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Save the Children – Health risks for children skyrocket one week after Venezuela earthquakes

Source: Save the Children

Children affected by last week’s earthquakes in Venezuela are facing increasing health risks as many families in shelters and temporary settlements lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services, Save the Children said.
Aid agencies are racing to deliver hygiene kits and other essential supplies to Caracas and La Guaira – two areas hardest hit by the earthquakes – as families sheltering outside face high temperatures in the day and heavy downpours at night, putting them at risk of dehydration diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses. The disaster comes at a time when Venezuela’s healthcare system is already under pressure to meet urgent medical needs. 
Powerful storms, rain and thunder – which frequently occur during the peak months of the rainy season – are also adding to the anxiety children are facing. Parents of children sheltering outside in tents have told our teams on the ground how powerful storms, rain and thunder, have left children already distressed from the devastating earthquakes terrified.
More than 2,300 people have been confirmed dead following the back-to-back 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck on 24 June, and affected over 850 buildings, with almost 200 flattened.  
Paolina-, a Save the Children staff member in Venezuela, said:
“Many people have lost their homes. Many have lost family members. This is undoubtedly overwhelming… facing this situation and seeing all these children affected.
“The experience has been traumatic for many adults and especially for children, many of whom still do not understand what happened in Venezuela.”
More than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, according to the UN, with many children too scared to sleep indoors one week on. About 680,000 children have been impacted by the earthquakes, according to the UN.
Save the Children has launched a humanitarian response to help people in the affected regions, as survivors desperately need assistance such as health and psychosocial support and mobile safe spaces where children are protected and can get emergency items, such as shelter kits, tents and hygiene kits, and learning activities while schools remain closed. 
Fatima Andraca, Save the Children’s Country Director in Venezuela, said:
“The earthquakes have already taken a devastating toll on children. 
“Now a lack of adequate shelter, clean water and exposure to the elements including heavy downpours are creating a second emergency, exposing families sleeping outdoors or in informal settlements to new health risks. 
“Hospitals have been damaged and are strained with the thousands of injuries they are trying to treat. If illnesses or other health risks intensify, the pressure on the health system will only worsen. 
“Families urgently need access to clean and safe drinking water, adequate shelter, and mobile health care if they do get sick.”
Save the Children is an independent, impartial child rights organisation with our focus on the urgent humanitarian needs of children and families in Venezuela.
Save the Children has been working in Venezuela since 2019. Since the humanitarian crisis started to rapidly deteriorate a few years ago, Save the Children has been scaling its response through local partners to support the increasing number of children in need. 
Save the Children is delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security and livelihoods support.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Save the Children is raising much-needed funds to support the response. To donate, go to: Venezuela Earthquakes Appeal.
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Indonesia: Caning of unmarried couple for kissing on TikTok violates prohibition of torture

Source: Amnesty International

Responding to the caning of an unmarried couple in the Indonesian province of Aceh for kissing and livestreaming it on social media, Amnesty International’s Co-Regional Director Montse Ferrer said:

“Today’s public caning of a young man and woman simply for kissing is a horrifying act of discrimination, and a grim reminder of the enduring human rights violations permitted under the Islamic Criminal Code in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

“The punishment shows how authorities are expanding their use of Sharia law to target peaceful expression online, as well as offline. Sharia police in Aceh appear to be intensifying digital monitoring efforts as they seek to punish acts deemed to violate Sharia law, including public displays of intimacy outside marriage.

“Caning is an inherently cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment that frequently crosses the threshold into torture. Indonesia’s authorities must end the criminalization of consensual intimacy and repeal all discriminatory bylaws that permit corporal punishment.

“Indonesia, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and a state party to the Convention Against Torture, must align its laws – including in Aceh – with its constitutional commitments to equality and non-discrimination.  Corporal punishment has no place in a just and humane society.”

Background

An unmarried couple, aged 22 and 25, were publicly caned 21 times each in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province, on 2 July. They were arrested in March after livestreaming themselves kissing in a car on TikTok.

Aceh remains the only province in Indonesia that enforces the Islamic Criminal Code (Qanun Jinayat), which criminalizes consensual extramarital and same-sex relations and prescribes punishments including public caning.

