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Introduction: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) affect up to 10% of all pregnancies annually and are associated with an increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. This guideline represents an update of the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (SOMANZ) guidelines for the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy 2014 and has been approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) under section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992. In approving the guideline recommendations, NHMRC considers that the guideline meets NHMRC's standard for clinical practice guidelines. Main recommendations: A total of 39 recommendations on screening, preventing, diagnosing and managing HDP, especially preeclampsia, are presented in this guideline. Recommendations are presented as either evidence‐based recommendations or practice points. Evidence‐based recommendations are presented with the strength of recommendation and quality of evidence. Practice points were generated where there was inadequate evidence to develop specific recommendations and are based on the expertise of the working group. Changes in management resulting from the guideline: This version of the SOMANZ guideline was developed in an academically robust and rigorous manner and includes recommendations on the use of combined first trimester screening to identify women at risk of developing preeclampsia, 14 pharmacological and two non‐pharmacological preventive interventions, clinical use of angiogenic biomarkers and the long term care of women who experience HDP. The guideline also includes six multilingual patient infographics which can be accessed through the main website of the guideline. All measures were taken to ensure that this guideline is applicable and relevant to clinicians and multicultural women in regional and metropolitan settings in Australia and New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand's agricultural sector faces the challenge of maintaining productivity while minimizing impacts on freshwaters. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of various green infrastructure systems designed to reduce diffuse agricultural sediment and nutrient loads. Utilizing a quantitative economic and contaminant reduction modeling approach, we analyze the impacts of five interceptive mitigation systems: riparian grass filter strips, constructed wetlands, woodchip bioreactors, filamentous algal nutrient scrubbers, and detainment bunds. Our approach incorporates Monte Carlo simulations to address uncertainties in costs and performance, integrating hydrological flow paths and contaminant transport dynamics. Mitigation systems are assessed individually and in combination, using a greedy cyclical coordinate descent algorithm to find the optimal combination and scale of a system for a particular landscape. Applying the model to a typical flat pastoral dairy farming landscape, no single system can effectively address all contaminants. However, strategic combinations can align with specific freshwater management goals. In our illustrative catchment, the mean cost to remove the full anthropogenic load is NZD 1195/ha for total nitrogen, NZD 168 for total phosphorus, and NZD 134 for suspended solids, but results will vary considerably for other landscapes. This study underscores the importance of tailored deployment of green infrastructure to enhance water quality and support sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red clover casebearer moth (Coleophora deauratella) (Leinig and Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) is an invasive insect pest in red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) seed production systems in North America and New Zealand. Recent discoveries of C. deauratella in Oregon and New Zealand prompted research investigating the seasonal phenology and population dynamics of C. deauratella to inform management strategies and develop a risk prediction framework to mitigate outbreak severity. We sampled 76 site-years across three geographic regions, including western (Willamette Valley) and eastern Oregon and New Zealand. An attractant-based trap network was deployed across sampled regions using a female sex pheromone to lure male moths in commercial red clover seed production fields. Remotely sensed temperature and landscape composition data were extracted for phenological and geospatial modeling. Nonlinear logistic regression was used to develop regionally explicit phenology models that predict the unimodal timing of C. deauratella flights. Molecular gut-content analyses revealed the dietary history of early-season captures and informed landscape analysis covariate selection. A spatial Bayesian generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was developed to test landscape-level effects of landscape composition and configuration predictors on C. deauratella abundance. The spatiotemporal dominance of clover and grassland land area was positively associated with Oregon C. deauratella populations. These results can be used to forecast C. deauratella risk across space and time and advise integrated pest management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) is a