logo
PM's new science advisor John Roche

PM's new science advisor John Roche

RNZ News4 days ago

Chief science advisor Dr John Roche
Photo:
Supplied
The Prime Minister's new chief science advisor, John Roche, is getting underway with his new job, a year after the position was vacated by his predecessor Dame Juliet Gerrard.
John Roche was previously the Chief Science Advisor at the Ministry of Primary Industries.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer on the longest suspension in Parliament
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer on the longest suspension in Parliament

RNZ News

timean hour ago

  • RNZ News

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer on the longest suspension in Parliament

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii This week, Parliament took the unprecedented step of suspending both Te Pāti Māori leaders - Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi - for 21 days. Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke was suspended for seven days - but had also been punished with a 24-hour suspension on the day over a haka all three had performed in Parliament, against the Treaty Principles Bill, in November. It is against the rules of the House for members to leave their seats during a debate - which all three did. Ngarewa-Packer told Saturday Morning that the 21-day suspension, which was seven times harsher than any previous sanction an MP has faced, was not proportionate. "I think the backlash from the public, nationally and internationally, validates that," she said. Previously, the longest suspension for an MP had been three days, given to the former prime minister Robert Muldoon for criticising the speaker in the 1980s. While New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the duration of the suspension would have been lessened if the Te Pāti Māori MPs had apologised, Ngarewa-Packer said that was never requested by the Privileges Committee. "What we have here is a situation where, and some are calling it Trumpism, we've been a lot more specific - we have an Atlas agenda that has not only crept in, it's stormed in on the shores of Aotearoa and some may not understand what that means, but this is just the extension of the attack on the treaty, on the attack on Indigenous voices. "We made the point the whole way through when we started to see that they weren't going to be able to meet us halfway on anything, even a quarter of the way, on any of the requests for tikanga experts, for legal experts when we knew the bias of the committee." Ngarewa-Packer added that the Privileges Committee process was not equipped to deal with the issue. "We hit a nerve and we can call it a colonial nerve, we can call it institutional nerve... "I think that this will be looked back on at some stage and say how ridiculous we looked back in 2025." Ngarewa-Packer also added that the language from Peters during the debate on Thursday was "all very deliberate" - "and that's what we're contending with in Aotearoa". "Everyone should have a view but don't use the might of legislation and the power to be able to assert your racism and assert your anti-Māori, anti-Treaty agenda." Peters had taken aim at Waititi on Thursday as "the one in the cowboy hat" and "scribbles on his face" in reference to his mataora moko. Rawiri Waititi. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii He said countless haka have taken place in Parliament but only after first consulting the Speaker. "They told the media they were going to do it, but they didn't tell the Speaker did they?" Peters added that Te Pāti Māori were "a bunch of extremists" and that "New Zealand has had enough of them". "They don't want democracy, they want anarchy," he said. "They don't want one country, they don't want one law, they don't want one people." Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Unmanned military tech: Julia Macdonald
Unmanned military tech: Julia Macdonald

RNZ News

time5 hours ago

  • RNZ News

Unmanned military tech: Julia Macdonald

'The Hand Behind Unmanned' by Jacquelyn Schneider and Julia Macdonald. Photo: Supplied Mines, guided missiles, satellites and more recently drones, are just some of the military tech that have been developed over the last few hundred years. A new book 'The Hand Behind Unmanned' explores the factors and beliefs that led to the contemporary American arsenal and asks where it's headed in the future. Julia Macdonald is the co-author of the book, as well as the Director of Research and Engagement at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, and a Research Professor at the University of Denver. She's also held positions at the RAND Corporation, in Aotearoa at the Ministry of Defence, and Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where she led development of New Zealand's first National Security Strategy. Julia speaks with Susie Ferguson.

Letters: Phil Goff's art of saying nothing; Parliament shame; bottom trawling destructive
Letters: Phil Goff's art of saying nothing; Parliament shame; bottom trawling destructive

NZ Herald

time8 hours ago

  • NZ Herald

Letters: Phil Goff's art of saying nothing; Parliament shame; bottom trawling destructive

