An underwater bloom of toxic algae has wreaked havoc off the coast of South Australia since mid-March 2025. After eight months, this harmful algal bloom is the longest and one of the most environmentally devastating events ever recorded in Australian waters.
There is still no end in sight for this environmental disaster. It’s impossible to know exactly what might happen to this vast toxic bloom this summer, as the ocean heats up.
But we have models and scientific knowledge to guide our predictions.
Algal rollercoaster
The algal bloom has led to troubling times in South Australia. The commercial and recreational fishing sectors, tourist industry, the public and even politicians have suffered from its detrimental effects.
The algal bloom saga is full of surprise twists and turns, including the initial identification of the algae as Karenia mikimotoi, government speculation about its causes (frequently aired in television ads), and the resignation of South Australia’s Environment Minister Susan Close.
This was followed by a statement from South Australia’s Premier, Peter Malinauskas, that the algal bloom was not toxic (it is). Then came the dangerous relocation of algae-affected oysters that could have introduced the algae to other pristine waters.
The saga continued, with Malinauskas announcing in late October that the algal bloom may eventually disappear, which turned out to be overly optimistic and incorrect.
Then came the recent discovery of a novel brevetoxin-producing species, K. cristata that appears to have dominated the algal bloom since July. Recently, the algal bloom reappeared near Victor Harbor, while the worst fish kill since the bloom started occurred along Adelaide’s beaches.
There have been federal and state senate inquiries into the algal bloom, and now important research on the algal bloom won’t be able to continue as six researchers in this space, including myself, have lost their positions at Flinders University in a restructure.
A surfer in the seafoam of the algal bloom at Christies Beach (Adelaide), October 22 2025. Troy Rigney, CC BY-ND
The turning point
From the beginning, state authorities were optimistic about the algal bloom. They said storms and colder waters would make it soon disappear and downplayed potential public health impacts, claiming the algae did not produce a toxin.
In the worst-case scenario, the model predicted the algal bloom would initially weaken and shrink over the cooler winter months but intensify and affect new areas, including Spencer Gulf, the following summer.
My modelling predictions, based on the known growth characteristics of K. mikimotoi, were the first science-based research suggesting the algae may become an ongoing problem.
The game changer
Shauna Murray, a marine biologist at the University of Technology Sydney, and her colleagues eventually unravelled several Karenia species that were previously prematurely grouped as K. mikimotoi. This discovery, which was made public in a pre-print article that has not yet been peer-reviewed, was another significant game changer for two reasons.
First, unlike K. mikimotoi, three species in the mix of algae – K. cristata, K. brevisulacata and K. papilionacea – produce toxins that affect human health. These include brevetoxins, which cause illness.
For instance, K. brevisulcata featured in a devastating toxic algal bloom in Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, in 1998. It caused long-term ecological damage and respiratory distress in harbour bystanders.
The growth characteristics of these species may also differ from that of K. mikimotoi. Unlike K. mikimotoi, K. cristata may grow better in colder water, which could could extend the life of the algal bloom mix.
A new hope?
Cell counts of Karenia species are published on the state government’s algal bloom water testing open data dashboard. Over the entire measurement period, K. cristata, which dominates the algal bloom mix, showed very high concentrations of several million cells per litre in Gulf St. Vincent.
Such high algal concentrations are different to my modelling predictions. Based on the growth characteristics of K. mikimotoi, these suggested a decrease in algal levels over the winter months.
In comparison, Spencer Gulf and the northwest marine region had low toxic algal concentrations during the entire period, which my model predicted. Relatively high levels (>100,000 cells per litre) near the Arno Bay jetty, which could be due to human influences rather than current, are still concerning.
Recent declines in algal cell counts of K. cristata along South Australian metropolitan beaches gave the state government a new reason to believe the algal bloom may eventually disppear. But could this be false hope?
Possible future scenarios
It is not possible to predict the future development of toxic algal bloom in South Australian waters with any certainty. However, it seems the worst-case scenario of my predictions still holds. This suggests the algal bloom will remain a permanent feature of the two gulfs for many years.
The important difference could be that K. cristata (not included in the model yet) will flare up during the colder months, when it may grow best. And other Karenia species such as K. mikimotoi may dominate the algal bloom during the warmer months, in a never ending cycle. Only good scientific monitoring and high-quality research can verify this hypothesis.
It’s difficult for me to imagine the scientific mechanisms that would see the algal bloom disappear. While the bloom cannot be controlled by human intervention, continued scientific studies are required to understand how it functions. Like many others, I too hope the algal bloom will eventually disappear.
Jochen Kaempf does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Downie, Professor of Political Science, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University
In recent years, more and more lobbyists from the oil, gas and coal industries have taken part in international climate negotiations. Estimates of lobbyist numbers have risen sharply, from 503 at the 2021 Glasgow talks to 1,773 at last year’s talks in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku.
Ahead of this year’s climate talks, host nation Brazil moved to tackle climate disinformation and delay tactics with a simple but clear approach: asking participants to publicly disclose who funded them to attend.
Even so, around 1,600 fossil fuel lobbyists arrived at the COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil. If taken as a bloc, they would outnumber every national delegation other than the host nation.
This shows the size of the challenge Brazil took on as the first COP host in 30 years to push back against the tide of fossil fuel lobbying and climate misinformation. If this isn’t tackled head on, climate negotiations will keep avoiding the core issue: phasing out oil, gas and coal, the commodities doing most damage.
Lobbying and disinformation in the spotlight
The reason lobbyists are sent is to protect existing revenue streams. Fossil fuel companies invest in lobbying because it works – and not just on climate. In August, the UN talks on plastic pollution collapsed for the second time. Hundreds of fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists had registered to attend. Many lobbied to expand recycling rather than reducing the production of new plastics.
This year, Brazil launched the Global Initiative for Information Integrity on Climate Change. The aim is to foster:
concrete solutions to address disinformation and related tactics seeking to delay and derail climate action.
It’s the first time lobbying and disinformation have been targeted in this way. The UN has launched new guidelines asking participants to disclose funding for their attendance – and to sign a pledge confirming their objectives align with the Paris Agreement goals of holding climate change to 1.5°C.
The guidelines are optional and don’t include lobbyists participating as part of a national delegation. But it’s an encouraging sign the UN recognises the need to improve transparency and accountability.
On the first day of the talks, UN experts drew on the influential recent findings by the International Court of Justice that states and companies could be held legally liable for damage caused by extraction of fossil fuels. They called for a ban on fossil lobbyists and more transparency.
How fossil fuel lobbying corrupts climate negotiations
Brazil’s efforts to draw attention to the problem comes after decades of obstructionist tactics.
In 1988, big companies created the Global Climate Coalition to represent the oil, gas, coal, utility and agriculture industries. The group had a clear goal: block or delay efforts by the United States government to limit the use of fossil fuels. It worked.
Researchers have shown these lobbying efforts were instrumental in then US President George W. Bush’s 2001 decision to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol. The move influenced Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s decision not to ratify Kyoto a year later. The decision set back the negotiations for years, as US support for climate negotiations became increasingly uncertain.
The names of these obstructionist coalitions have changed over the years. But as my colleagues and I describe in our recent book, many of the original companies paying to block climate action are still supporting similar groups.
At international forums such as the UN climate talks, lobbyists funded by these companies can play a double game. They can point to a lack of international action as a reason for not acting on climate change at home, while using diplomatic strategies to obstruct progress at the same international talks.
It’s not just corporations seeking to blunt climate ambition. Nations do too.
According to the Carbon Tracker Initiative, 13 nations derive more than 50% of their GDP from fossil fuels. Alongside highly-dependent petrostates are other major fossil fuel exporters such as Russia and the US.
Not all petrostates lobby to block climate action. But many do. For example, one of the world’s largest oil producers, Saudi Arabia, has repeatedly worked to undermine the science on climate change at international negotiations.
At the 2023 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, the Climate Action Network NGO coalition gave its Fossil of the Day award to Saudi Arabia for “repeated blocking across negotiation tracks”.
At these talks, the COP President, Sultan Al Jaber, claimed there was “no science” supporting a fossil fuel phase out to meet Paris Agreement goals, though he later walked this back. Al Jaber also heads up Abu Dhabi’s national oil company.
Over the years, many countries have switched between advancing and derailing negotiations. A US-China deal helped get the historic Paris Agreement over the line in 2015 under President Barack Obama. But under President Donald Trump, the US has withdrawn twice from the Paris Agreement.
What can we expect next?
Many of these issues have not been solved. As the US retreats from international environmental agreements, fossil fuel lobbyists from companies and countries are still showing up in numbers in environmental negotiations to try to get favourable outcomes.
Brazil’s effort to tackle climate misinformation and lobbying begins the work to rebuild integrity and public trust in these negotiations.
If Australia’s bid to co-host COP31 alongside Pacific nations is successful, the government would be well-advised to build on Brazil’s work.
For weeks, an Australian parliamentary inquiry into climate misinformation has heard of sophisticated political campaigns designed to obstruct climate action at home.
The time is ripe to tackle this problem abroad as well.
Christian Downie receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Former Wellington mayor Tory WhanauRNZ / Mark Papalii
Wellington’s former mayor says her plan to move across the ditch isn’t an abandonment of the city.
In a social media post, Tory Whanau said a combination of economic, professional, and personal reasons have prompted the decision to move to Melbourne.
She said public service cuts have reduced job opportunities, and she was aware her public profile created “political risk” for some organisations.
A large international environment will remove those constraints, she said.
Whanau also said she wanted to remove herself from the increasingly personal and ongoing scrutiny that came with political life and public office.
She said she genuinely loved Melbourne – where she has lived before – and it was a place she could “simply enjoy life again”.
“Importantly, my move isn’t an abandonment of Wellington or Aotearoa.”
Whanau said she would continue to support causes from afar and fully expected to return.
“This is not a permanent goodbye – it’s an intentional step toward growth, opportunity, and sustainability.”
Whanau, who won the mayoralty in 2022 as an independent and had secured the Green Party’s backing for re-election, quit the mayoral race in April, saying she backed Andrew Little’s bid.
She ran for the council’s Māori Ward but was unsuccessful at the local body elections in October.
When he was elected mayor, Little said Whanau had faced “toxic behaviour that no one should ever have to endure” during her time in office.
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It’s tough for shoppers buying meat and dairy at the checkout but strong dairy payouts and higher returns for sheep and beef farmers are fuelling the early days of economic recovery.
The latest look at the state of regional economies by consultancy Infometrics confirms the recovery is underway but is still patchy with South Island regions outpacing growth seen in their North Island counterparts in the September quarter.
Nationally, economic activity rose 0.9 percent in the quarter but has not yet returned to the level it was at this time last year.
Infometrics principal economist and lead demographer Nick Brunsdon says the growth story remains a tale of two islands with all South Island regions growing faster than the national average, boosted by the strength of the primary sector.
“Encouragingly, even metro areas are starting to recover, collectively gaining 0.7 percent per annum in the September quarter, although this recovery remains slower than provincial and rural areas,” he said.
“Fonterra continues to forecast a strong dairy payout midpoint of $10 per kg of milk solids and if this figure falls, as the latest Global Dairy Trade auctions imply, farmers would still wind up with the second-highest payout on record.
“Returns for beef and lamb have increased too – at the expense of consumers buying mince – but boosting returns for dry stock farmers.
“Kiwifruit and apple growers are also earning a higher return on elevated export volumes.”
The warming of regional economies has yet to translate through to an increase in spending, he said.
Households were carefully guarding their wallets with a backdrop of continued job losses.
“Businesses are going ‘cool, orders are up, but we’re not quite at the point where we need to hire more staff’ and so they’re generally going to hold off until that order book solidifies and they get the confidence that they actually do need to add to their roster.”
On the jobs front, five South Island regions saw growth in the number of filled roles during the quarter. The West Coast led the pack with 1.6 employment percent growth.
Nationally, employment went backwards, falling 0.6 percent, with metro areas even worse off with a 0.8 percent decline.
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Kākāpō chicks Marian-A2 and Marian-A3. They belong to the Fiordland dynasty of kākāpō. Their mother Marian is 5 years old and 2022 is the first time she has bred.Alison Ballance
Next year – 2026 – could be the year that the kākāpō breeding programme takes such a big leap forward that conservationists can finally take a step back
Kākāpō numbers are so thin that all 327 of them have a name and a transmitter.
The funny little tree-climbing, owl-like parrot has had intensive management over the last several decades, and its numbers have come back from the brink to give conservationists hope.
And after a four year wait, they’re preparing for what could be the biggest boom in kākāpō chicks yet, because next year is a mast year.
That means rimu trees on the predator-free islands where the birds live are about to burst with seeds, the bumper year that kākāpō wait for.
“You have to wait around to get a good thing from kākāpō, but this year all the stars are in alignment,” says Alison Ballance, who will be continuing her Kākāpō Files podcast series from December 16.
It will also mark the first time that conservationists take a step back from such intensive methods of rescuing the critically endangered population.
Those methods are resource-heavy and not sustainable. So instead of incubating every egg, encouraging the females to lay more than one clutch, and providing supplementary feed, attention is turning to making sure the birds have enough room to spread their wings.
The ultimate prize would be to turn Stewart Island/Rakiura into a pest-free haven.
“That’s why we’re looking with great interest at the Predator Free Rakiura programme,” says Ballance, “where the community down there alongside DoC, and Zero Invasive Predators and Ngāi Tahu are starting to begin a programme where [they’re asking] can they get rid of things like feral cats and rats on Stewart Island.
“And if that was the case, then we could move kākāpō back to Rakiura and just stand back and let them be kākāpō in their own time frame, without the risk of predation.”
Conservationists know that the risk of taking their eye off every egg and chick means they may lose more than they have in the past.
They say while it’s nerve-wracking, it’s essential. There will be fewer chick checks this season, more eggs hatching in nests rather than in incubators, and generally a move towards minimal intervention.
The last mast years were in 2019 and 2022, so the big crop of chicks that arrived in 2019 will now be ready to breed. The females start from age five but it’s possible some four-year-olds may also lay eggs.
“There should be lots of new, young female kākāpō trying to breed this year which will be really exciting. The Department of Conservation’s kākāpō recovery team tell me there’s a bit of a wild card. There’s 24 young females who are four years old and basically they [DoC] haven’t had experience in the last 30 years of intensive kākāpō management of a breeding season that was four years apart.
“So they’re wondering … maybe some of those precocious four-year-olds … will they breed?”
Thirty years ago there were 51 known kākāpō; 21 female and 30 male. Now we’ve got 84 females of breeding age, so that’s about a 400 percent increase in potential chicks.
