Air New Zealand cargo flights between Melbourne and Los Angeles will soon be taking off after the airline was awarded the route as part of the Australian Government’s International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) programme.
The airline will operate one flight per week until 31 October 2021, with the first flight bound for Melbourne on 3 July. This will be in addition to the Brisbane – Los Angeles flying the airline has been doing since August 2020 under the same scheme.
Air New Zealand General Manager Cargo Anna Palairet says this will be the first time the airline has flown the route, and with the limited international flying currently happening, adding a new route to the mix is positive.
“This service will help Australian exporters get high-value, time-sensitive perishable exports to global markets and assist with importing nationally important goods to Australia. Over the next four months, the route will open the potential for nearly 1000 tonnes to be moved between Melbourne and Los Angeles.
“We know there is some big cargo demand on this route as it gives Australian exporters and importers another option to move products to and from the US. In fact, the first flight is already pre-sold.
In May, the airline was also awarded more flying under the New Zealand Government’s Maintaining International Air Connectivity (MIAC) scheme.
“This scheme has been extended through to October, and we will operate around 30 flights per week to 13 destinations including Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Shanghai, as well as maintaining air connectivity with key ports within the Pacific Islands. “Our Cargo team has worked hard to keep products moving for the past 15 months which has also allowed us to bring Kiwis home while international travel is constrained by border closures.”
DUNEDIN, New Zealand & SYDNEY–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Leading Australian and New Zealand education technology (“edtech”) company Education Perfect (“EP” or the “Company”), global investment firm KKR, and Australia-based private equity firm Five V Capital today announced the signing of definitive agreements pursuant to which KKR will acquire a majority stake in the Company.
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EP, a certified B Corporation, empowers students, teachers, parents, and school leaders by providing them with rich data insights and tools for automated marking, feedback, secure assessment, differentiation, and more. EP also offers tens of thousands of high-quality pre-built lessons. Founded in 2007, EP’s work is grounded in the belief that the provision of accessible edtech solutions fosters a more diverse and inclusive education ecosystem. EP is currently being used by more than 3,000 schools, 50,000 teachers and 1 million students in more than 50 countries worldwide.
KKR makes its investment from its Global Impact Fund. KKR’s Global Impact strategy is focused on investing in market-leading companies whose business contributes toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDG”). EP’s business directly contributes towards SDG 4 (Quality Education) by providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality education to students around the world.
Alex Burke, CEO of Education Perfect, said, “An investment by KKR’s Global Impact Fund validates EP’s stand-out position and exceptional track record in the fragmented education technology industry. COVID-19 has put education technology in the spotlight, and our amazing team and world-class data, technology and content have been the foundation of our success. I welcome KKR’s investment, which marks a key moment in the Company’s journey and sets EP up for its next phase of global growth. I’m excited by what the investment represents, and how it validates the quality of the product that we are offering to teachers, students, parents and school leaders, and the exceptional work the entire EP team is doing.”
KKR will leverage the firm’s experience investing in technology and education companies to support EP and the management team’s vision to grow into a major edtech business globally, with a mission to improve education efficacy and outcomes. Five V Capital, which invested in EP in 2017, will remain a shareholder alongside EP’s management team and Co-Founders Craig and Shane Smith.
Chee-Wei Wong, Head of KKR Global Impact for Asia, said, “Education Perfect aligns with our focus on lifelong learning by democratizing access to quality digital tools for teachers and students thereby driving inclusiveness in education. Its best-in-class platform combines quality content, formative assessments, student analytics and personalized learning, which support teachers day-to-day and help improve students’ learning efficacy. We look forward to supporting the team as it accelerates its winning strategy to become a global leader in edtech while delivering strong outcomes in quality education.”
“Digital transformation in K-12 education is at an early stage compared to other industries, and EP is well-positioned to drive this on a larger, global scale,” said George Aitken, a Director at KKR. “We are excited to work with Education Perfect’s talented team to strengthen its market-leading position in Australia and New Zealand, accelerate its growth, and expand its international presence. This investment also highlights KKR’s commitment to supporting impactful, home-grown champions that are looking for opportunities in new markets, verticals, and sectors.”
