Category: University of Waikato

Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: A major new law aims to ‘improve the health of all New Zealanders’ – so why doesn’t it include the basic human right to health?

The new Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act, due to take effect from July 1, will be a once-in-a-generation chance to reset New Zealand’s public health system. It’s a welcome effort to protect, promote and improve the health of all New Zealanders, reduce health disparities (in particular for Māori) and give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: With the UN powerless, the greatest danger now may be Russia beginning to lose in Ukraine

There could be no better example of the United Nations’ failure to live up to its founding ideals than the recent visit by secretary general António Guterres to Russia. Attempting to calm the dangerous war in Ukraine, he obtained nothing of significance.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Law alumnus honours grandfather through new judge role

When University of Waikato law alumnus Aidan Warren was five years old, he sat on the knee of his koro who gave him some advice, “When you grow up, become a lawyer to help our people.” In October 2021, Judge Aidan Warren was sworn in to the Māori Land Court and the vision of his koro was fulfilled.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Just 1.7% of people in PNG are vaccinated against COVID. Why is resistance so fierce?

Only 1.7% of Papua New Guineans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This has been a cause of concern for the international community, who are watching the virus spread through an exposed population with high rates of co-morbidities and minimal access to healthcare.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Marsden funds to help tackle challenges from climate change to teaching our history

University of Waikato researchers are leading a series of new projects from studying how our soils can help combat climate change, to designing how to better teach Māori history as part of Aotearoa’s new curriculum reset, all supported by the Royal Society’s Marsden Fund.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Why a domestic NZ COVID ‘passport’ raises hard questions about discrimination, inequality and coercion

With COVID-19 causing extraordinarily intrusive and expensive lockdowns, vaccine “passports” or certificates are increasingly seen as key to getting out of them. Decision-makers and gatekeepers – from border guards to maître d’s – will have a means of knowing who can safely engage with others.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: After the last ‘summer of terrible drugs’ it’s time to make NZ’s temporary drug checking law permanent

With the summer music festival season approaching (COVID willing), hopes are high that the current temporary recreational drug checking law will become permanent. If and when that happens, New Zealand will take another small step down the long drug reform road from criminalisation to harm prevention.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Wage restraint aims to list the lowest-earning public servants, but it won’t fix stubborn gender and ethnic pay gaps

It has been a confusing couple of weeks for public sector employees. They started with the government announcing what looked like a three-year pay freeze for public servants but ended up with a “lift/adjust/hold” approach to public sector pay.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Four leading academics awarded the title of Emeritus Professor

The University of Waikato has proudly awarded four academics, the Hon. Margaret Wilon, Peter Kamp, Ernie Kalnins and Anne McKim, with the title of Emeritus Professor for their exemplary work in their respective fields, as well as their outstanding contributions to the community.

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Source: University of Waikato – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Learning to discriminate: Can machines learn to identify pest species from photos?

Can machines learn to identify pest species from photos?
Machine learning has many applications in the real world, from medical diagnoses to detection of contaminants in soil samples. And now, researchers including the University of Waikato’s Professor Eibe Frank are investigating whether it can be used to protect New Zealand’s biosecurity. He will discuss this at hit public lecture on 16 July at 5.45pm.

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