Feature Interview: Herman Pontzer
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RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Cook Islands 'open to anything' for seabed mining partnerships
In 2023, the first ever high resolution Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) footage was obtained for the nodule fields at the bottom of the Cook Islands seafloor. A ROV is a scientific/work platform that is lowered from a boat all the way to the seabed. There is no-one on board, which makes them very safe and simpler to operate, according to SBMA. Photo: Screengrab/YouTube/Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority A director at the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SMBA) says that, as a small island nation, the Cook Islands is always looking to partner with other jurisdictions. Last week, on the sidelines of its 60th anniversary of self-governance, the Cook Islands and United States agreed to work together "to advance scientific research and the responsible development of seabed mineral resources". SMBA's partnerships and cooperation director Edward Herman said it is useful for the Cook Islands to collaborate. "We're always available to collaborate and partner with any jurisdictions [or] any institutions," he said. "We have quite a few of these arrangements anyway. This is more of a formal arrangement and the US felt this was appropriate to do a joint statement." He told ABC Pacific that the US is sending its research vessel Nautilus to the Cook Islands. In February, the Cook Islands and China signed a five-year agreement to cooperate in exploring and researching the Pacific nation's seabed minerals. Herman told RNZ Pacific that it is a similarly high-level agreement. "Primarily, from the Cook Islands' perspective, [the agreement with China] is building on our research capacity," he said. "We want technology, resourcing, ships if we can. We'd be open to anything that's available in terms of collaboration." Te Ipukarea Society president June Hosking thinks that having several eyes on research is good, but hopes countries are not using the Cook Islands as a testing ground. "Would they think that they could come to our waters and try that out for real, rather than in their own waters? That's what would worry me - anyone coming in, do they actually care about our place?" US interest in deep sea mining has grown. In April, the US opened a pathway to deep sea mining in the high seas through its own regulations, outside the International Seabed Authority. This has created a stir, with some accusing the US of breaching international law. The joint statement between the two countries on 5 August said the Cook Islands was a leader in seabed mineral exploration of its own waters and recognised the economic potential of the resources. "The United States of America and the Cook Islands are proud US-linked firms sit at the forefront of deep seabed mineral research and exploration in the Cook Islands, which reflects strong and shared US-Cook Islands seabed minerals interests," it said. "The Cook Islands, with its vast maritime natural resources, and the United States of America, with its expertise in oceanic research and technology, are uniquely positioned to work together to ensure that the exploration and development of seabed mineral resources are guided by rigorous gold standard science and best practices."
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Five times more Māori nurses needed to meet population and health needs
It would mean increasing the number of Māori nurses entering the workforce from 300 a year to almost 1650. Photo: Aotearoa needs five times more Māori nurses to reflect the Māori population and deliver culturally safe health care, a new report shows. The report, 'Growing, but not fast enough: Māori nursing workforce insights', commissioned by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) and written by Infometrics, was released on Thursday at the Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference in Rotorua. Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa NZNO kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said the country would need about 1350 more Māori nurses a year for the next decade to reach population parity. "That would mean increasing the number of Māori nurses entering the workforce from the current 300 a year to almost 1650 - a five-fold increase," she said. "This is an intense number and shows the intense need we have to ensure Māori get the culturally safe and appropriate nursing they need. Research shows culturally safe nursing is key to achieving better outcomes for Māori." According to the report, Māori currently make up 18 percent of the New Zealand population but just 7.4 percent of the nursing workforce. It also revealed that Māori are dying seven years earlier than non-Māori The report found that 27,000 Māori nursing enrolments would be required to meet demand, as less than two-thirds of Māori nurse trainees complete their qualification. In 2023, 3230 students enrolled in registered nurse training, but only 435 were Māori. "I'm so concerned about the future of Māori health - this country's health. These numbers are so intense and would appear like mission impossible under this Government. But it is our duty to call for what is best for the health of our people," Nuku said. Kerri Nuku, kaiwhakahaere for the Nurses Organisation says the country needs about 1350 more Māori nurses a year for the next decade to reach population parity. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller Nuku said Māori nurses played a crucial role in improving health outcomes. "The report also confirms for us what we've always known - Māori nurses are more likely to help keep Māori out of hospital by identifying the risk of preventable illnesses, enabling early intervention and saving the health system money." Around 300 Māori nurses are expected to gather on Thursday for the Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference in Rotorua. This year's conference theme is Mauri oro, mauri reo, mauri ora, which organisers said speaks to a return to "vibration, voice and wellbeing through the lens of mātauranga Māori". The Akenehi Hei award will be presented on Friday, and the Tapuhi Kaitiaki Awards, the Māori nurses award, will be held that evening. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Another child is sixth dengue-related death in Samoa
Photo: 123RF A sixth dengue-related death has been confirmed by health authorities in Samoa as case numbers continue to climb. Samoa's Ministry of Health has confirmed the sixth death which the Herald reported local officials confirming at the weekend was another child, this time a seven-year-old. The previous two deaths at the end of last month and the start of this month were a nine-year-old and his two-year-old brother . Figures released by the health ministry on Sunday show there have been 7970 clinically diagnosed dengue cases recorded in Samoa since January. Of these, 2743 are laboratory-confirmed. Eighty-eight per cent of reported cases have been from Upolu Island. Young people aged under 15 years old make up 72 per cent of all cases. Schools in Samoa are closed for a third straight week due to the outbreak, after first closing the week of 28 July with a fumigation campaign launched. The ministry said in the week from 4-10 August, 1974 clincally diagnosed cases were recorded from all health facilities in Upolu and Savai'i. New Zealand has sent a health team and $300,000 worth of medical supplies to Samoa to assist with the outbreak . Outbreaks have also been reported in several other Pacific countries. In Tonga, a study on dengue has found inconsistent prevention practices and misconceptions about the transmitting of the disease. It showed 94 percent of Tongans are aware of dengue, and 81 percent know Aedes mosquitoes are the cause. Ministry of Health CEO Dr Reynold Ofanoa shared a plan including household visits, village cleanups, and stronger local engagement. In Bangladesh, dengue has killed 101 people and infected more than 24,000 so far this year.
