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Health – Horrifying but Predictable: Māori Smoking Decrease Stalled After Protections Stripped Away

Source: Hapai Te Hauora

Hāpai Te Hauora is devastated by the latest New Zealand Health Survey, which shows Māori smoking progress has stalled for the first time in more than ten years. Māori leadership and tireless advocacy have saved countless lives, yet this year’s results show another barrier placed in front of that progress.
Only days after the sector gathered to honour the people who have carried the smokefree kaupapa for decades, today’s data tells a very different story.
“This doesn’t come as a surprise. Last week we stood together celebrating generations of advocates who fought to protect our people. Today we are met with data that feels like a slap in the face,” says Jacqui Harema, CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora.
The survey shows Māori daily smoking has increased from 14.8% to 15% (around 99,000 adults). This rise highlights worsening tobacco harm that is felt most sharply in poorer communities, where smoking rates remain higher and tobacco outlets are heavily concentrated. Māori women living in the poorest areas are now more than six times more likely to smoke daily than those in the wealthiest areas.
For Hāpai, the concern is not the small shift in numbers, but the fact that Māori smoking is no longer declining after a decade of progress.
“Tobacco still kills thousands every year in Aotearoa, and Māori bear the heaviest burden of that harm,” says Jasmine Graham, General Manager of Hāpai Te Hauora. “The issue here is the loss of momentum. Māori smoking has stopped falling. That tells us the environment around our whānau has become harder, not easier.”
Hāpai says the stall in progress did not happen by accident. It reflects the conditions Māori communities have been pushed into – shaped by recent political decisions, weakened protections, and growing commercial pressure from the tobacco industry. Aotearoa has also dropped from 2nd to 53rd in the global ranking for protection against tobacco industry interference, the largest fall recorded in recent years.
“This is what happens when policies prioritise profit over people,” says Graham. “When protections are removed and industry interests are given space to grow, Māori communities feel the impact first and feel it the hardest.”
The consequences of stalled progress are immediate and real: more preventable illness, more deaths caused by tobacco-related disease, more rangatahi exposed to nicotine, increased pressure on already stretched Māori health providers, and a greater risk of intergenerational harm becoming entrenched again.
Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for urgent, equity-focused action. This includes restoring proven smokefree protections – such as reducing the number of tobacco retailers and cutting nicotine levels in cigarettes so they are no longer addictive. Hāpai is also calling for tobacco to be removed from dairies, a major reduction in tobacco and vape retailers in poorer areas and raising the legal purchase age to at least 20.
Finally, Hāpai te Hauora says long-term, stable funding for Māori-led solutions is essential to rebuild momentum.
“Our communities and services on the ground have done everything asked of them,” says Harema. “The halt in Māori smoking progress is a warning sign that cannot be ignored. It shows that when protections are removed, Māori carry the heaviest consequences. This can still be a turning point – but only if decision-makers centre Māori health, restore strong protections, and invest in solutions that already work for our communities.”
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Amnesty International agrees with Minister Stanford on her comment re social media

Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand


19 November 2025 – As reported by Radio New Zealand on 18 November at the handover of the B416 petition at Parliament, Education Minister Erica Stanford said, “Social media companies love bans, because they know that kids will get around the bans and continue using it anyway, and they don't have to change their behaviour. What we're working on is how do we make social media companies change their behaviours?”
In response, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s Executive Director, Jacqui Dillon, said:
“It’s not something that we say every day, but Amnesty International agrees with Minister Stanford here. We tautoko the focus on making social media companies change their behaviours.
“Tech giants and their algorithm-driven, surveillance-based business model have created toxic digital environments that many of us find ourselves in. It’s not human, and it’s not right.
“That’s why Amnesty International has joined forces with Tahono Trust, an organisation that supports and delivers social cohesion, on the No Harmware campaign. We all need more inclusive and safer online platforms.
“We fully support Minister Stanford in being bold.
“A focus on tech companies is important because we need changes in how these systems are designed. There must be requirements for transparency and accountability. That’s the way to make these platforms safer for everyone, just as we expect for other products we use.”
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Employment and Law – New law unfairly punishes civilian Defence workers – PSA

