Kauri in the Waitakeres.
Everything you need to know today curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Iwi Seeks Ban on the Waitakere Ranges
The Ministry of Primary Industries is working with Auckland Council on whether to close the Waitakere Ranges to prevent the spread of kauri dieback. An Auckland iwi has called for the government to use the Biosecurity Act to enable a rāhui, and stop people from entering the ranges. Edward Ashby of Te Kawerau-a Maki said stopping people entering was more effective than the current measures in place. Currently, Auckland Council’s preventative measures include increased signage and shoe-cleaning stations on tracks. The council has yet to decide whether they’ll back Te Kawerau-a-maki’s desire for a rāhui.Teacher Shortage Strikes Auckland
Auckland schools are short of teachers, with schools across all deciles not attracting any applicants, and vacancies remaining empty into next year. Randwick Park School principal Karen McMurray says the government “needs to pay teachers more and make it easier for foreign teachers to work in NZ”. She said teachers are not being given enough incentive to move to Auckland, and the shortage was likely to continue for the next few years. The Education Minister's office has stated that the government will announce a teacher supply initiative before Christmas.The HPV Vaccine is Back, Baby
The vaccine against HPV has been funded for girls and young women up to the age of 26 years for next nine years, and will be extended to boys and young men in January. The Gardasil vaccine protects against cervical, mouth, throat, penis and anal cancers. Greg Williams, manager of contracts and procurement at Pharmac, said uptake of the vaccine this year was 30 percent higher than estimated. Vaccine stocks are being replenished, and should last until next year. Up to 27,000 young women and 33,000 young men have been vaccinated in the first six months of this year. Dr Turner of the Auckland University Immunisation Advisory Centre said New Zealanders are becoming more aware of the “anti-cancer vaccine”.Auckland Doctors Still Working Overtime
Changes to doctors’ long working hours in Auckland still haven’t been implemented. Protests against unsafe working rosters had resulted in an agreement with DHBs across the country in March. The deal said doctors were not to work more than 10 days in a row, but many in Auckland are still working up to 12. Resident Doctors' Association secretary Deborah Powell says the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau DHBs have not hired the extra doctors needed. She says this is a deliberate move to save money. Some junior doctors say unions have also halted changes, by encouraging doctors to reject provisional and interim rosters which do not entirely meet criteria.Tongan Elections are Today
Polls for the Tongan elections have opened this morning, with around about 59,000 people registered to vote. 86 candidates are contesting the 17 people’s representative seats in Parliament. This election is being described as a "real-litmus test" on how people feel about political reform. In August the King dissolved Parliament as concerns grew around the Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva acting unconstitutionally. Massey University director of Pasifika Malakai Koloamatangi said today's elections were the most significant in the country's history. Dr Koloamatangi says today's elections will illustrate how the people feel about the reform. Polling stations open at 9am and close at 4pm, with results expected to be announced today.A New Planet Could Sustain Life
Astronomers in Chile have discovered a planet which may hold conditions favourable to life. The planet is nearby a small red star at the corner of our galaxy, around 11 light years away from Earth. The apparently well-behaved star, called Ross 128, sits next to the planet and isn't particularly gassy, meaning radiation from it isn't present to wipe out any signs of life. The astronomers say the planet could hold liquid water and temperate conditions from absorbing heat from its star, much like Earth does with the sun. The planet wasn't directly seen, but was sighted, via telescope, by the measurement of wobbles in wavelengths of light, caused by the gravitational pull of the planet against Ross 128.Russia to list Foreign Media as Foreign Agents
Russia has moved to introduce a law obliging all foreign media to list as foreign agents when working in-state. The decision retaliates the US ordering the Kremlin-funded media outlet, RT America, to do the same in the United States. The law would affect foreign outlets receiving funding from outside Russia and could result in suspension of activity if they did not meet requirements. A deputy speaker of the lower house of government, Pyotr Tolstoy, said the law will not influence freedom of speech.Michel Aoun Accuses Saudi Arabia of detaining Saad Hariri
The President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, has accused Saudi Arabia of detaining the country's Prime Minister. Saad Hariri has been absent for 12 days and unexpectedly announced his resignation following a visit to the country. Aoun considers him to be detained stating "nothing justifies his continued absence" and describes the detention is an "act of aggression". Saudi Arabia mistakenly accused Lebanon of declaring war last week after intercepting a ballistic missile fired by Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hariri, who has close ties to Saudi Arabia, has tweeted he is "perfectly fine" and will return home soon.Flash Flooding Hits Greece
Central Greece has experienced flash floods overnight, killing at least 11 and causing extensive damage. Heavy rain hit parts of the country for over a week, and the flooding has hit just west of the country's capital, Athens. A local reporter told Al Jazeera people are waiting for help but no longer seem to be in immediate danger. Vice Mayor of an affected town, Stavros Fotiou said they were trying to access affected areas but the rain has not yet stopped.Reporting by Lillian Hanly, Darashpreet Johal, Jenn Tamati & Leah Garcia-Purves
LOCAL NEWS
The Ministry of Primary Industries is working with Auckland Council on whether to close the Waitakere Ranges to prevent the spread of kauri dieback. An Auckland iwi has called for the government to use the Biosecurity Act to enable a rāhui, and stop people from entering the ranges. Edward Ashby of Te Kawerau-a Maki said stopping people entering was more effective than the current measures in place. Currently, Auckland Council’s preventative measures include increased signage and shoe-cleaning stations on tracks. The council has yet to decide whether they’ll back Te Kawerau-a-maki’s desire for a rāhui.Teacher Shortage Strikes Auckland
Auckland schools are short of teachers, with schools across all deciles not attracting any applicants, and vacancies remaining empty into next year. Randwick Park School principal Karen McMurray says the government “needs to pay teachers more and make it easier for foreign teachers to work in NZ”. She said teachers are not being given enough incentive to move to Auckland, and the shortage was likely to continue for the next few years. The Education Minister's office has stated that the government will announce a teacher supply initiative before Christmas.
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The vaccine against HPV has been funded for girls and young women up to the age of 26 years for next nine years, and will be extended to boys and young men in January. The Gardasil vaccine protects against cervical, mouth, throat, penis and anal cancers. Greg Williams, manager of contracts and procurement at Pharmac, said uptake of the vaccine this year was 30 percent higher than estimated. Vaccine stocks are being replenished, and should last until next year. Up to 27,000 young women and 33,000 young men have been vaccinated in the first six months of this year. Dr Turner of the Auckland University Immunisation Advisory Centre said New Zealanders are becoming more aware of the “anti-cancer vaccine”.Auckland Doctors Still Working Overtime
Changes to doctors’ long working hours in Auckland still haven’t been implemented. Protests against unsafe working rosters had resulted in an agreement with DHBs across the country in March. The deal said doctors were not to work more than 10 days in a row, but many in Auckland are still working up to 12. Resident Doctors' Association secretary Deborah Powell says the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau DHBs have not hired the extra doctors needed. She says this is a deliberate move to save money. Some junior doctors say unions have also halted changes, by encouraging doctors to reject provisional and interim rosters which do not entirely meet criteria.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Polls for the Tongan elections have opened this morning, with around about 59,000 people registered to vote. 86 candidates are contesting the 17 people’s representative seats in Parliament. This election is being described as a "real-litmus test" on how people feel about political reform. In August the King dissolved Parliament as concerns grew around the Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pohiva acting unconstitutionally. Massey University director of Pasifika Malakai Koloamatangi said today's elections were the most significant in the country's history. Dr Koloamatangi says today's elections will illustrate how the people feel about the reform. Polling stations open at 9am and close at 4pm, with results expected to be announced today.A New Planet Could Sustain Life
Astronomers in Chile have discovered a planet which may hold conditions favourable to life. The planet is nearby a small red star at the corner of our galaxy, around 11 light years away from Earth. The apparently well-behaved star, called Ross 128, sits next to the planet and isn't particularly gassy, meaning radiation from it isn't present to wipe out any signs of life. The astronomers say the planet could hold liquid water and temperate conditions from absorbing heat from its star, much like Earth does with the sun. The planet wasn't directly seen, but was sighted, via telescope, by the measurement of wobbles in wavelengths of light, caused by the gravitational pull of the planet against Ross 128.Russia to list Foreign Media as Foreign Agents
Russia has moved to introduce a law obliging all foreign media to list as foreign agents when working in-state. The decision retaliates the US ordering the Kremlin-funded media outlet, RT America, to do the same in the United States. The law would affect foreign outlets receiving funding from outside Russia and could result in suspension of activity if they did not meet requirements. A deputy speaker of the lower house of government, Pyotr Tolstoy, said the law will not influence freedom of speech.Michel Aoun Accuses Saudi Arabia of detaining Saad Hariri
The President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, has accused Saudi Arabia of detaining the country's Prime Minister. Saad Hariri has been absent for 12 days and unexpectedly announced his resignation following a visit to the country. Aoun considers him to be detained stating "nothing justifies his continued absence" and describes the detention is an "act of aggression". Saudi Arabia mistakenly accused Lebanon of declaring war last week after intercepting a ballistic missile fired by Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hariri, who has close ties to Saudi Arabia, has tweeted he is "perfectly fine" and will return home soon.Flash Flooding Hits Greece
Central Greece has experienced flash floods overnight, killing at least 11 and causing extensive damage. Heavy rain hit parts of the country for over a week, and the flooding has hit just west of the country's capital, Athens. A local reporter told Al Jazeera people are waiting for help but no longer seem to be in immediate danger. Vice Mayor of an affected town, Stavros Fotiou said they were trying to access affected areas but the rain has not yet stopped.Reporting by Lillian Hanly, Darashpreet Johal, Jenn Tamati & Leah Garcia-Purves