Meltdown at Fukushima

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, March 31st, 2011 - 35 comments
Categories: disaster - Tags: ,

Efforts to cool the nuclear fuel rods in Fukushima’s No 2 reactor have failed. The rods have become molten and it appears some have melted through the steel reactor core into a concrete layer. Two dangers now arise: radioactive chemicals created by the concrete reacting with the nuclear fuel and the nuclear fuel pooling enough to go critical.

This is what ended up happening to the nuclear fuel in Chernobyl’s No 4 reactor. Lava-like ‘corium‘, which is just a fancy name for ‘substance made from the molten core of a nuclear reactor’, melted through the steel liner and solidified in what was called the ‘elephants foot’ on the concrete basement floor*. The fuel melted through several metres of concrete, creating hydrogen gas and other volatile substances.

Ironically, the water they’re desperately trying to get into the reactors at Fukushima to carry away the heat actually helps to sustain nuclear reactions by slowing down (moderating) the neutrons emitted when an atom decays making them more likely to collide with other unstable atoms. Without the water and with all the reactions with concrete the melting ends. The corium gradually solidifies into what becomes a flaky and still highly radioactive material.

We’re still told that there won’t be a major radiation release from Fukushima as there was from Chernobyl. During that disaster, a graphite fire and multiple explosions after the core was breached sent corium and other irradiated materials high into the atmosphere to be distributed over a wide area. There’s not meant to be any more explosions at Fukushima. They say they are confident they can cool the corium as it comes out.

But a hell of a lot of stuff that wasn’t meant to happen has happened. If the corium is reacting with the concrete creating large amounts of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, then explosions are a real possibility. If the corium comes out all as one glob it could go critical, recreating the self-sustaining chain reaction that powers a nuclear reactor when it’s in action. That’s a hell of a lot more energy then is currently being emitted by the background decay of the fuel rods, which has been enough to cause all these problems. The one bright side is there’s no way it can go supercritical and explode like a nuclear bomb.

It’s not just No 2 reactor. Plutonium has been detected around reactor No 3. This reactor uses MOX fuel, containing plutonium, which is really dangerous stuff. The fact that plutonium seems to be leaking from the reactor suggests a breach in its core too.

With radiation levels rising, it is becoming both evermore vital and evermore difficult for workers to get close to the reactors to try to solve the problems.

I hope they’re drawing up plans for a sarcophagus, and not one like Chernobyl’s that started leaking after a few years.

35 comments on “Meltdown at Fukushima ”

  1. Colonial Viper 1

    🙁

    Damn none of that sounds good.

    There is an economic fear as well – that if this whole scenario drags on for months, which it might, business interests will start to bypass Japan altogether. Find alternative suppliers, find alternative ports, offshore operations etc.

  2. Morrissey 3

    But just over a week ago I saw Air New Zealand boss Rob Fyfe on television, and he was adamant: the fuss over so-called nuclear leaks was a beat-up, and there was nothing to worry about. He advised us to do as he did, which was to accept the word of the Japanese government’s PR people, and not to trust the word of so-called “experts”.

    Here’s a picture of the great man, characteristically deep in thought…
    http://www.iata.org/iata/sites/agm/2009/file/agm2009-02.jpg

    • Lanthanide 3.1

      He was, and remains, correct.

      There is no danger to aircraft flying to Tokyo, and funnily enough the pilots are actually smart enough to fly around the contaminated area as well.

      • Morrissey 3.1.1

        “…no danger to aircraft flying to Tokyo…”
        Could you advise us of the source from which you obtained this highly interesting piece of technical information? (Note: Mr Rob Fyfe is not a credible or respected source.)

        • Colonial Viper 3.1.1.2

          The thing is, unless you are flying directly over a concentrated gamma ray source, you will be fine at 32,000 feet. In fact at that altitude you could have a 100kT warhead go off a few miles away and still be relatively fine.

          The main issue to me is not whether people can still fly in and out of Tokyo. It will be whether or not they want to.

