Category Archives: New Zealand

Beauden Barrett smiles as he runs in the first try

(Getty Images)

Depleted Wales lost captain Alun Wyn Jones to injury and suffered a 32nd successive defeat against New Zealand as the All Blacks triumphed 54-16 in Cardiff.

Jones hurt the same shoulder that threatened to sideline him from this summers British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa before he made a startling recovery and started all three Tests.

Flanker Ross Moriarty also departed early after Wales went into action without 20 players including a number of Lions due to injuries, illness and Gallagher Premiership-based personnel not being released by their clubs as the game fell outside World Rugbys international window. None of that strife bothered New Zealand in extending a relentless winning run against Wales. They are unbeaten in the fixture since 1953.

Beauden Barretts try double, in his 100th Test, plus TJ Perenara, Will Jordan, Dalton Papalii, Sevu Reece and Anton Lienert-Brown touchdowns kept New Zealand in charge, while Jordie Barrett kicked 19 points.

Depleted Wales lost captain Alun Wyn Jones to injury and suffered a 32nd successive defeat against New Zealand as the All Blacks triumphed 54-16 in Cardiff

Jones hurt the same shoulder that threatened to sideline him from this summers British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa before he made a startling recovery and started all three Tests.

Flanker Ross Moriarty also departed early after Wales went into action without 20 players including a number of Lions due to injuries, illness and Gallagher Premiership-based personnel not being released by their clubs as the game fell outside World Rugbys international window.

Karl Matchett30 October 2021 20:05

That just about does us for our coverage this evening. A brilliant late surge sealed a comfortable victory for New Zealand, extending Wales streak of defeats for at least another year.

Well be back tomorrow to see how New Zealand Women fare - the Black Ferns are playing their first Test in 26 months as they take on Simon Middletons England at Sandy Park in Exeter. The world number ones vs the world champions - blockbuster!

Do join us for that, but until then, do stay safe and well and thank you for joining us.

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:46

Seven days for Wales to dust themselves off and patch themselves up for another bruising battle with South Africa. They will be replenished by some of their England-based players but will Alun Wyn Jones be fit to win his 150th cap? You would think that Wayne Pivac will need his on-field leader against the might and mass of the Springboks.

New Zealand, meanwhile, are Rome-bound for another encounter with a team coached by a Kiwi - Kieran Crowleys Italy are their opponents next week.

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:42

We are very happy with where we were at 28-16 with eighteen minutes to go, but the All Blacks made us pay for mistakes. Well learn a lot from that game. Its another example of the small margins.

A couple of intercepts dont help. A silly penalty after we scored let them in. You are always going to have a look at some decisions but the officials come up with the decisions they come up with.

I thought Taine Basham was excellent in the seven jersey, and I am sure there are some other individuals who put their hand up today.

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:32

Credit to New Zealand - it shows why they are one of the best teams in the world, the centre says of Wales defeat. We were able to stay in it but the accuracy and the way they executed, they dont let you get away with any mistakes.

We know as a group the more time we spend together, the better we get, so we are looking forward to next week in front of this crowd. Weve got to make sure we keep learning.

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:27

It felt like we had a great preparation this week. It has been amazing, even in our bubble - its been a great atmosphere. The boys lifted to it. I thought Beaudy and his little brother were awesome.

I think if you look at Beaudy it shows the quality of the man. For him to put all of it to the side and put us on the front foot straight away it shows what he is like. That is why he has won 100 caps.

We wanted to ramp it up a little bit in the second half. I took a couple of shots at goal because it was close. The Welsh boys were big and physical and there are a number of guys on both sides who have got bruised bodies - it was hard out there.

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:23

It is a reasonably familiar script for New Zealand but they were simply outstanding in that final quarter. I think this might have been the pick of their scores - how about the control on that little pitching wedge from Jordie Barrett?

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:18

Im somewhat relieved it is over. It has been a tense week because of all the support that has rolled in. What a place to do it - the Welsh fans are hard to beat.

We always had to work against a very good Welsh side. I am proud of our boys. We showed various ways we can play and adapted well to the yellow card.

I just wanted to focus on playing well but tonight Ill enjoy the boys company and thank everyone who has helped me. It is a very competitive team to be a part of and we all push each other.

