Category Archives: Jacinda Ardern

Stuff has talked to MPs from across Parliament about what they're looking forward to over the summer break. Today, Prime Minister and Labour MP for Mt Albert Jacinda Ardern tells Luke Malpass what shes up to over the holidays.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sits down in her office with Stuff Political Editor Luke Malpass for an end-of-year interview.

What shes up to during the break

After several months of living in Wellington (the prime minister is usually based in Auckland with her family) she says she plans on doing absolutely nothing but with sun.

The favourite thing to do with her family is simple: Beach time. I expect to be buried by sand.

READ MORE:* Summer off politics: Chris Hipkins on keeping up with Covid through the holidays and making 'not very good' furniture* Summer off politics: What Maureen Pugh is doing, reading and watching over the summer break * Summer off politics: What Marama Davidson is doing, reading, and watching for her break

What shell be reading and watching

My goal is to get through one book! I try to catch up on the writing of some of our New Zealand authors over the past 12 months. The pile Ive accumulated is quite large.

For Netflix or streaming shows, she nominates The Power of the Dog, a movie about a charismatic rancher, directed by New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion.

Favourite podcast

I havent listened to a podcast for a while, but if I did, Id return to Criminal, she says. Criminal is a podcast that its makers say is stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.

Any neglected hobbies you only find the time for over summer?

Simple really: All of them.

Read this article:

Summer off politics: What Jacinda Ardern is doing, reading, and watching for her break - Stuff.co.nz

At one level, the Greens are clearly in Government.

Their leaders, Marama Davidson and James Shaw, are both ministers of the Crown. They vote for the Budget and support Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern continuing in her role.

At another, they are basically in opposition railing against Cabinets decisions on Covid-19, or campaigning to obliterate benefit sanction and impose rent controls two ideas way outside the ballpark Labour is playing in.

Stuff spoke to the two co-leaders after a year where the party basically stood still in the polls.

READ MORE:* The Green Party one year into its co-operation agreement: stable and enjoying the friction* Green Party policy launch urges voters to 'think ahead' as it outlines negotiating platform for deal with Labour

Shaw said he didnt quite feel that the Greens were in opposition, despite campaigning against the Government at times.

The position weve taken is consistent how we actually worked while in opposition, because weve already tried to be constructive in that position of testing the Government in areas where we felt there could be an improvement. But we are doing it on the back of a really solid relationship we have with the Labour ministers.

When you compare us to the actual opposition parties some of what they do is constructive, but a lot of it is just trying to trash the Government so that they can have a go, and thats not our objective.

Davidson said she saw the Green Partys role as pushing for Labour to do better, go faster, and go further something that could be done from both within Arderns ministry and from campaigning outside.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Green Party co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson.

There is one party in the Opposition she could see sharing a Cabinet table with, however the Mori Party.

We have a lot in common on a number of issues. Of course, especially with Te Tiriti [The Treaty of Waitangi] based government as a vision.

As he always is, Shaw is frustrated by the idea of flirting with the National Party to try to get more leverage with Labour.

You're talking about a scenario in which we're in a position to choose between working with Labour or working with National. And the question would be given the work that we've been doing with Labour and the affinity in a policy sense that we have with Labour, why would we choose National? They would. They would have to move in ways that I don't think that they would find comfortable.

One of the areas the party differs from Labour on is housing Ardern is still wary of ever saying that she wants house prices to actually drop, while Shaw is happy to say they should.

If house prices fell theyre unlikely to fall anything like to the extent to which theyve rocketed up, he said.

Those of us who are lucky enough to own houses wouldnt see any kind of material reduction because their house would still be valued at considerably more than it would at the point they bought it. There is a small group of the most recent buyers who have bought at the height of the market but that comes down to whether they can maintain their mortgage, and thats income.

Shaw said he was wary of putting forward some kind of support package for those homeowners as it could create a moral hazard.

As climate change minister it was extremely frustrating that his Emissions Reduction Plan had to be pushed off into 2022.

It was ultimately a function of Covid, which caused chaos across Government. But it was something I really wanted to do.

He was also frustrated by the attacks on his trip to the Glasgow climate summit.

The attacks by certain media outlets and certain National MPs were hypocritical, because it was only directed at one minister, not the three that have been making trips. It was personal, not principle.

I was attacked for taking up a spot in MIQ and then for not taking up a spot in MIQ by the same people.

Shaw and Davidson both said they did understand the strength of feeling against MIQ, however, even as they have been more enamoured of the Covid-19 elimination strategy than Labour.

Its a terrible experience for people who are separated from their families. Beyond just the inconvenience there are people with sick parents, missing weddings, pregnancies, special times. All to be stuck in a system that is random, Shaw said.

