Category Archives: New Zealand

‘The rabbit of the sky’: flocks of Canada geese plague New Zealand countryside

Posted on by

The birds exist in a pest-control grey area, with no agency taking the lead, allowing the population to boom

They are aggressive, territorial, noisy and excrete more than a kilogram of faeces a day. Now huge flocks of Canada geese have made parts of rural New Zealand their home, bringing havoc in their wake.

The introduced birds are polluting waterways, damaging pasture and are so numerous in some places that they pose a threat to aircrafts, but little is being done to curb the problem.

Continue reading...

Vaccine passports look inevitable, so what rights do New Zealanders have? | Claire Breen

Posted on by

Analysis: Proof of vaccination is nothing new and any requirement that people use a ‘health pass’ will involve balancing various rights

With greater numbers of people being vaccinated and countries looking to reopen borders safely, the introduction of some form of vaccine passport seems increasingly likely.

For New Zealand, where the elimination strategy has been largely successful but which remains vulnerable to border breaches, proof of vaccination may well be a condition of entry.

Continue reading...

New Zealand farmers have avoided regulation for decades. Now their bill has come due | Baz Macdonald

Posted on by

It’s true farmers are facing a lot of regulation but only after decades of fighting off smaller reforms – we need them to change

In July, an estimated 60,000, mostly rural New Zealanders took to the streets to protest environmental regulations farmers say are unworkable. Angry and frustrated, they rolled into 57 towns and cities on tractors and trucks to form the country’s biggest farmer protest.

I grew up in rural New Zealand, and many of my family work in and around the dairy industry – so I have experienced a lot of this frustration first hand.

Continue reading...

Ardern’s popularity stumbles on New Zealand’s slow road to vaccination

Posted on by

Polls this week suggest the glacial speed of the Covid vaccine rollout is starting to affect Labour’s support, even as PM remains personally popular

An unbeatable leader in times of crisis, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s soaring popularity has teetered on the country’s slow road to vaccination.

This week, polling in New Zealand indicated some of the gloss may be fading from the Ardern government’s second term, which has enjoyed soaringly high popularity over the past year. The poll, conducted by Newshub/Reid Research, put Labour at 43%, down 9.7 percentage points. The results followed a similar trend line polling by TVNZ from May.

Continue reading...

Ardern’s apology to Pacific peoples was just the beginning – we will continue the fight | Melani Anae

Posted on by

What was delivered was a watered-down version of what we called for – it will do little to dismantle systemic racism

When the Polynesian Panthers (PPP) activist group began calling for an apology for the dawn raids two years ago, we went into the process with eyes wide open. Government lobbyists seldom get everything they ask for, but our intent was honest and real and fuelled by our Panther legacy and love for the people.

We believe that the apology was, and is, a necessary step towards the healing and restoration of trust and relationships between the Pacific peoples and families who were adversely affected by government actions during the dawn raids and the government.

Continue reading...

Coronavirus live news: England and Wales deaths reach three-month high; Indonesia struggles with surge in cases

Posted on by

Latest updates: Covid deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 23 July up 50%; Indonesia’s health workers struggle under weight of new cases

More than 200 areas across England and Wales had at least twice as many deaths than average during the first Covid, according to analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figures come as the number of coronavirus deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending 23 July has reached 327, the highest figure recorded for three months.

Ivermectin may combat Covid infection and reduce infectiousness, a new Israeli study suggests.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the widely used anti-parasite drug was tested in a small randomised control trial, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, and saw 22% more patients who received ivermectin test negative for the virus by day six than the placebo group.

Continue reading...

Jacinda Ardern apologises over New Zealand ‘dawn raids’ in 1970s – video

Posted on by

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has formally apologised to Pacific Island people who were targeted for deportation in aggressive home raids in the mid-1970s. Ardern attended a ceremony at the Auckland town hall during which she made the apology on behalf of the nation for the racially charged 'dawn raids', which targeted Pasifika people for deportation. ‘The government expresses its sorrow, remorse, and regret that the dawn raids and random police checks occurred and that these actions were ever considered appropriate,’ Ardern said.

Continue reading...

Jacinda Ardern apologises for New Zealand ‘dawn raids’ on Pasifika people in 1970s

Posted on by

The raids on Pasifika migrants and their subsequent deportations separated families and devastated communities

New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has issued a formal apology for historic racist policing of Pacific people and offered scholarships to Pacific students.

Hundreds of people packed Auckland town hall on Sunday to hear the apology for the “dawn raids” of the 1970s during which authorities hunted for visa overstayers.

Continue reading...

‘No place in modern New Zealand’: government signals conversion practices ban

Posted on by

Proposed legislation would make it an offence to perform conversion practices on anyone aged under 18

New Zealand has introduced legislation to ban conversion practices, saying the practice is harmful and has “no place in modern New Zealand”.

Conversion therapy refers to the practice, often by religious groups, of trying to “cure” people of their sexuality, gender expression, or LGBTQI identity.

Continue reading...

New Zealand rated best place to survive global societal collapse

Posted on by

Study citing ‘perilous state’ of industrial civilisation ranks temperate islands top for resilience

New Zealand, Iceland, the UK, Tasmania and Ireland are the places best suited to survive a global collapse of society, according to a study.

The researchers said human civilisation was “in a perilous state” due to the highly interconnected and energy-intensive society that had developed and the environmental damage this had caused.

Continue reading...

