Latest news with #JakeOliver
Scoop
10-07-2025
- General
- Scoop
Vessel Speed Bylaw Out For Consultation
A navigation bylaw, designed to prevent future issues with ship wake, is about to go out for public consultation. The proposed Navigation (Vessel Speed) Bylaw is aimed at high-speed commercial traffic to regulate their speed in Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel and does not affect recreational vessels. Harbourmaster Captain Jake Oliver told June's Council meeting the bylaw looked ahead to technological changes and advancements in ship design to mitigate risks that could arise with ship wash and wake. 'At the moment there are no changes for ferries transiting the Sounds and it doesn't stop people operating in Tory Channel,' he said. 'We are looking ahead and want to be prepared for risks any new or future ships may pose regarding wash and wake. It does not change the status quo but enables Council to have appropriate tools available to manage potential future issues.' The bylaw would enable operators to apply for a permit to exceed the speed limit, provided the resulting wake did not exceed a certain threshold. The previous bylaw came into force in 2010 and was aimed at managing the fast ferries of the day. It reduced their speed to convert their wake outputs so they were essentially the same as those of the conventional ferries. This managed a significant hazard at the time for other users of the Sounds, Captain Oliver said. Submissions open on Monday 14 July and close at 5pm on 15 August.
Scoop
10-07-2025
- General
- Scoop
Navigation Bylaw Out For Consultation
Council is reviewing its Navigation Safety Bylaw through public consultation, which opens on Monday, 14 July. The Navigation Safety Bylaw is one method used to regulate shipping, water activities and navigation safety in the coastal and marine environment, Harbourmaster Captain Jake Oliver said. 'When the current bylaw was made in 2023, it was signalled at the time that further work needed to be done to ensure safety for all users in the region,' he said. Navigation bylaws are used around the country as an effective means of addressing issues with boats and ships, and the review includes changes aimed at encouraging safe boating behaviour and improving safety on the water. 'One of the main changes is extending the bylaw limits to include all waters of the region to the mid-point of Cook Strait, 12 nautical miles, plus navigable rivers,' he said. 'We're also looking to bring in responsibilities for masters on boats to make it clearer, and updating lifejacket rules.' Marlborough was an outlier in not requiring people on boats under six metres to wear a lifejacket and changes were needed to provide consistency. For example, Tasman and Canterbury both require people on boats under six metres to wear a lifejacket. Other key changes included more clarity around masters of vessels, vessel communications, vessel identification and automatic identification systems, common passage plans and commercial shipping operations, control of vessels anchoring in Cloudy Bay and Port Underwood, lifeboat and safety boat drills on specified vessels, and swimming and water-skiing areas. 'The perceived problem is that without appropriate regulatory systems to ensure the safety of users of its water space, Council will not have sufficient means to intervene and manage maritime risks that it is obliged under the law to do so,' Captain Oliver said. 'Amending the bylaw now is to ensure that Marlborough's navigation safety rules are up to date and fit for purpose.' The deadline for submissions is 5pm on 15 August. Those wanting to speak to their submission will be able to do so. To make a submission go to:
Telegraph
04-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Word ‘Welsh' is offensive, says AI
Artificial intelligence has flagged the word 'Welsh' as possibly offensive, one user has claimed. Jake Oliver, 29, claimed an AI voice coach told him the speech he had written as best man for his friend's wedding could be offensive because he used the word 'Welsh'. He was using Microsoft Teams' Speaker Coach to practice the speech, hoping to get feedback on his tone and speed, when he received the unusual feedback. The voice coach told him the word 'Welsh' in his speech 'might be offensive or non-inclusive in some cases'. The advice came despite Mr Oliver only referencing guests' nationalities in an unoffensive way. He said he didn't get a similar warning for the use of 'English'. Mr Oliver claimed that he received the same unusual warning from an AI notetaker, a tool he was running ahead of a meeting when he discussed his weekend plans – the wedding – ahead of a Teams call with colleagues. 'I found it very odd' Mr Oliver, a data analyst from Upton Park, London, said: 'It spooked me for a bit and I found it very odd. I don't know why Welsh is offensive, and we all agreed that it was not offensive. 'I told the groom afterwards, to get his views on the notification. He was taken aback by it and said that it was not offensive. 'He's very proud of being Welsh, and said he couldn't imagine being offended by the term.' He claimed the words 'crazy' and 'insane' were also flagged because they could be offensive towards anyone with mental health issues. 'I've kept the AI feature on for now because I still find it useful for making sure I don't sound too boring in meetings, but I'm definitely taking its suggestions a bit less seriously since this happened.'