Original post:

Green co-leaders reflect on a year of being between Opposition and Government - Stuff.co.nz

ANDY MACDONALD / STUFF/Nelson Mail

Ailys Tewnion with her crochet creations, including Siouxsie Wiles, Michael Baker, Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern

Nelsons Ailys Tewnion loves the sounds of laughter and chatter from strangers at her front fence.

Her latest crocheted creations of New Zealands Covid-19 response figures trigger just that, as people passing her Tosswill Rd home stop to admire her new Covid Choristers, which include Prime Minister Jacinda Adern, director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles, and epidemiologist Dr Michael Baker, all singing from the same song sheet.

And then theres Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins in the group, standing there with his legs spread after his famous 2020 slip of the tongue.

Tewnions creations have attracted plenty of attention since she made her first bear during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown and put it on her front fence. It received such a positive response she made more dolls and figures to display at the front of her property.

READ MORE:* Students knit peggy squares for Timaru's world record attempt * Chris Hipkins' press conference slip of the tongue voted quote of the year* During Covid, spare a thought for our leaders' mental health

The feedback is incredible, really its amazing, Tewnion said.

People, appreciative of her joyful creations, have left notes and letters for her in her letterbox and even gifted boxes of chocolates.

On one day alone she was left five blocks of chocolate during the 2021 national lockdown when her mask-wearing crocheted bears on skateboards were displayed.

Some peoples notes during the first lockdown were quite heartfelt, she said.

They felt really nervous and worried about what would happen.

MARTIN DE RUYTER/STUFF

Tewnions Covid Choristers feature Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in front, followed by Dr Ashley Bloomfield and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins with his legs spread, and Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Dr Michael Baker at the back.

Her latest display of the Covid Choristers and other Christmas characters were to be followed on New Year's Day with a group of hippos, wishing everyone a happy-potomus New Year.

Tewnion says its lovely to hear people chatting and laughing about her creations, and she always meets people when shes putting them out in the morning and taking them in at night, which triggers conversations.

ANDY MACDONALD / STUFF/Nelson Mail

With its legs out and striking a pose, who else could it be but Chris Hipkins, standing in front of epidemiologist Dr Michael Baker.

Its a nice feeling in times when people are a bit worried about things, and uncertain about things, its good to hear people having a giggle.

Tewnion has crocheted most of her life, but her real enjoyment of the craft came when she moved on from the likes of blankets and rugs and started making her characters during the pandemic.

Each larger character took about five hours to make, but Tewnion enjoyed the challenge. They also have wiring in them to shape them into positions.

MARTIN DE RUYTER/STUFF

Christmas and Kiwi summer-themed creations are also displayed at the front of Ailys Tewnion's Tosswill Rd home in Nelson.

Two of Tewnions original creations from the 2020 lockdown, depicting Jacinda Adern and Ashley Bloomfield at daily Covid-19 briefings, are now in the Nelson Provincial Museums permanent collection. Tewnion donated them to the museum after being approached by a curator, she said.

She said she had also been interviewed by New Zealand historian Jock Phillips for a book he was working on.

She never imagined that her crocheted creations would attract so much interest.

Who knew?

View post:

A giggle and a yarn from crochet creations - Stuff.co.nz

Auckland welcomes in the new year with a light show.Video / Auckland Unlimited / Vector

A light show extravaganza that will bring some of Auckland's iconic landmarks to life will brighten up the sky tonight for those wanting to ring in the new year in colour.

Auckland Harbour Bridge, the Sky Tower, Auckland War Memorial Museum and Te Ara I Whiti The Light Path will be lit up from 9pm tonight before the main show on the stroke of midnight.

The capital city is also electing to put on a light show rather than the traditional fireworks display over the Whairepo Lagoon, a decision the Wellington City Council made today in light of the Omicron threat. Wellingtonians are being told to look to the sky around midnight to welcome in the new year.

With major festivals postponed because of the uncertainty of Covid restrictions, Rhythm and Alps in Wanaka is one of the few events where people have gathered to party their way into 2022.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern posted a photo taken on nationwide vaccine drive day, Super Saturday, to pay tribute to the people who had worked hard to get New Zealand through a difficult year - while wishing everyone in New Zealand a happy New Year.

"This year was hard, but it was a lot of other things too," Ardern wrote.

"This photo taken on Super Saturday reminded me that in amongst the difficult moments, have been some pretty special ones as well, full of people who have worked so hard to help get us through.

"To them, all of them, I say thank you - you're the reason that no matter what comes our way, we will get through."

I spent a bit of time tonight scrolling through images from the last year, trying to find a way to sum it up. I got to...

The theme for tonight's City's of Sails' spectacle is Auckland is Calling. The creative idea for the campaign was drawn from the concept of Tomokanga, created by Katz Maihi, of Ngti Whtua.