Srdjan Dangubic, Founding Partner of Five V Capital’s said, “From our first meeting with Craig and Shane Smith and the management team, we knew Education Perfect was a terrific company with very exciting global prospects. We are proud to have backed the EP team and world leading product to create the largest Ed-tech business in ANZ. Since our investment, EP’s leading team has more than doubled to over 200 employees delivering revenue growth of over by 400% and earnings growth of 600%. We believe that the future remains very bright, and we are delighted to continue with our investment alongside Alex, the EP team and KKR. We look forward to much future success.”
Macquarie Capital, PWC, Clifford Chance and Gilbert + Tobin acted as advisors on the transaction.
About Education PerfectThe team at EP are united through a common passion for making a global impact in education. Founded in New Zealand and developed by and with teachers over a 10-year period, Education Perfect (EP) is a complete digital teaching and learning toolkit for schools. The EP platform offers a world-class set of tools for learning, revision, and assessment, enabling 21st century practices for school years 5 to 12, across all subject areas.
Data is at the heart of EP. Its rich user data report and insight capabilities enables the use of machine learning & AI, while also providing insights to teachers, parents, principals, administrators and students. Personalisation, inclusivity of every learner, actionable data & insights and interoperability are the defining requirements of the digital teaching & learning platforms of the future. EP meets all these requirements, sitting well ahead of its largely subject-specific competitors.
With offices in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Dubai, and being already used by 1 million+ students, 50,000+ teachers, in 3,000+ schools across 50+ countries, EP is uniquely positioned to be the complete digital teaching and learning toolkit for teachers and parents globally.
About KKRKKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
About Five V CapitalFive V Capital, a certified B Corporation, is a private equity fund manager based in Sydney with over $900 million of funds under management. Five V’s unique investment approach is underpinned by a philosophy of alignment and is reflected in the Five V Capital team being the largest investors across its funds. This alignment between team, investors, partners and management teams is a key component of Five V’s success. Five V Capital’s current portfolio contains several leading businesses including APP Corporation, Zenith Investment Partners, Totara Learning, Monson Agencies, The Probe Group, Universal Store and Plenti. For more information about Five V Capital, please visit Five V’s website at https://www.fivevcapital.com/ and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/fivevcapital.
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Dawn Aerospace (Dawn) and Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP) have entered into an MOU, which lays out a series of future interactions that are mutually expected to occur between the two entities, but is not legally binding. Future actions include Dawn establishing a presence at CASP, working with CASP to create a relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and, eventually, conducting test flights and spaceplane launches.
“In order to provide unprecedented access to space, we’ve pursued technologies that will operate much like a fleet of aircraft – taking off and landing at airports globally,” said James Powell, Dawn Co-founder. “We’re pleased to work with the supportive Adams County Board to bring our rocket-powered suborbital plane, and longer-term our orbital spaceplane, to Colorado.” In Dec. 2020 Dawn was granted an Unmanned Aircraft Operator Certificate by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority to fly from a conventional airport. Dawn’s Mk-II Aurora is their latest spaceplane iteration. Mk-III Aurora, a two-stage orbital system, is currently in development.
Alongside the testing and development ongoing on the company’s spaceplanes, Dawn provides in-space satellite propulsion to its customers globally. Dawn has successfully seen eight of it’s in-space propulsion units launched in 2021 on Vega, Soyuz, and SpaceX vehicles.
The company’s spaceplane division is interested in expanding business operations to include Colorado Air and Space Port in Adams County.
“The Adams County Board looks forward to creating this new partnership with Dawn Aerospace and eventually having them operate at Colorado Air and Space Port,” said Eva J. Henry, Adams County Commissioner and Board Chair. “This partnership will bring a multitude of innovative opportunities for all involved, and we can’t wait to see what comes next from this impressive company.”
