Category Archives: New Zealand

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Air New Zealand plans to replace its Bombardier Q300 with planes powered by alternative energy.

This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

A man is surprised Air New Zealand suggested travelling out of lockdown in Auckland to Hamilton to take advantage of the offer of a free-of-charge flight change.

The man, who RNZ has agreed not to name, says he was helping a family member rearrange flights previously booked from Auckland to Wellington set for this week.

The flight was cancelled due to lockdown and converted into credit. The man then messaged Air New Zealand on Facebook asking about its policy towards waiving fare differences when rebooking flights.

READ MORE:* Covid-19: Flights resume to Cook Islands after NZ goes a week without community cases* Australia to decide on Tuesday whether to resume quarantine-free flights from New Zealand* Covid-19: Air NZ passengers caught out by voucher system can change flights

It replied its policy did not allow that, but if they wanted to keep the same travel dates it could offer a free change to a flight out of Hamilton at the same cost out - as long as they met requirements about travelling between alert levels.

The man said this "unsolicited" offer was surprising.

"I couldn't really believe it when they - albeit trying to be helpful - gave me advice, which seemed like encouragement even, on how to get ... a free-of-charge flight change.

"It just seems a bit reckless."

1 NEWS

The prime minister didnt want to comment further on the Wnaka lockdown breachers, saying it was now in the hands of police.

It comes as an Auckland couple - a lawyer and equestrian - are in hot water after fleeing the city, using essential worker exemptions and driving to Hamilton, then taking a flight to Queenstown via Wellington and driving a rented vehicle to Wnaka.

The man who had contacted Air New Zealand said he worried how many other people had got a similar message from the airline and may have taken it "as encouragement" to take flights from Hamilton using an essential travel exemption.

He said the rules about crossing between alert levels was very confusing for most people already.

"And so while everyone is trying to decipher what they can and can't do, I think it just adds an extra incentive to walk in that grey area."

He said Air New Zealand should have included other options in its response to him such as rebooking at a later date, not just giving the Hamilton option.

"A suite [of options] would have felt more comprehensive and responsible."

Air New Zealand said in a statement its customer team "offered an option that would be suitable for someone travelling for essential purposes or from a region under alert level 2 as not all customers flying from Auckland live in Auckland".

"We have made it very clear they would have to meet the travel requirements in place at the time."

This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

Link:

Air New Zealand offered free flight change from Auckland to Hamilton departure - Stuff.co.nz

OPINION: I am just another migrant from adeveloping country. I came to New Zealand on a Student Visa in 2017 with a hope to change my future.

I studied a masters of architecture (professional) at Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland.

This is one of the most competitive courses in New Zealand. I worked really hard to overcome all obstacles.

I remember all the cold winter walks to my accommodation, 5kmaway, because there was no bus service after 11.45pm, with all my architecture drawings and drafting tools.

It was an experience.

However, a real challenge presented during my final thesis semester when my grandfather died of old age.

The man who raised mewas no more.

Thankfully, I was able to go back to my home within 20 hoursto attend his funeral.

It was such depressing times, my professors and thesis mentors asked me to extend the thesis.

READ MORE:*An immigration scam encouraged by the New Zealand government*Work visa holders stranded overseas share heartbreak stories*Christchurch shooting survivor pleads for residency

But I was not ready to give up. I pushed myself to complete the thesis within the initial stipulated time, and became a graduate in 2019.

Finally, I became a New Zealand architectural graduate.

I come from a low to medium income family. For me, working was never an option. It was imperative.

I didnt have the choices to pick my job. I worked whereverjobpresented itself. I worked in a milk formula packing factory, as a midnight cleaner at a mall, weekend gardener for a lovely family in Remuera, and as a factory assistant at a furniture company.

With my constant effort, I was also able to get into some jobs that strengthened my resume, like an internshipat areputed architecture firm, design internship at a reputed digital marketing firm, a construction labour job,and an assistant project manager role with a construction firm.

Through these jobs I was able to gain practical knowledge. Allof these jobs were either minimum wage or voluntary.

But these jobs gave me a strong portfolio.

There was alight at the end.

After months of struggle, my hard work finally paid off with an architectural designer job in 2019.

This job is a dream cometrue. So far,I have had the opportunity to design more than 75residential buildings in thespan of less than two years.

Its a huge step up in my career. At this current job, I get to design conceptual plans, elevations, make 3D renders, and print 3D models of houses I have designed.

How cool is my job?

