Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Maritime New Zealand

Last month we issued a new guide for the Marine Protection Rules Part 170: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships. This guide explains what vessel owners, operators, and skippers need to do to comply with Part 170 rule requirements.

Source: New Zealand Government

A bill to make it easier to find and comply with the law and to digitise government services by improving access to secondary legislation has passed its first reading, Attorney-General Judith Collins says.

“Secondary legislation includes regulations and many types of orders, rules, exemptions, bylaws, notices and instruments with many different names,” Ms Collins says.

“The Legislation Amendment Bill promotes high-quality legislation for New Zealand that is easy to find, use and understand.

“Currently most secondary legislation is drafted and published by agencies and is difficult to access. In fact, no one knows how much there is, with estimates ranging from 7500-10,000 published by about 100 government and non-government agencies, plus every local authority.

“Some is published on the agency’s website, some is published in the New Zealand Gazette or in newspapers or, sometimes, it appears to not be publicly available at all.

“These variable publication arrangements undermine the rule of law, increase compliance costs, hamper digital government and impair scrutiny of delegated law-making powers.”

“The bill will standardise publication practices, making it a requirement that secondary legislation drafted by agencies is published on the agency website or another approved internet site.”

Alongside the Bill, the Parliamentary Counsel Office is redeveloping the official New Zealand legislation website using data collection technology to find, index and link agency-published secondary legislation and make it searchable from the website.

A public demo of the new legislation website is available for users to test and already includes a lot of agency-published secondary legislation. 

“This will turn the website into a one-stop shop for legislation matters,” Ms Collins says.

“My vision is that the public will soon only need to visit one website to find all New Zealand legislation and related information.”

Source: New Zealand Government

The NZ-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) legislation has passed into law today, clearing the way for Kiwi exporters to tap into a $500 billion market that imports 90 per cent of its food, Agriculture, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay announced. 

“The NZ-UAE CEPA delivers real benefits for New Zealand exporters, lowering costs, increasing access, and securing a stronger presence in the Middle East,” Mr McClay says.

This is the highest-quality, and fastest, agreement negotiated by New Zealand that will immediately remove tariffs on 98.5 per cent of New Zealand’s exports upon entry to force, rising to 99 per cent in three years. 

“This high-quality trade agreement builds on New Zealand’s strengths. UAE consumers are actively seeking safe, fresh products from around the world and are willing to pay more for them. This agreement gives New Zealand exporters an opportunity to lead in this competitive market,” Mr McClay says.

Two-way trade between New Zealand and the UAE was worth $1.35 billion last year, and CEPA will accelerate growth by reducing red tape, boosting services trade, and supporting investment links.

“Trade agreements are about opening doors and levelling the playing field for New Zealand exporters,” Mr McClay says.

“The CEPA is another step toward achieving the Government’s goal of doubling the value of exports in 10 years. Growing our trade relationships helps boost the economy, lift incomes, and provide the public services Kiwis deserve.”

The CEPA will enter into force following ratification procedures by both parties. 

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

A Porirua poacher found with 619 pāua he intended to sell, has been sent to prison for 2 years and 6 months. 

Ruteru Sufia (63) was sentenced in the Porirua District Court today on 4 charges under the Fisheries Act and one charge under the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries. The Court also banned him from all forms of fishing for 3 years.

In November 2022, Fishery Officers carried out a search warrant at Mr Sufia’s home and found 65 pāua in a freezer along with 554 shucked pāua in another freezer.

“This was a large amount of pāua, more than 60 times the daily catch limit and more than 30 times the accumulation limit. Also, 45 of the pāua found were undersize. 

While on bail on those charges, Mr Sufia was caught with a further 48 pāua, with 29 less than the minimum legal size. Mr Sufia was sentenced today on all matters.

“Mr Sufia intended to sell this seafood, which is also illegal. We have zero tolerance for poachers – they affect the sustainability of our shared fisheries, and they affect people who legitimately trade in seafood,” says Fisheries New Zealand regional manager, Fisheries Compliance, Phil Tasker.

“Mr Sufia claimed the pāua in his freezer was for a wedding in Auckland, an explanation the court didn’t believe. Mr Sufia’s offending was deliberate. He wasn’t concerned with legal size and catch limits; he was driven by financial gain from poaching this pāua. 

