Category Archives: New Zealand

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities, prior to practicing or operating a business.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in New Zealand are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

In New Zealand, driving under the influence could land you in jail. Roadside sobriety checks by police are common. The blood alcohol limit in New Zealand is lower than that in most U.S. states.

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website oncrimes against minors abroadand theDepartment of Justicewebsite.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Consulate General immediately. See ourwebpagefor further information.

Natural Disasters and Weather Conditions: Natural disasters occur in New Zealand and include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, and cyclones. In addition, weather conditions can change quickly leaving you stranded or injured, particularly if you are in an isolated area.

On December 9, 2019, the volcano on Whakaari/White Island erupted while tourists were visiting. This led to numerous casualties, including deaths of U.S. citizens. The volcano remains active and further eruptions are possible. Avoid Whakaari/White Island and follow the advice of local authorities.

There are many areas in New Zealand with active volcanoes. Tourists are encouraged to visit geonet.org.nz for up-to-date information on volcanic alert levels, as well as other geological hazards in New Zealand. As always, follow the advice of local authorities.

The National Emergency Management Agency provides timely information to citizens and visitors through anEmergency Mobile Alert. This service is broadcast from local cell towers to all capable phones in the area and is designed to provide targeted messaging to areas affected by serious hazards. Messages will only be sent when there is a serious threat to life, health, or property.

Adventure Sports: Injuries and death can result from participating in extreme adventure sports, such as bungee jumping, sky diving, hiking, rappelling, climbing, motorcycling, and kayaking. Use caution and common sense when engaging in these activities. Make sure you have travel medical insurance and that it covers your sport.

Never participate in adventure sports alone.Always carry identification and let someone else know where you are at all times. Before kayaking, check the river conditions and wear a life jacket. When hiking, rappelling, or climbing, carry a first aid kit and know the location of the nearest rescue center.

Visit theNew Zealand Department of Conservationwebsite for advice and direction on how to safely and legally hike, bike, etc. in New Zealand.

Imports: New Zealand is an island nation, and the government is serious about preserving its delicate ecosystem. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) strictly regulates what can be imported into New Zealand.

For more information visit theBiosecurity New Zealandwebsite.

Faith-Based Travelers: See the following webpages for details:

LGBTI Travelers: There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTI events in New Zealand.

SeeourLGBTI Travel Informationpage and section 6 of ourHuman Rights reportfor further details.

Travelers with Disabilities: The law in New Zealand prohibits discrimination against persons with physical disability or impairment; any other loss or abnormality of psychological or anatomical structure or function; reliance on a guide dog, wheelchair, or other remedial means; and the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing illness. The law is enforced. Social acceptance of persons with disabilities in public is as prevalent as in the United States. The most common types of accessibility may include accessible facilities, information, and access to services.Expect accessibility to be limited in public transportation, lodging, and general infrastructure.

Students: See ourStudents Abroadpage andFBI travel tips.

Women Travelers: See our travel tips forWomen Travelers.

Link:

New Zealand International Travel Information

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks about the COVID-19 situation while visiting New Plymouth on Thursday. New Zealand is among the few remaining countries to have avoided any outbreaks of the omicron variant but Ardern said the nation would tighten restrictions as soon as one was detected. Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP hide caption

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks about the COVID-19 situation while visiting New Plymouth on Thursday. New Zealand is among the few remaining countries to have avoided any outbreaks of the omicron variant but Ardern said the nation would tighten restrictions as soon as one was detected.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand New Zealanders are set to face new COVID-19 restrictions after nine cases of the omicron variant were detected in a single family that flew to Auckland for a wedding earlier this month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Sunday.

The so-called "red setting" of the country's pandemic response includes heightened measures such as required mask wearing and limits on gatherings, and the restrictions will go into effect on Monday.

Ardern stressed that "red is not lockdown," noting that businesses can remain open and people can still visit family and friends and move freely around the country.

"Our plan for managing omicron cases in the early stage remains the same as delta, where we will rapidly test, contact trace and isolate cases and contacts in order to slow the spread," Ardern told reporters in Wellington on Sunday.

New Zealand had been among the few remaining countries to have avoided any outbreaks of the omicron variant, but Ardern acknowledged last week that an outbreak was inevitable given the high transmissibility of the variant.

