Release: Two Labour members’ bills drawn from ballot

February 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

Bills by Labour MPs to remove rules around sale of alcohol on public holidays, and for Crown entities to adopt Māori names have been drawn from the Members’ Bill Ballot.

Kieran McAnulty’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill repeals rules that limit the sale of alcohol on public holidays.

“The Bill will allow hospitality businesses already able to operate on these days to do so under normal conditions,” Kieran McAnulty said.

“This will prevent the need to apply for a special licence to serve alcohol to veterans after Anzac Day services, remove any incentive to stockpile alcohol before Easter, and allow hospitality businesses to operate under normal conditions during some of the busiest and most profitable times of the year.”

Shanan Halbert’s Enabling Crown Entities to Adopt Māori Names Bill aims to fix the issue that Crown entities often adopt names in Te Reo Māori in addition to English names, creating the impression that Māori names are optional or secondary.

“More te reo Māori in the community is a positive reflection of where we are as a more inclusive society, and reflects te reo Māori’s status as an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand,” Shanan Halbert said.

“It is important that public sector organisations reflect the Crown’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“Recently the National Government has undermined that commitment and taken the revitalisation of te reo Māori backwards by going back to English names for Te Whatu Ora and Waka Kotahi, which are both Crown entities.”

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

MIL OSI

Access for everyone: how we manage bookable spaces

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council’s Director of Community Rachel Kelleher responds to concerns about the council’s approach to venue hire of our community meeting halls and shared spaces.

It is with huge gratitude that I acknowledge the messages of support our staff and the council has received over the past few days, regarding our response to the awful disruption of a family-friendly Pride event at Te Atatū Peninsula Library last weekend.

It has been uplifting to see the voices of leaders throughout New Zealand also extend their support to our brave library staff and affected communities, along with the widespread public condemnation of this harmful activity.

We are also grateful for police support, to ensure that all remaining Pride events at our venues continue to be uplifting occasions to celebrate Auckland’s rainbow communities.

We are actively monitoring any health, safety or security risks at future events.

Venue hire

We have been asked questions about the use of our community venues and whether the council should apply tighter restrictions on bookings – particularly from groups like Destiny Church with strong views that not everyone shares.

So, I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about how Auckland Council provides access to our collection of more than 100 bookable community venues across the region on the principle that they are available for anyone to hire. We are obliged to ensure everyone throughout Auckland has fair and equal access to connect and enjoy using these spaces.

This doesn’t mean that we endorse the content of an event, or the views of participants, but rather that we must manage our venues in a neutral and non-discriminatory manner.

It is not always easy to maintain that careful balance between providing a public service (venues for hire) and expressing our council values, including ensuring our people feel supported on our position on diversity and inclusion.

This sometimes leads to tension, and pressure to do more in support of one community or group, over another.

Here’s the thing. We remain one hundred per cent committed to protecting and growing Tāmaki Makaurau’s culture of inclusivity and belonging. That’s the foundation we build our practical policies and guidelines on, and what helps us make decisions or remain focussed when dealing with difficult situations.

When differences arise between the views of the various groups using our community venues, and there is potential for conflict or any risk to public safety, we work closely with the police and security experts to determine if activities should go ahead.

An example of this occurred in 2023, when the council terminated venue bookings at the Mount Eden War Memorial Hall in response to safety concerns from two groups with strong opposing views planning to gather on the same night.

Consistent with our obligations as a public authority, we will continue to operate our venues on the principle that they are available to all Aucklanders, but will not hesitate to address or terminate bookings if terms are breached or safety compromised.

With respect to the events at the events at the at Te Atatū Peninsula Library last Saturday, council is supporting the police with their investigations and has not ruled out taking further action against those individuals involved.

