Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
BUSINESS STATEMENT
Hon SIMEON BROWN (Deputy Leader of the House): Today the House will adjourn until Tuesday, 15 October. In that week, the House will consider the second readings of the Gambling (Definition of Remote Interactive Gambling) Amendment Bill, the Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, and the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. Wednesday will be a member’s day.
Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
THURSDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2024
The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.
KARAKIA/PRAYERS
Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN (Green): [Chinese text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]
Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed upon us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.
Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
THURSDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2024
The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.
KARAKIA/PRAYERS
Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN (Green): [Chinese text to be inserted by the Hansard Office.]
Almighty God, we give thanks for the blessings which have been bestowed upon us. Laying aside all personal interests, we acknowledge the King and pray for guidance in our deliberations that we may conduct the affairs of this House with wisdom, justice, mercy, and humility for the welfare and peace of New Zealand. Amen.
US Senate News:
Source: The White House
It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes. The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians. We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border. The statement we have negotiated is now endorsed by the United States, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Qatar. We call for broad endorsement and for the immediate support of the Governments of Israel and Lebanon.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rewi Newnham, Professor in Physical Geography, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
With about 90% of New Zealand’s natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats.
Our new research details the history of raupō (bulrush) from the time before people arrived in Aotearoa. It shows this resilient, opportunistic plant – and taonga species – can play an important role restoring wetlands and freshwater quality.
An unexpected finding was that the decline of freshwater quality in many lakes did not really kick in until the mid-20th century with intensification of agriculture. Until then, lake water quality indicators generally showed these ecosystems remained healthy. The prolific expansion of raupō after Aotearoa was first settled may have helped.
Thriving on material washed from disturbed catchments, raupō acted as an ecological buffer, intercepting nutrients and sediments, and reducing potentially harmful effects on freshwater ecosystems.
From the mid-20th century, as water quality began to deteriorate, raupō populations – and any buffering effects – were generally in decline as wetlands and lake shallows were drained for grazing land and better access to water supply.
Lessons from this plant’s past can be put to good use today as we strive to bring back the mauri (life force) of our freshwater systems.
Before settlement, when dense forest covered most of the country, raupō was surviving on the fringes. As a wetland plant, it likes its roots submerged, but needs light to grow.
Its preferred niche is the shallow margins of lakes, ponds and streams or nutrient-rich swamps. Before people, these places were much less common. Forests typically grew right up to the water’s edge and extended across some swamps.
Under these conditions, raupō evolved strategies for survival: aerated roots to cope with water logging; tiny, abundant seeds that spread far and wide on the wind; rhizomes (underground stems) that extend from the mother plant and store carbohydrates to keep the plant alive in lean times.
Raupō can even build floating root mats, from sediment trapped by its rhizomes, that extend out across open water and even detach from the shoreline to become mobile raupō islands.
With these survival strategies, raupō could wait for better times which, in Aotearoa’s dynamic environment, duly arrived.
Episodic agents of disruption – storms, floods, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic ashfall – created opportunities. Local forest damage allowed light to penetrate to ground level, and slips and floods brought nutrient-rich sediment from soils.
Raupō would seize these opportunities to expand. But they were typically short-lived as the inevitable process of forest succession returned the environment to stability – and raupō back to a state of patient hibernation.
Then people arrived, with fire and hungry mouths to feed. This time, the disturbances persisted. Forest clearances endured, sediments rich in nutrients flooded wetlands and lakes, and raupō, supremely equipped for just this scenario, spread across swamps and lake shores as wildfires spread on land.
Our tūpuna (ancestors) observed this behaviour, as well as what was happening around raupō. Insects and birds were feeding and nesting. Freshwater fish, crays, shellfish and eel spawned among its fertile beds.
This new-found abundance also offered a range of resource opportunities. Raupō’s flax-like leaves were woven into mats, rope and string. Leaves and stems were used like thatch to cloak the roofs and walls of whare.
Traditional poi were often made from raupō leaves. Some iwi, particularly in the south, used the stems to build lightweight boats for navigating rivers and lakes. Flower stalks, shoots and young leaves were eaten, and the rhizomes and roots, when cooked, provided edible carbohydrates. The most cherished raupō kai, however, were cakes baked using the copious raupō pollen.
Unsurprisingly, for many iwi raupō remains a taonga species today, treasured for this array of resources and for its ecological and even spiritual roles in maintaining the mauri of freshwater habitats, upon which so much depends.
For some iwi, raupō are seen as kaitiaki (guardians) watching over a lake or wetland, and signalling its health. In these ways, raupō also connects us with other Indigenous communities. Although raupō is native to this country, the same species is found in Australia and parts of East Asia, while relatives in the genus Typha (Greek for marsh) occur naturally on all continents, except Antarctica.
Similar practices occurred wherever raupō and its relatives are found.
This connection between cultural and ecological roles is one of the fascinating findings from our research. We describe raupō as a “human-associated species”, not just because of its taonga status, but because its fate seems so closely linked to people.
More work needs to be done, but history tells us raupō has an important role in restoring the health of our freshwater ecosystems. Not only can it soak up nutrients and contaminants, but as both a native and taonga species it can assist remediation solutions that are ecologically and culturally supportive and sustainable.
This research was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment research programmes – Our lakes’ health; past, present, future (C05X1707) and Our lakes, Our future (CAWX2305).