tall, wetland‐tolerant native podocarp tree that has potential for restoration of New Zealand wetlands currently dominated by invasive Grey willow (Salix cinerea). We investigated methods to jump‐start establishment of Kahikatea saplings in the Ramsar‐listed Whangamarino Wetland. Treatments involved planting saplings after full herbicide clearance of the willow canopy (FULL), partial herbicide clearance of the canopy (PARTIAL), and manual cutting of light wells (MANUAL). Saplings were planted as individuals or clusters of seven. Treatment plots were established in 2015 and monitored until 2020. Despite Kahikatea being considered a "light‐demanding" species, saplings grew best in the PARTIAL treatment which had the lowest ambient light levels (x̄=32% of non‐intercepted sunlight). PARTIAL treatment saplings were estimated to require 24–36 years to reach the height of the surrounding willow canopy if they maintained similar growth rates. Preconditioning saplings by soaking roots before planting provided a growth advantage in the PARTIAL treatment plots, whereas nonconditioned plants grew better in the higher‐light MANUAL and FULL plots. No benefit was found for cluster planting. Restoration toward a native Kahikatea‐dominated forest will be contingent on saplings reaching willow canopy height before the faster‐growing willows reestablish, or periodic management of willows to maintain light levels above the compensation point for continued growth. Ultimately, the utility of this approach depends on what on‐going facilitation is required and whether seedlings subsequently produced by these emergent podocarp "islands" are able to jump‐start a long‐term change in the successional trajectory of the surrounding willow‐dominated wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much land has been cleared of indigenous forest for pastoral agriculture worldwide. In New Zealand, the clearance of indigenous forest on hill country has resulted in high food production, but waterways have become turbid, with high nutrient and E. coli concentrations. A range of on-farm mitigations are available, but it is unclear how they should be applied catchment-wide. We have developed a catchment-scale model that integrates economics with ecosystem services to find a better balance between agriculture and nature. In the upper Wairua catchment, Northland, if three actions are prioritised—(1) keeping stock out of streams, (2) constructing flood retention bunds in first-order catchments, and (3) planting trees on highly erodible land—then sediment loads, E. coli levels, and flooding are significantly reduced. Implementing these actions would cost approximately 10% of catchment net revenue, so it is feasible with a combination of regulation and subsidy. Many catchments in New Zealand are primarily pastoral agriculture, as in other countries (in North and South America, Australasia, and the United Kingdom), and would benefit from the analysis presented here to guide development along sustainable pathways. While pastoral agriculture typically stresses waterways, with increased sedimentation and freshwater contaminants, much can be done to mitigate these effects with improved farm and riparian management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen loading from diffuse agricultural sources is a major water-quality problem worldwide. Constructed wetlands have been increasingly used to treat runoff and drainage from agricultural lands. However, the diffuse nature of nitrogen loading from farmlands often makes it challenging to trace flow pathways and measure the direct input loading to wetlands, and assess their nutrient-reduction performance. The Owl Farm wetland, Cambridge, New Zealand, receives inputs mainly from a subsurface drain and groundwater seepage. As it was not possible to directly measure wetland inflows, we used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to estimate and partition the wetland inflow and nitrogen loading from the drain and seepage. A dynamic first-order tanks-in-series wetland model was linked with SWAT to evaluate the wetland capacity for nitrogen removal over a four-year period. The linked catchment–wetland model could simulate flow and nitrate load at the wetland outlet reasonably well with a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.7 and 0.76, respectively, suggesting that it provides a good representation of the hydrological and nitrogen processes in the upland catchment and the constructed wetland. We used two approaches, a mixed measurement-and-modelling-based approach and a process-based modelling approach to estimate the wetland efficiency of nitrogen removal. In both approaches, we found that the percentage load removal for nitrate-N and total N was related exponentially to the wetland outflow rate. Based on the process-based model estimates, the Owl Farm constructed wetland is very effective in removing nitrate-N with annual estimates of 55–80% (average 61%) removal. However, this capacity is very dynamic depending on the inflow from the catchment. The removal efficiency is very high at low flow and reduces when flow increases but is still maintained at around 20–40% during higher-flow periods. However, actual nitrogen-load removal in the wetland is greatest during high-flow periods when input loads are