imagery.” Pieces within the exhibition include: Siesta Motel, Masonic Hotel, Milburn’s Meat, Paramount, Comet, Mr. Whippy, Urban Valhalla, 4 Square, Watt Up, Tip-Top, Gaytime, Bushells, and Marmite.

Alex’s second upcoming exhibition, which follows hot on the heels of Signs Fiction, is ‘Full Circle 12 Years of The Miles’, which will be held at Tauranga Art Gallery from 19 August – mid October. For this exhibition, Alex was only able to submit once piece, so he chose to submit ‘Left Right Out’, which questions persistent conceptions around what Democracy is and isn’t, largely due to perceptions gained from social media.

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Singapore leads Southeast Asia growth in imports – Stats NZ media release

Singapore leads Southeast Asia growth in imports – Media release

3 August 2023

The value of trade in both imports and exports with Southeast Asia has grown significantly in the year ending June 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ. Of the countries in Southeast Asia, imports from Singapore rose the most, up $3.1 billion (131 percent) from the year ending June 2022, to $5.4 billion.

The largest rise was petroleum and products other than crude oil, up $3.1 billion (212 percent) from $1.5 billion, to a total of $4.6 billion.

“Singapore’s oil refining facilities have led to it being a major provider of petrol and diesel imported by New Zealand,” international trade manager Alasdair Allen said today.

Southeast Asia as defined by ASEAN includes the following countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

Visit our website to read this news story and information release or to download CSV files:

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Transport News – Transparency spotlight on large infrastructure projects

Source: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission

It’s not easy for the public to see how large, public infrastructure projects in New Zealand are performing, with key project documents often being not publicly available or hard to understand.
This is a key finding from new Massey University research commissioned by Te Waihanga – Transparency within large publicly funded infrastructure projects. The study looks at the accessibility of key documents for 27 large projects across central and local government. These range in cost from $50m to more than $1b and have a collective value of over $70b. These do not just relate to current projects: they span a wide timeframe – for example, one project began construction in 2012 and 21 projects are still ongoing.
“New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to being open and transparent, and as a result ranks within the top three countries in Transparency International’s Corruptions Perceptions Index,” says Ross Copland, CEO of Te Waihanga, New Zealand Infrastructure Commission. “However, information about big investment decisions is not always available to the public.
“New Zealand does not currently have public accountability standards for proactive disclosure for large, public infrastructure projects, so we’re seeing inconsistent performance in how New Zealanders are being kept informed. The research showed that around half of all the Business Case and Assurance Case documents in these big, public projects were not accessible, and that reviews were not accessible for completed projects.”
Allowing New Zealanders to have oversight of what their government’s investing in is a core principle of the New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy–.
While large, public infrastructure projects are subject to normal official information processes, web and plain language standards, they‘re not required to proactively publish key documents.
The study gave projects overall ratings out of nine for accessibility of their project documents.
For key documents:
– 37% of projects scored nine out of nine, while 63% scored only three to five.
– All these highest-scoring projects were run by an independent board, rather than by a government agency or council, and nearly all were worth over $500m.
However, having a board or a big budget didn’t always mean key documents were ‘accessible’. Because, of the study’s 17 low-scoring projects, 41% also had a board and 23% were worth over $500m.
“The research has shown how good some of these big projects are with proactive disclosure, which is pleasing to see,” Copland says. “However, it also shows significant opportunities to improve transparency across our major projects, including increasing the expectations for proactive disclosure.”
Currently, around 16% of New Zealanders’ household budgets are spent on infrastructure services, according to recent Te Waihanga research-.
When project activities and decisions are transparent, New Zealanders are better able to hold government and delivery agencies to account.
So what’s next?
Te Waihanga is considering the findings of this research and aims to publish recommendations on how to improve infrastructure investment and performance by the end of the year. As part of this work, we’ll be engaging with a range of entities and agencies that have responsibilities for government processes around transparency and public infrastructure projects.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
When were these projects planned and funded?
The planning and construction phases of these projects span a wide time frame. One project began its construction in 2012, with planning prior to this, and 21 projects are still ongoing.
How does this research show if information is being appropriately released?
The study was independently conducted by Massey University acting as a “lay person” or ordinary citizen. This means that they did not have visibility of what (if any) information was being withheld so were unable to tell if the information was being appropriately released or withheld under the OIA or LGOIMA legislation. Also, where they received redacted information they did not have a full (unredacted) version to compare it to. They therefore couldn’t tell if redactions were appropriate (for example whether the reasons given for redaction were valid).
Did the research assess whether the information made available was accurate?
The study was independently conducted by Massey University acting as a “lay person” or ordinary citizen and only looked at the documentation that was made available to them. This meant that they couldn’t assess if the information given to them was accurate.
What is the requirement for projects or programmes to make information available to the public?
Official information legislation (the Official Information Act (OIA) 1982 and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) 1987) allow the public to access information that supports transparency, accountability, and public participation in governance. However, there does not appear to be any specific guidance that lets public sector infrastructure projects know what infrastructure documents they should look to make available.
How big is the sample and how confident can we be that the findings apply across all public infrastructure projects?
Twenty-seven projects (six historic and 21 active) were picked for the study. The projects were chosen by Massey University and Te Waihanga to provide a representative sample of active and historic projects. This included making sure that we included a mix of projects, for example central government versus local government. In total, the 27 projects were valued at $70.5 billion. In comparison the current budgeted infrastructure pipeline is $76.9 billion.
Were there differences between:
– Local government projects versus central government projects
– Types of infrastructure
– Regions
– Agencies?
While the chosen 27 projects represented were representative as a whole, the individual sample sizes within the above categories would be too small to draw any conclusions from so this analysis was not conducted. The study instead focused on an analysis of two larger types of groups:
– Projects valued between $50M and $500M were compared to projects valued over $500M.
– Projects that were being delivered by government ministries/departments or councils were compared to projects that were being delivered by an entity with a board (for example, government agencies like Waka Kotahi, State-owned enterprises like KiwiRail, or council-owned organisations like Watercare).
What were the differences between projects run by a council or government agency and those run by independent governance boards?
While half the projects with an independent governance board had an exemplary ‘accessibility’ score, the other half had similar accessibility scores to projects run by government agencies/ministries or council.
Who is responsible for delivering Auckland Light Rail?
The report notes Auckland Light Rail as being delivered by Waka Kotahi. However, during the course of the study (October 2022) a new organisation – Auckland Light Rail Limited – was established to deliver this project.
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RSA News – New service helps veterans into work.