Source: PSA

Civilian Defence workers are being penalised by the Government for daring to ask for more than a 0% pay rise by legislation passed by Parliament today, the PSA says.
The Defence (Workforce) Amendment Bill makes it easier for the Minister of Defence to order military personnel to do the work of New Zealand Defence Force civilians workers taking strike action.
In November 2024, Defence Minister Judith Collins took the unusual step of instructing the armed forces to use military staff to do the work of civilian staff who were to strike in response to a 0% pay offer.
Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says the new law makes it too easy for the Government to use armed force staff to undercut legal, justified strikes.
“The new law severely loosens democratic Parliamentary oversight of what should be extraordinary powers to have the military intervene in the legitimate actions of New Zealand workers.
“The problem the Government is trying to fix is entirely of its own making. It made an insulting and dismissive pay offer of 0% to civilian Defence workers because it completely undervalued the work they did.
“It’s only when the civilian staff went on strike that the Minister woke up and realised how critical they were to New Zealand’s defence and security.
“Rather than this disturbing law change the Minister should focus on ensuring the value of the civilian Defence workers is reflected in pay offers that are made to them,” Fitzsimons says.
Previous statements
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health care and community groups.
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Unions – Spin busting: Workers First prepares historic pay claim for Uber drivers

Source: Workers First Union

Fresh off the back of Monday’s Supreme Court judgment that found four current and former Uber drivers had been misclassified and denied the rights of full employment, Workers First Union is preparing to resume progress on claims for wage arrears and entitlements on behalf of Uber driver union members in the Employment Relations Authority and resuming collective bargaining with the company.
In the aftermath of the judgment, Anita Rosentreter, Workers First Deputy Secretary, said that she wanted to caution media and the public to “tread carefully with bad faith actors” like Business New Zealand and several other defenders of the low-wage, low-responsibility ‘gig economy’, which has driven down New Zealanders’ earnings and established a casualised and precarious class of workers over the last decade with no employment protections. Several myths and confusions are “busted” below.
Read the full Supreme Court judgment HERE.
“Monday’s Supreme Court judgment should be considered one of the most important precedents set in New Zealand employment law for several decades,” said Ms Rosentreter. “It is a landmark decision and a cautionary tale for companies who’ve sought to use the ‘gig economy’ to cast aside the rights of workers and shed responsibility for their wellbeing.”
“But in light of the judgment, there are so many misunderstandings and bad faith actors filling the airwaves that we feel the need to correct a few myths about what the judgment means and what its effect on the world of work will be.”
Flexibility
Commenters such as Business NZ and the Employers and Manufacturers Association have implied that the judgment is an attempt to end the flexibility enjoyed by many Uber drivers regarding their work schedules and time management. Another sorely misinformed employment advocate claimed to a media outlet today that unions are seeking to set regular work hours for Uber drivers in future as collective bargaining progresses. Other claims, such as that Uber drivers will need to wear uniforms or work particular schedules have also been made.
“Nothing about this judgment or our approach to collective bargaining will mean the end of flexibility,” said Ms Rosentreter. “Nothing about the precedent set by the Supreme Court judgment precludes Uber from continuing to operate in a way that offers drivers flexibility in their schedules.”
“The truth is that ‘flexibility’ is used by those seeking to undermine the Court as a byword for ‘without any employment rights’.”
“We note that under the current situation, the ‘flexibility’ they celebrate is often illusory and does not extend to setting their price, advertising their services or building goodwill and relationships with customers.”
“For Uber’s defenders, one more thing is flexible, apparently – the truth.”
“My message to them is: show some responsibility, do your best to understand the legal judgment, and think before you speak and reveal your lack of knowledge.”
Precedents
Following the Supreme Court judgment, Uber has emailed drivers and has keenly noted that the judgment applies only to the four Uber drivers who originally took the case.
“It’s true that this ruling relates specifically to the four drivers – Nureddin, Mea’ole, Bill and Julian – who first filed the case through Workers First and E tū in the Employment Court back in 2021,” said Ms Rosentreter.
“But given that drivers share identical terms of employment and use the same work platform, it certainly sets a precedent, and that isn’t something the Court has explicitly guarded against.”
“It’s on that basis that Workers First will be progressing wage arrears claims on behalf of thousands of Uber drivers, and our legal analysis is sound.”
Meanwhile, Business NZ clearly do believe the judgment sets a precedent, contradicting Uber and others who have sought to frame the judgment as limited to four drivers only, Ms Rosentreter said.
“It’s an apocalyptic hellscape in Business NZ’s dystopian world; the sky is falling, the gig economy is over, and New Zealand will have to return to the awful days where workers had actual rights enshrined in law and could stand up for themselves when mistreated or exploited.”
“It just reveals that blinkered lobbyists have no genuine interest in workers, business success, the economy or our country’s wellbeing. They are there to protect shareholders and mega-profits, and their pearl-clutching is embarrassing for everyone, especially for their member businesses.”
“My advice to them is to do right by their funders and give accurate advice to businesses so they can stay ahead of important developments in employment law. Or, don’t speak at all.”
Ms Rosentreter confirmed that the union is well aware that the judgment applies specifically to Uber drivers and has no immediate impact on other platform-based employers like DoorDash, Delivereasy or DiDi. However, many similar companies have replicated Uber’s business model.
Contractor misclassification
After four years of proceedings and cases heard in three tiers of the country’s legal system, Ms Rosentreter said that union lawyers still genuinely have very little idea what Uber believe the nature of their employment relationship with drivers is.
“A recurrent confusion has been that this case is specifically about contractor misclassification. While that is a process that will be affected by the judgment and cause concern for those who misclassify full employees, that is not the basis for this dispute,” said Ms Rosentreter.
“Uber deny ANY employment relationship with drivers and see themselves as facilitators of a contract between a driver and a passenger, but its exact nature is still unclear. They do not believe Uber drivers are contractors to their business.”
“They don’t even believe that they are a transport company.”
“This ruling will have an impact on anyone who has misclassified workers to save money on minimum wages and entitlements, but the process of contracting itself has not been debated.”
“This does not end contracting arrangements, it does not mean all contractors become employees, and it does not mean that Uber will have to stop using contracting arrangements altogether – because they don’t argue that these workers are contractors in the first place.”
Next steps for Workers First
– The union will resume collective bargaining with Uber, which was first initiated following the Employment Court’s original judgment in 2022.
– Claims for wage arrears and lost entitlements will also resume in the Employment Relations Authority. The process is set to begin with a small group of drivers, and following the Authority’s advice, larger groups of claims will then be pursued.
– The union has prepared materials and advice for its Uber driver members and will continue to hold meetings across the country with drivers over the next week.
– The union invites Uber drivers to join Workers First through its streamlined membership application and confirms that individual wage arrears and lost entitlement claims for drivers who join the union now can still be filed with the Authority.
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Independent Research Reveals the Hidden Costs of Missed Trips