  3. Lanthanide 4

    As usual, the media reporting on the plutonium that was detected isn’t very detailed, and so it appears much worse without the detail included:

    “Vienna. Japan Confirms Plutonium in Soil Samples at Fukushima Daiichi. After taking soil samples at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japanese authorities today confirmed finding traces of plutonium that most likely resulted from the nuclear accident there. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency told the IAEA that the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) had found concentrations of plutonium in two of five soil samples.

    Traces of plutonium are not uncommon in soil because they were deposited worldwide during the atmospheric nuclear testing era. However, the isotopic composition of the plutonium found at Fukushima Daiichi suggests the material came from the reactor site, according to TEPCO officials. Still, the quantity of plutonium found does not exceed background levels tracked by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology over the past 30 years.”

    In other words they found very minute traces of plutonium. Also, plutonium is dangerous to human health because it’s a very toxic material (like arsenic or other heavy metals), rather than because it’s radioactive.

    Plutonium fission products are found in all of the spent fuel rods as a result of fission in the reactor. It’s minute amounts, however. The MOX fuel in reactor 3 is being overplayed – there are something like 700-800 rods active in there at any one time, and only a couple of dozen actually have MOX fuel (which again is only 5% plutonium) and the rest are regular uranium.

    • Morrissey 4.1

      Lanthanide, these figures of yours are meant to reassure or comfort? How, exactly?

      • Rich 4.1.1

        Maybe you should just take the Lewis Page approach:
        – Fukushima isn’t a disaster. Chernobyl wasn’t a disaster. The backup safety systems have worked as designed. Look, there are no people dying in the streets of Tokyo from acute radiation sickness – things are as designed.

        (And BTW, Plutonium isn’t dangerous because its a toxic heavy metal, but because it’s an alpha-emitter that accumulates in the body. Arsenic (which isn’t a heavy metal, or indeed a metal of any kind) doesn’t do that).

        • Lanthanide 4.1.1.1

          Reading about plutonium on wikipedia, it looks like you’re correct, the danger is more from radiation than specifically from toxicity, although it appears the danger is generally overstated:

          “A commonly cited quote by Ralph Nader, states that a pound of plutonium dust spread into the atmosphere would be enough to kill 8 billion people. However, the math shows that only up to 2 million people can be killed by inhaling plutonium. This makes the toxicity of plutonium roughly equivalent with that of nerve gas.”

          “There were about 25 workers from Los Alamos National Laboratory who inhaled a considerable amount of plutonium dust during the 1940’s; according to the hot-particle theory, each of them has a 99.5% chance of being dead from lung cancer by now, but there has not been a single lung cancer among them.”

          As for arsenic:
          “Arsenic is a metalloid. It can exist in various allotropes, although only the grey form is industrially important. The main use of metallic arsenic is for strengthening alloys of copper and especially lead (for example, in automotive batteries).”

          But no, it’s not a “heavy metal”, so I was wrong on that.

          • Rich 4.1.1.1.1

            I was under the impression that you Knew About All Things, and now I hear you just repeat Wikipedia and the PR department of a japanese airport?

            • ianmac 4.1.1.1.1.1

              Unworthy of you Rich.

              • Rich

                I’m fed up with this attitude that nuclear power is a safe answer to all our problems and that anyone who opposes it is a luddite scientific ignoramus.

                I understand the pathology. People in the geek community read and watch far too much scifi. Scifi as an artform was developed in 1950’s America, where technology was going to lead us to a bright new future with flying cars and synthetic clothing. So when we have a problem (such as peak oil/climate change) a “technical” solution must arise. Nuclear power is that technical solution, and must be made to succeed.

                Hence, actual problems that prevent nuclear power being deployed get magicked away. Safety limits get questioned – hey look, 25 people got a big dose of Pu and didn’t die – that means it’s safe, right? New technology gets pulled out of a hat that will never, ever have the problems of Fukushima (as Fukushima wouldn’t have the problems of Chernobyl, and Chernobyl wouldn’t have the problems of Windscale Pile I).

                So if people who claim to have scientific evidence for the safety of nuclear energy make schoolboy errors (we did the classification of elements in 5th form), I’m going to call them on it. Sorry, and that.

                • Colonial Viper

                  No, nuclear power is not some kind of SF solution to all energy needs. But it’s been around as a working concept since the days of the Korean War.

