Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.
LOCAL NEWS
Binge drinking a burden for emergency departments
Despite a major drop in numbers from last year’s jump, excessively drunk people continue to be a burden for New Zealand’s strained emergency departments. Across the 17 New Zealand EDs surveyed this year, one in eight patients were there because of alcohol, down from one in four last year. Waikato’s ED head John Bonning says last year’s survey figure was horrendous, and this year’s is more in line with what emergency departments usually saw, adding that the stress placed on EDs remains very significant. Bonning believes there are a number of things that need to be done to slow drinking-related harm, including restricted access to alcohol late at night and moving closing times back towards midnight.
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Government funds safer rural roads
New funding is being allocated to make rural roads safer. The government plans on spending $NZ22.5 million dollars to improve high-risk sections of thirty regional state highways, across Northland, Taranaki, Manawatu-Whanganui, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter says these will be low-cost safety investments, such as rumble strips, signage and safety barriers. Road safety advocates and local authorities have expressed their support of the planned improvements. The NZ Transport Agency will consult with communities before Christmas, with work starting in February. The work aims to address the road toll, which is the worst it has been in seven years.
Childcare teachers speak out against working conditions
Early childhood education teachers are warning against lack of resources and fear for children’s safety. A new survey by lobby group Child Forum found that out of the 900 teachers surveyed, 27 percent would not enrol their own children at the service they work in. Some sited staff stress, bullying, lack of staff time to develop relationships with the children, and minimal hours of non-contact time to record children’s development and plan activities. Larger centres, which can host up to 150 children, show the highest number of disapproving teachers. Ministry of Education deputy secretary Katrina Casey claims New Zealand early childhood education standards are among the highest in the world.
Council aware of problems months before Birkenhead slip
Reports say Auckland Council knew a leaking stormwater pipe was damaging a Birkenhead carpark in February, but nothing was done about it until a slip in October. Two major slips in October and November have claimed 25 public car parks and interfered with local business operations in the lead up to Christmas.
Fuel shortage issues to be resolved before Christmas
The short-term fuel shortage experienced at a number of petrol stations across the country should be resolved before Christmas. This situation is a consequence of higher seasonal demand and fuel transportation problems, following the latest disruption to the Marsden Point to Auckland fuel pipeline. The 170km pipeline was shut down for more than 12 hours last week. BP and Z Energy are still reporting some shortage of diesel and other grades in the Auckland and Wellington regions, but are working to replenish sites. Z Energy insists that fuel is not missing in New Zealand, the issue is just transporting it to the right places.
INTERNATIONAL
US Net Neutrality Change May Impact Kiwis
The United States Federal Communications Commission voted last week to end protections for net neutrality. The protections ensured that internet service providers could not prioritise or slow down particular websites. Deputy chief executive of Internet New Zealand Andrew Cushen spoke to 95bFM, saying this move may have an effect on the internet for New Zealanders as well. “Because so much innovation online comes out of the United States, if [the US] starts picking winners we could see a chilling effect in terms of what innovation happens online.” Cushen adds that New Zealanders should be wary of service providers here prioritising certain sites, and change network if needed.
US Spent Millions on UFO Programme
According to a US media report, the Pentagon has been spending millions of dollars running a secret programme investigating UFOs. The classified programme, dubbed the Advance Aerospace Threat Identification Programme, reportedly ran from 2007 to 2012 and cost the Department of Defence more than $US20 million dollars. While documents from the operation report strange hovering objects and aircraft, scientists stress this is not necessarily evidence of alien life. Former congressional staff say the programme may have been set-up to monitor rival foreign powers.
Sailor Francois Gabart beats record of solo around-the-world navigation
French Sailor Francois Gabart has made history, becoming the new world record holder for the quickest solo around the world navigation. Gabart completed his journey six days quicker than the previous record, in 42 days and 16 hours, after leaving at the start of November. To complete the challenge, the 34 year old frenchman sailed a 98 foot purpose built boat, which reached speeds in excess of 65 kmph during the voyage.
Uber allegedly used covert tactics to steal from rival companies
A letter published by a US court alleges that transport application Uber used an undercover unit in attempt to steal trade secrets and wiretap executives at rival companies. The document is being used as evidence in the $1.9bn legal battle between Uber and Waymo, the driverless car company founded by Google’s parent company Alphabet. Written by lawyers acting on behalf of ubers former risk analyst Ric Jacobs, the 37 page letter details a campaign of fraud and theft that was allegedly carried out by the company against its competitors. Uber has denied the allegations.
Medical colleges call on Australia to access Manus Island refugees
Medical colleges are calling on the Australian government to ensure Manus Island refugees have access to the medical care they need]. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Royal Australasian College of Physicians and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists denounce a lack of transparency regarding the state of health of the former detainees. The colleges believe medical doctors should be allowed to go over and speak to the refugees, and be able to have a look at the facility, the services that are available. According to the president of the college of physicians, Catherine Yelland, Australia has an obligation to ensure that the refugees on Manus can receive the same level of care available in any Australian hospital.
French environment minister and climate advocate sparks outrage for owning six cars
The French environment minister in coming under hot water for owning 6 cars despite being an advocate for the banning of fossil fuels. Minister Nicolas Hulot, who last summer announced that France will outlaw the sale of all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, has a Land Rover, a 30-year-old 2CV, a Peugeot, a Citroen, a Volkswagen camper van and a BMW. Hulot brushed off the revelations, saying that he travels in electric cars that belong to his ministry or on electric scooters 95 percent of the time, and it’s absurd that people think he does not practice what he preaches.
Germany and Switzerland to help build South American railway
German and Swiss railway firms will help build the coast-to-coast railway in South America. The 3,755-kilometer land connection is set to be built between the continent’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts, in what will be one of the largest infrastructure projects of the century. The transcontinental railway will connect Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. The line will run from the Brazilian port city of Santos on the Atlantic coast through Bolivia to the Peruvian port city of Ilo on the Pacific coast.
People to credit: Leonard Powell, Jean Bell, Lisa Boudet