People might say I was lucky getting this job. But, this opportunity didnt simply fall in my hands.

I worked really hard to earn my job.

Nothing in my life happened because of luck. I dont believe in luck, but I believe in hard work.

Meanwhile, I'm in a long distance relationship.It's been eight years, and counting. I met myfiance in 2013.

We quickly fell in love.

I wanted to be financially stable before I asked her to marry me. After so many struggles, I felt I was in a good position in New Zealand.

So, in 2019, I asked and she said yes. Like rest of my story, it wasnt a smooth path.

Even the most anticipated proposal I planned and booked went for a toss.

From a helicopter ride to the mountains, to photographers and a spa.The entire engagement celebration was booked.

I even personally designed and had the diamond engagement ring specially made by a jeweller. All my excitement went south when myfiances visitor visa got rejected.

The reason - we are not satisfied that you have strong intensions in returning to your home country.

One of many waysImmigration New Zealand rejects people from adeveloping country, despite having granted one year multiple entry tourist visas in Australia.

Heartbroken, but unwilling to give up, I shifted my whole plan to Australia.

It wasnt a grand alpine engagement, but a humble, deep woods surprise. When the land of the long white cloud said noto us, the mighty blue mountains said yes.

What changed today? I went home in January 2020 to get my elders blessing for our wedding.

We planned our wedding for July 2020. Everything went downhill after that.

Covid-19 happened, borders closed in March 2020. In November 2020, I submitted my expression of interest for an Skilled Migrant CategoryVisa with 185 points.

AP

Covid-19 has left many migrants stranded.

Because of my professional experience, I will receive an additional 20 points in October 2021.

The expression of interestpool is still closed, therefore it's no use.

With no promises from Immigration New Zealand, the processing duration is unpredictable.

In addition, Immigration New Zealand has closed down its office in my home country, India.

Suddenly, everything in life became uncertain.

To choose between family and career.

On the one side, I am unable to be with my fiance due to border closures, and we are unable to show our union, since we lack the typical proofrequired by Immigration New Zealand.

Our chances of being together in New Zealand are growing slim every day.

On the other hand, I have a wonderful job with good pay, a boss who treats me like family (I spent last year's Christmas break with his entire family at his sister's house), friends, and a community that loves me.

I've even started saving for a home that we'll build for our future in New Zealand, after I get my residency.

Another empty dream or a future that is all set and ready.

We are compelled to choose between our families and our careers. Why can't our visa have a pause buttonin these trying times?

We could go home and care for our families and loved ones. And then return to New Zealand to resume our careers.

Most of us migrantsare not afraid of losing our jobs, or finding a new one, but of losing our chance to return to New Zealand if we leave.

Whats going on inside me? I'm not blaming anyone in particular. I recognise that I am simply an unfortunate individual in a bad circumstance.

There is no light at the end of the tunnel for me. Life has suddenly become so full of uncertainties that my mind feels like it's about to explode.

People who know me well tell me that I am extremely fortunate because I have the willpower to push forward against all the odds and do not rely on chance.

But I don't think I'm as fortunate as I once was.

I feel uneasy and disposable since Immigration New Zealand changes its guidelines so frequently.

Prior to the closure of the border, I used to close my eyes at 10.00 pmand wake up at6.30am sharp the next morning, without the need for an alarm.

Everything in my life was meticulously organised, and I always had a backup plan in place, so my mind was at ease and I was able to sleep soundly.

However, I can hear every clock tick as I sleep, and I wake up to every notification on from theImmigration New Zealand Facebook page.

I can't stop thinking about a strategy to keep both my family and my job.

I am aware that I am depressed, but I simply put on a cheerful front and go about my business.

Depression, mental health, and well-being are all luxury items that poor migrants can notafford.

Whats next?I'm a young designer who is intelligent, well-educated, and really talented.

Rather than a deadline, I've opted for a plan. 2022 February will mark the end of my two-year battle in New Zealand as a result of the border closure, and I will not travel any further.

If things go as per plan, I will go home, get married and come back with my wife when border closure gets relaxed.

If things dont get any better with Immigration New Zealandor the border closure, I will choose other options.

I believe, if I work hard and smart as I do now, I have excellent opportunities in other counties.

I am sure it will set me back by two or threeyears in my career, butat least I could be with my loved ones.

I would definitely miss my job, my boss, friends and this beautiful country.

But its a sacrifice worth taking for being with my family again.

I will not consider this part of my journey as a sad ending story but an adventurous one.