Dawn Aerospace was awarded the 2020 Hi-Tech Start-up Company of the Year, at the 2020 New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards, for developing technology to access space in a more scalable and sustainable way than is currently possible with traditional rockets.
“The amount of interest in Colorado Air and Space Port from international and domestic aerospace companies over the past three years has been amazing,” said Raymond Gonzales, Adams County Manager. “This agreement with a truly innovative company like Dawn Aerospace is an exciting development as we continue to increase our aerospace partnerships while also expanding our general aviation activity at CASP.”
“Dawn Aerospace has successfully worked with a number of European countries for the launch of their propulsion units, and we are thrilled this company will be establishing a presence with us,” said Dave Ruppel, Colorado Air and Space Port Director. “Dawn Aerospace is a leader in the industry. Having a spaceplane that can make multiple suborbital trips a day with the same vehicle, take off and land from a conventional airport, and uses green propellants will help drive the industry to create more proficient space vehicles.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is openly courting the United States to play a more active role in the Pacific and to re-join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) or even consider a bilateral trade deal.
She made the comments in a virtual discussion this morning with the United States-based Council on Foreign Relations.
Ardern said many countries were active in the Pacific, including China, Australia, the European Union and Japan and New Zealand would never be able to outspend them.
"What we would be seeking is, given the interests of the United States in the region, not only strategically but in terms of those longstanding relationships, to look beyond those regional relationships, beyond just strategic and defence perspective but actually look to the United States to embed itself more in our regional economic architecture.
"And I'd say that not just for the Pacific but actually the Indo-Pacific generally," she said.
"In the change in Administration, there is an opportunity there for, I think, to change up that approach and if I was seeking anything from the United States, I would seek for them to think about that opportunity."
Asked if that mean she would welcome the US re-joining CPTPP, she said it represented 13 per cent of world GDP.
"It would, if the United States joined, be the most significant agreement for the United States, I think covering in the order of 40 per cent of trade. It would be significant.
"We would encourage the United State to enter into multilateral trade agreements or even bilateral trade agreements but particularly with an eye to our region," Ardern said.
"But in doing so we are asking for a high standard, and obviously that won't be new for those who have engaged with the text of the CPTPP."
Ardern said any re-entry by the United States would require a high-standard agreement, currently reflected in the text which has been signed up to by 11 countries: New Zealand, Singapore, Chile, Brunei, Australia, Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, Japan, Canada and Mexico.
The CPTPP (formerly the TPP) was the major trade policy of the Barack Obama Administration, in which current US President Joe Biden was Vice-President.
But Donald Trump withdrew the US from the TPP the week he was sworn into office in 2017.
Biden spoke favourably about the TPP and the possibility of renegotiating with strong protections but never made a commitment to re-join during his campaign.
The United Kingdom two weeks ago began the process of applying to join the CPTPP, which will require the consent of all 11 countries.
The initial question to Ardern when the trade issue was raised was about New Zealand's evolving role in the South Pacific, especially in light of China's Belt and Road Initiative – which funds other countries' large infrastructure projects.
Ardern said that was "an excellent question and one that has been top of our mind for the entire time that we have been in office".
She talked about the Pacific reset policy undertaken in the first term in which the Government had tried to change the relationship with Pacific neighbours to one of partnership rather than "donor–donee".
She disputed a suggestion by the moderator, Richard N Haass, that New Zealand had taken a different position to Australia on the need for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19.
"Absolutely we support the World Health Organisation's endeavours there and also we are very clear that we need nations to participate. They need to be open and transparent. We need access if we are to be able to determine these origins.
"But all the way through we have also said this cannot be seen as a blame exercise because we need to learn and anything that might act as a barrier for nations being co-operative, we need to be mindful of but unfortunately I think probably some of that has been mis-characterised."
She said it was in everyone's interests for it to be investigated to the point where it could be proven or disproven to have escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, to help with any global response in the future.
"That's in all parties' best interests, including China's I would have thought."
