Update

Update

National Climate Summary - August 2004

Auckland was the sunniest and driest of the four main centres. Rainfall was below average in Auckland, near average in Wellington, and well above average in Christchurch and Dunedin. Temperatures were below average in all four main centres. Sunshine totals were a record in Auckland, above normal in Wellington, near normal in Dunedin, and below normal in Christchurch.

Temperatures: Coldest August overall in more than ten years. Mean temperatures below average almost everywhere, and especially in the South Island where they were at least 1.5°C below average in most southern and eastern regions. Temperatures were near average only in Gisborne and Hawke's Bay. The national average of 7.9°C was 0.8°C below average.

Rainfall: It was very wet, with about 200 percent (twice) of average rainfall, in parts of Wairarapa, Canterbury, Otago, and coastal Southland. Rainfall was also above average in Waikato, Wanganui, Ruapehu, southern Hawke's Bay, the Kapiti Coast, the Hutt Valley, Nelson Lakes, Fiordland, and inland Southland. In contrast rainfall was less than 50 percent (half) of average in inland Bay of Plenty, and also below average in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, coastal Bay of Plenty, Nelson, and much of Marlborough.

Sunshine: Monthly sunshine totals were well above average in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, King Country, Manawatu, and Westland. However, totals were below average in the Wairarapa, north Canterbury, and the Southern Lakes.

Thanks to NIWA

Areas Chosen for Family Safety Team Pilot

A pilot programme aimed at reducing domestic violence will see Family Safety Teams established in Wairarapa/Hutt Valley, Auckland/Hamilton, Christchurch, and Counties Manukau. The Wairarapa/Hutt Valley and Auckland/Hamilton teams will begin operating next February, with the other teams being rolled out in the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 financial years.

Family Safety Teams aim to provide a multi-disciplinary response to family violence. It is a joint initiative between the Police, Ministry of Justice and Department of Child, Youth and Family. It will involve police, and advocates for adult and child victims working together to ensure that the full range of needs for a family experiencing family violence are addressed.

In each case, a team will decide how to best address the problem, protect the victims, and reduce the chance of repeat incidents. The teams will also ensure that greater use is made of existing services that can help at-risk families, such as protection orders, counselling and help from Work and Income. The teams will continue to make referrals where appropriate to the police and Child, Youth and Family, and to work closely with child abuse and sexual abuse teams.

Funding of $15.2 million over four years was made available in this year's Budget, and the teams work will be evaluated over a three-year period.

Rural GPs Treat More Patients

A new report shows rural general practitioners treat more patients than their urban counterparts. The Ministry of Health report, which surveyed 47 rural GPs and 197 urban doctors, found that country practices have a heavier workload than city practices despite being smaller. Rural doctors also tend to order fewer tests and investigations and their patient follow-up is also slightly lower. They see more patients from deprived areas, more Maori and more with community services cards. The doctors are more likely to have graduated from overseas, and are mainly male, aged 35-44.

PHARMAC Funds Diabetes Drug

PHARMAC has decided that Pioglitazone (Actos) will be fully funded for people with Type 2 diabetes, both as a therapy on its own or for use in combination with drugs known as sulphonylureas (such as glibenclamide). PHARMAC estimates that about 1000 people will initially be able to access fully subsidised pioglitazone in the first year, but that this figure will rise to about 3000.

Latest Seatbelt Figures

New figures from the Land Transport Safety Authority show that 94 percent of people were buckled-up in the front seat - the highest level ever (however, with 2.85 million licensed drivers, a six percent failure rate means 170,000 travel without restraints). The survey also revealed that men are twice as likely as women to put themselves at risk unnecessarily, with eight percent of males not wearing safety belts in the front seat, compared with just four percent of females. Police crash reports show that 94 unrestrained vehicle occupants died in crashes on NZ roads last year. Police attending the crashes estimate at least 41 of these people would have survived had they buckled up.

Regionally, Auckland, Nelson-Marlborough and Southland led the way this year in front seat safety belt use, each recording 96 percent wearing rates. The greatest improvement from 2003 was recorded in Manawatu-Wanganui, up from 88 to 92 percent. Waitakere City recorded the highest wearing rate of any metropolitan area, at 98 percent - up six percent from 2003, and the greatest improvement of any city from last year. Rear seat safety belt wearing rates are lower than front seat rates, with 19 percent of back seat passengers unrestrained in the LTSA's 2003 survey. Results of the 2004 survey of rear seatbelt use will be released in February next year.

