(EDITOR'S NOTE: This was the first advisory issued at 2.40pm. The warnings published earlier in the Scoop Regional wire supersede this warning notice which is published for the sake of completeness.

National Advisory: Tsunami - Potential Threat To NZ
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No: 001
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Issued at 14:40 hours on 06/02/2013
The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM) has issued a Tsunami Potential Threat to New Zealand advisory for North Cape, Auckland West, East Cape, Gisborne, Auckland East, New Plymouth, Wellington.
The Potential Threat advisory will remain in effect until:
• It is upgraded to a Tsunami Warning, or
• A cancellation message is issued by MCDEM.
MCDEM and scientific advisors are in the process of assessing the situation to determine the severity of the threat to New Zealand. Updates will be issued at least hourly.

Meanwhile, people in coastal areas should:
• Note that a tsunami is possible
• Listen to the radio/TV for further assessment and updates
• Follow instructions of their local Civil Defence authorities

Only messages issued by MCDEM represent the official warning status for New Zealand. We note the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) has issued a Tsunami Watch for this event. PTWC messages do not represent the official warning status for New Zealand.

This advisory has been issued to all local civil defence authorities, emergency services, other agencies and media.
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Information for emergency managers:An earthquake has occurred with these parameters:
Origin time: 0112 ZULU 06 FEB 2013
NZ time: 1412 NZDT 06 FEB 2013
Co-ordinates: 10.9 SOUTH 165.1 EAST
Depth: 33 KM
Location: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
Magnitude: 8.0
The above magnitude is provisional and may be increased or decreased as more seismic data becomes available.
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Local and regional/Group Civil Defence Emergency Management must:

Activate appropriate response coordination arrangements and communication processes;
Alert potentially at-risk communities as appropriate;
Establish contact with the National Crisis management Centre (NCMC) once they have activated (CDEM Groups only);
Stand by for further information.

Local CDEM to act in coordination with regional/Group CDEM.

Local emergency services must establish and maintain active response coordination with respective local and regional/Group Civil Defence Emergency Management.

MCDEM has activated the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with public broadcasters to broadcast this advisory.
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NCMC status:

The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) is being activated.
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Further information:

A further update with more information will follow within the next hour. Until a cancellation is issued, updates will continue at least hourly. All further updates will be communicated by MCDEM via the national warning system.

Useful websites:
http://www.civildefence.govt.nz/
http://www.getthru.govt.nz/
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Issued by:
Message authorised by the National Controller, Civil Defence Emergency Management.
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© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>