New Zealand made me who I am today. Itgave me the best career opportunities, amazing work culture and wonderful memories.

Read more here:

Migrant's chances of being with fiance in New Zealand slimmer every day - Stuff.co.nz

In the race to get Kiwis vaccinated the top of the south is leading the charge.

In Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough 78 per cent of the eligible population have had their first dose of the vaccination against Covid-19, while 45 per cent have had their second.

But, while thats the highest of any region in New Zealand, with a national rate of 65 per cent having one and 35 per cent two doses, local health officials arent slowing down.

Now, early bird clinics, targeting workplaces, and taking vaccines to the people on a converted booze bus are among the strategies being adopted to get as many people vaccinated as possible with a particular focus on those aged 12 to 30.

READ MORE:* Covid-19: Canterbury behind other main centres on vaccine roll-out* 'Have a cuppa and a Covid-19 vaccine': How one clinic is reaching Mori * National MP brands text invite to young Mori for Covid-19 jab race-based

Braden Fastier/Stuff

Hundreds attended a mass vaccination event at Nelsons Trafalgar Centre in August.

The two-dose Pfizer vaccination is free for everyone aged 12 and over. More than 2.9 million New Zealanders have had their first vaccine and more than 1.5 million their second.

Nelson Marlborough Health chief medical officer Dr Nick Baker said community buy-in had played a big role in the level of vaccination.

Getting vaccinated is the popular choice its the right choice.

The regions success also reflected a group effort, with public health organisations and the District Health Board working successfully together.

That meant the vaccination message was being delivered in the most way effective way possible, he said.

BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF

Tasman Mako rugby team members and staff were vaccinated at their clubrooms in Nelson.

You get to give the message in the way that people understand and the best message giver is someone you already know and trust.

Mori vaccination roll-out co-ordinator Vicki Thorn said being able to work in partnership with PHOs and the DHB meant they were able to offer an approach that was targetted to iwi.

It needed to delivered by Mori with a Mori view.

The aim was to get Mori and their whanau comfortable talking about vaccination, she said.

Just using the good old kumara vine I call it word of mouth.

Having as many options available for vaccination as possible was also vital as it made it harder for people to get too busy to get vaccinated, she said.

DHB chief executive Lexie O-Shea said the combination of a connected team and a very responsive community had helped the region in its vaccination efforts.

Were working at this together and thats whats making the difference.

Baker said the focus going forward was on making it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated.

Walk-in clinics had proved popular, and now they were looking at how they could take vaccination to the people.

Early bird clinics so people could get a vaccination before work would start next week, and other strategies were also being looked at.

Those included more drive-through clinics, workplace clinics, adapting an old police booze bus into a mobile vaccination unit, and talking with schools about having on-site vaccinations.

Because of the staged roll-out older people had excellent rates of vaccination levels, while those in younger age groups were much lower.

Teenagers were more likely to be vaccinated than those aged 19 to 30, likely because theyd tagged along when their parents were vaccinated, Baker said.

Braden Fastier/Stuff

Kaleb Webb, 15, was one of hundreds who attended the mass vaccination event at Nelsons Trafalgar Centre in August.

It was vital that younger people realised they were vulnerable without vaccination, with 66 per cent of cases from the August delta outbreak being in people aged under 30.

Covid is not just something that kills old people.

While Covid would likely be a reality going forward, vaccination offered the greatest protection against serious illness, he said.

Even if the virus does spread in our community, the amount of disease that people experience will still be within the ability of the health system to cope.

Delta in particular was a nasty variant that spread easily but the vaccine gave 98 per cent protection against ending up in the ICU, Baker said.

The known risks of Covid are real and present.

Nelson: 16 Paru Paru Rd (near the Trafalgar Centre)

Monday to Friday: 9am to 7.45pm

Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 5pm

Early bird sessions from 7am: Monday, September 20, Tuesday, September 21, Monday, September 27, Tuesday, September 28

Richmond: 253 Queen St

Monday to Friday: 9am to 7.30pm

Saturday: 9am to 4pm

Sunday: 10am to 4pm

Blenheim: Unit 3, 19 Henry St

Monday to Saturday: 8.30am to 5pm

Endeavour Park, Picton

Wednesday, September 22, 9am 3pm, walk-in

Havelock Town Hall

Thursday, September 23, 9am 3.30pm, walk-in

You can also get vaccinated through GPs and pharmacies through http://www.BookMyVaccine.nz

Read the rest here:

Nelson Marlborough leads the charge in race to get New Zealand vaccinated - Stuff.co.nz

Simon Pound talks to Vignesh Kumar, a partner in venture capital fund Global from Day 1, about helping local companies scale for global success.