Greenpeace criticises New Zealand Rugby deal with petrochemical company Ineos

Posted on by

Ineos has been accused of using sports to ‘greenwash’ its reputation

New Zealand Rugby’s decision to sign a six-year deal with global petrochemical company Ineos has been criticised by Greenpeace, who said it fundamentally goes against the country’s “clean, green” values.

NZ Rugby announced the company will become the official performance partner for its seven teams from 2022. Ineos is a UK oil, gas and petrochemical conglomerate – the third largest company of its kind in the world. Its main shareholder is billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, and the company has lobbied to weaken green taxes and reduce restrictions on fracking.

Continue reading...

New Zealand pandemic policies pushed 18,000 children into poverty, study shows

Posted on by

Report says 10% increase in child poverty hit Māori and Pasifika children hardest

An additional 18,000 New Zealand children were pushed into poverty in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new research, despite child welfare being one of prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s main concerns.

The Child Poverty Action Group – a group focused on eliminating poverty – put much of the increased poverty, inequity, homelessness and food insecurity down to government neglect as it created its policies during the pandemic.

Continue reading...

New Zealand agrees to repatriate suspected Isis member who grew up in Australia

Posted on by

Jacinda Ardern said it was the ‘right step’ to allow return of woman and her children from Turkey

New Zealand has agreed that a suspected member of Islamic State who grew up in Australia can be repatriated from Turkey along with her two young children, a decision prime minister Jacinda Ardern said was “not taken lightly”.

The woman was a dual Australian-New Zealand citizen until Australia revoked her citizenship and refused to reverse the decision, prompting a furious response earlier this year from Ardern, who accused Australia of shirking its responsibilities.

Continue reading...

Jacinda Ardern announces Australian travel bubble suspension as Covid outbreak worsens – video

Posted on by

New Zealand will suspend its quarantine-free travel bubble with Australia for two months, as the country grapples with a number of serious outbreaks of Covid-19. Travel with the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia had already been paused but will now expand to the entire country. At a press briefing on Friday, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said because of the Delta variant there was 'greater risk now … than when we opened the travel bubble'. While Ardern said she remained committed to the travel bubble, Ardern added 'Covid has changed and so must we'

Continue reading...

Even as Ardern signals alignment with US, New Zealand still seeks to maintain distance | Pete McKenzie

Posted on by

As the prime minister treads the delicate path between China and the US we shouldn’t overstate the significance of her latest moves

New Zealand has long prided itself on having an “independent” foreign policy that charts a middle path between great powers. It’s an approach for which the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, and her new foreign minister, Nanaia Mahuta, have voiced strong support. Over the past week, however, Ardern has moved towards a much closer alignment with America.

It’s the latest sign that for small countries caught amid great power competition, independence is increasingly difficult. It also raises the question: is this the end of New Zealand’s “independent” foreign policy, and if so, what comes next?

Continue reading...

New Zealand farmers’ demands are unrealistic – but they are suffering and deserve support | Philip McKibbin

Posted on by

Our society is changing and farmers are dealing with the most difficult aspects of it

On Friday, tractors crawled through cities and towns across New Zealand, in a planned demonstration against environmental regulations. The “Howl of a Protest”, organised by the rural grassroots organisation Groundswell, involved thousands of people.

I live in central Auckland – the most urban of urban centres – and I sympathise with farmers. They are clearly in pain, and understandably so. The changes they are being forced to make will affect not only their businesses, but also their lifestyles and traditions.

Continue reading...

No ‘return to normal’ expected in post-pandemic New Zealand – and locals say that’s fine

Posted on by

Polls show New Zealanders accept that life will be different in future and they still feel their country is headed in the right direction

As countries look for a post-pandemic pathway back to “normal”, New Zealand is making no promises – and its population seems startlingly happy with that.

Around the world, some governments are hitting full throttle with rhetoric about a “return to normal” and the freedoms of a pre-pandemic world. New Zealand’s approach has been cautious by contrast. The government has made no assurances of a return to normal anytime soon, announced no multi-step “pathway out”, and put forward no timeline for re-opening borders even to vaccinated travellers.

Continue reading...

New Zealand farmers stage huge protest over environmental rules

Posted on by

Fears of growing urban/rural divide as workers take to tractors to protest against measures they say are unfair

Thousands of farmers have descended on dozens of towns and cities across New Zealand in their tractors in a nationwide protest against a swathe of new environmental regulations.

The Howl of a Protest event was tipped to be the largest of its kind for the rural sector, with motorcades expected in 51 towns and cities.

Continue reading...

Ardern says ‘different countries are taking different choices’ on accepting Covid deaths – video

Posted on by

New Zealand has dismissed suggestions it should follow in Britain’s footsteps to “live with” Covid-19. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern responded the question of whether the country would accept deaths from Covid, saying: "Different countries are taking different choices." The response comes as the UK leader Boris Johnson announced plans to scrap regulations including on face masks and social distancing by 19 July, saying that Britain must "learn to live with” the virus".

Continue reading...

Victims allegedly tortured by New Zealand psychiatrist fear time is running out for justice

Posted on by

Warning: graphic content Around 200 people told a royal commission they were abused by Dr Selwyn Leeks and others at Lake Alice psychiatric hospital in the 1970s, allegations Leeks has denied

A New Zealand royal commission set up to investigate abuse in care says the country’s health ministry is still receiving complaints about a psychiatrist and others who allegedly tortured and abused patients at a hospital in the 1970s.

Around 200 people have alleged they were abused as children by Dr Selywn Leeks in the adolescent wing of Lake Alice psychiatric hospital but police and medical authorities failed to curb his career or investigate sufficiently.

Continue reading...