The Vector Lights show on the Auckland Harbour Bridge begins with a white spiral that starts small and gradually gets larger. In total, there will be 19 spirals to represent the 19 Tmaki Makaurau iwi.

31 Dec, 2021 04:00 PMQuick Read

31 Dec, 2021 04:00 PMQuick Read

31 Dec, 2021 05:08 AMQuick Read

31 Dec, 2021 07:40 AMQuick Read

A test run of tonight's spectacular light show got the attention of some in the early hours, including Northcote Point resident Christine Smith who was woken with blue light through her window.

"I wondered what on earth it was in my befuddled state because it was just static, it looked like searchlights.

"But then it started to play and it was just gorgeous. We have seen a lot of light shows because we face the city but this was something else."

The light show comes as Auckland woke this morning to life under the orange traffic light setting after more than 130 days under level 4 and 3 lockdowns, and most recently the red traffic light system setting.

The traditional midnight fireworks display from the Sky Tower was unable to go ahead this year because of Covid-19 and was cancelled as a way to discourage crowds from gathering at the base of the landmark.

There were 49 new cases of Covid-19 in the community today - 22 in Auckland, three in Waikato, 19 in Bay of Plenty, four in the Lakes district and one in Hawke's Bay.

The Ministry of Health's guidance over summer includes to wear a mask when out and about, scan in everywhere you go and have your My Vaccine Pass ready for where it is required.

Meanwhile, others across Tmaki Makaurau have opted for festivals, gatherings at home or a day at the beach in the sun.

Various festivals are taking place across Tmaki Makaurau tonight and into the new year.

The three-day AUM Festival in South Head and the Highlife Festival at Ascension Winery in Matakana have both kicked off.

The road leading into Matakana, and the main street of the village, was busy with cars and full of activity this afternoon, while the nearby Omaha beach was crowded with people soaking up the sun on the last day of the year.

For anyone heading north of Warkworth, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has warned of delays on State Highway 1 to Wellsford as those heading away on holiday take to the roads.

Meanwhile, police in Whangamat are taking a "no tolerance" approach to poor behaviour tonight after officers had bottles thrown at them while undertaking patrols in Williamson Park last night.

One person was arrested for disorder in relation to the bottle throwing and has been summonsed to appear in Waihi District Court in the new year.

Police in Whangamat and around the Coromandel Peninsula were concerned a small group of people were not getting the message about celebrating the holidays safely.

Acting senior sergeant Terri Wilson said the majority of the people causing trouble and breaking the law were visitors to the area.

"It is disappointing that they would have so little regard for the local community.

"For anyone looking to celebrate New Year's Eve tonight and create trouble, be aware that police will be taking a no-tolerance approach to poor behaviour. Celebrate safely tonight otherwise you might find yourself welcoming in 2022 in a police cell."

Continue reading here:

Live: Sun sets on 2021 as revellers prepare to bring in the New Year - New Zealand Herald

A Ahmedabad: One of two Indian Premier League expansion franchises this year, and, after its Six Nations, LaLiga, and FIVB investments, an intriguing first move into team ownership for CVC Capital Partners, as it continues to build its formidable sports portfolio.

B Birmingham: Set to host the Commonwealth Games in July. Could be the last Games of its kind, as the Commonwealth Games Federation seeks new relevance. No host yet pinned down for 2026 and some radical, flexible format/sports programming plans in the works under the stewardship of new CEO Katie Sadleir.

C Creators: Watch for more sports making footage available for anyone to edit, share, and create memes. Models to follow: MLB Film Room and Twitch/FIBA. Navigating and negotiating official rights in this blurry new era is the challenge of the next decade, never mind the next year.

D Donata Hopfen: The Bundesligas new CEO takes up her post in January. Shell need all her media and digital nous as she joins the top table of European football, but in the aftermath of the Super League debacle, her political astuteness will likely be every bit as vital.

E eSkootr Championship: One among many start-up leagues/tournaments launching this year new assets, new franchises, more competition for eyeballs/sponsors/investors, more disruption. See also the likes of: World12s, USFL, UAE T20, and Premier Golf League.

F Femmes (Tour de France): At long last, a potentially game-changing moment looms for womens cycling, as ASO holds an eight-stage race following the mens version this July. Long overdue and should help spur greater interest and investment in riders and teams.

G Greg Norman: With Saudi backing, golfs great disruptor is launching Premier Golf League with the aim of shaking up the establishment. An initial Asian Tour tie-up may only be the start. The cards of new strategic partners, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, have been marked.

H Hygiene partners: A sponsorship category growing fast in a sanitised world. Other categories to keep tabs on: crypto (inevitably), betting (be wary), online delivery, cyber security, streaming services (as sponsors rather than media rights buyers), and music artists/festivals.