Reducing Violence and Bullying In Schools

New research about changing school cultures to reduce violence and bullying has been released recently. The research, "Developing A More Positive School Culture To Address Bullying And Improve School Relationships", uses three case studies built up from one-to-one interviews and focus groups with principals, teachers, students and parent Board of Trustee representatives at Papatoetoe Intermediate, Wilford Primary School (Lower Hutt) and Caversham Primary School (Dunedin). The schools focused in this research have all significantly reduced anti-social and aggressive behaviour in their classrooms and playgrounds through improving their cultures during the past few years.

Improvements to school culture came about as a result of behaviours like:

  • teachers focussing firstly on their relationships with other teachers, to improve collegiality;
  • teachers modelling of appropriate relationships for students;
  • teachers engaging with and supporting students who struggled to fit in at school, rather than excluding them;
  • discussing expectations with students and clarifying what was acceptable behaviour;
  • supporting the well-being of students and families;
  • applying consistent, immediate and fair consequences for both appropriate and inappropriate behaviour;
  • providing support for students so they could develop positive relationships and learn to behave appropriately; and
  • providing strong leadership and teacher and student support.

The Ministry of Education plans to integrate the findings of the report into existing initiatives across the education sector.

Childcare Co-ordinators Appointed

From 1 October the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is appointing up to 57 childcare co-ordinators to help ensure families access the childcare and subsidies they are entitled to as a result of Working for Families (this was announced in this year's Budget to help low-to-middle income families with dependent children and parents moving off the benefit to work).

One aspect of Working for Families is more help with childcare costs. The cost of childcare can be a major barrier to parents returning to work. Parents in work or training may be eligible for up to 50 hours a week of Childcare Subsidy or Out of School Care and Recreation Subsidy (OSCAR) for school-age children.

From 4 October 2004 families on higher incomes will be eligible for Childcare Subsidy and will be able to earn more money before their assistance is reduced. Childcare rates will also increase significantly. OSCAR rates will increase to match the Childcare Subsidy and both will then increase by 10 percent. From 3 October 2005 Childcare Subsidy and OSCAR Subsidy rates will increase by a further 10 percent.

Childcare Co-ordinators will work closely with local childcare providers to increase the number of families receiving Childcare Assistance and to improve access to childcare subsidies. They will visit childcare providers to help promote childcare assistance to families and help providers with the administration of childcare subsidies.

The co-ordinators will also help ensure families access other assistance from Work and Income, such as the Accommodation Supplement. Changes to the Accommodation Supplement were announced as part of the Working for Families package and start taking effect from 1 October 2004.

A dedicated freephone for childcare providers is planned to be live from 1 October 2004. Further information is available by contacting the Working for Families freephone at 0800 774 004

Thanks to MSD News

Increasing Court Delays

More District Court cases are waiting more than a year for jury trials. The Ministry of Justice has released figures showing the number of district court trials waiting more than a year for a hearing rose from 261 at 30 June 2003, to 348 at the same time this year. That was an increase from 21 percent to 28 percent of all cases awaiting trial.

The Auckland District court led the backlog, with 89 trials waiting over a year as of 30 June, followed by Manukau (41), Wellington (46), Christchurch (32), and Tauranga (30). In the High Court the proportion of trials waiting a year or more has risen from 19 percent at June last year, to 23 percent at the same time this year.

Thanks to "Law Scene"

Fewer Students Leave School Without Qualifications

The proportion of students leaving school with no qualifications has hit the lowest level in ten years, dropping from 18 percent of all leavers in 2002 to 15 percent of 53,425 school leavers in 2003. In addition, in 2002, 35 percent of Maori school leavers left with no qualifications, and this dropped to 30 percent in 2003. Similarly, 26 percent of Pasifika school leavers left with no qualifications in 2002, compared with 21 percent in 2003.

Other statistics include:

  • in 2003, 67 percent of school leavers left with qualifications higher than NCEA level 1, compared with 63 percent in 2002 and 64 percent in 2001 (these include Sixth Form Certificate, NCEA level 2, Higher School Certificate, Entrance Qualification and University Bursary); and
  • the proportion of Maori and Pasifika school leavers with qualifications higher than NCEA level 1 grew from 39 percent and 54 percent respectively in 2002, to 45 percent and 59 percent in 2003.

Latest Industry Training Figures

The latest figures on the Modern Apprenticeship programme showed continued expansion to 6,874 Modern Apprentices, 374 above the target for June. This is up by 20 percent since last year (1,135 more apprentices). What's more, the programme has now reached the 500th female Modern Apprentice.

Highlights of the Industry Training 2003 report include:

  • over 126,000 trainees participated in Industry Training compared with the 106,000 who participated in 2002;
  • 14,181 National Certificates were completed - a 45 percent increase on 2002 numbers;
  • almost 2,500,000 NQF credits were achieved by trainees - a 22 percent increase on 2002 numbers;
  • 29,206 employers provided Industry Training to their employees compared with 24,576 in 2002;
  • 6,259 Modern Apprentices as 31 December 2003; and
  • $41.6 million in cash invested by industry in Industry Training, along with $98.4 million from Government.

International Education Initiatives Detail Announced

Further detail about international study exchanges, awards and other government initiatives - designed to lift NZ's overseas profile and strengthen the international education sector - have been released (these initiatives are part of the $40 million Budget 2004 package for international education):

  • Education NZ will continue to take the lead in promoting international education, and will manage the promotion funding and innovation funding allocated in the 2004 Budget; and a second offshore education counsellor will be established in Washington from 1 July 2005, on top of the already announced position in Beijing;
  • in 2005 the focus for the scholarships programme will be on post-graduate students (countries targeted will be China, Korea and ASEAN countries, and Chile, Mexico, and Brazil);
  • the undergraduate component of the scholarships package will start in the 2006 academic year; and
  • in 2006 the focus for the scholarships and study abroad awards will expand to include Japan, North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Applications Invited for Conservation Grants

Farmers, community groups and others are invited to apply for funds to promote and care for plant and animal life on private land. The Biodiversity Condition and Advice Funds were established as part of a five-year biodiversity package in 2000. The contestable funding programmes are designed to help private landowners maintain native species values on their land.

There will be two bidding rounds this financial year totalling $4.1 million. The first opened on 9 August and closes on 27 September, with decisions announced before Christmas. The second round will be notified in the first quarter of 2005, with decisions announced by 30 June.

So far, examples of projects funded include predator trapping in Northland, pest eradication on Great Barrier Island, fencing at Lake Rotoehu, fencing and pest control in Makaretu Stream near Gisborne, controlling wilding pines in North Canterbury, and eradicating rats from Southern Titi Islands near Rakiura/Stewart Island.

Background information

Biodiversity Condition Fund: aims to improve and maintain the condition of areas of native vegetation, species and habitats, including wetlands and water bodies. The fund seeks to broaden community effort in managing native species biodiversity, outside public conservation lands, and particularly areas under legal protection. Projects could involve, for example, fencing.

Biodiversity Advice Fund: supports the provision of information and advice to landowners to assist them in managing indigenous biodiversity. The fund helps to provide information and advice on biodiversity and includes projects such as field days, expert advice, publications, training, and seminars.

Examples of projects: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Documents/Files/Biodiversity%20Grants%202004%20-%20regional%20details.pdf

International Tourism Growth Continues in 2004

According to the International Visitor Survey (IVS*), international visitors to NZ spent $6.3 billion in the year to March 2004, up 1.9 percent from the previous March year. Other results include:

  • The Australian market was the best performer, with visitors from Australia spending $1.3 billion, up 32 percent from the previous year. This performance has been driven by a 16.5 percent increase in visitor numbers and by an increase in spend per visitor (up 9 percent to $1,924).
  • NZ's second largest market, the UK, also performed strongly with visitor spending increasing by 9 percent to reach $946 million.
  • The spend by NZ's third largest spending market, Japan, decreased by 2 percent to $640 million reflecting the impact of SARS over the year.
  • Visitors from the USA spent $549 million in NZ in the year to March 2004, down 23 percent. This fall is associated with the high value of the NZ currency compared with the US$ and it is likely that the extra security arrangements for US-bound flights may have affected the IVS data collection process.
  • Expenditure from the Korean market has increased strongly - up by 80.5 percent to reach $626 million.

