Category Archives: New Zealand

LONDON The national flag carrier of New Zealand, Air New Zealand, is set to receive its first batch of shipment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is due to arrive in the country this Sunday (18th September).

This is set to catapult the airline into an elite group using sustainable aviation fuel to propel the wider aviation industry to become Carbon Neutral by 2050.

This shipment of 1.2 million liters of SAF is set to game-change the industry.

However, the 1.2 million liters is a tiny drop in the ocean when compared to the usage of fossil fuel, which is at 1.4 billion liters used by airlines globally on a yearly basis.

This is a stepping stone, nevertheless.

The 1.2 million liters brought in may sound very little, but in fact, this is equivalent to fuelling approximately 400 return flights between Auckland and Wellington, which is significant.

This translates to a reduction in the lifecycle of carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to the use of traditional jet fuel.

The SAF itself is produced, produced by Neste in Finland, and is important in cooperation with Z Energy. This first-ever shipment will be used as a testbed and set up a concrete system and a supply chain for importing the fuel into the island nation.

Like all SAF, they are made from a sustainable source, with renewable waste residue, raw items, and recycled tallow or cooking oil. Moreover, Air New Zealand has plans, in the long run, to produce biofuel locally.

Furthermore, Air New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment signed a Memorandum of Understand in September last year to study the feasibility of a local SAF facility in the country.

Air New Zealand continues to actively march on with the countrys government to champion the policies and regulatory setting required to establish a SAF market and to study the dynamics of pricing for the usage of SAF in the industry.

The airlines topman chief executive Greg Foran said: Its part of our journey to get to at least 1 percent of the [biofuel] that were going to use this year

He continued: Were looking at something that potentially might be able to use woody biomass so slashings from trimming trees, he said, adding it would probably require a capital investment of about $500m to $700m.

The airlines CEO explained that the process would be long and expensive to set up but worth it in the long term.

Its quite expensive, but were talking about our future long term, and you know, I think it could be a very good thing, he said, adding the company was studying the feasibility of setting up such a plant in co-operation with the government.

He also reiterated that Air New Zealand is already a very efficient airline; he stated: Air New Zealand is already one of the most fuel-efficient airlines in the world with our modern fleet, but the future of travel relies on low-carbon air transport.

View original post here:

The First Batch of Sustainable Aviation Fuel is Set to Arrive For Air New Zealand - AviationSource News

Are you always on?

Peering at your phone, sneaking to the loo to send emails, uncomfortable on holiday if the wifi is dodgy, staring blankly at your family, knowing they just said something, but your phone just pinged so you have no idea what?

You are showing signs of being a workaholic, traits you share with around 1 in 10 others. Its such a big thing, theres a Workaholics Anonymous, which has a 12-step global group programme for recovering workaholics.

Its such a big thing, Massey University School of Management Professor Jane Parker is part of a global study investigating it, along with peoples thoughts, emotions and behaviours around their jobs.

READ MORE:* Demi Lovato opens up about her addiction to exercise* National Portrait: Minister of Almost Everything David Parker* Food controlled me for 15 years: It was my deep dark secret

Supplied

Dr Edyta CharzyskaFaculty of Social Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.

Dr Edyta Charzyska from the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, and Dr Pawe Atroszko from the University of Gdask, Poland, are leading research in more than 50 countries, across six continents.

The anonymous study concerns peoples attitudes to the jobs that they perform, with research results published in scientific journals. It will be impossible to identify individual respondents.

Parker, who has the task of finding 200 Kiwi participants, tells Stuff the information will be invaluable for individuals and companies, and will hopefully make more clear exactly what work addiction is.

What I'm hoping is, the survey will help us to define how people see addiction rather than us 'guestimate' constructs and then say, Do you do this, do you do that?, she says.

I am hoping they'll say, Well, I don't really see this as addiction, or Yes, I do see it because it's a situational and, to some extent, perceptual matter.

It can be driven by so many factors, and that's where we really need to get on top of it, with some evidence.

People may be able to reflect more on how they engage with work and take stock if they feel they need to.

Employment agreements in Aotearoa set a basic ceiling of 40 hours per week (excluding overtime), unless agreed otherwise. In France its 35 hours, in Australia 38, while in China its 48.

Supplied

Dr Pawe Atroszko, Institute of Psychology, University of Gdask, Poland.

While globally the average number of hours that people work is reducing, New Zealanders still have comparatively long work weeks about 2.3 hours more than the OECD weekly average.

While those figures suggest a good many Kiwis are keen, if not addicted, to working, Parker wants the survey to provide proof.