Then came the plot twist. After 40-plus years of having no opinions anyone could remember, Phil discovered he had a voice. Unfortunately about Donald Trump. In a moment of catastrophic authenticity, he shared them publicly. Career over. The moral? In politics, as in nature, survival often depends on not being noticed. Phil Goff mastered this art for decades, only to forget the first rule of political longevity at the final hurdle: when in doubt, say nothing. James Gregory, Parnell. Parliament haka No wonder the coalition government imposed a disproportionately heavy penalty on Te Pāti Māori MPs for their haka in Parliament: the coalition had to challenge such a dazzling criticism of their failure to honour Te Tiriti, one that bypassed the repetitive wrangling that constitutes a normal day in the house. The haka was a powerful, beautiful, unforgettable work of performance art that posed no threat to individuals, but did threaten the destructive, divisive ideology the Government is pursuing. The greatest art speaks truth to power, truth that power would rather we did not hear. Andrea Dawe, Sandringham. The Chase The headline said 'Paul Henry is to host The Chase NZ'. I was amazed by Paul's modesty when he said: '…and I can be enormously charming when I put my mind to it'. Next we learn The Chase NZ is to be filmed in Sydney. This at a time when we are encouraging film makers to come to New Zealand. If the NZ Chase is to be filmed in Sydney, I would rather forget it and stick with the tried-and-true UK version hosted by Bradley Walsh. John Epsom. Relationship with China For the future of our country let's hope our current Prime Minister listens to advice from former leaders on his upcoming trip to Beijing. Helen Clark, Don Brash, Sir Geoffrey Palmer and others all saying the same thing. In 2008, NZ was the first developed country to have a free trade agreement with China, who are now our biggest trading partner by far. Our current Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, is positioning NZ alongside the United States as an adversary of China. In my opinion this is crazy. If China gets annoyed with us and cancels our exports of dairy products, meat, forestry and fruit this could have catastrophic consequences. NZ exports to China are worth $20 billion. Christopher Luxon needs to convince China we value our joint friendship with them. The Chinese will realise we also have longstanding friendships with US, UK and Australia. However, we should state emphatically that we will remain nuclear-free and will not enter into Aukus or similar military alliances aimed at China. Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay. New Lynn terror attack Families of victims of the New Lynn supermarket stabbings must be aghast to learn that the police Special Tactics Group, specifically deployed to keep the perpetrator under surveillance, decided not to follow him into the supermarket. The team members were armed because of concerns the offender could commit a 'lone wolf' attack yet they stayed outside so as not to blow their cover. This rationalisation was deeply flawed. The tragedy could have been averted. John Walsh, Green Bay. Treaty Principles Bill The expected debacle over the Treaty Principles Bill surprises no one: it was inevitable and highlights the ineptitude of Parliament. Intended to be a place of some gravitas where elected representatives can debate issues and formulate rules by which we can all live, it is in reality a disorganised muddle where politicians preen and carry on like idiots. To misquote Shakespeare, a plague on all your houses. Thank God for the oft-maligned Civil Service that has the unenviable task of making some sense, and creating some order, out of this fiasco. Mike Newland, Matakana. Energy supply A Herald article (June 6) notes the start of construction of the Genesis Energy 100 MW Battery. Genesis chief executive Malcolm Johns is referenced as stating: 'As New Zealand's electricity supply becomes more renewable and subject to weather, this battery will help smooth out fluctuations in supply, ensuring supply remains reliable and secure.' Weather-related fluctuations would have to be of very short duration for the battery to be useful in that context, given it would be flat after just two hours with 100 MW output. The power crisis of the 2024 dry winter lasted two months. Weather-related power variations for time scales of days and months need a much bigger 'battery' – like something equivalent to the Lake Onslow scheme's 1000 MW for 6 months. Earl Bardsley, Hamilton. Bottom trawling Like Edith Cullen (letters, June 6), I am appalled that Aotearoa refuses to ban the hugely destructive practice of bottom trawling. If anyone doubts how devastating this practice is, they should watch David Attenborough's latest movie Ocean. His team managed to get right up close to capture industrial trawlers at work and confronts us with the sight of the grey and lifeless desert it leaves in its wake. Attenborough offers hope but that rests on 'no take zones' and giving the devastated areas time to recover. Why are we going in the wrong direction? Maire Leadbeater, Mt Albert A quick word What do the president of the Law Society, the Deputy Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister's deputy press secretary have in common? Arrogance and stupidity? Bruce Tubb, Devonport. I suspect one of the weaknesses of the public health system is that important decisions are made by persons who have no intention of using the public system themselves. Elizabeth Aloupis, Auckland. A sad day for our beloved Aotearoa ... so ashamed of our Parliament today - Privileges Committee - really says it all, those who are privileged. Bouquets to Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori, who all understood and conveyed the importance of the excessive censure recommended - thank you for representing us with truth and conviction. Janette Anderson, Paeroa. Waikeria Prison, New Zealand's latest and newest hotel. You build them and they will fill them as you get more inside than you get on the outside. Why doesn't the Government do more to keep the prison invasion down is beyond me. We are too soft in New Zealand. Gary Stewart, Foxton Beach. I watched an item on TV1 news this evening (June 5) which included coverage of, what I guess was, the debating chamber of Parliament. My question is - where the heck were all our elected politicians? There appeared to be very few 'bums on seats' so I'm wondering what the heck we're paying them to do if they can't even turn up to work? Shelley Batt, Rotorua. Each year at this time, we can view television coverage of the madness that is the motorcycle racing on the Isle of Man. The event is notorious for its dangers, accidents and its dreadful death statistics. Many recent safety improvements to the course have been made but many stone walls and an undulating roadway remain. The guts of riders is astonishing and to risk one's life at a sporting event is incomprehensible. But every year there is no shortage of starters willing to take the risk whatever us mere mortals may be capable of comprehending. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store