elevated. This study illustrates how a linked catchment–wetland modelling approach can be used to partition and quantify diffuse nitrogen input loads into wetlands from different types of runoff and to evaluate their subsequent reduction rates. The tool is particularly useful for situations where diffuse groundwater inflows, which are difficult to measure, are important nutrient sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The myriad impacts of climate change (including environmental, social and economic outcomes) and the need to act urgently to limit these impacts is being increasingly understood by influential decision makers and the general population with significant climate change impacts such as sea level rise and migration of populations due to increasing vulnerability already occurring. Improving our understanding of climate change is critical to making swift and significant change – something which is essential in sufficiently reducing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and slowing climate change. Whilst these changes, including New Zealand’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, will greatly contribute to the significant reductions in GHG emissions required, it is important to note that significant change can also be achieved through the cumulative effect of many small, everyday changes. This paper explores the potential cumulative impact of the general population making many small, everyday changes to reduce GHG emissions to help slow climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the latest calibrations of the CLUES model for each of total nitrogen, total phosphorus and Escherichia coli. The model provides estimates of in-stream annual loads of these contaminants for every river reach in the New Zealand River Environments Classification and has been used in New Zealand for catchment planning and policy development. CLUES has been calibrated nationally against loads estimated from data collected from water quality monitoring stations located across the country which could lead to parameter bias. To ascertain whether there is any systematic bias, the calibration residuals were evaluated against regional (geographical) location and a range of upstream catchment characteristics, namely land use, soil drainage properties, slope, network order, proportion of baseflow in total stream flow, climate, geology and source of flow. We found that CLUES gives reasonable load estimates at the catchment scale (Nash-Sutcliff efficiencies >0.8 for all the contaminants). However, there was significant uncertainty in the parameterisation. While several significant relationships were found between upstream catchment characteristics and the model residuals, these relationships were weak and are unlikely to point to any systematic bias in the calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erosion leading to sedimentation in surface water may disrupt aquatic habitats and deliver sediment‐bound nutrients that contribute to eutrophication. Land use changes causing loss of native vegetation have accelerated already naturally high erosion rates in New Zealand and increased sedimentation in streams and lakes. Sediment‐bound phosphorus (P) makes up 71–79% of the 17–19 t P y−1 delivered from anthropogenic sources to Lake Rotorua in New Zealand. Detainment bunds (DBs) were first implemented in the Lake Rotorua catchment in 2010 as a strategy to address P losses from pastoral agriculture. The bunds are 1.5–2 m high earthen stormwater retention structures constructed across the flow path of targeted low‐order ephemeral streams with the purpose of temporarily ponding runoff on productive pastures. The current DB design protocol recommends a minimum pond volume of 120 m3 ha−1 of contributing catchment with a maximum pond storage capacity of 10 000 m3. No previous study has investigated the ability of DBs to decrease annual suspended sediment (SS) loads leaving pastoral catchments. Annual SS yields delivered to two DBs with 20 ha and 55 ha catchments were 109 and 28 kg SS ha−1, respectively, during this 12‐month study. The DBs retained 1280 kg (59%) and 789 kg (51%) of annual SS loads delivered from the catchments as a result of the bunds' ability to impede stormflow and facilitate soil infiltration and sediment deposition. The results of this study highlight the ability of DBs to decrease SS loads transported from pastures in surface runoff, even during large storm events, and suggests DBs are able to reduce P loading in Lake Rotorua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies of the N:P ratio in wetland plants have been carried out in northern hemisphere wetlands where atmospheric nitrogen deposition is higher. There is little research on foliar N:P ratio as a potential indicator of nutrient limitation in vegetation communities in southern hemisphere wetlands. This study aimed to redress this knowledge gap and answer the following questions: how well does the plant tissue nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P) ratio predict wetland plant community nutrient limitation, as indicated by vegetation standing stocks and below‐ground biomass, in southern hemisphere fens? Secondly, what are the impacts of realistic upper levels of farm nutrient run‐off on natural montane fen