Its reported around 8% of Norwegians and Hungarians are addicted to work, the tentative estimate for the US is around 10%.

Professionals and those in vocational roles have comparatively long working hours, so the survey could reflect differences in peoples commitment and non-delegation tendencies rather than an actual addiction to working.

More needs to be learnt about how and if work addiction levels can be linked to factors such as differing socio-cultural norms, individuals characteristics, and economic conditions, Parker says.

Supplied

Professor Jane Parker of Massey University.

Particularly when they are paid at lower wage rates, staff are driven to work longer hours and/or take on multiple jobs to make ends meet.

I've talked to cleaners who are on to their third or fourth job for the day, and they're certainly not addicted to work!

In such cases, economic necessity rather than a particular mindset about work appears to be the key force behind working longer hours or working harder.

It depends on the nature of the work too, Parker says. Health workers tend to feel they must provide a service.

Some work is innately appealing. We see this in various professions and vocations where there's often a strong commitment element to the work.

It's not about extrinsic rewards, it's intrinsic satisfaction. It's pretty difficult to walk away, for example, as a health professional from a situation just because the clock chimes five.

It is hoped the survey will help companies understand what makes workers tick, how to spot work prone to overworking, and be aware when staff are fatigued.

Mary Altaffer/AP

Healthcare workers often feel obliged to go to work, which is not the same as addiction.

One potential issue is when a worker feels they are doing a great job, only to be asked to cut back. It is a delicate situation, Parker says.

For people who place a lot of value on their work effort, then it could be seen as a criticism of them, being told not to do that or to scale it back, she says.

If you're a high performer and you're deriving a lot of satisfaction from what you're doing and you don't think you've got a problem.

Wellington clinical psychologist Dougal Sutherland of Umbrella Wellbeing says those who work hard often know it, and in focussing on work they can let other areas of their life slip.

The thing that people around them might notice is that those people are sort of mentally not present, he says.

We've probably all had that experience where we've tried to talk to somebody who's physically there, but mentally they are somewhere else, so they're a bit distracted.

KEVIN STENT/Stuff

Clinical psychologist Prof Dougal Sutherland spotting overworkers may not be hard.

They might keep flicking back to their phone or to the device, which is probably a good indication that even though they're physically at home, they're mentally still at work, he says.

Some might want to find ways to deal with that, while others are happiest when they are working in their day job and can see family life as an intrusion.

Chief executives are often in that zone. They feel a real strong sense of meaning and purpose in their lives from their work and have a real commitment, Sutherland says.

There are definitely people that are absolutely in that zone and they probably are really successful at work.

But that is not all roses, high salaries and living happily ever after, he warns.

Their whole reason for being is so strongly tied up with their work that it's almost impossible for them to break out. That's great to a point for them, but the risks are that they may not be so successful in other areas of their life, like relationships.

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Workbridge offers employment support to overcome 'barriers' to beneficiaries with health issues eager to work.

Thats a pretty fragile position if you lose your job or you can't fulfil it, you get sick, you get restructured, then it can have a pretty massive influence on your well-being because now your one sole reason for being has been taken away or reduced.

You've put all your eggs in one basket and when that basket breaks all your eggs shatter. It's not a particularly resilient position to be [in].

Sutherland is aware more and more people are saying theyve had enough of work.

Its as if, I've realised that actually, there's more to life than work and I don't want to do it. The overworking realise, I've just kind of ended up working, working, working, and I've become addicted to it.

At the other end of the spectrum, there's people going actually I don't want to do this, I'm going to cut back on work. So it's the full gamut really, of those between those two ends of the spectrum.

Read more from the original source:

Are you job-obsessed? New Zealand joins global look at work addiction - Stuff

With their masterful approach to indie pop lauded at home and overseas, The Beths are feeling cautiously optimistic about their brand new album. Tyson Beckett catches up with the band on a flying visit home from touring Expert in a Dying Field.

When I first meet everyones favourite New Zealand indie band, The Beths, they are half a world away, dialling in from a carpark in Columbus, Ohio.

A few hours away from playing the last show of a six-week tour that has seen them play 26 dates across North America, they seem understandably, a little tired, but in a contented way.

This is the second time theyve toured the US and Canada this year. Theyve played across Europe and Australia too, and life on the road as an indie band requires a decent amount of DIY leg work.

Theyre also busy promoting their new album Expert in a Dying Field, but being back on the road is still somewhat of a novelty. Eyes heavy but hearts full, if you will.

