Category Archives: New Zealand

The cost of living payment mistake leaving overseas New Zealanders confused, Kiwi singer opens up on dramatic exit and why Prince Charles is facing questions over charity donations in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald

Russia has published a list of 32 New Zealanders banned from entering the country, including city mayors, officials, academics, Defence Force brass, and journalists accused of forming a "Russophobic agenda".

The Russian Foreign Ministry says the move is a response to New Zealand government sanctions "which apply to an increasing number of Russian citizens".

On the list are several mayors, including Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, Christchurch counterpart, Mayor Lianne Dalziel, Wellington's Andy Foster, Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese, and Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins, along with journalists including Herald columnist and political commentator Matthew Hooton.

"[It] looks like an invitation to a great long lunch," Hooton quipped this morning.

Hawkins also took a light-hearted approach, writing on Twitter this morning: "I regret to inform you that I appear to have been banned from Russia. There goes that Trans-Siberian Railway fantasy".

Dalziel regards the ban as a "badge of honour", saying she has no regrets about speaking out over the Russian invasion of Ukraine and renewed calls for an end to the bloody war.

Auckland councillor Chris Darby was surprised to make the cut, and although he kicked off lighting the Auckland Harbour Bridge in blue and yellow and instigated a letter to the Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko, he said: "It's not like I'm a constant campaigner, other than a few Tweets and Facebook posts. I'll wear it like a badge of honour in solidarity with the people of Ukraine."

Those on the list are "indefinitely" barred entry to the Russian Federation.

The blacklist statement, published on the Russian Foreign Ministry's social media channels, also warns it will continue working on updating the "blacklist".

"With the fact that official Wellington does not intend to abandon the anti-Russian course and continues to bear new restrictions, work on updating the 'blacklist' will continue," it says.

New Zealand has imposed a raft of sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, including compiling its own list of Russian nationals banned from entering the country.

In March, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta released a list of Russian government officials and others who were being banned from entering New Zealand.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) spokeswoman responded this morning, saying that New Zealand, "in concert with the international community", has been applying tough sanctions on Russia "as a means to restrict the Putin regime's ability to continue waging war on Ukraine and harming civilians".

"We are unsurprised that Russia has added further New Zealanders to its travel ban list.

"It's disappointing to see Russia deepening its isolation from the international community rather than engaging with the clear message that it is being sent: to cease its senseless war of aggression in Ukraine and withdraw its troops."

John Anthony

Shane Arndell

Lianne Audrey Dalziel

Chris Darby

Andrew John Whitfield Foster

Phil Bruce Goff

Garin Golding

Kate Green

Aaron Garth Hawkins

Ian Hill

Stephen Hoadley

James Hollings

Mathew Hooton

Rose King

Rob Krushka

Matt Lawrey

Richard Maclean

Tracy Mulholland

Thomas Manch

Hugh McAslan

Ian Mower

Bridget Musker

Whena Owen

Shaun Sexton

Josie Pagani

Pete Rainey

Rachel Hadley Reese

Sharon Stewart

Pasanka Wickremasinghe

Matthew Weston

Mike Yardley

Nicola Young.

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Russia bans 32 New Zealand officials and journalists from entering the country - New Zealand Herald

Kate donned a wetsuit as she joined the British racing team on their F50 catamaran in a friendly Commonwealth Race alongside Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie. The race, which took place ahead of the official final events of the SailGP international sailing competition in Plymouth, saw Great Britain take on endurance swimmer and environmentalist Lewis Pugh as a guest racer alongside Peter Burling and Blair Tuke on the New Zealand F50. Kate's team sailed to an easy victory in front of thousands lining the Plymouth coast.

The duchess was visiting the SailGP event site in her role as the patron of the 1851 Trust, the official charity of the Great Britain SailGP Team.

She arrived to cheering crowds on Sunday lunchtime.

"She's a really good sailor in her own right, she has sailed with me on foiling boats as well and we're expecting a little bit of extra help," Sir Ben said.

