Category Archives: New Zealand

After shutting its international borders for nearly 600 days due to the pandemic, Australia welcomed its first group of foreign visitors on Monday as the country took steps to gradually lift restrictions again.

Fully vaccinated travelers from New Zealand who test negative in pre-departure Covid tests can now enter Australia. They would be allowed to skip quarantine in certain jurisdictions like New South Wales, but those conditions may differ in other states and territories.

The next set of foreign travelers who can visit Australia will be those from Singapore.

Travelers from the city-state who are inoculated against Covid-19 can enter New South Wales and Victoria Australia's two most populous states from Nov. 21 without quarantine. They would also have to test negative in pre-departure Covid tests.

The decision was reportedly finalized on Sunday when Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, at the G-20 summit in Italy.

"Australia is open. Australians are travelling again," Morrison said Sunday at a press briefing in Rome. "Australia's opening up to Singapore, opening up to New Zealand."

People gather for picnics beside the Harbour Bridge in the suburb of Kirribilli on September 19, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. Covid-19 restrictions have eased for people in NSW who are fully vaccinated.

James D. Morgan | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Though Morrison did not provide more details at the press briefing, Singapore's Transport Minister S Iswaran said on social media that Australia would allow visitors from Singapore to enter from Nov. 21.

Singapore last week extended its quarantine-free vaccinated travel lane to include visitors from Australia, in addition to 12 other countries including the U.S. and U.K.

Australian flag carrier Qantas resumed its international operations with flights between Sydney and London and Los Angeles.

From Monday, Australian citizens and permanent residents can leave the country without needing an exemption.

Meanwhile, fully vaccinated Australians and their families have been allowed quarantine-free entry into New South Wales and Victoria since Nov. 1.

"A big day for Australia! We're ready for take-off!" Morrison said in a separate Facebook post. He added that Monday's easing of restrictions was "an important step towards Australia reopening to the world," and urged more people to get vaccinated.

Both New South Wales and Victoria have now fully vaccinated 80% of their eligible population.

Australia has had one of the world's most restrictive coronavirus border policies where only citizens and permanent residents were allowed to enter and had to go through two weeks of mandatory quarantine.

Thousands of Australians had been left stranded abroad as there are fewer flights available and weekly limits were placed on how many people were allowed to enter its major cities.

See the original post:

Australian borders are finally open. Here's who will be allowed in - CNBC

By Alexander Gillespie, Claire Breen of

Several times this week, protesters have forced Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to abandon events aimed to support the Covid vaccination rollout.

Anti-vaccination protesters at a mobile vaccination clinic in Whanganui where the Prime Minister was due to speak. Photo: RNZ / Sam Rillstone

Over the past few weeks, thousands have gathered, in breach of Covid restrictions and public health measures, to protest against lockdowns and vaccination mandates. The PM has described such protests as "obviously illegal" and "morally wrong".

As Delta infections rise and several professions now face mandatory vaccination as part of the drive to get to 90 percent vaccination rates, protests will likely expand.

But so will penalties for intentional breaches of Covid orders as amendments come into effect this month. A person who intentionally fails to comply with restrictions could face fines of up to NZ$12,000 (up from $4000) or six months in prison. The maximum fine for failing to wear a mask where it is mandatory rises to $4000 (from $300).

Protesting is part of Aotearoa's identity. New Zealanders have protested against poverty, war, nuclear weapons, gender inequality and the loss of Mori land and customary rights. Several protests - including those against the 1981 Springbok tour - have divided the nation.

Although there is no specific right to protest in law, protesting is a manifestation of rights to freedom of movement, association and peaceful assembly. Globally, these rights are protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 and the ensuing framework of human rights treaties. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 guarantees these rights.

But despite the legal underpinnings of the right to protest, specific protest actions must be in accordance with the law. They must not be unduly disorderly, violent or unsafe.

The restrictions on the right to protest can be seen in the criminalisation of certain conduct. For example, if someone behaves offensively in a public place, they could face a $1000 fine. Indecent or obscene words can cost up to $500.

The fine could go to $2000 and three months in prison if the behaviour becomes disorderly by acting or encouraging others to behave in a riotous, threatening or violent manner.

Threatening a police officer, or committing an actual assault, could result in a $6000 fine or six months in prison. Common assault on other citizens carries the same penalty. Causing wilful damage to property could cost a protester up to $2000, the same as graffiti. Obstructing a public road without the correct authority can result in a $1000 fine.

Even excessive noise or burning the national flag, if done in a particularly offensive way intended to dishonour it, could have repercussions for the protester.

Covid rules also currently restrict the right to peaceful assembly. These restrictions have been justified by the need to protect public health, which is recognised in international law. However, any such restrictive measures must be specifically aimed at preventing disease.

While New Zealand's alert level 4 was very strict, alert level 3 is a little more liberal. Currently, Aucklanders are still expected to stay home, with exceptions for those who can't work from home. Most events can't proceed, except for ten-person gatherings at weddings, civil unions, funerals and tangihanga.

From next week, when restrictions are expected to ease further, Aucklanders will enjoy the freedom of larger outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people. Some shops will also reopen.

The question now is how authorities should respond to growing protests, some of which may involve illegal activity, in terms of breaching the above orders. The guiding principles for the police are that they must act to ensure public support and confidence, remain independent and impartial and act professionally, ethically and with integrity.

With any intervention to uphold the law, the police must consider keeping the peace and maintaining public safety as well as reassuring the community.

Police face off with protesters in Melbourne. Photo: AFP

In Australia, some Covid protests have gotten out of hand and police responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray. With very few exceptions, this approach is absolutely wrong. The guiding principle must be maximum restraint in the use of force when confronting protests.

The emphasis must be on de-escalation of tense and volatile situations. The decision to intervene should only be taken at the highest level of the police force, when there is no other means to protect the public order from an imminent risk of violence.

This is not to say those who break the laws should not be brought to justice. They should - but after the event, not during it. Although rules may be broken, non-aggressive crowds of protesters should not be unnecessarily dispersed.

The current tactic of identifying those who break the rules and bringing them to justice later for their illegal activity is correct and appropriate for a country that values the importance of protests, as well as law and order.

- The Conversation

The rest is here:

Protesting in a pandemic: New Zealand's balancing act between a long tradition of protests and Covid rules - RNZ

Authorities planned to seal off the northern tip of New Zealand with police cordons, as they enforce a lockdown in the region over fears of an undetected community transmission of Covid-19 there.

Part of the Northland region, about 270km from the biggest city of Auckland, is to begin a level 3 lockdown from midnight, said Chris Hipkins, the minister coordinating the response to coronavirus.

The move follows two cases in the region that lacked a link to any known cases.

"It's unclear how they could have possibly picked up the virus," Mr Hipkins told a news conference.

"There could be undetected community transmission in Northland right now."

The cabinet will review on Monday the decision to seal off the area, where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the country, with just 64% of North Island's eligible population fully vaccinated.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was visiting Northland today, had to abruptly halt a media conference after being continuously interrupted and heckled by at least two people, who appeared to be anti-vaxxers.

One could be heard singing during the event, while another asked Ms Ardern to identify a person who died in August after receiving the Pfizer vaccine, and accused her of lying to the public.

New Zealand won global praise last year for its response that stamped out the coronavirus.

Latest coronavirus stories

But it has been tougher to quash the current outbreak of the Delta variant around Auckland, forcing authorities to decide to live with the virus rather than an earlier strategy of elimination.

Virus restrictions in Auckland were extended by a week yesterday.

See the original post here:

New Zealand seals off region over fears of Covid spread - RTE.ie

Each year, Forest & Bird hosts a two-week-long Bird of the Year competition, giving Kiwis the chance to rank their favorite fowls from New Zealands 200 species in an effort to raise conservational awareness.

Bird competitions in New Zealand are a political affair with the campaign run using the same method as the countrys electoral system. As such, the event has a sordid history of dealing with voter fraud, database breaches, and even accusations of Russian interference. Just last year, a hacker gave a little spotted kiwi over 1,500 fake votes, disqualifying it from the competition!

Though this years winner was clear of any nefarious tactics, it did have some avian-enthusiasts batting an eye when the first-ever non-bird contender flew home with the prize.

One of the countrys two native land mammals, the pekapeka-tou-roa, or long-tailed bat, was included in the list of contestants as a way to raise awareness for the critically endangered species. Still, it was 7,031 online votes that helped it become the cream of the flock.

The win was a shutout with last years winner and second-place recipient, the kakapo, receiving 4,072 of the history-making 56,733 total votes.

Part of the long-tailed bats success in the competition may stem from the sheer excitement of seeing the fluffy thumb-length creature, since humans rarely see them flitting around the forest at 35 miles per hour.

#BREAKING The bat has it! @Forest_and_Bird has just announced on the show the pekapeka-tou-roa has won Bird of the Year.

The long-tailed bat beat fellow frontrunners the kkp, titipounamu, kea and toroa to be Bird of the Years first mammalian winner. pic.twitter.com/Fxtb9UARId

Morning Report (@NZMorningReport) October 31, 2021

Kiwis love their native bat, said Bird of the Year spokeswoman Laura Keown. A vote for bats is also a vote for predator control, habitat restoration, and climate action to protect our bats and their feathered neighbors!

New Zealands two relatively unknown bat species face many of the same threats as more popular creatures, including the competitions 2009 winner, the kiwi. Climate change, habitat destruction, cats, and rats all put the chiropterans at risk as their population declines at a rate of 5% each year.

Habitat preservation is a critical step in helping the species survive, as once bats have lost their homes, its unlikely that theyll return.

The awareness efforts were definitely a success. Still, not all were thrilled by their victory, with some social media warriors taking to the internet to rant about what they believe was a stolen election.

In this battle for avian democracy, we tend to lean toward the views of optimistic Twitter-users, who reveled in seeing an underdog thrive, with Twitter userBryan C. Clark remarking, If pekapeka tou roa can win Bird of the Year despite not being a bird then you can ask out your crush, anything is possible.

By Meghan Yani, contributor for Ripleys.com

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Source: New Zealand Goes Batty For Bird Of The Year

by Ripley's Believe It or Not!

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New Zealand Goes Batty For Bird Of The Year - Lethbridge News Now

Explainer - Sometime soon, the alert level system which is becoming increasingly complex, will be replaced with traffic lights. Join RNZ for a journey into the future to see what that means.

Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod

New Zealand's alert levels in particular seem to have been an effective tool, but have changed dramatically from what they once were - now including 2.5, Delta 2, and various steps down from alert level 3 to alert level 2.

However, with vaccinations promising to change the way New Zealand responds to the pandemic, the traffic light system announced last month is set to replace it. It's been criticised as complicated, but offers a fresh start to how we approach restrictions.

Meanwhile, work continues on planning for changes to the international border and what that looks like.

So let's forget all about what's gone before, and look squarely at what regional restrictions and travel - including to and from overseas - may look like in future.

Below, we'll explore an optimistic example of what New Zealand's restrictions might be expected to look like in March 2022, about two years on from when Covid-19 first arrived in New Zealand.

New Zealand's DHBs have all surpassed 90 percent double vaccinated, and the country has ditched alert levels completely, moving to the Covid-19 Protection Framework - also known as the traffic light system.

This system has three levels - Green, Orange (or Amber, depending on who you talk to) and Red. Kermit may sing of the difficulties of being green, but it's much easier than being in red, or in lockdown.

Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod

Auckland was the first to move, having reached 90 percent double vaccinated across its three DHBs in early December, the region moved to Red.

The rest of New Zealand took a while longer. The South Island's DHBs reached the 90 percent target and moved to Orange just before the new year. Some travel restrictions between the South and North Islands, or out of Auckland - rapid antigen testing before travelling and no symptoms - were brought in.

A big effort was made to get the final holdout regions in the North Island - particularly in remote and rural areas, and those with big Mori populations - across the line, and it was announced that the rest of the North Island would move into orange in mid-February, and the Auckland regional border would finally come down.

Meanwhile, with few cases appearing, most of the South Island moved to Green in late February. Cases in Christchurch continued to appear, and the city (but not all of Canterbury) remained in orange for a while longer before the high vaccine rate's success at slowing the spread of the virus encouraged the government to move it to Green.

In March, the long tail of Delta continues to keep Auckland in Red but daily case numbers are slowing. Some of the city where the virus had been circulating rapidly have been subjected to occasional additional lockdown measures, with people encouraged not to leave their home.

Parts of Northland and Gisborne - some of the slower areas to vaccinate and where the virus began spreading from Auckland - have also been in red, with occasional bouts of lockdown.

The South Island is now in Green. Areas of the North Island have also moved to Green, but Orange is still being used in some areas where the virus has been circulating.

Despite the greater freedoms offered by the new traffic light system and changes at the border, the virus has continued to find its way across parts of the country.

As Covid-19 modeller Shaun Hendy warned in November, the move to the traffic light system signals an acceptance of some Covid-19 circulating in the community.

While cases peaked around 300 per day in late November, it has taken some time to truly get the outbreak under control and while cases have not spiralled out of control, they have continued to spread.

Hospital beds occupied also peaked around the same time but hospitals have not been overwhelmed thanks to lockdown precautions.

Some deaths have been reported.

After a couple weeks with all of New Zealand having moved to the traffic light system, the government brought in changes to the border.

