The Boys actor Karl Urban on thrilling final season

April 15, 2026

As The Boys enters its fifth and final season, Karl Urban says the stakes have never been higher.

Playing the gravel‑voiced, vengeance‑fuelled Billy Butcher, Urban says his character has “turned himself into the very thing that he despises the most” in his mission to destroy corrupt superheroes.

“The sort of really enduring question for Butcher is… Are you redeemable?”

Urban, known for roles in Shortland Street, Xena: Warrior Princess, The Lord of the Rings, and major franchises like Star Trek and Judge Dredd, first heard about the Prime Video series when he saw fellow Kiwi Antony Starr was starring in it.

“It just so happened that sort of a week or so later, I got a call from my agent saying, don’t know if you’re interested, but we’ve got this offer for you.”

Until season three, Butcher was focused solely on antagonist Homelander (played by Starr), but he realises the problem is bigger — an entire “experiment gone wrong.”

It’s hard not to see the parallels with real life, he says.

“I think we’re on the threshold as far as AI goes, of that exact thing… something that we will have no control over.”

He compares it to the Manhattan Project: “They were genuinely fearful… that it was going to ignite the atmosphere. And they did it anyway.”

Despite its themes, Urban says the appeal for audiences remains that it’s a fun, character‑driven and adventure-filled show.

He’s now preparing to lead Mortal Kombat II, out next month.

It’s another physically-demanding role for Urban, who says it can be a bit of a slog to have to look after his body over the six to seven-month filming period.

“What’s the great quote from Indiana Jones? It’s not the years, it’s the mileage.

“I really enjoy doing the sort of more physical aspects of the job. And we’re blessed on The Boys of working with John Koyama, who’s an Emmy Award winning stunt coordinator.”

The Boys season 5 is streaming now on Prime Video.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Security breach at Auckland Airport leads to major delays

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Major delays were reported on Wednesday morning with long queues in the domestic terminal RNZ

Long queues at Auckland Airport are starting to clear after a security breach caused major delays.

Wait times to go through security checks had been up to about an hour on Wednesday morning, with queues building up through the domestic terminal.

In a public announcement at the terminal, waiting passengers had been told to exit and scan their bags a second time due to a security breach.

Queues were starting to move more quickly by about 9am after the security breach was resolved.

RNZ

Passengers on flights arriving at the airport had also been delayed.

Regan Savage was on a 6.30am flight from Wellington, and when it landed passengers had to wait on the plane for 30 to 40 minutes.

Crew told them there had been a security breach or alert and that the area had to be “sterilised”, though they gave no details.

When he got into the terminal there were huge queues of people waiting to go through security, he told Morning Report.

Auckland Airport’s website showed more than a dozen domestic departures were delayed.

In a statement an Auckland Airport spokesperson said the breach had been resolved and Aviation Security was requiring all passengers to be rescreened.

“There have been some delays to flights, and we ask that anyone travelling domestically this morning to please stay across travel updates from their airline.”

Air New Zealand has also been contacted for comment.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Karl Urban on The Boys, friendship with Antony Starr and AI

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Amazon

Actor Karl Urban says his latest show has parallels to what the world is currently dealing with in regards to AI.

The actor has just wrapped up filming on the fifth, and final, season of superhero series The Boys.

He was known for earlier roles on Shortland Street, Xena: Warrior Princess and as Éomer in The Lord of the Rings.

He also had roles in major franchises, including in The Bourne Supremacy, Star Trek, and Judge Dredd.

Urban told Nine to Noon the “stakes couldn’t be higher” in the final season of The Boys.

“It’s a very desperate time in the world of The Boys.

“Butcher’s at a point where for years he has tried everything in his power and ability to take down Homelander… so he’s really turned himself now into the very thing that he despises the most,” he said.

That had parallels in the real world, he said.

“I think we’re on the threshold as far as AI goes… we’re now developing something that is going to be smarter than us, something that we will have no control over.

“It’s hard not to see the parallels of where we are today.”

Urban said he first heard about the show when fellow New Zealander Antony Starr was cast as Homelander.

“One of the great joys for me through this whole experience is actually really you know, getting to consider Ant to be a very very good friend of mine and we’ve been a part of something so special.

“He’s extremely talented and kudos to him.”

Urban will now star in Mortal Kombat II.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Searching for a ‘technofix’ to climate change has many dangers. Could radical humility save the planet?

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nanda Jarosz, Researcher, Environmental Philosophy, University of Sydney

In 1989, environmentalist Bill McKibben announced to the world that nature was dead. Due to the rapid rate and scale of anthropogenic climate change, he argued, the idea of nature as an entity independent of human activity had become obsolete.

Review: Brave New Wild: Can Technology Really Save the Planet? – Richard King (Monash University Publishing)

A new book by Richard King, Brave New Wild: Can Technology Really Save the Planet?, conducts a postmortem on this idea of “nature”. And it describes a dangerous ideology that has taken root at the heart of the environmental movement.

King considers the moral, political, social and economic implications of a particular way of attempting to solve climate change, known as the “technofix”. This mindset looks for “a technological solution to tackle a social or environmental issue”.

We are, King suggests, entering “a period in which mitigation and adaptation are giving way to re-engineering”. As the consequences of climate change become harder to ignore and the environmental and moral costs of inaction become too high, “radical interventions such as geoengineering and de-extinction are taking root in the imaginations of thought leaders and policymakers across the globe”.

But solutions that come in the guise of technological progress may harbour dangers to the planet that we can’t fully fathom or control.

Brave New Wild examines proposals involving nuclear power, geoengineering, de-extinction approaches to conservation, nanotechnologies capable of manipulating matter at a molecular level, smart technologies and interplanetary colonisation. It outlines potentially terrifying scenarios associated with the technofix mindset.

King describes, for example, the risks that come with developments in nanotechnology. Billions of self-fuelling and self-replicating nanomachines deployed to clean up an oil slick could run out of control and lead to an environmental disaster of planetary scale:

Given that every new nanite created would need to consume some of the Earth’s resources to use as fuel or source material, the resulting army could reduce the biosphere to dust within a matter of days. The grey goo would consume the world.

It has also been suggested that mining the moon “will be feasible by the end of the decade”. King notes that some see this as a positive scenario, because the moon is uninhabited and a “barren, airless wasteland”. But he points out there are many potential hazards to such work: lunar dust pollution, the proliferation of space junk and debris, and risks to workers, including mental health problems, physical disabilities, exploitation and death.

Richard King. Bohdan Warchomij/Monash University Publishing

Anthropocene thinking and moral hazards

King grounds his critique of the “technofix” in an analysis of the concept of the Anthropocene: a period when human activity is altering the conditions of life on a planetary scale and leaving perceptible traces in the geological record.

This development, King argues, “places humanity at the centre of the Earth story, suggesting that whatever challenges the planet faces will need to be solved by Homo sapiens, the species whose destructiveness is inseparable from its genius”.

Paired with the concept of the “death of nature”, Anthropocene thinking is a deadly precursor to the types of technological interventions that, King argues, will fundamentally change humanity’s relationship to the environment.

The problem is not only that technology can escape human control, with catastrophic consequences. Accepting a perspective that subjugates the non-human world to purely human ends has moral and ethical implications.

“The Anthropocene narrative,” King writes, “tends to encourage a view of nature as infinitely malleable – something that can and should be shaped by human hands, to human ends – and this perspective is likely to reproduce the arrogance and lack of principled reflection that placed us in this situation in the first place.”

Removing the separation between human and non-human nature actually makes it easier to exploit the natural environment, including other humans. This mindset – which King terms “ecomodernism” – “repeats the error of industrial capitalism, and even modernity itself, in treating the environment as an abstract entity that can be endlessly manipulated.”

Responsibility towards nature

In response to the ecomodernist mindset, which “effectively abolishes nature as a category distinct from humanity by making everything humans do effectively identical with it”, Brave New Wild suggests an alternative: what King terms “ecohumanism”.

He argues that nature is at once an idea and a phenomenological reality. “Human beings in short, are always part of and always apart from the natural world: nature defines us, and we define nature.”

This view may appear to be the same as that taken by proponents of the technofix. For King, however, our idea of nature actively shapes our experience of reality: “our ability to recognise ourselves as animals marks us out from all the other animals, while the suite of powers (intellectual, technological) from which that self-recognition is inseparable imposes upon us certain responsibilities – to ourselves and to parental nature.”

In the act of recognising that nature is created through human thought, we can realise that it should not be used purely for human gain. We must act with a sense of responsibility towards it.

King proposes an embodied approach to technological solutions to the problem of anthropogenic climate change. He argues that modern science must move away from a perspective of mastery over nature, towards “an attitude of care”.

The first level of interaction with nature should not be mediated through logic or distant observation. It should be phenomenological: at the level of lived experience. It should involve what King calls a “more holistic way of being”. This is based on a consideration of all aspects of what it means to be human and the implications of potential solutions for “conscious, subjective, immediate experience”.

One way to achieve this goal is by engaging with the democratic, creative and imaginative aspects of our humanity. King suggests decentralising political and technological control “as far as possible to individual human beings”. He proposes developing community through political policies such as universal basic income and “bringing energy and other utilities into public ownership”.

He also points to sources of inspiration in creative and imaginative exercises, such as reading nature writing, or other activities that help to elicit what he calls “human flourishing”. The point, for King, is to revitalise a sense of “conviviality” through a communal understanding of what it means to be human.

Radical humility

Brave New Wild advocates an ethical sense of human agency. It offers an accessible point of departure for many ideas circulating in environmental philosophy.

But while it is true that human beings are part of nature and should treat it respectfully, it is also true that “nature” is not limited to human perception or ideas. Human beings employ reason and sensory perception to make sense of the world, but the universe itself is not rational or reasonable.

Despite advances in science and technology, nature exists beyond the powers of human comprehension, in both a material and conceptual sense. As much as scientists can engineer life, they do not know how life in the universe started or how it will end.

What King does not explain is how to cultivate ecohumanism among those who view science and technology as providing ready solutions to the messy realities of our ecological existence. To foster the embodied responsibility that his interventions demand, we must first appreciate nature as a force that unsettles our claims to knowledge and mastery.

One way of doing this is through the aesthetic appreciation of the sublime. An experience that embraces wonder and destruction, the sublime offers a view of nature on its own terms. It compels us to experience nature as fundamentally incomprehensible. It directly challenges the hubris of a “technofix” approach.

In a world of high-tech maps and data-driven solutions, the sublime offers a glimpse of nature as it exists independently of us. The sense of awe might inspire a radical humility. It might move us away from trying to fix the planet, and towards caring for it as a source of infinite possibility.

– ref. Searching for a ‘technofix’ to climate change has many dangers. Could radical humility save the planet? – https://theconversation.com/searching-for-a-technofix-to-climate-change-has-many-dangers-could-radical-humility-save-the-planet-276046

Friendship, honey and the simple life: 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Hale, Senior Lecturer in English and Writing (children’s literature), University of New England

Isn’t it funny
How a Bear likes honey
Buzz buzz
I wonder why he does

Just over a century ago, the satirical writer and playwright A.A. Milne, suffering from the after-effects of fighting in the trenches of World War I, started writing some poems for his only child, Christopher Robin.

They were published in a collection, When We Were Very Young and they caused a literary sensation for a reading public looking for comfort in difficult times.

Two years later, Milne followed up with the stories of the Hundred Acre Wood in his book Winnie-the-Pooh, based on the tangle of scrub and trees at the bottom of his garden and populated by Christopher Robin’s toys.

Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and Roo, and Owl, each distinctive characters in their own right, chatted and played, going on adventures, solving problems, presided over by Christopher Robin, the wise child who knows what to do.

Not every critic loved it: “Tonstant Reader fwowed up” wrote the acerbic Dorothy Parker in her New Yorker Constant Reader column. She found the stories saccharine and cloying. But for those who enjoyed the simple humour, cameraderie and warmth of the stories, Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends became part of the children’s literary canon. And so they have remained to this day.

Winnie-the-Pooh has been translated into over 50 languages, including Bengali, Swedish, Polish and Latin (with the wonderful Winnie Ille Pu). In Poland, a Warsaw street, Ulica Kubusia Puchatka, was named after Winnie-the-Pooh by the children of the city.

In 1961, Disney acquired the rights to Winnie-the-Pooh, resulting in a popular television cartoon and merchandising. In China, in 2018, a film version of Winnie-the-Pooh was banned after internet memes compared his gentle laziness to the President, Xi Jinping. More than 20 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide.

Winnie-the-Pooh contains a perfect mixture of sweetness and sharp observation, shifting between light and dark, between funny and tragi-comic. The stories of Pooh and his friends, each one flawed but also delightful, demonstrate the ups and downs of life, held in a delicate and optimistic balance.

Take, for instance, the depressive toy donkey, Eeyore, continually miserable yet somehow contented in his misery, bouncy toy tiger, Tigger, causing mayhem with every move, or timid Piglet, Pooh’s best friend. All (along with Pooh) have problems that are solved with one another’s help and particularly with the help of the boy-hero, Christopher Robin. Problems occur, are solved, and life carries on.

A romance of community

The Winnie-the-Pooh stories are what we might think of as a romance of community. The inhabitants of the 100 Acre Wood show resilience and resourcefulness in dealing with difficulties, largely because they deal with them together.

They are also pastoral, set in a comfortable and nonthreatening rural place, offering readers (often weary urbanites) a holiday from their busy lives. And as such, they allow us to gently contemplate what makes life tick, and what makes life worth living.

A A Milne with his son Christopher Robin Milne in 1926. Wikimedia Commons

This philosophical streak runs through all Milne’s work for children: in his follow-up to Winnie-the-Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner (1928), and his second collection of poems, Now We Are Six (1927). In 1929 he adapted another children’s classic, Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, for the stage. Also a pastoral, featuring anthropomorphised animals rather than toys, it promoted the English countryside as a space for gentle reflection on the good life and friendship.

The Wind in the Willows has a wild quality. Such wildness does not impinge greatly in the Pooh stories: the characters are toys rather than animals and the god-figure is Christopher Robin.

Asked, for instance, to help resolve a squabble between Eeyore and Tigger, after Tigger’s loud sneeze has frightened Eeyore into falling into the river, Christopher Robin concludes: “Well, … I think – I think we all ought to play Poohsticks”. This is a simple game in which players drop sticks on the upstream side of a bridge over running water and wait to see which one emerges first. (See: How to Play Pooh Sticks)

Living in the moment

Why is Winnie-the-Pooh called Winnie-the-Pooh? The name Winnie comes from a North American black bear at the London Zoo, which was brought to Britain from Winnipeg, Canada. Like many London children, Christopher Robin was taken to the London zoo to see the animals, and he shortened the name Winnipeg to “Winnie”. “Pooh,” on the other hand, came from a swan, encountered on a family holiday. This mixture of inside-joke and idiosyncratic names created by a very young child adds to the book’s whimsy.

In their appeal to the good life and emphasis on friendship and community, these books have struck a chord with readers well beyond the nursery. Best known in this vein is Benjamin Hoff’s book The Tao of Pooh, a philosophical work that connects the behaviour of Pooh and friends with the principles of Daoism, which emphasise the importance of simplicity, naturalness and effortlessness.

In this regard, the innocent everyman Pooh exemplifies the ability to live in the present moment, and to live a life of simple “being”.

As such, he is the valuable sounding-board for the other characters, beset by life difficulties and behavioural dysfunction: the hyperactive Tigger, the depressive Eeyore, anxious Piglet, busy Rabbit and so-on. He offers solutions to their problem, without criticising them, in doing so providing stability for them and for readers.

Certainly, when one visits the 100 Acre Wood, one is aware of entering a place of calm, of smallness, a place attuned to nature where the oddities of human character and behaviour are distilled into small, funny, calming stories. It is a world close to beauty, but also tolerant of imperfection.

According to Daoism, the secret of life lies in accepting things according to their true nature, neither blaming nor praising.

What of Christopher?

It helps, too, that Pooh Corner is visually lovely: the illustrations by E.H. Shephard present Pooh and friends as cute and appealing, while remaining faithful to the toys that inspired them.

