Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

A sentencing in the Nelson District Court today [February 9] gives important health and safety lessons for when businesses are working together at the same workplace.

Maritime NZ Deputy Chief Executive Regulatory Operations, Deb Despard, says this is the ‘overlapping duties’ principle in the Health and Safety at Work Act. Importantly, while this case involved a fishing vessel, the lessons can apply to all industries covered by the Act, not only the maritime and ports sectors.

Maritime NZ prosecuted Sealord Group Limited after a crew member of the Sealord fishing vessel, Rehua, was trapped and crushed when a winch he was working on started unexpectedly. The crew member suffered serious chest injuries.

Sealord pled guilty to one charge under section 34 of the Act and was sentenced today.

The incident occurred on 4 June 2022, when Rehua was docked at Port of Nelson for planned maintenance. This included refitting its winch systems. Two other companies were also involved in the refit of the winches.

The Act makes each business responsible for carrying out their health and safety duties at the workplace, which in this case was the Rehua.

Business must also work together to manage safety (the Act says they consult, cooperate and coordinate activities). This is so they have shared understanding of the work and the risks, and agree who is best placed to manage safety.

It was reasonably practicable for Sealord to consult, cooperate with, and coordinate activities with the other businesses by ensuring:

·         a toolbox talk involving all people working around or with the winch system, discussing the winch controls and a safe system of working that day took place

·         there was clear communication of a safe system of work

·         clear communication of training and supervision for the work involving the winch system.

“The lessons from this incident are being used to help keep others safe,” Ms Despard says.

“Maritime NZ is working with senior leaders in the industry through the Fishers' Health and Safety Leadership Group, including Sealord, to progress initiatives together to prevent harm in the fishing sector.”

Maritime NZ is also sharing information about this case with the maritime and port sectors to increase knowledge of the Act and help prevent harm in future.

Notes:

The Health and Safety at Work Act uses the term ‘person conducting a business or undertaking’ (PCBU). For ease of reading by the general public, Maritime NZ has referred to PCBUs as businesses in this media release. In this case the three PCBUs involved were businesses.

The Court ordered Sealord to pay $40,000 reparations to the injured crew member and imposed a fine of $12,950.

The 17th edition of the Takapuna Beach Cup returns bringing together rangatahi (youth), pakeke (adults), and international crews for the biggest change race in Aotearoa.

From Friday 13 February to Sunday 15 February, Takapuna Beach Cup draws over 1,000 participants and spectators to its shores. Aotearoa will be joined by those coming from Australia, Hong Kong, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Hawai’i, Canada, the United States and the UK.

Organised by Waka Ama Aotearoa NZ (WAANZ) and supported by the local Taniwha Outrigger Canoe Club, paddlers will compete in a range of disciplines and distances. WAANZ Chief Executive Lara Collins says this event highlights dedication to Waka Ama.

“The distances across the three days require stamina and mental toughness, battling other teams and the taiao (environment). The skill level is high and the challenge of completing these races is an experience like no other,” says Collins.

Friday will be W6 (6 person canoe) races ranging from a 5 km sprint and a 16 km mixed race. Saturday will be the marathon W6 and W4 42 km changes race and the 21 km Iron events. Sunday will be the W6 10 km (J16/J19) and relay events for W1 and W2 crews.

The Hauraki Gulf delivers a challenging programme, including the 42 km circumnavigation of Rangitoto, Motutapu and Rakino Islands while carrying out crew water changeovers.

“From humble beginnings this event has transformed into a world-class race thanks to the late Ken Gilbert and the Taniwha Outrigger Canoe Club. Takapuna Beach Cup promotes the growth of waka ama and celebrates the culture that underpins paddling in Aotearoa,” says Collins.  

Spectators and supporters can attend along the Takapuna Beach foreshore. Details on race times and on-site amenities are available at https://www.takapunabeachcup.com/.

Queenstown’s easiest downhill mountain bike trail, Whakatipu View, has officially opened at Coronet Peak.

The highly anticipated 5km-long, Grade 2 trail, opened with a special community celebration on Saturday (February 7) that involved long-time Coronet Peak team member and former top Kiwi rider Erin Greene being the first to ride the trail.
 
Whakatipu View is designed as Coronet Peak’s most accessible trail to date. Built to a true Grade 2 standard, it offers a new gateway to gravity mountain biking for beginners, families and riders who want a gentle, confidence‑building introduction to downhill terrain. The trail features an overall grade of 8%, smooth bermed corners, rolling turns and expansive views across the Whakatipu basin.
 
Coronet Peak ski area manager Nigel Kerr says the opening marks a major milestone in the ski area’s long‑term vision for summer recreation. Greene, who has worked at Coronet Peak for 25 years, and Kerr, have both played pivotal roles in the development of mountain biking on the mountain for more than 10 years.
 
“Whakatipu View is exactly the kind of trail our community has been asking for,” Kerr explains. “Downhill mountain biking can feel intimidating, and having a genuine Grade 2 top‑to‑bottom option opens the sport to many more people. It’s the perfect step between the district’s river trails and riding in the alpine environment.”
 
Whakatipu View is one of the first projects to be delivered under Coronet Peak’s Department of Conservation‑approved Mountain Biking Masterplan, signed off in 2024. The masterplan enables the development of up to 15 trails of varying grades within the ski area, as well as two that will eventually extend toward the valley floor. There are currently four trails in operation for MTB over the summer months.
 
The trail was built by Queenstown-based company Dirt Design, led by Kepler Rek, whose team navigated a complex alpine work environment including spring snow and sensitive ecological areas. “Every metre of trail was shaped with a focus on minimising environmental impact and maintaining respect for the maunga,” Kerr adds.
 
More trails are in development and will continue to expand the trial network. Work on the extreme Grade 6 World Cup trail begins this month, with an expected opening at the start of next summer in December 2026. The easy Grade 3 Velvet Rolls trail will follow, scheduled as a project for next summer.
 
Coronet Peak’s mountain bike park opened for the 2025–26 season on December 6, 2025, and will operate until March 22, 2026. Riders access the trails via the Coronet Express chairlift, with bike carriers fitted for summer operations. For more information, visit www.coronetpeak.co.nz/summer/mountain-biking/ .

Covering period of Monday 9th – Friday 13th February
 
–    Largely settled start to the week for northern and central New Zealand, but rain for the West Coast and far south
–    Swing to warmer-than-average temperatures for many on Thursday
–    Widespread rain arriving at the end of the working week

It’s looking like a classic summer setup for much of the country this week, with largely settled weather for northern and central parts, and a swing to hotter than average temperatures later in the week. Friday brings a change, however, with widespread rain arriving to dampen things before the weekend.

Dry days are set to dominate from Northland down to Christchurch to start the week. Summer heating brings the odd shower popping up inland in the afternoons, and we might even see a lightning spark or two up in the ranges of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, but for most people there will be plenty of chances to get out and about.

MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino says, “With sea-surface temperatures around much of the North Island’s coastline warmer than average, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of the long summer evenings and squeeze in a swim after school or work.”

Things aren’t quite so sunny for western and southern parts of the South Island, though, with rain sweeping through on Tuesday, and lingering into Wednesday for the West Coast. MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Watch for Tuesday’s rain in Fiordland, with a moderate chance of being upgraded to a Warning.

Summer returns mid-week, with sunny skies, hot days, and humid nights for much of the country. Afternoon temperatures in the high twenties are expected on Thursday, and some places in Wairarapa and Canterbury might even crack 30°C, 6 or 7°C above average for this time of year.

“It could get uncomfortably hot later in the week, with several spots in the lower North Island set to approach or exceed their heat alert thresholds, and overnight temperatures in the high teens not allowing time for recovery. Now’s the time to make a plan: think about timing outdoor activities away from the hottest parts of the day, or shifting under cover if you have to be outside, and leave plenty of time for shade and water breaks,” advises Martino.

As we head towards the weekend things look quite different, with rain affecting most of the country on Friday, and heavy rain possible. Keep up-to-date with the latest forecasts and MetService’s Severe Weather Outlook for more details.

The NZ Drug Foundation says a major new report on international drug policy reform over the past 10 years shows that the drug control system has failed and countries like New Zealand urgently need to change direction.

The UNGASS decade in review: Gaps, achievements and paths for reform report assesses progress made since the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, widely viewed as a potential turning point in global drug policy.

NZ Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says it paints an incredibly grim picture, with many challenges hampering efforts to reduce the harm from drugs including the financial crisis facing the United Nations, threats to the international rule of law, AI-fuelled illicit trade and reduced funding for harm reduction.

“Old tropes, and the ‘war on drugs’ approach that is regaining momentum in the United States and elsewhere, need to end. Aotearoa New Zealand risks sliding into the same chaos seen in parts of North America if nothing changes,” Helm says.

“All the evidence tells us these approaches are continuing to push things in the wrong direction – the increase in harm and deaths globally over the last ten years is just staggering.”

The report shows that under the current international settings:

• More drugs are being consumed. 
• More potent and new substances have emerged, many of which are volatile and toxic. 
• More people are using drugs. An estimated 316 million people aged 15-64 used drugs in 2023, which is a 28% increase since 2016 and far outpaces 9% global population growth. 
• More people are dying as a result of drug use. Between 2016 and 2021, more than 2,678,000 people died (not including deaths from armed conflict in countries that supply the global drug market). 

There has been an alarming level of incarceration that has disproportionately affected marginalised communities. About 20% of the global prison population – or one in five people – is in prison for drug offences. Of those people, 22% or 2.5 million people are in prison for drug possession alone.

“Sadly, these international trends are all too familiar in New Zealand. Our Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa New Zealand report shows that everything from addiction, to overdose deaths, to criminalisation have increased under our current approach – it’s painfully obvious that we need to change,” Helm says.

“We lose almost three New Zealanders per week to overdose, methamphetamine and cocaine use have doubled in the past year, new toxic substances like nitazenes are killing people and 3,000 New Zealanders have been criminalised for cannabis consumption in the past two years.”

More and more money has been spent on reducing supply, including drug busts, to little or no effect. In fact, mounting evidence shows that law enforcement strategies aimed at disrupting trafficking organisations have often been counterproductive. Instead of reducing supply, they have fragmented criminal groups, creating more dynamic and violent competition over illegal markets.

“Both internationally and here at home, we spend vastly more on combating the supply of drugs than on reducing demand and the harm caused. This approach has not worked so it’s time to take a different approach,” Helm argues.

There are a few bright spots to be found over the 10 years the report canvasses. 59 jurisdictions in 39 countries have now adopted some form of decriminalisation, compared to 33 jurisdictions in 23 countries in 2016. And 45 countries – including Aotearoa New Zealand – have adopted laws and policies to improve access to medicinal cannabis since 2016, bringing the global total to 63.

Helm says that for New Zealand to start turning things around, decriminalisation of drug use, coupled with significant investment in health and harm reduction services, has the clearest evidence of success internationally.

“For example, Portugal’s two decades of experience of decriminalisation is compelling,” she says. “Overdose deaths fell dramatically, HIV transmission rates plummeted, and the burden on the criminal justice system was eased, all without an increase in drug use. Portugal now has one of the lowest rates of drug-related deaths in the EU.”

The NZSA Youth Mentor Programme seeks Emerging Young Writers – YOUTH WRITING MENTORSHIPS OPEN FOR 2026

Four secondary school students will have the opportunity to be mentored by one of New Zealand’s best professional authors in order to develop their craft and hone their writing skills.

The NZSA Youth Mentorship Programme offers aspiring young writers aged 15 -18 a mentorship, from May to November. The intent of the mentor programme is to foster and develop emerging writing talent with the support of established authors. There are 4 places awarded each year in the youth programme, and it is a game-changing opportunity for young writers.

NZSA has been running successful assessment and mentoring programmes since 1999 that aim are to nurture, encourage, inspire and develop emerging writers with the support of established writers through mentoring and assessment.

Deadline for applications: 6 April 2026
Find out about how to apply: www.authors.org.nz

Comments from previous youth mentees
Eleazar Kenese from Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland was paired with award-winning novelist, poet, journalist and editor, Mikaela Nyman and told us: “I feel that I made a lot of progress under this mentorship as I was introduced to new ways of writing poetry, I progressed as a writer as Mikaela helped me to explore different styles, themes and ideas and under this guidance I was able to write a poem that got published in an anthology. This mentorship was extremely helpful to my progress as a writer as it also gave me a deeper understanding of the standards of poetry in terms of punctuation and purpose (using punctuation as a tool to convey an emotion or thought rather than just for readability)”.

Leo Reid from Hamilton had award-winning author Kyle Mewburn as their mentor in 2024 and had this to say: “Through the NZSA Youth Mentorship Program, I have developed my skills as an author outside of simply writing. My mentor Kyle was endlessly kind and patient with me and I feel I have grown into myself using her help. Kyle offered me the experience of working with a seasoned author as well as providing me with extremely beneficial feedback. I know I can apply these newfound skills to projects outside of the one I had been working on with Kyle. I will look back on this shared time with her as one of immense value to myself, on both a personal level and as a writer.”

“I feel that I improved my skills as a writer and made a great deal of progress in terms of my project — I now have a clear structure, a plan moving forward and many smaller pieces to work with and develop further. Michelle has helped me build confidence in my work and consider things I previously didn't, such as pacing and specific characterisation, as well as highlighting my strengths,” said Stella Weston who was partnered with writer and editor, Michelle Elvy.

The Youth Mentor Programme is run by the NZSA, the principal organisation representing writers in Aotearoa. We offer memberships for writers at all stages of their careers including students. Our assessment and mentorship programmes, such as our annual Youth mentorships, are offered with the support of Creative New Zealand.

NZSA is the principal organisation representing over 1800 writers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Founded in 1934, we administer prizes and awards, provide professional development, offer mentorship and assessment programmes, trade discounts, share industry news and opportunities, and provide spaces for writers to meet via 8 regional branches, a Next Page youth network, and Nga Kaituhi Māori. We offer online and in-person regional and national events. NZSA collaborates across the book sector to make NZ writing and NZ writers more visible. We advocate for writers' and champion fair reward.