DOCSLIB.ORG

Grasping Challenges a Land of Opportunity in a Covid-19 World

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Grasping Challenges a Land of Opportunity in a Covid-19 World THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND ALUMNI MAGAZINE Ingenioauckland.ac.nz/ingenio WINTER 2020 GRASPING CHALLENGES A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY IN A COVID-19 WORLD Fade to black Raising entrepreneurs Boost your brain Diana Wichtel invokes How our future-focused Professor Cathy Stinear’s the spirit of resistance graduates are thriving seven tips to stay sharp BIG PICTURE SPECIAL MOMENT Photographer Richard Ng captured Anahera Rawiri at the dawn blessing ceremony for the opening of the new Te Herenga Mātai Pūkaha/Engineering Building. The pou whenua was carved by master craftsman Delani Brown and sits at the Grafton Road entrance. Anahera’s mother, Rangimarie Rawiri, runs Waipapa Marae. this issue REGULARS 14 23 6 With healthcare, let’s Raising Editorial focus on science entrepreneurs Opinion: Kris Vette says the problem with this An alumni survey and real-life examples 13 pandemic is we haven’t learnt many lessons reveal the value of graduates having an Guest columnist: from the past entrepreneurial mindset Diana Wichtel 18 16 36 News 20 Q & A with alumnus Kupe scholars Research Dr Ashley Bloomfield update The Director-General of Health answers After winning Kupe Leadership Scholarships in questions about his career 2019 for postgraduate study this year, how are 26 Taking Issue: our scholars faring in light of Covid-19? Covid-19 lockdowns and personal freedom 32 17 40 Around the Globe Long-term thinking Arts & Culture Opinion: Sir Peter Gluckman says a Featuring poet Michele Leggott, pianist Jason 34 7 tips to … keep your short-term focus for policymaking interferes Bae, historian Neill Atkinson and up-and- mind sharp with finding solutions to tackle issues with coming poet Sophie van Waardenberg. Plus long-term horizons alumni books 35 Golden Graduates 38 Connection Points SUSTAINABLE The ‘plastic’ used to wrap Ingenio is 100 percent degradable and recyclable. Ingenio is also printed on environmentally friendly paper stocks. 4 | Ingenio magazine 28 37 Susan Morton: research for life Ane Tonga: Pacific art in focus 7 Cover story: Grasping challenges A land of opportunity in a Covid-19 world auckland.ac.nz/ingenio | 5 Ingenio Editorial The University of Auckland Alumni and Friends magazine Winter 2020 ISSN 1176-211X Editor Denise Montgomery Executive editor A SENSE OF Helen Borne Art design Stephen Wang OPTIMISM Feature photos Elise Manahan, Billy Wong, Dean Carruthers, Richard Ng ia ora koutou. It’s my pleasure to economic growth that puts unsustainable Ingenio editorial contacts welcome you to the Winter 2020 pressure on the environment. Communications issue of Ingenio, dedicated to keeping Against this backdrop, the focus of the SDGs and Marketing, our valued alumni engaged and on sustainability in its broadest sense has become The University of Auckland Kinformed about your university and each other. even more important and relevant. The Impact Private Bag 92019, It is no exaggeration to say much has Rankings demonstrate how universities, such Auckland 1142, New Zealand. happened in the past four months. While the as Auckland, can play a key role in thought Level 3, Alfred Nathan House times have been turbulent and dynamic, I am leadership, germane research and sustainable 24 Princes Street, Auckland. learning just how much there is to admire about operations. As a civic institution, it is in our Telephone: +64 9 923 6061 the University and its people: staff, students, remit to provide direction and leadership Email: alumni and supporters. The 2021 QS World and to contribute to the solutions needed to [email protected] Web: auckland.ac.nz/ingenio University Rankings accentuated this with weather the Covid-19 environment. What the University’s rise two places to 81st in the we do now matters. I am proud of all those How alumni keep in touch To continue to receive Ingenio world, solidifying our position as New Zealand’s contributing innovative solutions and services and subscribe to @auckland, highest-ranked university. and inspirational ways to continue to deliver the University’s email newsletter Recognition of those strengths and attributes our core business – answering the challenge for alumni and friends, enter comes also from other agencies. In 2019, Times of taking teaching and learning online for our your details at: alumni. Higher Education (THE) ranked the University 40,000-plus students. auckland.ac.nz/update of Auckland No. 1 in its first University Impact Without diminishing the difficulties we all face, Alumni Relations Office The University of Auckland Rankings of 850 universities from 89 countries. and recognising the emotional and financial 19A Princes Street, In April, THE released its Impact Rankings for distress many are experiencing, I