An early illustration by E.H. Shephard. Wkipedia

Pictures such as one where Pooh and Piglet climb a gate together show the odd-couple balance of their friendship – brave Pooh, fearful Piglet – trusting one another in difficult circumstances.

Christopher Robin Milne had a somewhat difficult time as a child thrust into the spotlight when the books found fame. It is hard enough having one’s childish cuteness paraded around family and friends; harder still when one’s reputation precedes one.

In adult life, Christopher Robin owned a successful bookshop and before he died in 1996, he did reach a measure of acceptance of his father’s work. In 2001, Disney Corporation paid a large sum of money to Milne’s estate and other rights holders of Winnie-the-Pooh. His wife Lesley and daughter Clare decided the money should be used to fund a charity supporting people with disabilities. The Clare Milne Trust has been in operation since 1999.

2026 will be a year of busy celebration for Winnie-the-Pooh. Disney, unsurprisingly, will launch new merchandise. An academic conference on 100 years of the 100 acres will be held at the University of Cambridge.

For the rest of us, it may be time to dig out our childhood copies of Milne’s books, to spend a little time with old friends from these best of old stories, hanging out in the 100 Acre Wood, doing not very much and thinking a little about life.

– ref. Friendship, honey and the simple life: 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh – https://theconversation.com/friendship-honey-and-the-simple-life-100-years-of-winnie-the-pooh-276175

Waikato community rallies to gift new home to healthcare worker after house fire

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Waikato community is coming together to support long-serving healthcare worker Billie Gillet-Kati, whose home was destroyed in a 2021 fire. Supplied / Te Kōhao Health / Tetoa Benioni

A Waikato community is rallying behind a Māori health worker who lost her home in a fire, with whānau, businesses and volunteers coming together to help deliver her a new whare.

Te Kōhao Health is gifting a repurposed house to long-serving kaimahi Billie Gillet-Kati, relocating it to her whenua in Waharoa in the coming weeks.

Managing director and health leader Lady Tureiti Moxon said the community effort reflected kaupapa Māori values in action.

“Supporting Billie in this practical way recognises her mana and reinforces the kaupapa Māori values that underpin all that she does,” she said.

“From clearing the property to moving and restoring the house, and the generosity of businesses and whānau, this is a story of aroha in action.

“It demonstrates the strength of community and the importance of recognising those who give everything for the wellbeing of others.”

Billie Gillet-Kati, who has worked for decades as a navigator with Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, says she has been humbled by the support and is looking forward to having a stable home for her whānau. Supplied / Te Kōhao Health

Gillet-Kati has spent decades working alongside whānau as a navigator for Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, including during the Covid-19 pandemic where she continued frontline mahi despite being considered medically vulnerable.

Her home was destroyed in a fire in January 2021.

At the time, she had been living in Matamata while renovating the Waharoa property. Her insurance policy required notification if she was away from the home for more than 90 days – something she said she was unaware of during lockdown restrictions.

She later declined the insurance payout due to the high costs associated with asbestos removal and cleaning.

In the years since, members of the local community have helped with recovery efforts, including clearing the damaged property.

Gillet-Kati said she was humbled by the tautoko (support) she had received.

“I feel surrounded by the prayers and awhi of my whānau and my Te Kōhao whānau,” she said.

“This home gives my family stability and a base to continue our mahi in the community.”

Te Kōhao Health is relocating and rebuilding the home for long-serving kaimahi Billie Gillet-Kati on her whenua in Waharoa. Supplied / Te Kōhao Health / Tetoa Benioni

A whare identified by Te Kōhao Health in Enderley will now be relocated about 45 minutes to her whenua, with contractors and volunteers working together to divide, transport and reassemble it.

Local businesses have also stepped in, contributing materials, labour and expertise to make the whare liveable.

Additional volunteers are helping with carpentry, painting, gardening and finishing work, with support continuing through each stage of the rebuild.

Gillet-Kati said she was humbled by the collective effort.

“I feel surrounded by the prayers and awhi of my whānau and my Te Kōhao whānau,” she said.

“This home gives my family stability and a base to continue our mahi in the community.”

She acknowledged the many people who had contributed to the project.

” I also want to acknowledge Margaret and Terry Troughton, Hayden Parker, Toby Flooring, BCD Engineering, and Watts Electrical. Their generosity and help have made all the difference.”

The effort has brought together local contractors, volunteers, whānau and businesses, who have contributed time, materials and expertise to prepare the whare for her return. Supplied / Te Kōhao Health

Moxon said the decision was made by the board to recognise the contributions of kaimahi who “quietly give everything” to serve their communities.

“Billie is one of those people. She has dedicated her life to others, and this is a way for us to give back with manaakitanga and aroha.”

Moxon said the goal was to ensure Gillet-Kati could return to her whenua.

“This is about restoring Billie’s ability to live on her own whenua so she can continue there as ahi kā.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Queues build at Auckland Airport as flights delayed

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Major delays were reported on Wednesday morning with long queues in the domestic terminal RNZ

There are major delays at Auckland Airport, with plane departures being held up.

Long queues to go through security checks are winding right through the domestic terminal.

Travellers were being warned wait times at security were about an hour as of 8am.

In a public announcment at the terminal, waiting passengers were told to exit and scan their bags a second time due to a security breach.

Auckland Airport’s website showed more than a dozen domestic departures were delayed.

The airport and Air New Zealand have been contacted.

RNZ

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Naomi Ballantyne, Rosanne Meo among seven named as Business Hall of Fame Laureates

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Naomi Ballantyne, left, and Dame Rosanne Meo are among the seven business people named as Business Hall of Fame Laureates. Greg Bowker / APO/ Adrian Malloch

Seven business leaders who have made a significant and lasting impact on the economic and social development of New Zealand will be inducted into the Business Hall of Fame Laureates this year.

“The Hall of Fame exists to recognise individuals whose impact through business has helped shape our nation, while also showcasing role models who inspire the next generation of leaders we engage with every day,” Young Enterprise Trust* interim co-chief executive Abbie McKoy said.

The following laureates had demonstrated enterprise, dedication, and success across their careers, serving as an inspiration to emerging business leaders, she said.

Carmel Fisher CNZM – a pioneering figure in the investment landscape, recognised for building Fisher Funds into a leading fund manager
David Irving ONZM – a remarkable career across business, education, and entrepreneurship, with a lasting impact on the commercial landscape
Dame Rosanne Meo – a business leader with more than three decades of board leadership across the corporate, public and community sectors
Sir Robert McLeod – a distinguished tax practitioner and governance leader who has played a significant role in shaping New Zealand’s economic policy and commercial landscape
Sir Michael Daniell KNZM – an electrical engineer, business leader, and director who has played a pivotal role in shaping New Zealand’s medical technology sector, with a career spanning nearly five decades at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Tom Sturgess – Nelson-based businessman and philanthropist, involved in leadership roles in agribusiness, manufacturing, distribution and venture capital with a focus on regenerative and climate friendly business practices
Naomi Ballantyne ONZM – a pioneering leader in life insurance industry and became the first female founder in New Zealand to sell a start-up for more than $1 billion

Naomi Ballantyne

Ballanytne has been a leading figure in the life insurance industry for more than 40 years, and established a number of companies, including one that was sold for a billion dollars.

She said the induction into the hall of fame was a big honour for her and recognition of what she had achieved.

“But I think more than what it means to me is what it means to other people who aspire to take that risk and make that mark,” she said.

Sir Michael Daniell Ann Orman Imagery

Sir Michael Daniell

Former managing director and still company director of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, as well as a number of other leading New Zealand technology companies, Sir Michael said the tech sector was tracking in the right direction, though would still need more people to realise its growth potential.

“I’m an optimist about New Zealand’s opportunities, particularly in the broader tech sector. And over the past few years, there’s been quite a lot of progress. We have a number of companies now that are quite substantial.

“We’re based here in New Zealand, but generating a lot of their revenue from outside New Zealand.”

He said his success in business had been a team effort.

“The reality is success is due to the capabilities and efforts of a huge number of people, and ongoing success will be the same.

“It’s important, of course, that we we have capable people who are able to to drive that progress and ongoing investment in education in particular.”

*About the Business Hall of Fame

The Business Hall of Fame was established in 1994 by Young Enterprise, an entrepreneurial education charity, that honours lifetime achievement in business and celebrates those who have shaped New Zealand’s commercial landscape.

In keeping with Young Enterprise’s mission, each Laureate was paired with a YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) student who will host them at the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame annual black-tie gala on 6 August 2026.

The ceremony would conclude with a student speaker, which was a tradition seen as a symbolic passing of the baton.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The beloved emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now officially endangered. Here’s what can be done

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary-Anne Lea, Professor in Marine/Polar Predator Ecology, University of Tasmania

In 1902, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott spotted a large group of large black and white birds at Ross Island, Antarctica. This was among the many milestones of Scott’s famous Discovery expedition: the first breeding colony of emperor penguins.

Now, only 124 years since this penguin colony was discovered, emperor penguins have officially been listed as endangered, along with the Antarctic fur seal. As the world warms, Antarctic krill are shifting southwards and sea ice is shrinking at record levels. And these unprecedented changes are having a domino effect on these species.

These are the first penguin and pinniped – marine mammals that have front and rear flippers – to be given this conservation status in the Southern Ocean. Their perilous situation is a critical turning point, and shows how rapidly the Antarctic environment is changing.

At the same time, the spread of highly contagious avian influenza, or bird flu, adds a new and immediate threat to Southern Ocean wildlife, compounding the pressures of climate change on stressed species.

Antarctic fur seal with pups at Sailsbury Plain on South Georgia. The number of fur seals has dropped by over 50% since 1999. Posnov/Getty

Dramatic declines linked to climate change

The first emperor penguin breeding colony was discovered at Cape Crozier, on Ross Island, during Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery expedition in 1902. A decade later, Scott’s Terra Nova expedition returned, in part to collect emperor penguin eggs. It was an ill-fated expedition, immortalised in Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s famous book, The Worst Journey in the World.

In the 1960s, Scott’s son, Sir Peter Scott, one of the founders of modern conservation, helped establish the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Just 124 years after those early discoveries at Cape Crozier, that same framework has now been used to classify emperor penguins as endangered. The swift arc from discovery to extinction risk is a striking reminder of how quickly the species’ fortunes have changed.

Over nine years, between 2009 and 2018, emperor penguin numbers fell by 10%. Their numbers are expected to halve by 2073.

Southern elephant seals are now officially listed as vulnerable. Mary-Anne Lea, CC BY-ND

The decline is more pronounced for Antarctic fur seals. Hunted to the brink of extinction in the early 1880s, by 1999 their numbers had rebounded to an estimated 2.1 million mature seals. But since then, the global population has decreased by more than 50%, to about 944,000 mature individuals.

In just a decade, they have been reclassified on the IUCN’s Red List, going from of “least concern” – those species that are widespread and at low risk of extinction – to “endangered”. The IUCN’s red list is the comprehensive information source on the extinction risk status of species. This shows the remarkable speed at which these seals are declining.

Climate change and bird flu

Both of these dramatic declines are linked to climate change. Warming ocean temperatures and a reduction in sea ice affect the availability of the Antarctic fur seal’s key prey, Antarctic krill. Krill are shifting southwards and moving deeper, potentially making them less accessible to some predators. Competition with a growing population of whales has also increased.

Emperor penguins, by contrast, are completely dependent on sea ice. They use it as a stable platform for courtship, incubating their eggs and rearing chicks. But as sea ice declines and becomes less reliable, their breeding success is increasingly threatened. If the ice breaks up before chicks are fully developed, many are unable to survive.

At the same time, the spread of highly contagious bird flu adds a new and immediate threat to Southern Ocean wildlife. High mortality associated with avian influenza has also caused the uplisting of the southern elephant seal to “vulnerable” this week.

Some elephant seal populations have experienced more than 90% of pups dying, alongside sharp declines in breeding adults. These represent tens of thousands of animals lost, with many Antarctic fur seals also dying as a result of bird flu outbreaks.

Emperor penguin chicks at Cape Crozier. Mary-Anne Lea, CC BY-ND

We need to know more

Emperor penguins, Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals are three of the more widely researched Southern Ocean predators. But there is still a lot we don’t know, because of the remote location and the difficulty of sustaining research over time. And there are many species we know far less about. Antarctic ice seals, including Weddell seals, crabeater seals, leopard seals, and Ross seals, have “unknown” population trends on the IUCN red list, meaning there is not enough data to know if numbers are declining.

These recent listings make clear the urgent and ongoing need for improved, real-time monitoring. We need to know much more about wildlife health and population trends, the Antarctic environment and sea ice quality.

Human-driven threats facing Antarctic wildlife are many, and cumulative. To respond, we need to better protect Antarctic habitat and the species that live there. We need to reduce the interaction of marine species with industrial fishing. And we must improve how we assess current and suspected threats in Antarctica, when there is growing evidence of impacts.

Defining these animals as endangered is a stark reminder of how quickly Antarctica is changing before our eyes. Without a rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and sustained conservation action, these species may be lost forever.

– ref. The beloved emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now officially endangered. Here’s what can be done – https://theconversation.com/the-beloved-emperor-penguin-and-antarctic-fur-seal-are-now-officially-endangered-heres-what-can-be-done-280362

Does your school do mental health checks? They should be regular, not just a one-off

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Rogers, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Edith Cowan University

Students’ mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing schools.

In Australia, half of all adult mental health challenges emerge before the age of 14. It is also estimated that more than 50% of children experiencing mental health challenges are not receiving professional help.

Schools are increasingly being asked to help identify students who may be struggling and to help identify them early.

One way schools do this is through mental health screening. Students complete a questionnaire, and those whose score particular results may be flagged for follow-up.

When screening is used, it is often conducted at a single point in time. But when it comes to mental health, we know it’s important to notice patterns or changes over time.

Does this means schools are making decisions about support for students based on unreliable snapshots?

Our research

To explore this, our new study tracked students’ emotional experiences over time.

We asked 767 students aged 11-15 years old from schools in Australia and the UK, to complete a very brief check-in, repeatedly across six to seven weeks.

Each check-in took around one to two minutes and used a brief, structured measure of emotional wellbeing. For example, students rated how much they had been feeling emotions such as happiness, calmness, worry or sadness.

Students also reported on related aspects of their day-to-day functioning, such as sleep, concentration, exercise, and quality of relationships. Together, this allowed us to track changes in both emotional experience and everyday functioning over time, rather than relying on a single snapshot.

There is often concern that mental health screening might feel burdensome or intrusive, particularly in school settings. So we also asked students about their experience of this process.

What we found

What we found challenges some common assumptions.

First, students’ scores were not as stable as single screenings assume.

In our study, 17% of students moved above and below the low wellbeing threshold during the monitoring period. This means a single-time-point assessment could easily get the wrong impression about how they are really doing, depending on whether it captured a “better” or “worse” point in time.

So a student who happens to have a “good day” during a one-off screening might be missed entirely. Conversely, a student having a particularly bad day might be flagged when they would not typically require support. In both cases, decisions are being made on incomplete information.

What happens over time?

Second, looking at patterns over time provided a clearer and more reliable indication of student’s mental health. Repeated observations made it easier to distinguish between temporary fluctuations and more persistent difficulties. This is exactly the kind of distinction that matters when deciding who may need additional support.

In our research, when focusing on a single time point, about 12% of students scored below a threshold and would be flagged for follow-up. This is broadly consistent with other recent school-based screening research, which has identified around 10–20% of students as at risk and needing follow up at a given time point.

However, when we instead looked at students who were consistently below this threshold over time, that figure dropped to around 5%.

What do students think?

As with any self-report measure, responses depend on students answering honestly. While some students may under-report or over-report their experiences, brief and repeated check-ins may help reduce the impact of any single biased response by focusing on patterns over time rather than one-off answers.

Students in our study were also generally receptive to regular check-ins. More than half reported the regular check-ins helped them better understand how they were feeling. Rather than being seen as an added burden, the process appeared to allow some students to think about how they were feeling. This kind of regular reflection may support emotional awareness. Research shows emotional awareness is is an important part of maintaining wellbeing.

