Latest news with #Warmenhoven
1News
a day ago
- Politics
- 1News
Environmentalists see forestry changes as dangerous step for Tairāwhiti
Tairāwhiti environmentalists have called changes for commercial forestry under proposed Resource Management Act reforms "a slap in the face" and a return to weaker forestry regulations. Local groups are preparing to make submissions on proposed changes to the way forestry is managed after consultation on the Resource Management Act opened on Thursday. The proposals would make it harder for councils to have their own discretion in setting stricter rules to control tree planting. Gisborne District Council said the proposed changes grant both "real opportunities" and "some challenges". The Eastland Wood Council is still considering its options around submitting. ADVERTISEMENT Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti (MTT), the group behind a 12,000-signature petition that triggered the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use (MILU) in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa, claimed the Government was relaxing "already permissive forestry rules". The inquiry, published in May 2023, followed the destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and other major storms, when woody debris, forestry slash and sedimentation flooded the region's land, waterways and infrastructure. At the time of the inquiry's findings, the previous Government announced actions to reduce the risk of a Gabrielle repeat. MTT spokeswoman and Ruatōria resident Tui Warmenhoven said, "We were promised stronger protections – what we're getting is deregulation dressed as reform". The proposed changes were "a slap in the face to the hundreds of whānau who've already paid the price for poor forestry regulations," said Warmenhoven in a group statement. Another part of the proposed changes will require a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment as part of all harvest management plans. It would also consider refining requirements to remove all slash above a certain size from forest cutovers. ADVERTISEMENT MTT welcomed the proposed requirement for Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessments, however, it warned "this would be ineffective without enforceable planning requirements and local oversight". "A slash assessment without an afforestation plan is meaningless – it's a partial fix that ignores the root of the problem," said Warmenhoven. "We've already seen what happens when forestry is left to regulate itself and the problems with planting shallow-rooting pine on erosion-prone slopes. We are also concerned about the removal of references to woody debris, given that whole pine plantations collapsed during Cyclone Gabrielle and still line many waterways in the region." Last September, Eastland Wood Council chairman Julian Kohn said forestry firms were "bleeding money," with many companies finding Gisborne too costly to invest in. Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting, Kohn said Eastland Wood Council was still considering whether to submit its own response or work with other council members to make submissions. "We've been working closely with the minister and advocating for what we see needs to be real change in respect of some of the causes in the NES-CF [National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry]," said Kohn. "Our real concern is that the way the council is treating many of these consents and these enforcement orders are literally sending these forest companies to the wall." ADVERTISEMENT He said forestry companies would close if things continued the way they were, which would leave forests unmanaged and unharvested. "Next time we have a rain event, then some of those trees which have been locked up are going to come down the waterways, which is exactly what everybody wants to try to prevent." Gisborne District Councils director of sustainable futures, Jocelyne Allen, said the consultation documents came "as no surprise" as they were broad and aligned with what the council had seen in the Cabinet paper and Expert Advisory Group report. "The packages cover infrastructure, the primary sector, freshwater, and urban growth, all areas that matter deeply to our region. "There are real opportunities here, but also some challenges, and we're taking the time to work through both carefully," Allen said. The council intends to submit a response and will be taking a strategic and collaborative approach to doing so, including engaging with tangata whenua, whānau, hapū and iwi across the region and working through its sector networks, particularly the Local Government Special Interest Groups and Te Uru Kahika, said Allen. Before the announcement of the proposed changes, in an email to Local Democracy Reporting on Monday, Primary Industries and Forestry Minister Todd McClay said forestry played an important role in the economy and provided many jobs on the East Coast. ADVERTISEMENT "The Government is working closely with the Gisborne District Council and respected members of the forestry industry, farming and iwi to manage and reduce risk through better and more practical rules rather than blanket restrictions or bans." He said they are reviewing slash management practices and will amend the NES-CF so councils can focus on the most at-risk areas, lower costs and deliver better social and environmental outcomes. "We want them to focus on high-risk areas, which is what Gisborne District Council is currently doing, rather than suggesting that there should no longer be any forestry in the Tairāwhiti region," he said. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Environmentalists See Forestry Changes As Dangerous Step For Tairāwhiti
