Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Health Coalition Aotearoa strongly supports Dr Ayesha Verrall’s new Tobacco Transparency Bill, launched this week, which – if supported by a majority of MPs – will help protect public health policy from tobacco industry interference and honour New Zealand’s international commitments.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey will mark the official start of peer support specialists in Waikato Hospital’s Emergency Department in Hamilton today. It makes Waikato Hospital the fifth major hospital to implement the service since September last year.

“We know that this service is making a real difference for people presenting in mental health distress or crisis at busy emergency departments. We are moving quickly to rollout this important service around New Zealand, and it has been incredibly humbling to hear how it’s making a genuine impact for vulnerable Kiwis in a time of need,” Mr Doocey says.

“Having a peer support specialist available to listen and understand what someone is going through, share their story, and reassure them there is a way forward can provide enormous comfort when people need it most. Importantly, they can also better connect people with community mental health services, if needed, and help with a better outcome for the individual. 

“I believe the peer support workforce has been underutilised for too long in New Zealand. There is a big opportunity to better utilise it as we also roll out Crisis Cafes around New Zealand and look to refresh the eating disorders strategy.”

The initiative was first launched at Middlemore Hospital in September 2024, since then services have got underway at Auckland City Hospital, Wellington Hospital and Christchurch Hospital. A further three emergency departments will be added in the near future.

“I’ve been clear that one of the biggest barriers to people accessing timely mental health and addiction support is workforce shortages. While this Government is focused on significantly growing the clinical workforce, we need to make sure we are also looking to innovative ideas, like peers in ED, to make sure we are doing everything we can help New Zealanders access quality support when and where they need it,” Mr Doocey says.

Note to editors: 

• In March 2024, the Government announced that eight Peer Support Specialist services would be stood up across two years using uncommitted funding. Each Peer Support Specialist service is estimated to cost between $300,000 and $500,000 per hospital.
• A $1 million workforce fund has also been set up by the Government to provide Level 4 NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Peer Support) training and specific training for working in emergency departments

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey says people in hard-to-reach and remote communities stand to benefit from an expanded offering of online support following the latest Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund announcement. 
“Today I’m delighted to announce that matched funding has been awarded to digital provider Just a Thought to expand and enhance their online courses to support people facing mental health and addiction challenges,” Mr Doocey says.
“Just a Thought offer 17 digitally delivered, evidence-based therapy courses and have supported over 75,000 New Zealanders since they launched in 2019. These online courses offer free and quick access to anyone seeking mental health and addiction support, providing an additional support option alongside face-to-face services.
“Hard-to-reach and remote communities can face barriers accessing the help they need and have unmet need. Initiatives like this are exactly what the Innovation Fund was designed to support, and I look forward to seeing this service scale-up and reach more Kiwis in their time of need.”
The funding will allow Just a Thought to develop new wellbeing courses helping with things like manage stress, wellbeing and promoting mindfulness. The courses are free and available to anyone. While round one of the fund has almost wrapped up, round two with a Request for Proposal is scheduled to be released soon.
“For round two applications, we’ve lowered the minimum matched investment from $250,000 to $100,000 to open access to a wider range of providers. This is another example of the Government’s commitment to exploring new ways to fund and grow mental health support, including through coinvestment,” Mr Doocey says. 
“As Minister for Mental Health, I am focused on increasing access to mental health and addiction support. The Innovation Fund is one of the ways we are partnering with Non-Government Organisations to deliver innovative projects and initiatives that bring faster access to better mental health and addiction support for communities right across the country.” 

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious four-vehicle crash on SH29, in Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park. 

Police were called about 6.40am. 

Initial indications are one person has sustained serious injuries, while several others have sustained moderate or minor injuries. 

The road is blocked and traffic management is in place.

Motorists should avoid the area, or expect delays.

ENDS 

Issued by Police Media Centre 

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

The space and advanced aviation sectors added more than $2.5 billion to the New Zealand economy last year, a report released today by Space Minister Judith Collins shows.

The Deloitte/Space TrailBlazer Innovation for Growth, Charting the Space and Advanced Aviation Sectors report showed the space sector contributed $2.47b to the economy in the 2023-24 financial year.

The advanced aviation sector, which includes emerging aviation technologies and overlaps with the space sector, contributed $480 million.

“The report showed our fast-growing space sector with revenue increasing by 53 percent in the five years to 2024 – a faster rate than the world’s space economy,” Ms Collins says.

“This is a success story we should be proud as it shows the sector is creating jobs for New Zealanders, attracting billions of dollars of investment into New Zealand, and driving innovation and scientific advancement.

“We want to keep up the momentum, which is why we set the ambitious target of doubling the size of New Zealand’s space and advanced aviation sectors by 2030.”

The space sector’s year-on-year revenue growth of nearly 9 percent since 2019 was largely driven by increases in space manufacturing, operations and applications. The report, commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, also found New Zealand’s space sector is commercially led and homegrown, with 78 percent of survey respondents saying more than half their workforce is local.

“As the sector grows, so does the number of people and communities it supports. The space sector now supports 17,000 jobs in New Zealand’s economy, up from 12,000 in 2019,” Ms Collins says.

“Whether it’s a research lab, a drone manufacturer, or a rocket launch pad, there are some amazing companies and an immense depth of talent working in the space and advanced aviation sectors throughout the country.

“Last year the Government signalled our intention to support the sector through a light-touch regulatory approach. We have natural advantages of clear skies and geography, and we want to give innovators the flexibility to test their ideas and continue driving growth.”

“It’s also important we encourage the next generation to consider careers in the space and advanced aviation sectors.  

“Applications for the Prime Minister’s Space Prizes open on 12 May. These prizes recognise and encourage innovative expertise for professionals and students, and I’d encourage people to apply,” Ms Collins says.

The Innovation for Growth, Charting the Space and Advanced Aviation sectors report is available on the MBIE website.

Note to Editors

The attached infographic (PDF) shows high-level information on the space and advanced aviation sectors from the report.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the man who died in a crash on Horotiu Road, Te Kowhai on 29 April.

He was 65-year-old David James Kingi, of Waipawa.

Our thoughts are with those close to him at this time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Saddle Road between Ashurst and Woodville is closed due to a serious two vehicle collision.

Emergency services received reports of the crash at 5:20pm, in which one person is believed to be critically injured.

Motorists are advised to avoid travel if possible as the only diversion is through the Pahiatua Track.

ENDS

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Senior Sergeant Fane Troy, Taupo Area Road Policing Manager:

Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to Wookeun Kim in the Auckland District Court yesterday.

Mr Kim was the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash at Mangakino on 21 April which killed one person and seriously injured another.

He was disqualified from driving for 15 months and ordered to pay $10,000 in reparations to the surviving victim, who remains in hospital.

Police are glad that this matter was able to be resolved in a timely fashion. 

These crashes are traumatic for all people involved.

We would like to thank all those people who were involved in attending to the injured people at the crash scene – your efforts do not go unnoticed.

Members of the public who call police around poor driving are to be commended. If you see dangerous driving or driving that causes concern please ring 111.

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Source: Argument for Lifting NZ Super Age

People travelling on State Highway 6 between Hira and Rai Valley can expect to see contractors on site on the Whangamoa Saddle later this month.

Further resilience improvements are planned for the route from Monday, 19 May, with Stage Two of an ongoing programme set to begin.

Rob Service, System Manager Nelson/Tasman says this is a fragile section of State Highway 6 – a key corridor across the top of the South Island. 

“This area is prone to washouts and underslips and stormwater is a major threat. This project will see  new drainage works designed to control and redirect water flows that occur during heavy rain. The aim is to prevent uncontrolled erosion and damage to the highway.”

“Retaining and guiding stormwater flows to engineered discharge points helps reduce this risk,” Mr Service says.

This work will be undertaken at five separate sites over a nine-week period. 

Work on these sites, between Hira and the top of the Whangamoa Saddle will be completed by the end of July, weather permitting. Work will be staggered with only two sites operating at the same time.

Mr Service says the  project will affect traffic and travel times.

“This is unavoidable. We cannot do this sort of work without affecting the road and drivers. However, we always try to minimise disruption as much as possible

Drivers travelling between Nelson and Blenheim, while the work is underway from mid-May and the end of July must allow extra time for their journey with delays of up to 10 minutes at each site.

“This is particularly important for people travelling to the ferries or for hospital appointments.”

Mr Service appreciates this work will cause disruption but says it is essential for protecting and improving a critical transport link.

“Since the 2022 floods, we have made a significant investment in improving and protecting this route. This continues that investment, and more work is planned later this year. Please bear with us while our contractors work hard to complete this project.”

Contractors will return to the site in September to complete Stage Three of the project. This involves the construction and installation of concrete beams, which must be done when the weather conditions are warmer and drier.

Works schedule

• 24/7 stop/go traffic lights and a reduced temporary speed limit at each site.
• Delays of up to 10 minutes at each site.
• Work hours 7 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. No work will be done during public holidays – King’s Birthday or Matariki.

View larger map [PDF, 200 KB]

More information

• This work is funded by the Crown Resilience Programme – a $419 million investment package of resilience improvement activities that will reduce the impact of severe weather events on our national roading networks. The total crown resilience programme comprises $279 million for activities on State Highways, and $140 million for activities on Local Roads – Crown Resilience Programme (CRP)(external link)
• Other resilience works recently completed in the top of the South Island include flood prevention works on State Highway 1 at Dashwood in Marlborough, State Highway 6 at Dellows Bluff and State Highway 63 near the Wash Bridge in the Wairau Valley. Rock scaling work on State Highway 65 at Higgins Bluff was completed earlier this month with rock scaling work on State Highway 63 at Howard Narrows also planned to begin in May.