What now?

Our research suggests brief, repeated check-ins can provide a more accurate basis for decision-making around students’ mental health.

It also suggests we could potentially reduce the number of students flagged for further support. This finding is especially important when schools say they often do not begin mental health screening because they don’t have enough resources to provide any follow-up required.

Checks-ins do not need to be expensive or labour-intensive. They can be done via a short survey on phones or tablets.

More broadly, we need to shift how we think about emotional wellbeing in schools. Mental health is not static. It changes over time. Our methods for assessing it should reflect that.

– ref. Does your school do mental health checks? They should be regular, not just a one-off – https://theconversation.com/does-your-school-do-mental-health-checks-they-should-be-regular-not-just-a-one-off-280571

When AI starts shopping for you, fashion may be entering a new era of pricing

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aayushi Badhwar, Lecturer in Enterprise and Technology, RMIT University

Fashion has always been a bit different to other industries. Consumers do not just buy because they need something. They buy because they are bored, influenced or simply browsing.

That makes it a perfect space for technologies designed to shape how we shop. Fashion sales are driven by cyclical trends and volume.

Much of the industry depends on overproduction, followed by constant cycles of discounting to clear stock. Sales are not just occasional events. They are built into how the system operates.

And now, a new layer of AI technology is starting to turbocharge that system.

Pricing is already starting to change

Dynamic pricing has been around for years. We see it most clearly with flights and ride sharing, where prices often increase the more you search, especially when there is a clear intention to pay for the service.

But in fashion, demand is not always tied to necessity. Because of this, pricing does not just reward urgency. It can also reward patience.

This suggests that dynamic pricing in fashion is not simply about pushing prices up. It is about constantly adjusting them to keep products moving.

A recent report from Business Insider in the United States shows how dynamic pricing is already taking hold in fashion retail. Prices of items sitting in an online cart at a major clothing retailer changed multiple times over a few days. Sometimes they went up, sometimes they dropped. In some instances, waiting resulted in a discount of up to 17%.

As this becomes more common, shopping will feel less like a simple decision and more like timing a system.

In Australia, the consumer watchdog does not consider dynamic pricing inherently unlawful. Broader data-use guidelines around pricing are not yet comprehensive.

When the bot does the shopping

At first glance, new AI tools for online shopping seem focused on convenience.

Virtual try-ons are becoming more realistic, allowing people to see how garments fit and drape on their own bodies. This could help reduce returns, which are a costly burden to retailers.

But companies like Google are taking this a step further. You can try items on, set the price you are willing to pay, and the system will track it, notify you when it hits that price, and even complete the purchase if you give permission.

What starts as a tool for convenience quickly becomes something more. You’re not even actively shopping anymore, your bot is purchasing on your behalf.

This is part of a broader shift towards what is called “agentic commerce”, where an AI agent acts on your behalf based on pre-set preferences.

Is the consumer setting the price?

Using a shopping agent changes how dynamic pricing works.

Traditionally, brands set prices and adjust them based on demand, inventory and consumer behaviour. But in this emerging model, consumers are also feeding into that system directly by stating what they are willing to pay.

At first, this feels empowering. It sounds like consumers are gaining more control. But it also creates a new dynamic.

Who’s really in control of pricing if both sides are driven by AI?

If someone sets a price they are comfortable with, the system can complete the purchase as soon as that price is reached. But the price might have dropped even lower if that data was not available.

In effect, consumers may be setting their own limits without realising it.

This creates a feedback loop. Retailers optimise prices using data, while consumers provide their own price thresholds. Both sides are guided by algorithms and the final outcome sits somewhere in between.

The question is no longer just how prices are set, but who is really influencing them.

Convenience meets over-consumption

There are clear benefits to this shift. Automating purchases could make everyday shopping easier.

But in fashion, where consumption is already high, tech tools that make pricing feel more personalised or within reach are unlikely to reduce consumption. They may even encourage overconsumption.

Consumers should be mindful not to let the apparent convenience of shopping bots and personalised pricing alerts lead to a rise in impulse purchases.

– ref. When AI starts shopping for you, fashion may be entering a new era of pricing – https://theconversation.com/when-ai-starts-shopping-for-you-fashion-may-be-entering-a-new-era-of-pricing-280142

Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance wasn’t ‘lazy’ – and actually references 50 years of music history

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mike Callander, Lecturer in Music Industry, RMIT University

After a four-year break from touring, Justin Bieber is headlining Coachella’s main stage. In a controversial section of the show he sang along to YouTube clips – and at times didn’t sing at all.

Up to 125,000 punters attend Coachella each weekend. The festival is also livestreamed to an enormous international audience: 5.89 million people subscribe to the YouTube channel.

Audiences and reviewers argued over whether Bieber’s performance was a clever statement on nostalgia or a lazy display of disrespect.

But, placed in a historical context, Bieber’s performance can actually be read as an interesting contribution to “live” performance.

What happened during Bieber’s performance?

The controversial section ran for around 20 minutes of the 90-minute set.

Coachella is known for guest appearances, and in other sections of the performance, Bieber welcomed Dijon, Tems, Wizkid, Mk.gee and The Kid Laroi. Much of the set played out like a typical festival show.

Still, there were early hints at something different. After performing Speed Demon, Bieber peered directly into the camera to shout-out his “living room” audience, and Coachella’s giant screens showed the chat feed on the festival’s livestream.

When the show approached 50 minutes, Bieber addressed the audience again: “tonight is such a special night, but I feel like we gotta take you guys on a bit of a journey. You guys remember this song?”

Sitting at a laptop, he typed “baby” into the YouTube search bar displayed on screen. The video for his 2010 hit appeared and he sang along, omitting certain lyrics and silently mouthing others.

Modern performances are increasingly supported by backing tracks, but often attempt to hide this fact. Today’s Bieber, the backing vocalist, sounded far more adult than his high-pitched, former self. It was a duet of sorts.

After the main hook, Bieber cut the song abruptly and revisited the “going back” theme: “But how far back do you go?” He pressed play on 2009’s Favorite Girl and again sang over the chorus before another abrupt ending.

As he moved quickly through a range of YouTube hits, Bieber apologised only once, not for the backing tracks but for the swift ending to 2013’s Confident: “I’m sorry to cut it but these are just little snippets.”

He played early YouTube cover versions of Chris Brown and Ne-Yo songs, then his commercial hits Sorry and Where Are Ü Now.

After feigning a wifi dropout, the focus switched to pop culture references: a blooper reel included footage of young Bieber walking into a glass door and falling through a stage floor, followed by a more recent rant about paparazzi and privacy.

As a producer of live-shows and researcher of performance technologies, I was fascinated and entertained. I’m hardly a Belieber, but I liked how this performance challenged expectations around “liveness”.

I wonder if the “lazy” reviewers realise that every pause and anecdote in this section was likely rehearsed, and that the on-screen “typing” was produced in advance? There is too much at stake in a performance of this scale to leave it to chance.

What makes music ‘live’?

There is a long history of artists interacting with their recorded selves and confusing the audience.

In 1967, The Doors brought a television on stage to watch themselves in a pre-taped variety show performance. In the next decades, Kraftwerk presented themselves as robots rather than virtuosi. In the 21st century, Deadmau5 exposed conventions for pre-recorded festival sets in electronic dance music.

In using pre-recorded or sequenced audio in place of playing their instruments live, these artists played with audience expectations about what is seen and how it connects to what is heard.

As a child, I watched Natalie Cole’s 1992 Grammy performance alongside her deceased father, Nat King Cole. My parents found it moving, I found it creepy.

Other duets with the deceased include a hologram of Tupac Shakur “performing” at Coachella in 2012 and a hologram of Maria Callas “singing” with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2023.

These holograms offer access to otherwise inaccessible performances and attempt to keep the past alive.

In a way, the Bieber performance attempted something similar as he engaged directly with his own past performances.

He not only called upon pre-recorded materials, but his own viral history. His self-referential performance was directly inspired by online cultural consumption. His interaction with YouTube was relatable and human, rather than detached and lazy.

YouTube and performance

As a DJ, I first became aware of YouTube’s impact on the presentation of performances through the emergence of Boiler Room, a channel that shows videos of DJs performing while surrounded by punters.

Eventually, the optics of these videos informed how clubbing might look: nightclubs and festivals configured “Boiler Room setups”, with DJs surrounded by a dancing audience instead of elevated and separated.

Despite encouraging a generation of overt posers, it showed how what we see online influences what is presented on stage.

Bieber takes this thinking to a much larger audience, demonstrating real engagement with his presence in pop culture online. In turn, how we react to this performance might inform future live shows.

– ref. Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance wasn’t ‘lazy’ – and actually references 50 years of music history – https://theconversation.com/justin-biebers-coachella-performance-wasnt-lazy-and-actually-references-50-years-of-music-history-280463

Waitangi Tribunal begins urgent inquiry into school Treaty obligations and curriculum changes

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

The tino rangatiratanga haki (flag) outside Parliament on the day of the Treaty Principles Bill introduction. RNZ / Emma Andrews

An urgent inquiry into the government’s decision to remove school boards’ legal obligation to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and overhaul the national curriculum is underway, with iwi and the Education Union warning of long-term impacts for Māori.

The Waitangi Tribunal is hearing evidence this week after granting urgency to a claim brought by Northland iwi Ngāti Hine and hapū Te Kapotai, alongside the country’s largest education union, NZEI Te Riu Roa.

The claim challenges changes to the Education and Training Act 2020, which removed the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti, as well as the reset of Te Mātaiaho and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

The claimants argue the removal of Treaty obligations risks significant and irreversible harm to Māori learners and their whānau, including reduced access to te reo Māori, tikanga and mātauranga Māori, and a loss of cultural safety in schools.

Ngāti Hine kaumātua and claimant Te Waihoroi Shortland previously told RNZ the decision to remove Treaty obligations reflected a long-standing pattern in Crown behaviour.

“People forget that two nations made this deal (Te Tiriti o Waitangi). One of them was Māori and one of them was the Crown of England … then one nation turns around and swallows the other one up and says, everything we decide is for your good.

“It’s been that way for 186 years. These kind of actions remind us that we haven’t moved very far in all of that time.”

In granting urgency, the Tribunal found the changes carried constitutional significance, “especially so in a case where Māori have not been consulted”.

It also found the removal of the statutory obligation could have immediate consequences for both the status of Te Tiriti and outcomes for tamariki Māori within the education system.

The hearing, which begins on Wednesday morning, is expected to run through to Friday.

NZEI President Ripeka Lessels, the head of the country’s largest education sector union. NZEI supplied

‘Pattern of undermining’ Treaty obligations

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Ripeka Lessels told RNZ the inquiry would allow the Tribunal to examine how the changes were made and their wider impact on the education system.

She said the union would present evidence showing what it believes is a pattern of Crown conduct that has “systematically undermined and dismantled” Treaty obligations in education.

Lessels said the removal of section 127 of the Act, which previously required school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti, had shifted responsibilities away from boards and weakened accountability.

“While the Crown says that schools are not Crown entities, they are very much Crown entities. They are a reflection of the Crown. So there is an obligation on their part to be able to give effect to the Treaty, to be able to ensure that things like strategic planning, policies, ensuring that localised curriculum are… part of a school’s strategic plan.”

She said the change could affect how boards engage with iwi, whether they prioritise Māori representation, and how they reflect Te Tiriti in decision-making.

“For instance… whether or not they must have a Māori representative on their board or not… that’s an impact that will resound quite loudly for some schools,” she said.

Lessels said giving effect to Te Tiriti was about embedding te ao Māori across all aspects of schooling, from governance to teaching and community engagement.

“It reflects tikanga Māori, kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori, te reo Māori… in every aspect of the school,” she said.

Research showed students were more likely to engage in learning when they could see themselves reflected in their school environment.

NZEI President, Ripeka Lessels says research shows that ākonga were more likely to engage in learning when they could see themselves reflected in their school environment. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The union is asking the Tribunal to recommend the government reinstate the mandatory requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti.

Lessels said this was essential to ensure consistency across the system and maintain progress made since the obligation was introduced in 2020.

“There was a time in our history where we didn’t have it… and nobody taught it, nobody made references to it,” she said.

She said schools had made significant progress in recent years, but that could be undermined without a legal requirement in place.

“Since 2020, since the Education and Training Act, schools have had to give effect to [Te Tiriti]. And I must say schools have done a wonderful job of giving effect to the Treaty. But this way here, what the Ministry or what the Minister has done is nothing short of just dismantling the Treaty of Waitangi and the ways in which schools should be obligated to give effect to it.”

The union is also calling for a halt to the rollout of the new curriculum, arguing consultation has been insufficient – particularly for Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

“While both consultations close on 24 April 2026, the Ministry of Education opened the English-medium process on 28 October 2025. This leaves tumuaki and kaiako with only half the time to provide feedback on the draft Te Marautanga o Aotearoa framework and Tau 0-10 wāhanga ako. For the Pūmanawa Tangata wāhanga ako (social science learning area), the draft was released on 7 April, leaving the sector with only 18 days for feedback.”

Lessels said the shortened consultation timeframe for Māori-medium education signalled a lack of priority given to mātauranga Māori.

“We need to be able to have some authentic consultation… where those who need to be in that conversation are in that conversation,” she said.

NZEI is also calling on the government to:

Establish an independent monitoring body, which will include NZEI and Māori education sector representatives, to oversee Crown compliance with Te Tiriti obligations in education
Reinstate funding for Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori and Resource Teachers Māori
Set binding requirements for future Ministerial Advisory Groups, ensuring all members have a demonstrated commitment to Te Tiriti and te ao Māori

The Tribunal will hear evidence from claimants, including iwi representatives and the union, as well as responses from the Crown over the coming days.

The Minister of Education has been approached for comment.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

How do ionic hair dryers work? Can they do what they promise?

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena Wajrak, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, Edith Cowan University

If you’ve been in the market for a new hair dryer, you’ve likely seen advertising for ionic ones. Some claim to produce negative ions in the millions – with or without the help of added minerals like tourmaline.

The broader claim is usually that these ions break water molecules into micro-droplets, resulting in faster drying and reducing frizz to give you super smooth, shiny-looking hair.

Are ionic hairdryers actually capable of doing what they claim? To understand this, we need to briefly delve into some fundamentals.

Wait, what is an ion?

All matter is composed of invisible building blocks called atoms. But they’re not the smallest things we know of. Atoms contain subatomic particles – protons, neutrons and electrons.

Every atom has a nucleus, a very dense centre made up of protons and neutrons. The number of protons determines what chemical element the atom is. Hydrogen has one proton, carbon has six, oxygen has eight, and so on. Molecules are groups of two or more atoms that form a chemical element; an oxygen molecule consists of two oxygen atoms, for example.

How does all this relate to ions? This is where electric charge comes in. All subatomic particles have an electric charge. Protons have a positive charge (+), electrons have a negative charge (-) and neutrons are, as the name suggests, neutral.

Opposite charges attract, while like charges repel each other. Underducker/Shutterstock

The nucleus has a positive charge overall, thanks to all the protons. Negatively charged electrons surround the nucleus because opposite charges attract. This is called electrostatic force, and it is this force that actually keeps the electrons from flying off away from the nucleus.

But electrostatic force is pretty weak. When materials touch or are rubbed together, we get the triboelectric effect – electrons can transfer from one surface to the other. This produces ions: positively or negatively charged atoms or molecules. For example, a negative oxygen ion is oxygen that’s gained an extra electron.

What do ions have to do with hair, then?

For the most part, hair is composed of large complex molecules called keratin proteins. In turn, keratin molecules are composed of various chemical groups, such as carboxyl groups, amino groups and disulfide groups. These can gain or lose electrons.

So, when hair is dried with hot air or is subjected to friction, keratin fibres lose electrons via the triboelectric effect – they become positively charged.

Remember electrostatic force? When hair strands are positively charged they push away from each other, and you get frizz and fly-aways.