The 1851 Trust helps youngsters aged 11-16 gain experience of careers in science, technology and engineering.

READ MORE:Prince Harry and Meghan will be forced to 'give up' royal titles

Before the race, Kate spoke to members of both teams who explained how the SailGP vessels work.

She appeared intrigued with the tour, although the time it took led to Sir Ben to joke: "Come on, we've got a race to do, mate."

Before the race, Kate met excited youngsters who told her how they were growing seagrass, and took part in activities educating young people about sustainability.

Carnegie Bedlow, 12, from St Helier in Jersey, said: "I was a little bit nervous but she did what I told her and she was very good.

The Euros final is expected to draw the biggest home TV audience on record for a women's football match, with a packed Wembley Stadium and millions more watching around the nation.

In an endearing 10-second video message with his daughter, William said: "We both want to wish the Lionesses the best of luck for tonight.

"You've done amazingly well in the competition and we are rooting for you all the way."

Charlotte, sat beside him, said: "Good luck, I hope you win. Bye".

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Victory! Kate thrilled as she beats New Zealand rivals in Plymouth sailing race - VIDEO - Express

The privacy issues behind social media site TikTok present a threat to New Zealand people, businesses, and potentially the democratic process, a cybersecurity expert has warned.

Adam Boileau security expert from CyberCX, said while all social media platforms came with privacy risks, TikToks potential link to the Chinese Communist Party made it a particular concern for data experts.

At least Facebook is beholden to its host government in the USA and can be regulated and controlled. With TikTok we have no recourse against it because it is based in China. It can show users what ever it wants to and our Government can do nothing, Boileau said.

It is estimated TikTok has 1.4 million users in New Zealand. When users download the app they give it access to troves of information, including phone and location data, contacts and messages, internet browser search history and keystroke patterns.

READ MORE:* US judge blocks TikTok ban in second ruling against Trump's efforts to curb popular Chinese services* Oracle, ByteDance accept new treasury terms on TikTok* Donald Trump issues executive orders against China's TikTok, citing national security concerns

This data is stored by TikTok owner ByteDance. While ByteDance is a privately owned company, data stored in mainland China and held by Chinese companies can legally be accessed by the Chinese Government.

On Wednesday, US Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr, called on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores over concerns of China accessing user data.

Carr called the app an unacceptable national security risk.

Supplied

Adam Boileau, cybersecurity expert, says Tik Toks strong links to the Chinese Communist Party made it a particular concern for data experts.

He said the app gave the CCP unfettered access to sensitive US user data and called on Google to remove the app from its app store.

Boileau said he wanted the New Zealand Government take a similar stance against the app.

When we were rolling out our 5G mobile networks, the Government was very against using Chinese equipment particularly Huawei, because of concerns the Chinese Government could access our communications.

TikTok gives the Chinese Government similar access directly into peoples brains. Because it serves content that can guide and inflame political beliefs, it would be a great platform to influence a future election, he said.

He pointed to TikTok being used to silence opposition to the Chinese Governments treatment of Uyghur Muslims, as evidence the app was anything but apolitical.

If you have this amount of information about people, combined with the ability to get content in front of billions of eyeballs then you have a powerful tool to manipulate. TikTok is ripe to be used nefariously.

But marketing strategist Rachel Klaver said the TikTok algorithm was too beneficial to ignore even if it came with serious privacy concerns.

There are definitely two sides to it. Yes if the algorithm is so fantastic there probably is some insidious thing in there that isnt great, but it also has a tremendous capacity to get your brand in front of customers, Klaver said.

Klaver experienced this first-hand when she posted a video promoting her business and within 48 hours the video had over 50,000 views.

Getting that kind of outreach so quickly is almost impossible on any other platform, she said.

She acknowledged that privacy concerns about the app were valid, but said business owners would have to decide for themselves whether to engage with it.

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TikTok a threat to New Zealand businesses, expert warns - Stuff

New Zealand's oldest woman Joan Edith Brennan has passed away at the age of 110. Photo / Supplied

A family are not only mourning the loss of a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother but also a rich link to times long past after New Zealand's oldest woman has died.