By: Audrey Young Audrey Young is the senior political correspondent for the New Zealand Herald
Happy Valley and Burt Lewis Ingredients LLC (BLI) have entered into an agreement for Happy Valley to supply batch-formulated nutritional milk powders to BLI once certain operational and quality conditions have been satisfied. Happy Valley Nutrition Limited (ASX: HVM; ‘Happy Valley’ or ‘the Company’) is pleased to announce a major milestone whereby North American (USA) dairy ingredient distributor BLI, has entered into a conditional supply agreement (‘Supply Agreement’) to source batch-formulated nutritional milk powders manufactured at Happy Valley’s state-of-the-art nutritional grade processing facility in Ōtorohanga, New Zealand, which is in the first phase of its construction. This is a major development for Happy Valley and an important vote of confidence from a global distributor specialising in dairy ingredients, based in Chicago, USA. https://www.burtlewisingredients.com/ Once operational, Happy Valley’s facility will have capacity to produce 35,000 metric tonnes per annum of nutritional ingredients and formulaic products and aims to commence operations in mid-CY 2023. Supply Agreement Framework and Key Conditions Precedent • Purchase of a minimum of 4,800 metric tonnes per annum of batch-formulated nutritional milk powders, destined for export markets. • Conditional on completion of Happy Valley's facility and satisfaction of BLI's quality assurance requirements. • Three-year minimum term. Comment Happy Valley Nutrition Limited Chief Executive Officer Greg Wood commented: “Securing this Supply Agreement validates the requirement for the type of capability our plant offers customers. Our goal is to work with our partners to satisfy market demands.” Release approved by the Chief Executive Officer on behalf of the Board.
https://www.hvn.co.nz/
DALLAS, June 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE:J) has been awarded two rail contracts by KiwiRail, New Zealand's rail network owner and operator as part of KiwiRail's Auckland Metro Rail Programme to modernize Auckland's rail network. The Programme delivers vital upgrades to the existing rail network ahead of the opening of Auckland's largest ever transport infrastructure project, the City Rail Link.
Jacobs has been appointed as lead designer for the Wiri to Quay Park project, providing multidiscipline engineering and architectural professional services. When complete, the additional track between South and Central Auckland will help ease congestion on the rail network.
"An upgraded rail network is critical to alleviating congestion and unlocking growth in the region," said Jacobs Executive Vice President Patrick Hill. "These appointments create opportunity for Jacobs to deliver lasting benefits for commuters and New Zealand's economy, while supporting future mobility growth in Auckland."
In addition, Jacobs, in partnership with John Holland, McConnell Dowell and Novare, will deliver design and construction services for the Papakura to Pukekohe Rail Electrification project. The project includes the electrification of 11.8 miles (19 kilometers) of track and the construction of two additional platforms at Pukekohe station. Jacobs will deliver detailed design services and management, surveillance and quality assurance (MSQA) services during the construction phase. Electrifying the line will allow passengers getting on in Pukekohe south of Auckland, to travel direct to the city, rather than transferring trains at Papakura.
"The network enables people to make 21.4 million trips a year and, once the City Rail Link projects are finished, we expect another jump in commuter numbers as people recognize the benefits of rail commuting," says KiwiRail Chief Operating Officer Capital Projects David Gordon. "The government is investing heavily in the Auckland network and we're making good progress to ensure this investment delivers as quickly as possible for Aucklanders, propelling Auckland's rail commuter services into the future."
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With $14 billion in revenue and a talent force of approximately 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Livestock Improvement Corporation (NZX: LIC) announces it has entered into an agreement to divest its automation business to MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK) for an amount of NZ$38,100,000 and subject to a working capital adjustment.
The LIC Automation product portfolio joins Allflex Livestock Intelligence (a business unit within MSD Animal Health which has manufacturing facilities at Palmerston North New Zealand).
Completion of the transaction is subject to customary requirements and the transaction is expected to complete on or about 11 June 2021.
The transaction includes the following:
LIC Board Chair Murray King says the divestment of the automation business is in line with LIC’s refined strategy, and will allow the co-op to sharpen its focus and play to its strengths delivering world-leading pasture based dairy genetics and herd management for New Zealand farmers.
“We are pleased that MSD Animal Health has chosen to acquire this technology for their Allflex Livestock Intellience Business Unit. We are confident this is the best way forward - for the technology, for our farmers who have invested in these systems and for the wider co-op shareholder base.
“MSD Animal Health has a reputation for investing heavily in research and development for animal health and welfare. The company has extensive scientific and technological capabilities that can take this technology to the next phase and deliver more value to farmers.”
King says LIC has a long-standing relationship with MSD Animal Health, through its Allflex Livestock Intelligence business unit and the companies will work together to support farmer customers through the transition.
“In making the decision to sell, it was important to us that the buyer would continue to support our existing farmer customers in New Zealand and we are pleased that both parties are aligned on this. We will work together to make the handover as smooth as possible.”
The LIC Automation team has been offered secondment to MSD Animal Health, to continue in their current roles.
King said the sale will conclude a longstanding, concerted effort by the co-op to attempt to grow the automation business and make it profitable, with moderate success.
Last year LIC shareholders voted down a proposal from the Board for LIC to purchase a stake in Israeli agritech company Afimilk, which had included a potential subsequent transaction for Afimilk to purchase LIC Automation. Following this, the Board agreed to reintegrate automation into LIC to try to enable the business to become cashflow positive and break even.
“We know automation delivers a lot of value on-farm, but despite significant efforts by our people, the automation business itself has seldom been profitable, partly due to the stabilisation of cow numbers in NZ dairy and limited traction in international markets.
“This divestment will allow us to focus on delivering value for our farmer shareholders - with the increased capital it will provide and, importantly, ongoing access to key data from the automation and sensor technology to support core LIC business into the future.”
MinterEllisonRuddWatts advised LIC on the transaction.
For more information please visit the Divestment of LIC Automation page.
4 June 2021 DCI Data Centers : DCI Data Centers (DCI) secures has first New Zealand today announced it has data centre site been granted New Zealand Overseas Investment Office (“OIO”) consent to purchase land for a major new data centre in Auckland. The OIO approval is the first step toward DCI establishing its presence in New Zealand’s fast growing cloud services business. DCI owns and operates leading data centre facilities, serving cloud and managed service providers, governments and enterprises across Asia Pacific. Malcolm Roe, DCI Chief Executive Officer for Australia and New Zealand, said: “We are delighted to be kicking off our cloud programme in New Zealand; these facilities will accelerate the adoption of cloud services, critical for enabling growth across all sectors of the economy.” “This site is the first step for us in New Zealand and we are currently finalising selection of further sites to meet strong demand. “Increasing cloud use in New Zealand is driving the demand for several high capacity, environmentally-friendly data centres and other related infrastructure within the country. We are pleased to be playing a key role in the development of this vital part of the digital economy.” DCI AKL01 will be located on a site at Westgate in north-west Auckland and will utilise DCI’s standardised design for a cloud data centre. After engagement with Auckland Council, DCI has lodged a resource consent application for the facility. Auckland Deputy Mayor, Bill Cashmore welcomed this news, saying: “I am really pleased to see commercial developments ramping up at Westgate. Regional employment and commercial activities based around the whole of Auckland is a critical regional growth factor.” DCI currently has two large scale data centre assets located in Sydney and Adelaide. It has also recently announced an additional $70 million investment in a Tier-Ready III certified cloud edge data centre at its current Adelaide facility.
About DCI Data Centers DCI Data Centers is a data centre owner and operator that is challenging the way facilities are built and operated. It brings together innovative, environmentally-efficient technologies and construction methods to enable the rapid deployment of secure cloud and hyperscale compute environments. With a growing fleet of data centres across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, DCI Data Centers’ mission is to become the preferred partner in the Asia Pacific region for the delivery of purposebuilt, highly secure, and resilient data centre solutions.