I International Home Markets: The next step in the NFLs carefully honed global plan comes to life, with territory marketing rights handed to certain teams (creating plenty of new work for agencies too). Competition in Mexico (9 teams), UK (6), and Germany (4) will be intense.

J Jacinda Ardern: It wont be her primary concern, but decisions made by New Zealands PM will directly impact two major rescheduled womens World Cups. Cricket in March and rugby union in October. Big moments for the International Cricket Council and World Rugby; more disruption would be a nightmare.

K Kosmos: Gerard Piques firm has been around for a while but aside from tinkering with the Davis Cup, its proving a real innovator: the Balloon World Cup is a start-up for a new age, and its tie-up with Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos is smart. What next?

L Leadership: Running a global sports organisation now requires a deep understanding of geopolitics, societal change, and the value of diversity. You need to be a digital transformer and a top communicator. Its about much more than sport now, as the WTAs Steve Simon will confirm.

M Metaverse & Web 3.0 : Youll hear plenty about them in 2022, although theyll still be a novelty in 12 months. Were all learning together as we decentralise. But how does a more open online world chime with the sports industrys still-rigid, traditional rights structures?

N Nasser Al-Khelaifi: Chair of BeIN Sports as it leads the way in the battle against piracy and now, at the European Club Association, a true power player as the future of football is debated. In a year when all eyes are on Doha, hes probably the most influential person in global sport just now.

O Overtime (& Buzzer, Aura and Recast): the new wave of sports media platforms are here to change the game. And keep an eye on the role sports rights play in emerging content strategies at the likes of Salesforce, Fanatics, Zoom, Peleton, US betting firms, and Roblox.

P Public Investment Fund: In the UK, Saudi Arabias sports(washing) strategy is likely to be viewed through the prism of Newcastle Uniteds league position and transfer spend. But also watch wider investments in entertainment, plus projects like NEOM and its F1, boxing, and golf plays.

Q Qatar: The biggest of years for the smallest nation to ever host the World Cup. The tournament will be unique compact on the ground and a handy timezone for much of the world. But even after 11 years of prep, the spotlight on Qatar will reach a new level as kick-off looms.

R Regulation: in a more complex world, expect more onus on the letter of the laws and new laws entirely. Government intervention, independent regulators, rulings on transgender athletes, equipment (shoes, prosthetics), and modernisation of rulebooks. It wont be straightforward.

S Scale: In their different ways, Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Comcast, and Amazon are showing that size matters in the modern media world the great bundling is on and its always wise to remember that as important as sport is, its only a slither of a much larger media pie.

T Tokens: Legitimate way for fans to get more involved or a vehicle for speculators and traders to make a quick buck? Teams are diving in with the likes of Socios, but this ultimate monetisation of fan engagement feels troubling, especially in an unregulated crypto world.

U USA: Cricket, rugby, athletics, and F1 all looking to America as a land of hope and dreams (and fans/cash). F1 gets a second annual race, on Miamis streets in May, Eugene hosts the World Athletics Championships in July, while the US is poised to stage 2031 Rugby World Cup.

V Variants and vaccines: Theres no escaping the impact of Covid. League stances on vaccines and testing, the attitudes of high-profile athletes, access to jabs around the world and national policies/exemptions will dominate headlines. The only certainty: some events wont make it.

W Wembley: Hosting another final this year as England stages the Uefa Womens Euros. A record crowd expected, a new crop of brands including Lego and Pandora, and another sizeable opportunity to build interest and engagement in womens football. World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand looming too.

X Xiaohaituo Mountain: One of the venue clusters somewhere near Beijing for what seems set to be a pretty sterile, broadcast-first Winter Olympics. Protocols and politics to dominate. As for the IOC, "quiet diplomacy" may not be enough when the athletes get noisy.

Y Yiannis Exarchos: Again, the onus will be on the terrific OBS team to bring the world the sights and sounds from Beijings winter Games. A second Olympics in six months is a tough ask but expect further broadcast innovation listen out in particular for enhanced audio.

Z Zhou (Guanyu): China at last has its first F1 race driver in 2022, but will the commercial impact be as significant as expected? In a big year for the sport a major new rules package and a shuffling of the pack, Zhous Alfa Romeo debut wont be the biggest story.

The author is a writer and commentator on the global business of sport.

See more here:

A to Z of sport's movers and shakers to watch out for in 2022 - Irish Examiner

PM Jacinda Ardern has her turn at firing questions back at journalists Tova O'Brien and Jessica Mutch McKay plus gets a special gift from Jono & Ben in their Christmas interview. Video / The Hits

We all know Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gets asked a lot of questions.

Over the past two years, we've become experts on press conferences during which she fields hard-hitting questions from all angles.

