Daily Archives: September 24, 2021

norman lebrecht

September 24, 2021

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra chief executive Peter Biggs has told a parliamentary select committee that he is aiming to correct the companys gender imbalance and minority quotient.

From his reported comments:

Biggs said the NZSO was working on a new set of values It altered its touring model to deeply engage with diverse communitiesparticularly Mori and rangatahiand reverse its carbon footprint

Biggs said the orchestra was very conscious of the need for gender balance within its staffing, but acknowledged this was a generational issue. He expected a number of players over the coming years to retire. More young women were both coming through as musicians, and being recruited into the player contingent. This was mainly due to many Kiwis returning from overseas, and they were also coming from the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. Biggs also said the orchestra could do better in terms of cultural diversity across its staff.

It had room to improve on representing Aotearoa better, Thompson said. The NZSO was looking at working with Tongan brass bands in south Auckland, and Pacific choirs.

Collaborations were under way with two iwi Ngi Thoe and Ngi Tahuwhich if successful the NZSO hoped to use as models for future work. It was also looking to invest in a director of Mori engagement. Theres a lot of work to be done in this space, he said.

Confession is good for the soul. Contrition is good for state funding.

See original here:

New Zealand is diversifying its orchestra - Slipped Disc

On May 20, 2019, the world changed forever. And you probably didnt even notice. So significant was the change that the US National Institute of Standards and Technology branded it a turning point for humanity.

No, Im not talking about the calamitous Game of Thrones finale. I am talking about the evolution of an often unnoticed international framework. Its called the International System of Units (SI) and it's why one kilogram of milk powder weighs the same in New Zealand as it does in China.

The SI, which is derived from the French metric system, structures how we measure the world around us. This global apparatus underpins, for example, the 20,000 weighing scales in supermarkets around Aotearoa. It ensures each of these scales are precisely calibrated, so you pay for the right measure of chia seeds.

Measurement allows us to describe the mechanisms of life in a purely objective and necessary manner. The concept of a kilogram is unmoved by politics, disinterested in social media chatter a dispassionate, unbending foundational truth.

READ MORE:* Ivermectin is not proven as a treatment for Covid-19* Why do we work five days (and 40 hours) a week?* What would happen if we all stopped talking about house prices?

In New Zealand, an organisation called the Measurement Standards Laboratory (MSL) is the caretaker of not only the kilogram but five other units of measurement, including the metre and the second.

In a fire-resistant safe in its lab in Lower Hutt there are three pieces of metal. They are New Zealands primary kilograms. They are our ludicrously precise gold standards for weight (made out of stainless steel) and they define weight here in Aotearoa. Lets explain how they came to be.

MSL

The three NZ primary kilograms that are kept in double bell jars.

This particular system provides a consistent unified framework for how we measure stuff. Centuries ago, individual towns or groups of people would have taken an idiosyncratic approach to measurements. They might have, lets say, used a piece of metal lodged in the square to define their towns unit of length.

As Dr Peter Saunders of MSL explains in this video, in the Croatian town of Dubrovnik there was a statue called Orlandos Column. In that town, the standard length used by traders was the length of Orlandos forearm. In Bremen in Germany, there was another statue of Orlando. There the standard length was the distance between the knees.

Google

In the Croatian town of Dubrovnik there was a statue called Orlandos Column. In that town, the standard length used by traders was the length of Orlandos forearm.

At one stage in Europe, he says, there were about 27,000 different standards to measure volume.

The SI framework is relatively new, born from the metric system, which emerged from the chaos of the French Revolution. Even so, there was metric system hesitancy at the time. Napoleon abandoned it and according to this BBC piece, the Parisian authorities even once used cops to enforce the thing.

(By the way, the UK has announced plans to let shops, once again, sell items in pounds and ounces.)

But ultimately along came the industrial revolution and with it the absolute necessity to measure properly. Ultimately the Treaty of the Metre was signed by 17 nations in 1875 with New Zealand formally signing up in 1991.

The treaty founded the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), whose headquarters are in France. (The site is actually considered international territory.) This organisation is responsible for keeping measurement consistent across the world.

Its mission is based on seven founding units of measurement including the second, the metre and the kilogram. You can see the full list below.

Its probably a good idea to think of these as primary colours. You can mix and match the seven to create other measures these are called derived units, akin to secondary colours. For example, measures like velocity or concentration are worked out off those base units.

The metric system was designed to be for all times, for all people so it made sense to base it on the world around us. This made for some cool but fairly unsustainable measuring standards.

In the 1790s the metre was defined as one ten millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator (passing through Paris, of course). The kilogram was defined as the mass of a litre of water at 4C.

These measures later manifested in physical artefacts a ruler or bar defined the metre and in 1889, a platinum-iridium cylinder of metal (iridium makes the metal more stable) a touch larger than a golf ball came to be. This was the worlds kilogram the one to rule them all and defined what a kilogram was. Its name: the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK); it also went by the nickname the Big K or Le Grand K.

Supplied

A replica of the prototype of the kilogram in Paris.

Le Grand K sits in controlled conditions in a vault inside the BIPMs headquarters with a handful of official replicas. Copies were distributed around the world, used by member states, including New Zealand, to define what a kilogram is.

But scientists would sometimes still need to fly off to Paris to ensure their equipment and subsequently their own nations primary kilogram was the same as Le Grand K.

Thats right. A single piece of metal defined what everything weighed. But there were problems. Four times since 1989, the worlds kilogram was a fraction off, not matching up with its copies.

What caused this? Well, it could be anything from a dust particle or two landing on the metal, to a minute chemical reaction causing a tiny change.

Yet, despite this, it still technically defined what a kilogram was. It was basically infallible, unquestionable, correct no matter what a kind of metric Emperor with no clothes. This may sound amusing, but it ultimately had all sorts of downstream effects. A kilogram defines other stuff pressure and energy. And if what we thought of as a kilogram was off, so was everything else.