Aged 110 years and four months, having been born on March 10, 1912 in the United Kingdom, Joan Edith Brennan passed away peacefully yesterday after suffering from dementia.

Her son, Barry Brennan, said her secret to a long and full life was keeping healthy and eating organically.

"Incredibly, at the age of 107 she was still living independently in her little apartment and growing her own vegetables. She would regularly take the bus to the mall to do her shopping and treat herself to a coffee and muffin," said Brennan.

Brennan said she'll be remembered for her independence, her caring and giving nature, and her strong personality.

"She was a very individual person who did lead her own way," he said.

"Mum had got to the stage where she was not leading the sort of life she wanted, she was fiercely independent and never wanted to be in care."

Joan's parents lived through the Victorian era and her father, Henry William Lewis, was a sergeant in World War I.

The last time Joan saw her father was when she was just five-years-old.

"She had a vivid memory of him taking her and her elder sister to the pantomime," said Brennan.

Tragically, Sergeant Lewis died of his wounds on May 4, 1917 during the Battle of the Somme.

"Joan was probably one of the very last people in the world who could remember a soldier who was killed in World War I," said Brennan.

Eight years later Joan's mother, Edith Mary Lewis, emigrated with Joan and her sister to Australia and then to New Zealand after coming under immense hardship as a war widow.

In New Zealand, Joan trained as a nurse for Karitane hospitals, which were a set of six hospitals around the country set up by the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society to care for babies.

"[She] loved caring for children," said Brennan.

In 1934, Joan was on a voyage on her way back to the United Kingdom to be a nanny when she met the ship's radio operator, Thomas George Brennan.

The two of them were married in 1937 and moved back to New Zealand where they went on to serve the country during World War II as telegraphists taking watch from the Portland Island lighthouse in Hawkes Bay.

"Island life back then was a hard and lonely existence. After the war they moved to Auckland and settled in Campbells Bay where they lived in the same house for 36 years until they moved to Selwyn Village in 1990," said Brennan.

After the war, Joan spent most of her life working as a cook and even after she retired she'd often cook for their rotary club, said Brennan.

Thomas passed away in 1998 aged 89. And now, 24 years later, Joan has followed after him.

The two of them had three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

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Former Karitane nurse and New Zealand's oldest woman dies aged 110 - New Zealand Herald

Monday, 1 August 2022, 9:18 amPress Release: Ryman Healthcare

Ryman Healthcare is supporting grass roots communitydance groups by offering three $5,000 grants to those groupswho encourage people of all ages and abilities to keepmoving through a love of dance.

As New Zealandslargest retirement village operator, Ryman has proudlysupported the Royal New Zealand Ballet since 2015. Each yearthe Ryman Healthcare ballet season captivates residents,team members and their wider communities as the company takethem along on their theatrical journey.

This year,Ryman is going one step further. To get back to where a loveof dance begins in church halls, school gymnasiums orthe local recreation centre.

Where families andcommunities come together, where they celebrate creativityand individuality, and where they encourage movement andestablish lifelong connections.

Ryman Healthcare NewZealand Chief Executive Cheyne Chalmers said the idea forLove to Dance came from the companys close collaborationwith the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and a desire to furtherextend the support given to the arts.

Everyonestarts in similar places. Usually, its local town hallsand community stalwarts who provide the springboard forgenerations of artists. We are really thrilled to celebratethe arts at all levels and to play a part in supportingaccessible arts across Aotearoa.

Dance schoolsprovide opportunities for thousands of people of all ages toget active and involved. As well as giving the performers achance to express themselves, theyre a wonderfulspectacle for all generations across thecountry.

Rymans Love to Dance grants are open todance groups of any kind to apply. Whether itspre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapahaka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet they want to hearfrom you.

Finalists will be decided by a panel ofjudges, including Ballet Mistress Clytie Campbell of theRoyal New Zealand Ballet as well as a Rymanresident.

