Latest news with #BridgetWilliamsBooks
ABC News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
The strange history of the travelling Taranaki panels
In 1971, five intricately carved Maori panels were unearthed in a swamp on the North Island of New Zealand. The panels are known as Te Motonui Epa, and they were buried for two centuries for their protection and preservation. Rachel Buchanan is a descendent of Taranaki, the place where the panels originated. She explains that once they woke up, they went on an adventure to New York, Geneva and London, before they were returned to their home. They were even caught up in a case of ransom for a child, kidnapped by Italian gangsters. Further information First broadcast February 2023. Te Motonui Epa is published by Bridget Williams Books. Listen to Stuff the British Stole's episode on Te Motunui Epa on the ABC Listen App or at the ABC Website. Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.
Scoop
28-04-2025
- Health
- Scoop
A Scientist's Account Of New Zealand's Pandemic And What Comes Next
Press Release – Bridget Williams Books In The Covid Response, physicist and science communicator Shaun Hendy offers a personal, behind-the-scenes account of how science shaped New Zealands pandemic strategy. When Covid-19 arrived in New Zealand in March 2020, panic buying began and the future was deeply uncertain. Three years later, the country recorded one of the world's lowest pandemic death rates – despite lighter restrictions on average than most OECD nations. Had it followed the path of the US or UK, more than 17,000 lives might have been lost. This new book asks: How was such an outcome possible – and at what cost? In The Covid Response, physicist and science communicator Shaun Hendy offers a personal, behind-the-scenes account of how science shaped New Zealand's pandemic strategy. As part of the Te Pūnaha Matatini team, he helped inform the government's response – modelling the virus's spread, assessing risk and supporting decision-makers under pressure. Hendy guides readers through pivotal moments, unpacking the science behind key decisions and the challenges of navigating a fast-moving, uncertain crisis. 'In the middle of the crisis, our job as scientists wasn't just to run the numbers – it was to make sense of uncertainty. It was a responsibility none of us took lightly,' Hendy explains. 'Science helped save lives, but it also taught us how much we still have to learn about preparing for the next big threat.' The Covid Response explains the tools of pandemic science, from modelling to genomic sequencing, and refl ects on the complex relationship between science and policy. Hendy also looks to the future, asking how we can be better prepared next time. ' The vast majority of us made sacrifi ces to keep our people safe.' Hendy writes, 'If there is one thing that I would hope for in the next pandemic, it is that we can recapture some of the spirit that got us through those years, while striving to ensure that the costs and benefi ts are shared more equitably next time. And if there is one lesson we should take from Covid-19, it is that a resilient society must be an equitable one.' As the world monitors the spread of avian influenza (H5N1), Hendy warns that our readiness may already be compromised – notably in the United States, where the Trump administration has withdrawn from the World Health Organization and weakened key public health institutions. In Aotearoa, much of the capability built during the pandemic is at risk of fading. Hendy calls for renewed investment in science and stronger regional partnerships, especially with Australia, to ensure we are ready for whatever comes next.
