Category Archives: New Zealand

Plymouth parents in court for child neglect case

A metro area mother and father charged with child neglect in the death of their 7-year-old son have returned to Minnesota years after leaving the state for New Zealand.

(FOX 9) - A metro area mother and father both charged with child neglect in a 2015 case in the death of their 7-year-old son have returned to Minnesota, years after leaving the state for New Zealand.

Timothy David Johnson was in Hennepin County District Court just a few days ago. His wife, Sarah Nicole Johnson, is also charged in the case and has her own hearing coming up on Friday.

The family made headlines when the Hennepin County Attorneys Office charged them in 2016 for failing to provide proper medical care for their dying child, and allegedly, opting for home remedies and prayer instead.

Public online records confirm Timothy Johnson was booked into the Hennepin County Jail last week. The now 45-year-old dad, charged with child neglect for the March 2015 death of his young son in Plymouth, spent less than 24 hours behind bars.

The Johnsons case exploded in news headlines across the globe, as far away as New Zealand, when they failed to show for their scheduled court hearings half-a-dozen years ago. New Zealand is where the Johnsons moved after the death of their son before prosecutors filed the gross misdemeanor charges alleging the parents failed to provide the boy with proper medical care.

The charges lay out a tragic death authorities believe was preventable with proper intervention.

Court records indicate the Johnsons had adopted the boy out of foster care several years earlier, but following an autopsy, the Hennepin County Medical Examiners office determined the childs cause of death was acute pancreatitis and possible sepsis.

Prosecutors alleged the Johnsons were aware of the boys failing health condition including bruises, breaks all over his skin and eventually listlessness, but failed to take him for professional medical care. The complaint states, "they (the parents) had issues going to doctors," concerned a doctor would put their son on medications, instead preferring their own research.

The Johnsons also told investigators they increased their sons vitamin intake when his condition deteriorated and treated the visible wound with Neosporin and "medical honey." They then prayed for his health the night before he died in their home on March 30, 2015.

It would take prosecutors nearly two years to file the charges against the Johnsons, but by then, they had already left Minnesota and were living in New Zealand. It does not appear the couple made any court hearings and arrest warrants, though issued, never executed, with the family thousands of miles away on another continent.

Their attorneys have maintained the couple did not "flee" explaining in court filings, they thought the case would never be prosecuted, so they left the country with their other children in good faith. Law enforcement sources involved in the case at the time tell FOX 9 they were always skeptical of that explanation.

But its still not clear what has seemingly brought the Johnsons back to Minnesota.

No one involved in the case is commenting on the record, including the Hennepin County Attorneys office and the Johnsons' listed attorneys.

For his part, Timothy Johnson signed an extradition waiver last week before being allowed to leave jail without posting any bail. That means he can be returned to Minnesota anytime to make future court appearances.

Meanwhile, Sarah has her own Hennepin County court appearance on the calendar later this week.

Read more:

Plymouth couple returns from New Zealand to face charges in 2015 child neglect case - FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

The New Zealand government has unveiled new powers and tools for police to use in the fight against gang violence and intimidation, which has escalated to a point where some have compared the situation to South Africa.

Police Minister Chris Hipkins said the recent brazen gang activities were totally unacceptable, and New Zealand residents deserved better.

Some new powers include the ability to find and seize weapons from gang members during a conflict and impounding vehicles under an expanded range of offences.

Work to strengthen a sector-wide approach to youth crime is also in progress.

Police asked for legislative changes that will give them more tools to crack down on violent offending and other criminal activities, he said in a media release. We have listened and will introduce a package of changes that target this activity as an omnibus Amendment Bill as soon as possible.

These are practical and targeted measures that will help the Police do their job to keep communities safe. We are interested in real solutions, not empty slogans.

Justice Minister Kiri Allan added that efforts to address the underlying drivers of crime were also underway to ensure that the problem was being tackled at both ends.

We know people dont become gang members overnight and that the causes are complex and often intergenerational, Allan said.

We will continue to ensure we are upping the ante on intervention and prevention measures that are focused on steering young people away from a life with organised criminal groups.

I will be looking closely at the youth justice system, in particular, to see how we can make changes that will improve both the lives of at-risk young people and public safety over the long term.

The opposition party said it would support the proposals but believed they did not go far enough and merely tinker around the edges of a problem.

National has long called for greater search powers for police to take firearms out of the hands of gangs, so it is positive the government is finally acting to provide these for police. But this still doesnt go far enough, Nationals acting police spokesman Chris Penk said.

The National Party has long advocated its own four-point plan, which includes banning gang patches, giving police powers to prevent gangs from communicating and planning criminal activity, dispersal notice powers, and warrantless search powers to confiscate guns from violent gang members.

Nationals leader Christopher Luxon said the most powerful method would be cutting back illegal guns that gangs had access to.

That requires what we call the firearms prohibitions orders with warrantless search powers to be able to execute that, so that police actually have the tool to go after gang members who are using illegal guns, he told reporters.

However, the Greens Party called for more action to address underlying causes of crime and not more of the same simplistic solutions that we know do not work.

The recent episodes of gang violence and crime will be scary for whanau and our communities. But granting police expanded powers is not going to address the problem of organised crime, prevent violence, or keep people safe, Greens justice spokesman Golriz Ghahraman said.

Ghahraman noted that Maori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand, and Pasifika communities are many more times likely to be subjected to searches. She called for a greater focus on Maori solutions as well as more sensible gun regulation.

Meanwhile, the ACT Party said the tougher action on shootings was long overdue, citing new data that showed a 26 percent increase in gang member firearm offences between 2018 and 2020.

Its a shame that things have had to get this bad before theyve finally taken some action, ACTs justice spokesman Nicole McKee said.

I hope this new focus on gangs means Labour will now stop targeting law-abiding firearms owners and that they will scrap their plans to create a firearms register that gang members will see as a shopping list for firearms they can steal.

Follow

Rebecca Zhu is based in Sydney. She focuses on Australian and New Zealand national affairs. Got a tip? Contact her at rebecca.zhu@epochtimes.com.au.

Read the original:

New Zealand Announces New Police Powers to Tackle Exploding Violent Gang Crime - The Epoch Times

Last week cabinet made a baffling decision. As winter illnesses spike and another wave of Covid-19 threatens to overwhelm emergency departments, the government held the country at the orange traffic light setting.

Large gatherings can still take place, masks are optional in most settings, and schools and workplaces can open without restrictions. In other words, all the rules that struggled to contain the first outbreak are still in force. This, as daily cases pass the 10,000 mark and experts predict that the BA.5 variant could easily push case numbers above 25,000 before the month is out. With many hospitals already operating at 100% capacity, a more than doubling in case numbers could risk the mass cancellation of procedures, ward closures, and other measures to preserve the health systems capacity.

Thats a disastrous scenario. Hospitals are already operating at the very edge. Last week the Association of General Surgeons wrote to the health minister, Andrew Little, outlining how a staffing shortfall is profoundly reducing doctors ability to deliver care.

Cancelling procedures and closing wards helps make that staffing shortage manageable, allowing hospital executives to redirect staff and resources to Covid-19 care, but then the health care burden only shifts to primary care. Yet general practitioners of whom there is a desperate shortage and urgent care clinics are already reporting impossible numbers. One clinic in Hamilton recorded double the number of patients compared with the same time last year. With the entire system operating at the edge it seems like wishful thinking to hold the country at orange.

To the governments credit, it is taking action to help people protect themselves. Last week the Covid-19 response minister, Dr Ayesha Verrall, announced that the government would supply schools with 50 child-sized face masks for each student in years 4 to 8.

More than two years into the pandemic, we know that masking is one of the simple and effective measures individuals can take to reduce their risk of infection. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that, when a sick person and someone nearby both wear N95-style masks rather than surgical or cloth masks, the risk of Covid-19 transmission can be reduced up to 75-fold. This effectiveness probably takes a hit against the more virulent BA.5, but masking remains one of the best forms of protection an individual has and, as a result, one of the best forms of insurance the health system has against a collapse.

But the trouble with holding the country at orange and emphasising personal responsibility is that it flips New Zealands successful pandemic script on its head. In 2020 the governments elimination strategy led the world, successfully reducing the countrys case numbers to zero within a few months.

Lockdowns and crystal clear public messaging helped New Zealanders undertake a collective effort to stop the spread and stamp it out. Advertisements encouraged people to scan in, and the government provided the contact tracing infrastructure to make it effective. Ministers encouraged people to social distance and advertisements communicated the epidemiological benefits of staying at least 2 metres apart. Wage subsidies and other forms of support were made available to ensure that people had the financial means to weather lockdowns and a new form of public life.

Yet Omicron put paid to that intensive government effort. Instead, its up to individuals to take protective actions themselves and hope that enough people in the community do likewise to make that individual effort worthwhile (you could mask up on the bus, for example, but if no one else does then your level of protection is dramatically reduced). The orange setting comes with very few rules and very little government encouragement. The public campaign communicating the benefits of masking, social distancing and self-isolation is over. This seems outrageous when the threat of Covid-19 is at its highest level, ever, in this country.

Of course, the case numbers which are bad and likely to get worse tell only half of the story. Covid-19 works along a chain, with every new infection disrupting a household, a workplace, and a community. When hospital staff fall ill, capacity takes a hit. When teachers fall ill, schools take a hit. When workers fall ill, businesses take a hit.

As the virus moves along that chain there are opportunities to cut it off at each link. In schools, mandatory masking and ventilation can help slow the spread. In businesses, social distancing and ventilation can similarly help slow the spread. None of this is difficult to comprehend. Covid-19 spreads in particles that escape from an infected persons mouth or nose, but the risk of catching that infection is reduced dramatically with masking and air ventilation (or purification). Add to these measures masking and ventilation a test-to-release policy and the virus would find it increasingly difficult to spread.

And yet the government is apparently considering none of this. There are no mandatory ventilation or purification rules, or funding mechanisms to make this possible for businesses and other organisations. Masking is voluntary in most settings and there is little in the way of government support to help in enforcement. Under the current rules people with Covid-19 can exit isolation after seven days. But the seven-day rule owes more to politics than it does to epidemiology. Under a test-to-release policy an infected person would not exit isolation until returning a negative test. Thats a better guarantee of stoping the spread than an arbitrary seven days, but the government appears committed to its week-long rule.

New Zealand led the world with its elimination strategy. The government could lead the world again if it committed wholly to suppression. With increasing evidence that Covid-19 can burrow in your organs, causing long term and irreversible damage, there is an increasingly strong argument that the suppression efforts must be stepped up for the sake of public health. In the absence of action were stuck on a rollercoaster of unplanned labour shortages, disability (long Covid), and death.

In the long term our best shot at suppression is making good-quality masks freely available, supporting businesses and other organisations with funding to improve ventilation, and changing self-isolation policy to better reflect scientific understanding. But in the short term our best shot at suppression is a move to the red setting.

Read the original:

New Zealand stands on the brink of the Covid precipice. Why arent we moving to red? - The Guardian

This submission relates to the review of Aotearoa New Zealand under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This submission focuses on the right to education.

Access to Education (article 28)

Removal of Secondary School Qualification Fees

From August to November 2017, Human Rights Watch researched students access to quality, inclusive, free education in 33 New Zealand secondary schools, particularly schools with students from low socio-economic communities. This research focused on the impact of fees charged for the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualification.[1] Human Rights Watch found that the fee charged to students for the NCEA affected some students ability to obtain their NCEA qualification. Students did not obtain their NCEA qualification when their parents or caregivers did not pay their fees. NCEA candidates whose fees were not paid were ineligible to have their results transferred to the New Zealand Record of Achievement. This rendered them ineligible to have their NCEA certificates or other National Certificates or University Entrance awarded because unpaid results are not on the Record of Achievement. This prevented those students whose parents or caregivers could not pay from completing their education.

We also found that the non-payment of fees caused students stress, that the financial assistance process offered on the grounds of beneficiary or income-based assistance was a barrier to payment of fees for some parents and caregivers, and that processing of fees and financial assistance was a significant additional workload for school staff on top of their teaching responsibilities.

In 2016, 13,867 students did not have their results formally recorded on their Record of Achievement due to unpaid fees. Unsurprisingly, those most affected were students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Officials at 15 schools specifically mentioned those from lower socio-economic backgrounds as being most affected, including single-parent families and families experiencing inter-generational poverty. According to officials at 13 schools, Mori and Pasifika students were disproportionately represented among those affected by the NCEA exam fee. For example, a school principal in an urban area of the South Island reported that of 49 students who had not paid their fees by September 2017, 17 (35 percent) were Mori, yet Mori make up only 9 to 10 percent of the school population.

A 16-year-old student in Year 12 in 2017 at a secondary school in the North Island described the added stress that non-payment of fees caused, especially when friends had already received their credits. It really does affect the students mindset, he told Human Rights Watch, especially if you are already being affected by the system already. Like when your friends ask about your number of credits and you only have 30 or 40 but less [are] showing up. In this case, the student required his NCEA Level 1 certificate for a Level 2 Careers class. His parents had not paid his fees by the deadline and, when they did pay them along with the NZ$50 administration fee, it took 15 working days for the website to reflect it. As a result, he therefore missed the deadline for his assignment. People say education is free in New Zealand, he said, but its not really free if youve got fees. However, following a review by the government into NCEA fees, it was announced in May 2019 that secondary students will no longer have to pay fees for NCEA and NZ Scholarship. More than 145,000 households are estimated to benefit from the removal of the $76.70 NCEA fee that families pay every year for around 168,000 secondary students.[2]

Access to Education During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Human Rights Watch has documented how Covid-related school closures affected children unequally, as not all children had the opportunities, tools, or access needed to keep on learning during the pandemic.

As of June 2022, all schools in New Zealand have been open. However, due to the pandemic, they were fully closed for eight weeks, and partially closed (to certain ages or in certain areas) for 16 weeks, since the pandemics start in 2020.[3]

A principal at one of the largest and most multicultural secondary schools in New Zealand, told Human Rights Watch that after the first round of school closureswhich lasted almost eight weekssome children, especially final-year students, did not return to school. Those who dropped out often did so to start working, for example at a supermarket or as a courier, to help support their families. Many of our families are on benefit or in low-paid work, he said. About 50 [former students] are still in work of which about two thirds are boys, one third girls.[4]

Globally, Human Rights Watch found that parents with low levels of education attainment were less able to support their childrens learning during school closures. A teacher at a school in New Zealand where most students come from immigrant familiespredominately from the Pacific Islands but also resettled refugeessaid: Parents found it really hard to support the students, because many hadnt been to secondary school, or didnt go to secondary school in New Zealand.

The lack of internet access and adequate equipment for online learning was a key obstacle for some children. A principal at a secondary school where most students are Mori said that when his school shut down due to the coronavirus, his school distributed Chromebooks that the school already had to all students in the previous three years of studies. Most families already had some internet connection at home, although often using a phone with cellular data connection. The school directed families without connectivity to a commercial service offering low-cost connections. For all students, teachers also prepared printed packets of schoolwork in the days prior to lockdown. Our photocopiers were going red hot, said the principal. Students were asked to pick them up from the school or had them delivered to their homes. In this way, all but seven families were able to be reached, he said.

At another school, where the majority of students are Pasifika, and around a quarter of students are Mori, and many come from large families, the principal told Human Rights Watch: Just because a student had a device it didnt mean that they had it in front of them all the time. It could be shared by five kids. She continued: Its such an injustice.

Globally, Human Rights Watch found that Indigenous childrenboth those living in and outside of Indigenous communitiesfrequently faced additional barriers to distance learning alternatives.[5] However, one example of good practice we identified was how Mori Television, in collaboration with the Education Ministry, promptly began offering six hours a day of educational programming in the Mori language during school closures.

Human Rights Watch recommends that the Committee ask the government of New Zealand:

Human Rights Watch recommends that the Committee call on the government of New Zealand:

Protection of Education During Armed Conflict (article 28)

In 2015, New Zealand endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, an inter-governmental political commitment that provides countries the opportunity to commit to support the protection of students, teachers, and schools during times of armed conflict1;0F[6]; and the implementation of the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict.11F[7]

As New Zealand informed this Committee during its last review, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) took a leading role in championing the development of the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use During Armed Conflict and the Safe Schools Declaration concerning the protection of educational facilities during times of armed conflict.[8]

Since endorsing, New Zealand has introduced it into its policy frameworks.

In 2019, New Zealand's defense forces released an updated Manual of Armed Forces Law that references the Safe Schools Declarations Guidelines for Protecting Schools in a section on protecting and respecting schools and regulating the use and occupation of schools.[9]

The guidance states:

Schools are to be afforded particular protection from the effects of war as their destruction or endangerment is an attack on the learning and development of future generations who bear no responsibility for the armed conflict from which the damage arises. NZDF commanders are to take all practicable steps to protect the right of children to have an education. Use and occupation of schools and other educational institutions obviously inhibits the exercise of this right and is to be avoided wherever possible. Where, for military reasons, it is necessary for the force to use such an institution, for example for accommodating personnel, storage of materiel or as part of a defensive position, all feasible steps must be taken, in consultation with local authorities, to ensure that the disruption to the education of children is reduced as much as practicable. This may include identifying and facilitating the use of other suitable facilities for such purposes.[10]

The manual goes on to state:

Members of the NZDF are not to use school buildings or facilities for military purposes unless it is absolutely necessary. In such cases, all feasible steps are to be taken to ensure that:

a) civilians and, in particular, children are protected from the effects of attack upon the institutions by opposing forces, including, where necessary, the removal of such persons from the vicinity;

b) such use is for the minimum time possible;

c) use of the facility does not breach the prohibition on treachery, i.e. the protection applicable to the school is not be used to induce the opposing force into thinking that this protection is being relied upon with the intention of betraying that confidence; and

d) adverse effects on children, in particular in respect to their right to education, are reduced to the maximum extent possible.[11]

Moreover, the manual states:

If the opposing force uses schools or their immediate environs for a military purpose, they become a military objective and their protection may be lost. Such property may only be attacked, however, if imperatively demanded by military necessity. The opportunity to inflict casualties on the enemy, by itself, does not provide an imperative. Commanders are to carefully consider the overall effects of an attack, the value of the target, and whether they have an alternative to doing so. Members of the NZDF are not to attack forces using schools unless:

a) the opposing force is warned that it must cease its military use of the property and fails to do so within a reasonable time;

b) attack is the only feasible means of terminating that misuse; and

c) all feasible precautions are taken in the choice of means and methods of attack to avoid, or in any event minimise, damage to the property.

Except in the case of immediate self-defence, a deliberate attack on cultural property, places of worship, buildings dedicated to charitable purposes or schools that have lost their protection is only to be ordered on the authority of CDF [Chief of Defence Force]. The advice of an NZDF LEGAD [Legal Adviser] is to be obtained before the attack unless this is not practicable. In cases of immediate self-defence, the attack must be approved by the highest ranked NZDF commander in the area of operations.

Loss of protection does not mean that the whole of the object is open to attack or destruction if only a small part of it is being used by the enemy. It is the opposing force, and that part of the property which has become a military objective, which is open to attack not the protected property per se.[12]

Human Rights Watch recommends that the Committee:

Human Rights Watch recommends that the Committee call on the government of New Zealand to:

[4] Email interview with Pete Jones, principal, Auckland, New Zealand, August 29, 2020.

[5] Human Rights Watch, Submission to the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for its study on the rights of the Indigenous child, March 2021, available at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media_2021/03/EMRIP%20Submission.pdf.

[6] Safe Schools Declaration, May 28, 2015.

[7] Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict, March 18, 2014.

[8] Replies of New Zealand to the list of issues, Committee on the Rights of the Child, CRC/C/NZL/Q/5/Add.1, August 23, 2016, para. 148.

[9] New Zealand Defence Force, Manual of Armed Forces Law: Law of Armed Conflict, DM 69, 2nd ed., Vol. 4, January 8, 2019, sec. 14.8.3.

[11] Ibid., sec. 14.8.15.

[12] Ibid., sec. 14.8.16.

Read the original here:

Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child Review of New Zealand - Human Rights Watch

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has confirmed Australia will follow Aotearoa New Zealands example and put wellbeing at the centre of the national budget.

So what is a wellbeing budget? To understand that requires a short explanation of how Australias budget works now, and how wellbeing goals will change the process.

Read more: Beyond GDP: Jim Chalmers' historic moment to build a well-being economy for Australia

Governments around the world budget in different ways. Some deliver little more than a statement of economic policy aspirations. Others, like Australia and New Zealand, publish detailed and useful information.

The standard Australian budget since the 1980s has included an economic outlook, official estimates of likely revenue and expenses, and details on proposed changes to taxes and spending. There are sections on risks, estimates of debt, and much else besides.

Preparing the budget is a mammoth undertaking by bureaucrats, ministers, and ministerial offices.

Nevertheless government decisions actually only affect the budget at the margins.

The bulk of spending is locked in to programs that roll on year after year such as aged pensions, health and defence. Budgeting is incremental. Cabinets key budget decision-making body, the Expenditure Review Committee, will work for months to shift just 2-3% of spending.

There are exceptions. When a major new tax such as the GST is introduced, for example. Or when a government spends big in response to a global financial crisis or pandemic. But these are rare.

Government budget decisions at the margin are, however, what the media and political debate focuses on, because they show the governments priorities.

These priorities typically change each year, reflecting political imperatives.

The grab-bag of disparate spending increases in the Morrison governments last budget, for example, reflected an impending election. Its 2021-22 budget reflected the pandemic. Its 2019-20 budget reflected its long-term plan to deliver a surplus.

Until 2019 and its first wellbeing budget, New Zealands process was so similar to Australias that observers lumped them together as the Antipodean model of budgeting.

No longer. The New Zealand governments policy decisions still remain mostly at the margins. But the way those marginal decisions are made has changed.

Read more: Australia vs New Zealand. You can tell a lot about a country by the way it budgets

Priorities are no longer just set according to the governments whim but are more constant reflecting long-term goals identified as important to national wellbeing. These priorities arent meant to change significantly between years, or terms, or even decades.

New Zealand first wellbeing budget in 2019 set out five priorities for budget funding:

These priorities have stayed the same over four wellbeing budgets albeit with some minor changes, such as adding physical wellbeing to the mental health objective.

Extra funding has been allocated to these priorities in each of the four years. The 2022 budget, for example, had an extra NZ$580 million (about A$525 million) for health, social and justice program contributing to Mori wellbeing.

It is not yet apparent what wellbeing budgeting has achieved for New Zealand. But thats to be expected.

Challenges such as child poverty, greenhouse emissions or mental health need decades of sustained effort, not four years of the standard budgeting cycle. These are areas that have often been neglected precisely because they cant provide some announceable outcome in time for an election.

Criticisms of the New Zealand process for not yet improving outcomes thus fail to appreciate the point of the reform. They are even more unfair given the context of the past two years, with the challenges of COVID-19, supply chain disruptions and global inflation.

A sense of the long-term benefits of wellbeing measures comes from Scotland.

It has not yet gone as far as New Zealand with a wellbeing budget, but for 15 years it has had a well-being framework helping to shape spending priorities.

Read more: 5 charts on Australian well-being, and the surprising effects of the pandemic

The National Performance Framework was adopted in 2007 with a ten-year vision to measure and improve wellbeing outcomes.

Updated in 2018, it covers 11 major outcomes from a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy to children growing up loved, safe and respected with 81 measures of improvement (such as social and physical development scores as measures of child well-being).

Public policy researcher Jennifer Wallace (and current director of the Carnegie UK Trust) says the Scottish experience:

tells a strong story of how a focus on wellbeing can reorientate government by creating a shared language for public services and a sense of unity of purpose.

New Zealands wellbeing budget is not a complete departure from a standard budget. It still has economic content and, like any set of papers produced by a government, cannot escape politics.

Nonetheless it puts wellbeing spending at the forefront of the governments most important policy statement of the year. It is working on measuring progress in more sophisticated ways than standard indicators such as GDP.

It encourages departments and their ministers to prepare policy bids with a view to these priorities. It makes wellbeing a benchmark by which to judge the budget even by critics.

New Zealand has long been a budget innovator. It led the world in introducing outcomes and outputs budgeting categorising spending according to desired results rather than inputs such as staff and buildings. This is now considered standard good practice for a developed country.

In Australia the wellbeing budget could turn out to be an equally useful model though there will always be more work to be done.

Read more here:

Australia is getting a wellbeing budget: what we can and can't learn from New Zealand - The Conversation Australia & New Zealand

He said he's lived in four different countries but has never felt as unsafe as he does in New Zealand.

"I've never, ever felt so unsafe like the last two or three years in New Zealand. I don't know what is happening, I just don't feel safe anymore."

Haddadin said not only do the burglaries cost money but they are also traumatising for the workers caught in the middle.

During Monday's burglary, a staff member was forced to hide behind the counter during the burglary. Haddadin said she is devastated.

"When I saw her, she immediately broke down crying. She's a young lady too... to be threatened to be hammered in her head, it's not a joke."

Haddadin said he's out hundreds of thousands of dollars and is losing more every day his store is closed for repairs.

"What they've taken out of this store and the damage they've done They smashed and destroyed everything and all the assets inside."

He said he estimates he's lost between $300,000 to $400,000.

Haddadin said all he can do is try to enhance shop security but he's worried it won't be enough. And he's not alone, a spate of ram raids and smash-and-grab burglaries are causing concern among Auckland retailers.

Last month a jewellery store owner told Newshub she was closing her store after it was ram-raided twice in two months.

Bharti Patel owned and operated Jewellers on Queen in Onehunga for more than 20 years but was forced to close because she no longer felt safe.

It was a view echoed by Dairy and Business Association chair Sunny Kaushal who said business owners are frightened and angry.

"There is a lot of anger and frustrations among these businesses and communities nowIt's very serious.

"It's very hard to run a business in New Zealand at the moment because the state is failing to provide them security and safety.

"I can tell you 30 percent of the business owners who call me are asking how to get a gun licence. It's become that serious because if the police and authorities are not able to save them they have to save themselves."

Auckland has been gripped by a crime wave over the last few months with spates of ram-raids and smash-and-grab burglaries.

Police data shows burglaries shot up to 21,457 for the period from June 2021 to May 2022. This was compared to 17,166 for the previous period. Additionally, thefts jumped to 59,078 compared with 49,680 for the previous period.

View post:

Auckland jewellery store owner says crime in New Zealand is worse than South Africa - Newshub

From health and disability advocacy to artists and directors, this years YWCA Y25 are serving their communities, addressing injustices and inspiring activism every day.

You would be forgiven for taking things slow over the last two years. For so many of us, 2020, 2021 and the first half of this year havent been particularly productive for reasons that probably dont need stating. But while a lot of us have sat back and hoped for the pandemic to end, a group of inspiring young people have been working hard towards equity, justice, education and entertainment.

Of this huge pool of talented young New Zealanders, the YWCA has chosen 25 that represent the best of what Gen Z are capable of all of whom are tearing down the misconceptions about their generation by putting their passion into helping others, and helping the planet.

Now in its third year, the Y25 has evolved to become more diverse than ever. Y25 programme manager Rachel Cleary says the transition from a whine space into one that celebrates women and non-binary people was an important but natural extension to be an inclusive organisation.

2022 has been harsh for women & non-binary people in every global issue, always being the statistic who will be the most affected, often the last to be considered especially when intersecting with being part of other minority groups. Its time to celebrate whine toa and irarere and what theyre doing for themselves, their communities, their environment and all our futures.

The panel of judges for this years Y25 had a hard task narrowing down the pool of over 100 nominees. One of the judges, Dr Huhana Hickey (Ngti Thinga, Whakathea) said the talent of the 2022 Y25 gave her so much hope for our future.

Meet the incredible Y25 for 2022:

Passionate about addressing racism and discrimination at a systematic level, Adibah Khan works to improve access to healthcare in Aotearoa, and address inequities in child health outcomes. A New Zealand-born Bangladeshi Muslim, Khan was involved in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the March 15 terrorist attach, is a co-founder of the National Islamic Youth association and a leadership member for the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

Words of wisdom: No one can do everything, but everyone can do something and together, we can change the world.

Each week, Amber Clyde teaches groups of girls to skateboard in a safe, friendly environment boosting their confidence, mental toughness and physical health. Her organisation Girls Skate NZ teaches skatepark etiquette and safety, and gets more girls excited to participate in a traditionally male-dominated sport. Clyde also created a female-only skate competition the first to provide more than one event for whine skaters opening up more opportunities for women in the sport.

Words of wisdom: Be fearless! And never take criticism to heart from somebody you wouldnt go to for advice.

As a member of the Mori and Deaf communities, Chanel Kaa-Luke (Ngti Porou, Ng Ruahine, Ngti Ruanui) advocates for more accessibility for the 23,000 people across Aotearoa who use sign language to communicate. A proud queer whine Mori turi, she has fought for accessibility at the NZ Youth Parliament General Debate Assembly in 2019 and interpreted for well-known performers like drag queen Anita Wiglit.

Words of wisdom: There will always be people there who judge you and look down on you, but their type of judgement has no place in your life!

Emilly Fan wants everyone to be equipped with knowledge and methods of decarbonisation. She has worked with the United Nations Development Programme, and New Zealands Ministry for the Environment and recently attended the United Nations COP26 conference in Glasgow as part of the Harvard delegation. Her long-term goal is to combine private and public sector expertise to tackle climate change at the New Zealand and international legislative level.

Words of wisdom: Walk your own path, because everyone has a different background and their own obstacles to overcome.

Passionate about all diversity, climate change and mental health, Hawwa Niyaz believes representation of young women is crucial to create an inclusive and fair world. Niyaz is a proud New Zealand Muslim, and loves to share knowledge of her culture and religion. Her passion for the environment stems from seeing the real-time effects of climate change in her home country, the Maldives.

Words of wisdom: Take the leap. If you never try, youll never know, and living a life of what if? is something that can potentially hold you back from developing into the person that you want to be.

Hetal Patel grew up in sunny taki, where she helped to create a nurturing queer community. At high school, she championed mental wellbeing initiatives, representation in the arts and the introduction of rainbow policies like gender-neutral uniforms and toilets. With whakapapa to Gujarat, India, Patel is an advocate for decolonisation of legal and academic spaces, and is heavily involved in the Otago Asian Law Students Association.

Words of wisdom: There is no shame in reclaiming your identity. Decolonising ourselves is a process and some days its hard. But it is time to let go of the internalised racism that has built up.

Jaskiran Kaur Rahi founded Spirit & Soul four years ago with the aim of encouraging young women and schools across New Zealand to cherish and foster passion. Through Spirit & Soul, young students are encouraged to learn from inspirational women sharing empowering stories, boost wellbeing and mental health, and gain exposure to a world of different career options.

Words of wisdom: Own your voice; it is one of the most powerful things you have, no matter your background. Use it to speak up for yourself, for your peers and your community.

Jess Collins (Te Tairawhiti, Taranaki) is a multimedia ringatoi, matakite and rongo practitioner, specialising in romiromi. Known by her artist name Miss Tino, Collins has worked alongside various communities to share mtauranga Mori, and is a founding kaitiaki/trustee of Te Pah o io Nuku Charitable Trust. Currently, Collins is working on a kaupapa called Prkau ki te Ao, creating large murals in mainstream schools, and is curating the touring exhibition: Waitangi, Whytangi, Whywetangi.

Words of wisdom: Tpuna got backs.

Amplifying Indigenous Pacific voices and acknowledging Indigenous knowledge systems is the driving force behind artist Katja Neefs work. Selected as an ARTivist in residence by the International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination (ICAAD), she aims to use that residence to create pieces exploring human rights themes. She believes lasting change will be created by laws and policies informed by indigenous values.

Words of wisdom: Do not doubt your worth, place, and space you take up. Everyone deserves to be involved in the conversation, to own or create space and to use our voices.

A queer writer and editor, Lily Holloways mahi is in the area of arts accessibility and amplification of queer voices. Their work can be found in local and international publications, such as Peach Mag, Landfall, Starling and Best New Zealand Poetry. Holloway is a founding editor of eel mag, assistant editor for Fine Line and on the boards of the New Zealand Poetry Society and Same Same But Different queer literary festival. They are an advocate for fair compensation in the arts, and will be starting an MFA in Creative Writing at Syracuse University later this year.

Words of wisdom: Aspiring to make the world better is important, but forgive yourself for taking breaks and breathers Take your time and be kind to yourself.

A proud Zambian whine, Lushomo Thebe now calls Kirikiriroa her home away from home. Shes the 2022 president of the Waikato Students Union where she represents over 12,000 students. Thebe is passionate about migrant rights among the African community in Aotearoa she helped to organise the Kirikiriroa Black Lives Matter solidarity march and is an honorary member of the Golden Key Honours Society. Her goal is to create inclusive and equitable spaces for her communities to flourish.

Words of wisdom: Be clear of your mission and vision. Set a strong why. Surround yourself with people who back your vision. Finally, remember that rest is not the enemy of change. Rather it is critical to ensure you show up as your best self.

Mardiya Abdulaziz is a New Zealand born Somali whose family resettled here in 1997 via a Kenyan refugee camp. Abdulaziz has a passion for community development, which she has channelled into leadership roles on the Executive of the New Zealand Refugee Association, the Board of ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum and as the former President of Vic Without Barriers at Victoria University of Wellington. She uses her intercultural communication skills to inspire change in all the communities she is a part of.

Words of wisdom: Dont compare yourself to others. Just because they seem to have it all, it doesnt necessarily mean they do. Most people want you to see their great work before you see their other layers. You got this and your time is coming.

Growing up on Niue Island, Menorah Coombe has always been passionate about the welfare of Pacific people. Her work in Aucklands health sector has been varied; from leading a project that responds to delays in delivering complex care in General medicine, to trialling an app for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Community, kaitiakitanga, and love are at the core of all the work Coombe does in her professional and personal life.

Words of wisdom: Dream big, believe that you can, and on the days when you feel as though you cant lean into those who can believe in you on your behalf.

Michelle Prasad couldnt speak for the first five years of her life, but is now trailblazing through her organisation the Good Start Foundation, which gives scholarships to students who serve their communities while maintaining academic success. Prasads involvement in her community includes being vice president of the Auckland Student Volunteer Army, United Nations youth high schools ambassador in New Zealand and delegate of the UN model parliament in 2019. Her ultimate goal is to be the first Fijian-Indian prime minister of New Zealand.

Words of wisdom: Do good without the expectation of something in return.

At age 14, Molly Doyle wrote and directed a short film called A Fishy Tale. Her film won an award in Wellingtons Roxy5 film competition, which sparked her love and passion for content and filmmaking. More recently, Doyles short film Comic, about a comic book club challenging gender stereotypes was screened in several international film festivals and is being developed into a television series. She hopes to create a community of young filmmakers and increase diversity in the industry, with her group Wellington Young Women and Non-Binary Filmmakers.

Words of wisdom:Listen to everyones opinions. Its easy to become caught up in your own echo chambers, but understanding why someone holds the views they do will allow open conversations and collaboration for a better future.

Achieving equitable opportunities and outcomes for Mori and Pasifika in Aotearoa is the change Nele Kalolo (Savaii, Upolu, Tongatapu) wants to see. She advocates for and guides Mori and Pasifika youth to define their own success as an organiser for the 2020 Empowerment Festival, an ADHB rangatahi cadet and a Pasifika representative for Pharmac, and is currently setting up a social enterprise called WaiLagi Ltd, to ensure indigenous knowledge is nurtured to support social issues and mental health support for Pasifika people.

Words of wisdom: If you want to change something, change it. Only let those who see what you are trying to build, build with you.

With a background in public health, ethnic identity and intersectionality, Nikki Singh wants to make change through her passions of academia, the pursuit of equity for vulnerable populations and young ethnic people, particularly women. Her autoimmune disease has also made her an advocate for unseen disability. She has previously worked in Sexual Violence Prevention, creating cultures of consent and healthy relationships.

Words of wisdom: Take up space in a world that wants women to be quiet. Be loud, be proud and keep in mind that humility (in the right contexts, and with the right people) will serve you as well.

Rana Arifs work on multiple projects including Te Tiriti in our Language pilot, the Waikato Rangatahi Opportunity and ongoing work with the Refugee Orientation Centre is inspired by her interest in people. Arif, who lived in the United Arab Emirates for 14 years before moving home to complete high school and university, has a double major in human development and human resources. She is passionate about community and youth development, especially for ethnic rangatahi.

Words of wisdom: No matter how much you prepare for life there will always be changes that are unexpected. Trusting the process and being present in the moment will always take the pressure of being in control off, and instead help you adapt when things dont go as planned.

A passion for the revitalisation of te ao Mori and improving outcomes for all tamariki and rangatahi drives Reihana Dougherty (Ngti Twharetoa, Ngti Maniapoto, Ngti Hua) in her mahi and her life. Dougherty is a board secretary and leadership PA of Beckenham Te Kura o Proto, works with Leadership Lab on the Puwai programme which seeks to promote the strengths and leadership of young people, sits on the Oranga Tamariki Youth Advisory Group, and has advocated for young people to be at the table in all aspects of decision making.

Words of wisdom: If its not a hell yes its a hell no. Remember NO is a full sentence.

Sala McCarthy-Stonex (Ngti Whitikaupeka, Ngti Tamakpiri, Ngti Pikiao, Whakaue, Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga) was raised among indigenous populations in Tuba City, Arizona (Navajo Nation) and Lie, Hawaii (Knaka Maoli). She has a passion for languages, indigeneity and intercultural understanding and currently works with an organisation that provides Te Ao Mori advice on policy, engagement, strategy and leadership. McCarthy-Stonex works hard to create and hold space as a multicultural woman; to break stereotypes, and aspires to inspire.

Words of wisdom: Trust yourself, believe in you. Be your own biggest fan and happiness. Have the confidence of a mediocre white man and you will go far in life.

Sherry Zhang (Fujian, China), is a second-generation Chinese New Zealander who tells stories across many different forms through theatre, poetry and journalism. Zhang relishes opportunities to chat with amazing creative artists around their dreams for Aotearoas queer communities and ways of decolonising creative structures and upholding her role as tauiwi. Using her work as a writer, she pushes for more intersectional, culturally specific, and rainbow affirming content.

Words of wisdom: Sometimes activism mahi is about pausing, being kind to yourself, and just having fun.

Te Ao Mrama Nepia (Ngti Apa ki te r t, Ngti Kuia, Rangitne, Ngi Tahu, Ngti Twharetoa, Rongowhakaata and Te Aitanga-a-Mhaki) launched her business The World of Light with the mission to inspire people to use their strengths, skills and passions to create their dream life. Nepia was raised on her marae the daughter of a chief, she was at every meeting, event and celebration. Now actively contributing to the revitalisation of te ao Mori, she is dedicated to supporting rangatahi like herself, to become the best versions of themselves. She teaches mtauranga Mori, including mau rkau and mihimihi, and believes the biggest lesson she can teach rangatahi is to hold their head high.

Words of wisdom: The change I want to see for the next generation is being unapologetically the best versions of themselves. Supporting each other to grow and reach their full potential.

From a young age, Te Rina West (Te Arawa) represented her hometown of Rotorua, and then Aotearoa, playing basketball. West was also an active member of her community through Manu Korero, Kapa Haka, and as the Face of Rotorua. She has volunteered with many charities including Plunket, Womens Refuge, KidsCan, FoodBank, Heart Foundation and Sunset Breakfast Club and is a past senior ambassador of the Rotorua Lakes Youth Council and the Rotorua Youth Voice. West believes that giving back to her people is about paying back to the communities who raised and continue to support her.

Words of wisdom: Knowing where, and whom you descend from is foundational in truly knowing who you are, and what you are destined for. If you know these elements, you will come to know yourself so wholly that no storm can sway your values or your confidence in yourself.

Tiana Mihaere (Waitaha, Kati Mamoe, Kai Tahu, Ngati Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Rangitane) is passionate about the hauora of takata whenua. She is currently in her fourth year in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) and has a Diploma in Rongoa Maori.Mihaere is a founding kaitiaki of Te Pah o io Nuku Charitable Trust, leading the kaupapa Mana Rakatahi ki Moeraki, and an elected Whnau Representative on Te Rnanga o Moeraki with a goal to uplift the next generation of leaders in Moeraki and provide space so that our young people stand strong on their turakawaewae.

Words of wisdom: Whaowhia te kete mtauranga. When you stop learning, you will stop growing.

Wednesday Davis loves being in, on and around the ocean. An avid scuba diver, snorkel guide and lover of all things marine, she believes the greatest environmental challenge facing Aotearoa is the disconnect between science, politics, and the public. Wednesday is an educator at Experiencing Marine Reserves, working with rangatahi and community groups to teach them about the issues our marine and freshwater ecosystems face. She hopes to educate others on the value beneath the oceans surface, inspiring rangatahi to become ocean kaitiaki.

Words of wisdom: By being your true self you can build strong, authentic and meaningful connections with others and help create positive changes to the communities we connect with and the environments we exist in.

The Y25 is supported by AUT, Kiwibank, The Warehouse Group, Bell Gully and Joyce Fisher Trust. Thank you to Tayla Hartemink for the wonderful illustrations.

Go here to read the rest:

This is what the future of New Zealand looks like: Meet the 2022 Y25 - The Spinoff

New Zealanders across the North Island have reported rumbling, crackling sounds, a fireball and a huge flash of light streaking across the sky on Thursday afternoon, in what scientists believe was likely a meteor.

Local media outlets and social media were flooded with reports and queries about the sight, with some witnesses describing rumbles, bangs, a crackling sound in their ears, hair standing on end, rattling windows or a streak or explosion of light, followed by a smoke trail.

Seismologists at Geonet picked up a presumed sound wave from the object, and weather scientists for Metservice believe they picked up the object or its smoke trail on radar.

Plumber Curtis Powell captured the phenomenon on his dashcam while driving north of Shannon at 1.39pm on Thursday.

We were just driving to a job in Shannon when I saw a blue line falling in the sky, then a massive bright light, he said. Realised my dashcam was recording and downloaded the video once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.

On social media, people shared photos and swapped stories of their sightings. Im so glad someone caught it I thought I was hallucinating, said one commenter.

A number of people mistook the rumbling sound for an earthquake.

We thought it was an earthquake, but it didnt sound right, more like a large heavy truck, with a beat, but there were no trucks near our house at the time. The house vibrated slightly too, one Twitter user said.

Dr Duncan Steel, a Wellington-based space scientist who has worked for Nasa, said the object was likely a piece of meteor and to see one in the daytime was a rare experience.

In my lifetime Ive only ever seen one daytime meteor. They are due to macrometeoroids in the atmosphere coming in very quickly, typically 30km per second. To be seen during the daytime it would need to be quite large, something the size of a rugby ball or bigger thats what makes them rare, he said.

Some eyewitnesses described hearing crackling as the object moved through the sky, in what Steel said was likely electrophonic sound. Allan Gilmore of Canterbury Universitys Mt John Observatory said in a radio interview that meteors, and their accompanying electrical charge, could cause some peoples hair to stand on end.

People with frizzy hair often hear it, while the people who dont have frizzy hair dont hear it, Gilmore said.

Dr Ian Griffin, the director of the Otago Museum, urged members of the public to keep any photos or videos. We might be able to use them to triangulate the position of the thing, and where it landed if it did land, he said.

It may be quite scientifically important to retrieve meteorites in this country are quite rare so actually getting one would be quite cool.

The rest is here:

Reports of fireball over New Zealand in what scientists think was rare daytime meteor - The Guardian

Melanie Lynskeys mother Kay says the family are overjoyed her daughters work on Yellowjackets has been recognised with an Emmy nomination.

Melanie tuned in to the familys online chat group on Tuesday, but Kay said she had played down her Emmy chances in typically understated style, saying: If it happens, it happens.

"Mel's Dad and four siblings and partner are overjoyed, Kay said. She is a very humble soul part of her appeal.

"I haven't spoken from her this morning because I know she'll be frantic, but we'll hear from her when we do.

READ MORE:* Kiwi actor Melanie Lynskey wins hearts with 'sweet and charming' speech after Critics Choice win* So, what now?! the cast of Yellowjackets spills everything about season 2* Melanie Lynskey says she was body shamed on Yellowjackets set and her co-stars came to her defense* How Yellowjackets assembled the best new cast on TV

Supplied

Melanie Lynskey plays Shauna Sadecki (ne Shipman) on Yellowjackets.

Earlier on Wednesday, Melanie Lynskey revealed she slept through the nomination announcement and woke up to learn she was up for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.

The New Plymouth-born actor says she was so nervous she couldnt face enduring the anxious wait, so left it to her husband Jason Ritter and young daughter to watch the nominations.

I was so nervous. I honestly couldnt face it. So Jason got up with our daughter and I did sleep through it, Lynskey told Deadline.

I just couldnt be awake. I decided it would be nice to either wake up cuz I was getting a lot of [phone messages] or just slowly wake up. So I woke up cuz I was getting a lot of [phone messages]. So that was a nice way to wake up.

The 45-year-old - who has already won a Critics Choice Award for her role as the unfulfilled housewife Shauna - is among the favourites heading into Emmy season ahead of the Awards ceremony on September 12.

SHOWTIME

Melanie Lynskey and Sophie Nlisse reflect on how they each brought their Yellowjackets character to life.

Kay Lynskey says the family is proud of the way Melanie has navigated her career, which began with her starring role in Sir Peter Jacksons 1994 film Heavenly Creatures.

She went on to further embrace roles in independent films, before making the shift to play Rose in the sitcom Two and a Half Men in 2003.

"She's kept very true to herself which I think is very important," she said.

"She walked away from Two and Half men and everyone said that was a dumb thing to do.

"She's really marched to the beat of her own drum and gone with many indy films and choices that maybe haven't propelled her into the limelight at all but things she felt were important to do."

Supplied

Melanie Lynskeys career started in 1994 with her starring role in Sir Peter Jacksons Heavenly Creatures.

Lynskeys breakout role in Yellowjackets has earned plenty of praise from fans and critics, and she is enjoying the attention at this stage of her near 30-year career in both film and television.

Ten years ago I got nominated for a Gotham award as a breakthrough performer, she told Deadline.

And even then a decade ago, people were like, shes been around forever! I think now at this point its extra funny, but it does feel different.

Ive felt very fortunate to be a working actor and to have been able to make my living and do work that I feel really proud of. To have this level of recognition is very, very new for me. It feels very nice.

Original post:

Family of New Zealand actor Melanie Lynskey 'overjoyed' at Emmy nomination - Stuff

The New Zealand Food & Grocery Council (FGC) has partnered with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) to promote the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL).

The ARL is an on-pack labelling scheme developed by APCO in partnership with Planet Ark and Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal (PREP) Design.

It is intended to help brand owners design packaging that is recyclable at the end of its life, as well as help consumers recycle packaging correctly.

FGC chief executive Katherine Rich said: More than 95% of scannable barcodes on packaging are common across both New Zealand and Australia, so our members need one labelling system.

We are excited to continue this great work by championing the adoption of the ARL not just by the food and grocery sector but for all packaging.

As part of the partnership, FGC and APCO will jointly develop a guideline to raise awareness of the ARL to benefit consumers, brand owners, packaging suppliers, recyclers and the environment in New Zealand.

The roadmap aims to increase the number of food and grocery companies using the ARL on consumer packaging and guarantee the label is fit for purpose.

The partners also aim to support alignment by all value chain players.

APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly said: We are excited to be working with the FGC to increase uptake of the ARL in New Zealand and support brand owners to adopt it so they can provide their customers with critical information that will increase recycling rates and resource recovery.

Partnerships like this are critical for supporting brands to design for the local recycling capability and to ensure credibility in consumer information.

Last year, the FGC supported the adoption of the ARL in New Zealand after a Ministry for the Environment Report acknowledged the label as the best recycling labelling approach.

Technology in Motion - Quality, Innovation and Partnership for More Than 70 Years

Container Systems for Handling and Transporting Bulk Liquids

Machines for High-Speed Weighing, Sorting, Grading and Packaging of Foods

Read the original here:

FGC and APCO partner to promote recycling label in New Zealand - Packaging Gateway