NZ follows UK in condemning Russian cyber attacks
'Russia's hostile behaviour in cyberspace continues to threaten global cybersecurity and undermine agreed international rules and norms,' Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement this morning.
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NZ Herald
2 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Letters: Our public sector rot, and a wonderful response from the community to find a missing woman
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth. Public sector rot Sadly for the sake of our grandchildren, the demise of our once world-class public service began with the introduction of the State Sector Act 1988. This act compromised the independence and integrity of our public service. Most permanent heads were placed on three-year contracts. Their focus changed to ensure renewal of their contracts. Thank you for nothing Messrs Douglas, Prebble, Palmer, Lange and co. Bruce Tubb, Devonport. NCEA Following on from the report on NCEA (July 20), I must agree that it has been abused extensively and must be replaced by something meaningful, may I suggest School Certificate. NCEA credits have been issued for such menial tasks that demean the education system, so tinkering with it will be meaningless. But the part of the report I take most exception to is the comments by Labour leader Chris Hipkins. His comment that NCEA Level 1 is necessary for apprenticeships is totally derogatory of the trades. His comments are taking things back to the time Helen Clark was in charge stating everybody needed a degree to get a job, and funded bums on seats at universities while the trades never got apprentices, leading to our shortage of tradesmen. Trades are not secondary to academia but are equal and need the same level of education to excel at. Trevor Green, Matamata. Joseph Parker v Oleksandr Usyk Joseph Parker is absolutely dreaming if he thinks he can outbox the Ukrainian world champ. If the fight does go ahead it will be a set-up, with Joe given a few rounds before 'goodnight nurse'. Joe has shown he doesn't have the hitting power to put a good opponent away. Jock MacVicar, Hauraki. Quiet choppers Wouldn't you have thought the helicopter owners could scramble a few billion dollars together to create a quiet helicopter? Technology is so advanced these days that it surely would not be impossible to add blades or vibrational techniques that cancel out the awfully disturbing noise a 'modern' helicopter transmits in residential areas. So, here's a challenge to the Mowbray couple if they want to stay popular in their community, perhaps. René Blezer, Taupō. Nato and the UN I cannot agree with Jock MacVicar (July 20). Nato is a defence pact; the hardware belongs to its member states. Without Nato I would have the Soviet red star on my lapel and so would have four million other Europeans. As for cost, Nato is cheap compared to a Russian invasion. Also, the UN is doing exactly what it was set up to do: serve as a platform where diplomats can lie, cheat, blockade and hurl insults at one another. K H Peter Kammler, Warkworth. Defence spending Your reader Bernard Walker (July 20) gets letter of the week for suggesting we don't need a credible defence force because of our isolation from the rest of the world. It seems reasonable until you look at the facts regarding defence spending. First, we would be considered bludgers by our current allies the US, Australia, the UK and the South Pacific nations. Second, being considered bludgers, we would certainly lose any credibility in trade negotiations and thereby lose huge amounts in exports to two of our largest customers. Third, if other world leaders were invited and came here to avoid a potential World War III, this is considered desertion, an offence punishable by a death sentence. Remember the previous world wars, where soldiers were shot dead for desertion by their commanders? Obviously, it is a proposal which was not to be taken seriously and should have never been published. Bruce Woodley, Birkenhead. Sunday television Sunday night TV1 viewing is these days a heartwarming, New Zealand-centric experience. With the long-running Country Calendar leading at 7pm, this television icon is followed half an hour later by Moving Houses hosted by the likeable Andy Ellis. It is delightful to have primetime viewing that showcases our own heartland places and people. Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Peters challenged on tobacco links
Public health researchers at the University of Otago have called on the prime minister to show some leadership and remove the tobacco and vaping portfolio from New Zealand First, following allegations the party has been colluding with tobacco giant Philip Morris. Documents from a Radio NZ investigation show Philip Morris provided NZ First with a draft piece of regulation which the deputy prime minister at the time, Winston Peters, supported. They show NZ First assured Philip Morris they would "put that draft into the policy mix". Mr Peters said the documents referenced were more than six years old, and the attempt to attack NZ First was "old, stale, repetitive, and utterly baseless". The allegation comes after NZ First list MP and Associate Health Minister Casey Costello led the repeal of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022. It effectively scrapped laws aimed at slashing tobacco retailers, removing 95% of the nicotine from cigarettes, and creating a smokefree generation by banning sales to those born after 2009. University of Otago Aspire Aotearoa Research Centre co-director and public health researcher Prof Janet Hoek said the fact the documents were six years old was "neither here nor there", because NZ First had repeatedly denied having any connections with the tobacco industry. The revelation raised questions about how easily companies were able to access politicians, and the kind of lobbying that went on behind closed doors. "The challenge that he [Mr Peters] has to address is that there have been allegations that he's been dealing with tobacco companies and using their documents to inform policy. "None of his statements, none of his rebuttals, address that concern. "What we need is some transparency — some actual evidence showing that these allegations that have been put forth in the documents don't stand, and that's not what he's been able to provide. "I think he really needs to be held to account here." She said Mr Peters' instinctive response was "attack is the best defence". "I think there's actually a real question about integrity of the political process here, and what people want to feel