Daily Archives: March 13, 2022

After leaving the EU, the UK government set out an ambitious plan to agree trade deals with a large number of countries.

The deal with New Zealand, which was signed last month, is the second of the new agreements. As it happens, the deal was concluded on the same day that the IPCC released its most recent report, with further stark warnings about the negative impacts of climate change.

We know that we need all the tools in the box to prevent the worst of global warming, and trade rules have significant impacts in key areas like energy and agriculture, so how does this deal measure up to the climate test?

New Zealand isnt an obvious first choice as a trade partner: it ranks 55th in the list of countries the UK does trade with, with a relatively small economy and low tariffs, and, frankly, its very far away. In fact, the economic benefit to the UK from the New Zealand deal will be negligible.

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One scenario modelled in the impact assessment predicted the deal could in fact cause the UKs economy to contract by 0.01%. The assessment released with the final text, in which the government decided to use a different modelling specification to calculate the impact, predicts an increase of 0.03% to GDP over the next 10-15 years, and thats based on what some commentators have called an exaggerated economic forecast. By comparison, the latest estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility predict Brexit will reduce UK GDP by 4%.

So why did the UK pick New Zealand as a priority? This question would be far easier to answer if the UK had published a trade strategy, which it hasn't.

However, it is clear that the deal is driven in no small part by New Zealands membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade agreement between 11 countries around the Pacific Rim. The UK applied to join the agreement last year, as part of its Indo-Pacific tilt, unveiled in the Foreign Office integrated review, Global Britain in a Competitive Age. The deal with New Zealand is therefore more important as a stepping stone towards these broader aims than it is as a source of trade benefits.

So what visible difference will the deal make to those living in the UK? One outcome of trade deals is a reduction in tariffs which can lead to reduced prices for consumer goods. This is probably the most tangible effect the trade deal will have. A substantial proportion of UK imports from New Zealand come from the food and drink sector, so UK consumers could stand to benefit from cheaper Kiwi goods.

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The UK's trade deal with New Zealand is a baby step. We need a giant leap - Open Democracy

A train in Wellington station. (Wikipedia)

The Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) in New Zealand, and the private companies which it contracts for bus and train services, are refusing to implement safety measures that are urgently needed to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Stuff reported on March 11 that over 190 Wellington public transport bus, train and harbour ferry workers had been infected in the past week. There are five main public transport companies contracted by the council: NZ Bus, Tranzit, Uzabus, Mana Coach Services and rail operator Transdev.

About 400 public transport workers in Auckland were off work because of COVID, the New Zealand Herald reported yesterday. About 15 percent of services in NZs biggest city were cancelled as a result.

The rapid spread of the virus is also impacting on travel between the North and South Islands. The Interislander ferry cancelled two passenger services on March 6, affecting over 900 passengers, after 55 workers tested positive and began self-isolating. Some passengers who were waiting to board were forced to sleep in their cars. The competing Bluebridge ferry also had positive cases, but no services were cancelled.

During the temporary lockdowns imposed by the Labour Party-led government in 2020 and 2021, public transport workers worked on a reduced timetable, with safety measures including passenger limits and physical distancing.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the end of its elimination policy in October last year, against the advice of epidemiologists and public health experts. Like governments around the world, Ardern promised big business there would be no more lockdowns or any measures that would significantly disrupt profit-making. The government is telling the population they must live with the potentially deadly virus circulating in the community indefinitely.

The result is a worsening disaster, with more than 20,000 cases being reported per day. There are more than 209,000 active cases. Yesterday, 856 people were in hospital and there were seven newly reported deaths, the highest-ever daily figure for New Zealand.

There have been 98 COVID-related deaths in total during the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Health. The figure has more than tripled since last year.

Scott Gallacher, general manager of the GWRC public transport agency Metlink, told Stuff, we expect many more workers to become infected as the pandemic reaches its peak.

