Trump hits NZ with surprise 15 percent tariff
In a surprise out of the White House, New Zealand exports are being slapped with a 15 percent tariff rate. Trade Minister Todd McClay spoke to Charlotte Cook.
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RNZ News
38 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Solomon Islands government moves to raise legal marriage age to 18
At the moment, someone can legally marry at 15 with parental consent. Photo: UNICEF/Naftalin The Solomon Islands government is making moves to raise the legal marriage age to 18. At the moment, someone can legally marry at 15 with parental consent, something that may change following a review of the Islanders' Marriage and Divorce Act. Additionally, children can be married in accordance with customary law, which provides no minimum marriage age. Local media reported that Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka told parliament this week that a proposed change in a section of the Act aims to align marriage laws with other legal matters, such as the voting age. He said the move is in line with international human rights standards and growing calls for stronger child protection laws. World Vision, ChildFund and Save the Children, as members of the Solomon Islands Endim Vaelens Agenstim Pikinini (SIEVAP) Coalition, started the 'Make It 18' campaign to advocate for a change in the Marriage Act to set a minimum marriage age of 18. A report led by the coalition of charities said one in five girls in Solomon Islands is married before the age of 18, and this increases to one in four in rural areas. Around six percent of girls are married before the age of 15 in Solomon Islands. Save the Children advocacy and research director Jacqui Southey said there was widespread public support to increase the age. "There was consensus between children and adults, parents and community members that children's experiences should be playing with their friends, being at school, learning skills," Southey said. "They also thought that children getting married too young could lead to problems and we know that through the data that problems such as increased risk of domestic violence is a real concern, the inability to finish school, the inability to have good earnings prospects later in life and greater risk of exploitation." In June, the Koleasi Community Bylaw , developed in partnership with Hope Trust and Tearfund, came into force - explicitly prohibiting marriage under the age of 18. A breach carries a maximum fine of SI$1000. Penalties also apply for organising a forced marriage or harbouring someone against their will.
RNZ News
38 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Final sailing date for KiwiRail's Aratere ferry announced
Aratere has been plagued by problems in recent years. Photo: RNZ KiwiRail has confirmed when its Interislander Aratere ferry is expected to make its final sailing. The ferry will be retired when Interislander ferry Kaiārahi returns to service following scheduled dry-dock maintenance in Singapore. KiwiRail has announced it expects Kaiārahi to return to service at 3.30pm on 18 August and anticipates Aratere 's final scheduled Cook Strait sailing will depart Picton at 11am on the same day. Aratere has been plagued by problems in recent years. Among those, this year a propulsion fault meant the ferry had to wait at anchor for hours in Queen Charlotte Sound overnight while a specialist electrician came to fix the problem, while last year the ferry ran aground in Piction and was unable to be refloated until the following morning. The ship, which first entered service on the Cook Strait in 1999, is being retired ahead of port infrastructure work being done in preparation for the new rail-enabled ferries set to arrive in 2029. Arartere 's wharf in Picton is due to be demolished later this year as part of the new ferry project and as it requires specific loading and unloading infrastructure, it cannot use the other Interislander wharf in Picton while port upgrades there and in Wellington. Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said the ferry's retirement was a significant milestone in the company's transition to a modernised fleet. "This is the start of our preparation for the new ships, and while it will have some impact on capacity on Cook Strait until they arrive, we will make it as smooth as possible for our passengers and freight customers. No booking changes are required for freight customers or passengers as a new two-ship timetable is already in place. "The capacity of the two new ferries will be larger than our current fleet of three ships, so while this change is challenging, it's a necessary step towards a more efficient and sustainable future," he said. To support rail freight operations, Interislander would use road-bridging, where rail freight was moved by trailer onto its vessels, and reconnected to trains at the other end. "Significant preparation has already gone into super-charging this operation - including bringing in new equipment, recruiting and training new staff and fine-tuning our rail freight handling processes," Roy said. "Our transition timetable optimises the additional time needed for road bridging to ensure all rail freight will be serviced at the levels our rail freight customers need and expect. This has already been factored into current bookings," he said. Roy said the business was still considering options for the sale of Aratere after retirement, and the vessel would be laid up at its Wellington berth while it worked with a shipbroker. A private farewell event for Aratere crew would be held early next month.
RNZ News
38 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Children the priority in first round of Social Investment Fund
Photo: Supplied The Social Investment Agency has revealed that its initial round of funding will focus on children of families with complex needs. To qualify for funding, organisations will need to be working with children whose parents are, or have been, in prison, or working with children whose parents experienced the care system. It also covers children that were stood down or suspended from school when they were 12 or younger. The secretary for Social Investment, Andrew Coster, says children who have had these experiences are more likely to experience poor outcomes and require significant social support throughout their lives.