READ MORE:* Marlon Williams on escaping his musical tendencies and having some fun* Waiata Mori help Korean couple on their reo Mori journey* What concert-goers wear: Street style at Billie Eilish

Snaking their way across the continental US in a self-driven van Liz Stokes, Jonathan Pearce, Benjamin Sinclair and Tristan Deck tell me they have played what is known as a secondary market tour. Seeking out slightly smaller cities than they did when they were here in February, they played places such as San Diego, Denver and Cincinnati.The shows, to crowds of about 500, have consistently sold out.

The Beths are just scratching the surface of touring opportunities on offer in the US. Theres a long list of cities in this giant country of that size that we can do that sort of show in, which is pretty great, lead guitarist Pearce says.

Theyre making the most of those opportunities, but also making up for lost time. Pre-pandemic the quartet were on a roll. In 2018 Rolling Stone named song Happy Unhappy the song of the summer, the band signed to American record label Carpark Records and back home their song, Future Me Hates Me, off the debut album of the same name, was shortlisted for the Silver Scroll Award.

The following year, in between an extensive touring schedule to support the album and other hugely successful acts such as Death Cab for Cutie, the bands songwriter and lead vocalist Stokes began writing their sophomore album. Jump Rope Gazers was released in July 2020 as the world was hunkering down, international tours off the cards.

As heartbreaking as that must have been, they maintain they were actually, lucky.

This tour, says Pearce, has made it clear that we were really lucky with the timing of our album that we were able to proceed with it, in a compromised way, but that we had a compelling reason to just go ahead and put it out there. That kind of kept us in peoples lives and it got us up off the couch.

Homegrown fans were also lucky, getting many more opportunities to see the band live while they sheltered in place for almost two years.

It was, Stokes says, A big time in New Zealand for The Beths.

We were happy with where we were sitting in New Zealand and we didnt really think we had the capacity to be a huge band but I feel like we played in front of a lot of people and we grew our band in NZ.

Local acclaim swelled. The group won Best Group and Best Alternative Artist at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards, as well as the coveted Best Album Award.

Now theyre back on the road internationally, steadily regaining their previous momentum. In August Expert in a Dying Field was added to the playlist of UK radio station BBC 6 Music. Stokes says it feels great to be hitting their stride, but it was also a little daunting.

All the venues were all twice as big as the last tour wed done in 2019. There was a sense of can we pull this off? The growing buzz around the band suggests that yes, they can.

Its been an exercise in delayed gratification in the sense that overseas fans are experiencing live for the first time an album that is now more than two years old. Especially because The Beths get deep satisfaction from their live performances. We write stuff for ourselves that is on the edge of all our abilities, says Stokes, and part of the thrill lies in seeking to perform it as perfectly as humanly possible.

We know every little manoeuvre we need to perform from the start to the end of the set and we really strive to string them all together and perform our version of a perfect show, Pearce adds.

Chelsea Metcalf, who performs under the moniker Chelsea Jade, and played with Stokes in her first band Teacups, describes Stokes as an artist and an artisan. Shes totally dedicated to fluently speaking her instruments. Everybody who plays in The Beths is that way.

When youve built a community that can converse in a complex language like that, the skys the limit and I think Lizs songwriting reflects that. Its prowess with the freedom of mischief.

That prowess is all over the new album. Expert is The Beths at their fun, tight, guitar heavy best with their collective harmonies rounding out the lyrical vulnerability and inner uncertainty that characterises Stokes writing.

Some of the songs, such as third single Knees Deep, were written during Aucklands 107-day lockdown last year, when the band pivoted to recording parts separately and, when allowed, holding outdoor sessions in the backyard of Stokes and Pearces home.

This isnt, however, a lockdown album.

Lockdown is just a small facet of what the last 2-3 years has been like for everybody in the world but theres stuff that leaks in no matter what type of art is being made, Stokes justifies.

Given the tumult the world as a collective has experienced of late, it follows that the aspects of prickling anxiety are more relatable than ever.

Having said that, one of the endearingly human aspects of Stokes lyrical work is her tendency to edge back from the precipice of catastrophising. You hear it in earlier works like Jump Rope Gazers. But if I dont see your face tonight ... I, well I guess Ill be fine, and its on Expert too. I Want to Listen ends with a reminder to myself to try not to get so swallowed in my own emotions that I dont notice when people close to me are struggling too.

I ask if this propensity to tether herself gets in the way when things are going well. Can she allow herself to enjoy success in the moment?

Still not, really. Im working on it. Im not actually working on it, I should be working on it. Ive talked about working on it, Stokes quips.