Source: Driving Miss Daisy

Independent Research Reveals the Hidden Costs of Missed Trips – and How Companion Transport Can Fix It
A new independent study has revealed the significant individual and societal costs of people missing trips due to transport barriers – and the unique benefits of companion transport services that accompany passengers from place-to-place.
The research, commissioned by Driving Miss Daisy and led by Dr Bridget Doran, a leading New Zealand expert in inclusive transport, found that place-to-place companion transport services can offer mental, physical, and social benefits not offered by door-to-door services such as taxis and rideshare, or public transport.
These include:
  • Health and safety gains: Reduced risk of injury when entering and exiting vehicles, and lower levels of stress and trauma during journeys.
  • Mental wellbeing: Social interaction with drivers improves mood, sense of control, and feelings of inclusion.
  • Access to essential services: Companion transport enables attendance at medical appointments, recreational activities, work, and social opportunities that might otherwise be missed.
Transport barriers have a measurable cost to society. In New Zealand, missed GP appointments due solely to lack of transport are estimated to cost $8 million annually, with specialist appointments adding and estimated $29.1 million in lost staff time – not including the health and social costs of missed care.
Unlike traditional door-to-door services, companion transport provides a place-to-place service, meaning drivers meet passengers inside their starting location and accompany them to the destination. For many older adults and people with disabilities, the support from place-to-place is critical.
“Companion transport is more than just getting from A to B – it’s about providing safe, trusted, and supported journeys that improve wellbeing and independence,” said Dr Bridget Doran.
The findings come at a time of accelerating change in the future of transport, including increasing rideshare options and autonomous vehicles. The research cautions that while new ways to travel have a role, they cannot replace the trust, care, and social support of trusted companion transport.
About Driving Miss Daisy:
Driving Miss Daisy is New Zealand’s leading provider of companion transport services. Its trained drivers accompany clients from place-to-place, delivering safe, trusted, and caring journeys that change lives.
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Property Market – Flat market wouldn’t have generated much capital gains tax lately – Cotality

Source: Cotality

New Zealand’s property market remains largely stable heading into summer, with modest movements in values and continued strength in buyer participation from some groups, particularly in light of record first home buyers entering the market and renewed investor activity.