Follow Business is Boring on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast provider.

Local venture capital fund Global from Day 1 recently announced the close of its third fund a $130m infusion of capital to invest in New Zealand companies wanting to scale to be worldwide successes. This total includes $45m from Elevate, a New Zealand Government initiative to supercharge the local venture scene. Its the largest investment that fund has made.

In the New Zealand context thats a big fund, and Gd1, as they are generally called, are one of the longest running specialist VC firms here. Theyve moved from their first fund specialising in seed, or investments very early on in a company, through to fund two for companies a little further on, to this third fund designed to help local companies that have found initial traction for their product or service or idea, and want to scale to be emerging global leaders.

To do the global bit, the company has partnered with a bunch of global experience across finance, marketing, venture, operations and hardware. Their hardware expert, Vignesh Kumar, was a hardware scaling leader at Apple.

That Apple experience and a background at Fisher and Paykel Healthcare has helped Vignesh build a big network of companies hes advised, invested in and supported through his work at the commercialisation agency Return on Science, and as a board member at Kiwinet, the consortium of the leading research and commercialisation agencies in New Zealand.

To talk about the VC world and partnering in Gd1, his personal purpose and what Apple was like, he joined Business is Boring via Zoom this week for a chat.

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Business is Boring: The former Apple leader helping New Zealand companies go global - The Spinoff

A rampant New Zealand scored five tries as they eventually ran away to a 39-0 victory over a defensively dogged Argentina in their Rugby Championship clash at the Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast Sunday.

The scoreline did not fully reflect the All Blacks' dominance with the Pumas producing a heroic defensive effort that included more than 200 tackles.

In the opening match of a double-header with Australia against South Africa to follow - the All Blacks secured their third bonus point in as many matches to stay top of the championship table.

"We're delighted. They're a tough team to play and history shows that they're hard to score tries against," All Blacks coach Ian Foster said, adding there was still plenty to work on."Clearly we left a few opportunities on the park and some of our decision making, particularly in the second half, I think we got a little flustered in the attacking 22 and threw away a little bit."

New Zealand were determined not to be caught napping as they were last year when Los Pumas beat the All Blacks for the first time.

And Rieko Ioane, a late addition to the New Zealand starting line-up when Anton Lienert-Brown was sidelined by a troublesome hamstring, was gifted the opening try of the match in the first 10 minutes.

As the All Blacks swept towards the line, Bautista Delguy attempted an intercept but could only knock the ball back over the line and Ioane pounced for the try.

With New Zealand enjoying nearly 70 percent possession for most of the first half, only an exceptional Argentina rearguard kept the scoreline to 7-0 after 30 minutes.

The Pumas stayed competitive, despite being starved of possession, winning scrum penalties, stealing two lineouts and winning 13 turnovers.

As much as the All Blacks dominated possession and territory they could not break the resolute Argentinian defence and eventually resorted to a Beauden Barrett penalty in the 33rd minute to move the scoreboard.

Jordie Barrett was denied a try when he fielded a cross-kick but came down on the dead ball line.

Santiago Cordero intercepted a pass from Ioane to an unmarked George Bridge and Asafo Aumua was held up over the line.

Then, in the closing stages of the first half Sevu Reece and Dalton Papalii added tries for the All Blacks with Pablo Matera, one of Argentina's most effective tacklers, in the sin bin after referee Nic Berry warned about repeated infringements.

With Matera still off the field at the start of the second half, Beauden Barrett stepped around three tacklers before flicking a one-handed pass to Luke Jacobson for a fourth try.

But with the All Blacks so dominant, impatience took over and several attacks at the line fell short before Jacobson scored his second after replacement prop Carlos Muzzio was yellow carded as Argentina again suffered disciplinary problems.

They gave away 23 penalties in their last Test against South Africa and then 18 against the All Blacks and coach Mario Ledesma could not hide his disappointment.

"It's difficult to get any grasp of the game when you're being so undisciplined," he said.

But Ledesma said that overall he was proud of the effort.

"Normally when you play like that against the All Blacks and you give them 70 percent territory and possession and that many penalties and two yellow cards, normally the score is much higher," he said.

