After a three-year upgrade in Canada, the naval vessel HMNZS Te Mana has returned to New Zealand shores.

HMNZS Te Mana and its crew today returned to New Zealand shores after three years away. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat

The frigate and her 170-strong crew sailed into Waitemat Harbour this morning with Minister of Defence Peeni Henare on board for a ceremonial homecoming.

Its systems upgrade includes new self defence missile technology, radar, and hull-mounted sonar.

She sailed more than 12,000 kilometres to get home following the re-fit by security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin Canada.

The navy set base in Devonport this morning for an extravagant ceremonial homecoming welcome to the 170 crew members that set sail more than three years ago.

The family of Commander Officer Mike Peebles await his return. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat

Hundreds of family, friends and colleagues gathered at the naval base to welcome their arrival.

One of the ceremonial highlights was unexpected - as one Royal NZ Navy sailor brought the crowd of hundreds to "aww" as he proposed to his partner of three years.

Jacob Biddle proposed to his partner of three years, Takimoana Hawea, at the Devonport Naval Base on Friday morning.

Biddle told RNZ he was planning on this proposal ever since he left home about a year ago.

"Oh I was shaking! I loved it, it was perfect. I'm glad my darling's home," Hawea said.

She said yes - in an emotional reunion following a lengthy overseas deployment.

Jacob Biddle proposed to his partner Takimoana Hawea - and she said yes. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat

The 12,000km journey to get home was not exactly a smooth sail for many sailors.

One sailor said he sorely missed the pies.

"Keen for a pie - a decent pie! Will probably sort out shop on the way you know... Canadians don't know how to make pies."

Since taking office, the Labour government has committed approximately $4.5 billion to 12 major defence projects - including a $148 million funding boost for the Frigate Systems Upgrade work programme.

Today, the defence minister was on board the vessel to welcome the crew home.

"It's one of those challenging times where you leave a family that you've spent so much time with to come home to your actual family. So I wish them all the best," Henare said.

It was crucial to invest in the Navy defence force during this time, Henare said.

"What I know is New Zealanders are concerned for our security in these particular times. We've already seen what's happening in the Pacific, so we're hugely in support of these exercises and will continue to support them and so will this government," Henare said.

Australia and New Zealand will join Pacific nations in Fiji next week for the Pacific Island Forum, which is likely to be dominated by discussions of security because of the recent deal signed between China and the Solomon Islands.

A large crowd was there to welcome the HMNZS Te Mana and its crew back to New Zealand after three years away. Photo: RNZ / Mohammad Alafeshat

Chief of Navy Rear Admiral David Proctor told RNZ the new self defence missile technology, sonar and radar will serve the country for decades.

"The ability to deliver the security outcomes that New Zealand wants is by working alongside higher end partners," he said.

"These ships - after the investment the government has made, represent a contemporary high end combat capability for New Zealand."

The Frigate Systems Upgrade is a complex programme of work overseen by the Ministry of Defence and undertaken by Lockheed Martin Canada, which delivered new radars, electronic detection and other above water systems, the self-defence missile system, decoys against missiles and torpedoes, an upgrade to the hull-mounted sonar, and the combat management system that integrates these upgrades.

Read more:

Navy frigate returns to New Zealand after major upgrade in Canada - RNZ

Toby Morris searches high and low, far and wide for our greatest logos of all time.

On our shelves, on our clothes, on our feet: logos are all around us. Theyre on signs and on the front of buildings and all over everything we read online. Some of them are terrible, most are decidedly average, and a select few are great. In the grand tradition of ranking lollies, biscuits and voids, its time to rank the best logos in Aotearoa.

Obviously we cant rank every logo, there are hundreds of thousands of them: Every product, every company, every school, sports club, council and dog breeding society has one. So instead Ive picked out 50 I think are absolute gems. Im sure I will have missed some classics, and of course its impossible to objectively rank creative work. Feel free to let us know if Ive left out your favourite.

Quickly, some criteria: Were looking at New Zealand based or founded entities, from any time period. The definition of logo is slightly blurry sometimes itll be just the logomark (like, the symbol), sometimes the wordmark (distinctive text), often the combo of the two. Generally Ive gone for what would most commonly be perceived as being the logo.

Conceptually, a good logo is one thats distinctive, memorable, says something and fits the tone and style of whatever its representing. Extra points for originality and creativity. Technically, a test of a good logo is often if itd work anywhere, at any scale printed tiny, or huge, and work static or whizzing past you as you drive past it but there are exceptions to this, depending on the brief.

Anyway, enough setup here are 50 banging logos.

50: Bars Bugs

Who doesnt remember rummaging around their parents garage and wondering how the mangy old bottle of windscreen cleaner had such a cool design on it. Windscreen glasses? Genius.

49: Great Lake Taup

This one is repping for all the city logos. I dont like the colours or the bevel effect, but the concept is good the O is the lake, and the macron is the city along its northern shore. Its also proudly putting the elephant in the room on full display in the front window: look, we have a macron now, times are changing, welcome to the modern Taup.

48: Georgie Pie

Its cosy, its welcoming, its a bit hokey perfect. The soft rounded edges, warm colours and the cute lower case es all combine into a perfect nostalgic bomb. Its the logo version of a perfect mass-produced $1 mince and cheese pie.

47: New Zealand Air Force

I love the simplicity. Its a visual pun on the classic British RAF roundel that shows their history but also their point of difference, and it works simple, clear, and you can tell what it is a mile away.

46: Elizabeth Taylor Graphics

Humour is an underutilised tool in identity design. Everyone wants to seem traditional, reliable and professional. But what if you just want to tell the neighbourhood you make posters, signs and shit? I used to drive past their original premises in Paraparaumu in the early 2000s and get a kick out of seeing this logo every single time. Later on they moved into the city and the logo ruffled some feathers. Good shit.

45: Hot Chick

Another regional delight: Every Napier resident will know Hot Chick and their neighbouring ice cream parlour Cool Cat. They still use this chunky 70s bottom-heavy type, but I like the original logo, where the flaming, sunglasses wearing chicken has its mouth open and looks like its just had a fright. Yow!

44: National Party, 1970s

The ligatures on the NA combos are a bit of an awkward tangle, but the arrow N on this Muldoon-era National party logo is a tidy piece of design. Sure, it might suggest the party is going to have ups and downs, but it has a lot more personality than the generic blandness of all the major party logos these days. (Also cool and better than the current logo: Labours 70s-90s flying L.) (Trivia: in the original Terry Teo books, the grawlixes (the symbols used to represent swearing) for the villainous skinhead characters include this National N.)

43: Work and Income, 1990s

Some people see someone running away with stolen loot under their arm, some people see a case worker with someone in a headlock. Either way, its memorable: for better or worse (definitely worse) this logo and name burned itself into our collective consciousness in the late 90s (I see the headlock).

42: Wellington Rugby Football Union

Im putting this one in here as an example of a certain kind of New Zealand logo that is at once terrible and incredible. These type of spindly weird interlocking monographs are found on old sports clubs and schools around the country. Theyre a throwback to a long outdated design style, and I love how indecipherable they are these days theyre basically black metal band logos for old dudes. What theyre communicating, of course, is weve been here for ages, something New Zealand organisations strive to be able to claim.

41: Te Herenga Waka University Press

From the old to the new: this one is a recent design for the newly renamed Victoria University Press. I love how its referencing designs like the Wellington Rugby one above, (and by association suggesting tradition and quality), but still manages to come across as clear, modern and clever. Its very satisfying how neatly the initials fit together, and the little notches on the ends are cool.

40: Clutha District Council

To the rest of New Zealand it looks like a failed b-grade sportswear brand from the 90s, but to locals its clear theres the Balclutha Road Bridge and the Clutha river flowing underneath it. This one is in here for all the hyper-local designs out there: most of the time design is about trying to communicate so every single person on earth can understand, but sometimes its OK if only a certain group understand it.

39: Deka

One word: Jaunty. Gone too soon.

38: bFM

Ramshackle, DIY, spontaneous, informal if youre a bank or a law firm or an insurance company thats probably not the impression you want to give. But for bFM its perfect. Theres a casual, not-trying-too-hard energy that has given this logo an enduring charm. Sneakily smart.

37: Halswell School

Im putting this one in there for all the thousands of school logos out there. Most of them, particularly for high schools, are snoozefest traditional crests or latin lamps that blur into cold wallpaper and can probably never be changed. Our primary schools, on the other hand, seem to be in the process of at least attempting to keep up with the times. Craig Burton seems to be on a single-handed mission to design new logos for every school in the country, and I liked this one as an example bright, welcoming, and smart. Id send my kids there if I was picking by logo.

36: ANZ

Design, like fashion, is a pendulum swinging back and forth across multiple axes over time hems go up, hems go down, everything looks 3D, everything looks flat. For logos, around 2000 there was this sudden moment where everything went italic with a few rounded corners (dynamic, modern) and then, 5-10 years later, they all snapped back upright (steady, solid). Its the logo version of an emo fringe in the early 2000s that you dont like to talk about: we all saw you do it. But italic dalliances aside, Ive always liked this logo. The cutouts remind me of ESPN, early computers and Robocop all positive associations.

35 and 34: Whittakers and Vogels

Im putting these two classics together to compare and contrast. Two beloved, trusted family brands; two classic custom wordmarks. Both tell you traditional family business, but compare the styles: the strong neat lines of Vogels says traditional, reliable, hearty while Whittakers elegant flow says traditional, luxurious, delicious. Both are perfectly crafted and both perfectly fit their product. Excellent work.

33: What Now, late 80s

I can hear the 80s theme song as I look at this, and it feels like Saturday morning.

32: 100% Pure New Zealand

I hope whoever came up with the little map as the slash in the percentage did a well deserved little fist pump at their desk when they figured that out. Its a detail that makes an otherwise solid but fairly straight wordmark into something memorable and clever.

31: Te Papa, 1998

This identity by ad firm Saatchi and Saatchi was a controversial one at the time widely bagged as being way too expensive and irrelevant when it was first announced. But as a conceptual logo it was ahead of its time. These days I think we have a better understanding that a museum isnt just about collecting old stuff, its about figuring out who we are. A logo doesnt have to be literal. A milestone of NZ design, imho.

30: NZ Film Commission

Sober and sensible. This feels high-end and highbrow, evoking quality, consideration and an appropriately formal stamp of authority for a cultural institution. Solid and smart.

