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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 1]
Regulatory Review Into Pesticides And Agrichemicals – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 1 August 2024, 1:09 pm | science media center
The newly announced review will focus on the approvals needed for products like pesticides, inhibitors, feed, fertilisers, and veterinary medicines. The review will not look at the regulation of gene technology. More >>
Nearly Half Of Dementia Cases Could Be Delayed Through Lifestyle Changes – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 1 August 2024, 11:34 am | Science Media Centre
The Lancet Commission outlines 13 recommendations for governments and individual people to reduce the risk, and says governments must reduce risk inequalities by making healthy lifestyles as achievable as possible for everyone. More >>
Could Capturing Carbon Curb Emissions? – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 18 July 2024, 3:53 pm | Science Media Centre
The government has proposed a regulatory regime for CCUS that would allow industries to access this technology “on a level playing field with other emissions reduction and removal mechanisms to better enable a least cost transition towards net zero ... More >>
Emissions Reduction Plan 2.0 – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 17 July 2024, 5:14 pm | Science Media Centre
The ERP2 draft plan outlines policy proposals across the energy, transport, agriculture, forestry and waste sectors. More >>
Oil And Gas Exploration Ban Reversal – Expert Q&A
Thursday, 11 July 2024, 1:46 pm | Science Media Centre
The SMC asked experts to comment on the history and current state of oil and gas exploration around Aotearoa, and how removing the offshore ban might affect applications for new permits. More >>
Government’s New Five-Point Climate Strategy – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 11 July 2024, 1:38 pm | Science Media Centre
The strategy outlines five ‘core pillars’ to tackle the impacts of climate change and prepare for future effects, which includes infrastructure, clean energy, and climate innovation, among others. More >>
NZ’s Record-Breaking Ocean Temperatures – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 11 July 2024, 1:28 pm | Science Media Centre
Since 1982, oceanic sea-surface temperatures have increased by up to 1.05°C, and coastal sea-surface temperatures by up to 1.35°C. More >>
Wiles V. University Of Auckland Employment Court Judgment Released
Thursday, 11 July 2024, 1:27 pm | Science Media Centre
Statement from Associate Professor Wiles on Employment Court judgement in Wiles v The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. More >>
Water Models Everywhere, PCE Report Says – Expert Reaction
Thursday, 27 June 2024, 12:34 pm | Science Media Centre
A new report says regional councils are often opting to create their own expensive, customised, and single-use freshwater models to help them make decisions when they could potentially be saving time and money adapting already existing models. More >>
Extra $600m To Fund Cancer Meds And Other Treatments – Expert Reaction
Monday, 24 June 2024, 5:27 pm | Science Media Centre
The next step for Pharmac involves working through the medicines on its Options for Investment (OFI) list to determine which medicines to progress. It will then begin negotiating with suppliers, and consulting publicly. More >>
Rules For Earthquake-Prone Buildings Under Review – Expert Reaction
Friday, 21 June 2024, 1:36 pm | Science Media Centre
The earthquake-prone building system aims to manage risk by requiring earthquake-prone buildings to be remediated before set timeframes. More >>
Standardised Testing In New Zealand Schools – Expert Q&A
Wednesday, 19 June 2024, 2:57 pm | Science Media Centre
An advisory group for the Minister of Education recommends that students take “checkpoint” tests every year to assess their progress in maths and reading. More >>
Farming To Remain Outside NZ's Emissions Trading Scheme - Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 11 June 2024, 4:48 pm | Science Media Centre
The coalition government has announced greenhouse gases from agriculture will not be covered in the country's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) next year. More >>
Budget 2024 And The Future Of NZ’s Science Sector – Expert Reaction
Friday, 31 May 2024, 5:22 pm | Science Media Centre
Science has been notably absent from the coalition government’s messaging around their first budget. More >>
New Zealand Labs Could Soon Start Mass-producing “Dairy-identical” Proteins Without Using Cows.
Thursday, 16 May 2024, 12:10 pm | Science Media Centre
In this case, yeasts are genetically modified so that when they are fermented they produce a protein like whey or casein—with any GM organisms harvested out of the final product. More >>
Kina Choking Northland Reefs – Expert Reaction
Friday, 10 May 2024, 12:18 pm | Science Media Centre
The proposals include changes the recreational daily bag limits for kina, and a special permit to enable the removal of sea urchins for the management or prevention of barrens. More >>
How Fast-track Consenting Might Impact The Environment – Expert Reaction
Wednesday, 17 April 2024, 4:32 pm | Science Media Centre
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 ... More >>
Climate Commission Draft Advice On Emissions Budgets And Targets – Expert Reaction
Tuesday, 9 April 2024, 4:20 pm | Science Media Centre
The Climate Commission is now welcoming public feedback on its draft advice around New Zealand’s emissions budgets and targets. The draft advice reviews our 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target, as well as whether the 2050 target should also ... More >>
Govt To Loosen Rules On Overseas Building Products – Expert Reaction
Saturday, 6 April 2024, 6:30 am | Science Media Centre
The changes deal with recognising certain overseas building product standards and certification schemes. More >>
Govt Signals Pause On Significant Natural Areas – Expert Reaction
Friday, 15 March 2024, 10:56 am | Science Media Centre
The government is signalling councils don't need to comply with their legal obligations around Significant Natural Areas, i.e., mapping out areas with threatened native plants or wildlife for protection. While SNAs were first introduced in 1991, last ... More >>