Kākāpō are a long-lived species, although we don’t know exactly how long-lived. There are definitely some birds in their late 40s and early 50s and there’s speculation they could live up to 80 or even 100 – and they keep laying until the end.
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This time of year we’re forced into even more small talk situations than normal, as Christmas events are added to the calendar with family, friends and end-of-year office mixers.
Robert Poynton reckons feeling awkward about breaking ice and making chit-chat is totally normal. The University of Oxford associate fellow helps leaders have fruitful conversations and has written the book, Do Conversations: There is no such thing as small talk.
But there are ways to take the edge off, and audience warm-up guy Sam Smith has some skills in this area. He’s been chatting with crowds of strangers for about nine years in his role as a live audience warm-up person for TV shows like 7 Days, Jono and Ben at Ten and New Zealand’s version of Family Feud. But even he admits “sometimes it’s horrifically awkward”.
If we embrace small talk, we can move into meaningful relationships with people. (file image)
123RF / Mandic Jovan
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New Zealand’s four electricity gentailers were recently given permission to stockpile coal at Huntly power station to improve security of supply.RNZ
New Zealand is yet to join a group of countries pushing for a ‘road map’ to phase out fossil fuels at this year’s global climate summit.
Formal negotiations are due to end today at COP30, in Belém in Brazil’s Amazon region.
However, government ministers and other negotiators were still thrashing out the detail late into the night yesterday, including on a possible ‘mutirão decision’ that would cover several major issues not on the formal agenda.
One of the biggest sticking points is whether countries should agree to work together on a ‘road map’ to globally phase out fossil fuels.
Since then, attempts to flesh out what that might mean have been blocked by petro-states.
On Wednesday (Tuesday evening in Brazil), a group of about 80 countries, including the UK and Pacific Island nations, joined the call to put a ‘road map’ on the table.
New Zealand was not among them so far.
New Zealand’s chief negotiator at COP Todd Croad referred RNZ to climate change minister Simon Watts when asked if New Zealand supported the concept.
A spokesperson for Watts said it was “currently being considered”.
A national statement the minister delivered at the summit yesterday said New Zealand was “accelerating the deployment of renewable energy” but did not mention the future of fossil fuels.
Earlier this year, New Zealand withdrew from the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance after the government decided to reverse the oil and gas exploration ban and announced a $200 million ‘co-investment’ to finance new fossil fuel drilling.
Croad said this year’s summit differed from the past few COPs, which had focused on a single issue or outcome – a $300 billion climate finance deal for poorer countries was the big one last year.
“This time around, that focus is being spread out across a range of issues, from mitigation to adaptation to finance and everything else,”
Unlike the acrimony of COP29 in Baku, there was “a general willingness to work and move forward”, he said.
“There’s still a lot of work ahead, and the pace of that work has picked up a lot in the last two days.”
Long hours for Kiwi attendees
As well as the official New Zealand negotiators, dozens of other Kiwis were among the thousands of delegates at COP30.
New Zealand advocate David Tong, who works as a campaigner for Oil Change International, said attendees were now running on very little sleep.
“Negotiations have been extended through to midnight for the remainder of the time, though within days, that will convert from until midnight to 24/7.”
Nearly half of countries attending the summit have not yet submitted their new targets, or NDCs, towards the Paris agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels,
In his national statement to other delegates, Simon Watts urged them to do so.
“All parties must submit NDCs that reflect the urgency of the movement, and all parties with the capacity to do so must provide support to those who need it most,” the minister said.
“We recognise economies are under strain, but every step of progress helps us maintain momentum.”
Tong said many of the targets that had been submitted – including New Zealand’s – were unambitious, and the main Paris Agreement goal was under threat.
“There are still pathways where we can temporarily overshoot 1.5°C and return to 1.5°C by the end of the century, as is the general interpretation of the Paris target. That’s still possible, but every year it gets harder.”
Aaria Rolleston (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Te Rangi) was among a group of rangatahi Māori who were endorsed by the Iwi Chairs Forum to go to COP.
It had been a privilege to present a Māori perspective at COP for the first time, but she was frustrated by what she heard in the negotiation rooms.
“There’s a lot of contradiction. Nations come here wanting climate progress, but still so many countries are protecting the same extractive systems driving the crisis,” she said.
Her disillusion extended to New Zealand, which she said had pushed other nations for change at COP while rolling back climate policies at home.
“When it comes to emissions and fresh water, decisions seem to favour agricultural interests rather than the well-being of the environment and the people,” Rolleston said.
“A lot of experts have made it very clear that New Zealand’s current emission trajectory is not aligned with the level of ambition that is expected by a developed nation like ours.”
It was disheartening, “but there’s progress still being made and there is still hope”, she said.
COP30 officially ends on Saturday morning NZT but the summit has a history of running overtime.
A sweepstake being run by some attendees predicted it would last well into the weekend.
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Rail Minister Winston Peters.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The Rail Minister has lifted the lid on how the government plans to save cash on the new Cook Strait ferries.
The costings have been revealed for the project which will see two new ships sail into New Zealand in 2029 with new port infrastructure.
When Finance Minister Nicola Willis pulled the plug on iReX, the previous government’s mega ferry project, she said at the time costs had quadrupled since 2018 to $3 billion.
Willis stated the spiralling costs were largely due to the port side infrastructure in Wellington and Picton.
The iReX project included new terminal buildings on both sides of the Cook Strait, an upgraded rail yard in Wellington and significant flood protection work.
The new plan strips back those costs by reusing much of the existing infrastructure – with the taxpayer expected to pay less than $1.7 billion.
Rail Minister Winston Peters said at a press conference on Wednesday they were saving billions.
“In fact, we have saved the taxpayer $2.3 billion… one more time we have saved the taxpayer $2.3 billion.”
That calculation was based on the iReX project blowing out to $4 billion, a figure he has said in the past Treasury warned the previous government it could cost.
Wellington Mayor and former cabinet minister Andrew Little said it was good they have been able to find a fix to the huge port costs.
“I think they have got a different solution on infrastructure; something had to happen because the infrastructure costs were going to be astronomical.”
Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor said it provided direction for the community.
“We have been through the iReX iteration, now we are into the new project and today’s announcement gives us that level of certainty.”
She accepted that Picton would not get the new terminal pitched as part of iReX.
“I think that it is in line with the government’s pragmatic reuse policy, and you know as a country we have to be sensible about these things.”
Peters would travel to China next week with Ferry Holdings Limited to acknowledge the contracts with Guangzhou Shipyard International.
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However, dioxins researcher and community advocate Andrew Gibbs has questioned why the area tested – the least likely contaminated section of the 16 hectare site – was chosen, and said the results amount to “green washing”.
Ivon Watkins – later Ivon Watkins-Dow – made the herbicides 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D at Paritūtū from 1962 through to 1987.
The herbicides 4,5-T and 2,4-D, which contained toxic dioxins, were a key component of Agent Orange – the defoliant used by the US military in the Vietnam War – which had been linked to cancers and birth defects.
The Paritūtū plant was demolished in 2022, and a five-stage clean-up process was expected to take several years.
Dow Chemicals which bought back the site in 2023 has partnered with New Zealand firm Tonkin & Taylor to undertake the remediation programme.
Paritūtū Remediation Project field staff took soil samples in November 2024 from 61 locations across a 2.6 hectare grassed area in the southwest corner of the site, known as Zone 1, which borders residential housing and Centennial Park.
