Latest news with #AucklandUniversity
Newsroom
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsroom
Iran's nuclear weapons dash hits a hurdle, but race far from over
It's a long time since we've been on the edge of our seats wondering if a full-blown nuclear war is about to happen. But many had that sensation when the US President said last weekend that Iran's nuclear facilities had been 'completely and totally obliterated'. Trump's bullseye claim is now in question but the bombing had many experts talking about the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 at the height of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. 'They were very real fears and there were some very close calls, in particular during the Cuban Missile Crisis we now know the world came incredibly close to nuclear conflict,' international law and nuclear weapons expert Anna Hood of Auckland University says. People feared then that the 'Cold War would turn hot'. Since then we have had volatile moments and right now the risk is heightened, she says. 'There were higher numbers of weapons during the Cold War. We have seen some level of disarmament since then but we haven't seen enough movement in the last few years. The numbers are still very high.' Not only have the numbers stayed high, but countries are trying to upgrade and enhance the weapons they do have, she says. 'I would like to hope that most states, all states, wouldn't go there [nuclear war] or even if they've got nuclear weapons that that's not what they'll use but I think there are very serious risks in terms of what happens in the heat of a conflict, in terms of accidents.' Hood focuses much of her time on the numerous nuclear issues afflicting the world today and how to work towards a nuclear-free world. 'We are a long way unfortunately from that,' she admits, pointing to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists' annual Doomsday Clock showing we are closer than ever – 89 seconds to midnight, and catastrophe. Hood tells The Detail why the US strike on Iran is a violation of international law and the possible consequences. While the impact of the B2 stealth bomber attacks is still not clear, senior physics lecturer at Auckland University David Krofcheck says it does not end Iran's nuclear ambitions. 'Israel has had a go at assassinating their nuclear weapons scientists there but you can't destroy knowledge, and that's the critical thing. It can be rebuilt, you just start from scratch,' he says. Iran insists it is not developing weapons, but Krofcheck says he can't think of another reason it would need to enrich uranium to 60 percent, as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency. But even with 60 percent enriched uranium, there's more to the process and it would have been months before it had a weapon ready. 'That nuclear device that's built might be gigantic, the size of a house. It's not something you can pick up and put on a missile and shoot at another country.' Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here. You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.
RNZ News
17-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Decision looms on seabed mining
Aotearoa will soon have a big decision to make - and on an issue where emotions run high. Governments around the world are weighing up whether to allow mining of the ocean floor for metal ores and minerals, and that includes New Zealand. Senior Lecturer in Law at Auckland University of Technology Myra Williamson believes seabed mining could become one of the defining environmental battles of 2025. She joins Jesse to discuss the issue. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Scoop
15-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
Respected Kiwi Writer Maurice Gee Has Died, Aged 93
Respected Kiwi writer Maurice Gee - author of 'Plumb' and 'Under the Mountain' - has died, aged 93. Considered one of New Zealand's greatest novelists, his work extended over 50 years. He wrote about ordinary people and ordinary lives, often with the narrator looking back at events that caused damage and unhappiness. "I don't deliberately set out to do this, but the stories turn in that direction following their own logic," he said. "All I can do about it is make the narrative as interesting as I can and give those people lively minds." Maurice Gee was born in Whakatāne in 1931 and educated at Auckland's Avondale College in Auckland and at Auckland University where he took a Masters degree in English. He worked as a teacher and librarian, before becoming a full-time writer in 1975. He passed much of his childhood in what was then the country town of Henderson. The town, disguised as Loomis, and its creek are featured in many of his books. "I grew up alongside that creek in Henderson, and it seemed all sorts of exciting and dangerous things happened down there," he said. "You know, that creek I could plot its whole length pool by pool for a couple of miles even today." His reputation took an enormous leap in 1978 with the publication of 'Plumb', the first of a trilogy about three generations of a family. The novel won the British James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction in 1979. The character of Plumb was based on maternal grandfather Jim Chapple - a Presbyterian minister, who was ejected from the church, because of his rationalist beliefs and jailed for preaching pacifism during World War I. Gee inherited strong left-wing views from that side of his family and a burden of sexual puritanism, which he said caused him a tortured adolescence, although he denied claims of a strong authorial voice in his work. "I can't look at my books the way I read other books," he said. "I look at them quite differently. "I'm intimately connected with them and probably wouldn't be able to indentify my voice in them, if someone asked me to." He said his novel 'Crime Story' stemmed from his anger over the changes made in New Zealand by the Lange Labour Government in the 1980s, and politicians and businessmen are seldom portrayed favourably in his books. Gee's output included short stories and television scripts, and his children's fiction was highly regarded, although it was not his preferred genre. "Children's writing seems to be easier than adult writing, because it's coming off a different level," he said. "There's still some pleasure to be got from both and I try to do each as professionally as I possibly can, but the thing that really engages me fully is adult fiction." Written in 1979, 'Under the Mountain' was probably his best-known children's work, and was later converted into a film and TV series. He received many awards for his work, including the Burns and Katherine Mansfield Fellowships, honorary degrees from Victoria and Auckland universities, and the Prime Minister's Award for literary merit. He won the the Deutz Medal for fiction in 1998 for his novel 'Live Bodies' and the 2006 Montana New Zealand Book Award for 'Blindsight'. "Sad to hear of Maurice Gee's passing," Arts, Culture & Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith said. "Our thoughts are with his family. "He was a prolific and graceful author. 'Plumb' is my favorite, although thousands of Kiwis will have their own." "Maurice Gee was a real giant of New Zealand literature and so many people grew up reading his stories, including me," Nelson MP and Labour arts, culture & heritage spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. "Really sad that one of our beloved constituents has passed away. He was a private person - I didn't know him well - but he made a big contribution to Nelson, not just through his writing. "He was involved in groups like Friends of the Maitai, who do a huge amount of work to protect our river that runs through inner city Nelson. "Wonderful that he was able to live such a full life, but sad when we lose someone that has made such a significant contribution to our nation." Gee is survived by wife Margareta, their two daughters, and a son from an early relationship.
Otago Daily Times
15-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Famed Kiwi author Maurice Gee dies
Respected Kiwi writer Maurice Gee - author of 'Plumb' and 'Under the Mountain' - has died, aged 93. Considered one of New Zealand's greatest novelists, his work extended over 50 years. He wrote about ordinary people and ordinary lives, often with the narrator looking back at events that caused damage and unhappiness. "I don't deliberately set out to do this, but the stories turn in that direction following their own logic," he said. "All I can do about it is make the narrative as interesting as I can and give those people lively minds." Maurice Gee was born in Whakatāne in 1931 and educated at Auckland's Avondale College in Auckland and at Auckland University where he took a Masters degree in English. He worked as a teacher and librarian, before becoming a full-time writer in 1975. He passed much of his childhood in what was then the country town of Henderson. The town, disguised as Loomis, and its creek are featured in many of his books. "I grew up alongside that creek in Henderson, and it seemed all sorts of exciting and dangerous things happened down there," he said. "You know, that creek I could plot its whole length pool by pool for a couple of miles even today." His reputation took an enormous leap in 1978 with the publication of 'Plumb', the first of a trilogy about three generations of a family. The novel won the British James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction in 1979. The character of Plumb was based on maternal grandfather Jim Chapple - a Presbyterian minister, who was ejected from the church, because of his rationalist beliefs and jailed for preaching pacifism during World War I. Gee inherited strong left-wing views from that side of his family and a burden of sexual puritanism, which he said caused him a tortured adolescence, although he denied claims of a strong authorial voice in his work. "I can't look at my books the way I read other books," he said. "I look at them quite differently. "I'm intimately connected with them and probably wouldn't be able to identify my voice in them, if someone asked me to." He said his novel 'Crime Story' stemmed from his anger over the changes made in New Zealand by the Lange Labour Government in the 1980s, and politicians and businessmen are seldom portrayed favourably in his books. Gee's output included short stories and television scripts, and his children's fiction was highly regarded, although it was not his preferred genre. "Children's writing seems to be easier than adult writing, because it's coming off a different level," he said. "There's still some pleasure to be got from both and I try to do each as professionally as I possibly can, but the thing that really engages me fully is adult fiction." Written in 1979, 'Under the Mountain' was probably his best-known children's work, and was later converted into a film and TV series. He received many awards for his work, including the Burns and Katherine Mansfield Fellowships, honorary degrees from Victoria and Auckland universities, and the Prime Minister's Award for literary merit. He won the the Deutz Medal for fiction in 1998 for his novel 'Live Bodies' and the 2006 Montana New Zealand Book Award for 'Blindsight'. "Sad to hear of Maurice Gee's passing," Arts, Culture & Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith said. "Our thoughts are with his family. "He was a prolific and graceful author. 'Plumb' is my favorite, although thousands of Kiwis will have their own." Gee is survived by wife Margareta, their two daughters, and a son from an early relationship.
RNZ News
04-06-2025
- 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.
