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Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand's only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
Science Media Centre NZ - Latest News [Page 29]
Next Steps As COVID-19 Returns - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 12 August 2020, 2:58 pm | Science Media Centre
New Zealanders have been briefed with new information about how the Government is handling new cases of community transmission. The SMC asked experts to comment on the following: 1. Mask wearing 2. Contact tracing tech 3. Legal powers 4. Mental ... More >>
Early NZ Scientist Careers Made Vulnerable By COVID-19 – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 11 August 2020, 4:39 pm | Science Media Centre
The COVID-19 pandemic is making the careers of NZ researchers even more vulnerable, according to a new discussion paper. The report says this risk is “particularly acute” for Māori, Pasifika, and female scholars, who are more likely to have insecure ... More >>
Election 2020 & Science
Tuesday, 11 August 2020, 2:00 pm | Science Media Centre
Ahead of the 2020 general election, scheduled to be held on September 19, the Science Media Centre posed nine science-related policy questions to political parties. Full responses are available <strong><a href="https://sciencemediacentre.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fdc5316d8cbd7a248ee94eaeb&id=b0ac89646f&e=67d2de6c0f" ... More >>
Biodiversity Strategy Launched – Expert Reaction
Monday, 10 August 2020, 6:47 pm | Science Media Centre
The Minister for Conservation has launched a long-term strategy aiming to keep ecosystems resilient and varied. Te Mana o te Taiao – The Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy sets five key goals to reach by 2050, with specific objectives and goals ... More >>
No Long-Term Climate Benefits From COVID-19 – Expert Reaction
Monday, 10 August 2020, 6:44 pm | Science Media Centre
Policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will have a ‘negligible’ impact on long-term warming, according to new research. Scientists have calculated that recent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants may only result in climate ... More >>
Climate Change Risk Assessment - Expert Reaction
Monday, 3 August 2020, 3:08 pm | Science Media Centre
New Zealand's first nationwide climate change risk stocktake has highlighted ten areas of most concern. The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 included a requirement for a National Climate Change Risk Assessmen t (NCCRA) ... More >>
Closing The Measles Immunity Gap – Expert Reaction
Friday, 31 July 2020, 4:48 pm | Science Media Centre
The campaign to restore New Zealand’s herd immunity to measles is underway. The government will spend up to $40 million for a year-long measles catch-up campaign, with 350,000 more MMR vaccines already in the country. The National Immunisation ... More >>
Replacing The RMA - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 30 July 2020, 10:00 am | Science Media Centre
A new review recommends scrapping the Resource Management Act (RMA) and starting again. It proposes replacing the RMA with two new Acts: one to focus on regulating the natural and built environments, and one to set long-term strategic goals. The ... More >>
Promising COVID-19 Vaccine Results - Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 21 July 2020, 4:03 pm | Science Media Centre
Two COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to prompt an immune response, which may prevent COVID-19, in humans. The results are from the University of Oxford’s ChAdOx1 vaccine candidate, and China’s Ad5-vectored vaccine candidate. While both ... More >>
Northland's 'One In 500 Years' Flooding - Expert Reaction
Monday, 20 July 2020, 5:58 pm | Science Media Centre
Northland is bracing for another bout of heavy rain, while barely recovering from the weekend's storm. The downpour was labelled a "one in 500 year event" by MetService, and the region's Civil Defence is predicting an expensive clean-up. ... More >>
Cape Kidnappers Risk Report - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 15 July 2020, 11:26 am | Science Media Centre
The Department of Conservation (DOC) has today released the risk assessment for landslides and rockfall at Clifton Beach, Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay.The Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) and Hazard Assessment reports, produced by GNS Science and ... More >>
The Global Methane Budget Report – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 15 July 2020, 11:04 am | Science Media Centre
The Global Carbon Project (GCP) has today released its latest analysis of the worldwide balance of methane emissions and sinks. The report is an update from a previous analysis published in 2016. The new results show that global methane emissions increased from ... More >>
Crown Research Institute Review – Expert Reaction
Monday, 13 July 2020, 11:38 am | Science Media Centre
Last week, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment released a commissioned review of the New Zealand’s Crown Research Institutes.The Te Pae Kahurangi Report was commissioned to present an independent view of the role that Crown Research Institutes ... More >>
Tiwai Point Closure - Expert Reaction
Thursday, 9 July 2020, 4:43 pm | Science Media Centre
Tiwai Point owners Rio Tinto will close the Southland-based aluminium smelter after operating for almost 50 years. The smelter directly employs about 1,000 people in Southland, and uses around 12 per cent of New Zealand’s electricity. ... More >>
Securing NZ Quarantine And Managed Isolation Facilities – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 9 July 2020, 3:32 pm | Science Media Centre
Recent escapes from managed isolation facilities have drawn attention to security and compliance among returning New Zealanders. But with many more Kiwis expected to return to New Zealand in the coming weeks, quarantine and managed isolation ... More >>
The Future Of NZ Borders – Expert Q&A
Tuesday, 7 July 2020, 3:29 pm | Science Media Centre
Air New Zealand are temporarily suspending new international bookings to New Zealand to ensure that all arrivals can be accommodated in a managed isolation or quarantine facility. But as more countries open their borders to foreigners, including Kiwis, ... More >>
Personal Welfare Under Border Quarantine - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 1 July 2020, 1:06 pm | Science Media Centre
As more New Zealanders continue to return from abroad, additional quarantine facilities are being set up to meet demand. A report, released on Sunday , says the rapidly expanding system is under “extreme stress” from the demand. New recommendations ... More >>
New H1N1 Influenza Virus Detected - Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 30 June 2020, 2:36 pm | Science Media Centre
A Chinese and British research team has identified a new H1N1 influenza virus in pigs. The research, published today in PNAS , says this type of virus has “all the essential hallmarks of a candidate pandemic virus”. The researchers call for ... More >>
Dolphin Protection Plan Announced - Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 24 June 2020, 2:01 pm | Science Media Centre
The Government has announced a suite of measures in an effort to protect New Zealand’s native Māui and Hector’s dolphins. The measures include a nationwide ban on drift netting, a prohibition on granting new permits for seismic surveying and seabed mining ... More >>
COVID-19 Testing At The Border - Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 23 June 2020, 5:40 pm | Science Media Centre
The new testing strategy includes regular health checks and asymptomatic testing of all border-facing workers, as well as regularly testing people who are exempt from quarantine, such as New Zealand-based air crews. The SMC asked experts to comment ... More >>