vegetation?Low (35 kg ha−1 year−1) and high (70 kg ha−1 year−1) levels of nitrate‐N or ammonium‐N with and without P (20 kg ha−1 year−1) were added to 81 vegetation plots over a period of 2.75 years. Species composition, plant nutrient status, and above‐ground live vegetation standing stocks were assessed after 3 years, and below‐ground biomass after 2 years.Plant tissue analysis suggested the community was N limited or N and P co‐limited; we found greater standing stocks of vegetation in plots treated with 70 kg ha−1 year−1 ammonium‐N, indicating N limitation. No difference between other treatments was found in above‐ground standing stocks or below‐ground biomass. Plant species cover increased in both high N treatments, consistent with N limitation. These changes in plant species cover were accompanied by significant decreases in species richness in both high N treatments. Native species dominated the vegetation and this was unaffected by nutrient addition (90% cover).This is one of the first studies to test and find support for the N:P ratio in southern hemisphere wetlands. Observed declines in species richness after N fertilisation in an N‐limited fen suggests increased N may pose risks to austral wetlands. Responses by plant communities (changes in composition, biomass) to lower levels of nutrient addition may require longer periods of fertilisation to be apparent in slow growing ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective There is no evidence for a genetic association between organic anion transporters 1-3 ( SLC22A6, SLC22A7, and SLC22A8) and multidrug resistance protein 4 (MRP4; encoded by ABCC4) with the levels of serum urate or gout. The Māori and Pacific (Polynesian) population of New Zealand has the highest prevalence of gout worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine whether any Polynesian population-specific genetic variants in SLC22A6-8 and ABCC4 are associated with gout. Methods All participants had ≥3 self-reported Māori and/or Pacific grandparents. Among the total sample set of 1,808 participants, 191 hyperuricemic and 202 normouricemic individuals were resequenced over the 4 genes, and the remaining 1,415 individuals were used for replication. Regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, sex, and Polynesian ancestry. To study the functional effect of nonsynonymous variants of ABCC4, transport assays were performed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Results A total of 39 common variants were detected, with an ABCC4 variant (rs4148500) significantly associated with hyperuricemia and gout. This variant was monomorphic for the urate-lowering allele in Europeans. There was evidence for an association of rs4148500 with gout in the resequenced samples (odds ratio [OR] 1.62 [ P = 0.012]) that was replicated (OR 1.25 [ P = 0.033]) and restricted to men (OR 1.43 [ P = 0.001] versus OR 0.98 [ P = 0.89] in women). The gout risk allele was associated with fractional excretion of uric acid in male individuals (β = −0.570 [ P = 0.01]). A rare population-specific allele (P1036L) with predicted strong functional consequence reduced the uric acid transport activity of ABCC4 by 30%. Conclusion An association between ABCC4 and gout and fractional excretion of uric acid is consistent with the established role of MRP4 as a unidirectional renal uric acid efflux pump. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drainage systems are essential for managing soil water levels, thereby ensuring optimal plant productivity while protecting soil quality. Although beneficial, drainage systems are also known to be a significant loss route for dissolved nutrients. A potential way of reducing nutrient loss through drainage systems is to use weirs to strategically control drainage of excess water from the soil profile. This review evaluates the scientific literature to ascertain whether controlled drainage could be a useful crop productivity and nutrient loss mitigation tool for New Zealand pastoral farming systems. While a range of risks and potential disadvantages have been identified, evidence from studies of cropped systems with controlled drainage in Europe, Canada and the US suggests that suitably managed controlled drainage offers significant benefits for water quality, agricultural productivity and nutrient- and water-use efficiency. The practical efficacy of controlled drainage requires field evaluation under New Zealand farming conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which investigated the association between attainment of training milestones by 2-year-old horses with racing outcomes in Standardbred racehorses in New Zealand. Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between attainment of the three milestones by 2-year-olds and the number of race starts and years raced. The study concluded that horses that began training, trialling, or racing as 2-year-olds had more successful careers.

