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NGOs – As Pacific nations queue for petrol, ministers gather to chart a fossil-fuel-free future

Source: Fossil Fuel Treaty
 
APRIL 8, 2025 – As Pacific nations scramble to secure fuel supplies amid the Iran war – with Fiji hiking petrol prices by 20%, Tuvalu sending government workers home and the Marshall Islands declaring a 90-day economic emergency — ministers from across the region are convening in Vanuatu to do something about the fossil fuel dependency at the heart of the crisis.

Ministers and senior officials from Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) will convene in Port Vila, Vanuatu from April 13–15 for the third Pacific Ministerial Dialogue on the Global Just Transition – a landmark gathering that will shape the Pacific's unified position ahead of the world's first international conference dedicated to phasing out fossil fuels.

This engagement began in Port Vila in March 2023, following two devastating Category-4 cyclones in Vanuatu. There, PSIDS articulated a collective vision for a Fossil Fuel-Free Pacific and elevated the global call for a managed phase-out of fossil fuels. PSIDS are now returning to Port Vila for this preparatory summit, Port Vila II, ahead of the First International Conference on Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia later this month – a historic milestone they were central in bringing about, and will be crucial in taking forward.

Port Vila II aims to consolidate a unified Pacific stance on fossil fuel phase-out, build momentum for full region-wide support of the Fossil Fuel Treaty proposal and establish a PSIDS Inter-Governmental Taskforce to lead regional engagement in the coming negotiation phase.

Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Government of Vanuatu said “The Pacific did not create the fossil fuel crisis, yet we are paying the highest price for it. Our communities are on the frontlines of sea level rise, intensifying cyclones, and the slow erasure of the only homes we have ever known. Port Vila II is about ensuring our voice doesn't just get heard at Santa Marta—it must shape what happens there. It serves as a powerful reminder of what we have achieved and what we can achieve when we stand up for the survival of our people.”

The Santa Marta Conference represents a defining moment in global climate diplomacy — and one that Australia, as a major fossil fuel exporter and a near neighbour to the Pacific, cannot afford to sit out. While Pacific nations have led efforts to build a multilateral framework for a managed global transition away from fossil fuels, Australia has continued to approve new coal and gas projects; a contradiction that Pacific leaders say is incompatible with the commitments of a genuine partner.

Joseph Sikulu, Pacific Champion for the Fossil Fuel Treaty said “For Pacific Islands, leading on Climate has never been a choice; it has been a matter of survival for us. We are constantly at the forefront pushing for ambition and testing the limits of multilateralism. We were the first to call for a fossil fuel treaty, knowing we need to try everything we can to bring about the transformation we need. Our hope is that we are joined by partners who are ready to take accountability for their actions and help us accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. The Santa Marta Conference is an opportunity for Australia, our big brother nation in the Pacific, to show up for the future of the region and to show us they are ready to lead on climate alongside us.”

With Australia to be president of negotiations at COP31 in 2026, the Santa Marta Conference represents an important moment for the region — and an opportunity for Australia to demonstrate genuine partnership with its Pacific neighbours on the defining issue of our time.

Dr. Tzeporah Berman, Founder and Chair, Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative said “Pacific Island Nations were the first countries to call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. Even before the current supply constraints and high price of oil due to the war in Iran these countries have understood the threat dependence on fossil fuels poses to their security and to global climate stability. The current conflict has proven that even more so It is an honour for us to support their leadership as they prepare  for the first diplomatic conference on fossil fuel phase out in Santa Marta where they and other countries participating in the development of the Fossil Fuel Treaty will be a crucial voice for international cooperation, high ambition and fair timelines and financial mechanisms to support a fair phase out.”

 

ABOUT THE FOSSIL FUEL TREATY INITIATIVE

The idea of a Fossil Fuel Treaty was born in the Pacific, a region that has long understood that its survival depends on ending the world's dependence on coal, oil and gas. The movement gained significant momentum in Port Vila in March 2023, following the unprecedented impact of two Category 4 cyclones striking Vanuatu within the same week, when six nations issued a collective call for a global fossil fuel treaty – building on earlier endorsements from Vanuatu and Tuvalu. Today, that movement has grown to 18 countries, more than 150 subnational governments, 4,000 civil society organisations, and over one million individual endorsees worldwide.

Learn more at fossilfueltreaty.org

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EPA approval good news for spud lovers

Source: Environmental Protection Authority

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved a new fungicide seed treatment to control disease on potatoes.
The New Zealand potato industry is valued at approximately $1 billion annually, according to Potatoes New Zealand.
Syngenta Crop Protection Limited applied to introduce Vibrance Premium, a fungicide containing 40 g/L sedaxane and 50 g/L fludioxonil.
Vibrance Premium can be applied to seed tubers before planting. It will control black scurf, silver scurf, black dot, fusarium dry rot, and gangrene and suppress common scab.
Sedaxane is a new active ingredient to Aotearoa New Zealand. Fludioxonil is approved for use in New Zealand in other products for the control of Rhizoctonia (black scurf and stem canker) and silver scurf. Vibrance Premium is a new mixture of the two active ingredients.
Syngenta Crop Protection Limited says combining the two active ingredients into one formulation will effectively control a broader spectrum of soil-borne, seed-borne, and storage disease in potatoes.
The EPA carried out human health and environmental risk assessments for the fungicide. The risks to human health and the environment are low and any risks can be managed with controls.
Vibrance Premium has been approved for use in Australia and Europe.
EPA Chief Executive Dr Allan Freeth made the decision to approve Vibrance Premium in New Zealand which followed a rigorous-evidence based assessment.
The fungicide can only be used and handled by professional operators and not by the general public.
As the substance is intended for agricultural use, it will also need approval from the Ministry for Primary Industries before it can be used in New Zealand.
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Northland News – Applications open for Tū i te ora Scholarships

Source: Northland Regional Council

Applications for Northland Regional Council’s Tū i te ora Scholarships have opened, with recipients set to receive financial support and paid work experience at council next summer.
Four scholarships are available, each includes $5000 to assist with study costs, plus paid full-time work experience with NRC from mid-November 2026 to mid-February 2027.
Council Chair Pita Tipene says the scholarships – which opened this month (subs: April) – provide value for both the recipients and council.
“Being able to empower our future environmental leaders by providing some financial relief and offering summer paid work experience is a good thing in the current climate.”
“These scholarships celebrate the council vision of ‘Tiakina te taiao, tuia te here tangata – Nurture the environment, bring together the people’.” “This is an incredible opportunity for students who whakapapa to Taitokerau.”
“This year we have an opportunity for work placement within Climate Action, Biodiversity & Science, Rivers and Natural Hazards & Civil Defence and Te Tiriti Partnerships & Engagement.”
Chair Tipene says the scholarships are also a way for students to ‘get a foot in the door’ in terms of potential future employment opportunities.
Since beginning in 2019, the scholarships recognise, encourage and support students to undertake study that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions.
Council’s environmental and regulatory functions include these areas:
  • Biodiversity
  • Biosecurity
  • Climate change
  • Environmental planning and policy
  • Environmental science and data analysis
  • Flood and natural hazard engineering and management
  • Geographic information system (GIS)
  • Land management.
  • Water management
The scholarships have a specific aim to build Māori capacity within Taitokerau, with two of the four scholarships earmarked for Māori who whakapapa to Taitokerau. Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents who live in Northland (or have family that does) or whakapapa to Taitokerau (according to NRC’s operational boundaries).
They must also be enrolled (or have an intention to enrol) in a recognised tertiary course of study that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions and be studying at an undergraduate or higher qualification level. Applicants must be enrolled (or intend to enrol) for semester two of 2026.
Applicants must not have previously received a Tū i te ora Scholarship, must not be employed by NRC in a full-time, part-time or fixed-term role, and must be able to commit to the summer work experience.
Full eligibility criteria and an application form are available from: www.nrc.govt.nz/scholarship
Applications close on Monday 11 May 2026. 
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Activist Sector – AWA Condemns US President Donald Trump’s Genocidal Threats Against Iran

Source: Anti War Aotearoa (AWA)

Awa spokesperson today issued condemnation of recent statements made by US President Donald Trump, calling his threats against the civilian population of Iran “alarming, irresponsible, and incompatible with the basic norms of political discourse.”

Trump’s social media post threatened that  “A whole civilisation will die tonight,” which has been widely interpreted as containing genocidal language. Coming from the head of a nuclear-capable state, such rhetoric is both escalatory and a direct threat to regional and global stability.

This latest statement follows Trump’s April 5th expletive-laden social media post threatening the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Iran.

“Threats of mass annihilation, whether literal or figurative, have no place in any forum,” AWA spokesperson Gabriella Brayne said. “We call on the New Zealand Government to condemn Trump’s statements immediately and reaffirm a commitment to international law.”

Brayne further urged that the “US-Israeli illegal war of agression” be formally condemned, that New Zealand troops deployed to the Red Sea be recalled immediately, and that New Zealand commit to full neutrality and abstention from further hostilities in the region.