Source: RNZRSA

 

The RNZRSA has launched a new service aimed at helping ensure New Zealand’s veterans of military service can find and maintain meaningful employment after their service ends.

 

The RSA’s Board Chair, Major General (Retd) Martyn Dunne, said that some former service personnel struggle to find meaning in everyday employment, and will need extra support to ensure they are able to maintain employment throughout their lives.

 

“The military culture is unique, and when a serviceperson ends their military career there is always a transition process to adjust to the new work environment – whatever that may be.

 

The RSA has recognized that there is a shortfall in specialist support for those with military service, to help them with a successful transition out of the services, and to ensure they are able to stay work-ready throughout their working life. We are grateful for the partnership with the Ministry of Social Development to build a service that delivers that support,” said Martyn.

 

The Veteran Employment Service is currently being run as a 12-month trial, and the RSA’s Veteran Employment Manager, Dave Benfell, says the service is already proving its worth.

 

“We have seen everything from veterans who are unable to keep a job and are experiencing significant hardship – through to those who just need a bit of help brushing up their cv.

 

The beauty of this service is that our Veteran Employment Advisors are looking at the whole person, and working out what support they might need across the board. Whether that’s translating military experience into civilian equivalence, connecting them with vocational training or finding them a job, or even working with the RSA’s Support Advisors to help remove barriers to employment,” said Dave.

 

There are six Veteran Employment Advisors across the country, and the team has built partnerships with a large number of employers who understand the value of military service and the skills that those who have served bring with them.

 

“We have been overwhelmed with the support we’ve seen for the service, both from those who have served, and those looking to hire people with military service in their background,” said Dave.

 

The service is open to all New Zealand’s veterans of military service and their whanau, and anyone interested in the service can find out more or register at: https://bit.ly/RSA_EmploymentService

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Business News – MinterEllisonRuddWatts advises Highland Europe on its investment in Ortain, global leader of forensic supply chain traceability