But does the PM ever get to ask questions instead of answering them?

Speaking to Jono and Ben on the Hits this morning, Ardern finally got to ask some questions of her own when the radio hosts revealed that Press Gallery reporters Jessica Mutch McKay and Tova O'Brien were also waiting on the line.

Every avid watcher of 1pm press conferences knows that the PM usually responds to Mutch McKay's and O'Brien's questions first - and she explained why.

"The telly is often live when they're doing the crosses and they're often on deadline as well, so it is just a courtesy thing," she shared.

Mutch McKay added "that deadline thing really helps".

And when the PM was told it was her turn to ask the political reporters a question, she didn't hold back, asking Mutch McKay, "does it matter if you're first?

"Yeah, it does. To be fair, it matters because we're in a hurry to file our stories and also we want your eyeline for the TV," the TVNZ reporter shared. "Sometimes if you're looking down at your notes, it's nice to have your eyes up."

The PM was surprised to hear that, while admitting that sometimes she's not looking down at her notes - she's looking down to "have a bit of a think".

When it came to Newshub reporter Tova O'Brien, Ardern came out with a hard-hitting question of her own.

"If I don't go to you first and you mutter under your breath, do you intend for me to hear that?" she asked.

O'Brien laughed and joked, "Actually, Prime Minister, I don't think it's your turn," saying she would hear from Jono and Ben first instead.

O'Brien, who like all press gallery reporters often asks the same question twice, revealed that "often time, with respect, it's because you haven't answered it the first time!"

The Prime Minister won't likely forget this any time soon after she was then gifted a T-shirt from the radio hosts with the words "Jessica, then Tova" written on it.

"Now you can just point at the T-shirt when you want to go to questions, you don't have to say it," they joked.

Link:

'Jessica, then Tova': Jacinda Ardern grills reporters in 'reverse press conference' on The Hits with Jono and Ben - New Zealand Herald

The real Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A viral video that manipulated footage of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to make it look like she was smoking crack has reanimated debate over "deepfake" technology.

The video, which was viewed and shared thousands of times, showed a woman smoking from what appeared to be a crack pipe.

The PM's face had been superimposed using artificial intelligence. But the video, created for YouTube, was convincing enough to the many who shared it. It quickly spread to Twitter, Facebook and other platforms. Its creator's aim was to have a dig at Ardern over her Government's move to make smoking illegal for life for those who are under-14 today.

Think tank member Tom Barraclough, who co-authored a report on deepfakes for the NZ Law Foundation, is wary of over-reaction to the technology that could mute free speech, but also tells the Herald our politicians have been warned about the issue but are doing nothing (more on which below).

Another academic warns that the technology is now readily available - and that while it's still far from perfect, it's still good enough to go viral.

"Deepfake technology is becoming more prevalent and easy to access, as more people build more tools and make them publicly available," Auckland University research fellow Dr Andrew Chen warns.

Despite the technology becoming more sophisticated, experts like Chen can spot a fake.

Telltale signs of doctoring include blurring or pixilation, particularly around the mouth and eyes, badly synched sound, glitches, changes in lighting, gaps in storyline and irregular blinking.

But Chen warns, "A lot of deepfakes can be very convincing to the general public who aren't looking too closely. And if an expert is needed to analyse the video to find the telltale markers of deepfakes, then the disinformation can spread very quickly before the footage can be debunked."

Do our lawmakers need to act?

7 Dec, 2021 04:18 AMQuick Read

15 Dec, 2021 04:30 AMQuick Read

3 Sep, 2019 08:28 PMQuick Read

26 Aug, 2019 09:43 PMQuick Read

Chen points to 2019 report for the NZ Law Foundation on the rising deepfake threat. Co-authors Barraclough and Curtis Barnes said that while the fake video and audio clips were becoming more prevalent, they could be dealt with through existing legislation, including the Crimes Act and the Harmful Digital Communications Act - if they are properly enforced, and their application is clarified.

Special legislation to target deepfakes would put human rights and freedom of expression at risk, the pair argued. They said a Government could use such a law to clamp down on those who were using video effects for the purposes of political satire. They used the example of comedian Tom Sainsbury, who uses rudimentary AI video tools to imitate Kiwi politicians on social media. Barraclough and Barnes have since also carried out an assessment of Facebook for the NZ Super Fund.

This week, after the "Ardern" clip caused a stir across the Tasman, Barnes (who interprets the fake clip as cannabis rather than crack) said he and Barraclough stood by the findings of their 2019 report.

"The 'Jacinda Ardern Smokes Cannabis' video has not changed our minds," he told the Herald today. (The reboot that caused a kerfuffle in Aussie media over the weekend included a caption saying "Crack pipe? ... Such a role model").