AFP

related news

Read more:

Dominant New Zealand overwhelm Argentina in Rugby Championship - Buenos Aires Times

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Immigration officers feared him. So, too, did prosecutors, prison officials and police. They thought he could launch a terror attack at any moment. Even the prime minister wanted him deported.

Yet, in the end, nobody in New Zealand was able to stop an extremist inspired by the Islamic State group from walking free from prison in July. Seven weeks later, he grabbed a knife at an Auckland supermarket and began stabbing shoppers, injuring seven in a frenzied attack.

Court records, interviews and agency accounts explain how years of red flags werent enough to stop him.

___

October 2011: Ahamed Aathil Samsudeen, 22, arrives in New Zealand from Sri Lanka on a student visa. The following month, he withdraws from his studies and makes a claim for refugee status.

April 2012: Immigration officials decline his refugee claim, saying they found inconsistencies and an unreliable medical report. He appeals, and an immigration tribunal takes a fresh look at the case.

December 2012: Samsudeen, a Tamil Muslim, tells the tribunal that if hes sent back home, hell face persecution because of a falling out between his father and a former colonel from the Tamil Tigers insurgent group.

He says that once, several armed men kidnapped him and his father, stripping them, cutting them, burning them with cigarettes and beating them unconscious.

A psychologist tells the tribunal that Samsudeen is a damaged young man whos suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

The tribunal concludes that while parts of Samsudeens story are superficially unsatisfactory, that its best to give him the benefit of the doubt. It grants him refugee status, and he later becomes a permanent resident of New Zealand.

April 2016: Samsudeen is noticed by police and intelligence agencies. Hes been posting his support for the Islamic State on Facebook, including graphic videos, as well as support for terror attacks in Paris and Brussels. Police speak twice to Samsudeen at his home. He apologizes, saying hes closed down his Facebook page.

But he soon reopens the account and keeps posting. He describes stabbing enemies and cutting off their heads.

Exactly what causes Samsudeens descent into extremism remains unclear.

His brother describes him as spending too much time online and suffering from mental health problems. Samsudeens mother says that at one point in New Zealand, her son fell from a great height, and that neighbors from Syria and Iran helped him recover but also brainwashed him.

A roommate tells police that Samsudeen wants to travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State group and, failing that, wants to kill somebody with a knife.

May 2017: Police arrest Samsudeen at Auckland Airport with a backpack, a few thousand dollars and a ticket to Singapore. They believe he is trying to get to Syria to join the Islamic State.

At his apartment, police find a hunting knife with a long blade. Samsudeen says its for protection. They also find extremist videos and photos of him posing with a gun.

Hes jailed on various charges, including distributing the videos, possessing the knife and credit card fraud. He will spend most of the next four years behind bars.

August 2017: Worried about the threat Samsudeen poses, immigration authorities reexamine his refugee application. They find fabricated statements from his family to support his claim and an embellished medical report. They begin a protracted process to cancel his refugee status.

May 2018: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asks officials about his immigration status and options for him to be deported. The following month, Samsudeen pleads guilty to five charges and is released on bail.

August 2018: He pays cash for another hunting knife the same model as the one police found the previous year. Police search his home again and find a ninja throwing star weapon and more Islamic State videos, including some showing extreme violence.

Hes also been posting his support for terrorism on Facebook again. After just six weeks of freedom, Samsudeen is back behind bars, facing new charges that are similar to the earlier ones.

February 2019: Immigration authorities finally cancel Samsudeens refugee status on the basis of fraud. Two months later, hes served with a deportation notice. Samsudeen appeals once more to the independent tribunal. More than two years later, the hearing was still pending.

June 2020: In prison, staff believe he has potentially violent extremist views, but he refuses to meet with a prison psychologist or engage with an imam. He repeatedly throws feces and urine at corrections officers. He argues with officers, punching two of them, and assaults another staffer. Corrections officials decide to move him to a maximum security prison.

July 2020: Prosecutors try to charge Samsudeen with terrorism. They argue theres evidence that he bought the knife with the intention of killing people and to further an ideological cause.

But a judge doesnt think the act of buying a knife is enough.

The judge also finds that New Zealands anti-terror laws dont specifically cover plots. That could be an Achilles heel, the judge acknowledges, adding that it is not open to a court to create an offense ... the issue is for Parliament.

May 2021: With Samsudeens release from prison looming, immigration officials look at options for keeping him behind bars until hes deported. But after considering legal advice, they come to a startling conclusion: Samsudeen probably cant be deported after all. He could face torture or death if hes sent back to Sri Lanka, and therefore would qualify to stay in New Zealand as a so-called protected person.