This is why hairdryer manufacturers have come up with the idea to neutralise the positive charge with negative ions from the hairdryer. In theory, this should return the charges in your hair to neutral and therefore reduce frizz.

How do hair dryers generate negative ions?

This part is just physics. Although different manufacturers may use slightly different methods, most ionic hairdryers use high voltage applied to a fine wire inside the hairdryer.

This creates a very strong electric field near the outlet where the hot air is blowing. It sends electrons into the surrounding air, producing negatively charged ions – mostly oxygen and nitrogen. The airflow then carries these ions out with the hot air.

To increase the number of negative ions produced during this process, some ionic hairdryers incorporate a mineral called tourmaline which emits negative ions naturally.

Although theory does support the claim that negative ions might neutralise the electrostatic charge of positively charged hair, in practice the amount of ionisation generated by the ionic hairdryers is very small because they’re limited by the voltage applied (typically 1,600V).

Sure, you could generate a huge amount of negative ions with enough electricity, but that’s beyond the scope of an everyday beauty appliance.

The effect would likely be subtle

Overall, this means the effects from an ionic hair dryer would likely be subtle.

Other factors will play a more significant role in smoothness – such as your hair type, hair quality (whether it has been chemically damaged by bleaching or dyes) and what products have been used on the hair prior to drying.

There is also no scientific proof that ionic hairdryers dry hair faster by breaking up water droplets more efficiently, although some studies have demonstrated that ions enhance the evaporation rate of water.

Ultimately, before investing in a very expensive hair dryer, you may want to look at improving the health of your hair in general. Negative ions – while plausible in theory – can only take you so far.

– ref. How do ionic hair dryers work? Can they do what they promise? – https://theconversation.com/how-do-ionic-hair-dryers-work-can-they-do-what-they-promise-278785

Autism diagnoses are up, largely fuelled by the NDIS. What happens next isn’t entirely clear

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Whitehouse, Deputy Director, the Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor of Autism Research, The University of Western Australia

Research published earlier this year found the strongest evidence yet that the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has played a key role driving up autism diagnoses in Australia.

The study found evidence the increase may be due to clinicians lowering the threshold for an autism diagnosis, rather than a “catch up” in the diagnosis of historically under-diagnosed groups.

But major changes to the NDIS due to start in October this year mean a formal diagnosis will no longer be the main gateway for autistic children to access support. So are autism diagnoses likely to fall?

What’s behind the increase in autism diagnosis?

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition where people show social and communication differences (for example, in eye contact or speaking), and restricted and repetitive behaviours (for example, a preference for routines or repeated movement).

It is well established that autism is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

But over the past two decades, the rate of autism diagnosis has increased dramatically worldwide – tripling, by some estimates.

The main reason is that diagnostic boundaries for autism have been redrawn.

Autism was once most often diagnosed in people with significant developmental, intellectual and/or language difficulties. But since the mid-90s, autism has been increasingly understood as a “spectrum”.

This means a person does not need to have intellectual disability or marked language difficulties to receive an autism diagnosis.

A diagnosis can be made if the core features of autism – differences in social and communication behaviours, and restricted and repetitive behaviours or interests – are persistent and meaningfully impact daily life.

As a result, people with a much more diverse range of abilities and support needs have received an autism diagnosis, increasing the overall numbers.

Australia has some of the highest autism rates in the world

The expansion of autism diagnostic boundaries has been observed across the world. But the diagnostic rates in Australia have climbed much faster than in other countries with comparable cultures and economies.

The current rate of autism in Australia is 4.3% for children aged between 5 and 14 years old (up from 3.2% in 2018), compared to 1.8% of 5–19 year olds in the United Kingdom.

One factor unique to Australia – long thought to have contributed to the higher diagnosis rate – was the introduction of the NDIS.

Since its staged rollout across Australia from 2013 to 2020, the NDIS has been the primary pathway through which autistic children can access public funding for therapy and services.

Many anecdotal reports suggest a diagnosis of autism can help children meet eligibility criteria for NDIS support.

Policy makers and clinical and research experts have suggested that higher diagnosis rates in Australia may, in part, reflect clinicians applying a lower diagnostic threshold to enable access to needed supports.

Others have questioned the accuracy of these views, prompting the need for further research to definitively answer this question.

What did the study test?

The recent research examined data from Medicare, the NDIS and Australian Bureau of Statistics. It tested whether the introduction of NDIS was a direct cause of increasing autism diagnosis rates in Australia.

The study took advantage of the gradual rollout of the NDIS across Australia to create a “natural experiment”. In the early part of the rollout, some regions had access to the NDIS while others did not. This allowed the researchers to isolate the effect of the NDIS from broader trends on rising autism diagnosis rates.

Their analysis found geographic regions where the NDIS was introduced had an autism diagnostic rate about 0.56 percentage points higher than areas without the NDIS.

The researchers used statistical modelling to estimate what the growth rate of autism diagnosis would likely have been without the NDIS. They found the NDIS has led to a 32% increase in overall autism prevalence in Australia.

One possible explanation is that this finding reflected a “catch up” in groups that have been historically underdiagnosed, such as girls, older children, and individuals from regional or disadvantaged backgrounds.

However, there was little evidence of this. Instead, increases were larger among boys, children in metropolitan areas, and those from non-culturally diverse backgrounds. There was also no change in the age at diagnosis over time.

The researchers concluded that the NDIS has been a direct cause of the increases in autism diagnosis, most likely because clinicians lowered the diagnostic threshold once the NDIS was introduced.

But the NDIS is undergoing significant reform

In August last year, the federal, state and territory governments agreed to establish a new national disability support program, Thriving Kids.

Thriving Kids is for children aged 0–8 years with developmental delay and/or autism with low to moderate support needs. Children with higher support needs, and eligible adults, are expected to keep accessing support through the NDIS.

Under Thriving Kids, children will be able to access support based on the presence of developmental delays, without a formal diagnosis of autism. So diagnosis will no longer be the gateway to services. This means it is highly possible we will also see the rates of autism diagnoses begin to fall, once Thriving Kids is fully implemented by January 1 2028.

A further practical step would be to strengthen consistency in diagnostic practice, including mandating that clinicians use Australia’s national guideline for autism assessment and diagnosis of autism. Currently, this is not mandatory.

But some experts argue autism now exists as a cultural phenomenon alongside its clinical definition, and believe the motivation for autism diagnoses – among individuals and clinicians – will remain high, regardless of policy changes.

Rigorous epidemiological studies that track autism diagnostic rates across the years of Thriving Kids implementation, and beyond, will be key to answering this question.

– ref. Autism diagnoses are up, largely fuelled by the NDIS. What happens next isn’t entirely clear – https://theconversation.com/autism-diagnoses-are-up-largely-fuelled-by-the-ndis-what-happens-next-isnt-entirely-clear-280143

Celebrating ‘outlandish, avant-garde, maverick houses’

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand architect Claude Megson designed a series of experimental, individual, geometrically complex homes in Auckland in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

New Zealand born, and now London-based architect Giles Reid was taught by Megson at AUT, he told RNZ’s Nine to Noon.

While less well known than New Zealand architectural greats Ian Athfield, Peter Beavan and Roger Walker, Reid says his teacher left an extraordinary body of work, which he’s documented in a new book.

Claude Megson in the late 1980s.

Colleen Cooper

. And some of those divisions still exist to this day,” Reid says.

Reid has vivid memories of Megson’s lectures.

“I remember as a student sitting in this darkened lecture theatre, and this was very much the fashion of the day, you’d have these two carousels of slides and they would be going simultaneously, this incredible orchestration of how you present material. Often there was opera music playing in the background.”

Claude Megson Architect by Reid and Jackie Meiring revisits the career of the architect who died aged 57 in 1994.

Model for the Barr House, Meadowbank, Auckland.

Hayley Abbott

The research he did alongside collaborators architect Chad McMahon and Meiring revealed a prodigious body of work, says Reid.

“The speed with which he attacked problems, the material flowing out of him. He would get a commission from a client, or maybe half a commission, or just the chance, and suddenly he’d be just producing voluminous amounts of information.”

Sarah Cox, at the Auckland School of Architecture, made its collection of Megson’s drawings available, he says, all 1500 of them laboriously photographed by McMahon.

Rees Townhouses, Remuera 1974.

Colleen Cooper

“At some level, I still find it almost incomprehensible he could design some of these spaces.

“There’s a building such as the Barr House, which is a wonderful house in Meadowbank, quite Frank Lloyd Wright-ian, and it has vaguely hexagonal geometry over about seven levels and how that is controlled to the millimetre, it’s just the most extraordinary thing to walk through, to experience.”

Wong House, Remuera, 1963

Massey University Press

The geometrical complexity of Megson’s design brought with them problems, he says – primarily watertightness.

“There are arguments that he pushed the technology too far. There’s also arguments that some of his detailing didn’t catch up with the complexity of the shapes and forms he created.”

Megson produced “outstanding, outlandish, avant-garde, maverick houses”, Reid says.

“I think, there’s a huge place for that in the architecture profession. Not everything has to be safe and tidy.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Whistleblower sparks investigation into Health New Zealand’s medical scanning services

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ has reported extensively on districts struggling with technology and radiology workforce shortages. (File photo) 123rf

A whistleblower sparked an investigation by a top lawyer into Health New Zealand’s medical scanning services.

The agnecy said Michael Heron KC would lead an independent investigation after a protected disclosure about radiology services.

An investigation three years ago found patients had had suffered harm for years from poor radiology tech at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, while RNZ reported extensively on the Bay and other districts’ struggles with technology and radiology workforce shortages.

“We can confirm that the board has commissioned an independent investigation into issues raised in a protected disclosure in relation to radiology services,” board chairperson Dr Levy and deputy board chairperson Dr Andrew Connolly said in a statement.

They would not confirm if the findings would be made public.

“Relevant Health NZ staff are being interviewed as part of the process. We can’t comment further while this confidential investigation is underway.”

The senior doctors’ union, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS), said several doctors and nurses in Hawke’s Bay had been invited to talk to Heron and it was offering them support.

The Protected Disclosures law gave protection against retaliation.

In a note to members that RNZ had seen the ASMS said, “You may be aware that Michael Heron KC is conducting an investigation, at the request of Health New Zealand’s Board, following a protected disclosure concerning radiology services in Hawkes Bay.

“He will be visiting Hawkes Bay Hospital later this month.”

Association executive director Sarah Dalton said, “We know that there is an inquiry underway as a result of a protected disclosure.

“And we understand in the Terms of Reference is an undertaking from [HNZ chair] Lester Levy that the inquiry will be made public but that hasn’t happened.

“A number of clinicians – doctors and nurses – have been invited to talk to Heron. We are offering advice and support.”

Heron was a former Solicitor-General and had led government inquiries into misuse of Census data, and judicial behaviour, and culture reviews such as for the Law Society.

The Protected Disclosures Act 2022 protected an employee or former employee who in good faith reports “serious wrongdoing that they believe on reasonable grounds is, or has been, occurring in their workplace”, according to Employment NZ.

Health New Zealand had for years struggled with risks to patients and workers in various districts from outdated and fragmented radiology technology systems, stressing out staff who risked missing vital scanning information and raising the risk of misdiagnoses.

In 2024, documents sought by RNZ revealed hospitals across the central North Island were struggling to overhaul unstable medical scanning technology with faults rising rapidly.

In 2023 HNZ released a report it had tried to keep secret under whistleblowing laws, that found patients had been harmed by “unsafe” processes and inefficient radiology medical imaging services at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

This had dragged on for years despite red flags raised with management. Consultant radiologist Dr Bryan Wolf triggered the investigation as a whistleblower.

Work had been underway for several years to upgrade the tech nationwide.

RNZ in February sought an update on that work in an Official Information Act request but a response had been delayed by HNZ to May.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Rakiura / Stewart Island residents face costly trips to mainland for health care

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Shona Sangster says GP shortages on the mainland add to the pressure of Rakiura residents accessing healthcare. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Health New Zealand is reviewing how healthcare is delivered on Stewart Island after a survey raised serious concerns about the cost and difficulty of seeing a doctor.

It has been at least a decade since Rakiura had its own GP, with nurses now the only permanent healthcare providers.

The island was left without any healthcare workers for three days last year due to illness, information released under the Official Information Act has revealed.

A nurse practitioner and two clinical nurse specialists, based at Stewart Island Health Centre in Oban, handle everything from emergencies to everyday care for the island’s 480 residents.

A survey of 78 residents last year revealed frustration with the expense and stress of accessing mainland care and concern about burnout among the nurses holding the system together.

The Stewart Island Health Centre in Oban. Mark Papalii

Residents praised the nurses as “amazing”, “superheroes” and “dedicated” but they told RNZ the biggest frustration was the difficulty in seeing a GP.

Angela Karaitiana said each visit to a clinic in Bluff or Invercargill cost hundreds of dollars once transport was factored in.

“You can’t just pop to the doctor here – you have to get a flight. It takes you a day out of work and your life,” she said.

Some trips were unavoidable, she said.

“The other day my husband went over for a medical for his fishing ticket and they were running late. So the plane was at this time and back at this time, and then [the clinic] was running late. And then it’s like ‘is there a later plane or do I just have to cancel and come back and go over another time?’ See that stuff’s a pain,” Karaitiana said.

Shona Sangster said GP shortages on the mainland compounded the problem.

“I’m registered with a practice in Invercargill and it’s six weeks to get an appointment with my GP. And then, if for whatever reason, I can’t get over there because the weather packed in and the plane can’t fly or the boat can’t go then I have to wait another six weeks,” she said.

Bruce Ford said the long waits were familiar to him too.

“You tend to be a bit cautious about what you want and even now if you want to have an appointment they say ‘oh we can see you in three weeks’ time’ and a fat lot of bloody use that is if you’ve got something bad,” he said.

Residents surveyed told Health NZ they were worried about burnout and unsafe cover for those working at Stewart Island Health Centre, describing the clinic as “old and cluttered”.

Health NZ found elderly and hapū māmā were being forced off the island for care, services were stretched during tourism peaks and there were “feelings of neglect by the system”.

People were also worried about the difficulty enrolling with mainland GPs, the survey found.

Rakiura / Stewart Island RNZ / Mark Papalii

Three days, no cover

The survey was carried out in October and preceded a review into how care was delivered on the island.

There were just two nurses working at Stewart Island Health Centre at the time.

Data released under the Official Information Act showed in July 2025 the island was without any resident nurse for three days after both fell sick and no cover could be found.

“Health NZ Southern region exhausted all efforts to cover the sick leave, including extended cover from another staff member and cover from both within the Southern region and outside the district,” a Health NZ spokesperson said.

Health NZ put St John and police on notice and made a charge nurse at Southland Hospital available for phone calls, the spokesperson said.

Health NZ had started working with local providers and the Stewart Island Health Committee on a phased plan – looking at better links to mainland GPs, more digital support and options for visiting doctors, the spokesperson said.

Three nurses were now working 1.6 full-time equivalent roles with one clinician typically on duty at any given time and on-call after-hours care available, Health NZ said.

“Work is under way to strengthen healthcare access by improving connections to primary care, enhancing digital support, and working closely with Hauora Māori partners to strengthen their role in supporting care delivery. These are early-stage considerations and will continue to be shaped alongside the community and providers,” a spokesperson said.

The centre where the nurses are based. Mark Papalii

‘Save your ailments up for a month’

Health NZ said it was not considering a full-time GP and encouraged locals to enrol with an appropriate doctor.

Sangster said a resident GP would be a luxury and she was uncertain the population justified it.

“I think if it could be made to work that would be the Rolls Royce option… I’m not opposed to a GP here but I don’t know if there’s the need for it,” she said.

Ford recalled a system that used to be effective – a GP visiting once a month.

“You just had to save your ailments up for a month and that sort of worked,” he said.

One resident says a GP would be a luxury on the island. RNZ / Mark Papalii

But the island’s culture of stoicism could be dangerous as residents tended to push through illness rather than seek help, he said.

“People will have something wrong with them and they’ll hold on and hold on and then they’re in big trouble and they do have to get med-evac’d in the middle of the night,” he said.

Not all residents shared that concern.

Helen Cave said the nurses were a genuine asset and the trade-offs were simply part of island life.

“They’ve got good backup, they’re communicative, they do your blood tests. I think we’ve got a better service than if you were in Invercargill or one of my kids moved to Wānaka this year – I think there’s better services here than in Wānaka.”

Health NZ declined RNZ’s interview requests.

It said future changes would factor in the community and provider’s views.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania says council ‘unfairly targeted’

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania has defended having unelected iwi representatives on the council’s Māori liaison committee. NZME

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania has defended having unelected iwi representatives on the council’s Māori liaison committee – and says the Far North is being unfairly targeted because it’s just one of 57 councils around the country with similar arrangements.

The committee’s membership has been thrust into the national spotlight after former TV journalist Duncan Garner interviewed councillor Davina Smolders on his podcast last week.

In the podcast Garner claimed a council committee had 15 unelected iwi representatives to six elected councillors, which he believed was “illegal”, “undemocratic”, and “co-governance on steroids”.

The committee Garner and Smolders were referring to was the Te Kuaka Māori Strategic Relationships Committee.

The committee’s makeup will be decided at a council meeting on Wednesday morning but alongside the six councillors it is proposed to have two members from Northland’s iwi chairs forum, and one from each of the eight hapū or iwi with which the council has a Memorandum of Understanding, making a total of 10 appointed members.

Council documents show the six other council committees have at most two unelected external members, and some have none.

Tepania said the furore took him by surprise, given that Te Kuaka’s membership had yet to be confirmed, and because Māori liaison committees were nothing new.

He said the appointed members would have voting rights on the committee, but the committee could only give advice with the full council making any final decisions.

“I mean, we’re not alone in having a mechanism like this to incorporate Māori into our decision-making … We’re one of 57 councils that have a committee like this. Our cousins in Whangārei and Northland Regional Council have strategic relationship committees as well,” Tepania said.

“So it’s definitely not something new, or something that we alone are trying to push forward. It’s a mechanism that allows us to meet our statutory obligations under the Local Government Act, which is to ensure that we include Māori participation in our decision-making. And that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

Former TV journalist Duncan Garner. Michael Bradley/Getty Images for NZTV Awards

He said some committees – such as Te Koukou Transport and Infrastructure Committee – did have delegated powers to make decisions and sign off contracts up to a certain value, but not Te Kuaka Māori Strategic Relationships Committee.

Tepania rejected claims the committee was illegal or undemocratic.

“This is what’s really unfortunate, because when opinion is stated as fact, it gets people up in arms. Is the Far North District council breaking the law? Actually, it’s not. The Local Government Act allows for any council to establish committees and to have non-elected members on those committees. The only requirement is that they have at least one elected member.”

Local Government New Zealand confirmed to RNZ the approach taken by the Far North District Council to its committees was allowed under the Local Government Act 2002.

Tepania said it was “disheartening” the controversy erupted while the council was dealing with the aftermath of the March storm and preparing for Cyclone Vaianu.

“It does feel like we’ve been unfairly targeted out of the councils in this country that are doing the same and it does honestly feel like race baiting. It’s very hōhā (annoying) and we’ve got too much mahi to do for all of the people of the Far North to have to put time and energy into this.”

Tepania was, however, concerned by Smolder’s statement that she felt “threatened, bullied and intimidated”, including at the council table.

All members had to abide by a code of conduct – which included how they behaved towards each other – and if any councillor believed that had been breached, he urged them to make use of the processes in place “to keep everyone safe”.

Tepania said the upcoming general election was a good chance for the Far North to make itself heard by central government, but it could also ramp up divisions and he expected to see a lot more opinions presented as fact.

He urged people to “do their homework” and seek information from “reputable sources”.

Meanwhile, Tepania said he apologised to Garner, and the people of the Far North, for responding to an interview request with a two-word email stating “f*** off”.

It wasn’t the kind of response people expected from their mayor, or that he expected from others in his position.

“If circumstances were different I wouldn’t have reacted in that way. It was just the initial reaction to something that was blowing up, causing me concern, and at the end of the day, I guess we’re all human,” Tepania said.

Davina Smolders rejected Tepania’s characterisation of the podcast as misinformation.

She conceded Garner was incorrect when he claimed having appointees on a council committee was illegal, but maintained – and said she had been advised by her lawyer – that it went against the intent of the law.

She said the Te Kuaka committee already had four Māori Ward councillors, so the extra hapū and iwi appointees were an unnecessary double-up.

If the podcast failed to mention that the committee in question was the Māori liaison committee, that context had likely been lost in the editing process when the 48-minute interview had been cut down to 30.

Smolders said she had made 13 complaints to police about threats against her, but none related to incidents in the council chambers.

Eleven related to threats made via social media.

She said police had been “incredibly proactive and reassuring”, in one case even identifying a Facebook user who went by a false name.

Smolders said she expected some of her supporters to attend Wednesday morning’s meeting, as well as supporters of the council’s current direction.

“I respect the democratic right of Ngāpuhi, and all citizens, to peacefully protest and make their voices heard,” she said.

“This is a direct result of the fundamental breakdown in trust and effective governance at the Far North District Council. We can’t continue with the status quo. The cracks in this council’s democratic foundation are now on public display, and I’m once again urging Local Government Minister Simon Watts to step in and appoint a Crown observer.”

However, Minister Watts confirmed to RNZ he would not be appointing an observer to the Far North District Council.

Local Government Minister Simon Watts said he would not be appointing an observer. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

He said he was aware of concerns about tensions within the council.

“The local council and its members are locally elected, it’s not for Wellington to go intervene every time they do something I don’t personally agree with. Given the high statutory threshold required for such powers, I am advised that the council’s current actions do not constitute formal ministerial intervention at this time,” he said.

“I have, however, asked officials to engage with the council and report back to me if they identify any concerns or issues that warrant further investigation.”

Watts’ office confirmed the council was not being investigated, despite news reports to that effect.

The Minister’s letter to the council stated he was “satisfied that the council is conducting its governance appropriately and any disagreements between council members can be managed through its governance processes”.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Timaru cafe inundated with calls after AI tool lists phone number for hospital

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

The phone number for Sopheze Coffee Lounge has been offered up when people search for Timaru Hospital. Google Maps / Screenshot

A Timaru café’s phone has been ringing off the hook but unfortunately many aren’t seeking a top-notch toastie – instead they’re after a doctor.

Google’s Gemini Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool had been offering up the phone number for Sopheze Coffee Lounge when people searched for Timaru Hospital.

Sopheze Coffee Lounge manager Vanessa Keen said the problem started about six weeks ago.

Café staff noticed a big increase in hang-ups and wrong numbers.

“People would say ‘sorry, wrong number’ and hang up or people ringing… asking for radiology. I had one yesterday who wanted to confirm his appointment with me,” Keen said.

“We get about 15 to 20 phone calls a day.”

It took a couple of weeks to figure out the problem, she said.

“Then it clicked … I said to this lady on this phone ‘where did you find this number?’ and she said ‘Google, I googled Timaru Hospital and this is what came up’. I asked her to send the screenshots through to me and I sent them through last week to the local health board.”

It appeared the correct number came up if people searched for “Timaru Hospital”, but those searching “Timaru Hospital phone number” got a direct line to Sopheze.

The frequent calls were a unneeded disruption but Keen said she also worried getting the wrong number would add to people’s stress when they needed to contact the hospital.

Health New Zealand – South Canterbury posted on social media on Monday alerting people to the problem and asked Google to fix the issue.

Andrew Lensen, a senior lecturer in AI at Victoria University said it was common for AI summaries to contain errors.

“Sometimes it’s because when Google has gone through and scrapped these website their algorithms – their AI models – have got a bit confused or mismatched two pieces of information together. Sometimes it is what we call a hallucination where the model makes things up,” Lensen said.

“It is a bit strange but my best guess is that maybe these phone numbers were listed in a similar place, maybe a Timaru website or community page, and the model has mismatched that association.”

It was a reminder to treat AI summaries with caution, he said.

“When you look at the AI summary you’ll see that there are links in the summary to the Ministry of Health pages. If you click on those pages it will take you through, for example, to the Facebook page or the Ministry of Health page for Timaru. If you click on those pages you can find the number of those official websites,” Lensen said.

“Its just a good reminder that the summaries are often wrong. It even says that at the bottom of the summary.”

Getting errors corrected was not always straightforward either.

“These big tech companies tend to be quite hard to contact in terms of these types of errors. They are not overly concerned about it, to be frank. Sometimes the best way to get a change is probably getting someone like RNZ to publish on it because then Google will probably take note and adjust it,” he said.

There might be a contact form on Google’s website but it could be just a matter of waiting for the contact information to naturally update, he said.

Google said, in an emailed response, the issue was now fixed.

Google added people could give inaccurate information a downvote.

Health New Zealand South Canterbury group director of operations Rachel Mills said it regularly reviewed online information to ensure it was accurate and encouraged people to use official health websites.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Injured teen star Sam Ruthe won’t be rushed back onto the track

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand runner Sam Ruthe PHOTOSPORT

No time frame yet on a possible return to the track for teen running star Sam Ruthe.

The 17 year old revealed at the weekend that he had suffered a stress fracture in his leg.

It put into doubt his plan for the year which included the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July followed by the world under-20 championships in the United States.

His father Ben Ruthe said Sam’s team have had a chance to review his medical status and complete a recovery plan back to fitness.

“The nature of the injury to his Fibula means that Sam will have a full recovery without any lasting impact to his running career,” Ben Ruthe said in a statement.

The teenager is being treated by High Performance New Zealand Doctor Dan Exeter and Tauranga based Physiotherapist Leanna Veale along with with his coach Craig Kirkwood.

Sam Ruthe pictured with his father Ben. Photo / Andrew Cornaga

His father said his son’s recovery includes swimming and biking before the introduction of “load bearing exercise moving through to jogging.”

Ben Ruthe said the aim is for a full recovery rather than rushing back to training.

“It means no decisions have been made around the upcoming northern hemisphere track season at this time.”

Ruthe has broken a a number of records over the last year including Sir John Walker’s long-standing national mile record when he clocked 3min 48.88sec at an indoor meet in Boston in February.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Fuel crisis: Support workers challenge government to do their job for a day

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Helen says most support workers earn the minimum wage. RNZ / Charlotte Cook

Support workers suggest the government spend a day with them to understand why an increase to 82 cents per kilometre is a joke.

The government has announced a temporary 30 percent increase in mileage reimbursement rates for home and community support workers to offset soaring fuel costs.

This is still under the recommended reimbursement rates set by Inland Revenue before fuel prices climbed towards $4 a litre.

“Here’s a tiny little bit of ‘let’s keep everybody quiet’… It’s almost like a joke.”

Helen has been a support worker for 18 years.

Each year she thinks it will be her last, but every year she says no, wanting to wait until after a client has died. Each year she finds another person to wait for.

Across nearly two decades Helen has arrived to find her clients have hurt themselves, died overnight, she’s helped families dress their dead. She knows everything about them. Their kids’ names, what they do, how they like their coffee. As a support worker, she becomes part of the family.

She knows the job and the roads in Waikanae like the back of her hand.

On this particular Thursday she had six appointments, although it was likely to be more; they get added into her day.

RNZ / Charlotte Cook

‘It shouldn’t have taken a fuel crisis to get an increase’

She starts the morning shift at 7.15am with 140km left in the tank.

The last time she filled the car it cost $163.

“It shouldn’t have taken a fuel crisis to get an increase,” she said.

She needs her own car each day to travel between clients, but this increase doesn’t cover the car itself, or any maintenance.

The increase is also only available for a year, or until petrol prices are below $3 per litre for four consecutive weeks.

After that it’s back to 63.5c per kilometre.

“A lot of us are on the living wage…the new people that are coming on, that are still going through their qualifications, I mean, they’re on minimum wage, plus they’re having to prop up their own petrol and obviously car maintenance and things.”

For support workers it’s not just the petrol payments that upset them. They also lost their pay equity claim, and feel undervalued by the government.

Helen works incredibly hard, her clients know that too. One of them tries to give her morning tea to take away, knowing that between appointments, she will barely have enough time to cover the travel, let alone breaks.

Waikanae town and the beach are just over 7km away from each other, her clients are spread between the two.

” I just say I’m staying in Waikanae and that’s the end of it… the further you go, the more it’s going to cost you.”

However Helen said many staff go back and forth up and down the coast, sometimes travelling from Palmerston North and the Hutt Valley.

Helen is only working with clients in Waikanae to try and cut down the distance she travels. RNZ / Charlotte Cook

A morning shower, first thing in the afternoon…

But she still does her fair share of bouncing around. Her first and third appointments were two streets over from each other, but instead she had a 14km trip to see the client in between.

Her company does the roster to meet what the client needs but when only some of the petrol is covered doubling back is a hard pill to swallow.

It’s also a problem trying to meet people’s needs; most want their shower early, but staffing shortages mean a morning shower comes at 1pm.

Everything is timed to the minute.

“This morning we had 10 minutes for dressing, 20 minutes for hygiene, which is a shower, 15 minutes for meal preparation, and five minutes for medication.”

She sets a timer to see if it’s possible to achieve it all in 45 minutes.

That’s her least favourite bit, often the time to do the tasks takes longer than allocated, meaning she either must leave unfinished, or the rest of her clients wait.

Her alarm went off right on time, she only makes it out because her client had already made himself breakfast.

Leaping in the car, she’s off to the next one.

The problem is despite the fact she’s so far on time, it’s after 9am. She has two 30-minute appointments at different houses and then needs to be 7km away at 10am.

But that math doesn’t add up. More than an hour’s worth of work, but less than 60 minutes to fit it into.

‘We’re going to be late’

“We’re going to be late” – 30 minutes late to be precise.

But she doesn’t dwell, delicately weaving her way through the streets to her next location, a client with terminal cancer.

“The lady that we’re going to now has been waiting for, it’s called a multi-chair that you can interlink with a system that goes over the bath and into the shower.

“She hasn’t had a proper shower in a year.

“We’ve all just been kind of hoping that she’ll get her chair before she goes so she can at least experience one chair before she leaves.”

By visit five, Helen’s clocked up 30km and an hour behind the wheel between bookings.

She hadn’t stopped for food, water or even a loo break, just sprinting between clients.

Helen had to do that once, not sprinting but walking. Her car broke down, she had no other options and no help from her company, so she packed a backpack and requested clients close together, because she’d be hitting the pavement.

“I feel very privileged doing my job and I’m sure everybody else that works in the same job feels very privileged as well.

“It’s a real feel-good job.

“People really appreciate us coming and that’s lovely but we can’t come if we can’t afford to come….

“Unfortunately, our cars don’t run on feel-good feelings.”

Support workers do the work no one else will

Her day ends at about 12.45pm with 45 kilometres clocked up.

She’s right, those good feelings won’t fuel the car. For today’s rebate she will receive around $37.

That’s $15 short of what IRD suggests for petrol repayments. That doesn’t cover car maintenance or costs to keep it on the road.

Helen said she wouldn’t be doing it if she didn’t love it and feel appreciated by the clients, but the reality is, it costs her money.

“I challenge anyone to come out and spend the day with me… see what we do for a day and actually how much we do and see how much of a difference we make in the community but also how hard we work to make that difference.”

Her last but enduring question she asked herself, “who would do this if we didn’t?”

Who looks after the elderly, the sick, people post-surgery? Where do they go, the overfilled hospitals, retirement homes they can’t afford?

“We are fighting for the time for them, but we’ve also got to fight for ourselves… it’s a fight all round.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Trust in news rises after years of decline in NZ. What’s behind the shift?

By The Conversation -

April 15, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Treadwell, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Auckland University of Technology

Public trust in news in has risen for the first time since records began in 2020.

According to the latest Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report, 37% of respondents now trust the news generally, up from just 32% last year. In the context of recent trends, that’s a fairly sizeable jump.

The report also shows 50% now trust the news they personally consume, also up five percentage points from 45% in 2025.