The council has taken no action to improve safety and is encouraging workers to view infection as inevitable. It is refusing to implement a reduced timetable, or to reintroduce social distancing on public transport. Despite this, many trains are already running half-empty or well below seated capacity as passengers choose work from home, or are in self-isolation.

Transdev, a French-based multinational company that runs passenger rail services in Wellington, has refused to reinstate safety measures used during the last two lockdowns. This included red tape separating on-board staff from passengers, instructions telling passengers to distance from each other, and limits on passenger numbers.

Train managers and passenger operators are still expected to handle cash and clip tickets from passengers despite the obvious risks. Some workers told the WSWS that they have heard the council will only implement a reduced schedule for train services in the event that 30 percent of staff are incapable of working.

Onboard staff faced significant risks in recent weeks when many unmasked and unvaccinated passengers took the train to and from the far-right protest at parliament. Many protesters tested positive for COVID.

Transdev workers have not been told how many of their co-workers have tested positive. Cases are already disrupting services. Stuff reported: The Johnsonville Line train service stopped operating on Thursday at 3.30 p.m. when one of its drivers called in sick.

The company has attempted to sow complacency about vaccination by only requiring workers to have their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine by January 31 and their second shot by March 11. Three shots are needed for significant protection from Omicron for serious illness and death (even then, the vaccine is not 100 percent effective).

Workers are required to wear masks, but are only given inferior surgical masks. Workers have to buy their own N95 or other superior masks.

The governments grossly inadequate mitigation measures guarantee the spread of Omicron in trains and buses. The new mantra is personal responsibility, not the responsibility of the government and employers to place workplace safety over profits.

Thousands of people, including transport workers, are now self-testing with rapid antigen tests (RATs), and are told to self-report their results.

Transdev is enforcing the governments new self-isolation rule, which only requires workers to stay home for 7 daysdown from 10if they test positive or live with someone who has COVID. Professor Michael Plank, a COVID-19 modeller, recently told Radio NZ that research from the UK showed that about one in six people remain infectious for longer than 7 days.

The rail company continues to refuse to pay special leave for workers with COVID. Those that test positive are forced to use sick or annual leave in order to isolate, or rely on insultingly low government support weekly payments of around $300 for part-time workers and $600 for full-time workers.

Rail workers are being hit by soaring living costs, with inflation already at 5.9 percent and set to rise further. The 20192022 Multi-Employment Collective Agreement (MECA) between Transdev and Hyundai Rotem (its maintenance subcontractor) and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) is due to expire on July 3 and workers are demanding a pay increase of 810 percent or more. Staff are incensed that Transdev has delayed paying their holiday pay entitlements for the period 2019 to the present.

The immediate issue facing all public transport workers is that the trade unions are enforcing the Labour governments let it rip agenda. The RMTU, which helps fund Labours election campaigns, has remained silent on the COVID surge among Wellington rail workers. Transdev says that it is working in close consultation with the union.

The unions have mounted no industrial campaign to demand the shutdown of nonessential businesses and schools, as part of a properly-funded elimination strategy. The experience of China, and New Zealand in 20202021, prove that this is the only way to stop significant levels of illness and death.

In an open letter to New Zealand rail workers, published on February 1, the Socialist Equality Group (SEG) called on them to form new organisationsrank-and-file safety committees, independent of the trade unions. These committees would forge links with other workers, in NZ and internationally, to fight for policies needed to stamp out COVID and save lives.

To make trains safe for workers and passengers, the SEG proposed the following demands:

Only triple-vaccinated staff can work on trains and at stations. Those not yet fully vaccinated to be placed on furlough, on full pay.

Workers with pre-existing health conditions that place them at greater risk from COVID must isolate at home, on full pay.

No one to work without an N95 mask, or one offering an equivalent level of protection.

A return to strict physical distancing of workers from passengers, and passengers from each other. Passenger numbers should be strictly limited to ensure safe conditions on carriages.

All passengers must wear N95 or similar masks. Transdev and the GWRC must provide masks for free to all who need them.