Ive dipped my toe in this record to some very cautious optimism. I think thats what happens when youre at rock bottom, youre a little bit more comfortable with saying well it could be slightly better.

I feel like Ive experimented with cautious sincerity, Ive got more comfortable with sincerity and now Ill try to get more comfortable with optimism, but it doesnt look good.

Five days after our first chat, The Beths are back on home soil and we meet again. This time on Karangahape Rd in Auckland. Theyre jet-lagged but seem at ease back in the home town, even if its all too brief. Theyre here for just nine days before a new tour commences, this time in Australia.

Karangahape Rd, on which Pearce keeps a small studio, stands as somewhat of a visual marker of the pushing and pulling forces that come with the change happening around Tmaki Makaurau/Auckland and also of the hangover from the pandemic-related economic turbulence.

The shiny promise of future growth dangles in behind the band as construction ploughs ahead on the City Rail Link, the largest transport infrastructure project New Zealand has ever built.

Amidst the flux, the lively street and its inhabitants do their best to drown out the groan of change. The eclectic disorder of Karangahape Rd has long been part of the appeal.

Pearce has had his studio here since 2016. Its where the band set down most of their music and he is relieved that their understanding landlord has, thus far, stood firm in the face of other more commercially motivated prospectors. Somehow theres still enough space on K Rd at the right price to have a studio there and lots of other people have small making studios and flats and basements.

But their connection to the area runs longer and richer than a periodic tenancy. Like many Aucklanders, Stokes has been coming to K Rd since forever.

The area is indelibly linked with her musical career, particularly in St Kevins Arcade.

Its where The Wine Cellar is, its where the Whammy Bar is. So many venues have come and gone in Auckland but since weve been making music its been a huge part of our musical adolescence and adulthood living in Auckland. I feel so happy its still there.

To me thats where the musical heart is.

Auckland is a recognised Unesco City of Music, but for the past few years it has felt like the musical heart has been at risk of atrophying. Beloved venue St James Theatre, which closed in 2007, still sits mothballed on Queen St awaiting restoration funding. When Covid rolled into town other stalwart music venues were amongst the first to close and the last to reopen.

For many fans, Jump Rope Gazers soundtracked 2020 and post- lockdown celebrations and much of that revolved around venues in the area. An album release show at The Powerstation in Eden Terrace in July of that year was the first live event many in Aucklands tight-knit creative community ventured out to.

In November that year, a couple of months after another lockdown in Auckland, there was a similar feel in the air when they played at The Town Hall, filming their live album Auckland, New Zealand, 2020. In January this year the band played a five-night residency at Whammy Bar shortly after Aucklands 107-day lockdown lifted. The Beths were there to jolt the live music scene that formed them back to life.

With the prospect of bigger things on the horizon, touring will continue to draw the band offshore, but theres little risk that well lose them completely. The Beths are beloved for their staunchly New Zealand stance and the feeling is mutual.

We love New Zealand as well, we always want to live in New Zealand. Were not tempted by the call that some people are tempted by to, you know, up sticks and go to one of these metropolises that are the music capital of the world, says Pearce.

It feels good to do good work in New Zealand.

Becki Moss/Stuff

The Beths third album, Expert in a Dying Field, is out now.

For bassist Sinclair theres a grounding sense that comes from remaining within the contextual locale of his musical upbringing. For me theres huge interest in the regional identities of cultural scenes and sounds and I think its just so amazing that K Rd has a sound and Dunedin has a sound and Wellington has a sound.

Leaving would mean losing their place in the heart of the local music scene and farewelling the community that nourishes them emotionally, but also practically.

There are kinds of music that it makes sense to go where theres a lot of things happening and where you can all collaborate, but for us itd be super weird to move to a new place. We dont know anyone, who do we borrow an amp from? asks Stokes, with a quiet laugh.

Like all their music Expert in a Dying Field is an album designed to be played and heard live. This time, fans across the world should have a chance to. The band plays across the motu next month before heading back across the Pacific in February. In between theyre hoping to have a decent chunk of time off over summer to enjoy just being home, seeing friends and maybe go to the beach.

The world may be calling for The Beths, but for now theyre going to have to dial +64 to get through.

Expert in a Dying Field is out now.

More:

The Beths' cautious optimism and love for New Zealand is all over their new album - Stuff

More Fijians are expected to work in New Zealand under New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer as Bostok New Zealand are in the country to recruit more employers.

Bostok Seasonal Labour Manager, Ali Lawn met with the Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Osea Cawaru, and held discussions on the purpose of her visit to Fiji for more recruitment as well as meeting the National Employment Centre Team as Fijis Labour Sending Unit.