Since 2015, DCI Data Centers has served public cloud and managed service providers, governments and enterprises. It delivers mission-critical digital infrastructure with predictability, flexibility, and security; critical to scale and respond to market demand. DCI is a portfolio company of Brookfield Asset Management and its investment partners.
WESTBROOK, Maine, June 2, 2021—IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), a global leader in veterinary diagnostics and software, announced today the acquisition of ezyVet®, a fast-growing, innovative practice information management system (PIMS). With the acquisition, IDEXX further expands its world-class cloud software offerings that support customers with technology solutions that raise the standard of care for patients, improve practice efficiency, and enable more effective communication with pet owners.
“ezyVet is a truly impressive cloud-native software solution that continues to transform the industry and the software experience for veterinary practitioners. Their growth has been very strong, but the true testament to what they’ve created is their industry-leading customer satisfaction,” said Jay Mazelsky, IDEXX President and Chief Executive Officer. “We greatly admire the way ezyVet enables veterinarians to focus on what matters most: caring for patients and growing their business. We are pleased to welcome ezyVet to the IDEXX family and look forward to bringing this platform into the IDEXX customer community.”
“We are very much looking forward to our future with IDEXX,” said Hadleigh Bognuda, ezyVet Chief Executive Officer and Founder. “We are thrilled to pair our industry-leading technology with IDEXX’s scale and commitment to innovation.”
With the acquisition of ezyVet, IDEXX has a full range of cloud-based PIMS options for veterinary hospitals, corporate groups, and universities that cover the needs of both general practice and specialty clinics. Customers will continue to enjoy superior support, training resources, and advanced software functionality, independent of which IDEXX PIMS they choose. The acquisition also includes Vet Radar, an innovative mobile-responsive electronic treatment sheet and whiteboarding solution. No details of the agreement are being made public at this time.
About IDEXX Laboratories IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a member of the S&P 500® Index and is a leader in pet healthcare innovation, offering diagnostic and software products and services that deliver solutions and insights to practicing veterinarians around the world. IDEXX products enhance the ability of veterinarians to provide advanced medical care, improve staff efficiency and build more economically successful practices. IDEXX is also a worldwide leader in providing diagnostic tests and information for livestock and poultry and tests for the quality and safety of water and milk and point-of-care and laboratory diagnostics for human medicine. Headquartered in Maine, IDEXX employs approximately 9,300 people and offers products to customers in over 175 countries. For more information about IDEXX, visit: www.idexx.com
About IDEXX PIMS IDEXX’s three core PIMS support practices of all sizes, industry-wide. Cornerstone® Software is one of the industry’s leading PIMS, with a full set of features that enable customization to virtually any hospital requirements. Neo® Software is a lightweight, easy-to-use PIMS that delivers a brilliantly simple option for many veterinary practices. ezyVet is a full-featured cloud-native solution that offers powerful capabilities built into the platform, with a broad array of integrations that support the most popular apps on which veterinarians rely.
About ezyVet Based in New Zealand, ezyVet was founded in 2006 out of the desire for intuitive, affordable, and customizable software that could cater to veterinary practices of all shapes and sizes. Working in partnership with vets, ezyVet has grown into next-generation cloud-based practice management software, which is feature rich, customizable, and easy to use, serving the veterinary industry all around the world.
About Vet Radar Based in New Zealand, Vet Radar is an innovative veterinary workflow management solution that is growing rapidly across Asia Pacific, the US, and the UK. It is the only fully mobile-responsive veterinary electronic treatment sheet, whiteboarding, and workflow tool. Born out of a passion for delivering product and workflow innovation to veterinary clients, Vet Radar launched commercially in 2021 and has successfully been installed in a number of hospitals. As part of the IDEXX acquisition, Vet Radar will become part of ezyVet.
New Zealand has joined an international arrangement to co-operate with NASA on peaceful exploration and activity in outer space.
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash announced the government has agreed to join the Artemis Accords, launched by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and now signed by eleven nations.
“The Artemis Accords guide cooperation on space exploration, including support of NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the Moon in 2024, and explore Mars and beyond,” said Nanaia Mahuta.
