These researchers from Canterbury University have come up with an idea that they say can cheaply remove 3 million tonnes of CO₂ from the air each year. And it utilises existing infrastructure.

The TLDR is that geothermal water contains CO₂, and the stations here have systems that capture and dissolve that CO₂ into the water before it's reinjected. This CO₂ rich water is heavier than the surrounding water, so it sinks to the bottom.

The heat from geothermal wells is not replenished at the speed it's taken by the stations, so eventually the water coming out isn't hot enough and new wells need to be drilled.

The scientists are suggesting that instead of simply drilling a new wells, we burn biomass from forestry to heat the warm water up the last bit. The carbon in this fuel has been gathered by the trees, and if it was released into the atmosphere it would be carbon neutral. But if you use the station's existing CO₂ capture and dissolve systems, the carbon goes underground permanently. The operation becomes a carbon sink that also enables the use of geothermal energy that would otherwise be unusable.

They say, "in terms of buying ourselves out of an emissions liability, geothermal carbon removal is one of the cheapest options out there." They compare it with the cost of switching from a petrol to electric car - US$700 for each tonne of CO₂ saved. With the existing infrastructure, they say their plan would remove CO₂ at a cost of about US$55 a tonne.

Their papers and a bunch more evidence and info is linked in the article.

Other coverage

• RNZ: Former prisoners say trauma of solitary confinement will haunt them for life

• The Spinoff: The Bulletin: Corrections ‘a divided organisation with systemic issues’

• 1News: Scathing report on Corrections says prisoners 'collateral damage'

• NZ Herald: Ombudsman calls for fair treatment of prisoners, urgent changes at Corrections

• NZ Herald: Kelvin Davis pushes back on Ombudsman’s damming Corrections report

• RNZ: Corrections needs to urgently fix culture and leadership, chief ombudsman says in new report

• RNZ: 'Utterly frustrated': Prisoners' poor treatment sparks call for change

• Stuff: 'Disconnection at all levels': Ombudsman's scathing review of Corrections

• Office of the Ombudsman press release: Chief Ombudsman Calls For Urgent Reset At Corrections

• Department Of Corrections press release: Corrections Statement On The Ombudsman's Self-initiated Investigation

Also, the Beehive and the National Party put out press releases about rehabilitation just before the Ombudsman's report was released:

• Beehive: Boosting rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners
• National Party: National Will Deliver Rehabilitation To More Prisoners

And the Justice Committee is calling for public submissions on the Corrections Amendment Bill, which "seeks to improve rehabilitation, reintegration and safety outcomes in the corrections system". Submissions close 10 August.

>An increasingly crowded field of parties are competing to harness the vestigial energy of the parliamentary occupation.

>Former TV presenter turned anti-vaccination campaigner Liz Gunn has launched a new political party, asking people to donate up to $1 million.

>The government is following through on a promised ban on new coal boilers, and phasing out existing ones by 2037. > >Other changes announced yesterday include new standards requiring councils to factor in climate change in decisions about consents for furnaces that burn fossil fuels. > >Currently more than half of the heat used to process raw material - for example in dairy and paper production - comes from burning fossil fuels. > >It accounts for 8 percent of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions. > >Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods said the changes would reduce emissions equivalent to the exhaust fumes from 100,000 cars a year. [...] > >The ban on installing new coal heating devices kicks in from late next month, with the new nationally consistent standards for councils ready for implementation before the end of the year.

The new standards only cover devices used to generate heat for industrial processes.

Stuff had a related story this morning about the last coke-powered foundry in NZ shutting down.

I want to finally get an icon up for !newzealand , but I want you to decide between these two.

The icon will show up as a circle in some places and a square in others. Both could have some small tweaks if they're chosen.

Vote on the comments. Best score at 10pm Thursday will be the icon.

EDIT: Well that was pretty clear. The kiwi it is. Thanks to @sortofblue@lemmy.nz for the suggestion.

In an analysis, academics recently found several cases of pro-CCP and pro-NZ-National-Party bias in NZ Chinese-language media. It’s long been known that China interferes in Chinese-language media here.

Interestingly, it appears the CCP and NZ Chinese-language media are currently putting their weight behind National MP Nancy Lu. She was secretly “trained as a candidate” by former National MP Jian Yang, according to a statement made by Yang in 2020. Notably, Yang used to train spies for the People’s Liberation Army before he came to NZ, and left parliament after intelligence agencies flagged him over his relationship with the CCP.