Under international human rights law, all forms of corporal punishment are prohibited as they constitute torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. The prohibition of torture has jus cogens status in international law, which means it is of such profound importance that it is universally binding on all states.

The UN Human Rights Committee and other expert human rights bodies have raised concerns about laws criminalising ‘adultery’ or other consensual sexual relations outside marriage because they violate the right to privacy.

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Greenpeace – March for Nature launched to protect conservation

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace Aotearoa and Forest & Bird have announced a March for Nature to be held in Auckland on 19 September 2026, calling on New Zealanders to unite in defence of nature.
The March comes as opposition to the Government's Conservation Amendment Bill, and love for our wild places, continues to grow. People from across New Zealand are being invited to join together and send a clear message that nature and the places we all treasure must be protected.
Greenpeace Executive Director Dr Russel Norman says the Conservation Amendment Bill is the latest in a series of attacks on nature that has brought growing public frustration to boiling point.
Greenpeace Executive Director Dr. Russel Norman says: “For the past two and half years this Government has waged a war on nature and this latest attack on conservation land is the last straw.
“This march isn't just about one Bill. It's about saying enough is enough to a Government that keeps putting corporate interests ahead of nature. From the Fisheries Amendment Bill to the Fast-track Approvals Act and now the Conservation Amendment Bill, we've watched environmental protections be steadily dismantled.
“We will not stand aside while this Government makes it easier to commercially exploit public conservation land. These snow-capped mountains, ancient forests, wild rivers and coastlines belong to all of us. They are part of who we are as a nation and must be protected.”
Forest & Bird Acting Chief Executive Erika Toleman says the Conservation Amendment Bill has become a rallying point for people who care about and want to protect nature in Aotearoa.
“Conservation land is for people and for nature. These are the wild places that belong to all of us and future generations. New Zealanders take pride in protecting our public conservation land, the mountains, wild rivers, and forests that we love to explore.
“Our native wildlife is already under immense pressure, we need stronger protections for habitats and stronger environmental safeguards.”
The March for Nature draws inspiration from previous marches that successfully pushed back against attempts to weaken environmental and conservation protections. In 2010, people marched against plans to mine Schedule 4 conservation land, forcing the Government to backdown.
In 2024, the first March for Nature against the Government’s Fast Track Bill, attended by over 20,000 people, successfully forced changes to some of the most anti-environment proposals within the bill. This has been consequential for decisions that followed such as the expert panel declining the proposed seabed mine in Taranaki.
“People in New Zealand have a long and proud history of standing up for nature. Fifteen years ago, John Key listened to New Zealanders from all walks of life when his government backed down from opening up our most highly protected conservation land to mining. As our current PM, Christopher Luxon has the same opportunity to do the right thing in 2026”, says Toleman.
Norman says, “Whether it's defending conservation land, the nuclear free movement or ending offshore oil and gas exploration, we are a country full of people who love the environment and want to protect it. The Coalition Government has just signed itself up to a battle that it cannot possibly win.”
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Education – Union representing polytechnics files for facilitation in bargaining

Source: Tertiary Education Union

Today the Tertiary Education Union | Te Hautū Kahurangi has filed with the Employment Relations Authority for facilitation over the failure of the polytech employers to engage in bargaining in good faith.
TEU says that so far the employer parties have not engaged with or provided responses to claims endorsed by members. Instead they have kept a narrow focus on obtaining new separate agreements for over 2,500 members across 11 polytech employers.
Louise Simpson, polytech bargaining team member says that this is not good enough.
“Our TEU bargaining team prepared and came to the table feeling positive and ready to put our claims forward. So it’s been disappointing and frustrating to then get stuck in a discussion around single collective agreements. We’ve been ready to hear our employers claims for months, but we have been stymied by their failure to move forward in bargaining.”
National Presidents Māori and Te Tiriti, Garrick Cooper and Ti Lamusse say that the bargaining team just wants to get on with negotiations. 
“Our hopes with filing for facilitation is that we can make some progress. The team come to the table ready to talk constructively about the terms and conditions that will benefit TEU members and we all want the employers to do the same thing. We remain ready to bargain in good faith.”
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Transport Events – YOUNG DRIVERS SHARE HOW PRACTICAL TRAINING CHANGED THE WAY THEY APPROACH THE ROAD

Source: Street Smart – Driven by Tony Quinn Foundation

A young driver who was involved in a serious crash on a rural road is encouraging others to experience practical driver training after saying it changed the way she approaches every journey.

Gabby was travelling to school at 100km/h when another vehicle pulled out in front of her, causing a collision that rolled her vehicle into a fence. While she escaped without physical injury, the crash left a lasting impact on her willingness to drive.

“I was driving to school on a country road when another driver didn't see me and pulled out in front of me. I was travelling at 100km/h when my vehicle was hit and rolled into a fence.

“Afterwards, I didn't want to drive again because I felt like every car was going to crash into me.”

Gabby later attended a Street Smart young driver training day, a practical, hands-on programme, run at venues  around the country, that gives drivers the opportunity to experience emergency braking, hazard awareness and vehicle control in a safe, controlled environment alongside experienced coaches.

Initially, she admits she wasn't enthusiastic about attending.

“I thought it was going to be all theory and quite boring, so I wasn't very keen to go.”

By the end of the day, however, her outlook had changed.

“The ABS braking exercise was what I took the most from. I really enjoyed learning how to use it properly and understanding what the vehicle can do in an emergency situation.”

Since completing the programme, Gabby says she approaches driving differently.

“I am much more aware of my surroundings now. I pay more attention to potential hazards and I know how to use ABS braking effectively if I ever need it.”

Street Smart Programme Director Hayden Dickason says Gabby's experience reflects what many participants describe after completing the programme.

“Young drivers spend a lot of time learning the rules of the road, but there are some situations that simply can't be experienced safely on public roads. Street Smart gives them the opportunity to understand how a vehicle behaves under emergency braking, how distractions affect reaction times, and how quickly hazards can develop, all in a controlled environment.”

The impact is often noticed well beyond the training day.

Gabby's mother says she initially thought her daughter viewed the programme as a consequence of the crash rather than an opportunity to learn.

“At the beginning, Gabby wasn't particularly keen to attend… she viewed the course as a punishment for the accident and a waste of her time. As the day progressed, her attitude completely changed. She mentioned several times how good the course was and how much she enjoyed it.”

She says the lessons have continued to shape Gabby's driving.

“Since attending Street Smart, Gabby has become much more careful and aware of her surroundings. She pays greater attention to potential hazards and is far more conscious of distractions, both inside and outside the vehicle. Overall, she approaches driving with much more caution and maturity.”

Similar experiences have been shared by participants across New Zealand.

Emma, who recently attended a training day in Christchurch says the programme changed the way she scans the road and thinks about vehicle control, particularly on rural roads where looking further ahead is critical.

“The experience is 100x better than I could have imagined, not only was it highly educational, but for me the backgrounds of the coaches made it so much more of an enjoyable, interesting and fun day. The lessons that you learn completely outweigh the cost, this experience is very likely to change the outcome of someone's driving experience or even their life. Just give it a go!”

For Cromwell attendee Meisha, those lessons were put to the test only weeks after attending when another driver failed to give way at an intersection.

“I slammed on my brakes and felt my car judder, but thanks to testing it out at Street Smart, I knew my car would be okay.”

She believes the practical experience prepared her for a situation many new drivers hope they never encounter.

“It is far better to test out your vehicle's safety precautions in a controlled space, rather than in a real emergency. If it comes down to it, brake, and brake hard. You are more important than your car. Your vehicle is replaceable. You aren't.”

Greg Murphy, Street Smart Trust Chair and Ambassador, shared his enthusiasm for the programme: “I’m incredibly passionate about saving lives through improving driver awareness, and I’m incredibly proud to have been involved in Street Smart since its inception. This programme has been designed by experts for Kiwi teens, and it’s making a difference in helping young people become more aware and responsible behind the wheel.”

Street Smart is a one-day practical driver training programme delivered around New Zealand, helping young drivers and their guardians experience real-world driving situations in a safe environment before encountering them on public roads.

For upcoming training days or more information, visit www.streetsmart.org.nz

The Street Smart programme is open to young drivers and their parents/guardians. Registration details and additional information are available on the Street Smart website www.streetsmart.nz

Event Details:

AUCKLAND – WAIKATO

  • When: 7th, 8th, 9th July, 25th July, 13th September, 30th September, 1st, 2nd October 2026
  • Where: Hampton Downs Motorsport Park, 20 Hampton Downs Road, Te Kauwhata

TAUPŌ

  • When: 5th & 6th July, 28th & 29th September 2026
  • Where: Taupō International Motorsport Park, 463 Broadlands Road, Taupō

MANAWATŪ – FEILDING

  • When: 26th & 27th September 2026
  • Where: Manfeild Park Back Circuit, 120 Kawakawa Road, Feilding

CHRISTCHURCH

  • When: 13th & 14 July, 5th & 6th October 2026
  • Where: Euromarque Motorsport Park, 107 Hasketts Road, Templeton, Christchurch

CROMWELL

  • When: 16th & 17th July, 8th & 9th October 2026
  • Where: Highlands Motorsport Park, Corner SH6 & Sandflat Road, Cromwell, Otago

INVERCRAGILL:

  • When: 18th & 19th July, 7th October 2026
  • Where: Teretonga Park Raceway, 86 Sandy Point Road, Oreti Beach, Invercargill

ABOUT STREETSMART DRIVEN BY TONY QUINN FOUNDATION

Street Smart driven by Tony Quinn Foundation Road Safety, is a world-class, hands-on driver education programme designed to positively impact young Kiwis across the country. Unlike traditional defensive driving or theory / classroom based programmes, Street Smart offers a one-day, hands on practical experience where young drivers and their parents/guardians participate in activities, guided and coached by professional drivers. This unique approach helps both the young driver and their mentor assess skills that are crucial to their driving journey.

The programme is held at a number of safe and controlled environments around the country with participants, under the guidance of trained coaches, engaging in real-world driving scenarios to enhance their skills. The goal is for young drivers to leave the programme as a safer and more aware driver but most importantly being able to learn by doing and be able to take charge of their learning.

www.streetsmart.org.nz

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Events – Matariki is a celebration for everyone

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage

“This year marks the fifth observance of Matariki as a public holiday, highlighting the growing place of the Māori New Year within New Zealand’s national calendar and the many ways it is celebrated across the country” says Chief Advisor, Mātauranga Matariki Professor Rangi Mātāmua.
“Since 2022, nationally broadcast hautapu have marked the rising of Matariki in communities across the country, including Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, Rotorua, Wānaka and Ohakune.”
“Each host iwi has shared their unique way of celebrating the Māori New Year, inviting the nation to connect while strengthening ties to their mātauranga and traditions.”
“After five years of bringing Tamaki Makaurau together at Takaparawhau, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are now welcoming all of Aotearoa to experience the celebration through a live broadcast from the iconic Waitematā Harbour.”
Secretary for Culture and Heritage, Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae says, “the national theme, Matariki Herenga Waka – For everyone, honours the whakataukī, Tāmaki Herenga Waka – the gathering place of canoes.
“It speaks to bringing people together, welcoming everyone to celebrate Matariki, and recognising the diverse communities that make Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland unique.”
“The theme connects the celebration with communities across the Pacific and beyond. That connection is strengthened by the attendance of representatives from Pacific countries and the European Union at the hautapu, including French Polynesia which celebrated its first Matari’i i ni’a public holiday in Tahiti and French Polynesia last year.”
Last year’s national broadcast reached audiences in 150 countries through the Associated Press network, and global reach is expected to grow in 2026.
“It is fantastic that Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have created this opportunity for all people to connect with and celebrate a ceremony that is uniquely our own.”
Professor Rangi Mātāmua says “whether it’s attending a local event, joining a marae celebration, or gathering with loved ones at home, there are countless ways for people to mark Matariki.”
“Celebrating Matariki can be as simple as coming together with whānau and friends. The essence of Matariki – remembering those who have passed, celebrating the present, and looking to the future – can be observed in meaningful ways by anyone, anywhere.
“I encourage everyone to celebrate Matariki next Friday – reconnect with loved ones, attend a local event, watch the broadcast, or simply take a moment to look up at the stars” Mātāmua said.
Matariki Herenga Waka is broadcast live from Takaparawhau from 6am on Friday 10 July 2026 streaming on Whakaata Māori, TVNZ+, Sky Open, Pasifika TV, matariki.com, RNZ and Iwi radio. 
Notes:
  • The pre-dawn hautapu ceremony at Takaparawhau, Bastion Point will involve remembrance of those who have passed, followed by the preparation of kai connected to stars in the Matariki cluster.
  • Steam will be released to feed the stars, and tohunga will look to the star cluster and share aspirations for the year ahead.
  • A list of some of the many other Matariki events, celebrations and ceremonies is available on the Matariki.com website and is being regularly updated: www.matariki.com/events
  • Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are hosting a number of other special 2026 Matariki events including the Tūhono immersive light trail, Matariki Twilight Markets and Mahuta concert bringing together some of the best kaiwaiata of Te Ao Māori. https://ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/matariki
  • Chief Advisor, Mātauranga Matariki Professor Rangi Mātāmua will feature in a concert celebrating Matariki alongside Maisey Rika, Troy Kingi and Stan Walker at the Auckland Town Hall following the hautapu ceremony.
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Local News – Porirua’s Welcoming Community status gets another official tick

Source: Porirua City Council

Porirua’s status as a welcoming and inclusive place has received yet another boost.
The city received official accreditation from central government in 2024 as a Committed Welcoming Community, and the Council then co-created a Welcoming Plan with mana whenua Ngāti Toa, local groups and city officials, designed with Porirua's diverse communities in mind.
Shared decision-making, wānanga, and workshops ensured that iwi aspirations and community voices formed the foundation of the plan.
Following a comprehensive application based on the Welcoming Communities Standard, which provides councils with a clear benchmark for inclusion, focusing on eight core elements necessary for creating a thriving and welcoming environment, an assessment panel confirmed last week that the Council had successfully met the requirements to achieve Stage 2 “Established” Welcoming Community status. This opens up additional funding for the initiatives included in the plan.
The last Census showed that our city is home to more than 100 different ethnicities, Mayor Anita Baker says, so a further step in official accreditation is great news.
“It shows we’re committed to ensuring Porirua is a safe, welcoming and exciting place to live,” she says.
“The first stage was about a commitment, a promise. But Stage 2 proves the Welcoming Plan isn’t just on paper, but actively working across our city, generating positive community outcomes in things like economic development, culture and identity, and accessibility to Council.
“Some of this is highlighted in initiatives and events, like the wonderful Lunar New Year celebrations we held at Aotea Lagoon in February, and Welcoming Week, last September, where people had the opportunity to connect, support and learn from each other.”
Porirua City joined the Welcoming Communities programme in January 2023. It is one of 35 councils and five local boards in Aotearoa that participate in the programme.
The programme is led by Immigration New Zealand, in partnership with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities and the Human Rights Commission, and is part of the International Welcoming Network.
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Latest Cox’s Bazar fire wipes out crucial food source for Rohingya refugee families

Source: ChildFund New Zealand

A fire just last month in the Bangladesh refugee camps for displaced Rohingya has destroyed life-saving gardens that provide food to some of the 1.1 million refugees.
Cox’s Bazar is home to the biggest refugee camps in the world. It grew rapidly in 2017 following the mass exodus of Rohingya families escaping massacres in their home communities in Myanmar.
It is now a multi-year, city-sized humanitarian operation.
“It is understandable that with so many crises today, some tragedies get forgotten. That is the case with the Rohingya community, who have been living in these fragile, make-shift homes, and raising families in the camps for nearly ten years.”
A whole generation of children have grown up in the camps, knowing no other home.
The settlement is extraordinarily dense, covering only a relatively small area and consisting largely of bamboo-and-tarpaulin shelters.
“At ChildFund, we stand by our commitment to leave no-one behind, even when the stories drop out of the media. We have kept up our support in places like Cox’s Bazar for 10 years,” says Josie Pagani, CEO of ChildFund New Zealand.
A devastating fire tore through Cox’s Bazar last month, destroying food gardens that provide food security and income generation for women, damaging shelters belonging to families who had very little to begin with.
The fire broke out late afternoon, and was brought under control as quickly as possible. No one was killed or injured.
“That is the good news, but it is the only good news. These fires have happened before, and they set families back by years. These gardens are not decorative. They are an important source of food for families. Progress is fragile, and can be destroyed in minutes by fire. Months of work, gone in twenty-five minutes.”
In 2021, a major fire in Cox’s Bazar left tens of thousands of people without shelter and destroyed hospitals, learning centres, distribution points and other essential facilities.
“It has taken years to recover. Unfortunately fires are one of the camps’ most persistent threats.”
Shelters are temporary. Families cook over open flames. People live close together because they have no choice. When fire starts, it moves quickly.
“A cooking fire can become a shelter fire. A shelter fire can destroy food, documents, safety and months of careful work.”
“Families in the camps cannot escape this risk by moving somewhere else, like we can in New Zealand. They have nowhere safe to go. ChildFund will continue to support the camps with practical work – gardens, education, reducing the risk of fires, and making sure recovery is as quick as possible,” says Josie Pagani.
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Greenpeace slams issuing of High Seas permit for Tasman Sea bottom trawlers

Source: Greenpeace

The Tasman Viking, a bottom trawling vessel that pulled up protected coral in international waters two years ago, has been issued an international fishing permit by the New Zealand government this month, in a move environmentalists are calling outrageous.
Greenpeace oceans campaigner Ellie Hooper says the move to issue a permit is embarrassing, and flies in the face of widespread public opposition to bottom trawling in the Tasman Sea.
“New Zealand is now the only country bottom trawling out in the South Pacific high seas, including the ecologically diverse waters of the Tasman, and the public have made it abundantly clear they object to it. Polling shows that 78% of people want bottom trawling gone from this area and the majority are calling for more protection, not more trawling destruction.”
The Tasman Viking, owned by Westfleet, was convicted for dragging up deep sea coral in the Tasman and failing to report it properly in 2020. In 2024, the vessel also dragged up a further 37kg of coral from a biodiverse Lord Howe Rise seamount, triggering the temporary closure of the area.
“The decision to permit a bottom trawler with a recent history of non-compliance, and the cause of coral destruction less than two years ago, is egregious,” says Hooper.”It’s well past time that New Zealand stopped permitting this ocean destruction out on the High Seas.”
Following the incident in 2024, Greenpeace carried out deep sea camera surveys of the seamount where the vessel pulled up coral. The surveys and subsequent scientific analysis revealed hundreds of corals, sponges and other deep sea lifeforms that qualify it as a vulnerable marine ecosystem. Some corals found on the site measured almost two metres in height, and many were estimated to be well over a century old.
“There is no question that we have evidence of vulnerable, ancient coral ecosystems in the High Seas of the Tasman. But if permits continue to be issued New Zealand bottom trawlers could destroy this precious life in the deep. We know what is there, how can trawlers still be permitted?”
Karli Thomas of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition says protection for all seamounts in the High Seas is well overdue.
“New Zealand has been kicking the can down the road on this issue for far too long. As other countries have pushed for the protection of these vulnerable and important habitats – oases of life in the deep – New Zealand is the country that stands in the way, continuing to trawl on seamounts and blocking international efforts to protect them.
“New Zealanders are sick of the free rein given to bottom trawlers by a Minister that is wined, dined and donated to by industrial fishing companies. Trawling on seamounts is last-century ocean vandalism, and it's got to stop.
“Along with our allies we are calling for all seamounts and features to be closed to destructive bottom trawling and for the New Zealand Government to protect the seamounts of the High Seas of the Tasman.”
Public opposition to bottom trawling continues to grow. Over 100,000 people have signed petitions calling for an end to bottom trawling on seamounts, and for the government to stop issuing international fishing permits to bottom trawlers. Tens of thousands got onside with Jono Ridler who swam the length of the North Island to draw attention to the need for a ban.
New Zealand bottom trawlers must apply for an International Fishing Permit issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries before being able to fish in the South Pacific High Seas. The Tasman Viking was issued a permit on June 12, and on June 22 turned off its location outside of Nelson.
“This vessel, with a history of bulldozing coral out in the biodiverse Tasman, could be out there right now causing more destruction. We are calling for this to stop,” says Hooper.
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Arts – Wellington Writers Walk brings te reo Māori sculpture to Wellington waterfront in time for Matariki

Source: New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc

The sound of conch and pūkaea rang out across the Wellington waterfront on Thursday 25 June to welcome a group of writers, Te Wharewaka o Pōneke Trustees, representatives of local arts and literary organisations and friends and supporters of the Wellington Writers Walk, gathered for the unveiling of the Walk’s newest sculpture and its first in te reo Māori.

Despite the cold and blustery conditions, the blessing ceremony led by Matiu Jennings (Kaihautū Rautaki Māori / Advisor Māori Strategy at Hīkoikoi Management Limited) brought a sense of belonging, celebration and whanaungatanga. Te Karanga O Te Tui Marino (Kaiarataki Kaupapa Taiao / Environmental Liaison Officer at Hīkoikoi Management Limited) read aloud the text of the sculpture: “He Karakia mō Puanga mā Matariki”, composed by Ben Ngaia (Te Āti Awa), and the ceremony finished with a waiata.

Speeches followed in the welcoming warmth of Whairepo café. Liz Mellish, current Chair of Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trust and Chairman of Te Raukura, Te Wharewaka, related how Ben Ngaia’s work was created as a gift to the people of Wellington. The karakia underlines the importance of Matariki and Puanga as a locally and nationally unifying event in our calendar. Its overall theme is of unity, hope, oneness and community, and commitment to the whenua and to each other. The words instil hope and recognise the past as we move towards the future.

Jenny Nagle, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc, described the Writers Walk as “a celebrated highlight” of the city, made up of “living monuments to celebrate our own voices.”
Philippa Werry, Chair of the Wellington Writers Walk committee, said, “it was a very special occasion, and it was wonderful to watch the delighted and awestruck reactions as people crowded around to view the new sculpture after the unveiling. We are so excited to have it in place and we hope that many Wellingtonians will come down to see it and engage with Ben’s karakia over the next few weeks and during Matariki.”
Pippa Sanderson, Wellington City Council Senior Arts Advisor, spoke about the value of public art in raising the visibility of te ao Māori in Pōneke. “Council is proud to support Wellington Writers Walk’s first te reo sculpture through our Public Art Fund.”

The sculpture is designed by David Hakaraia (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Paoa) with landscape design by Tama Whiting (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) and production and project management by Human Dynamo. Set amongst native planting between Te Papa and the waterfront promenade, it faces the harbour and provides a space for peaceful thought and contemplation, allowing people to reflect on the words and meaning of the karakia. It is the first sculpture to be backlit and its glowing letters will provide a different experience again for evening viewers.

The te reo text and an English contextualisation (also by Ben Ngaia) can be read on the Wellington Writers Walk website. https://wellingtonwriterswalk.co.nz/sculpture/ben-ngaia/

This project is a partnership and collaboration between Wellington Writers Walk and Te Ātiawa/Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, with support from Wellington City Council. The Writers Walk is grateful for grants from the Wellington City Council Public Art Fund and the Stout Trust (proudly managed by Perpetual Guardian) and for support from 128 generous donors to their recent Boosted campaign. The sculpture will go into Council ownership after a year of being maintained and monitored by the Writers Walk. The Wellington Writers Walk is a long-standing sub-committee of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Sociiety of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa, and is responsible for envisioning and installng all 24 writers plaques, aross the last 25 years.

The first eleven sculptures of the Writers Walk were unveiled in 2002, and this newest one brings the total to 24, spread along the waterfront between Kumutoto Stream and Oriental Bay, all honouring and celebrating the lives and works of New Zealand writers – poets, novelists, and playwrights, who had or have some connection with Wellington.

The Wellington Writers Walk has just been named a finalist for the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards 2026 that recognise the valuable contribution of volunteers to community groups and organisations across the Wellington Region.

You can find the WWW website and social media details here:
https://wellingtonwriterswalk.co.nz/
https://www.facebook.com/wellingtonwriterswalk
https://www.instagram.com/wellingtonwriterswalk/?hl=en