Lifesaving Funding Boosts For Kiwis' Outdoor Safety
Associate Minister of Transport
Associate Transport Minister James Meager has confirmed an additional $76.7 million for New Zealand Search and Rescue over three years, to ensure 12 organisations can continue their lifesaving operations.
Additionally, the Government has announced an investment of $624,000 over the same period, to help maintain and improve recreational aviation safety across the country.
'New Zealand has one of the largest and most challenging search and rescue regions in the world, so it's vital to ensure they have necessary funding to deliver their critical services,' Mr Meager says.
"Ensuring Kiwis are safe as they go about their activities, either for work or leisure, is one of the Government's top transport priorities.
'Last year, 152 lives were saved, 921 people were assisted and 794 people were rescued through the work of the search and rescue sector. This is thanks to the dedication of than 11,000 people involved in the industry – 80 per cent of whom are volunteers.'
$542,000 will go towards the New Zealand Aviation Federation to deliver updated Instrument Flight Procedures at unattended aerodromes, which pilots use to safely take off and land at airports across the country.
An $82,000 funding boost will also enhance safety at those sites, paying for further training and education to remind pilots of the necessary safety procedures.
'The investment also underlines the Government's commitment to helping grow our economy by supporting a safe and secure recreational aviation system,' Mr Meager says.
'Many Kiwis and visitors love to get out and explore our beautiful country. Today's announcements will help keep everyone safe when they're outdoors – whether that's on the land, water or in the air.'
Notes:
The Government's investment into the search and rescue sector is determined by a review of the funding, which the Ministry of Transport carries out every three years. Funding was last reviewed in 2022.
In addition to the previous funding approved under Section 9(1) of the Land Transport Management Act 2003, the new three years funding package includes:
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) will receive $3.2 million to support the organisation's operations.
Land Safety Forum will receive $1.1 million for its work to improve collaboration between 15 government agencies and volunteer organisations working across the search and rescue sector.
Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio Association will receive $279,000 to continue to operate its Very High Frequency (VHF) channels that ensures the safety of recreational boat users in the Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough regions. The funding will be used for operator channel costs, maintenance and upgrades of its Marine VHF repeater sites.
NZ Police will receive $795,000 to support the continued employment of 11 District Search and Rescue Assistant Coordinators.
NZ Search and Rescue Council (and Secretariat) will receive $1.4 million to implement its Strategic Plan.
Coastguard NZ will receive $11.3 million to continue to deliver search and rescue activities, including funding for training, and information and business improvement.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) will receive $189,000 to cover its baseline SAR activities.
Maritime NZ will receive $17.2 million, which will cover costs incurred by operators for rescues performed, its search and rescue (SAR) coordination role, and recreational craft safety activities.
Mountain Safety Council will receive $1.3 million, which will ensure it can continue to deliver the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA).
Surf Life Saving New Zealand will receive $8.3 million, which will fund training, volunteer support, and the organisations SAR operations.
Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) will receive $30.1 million, which will support the organisations SAR activities and operations and ensure its volunteers meet personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements.
Youth Search and Rescue (YSAR) will receive total funding of $1.56 million to support the organisations activities.
Recreational flying
Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) are instructions pilots use to navigate around aerodromes and are integral to safely take off and land at aerodromes and airports without an air traffic control tower.
The NZAF received funding to deliver IFPs at uncontrolled airports in 2022, however IFPs need five yearly maintenance and this funding ensures that the IFPs remain valid into the future.
The funding amount available is limited to the amount of fuel excise duty collected from users of aircraft in recreational aviation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Search and rescue operations get $76m funding boost
Associate Transport Minister James Meager announced the funding boost in Dunedin this morning. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd A dozen search and rescue organisations will share in more than $76 million in government funding to equip volunteers, train specialist staff and maintain infrastructure. The money would be split among 12 organisations - including $30m for personal protective equipment for Land Search and Rescue volunteers, $17m for Maritime New Zealand and $11m for Coastguard New Zealand. Surf Life Saving New Zealand would receive $8m, while $3m was set aside for Amateur Radio Emergency Communications. Associate Transport Minister James Meager said New Zealand was one of the most challenging places for search and rescue operations in the world. "Whether it's the 50m square kilometres of maritime space that we are responsible for searching and rescuing people from - which is about a 12th of the world's surface - or whether it's our alpine areas, our caves, our dense bush, our urban search and rescue areas or our waterways - they're all vitally important places for New Zealanders to access, and it's important that we service those adequately," he said. "It's my hope that announcements like these will help everyone keep safe when they're outdoors." The funding over three years would also support the Land Safety Forum, Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio Association, Police, Department of Conservation, Search and Rescue Council, Mountain Safety Council and Youth Search and Rescue. The government also allocated $624,000 over the same period to maintaining navigation tools at airports without air traffic control towers. Meager said 152 lives were saved, 794 people were rescued and 921 people received help as a result of the work of the search and rescue crews last year. More than 80 percent of the 11,000 people involved in the industry were volunteers, he said. Dunedin Land Search and Rescue chair Ben Mulvey said the extra funding would be used to buy standardised, specialised equipment for volunteers, rather than using their own belongings. "Previously, equipment has been funded individually and as a volunteer, there's other demands in your life between time and money, that allow the ability to volunteer. So having this equipment funded is one less barrier to entry for our volunteers. " he said. Coastguard Dunedin president Blair Olsen said his organisation would be able to buy PPE, emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRBs) and immersion suits for volunteers. "Anything that helps a volunteer go out onto the water and fulfil their duties, keep them safe and bring people back to shore safely as well," he said. Land Search and Rescue spokesman Johnny Franklin said the funding was a vote of confidence in the organisation. "The funding allows our volunteer workforce to remain sustainable into the future, which I think is the biggest thing. We're seeing changes in the volunteering landscape which makes it more difficult to volunteer, and being able to support our volunteers like this allows us to remain a search and rescue service not only today, but tomorrow and into the next 10 years, 15 years," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
14 hours ago
- Scoop
Lifesaving Funding Boosts For Kiwis' Outdoor Safety
Associate Minister of Transport Associate Transport Minister James Meager has confirmed an additional $76.7 million for New Zealand Search and Rescue over three years, to ensure 12 organisations can continue their lifesaving operations. Additionally, the Government has announced an investment of $624,000 over the same period, to help maintain and improve recreational aviation safety across the country. 'New Zealand has one of the largest and most challenging search and rescue regions in the world, so it's vital to ensure they have necessary funding to deliver their critical services,' Mr Meager says. "Ensuring Kiwis are safe as they go about their activities, either for work or leisure, is one of the Government's top transport priorities. 'Last year, 152 lives were saved, 921 people were assisted and 794 people were rescued through the work of the search and rescue sector. This is thanks to the dedication of than 11,000 people involved in the industry – 80 per cent of whom are volunteers.' $542,000 will go towards the New Zealand Aviation Federation to deliver updated Instrument Flight Procedures at unattended aerodromes, which pilots use to safely take off and land at airports across the country. An $82,000 funding boost will also enhance safety at those sites, paying for further training and education to remind pilots of the necessary safety procedures. 'The investment also underlines the Government's commitment to helping grow our economy by supporting a safe and secure recreational aviation system,' Mr Meager says. 'Many Kiwis and visitors love to get out and explore our beautiful country. Today's announcements will help keep everyone safe when they're outdoors – whether that's on the land, water or in the air.' Notes: The Government's investment into the search and rescue sector is determined by a review of the funding, which the Ministry of Transport carries out every three years. Funding was last reviewed in 2022. In addition to the previous funding approved under Section 9(1) of the Land Transport Management Act 2003, the new three years funding package includes: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC) will receive $3.2 million to support the organisation's operations. Land Safety Forum will receive $1.1 million for its work to improve collaboration between 15 government agencies and volunteer organisations working across the search and rescue sector. Marlborough-Nelson Marine Radio Association will receive $279,000 to continue to operate its Very High Frequency (VHF) channels that ensures the safety of recreational boat users in the Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough regions. The funding will be used for operator channel costs, maintenance and upgrades of its Marine VHF repeater sites. NZ Police will receive $795,000 to support the continued employment of 11 District Search and Rescue Assistant Coordinators. NZ Search and Rescue Council (and Secretariat) will receive $1.4 million to implement its Strategic Plan. Coastguard NZ will receive $11.3 million to continue to deliver search and rescue activities, including funding for training, and information and business improvement. The Department of Conservation (DoC) will receive $189,000 to cover its baseline SAR activities. Maritime NZ will receive $17.2 million, which will cover costs incurred by operators for rescues performed, its search and rescue (SAR) coordination role, and recreational craft safety activities. Mountain Safety Council will receive $1.3 million, which will ensure it can continue to deliver the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA). Surf Life Saving New Zealand will receive $8.3 million, which will fund training, volunteer support, and the organisations SAR operations. Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) will receive $30.1 million, which will support the organisations SAR activities and operations and ensure its volunteers meet personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements. Youth Search and Rescue (YSAR) will receive total funding of $1.56 million to support the organisations activities. Recreational flying Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) are instructions pilots use to navigate around aerodromes and are integral to safely take off and land at aerodromes and airports without an air traffic control tower. The NZAF received funding to deliver IFPs at uncontrolled airports in 2022, however IFPs need five yearly maintenance and this funding ensures that the IFPs remain valid into the future. The funding amount available is limited to the amount of fuel excise duty collected from users of aircraft in recreational aviation.
Scoop
14 hours ago
- Scoop
NZDF Targets Unexploded Ordnance In Papua New Guinea
Press Release – New Zealand Defence Force The Kiwis joined personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the United States and United Kingdom for Operation Render Safe, an operation that has been targeting explosive remnants of war (ERW) left throughout the Pacific after … Four New Zealand Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) operators have joined an Australian Defence Force-led operation to locate, identify and plan for disposal of Second World War-era ordnance in the East New Britain region of Papua New Guinea. The Kiwis joined personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the United States and United Kingdom for Operation Render Safe, an operation that has been targeting explosive remnants of war (ERW) left throughout the Pacific after the Second World War for over 20 years. More than 25,000 people have been injured or killed in Papua New Guinea by ERW since the Second World War. Captain C led the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) team working within Combined Joint Task Force Wallaby to reduce explosive threats facing the communities of East New Britain. 'Alongside our partners over three weeks, we have located, marked and indexed over 2800 items of Explosive Remnants of War and Unexploded Ordnance. These were primarily of US and Japanese origin and ranged from 75mm anti-aircraft shells to 500lb bombs to Type 93 torpedoes. 'Concurrently, we conducted an education programme at local schools to inform the children about the dangers of these items, as they are the ones who are commonly finding them while playing in the jungle.' Operation Render Safe will return in 2026 to conduct disposal of the identified items.