believe we Private Bag 92019 2020 and the University of Auckland retained can also have a sense of optimism. The future Auckland 1142, New Zealand its top spot. The rankings are matched against is not inherently dark. We have already seen Telephone: +64 9 923 4653 the United Nations Sustainable Development innovation across a range of sectors. We see our Email: [email protected] Goals (SDGs). The University’s performance own teams in health and medical sciences and in Web: alumni.auckland.ac.nz is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of mathematical modelling respond, and the work Disclaimer world-class work done by staff and students. around ethical decision-making and morality Articles may reflect personal The Impact Rankings’ focus on sustainability come to the fore – an integration of disciplines opinion that is not that of the has become even more relevant as we consider we might not have imagined in the past when we University of Auckland. what a post-Covid world might look like, and talked of artificial intelligence and automation. Audited by abc.org.nz how the enforced ‘pause’ might be used as an And our alumni, now 200,000 strong, have Copyright opportunity to reshape economies in more proved equally innovative, bringing skills and No parts of this publication sustainable ways. expertise to contribute to the civic good, building may be reproduced without prior consent of the University There is a growing call for countries to use support networks of peers and providing of Auckland. All rights this crisis to radically rethink economic and practical, emotional and financial support to the reserved. © The University social models. This includes concerns about University’s staff and students. of Auckland 2020 increasing reliance on fragile global supply As we work through the unpredictability of chains, dependence on single countries for the coming months, I believe there are fantastic essential manufacturing, precarious health opportunities for us all. The future is here, and systems, and placing too much emphasis on we are living it. PROFESSOR DAWN FRESHWATER Vice-Chancellor Cover design: Jacinda Torrance Illustration: Nina Fox/Shutterstock Cover Story “Businesses must be convinced that their future prospects are good.” – Professor Prasanna Gai, University of Auckland Business School Professor Prasanna Gai says Covid-19 revealed the world’s over-reliance on suppliers located in China. Photo: Elise Manahan GRASPING CHALLENGES A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY IN A COVID-19 WORLD By Gilbert Wong, Miranda Playfair, Margo White and Julianne Evans Covid-19 will continue to change and challenge our economy, culture and society for years to come. But New Zealand has some real advantages as we move beyond the initial disruption and fallout from the pandemic. enry Kissinger, the former US conundrum. As a small nation at the Secretary of State, shared his end of the world, with a limited internal pronouncement on the post- economy, this country makes its living Covid-19 world in The Wall from global trade and the free movement HStreet Journal. The influential diplomat of people. Yet to keep New Zealanders said: “The pandemic has prompted an safe, it became a fortress with the Pacific anachronism, a revival of the walled city and Tasman as its grand moats. in an age when prosperity depends on Ingenio looks at three of many areas global trade and movement of people.” hit hard during lockdown and beyond: New Zealand faces precisely this the economy, the arts and the media. auckland.ac.nz/ingenio | 7 chains, the circulatory system of global trade. THE ECONOMY Although many supply chains have shuddered, just as many have rebounded. Our apples, rasanna Gai, professor of milk and meat continue to find ready buyers in macroeconomics at the University, has overseas markets. High-quality food will remain advised international banks on how to a strong part of New Zealand’s future. stress-test their banking systems, and Prasanna says Covid-19 revealed the world’s Previewed monetary policy for our Reserve Bank. over-reliance on suppliers located in China. But, until now, he has never seen an economic Around 300 of the world’s top 500 companies crisis strike with such ferocity and speed. have facilities at ground zero, Wuhan. The lesson, Global GDP for the first quarter of 2020 he says, is that ‘just-in-time’ supply chains do dropped 20 percent. The World Trade not work in a crisis. The New Zealand economy Organisation expects global trading to contract also needs to diversify its supplier base, as a by 33 percent, almost three times more than in hedge against likely Covid-19 repercussions in the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2009. countries we trade with, and build more robust Prasanna does not dismiss comparisons to the supply chains. Great Depression of the 1930s. Professor Tava Olsen, director of the Centre “This crisis is unusual in that it began with for Supply Chain Management at the Business a problem in China and got magnified, quite School, says New Zealand needs to audit its deliberately, as a result of government lockdown stockpiles of essential items. The pandemic policies. The global economic downturn that has proved it was not enough to have agreements unfolded hasn’t emanated from private choices, for supply when essential items faced global but as a result of governments choosing to lock demand from countries with deeper pockets.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Proactive Release