29: Ripples, late 80s/early 90s

There are many good ones that come and go (whats up Fruju), but most chip brands, biscuits, lollies, ice blocks and so on change their look too often. I guess theyre always trying to stay fresh and feel new, but the trade-off is they never build up that long term trust from holding on to a strong identity. This is a proper chip logo. Bring it back.

28: Double Brown (and classic NZ beer logos in general)

We could do another whole article ranking New Zealand beer design, but for today Im taking a huge shortcut and lumping these into one group. Theres a set style to these classic ones, and they all say something similar but slightly different. Lion Red and Speights equals tradition, Tui is bold and blunt, and I love the masculine minimalism of the old DB Draught one you can taste that logo, and it tastes like old beer. My favourite, though, is Double Brown punchy colours with a slightly off-balance, almost hand-drawn quality that gives you a slight air of mischief.

27: Warren and Mahoney Architects, 1962

Designer Kris Lane suggested this one to me, and its a great call. Warren and Mahoney are mostly known as large scale architects: they make town halls, stadiums, airports and embassies, the kind of buildings that define the country. This beautiful logo captures this utilitarian quality its strong and slightly monolithic yet refined, balanced and distinctive. It was designed in 1962 by a young Mark Cleverly, who later became a New Zealand design legend as a designer of stamps, the creative director of Crown Lynn and an influential design teacher.

26: Ministry of Works, 1970

Similar to Warren and Mahoney above, theres something about the combination of public infrastructure and the era of modernist design that resulted in some classic logos. This one from the now defunct Ministry of Works exudes strength and capability. The symmetry is neat, the forms are sturdy and the hexagon brings to mind the efficient industry of bees. Theres no frills or fancy business if you saw this logo on construction sites around the country, youd know work was getting done. (Make a logo this satisfying for Kiwibuild and then well see some action!)

25: Absolutely Positively Wellington, 1991

The words of this Wellington tourism slogan are still used today, but its the original logo incarnation that sticks in the mind. It might be partly due to the unconscious visual association with the Parental Advisory Explicit Content stickers that appeared on album covers of the same era, but theres something saucy and sophisticated about this one. You picture houndstooth power suits with padded shoulders and high heels. The TV ad that launched it had a guy rollerblading down a city street talking on a giant brick cellphone. Hell yeah.

Unranked: This fern

When you look at a lot of New Zealand logos together, you quickly see some popular motifs kiwi, ferns, koru, Southern Crosses drawn a lot of different ways, most of them terrible. I want to mention this particular fern design though, because I find it bizarre: its called the FernMark, created by MBIE as a stamp of yeah were officially from New Zealand approval. Its a fine design, but surely the point of a logo is to signal what makes your organisation or product unique. (Bonus points to NZ Hair Transplantation Institute for riffing on it though, Im into that.)

24: We Compost

Just love this one by Auckland studio Seachange. It totally defies expectation, and turns a negative into a positive so charming you completely forget its for a company dealing in rotting waste. Would wear it on a t-shirt. Amazing work.

23: Department of Conservation

Another classic public service icon. The type isnt very exciting, but the mark a kind of shield that evokes land and sky and the link between them is beautiful in its balance and simplicity. Koru and mangpare are very common motifs in New Zealand design, but rarely do you see them used in such an elegant, understated and integrated way. Its a logo weve probably all seen so many times we dont notice it anymore but I think its one we all get on an emotional level. An underrated beauty.

22: V

A polar opposite to some of the more traditional minimal logos here this is deliberately designed to look modern and alive. With six colours, a very digital 90s look and a strong sense of movement, it makes the product look electric and uncontainable. The one-letter name is genius too.

21: Swanndri

Since 1913, Swanndri bush shirts have sported many different versions of a logo with a swan in a circle. This one to me is the iconic one the stylised but still hand-drawn feeling, with the blue background. The lines are clean and economical, the name is clear and the bird isnt taking any nonsense. Not the most creative, but impeccably executed.

20: Silo Theatre, 2012

Another win for humour and personality in identity design! Designed by Alt Group in 2012, this references Greek comedy and tragedy theatre masks, but whether you notice that or not, its just funny. Silo are the type of theatre company aiming to make modern, non-traditional, boundary-pushing work, so this feels like a great fit its creative, smart and feels like something you havent seen before.

19: Watties, 2010-2020

In recent years the lettering has been smoothed out a little, so the current logo is starting to get a little generic, but the previous version on the red tab with the janky oversized serifs sticking out the sides of the W tastes like cheese and spaghetti toasties on the couch on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

18: L&P, 2016

L&P is another example, like Ripples above, of a brand thats actually been through a surprising amount of different logos, but in their case the distinctive yellow and brown palette has remained constant, resulting in a stronger brand identity today. This might be a controversial call, but I think the strongest logo of all is the current one, created in 2016 by Marx Design. Its casual, a little bit funny and balances feeling old and new at once.

17: New Zealand Post, 2000s-2021

This New Zealand Post envelope mark started off as an Earl Hingston design in 1975 with a crown on top, but I like the later, less regal incarnations. In this version we see another example of the early-2000s italics and a few of the corners rounded off trend with the typography, but the star is the envelope: Its an N, its a Z, its a letter, its a very fun thing to doodle. Recently theyve ditched it, and I get that personal letters arent the main thing theyre transporting these days, but it still seems a shame to lose all that built up trust.

16: Frosty Boy

Look at that guy! What joy. Hes going to love that ice cream! (I debated why this guy makes it in but the Four Square man doesnt. With Four Square, hes the mascot, but their logo is a 4. This guy is the logo.)

15: Jimmys Pies

Love this weird little piece of lower South Island design magic. Theres a handmade, DIY signwriting quality to this that fits with the old-school feel of the paper-bagged pies, and I like that its slightly odd. Why the curves on homemade and pies? Why the giant quote marks around Jimmys? Is Jimmys not its real name? What are these so called Jimmys pies actually called? I dont know. Its a great logo.

14: NZ Railways, 1970

Another minimal modernist infrastructure classic. The excellent book Marks of Identity: New Zealand Logos 1960-1980 explains how huge New Zealand Railways were as organisation at the time encompassing ferries, buses, commuter rail, train stations, large scale logistics operations, train maintenance and so on. Designed in 1970 by Barry Ellis, this emblem was created to unite the different departments, and is a great example of what these days wed call a graphic system the top right section would be red for rail services, orange for ferries, green for road services and so on.

Its simplicity is its strength. It feels like an N, a Z, and a shifting line on a railway track, but its bold and recognisable and would work just as well printed tiny on the side on a pen or embroidered on a yard workers pullover as it would zooming past you printed large on the side of rolling cargo trains. Staunch as.

13: TV2, 1989-1995

TV2, as the fun sibling to TVNZs more traditional One, has had a lot of different looks over the years, and which one springs to mind probably depends on your age. I think of this one: the circle swirling one way, the 2 moving in the other direction in glorious 90s orange and purple. Sleek and modern.

Their coolest logo though might be one they never used: a while ago Tana Mitchell from Studio Akin showed me these beautiful old proposed designs by the great Samoan/NZ typographer Joseph Churchward. Imagine a world where TV2 had this much flair.

Read the original:

The 50 greatest New Zealand logos, ranked - The Spinoff

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will hold her first bilateral talks todaywith the New Zealand Minister for Mori Development, Willie Jackson.

Ms Burney is expected to discuss a range of issues with Mr Jackson, including New Zealand's approach to treaty and reconciliation with Mori people, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and business partnerships.

The ministers will collaborate and share experiences on policy making for First Nations and Mori people, and how to advance Indigenous rights within their respective countries.

Leaders from the Indigenous and Mori business sectors will also be attending, with a view to discussing potential partnerships between the two nations.

The rights of the Mori people in New Zealand have been recognised since 1840, when Mori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi.

The treaty promised to give Mori people self-determination over their lands and resources while giving the British Crown the authority to govern.

Today, the treaty is not recognised as a part of New Zealand law, except where it is referred to in acts of parliament.

In Australia, there are currently no treaties between Indigenous people and the government, but Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory have all started the process of establishing state-based treaties.

The federal government has committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, including a constitutionally enshrined 'voice to parliament' and establishing a Makarrata Commission, which would oversee a truth-telling and treaty process.

In New Zealand, the treaty is now used as part of the Waitangi Tribunal, which acts as a permanent commission of inquiry on Mori rights.

The commission hears claims on Mori business and advises government on language preservation, land rights and cultural protections.

Critics say the protection of Mori rights outlined by the treaty is largely dependent on political will and often inconsistent, and the power of the Waitangi Tribunal is too limited.

The tribunal has consistently advised that Mori people be given foreshore and seabed rights, but successive governments in New Zealand have ignored the recommendation.

The Waitangi Tribunal could be viewed as a model of how a Voice and Makarrata commission might proceed, but Indigenous people are concerned it could also be a model of how it could fail to adequately protect them.

Also on the agenda for MsBurney and MrJackson will be progressing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The declaration outlines the minimum standards for the survival, dignity, and well-being of Indigenous people around the world.

Despite initially voting against the declaration in 2007, Australia adopted UNDRIP in 2009 and New Zealand in 2010.

Last year, Mr Jackson announced a national plan was being developed to implement the UNDRIP framework in New Zealand and monitor improvements.

In Australia, progress on UNDRIP had largely stalled, but two bills introduced by Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe earlier this year have relaunched the push to see the framework fully implemented.

An inquiry into the application of the framework in Australia will be established, and SenatorThorpe has also introduced a bill to ensure the government complies with the declaration.

Ms Burney will also join Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Friday.

Ms Ardern has been in Australia since Monday as part of a trade mission, visiting Melbourne and Sydney accompanied by a delegation of more than 30 New Zealand businesses.

Friday will be the second meeting between Mr Albanese and Ms Ardern since the May election.

More here:

Australia begins bilateral talks with New Zealand on treaty and reconciliation with First Nations people - ABC News

Press Release Hindu Youth New Zealand

Hindu Youth New Zealand (HYNZ) ran the first webinar of its New Zealand Immigration Series Pathway to Aotearoa . The purpose of this webinar series was to help the community have direct access to Licensed Immigration Advisers in New Zealand and

Hindu Youth New Zealand (HYNZ) ran the first webinar of its New Zealand Immigration Series Pathway to Aotearoa. The purpose of this webinar series was to help the community have direct access to Licensed Immigration Advisers in New Zealand and provide an opportunity for people to learn about recent changes in visa, and immigration requirements.

The online webinar was conducted by Sakshi Vij Sekhon, a Licensed Immigration Adviser, and a volunteer of Hindu Youth New Zealand. As the director of her company NZ Visa Immigration Services, Sakshi conducts regular workshops and webinars to provide advice to the members of the community. Through this platform, in addition to supporting people in New Zealand, Sakshi was able to help provide immigration advice to participants from all over the world.

It was amazing to see many people join in this webinar said Sakshi. It indicates how many individuals are really looking for quality support and professional advice regarding New Zealand immigration.

The first webinar focused on the recently announced Green List, and the occupations leading towards fast track and work to residence pathways. It also covered partner eligibility and as well as preparing applications.

The depth of the questions, during the Q&A session showed the deep engagement of the participants throughout the entire webinar. said Narmada Kohli, Programs Coordinator, Hindu Youth New Zealand. There is a real demand for more webinars like this and we will be announcing them soon.

The other webinars in HYNZs Pathway to Aotearoa series will cover the New Zealand Governments border reopening, immigration changes as well as other relevant updates to the Immigration sector.

For more information regarding the Pathway to Aotearoa webinar series contact Narmada Kohli on 027 747 1798, please email hinduyouth.newzealand@gmail.com or contact HYNZ through their social media. Facebook: Hindu Youth New Zealand. Instagram: @hinduyouthnz.

Hindu Youth New Zealand is a youth-led organisation that helps in developing young leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through capability and capacity building initiatives, such as national conferences, workshops, webinars, cultural events, and mentorship programmes, young people are supported to reach their potential and have an opportunity to contribute to the wider New Zealand society.

Content Sourced from scoop.co.nzOriginal url

Read the original here:

Community Scoop Youth-Led New Zealand Immigration Webinar Welcomed By Community - Scoop

Wine, lamb and kiwifruit are among the produce New Zealand's famous for, and one expert is hopeful chocolate could be added to that list.

New Zealand's exports of the sweet treat have grown by 40% since 2019, and local boutique companies are celebrating their success too this World Chocolate Day.

Kiwi chocolatiers are capitalising on uniquely Kiwi flavours and products in their chocolate creations.

Devonport Chocolates owner Sarah Gardner said they're using the likes of horopito and kawakawa in their recipes.

"And using local ingredients like Man O' War wines and strawberries," she said.

"I think for New Zealanders it really connects us to where we grew up."

Tourists love it too, according to Gardner.

"This year we're seeing a 20% growth on our 2019 numbers."

"There have been some challenges over the last few years with Covid, but even then, the company found Kiwis were buying chocolate to make themselves feel better."

AUT patisserie lecturer Arno Sturny wrote his dissertation on New Zealand chocolate, so he's an expert.

He said the growth of the the industry's down to the introduction of small 'bean to bar' companies like Devonport Chocolates, but also the work of Whittaker's.

He said it has, "really, really pushed hard, especially since Cadbury left their premises in Dunedin."

Whittaker's says while their largest market is still here, it's exporting to a growing number of international markets including Australia, Canada, China and the Middle East.

"While this means we are making more chocolate, our priority is still to be the best chocolate manufacturer, rather than to be the biggest," said Whittakers co-Chief Operating Officers Holly and Matt Whittaker.

"We make all of our Whittakers Chocolate at our one factory in Porirua, which enables us to ensure quality by controlling the whole manufacturing process from bean to bar."

Sturny believes chocolate will eventually be one of the products New Zealand's known for, and that Whittaker's will be the "force" behind it.

But the potential for our smaller chocolatiers to sell their products further afield is promising too, he said.

Gardner said their Devonport boutique is about to feature products in Japan.

"We can see there's a real global opportunity to have our product overseas, and we feel incredibly proud of it."

Along with uniquely Kiwi flavours, Sturny says our relationship with Pacific Island Cacao Growers could be a big advantage.

"I think we've got a real opportunity to work much closer with the Pacific and that could really be the difference.

"We need to create a product range which really reflects us as part of the Pacific."

More and more chocolate companies are utilising beans from the likes of Samoa.

Floris Niu owns a plantation there, and is the fourth generation of her family to grow cacao on the Samoan island of Upolu.

She works in conjunction with 18 other women running Cacao farms and said, "We're hoping to be able supply up to 25 to 30 tonnes a year.

"When we first started, we were only supplying about 3 tonnes every year."

Later this month, Pacific Island cacao farmers will be in the spotlight with New Zealands first ever show dedicated to their work.

Visitors to 'The Pacific Cacao & Chocolate 2022' show on Saturday 23 July will be able to participate in the chocolate making process and taste organically grown cacao from Samoa, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville and the Philippines.

"We're talking about hundreds of thousands of tonnes that are coming out of these countries," Niu said.

"[New Zealand companies] love the idea we don't have to look at these huge freight costs from across the great divide, when it's right there on New Zealand's doorstep."

"The chocolate makers here love experimenting, they love that they can come and actually get to know the farmers, and the beans and the processes."

Gardner said Devonport Chocolates has used Samoan beans in the past, and is looking to re-connect with a supplier there.

"The Samoan chocolate has quite a unique flavour that goes with it," she said.

Niu said, "The flavour changes and varies from plantation to plantation and island to island."

More:

New Zealand's chocolate exports grow by 40% in three years - 1News

In the early years of the John Key Government, then Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd liked to hold trans-Tasman Cabinet meetings.

These meetings often organised around a Bledisloe cup match were a chance for Cabinet ministers from each side to talk.

According to sources familiar with one of these meetings, each minister was supposed to speak for about five minutes to take up the assigned hour.

Instead, Rudd stood up, lectured the room for the best part of the hour, before Key stood up and said words to the effect of, well, I think Kevins just about covered it all.

READ MORE:* PM says Russia's war 'morally bankrupt' but should not be seen as broader conflict* Jacinda Ardern feels the fresh breeze blowing through Australian politics* PM: Flood assistance talk shows 'fundamental change' in Australian Government view of Kiwis living there

Although that story is mostly a funny one of Rudds erratic behaviour, it also speaks to a deeper truth. Australian political leaders can either ignore or simply lecture New Zealand ones. And that New Zealand, being the smaller country, values Australia in a way that is not always reciprocated.

Australia sees itself as a thrusting middle power looking outwards into Asia. For political players in Canberra and around the states, successful New Zealand political parties are worth keeping an eye on (the Australian Liberal Party studied John Keys success closely). But for broader lessons on how to do things, New Zealand has been basically ignored or talked down to.

This has manifested itself most clearly in the politicisation of 501 deportees and with at times less than subtle suggestions that New Zealand is really a bunch of panda-huggers who dont take China seriously.

Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

The trans-Tasman relationship has been a bit fraught over recent years, but there are signs it could be heading into more positive territory.

There have also been grumbles from Australia Governments over the past few years, that while New Zealand happily talks a big game on climate change, the actions of the Ardern Government have not matched the rhetoric. And in times of labour shortage, Australia is very happy to get as much skilled labour from New Zealand as possible.

However, New Zealands foreign policy stance on China has stiffened rhetorically while also attempting to do so respectfully. New Zealand has adopted the language the free and open indo-Pacific and it has heartily lined up along with other liberal democracies to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. New Zealand want more US economic engagement in the region.

And further change in the relationship could be on the horizon says Natasha Kassam, a former Australian diplomat and director of the Lowy Institutes public opinion and foreign policy program.

Kassam is in charge of Lowys polling programme which gauge Australian perceptions of other countries and leaders.

Luke Malpass/Stuff/Stuff

Natasha Kassam, the Lowy Institutes director of public opinion and its foreign policy program.

One thing that I think is shifting a little bit is, say 10 years ago, if you asked Australians who our best friend in the world was, they would be divided between New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, that's very much shifted now. And it's a majority view that New Zealand is Australia's best friend in the world, she says.

Australians have always felt very warmly towards New Zealand. New Zealand is consistently the country which we see as our best friend and Prime Minister Ardern is the leader that Australians have the most confidence in.

Kassam says that there is also a level of disillusionment at play as world events have become more complicated - with both Brexit and the Trump Presidency being deeply unpopular in Australia

These things have made Australians question some of those traditional partnerships and I think look closer to home. she says.

1 NEWS

The Prime Minister delivered a major foreign policy speech in Australia, focusing on influence in the Pacific and the impact of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The New Zealand Australian relationship is like no other. Two highly integrated economies, free flow of people and a big Kiwi Diaspora across the Tasman. It is New Zealands second-largest trading partner with $22 billion in two-way trade and a significant source of tourists. Many regulatory settings are aligned.

Government body NZ Story has done some qualitative, focus group research on how Australians feel about themselves and others. The research will be released on July 27.

Headed by David Downs, NZ Story just what its name suggests, its objective is to craft a compelling backstory about New Zealand and what doing business in the country and with its companies means. The goal is to move beyond the old clean green tropes push hard on a broader understanding of New Zealands reputation, values and what it has to offer.

RICKY WILSON/STUFF/Stuff

David Downs, CEO of NZ Story.

But it is in the context of Australia that NZ Story has done this recent work, trying to understand what perceptions are of New Zealand.

According to the research, since 2015 New Zealand has become more admired for its approach to life, is viewed as a more caring society than it was, however as a result of lockdowns and closed borders is viewed as less welcoming. Although that could change as travel and open borders become normal again.

Downs says that it five years since this sort of work was last done and that the perceptions of New Zealand have changed mostly for the better.

The fact that it's changed a lot is important, I think, for not just export businesses, but education providers, tourism providers, everyone should know, he says.

The good news is, largely, it's for the benefit of New Zealand. I think there's sort of an increasing respect for New Zealand that comes through this report more kind of understanding of us as an equal partner, not the little cousin they look down on but actually someone theyve quite a lot of respect for and thats across multiple things.

It's our leadership, it's our Covid response, it's our indigenous culture and the way that we work, integrated Mori culture into our society. So there are a lot of positives, which is fantastic.

Integration of Mori culture is also seen as a positive by Australians in the research, perhaps reflecting the fact that, although New Zealand is very far from perfect, indigenous relations and life outcomes still significantly lag in Australia.

From business focus groups, however, the research found that there is a perception that would-be New Zealand exporters neglect matters after sending the first container, that they dont show up when it matters and meet customers. There also can be the perception that the small scale of the country makes it difficult for large Australian firms to do business with it. But, New Zealand is viewed as hungry for success.

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Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Jacinda Ardern take a selfie in Sydney.

New Zealand can be seen as a country where we don't really show up properly, we don't kind of follow through on some of our commitments, were sort of half-hearted a little bit in the market. And so those are things that we have to be quite conscious about, Downs says.

Lots of New Zealand businesses do do well, but in general, the perception ... and this is not us saying this, this is Australian buyers telling us that we need to lift our game a little bit and really see the scale of the opportunity and take the market seriously.

New Zealand is also viewed as expensive, but having a lot of the same regulation rules is an advantage that should not be underestimated.

Basically the upshot is that, since Covid-19, perhaps as a result of the fractious Australian political culture of the past few years, Australian public attitudes have shifted to more closely align with New Zealands.

Already the relationship with new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers is more positive. In opening remarks to the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum yesterday he said that his affinity with New Zealand was personal.

I come from, grew up in, and now represent an electorate in South-East Queensland, which has the largest number of New Zealand-born residents of any community in Australia, and big Mori and Pasifika communities.

This will continue to shape my thinking as Treasurer, as I work with you and my colleagues to build a stronger and more inclusive economy.

Chalmers is even keen to talk to Minister of Finance Grant Robertson about his wellbeing budgets.

Mark Baker/AP

Already the relationship with new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is more positive for NZ.

Our new Government also has a lot to learn from New Zealand, and tomorrow [Friday] I will speak with Grant about New Zealands Wellbeing Budget and how to reshape the discussion around the economy and the budget in terms of measuring what matters, he said.

Kassam says that, particularly on climate policy, the views of Australian politicians have, for at least four years has been out of step with public opinion. New Zealands approach to it is viewed as being something worth emulating.

What we've seen in the recent election in Australia is that the public is more progressive than our politics have let on.

I think that means that Australians look at New Zealand with a progressive foreign policy with climate change at the centre of what they do; with a young female leader and they see a style of governing and politics that we would like - in some ways - to emulate here and have not yet been able to do, she says.

Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is keen to talk to Minister of Finance Grant Robertson about his wellbeing budgets.

She says the election of Albanese Government and the change of direction it is likely to bring, could also bring the two countries close together.

We suddenly now have leaders from the same side of politics in office. Leaders that agree, for example, on the climate crisis in office.

And one could anticipate that some of the friction in the past few years - whether that's been from being tough on China or the treatment of New Zealand citizens in Australia - I think some of that will be dealt with differently going forward, Kassam says.

For New Zealand it does look as if the relationship will continue to improve under this new Australian regime, and that there are opportunities in this post-Covid world. This week was a first salvo in taking advantage of it.

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NZ-Australia relationship appears to be on the way up under the Albanese government - Stuff

Cheree Kinnear talks to Air New Zealand's Head of Aircraft Programmes Kerry Reeves about the exciting changes coming to their cabins.Video / Jed Bradley / NZ Herald / Air NZ

Air New Zealand is recruiting another 1100 staff to avoid the chaos suffered by some other airlines due to labour shortages.

The airline is building back to more than 10,000 staff compared to 12,500 just before the pandemic as travel recovers quickly with the removal of most border restrictions.

It is introducing a series of measures to attract workers. A bonus of up to $1400 is being paid to entice people to work for the airline's airports division, where it is battling to find another 250 staff. Over the past year bonuses of $2400 have been paid to existing staff and incentive schemes for salary and unionised staff are being reintroduced.

The airline is also recruiting up to 700 cabin crew, primarily for its widebody international aircraft, 70 regional pilots and a further 100 people for its contact centre, where complex customer inquiries have pushed up wait times.

Air New Zealand chief people officer Nikki Dines said the airline was rebuilding at a carefully calibrated rate even though there was enough demand for more flights.

"The decision that we've made is that we will rebuild carefully. So rather than putting a whole lot of capacity on that we then have to cancel because we don't have enough staff, we're taking quite a cautious approach."

Overseas, shortages of staff in airlines and airports have led to chaos, especially in the Northern Hemisphere summer holidays, as travel builds rapidly towards pre-pandemic levels. Thousands of flights put into the system have been cancelled even though passengers are paying high fares.

Dines said New Zealand's lag behind he rest of the world in opening up had helped the airline's response, although it had to react quickly to the announcement in March that the country would drop quarantine requirements for Australians from mid-April.

"It takes us about 12 weeks to really be able to restart the airline and obviously we didn't get 12 weeks' notice back in March; we got about four weeks' notice the country was opening."

The recruitment drive is nationwide. The biggest choke point at the moment is training.

"You can go out and recruit a bunch of people but then actually being able to put them through the system in terms of whether it's pilots or cabin crew or contact centre, takes some time. The two big milestones for us are going into the July school holidays and making sure that we can increase capacity over that time. The next peak comes from October onwards."

Unlike some workplaces, the airline was also building an additional buffer for sickness.

"We're still seeing really high levels of sickness from Covid and the flu and other things. We're just building quite a reasonable margin - we may have trainers who are out sick, then the whole system stalls."

There were longer relief call lines to provide substitutes for crew or pilots who were sick, to ensure planes are kept flying.

She said on time performance (OTP) was looking good as there had been few cancellations.

Soon after the pandemic hit the airline in early 2020, job cuts came quickly and deeply. About 4000 staff were laid off or put on furlough as the airline was bleeding cash and struggling to stay afloat.

"We did what we thought we needed to do in the circumstances," said Dines. "And this has been a guessing game for us the whole time."

In December of 2020, the airline brought back more than 600 cabin crew to fly in the transtasman bubble but that only lasted a few months in the middle of 2021.

"We decided to keep those people on because we just didn't know when borders would reopen. Although we kept them on with no flying to do for quite a period of time," said Dines.

"We're pleased now that we did that, because it's enabling us to ramp up more quickly."

Some people who had been paid redundancy had been hired back.

"That's just how it works, that's part of our contracts. It's been part of what we offer for a very long time and that compensation is for them losing their role. For some people, it was only a very short period of time and they came back to us within a couple of months, and some people it's been 18 months."

Pay rates for some workers, especially those on lower wages, had gone up as much as 10 per cent over the past year as the airline competes in an increasingly tight labour market.

Staff travel was also a strong lure for staff, and had even more appeal now that the international network was expanding again.

The airline is also going through an organisational change to break down barriers between different work groups.

Air New Zealand was highly unionised, with 34 collective agreements, she said.

"They'll [workers] come back if they're in one of our unionised parts of the business, they come back into the collective agreement so that in some cases they'll come back into the same role and same level and in other cases they haven't."

While pilots and engineers have mainly stayed with the airline, an estimated third of cabin crew who lost jobs during the pandemic have been lost to the industry. Dines said those in customer-facing roles could more easily take their skills elsewhere.

The union representing most flight attendants is E t and when asked to rate Air NZ as an employer, its head of aviation, Savage, said all employers were assessed on whether they offer decent work.

"We look at their workers' income levels, at the security and stability of the work on offer, and at the quality and safety of the work environment. We also look at their commitment to giving workers a real say at work," he said.

While Air New Zealand led the way in terms of safety and the quality of the work environment, there were still parts of the company where the pay was low and the hours unreliable.

E t and Air New Zealand are working to address concerns about low pay.When the pandemic struck aviation, the union was critical of Air New Zealand because of the speed at which it rushed workers out the door during lockdown, said Savage.

''We all understood that the company had to downsize, but disagreed with how it was handled. We warned that it would decrease staff engagement and make it hard to hire staff when the time came to start rebuilding especially with airport and cargo workers who all had transferable skills, and that has proven to be the case right now.

"E t members have a vested interest in Air New Zealand becoming profitable again, but like all workers, they need decent, stable, and reliable work."

The airline has revealed its plans for long haul cabins aimed at competing harder against rivals, and concedes that crew have done most of the heavy lifting to keep customers satisfied.

One feature of the revamp, the Skynest sleep pod in Economy where up to six passengers can sleep for several hours on long haul flights, has another union concerned.

Flight Attendants' Association president Craig Featherby said the revamp was needed. "It's a great product but they've just got to make sure they have the right crew complement on board for Skynest. If they execute that with the right crew complement, I think it's a great idea."

Dines said the new cabins were two years away and there would be deep discussions in the meantime.

"That's part of what we're doing now with bringing in these new ways of working ... is making sure that the sales team and the customer experience team and the product team are working really closely with the people who are actually delivering the service or the product."

Dines said that while airport workers in particular were hard to find, more cabin crew were available.

Pay for flight attendants varies depending on whether they work on domestic, transtasman or international flights.

Government data shows flight attendants usually earn between minimum wage and $45,000 a year and inflight service managers can earn up to $60,000.

Flight attendants also get meal, accommodation, uniform and grooming allowances of between $7000 and $12,000 a year, says careers.govt.nz.

While overseas airlines are also aggressively recruiting, with some such as Emirates offering tax-free salaries, Dines said the lure of working overseas wasn't much of a barrier to finding staff.

"So far we haven't met the same challenges that we are having in airports."

When looking for staff, the airline first tries people on its "staying connected" register.

"We've got some good uptake from there. Now we're going out into the wider job market."

Jobs in the regions were harder to fill than in the main centres.

Dines said the airline was working on lifting its conversion rates. "When we bring people in for interviews, we want to obviously try to convert as many of those as possible."

The airline's customer base was diverse and the airline wanted that reflected in its workforce.

"Customer service is what we try to differentiate on so we want people that are passionate about customer service and about travel, who want to work in a really fast paced environment."

The airline promotes some core values to prospective staff, including the ability to welcome customers as a friend, being "can-do", being yourself and being passionate about representing and sharing Aotearoa.

Dines says "being yourself" is very important. "That kind of authenticity when people come to us and share their experience, whether it's work experience or community experience makes people stand out."

In corporate areas in particular, the ability to work collaboratively was the skill that the airline was looking for.

"Above all else it's people that can work really well cross functionally."

The airline is moving its corporate headquarters from The Hub in downtown Auckland to a leased property at Auckland Airport, just beside the runway apron and close to its engineering base.