"We were aware of it in May when it was published shortly before the referendum and election. As we see it, the Ardern video is more akin to a political cartoon, or satire. It's obviously fake, and plausibly could provoke interesting discussion about drug policy."

Barnes says a News.com.au article on the "Ardern" clip published over the weekend was similar to scare stories written four years ago.

"Since then, there have been no deepfake-related events with major strategic or political impact that we know of. As such, we find the article unjustifiably alarmist," says Barnes, who co-founded a think tank called The Brainbox Institute with fellow law grad and AI Forum member Barraclough.

But he cautions, "New Zealand law is still vague on whether it is a crime to use a deepfake to depict somebody as nude or having sex. Parliament is aware of this - it was raised by Brainbox, by Internet NZ, Netsafe, and the Privacy Commissioner. MPs have chosen not to address it."

Deepfake technology has often been used for fun. Actor Miles Fisher, for example, has recently gained 3.2 million followers on TikTok for his "DeepTomCruise" account, which features very convincingly rendered clips that have the Hollywood actor making various over-the-top statements. TikTok has ruled that the account - which is still active - falls within its parody rules.

But there's also political warfare side to the technology.

News.com.au did note that The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's latest report on the technology, titled "Weaponised deep fakes", takes a deep dive into where the problem is heading.

"Deep fakes will pose the most risk when combined with other technologies and social trends: they'll enhance cyberattacks, accelerate the spread of propaganda and disinformation online and exacerbate declining trust in democratic institutions," the report reads.

The authors say the "Russian model" of disinformation the sharing of large amounts of propaganda will benefit most in coming years.

"Online propaganda is already a significant problem, especially for democracies, but deepfakes will lower the costs of engaging in information warfare at scale and broaden the range of actors able to engage in it," the report reads.

"Today, propaganda is largely generated by humans, such as China's '50-centres' and Russian 'troll farm' operators. However, improvements in deep fake technology, especially text-generation tools, could help take humans 'out of the loop'.

"The key reason for this isn't that deepfakes are more authentic than human-generated content, but rather that they can produce 'good enough' content faster, and more economically, than current models for information warfare.

"Deepfake technology will be a particular value-add to the so-called Russian model of propaganda, which emphasises volume and rapidity of disinformation over plausibility and consistency in order to overwhelm, disorient and divide a target."

Justice Minister Andrew Little and Digital Economy and Communications Minister David Clark have been asked for comment.

Continued here:

Do we need to panic over the 'Jacinda Ardern' deepfake clip? - New Zealand Herald

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country bloody deserved a good break as she announced the country had fully vaccinated 90 per cent of the 12+ population, in her final speech of the year.

Ardern focused on the vaccination campaign in her adjournment debate speech, the final parliamentary set piece of the year.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon attacked the Governments Covid-19 response in his speech, particularly the continued use of managed isolation keeping Kiwis from coming home for Christmas.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces the country has hit 90 per cent double vaccinated.

Luxon said that while Kiwis deserved a break, National was energised and back after years of drama.

READ MORE:* Covid-19: Auckland lockdown babies meet auntie for first time as border lifts* Covid-19: Kiwis in UK disappointed as Omicron casts doubt on border reopening* Covid-19: US death toll hits 800,000, a year into vaccine drive

Parliament will stay adjourned until February 8, unless forced into an emergency session by Covid-19.

Arderns 90 per cent measure is based on the Ministry of Health estimate of the 12+ population, which is lower than Statistics New Zealands estimate.

With that 90 per cent, that puts us above places like the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel places that used emergency approval and of course started their roll-outs before us, Ardern said.

We are now finishing with a rate much higher than them and we have not finished. In Tmaki Makaurau [Auckland] we are seeing some DHBs [district health boards] reach first dose rates of 97 per cent. So Mr Speaker, lets keep going.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sits down after her adjournment speech.

Only Auckland DHB has reached 97 per cent first dose, with Waitemat not far behind it at 95 per cent.

She said the strong vaccine numbers meant the country could move forward with confidence, and noted lower deaths and better economic results than many other countries.

People have been weary but Kiwis have done what it takes to put us in the best possible position to keep moving to take on whatever comes next, and I for one will never under-estimate New Zealanders so to everyone, I wish you a wonderful break. You bloody deserve it.

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

National Party leader Christopher Luxon said the Government was tired.

Luxon said New Zealanders deserved a better Covid-19 response than the one delivered by the tired Government.

We handled Covid pretty well in 2020. But the fact is this year, this Government has squandered those opportunities that we have worked so hard for, Luxon said.

It has been complacent and has been incompetent. The traffic light system, frankly, has been an exercise an utter confusion. And I can tell you Aucklanders have got podium fatigue.

