On 30 April Whitireia and WelTec proudly celebrated the Whakapōtaetanga (graduation) of ākonga (students) from Engineering, Business, IT, Health, Creative, and Hospitality. The event was the second of two graduation ceremonies to be held in 2025, celebrating over 1,000 graduates.
The ceremony was opened by the cultural leadership of Whitireia and WelTec Tamaiti Whangai Mentor and Jobs Broker Tame Ngaheke (Te Āti Awa). Te Ara Whānui Kura Kaupapa Māori o ngā Kōhanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi performers welcomed the graduands as they took their places in the Lower Hutt Town Hall and set the scene for what was a moving ceremony.
Mayor of Lower Hutt Campbell Barry and Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy (as pictured) joined the celebrations to acknowledge the achievements of the graduates and their families.
Mayor Campbell Barry said, “It’s been fantastic to join today’s celebrations and see the pride across the community. Graduation is a major milestone-not just for the students, but for the whānau and friends who have supported them. Whitireia and WelTec graduates bring real skills and talent to our city and will play an important role in shaping Lower Hutt’s future. I’m proud to celebrate with them and look forward to seeing what they achieve next.”
The ceremony ran seamlessly under the guidance of Whitireia and WelTec Jobs Broker, Tui Bradbrook, as MC. It featured inspiring speeches from special guest Vanessa Stacey, Director of the NZ Fringe Festival, and international ākonga speaker, Sonam Narayan.
Vanessa Stacey shared career highlights and commented on the importance of working hard and taking opportunities as they come.
“We live in a world where we are constantly comparing ourselves. The only real commodity that you have is in your own individuality, your own sense of self. Please hold onto that as you take these first steps into the beginning of the rest of your lives.”
Representative of the ākonga body, Sonam Narayan shared her unique experience moving from a new country to join Whitireia and WelTec, and her life-changing journey through tertiary education.
Whitireia and WelTec Executive Director Mark Oldershaw congratulated the ākonga and thanked the families, friends, and the dedicated kaimahi (staff) who have supported them every step of the way.
“We look forward to seeing these talented graduates make their mark on the world, confident that the knowledge, skills, and connections they have gained will empower them to shape a brighter future for themselves and their communities.”
Latest insolvency figures reveal a sharp rise in business failures, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for New Zealand business owners.
The BWA Insolvency Quarterly Market Report released today shows insolvency rates between January and March 2025 surged by 31% compared to the same period in the previous year. Liquidations rose by 40%, while receiverships and voluntary administrations saw a decline.
The report’s author, BWA Insolvency principal Bryan Williams, says that despite the data there is a path forward for those with strategic foresight.
“These numbers, while concerning, serve as a crucial alert for business owners to review their financial strategies,” Williams says.
Key Data NZ Insolvencies Q1 2025 vs. Q1 2024 – Annual Comparison
Liquidations: Up from 504 to 705 (40%)
Receiverships: Down from 40 to 39 (-3%)
Voluntary Administrations: Down from 25 to 4 (-84%)
Total Insolvencies: Up from 569 to 748 (31%)
NZ Insolvencies Q1 2025 vs. Q4 2024 – Quarterly Comparison
Liquidations: Up from 666 to 705 (5.86%)
Receiverships: Up from 37 to 39 (5.41%)
Voluntary Administrations: Down from 6 to 4 (-33.33%)
Total Insolvencies: Up from 709 to 748 (5.5%)
Williams says the rise is partially attributed to global economic factors, including trade instabilities and market uncertainties, but is also a carryover of COVID-19 and the accumulated debt that resulted.
“Insolvency is always late to the party. It has a long incubation period and often doesn’t show itself until the conditions that caused it have moved on.”
Williams believes that amid rising insolvency rates, companies should remain vigilant in looking for ways to minimise the impact of the current turbulence. “Hedge against the potential for risk wherever and whenever you can,” he says. “By identifying warning signs early, businesses can adapt and thrive despite the economic pressures.”
Industries hit hardest in the last quarter were tourism, transport and delivery, construction and manufacturing. The construction industry has seen continued high rates of business failures, with this quarter’s figures showing no reprieve—insolvencies increased by 44%, up from 130 in Q1 2024 to 187 in Q1 2025.
“Companies with solid balance sheets can expect to ride out the challenges immediately ahead. Focusing on efficiency and innovation will be the wet weather coat for these companies.”
Acknowledging the impact of the current “arm wrestle” between the United States and China, Williams hopes both parties will soon recognise that fighting it out may cost more than it will gain.
“The best that can be hoped for is that leaders will pull back and let their respective societies grow as they will. The interplay of global tensions and local economic factors means New Zealand businesses must be agile and prepared. Our current insolvency figures are a reflection of these broader issues.”
Looking ahead, Williams believes there are reasons to be optimistic: “Though the short-term outlook remains challenging, New Zealand’s inherent resilience and adaptability are its greatest assets.
“Even one or two major projects within the country can dramatically shift business optimism, reinvigorating growth and opportunity,” he says. “Such developments can serve as a catalyst for broader economic revival.
“There is a road of turbulence ahead and this will damage plans that were made during more stable times. The effects will be universal and avoiding them will be like a rally driver trying to avoid potholes.
“Businesses that stay nimble, focus on core strengths, and prepare for future opportunities will be well-positioned when stability returns.”
About BWA Insolvency BWA Insolvencyis a leading insolvency firm that supports New Zealand businesses through liquidations, receiverships and voluntary administrations (VA), specialising in VA in particular. Founder Bryan Williams has 30 years’ experience in the industry and has recently become just the second person in New Zealand and one of 200 people worldwide to be named a Fellow of global insolvency organisation Insol International.
About the BWA Insolvency Quarterly Market Report BWA Insolvency has been tracking data on liquidations, receiverships and voluntary administrations since 2012. The Registrar of Companies Office records the filings of companies that have gone into a formal state of insolvency. BWA Insolvency then does a deeper investigation to show industry trends and provide a detailed snapshot of what’s happening in the market for theQuarterly Market Report.
Wetness is favoured for the northern North Island, with dryness a possibility for the western part of the North Island as well as western South Island, according to the latest Seasonal Climate Outlook for May to July 2025, issued by NIWA.
Seasonal air temperatures are expected to be above average across all New Zealand regions, says NIWA meteorologist Principal Scientist – Forecasting & Media, Chris Brandolino.
“”Low pressure systems forming north of the country are expected to affect New Zealand and may lead to heightened risks for heavy rainfall events. In the absence of strong large-scale climate drivers, local and regional influences – inherently less predictable – are likely to dominate New Zealand’s climate over the forecast period.”
Chris Brandolino breaks down what New Zealanders can expect over the next three months. Will it be a warmer than average start to winter? Who is going to see above normal rain? And what does it mean for skiers, farmers, and hydro catchments?
Greenpeace Aotearoa says that the damage caused by this week’s Canterbury floods is yet another reminder of the risk of continuing to ignore the climate crisis fuelled by the intensive dairy industry.
This week, devastating floods swept through the Canterbury region, causing many at-risk areas in the Selwyn District to evacuate, and leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula.
Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Will Appelbe, who is based in Canterbury, says: “The damage caused by this extreme weather event is real, and will impact communities in Canterbury into the future. But neither is this the last time we will see flooding like this in our region.
“As the climate crisis continues, we can expect to see storms like the one that battered the country this week increasing in intensity and happening more often – unless we take action to stop climate change from getting worse.
“Here in Aotearoa, the worst climate polluter is the intensive dairy industry, led by Fonterra. The oversized dairy herd is belching out huge amounts of superheating methane gas, which heats the climate much faster than carbon dioxide.”
“But as we’ve seen repeatedly in Canterbury, farmers are also among the first to directly experience the consequences of the climate crisis – with extreme weather events flooding their farms, or droughts leading to dry pastures.”
“The way farming is done in Canterbury has to change. We need to transition away from intensive dairying that harms the climate and pollutes waterways, towards more ecological, plant-based farming practices. And Fonterra and our Government need to support that transition.”
Since the 2023 election, Christopher Luxon’s Government has rolled back numerous policies that would have reduced New Zealand’s impact on the climate crisis, including several in the agricultural sector.
“Cantabrians are seeing the consequences of inaction on climate change today,” says Appelbe. “This Government’s decisions have prioritised profit for a select few over a liveable future for us all.”
“Luxon must show some leadership and reverse the anti-nature decisions he has made, particularly when it comes to our country’s worst climate polluter – the agricultural industry. Otherwise, the climate crisis will only get worse.”
Greenpeace says that some of the communities being evacuated in the wake of this flood are also dealing with nitrate-contaminated drinking water as a result of intensive dairying.
“If we change the way farming is done, we can prevent the worst of the climate crisis by reducing methane pollution from intensive dairy, and we can protect drinking water, lakes and rivers here in Canterbury, which are under threat from intensive dairy pollution.”