Venue hire requirements:

All venue hire bookings agree to comply with council’s venue hire terms and conditions. These set out the circumstances in which the council may terminate a booking and include situations where the event might breach the law or the conditions themselves or where the management or control of the event is deficient.
It is always the responsibility of venue hire users to ensure their events are managed safely, and to meet the terms and conditions of our venue hire policy.
Where we have concerns that an event may raise health and safety or security concerns we work with the organisers andrelevant agencies to ensure that these concerns are addressed ahead of the event.
Our community venues are operated on the principle they are available for anyone to hire. If a booking is accepted, it doesn’t mean that we endorse the content of the event, but rather that we are obliged to manage our venues in a non-discriminatory manner.

MIL OSI

Three people taken into custody on Karangahape Road

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Three people have been arrested following a firearms incident in Herne Bay this afternoon.

At around 1.30pm, information was received that a man was carrying a firearm on Hamilton Road.

A Police camera operator observed the man getting into a vehicle and tracked it travelling along Jervois Road.

Police units conducted an armed traffic stop on Karangahape Road.

As the traffic stop was being carried out, a passenger ran from the vehicle and attempted to get into a vehicle passing by.

Our staff prevented this from occurring and arrested the 35-year-old man, who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

No injuries have been reported.

Police arrested two other occupants of the vehicle, a man and woman aged 30, without incident.

On searching the vehicle, Police have recovered a paintball gun.

Charges are being considered for what has unfolded this afternoon.

ENDS

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

MIL OSI

SH3 Rukuhia rebuild is flying ahead

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

From Monday 24 February, both lanes of a short section of State Highway 3 (SH3) between Rukuhia Road and Narrows Road near Hamilton airport will be rebuilt and closed to southbound traffic for approximately 4 weeks.

The rebuild work involves digging out the existing road layers and replacing them layer by layer. The road is then surfaced, swept and line marked.

The work will be completed 1 lane at a time. The lane not being worked on will be open to northbound traffic at all times. A 24/7 southbound detour will be in place for light vehicles via Raynes Road and State Highway 21 Airport Road, to re-join SH3, adding approximately 7 minutes to journeys between Hamilton and Te Awamutu.

The intersection of SH21 Airport Road and Raynes Road will be under stop/go between 7.30am and 6.00pm each weekday.

Any residents travelling southbound will be required to use the detour route to travel north to access their properties. We will make sure that Rukuhia Road will remain open at all times, but it will be left turn in and left turn out only. Once 1 lane is completed, work will switch to the other lane meaning that northbound traffic will stay on SH3 at all times.

HPMV’s, overweight and over dimension vehicles will be stacked and allowed through the worksite with the buses, however up to 30 minute delays should be expected.

If you are heading to the airport to catch a flight, you may want to leave a few minutes earlier as there will be additional travel time related to this worksite as well as the works at Ōhaupō Village, which are still underway.

These works form part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. 

NZTA thanks road users for their patience.

MIL OSI

Release: Govt losing police faster than it can hire them

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

The Government is falling even further behind its promised target of 500 new police officers, now with 72 fewer police officers than when National took office.

“Instead of increasing police numbers as promised, Mark Mitchell is taking New Zealand Police backwards and overseeing a reduction in officers,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.

“The reality is that we’re seeing fewer police officers, more job cuts to police staff, and officers being tasked with extra duties like taking jackets off gang members instead of focusing on criminal behaviour, all of which is stretching Police to a breaking point.

“The numbers reported by the Police Association show that as of January 2025, the total number of police officers has decreased from 10,211 to 10,139 since November 2023, leaving New Zealand with 72 fewer police officers than when National made its announcement 14 months ago.

“A recruitment campaign launched by Police today to try to turn this around may be a little too late. There are reports of increasing attrition at New Zealand Police, as more Kiwi officers choose to take up the offer of a job in Australia, adding to the record numbers of people taking the Prime Minister’s advice of ‘Everyone Must Go’ and leaving the country.

“Police are being stretched thin at a time when cocaine and methamphetamine use is surging. It’s time for the National Government to stop making excuses and start delivering the resources our police need,” Ginny Andersen said.