The country has managed to contain the spread of the delta variant, with an average of about 20 new cases each day. But it has seen an increasing number of people arriving into the country and going into mandatory quarantine who are infected with omicron.

That has put strain on the quarantine system and prompted the government to limit access for returning citizens while it decides what to do about reopening its borders, angering many people who want to return to New Zealand.

About 93% of New Zealanders aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated and 52% have had a booster shot. The country has just begun vaccinating children aged between 5 and 11.

The family from the Nelson-Marlborough region attended a wedding and other events while in Auckland, with estimates suggesting they came into contact with "well over 100 people at these events," Ardern said.

"That means that omicron is now circulating in Auckland and possibly the Nelson-Marlborough region if not elsewhere," she added.

The move to the red setting also impacts Ardern personally. The prime minister was planning to get married next weekend, but as a result of the new restrictions the celebration will be postponed.

"I just join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic and to anyone who's caught up in that scenario, I am so sorry," she said.

Read the original:

New Zealand adds new restrictions and Ardern delays her wedding as omicron spreads - NPR

Omicron has breached New Zealands borders and started spreading in the community, Jacinda Ardern has said, meaning the entire country will be placed on the highest level of restrictions.

The outbreak has also forced the prime minister and Clarke Gayford to cancel their wedding, which was due to take place in the coming weeks at Gisborne on the North Islands eastern coast.

Ardern said on Sunday the country would try to slow the spread of Omicron but it was expected New Zealand would reach 1,000 cases a day in the coming weeks and thousands a day after that. New Zealand has not previously reported that level of infection.

I know hearing these sorts of case numbers will sound deeply concerning for people to hear, Ardern said. Well do everything that we can to slow the spread and reduce the number of cases we experience as a nation.

The prime minister said nine cases of Omicron had been detected among a family who travelled to Auckland for a wedding and other events. Officials had not yet been able to connect the outbreak to an index case at the border.

That means Omicron is now circulating in Auckland and possibly the Nelson Marlborough region, if not elsewhere, Ardern said.

Initial estimates suggest more than 100 people were at events attended by the family. A flight attendant on their flight also tested positive and has flown on several flights since.

The country would move to a red alert level at midnight on Sunday, the prime minister said. Under red restrictions, businesses and schools remain open and domestic travel can continue, but there are mandates for mask-wearing, restrictions on gathering size, and vaccine passes are required for entry to most non-essential businesses.

Asked about her wedding cancellation, Ardern said: Such is life. I am no different to, dare I say, thousands of other New Zealanders who have had much more devastating impacts felt by the pandemic. The most gutting of which is the inability to be with a loved one sometimes when theyre gravely ill. That will far, far outstrip any sadness I experience.

Up to 100 vaccinated people can gather under a red alert but the prime minister said her wedding would not proceed in a restricted form.

My wedding wont be going ahead but I just join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic. And to anyone caught up in that scenario, I am so sorry. But we are all so resilient and I know we understand we are doing this for one another and it will help us carry on.

Ardern also urged New Zealanders to get their booster shots.

Omicron is now in more than 80 countries around the world by delaying its arrival here, weve had the time to kick off boosters, vaccinations for children and [to] prepare, she said.

The country has high levels of vaccination among adults: according to the Ministry of Health, 95% of those aged 12 and over have had at least one dose of the vaccine, and 93% have had both.

Ardern asked that residents be kind as New Zealand experienced the unprecedented spread of Covid.

Thank you for your feedback.

We are stronger as a team than we are as individuals, and so now I ask that we all pull together again. Please be kind. I know not everyone sees this pandemic in the same way. But for the most part we are motivated by the same thing, and its looking out for each other, she said.

New Zealand had been bracing for Omicron infections to rise as it became clear that the highly infectious variant was likely to find cracks in the countrys strict border measures.

There had been several cases of Omicron among workers at the border and in managed isolation and quarantine over the past week. Sundays announcement suggests those border-linked cases have crossed over to the wider community.

On Thursday, Ardern told New Zealanders that the variants wider emergence was only a matter of time. We will experience in New Zealand cases at a level that we havent experienced before. We wont stop Omicron, but we can try and slow it down, she said.

The rest is here:

Jacinda Ardern cancels wedding as New Zealand prepares for Omicron surge - The Guardian

In a tiny motel at the back of a Wellington garden, a group of lodgers with shiny cigar-shaped bodies and spiny legs are making themselves at home. A male is bunking in with his harem of females, their bodies huddled together, a wiry mashup of legs and antennae. Once a fortnight the motels owner, Holly Neill, briefly opens the door to peer into the perspex window and check on her tenants, each time experiencing the thrill of being able to spy on the shy, strange creatures inside.

They are not paying guests and nor are these ordinary motels, but rather human-made houses for one of New Zealands most beloved insects the wt. Increasingly, wt motels are popping up in gardens as New Zealanders begin to embrace the bugs in their backyards something that may also give the endangered species a chance at survival.

Forests, grasslands, caves and alpine terrains once crawled with wt, but their populations have suffered with the introduction of foreign pests and increasing habitat decline due to dairy farming. Sixteen of New Zealands wt species are at risk and the rest are classified as threatened or endangered. The largest species, the giant wt (or wtpunga), once abundant across parts of the North Island, is now found only on Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island), a pest-free sanctuary off the east coast. The Mahoenui giant wt, feared extinct until it was rediscovered in 1962, exists only in a patch of King Country gorse.

I think people hold them in high regard and its almost a point of pride to have wt in the garden, says Neill, a keen conservationist and wildlife photographer.

It adds another dimension of appreciation of nature if youre including the small, more secretive bugs that come out at night.

Wt belong to the same group of insects as crickets and grasshoppers, and there are between 70 and 100 species of wt endemic to New Zealand. They are wingless and nocturnal, and some, including the wtpunga, are among the heaviest insects in the world comparable to the weight of a sparrow.

Neill installed two wt motels on native knuka trunks at the back of her Raumati Beach garden just over a year ago, after discovering the motels at loads of different sanctuaries. Within three months she had her first guests. At one point she opened a motel to find a wt, a native cockroach and a bumblebee in the same chamber. I felt like I was interrupting a bug meeting, Neill laughs.

When she first moved into the property, the garden was overrun with agapanthus plants and weeds, where she found just three spiders lurking. She cleared it, set traps for predators, planted native trees and installed the motels. I was shocked at how barren it was and then, since doing this, all the rooms are full [of wt]. It shows quite a rapid change.

The motels are made of non-treated wood and are designed to have entrance and exit tunnels large enough for the wt to crawl into but small enough that a mouse cannot. To attract wt, they must be dark during the day.

If you were to split a log and look at what they naturally do, its pretty similar to that, says Steve Rawson of Swiss Wood Technicians. He began making wt homes in 2016 for the Department of Conservation, and in 2018 started selling them to the public, becoming one of many small retailers or community groups now doing so. Sales have plodded along, but in the lead-up to last Christmas, they sold roughly 40 motels double that of the year prior.

Weve noticed a real increase in sales, especially in the Wellington area, Rawson says, something he credits to education programmes at Wellingtons urban sanctuary Zealandia. Before that, I think a lot of people would look at wt and think Yuck, I dont want to go near them, but they are actually amazing creatures and they are not that horrifying at all.

The motels (sometimes called hotels or condos) were originally conceived as a research aide around 1994 by Massey University ecologist and wt expert Steve Trewick a scientist so dedicated to the insect, that a tree wt, the Hemideina trewicki, was named after him.

Trewick was trying to ascertain the distribution of wt in the environment a difficult task when dealing with a secretive, nocturnal creature when he discovered two species sharing a dead tree trunk. From that observation, I said, well, lets just make our own versions of that because then we can open them up and see how many males or females are present.

A growth in higher education and deepening awareness of conservation problems could be prompting more interest in wt and how to care for them, says Warren Chinn, an invertebrate ecologist at the Department of Conservation. I would also say that social media and the internet has been an extraordinary boon to consciousness of conservation values.

These things have become really successful the animal doesnt know that its artificial, they just know that its suitable.

The motels are undoubtedly helpful for wt populations, particularly in urban environments, Trewick adds, and the growth in understanding biodiversity, and caring for it, has knock-on effects for boosting other species.

But the crossover of wt motels into private backyards achieves more than helping protect wt populations; they are also sating the curiosity of creepy-crawly fans.

I think that the most useful thing about the motels is that people see that there is much more to the biology of our planet than they would otherwise see. Most New Zealand biology is out and about at night. Its a window on the world, Trewick says.

They are fascinating creatures to observe, Chinn adds: If you open up the doors on the big ones there is a density of these monsters and their great prickly legs. That is delightfully horrific.

See the article here:

Delightfully horrific: wt motels proliferate as New Zealand falls in love with the giant insect - The Guardian

New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern has said at no point was I worried about my safety after her van was chased and forced on to a curb by anti-vaccination protesters.

Footage of the incident, which took place last week, was posted to social media in recent days. It shows protesters shouting slogans at the van, including shame on you, and we do not consent. A person filming inside a car is heard saying theres Jacinda and Oh this is fun, were on a chase. The car pursues the prime ministers van and at one point someone inside calls the prime minister a Nazi and shouts various obscenities. As their vehicle tries to block the van, the van is forced on to the curb to avoid it, then continues on.

Asked about the incident on Tuesday afternoon, Ardern said it was just another day.

At no point was I worried about my safety or the safety of anyone that was with me, she said.

Every day is faced with new and different experiences in this job We are in an environment at the moment that does have an intensity to it that is unusual for New Zealand. I do also believe that with time it will pass.

The incident comes amid a small but notable rise in threats against politicians and public figures involved in the pandemic response in New Zealand. According to police data released under the official information act to 1News this week, threats towards MPs reached a three-year high in one month last year. Threats to politicians serious enough to trigger a report to police are still relatively rare in New Zealand, reaching an average of about five a month toward the end of 2021, but sometimes spiking to 16 a month.

NZ Police told 1 News the incidents included threats to injure, harm and assassinate politicians, including one person who had threatened to send a bomb to parliament.

Ardern said on Tuesday that being subject to these kinds of incidents was part of the job. I see that as just being a reflection of the fact that we are the decision makers. And if people dont like the decisions that are being made, then its us that of course will hear the feedback about that.

In late 2021, New Zealands parliament stepped up security measures after reports from MPs that they were being targeted for harassment by anti-vaxxers, and parliamentary services added a small budget to help MPs change locks or security systems.

Covid response minister and leader of the house Chris Hipkins told the Guardian in November that one of his electoral offices had been subject to repeated attacks from anti-vaxxers, and that he had stepped up security. Having to adopt additional security measures ran counter to the highly accessible government that New Zealand valued, he said.

Ive always believed that New Zealand parliamentarians being as accessible as we are is something special about New Zealand, and Im generally reluctant to see that change, Hipkins said last November.

The actions of a small group of individuals is the problem here, and it would be sad to see the openness of our democracy being undermined by a small group of vocal and aggressive people.

The vast majority of New Zealanders have supported the countrys vaccination drive, with close to 95% of adults vaccinated.

But some have strongly resisted either vaccination itself, or the mandates that have accompanied it: with about 40% of the countrys workforce are covered by vaccine mandates. Under current regulations, people without a vaccine pass cannot dine indoors, or visit high-contact businesses like hairdressers and gyms.

The New Zealand police had not responded to a request for comment by time of publication. The prime ministers office has also been approached for comment.

Link:

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern shrugs off car chase by anti-vaccination protesters - The Guardian

An Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 diverted to Hong Kong in the early hours of Thursday morning after a windscreen was suspected of cracking inflight. The Dreamliner was en route to Guangzhou from Christchurch while operating NZ1082.

According to Hong Kongs The Standard, the pilots suspected the windscreen had cracked and asked to make an emergency landing in Hong Kong. Flight tracking website RadarBox.com shows the flight was over the South China Sea and closing in on Hong Kong when it began to deviate from its normal flight path.

The operating Dreamliner, ZK-NZH, was to the west of the Philippines and cruising at approximately 41,000 feet when it slowly began to descend about 5,000 feet. Closer in to Hong Kong, the jet dropped relatively quickly to 22,000 feet and began circling over the sea south of the city.

The Standard reports Hong Kong ATC sent emergency responders out to the runway. However, ZK-NZH landed safely on runway 07R without injuries to anyone onboard. Twenty-four hours after the landing, the Dreamliner remains in Hong Kong.