@Dave@lemmy.nz @SamC@lemmy.nz already posted about this yesterday, but there's been heaps more coverage of this story. This was yesterday:

• Newshub: Government poised to announce major bailout package for universities on brink
• Reuters: New Zealand boosts tertiary funding as universities struggle
• The Spinoff: $128m lifeline for struggling universities to be spread across all institutes
• 1News: 'Throwing money at everything': Uni bail out blamed on Covid response
• The Spinoff: Acting PM teases details of multimillion-dollar university rescue package
• RNZ: Rescue package for universities
• Newshub: Government to throw lifeline to struggling universities, fears 'NZ will be a poorer place' if courses, staff aren't saved
• RNZ: Deputy PM Carmel Sepuloni dismisses criticism government isn't funding universities properly
• Star News: Govt poised to help out struggling universities
• RNZ: Government announces extra $128m for cash-strapped universities, tertiary institutions
• Newshub: Government reveals new funding for tertiary education amid concerns of job losses, programmes cut
• Otago Daily Times: Otago University gets $21m bailout
• The Spinoff: $128m lifeline for struggling universities to be spread across all institutes
• Interest.co.nz: An additional $128 million will be invested into the tertiary sector to mitigate current financial problems
• RNZ: Rescue package welcomed by university sector
• NBR: Universities get $128m relief while funding is reviewed
• Stuff: $128 million boost for struggling tertiary sector welcomed
• RNZ: Political parties back extra tertiary education funding
• Interest.co.nz: Comprehensive review of university funding unveiled as government asks them to co-operate more in the wake of a funding grant to help them through crisis
• RNZ: Luxon on university funding

Plus a few press releases:

• The Beehive: Government provides significant extra support to universities and other degree providers
• Tertiary Education Union: Permanent Solutions Needed After Welcome Funding Correction
• Greens: Tertiary Lifeline Buys Time To Get Model Right
• National Party: Bailout Is Band-aid Economics Of Labour’s Making

But by the end of the day yesterday and this morning, stories were coming out saying major job cuts will probably still go ahead:

• RNZ: Major job losses for universities despite govt rescue package
• Newshub: Tertiary sector welcomes Government funding, but too early to say it will save jobs, programmes
• RNZ: Big job losses at Victoria and Otago universities to go ahead despite more government funding
• Stuff: republished on Stuff
• Otago Daily Times: Govt’s bailout won’t rescue troubled university
• RNZ: Uni staff the 'backbone of this country', suffering in proposed cuts - union
• Otago Daily Times: Govt uni bailout likened to a plaster
• Otago Daily Times: Otago Uni cuts still on agenda
• RNZ: Two university Vice-Chancellors calling for cooperation to end funding woes
• The Coversation: Bailout, Band-Aid or back to basics? 3 questions NZ’s university funding review must ask

And last Friday, before the funding was announced, The Spinoff ran a list of which university courses were likely to be dropped

Other coverage:

• The Spinoff: Food banks get $6m funding boost as cost of living continues to bite
• NBR: Petrol and public transport cost to go up for many
• Otago Daily Times: Govt gives $6m boost to food bank providers

And the Greens' press release in response to this: Food Banks Are Not The Solution

More coverage:

• Newsroom: Iwi joins bidding war for Ruapehu
• RNZ: Government commits $5m for Ruapehu Alpine Lifts
• The Spinoff: $5m lifeline for Ruapehu ski season announced
• NZ Herald: Govt forks out $5m to save this year’s Ruapehu ski season after operator placed into liquidation last week
• Stuff: Govt to put up $5m to ensure Ruapehu skiing this season

Press Releases:

• The Beehive: Ruapehu ski season to go ahead this winter
• Ruapehu District Council: Ruapehu Mayor Applauds Government's $5 Million Support For Ruapehu 2023 Ski Season

Video by NIWA

The Hākaimangō-Matiatia​ marine reserve would cover a 2350ha area northwest of Waiheke Island, but it's been stalled after opposition from the Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust. However, the Ngāti Pāoa Trust Board supports the reserve. This is the fourth marine reserve to be delayed or cancelled recently after opposition from iwi groups.