This is far from ideal. Sure, it might not really matter for people buying a kilogram of cheese or coffee, but for pharmaceutical manufacturing, for example, things have to be precise.

All this meant the definition of base measures defined by objects needed to change. In 2018, it was agreed that the seven underlying measurements needed to instead be informed by a series of constants fixed in nature, rather than manufactured physical rulers or weights.

Therefore, the definition of a metre became: the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1/299 792 458 of a second. This is based on the speed of light in a vacuum being exactly 299,792,458 metres per second (m/s). Thats what light does. It doesnt change.

While this may sound much more fiddly and certainly more complicated than a nice ruler, it ensures consistency.

The kilogram is now defined by something called Plancks constant, a number that helps illuminate quantum mechanics a branch of science which informs our understanding of the almost infinitesimally small particles that make up matter basically the building blocks of everything.

The new definition of a kilogram is tough going. If you want to read it below, you can. If you want to skip this sentence, I really would not blame you.

The kilogram is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Planck constant h to be 6.626 070 15 x 10-34 when expressed in the unit J s, which is equal to kg m2 s-1, where the metre and the second are defined in terms of c (the speed of light) and VCs (the caesium frequency).

I know, right ... The key takeaway is the fact the agreed Plancks constant is now 6.62607015 10-34 m2 kg/s. This number alone gives scientists around the world a starting point to build a wholly consistent definition of the kilogram.

There are three primary kilograms in New Zealand, each made of stainless steel and stored in double bell jars. Think of these as close relatives to Le Grand K in Paris.

The primary kilograms are actually rarely handled. Doing so risks corrupting them in some way and subsequently warping the definition of a kilogram. Theyre like the good cutlery, too precious to touch.

Yin Hsien Fung, who is one of the lead scientists in the Mass Quantities team at MSL, told Stuff that he and his team typically work with another set of weights called the working standards. Every two and a half years, scientists take the primary kilograms out and compare the two sets of weights to make sure they match up.

MSL

The fire-resistant cabinet safe where we store all our mass standards. The 3 primary kilograms are on the left side of the second rung.

The primary kilograms also need to be regularly compared to Le Grand K to ensure they are consistent.

So once every five years, another weight, called the Transfer Standard, is sent off to France.

Greg Reid, a MSL laboratory technician, organises the whole trip a kind of travel agent for a very important lump of metal.

He explains: Before sending the transfer standard to Paris, we run the transfer standard through a series of comparisons with the primary kilograms, which took 20 nights of measurements. The transfer standard is then wrapped around with a specially cleaned chamois cloth and tied with coloured strings, before packaging it and sealing it inside an aluminium container, where it will sit during transit.

The transfer standard even has its own passport of sorts, which means it can pass safely into Paris along with a letter telling New Zealand and French customs officers how precious it is and what to do if they need to inspect it.

The letter also states that this is a property of the New Zealand government and the past history and future usefulness of this weight depends on it remaining absolutely clean. It went to Paris last September and returned in November.

One thing we need to be clear on is that the physical artefacts werent tossed out the window in May 2019. Theyre still being used. New Zealand is essentially in a transitional period as it builds a device called the Kibble balance.

The workings of a Kibble balance are complex, based on gravitational and electromagnetic forces, but because the Planck number is constant, it will basically serve up insanely accurate measurements. Its why in several years the travel standard wont need to be jetted off to France.

The end goal is for New Zealand to be able to derive, or realise, the kilogram right here, which offers up much more security, Fung explains.

MSL

The Transfer Standard as it was about to be wrapped around with the chamois cloth before sending it off.

Our three primary kilograms essentially sit at the top of a vast pyramid, defining all that sit below.

They inform other calibration labs. And they, in turn, ensure equipment used by industries across New Zealand is accurate. It all flows downwards from MSL's lab (which is informed by Le Grand K), rippling out across the country all the way to basic weighing scales.

In May 2020, a Wellington student called Te Aomania Te Koha with the support of MSL produced a report exploring Mori measurement before the arrival of European settlers.

The findings of the report (you can read it here) are primarily based on the work of a scholar called Elsdon Best, who wrote that in the 1830s and 1840s Mori used a system based on the length of different parts of the body in construction work. Many cultures, such as the Native Americans and Egyptians, used similar methods.

The report outlines that one person would be selected, usually the chief of that tribe or someone of high status, and their body measurements would be taken and marked onto either a cord or a rod.

The measuring-rod, which was usually for measurements of a more important individual, is referred to as a rauru.

In the table above, there is a single measurement that stands out the Kumi. Te Koha notes in the study: The importance of this should be emphasised because this could be considered the first step towards producing a scientific system of measurement; that is, a table of units in which one unit represents a certain number of a preceding one.

This suggested Mori use of something called the base-10 counting system or decimal system, which is used throughout the world today.

There were limitations to the study, though, because Mori history was oral, passed down, but not necessarily written down, which is why the author made a strong case for further research, which is likely to go ahead.

Excerpt from:

The most important three pieces of metal in New Zealand, explained - Stuff.co.nz

The only thing more predictable than rising house prices is the tenor of stories as monthly data from governments or the real estate sector are reported. Record highs in particular places, predictions of trends from economists. Or, the young couple who managed to get on the housing ladder, but upon reading you realise it was with financial help from parents.

However, behind these articles a much larger housing story has gradually unfolded. An account of huge and growing inequality. How a government policy designed to respond to the global pandemic and the fear of economic recession has not just created significant wealth, but distributed it in such a concentrated way that it will change the nature of Aotearoa New Zealand for generations to come.

Our story starts in January 2020 as fears of the coronavirus began to emerge. The political focus quickly turned to the deteriorating economic outlook and cheap money was pumped into the economy via lower interest rates and quantitative easing. There were warnings at the time from the Reserve Bank to Grant Robertson, the minister of finance, that this policy may increase wealth inequality by raising asset prices. And, when uncertainty was making a mockery of many predictions, that particular advice proved accurate, if more than a little understated.