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 2, 2025.
Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne Foreign audiences often associate German cinema with tragedy, trauma and death. Certainly, major historical events such as the second world war and the Fall of the Berlin Wall — cornerstones of German film —
Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Specker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock When Australia signed the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, it committed to providing protection to people who have fled war, persecution and human rights violations. Refugees
Dark money: Labor and Liberal join forces in attacks on Teals and Greens for Australian election Teals and Greens are under political attack from a new pro-fossil fuel, pro-Israel astroturfing group, adding to the onslaught by far-right lobbyists Advance Australia for Australian federal election tomorrow — World Press Freedom Day. Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon investigate. SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon On February 12 this year, former prime
How the US ‘war on woke’ and women risks weakening its own military capability Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bethan Greener, Associate Professor of Politics, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a visit with Michigan Air National Guard troops, April 29. Getty Images With US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “proud” cancellation this week of the military’s Women, Peace
What are the symptoms of measles? How long does the vaccine last? Experts answer 6 key questions Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Williams, Paediatrician & Infectious Diseases Physician; Senior Lecturer & NHMRC Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney fotohay/Shutterstock So far in 2025 (as of May 1), 70 cases of measles have been notified in Australia, with all states and territories except Tasmania and the Australian Capital
Logging devastated Victoria’s native forests – and new research shows 20% has failed to grow back Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maldwyn John Evans, Senior Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Old growth mountain ash forest in the Maroondah water supply catchment, Victoria. Chris Taylor Following the end of native logging in Victoria on January 1 2024, the state’s majestic forests might be
Schools today also teach social and emotional skills. Why is this important? And what’s involved? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristin R. Laurens, Professor, School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology DGLImages/Shutterstock The school curriculum has changed a lot from when many parents and grandparents were at school. Alongside new approaches to learning maths and increasing attention on technology, there is a compulsory focus on
As Dutton champions nuclear power, Indigenous artists recall the profound loss of land and life that came from it Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Goldman, Sessional Academic, School of Languages and Cultures, Discipline of French and Francophone Studies, University of Sydney Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s promise to power Australia with nuclear energy has been described by experts as a costly “mirage” that risks postponing the clean energy transition. Beyond this,
Grattan on Friday: Key markers on the bumpy road to this election Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When we look back, we can see the road to election day has had a multitude of signposts, flashing red lights, twists, turns and potholes. Some came before the formal campaign; others in the final countdown days; some have been
NZ doctors defend nationwide strike action over recruitment By Ruth Hill, RNZ News reporter Striking senior New Zealand doctors have hit back at the Health Minister’s attack on their union for “forcing” patients to wait longer for surgery and appointments, due to their 24-hour industrial action. Respiratory and sleep physician Dr Andrew Davies, who was on the picketline outside Wellington Regional Hospital, said
Gallery: Doctors, health workers challenge NZ government over national crisis Asia Pacific Report Thousands of senior hospital doctors and specialists walked off the job today for an unprecedented 24-hour strike in protest over stalled contract negotiations and thousands of other health workers protested across Aotearoa New Zealand against the coalition government’s cutbacks to the public health service Te Whatu Ora. In spite of the disruptive
The Coalition’s costings show some savings, but a larger deficit than Labor in the first two years Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra The Coalition’s policy costings have been released, just two days ahead of the federal election. The costings show the Coalition would run up a larger budget deficit than Labor in the first two years of government, but make a
Tourism to the US is tanking. Flight Centre is facing a $100m hit as a result Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anita Manfreda, Senior Lecturer in Tourism, Torrens University Australia Doubletree Studio/Shutterstock Flight Centre, one of the world’s largest travel agencies, has warned it could lose more than A$100 million in earnings this year, citing weakening demand for travel to the United States. In a statement to the
The rise of right-wing Christian populism and its powerful impact on Australian politics Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elenie Poulos, Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University As Australians cast pre-poll votes in record numbers, it is not only political parties and candidates who are trying to influence votes. Australian Christian Right (ACR) groups have produced “scorecards” that rate party policies according to so-called Christian values. And they
Election quiz: have you been paying attention? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Digital Storytelling Team, The Conversation We’re at the tail end of five weeks of intense campaigning for the federal election. The major and minor parties, as well as independents, have thrown a slew of policies at the Australian people, most of which we’ve catalogued in our Policy
Major YouGov poll has Labor easily winning a majority of seats in election Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A YouGov MRP poll has Labor clearly winning a majority of seats in the federal election – 84 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.
Which medications are commonly prescribed for autistic people and why? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hiran Thabrew, Senior Lecturer in Child Psychiatry and Paediatrics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Arlette Lopez/Shutterstock Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. Someone may have social and communication differences, sensory issues and/or restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour or interests. There has been increased awareness and an expanded
How do candidates skirt Chinese social media bans on political content? They use influencers Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fan Yang, Research fellow at Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society., The University of Melbourne This election, social media has been a major battleground as candidates try to reach younger voters. As Gen Z and
Who would win in a fight between 100 men and 1 gorilla? An evolutionary expert weighs in Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Renaud Joannes-Boyau, Professor in Geochronology and Geochemistry, Southern Cross University Hung Hung Chih/Shutterstock The internet’s latest absurd obsession is: who would win in a no-rules fight between 100 average human men and one adult male gorilla? This hypothetical and strange question has taken over Reddit, TikTok, YouTube
The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai He, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University The United States and China remain in a standoff in their tariff war. Neither side appears willing to budge. After US President Donald Trump imposed massive 145% tariffs on Chinese imports in early April, China retaliated with its own
If you own a business, would you be willing to hire a person who has been convicted for a crime? Give them a chance when a background check shows they have a criminal record?
The answers matter for both individuals and communities. For people who have paid their debt to society, rejoining it can hinge on getting a second chance without being judged on their past.
It is not something they can really hide. Employers often conduct criminal background checks as part of the hiring process. People with criminal records face high levels of stigmatisation, making it harder to reenter their communities and make money legally.
The thorny question of what to do with people with convictions when it comes to employment has been considered by policymakers and justice campaigners around the world.
In the United States, more than 27 states have introduced “Ban the Box” legislation. While each law is unique, by and large they have eliminated the requirement to provide criminal background information in job applications.
And a number of countries, including New Zealand, have implemented clean slate initiatives which help conceal criminal records for people who meet certain criteria.
Our new research looks at whether New Zealand’s clean slate scheme increases the job prospects for eligible people.
The clean slate reform was introduced as the Criminal Records Act in 2004. People who were previously convicted of minor offences can now have their criminal records automatically concealed if they can maintain a conviction-free record for seven years after their last sentence.
The regulation excludes people who were involved in a serious offence (such as sexual misconduct) or who received a particularly punitive sentence (such as incarceration or an indefinite disqualification from driving).
The Criminal Records Act allows eligible people with a conviction to wipe their slate clean seven years after their last sentencing. Shutterstock
Clean slate and the labour market
Our research started with the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), hosted by Statistics New Zealand (StatsNZ). This is a repository of records provided by different public and private agencies, including court charge data from the Ministry of Justice and tax records from Inland Revenue.
StatsNZ uses specific characteristics of individuals (such as name and birth date) to identify them across the different datasets. This enables researchers to track the same individual’s data footprint across different administrative records.
We used court charges data on all men convicted between 1992 and 2003 who had fulfilled the clean slate eligibility criteria. We then linked this pool of people with their Inland Revenue records to measure their employment and earnings.
To identify the labour market impact of the clean slate policy, we compared the employment and earnings of those who completed their seven-year rehabilitation period (the treatment group) with individuals who become eligible some time later (control group).
Limited benefits of clean slate scheme
Our analysis found the clean slate scheme has no relevant impact on the likelihood of eligible individuals finding work. This could result from the length of time required between sentencing and being eligible for a clean slate. Seven years could simply be too long.
But the clean slate scheme did create at least a 2% increase in eligible workers’ monthly wages and salaries – equivalent to a NZ$100 hike for an individual with an average monthly salary of $5,000.
The increase in monthly earnings appears to be greater for workers with a stronger commitment to working and for those who remain with one company for longer periods.
Global patterns
The labour market effects of concealing past convictions have also been explored in the US. Recent research looked at a policy enacted in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Bexar County, Texas. Mirroring our own results, the authors do not find any relevant impact on gaining employment.
Our findings indicate the concealment of past convictions through New Zealand’s clean slate scheme might happen too late to make a huge difference. But there are changes that can be made to improve work outcomes for people who have completed their sentences.
This could include following the example of countries such as Finland, where access to criminal histories is much more restricted. In Finland, the background check has to be directly relevant to the job requirements. For example, the law allows checks for someone applying to work in the financial sector who was convicted of fraud.
There would also be benefits from looking at the eligibility criteria for New Zealand’s clean slate scheme.
