Latest news with #Christchurch
RNZ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Don McGlashan on his debut live album
music national 42 minutes ago It feels like 2025 has been the year of Don McGlashan. He performed an hour long session, right here on the show, to celebrate NZ Live's 20th Birthday Played a mini tour - including a show with the Christchurch Symphony orchestra. And now, he's announced his debut live album "Take it To The Bridge."
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Surcharge ban: will customers benefit?
Night 'n Day store, Ferry Road, Christchurch. Photo: maja By next May surcharges on purchases made with debit and credit cards or digital wallets will be banned. The government says it will give customers transparency on the cost of goods and save them up to $150 million a year. Some retailers warn they will still face some charges from payment companies for accepting cards, and those costs will probably be added to the prices paid for goods. Matthew Lane is the General Manager of the convenience store chain Night 'n Day which has 54 stores mostly in the South Island. Night 'n Day has never passed on surcharges to customers, preferring clarity for customers. But he says the surcharge ban could see other smaller retailers shift away from contactless payments and revert to 'old school' EFTPOS which doesn't cost merchants.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Over 36,000 nurses, midwives to strike for 24 hours on Wednesday
Nurses striking in Auckland on 3 December, 2024. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Last-ditch talks between Health NZ and the country's biggest nurses' union on Monday have failed to avert a nationwide strike later this week. More than 36,000 nurses, midwives, heatlhcare assistants and kaimahi hauora are set to walk off the job for 24 hours from 9am on Wednesday. Health NZ said the latest bargaining meeting with the Nurses Organisation on Monday had not resolved all the outstanding issues, but there were contingency plans in place to ensure patient safety during the strike. It estimated about 4300 procedures and specialist appointments would have to be postponed as a result.. NZNO chief executive Paul Goutler said its members were "exasperated" by Health NZ's refusal to acknowledge chronic short-staffing through negotiations, which began last September. "Short-staffing not only puts patients at risk, it impacts on the number of procedures and assessments hospitals can carry out, adding to wait times. "Nurses, midwives and health care assistants want to give their patients the care they need, when they need it. Instead they are stretched too thin and their patients are forced to wait for care. This can lead to unnecessary pain and discomfort for patients and heartbreak for their friends and whānau watching them suffer." There was such a dire lack of health care assistants at Christchurch Hospital recently that whānau were asked to come in and help their loved ones, he said. NZNO president and Dunedin nurse Anne Daniels said in 45 years of nursing, she had never seen the public health system "in such a state of failure". "We have far too few nurses to provide safe and timely care. That is hurting our patients, and it is heartbreaking for us to go to work each day knowing that despite all our best efforts there are just not enough of us to stop the escalating avoidable patient harm. "Nurses are not being recruited to replace those who are leaving in their thousands, and nurses are not being paid competitively to keep them in New Zealand. Our work conditions are desperate, and that takes a toll on us all every day. That's why I am striking." Health NZ was disappointed at the strike action "when there is a fair offer on the table". "We are concerned about the impact strike action will have on patients who are waiting for planned care. "We appreciate it is never an easy decision for any of our nurses to strike. We sincerely thank the nurses who will be delivering life preserving services and all the volunteers who will be supporting our clinical services during the strike period." It said it was committted to safe staffing and its offer was fair given its financial contraints. "The offer rejected by the union would see a new graduate nurse on $75,773 gain a total pay increase of $8337 (or 11 percent) by the end of June 2026 once step progression is included. A registered nurse on the highest step with a base salary of $106,739 would see their pay increase by $3224 to $109,963 by the end of June 2026." The average salary for both senior and registered nurses, including overtime and allowances, was $125,662, Health NZ said. It's advising patients: Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
TEO Partners With MarketWell Nutrition to Launch Ovitage in North America - the World's Most Complete Collagen
CHRISTCHURCH, NZ / ACCESS Newswire / July 27, 2025 / Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi Ltd (TEO) is excited to announce its partnership with MarketWell Nutrition Inc. to represent and distribute Ovitage®, the world's most complete collagen, in the United States and global Collagen TEO's Ovitage Collagen Ovitage® is a premium New Zealand sheep collagen produced through TEO's patented extraction process, delivering exceptional bioavailability and efficacy. Combining Type I and Type III forms of collagen, Ovitage® supports skin elasticity, joint mobility, muscle recovery, and overall wellness. Sourced from New Zealand's ethical, grass-fed sheep farming sector, up-cycled Ovitage® is not linked to South American rainforest depletion (bovine collagen) or fishery depletion (marine collagen). In addition, unlike other forms of collagen, Ovitage® contains natural cystine, which accelerates collagen's already recognized benefits to hair, skin, and nails, among other benefits. A Strategic Partnership for Market Growth 'We're excited to partner with MarketWell Nutrition to accelerate our go-to-market strategy,' said Paul Sapsford, Founder & Co-CEO of TEO. 'TEO brings powerful and proprietary science, a commitment to women's health, and robust supply capacity, while MarketWell adds deep market knowledge and insight into key trends and segments. Together, we will create significant opportunities for brands seeking growth in North America.' 'We're proud to help bring TEO's sustainable, New Zealand-sourced Ovitage® to the global market,' said Doug Lynch, CEO of MarketWell Nutrition. 'Ovitage® is a game-changer - sustainable, unique, and ready to make a global impact.' Unique Science, Unmet Market Needs 'New Zealand's traceable, ethically sourced sheepskins offer a collagen source that has been largely overlooked in the massive collagen market,' said Dr. Rob Kelly, Founder & CSO of TEO. 