The Cotality NZ November Monthly Housing Chart Pack shows national median property values remained broadly unchanged over the three months to October, edging 0.1% lower and sitting 17.3% below the 2022 peak. Christchurch and Dunedin recorded modest gains, while Auckland dipped 1.0%. Invercargill reached a new high, underscoring the relative resilience of provincial markets.

Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said the possibility of a capital gains tax (CGT) announced by Labour last month has prompted discussion at a time when market activity is steady rather than strong.

Labour has confirmed it will campaign on a CGT at the next election, with the policy exempting the family home and applying to gains on residential investment and commercial property from a new valuation day in 2027. Gains made before that valuation date would fall outside the system.

“The timing of Labour’s proposal is interesting. The market is getting busier but remains a touch below normal, affordability has improved, and investor participation is on the rise. Against that backdrop, the CGT debate naturally raises questions about behaviour, whether investors would hold properties longer to try and avoid the tax for a while, and how much revenue a tax might realistically generate,” Mr Davidson said.

“Labour’s proposal is for a 28% tax on net profit from the sale of residential investments or commercial property from July 2027, excluding the family home, farms, and financial assets. From a market perspective, timing and assumptions are important considerations. For such a system to collect meaningful revenue, property values would need to rise, yet recent years have seen only modest growth. Our data shows national median values up 10% since five years ago in October 2020.”

Stable conditions support cautious optimism
While national figures show value growth has been subdued, first home buyer activity remains highly active, accounting for a record 29% of purchases in October.

Lower interest rates and the reinstatement of mortgage interest deductibility has helped support mortgaged multiple property owners, including rental investors, who also lifted their share to just over 25% of transactions in the last month.

“The predictability of current conditions is reassuring for buyers, who are continuing to adjust to the recent experience of stable prices and slightly lower mortgage rates,” Mr Davidson said.

“With affordability gradually improving and employment conditions set to strengthen next year, there’s a growing sense of cautious optimism, even if the recovery will be measured rather than sharp. Debt to income ratio caps are a key factor to watch.”

Sales and listings
Sales volumes continued their upwards trajectory, rising by around 6% in October (compared to the same month last year), marking the 28th rise in the past 30 months from the 2022–23 cyclical trough. Mr Davidson said with more households repricing onto lower mortgage rates over the next year, further growth in sales activity remains likely.

New listings also lifted through the middle of spring, pushing fresh stock onto the market, as per normal seasonal patterns. However, the rise in available listings was largely absorbed by the lift in sales, leaving total stock about 12% lower than the same time last year, albeit still sitting above levels seen between 2020 and 2023 for the time of year.

Outlook
Mr Davidson’s short-term outlook is that 2026 could bring firmer market conditions as lower interest rates work their way through household budgets.

“Affordability is at its best level in several years, listings are set to ease lower, and a large share of fixed loans are shifting onto cheaper rates. Provided employment holds up, those factors point to a gradual lift in both sales activity and values next year,” he said.

“We’ll be watching the final months of the year closely, as they will show whether the steady rise in sales is strong enough to keep absorbing the normal seasonal lift in new listings.”

The Cotality NZ Monthly Housing Chart Pack, November 2025 provides the latest breakdown of sales, listings, mortgage lending activity, buyer classification, property values, rental trends, and economic indicators, alongside updated context on how current median values relate to the proposed CGT policy.

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Health Accelerator’s ACC digital assistant hits $180k milestone, boosting practice revenue and patient care

Source: Health Accelerator

Health Accelerator’s ACC claiming digital assistant has reached a major milestone, submitting and securing more than $180,000 in paid claims for general practices in just four months.

Currently used by 20 Indici-based practices, the assistant is helping unlock revenue that would otherwise go unclaimed – money that practices can now reinvest directly into patient care.

Paul Roseman, Chief Executive of Health Accelerator says: “This milestone is a powerful example of how automation can deliver real financial impact for general practices. Practices are often unaware of claims that have been missed by busy clinicians and teams – our digital assistant takes care of that, ensuring they receive the funding they’re entitled to.”