Source: MinterEllisonRuddWatts

United Kingdom venture capital firm, Highland Europe has led a funding round raising USD57million for investment in Ortain, a Dunedin-originated, and now global leader in forensic supply chain traceability. Long Ridge Equity Partners, Ortain’s existing investors, also participated in the round. 
MinterEllisonRuddWatts acted for Highland Europe with the investment enabling Ortain to strengthen its technology and product offering and expand into new markets and industries.
Using proprietary technology, Ortain creates a unique fingerprint from products worldwide to prove their provenance from meat to honey, milk, and fibres. With this core technology, the company has built the world’s most sophisticated database of product origin fingerprints which easily identify and compare origin across a wide range of commodity goods.
On announcing the completion of the deal, Corporate Partner Mark Forman said: “This is a fantastic result for our client, Highland Europe. It creates a unique opportunity to partner with a business at the forefront of forensic science and technology. The investment supports further growth for a highly successful home-grown venture which is on track to be recognised as a serious global player.” 
The MinterEllisonRuddWatts core team advising was headed by Mark Forman and included senior associates Jo Carrick-Anderson and James Marrier, and Solicitor Brayden Print. The team was supported by partners Andrew Ryan, Steve Gallaugher, Christopher Young and Nick Frith, senior associates Zoe Barnes, Rob Penney and Joshua Kimpton, senior solicitors Rob McStay and Louise Meng, and solicitor Ben Bowley-Drinnan.
The team advised on all aspects on the deal including initial due diligence, tax advice, negotiation of the investment agreements and documents, through to completion of Highland Europe’s investment.
MinterEllisonRuddWatts is a top tier New Zealand law firm known for providing clients with technically excellent legal solutions and innovative advice. We are trusted advisers and work alongside our clients to ensure success. We are proud to be a New Zealand law firm offering a global outlook. Our offices in Auckland and Wellington can access an international network through the MinterEllison Legal Group, a leading firm in the Asia-Pacific. The firm supports numerous charitable endeavours and organisations through its pro bono and fundraising initiatives.
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Rural News – Federated Farmers mark significant milestone for M. bovis eradication efforts

Source: Federated Farmers

Reaching a point where we have no current infections and no properties under investigation is a significant milestone in efforts to eradicate M. bovis, says Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford.
“Federated Farmers are cautiously optimistic that we’ve now turned a corner in the Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, but we won’t be sure until bulk milk testing ramps up again in spring,” Langford says.
“We’ve been able to get to this point through the joint efforts of our farmers and rural communities, and a strong partnership between the primary sector and Government.
“It’s been an incredibly challenging few years for the farming families who have been infected and rural communities who have been anxious about the diseases spread.
“There’s been a big financial cost to try and eradicate this disease, but there’s been a big emotional cost too. Farmers absolutely love their animals, so to lose your herd is just devastating.
“I hope those farmers who were impacted take real heart from today’s announcement and know it hasn’t all been for nothing.
“The job’s far from over, but all the indicators are pointing in the right direction and we’re making real progress,” Langford concluded.
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Health News – Provisional Improvement Notice issued to Waikato Hospital ED

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says it has supported the issuing of a provisional improvement notice (PIN) to Waikato Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) in response to health and safety concerns arising from unsafe staffing levels.
A PIN legally requires an employer or service provider to address a health and safety issue before a certain time (in this case within nine days) and is a powerful step employees can take through their health and safety representative (HSR).
The PIN was issued today (Wednesday 2 August) at 10am by Janferie Dewar, a registered nurse who is also HSR for the ED, because severe staff shortages and unreasonable and unmanageable workloads have made the ED critically unsafe, and led to increased sick leave, burn out and resignations.
Ms Dewar says she issued the PIN representing workers in the ED, but that more than 150 staff across the hospital have signed a document in support of the notice – ranging from nurses to health care assistants, students, cleaners, paramedics and doctors.
“The PIN was also endorsed by a health and safety working group of 35 NZNO delegates and external health and safety advisors because, even after three letters of recommendation to Te Whatu Ora Waikato management since April this year, the health and safety risks in the ED have not been addressed to anywhere near an acceptable level.
“Despite ongoing meetings with management nothing significant has changed even though the ED is almost in code red by default.
“We’re at the point now where staff have had enough.”
Other issues addressed by the PIN include Waikato Hospital not training health and safety representatives to the required NZQA standard (so they are not qualified to issue PINs); staffing levels significantly below requirements on a regular basis; and the hospital not following its own policies around escalation when safety risks become critical.
“There’s been a fundamental non-compliance with the employer’s primary duty of care to keep staff safe and provide reasonable workloads,” Ms Dewar said.
“Other big employers in New Zealand have to comply with the Health and Safety Act by managing risk and ensuring workloads are reasonable for workers. Te Whatu Ora is an employer and should not be exempt from the law.
“It’s just not physically possible for one person to do the work of two or three nurses, but that is what is regularly required of staff, and the result has been chronic fatigue and anxiety. Their only relief from work stress is a quick and quiet cry in the toilets.
“Staff turnover is unprecedented, and a number are on stress leave as we speak so the situation just continues to worsen. The ED is in critical care deficit by the organisation’s own risk scoring and this PIN is because the hospital is failing to meet its obligations under the Health and Safety Act.
Te Whatu Ora Waikato management have until 11 August to comply with the PIN’s recommendations.