Transport agency at odds over car simulators
transport politics 35 minutes ago
Driving schools that offer lessons in high-tech car simulators are at odds with the transport agency over safety risks they could pose for learner drivers once they hit the road. The NZTA argues simulators could encourage over-confidence, putting new drivers at greater risk of crashing, but instructors insist they aren't dangerous. Joe Shaw reports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
39 minutes ago
- RNZ News
The David Seymour ‘bots' debate: Do online submission tools help or hurt democracy?
ACT Party leader David Seyour in studio for an interview on season 3 of 30 with Guyon Espiner. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly A discussion document on a Regulatory Standards Bill is not, on the face of it, the sort of thing that might have been expected to prompt 23,000 responses. But in an age of digital democracy, the Ministry for Regulation was probably expecting it. The bill , led by ACT Party leader David Seymour, is controversial. It sparked a response from activists, who used online tools to help people make their opposition known. Of the 23,000 submissions, 88 percent were opposed. Seymour this week told RNZ's 30 with Guyon Espiner , that figure reflected "bots" generating "fake" submissions. He did not provide evidence for the claim and later explained he wasn't referring to literal bots but to "online campaigns" that generate "non-representative samples" that don't reflect public opinion. Seymour has previous experience with this sort of thing. The Treaty Principles Bill got a record 300,000 submissions when it was considered by the Justice Committee earlier this year. Is Seymour right to have raised concerns about how these tools are affecting public debate? Or are they a boon for democracy? Submission tools are commonly used by advocacy groups to mobilise public input during the select committee process. The online tools often offer a template for users to fill out or suggested wording that can be edited or submitted as is. Each submission is usually still sent by the individual. Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Jordan Williams said submitting to Parliament used to be "pretty difficult". "You'd have to write a letter and things like that. What the tools do allow is for people to very easily and quickly make their voice heard." The tools being used now are part of sophisticated marketing campaigns, Williams said. "You do get pressure groups that take particular interest, and it blows out the numbers, but that doesn't mean that officials should be ruling them out or refusing to engage or read submissions." The Taxpayers' Union has created submission tools in the past, but Williams said he isn't in favour of tools that don't allow the submitter to alter the submission. He has encouraged supporters to change the contents of the submission to ensure it is original. "The ones that we are pretty suspicious of is when it doesn't allow the end user to actually change the submission, and in effect, it just operates like a petition, which I don't think quite has the same democratic value." Clerk of the House of Representatives David Wilson said campaigns that see thousands of similar submissions on proposed legislation are not new, they've just taken a different form. "It's happened for many, many years. It used to be photocopied forms. Now, often it's things online that you can fill out. And there's nothing wrong with doing that. It's a legitimate submission." However, Wilson pointed out that identical responses would likely be grouped by the select committee and treated as one submission. "The purpose of the select committee calling for public submissions is so that the members of the committee can better inform themselves about the issues. They're looking at the bill, thinking about whether it needs to be amended or whether it should pass. So if they receive the same view from hundreds of people, they will know that." But that isn't to say those submissions are discredited, Wilson said. "For example, the committee staff would say, you've received 10,000 submissions that all look exactly like this. So members will know how many there were and what they said. But I don't know if there's any point in all of the members individually reading the same thing that many times." Jordan Williams co-founded the Taxpayers' Union in 2013 with David Farrar. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly But Williams said there were risks in treating similar submissions created using 'tools' as one submission. "Treating those ones as if they are all identical is not just wrong, it's actually undemocratic," he said. "It's been really concerning that, under the current parliament, they are trying to carte blanche, reject people's submissions, because a lot of them are similar." AI should be used to analyse submissions and identify the unique points. "Because if people are going to take the time and make a submission to Parliament, at the very least, the officials should be reading them or having them summarised," Williams said. Labour MP Duncan Webb is a member of the Justice Committee and sat in on oral submissions for the Treaty Principles Bill. He said he attempted to read as many submissions as possible. "When you get a stock submission, which is a body of text that is identical and it's just been clicked and dragged, then you don't have to read them all, because you just know that there are 500 people who think exactly the same thing," he said. "But when you get 500 postcards, which each have three handwritten sentences on them, they may all have the same theme, they may all be from a particular organisation, but the individual thoughts that have been individually expressed. So you can't kind of categorise it as just one size fits all. You've got to take every single case on its merits." Webb said he takes the select committee process very seriously. "The thing that struck me was, sure, you read a lot [of submissions] which are repetitive, but then all of a sudden you come across one which actually changes the way you think about the problem in front of you. "To kind of dismiss that as just one of a pile from this organisation is actually denying someone who's got an important point to make, their voice in the democratic process." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
40 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Science sector sounds alarm over funding shake-up
Photo: 123RF New Zealand's science sector, once hailed for its agility and ingenuity during the pandemic and natural disasters, is now grappling with what researchers say is a crisis of confidence, fuelled by shrinking budgets , unstable funding pathways and policy decisions that increasingly favour commercial returns over long-term public good. Last month, a total of $212 million was cut from the science sector in this Budget, which reprioritises existing research funding towards commercially focused science and innovation. A sizeable portion goes to Invest NZ and a new gene tech regulator. The government says it backs the sector and is prioritising industry partnerships, private-sector investment, and "innovation outcomes with measurable economic impact". While officials insist the move reflects "fiscal discipline and real-world alignment", many in the sector say it amounts to a dismantling of the research base. Newsroom political journalist Fox Meyer tells The Detail that "the scale of the cuts is not great for the sector, but it's also more about the lack of investment". "It's one thing to have cuts and reprioritisation, but people have been calling for more of just anything for some time now. Now, there is a lot of frustration. "Science funding has been stagnant or declining for years now, and a decision to reprioritise stuff is not necessarily going to put money in the government's pocket like they think." With a focus on the bottom line, is this the government pulling off a Sir John Key "show me the money" moment, with a scientific bent? "That actually goes both ways," says Meyer. "Scientists are looking at the government saying, 'show me the money if you want me to produce more money', and the government is looking back at the scientists and saying, 'well, you show me the money, what are you bringing in, how are you lifting your weight?'. "That is going to be a hard one to reconcile unless the government is willing to pony up and make the investment." He worries the fall-out will include a "brain drain" with our country's brightest and best scientists and researchers opting to take up positions overseas. "My connections in the science world - plenty of them - have moved. "The chief science advisor for the Department of Conservation has moved to Australia ... that's an expert in a cutting-edge field that we have lost to a company in Australia. "And it's not the only example of this sort of thing. We invest so much in training up these scientists, and they are very skilled scientists, and then to not give them what they are asking for and what they need, I feel it falls short of our own investment." In fairness, it is not all doom and gloom. "So, the positives, there is a new funding pool for Māori-related science, that's a good thing. There's the sector-wide report that has come out, which has given us a good look at the sector. We know more now, that's a good thing. And the chief science advisor has been appointed , and the panel around him has been appointed, that's a good thing there." Meyer says the sector is crucial to all parts of New Zealand. "The science sector is about answering questions. If you have questions, science is a method, and it is used to answer a lot of those questions ... the more money that we put into this sector, the more questions we can answer. And the more questions we can answer, the more answers we can sell. "If the government is worried about economic growth, and they want to champion this sector, then you've got to put your money where your mouth is. "I am going to be curious to see how they can steer the ship of science, when maybe what they are most suited for is selling the fruits of science." Check out how to listen to and fol low The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
Scoop
4 hours ago
- Scoop
SADD And AA Celebrate 40 Years Of Tackling Youth Harm On NZ Roads
Press Release – Students Against Dangerous Driving Over four decades, SADD has evolved beyond its original focus on drink driving to tackle a wider range of harmful behaviours, from speeding and not wearing seatbelts, to the new raft of distractions that come with technology and social media. This year marks 40 years since Students Against Dangerous Driving (SADD) Kaitiaki o Ara began its mission to empower young people to make safer choices on New Zealand roads – and the Automobile Association (AA) has been by its side for every step of the journey. What began in 1985 as a grassroots response to the devastating toll of youth road crashes has grown into a nationwide movement led by thousands of passionate rangatahi who are stepping up to protect their peers and communities. Over four decades, SADD has evolved beyond its original focus on drink driving to tackle a wider range of harmful behaviours, from speeding and not wearing seatbelts, to the new raft of distractions that come with technology and social media. Being New Zealand's only student-led road safety charity, the AA has played a vital role in supporting SADD's kaupapa since teaming up in 1986. In addition to critical funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), this support goes beyond financial backing – it enables the delivery of a range of initiatives in schools that support safer behaviours on New Zealand roads, reduce deaths and serious injuries and loss of opportunities among rangatahi. As well as contributing to SADD research, governance, people management, networking, marketing, and supporting communities through the AA's 18 District Councils, AA also supported SADD in the launch of the Community Road Safety Programme in 2023. Also enabled by the Community Road Safety Fund (NZTA) these workshops expanded SADD's reach to vulnerable road users who weren't engaged in mainstream school-based programmes, such as young traffic offenders, and has been pivotal in engaging hard-to-reach demographics. SADD General Manager, Donna Govorko, says, 'We're incredibly proud to celebrate 40 years in Aotearoa and everything our young leaders have achieved across generations. As the needs of rangatahi have evolved over time, so have we – intentionally moving away from the fear mongering tactics of the early days and instead showing the power of peer-to-peer education and empowerment.' 'The support from the AA and NZTA has been instrumental in enabling us to continue our mahi amidst tightening public funding streams and the new challenges our rangatahi are facing on the road. They have been the backbone of SADD, helping us prepare the next generation of road users.' A recent survey of 1,000 young Kiwi drivers, commissioned by the AA Research Foundation, reveals the need for continued focus on reducing harmful behaviours behind the wheel. Two-thirds (66%) admitted to speeding in a 50km/h zone, while one in five (22%) confessed to driving without a seatbelt. Alarmingly, 23% said they had scrolled through social media while driving. These risky behaviours are reflected in the statistics, with one-third (35%) of respondents reporting they've been involved in a crash in the past five years. 'When it comes to young people on the road, whether they're behind the wheel, cycling or even just walking, there are risks that will never completely go away,' adds Govorko. 'That's why the work we do, with the continued support of the AA, is so important in helping to reduce the chances of a crash, injury, or worse.' AA Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Simon Douglas says, 'At the AA, we work across many fronts to improve road safety, from driver training to research and policy, and our partnership with SADD is an essential part of our programme.' 'Young drivers are seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious crash in the first six months of solo driving. It's inspiring to see how SADD has grown into such a strong youth voice and created opportunities for young drivers to lead the road safety conversation with their peers. Collaborating and building meaningful relationships between SADD and our wider AA whānau is something that we really value. We're proud to have travelled alongside them for nearly four decades.' Over the past 40 years, thousands of young New Zealanders have been part of the SADD movement and their impact goes far beyond the classroom. Former SADD students have gone on to win Road Safety Hero Awards, conduct academic research around driving, work with the New Zealand Institute of Driver Educators and represent youth voices in front of the Ministry of Transport, New Zealand Transport Agency and local councils. Many credit SADD with sparking their passion for social change. Ex-Upper Hutt College student and SADD National Leader / Youth Representative, Tayla Hill, says, 'What I love is how student-led SADD is. When I first joined, the team said, 'You have our support – you just have to ask'. It empowers students to make change and understand why safety is so important.' 'I'm super proud of the opportunities SADD has given me. I've been able to represent SADD in front of the New Zealand Institute of Driver Educators, speak at the recent AA conference and continue making connections as I moved from Wellington to Hamilton. All of these experiences have meant a lot, allowing me to grow my network and continue doing rewarding work.' About the Automobile Association (AA): Founded in 1903, the Automobile Association (AA) is one of New Zealand's largest membership organisations offering a wide range of products and services to its 1.1 million personal Members and roadside support for an additional 1 million vehicles through business relationships. The AA represents Members' interests, championing road safety and advocating for road users in Government and the media.