The company recruited the first 15 Fijian RSE workers in 2015, and the number of Fijians recruited has increased over the last five years to 170 workers by 2020.

The employer has also set up a Fair Trade Fund for RSE workers employed at Bostok for community projects to support workers communities.

With the help of the Bostock Fair Trade Fund, there have been four projects established in Fiji by the Bostock Fijian RSE workers, of which two have been completed, and two are currently in progress.

Cawaru welcomed Lawn on behalf of the Fijian Government and thanked Bostok for their confidence in our workers and the opportunity to recruit more Fijians under the scheme.

Lawn thanked the Governments support towards the New Zealand RSE Work Scheme for the provision of labour to meet labour demand in the horticulture industry in New Zealand.

Original post:

More Fijians expected to be employed in New Zealand - Fijivillage

You have viewed over 50 articles in the last 12 months.

Support insidethegames.biz for as little as 10

For nearly 15 years now, insidethegames.biz has been at the forefront of reporting fearlessly on what happens in the Olympic Movement. As the first website not to be placed behind a paywall, we have made news about the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and other major events more accessible than ever to everybody.

insidethegames.biz has established a global reputation for the excellence of its reporting and breadth of its coverage. For many of our readers from more than 200 countries and territories around the world the website is a vital part of their daily lives. The ping of our free daily email alert, sent every morning at 6.30am UK time 365 days a year, landing in their inbox, is as a familiar part of their day as their first cup of coffee.

Even during the worst times of the COVID-19 pandemic, insidethegames.biz maintained its high standard of reporting on all the news from around the globe on a daily basis. We were the first publication in the world to signal the threat that the Olympic Movement faced from the coronavirus and have provided unparalleled coverage of the pandemic since.

As the world begins to emerge from the COVID crisis, insidethegames.biz would like to invite you to help us on our journey by funding our independent journalism. Your vital support would mean we can continue to report so comprehensively on the Olympic Movement and the events that shape it. It would mean we can keep our website open for everyone. Last year, nearly 25 million people read insidethegames.biz, making us by far the biggest source of independent news on what is happening in world sport.

Every contribution, however big or small, will help maintain and improve our worldwide coverage in the year ahead. Our small and dedicated team were extremely busy last year covering the re-arranged Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, an unprecedented logistical challenge that stretched our tight resources to the limit.

The remainder of 2022 is not going to be any less busy, or less challenging. We had the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, where we sent a team of four reporters, and coming up are the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the Summer World University and Asian Games in China, the World Games in Alabama and multiple World Championships. Plus, of course, there is the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Unlike many others, insidethegames.biz is available for everyone to read, regardless of what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe that sport belongs to everybody, and everybody should be able to read information regardless of their financial situation. While others try to benefit financially from information, we are committed to sharing it with as many people as possible. The greater the number of people that can keep up to date with global events, and understand their impact, the more sport will be forced to be transparent.

Support insidethegames.biz for as little as 10 - it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you.

Read more

Read more:

Parsons named chair of University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand - Insidethegames.biz

After a chilly morning, all these places will warm up to reach a temperature of 18 degrees on Sunday, according to MetService.

But after a fine weekend, the weather is set to change with a high-pressure system bringing rain early next week.

NIWA warns it could be windy for parts of the South Island on Sunday and Monday.

"It will become windy in the South Island tomorrow and into Monday," NIWA said.

"Thats because the high pressure thats bringing settled weather today will give way to low pressure, and gusty northerly winds will develop.

MetService has warned there is a moderate risk of heavy rain for the West Coast of the South Island on Monday while there is a low risk for places north of New Plymouth. For the majority of this week.

See the original post here:

Weather: Kiwis bathed in sunshine before wind, rain hits New Zealand in coming days - Newshub

When Rugby Australia (RA) scheduled the financially lucrative first Bledisloe Cup match on a Thursday night in the Aussie Rules citadel of Melbourne, the motivation was all about money. AFL followers are more like fanatical members of a religious cult than sporting supporters. They reject all other oval ball codes as blasphemers.

So the Wallabies visiting the rugby heathen in Melbourne was never about mass conversions to the game they play in heaven.

As hosts of the mens World Cup in 2027 and womens World Cup in 2029, RA are attempting to entice the AFL folk to fork out some Aussie dollars and think about placing bums on seats at the games later this decade.