At the end of January 2020 the median house price in New Zealand was $612,000. By August 2021 it was $850,000. Prices are up 25% in the last 12 months alone. All during a pandemic that disrupted economic activity and confidence. And all consolidated on top of recent record price rises.

The Reserve Bank figures of the total value of the housing stock help translate this gain into a national picture of wealth. In December 2019 the total value of housing stock was $1.188tn. The most recent figures are from March 2021, which reveal that since the pandemic hit the total value of housing stock had increased by $324bn. For the team of 5 million mentioned so frequently in conjunction with Covid-19 this equates to about $65,000 each. But that windfall isnt shared equally among players, and to understand its effect on inequality we need to analyse who owns those assets.

People of European ethnicity are far more likely (58%) to own their own home or hold it in a family trust than Mori (31%) or Pacific (21%) ethnicities. This figure is also influenced by demographics, as the median age of those who identify with European ethnicity is 41, while Mori and Pacific peoples are 25 and 23 respectively. As may be expected, homeownership rates tend to increase with age. For example, around 78% of those between 70 and 74 own their own home, while around 21% of those between 25 and 29 do. People with partners are also much more likely (68%) to own their own home than those without (29%).

Inequality also includes how housing provides capital for future speculative investments. The number of properties held by investors almost tripled between 1986 and 2018 and the proportion of equity in owner occupied housing and land is at an all-time high. The average property value is now 7.9 times the average annual household income, the highest disparity recorded, and more evidence of how wages have very little to do with house prices, which has become more to do with the assets owned and access to finance.

As may be expected, with the financialisation of housing we have also seen an increase in renters. In 1991, 23% of households rented, by 2018 over a third of households didnt own their home. But again, this broad figure masks a significant difference. For example, the proportion of Mori living in rental accommodation increased from 41% to 77% between 1986 and 2013.

While government policy has been valuable in maintaining employment and staving off a recession, an additional boost to landlords is that it also ensures renters have the income to help service the loans on their investment assets. But, as renting households also pay a higher proportion of their income on housing than owner occupiers, and the median rent increased by 8% in the last year alone, they are further away than ever from homeownership.

It should be noted there are regional variations and nuances in this data that are difficult to discuss in a short article. For example, home ownership peaked in the 1990s and since has fallen systematically for all age groups and all ethnicities. But it has fallen much less for some than others. While aspects can be explained by the rise in investor ownership and property held in family trusts, it opens up further questions of who is more likely to speculate on housing or have interests in those trusts.

The pandemic response created national wealth and national debt. But it compounded inequality by giving the former to homeowners, older generations, and housing investors, and sharing the latter amongst everyone. The situation is made all the more remarkable as it happened under a Labour government with a leader who has campaigned on fairness and equity. For the team of 5 million, it is clear some players have been rewarded very differently to others.

This distribution is a particular problem in a country with a legacy of settler colonialism. One of the questions for economic historians is if, hiding behind the masking language of averages, medians, and percentages, we may have quietly witnessed one of the biggest increases in inequality for indigenous populations in generations.

To compound this situation, just before the pandemic hit prime minister Jacinda Ardern ruled out a capital gains tax under her leadership. So, this wealth, and the uneven opportunities and inequalities it brings, is set to become embedded in asset inheritances for decades to come.

So what now for a Labour government who speak frequently about social justice? Housing supply is part of the answer, as are increased rights for renters, but how can you even get close to addressing inequality based on inflated financial assets without reopening a debate on taxes relating to land, wealth, or capital gains?

While we can now begin to piece together the story of how the response to one crisis has helped create another, the key issue is whether this rapidly increasing inequality will become a problem similarly worthy of urgent policy attention.

View post:

New Zealands pandemic housing policy has baked in Mori inequality for generations - The Guardian

3.19pm EDT 15:19

Thats all for todays blog. A match report will appear shortly, as if by magic, and then well be back for the final ODI on Sunday. Goodnight!

3.17pm EDT 15:17

The player of the match is Heather Knight

I was so frustrated with myself when I got out. I wanted to be ruthless and finish the game off, but Im really pleased we got over the line. After a couple of tough games, we needed that.

My conversion rate from 50 to 100 is pretty rubbish. Its been a long time coming so Im really chuffed. We probably let them get a few too many so to chase that down is really pleasing. It wasnt an easy wicket and they bowled well; Hayley Jensen in particular was really hard to get away.

Im surprised [that this is Englands record ODI runchase] it feels like there should be bigger ones. Danni took the pressure off me massively she ran really well, got a few boundaries and it meant I didnt have to take too many risks. Shes certainly thrown her name into the mix.The next game will be our last ODI beforethe Ashes and then the World Cup, so were building nicely.

3.12pm EDT 15:12

Heres Sophie Devine

It was an outstanding game of cricket. Full credit to Heather - she showed what a class player she is and anchored the innings. Well have to lick our wounds but Im really proud of the girls. Weve worked bloody hard and were starting to show glimpses of what we can do - we havent got the results weve wanted but weve pushed the world champs in all four games.

3.09pm EDT 15:09

That was such a fine innings from Heather Knight. She has waited a long time for a second ODI century, over four years, but that was a masterpiece of understated excellence.

3.06pm EDT 15:06

The post-match thoughts of Anya Shrubsole

Me and Soph had a bit of a moment of panic when she was stumped, but then we realised it was a wide! It was an unbelievable innings from Heather - she looked like she was batting on a different pitch to everyone else - and its great to win the series. Heather and the other batters did all the work and I was just there to steal a bit of glory in the last over. Its great to be back and it was nice to get a couple of wickets.

Updated at 3.06pm EDT

3.02pm EDT 15:02

Ive never seen a game finish like that before. Does that count as a wicket if its the final ball of the match? I have no idea, and you are welcome.

Besides, what really matters is that England have taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series. And apparently Ecclestone was not out, because the wide meant the end of the match before the stumping was completed.

3.00pm EDT 15:00

Ecclestone is stumped off a wide, which means England have won!

