Review of sustainability measures for fisheries – October 2025 round

GAZA: Leaders of major aid groups call on world leaders to intervene following UN genocide conclusion – Save the Children

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September 17, 2025

Source: Save the Children

GAZA, 17 Sept 2025: The leaders of over 20 major aid agencies working in Gaza are calling for urgent intervention after a UN commission concluded, for the first time, that genocide is being committed.

The statement is below:

“ As world leaders convene next week at the United Nations, we are calling on all member states to act in accordance with the mandate the UN was charged with 80 years ago.

What we are witnessing in Gaza is not only an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, but what the UN Commission of Inquiry has now concluded is a genocide. With this finding, the Commission joins a growing number of human rights organisations and leaders globally, and within Israel.

The inhumanity of the situation in Gaza is unconscionable. As humanitarian leaders, we have borne direct witness to the horrifying deaths and suffering of the people of Gaza. Our warnings have gone unheeded and thousands more lives are still at stake.

Now, as the Israeli government has ordered the mass displacement of Gaza City – home to nearly one million people – we are on the precipice of an even deadlier period in Gaza’s story if action is not taken. Gaza has been deliberately made uninhabitable.

About 65,000 Palestinians have now been killed, including more than 20,000 children. Thousands more are missing, buried under the rubble that has replaced Gaza’s once lively streets.

Nine out of 10 people in Gaza’s 2.1 million population have been forcibly displaced – most of them multiple times – into increasingly shrinking pockets of land that cannot sustain human life.

More than half a million people are starving. Famine has been declared and is spreading. The cumulative impact of hunger and physical deprivation means people are dying every day.

Throughout Gaza, entire cities have been razed to the ground, along with their life-sustaining public infrastructure, such as hospitals and water treatment plants. Agricultural land has been systemically destroyed.

If the facts and numbers aren’t enough, we have harrowing story upon harrowing story.

Since the Israeli military tightened its siege six months ago, blocking food, fuel, and medicine, we witnessed children and families waste away from starvation as famine took hold. Our colleagues too have been impacted.

Many of us have been into Gaza. We have met countless Palestinians who have lost limbs as a result of Israel’s bombardment. We have personally met children so traumatized by daily airstrikes that they cannot sleep. Some cannot speak. Others have told us they want to die to join their parents in heaven.

We have met families who eat animal food to survive and boil leaves as a meal for their children.

Yet world leaders fail to act. Facts are ignored. Testimony is cast aside. And more people are killed as a direct consequence.

Our organisations, together with Palestinian civil society groups, the UN, and Israeli human rights organisations, can only do so much. We have tirelessly tried to defend the rights of the people of Gaza and sustain humanitarian assistance, but we are being obstructed every step of the way.

We have been denied access, and the militarization of the aid system has proved deadly. Thousands of people have been shot at while trying to reach the handful of sites where food is distributed under armed guard.

Governments must act to prevent the evisceration of life in the Gaza Strip, and to end the violence and occupation. All parties must disavow violence against civilians, adhere to international humanitarian law and pursue peace.

States must use every available political, economic, and legal tool at their disposal to intervene. Rhetoric and half measures are not enough. This moment demands decisive action.

The UN enshrined international law as the cornerstone of global peace and security. If Member States continue to treat these legal obligations as optional, they are not only complicit but are setting a dangerous precedent for the future. History will undoubtedly judge this moment as a test of humanity. And we are failing. Failing the people of Gaza, failing the hostages, and failing our own collective moral imperative.”

CEO Signatories:

Arthur Larok, Secretary General of ActionAid International

Othman Moqbel, Chief Executive Officer, Action For Humanity

Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary of American Friends Service Committee

Sean Carroll, President and CEO of Anera

Reintje Van Haeringen, Executive Director CARE International

Jonas Nøddekær, Secretary General of DanChurchAid

Charlotte Slente, Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council

Manuel Patrouillard, Managing Director, Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International

Jamie Munn, Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)

Waseem Ahmad, CEO, Islamic Relief Worldwide

Joseph Belliveau, Executive Director of MedGlobal

Joel Weiler, Executive Director of Médecins du Monde France

Nicolás Dotta, Executive Director of Médecins du Monde Spain

Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières International

Kenneth Kim, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee Canada

Ann Graber Hershberger, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee US

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council

Amitabh Behar, Oxfam International Executive Director

Simon Panek, CEO, People in Need

Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International

Donatella Vergara, President of Terre des Hommes Italy

Rob Williams, CEO of War Child Alliance.