To market the Wallabies to the wider Australian audience, Thursday night provided a media window in a weekend that is saturated with the National Rugby League and the Aussie rules semi-final play offs. If the Bledisloe match was played on Friday night, Saturday or Sunday the Wallabies would be going head-to-head with both the NRL and AFL, so rugby in Oz would not have got a mention.

The bold decision to schedule a Thursday evening match in AFLs heartland was rewarded with a sold out Docklands Stadium.

It was bitterly disappointing for rugby in Australia, which continues to fight for its existence, that once again horrific officiating dominated the star players of a match where both teams were giving their all to play positive running rugby.

With unjust decisions on sin bins, ugly inconsistent penalties and despite talking all night to every player, why in the final 60 seconds with Australia leading, referee Mathieu Raynal did not tell Bernard Foley to kick the penalty into touch or it will be classed as time wasting, will rank as one of international rugbys most infamous moments of fastidious refereeing with zero feeling for the match.

I can only imagine the total frustration of Wallabies coach, Dave Rennie who was forced to select the 33-year-old outhalf Foley. After four seasons in Japanese club rugby, Foley was parachuted into the starting team.

He has had a long and distinguished career in Super Rugby, winning a championship with the Waratahs, as well as being a World Cup finalist with the Wallabies in 2015. He is deeply respected in Australia but his best days were thought to be in the past.

To his great credit, Foleys flawless goal kicking kept the Wallabies in touch although his offload to Pete Samu for what appeared like a winning Australian try was more forward than a Tom Brady pass in American Football. While the incomprehensible officiating decision against Foley for time wasting ruined a great contest, at its heart none of this is about Foley.

The essence of Foleys selection is how an elite player development system that had produced some of world rugbys greatest ever creative players simply ceased to function.

The lineage of the gold number 10 jersey carries some all-time great names such as Mark Ella, Michael Lynagh, Stephen Larkham and Matt Giteau. With a raft of hugely talented players like David Knox, Pat Howard and Kurty Beale playing their part, a creative attacking Wallaby five eighth - as outhalves are called in Australia - was taken as a birthright. This year at outhalf the Wallabies have selected the ageing Quad Cooper (34), James OConnor (32) and the desperate hope for the future, Noah Lolesio (22).

Somewhere in the labyrinth of failed decision making and disastrous leadership in the ruinous decade after hosting the 2003 World Cup, the philosophy and superb technical coaching that drove the education of so many great five eighths was dismantled by foolish decisions from small minded administrators within Australias own system.

Across the ditch in New Zealand, the exact opposite was taking place.

After the great kicking first five Grant Fox had passed his black number 10 jersey onto the brilliance of Andrew Mehrtens, New Zealand rugby made a conscious decision to focus on educating their outhalves in the technical and tactical specialties of the position.

As their failure at that 2003 World Cup was still burning in Kiwi hearts, Dan Carter pulled on his black jersey and revolutionised New Zealands attacking play. Running, passing, taking calculated risks and attacking from deep, Carter was fantastic.

As Aaron Cruden emerged as Carters dependable wing man, New Zealand rugby grabbed the Wallabies mantle as the worlds greatest attackers and entertainers.

Having been nurtured in an excellent Australian system for almost 40 years as both a player and coach, I write these words with real sadness

The Kiwi production line, now in full flow, then created Beauden Barrett. With Damian McKenzie as a highly talented back up, they took their running game to another level. Today Richie Mounga has arrived as a mature international with electric speed, footwork, vision and supreme skills.

At the same time Rennie as the Australian coach is being forced to delve back into history and select players whose best days are behind them.

This situation was entirely created by New Zealand adopting a national playing and coaching philosophy while simultaneously Australia actively attacked their own, to the point that their national coaching philosophy has gone the way of the Tasmanian Tiger.

Some claim that there have been sightings of it, but for all practical purposes it is extinct.

Before next years World Cup Ireland must hope for the best and that Sexton remains healthy while planning for the worst, that the 37-year-old might sustain an unwanted injury. Photograph: INPHO/Photosport/Andrew Cornaga

This should be front and centre of Irish rugby minds as Johnny Sexton enters his final season. Since November 2021 we have witnessed an Irish team playing with a national philosophy for the first time. The success has been exceptional.

The foundation of this system depends on high quality rugby education being delivered to players below the professional level. At this vital stage of a players development, coaches are teachers and mentors for tomorrows internationals. It is at this level that New Zealand and Ireland have succeeded while Australia has failed.

Having been nurtured in an excellent Australian system for almost 40 years as both a player and coach, I write these words with real sadness.