(Getty Images)

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:17

Alun Wyn Jones has a chat with All Blacks head coach Ian Foster, no sling or apparent discomfort for the stricken Welsh lock - will he win cap 150 next week?

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:13

(Getty Images)

Harry Latham-Coyle30 October 2021 19:11

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Wales vs New Zealand LIVE: Result and reaction from autumn international fixture today - The Independent

New Zealands native birds have long been threatened by mammalian arrivals. Now, they are being thrashed by a mammal in the one arena that they might have expected dominance the countrys annual bird of the year competition.

The election, run by Forest and Bird, allowed a surprise entry this year from the pekapeka-tou-roa, or long tailed bat, one of New Zealands only land-based native mammals. On Tuesday, Forest and Bird officials confirmed to the Guardian that the bat is winning in current polls by a considerable margin.

Its winning overall, yeah, said Forest and Bird spokesperson Laura Keown. Actually, when you look at the number one and number two rankings, its not winning by a little. Its winning by quite a lot.

The bat caused some consternation when it was entered in the polls, being the first mammal in the competitions 16-year history. Keown said Forest and Bird had granted the bat entry in an effort to raise its profile as critically endangered. Native pekapeka are among the most seriously threatened native animals that live in Aotearoa, but many people dont even know they exist, she said.

Trailing the bat in second place was the kkp a large, flightless parrot and the competitions reigning champ from last year. In third place was the kea, an alpine parrot known for its fierce intelligence and fondness for stealing paraphernalia from tourists.

The bat may be helped in the polls by powerful backers: New Zealands Ministry of Environment on Tuesday announced it was endorsing the pekapeka campaign. Voting on bird of the year closes at the end of the month and Keown said there was still time for an upset. Its not a foregone conclusion, anything can happen. But definitely looking at the results, the bat is the frontrunner. Its streaking ahead.

New Zealands bird of the year competition is no stranger to controversy. In 2019, the arrival of hundreds of votes from Russia sparked claims of election meddling. The votes were ultimately judged legitimate, and a Forest and Bird spokesperson said at the time that interest from Russian ornithologists may be responsible. New Zealand actually shares birds with Russia, they said at the time. We have the bar-tailed godwit that makes an annual round trip.

The year before, Forest and Bird alleged that 300 fraudulent votes were cast in the online ballot by Australians attempting to rig the contest in favour of the shag.

Keown said voting had been strong this year, with more than 33,700 votes cast so far. New Zealands Bird of The Year attempts to raise awareness of some of the countrys endangered wildlife. The long-tailed bat is categorised as critically endangered nationwide.

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Bat winning by quite a lot in New Zealands Bird of the Year contest - The Guardian

Was anyone surprised when New Zealands self-made Apostle Brian Tamaki courted controversy and arrest by participating in two anti-lockdown protests in Auckland recently? Or that during one of these events he declared he would rather live in dangerous freedom than peaceful slavery and likened the director-general of health to Hitler?

This was, after all, the same Brian Tamaki whose Destiny Church followers wanted to reclaim Christchurch for Jesus in the immediate aftermath of the 2019 terrorist attacks. And who blamed the Christchurch earthquakes on gays, sinners and murderers.

Those familiar with the branch of modern Christianity known as Pentecostalism would not have been surprised at all. Tamakis Destiny Church is part of the fastest-growing religious movement in the world, with an estimated 500 million adherents.

Today the average Pentecostal is as likely to be Nigerian, Fijian, Korean or Brazilian as they are to be British, American, Australian or Kiwi.

Aotearoa New Zealand is just one of many places Pentecostalism is flourishing. As well as the more prominent churches such as Destiny, City Impact, the Assemblies of God (AOG) and Elim, a host of smaller congregations exist throughout the country.

Here and elsewhere, Pentecostals steadfast assertion that the raw power of the Holy Spirit will prevail over the principalities of darkness has run up against the cultural and environmental realities of the modern world.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in their responses to COVID-19. As nation-states have rolled out public health measures, Pentecostals have seemed unwilling and unable to accept epidemiological explanations and strategies.

Tamakis actions are the tip of an iceberg of global resistance. Pentecostals have been at the forefront of legal pushbacks against gathering restrictions and insisted only the second coming of Christ would force churches to close their doors.

Read more: Explainer: what is Pentecostalism, and how might it influence Scott Morrison's politics?

They have proclaimed COVID cannot survive in the bodies of the faithful, declared a link between the virus and 5G mobile technology, and maintained the pandemic is Gods yardstick for distinguishing his loyal servants from pretenders.

While these claims and interpretations can appear outlandish and dangerous, they are not entirely incomprehensible. Rather than view them as nonsense, it is more helpful to see them as a different kind of sense altogether.

Specifically, Pentecostal values are a religious response to the pandemic and a spiritualisation and demonisation of the virus. This goes directly to the Pentecostal obsession with the Holy Spirit.

Pentecostalism is defined, above all, by its intense experientialism. More than any other Christian variant, it is concerned with saturating human existence in otherworldly power.

Read more: Pentecostals and the spiritual war against coronavirus in Africa

The Pentecostal vocabulary is not one of ritual, liturgy or structure, but of ecstasy, surprise, miracles and wonder.

From this standpoint, any stricture, rule or earthly imposition that impedes a life in the Spirit is, by default, suspect and anathema. This sets up an overall opposition between the spiritual and the worldly that helps define the difference between good and evil or God and Satan.

For the devoted Pentecostal, everything is either one or the other, and to be on the side of the world is to collaborate with the enemy. Several features of this theology directly shape Pentecostal responses to COVID-19.

Triumphalism: Pentecostals are fearless combatants in a spiritual war against Satan. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate weapon in this charge, providing absolute confidence in a Biblically preordained victory. With its long shadow of sickness and fear, COVID-19 bears the Devils signature.

Framed as an active demonic force, the virus is something that should not must not be feared. The triumphalism determined by a total faith in the Spirit to conquer evil immediately establishes an ethos that spurns caution, regulation and withdrawal.

Deliverance and healing: The former expels demonic forces threatening well-being, while the latter cleanses a diseased body affected by those same powers. These religious tools are brought to bear against the pandemic, warding off the Satanic viral threat while healing the afflicted. Logically, vaccination becomes unnecessary, misguided and a betrayal of faith.

Read more: How religions and religious leaders can help to combat the COVID-19 pandemic: Indonesia's experience

Tribulation: Pentecostals are deeply concerned with the end of human history as the precursor to Christs return and the establishment of Gods paradisical kingdom. The Tribulation is a seven-year nightmare of evil and suffering featuring the rise of a nefarious new world order.

Within this end times scenario, all humanity is branded with the mark of the beast, a process authorised by Satan. An apocalyptic plague and Satanic mandates for vaccination provide further prophetic justification for a pro-healing, anti-vaccination position.

The Kingdom: Pentecostals are not huge fans of worldly entities and human rules. They prefer divine authority, spiritual inspiration and Biblically sanctified morality. The Kingdom of God is juxtaposed with the debased platforms of government and capitalism (even if countless Pentecostals embrace a divinely sanctioned materialism).

Translated into the pandemic context, the continual legislative and policy directives of the government are, by virtue of their human origin, tainted with iniquity. As always, paramount trust must be placed in the Holy Spirit and the Bible.

Read more: Are you there God? Whether we pray harder or endure wrath depends on the religious doctrine of Providence

It may be tempting to see Pentecostalism as its own worst enemy by denying the science and leaving its followers vulnerable to epidemiological catastrophe.

But it is also a relatively young branch of Christianity and not necessarily uniform in its beliefs. As has been observed elsewhere, medical science and divine healing [] have never been considered mutually exclusive by the entire movement.

The question therefore becomes, can Pentecostalism reach a dtente with the world, as mainstream Protestant, Anglican and Catholic churches have done?

It would seem the tide can be turned, even if compelled by tragedy. For example, after the death of one of its congregants, the Pentecostal church at the centre of the largest sub-cluster of Aucklands current Delta outbreak embraced vaccination, having initially denied its validity.

This is a pattern now being repeated across many pockets of the Pentecostal world, albeit within a church still fixated on spiritual dynamism and miraculous cures. For now, however, it may take more than faith in worldly reason to persuade Brian Tamaki and his flock that vaccines and lockdowns are a blessing and not a curse.

Read the original:

Spirit of resistance: why Destiny Church and other New Zealand Pentecostalists oppose lockdowns and vaccination - The Conversation AU

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New Zealand will allow three homes on formerly single-family lots in five major cities, a move B.C. should consider, say housing advocates.

