ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 29, 2026.
Time to pull plug on power-hungry ‘bludger’ AI data centres, says CAFCA
Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) has warned that a planned AI data centre in Southland would consume up to 25 percent of New Zealand’s annual electricity output and push power prices higher for Kiwi consumers and businesses. CAFCA organiser Murray Horton said in a statement that
Fiji military defends national role in society after 9% budget cut
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s military has hit out against budget cuts it copped last Friday. In a social media post, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), which has gained influence in law enforcement over the last year, issued an apparent warning to detractors to recognise the role they play in Fijian society. “The RFMF… genuinely
The government is ‘doubling down’ on its social media ban. But bigger penalties for platforms aren’t enough
While the government strengthens its social media ban, a broader, more robust piece of legislation is waiting in the wings.
Economic pessimism has set in – but there are reasons for Australians to be hopeful
While we’re feeling gloomier about the future, Australia actually ranks highly on many economic and social measures.
Despite its best efforts, Iran won’t be able to toll the Strait of Hormuz. Here’s why
New strikes from the US and Iran continue to put the future of the crucial shipping channel in doubt, but a permanent toll is neither legal nor workable.
Getting Murdoched is a fascinating study of the Murdoch media’s bullying tactics
Andrew Dodd and Matthew Ricketson have not written another biography of Rupert Murdoch, but a forensic account of how his empire intimidates and destroys.
Andy Burnham’s meteoric rise tells us much about how politics and power are changing
The former may of Greater Manchester’s rise raises questions about the changing dynamics of political parties and leadership in an accelerated political climate.
The World Cup enters its next stage after witch doctors, surprises and emergency beer deliveries
The World Cup is into the knockout phase after an action-packed group stage in which athletes and fans shone.
Mixed messages: why media advice about teen sleep can leave parents fatigued
Media articles can present adolescent sleep issues as both a normal part of growing up and a sign of deeper problems. How should parents make sense of it?
Two new polls show drop in support for One Nation and the Coalition
Support for Labor and the Greens combined is up five points to 46% in Newspoll and four points to 44% in Redbridge.
Pro-French, pro-independence blocs remain in New Caledonia election
By Patrick Decloitre of RNZ Pacific The one-round provincial election held in New Caledonia yesterday has produced a few surprises, but essentially maintained the existing blocs between pro-independence and pro-France parties. In the Southern Province (New Caledonia’s most affluent and populated, including the capital Nouméa), provisional results show half the votes went to the “Strong
Keith Rankin Analysis – New Zealand Economy: Boom or Bust in early 2026?
Keith Rankin: Neoliberalism remains New Zealand's reigning paradigm to the present day, and the financial services lobby remains stronger than ever (noting the extraordinary hold that KiwiSaver seems to have over us).
From interplanetary spaceships to lunar reactors, our future in space looks nuclear-powered
Any talk of nuclear futures in space obliges us to learn from nuclear pasts.
Heat is destroying Australia’s underwater forests. Seaweed biobanks could help save them
Many of Australia’s shimmering seaweed forests are disappearing as the oceans get hotter. It’s time for an insurance policy.
What is migration for? How national needs wrestle with a basic human desire
Amid the fierce political debate about figures and systems, it’s easy to lose sight of the purpose of migration, to governments, individuals and society as a whole.
‘I struggled a lot with ATAR’: there’s another way high school students can qualify for a uni degree
High school students can skip exams and do an ‘enabling program’ in years 11 and 12. This can qualify them for certain undergraduate degrees.
As communities face more frequent hazard warnings, we need better systems to avoid ‘emergency fatigue’
When trust in institutions is weak, emergency warnings can become entangled with narratives about government competency and bureaucratic overreach.
What science tells us about the algae bloom in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Algal blooms are not maintenance failures requiring paint or treatment with hydrogen peroxide and nanobubbles. They are ecological warning signs.
The right to strike is constitutionally protected — a new Senate report is looking for a workaround
A Senate committee is recommending a permanent tribunal that could ban strikes in federally regulated industries. The proposal would gut constitutional protections workers won in court.
What adolescents and young adults with cancer want researchers to know
A new national research agenda, shaped by patients, caregivers and clinicians, will guide the future of adolescent and young adult cancer research in Canada.