Latest news with #SiouxsieWiles
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Morning Report Essentials for Thursday 5 June 2025
food money 21 minutes ago In today's episode, questions are being raised about why the Prime Minister's office did not know that a senior press secretary was investigated by police last year, it's a worrying time for residents from 70 homes - as the Tauranga-Taupo River is threatening to breach its bank, the Grocery Commissioner says major supermarkets and large suppliers use their power to set unfair terms, hurting small suppliers and new competitors, Auckland University has been told to pay more than $200,000 to microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles, former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern has put herself back in the media spotlight this week - giving a string of interviews - here and overseas to promote her new memoir, and Black Caps coach Gary Stead's successful seven years in charge of the national cricket side is over.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Siouxsie Wiles 'absolutely delighted' by Employment Court ruling
Photo: RNZ Associate professor Siouxsie Wiles says she's "absolutely delighted" by a ruling which will see Auckland University pay her $205,059.94. towards her legal fees. It comes after the Employment Court ruled last year that the university breached its obligations to protect Wiles as harassment intensified during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it did not find the university had breached Wiles' academic freedom, or claims related to Te Tiriti. Wiles told Morning Report the costs were meant to be a negotiation with the university "and it's really frustrating that they didn't do that negotiation in a way that's really fair, instead they threatened to come after me for something like $575,000 of their cost". She had offered to accept less a year ago than what the university now has to pay, she said. "It's very disappointing that we had to actually go back to the judge to deal with this." Wiles said she has spent about $600,000 on legal fees in total, including GST and the interest she will pay on bank loans. She spent $349,450.67 to fight her case last year, she earlier said. "This has been going on a long time and access to justice is very very expensive." She said it was "astonishing" that the university chose to fight the case and said it spent well over $1 million on doing so. Wiles said she was still subject to harassment but "it's not as bad as it used to be". "There are people who just won't let this go, they've really almost build a whole identity around the abuse and harassment that they are making out on other people." Wiles said she did not have any regrets. "We saved thousands of lives, people need to remember that, that our early experience of the pandemic was really really different than other countries. You know, New York was... digging mass graves... we saved lots and lots of lives and I don't think you can regret that." In a statement, Auckland University said the ruling about costs concluded the legal action and followed the Court of Appeal's recent decision to decline Wiles' application to appeal aspects of the Employment Court decision.
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Auckland University ordered to pay Siouxsie Wiles more than $200k
Siouxsie Wiles. File photo The University of Auckland has been ordered to pay scientist Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000. The payout - revealed an Employment Court decision on Wednesday - is towards Wiles' legal costs, after a three week hearing in the Employment Court last year. In that case, the court found the university breached its contractual obligations to protect Wiles as harassment against her intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. The microbiologist was a prominent public advocate and commentator as New Zealand officials responded to the outbreak. In her decision Judge Joanna Holden says the parties were encouraged to agree to costs, but due to the university's response Wiles found it necessary to return to court.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Auckland University ordered to pay Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000
Photo: The University of Auckland has been ordered to pay scientist Siouxsie Wiles more than $200,000. The payout - revealed an Employment Court decision on Wednesday - is towards Wiles' legal costs, after a three week hearing in the Employment Court last year. In that case, the court found the university breached its contractual obligations to protect Wiles as harassment against her intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic. In her decision Judge Joanna Holden says the parties were encouraged to agree to costs, but due to the university's response Wiles found it necessary to return to court.
Scoop
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Samsung Solve For Tomorrow Returns For 2025 In Search Of Student Innovators Across Aotearoa
Press Release – Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is returning for its fifth year, in partnership with the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) and Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ). This year's competition highlights the critical role of teachers in developing design thinking skills, with teachers of winning entries receiving $1,000 from the prize pool. Julie Baker, Head of Education at MOTAT and Solve for Tomorrow judge, says recognising the contribution teachers make to student innovation was a key driver behind the change to prize allocation. 'We know just how influential teachers are in inspiring and guiding our tamariki, and this updated prize allocation is our way of giving back and recognising their incredible effort. Solve for Tomorrow is all about fostering creativity and real-world problem solving, and we're thrilled to now acknowledge the teachers who support students every step of the way.' Solve for Tomorrow 2025 offers a prize pool of $24,000 in cash and Samsung technology for winning students, their teachers, and schools. To enter, students must harness the power of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths) and design thinking to develop innovative solutions aimed at creating a brighter future for Aotearoa. Samsung is delighted to welcome back its VIP judging panel for 2025, featuring Dr Joel Rindelaub and Dr Siouxsie Wiles, alongside Sarah Washbrooke, Deputy Chair of TENZ, and Julie Baker. Dr Siouxsie Wiles is thrilled to return as a judge for the 2025 competition. 'Judging Solve for Tomorrow is genuinely one of the highlights of my year. I absolutely love seeing the creative, thoughtful ideas our tamariki come up with – it gives me so much hope for the future. Every entry is a reminder of how bright, curious, and capable our young people are, and I can't wait to see what this year's cohort brings to the table,' says Wiles. Gabriel Anthony and Logan Gardiner wowed the judges in the 2024 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition with their inventive, community-focused solutions. Gabriel, a Year 8 student from Whitby Collegiate in Wellington, took out the Year 7 to 10 category with Pill Bot, an AI powered medication identifier designed to help visually impaired people, inspired by his grandmother's own experience. In the Year 11 to 13 category, Logan, a student at Burnside High School in Christchurch, impressed with Enviro Saver, a self-powered device engineered to clean rubbish and debris from local waterways. Simon Smith, Head of Brand Marketing at Samsung Electronics New Zealand, is looking forward to seeing what Kiwi students are working on for this year's competition. 'Last year's entries were truly outstanding. The creativity, passion and problem-solving shown by our young people was inspiring, and Samsung is incredibly proud to both host and champion a competition that celebrates Kiwi ingenuity. We have no doubt this year's students will continue to raise the bar.' Entries are now open for Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025. All students in years 7 to 13 are invited to participate, either individually or in teams. Students who submit a project plan by 23 June 2025 can benefit from valuable feedback from our VIP judges to help refine their final entries and go in the draw to win a Samsung TV. Final submissions are due by 19 September 2025. Alternatively, if students have already developed an innovative solution as part of an existing school project, they are welcome to repurpose it and enter it now. The winning individual or team for Solve for Tomorrow 2025 will be announced prior to the awards ceremony on 30 October 2025.