– ref. The common raupō once kept NZ’s wetlands and lakes thriving – now it could help restore them – https://theconversation.com/the-common-raupo-once-kept-nzs-wetlands-and-lakes-thriving-now-it-could-help-restore-them-238887
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
Before legislative hearing, Heinrich’s bipartisan Indian Buffalo Management Act also advanced out of Senate Committee
WASHINGTON – Today, the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act and the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act, bills sponsored by U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), received a key hearing before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich testifies in support of the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act and the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs onSeptember 25, 2024.
“The failure of the United States to work with Tribal Governments to ensure that they could use the water they have always owned has reverberated through generations,” said Heinrich. “It has a direct impact on the well-being of Tribal members today. It’s time we make this right for Zuni and the Navajo Nation.”
Heinrich and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) introduced the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act in July. The bill would unlock federal funding to support a trust for sustainable water management and infrastructure development that upholds the federal government’s trust responsibility while protecting the sacred Zuni Salt Lake. The bill ratifies the settlement between the federal government, State of New Mexico, and Zuni Tribe that affirms their water rights for irrigation, livestock, storage, and domestic and other uses. During the hearing, Zuni Tribe Governor Arden Kucate testified in support of the legislation.
Heinrich and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) introduced the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act earlier this month to approve the water rights settlement for the Navajo Nation as well as participating non-Tribal parties in the Rio San José watershed. During the hearing, Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren testified in support of the legislation.
Heinrich and Leger Fernández previously introduced the Rio San José and Rio Jemez Water Settlements Act, which would implement the water settlements agreed to by the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna, the United States, the State of New Mexico, and non-Tribal parties, in the Rio San José watershed. That bill received a hearing and was reported out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in December. The House version of this bill received a legislative hearing in the House Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee in July. The bill introduced this month and heard today in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs would further resolve Tribal water claims in the Rio San José basin by settling the Navajo Nation’s claims.
Before the hearing on Tribal water rights settlements legislation, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs also held a business meeting in which members voted to advance Heinrich’s Indian Buffalo Management Act. That legislation received a hearing before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in June.
“This legislation will further foster growth of Tribal bison herds, and I am grateful for the committee’s support,” said Heinrich.
The Indian Buffalo Management Act, which Heinrich introduced last year alongside U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), provides secure, consistent funding for Tribes and Tribal organizations that have established buffalo herds, as well as provides resources for Tribes that would like to establish new herds.
The bill creates a permanent buffalo restoration and management program within the Department of Interior to:
Promote and develop the capacity of Tribes and Tribal organizations to manage buffalo and buffalo habitat;
Protect and enhance buffalo herds for the maximum benefit of Tribes; and
Ensure that Tribes are directly involved in the Interior Department decision-making regarding buffalo.
The bill has been endorsed by the InterTribal Buffalo Council, the National Bison Association, The Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, and the National Parks Conservation Association.
Full video of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee Business Meeting and Legislative Hearing can be found here.
Heinrich’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
Chairman Schatz and Vice Chairman Murkowski, I want to first thank you for considering the Indian Buffalo Management Act a few minutes ago.
This legislation will further support growth of Tribal bison herds, and I am grateful for the committee’s support.
Turning to the hearing agenda, I want to thank you for holding this hearing on the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act and the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act, two bills of critical importance for the water future of New Mexico’s Tribes.
I am happy to welcome the Governor of Zuni Pueblo, Arden Kucate, who is here today to provide testimony on the Zuni Water Rights Settlement Act.?
The Zuni people have been stewards of the Zuni River Basin for millennia.
Their traditional agricultural practices and careful stewardship of water sustained the tribe over thousands of years.
Unfortunately, the United States has failed to protect Zuni’s water rights and has allowed their water to be diverted to other purposes.
Overuse of water in the Zuni Basin has caused the Zuni people to suffer from a lack of water for their community, their businesses, and their traditional agricultural practices.
This injustice continues today. Without reliable access to clean water, it is difficult for Zuni to attract new businesses that create jobs and revenue for the Tribe.
This legislation would not only fully settle Zuni’s water rights claims in the Zuni River Basin; it would also provide funding for several key water infrastructure projects.
It is an opportunity for the United States to make the Zuni Tribe whole for the water that they have always been entitled to.
And it will support Zuni’s traditional irrigation practice, their people, and their future business development, in a manner that builds resilience in the face of a drying climate.
This piece of legislation would also protect the Zuni Salt Lake, a sacred place of great cultural significance to the Zuni Tribe and others in the region.
I am also happy to welcome the President of Navajo Nation, Dr. Buu Nygren, who is here to provide testimony for the Navajo Nation Rio San José Stream System Water Rights Settlement Act.
This legislation would settle the water rights of the Navajo Nation in the Rio San José basin – it is the final step in an adjudication process that began more than forty years ago.
In that time, we’ve seen aridification in the Southwest further strain water resources for Tribes, including the Navajo Nation, that don’t have the resources to fully use their water rights.
This settlement is an important step towards giving the Navajo Nation an equal voice amongst water users in the southwest.
Today, there are more than 200 Navajo households within the Rio San José and Rio Puerco Basins without access to running water.
These households instead have to rely on hauling water.
The lack of reliable drinking water systems in these communities contributed to the widespread health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Navajo Nation, which took the lives of far too many.
I am committed to working with the Navajo Nation to build a future where they have full access to their water rights.
This access to water will facilitate the preservation of Navajo culture and tradition.
Both of these pieces of legislation would implement settlement agreements that have been carefully negotiated between the Tribes, the State of New Mexico, neighboring water users, and the United States.
