Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

A new strategy for how and where Auckland’s southern rural area will grow and change over the next 30 years has been approved by Auckland’s Policy and Planning Committee.  

Franklin ward councillor, Andy Baker, says the Southern Rural Strategy supports the region to accommodate a growing population, while continuing to support a healthy environment and the area’s established and emerging industries, like horticulture, dairy farming and construction.  

“The southern rural area is expected to account for approximately 15 per cent of Auckland’s overall population growth over the next 30 years. At the same time, it is one of the country’s primary food production regions, with abundant natural resources and some of the most productive land in New Zealand. It’s strategic location, close to airports, seaport and key export markets, helps to further cultivate these industries. 

“The strategy provides direction for where housing choices, industries and employment opportunities will grow, in a way that supports the area to thrive economically and ecologically. I’d like to acknowledge the Franklin Local Board, mana whenua, and local communities, businesses and representatives, as well as all who took part in the consultation for their work to help shape the future of Auckland’s southern rural land,” says Cr Baker.  

Auckland Council anticipates an increase of 89,900 people, 37,500 households, and 16,500 jobs in the southern rural region by 2052. Housing capacity to cater for this expected population growth has been enabled by the Auckland Unitary Plan. Over time, areas that have been identified as places where future urban growth – known as ‘future urban areas’ – will also provide additional capacity. 

Deputy chair of Auckland’s Policy and Planning Committee, Angela Dalton, is councillor of the Manurewa-Papakura Ward. She says the strategy supports the southern rural area to grow well. 

“This is a vibrant region, where traditional industries thrive alongside emerging sectors. The strategy is about balanced growth, that minimises the impact on the environment while improving housing choices and socially connected communities. By making the most of existing infrastructure, and focusing on projects that deliver multiple benefits, we’re helping set up the region for a resilient and sustainable future.” 

The strategy covers the full Franklin ward. It also includes some rural land from the Howick, Manurewa, and Papakura local board areas. The area’s quickest growing towns, Drury, Ōpaheke , and Pukekohe, already have community-backed plans to guide their growth, so the strategy does not cover these areas. 

Consultation on the Southern Rural Strategy took place from Tuesday 29 October – Sunday 1 December 2024.

Source: Green Party

Today’s report into last year’s Oranga Tamariki contract procurement process confirms the Government’s brutal cuts were rushed, poorly managed, and made with no concern for the impact on tamariki.

“It is now crystal clear that these cuts have come at the expense of the safety and wellbeing of our children,” says the Green Party spokesperson for Children, Kahurangi Carter.

“All tamariki in Aotearoa have the right to be loved, nurtured and safe in whānau and communities that have what they need to support their wellbeing.

“Today, the Government’s lie that any cuts would not affect front-line services has been completely exposed. We’ve heard from staff on the ground: they’re experiencing increased wait lists, inability for whānau to access services, and distress at the prospect of more tamariki going into state care. 

“Slashing $30 million – nearly six per cent of the budget for contracted services – was never about efficiency. It was about cutting costs to fund tax cuts for wealthy landlords and tobacco companies. 

“Incredibly, the report shows that Oranga Tamariki axed nearly half of the team responsible for contract management and development, directly before a major contracting round, and with no robust systems in place to support it. Not only did this leave providers in chaos, but it left frontline staff unsupported and tamariki at risk.

“The effects of decisions on children and their families are still not known. Let’s be really clear: this was all avoidable. The Minister forced these cuts through, painting these service providers as a ‘cash cow’. 

“Our Green Budget reverses these funding cuts and ensures our tamariki get the care and support they deserve.

“The well-being of our tamariki and rangatahi must be at the centre of decision-making. It really is as simple as that,” says Kahurangi Carter.

Source: Green Party

The Government’s just-passed Social Security Amendment Bill is set to create more benefit sanctions that will push families deeper into poverty. 

“Instead of punching down on the poor like the current Government, we can end poverty and provide everyone with what they need to live good lives,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Social Development and Employment, Ricardo Menéndez March.

“Calling these new sanctions non-financial is misleading, as they’ll still deprive people of the ability to access financial support like hardship grants. It’s a disgrace that the Government is pursuing this despite reports New Zealand ranks near the bottom in child wellbeing.

“We have a plan to provide everyone with what they need to live good lives. Our Income Guarantee would ensure all whānau have the basics for a good life and don’t fall through the gaps. 

“In this country, we have enough to support those who are struggling. Instead of providing the bare essentials for some of our most vulnerable, Christopher Luxon’s Government has chosen to prioritise tax cuts for wealthy landlords and tobacco companies. 

“The Ministry of Social Development has already admitted their frontline capacity is oversubscribed and unable to properly support people due to the traffic light regime the Government has brought in. This will make things even worse. 

“The Green Party will repeal all benefit sanctions and lift incomes to liveable levels. We will build an economy that works for all of us, not just a wealthy few,” says Ricardo Menéndez March.

Source: AUT

AUT today launches the AUT Innovation Fund with an allocation of $5 million to invest into spinout companies and impact initiatives.  
 
Managed by AUT Ventures, the fund will empower some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most innovative minds to commercialise research and transform it into real-world solutions.  
 
Vice-Chancellor Damon Salesa says that growing research impact is a key focus, and the AUT Innovation Fund extends the way that AUT Ventures supports innovation and research commercialisation. “The AUT Innovation Fund is more than just a financial instrument. It’s a signal — to our researchers, our partners, and our country — that AUT is ready to lead. Ready to invest. Ready to go first.”
 
AUT Ventures Chief Executive Michael Fielding says the fund is about accelerating commercialisation, as well as linking research to industry. “It’s a game-changer. The fund lets us back promising ideas and teams at a very early stage, committing support to innovators before they’re ready to seek investment from the angel and VC community. But it’s also going to give us new ways to connect with organisations outside the university.”  
 
The fund is being launched with investments into Dot Ingredients and CONICAL.  
 
Motion Capital is the lead investor in the $350k early funding round in Dot Ingredients, alongside Climate Venture Capital Fund and the AUT Innovation Fund. Formerly known as Spherelose, Dot is the brainchild of Associate Professor Jack Chen, who developed a new way to make critical ingredients for everyday products like soaps, detergents and cosmetics, but using wood pulp instead of petrochemicals or palm oil. Based in laboratories at AUT, the company is currently participating in the Aurora Climate Lab accelerator programme run by Creative HQ, while scaling production and developing new applications.
 
$110,000 will be invested into CONICAL to support the upcoming launch of its indie role-playing game, Faeborne. Launched out of AUT in 2016 by alumnus Alejandro Davila and entirely staffed by AUT graduates, CONICAL quickly gained headlines through the success of its Green Fairy TV series. After earning a reputation for developing cutting edge virtual reality exhibits and activations for businesses across New Zealand and worldwide, Faeborne marks a return to the company’s fairy fantasy origins. Faeborne is a fast-paced, story-driven co-op game centred around the conflict between two fairy sisters in the fantasy realm of Lamparis, and is slated for a multi-platform launch in late 2025.
 
AUT Ventures has appointed Craigs Investment Partners, a leading New Zealand investment manager, to manage the fund’s assets until they’re invested into new innovations. The income generated under Craig’s management will provide grants to AUT researchers to help kickstart new collaborations with businesses, government and NGOs, expanding the pipeline of future commercialisation opportunities.  
 
AUT’s Innovation Fund will be launched at city campus by Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, the Hon. Dr Shane Reti today.  

SOURCE: African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

Source: Christian Solidarity International (CSI)

Source: Skills Group

Skills Group – Ignite and Growing Future Farmers (GFF) have developed a new training programme to meet the learning and development needs of young sheep and beef farmers.

Pending NZQA approval, the first cohort is set to begin as early as July 2025, with the Level 4 programme offering a next-step pathway that builds on the success of GFF’s hands-on model and NZQA Level 2 and 3 qualifications.

It has been co-designed and developed with extensive industry consultation to give young farmers the opportunity to deepen their skills while continuing to work on-farm, helping to strengthen the pipeline of talent and capability within the sector.

GFF CEO Wendy Paul says the new programme is a natural extension of GFF’s founding purpose.

“From day one, GFF has been about creating real career opportunities for young people in farming. This new programme allows us to extend that journey by offering progression while keeping the real-world, on-farm learning that’s central to our model.”

Skills Group – Ignite Director of Vocational Training and Higher Education Mark Worsop says the innovative blended learning programme, combining provider-based and work-based learning is designed to equip young farmers with the necessary skills to take on leadership roles in the agricultural industry.

“With this new programme, graduates will be able to take on increased responsibility says Mark.

The GFF programme is a two-year initiative where students gain practical, hands-on experience working directly on farms. Students, typically aged between 16 and 21 years old, are matched with experienced farm trainers.

“The new Level 4 programme will ensure that graduates are prepared to meet the demands of an ever-evolving agricultural sector by developing management and leadership skills. The programme offers an exciting opportunity for GFF Level 2 and Level 3 graduates to further develop their skills and transition into beef and sheep farm leadership roles,” Mark says.

Graduates of this qualification will be equipped to do a range of things, from coordinating agribusiness activities using appropriate technology to benchmarking a farm’s physical performance and implementing and monitoring a farm environmental plan.

The Level 4 programme is delivered through a blended learning approach. Trainees will benefit from online tuition and academic support provided by expert tutors from Skills Group – Ignite. In addition, they will receive the same level of high-quality pastoral care and in-person support that GFF currently provides.

“This holistic approach ensures that trainees are well-supported academically and personally, as they progress through their studies,” Mark says.

Source: The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA

AUCKLAND – 15 May 2025 – New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), New Zealand’s leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) is growing and making up a disproportionate share of non-negative workplace drug test results.

The proportion of meth detections has jumped since the start of the year:

January: 13.7%
February: 18.2%
March: 24.9%.

Data is taken from TDDA’s Imperans reporting platform. Samples were taken between 1 Jan and 31 March. They are representative of meth detections versus other test results, and encompass a broad set of industries across the nation. 

“Our data is showing us that more people are turning to meth when it comes to the range of drugs available, such as cannabis,” says Glenn Dobson, CEO of TDDA. “The surge is consistent with rising wastewater statistics and confirms that meth supply remains readily available nationwide. When access to supply is this easy, increased consumption often follows. This has serious implications for workplace safety and productivity.”

With meth now accounting for over a fifth of drug-related workplace testing results, and nearly 25% in March alone, employers and regulators alike may need to reassess risk exposure and response.

The top 10 locations showing high instances of methamphetamine detection are:

·        Central North – 30.6%

·        Taranaki – 27.9%

·        Auckland East – 25.8%

·        Taupo/Rotorua – 25%

·        North Harbour – 23.6%

·        Auckland West – 23.2%

·        Northland – 21.7%

·        Canterbury – 20%

·        Southland – 13.7%

·        Otago – 10.5%.

“Our frontline data tells a confronting story, meth use is more than a big-city issue. We’re seeing higher proportions of meth detections in smaller regions like the Central North, The Lakes and Taranaki. This is about safety as well as businesses and communities under pressure. Employers must stay alert, have clear workplace substance policies, and be ready to act on suspicions compliantly and quickly,” says Dobson.

If you suspect meth use at work:

Follow your drug and alcohol policy

Initiate the appropriate procedures as outlined in your policy, which may include a reasonable cause drug test.

Observe and record

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

15 May 2025 – The US-Israel proposition to control the distribution of supplies under the guise of humanitarian aid raises grave humanitarian, ethical, security and legal concerns, says international medical organization Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). 

Source: ExerciseNZ

As the colder months settle in across Aotearoa, ExerciseNZ is encouraging Kiwis to take stock of their winter wellness routines — with a special focus on a crucial yet often overlooked pillar of health: sleep.

New research from Uppsala University, published in Biomarker Research (April 2025), reveals that just three consecutive nights of restricted sleep (approximately 4.25 hours per night) can significantly alter blood biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease — even in young, healthy individuals. Alarmingly, the study also found that regular physical activity does not offset these negative effects, making sleep more important than ever for those with fitness and wellbeing goals.

“As winter rolls in and we shift our routines indoors, we want to remind people that sleep isn’t a luxury — it’s a foundational part of health and recovery,” says Richard Beddie, CEO of ExerciseNZ. “Quality sleep might just be the secret weapon for smashing your fitness goals this winter.” While many Kiwis double down on exercise to combat seasonal lethargy, the combination of colder temperatures, darker days, and disrupted sleep patterns can actually hinder performance and recovery if not managed properly.

In fact, research published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology shows that sleep loss can impair muscle glycogen repletion, reduce time to exhaustion, and decrease strength and aerobic capacity — all of which can compromise training outcomes. The study underscores how sleep enhances performance, cognitive functioning, and outcomes across 1-rep max testing, endurance training, and high-intensity interval workouts.

The Science of Sleep and Exercise: Why Recovery Matters More in Winter

Restricted sleep increases levels of inflammation-related proteins in the blood, raising the risk for cardiovascular issues — even in fit, active people.
Sleep plays a key role in muscle repair, hormone regulation, and mental clarity — all essential to getting the most from your workouts.
A consistent sleep routine can reduce injury risk, support immunity during colder months, and enhance energy levels for winter training.

Top Tips for Winter Wellness:

Prioritise Consistency: Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep each night. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time daily, even on weekends.
Wind Down Naturally: Reduce screen time in the hour before bed. Try stretching, light reading, or mindfulness exercises instead.
Pair Exercise with Recovery: Listen to your body and allow for adequate rest between intense sessions.

This winter, instead of trying to “power through” with more training, ExerciseNZ challenges everyone to train smarter — by recognising the power of rest, especially as the mercury drops.