ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on October 27, 2026.
How is access to UTI treatment and the pill changing? And is the policy backed by evidence?
As part of a 12-month trial, eligible women will be able to consult a pharmacist for UTI treatment or the pill with no out-of-pocket consultation fee.
Cost is not the only reason people buy illicit tobacco – for some, it’s an act of defiance
Some study participants avoided asking sellers how they obtained illicit tobacco, preferring not to know about criminal networks or harm to others.
Coalition surges to big lead in a Victorian Newspoll
The latest polling shows the Coalition on track to take majority government in Victoria, without needing One Nation’s support.
Milking it: 5 tricks from the supermarket playbook
How does a $4 shop become $60 in groceries? The supermarket business model relies on you buying more than you want. Here’s how they do it.
Australia has to pay millions to fly an astronaut to space. What do we stand to gain?
Sending Katherine Bennell-Pegg to the International Space Station is an investment in Australia’s space future.
Parties may have competing tax visions, but paying for NZ’s future isn’t getting cheaper
Whatever the election outcome, the next government inherits difficult decisions about revenue and a tax system struggling to keep pace with change.
What legal experts say about the Trump administration’s attempts to make a federal case out of state elections
A crucial US Senate election in Alaska is the latest target among many Trump administration efforts this year to assert unconstitutional control over federal election administration by states.
New Zealand election: Where political parties stand on Pasifika issues
By Christina Persico of RNZ Pacific Early voting has opened for the general election in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand uses MMP, mixed member proportional representation. Enrolled voters can have their say on the party vote — the party they want to win the election and run the next government — and their local electorate
In opting for Lula, Brazil made a conservative choice to elect a man of the left over one of the far right
Flávio Bolsonaro is no mere conservative, but a representative of the radical right and a member of an international movement that critics say threatens democracies around the world.
Tree-hugging optional: What today’s green tradespeople actually care about
Old-school masculinity provides a cultural script that eschews emotion and disregards health and safety in favour of toughness, rugged individualism. That’s changing.
The upside of untidiness: why a little mess can be good for your home
New research into Kiwi households suggests clutter can help with everyday routines, make shared spaces more useful and even support family relationships.
Ghost stories don’t just scare us – they remind us of historical injustices
From phantom ships carrying enslaved people to an apparition in a Maine lake, ghost stories have revived memories of injustices that might otherwise have been forgotten.
How are we feeling, Australia? New data reveals confidence in the nation falls – but Australians united on the future
Australians’ feelings about national wellbeing took a hit this year.
Australia has many older people but not enough young people to care for them. What can we do?
With an ageing population and a record low fertility rate, Australia faces a huge demographic challenge. How did we get to this point, and what might help?
With an election looming, Victoria’s debt is huge. But are the state’s finances really that bad?
Victoria’s debt gets a lot of bad press. But the state has made progress in repairing its finances, and in some other states, debt is now growing much faster.
There are risks when children use AI chatbots. Does Australia’s new ‘digital duty of care’ address them?
Children and teens can become vulnerable when repeatedly chatting to artificial intelligence. Australia’s existing safety measures don’t address this.
Speed camera alerts on navigation apps may be training drivers to speed
New research shows police alerts may teach drivers it’s ‘safe’ to speed when their navigation app is silent
Peptide users don’t think of themselves as injecting drug users. 5 safety basics injectors need to know
There is no source of health expertise when someone is sold peptides. Injectors are left to learn from forums, influencers, or a friend at the gym.
Calling species ‘invasive’ – and culling them – isn’t done lightly. But it matters to Australia’s threatened species
Invasive species only want to live. But their success can come at great cost to native species. If we treat them the same, native animals lose.
Stanford prison experiment: why do controversial psychology studies still have such a hold on us?
A new Netflix series has revived interest in the Stanford prison experiment. Zimbardo and Milgram’s flawed studies still leave a question unanswered.