TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 PAGE 3 PAGE 5 PAGE 12 HAPPY TO HELP SUICIDE PREVENTION PALACE ‘CONCERNED’ THE HARVEST FUND SET UP BY RACISM CLAIMS SAFE UP HERE: The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck last Friday led to a short-term shake-up in education at schools in the district. Students have been reminded of safety procedures in event of a future earthquake or tsunami. Wainui Beach School (pictured) practised their evacuation plan, which involved stopping traffic on State Highway 35 to allow them and staff to cross the road and head for the hills. Life has carried on as usual on land but the quakes have continued with aftershocks up to magnitude 5 occurring each day, although these have decreased in number. Story on page 3 Picture by Liam Clayton A WAIROA woman who helped set up a and then visited her on Friday morning to website out of concern over Rocket Lab’s talk about the group. operations was visited by police last week. “I suppose the police need to check Rocket Lab has stated it is committed us out but we are taking a constructive to not being involved in the launch of approach with the Facebook page and Watchdog weapons into space and stressed “New website,” she said. Zealand’s legislation around space “Citizens collecting public information launches is some of the best in the world”. is an important part of accountability in The Ministry of Business Innovation a free democracy, and police intervention and Employment is reinforcing the can have a fearful effect on people — in messaging that permits that would turn drawing attention away from a contribute to a nuclear weapons corporate’s responsibilities.” programme cannot be approved. In a letter to the Prime Minister group But Wairoa resident Sonya Smith is one Jacinda Ardern the group raised concerns of a group of people worried about the the country’s legislation around space was aerospace company’s Mahia operations. not robust enough. Ms Smith helped launch the website, “I’m not against rocket launches rocketlabmonitor.com (RLM) to track and especially but want safe, sustainable and investigate the company’s dealings. responsible space launching. RLM is a local collaboration started by “I’m just not convinced the Mahia a group of wahine Maori with connections site has the capacity to match the new launched to Mahia. capability. There are concerns about the Its intention is “to hold Rocket Lab rights of tangata whenua to access their accountable to New Zealand’s values and lands and waters, and this will be further laws”, says Ms Smith. impacted. No concerns about Rocket As well as the website, RLM also has a “It is OK if it is transparent and they Facebook page. are mitigating risk and there are no Facebook conversations and the website military payloads. Lab’s next mission: Minister about Rocket Lab drew the attention of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 police, who contacted Ms Smith by phone GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............10 Farming..............14 Classifieds ... 17-19 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............11 Television ...........15 Sport ............ 20-24 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ............ 6-9 World............ 12-13 Racing ................16 Weather .............23 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, March 10, 2021 GOLDEN CROP: The annual maize harvest is now in full swing with harvesters from all the major companies now busy. Glencore Grain started last week, and Corson Grain and Pioneer Seeds started on Monday. More than 30,000 tonnes of grain maize will be harvested by Glencore and Corsons between now and early June. Pioneer’s seed maize harvest will run until late next month. These harvest pictures were taken in a paddock in Lavenham Road on Monday. Early indications are for a g o o d s e a s o n . Pictures by Liam Clayton Transparency questioned FROM PAGE 1 where peace is valued. disclosure of the satellite’s capabilities, payloads where the intended end use “New Zealand laws, particularly space including its structure, how it is is likely to cause serious or irreversible legislation, are in their infancy and powered, how it communicates and is harm to the environment. “It looks like American military untested. able to be tracked in space and any other “Given these precautions, I have no interests are all over this like the “Are the Minister (Minister for subsystems. concerns about the upcoming launch,” Mr proposed Gunsmoke-J payload (part Economic Development Stuart Nash) and “NZ and the US have signed a Twyford said. of Rocket Lab’s next launch ) and I his advisers qualified?” technology safeguards agreement which Ms Bailey says the Gunsmoke-J believe in Aotearoa we have greater self- Rocket Lab’s head of communications reinforces commitment to co-operation payload is an experimental satellite to determination than this. Morgan Bailey says Rocket Lab remains and ensures that US government test communication and navigational “Nothing that I have heard or read steadfast in its commitment to not agencies provide all information our technologies for the US Army. reassures me that I should not be launch weapons into regulators require. “It is an experimental satellite that concerned and there is nowhere to space. “These requirements tests new technology only — it is not address these concerns in a public way.” “New Zealand has one New Zealand has one ensure that the NZ an operational satellite. The US Army The subject has become divisive, with of the most stringent ‘ Government has division responsible for this small families on both sides of the argument, regulatory regimes for of the most stringent indepth insight into satellite, known as the SMDC, provides Ms Smith says. payload permitting in regulatory regimes for each and every satellite satellite services relied upon by New Living within a 30km radius of the the world,” she said. that applies for the Zealand and Australia.” launch complex, Ms Smith is concerned “All applications for payload permitting in the ability to launch from In the devastating wildfire crisis in that not all risk is mitigated. a payload permit are world New Zealand.” Australia in early 2020, SMDC enabled Permits issued by Wairoa District subject to assessments ’ — Rocket Lab Minister for Australian and New Zealand defence Council sanction operations and permit against a number Disarmament and Arms forces to use the satellite network to details should be available to the public, of criteria set out in Control Phil Twyford communicate and co-ordinate response she says. the Outer Space and said Cabinet agreed on efforts on the ground to keep fire crews “I want to know that we are mitigating High-Altitude Activities Act (OSHAA), a list of payload types that would not and those affected by the blazes safe, she risk but we don’t know that because including meeting New Zealand’s be permitted because they were not in said. there is no transparency. international obligations, safe operation, New Zealand’s national interest or would “Many of the technologies we use in “What is the risk if there is an orbital debris mitigation, national breach New Zealand and international our day-to-day lives began as defence, explosion or fire at the base? What interest and security. laws. government or military programmes. impact will that have on Mahia? How “As part of the payload permitting “These include payloads that Things like Google Maps are enabled would we manage the risk if the rocket process, all satellite customers must contribute to nuclear weapons by GPS, a satellite system owned and exploded over the Wharerata forest for disclose to the NZ Government details programmes or capabilities; payloads operated by the US Air Force. example? of their mission, the purpose of the with the intended end use of harming, “DARPA (Defense Advanced Research “This is an area with really low satellite, a description of the ultimate interfering with, or destroying other Projects Agency) also created the infrastructure. What is the indemnity objectives of putting the satellite in space spacecraft, or space systems on Earth; internet, the first weather satellite and and how do they propose to mitigate and a description of how the satellite payloads with the intended end use of the first computer mouse. the risk? The weaponisation of space is being launched contributes to those supporting or enabling specific defence, “The types of satellites Rocket Lab something I am totally against. I want objectives. security or intelligence operations that launches support more innovations like my grandchildren to grow up in a world “The payload permit also requires are contrary to government policy; this.” Get your Gisborne Herald • You’ve seen him on TV reporting from the world’s war zones but Ian Sinclair’s first love was home-delivered always flamenco guitar, as he explains to The Guide. • The upcoming three-day Big Blues Up will feature numerous Gisborne and East Coast blues players, a band of rising stars and a mean headline act, Poverty Bay Blues Club captain Darryn Clyne. • You’ve laughed and cried at the movie but you know the stage version will be more personal, more intimate. Director Elizabeth Boyce talks about Evolution Theatre’s production of comedy- drama Steel Magnolias. TOMORROW PLUS: MUSIC GUIDE • FILM REVIEWS • GUIDE GOSSIP The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To fi nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, March 10, 2021 NEWS 3 Plea for fruit pickers reaching far and wide NO stone is being left unturned as the Help make sure fruit is harvested for the 50-plus sector, Tamararo and Te Matatini kapa haka, of us and it would be great if we could attract the Harvest campaign gears up for tomorrow’s orchardists.