Master Plumbers is pleased the Government is progressing with a self-certification scheme that makes plumbers accountable for their work, rather than relying on council inspectors.
“We have been advocating for years that plumbers and drainlayers should be able to self-certify, just as gasfitters – who are also plumbers in most instances – and electricians can,” Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace says.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced today that the Government has agreed on a new self-certification scheme for plumbers and drainlayers allowing them to sign off on their own work.
The new scheme does come with some caveats: it will be opt-in and limited to plumbers and drainlayers carrying out work on simple residential dwellings. Trades that are currently able to self-certify are not required to opt-in or be restricted to a specific category of work.
“For plumbers and drainlayers to be competitive, we believe all of the industry should opt-in,” Mr Wallace says. “While the Minister has limited the scheme to simple residential dwellings, we hope this is the first phase and that, in future, it will expand to all work.”
“Ultimately, we want the same system as electricians and gasfitters, but we understand this may be a staged approach.”
Mr Wallace says there’s a common misconception that liability moves to Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) once an inspection has been completed. “The reality is that tradespeople are still accountable for their workmanship. Under the Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Act, qualified plumbers and drainlayers are responsible for all work – including large-scale industry installations.”
Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are overseen by an independent regulatory board, the PGDB. Consumers can have confidence that certified plumbing professionals are highly skilled and their work completed to a professional standard. It takes seven years to obtain the qualification of a Certifying Plumber and two years for a Certifying Drainlayer.
In addition, Master Plumbers members are subject to a rigorous quality assurance process and carry a guarantee for their work.
Master Plumbers is pleased the Government is progressing with a self-certification scheme that makes plumbers accountable for their work, rather than relying on council inspectors.
“We have been advocating for years that plumbers and drainlayers should be able to self-certify, just as gasfitters – who are also plumbers in most instances – and electricians can,” Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace says.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced today that the Government has agreed on a new self-certification scheme for plumbers and drainlayers allowing them to sign off on their own work.
The new scheme does come with some caveats: it will be opt-in and limited to plumbers and drainlayers carrying out work on simple residential dwellings. Trades that are currently able to self-certify are not required to opt-in or be restricted to a specific category of work.
“For plumbers and drainlayers to be competitive, we believe all of the industry should opt-in,” Mr Wallace says. “While the Minister has limited the scheme to simple residential dwellings, we hope this is the first phase and that, in future, it will expand to all work.”
“Ultimately, we want the same system as electricians and gasfitters, but we understand this may be a staged approach.”
Mr Wallace says there’s a common misconception that liability moves to Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) once an inspection has been completed. “The reality is that tradespeople are still accountable for their workmanship. Under the Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Act, qualified plumbers and drainlayers are responsible for all work – including large-scale industry installations.”
Plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers are overseen by an independent regulatory board, the PGDB. Consumers can have confidence that certified plumbing professionals are highly skilled and their work completed to a professional standard. It takes seven years to obtain the qualification of a Certifying Plumber and two years for a Certifying Drainlayer.
In addition, Master Plumbers members are subject to a rigorous quality assurance process and carry a guarantee for their work.
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc (Master Plumbers) is the national membership organisation for plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses, with 18 regional Associations and Branches across New Zealand. Companies go through a Quality Assurance programme in order to become a member. We provide members with a wide range of resources and training opportunities to support them in staying up with the latest technologies, products and compliance requirements. We advocate on behalf of our members and our industry.
Masterlink, a group training scheme owned by Master Plumbers, provides managed mentored apprenticeships across New Zealand, with Regional Managers supporting the apprentices and the businesses who host them during their training.
NZ Plumber is the award-winning, bi-monthly magazine for New Zealand’s plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. It is owned by Master Plumbers.
“The Government’s decision to pay our Teaching Council fees indicates that it realises it needs to do everything it can to keep teachers in the profession in the midst of a chronic secondary teacher shortage. Paying teachers’ Teaching Council fees lets teachers know their professional expertise is valued and provides an incentive to stay in the job.
“Teaching is an extremely rewarding and amazing profession; it is also an increasingly challenging and demanding one, so we need to everything possible to keep all of our experienced and skilled teachers in the workforce. Paying their Teaching Council fees is a step in the right direction.”
Chris Abercrombie said the decision was also important in terms of keeping beginning and new teachers in the profession. “Teachers in their first few years of teaching are among the highest number of teachers who are leaving either for better paid work in Australia or for jobs with a reasonable work / life balance here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Teaching Council fees are a significant expense when you’re in your first few years in the job, so this decision will encourage some of these teachers to stay.
“The decision announced today is a positive step. PPTA Te Wehengarua looks forward to working with the Government on other steps to attract graduates into secondary teaching and keep our highly experienced and skilled teachers in the workforce. These include making teachers’ salaries more attractive and making the job more manageable.”
The Government has agreed on a new scheme allowing trusted builders to sign off their own work and will set a mandatory target to tackle building inspection wait times, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced. “Making it easier and more affordable to build opens the door to homeownership for more Kiwis, gives families choice about where they live, and supports growth and job creation in the construction sector,” Mr Penk says. “We can’t achieve this vision while the building consent system remains slow and overloaded. Even simple, single-storey homes must go through around 12 inspections before they’re finished, with costly delays when demand is high. “At a time when many Kiwis are locked out of the housing market, that’s simply not good enough. “The Government is committed to making the building system more efficient and Cabinet has now agreed to an opt-in self-certification scheme, which will allow approved building firms, plumbers, and drainlayers to sign off their own work. “Reputable building companies delivering large numbers of near-identical houses each year will be able to proceed without the need for Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) to approve a building consent and carry out inspections. “Giving qualified plumbers and drainlayers the ability to self-certify their work puts them on equal footing with electricians and gasfitters, who’ve had that flexibility for years. It’s a common-sense change backed by Master Plumbers and delivers on a National Party campaign promise. “Kiwis should have confidence that their homes are built to a high standard. That’s why only proven professionals who meet strict criteria will be eligible for the scheme – and only for simple residential dwellings. “Initially these changes are expected to see around 3,000 homes built each year without delays from approvals or inspections. BCAs will be freed up to focus on high-risk, complex builds instead of being bogged down by simple homes. “In addition, the Government will require BCAs complete 80 percent of building inspections within three working days. “Master Builders have welcomed this announcement as a meaningful step toward reducing inspection delays. We regularly hear from builders frustrated by the disruption to project timelines and the uncertainty it creates for homeowners. “Wait times sometimes stretch up to a week – having a knock-on effect which can add about $400 for every day a project is held up. “Updated guidance will be issued to BCAs, outlining practical strategies to boost efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and help authorities better prioritise their workloads.” “BCAs success in meeting the target will be shown in quarterly performance data – giving the public greater transparency and encouraging improved performance.
“By backing skilled professionals and focusing council resources, we can cut building costs without sacrificing quality – delivering more affordable homes for Kiwi families.”
Inspection targets will come into force later this year and legislation to enable the self-certification scheme will be introduced by the end of 2025.
Notes to editors:
The self-certification scheme will be a voluntary, opt-in measure enabled by changes to the Building Act 2004 and the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006.
There will be two self-certification pathways available under the scheme:
An opt-in self-certification scheme for house builders carrying out work on an entire simple residential dwelling (including design and construction).
An opt-in self-certification scheme for plumbers and drainlayers carrying out work on a simple residential dwelling.
The definition of an eligible simple residential dwelling will be set down in regulation, following industry consultation.
BCAs will still be required to provide a nominal consent for entire simple homes where trusted building professionals are self-certifying their work.
Sometimes to uncover Auckland’s past, you need to dig deep. Just ask Chris Mallows, Team Leader Cultural Heritage Implementation in Auckland Council’s Heritage Unit. He’s part of a team of archaeologists unearthing the fascinating history of Tāmaki Makaurau.
Auckland’s rich and varied landscape – encompassing coastland, forest, wetlands, maunga and volcanic fields – mirrors the diverse heritage of the people who have settled here since around the 14th century. With Archaeology Week running from 3-11 May, it’s the perfect time to acknowledge the groundbreaking work of archaeologists who help further our knowledge of our region’s past.
Archaeology is the study of past human societies through the analysis of material culture, including artefacts or the remains of buildings.
“Archaeologists look at the physical evidence that’s left behind and interpret how people lived and worked in the past,” explains Chris.
In Tāmaki Makaurau, archaeological work could involve everything from protecting maunga and Māori pā settlement sites, preservation of the Wilson Cement Works in Warkworth or uncovering artefacts from the former Queen Street Gaol that was on the corner of Queen and Victoria Streets from 1841-1865.
“During an archaeological excavation, we’re always finding something new and expanding our understanding of how people lived in that specific area,” says Chris.
Auckland Council’s archaeologists work on a range of projects including preservation work, providing advice on heritage sites and as well as reviewing on resource consent applications around areas with scheduled heritage sites.
While fictional archaeologist Indiana Jones’ favourite tool was his whip, in reality archaeologists are more likely to be armed with a trowel. Excavating can be physically demanding and painstaking work, as archaeologists work carefully to uncover artefacts without damaging anything in the process. The sharp edge of the trowel is used to meticulously unearth fragile items, such as ceramics, from the earth.
“Buying your first trowel is a bit like a rite of passage”, says Chris, who still has his first William Hunt and Sons trowel he received as a fledgling archaeologist in the UK.
Archaeologists use trowels to carefully unearth artefacts without damaging any fragile parts. Chris Mallows still has his WHS trowel from his first excavation in the UK.
“When you’re a field archaeologist, a trowel is the first tool you’ll ever get. It helps you excavate the small features in a controlled manner. For example, if you’re on a European-era site in Auckland dating from the 1860s or 1870s, you may use a trowel to find glass, ceramics, animal bones or other remnants that people were eating.”
Other tools include sieves for sorting very small remnants, measurement tools for mapping out a site and a “good old fashioned spade and shovel”, Chris adds.
While traditional excavation tools are still part of the work of an archaeologist, there have been a number of digital advances that make this work a little easier. Auckland Council’s archaeologists have access to LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data. This technology uses laser light pulses emitted from a drone or plane to create three-dimensional maps of the environment.
“LiDAR uncovers things that were previously hidden by the landscape. For example, on farmland, LiDAR has uncovered pits hidden by long grass which were later revealed to be kūmara pits (rua),” says Chris.
Another modern tool is photogrammetry, a process of creating a 3D model of an artefact or structure using a series of overlapping photographs.
Chris uses photographic scales to measure the site.
“Photogrammetry is a great tool and allows our communities to see artefacts and heritage sites really easily,” says Chris. “Even if you can’t physically gain access to the artefacts – they may be a museum, for example, or you may not be able to travel to these sites – having photogrammetry allows anyone to look at them. It’s a really good tool for the future.”
There have been a number of notable archaeological discoveries in Auckland, but one that sticks out to Chris is the Sunde Site on Motutapu Island. In 1958, archaeologist Rudy Sunde discovered what has since been spoken of as ‘New Zealand’s Pompeii’ when he found artefacts from a pre-European kainga (village).
Later, in 1981, University of Auckland archaeologist Reg Nicol uncovered footprints of eight people and one dog beneath a layer of ash from Rangitoto Island. This is evidence that mana whenua living on or near Motutapu witnessed the eruption of Rangitoto in around 1400 CE.
“What I find fascinating about this site is you have evidence of somebody going about everyday life and then you’ve got a volcanic eruption happening, and we can only wonder what that experience was like,” says Chris. “There’s a clear timeline of the eruption and you can see the people adapting to the changing climate because of the natural disaster.”
Through archaeology, we can learn from the past and see how people adapted to change and use this to understand how we adapt to change in the future.”
“Recent damage to an Auckland park by treasure hunters highlights why our heritage needs protecting”, says Chris.
Mary Barrett Glade near Ngataringa Park in Devonport is a scheduled heritage place on Department of Conservation (DOC) land, and was unfortunately recently targeted by vandals looking to dig up vintage bottles. Auckland Council archaeologists are supporting DOC in the protection and restoration of the area.
The site is the former location of Duder’s Brickworks, which operated between 1875 and 1942. The factory used clay from Ngataringa Bay to make ordinary and decorative bricks as well as sanitary pipes and chimney heads, and employed many Devonport locals up until the 1920s. The factory supplied clay bricks for many of the Edwardian buildings in Devonport including the pumphouse (now the PumpHouse Theatre).
The PumpHouse Theatre is built with bricks from Duder’s Brickworks.
Following a fire on Victoria Road in 1888, the Devonport Borough Council made a rule that buildings in the main shopping area were to be constructed from bricks only, and the bricks are part of the suburb’s its distinctive look.
“The brickworks are part of Devonport’s industrial heritage and character. You never know what’s around the corner, so we do need to be vigilant in protecting our history. As archaeologists, we are the kaitiaki (guardians) of our heritage sites, preserving them for our future generations.”
For more information about Archaeology Week and to see what events are on, head to the New Zealand Archaeological Association website.
Auckland Council’s plan to set up a co-governed committee to manage the Waitākere Ranges shows why Kiwis need councillors who believe in democracy, says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“The Waitākere Ranges belong to all Aucklanders, and should be managed democratically. But Auckland Council’s plan would see unelected decision-makers closing tracks and dictating land use in the surrounding rural areas.
“The ranges are governed under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act. That is a local act, which means any change to the legislation, such as a prohibition on co-governance arrangements, has to come from the elected council.
“We’ve seen the same problem with the Ngāi Tahu Representation Act, where the Minister for Local Government has had to go cap-in-hand to a left-wing regional council asking them to repeal co-governance. The council (Environment Canterbury) declined.
“The Coalition is rolling back co-governance of public services. But when it comes to local co-governance, local action is needed.
“This is exactly why ACT is standing candidates in council elections, not just in Auckland, but across the country. ACT councillors will fight for democracy, equal rights, and accountable government. That means ensuring beloved public spaces are governed by people directly accountable to ratepayers.”
Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant Rob Hunkin:
Police investigating the disappearance of missing mother Leonie Emery in 2018 are encouraging people to watch Monday night’s Cold Case episode on TV One.
Leonie who was just 25 years old when she disappeared without a trace seven years ago, leaving behind her four children and devastated whānau.
Leonie was a free spirit who moved around regularly so her family were used to regular periods of no contact. She was reported missing to Police in 2019 but it’s believed she had not been seen or heard from for around a year prior to that.
Investigators have undertaken extensive enquiries to understand Leonie’s last movements and what might have happened to her. Police have examined several possible scenarios but believe it is most likely that Leonie has been the victim of foul play.
Leonie had been spending time in the Waikato but was last seen at a family member’s address in Papakura sometime in late January, early February 2018. Where did she go when she left and who was she with? These are some of the questions we need the public’s help with.
The Cold Case episode will outline key elements of this investigation and we hope it will prompt someone to come forward with information which will help us get the answers Leonie’s whānau desperately want.
We know there are people out there with key information Police need. Please tune in on Monday at 8:30pm to watch the episode.
We urge anyone with information, no matter how small you might think it is to contact Police.
If you can help, call 0800 COLD CASE (0800 2653 2273).
Gyeonggi Provincial Government’s Sudden Cancellation RaisesConcerns of Bias and Violation of Rights
An administrative decision by a South Korean government agency sparked international controversy, raising concerns about religious freedom.
On November 27, religious leaders and opinion leaders delivered a joint protest statement to the Government of the Republic of Korea condemning the cancellation of the venue rental on October 29th as an act of biased religious oppression through public power.
Signed by 402 organizations, 758 religious representatives, and 977 individuals across the globe, totalling 1,735 signatories, the statement emphasized the psychological and financial damage caused to the international participants and highlighted the need for accountability.
On October 30 the “Religious Leaders Forum and Graduation Ceremony,” a joint initiative by two prominent religious organizations, was set to take place in Paju, South Korea. The event was expected to draw over 30,000 participants from 78 countries, including 1,000 religious leaders representing Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.
However, the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO), a public entity under Gyeonggi Province, abruptly canceled the venue rental at 11am on the morning of the event, when preparations were already underway.
This decision, made without prior notice, has resulted in significant financial damage to the international event and its organizers. As the first clause of Article 20 of the South Korean Constitution states: “All citizens shall enjoy freedom of religion”, they argue that the cancellation constitutes an unconstitutional act of discrimination against a specific religion, violating religious freedom, human rights, and due process of law and an act that divides the people and divides the country into two.
The Joint Protest Statement demands accountability for this situation and calls for an official apology from the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization to both domestic and international religious organizations and the global community.
It also requires the government to take appropriate disciplinary actions against the officials responsible for handling this matter and to strengthen fair and transparent venue reservation procedures and preliminary consultation systems.
Over 88 global leaders including international law experts, religious leaders, education experts, heads of organizations, journalists from around the world sent official documents and protest letters to the Republic of Korea upon hearing the news of the cancellation of the event, expressing shock and disappointment at this administrative action and demanding prompt and appropriate measures.
In particular, international law experts from around the world, including those with experience as prime ministers, vice ministers of justice, chief justices of the Supreme Court, presidents of the Constitutional Court, lawyers, and professors of international law, pointed out that the cancellation of the event on this day was an act that violated the Constitution, and religious leaders expressed concern that it was a biased decision and an anti-peaceful act that infringed on religious freedom.
Since November 15, religious leaders and members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus have held rallies outside the Gyeonggi Provincial Office and Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, condemning the biased cancellation urging the government to address the issue and take measures to prevent recurrence.
Timeline of Events Leading to the Cancellation ● July 22: Notification of approval for the rental from 29th to 31st October by GTO. ● October 2: Full payment of the rental fee. ● October 16: A working-level meeting held to discuss the event’s size, arrangements, safety plans, and special effects. The GTO reviewed all details and completed a safety inspection. While Paju City was designated a danger zone due to potential North Korean provocations, officials assured organizers that this designation would not impact the event. ● October 23 & 28: Officials confirmed twice that ‘there are no plans to cancel the rental’. ● October 28: A rally was hosted by ‘SUGICHONG’, a Christian council of capital area of Korea urging the cancellation of a venue rental. ● October 29: At 11 o’clock on the day of the rental while the event was being set up, the Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon unilaterally notified the cancellation, citing security concerns related to recent North Korean actions and activities by a North Korean defector group. Organizers allege that pressure from opposing groups, including vested religious interests, influenced the decision. ● October 19-20, November 4: Notably, other events in the same area proceeded without disruption.
New Zealand and the Philippines will this week sign an agreement to enable the two countries’ militaries to work more closely, Defence Minister Judith Collins says.
Ms Collins will travel to the Philippines today to sign the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which highlights the importance New Zealand places on working closely with our partners, she says.
“It formally sets the legal framework for engagement between our respective militaries, better facilitating ongoing cooperation, activities and exercises in each of our territories.
“The agreement follows a commitment made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during Mr Luxon’s visit to Manila last year.”
It will now undergo a final ratification process in the Philippine Senate.
While in the Philippines, Ms Collins will meet with the President and hold a bilateral meeting with counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the Secretary of National Defense.
“We are committed to reinvigorating our security relationships, to playing our part, and working with regional partners such as the Philippines to uphold the international rules-based order,” Ms Collins says.
Ms Collins returns to New Zealand on 2 May.
Notes to editors:
The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement is a treaty-level document that sets out the legal conditions for military cooperation between our countries, including the responsibilities and obligations on both sides.
This agreement with the Philippines builds on two previous agreements that provide for practical defence cooperation, the Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement (2024) and the Defence Cooperation Arrangement (2012).
New Zealand has a number of similar agreements, the most recent being one signed with Fiji in 2023.
After a successful beta-launch in April PodTalk.live is now ready to invite people to register as foundation members. Foundation members are free to join the post and podcast social platform.
The Foundation Membership soft-launch is a great opportunity for founders to help shape a brand new, vibrant, algorithm-free, info discussion and debate social platform.
Developer of the platform, Selwyn Manning said: “PodTalk.live has been put to test by selected individuals and we are pleased to report that it has performed fabulously.”
Manning is founder and managing director of the company that custom-developed PodTalk.live – Multimedia Investments Ltd (MIL: milnz.co.nz).
MIL is based in New Zealand, where PodTalk.live was developed and is served from.
And now, PodTalk.live has emerged from its Beta stage and is ready for foundation members to shape the next phase of its development.
About PodTalk.Live:
PodTalk.live was designed to be an alternative platform to other social media platforms. PodTalk has all the functions that most social media platforms have but has placed the user-experience at the centre of its backend design and engineering.
PodTalk.live has been custom-designed, created and is served from New Zealand.
“We ourselves became annoyed at how social media giants use algorithms to drive what content their users see and experience. And, we also were appalled at how some social media companies trade user data, and were unresponsive to user-concerns” Selwyn Manning said.
“So we decided to create a platform that focuses on ‘discussion and debate’ communities, and we have engineered PodTalk to ensure the content that users see is what they choose – rather than some obscure algorithm making that decision for them.
“PodTalk.live is independent from other social media platforms, and at best will become an alternative choice for people who seek a community where they are the centre of a platform’s core purpose.
“And today, we invite people to sign up now and become foundation members of this new and ethically-based social community platform,” Selwyn Manning said.
Live audio and video webcasts with special guests and member talkback events
premium video and audio podcasts (on-demand and live)
premium posts on big issues from prominent writers
featured documentaries on interesting and important topics.
Security Safety Moderation:
Security and safety has been baked into PodTalk’s function and culture. And at PodTalk, free-speech is welcomed but hate speech is rejected.
“With PodTalk, we recognise that many people, wherever they live, require security and at times anonymity so to avoid reprisals from authorities and other actors,” Selwyn manning said.
“Along with a strong focus on security, and guidance on how to remain anonymous when necessary, we have built robust member-moderation into the core of PodTalk to ensure users are in control of their experience.”
“PodTalk has robust moderation tools so that members can easily block and report those who they feel disrupt their experience,” Selwyn Manning said.
And now, we invite all who seek an information, discussion and debating community to register as foundation members.
To do so, simply go to: https://PodTalk.Live and register. Once on the platform, members can familiarise themselves with what PodTalk.Live has to offer, and begin to create their own online community experience.
“We are working on audio-to-text multi-language translation+transcription tools, and will soon push the boundaries of cutting edge on-platform communication tools,” Selwyn Manning said.
The platform already has cutting edge tech, also smart community and premium publishing tools – including an invitation tool so you can invite your friends and grow your community.
PodTalk.live is founded on the belief that for social, political and economical progress to occur people need to discuss issues in a safe environment and embark on robust debate.
Register free as a founder. Check out the platform. See you there…
Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi has today launched a campaign to ban the import, supply, and use of engineered stone in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“We are urging the Government to do the right thing and save workers’ lives by banning engineered stone, an extremely dangerous product that causes the fatal lung disease silicosis”, said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.
“Engineered stone is the asbestos of our times. It is not an essential product and there are many safe alternatives already in the market.
“Silicosis is a debilitating disease that cannot be cured. The evidence is clear that the only solution is to stop workers from being required to process engineered stone, which exposes them to the dangerous silica dust.
“Brooke van Velden has the power to save workers’ lives. All she needs to do is follow Australia’s example and implement a total ban.
“There is broad support for this campaign. Last year the CTU joined with 18 other organisations, including public health experts and health and safety specialists, and called on the Minister to act.
“Aotearoa has a terrible record when it comes to work-associated deaths. The Government has the opportunity to help turn that around by banning engineered stone. It’s time they stepped up on behalf of Kiwi workers,” said Wagstaff.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand will revoke the restricted fire season in all of Hawke’s Bay at 12pm (midday) on Monday 28 April, until further notice.
This means permits approved by Fire and Emergency are no longer needed for open air fires across the whole district.
The areas this change applies to are: Esk-Tutaekuri, Ahuriri-Heretaunga, Tukituki West, Tukituki East, Southern Hawkes Bay Coast, Pōrangahau, Pahiatua, Eketāhuna, and Tararua East, West, Central and South.
Wairoa Coastal, Wairoa Inland, and Te Haroto areas are already in an open fire season.
Hawke’s Bay District Manager Glen Varcoe says due to the cooler autumn weather, the fire risk in the district has now reduced.
“I’d like to thank the people of Hawke’s Bay for their vigilance during the fire season, and for applying for fire permits properly while outdoor fires were restricted over summer,” he says.
“Although much of our district is still dry, the damper conditions have helped our firefighters to extinguish the smaller vegetation fires we’re still getting.
“We’ve had five fires in the last 10 days, so please continue to keep your fires small, stay with them, and ensure they are fully out over the following days and weeks.
“We do still ask people to take care when lighting any fires. Always check the requirements for your location oncheckitsalright.nz, and check out the great safety advice before you light your fire.”
New Zealand energy professional Esther Tomkinson has been selected to join the World Energy Council’s Future Energy Leaders Programme.
Esther Tomkinson is a Sustainability and Strategy Analyst at Mercury Energy and Co-Chair of the Young Energy Professionals Network of the BusinessNZ Energy Council.
The Future Energy Leaders Programme is a global network of young energy professionals who contribute to national, regional, and international activities aimed at solving the world’s most pressing energy and sustainability challenges.
Tina Schirr Executive Director of the BusinessNZ Energy Council said, “We are incredibly proud of Esther Tomkinson’s selection for the Future Energy Leaders Programme. Her dedication to sustainability and the local Future Energy Leaders Programme – YEPN – will be extremely valuable to the global and New Zealand energy community. This recognition also highlights the exceptional talent we have in New Zealand’s energy sector.”
The first opportunity to convene with future energy leaders from across the globe will be at the World Energy Week in Panama from 6-9 October 2025, followed by the World Energy Congress in Saudi Arabia from 26-29 October 2026.
Schirr says, “This year, 25 young energy professionals from 21 countries will join the Future Energy Leaders Programme, including Esther Tomkinson, the only New Zealand delegate.
“At the same time, we farewell two outstanding Kiwis from the Future Energy Leaders Programme, Emily Hilton, the HSEQ Manager at Hiringa Energy, and Mark Todoroff, Business Development Director at Yes Energy.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
The Government is backing New Zealand’s teaching workforce by funding teacher registrations and practising certificates, acknowledging the vital role educators play in driving positive change in classrooms.
“We know the most important aspect of a child’s education is the quality of the teacher in front of them. Teachers have stepped up to implement our ambitious reform programme that’s delivering real change in the classroom. They are teaching a new world-leading curriculum as well as embracing structured approaches to literacy and maths to ensure better outcomes for our children. They are supporting students to gain vital secondary qualifications that will prepare them for the future. This initiative is a direct recognition of the ongoing hard work, dedication, and professionalism of teachers across the country,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
The Government has committed funding of $53 million in Budget 2025 to cover fees through to 2028, including any increases the Teaching Council may implement through their current fee review.
From July 1, teachers will save up to $550 when applying for registration or renewing their practising certificate. This initiative will benefit around 40,000 fulltime and part time school and early learning teachers in the first year of funding and approximately 115,000 across the three years.
“As we work to raise standards and restore trust in the education system, it is important that we support the teaching workforce leading this reform. The Government has promised to remove this cost, and we have delivered”.
Since coming into office, the Government has introduced and maintained many initiatives to attract and retain teachers:
Doubled the numbers of paid School Onsite Training Programme places to 1200, paying out $21,500 for each place, through Budget 2024
Supporting 352 teachers to return to the classroom since October 2024 by covering the costs of their practising certificates or limited authority to teach fees (LAT)
Ongoing marketing campaigns, in NZ and overseas, that are focussed on attracting increasing numbers of teachers to teaching in NZ
Added primary and secondary teachers to the straight to residence pathway on the Green List with 1400 teachers arriving from overseas in 2024
Continued to fund relocation packages of up to $10,000 for qualified teachers who are overseas to move to New Zealand with 891 teachers supported in 2024.
Continued to fund more than 400 scholarships to encourage in to, and support people through, teacher training.
Supported 130 beginning or returning teachers through the BeTTER Jobs Programme in the 2024/2025.
Funded ongoing targeted marketing campaigns that have seen approximately 2,000 newly graduated teachers join the workforce this year.
“This Government is determined to raise achievement and close the equity gap so all children get an equal chance to thrive. Enabling more teachers to do what they do best in the classroom is another step to achieving this,” Ms Stanford says.
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey is pleased to announce today that the Women’s Refuge is the latest recipient of the Government’s Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund. “Women’s Refuge do incredibly important work in our communities. They provide a safe space for women and children experiencing family violence, some of whom may be experiencing mental health and addiction challenges. I am delighted that the organisation will receive funding from the Government to help deliver mental health and addiction support to those in need,” Mr Doocey says. “I am pleased the funding announced today will support 250 advocates based within the 41 Women’s Refuges across New Zealand with mental health and addiction training, advisory support from clinical specialists and strengthen referral pathways so clients can access local mental health and addiction services more efficiently. “The feedback I often hear about mental health services is that it is too hard to navigate and know where to go in a time of need. This funding will enable Women’s Refuge to upskill their staff on mental health and addiction as well as improve connections with local services and referral pathways and join up the system to make it more accessible to those in need. “Over the past five years, Women’s Refuge has supported an average of 15,000 clients per year. This funding will strengthen the workforce and improve referral pathways for those women and children who are accessing Women’s Refuge services. “Initiatives like this is exactly what the Innovation Fund was designed for, and this support will only grow as we move into the second round of funding.” The Women’s Refuge will receive $540,000 from the Government across two years, which will be matched by the Women’s Refuge to make a total of $1,080,000 over a two-year period. In round one of the Innovation Fund the Government have so far supported MATES in Construction, The Mental Health Foundation, YouthLine, Wellington City Mission, Rotorua Youth One Stop Shop and the Sir John Kirwan Foundation. “I am committed to doing everything possible to bring down mental health and addiction wait times in New Zealand. Partnering with organisations such as Women’s Refuge through the Innovation Fund to deliver innovative projects and initiatives supports the Government’s priority focus of increasing access to mental health and addiction support for Kiwis,” Mr Doocey says. Note to editors: A future procurement opportunity for round two of the Fund was released on the Government Electronic Tender site (GETS) last week and a Request for Proposal is scheduled to be released in May 2025.
Minister for Trade and Investment Hon Todd McClay will today welcome Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, His Excellency Eng Abdulrahman A. AlFadley, to New Zealand. Minister AlFadley is leading a delegation of more than 35 senior Saudi officials and business people to Auckland for the 9th New Zealand–Saudi Arabia Joint Ministerial Commission—a key platform for advancing trade and economic ties between the two countries. “The hosting of this Joint Commission in New Zealand reflects the strong momentum in our relationship with Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf region, particularly following the successful conclusion of negotiations for the New Zealand-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement late last year,” Mr McClay says. “In a time of global uncertainty, the Government is focused on opening doors for Kiwi exporters and providing greater certainty for New Zealand businesses. lf’s largest economy and one of our top export markets, with exports reaching $1.14 billion last year, Saudi Arabia presents significant opportunities for Kiwi businesses through the NZ-GCC FTA.” Alongside the Commission, the Ministers will participate in business outreach focused on agriculture, technology, and digital innovation. “This visit provides a valuable opportunity to profile world-class Kiwi exporters and highlight investment opportunities in New Zealand’s fast-growing tech sectors,” Mr McClay says. The Joint Ministerial Commission and business programme will run from 28–30 April in Auckland.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on local leaders to join the Government in driving up school attendance, citing it as a foundation for community and national success. Seymour has written to all mayors across New Zealand urging them to use the Government’s new daily school attendance dashboard to raise awareness and spark local action. “I’m calling on mayors to be champions for education in their regions. When students go to school, communities are stronger and better prepared for generations to come,” says Mr Seymour. “The dashboard provides region-specific data. For instance, the Mayor of Southland is able to see their region recorded an 89% attendance rate on the last Monday of Term 1. “This is a tool for action, local leaders can now see how their region is doing at a glance, and lead the change they want to see. “Every day a child misses school is a day they miss out on opportunities to learn, to grow, and to succeed. In the letter, Seymour encourages local councils to:
Check out the dashboard and how your region compares with other parts of New Zealand. Encourage others in your community to engage with this dashboard. Lead a conversation with your community around how they can support schools to improve attendance. Even small steps like encouraging local businesses to be aware that school-aged children should be at school during school hours is helpful. Amplify the message that school is helping our young people achieve better outcomes. Let us know what’s working, or not working, in your community, to get young people in school.
In Term 4 of 2024, 58.1% of students attended school regularly, up from 53% in Term 4 of 2023 — a 5.1 percentage point rise. Every region saw an increase on the year prior. “Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive educational outcomes. Positive educational outcomes lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves,” says Mr Seymour. “I encourage students, parents, and educators to prioritise education. That is what this Government is doing, and it is what is required for New Zealand to have a better future.” Attendance data can be found here Attendance | Education Counts
There are few battlegrounds as ingrained in New Zealand’s history and identity as this place. The very name “Chunuk Bair”, like the name, “Gallipoli” resonates with New Zealanders at home, so very, very far away. The thousands of our men who spilled blood on this soil mean a part of our country is forever part of this land, too. At the time, this battle was the culmination of months of fighting for those men. Many would not have ventured much beyond their hometown at the ‘uttermost ends of the earth’ before arriving here at the start of the Gallipoli campaign. In the dawn light, they would have seen the ridges and gullies rise and drop along the coastline. They would have seen this place – the highest point in view – and known it would be crucial to the campaign. Some would have thought it looked a bit like home. But for them and for all who joined this battle, it was closer to hell. Some 16,000 New Zealanders came ashore over those months, 110 years ago. They fought in unspeakable conditions from trenches that still scar this peninsula. When Lieutenant Colonel William Malone led the Wellington Battalion to seize this summit before dawn on the 8th of August 1915, days of horror followed. Under a scorching sun, they clashed with waves of charging Ottoman Turks. William Malone was killed that afternoon. The Wellington Battalion was joined by men from the Auckland Mounted Rifles, before being replaced by the Otago Battalion and the Wellington Mounted Rifles. For two days, they clung to this summit before being overwhelmed early on the 10th of August. The losses on both sides were immense. An Australian war correspondent wrote, “of the 760 of the Wellington Infantry Battalion who had captured the height that morning, there came out only 70 unwounded or slightly wounded men.” “Not one had dreamed of leaving his post.” “They could only talk in whispers. Their eyes were sunken. Their knees trembled.” The other battalions faced similar losses. Only 22 of the 288 Auckland Mounted Rifles remained. They say that truth is the first casualty of war and the true horror of this battle was not reflected by the newspapers back home at the time. Stories were headlined “our boys win new glory,” and “splendid progress made” in the days following Chunuk Bair. A letter Colonel Malone wrote to a friend was published with the announcement of his death. “I love these men of mine,” he said. “Heroes all – as brave as brave can be.” “Hardy, enduring, patient, cheerful, clever soldiers.” “New Zealand has reason to be proud of her sons.” And Turkiye has reason to be proud of its sons too. They defended this hilltop and their country and gave their lives to do so. Too many sons of New Zealand, of Turkiye and of other countries breathed their last breath on this ground and in the battles that raged below it. The circumstances in which our two nations’ bonds were forged are nightmarish, but we owe it to the fallen to learn from their sacrifice. Politicians in New Zealand walk past a painting of Chunuk Bair as we enter our debating chamber. Inside, a plaque bearing Gallipoli’s name hangs above us. And a few hundred steps away from our Parliament sits a stone from this very memorial. Reminders like these speak not just of the horrors of war that took place here, but of the need for enduring peace everywhere. Many New Zealanders come to this place to honour our fallen. We show by our presence that we have made good on our promise: One hundred and 10 years on, we do remember them. And the people of Turkiye remember their own sons and the great courage with which they defended their country. Today – and on all days – we acknowledge their sacrifice. Heroes all – as brave as brave can be
AI-driven hazard detection is coming to timber manufacturing, thanks to a new agreement worth nearly half a million dollars between WorkSafe New Zealand and a major player in the wood processing industry.
Claymark, New Zealand’s largest manufacturer and exporter of premium pine products, is putting $481,000 into a range of initiatives. It comes after a worker had two fingers amputated in a machine at Claymark’s Rotorua factory in February 2023.
WorkSafe’s investigation found the machine was unguarded and there was an ineffective system for maintenance. Training and supervision of workers also fell short.
WorkSafe has now accepted an enforceable undertaking (EU) from Claymark. An EU is a binding commitment to fund and resource comprehensive health and safety improvements. Claymark’s EU includes:
CCTV systems incorporating AI technology to indicate risks to workers’ health and safety in real time.
Offering up to 15 trials of the technology to other businesses in the wood manufacturing sector.
Microlearning and interactive displays in break rooms to upskill workers on health and safety.
Reparation to the victim.
We are sharing details of the investment to coincide with World Day for Health and Safety at Work, which this year focuses on the impacts of digitalisation and artificial intelligence on workers’ health and safety.
Workers in action at Claymark’s Vaughan Road factory in Rotorua.
“We are looking forward to seeing Claymark pioneer its AI innovation to benefit the timber processing sector more broadly. Agreements like this are all about enacting positive improvements from an adverse event,” says WorkSafe’s Head of Regulatory Services, Tracey Conlon.
“The initiatives align with WorkSafe’s priority plan for manufacturing, which is one of the most high-risk sectors for workers in Aotearoa. Unsafe machinery is a persistent problem in the sector, which businesses cannot overlook.”
EUs are a way for WorkSafe to hold businesses accountable for health and safety breaches. WorkSafe monitors progress on the agreed commitments and can seek a court order enforcing them if they are not upheld. WorkSafe’s role is to influence businesses to meet their responsibilities and keep people healthy and safe.
Statement from Claymark’s executive director Paul Pedersen
At Claymark, the health, safety, and wellbeing of our people is our highest priority. An incident involving one of our team members has had a significant impact – both physically and emotionally. We acknowledge the effect this has had on the individual, their whānau, and our wider community, and we are committed to learning from this experience to ensure safer outcomes for everyone.
Through our enforceable undertaking, we see a valuable opportunity to drive meaningful, people-focused change – both within Claymark and across the wood manufacturing sector.
Our key initiatives include:
Engaging with local communities and schools in the towns where we operate to promote safe wood manufacturing practices and support safe, informed pathways into the industry.
Working alongside the Central North Island Wood Council (CNIWC) and other industry bodies to share our learnings and help build a stronger health and safety culture sector-wide.
Investing in our people through modern, online and interactive training modules, with flexible learning tailored to roles and responsibilities. We are also exploring the potential of AI to support smarter, more responsive safety systems and personalised learning experiences.
This is about more than compliance – it’s about creating a workplace where our people feel informed, supported, and safe. Claymark is committed to continuous improvement and collaboration as we work towards a safer, stronger future for our people, our industry, and our communities.
Statement from the injured worker
On 27 February 2023, my life changed forever. While performing my job, I suffered an injury that resulted in the amputation of two fingers on my right hand. Since that day, I’ve undergone three surgeries to address the damage, and while recovery has been challenging, I remain hopeful about the possibility of prosthetic fingers in the future.
Everyday tasks I once took for granted like writing, showering, even holding objects, now require patience and adaptation. Music, which has always been a passion of mine, has become a bittersweet pursuit; playing the guitar and trumpet now demands creativity and resilience as I relearn techniques with my altered hand.
Throughout this journey, my wife, children, and wider whānau have been my rock. Their unwavering emotional support and practical help have carried me through the darkest moments of my recovery. I cannot overstate how grateful I am for their love and strength.
I’m deeply appreciative of Claymark’s commitment to workplace safety improvements outlined in this agreement, many of which I’ve witnessed firsthand. At 51, retirement isn’t an option I’m ready to consider which is why I feel fortunate to continue contributing to Claymark’s team. While my path forward looks different than I once imagined, I’m determined to adapt and keep moving ahead, one day at a time.
This Anzac Day, Labour recognises veterans and the service they have given to our country.
“We back the people who have served our country, on deployment or supporting operations here at home,” Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said.
“On this day we recognise the sacrifices they have made and acknowledge there is still work to do.
“Our current system still treats veterans differently based on when they served. The law says that those who served after 1974 aren’t entitled to the same support as those who served before that date, creating a two-tiered system. Meanwhile, in Australia they have a much more consistent veterans’ support system.
“Anzac Day is a reminder that our armed forces serve together, regardless of the decade or deployment. Let’s make sure our support for them reflects that same spirit of unity.
“I know Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Chris Penk shares the same commitment, and I want to reiterate Labour’s willingness to work across the aisle to deliver better outcomes for those who have worn the uniform.
“I remain ready to support meaningful change that gives veterans the support and dignity they deserve,” Greg O’Connor said.
This Anzac Day, Greg O’Connor will attend the Dawn Service and the National Commemorative Service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park. He will also attend the Atatürk Memorial Service in the afternoon.
Donald Trump campaigned for the White House by unleashing a nearly endless barrage of insults against journalists and news outlets.
He repeatedly threatened to weaponise the federal government against media professionals whom he considers his enemies.
In his first 100 days in office, President Trump has already shown that he was not bluffing.
“The day-to-day chaos of the American political news cycle can make it hard to fully take stock of the seismic shifts that are happening,” said Clayton Weimers, executive director of RSF North America.
“But when you step back and look at the whole picture, the pattern of blows to press freedom is quite clear.
“RSF refuses to accept this massive attack on press freedom as the new normal. We will continue to call out these assaults against the press and use every means at our disposal to fight back against them.
“We urge every American who values press freedom to do the same.”
Here is the Trump administration’s war on the press by the numbers: *
427 million – Weekly worldwide audience of the USAGM news outlets silenced by Trump
In an effort to eliminate the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) by cutting grants to outlets funded by the federal agency and placing their reporters on leave, the government has left millions around the world without vital sources of reliable information.
This leaves room for authoritarian regimes, like Russia and China, to spread their propaganda unchecked.
However, RSF recently secured an interim injunction against the administration’s dismantling of the USAGM-funded broadcaster Voice of America,which also reinstates funding to the outlets Radio Free Asia (RFA) and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).
8,000+ – US government web pages taken down
Webpages from more than a dozen government sites were removed almost immediately after President Trump took office, leaving journalists and the public without critical information on health, crime, and more.
3,500+ – Journalists and media workers at risk of losing their jobs thanks to Trump’s shutdown of the USAGM
Journalists from VOA, the MBN, RFA, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are at risk of losing their jobs as the Trump administration works to shut down the USAGM. Furthermore, at least 84 USAGM journalists based in the US on work visas now face deportation to countries where they risk prosecution and severe harassment.
At least 15 journalists from RFA and eight from VOA originate from repressive states and are at serious risk of being arrested and potentially imprisoned if deported.
180 – Public radio stations at risk of closing if public media funding is eliminated
The Trump administration reportedly plans to ask Congress to cut $1.1 billion in allocated funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). These cuts will hit rural communities and stations in smaller media markets the hardest, where federal funding is most impactful.
74 –Days the Associated Press (AP) has been banned from the White House
On February 11, the White House began barring the Associated Press (AP) news agency from its events because of the news agency’s continued use of the term “Gulf of Mexico,” which President Trump prefers to call the “Gulf of America” — a blatant example of retaliation against the media.
Despite a federal judge ruling the administration must reinstate the news agency’s access on April 9, the White House has continued to limit AP’s access.
64 – Disparaging comments made by Trump against the media on Truth Social since inauguration
In addition to regular, personal attacks against the media in press conferences and public speeches, Trump takes to his social media site nearly every day to insult, threaten, or intimidate journalists and media workers who report about him or his administration critically.
13 –Individuals pardoned by President Trump after being convicted or charged for attacking journalists on January 6, 2021
Trump pardoned over a dozen individuals charged with or convicted of violent crimes against journalists at the US Capitol during the January 6 insurrection.
6 –Federal Communications Commission (FCC) inquiries into media companies
Brendan Carr, co-author of the Project 2025 playbook and chair of the FCC, has wasted no time launching politically motivated investigations, explicit threats against media organisations, and implicit threats against their parent companies. These include inquiries into CBS, ABC parent company Disney, NBC parent company Comcast, public broadcasters NPR and PBS, and California television station KCBS.
4 – Trump’s personal lawsuits against media organisations
While Trump settled a lawsuit with ABC’s parent company Disney, he continues to sue CBS, The Des Moines Register, Gannett, and the Pulitzer Center over coverage he deemed biased.
$1.60 – Average annual amount each American pays for public media
Donald Trump has threatened to eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting, framing the move as a cost-cutting measure.
However, public media only costs each American about $1.60 each year, representing a tremendous bargain as it gives Americans access to a wealth of local, national, and lifesaving emergency programming.
* Figures as of the date of publication, 24 April 2025. Pacific Media Watch collaborates with RSF.
One in five New Zealanders have switched insurance providers in the last two years, according to a new survey.
Commissioned by the Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ), the survey found 20% of respondents had switched providers in the past couple of years, rising to 34% in the last five years. That compares with 32% who reported they had never switched.
About 21% of those surveyed will routinely shop around when their cover comes up for renewal, compared to 25% who never shop around.
“The survey shows that a relatively low number of New Zealanders consider switching their insurance provider,” ICNZ chief executive Kris Faafoi said.
“We know this is a difficult time for New Zealanders dealing with the cost-of-living and we would encourage people to check out their insurance options.
“Insurance premiums have been affected by a number of factors, some of which are out of our control such as the rising cost of extreme weather events and taxes and levies. Some of those pressures are easing and we are seeing that flow through into premium levels.”
Younger people are more likely to have recently switched, while older people were less likely. Those who have switched in the last 2-5 years were more likely to have been Wellington residents and those on a household income of between $50,000-$100,000.
Over half of those insured have been in contact with their insurance provider about their cover over the past two years, outside of making a claim. Some 16 percent had never contacted their insurer.
“Insurers are looking at ways to help their customers manage their cover to protect themselves as cost effectively as possible and keep insurance affordable and assessable. That includes considering their excess levels or other policy settings. People should take the opportunity to contact their insurer and see what’s available,” Kris Faafoi said.
“People should also consider shopping around and see what deals are out there. The survey indicates only a fifth routinely shop around compared with a quarter than never do.”
Some 41% of respondents said they regularly read their policy wording when updating their insurance. Some 8% never read the policy wording.
“We are encouraged by the number of people reading their policy wording and we’d like to see that rise further. It’s important to know that you are adequately covered and also to know what is not included in your coverage. For example, most house insurance only covers sudden damage, not gradual damage. If you are unsure at all, contact your insurance provider for advice.
“Kiwi’s value the protection that insurance offers to keep themselves and their property safe when the unexpected happens and that’s reflected in the comparatively high level of coverage in New Zealand compared with other countries.
“Keeping in touch with your insurance provider and checking your options regularly can help ensure you have the right level of insurance and piece of mind,” Kris Faafoi said.
Auckland, New Zealand – The Palestine Forum of New Zealand is proud to announce the opening of UNERASED: The Palestine Experience, an evocative and timely exhibition centering Palestinian stories of memory, resilience, and cultural identity.
The exhibition opens to the public on Friday, May 2, 2025, at 6:00 PM at 250 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011, and runs until May 17, 2025.
UNERASED brings together visual art, photography, soundscapes, and personal testimonies to offer visitors an immersive experience of Palestinian history and contemporary life. It shines a light on narratives too often silenced, while celebrating the enduring spirit and culture of the Palestinian people.
“This exhibition is not just about memory—it’s about dignity, survival, and the refusal to be erased,” says Maher Nazzal, organiser and spokesperson for the Palestine Forum of New Zealand. “It invites all New Zealanders to bear witness, reflect, and stand in solidarity.”
The exhibition is open to the public with free entry. Schools, community groups, and organisations are warmly encouraged to arrange visits. Guided tours and discussions are available upon request.
Opening Night Details: Date:Friday, May 2, 2025 Time:6:00 PM Venue:250 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011
When the US Embassy knocked on my door in late 2024, I was both pleased and more than a little suspicious.
I’d worked with them before, but the organisation where I did that work, Tohatoha, had closed its doors. My new project, Dark Times Academy, was specifically an attempt to pull myself out of the grant cycle, to explore ways of funding the work of counter-disinformation education without dependence on unreliable governments and philanthropic funders more concerned with their own objectives than the work I believed then — and still believe — is crucial to the future of human freedom.
But despite my efforts to turn them away, they kept knocking, and Dark Times Academy certainly needed the money. I’m warning you all now: There is a sense in which everything I have to say about counter-disinformation comes down to conversations about how to fund the work.
DARK TIMES ACADEMY
There is nothing I would like more than to talk about literally anything other than funding this work. I don’t love money, but I do like eating, having a home, and being able to give my kids cash.
I have also repeatedly found myself in roles where other people look to me for their livelihoods; a responsibility that I carry heavily and with more than a little clumsiness and reluctance.
But if we are to talk about President Donald Trump and disinformation, we have to talk about money. As it is said, the love of money is the root of all evil. And the lack of it is the manifestation of that evil.
Trump and his attack on all of us — on truth, on peace, on human freedom and dignity — is, at its core, an attack that uses money as a weapon. It is an attack rooted in greed and in avarice.
In his world, money is power But in that greed lies his weakness. In his world, money is power. He and those who serve him and his fascist agenda cannot see beyond the world that money built. Their power comes in the form of control over that world and the people forced to live in it.
Of course, money is just paper. It is digital bits in a database sitting on a server in a data centre relying on electricity and water taken from our earth. The ephemeral nature of their money speaks volumes about their lack of strength and their vulnerability to more powerful forces.
They know this. Trump and all men like him know their weaknesses — and that’s why they use their money to gather power and control. When you have more money than you and your whānau can spend in several generations, you suddenly have a different kind of relationship to money.
It’s one where money itself — and the structures that allow money to be used for control of people and the material world — becomes your biggest vulnerability. If your power and identity are built entirely on the power of money, your commitment to preserving the power of money in the world becomes an all-consuming drive.
Capitalism rests on many “logics” — commodification, individualism, eternal growth, the alienation of labour. Marx and others have tried this ground well already.
In a sense, we are past the time when more analysis is useful to us. Rather, we have reached a point where action is becoming a practical necessity. After all, Trump isn’t going to stop with the media or with counter-disinformation organisations. He is ultimately coming for us all.
What form that action must take is a complicated matter. But, first we must think about money and about how money works, because only through lessening the power of money can we hope to lessen the power of those who wield it as their primary weapon.
Beliefs about poor people If you have been so unfortunate to be subject to engagement with anti-poverty programmes during the neoliberal era either as a client or a worker, you will know that one of the motivations used for denying direct cash aid to those in need of money is a belief on the part of government and policy experts that poor people will use their money in unwise ways, be it drugs or alcohol, or status purchases like sneakers or manicures.
But over and over again, there’s another concern raised: cash benefits will be spent on others in the community, but outside of those targeted with the cash aid.
You see this less now that ideas like a universal basic income (UBI) and direct cash transfers have taken hold of the policy and donor classes, but it is one of those rightwing concerns that turned out to be empirically accurate.
Poor people are more generous with their money and all of their other resources as well. The stereotype of the stingy Scrooge is one based on a pretty solid mountain of evidence.
The poor turn out to understand far better than the rich how to defeat the power that money gives those who hoard it — and that is community. The logic of money and capital can most effectively be defeated through the creation and strengthening of our community ties.
Donald Trump and those who follow him revel in creating a world of atomised individuals focused on themselves; the kind of world where, rather than relying on each other, people depend on the market and the dollar to meet their material needs — dollars. of course, being the source of control and power for their class.
Our ability to fund our work, feed our families, and keep a roof over our heads has not always been subject to the whims of capitalists and those with money to pay us. Around the world, the grand multicentury project known as colonialism has impoverished us all and created our dependency.
Colonial projects and ‘enclosures’ I cannot speak as a direct victim of the colonial project. Those are not my stories to tell. There are so many of you in this room who can speak to that with far more eloquence and direct experience than I. But the colonial project wasn’t only an overseas project for my ancestors.
Enclosure is one of the core colonial logics. Enclosure takes resources (land in particular) that were held in common and managed collectively using traditional customs and hands them over to private control to be used for private rather than communal benefit. This process, repeated over and over around the globe, created the world we live in today — the world built on money.
As we lose control over our access to what we need to live as the land that holds our communities together, that binds us to one another, is co-opted or stolen from us, we lose our power of self-determination. Self-governance, freedom, liberty — these are what colonisation and enclosure take from us when they steal our livelihoods.
As part of my work, I keep a close eye on the approaches to counter-disinformation that those whose relationship to power is smoother than my own take. Also, in this the year of our Lord 2025, it is mandatory to devote at least some portion of each public talk to AI.
I am also profoundly sorry to have to report that as far as I can tell, the only work on counter-disinformation still getting funding is work that claims to be able to use AI to detect and counter disinformation. It will not surprise you that I am extremely dubious about these claims.
AI has been created through what has been called “data colonialism”, in that it relies on stolen data, just as traditional forms of colonialism rely on stolen land.
Risks and dangers of AI AI itself — and I am speaking here specifically of generative AI — is being used as a tool of oppression. Other forms of AI have their own risks and dangers, but in this context, generative AI is quite simply a tool of power consolidation, of hollowing out of human skill and care, and of profanity, in the sense of being the opposite of sacred.
Words, art, conversation, companionship — these are fiercely human things. For a machine to mimic these things is to transgress against all of our communities — all the more so when the machine is being wielded by people who speak openly of genocide and white supremacy.
However, just as capitalism can be fought through community, colonialism can and has been fought through our own commitment to living our lives in freedom. It is fought by refusing their demands and denying their power, whether through the traditional tools of street protest and nonviolent resistance, or through simply walking away from the structures of violence and control that they have implemented.
In the current moment, that particularly includes the technological tools that are being used to destroy our communities and create the data being used to enact their oppression. Each of us is free to deny them access to our lives, our hopes, and dreams.
This version of colonisation has a unique weakness, in that the cyber dystopia they have created can be unplugged and turned off. And yet, we can still retain the parts of it that serve us well by building our own technological infrastructure and helping people use that instead of the kind owned and controlled by oligarchs.
By living our lives with the freedom we all possess as human beings, we can deny these systems the symbolic power they rely on to continue.
That said, this has limitations. This process of theft that underlies both traditional colonialism and contemporary data colonialism, rather than that of land or data, destroys our material base of support — ie. places to grow food, the education of our children, control over our intellectual property.
Power consolidated upwards The outcome is to create ever more dependence on systems outside of our control that serve to consolidate power upwards and create classes of disposable people through the logic of dehumanisation.
Disposable people have been a feature across many human societies. We see it in slaves, in cultures that use banishment and exile, and in places where imprisonment is used to enforce laws.
Right now we see it in the United States being directed at scale towards those from Central and Latin America and around the world. The men being sent to the El Salvadorian gulag, the toddlers sent to immigration court without a lawyer, the federal workers tossed from their jobs — these are disposable people to Trump.
The logic of colonialism relies on the process of dehumanisation; of denying the moral relevance of people’s identity and position within their communities and families. When they take a father from his family, they are dehumanising him and his family. They are denying the moral relevance of his role as a father and of his children and wife.
When they require a child to appear alone before an immigration judge, they are dehumanising her by denying her the right to be recognised as a child with moral claims on the adults around her. When they say they want to transition federal workers from unproductive government jobs to the private sector, they are denying those workers their life’s work and identity as labourers whose work supports the common good.
There was a time when I would point out that we all know where this leads, but we are there now. It has led there, although given the US incarceration rate for Black men, it isn’t unreasonable to argue that in fact for some people, the US has always been there. Fascism is not an aberration, it is a continuation. But the quickening is here. The expansion of dehumanisation and hate have escalated under Trump.
Dehumanisaton always starts with words and language. And Trump is genuinely — and terribly — gifted with language. His speeches are compelling, glittering, and persuasive to his audiences. With his words and gestures, he creates an alternate reality. When Trump says, “They’re eating the cats! They’re eating the dogs!”, he is using language to dehumanise Haitian immigrants.
An alternate reality for migrants When he calls immigrants “aliens” he is creating an alternate reality where migrants are no longer human, no longer part of our communities, but rather outside of them, not fully human.
When he tells lies and spews bullshit into our shared information system, those lies are virtually always aimed at creating a permission structure to deny some group of people their full humanity. Outrageous lie after outrageous lie told over and over again crumbles society in ways that we have seen over and over again throughout history.
In Europe, the claims that women were consorting with the devil led to the witch trials and the burning of thousands of women across central and northern Europe. In Myanmar, claims that Rohinga Muslims were commiting rape, led to mass slaughter.
Just as we fight the logics of capitalism with community and colonialism with a fierce commitment to our freedom, the power to resist dehumanisation is also ours. Through empathy and care — which is simply the material manifestation of empathy — we can defeat attempts to dehumanise.
Empathy and care are inherent to all functioning societies — and they are tools we all have available to us. By refusing to be drawn into their hateful premises, by putting morality and compassion first, we can draw attention to the ridiculousness of their ideas and help support those targeted.
Disinformation is the tool used to dehumanise. It always has been. During the COVID-19 pandemic when disinformation as a concept gained popularity over the rather older concept of propaganda, there was a real moment where there was a drive to focus on misinformation, or people who were genuinely wrong about usually public health facts. This is a way to talk about misinformation that elides the truth about it.
There is an empirical reality underlying the tsunami of COVID disinformation and it is that the information was spread intentionally by bad actors with the goal of destroying the social bonds that hold us all together. State actors, including the United States under the first Trump administration, spread lies about COVID intentionally for their own benefit and at the cost of thousands if not millions of lives.
Lies and disinformation at scale This tactic was not new then. Those seeking political power or to destroy communities for their own financial gain have always used lies and disinformation. But what is different this time, what has created unique risks, is the scale.
Networked disinformation — the power to spread bullshit and lies across the globe within seconds and within a context where traditional media and sources of both moral and factual authority have been systematically weakened over decades of neoliberal attack — has created a situation where disinformation has more power and those who wield it can do so with precision.
But just as we have the means to fight capitalism, colonialism, and dehumanisation, so too do we — you and I — have the tools to fight disinformation: truth, and accurate and timely reporting from trustworthy sources of information shared with the communities impacted in their own language and from their own people.
If words and images are the chosen tools of dehumanisation and disinformation, then we are lucky because they are fighting with swords that we forged and that we know how to wield. You, the media, are the front lines right now. Trump will take all of our money and all of our resources, but our work must continue.
Times like this call for fearlessness and courage. But more than that, they call on us to use all of the tools in our toolboxes — community, self-determination, care, and truth. Fighting disinformation isn’t something we can do in a vacuum. It isn’t something that we can depersonalise and mechanise. It requires us to work together to build a very human movement.
I can’t deny that Trump’s attacks have exhausted me and left me depressed. I’m a librarian by training. I love sharing stories with people, not telling them myself. I love building communities of learning and of sharing, not taking to the streets in protest.
More than anything else, I just want a nice cup of tea and a novel. But we are here in what I’ve seen others call “a coyote moment”. Like Wile E. Coyote, we are over the cliff with our legs spinning in the air.
We can use this time to focus on what really matters and figure out how we will keep going and keep working. We can look at the blue sky above us and revel in what beauty and joy we can.
Building community, exercising our self-determination, caring for each other, and telling the truth fearlessly and as though our very lives depend on it will leave us all the stronger and ready to fight Trump and his tidal wave of disinformation.
Mandy Henk, co-founder of Dark Times Academy, has been teaching and learning on the margins of the academy for her whole career. As an academic librarian, she has worked closely with academics, students, and university administrations for decades. She taught her own courses, led her own research work, and fought for a vision of the liberal arts that supports learning and teaching as the things that actually matter. This article was originally presented as an invited address at the annual general meeting of the Asia Pacific Media Network on 24 April 2025.
Police have prevented anti-social road user activity in the Wellington region for a second night running.
Anti-social road users began gathering in Porirua last night but were met by a large Police presence and checkpoints.
In similar fashion to the previous night in Wairarapa, Police staff were able to set up checkpoints and establish a presence before any vehicles could gather, dispersing crowds nearly immediately.
Inspector Simon de Wit says the Police response over the weekend has successfully deterred any anti-social behaviour on our roads.
“We hear the public loud and clear when it comes to these groups. The damage they cause to the roads and noise through all hours of the night is not something we will tolerate.”
Police issued over 30 infringements last night, as well as 10 non-operational orders.
Five vehicles were seized by bailiffs and approximately $1600 worth of outstanding fines were recovered.
One driver was recorded over the legal alcohol limit.
“We will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social road user activity. Anybody engaging in unlawful activity can expect enforcement action to be taken. If we are unable to at the time, we will be sure to follow up with you.”
Police also want to issue a reminder to members of the public to report any unlawful activity to us, as soon as possible with as much information as safely possible.
This will assist in an effective response, and in cases where we can’t respond immediately, we are able to follow up with drivers and take later enforcement action.
You can report any information to us by calling 111 if it is happening now, or via 105 if it is after the fact, either over the phone or online.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Physician associates will become a regulated profession that will contribute to New Zealand’s talented workforce of health professionals delivering timely, quality healthcare to New Zealanders, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced.“Physician associates are overseas-trained health professionals who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a doctor.“They work in a range of health settings in New Zealand, such as general practice and hospitals, assisting with both clinical and administrative tasks to ensure patient needs are met.“About 50 physician associates are currently employed across the country, with the workforce expected to grow over coming years. “Regulating physician associates under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 demonstrates the Government’s commitment to patient safety and providing high quality care.“By regulating physician associates, they will be required to meet clear standards that are appropriate for the New Zealand health system, including training, supervision, and ongoing professional development.”The Government has recently made a series of announcements to enable more health professionals to prescribe the medicines patients need. These have included amending the Medicines Act to provide nurse practitioners greater prescribing rights, and changing regulations to allow podiatrists to prescribe medicines relating to their role. “Ensuring that all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government.“I look forward to seeing how health services use this growing resource to meet our priorities,” Mr Brown says.
The Government is updating the way it co-invests in public electric vehicle (EV) chargers with the private sector to accelerate the delivery of EV chargers across New Zealand, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Energy Minister Simon Watts say.
“New Zealand needs more EV chargers. We have fewer public chargers per EV than many other countries in the OECD, and we know that this is a barrier to Kiwis purchasing EVs,” Mr Bishop says.
“People buying an EV need confidence that they can charge where and when they need to on a comprehensive public network.
“The number of EV charge points (as of 31 December 2024) is 1,378 – around one for every 84 EVs (battery electric and plug in hybrid). The Government is targeting 10,000 by 2030, so that there will be one public charge point to around 40 EVs. This will remove people’s ‘range anxiety’ and make owning an EV as easy as possible.
“The Government will therefore utilise the highly successful Ultra-Fast Broadband model to accelerate the roll-out of EV chargers. Under the status quo, the private sector are reluctant to invest in charging infrastructure until there’s sufficient demand, but demand for charging won’t grow until the purchase of EVs stops being hampered by a lack of public charging. This chicken-and-egg situation is hampering the roll-out and justifies government action.
“Since 2016, government investment in EV chargers has consisted of direct grants. This made sense when the market for public EV charging was being established. This model is now outdated, with EVs now making up over 2 per cent of the light vehicle fleet, and expected to make up around 11 per cent by 2030. A range of charge point operators have now also entered the market.
“The Government is moving to a more sophisticated, commercial procurement model. We have set aside up to $68.5 million in currently held grant funding, to provide concessionary loans to private operators to co-invest in public EV charging infrastructure. Loans will be quicker to implement and will help achieve the Government’s objectives with less complexity, cost and risk.
“Concessionary loans will bring forward private investment in public EV charging infrastructure by lowering the cost of capital. They will also provide better value for money by maximising private sector investment while keeping the taxpayers’ contribution to a minimum.
“Loans will be awarded through contestable co-investment rounds, and applications will be open to proposals to establish portfolios of public EV charging sites (i.e. multiple charging locations). This is the best way to support scaled-up development and to maximise competitive tension between providers.
“Giving effect to commitments made on the National-Act Coalition agreement, this competitive tension will help ensure public investment flows to proposals delivering the best value-for-money. A cost benefit analysis will also be applied at the point loan applications are assessed, with a successful applicant having demonstrated that the benefits to New Zealand of its project outweigh the costs.”
Mr Watts says that EVs make a huge amount of sense for New Zealand.
“With our bountiful renewable energy resources EVs are a winner for New Zealand. Kiwis charging their EVs are essentially filling their cars with predominantly water, wind, and geothermal energy – rather than fossil fuels – due to our high level of renewable energy.
“There are real benefits to owning an EV. Not only does it support our economic and climate goals, but it also delivers long-term benefits to users by helping keep running costs low. This Government is focused on growing the economy so Kiwis can get ahead.
“By giving people more options to reduce everyday expenses like transport, we’re helping households stay ahead and build a more sustainable future. By co-investing to accelerate public EV infrastructure ahead of demand, we will give more Kiwis the confidence to go electric.”
The new EV charging initiative will be administered by National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFFCo), the successor organisation to Crown Infrastructure Partners (which delivered Ultra-Fast Broadband). EECA will provide assistance as required. Editor’s notes
Increasing the number of chargers to support rapid EV uptake will help to reduce New Zealand’s light road transport emissions. An EV used in New Zealand emits at least 60 percent fewer emissions over its full life cycle than do petrol vehicles. The concessionary loans will offer up to 50 percent of project costs, have a zero percent interest rate, and a maximum tenure of 13 years. The loans will be awarded through a contestable co-investment bid process. Applications will be assessed against value-for-money criteria to ensure loans are awarded to projects of greatest benefit and that New Zealand’s EV charging network grows at pace. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for interested parties is expected to be released shortly. Consumer monitoring by EECA consistently shows that some of the main perceived disadvantages of EVs include that the driving range is not suitable for long distance travel, and that there are not enough public chargers available. Increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure gives drivers the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle. See EECA’s Transport Monitor: https://www.eeca.govt.nz/assets/EECA-Transport-Monitor-Mar-Jun-2024.pdf
DOC Senior Ranger Karl Fisher says he was alerted to the discovery by a member of the public who emailed a photo, and the snake has been identified.
“We have sent one of our rangers to check it out, but in the meantime, we want people and their dogs to stay away from the dunes at the southern end of Omaha beach. We don’t usually see these snakes on land but with the type of weather we’ve been having, it may have been blown ashore.”
Karl Fisher says the yellow-bellied sea snakes are venomous and can be aggressive. They are found throughout the Pacific Ocean and are native to New Zealand.
“It’s very uncommon to see them on land, but with the extreme weather we’ve had recently, we are seeing all kinds of birds and sea life being blown ashore.”
He says that once the ranger has visited the site to check the snake out, the area will be cordoned off and a decision on what to do with the snake will be made.
“In the meantime, we want to make sure the public are aware and especially dog walkers or any children playing in the area.”
It’s illegal to kill native sea snakes or possess one. The public are encouraged to report all sightings to DOC using the hotline 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).