Read more:

COVID infects hundreds of public transport workers in New Zealand - WSWS

For the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jacinda Ardern-led Labour party has slipped from being New Zealands most popular and been overtaken by the right.

A new TVNZ/Kantar Public poll found the centre-right National party had surged by seven points to 39%, compared with Labours 37% making it Labours lowest result in the poll since it was elected in 2017.

The result follows a turbulent month in New Zealand, with Covid cases spiking, violent protests outside parliament and steeply rising living costs. The country has been dealing with widespread Covid-19 for the first time in the pandemic, recording more than 20,000 cases a day and 773 people in hospital.

Polling was conducted in the days when police broke up a weeks-long anti-vaccine-mandate occupation of parliament grounds. The protest descended into scenes without recent precedent in New Zealand: protesters lit large fires around parliament, allegedly attempted to burn down the local law school, and hurled chairs, bricks, tables and bottles at police. Forty police officers were injured.

The country is also reckoning with rising cost of living: the annual inflation rate is now at 5.9% and ASB economists have forecast it may hit 7% in the first half of the year. Already-rising petrol prices have spiked amid Russias war on Ukraine, with the price at many petrol stations hitting $3 a litre. According to the poll, economic optimism in New Zealand was slipping: 28% were optimistic about the economy and 53% pessimistic.

Current polling would place traditional left and right coalition partnerships neck and neck: if National combined with the libertarian Act party, they would hold 59 seats, compared with the left Labour-Greens bloc of 58. The balance of power would fall to the Mori party, which holds three seats and has previously formed coalitions with both Labour and National.

In the preferred prime minister stakes, Ardern still held an edge: polling at 34% against the relative newcomer National leader Christopher Luxons 25%. But that result still marked a significant drop for Ardern, down from 58% at the close of 2020. Luxon, meanwhile, has climbed from 17% in January the first Kantar poll after he took the partys leadership in November. When participants were asked to choose directly between the two, there was only one point between them: 46% chose Ardern and 45% Luxon.

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Arderns Labour party slips to second in New Zealand polling for first time since pandemic began - The Guardian

New Zealand will rush a bill through parliament this week that will significantly ramp up its sanctions against Russia and its oligarchs, in line with its western allies.

The Russia Sanctions Bill is the first of its kind in New Zealand, which has no legal framework for passing broader, unilateral sanctions and usually only does so when called on by the UN security council. As a permanent member of the body, Moscow has vetoed any action against it.

A bill of this nature has never been brought before our parliament, but with Russia vetoing UN sanctions we must act ourselves to support Ukraine and our partners in opposition to this invasion, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said.

The country initially responded to Russias invasion of Ukraine with targeted travel bans, prohibiting exports to the military and suspending bilateral ministry consultations.

We have said throughout our response that no options were off the table, and that wed continue to do more in line with New Zealands unequivocal opposition to Russias actions, Ardern said. Despite international condemnation and the resilience and resistance of the Ukrainian people, Russias assault continues, and so must our pressure.

The new sanctions would enable the government to freeze assets located in New Zealand and prevent those sanctioned from moving assets to the country or using its financial system as a back door to get around sanctions imposed by other countries, Ardern said.

The new law would also allow for sanctions to be imposed on states that were complicit with Russia, including Belarus.

Sanctions could also apply to trade, and financial institutions, as well as stopping the likes of Russian super yachts, ships and aircraft from entering New Zealand waters or airspace.

The minister of foreign affairs, Nanaia Mahuta, said New Zealand had decided that a targeted sanctions bill is required to show condemnation in the strongest possible terms.

New Zealand continues to call on Russia to do what is right and immediately cease military operations in Ukraine and permanently withdraw to avoid a catastrophic loss of innocent life.

The governments media release included a list of more than 100 individuals who would be affected by the governments travel bans.

The prime minister also said she would continue to consider a broader autonomous sanctions law, which would allow the country to unilaterally impose sanctions. That would be a turnaround for the government, which has twice shot down such a bill put forward by the opposition National party over concerns that the bill failed to adequately cover cybersecurity and human rights abuses.

