Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Radio New Zealand

Secondary teachers are voting on a potential settlement of their troubled pay talks.

Information obtained by RNZ showed it included similar pay rises to previous offers, but provided at the start of next year rather than this year and with the removal of some clawbacks.

It would provide a 2.5 percent pay increase in January next year with a further two to 2.1 percent in January 2027 depending on salary scale step.

The offer dropped an attempt to increase the number of “call-back days” when teachers could be required to work outside of term time.

But it would remove teachers’ ability to claim for expenses for call-back days such as teacher-only days held during term time.

It would increase the value of management units paid for extra responsibilities by $500 to $5500.

The offer followed a week facilitated bargaining between the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) and the Education Ministry and Public Service Commission.

A PPTA statement said neither side would comment and the result of the ballot would be known by early December.

RNZ understands the union’s leadership has told members it would remain neutral on whether they should accept or reject the offer.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hospitals in the Wellington region are waiting up to six months for Health NZ to give them approval to even begin recruitment for front-line roles.

Data obtained by the Public Service Association under the Official Information Act (for March to May) shows 219 recruitment requests took more than two months to be approved, 91 waited more than 20 weeks, and 45 roles applied for in March were still vacant last month.

In some cases, it took up to 30 weeks for management to approve a hiring process for critical positions, including medical imaging technologists who operate x-ray, CT and MRI equipment.

PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the Wellington data was a “disturbing snapshot” of the nationwide health workforce crisis.

“These figures show that delays in recruitment are a deliberate cost-saving tactic, driven by the government’s failure to fund the health system properly.

“There should be no barriers to filling vacancies.”

The roles requested included doctors, nurses, radiographers, administrative staff, oral health therapists, and healthcare assistants.

“Allowing such long-standing vacancies in so many areas of the health system is a recipe for burnout and eventually, even higher vacancy rates as staff quit for overseas hospitals where their skills are valued,” Fitzsimons said.

Unsafe staffing levels were a key driver for Friday’s strike by 17,000 healthworkers represented by the PSA – including allied health staff, mental and public health nurses, and policy, knowledge, advisory and specialist workers, she continued.

“Workers are sick and tired of being ignored and must again send a loud and clear message to the Government that it must listen to their concerns and make patient care a priority. Enough is enough.”

Health Minister blames Labour

Health Minister Simeon Brown said the data showed Health NZ was recruiting staff, with hundreds more doctors and about 2000 additional nurses employed since the government took office.

“However, Health New Zealand must move more quickly, and my expectation is that front-line vacancies are recruited to at pace.

“Let’s be clear – Labour’s botched merger of all DHBs into one mega-entity in the middle of a pandemic created a centralised, slow, and bureaucratic system.

“That’s why under this government, Health New Zealand is moving decision-making back to the regions, so recruitment and workforce decisions happen faster and closer to communities.”

PSA members will walk off the job on Friday for four hours, with pickets and rallies at 30 locations around the country from 1pm.

Fitzsimons said since the previous strike on October 23, the parties had attended mediation through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment but no settlement has been reached.

“Health NZ’s offer would mean workers go backwards. The health system is currently being held together by these workers’ good will for their patients. It’s not sustainable, not fair on workers, and doesn’t serve patients well either.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A medicinal cannabis clinic founder says hundreds of thousands of legal users could be affected by new drug-driving laws.

Police will begin testing drivers for THC – the main active ingredient in cannabis – along with methamphetamine, MDMA (or ecstasy) and cocaine in Wellington next month, ahead of the nationwide rollout of new drug driving laws next year.

Cannabis Clinic founder and chief executive Dr Waseem Alzaher told Morning Report he didn’t disagree with the need for drug testing, but wanted to see New Zealand follow countries such as Canada, Germany and the Netherlands that included impairment tests alongside saliva and blood tests.

“The overall move is a good move, but what we need to consider adding into it is impairment, because you could test posititive for cannabis but be entirely unimpaired in your functioning and that’s the elephant in the room we’re not addressing.”

Alzaher said he was advising patients to wait 12 hours before driving – ideally taking medication at night so they would be unimpaired by the morning, however, the sensitivity and accuracy of the tests remained to be seen.

“The question is, how do we manage it when we’ve got people who are being prescribed cannabis safely and are under medical supervision just like they could be for other medicines … you shouldn’t be punished or face consequences as a result of that.”

It’s thought there are around 120,000-130,000 New Zealanders being prescribed medicinal cannabis and around 400,000 using cannabis illicitly, he said.

“Everybody knows someone who’s using cannabis through illicit or legal means, and we’ve known for thousands of years this plant has lots of potential benefits for people.

“We have 60,000 people [The Cannabis Clinic’s] legally prescribed cannabis for who could face negative outcomes by being stood down and potentially fined – which they then have to appeal – even though they’re doing the right thing and have been prescribed medicinal cannabis and that’s going to be an issue for Kiwis around the country,” Alzaher said.

Returning two positive roadside saliva tests could result in a 12-hour driving ban.

Saliva tests would then be sent to a laboratory, where – if levels above legal thresholds were confirmed – would result in an infringement notice, including a $200 fine and 50 demerit points.

If a saliva test was refused or police requested a blood test, the consequences could be more severe.

If a blood sample breached the “high risk” threshold under the legislation, penalties included a $4500 fine, up to three months in prison and a mandatory six-month licence disqualification.

Infringements could be appealed via a medical defence by showing a prescription or ID card from a prescriber, and Alzaher urged medicinal patients to ensure they had one or both.

Australian researcher Dr Michael White, an adjunct senior fellow at the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide who has researched road accidents involving cannabis, said the tests were nearly worthless when it came to picking up if someone was impaired.

“There’s a lot of research that says regular cannabis users are not impaired even if immediately after taking it so that produces … questions of justice.

“It is a scattergun approach, many people who are regular users won’t be impaired even if they test positive,” Dr White said.

The NZ Drug Foundation warned many medicinal cannabis users could be caught out, given the drug can show up even three days after use.

Others, such as senior biosciences lecturer Dr Catherine Crofts raised concerns about legal users of other drugs, such as those taking ADHD medication containing amphetamine, like dexamphetamine or lisdexamfetamine, which around half of New Zealanders taking ADHD medication currently use.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hutt City Council is scrapping paid parking on Petone’s main street for Christmas.

The council will lift parking fees on Jackson Street and in the Peel Street carpark from 1 December to 4 January.

Usual time limits will stay in place to ensure fair access to parks.

Mayor Fauono Ken Laban said the move was a way to support local businesses and make Christmas shopping easier.

“Petone is one of our most loved destinations,” he said. “Free parking helps bring people in, encourages them to stay a little longer and supports the small businesses that are the heart of the community.

Laban said the December initiative was part of a wider, long-term conversation about parking.

“We are working with the Jackson Street Programme on a parking approach that supports our local economy and provides fair access for everyone.

“December’s free parking gives us space to keep that work moving, while backing our retailers at a crucial time.”

Jackson Street Programme co-ordinator Hellen Swales said the change would bring shoppers back to the centre of Petone for a crucial trading period.

“We want families to come into Petone, enjoy the festive season and spend time together.

“Free parking makes that easier, while time limits will keep things fair for everyone.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The family of Tom Phillips say they “welcome” a public inquiry into the handling of the case by authorities.

Phillips died following a shootout with police, when they were called to reports of a burglary in the early hours of 8 September, after 1358 days in the bush with his children.

Phillips shot a police officer several times during the shootout.

On Thursday, Attorney-General Judith Collins announced a public inquiry would be held into the disappearance of the Phillips children.

A spokesperson for the Phillips family released a statement to RNZ.

“We welcome any inquiry that helps ensure this never happens to another family ever again.”

Collins said the inquiry would look into whether government agencies took all practicable steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the Phillips children.

“The decision to establish a public inquiry reflects the significant public interest and concern for the children’s welfare over the almost four years they were missing.

“It is important that we establish the facts and determine whether agencies could take steps to prevent, or resolve similar situations more quickly and effectively in the future.”

The terms of reference had been developed with the privacy and welfare of the children in mind. The inquiry would therefore be conducted in private and without public hearings.

Collins said the inquiry must also respect the independence of the courts and would not include findings on judicial decisions.

The Honourable Justice Simon Moore, KC, has been appointed as the sole member of the inquiry.

The inquiry would deliver a final report with recommendations by 21 July 2026.

An injunction preventing the media from publishing certain details related to the investigation into Phillips remains in place.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Beef mince long seen as the most affordable red-meat option for households is losing that status as prices continue to surge.

RaboResearch senior animal protein analyst Jen Corkran said food prices had risen across the board, but beef mince had jumped far faster than most staples.

New Stats NZ figures showed in the year to October, overall food prices rose 4.7 percent, but the average price of a one-kilogram pack of beef mince climbed 18 percent.

Corkran said mince was now averaging $23.17 per kilo, meaning it was actually slightly more expensive than lamb chops, which sat at $22.27.

She said the price spike came down to global demand for red meat.

“New Zealand exports most of our beef, 80-odd percent, and our biggest market, actually, the most volume is going over to the United States, where their cattle herd is at sort of multi-decade lows.

“As they look to rebuild their herd, they’re short of this lean trim product, which is essentially the same as our beef mince in the supermarket and so our local retailers are having to pay more to get hold of that product because they’re competing against global buyers and that’s really pushing those mince prices up.

“What’s happening with that US beef market at the moment is directly impacting what we’re paying for mince here.”

Corkran said with mince traditionally seen as the go-to budget option for families, its rapid price climb could change buying habits.

She said mince may stay expensive for several years while the US herd recovers.

In the meantime, she expected shoppers to trade to cheaper proteins like pork and poultry, or buy less mince and bulk it out with vegetables to make it go further.

It came as high beef prices were also hitting McDonald’s New Zealand bottom line, a chain usually known for value.

Last year, McDonald’s used 6000 tonnes of locally-sourced beef for sale domestically, and it exported nearly 30,000 tonnes of it, making up around 10 percent of New Zealand’s total beef exports.

McDonald’s New Zealand’s head of impact and communications Simon Kenny said globally the chain served 70 million people a day, using 2 percent of the world’s beef.

He said price swings locally could have a material impact on the operating costs of its restaurants.

“Like everyone’s seen in the supermarkets, beef’s been one of the biggest ones,” he said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

• Thirty-seven former Lake Alice child and adolescent unit patients negotiate compensation
• They received amounts between $160,000 and $600,000
• Another 105 opted for $150,000 “rapid payments”
• Independent arbiter Paul Davison, KC, says survivors see their lives as blighted by Lake Alice.

Thirty-seven former patients of the Lake Alice psychiatric hospital’s child and adolescent unit have received individual compensation payments of up to $600,000.

The government last year announced its redress scheme for children and teens tortured with electric shocks without anaesthetic or through being injected with paralysing drugs at the unit in the 1970s.

One-hundred-and-five survivors opted to receive $150,000 rapid payments.

Another 37 negotiated their compensation.

Independent arbiter, former High Court judge Paul Davison, KC, determined the amounts these survivors received and he has released a summary of his work on Thursday.

The majority received payments between $175,000 and $250,000, but the total band of payments spanned $160,000 to $600,000, as Davison worked within a “fiscal envelope” of $8.39 million.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Rangitīkei unit didn’t have a mental illness, yet were still subjected to electric shocks or injected with paraldehyde.

The unit’s lead psychiatrist, Dr Selwyn Leeks, moved to Australia shortly after it closed in the late 1970s and died in 2022 without facing justice.

In his report, Davison said survivors had shown great courage and resilience in opting to negotiate their compensation.

“Recalling traumatic events and recounting them for the purposes of the torture redress assessment process has been acutely painful and difficult and serves to underscore how deeply traumatic their time at Lake Alice was for them, and how indelible their memories are of what they were subjected to.”

Davison said in determining the compensation amounts he also took into account solitary confinement and sexual abuse the survivors suffered.

Most survivors were 12 or older when admitted to the unit, but some he’d spoken with were as young as 9 when they were sent there and given electric shocks without anaesthetic or paraldehyde.

Davison said he adopted a “survivor-focused and trauma-informed approach” in generally accepting the survivors’ accounts of what happened to them, while also examining records where available and previous statements from the survivors.

“The survivors quite understandably see their lives as having been blighted by their Lake Alice experiences and how they were ill-treated and tortured,” he said.

“Whatever behavioural, psychological or mental problems led to them being patients at Lake Alice, from their accounts it appears that these problems, rather than being treated therapeutically, were aggravated and compounded by how they were tortured and ill-treated, in what was a cruel and malevolent process.

“For most of them, the opportunity to tell someone in a position of responsibility, willing to listen and acknowledge the authenticity of their account of what they were subjected to and how it has affected them, appears to have been a cathartic experience, at least to some degree.”

Erica Stanford, the lead co-ordination minister for the response to the Royal Commission, said it was important survivors had a choice between negotiation and the rapid payments.

“We know no amount of money can ever undo or fully recognise the harm and abuse survivors were subjected to,” she said.

“No government before now has acknowledged torture or apologised for it happening in New Zealand.

“In July last year, we formally acknowledged that torture occurred at the Lake Alice unit as defined in the United Nations Convention Against Torture. A specific redress scheme was established in December for survivors who were tortured at the unit to serve as an expression of our regret as to the many ways in which they were failed.”

Survivors had also received individual apologies and other support as required.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand