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Weather News – NEMA urges vigilance ahead of Labour Day storms

Source: National Emergency Management Agency

The National Emergency Management Agency is urging the public to be extra vigilant ahead of more severe weather forecast for many parts of the country on Labour Day.

NEMA Chief Executive Dave Gawn says MetService has issued weather warnings for multiple regions, and NEMA is urging the public to take care on the roads when returning home from long weekend breaks.

“MetService have issued warnings for rain, wind and snow, and it’s essential that people factor these into their travel plans.  Plan your journeys, pack extra supplies in case you get stranded, and if it’s looking really hairy, consider delaying your travel if you can.

“Check for closures before you hit the road, be on the lookout for slips and debris, and never drive through floodwater”

Dave Gawn says many communities are still picking up the pieces after Thursday’s storms and forecast severe weather will be a setback to cleanup efforts.

He says excellent progress has been made in impacted regions, with power being progressively restored and critical communications and other services coming back online.

“I want to acknowledge the impact the recent severe weather has had on our communities, and recognise the massive efforts of everyone involved.”

Mr Gawn says councils, Civil Defence, emergency services and government agencies throughout the country are working together to coordinate resources and support the locally-led response efforts.

NEMA has stood up the National Crisis Management Centre in the Beehive to assist with response and recovery efforts, and to be ready to respond to any impacts arising tomorrow. NEMA has worked with partner agencies and CDEM Groups to surge personnel in to provide support to Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group and Clutha District, and to source and move generators into those areas to be prioritised for critical needs.

Mr Gawn says NEMA is currently working with central government agencies and CDEM Groups from impacted regions to identify what support will be required for the initial recovery period, including for the rural sector.

More information:

 

Get ready for the bad weather:

  • Stay up to date with the latest weather information from MetService.
  • Listen to advice provided by your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group and emergency services and follow any instructions. Put safety first. Don’t take any chances.
  • There are still multiple road closures across impacted regions. If you have to travel, check road conditions before you go. For state highway closures, visitwww.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions 
  • If your property has been damaged, contact your insurance company. They will help you with claims and what you need to do next.
  • Check on neighbours, especially those who may be elderly, isolated, or without communications.
  • If you see a fallen power line, always treat it as if it’s live, and do not attempt to clear any debris lying next to a fallen power line.
  • If life, health or property is in danger, call 111 immediately.
  • For more advice on preparing for severe weather, check out Storms — Get Ready (NZ Civil Defence) — Emergency preparedness in New Zealand

If you have no power

  • Turn off all appliances including cookers and heaters so that when power comes back on, you reduce the risk of a fire from unattended cooking, or flammable items left close to heaters.
  • Use torches rather than candles if possible. If you must use candles, keep them away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave a candle burning in an empty room
  • If you are using camp cookers or alternative forms of heating, always make sure they are on a stable surface. Do not use outdoor cooking or heating equipment inside.
  • If your mobile phone says you have no network connection you may still be able to ring 111. Even if your phone says you have no service, try the call.
  • You may be able to charge your phone with your car’s battery using a car charger.
  • If you no longer have access to a phone, a solar- or battery-powered radio or your car radio can help you keep up to date with the latest news and alerts.
  • RNZ is running extended bulletins at 7am, 12pm and 5pm providing local updates for people in Southland and Clutha without power.
  • If you use a portable generator, it must be located in a well-ventilated place. The generator must never be used in an indoor space where people are present; this includes areas such as an internal garage. Using portable generators after a natural event or emergency | WorkSafe
  • Avoid getting sick from unsafe food:
    • Eat foods that will expire soon first – such as bread, meat, salads, and dairy products. These spoil more quickly than non-perishable food.
    • Eat canned and non-perishable pantry foods last.
    • Open your fridge and freezer as little as possible to help keep it cooler for longer. Leave already frozen food in the freezer if possible. Freezers will remain colder for longer if they are full (2–4 days) than if they are half full (1–2 days).

Where people can get support

  • Southland: People with immediate needs can call Emergency Management Southland on 0800 809 127 between 8am and 9pm.
  • Clutha District: If people need water or don’t have power or wifi they can contact Clutha District Council on 0800 801 350. Drop-in centres are also being established in isolated communities to provide power, internet access, and connection to support services. Details are provided at www.cluthadc.govt.nz

Support for farmers

  • If you have questions or concerns about animal welfare emergency management phone MPI on 0800 00 83 33.
  • Farmers and growers who require support are encouraged to contact their local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.
  • Resources are also available at FarmStrong: farmstrong.co.nz
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Advocacy – PSNA says Israeli Deputy Minister ‘sneaking into NZ’ this weekend while Israel resumes its genocide in Gaza

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa – PSNA

It seems clear from media reports that Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskell is visiting Auckland this weekend as part of a trip to strengthen ties with New Zealand and other Pacific countries.
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-chair Maher Nazal says he would expect Foreign Minister Winston Peters to have had, or will be having, a secret meeting with Haskell.
“Haskell wouldn’t come to New Zealand unless she was having a meeting with
Peters. Otherwise, it would be a diplomatic snub. Haskell wouldn’t tolerate that, and Peters is most unlikely to snub Israel,” Nazzal says.
“But if he’s turned her down, we’d love to hear about it.”
“The visit is despite Haskell recently mocking Prime Minister, Chris Luxon, with some sarcastic comments that New Zealand’s worst enemies were cats and possums, when Luxon said her boss Benjamin Netanyahu had ‘lost the plot’.
“The trip is a ‘thank you’ visit for New Zealand refusing to recognise Palestine. Haskell had appointments with the governments of Fiji and Papua New Guinea earlier this week.”
“They are the only two countries in the world, other than the United States, which both voted in the United Nations last year against requiring Israel to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and also have an embassy in Jerusalem. They are the greatest fans of Israel outside the United States.”
“Haskell is an agent of Israeli cruelty and depravity, and she has no legitimate
business here. Right now, Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war against
Palestinians and withholding New Zealand aid from the people of Gaza.
“Why would we put out the welcome mat for a representative of such a monstrous regime?” asks Nazzal.

 

“Haskell was recently interviewed by genocide-denier Sean Plunket on his radio show The Platform and said she’d like to visit New Zealand, saying, “We want to thank the New Zealand government for its support over the last two years.”

“That says it all. New Zealand has stood resolutely with a racist, apartheid regime, as it continues to commit genocide against the Palestinian people – two years and counting,” says Nazzal.

“Giving comfort and solace to a regime committing genocide is unconscionable.”
“We are sure the government has told Haskell to keep her visit quiet, because they will be embarrassed at her praise. But the Auckland Chamber of Commerce is happy to welcome her, given its public enthusiasm for extending New Zealand’s economic relations with apartheid-genocide Israel.”
Maher Nazzal
Co-Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa – PSNA
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Universities – Docs’ self-rated care not necessarily appreciated – UoA
Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

GPs who rate themselves as 'compassionate' don't necessarily have patients who agree.

A doctor who believes they are offering compassionate care doesn’t necessarily mean their patients feel cared for, according to new research out of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
 
While patients appreciate an accurate diagnosis, a clean clinic, decent quality testing and effective treatment, they also want to feel cared for, says Professor Nathan Consedine, a health psychologist in the School of Medicine at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
 
Consedine says the assumption has been that increasing compassion in providers will lead to patients feeling more cared for. However, whether it actually does so has not been studied.
 
In a recent study, Consedine and colleagues investigated whether doctors who felt they were compassionate had patients for whom correspondingly felt cared for.
 
The researchers surveyed more than a thousand anonymous patients about their experience of primary care, got ratings about their experience of compassion, and concluded by asking for the contact details of their GP.
 
The researchers then contacted their GP separately and asking them to answer questions about their practice, how compassionate they were, and so on. More than 200 GPs (40 percent of those asked) completed the questionnaire.
 
To the researcher’s surprise, doctors who rated themselves as more compassionate were not necessarily experienced as more caring by their patients. See Journal of General Internal Medicine.
 
In fact, there was no systematic link between a doctor’s compassion and the patient’s experience of care.
 
These findings suggest that a patient’s experience of compassion may or may not be related to their physicians’ self-assessed compassion.
 
Consedine says: “If you think about something analogous, like love languages, people like to be loved in diverse ways – some need touch, some need actions, some need words.
 
“So, assuming the same behaviour will have the same effect on everyone is misguided.
 
“You know that there will be age differences, gender differences, cultural differences, in what people need.”
 
This points to a need for further research to understand how compassion manifests in the things that doctors do to communicate compassion and how patients interpret these behaviours, Consedine says.
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Universities Research busts myth of ‘compassion fatigue’ – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

‘Compassion fatigue’ is widely regarded as the personal cost of caring, but new research from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland questions that narrative

‘Compassion fatigue’ is widely regarded as the personal cost of caring, but new research from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland questions that narrative and suggests that compassion fatigue could in fact be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 
Professor Nathan Consedine, a health psychologist in the School of Medicine says the research his group has conducted raises questions about the idea that compassion is inherently exhausting.
 
“Burnout in the health system is real, no doubt about it. But the experience of being too fried to care for other people is bundled up with the idea of ‘compassion fatigue’,” Consedine says.
 
The notion of ‘compassion fatigue’ has its basis in the work of Carla Joinson in the early 1990s, suggesting emergency nurses experienced a particular type of burnout where they had exhausted their ability to nurture.
 
“The idea is that compassion is like a muscle or an energy reserve that gets depleted over time,” says Consedine. “However, if it were a reservoir, you would expect compassion fatigue to get worse over time, but it does not.
 
“More experienced practitioners, people who have been doing it ten, 15, 20 years, report lower levels of compassion fatigue,” Consedine says. “So, according to the theory, either they have found a way to give compassion without draining the reservoir, or they have found a way to fill up the reservoir.
 
“But my interpretation is there is no reservoir, and it is not inherently fatiguing to care for other people.
 
“If you look at fMRI data, brain activation during compassionate states overlaps strongly with pleasure. It doesn’t look like effort – it looks like it feels good.”
 
Consedine’s latest study suggests that the very idea of ‘compassion fatigue’ may actually be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
 
In the new study, Consedine and lead author Dr Rachel Rosqvist, a GP, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, and then masters student, randomised around 150 doctors and medical students to view one of three videos, where an expert, Consedine, described compassion as tiring, energising, or neutral.
 
Afterwards, the doctors and students described their experiences of care in line with the particular video they had just watched. See British Journal of Health Psychology.
 
“It shows that a simple five-minute video can push people’s expectations quite significantly in terms of whether compassion is seen as tiring or rewarding,” says Consedine. Now just imagine the effect of consistently having experts, educators, and researchers tell you that compassion is tiring.
 
“I think what we are doing is, by constantly telling people that it is tiring to care, we are creating an expectation. And we know in health psychology research that expectations have a massive impact on the way people experience things,” Consedine says.
 
This is like a ‘nocebo effect’, where expecting something to have harmful effects makes it so – a self-fulfilling prophecy.
 
Making matters worse, describing the serious problems confronting healthcare in terms of ‘compassion fatigue’ focuses research on the person providing care, distracting us from the health system and the preposterous workloads doctors and nurses are expected to carry.
 
“Given that they are tired, they start thinking, ‘Oh, I'm tired because of giving compassion to other people.’ It's simply not true. They're tired because their jobs are phenomenally demanding” Consedine says.
 
The question of whether compassion fatigue is a “real thing” and whether it’s different from burnout is important because compassion is expected from health professionals, with documented links to provider job satisfaction and better patient outcomes.
 
Compassion may in fact be protective against burnout, says Consedine.
 
“For providers, it's a good predictor of job satisfaction and meaning.
 
“They could earn better money doing something else, but they choose to become a doctor or a nurse, because they get a sense of meaning from the process of alleviating suffering.”
 
Compassion exists where someone recognises another person is suffering and does something about it, says Consedine.
 
“It is important because every patient who comes through the door is suffering. It may be psychological, physical, or existential but orienting to the suffering of the other is the absolute crux of delivering compassionate care.”
 
Consedine believes changing our narratives about compassion would be helpful for clinicians, patients and the health system.
 
“Providers often think ‘I haven't got enough time to be compassionate.’ But it is more about the way in which things are done, and what you see as the purpose of what you are doing.”
 
Consedine says the focus should be, not on ‘compassion fatigue’, but rather on increasing the net amount of compassion in the healthcare system, with the ultimate metric being the patient's experience of care.
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Tourism – Triple adventure swing launches in Queenstown

Source: AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand  

The South Island's first three-person adventure swing opened at the iconic Queenstown home of AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand (AJHBNZ) today.

AJHBNZ co-founder Henry van Asch and Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods were the first riders of the anticipated Kawarau Swing at the official launch today. Located at the original home of bungy – the Kawarau Bridge – the Kawarau Swing has been designed as a milder, family-friendly alternative to the world-renowned, adrenalin-fuelled bungy jump. The swing is the latest addition to AJHBNZ, which has been operating for almost 37 years.

AJHBNZ CEO David Mitchell says the new swing offers single, tandem, or three-person rides and is an inclusive and accessible option for all thrill-seekers.

“We’re very excited to be launching another safe and exhilarating experience at the Kawarau Bungy Centre,” he says. “The Kawarau Swing is a fantastic, family-friendly experience that complements our bungy and zipline activities to elevate the overall guest experience. It’s been years in the making, and we’re excited to see this great innovation come to fruition at the original home of bungy.”

The Kawarau Swing launches from a dedicated platform on the Kawarau Bridge viewing deck, and the retractable floor means no self-initiated ‘step off’ is required. It then sends guests swinging 43 metres above the Kawarau River, before a smooth winch return to the swing deck.

Van Asch says the experience is perfect for those wanting to try an adrenaline activity but aren’t ready for the intensity of a bungy jump.

“The Kawarau Swing hits that sweet spot between the full-on adrenaline rush of a bungy and the pure joy of a zipride,” he says. “It will enhance Queenstown’s adventure tourism offering – we expect it to be very popular with visiting families, couples and groups. The swing was designed with families and couples in mind, and anyone from the age of eight can ride it. It’s also a fun activity for spectators, who can watch every bit of the action from the viewing platform.”

After three years of planning, design and engineering, the Kawarau Swing has undergone rigorous testing, peer reviews, weight tests and independent inspections before opening today. AJHBNZ staff are continuously trained at the highest level to adhere to the company’s impeccable safety standards.

“Safety is number one with all of our experiences and has been since we opened in 1988,” van Asch adds. “Our stringent safety systems have been part of the process every step of the way for the Kawarau Swing. Now it’s ready for people to come out here and enjoy it.”

About AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand  
Ever since it was launched with a buzz by AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch back in 1988, AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand has been in the business of fuelling people with courage and adrenaline. The world’s first commercial bungy operation opened at the Kawarau Bridge in November 1988 and AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand has remained committed to levelling up the exhilaration across Aotearoa, with bungy, zipride, swing, catapult, skywalk, skyjump and bridge climb across Queenstown, Taupō and Auckland.

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Advocacy – Prime Minister urged to demand Israel allow New Zealand humanitarian supplies through to the starving people of Gaza – PSNA

Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

PSNA is urging Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to stand up to Israel and demand it allow the tens of millions in New Zealand aid to get through to the starving people of Gaza.

Despite the ceasefire the head of the World Health Organisation said today the hunger crisis in Gaza is “catastrophic”. 

Meanwhile 41 aid organisations have said Israel is “arbitrarily” rejecting aid shipments into famine-struck Gaza where the UN says a quarter of Gaza’s population is starving.

 

“Our aid is being blocked by Israel” says PSNA Co-Chair John Minto. “New Zealand has paid over $40 million on aid for Gaza but Israel is refusing to let it through to the starving population.”

“The government’s commitment of food and medical supplies is just window-dressing if we don’t insist it gets through.”

 

“Israel’s cruelty and depravity is plain to see but not a peep from our government. What’s so hard about standing up for basic human decency?”

 

Meanwhile the International Court of Justice this week reiterated its call for Israel to abide by international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

 

In its advisory opinion the court said as the occupying power Israel is required to 'ensure that the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory [OPT] has the essential supplies of daily life, including food, water, clothing, bedding, shelter, fuel, medical supplies and services' and 'to respect the prohibition on the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare'.


Israel has refused to do either.

 

“Mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza hasn’t moved the government.” says Minto

 

“All we have are limp platitudes such as Foreign Minister Peters made 11 days ago urging 'the immediate influx of food, fuel and basic supplies into Gaza'.“

 

“Cowardice in the face of Israel’s brutality is endemic within the Foreign Minister’s office.”

 

“A New Zealand parliamentary delegation needs to travel to Gaza without delay to directly monitor what’s happening and confront Israel’s depraved behaviour.”

 

Luxon should speak out now and ask the Foreign Affairs Select Committee to immediately organise a delegation to Gaza.

 

John Minto

Co-Chair PSNA

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Weather News – A weekend breather before Monday’s storm – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Friday 24th – Monday 27th October – A weekend breather before Monday's storm.

  • Widespread wild weather on Thursday
  • Settled weekend for many
  • Further severe weather expected on Monday (Labour Day)

After a wet and wild week, holidaymakers will be glad to hear that settled conditions are forecast for much of the country as we head into the long weekend. The respite doesn’t last long, unfortunately, with another widespread severe weather event shaping up on Monday.
 
Thursday brought extreme weather to a number of places around the country, causing damage to infrastructure and properties, widespread power cuts, flooding and road closures. Urban areas in Wellington, southern Wairarapa, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland were slammed by gusts of 130-160km/h, while mountainous parts of southern Marlborough and Canterbury reached over 200km/h at their peak. Canterbury High Country saw the highest 24-hour rainfall accumulations, with several stations receiving over 200mm – Mueller Hut takes the cake with a whopping 245mm in 15 hours of rain (midnight to 3pm).
Wind and rain weren’t the only extreme conditions on Thursday, though, with temperature records in the North Island also toppling. Hastings hit 32.1°C at 3:30pm, smashing the record for the warmest October temperature recorded in the North Island, while Kaikoura and Whangārei both observed their highest October temperature on record, reaching 31.8°C and 26.3°C respectively.
 
Thankfully for those looking to get out and about this weekend, the outlook is sunnier for many parts of the country over the next few days. While Southland and the South Island’s west coast continue to see bands of rain sweeping through, the east coasts of both islands have a dry weekend on the cards, and the rest of the North Island should still see the sun between passing showers.
Westerly winds start to pick up on Sunday, with Central Hawke’s Bay and the Tararua District looking most likely to be affected by gales at this stage. MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino advises, “With warm, dry weather and strong winds forecast for the east coast of the country, it’s important to keep an eye on fire risk conditions when planning your activities for the weekend – open air fires, including fireworks and sky lanterns, are currently banned in Wellington, Canterbury, Marlborough and Hawke's Bay, and even mowing your lawn carries a risk of sparking a fire when conditions are right.”
 
It's also a busy weekend for events around the motu, with the Coastal Classic yacht race from Auckland to Russell having kicked off under sunny skies and a southwesterly breeze on Friday morning, and all eyes on Tauranga’s forecast for Sunday as the Black Caps take on England in the first ODI of the season in Aotearoa.
“Cricket fans will be pleased to hear that we should finally get a match finished, with any morning showers clearing out by the time the game gets underway,” Martino says.
 
We can’t get too comfortable, though, with another widespread severe weather event piling in on Monday for the end of the long weekend. Much of the country could see localised heavy rain, and areas from Northland all the way to Marlborough are at risk of severe northwest gales. Snow is also expected to reach unseasonably low levels for parts of Canterbury and Otago on Monday night, with possible impacts on travel and further stress on an electricity grid still playing catch-up after this week’s severe weather.
Martino suggests, “Holidaymakers planning to travel home on Monday should keep an eye on MetService’s Severe Weather Outlook for a heads-up of what’s on the way, as well as any Warnings and Watches that are issued closer to the time, and be prepared to adjust plans to avoid the worst of the weather.”

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Health – ProCare launches Le Va’s Pacific cultural training module for primary care

Source: ProCare

Leading healthcare provider, ProCare is proud to announce the launch of Le Va's Engaging Pasifika for ProCare. It's a free online Pacific cultural learning module developed with Le Va to support primary care teams in delivering culturally responsive care for Pacific patients.

Tailored specifically for practices within ProCare’s Network, the module is the first of its kind to be offered by a primary health organisation (PHO). It provides practical guidance on promoting culturally responsive health and building meaningful connections with patients – equipping GPs, nurses, and practice teams with the tools to offer inclusive, comprehensive care.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare, says “ProCare serves the largest Pacific population in Aotearoa – about 85,000 people – building cultural competency across primary care is a key part of our commitment to improving community health. We’re proud to work alongside Le Va who offer tools like Engaging Pasifika that support our practices and Pacific patients.”

The launch was marked with a special celebration at Le Va’s Manukau office.

Viv Pole, Head of Pacific Health, says “It was wonderful to celebrate the launch alongside Le Va, after months of collaboration to create a programme that truly serves our primary care community. Together we’ve built something that will help drive inclusive care in a practical and impactful way.”

Norwell adds, “The launch of Le Va's Engaging Pasifika for ProCare reflects a shared commitment from both ProCare and Le Va to create meaningful change for Pacific communities. We’re grateful to Le Va for their hard work in developing the tool and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have for both practices and patients.”

This milestone enhances ProCare's work in supporting Pacific health, including the release in 2022 of an equity guide for general practice and the Tala-Moana phone app – a free tool designed to strengthen cultural competency and support the workforce with seven Pacific languages for everyday use.

About ProCare

ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, tele-health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi.

As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz  

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Exercise NZ – Play Week 2025: Exercise & Embrace the Joy of Play

Source: Exercise NZ

As Play Week 2025 draws to a close, Exercise New Zealand is reminding Aotearoa, and the whole exercise industry, that movement isn't just a task, it's a joy.

Play lives everywhere, in the backyard, along the footpath, and in the gentle rhythm of our children's laughter and family conversations. Yet if we want to deepen our ability to engage in play alongside our tamariki and whānau, the support of gyms, studios and exercise professionals is a powerful ally. In fact, recent consumer research from the exercise industry here in Aotearoa shows that 98% of New Zealanders recognise that being physically active matters. Whether it's a brisk walk, a swim, a one-on-one session with a trainer, or time with a structured exercise provider, it all counts as movement – and at its heart, it's play.

Active Play For All Ages

Research backs the importance of active play. For example, a recent study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity on active outdoor play shows that play‑based movement supports not only physical benefits (stronger bones, improved motor skills) but also mental, social and emotional benefits for all ages. 

Additional work published in the Journal of Exercise Science  & Fitness  highlights that while playful movement is a powerful way to build confidence, problem-solving skills, and social connection, rising screen time, not only amongst younger generations, is increasingly limiting opportunities for active play. This trend isn't limited to Aotearoa, it's being observed globally.

For the exercise industry here in Aotearoa, this moment calls for a shift in how we value and promote movement – looking beyond sets, reps, and gym floors. It means embracing playful, accessible forms of activity that can happen anywhere: indoors or outdoors, in groups or solo, structured or spontaneous. This mindset is essential if we're to support the full spectrum of wellbeing across all ages and stages.

While we can't directly control screen time in people's homes, we can influence how play is prioritised in the spaces we design, the programmes we run, and the conversations we lead. Play is not only vital for health – it's also fun, liberating, and deeply human.

Unique Role Of The Exercise Industry

ExerciseNZ believes gyms, studios, and exercise professionals have a unique role to play: not just as providers of structured exercise, but as champions of joyful movement. To bring this to life, providers can:

  • Add playful elements to group classes (music, games, challenges).
  • Create low-pressure entry points like (fun session, free trials, themed events.
  • Design environments that invite curiosity and exploration, not just intensity

“Movement should be a right, not a luxury, and initiatives like Play Week are the perfect entry‑point”.

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Northland News – Hull checks to resume soon