Before next years World Cup Ireland must hope for the best and that Sexton remains healthy while planning for the worst, that the 37-year-old might sustain an unwanted injury.

While Irelands outhalf situation is far healthier than the Wallabies, who should be Sextons short term replacement and his long term successor remains unclear.

Joey Carberys attacking organisation against top quality international opponents remains highly questionable while the selection of Ciaran Frawley to tour New Zealand and now with Ireland A to South Africa tells us that he has the opportunity of his rugby life placed in front of him.

Unlike Jack Carty, Ross Byrne, Billy Burns and Harry Byrne, Frawley needs to grab the chance with both hands. At six foot three and 98 kilos, if Frawley had stayed in Sydney, where he was born, he may have been running out wearing the gold number 10 in Melbourne last Thursday.

This November, Ireland need to select outhalves, keeping New Zealands 2011 World Cup crisis in mind. On the day of the 2011 final in Auckland, both Dan Carter and Aaron Cruden were injured. Stephen Donald was called back from a fishing trip to play in the decider. The years of quality coaching and past opportunities to wear the black jersey had educated him for his mission. He kicked the goal that won the William Webb Ellis trophy.

Ireland should consider the history of outhalf development in both Australia and New Zealand. Then plan to be like New Zealand, or fail to plan and end up like Australia.

Read more:

Matt Williams: Ireland should plan to be like New Zealand, or fail to plan and end up like Australia - The Irish Times

Gisborne woolhandler Joel Henare at the Canterbury Shears in 2016. Photo / SSNZ

The opportunity to represent New Zealand on an international stage has been thrown wide open.

Both the winner and runner-up in the New Zealand Shears open woolhandling final in Alexandra on September 30 will now represent New Zealand in the Transtasman series revival test match in Australia three weeks later.

The decision comes after 2021 winner Joel Henare confirmed he is unavailable for the 2022-2023 series and intends stepping back from a usually heavy schedule.

Henare has competed in a series-record 14 transtasman woolhandling tests since his first in Hay, NSW, in 2008 at the age of 15.

He has also won 113 individual Open titles, including two World Championships, along with two teams World Championships titles.

Henare will be at the two days of the Merino Shears shearing and woolhandling championships which open the 2022-2023 New Zealand Shearing Sports season in Alexandra on September 30-October 1.

He will fulfill the dual roles of both competing and commentating, with plans do the same at the Waimate Spring Shears in South Canterbury a week later.

Henare will then return to Gisborne to help with the season's opening event in the North Island - his home Poverty Bay A and P Shears on October 15.

From there, though, he is ruling himself out of most of the rest of the competition season, which includes being unlikely to contest an eight-show series to find New Zealand's two woolhandlers for the 2023 World Championships in Scotland.

Shearing Sports New Zealand will send a team of three machine shearers, two woolhandlers and two blade shearers for the separate Transtasman tests during the Australian shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Bendigo, Vic, on October 21-22.

They will be the first tests since the New Zealand home leg at the Golden Shears in Masterton in March 2022, just three weeks before the first pandemic lockdown and a near shutdown of international travel.

Those already confirmed in the team are Southland machine shearers Leon Samuels and Nathan Stratford, winners of the PGG Wrightson Vetmed national shearing circuit in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

The third machine shearer will be the best-performing other New Zealand shearer in the Merino Shears Open shearing championship.

The blade shearers will be the 2019 World Champion pairing of Allan Oldfield, of Geraldine, and Tony Dobbs, of Fairlie.

Team manager and shearing judge is Greg Stuart, of Alexandra, and Gail Haitana, of Bulls, travels as woolhandling judge.

See the original post here:

New Zealand woolhandling team places on the line at Merino Shears - New Zealand Herald

Where can I collect my membership card?

Membership cards can be collected from Costco's temporary office at 15 Kakano Rd Westgate, Auckland. They can also be bought online.

Memberships will only begin once the store opens so Kiwis who sign up early won't be missing out.

You can sign up online at Costco's membership registration page or in-store.

Costco accepts cash, EFTPOS, Mastercard Credit or Mastercard Debit Cards.

People with a membership can bring two guests into the store but the guests cannot buy anything without a membership. Children are allowed into the store with cardholders and aren't counted as guests.

Yes, Costco only allows members to shop at their stores. The card has a picture and can only be used by the owner.

Costco is primarily a wholesaler. Business is the basic membership and costs $55 per year.

This entitles you to make two separate transactions at the register, one for business (to produce a tax receipt) and one for your personal shopping.

Gold Star, which costs $60 per year, means other people can join and shop at wholesale prices. Gold Star members are only able to make one individual transaction per shop.