It appears to be a Catch-22: Samsudeens extremism and crimes in New Zealand have potentially exposed him to worse treatment back in Sri Lanka and have consequently protected him from being sent there.

July 13, 2021: Despite the concerns of many, from the prime minister down, a judge releases Samsudeen, sentencing him to a years monitoring under the care of an Auckland mosque leader, after a jury finds him guilty of more minor charges. The judge rejects a call from prosecutors for him to wear a GPS tracker.

Police assign some 30 officers to tail Samsudeen day and night. He knows hes being followed.

Sept. 3, 2021: Samsudeen catches a train from the mosque in the Auckland suburb of Glen Eden to a mall in New Lynn. At a Countdown supermarket, he grabs a shopping cart and walks the aisles for about 10 minutes.

Undercover officers have been following him for 53 days straight. Theyre stationed just outside the supermarket, hanging back more than usual because a coronavirus outbreak that began the previous month means there are new social distancing requirements and fewer shoppers, making their presence more obvious.

Samsudeen grabs a kitchen knife from a store shelf and begins stabbing shoppers while chanting Allahu akbar meaning God is great. People begin running and screaming.

The officers confront Samsudeen within a couple of minutes of the attack beginning. Police say Samsudeen charges at them with the knife and they shoot him dead.

In all, five shoppers have been stabbed and two more injured in the chaos.

Since the attack, two victims remain hospitalized in intensive care units while two more are in general wards, and all are in stable condition. Three more are recovering at home.

Ardern, the prime minister, vows to hurry new anti-terror laws, which were already in the works, to address the gap in prosecuting those who plot an attack. Shes also examining whether changes are needed to deportation laws and policies.

The rest is here:

New Zealand feared an extremist but found no way to stop him - Associated Press

Bruce, a disabled alpine parrot from New Zealand, may just be one of the most unique birds in the world. He comes from good stock the Kea, the only alpine parrot, is considered to be among the most intelligent birds. When they arent dismantling tourists cars, stealing passports or occasionally killing sheep, they are known to weigh up probabilities to help them make choices.

But Bruce, who is missing the top part of his beak, has done something that has yet to be recorded anywhere else he intentionally uses pebbles, in lieu of his beak, to preen himself.

Just as a human may scour the shop shelf for the right hairbrush, Bruce scratches about until he finds the perfect-sized pebble to dislodge mites and dirt hiding in his green and red plumage. Kea have been observed using tools such as sticks to disengage pest-traps, but what Bruce does is exceptional because it is the first evidence of tool use by a Kea for the purpose of self-care.

The study of Bruce, who is housed at the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch, has been published in the journal Scientific Reports. Although anecdotal reports exist for self-care tool use in pet parrots, this form of tool use is rare in the wild, the University of Auckland researchers say.

The reports lead author, and PhD student at the universitys School of Psychology, is Amalia Bastos a big Kea fan who has chosen to focus her research on the parrot because of their massive personalities.

What makes Bruces tool use more impressive, Bastos says, is that he did not have another bird to teach him he figured it out on his own.

Kea do not regularly display tool use in the wild, so to have an individual innovate tool use in response to his disability shows great flexibility in their intelligence, she says. Theyre able to adapt and flexibly solve new problems as they emerge.

Bruce was found at Arthurs Pass in 2013, when he was still a juvenile, with the upper half of his beak missing. The researchers do not know how he sustained his injury, but it is thought to be the result of an accident with a pest trap. He was brought to the South Island wildlife hospital, where he was nursed back to health before settling into his current home.

Bastos describes Bruce as a bossy bird who knows what he wants. He pushes the other birds around with his feet. He is doing quite well.

His use of pebbles to preen was first noted by keepers at Willowbank in late 2019 and caught the attention of the researchers. We needed to show that he was doing this intentionally, Bastos says.

They set out to watch Bruce over nine days. There were five main observations that proved he was acting with intention: in over 90% of instances where Bruce picked up a pebble, he then used it to preen; in 95% of instances where Bruce dropped a pebble, he retrieved this pebble, or replaced it, in order to resume preening; Bruce selected pebbles of a specific size for preening rather than randomly sampling available pebbles in his environment; no other kea in his environment used pebbles for preening; and when other individuals did interact with stones, they used stones of different sizes to those Bruce preened with.