After 15 weeks in a short and sharp lockdown, we have had announcements of announcements and inconsistent messages and rules.

He said there would be empty chairs at Christmas dinner tables because of managed isolation keeping Kiwis out of the country.

But he said National itself was not feeling like much of a break because it was newly energised, unlike the Government, who he suggested was sharpening up their LinkedIn profiles.

The Government originally had a plan to not move the country into the traffic light system until every DHB hit 90 per cent double vaccination by itself. It is likely that some DHBs such as Northland will not do that until January if at all.

Read the rest here:

Jacinda Ardern says country has hit 90 per cent fully vaccinated and 'bloody deserves' a holiday, in final speech of the year - Stuff.co.nz

By Syed Mujeeb

Auckland: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has acknowledged the extraordinary courage of ten people recognized for acts of bravery relating to the March 15, 2019, terrorist attacks.

The courage demonstrated by these New Zealanders was selfless and extraordinary. They have our deepest respect and gratitude for their actions on that day, Jacinda Ardern said.

Each of them put their life on the line to save others. If not for their collective actions, the loss of life could have been even greater.

The New Zealand Bravery Award list includes two awards of our highest Bravery honour, The New Zealand Cross. It is the bravery equivalent of the Victoria Cross for New Zealand for gallantry. Since the establishment of the New Zealand Bravery Awards in 1999, only two other awards at the level of the New Zealand Cross have been made.

Dr Naeem Rashid, who has been posthumously awarded the New Zealand Cross, displayed great courage and bravery in challenging the gunman in the Al Noor Mosque, with complete disregard for his own safety. In so doing, he enabled others to escape and paid the ultimate price with the loss of his own life. I want to acknowledge Dr Rashids wife and family particularly, who will know all too well that his acts that day were a reflection of who he was as a person.

Abdul Aziz, who also has been awarded the New Zealand Cross, displayed great courage and bravery challenging the gunman, with complete disregard for his own safety. Mr Azizs actions deterred the gunman from re-entering the Linwood Islamic Centre and ultimately forced him to flee the Mosque.

There are also four awards of the New Zealand Bravery Decoration and four of the New Zealand Bravery Medal.

Senior Constables Scott Carmody and Jim Manning have been awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration for their exceptional courage in apprehending the gunman, ensuring no more lives were put at risk. Their actions that day went above and beyond they essentially ended the gunmans attack and did so not knowing whether he had an additional arsenal on hand.

Ziyaad Shahs bravery shielding another worshipper with his body in the Al Noor Mosque, while the gunman shot at them, hitting Mr Shah twice, has been acknowledged with the New Zealand Bravery Decoration.

Liam Beale, also awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration, had been driving past Al Noor Mosque but left his vehicle as he heard gunshots and people screaming. He stopped members of the public from heading to the mosque, and then assisted victims.

Lance Bradford, Wayne Maley, Mark Miller and Mike Robinson have been awarded the New Zealand Bravery Medal.

They placed their lives at risk, bravely searching for victims, assisting them and moving them to safety, while the gunman was active in the area.

On a day of such terrible loss and suffering, the actions of these ten individuals demonstrated the humanity, decency and compassion that New Zealanders value and hold dear.

We will always remember the 51 shaheed who died, including one of the recipients, and other victims, Jacinda Ardern said.

Anyone can nominate someone for a New Zealand Bravery Award. The nominations are assessed by a committee of senior officials with experience in dangerous situations. It includes representatives of the Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the National Emergency and Management Agency and the New Zealand Defence Force, supported by the Honours Unit in the Cabinet Office. The committee made recommendations to the Prime Minister, who accepted them and advised The Queen and the Governor-General to approve these Bravery Awards.

Read more from the original source:

Jacinda Ardern acknowledges New Zealand bravery award recipients and families - The Siasat Daily

Pre-Covid, when international travel was still common, many Kiwi travellers received a similar question wherever they happened to be around the globe: Jacinda Ardern, is she the real deal?

The New Zealand prime ministers devotion to a new breed of politics, one rooted in kindness, compassion and cooperation often seemed too saccharine to be true, especially at a time when a series of notorious bullies were voted into positions of power around the globe.

I usually answered this question brusquely, with a combination of facts and personal anecdotes from my interviews with the PM. I was interested, but not that interested, more enthralled by the dramatic twists and turns of foreign lands, where politics seemed Shakespearean compared with the warm, cosy bath of New Zealands Labour coalition government, now in its second term and astoundingly popular.

A record number of babies in the house, cradled by the speaker as their mothers and fathers delivered important speeches? Cute, nice, a sweet Friday news story. Freezes on politicians pay during Covid? Feel-good, sure. An indication of a truly new breed of politician, and a truly new way of governing? I wasnt convinced.

Earlier this year, I shifted back to my native land of Australia, and settled in the Kimberley, still the country of cowboys and red rocks I remembered from my childhood.

Immediately, the absolute dysfunction of the state-federal relationship struck me, as did the absurdity of mini prime ministers individually vying for votes and cash and sway. I asked around and read around, but could find no one who could explain to me why the state system worked or should continue as a mode of governance.

Instead of the national unity so desperately needed in the midst of a global pandemic, personal fiefdoms ruled. Even a national speed limit couldnt be agreed upon.

As the year wore on, punctuated by a bungled vaccine rollout and a prime minister who was tone-deaf to the mounting cries of millions of fed-up Australian women, the drama of Australian politics began to seem far less entertaining and far more concerning than when I had observed it from afar.

While sledging is a national disgrace when it happens on the cricket pitch, in Canberra its par for the course, so bad now that even growling like a dog at your opponent can occur.

And opponent is mostly how Australian politicians seem to view each other shrill, power-hungry egos vying for domination, while transformative legislative change languishes, such as the recent climate change embarrassment at Cop26.

Leaving the temperate bath that is New Zealand politics made me realise how conducive that bath was to getting things done.

There is a genuine level of cooperation and dont be shocked here politeness that courses through government house in Wellington and extends to how the governing party and the opposition treat each other.

Sure, there is some sledging, but it is more of the quick-barb style, rather than the truly, disturbingly nasty.

Ive never particularly done things differently depending on who the person is and thats probably a good thing, given theres been five, said a cheeky Ardern last week, poking fun at the oppositions five leaders during her time as prime minister.

One, Todd Muller, experienced a mental breakdown during his tenure. Politicians on every side of the house expressed genuine empathy and concern for his welfare, and his painful experience became an opportunity, eventually, for further mental health awareness and discussion, rather than cannon fodder or public shaming.

New Zealand is much too small for true divisiveness among its leaders, much as people in small towns are to some degree forced to get along, decade after decade, despite their often myriad differences.

Much of the credit goes to Ardern, who has created a working environment that rewards focus and dedication. Indeed, despite her robust sense of humour, Ardern is a deeply serious politician, one who joined the Labour party aged 17, motivated by a desire to end child poverty.

The politicians Ardern chooses to promote are so thoroughly earnest and scandal-free (think Grant Robertson and Nanaia Mahuta) that the culture has become one of genuine public service. She even makes her ministers carpool in a minivan to events, scrapping the isolation and pomp of ministerial cars. This is a small gesture but it communicates volumes about her values and style of governing.

Politics is far from perfect in New Zealand, and like in Australia, there have been internal sex scandals, disappointing housing reforms and complaints from the media about fair access.

But the general atmosphere is one of a sincere interest in improving the lives of New Zealanders. This makes sense, because politicians in New Zealand remain, well, New Zealanders. Most arent personally wealthy or drawn from the corporate ranks (the new leader of the opposition National party, Christopher Luxon, is an exception) and most remain strongly embedded within their communities and family life. There is a Wellington bubble, but its far more humble and down to earth than its Canberra equivalent. Last week, a Green party MP cycled herself to the hospital to give birth for the second time. Last month the prime minister was interrupted doing a Facebook live event by her daughter Neve, sneaking out of bed while her mother was trying to address the nation.

These glimpses of humanity arent orchestrated set pieces, they happen spontaneously and on a regular basis in the course of New Zealands politicians living ordinary human lives. I cant be sure but Id put some money on Arderns daughter being sent to her local state primary school when its time. Anything else would grate against her mums entrenched value system, and display a schism between personal and political beliefs that in four years of leadership has so far failed to emerge.

In this climate, world-leading legislation has been enacted in New Zealand, including a new law to protect pill testing, legalised assisted dying, a record increase in funding to womens refuge and domestic violence services, moves to tackle climate change and a world-leading tobacco reform (aiming to make the country smoke-free by 2025).

In Australia power often seems a goal in and of itself. It is a goal that then stymies genuine legislative reform or collaboration, much to the detriment of all Australians, who can only be feeling confused and disappointed by the year thats been, so marked by animosity and empty showmanship.

In the New Zealand model there is something to learn. Sure, the beehive lacks the fireworks of Canberra and sometimes a bit of sparkle. The finance minister is mostly interested in surpluses (and rugby) and the foreign ministers style of diplomacy is disarmingly gentle. The climate change minister is a greenie from way back. But in the hands of these to quote the words of Ardern nerds a backbone and steadiness to political life has developed, allowing nascent transformative change to begin. And oh so needed in the current global environment, a deep and reassuring sense of calm.

Read the original:

Fractious Australia has much to learn from the kindness and purpose of New Zealand politics - The Guardian