ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on October 1, 2025.
We teach young people to write. In the age of AI, we must teach them how to see
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Vikas Anand Dev/Unsplash From the earliest year of school, children begin learning how to express ideas in different ways. Lines across a page, a wobbly letter, or a simple drawing form the foundation for how
What Trump’s Gaza peace plan means for NZ’s stance on Palestinian statehood
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The situation in the Middle East is moving exceptionally fast. New Zealand and the international community had barely digested the debate about Palestinian statehood before United States President Donald Trump presented a 20-point peace plan for Gaza.
12,000-year-old rock art marked ancient water sources in Arabia’s desert
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Guagnin, Director, Ha’il Archaeology Identification Project, University of Sydney; Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology Sahout Rock Art and Archaeology Project About 12,000 years ago, high up on a cliff in the desert of northern Arabia, an artist – or perhaps artists – was hard at work.
Health insurers are offering DNA testing to see how some medicines might work. What to know before you opt in
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Tiller, Ethical, Legal & Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics, Monash University ksana-gribakina/Getty Two major Australian health insurers, Bupa and Medibank, have started offering genetic testing meant to tell you your likely reaction to certain medications. These include antidepressants, pain medications and ones to manage your
5 outside art projects to do in the school holidays – whatever the weather
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Naomi Zouwer, Visual Artist and Lecturer in Teacher Education, University of Canberra Cottonbro Studio/Pexels School holidays can be stressful for families. Particularly when the enthusiasm of the first few days wears off and kids keep saying “I’m bored, I need the iPad” while refusing point blank to
From frog saunas to butterfly puddles: 8 ways to turn your homes into a wildlife refuge
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bethany Kiss, PhD Candidate, RMIT University David Clode/Unsplash Native animals can make excellent neighbours. Blue banded bees pollinate our vegetable gardens. Microbats eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes a night and powerful owls keep rodents at bay. But could we go one step further, and change our homes
Half a century of the ‘male gaze’: why Laura Mulvey’s pioneering theory still resonates today
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide On October 1 1975, the academic journal Screen published an essay by British film theorist Laura Mulvey titled Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. It is a groundbreaking critique of classical Hollywood cinema, which Mulvey argues is constructed
Mushroom murders, riotous mockumentary and a surveillance thriller: what to watch in October
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Daniel, Associate Lecturer in Communication, Western Sydney University This month’s streaming lineup has plenty to offer, whether you’re chasing thrills, a nostalgic romcom, or some humour to keep you company as you settle in after a long day of work. If you’re feeling moody, there’s a
From today, all first-home buyers can apply for the 5% deposit scheme. Here’s what’s changing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Lee, Associate Professor in Property and Real Estate, Deakin University For many, the “Great Australian Dream” of owning a home has never felt further out of reach. Rising property values have convincingly outpaced income growth over recent decades, creating an affordability crisis. That doesn’t necessarily mean
Price check: how a public grocery chain would disrupt NZ’s supermarket duopoly
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Djavlonbek Kadirov, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images It’s roughly a month since the government announced new supermarkets would qualify for fast-track approval in an effort to inject real competition into the sector. Too soon to see progress, perhaps,
RBA stands pat on interest rates as hopes dim for future cuts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney The Reserve Bank kept the cash rate steady at 3.6% at today’s meeting. In its post-meeting statement, the central bank said the monetary policy board judged that it was appropriate to remain cautious. This pause follows three
The 5 big problems with Trump’s Gaza peace plan
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Parmeter, Research Scholar, Middle East Studies, Australian National University The 20-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comes close to living up to Trump’s hype. It is a bold attempt to address all of the
These little bettongs were wiped out in South Australia a century ago. Now they’re thriving alongside foxes and feral cats
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chloe Frick, PhD Candidate in Ecology, University of Adelaide Chloe Frick, CC BY-NC-ND Around 200 years ago, bettongs were the most common macropod in Australia. These small wallaby-like creatures were once found seemingly everywhere and in great numbers. After colonisation, bettongs became harder to find. The five
What does halal mean? It’s about more than just food
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By M. Obaidul Hamid, Associate Professor of TESOL Education, The University of Queensland Markus Spiske/Unsplash The word “halal” is probably the most common concept associated with Muslims. It is the “social face” of their religious beliefs and practices, which have enriched Australian multiculturalism. Many non-Muslims, however, don’t have