A shortlist of nine finalists will go out topublic vote, rallying community support before the finalthree grant recipients are awarded.

How to enter: Ifyou think your dance group has what it takes to win a Loveto Dance grant go to: http://www.rymanhealthcare.co.nz/lovetodance

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Monday, 1 August 2022, 5:17 amPress Release: Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori

Te reo Mori became an official language in its owncountry 35-years-ago today and the battle for its survivalhas yet to be won says the Mori Language Commission. TheMori Language Act came into force on the 1 August1987.

The battle for te reo Mori has been foughtin communities across Aotearoa, from our smallest towns toour biggest cities. In 1987 some warned that making te reoan official language would divide New Zealanders but35-years later, te reo is something that unites us, saidProfessor Rawinia Higgins, Mori LanguageCommissioner.

From the 1 million people who joinedus for our Mori Language Moments, to the thousands singingour anthem in te reo at All Black tests and the hundredstaking part in total immersion kura reo every weekend: tereo is part of our national identity as New Zealanders andconnects us all to this place we call home.

ForMori New Zealanders, te reo is an integral part of ouridentity. It tells the story of our families and links usforever to our ancestors and to Aotearoa. The battle for itssurvival is part of the story of every Morifamily.

Today also marks the 35th birthday of theMori Language Commission, which opened its doors when theMori Language Act became law.

But the battle is not over:we need 1 million speakers of te reo by 2040 to safeguardour language for future generations. Those babies born todaywill be the first adult generation of speakers in 2040, thecountdown is on.

The commission is launching acampaign calling for New Zealanders to start capturing themany stories of the battle for te reo Mori, to ensure thatthe languages journey will be told and understood inyears to come.

We want to ensure that families andcommunities capture te reo stories that matter to them.Whether people want to share them publicly: is up to them.The main thing is that they are captured so that futuregenerations can understand why and how our people fought forthe survival of te reo Mori.

In the next monthwe will launch a timeline and website for people to sharetheir stories of our battle for te reo Mori: Keep an eyeout for it!

50-years-ago in 1972the Mori Language Petition, calling on thegovernment to protect te reo and teach it in schools, waspresented to parliament. That day, the 14th September becameMori Language Day and later Mori LanguageWeek. For the past two years at the moment the petitionwas presented, 12pm on the 14th September: more than 1million New Zealanders have stopped to celebrate theMori Language Moment.

TeTaura Whiri i te Reo Moriwebsite

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35 Years Since Te Reo Became An Official Language Of New Zealand | Scoop News - Scoop

ANALYSIS: By Paula Lorgelly, University of Auckland

Late last month, New Zealand Health Minister Andrew Little stated what most who work in health already know.

Healthcare is all about people the people being cared for and the people doing the caring.

Population growth, ageing and a pandemic mean there is no shortage of those needing care, but in New Zealand and globally, there is a chronic shortage of healthcare workers.

Little stopped short of calling it a crisis, but researchers and international agencies alike agree with a survey of New Zealand doctors that the health workforce is in crisis.

In 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) projected a global shortage of 18 million healthcare workers by 2030. That was before the covid-19 pandemic. Between 80,000 and 180,000 healthcare workers have died globally during the pandemics first 16 months, according to the WHOs conservative estimate.

Add to this the impact the pandemic has had on the mental health of frontline health staff, including reports of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a healthcare workforce seven times more likely to have severe covid and now carrying the burden of long covid.

Its clear healthcare is no longer the attractive sector it once was.

A highly mobile workforce and a global shortageLike the cost-of-living crisis, the health workforce shortage is not unique to Aotearoa New Zealand.

This years budget included NZ$76 million for medical training and primary care specialists, but doctors who started training this year will not be specialists until 2034.

Meanwhile, Labours solution is to undertake an international recruitment drive. It is hailing New Zealand as one of the easiest places in the world for healthcare workers to come to. But are our newly opened borders attractive enough?

In my health economics lectures I often use an anecdote about the Indian doctor who gets a job in the UK (colonial ties and a multicultural society), the British doctor who moves to Canada (less administration and more family friendly hours), the Canadian doctor who moves to the United States (specialists have much higher earning potential), and the US doctor who undertakes missionary work in India.

This highlights two issues: the health workforce is highly mobile and employment isnt always about money. Aotearoa New Zealand is competing in a global health workforce market, and minister Little recently acknowledged the health sector as fiercely competitive.

But this isnt a new phenomenon for New Zealand.

The health workforce in New Zealand has one of the largest shares of migrant workers, with 42 percent of doctors and almost 30 percent of nurses foreign-born (second only to Israel and Ireland, respectively). This is much higher than the aggregate estimates showing one in six doctors practicing in OECD countries studied overseas.

The OECD estimates the number of foreign-born doctors and nurses in OECD countries has increased by 20 percent, twice the growth rate of the overall increase across the workforce. This is what is most concerning.

The health workforce is not equally distributed. Migration of workers from low- and middle-income countries to high-income countries like Aotearoa New Zealand is a real threat to achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals.

New Zealand needs to be mindful that promoting our open borders is not at the expense of under-performing health systems with much greater need.

Losing healthcare workers to AustraliaOutflow is also a problem in New Zealand, with New Zealand-trained doctors and nurses crossing the Tasman every year. Add to this the international recruits leaving New Zealand for Australia and there most definitely is a health workforce crisis.

As our nearest neighbour, Australia is aggressively recruiting staff. And like pavlova and Phar Lap they are happy to claim what is ours as theirs. An easier route to citizenship and voting rights will make Australia even more desirable.

How can New Zealand compete in this market? Minister Little refers to encouraging New Zealanders to return home, including lifting their pay. Research shows its not all about income. Location and professional development opportunities are important factors when choosing career moves.

The healthcare reforms helped tempt me back to New Zealand after 22 years away. Perhaps working in a system which has equity as its focus may encourage those who are clinically trained to return as well.

There is considerable research to inform policies around retention and recruitment. The New Zealand Ministry of Health may wish to look to the UK, which was historically dependent on EU health and care workers and now has a health workforce depleted by both Brexit and the pandemic.

In the recent LSE-Lancet Commission on the future of the NHS, British scholars argued a sustainable workforce needed integrated approaches to be developed alongside reforms to education and training that reflect changes in roles and the skill mix, and more multidisciplinary working.

The LSE-Lancet Commission authors flagged the need for better workforce planning. New Zealands approach to workforce forecasting has also been criticised previously.

Planning aside, a possible solution worthy of discussion is the required skill mix of the workforce, particularly with technological advancements and changing health needs. For example, the introduction of non-medical prescribers has improved job satisfaction, released clinical time and increased patient access.

New Zealands once-in-a-generation health reforms offer a logical time to undertake workforce reforms. We need to learn from our own historical mistakes and avoid disconnecting the workforce from the policy reforms.

If minister Little and the ministry are to solve this, he will first need to admit there is a health workforce crisis.

Aotearoa New Zealand is unfortunately not alone in its quest to adequately staff healthcare, but the transformation of the health sector to create a more equitable, accessible, cohesive and people-centred system means New Zealand is uniquely placed to put those people who deliver care at the centre.

Dr Paula Lorgelly is professor of health economics, University of Auckland. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

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Despite what political leaders say, New Zealands health workforce is in crisis but its the same everywhere else - Asia Pacific Report

Monday, 1 August 2022, 9:02 amPress Release: Aged Care Matters

Report reveals inadequate access to aged care servicesrisks overloading public health system

A NZIERreport released today paints a grim picture of the futurefor the increasing proportion of New Zealanders who willneed to access aged residential care services.

Thereport, Assessing the equity issues facing agedresidential care over the coming decade, commissionedby Aged Care Matters, highlights how government underfundingof the countrys aged care system will make it moredifficult for older New Zealanders without financial meansto access aged care services.

Aged Care Matters, amovement of members of the New Zealand Aged Care Associationto escalate a national dialogue on the crisis in the sector,commissioned the report following a lack of provision inBudget 2022 for aged care despite chronic governmentunderfunding.

The NZIER report says that while it isdifficult to accurately identify government expenditure onaged care, government spending in New Zealand appears to below compared to the other countries in the Organisation forEconomic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

NewZealands model for the government funding of agedresidential care has not been revised since2000.

NZIER found that New Zealand ranks near the topof international comparisons with respect to the number ofpeople in aged residential care, with 14.6% of thepopulation aged 80+ in aged residential care in 2019. Usinga similar measure to New Zealand, Australia has about 13.9%of the 80+ population in aged residential care.

NewZealanders often finance aged residential care by sellingtheir home. The report says that declining home ownershiprates will reduce this key pathway to accessing quality agedcare, which in turn will exacerbate inequities in agedresidential care services.

Stagnant government fundingand declining home ownership are creating a perfect storm offuture challenges for New Zealands aging population, saysCarriann Hall, CEO of CHT Healthcare Trust which operatesaged care facilities in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and theWaikato.

Alongside declining home ownership, thereis also a shrinking supply of rental housing that meets theneeds of older New Zealanders. Despite the report showingthat District Health Board (DHB) expenditure on support forageing in the home increased more than 120% from 2005 to2015, housing insecurity for older people means the optionof ageing in place might become hard to achieve for thosewho do not own a home outright.

The frighteningpotential impact for older New Zealanders in our communitieswho cant pay for their own aged care is they will be atrisk of becoming effectively homeless as their care needschange with age.

Older New Zealanders living inWest Coast, Northland, MidCentral, Whanganui andTairawhiti are likely to be left further behind than theircounterparts in other regions. These are DHB regions wheremore than 60% of the population aged 85+ are categorised asdeprived, according to the University of Otago New Zealandindex of socioeconomic deprivation. These regions willsuffer worse inequities as the ageing population grows inthe coming decades and the system continues to shift towardsuser pays.

The report said that the West Coast andNorthland also have fewer dementia beds, compared to otherregions.

Without access to aged residential careservices, the report shows the burden of care for NewZealands ageing population will fall on other parts ofthe healthcare system.

Aged Care Matters convenorand Heritage Lifecare Chief Executive Officer Norah Barlow,who operates aged care facilities throughout the country,says this is an urgent issue for New Zealand.

Ourpublic health system relies on the availability of beds inthe aged care sector to meet the current needs of people whocannot live independently or need palliative end-of-lifecare. How will our already stretched public health systemcope with the rising projected demands?

The agedcare sector has actively tried to engage with the Governmentabout its broken funding model, but frustratingly we havenot seen any work to address issues raised in the review theMinistry of Health commissioned in 2017.

Wereseeing retirement villages building more Occupational RightsAgreement (ORA) beds, but only some villages have a residentpopulation willing to pay for a higher level of care thanthe basic care mandated by the current funding system. Thecurrent government funding model needs to be improved tocreate the incentives for retirement villages to maintainfacilities and beds.

Consistent with the widerhealth sector, the aged care sector is also facing dangerousstaff shortages, especially among registerednurses.

Jeremy Nicoll, Chief Executive Officer, ArvidaGroup, oversees more than 2,700 staff, including over 250registered nurses.

The NZIER report finds that theacute shortage of registered nurses and rising staff costsis putting at risk the ability of people with complexmulti-morbidity to access aged care facilities.

Forolder New Zealanders with multiple health conditions, theinability to access aged residential care limits theiroptions and will put further pressure on our public healthsystem.

Representatives from the Aged Care Mattersmovement plan to engage with government stakeholders todiscuss the findings from the NZIER report in the comingweeks.

NZIER is a specialistconsulting firm that uses applied economic research andanalysis to provide a wide range of strategic advice. Itundertakes and make freely available economic research aimedat promoting a better understanding of New Zealand'simportant economic challenges.

This report wasprepared at NZIER by Philippa Miller Moore and ChristinaLeung. It was quality approved by Sarah Hogan.

How tocite the report:NZIER. 2022. Assessing the equityissues facing aged residential care over the coming decade.A report for New Zealand Aged CareAssociation.

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The Perfect Storm: Health And Housing Crisis Will See More New Zealanders Struggle To Access Aged Care Services | Scoop News - Scoop

An inside look at Parohe Island Retreat on Auckland's Kawau Island. Video / Parohe Island Retreat

The 'other' islands of Aotearoa are waiting to be discovered, writes Thomas Bywater

After two years exploring Aotearoa, you might think you've seen it all. There are many motu in our patch of the Pacific you might never have thought of as related to New Zealand in any way. The Realm of New Zealand stretches from hidden corners, cut off from the "mainland" to a host of neighbouring island countries and territories. It includes the edge of Antarctica to Tokelau, just south of the Equator.

Here's how you can get to them.

Stars, Surf and solitude are what bring people to Aotea.

New Zealand's fourth largest island by area, Great Barrier sits 90km away from Auckland out in the Hauraki Gulf. If you take the half-hour flight (or four-hour ferry) you'll feel like you're in the outer isles of the South Pacific. It's definitely a couple of degrees more tropical. The pristine Medlands Beach is a favourite haunt for surfers. Without a centralised power grid there's no light pollution either. The island was made a Dark Sky sanctuary in 2017. Tune into the island's radio station Aotea FM, the world's first solar-powered broadcast, for a taste of island life.greatbarrier.co.nz

Over the Marlborough Sounds and the narrow ridge of French Pass, lies D'Urville Island.

The possum-free island in the Cook Strait is a hardy and secluded spot at the end of the tracks in Admiralty Bay. A short hop by boat, the 6000 hectares of public conservation land are also home to some legendary mountain bike tracks. Grades 3-5, the downhill is not for beginners and - needless to say - there is no bike hire on the island.

In Catherine Cove you'll find the D'Urville Island Resort, the only public accommodation on this furthest corner of the sounds.

With safe moorings and self-catering baches, it's designed to be reached by boat. There's a water taxi to the island. Fishing charters can be arranged through the accommodation and "cook your catch" through the resort restaurant.durvilleisland.co.nz

For local Kpiti Coaster Peter Jackson, it was "Skull Island" - a mysterious island off the shore. While you won't find King Kong, thanks to rat and predator eradication the island reserve is rich with native bird life.

It's easy to get to on a day trip with Kapiti Eco Tours, from Paraparaumu Beach. Or you can extend your trip overnight with glamping and cabin options from Kpiti Island Nature Tours to maximise your chance of seeing nocturnal little spotted kiwi. kapitiisland.comkapitiislandeco.co.nz

Ulva Island is a sanctuary within a sanctuary. Just off the shore near Oban on Rakiura / Stewart Island, you'll find a riot of wildlife, even at this southern extreme of New Zealand.

Kk and yellowheads swoop overhead, while the shores are overrun by weka and sleeping sea lions. The odd elephant seal and leopard seal have been known to beach themselves on the sheltered island. Beware of what you presume to be boulders!

The journey over from Patterson inlet is made via the Ulva Island Ferry. Tickets - made from scrub leaves - can be bought on the pier at Golden Bay.

It's hard to imagine a more remote corner of New Zealand than the Chatham Islands. Pitt is the most exposed of the lot. At 176.226 degrees West, Pitt Island / Rangiauria is the first speck of land across the international Date Line to see the new day. This fact is marked by the sculptural summit piece on Mount Hakepa. Four sculptures by Polish artist Woytek were placed there for New Year's Day at the millennium and have become a pilgrimage for travellers seeking the "edge of the world".

Flower Pot Lodge attracts equally adventurous guests. Providing relative luxury on this tiny outpost of Aotearoa, visitors can book fishing and 4x4 charters to explore the island.flowerpotlodge.co.nz

For 306 New Zealand dollars, cash, the fortnightly ferry will take you from Apia, Samoa to Nukunonu - the most remote corner of New Zealand's sister islands.