I want to thank all of the parties for their tireless work in reaching settlements for these basins, and Senator Luján for cosponsoring these settlements along with me.
The failure of the United States to work with Tribal Governments to ensure that they could use the water they have always owned has reverberated through generations.
It has a direct impact on the well-being of Tribal members today.
It’s time we make this right for Zuni and the Navajo Nation.
Thank you to the committee for your consideration today, and I yield back the remainder of my time.
Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Federal Court has ordered EnergyAustralia to pay $14 million in penalties for making false, misleading or deceptive statements to hundreds of thousands of consumers about electricity prices, and failing to provide mandatory information required by the Electricity Retail Code (the Code).
EnergyAustralia admitted it had breached the Australian Consumer Law and the Code in its communications sent between 20 June and 12 September 2022 to around 566,000 consumers about electricity prices, by failing to state the lowest possible price in the communications and misrepresenting the estimated annual price of its electricity offer for an “average” customer.
In addition, Energy Australia admitted, that between 1 July and 27 September 2022, it published 27 electricity offers online that failed to state the difference between the reference price and the unconditional price expressed as a percentage of the reference price, or the ‘lowest possible price’ as required under the Code. These offers were viewed about 220,000 times.
“EnergyAustralia breached laws which were designed to help consumers to compare electricity offers and identify the best deal by increasing transparency,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.
“EnergyAustralia’s failure to fully inform consumers meant they could not accurately compare offers from competing retailers and may have been denied the opportunity to choose the best deal for them.”
“Some consumers may also have been misled by EnergyAustralia’s statements into thinking that a price change was less than it actually was, causing them to stay with their existing plan when in fact a different plan may have represented a better deal,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
This conduct occurred when electricity prices were rising and many consumers were looking to switch to cheaper plans.
“It is essential that electricity retailers provide consumers with accurate information so they can compare and access the most competitive prices in the market. This enforcement action is a reminder that the ACCC is closely monitoring the electricity market, conducting regular compliance checks and ready to take strong action when appropriate,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
The Court also ordered EnergyAustralia to review its compliance program and pay a contribution to the ACCC’s costs.
The Electricity Retail Code applies to all electricity retailers that supply electricity to residential and small business customers in applicable distribution regions in New South Wales, South Australia, and South-East Queensland. It is a mandatory industry code under the Competition and Consumer Act and establishes enforceable requirements in relation to how electricity retailers must communicate pricing information to small customers. It was introduced to increase transparency in the retail electricity market and allow consumers to easily compare offers against a common benchmark. Under the Code, electricity retailers must include certain information when communicating prices. These requirements include the difference between the reference price and the unconditional price as a percentage of the reference price, as well as the lowest possible price.
The ‘reference price’ is the per-customer annual price based on the Default Market Offer determined by the Australian Energy Regulator. It is used as a benchmark to compare market offer prices.
The ‘lowest possible price’ is the total amount a representative customer would be charged for the supply of electricity in the financial year at the offered prices, assuming that all conditional discounts (if any) are met. (If there are no conditional discounts, the lowest possible price is the same as the unconditional price.)
Since the Code was introduced in 2019, the ACCC has issued infringement notices to Locality Planning Energy, CovaU, ReAmped Energy and Dodo Power & Gas for allegedly failing to include certain mandatory information when communicating prices. The ACCC has also accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from CovaU and Dodo in response to breaches of the Code.
The proceedings against Energy Australia were the first court proceedings brought by the ACCC in relation to alleged breaches of the Code.
Consumers can compare electricity plan information on the Government comparison website Energy Made Easy and Victorian Energy Compare. For further information for consumers on comparing energy plans, see the ACCC website.
EnergyAustralia is one of the ‘big three’ energy retailers.
In September 2023, the ACCC commenced proceedings against EnergyAustralia in relation to these alleged breaches of the Code and the Australian Consumer Law.
EnergyAustralia’s conduct was identified by the ACCC’s regular compliance checks of electricity retailer’s compliance with the Code.
Previously, in April 2014, the Federal Court imposed a $1.2 million penalty on EnergyAustralia for making false and misleading representations and engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct while calling on consumers at their homes to negotiate agreements for the supply of retail electricity, in proceedings brought by the ACCC.
In March 2015, the Federal Court also ordered EnergyAustralia to pay a $1 million penalty for making false or misleading representations and engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct when dealing with certain consumers to sell electricity and gas plans, in proceedings brought by the ACCC.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Attributable to Senior Sergeant Ross Smith, Hawke’s Bay Police:
A man is facing the courts after being spotted attempting to steal items from a Napier building site yesterday, Wednesday 25 September.
Police responded to the scene around 4:40pm where a man was attempting to walk out with building materials, including wiring.
It wasn’t his lucky day, and Police quickly swept in apprehending the offender.
A 43-year-old man has been remanded in custody due to appear in the Napier District Court Wednesday 16 October on charges including burglary, procuring cannabis, and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
This is a timely reminder to ensure your building sites are well-secured and items aren’t left in the open.
While it can add a few minutes to your day, ensuring the site is secure could be the deterrent needed to ensure your not the one paying the price.
Prevention is the best offence to decrease the chance of burglaries, here are some useful prevention tips.
1) If you work on a construction site, be vigilant and secure building materials.
2) Take your tools home with you or lock them up in a shed on site.
3) For construction companies that own tools, engrave company names and phone numbers onto the goods.
4) Engrave your tools with your driver licence number. That way, if we find your tools, there’s a better chance of us getting them back to you.