These are the first positive results about the public’s trust in news since we began researching the subject at the AUT Research Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy in 2020.

As we have every year, we asked New Zealanders if they felt they could “trust most of the news most of the time”. We also asked about their trust in the news they personally consume, their views on particular news brands, how much they avoid the news, and to what extent they pay for it.

Many of our questions match those asked in a global study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which allows us to make international comparisons.

The survey of more than 1,000 New Zealanders is weighted by age, gender, highest educational qualification, personal income, ethnicity and region. This means respondents accurately represent the adult population in these demographics.

Trust in news has risen, but against a longer-term downward trend. JMAD, CC BY-NC-SA

What explains the change?

A significant contributing factor to the upturn in trust, we think, is greater public awareness of disinformation, deep fakes and AI slop.

The prevalence of such poor-quality information, distributed on social media for commercial or political gain, and the growing public debate it, seems to have made people more conscious of the need for verified facts.

As one male Pākehā respondent aged 35–44, put it:

Traditional news networks and journalists will end up regaining trust, because [there] will be no way to tell whether something is AI bullshit or not.

Indeed, this year we asked respondents where they go to check news they don’t trust. More than half said they went to a news source they did trust, among other places. Only 8% checked suspicious information using a chatbot.

Overall, our improved level of trust in news (37%) takes us back to near the international average (40%) of the 48 countries surveyed by Reuters, but is still much lower than it was 2020 (53%).

Has time made a difference?

As the COVID pandemic and its related social discord fade a little into history, are we perhaps also seeing a shift back towards a more reasonable national conversation?

The picture isn’t clear. There were plenty of anti-media comments from respondents this year (as there always are). For example, a male Pākehā respondent, 35–44, who voted for New Zealand First in 2023, said:

Mainstream media is biased, woke, swings extremely to the left, and is by and large completely untrustworthy.

This distrust is not confined to the political right. A Green voter from the same demographic said:

Most providers are owned by the wealthy and often put a right wing spin on reporting.

But among the almost 350 comments from mistrustors, there was also significantly less focus on the (now disestablished) Public Interest Journalism Fund, a COVID-era media support package that some saw as a government bribe in return for favourable coverage.

There was also less conspiratorial sentiment about a climate change hoax involving the entire news media.

Anecdotally, at least, it seems the public might be moving on from overtly polarised positions.

Editorial independence important

New Zealanders have also clearly rejected commercial and political meddling in newsrooms.

Asked this year how they would react if media company managers or board members interfered with editorial decision making, 43% of respondents said their trust in the outlet’s news would decline.

Another 27% said they would consider cancelling their subscription to the news outlet.

Overall, that’s 70% who reject that kind of interference in the news.

Support for professional journalism

Asked which information sources they paid most attention to, 61% of respondents said traditional news media were among them.

It seems a significant proportion also still values public-interest journalism for its professionalism, accountability, verification processes, and the checks and balances on its own work.

For the first time, we asked respondents who said they trusted news why they trusted it.

The responses reveal the difference between those who have lost trust in news and those who retain it. Fact-checked stories with reputable sources that are reported on by multiple outlets are trustworthy, they said.

Female Pākehā, 45–54, voted Green:

I trust it because I know how it is produced and I understand its limitations.

Māori, 45–54, voted Te Pāti Māori:

I trust in the integrity of professional journalism here.

Indeed, there seemed to be a degree of push-back against online conspiracies about the news media making things up.

Male Pākehā, 25–34, voted Labour:

I trust the news because, one, it’s true, and two, it’s definitely true.

A sense of perspective

It’s important to be realistic about any positive trends in this latest survey. Since we started publishing the report, trust in news has been declining dangerously.

While welcome, this recent upturn doesn’t alter the overall downward trend over time, which is fairly steep.

But over recent years, the news media have responded to the growing trust issue, and promoted transparency and verification processes. The government has also made public trust a key issue for the state-owned broadcasters.

Facing an overload of misinformation, particularly on social media, the public may be reacting.

It’s still too early to say anything definitive. But this report suggests things are changing – potentially for the better.

– ref. Trust in news rises after years of decline in NZ. What’s behind the shift? – https://theconversation.com/trust-in-news-rises-after-years-of-decline-in-nz-whats-behind-the-shift-280253

New Zealanders’ trust in news is up after years of slumps

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dr Merja Myllylahti and Dr Greg Treadwell from the AUT’s Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy. RNZ / Jeremy Ansell

“News and information you can trust,” a serious voice intoned at 7.30am last Monday morning – with a suitably serious soundtrack – before the familiar voice of Nicola Wright kicked in with the headlines during Morning Report.

On the daily promotional trailers, the new co-host John Campbell also promises “news and information you can trust on Morning Report.”

Trustworthiness is a message RNZ wants listeners to get.

In an interview last week looking ahead to his Morning Report debut last Monday, Afternoons host Jesse Mulligan asked John Campbell if public perception of him as left-leaning might be a problem.

“I’m not worried about that. We need to ask the people who are saying that why they’re saying it and what their agendas are,” Campbell replied.

Perception bias was common today, Campbell said – and it’s in the eye of the beholder.

He promised to stay faithful to the requirements of journalism to be fair and “ignore the chatter”.

But the pressure on state-owned broadcasters to increase reported levels of trust in them is hard to ignore – and it comes from the top.

“Trust in the media remains an important issue for shareholding ministers, and we continue to expect RNZ to lead by example and share its experience to strengthen the public’s trust in the wider media sector,” the broadcasting minister Paul Goldsmith said in a recent letter to RNZ’s chair.

He wants the state-owned broadcaster to set “ambitious” targets for trust in its next Statement of Performance Expectations.

Who trusts who the most?

The AUT’s Centre for Journalism Media and Democracy. The AUT’s Centre for Journalism Media and Democracy.

Trust – like bias – is also in the eye of the beholder, and difficult to measure meaningfully.

But the most meaningful measure comes in the annual report on trust in the news produced by the AUT’s Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy (JMAD).

And this year the news was better for RNZ – and the rest of the media.

“In 2026, New Zealanders’ trust in news in general improved significantly, with 37 percent of New Zealanders trusting the news, compared to 32 percent in 2025,” said the 2026 report.

But it’s still a lot lower than the first time Horizon Research surveyed New Zealanders in 2020 for and 53 percent trusted “most news most of the time”.

Over the next five years the same survey recorded successive slumps, before stabilising last year.

This year trust in the news people consume themselves was also up to 50 percent from 45 percent in 2025.

That’s closer to the global average recorded by the latest Reuters Digital News Report’s survey of 48 other countries.

RNZ was perceived as the most trusted news brand this year, closely followed by the Otago Daily Times and TVNZ – just like last year.

The ODT was the marginal front-runner in 2024, prompting the paper to boast on its masthead it was the country’s most trusted news brand.

The Otago Daily Times proudly proclaims its leading status in the AUT’s annual Trust in News in Aoteroa New Zealand. Otago Daily Times

Newsroom, Interest.co.nz, The Listener and the Waikato Times were jointly perceived as the fourth-most trusted brands in the JMAD survey.

Trust in significant New Zealand news brands increased this year across the board.

Other evidence of an uptick in trust

supplied

Another survey modelled on an international one – the Edelman Trust Baromoter – also recorded a boost.

This year’s survey – conducted here by communications agency Acumen – found 39 percent of New Zealanders trusted the media compared to 35 percent in 2025.

A 2024 survey commissioned by the News Publishers’ Association found higher levels of trust in the media outlets New Zealanders know and use.

An independent report in 2024 for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage which surveyed more than 2000 people over 18 found 48 percent agreed “news reporting is fair and balanced.” But a healthier 57 percent agreed that “news reporting is trustworthy”.

An RNZ survey of 1500 New Zealanders found trust in RNZ rose from 49 percent in 2024 to 58 percent in 2025.

The number of complaints upheld by the watchdog bodies – the Media Council and the Broadcasting Standards Authority – has also remained steady in recent years in spite of an increasing number of complaints made.

Why is the perception of trust bouncing back?

“The impression we have is a growing consciousness in the public mind about the risks of low-quality information like AI slop, deepfakes and mis- and dis-information. People are looking for verified information. And of course the bottom line is that’s the news,” JMAD’s Dr Greg Treadwell told Mediawatch.

JMAD’s Dr Merja Myllilahti told Mediawatch respondents specified that journalists can be held accountable.

One quoted in the report said: “Traditional mainstream media may not necessarily tell the whole story or there might be a slant on it, but I don’t expect they’re going to lie. Podcasters and influencers don’t pay a penalty for lying and they lie frequently.”

Social media conundrum

Two reasons suggested for trust in news slumping between 2020 and 2024 were too much opinion in the media – and unreliable stuff circulating on social media.

“It’s social media that is dragging the media category down. Trust in social media is at 23 percent, which is firmly in the ‘distrust’ category,” Accumen CEO Adelle Keely told Mediawatch in 2024.

“It would suggest local media, and local journalists where they are bylined – (are) more trusted than more just general news.”

Last month Keely told The Fold podcast it was up to respondents to define media themselves when asked: ‘how much do you trust media to do what is right?’

“If they get most of their news from Facebook, they might think of Facebook as the media rather than the distinction that you or I might have.”

But New Zealanders’ trust in news on social media is also up from 13 percent in 2025 to 17 percent in this year’s JMAD report – even at a time when social media’s had more bad press than ever before.

Turning off and tuning out

The AUT’s Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy JMAD

The JMAD survey again recorded a level of news avoidance in New Zealand much higher than the global average.

While respondents said they had a high level of interest in news in 2026 as well as greater trust, 78 percent avoided news to some degree – compared to 73 percent a year ago.

“You may trust the news but still avoid it. It’s overwhelming in its negativity and the world is in a web of different crises all impacting each other at the moment. People are avoiding it – even if they trust it – for their own well being,” JMAD’s Dr Greg Treadwell told Mediawatch.

“We all understand it’s good not to be on your phone scrolling negative news too much. So people avoiding it makes sense.”

You can read the full report here.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

What has happened to my Sharesies?

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ’s money correspondent Susan Edmunds is questioning her paltry returns from Sharesies. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Share markets have had a pretty good run over the past decade – albeit with some notable blips.

Why then, has my share portfolio via Sharesies had a relatively dismal return?

Sharesies displays a “simple return” on its investment dashboard, which represents the lifetime performance of the investment.

Mine, running since 2017, was sitting at just over 26 percent on Tuesday. At first glance that doesn’t look bad – but that’s less than 3 percent a year. I could have done better in a conservative managed fund (about 4 percent a year over a decade, according to Morningstar).

There are some caveats here – I had some share and fund investments held outside Sharesies that I moved in at various points, so their performance is only captured from the time I moved them over.

Still though, I would have hoped to have done better. My KiwiSaver, for example, which is currently in Milford’s active growth fund, has returned 8.33 percent a year since inception.

So what went wrong? I asked some experts to have a look.

Individual stocks

I own shares in a range of companies, predominantly in New Zealand.

Their performance is a mixed bag but this is where some of the major weakness in my portfolio is.

A2 is up just under 9 percent since I invested (there was a brief heyday in 2020). Air NZ is down more than 40 percent.

ANZ is up more than 134 percent but Fisher and Paykel Healthcare is only up 7 percent (though this was transferred from another platform in early 2025). Fletcher Building is down 10 percent, Ryman is down 57.66 percent.

Overall, my stocks have an average return of 17 percent and only six of 13 are in profit.

Kernel founder Dean Anderson said the mixed results showed the risk of putting too much money into a few names.

He said, while new investors were often told to “buy what you know”, it wasn’t always the best advice.

“The idea is that if you like a brand or use a product, you’ve got an edge. We don’t think that holds up, and your portfolio is a great case study of why,” he said.

“Familiarity can make you feel more confident, but it doesn’t tell you whether a company is well priced or likely to grow. Markets already reflect what is publicly known, so what investors are often bringing is familiarity, not necessarily insight.”

He said owning individual stocks was not inherently a bad idea. The problem was that the range of outcomes was huge.

“One stock can double while another loses nearly everything, and there’s no way to know in advance which is which. That’s the reality your portfolio shows: Intel up 197 percent, Me Today down 94 percent, both picked by the same person with the same good intentions.”

(A note from me – fortunately not with the same amount invested in each!)

Anderson said people needed to move beyond buying the stocks that felt familiar.

“When you love Air NZ as a brand, or you’ve been a Ryman resident’s family member, or you use My Food Bag every week – that feeling of ‘I know this company’ is real, but it doesn’t tell you anything the market doesn’t already know. Share prices reflect everything that’s publicly known. What you’re actually bringing is familiarity, not insight – and familiarity tends to make people more confident, not more accurate.”

Koura founder Rupert Carlyon said I shouldn’t feel too bad about the poor performance of many of my shares because few people “if any” could consistently beat the market over the long term.

Rupert Carlyon, founder of Koura KiwiSaver. Supplied

“For small or mid cap stocks, a fund manager will meet management two or three times before investing which shows the importance of the quality of management. They will also talk [to] three or four research analysts to get their view before investing.

“Investing in individual stocks is really hard because it requires a lot of work. You need to create a solid investment thesis and keep on testing that investment thesis each and every week.

“I’m guessing you bought Fletcher Building because it had been through one of their multiple profit downgrades and it all of a sudden got cheap … Air New Zealand, you probably did the same. Me Today, because they sold a really glitzy glam story.

“This is kind of why you invested, was kind of similar to what most retail investors do. They look at stuff that’s cheap. They look at stuff that’s fallen. They look at stuff that kind of has a bit of glitz and glam about it.”

He said My Food Bag was a good example. At the IPO, in which I invested, there was a lot of support from retail investors like me but not so much from institutional investors.

“They didn’t believe the story and they couldn’t get their heads around the strategy and therefore the retail guys got massively over allocated.”

Greg Smith, investment specialist at Generate said a couple of large losses had dragged down my overall returns. “So it’s not that there weren’t any good picks, it’s that a handful of bad ones had an outsized impact.”

Carlyon said if I had skipped investing in those companies and had instead put my money into two global funds, ACWI and JGLO (more on those in a moment), I could have got up to 130 percent over the past decade.

He said it was also worth looking at why I have such a heavy New Zealand exposure.

“You own a house in NZ, you will get your pension here in NZ, you already have a massive exposure to NZ, so it can be better to remove your exposure to NZ as you are already overly exposed to the NZ economy. When thinking about this stuff, it is important to think about everything together rather than looking at your investment portfolio separately.”

Funds

I’ve done better with most of my funds.

I have a range that I automatically invest in every month. The Smart Total World ETF is up 90 percent. The Smart Australia Financials ETF is up more than 100 percent.

Others are more like 50 percent. Overall my funds had an average of 56 percent return but all were positive.

Greg Smith, investment specialist at Generate. Supplied / Generate

Smith said I had been running two strategies at once. “Your ETFs have delivered solid, market-like returns over time, while your individual stock picks have been much more mixed, with a few quite large losses pulling things down.”

Carlyon said I could think about why I have so many ETFs – just under 10.

“There are a few different things in there and it might be easier to combine them all into the Total World ETF to reduce transaction costs. I am a massive fan of ACWI – the ishares global product with an expense ration of 0.32 percent. And the other one I like is JGLO – you can buy this in Australia, it has a good fee and gives you an active management approach taking the thinking away from you. I like to tell people go 50/50 on those two funds and you get a really good global exposure and you get both active and passive management for a low fee.”

Anderson agreed I should be keeping an eye on the fees I’m paying.

“Looking at your portfolio, notably your Smart investments, while the annual management fee difference between something like a US 500 ETF at 0.34 percent and our 0.25 percent is relatively small in isolation – about $9 a year for every $10,000 invested – the more meaningful drag is often the transaction fees on regular auto-invests. If you’re investing $100 regularly and paying a 1.9 percent fee each time, that $1.90 cost is effectively equivalent to 21 years of that management fee gap. Over time, that upfront friction can eat into your compounding significantly.”

So what next?

Carlyon said other people probably have similar portfolios and outcomes to me.

“You’ve got to remember back in the day, Sharesies had the smart platform and they didn’t have any international options.

“It’s really interesting right now, you watch it and a lot of the capital raises, Sharesies is now a really important part of the capital raising process for a lot of New Zealand businesses. They’re pumping individuals like Air New Zealand, they took a huge amount during the Covid rights issues, all of that kind of stuff.”

Anderson said Sharesies has done something genuinely valuable by getting more people to start investing. But a few years in, many investors were now taking stock – moving from their early experiences toward a more considered stage of building long-term wealth.

Carlyon said I should be thinking hard about all of the individual stocks that I own and asking whether I would be willing to buy more.

“And if you’re not willing to buy more, then you should be thinking yourself, does that mean I should be selling it? The only reason you might say, I don’t want to buy more is because I’m actually pretty happy with my kind of exposure. I might have 3 percent of my portfolio in Fletcher Building and I think that’s enough.

“But if you’re sitting there going ‘I don’t really know, I don’t really like it. I’m kind of sick of the downgrades and I’m sick of, and I’m just holding it because I don’t want to crystallise my loss’, you should be getting out.

“I suspect there are a lot of people with Sharesies portfolios that look extremely similar to yours. In fact, I looked at one on Thursday, which was, they all have the same stuff, right? They’ve all got Air New Zealand, Fletcher Building, Kathmandu.

“A whole lot of them have got The Warehouse too, actually, because they all kind of Covid downturned and then people bought in during that period. And then they haven’t really delivered anything. If anything, they’ve gone backwards since then. And so the big question I’d be posing to all of those people is, now, should you be just crystallising those losses and moving it into a fund versus doing something else? I think you probably should, unless you’ve got a strong belief otherwise.”

Sharesies has not yet responded to my request for comment.

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Would you pay a Temu tax?

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

An organisation representing retailers wants a levy imposed on people shopping at retailers such as Temu and Shein. Nikos Pekiaridis / NurPhoto via AFP

Would you pay a tax on Temu to help support local retail?

New Zealand’s clothing retail sector has been hit particularly hard by a downturn in spending, economists say – and the organisation representing retailers wants a levy imposed on people shopping at retailers such as Temu and Shein.

ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner said the past few years had been “brutal” for clothing retail.

ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner. RNZ / DOM THOMAS

Its latest card spending data showed that apparel spending lifted at about half the rate of total spending over the past 10 years, and had softened notably from a peak in 2022.

As a subset, children and babywear shops were still experiencing activity near 2016 levels.

Zollner said it was possibly because people had shifted their shopping to online retail giant Temu, or other general retailers for whom the apparel component could be split out.

“Bricks and mortar clothing retail – and for that matter their online offerings – could be losing market share, as well as people spending less on clothing. Clothing is one of those things where you can make do with what you’ve got for longer if you are watching your pennies, and it’s notable that until the last month, second-hand stores have been doing very well – and I’m sure a very big chunk of that is clothing.

“Clothing is obviously a necessity but there’s a lot of flexibility in how much you choose to spend on it and when, so I’d say it’s been behaving more like a discretionary item through this cycle.”

Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod agreed a change had happened.

“Retail spending on apparel has been tracking flat for quite an extended periods. Past the pandemic, we haven’t seen much growth over the last couple of years.”

He said more affordable consumer goods had been affected by the changes in e-commerce.

“If you think about fast fashion, you know, a lot of that stuff, you can bring it in cheaply from offshore, and our local retailers are competing with these big overseas-based or online-based retailers, including things like Temu and AliExpress.”

Carolyn Young, chief executive at Retail NZ, said New Zealand could look at what France and South Africa had done, as models of how a tax or levy could be applied to help local retail.

Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young. Supplied

France is implementing an environmental fee on ultra-fast fashion brands, which will rise to 10 euros per item by 203.

“When you think about a business in New Zealand, they pay New Zealand staffing rates. They comply with the health and safety regulations in New Zealand and their products do as well.

“They have to comply to the Fair Trading Act and the Consumer Guarantees Act. There’s always costs involved in those areas. And anything you get in from offshore, you have no idea what their labour environment is like or what they’re paying their people. The product doesn’t have to meet any health and safety standards and they’re not compliant with New Zealand regulations around fair trading and consumer guarantees.”

She said the government should impose stronger measures to help level the playing field, such as a levy paid by shoppers.

“If you were buying from offshore, what we would want to see is that there would be a levy that would be applied to that, that would be at a level that would be some sort of equaliser between what New Zealand businesses have to do and comply with.

“Will everybody come back from shopping with them? I don’t know, but we have to try because that’s just going to make it much more difficult because as soon as you shop offshore, the money goes offshore. It doesn’t stay in New Zealand, doesn’t create jobs in New Zealand, doesn’t, you know, keep businesses open. And at some point, that’s going to really matter.”

She said if everyone would shop in New Zealand, it would help the economy significantly.

Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick said she agreed there was a problem but the French experience had shown a levy could be an unwieldy way to address it.

Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Gareth Kiernan, chief forecaster at Infometrics, said it was interesting that the electronic card transactions painted a bleaker picture than the retail trade survey or GDP data on household consumption.

“Spending on durables and semi-durables tends to get put under pressure during a recession, because people tend to make what they have last longer … I expect the shift towards online retailing – both onshore and overseas retailers – might be skewing some of the numbers that we’re seeing.”

Stats NZ data showed the number of enterprises in the retail trade sector dropped from 29,244 in February 2023, to 29,094 in February 2024, 28,791 in February 2025 and 28,554 in February this year.

Other sectors that experienced declines over that time included agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining, manufacturing, wholesale trade, professional, scientific and technical services.

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Scottish island where Kiwi monk Justin Evans went missing not entirely isolated – local councillor

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Stephen Clackson (C) and his wife Ute in the refectory during a visit with The Sons of The Most Holy Redeemer on Papa Stronsay. Supplied / Stephen Clackson

A councillor for the small Scottish island where a young Kiwi monk went missing from says the island is not entirely isolated.

Police Scotland have launched an extensive search for Justin Evans, 24, who was last seen within the Golgotha Monastery on Papa Stronsay, Orkney, shortly before midnight on Saturday, 11 April.

Do you know more? Email soumya.bhamidipati@rnz.co.nz

Justin Evans, 24, is missing from Papa Stronsay in Scotland. SCOTLAND POLICE / SUPPLIED

Evans is 1.8m tall, with short hair and a dark beard and speaks with a New Zealand accent, police said. He was last seen wearing a white robe.

A spokesperson told RNZ searches remained ongoing on Wednesday and police were being assisted by the coastguard. They did not answer queries about who had alerted emergency services to Evans’ disappearance or whether any New Zealand authorities were involved.

HM Coastguard confirmed it was assisting Police Scotland with “an incident”, but referred all queries back to police as the lead agency.

Dr Stephen Clackson is the Orkney Islands Council member for the North Isles Ward, which includes Papa Stronsay.

Clackson, who lived on Sanday – an island just north of Stronsay, told RNZ he had not yet heard any local discussion of the case or seen any police activity.

However, he was invited to visit the monastery in March last year.

“We enjoyed a tour of the island and of the monastery and were made to feel most welcome. It is impressive everything that The Sons have achieved in the quarter-century their order has been present on the island, and all that they currently do and have planned for the future,” Clackson wrote in his regular newsletter to constituents, noting he was familiar with many aspects of their daily lives having lived in Iona, another community with an orthodox monastery.

He told RNZ the Papa Stronsay monastery was in his council ward and the monks were among his ward constituents.

“I know several of them personally (although I know them by their monastic names, rather than their birth names), and I have visited the monastery,” he said

“They are often seen on the ferry travelling back and forth to Kirkwall (Orkney’s capital), e.g. to do shopping in the supermarkets or en route to travel further afield. They have a house and chapel on Stronsay in the village of Whitehall and engage with the community there.”

While the island was small, it was not entirely isolated, he said.

“Papa Stronsay is just off the island of Stronsay, and the monks have a small boat which connects them with the village and port of Whitehall on Stronsay, just on the other side. From Whitehall, there is a ferry service to Orkney’s capital, Kirkwall (and sometimes to other neighbouring islands). There is also an air service from Stronsay to Kirkwall.”

Clackson said he hoped Evans was “found safe and well soon”. He did not respond to RNZ’s queries about whether Evans was one of the monks he had met during his visit to the monastery.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

RNZ remains New Zealand’s most trusted news brand, survey reveals

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ holds its top spot as New Zealand’s most trusted news brand. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

RNZ has held its top spot as New Zealand’s most trusted news brand in the latest Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report.

The seventh annual report by AUT’s Journalism, Media and Democracy research centre found 57 percent of those surveyed trust RNZ. The Otago Daily Times was ranked as the second most trusted brand, followed by TVNZ in third place.

In a statement, RNZ chief executive and editor in chief Paul Thompson said increasing trust has been a strategic focus for the organisation.

“The findings are recognition of the work we do day in and day out, living and breathing our editorial standards and training our people to provide reliable and independent news and information,” he said.

“It endorses the RNZ approach of investing in trust initiatives, both internally and through the sharing of our high-quality content with other media outlets.

“RNZ will continue its unwavering focus on earning trust through a constant cycle of training, regular proactive reviews into its output, and taking part in international initiatives like Project Origin which certifies the source of content.”

RNZ also held the top spot for most trusted news brand in the 2025 survey.

The 2026 report found New Zealanders’ trust in news overall has increased significantly.

About 37 percent of respondents said they trust “most of the news most of the time” compared to 32 percent in 2025, while trust in the news people consumed themselves was up at 50 percent – compared to 45 percent in 2025.

Trust in news on social media also increased from 13 percent in 2025 to 17 percent in 2026.

RNZ chief executive and editor in chief Paul Thompson. RNZ

“We appreciate that, while trust in media is increasing, there is always more to be done,” Thompson said.

“We agree with the report findings that transparency, high journalistic standards and editorial independence remain key aspects to building trust.”

Online news sites and apps are the main sources of news for 38 percent of New Zealanders. One in five (20 percent) said television is their main news source, while just slightly less (19 percent) said their main source of news is social media.

About 60 percent of New Zealanders are uncomfortable with news produced mainly by AI, but with some human oversight – a figure which is unchanged from 2025. However, the number who said they are comfortable with AI-produced news has increased from 8 percent in 2025 to 11 percent in 2026.

The report was conducted in collaboration with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, meaning New Zealand’s results could be compared internationally.

General trust in news in Aotearoa is at 37 percent, compared to the 2025 Reuters Digital News Report‘s international average (of 48 countries) of 40 percent. Trust was highest in Finland (67 percent), and lowest in Greece and Hungary (both at 22 percent).

Social media is a less important news source for New Zealanders than it is in Brazil, the US and the UK, but a more important source than in Japan and Denmark.

New Zealanders are more uncomfortable with AI-produced news (60 percent), with 53 percent of Americans and 46 percent of Europeans feeling uncomfortable with this mode of news production.

The report found New Zealanders who trust the news do so because they trust journalists for their professionalism.

“They also trust journalists to verify information and base their reporting on evidence and facts. Furthermore, many New Zealanders acknolwedge a lack of credibility in social-media content, and indicate that the rise of influencers and AI content makes them trust news media,” it said.

“Age is often perceived as a likely determinant of news trust. Those who were more likely to trust news were 75+ years olds (45 percent), 35-44 year olds (44 percent) and 25-34 years olds (43 percent). Those who were most likely to mistrust news were over 55 years old, with 54 percent of those 55-64 year olds disagreeing that news can be trusted.”

The report also found 78 percent of New Zealanders are actively avoiding the news to some degree.

“This is a significant increase from 73 percent in 2025. When asked why New Zealanders were actively avoiding the news … 53 percent of respondents said they avoid the news because it negatively affects their mood, and 34 percent said they are worn out by the news.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The danger of house plants going rogue

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Monstera plants – and other invasive houseplants – are popping up in the wild, says University of Auckland ecology professor Margaret Stanley.

Stanley estimates about 20 introduced species begin breeding in the wild each year. It’s often not that plants are “escaping” homes, but people dumping them when they think they’re dead, are moving flats, or they’ve become too big, she says.

Dumping garden waste in reserves remains common, she says, and even a fruiting monstera planted outdoors can spread via wind or birds.

supplied

.

Indoor plants bred to tolerate shade and little watering are tough competitors outdoors, says Dr Imogen Bassett, Auckland Council’s head of natural environment specialist services.

Of particular concern are plants that have light seeds which can be carried by birds, roadside dumping of cuttings which can grow roots, and planting of hard‑stemmed species near native bush, Bassett says.

For example, some asparagus species – a common houseplant which is already a widespread invasive weed – have attractive berries birds like to eat and can be spread that way, she says.

What’s the risk?

Impacts vary, Stanley says. Woolly nightshade produces toxins in soil; vines like moth plant and old man’s beard can smother forests; Russell lupin can alter braided riverbeds.

“New Zealand’s most Instagrammed weed”, Russell lupin modifies the soil, according to University of Auckland professor of ecology Margaret Stanley.

Unsplash / Michael Kahn

Invasive weeds compete with native species for space, nutrients and light, Stanley says, and “plant blindness” means people often don’t notice them until it’s too late.

“Often because [introduced species have] arrived here without all the things that eat them, their specialist herbivores, they tend to be able to grow more quickly and are a bit more adaptable.”

How big is the problem?

Tradescantia – another plant that’s often at homes – is tolerant of dense shade, severe damage and grazing, wet, most soil types and high to low temperature, according to Weedbusters’ website.

Unsplash / Tadeusz Zachwieja

New Zealand has about 2500 native species and about 25,000 introduced species, with nearly 400 classed as invasive weeds.

Another 2500 introduced species are already growing wild, Stanley says.

Predicting which currently sold plants will become weeds is difficult, she says.

“Figs weren’t a weed until about 2005 when their pollinator also turned up in New Zealand and now they can set seed and spread.”

I don’t want my plant anymore – what do I do?

If you’re leaving plants outdoors to catch sunlight – take into consideration whether they’re fruiting and whether birds or the wind can pick those up. (file image)

Unsplash / Manki Kim

Stanley suggests paying for commercial garden waste collections.

Some weeds must go to landfill because they can’t be composted, she says. Council pest‑and‑weed search tools and the Weedbusters website can help offer more guidance on each species.

Some species are nationally banned by the Ministry of Primary Industries, but most bans come through regional pest management strategies which are reviewed every 10 years, Stanley says.

Tips when buying

Ask nurseries for sterile varieties.
Check council “plant me instead” recommendations for native alternatives.
View council guides on how to control each species.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Greens urge ‘constructive, practical’ bus network review

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington’s application for $25.5 million funding for 2024-2027 under the National Transport Programme was rejected by government. Greater Wellington Regional Council

For $200 million the government could reinstate bus network upgrades it previously cancelled in regions now suffering huge fuel price shocks, the Greens say.

Government figures show more than 99 percent of the upgrades Auckland asked for were granted in the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) for 2024-27 – but the story was much different for other regions, with many having their bids for upgrades rejected entirely.

The Green Party wants the government to immediately consider putting spending into projects it previously rejected considering the fuel crisis.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop says there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and a new draft Government Policy Statement will be out this year.

While the government will “continue to invest strongly” in public transport, he refused to commit to a larger proportion of funding.

The data from his office showed the government approved $95.7 million of the $96.6m (more than 99 percent) Auckland Transport asked for, accounting for about 70 percent of funding approved for new public transport investments under the plan.

Other regions did have some funding approved including Bay of Plenty (under $1.3m), Canterbury (under $9m), Manawatū (under $23m), Otago (under $5.3m) and Waikato (under $4.4m).

But much smaller amounts were rejected in full for the likes of Gisborne ($3.6m), Invercargill ($2.5m), Nelson ($200,000), Northland ($8.2m), Taranaki ($7.4m), Hamilton ($10.4m), Wellington ($25.5m) and Waimakariri ($350,000).

More than $45.3m also remains categorised as “possible – unlikely to be funded”.

All up, the government denied about $14m more funding for bus network upgrades than it granted.