Fast forward to this situation, that bill as it stood was not fit for purpose for what we needed to do, so weve created our own bespoke response, and now well continue the wider autonomous sanctions work, Ardern said.

New Zealand has been under increasing pressure to increase its response, as other western nations draw on powers in Magnitsky laws, which, like the sanctions announced on Monday, target corrupt officials and human rights offenders.

The architect of the USs Magnitsky Act, Bill Browder, told RNZ on Monday that he was surprised New Zealand had not yet stepped up its response.

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New Zealand to ramp up Russia sanctions with first of its kind law - The Guardian

News

Michael Bracewell will lead the NZ XI side in the warm-ups; BJ Watling to be among coaching staff

Taylor was ruled out of the Plunket Shield round that started on Friday, for Central Districts, for being a Covid-19 "household contact", but he will feature in the second warm-up match on March 19 as well as the only T20I against the Netherlands on March 21, both in Napier.

"I'm looking forward to getting down to Napier and playing on one of my favourite grounds in McLean Park," Taylor said. "It's a great opportunity to get some time in the middle after missing the latest round of the Plunket Shield, and it will also be useful to have a look at the touring team ahead of the ODI series.

Kane Williamson, Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Jimmy Neesham, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee

"I'm looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some new and younger faces who I hope I can help by passing on some knowledge.

"The Netherlands are an ever-improving side and they'll be relishing the chance to take on a Test-playing nation. They have a few familiar players from the New Zealand domestic scene who I'm sure will be valuable to them in terms of understanding the conditions."

Sears has already had a taste of international cricket by playing two T20Is in Bangladesh last September. Bracewell had to turn down his maiden New Zealand call-up on the same tour because he awaited the birth of his first child, and Cleaver is yet to be included in a New Zealand squad.

The two warm-up games against the Netherlands will be played behind closed doors at McLean Park on March 17 and 19, followed by a one-off T20I on March 21. Netherlands will then take on New Zealand in a T20I on March 25, followed by the ODIs on March 29, April 2 and 4.

New Zealand XI squad: Michael Bracewell (capt), Matt Bacon, Matt Boyle, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk), James Hartshorn, Mitch Hay, Jayden Lennox, Angus McKenzie, Jock McKenzie, Tim Pringle, Ben Sears, Jesse Tashkoff (game 1), Ross Taylor (games 2 and 3)

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Taylor to turn out for New Zealand XI against touring Netherlands - ESPNcricinfo

New Zealand national road champion Olivia Ray has been released by her Human Powered Health team following code of conduct violations, according to sources close to the team.

Ray was quietly removed from the list of riders on the Human Powered Health website this week, and she no longer appears on the UCIs list of riders registered to Human Powered Health. Multiple requests for comment from the team throughout this week have gone unanswered.

CyclingTips understands that the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has opened an investigation into Ray; USADA declined to comment due to an ongoing case. As of Friday, Cycling New Zealand had not been notified of any investigation or suspension.

The 23-year-old Auckland native is the current New Zealand womens road race champion, having taken the victory in tempestuous conditions last month. Ray has also held multiple national titles in criteriums and on the track.

Ray joined the US-based womens team Human Powered Health then known as Rally Cycling in 2021, and was one of three riders retained for 2022 as the team made a jump up to WorldTeam level. According to ProCyclingStats, she was slated for upcoming race starts at the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Brabantse Pijl.

Those plans have, obviously, now changed.

Ray has been based in the US since mid 2017, where she studied and raced while on scholarship at a college in Georgia, honing her strength as a criterium rider on the vibrant US crit scene. Since signing with Rally (now Human Powered Health) in late 2020, she hasraced with the team twice at UCI level the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, and the Joe Martin Stage Race, both last year although she raced multiple crits throughout 2021. In articles for her teams website, Ray spoke about the virtues of body positivity: I think we get stuck on an ideal image, the holy grail of a particular body type, she said.