Currently, it only applies to people who committed a minor offence. But policymakers should consider whether it makes sense to expand the policy to people who committed more serious crimes but managed to turn their life around. Making this change would allow people to reap the benefits of working without stigma.
All that said, the government’s current “tough on crime” stance makes change unlikely, with a focus on the cost of crime rather than what happens after punishment has been completed.
Kabir Dasgupta is affiliated with the Federal Reserve Board. The opinions expressed in this article does not reflect the views of the the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve System.
Alexander Plum does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales, Philippines – 1st Multi-Domain Task Force soldiers from the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (Long Range Fires Battalion) conducted mobility and live-fire training of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) on April 28, 2025, as part of a Joint Integrated Counter Landing Live-Fire exercise on the island of Palawan.
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales, Philippines – The 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (1MDTF) conducted tests of their Integrated Fires Protection Capability High-Powered Microwave (IFPC-HPM) and Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) in a combined joint integrated air and missile defense live-fire exercise at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, April 28, 2025.
Owls, well adapted to hearing the exact location of prey, have something in common with an unrelated group of raptors – harriers.
A new study led by Canadian and Australian researchers has found that harriers across the world are able to keep a much better ear out for their next meal than previously thought.
The international team of University of Lethbridge and Flinders University researchers made the discovery when they found unexpected owl-like traits in the ear and brain of several harrier species, such as the Australian spotted harrier.
The new article published in Journal of Anatomy features the work of the Iwaniuk Lab at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta and Associate Professor Vera Weisbecker’s ‘Bones and Diversity Lab’ at Flinders University in South Australia.
University of Lethbridge PhD student Sara Citron, who led the study, says owls have fine-tuned hearing abilities, allowing some of their species to locate prey in complete darkness.
“Until recently, it was assumed that all their hearing adaptations were unique to owls. However, our study shows that harriers have independently evolved several key adaptations for finding prey by sound,” she says.
The research team focused on harriers – a group of hawks found in North America, Australia, NZ, Europe, and parts of Africa and Asia – because they show some unusual, owl-like hunting behaviours.
Senior author and PhD supervisor Dr Andrew Iwaniuk, Associate Professor at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, says: “Hawks tend to hunt primarily by sight. But unlike other hawks, harriers fly low over tall grass with their beak pointed to the ground.
“During this so-called ‘quartering flight’, they are not only looking for prey, they are also listening for it,” he says.
Co-author Aubrey Keirnan, a PhD student at Flinders University who is also co-supervised by Dr Iwaniuk and Flinders University Associate Professor Vera Weisbecker, says that simply by looking at the harrier, you can see similarities with owls.
“The Australian Spotted Harrier is a great example,” she says. “When you look at this species’ face, you can see a distinctive disc-shaped face, which may improve their prey localisation just like owls.”
The discovery matches older behavioural studies showing that harriers can locate sounds with similar accuracy to owls, but how they did this has been a mystery.
Using specimens from wildlife rehabilitators and museums in Australia and Canada, the team examined the anatomy of the skull and brain of harriers and other closely related hawk species such as the wedge-tailed eagle.
They found that, like owls, harriers have enlarged ear openings and two expanded brain regions that are essential for calculating where a sound is coming from.
“These auditory nuclei are found in the brainstem and compare the time at which sounds arrive at the left or right ear,” says co-author Associate Professor in evolutionary biology Vera Weisbecker, from Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering.
“If a sound arrives at both ears at the same time, then the sound is coming from directly in front of an animal. If there is a delay, this indicates that the prey is more to the left or right,” she says.
“By having these two brain regions expanded, harriers can make such computations more accurately than other hawks, allowing them to locate where a potential rat, mouse or other prey is hiding in the grass.”
“Harriers have therefore evolved an auditory system similar to owls, enabling them to target sounds as accurately as owls in a remarkable example of convergent evolution of both brain and behaviour in animals separated by over 60 million years,” adds first author Ms Citron.
The team is careful to point out that the auditory system of many owls is far more sophisticated than that of harriers. This explains the ability of some owl species, such as the barn owl, to hunt in complete darkness whereas hawks only hunt during the day.
“There are several other features that help owls with their keen hearing which we did not find in harriers. For example, some owl species have asymmetric ears that allow them to locate sound with greater acuity, and these owls also have several other enlarged brain regions that were not enlarged in harriers,” says Ms Citron.
The team hopes their study results will encourage further research on bird anatomy to find out how a species perceives its surrounds.
“Anatomical studies like ours are a window into how a bird perceives the world around it, which can be extremely useful for bird conservation,” adds Dr Iwaniuk. “For example, harriers’ reliance on sound for prey location means that they are likely more sensitive to traffic and industrial noise. This could be contributing to the large decreases in Northern Harrier populations we have seen in Canada.”
The article, ‘The evolution of an “owl-like” auditory system in harriers: Anatomical evidence’ (2025) by Sara Citron, Cristian Gutierrez-Ibanez, Aubrey Keirnan, Vera Weisbecker, Douglas Wylie, Andrew N Iwaniuk has been published in Journal of Anatomy (Wiley Online Library) DOI: 10.1111/joa.14264.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a report urging exploratory therapy for youth with gender dysphoria rather than the chemicalisation and surgical intervention approach.
This is yet another nail in the coffin of radical gender ideology and the medical experiments being foisted on our vulnerable young people.
The report says that many of these children and adolescents have co-occurring psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions, rendering them especially vulnerable, and is published against the backdrop of growing international concern about pediatric medical transition. They say:
Health authorities have also recognized the exceptional nature of this area of medicine. That exceptionalism is due to a convergence of factors. One is that the diagnosis of gender dysphoria is based entirely on subjective self-reports and behavioral observations, without any objective physical, imaging, or laboratory markers. The diagnosis centers on attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that are known to fluctuate during adolescence. Medical professionals have no way to know which patients may continue to experience gender dysphoria and which will come to terms with their bodies.
The report clearly outlines the risks of significant harm:
Nevertheless, the “gender-affirming” model of care includes irreversible endocrine and surgical interventions on minors with no physical pathology. These interventions carry risk of significant harms including infertility/sterility, sexual dysfunction, impaired bone density accrual, adverse cognitive impacts, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, psychiatric disorders, surgical complications, and regret. Meanwhile, systematic reviews of the evidence have revealed deep uncertainty about the purported benefits of these interventions.
The report also says:
The “gender-affirming” model of care, as practiced in U.S. clinics, is characterized by a child-led process in which comprehensive mental health assessments are often minimized or omitted, and the patient’s “embodiment goals” serve as the primary guide for treatment decisions. In some of the nation’s 15 leading pediatric gender clinics, assessments are conducted in a single session lasting two hours.
The report rightly criticises the “gender-affirming” model of care recommended by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) – which is also the basis of NZ’s model via the activist group PATHA (Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa), saying:
This model emphasizes the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, as well as surgeries, and casts suspicion on psychotherapeutic approaches for management of gender dysphoria… In the U.S., the most influential clinical guidelines for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria are published by WPATH and the Endocrine Society. A recent systematic review of international guideline quality did not recommend either guideline for clinical use after determining they “lack developmental rigour and transparency.”
Finally the report also calls out the harmful resistance to psychotherapy, including the mischaracterisation of such approaches as “conversion therapy” which actually affirms children in their biological body.
The rise in youth gender dysphoria and the corresponding demand for medical interventions have occurred against the backdrop of a broader mental health crisis affecting adolescents… There is a dearth of research on psychotherapeutic approaches to managing gender dysphoria in children and adolescents. This is due in part to the mischaracterization of such approaches as “conversion therapy.” A more robust evidence base supports psychotherapeutic approaches to managing common comorbid mental health conditions. Psychotherapy is a noninvasive alternative to endocrine and surgical interventions for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria. Systematic reviews of evidence have found no evidence of adverse effects of psychotherapy in this context.
Family First has written to the Director-General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati requiring the Ministry of Health to remove the reference to the PATHA Guidelines in the Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care issued by the Ministry on 21 November 2024.
The Guidelines for Gender Affirming Health care for Gender Diverse and Transgender Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand written by activists from PATHA makes statements on puberty blockers which are not supported by the findings from the Ministry’s own evidence brief, as summarised in the Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care, nor by other probative evidence.
Family First believes it is critical that the Ministry act immediately and make regulations under the Medicines Act to stop the prescribing of puberty blockers for delaying puberty in gender incongruent or gender dysphoric young people because there is insufficient quality evidence that puberty blockers are both safe and reversible and efficacious in the treatment of gender dysphoria.
International visitors are spending more money and staying longer in the Bendigo Loddon region, according to the latest figures from Tourism Australia.
New data for the year ending 2024 shows the region is almost back to pre-pandemic international tourist numbers and smashing international visitor spend records.
There were 27,000 overnight international visitors compared to 16,000 in 2023. This is a 68 per cent increase. International visitor spending has significantly increased to $37 million, compared to $14 million ten years ago.