Constructed and restored wetlands have significant potential to reduce nutrient losses in drainage waters from New Zealand farms. While both types of wetland show reasonably good nitrogen (N) removal efficiencies, they are not always so effective at phosphorus (P) removal and their flooded topsoils can be net sources of P. Wetland P-removal efficiency could be enhanced, either by adding a P-retentive amendment to the soil in the bottom of the wetland or installing a porous filter with a high P adsorbency and retention capacity at the end of the wetland. This review was carried out to evaluate a range of materials reported in the scientific literature as having the ability to remove P from water. Materials reviewed include: naturally occurring materials, such as soils, sands, clays and aggregates; processed and modified materials; and waste materials. The reported performance of the materials reviewed varied widely. A simple scoring system based on P-removal characteristics, availability, likely cost and potential reuse or disposal on saturation was used to identify the materials with most promise as soil amendments or filters for constructed wetlands. Allophane, Papakai tephra, limestone and alum were judged as materials with the most potential as soil amendments, while limestone, slag, seashells, shell-sand and tree bark had most potential as filter materials. Another possible approach is to use subsoil or a mix of subsoil and topsoil as the growth media in the base of the wetland to avoid P release on flooding of P-rich agricultural topsoils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This unlinked anonymous study aimed at determining the prevalence of HIV among sexual health clinic attenders having blood samples taken for syphilis and/or hepatitis B serology in six major New Zealand cities over a 12-month period in 2005-2006. Overall, seroprevalence was five per 1000 (47/9439). Among men who have sex with men (MSM), the overall prevalence and that of previously undiagnosed HIV were 44.1 and 20.1 per 1000, respectively. In heterosexual men, the overall prevalence was 1.2 per 1000 and in women 1.4 per 1000. HIV remains to be concentrated among homosexual and bisexual men. Comparison with a previous survey in 1996-1997 suggests an increase in the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV among MSM and also an increase in the number of MSM attending sexual health clinics. The low prevalence of HIV among heterosexuals suggests no extensive spread into the groups identified at risk of other sexually transmitted infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic analyses of the V3–V5 region of the env gene are used to determine Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) subtypes but can be complicated by co-infection with different subtypes or the presence of recombinant subtypes. FIV in blood samples from 30 domestic cats in New Zealand was subtyped by sequencing three overlapping fragments of the V3–V5 region of the env gene and 467 bp of the gag gene. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the isolates clustered with subtype A and C viruses. Seven samples showed discrepancies in subtype assignment from analyses of their env gene sequences. Nucleotide differences of 19.6% and 20.9% in overlapping regions in two cats suggest co-infection with subtypes A and C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen removal performance is reported for constructed wetlands treating subsurface drainage from irrigated and rain-fed dairy pastures in North Island, New Zealand. Flow-proportional sampling of inflow and outflow concentrations were combined with continuous flow records to calculate mass balances for the wetlands. Drainage flows from the irrigated catchment were 2.5-4 fold higher and N exports up to 5 fold higher per unit area than for the rain-fed catchment. Hydraulic and associated N loadings to the wetlands were highly pulsed, associated with rainfall, soil water status, and irrigation events. Transient pulses of organic nitrogen were an important form of N loss from the rain-fed landscape in the first year, and were very effectively removed in the wetland (>90%). Median nitrate concentrations of ∼10 gm-3 in the drainage inflows were reduced by 15-67% during passage through the wetlands and annual nitrate-N loads by 16-61% (38-317 g N m-2 y-1). Generation in the wetlands of net ammoniacal-N and organic-N (irrigated site) partially negated reduction in nitrate-N loads. The results show that constructed wetlands comprising 1-2% of catchment area can provide moderate reductions in TN export via pastoral drainage, but performance is markedly influenced by variations in seasonal loading and establishment/maturation factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance data, during the start-up period, are presented for constructed wetlands treating subsurface drainage from dairy pastures in Waikato (rain-fed) and Northland (irrigated), North Island, New Zealand. The wetlands comprised an estimated 1 and 2% of the drained catchment areas, respectively. Nitrate concentrations were high in the drainage inflows at both sites (medians 10 g m-3 at Waikato and 6.5 g m-3 at Northland), but organic N was also an important form of N at Waikato (37% of TN). Comparison of wetland inflow and outflow nutrient concentrations showed overall nutrient reductions during passage through the wetlands for NO3-N (34 and 94% for medians, respectively), TN (56 and 33%, respectively), and DRP (80%, Northland only). Median NH4-N (both sites) and DRP (Waikato) concentrations showed apparent increases between the wetland inlets and outlets. However, a mass balance calculated for the 3 month preliminary monitoring periods showed substantial mass removal of DRP (80%) and all measured forms of N (NO3-N 78%, NH4-N 41%, Org-N 99.8% and TN 96%) in the Waikato wetland. Monitoring of these systems needs to be continued through a range of seasons and years to fully assess their long-term performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland systems have been used extensively to supplement and upgrade waste stabilisation pond treatment systems in New Zealand. Key attributes of wetlands, such as low operational costs, minimal reliance on machinery and external energy inputs, high wildlife habitat values, and perceived "naturalness", complement those of pond systems. Performance data for a range of New Zealand post-pond constructed wetlands treating sewage, dairy farm and piggery wastewaters show BOD and SS concentrations can be readily reduced to low levels. Bacterial indicators are commonly reduced by at least one log unit, but levels below 500 cfu (100 mls)-1 are difficult to achieve consistently. Nutrient removal efficiency is highly dependent on loading rates and wastewater characteristics. Plant establishment and maintenance, wildlife management, hydraulic design and adequacy of preceding treatment are identified as key practical issues in the implementation and management of constructed wetland systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand has 16,500 dairy farms (avg. 220 cows), with cows kept on pasture throughout the year. During the 9-month dairy season, the cows are milked twice a day (averaging 2.5-3 h per day in the dairy parlour). Urine and faecal wastes deposited in the dairy parlour are washed away with high pressure hoses, using large volumes of water. A common method of treatment is in simple two-pond (anaerobic/facultative) lagoon systems, which remove about 95% of suspended solids and BOD5, but only 75% of total-N prior to discharge. High concentrations of ammoniacal-N in the effluent can cause toxicity to aquatic organisms in receiving waters. Mechanical aeration of the second (facultative) lagoon to promote nitrification improves effluent quality by reducing oxygen demand and potential ammonia toxicity to streamlife. Mechanical aeration however is associated with considerable mixing, which may prevent algae from optimising photosynthesis in the facultative lagoon. A series of experiments was undertaken which tested the efficiency of mechanical aeration and then attempted to combine it with daytime algal oxygen production in order to maximise ammonia conversion to nitrate, while minimising costs to the farmer. An experimental facility was developed by dividing a large facultative lagoon into two, producing a matched pair of lagoons, operated in parallel with influent flow split equally. Over successive dairy seasons, various aeration regimes were compared. Continuous aeration promoted nearly complete nitrification of the ammoniacal-N (99% removal), and effluent BOD was approximately halved. However the continuous mixing reduced algal biomass, and thus daytime algal photosynthesis. Night-only aeration permitted greater algal photosynthesis to occur, as well as halving electrical power consumption. Ammoniacal-N removal reduced to 90% (10 g m-3 remaining in the effluent), while BOD removal was also lower than in the continuously aerated lagoon (59 and 69% respectively). Providing a series of biofilm attachment surfaces for nitrifying bacteria by suspending geotextile material close to the surface in the pond in consistently aerobic water resulted in improved ammoniacal-N removal efficiency (93%) with night aeration, but still lower removal than continuous aeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the seasonal variation of macrophyte abundance in New Zealand. Influence of macrophyte on flow and channel volume; Control of phenological cycles of Egeria densa and Potamogeton crispus over the abundance of macrophytes; Identification of mean minimum total macrophyte biomass.

The article focuses on the reform of public management in New Zealand in relation to the changing role of the government and its implications for the development and training of public servants. One of the aspects of the reforms in New Zealand is responsibility for training that has been devolved to the chief executives and others. Requirements for the training needs include intellectual skills, bicultural skills, and others. Lessons for training providers include awareness of the requirements of chief executives for training and development, assistance of schools to build and maintain good human resource information systems, evaluation of training provision, and others.

Background Aims Materials and Methods Results Conclusion The Society of Australia and New Zealand (SOMANZ) published its first sepsis in pregnancy and the postpartum period guideline in 2017 (Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol, 57, 2017, 540). In the intervening 6 years, maternal mortality from sepsis has remained static.To update clinical practice with a review of the subsequent literature. In particular, to review the definition and screening tools for the diagnosis of sepsis.A multi‐disciplinary group of clinicians with experience in all aspects of the care of pregnant women analysed the clinical evidence according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system following searches of Cochrane, Medline and EMBASE. Where there were conflicting views, the authors reviewed the topic and came to a consensus. All authors reviewed the final position statement.This position statement has abandoned the use of the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (qSOFA) score to diagnose sepsis due to its poor performance in clinical practice. Whilst New Zealand has a national maternity observation chart, in Australia maternity early warning system charts and vital sign cut‐offs differ between states. Rapid recognition, early antimicrobials and involvement of senior staff remain essential factors to improving outcomes.Ongoing research is required to discover and validate tools to recognize and diagnose sepsis in pregnancy. Australia should follow New Zealand and have a single national maternity early warning system observation chart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy farm waste stabilisation ponds are a major source of ammoniacal-N to surface waters in New Zealand. Ammoniacal-N is of particular concern in New Zealand where native aquatic invertebrates appear to bevery sensitive to ammonia toxicity. This paper investigates improvement of ammoniacal-N nitrification in dairy farm facultative ponds with mechanical aeration and provision of biofilm attachment surfaces. Biofilm was grown on surfaces at different depths (0.1 m, 0.2 m and 0.6 m) under three mechanical aeration regimes (no aeration, night-onlyaeration and continuous aeration). Nitrification potential of biofilm was determined as the rate of ammoniacal-N removal in bioassays with ammoniacal-N spiked pond water or culture medium under controlled conditions (20 deg. C, pH 7.0, constant stirring, DO 2-3 g m-3, dark). The nitrification potentials (0.30 g N m-2 biofilm d-1 to 2.17 g N m-2 biofilm d-1) of biofilm-coated surfaces were largely controlled by oxygen availability and consistency of supply in the pond. Nitrification potentials were high where oxygen availability was high, such as close to the pond surface where atmospheric re-aeration and algal photosynthesis were prevalent. Nitrification potentials of biofilms incubated at depth were enhanced by mechanical aeration, with higher values achieved under the continuous aeration regime and at more turbulent sites closer to the aerator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-quality impairment due to excess nutrients entering Lake Rotorua has been recognised since the 1960s. So as to improve water-quality, the 2012 Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management Plan has set a target to reduce phosphorus (P) loads delivered to the lake by 10 t/year from a baseline of ~40 t P/year. Dissolved P and sediment-bound P loss from agriculture have been identified as significant sources of P entering the lake. Storm periods present significant opportunities to mitigate these losses. Detainment bunds (DBs) are a mitigation strategy that could potentially decrease P losses in storm events. A detainment bund is a low earthen dam constructed on productive pasture, which is capable of temporarily ponding large quantities of overland flow delivered by storm-generated ephemeral streams. Prior research on DBs and sedimentation basins serves as a proof of concept for the technology; however, there is no quantitative data available on the capacity of DBs to attenuate contaminants under New Zealand conditions. Quantification of DB performance is essential to the potential implementation of the technology at regional or national scales, and to the modelling of treatment efficacy in nutrient-management software such as OVERSEER®. The present study reports on preliminary data from a DB receiving surface runoff from 19.7 ha within the Lake Rotorua catchment during three contrasting storm events. The results indicated that retaining water in DBs resulted in discharges with decreased volumes of water and decreased concentrations of suspended sediments, dissolved reactive P and total P. Load attenuation related to event size and resulted in decreased loads of sediment (14–91%), dissolved reactive P (19–69%) and total P loads (18–67%) discharged downstream. These preliminary results indicated the potential of this mitigation strategy to decrease loads of sediment and P delivered to Lake Rotorua by surface runoff from pastoral agriculture. The present study investigated the ability of a detainment bund to mitigate sediment and phosphorus losses from pastoral agriculture. The performance of this mitigation strategy, which temporarily ponds storm-generated surface runoff for 48–80 h on productive pasture, has never been quantified. Results of the study suggest that this detainment bund is effective at attenuating suspended sediment and phosphorus, although further research should be conducted before promoting detainment bunds at a wider scale and before land managers make substantial investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, the causal agent of bacterial canker of kiwifruit, was detected for the first time in New Zealand in November 2010. Only in Bay of Plenty, one of the four regions where this pathogen had been detected, did symptoms evolve beyond leaf spots, resulting in cane die-back, wilting