Article – Zita Campbell – Local Democracy Reporter Gisborne residents call proposals 'a slap in the face' amid forestry concerns. Tairāwhiti environmentalists have called changes for commercial forestry under proposed Resource Management Act reforms 'a slap in the face' and a return to weaker forestry regulations. Local groups are preparing to make submissions on proposed changes to the way forestry is managed after consultation on the Resource Management Act opened on Thursday. The proposals would make it harder for councils to have their own discretion in setting stricter rules to control tree planting. Gisborne District Council (GDC) said the proposed changes grant both 'real opportunities' and 'some challenges'. The Eastland Wood Council (EWC) is still considering its options around submitting. Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti (MTT), the group behind a 12,000-signature petition that triggered the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use (MILU) in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa, claimed the Government was relaxing 'already permissive forestry rules'. The inquiry, published in May 2023, followed the destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and other major storms, when woody debris, forestry slash and sedimentation flooded the region's land, waterways and infrastructure. At the time of the inquiry's findings, the previous Government announced actions to reduce the risk of a Gabrielle repeat. MTT spokeswoman and Ruatōria resident Tui Warmenhoven said, 'We were promised stronger protections – what we're getting is deregulation dressed as reform.' The proposed changes were 'a slap in the face to the hundreds of whānau who've already paid the price for poor forestry regulations', said Warmenhoven in a group statement. Another part of the proposed changes will require a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment as part of all harvest management plans. It would also consider refining requirements to remove all slash above a certain size from forest cutovers. MTT welcomed the proposed requirement for Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessments, however, it warned 'this would be ineffective without enforceable planning requirements and local oversight'. 'A slash assessment without an afforestation plan is meaningless – it's a partial fix that ignores the root of the problem,' said Warmenhoven. 'We've already seen what happens when forestry is left to regulate itself and the problems with planting shallow-rooting pine on erosion-prone slopes. We are also concerned about the removal of references to woody debris, given that whole pine plantations collapsed during Cyclone Gabrielle and still line many waterways in the region.' Last September, EWC chairman Julian Kohn said forestry firms were 'bleeding money', with many companies finding Gisborne too costly to invest in. Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting, Kohn said EWC was still considering whether to submit its own response or work with other council members to make submissions. 'We've been working closely with the minister and advocating for what we see needs to be real change in respect of some of the causes in the NES-CF [National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry],' said Kohn. 'Our real concern is that the way the council is treating many of these consents and these enforcement orders are literally sending these forest companies to the wall.' He said forestry companies would close if things continued the way they were, which would leave forests unmanaged and unharvested. 'Next time we have a rain event, then some of those trees which have been locked up are going to come down the waterways, which is exactly what everybody wants to try to prevent.' GDC's director of sustainable futures, Jocelyne Allen, said the consultation documents came 'as no surprise' as they were broad and aligned with what the council had seen in the Cabinet paper and Expert Advisory Group report. 'The packages cover infrastructure, the primary sector, freshwater, and urban growth, all areas that matter deeply to our region. 'There are real opportunities here, but also some challenges, and we're taking the time to work through both carefully,' she said. The council intends to submit a response and will be taking a strategic and collaborative approach to doing so, including engaging with tangata whenua, whānau, hapū and iwi across the region and working through its sector networks, particularly the Local Government Special Interest Groups and Te Uru Kahika, said Allen. Before the announcement of the proposed changes, in an email to Local Democracy Reporting on Monday, Primary Industries and Forestry Minister Todd McClay said forestry played an important role in the economy and provided many jobs on the East Coast. 'The Government is working closely with the GDC and respected members of the forestry industry, farming and iwi to manage and reduce risk through better and more practical rules rather than blanket restrictions or bans.' He said they are reviewing slash management practices and will amend the NES-CF so councils can focus on the most at-risk areas, lower costs and deliver better social and environmental outcomes. 'We want them to focus on high-risk areas, which is what GDC is currently doing, rather than suggesting that there should no longer be any forestry in the Tairāwhiti region,' he said.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Environmentalists See Forestry Changes As Dangerous Step For Tairāwhiti
