Daily Archives: August 6, 2021

Another reason for the countrys high cost of living is tourists. According to the World Economic Forum, New Zealand ranks 104th in the world for tourism affordability. Prices go steadily up because tourists are willing to pay big money for their New Zealand experience.

The biggest cities, Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch are very popular expats destinations, and they are the most expensive cities in the country. Housing there is scarce, driving up prices of existing properties and rentals. Food and entertainment prices are high as well. If you are moving abroad on a budget, you might want to consider smaller cities like Dunedin and Hamilton. They are more affordable and also have a lot of jobs to offer.

Not everything is expensive, however. Education is government-subsidized in New Zealand. That means public school is free. Likewise, healthcare is state-subsidized and covers emergency, basic, and preventative care.

As living in New Zealand can be expensive, you should plan ahead, and prepare for high prices in general. Read on to get an idea of what life in New Zealand will cost, from expenses with housing, to doctors, schools,and food.

At a Glance

Is it expensive to live in New Zealand? The country tends to skew on the more expensive side, with prices comparable to those of the US and Northern Europe.

If you are relocating to New Zealand for work purposes, you will most likely live in Auckland, Christchurch, or Wellington. These cities make up almost two-thirds of the countrys gross national product and there are many job opportunities for expats. As they are so popular, the cost of living in these cities is up to 50% higher than in smaller towns in the countryside. Dunedin and Hamilton are no less popular, but they are less expensive.

The average gross salary in New Zealand is around 77,000 NZD (46,000 USD) per year. Considering the high rent prices in the country, especially if you live in a city center, you should expect your rent or mortgage to make up the biggest part of your living expenses.

The average monthly living costs for one person range from 3,000 NZD to 4,000 NZD (1,800 to 2,400 USD). The most common expenses are:

For a family of four, average living costs range from 6,000 NZD to 8,000 NZD (3,600 to 4,800 USD) per month, with these being the most common monthly expenses:

Keep in mind that all these costs are an estimate and differ depending on where you live in New Zealand. As mentioned before, public education is free, and so is early childhood education up to a point. If you want to enroll your children in private daycare, you will have to set aside around 1,000 NZD (600 USD) per month. Private schools or international schools are quite costly with annual fees up to 20,000 NZD (12,000 USD) per year.

New Zealand is known for a lot of things but not for being cheap. In fact, the housing market is anything but. In the following section, we will provide you with detailed information on New Zealands cost of living byexamining the most expensive and most affordable provinces and cities.

The most expensive cities in New Zealand are without doubt the three biggest: Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Job and leisure opportunities are widely available, making these cities attractive to expats and New Zealanders alike. This has led to increasing housing and living costs. In recent years, the cost of living in the South Island city of Queenstown has also consistently risen. Rent prices in this small city are, on average, higher than Christchurch.

Auckland is New Zealands biggest and most expensive city. Purchasing power is low when taking into account the sky-high prices of goods and entertainment, and overall cost of living. This means that Auckland is not an easy place to save money. Food, entertainment, and rent are high in this Northern Island city. Jobs in Auckland might be plentiful, but so is the number of workers. As a result of this uneven supply and demand, wages are lower here than in other cities.

The table below shows the cost of living for both a family of four and a single expat in Auckland, excluding rent.

Rent prices in Auckland vary a lot depending on where you will live. It is more expensive to live in Auckland proper than if you live in the suburbs.

Unsurprisingly, New Zealands capital Wellington is the most expensive city. As the countrys administration and finance hub, the city attracts many people looking to advance their careers. That is a reason why, according to the 2019 Trade Me Rental Price Index, Wellingtons housing prices continue to rise. Wellingtons excellent public transportation system means that you do not have to live in the city center. For cheaper places to rent, look to the citys suburbs.

The monthly cost of living, excluding rent, for both a single expat and a family of four is represented in the table below:

Christchurch is a busy and innovative business hub that is perfect for expats who prefer the outdoors lifestyle. Even though the cost of living here is relatively high, it is by far the most affordable metropolis in New Zealand when comparing income to house prices.

While the average annual household income is about 85,000 NZD (51,500 USD), the average price for a house is around 461,000 NZD (280,000 USD). In theory, this means that if people residing in Christchurch used their full annual income to pay off their houses, it would take them fewer than 5.5 years.

In 2017 there was a significant drop in housing prices. That is why not only property prices went down, but also rent prices, making Christchurch attractive even for people who dont want to buy.

Below you will find the average cost of living, excluding rent, for both a single expat and a family of four living in Christchurch:

Rent prices are relatively low in comparison the other big cities in New Zealand.

Queenstown is facing a serious housing shortage, making it difficult for expats to find a home here. In addition, rent prices have sky-rocketed in recent years, especially in Queenstown proper. You might want to consider living in the suburbs and commuting to work every day, as it is more affordable. Entertainment and food priceshave also gone up in recent years, reflecting the citys popularity.

The average monthly costs, excluding rent, for single expats and families of four are.

On top of these monthly expenditures, rent prices are extremely high in Queenstown.

Dunedin and Hamilton are not small towns. In fact, they are quite the economic and educational hubs, and very popular expat places. The cost of living and rent prices in these cities are much lower compared to Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. However, New Plymouth and Rotorua are the winners when it comes to low housing prices.

Even though Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island, it is also a traditional student town. This means that rent prices and living costs are reasonable. An unfurnished one-bedroom apartment costs on average 1000 NZD (600 USD) per month.