Rays most prominent win to date came in late October 2021, when the young New Zealander rocketed to victory as the winner of the Into the Lions Den Crit the most lucrative in the US which netted her US$15,000.

The aftermath proved more newsworthy than the win, however.When Ray questioned the delayed payment of the prize money in early December, an ugly spat erupted in which members of the L39ION of Los Angeles team of event organiser, Justin Williams, publicly shut down her concerns. [Williams has confirmed that prize money has since been paid out.] Ray apologised for her comments on social media, while there was speculation that she had been forced into backing down.

In the wake of that event, Rays Instagram and Facebook accounts fell inactive. As of this week, they have both been shut down, along with her Strava profile. VeloNews reports that she did not attend a January team training camp in Portugal.

That Lions Den Crit drama appears to have fallen in the midst of a particularly volatile period in Rays life.

Court documents for a January 11, 2022 family violence hearing in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia, show that Ray was called as a witness in support of her boyfriend, Jackson Huntley Nash also a cyclist, racing for teams on the USA Crits circuit.

Nash was attempting to secure a protective order against a former girlfriend of his, Madeline Pearce another cyclist, who was at the time a close friend of Rays on the basis that Pearce was stalking him. [The judge found a complete lack of evidence with respect to any stalking in nature.]

A large part of the case centered around Pearces apparent attempts to help Ray escape from an abusive relationship with Nash [Nash denies any abuse]. On December 9 during the same week that the controversy around the Lions Den payment was at its most intense Ray reached out to a domestic violence hotline, according to court documents.

On December 15, Pearce helped Ray pack to leave Nashs house whilst he was out, and Ray also filed a police report. Two days later, Ray sent her a message saying that you saved my life multiple times. Im sorry its got you caught up into it.

On December 17, Pearce filed a SafeSport complaint against Nash. Ray followed suit a day or two later, alleging that he had strangled her and had left her with bruises on her legs and hip.

By January, however, Ray had reconciled with Nash and in her witness testimony against Pearce, Ray recanted, claiming that she had been coerced her into making the complaints.

Ray claimed that her call to the domestic violence hotline was false, that she had lied in both her police report and SafeSport report, and that Nash was the sweetest guy Ive ever met.

[The judge noted, in her closing remarks, that she found Rays testimony to be troublesomeI dont believe she made that up. Shes obviously filed a police report and took the necessary steps to protect her safety, the judge said.]

Also uncovered in the Nash vs Pearce case were photos taken by Pearce on December 15 which apparently showed the presence of anastrozole, clenbuterol, testosterone, and syringes in the bedroom Nash and Ray shared at that time. Nash denied using anastrozole (although admitted he had a prescription) and said that he had never heard of clenbuterol; he declined to respond at risk of self-incrimination about whether there were syringes in his house. Nash has not been sanctioned by USADA.

According to Pearce, after Ray had fled his house Nash had called and given Ray an ultimatum that she was to respond to him within 15 minutes, otherwise, he was going to file a report against her. Nash admitted in court to calling Ray the biggest piece of shit Ive ever met and threatened to find every single old text I have of yours and then fucking kill myself after I get the tip off.

Text messages that were purportedly between Ray and Nash screenshots of which have been viewed by CyclingTips appeared to show a discussion on how to avoid detection for performance-enhancing substances. The two discussed timing the use ofAnavar an anabolic steroid so that it would not be detectable in time for a blood test at a January training camp. The texts also appeared to refer to substance side effects and clenbuterol: for clen, jitters get easier, sleep is easier too.

When Ray forwarded these incriminating messages to Pearce at the time of the breakdown of her relationship with Nash, she annotated the message this is what he has.

As a professional athlete, Olivia Ray is required to abide by both team standards and the sports anti-doping rules. But there are some particularly troubling details about this case that add shades of grey to what is, in the eyes of sporting bodies, black and white.