Tairāwhiti environmentalists have called changes for commercial forestry under proposed Resource Management Act reforms 'a slap in the face' and a return to weaker forestry regulations. Local groups are preparing to make submissions on proposed changes to the way forestry is managed after consultation on the Resource Management Act opened on Thursday. The proposals would make it harder for councils to have their own discretion in setting stricter rules to control tree planting. Gisborne District Council (GDC) said the proposed changes grant both 'real opportunities' and 'some challenges'. The Eastland Wood Council (EWC) is still considering its options around submitting. Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti (MTT), the group behind a 12,000-signature petition that triggered the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use (MILU) in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa, claimed the Government was relaxing 'already permissive forestry rules'. The inquiry, published in May 2023, followed the destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and other major storms, when woody debris, forestry slash and sedimentation flooded the region's land, waterways and infrastructure. At the time of the inquiry's findings, the previous Government announced actions to reduce the risk of a Gabrielle repeat. MTT spokeswoman and Ruatōria resident Tui Warmenhoven said, 'We were promised stronger protections – what we're getting is deregulation dressed as reform.' The proposed changes were 'a slap in the face to the hundreds of whānau who've already paid the price for poor forestry regulations', said Warmenhoven in a group statement. Another part of the proposed changes will require a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment as part of all harvest management plans. It would also consider refining requirements to remove all slash above a certain size from forest cutovers. MTT welcomed the proposed requirement for Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessments, however, it warned 'this would be ineffective without enforceable planning requirements and local oversight'. 'A slash assessment without an afforestation plan is meaningless – it's a partial fix that ignores the root of the problem,' said Warmenhoven. 'We've already seen what happens when forestry is left to regulate itself and the problems with planting shallow-rooting pine on erosion-prone slopes. We are also concerned about the removal of references to woody debris, given that whole pine plantations collapsed during Cyclone Gabrielle and still line many waterways in the region.' Last September, EWC chairman Julian Kohn said forestry firms were 'bleeding money', with many companies finding Gisborne too costly to invest in. Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting, Kohn said EWC was still considering whether to submit its own response or work with other council members to make submissions. 'We've been working closely with the minister and advocating for what we see needs to be real change in respect of some of the causes in the NES-CF [National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry],' said Kohn. 'Our real concern is that the way the council is treating many of these consents and these enforcement orders are literally sending these forest companies to the wall.' He said forestry companies would close if things continued the way they were, which would leave forests unmanaged and unharvested. 'Next time we have a rain event, then some of those trees which have been locked up are going to come down the waterways, which is exactly what everybody wants to try to prevent.' GDC's director of sustainable futures, Jocelyne Allen, said the consultation documents came 'as no surprise' as they were broad and aligned with what the council had seen in the Cabinet paper and Expert Advisory Group report. 'The packages cover infrastructure, the primary sector, freshwater, and urban growth, all areas that matter deeply to our region. 'There are real opportunities here, but also some challenges, and we're taking the time to work through both carefully,' she said. The council intends to submit a response and will be taking a strategic and collaborative approach to doing so, including engaging with tangata whenua, whānau, hapū and iwi across the region and working through its sector networks, particularly the Local Government Special Interest Groups and Te Uru Kahika, said Allen. Before the announcement of the proposed changes, in an email to Local Democracy Reporting on Monday, Primary Industries and Forestry Minister Todd McClay said forestry played an important role in the economy and provided many jobs on the East Coast. 'The Government is working closely with the GDC and respected members of the forestry industry, farming and iwi to manage and reduce risk through better and more practical rules rather than blanket restrictions or bans.' He said they are reviewing slash management practices and will amend the NES-CF so councils can focus on the most at-risk areas, lower costs and deliver better social and environmental outcomes. 'We want them to focus on high-risk areas, which is what GDC is currently doing, rather than suggesting that there should no longer be any forestry in the Tairāwhiti region,' he said.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Daily Mail
