Welfare: More Measures To Help Those Facing Homelessness

Ministers have announced $54 million in Government funding for initiatives which will support at-risk individuals and whānau to stay in their existing tenancies. The funding will also provide additional wrap around services. More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Help to stay in tenancies a 'critical' step on homelessness
• Public Service Association - Government support for homeless a welcome step
• Housing First Auckland - New homelessness measures a positive step forward
• National - Hutt Housing: The Facts
• Wellington City Mission - Providing relief for homeless in Hutt region

Corrections: New Strategy On Māori Reoffending And imprisonment

Authentic co-design with Māori, incorporating a Te Ao Māori worldview, and greater connectedness with whānau are key elements of Hōkai Rangi, Corrections’ new departmental strategy designed to address the long-term challenge of Māori reoffending and imprisonment. More>>

ALSO:

• People Against Prisons Aotearoa - New Corrections plan for Māori “repeat of failed policies"

Pacific Island Forum: Australia v Everyone Else On Climate Action

Traditionally, communiques capture the consensus reached at the meeting. In this case, the division on display between Australia and the Pacific meant the only commitment is to commission yet another report into what action needs to be taken. More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Australian PM's attitude 'neo-colonial' says Tuvalu
• Binoy Kampmark - Condescension and Climate Change - Denying Climate Change and Boosting China’s Threat
• NZ Govt - NZ boosts support for climate action across the Pacific - Prime Minister to attend Pacific Islands Forum
• RNZ - PM Ardern to tackle climate change conversation in Tuvalu
• Oxfam - Ardern must meet Pacific calls
• 350.org - Pacific Pawa Shift Builds Momentum to Climate Action Summit
• West Papua Action Auckland - Ardern urged to support West Papua at Pacific Islands Forum

Industry Report: Growing Interactive Sector Wants Screen Grants

Introducing a coordinated plan that invests in emerging talent and allows interactive media to access existing screen industry programmes would create hundreds of hi-tech and creative industry jobs. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZ gaming industry outlines plan for home-grown 'Angry Birds
• NZ Govt - Interactive media a game changer for digital economy
• Image Out-Link - Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders FAQs – Care | Magic Leap

Ground Rules: Government Moves To Protect Best Growing Land

“Continuing to grow food in the volumes and quality we have come to expect depends on the availability of land and the quality of the soil. Once productive land is built on, we can’t use it for food production, which is why we need to act now.” More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - Potatoes vs people: govt moves to protect top vege-growing land
• NZ First - New Zealand First Backs Plans to Protect Productive Land
• Local Govt NZ - LGNZ cautious as government pits potatoes against houses
• Horticulture NZ - HortNZ welcomes safeguarding of country’s best growing soils
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Anti-housing rules another regulatory tax
• June RNZ - Productive farming land dug up for housing

Royal Society: Calls For Overhaul Of Gene-Technology Regulations

An expert panel considering the implications of new technologies that allow much more controlled and precise ‘editing’ of genes, has concluded it’s time for an overhaul of the regulations and that there’s an urgent need for wide discussion and debate about gene editing... More>>

ALSO:

• Science Media Centre - Gene editing regulations – Expert Reaction
• NZ Govt - Government responds to report on gene editing
• National - Government can’t continue to ignore biotech
• NZ Life Sciences Network - Genetic Regulation Overhaul Overdue
• NZ Forest Owners' Association - Foresters says gene editing valuable against climate change
• GE Free NZ - FDA findings undermine Royal Society on GE Deregulation
• Plant and Food Research - Kiwifruit genes validate plant evolutionary theory

There Is A Field: Reimagining Biodiversity In Aotearoa

We are in a moment of existential peril, with interconnected climate and biodiversity crises converging on a global scale to drive most life on Earth to the brink of extinction… These massive challenges can, however, be reframed as a once in a lifetime opportunity to fundamentally change how humanity relates to nature and to each other. Read on The Dig>>

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• The Dig - Scoop’s Engaged Journalism Platform Launches
• HiveMind - Scoop Hivemind: Protecting and Restoring Biodiversity
• Scoop Full Coverage - Biodiversity Information and Journalism
• The Scoop Team - The NZ Biodiversity Strategy Discussion Document Explained
• Te Koiroa o te Koiroa - Discussion document [PDF]
• Ian Llewellyn - Statement on Biodiversity is where interests could collide
• NZ Govt - Government takes action for nature - Better border security
• Scoop Video - Hon. Sage Launch Speech
• RNZ - Government seeks feedback on biodiversity strategy - New biodiversity strategy a roadmap to reversing the trend - Leadership 'lacking' in new conservation strategy - Government's biodiversity document lauded by farmers' union - Tarakihi numbers can be turned around - marine biologist
• Science Media Centre - DOC Biodiversity Strategy - Expert Reaction
• Environmental Defence Society - EDS Welcomes NZ Biodiversity Strategy Discussion Document
• Forest And Bird - Forest & Bird welcomes biodiversity plan - Giant kokopu hotspot discovered on Waiheke Island - Call for more marine protection around Auckland
• Federated Farmers - Federated Farmers backs key themes of biodiversity strategy

Gordon Campbell: On The Barriers Facing Female Politicians

On the current evidence though, voters are less likely to regard a female politician as ‘likeable’ than a male one, and – even worse – this perception tends to become a barrier that only female candidates in the main, have to face. More>>

The Detail: Britain's Trump Is Now Its Prime Minister

Guardian journalist James Murray says Boris Johnson wears the hat that works, depending on what he’s trying to achieve. More>>

ALSO:

• Binoy Kampmark - Boris Johnson Becomes British PM
• June RNZ - Peters backs Boris Johnson for British PM

For NZ, It Was May 6: Earth Overshoot Day 2019 Is The Earliest Ever

Humanity is currently using nature 1.75 times faster than our planet’s ecosystems can regenerate. This is akin to using 1.75 Earths... More>>

ALSO:

• Out-Link - Country Overshoot Days 2019 – Earth Overshoot Day

Asylum: More Manus Refugees Fly To US But Hundreds Still In Limbo

“The US deal was never going to provide enough places for the refugees Australia has held on Manus and Nauru. There are over 1800 refugees needing resettlement,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition. More>>

ALSO:

• UN - 1.4 million refugees set to need urgent resettlement in 2020 - UN rights experts urge more protection for LGBTI refugees
• Refugee Action Coalition - Manus Crisis Reaching Breaking Point
• ACRT - Australian Churches Back Medevac
• Image via RNZ - World Refugee Day: Nothing to celebrate on Manus and Nauru

Food Security: African Swine Fever Rapidly Spreading In Asia

African Swine Fever is rapidly spreading in East and Southeast Asia threatening food security and livelihoods of households relying on pig farming... More>>

ALSO:

• Harrington's Smallgoods - Kiwi Pork Needs to Be Protected

"NZ Leadership Needed": Japan Resume Commercial Whaling

The Green Party is deeply concerned by Japan’s resumption of commercial whaling, Green Party Animal Welfare Spokesperson Gareth Hughes said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Image out-link - WordRidden on Flickr

More Large Birds: Giant Fossil Penguin Find In Waipara

The discovery of Crossvallia waiparensis, a monster penguin from the Paleocene Epoch (between 66 and 56 million years ago), adds to the list of gigantic, but extinct, New Zealand fauna. These include the world’s largest parrot, a giant eagle, giant burrowing bat, the moa and other giant penguins. More>>

Wellington: Little Blue Penguins Near Station Again

There have been more sightings of penguins near Wellington Railway Station on Sunday night, this time waddling into a parking building above a burger restaurant. More>>

ALSO:

• Earlier RNZ - Latest Wellington CBD penguins return to sea - DOC alert after penguins ignore police, return to sushi shop

Heracles inexpectatus: Giant Ex-Parrot Discovered

“New Zealand is well known for its giant birds. Not only moa dominated avifaunas, but giant geese and adzebills shared the forest floor, while a giant eagle ruled the skies. But until now, no-one has ever found an extinct giant parrot – anywhere.” More>>

ALSO:

• The Conversation - Meet the ‘Hercules parrot’ from prehistoric New Zealand

Howard Davis: Sam Brooks' Burn Her Sets Circa Theatre Ablaze

Burn Her is engaging, witty, and exceptionally sharp, with every line of dialogue inserted for a reason and perfectly delivered by the two leads, who manage to command their space without competing against each other. More>>

ALSO:

• See Burn Her at Circa Theatre