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

MIL OSI

Release: Child poverty reduction must remain a priority

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: New Zealand Labour Party

The latest child poverty statistics show child poverty reduction must remain a priority for the Government.

“Children should not be living in poverty, and the latest statistics are hugely concerning,” Labour child poverty reduction spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni said.

“There are huge challenges that families are facing right now, with high cost of living, high unemployment and housing – and significant work is needed to lift more children out of poverty.

“Labour is staunchly committed to child poverty reduction, and I am proud that it remained a priority for us throughout our time in government, even with the immense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. But there is still so much more work to do.

“The Government must put our tamariki first. Now is not the time to be bending over backwards for landlords and tobacco companies, instead we must focus on alleviating the struggle for families and their children who need our support most.

“Denying funding to food banks, stopping families from accessing emergency housing, and building no new public homes will only exacerbate these statistics. Stagnating benefits by tying increases to inflation instead of wage growth will mean less money for many families over time. Going against official advice on minimum wage increases means many of our poorest workers are going backwards.

“These statistics come after a recent report showing half of Pacific children sometimes go without food, and homelessness is increasing.

“I urge the Government to take these statistics seriously. Diminishing the child poverty targets to make it easier to achieve is a worrying sign they’re not.

“We made changes that lifted tens of thousands of children out of poverty while in government. Child poverty reduction must remain a priority for this Government too,” said Carmel Sepuloni.

Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

MIL OSI

More Than Half of Workers in Hong Kong are Considering Changing Employers in 2025, Aon Study Reveals

MIL OSI

February 20, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 February 2025 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today released results from its 2025 Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study with new insights specific to employees in Hong Kong. The global study of more than 9,000 employees across 23 geographies, including the U.S., UK, China, India and Australia, found that more than half of workers in Hong Kong are considering changing employers.

The research reveals a troubling trend: almost one in five employees (17 percent) in Hong Kong feel undervalued in their current roles compared to seven percent in mainland China and 13 percent globally.

Dissatisfaction with Compensation and Benefits

The study reveals that 60 percent of employees in Hong Kong do not believe their compensation is fair compared to similar roles in the industry, a figure significantly higher than the global benchmark of 37 percent. Further, more than one third of the workforce (35 percent) in Hong Kong is not confident there is adequate investment in their skills development — double the global average. These results point to growing employee dissatisfaction in the Hong Kong market and may explain why the majority (63 percent) either plan to switch jobs or are considering doing so within the next year.

Competitive pay and meaningful benefits are identified as the most influential factors when deciding to stay with or join a company, signalling the need for employers to act swiftly to improve employee benefits and offer competitive rewards.

Paid Time Off Ranked Top-Value Benefit

The study identified the top five benefits valued by employees in Hong Kong:

Paid time off
Medical coverage
Work-life balance programs
Retirement savings
Dental insurance

Medical coverage was the second highest valued benefit across all generations, with Gen X and Gen Z rating it higher than Gen Y (Millennials). Rising cost of living and an ageing workforce has increased health and financial concerns, prompting employees to seek better medical coverage and support.

More than half of the employees (57 percent) would be willing to sacrifice existing benefits for a better choice of benefits, presenting an opportunity for employers to provide personalised and flexible benefit options to meet the needs of their workforce.

A staggering 75 percent of employees in Hong Kong prefer office-based working arrangements, over 20 percent higher than the global average.

Top Employee Expectations

The study also identified the top expectations employees have of their employers:

33 percent said employers should help employees save for retirement/long-term needs.
28 percent said employers should support employee wellbeing.
20 percent said employers should support women’s health (e.g., menstruation, menopause).
19 percent said employers should help them establish an emergency fund.
18 percent said employers should support with eldercare or family care.