    IN CONFIDENCE DEV-21-MIN-0097 Cabinet Economic Development Committee Minute of Decision This document contains information for the New Zealand Cabinet. It must be treated in confidence and handled in accordance with any security classification, or other endorsement. The information can only be released, including under the Official Information Act 1982, by persons with the appropriate authority. Modernising Landonline: Progress Update March 2021 Portfolio Land Information On 12 May 2021, the Cabinet Economic Development Committee: 1 noted that the Landonline rebuild is within budget and on track for delivery; 2 noted that Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) began the rebuild of core IT systems in August 2020 after completing detailed planning and building capacity; 3 noted that an independent Gateway review in May 2020 rated LINZ’s readiness to proceed with the core system rebuild as Green/Amber; 4 noted that the programme has developed and releasedRelease four Search and Notices products introducing early improvements to how Landonline customers (including the public, territorial authorities, and financial institutions) access LINZ property data; 5 noted that financial approvals from the Minister of Finance, Minister of Land Information, and Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications (joint Ministers) in April 2019 and August 2020 will maintain programme activity until December 2021; 6 noted that reforecast whole-of-life costs prepared for the August 2020 financial approval provided confidence that the programme can be delivered
    [Show full text]
  • COVID-19 PANDEMIC in the INDO-PACIFIC How the Countries Are Dealing Amidst Changing Geopolitics
    M. Mayilvaganan Editor COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE INDO-PACIFIC How The Countries Are Dealing Amidst Changing Geopolitics Research Report NIAS/CSS/ISSSP/U/RR/15/2020 COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE INDO-PACIFIC How The Countries Are Dealing Amidst Changing Geopolitics M. Mayilvaganan Editor National Institute of Advanced Studies Bengaluru, India 2020 © National Institute of Advanced Studies, 2020 Published by National Institute of Advanced Studies Indian Institute of Science Campus Bengaluru – 560012 Tel: 22185000, Fax: 22185028 Email: [email protected] NIAS Report: NIAS/CSS/ISSSP/U/RR/15/2020 ISBN 978-93-83566-41-6 Content PREFACE.........................................................................................................1 AUSTRALIA...................................................................................................2 Ashok Sharma, Australian National University BANGLADESH..............................................................................................7 M Ashique Rahman, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies BRUNEI...........................................................................................................15 V. Srilatha, Osmania University CAMBODIA...................................................................................................21 Uma Purushothaman, Central University of Kerala CHINA.............................................................................................................25 Rajiv Ranjan, Shanghai University INDONESIA...................................................................................................29
    [Show full text]
  • ATLAS Review 2020-2 Corona Edition
    ATLAS Tourism and Leisure Review Volume 2020 – 2 ISSN 2468 – 6719 ATLAS Review Volume 2020-2 __________________________________________________ ATLAS Tourism and Leisure Review Volume 2020 – 2 Tourism and the Corona crises: Some ATLAS reflections The Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research (ATLAS) was established in 1991 to develop transnational educational initiatives in tourism and leisure. ATLAS provides a forum to promote staff and student exchange, transnational research and to facilitate curriculum and professional development. ATLAS currently has members in about 60 countries. More information about ATLAS can be found at http://www.atlas-euro.org/. The ATLAS Tourism and Leisure Review gives ATLAS members and participants of the ATLAS conferences and meetings a platform to publish the papers they have presented. The editing will be carried out by an editorial board / field editors. ISSN 2468 – 6719 The ATLAS Tourism and Leisure Review will be distributed to ATLAS members for free. It will also be for sale in the ATLAS online bookshop at http://www.atlas- webshop.org/. ATLAS PO Box 109 6800 AC Arnhem The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected] 2 ATLAS Review Volume 2020-2 __________________________________________________ ATLAS Tourism and Leisure Review Volume 2020 – 2 Tourism and the Corona crises: Some ATLAS reflections Field editors Antonio Paolo Russo – University Rovira i Virgili, Spain René van der Duim – Wageningen University, Netherlands Tara Duncan – Dalarna University, Sweden Editorial board Wilber Ahebwa