Young professionals moving alone will find North Dunedin a great place to live. As most students live in this area, it has a lot of bars, cafs, and many more interesting things to do. If you are relocating with a family or retiring, consider moving to another part of town that is calmer.

Below, you can find the monthly costs for a single expat and a family of four. Keep in mind that these estimates do not include rent.

The rent in Dunedin is relatively low and budget friendly.

Hamilton is located only a couple of hours away from bustling Auckland. This close proximity to New Zealands largest city offers many advantages, such as the growing and promising business sector, which attracts many skilled workers to the town. This increase in population makes many people believe that Hamilton could become one of New Zealands largest cities within the next 20 years.

However, housing prices do not seem to be affected by the towns growing popularity. In fact, the cost of living in Hamilton is about 40% lower than in Greater Auckland.

Rent prices in Hamilton are also very low compared to Auckland.

New Plymouth is a thriving hipster city, with living costs to match its newfound popularity. As the fourth expensive city in New Zealand, it is no wonder food and entertainment come at a sharp price. The city offers a great art scene, surf hotspots, nightlife, and close proximity to Mount Taranaki. However, housing prices are relatively low compared to the overall cost of living, attracting a lot of expats.

The average cost of living in New Plymouth, excluding rent, is explained in the table below.

You should add to that the average monthly price for rent:

Situated between the business hub of Hamilton and the tourist hub of Tauranga, Rotorua has more to offer than simply being a convenient location. Living costs here are relatively low and so are rent prices. Expats looking into relocating here will find life calm and family-friendly.

Below, you will find the cost of living (excluding rent) for both a single expat and a family of four.

The rent prices are very low compared to other cities in New Zealand.

In New Zealand, utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water are not typically included in your monthly rent. Prices vary depending on where you live and how many people live with you. Domestic electricity is more expensive in Rotorua, Hamilton, and New Plymouth, than in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland. The city with the cheapest price for domestic electricity is Dunedin with 0.26 NZD (0.16 USD) per kWh.

On average, expats relocating to New Zealand should expect to pay around 200-250 NZD (120 to 150 USD). An internet subscription costs about 85 NZD (50 USD) per month depending on the speed.

New Zealands inland production of goods and produce is high. However, a lot of products still have to be imported. The countrys remote location not only makes it rather difficult but also expensive because of high import taxes. Food and alcohol prices in New Zealand are relatively high compared to the US or European countries, especially imported goods.

Expats that enjoy eating out can expect to pay on average 60 NZD (36 USD) for a dinner for two at an inexpensive restaurant. A finer place can set you back about 100 NZD (60 USD) for two people.

Sample Grocery Prices in New Zealand

Education costs in New Zealand vary depending on the type of school you choose for your child. Generally, public primary and secondary education in New Zealand is free. However, schools can ask parents to pay for uniforms, books, and meals, as well as asking for annual donation fees. Early childhood education, such as daycare and preschool, is government-subsidized for up to six hours a day.

If you decide to enroll your child in a private kindergarten, expect to pay around 1,000 NZD (600 USD) per month. The costs for private international schools vary greatly depending on where you send your child but be prepared to pay annual school fees of approximately 20,000 NZD (12,000 USD).

New Zealand has excellent state-subsidized medical care. Every resident is entitled to public healthcare that covers everything except dental care for adults. Some expats opt to supplement their public healthcare with private health insurance.

Healthcare costs can easily add up, especially when relying on private services for dental care. A basic consultation at the dentist will set you back around 65 NZD (40 USD).

Transportation throughout New Zealand is slow and expensive. The countrys transportation system is privately owned, so prices vary a lot depending on the region. In addition, New Zealand does not really have an extensive nor well-functioning nationwide rail system. Trains connect the bigger cities, however, a train ticket from Auckland to Wellington costs 160 NZD (95 USD).

New Zealands buses are more reliable, but not cheap either. Most intercity travel is provided by companies, such as Intercity and Naked Bus. A bus fare starts at 10 NZD (6.50 USD).

Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown each have a well-functioning local public transportation system. A one-way ticket for local transportation costs 3.50 NZD (2.30 USD) and a monthly pass costs on average 150 NZD (100 USD).

As mentioned before, because of the fact that New Zealand is an island country, import taxes are high. Be aware that importing your own car can quickly become more expensive than buying a new one. Although the price for a new Volkswagen Golf is 35,000 NZD (21,000 USD).

Taxis and ride-hailing apps, such as Uber, Green Cabs, or ihail, are available throughout the country. With an average taxi fare of 3 NZD (1.80 USD) per kilometer, the cost for a ride from Christchurch airport to the city center, for instance, would be around 40 NZD (25 USD).

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Cost of Living in New Zealand: What You Should Know ...

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As New Zealands very successful Olympic campaign in Tokyo draws to a close, its easy to be equally positive and optimistic about the state of New Zealands wider relationship with Japan.

If New Zealands trading relationships were Olympic sports, Japan would miss out on a medal but not by much. Japan is New Zealands fifth-biggest trading partner behind only China, Australia, the United States, and the EU. There is a healthy trade surplus in New Zealands favor. Fruit, dairy, and aluminum currently top the list of New Zealands exports, while tourism and education were also strong contributors before COVID-19. In exchange, Japans exports to New Zealand are dominated by vehicles.