5) Keep a record of the serial numbers.
6) If you work on a construction site, be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to Police.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
People visit the booth of China Publication during the 2024 Indonesia International Book Fair at Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 25, 2024. A delegation of Chinese publishers on Wednesday showcased more than 700 volumes of premium Chinese books at the 2024 Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF), held from Sept. 25-29 in Jakarta. Organized by China National Sci-Tech Information Import & Export Co., Ltd, the collection featured over 400 types of books, covering topics such as traditional Chinese culture, Mandarin learning, literature, social sciences, children’s books, and traditional Chinese medicine. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)
A delegation of Chinese publishers on Wednesday showcased more than 700 volumes of premium Chinese books at the 2024 Indonesia International Book Fair (IIBF), held from Sept. 25-29 in Jakarta.
Organized by China National Sci-Tech Information Import & Export Co., Ltd, the collection featured over 400 types of books, covering topics such as traditional Chinese culture, Mandarin learning, literature, social sciences, children’s books, and traditional Chinese medicine.
The delegation set up a digital reading stand showcasing Chinese history, culture, and advancements in fields like economics and ecology. The stand’s interactive photo feature allowed visitors to capture memorable moments.
A highlight of the event was a signing ceremony between China’s publisher Higher Education Press and Indonesia’s PT Legacy Utama Kreasindo, which secured the Indonesian language rights for “Experiencing Chinese for Primary Schools (International Version).” This comprehensive series, designed for overseas elementary students, will be published in Indonesia later this year.
IIBF Chairperson Wedha Stratesti remarked that the 2024 event, featuring publishers from 15 countries, represents a milestone for the fair.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 25, 2024 shows the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Core Array of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
The construction of the Core Array of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) started Wednesday, highlighting China’s growing potential in global radio astronomy research.
As a proposed extension of FAST, the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, the Core Array integrates 24 secondary 40-meter antennas implanted within 5 kilometers of the FAST site, said Jiang Peng, deputy director of the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
The Chinese-designed array will combine the unprecedented sensitivity of FAST with a high angular resolution, thereby exceeding the capabilities at similar frequencies of next-generation arrays in the world.
The FAST Core Array is estimated to be completed and put into operation in 2027.
According to a study conducted by CAS, the Core Array will be equipped with advanced devices to improve the survey efficiency of FAST, whose broad frequency coverage and large field of view (FOV) will be essential to study transient cosmic phenomena such as fast radio bursts and gravitational wave events; conduct surveys and resolve structures in neutral hydrogen galaxies; monitor or detect pulsars; and investigate exoplanetary systems.
Jiang said that once operational, the FAST Core Array could provide more possibilities for global radio astronomy research, owing to a wide range of potential scientific applications from cosmology to exoplanet science.
Wednesday also marks the eighth anniversary of the launch of FAST. In less than a decade, FAST has already significantly expanded its astronomical observation capability, and the FAST Core Array is set to enhance its observational capabilities further.
Jiang said observations made solely with FAST are like using a pencil to draw a sketch, while the FAST Core Array is akin to capturing the night sky with a digital camera.
To date, FAST has identified more than 900 new pulsars since its launch in 2016. The number of new pulsars discovered by FAST is more than three times the total number of pulsars found by foreign telescopes during the same period.
FAST started formal operations in January 2020 and was officially opened to the world in March 2021. The telescope provides astronomers around the globe with a powerful tool to uncover the mysteries and evolution of the universe.
Since its formal opening to the global scientific community on March 31, 2021, FAST has facilitated over 900 hours of observations for research teams from 15 countries, including the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia, covering various scientific objectives.
On April 6 this year, FAST reopened applications for observation projects for the 2024-2025 season, offering 1,600 hours of telescope time for freely applied projects.
British astronomer Ralph Eatough said that opening up FAST to the world means that astronomers can now perform experiments that were previously not possible due to insufficient telescope sensitivity, with a prime example of this being the potential to detect pulsars located in external galaxies.
Chen Xianhui, an academician at CAS, said, “FAST is helping mankind explore the origins, evolution, and structure of the universe, providing crucial observational data for understanding pressing scientific questions, while also serving as an important platform for international scientific exchange and collaboration.”
Source: Statistics New Zealand
Census release of iwi data a significant resource for Te Whata – 26 September 2024 – From today, individuals and dwellings data by Māori descent and iwi affiliation will be available on Te Whata.
Te Whata is a by iwi, for iwi data platform developed by Te Kāhui Raraunga and supported by Stats NZ. It is available at http://www.tewhata.io.
Customised census iwi data requests are also available through Te Ara Takatū.
This is the second time Stats NZ has partnered with Te Kāhui Raraunga to release Māori data from the 2023 Census on the Te Whata platform. The historic joint initiative is part of work under the Mana Ōrite Relationship Agreement between the Data Iwi Leaders Group and Stats NZ.
Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story:
MIL OSI –
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
The third stage of the huge maintenance project to improve State Highway 1 (SH1) in central and southern Waikato gets underway on Sunday night. From 7pm Sunday 29 September 2024, SH1 will be closed at nights between Piarere and just north of Tīrau (SH1/SH27 intersection).
Work is underway here until 6am Friday 18 October.
The closures won’t happen every night – they are from 7pm to 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. The road will be open from 6am each Friday morning until 7pm Sunday nights.
Residents, businesses and emergency services will have access at all times.
The detour is via SH29 and SH27 as shown in the map attached. The detour is 12.9 kms which equates to approximately an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, urges motorists to take extra care. “We ask motorists to use the official detours and to go carefully and drive to the conditions while doing so.
“Using sideroads for shortcuts is discouraged, as many of them are not designed for large increases in traffic.”
While this detour is underway at nights, Totman Road will have residents-only access.
“After a brief delay due to a bout of wet Spring weather, the improvement in the conditions this week has meant the foam bitumen stabilising work is underway between Tīrau and Putāruru and also Ātiamuri to Wairakei. This is a key part of the road rebuilding but is very reliant on temperature and dry conditions,” Mr Brady says.
The next section for closure will be between Tokoroa and Ātiamuri and this is expected to last for 6 weeks, starting on Monday 7 October.
A weekly e-newsletter is being produced with further information and people are encouraged to sign up via the website:
SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance(external link)
Piarere to Tirau SH1 closure map
Source: China State Council Information Office
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sept. 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
China-Australia relations have made positive progress, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when meeting his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Both sides should continue to build a more mature, stable, and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
Both sides should properly handle the issues in bilateral exchanges and not define China-Australia relations from the perspective of differences, Wang said, hoping Australia joins hands with China to ensure that bilateral relations go on the right track and achieve more results.
Wong, for her part, said Australia is ready to work with China to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, engage in constructive communication on issues of differences, and promote the stable development of bilateral relations.
The Australian side’s adherence to the one-China policy has not changed, Wong said.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
The construction of the Core Array of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) started Wednesday, highlighting China’s growing potential in global radio astronomy research.
As a proposed extension of FAST, the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, the Core Array integrates 24 secondary 40-meter antennas implanted within 5 kilometers of the FAST site, said Jiang Peng, deputy director of the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
The Chinese-designed array will combine the unprecedented sensitivity of FAST with a high angular resolution, thereby exceeding the capabilities at similar frequencies of next-generation arrays in the world.
The FAST Core Array is estimated to be completed and put into operation in 2027.
According to a study conducted by CAS, the Core Array will be equipped with advanced devices to improve the survey efficiency of FAST, whose broad frequency coverage and large field of view (FOV) will be essential to study transient cosmic phenomena such as fast radio bursts and gravitational wave events; conduct surveys and resolve structures in neutral hydrogen galaxies; monitor or detect pulsars; and investigate exoplanetary systems.
Jiang said that once operational, the FAST Core Array could provide more possibilities for global radio astronomy research, owing to a wide range of potential scientific applications from cosmology to exoplanet science.
Wednesday also marks the eighth anniversary of the launch of FAST. In less than a decade, FAST has already significantly expanded its astronomical observation capability, and the FAST Core Array is set to enhance its observational capabilities further.
Jiang said observations made solely with FAST are like using a pencil to draw a sketch, while the FAST Core Array is akin to capturing the night sky with a digital camera.
To date, FAST has identified more than 900 new pulsars since its launch in 2016. The number of new pulsars discovered by FAST is more than three times the total number of pulsars found by foreign telescopes during the same period.
FAST started formal operations in January 2020 and was officially opened to the world in March 2021. The telescope provides astronomers around the globe with a powerful tool to uncover the mysteries and evolution of the universe.
Since its formal opening to the global scientific community on March 31, 2021, FAST has facilitated over 900 hours of observations for research teams from 15 countries, including the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia, covering various scientific objectives.
On April 6 this year, FAST reopened applications for observation projects for the 2024-2025 season, offering 1,600 hours of telescope time for freely applied projects.
British astronomer Ralph Eatough said that opening up FAST to the world means that astronomers can now perform experiments that were previously not possible due to insufficient telescope sensitivity, with a prime example of this being the potential to detect pulsars located in external galaxies.
Chen Xianhui, an academician at CAS, said, “FAST is helping mankind explore the origins, evolution, and structure of the universe, providing crucial observational data for understanding pressing scientific questions, while also serving as an important platform for international scientific exchange and collaboration.”
Source: Department of Conservation
Date: 26 September 2024
DOC has monitored rock wrens across the South Island for the past five years to see how they fare both with and without predator control using methods like trapping and aerial 1080.
DOC Science Advisor Tristan Rawlence says monitoring shows rock wren numbers are mostly increasing where predators are regularly controlled but gradually declining at unmanaged sites.
“On average, there are more than double the number of rock wrens in areas with predator control compared to areas without,” says Tristan.
“Stoats can be common in alpine areas and we’re increasingly seeing rats in this environment too, possibly due to warmer temperatures.”
Rock wrens hop and flit rather than flying and nest on the ground, making them easy prey for introduced predators like rats and stoats. They are threatened with extinction.
With five years of monitoring data, Tristan says it’s now possible to see which predator control methods are of most benefit to rock wren.
“We’re seeing the best results where we’re using aerial 1080 in the alpine area above the tree line where rock wrens live year-round, and not just in the surrounding forest.
“We’ve also learnt we need to control predators whenever the beech forest seeds, as predator numbers soar in response to more food.”
Rock wrens live in alpine areas in the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o Te Moana and Kahurangi. They can go into torpor or semi-hibernation (dropping their body temperature and energy needs), an adaptation thought to help them survive harsh winter conditions.
Each summer since 2019, DOC researchers have surveyed for rock wrens at 25 sites ranging from Fiordland to Kahurangi. There are 19 monitoring sites where rock wrens are protected through predator control and six sites where there is no management. Monitoring frequency has now been reduced with sites visited every two years.