Updated at 3.02pm EDT

2.59pm EDT 14:59

49.3 overs: England 244-7 (target 245; Shrubsole 6, Ecclestone 0) Shrubsole lifts a single down the ground. The scores are level.

2.59pm EDT 14:59

49.2 overs: England 243-7 (target 245; Shrubsole 5, Ecclestone 0) A dot ball. England need two from four.

2.58pm EDT 14:58

49.1 overs: England 243-7 (target 245; Shrubsole 5, Ecclestone 0) Shrubsole lifts the first ball up and over mid-off for four!

Updated at 2.59pm EDT

2.56pm EDT 14:56

Oh my goodness. Now Wyatt has gone, trapped in front by a superb off-cutter from Devine! She reviewed, a decision whose motivation was approximately 100 per cent hope and 0 per cent expectation. Replays confirmed it was plumb. England need six from six balls!

Updated at 2.56pm EDT

2.54pm EDT 14:54

48.4 overs: England 238-6 (target 245; Wyatt 27, Shrubsole 0) Make that 7 from 8 balls...

2.50pm EDT 14:50

Its not over yet! Knight chips Devine to deep midwicket, where Halliday takes a quite brilliant low catch. Knight goes for a high-class 101, and England need 8 from 10 balls.

Updated at 2.51pm EDT

2.48pm EDT 14:48

48th over: England 236-5 (target 245; Knight 101, Wyatt 25) Hayley Jensen keeps New Zealand in the game, just about, with a thrifty final over. England need 9 from 12 balls.

2.45pm EDT 14:45

47th over: England 233-5 (target 245; Knight 100, Wyatt 23) Knight goes from 96 to 100 - a wonderful hundred - with consecutive twos. Both were extremely tight, and she had to scramble desperately the second time, but she made it! When she got to her feet she flicked her helmet off to acknowledge a standing ovation, richly deserved for a near flawless innings: 103 balls, 10 fours, and an imminent series victory.

Updated at 2.58pm EDT

2.39pm EDT 14:39

46th over: England 227-5 (target 245; Knight 95, Wyatt 22) Sophie Devine tries one last gamble, bringing Leigh Kasperek back into the attack. It was her expensive two-over spell that really got Englands runchase going. This time she is milked for six, which is more than enough for England - they need 18 from 24 balls.

2.36pm EDT 14:36

45th over: England 221-5 (target 245; Knight 91, Wyatt 20) Wyatt is dropped off Jensen, a very tough chance to Martin standing up to the stumps. The game - and the series - are slipping away from New Zealand. Knight, who has played immaculately, skims a drive for two to move into the nineties.

2.33pm EDT 14:33

44th over: England 216-5 (target 245; Knight 88, Wyatt 18) Wyatt pings Rowe high over midwicket and all the way for six, the first of the innings. And Knight makes it a brilliant, potentially matchwinning over for England by clipping wide of midwicket for four. Rowe ends a terrific spell on a bit of a low, but still with outstanding figures of 10-0-47-4.

2.29pm EDT 14:29

43rd over: England 203-5 (target 245; Knight 83, Wyatt 10) Knights innings has been a masterclass in shot selection, placement and especially risk management. She has 83 from 89 balls yet I can barely recall a big stroke. Five singles from Devines over, which means England need 42 from 42 balls.

2.26pm EDT 14:26

42nd over: England 198-5 (target 245; Knight 81, Wyatt 7) A stunning shot from Knight. She walks down the track to Rowe and bisects mid-on and midwicket with an emphatic clip. That turns a modest over (three from five balls) into another good one for England.

2.21pm EDT 14:21

41st over: England 191-5 (target 245; Knight 76, Wyatt 5) Wyatt edges Kerr onto the thigh of Martin, standing up to the stumps. Technically thats a chance but it would have been a mircaulous catch. Six from the over, including a crisp cut for four by Wyatt.

2.18pm EDT 14:18

40th over: England 185-5 (target 245; Knight 75, Wyatt 0) That was the last ball of the over. Until then it had been a good one for England, with Knight hammering a sweep for four, but Dunkleys dismissal has changed the mood of the runchase once again. England need 60 from 60 balls.

2.17pm EDT 14:17

Sophia Dunkley goes for a duck, playing outside the line of a good delivery from Satterthwaite.

2.14pm EDT 14:14

39th over: England 177-4 (target 245; Knight 68, Dunkley 0) Knight clips Kerr through Satterthwaite at midwicket and away for four. Im not sure what happened there, whether she misjudged the flight of the ball or was just unsighted. It looked like a chance, albeit a tricky one at ankle height.

Updated at 2.14pm EDT

2.09pm EDT 14:09

38th over: England 172-4 (target 245; Knight 63, Dunkley 0) That wicket gives Rowe career-best figures of four for 27. And she still has two overs left, so theres every chance of a maiden five-for.

2.07pm EDT 14:07

Amy Jones has thrown it away. The ball after bringing up the hundred partnership, she had a needless slog at Rowe and spooned the ball high to mid-on.

2.04pm EDT 14:04

37th over: England 169-3 (target 245; Knight 62, Jones 38) Jones, who suddenly looks a little nervous, is beaten outside off stump by Jensen. Three from the over, which is okay for England: they need 76 from 78 balls.

2.01pm EDT 14:01

36th over: England 166-3 (target 245; Knight 62, Jones 35) Hannah Rowe, who has taken all three wickets, also returns to the attack. Jones skids back to cut towards the point boundary, where the sliding Halliday saves a couple of runs, and then gets away with a loose stroke that lands between mid-off and mid-on.

Updated at 2.01pm EDT

1.58pm EDT 13:58

35th over: England 161-3 (target 245; Knight 60, Jones 32) Hayley Jensen returns, with New Zealand in urgent need of a wicket. She cant manage that but she does slow England down by conceding only a couple of singles.

1.54pm EDT 13:54

34th over: England 159-3 (target 245; Knight 58, Jones 32) Heather Knight is batting majestically. She reverse sweeps Satterthwaite for another boundary, her sixth of the innings, and then flicks a single to keep the strike. She has 58 from 64 balls, Jones 32 from 50.

1.52pm EDT 13:52

33rd over: England 153-3 (target 245; Knight 53, Jones 31) A high full toss from Devine leads to a free hit for Knight, who hoicks it round the corner for four. Another boundary next ball, steered deftly wide of the keeper Martin, brings up an excellent, clear-headed fifty from only 58 balls. An eventful over concludes with a run-out referral against the non-striker Jones, who was safely home.

1.44pm EDT 13:44

32nd over: England 138-3 (target 245; Knight 42, Jones 29) England continue to deal primarily in low-risk singles - four from Satterthwaites over, and thats drinks.

1.41pm EDT 13:41

31st over: England 134-3 (target 245; Knight 40, Jones 27) A quiet over from Devine, three from it. Were approaching the business end: England need 111 from 114 balls.

1.39pm EDT 13:39

30th over: England 131-3 (target 245; Knight 38, Jones 26) Knight walks down the track to chip Satterthwaite over midwicket for four. That was a lovely stroke, beautifully timed and placed. After a bit of a slump between the 10th and 20th overs, England have scored 51 from the last nine.

1.35pm EDT 13:35

29th over: England 124-3 (target 245; Knight 32, Jones 25) Sophie Devine brings herself back into the attack. Her opposite number, the England captain Knight, flicks a couple through midwicket to bring up an increasingly dominant fifty partnership. Jones almost falls later in the over, mistiming a drive just wide of extra cover. England need 121 from 126 balls.

1.33pm EDT 13:33

28th over: England 118-3 (target 245; Knight 28, Jones 24) An escape for Heather Knight, whose top-edged sweep lands between two fielders on the leg side. New Zealand really need a wicket, and thats the closest theyve come in this partnership.

Updated at 1.33pm EDT

1.29pm EDT 13:29

27th over: England 114-3 (target 245; Knight 26, Jones 22)

Updated at 1.36pm EDT

1.26pm EDT 13:26

26th over: England 111-3 (target 245; Knight 25, Jones 20) Kasperek is taking out of the attack after those two expensive overs. On comes another offspinner, Amy Satterthwaite, and England are happy to take five low-risk singles. They need 134 from 144 balls.

1.23pm EDT 13:23

25th over: England 106-3 (target 245; Knight 23, Jones 17) A half volley from Kerr is driven gracefully through mid-off for four by Jones. This is a good spell for England, with 26 runs coming from the last four overs.

1.18pm EDT 13:18

24th over: England 100-3 (target 245; Knight 22, Jones 11) A full toss from Kasperek is reverse-lapped for a couple by Knight, who has been much more proactive against spin. Kaspereks first two overs have gone for 18.

1.15pm EDT 13:15

23rd over: England 92-3 (target 245; Knight 16, Jones 11) A double bowling change, with Jess Kerr returning to the attack. A good over - just two from it - ends with Jones missing a drive outside off stump.

See the rest here:

England chase down 245 to beat New Zealand in fourth womens ODI as it happened - The Guardian

Air New Zealand will require more than half of its full-time staff to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

In an email sent out on Thursday evening, chief people officer Nikki Dines said about 4000 of Air NZs 7840 full-time employees would be required to vaccinate under the new mandate.

Air NZ proposed expanding its mandatory vaccination policy to all staff who interacted with customers and baggage at the start of the month.

Chief executive Greg Foran said the company did not take the decision lightly.

READ MORE:* Covid-19: Employees' vaccination status set to pit human rights against workplace safety* Vaccines are a legal minefield for employers* Air NZ proposes making Covid-19 vaccination compulsory for 4000 staff

Our people have been on the frontline through the pandemic, helping Kiwis get home and keeping goods moving and, as a result, have a greater risk of coming into contact with Covid-19, Foran said.

Foran said that the emergence of the Delta variant had made previous health and safety protocols less effective.

Extensive PPE, isolation and testing have helped protect our people, but we need another layer of protection which the Covid-19 vaccines provide, Foran said.

Martin De Ruyter/Stuff

About half of the 7840 full-time staff at Air NZ will be required to be vaccinated under new company policy.

Foran said that, before the announcement, Air NZ recieved substantive feedback from staff, but ultimately the only option was mandatory vaccination for the bulk of its staff.

In making this decision we have balanced the need to move swiftly to address the increased safety risks created by Delta with the need to thoroughly understand the perspectives of our employees and the unions. We dont underestimate the impact this decision will have on our people, Foran said.

Further information as to which particular Air NZ workgroups would be affected by the decision is expected to be announced on Monday.

Supplied

Air NZ chief executive Greg Foran says the decision was not taken lightly.

E t unions head of aviation, Savage, said the union supported vaccination, but believed the process could have been handled better by the airline.

We felt the process was being rushed unnecessarily, and the timelines were too tight for a company as large and diverse as Air New Zealand, Savage said.

Savage said that the best way for employers to keep their workers safe from harm was to ensure members had access to sound information, and had a voice in decision-making, Savage said.

However, by mid-November, we are hopeful that 90 per cent of all those eligible for vaccination will have received at least their first dose, and that this will lessen the need for internal risk controls at Air New Zealand, Savage said.

More than 80 per cent of all E t members at Air New Zealand are already vaccinated, and the union said that worker support for vaccination is increasing.

The move for mandatory vaccination from Air NZ comes at a time when businesses across the country are being forced to consider the role of mandatory vaccination and workplace safety.

Epidemiologist professor Michael Baker said the mandate to vaccinate in businesses would continue to spread.

The force of vaccine requirements is further than just New Zealand, its a global phenomenon as its going to determine entry into other countries, its going to be a driving factor as to what we can do, Baker said.

Earlier this week an Auckland construction site asked subcontractors who could not provide proof of vaccination to not attend their work sites.

The move prompted unions and industry safety groups to urge companies to be careful when polices around mandatory vaccination.

Under current legislation, vaccinations are not mandatory and employees cannot be dismissed for refusing them.

However the case is different within border organisations, which are subject to the Covid-19 Public Health Response Order requiring frontline workers to be vaccinated.

Some border workers have been fired for refusing to be vaccinated, with one port worker lodging a legal challenge against her dismissal which was dismissed by the Employment Relations Authority.

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Air NZ announces mandatory vaccination for more than 50 per cent of staff - Stuff.co.nz

Aucklands move to alert level 3 has also triggered speculation about whether the national COVID-19 elimination strategy has failed or is even being abandoned. While the government denies it, others clearly believe it is at least a possibility.

The uncertainty is troubling. If elimination fails or is abandoned, it would suggest we have not learnt the lessons of history, particularly when it comes to our more vulnerable populations.

In 1918, the mortality rate among Mori from the influenza pandemic was eight times that of Europeans. The avoidable introduction of influenza to Samoa from Aotearoa resulted in the deaths of about 22% of the population.

Similar observations were seen in subsequent influenza outbreaks in Aotearoa in 1957 and 2009 for both Mori and Pasifika people. These trends are well known and documented.

And yet, despite concerns we could see the same thing happen again, there have been repeated claims that an elimination strategy cannot succeed. Some business owners, politicians and media commentators have called for a change in approach that would see Aotearoa learn to live with the virus.

Read more: New Zealand government takes a calculated risk to relax Auckland's lockdown while new cases continue to appear

This is premature and likely to expose vulnerable members of our communities to the disease. Abandoning the elimination strategy while vaccine coverage rates remain low among the most vulnerable people would be reckless and irresponsible. In short, more Mori and Pasifika people would die.

Far better will be to stick to the original plan that has served the country well, lift vaccination coverage rates with more urgency, and revise the strategy when vaccination rates among Mori and Pasifika people are as high as possible no less than 90%.

After 18 months of dealing with the pandemic, its important to remember that Aotearoas response has been based on sound science and strong political leadership. The elimination strategy has proved effective at home and been admired internationally.

Of course, it has come with a price. In particular, the restrictions have had a major impact on small businesses and personal incomes, student life and learning, and well-being in general. Many families have needed additional food parcels and social support, and there are reports of an increasing incidence of family harm.

The latest Delta outbreak has also seen the longest level 4 lockdown in Auckland, with at least two further weeks at level 3, and there is no doubt many people are struggling to cope with the restrictions. The long tail of infections will test everyone further.

Read more: The real challenge to COVID-19 vaccination rates isnt hesitancy its equal access for Mori and Pacific people

There is no easy way to protect the most vulnerable people from the life-threatening risk of COVID-19, and the likely impact on the public health system if it were to get out of control. The alternative, however, is worse.

We know Mori and Pasifika people are most at risk of infection from COVID-19, of being hospitalised and of dying from the disease. Various studies have confirmed this, but we also must acknowledge why entrenched socioeconomic disadvantage, overcrowded housing and higher prevalence of underlying health conditions.

More than 50% of all new cases in the current outbreak are among Pasifika people and the number of new cases among Mori is increasing. If and when the pandemic is over, the implications of these socioeconomic factors must be part of any review of the pandemic strategy.

Furthermore, the national vaccination rollout has again shown up the chronic entrenched inequities in the health system. While the rollout is finally gaining momentum, with more and better options offered by and for Mori and Pasifika people, their comparative vaccination rates have lagged significantly.

Community leaders and health professionals have long called for Mori and Pasifika vaccination to be prioritised. But the official rhetoric has not been matched by the reality, as evidenced by our most at-risk communities still having the lowest vaccination coverage rates in the country.

Te Rp Whakakaupapa Urut (the National Mori Pandemic Group) and the Pasifika Medical Association have repeatedly called for their communities to be empowered and resourced to own, lead and deliver vaccination rollouts in ways that work for their communities.

Read more: Research shows Mori are more likely to die from COVID-19 than other New Zealanders

Te Rp Whakakaupapa Urut have also said Auckland should have remained at level 4, with the border extended to include the areas of concern in the Waikato.

As has been pointed out by those closest to those communities, however, their advice has consistently not been heeded. The resulting delays only risk increasing the need for the kinds of lockdowns and restrictions everyone must endure until vaccination rates are higher.

There is a reason we do not hear many voices in Mori and Pasifika communities asking for an end to elimination. Left unchecked, COVID-19 disproportionately affects minority communities and the most vulnerable. Living with the virus effectively means some people dying with it. We know who many of them would be.

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New Zealand cannot abandon its COVID elimination strategy while Mori and Pasifika vaccination rates are too low - The Conversation AU

The New Zealand Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site has installed a moving facade, which replicates the sound of a river to signify the building itself is alive.

The 2,000-square-metre structure takes inspiration from the Whanganui River, which was legally recognised as a living entity in 2017 after decades of negotiations between the Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi tribe and the New Zealand government.

Just like a river, the facade ripples with an audible pulse, occasionally booming.

It not only expresses our interconnectedness, but also the idea that we are indivisible from the natural world

Matt Glubb, Jasmax architects

The pavilion's theme is Care for People and Place, which is based on the Maori aboriginal ethos that humans and nature are inextricably linked.

By entering the pavilion, the visitor will reconnect to the Mauri, or life principle, inherent in natures order, organisers said.

Every element of the pavilion is interconnected; from the immersive visitor experience and storytelling rooms inside the pavilion, to the pulse, which starts in our river room and ripples all the way to the exterior facade, said Clayton Kimpton, New Zealands commissioner general to Expo 2020 Dubai.

This is the life force of our story - a story of a nation of innovators who 'Care for People and Place'," he said.

The facade took 22 days to install and is 25 metres high, but only weighs 85 kilograms. Made from a unique mesh known as Kaynemaile, it took six years for the team to create, and refracts heat from the sun.

The lead designer of the material was Kayne Horsham, who previously worked for the design crew of the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, as art director for creatures, weapons and armour.

Kaynemaile is effectively bringing to life the exterior of the New Zealand pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, adding a unique look and feel that draws visitors in with its beautiful and complex 3D design, said Mr Horsham.