The trading relationship is set to only strengthen over time, as phased-in benefits gradually accrue under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). For example, tariffs on New Zealand beef exports will gradually fall to 9 percent by 2033 from a hefty 38.5 percent currently. Tariffs on nearly all cheeses will be eliminated entirely, as will those on seafood.

Even before these gains, the Japan relationship was one of New Zealanders absolute favorites. In the latest Perceptions of Asia survey by the Asia New Zealand Foundation, released in June, 71 percent of respondents thought Japan was friendly toward New Zealand. It was the most popular Asian and non-English speaking country by a considerable margin. The next countries on the list, Germany and South Korea, received friendliness scores of 59 percent and 51 percent respectively.

A long tradition of sporting and cultural exchanges goes some way to explaining the positive sentiment toward Japan. Simon Draper, the head of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, points to working holiday visas, a heavy New Zealand involvement in Japans JET English teacher program, and a long list of sister city relationships as just some of the driving factors.

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Rugby diplomacy also helps. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Finance Minister Grant Robertson, and then-Foreign Minister Winston Peters all made largely successful official visits to Japan in 2019 to coincide with the countrys hosting of the Rugby World Cup.

A rare diplomatic gaffe by Ardern when she said China instead of Japan did not appear to cause any longer-lasting damage. Peters was even invited back to Japan as a special guest of the G-20 foreign ministers meeting, held a month later.

Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific.

Japanese popular culture serves as the background theme music to the relationship. David Capie, who wrote a report on the New Zealand-Japan relationship for the Asia New Zealand Foundation in 2019, pointed to the rise of Japanese culture in New Zealand from the 1980s onwards including karaoke, manga, Pokemon and sushi. In his view, Japan is a soft power superpower.

People-to-people ties between New Zealand and Japan have also played a major role. Jacinda Ardern herself is a good example she learned Japanese and hosted a Japanese exchange student when she was at school.

From the New Zealand perspective, the last few years have also largely neutralized two main areas of tension trade and whaling. Japans decision to join the CPTPP, which came into force at the end of 2018, resolved major differences over trade. Whaling has also ceased to be the obstacle it once was, after Japan stopped hunting whales in the Southern Ocean in 2018.

But New Zealands relationship with Japan might be about to become a lot more complicated.

Under Abe Shinzo, Japans prime minister from 2012-2020, Japan sought to become a bigger global player. Abes surprise decision to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in 2013 against fierce domestic opposition was one of the first signs of this new engagement. Another came in 2015, when the Japanese parliament voted despite widespread public protests to allow the countrys military to fight overseas, provided certain conditions were met. The move had previously been unthinkable, thanks to Japans war-renouncing pacificist constitution that came into force in 1947. Abe even tried but ultimately failed to change the constitution itself.

Tokyos relationship with Beijing might have been expected to deteriorate as a result of Abes policies. After all, Abe was also the architect of the free and open Indo-Pacific doctrine later enthusiastically adopted by Australia and the United States that can only be understood as a direct challenge to Chinas dominance in the region. But surprisingly, China-Japan relations gradually improved over Abes tenure. Regular high-level exchanges helped to smooth over tensions. Abe made an official visit to China in 2018 and even invited Xi Jinping to Japan for a highly symbolic state visit (though COVID-19 delayed the trip indefinitely, and Abe left office before the visit could be rescheduled).

Essentially, Abe adopted the tightrope approach of keeping both the West and China happy. It is a strategy that New Zealand itself is very familiar with.

But Japan now has a new prime minister and the countrys relations with China are deteriorating. Suga Yoshihide, Japans new leader, lacks the personal rapport that Abe had with Xi and he appears to be charting a more confrontational course.

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Last month, an annual white paper from Japans defense ministry focused on China as its main national security threat. For the first time, it also warned of a crisis over Taiwan. Another overt signal or a very unfortunate gaffe came in June, when Suga angered Beijing by calling Taiwan a country.

Suga has aligned Japan even more closely with the United States recent more hardline position on China.

After a rare joint visit by the U.S secretary of defense and secretary of state to Tokyo in March, a joint statement by the U.S. and Japan explicitly addressed Chinas behavior in no uncertain terms and stressed the United States unwavering commitment to defending Japan. To underline the point, the statement specifically backed Japans claim to the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Also in March, Suga joined the inaugural leaders summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad for short) with his counterparts from Australia, India, and the United States. While Abe himself had revived the Quad, this was the first time a summit had been held at the leader level. It was another highly symbolic challenge to China.

Where do these changes leave New Zealand? Since the CPTPP was signed, the Japanese-New Zealand relationship has been almost too good to be true. But if Tokyo continues to take a firmer line on China and becomes more interested in hard power defense issues, this may make New Zealands own relationship with Japan trickier. The relationship would inevitably end up focusing on much more than just trade and people-to-people ties. Trade might end up being linked or combined with other, more uncomfortable issues.

In this regard, there are early signs that New Zealand is reading the room. At conferences in July, Ardern and Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta both signaled that New Zealand might be interested in a Quad-plus arrangement, alongside Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. It remains to be seen exactly what form any cooperation would take.

Tokyo 2020 is coming to an end. But the real games might be just beginning.

This article was originally published by the Democracy Project, which aims to enhance New Zealand democracy and public life by promoting critical thinking, analysis, debate, and engagement on politics and society.