An aerial view of the Paritūtū site showing the different zones.Supplied / Tonkin+Taylor
They were then independently analysed.
The analysis – which has been summarised on the Paritūtū Remediation Project website – found the main soil types were interbedded sands and clay.
“[There was] some evidence of fill material was found in two sample locations; however, these were tested for specific analytes (chemical entities) and there was no evidence of contamination.”
Dioxins levels “were all well below the relevant New Zealand Soil Contaminant Standards”.
Zinc at above typical levels was found in samples taken from an area near the site boundary, but they appeared to be unrelated to Dow operations, the summary said.
Area tested had low contamination – dioxin researcher
Dioxins researcher Andrew Gibbs questioned why the Paritūtū Remediation Project team had decided to test Zone 1 first.
“They haven’t tested the most contaminated sites that were identified in 1985 and the late 90s. They’ve gone straight to an area where contamination was low, which makes for a good soundbite for them, but it doesn’t really look at the core problem.
“You would have thought they would have tested where they found the highest contamination in ’85 where the extracted dioxin and waste was stored, which is just north of Zone 1.
“And underneath the two soak ponds, one of which has never been tested, the northern one, and the western one that straddled both sides of the boundary fence, where extremely high levels of contamination were found.”
The Ivon Watkins Dow site at Paritūtū with red dots indicating locations of test bores 39 and 42. The test bore 42 is adjacent to the waste ponds across the road at the foot of Paritūtū Rock.Supplied
Gibbs said while it was good news for Zone 1, publishing these test results smacked of “green washing”.
Paritūtū Remediation Project said it was a deliberate choice to first test in Zone 1.
“This area was chosen for the first phase because it was expected to have low contamination levels and presented a good opportunity to test investigation methods before moving on to other areas of the site.”
This logical sequence of investigation was agreed with the independent peer reviewer before work commenced in November 2024, the project team said.
Testing in Zone 1 would help refine the plan for the next stages of the site investigation.
Last year, the Paritūtū Remediation Project team completed a desktop Preliminary Site Investigation which acknowledged the potential for contamination to still exist at Paritūtū which could affect human health and/or the environment.
It had since divided the site into 10 zones as part of a Sampling and Analysis Plan.
The new bore samples taken in Zone 1 were part of Phase 1 of that plan and field staff drilled to depths varying from 1m to 3m.
A further round of soil sampling was completed in June 2025 focused on grassed areas, with a limited number collected in the hardstand (paved) area on the west of the site.
According to the project website, 68 soil samples were taken from 31 locations which had been analysed by an independent laboratory for future reporting.
Process too slow, says mayor
Meanwhile, New Plymouth mayor Max Brough was disappointed with how long the remediation process was taking.
“It seems to be taking a very long time and I question whether we have enough will being applied to getting through this process fast enough.”
New Plymouth mayor Max Brough.ROBIN MARTIN / RNZ
Brough’s predecessor Neil Holdom was adamant the site was contaminated.
“I absolutely believe that site is full of some of the most toxic materials that you can imagine in New Zealand and at very high levels of concentration and that they pose a real risk to human health and to the environment, particularly the neighbouring marine park,” he told RNZ last year.
He declined to comment on the latest test results deferring to New Plymouth’s current leaders.
Iwi monitors accompanied field staff during the testing, but were not it a position to comment on its results at this stage.
Brough said he was happy to take up the baton from Holdom.
“So my predecessor, as you know, has had some very strong opinions around that site. He’s probably come off a much greater level of knowledge than what I’ve walked into here in the first few weeks, but actually one of the organisations that’s on my list of people to set up a meeting with is the owner of that site from the early days.
“I’m happy to pick it up and take it on where Neil left off. Actually, that’s part of what we need to do in this city is clean up that site.”
Brough said he did not know whether to feel optimistic or not about the latest test results.
“I understand process can take a long time, but this is, this has been going on for far too long now already. Get on with it. That’s my message to the owners of that site. The people undertaking [the] job, get on with it.”
Paritūtū Remediation Project said the Taranaki Regional Council had scheduled a briefing for New Plymouth district councillors in early December.
“This will provide a comprehensive update of the Paritūtū project, including a high-level overview of the timeline and long-term outlook.”
According to the project website, results from the Sampling and Analysis Plan would feed into a more complex Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) which would evolve as data became available.
“The DSI will be completed and submitted to the Regulators (Taranaki Regional Council) in due course, once the whole site has been investigated and the full report has been independently reviewed by the Council-appointed independent peer reviewer.”
A detailed remediation progress report, including an overview of the process being undertaken, was scheduled to be presented at Taranaki Regional Council in December.
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What images does Formula One fashion in the days of yore conjure up? Or even Formula One 15 years ago ago?
Scantily dressed “grid girls” on display before a race? Stands of sunburnt men on boys weekends in their best dad jeans topped with a Ferrari red polo shirt? Drivers walking the paddock – the working “backstage” area behind the track – in logos, logos, and more logos? The occasional bored, but well-heeled, mistress of an oligarch?
Well, scrap those images if you want to understand the current intersection of Formula One and Fashion (Ferrari red and the odd logo remains).
Lewis Hamilton arrives in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix in Canada.
MINAS PANAGIOTAKIS
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Robertson has already signalled the team will change for this last test, however, it’s bad news for one player who was definitely getting a run at Principality Stadium. Tevita Mafileo is out injured, so we know that much, but what else is going to be revealed once Robertson names his side at 9pm tonight?
All you need is Love?
Du’Plessis Kirifi celebrates with Ruben Love.Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
This is a given, since Robertson explicitly stated Ruben Love was playing when interviewed on Monday. So he will start at fullback, which means the Will Jordan may shift to the wing or even back to the bench.
Caleb Clarke is back from his concussion so should start on the wing – unless Robertson really wants Leicester Fainga’anuku out there again. Sevu Reece is back in contention after a game for the All Blacks XV as well.
Front row rotation, surely
Tamaiti Williams.Jeremy Ward / www.photosport.nz
Ethan de Groot and Fletcher Newell have had heavy workloads this season and are due a rest, so expect the monster propping duo of Tamaiti Williams and Pasilio Tosi to start. George Bower hasn’t been used all tour so should come onto the bench, while Mafileo’s misfortune means Newell will need to back up as well.
The scrum has a bit of a point to prove after a rather low output since the win over Ireland, so whatever the combo is will be hungry for penalties and field position.
A Bell will ring
George Bell of Canterbury against the Southland Stags in the Ranfurly ShieldRobyn Edie / www.photosport.nz
Samisoni Taukei’aho will start at hooker and Bell will come off the bench, after his highly unusual dropping then recall to the most unused role in the All Blacks as the third hooker. However, Bell richly deserves some gametime after great form in the NPC, ironically his call up meant he missed the glory of being in the victorious Canterbury side that took out the final.
Another new midfield?
Rieko Ioane scores against France.Masanori Udagawa/Photosport
Quinn Tupaea and Billy Proctor’s combination against England was somewhat exploited in the big loss, especially for Fraser Dingwall’s try that gave the home side the lead. Does Robertson move Fainga’anuku back to centre or go with some tested defensive options in Rieko Ioane or Anton Lienert-Brown.
Ioane hasn’t been used at all on the tour and must be feeling pretty determined to prove a point, in what might be his last game before a stint playing for Leinster.
Does Ardie finally get a rest?