When we find evidence of illegal fishing – you can be assured that we will investigate and depending on the circumstances, place the matter before the court,” Mr Tasker says.

Ruteru Sufia has a long record of breaking fisheries rules with over 35 offences dealt with by MPI over a number of years.

MPI encourages people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry’s 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 476 224)

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328

Source: New Zealand Government

Almost a month ago, on 24 June 2025, we delivered our most recent Ministerial statement on the Middle East to this House.

At that time, the world was grappling with Israel and Iran bombing each another. New Zealanders were in harm’s way. The spectre of escalation and a wider regional war was very real. Back then, we called for de-escalation, dialogue and ceasefire. Thankfully, the United States was able to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran – and that wider regional war has, for the time being at least, been avoided.

A month later, though, we continue to be confronted by horrifying scenes playing out in Gaza.

We have the horror of innocent Israeli families, robbed of their loved ones in October 2023 by Hamas’ heinous and immoral hostage taking, still yearning and demanding for them to be freed.

And we have the horror of more and more innocent Palestinian civilians starving, being deprived of their basic needs, and being killed every day – because Israel’s military response to the events of October 7 2023 long ago ceased to be proportionate, reasonable or moral; and because Hamas continues to act with complete disregard for civilian life.

The international community is united in its revulsion to what is happening in Gaza. This horror must end. Too many lives have been lost. Too many people have been traumatised, polarised and embittered – ensuring that yet another generation of Israeli and Palestinian children are born into a situation of insufferable conflict and enmity.

That is why New Zealand has come together with Foreign Ministers from 27 other countries to state as clearly as we can that enough is enough. That this war must end now. That this suffering is intolerable.

In that joint statement, we condemned Hamas’ continued detention of Israeli hostages and called for their immediate and unconditional release.

And we condemned Israel’s policies which are leading to untold and unimaginable suffering and death among Palestinian civilians – and we called for it to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

The international community is joined by an overwhelming majority of Israelis and Palestinians in wanting an immediate ceasefire. That is understandable because only a negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing Israeli hostages home and of ending the immense suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

New Zealand has always accepted that it has limited influence over the course of this generations-long conflict. The Middle East is a long way away from New Zealand. But we can and must still do our part. And New Zealand’s position has, for decades, been consistent: we want dialogue, we want diplomacy, we want negotiation, and we want a two-state solution.

We call out all actions which undermine the conditions for a two-state solution. This New Zealand government has designated the entirety of Hamas, whose stated objectives include the complete destruction of Israel, as a terrorist organisation. We have also put in place travel bans against Israeli Ministers who have taken concrete steps to undermine the two-state solution by advocating illegal settlements and settler violence.

As today’s joint statement by 28 Foreign Ministers says: we strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the occupied Palestinian Territories. Such steps seek to undermine the two-state solution, and they must stop.

The only way forward is an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. Human suffering is indiscriminate. In this conflict it has been inflicted in vast quantities on Israelis and Palestinians; Jews, Muslims and Christians. Further bloodshed serves absolutely no purpose. It must stop.

New Zealand, with our partners, reaffirms our complete support for the efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt to achieve a ceasefire. We wish them well in this important task.

And, ultimately, what we must see is a political pathway towards peace for Israelis and Palestinians, living securely side by side. Only then can this long-running cycle of conflict be ended – in the hope that the next generation of Israeli and Palestinian children can know better, brighter days.

No matter how hopeless the situation seems, that must be the international community’s objective. And New Zealand will continue to do what it can to contribute to those efforts.

Thank you.

Source: New Zealand Government

Tēnā koutou katoa. Shalom. As-salamu alaykum.

I would like to acknowledge:

Your Excellency, The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro
His Excellency Dr Richard Andrew
Faith and community leaders – Ibrar Sheikh, President of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand, and Phillip Green from the New Zealand Jewish Community Security Group Charitable Trust
Police Commissioner, Richard Chambers
Dr Melissa Derby, Race Relations Commissioner
Parliamentary colleagues
And other distinguished guests

It is a real honour to be here today as the Minister for Ethnic Communities for the signing of the Harmony and Peace Accord between Jewish and Muslim organisations.  

This is a significant and brave stand taken by leaders of deep conviction, against division, hatred, and fear.

To the leaders here today, you have my deepest respect. 

Your commitment to dialogue, to mutual respect, and to standing together in difficult times is something we can all learn from. Thank you for your leadership and for the example you have set.

At a time when global conflicts have placed immense strain on many communities worldwide, and where we are seeing growing Islamophobia and Antisemitism, you have chosen the right pathway for us as country – a path guided by responsibility, not reaction. In doing so, you have shown the very best of leadership.

As Minister, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Jewish and Muslim communities. I have seen firsthand efforts to confront hate that our communities are facing in day-to-day life here in New Zealand. 

We acknowledge the pain and pressure felt by our communities, and we understand the deep emotions tied to what is happening in other parts of the world. 

This is where our shared values as a country must be a shield to protect our communities, our children and those who are frightened by global conflict to ensure that those conflicts are not imported into New Zealand and do not become divisions of our own.

We are a country shaped by diversity. Whether your ancestors arrived centuries ago or just last year, New Zealand is home to people of every ethnicity, every background, and every faith. That is our strength. And we are guided by Kiwi values – manaakitanga, fairness, and giving everyone a fair go. We believe in respect, in dialogue, and in treating each other with dignity, regardless of difference.

But these values aren’t passive. They are upheld by action. Every New Zealander, whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, or of no faith, has a responsibility to help keep our country peaceful and united. That means standing up against hate crime, against racism, and against violence – wherever it tries to take root.

We are fortunate to live in a democracy – one that protects freedom of speech and the right to protest. These are pillars of our society. But with those freedoms comes responsibility: to protest peacefully, to speak respectfully, and to never let those freedoms be twisted into a licence for hatred or intimidation.

Our diversity should never divide us. Whether you are a Jewish Kiwi, a Muslim Kiwi, or a Christian Kiwi, we are, first and foremost, Kiwis. And as Kiwis, we stand together. We will not import hate. We will not allow conflict from abroad to create fear or division at home. We will protect each other through respect, through tolerance, and through peace.

This Accord is a testament to what is possible when brave people choose unity over fear.  

Let it be more than a document – let it be a beginning. A beginning of deeper conversations, stronger relationships, and a more resilient, inclusive New Zealand.

Let this moment remind us all that peace is not something we inherit, it is something we build, together.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

People are being encouraged to have their say on proposed roading changes around the new Dunedin Hospital before the opportunity for feedback closes next week.

Earlier this month, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) released its proposed changes to State Highway 1 Cumberland Street and State Highway 88 St Andrew Street to reshape travel in the Dunedin CBD and achieve safe and efficient access to the new hospital.

The proposed roading changes, developed in partnership with Dunedin City Council after previous rounds of community feedback, can be viewed in detail here. The opportunity for people to comment on the proposed changes ends on Monday 28 July.

Proposed roading changes include the following:

• A new Barnes Dance crossing (where all pedestrians cross the road at once) at the SH88 St Andrew Street/SH1 Cumberland Street intersection to help people reach the hospital public entrances safely. 
• Removal of the westbound right turn from SH88 St Andrew Street onto SH1 Cumberland Street to make space and time for the increased number of pedestrians, including people with mobility needs, to cross the road.
• Two new signalised pedestrian crossings on SH1 outside the Woolworths and the Centre City New World supermarkets.
• Changes to St Andrew Street and other nearby streets to help people driving, walking and cycling, and emergency vehicles, move safely and smoothly around the hospital and surrounding area.
• Frederick Street will become the new SH88, moving right turning traffic from St Andrew Street to other streets.

Acting Director of Regional Relationships for NZTA, Ian Duncan, says the public feedback on the proposed changes will need to be considered before any work on the affected streets take place over the next few years.

“It presents an exciting opportunity to reshape the transport infrastructure to best serve the community, and we encourage people to have their say on what is proposed.”

Health New Zealand says with the new Dunedin Hospital Outpatient Building set to open in late 2026, and the Inpatient Building following in 2031, it is committed to supporting a health precinct that serves the needs of staff, patients, whānau, and the wider community.

“We are working closely with NZTA to improve safety and accessibility around St Andrew and Cumberland Streets,” says Health New Zealand Southern Interim Group Director of Operations Craig Ashton.

“This collaboration is vital to ensure safe and efficient access to the New Dunedin Hospital for emergency services, staff, patients, and visitors.”

View the full proposed changes and give feedback via the online form

Printed material with the proposed changes and feedback forms can be found at Dunedin City Council libraries and service centres, and those not online can send their feedback to NZTA by post.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will begin construction on a set of average speed safety cameras to improve safety on Kaitaia-Awaroa Road in Northland, from next Monday 28 July.

NZTA Auckland and Northland Director of Regional Relationships, Steve Mutton, says the safety cameras aim to significantly reduce the number of people traveling over the speed limit on this road and lessen the likelihood of a serious or fatal crash.

“The types of crashes that happen and are likely to happen on this stretch of road, the volume of traffic, and driver behaviour all tell us that there is a serious risk of people being killed or seriously injured in crashes on Kaitaia-Awaroa Road. We also know that risk can be significantly reduced if more people drive to the speed limit. By installing safety cameras here we can encourage just that.

“In May 2024 we ran a speed survey on this stretch of road that showed around 75 percent of drivers were speeding. It showed the average speed across the full length of road to be 89km/h across both 80km/h and 60km/h areas.

“We also know that between 2018 and 2023 two people were killed and another 13 were seriously injured in crashes on this stretch of road.”

There will be four cameras in total. The outer cameras will be installed near Sandhills Road in Ahipara at one end and the 80km/h speed limit sign at the Kaitaia end. The two cameras in the middle will be installed near the speed limit signs at approximately 655 Kaitaia-Awaroa Road, and the other near 854 Kaitaia-Awaroa Road.

When installed, the four cameras will work together, measuring the average speed drivers travel between them. Drivers will only be ticketed if their average travel speed between any two cameras is over the limit – they aren’t ‘pinged’ by a single camera or at a single point where they are over the speed limit.

We know that average speed safety cameras are more effective at reducing deaths and serious injuries than the traditional speed cameras we’ve had in New Zealand. Safety cameras will reduce speeding, ensuring that if crashes do happen, the people involved are far more likely to walk away unharmed” says Mr Mutton.

Initial construction works will include installing underground power supplies, completing foundation works and installing metal barriers that will protect maintenance workers and any vehicle that leaves the road in a crash.  

Before the cameras begin operating ‘Average speed camera area’ signs will be installed, giving drivers a reminder to check their speed and slow down if needed.

NZTA is expecting to begin operating its first average speed safety cameras at Matakana Road, Warkworth, later this year, and will progressively bring other average speed safety cameras online in the following months. 

More information

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Planning is underway for recovery work on state highways in the top of the South Island.

The region’s highways have taken a battering from two recent bad weather events, with key routes in Nelson/Tasman and Marlborough affected.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager for the Lower North Island/Top of the South, says some areas have suffered significant damage and will need substantial repairs.

“On the Tākaka Hill, we have two slip sites and a slump site that will need remedial work. We expect single-lane stop/go traffic management to remain in place on the hill until the end of the year.”

There are also scour, slip, and washout repairs needed on State Highway 6 from Belgrove to Kohatu, and an underslip site at Coal Creek near Owen River that needs to be fixed.”

“We also have work to do in Nelson. Everyone is well aware of the recent closures of State Highway 6 Rocks Road and the slips on this road. We are working on a long-term solution that will see new retaining works done along the top of the cliff face,” Mr Owen says.

And he says work is also required in Marlborough, particularly on State Highway 63 through the Wairau Valley.

“Here, the most pressing task is the washout at Andersons Bridge. Although there are also road repairs  needed west of the Waihopai Bridge where the highway has suffered flood scouring.”

Mr Owen says it is essential people realise these are areas which are likely to have ongoing work for some time.

“We are still working through the details – getting geotechnical and site assessments completed and working on designs and solutions.”

“Once these are finalised, we will be able to share more details about how long specific sites will be affected, and how long people can expect to experience travel delays while repairs are completed. We will keep the community updated,” Mr. Owen says.

He warns disruptions and delays will be ongoing.

“Our contractors will work as hard as they can to complete projects as quickly as they can. But it is important people appreciate the top of the South has experienced three major rain events in quick succession.”

“The damage caused will take time to fix. We are talking months, not weeks,” Mr Owen says.

Affected state highway sites, top of the South Island

Location	Damage
SH60 Tākaka Hill	Slump site  at Drummond’s Corner, underslip site, and underslip/overslip site
SH6 Rocks Road	Slip site
SH6 Kohatu	River scour site
SH6 Spooners Saddle	Slip and fallen trees sites
SH6 Norris Gully	River/stream scour site
SH6 Coal Creek	Underslip site
SH63 Wairau Valley	Andersons Bridge washout, road scour west of Waihopai Bridge

Mr Owen says there are areas, like the scour site on State Highway 6 at Kohatu, that will have temporary repairs in place ahead of permanent work later on.

“For the highway at Kohatu, a full road rebuild is planned for our upcoming state highway summer maintenance season. It means there will be a temporary road surface in place ahead of that happening.

“To be effective and durable, road rebuilds have to be done during warmer and drier weather. So, we can’t get this section of State Highway 6 fully rebuilt over winter and early spring,” Mr Owen says.

General advice

Drivers can expect road works at multiple locations on state highways across the top of the South Island over the coming months. These will create travel delays, and road users must allow extra time for their journeys.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi strongly encourages people to check road conditions before they travel.

Highway conditions – Nelson/Marlborough(external link)

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 28 August 2020
Last updated 28 August 2020

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In these recorded webinars, New Zealand and Australian experts share their knowledge to enhance the quality of your online teaching practice.
In these recorded webinars, New Zealand and Australian experts share their knowledge to enhance the quality of your online teaching practice.

The following webinars provide insights from tertiary education organisations (TEOs), online learning experts, and online learners, which TEOs may find helpful with their online delivery.
Webinar series 1: Online delivery in response to Covid-19 (2020)

Webinar series 2: Enhancing learner success through curriculum redesign of online learning (2024)

Online delivery in response to COVID-19
Tertiary teaching online: pedagogy and practice
Mark Nichols of the Open Polytechnic and Ali Hughes from TANZ eCampus both answer the question “What do I need to know to be an effective and engaging teacher in the online space?”
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We apologise the webinar recording is not complete due to technical issues. To access all the information Mark and Ali shared through the webinar please use the resources below.

How to support and engage tertiary learners in an online environment (with a focus on pastoral care)
Dr Cathy Stone of Australia’s University of Newcastle and Dr Teri McClelland from Southern Institute of Technology’s SIT2LRN discuss how to support and engage learners studying vocational and academic based qualifications in an online environment.
Cathy Stone talks about her experience with the creation of the Australian National Guidelines for improving student outcomes in online learning. Teri McClelland discusses some of the specific practices SIT2LRN has developed to ensure their distance learners are engaged, supported and part of the Southern Institute of Technology’s community.

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Supporting disabled tertiary learners in an online environment
Karen Hannay and Stephanie Houpt from the Open Polytechnic’s Learning Support Team discuss best practices and supports for disabled learners in an online environment.
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Enhancing learner success through curriculum redesign of online learning
A narrative approach to courseware design to support ākonga success
The Open Polytechnic talk about their design and development function and how they use a narrative to guide learners through a course, informed by analytics. The presentation focuses on the role of courseware design in ākonga success and highlights their asynchronous model, where tutors and learners have the flexibility to engage with course content at different times.
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Distance learning – a student perspective
Two distance learners share their experiences of online learning at an undergraduate and Masters levels. In this informative session the learners talk about things that make a difference in supporting their tertiary education experiences as online learners. They discuss barriers and challenges they face in online learning and share what they would like TEOs to know about catering to online learners.
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Experiences of online students: then, now and into the future
Cathy Stone is an independent consultant and researcher, based in Australia. In this presentation, Cathy discusses her research into the online learner experience – exploring the needs and wants of the full range of online learners, from exclusively online to hybrid environments. Cathy provides insights on how learner experiences can improve delivery and talks about the future of online learning.
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Learning frameworks for engaging online delivery
Massey University talks about their engagement framework to support rich, connected learning experiences for online learners. The presentation shares the role their Whakapiri framework plays in delivering online learning and teaching. Massey also talks about the challenges and realities of the design process and provide practical tips for TEOs to consider. 
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