Significantly for the Middle East, the mesh also radically reduces the radiant heat transfer from direct sunlight to internal environments by up to 70 per cent, thereby reducing pressure on installed cooling systems.

Matte Glubb, the Kiwi architect behind the pavilion said the moving effect on the facade ties the whole project together.

It not only expresses our interconnectedness, but also the idea that we are indivisible from the natural world, through its pulsating movement that extends from the centre of the building all the way to the exterior of the facade making the building appear alive, said Mr Glubb, principal architect at Jasmax.

Updated: September 23rd 2021, 12:35 PM

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New Zealand Expo 2020 pavilion designed as a 'living building' - The National

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that the device used to send a threat to the New Zealand cricket team belonged to India.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the minister said that the entire situation started due to a fake post by someone claiming to be Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant Ehsanullah Ehsan.

Fawad said that in August, a fake post was created under Ehsan's name which told the New Zealand cricket board and government to refrain from sending the team to Pakistan as it would be "targeted".

He said that following this post, the bureau chief of The Sunday Guardian, Abhinandan Mishra, published an article claiming that the team may face a terror threat in Pakistan citing the fake post by Ehsan.

According to its website, The Sunday Guardian was founded by politician MJ Akbar, who served as the minister for external affairs in the Modi-led BJP government till 2018.

"Interestingly, [Mishra] has strong links with [former Afghanistan vice president] Amrullah Saleh," he said.

He said that on August 24, New Zealand opener Martin Guptill's wife received an email threatening her husband from ID with the username "Tehreek-i-Labbaik".

"When we investigated further, we discovered some facts. Firstly, this email is not affiliated with any social media network [...] and only one email has been generated from this account," he said.

The minister added that the email was sent via ProtonMail, a secure service. "The details [of the email] are not available and we have requested Interpol to assist us and tell us how it was generated."

Despite these events, the New Zealand cricket team did not cancel the tour at this point and travelled to Pakistan. "As the interior minister said, the security we provided outnumbered the number of people in their forces," he said.

Fawad said that once the Black Caps arrived, the interior ministry issued a detailed protocol programme for them and the teams began focusing on the practice sessions. The New Zealand team participated in the practice sessions "without any issues," he said.

However, on the day of the first match New Zealand officials said that their government had concerns of a credible threat and cancelled the tour, he said.

"Pakistan Cricket Board officials, the interior ministry security team, everyone went to them and asked them to share the threat ... [but] they were as clueless as us."

He said that a day later, a second threatening email was sent to the New Zealand team using the ID, Hamza Afridi.

He said that when authorities probed the email, they discovered that it was sent from a device associated with India. "It was sent using a virtual private network (VPN) so the location was shown as Singapore."

He said that the same device had 13 other IDs, nearly all of which were Indian names. "All IDs were made using the names of Indian actors and celebrities. Only the name Hamza Afridi is different to show that this email was generated from Pakistan.

"His name was used deliberately to show that a terrorist threat is present in Pakistan."

He said that the user of the particular device had been identified as Omprakash Mishra from Maharashtra. "The device used to send the threat to the New Zealand team belonged to India. A fake ID was used but it was sent from Maharashtra."

The minister added that the interior ministry had registered a case and had requested Interpol for assistance and information on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik ProtonMail and the ID of Hamza Afridi.

"This whole threat was primarily generated from India."

He said that the West Indies team was travelling to Pakistan in December. "A threat has already been issued to the team," he said, adding that this was also issued via a ProtonMail account.

"This is unfortunate. We believe this is a campaign against international cricket. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and other bodies must take notice," he said, adding that it was apparent that a fake threat was created by India to cancel the New Zealand tour.

He also called on the New Zealand government to share the specifics of the threat they had received. He said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi who is currently in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly had also lodged a strong protest with New Zealand.

"We hope that they will share their stance."

Commenting on England's decision to follow in the footsteps of the Kiwis, Fawad said that British High Commissioner Christian Turner had made it clear that the United Kingdom government's advisory for Pakistan was not being changed.

"So if the government has no reservations, who is the English Cricket Board [to cancel the tour]? To claim that players are tired is a shoddy excuse," he said.

He added that he had asked Pakistan Television to evaluate the financial losses it had suffered. "We are working on this and if our legal team permits, we will sue the ECB," he said.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that if anyone thought Pakistan would be isolated from NZ's tour cancellation, "they are bereft of reason".

"We can not be isolated and the day of the New Zealand [tour cancellation], I said that England's team would not come as well," the interior minister said.

"Cricket is our passion but disappointment is [equivalent] to disbelief. A day will come when the teams of the world will come to Pakistan," Rashid said.

He said the entire situation had been "blown up" and had told the information minister earlier that the matter should now be closed, adding that "we have other big problems [to focus on]."

Rashid claimed that "India frees many people from prison on bail and then trains them. It is not desisting from [promoting] terrorism in Pakistan."

Recounting Pakistan's sacrifices, he said the country had thwarted terrorism before as well. "Peace is our stance and it will be established in the country."

He said Pakistan had played a "historic role" and had evacuated over 10,000 people from Afghanistan including Nato forces, IMF and World Bank personnel and Americans.

"India has been disappointed that Pakistan couldn't be made a scapegoat and it's thinking that there would be civil war [in Afghanistan] and so much killing and slaughter that there would be a rush of refugees here not a single refugee has come."

He said the Torkham and Chaman borders were functioning normally and more people were going to Afghanistan from Pakistan than those coming here.

"Everything is peaceful. This is all a drama and the gloved hands behind this drama will be unsuccessful.

"Pakistan is a great nation and has great security agencies and army. There is an elected government and no one can isolate us. We will move forward," the interior minister stressed.

Continued here:

Device used to send threat to New Zealand team belonged to India: Fawad - DAWN.com

SUPPLIED

Catherine McGrath, Westpac's new chief executive.

Westpac has named Kiwi Catherine McGrath as its next New Zealand chief executive.