    [Show full text]
  • Mahi Tahi 1 the Office of the Prime Minister’S Chief Science Advisor, Kaitohutohu Mātanga Pūtaiao Matua Ki Te Pirimia
    ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Mahi Tahi 1 The Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Kaitohutohu Mātanga Pūtaiao Matua ki te Pirimia. Tohua ngā whakatipuranga ki te inu i te puna o te mātauranga. Kia hora ai te whakaruruhau o te ora, ki runga ki te iwi. Kia kaha, kia toa, kia manawanui. Show the new generation to drink of the wellspring of knowledge. That the sheltering mantle of well-being may spread over the people! Be strong, be courageous, be resolute. “Science is at the frontline of the issues that face our society … what PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE better way to equip our people to decipher information than through Opening remarks our scientific community” From the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern. Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern speaking at the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes, March 2019. esearch, science and innovation are core to To make science more accessible for New Zea- what we as a Government want to achieve landers, Juliet and her team have been using Twitter – a just transition to a low emissions econo- and Instagram to encourage young people to take Rmy and a measurable increase in the wellbeing of all part in the sciences. They’ve also been presenting in New Zealanders. That is why we celebrate excellence lots of forums, using blogs and developing their first and why we want to continue to lift investment in accessible science factsheet about antimicrobial re- science. sistance. No easy task. My Chief Science Advisor and the team of Chief I look forward to enjoying more science-led de- Science Advisors support me, ministers and govern- bate about tackling the issues that we’ve made a good ment agencies to make the best decisions on how to start on, informed by the work of Juliet, her team, tackle our long-term challenges by connecting us to and scientists across New Zealand and the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister Hon Kris Faafoi Hon Stuart Nash
    Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister Hon Kris Faafoi Hon Stuart Nash Hon Grant Robertson Hon Simon Bridges Hon Paul Goldsmith Hon Todd McClay Parliament Building Wellington, 6160 16 April 2020 Dear Prime Minister, Government Ministers and Opposition Members of Parliament COVID-19 effect on small business leases – call for urgent action to be taken to prevent business closures We refer to our previous letter to each of you dated 2 April 2020. In our letter we wrote: a) calling for urgent action to be taken to prevent business closures; and b) we implored you to address the critical issue of rent relief to all tenants of commercial leases – as many leases do not provide any rent relief. We have had no response from government or the Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment to our letter and our views do not appear to have been considered in the recent package that was announced yesterday to supposedly assist small to medium-sized businesses. We find this very disappointing. As we said in our letter, we are the peak body representing franchising in NZ. Turnover of the franchising sector represents circa 11% of New Zealand’s GDP. As such franchising is a critical part of the New Zealand economy. And most of the circa 37,000 franchisees in NZ are small businesses – the very people that the government has said need more government support. In our letter we explained to you why rent relief is critical and why we believe urgent action needs to be taken to put cash in the hands of small to medium-sized business owners.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Webster Centre-QRW Programme National Symposium on Infectious Diseases: Key Opportunities and Emerging Therapies 7-8Th Septemb