All travellers must make a declaration - digital or on paper - of their vaccine and testing information.

However, fully vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries can now enter New Zealand without needing to isolate at all if they return a negative test.

Travellers who are not vaccinated, or coming from high-risk countries, must still spend 14 days in MIQ.

After the success (fingers crossed) of the at-home self isolation trial which ended in December, the government announced that vaccinated travellers from medium-risk countries could isolate at home.

People doing this must answer a randomly timed video call three times a day which detects location via GPS, and may only leave their room to collect contactless food and deliveries, for testing, or to get some fresh air if they have a backyard that no one else accesses.

The room must not have a shared ventilation and be occupied only by the affected travelling party - this means no contact with your family unless they travelled with you.

The government has also signalled it plans to soon allow all fully vaccinated travellers who return a negative test to skip isolation, regardless of the country they are coming from. There are also plans in the works to allow tourism from other countries.

The above is based on modelling and expectations, along with decisions already announced by the government, but there's always an element of the unknown: the "tricky" virus, new technologies, and unexpected situations.

In a statement, a Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet spokesperson said:

The detail of how the Covid-19 Protection Framework will be implemented, and guidance for different sectors, is still being worked on and further information will be provided once Cabinet decisions are made.

In relation to lockdowns, the Covid-19 Protection Framework will reduce our reliance on them as the main measure to stop the virus spreading. As has been indicated, there may be a need for highly targeted, localised lockdowns, and potentially wider lockdowns, like those which we see currently under the Alert Level system, if the public health response requires it.

Read more from the original source:

A time traveller's diary - Covid-19 restrictions in March 2022: What you need to know - RNZ

The Kiwi Dream consists of homeownership which is fast disappearing for many people. Photo / Mark Mitchell

As Auckland endures lockdown week 10 and the Delta strain of Covid creeps further south, renowned British politician and master of polling, Lord Michael Ashcroft, asks are New Zealanders still Living the Kiwi Dream?

The philanthropist's poll of 5000 Kiwis comes in the same week Lonely Planet announces Tmaki Makaurau is the best city in the world and Sir Russell Coutts says we are living in a dictatorship.

How does the everyday New Zealander feel?

Culture and society

Is New Zealand a land of opportunity?

According to respondents (especially National party and ACT supporters), it is. Respondents agreed there were always opportunities in New Zealand for those willing to work hard. Green voters were the only political group who thought opportunities here were limited to a select few.

Most New Zealanders tended to agree that their success in life was down to them and their own efforts, rather than it being out of their hands.

However, nearly three in 10 of those aged 18-24 and nearly a quarter of 25-34s took the latter view.

Mori voters were more likely to lean towards feeling that whether or not they were successful was out of their hands (32 per cent) than Pacific (24 per cent), white (15 per cent) or Asian background voters (26 per cent).

Is the grass greener than 30 years ago?

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New Zealanders were almost evenly split as to whether life in the country was now better than it was decades ago.

This was also true of voters for the major parties, though Labour and Green voters leaned more to the view that things were better, while Act and NZ First voters tended more to the opposing view.

White voters were evenly split, Asian-background voters were more likely to think things had improved, while Mori voters leaned in the other direction.

The youngest and oldest people polled were the age groups most likely to say life in New Zealand was better than it was 30 years ago.

Best place in the world:

In a separate question, the great majority of respondents said New Zealand was one of the best places to live in the world.

More than 7 out of 10 18-24s took this view, rising to 90 per cent of those aged 65 or over.

White voters were slightly more likely to think this (83 per cent) than Mori (74 per cent) and Asian-background voters (72 per cent)

So what are we worried about?

Housing costs were the biggest concern across all groups.

Many worried they or their children may never be able to afford their own home.

People said they already felt demoralised and some were considering a move to Australia.

Growing inequality between homeowners and others was another worrying consequence.

"The population has grown so fast. They let all these skilled workers in because we needthem, but it's caused so many problems. I wish we could train our own people that areliving here first, and then if we're short, look overseas," said one.

"We'd like to believe we're an equal society, we're all the same, we've got equal opportunity, but in the last few years we've realised that's a fallacy. If you're in the housing market you'll probably be okay, but our kids are not going to be okay."

Even respondents with well-paying jobs felt they could be shut out of the housing market.

"It's 100 per cent beyond my control. We have reasonable jobs, but we're probably never going to get onto the housing market if it continues at this rate. The Kiwi dream that I grew up with, with kids, a quarter acre in the city, none of that is possible any more."

Housing - or more importantly the cost of - topped the list of the 18 options given to those polled.

It was the only issue named in the top three by more than half those polled.

This compared to 40 per cent who chose dealing with the Covid pandemic and 33 per cent who chose healthcare as the most important issue the country faced.

Friendly and tolerant

Despite the housing crisis, most polled felt fortunate to live here and valued what they described as an open and tolerant society.

"I find that younger people are more accepting of other people, other ways of living," said one.

Another said: "Things are getting tougher but there are still opportunities around. You just need to go looking for them. People still take care of each other and look out for each other here."

All groups however, felt that it was harder to get on and achieve the "Kiwi dream" than it had once been because of the rising cost of living, and of housing in particular.

Not all roses

Most people still feel lucky to be in what they believe is still one of the best places in the world to live but other pressures are crowding in.

The cost of living was spiralling, people said and healthcare was not what it should be.

A number of respondents said they were upset Starship Children's Hospital was having to screen TV ads to fundraise for new intensive care beds.

The lack of transport and infrastructure was also raised and many said crime was becoming a frightening feature of daily life in what people had always considered an unusually safe and peaceful country.

Crime and Punishment

New Zealanders were divided when faced with the complexities of law and order.

People were asked if they preferred rehabilitation or more jail time for criminals.

Those who voted for the National Party or Act in 2020 placed themselves well tothe "more jail time" end of the spectrum, while Green and Mori Party voters put themselves even further towards the "more about rehabilitation" end of the scale.

Labour voters were close to the centre and women were marginally closer to the first statement than men.

Crime was mentioned as an issue of growing concern by many focus groups, whatever their political background.

Many believed violent crime was rising, and many had local examples to illustrate thepoint. The groups believed that drugs, gangs and guns had become much more prevalent in New Zealand in recent months and years.

Several cited the Christchurch mosque shootings as a prompt to reconsider theidea that New Zealand was an unusually peaceful and orderly society.

"The sentences you get for crimes are quite ridiculous...There was a case recently where a 27-year-old bashed an 82-year-old and all he got was community service," said one.

"The Christchurch attack took another thing off the list, that New Zealand is no longerspecial. We're not immune to these problems...I'm hopeful about New Zealand, but we need to get more realistic about our society."

Mori rights

Many in the focus groups saw positivity in the effort to promote the rights and interestsof indigenous people, especially in recognising the place of the te reo Mori language.

Respondents believed there had been a broader understanding of the country's history and heritage, and addressing inequalities in terms of health, education and opportunity.

"We actively promote multiculturalism in New Zealand, we do a really good job of that.That's one reason it's a really nice place to come and be. I think we really do embrace themelting pot," said one.

Another said: "I'm Mori but I grew up in a very Pkeh world, and when I went to school learning Mori wasn't even an option. So I'm encouraged by the resurgence of te reo Mori and the true learning and understanding of our history."

Some detected an attempt to disown the European element of the country's history,or felt they were being blamed for historical injustices for which they were not themselves responsible.

Others disliked what they saw as an emphasis on points of difference between New Zealand's various people and cultures, which they thought would be more likely to stoke division than promote unity.

"I'm a big fan of inclusivity and equity, but I feel like the push for te reo has been quite intense. Working in a public sector agency, I don't know whether I'd have got my job if I'd applied today because it's so heavily focused on the need to know te reo."

Green, Mori and Pacific voters felt the most strongly that the government needed to do more to recognise indigenous and Mori rights, while National and (especially) ACT voters were equally far to the other end of the spectrum.

Women were more in favour of greater recognition of Mori rights than men.

On whether there should be a new Mori Health Authority, New Zealanders were nearly twice as likely to oppose the idea as to support it.

Those who supported the proposal said Mori and indigenous people are more predisposed to certain health conditions than other parts of the population and are less inclined to seek help through the system's existing structures.

"There's a lot of unspoken racism inside the system as it is. And they're just a bit shyto ask for help, or it's not in their cultural ways to ask, so they need better navigationthrough the system," one said.

Diversity

Many of the New Zealanders polled said being "accepting" was an important part of the national character, and several cited the country's support for openly transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard as part of the New Zealand women's Olympic team as an example.

The groups tended to see the issue as a private or social matter rather than one of public policy or political debate.

"You have to be mindful. I think if you address someone and it's incorrect, then the common thing is to say 'okay, sure' and address them that way and move on. I would feel bad for people to have to hide who they really are for fear of being embarrassed or persecuted," one said.

Another said: "We had that weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard, and it wasn't a big issue... I mean, she was ridiculed by the world, but New Zealand has just accepted her."

Others were proud New Zealand society had undergone huge change and "taken it on the chin".

"In a lot of countries, like America, no-one can agree on anything, but here it's just sort of 'oh, okay'."

Ashcroft said the fact New Zealanders rated housing as the biggest issue - even ahead of the global pandemic - was significant in the question: Are we still Living the Kiwi Dream?

It pointed to a nagging doubt as to whether the kind of life New Zealanders aspire to was now only attainable for the most fortunate.

Despite this, most still feel lucky to be in what they believe is still one of the bestplaces in the world to live - but other pressures are crowding in.

Read the original:

Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Lord Ashcroft's New Zealand poll 'Living the Kiwi Dream?' Q&A - New Zealand Herald

Travel

4 Nov, 2021 10:24 PM2 minutes to read

Scott Base on the Canterbury coast: The New Scott Base will be built in the port of Timaru. Photo / Supplied, Antarctica NZ, PrimePort

Antarctica New Zealand has announced the construction site of the new Scott Base, 3700km away from the Antarctic circle in Timaru.

The national Antarctic programme said it has decided to work with PrimePort as the site to assemble the $344 million research station.

The prefabricated base will later be shipped to the Ross Sea to replace the old station.

"Construction in New Zealand allows us to build year-round," said Antarctica NZ CEO Williamson. "Antarctica is in darkness for half of the year. It also means we can test and commission the buildings and make sure everything is working before they head south."

Part of a 10-year redevelopment project, the base will be assembled as eight separate modules on site in the port of Timaru.

The space-age structures will be visible from the shore front for Timaruvians to see before they are shipped south.

Leighs Construction the main contractor says they will be recruiting locally in Timaru, with jobs being created by the once-in-a-lifetime project.

"It's not every day you get to build an Antarctic research station on your back doorstep," says Leighs chief executive, Gary Walker.

The Antarctic redevelopment plan forecasts the creation of 170 jobs during the construction of the new Scott Base in New Zealand, between 2023-25. $273 million, or just under 80 per cent of the total budget, is to be spent with New Zealand.

With space for a team of 100 researchers and contractors, it will be a significant upgrade on the current facilities at Pram Point in the Ross Sea.

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The giant green-coloured pods were awarded a top rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council.

Designed by Hugh Broughton Architects - who have recently produced base designs for the British Antarctic Survey and Australian Antarctic Programme - the modular design will include a wind farm and measures to cover 97 per cent of the base's requirements with renewable energy.

Once shipped to the continent, the base will be a home to cutting-edge science in the region for the next 50 years.

Due to New Zealand's international commitments to the Antarctic Treaty, no waste materials can remain on the continent. All parts of the decommissioned base must be returned to New Zealand.

Link:

Scott Base: Antarctica New Zealand base to be built in Timaru - New Zealand Herald

OPINION: No parent ever imagines their new-born baby wont live to see adulthood.

That thought is every familys nightmare.

I know.

I have a medical condition where the median age of sufferers is 18 years old.

READ MORE:* The life-changing drug that could help Brett, 11, live long enough to fulfil his dream* 'It's huge': Life-changing cystic fibrosis drug a step closer to being funded by Pharmac* 'Life-changing' drug not accessible for New Zealanders living with cystic fibrosis

No parent ever gets used to watching their child struggle to breathe. Imagine witnessing your childs lifetime of suffering from chronic lung infections, liver failure, cirrhosis of the pancreas, risk of diabetesand a declining lung function, all of whichresultin frequent hospitalisations and a severely shortened life expectancy.

Now imagine asking what you can do to prevent thisand being told there is no treatment available in New Zealand.

This is the reality of Kiwis with cystic fibrosis (CF).

There is no sugar coating this condition. CF was a death sentence until now.

The new treatment, Trikafta, treats the underlying cause of CF.It is funded in more than 20 countries worldwide, including the USA, Ireland, Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Germany and Malta.

Pharmac, New Zealands drug buying agency, has confirmed that Trikafta supports patients with CF to lead a nearly normal life.

I am living proof that Pharmac is correct.

Ed Lee/Supplied

CF can mean a lifetime of suffering from chronic lung infections, liver failure, cirrhosis of the pancreas, risk of diabetes and a declining lung function.

I have had privately-funded access to Trikafta for 588 days and can confirm that it has saved my life. My wife and I were starting to plan for the worst, but I now live a normal life and we are planning for the future.

In the last 18 months, my lung function has increased significantly, my liver is functioning and Im no longer at risk of diabetes. My scheduled sinus surgery has been cancelled, the lung transplant conversation is off the table and I am no longer at risk of needing daily insulin.

My mental health has improved and Ive stopped worrying about leaving my wife a widow.

Physicians crowd around my results in disbelief, and my specialist recently informed me that we can reduce my check-ups, freeing up time to help others who desperately need it.

If you saw me in person, you would not know that I suffer from CF.

All of this requires just three pills a day. Trikafta is a miracle drug.

Pharmac has independently stated it wants to fund Trikafta. It gave the drug its highest level of recommendation, rating it a high priority.

Despite Pharmac completing a positive economic health assessment, and its expert clinical advisory panel strongly recommending the funding of Trikafta, it is still not funded in New Zealand.

Ed Lee/Supplied

In the last 18 months, my lung function has increased significantly, my liver is functioning and Im no longer at risk of diabetes.

There are some key financial metrics that support the funding of this drug, not least the significant reduction in hundreds of hospitalisations every year and an 80 per centreduction in lung transplants.

CF places an enormous burden on our health system. If the government funds this drug, it removes that burden.

Last week, in a shift away from its usual language, Pharmac described Trikafta as a paradigm shift in the treatment for patients with CF. It treats the cause of the disease, not the symptoms.

You might think thatgiven Pharmacs expert, clinical advisors have recommended the drug be funded, it might happen soon. But this is when reality kicks in.

Pharmac, even after it negotiates a discounted price with the pharmaceutical company, does not have the budget: It is a critically underfunded agency.

New Zealand ranks last of 20 OECD countries for per capita medicine funding.

Pharmac simply doesnt have enough funding, and hasnt for years, with its mandate being expanded to include not only pharmaceuticals, but also medical devices, vaccines, hospital mattresses and beds. Most budget increases were simply made to cover these additional items.

I shudder to think of the effect that Covidhas had on Pharmacs budget.

Ed Lee/Supplied

Ed Lee and wife Kalyn Ponti conquering the Routeburn Track

Medicines may cost more, shipping costs continue to rise, and, all the while, our population and its health needs continue to grow.

Pharmac is starting price negotiations with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and once a price has been agreed, Pharmac will need to make sure it has the budget capacity.

One thing we know for sure is that Pharmac will only receive its next budget increase in 2022, so Pharmac and Vertex need to get creative now.

One idea could be for Vertex to immediately strike a five-year deal with Pharmac, perhaps with Vertex providing Trikafta at minimal cost for the first 12 months, with annual payments scaling up over the five-year term.

Perhaps Vertex could provide the medicine for free, immediately, in good faith, on the assumption that it will be funded in May next year? Or perhaps there could be a balloon payment at the end of the initial term if the assumed cost savings were achieved?

Waiting until next year is not acceptable; these lives cant wait. Trikafta needs to be funded now and New Zealand needs to play catch-up with the rest of the developed world.

So, Grant Robertson, Andrew Littleand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Pharmac is coming knocking on your door to enable it to fund this miracle treatment to save lives.

Pharmac has done its job and independently stated it would like to fund Trikafta, so why not send out an early Christmas present to the cystic fibrosis community by announcing a new, significant boost to Pharmac thatwould allow it to fund not only Trikafta, but also other medicines flagged as a high priority?

There are 74 medicines on Pharmacs waiting list that it would like to fund.

Labour would be viewed as a hero if it gave the go-ahead to fund these. It would save lives, change lives and ultimately save money for the hospital system.

Dont let us wait until May Pharmac has spoken and made its decision.

Our lives count. Please, on behalf of every sufferer of cystic fibrosis, dont look the other way.

So many lives depend on it.

Ed Lee/Supplied

Ed Lee and wife Kalyn Ponti celebrating "Happy Trifakta Anniversary"!

Read the original post:

These lives can't wait; New Zealand needs to fund this drug now - Stuff.co.nz

The Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL) identifies occupations where there is a sustained and on-going shortage of highly skilled workers both globally and throughout New Zealand.

If you get a job in an occupation on the LTSSL and meet the list requirements, you may be granteda Work to Residence visa under theLong Term Skill Shortage List work visa. This means that you may be eligible to apply for residence in two years, provided you meet standard requirements and that job has a base salary of at least NZ$45,000.

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The Regional Skill Shortage List (RSSL) includes occupations where skilled workers are required in particular regions of New Zealand and indicates that there are no New Zealand citizens or residents available to take up the position. This enables faster processing of the application.

If you are offered a job on the RSSL and meet the list requirements you may be granted anEssential Skillswork visa. This means that you are permitted to work in New Zealand temporarily. You wont necessarily be able to apply for residence.

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The Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List (CISSL) contains occupations in critical shortage in the Construction industry across New Zealand.

If your skills appear on the CISSL and meet the list requirements, you may be granted anEssential Skillswork visa. If the occupation is also on the LTSSL, then you may also be able to apply for residence.

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We use the amount of pay andANZSCO Version 1.2 to determine if a job is skilled. Some selected occupations are treated as an exception.

To be classified as skilled for the Skilled Migrant Category you need to be either;ANZSCOlevel 1-3 AND paid at or above $25.50 per hour ($53,040 per year based on a 40 hour week)ORANZSCOlevel 4-5 AND paid at or above $38.25 per hour ($79,560 per year based on a 40 hour week)OROn the list of occupations treated as an exception to ANZSCO AND paid at or above $25.00 per hour ($53,040 per year based on a 40 hour week)

If your occupation is defined as skilled, you may be eligible to apply for a resident visa under theSkilled Migrant Category. This is a points-based visa that considers factors such as age, work experience, your qualifications and an offer of skilled employment.

To apply under the Skilled Migrant Category you must be aged 55 or under, meet the skill level for your occupation, and meet English language, health, and character requirements.

Originally posted here:

Skill Shortage List Checker Immigration New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand The candidates didnt know they were running. The winner received no prize. And, at least by appearance, the champion appeared to be ineligible to compete.

The race was for New Zealands Bird of the Year, an annual competition that gives New Zealanders an opportunity to rank their favorite birds from the countrys 200-odd native species and raises awareness of their ecological plight.

But this year, a long-tailed bat, one of New Zealands two native land mammals, flew away with the top prize, contest organizers said on Monday.

The audacity of the bat, known as pekapeka-tou-roa, led some on social media to call the competition a farce and rail about a stolen election. But other voters applauded the victory.

Real steal yo girl/take yo job energy, said one Aucklander in a post on Twitter.

Another user saw the upset as a potential source of inspiration, writing: If pekapeka tou roa can win Bird of the Year despite not being a bird then you can ask out your crush, anything is possible.

Bird of the Year, a two-week campaign run by the conservation charity Forest and Bird, is conducted like New Zealands electoral system through an instant-runoff system. The competition has a long history of ballot stuffing, rigged polls and even rumors of Russian interference. Last year, a hacker slipped more than 1,500 fake votes into an election database, sending one flightless bird to the top.

But this years result was the subject of no such skulduggery, organizers said. They had included New Zealands two native bat species among the avian contenders for the first time to help raise awareness.

Laura Keown, a spokeswoman for the contest, said: Because of New Zealands lack of mammals, Bat of the Year was going to be a very boring competition. It just felt like a nice opportunity to highlight this critically endangered native species and bring them from the darkness into the light.

The countrys two bat species face many of the same difficulties as more famous creatures such as the kiwi, which won the bird competition in 2009. The land mammals are at risk from pests like rats, cats and possums, as well as from the destruction of their forest habitats and climate change. The population is declining by about 5 percent a year.

For a long time, a bat led the bird contest by quite a lot, Ms. Keown told reporters last week. The lesser short-tailed bat was the only other contender giving the long-tailed bat a run for its money with voters. Behind them was a kakapo a large, flightless parrot which was last years champion.

Perhaps drawn by the lure of the cute, fuzzy faces of New Zealands native bats, nearly 57,000 voters around the world weighed in for this years online competition the most in the contests 16-year history.

I like to think that its because Kiwis just love their native bat so much, and they just really reveled in this chance to get to vote for the bat especially for New Zealands highest honor, the Bird of the Year, Ms. Keown said.

Most New Zealanders have never seen the shy, nocturnal mammal, which is roughly the length of a thumb and able to flit from tree to tree at top speeds of more than 35 miles an hour.

They dont really interact with people at all, said Kerry Borkin, a bat ecologist at New Zealands Department of Conservation. Because of that, theres so much that were still learning about bats, which actually makes them really exciting.

Once bats have been pushed out of an area, it is exceptionally difficult to bring them back, Dr. Borkin said. We need to keep those trees that we have already and plant more so that there are more in the future for the bats to use.

Ms. Keown could not confirm whether bats will make another appearance in next years competition.

Bird of the Year is no stranger to controversy, Ill say that, said Ms. Keown. We always ruffle some feathers.

Read more:

New Zealand Held a Contest for Bird of the Year. The Birds Lost. - The New York Times