City of Greater Bendigo Manager Economy & Experience James Myatt said the Bendigo Loddon region was a key destination of choice for international tourists visiting Victoria.
“It is fantastic to see more people from overseas coming to the region and spending a lot more time here,” Mr Myatt said.
“We know that international visitors are drawn to our Gold Rush heritage, arts and cultural experiences, farm stays, beautiful natural landscapes, and food and wine offerings.
“Popular attractions amongst international visitors include Bendigo Tramways, Central Deborah Gold Mine, The Great Stupa, Bendigo Art Gallery, Bendigo Pottery, Dumawul Tours, and the Golden Dragon Museum.
“Greater Bendigo is also a key destination on the Sydney Melbourne Inland Discovery drive, a self-drive touring route promoted primarily in the United States, UK, Europe, and New Zealand tourism markets throughout the year.
“Over the past ten years, the City has focused on attracting and marketing major events and developing highly engaging destination marketing and activation campaigns.
“The figures show strong growth in the international market and people want to visit Greater Bendigo for the range of experiences we offer all year round.
“The survey results prove our strategies are working. The passion and commitment from many tourism operators contribute to this very positive trend.”
The City has hosted over 50 travel agents from across the world over the past nine months, giving them the opportunity to experience attractions firsthand. That knowledge is shared with their teams and potential visitors from their countries.
The City held a training session with Visit Victoria earlier this year to guide local tourism and service operators on how to attract international visitors.
Key destination campaigns, such as the tulip displays during Bloom and major events like the Bendigo Easter Festival are promoted to Melbourne’s Indian and Chinese communities, attracting families and their visiting friends and relatives from overseas.
The Greater Bendigo region is being represented at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) this week in Brisbane, the largest international trade show hosted by Tourism Australia. Over 100 meetings are organised with media and travel agents from around the world to promote Greater Bendigo’s unique visitor destination offerings. For the first time, representatives from Greater Bendigo have also been invited to showcase Agri-tourism experiences in the region.
“We see some great opportunities to build business at ATE with key decision makers who promote Australia across the world. In particular, our focus is on attracting visitation from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, India, China and South East Asia markets,” Mr Myatt said.
Tourism Research Australia is the country’s leading provider of quality tourism intelligence across both international and domestic markets. Their data underpins government tourism policy and helps improve the performance of the tourism industry for the benefit of the Australian community.
A small, flood-prone Northland community has withstood a 10-year rainfall event, thanks to new flood protection works led by Northland Regional Council.
Around 300ml of rain fell on the Far North’s Matangirau catchment during Ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam, the most rain recorded in the area in a decade and almost twice the rainfall recorded across Northland.
Flood protection measures were installed last year at Matangirau as part of the $5.735 million Flood-Resilient Māori Communities and Marae project.
The project (funded by the Local Government Flood Resilience Co-Investment Fund and NRC) aims to reduce flood risks for six flood-affected Māori communities (Kawakawa, Otiria-Moerewa, Kaeo, Matangirau, Whirinaki and Punuruku) and 35 marae across Te Tai Tokerau.
Local Robert Rush said prior to the flood works, his whare was always the first to flood when there was heavy rainfall.
Their local marae would also always go under water.
Yet after the flood mitigation works undertaken by NRC, Rush said, the results had been fantastic.
“It’s been a work in progress, especially showing our whānau that the council were only there to help and not to steal our land,” Rush said.
“We’ve had stop banks and river works done around our homestead and it hasn’t flooded since.
“We also had some work done just a couple of weeks before ex-Cyclone Tam, which was perfect timing because we didn’t flood during that time either, nor did my grandfather’s house which is near the new marae.”
NRC Te Ruarangi (Māori and council working party) Whangaroa hapū representative and Matangirau haukainga Nyze Manuel agreed the benefits of the flood works were obvious.
She said the mahi of Te Ruarangi had also played a critical role in the activation and front line of Māori communities during these times.
“Well we’re not under water, so that’s awesome!” Manuel said.
“Through our Te Ruarangi network we were able to get out communications to people about the weather in a fast and efficient way.
“And as more flood works are done by NRC, we’ll see less flood water in these vulnerable areas.”
Matangirau’s flood mitigation is based on an engineering method called ‘floodway benching’ designed to reduce flood risk for homes and the marae upstream of the Wainui Road Bridge.
A 1960s rebuild of the bridge (which raised the bridge and approaches by about two metres above the existing flood plain) unintentionally worsened flooding by creating a ‘detention dam’ effect during heavy rainfall, capturing and holding excess water during heavy rainfall events.
As a child, Rush said he didn’t recall any flooding until the local road and bridge works were completed.
“We’ve had a whole lot of issues and have moaned about that for years, that’s why we built our whare where it is now because it never used to flood there,” he said.
“That’s why it was essential to get the flood works done as we’ve been flooded 3-4 times now and are no longer able to insure our house.”
The new benching works aim to reverse this damage by giving floodwaters more space to spread out, allowing more water to flow under the bridge.
This proven approach, used successfully in Awanui, maintains the river channel while adding a higher, wider ‘bench’ for safer floodwater flow.
Northland Regional Council Rivers Manager Joe Camuso said the recent weather event had proven the value of investing early in communities like Matangirau.
While it wasn’t a ‘miracle’ cure for flooding, Camuso said it had made a significant improvement on the impact of heavy rainfall to the area.
“What we’re seeing now is the flow regime is much more efficient, so we’re seeing more water flowing under the bridge, which means less flooding during large rainfall events,” Camuso said.
“While this is great, it is only built to withstand up to a 50-year flood event, of which there is only a two per cent likelihood each year.”
Flooding remains one of Northland’s most damaging and frequent natural hazards, impacting social, economic, and cultural wellbeing.
For Māori communities, the risk is particularly acute, with marae often located in low-lying, flood-prone areas.
During past storm events like Cyclone Gabrielle, widespread damage was seen across Māori communities, particularly to papakāinga (communal housing) and low-income areas.
Ensuring marae were more resilient, Camuso said, would mean more communities would be better off moving forward.
“In a flood event, marae become like a defacto civil defence hub, which often need to house and protect local whānau impacted by floodwaters,” he said.
“In the past week we’ve received so many emails from marae we’ve worked with, thanking us and telling us of the benefit they’re already seeing from the flood protection works.
“I’d like to thank the local whānau and hapū who have worked with us to ensure these flood works are a success.”
Rush said he too was grateful for the support from NRC to help flood-proof their whenua.
“Joe and his team have been a big part of this from early on and have been awesome over the years, which has really benefitted our whānau in the area.”
The flood resilience initiative not only focuses on physical protection like benching and stop banks but includes emergency planning, community-led adaptation, and exploring options for relocating the most vulnerable marae.
Site works across the region began in December 2023, with practical completion expected by mid 2025.
A video taken outside the Rush whānau homestead during the peak of the rainfall during ex-Cyclone Tam
As severe weather conditions ease across Canterbury and Wellington, New Zealanders are turning their focus to the clean-up and recovery.
The Insurance Council of New Zealand | Te Kāhui Inihui o Aotearoa (ICNZ) is encouraging people to take early steps toward recovery if it is safe to do so.
“Insurers recognise that in the early stages of recovery, many people may not be able to quickly lodge a claim,” ICNZ chief executive Kris Faafoi said.
“While you should contact your insurer as soon as possible, don’t wait to take steps to reduce further damage and begin recovery if it’s safe to do so.”
Some practical tips to support a faster and safer recovery include:
Mark and photograph all affected items before moving or disposing of them.
Carry out emergency repairs to make your home safe. Keep receipts and a record of the work completed.
If your home is exposed to the elements, you can engage a qualified professional to install temporary protections (like a tarpaulin), provided it’s safe.
Dispose of ruined or contaminated items that cannot be salvaged or cleaned.
Wear appropriate protective gear and keep a detailed list of what is removed. Take photographs and retain any proof of purchase to support your insurance claim.
Separate items that can be cleaned and do not store unsanitary belongings in your home.
Do not remove structural elements like flooring, wall linings, or materials that could contain hazardous substances without speaking to your insurer first. Such work must be done by qualified professionals.
For homes that are uninhabitable, temporary accommodation benefits may be available under many home and contents policies and those affected are encouraged to ask their insurer about available support.
“Be assured-your insurer is ready to help as soon as you’re able to get in touch to lodge a claim,” Kris Faafoi said.
“Your insurer will also be the main point of contact for all claims, including those under NHCover, which they manage on behalf of the Natural Hazards Commission (NHC).
“If your property has been affected, let your insurer know. They can help organise assessments for both your home and any damaged land,” Kris Faafoi said.
Source: Press Release Service – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: Petdirect Secures Exclusive NZ Rights to M-PETS
Petdirect, New Zealand’s leading Kiwi-owned pet retailer, is proud to announce the exclusive launch of M-PETS, a globally recognised brand of high-quality, design-led pet essentials. Already available in over 70 countries, M-PETS is now officially and exclusively distributed in New Zealand by Petdirect, with a curated range of over 100 everyday products for cats and dogs and more coming soon.
HONOLULU, Hawaii — Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, welcomes members of the Council on Foreign Relations to USINDOPACOM headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith, Honolulu, to discuss U.S. military strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, April 30, 2025.
Home consents down in year ended March 2025 – 2 May 2025 – There were 34,062 new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand in the year ended March 2025, down 3.3 percent compared with the year ended March 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
In the year ended March 2025, the North Island recorded 23,570 new home consents, a decrease of 7.1 percent compared with the year ended March 2024. In contrast, the South Island saw a 6.4 percent increase over the same period, reaching 10,491 new homes consented.
“The increase in the South Island was driven by higher numbers of new homes consented in Otago, Tasman, and Canterbury compared with the same period last year,” economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen said.
Home consents down in year ended March 2025 – 2 May 2025 – There were 34,062 new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand in the year ended March 2025, down 3.3 percent compared with the year ended March 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
In the year ended March 2025, the North Island recorded 23,570 new home consents, a decrease of 7.1 percent compared with the year ended March 2024. In contrast, the South Island saw a 6.4 percent increase over the same period, reaching 10,491 new homes consented.
“The increase in the South Island was driven by higher numbers of new homes consented in Otago, Tasman, and Canterbury compared with the same period last year,” economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen said.
02 MAY 2025 – Equinor Brasil Energia Ltda., a subsidiary of Equinor ASA, has entered into agreements(1) with Brazilian company Prio Tigris Ltda., a subsidiary of PRIO SA (PRIO3.SA) for a sale of its 60% operated interest in the Peregrino field in Brazil.
PRIO, Brazil’s largest independent oil and gas company, will pay a consideration of USD 3.35 billion and a maximum of USD 150 million in interest to Equinor for the transaction. The final cash payment will reflect the closing date and any deductions generated by the asset since the effective date, which is 1 January 2024.
Equinor will be responsible for operations of the field until closing of the transaction, after which PRIO will take over operatorship.
“With this transaction we realise value from a long-standing asset in our Brazil portfolio. Brazil will continue to be a core country for Equinor, as we focus on starting up the Bacalhau field and continue progressing the Raia gas project. With these two operated projects and our partnership in Roncador our equity production in Brazil will be close to 200,000 barrels per day by 2030,” says Philippe Mathieu, Executive Vice President for Exploration and Production International at Equinor.
“This deal is part of Equinor’s ongoing effort to high-grade its international portfolio through asset divestments and acquisitions. We continue to see growth potential and opportunities to extend the longevity of our international oil and gas portfolio, also in Brazil,” says Philippe Mathieu.
Equinor has been operating the Peregrino field since 2009 and around 300 million barrels of oil have been produced by the asset since. Peregrino is a heavy oil field and consists of a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) platform, supported by three fixed platforms. The field is in the Campos Basin, east of Rio de Janeiro. In Q1 2025, Equinor´s share of production from Peregrino was around 55,000 barrels per day.
Last year, PRIO acquired Sinochem’s 40% interest in the Peregrino field.
“PRIO has been a valued partner since joining the Peregrino license last year and we look forward to a smooth hand-over with them,” says Veronica Coelho, Senior Vice President and Country Manager for Equinor Brazil.
“We are very proud of the work that has been done by our team over the past 20 years on the Peregrino field. This asset has been the cornerstone of Equinor’s history in Brazil. Our journey in Brazil continues with full momentum, building on the legacy of those that have worked on Peregrino. We are preparing for operations on Bacalhau, as well as the startup of the Serra da Babilonia renewable hybrid project by our subsidiary Rio Energy and we are progressing the Raia gas project” says Veronica Coelho.
The transaction is subject to regulatory and legal approvals. The payment will occur in two tranches, one at signing and a further one closer to closing. The payment will be subject to customary adjustments.
1: The deal is divided in two parts, one for the acquisition of 40% and operatorship of Peregrino, the second for the acquisition of the remaining 20%. The 40% operation will receive a payment of USD 2,233 million, with an additional payment of USD 166 million which is contingent on the completion of the second part of 20%. The 20% operation will have a value of USD 951 million. The final component is USD 150 million of maximum interest, reaching the total of USD 3.5 billion.
The Prime Minister has been spotted getting a very orange spray tan in Auckland, which Greenpeace says is undoubtedly part of Christopher Luxon’s inexplicable efforts to mimic Donald Trump.
Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juressa Lee says: “From opening up the oceans to seabed mining, trying to restart oil and gas exploration and removing critical environmental protections in his ongoing war on nature, Luxon is increasingly aligning himself with a Trumpian form of environmental vandalism. At this rate, he’s just one spray tan away from becoming Donald Trump.
“This week, in Whanganui, Luxon spoke out in favour of fast-tracking the destructive Trans-Tasman Resources seabed mining project in Taranaki, only days after Trump signed an Executive Order bypassing the United Nations to fast-track deep sea mining in international waters.
“Trump is trying to bypass international environmental protections to deep sea mine the Pacific, while Luxon is steamrolling New Zealand’s environmental laws to fast-track dangerous seabed mining in Aotearoa.
“The similarities between Trump and Luxon are stark. Both are fast-tracking seabed mining, both are waging war on nature, and now both have an orange spray tan,” says Lee.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace has had a quick response from Chris Hipkins after calling on the Labour Leader to take a stand against seabed mining.
In New Plymouth on Thursday, Chris Hipkins made it clear that Labour is opposed to seabed mining but didn’t yet go as far as committing to overturn any consents given under the Government’s Fast Track Act. He made the statement just days after Greenpeace launched apetitioncalling on Chris Hipkins to take a stand on the issue.
Lee says, “It’s great to hear Chris Hipkins reaffirm Labour’s opposition to seabed mining, but we need him to take the next step and commit to overturning any consents given.
“The Luxon government seems hell-bent on waging an all-out war on nature, but Governments don’t last forever, and if the Labour Party now commits to overturning seabed mining consents next time they are in Government, it would be the last nail in the coffin for the failed project.
“With opposition from Te Pati Māori, the Greens and Labour, we are seeing opposition to seabed mining growing and strengthening. Already over 2,500 people have signed our petition to Chris Hipkins, and we hope he’ll take the next step soon so that we can see the back of Trans Tasman Resources and their greedy plan.
Federated Farmers welcomes the Government’s commitment to halt the locking up of high-quality farmland in carbon forest, but says loopholes remain.
“Today’s announcement from the Government that it’s still on track to ban full farm-to-forest conversions is good news,” say Toby Williams, Federated Farmers meat and wool chair.
“If we keep losing communities to carbon forestry, we’ll be left with towns without schools, sports clubs or doctors. It sucks the life out of our rural communities.
“Farmers are also increasingly reporting that carbon farming brings with it other issues like out-of-control pig and deer numbers, wildfire risk, and rampant wilding pines.
“A lot of properties seem to be planted without any intention to ever harvest. They’re just chasing a quick carbon farming buck.”
Although pleased with the coming restrictions, Williams says questions remain over their effectiveness at banning carbon farming.
“While we welcome the commitment by the Government, it is becoming clear that foresters are quickly looking for any loopholes that remain.
“The idea that buying seedlings before December 2024 is an intention to plant is an absolute joke. The Government need to close this loophole that being exploited.
“If a forester didn’t own the land, they can’t have had any real commitment to plant it. Having a contract on seedlings shouldn’t be accepted.
“We’re also hearing stories of farmland being bought for conversion to forestry, with the intention of on selling to foreign investors to get around overseas investment rules.
“If the Government are serious about supporting our farmers and rural communities, they need to move quickly to firmly close these loopholes,” Williams says.
Scientists are researching how best to identify mushroom species as a basis for a potential drug-checking service.
Magic mushrooms are coming under the microscope, as scientists at the University of Auckland forage for evidence to support a drug-checking service with the goal of reducing harm.
Doctoral student Sam Lasham will research the science and the acceptability of such a service.
“We’d like to work out the effectiveness of a magic mushroom drug-checking service and the best way to run that, and, in the case of people who are seeking mental health benefits, reduce the risks and offer advice on safe consumption,” Lasham says.
Lasham’s interest grew out of his studies at the University of Otago in genetics and botany and focused on Aotearoa New Zealand’s indigenous mushrooms.
“I was using environmental DNA from soil across our native beech forests in the South Island to estimate where species were and what species were around.
“A lot of that research was focused on DNA sequencing and something called ‘DNA barcoding’, which is using short genetic sequences to identify species.
“That’s what has led into this, because the most important thing, from a safety perspective, is making sure you’ve got the right species of mushroom, and you haven’t got a common lookalike that’s poisonous.”
At the same time, Lasham became interested in illicit use of psilocybin mushrooms and the need for harm-reduction measures, founding Students for Sensible Drug Policy Aotearoa in Dunedin.
There has been increasing interest in the potential benefits of hallucinogenic mushrooms, including studies of microdosing for mental health and creativity at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
Magic mushrooms are typically either grown from spores or foraged, then prepared in various ways to preserve them and enhance their effects.
The active ingredient, psilocybin, is relatively benign, but mushrooms contain other pharmacologically active compounds.
Adverse effects can include nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and headaches. If foraging, the biggest risk is accidentally picking a poisonous look-a-like species.
“Galerina are the best example of this as they are very similar to Psilocybe subaeruginosa but they contain some of the same toxins (amatoxins) as the death cap mushroom,” Lasham says.
There are numerous reports of a syndrome termed ‘wood-lovers paralysis’, which seems to be caused by species of psilocybin mushrooms that grow on wood.
Lasham is based in the School of Pharmacy using the lab to identify the constituent parts of various types of mushrooms.
He is working in senior lecturer Dr Rhys Ponton’s research group, which holds the only drug-checking licence specifically for research purposes in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“People can bring their mushroom samples in and know they are legally protected while we are doing a full, confidential and free check of their drugs,” Lasham says.
“We can test the samples to make sure they’re not a poisonous species and also to tell them what dose they have got, which will be another innovation that’s not currently being offered in any drug-checking service.”
The researchers will interview and survey people across the country to see how mushrooms are being consumed, what mushrooms people are using, how they’re using them and what sort of effects they are getting.
An advisory group of people with lived experience of mushroom use will guide how the research is set up, implemented and interpreted.
The research is supported by funding from the HRC and Ember Innovations.
Success in the lab could enable a ‘know your mushrooms’ service to run in a similar way to current drug-checking services at festivals, events and in the community.
Key Stats • Canterbury saw 100 to 200 mm of rain between Wednesday and Friday morning, while parts of Banks Peninsula saw up to 300 mm • On 30 April, Christchurch (80.2 mm) and Ashburton (105.4 mm) saw their wettest April day on record. For Ashburton, it was their wettest day in at least 19 years, while Christchurch records go back to 1943 • The wettest parts of Wellington recorded between 120 and 150 mm of rain in that time, with the largest accumulation in Wainuiomata • On Thursday, at 118 km/h, Wellington Airport got their strongest southerly wind since 2013 • Waves of 12 metres were measured off Baring Head in Wellington on Thursday
After days of heavy rain, fierce winds, and widespread warnings, Aotearoa New Zealand is in for a change. MetService is forecasting an easing trend later today (Friday), with the wettest and windiest weather on the way out in time for the weekend.
While rain and strong winds remain in the mix – including heavier showers and thunderstorms with hail in the upper North Island, conditions are expected to gradually settle later in the day and into the weekend – offering a much-needed window for clean-up efforts and a return to something closer to normal.
South Island After a very wet couple of days in Canterbury, breaks in the rain can be expected today, with the bulk of the showers expected to have cleared by the end of the day. However, temperatures remain on the chilly side, with daytime highs hovering in the low to mid-teens.
The weekend brings a mostly dry forecast for many parts of the South Island. Some showers may return to parts of Canterbury, especially around the foothills and Banks Peninsula on Saturday night into Sunday morning. But with patches of sunshine also expected, the coming days should help support any recovery work. A brief front clips the far south (Southland and Otago) with showers from Saturday into Sunday morning.
North Island Friday brings showers for Northland, Auckland, and the top of the Coromandel Peninsula — some heavy at times with thunderstorms and hail — before a clearing trend sets in during the evening.
After a wild and windy night, the worst of the winds have moved off the North Island. That said, it will still be gusty today for Wellington and Wairarapa, as strong southwesterlies continue — though more in line with what’s considered ‘typical’ for the region.
An Orange Heavy Rain Warning remains in place for Wairarapa until 3pm Friday, and rain and showers ease towards evening. Large waves along the Wellington and Wairarapa coasts are expected to gradually ease through Friday, though coastal conditions in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti Gisborne remain rough through Saturday evening.
Looking ahead to the weekend, most of the North Island can expect a settled spell. Eastern areas may still see a few showers, and Wellington and Northland could get some early showers on Saturday. But for many, Sunday looks sunny — a chance to finally tackle that laundry backlog or spend time outdoors.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Specker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney
When Australia signed the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, it committed to providing protection to people who have fled war, persecution and human rights violations.
Refugees have often experienced severe traumatic events. This can include war, torture, kidnapping and witnessing the murder of loved ones.
Understandably, refugees are more likely than the general population to experience mental health problems. About 27% of adult refugees suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 30% from depression. Only 5.6% of Australians experience PTSD and 6.4% experience depression.
Australia has a humanitarian and legal responsibility to support the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers so they can recover and thrive.
Mental health problems are highly treatable when people have access to effective treatment. Addressing key barriers to accessing mental health services is in everyone’s best interest.
So, what mental health support is available for refugees when they arrive in Australia?
Different pathways
Much depends on how the person came to Australia and through which scheme they applied to be recognised as a refugee.
First, there are people who apply for and are granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or Australia’s humanitarian program before arriving in Australia.
These people, often termed “humanitarian entrants”, represent the largest cohort of Australia’s refugees.
Humanitarian Settlement Program caseworkers can refer these people to internal or external mental health support services.
Importantly, people under Australia’s humanitarian program can also access vital services such as:
Medicare
Centrelink
English-language classes.
They also have the right to work and study. This helps promote recovery, adjustment and wellbeing.
Some people apply for and are granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees before arriving in Australia. John Wreford/Shutterstock
Second, there are people who sought asylum via alternate pathways.
This often means they arrived in Australia without a valid visa. Or, they may have held a non-refugee visa and subsequently applied for refugee status after arriving in Australia.
These people, termed “asylum seekers”, are in a much more precarious situation.
They face lengthy visa processing times, the possibility of being held in detention, and a greater likelihood of being granted only temporary visas.
Many people in this situation are restricted from accessing government-run settlement support, such as the Humanitarian Settlement Program and Centrelink.
Demand for specialised mental health services is high. That can mean long waiting times for all Australians, including refugees and asylum seekers.
Research has identified a number of barriers that especially affect refugees and asylum seekers. These include:
stigma around mental health problems and help-seeking
lack of knowledge on mental health
language and cultural barriers, and
logistical barriers (such as cost and travel distance).
Finally, some refugees (particularly asylum seekers or people with temporary visas) may not be as aware of mental health services as humanitarian entrants. The latter group are often connected with such services while part of the Humanitarian Settlement Program.
This puts the onus on such individuals to independently research what services are available and refer themselves.
That’s a tough ask for people also busy finding housing, learning English, enrolling children in school, and progressing their visa applications.
International law dictates that survivors of torture and other forms of persecution under Australia’s protection have access to effective rehabilitation services.
More broadly, the psychological cost of trauma can make it harder for some refugees to adapt to life in Australia. PTSD and depression can be chronic conditions. Without effective treatment, mental health challenges can persist for decades.
Helping refugees recover from the psychological effects of trauma and displacement also promotes the prosperity of the wider community. That’s because refugees enrich Australian society by establishing local businesses, working, facilitating new trade links, volunteering and contributing to the community.
When refugees thrive, we all do.
Philippa Specker receives funding from an MQ: Transforming Mental Health Postdoctoral Scholarship (MPSIP15). She is an associate of the Human Rights Institute, UNSW.
Angela Nickerson receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Belinda Liddell receives funding from the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KUNMING, May 1 — A park built on the Yuanmou ape-man archaeological site in southwest China’s Yunnan Province opened to the public on Thursday.
Located in the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, the park aims to become an integrated cultural space where visitors can experience millions of years of human history.
The Yuanmou ape-man site, located on a hillside about 200 meters from Danawu Village in Yuanmou County, was where two fossils of ancient human teeth were discovered in 1965. These fossils date back some 1.7 million years.
The park has a planned total area of over 370 hectares and is being developed in three phases. “We will strive to build the park into a comprehensive base that integrates paleogeological research and education, the scientific exploration of human origins, and the in-depth study of prehistoric cultural development,” said Zhang Wenwang, head of the prefecture.
Gao Xing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, said that the Yuanmou ape-man and culture were significant discoveries of ancient human remains in China. They are the first chapters in China’s elementary and middle school history textbooks, and an important testament to the survival and evolution of the early Homo erectus in East Asia.
Also on Thursday, an event marking the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the Yuanmou ape-man site was held in the county. Scholars and researchers from diverse fields convened to discuss topics such as human migration tracing, Paleolithic archaeology, site value transformation and digital cultural innovation.
Public reporting on key performance indicators for Oranga Tamariki show the Ministry is making strong progress on its most important goals. In its second public reporting on key performance indicators, Oranga Tamariki has made progress across all four key priority areas emphasised by Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “In 2024, I identified four key priority areas that would make immediate improvements to the wellbeing and safety of children. I then directed the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki and his leadership team to provide regular updates on their progress, ensuring they are focussed and achieving their core purpose,” says Mrs Chhour. The four key priorities for Oranga Tamariki are: • Ensuring the safety of children and young people • Supporting caregivers • Addressing youth offending • Improving complaint management and practice. “While there is always more we can aspire to provide for these young people, I am pleased by the clear improvements being made. “The percentage of children in care who have been visited by their social worker within the target time to ensure their ongoing safety and wellbeing has hit 96% compliance, putting Oranga Tamariki well on track to hit 100% in the near future. The amount of young people in Oranga Tamariki care with a current caregiver support plan that sets out the actions that will be taken to meet caregiver needs, to enable them to provide quality care, has improved by 13% since I put these targets in place and is nearing our target already,” says Mrs Chhour. Improving complaint management and practice ensures that both young people and their families are able to raise their concerns, and that these concerns will be addressed meaningfully. “According to our latest report, the proportion of complaints audited that were handled in a way that fully met our high standards has made an 11% improvement and has already achieved its target. “I am particularly pleased with the dramatic improvement against the reduction in youth offending target. “Our goal is to ensure a 15% reduction in the total number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour by 2030. As of this month we’ve already achieved a 12% reduction in less than a year. “There is still work to be done, not all targets are being achieved just yet, but the hard work of everyone from social workers and caregivers to Ministers across multiple portfolios is clearly getting results. “I feel confident that Oranga Tamariki is focussed on its core purpose – the safety of children and young people in its care,” says Mrs Chhour. The report is here: https://www.orangatamariki.govt.nz/about-us/performance-and-monitoring/ministerial-priorities
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka today confirmed the appointment of Gerrard Albert of Whanganui, Ngā Paerangi, to the Waitangi Tribunal for a three-year term to fill a vacancy.
Mr. Albert is the former Chair of Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, the post-settlement governance body for Te Awa Tupua. He has over 20 years of experience in Treaty settlement negotiations and more than 30 years in natural resource management, including his pivotal role in the Whanganui River Settlement. His expertise in these areas will make him a valuable addition to the Tribunal.
“With his extensive experience in Treaty matters, Gerrard will bring invaluable knowledge and leadership to the Tribunal,” Mr. Potaka says. “His appointment will ensure the Tribunal continues its important work in hearing and reporting Treaty claims in a timely manner.”
Mr. Potaka also expressed confidence that Mr. Albert’s appointment will support the progress of Treaty based Māori-Crown relationships.
“Having a diverse range of expertise on the Tribunal is key to ensuring we continue to deliver effective and timely outcomes for Māori and the Crown.”
Kaiwhiri Hou kua Kopoua ki Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi
I whakamanatia e te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Tama Potaka i te rangi nei te kopounga o Gerrard Albert nō Whanganui, Ngā Paerangi, ki Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi mō te toru tau hei whakakī i tētahi tūranga wātea.
Ko Matua Albert te Heamana tawhito o Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, te rōpū mana poari i muri i te whakataunga mō Te Awa Tupua. Kua 20 tau te roa e mahi ana ia i ngā whakaritenga whakataunga Tiriti, ā, kua 30 tau ia e mahi ana i ngā mahi whakahaere rawa māori, tae atu ki tōna tūranga nui i te Whakataunga mō te Awa o Whanganui. Nā tōna tohungatanga ki aua wāhi ka noho puiaki tana tāpiringa ki te Taraipiunara.
“Nā te nui o tōna wheako i ngā take Tiriti, ka mauria mai e Gerrard te mātauranga kāmehameha me te ārahitanga ki te Taraipiunara,” te kī a Minita Potaka. “Nā tana kopounga e mātua whakarite ka haere tonu ngā mahi nui a te Taraipiunara i te rongo me te whakatakoto pūrongo e pā ana ki ngā kerēme Tiriti i roto i te wā e tika ana.”
E māia ana hoki a Minita Potaka mā te kopounga o Matua Albert e tautoko i te kauneke o ngā hononga Māori-Karauna e ahu mai ana i te Tiriti.
“Mā te whai tohungatanga whānui e pā ana ki te Tiriti he mea nui ki te mātua whakarite he kaha tonu mātou ki te tuku i ngā putanga whai hua, arotau hoki mā te Māori me te Karauna.”
Teals and Greens are under political attack from a new pro-fossil fuel, pro-Israel astroturfing group, adding to the onslaught by far-right lobbyists Advance Australia for Australian federal election tomorrow — World Press Freedom Day. Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon investigate.
SPECIAL REPORT:By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon
On February 12 this year, former prime minister Scott Morrison’s principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein, and former Labor NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal, met in the plush 50 Bridge St offices in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
The powerbrokers were there to discuss election strategies for the astroturfing campaign group Better Australia 2025 Inc.
Finkelstein now runs his own discreet advisory firm Society Advisory, while also a director of the Liberal Party’s primary think-tank Menzies Research Centre. Previously, he worked as head of global campaigns for the conservative lobby firm Crosby Textor (CT), before working for Morrison and as Special Counsel to former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
Roozendaal earned a reputation as a top fundraiser during his term as general secretary of NSW Labor and a later stint for the Yuhu property developer. He is now a co-convenor of Labor Friends of Israel.
The two strategists have previously served together on the executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, where Finkelstein was vice-president (2010-2019) and Roozendaal was later the chair of public affairs (2019-2020).
Better for whom? Better Australia chairperson Sophie Calland, a software engineer and active member of the Alexandria Branch of the Labor party attended the meeting. She is a director of Better Australia and carries formal responsibility for electoral campaigns (and partner of Israel agitator Ofir Birenbaum).
Also present at the meeting was Better Australia 2025 member Alex Polson, a former staffer to retiring Senator Simon Birmingham and CEO of firm DBK Advisory. Other members present included another director, Charline Samuell, and her husband, psychiatrist Dr Doron Samuell.
Last week, Dr Samuell attracted negative publicity when Liberal campaigners in the electorate of Reid leaked Whatsapp messages where he insisted on referring to Greens as Nazis. “Nazis at Chiswick wharf,” Samuell wrote, alongside a photograph of two Greens volunteers.
The Better Australia group already have experience as astroturfers. Their “Put The Greens Last” campaign was previously directed by Calland and Polson under the entity Better Council Inc. in the NSW Local government elections in September 2024.
The Greens lost three councillors in Sydney’s East but maintained five seats on the Inner West Council.
But the group had developed bigger electoral plans. They also registered the name Better NSW in mid-2024. By the time the group met for the first time this year on January 8, their plans to play a role in the Federal election were already well advanced.
They voted to change the name Better NSW Inc. to Better Australia 2025 Inc.
Calland and Birenbaum Group member Ofir Birenbaum joined the January meeting to discuss “potential campaign fundraising materials” and a “pool of national volunteers”. Birenbaum is Calland’s husband and member of the Rosebery Branch of the Labor Party.
But by the time the group met with Finkelstein and Roozendaal in February, Birenbaum was missing. The day before the meeting, Birenbaum’s role in the #UndercoverJew stunt at Cairo Takeaway cafe was sprung.
This incident focused attention on Birenbaum’s track record as an agitator at Pro-Palestine events and as a “close friend” of the extreme-right Australian Jewish Association. The former Instagram influencer has since closed his social media accounts and disappeared from public view.
The minutes of the February meeting lodged with NSW Fair Trading mention a “discussion of potential campaign management candidates; an in-depth presentation and discussion of strategy; a review and amendments of draft campaign fundraising materials”. All of this suggests that consultants had been hired and work was well underway.
The group also voted to change Better Council’s business address and register a national association with ASIC so they could legally campaign at a national level.
On March 4, Calland registered Better Australia as a “significant third party” with the Australian Electoral Commission. This is required for organisations that expect their campaign to cost more than $250,000.
Three weeks later, Prime Minister Albanese called the election, and Better Australia’s federal campaign was off to the races.
Labor or Liberal, it doesn’t matter… According to its website, Better Australia’s stated goals are non-partisan: they want a majority government, “regardless of which major party is in office”.
“In Australia, past minority governments have seen stalled reforms, frequent leadership changes, and uncertainty that paralysed effective governance.”
No evidence has been provided by either Better Australia’s website or campaigning materials for these statements. In fact, in its short lifetime, the Gillard Labor minority government passed legislation at a record pace.
Instead, it is all about creating fear. A stream of campaigning videos, posts, flyers and placards carrying simple messages tapping into fear, insecurity, distrust and disappointment have appeared on social media and the streets of Sydney in recent weeks.
Wentworth independent Allegra Spender wasted no time posting her own video telling voters she was unfazed, and for her electorate to make their own voting choices rather than fall for a crude scare campaign.
Spender is accused of supporting anti-Israel terrorism by voting to reinstate funding for the United Nations aid agency UNRWA. Better Australia warns that billionaires and dark money fund the Teal campaign, alleging average voters will lose their money if Teals are reelected.
It doesn’t matter that most Teal MPs have policies in favour of increasing accountability in government or that no information is provided about who is backing Better Australia.
Anti-Green, too The anti-Greens angle of Better Australia’s campaign sends a broad message to all electorates to “Put the Greens Last”. It aims to starve the Greens of preferences. The campaign message is simple: the Greens are “antisemitic, support terrorism, and have abandoned their environmental roots”.
It does not matter that calls unite the peaceful Palestine protests for a ceasefire, or that the Greens have never stopped campaigning for the environment and against new fossil fuel projects.
Better Australia promotes itself as a grassroots organisation. In February, Sophie Calland told The Guardian that “Better Australia is led by a broad coalition of Australians who believe that political representation should be based on integrity and action, not extremist or elite activism”.
It has very few members and its operations are marked by secrecy, and voters will have to wait a full year before the AEC registry of political donations reveals Better Australia’s backers.
It fits into a patchwork of organisations aiming to influence voters towards a framework of right-wing values, including
“support for the Israel Defence Force, fossil fuel industries, nationalism and anti-immigration and anti-transgender issues.”
Advance Australia (not so fair) Advance is the lead organisation in this space. It campaigns in its own right and also supports other organisations, including Minority Impact Coalition, Queensland Jewish Collective and J-United.
Advance claims to have raised $5 million to smash the Greens and a supporter base of more than 245,000. It has received donations up to $500,000 from the Victorian Liberal Party’s holding company, Cormack Foundation.
In Melbourne, ex-Labor member for Macnamara, Michael Danby, directs and authorises “Macnamara Voters Against Extremism”, which pushes voters to preference either Liberals or Labor first, and the Greens last. Danby has spoken alongside Birenbaum at Together With Israel rallies.
Together With Israel: Michael Danby (from left), activist Ofir Birenbaum, unionist Michael Easson OAM, and Rabbi Ben Elton. Image: Together With Israel Facebook group/MWM
The message of Better Australia — and Better Council before it — mostly aligns with Advance. These campaigns target women aged 35 to 49, who Advance claims are twice as likely to vote for the Greens as men of the same age.
The scare campaign targets female voters with its fear-mongering and Greens MPS, including Australia’s first Muslim Senator Mehreen Faruqi, and independent female MPS with its loathing.
Meanwhile, Advance is funded by mining billionaires and advocates against renewable energy.
Labor standing by in silence Better Australia is different from Advance, which is targeting Labor because it is an alliance of Zionist Labor and LIberal interests. Calland’s campaign may be effectively contributing to the election of a Dutton government. In the face of what would appear to be betrayal, the NSW Labor Party simply stands by.
The NSW Labor Rules Book (Section A.7c) states that a member may be suspended for “disloyal or unworthy conduct [or] action or conduct contrary to the principles and solidarity of the Party.”
Following MWM’s February exposé of Birenbaum, we sent questions to NSW Labor Head Office, and MPs Tanya Plibersek and Ron Hoenig, without reply. Hoenig is a member of the Parliamentary Friends of Israel and has attended Alexandria Branch meetings with Calland.
MWM asked Plibersek to comment on Birenbaum’s membership of her own Rosebery Branch, and on Birenbaum’s covert filming of Luc Velez, the Greens candidate in Plibersek’s seat of Sydney. Birenbaum shared the video and generated homophobic commentary, but we received no answers to any of our questions.
According to MWM sources, Calland’s involvement in Better Australia and Better Council before that is well known in Inner Sydney Labor circles. Last Tuesday night, she attended an Alexandria Branch meeting that discussed the Federal election. She also attended a meeting of Plibersek’s campaign.
No one raised or asked questions about Calland’s activities. MWM is not aware if NSW Labor has received complaints from any of its members alleging that Calland or Birenbaum has breached the party’s rules.
After all, when top Liberal and Labor strategists walk into a corporate boardroom, there is much to agree on.
It begins with a national campaign to keep the major parties in and independents and Greens out.
MWM has sent questions to Calland, Finkelstein, and Roozendaal, regarding funding and the alliance between Liberal and Labor powerbrokers but we have yet to receive any replies.
Wendy Baconis an investigative journalist who was professor of journalism at UTS. She has worked for Fairfax, Channel Nine and SBS and has published in The Guardian, New Matilda, City Hub and Overland. She has a long history in promoting independent and alternative journalism. She is not a member of any political party but is a Greens supporter and long-term supporter of peaceful BDS strategies.
Yaakov Aharon is a Jewish-Australian living in Wollongong. He enjoys long walks on Wollongong Beach, unimpeded by Port Kembla smoke fumes and AUKUS submarines. This article was first published by Michael West Media and is republished with permission of the authors.
Police investigating the death of a person in Woodridge overnight are appealing for CCTV footage from the community.
An investigation was initiated after a body was located inside a burnt-out vehicle on Ladbrooke Drive at around 11.40pm.
Initial indications suggest the death is not suspicious and the death will be referred to the Coroner.
Although the death is not considered to be suspicious, Police are appealing for CCTV footage to establish the events leading up to the incident.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have CCTV or dashcam footage in the surrounding streets, specifically Ladbrooke Drive and Woodridge Crescent.
If you have information that may assist in Police’s enquiries, please contact us online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or call 105.
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined her colleagues, U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Angus King (I-ME), to introduce their bipartisan conservation bill, the America the Beautiful Act. This legislation builds on the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which Shaheen cosponsored, by strengthening and reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and addressing the serious maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands.
“New Hampshire’s public lands and outdoor spaces are integral to our state identity and our thriving outdoor recreation economy. We must take steps to protect these resources for future generations of Granite Staters,” said Shaheen. “I was proud to see the Great American Outdoors Act become law, and I’ll continue fighting to protect and preserve outdoor spaces by passing this legislation which will continue the progress we’ve made.”
Shaheen, Daines and King were joined by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in introducing the bill.
The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes the LRF through 2033 and increases funding to $2 billion per year to help address the maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands. Currently, the maintenance backlog for each agency is $23.26 billion for the U.S. Park Service, $8.695 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, $2.65 billion for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $5.72 billion for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and $804.5 million for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education. In New Hampshire, National Parks and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuges have approximately $13 million in outstanding deferred maintenance needs.
Since its creation in 2020, the LRF has benefitted numerous national parks and public lands in New Hampshire. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park has received more than $14 million from the Legacy Restoration Fund to rehabilitate four historic structures and address electrical, HVAC and alarm systems. Across the White Mountain National Forest, the Legacy Restoration Fund is supporting trail restoration work on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and Rumney Rocks Climbing Area, as well as repairs of the Tripoli Bridge. Sections of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail across New England are slated to receive $15 million in FY25 to rehabilitate and repair facilities along the trail that will address maintenance needs and improve visitor safety.
The America the Beautiful Act is supported by over 40 public lands, conservation and recreation groups. Click here to view the full list of statements of support and supporting groups.
You can read the full bill text here.
Shaheen has led efforts to safeguard our natural environment and invest in climate resiliency while boosting New Hampshire’s recreation economy. Shaheen led the bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act into law to require the federal government to measure the impact of the outdoor recreation on the economy. In November 2024, Shaheen applauded the release of an annual report showing a $1.2 trillion economic contribution by the outdoor recreation sector in 2023, including $3.9 billion in New Hampshire. Shaheen also helped reintroduce the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act to fuel investment in outdoor recreation in national forests that benefits mountain communities.
Shaheen has also led efforts to help secure full funding and permanent authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has helped protect more than 2.5 million acres of land and supported tens of thousands of state and local outdoor recreation projects throughout the nation. In 2020, Shaheen helped lead the Great American Outdoors Act into law to permanently fund the LWCF and provide mandatory funding for deferred maintenance on public lands.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Act. This bipartisan bill would enhance cooperation with key partners in technology and scientific research, while combating the rising influence of the Chinese Communist Party.
“Communist China is using illegal practices to gain an unfair advantage in the tech world,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Now is the time to stand together with our allies and partners across the globe to counter these aggressive tactics. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will make our country more secure and spur job-creating technology innovations here at home.”
The Partner with ASEAN, CERN, and PIFAct amends the International Organizations Immunities Act to expand diplomatic privileges and immunities to these three international organizations. It provides the legal authorities to streamline the movement of people and materials between these organizations and the U.S., deepening U.S. ties with Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and a key scientific research partner.
You can find the full text of the legislationhere.
Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to stand up to the Chinese government’s aggression. She introduced the PASS Act to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites and the Strengthening Exports Against China Act, which would incentivize economic growth by eliminating barriers for American businesses competing directly with China in emerging industries like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.