Ernest Leung, head of Hong Kong for Aon said, “While organisations may perceive unmet salary expectations as the primary reason for employee turnover, employees evaluate all aspects of their roles and total rewards when deciding whether to remain with an organisation. With evolving technologies and an ageing workforce, the growth of businesses in Hong Kong will greatly depend on the ability of organisations to attract and retain top talent across multiple generations. It is crucial, therefore, for organisations to adopt more creative and innovative compensation practices using data-driven analytics and insights as part of their overall people strategy.”

The study also brings attention to the lack of equity in pay and career development practices, with 41 percent of employees not confident their employer ensures gender pay equality. Additionally, women are 11 percent more likely than men to want career development and learning. This reinforces the need for employers to take steps to offer customised benefits across demographics including pay transparency and career development to attract and retain top women talent.

Read Aon’s Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study here.

Hashtag: #Aon

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

CUHK Leads Healthcare Innovation Whilst Advancing in Global Rankings

MIL OSI

February 20, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 February 2025 – The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has achieved its highest-ever rankings: 44th in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 and 36th in the QS World University Rankings 2025. Through its Faculty of Medicine, CUHK demonstrates how academic excellence translates into meaningful improvements in people’s lives.

The Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine), a cornerstone of CUHK’s success since its establishment in 1981, has impressed the world with outstanding achievements in recent global rankings, driving innovation across its five schools and 14 departments. In Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025 by Subject: Medical and Health, it is ranked 24th globally and 4th in Asia, being one of the youngest medical schools among the top 25 in the world. In the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Ranking by Subject 2024, CU Medicine ranked 1st in Hong Kong, 2nd in Asia; while in the 2024 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) by ShanghaiRanking, CU Medicine ranked 1st in Asia in Clinical Medicine and is the only Asian medical school among the Top 50.

Pioneering Healthcare Solutions

Professor Dennis Lo, the newly appointed CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President, has transformed prenatal care globally through Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), benefitting over 10 million pregnant women annually across more than 100 countries. His innovations extend to cancer detection, where his team’s plasma-based screening for nasopharyngeal carcinoma has dramatically improved early detection rates.

Empowering Global Health Talent

Dr. Subhankar Mukhopadhyay, an Indian PhD graduate and Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme awardee, exemplifies the faculty’s success in nurturing talent. “CUHK’s interdisciplinary approach and state-of-the-art facilities created the perfect environment for innovative research,” says Dr. Mukhopadhyay, now a postdoctoral researcher at CUHK’s JC School of Public Health and Public Care.

Building a Healthier Future

CU Medicine is dedicated to enhancing global health through advancing healthcare, medical education and research. It conducts research in areas of primary concern to Asia and Hong Kong, including projects on cancers, gut microbiota, and metabolic diseases. By combining scientific excellence with a deep commitment to social responsibility, CU Medicine continues to pioneer solutions that make quality healthcare more accessible and effective for communities worldwide.

For a full list of postgraduate programmes available at CU Medicine, visit www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/medicine.

Hashtag: #CUHK

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Media crisis continues amid Government inaction – E tū

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: Etu Union

E tū, the union for journalists and media workers, is sounding the alarm over the confirmation of an additional 30 job losses at NZME’s newsroom, as the wave of media cuts continues.

E tū Director Michael Wood says the latest redundancies are yet another blow to journalism in Aotearoa.

“Confirmation that a further 30 jobs will be lost from the NZME newsroom is part of a massacre of journalist capacity across the country,” Michael says.

“It follows on from NZME closing 14 regional titles, major job reductions at Stuff, and successive rounds of cuts at TVNZ. Cumulatively, these reductions mean that the New Zealand media system has less ability to perform its core functions – holding decision-makers to account, providing information in response to natural disasters, covering breaking news, and undertaking long-term investigations that help to inform the public on important issues.”

E tū members at NZME have engaged constructively, securing some changes to the original proposals that have preserved journalistic capacity. Michael says this underscores the value of union membership and collective action.

“The work of E tū members at NZME resulted in some changes to the original proposals, which have preserved some capacity, showing the value of union membership and engagement.