Because Bruces behaviour is consistent and repeated, it is regarded as intentional and innovative, Bastos says. It is Bruces own unique tool-use, and this is the first scientific observation of that.

Bruce has also devised a way to eat a range of foods, despite his disability. The keepers provide Bruce with soft foods, which could be eaten without an upper bill, but he has also learned to eat harder foods by pressing them up against hard objects.

Hell pick up a piece of carrot and push it against a hard piece of metal or rock and use that to scrape with his lower bill, which again is a feeding behaviour we havent seen in the other birds, Bastos says. Its not tool use but it is another interesting way he has adapted to his disability.

Bastos says it is important to examine rare behaviours like this through repeated observations to ensure accurate reporting. This paper also provides a new framework through which we can provide robust evidence for rare behaviours.

There are two main theories as to why Kea are particularly intelligent birds. The first, Bastos says, is that they are highly social, which requires more complex interaction. The second is that their feeding habits have had to adapt in harsh alpine environments, pushing them to innovate.

According to New Zealands Department of Conservation, Kea today are nationally endangered, with only about 3,000 to 7,000 birds remaining in the country.

More here:

'He has adapted': Bruce the disabled New Zealand parrot uses tools for preening - The Guardian

Banks and post offices in New Zealand have been hit by a cyber offensive, according to reports, consisting of sustained DDoS attacks against a number of critical online services.

The onslaught appear to be a continuation of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) blitzes against Vocus, the nation's third-largest ISP, as we reported last week.

The NZ Herald wrote that Kiwibank, ANZ, NZ Post and weather forecaster MetService had all been targeted but appeared to have recovered.

The Government Communications Security Bureau, declined to comment beyond telling the newspaper: "We are aware that malicious cyber actors can follow what is reported publicly, and may change their behaviour based on media reporting of their activity."

Other local media outlets repeated NZ government figures' guarded statements, which did not include the reasons why so many institutions had been targeted for DDoSes.

Local cybersecurity agency NZ-CERT added to the general air of mystery, saying in a statement on its website that it was "aware of a DDoS attack targeting a number of New Zealand organisations. We are monitoring the situation and are working with affected parties where we can."

Back in July, New Zealand formally attributed the malicious activities of APT40 to the Chinese Ministry of State Security, with NZ security minister Andrew Little urging China to end "this type of malicious activity, which undermines global stability and security".

Little was joining the UK and the US in that attribution, which included the infamous Hafnium Microsoft Exchange Server vuln exploitation campaign and also named industrial espionage operation APT31 as a Chinese state theft campaign.

Research published by FireEye in 2019 into APT40's actions included a list of targeted nation states and New Zealand was not one of them, though a lot can change in two years.

Current affairs magazine The Diplomat, which focuses on the Asia-Pacific region, characterised Little's attribution as "unusually forthright" while in an interview with the UK's Guardian newspaper foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta warned in May that New Zealand could find itself "in the eye of the storm" if China's cyber cold war with Australia spilled southeast.

The diplomatic silence of New Zealand's establishment on the identity or motivations of such a wide-ranging set of DDoSes over a relatively lengthy period of time could be an indicator that they hope to quietly placate the attacker behind the scenes.

In May, NZ hospitals were targeted with a cyber attack albeit that was ransomware deployed by common-or-garden extortionists.

While it's not impossible that a non-state actor could have randomly decided to mess about with NZ's digital infrastructure for the lulz, the odds of the current attacker being better resourced than the average botnet-wielding script kiddie seem good, judging by their scale and effect.

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New Zealand DDoS wave targets banks, post offices, weather forecasters and more - The Register

Sport

12 Sep, 2021 04:00 AM2 minutes to read

The Silver Ferns also took on the New Zealand Men last year. Photo / Photosport

The Silver Ferns will take on the New Zealand Men's Invitational team in a three-match series next month, following the postponement of the Constellation Cup againt Australia due to Covid-19.

The three-day series will see the Silver Ferns go up against the New Zealand Men on three straight days from the 10th to 12th of October at Globox Arena, Claudelands in Hamilton.

Curtain raiser matches will also be played between NZA and the NZ Under-21 teams, giving the wider high performance squads valuable experience on court.

Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie said she was looking forward to watching New Zealand's top talent on show.

"We're really pleased to be able to confirm this series in such challenging and uncertain times and is a wonderful opportunity to see the depth of talent we have in this country across both the women's and men's game," she said.

Silver Ferns head coach Dame Noeline Taurua said the series was another opportunity to develop players across the board.