Previous research has shown rock wrens produce 3-5 times as many chicks when predators are controlled. A study in Kahurangi National Park over four years showed 58% of rock wren nests were successful in fledging young following aerial 1080 predator control, while just 13% were successful without.
This monitoring programme is part of DOC’s National Predator Control Programme, which protects the most at-risk wildlife and forests across New Zealand’s public conservation land.
Rock wrens belong to an ancient lineage of New Zealand wrens that once included seven species. Today, only the rock wren and rifleman/titipounamu survive.
Rock wren populations found in northern and southern areas of the South Island have been found to be genetically distinct. The northern birds are assessed as more threatened (classified ‘Nationally Critical’ under the New Zealand Threat Classification System) than the southern ones (classified ‘Nationally Endangered’).
For media enquiries contact:
Email: media@doc.govt.nz
Source: New Zealand Labour Party
The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses.
“Reports of more than 300 jobs to go at Kāinga Ora shows that National has no interest in solving the housing crisis, but just wants to see an end to public housing,” Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said.
“The people doing these jobs are the very people that have helped deliver record number of houses for New Zealanders. Now they’re thanking them by taking away their jobs and incomes.
“Chris Bishop and Tama Potaka promised New Zealanders they would build more houses than Labour yet so far, their record on housing is to make it harder for people to access emergency housing, easier to be kicked out of tenancies and taking Kāinga Ora from building record numbers of homes to funding none.
“This has been the Government’s agenda all along. We can’t forget the last National government ended up with 1,500 fewer public homes than it started with and sucked out $576 million in dividends.
“They’ve also capped funding for community housing providers at 750 houses per year, and scrapped the First Home Grant.
“Chris Bishop is all talk and no delivery. His actions will result in more people homeless and less public housing – exactly what happened the last time National were in Government,” Kieran McAnulty said.
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Source: New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Labour Government began exploratory trade talks on this agreement in September last year and represented a deepening of bilateral relations between our two countries.
“The UAE is a significant trading partner for New Zealand, with exports approaching $1 billion per annum,” said Labour trade spokesperson Damien O’Connor.
“The UAE is also a hub for New Zealand Inc operations into the region and a key component of New Zealand’s air connectivity to the Middle East and beyond.
“An agreement with the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council was the next step following the UK and EU free trade agreements Labour concluded in government, and conclusion by the National Government is another great step forward in trade opportunities for our exporters.”
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Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is looking at integrating the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the MetService to improve the weather forecasting system for New Zealand, Science, Innovation & Technology Minister Judith Collins says.
“We have agreed in-principle to NIWA acquiring the MetService, with the MetService retaining its role as New Zealand’s authorised meteorologist, subject to further work being completed.
“Having a strong weather forecasting system which combines weather forecasting science with land and hydrological system sciences through to daily public weather updates will help us meet the current and future demands of New Zealanders,” Ms Collins says.
“Our weather forecasting system is critically important, not only to give us warning of severe weather so that we can prepare, but for daily operations of the aviation, marine and energy industries, and many businesses across New Zealand. It is crucial that our capabilities are streamlined in order to ensure that it is easy to access information about the weather from a single trusted source.
“Extreme weather events in 2023 resulted in a tragic loss of life. These events cost nearly $12 billion in economic terms and $5 billion in insured loss. The Weather Forecasting System Review found that there is a compelling case for change.
“Bringing together the science around climate, weather forecasting, hydrology, and coastal hazards will improve our understanding and allow us to better prepare for, and respond to, severe weather events,” Ms Collins says.
“More work is needed before this change can happen. We have asked officials at the Treasury and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to work with the MetService and NIWA to provide implementation details as soon as possible.
“A more streamlined system will increase safety, improve efficiencies and support a future focused weather forecasting system that works for all New Zealanders.”
Source: New Zealand Government
The Corrections Amendment Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament today, making a number of changes to improve safety and rehabilitation in prisons.
Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says it’s important the law is reflective of the increasingly complex prison environment.
“Corrections manages some of New Zealand’s most dangerous people, and violence and aggression in prisons poses an ongoing challenge. Increasing staff safety is one of my key priorities for Corrections and this Bill supports that goal,” Mr Mitchell says.
“Through new intelligence provisions, the Bill gives Corrections clear powers to improve prison and public safety through monitoring prisoner calls, while also including safeguards to ensure transparency and privacy.
“Corrections will be using intelligence to identify prisoners who seek to harm other people in prison or members of the public.
“Reducing reoffending through effective rehabilitation is another of the Government’s priorities. To support this, the Bill enables limited mixing of remand accused and remand convicted prisoners, which will enable Corrections to expand rehabilitation opportunities for remand prisoners.”
The Bill also makes a number of other changes that improve Corrections’ ability to operate prisons safely and efficiently, including:
“These changes will support our wider work to improve prison capacity and staffing levels, staff safety, and access to rehabilitation, including through the $1.9 billion investment in Budget 2024.
“The Bill will support Corrections to achieve its core purpose of improved prison and public safety and help deliver on the Government’s comprehensive plan to restore law and order and keep New Zealanders safe.”
Source: New Zealand Parliament
The Crown Minerals Amendment Bill seeks to promote the strategic and responsible development of New Zealand’s natural resources. It supports the Government’s objective to promote petroleum exploration and production to ensure that gas remains a transition fuel until viable and cost-effective alternatives in place.
The Crown Minerals Amendment Bill would:
The bill would also make changes to improve investor confidence in the New Zealand petroleum sector.