of canes, and canker, sometimes leading to death of the vine. Molecular analysis (cts haplotype and BOX-polymerase chain reaction [PCR] electrophoretic pattern) of strains isolated from different regions of New Zealand revealed that two biovars could be distinguished. They have been called biovar 3 and biovar 4 to differentiate them from strains from Japan (biovar 1) or Korea (biovar 2), which have a different cts haplotype or a different BOX-PCR pattern. Biovars 3 and 4 displayed different degrees of virulence, as measured by their ability to cause leaf spots on young, potted kiwifruit plants. Biovar 3, which has also been present in Italy since 2008 and in France, was found in the Bay of Plenty, where cane diebacks were observed. In contrast, no symptoms other than leaf spots have been observed in orchards where strains of biovar 4 have been isolated. We report the distribution and the disease progression of biovars 3 and 4 in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Detainment bunds are capable of impounding up to 10,000 m3 of surface runoff. • Impeding stormflow increased residence time and facilitated soil infiltration. • Surface runoff reaching downstream waterways decreased by 43% and 63%. • Soil infiltration rates in areas are decreasing due to repetitive ponding. • The novel strategy is likely to decrease sediment and nutrient loading downstream. Storm generated surface runoff is responsible for significant portions of the contaminants exported from grazed pastures that contribute to water quality impairment in inland and coastal waters. Detainment bunds (DBs) were investigated as a novel strategy to mitigate the losses of nutrients and sediment in surface runoff from pastures in the Lake Rotorua catchment, in New Zealand. A DB is a ∼1.5-2 m high earthen stormwater retention structure constructed on productive pastures in the flow path of targeted ephemeral streams. The current DB design protocol recommends a minimum pond volume of 120 m3 per hectare of contributing catchment. Bunds are capable of temporarily ponding up to 10,000 m3 of surface runoff, which can be rapidly drained by opening an outlet valve. This 12-month study of 2 DB sites with 55 ha and 20 ha subcatchments in the Lake Rotorua catchment, found that DBs effectively decreased annual discharge volumes by 31% and 43%. Decreased runoff discharges were the result of increased soil infiltration facilitated by increased stormwater residence times on well-drained soils in the ponding area. Furthermore, discharges from the DBs occurring after runoff generation in the catchment had ceased were likely to infiltrate the soils downstream of the DBs. Combining the in-pond and downstream infiltration, the DBs prevented 43% and 63% of the annual runoff generated in the targeted catchments from reaching downstream surface waters. The results of this study demonstrate that DBs constructed on sufficiently permeable soils reduce surface runoff volumes from pastures, and are thereby capable of decreasing contaminant loads delivered to receiving surface waters. As such, DBs are likely to be an effective strategy to add to the nutrient mitigation toolbox in the Lake Rotorua catchment, and in other pastoral locations where contaminants mobilised by surface runoff contribute to water quality degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CLUES predicts mean annual loads of TN, TP and E. coli across New Zealand. • CLUES has been calibrated against loads estimated from water quality and flow data. • There are compensating errors between source yields and attenuation parameters. • Water quality sampling in lower order streams is needed for estimation of attenuation. Catchment water quality models are essential for fresh water management; however, their value is dependent on their performance and level of uncertainty and for this information to be communicated in a transparent and understandable way to key stakeholders. Here we present the latest calibration of the Catchment Landuse for Environmental Sustainability model (CLUES) and examine the implications of the calibration for estimating in-stream contaminant attenuation. CLUES estimates catchment mean annual loads of Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus and E. coli and is widely used in New Zealand for both catchment planning and policy development. CLUES contains three freshwater model components derived from existing water quality models. Two are based on the New Zealand Overseer and SPASMO models and have been pre-calibrated for use in CLUES. The third component is based on the USGS SPARROW model and its parameters have been calibrated against annual loads estimated from monthly water quality data from catchments across the country. We found that CLUES gives reasonable load estimates at the catchment scale (Nash-Sutcliff efficiencies > 0.8 for all the contaminants). However, there was significant uncertainty in the SPARROW parameterisation. We conclude that while CLUES can be used to estimate catchment contaminant loads, it cannot adequately estimate instream attenuation. Improved representation of lower order streams in the calibration data would allow us to evaluate the source yields from each of the model components to better estimate attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]