Like the Cook Islands and Niue, Tokelau uses Kiwi currency and passports, but is a lot harder to get to.

Nukunonu, the largest of three islands, is also home to the only public hotel, the Luana Liki Hotel ($50 per night, with meals). The Government of Tokelau advises there is no established tourism industry and that the majority of visitors are family visiting from New Zealand. A country largely based on fishing, the system of "inati" means that each catch is distributed between a village evenly.tokelau.org.nz

The forgotten isles, 1000km northeast of Northland, are a special conservation area requiring a special permit to visit. Raoul Island is the largest of the group and was home to the Bells - New Zealand's Swiss Family Robinson - between 1878 and 1914. A waypoint for migratory fish following the deep-sea trench, it is a snorkeller's paradise.

A 10-day trip is led by Heritage Expeditions out of Tauranga.heritage-expeditions.com

New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands are pristine natural outposts thanks to their position and work by New Zealand's Department of Conservation. Albatross, Auckland Island penguins and the enormous Hooker Sea Lions outnumber guests, who turn up via infrequent cruise journeys.

Ponant is leading luxury departures from Bluff to see Auckland Island's natural harbour and the "loneliest tree in the world" at Campbell Island, aboard Le Soleal.en.ponant.com/destinations/the-sub-antarctic-islands

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New Zealand's eight most remote islands at the edge of Aotearoa's Pacific realm - New Zealand Herald

Some New Zealand lawmakers are calling to revert the countrys name back to its indigenous roots, advocating for the Mori word Aotearoa.

Aotearoa pronounced au-te-a-ro-uh refers to the clouds that helped early Polynesian explorers to the island, as told by indigenous oral history.

While the first European contact with indigenous Mori ended in a retreat and the death of four sailors, the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland stuck as New Zealand after it became a part of the British Empire.

According to historians, the Mori did not have a name for the entire country, and Aotearoa referred to only the North Island.

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The name change proposal is not the first for New Zealand. As seen from the Parliament petitions page, there has consistently been a petition each year on the issue starting from 2018 to now.

Citizens can create petitions online, collect signatures and then present them to the House of Representatives. An example from 2019 calling to include Aotearoa in the official name of New Zealand is one such case, which resulted in over 6,000 signatures.

There is a section on the site that also tracks the progress of the petition, including when it was created, closed, presented to the House of Representatives and then reported on, which is the time in which a decision was made.

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The most recent petition, which is still open for signatures, was launched in 2021 by the Mori Party, asking that Te Reo Mori names be officially restored across the country in the next five years.

The New Zealanders fighting to change the nations name claim that the British-originated version is rooted in colonization, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The current petition has more support than ever before, having garnered over 70,000 signatures, and will be put up for a vote in Parliament for potential action.

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A name change is not so simple, however, and an opinion poll by market-research company Colmar Brunton shows that over half of respondents surveyed want to keep the name New Zealand.

Still, Aotearoa or Aotearoa New Zealand, a combination of the old and new, are supported by about 40 percent of respondents.

Previously, New Zealanders rejected a new national flag referendum in 2016, with the majority of people voting to keep the current flag. Critics of the flag argued the inappropriate nature of employing the Union Jack design, which is the design of the United Kingdoms flag.

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In the past few decades, the name Aotearoa, either combined with New Zealand or used as a standalone, has become increasingly common, appearing in bank notes, passports and other government documents.

In a joint statement between the U.S. and New Zealand in May, leader Jacinda Ardern was referred to as prime minister of Aotearoa New Zealand.

When asked about a formal name change, a spokesperson for Ardern responded that while a wider use of Aotearoa is welcome, an official change is not being explored by the government.

Featured Image via 1News(left) and Joyous Travel(right)

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New Zealand petition seeks to change country's name to Aotearoa in honor of its Mori roots - Yahoo News