Government takes action on Bird Flu preparedness plan

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September 17, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

New proposals for a long-term approach to manage high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, commonly known as Bird flu, aim to reduce the impacts on poultry if the virus arrives here, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.

“This virus is spreading rapidly across the world. If it arrives here, it will almost certainly establish itself in wild birds and could spread to poultry and other wildlife.”

“That could mean shortages of chicken and eggs for Kiwi families, serious animal welfare issues, and costs for farmers and growers. Our focus is on protecting people’s livelihoods and keeping food on the table.”

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is leading work to prepare for the possible arrival of HPAI H5N1, along with the Department of Conservation, the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, the poultry industry and local government.

Consultation opens today on proposals to manage HPAI H5N1 in poultry, including:

•    a requirement for commercial poultry operators to have an avian biosecurity control programme in place that sets out how their business will prevent and manage a potential H5N1 outbreak
•    a requirement for poultry operators/owners to meet appropriate biosecurity standards, including standards for activities such as depopulation, disposal, cleaning and disinfection
•    a requirement for operators/owners to keep records and provide information when required
•    a requirement that avian biosecurity programmes be audited to ensure they are fit for purpose
•    establishing offences and penalties (fines) for those who do not comply with the regulations.

“Since it emerged in 2020, the virus has spread across the globe except to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Our efforts so far have paid off, we need to keep it that way.”

“We need a long-term approach to managing the disease that incentivises good biosecurity practices and early reporting of infection, protects human health and the domestic food supply, and provides for consistent standards across the industry.”

Some of the proposed regulations could also apply to semi-commercial poultry operators and non-commercial poultry owners – people who keep poultry but not as a main source of income. For example, these poultry owners could be required to use specific disposal or cleaning methods and provide information to MPI if their birds get sick.

“We know these proposals are likely to involve costs and other impacts for commercial poultry operators. We want to hear from farmers and growers about how the proposals could affect their businesses, so we can understand the impact of these costs.”

“By working together now we can reduce the risks of bird flu preventing food shortages, affecting people’s livelihoods, and endangering health outcomes. This is your chance to help make sure New Zealand is ready.”

Consultation will run for six weeks from 17 September 2025 to 2 November 2025.

Discussion documents and information on how to make a submission are on MPI’s website here.

Cost recovery proposals under the Organic Products and Production Act 2023

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September 17, 2025

Monday 16 June 2025 – 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Updates

15 July 2025 – Closing extended

The consultation has now been extended for another 4 weeks. This will now close on 10 August 2025.

10 June 2025 – Registrations open for webinars or drop-in sessions

We have set up 3 webinars or drop-in sessions to support the public consultation process for the organic sector, providing a forum to answer any questions. The webinar times are provided below. You can register by clicking on the link of your preferred time. (The registration links are to a booking system using ‘Microsoft Teams’).

Tuesday 17 June 2025 – 12pm to 2pm

Tuesday 24 June 2025 – 8.30am to 10am

6 June 2025 – Discussion document updated

The following corrections have been made to the table in section 11.1.2 of the discussion document:

added definition of terms for [d] (page 24), previously missing from table
corrected labelling of definition of terms for [j] and [k] (page 26), previously mislabelled as [e] and [f].

See the discussion document

Background information: summary

In 2023, Parliament passed the Organic Products and Production Act 2023 (the Act) to regulate organic claims in New Zealand. The Act sets the requirements for making an organic claim and enables the development of secondary legislation to regulate how organic products are made in New Zealand. The new regulatory system is intended to provide consumer confidence in the claims made by New Zealand producers of organic products, and confidence and certainty in the trade of organic products for New Zealand businesses and our trading partners. It will also form the basis of negotiations to gain access to other markets for New Zealand’s organic produce.