The digital assistant works by scanning the practice management system (PMS) for unclaimed ACC visits and automatically submitting valid claims.

“With a 100% success rate in claim validity and payment, it’s not only saving time but also ensuring practices are fairly compensated for the work they’ve already done. The assistant can look back over the past 12 months – the maximum claim window allowed by ACC – capturing historic claims that practices may have missed,” continues Roseman.

The current assistant is designed for Indici users, but Health Accelerator is actively working with MedTech to develop similar solutions for its practices. Additional digital assistants are already in use for inbox filing and cardiovascular risk assessments (CVDRAs), with more expected to launch soon.

“This is about more than just technology – it’s about advocacy. Practices deserve to be paid for the care they provide patients. By helping them access this funding, we’re supporting the sustainability of primary care and enabling clinicians to focus on what matters most: their patients,” concludes Roseman.

For more information, visit https://www.healthaccelerator.co.nz/digital-assistant-case-study

About Health Accelerator

Health Accelerator is a national collaboration driving smarter, faster innovation in primary healthcare. Backed by four of New Zealand’s largest general practice networks — Pegasus, Pinnacle, ProCare, and Tū Ora Compass Health — we support over 500 practices and care for around 2 million people across Aotearoa. Our mission is to reduce administrative burden, improve clinical workflows, and enhance patient experiences through digital health solutions. By working together across the sector, we’re accelerating the development and adoption of practical tools that deliver real value to primary care teams and the communities they serve.

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Animal Welfare – New footage exposes devastating cruelty behind pig-caging Bill – SAFE

Source: SAFE For Animals

SAFE has released new footage from a Taranaki piggery that lays bare the day-to-day reality of farrowing crates – the same cages the Government is seeking to legalise through the Animal Welfare (Regulations for Management of Pigs) Amendment Bill.
Filmed in November 2025, the footage shows animal cruelty, with mother pigs confined in steel crates so small they cannot turn around, move freely, or care for their piglets. One pig has open pressure sores consistent with prolonged confinement on hard flooring. The footage also captures bar-biting – a well-recognised sign of distress – and unhygienic conditions, including dirty water troughs and waste bin filled with dead piglets.
SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says the footage provides a timely and confronting reminder of what is at stake if this bill passes.
“These pigs are suffering exactly as welfare scientists, veterinarians, and the courts have warned for years. The harm is written on their faces.” says Ashton.
The footage was shared with the Primary Production Select Committee by SAEF on Friday September 14 as it finalised its report on the Bill. On November 18, the committee recommended by majority that the bill proceed without amendment despite nearly 90% of submissions received opposing the Bill. 
Under current law, farrowing crates were due to be phased out this December, following a 2020 High Court ruling that found the systems unlawful. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), the Government’s own independent advisory committee, has repeatedly advised that farrowing crates and mating stalls do not meet the purpose of the Animal Welfare Act.
“This Bill doesn’t just ignore welfare science; it rewrites the law to suit industry,” says Ashton.
“It’s a blueprint for how not to make animal-welfare policy.”
Last week, SAFE lodged a complaint with the Prime Minister urging him to reassign the animal-welfare portfolio. SAFE says the development of this Bill has been rushed and opaque, and heavily influenced by industry, which highlights exactly why Minister Andrew Hoggard’s longstanding industry affiliations are a serious conflict of interest.
“You cannot have credible oversight of animal welfare when the Minister is so deeply tied to the industries he is meant to regulate,” says Ashton.
“This is a textbook example of conflict of interest at play, and it has real-world consequences for animals.”
A 2025 Verian poll found that three in four Kiwis oppose the use of farrowing crates.
SAFE is calling on MPs to listen to their constituents, stand with mother pigs, and reject the Bill.
“MPs now face a simple choice: uphold the law that protects animals, or entrench the cruelty that harms them,” says Ashton.
SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.
We're creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.
Notes
  • November 2025 Footage shared with SAFE – Please credit Grassroots Campaigns for the footage
  • November 2025 still images shared with SAFE – Please credit Grassroots Campaigns for the images
  • SAFE lodged an animal welfare complaint with the Ministry for Primary Industries on Wednesday September 12 regarding the Taranaki facility, and an investigation is underway.
  • Attached; Formal complaint to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon re: animal welfare portfolio
  • Attached; Public Opinion Snapshot: Farrowing Crates and Animal Welfare in Aotearoa, SAFE – Verian, September 2025.
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Crossroads: Business demands bold 2050 plan

Source: BusinessNZ

A new report by BusinessNZ calls for bold, long-term planning to enable a greater New Zealand by 2050.
The report titled New Zealand 2050: A Long-Term Vision, makes a case for a bipartisan national plan to redefine NZ’s competitiveness, social cohesion, and global standing by 2050.
Starting with NZ’s looming challenge of lower economic growth following from low population growth, the report argues for a managed approach to population and more expansive immigration.
The report outlines how the country is facing a labour shortage of at least a quarter of a million before 2050, and points to Statistics NZ’s estimate of a 1 in 4 chance that NZ will have no population growth at all by 2050 – a shrinking NZ, unable to pay for healthcare and pensions and unable to generate enough economic growth to sustain even a reduced population.
The report’s author, BusinessNZ Advocacy Director Catherine Beard, says there's still time to change course, but we need to act now.
“As a country, we have amazing ‘X factors’ that could be exploited to catapult our growth. Take for example New Zealand’s bountiful resource of renewable clean energy that could enable industries as diverse as green hydrogen production, data centres and digital infrastructure, steel, aluminium, energy-intensive food processing, to name a few.
“We also have enormous potential to build profitable niche clusters in specialty areas like food science and agri-tech, aerospace and autonomous systems, semiconductor materials and fusion science, digital exports, critical minerals and marine resources, and medical technology.
Beard says achieving such outcomes would require bold, long-term planning, led by bipartisan politicians, informed by public debate, and supported by public buy-in.
“In the first instance, it would require a certain level of bipartisan agreement on NZ’s current big decisions like superannuation, immigration, infrastructure provision, and long-term investment issues.
“It’s not a pipedream. We’ve already seen areas where there is broad support, including trade and Kaiwisaver.”
A recent survey of the BusinessNZ membership shows their number one concern was reversal of government policies following elections, affecting business certainty.
“We need to have a long-term plan for success because political flip-flops and U-turns mean that every time we have a change in government, New Zealand only goes sideways.”
Beard says the report is a call to action and an invitation to take part in a national discussion on shaping NZ’s future by 2050.
The report New Zealand 2050: A Long-Term Vision is available to read on the BusinessNZ website now: https://businessnz.org.nz/resources_category/reports-publications
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Fire Safety – Spate of avoidable fires linked to storm clean-up in Southland

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

A spate of hedge fires in Southland over the last 10 days has prompted Fire and Emergency to remind anyone wanting to burn to think carefully before lighting up debris piles from last month’s storm.
District Manager Julian Tohiariki says there are two common causes of fires getting out of control – both easily avoided.
“People have been setting fire to debris from the big winds at the end of October, without giving enough thought to where they have built their piles. They’re often much too close to hedges, shelterbelts and other vegetation.”
The second cause relates to people lighting up their burn piles without checking the weather forecast.
“At this time of year we do expect windy conditions and unsettled weather,” Julian Tohiariki says. 
“A fire that is not properly extinguished can reignite days later in windy conditions so we ask people to be aware of this and check that any fires they have lit are actually out. Wind will fan the flames, blow embers around and make it much harder to keep control of their fire.”
The outcome is frequently a 111 call that results in the local volunteer fire brigade having to put the fire out – often after significant damage to the property and sometimes affecting neighbours’ land as well.
Vegetation fires can burn for days if they become established and deep-seated. Extinguishing them often requires significant resources.
“This is putting a lot of pressure on our volunteer firefighters at a time when they are also really busy on their own properties,” Julian Tohiariki says. “Many of them are farmers themselves. They are also dealing with damage from the storm and doing their regular jobs at the same time.
“They always want to help their community but none of them want to be dealing with these completely avoidable fires.”
Anyone who uses fire as a land management tool needs to look at the weather forecast and go online to www.checkitsalright.nz for advice about safe burning.
Here are three tips to help avoid unwanted fires.
– Place the burn pile on the lee side (sheltered side) at least 30 metres away from trees, hedges, sheds or other structures, and Avoid powerlines.
– Create a five metre fire break to stop a creeping ground fire
– Always check www.checkitsalright.nz before burning, to be sure that it is safe to burn and understand any restrictions for your location, including if you need a fire permit.