    Webster Centre-QRW Programme National Symposium on Infectious Diseases: key opportunities and emerging therapies 7-8th September, 2017 Rydges Hotel, Queenstown, New Zealand Thursday 7th September Time Details LoCation 8:45 – 8:55 am S1: IntroduCtion and opening remarks Andy MerCer – Webster Centre and One Health Aotearoa, University of Otago Session sponsored by One Health Aotearoa and Webster Centre, University of Otago 8:55 – 9.30 am Plenary talk: Professor Elizabeth Hartland Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne “Legionella intracellular replication” 9:30 – 10.00 am Nigel French, Massey University “Genomic anatomy of slow-burn epidemics” 10.00 – 10.30 am Morning Tea S2: Genomic approaches to Combat infeCtious disease Chair: James Ussher 10.30 – 11.00 am Deborah Williamson, Peter Doherty Institute for InfeCtion and Immunity “Applying genomics to outbreak investigations” 11.00 – 11.30am Professor David MurdoCh University of Otago, ChristchurCh Sponsored by New Zealand Food Safety Science & Research Centre “Infectious Diseases within an Increasingly Connected Ecosystem” 11.30 – 12.00pm Htin Aung University of Otago, Dunedin “Whole-genome sequencing for the management of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Myanmar” 12.00 – 12.30pm Mike Taylor, University of AuCkland “Bacterial community collapse: the microbiome in chronic sinus disease” 12.30 – 1.30pm Lunch 1 S3: Fighting BaCk: drug disCovery, AMR and vaccines Chair: Tim Stinear Plenary Talk: Professor John BlanChard 1.30 – 2.15pm Department of Biochemistry, Albert
    [Show full text]
  • H202104788 Response (Pdf, 212
    133 Molesworth Street 7 May 2021 PO Box 5013 Wellington 6140 New Zealand T+64 4 496 2000 Dear Response to your request for official information Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) on 21 April 2021 for COVID-19 information. A copy of your full request is enclosed for reference. It appears you are asking the Ministry to comment on evidence that COVID-19 exists, whether social distancing and wearing of face coverings are effective in stopping the transmission of COVID-19, the accuracy of PCR testing, as well as the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. While the Act enables people to request official information from the Ministry, it only applies to information it holds. There is no obligation to create information in order to respond to requests, nor is the Ministry obliged to provide an opinion. This query appears to be efforts to engage in a debate about the merits of the Government’s response to COVID-19, rather than a legitimate request to the Ministry for official information. The Act does not support requests in which a requester quotes information and then seeks some form of comment on it, couched as a request for official information. Therefore, I am refusing parts one to seven, nine, 11 to 13 and 17 of your request under section 18(g)(i) of the Act, as the information requested is not held by the Ministry and there are no grounds for believing it is held by another agency subject to the Act.
    [Show full text]
  • Complete Digital Magazine List Over 3,200 Titles
    Complete Digital Magazine List Over 3,200 Titles $10 DINNERS (OR LESS!) (inside) interior design review .net CSS Design Essentials ¡Hola! Cocina ¡Hola! Especial Decoración ¡Hola! Especial Viajes ¡HOLA! FASHION ¡Hola! Fashion: Especial Alta Costura ¡Hola! Los Reyes Felipe VI y Letizia ¡Hola! Mexico ¡Hola! Prêt-À-Porter 0024 Horloges 01net 10 Minute Pilates 10 Minute Yoga Calm Highland Public Library Digital Magazine List - Last Updated 1.26.21 Page: 2 10 Week Fat Burn: Lose a Stone 100 All-Time Greatest Comics 100 Greatest Comedy Movies by Radio Times 100 greatest moments from 100 years of the Tour De France 100 Greatest Sci-Fi Characters 100 Greatest Thriller Movies by Radio Times 101 Home Sewing Ideas 101 Quick & Easy Crochet Makes 11 Freunde 1116 Design Tips 15 Minute Fitness: Busy Girls Guide 150 Thrifty Knits 200 Scrapbooking Ideas 220 Triathlon 220 Triathlon presents the Beginner's Guide to Triathlon 24H Brasil 25 Beautiful Homes 25 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope - from BBC Sky at Night Magazine 273 Papercraft & Card Ideas Highland Public Library Digital Magazine List - Last Updated 1.26.21 Page: 3 2nd セカンド 3D Art & Design Tips, Tricks & Fixes 3D Make And Print 3D World 400 Calories or Less: Easy Italian 45 Years on the MR&T 47 Creative Photography & Photoshop Projects 4x4 magazine 4x4 Magazine Australia 50 Baby Knits 50 Dream Rooms 50 Great British Locomotives 50 Greatest Mysteries in the Universe 50 Photo Projects Vol 2 50 Things No Man Should Be Without 50+ Decorating Ideas 500 Calorie Diet Complete Meal Planner 52 Bracelets
    [Show full text]
  • Pharmac Session: Antimicrobial Resistance - Global Threat Or Myth? (120Mins, Not Repeated) Antibiotic Resistance Mutations Or Creations? How We Squander a Miracle
    Associate Professor Associate Professor David Holland Siouxsie Wiles Director Microbiologist Infection Services Head of the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab Middlemore Hospital University of Auckland Professor Jack Mr Ben Harris Dr Peter Moodie Heinemann Honorary Lecturer General Practitioner University of Otago Wellington Genetics and Molecular Biology School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury 14:00 - 16:00 WS #155: Pharmac Session: Antimicrobial Resistance - Global Threat or Myth? (120mins, not repeated) Antibiotic Resistance Mutations or Creations? How We Squander a Miracle Ben Harris, Medical Microbiology Scientist NZ Infection Prevention Control Consultancy [email protected] M: 0276273201 “We are not there to be phased by a brilliant international conference speaker we are there because we are gullible, ignorant & desperate” REFERENCE: Written comment from veteran GP regarding the didactic style that he finds most useful at GP CME “We are not there to be phased by a brilliant international conference speaker we are there because we are gullible, ignorant & desperate” Antibiotic Key Point On NZ average Prescribe well under 50% antibiotics you currently prescribe Because ➢ Reduce increasing MDRO endemicity ➢ Keep rapidly dwindling AB resource reserved for future serious infections ➢ Each AB use increases that patients medium to long term adverse chronic health outcomes Tips to Achieve This • Respiratory - follow BPAC guidelines • UTI – adults, clinical diagnosis, ban dipsticks • Cutaneous – lance abscess, no prophylactic
    [Show full text]
  • (OR LESS!) Food & Cooking English One-Off (Inside) Interior Design
    Publication Magazine Genre Frequency Language $10 DINNERS (OR LESS!) Food & Cooking English One-Off (inside) interior design review Art & Photo English Bimonthly .
    [Show full text]
  • Relating Maori and Pakeha : the Politics of Indigenous and Settler
    Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. Relating Maori and Pakeha: the politics of indigenous and settler identities A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology at Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand Avril Bell 2004 Abstract Settler colonisation produced particular colonial subjects: indigene and settler. The specificity of the relationship between these subjects lies in the act of settlement; an act of colonial violence by which the settler physically and symbolically displaces the indigene, but never totally. While indigenes may be physically displaced from their territories, they continue to occupy a marginal location within the settler nation-state. Symbolically, as settlers set out to distinguish themselves from the metropolitan ‘motherlands’, indigenous cultures become a rich, ‘native’ source of cultural authenticity to ground settler nationalisms. The result is a complex of conflictual and ambivalent relations between settler and indigene. This thesis investigates the ongoing impact of this colonial relation on the contemporary identities and relations of Maori (indigene) and Pakeha (settlers) in Aotearoa New Zealand. It centres on the operation of discursive strategies used by both Maori and Pakeha in constructing their identities and the relationship between them. I analyse ‘found’ texts - non-fiction books, media and academic texts - to identify discourse ‘at work’, as New Zealanders make and reflect on their identity claims.
    [Show full text]
  • Regulation of Drug Checking Services
    IN CONFIDENCE In Confidence Office of the Minister of Health Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee Regulation of drug checking services Proposal 1 This paper seeks agreement to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 to enable a permanent system of regulation for drug checking service providers. Relation to government priorities 2 This proposal does not relate to a Government priority. Executive Summary 3 Drug checking services check the composition of illicit drugs and provide harm reduction advice to help individuals make informed decisions about drug use. Where a drug is not as presumed, the individual can make the potentially life-saving decision not to consume it. 4 Drug checking is currently regulated under amendmentsreleased made by the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Act 2020 (the Drug Checking Act) to the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Psychoactive Substances Act. These amendments allow appointed drug checking service providers to operate with legal certainty. 5 The Drug Checking Act was always intended to be temporary legislation to allow time for a permanent licensing system to be developed. The Drug Checking Act includes mechanisms which will repeal the amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Psychoactive Substances Act in December 2021. 6 If a permanent system is not in place when the Drug Checking Act repeal provisions take effect, drug checking will revert to a legal grey area. This would impede service provision and make it more difficult to prevent harm from dangerous substances such as synthetic cathinones (sometimes known as “bath salts”). Regulation is required to enable good quality services and to prevent low-quality service providers from operating.
    [Show full text]