                  There is no doubt that when nuclear power goes bad, it can go very bad.

                  And both regulators and private enterprise seem keen to cut corners which should not be cut.

                  But there are very simple steps which can be taken to limit the damage and probabilities of even a worst case scenario.

                  TEPCO should not have been allowed to store such huge amounts of spent fuel on site, at the densities which were there. A higher sea wall and diesel generators/back up power systems capable of surviving a drowning would both have been extraordinarily helpful. Not having 6 reactors at one site.

                  At the end of the day a lot of important corners were cut, usually in the name of reduced cost and increased efficiency.

                  • mcflock

                    Agreed, CV. And to me, that’s the real danger of nuclear power – complacency.

                    It’s all very well saying that modern designs are safe now, but what about in 60 years when the workforce has been whittled down in quality or quantity by HR cost-cutting, emergency plans have atrophied, bypass repairs have been left as the norm, waste has built up beyond spec (sorry, “according to re-evaluated and expanded specifications”), etc etc etc? In many accidents/mishaps, it’s not when something is new and shiney that the problem occurs – it’s when a routine job being performed by junior staff at 3am goes kaput that the clusterfuck begins.

        • toad 4.1.1.2

          Technically, arsenic is a metalloid, being to the left of the amphoteric line in the periodic table. As such, it displays some of the properties of metals, but it is certainly not a heavy metal.

          And you are right, Rich, about the difference between the toxicity mechanisms of plutonium and arsenic. While they are both bio-accumulative, plutonium’s high toxicity is because of the carcinogenic effect of the alpha-particles it emits in radioactive decay. Arsenic’s toxicity arises from its interference with metabolism through disrupting ATP production.

          • NickS 4.1.1.2.1

            Not entirely, if memory serves me right, elements like plutonium and uranium when in soluble forms will form ionic bonds (aka co-ordination chemistry) to a wide variety of biomolecules, disrupting metabolic and cell functions depending on what they bond to. Although it appears from accidental inhalation and ingestion that Pu is very considerably less toxic the U-238, but it’s also, despite it’s sort half-life, does not appear to increase cancer risks.

            Still not something you’d want to inhale/ingest, but compared to it’s decay products, it’s far less biological and radiologically dangerous.

            And yeah, arsenic is toxic due to being very electrochemically similar to phosphate, allowing for it to replace it in key phosphorylated biomolecules, where unlike phosphate it ends up binding far more strongly in the active sites of enzymes in the Krebs Cycle.

  4. The Economic Illiteracy Support Group 5

    For anyone interested in how bad things are becoming at Fukushima, I can heartily recommend the IAEA’s nuclear accident update log – good information, no commentary from “experts” – or worse, interpretation from journalists who don’t seem qualified to interpret nuclear meltdowns. It does mean you need to draw your own conclusions about the future direction of the reactors, but I have to say that I’m concerned that most of the worst-case scenarios do seem to have eventuated.

    • ianmac 5.1

      Thanks EISG. Thank goodness that the information therein seems credible and nearly understood by a Bear with very Little Brain. Still worthwhile to grapple with the discussion above.

    • Lanthanide 5.2

      I have seen videos of ‘experts’ on you tube saying they got data from the IAEA. But that data isn’t publicly available on their website. One video I saw was talking about radiation rates observed the area north-west of Japan, which has since been made publicly available only in the last couple of days or so.

      So while the IAEA is one of the best sources to go to, it seems that they aren’t publishing everything, and that some experts and other agencies may actually have an ‘inside run’ on the latest developments.

      • The Economic Illiteracy Support Group 5.2.1

        I’ve noticed that the data appearing on the IAEA site is slower to come out than in the mainstream media – so I don’t think they’re withholding anything, but their turnaround cycle on the website is definitely slower than in the general media. I’m tending to read the MSM reports with a degree of skepticism until the IAEA provides a more accurate view a day or two later. YMMV.

        • Bright Red 5.2.1.1

          “The International Atomic Energy Agency said safe limits had been exceeded at Iitate village, 40km northwest of Fukushima, well outside the government-imposed 20km exclusion zone and the 30km “stay indoors” zone.

          “The first assessment indicates that one of the IAEA operational criteria for evacuation is exceeded in Iitate village,” the IAEA’s head of nuclear safety and security, Denis Flory, told reporters.”

  5. freedom 6

    The USO said about 200,000 U.S. personnel are being evacuated from Japan to U.S. West Coast cities including San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle/JBLM.

    http://www.kirotv.com/news/27248974/detail.html

    http://uncensored.co.nz/2011/03/25/stuxnet-japan-division/

    As always there is more to the stories than the scraps we are fed yet 200,000 personnel is most definitely news and most definitely is not being reported in the msm

    as a comparison, it would be like announcing the withdrawl of all military servicemen and private contractors out of Iraq

    • Lanthanide 6.1

      The Americans are always over-cautious and paranoid about this sort of thing, though. Look at all the fear whipped up by three mile island.

      I also wonder about the numbers in the first article. At the start it talks about 15,000, and says that 6,700 and 8,000 have arrived at specific basis. At the bottom out of nowhere it suddenly says 200,000. I wonder if that’s a typo or something and it really should be 20,000?

      I also think if 200,000 people had moved out of Japan, we’d know about it. The sheer number of flights and ships required to move that many people within the course of a month is mind-boggling. This article was posted 10 days ago and yet nothing more has been mentioned anywhere about it. Doesn’t add up.

      I checked the http://www.usopsa.org website mentioned in the article. There’s no mention of this evacuation on the site, and the press releases haven’t been updated since 2010.

      As for the stuxnet thing, that’s pretty much tin-foil hat territory. Evidence for stuxnet points firmly at US and Israeli government agents writing viruses specifically to target the equipment used in Iranian centrifuges and fuel enrichment centres. I read an article a couple of months ago that said new evidence indicates that the stuxnet virus was disrupting Iran’s nuclear programme about a full year before it became public knowledge.

      The nuclear power plants in Japan that are currently having issues are far removed from the equipment used to enrich nuclear fuel in Iran, and probably aren’t even made by the same manufacturer. Stuxnet was also a deliberate attack on Iran, it seems unlikely it could make its way to Japan through any other than deliberate means, which again is unlikely.

      • freedom 6.1.1

        i posted the uso story to see if anyone else had heard or knew of any other data as i was having trouble finding confirmation, ( which in itself these days is hardly a reason to disbelieve anything.)

        the stuxnet issue is a little more interesting as the plant uses Siemens gear and there are reports of stuxnet affecting many machines outside of Iran. The growing theory is not that the stuxnet caused the fault because as we all know it was the Tsunami that damaged the plant, what is being suggested is that the Siemens/Stuxnet problems the plant was already experiencing may have affected the plant’s ability to function properly

  6. joe90 8

    News that an actual meltdown may be under way and the president of TEPCO playing where’s Wally, worrying.

  7. joe90 9

    Dr. A. Gopalakrishnan, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board in India speaks about the ongoing problems with the Fukushima reactors

  8. Draco T Bastard 10

    Dangerous Levels of Radioactive Isotope Found 25 Miles From Nuclear Plant

    The isotope, cesium 137, was measured in one village by the International Atomic Energy Agency at a level exceeding the standard that the Soviet Union used as a gauge to recommend abandoning land surrounding the Chernobyl reactor, and at another location not precisely identified by the agency at more than double the Soviet standard.

    The measurements, reported Wednesday, would not be high enough to cause acute radiation illness, but far exceed standards for the general public designed to cut the risks of cancer.

    Seems to be getting even worse as time goes by.

  9. Peter 11

    FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR RADIATION IS FOREVER.

    http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/03/27/18675697.php

    http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article27229.html

    Japan downplaying the Ionizing Radiation for so many days is scandalous and
    tantamount to global genocide.

  10. RedLogix 12

    The crucial point no-one wants to face up to is that everyone of the 450 odd BWR or PWR reactors currently operating in the world are vulnerable to exactly the same failure mode, loss of power to the cooling pumps for a period long enough to compromise fuel integrity.

    Which depending on the exact operating conditions at the time, can be a remarkably short period.

Links to post

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T11:04:13+00:00