Dines said the re-fitted building would help encourage the collaborative approach.

"The Hub is a traditional style of office. It's not that great for kind of getting a great culture and energy going because it's all quite compartmentalised."

At the new office - a longer commute for some staff - there would be more flexible work arrangements. The work from home trend is the biggest workplace shift Dines has seen during the pandemic.

She's been with Air New Zealand for more than nine years and has ridden the waves of rapid growth when fuel prices were low and travel was booming, to the trauma of it nearly stopping completely when the pandemic hit.

The rebuild provides a great opportunity.

"I think those of us who are here see it as a real privilege. This is the restart of the airline and is really attracting people who want to be part of rebuilding the airline and getting it back to better than it was."

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Air New Zealand hiring hundreds of staff to avoid travel chaos hitting airlines and airports overseas - New Zealand Herald

As the rain falls so do the tears, as 111 Moriori ancestral remains and two Mori ancestral remains are finally welcomed home.

An emotional ceremony that has been long in the making.

"The negotiations have taken over 20 years with the Natural History Museum in London," Te Papa's Kaihaut/Mori co-leader Dr Arapata Hakiwai said.

The remains, which include skulls, jaw bones, and a small number of complete skeletons, were taken from the Chatham Islands in the 19th century for trading and collection.

They were kept inside the London museum's archives and were not on public display.

"The world is starting to, I think, mature, to confront their past and own their past," Dr Hakiwai said.

About 200 or so karpuna or Moriori ancestral remains have also been received by Te Papa Museum, from other institutions across Aotearoa.

The skeletons will be stored in Te Papa's Wahi Tapu until researchers can find out where they best belong.

"To have them brought back, and eventually taken back to their Rkohu, in two or three years' time, is probably one of the most important things this generation of Moriori will ever do," Hokotehi Moriori Trust chair Maui Solomon said.

Up to 100 more Moriori ancestral remains are understood to still be overseas.

So the mahi isn't over just yet for the Karanga Repatriation Programme, which is the team that negotiates the return of indigenous remains.

"Give them back, where they can be embraced in the warmth, love and aroha of those who really treasure and value them," Solomon said.

A plea, from a community that wants to see their ancestors returned to their homeland.

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Over 100 Moriori ancestral remains returned to New Zealand in biggest repatriation yet - Newshub

The governments of New Zealand and the United Kingdom have warned their citizens against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka. Given the current political upheaval in the country, the UK and New Zealand have revised their travel advisory level issued for Sri Lanka.

Micheal Appleton, New Zealand High Commissioner to Sri Lanka said that their citizens have have been advised against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka because of the current scenario. The country is going through a bad economic crisis and suffering from many issues such as fuel shortages.

On the other hand, the UKs Foreign Office also put Sri Lanka on its No Go travel list. The UKs Foreign Office said, Sri Lanka is experiencing a severe economic crisis which has led to shortages of basic necessities including medicines, cooking gas, fuel and food. There is a major shortage of fuel (diesel and petrol) affecting transport, businesses, and emergency services. There are daily power cuts due to electricity rationing. This has led to protests and violent unrest. Further protests, demonstrations, roadblocks and violent unrest could occur at short notice.

Sri Lanka was visited by nearly 200,000 British tourists back in 2019 (before pandemic). In 2020, the number went down to over 55,000 because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

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UK and New Zealand govt advise citizens against non-essential travel to Sri Lanka - Times of India

New Zealand relatives of an Iranian man sentenced to imprisonment and banishment for his Bahai faith say not being able to help is terrible, but they fear being identified could lead to further reprisals against their family in Iran.

The mans aunt, who has lived in New Zealand for around 40 years, said their nephew is one of 26 Bahai sentenced to a total of 85 years in prison.

He was arrested and charged around five years ago, she said.

They were doing voluntary work in villages in Shiraz, teaching the village kids how to read and write, assisting with sanitation projects, and they had permission to do that from the local authorities.

They were put in jail for around three months, then released on bail.

Theyve been living with this ever since, waiting and waiting. They couldnt get on with their normal lives, because they never knew when they were going to be called [back to court].

We don't congregate into our own clusters, we try to live in and be part of the community and serve in the community, in fact, it's one of our tenets, we really try and work for the benefit of communities that we live in. And that's what exactly what these young people were trying to do, his uncle said.

In a statement released earlier in the week, the New Zealand Bahai Community spokesperson Paddy Payne said sentences of between two and five years had been handed down to all 26 members of the group.

The recent prison sentences, exiles and travel bans are the latest in more than 40 years of systematic persecution of Iranian Bahais, Payne said.

The fear of speaking publicly against the Iranian regime, even in a country like New Zealand, is very real to members of the Bahai faith who have come here from Iran.

They would like to express their alarm at having a family member jailed following a campaign by Iranian authorities to uproot the Bahai community in Shiraz, but they are wary of reprisals.

The mans aunt said she hoped to speak with her MP, and believed coverage of the situation was good, despite fears for her family in Iran.

It's good for the world to know whats going on - they haven't committed any crime, it is really not just.

The mans uncle said the sentence will leave his nephews wife and their two young children in a precarious situation.

He's the breadwinner, and he will be out of action for four years, and of course, there's no social welfare system, they just have to rely on family supports.

The thing is they live in fear all the time, not knowing what is going to happen or when it will happen. It's so hard on the children and families.

The situation is ongoing, the mans aunt said, with several more arrests happening recently.

There are waves of this kind of injustice.

Her husband said the Iranian regime doesnt want to appear to be persecuting Bahai for their faith.

When the verdicts are being read they don't mention the faith at all, because they dont want to be seen as openly prejudiced towards a religious minority, but at the same time, its obvious the only reason they are being arrested and imprisoned is because they are Bahai.

Bahai are still very much persecuted in Iran in a general way, for example, Bahai youth cannot enter university, but for Bahai education is very important, so we developed our own educational systems, and even that comes under pressure from the authorities.

The Bahai, which are the largest religious minority in Iran, have long been persecuted, but the mans uncle said it has intensified since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

All the other minority religions came before Islam and have some recognition, but the Bahai faith came after, and is not recognised by the Islamic state.

The mans aunt said theres almost no chance of being able to bring family members to New Zealand, pointing to Immigration New Zealands refusal to allow other relatives to obtain tourist visas before the pandemic.

Besides, she said, her relatives do not want to leave Iran forever.

They work there, their families and friends are there, its their country, they want to live and serve there, but unfortunately they dont have rights.

The mans uncle said they are in frequent contact with their family in Iran.

Its easier now with encrypted ways of talking to them like Whats App or Zoom, but traditionally, its been very difficult because we know any letters or phone calls can be intercepted quite easily.

I don't think New Zealanders really know what its like, that as a Bahai you can get a prison sentence for doing volunteer work, his aunt said.

The hardest part is that we cant do anything about it.

The mans aunt said while the accused are waiting to hear the result of their appeal, their lives are again in limbo.

She said the group have appealed their sentences, but she is not hopeful this will succeed.

The Bahai faith has been in New Zealand since 1913, and is considered the second most geographically widespread religion on Earth, with more than five million members in over 200 countries, but Iran has one of the largest Baha'i populations in the world.

Originally posted here:

New Zealand Baha'is concerned for nephew imprisoned in Iran - Stuff

The Prime Minister hosted the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, today to discuss how the two countries could approach shared global challenges together.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the Free Trade Agreement signed between the two countries in February this year, and the Prime Minister thanked New Zealand for its support for UK accession to CPTPP.

The two leaders welcomed the agreement to expand the Youth Mobility Scheme, allowing young British nationals and New Zealanders to work more easily in both countries. They also signed the Research, Science and Innovation Arrangement, strengthening the UK and New Zealands collaboration across all three areas to address issues such as climate change.

Reflecting on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and NATO summit in Madrid this week, the leaders discussed current geopolitical challenges and agreed on the importance supporting countries around the world in defending their sovereignty.The Prime Minister also thanked Prime Minister Ardern for New Zealands support in training Ukrainian Armed Forces in the UK.

The leaders discussed the UKs increased engagement and investment in the Pacific region, and agreed on the importance of working closely with Pacific Island leaders to support their economic resilience.

Prime Minister Ardern updated on her work tackling violent extremism online as part of the Christchurch Call to Action,and the Prime Minister agreed more needed to be done to combat disinformation and drive the use of responsible algorithms.

Continued here:

PM meeting with Prime Minister of New Zealand: 1 July 2022 - GOV.UK

What TV channel are the games on?

The three Tests will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK. Alternatively, you can follow Telegraph Sport's live coverage of all three matches.

Andy Farrell is confident Ireland can quickly learn lessons from being dismantled by New Zealand in order to remain alive in the series.

The Irish already face an uphill task to salvage their three-Test tour after slipping to a comprehensive 42-19 defeat in Auckland.

Ian Foster's formidable All Blacks ran in six tries on Saturday, including four in the space of just 18 first-half minutes, to maintain their country's remarkable 28-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park.

Despite falling well short of snapping that run, Farrell insists his squad are far from feeling dejected ahead of next week's crucial clash in Dunedin.

"You don't get many opportunities to break a record; it's an outstanding record and you can see why they hold that," he said.

"We're gutted to lose but, having said that, the players know what they did well and they know how the game flowed and things that we need to fix to stay in a series next week.

"It isn't a dejected changing room; it's one that will dust itself off, learn the lessons and attack next week."

Captain Johnny Sexton must pass further head injury assessments in order to be in contention for the second Test after being taken off in the aftermath of Reece's try, while back-up hooker Dave Heffernan is out due to concussion.

Farrell and his coaching staff now have a full week to get ready for the second instalment of the series, having played a warm-up match against the Maori All Blacks in the build-up to the opener.

Asked if that simplifies preparations, he replied: "Of course it's easier but having it easy, is that what we want? I don't know.

"We're here to test ourselves in all different types of manner and we're here to test ourselves as staff to see how we cope with two matches (in a week) and we're here to see if our players have got excuses or not in regard to backing up and different ways of training.

"Doing it that way makes us stronger as a group, makes our culture stronger, makes our environment stronger and makes us ready for obstacles that are going to get in our way certainly over the next 18 months."

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Ireland rugby tour of New Zealand 2022: When is it, how many fixtures are planned, and how to watch - The Telegraph

The savage basics, performed at high tempo with ruthless efficiency and accurate aggression.

In their powerful opening display at Eden Park, New Zealand personified this famous coaching quote.

The New Zealanders commanding display contained nothing but the basics of the game, executed with brilliant efficiency, at a lightning pace. Their scrum, lineout, maul, ball carrying, short kicking, tackling, clear-outs, catching and passing were almost flawless.

All executed with a bucket of aggression tossed on top.

The ruthless efficiency of the Kiwi attack had a simple strategy at its core. Utilising Aaron Smiths long and accurate pass, New Zealand ran their forwards at the outside shoulder of Irelands fourth defender.

This created separation between the Irish defenders as they were forced to constantly reorganise and move laterally in their line, adjusting their positioning, rather than moving forward to take time and space from New Zealand. The end result was that Irelands line speed dropped to that of a slug.

[Johnny Sexton: You go off for HIA and dont come back, everyone presumes thats a concussion, its not]

[New Zealand v Ireland: Under the roof and cornered but opportunity remains for biggest one-off win ever]

Smith and Ardie Savea eventually ran through gaping holes this simple but aggressively implemented tactic created.

The New Zealanders attacking strategy had another key element. Ireland position their scrum-half in their defensive line and place fullback Hugo Keenan, wrongly in my opinion and it would seem that of the Kiwis, wide of the ruck, covering the open side.

Ireland position zero defenders in the backfield in line with the ball.

The Irish gamble of maintaining 14 defenders in the line, deep into their own half was exploited by both Smith and Beauden Barrett, who executed exquisite short attacking kicks that exposed the acres of unmarked space embarrassingly left vacant by the poor positioning of Irelands back three and scrum-half while defending in their own 22.

Irelands defensive line was manipulated by the combination of masterful strategy and superb execution.

The final act, in a long disastrous list of Irish defensive errors, came when the Kiwi replacement number eight, Pita Gus Sowakula, picked the ball up at the base of an attacking 5m scrum and simply strolled over without a hand being laid on him.

Defensively, Ireland had taken a knife to a gunfight.

To state the bleeding obvious, both the Irish defensive backfield system and the players mindset of desperation to make the tackle must change for any hope in Dunedin.

In stark contrast, the New Zealanders defensive display was a lesson in strategic and physical domination. New Zealand used perfect tackle technique, mixed with ruthlessly controlled aggression to create a defensive system that was like the incoming tide after an horrific oil spill. Wave after wave of strong fluid black unyieldingly engulfed anything green in its path.

In the dying moments of the match, New Zealand sent Ireland a clear message. As Joey Carbery was astonishingly held up over the try line and Josh van der Flier had the ball belted from his grip before he could touch down, the Kiwis yelled in Irish ears that never ever, under any circumstances, will there be easy points against New Zealand.

Compare that to the Wallabies who were about to notch up a brave win over England, only to mentally switch off in the final 120 seconds and surrender 14 points.

Those two minutes of low-intensity concentration from an otherwise courageous Australia injected hope into English hearts for their second test. Perhaps it was to reinforce the widespread belief that Australians are far more hospitable than their New Zealand cousins. Then again, maybe Ozzies are just soft.

Irelands Joey Carbery misses out on a try. File photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho

England and Ireland share a common dilemma. English outhalf Marcus Smith and Joey Carbery have both not been capable of igniting their teams offensive system.

Smith is beginning to look like a player who cannot transfer his attacking form from his club to the International stage. As he repeatedly did during the Six Nations, Smith constantly positions himself to accept the ball far too deep. Which meant he once again failed to attack the defensive line as a real threat.

In Carberys defence, when he took the field after Sextons injury his forward pack had fallen under the domination of New Zealand. It is close to impossible for any outhalf to create a positive attack with no platform being established by his forwards.

That said, when Carbery comes on this week he must be far more positive in his body language and leadership. Presently, his agonised self-doubt is yelling at his team-mates and the opposition without him uttering a word.

Good leaders exude positive body language that expresses a strategic belief. Confidence is contagious and so is the lack of it.

Both Carbery and Smith are expressing their lack of confidence in how they accept the pass. As an outhalf you dont just catch the ball, you must attack it. Far too often Joey is stationary when accepting the ball, which makes it close to impossible for him to commit the defensive line before passing.

Like Carbery, this Irish team appears to have totally underestimated the intensity of the mindset that is required for success in Aotearoa.

The mindset that delivered Irish wins in Chicago and Dublin was never going to be enough.

I have found that the mantra of mindset drives belief. Belief drives performance and performance determines outcomes to be absolute.

Last week New Zealand displayed the highest standards of character and mindset. For victory, Ireland will have to raise their mindset above that of New Zealand.

Ireland have the talent and the skill to win a test in New Zealand but without great mental change, every piece of evaluation says New Zealand will win the next two matches by a considerable margin.

That does not mean that winning for Ireland is an impossible task. What it does mean is that like every other team that has ever won a test match in New Zealand, each individual in the Irish team must find a way to play the best rugby of their lives in order to win.

That has always been the challenge for teams touring New Zealand.

Across the final two tests, we will learn a great deal about the true character of this Irish team. As the cliche goes: Test match rugby does not create character, it reveals it.

To overcome the enormity of the New Zealand challenge, the Irish players must have the mindset willing to journey into the depths of their character and find a belief they previously did not know they possessed.

That deeply personal journey to truly believe in victory in New Zealand is not easy to navigate. That is why so few have ever accomplished it.

The chance for this group of players to create history at Eden Park has gone, never to return. Yet, the opportunity of a lifetime still awaits Ireland.

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Matt Williams: Irish side must find way to play best rugby of their lives if New Zealand are to be beaten - The Irish Times

Jake Howie is a New Zealand writer living in Sydney.

OPINION: Kia ora, my fellow Kiwis. Im coming to you from the other side of the Tasman, where according to most New Zealand media everything is better, cheaper, faster, easier and did I mention cheaper?

My husbands job brought us to Sydney three years ago, and Im enjoying living in such a beautiful city. The sun! The beaches! The bridge! What Im about to divulge is in no way an outdated anti-Australian sentiment I love Australia.

I also love Aotearoa. Its just a different perspective from a Kiwi who isnt a moaning, informationally selective New Zealander complaining with gusto about Auckland, or New Zealand, or the weather in Wellington, or wages, or how Australia is better, or NZ is worse, or NZ is better AND worse and cheaper and expensive. Did I mention cheaper?

READ MORE:* Do you still need to use cash when you travel overseas? * World's most expensive cities: Auckland and Wellington drop in ranking * The truth about life in Australia v New Zealand

This is just my experience living in Australia and a sobering reminder that New Zealand has an unhealthy obsession with painting Australia as this perfect place. Spoiler alert: its not. There. I said it. Watch the Kiwis obsessed with using Australia as an example of the dream get their feathers in a ruffle. But..cheaper! Less expensive! Money! Wages! Sun!

Yeah, yeah we get it. But I live it, so heres a few things a Kiwi living in Australia has learnt.

Brook Sabin

Living in Australia might sound like a dream for some Kiwis, but it has its own set of challenges.

Okay, I live in Sydney so may be slightly more traumatised than some. But, as an Aucklander, I know an expensive housing market when I see one. And Sydney is expensive. Not only is it wild and unpredictable (something Kiwis will be used to), but Australians have stamp duty (a government tax) on any property you buy. The tax depends on the price of the property, but the average house in Australia means youre looking at an extra $40,000 plus when buying a home. Theyre removing this in some cases but are keeping the legacy with a land tax that means you pay roughly the same amount over time rather than one lump sum. Yikes!

Supplied

The average house price in Sydney is peaking upwards of $1.6 million.

While certain parts of Australia may vary, property experts at Domain say the average property in Australia is over $1 million, peaking at upwards of $1.6 million in Sydney. On our side of the Tasman, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand says the average house price is around $840k with Barfoot & Thompson suggesting the figure bumps up to $1.2 million in Auckland.

Overpriced? Hell yes. More expensive? Sorry, Kiwis Australia has us beat. And lets not forget to add those pesky taxes to the average property price.

This brings me to groceries. Kiwis are obsessed with it. On a recent trip home, I had three people ask me how much a cauliflower was in Australia. My response? Theyre not in season, my darling. So why are you even buying them at a time when feijoas are essentially free?

Upon going to PaknSave, I was startled by how much cheaper some things were and how much more expensive other things were. Potatoes, po-taaa-toes. It all somehow equalled out. According to global cost of living database Numbeo, grocery prices in Australia are 7.29% higher than in New Zealand. Milk and eggs are cheaper in Australia, but bread and apples cheaper in New Zealand.

Long story short, its all overpriced. Theres no raw deal New Zealand is getting that Australia is somehow magically freed from. New Zealands duopoly is being addressed by the government, which should help. But, quite frankly, theyre just as ridiculous as each other with data suggesting it could be just a little bit more ridiculous in Australia, overall.

But the wages are more?! I can hear the chorus of Kiwis asking this. This one is slightly true. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average Aussie earns AU$36 per hour. Back home, Stats NZs research says Kiwis earn NZ$36.18 per hour. Boom. Facts. Arent they brilliant?

Aussies do earn around NZ$3.50 more per hour when you factor in the exchange rate, but youre going to need it for bread, apples and those darn house prices, am I right? Youll also need it for the flights home when you realise how much you love your friends, family and our beautiful whenua. And with the global situation, itll take more than $3.50 an hour to pay for flights.

If I had to get one message across to New Zealanders, it would be this: it aint that bad. Im not trivialising the global crises were all facing and the very real impact it has on families but looking outside for a reason wont make things better.

The truth is, New Zealand, Australia is hurting just like you. Prices are rising sharply, wages arent growing, crime is up, homelessness is noticeably increasing.

These issues are issues we face as a global community, and the once quaint comparisons between two sister nations are now pointless, whingey and quite frankly wildly privileged. Were lucky we havent had to be as resilient as so many other nations have been forced to be. Were lucky weve made it through a global pandemic and international conflict as unscathed as we can be. Were lucky were discussing two wonderful countries that offer so much hope for the future. Were so, so lucky.

So rather than looking across the ditch for bitter Kiwis claiming things are so much better, look closer to home for all the beauty being born into such a wonderful country provides. Whether you want to admit it or not, New Zealand just aint that bad.

See the original post here:

Is living in Australia really better than New Zealand? - Stuff

In findings which have startled scientists, new data shows car pollution is killing thousands of New Zealanders each year and costing the country billions of dollars.

File image: Car pollution. (Source: istock.com)

By Kirsty Frame of rnz.co.nz

The first-of-its-kind study has measured the health impacts of nitrogen dioxide, a toxic gas emitted by fossil fuel cars.

It found 3300 people were dying yearly because of air pollution, and it was mostly because of cars.

That meant as a whole, 10% of the people who died each year in the country were dying because of air pollution.

Exposure was also sending more than 13,000 people to hospital for respiratory and cardiac illnesses and giving the same number of children asthma.

The social cost of these health impacts was estimated to be $15.6 billion.

The study, Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand, was conducted by New Zealand experts in air quality, health, and economics.

It was the study's third instalment since 2012, but for the first time, pollution data from vehicles was measured.

The new numbers were more substantial than previous records of air pollution - making car pollution more harmful than the damage household fires caused.

Researchers said the extent of the nitrogen dioxide impacts were "unexpected" and "startling".

Nitrogen dioxide emission in New Zealand is almost exclusively from burning petrol and diesel.

The country has almost 4.4 million motor vehicles and that figure is on an upwards trend.

Previously, air pollution measured in the country had been largely from fine pollution particles - which came from domestic fires, car breaks, and industry.

That pollution caused an estimated 1300 deaths in adults per year.

A closer look now showed that a further 2000 people were dying because of exposure to nitrogen dioxide.

That was because the pollutant was a major factor in stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

Young children, elderly, asthmatics and people with pre-existing heart or lung diseases were most vulnerable to both forms of air pollution.

The new figures more than doubled Aotearoa's air pollution hospitalisation statistics.

Nitrogen dioxide is sending an estimated 8500 people to hospital with cardiovascular or respiratory illness, compared to 4600 from other air pollutants.

An extra 6000 people are being hospitalised with a respiratory condition from nitrogen dioxide exposure.

It brings the total annual hospitalisations from all air pollution to 13,100.

New Zealand already has some of the highest asthma rates in the world, and the new research estimated that 13,200 cases of asthma in children were exclusively because of car pollution.

Not only is air pollution killing people and harming their health, it is costing the country $15.6b; and 60 percent of that is because of nitrogen dioxide.

The "social costs" of air pollution calculated in the study took into account the costs to society when people were sick or died from exposure.

It was not just in terms of the direct medical costs with illness and death, but a loss of output from people taking time off work, school and the loss of income.

The study used a "value of statistical life" which was the same used to cost road crash deaths.

At 2019 prices, that was $4.5 million per person's premature death.

It also estimated a cost of $36,000 for each person admitted to hospital with cardiac issues, and $31,700 for people with respiratory issues triggered by air pollution.

Childhood asthma hospitalisations are costing the country $1800 per case.

Air pollution is also causing 1.745 million restricted activity days - days where people cannot do the things they normally would because of the bad air.

Increased air pollution also makes people less likely to engage in physical activity, which of itself has wide-ranging public health impacts.

Data for the study was collected from 2016 statistics because at the study's commencement in 2019, it was the most suitable on hand.

Excerpt from:

Car pollution kills thousands in New Zealand every year - 1News

We had been aboard the Tampa for a whole week. With no possessions, we had been wearing the same clothes all this time. On top of the foul stench and the unbearable heat, we were bored to death, sitting cross-legged on the deck for much of the day with absolutely nothing to do, under the constant gaze of the soldiers.

After our breakfast of biscuits and juice, the major who had led the Australian SAS unit that boarded the ship came down for his usual update. Expecting the same old story, few of us were ready when he delivered some actual news.

In a few days you will all be transferred to another ship. It is better, with beds and toilets. New Zealand has agreed to take some of you.

An immediate barrage of questions broke out after these sentences were translated.

Who is New Zealand? one man asked.

Where is he? Let me speak to him! said another.

What about everyone else? Where will the other ship take us?

Why will Australia not accept us?

The major patiently explained that New Zealand was a separate island nation close to Australia.

People were not convinced. No one had heard of New Zealand. Perhaps they were being tricked into getting off on some godforsaken island in the middle of nowhere. By now the level of trust was very low and the interrogation of the major continued. He had come down to give us answers, but none of them had given any comfort.

At the next days update, the major announced that HMAS Manoora would be arriving tomorrow and taking us all onboard. We were also told for the first time that our case was going to court in Australia.

What the major did not tell us was that the lawyers acting for us had petitioned the court to request that we remain on the Tampa until the case was heard.

Had we known there was even the slimmest chance of getting to Australia if we stayed aboard the Tampa, we would have refused to board the Manoora. As intolerable as conditions were on the Tampa, we had suffered for 11 days what was a few more? But we knew nothing about the court petition. The major also failed to mention that the Manoora would be headed to Nauru to offload those not going on to New Zealand. He simply told us the Manoora would be a much more comfortable ship for us while our case was being litigated.

We should have been thrilled at the thought of finally getting off the Tampa, but we were not. This was the devil we knew. Questions swirled throughout the square; no one trusted the Australian government by this point. We suspected their every move. What if they were taking us to prison? What if they were sending us back?

We had been a remarkably united group to this point, but divisions started to show now. We had been told New Zealand would only accept families and children. While that provided some relief and certainty for my family and others like us, it was excruciating for everyone else all those who, in leaving their families behind, had arguably sacrificed more than us.

The Manoora was a very different beast to the Tampa. On the Tampa we burned and blistered under the hot sun. Now we missed the light, as we were kept in the enclosed hangar the whole time. The gentle ocean breeze was replaced by the deafening noise of the engine. The smell of sewage was replaced by diesel fumes. We had no way of telling if it was day or night.

The crew brought a large bin full of donated clothes destined for the Solomon Islands. We were also given a toothbrush and a towel each. I will never forget my first shower. We had two minutes before the water was cut off, but in that time I scrubbed myself clean of the filth that had caked my skin. When I finally wore socks over my blistered feet, it felt like I was walking on clouds.

Food was rationed more tightly than on the Tampa, with meals usually no more than one piece of fruit or a slice of bread.

The major was onboard and he and the crew, dressed in their smart navy uniforms, conducted the daily briefs. The next day the major welcomed aboard officials from the intergovernmental International Organisation for Migration and Immigration New Zealand, as well as some Farsi-speaking translators.

These officials had been sent to determine who among us would go to New Zealand and who would stay on Nauru. They set up a table on one side of the hangar and asked us to sit as family units. Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, we sat in different parts of the hangar, our lanyards around our necks.

The officials were patient as they took down all our names and connected the dots in our stories. Through a translator, Dad retold our story while the officials took notes and filled out an endless stack of forms. This process continued for much of the day.

People cried as they talked about being widowed, orphaned or separated from their families. For a group of solo teenagers this questioning proved especially harrowing as they had to describe how their fathers had been killed or disappeared at the hands of the Taliban.

Being of military age, many of these boys had left their families when the Taliban overran Bamiyan and Mazar-i-Sharif. Some had spent years in refugee camps in Pakistan before finally deciding on the Australia route. Others had been homeless or in detention centres across Indonesia for almost a year before the Palapa.

These Tampa boys had not been in touch with their families for years. They provided names of family members in the slim hope that they might still be alive.

While we adjusted to our new existence, the world outside changed forever. It was 11 September 2001 9/11. Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing that day. Unlike many, we did not see the horrifying images of New Yorks Twin Towers coming down, nor did we understand its true impact on the world. The news was delivered to us in one of the usual morning briefings. We wondered mostly what it would mean for Afghanistan and our asylum claims.

Were we still the asylum seekers we had been yesterday, or were we now a threat to national security? Would the rest of the world equate us with the very people we were fleeing from?

As a child, I had even less sense of the gravity of the situation. It is only in hindsight that I wonder how the asylum seeker situation would have played out had 9/11 not happened.

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Who is New Zealand?: the moment Tampa refugees were told some had a new home - The Guardian

My Kiwi friends ask, somewhat jokingly, how Im finding my first New Zealand level 4. I answer, also somewhat jokingly, that Im a veteran at this, having lived in London and Dublin for most of the pandemic, and had gone through several hard lockdowns.

Thats why it was unfortunate, the day before New Zealand went into one, it felt like Groundhog Day to me.

Supermarket carparks filled and queues snaked out of their entrances. By the end of the night, the same products that ran out at the beginning of the first lockdown were emptied out once again: bread, toilet paper, flour. The government had moved quickly, carrying out a plan developed for a Delta outbreak, but the population did not appear to have the same sense of danger: the shoppers and staff were, for the most part, unmasked.

I had witnessed the same in London, where I was living at the beginning of the pandemic. Back then, we still regarded it as being something that would pass soon enough. We laughed at people stocking up on masks; I turned down a family friends offer to siphon off some supply the Chinese embassy had given her. As we waited for the UK government to announce a lockdown, we continued going out, calling it a last hurrah.

In those days, we were lucky the coronavirus was still in its initial, far less infectious state. We didnt hear much about people we knew getting the virus; these days, everyone in London knows at least one person whos gotten Delta. Over in Australia, weve seen the quagmires New South Wales and Victoria have found themselves in.

We know more now. There is something to be said for Kiwi chillness, but this behaviour seemed downright foolish.

The first day of the lockdown, my mum went out for a grocery shop at a Countdown and she saw no staff wearing masks; in pictures she took for me, one worker had a mask over their chin, another didnt have one on at all. On a local community Facebook group, members announced other supermarkets where staff werent wearing them either. It should be said that this was all legal, as the mask mandate for indoor spaces didnt go into effect until the next day, but the number of maskless people says something.

Perhaps this is a result of how successful the country has been at sealing itself from the ravages of Covid-19: it had gone almost six months without an active community case; there had not been any nationwide lockdowns for almost a year and a half.

When I was overseas, I felt like Kiwis were living in an alternative reality, though really, life continued unabated.

When I returned and came out of managed isolation in May, I went to a cafe for lunch and sat outside. I only had to step a few paces inside to pay, but I felt like my face was unduly exposed. That feeling was easily shaken off; it was easy to forget the virus existed if I didnt look at anything that spoke about the rest of the world. I can see how New Zealands residents have been lulled into this false sense of security.

This complacency has manifested in many ways: only 10% of the population were constantly checking in with the Covid tracing app; masks, which were mandated only on public transport until this lockdown, were not being worn. At least vaccination bookings have skyrocketed these past few days. Those, like some of my parents friends, who were putting them off for whatever reason have realised this is no safe haven.

Though the risk of catching the coronavirus in this country has been small, it was inevitable that Delta or another variant further down the Greek alphabet would eventually breach the bubble. I felt we lacked the constant vigilance required for an elimination strategy. Kiwis, like our namesake bird, have been living without the threats of predators that roam beyond our shores. On Friday, more cases were identified elsewhere in the country. The only way well get through this, and future outbreaks, is if we are ready from the outset.

Visit link:

In New Zealand it has been easy to forget Covid. Now we are too complacent - The Guardian

Issued on: 24/08/2021 - 05:50

Tokyo (AFP)

New Zealand's Paralympic team said it will not attend Tuesday's opening ceremony in Tokyo over coronavirus safety fears, as infections surge in the Japanese capital.

Organisers have reported 161 Covid-19 cases linked to the Paralympics so far, mostly among staff and contractors living in Japan but also including six athletes.

Paralympics New Zealand said its athletes would not take part in the opening ceremony, where two flagbearers usually lead teammates into the Olympic Stadium.

"Our team will not be attending as we continue our commitment to our Covid-19 Operating Principles and Guidelines, aimed at keeping our team as safe as possible," it said in a statement.

Instead of appointing flagbearers, two athletes will be given symbolic "leadership roles".

Throughout the pandemic, New Zealand has pursued a "Covid zero" elimination strategy, resulting in just 26 deaths in a population of five million.

But a national lockdown is currently in place to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, after a virus cluster broke a six-month run of no local cases.

New Zealand is the only one of the 162 Paralympic delegations that has confirmed it will skip the evening ceremony, International Paralympic Committee spokesman Craig Spence told reporters on Tuesday.

"We've got to respect the decision," he said, adding that team chief Fiona Allan had told him that despite strict virus countermeasures, they wanted to be "super safe".

There are 32 Paralympians on the New Zealand team, according to Tokyo 2020.

Some other countries and territories have reduced the number of representatives at the ceremony for various reasons including Covid-19 and heat concerns, Spence said.

"We appreciate that the march is going to be a little shorter, there's going to be less athletes compared to normal Games.

"That's a shame, but we respect the decision and actually, it probably speeds up the ceremony."

Japan's virus situation has worsened dramatically in the weeks since the July 23 Olympic opening ceremony, with the country recording more than 25,000 daily infections several times in the past week.

2021 AFP

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New Zealand to skip Paralympic opening ceremony over virus fears - FRANCE 24

Power plays and player power seem to be at the heart of the dispute threatening to tear Australian and New Zealand rugby apart after trans-Tasman relations sunk to an all-time low when a decision was made for the All Blacks not to play the Wallabies in Perth as scheduled on Saturday night.

Australian anger is palpable. The game was a Bledisloe Cup dead rubber, but it was also a Rugby Championship fixture. The reason NZ Rugby gave for the All Blacks not boarding their flight to Perth was uncertainty about the Rugby Championship schedule and the length of time the players would be away from home.

It may have been a legitimate concern, but it was the manner in which it was communicated or not that has Australia-New Zealand relations at breaking point. It was no way to treat a partner, let alone a friend. In recent years New Zealand has been successful at alienating its rugby partners. Last year the Kiwis got both Australia and South Africa offside with their hardline negotiating on the make-up of Super Rugby.

It was as if New Zealand was attempting to show that it was more powerful than its partners and that it would do what was in New Zealands interests without consideration for anyone else. This attitude comes from being the best in the world a you need us more than we need you mentality.

It is not just New Zealand rugbys administration that seems to think this way. In professional sport players deserve a voice, but the All Blacks have a very loud voice indeed. The decision not to send a team to Perth should not have been too surprising given a similar situation almost occurred last year when the All Blacks managed to have the Rugby Championship draw re-adjusted in 2020 to ensure they returned home to spend Christmas with their families.

Now the All Blacks have placed the third Bledisloe Test and the Rugby Championship in jeopardy because players did not want to spend too long away from home. It is understandable given the uncertainty with Covid-19 lockdowns and quarantining, but the Wallabies have already made sacrifices to ensure the Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship went ahead.

The Wallabies have effectively been away from home since late June and changed their own travel plans to make sure back-to-back Tests at Eden Park in Auckland were played. New Zealands NRL side, the Warriors, have virtually camped in Australia for two years. But it appears the All Blacks are not willing to put themselves out for anybody.

It would be a brave soul to suggest the All Blacks jersey does not mean everything to New Zealands players, but in this modern, commercialised game, does it mean just as much as it did in the past?

The Original All Blacks toured Britain, France and North America in 1905-06. They departed for England aboard the Rimutaka on 30 July and returned from San Francisco the following January, six months away from home. The Originals set the benchmark for all future All Blacks sides. It is a legacy that has been handed down from one generation of New Zealanders to the next.

After winning back-to-back World Cups in 2011 and 2015 the All Blacks placed themselves head and shoulders above every rugby nation on earth. But they are no longer the No 1 team in the world, even if they do have the most marketable brand. They wallop the Wallabies every year, but the current generation did not beat the British and Irish Lions in 2017 and did not win the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

After defeating the Wallabies for the 19th year in a row in the Bledisloe Cup series, the All Blacks were meant to challenge South Africa in the Rugby Championship. The Springboks are the reigning world champions and recently defeated the Lions 2-1. They are the No 1 side in the world and their match-up with the All Blacks is the game the rugby world has been waiting for. But now it may not happen, at least not this year.

New Zealand is a great rugby nation, arguably the greatest, but it is a small country, which has saturated its own market. In troubling times old friends are good friends. Australia and New Zealand will no doubt patch up their fractured relationship, if only because the two countries are mutually dependent on each other, but it will take time to regain trust.

Australians have complained about a lack of respect from New Zealand in this current imbroglio, but ultimately, there is only one way for Australia to command respect from the Kiwis on and off the field and that is for the Wallabies to start beating the All Blacks again.

Original post:

Australia-New Zealand rugby relations have sunk to a new low. It will take time to regain trust - The Guardian

Workers and shoppers eat on the steps of Freyberg Place in downtown Auckland, New Zealand, on October 29, 2020, enjoying the freedom of Covid-19 Alert Level 1.

Lynn Grieveson | Newsroom | Getty Images

New Zealand was widely expected to become the first advanced economy to raise interest rates, but the central bank left rates unchanged on Wednesday after one Covid case led the country to announce a nationwide lockdown a day earlier.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said in a statement the decision to hold rates at 0.25% was made "in the context of the Government's imposition of Level 4 COVID restrictions on activity across New Zealand."

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern imposed a nationwide lockdown when the first Covid case in six months was discovered in Auckland, the country's largest city.

The city will be under lockdown for seven days starting Wednesday, while the rest of the nation will observe a three-day lockdown. Level 4 restrictions are the highest in the country and the most restrictive, where people must stay home and can only leave only for essential services.

As of Wednesday morning, the number of cases detected had risen to seven and were confirmed to be the highly transmissible delta variant, according to Reuters.

Paul Bloxham, chief economist for Australia and New Zealand at HSBC called it an "extraordinary 24 hours," and a "very touch and go knife-edge situation."

"This morning ...we find that it's delta (variant), and, you know, at that point 24 hours ago, the market was thinking that the RBNZ wouldn't just deliver 20 but 25 (basis points)," he told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia."

Before Wednesday's rate decision, Michael Gordon, acting chief economist for New Zealand at Australian bank Westpac, said he did not expect a rate increase.

"The key here is that the Government cannot be confident about the scope of the (Covid) problem," he said in a note on Tuesday, after Ardern's lockdown decision.

Analysts mostly expected the central bank to raise rates, at least until the lockdown was announced. The majority of the 32 economists polled by Reuters expected the central bank to raise the official cash rate by 25 basis points from a record low to 0.50%.

Most central banks globally have slashed rates to record lows in a bid to prop up their pandemic-hit economies. Governments around the world have been injecting stimulus into their economies to support businesses.

But New Zealand has been among the most successful in the world to keep their Covid cases in check with tough lockdowns and shutting of its borders.

Major central banks in the APAC region are in no rush to start hiking policy rates ... with the exception of New Zealand and Korea.

Maxime Darmet

Fitch Ratings

Due in part to its zero-Covid strategy, the number of Covid cases has so far been kept at about 2,500 cases, including 26 deaths among the lowest in the world.

That's helped the economy to bounce back, with data showing first-quarter economic growth this year was above expectations. It was mainly driven by strong retail spending, falling jobless rate, and soaring housing prices.

The combination of minimal Covid restrictions and generous stimulus has led to a booming economy and rising inflation, leading analysts to expect higher interest rates.

The New Zealand dollar fell to 0.6944 against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday.

The currency has been falling since the lockdown announcement on Tuesday, from above the 0.70 level to above 0.69.

Bloxham said the New Zealand dollar could recover once the Covid situation is contained.

"If (the lockdown) is sufficient to get the virus contained, to keep the numbers small and push it right back to zero ... then you'd imagine in a few weeks time ... the economy's back on track and likewise there'd be sort of upside to the New Zealand dollar," he told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia."

With the expected hike now derailed, analysts said it would now depend on the scale of the virus situation.

"Regardless of the economic case for higher interest rates, there is nothing to be gained from pushing the (official cash rate) higher now, rather than waiting for more clarity on the Covid situation," Gordon of Westpac said.

He said that experience showed economic activity tends to bounce back once restrictions were lifted. "When that happens, the RBNZ will be left facing many of the same issues as before: an economy that is running up against cost pressures and capacity constraints, with risks that inflation could become more persistent," he said, adding that hikes will still be needed.

Meanwhile, Maxime Darmet, Asia-Pacific director of economics at Fitch Ratings told CNBC that most major central banks in the region are not likely to raise rates soon.

"Major central banks in the APAC region are in no rush to start hiking policy rates ... with the exception of New Zealand and Korea. Generally contained inflationary pressures and Covid-related economic setbacks leave APAC central banks willing to keep policy loose," Darmet said in an email to CNBC on Tuesday, before New Zealand's lockdown was announced.

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New Zealand was set to be the first advanced economy to hike rates. One Covid case put a stop to it - CNBC