'Our patented Ovitage® process isolates unique proteins rich in amino acids like cystine, which supports hair, nails, and gut health in menopausal women, and branched-chain amino acids, which help maintain lean body mass in ageing adults.' About Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi Ltd (TEO) TEO is a New Zealand-based company specializing in high-quality, bioactive ingredients for the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and wellness industries. Committed to sustainability and ethical sourcing, TEO develops innovative solutions with superior bioavailability and efficacy. For more information go to About MarketWell Nutrition Inc. MarketWell Nutrition is a global consulting and business development firm specializing in the marketing and sales of innovative nutritional ingredients and health-focused consumer brands. With decades of combined industry expertise and a strong international network, MarketWell helps ingredient suppliers and brand owners accelerate growth through strategic partnerships and education-driven sales initiatives. For more information go to Contact InformationDouglas Lynch MarketWell Nutrition Inc. +1 609-977-8953 SOURCE: Tertiary Extracts Ōtautahi Ltd press release
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Billboard camera footage used by transport agency to spot cars and trucks
NZTA Waka Kotahi has used privately-owned automated number plate recognition cameras to identity number plates. File photo. Photo: 123RF Footage from cameras in billboards at city intersections have been secretly used by the NZ Transport Agency for the first time to spot cars and trucks. NZTA Waka Kotahi's trial started in February, and is designed to combat fraud by illegal garages issuing warrants of fitness to cars, or passing trucks. Two sources close to the vehicle inspection industry say the move is surprising and questioned why the agency would do it, especially with using third-party technology systems. Police already tap into privately-owned automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to identity number plates hundreds of times a day. But this is the first known use of that power by another state agency. "The ANPR donor cameras in the trial are not being used 'to spy on mechanics issuing warrants', nor would they be capable of being used for that purpose," NZTA told RNZ. "These cameras are typically located in billboards at urban intersections. "The trial is simply looking at the potential for using images gathered by these cameras to be used as proof of the location of a particular vehicle at a point in time." An inspector who claimed they had checked a car in Auckland at a certain time could be exposed if the car was spotted at a Christchurch intersection at that time, it said. It "could be of benefit in supporting investigations into specific cases where fraudulent or illegal activity is suspected". A well-connected industry source told RNZ: "Yeah, that has been a bit secret." NZTA might not have wanted to tip people off, the source said. "For the purpose the agency is stating, I don't have much issue with that, but the way they have gone about it is what alarms me. Especially because it's third-party [cameras and ANPR system]. "What else might they use them for?" NZTA Waka Kotahi said it was not using the images in any actual fraud investigations, but only as a test for potential future use. The test is separate from how the agency is taking over many speed and red-light-runner cameras from police, and replacing some with higher-tech models, which it will own. A second source active in the industry was appalled by the move. "Oh my god," they said. "It is part of your right to know the audit process you go through. You can't sabotage your process because of a trial." Months of inquiries by RNZ in 2018 showed up mass deficiencies in NZTA's oversight of how truck certificates of fitness were being issued. The systems were reviewed and changed. There have been further reports of inspectors anonymously recounting examples of how they feel they have been subject to unfair targeting by the agency. "You have got layers and layers of issues here," said the second source. "What's the limit [of surveillance]?" They questioned why was the camera sting even needed when fraud would "show up in paperwork. There will be tons of other evidence that can be used against people". Many supermarkets, petrol stations, other businesses and councils have a total of thousands of cameras that link into ANPR software systems run by two Auckland companies - Auror and SaferCities. The new trial uses SaferCities vGrid system , NZTA said. Its system covered electronic billboard operators such as LUMO, which had built-in cameras with ANPR software, and CCTV operators including councils, individual businesses and car park operators, the agency said. Police accessed the vGrid system more than 400,000 times last year. "NZTA only has access to still images from ANPR donor cameras whose owners have specifically agreed to our usage," Waka Kotahi told RNZ in the OIA response. "Currently, this only includes LUMO and more recently, Hamilton City Council." RNZ approached LUMO for comment. As of 2022, the country had at least 1400 digital billboards and screen-posters, many of them with smart technology and ANPR cameras . The police tapped the ANPR systems 700,000 times last year. In October, two district court judges dismissed legal challenges to the police using them so much without a warrant, though it is expected there will be at least one appeal against that finding. The fraud camera trial comes at the same time Waka Kotahi is reviewing the WOF-COF system to reduce how often collectors of old vehicles, and motorhome users, have to get a warrant. The agency has been increasing a lot of the fees it charges motorists since 2023. Another batch of rises is due next January that are expected to push up total fees collected by $10m to $264m . Camera footage could be used where it was suspected that WoFs or CoFs had been issued to vehicles which had not been inspected at the time or place recorded by a vehicle inspector, the transport agency said. It gave a hypothetical scenario to RNZ: "If NZTA was investigating a vehicle inspector suspected of fraud, and if the inspector had issued a WoF to a vehicle which was recorded as having been inspected at a WoF garage in Auckland at 2pm on 1 July, 2025, and we were able to access a still image from a donor camera of the same vehicle driving past a billboard located in Christchurch at 3:30pm on 1 July, 2025, this could potentially be used as evidence to prove that the WoF had been issued fraudulently, because the vehicle was not in Auckland at the time of the recorded inspection." This would not be a part of regular compliance monitoring, it said. Regular compliance monitoring included scheduled reviews where compliance officers visited inspection sites, as well as 'mystery shopper' activity. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