The Australian-owned bank said McGrath would take over the role from acting chief executive Simon Power.

Power was appointed acting chief executive following the retirement of David McLean, who had headed the bank since June 2014.

McGraths last position was with Barclays Bank in the United Kingdom, where she had worked since 2013, before returning home to New Zealand recently.

READ MORE:* Here to stay: Westpac won't sell its New Zealand business* Westpac reports $964 million profit as boss pockets $2m* Westpac posts A$4 billion profit for first six months, NZ profit up 2%

Westpac Group chief executive Peter King said: Catherine is an experienced and well-respected financial services leader.

He said McGrath's banking career started at the Bank of New Zealand.

Since then, she has driven large-scale transformations at some of the worlds best-known banks, including Barclays Group and Lloyds TSB in the UK, he said.

RNZ

Westpac NZ has focused strongly on gender equality, but still has a significant gender pay gap, RNZ's podcast The Detail reports. (First published in October 2019)

Barclays was heavily criticised after the global financial crisis, as well as for its part in the illegal manipulation of interest rates, both of which occurred before McGrath was with the bank.

In 2013 an independent report commissioned by Barclays board concluded the bank had become so aggressive that it had put profit before customers.

In New Zealand Westpac is among the banks that has faced criticism from the Financial Markets Authority and the Reserve Bank.

Banks here had underinvested in systems, the regulators concluded, and part of McGraths brief will be to improve the banks digital banking systems.

In our recent portfolio review of the business, we identified ways to improve service for customers, including improving our digital capabilities, an area in which Catherine has considerable management expertise, King said.

Westpac has had recent run-ins with New Zealand regulators.

In August the bank was warned for weaknesses in its anti-money laundering systems by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Te Ptea Matau.

In March, the bank was ordered by the Reserve Bank to pay for two independent reports into its risk governance processes.

Getty Images

Westpac has coped well during the Covid pandemic, and extended the loans of households who hit financial hardship.

The Reserve Bank, which is tasked with ensuring the stability of the financial system, said the Australian-owned bank needed to take a close look at its risk governance practices.

We have experienced ongoing compliance issues with Westpac NZ over recent years, most recently involving material failures to report liquidity correctly, in line with the Reserve Banks liquidity requirements, deputy governor Geoff Bascand said.

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Westpac names Catherine McGrath as its New Zealand chief executive - Stuff.co.nz

The location for the next America's Cup is yet to be revealed. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Mark Dunphy has not given up on keeping the next America's Cup in Auckland, despite Team New Zealand cutting ties with the Kiwi rich-lister over what it claims were "devious" attempts to ensure a home defence in 2024.

Dunphy, the chairman of Greymouth Petroleum and the man behind the Kiwi Home Defence campaign, has hit back at comments from Team NZ boss Grant Dalton suggesting the multi-millionaire former investment banker plotted court action against the UK's Royal Yacht Squadron - the Challenger of Record for the next regatta.

Dunphy has proposed a private funding plan for the 37th America's Cup - including $20 million of his own money - to have the next regatta on New Zealand waters. He has denied Dalton's claims, saying yesterday he remains committed to "securing a successful defence" in Auckland.

"We remain surprised at the level of hostility displayed by Team New Zealand in the last few weeks against a group of patriotic New Zealanders with the best intentions," Dunphy said in a statement.

"We are perplexed at their lack of willingness to engage positively with Kiwi Home Defence and their preference for repeatedly dismissing our offers of funding assistance.

"We are buoyed by the messages of support we have received in recent days from many members of the public who are keen to see the Cup defended in Auckland.

"An America's Cup defence on the Waitemat Harbour in March 2024 will be a brilliant coming-out party for New Zealand following the challenges of lockdowns and closed borders caused by the pandemic. It will also help achieve a return on the big investment New Zealanders and Aucklanders have already made in the infrastructure needed to run the America's Cup here."

In a scathing attack on Wednesday night, Dalton claimed to be in possession of a "damning" email - allegedly sent to the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) by Dr Hamish Ross on August 26 - with Dunphy copied in.

Ross previously worked as legal counsel with Alinghi during their 2003, 2007 and 2010 campaigns.

Quoting the email, Team NZ said it outlined the "intentional lobbying of the NYYC to take legal action in the New York Supreme Court against the Challenger of Record [the Royal Yacht Squadron] with a purpose of intentionally disrupting the venue selection process".

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While Dunphy acknowledges the existence of the email, he denies instructing Ross to send it.

"As part of his due diligence about the possibilities of raising funds to host the Cup Defence in Auckland, Mr Dunphy has talked to members of the New York Yacht Club about their attitude to Auckland being the venue for the 2024 defence. He has been transparent about this throughout," the statement said.

Dalton has previously claimed that to put on a credible defence of the Cup it needs to be held overseas. He last week delayed announcing the venue for 2024, saying the process had thrown up "three compelling and professional international proposals" - reportedly Cork (Ireland), Barcelona (Spain) and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking on Thursday, he called Dunphy's efforts a "massive waste of time".

"The opposition offshore will be looking and hearing and just laughing at the time we've had to spend dealing with this. We've got three credible bids.

"Can I say that this is the end of Mark Dunphy but it's not the end of Auckland. It never will be the end of Auckland until it is, effectively. All we are wanting to do is put up a team and a defence that can win the Cup. My sole purpose in life is to retain the Cup in New Zealand, even if that means it must be sailed outside New Zealand to do it."

In response, Dunphy insisted the Kiwi Home Defence "will continue to actively raise funds in support of an America's Cup defence in Auckland in the coming days".

"We believe the defence both can and should be held in Auckland, and that sufficient funding is available from devoted and loyal Team New Zealand supporters, with help from the Government and Auckland Council, to fund both the team and the event.

"We remain ready for face-to-face discussions with the Squadron and TNZ Squadron whenever they are."

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America's Cup: Mark Dunphy disputes Team New Zealand's claims; remains committed to funding bid - New Zealand Herald