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New Zealands government has ordered an end to single-family zoning in its five biggest cities, drawing the attention of B.C. housing advocates and planning experts.

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Housing advocates think it is an example worth considering in B.C.s most expensive markets, but others caution it might have unintended consequences.

Legislation introduced last week would require the New Zealand cities to apply medium density residential standards to single-family areas by next August. The new rules will allow property owners to build up to three housing units, to a height of three storeys, covering 50 per cent of what were typically single-family lots in cities including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The idea is to encourage construction of more housing, perhaps as many as 75,000 units within eight years, according to consultant PwCs estimate.

I think thats a recognition that, you know, you should let people build some housing, said Tom Davidoff, director of the Centre for Urban Economics at UBC. I think what theyve done is totally appropriate.

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In B.C., Davidoff estimated a similar change would have the biggest impact in the more expensive neighbourhoods, such as Vancouvers Kerrisdale and Point Grey. While Vancouver allows separate suites and laneway housing in those neighbourhoods, the New Zealand rules would given homeowners far more flexibility to build larger, separate units to replace single-family homes.

While the New Zealand move does make single-family homes more expensive, Davidoff said, it would have a significant effect on prices by increasing the availability of other housing types, such as multi-unit buildings.

The change is recognition that New Zealands housing shortage is being made worse in our biggest cities by limits on the number and types of houses that can be built, said the countrys housing minister, Megan Woods.

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It holds lessons for B.C. where a similar measure by the province could accomplish a lot in terms of reforming local municipal powers, said Nathan Lauster, a sociologist at UBC. who has done research on zoning and housing.

Changing those powers would likely go a long way towards opening up a lot more housing development, said Lauster, something municipalities find difficult because of political blowback.

Some B.C. municipalities have taken steps toward similar measures, but are generally predisposed against them, because powerful constituencies oppose such change.

However, Lauster said he sees hints that B.C. may be amenable to intervening on those municipal powers.

Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osborne was not available for an interview Friday, but said by email that greater density and mixed uses play a critical role in building more affordable, greener communities.

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Brent Toderian, a former Vancouver chief planner, noted Vancouver and Ontario have taken steps toward eliminating single-family zoning, but the New Zealand model offers homeowners a lot more flexibility in what they can build.

He agrees its perfectly reasonable for the province to get rid of single-detached zoning. There are climate reasons, affordability reasons, equity reasons, public-health reason, infrastructure-cost reasons, all sorts of public-interest reasons for doing that, Toderian said.

There are risks, however, that such a zoning change could result in a land rush as the new potential to build more increases the value of existing lots, said housing researcher Andy Yan, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University.

Part of this issue is, ultimately, the land gets repriced first before a stick of housing gets built, said Yan, which was Vancouvers experience when it relaxed single-family zoning.

Yan cautioned that such a measure would have effects on infrastructure and transit that would have to be factored in before proceeding.

That ought to begin with research, because policy without research is guessing, Yan said.

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B.C. takes note as New Zealand moves to ban single-family zoning in cities - Vancouver Sun

By Soheil Mohseni, Alan Brent and James Hinkley of

Opinion - The transport sector accounts for 47 percent of New Zealand's carbon dioxide emissions. It will be a focus for decarbonisation to meet the country's new climate pledge to cut emissions by half by 2030.

Photo: 123RF

Most (90 percent) transport emissions come from road transport, which is also the fastest-growing sector. Battery-driven electric vehicles have been highlighted as the sole pathway to a net-zero transport sector. But a life-cycle approach suggests we should consider more than one option.

Advances in hydrogen fuel cell technologies suggest a multi-pronged strategy is a more sensible approach to decarbonisation. It also aligns well with the aim of building resilient transport systems.

We argue a single solution will not be adequate to decarbonise road transport.

Electric vehicles with hydrogen-powered fuel cells have the edge on battery-driven cars in three important ways: longer range, shorter refuelling time and greater payload.

Hydrogen contains nearly three times the energy density of diesel and petrol. This makes it attractive for use in heavy commercial vehicles. Hydrogen's light but energy-dense properties allow heavy-duty and long-haul trucks to couple hefty payloads and long ranges while offering refuelling times comparable to conventional combustion-engine vehicles.

But while hydrogen is lighter than batteries, efficiency losses are significant. Producing green hydrogen by splitting water using renewable electricity in a state-of-the-art electrolyser results in an energy loss of about 35 percent.

Of the remaining 65 percent of the original energy, another 55 percent is lost during compression, distribution and conversion back to electricity in the fuel cell to drive the electric motor. This results in an overall efficiency of around 35 percent with existing technologies.

In contrast, the overall electrical loss (from plant to plug) in centralised electricity networks is only up to 8 percent. This includes transmission and distribution losses, as well as the efficiency of grid-scale storage. This represents the worst-case scenario in light of the recent developments in smart local energy systems.

Battery vehicles have a battery-to-wheel efficiency of 75-87 percent, resulting in a well-to-wheel efficiency of 70-80 percent, depending on the model. But batteries (particularly lithium-ion batteries) have a substantially lower energy density than hydrogen.

This means the range of a battery-driven electric vehicle can only be increased by adding weight and cost. This tips the hydrogen fuel cell to be the most promising future of heavy-duty road transport.

The environmental cost of producing batteries or fuel cells is another important factor to consider when evaluating the sustainability of future carbon-neutral fleets.

Technology improvements and economies of scale have pushed down the cost of lithium-ion batteries substantially. But the so-called "green conflict" highlights humanitarian controversies in communities where mining battery metals (mainly cobalt, but also lithium, nickel and copper) takes place.

This is a major challenge for the battery electric vehicle industry. Costly and energy-intensive processes are now available to recycle depleted batteries. The green transportation industry is also considering "second-life options" to reuse batteries elsewhere before recycling the raw materials.

However, moving to a hydrogen-powered fleet would also drive up demand for nickel, platinum and other rare minerals, given the significant losses in efficiency.

Last year, the New Zealand government pledged $20 million towards establishing a nationwide network of hydrogen refuelling stations. The commitment from the infrastructure reference group will help to attract an additional $49 million from Hiringa Energy, joint-venture partners and other private investors.

As part of the initiative, eight hydrogen filling stations tailored to heavy-duty fuel-cell trucks and buses will be installed across the country.

The network is expected to service heavy-duty freight routes in the North Island and South Island, at 95 percent and 82 percent of current capacity, respectively. Hiringa has also signed a vehicle-supply agreement with Hyzon Motors to deliver up to 1,500 fuel-cell electric trucks, assembled at its site in the Netherlands, by 2026.

When it comes to the electrification of transport, most advocates fall into one of two camps: battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell. The two are nearly always perceived as opponents. Few organisations or companies promote an optimal mix of the two technologies.

But recent research suggests the cheapest and environmentally and socially most acceptable approach is to combine complementary characteristics of these technologies. It also contributes to the goal of a 100 percent renewable electric grid.

We believe battery and hydrogen vehicles will coexist for different applications, as each finds its niche in the future zero-carbon economy.

*Soheil Mohseni is a postdoctoral research fellow in Sustainable Energy Systems at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Alan Brent is a professor and chair in Sustainable Energy Systems at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington and James Hinkley is a senior lecturer at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.

See the rest here:

Electrifying transport: why New Zealand can't rely on battery-powered cars alone - RNZ

For 16 years, birds across New Zealand have battled each other in a gripping competition to be named Bird of the Year. But this year's front-runner is the native bat a fact that has ruffled some feathers.

"It's true. There is a sneaky mammal who only comes out at night and has snuck its way into the bird list," Bird of the Year spokesperson Laura Keown told As It Happens host Carol Off.

Bird of the Year is a fun competition in which politicians get involved and people make memes and even fake Tinder accounts on behalf of the birds to garner votes, Keown says.

In the course of that process, she says people also get to learn about the many species that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Hunters and predators, often mammals, have long threatened New Zealand's native birds, which is why the long-tailed bat, or pekapeka-tou-roa in Maori, one of New Zealand's only land-based native mammals, is a controversial contender.

One Twitter user said that a mammal has hijacked the competition, while another made a point to clarify that bats are not, in fact, birds.

But Keown defended the bat's inclusion. She says it's unfortunate that bats now remind some people of the global pandemic, as the coronavirus may have have spread from bats to another animal before affecting humans

"Hopefully, if our bat kind of makes history by winning a bird contest, they can get famous for that instead," she said.

Plus, she says, the bats are at risk of habitat loss, as they roost inside the nooks and hollows of New Zealand's old growth trees.

"It's a pretty special little species and it doesn't get much attention all on its own in its own category over there," Keown said.

"Mammal of the Year was going to be a really boring competition, so we thought it was a great awareness-raising opportunity ... and they just jumped on the list with the rest of the birds."

Once, there were three species of bats native to the New Zealand: the long-tailed bat, the short-tailed bat and the greater short-tailed bat, which is believed to have gone extinct. The long-tailed bat is classified as "nationally critical" while the short-tailed bat is vulnerable, but recovering.

By including pekapeka-tou-roa, Keown says the contest hopes to raise awareness about the threats facing both long- and short-tailed bats.

Pekapeka-tou-roa bats are quite small, with a wingspan around the size of an outstretched hand, and a furry body about the size of a thumb.

When they wake up at dusk, they fly up to 60 kilometres an hour and use echolocation calls to hunt for moths, mosquitos and other crawling insects.

"They're really great for controlling insects," Keown said. "And they're also really cute."

Written by Mehek Mazhar. Interview with Laura Keown produced by Ashley Fraser.

The rest is here:

New Zealand's bird of the year may actually be a bat? - CBC.ca

She may only be eight years old, but Adelaide Ketel has no qualms about getting the Covid-19 vaccine if it becomes available to children under the age of 12 in New Zealand.

At her own request the Nelson girl will likely be among the first in line for a vaccine.

"She can't wait to be vaccinated, she has asked me about it so many times," said her mum, Laurel Ketel.

SUPPLIED

Adelaide Ketel, 8.

As a toddler, Adelaide developed a cricket-ball sized cancerous tumour that became entwined with her heart and lungs. Surgeons removed most of the mass, along with two-thirds of her right lung. The tumour that remains in her chest cavity is stable, but Adelaide has been left with chronic lung disease.

READ MORE:* Covid-19: MoH in talks with Pfizer over vaccine use in children aged 5-11* Booster Covid-19 vaccine doses to come before Christmas, as spread of Delta accelerates Government's plans* Covid-19: Pfizer vaccine approved for use in 12 to 15-year-olds in New Zealand

The family has tried to shield Adelaide from news of the pandemic. But some has seeped through, Ketel said.

"We don't talk about [Covid] all that much, we don't want to create anxiety. [But] she is aware that it's coming to the community, and she is anxious: she is really well at the moment, but she knows she has this lung condition."

SUPPLIED

Elliot, 10, Adelaide, 8, and Ava Ketel (double vaccinated), 17.

As a result, Adelaide has no qualms about the vaccine, which her parents and 17-year-old sister Ava have already received, Ketel said.

Ketel had considered isolating with her daughter when Delta inevitably makes its way to her small community.

But the advice she has had from medical practitioners is that Covid can't be avoided. "We'd have to lock away for months, which isn't possible."

Ketel is "really pleased" that Adelaide, and her 10-year-old son Elliot, could be vaccinated soon, she said. She had no concerns about the vaccine: it was small fry after the years of medical intervention Adelaide had received.

"She's had chemo, we've pumped stuff into her... we want her to be vaccinated so we have every chance of protecting her."

Ketel urged the vaccine-hesitant to consider at-risk people in their community.

This October 2021 photo provided by Pfizer shows kid-size doses of its Covid-19 vaccine in Puurs, Belgium.

"Just really think about these people who are vulnerable. Think of the people who have underlying health conditions who can't be vaccinated, it must be a really scary position to be in."

At the moment the vaccine is free and available to everyone n New Zealand aged 12 and over, with signs overseas that those aged 5-11 will be the next eligible group.

Regulators in the US have authorised the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children five to 11 years old. Its expected Aotearoa could be waiting until 2022 to do the same.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Health confirmed it was in discussion with Pfizer over whether the countrys existing Covid-19 vaccine stock could be used in children aged five to 11.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the ministry was expecting information through from Pfizer in the first two weeks of November.

Medsafe would review that, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assessment, and any other data they could get, he said.

Group Manager for Medsafe, Chris James, said for Medsafe to consider granting provisional approval for the vaccine, Pfizer had to submit an application, which has not yet happened.

It is Pfizers decision who and when to submit applications to, James said, if, and when Pfizer does submit an application, well prioritise the assessment of the data for this age group.

If Medsafe provisionally approves this, further clinical and scientific advice will be sought from the Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group before it goes to Cabinet for a decision to use.

James said people should not worry, however, and there would be enough vaccines for everyone. Since an application hadnt been received yet, he couldnt put a timeframe on when younger children could be eligible.

RICKY WILSON/Stuff

Dr Siouxsie Wiles said Covid-19 vaccines for under 12s, probably wouldnt come into effect until 2022.

Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles said experts would like to see younger children able to get the vaccine as soon as possible, but the processes needed to be followed.

The dose for younger children is not the same as the adult dose. Its a smaller amount and a different formulation, which means once it is approved, it will need to be brought to New Zealand.

Wiles believed it would be safe for under 12s to return to school at some point before being fully vaccinated, however, as long as the adults at the school were all fully vaccinated and proper ventilation was used along with face masks.

STUFF

Chris Hipkins announces an indicative start date of November 15 for the remainder of students in Auckland schools.

Vaccines are just part of the response to Covid-19, and I think schools can be safe it just requires some investment.

Stuffs Covid-19 fact-checking series The Whole Truth found that, while the vast majority of children experience Covid-19 as a mild illness, Deltas transmissibility puts more children at risk of being infected.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the Government was waiting for approval from the regulators.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said MedSafe were ready to move quickly on an application from Pfizer.

I know that Medsafe are ready to move quickly on an application, theyll do it thoroughly as they always do, he said.

Pfizers own study on using the vaccine in children tracked 2268 between the ages of 5 and 11 who got two shots, three weeks apart from either a placebo or a childs dose.

Vaccinated children developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies just as strong as teenagers and young adults who got the full-strength shots.

Read more here:

Covid-19: When will New Zealand approve Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 5 to 11? - Stuff.co.nz

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Rebecca Brady is the owner of organic, gluten-free, vegan cracker brand Top Seedz.

After ten years out of the workforce to look after her kids, a New Zealand woman took her home baking to her local farmers market hoping to create a source of income.

Now Rebecca Bradys organic, vegan, and gluten-free seed crackers are in Americas biggest supermarkets, and shes just won US$1.4 million to help go global.

[The business] its doing really well and our biggest problem is meeting demand, she said from her Buffalo, New York, home.

Brady left New Zealand about 27 years ago, doing stints in Singapore and Japan before settling in Buffalo, New York in 2015.

READ MORE:* Recipe: Vegan bird seed crackers from Chocolate Fish Cafe* My top 10 tips for business success

The reality was I had a ten-year gap in my resume, so it was pretty hard to find a job.

I thought what do I really want to do?, and I love good nutrition, the connection between what we eat is who we are and how we perform in life.

Shed been making her own healthy snacks for her children for as long as she could remember, so thought shed give it a go by selling her crackers made of pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, chia, hemp and flax seeds, at a local farmers market.

It was really quiet, the middle of winter, and we got about five people coming each Saturday, which was just fine because I really didnt know what I was doing, she laughed.

Kaitahi As One Frozen Smoothy Drops use indigenious ingredients and are available in New World stores nationwide.

It was there she came up with the name Top Seedz, invested $5000 into the brand, perfected the packaging and marketed the products.

And now Im in four Whole Foods regions throughout the country.

The company has experienced two times the growth year-on-year, and Brady's vision is to be a US$100 million (NZ$139.4m) company.

Supplied

Top Seedz crackers are made of pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, chia, hemp and flax seeds.

The brand is currently in 350 stores across America, and is selling on average 50,000 boxes of crackers a month.

Whole Foods has already approached Brady asking when she will be ready to go country-wide, but due to the manufacturing process being hands-on and manual, she cant.

We need to spend money on equipment and automate those processes, so we can meet the pent-up demand.

Brady runs the manufacturing herself, and 90 per cent of her employees are women and all are refugees.

She beat more than 18 other businesses in a lengthy accelerator programme, North 43, to win US$1m as well as year-long mentorship.

That will allow her to build an automated manufacturing system to boost demand and expand production including bringing the brand to New Zealand.

I think my mother would kill me if I didn't.

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Cracker brand owner from NZ wins $1.4 million in New York business competition - Stuff.co.nz

A member of the public receives a Pfizer vaccine at a drive-through coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination clinic in Otara during a single-day vaccination drive, aimed at significantly increasing the percentage of vaccinated people in the country, in Auckland, New Zealand, October 16, 2021. REUTERS/Simon Watts/File Photo

WELLINGTON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - New Zealand will end its strict coronavirus lockdown measures and restore more freedoms only when 90% of its eligible population is fully vaccinated, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday.

Once the poster child for stamping out COVID-19, New Zealand has been unable to beat an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 centred in Auckland, forcing Ardern to abandon her elimination strategy and switch to living with the virus.

Ardern said reaching a 90% inoculation rate at every District Health Board in the country would make the South Pacific nation one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. Some 68% of eligible New Zealanders are fully vaccinated and 86% have had one dose.

"Ultimately we have balanced the desire to re-open quickly while continuing to keep people safe," Ardern said at a news conference in the capital Wellington.

When the vaccine target is reached, the country will move into a new traffic-light system to manage outbreaks in regions.

Vaccine certificate will be central to the new system, which will also use three settings - green, orange and red - to manage fresh outbreaks and cases, Ardern said.

"Fully vaccinated people will be able to reconnect with family and friends, go to bars and restaurants and do the things they love with greater certainty and confidence," said Ardern.

The new system would also mean an end to nationwide lockdowns.

"Instead we have the vaccines to create a level of safety and armour, and there will be much more predictability," she said.

New Zealand enforced the tightest pandemic restrictions among OECD nations, but pressure is mounting on Ardern to ease curbs as relatively small but persistent numbers of cases continue to plague its biggest city.

New Zealand reported a record 129 COVID-19 cases on Friday, a daily record for the third time this week, despite Auckland remaining in lockdown for over two months. Looser restrictions are in place in most of the rest of the country of 5 million. read more

The number of cases in the current outbreak reached 2,389 and New Zealand has recorded 28 coronavirus related deaths so far in the pandemic.

Authorities have warned infections are likely to trend higher until vaccination numbers rise.

Opposition National Party leader Judith Collins said the "hurdle" of 90% vaccination condemns every New Zealander to months of more lockdowns and uncertainty.

"It is great we now have 86% of Kiwis who have had at least one dose. But the reality is this last 4% will be the hardest to achieve," Collins said.

Reporting by Praveen Menon;Editing by Sandra Maler

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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New Zealand sets 90% vaccine target for ending COVID-19 lockdown - Reuters

A member of the public receives a Pfizer vaccine at a drive-through coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination clinic in Otara during a single-day vaccination drive, aimed at significantly increasing the percentage of vaccinated people in the country, in Auckland, New Zealand, October 16, 2021. REUTERS/Simon Watts/File Photo

Oct 21 (Reuters) - New Zealand reported record daily COVID-19 cases for the second time in three days on Thursday, as the Delta variant continued to spur a spike in infections in the country's biggest city, Auckland.

Authorities reported 102 new COVID-19 infections, of which 94 were in Auckland, taking the total number of cases in the current outbreak to 2,260. There have been 28 deaths in total since the pandemic began and 46 people are currently hospitalised because of the virus.

New Zealand had stayed largely virus-free for most of the pandemic until the Delta outbreak in mid-August that has spread across Auckland and neighbouring regions, prompting tight restrictions on some 1.7 million Aucklanders that were extended further this week.

Authorities have said infections are likely to rise until vaccination rates accelerate and have urged people to get inoculated quickly - a call reiterated by deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson on Thursday.

"The bottom line ... is that the vaccine is key to keeping you, your family and your community safe," Robertson said at a news conference.

"We are facing this outbreak with a higher rate of vaccination than perhaps others have in other countries. We are in a strong position, but we do need to build on that and see more people be vaccinated."

Though tough restrictions in Auckland for more than two months have not slowed the outbreak, New Zealand's cumulative load of 4,956 confirmed cases is far lower than many comparable countries.

Some 68% of New Zealanders are fully vaccinated, while 86% have received at least one dose.

The government has ditched its COVID-19-free strategy in favour of learning to live with the virus. On Wednesday it said senior secondary school students in some areas would return to classrooms on Tuesday.

Reporting by Shashwat Awasthi; Editing by Christopher Cushing

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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New Zealand's COVID-19 cases hit record for second time this week - Reuters