“We are on the precipice of nuclear war and New Zealand cannot abscond from our duty to uphold international law and advocate for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy,” Brayne concluded.

About us

AWA – Anti-War Aotearoa – is an organisation launched in March 2026. AWA is committed to ending New Zealand's complicity in wars of aggression.  We promote respect for the United Nations Charter, a shift to a more independent foreign policy and New Zealand’s refusal to join the AUKUS military alliance.

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Fire Safety – Muriwhenua zone in Northland District to move to restricted fire season

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand will move the Muriwhenua zone of Te Tai Tokerau Northland District into a restricted fire season from 8am, Wednesday 8 April, until further notice.
The change applies to Ahipara, Awanui, the Karikari Peninsula, and the Aupouri Peninsula up to Cape Reinga.
All offshore islands remain in a prohibited fire season and the rest of the Northland District remains in an open fire season.
During a restricted fire season, anyone wanting to light an outdoor fire must first obtain a fire permit from Fire and Emergency.
Permits can be requested at www.checkitsalright.nz.
Northland District Commander, Wipari Henwood, says the current La Niña weather pattern has significantly reduced fire danger in the Far North.
“Recent heavy rainfall has increased ground moisture, and dry fuels like scrub and grasses are less available,” he says.
“This means fires are less likely to start or spread quickly.”
He encourages landowners to take the opportunity to burn accumulated green waste before winter, provided they secure a permit first.
“A fire permit helps ensure you’re burning safely, at the right time, and in a way that minimises smoke and protects people, property, and the environment.”
For more fire safety information, the public can visit www.checkitsalright.nz.
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Health – Why is aged care so hard to understand?

Source: Aged Care Association

Recently, I received an email from a woman trying to help her mother navigate the aged care system. She is highly educated, with multiple post-graduate qualifications. Yet she told me she still couldn’t work out what on earth was going on.
Her request was simple: “Plain language please.” It’s hard to argue with that.
Because what she described is something we are hearing more and more. Families enter the aged care system at a time when they are already under pressure. A parent’s health is declining, decisions need to be made quickly, and emotions are running high. And into that moment, we place people in a system that is incredibly difficult to understand. They are confronted with terms that sound official but make little sense in practice. “Maximum contribution” is one example. It sounds clear enough, but it isn’t actually a maximum in any meaningful way for families. Then there are subsidies, thresholds, premiums, and a long list of acronyms that vary depending on who you are talking to. Even people working within the system can struggle to explain them consistently. So what chance do families have?
It would be easy to dismiss this as a communication issue. It is not. It is a symptom of something much deeper. The system itself is fragmented. Different agencies use different language. Rules can vary depending on where you live. Definitions shift over time. And at the centre of it all is a funding model that is anything but transparent.
When people do not understand what they are entitled to, or what they will be expected to pay, they are left trying to make life-changing decisions in the dark. That has real consequences. Families delay decisions because they are unsure. Some make choices they later regret. Others carry on without support until they reach crisis point. Carers burn out. Hospital admissions increase. Pressure builds across the entire system.
A system that is hard to understand is not a minor inconvenience. It is a system that is failing the people it is meant to serve. We would not accept this anywhere else. If people could not understand their tax obligations or their power bill, there would be immediate calls for change. Yet in aged care, where the stakes are far higher, complexity has become normalised. It should not be.
At the Aged Care Association, we have been pushing Government on reforms to address the underlying problems. A key part of that is making funding far more transparent. At the moment, too much is bundled together in ways that are difficult to explain and even harder for families to understand. We are proposing a split funding model that clearly separates what is being paid for clinical care from accommodation and everyday living costs. This is not just a technical change. It is about making the system understandable, so families can see what they are paying for and why.
Alongside that, we need a much stronger commitment to plain language across the entire system. The same terms should mean the same thing everywhere in the country. They should reflect what people actually experience, not what makes sense on a policy spreadsheet. And they should be written in a way that ordinary people can understand without needing an interpreter. This is about fairness.
A system that requires people to “figure it out” advantages those who have the time, confidence, and support to navigate it. Everyone else is left behind. That is not how a public system should operate.
Aged care is one of the most important services we provide as a country. It supports people at a vulnerable stage of life and the families who stand beside them. Those families should not have to become experts just to understand their options. They should be able to ask a question, get a straight answer, and make a decision with confidence.
The woman who wrote to me was not asking for more funding or special treatment. She was asking for something very basic. Make it understandable.
That is not too much to ask. And it is something we can fix, if we choose to.
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Health – Fund launched to help families affected by deadly lung disease

Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation

A new fund named in honour of a young Northland woman who died from a devastating lung disease at 24 will help support families affected by bronchiectasis.
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ has established the Esther-Jordan Muriwai Ahuru Fund after formally absorbing the Bronchiectasis Foundation last month.
The fund will help families cover costs to support their children living with bronchiectasis.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says the new fund reflects the organisation’s commitment to supporting families affected by bronchiectasis.
“The cost of attending medical appointments and managing treatment can place a huge burden on families, especially when children need repeated hospital care, so we hope this fund will help ease some of that pressure.”
Bronchiectasis remains one of the most serious respiratory conditions affecting children in New Zealand, Ms Harding says.
“The Bronchiectasis Foundation played an important role in raising awareness of the disease and supporting the thousands of families who are affected by it.
“We are honoured to carry that work forward and build on the legacy Esther-Jordan and her whānau created.”
About 140 people die from this disease each year – that’s nearly 3 people each week. About 73 children are diagnosed annually, and 1450 people are hospitalised each year.
The Bronchiectasis Foundation was established in honour of Whangārei woman Esther-Jordan Muriwai, who spent more than 14 years in and out of hospital fighting the condition before passing away in June 2014 at the age of 24.
Despite the severity of her illness, Esther-Jordan became a determined advocate for others living with bronchiectasis.
A kura kaupapa graduate with a degree in Māori Studies, she was also a former Miss Aotearoa and Miss New Zealand beauty pageant contestant, and wrote a book for the children's ward to help tamariki feel more at ease and supported in preparing for surgery and settling into the ward.
A year after her passing, her parents founded the Bronchiectasis Foundation.
Her father, Camron Muriwai, says handing over the Foundation’s kaupapa to the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation ensures that work can continue to grow.
“Esther-Jordan was always thinking about the next kid who might be going through what she was – she wanted people to understand this disease and how many families it affects.
“The Foundation was our way of carrying on the work she started, so knowing that her name, her legacy, will now help families like ours means a lot to our whānau,” Mr Muriwai says.
“It’s exactly the kind of support Esther would have wanted other kids to have.”
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Dwelling and household estimates: March 2026 quarter – Stats NZ information release

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Fire and Emergency highlights change of strike timing and warns public to be vigilant

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is warning the public that the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) will be undertaking a strike tomorrow, Wednesday 8 April, between 7.30am and 8.30am. 
This is a change from its previously scheduled strikes, which have occurred on Mondays and Fridays. 
Future strikes are scheduled for midday to 1pm this Friday, 10 April and 7.30am to 8.30am next Monday, 13 April. 
“I want to reassure the public that all 111 calls will be received and responded to during the strike periods,” Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says. 
“However, our response times will be delayed in impacted areas as volunteer crews will be responding from the next closest location. So, we are asking the public to remain extra careful. 
“Our advice remains the same. If there is a fire, evacuate early, get out, stay out, then call 111. 
“It’s also a timely reminder coming so soon after clocks changed back from daylight saving time to check your smoke alarms are working properly.” 
Megan Stiffler says Fire and Emergency will continue to prioritise emergencies and may not attend less serious incidents during the one-hour strikes, such as private fire alarms where there is no sign of fire, small rubbish fires, traffic-management assistance, and animal rescues. 
In addition, Fire and Emergency has established a process with Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance for responding to medical events in impacted areas. 
“We remain focused on achieving a fair and sustainable settlement with the NZPFU so we can continue working to keep our communities safe,” Megan Stiffler says.
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Fire Safety – Marlborough South moving back to restricted fire season

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is revoking the prohibited fire season in the Marlborough South zone, as of 8am on Wednesday 8 April.
This means the area will return to a restricted fire season, until further notice. This includes all Department of Conservation land within the zone.
During a restricted fire season, people wanting to light outdoor fires must apply to Fire and Emergency for a permit and have it approved.
District Commander Grant Haywood says recent conditions have reduced the fire danger.
“Increased rainfall, cooler days, and longer nights have been a good combination for decreasing the fire risk in the area.
“We still ask that people visit www.checkitsalright.nz to check the conditions before lighting and comply with the conditions listed on their permit.
“Although there is new grass growth across the district, some long, dry grass still remains. In windy conditions, this grass will allow fire to spread very quickly.
“This is why it’s so important to postpone your burn if it’s windy,” Grant Haywood says.
Wherever you are, go to www.checkitsalright.nz to find out what fire season you are in and whether it’s safe to light a fire.