"The Cadbury Netball Series with the inclusion of New Zealand teams has been a really successful event for the entire programme in helping players gain experience out there on court," she said.

"With Commonwealth Games next year and then Netball World Cup in 2023 we need to keep growing both on and off court. Match experience is crucial in building towards our upcoming international events, but also going forward beyond that."

New Zealand Men's and Mixed Netball Association President Junior Tana said the Cadbury Netball Series was an exciting opportunity.

"We are really excited to be able to get some of our elite men's players out on court after Covid led to the postponement of our 2021 Men's Nationals," he said.

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"We always love these dual gender clashes as they push our athletes to new extremes and add to the development of both sides.

"Horekau he tma i k atu i Ng Kaponga hei hoa whawhai m mtou i Aotearoa nei hei whakapakari ake i mtou pukenga. [There's no more worthy opponents than the Silver Ferns in New Zealand to grow and develop our skills]."

Netball New Zealand will continue to monitor the current Covid-19 alert levels and tickets for the series will be opened if and when NZ moves to alert Level 1.

The Silver Ferns will also host England in Christchurch in a three-test series on September 20, 22 and 24.

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Netball: Silver Ferns to take on New Zealand Men's team in three-match series - New Zealand Herald

Scientists have shot down calls from New Zealanders overseas who want fewer border restrictions, warning such action right now would risk another Delta outbreak.

Photo: RNZ/ Marika Khabazi

Nearly 16,000 people have signed a Grounded Kiwis petition calling for more managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities and alternative options, like self-isolation, for fully vaccinated travellers.

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely. Photo: Billy Wong/University of Auckland

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely, who was born in New Zealand, acknowledged it was "not very nice" to be locked out of one's country, but it was an unfortunate reality.

"Yeah, it is tough. This is a one-in-100 year pandemic."

Blakely said Auckland's current Covid-19 outbreak was clear evidence of the danger of relaxing restrictions or opening up the border too early.

"The risk from bringing [too many] people back at the moment, until you've got your vaccine coverage higher, is real.

"It's a serious threat. You don't want it."

University of Otago epidemiologist professor Michael Baker agreed, saying the more people returning, the higher the risk of an outbreak and then lockdown.

"We need high vaccine coverage before we change our settings at the border," Baker said.

"The price of failure is so high now ... we know how incredibly disruptive, dangerous, and expensive a lockdown is."

Baker said, per capita, New Zealand already brought in more than twice the number of travellers as Australia.

Michael Baker. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

"In the short-to-medium-term, it's hard to see there being more options for bringing more people across the border.

"Unfortunately, [New Zealanders abroad] are going to have to be patient."

Both professors advocated for purpose-built MIQ facilities as the optimal solution, but said border restrictions could ease once New Zealand's vaccination level was high enough.

"The good news is New Zealand, along with other countries, is really increasing vaccination coverage," Blakely said.

"The risk of bringing you back ... will be so much less in December, before Christmas."

For months, the number of people trying to come home has far outstripped the number of MIQ spots available - about 4000 rooms a fortnight. The problem has only worsened since the Delta outbreak with a temporary freeze imposed on any new spaces being allocated.

Travellers can apply for an emergency space, but Grounded Kiwis spokesperson Alexandra Birt said the threshold was too high.

Birt said it was unhelpful to tell New Zealanders "in really desperate situations" to be patient.

"A lot of these people have no jobs, they have no livelihoods, they're stuck overseas. There's no way they can just be patient and wait. They need to get back."

She said the group did not want to put New Zealand's safety at risk and did not believe that would occur with a "risk-based approach".

"This is not about abolishing MIQ or anything crazy like that," Birt said.

"It's about a risk-based approach - taking into account factors like where someone's returning from, if they're fully vaccinated, if they've had Covid already."

Birt said she understood the need for New Zealand to boost its vaccination rates, but noted the roll-out had been very slow to ramp up.

The government has been exploring the possibility of opening new MIQ facilities, notably in Rotorua, but has shown little appetite to do so at scale, citing workforce constraints and community push-back.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last month laid out plans to ease open the border next year once vaccination rates were high enough, including self-isolation for some low-risk travellers.

Ardern yesterday told reporters the timetable had not been derailed.

"If anything, of course, we're seeing our vaccination programme really speed up, and the quicker we can move through that, the more flexibility it does give."

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Travellers to New Zealand 'a serious threat' to another Delta outbreak - RNZ