Greens call for review

Green MP Julie Anne Genter told RNZ that with the fuel crisis biting, improving bus services would make them more usable for those struggling, and called for the government to urgently take another look.

“We’re in an urgent crisis right now where people need real alternatives to relying on their petrol or diesel car to get around. The least the government could do is go back to these councils who did all this planning and consultation and fund those services.”

Genter noted the $153m in rejected projects was about the same as the cost of the geotechnical scoping work the government paid for a second Mt Victoria tunnel in Wellington.

She acknowledged not all the projects could be immediately implemented – but said much of the work was already done by councils.

“It’s possible not all of the projects could be stood up in a short period of time, but they should be looking at anything that could be done in the next few months. This could be a very long-term issue with the higher oil prices and public transport makes sense anyway to invest in.”

Julie Anne Genter says with the fuel crisis biting, improving bus services would make them more usable for those struggling. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Bishop said it would not be so easy.

“The Greens sort of seem to be assuming that you could automatically expand services tomorrow, or invest in infrastructure tomorrow – that’s simply not the reality.

“There’s always demand for services that can’t be met in terms of funding and there’s no such thing as a free lunch. There’s a limited amount of money, tough decisions have to be made always, and I appreciate that there are services that people would like to see run but not all of them make economic sense.”

He said decisions on where the funding went for bus network improvement were not made by ministers, but rather the Transport Agency – according to “a metric around what is accepted and what is not”.

Genter suspected the reason Auckland benefited far more than other regions was because the government viewed public transport as valuable only for reducing congestion for drivers.

“The reality is, in small or medium towns people could have a real choice if the government would bring the co-funding to the table, $200 million is a very small amount in the context of the National Land Transport programme … in fact, it’s 0.6 percent, it’s a tiny amount.”

“For example when they dropped fares in Queenstown – simplified the network, increased bus frequency – they had a massive jump in ridership, and that is a relatively small, rural area … but to do that, it requires government to step up.”

A closer look at some regions also shows that as a result of the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024, councils were required to cut or curb projects to even be eligible for continued baseline funding for buses under the NLTP.

These examples never amounted to the bids for co-funding rejected by the government, because the councils were warned they would likely fail.

Taranaki

An Official Information (LGOIMA) response shows a “profound impact” on services and public confidence over the scrapping of about $11m in funding for a “transformational” bus network redesign in Taranaki.

The upgrade had been approved under Labour after three years of consultation, but “following changes to national transport priorities reflected in the Draft GPS 2024, [the council] was required to realign its public transport programme to a value-for-money and efficiency-focused framework”.

“Taranaki’s public transport contracts had not been comprehensively renewed for approximately 12 years, and cost increases … were unavoidable,” the response from Taranaki Regional Council said.

“As a result: No increase in service frequency could be implemented; cross-town services could not be introduced; evening and weekend improvements were limited or reduced; network coverage expansion was not possible; public transport outcomes fell materially short of community expectations.”

The bus hub outside New Plymouth’s Puke Ariki library and museum. Robin Martin

The council said it re-scoped the business case from the “gold service level” goal it had expected to reach.

“Under current funding settings, [the council] is unable to achieve even the bronze level, which represents the most basic uplift in service provision.

“The inability to deliver even basic service improvements has resulted in a significant gap between community expectations and actual outcomes, and a loss of public confidence in the public transport system.”

Dunedin

A proposal to improve public transport in Dunedin was also withdrawn and never consulted on by the Otago Regional Council after the government indicated no new funding would be available.

An investment proposal shows officials recommended consultation on four options for more frequent buses while keeping adult fares at $2 be rescinded because the council “has been advised that the likelihood of receiving endorsement … is very low in the current funding environment”.

The revamp proposed buses every 15 minutes on main routes, 50-cent fares, and expanded hours of operation – putting an end to a situation where many Sunday services’ final bus departs before 6pm.

An “early ‘rationalisation’” of those problems could have led to “almost wholesale enhancement of the network”, the council officials wrote.

Former councillor Elliot Weir told RNZ the plan had already been watered down in negotiation with the previous Labour government, and while some were published in the council’s long-term plan they were not implemented.

“My understanding is none of those improvements got approval because that would cost … we only got co-funding at essentially at our existing ongoing levels for our current services.

“It’s, I guess, better than nothing because they were threatening to potentially not even agree to co-funding at the current service levels.”

Weir said the government could publish a new GPS “tomorrow” which could remove some of the restrictions councils faced in providing more efficient bus networks, and if co-funding was provided, some changes could be made quickly.

“You could start implementing a lot of those increases or do anything on the fares pretty much instantly, and then slowly over time roll them out. Because that those frequency increases have been approved in the public transport plan, they really just are waiting on funding to be available.”

Differing political priorities

Genter said the Luxon government’s focus on cutting costs had “caused a lot of chaos for ideological reasons, but now is a time when we’re as a country facing this fossil fuel crisis – it’s time for constructive, practical solutions”.

Bishop pointed out spending on overall public transport had increased to $6.4 billion in its 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme, up from the previous $4.9b spend in Labour’s last term.

“That’s before you even count things like investment in the level crossings that we’ve committed to in Auckland, and the expansion of Metro Rail services … we’ve purchased new trains for the Manawatū train line and the Masterton train line in Wellington, for example. So we stand by what the government’s doing.”

Genter acknowledged the increase, but said much of that was because of cost increases – and pointed out nearly all the funding for bus upgrades had gone to Auckland and Manawatū.

“There are councils right across the country that worked up good new network improvements, and the government can fund those in a relatively short period of time.

“Every step we can take to make it possible for people to save petrol and diesel is going to be good for the cost of living, for the people who can benefit from it, and good for the country.”

Chris Bishop says a new draft Government Policy Statement will be out this year. RNZ/Mark Papalii

Bishop said he was working on a new draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport out for consultation by the end of the year, set to take effect in 2027.

“I’m not going to get ahead of decisions that Cabinet will make, but as I say, we’ll be doing some hard thinking around this.

“What is important is that we continue to invest in the transport network, both from public transport, but also in terms of road maintenance and in terms of expanding road roading, which is what we’re doing through the Mount Vic project.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Football Ferns coach wants to build connection with fans

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne speaks with Manaia Elliott. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne believes he is working with a group of role models who deserve the public’s support as they face the final hurdle to qualify for next year’s Football World Cup.

Mayne has been around the Football Ferns for four years, becoming permanent head coach last year, and around women’s football even longer.

He has been part of age-group World Cups including the historic bronze medal campaign at the under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2018.

On Wednesday he could guide the Football Ferns to qualify for their seventh World Cup.

He wants to help his team achieve that feat – by beating Papua New Guinea at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland – in front of as many people as possible.

“We’re just really hopeful that there’s a strong crowd out there that we can connect with.

“We spoke around being back at home, every opportunity we get when we’re out on the pitch to try and bring that group of people that have come out to see us play into those little huddles, those little celebrations.

“We get a lot of energy out of that.”

Mayne highlighted where he felt his team sat in the broader women’s sports landscape.

“There’s a lot of discussion and chat around supporting the women’s game in any sport. My urge to parents sitting at home wondering what to do [Wednesday] night with their young kids, especially the young girls, this is a beautiful team of players that are role models for what we want to see.

“I think the best we can do as a country is get behind our sports, get behind the teams.

“You look at many sports and that fanfare is in a place where it’s struggling a little bit. These are opportunities where our supporters and these young girls and boys can come and see this team go to work.

“We’d love to have the opportunity to inspire them and to do it live.”

Captain Kate Taylor wanted the team to showcase their skills and direction in the rare game at home that had a lot on the line.

Displaying that there was a pathway for female talent was also on her agenda.

New Zealand’s Kate Taylor celebrates her goal with New Zealand’s Michaela Foster. Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.nz

‘We want to play exciting football. I think the way the women’s game is going, you’re seeing that being shown across the world in many different places and we want to be a part of that but also put our own spin on that and I think as New Zealand we can definitely do that.

“I think what you saw [in the semi-final] with us combining in between lines and scoring some really nice goals that’s where we’re going and obviously we want to keep building and hopefully the game [against PNG] can show that too.”

At the last World Cup, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, Taylor was a training partner with the Football Ferns.

She felt included in the team environment, despite not being on the field on game day, but also got a unique insight into how the game was translating with fans.

“I think the biggest thing I took away was the connection between the fans and the team. I got to sit in the stand but I also got to experience training and see what the girls were working on.

“I think bridging that gap was something I took away and I think that was really special.”

Football Ferns forward Gabi Rennie also saw the importance of the connection to the fans.

“A big reason of why it is so special to represent New Zealand and wear the fern on your chest is that next generation that comes through and you get to be a role model and that’s such a privilege so getting to actually play in front of them and see the impact that we can make and see the fans after the game that’s real special.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Council of Trade Unions calls for government to manage fuel crisis in interests of all New Zealanders

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

The CTU has written an open letter to political leaders about managing the fuel crisis. Quin Tauetau

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions has written an open letter to political leaders calling for the government to work together with all aspects of society – including unions – to help find a solution to the fuel crisis.

Union president Sandra Grey said they wanted political parties to set aside their differences and work together on solutions that would manage the current fuel crisis in the interests of all New Zealanders.

“Discussions to date have involved government and selected businesses, working in an opaque manner, without reference to any other groups or to the needs of others,” she said.

“We are calling on all political parties to set aside their differences and work together on solutions that will manage the current fuel crisis in the interests of all New Zealanders.”

Grey said New Zealand urgently needed a plan to deliver a future that did not rely on petrol, gas, or diesel and ensured this type of crisis didn’t happen again.

Solutions for how the country could mitigate the worst aspects of the fuel crisis in the short run also needed considering, she said.

Grey said alongside political parties, unions, businesses and the community also needed to be at the table.

It was important workers had a seat at the table for these discussions, she said, as they were the ones bearing the brunt of the fuel crisis.

“Time is of the essence, Grey concluded her letter.

“Simply assuming that these issues will resolve themselves is likely to leave lasting scars on both people and the institutions we rely upon.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

State schools increasingly consider becoming charter schools

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

The agency did not name the schools that showed expressions of interest. RNZ/Nick Monro

More state and state integrated schools are considering converting to charter school status.

The Charter School Agency said 18 groups had lodged expressions of interest in conversion with three progressing to contract negotiations.

That’s up from 12 in September last year with two in negotiations.

The agency did not name the schools, but last year Auckland Muslim integrated school Al-Madinah last year said it had applied, as did Northland College and sponsor Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi, though the school was later placed under a commissioner.

Charter School Agency chief executive Sean Teddy said converting state schools to charter schools was a new process and the agency was taking time to get it right.

“For example, we are working with sponsors and school boards to translate existing collective employment agreements into workable and flexible new agreements for school staff. As required by law, these contracts must be no less favourable than existing agreements,” he said.

“We are also balancing the Crown’s property interests with providing sponsors with fit for purpose facilities while fairly sharing responsibility for maintenance and development.”

Teddy said the agency was also balancing funding flexibility to ensure charter schools were not better funded than comparable state schools.

“This all takes time, but it will result in a sustainable network of charter schools with high flexibility and strong accountability for results,” he said.

Teddy said schools and potential sponsors were enquiring because they wanted greater flexibility over what and how they taught, how they used their resources, how they structured their governance, and how they could do things differently to better meet the needs of their communities.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MSD document says there’s ‘no evidence’ hundreds of New Zealanders are without shelter

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

A government document says there is “no evidence” hundreds of New Zealanders live without shelter. RNZ / Nick Monro

A government document says it is a “narrative” that hundreds of New Zealanders live without shelter, and there is “no evidence” to validate that.

The Ministry of Social Development internal briefing said a plan to support rough sleepers was put together “to support dispelling any myths and ensure those without shelter are not disadvantaged”.

When RNZ put those comments to the ministry, it said they did not reflect its views and should not have been included.

MSD’s ‘Tactical Plan for Rough Sleepers’ involved staff working closely with community organisations to ensure homeless people were getting the support they needed.

RNZ obtained a number of documents about it under the Official Information Act, including the plan’s 10-page “implementation guidelines”, a slide deck and the two-page briefing to regional managers.

A section of the briefing read: “There is a narrative across the sector that there are hundreds of NZs without shelter and there is a lack of willingness to engage with MSD. There is no evidence to validate these statements, however MSD want to ensure that those who are sleeping rough are on the public housing register, thus improving their ability to secure housing.”

It went on: “To support dispelling any myths and ensure those without shelter are not disadvantaged MSD have put in place a short term Tactical Plan for Rough Sleepers in targeted locations across six MSD regions.”

None of the other documents referenced myths or narratives.

MSD’s enablement group general manager Karen Hocking said MSD knew people were sleeping rough, and that some of them may be reluctant to engage with its staff.

“The comments you have identified in the document do not reflect the Ministry’s position on the incidence of rough sleeping in New Zealand,” she said.

They were inaccurate and should not have been included, she said.

“This document’s purpose was to brief regional managers on the Tactical Plan, and to ask them to redouble their efforts to work with those who were in contact with rough sleepers.”

Hocking said the paragraphs in question “shouldn’t be seen in isolation”.

“The wider message of the slide deck was accurate and clear to the regional managers who were the audience – we are working with our community partners to connect rough sleepers with the right support.”

The tactical plan was developed and implemented at pace to address an urgent need, she said.

MSD’s enablement group general manager Karen Hocking said MSD knew people were sleeping rough. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Plan helps support hundreds of rough sleepers

Hocking said through the plan, MSD has engaged with about 650 people – 380 of whom were sleeping rough – and most were happy to take up offers of support.

“One of the aims of the tactical plan was to respond to feedback from the social sector that rough sleepers may be reluctant to engage with us.

“We wanted to ensure that people sleeping rough, had access to our products and services and were being assessed for housing options.”

MSD noted it was difficult to understand the full extent of rough sleeping in New Zealand, Hocking said.

Ministers have agreed homelessness is a problem, though it was difficult to keep tabs of numbers.

In Auckland alone, local officials estimated there were more than 600 people sleeping rough.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s Homelessness Insights Report last year revealed homelessness was increasing but it was unclear by how much.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

St John invites Welsh graduates unable to find work to reach out

By Evening Report -

April 15, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Deputy chief executive for ambulance operations at Hato Hone St John Dan Ohs said it currently had around 50 vacancies for paramedics, predominantly in rural areas. St John

St John is inviting Welsh graduates unable to get roles with their own ambulance service to reach out, but warns they typically look for experienced candidates.

The BBC has reported that the Welsh Ambulance Service will not be offering newly qualified paramedics roles this year due to “financial and operational issues” and that students have reported being advised to apply for jobs in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.

Deputy chief executive for ambulance operations at Hato Hone St John Dan Ohs said it currently had around 50 vacancies for paramedics, predominantly in rural areas.

“In terms of paramedics coming into New Zealand from overseas, our experience is that UK graduates tend to require more support than an Australian or a New Zealand graduate,” Ohs said.

“For those who haven’t worked in the emergency ambulance sector before, our preference is to employ firstly from New Zealand, second from Australia, and then if we’re looking to the UK, we really look to experienced paramedics and Kiwis who are returning,” he said.

Ohs said he was not aware of any graduates applying so far, but encouraged anyone thinking of moving to New Zealand to reach out.

“If you are looking to apply for a role in New Zealand, we’re always happy to talk to you,” he said.

Ambulance paramedics are classified as a Green List Tier 1 role by Immigration New Zealand, which means they are on the list of jobs the government says people are needed for in New Zealand.

Director of visas at Immigration New Zealand Peter Elms said paramedics were added to the Green List in May 2023 as a Tier 1 role, meaning eligible workers could apply for Straight to Residence.

“To apply, workers must have a job or job offer with an accredited employer, are registered with the Paramedic Council, and meet the median wage.”

He said between 1 April 2025 and 8 April 2026, Immigration NZ received 23 applications from Paramedics from Great Britain.

“In that same period, 23 applications were approved.”

However a spokesperson from the Minister of Immigration’s office noted that the Green List requirements were generally targeted at people with experience in their profession rather than new graduates.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand