NewzIntel.com

Category: New Zealand

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Film Commission puts itself on a platter for spending cuts

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT’s Arts, Culture and Heritage spokesperson Todd Stephenson is questioning the value of funding the Film Commission after it was revealed that the organisation spent more than $145,000 on a trip for four to the Cannes Film Festival in France.

    “In May, at the height of a cost-of-living crisis and when New Zealanders were reading apocalyptic headlines about austerity in Wellington, four Film Commission staff were enjoying a six-figure junket in Cannes,” says Mr Stephenson.

    “The new Government had repeatedly emphasised the need for spending restraint, but the Film Commission – hardly a core government agency – doubled down on discretionary spending. In a single two-week blowout, four staff spent more than $24,000 on food and drink including fine French dining and dozens of bottles of wine and craft beer. In addition, $21,704 was spent on travel, $24,329 on accommodation, and $74,795 on ‘operational’ costs – including office rental and utilities.

    “Browsing the receipts, obtained by the Taxpayers’ Union, is enough to make you sick.

    “The irony is that the Film Commission spends on boozy dinners to schmooze executives into coming to New Zealand and taking millions of dollars in film subsidies. You’d think the subsidies would be attractive enough on their own.

    “The film industry is lucky to receive subsidies, but when the distributor spends like this it discredits our film subsidy programme and tempts cuts.

    “This is an organisation seemingly incapable of making spending sacrifices that households have been forced to make. Just last year they spent more than $16,000 on parties for their CEOs. And in 2022, another CEO was given a $438,700 severance package – despite only having been in the role for nine months, four of which were on paid leave.

    “The Commission has doubled in size since 2014, but we’re left scratching our heads about what benefits have come from this bloat.

    “ACT is always on the lookout for further savings, and the Film Commission has just presented itself on a silver platter. Would anyone even notice if the Commission’s operational budget was cut in half?”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Anderson Road/SH84 roundabout, Wānaka, work starting early November at nights

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Wānaka residents and people who use the SH84 roundabout with Anderson Road will need to build in an extra 10 minutes for a week at night from early November, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    SH84, the Wānaka-Luggate highway, at the Anderson Road roundabout is getting fresh asphalt ahead of the holiday season.  The roundabout area will be reduced to a single lane for repairs and re-sealing with traffic detoured around the site.

    Traffic speeds will be reduced to 30km/h around the road work site.

    “There will be detours in place for drivers who would normally take Anderson Road. Mt Iron Drive entrance will be closed off Anderson Road also, but residential access will be managed for both those streets. The journey along the detour routes could add ten minutes to the normal trip,” says Nicole Felts, Journey Manager for NZTA in Otago.

    “This work is weather dependent so if it rains it could be postponed to the next run of dry nights.”

    Works are planned to start Sunday 3 November and run through to Friday night, 8 November – from 8pm each night to 5.30am the following day.

    Detour details – for light vehicles, utes, vans

    Detours for southbound traffic Anderson Road: Turn right at Link Way, left onto Reece Crescent, right onto Plantation Road. Continue on Plantation to turn left onto Beacon Point. Beacon Point Rd to Lakeside Road. Turn left onto Ardmore Street, continue through RAB to SH84.

    Westbound SH84 to Anderson Road: No right turn into Anderson Road. Traffic to continue through roundabout and traffic signals to Ardmore St, veering right. Right at Lakeside Road, continue to Beacon Point Road. Right onto Plantation Road to Reece Crescent. Left onto Reece Crescent, right onto Links Way.

    Eastbound SH84 to Anderson Road: No left turn into Anderson Road. Traffic to continue through to Sir Tim Wallace roundabout and complete U-Turn to return to Anderson Road roundabout. Traffic to continue through to Ardmore Street, veering right at roundabout. Right at Lakeside Road, continue to Beacon Point Road. Right onto Plantation Road to Reece Crescent. Left onto Reece Crescent, right onto Links Way.

    • Residents on Anderson Road and Mt Iron Drive will be allowed access.
    • HPMV and 50Max: No entry to Anderson Road during these closure times – normal access up to 82 Anderson Road (the business area) won’t be affected as these businesses are not open during the closure times.
    • Over-dimension loads: Can be accommodated through site with prior notice.
    • Emergency vehicles will be accommodated throughout.

    Jounrney Planner updates on this work(external link)

    SH84 and Anderson Road roundabout is indicated by the red road cone icon.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to the Institute of Finance Professionals NZ, 2024 Conference

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kia ora koutou

    Greetings from Wellington. I am sorry I can’t be with you in person today, but I’m delighted that I can talk to you virtually. 

    I’d like to begin by acknowledging your chair Bill Goodwin and members of your board.

    I’d also like to acknowledge the fitness of your conference theme: “Adaptability – highlighting the imperative for both corporate and government investment to be more considered and impactful in light of the financial constraints on governments and the increased costs of capital.”

    That’s quite a mouthful. But, as a finance minister who inherited a structural deficit and a challenging set of circumstances, both domestically and internationally, those are themes dear to my heart. 

    New Zealand, like other countries, has faced significant economic challenges in recent years.  Many businesses and households are doing it tough. High inflation has increased household costs and squeezed business margins.

    However, the two most recent ANZ Business Outlook surveys and the New Zealand Herald’s Mood of the Board room survey suggest you and your colleagues in the business world are increasingly positive about the outlook for the future. 

    The green shoots of business confidence are re-emerging.

    I share your optimism. 

    We’ll get the latest update on inflation tomorrow when Stats NZ releases the September quarter inflation data, but all the indications are that inflation is tracking back down to the Reserve Bank’s target range of 1 to 3 per cent. 

    Certainly, that’s the Reserve Bank’s view. It’s decision last week to drop the Official Cash rate by 50 basis points was a welcome fillip for businesses and households. 

    It followed the 25-basis point drop in August.

    Lower interest rates mean families get to keep more of their money and they increase the opportunities for businesses to invest, innovate and expand.

    How people are impacted by interest rate reductions will depend on the terms of their mortgages – whether they are floating or fixed and, if fixed, for what length of time and at what rates.  

    The good news is that right now roughly half of New Zealand’s mortgage lending is either fixed or floating for a period of six months or fewer. 

    That means the impact of a lower official cash rate will flow through to households much faster than might typically be the case. And the impact will be significant.

    To give one example, a family with a 25-year, $500,000 mortgage could expect to be just over $100 a fortnight better off if its rate dropped from 7 to 6.25 per cent.

    Add that to the tax relief that took effect on 31 July and the FamilyBoost childcare payments that many households are now receiving, and we can confidently say that large numbers of families are now significantly better off than they were a year ago.

    Budget 2024 was another important step in the right direction. It put the Government’s books on a credible path back to fiscal sustainability. 

    The Crown accounts are forecast to return to surplus in 2028 and net core Crown debt is forecast to start trending down as a percentage of gross domestic product the same year. 

    This does not mean that our financial and economic challenges have magically evaporated. It also does not mean that we can pat ourselves on the back and relax the focus that we have re-introduced on fiscal discipline.  

    Fiscal discipline is not a one-off, one-Budget affair. It is an ongoing state of mind. 

    It’s not easily achieved, but it is fundamental to our prospects.

    There is no time in recorded history in which a country has enjoyed a continuous period of economic prosperity without a stable macroeconomic environment. 

    What does that mean in practice? It means low inflation, a balance between government expenditure and revenue and a balance between domestic demand and exports. 

    In other words, governments cannot live beyond their means for sustained periods of time without damaging the future prospects of their citizens.

    Our Government doesn’t just think about constraining future government expenditure. We are equally intent on driving more value from the significant investment the Government already makes across the economy. 

    That means delivering more effective management of the considerable assets we own and making better choices about where and how we use taxpayers’ money.

    For me, the ultimate purpose of strengthening the economy and improving the state of the books is not to change the colour of the ink in those books. It is to improve outcomes for people. 

    As we look ahead, the Government is squarely focused on improving the growth prospects of the New Zealand economy.  

    Growing our economy faster requires us to improve the attractiveness of New Zealand as a launch place for business and exporting, it means attracting and retaining people who choose this as the country where they want to develop and deploy their talents, to start new businesses, to expand existing ones, to invest and drive innovation.   

    It’s a competitive world, and so New Zealand needs to constantly improve our proposition to the world. 

    As we look to the future and consider a globe grappling with challenges to climate, peace and stability, our country’s fundamentals are excellent.  

    In an unstable, hungry world, we are a peaceful, food-producing country blessed with secure borders, strong institutions, a strong sense of community, well-established trade relationships, a reputation for producing innovative and enterprising people, and abundant natural resources.

    Even so, our country has not been making the most of these advantages. 

    We still have much to do to develop our human capital, to make this a more attractive place to invest, to boost our trade with the world, to encourage innovation and harness new technologies, to ensure we have a foundation of world-class infrastructure, and to reduce the regulatory and bureaucratic static that can hamper the deployment of good ideas.

    The Government’s reform agenda is about realising the untapped potential we see in so many dimensions of New Zealand life.    

    We know that to be successful in driving growth we need you and your colleagues in the business community on board.  

    The previous government distrusted private capital and discounted the value of private sector innovation. 

    This Government’s attitude is different. 

    We recognise that you have a critical role to play in innovating, investing and developing markets. Our role as government is to create the framework that encourages the business sector to invest, innovate, employ and take risks.  

    Accordingly, our growth agenda focuses on five key areas. 

    They are not just about the next few years, but about the next few decades. 

    First, we have to start with our people – human capital. 

    We as New Zealanders have a deserved reputation for innovating, rolling up our sleeves and getting on with things. And we still score relatively well in international education tests, but not as well as we used to. 

    That is why Education Minister Erica Stanford is refocusing the education system on the core skills that make the most difference to kids’ prospects – reading, writing and mathematics. 

    She is doing so not just to improve the economic outlook but because lifting educational achievement is the best thing we can do to address social inequality. Education has the power to transform lives.

    Making better use of our human capital also requires us to deliver more effective interventions for those citizens who may be left behind – individuals, families and communities whose lives are disrupted by difficult childhoods, educational under-achievement, unemployment, violence, crime; people whose innate human potential goes unfulfilled.  

    This is where our work in social investment comes in. Our Government wants to better harness the considerable resources New Zealand already invests in well-intended interventions for New Zealanders in need. 

    We want to devolve more power to the non-government organisations and iwi who often know better how to deliver for the needs of their community, and who are eager to act on data and evidence about what works for who.

    Our social investment agency is now up and running, is developing prototype social investment contracts, designing a social investment fund and working across Government to take a more rigorous approach to the social investments we make. 

    Second of the themes in our reform agenda is trade and investment. 

    Congratulations to Trade Minister Todd McClay for last month concluding the negotiations for New Zealand’s fastest-ever free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates. 

    The negotiations, which will save New Zealand exporters millions of dollars, took just four months. 

    There will be more agreements to come. 

    And we are looking not just at growing our exports, but, equally importantly, at improving capital flows into New Zealand. 

    The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (the OECD) has identified our foreign investment regime as one of the most restrictive in the developed world. 

    As a result, our stock of foreign direct investment is equivalent to about 40 per cent of GDP which compares to the OECD average of about 50 per cent. 

    This low level of investment not only reduces our opportunities to grow, it also slows our access to frontier technologies like artificial intelligence which are changing the way our competitors and trading partners operate. 

    Foreign direct investment is recognised as a key vector for the transfer of cutting-edge technology.  

    We’ve taken initial steps to address this imbalance. Earlier this year Associate Finance Minister David Seymour directed the Overseas Investment Office to administer the overseas investment regime in a way that:

    • minimised compliance costs; 
    • imposed a burden no broader than necessary; and
    • expedited application processes. 

    As a result, every consent application received and processed after his directive came into effect on 6 June has been decided in under half of the statutory timeframe.

    You can expect to hear more from us on this. 

    The Government will make a new round of significant reforms to the Overseas Investment Act next year. We want to put out the welcome mat to investors who want to help grow this country.  

    Third, science and innovation. 

    New Zealand has a proud history of scientific innovation and putting those innovations to good use. 

    In the 1880s the foundations of the New Zealand meat and dairy products industries were laid by the entrepreneurs who took advantage of developments in refrigeration technology to successfully ship frozen meat and dairy products to Britain for the first time. 

    More recently, Sir Peter Jackson, Dame Fran Walsh and Sir Richard Taylor have made Wellington the global centre of film special effects, Sir Peter Beck’s Rocket Lab is leading the world in the development of small, low-cost rockets and the development of a disease resistant strain of golden kiwifruit by scientists at Plant and Food Research has turbo-charged the kiwifruit industry. 

    I could go on – Ernest Rutherford, the Hamilton jetboat, bungy jumping… you get the picture. We need more of this sort of innovation. 

    The Government is doing its part.

    Judith Collins as Science, Innovation and Technology Minister, has announced the outdated, effective ban on gene technology will be scrapped by the end of next year. 

    Doing so will enable researchers and companies to further develop and commercialise their innovative products, improve health outcomes and help New Zealand to adapt to climate change. Ending the ban has the potential to deliver massive economic benefits to New Zealand.

    Judith is overseeing a shake-up of the state science system to better focus it on our economic needs and commercial opportunities.  

    And she is championing efforts to increase the uptake of artificial intelligence by New Zealand businesses as well as efforts to make it easier for businesses and people wanting to interact with government agencies to access government information and support by using AI. 

    Wearing another of his hats, Todd McClay announced earlier this year as agriculture minister that the Government was partnering with the a2 Milk Company, ANZ and ASB to put another $18 million into AgriZero, the joint venture established to boost New Zealand’s efforts to reduce agricultural emissions. 

    The injection took total funding for AgriZero to $183 million over its first four years, half of which is coming from the Crown. This public-private partnership approach is one we want to build on. 

    Fourth, regulation and competition. 

    It sounds dry but removing red tape and making this an easier place in which to get things done really matters, from fixing up the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA), to improving building consent processes to having more pro-competitive prudential regulation.

    One of the most significant regulatory reforms our Government is making is removing the burden that the Resource Management Act has imposed on New Zealand. 

    That law has held back housing development, pushed the dream of home ownership out of reach of many young Kiwis, inhibited development and held back productivity and growth. 

    We are fixing the Act, and we have started with the fast-track regime announced by Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop which will speed up consenting for 149 housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, mining, aquaculture, farming, and quarrying projects. 

    In the process, the new regime will deliver measurable benefits to regional New Zealand and help to stimulate growth nationally. 

    Fixing the Act does not mean we are throwing away environmental protections. But it does mean we are getting rid of the unnecessary red tape and delays that have held New Zealand back. 

    Improving New Zealand’s competition settings is equally important. In its most recent survey of the New Zealand economy, the OECD highlighted the importance of this work, given the small size of our population and the tendency for sectors to become dominated by a small clutch of players.

    International experience shows that competition is one of the most important drivers of long-term growth and productivity.   

    You’ll have seen that our Government is taking up the recommendations of the recent Commerce Commission inquiry into banking competition.  

    We are concerned that the two-tier oligopoly has meant Kiwis are missing out on the competitive pricing and services they deserve from their banks.

    I have asked the Treasury to engage with Kiwibank’s parent company on options for raising new capital to enable it to be a more disruptive competitor for the big four banks. 

    Potential sources of investment include KiwiSaver funds, New Zealand investments funds and everyday New Zealanders. I will take proposals to Cabinet later this year. 

    We are also alive to challenges in the grocery and electricity sectors. 

    Finally, infrastructure. 

    New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit that is holding back productivity and that has been worsened by a poor track record of planning, consenting and delivering major projects. 

    We’re working to fix that, by implementing tried and true approaches from more successful economies.

    We hear what business is saying. You want an enduring framework and an enduring pipeline. So do we, and we are applying lessons learned in Australia to our infrastructure reforms. 

    One of these is the importance of bipartisanship. Given the long-term nature of investment in infrastructure it is desirable to have as much buy-in as possible from different political parties. 

    To that end, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has written to the infrastructure spokespeople of each party represented in Parliament inviting them to be briefed by the Infrastructure Commission on the development of a 30-year National Infrastructure Plan.

    Chris is also proposing that Parliament hold an annual special debate on the plan. The debate won’t change the content of the plan because it will be developed independently, but the debate will show where parties agree, where we don’t, and where there is room for compromise in the best interests of New Zealanders. 

    It will come as no surprise to you to hear, that a National-led government sees private capital as key to funding our ambitious work programme and closing New Zealand’s infrastructure gap faster. 

    We are currently in the process of refreshing the policy frameworks that enable private capital to invest in Crown infrastructure. 

    This includes the public private partnership (PPP) framework and unsolicited proposals guidance. We look forward to working further with you on the development of the pipeline.  

    I’ll stop now to leave some time for questions. 

    You can see from the steps we’ve taken and the priorities I’ve outlined that this is a government that is hungry and ambitious for New Zealand. 

    We feel your sense of urgency, we value your expertise, connections and energy, and we want you on board as we seek to tap New Zealand’s untapped potential. 

    You want bold and I want it too. 

    Together, let’s make this the best country in the world in which to do business and raise our families. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash: SH1, Waiouru

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Two people have died and one person is in a critical condition following a collision between a car and truck today.

    The crash was reported at around 11.05am and happened south of Waiouru, between Hassett Drive and Waiaruhe Road.

    Police can confirm that the deceased were from the car, along with the critically injured young person, who was ejected from the vehicle.

    The driver of the truck is unharmed, but understandably shaken by the traumatic events.

    Police are providing support to the families of those involved, along with the members of the public who were first on the scene.

    The Serious Crash Unit has carried out a scene examination and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team will assist the investigation. Enquiries to establish the cause of the crash will likely take some time.

    State Highway 1 is expected to re-open this afternoon, initially one lane only will be re-opened under traffic management.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash: SH1, Marton

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can confirm two people have died following a crash between a bus and a truck on State Highway 1 near Marton.

    Emergency services were alerted to the collision at around 8.50am. It occurred under a rail bridge, between Wings Line and Calico Line.

    The drivers were the sole occupants of the vehicles. Police are providing support to their families.

    The Serious Crash Unit has carried out a scene examination and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team will carry out an inspection of both vehicles.

    Enquiries to establish the cause of the crash will likely take some time.

    The road has reopened to traffic.

    No further information is available at present.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Old Papatoetoe, new vibes

    Source: Auckland Council

    Exciting changes are on the horizon as the plan to revitalise Old Papatoetoe town centre kicks off – and it’s set to be a game changer!

    The plan introduces fresh vibes for the area to enliven Old Papatoetoe town centre, boost local business and provide new homes, marking significant investment in the area.

    Manukau Ward Councillor Lotu Fuli says, “It’s encouraging to see the progress made that will ensure the council can continue to meet the needs of our city and South Auckland. Old Papatoetoe is strategically located next to Manukau City and offers significant regeneration opportunities in the town centre, thanks to large areas of underutilised council-owned land.”

    Fellow Manukau Ward Councillor Alf Filipaina shares, “Having been a councillor at Manukau City Council from 2003, it is pleasing to see the progress in Old Papatoetoe. With robust infrastructure, essential services, and excellent access to public transport, I’m looking forward to the transformation over the next few years.”

    The plan, led by Eke Panuku Development Auckland, aims to enhance safety, accessibility, and economic growth, breathing new life into the historic area. 

    Council invested a record $3.2 billion last year in assets such as the roads, pipes and buildings, and Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia is thrilled to see Old Papatoetoe town centre, included in this significant investment.

    Apulu says, “Revitalising Old Papatoetoe is a key part of our local board plan. Old Papatoetoe will be a popular place to live, to shop, for people to meet and enjoy themselves, and will provide the services and facilities the community needs. It also boasts convenient access to Puhinui Station and Middlemore Train Stations, making it highly desirable for commuters and travellers alike.

    “It’s a beautiful area with a unique character, featuring stunning art deco buildings. Currently, the town centre spans 12 hectares, and this plan aims to address its underutilisation.”

    The plan

    Housing

    Piko Toetoe development is underway.

    The site is located behind the St George Street shops and bordered by the Papatoetoe New World, Allan Brewster Leisure Centre and the rail line.

    Piko Toetoe.

    Board deputy chair Vi Hausia explains, “Old Papatoetoe has significant capacity to accommodate further growth and would benefit from new investment, as we see more and more diverse families making Papatoetoe their new home.

    “It’s especially encouraging to see mana whenua actively engaged in reinforcing and incorporating the narrative and cultural heritage of the region into this.”

    At 91 Cambridge Terrace, an underutilised council property has now been developed into 29 new homes by the New Zealand Housing Foundation who support families into home ownership.

    Public space

    The upgrade of Chambers Laneway is underway and on track to be complete by Christmas. Notably, it will feature a statement mana whenua designed, mural. The theme of the mural is the ‘Bittern’, a native bird that used to be found in wetlands in the area but is now extinct.

    Chambers Laneway once complete. Image source: Eke Panuku.

    Cambridge Terrace extension, also led by Eke Panuku, will begin in November 2024.

    This new street will extend Cambridge Terrace, linking the upgraded Chambers Laneway and Piko Toetoe development to Stadium Reserve, improving access and connectivity between Papatoetoe and Puhinui train stations.

    Cambridge Terrace. Image source: Eke Panuku.

    The Stadium Reserve upgrade, scheduled to begin in early 2025, will feature a new playground, a basketball half court, and improved green spaces. Alongside the nearby Allan Brewster Leisure Centre, this upgrade will create a vibrant hub for community activities.

    Through the design process, mana whenua provided the narrative ‘The Mists of Kohuora’.

    For more details on this, visit the Eke Panuku Old Papatoetoe webpage.

    Stay connected

    Sign up for our Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board e-newsletter and get it delivered to your inbox each month.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Standing up for those with good taste

    Source: Auckland Council

    A tasting panel to rival the United Nations turned up to help emerging food businesses test their wares at the latest Kitchen Project event.

    Held in Pukekohe, three foodies taking part in the Auckland Council initiative that helps food entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level, laid out their wares for people from South Africa, Ireland, Italy, the Philippines, Korea, Brasil, Wales and New Zealand.

    The Kitchen Project’s Franklin work is funded by Eke Panuku – Auckland Council’s development agency – as it focuses on developing food and beverage businesses with an emphasis on culture, healthy food and sustainable practices. 

    Among the businesses relying on stranger’s tastebuds was Otara donut-maker Rose Hamlin of Angel Treatz.

    Madd Pies chief pie-maker and gifted baker Emily Maddren, whose hand-crafted pies are sought-after at markets and online.

    “It’s scary putting your products out there but the Kitchen Project has given me the confidence to believe in myself and back what I’m making.”

    Rose came to donuts when caring for her sweet-toothed daughter, who lives with multiple seizure syndrome, and who loves a good donut.

    The problem was Rose wasn’t convinced she was getting good donuts, and she was convinced she could make them better, and save herself a fortune along the way.

    “I’m making donuts without all the added preservatives. When I started it wasn’t long before my friends and other people were telling me I could make a business out of it.

    “Being able to participate in The Kitchen Project allowed me to think of it as a business, to understand what I would need to do to make it sustainable, and how to go about all the things I had no idea you needed to consider when you go into business.

    “Happily, making donuts and treats hasn’t stopped being something I love doing, it’s just turned into something that I can make a living from too.”

    Sister act. Emily’s sister Jayde Lane creates traditional sauces with husband Andrew that they take to the market under the name The Smoke Shed.

    Joining her were Madd Pies chief pie-maker and gifted baker Emily Maddren, whose hand-crafted pies have become a sought-after treat at markets throughout Franklin.

    “I wanted to create pies that were full of flavour, that used natural ingredients, that remain hand-made and aren’t run-off a conveyer belt.

    “Hopefully my pies are something you can look forward to putting in front of your family because they are healthy and home-made, rather than something dragged out of the freezer out of desperation.”

    Her sister Jayde Lane was just metres away at the next tasting station, laying out sauces with husband Andrew that they take to the market under the name The Smoke Shed.

    Like chicken king Colonel Sanders, she’s not letting on about the secret ingredients that go into her Worcesteshire sauce – the recipe handed down from son to son – and then to a daughter – down the generations since it first graced tables back in Wales.

     “The Kitchen Project has been a vital part of our journey. The support, advice and mentoring we’ve been able to tap into has been invaluable.

    International flavour. The tasting panel was made up of people from South Africa, Ireland, Italy, the Philippines, Korea, Brasil, Wales and New Zealand.

    “We are never going to rival the big chain sauces, but we’d like to think if someone wanted to have a good home-made tomato sauce or any of our other products, they could buy ours with confidence.”

    The part-time 26-week programme includes learning both in and out of the kitchen, covering everything from regulations, food safety and business planning to finance, branding and marketing. It also offers access to dedicated commercial kitchens at subsidised rates.

    The Kitchen Project’s Connie Clarkson says it can play an important role by working from the ground up.

    “By fostering sustainable local food and beverage businesses that belong in the community, we’re encouraging a diverse and exciting food culture.”

    The Kitchen Project and the three food businesses are all online.

    Stay connected

    Sign up for your Local Board E-news and get the latest news and events direct to your inbox each month. 

     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police urge drivers to take care, after a shocking day on the roads

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    The deaths of four people today are a chilling reminder of what can go wrong on our roads.

    Two drivers died following a crash in Marton at around 8.50am.

    Just over two hours later, two more people died when a car and a truck collided just south of Waiouru. The third occupant of the car, a young person, was critically injured after being ejected from the vehicle. The driver of the truck is physically unharmed, but understandably shaken by the traumatic events.

    Whanganui Area Commander Inspector Neil Forlong says that both crash scenes were horrific.

    “In both cases, the vehicles collided head on, causing significant damage that created its own challenges for emergency services, who have had to use specialist tools to get into the vehicles.

    “The focus of Police is now on answering the ‘how’ and ‘why’ – determining what went so wrong.

    “The investigations will take some time, with evidence and analysis compiled by the Serious Crash Unit and Commercial Vehicle Safety Team.”

    Inspector Forlong praised the action of the members of the public who were first on the scene to both crashes, and the emergency responders.

    “They were faced with something nobody should ever have to confront – but seeing people in need, they did what they could to help.”

    Support is being provided to the next of kin, and the members of the public who were first on scene.

    Inspector Forlong urged anyone on the roads, especially over the upcoming Labour Weekend, to remember the four lives that were lost in his area.

    “This shows how little time you have to react to something going wrong. You might be a confident driver, but don’t lose sight of the fact you’re sharing the road with other people.”

    Police actively target high-risk driving behaviours, and focus on restraints, impairment, distractions, and speed – factors that massively influence the outcome of a crash.

    “Today was a worst-case scenario.

    “We know this will impact a lot of people – family, friends, emergency service personnel, and the other motorists who were just on their way to a destination but stopped to help.

    “If you’re on the road, please take your time, and don’t forget how quickly things can go horribly wrong.”

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Riccarton Road remains closed following crash

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Riccarton Road is now closed between Straven Road and Rimu Street following an earlier crash.

    Rotheram Street is also closed between Riccarton Road and Dilworth Street.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Riccarton Road closed following crash

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Riccarton Road is closed between Matipo Street and Clarence Street following a crash.

    The single vehicle crash was reported to Police around 3:30pm.

    One person has been transported to hospital with serious injuries.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area, as the road will be closed for some time.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government extends fight against cybercrime

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Legislation that will help protect New Zealanders from cybercrime has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. 

    “11% of New Zealanders were victims of fraud and cybercrime in 2023, causing significant financial harm and emotional distress.

    “The Budapest Convention, also known as the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, is the only binding international treaty on cybercrime. 

    “It aligns member countries’ laws and makes it easier for them to cooperate on criminal investigations.

    “By joining the convention, we are signalling to the other like-minded countries that we take cybercrime seriously and we are prepared to do our part to eliminate it.

    “It will help our law enforcement agencies to protect New Zealanders, by providing the tools they need to detect, investigate, and prosecute criminal offending, even when it happens online.”

    The Bill contains provisions to ensure our domestic laws meet the requirements of the Convention. These include:

    • New ‘preservation directions’ in the Search and Surveillance Act, to enable law enforcement agencies to require companies to preserve records that could be evidence of offending.
    • Amendments to the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act to enhance our ability to seek assistance from foreign countries for criminal investigations, and to provide assistance in return.
    • Minor amendments to the Crimes Act to ensure offences related to cybercrime and the use of computers are comprehensive and fully align with the Convention.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: “Advancing New Zealand and Asia relations”

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good evening

    Before discussing the ‘advancing of New Zealand and Asia relations’, we would like to congratulate the Asia New Zealand Foundation and acknowledge its significant contribution to New Zealand’s relationship with, and understanding of, Asia over the past 30 years.

    Can we also welcome Thitinan Pongsudhirak, one of the Foundation’s Honorary Advisers, and Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute.  

    I would also like to acknowledge Members of Parliament; members of the diplomatic corps; Asia New Zealand Foundation founders Sir Don McKinnon and Philip Burdon; and its Chair, Dame Fran Wilde.

    A lot has happened over the past 30 years – in New Zealand, in Asia, and indeed in New Zealand’s engagement with Asia.

    30 years ago

    It is, of course, difficult to talk about Asia in general terms. The region has 23 countries, hundreds of languages and a vast swathe of peoples and cultures and political systems. 

    This is to say nothing of the vast distances in Asia.  Indeed, it’s closer from London to Moscow than Auckland to Jakarta, and yet we tend to think Indonesia as our back yard. 

    We tend to zone in on one country, or one issue.

    Our understanding needs to be more nuanced than this – something the Asia New Zealand Foundation knows well and is in fact its core mission.

    We can, however, look at some trends, as we think about New Zealand’s relationship with Asia over the past 30 years.

    In 1994, for example, Asia’s population was over three billion people. The region accounted for one quarter of the world’s GDP, and economic growth was underway in many countries. 

    The region had experienced years of peace and stability, albeit with some notable exceptions. Many parts of the region were at the start of a long, although sometimes uneven, path of rising urbanisation, productivity and incomes.

    In New Zealand, our population had just tipped over three million. Asian countries had become important trading partners – this was 20 years after Britain joined the European Economic Community and forced us to look beyond our traditional trading partners. 

    We had adapted by looking closer to home. 

    Thirty five percent of New Zealand’s exports went to Asia, with Japan accounting for close to half of this. 

    Remarkably, at that time China took just two percent of our exports, compared to 20 percent of today.

    Many New Zealanders had come to realise the importance of Asia to our future prosperity.

    Along with this came a recognition that we needed to better understand the vast range of cultures, languages and peoples of the region. This would be a shift for us. 

    Just three percent of New Zealanders at the time identified as being of Asian origin – compared to 17 percent today. 

    We had the beginnings of some cultural and culinary influences, with tourists and students starting to flow. 

    Under the Colombo Plan, we had welcomed many Asian students to New Zealand. But for the most part, these cultural influences were not mainstream or well-understood at the time.

    It was in this context that the Asia New Zealand Foundation was born and began its important work that we are here to discuss today.

    What has changed in Asia? 

    Even those who were aficionados back in 1994 might have been surprised at just how important Asia would become to New Zealand.

    The Asian financial crisis in 1997 was devastating to the region. It was an unsettled and unpredictable time. But the region has recovered, and in fact boomed.

    The figures are certainly impressive. More than one billion people have been lifted out of poverty in Asia since 1990. Asia now comprises over 40 percent of the world’s GDP. In the next quarter century, this is forecast to reach 50 percent. 

    It is important for us all to remember that there has not been just one linear trajectory in the region. Each country has had its own path, and these paths can have different twists and turns over time.

    China’s growth story is of course well-known, but the statistics remain extraordinary. Today, China stands as the world’s second-largest economy worth nearly 18 trillion US dollars in 2023, soaring a staggering 4,000 percent since the 1990s.

    This is not, however, just a China story. There has been astonishing success in other countries, too. 

    India overtook China to become the most populous country in the world last year, and with 900 million registered voters it is also the world’s largest democracy. This year India’s economy will be the fastest growing in the G20, and it is expected to overtake Germany and Japan to become the world’s third largest economy in the next few years. 

    India’s advances in science, technology, education, and space, are inspiring to many countries around the world. In short, India has become a significant global actor playing a key role in securing a stable and prosperous region.

    Japan itself continues to be an economic powerhouse.

    We must also recognise that ASEAN’s growth, after starting down the path of economic integration, has been remarkable. 

    If ASEAN today were one economy, it would be New Zealand’s fourth-largest trading partner. Its countries are growing at an impressive clip – more than five percent year in, year out. 

    The total GDP of ASEAN reached nearly four trillion US dollars last years, positioning it as the fifth largest economy in the world. 

    Projections indicate that ASEAN’s GDP is poised to reach an estimated four and a half trillion US dollars by the year 2030. This will propel ASEAN to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2040.

    Much of Asia’s economic growth has been built on trade and manufacturing. But the region is now also central across many facets of the modern economy – from finance and capital, to people, and to innovation.

    To take just two examples, Asia’s services trade is growing 1.7 times faster than the rest of the world. And by 2030, Asia’s fintech revenues are expected to be larger even than North America’s.

    We know economic growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is regional security that has provided the foundation for the significant rise in living standards we have witnessed across Asia. 

    In this time of global upheaval and challenges to the rules-based order, the role of regional security in our collective economic security is undeniable. 

    In Southeast Asia, ASEAN centrality is playing a pivotal role. ASEAN has led the way in bringing the region together in peaceful dialogue. This includes initiatives like the Regional Forum we attended in July, or last week’s East Asia Summit – which was attended by Prime Minister Luxon.

    Notwithstanding the various peaceful offramps that exist, Asia has had, and continues to have, security challenges. 

    The liberal rules-based order – underpinned by US hegemony – is under strain.

    As China’s power and influence have increased, so too have the areas of difference that we have had to navigate.

    We are seeing a rising and more active India.

    And we shouldn’t forget that Russia considers itself an Indo-Pacific power, too.

    Added to this are hemispheric wild cards: the DPRK; other nuclear powers; arms build-up; and alliance and proxy relationships.

    We also have population trends that will have not just economic but also geostrategic consequences. 

    Also, fierce competition for resources: protein and commodities like rare metals.

    Finally – environmental challenges, which are an existential threat for many countries in the region – are exacerbating all of these factors. 

    What has this meant for New Zealand? 

    For New Zealand, the message is clear: we need to continue to understand and engage Asia.

    The Coalition Government, via the Foreign Policy Reset, is focused on building and advancing relationships in a way that engages more actively the region’s opportunities and risks. 

    The work of the Asia New Zealand Foundation remains as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. 

    Understanding Asia starts here at home. The past 30 years has seen a boom, and our ethnic communities have grown significantly. 

    While there is still some way to go, we have started to see Asian New Zealanders in leadership roles – from Members of Parliament to business leaders, sports, and entertainment. 

    Along with this has come a richness of culture and language. Kiwis have enjoyed new festivities and embraced an array of Asian cuisine, at home and at restaurants – something almost completely unavailable 30 years ago.

    The top 25 languages spoken in New Zealand include many Asian languages, such as Mandarin, with nearly 100,000 speakers, as well as Hindi with almost 70,000, Cantonese, Tagalog, Punjabi, Korean, Japanese, Gujarati, and Tamil.

    We celebrate Diwali, Lunar New Year and Eid – festivals that showcase cultural traditions to New Zealanders.

    Last year, 54,000 students from Asian countries came to study in New Zealand education institutions. 

    In the last year we have welcomed over 700,000 international visitors from Asia – nearly double that of a year ago – and we’re looking forward to seeing this growth continue over the coming years as the pandemic fall-out recedes.

    Over the last 70 years, we have provided scholarships and training to 21 countries from the Asian region under our International Development Cooperation programme. This remains a foundation of our enduring people-to-people connections.

    Thanks to the Asia New Zealand Foundation, we have some tangible evidence of how New Zealanders’ attitudes toward Asia have changed over time. 

    The first Perceptions of Asia survey was conducted in 1997 and showed that New Zealanders saw Asia as something largely external. 

    Today, however, over half of New Zealanders feel a connection to Asia in their daily lives, with more than a third regularly enjoying Asia-related entertainment. 

    Over the past decade, public awareness and engagement with Asia has grown significantly. In 2013, one third of New Zealanders said they felt knowledgeable about Asia. 

    That number has now risen to an all-time high, with nearly 60 percent saying they possess at least a fair amount of understanding about the region.

    This is wonderful and thanks in no small part to the work of the Foundation. We hope we will see this familiarity grow further in the coming years.

    New Zealand in Asia

    Alongside these developments in New Zealand, we have been engaging both with Asia but also in Asia.

    Today you can fly direct from Auckland and Christchurch to 14 destinations across Asia, connecting New Zealand to the region and providing opportunities for New Zealanders to interact with and learn about Asia.

     

    Kiwis have been broadening their traditional “OE” and heading to Asia. As just one example, 3,300 New Zealanders have travelled to Japan under the Japan Exchange and Teaching, or “JET”, programme since its inception, teaching English in Japan. 

    Programmes such as the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia have seen thousands of young New Zealanders study at Asian institutions and return with meaningful skills and experience. 

    The Asia New Zealand Foundation has also contributed to this through the internships, grants, and residencies it offers throughout Asia.

    It is important to highlight that seven of our top 10 export destinations are Asian economies. 

    Exports to China amounted to 20 billion New Zealand dollars last year; Japan more than four billion. Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia round out the list of our top export destinations in Asia.

    This has been supported by the network of free trade agreements we have negotiated to support our commercial partnerships over the past 20 years. It is notable that our second oldest FTA is with Singapore – second only to Australia. 

    The origins of CPTPP, one of our most significant trade agreements, also finds its origins in our relationships with Asia. 

    Its precursor, the P4 agreement with Singapore, Brunei, and Chile in 2006, provided the foundation stone for what would become CPTPP.

    CPTPP is itself a high watermark agreement that includes other economies from the region such as Japan, Malaysia, and Viet Nam, and we continue to encourage others who can meet the agreement’s high standards to seek to join in the future.

    All in all, 95 percent of our trade with Asia takes place under a trade agreement.

    New Zealand has also invested in regional institutions. This architecture provides space for dialogue and the exchange of ideas on key issues impacting us. 

    We were the second country to become an ASEAN dialogue partner, and we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this next year. In that time New Zealand has been and continues to be a trusted partner to ASEAN and its member states. 

    We know that by contributing to ASEAN’s success, and the success of ASEAN-led councils like the East Asia Summit, we contribute to our own success and to that of the region.

    In 1994, New Zealand was a member of one regional body – APEC, which was founded just five years earlier. 

    This platform gives us a venue to influence regional economic policy together with members, who today make up two thirds of global economic growth and take 80 percent of New Zealand’s exports.

    Just over 10 years later, in 2005, our delegation was proud to take part in the inaugural East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur. 

    We had put intensive effort into laying the groundwork for the shape of the grouping and New Zealand’s participation. 

    Our membership as a founding partner made clear to all that New Zealand was part of the region and had a role to play in regional decisions. 

    The EAS is now the premier forum for strategic dialogue and regional cooperation. 

    New Zealand is showing up today, as we did then, because we want to support peace and stability in the region in tangible ways.

    Recent years have seen the emergence of new plurilateral and ‘minilateral’ architecture alongside established multilateral architecture. 

    New Zealand supports new groupings that advance and defend our interests and capabilities, and we no reason why these can’t coexist as long as they are constructive, advanced in an open and transparent way, and are respectful of ASEAN centrality.

    We have championed a stable, peaceful and nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. In the current climate, it is not possible to visit North Korea. But in the past, we have. 

    During a 2007 visit, we met with political leaders and advocated in favour of multi-party peace talks. 

    To this day, New Zealand Defence Force assets and personnel are deployed in Korea to maintain the armistice. The Defence Force also has a separate deployment to monitor and deter North Korea’s evasion of UN sanctions.

    In 2006, we received a request from Timor-Leste, seeking assistance to restore stability and freedom of movement. We responded swiftly, deploying police and military troops. 

    In a testament to our security cooperation in the region, Singaporean personnel were integrated seamlessly into a New Zealand battalion.

    New Zealand has a long-standing development programme in Asia. It is our largest programme outside the Pacific and is growing. 

    It goes beyond training and scholarships to respond to the priorities of our ASEAN partners, as well as humanitarian assistance. 

    Just last month, for example, we contributed humanitarian assistance in response to the devastating impacts of Typhoon Yagi in Viet Nam and Myanmar, and to extreme flooding in Bangladesh. 

    It is also worth noting that, for the past 30 years, New Zealand has advanced its policy towards Asia in a bipartisan way wherever possible. 

    This has ensured successive governments can follow through on policy commitments and is one of our greatest strengths.

    What next? 

    It is instructive to think about how far we have come in the past 30 years

    But it is also clear that we need to do more. 

    The world today is disordered and becoming more dangerous. 

    As we said to the NZIIA in May, “the challenges we face are stark, the worst that anyone today working in politics or foreign affairs can remember.” 

    As MFAT’s own strategic assessment has identified, one of the drivers for this has been a shift from rules to power:  the Cold War era of predominant US western hegemony is over. 

    The multipolar world is here to stay, and states: large, middle, and small are all jostling to advance their interests.

    Added to this is the fact that global problems – whether health, environmental, demographic, or migratory – present global risks, but at the same time require state-to-state cooperation to resolve. 

    We offer this simply to point out that we’re living in a time where relationships, norms and rules – many of which have enabled the rise of countries in Asia, including those which seek to challenge those same rules – are changing at the very time when we need to maximise global cooperation.

    This is at the heart of what’s happening in Asia, as well as around the world more broadly. 

    This is why the Government decided earlier this year on a Foreign Policy Reset. A fundamental driver was that our foreign policy needs to reflect and respond to the challenging strategic context we find ourselves in. We need to act now to bring more energy, ambition and engagement to our relationships. 

    Under the Foreign Policy Reset, we have been explicit: we will be increasing the focus on and resources applied to Southeast Asia, South Asia especially India, and North Asia. This is what will have a major impact on our security and prosperity. 

    We are already delivering on this. The Prime Minister and international-facing Ministers have been incredibly active in our engagements with the region, having travelled between us to over 20 countries.

    We have taken forward concrete initiatives to demonstrate the importance and future trajectory of our partnerships. 

    This ranges from cooperation with Japan on a hospital in Kiribati, to a Customs Cooperation Arrangement with India, to advancing toward Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with ASEAN and Korea.

    Conclusion 

    New Zealand is an Indo-Pacific country. This is our identity, and we know this is where our future lies. With every forecast about Asia’s trajectory, this becomes clearer and clearer.

    It was this realisation that led to the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s birth 30 years ago. And as we have heard today, a lot has changed since then. Asia has evolved, and New Zealand’s relationship with Asian countries has evolved too, in some ways beyond recognition. 

    As we navigate our own pathway forward, we need to understand Asia. If we don’t, our relationships will be characterised by misconceptions, bias and miscalculation. So, our work has really only just begun. New Zealand’s security and prosperity depends on us continuing it.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Attempted murder charge following crash

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police have charged a man with attempted murder following a crash in Manurewa in August, which left a woman with serious injuries.

    A 24-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly intentionally crashing a vehicle he was driving with a female passenger.

    The crash, on Adams Road, happened at about 7.36pm on 3 August.

    Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, Counties Manukau CIB, says the female victim, who was known to the man, suffered multiple serious injuries after the vehicle ploughed into a parked truck.

    “Our investigation team has been working round the clock to piece together the events leading up to and surrounding this incident.

    “We’re pleased to finally hold this person to account for this terrible crime.”

    Detective Inspector Vickers says the victim has since been discharged from hospital and is continuing to recover from serious injuries sustained during the incident.

    The man is due in Manukau District Court tomorrow.

    As the matter is now before the court, Police are limited in providing further comment.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arrest made following number of dishonesty offences

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police have today arrested a 56-year-old woman in relation to a number of dishonesty-related offending targeting retailers in the Hamilton area.

    She appeared in the Hamilton District Court today, Tuesday 15 October facing 64 charges ranging from shoplifting and burglary to obtaining by deception, and has been remanded in custody until her next appearance tomorrow, Wednesday 16 October.

    Police acknowledge the strain this type of offending has on local businesses, and we appreciate the assistances of businesses providing footage to assist our enquiries.

    This behaviour will not be tolerated by Police, and we encourage retailers to continue to report suspicious activity.

    CCTV footage provided through Auror will be followed up by the team of Police dedicated to investigating and preventing offending against retailers.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: WATER SAFETY – Key initiatives funded around the country to help reduce harm on the water – UPDATED

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    Just under three quarters of a million dollars has been allocated to 29 programmes supporting safer boating up and down New Zealand. 
    Tragically, on average 18 people a year lose their lives in recreational craft incidents. This winter has been a stark reminder of the dangers on the water, with eight people losing their lives in four separate incidents since mid-July.
    Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett says “getting out on the water is a key part of life in New Zealand, and the recreational craft sector want people to not only enjoy the water, but be well informed about the risks, understand what can go wrong, and to come home safe.”
    Approximately 1.7 million people in Aotearoa undertake activities on the water each year. Through the grant funding Maritime NZ looks to work with partners who can reach these recreational craft users, particularly high risk users, and deliver initiatives that can have a real impact on reducing harm on the water. A key requirement of the funding this year was that applicants could demonstrate how their initiatives delivered the outcomes in the Recreational Craft Strategy, developed by the Safer Boating Forum.
    “The recreational sector is broad, from stand up paddle boards to high powered motorboats. This funding goes to organisations right across the sector who have highly skilled and talented people that want to improve the knowledge of those who enjoy being out in the water,” she says.
    Funding will go to a range of different regional councils as well as national bodies. Some of the larger grants have gone towards supporting Coastguard.
    Among the initiatives that have secured funding are Coastguard’s Old4New lifejacket upgrade programme, as well as its bar crossing seminars; Waka Ama NZ, to build on the culture of water safety for waka ama; and Northland Regional Council’s Nobody’s Stronger Than Tangaroa campaign. Tasman District Council has received funding to appoint an Iwi Launch Warden in a remote region of Golden Bay, where there is an increased presence of recreational craft users in the holiday period.
    From spring through to Easter, many people in New Zealand enjoy the good weather out on the water. The team at Maritime NZ and its partners hope they will check out the programmes and initiatives on offer to improve their knowledge and safety skills on the water. 
    Successful recipients:
    Council / Organisation: Bay of Plenty Regional Council Programme: Kia marutau ki te wai Description: Continuation of Safer Boating Education to Maori and Pasifika to address harm and reduce fatalities by giving them access to boating education. Funding Approved: $15,000
    Council / Organisation: Bay of Plenty Regional Council Programme: Safety is our Wai Description: Continuation of on water and boat ramp education Funding Approved: $60,000
    Council / Organisation: Buller District Council Programme: Understand – Monitor – Inform Description: New Programme to deliver a West Coast regional wide safer boating education and interaction programme. Funding Approved: $7,356
    Council / Organisation: Canoe Racing New Zealand Programme: Try-Learn-Explore Description: A programme specifically focussed on safe paddling practises, and increasing knowledge and awareness of conditions. Funding Approved: $15,000
    Council / Organisation: Coastguard New Zealand Tautiaki Moana Aotearoa Programme: Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade Campaign Description: Continuation of the Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade campaign offering discounted lifejackets and PFD’s to those who upgrade their old or damaged lifejackets across NZ. Funding Approved: $80,000
    Council / Organisation: Coastguard NZ Programme: Ko Tangata Moana Description: Continuation of programme to provide education and skills to recreational craft users of Māori, Pasifika and Asian descent. Funding Approved: $90,000
    Council / Organisation: Environment Canterbury Programme: Canterbury Safe Boating Programme Description: Continuation of programme to educate safer boating on-water and at boat ramps. Funding Approved: $45,000
    Council / Organisation: Environment Southland Programme: Environment Southland Boating Safety Program Description: Continuation of existing programme to deliver consistent boating safety education to recreational boating operators on water and on boat ramps. Funding Approved: $15,000
    Council / Organisation: Gisborne District Council Programme: Tairāwhiti Haumaru Moana Description: Continuation of promoting safer boating throughout the region, particularly in more isolated and remote coastal communities in partnership with Māori Wardens. Funding Approved: $32,000
    Council / Organisation: Greater Wellington Regional Council Programme: Be Responsibility (for actions/for safety) Description: Continuation of nationally consistent safe boating messages with a strong education push and basic messaging. Funding Approved: $30,000
    Council / Organisation: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Programme: Hawke’s Bay Safer Boating Programme Description: Continuation of education program of delivering Safer Boating Education to high risk communities. Funding Approved: $10,500
    Council / Organisation: Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers (KASK) Programme: KayakSafe NZ Description: Continuation of delivery of key kayaking safety messages through a variety of channels. Funding Approved: $7,000
    Council / Organisation: Marlborough District Council Programme: Marlborough Boating Safety Workshop Description: Continuing of educating theory and practical boat safety to recreational craft users. Funding Approved: $15,000
    Council / Organisation: Nelson City Council Programme: Maritime Safety Internship Description: Continuation of increasing safety education and compliance for Nelson waters Funding Approved: $16,265
    Council / Organisation: Nelson City Council/Tasman District Council Programme: Sup Water Safety Course Description: Continuation of programme to educate SUP users on safety and help develop skills about informed decision making in dynamic environments. Funding Approved: $5,920
    Council / Organisation: New Zealand Stand Up Paddling Inc. (NZSUP) Programme: SUP SAFE Description: Continuation of campaign targeted at stand up paddle boarders to increase safety behaviours. Funding Approved: $16,600
    Council / Organisation: New Zealand Sport Fishing Council Inc. Programme: Coasters and Conversations – Introducing water safety to seasoned fishos and the next generation Description: New initiative that implements targeted messages that promote water safety. Funding Approved: $10,000
    Council / Organisation: New Zealand Underwater Association Programme: Fly the Flag Description: New initiative to enable boaties to access free boat dive flags & float flags. Funding Approved: $3,613
    Council / Organisation: Northland Regional Council Programme: Nobody’s stronger then Tangaroa Description: Continuation of engaging with remote communities with specific messaging and face to face engagement, and deliver lifejacket hubs. Funding Approved: $80,000
    Council / Organisation: Otago Regional Council Programme: Otago Recreational Safer Boating Campaign Description: New programme to expand community’s understanding of safety in Otago waterways. Funding Approved: $20,000
    Council / Organisation: Queenstown Lakes District Council Programme: QLDC Waterways Skipper Responsibility Campaign Description: Increased public messaging to promote skipper responsibility of waterways within region. Funding Approved: $7,000
    Council / Organisation: Surfing New Zealand Programme: Surfers Rescue 24/7 Description: New programme to encourage and develop water rescue techniques. Funding Approved: $12,500
    Council / Organisation: Tasman District Council Programme: Summer Student 2024/2025 Description: New programme to employ student to support safer boating messaging across the Tasman region. Funding Approved: $14,790
    Council / Organisation: Tasman District Council Programme: Iwi Launch Warden Description: New programme to appoint an Iwi Launch Warden in Golden Bay to increase safety awareness in remote area of the region. Funding Approved: $6,000
    Council / Organisation: Waikato Regional Council Programme: Operation Neptune Description: Continuation of on-water education engagement and enforcement while delivering safety messages Funding Approved: $40,000
    Council / Organisation: Waka Ama NZ Programme: Building a culture of water safety for Waka Ama NZ Description: Continuation of building a culture of water safety for Waka Ama NZ by CBE Waka Ama Safety Courses and Social Media campaigns. Funding Approved: $23,500
    Council / Organisation: Watersafe Auckland Inc.(Drowning Prevention Auckland) Programme: WaiWise for Safer Boating for Pacific Peoples, and Asian Communities Description: Continuation of programme to provide specific drowning prevention education for the three at-risk communities in Tāmaki Makaurau. Funding Approved: $19,482
    Council / Organisation: Watersafe Auckland Inc.(Drowning Prevention Auckland) Programme: Expansion of Lifejacket Hubs Description: Continuation to provide hubs where people can access lifejackets and support the establishment of further hubs. Funding Approved: $40,000
    Council / Organisation: Yachting New Zealand Programme: Yachting New Zealand Coastal Personal Safety Course Description: A new programme to deliver a coastal yacht personal safety course. Funding Approved: $5,500
    Total Funding Approved: $743,026

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Inquiries – Auditor General inquiry into Oranga Tamariki welcomed, but must go wider – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Auditor General’s inquiry into Oranga Tamariki’s cuts to funding community services must go further with the axe hanging over social service providers funded by other government agencies.
    “The inquiry is welcome as this was a botched and heartless process which impacted critical support for children, flying in the face of the Government’s promise that its cuts would not hit the frontline,” said Melissa Woolley, Assistant Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “Oranga Tamariki was blind to the damage inflicted on tamariki, rangatahi and whānau from this rushed cut to contracts. In many cases there was no evidence to justify contracts being axed or funding being reduced.
    “Oranga Tamariki failed to communicate with providers, many of which had built up services over many years. There was little warning, and they had salt rubbed into their wounds by the Minister for Children, claiming many were abusing the funds, labelling Oranga Tamariki a ‘cash cow’ for them. They deserved better.”
    The sudden and deep cuts left many of those providing the services scrambling to make ends meet, resulting in job losses and the loss of critical support for many.
    “Many of our members including social workers now face losing their jobs, or hours being cut, and at a time of a cost-of-living crisis, many were already struggling to make ends meet.
    “These workers take pride in the difference they make to lives of the young every day. They care deeply about the children and whānau in their care. They too deserved better.
    “The Government’s drive to cut spending is impacting the whole funded sector – other community providers supporting various social services receive funding from agencies like the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health. We know many are facing cuts which we believe are poorly thought through just like Oranga Tamariki.
    “The PSA urges the Auditor General to expand the scope if his inquiry before more damage is inflicted on providers and their workers who are doing the mahi to improve the health and wellbeing of so many in our community.
    “The blame must ultimately be sheeted home to the Government which has embarked on this cost cutting campaign with little regard to the consequences,” said Melissa Woolley.
    Other recent PSA releases on this issue:
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road closed following vehicle fire, State Highway 16, Whenuapai

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Motorists are advised to expect delays travelling westbound on State Highway 16 in the Whenuapai area, following an incident this evening.

    Emergency services attended after receiving a report at 6.50pm of a vehicle on fire on the road. The fire has been extinguished and no injuries are reported.

    The westbound lane is closed and traffic management is in place, thankyou for your patience while the vehicle is towed and the roadway is cleared.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Final practise run at Ara for Global Chef competition

    Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury

    It’s 20 years since Southland’s Cameron Davies graduated with his cookery qualification from what is now Ara Institute of Canterbury. But last week he was back on campus cooking up a storm enroute to the prestigious Global Chef competition in Singapore.
    It was the final rehearsal for the Ara “dream team” made up of Davies, recent graduate Quinn Ojala and Ara tutor Mark Sycamore as coach. They worked under competition conditions to prepare 12 portions of the set menu (four courses) twice over three days. Each run through a seven-hour marathon effort.
    Now owner of the famed Fat Duck restaurant in Te Anau, it’s been a long haul for Davies and his team involving several rounds of qualifying, then test runs in training kitchens in Christchurch and Invercargill, spending hours getting to the point of perfection.
    “I’m excited. The final test runs have gone extremely well here at Ara. I’m privileged to represent New Zealand and now I can’t wait,” Davies said.
    The competition will see 16 international chefs cook four courses over seven hours with 20 judges constantly roaming by their benches, scrutinising their every move.
    Davies will be assisted by Ojala, an exceptional young chef currently working at Christchurch’s Inati restaurant and winner of Outstanding Emerging Chef at the recent Christchurch Hospitality awards.
    “I’m just incredibly excited. This will be an amazing experience on my chef’s journey,” Ojala said. 
    Sycamore, former NZ Chef of the Year is one of the very few New Zealanders to claim a spot in the famed Global Chef Challenge. He was impressed by what he saw in the Ara kitchen and said the team was ready for the pressure of international competition.
    “It can come down to tiny margins with mere points in it as 48 plates of food are prepared,” Sycamore said. “Just 60 percent of the marking is on food, forty percent of the mark is based on how they are in the kitchen, their set up, preparation, how they interact and their technique.”
    The competition menu is strictly set but Davies is getting as much “Kiwi” in there as he can including green lipped mussels, seaweed, New Zealand black garlic, mushrooms, clover honey, as well as Southland beetroot and hazelnuts.
    His own tutor, David Spice, who still wears a white coat at Ara, couldn’t resist keeping an eye on the final cook. Invited to dine at one of the rehearsals, Spice remembered Davies as a student “who had that drive to go a little bit further”.
    Singapore’s a long way from the Sheffield A&P show where Davies first entered competition cooking – winning awards with his grandmother’s jam recipes – but he says he’s ready for the international stage and grateful for his training and support from Ara.
    “I had amazing tutelage and amazing chefs around me when I was learning. Now having Quinn here alongside me and Mark in our team it almost feels like coming full circle,” Davies said.
    Twenty years since he honed his craft, Davies will be doing his all to taste success in Singapore on October 24.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Asia New Zealand Foundation and The Asia Foundation announce strategic partnership

    Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation

    Wellington, New Zealand and San Francisco, CA – 15 October 2024 – The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono and The Asia Foundation are pleased to announce a new formal collaborative partnership to deepen ties between Asia and New Zealand.
    This collaboration aligns with the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s 30 th anniversary and aims to support more research initiatives and dialogues across the Asia region.
    For three decades, the Asia New Zealand Foundation has been dedicated to growing New Zealand’s Asia capability through initiatives that support experiences and insights on Asia. The Asia Foundation (TAF), with its extensive network of 17 permanent offices across 20 countries dedicated to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific, is a natural partner.
    “This partnership represents a significant step forward in our efforts to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with Asia,” says Suzannah Jessep, chief executive of the Asia New Zealand Foundation. “As the Asia region becomes increasingly complex, demand for the Foundation’s work has grown, particularly in the realm of track 1.5 and track 2 dialogues.”
    “We are delighted to deepen our collaboration with the Asia New Zealand Foundation, an important and thoughtful voice on Asia. This partnership reflects our shared interest in finding meaningful new ways for Asia and New Zealand to deepen collaboration,” adds Laurel Miller, President and CEO of The Asia Foundation.
    Key areas of the partnership will include convening meetings and roundtables, bilateral, trilateral, and/or regional dialogues, spearheading joint research projects and launching a signature conference on Asia and contemporary issues in the region to be held in New Zealand.
    Since 1954, TAF has supported governments, innovative leaders and communities in Asia to build effective institutions, strengthen civic engagement and advance pathbreaking reforms. With a 70-year history of enduring impact, the international nonprofit continues to deliver benefits both within individual countries and throughout the region.
    “Given the importance of Asia to New Zealand, it is timely to build partnerships that can help expand our reach and understanding of the region. The Asia Foundation has tremendous network and expertise across Asia, and we in turn can help connect TAF with New Zealand,” says Dr Julia Macdonald, director of research and engagement at the Foundation.
    The partnership between the Asia New Zealand Foundation and TAF represents a significant step toward supporting the Foundation’s vision of a ‘New Zealand confident in and with Asia’ and reinforces TAF’s commitment to a peaceful, just and thriving Asia-Pacific.
    About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono
    Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is New Zealand’s leading authority on Asia. Its mission is to equip New Zealanders to thrive in Asia, by providing experiences and resources to build knowledge, skills and confidence. The Foundation’s activities cover more than 20 countries in Asia and are delivered through eight core programmes: arts, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, research, Track II diplomacy and sports.
    About The Asia Foundation
    The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, TAF’s thought leadership, partnerships and activities focus on governance, climate action, gender equality, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Property transfer statistics update

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Property transfer statistics update – Stats NZ will stop producing quarterly property transfer statistics. Property transfer statistics: June 2024 quarter is the final release in the series. We have removed future editions from the release calendar.  

    At Stats NZ we are committed to delivering value efficiently and sustainably in our changing operating environment. We’ve recognised the need to do things differently and we are modernising and evolving the way we collect, process, and produce official data and statistics.  

    We are committed to working closely with our customers, partners and stakeholders to fully understand the opportunities and challenges, and we will retain the option of starting production of these statistics again if needed.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Dairy export quota Bill passes first reading

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government’s work to boost export value has hit another milestone, with a new dairy Bill passing its first reading in Parliament today, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.

    “The Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill will modernise New Zealand’s dairy export quota system to grow export and farmgate returns,” Mr McClay says.

    “More dairy companies are manufacturing niche and high-value products, but the current system excludes many of them from receiving dairy export quota – this is a lost opportunity for those businesses and for New Zealand.”

    This Bill follows a review of the dairy export quota system in 2023, which identified opportunities to improve quota allocation, to better reflect the diversity of the dairy industry.

    New Zealand currently administers quota allocation for bovine dairy exports to the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, and the Dominican Republic.

    “The Bill proposes changes to the export quota system that include shifting quota allocation from the proportion of milk solids a company collects from farmers, to a system based on their export history. 

    This will maximise and further boost dairy’s $23 billion in annual export revenue by allowing a wider range of exporters to tap into new markets and opportunities,” Mr McClay says.

    The Bill also enables portions of individual quotas to be reserved for dairy exporters currently ineligible for quota and those only eligible for less than 200 tonnes.

    “It will also unlock quota for non-bovine animal dairy exporters, such as sheep, goat and deer milk processors, opening up new export opportunities and revenue streams.”

    “This is all part of the Government’s work to support a successful primary sector and achieve our ambitious goal of doubling exports by value in ten years. 

    “The Government is committed to backing our primary producers, returning value to the fame gate and boosting our economy, because it is only through a strong economy we can lift incomes, reduce the cost of living and afford the public services Kiwis deserve.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Minister to attend cyber security, NATO meetings

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Minister Responsible for the GCSB and Minister of Defence Judith Collins will travel to Singapore and Brussels for Singapore International Cyber Week and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting. 

    New Zealand has been invited to attend the NATO meeting alongside representatives from the European Union and the Indo-Pacific 4 (IP4), which comprises New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea. 

    “This is the first time IP4 Defence representatives will have the opportunity to exchange views with NATO Allies in the changing security dynamics in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, including in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its implications for our region,” Ms Collins says.

    “I will be taking the opportunity to reiterate our unwavering support for the people of Ukraine as they fight against Russia’s illegal and unjustified war of aggression.

    “In a deteriorating global environment, New Zealand is committed to working with like-minded partners to uphold the international rules-based system that is fundamental to our security and prosperity.

    While in Brussels, Ms Collins will hold bilateral meetings with defence counterparts from NATO and the Indo-Pacific region, and will participate in a meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.                               

    Ms Collins will also meet Directors-General from European Commission agencies in the Space, and Science, Innovation and Technology portfolios while in Brussels.

    Before going to Brussels she will attend the Singapore International Cyber Week, the most established cyber security event in the Asia Pacific region and one which provides a vital chance to discuss global cyber security. She will also take part in the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Cyber Security Special Session with Dialogue Partners.

    “I am pleased to represent New Zealand at this important gathering and am looking forward to participating in a range of discussions on global cyber security issues,” Ms Collins says.

    “Cyber security is front of mind for many New Zealand businesses and I am committed to ensuring we are prepared and resilient in this area.”             

    Ms Collins will also meet private sector representatives to discuss cyber and technology security matters while in Singapore.

    She leaves New Zealand tomorrow and returns on 20 October. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Big year of building reforms

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Significant reforms are underway in the building and construction portfolio to help enable more affordable homes and a stronger economy, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

    “If we want to grow the economy, lift incomes, create jobs and build more affordable, quality homes we need a construction sector that is firing on all cylinders,” Mr Penk says. 

    “A recent report found that the sector supports 20 per cent of all jobs in New Zealand and contributes $99 billion dollars in sales. However, the report also found that productivity levels in the sector are the same as they were in 1985 and that the time taken to build a home has increased to a staggering 19 months on average. 

    “Much of this lost productivity is due to the building consent system which adds layers of regulations that can make even the simplest projects a nightmare. 

    “This red tape strangles productivity and makes building more expensive – with the flow on effect being that we are building fewer homes than we could be. This is why the Government has prioritised bold, structural reforms which are easily the largest since the Building Act was introduced in 2004. 

    “We know that there are enormous economic and social benefits for Kiwis if they have stable housing and that change is long overdue. 

    “The guiding principles for these reforms is that building needs to be easier and that regulations surrounding it should be streamlined, proportionate to the risk, consistent nationwide and place liability in the appropriate places. 

    “We are not lowering standards, instead we are removing unjustifiable regulations that are not adding value and enabling trusted qualified individuals with a proven track record of delivery to do the job. 

    “We will be announcing the next step in the Government’s plan to make building easier and more affordable in the coming weeks.

    “In the last 10 months, the Government has announced a range of initiatives from small common sense changes to large structural reforms all with the goal of letting tradies get on with the job. So far these changes and proposed changes have included, 

    1. Commencing a major reform of the structure of the Building Consent system to improve efficiency and consistency across New Zealand. 
    2. Removing barriers to overseas building products to increase competition and drive down prices for building products.
    3. Increasing the use of remote inspections to reduce delays in the consenting process.  
    4. Allowing Granny Flats and other structures up to 60sqm to be built without a building or resource consent. 
    5. Extending deadlines for earthquake prone buildings to give building owners certainty. 
    6. Reviewing the earthquake prone building legislation to ensure the settings effectively balance the risk of life safety with the real-world implications on building owners and communities. 
    7. Holding careless builders accountable by looking to strengthen registration and licencing regimes, including penalties. 
    8. Exempting small building projects like home renovations from paying the building levy. 
    9. Streamlining building consent changes by defining minor variations – meaning builders don’t need to formally amend a building consent for small changes like swapping out comparable building products. 
    10. Making it possible to customise multi-proof designs, which are pre-consented building consents with a fast-tracked approval process.
    11. Putting the spotlight on building consent delays by publishing building consent timeframes each quarter. 
    12. Cutting dam red-tape meaning small dam owners don’t have to comply with burdensome regulations.
    13. Investigating the impacts of the recent H1 building code changes to ensure the settings are balancing the impact of upfront costs with energy efficiency. 
    14. Removing compliance costs for councils by reducing the frequency of competence assessments for building control officers. 
    15. Initiating a review into the fire safety provisions in the building code so we can better protect people and property. 

    “This is all part of the Government’s wider plan to rebuild the economy and end the housing crisis.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Govt changes threaten depleted Hauraki Gulf

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The National Government has sneakily reneged on protecting the Hauraki Gulf, reducing the protected area of the marine park and inviting commercial fishing in the depleted seascape.

    “Once again we see the National Government putting commercial interests and profit over scientific evidence and the priorities of our communities. There will be no future for the fishing and tourism industries in these areas if we don’t take action to protect them now,” Labour conservation spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.

    “Tama Potaka’s announcement undermines a decade of work by mana whenua, local and central governments, the industry, and local community groups to protect the health of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana for future generations.

    “Labour introduced the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill because the Hauraki Gulf was facing a bleak future if action wasn’t taken to protect it.

    “New Zealanders know that the Hauraki Gulf has been overfished for decades and that both sedimentation and pollution has led to a significant decline in marine life and seabird populations. Species are almost functionally extinct in the areas permitted to be fished now.

    “Years of negotiation with the community and stakeholders led to the Bill Labour introduced last year. National’s changes are a slap in the face to everyone involved in the negotiation process. 

    “Our Bill extended the Gulf’s marine reserves and created marine protection areas to preserve fragile habitats and parts of the sea floor from damaging activities, while allowing for customary practices of tangata whenua.

    “It looks like the Government has done this to bend to Minister of Fishing Shane Jones’ backroom deals.

    “This is a government set on attacking our natural environment from every angle, by allowing mining projects that risk native species, scrapping work to meet our climate targets, and repealing the ban on oil and gas exploration. Just like with the Fast Track legislation, National is making it harder for locals, iwi and hapu to have a say on destructive projects that will affect them,” Priyanca Radhakrishnan said.

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Govt’s shameful backtrack on marine conservation

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party has condemned the Government’s late change to allow commercial fishing in protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf.

    “This Government has bent over backwards to give fishing lobbyists exactly what they asked for, in an area of precious biodiversity facing ecological collapse,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for the Environment, Lan Pham. 

    “Healthy marine environments are the lifeblood of our planet. We can have healthy and thriving fisheries and marine life – now and in the future – if we give fish stocks a chance to recover. 

    “The Auckland and wider Hauraki Gulf community alongside iwi and hapū have worked hard for many years to develop a framework for protecting the health of the Gulf, under the guidance of the Hauraki Gulf Forum, but this coalition comes along and rides roughshod over that mahi at the whim of commercial fishing.

    “To exempt commercial fishing from the provisions in the Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill means the Government is prepared to allow stocks of various fish and marine species to tip over the edge into extinction.

    “The Minister’s spin about ‘significant protection’ should fool nobody. The Government is backtracking on marine conservation goals long established through community consensus, placing the ecological health of Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana at grave risk.

    “This is how the Luxon Government approaches lawmaking – erode the agency of community-driven consensus, particularly where it relates to the environment – in order to line the pockets of their industry mates.

    “The Bill had been supported unanimously by coalition parties at the Environment Select Committee, with careful consideration of different uses of the Gulf. So to come in at the last minute and exempt commercial fishing in this backhanded manner is another undemocratic trait of this Government.

    “Be it tobacco, fossil fuels, seabed mining or fisheries, this Government has made it crystal clear that the rules which apply to everyone else in our democratic and legislative processes don’t apply to industry and companies who have the ear of ministers. 

    “New Zealanders deserve a government that acts in the interests of our whole community, not the lobbyists with the deepest pockets,” says Lan Pham.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government to provide significant regulatory relief for business

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government will reform New Zealand’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system to provide significant regulatory relief for businesses, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.

    “Cabinet has approved an AML/CFT reform work programme which will ensure streamlined, workable, and effective regulations for businesses, law enforcement, and everyday New Zealanders.

    “The reforms will deliver a critical Government priority to cut red tape and improve the quality of regulation. My aim is to provide regulatory relief to businesses and the public, enabling law enforcement to crack down on organised crime, and ensuring that New Zealand upholds its international reputation.” 

    The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism system provides a framework for detecting, deterring, and combatting money laundering, terrorist financing, and serious and organised crime. 

    “I have heard from countless New Zealanders that the current regulations are unnecessarily risk-averse, resulting in complicated, repetitive processes. Simple tasks shouldn’t be made confusing and difficult to complete,” Mrs McKee says.

    “New Zealand does have an obligation to meet the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force. Complying with these standards is important to protect our economy and our international reputation.

    “I’m taking a pragmatic approach to this work, by prioritising changes that will deliver significant regulatory relief to businesses while also reducing the harm caused by money laundering in our communities. In fact, these reforms will deliver the most significant regulatory relief since the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act came into force in 2013.

    “The reforms will be undertaken in three parts. The first part is already well-advanced and will deliver immediate relief via two bills – the first of which, the Statutes Amendment Bill, has already been introduced to Parliament.

    “The second part will focus on structural changes and a sustainable funding model, to create a more effective and efficient system. The final part will make additional regulatory changes to implement international standards and deliver a more risk-based system.

    “Too many rules are created in Wellington by people who don’t have a proper understanding of the impact they have. AML regulations are hurting small businesses who don’t have dedicated compliance teams. Time and money spent on compliance for its own sake could instead be directed towards productive endeavours.

    “ACT campaigned on making AML compliance user-friendly for small businesses, and taking a more risk-based approach, and we are delivering.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious Crash, SH7, Lewis Pass

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are responding to a two vehicle crash on State Highway 7, near Maruia Springs, Lewis Pass, Buller District.

    Emergency services were called to the scene around 11:50am.

    One person appears to be in a serious condition and two people appear to be in a moderate condition.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    The road is blocked and motorists are advised to delay travel or take an alternate route.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Witnesses sought to Hastings assault

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attribute to Senior Sergeant Kevin Stewart: 

    Police in Hastings are seeking witnesses to a serious assault on Roberts Street, which has left the victim in hospital.

    Multiple 111 calls were made about 10.55am today, after a man was seen assaulting a woman on the street. Prior to the suspect leaving the scene, a firearm was reportedly pointed at bystanders.

    The victim is being treated in hospital for head injuries and Police are looking to provide her with support. Enquiries are ongoing to locate the suspect, who is believed to be known to the victim.

    Police are aware that a number of people witnessed this incident, and that some of them were filming at the time. We are asking anyone with information about this incident – including anyone who captured video or photos of it – to contact us.

    Police have an increased presence in the area and are following a number of lines of inquiry to locate the offender.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number P060269218.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked, Fox Glacier Highway, Westland National Park

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Fox Glacier Highway is blocked following a single vehicle crash where a van has rolled at the Westland National Park.

    The crash was reported around 2pm.

    There were no reported injuries.

    The road is blocked between Docherty Creek Road and Main Road.

    Police advise motorists to be alert and drive to the conditions with reports of snow and hail in the area. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked following incident on Northern Motorway, Dairy Flat, Auckland

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    The Northern Motorway is blocked following a multi-vehicle crash, northbound around 2:50pm.

    Police responded to Point Chevalier after a vehicle was stolen from a member of the public, before continuing to the Northern Motorway where they have been involved in a multi-vehicle crash.

    The road is blocked from Oteha Valley and enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –