Category: MIL-OSI

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Aid is under attack – meet Pacific community leaders implementing Kiwi funded aid – ChildFund

Source: ChildFund New Zealand

Join ChildFund for a special session on New Zealand’s aid in the Pacific.
Pacific community leaders from Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are visiting New Zealand to talk about their projects funded by the New Zealand public and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Aid is under attack.
They will be joined by geo-political experts for a frank discussion – what’s working, what’s not, and how do we navigate the volatile geo-politics in our region.
Venue: ChildFund, 2 Kitchener St, Level 3, Auckland CBD, 1010
Date: Wednesday 7 May
Time: 4pm-5:30pm (nibbles and drinks provided)
Join us for a spirited discussion:
Sharon Inone – National Geographic Society’s Explorer of the Year. CEO of Greenergy Pacific, a community organisation leading development and climate projects in Temotu Province, Solomon Islands. Sharon came home after working at the United Nations in New York, because she ‘wanted to get things done faster’ and bring clean water to the island where she grew up.
Teima Onorio – Country Director of ChildFund Kiribati. Leads water and food security projects in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, plus projects to up-skill young people. Teima works closely with the Kiribati government.
Robert Oliver – Global Executive Director and host of Pacific Island Food Revolution. Robert’s ‘Masterchef’ type TV show promoted healthy local food, and has helped lower rates of non-communicable-diseases in the Pacific. Robert’s new TV projects will focus on supply chains and markets for Pacific food.
Joanna Bourke – CEO of Pacific Cooperation Foundation, an organisation that amplifies Pacific voices, and builds partnerships between government, business, and communities. With a background in tourism, international trade, and Pacific development, Joanna brings business and community together, both in New Zealand and the Pacific.
Josie Pagani – CEO of ChildFund with more than 25 years’ experience in development and politics. Also, a geo-political media commentator with a fortnightly column in the Post.
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Health – Sydney to host major surgical event focused on innovation and excellence

Source: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

Sydney will host one of the largest surgical conferences in the southern hemisphere when the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) brings its 93rd Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) to the International Convention Centre from Saturday 3 to Tuesday 6 May 2025.

This year’s theme, Innovation. Precision. Excellence., reflects the event’s future-focused program and its role as a key connection and collaboration point for surgeons across all nine RACS specialties.

More than 1600 surgeons, Trainees and healthcare leaders from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond are expected to attend, with 253 new Fellows – the largest cohort in recent years – to be formally welcomed at the Convocation Ceremony on Saturday evening.

“ASC 2025 is designed to inspire and challenge,” says congress convener Professor Henry Woo.

“It’s a chance for surgeons to connect across specialties and geographies, hear from international leaders, and explore how innovation and leadership are shaping the future of care—from operating theatres to entire health systems.”

This year’s program puts a spotlight on cross-disciplinary collaboration, with sessions covering robotics and AI in surgery, rural surgical innovation, Indigenous health, and leadership development.

Event highlights include:

Dr Glaucomflecken (Dr Will Flanary), a US ophthalmologist and viral medical comedian, presenting Dr Glaucomflecken’s incredibly uplifting and really fun guide to American healthcare on Sunday 4 May at 4pm. A cancer survivor and healthcare satirist, Dr Glaucomflecken brings a unique dual perspective as both clinician and patient. This ticketed plenary session is open to the general public.
A surgical affair: question time with Tony Jones, a high-profile panel session chaired by veteran journalist Tony Jones, follows directly after. The discussion will tackle elective surgery waitlists and workforce challenges, with panellists including Australian Medical Council President Dr Danielle McMullen, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Michael Holland MP, and Queensland Health Chief Medical Officer Associate Professor Catherine McDougall.

The Congress also features a strong line-up of international speakers:

  • Dr Callisia Clarke (USA) on diversity and political division in healthcare.
  • Dr Doug Anderson (USA) on the future of xenotransplantation.
  • Dr Ian Currie (UK) on innovations in organ donation and retrieval.
  • Dr Stephen Wexner (USA), one of the most cited colorectal surgeons globally.
  • Professor Hyung Seok Park (South Korea) on robotic breast surgery.

RACS ASC is recognised as the College’s flagship educational event and one of the most significant surgical meetings in the region. It showcases the latest in surgical research, innovation and practice, while providing a platform for shared learning, professional connection and leadership.

Media are welcome to attend keynote sessions, speaker interviews and selected panels.

Find out more about the RACS ASC: RACS Annual Scientific Congress: https://asc.surgeons.org

About the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

RACS is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The College is a not-for-profit organisation that represents more than 8000 surgeons and 1300 surgical trainees and Specialist International Medical Graduates. RACS also supports healthcare and surgical education in the Asia-Pacific region and is a substantial funder of surgical research. There are nine surgical specialties in Australasia being: Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Urology and Vascular Surgery. www.surgeons.org

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Federated Farmers – Carbon forestry loopholes must be closed

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers welcomes the Government’s commitment to halt the locking up of high-quality farmland in carbon forest, but says loopholes remain.
“Today’s announcement from the Government that it’s still on track to ban full farm-to-forest conversions is good news,” say Toby Williams, Federated Farmers meat and wool chair.
“If we keep losing communities to carbon forestry, we’ll be left with towns without schools, sports clubs or doctors. It sucks the life out of our rural communities.
“Farmers are also increasingly reporting that carbon farming brings with it other issues like out-of-control pig and deer numbers, wildfire risk, and rampant wilding pines.
“A lot of properties seem to be planted without any intention to ever harvest. They’re just chasing a quick carbon farming buck.”
Although pleased with the coming restrictions, Williams says questions remain over their effectiveness at banning carbon farming.
“While we welcome the commitment by the Government, it is becoming clear that foresters are quickly looking for any loopholes that remain.
“The idea that buying seedlings before December 2024 is an intention to plant is an absolute joke. The Government need to close this loophole that being exploited.
“If a forester didn’t own the land, they can’t have had any real commitment to plant it. Having a contract on seedlings shouldn’t be accepted.
“We’re also hearing stories of farmland being bought for conversion to forestry, with the intention of on selling to foreign investors to get around overseas investment rules.
“If the Government are serious about supporting our farmers and rural communities, they need to move quickly to firmly close these loopholes,” Williams says.  
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Universities – Mushroom testing could be magic – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Scientists are researching how best to identify mushroom species as a basis for a potential drug-checking service.

Magic mushrooms are coming under the microscope, as scientists at the University of Auckland forage for evidence to support a drug-checking service with the goal of reducing harm.

Doctoral student Sam Lasham will research the science and the acceptability of such a service.

“We’d like to work out the effectiveness of a magic mushroom drug-checking service and the best way to run that, and, in the case of people who are seeking mental health benefits, reduce the risks and offer advice on safe consumption,” Lasham says.

Lasham’s interest grew out of his studies at the University of Otago in genetics and botany and focused on Aotearoa New Zealand’s indigenous mushrooms.

“I was using environmental DNA from soil across our native beech forests in the South Island to estimate where species were and what species were around.

“A lot of that research was focused on DNA sequencing and something called ‘DNA barcoding’, which is using short genetic sequences to identify species.

“That’s what has led into this, because the most important thing, from a safety perspective, is making sure you’ve got the right species of mushroom, and you haven’t got a common lookalike that’s poisonous.”

At the same time, Lasham became interested in illicit use of psilocybin mushrooms and the need for harm-reduction measures, founding Students for Sensible Drug Policy Aotearoa in Dunedin.

There has been increasing interest in the potential benefits of hallucinogenic mushrooms, including studies of microdosing for mental health and creativity at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Magic mushrooms are typically either grown from spores or foraged, then prepared in various ways to preserve them and enhance their effects.

The active ingredient, psilocybin, is relatively benign, but mushrooms contain other pharmacologically active compounds.

Adverse effects can include nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and headaches.
If foraging, the biggest risk is accidentally picking a poisonous look-a-like species.

“Galerina are the best example of this as they are very similar to Psilocybe subaeruginosa but they contain some of the same toxins (amatoxins) as the death cap mushroom,” Lasham says.

There are numerous reports of a syndrome termed ‘wood-lovers paralysis’, which seems to be caused by species of psilocybin mushrooms that grow on wood.

Lasham is based in the School of Pharmacy using the lab to identify the constituent parts of various types of mushrooms.

He is working in senior lecturer Dr Rhys Ponton’s research group, which holds the only drug-checking licence specifically for research purposes in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“People can bring their mushroom samples in and know they are legally protected while we are doing a full, confidential and free check of their drugs,” Lasham says.

“We can test the samples to make sure they’re not a poisonous species and also to tell them what dose they have got, which will be another innovation that’s not currently being offered in any drug-checking service.”

The researchers will interview and survey people across the country to see how mushrooms are being consumed, what mushrooms people are using, how they’re using them and what sort of effects they are getting.

An advisory group of people with lived experience of mushroom use will guide how the research is set up, implemented and interpreted.

The research is supported by funding from the HRC and Ember Innovations.

Success in the lab could enable a ‘know your mushrooms’ service to run in a similar way to current drug-checking services at festivals, events and in the community.

Find out more about the study here: http://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/fmhs/research/research-study-recruitment/research-study-recruitment–m—p-/magic-mushroom-drug-checking-study.html

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Weather News – Friday and weekend weather outlook – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Friday 2nd – Monday 5th May
 
Key Stats
• Canterbury saw 100 to 200 mm of rain between Wednesday and Friday morning, while parts of Banks Peninsula saw up to 300 mm
• On 30 April, Christchurch (80.2 mm) and Ashburton (105.4 mm) saw their wettest April day on record. For Ashburton, it was their wettest day in at least 19 years, while Christchurch records go back to 1943
• The wettest parts of Wellington recorded between 120 and 150 mm of rain in that time, with the largest accumulation in Wainuiomata
• On Thursday, at 118 km/h, Wellington Airport got their strongest southerly wind since 2013
• Waves of 12 metres were measured off Baring Head in Wellington on Thursday

After days of heavy rain, fierce winds, and widespread warnings, Aotearoa New Zealand is in for a change. MetService is forecasting an easing trend later today (Friday), with the wettest and windiest weather on the way out in time for the weekend.

While rain and strong winds remain in the mix – including heavier showers and thunderstorms with hail in the upper North Island, conditions are expected to gradually settle later in the day and into the weekend – offering a much-needed window for clean-up efforts and a return to something closer to normal.

South Island
After a very wet couple of days in Canterbury, breaks in the rain can be expected today, with the bulk of the showers expected to have cleared by the end of the day.  However, temperatures remain on the chilly side, with daytime highs hovering in the low to mid-teens.

The weekend brings a mostly dry forecast for many parts of the South Island. Some showers may return to parts of Canterbury, especially around the foothills and Banks Peninsula on Saturday night into Sunday morning. But with patches of sunshine also expected, the coming days should help support any recovery work. A brief front clips the far south (Southland and Otago) with showers from Saturday into Sunday morning.

North Island
Friday brings showers for Northland, Auckland, and the top of the Coromandel Peninsula — some heavy at times with thunderstorms and hail — before a clearing trend sets in during the evening.

After a wild and windy night, the worst of the winds have moved off the North Island. That said, it will still be gusty today for Wellington and Wairarapa, as strong southwesterlies continue — though more in line with what’s considered ‘typical’ for the region.

An Orange Heavy Rain Warning remains in place for Wairarapa until 3pm Friday, and rain and showers ease towards evening. Large waves along the Wellington and Wairarapa coasts are expected to gradually ease through Friday, though coastal conditions in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti Gisborne remain rough through Saturday evening.

Looking ahead to the weekend, most of the North Island can expect a settled spell. Eastern areas may still see a few showers, and Wellington and Northland could get some early showers on Saturday. But for many, Sunday looks sunny — a chance to finally tackle that laundry backlog or spend time outdoors.

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Pulling together to get through

Source:

Ahakoa whati te manga, e takoto ana anō te kōhiwi.

Although the branch is broken off, the trunk remains

“Misfortunes will not undermine an individual or group if the foundations are strong”

 (Elder, H., 2020:36)

Kia ora koutou te whānau ō Te Wehengarua,

Ko Kathleen West ahau nō Kiririroa. I came to the Field Officer role from the classroom. I began the pandemic online teaching across three different time zones around the world.  Online drama teaching is no small feat! 

Now I work in branches in Central Plateau, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions.  

All of those who know me, know how I love to talk, however, that affinity does not translate into putting words onto paper for the critical lens of thousands of my peers, whose eyes, we know, subconsciously check grammar as they read.

Acknowledging members’ incredible resilience

At a regional zui recently I heard the stories of our whānau who have spent the last two years in the epi-centre of COVID-19/ngāngāra  in NZ, and the whole next level of their endurance in teaching was humbling to say the least, so I put my hand up to write this article.

Unfortunately I don’t come bearing answers, I just want to acknowledge, personally, on behalf of my regions and our Association, the incredible resilience, compassion and collectivism of teachers around Aotearoa. 

You have navigated the quicksand of MoE advice for managing COVID-19 in our schools, the expectations for the changes to NCEA, the launch of Te Hurihanganui, the loss of unvaccinated colleagues and successfully running paid union meetings in branches!

Thank you to our branch chairs, (and those who have stepped up in their absence) who have been supporting members with a raft of issues such as vaccination mandates, hybrid learning expectations, workload, use of non-contacts for relief cover, mask mandates, health & safety plans, and not the least of which, our reactions to situations in school when coupled with exhaustion and heightened anxiety.  ‘Being kind’ can be a big ask when you’re struggling to cope.

Drawing on the strength of collectivism

This is why the whakatauakī from Dr Hinemoa Elder’s book Aroha resonated with me.  Now more than ever, we need to seek the strength of the collective in our branches.  When we are under the pump we need to collaborate, have more eyes, minds and hands working together.

Branch chairs can’t be expected to shoulder being the sole disseminator of information or support for fellow members.  Other members can help by, for example, reading the daily MoE bulletin and being able to assimilate it and the ramifications for the next day at school with the branch.  Instead of leaving it up to the branch chair, other members could collectively work with school leaders to ensure they understand their responsibilities as employers as they too scramble to meet the changing expectations and challenges for schools.

Top tips from this Field Officer

“Breathe.  Breathe before you speak.  Breathe before you hit send.  Breathe!”

And don’t stop reaching out to your Field Officer – you are who we are here for.

Ngā manākitanga

Kathleen West

Last modified on Wednesday, 17 May 2023 09:12

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Tapping into the part-time potential

Source:

“I’m having a ball.”

That’s not something you hear often when talking to a secondary teacher at the moment, but it’s how Northland Maths and Science teacher Hazel McIntosh describes her current part-time role.

Hazel, who stopped teaching full time in 2019, says she  would usually prefer to relieve rather than work part-time because normally  part-time teachers get taken advantage of. “I live in a rural area so I would be be physically at the school for the whole day. So even though you’re not being paid for the whole day you are there on site and regarded as available.

Attractive conditions make it worthwhile

“I accepted a part-time position this year because the school has made it attractive by giving me the conditions that make it manageable and worthwhile for me.” Hazel teaches 11 hours a week, with Wednesdays off and she has pro-rata non-contact time. The school accepted everything she asked for because they were desperate, having employed a teacher who was overseas but could not get back due to COVID-19 restrictions. In the same week that she accepted her current position, she was called by two other schools wanting to employ her.

“We are in a very unusual situation of being given the terms and conditions which enable us to be genuinely part-time. If I didn’t have these conditions, relieving would be far more attractive because there is no preparation, no marking, no meetings, no pastoral care. Comparing part-time with relief teaching is like chalk and cheese.

“But I actually prefer part-time teaching to relieving because I miss the actual teaching. I much prefer being able to suport learning for the kids. I miss thinking about how I’m going to get a particular science concept over to the students. I miss the relationship you have with the students and being fully part of the school. Even if you’re relieving at the same school all the time,  you’re not really part of the school.

Need to face workforce facts

“When I’m relieving outside my subject area some poor HoD has to prepare the lessons, it’s not making good use of my skills and we are not doing students any favours. I feel like I am a wasted resource. Everyone loses.”

Hazel says schools need to think about hiring more part-time teachers and creating more job sharing positions.  “Schools need to face the fact that we have an ageing teaching population. There are a lot of us older teachers who cannot meet the demands of full time teaching as it is a physically exhausting job, but we are a very useful part of the workforce who could really support the team in a lot of subject areas –  if you make part-time teaching attractive for us.”

Last modified on Wednesday, 17 May 2023 09:11

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Secondary teachers welcome NCEA timeline changes

Source:

 “Introducing new standards for literacy and numeracy in 2024, at the same time as full implementation of the new Level 1 NCEA, makes great sense. We have advocated strongly for the timeline to be changed to enable that to happen. We are pleased Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti has agreed to  the change.

“Secondary teachers support the new standards. They are a significant step towards ensuring rangatahi leave school equipped with basic literacy and numeracy skills. But they must be tested and evaluted adequately so they work. The new timeline is a great help in that regard.

“The new timeline will mean that more piloting of the new standards can be done next year so teachers will be more familiar with them and what is expected.

“Far from the return to normal that we had hoped for, this year has been another one of huge disruption for ākonga and kaiako.” This change will benefit ākonga as there will be more time to test the new requirements and ensure they are right, before they are implemented in all schools.”

 

Last modified on Wednesday, 17 May 2023 09:12

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Urgent solutions needed to make schools safer

Source:

“Recent incidents show that levels of violence in our school communities are escalating.  Schools are meant to be places where students feel safe in an environment that enables them to bring their best selves to the fore.  I’m horrified and saddened that this does not seem to be the case for increasing numbers of students and staff.

“One student bringing a knife or any kind of weapon to school is one too many. The fact that students feel they need to protect themselves in such a way is seriously concerning, and the harm they are willing to inflict on others along with the impact on the school community, is even more so.

“Sadly, incidents such as this are not isolated and in fact show how widespread violence is becoming in our school communities. It can instil huge fear in students, makes teachers’ work even more stressful and it needs to be addressed urgently.

“Schools need a lot more pastoral support at the grassroots level – more experienced and skilled school counsellors working with both students and their families. Schools are in many ways the heart of their communities and reflect what is going on within communities, particularly the uncertainty, economic stress, and anxiety.

“This means that schools are having to deal with increasingly complex and serious social issues. Schools desperately need the support and resources that will enable them to become models of the environment our rangatahi deserve, rather than mirrors of some of the worst elements of our society.”

Last modified on Wednesday, 17 May 2023 09:12

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Politics and Human Rights – Chilling Government proposal to remove voting rights

Source: Amnesty International

Yesterday news broke that the Government is proposing a total ban on voting for people in prison. Currently people in prison who are serving less than three years are able to vote.
The proposed blanket ban is a breach of human rights. The High Court has previously ruled it is an unjustifiable limitation on the rights protected by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and made a “declaration of inconsistency”, which was upheld in a Supreme Court decision. The 2023 Independent Electoral Review stated all prisoners should have the right to vote.
Lisa Woods, Movement Building and Advocacy Director for Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, said:
“This is disturbing. Despite a raft of decisions and advice saying it breaches people’s human rights, the Government is still proposing this blanket ban, which will disproportionately harm Māori. The right to vote is a fundamental right. This Government’s proposal is chilling.
This policy is also incoherent. We’re seeing the stacking of punishment on top of punishment, when the focus should be on rehabilitation.
It fundamentally undermines human dignity. We all want a sense of agency. We all want respect and to have a say in the decisions that influence our lives. 
When systems are designed so we can all make a meaningful contribution, we can all benefit in so many ways, including more well-rounded and informed decision-making, stronger communities and feelings of belonging and connection.
Ultimately, we’re concerned that this is part of a wider raft of laws, policies and practices stripping away the foundations of our society.
We have to see the big picture and seriously question what path this is leading us down as a society. We must take a stand for the type of society we want. Te Tiriti provides a starting point – a strong foundation that offers a place for us all to belong, for respectful relationships to flourish and a just foundation for how we can make decisions together.”