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New Zealand's Relationship May Be About to Change - The Diplomat

SAN FRANCISCO LeoLabs and the New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA) are working together to develop a cloud-based software platform for monitoring space activity. New Zealands Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment announced the multiyear deal Aug. 5, saying it would lead to the worlds most advanced Space Regulatory and Sustainability Platform.

LeoLabs, a Silicon Valley startup focused on monitoring activity in low Earth orbit, began developing the platform with the NZSA in 2019. In the past two years, LeoLabs and NZSA have moved from a prototype platform that tracks objects in low Earth orbit and ensures satellite operators are fulfilling commitments made when applying for launch licenses to a working model.

Much of LeoLabs business to date has focused on helping satellite operators identify potential collisions and determine how to safely move out of the path of other satellites and space debris.In this new line of business, LeoLabs is helping a government agency fulfill its commitment under the Outer Space Treaty to exercise control over space activities.

We think its a template that can be used around the world, LeoLabs CEO Dan Ceperley told SpaceNews. Every single spacefaring nation has a set of assets they are responsible for and an impact on space sustainability. They need to be informed about what risks they face.

Under the Outer Space Treaty, the launching state is required to license satellites and ensure satellite operators comply with licensing rules.

That does not always happen, though. While nations put significant effort into the licensing process, many do not have the tools to track satellites in orbit or to take action if a satellite diverges from its orbit or fails to de-orbit in the agreed-upon timeframe.

Our partnership withLeoLabshas allowed us to better understand whats in space, which is key to upholding our duties as a launching country and ensuring the responsible use of the space environment, Peter Crabtree, general manager for science, innovation and international in New Zealands Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, said in a statement.

New Zealand has quickly become an important launch state. The country established NZSA in 2016. Two years later, California-based Rocket Lab began conducting commercial launches from a private spaceport on New Zealands Mahia Peninsula. The company has completed 17 commercial orbital launches to date, including the July 29 launch of a U.S. Space Force satellite.

LeoLabs first revealed ties with New Zealand in 2018 when it announced plans to build the Kiwi Space Radar. That S-band radar began tracking objects in low Earth orbit as small as 2 centimeters in diameter in 2019.

The New Zealand Space Agency has stepped to the forefront on space sustainability, Ceperley said. New Zealand is the gateway to space for a lot of innovative companies and theyve always had an environmental-sustainability thread to their national ethos.

The Space Regulatory and Sustainability Platform draws information from LeoLabs network of four phased-array radars to show the location of objects in orbit and highlight potential problems. Following a pilot phase, NZSA has embedded the platform into its space operations to track the position and orbit of individual satellites, view historical orbit records, obtain reports on changes in satellite orbits and receive alerts when a satellite is not complying with its licensing agreement.

Most of the time satellites remain in their intended orbit and the platform provides confirmation, Ceperley said.

When theres some early indication that a satellite is in a different orbit than expected, you have a lot of time to react, Cepereley said. It doesnt have to be an emergency. It can be a discussion. You want the heads up as soon as possible so you can react, whether youre the company or the regulator.

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New Zealand and LeoLabs sign multiyear deal for Space Regulatory platform - SpaceNews

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

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

But, having spent the last year-and-a-half researching New Zealands dairy farming boom for the documentary series Milk and Money, I couldnt help but view their fight through the lens of what had come before.

Yes, its true farmers are facing a lot of regulation, but only after decades of the agricultural sector fighting off incremental regulation. And now the resulting environmental bill has come due.

Over the past 30 years, New Zealand has experienced a massive shift towards intensive dairy farming the practice of keeping large numbers of cows within walking distance of a milking shed, and keeping them fed through the heavy use of inputs such as fertilisers, irrigation and imported feed.

In that time New Zealand has almost doubled the number of dairy cows in the country to 6.3m and increased the use of nitrogen fertiliser by over 600%. As a result, a quarter of our national export revenue now comes from dairy.

This rapid expansion was largely unregulated, and actually partly driven by the government.

In 2001, New Zealands largest dairy company (and largest company in general), Fonterra, was created by the then Labour government bypassing anti-monopoly law and allowing the amalgamation of the two largest dairy companies in the country.

Over the years, the growth of the dairy industry has also been incentivised by successive governments. In 2013, when dairy expansion reached its limits in regions with climates suited to dairy farming, the then National party-led government assisted in funding large-scale irrigation to regions previously considered too dry for dairy farming. Now 60% of all water used in New Zealand is for irrigation.

But alongside aiding that growth, successive governments also attempted to introduce regulation to limit its environmental impacts.

These include impacts on our water, with intensive agriculture degrading our freshwater, contributing to a third of New Zealands rivers deemed unfit to swim in at least part of the year.

It also affects our atmosphere, with our agricultural sector representing nearly half of all of New Zealands emissions. Our dairy cows alone are responsible for a quarter of our national emissions more than our cars.

And it has an impact on our soil, with 84m tonnes of soil eroding off pastures every year.

But, despite growing awareness of these impacts, New Zealands agricultural sector fought almost all forms of regulation, largely successfully.

To use emissions as an example, despite the agricultural sector making up nearly half our emissions, there is currently zero regulation of agricultural emissions in New Zealand. Zero.

An attempt was made in 2003, infamously labelled the Fart Tax. Farmers protested marching a cow and driving a tractor up parliaments steps and the plan was scrapped.

Then the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was introduced in 2008 New Zealands primary tool for controlling emissions by putting a price on their production.

When it was introduced, the agricultural sector successfully lobbied to be exempted from the scheme until 2015. Then in 2013, they successfully lobbied to be indefinitely exempted.

Finally, in 2019, the current Labour government made a plan to include agriculture into the ETS. But that still wont happen until 2025 and even then at a 95% discount.

Despite how long the sector has managed to kick the can down the road, their inclusion in the ETS was still one of the regulations farmers were protesting against in July.

But regulations are now the only option. The sector has failed to balance its own economic goals with environmental limits. And it has now reached a point where the government can no longer delay addressing these issues without risking an ecological collapse.

Farmers are right to be demanding solutions for a more manageable way forward. But they shouldnt be demanding change from the government, but from the agri-business sector itself.

They should be demanding the cultivation of markets and business models that not only allow them to achieve a better balance with nature, but also of their own finances and lifestyle.

New Zealands dairy boom was built on a volume model which required as much milk as possible to be produced. That is what has led farmers to introduce more dairy cows, and required more water, fertiliser and imported feed.

This model is what led us to this imbalance.

The only way forward for the sector economically and environmentally is a business model that allows farmers to work closer to the limits of our land.

The most sustainable, ethical version of agriculture possible is what we need, and then we can expect a premium price for it.

That is something worth protesting over.

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New Zealand farmers have avoided regulation for decades. Now their bill has come due - The Guardian

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

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

In the last election, and for much of the year that followed, Labour had been holding a large enough majority to rule alone highly unusual in New Zealands typically coalition-based, MMP electoral system.

The news of Labours drop also came as New Zealand slipped behind Australia on its vaccine rollout progress: as of 2 August, New Zealand had about 18% of its population fully vaccinated, with about 29% having had a first dose. Previously, Australia had been trailing New Zealand on the fully vaccinated metric partly because AstraZeneca has a longer advised wait-time between doses. But this week, driven by outbreaks in-country, Australia overtook New Zealand: now about 19% are fully vaccinated, and about 41% have had one dose. New Zealands pace puts it as one of the slower vaccine rollouts in the OECD.

Theres only one issue in the country and thats the virus or the absence of the virus and tied up with its absence is the speed and the depth of the vaccine rollout, political analyst and Mori politics writer Morgan Godfery said.

I think its obvious that some people are unhappy with the vaccine rollout failing to hit the high gear, Godfery says. People are quite highly engaged with that and there have been things in the past month or so to criticise But at the same time I think most people understand that the rollout is going to take time and its never been at risk of stalling.

Despite Labours drop, New Zealands left bloc is still extremely strong. While they could not govern alone at the current numbers, Labour would still hold a healthy majority alongside traditional coalition partners the Greens, which rose 1.4 points to 8.5%.

Political commentator Ben Thomas says the polls indicated that there are laws of political gravity, even for Ardern. It shows that being the Covid saviours wont be enough to keep their polling in the stratosphere, as its previously been for the last year or so.

There have been two stretches where Labour has really polled over 50%, Thomas says. That was, I think, immediately following the Christchurch terror attacks and the response to Covid.

Thomas and Godfery reflected that the easing of Arderns popularity also followed the countrys shift from crisis responses to more business-as-usual. Political scientists have written about how, over time, voters expectations of leaders have expanded from the day-to-day work of economic management, providing security and services, to figureheads offering comfort and empathy after disasters: the consoler in chief.

Few play this role as well as Ardern, who tends to be at her best in a time of crisis highly empathic, humane, decisive. One of the roles I never anticipated having, and hoped never to have, is to voice the grief of a nation, she told parliament in the wake of the March attacks. At this time, it has been second only to securing the care of those affected and the safety of everyone.

Her approach to the Covid-19 crisis has been similar. Speaking to the country throughout its lockdowns, she would often begin statements with reflections on the hard work, struggle and sacrifice of New Zealands team of 5 million. Her leadership and disaster management through Covid-19 has been hailed as among the best in the world.

Dr Lara Greaves, University of Auckland lecturer and associate director of the Public Policy Institute, said political scientists certainly would never have expected to see a single-party majority government under MMP.

It was partly because we were in the middle of a crisis, and voters tend to cling to the status quo in a crisis but also because Labour did an excellent job. There is no real way of disputing that, she said. We saw this huge high for Labour and the polls now probably represent that wearing off a little bit.

But as some of those crises fade from front of mind New Zealands last community-transmitted case of Covid was in February longer-term problems come back into focus. In some areas, Labours performance is strong. On Wednesday, new data showed unemployment had dropped to 4%, well under projections, and average hourly wages had risen 4% to $34.76 an hour, keeping ahead of inflation. But on other social issues, Arderns government has struggled to make progress. The housing affordability crisis has continued unabated despite government reforms, mental health statistics have barely budged, despite significant investment, and the vaccine rollout while keeping up with government projections has remained one of the slowest in the OECD.

Labour is still a reasonably popular government, but its not in this all-conquering position that it was previously, Thomas says. Basically, they are susceptible to the reality of politics again.

And even if the drops for Labour hold, Labour currently faces little in the way of threat from its traditional opposition, National, which has been mired in low polling and unpopular leadership. Labours loss was not Nationals gain the partys vote lifted just 1.7%, to 28.7%. The libertarian ACT party saw its vote lift 4.2 points to 11.1% a huge jump for a minor party.

In the preferred-prime-minister stakes, Ardern was still light-years ahead: dropping slightly to 45%, where opposition leader Judith Collins was on a bleak 8.2%.

Godfrey says the drop in support for Labour is significant but the party is still on very safe ground. Jacinda Ardern is still far and away the most popular prime minister in recent memory. Far and away the Labour party is more popular than has been at any point in the last 50 years.

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Arderns popularity stumbles on New Zealands slow road to vaccination - The Guardian

It was a surreal, full-circle moment, Ruby Tui says of playing to an empty stadium at the Tokyo Olympics.

Ten years ago, Tui picked up a pair of second-hand rugby boots with worn-down studs for $20 and played her first game.

Back then, the sidelines were nearly empty. Despite rugby being the national sport of New Zealand and womens teams dominating the international playing field their efforts have been grossly under-recognised and under-supported.

Fast-forward to the Tokyo Olympics womens rugby sevens finals: Covid-19 forced supporters to watch from afar, and the irony was not lost on Tui.

We get to the top-of-the-top and again there were no crowds, it was pretty crack up, she laughs.

The Black Ferns Sevens stormed to their first Olympic gold, beating France 26-12.

Their historic win catapulted the team into the countrys Olympics hall of fame, and Tuis sense of humour and affability fast sealed her place as a contemporary sporting icon.

But the road to get there was not always easy.

The 29-year-old was born in Wellington to a Samoan father, and a mother with Scottish and Irish ancestry. Her parents split up when she was a child, and she spent the next few years moving with her mother from one remote town to another. At age thirteen, Tui, her mother and young brother were forced to flee her mothers partner, and seek safety at a womens refuge in Westport, in the South Island.

Tui does not shy away from telling this part of her life story.

I thought it was just normal for [parents] to fight every day for hours and its not at all. I always talk about it because I think it is important for a kid to know that thats not the rest of their life.

Leaving the relationship meant Tuis mother could put down roots, and for the first time Tui stayed in one school and finished out her high school years, allowing her to throw herself into every sport under the sun.

Tui moved to Christchurch after high school to study, with dreams of becoming a professional netball player for the Silver Ferns. But getting to netball training across the city cost money she did not have.

While contemplating the fate of her netball dreams she saw, out of her student accommodation window, women playing on the rugby field below.

After expressing interest, Tui was invited to play, so she donned her newly acquired boots and joined a team.

It was so welcoming, they were so grateful for anyone to come along, even if you couldnt catch.

Then I found out that in my team there were Black Ferns and I was like holy shit!

I really wanted to do netball, but rugby was so fun and then I went to the Olympics and won gold, she says, with glee.

The womens rugby culture may have drawn her in, but the game itself kept her hooked.

No one is pretending. The whole point is to smash and crash your way over the try line.

When she discovered rugby sevens, she wondered why she had not been doing it her whole life.

I fell in love straight away.

The fundraising requirements to get the womens sevens to matches were demanding at the time, Tui says, but she credits it for helping her stay humble.

She has played in two Olympic finals. At the Rio Games, the team came achingly close to winning gold but missed out and returned home with silver. This years gold medal helped heal that heartbreak.

Its hard to describe that moment. Its not just what you put yourself through, but what you put your loved ones through, and in that moment we felt it all.

A number of Tuis teammates lost family members in the months prior to the games, adding emotional strain to an already gruelling lead-up period.

[Winning] was a positive moment out of so much negative. It was a very emotional moment, but one of the most beautiful emotional moments Ive ever had, because you felt everything in one go.

Tui credits her loved ones for getting the team to gold and wants to thank anyone who has ever turned out to watch womens rugby.

It means so much to us and not just for me, its generational, they are changing not just our lives but the lives of teams to come.

Tui is looking forward to getting out of managed isolation and celebrating her win with her partner Dani Fennessyand her family.

This whole journey is not complete until we get to hug all our family, all our friends and put the gold medal around their neck as well. Thats number one on all of our lists.

Link:

From $20 boots to Olympics rugby gold: New Zealands Ruby Tui on her rise to the top - The Guardian

SportUpdated

7 Aug, 2021 01:00 AM3 minutes to read

NZ Herald Focus Sport's Cheree Kinnear wraps the news from day 15 as Lydia Ko and Ellese Andrews put themselves in contention and Lisa Carrington eyes one last medal. Video / NZ Herald / Sky Sport

All the New Zealand action from the Tokyo Olympics.

Here's all you need to know about today's action (Saturday, 7 August).

Full Kiwi schedule below. Click on a name to see athlete's bio, upcoming events, past Games performance and medal chance.

Lisa Carrington will have one more shot at adding to her historic tally at the Games so far in the K4 500m semi-final and, hopefully, final this afternoon.

While the Kiwi foursome are less of a favourite to take out gold in this event, the team was impressive in their heat yesterday and are relatively well-rested after progressing straight to the semi-finals.

On the golf course, Lydia Ko is currently in a share of the bronze medal position. However, a typhoon is on the way.

Today's final round has been rescheduled to start an hour earlier than normal, with the forecast meant to deteriorate as the day progresses.

Officials have left open the possibility of play on Sunday and there has yet to be clarification of how the bronze medal will be determined if the 54-hole scores do prove final.

If Ko does finish with gold, silver or bronze, she'll become the first woman golfer to win multiple Olympic medals.

Later in the day all eyes will turn once again towards the velodrome where our track cycling stars aim to increase an already record-breaking medal haul.

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Sam Webster and Callum Saunders get underway in the men's keirin while Ellesse Andrews will look to keep herself in the running for a medal in the women's sprint. Finally, the chaotic beast that is the men's madison will round out the evening on the track.

For those night owls out there, Camille Buscomb will contest the lengthy 10,000m final in the National Stadium.

Artistic Swimming (Team free routine)Athletics (Seven finals)Baseball (Gold medal and bronze medal matches)Basketball (Men's medal matches, women's bronze medal match)Beach Volleyball (Men's medal matches)Boxing (Four finals)Canoe Sprint (Four finals)Cycling Track (Men's madison final, women's spring quarter-finals, men's keirin first round)Diving (Men's 10m platform final)Equestrian (Jumping team final)Football (Men's gold medal match)Golf (Women's final round, rescheduled to begin at 9:30am)Handball (Women's semifinals)Hockey (Men's medal matches)Karate (Two finals)Modern Pentathlon (Men's medals decided)Rhythmic Gymnastics (Individual all-around final)Volleyball (Men's medal matches)Water Polo (Women's medal matches)Wrestling (Three finals)

The Herald will have live updates running from 10am, while you can catch all the action on Sky Sport. Every event on Sky can also be watched via streaming on Sky Sport Now or Sky Go.

Athletics (Men's marathon final)Basketball (Women's gold medal match)Boxing (Four finals)Cycling Track (Women's sprint, men's keirin, women's omnium)Handball (Women's medal matches)Rhythmic Gymnastics (Group all-around final)Volleyball (Women's medal matches)Water Polo (Men's medal matches)

The rest is here:

Tokyo Olympics 2020 live updates (August 7): New Zealand athletes and events in action, how to watch in NZ, live streaming - New Zealand Herald

Geronimo, the Kiwi alpaca on death row in the UK. Photo / Change.org

An alpaca from Taumarunui is at the centre of a community groundswell in the UK, as people plead with the government there not to kill Geronimo.

The New Zealand-born alpaca has captured hearts across the UK, and several people have taken to social media asking the government to reconsider the order to put Geronimo down.

However, the ministers involved, and even Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have not wavered and Geronimo is set to die.

The 6-year-old alpaca from New Zealand, now living in Gloucestershire, was sentenced to death by a High Court judge after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) twice.

Geronimo's owner, farmer Helen MacDonald, has made many public pleas for the alpaca's life, assuring that the animal is now healthy.

"Despite all the millions of people asking for fair treatment for Geronimo, it appears Defra [Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs] are still planning to upset the will of the people," she said, quoted by the Daily Mail.

"They have no regards for the evidence and no regards for mine or Geronimo's life."

The farmer has repeatedly pleaded with the Prime Minister and Environment Secretary George Eustice to halt the order to destroy Geronimo.

MacDonald claims the diagnosis of bTB is based on inaccurate testing that led to "false positives" and her beloved alpaca is healthy.

"He came from a farm in New Zealand where there's been no TB since 1994. It's bonkers," the farmer told Sky News.

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"If there was disease present we wouldn't be having this conversation, he would've died years ago. But he's fit and healthy."

MacDonald says it is a "senseless destruction of an innocent animal".

"They have a choice here. They don't have to kill him; they could at least test him first.

"It's a really upsetting situation. I don't want Geronimo's last moments to be of being caught by a man who will put a gun to his head before he's shot, but then I don't want to consent to having him euthanised. That's no choice at all.

The farmer says the government is putting her "through hell".

"Asking me to do that to a healthy animal as a vet who has been saving lives for 30 years is the worst thing they can do to my mental health. They are putting me through hell," she told the TV station.

"I feel frustrated, angry and deceived. There is a complete lack of transparency."

The movement to save Geronimo has grown online, with more than 80,000 people asking Boris Johnson to save the alpaca's life.

Public support for Geronimo's life includes personalities such as Wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham and actress Joanna Lumley.

A petition to save Geronimo has gathered more than 86,000 signatures so far. Across social media, people continue to fight for the Kiwi alpaca's life.

Boris Johnson has responded to pleads via a spokesperson.

"We know how distressing losing animals to TB is for farmers and our sympathies are with Ms Macdonald and everyone with animals affected by this terrible disease," Johnson's spokesperson said.

"The Environment Secretary has looked at this case very carefully, multiple times over the last few years, and has interrogated all the evidence with expert vets alongside the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

"But, sadly, Geronimo has tested positive twice for TB using highly specific, reliable and validated tests."

According to the spokesperson, the UK Government will "continue to do everything that we can" to eradicate bovine TB.

"The test used on Geronimo is highly specific, it is validated, it is reliable and the risk of a false positive is extremely low," the spokesperson added.

"A retest after two consecutive positive test results wouldn't invalidate the previous tests. So, there's no plans for any further tests.'

"We have done these highly accurate tests and we've no plans to change that."

Eustice has also spoken publicly about the matter this week, reaffirming his stance to uphold the High Court judge's decision.

Defra has revealed that the tests have never been trialled for their accuracy in detecting bTB in alpacas but stands by its methods.

It also admitted Geronimo tested negative for bTB four times in New Zealand, before being moved to the UK.

"We are sympathetic to Ms Macdonald's situation - just as we are with everyone with animals affected by this terrible disease," a Defra spokesperson said.

"It is for this reason that the testing results and options for Geronimo have been very carefully considered by Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and its veterinary experts, as well as passing several stages of thorough legal scrutiny.

"Bovine TB causes devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities and that is why we need to do everything we can to reduce the risk of the disease spreading."

The court order to kill Geronimo came into effect on Thursday and Defra now has 30 days to visit Macdonald's farm in south Gloucestershire and put him down.

Read the original:

New Zealand alpaca Geronimo set to die in UK after Boris Johnson refuses pleas to save it - New Zealand Herald

LEE JIN-MAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lisa Carrington has cemented her name in New Zealand Olympic history.

ASSIGNMENT: At lounges andworkplacesalmost everywhere at the moment, people are giving their two cents worth on who they think is New Zealand's greatest-ever Olympian.

The answer is obvious, right? It has to beLisa Carrington afterhergolden runat theTokyo Games, and a career of winning gold medals for fun.

Or is it rowing-great Hamish Bond?

READ MORE:* Lisa Carrington's legacy grows with double gold for NZ at the Tokyo Olympics* Tokyo Olympics: How New Zealand hit rarefied air in the medal table top-10* Tokyo Olympics: Flying Kiwis, world firsts, and unity in a pandemic

But not so fast. What about Dame Valerie Adams? A true champion whose impact has extended much further than just the world of shot put.

Let's not forget the athletes of past, who inspired New Zealand's current generation of winners. Middle-distance runningthree-time gold medallistSir Peter Snell, and kayakerIan Ferguson, who won four, come to mind.

So let's settle the debate.

Who do you think is New Zealand's greatest ever Olympian and why?

What separates their achievements from the rest?

What are your memories of watching them compete?

How have they inspired you in sport, or elsewhere in life?

We're looking for submissions of 300 words or more to be published in Stuff Nation. To share your thoughts and memories, hit the contribute button. Appusers: emailstuffnation@stuff.co.nz

More here:

Tokyo Olympics: Who is New Zealand's greatest ever Olympian? - Stuff.co.nz

Sport

6 Aug, 2021 09:30 AM3 minutes to read

NZ Herald Focus Sport's Cheree Kinnear wraps the news from day 15 as Lydia Ko and Ellese Andrews put themselves in contention and Lisa Carrington eyes one last medal. Video / NZ Herald / Sky Sport

All the New Zealand action from day 14 at the Tokyo Olympics.

Here's all you need to know about today's action (Friday, 6 August).

Lisa Carrington will have one more shot at adding to her historic tally at the Games so far in the K4 500m heats.

She'll be joined by fellow gold medal winner in the K2 500m Caitlin Regal, along with Teneale Hatton and Alicia Hoskin.

While the Kiwi foursome will be less of a favourite to take out gold in this event, if there was one thing we learnt this Olympics is to never doubt a boat that contains the GOAT Lisa Carrington.

On the golf course, Lydia Ko will be looking to take one step closer to another Olympics podium in day three of the women's individual stroke play after staying in the medal hunt in round two.

The Kiwi former world number one had a strong second round but will be ruing two sloppy three-putt bogeys.

She shrugged off a disappointing bogey to start her second day of Olympics action, then went on a tear of six birdies in seven holes to finish her front nine.

However, she was only able to add one more birdie in her back nine, and two bogeys on the final two holes of the day means she sits in a tie for 9th at five-under par at the halfway mark of the competition.

Ko is still in the hunt for a medal, but she'll have plenty of work to do to if she wants to improve on her silver in Rio five years ago, with American world number one Nelly Korda at a stunning 13-under for the tournament, four shots clear of anyone else.

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Meanwhile in the velodrome, Jessie Hodges and Rushlee Buchanan will be hoping to add to New Zealand's two medal surprises in the track cycling last night in the Madison.

Artistic Swimming (Team technical routine)Athletics (Eight finals)Baseball (semifinal)Basketball (Women's semifinals)Beach Volleyball (Women's medal matches)Boxing (Semifinals, final)Canoe Sprint (Heats, quarter-finals)Cycling Track (Women's madison, Men's sprint)Diving (Men's 10m platform preliminary)Equestrian (Jumping team qualifier)Football (Women's gold medal match, men's bronze medal match)Golf (Women's third round)Handball (Women's semifinals)Hockey (Women's gold and bronze matches)Karate (Three finals)Modern Pentathlon (Women's medals decided)Rhythmic Gymnastics (Individual all-around qualification)Sport Climbing (Women's combined, lead final)Table Tennis (Men's team gold and bronze finals)Volleyball (Women's semifinals)Water Polo (Men's semifinals)Wrestling (Three finals)

The Herald will have live updates running from 10am, while you can catch all the action on Sky Sport. Every event on Sky can also be watched via streaming on Sky Sport Now or Sky Go.

Artistic Swimming (Team free routine)Athletics (Seven finals)Baseball (Gold medal and bronze medal matches)Basketball (Men's medal matches, women's bronze medal match)Beach Volleyball (Men's medal matches)Boxing (Four finals)Canoe Sprint (Four finals)Cycling Track (Men's madison)Diving (Men's 10m platform final)Equestrian (Jumping team final)Football (Men's gold medal match)Golf (Women's final round)Handball (Women's semifinals)Hockey (Men's medal matches)Karate (Two finals)Modern Pentathlon (Men's medals decided)Rhythmic Gymnastics (Individual all-around final)Volleyball (Men's medal matches)Water Polo (Wommen's medal matches)Wrestling (Three finals)

Excerpt from:

Tokyo Olympics 2020 live updates (August 6): New Zealand athletes and events in action, how to watch in NZ, live streaming - New Zealand Herald