is that politicians are acting in the best interest of the country, not the best interest of the tobacco company." Prof Hoek said the "discrepancy" was further decreasing trust in the government, and called on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to assert some leadership and removed the tobacco and vaping portfolio from NZ First, and entrust it to a politician without alleged links to tobacco giants. "We know that tobacco companies operate in the shadows by lobbying politicians. "What these documents reveal are claims that tobacco companies are not just lobbying, they are writing policy. "The New Zealand public will be disgusted to learn that is how the party that should be promoting public health is allegedly behaving." Fellow Aspire co-director Prof Richard Edwards said the repeal of New Zealand's world-leading smokefree legislation prompted a huge outcry from communities affected by smoking, health organisations, health professionals and public health experts. "The repeal raised questions about influence of the tobacco industry. "Subsequent industry-friendly policies like tax cuts for heated tobacco products only increased those concerns, and the recent revelations of close links between NZ First and Philip Morris suggest these concerns were well-founded." He called for the urgent reintroduction of the repealed measures, which were very likely to rapidly reduce the enormous harm from smoking, and protect future generations from smoking. Asked to respond to the accusations, a spokesman for Mr Peters pointed to a social media post online. In it, Mr Peters said the documents referenced were more than six years old, and the "attempt to attack NZ First is old, stale, repetitive, and utterly baseless". He said multiple government departments had themselves proactively reached out to "big tobacco" for direct feedback and advice on tobacco legislation. He accused Radio NZ of being "clearly lefty biased", and their "bottom-of-the-barrel attack reporting" had caused New Zealanders to lose trust in them and switch to other stations. "The smokefree legislation that we implemented is working," he said. "New Zealand First is proud of the smokefree legislation, which is backed by Action for Smokefree 2025 (ASH), that we have implemented and that we are still implementing."
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
PM Must Act To End Tobacco Industry Interference In His Government
Health Coalition Aotearoa is calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to show leadership and strip NZ First of the tobacco and vaping portfolio, following damning revelations of collusion between NZ First and tobacco giant Philip Morris. A detailed RNZ investigation uncovered documents showing Philip Morris provided NZ First with a draft piece of regulation which the Deputy Prime Minister at the time Winston Peters supported. Winston Peters was described by JUUL representatives as "industry friendly and highly geared towards commercial interests." NZ First reportedly assured Philip Morris they would "put that draft into the policy mix." The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which New Zealand signed in 2005, explicitly warns of the "irreconcilable conflict" between the goals of public health and the interests of the tobacco industry. Under this treaty, governments must protect health policy from tobacco industry interference. "By allowing tobacco industry influence, this Government is breaching its obligations under the World Health Organization convention, says Professor Chris Bullen, Health Coalition Aotearoa tobacco spokesperson and University of Auckland professor. "These documents confirm what many have long feared: tobacco companies are influencing health policy in Aotearoa. The Prime Minister must demonstrate he expects the highest standards of integrity from his Ministers and reallocate the tobacco and vaping portfolio," says Professor Bullen. Tobacco companies' intensive and covert lobbying comes as no surprise. However, evidence NZ First MPs have been complicit in these arrangements will shock the public, who expect higher standards from politicians. The evidence in the media today gives an explicit example of how officials are exposed to communications, meetings and relationships with a powerful industry on policy that is supposed to be protecting public health. And yet another example of this Government favouring commercial interests over people's lives and health. Winston Peters told reporters yesterday "I've always been industry friendly". Matching rhetoric of NZ First Minister Shane Jones last year confirmed Philip Morris External Relations Manager Api Dawson was involved in 'soundings' about the party's tobacco policy. Professor Bullen says the revelations offer Luxon a clear opportunity to put New Zealanders' health ahead of dirty politics. "This is a test of leadership. He must reassign the tobacco and vaping portfolio to someone with no ties to the industry. New Zealanders expect transparency and a Government that acts with integrity. "The Government has already damaged Aotearoa New Zealand's international standing by repealing popular, widely acclaimed smokefree measures - a move that has seen a stall in the decline of smoking prevalence, while inequities persist. "The RNZ revelations show serious lack of judgement by this Government. It must end now. We are spending billions treating preventable diseases caused by smoking, while politicians allow the industry to keep selling the products that cause these harms. It's reckless and it's wrong," says Professor Bullen. Health Coalition Aotearoa is calling for: Immediate reassignment of the tobacco and vaping portfolio from NZ First to a politician free of any ties to the industry, and who will prioritise New Zealanders' health over corporate profits. The Ministry of Health to exclude the nicotine industry from policy processes, interact only when necessary, and document all interactions in alignment with the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, to which Aotearoa is a Party. Stronger rules on lobbying and conflicts of interest across government. Health Coalition Aotearoa is running a campaign to mitigate the harmful impact of industry involvement in public health policy. The Government to prioritise the advice and expertise of those working to reduce tobacco and nicotine harm when changing tobacco policies. "All the current Government's coalition parties have links to the tobacco industry. That must end," said Professor Bullen. "The Prime Minister has a choice: run a government based on integrity or stoop to a new level of dirty politics. He must act now."