To fund the system, MPI must recover costs not covered by the Crown. We anticipate cost recovery for some businesses will begin in mid-2026 to ensure that we can bring operators into the system within the timeframes required to maintain access to the European Union (EU) and Switzerland for organic products.

The services discussed in the consultation document have been identified as necessary to administer the Act with an appropriate level of oversight. We seek your views on whether you think the range and level of services are appropriate (the right type and size), and if the charging mechanism is appropriate, for example the fee or levy. The proposed fees would apply to direct services, while levies would fund broader sector benefits.

Have your say

We are seeking your input on the cost recovery proposals for services that include:

approval (certification)
oversight, support, and monitoring services for the standard
work to facilitate the export of organic products.

The proposals affect all businesses which make organic claims about food, beverages, and plant and animal products.

Full details are in the consultation document.

You can send us your submission by 10 August 2025.

Consultation document

Proposal to cost recover New Zealand Food Safety’s regulatory services under the Organic Products and Production Act 2023 [PDF, 2.9 MB]

Making your submission

We must get your submission by 5pm on 10 August 2025.

We seek to understand your views on the nature and benefits of the services discussed in the consultation document, the cost of the services, and how they are proposed to be funded (and by whom).

We prefer you to use our online form but you can also email or post your feedback.

Online submission – SurveyMonkey

Email

organicsconsultation@mpi.govt.nz

Post

Cost Recovery Directorate
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

The Future of SME Security: Human Presence Meets Smart Tech

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September 17, 2025

Source: Press Release Service

Headline: The Future of SME Security: Human Presence Meets Smart Tech

NZ businesses face growing security risks, best managed with a mix of guards and smart tech. Matrix Security combines both to deliver fast, reliable protection.

The post The Future of SME Security: Human Presence Meets Smart Tech first appeared on PR.co.nz.

High hazards newsletter – September 2025

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September 17, 2025

Read the full newsletter(external link)

Source: Worksafe New Zealand

17 September 2025

Welcome to the eighth WorkSafe High Hazards newsletter.

In this issue we cover:

Introduction from Pelin Fantham, Chief Inspector High Hazards
New major hazard facility (MHF) Notifiable Incident form
MAHB Common Inspection Criteria
Incident insights – coupling failures trend
Safety Case Statistics
Final Reminder – PFAS firefighting foam transitional period ending
HHU incident data and frequency
In the news

Working together to keep Crowded Places safe and advice on what to do in the unlikely event of an attack

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September 17, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police

Police has today released a suite of resources to help increase awareness about what to do in the unlikely event of an active armed attack in a crowded place.

Police is the lead agency of the Crowded Places Strategy. This work is about protecting the lives of people working in, using and visiting crowded places. Places we go as part of our everyday routine, from our favourite mall to a weekend market or a large sporting event.

“The nature of crowded places means they at times can pose extra risks, as they can be a target for attacks,” says Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson.

“While there is always the possibility of a Crowded Places attack, Police together with businesses will continue to work together to prevent this from occurring.

“Like anything we do, it’s important to have plans in place. The goal is that none of us will ever need to use this information. It’s about being prepared so people know what to do should something of this nature happen.

“Remember three simple words: Escape. Hide. Tell. That means moving quickly and quietly away from danger, staying out of sight, silencing your phone and — when it is safe to do so — calling Police on 111.

“Police want to extend our thanks to the current and previous members of the Crowded Places Business Advisory Group and the Crowded Places Community Advisory Group for their work to help raise awareness in the businesses and communities they represent to help keep crowded places and communities safe”.

Crowded Places Business Advisory Group member Scentre Group Director of Security John Yates is supportive of this work:

“The safety and security of our customers, communities and people is our highest priority.

“We support the New Zealand Government’s campaign to raise broad community awareness of the ‘Escape. Hide. Tell.’ messaging,” says John.

“Knowing what to do in the unlikely event of an active armed offender attack is a difficult topic yet a critical one.

“Remaining vigilant when in public and crowded places and remembering these three words could make a difference.

“The ‘Escape. Hide. Tell’ messaging gives guidance to help people find a safe place to hide, move out of harm’s way and to relay critical information to authorities to aid in their response.

“We encourage our customers, business partners and broader community to have conversations with their teams and family members and help to raise awareness as we would for any other important public safety message.

“From this month, we will be supporting the Government’s campaign by displaying the ‘Escape. Hide. Tell.’ message across digital screens within our Westfield destinations.”

Paul Patel Chair of the Crowded Places Community Advisory Groups says:

“The Crowded Places Strategy marks a vital step forward in safeguarding our shared spaces, empowering communities to act with clarity and confidence. ‘Escape. Hide. Tell.’ is more than a message, it’s a commitment to collective responsibility”.

Mat Hellyer Chair of the Crowded Places Business Advisory Group says:

“Crowded places are where much of life happens. Venues, malls, transport hubs, cafés, street activities, places of worship – they are where we gather, celebrate, share experiences, and connect. But with that vibrancy of course comes vulnerability.

“Businesses play an important role in keeping New Zealanders safe, and we take very seriously the responsibility that comes with owning and operating them. The Business Advisory Group is proud to partner with Government and New Zealand Police in launching this campaign, a vital step in strengthening public safety, building resilience, and ensuring our spaces remain welcoming and secure for all. We are committed to doing our part.”

Notes for Editors:

What is a Crowded Place?

Crowded places are locations that large numbers of people access easily and predictably. They include sporting arenas, transport hubs and public transport, buildings and offices, schools, shopping centres, restaurants, hotels, theatres and other entertainment venues, community festivals and markets, houses of worship, tourist attractions, and civic spaces. Crowded places also include open spaces like busy urban streets, parks and pedestrian malls.

A crowded place is not necessarily always crowded: the density of the crowd may vary between day and night, and between seasons; the crowd may be temporary (such as sporting events, festivals, concerts or one-off functions).

‘Escape. Hide. Tell.’ messaging:

In an attack what you do matters, remember the words: ESCAPE. HIDE. TELL.

ESCAPE: Move quickly and quietly away from danger, but only if it is safe to do so.

HIDE: Stay out of sight and silence your mobile phone.

TELL: Call the Police by dialling 111 when it is safe.

Reporting suspicious behaviour:

In an emergency everyone should call 111

If the information is not time-critical, people can report suspicious or unusual behaviour to their local Police by:
• completing a report at 105.police.govt.nz or calling New Zealand Police’s non-emergency number 105
• visiting their nearest Police station
• calling Crime Stoppers if you wish to remain anonymous on 0800 555 111

To report information of national security concern, call the NZSIS on 0800 747 224 or use their Public Contribution Form

Resources and links to further information:

More detailed information on Escape. Hide. Tell can be found on the New Zealand Police website here.

More information on security preparations for Crowded Places can be found here.

Pharmac proposes funding a new brand of ADHD medicine

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September 17, 2025

Source: PHARMAC

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to fund a new brand of methylphenidate to help address ongoing supply issues and provide more treatment options for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

If approved, the proposal would see Methylphenidate Sandoz XR funded from 1 December 2025. This is a generic equivalent to the Concerta brand and would be available in the same strengths.

“We know how distressing it’s been for people and their families who haven’t been able to get the ADHD medicines they rely on,” says Pharmac’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr David Hughes. “This proposal is part of our response to the ongoing supply issues and aims to provide more options for people who need these treatments.”

Supply issues have affected all brands and strengths of methylphenidate in New Zealand since September 2023 and are expected to continue throughout 2025. These disruptions are due to global demand, manufacturing constraints, and restrictions on medicine imports and exports.

“Adding a new brand is intended to help increase the overall supply of methylphenidate and reduce the risk of shortages,” says Dr Hughes.

“It also helps us prepare for upcoming changes in February 2026, when more health professionals – including GPs and nurse practitioners – will be able to prescribe ADHD medicines.”

Pharmac is inviting feedback on the proposal to ensure it works well for the people who need it.

“We’re talking with clinicians, advocacy groups, and others to understand the practical impacts of this proposal. Your feedback will help us understand how this proposal might work in practice and whether it meets the needs of people with ADHD,” says Dr Hughes.

Consultation is open until 5 pm, Wednesday 1 October 2025. Feedback can be sent to consult@pharmac.govt.nz or submitted via the online form linked in the consultation.

How will this help with the ADHD medicine shortage?

There have been ongoing worldwide shortages of methylphenidate since September 2023, affecting all brands and strengths of this medicine in New Zealand. These shortages are expected to continue throughout 2025 and are driven by global demand increases, manufacturing constraints, and trade restrictions.

Methylphenidate is classified as a controlled drug both in New Zealand and internationally. The extra regulation of the manufacturing and transportation of controlled drugs affects how Pharmac’s current suppliers can react and respond to increasing demand. Adding a new brand of methylphenidate would help increase the overall supply and reduce the risk of shortages.

It also supports upcoming changes from February 2026, when general practitioners and nurse practitioners will be able to prescribe stimulant medicines for ADHD.

Proposed regulations for managing high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 in poultry

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September 17, 2025

Commercial poultry and avian influenza

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Background information about avian influenza and this consultation

There are various strains of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI). The strain that is the subject of this consultation is HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b.

If this virus arrives in New Zealand and becomes widespread in wild birds, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to eradicate it. That is why we need to take a long-term management approach.

The proposals outlined in this consultation would empower the poultry industry to effectively and sustainably support the management of HPAI H5N1 in the long term.

Have your say

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) seeks your feedback on 6 proposals for developing regulations to manage HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in poultry. The proposals focus on commercial poultry, but some proposals might affect other poultry owners.

Submissions opened on 17 September and close at 11:59pm on 2 November 2025.

The 6 proposals

Commercial poultry operators would be required to develop an avian biosecurity control programme to ensure they can sustainably manage HPAI H5N1 if it appears on their farm.
All poultry operators/owners must meet appropriate biosecurity standards. This proposal would also apply to semi-commercial poultry operators and non-commercial poultry owners (including pet poultry birds), if regulations specify a method (or methods) for disposing of dead birds that could be required to be used.
Commercial poultry operators must keep appropriate records and provide information to MPI when required.
Avian biosecurity control programmes must be audited.
Regulations provide for appropriate offences and penalties.
Costs of auditing are at least partially recovered from commercial poultry operators.

Further details on each of the proposals are available in the discussion document. We have also prepared a summary of the discussion document and more detailed analysis in an interim regulatory impact statement.

Consultation documents

Discussion document: Proposed regulations for managing high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 in poultry [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Discussion document summary: Proposed regulations for managing high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 in poultry [PDF, 449 KB]

Interim regulatory impact statement: Managing high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 in poultry [PDF, 622 KB]

Related information

Making your submission

Submit your feedback on the proposals by 11:59pm on Sunday 2 November 2025.

You can use the online form or email or post your feedback using the optional submissions template. Consultation questions in the submission template and online form are identical.

Online submission survey

Email us your submission

If you are emailing or posting your submission, we encourage you to use our consultation template [DOCX, 745 KB]

Email your submission to BiosecurityPartnerships.Policy@mpi.govt.nz

Post your submission

While we prefer online or email submissions, you can post written submissions to:

Consultation: HPAI Regulations
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6011
New Zealand.

What to include

Make sure you tell us in your submission:

the title of the consultation document (Proposed regulations for managing high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 in poultry)
your name and title
your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

Minister Simpson promotes resilience and insurance ties in London

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September 17, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson travels to London this week to strengthen New Zealand’s international partnerships in insurance, emergency preparedness, and business competition.

“Resilience and disaster recovery are central priorities for this Government. My visit to London is an opportunity to promote New Zealand’s leadership in these areas, and to build stronger ties with global partners who share our challenges and ambitions,” Mr Simpson says.

The Minister will attend meetings involving the Insurance Council of New Zealand, including with Aon, Lloyd’s of London, and the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

Mr Simpson will also receive a detailed briefing from officials at the New Zealand High Commission, and take part in a series of events reflecting the breadth of New Zealand’s relationship with the United Kingdom.

This includes attending the 85th Anniversary Battle of Britain Service and Reception and supporting the Black Ferns in their Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against Canada.

Minister Simpson will be in London from 17–21 September.