WhatsApp plans to add even MORE AI tools - despite users threatening to delete their accounts after Meta added 'annoying' AI button
WhatsApp's new AI button has not gone down well with users, with many people describing it as 'annoying' and 'rubbish'. But not to be deterred, the popular Meta-owned chat platform is planning on introducing yet more artificial intelligence tools. WhatsApp will provide AI-powered writing suggestions and message summaries under a new suite of tools called 'Private Processing'. Expected to be made available in the coming weeks, it will transform WhatsApp further from a simple chat app to a ChatGPT-style hub for AI facts and advice. Meta promises not to secretly read your WhatsApp chats with the AI. However, it appears that some people are not convinced. On X (Twitter), one person said: 'They can clearly read your messages, it's a logic fail to say otherwise. Meta AI can read messages (NEEDS TO) in order to work in group chats.' The company has already caused controversy over using data from its users to train Meta AI - some without their knowledge. Meta promises not to secretly read your WhatsApp chats with the AI - but some people are not convinced Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cyber security expert at NordVPN, thinks adding more AI tools to WhatsApp could affect user privacy. That's because data from a user's message to the AI needs to be processed on external servers rather than 'locally' on their smartphone. Meta insists this doesn't allow third-parties to read your conversations with the bot, but Warmenhoven called it 'still a compromise'. 'Any time data leaves your device – no matter how securely – it introduces new risks,' he told the Telegraph. 'WhatsApp has clearly worked to reduce those risks, but it's a balancing act between user demand for smart features and the foundational promise of end-to-end encryption.' WhatsApp introduced its Meta AI button in March, which appears as a purple-blue ring icon on the right-hand side of the chats page, just above the green button to start new chats. When users tap the Meta AI button, they can start personal chats with the chatbot or ask questions about anything from news to weather and sports. ' Meta AI through WhatsApp is an optional service from Meta that can answer your questions, teach you something, or help come up with new ideas,' Meta said. On WhatsApp, users can start a chat with Meta AI by tapping the purple-blue icon - but many have been doing so accidentally, saying the button gets in the way Meta's new AI button is generally going down badly with users, with people describing it as 'annoying' and 'rubbish' People are accidentally pressing the button when they're tapping at chats What is Meta AI? Meta AI is the company's chatbot and answer to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Across Meta apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, people can tap a blue-purple ring icon to start a conversation with the bot. The free, optional service can answer your questions, teach you something, or help come up with new ideas, according to Meta. But users have claimed that the 'annoying' button gets in the way – often accidentally being pressed when they're instead trying to tap on a chat. One user vented on X: 'Okay, how do I get rid of Meta AI in WhatsApp? The button is constantly hovering in the way and I will never ever use it.' Another posted: 'God I f***ing hate AI, now my WhatsApp has this f***ing AI button I cant remove, I hate it, I hate it, I HATE IT.' While another joked: 'Can you remove that AI button from WhatsApp please before I throw my phone into the [Manchester] Ship Canal.' Alternatively, WhatsApp users can type '@MetaAI' to introduce the chatbot into their existing chat conversation with someone – to settle a debate for example. Meta AI is also available on Facebook, Messenger and Instagram where it can similarly be accessed by tapping the blue-purple ring icon. WhatsApp users can't get rid of the Meta AI button – but the company has told users that it's optional and they don't have to use it. 