“However, we remain deeply concerned by the scale of these cuts and the clear signal from NZME that resources will be increasingly steered toward content that generates clicks. NZME must find a balance between generating short-term revenue and continuing to invest in high-quality journalism that drives long-term value.”

Responsibility also lies squarely with the Government, which has failed to act on the systemic issues affecting the sector.

“Primarily, though, this further round of cuts can be sheeted home to a Government that is missing in action,” Michael says.

“The sector continues to suffer because the content it produces gets used by social media platforms that do not contribute to its costs while earning advertising revenue from it. Last year, the Government committed to advancing the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill to address this issue, but now appears to have wilted in the face of lobbying from big overseas corporates.”

E tū is calling on the Government to take urgent action to support our local media.

“In the wake of yet another round of cuts, it is more evident than ever that the Government needs to wake up and take action so that we preserve a media system that supports New Zealand’s democracy.”

MIL OSI

Multi-sensory artwork Waimahara brings Auckland Pride Festival to a reflective close

LiveNews Publisher

February 20, 2025

Source: Auckland Council

On Saturday 1 March the 2025 Auckland Pride Festival will conclude, completing the city’s month-long celebrations in a thoughtful, restful and reflective way.

Hāmiora Bailey, Auckland Pride’s Executive Director, explains that Auckland Pride 2025 was shaped to give visibility to the history and healing of our people across the whole community.

“We wanted it to be grounded in the arts, carry cultural relevance in both te ao Māori and Takatāpuitanga and be truly generational.

“Building on that intention, our closing event shifts away from the traditional Pride March and Pride Party. It reflects on the strength within our communities and galvanises our shared vision of queer liberation and social justice.

“I can’t imagine a better place for us to round out our festival than Waimahara. It’s fitting for our festival as this multi-sensory artwork in the underpass is a hinge between the Arts Quarter and Myers Park. Both places are significant for us,” Hāmiora says.

Headliners for the Auckland Pride closing event Nia and Nganeko with Pride Auckland Executive Director Hāmiora Bailey at Waimahara in Myers Park.

Read about artist Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hāua, Ngāti Manu), the technology team at IION and the composers behind Waimahara and view video of the artwork at Our Auckland.

Councillor Richard Hills says Auckland Council is committed to supporting our rainbow communities in Tāmaki Makaurau. He is thrilled to see Myers Park playing a part.

“We are pleased Auckland Pride has chosen this venue. We are very proud of Waimahara and this is the first time we’ll see the upgraded part of the park as an outdoor amphitheatre.

“Auckland Council is delighted to support this celebration of our rainbow and Takatāpui communities, bringing performance, thought leadership, storytelling and reflection all together in one place,” says Councillor Hills.

He explains that the artwork is designed to deepen visitors’ connection with this place.

“Waimahara describes the memory of water, specifically Te Waihorotiu the stream flowing from Myers Park through the underpass and down to the Waitematā Harbour.

“Like the stream, this artwork is alive. It responds to our presence through changing light patterns and sound as we enter the underpass. Two waiata have been composed especially for people to sing into the sensor and activate the artwork further,” he says.

The lyrics and the tune, with a ‘how to’ video, can be found via a QR code on-site. Or watch the ‘how to’ video here.

Waimahara in Myers Park.

Sharing the same name as the artwork the closing event for Auckland Pride, WAIMAHARA, begins in Aotea Square. A short hīkoi then makes its way into the underpass experiencing the ambient light and sound effects of Waimahara, and further into Myers Park.

There will be pockets of performance by talented Māori artists Nganeko and Nia, panel discussions, letter writing and picnics.

For detailed times and full schedule visit Auckland Pride.

Auckland Pride 2025 is supported by Auckland Council and the city centre targeted rate. Read more about Auckland Council’s commitment to supporting the region’s rainbow communities.

[embedded content]

MIL OSI

1...886887888...1,094 Page 887 of 1,094