“They set principles around the exploration of space, such as transparency, inter-operability, release of scientific data, sustainable use of resources, safe disposal of debris, and prevention of harmful interference in other’s activities.
“As one of only a small number of states with space launch capability we take responsibilities of kaitiakitanga of the space environment seriously. New Zealand is committed to ensuring the next phase of space exploration is conducted in a safe, sustainable and transparent manner and in full compliance with international law.
“While existing international law provides high level rules around the utilisation of resources, we see a need for additional rules or standards to ensure the conservation and long-term sustainability of these resources. The Artemis Accords are an important first step in that regard.
“The ability to use space resources such as minerals on the moon and other celestial bodies is critical to enable the next phase of space exploration, including the possibility of sending humans to Mars.
“New Zealand is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders across all space issues to ensure that the space environment will be available, and accessible, for the benefit of all, now and into the future” said Nanaia Mahuta.
“New Zealand’s participation in the Artemis Accords is an historic moment for our nation and our highly-regarded local space industry,” Stuart Nash said.
“The government’s economic priorities include supporting firms to make the most of our international connections. The Artemis Accords enable us to prepare for future economic and trade opportunities as well as meeting foreign policy objectives.
“Our space sector is worth over $1.7 billion and our space manufacturing industry generates around $247 million per annum in revenue. Signing the Artemis Accords facilitates participation in the Artemis program by New Zealand and our space sector companies.
“NASA is explicitly seeking international collaboration and outsourcing key technology solutions to the private sector. Space exploration not only increases our knowledge of our planet and universe and encourages research, science and innovation, it also provides economic opportunities for New Zealand.
“Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and many New Zealanders will remember watching the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 as grainy footage on black and white televisions. By signing the Artemis Accords, we can more easily be an active partner in the successor to the Apollo lunar program more than 50 years later,” Mr Nash said.
All applications to launch a satellite from New Zealand must first be approved under the Outer Space and High-Altitude Activities Act. Information about the oversight and regulation of space activities is here: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/space/
ENDS
Background for Editors – Artemis Accords
The Artemis Accords were signed for New Zealand yesterday, 31 May 2021, by Dr Peter Crabtree, Head of the New Zealand Space Agency at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
New Zealand is the 11th signatory alongside Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Ukraine. Brazil has also announced its intention to sign.
One aspect of the Artemis Accords which New Zealand wants to develop further is the question of space resource utilisation. The ability to use space resources (the mineral resources in and on the moon and other celestial bodies) is critical to enable the next phase of space exploration, including to the possibility of sending humans to Mars.
There is more work to be done to ensure the robust governance of space resource utilisation activity. In particular, New Zealand sees a need for rules, norms and standards to ensure the conservation and long-term sustainability of space resources, to reinforce the peaceful use of outer space and ensure that the existing international rules applying to outer space are effective in the modern space environment.
The Artemis Accords are an important first step, confirming that the extraction and use of space resources must be done consistently with existing international law, and that a multilateral process is required to progress this issue.
The use of space resources, for example for spacecraft propellant, construction of habitats, or use in life support systems, will enable ambitious deep-space exploration by making space exploration safer, cheaper and more accessible. The activity supported by space resource utilisation (SRU) will deepen scientific understanding, drive innovation and produce economic opportunity across the growing global space sector.
Existing international law provides some high level rules which apply to space resource utilisation – including that any such activity must be for the benefit and in the interests of all countries. But, these rules were developed in the 1960s, before space resource utilisation was contemplated. As a result, there are some significant gaps especially regarding long-term sustainable management of space resources and the space environment.
A message from the NASA Administrator regarding New Zealand’s signature of the Accords is on the MBIE YouTube site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5VOGBKyHgo
Further information about the Artemis Accords and the associated Artemis Programme is here: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-international-partners-advance-cooperation-with-first-signings-of-artemis-accords
Summary of the text of the Artemis Accords
The Accords are not binding in international law, but contain a set of principles designed to guide the safe and sustainable exploration and use of outer space. The principles are:
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