Submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill close at the end of Friday. The law would allow major infrastructure projects to bypass lengthy resource consenting processes – being assessed instead by an expert panel, with Ministers ultimately having the final say on projects. The SMC asked experts to comment. Dr Caroline Miller, Honorary Research Fellow, Massey University, comments: “The Minister for the Environment seems completely missing from this legislation, which seems to suggest that an environmental perspective has been completely sidelined. It is astonishing that such significant devel ..read more

They’ve been called a “secret weapon” in the fight against climate change. So what exactly do New Zealand’s wetlands offer, especially when it comes to absorbing carbon? Aotearoa has lost around 90 percent of its wetlands in the past 150 years and this trend is continuing, as highlighted in the recently released Our Land 2024 report. The National Wetland Trust is currently holding its first symposium since the Covid-19 pandemic, which will cover the role of wetlands in providing life-supporting ecosystem services across the country and the threats they face. The SMC asked experts to explain th ..read more

The BMJ has today released four systematic reviews of clinical guidelines and available research on puberty blockers and hormone treatment for gender transition in children and adolescents, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. The reviews were commissioned to inform the Cass Review, an independent report and recommendations on specialist services for young people with gender dysphoria in the UK, also published today. The review of 23 clinical guidelines included clinical guidelines from New Zealand. The research is available here: reviews of puberty blockers, hormone treatment, a ..read more

A just-released report highlights how New Zealand’s communities and economies are at risk if we do not protect our natural ecosystems and landscapes. Our Land 2024 is a three-yearly update about the state of land in Aotearoa New Zealand, published by the Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ. The SMC asked third-party experts to comment on: An overview of the report Land intensification and fragmentation Landscapes as natural infrastructure Agriculture Please feel free to use these comments in your reporting or follow up with the contact details provided. Nikki Harcourt, PhD (Ngāti M ..read more

The coalition government has signalled its intention to repeal the Therapeutic Products Act. What might a return to the status quo look like? In addition to medicines, the Act would cover medical devices and natural health products. It would require any claims on natural health products to be substantiated by scientific evidence, evidence of traditional use, or both. The SMC asked independent experts to comment. Dr Ian Shaw DSc, Professor of Toxicology, School of Physical & Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, comments: “The Therapeutic Products Act 2023 was a long time in the maki ..read more

The Government has announced three changes to the Building Act with the intention of making it easier and cheaper to bring in overseas building materials to New Zealand. The changes deal with recognising certain overseas building product standards and certification schemes. The SMC asked independent experts to comment. Professor John Tookey, School of Future Environments, AUT, comments: “The concept of recognising materials standards from other jurisdictions is sound. For example the US, Europe, and Australia all have similar standards for construction products. The devil will be in the implem ..read more

The government removed the long-contested Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill from Parliament’s order paper this morning. The news comes almost a decade after former Prime Minister John Key first announced plans for the 620,000km² sanctuary at the United Nations in 2015. The SMC asked experts to comment.  Professor Jonathan Gardner, Professor of Marine Biology (Adjunct), School of Biological Sciences, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, comments: “Today’s decision from the coalition government to not proceed with the proposed Kermadec Oce ..read more

As climate change pushes warmer temperatures higher up mountains around the world, alpine species will struggle to move fast enough to stay in their ideal climate conditions. A new international study reveals that bands of temperature are rising vertically by up to 12 metres per year in some mountain regions, putting local species at risk of extinction. The SMC asked local experts to comment on how these findings might apply to a New Zealand context. Professor Crid Fraser, Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, comments: “This research is important because it shows that temperatur ..read more

The government has announced two new advisory groups, one for the science sector and the other for universities. It comes after the previous government’s plans to reform the science system were scrapped, and the National Science Challenges start to wind down. The Performance-Based Research Fund is being put on hold, and will reviewed by the University Advisory Group. The SMC asked experts to comment.  Professor Richard Easther, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, and President of the New Zealand Institute of Physics, comments:  “It is pos ..read more

An independent review highlights the need to recognise marae as “vital providers of community intelligence and services,” and recommends formalising iwi/Māori involvement in Civil Defence Emergency Management structures.  The report also found that the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence and Emergency Management group was not prepared for Cyclone Gabrielle, and the “worst case scenario” was not planned for. The full report and accompanying media release are available here.  The SMC asked independent experts to comment. Professor Christine Kenney PhD, Chair of Disaster Risk ..read more