Based on Rays testimony in the court case involving her boyfriend, Nash, she appears tohave either lied on the stand or lied in reports to SafeSport and the police. That case also casts doubt on Rays autonomy, and raises serious questions as to whether she was or remains in an abusive, coercive relationship and the victim of domestic violence.

Troubling, too, are suggestions in the court casethat Human Powered Health knew details about Rays situation as far back as December last year. Pearce claimed that Rays director had advised her to file a police report against Nash; Nash claimed that Rays team had threatened to fire her because of an anti-doping investigation.

Months later, the team quietly dropped Ray from its roster and failed to respond to requests for comment.

In the wreckage lies the cycling career of a 23 year old woman. There is some finality in that, perhaps, but questions remain.

Caley Fretz contributed reporting.

Resources-USA: National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800 799 7233 -NZ: Its Not OK at 0800 456 450-Australia: White Ribbon Australia at 1800 737 732

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New Zealand champion Olivia Ray dropped by team with USADA investigation underway - CyclingTips

An Irish family living in New Zealand are being forced to leave because their daughter has been refused residency.

Ruby OConnor, who lives in Christchurch with her parents Kerry Hayes and Bryan OConnor and baby brother Leon, has a rare genetic disorder called TBCK.

There are less than 70 known cases worldwide, and four-year-old Ruby is the only child in New Zealand living with the neurological condition.

Her heartbroken parents have been left disgusted with New Zealand authorities who they say are turfing them out of the place theyve made home.

Kerry, 34, told the Irish Sunday Mirror: This battle over residency is going on four years, since she was born.

We are nothing to the immigration authorities, just a number. Shes just not wanted even though she was born here.

Weve paid thousands of dollars in tax every year even our taxes would cover [the cost of] her healthcare, but they dont see that.

Kerry, Bryan and baby Leon have been told they can stay in New Zealand but Ruby cannot because of her disability and the cost of her medical needs.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said individual stories were hard but she added: We have a universal public health system.

Once you are here on long-term visas you receive that free care, so we need to make sure can continue to provide that free care, well, to everyone.

Kerry and Bryan emigrated in 2013 and have put down roots, living next door to another Irish couple whose youngest child was born around the same time as Leon.

Beauty therapist Kerry said: People are shocked because Bryan came here for the rebuild after the earthquake when the city was in need.

We put in hard years rebuilding Christchurch when a lot of New Zealanders were upping sticks and going to Australia.

We could have been somewhere else in the world especially when we were young, in our 20s, we could have gone anywhere.

But we did it anyway and settled here and its like you just get a slap in the face for it.

Life-limiting TBCK causes intellectual disability, epilepsy and developmental delay, and Ruby needs round-the-clock care.

Serious bouts of pneumonia left her fighting for her life in ICU. But shes described as a little girl with an infectious laugh.

Kerry said: She is such a beautiful natured child. She never complains and is always laughing.

A GoFundMe to help with providing Rubys specialist medical equipment here in Ireland has so far raised EUR42,000.

The family are now isolating before they board an Emirates flight to Dubai on Tuesday and then a Quantas flight to Dublin.

Kerry said: Weve moved out of the house to isolate in an Air BnB and its sad, because we cant say goodbye to any of our friends.

The flight is going to be stressful, if Ruby gets Covid shell end up in ICU, but we really cant wait to just leave now.

Im really keen to get my feet standing on Irish soil, I feel like well relax when we get back home.

Once home the family will move in with Bryans parents in Kerry because they havent been able to secure a rental property.

They also face the challenge of getting Ruby registered for healthcare in Ireland as she was not born here and has no PPS number.

Kerry said: Weve packed away our life here. We gave away all our stuff for free.

I feel like weve closed the door to New Zealand. I couldnt imagine ever coming back.

I dont think Id want Leon growing up in a place that turned its back on his sister because she has a disability.

Shes still a human being. If she had no disability shed have had residency as soon as she was born.

Its like theyre Nazis, they just want to push anybody that is different out.

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Irish family living in New Zealand forced to leave due to daughter's disability - Irish Mirror