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Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Israeli embassy closes in Wellington
By Soumya Bhamidipati of RNZ The Israeli embassy in New Zealand has shut as part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions. The closures comes as tensions remain high in the region - Israel launched an attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on Friday, which Iran responded to with the launch of 100 drones. The Embassy of Israel - on Brandon Street in Wellington - services Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Niue, as well as New Zealand. It also operates a consulate office in Auckland. A message on the embassy's website announced the decision: "In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," it said. "An online form is available for Israelis abroad to report their location and current status." The message also issued general safety guidelines for Israelis abroad - encouraging them to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces and avoid attending large gatherings or events associated with Israel or Jewish communities. An 'unpublish' date on the message indicated it was intended to appear on the website until the end of July. In a statement sent to RNZ on Saturday morning, deputy chief of mission Yael Holan said Iran was "only moments away from a nuclear weapon" and Israel "had no choice". "Iran accumulated large amounts of highly enriched uranium that are sufficient for more than nine nuclear bombs. A third of which was enriched and accumulated in the last three months alone - a drastic increase of production volume. " Israel has for years said Iran was working towards obtaining nuclear weapons. Holan said the recent "accelerated effort has not been seen in the last two decades". "Israel has the right to defend itself, and it has launched a precise self-defense campaign as a last resort." She accused Iran of targeting civilian populations in its retaliatory attacks, saying Israel only "targeted senior military commanders and nuclear weapons developers". "Israel will not allow a regime that openly calls for its destruction to possess nuclear weapons or vast stockpiles of advanced ballistic missiles." The embassy closure came as part of a global shutting of Israeli embassies. Israel's embassy in Sweden said the country would close its diplomatic missions around the world and that consular services would not be provided at about 11pm on Friday night (NZ), Reuters reported. It did not say how long the missions would be closed.
Otago Daily Times
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Aratere ferry passengers stuck on board for hours
By Soumya Bhamidipati, of RNZ Passengers on the beleaguered Aratere ferry were stuck on board for hours overnight after it broke down on its way to Wellington. KiwiRail said the ferry left Picton at about 8.50pm, but then "experienced an unexpected issue with its propulsion drive" while sailing. That issue was fixed at about 1am and the vessel resumed its trip to Wellington, with a new expected arrival time of about 5am on Thursday. "Unfortunately, we will have to cancel the 6.15am Thursday morning sailing from Wellington to Picton and the 11.00am Picton to Wellington return sailing while we undertake further testing," a spokesperson said. "Interislander's customer service teams are currently amending bookings due to these cancellations. All affected customers will be offered an alternative sailing. If the alternative sailing is not suitable, passengers are welcome to reschedule for no additional cost. "We apologise for the inconvenience." Seven commercial vehicle drivers and four foot passengers were on board the ferry while it was anchored for hours, waiting for a specialist electrician to arrive. "We are looking after the customers on board and once the vessel returns to port, we will transfer them to alternative sailings," the spokesperson earlier said. It was initially expected the vessel would need to return to its Picton berth and a tug was on stand-by to provide assistance. In April, another electrical fault on the Aratere, with a hydraulic pump, saw a Wellington to Picton crossing and its return journey cancelled. Breakdown comes just two months before ferry's retirement The Aratere made headlines when it ran aground last year. It beached in Titoki Bay, near Picton, on 21 June, after its steering autopilot was mistakenly engaged and staff were unable to switch it off. It was refloated on 23 June. Last month, KiwiRail announced the ferry would be retired by the end of August to make way for the construction of new port infrastructure in Picton. The ferry - which can hold 650 passengers, 230 cars and 28 rail wagons - is the only rail-enabled ferry in Interislander's fleet, and requires specialised loading and unloading infrastructure. Two new rail-enabled ferries are not due to arrive until 2029. Announcing its retirement, Rail Minister Winston Peters said it would have cost $120 million to keep the Aratere in service. "We will not waste one tax dollar on shuffling infrastructure to keep the vessel in service for the sake of it or add any infrastructure risk to our objective of completion in 2029."
The Spinoff
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Spinoff
Can parliamentary urgency and public accountability peacefully coexist?
The coalition has been setting records with the amount of bills passed under urgency. Now a 'people's select committee' wants to hear from submitters shut out of the process, writes Catherine McGregor in today's extract from The Bulletin. Late-night bill passed under urgency After a punishing budget week, the last place most MPs wanted to find themselves in the early hours of Saturday morning was still in the debating chamber. But there they were, locked in a drawn-out battle over accommodation subsidies, reports RNZ's Soumya Bhamidipati. After the Social Assistance Legislation Amendment Bill was called around 11.30pm, opposition MPs filed dozens of amendments in a failed attempt to slow the legislation, which tightens the rules on how boarders are counted when calculating the accommodation supplement. The bill passed under urgency – an increasingly common tactic for the coalition. The government set a record in its first 100 days for the most bills passed under urgency in the MMP era, a pace that's continued with controversial measures like the pay equity law change earlier this month. That, too, bypassed the select committee process, prompting critics to accuse the government of undermining public accountability in the name of speed. What is urgency – and why is it so easy to use? Urgency allows parliament to fast-track legislation, sometimes skipping key stages like select committee scrutiny. While often used for budget-related bills or emergencies, there are few formal checks on its application. A minister (usually leader of the House Chris Bishop) simply moves a motion to commence urgency, and the government's MPs pass the motion with a majority vote. While urgency is extremely useful for the government, it has plenty of downsides. 'Passing legislation more quickly risks the legal equivalent of the old 'marry in haste, repent at leisure maxim,'' writes The Spinoff's Shanti Mathias. 'The public has less chance to be informed about the law, there is reduced transparency, and legislation might simply be less good – imprecise wording or unintended effects can slip through.' The most contentious use of urgency is passing a bill into law, but that's not its only application. The Regulatory Standards Bill is an example: because of the budget, the House was still sitting under urgency when it passed its first reading on Friday. The controversial bill, which has attracted more than 22,000 submissions, will now be put before the Finance and Expenditure Committee, where there will be a chance for public feedback. A committee of the people steps in In response to the pay equity legislation being pushed through without public input, former National MP Dame Marilyn Waring has convened a 'people's select committee' to gather evidence the government did not. The hastily assembled group of former MPs from across the political spectrum will hear public submissions starting on August 11, RNZ's Russell Palmer reports. Waring said the hearings would be an 'evidence-gathering mission' with a 'really sound report' at the end. 'The government says that it wants to progress pay equity claims, the opposition is saying that it will rescind this and again address the legislation. So we're doing them all a good turn.' While the initiative lacks any formal powers, groups whose pay equity claims were halted by the new law are being invited to share their experiences. Asked to respond, minister Brooke van Velden said there'd be no changes to the law, but 'members of the public, including former MPs, are welcome to hold their own meetings'. A broader reckoning on accountability The controversy is feeding into a wider conversation about how parliament functions. As Politik's Richard Harman writes (paywalled), the select committee on David Seymour's four-year term bill has unexpectedly turned into a mini-referendum on parliamentary accountability. While a number of submitters have used the opportunity to call for a reinstatement of a second chamber of the House, others have taken aim at how select committees themselves operate. Among them was Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who said the current system is encouraging 'sloppy lawmaking' driven by overworked MPs and overloaded agendas. Regardless of whether the bill passes, the process has surfaced 'widespread disillusionment with the failure of select committees to scrutinise legislation,' Harman observed – a feeling only sharpened by the coalition's aggressive use of urgency over the course of its term so far.
Otago Daily Times
05-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Buyer believes painting listed for $200 is $31K McCahon
By Soumya Bhamidipati of RNZ A painting thought to be worth about $200 has instead sold for over $31,000 in the United Kingdom, after it was identified as a work by famed Canterbury artist Colin McCahon. The work, titled 'Truth from the King Country: Load bearing structures' was consigned to John Nicholson's auctioneers for £80-100 (NZ$180-220). It instead fetched £14,000 (NZ$31,220) when it sold on 23 April to a New Zealand buyer against Australian bidding. A publicist for the auction house, Lucas Field Media, said the painting was identified as a work by the leading New Zealand artist on the day of the sale. "We had no contact from anyone about the painting before the sale." The 23cm x 33cm acrylic on canvas board artwork had been catalogued as 20th Century School, possibly Australian. It depicts a black 'T' shape against a green and yellow landscape. "The work, from 1978, was inscribed, signed with initials, and dated verso, but the signature was not initially recognisable." The company noted a photo of the back of the painting, published on the auction house's website, may have helped with the identification. The title and 'T' motif have also been used by McCahon in other works. Colin McCahon Trust not approached However, the New Zealand-based Colin McCahon Trust said it had not been approached to verify the artwork. Chair Peter Carr said the trust had a rigorous process for reviewing and verifying artworks thought to be by McCahon, carried out by a panel of experts. "The work sold at auction last week has not been through this process so it is not possible to comment on the veracity of the artwork. The trust was not aware that the work was for sale and has not had any correspondence with the auction house." The organisation is currently working on creating a digital archive of all of McCahon's works "to enable access and to preserve the integrity of his extraordinary body of work". The Colin McCahon Legacy Project launched in November last year, and new works have been uncovered and listed on the website. "However, there are more than 900 works in private collections yet to be researched for the new digital archive, in addition to the 600 works in public collections," Carr said. "McCahon is one of New Zealand's most significant artists and his work holds a unique place in Aotearoa's cultural heritage. The new website will be the only complete record of McCahon's work, and the trust is committed to ensuring these taonga are digitally available to all New Zealanders and to international website visitors who are interested in McCahon's body of work and interested in New Zealand art history." The trust encouraged owners of possible McCahon artworks, including pieces listed on its original website and those not yet verified, to contact it for a confidential discussion.
Otago Daily Times
05-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
$31K spent on '$200' painting thought to be by McCahon
By Soumya Bhamidipati of RNZ A painting thought to be worth about $200 has instead sold for over $31,000 in the United Kingdom, after it was identified as a work by famed Dunedin artist Colin McCahon. The work, titled 'Truth from the King Country: Load bearing structures' was consigned to John Nicholson's auctioneers for £80-100 (NZ$180-220). It instead fetched £14,000 (NZ$31,220) when it sold on 23 April to a New Zealand buyer against Australian bidding. A publicist for the auction house, Lucas Field Media, said the painting was identified as a work by the leading New Zealand artist on the day of the sale. "We had no contact from anyone about the painting before the sale." The 23cm x 33cm acrylic on canvas board artwork had been catalogued as 20th Century School, possibly Australian. It depicts a black 'T' shape against a green and yellow landscape. "The work, from 1978, was inscribed, signed with initials, and dated verso, but the signature was not initially recognisable." The company noted a photo of the back of the painting, published on the auction house's website, may have helped with the identification. The title and 'T' motif have also been used by McCahon in other works. Colin McCahon Trust not approached However, the New Zealand-based Colin McCahon Trust said it had not been approached to verify the artwork. Chair Peter Carr said the trust had a rigorous process for reviewing and verifying artworks thought to be by McCahon, carried out by a panel of experts. "The work sold at auction last week has not been through this process so it is not possible to comment on the veracity of the artwork. The trust was not aware that the work was for sale and has not had any correspondence with the auction house." The organisation is currently working on creating a digital archive of all of McCahon's works "to enable access and to preserve the integrity of his extraordinary body of work". The Colin McCahon Legacy Project launched in November last year, and new works have been uncovered and listed on the website. "However, there are more than 900 works in private collections yet to be researched for the new digital archive, in addition to the 600 works in public collections," Carr said. "McCahon is one of New Zealand's most significant artists and his work holds a unique place in Aotearoa's cultural heritage. The new website will be the only complete record of McCahon's work, and the trust is committed to ensuring these taonga are digitally available to all New Zealanders and to international website visitors who are interested in McCahon's body of work and interested in New Zealand art history." The trust encouraged owners of possible McCahon artworks, including pieces listed on its original website and those not yet verified, to contact it for a confidential discussion.