Air New Zealand confirmed the incident. In a statement provided to Simple Flying, Air New Zealand Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan said;

Yesterday, one of our cargo flights bound for Guangzhou diverted to Hong Kong after the front windscreen cracked. While a cracked windscreen sounds extraordinary, there are actually four layers to an aircraft windscreen so there was no risk to the aircraft or anyone onboard.

Air New Zealand has operated regular freight flights to Guangzhou flying Auckland Christchurch Guangzhou Auckland service for over a year. The flights up to Guangzhou are usually tagged NZ1082 and run approximately four times a week. The return services to Auckland are NZ1085.

ZK-NZH is just over six years old and is one of 14 Dreamliners Air New Zealand operates. This is the first recorded incident involving the plane.

Air New Zealand recently snagged the top gong as the worlds safest airline. That rating was based on the number of crashes over five years and serious incidents recorded over two years. Also canvassed were audits from governing and industry bodies, government audits, industry-leading safety initiatives, fleet age, and COVID-19 safety protocols.

Air New Zealand scored the award because its safety protocols and recent record are immaculate. The only real blemish on the airlines record was the infamous crash on Ross Island, Antarctica, in 1979. Then, a chartered Air New Zealand McDonnell Douglas DC-10 operating a sightseeing flight crashed into the side of Mt Erebus, killing all 257 people onboard.

That was 43 years ago, and from a fatality and significant incident perspective, Air New Zealand hasnt looked back since. A look at Air New Zealands recent incident history reveals some relatively low-level problems that plague all airlines smoke alerts, computer issues, and engine hassles. There have also been some lightning strike incidents.

This weeks cracked windscreen incident adds to the handful of minor incidents recorded for Air New Zealand. However, being the type of problems all airlines experience routinely, they will have little impact on Air New Zealands now stellar safety rating.

On the flight was more than 24 tonnes of cargo. Captain Morgan said the plane was loaded with mostly perishable food items like stone fruit and seafood destined for Chinese New Year festivities.

On the ground in Hong Kong, the team were fortunately able to secure chiller space for the fresh produce while we worked on a solution. After exploring trucking options as well as options with our alliance and interline partners, the team secured space with a partner airline to make sure the cargo got to where it needed to be, Captain Morgan said.

Air New Zealand adds they are awaiting a replacement window from Boeing in Singapore. The airline advises ZK-NZH will return to Auckland once repairs are completed.

Excerpt from:

Air New Zealand 787 Diverts To Hong Kong With Cracked Windscreen - Simple Flying

Dear New Zealand,

Kia ora!

I guess by now you have received Omicron, the unwanted visitor that we in Australia hosted over the Christmas season (and beyond the guest that stayed all summer!).

No doubt you have been busy preparing for this guest extending your isolation requirements, promoting booster shots and tightening restrictions. But a crucial form of preparation is the one you do in your head.

Going from having very few Covid cases to thousands of cases a day in the community is a mental shift that is hard to prepare for but having just had a summer of Omicron, Im writing to tell you what may await.

Im not writing to instruct you just to offer some solidarity, the advice I wish Id been given, a glimpse from the immediate future.

The first thing that happens is that you start to know people who become contacts. They get pinged after checking in somewhere where there was a Covid case and suddenly dinner plans or a weekend away is cancelled. Then its your turn. Youll probably get an alert from somewhere unmemorable like the time you ducked into the supermarket for a carton of milk. And then quite dramatically, a week after the first ping your phone will go nuts with contact alerts. At least thats what happened early on in Sydney.

Hopefully youll be able get tested if you get pinged, but if you are unlucky, youll be in a situation where its difficult to get tested. This is the first mental challenge: the possibility of exposure to the virus and then the inability to get tested and know if you have it or not. In Australia, when Omicron arrived, the politicians mantra was personal responsibility. This can add to the mental load of dealing with the outbreak. How can you take personal responsibility if you cant get tested? How to keep yourself sane, and others safe, if the state is unprepared? This virus is wildly infectious and personal responsibility is not going to cut it.

The next challenge is how to carry on your daily life when you and everyone you know is getting pinged. In Australia the settings for isolation were in flux. But you should be prepared to exit society for a period of time due to health orders. For us, this meant the possibility of missing Christmas or being unable to travel in the summer holidays to visit friends and family in parts of the country that were previously off limits. You may have dropped your guard and are just wanting to return to normal after almost two years of the pandemic. We understand the pain of uncertainty over here. After long lockdowns in Melbourne and Sydney, and children denied almost two full years of education, we crave certainty more than ever. But sadly this summer has not provided it.

This phase of the virus is far from normal. Its hard. Your friends and family will all have different levels of comfort being in the community around this time. Do not be surprised if your social life evaporates. People will go into self-imposed lockdown, preferring to wait out the Omicron wave in their homes rather than risk catching the virus. Be understanding and without judgment if somebody has a different capacity for risk than yourself. Keeping sane in this Omicron summer was different for everyone. Some people felt more secure withdrawing and keeping socialising to a minimum, others cancelled holidays and trips away. I moved the bulk of my socialising outside. It didnt feel quite normal but what does?

This summer we occupied the strange twilight world of not-quite-lockdowns: takeaway food and picnics in the park, food shortages and cafe closures, empty supermarket shelves and scary headlines about case numbers and overstretched ICUs. But there was also the beach, and hot nights in Melbourne drinking in outdoor bars. It was all a bit surreal, to be honest.

The third mental challenge is actually knowing people who have it.

Like us, youve probably gone from being able to name many of your countrys Covid cases (we had barbecue guy, the Sydney removalists and the limo driver) to people you know testing positive for Covid. Six months ago this would have been very dramatic but Omicron is not particularly exclusive and at its peak, many thousands of people a day catch it. But the first case among your circle can cause alarm. Will they be OK? What should you do to help? Have you caught it from them?

The best thing to do here is not to freak out and help them through their illness by getting them groceries and helping them (via phone/text) monitor their symptoms. At the start of January, a wedding I attended turned out to be a super-spreader event. We all thankfully recovered. Much of the stress of this week while sick was being unable to secure a Covid test. Hopefully your government has used the extra time theyve had to ensure that everyone who needs a test has one.

The next mental challenge is when cases really begin to multiply and you see the effects of isolation and illness on broader society. Who really holds our society together? Omicron will tell you. Its our hospital staff and paramedics, and people who work in supply chains, warehouses, abattoirs, on the docks, in restaurants, cafes and supermarkets. One day your town will be business as usual, and the next, after a wave has swept through, shops and cafes will be shut, supermarket shelves will be empty or sparse, local flights will be cancelled and you wont be able to get an Uber for love or money. This is alarming because the disruptions allow you to actually see Omicron, and the havoc it creates. Just keep calm, dont stockpile more than you need, and adapt to the new circumstances. It lasts no longer than a few weeks.

The next challenge is when you wake up with a scratchy throat and a dry cough. After playing dodgeball with the virus for all these years, suddenly you think you might have it. But unless you have an underlying health issue, for the majority of vaccinated people this is also no cause for alarm. Stay home unless youre going out for a test, and look after yourself. For many people, the worst passes within a week. But as we are seeing in Australia, hospitalisations and deaths do rise with the increase in cases. The reality is not everyone recovers quickly.

So be calm, kind and try not to panic. This too shall pass.

Read the original:

A letter to New Zealand, from Covid-ravaged Australia - The Guardian

ISSAUAH, WA The New Zealand apple and pear season is approaching harvest and growers have good reasons to be positive and optimistic about the coming season.

We touched base with Luis Gonzalez who manages VanguardsBB #:300298 New Zealand procurement and sales for an update on the fast approaching 2022 apple and pear season.

The 2021 season will certainly be remembered as a most challenging one, as it was for most of the global produce industry with the many transportation disruptions and market closures due to Covid-19. As the New Zealand team moves closer to the start of harvest for 2022, the outlook and projections are positive and exciting.

The overall growing season was very good with no major inclement events that could compromise the quality and condition of the fruit. We expect great quality and condition to be the theme of the 2022 New Zealand apple and pear season.

The spring was hotter than normal with fair amounts of rains to counter any of the potential negative effects of the heat. Recent weather has been hot and dry, but starting mid-January, we saw milder weather and rain that should allow trees to catch a break from the heat, stabilize, and recuperate. Sizing is expected to be one size larger than in 2021 across all varieties.

Official numbers are not yet released, but the industry should have no issues achieving 23mm cartons of apples packed in 2022.

The labor situation has certainly improved since 2021. While there is still a shortage of seasonal workers that are relied upon for harvest labor, temporary workers coming from neighboring islands have managed to fill this gap. Labor costs have increased by approximately 10%. Cost for freight has increased and customers should expect to pay between $1.50 to $3.00 per carton more in 2022 than last year.

The outlook regarding transportation is also favorable as we do not foresee the same grave challenges this year that was faced last year.

Pear harvest is scheduled to start during week 4 and apples weeks 6-7. Most packers will start running Galas during week 8, but with peak volumes around week 9-10 depending on further developments in the orchards.

Aside from the increased costs, the overall outlook for 2022 is very positive. We are eagerly watching market behavior, demand patterns, vessel schedules, container availability, and the constantly changing Covid environment.

About Vanguard

Founded in 1991, Vanguard is a leading global vertically-integrated fresh fruit growing, packing, marketing, and sales organization headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, USA, with branch officesin Wapato, Washington; Bakersfield, California; Lima, Peru; Ica, Peru: Santiago, Chile; Stellenbosch, South Africa; Shanghai, China; Taipei, Taiwan; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Jakarta, Indonesia; andMadrid, Spain.www.vanguardfresh.com

See original here:

Vanguard updates New Zealand apple and pear crops Produce Blue Book - Produce Blue Book

People stuck on either side of the Tasman between the "two most locked-down places in the world" say they have no idea when they will be able to return home.

Passengers wearing masks arrive from New Zealand at Sydney International Airport on 16 October, 2020, during the operation of the trans-Tasman bubble. Photo: AFP / David Gray

Cancelled flights and managed isolation have stranded an unknown number of people on either side of the Tasman.

In Nelson, Australian academic Peta Wellstead has been unable to get back to Perth since the middle of last year.

The planned reopening of Western Australia's border to the rest of the world on 5 February was delayed last week by Premier Mark McGowan, who pointed to escalating health risks posed by the Omicron variant.

Wellstead has been trying to get home since she started what was supposed to be a six-week trip to New Zealand in July.

She was moving back there after a decade in New Zealand, had sold her house in Nelson and bought a new one in Perth. But she made an ill-fated trip back to tie up loose ends, sell her car, and see friends before falling ill - and then the border closed again.

Australian academic Peta Wellstead has been unable to get back to Perth from New Zealand since mid-2021. Photo: Supplied

The 64-year-old has been paying $180 a night for a serviced apartment since September, as she waited for flights to restart and an easing of restrictions.

"I have pretty much given up, as lots of New Zealanders have. I am probably going to fly to Sydney and then onto Germany to spend time with my son and his wife. I can go to Germany where I am not a citizen or a resident, but I cannot travel to my home in Perth. WA and NZ are now the only jurisdictions in the world who are locking out, and continue to lock out, their own citizens and residents."

Thousands of New Zealanders and Australians were stranded on the wrong side of the Tasman, she said.

"It's not actually even about me. I mean, I'm okay, I'm coping. I mean it's been pretty stressful and quite a lot of tears, but there are people in real hardship."

Among those is Ken Hill, aged 78, who is with his wife Jackie in Queensland. The couple, from Hokitika, have spoken of the mental anguish of being stuck away from home for eight months.

New Zealand's international border re-opening plan will allow fully-vaccinated New Zealand citizens and residents in Australia to return first, followed by those based elsewhere in the world. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook

They went to see their grandchildren in Melbourne during the trans-Tasman bubble and took a holiday in Queensland, before a series of flight cancellations grounded them.

"The anxiety and depression at the moment is unbelievable," said Ken. "Mentally, I'm buggered. I am, honestly. Because you just remember things that you did in New Zealand when you were a kid and you can't get back to enjoy it.

"I just feel the government when they had the [MIQ] lobby, they should have let a few of us oldies get back in, otherwise the computer whiz kids can get in before us. It's in the lap of the Gods, I suppose. It's just you think 'well, are they really looking after New Zealanders or not?' They're not."

Anxieties include if they fall ill without Medicare and their pension - they managed to get it reinstated after it was stopped for a month, but their daughter told them a fortnight ago that more superannuation paperwork has now arrived at home, that he knows they will struggle to return without access to computers.

Cabinet will decide in two weeks the date New Zealanders stuck overseas can bypass managed isolation (MIQ) and instead isolate at home.

The re-opening plan will allow fully-vaccinated New Zealand citizens and residents in Australia to return first, followed by those based elsewhere in the world.

Tourists or migrants were due to get the green light to enter without managed isolation from the end of April, but now the MIQ website simply says "this step will be reviewed in 2022."

Original post:

Stranded Australians and New Zealanders anxious about when they can return home - RNZ

WELLINGTON/SYDNEY, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Life-saving water supplies from a New Zealand navy ship were distributed across Tonga's main island on Friday, as other countries battled the logistics of delivering aid to one of the world's remotest communities.

Six days after the South Pacific archipelago was devastated by a volcanic eruption and tsunami that deposited a blanket of ash and polluted its water sources, the HMNZS Aotearoa docked in the capital, Nukualofa.

The ship carried 250,000 litres of water and desalination equipment able to produce 70,000 litres more per day, New Zealand's High Commission said.

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"Trucks ... have begun collecting and delivering water supplies from Aotearoa," the Commission said on its Facebook page.

The first flights from Australia and New Zealand landed on Thursday with some water as well as shelter, communication equipment and generators. read more

On Thursday, an Australian flight was forced to return to base because of a positive COVID-19 case onboard, while on Friday technical problems delayed one of two Japanese C-130 transporters carrying 5,000 litres of drinking water, Japan's Self-Defence Forces said.

Underlining the complexity of mounting a contactless international aid operation to one of the few countries free of COVID-19, the Australian plane was turned around mid-flight after PCR tests showed a positive result, an Australian defence spokeswoman told Reuters.

All crew had earlier returned negative rapid antigen tests, she said. The supplies were moved to another flight that took off on Friday.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption last Saturday triggered a tsunami that destroyed villages and resorts and knocked out communications for the nation of about 105,000 people. Three people have been reported killed, authorities said.

The salt water from the tsunami spoiled most sources of water and Tongans have been struggling to find clean water as they clear away the ash.

"We are cleaning the ash and have been since Monday," said Branko Sugar, 61, who runs a bottle shop and fishing charter business from Nuku'alofa.

"Everything is so dusty, and we are running out of water," he said over a patchy telephone line. "We only have the tap water, and it's been contaminated. We... can hardly breathe for all the dust."

URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has said the force of the eruption was estimated to be equivalent to 5-10 megatons of TNT, or more than 500 times that of the nuclear bomb the United States dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima at the end of World War Two.

Astronaut Kayla Barron said she could see the volcanic ash in the atmosphere from the International Space Station.

"I opened the window shutter to see if we could see any effects of the eruption, and saw this dramatic, high-altitude plume blocking out the sun," Barron said on Facebook.

NASA released photographs showing a huge grey smudge over the blue Pacific.

United Nations spokesperson Stphane Dujarric told a briefing Tonga had asked for urgent assistance.

"We remain seriously concerned about access to safe water for 50,000 people ... Water quality testing continues, and most people are relying on bottled water," he said, speaking before the Aotearoa arrived.

Dujarric said there were reports of fuel shortages, while some 60,000 Tongans have been affected by damage to crops, livestock and fisheries due to ashfall, saltwater intrusion and the potential for acid rain.

Many have turned to social media to post images of the destruction by the tsunami and give accounts of their shock after the massive explosion, while tales of incredible escapes from the disaster have also emerged.

Sea-borne assistance was also en route for the archipelago.

Australia's HMAS Adelaide was due in Tonga next week after leaving Brisbane.

Reliance, a repair ship due to reconnect the undersea cable that links Tonga to international telecoms networks, left its Port Moresby mooring and was expected in Tonga on Jan. 30, according to Refinitiv data on shipping movements.

The Reliance's operator, SubCom, did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for confirmation.

Telephone links between Tonga and the outside world were reconnected late on Wednesday, although restoring full internet services is expected to take a month or more.

Tesla (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk asked in a post on Twitter if Tongans would like help from his Starlink project, which provides internet connection through satellites.

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Reporting by Praveen Menon, Kirsty Needham and Tom Westbrook; Writing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel; Editing by Richard Pullin, John Stonestreet and Janet Lawrence

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Link:

New Zealand water ship unloads in Tonga as other aid trickles in - Reuters