National received more than 12 times the money Labour did in large donations over the past year

Sat 1 July, 3:00 pm

I'm stopping now and will unpin this soon. Hipkins is back, coverage is winding down, and I'm not keeping up with it anyway. Here are the final stories:

• CNN: New Zealand’s leader Chris Hipkins under fire from opposition over backup plane for overseas trip
• Reuters: New Zealand manages China relationship carefully, works to avoid being caught in rivalry, foreign minister says
• South China Morning Post: As US-China rivalry spikes, New Zealand avoiding getting pulled from ‘pillar to post’: minister
• The Spinoff: ‘The door is wide open’: PM hails China trip as a huge success for NZ business, economy
• The Spinoff: ‘Optimistic and slightly student-like’: What Chinese media has made of Chris Hipkins
• RNZ: The Week in Politics: Success in Beijing, trouble at home
• Beehive speech transcript: Prime Minister Rt Hon Chris Hipkins at Peking University
• NZ Herald: PM Chris Hipkins wishes he could stay in China longer, as New Zealand trade trip draws to a close
• NZ Herald: :Matthew Hooton: Why this arrogant Government doesn’t deserve Chris Hipkins 🔒
• Newsroom: Hipkins in China: Swimming in the deep end
• NZ Herald: Chris Hipkins’ China trip: Trouble at home takes wind from PM’s sails 🔒
• Newsroom: New Zealand foreign policy turns a corner in Beijing
• Newsroom: Political skeleton rattles PM’s Beijing day
• NZ Herald: Fran O’Sullivan: Chris Hipkins’ priorities in China: The economy, the economy - and the economy 🔒
• Stuff: Chris Hipkins earns China's praise - but he won't want it all
• Newsroom: Raw Politics: When 'robust' is just too robust
• RNZ: PM on China visit: 'There is a huge market here for NZ products and services'
• RNZ: Hipkins passes diplomatic test with China's Xi
• Newsroom: New Zealand foreign policy turns a corner in Beijing

---

Thu 29 June, 11:30 pm

• NZ Herald: Chris Hipkins in China: PM says he has confidence in Kiri Allan, Jan Tinetti
• The Spectator: Will New Zealand regret kowtowing to China?
• Stuff: PM's China trip paying off for primary sector
• RNZ: New Zealand business delegation in China strikes deal for red meat sector
• The Guardian: The New Zealand PM’s ancient plane is embarrassing – but an upgrade risks too much of a backlash

---

Thu 29 June, 11:30 am

• 1News: Jessica Mutch-McKay: Hipkins taking stardust-free approach in China
• Stuff: Chris Hipkins tries to sell NZ, but must now keep an eye on the Kiri Allan situation
• Newsroom: Political skeleton rattles PM’s Beijing day
• NZ Herald: Letters: A greater good, NZ Post, expiring Rat kits, free speech, Ruapehu, and Chinese diplomacy 🔒
• NZ Herald: Editorial: China trade - precious and precarious 🔒
• NZ Herald: Chris Hipkins heads to Shanghai after securing extra flights to New Zealand
• South China Morning Post: China’s Asia-Pacific trade deal, digital economy pact aspirations backed by New Zealand
• Beehive press release: New China-New Zealand air routes to boost capacity for tourists
• Beehive press release: China and New Zealand Strengthen Forestry Cooperation

---

Wed 28 June, 10:30 pm

• The Spinoff: Hipkins meets Chinese premier Li Qiang, specifies Māori in opening address
• AP: New Zealand Prime Minister Hipkins visits China to boost economic ties
• NZ Herald: PM in China: Chris Hipkins speaks after meeting Chinese Premier Li Qiang
• Stuff: Recap: Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confronts minister Kiri Allan issue while in China
• Bloomberg: Xi Vows to Protect Foreign Investors in Charm Offensive
• Newshub: Advocacy group says Chris Hipkins should've been tougher with Xi Jinping over China's treatment of Uighurs
• The Coversation: Hipkins meets Xi Jinping: behind the handshakes, NZ walks an increasingly fine line with China
• Reuters: New Zealand signs range of pacts with China
• Beehive press release: New Zealand and China reaffirm importance of agriculture cooperation
• Beehive press release: Prime Minister and Premier reaffirm strong economic relationship

Update 29 June 1:20pm: Added Beehive press releases

---

Wed 28 June, 1:15 pm and earlier in comments due to character limit

This is about the new self-identification process that the DIA launched last week on the 15th, which makes it easier for people born in New Zealand to amend their registered sex on their birth certificate. They have removed the previous requirements of a trip to the Family Court and proof of medical treatment. It also now allows applicants to amend their registered sex to non-binary.

However, there's still not a solution for those born overseas. The DIA is working on something, but it will likely not apply to asylum seekers until they're accepted as refugees - which often takes many years. In the meantime, the mismatched name issue makes it very difficult for these people to get things like a bank account, an IRD number, a job, benefits, medication, etc. Which puts a lot of roadblocks in the way of these people becoming productive, happy, healthy members of our society.

"AUT law dean and parole board member Khylee Quince said National was proposing 'retrograde' steps."

Bonus sexy John Oliver on holiday in the South Island:

!