Source: Northland Regional Council

Hull checks to resume soon – Divers are about to begin checking more than 2000 boat hulls around Te Taitokerau as the Northland Regional Council (NRC) begins its annual summer hunt for unwanted marine pests.
Kaeden Leonard, the council’s Biosecurity Manager – Marine, says a combination of contractors and NRC scientific divers will check hulls right around the region.
The annual programme typically runs from November to May and will see both local and visiting vessels targeted, from small recreational vessels to large commercial vessels.
“Summer is the peak boat movement period in Northland, and this work is part of an ongoing search targeting unwanted pests threatening the region’s marine environment.”
Mr Leonard says last summer (2024-2025), Northland Regional Council’s marine biosecurity team inspected 2310 vessel hulls across 14 locations.
“While the majority of vessel owners showed strong compliance with biofouling rules when relocating between harbours, unfortunately, a number of vessels were still found carrying listed marine pests including Sabella spallanzanii (Mediterranean fanworm) in areas where those species are not known to be present.”
“Our team works closely with these vessel owners to ensure risks are mitigated quickly,” Mr Leonard says. “This often means hauling the vessel out of the water for cleaning at the owner’s expense.”
Mr Leonard says the regional council remains very appreciative of the steps so many boaties are already taking to keep their boat hulls clean and similarly the great support it gets from Northland’s marina operators.
He says given there are some harbours in Northland that are free from Mediterranean fanworm (including Tutukākā and Mangōnui Harbours) – and active removal is underway in others, including Mangawhai Harbour – it is especially important for vessel owners to be vigilant about keeping their hulls clean.
“This is particularly the case when leaving areas where Mediterranean fanworm is well-established, including Whangārei, Whangaroa and Ōpua.
The hull surveys begin as authorities celebrate successful work to eliminate Mediterranean fanworm from Mangōnui Harbour, which has been achieved with co-funding assistance from Biosecurity New Zealand.
Mr Leonard says five years ago a vessel was found there that was heavily infested with fanworm. A small number of individual fanworms were also located and removed from the seafloor under the vessel.
The council has worked with Biosecurity New Zealand – which funded 50 percent of ongoing surveillance of the harbour over the past five years – and according to best-practice guidelines, it’s now possible to say the pest has been eliminated there.
Mr Leonard says as well as rules covering transportation of marine pests, council has rules limiting the amount of ‘biofouling’ (build-up of microorganisms, algae, plants and pests) vessels can be carrying when they enter new spots.
He says before relocating to another area, a vessel must only have light fouling’ meaning no more than small patches (up to 100mm in diameter) of visible fouling, totalling less than five percent of the hull and ‘niche’ areas like the base of the keel, and inside intakes and bow thrusters. A slime layer and/or barnacles are ok.
“Vessel hulls are the most common way for marine pests to hitch a ride, and our Marine Pathway Management Plan (MPMP) aims to manage this issue.”
Under the plan, any vessel entering Northland waters or moving from one harbour to another must have no more than ‘light fouling’, defined as a slime layer and/or barnacles and a few patches of macrofouling.
“Marine pests can hitchhike and hide amongst boat fouling, so preventing the movement of infested vessels is the best way to stop the spread of marine invaders,” Mr Leonard says.
Mr Leonard says it’s always worth bearing in mind that marine pests found on vessels have often been concealed in niche areas. “These areas require special attention when applying antifouling or during a ‘lift and wash’ period and we strongly recommend double-checking these niche areas before your vessel goes back in the water.”
“Another thing to remember is that there are designated areas in which you can clean your vessel hull, and hulls may only be cleaned in the water if they have light fouling or barnacles.”
He says people illegally cleaning hulls can be fined $750 and any vessel that requires scrubbing should be removed by a lift and wash.
“If a marine pest is found on your vessel hull, please contact Northland Regional Council immediately on (0800) 002 004.
Mr Leonard says authorities are keen to ensure vessels are free of marine pests before owners start travelling to new areas with the onset of warmer summer weather.
“Vessel owners are asked to be extra vigilant and clean anchors and topside equipment like cray pots and ropes when moving to new areas, especially after visiting known infected areas.”
Meanwhile, among a range of unwanted marine nasties the NRC divers will be checking for on vessel hulls, other artificial structures and the seafloor are a number already known to be in New Zealand.
These include exotic Caulerpa seaweed, Mediterranean fanworm (Sabella spallanzanii), Asian date mussel (Arcuatula senhousia), Australian droplet tunicate (Eudistoma elongatum), clubbed tunicate (Styela clava) and little bottles sea squirt (Clavelina oblonga).
Other unwanted species not known to be here yet, but which divers will also be vigilant for, include northern Pacific seastar (Asterias amurensis), European green crab (Carcinus maenas), Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) and Asian clam (Potamocorbula amurensis).
Boat owners keen to know if their boat has been inspected – and the results – are welcome to email marinebiosecurity@nrc.govt.nz
“Email your vessel name and mooring/berth location and if yours is one of the 2000-plus hulls inspected in the survey you’ll be notified.”