Latest news with #GrantRobertson
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Teams jostle for a top-six spot
The wrap Last weekend proved we still have a genuine contest for the "mythical six" as Varsity routed Green Island at the Toolbox. The Bookworms flew out to a big lead which Green Island couldn't chase down in the second half. Predictably, Kaik put on a big score against AU on the high veldt but the Ponies showed some life of their own by running in four tries to snatch their second point of the season. In the game of the round at the Eelpit, Taieri got up with a last gasp penalty to beat Harbour. Harbour coach Pete McIntyre now has to take an oxygen tank and mask to games to keep his heart supplied. For the second week in a row they've lost the game in the last seconds to a mind-numbingly stupid penalty. Dunedin remain on top of the ladder and retained the Speight's Challenge Shield when they put away Zingari with comparative ease in blizzard-like conditions at Shark Park. The top seven teams are separated by seven points, and three teams — Southern, GI and Harbour — are on the same points. It'll take the full round robin to sort out the final six standing. This weekend is a debacle As I write this (Thursday afternoon) a lot of clubs are not sure if they can field teams this weekend. We have two Prem teams squaring off at Logan Park (No 6) tonight. I don't remember a Prem game being played on an outside ground on a Friday night for years. We have the insanity of the Prem Women having a semifinal being played tomorrow night at the same venue. Have you seen how bad the forecast is for the next couple of days? Well, imagine playing at night as well! Why, may you ask? Well Varsity exams are on this weekend and next week before that institution shuts down for four weeks. The university now seems to be scheduling more exams at night and on the weekends. While it is their right to schedule exams anytime they like, have they really considered the wellbeing of their sports-minded students? From memory, student numbers have fallen dramatically over the past few years, so it can't be the pressure of too many students. Isn't our current vice-chancellor a former minister of sport? If rugby is facing this crisis I assume netball, hockey and basketball will be having the same dilemmas. There must be a way to resolve this? How about this for a radical idea — perhaps the ORFU board may want to help us out? Could they not sit with Grant Robertson and his team to find a way forward? Surely we can educate our future leaders and let them play sport at the same time? I'm happy to chair the meeting. On a cold Friday night Speaking of cold Friday nights at Logan Park No 6, I was there last week supervising at a Junior Colts game between the Dunedin Tigers v Kaikorai Undertakers. Let me assure you, it was bloody freezing, so you can imagine my amazement when a sturdy streaker leapt out of the gloom at halftime and stormed towards halfway. The Tigers' diminutive replacement halfback "Jack" then chased him down in a stirring sprint and bowled him over in a pile of mud, much to the enjoyment of both teams and the hardy souls in the crowd. Sadly that was Jack's best tackle of the night as the Tigers were second-best. Down on the farm Well the Topp Cup has found a new home after Central got up in a cliffhanger over South Otago at Meads Birthday Weekend — great work, lads. One question though; why was there no rugby played in the North or the Deep South? They don't play much rugby now, so you'd think the players would want to take every opportunity to suit up. Can somebody explain? Women's semis Yes, you have read that correctly, the Women's semifinals are on this weekend. It is only a five-team comp and the four finalists have been found. Top seed Alhambra Union take on Big River Country in one semi. In the other second-seeded Dunedin take on Varsity. AU should be too strong for the South Otago girls and will make the final with ease. In the other semi both teams have beaten each other over the last few weeks. In a weird quirk Dunedin and Varsity played each other last weekend and will back up again tomorrow night. Dunedin won by eight last week, and with the bigger pack in the wet conditions may be too strong for Varsity. AU and Dunedin have met in the last three finals, so no surprises there! This weekend Destroyed Thorn Parkes last week and he finishes his run with a -15 differential, so sadly no real challenge. On to Llew Johnson also from the Volts who boasts a +20 differential — I can't believe that. My work is cut out for me. Tonight the Sharks and Kaik go to it at 6.30pm at Logan Park 6 (behind the Cale), so if you're passing call in. Both teams are in form, and Kaik won the first-round encounter, but I'm picking Dunedin (13+) with their bigger pack may just wear down Kaikorai in the heavy conditions. GI (13+) storm down to the Pony Pit on Saturday and will stampede through AU to grab the much-needed five points. In the closest game of the round, Varsity (13+) host Taieri and it's nearly too close to call. Varsity were good last week and the Eels do what they do, find a way to win. I need the points, so Varsity get up big late! In the last game, Zingers are at home to a rampant Southern (13+) and this only goes one way. I was too good for the South's favourite son Ernie Muir last week. Up against Otago great Wally Lees this week, and he got first pick so I'm really struggling — but you never know. Alex (13+) are at home to Arrowtown and could win comfortably, but I'm praying the Bulls just stay in the fight long enough. Wakatipu (12-) should be too strong for Matak in the Basin but the Omakau lads will be in the fight for some time. They won their last game so will give the big city boys a fright — get into them boys! Upper Clutha (13+) are the champions elect and should dispatch neighbours Cromwell with consummate ease.
NZ Herald
21-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
ACC's sexual abuse liability at risk of becoming another pay equity fiscal cliff
The Public Service Commission's instruction is clear: 'Agencies should ensure pay offers are fiscally sustainable and reflect labour market conditions, including comparability with private sector roles.' That advice was ignored. Today, civil servants earn on average $10 an hour more than private-sector workers. Multiply that across 481,500 employees in the wider public sector and Google calculated the cost: $10 billion a year. Under former Prime Minister Sir John Key, the core public service numbered 39,000. Now it's 63,000. If Labour had kept salaries in line with the private sector and staff numbers to population growth, the Government accounts could be in surplus. Instead, pay ballooned – thanks to generous union deals and Labour's expansive pay equity reforms. Pay equity settlements are the result of comparing social workers with air traffic controllers, teacher aides with prison guards and librarians with traffic engineers. All 90 different public health occupations, including technicians, have received pay equity increases. When footballers can earn more than the Prime Minister, wage rates defy rationalisation and comparison. All the law can do and does is ensure people doing the same work get the same pay. Equity settlements now mean GPs can't compete with hospital wages. Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson made a reckless promise: the taxpayer would cover any pay equity deals, even for private providers. It was the mother of fiscal cliffs, promises made but not funded. No responsible Finance Minister would make an open-ended commitment like that. The incumbent Nicola Willis rightly refused. Without funding, government contractors, such as hospices, face collapse. Labour's law had to go. So why wait a year to repeal it? As I understand, Willis fears the voters won't accept the changes New Zealand needs. This week's Budget will tackle short-term issues while avoiding long-term structural problems, such as superannuation and ACC. It's a mistake. Sir Keith Holyoake, who won four elections, had a simple philosophy: 'Tell the people, trust the people.' I sat in Parliament with Holyoake. He'd claim 'there are no plans in front of the government' while outlining the very reforms those plans would later deliver. It worked. Had ministers explained last year how Labour's pay equity law was financially unsustainable, the public would have understood. Instead, there was silence, reforms rushed through under urgency and a backlash. The coalition must learn quickly. Another storm is coming. A 2023 Court of Appeal ruling expanded the scope of cover ACC provides victims of sexual abuse. The court ruled victims were entitled to compensation for loss of potential earnings from the time they were abused. Previously, they could seek compensation only from the time they sought treatment. Last year, ACC put nearly $3.6b aside to cover the current and future costs of claims related to about 100,000 existing victims who could now make claims because of the new interpretation of the law. An avalanche of claims could break ACC. Minister for ACC Scott Simpson on Friday told the Herald the Government was mulling a law change to limit ACC's cover. Simpson suggested other government agencies were perhaps better placed to deal with some claimants that currently fall under ACC's jurisdiction. If police don't prosecute, offenders go unpunished – and the rest of us pay. In other countries, perpetrators pay. Victims sue. Not here. The courts and politicians have expanded ACC far beyond what the Woodhouse Royal Commission recommended. We must ask: has ACC created a no-fault culture? Is the explosion in sexual assaults the result of that no-fault culture? Has ACC become unaffordable? ACC is not the right tool for dealing with trauma. Mental health is the job of the health and welfare systems. Why is sexual abuse trauma different? Let victims sue their abusers. Compensation should come from perpetrators, not taxpayers.
Otago Daily Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Budget 2025: Diversified revenue key for uni
The University of Otago still has to find an extra $23.5 million in savings and its situation could be made worse if the government does not come to the party on Budget day. It comes after a turbulent couple of years for the university after it reported significant deficits due to lower than projected enrollments and revenue. Vice-chancellor Grant Robertson's commentary in the university's annual report, released this week, said there had been significant work done to find savings in the budget — in order to address permanent savings of $61.5m and return to the surplus required by the Tertiary Education Commission. "We have made significant savings since 2023, achieving $38m of the $61.5m target set by the University Council." Its deficit of $21.8m last year was $6.3m better than budget, but Mr Robertson acknowledged "finding the final $23.5m of savings will be challenging". Rather than trying to find those savings all at once, the university had agreed to spread out its efforts. "We have worked with the University Council on a plan to spread it over two years, giving us time to find savings and develop new revenue sources." In 2023, the government propped up universities by an extra $64m per year after several institutions, including Otago, had undergone waves of restructuring and change management processes. However, it is not known whether this funding increase will be continued for another year in tomorrow's Budget. Mr Robertson told the Otago Daily Times he preferred not to comment ahead of the Budget. "But clearly government funding is a significant factor in our financial approach." Increasing student numbers was "one key way we can increase our revenue, and we are pleased with our progress this year". "We will also seek to maximise our income from other sources — including research, commercial activities and other partnerships. "This includes the work that we are doing in Queenstown to support the development of its technology and innovation aspirations." The total number of equivalent fulltime students for the year-ending 2024 was 18,690; the university's strategic document Pae Tata aspires for this to increase to 24,000 by 2030. In the international rankings, Otago ranked 214th globally and second nationally (behind University of Auckland) in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University rankings. The year 2024 saw records broken for the number of Pacific enrolments at Otago, which now comprise a record 7.2% of total domestic enrolments, while Māori now account for a record 14% of Otago's domestic enrolments. Tertiary Education Union co-president Craig Marshall, of Otago University, said many were still coming to terms with the "brutal" cuts in 2022 and 2023 — which led to hundreds of job losses — but there had been a feeling of "resigned optimism" of late. "But it's not all bread and roses; the effects of the cuts still linger. "I think perhaps there is the sense of a few green shoots. Certainly, there hasn't been the same tempo of redundancies and job losses. There have been some reorganisations. "There are some signs that there's more consultation occurring between decision makers and the staff." Mr Marshall said he did not expect the government to come to the party for universities in the Budget — he expected any increase not to be in line with inflation or increased student numbers. Mr Robertson said work was continuing on many initiatives to find efficiencies, savings and new sources of revenue. "Each division of the university has identified potential areas for this to happen and these are being worked through. "These include reviewing programmes and papers, looking for efficiencies in our support functions and working closely with other tertiary institutions. "There are also new papers and courses under development where we see an opportunity to enhance our academic offering."
Otago Daily Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Uni, tech company join forces against cyber crime
The University of Otago could be offering a master's degree in cyber security in Queenstown in a few years' time. It announced a partnership with California-headquartered tech company Palo Alto Networks yesterday to co-design and deliver education programmes in the resort town, starting with short executive courses in the next 12 months. Otago vice-chancellor Grant Robertson said it was the first partnership of its kind in the university's history and part of its vision for engaging more closely with businesses that employed its graduates or provided research opportunities. "This partnership solidifies our commitment to supporting the Queenstown Lakes region to become an international technology centre." Getting a new academic course approved took time, but the bigger challenge would be providing accommodation for staff and students, he said. That could take up to five years. "We could get a master's degree course approved for delivery from 2027. The piece we have to fill in is getting accommodation for students and the facilities." Mr Robertson said the partnership could not have happened without the efforts of tech entrepreneur Roger Sharp, who founded non-profit agency Technology Queenstown early last year with a goal of growing the sector's contribution to the resort town's GDP from 1.5% at present to more than 15% within 20 years. Palo Alto Networks New Zealand managing director Misti Landtroop said it already had partnerships with 3300 high schools, colleges and universities around the world through its cyber-security academy. However, it was the first time a university had asked it to jointly design an academic programme. She hoped that was only the first step in the partnership. "When things start getting going, then potentially we could have internship programmes where we cross-pollinate," Ms Landtroop said. "We might have students from the University of Otago in Queenstown go to our headquarters in Santa Clara, and then vice versa, have some people come back here. "I think the sky's the limit." Former prime minister Sir John Key, who has been on the Palo Alto Networks board since 2019, said the global cyber threat was "actually terrifying for organisations". Cyber-crime was "incredibly sophisticated" and only going to get worse — "We're really only at the tip of the iceberg and it's going to get more and more deep." Public and private sector leaders in New Zealand needed to better understand how to guard against that threat. Main points — University of Otago partnership with Palo Alto Networks — Palo Alto Networks is world's largest cyber-security company — Co-designing cyber-security education programme — Short executive courses in Queenstown within a year — Aiming to offer a master's degree in the resort
Otago Daily Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Uni joins SAR to protect scholars
During times of war, academics often become targets and suffer grave threats to their lives and liberty. Schools and universities are often targeted, looted, burned or used for military purposes, and those who work there are harassed and censored because of the thoughts they share and the questions they ask. Eventually, many are forced to leave their country for their own safety. So the University of Otago has joined Scholars at Risk (SAR). SAR is an international network of higher education institutions and individuals, dedicated to protecting threatened scholars, preventing attacks on higher education, and promoting academic freedom and related values worldwide. University of Otago vice-chancellor Grant Robertson said the network's values aligned with Otago's — protecting scholars and promoting academic freedom. "In the world we live in today, we are all aware of significant conflicts and displacement of people. "This is a practical step the university can take to support those most impacted, to continue their academic study and research. "SAR provides support, among other things, for universities to provide a home for academics who are displaced or whose work is disrupted by conflict. "We join more than 300 host institutions across the world, committed to protecting and promoting academic freedom." Dunedin and the wider Otago community had a long history in welcoming individuals and families who had been forcibly displaced from their homes. "We are proud to do our part in supporting that." Alongside partnering with SAR, the university is also in the process of establishing scholarships for two undergraduate students and two doctoral candidates from conflict zones. College of Education dean Prof Vivienne Anderson has conducted substantial research on the experiences of students with refugee backgrounds, and said educated citizens played a critical role in the work of peace-building and the re-establishment of a stable civil society after conflict. "Supporting displaced scholars' ongoing access to education and academic engagement is both an ethical response to urgent human need and an investment in more peaceful global futures. "It is strategic and timely to actively support displaced scholars at a time when forced displacement is at the highest level since World War 2." Unesco refugee integration through education, languages and arts chairwoman and University of Glasgow languages and intercultural studies Prof Alison Phipps said news of the University of Otago's support for SAR was "immensely welcome". "I have witnessed the difference it makes to those who find protection for themselves, their families and their scholarship. "My respect, gratitude and solidarity to the university in taking this step and making such profound change possible. "Your gesture strengthens the work we are all doing to build sustainable peace."