Tell the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee what you think
Make a submission on the bill by 11.59pm on Tuesday, 1 October 2024.
For more details about the bill:
ENDS
For media enquiries contact:
Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee staff
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One supermarket shoplifter in Papakura didn’t bargain for an eagle-eyed camera operator in her plans.
Instead, she is without $300 in stolen groceries and faces the Papakura District Court today.
Acting Senior Sergeant Melody Brown, from Counties Manukau South Police, says a supermarket reported the shoplifting as it was occurring around lunchtime on Tuesday.
“A woman was brazenly walking out of the store with a trolley full of around $300 in groceries.”
In came the CCTV network installed around Papakura’s Town Centre.
“A camera operator was able to track the woman’s movements to a vehicle and this information was relayed back to Police,” acting Senior Sergeant Brown says.
A Police unit was soon arriving at a nearby Papakura address.
“Our staff located a woman matching the description in the process of unloading the stolen goods from her vehicle.”
The 33-year-old woman was arrested and has been charged with theft.
Acting Senior Sergeant Brown says Police have a strong relationship locally with the Papakura Business Association.
“Their camera network is invaluable in helping us respond to incidents as they occur, but also assist in other ongoing investigations,” she says.
“We’d like to acknowledge their camera monitor for their diligent work yesterday.”
ENDS.
Jarred Williamson/NZ Police
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Visitors are seen at the eighth Pingyao International Film Festival in the ancient town of Pingyao in north China’s Shanxi Province, Sept. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Zhihao)
The eighth Pingyao International Film Festival opened in the ancient town of Pingyao in north China’s Shanxi Province on Tuesday evening, with nearly 60 movies from 22 countries and regions to be screened.
All the works, from countries such as the United States, France, Portugal, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Japan, Argentina, Columbia, Uruguay and Denmark, will make their debut on the Chinese mainland’s big screen, and nearly half of them will premiere globally at the festival with the theme of “Earth.”
“In an era of technological transformation, looking back at our journey on earth will empower us to move forward,” Jia Zhangke, founder of the film festival and a renowned Chinese director, said while interpreting the theme.
By screening excellent films from around the world, the festival focuses on discovering and promoting exceptional works by young directors, especially from emerging and developing countries.
The festival will run until Sept. 30.
Founded in 2017, the Pingyao International Film Festival is held annually in Pingyao, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
An opera artist from south China’s Guangdong Province presents a performance showcasing the charm of China’s Lingnan culture at the National Museum of New Zealand in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 25, 2024. This cultural promotion event was jointly held by the China International Cultural Association, the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the China Cultural Center in Wellington, and co-organized by the Federation of the Chinese Association of New Zealand. It aims to promote exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations between China and New Zealand. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)
Artists from Guangdong Province, southern China, showcased the charm of China’s Lingnan culture to New Zealanders at the National Museum of New Zealand in Wellington on Wednesday evening.
This cultural promotion event was jointly held by the China International Cultural Association, the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the China Cultural Center in Wellington, and co-organized by the Federation of the Chinese Association of New Zealand. It aims to promote exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations between China and New Zealand.
At the beginning of the event, five inheritors of intangible cultural heritage from Guangdong presented a unique performance, including the Lingnan school of Guqin art, Chaozhou Kung Fu tea art, Canton Porcelain, and art of Dongguan agarwood incense.
The performances also featured Chinese folk musical instrument performance, Chinese folk song and dance, attracting more than 200 people. At the final of the show, the audience cheered and applauded in ovation for the artists’ performance.
A Wellington citizen who named herself only as Barbara told Xinhua that this has been the largest Chinese cultural event ever held in Wellington since COVID-19, and the whole show was “amazing” and “impressive”. The programs about Chinese tea especially broadened her horizon as a tea lover.
“China is the hometown of tea and the birthplace of the tea culture in the world,” she said, “I truly immersed in the profoundness of Chinese tea culture in this event.”
Zhang Yimin, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, said it is exciting to be here to engage in friendly exchanges by enjoying tea and artistic performances.
He hoped this event will help New Zealanders gain a deeper understanding of Guangdong’s culture and tourism, further promote cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation between Guangdong and New Zealand, and inject vitality into the long-term friendly exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations between China and New Zealand.
Guangdong Province is the heart of Lingnan culture, the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, and a pioneer in China’s reform and opening-up. The province is working together with Hong Kong and Macao to build the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) into a world-class tourism destination, Zhang added.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Attributable to Sergeant Luke Shannon, Feilding Police.
Residents of a Feilding retirement village can sleep easier now Feilding Police have returned their previously stolen items, and identified a person of interest for the burglaries.
We have been working closely with the residents of the Ranfurly Manor Villas since the spate of overnight burglaries between 22-26 August 2024.
Outdoor property was being targeted and taken from patios as the residents slept and they were understandably feeling shaken and uneasy.
A meeting was held on Thursday 5 September at Ranfurly Manor, Police alongside our partners Community Patrol and Neighbourhood support provided crime prevention advice and reassurance for these individuals.
Today with some public support Police were able to locate the property stolen and return it to the residents.
Senior Constable Tracey Colville alongside Constable Char Lucas hand delivered the property back and the residents were ecstatic to be reunited with their property.
A person of interest has been identified with charges expected in the near future.
This is a great result for our community and shows the results we can achieve working together.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Australian Treasurer
Over the next two days, I will meet with key Chinese counterparts in Beijing.
This is another important step towards stabilising our economic relationship with China.
It will be the first visit by an Australian Treasurer to China in seven years.
These meetings are part of the Albanese Labor Government’s methodical and coordinated efforts to re‑establish dialogue with China, Australia’s largest trading partner.
The main purpose is to co‑chair the 2024 Australia‑China Strategic Economic Dialogue with Zheng Shanjie, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Thursday 26 September.
Our relationship with China is full of complexity and opportunity.
We recognise a more stable economic relationship between Australia and China is a good thing for Australian workers, businesses, investors and our country more broadly.
That’s why in the last week I have consulted directly with the chairs, CEOs and senior executives of major China‑facing Australian employers, including Rio Tinto, Wesfarmers, BHP, Woodside, Fortescue, Macquarie, BlueScope, HSBC, King & Wood Mallesons, the Port of Newcastle, Sydney Airport, Cochlear, the University of New South Wales, GrainCorp and the Business Council of Australia.
Dialogue and engagement gives us the best chance to properly manage and maximise these important links.
Our approach to China has been to cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, and engage in Australia’s national interest.
The Strategic Economic Dialogue has not been convened since 2017 but our Government has agreed with Chinese counterparts to restart it.
I’ll also be meeting with other counterparts from the Chinese Government during my two days of engagements.
My meetings in China build on Prime Minister Albanese’s engagements in November 2023 and Premier Li Qiang’s meetings in Australia in June 2024.
We recognise that there’s a lot at stake and a lot to gain from the relationship with China.
We’ve got an opportunity to make sure both countries benefit from the continued complementarity of our economies, while protecting Australia’s interests.
Source: Federation University
A new outdoor space at Federation University Australia’s Gippsland Campus will provide a safe and welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, and community members to connect to country and celebrate culture.
‘Warulung’, meaning ‘Our place’ in the Gunaikurnai language, was officially launched this week as part of the Place of Being project by the Aboriginal Education Centre at Federation and the University’s Property and Infrastructure team, in partnership with an advisory committee made up of Traditional Owners and community leaders.
It will support spiritual and cultural practices, dances, smoking ceremonies, and events throughout the year, enabling students, staff, and the wider community to learn, reflect and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ connection to country.
The site features a semi-circle of five steel shields, signifying the five clans of the Gunaikurnai: Brataualung, Brayakaulung, Brabralung, Tatungalung and Krauatungalung.
Warulung’s spherical fire pit was designed by Gunaikurnai artist Ronald Ewards-Pepper and complements the site’s original stone fire pit designed by Gunaikurnai elder, Uncle Wayne Thorpe.
The shields and garden were installed by the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, with design input from Gunaikurnai and Indigenous artists.
‘Places of Being’ have also been established at Federation campuses in the Wimmera and Ballarat, with another to be launched in 2025 in Berwick.
Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley
“The Place of Being projects provide a safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students and the wider community to connect to country.”
“We hope this amazing space at the Gippsland campus can be a central place for community to come together to celebrate the rich culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
Quotes attributable to Federation University Aboriginal Education Centre Senior Manager, Katrina Beer
“We have students and staff who come from many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities who need a culturally safe place to connect spiritually.”
“We hope Warulung can create that sense of belonging, like a home away from home.”
Quotes attributable to Warulung advisory committee member, Aunty Christine Johnson
“Country is everything. It’s family, it is life, the connection of belonging, a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, communities and families, whereby we listen to yarn, share stories, reflect and celebrate with the wider community.”
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
A raft of recovery work is coming up along State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa over the coming month, as crews continue repairing the cyclone-damaged road.
Overnight work begins from Sunday (29 September) at Devil’s Elbow on a variety of work including shoulder widening, culvert installation, culvert inlet and outlet works, pavement works, asphalt surfacing and guardrail works.
The nightwork is expected to last until late October, with crews aiming to finish the work in the lead up to Labour weekend.
These overnight works will take place under the existing traffic management, so people travelling will experience similar travel times as during the day – the only change will be people driving through at night will now see more crew members at various sites throughout the Devil’s Elbow area.
Crews are expecting to complete repair work at 5 sites throughout Devil’s Elbow this spring. Four more sites will begin later this year, with most likely completed by Easter next year.
Learn more about the recovery work at Devil’s Elbow:
State Highway 2 Devil’s Elbow recovery work(external link)
A reminder that the Waikare Gorge Bailey bridge will be closing for two nights next week while new bridge deck panels are installed:
The bridge, on SH2 at Pūtōrino between Wairoa and Napier, will be closed to all traffic on Monday 30 September and Tuesday 1 October – between 9pm and 5am each night. There is no viable detour, so please plan ahead.
The work will be finished by 5am on Wednesday 2 October. The contingency date is the same time the following night 9pm to 5am, Wednesday 2 October.
From next Tuesday, crews will be onsite at Waikoau Hill, just south of Tūtira, working overnight on rock scaling the upper and lower sections of the hillside above the road.
The work will be carried out 5 nights a week (not on Friday or Saturday nights) between 8pm and 5am, Sundays to Thursdays. Because of the Waikare Bailey bridge closure starting at 9pm, the crew will start rock scaling at 9pm Tuesday 1 October. From Wednesday 2 October, the team will begin 8pm for the duration of the works.
The work is expected to be completed by 5am Friday 18 October.
During this work, stop/stop traffic management will be place (where both directions are held) for up to 15 minutes.
This work is a continuation of the rock scaling which began in May and had to be postponed because of the wet weather.
Rock scaling is crucial to ensure all loose material is removed from the hillside.