Over the longer term, international tourism has demonstrated a strong and robust pattern of growth, with visitor expenditure having grown from $3.0 billion in the year ended March 1998 to $6.3 billion in the most recent period. This equates to additional visitor expenditure of $545 million each year over the 1998-2004 period.

* The IVS is a sample survey of 5000 departing international travellers that is conducted at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports.

NZ Most Popular Aussie Travel Destination

NZ has become Australia's top holiday destination. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show Australian tourist numbers up 20 per cent on a year ago, with nearly 740,000 making the trip across the Tasman in the 2003 to 2004 financial year. That is nearly the same number as visited both Britain and the US - the next two most popular countries. Tourism NZ says NZ replaces Bali as the top destination for Australian travellers, due largely to an increase in low cost flights between the two countries.

Thanks to "NewsRoom"

Managing Visitors

The Ministry of Tourism is currently investigating where key infrastructure bottlenecks are likely to occur in the next seven years, including roads, airports, water, and wastewater networks. An emerging problem for many communities is peaking numbers of visitors who put pressure on such assets. The project will enable officials to identify problem areas and coordinate appropriate action.

The Ministry is also working with the Department of Conservation on destination marketing as a way to manage visitor pressure. The goal is to target guests who stay longer, spend more, and, perhaps most importantly, get away from the popular destinations and into the regions where there is less pressure on infrastructure.

NZ's Top Investment Partners

Latest Statistics NZ analysis shows that NZ's most important international investment relationships continue to be with Australia, the US and the UK. These three countries are the source of over half of the foreign investment in NZ, and are also the destination of over half of NZ's investment abroad.

Together, these three countries were the source of 63.3 percent of the $193.6 billion of foreign investment in NZ at 31 March 2004 (they accounted for 61.8 percent at 31 March 2003). Other countries identified as continuing significant sources of foreign investment in NZ at 31 March 2004 were Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Switzerland. Together, these countries contributed 15.3 percent ($29.6 billion) of the total foreign investment in NZ at 31 March 2004. This is similar to the 15.6 percent contribution of one year ago for these countries.

At 31 March 2004, NZ investment abroad totalled $86.1 billion. Of this, 53.4 percent ($46.0 billion) was invested in Australia and the US, the same proportion of NZ's investment abroad at 31 March 2003. At 31 March 2004, a further 17.7 percent (15.2 billion) was invested in Germany and the United Kingdom. Other countries where NZ continues to have significant investments are Switzerland, Japan, and Singapore, which together accounted for 8.1 percent ($7.0 billion) of NZ's total investment abroad.

Regulating Financial Intermediaries

The government has announced the impending establishment of a Task Force on the Regulation of Financial Intermediaries (including share brokers, mortgage brokers, insurance brokers and financial advisers). The task force would examine the shape of the financial services industry, identify its users and look at problems facing the industry before designing solutions that also take account of the government's broader policy concerns. It will also take into account sector reforms in Australia with the objective of achieving cross-Tasman compatibility. The six-member group will be appointed in upcoming weeks and report back to the government within six months.

Top SF Films of All Time up to Now

The "Guardian" newspaper in the UK brought together an expert panel - of scientists - to determine the top-ten science fiction films. They came up with the following list: 

  1. "Blade Runner" (1982) Dir: Ridley Scott; 
  2. 2001: "A Space Odyssey" (1968) Dir: Stanley Kubrick; 
  3. Star Wars (1977)/ "Empire Strikes Back" (1980); 
  4. "Alien" (1979) Dir: Ridley Scott; 
  5. "Solaris" (1972) Dir: Andrei Tarkovsky; 
  6. Terminator (1984)/ "T2: Judgment day" (1991) Dir: James Cameron; 
  7. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951) Dir: Robert Wise; 
  8. "War of the Worlds" (1953) Dir: Byron Haskin; 
  9. "The Matrix" (1999) Dir: Andy & Larry Wachowski; 
  10. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) Dir: Steven Spielberg.

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