Both membership types include a free household card.

Membership can be refunded in full at any time for any reason.

Read the original here:

Explainer: Everything you need to know about New Zealand's new Costco store - Newshub

Anthony Phelps/Stuff

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese shows Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern flood damaged areas of Nelson.

Rachel Reese is the mayor of Nelson.

OPINION: Even as the spring weather gradually calms, the August rainstorm that impacted our city remains fresh, as we move through our recovery.

Something last months serious weather event has shown, is that the best of us shines through when we work together as a community to help others. I am immensely proud of everyone around the city who came together to help their friends and strangers in need. I am also extremely proud of my Council team, who showed strength and empathy in the days and nights of the storm, and afterwards as they help those still needing support.

We are now focused on fixing what is urgent and relatively minor, and working with and helping people get back into their homes when it is safe to do so. With the help of insurance and EQC, as well as central government funding, we will start to repair our damaged drinking, waste and storm water systems. With the assistance of Waka Kotahi our roads will be repaired. Many of our walkways in parks and reserves also need significant work.

The storm showed that the citys infrastructure is only partly resilient to the changing climate, and here in lies the opportunity for the next Council - we are not yet the countrys most climate resilient city, but we could be if we focus on the longer-term solutions for our city.

READ MORE:* What caused record-breaking river of rain over top of south?* Council approves change to library decision-making timeline * Reimagining a new Nelson library as an ideas factory* Focus on climate change in 'most ambitious' long term plan

I sincerely hope that the new Council elected in October, will look to its responsibilities for our future generations and bring this lens to our post flood repair and our climate adaptation work. If we only put energy into simply fixing what we have to, we will miss the opportunity to be smart and to collaborate for a safer, more prosperous future for our city, one that is ready to embrace the higher tides and more intense rainfall events.

Our region has a rich history of success bedded in our connection with the sea. I believe we should take the lead in turning to the sea again for solutions, positioning ourselves nationally and internationally as a leader in ocean-based climate responses.

BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF

Wenham contracting clean up the mud around Founders Park in Atawhai after Nelson had its worst floods in years.

In 2018, I had an inspiring trip to Denmark to learn more about how we could collaborate on climate change action. In 2020, the Council signed an MoU between Wakat Incorporation, and four Danish organisations. Wakat Incorporation is planning a Nelson Climatorium, based on Denmarks international climate centre, Lemvigs Klimatorium, a place to bring together government, industry, academics and the public in an integrated climate change think-tank.

We should support having this climate change conversation sooner rather than later. Lets collaborate on the urban design and engineering solutions needed for a future of sea level rise, because investing in our strategic urban infrastructure needs to keep moving forward. The likes of the Climatorium, the Science and Technology Precinct, and the multi-purpose development with a library at its heart, shouldnt be taken off the drawing board due to climate fear. Rather, these are the developments that have true community purpose for a future-focused Council to actively work on and support.

Initial concept images of the proposed new Nelson Central Library and associated riverside precinct redevelopment.

Of course, how and where we invest needs careful consideration. For example, as part of our due diligence of the riverside site proposed for the multipurpose library development, in-depth geotechnical reports have been commissioned. As responsible stewards of our city, we want to make sure we were armed with all we needed to know about the riverside, to inform what we do on and around it what we build, how we connect with the river, and how we enhance our transport links that might be impacted by the river. New information, such as updated data on sea level rise, will also continue to be evaluated and inform Council decisions about the city centre.

Councils have an ongoing responsibility to provide quality city and social infrastructure public spaces that people care about, that reflect their identity, that connect people together and enable better outcomes for everyone. We need to be smart about the infrastructure we build for our people.

Christchurch has been smart about its investment in Tranga - one of the more significant projects to reconnect their city following the 2011 earthquake. This library development has given Christchurch immense benefits. It draws the community back to what is now a more vibrant central city, to be together. Residents and visitors are learning, teaching, accessing services, and being entertained. Social outcomes include less social isolation, more innovation, more fun, and greater learning. And economically, Tranga has encouraged significant private investment in the city.

Like so many cities and towns, Christchurch City Council put a stake in the ground with their investment in a modern, multipurpose library, and other key central city developments. This show of commitment has given its centre a purpose.

I hope our Council can do the same for our people and our city centre.

MARTIN DE RUYTER/STUFF

Homes are flooded by the Maitai River in Nelson. Video first published on August 18, 2022.

Read the rest here:

OPINION: Nelson's opportunity to be New Zealand's most climate resilient city - Stuff