Māori landowners are flying to the United Nations in a last-ditch effort to stop changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme. The scheme forces polluters to offset their emissions by buying carbon credits. Planting trees creates those credits, which can then be traded. It’s led to the creation of an industry of carbon farming which many Read more
New Zealand
Low attendance at NZ Catholic schools a pressing concern
Thursday, July 13th, 2023
“The ongoing issue of low attendance in NZ Catholic schools is a pressing concern” says Dr Kevin Shore, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO). “Student success is vital. It opens doors to life’s best opportunities and allows school graduates to contribute positively to society,” Shore told CathNews. Acknowledging that the factors Read more
Climate change – Kiwis are not joining the fight
Thursday, July 13th, 2023
Kiwis do not understand how best to fight climate change. A recent Ipsos poll reveals a significant disconnect between New Zealanders’ perceptions and the actual impact of individual actions on greenhouse gas emissions. As reported by Newsroom, the survey was conducted among 1002 participants in New Zealand, compared with responses from 21,231 individuals across 29 Read more
CPAG unveils election asks so every child can thrive
Thursday, July 13th, 2023The Child Poverty Action Group – CPAG – has launched three key election asks and a suite of policy briefs 100 days out from the election to show how unacceptable levels of deprivation in Aotearoa can be addressed. The three asks are simple: free preschool education for every child, a warm and safe dry house Read more
‘Worst it’s ever been’ – KidsCan says need for families, children at all-time high
Thursday, July 13th, 2023An Auckland mother says the struggle to provide her kids with the most basic items such as food and clothing is taking a toll on her mental health. As food inflation hits a 36-year high and fuel costs go back up, working families are having to juggle between bills, while kids are going to school Read more
Synod participants named: Lay women outnumber lay men
Monday, July 10th, 2023
The fifteen people to represent the ‘Oceania continent’ at the 2021-2014 Synod were announced in Rome late Friday night. The ‘Oceania continent‘ is the term the Vatican has used for the purpose of the Synod to group Australia and the mission churches in the South Pacific. Of the fifteen, six women and nine men will Read more
Asylum seekers surviving on $40 stipend
Monday, July 10th, 2023
Many asylum seekers in Aotearoa New Zealand are living on $40 a week from a charity, while they wait for decisions on their immigration status. Some are even resorting to sleeping in bus stops. The Asylum Seekers Support Trust (ASST), a charity relying on donations, provides assistance to approximately 400 asylum seekers across the country. Read more
St Gerard’s Church altar given to Sacred Heart Cathedral
Monday, July 10th, 2023
The altar from St Gerard’s Church in Wellington has found a new home at the city’s Catholic Sacred Heart Cathedral. St Gerard’s – a distinctive, category one, heritage-listed church and monastery building – was sold for almost $17 million to a secret buyer earlier this year. Since the sale, St Gerard’s former owner, the Institute Read more
Peter Bray awarded Papal Cross of Honour
Monday, July 10th, 2023
Br Peter Bray, Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem University since 2009, is stepping down at the end of 2023, and has been awarded the Papal Cross of Honour, one of the highest honours the Pope can bestow. Bray describes his tenure as a blessing and the most challenging job of his career. “I have never been Read more
Christian farmers blocked from court in land dispute
Sunday, July 9th, 2023A Christian farming couple, Peter and Caroline Raikes, have been blocked from taking their case to the Court of Appeal. They opposed the declaration of part of their land as a culturally significant site for Māori, citing religious reasons. The Raikes own Titiokura Station near the Napier-Taupō Road. Seventy hectares of their land were included Read more