'We think giving people these options is a good thing and we're always listening to feedback from our users,' it said. Meta – the company owned by Facebook founder Ma rk Zuckerberg – has also revealed it's releasing a standalone app for Meta AI. Meta has already caused controversy for admitting to training the chatbot with user data – in many countries without people knowing. In emails and notifications sent to UK users, Meta said it's using posts, comments, photos and even captions to help develop the human-like 'generative AI', akin to ChatGPT. Meta is taking user data from other users worldwide as well but due to local privacy laws isn't having to tell people about it. WHAT DOES META AI DO AND IS IT SAFE? Meta says the tool can be used for 'just about anything', from how-to tips, game ideas, lunch recipes and finding out the latest football scores. For example, you could say 'give me some vegetarian dinner party recipe ideas' and it will respond in a similar style to ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. If you tell Meta AI what exactly is in your fridge, it will suggest meal ideas – helping you avoid going out to the shops to buy more ingredients. If you're cramming for an exam, you could ask it, 'summarize the history of the universe' or 'quiz me on the structure of a cell'. Or if you're conducting an online test from home, you could potentially get it to quickly give you the answer you can't quite remember off the top of your head. Meta admits that your history with the chatbot will be saved – although it says you can delete an old conversation with Meta AI at any time. Social media consultant Rhea Freeman said she will use the tool because she doesn't think it will give Meta any additional insights into our private lives, compared to what the firm already knows. 'Meta knows a lot about users of its platforms anyway, and it's naïve of us to think otherwise,' Freeman told MailOnline. 'The fact we're served personalised ads show how much the platform knows. 'I use Facebook and Instagram so I feel like they won't be learning a lot more about me through my use of it.' Freeman acknowledged that AI chatbots often get things wrong, but said people 'need to remember that AI is learning all the time'. In the US, which has already had it for several months, the New York Times described it as 'fun to use' but added that it 'can't be trusted'. 'It makes lots of mistakes when you treat it as a search engine,' the review said.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Delete personal 23andMe data, privacy experts urge users
Customers of DNA firm 23andMe should move quickly to ensure their personal data is deleted following the firm's filing for bankruptcy in the US, cybersecurity experts have said. Earlier this week, the genetics firm announced it had begun voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings in the US – meaning it intends to reorganise its debts and assets to have a fresh start, while remaining in business, and searching for a buyer. Cybersecurity experts have now warned it means the genetic and biological data of 23andMe users could end up in the hands of a third party they did not previously authorise to access such information. Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said the saga was a 'stark wake-up call for data privacy'. 'Genetic data isn't just a bit of personal information – it is a blueprint of your entire biological profile. When a company goes under, this personal data is an asset to be sold with potentially far-reaching consequences,' he said. 'Consumers have no concept of how much information they are giving up when they sign up to these innovative biotech companies. 'A simple DNA test doesn't just potentially disclose ancestry – it could reveal genetic predispositions to disease, family relationships, and biometric signatures that could be used by insurers, employers, or even governments. 'With over 15 million consumers worldwide, 23andMe's genetic database is a treasure trove of personal information – a digital goldmine that might turn into a bankruptcy sale asset. 'While medical records held by US companies are shielded under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, genetic information occupies a legal limbo. 'Almost 80% of customers have consented to be involved in medical research, meaning their DNA information could be passed on to new owners with little supervision. 23andMe users can request to have their DNA sample destroyed, and have options to opt-out of a number of other research and product-related aspects of the service, as well as completely delete their account. However, 23andMe's privacy statement says that even if users choose to delete their account, the company retains some personal information in order to comply with its 'legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and other legitimate and lawful business purposes'. According to the statement, the company and its contracted genotyping laboratory will retain genetic information, date of birth and sex as part of this. Warmenhoven said the 'first reaction' of users should be a 'total digital amputation', and suggested concerned users should directly contact the firm to push for their data to be deleted. "Ask for the destruction of your genetic sample, revoke all research permissions immediately and only then should you shut your account,' he said." Collin Walke, a US-based cybersecurity and data privacy expert – and a partner at law firm Hall Estill, said the saga highlighted the perils of handing over personal data – especially health and genetic data. 'The 23andMe bankruptcy proves the problem: Once you give away the most personal aspects of yourself such as your genetic profile to third parties, you are literally losing control over information that can be exploited and used to you and your family's detriment,' he said. 'Would you want your child's diagnosis in the hands of bad actors? What about your personal medical information? You may have agreed to allow 23andMe to run your profile, but what about the company that buys 23andMe out of bankruptcy? Do you trust them?'