Ardie Savea.Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Unlikely, because the All Blacks are down to the last reserves of loose forwards and leadership. Savea has been an absolute workhorse from start to finish in 2025, so it’s fitting that he should finish the season at the forefront of an All Black win. It’s just a case of what combination of Peter Lakai, Wallace Sititi, Simon Parker and Du’Plessis Kirifi joins him.
Does it mean he’ll be captain, though? The second row is banged up too, but there is room for Scott Barrett to take the weekend off due to the good form of Josh Lord and Fabian Holland, plus Sam Darry being available after a very good NPC season of his own.
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The Education Review Office says the government should consider taking its mobile phone ban a step further and block children’s access to social media during school hours.
In a report published on Thursday, Do not disturb: A review of removing cell phones from New Zealand’s classrooms, the review office said the ‘phones away for the day’ policy was working, though parents undermined it with phonecalls and messages and many schools allowed some use of phones for educational purposes.
The report said 90 percent of schools had banned students from using phones at any time during the school day and most teachers it surveyed said the policy improved student behaviour and achievement.
However, it found a lot of secondary students did not comply with the policy – nearly half said they had sometimes used their phone in class and more than a third said they used their phones during breaks, in places that were out of teachers’ sight, or during class-time breaks.
“Older students told us that they often find covert ways to continue using their cell phones, especially if they feel the rules are unreasonable or poorly enforced. Students expressed that the presence of ‘rules’ means that some will automatically want to rebel, showing an increased desire to bring the ‘prohibited item’ to school as a form of resistance. They are also more sensitive to how rules are enforced and more likely to push back if they feel they’re being treated unfairly or being patronised,” the report said.
It also found that where students were breaking the rules, it was likely because parents were contacting them during school hours.
The report found that where students were breaking the rules, it was likely because parents were contacting them during school hours.RNZ Insight/Tess Brunton
In addition, 76 percent of secondary schools and 35 percent of primary schools allowed students to use their phones in class for specific purposes, such as if they did not have a laptop or needed to take photographs.
However, 61 percent of teachers surveyed for the report said student achievement had improved since the ‘phones away for the day’ policy was introduced last year and 77 percent said student behaviour had improved.
Fifty-nine percent of secondary teachers said bullying had improved since the policy’s introduction and 63 percent said students’ mental health had improved.
Half the students who said they used their phones during school time said they did so to stay connected with family, and 37 percent said they were connecting with friends.
“More work needs to be done to ensure that both parents and students understand and are complying with the new rules. Compliance is more difficult with older students, and additional mechanisms to ensure compliance are required (such as enforcement). We are seeing that parents may be undermining compliance,” the report said.
The report recommended continuing the policy and said secondary schools should enforce it with consequences because that was the most effective approach.
It also recommended the government consider further action to remove other digital devices such as smartwatches and “consider ways to further reduce digital distractions by limiting or removing student access to social media during school hours”.
The report was based on survey responses from nearly 2000 teachers and principals and 3691 students, as well as focus groups with more than 65 participants.
ERO evaluation centre head, Ruth Shinoda, told RNZ it would be difficult to directly attribute any changes in achievement rates to the phone ban because there were many other changes happening in schools but it was clearly beneficial.
ERO evaluation centre head Ruth Shinoda.Supplied / ERO
“Teachers are a really reliable source so if they say that it’s leading to focus and improved achievement we do expect that to flow through into the data,” she said.
Shinoda said schools with strong enforcement had the best results in terms of student compliance with the rules.
“We’ll have even better results if we have more students complying,” she said.
“Only half of secondary students comply and half don’t and the main reason for that is contacting or being contacted by their parents.”
Shionda said students were twice as likely to break the rules if they attended schools where there was parental resistance to the rules.
What teachers and students had to say
Teachers reported inconsistency in their application of the rules, with some being relaxed and others strict, and some said enforcing the rules could damage their relationships with students.
“Students don’t like rules around their phones. They try to beat the system all the time. They also get angry and sometimes aggressive when challenged to hand it in,” one teacher said.
The report said “the few teachers and leaders who saw no change in student engagement or focus” reported other sources of distraction such as smartwatches and laptops.
“They just use their laptops to message now instead of cell phone. Simply moved the problem,” one teacher said.
However, others said the policy had improved behaviour, bullying and students’ focus on their work.
“This has been one of the best policies the school could have implemented. The cyber bullying was at an all-time high before the policy was put in place. Now students talk to each other, and our students play,” a secondary school leader said.
“My teaching time has slightly improved because I’m not managing phone use in class,” a teacher said.
“For a bulk of them who we would normally just see sitting against a wall on their phones, they’re actually out there talking and doing stuff. And even if it is our Year 11s and 12s, so they actually end up wrestling half the time. It’s still blowing off steam, which is more constructive than just standing there,” said another.
Some students reported ignoring the rules and some resented them.RNZ Insight/Teresa Cowie
Students acknowledged the phone rule was good for them.
“I think so far [the rules are] positive. There’s no more of me looking at my phone in my pocket no more, neglecting my learning in the middle of classes,” a senior secondary student said.
“I love using my phone. It has everything on it. It’s efficient. But with this ban, it taught me some restraint and I would say that I am able to focus better because I can’t use it. I got to do my work now. It just taught me how to prioritise things better,” said another.
But others told the report they sometimes ignored the rules and some resented them.
“The students are sneaky, they use their phones all the time, like in bathrooms and in class time, but the teachers never catch them,” a student told the review office.
“Teachers use their phones right in front of us and when we use them we get them taken off instantly. Also I find it extremely unfair we can’t use them during our break time,” said another.
One student warned that socially-isolated students were worse off because of the ban.
“I think the extremes have gotten worse. For example, the lonelier kids are getting lonelier. Especially students who don’t connect to people in real life. They don’t have that access to social media where that might be a safe space for them. And so now they’re just kind of sitting in the corner on their laptop,” they said.
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After the development, the school board said the application being halted was “wonderful news”.
“We sincerely hope no other school in New Zealand will have to experience what our community has endured,” presiding member Sanalio Kaihau said.
“However, should such a situation arise, we stand ready to support others by sharing our learnings and processes.”
Kaihau said the board recognised that charter schools had a place in communities where they were needed.
He said the school’s community had shown unity and resilience and a commitment to protect its mana.
The school first took to social media last month opposing the charter school conversion bid.
“Our senior leaders and staff do NOT believe that becoming a charter school is in the best interests of our students or community, especially when it would involve so much change with a different staff, management and Board, along with a different philosophy and curriculum,” it said in a letter posted to social media.
The trust then ended its own consultation about the move, saying the school had drawn battle-lines by going public with its opposition.
It had argued a change to a charter school would solve a continuing fall in education attainment and that Ministry of Education intervention “has been ineffective”.
BEWT said Kelston Boys’ High was violent, had low achievement and attendance rates and had lost community confidence.
Kelston Boys’ High said it was a school with long-standing traditions and all-round excellence in developing exemplary young men.
“It’s been done in the most unusual way, in a way where the schools have felt quite threatened, it’s been relentless,” the senior Labour MP said last month.
The Charter School Agency confirmed on Wednesday it had dropped its application.
It said it would now work with both sides to close the process.
The school board said its students “can now finish the year with confidence” and that it was getting ready for next year with renewed energy and purpose.
Siaosi Gavet, the former presiding board member co-sponsoring the bid with BEWT, did not respond to RNZ’s request for comment.
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An AI scribe tool is being rolled out across the country’s emergency departments.123RF
An AI scribe tool is being rolled out across the country’s emergency departments following trials in Hawke’s Bay and Whanganui.
However, while some clinicians were heralding the Heidi AI Scribe technology as “the way of the future”, others said more effective evaluation was needed to ensure benefits touted by its designers translated to the pressures of the emergency medicine.
“Doctors using the AI tool were able to see, on average, one additional patient per shift because of the time saved. That means faster care for patients and less waiting time in emergency departments.
“Based on this success, Health NZ has purchased an initial 1000 licences for frontline staff in emergency departments, enabling its nationwide rollout,” Brown said.
Health Minister Simeon Brown.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Tool slashes time spent on patient notes
The creator of the tool, Heidi Health, said the trials reduced the average time spent on documenting patient notes from 17 minutes to 4 minutes.
Created in Australia, the system was currently used in two million consultations each week across 116 countries, and had been adapted to work with the clinical language and systems used in New Zealand hospitals.
Co-founder of Heidi Health, Dr Thomas Kelly said reducing the administrative burden would allow staff more time to focus on the needs of their patients.
“Healthcare professionals should never have to choose between providing quality patient care and their own wellbeing. Yet the realities of an ED, with complex cases, heavy patient demand, and workforce shortages, can make that a difficult balance.
“Heidi’s ability to allow emergency staff to focus more on patient care, whilst providing much-needed relief from administrative burden, we hope will go some way to making that balance easier,” Kelly said.
Risk of catastrophic error higher in ED settings
However, Otago University Professor of bio-ethics Angela Ballantyne said ongoing work would be needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the tool in the high pressure environment of the country’s emergency departments.
“In ED you’ve got a team-based environment, multiple people contributing to the notes and, obviously, you’ve got critically unwell patients. So the risk of an error in those notes having a really catastrophic impact on patient safety and care is much higher,” Ballantyne said.
Otago University Professor of bio-ethics Angela Ballantyne.Supplied
She said she had spoken to one doctor using a similar tool where a slight change in how a patient’s response had been recorded could have had serious implications for their treatment.
“The tool made a very subtle error. The patient had said they experienced this symptom for the first time ‘in the morning’ and the tool had changed it to ‘every morning’. So a very subtle difference but [it] has really significant clinical implications if someone else comes along and reads and tries to interpret that note.
“This doctor said it was only on the second read through that they realised that the error had been made,” she said.
Ballantyne said she was concerned that the Hawke’s Bay trial – which reviewed the experience of eight clinicians using the tools – had not gone into enough depth ahead of being implemented through the country’s hospitals.
“If this was a drug that was being rolled out there’s very set stages and processes for evaluating the safety and efficacy of those kind of products. Part of what’s tricky about the AI tools is that there’s not a clear regulatory pathway.
“So I would really encourage the government – at this point – to put in place mechanisms to evaluate and monitor this roll out and to be really publicly transparent about those details.
“I’m not saying don’t do it but, I think, do it carefully and evaluate,” Ballantyne said.
AI tool supports doctors in high pressure environment
Chair of the New Zealand faculty of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Dr Kate Allan has worked with the tool.
She said the technology acted as a silent assistant, listening to doctor’s and patient’s conversations and writing the clinical notes as they occurred.
She found it allowed doctors to deal with interruptions and changing situations without losing track of information.
“If I’ve just been to see a patient and I get pulled very quickly to go and see another patient – and you’re multi-tasking like that – I feel it’s much safer because the memory is there. Whereas if you’re going from A to B to C you could lose track when you’re writing your notes,” Allan said.
The technology was trialled at Hawke’s Bay Hospital (pictured) and Whanganui Hospital.RNZ / Peter Fowler
She was impressed by the technology’s ability to hear in noisy environments and cut out discussion during a consultation, which might be irrelevant.
“It’s incredible how it’s able to collate and summarise what [patients] say to us and putting it into the context of the consultation. It’s pretty amazing what it can do,” Allan said.
The time freed up by the tool allowed her to be more detailed in the information she used in notes – but it was still necessary to review the information.
“You have to check it. We all know that AI – at this stage – hallucinates and we need to ensure that’s not happening,” Allan said.
She had encountered some reluctance from patients to divulge personal information using the tool but said she was not concerned about any potential for privacy breaches.
“We know that all of the patient information that we are collecting gets deleted after it’s been used and we know that none of it’s been used as an AI learning tool, so the AI is not learning off what’s going into it. Every patient has to be consented to use it and they can decline it, so that’s fine.
“It’s like recording a telephone call – you can’t do it with getting pre-approval,” Allan said.
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About 40 schools and early childcare centres have closed, or planned to, because of the contamination fears.
MBIE’s product safety spokesperson Ian Caplin said the ministry and other agencies were proactively testing samples from other similar products available in New Zealand.
“We are expecting to receive further results later this week and will update our partners and New Zealanders as they are received,” he said.
“In the meantime, our advice is that when in doubt, take a cautious approach and dispose of sand in accordance with the guidance on Health NZ and WorkSafe’s websites.”
Caplin said anyone who found sand products positive with asbestos after independent testing should send copies of the test report to recalls@mbie.govt.nz so the ministry could begin the recall process.
It comes after a West Auckland school notified families its play sand had tested positive, after previously saying they did not have any of the products on the recall list.
Matipo School in Te Atatu Peninsula wrote to parents saying it was testing other types of sand used for art activities as a precaution.
The school set out steps including independent testing, isolating and temporarily closing affected class rooms, and ensuring there was no access to the sand until it was confirmed safe.
However, Principal Jonnie Black wrote to members of the school community to say a small number of samples tested had returned positive results.
“I want to reassure our community that there is no immediate risk, and we are following all recommended Ministry of Education and health and safety procedures,” he said.
“Affected classrooms have been temporarily relocated while we complete air-quality testing and arrange professional decontamination of those spaces.”
Students were safe, well supervised and settled in alternative learning areas, he said.
Black said they had asked the families of specific classes to seal and return any sand-based artwork, so it could be disposed of safely and appropriately.
“This step is part of the national precautionary process to ensure full compliance with safety guidelines.”
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The Firearms Safety Authority was established following the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019.123rf.com
A comprehensive review of Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority found risks for the authority and police in relation to financial oversight and conflict-of-interest management across police.
RNZ earlier revealed a “health check” of the police agency had begun following concerns over its workplace culture, including intimate relationships as well as financial practices.
The review came after an “internal employment process” at the firearms regulator which was established following the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019.
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
Police’s Chief Assurance Officer Mike Webb told RNZ the health check of the Firearms Safety Authority (FSA) was completed last month.
“It sought to identify whether disciplines around corporate hygiene and internal controls are widely understood and consistently applied in the FSA,” Webb said.
“The FSA was found to have operated in accordance with police policies in almost all cases sampled from December 2022 to June 2025 and the review identified a number of strengths in its corporate practices and controls.”
The review also made recommendations to “support improved police policy and practice”.
Three recommendations related to the FSA and 19 relate to wider police.
“Of note, the health check report highlighted some operational and governance risks for FSA and Police in the areas of financial oversight, lack of specificity in the sensitive expenditure policy at the time, and conflict-of-interest management across wider police.”
Webb said the FSA’s executive director, Angela Brazier, had accepted the findings and recommendations in the report and “acknowledged there is always opportunity for improvement”.
The report was considered by the police’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in late-October, as well as the independent Assurance and Risk Committee in mid-November.
“The Police SLT endorsed action to address the report’s non-FSA-specific recommendations, as well as tracking work on the recommendations.
“Several recommendations have already been actioned – for example, making updates to the sensitive expenditure policy, which are due to take effect from 1 December 2025.”
Brazier was one of several senior leaders within police criticised by the Independent Police Conduct Authority in its scathing report in relation to how police responded to allegations of sexual offending by McSkimming.
The IPCA said Brazier told them she had known McSkimming for about 20 years.
When the Public Service Commission approached her for a reference check on McSkimming in the appointment process for interim commissioner in October last year, she knew McSkimming had an affair, that he was being “harassed” with emails from the woman and that Deputy Police Commissioner Tania Kura had informed McSkimming that she had to investigate him as part of the police response.
However, Brazier told the PSC she had nothing relevant to disclose. She told the IPCA she did not think her knowledge was relevant to PSC’s question.
“Ms G’s disclosure was inadequate in light of her knowledge at the time,” the IPCA said.
A lawyer for Brazier earlier said she was challenging the IPCA’s findings in relation to her.
The lawyer confirmed to RNZ on Tuesday that Brazier was currently on “pre-planned leave”.
Last week, the government announced a new specialist firearms regulatory agency will be created, replacing the FSA. It will be headed by an independent chief executive appointed by the governor-general who would report solely to the firearms minister.
The new regulator would continue to sit within police, but without sworn police officers involved.
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Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse.RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Pike River families say their meeting with the Workplace Safety Minister was “a complete waste of time”.
Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse sat down with Workplace Safety Minister Brooke van Velden at Parliament on the 15th anniversary of the Pike River disaster.
“I don’t know, I’ve come out of there still feeling really unhappy because there’s just no guarantees that people who go to work are going to return home safely,” Obsorne said.
“She seemed to be focusing all the time on the employers and I sat and listened to it for a little while and then I just couldn’t stand it,” Rockhouse said.
Both women went into the meeting wanting to share their concerns that the minister’s workplace reforms were weakening safety laws and risking another disaster.
Rockhouse said she doesn’t feel reassured.
“She gave a slip service, she listened, but didn’t really say anything. You know, that sort of thing when somebody’s talking but they’re not really saying much? That’s how it felt,” she said.
“I walked out of there thinking man that was just a complete waste of time.”
Workplace Safety Minister Brooke van Velden.Marika Khabazi
The pair support the introduction of a corporate manslaughter charge and said they had found support for the idea with opposition parties and New Zealand First.
“In New Zealand, it’s real easy to pass the buck. It’s not not one person’s fault, it’s another’s, you know,” Osborne said.
“So, we just need somebody with some balls who’s prepared to really put their heart and soul into getting this health and safety legislation and the reforms working properly for all New Zealanders,”
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters on Wednesday described the Pike River mine as “a murder scene” and hinted at his dissatisfaction with relevant workplace safety settings.
He met with Osborne and Rockhouse and promised to advocate for progress on what he described as “the most unsatisfactory circumstance”.
“[The meeting went] very, very well. We laid out a plan of action and work for us to do privately, myself and my team,” Peters said.
“We were the ones that demanded an inquiry, the only party that did at the time. We think we were dramatically let down by the way the inquiry was run and we don’t give up on this. We think this is a murder scene.”
Peters would not disclose any details of his plan but his office later confirmed he was working with Pike River families on the idea of introducing a corporate manslaughter charge.
Asked if he was happy with the current workplace safety settings, he said no.
“Not on this matter, most definitely not. And I intend to make that known.”
Van Velden has been overhauling workplace safety with a mind to shift WorkSafe’s focus from enforcement, to advice and guidance.
She said there were too many people dying at work and helping businesses follow the law – as well as backing a record number of workplace inspectors – was the best way to tackle this.
She didn’t accept Osborne and Rockhouse’s concerns history may repeat itself, despite having no evidence her approach will result in fewer workplace deaths.
“You can’t really point to any particular one industry or group or bit of evidence to say this is what would end up happening in the future.
“What we have as a health and safety system, is a lot of individuals getting up every day, providing jobs and doing a lot of actions on the ground.
“There are accidents that will happen. What I’m wanting to focus on is, how do I improve the overall economy and the situation that businesses and workers find themselves in?”
Van Velden said she did not support introducing a corporate manslaughter charge, instead preferring to focus on “upfront guidance” for businesses.
“I’m asking all businesses, workers and the regulator to focus on critical risk, which is actions that could lead to death and serious injury and illness, and to stamp those out and focus our efforts there, rather than sweating a lot of small stuff.
“We know there are a lot of companies out there really fearful of what it means to comply with the law but they’re ticking boxes and I’d like people across the country to focus on action on the ground to reduce deaths on the ground.”
Justice Minster Paul Goldsmith said there were no current plans to introduce a corporate manslaughter charge as the government had a very busy legislative agenda in the justice space.
Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori all support a corporate manslaughter charge.
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Māori business leaders are feeling upbeat about their performance.RNZ
Māori business leaders are feeling upbeat about performance, driven by a stronger primary sector.
The latest edition of accounting firm BDO’s Pūrongo Pakihi Māori, the Māori Business Sector Report, showed nearly two thirds of Māori business leaders were positive about current overall business performance – second only to the agricultural sector.
BDO Māori business sector leader Solomon Dalton said the upbeat sentiment reflected the strong presence of primary sector firms amongst Māori businesses.
“A lot of our businesses are in the primary industry, which has had strong performance over the last few years,” Dalton said.
“Managing cash flow remains a key priority for Māori business leaders,” Dalton said. “However, we’re seeing cautious optimism about the future.”
“What will be key over the next six months is more certainty around economic conditions in helping unlock potential business growth by encouraging more Māori business leaders to invest in their people and resources – helping stimulate the wider economy.”
Dalton encouraged firms to look at cash flow as they navigate challenging periods and work in 12 week cycles.
He said firms could also look to make investments that could save money long-term.
“Our BDO Pakihi Māori team are seeing a growing adoption of solar technology and the transitioning of business fleets to EV vehicles, not only bringing cost efficiencies for Māori businesses but also supporting their climate responsibilities,” Dalton said.
Māori business leaders felt least positive about external economic factors, followed by financial performance and climate risk.
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The third quarter ASB Investor Confidence Survey indicates a clear divergence of strategies between investors over 60 and those under 30 years of age.RNZ
Investor confidence is improving, with a clear divergence of strategies between investors over 60 and those under 30 years of age.
The third quarter ASB Investor Confidence Survey indicates an overall 9 percent improvement in confidence, with a net positive investor confidence rate of 10 percent, compared with 1 percent in the last quarter.
“While confidence has edged up, the underlying drivers of uncertainty, like global events, policy changes, and a sluggish property market, remain, ” ASB senior economist Chris Tennent-Brown said.
“Looking ahead, the overall message is one of cautious optimism.
“Markets have recovered since the volatility we had earlier in the year, and that’s impacting sentiment positively now, but the flat housing market and lower term deposit rates continue to weigh on the mood.”
He said investor confidence was highest in Auckland at more than 16 percent, compared with the rest of New Zealand at 7 percent, with the South Island was at 8 percent and Lower North Island at the bottom with just 3 percent.
“Perceptions about housing being the place to generate the most wealth are very low for under 30s, who may still be trying to work out how to get into the property market, a stark but understandable contrast to the over 60 participants, whose wealth may be tied up in property,” Tennent-Brown said.
He said there was a clear difference between the investment strategies of young and old.
Perceptions of a home as the best returning investment had dropped to the lowest level since first measured in 2015, with under 30s driving the shift to other investments.
“We expect the older age brackets, 60 plus, to have more exposure to property, more exposure to term deposits. They still feel downbeat about term deposits, upbeat about housing,” he said.
“It’s a really diverse bunch of answers when we split it by age and stage of life.”
He said the under 30s surveyed were focussed on other investments, particularly the share market, where confidence had lifted significantly over the past quarter, jumping to 21 percent compared with 13 percent in the previous quarter.
Overall, managed investments were steady at 14 percent and just under KiwiSaver, which had overtaken rental property and term deposits in perceived return.
Public shares were also gaining favour, with perceptions increasing to 12 percent.
Other options such as rental property, term deposits, and bank savings accounts remained stable, but were no longer seen as the stand-out choices they once were.
Global outlook
Global political instability or uncertainty remained the top concern for investors, with 90 percent citing it as a key factor, though there had been a notable drop in those ‘very or extremely concerned’, with fewer investors looking to adjustment their portfolios.
“Investors are adapting to a constantly changing global backdrop, and while the mood is more positive than last quarter, it is far from buoyant,” he said.
“In fact, 53 percent of those with concerns are now choosing not to make any changes – an improvement from last quarter.
“What we’re seeing is that investors are becoming more accustomed to uncertainty. Based on our customers’ behaviour, most are choosing to stay the course and not make changes to their portfolios, even as global headlines continue to shift.”
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Former senator Hollie Hughes has gone on a verbal rampage to defend Opposition leader Sussan Ley, accusing “the boys” who want her job of using prominent female colleagues in their efforts to undermine her.
Hughes this week resigned from the Liberal Party, saying as she no longer had the ability to support Ley in the party room, she believed she could best support her from outside the party.
She lashed out at Ley’s critics. “To be honest, I threw up in my mouth a little bit when I saw that big right-wing conservative group walking into the net zero meeting together [on Wednesday last week].
“And they shove [forward] three women, one who no one’s ever heard of, and two who are being used, quite frankly, by the boys who want a challenge but don’t have the gumption to go out and say anything themselves.
“So [they] are pushing Sarah and Jacinta out there to make these undermining comments to Sussan and I just, I think it’s disgusting.”
The three women who headed the conservative group going into the meeting were Sarah Henderson, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Jessica Collins. Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie, who both aspire to the leadership, were directly behind them.
Hughes is a long time friend of Ley. She is also a fierce opponent of Taylor, who successfully promoted Collins in a NSW preselection battle before the last election. Hughes was relegated to an unwinnable position on the Liberal Senate ticket.
Price hit back at the suggestion she was being used,
“It’s always been the argument by raging lefties […] that I can’t think for myself, that I have to be used by others,” she said.
“Just because we were walking down the hallway, in front of our colleagues, somehow we’re being used”. It was a “ridiculous notion,” she said, adding that Hughes was “clearly bitter”.
Ley described Hughes as “a dear friend” but sought to avoid being drawn further into the controversy.
Meanwhile Ley, while on a round of selling the opposition’s energy policy, is continuing to try to get ahead of her critics by flagging positions on other issues. She has said she will soon release an immigration policy. On Thursday she will deliver an address on defence.
In the speech, released ahead of delivery, Ley says there needs to be immediate investment in defence capabilities in three areas. These are
an integrated air and missile defence system
a greater ability to rapidly build, deploy and resupply unmanned and autonomous weapons systems – whether aerial drones or undersea weapons systems, or systems to defend against them
a greater sovereign capability for satellite connectivity.
Ley warns that Australia’s fuel security “is so poor that we don’t even need to be directly involved in a regional crisis or conflict to be dangerously impacted.
“All that needs to occur is for regular shipping to be disrupted from reliably flowing to Australia, and the normal functioning of our society will grind to a halt,” Ley says.
“What a responsible government needs to do is make sure we have sufficient access to essential fuels to get us through the initial shock to ‘normal’ supply chains so that society continues to function.
“This is why the previous Coalition government passed the Fuel Security Act in 2021 to begin introducing minimum stockholding obligations that will eventually bring us closer to our 90-day supply obligations.”
She accuses the Albanese government of letting momentum fall away on this.
“Most importantly, we need the government to send positive demand and regulatory signals to stimulate more investment in the domestic production of fuel here in Australia.
“This should include biofuels and efuels which can help diversify our liquid fuel supply whilst also being low emissions.”
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The UN Security Council passed a regime change resolution against Gaza on Monday, effectively issuing a mandate for an invasion force to enter the besieged coastal enclave and install a US-led ruling authority by force.
Passing with 13 votes in favour and none in defiance, the new UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution has given the United States a mandate to create what it calls an “International Stabilisation Force” (ISF) and “Board of Peace” committee to seize power in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump has hailed the resolution as historic, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has stood in opposition to an element of the resolution that mentions “Palestinian Statehood”.
In order to understand what has just occurred, it requires a breakdown of the resolution itself and the broader context surrounding the ceasefire deal.
When these elements are combined, it becomes clear that this resolution is perhaps one of the most shameful to have passed in the history of the United Nations, casting shame on it and undermining the very basis on which it was formed to begin with.
An illegal regime change resolution In September 2025, a United Nations commission of inquiry found Israel to have committed the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip.
For further context, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the most powerful international legal entity and organ of the UN, ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide and thus issued orders for Tel Aviv to end specific violations of international law in Gaza, which were subsequently ignored.
Taking this into consideration, the UN itself cannot claim ignorance of the conditions suffered by the people of Gaza, nor could it credibly posit that the United States is a neutral actor capable of enforcing a balanced resolution of what its own experts have found to be a genocide.
This resolution itself is not a peace plan and robs Palestinians of their autonomy entirely; thus, it is anti-democratic in its nature.
It was also passed due in large part to threats from the United States against both Russia and China, that if they vetoed it, the ceasefire would end and the genocide would resume. Therefore, both Beijing and Moscow abstained from the vote, despite the Russian counterproposal and initial opposition to the resolution.
It also gives a green light to what the US calls a “Board of Peace”, which will work to preside over governing Gaza during the ceasefire period. The head of this board is none other than US President Trump himself, who says he will be joined by other world leaders.
Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who launched the illegal invasion of Iraq, has been floated as a potential “Board of Peace” leader also.
Vowed a ‘Gaza Riviera’ On February 4 of this year, President Trump vowed to “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip. The American President later sought to impose a plan for a new Gaza, which he even called the “Gaza Riviera”, which was drawn up by Zionist economist Joseph Pelzman.
Part of Pelzman’s recommendations to Trump was that “you have to destroy the whole place, restart from scratch”.
As it became clear that the US alone could not justify an invasion force and simply take over Gaza by force, on behalf of Israel, in order to build “Trump Gaza”, a casino beach land for fellow Jeffrey Epstein-connected billionaires, a new answer was desperately sought.
Then came a range of meetings between Trump administration officials and regional leaderships, aimed at working out a strategy to achieve their desired goals in Gaza.
After the ceasefire was violated in March by the Israelis, leading to the mass murder of around 17,000 more Palestinians, a number of schemes were being hatched and proposals set forth.
The US backed and helped to create the now-defunct so-called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” (GHF) programme, which was used to privatise the distribution of aid in the territory amidst a total blockade of all food for three months.
Starving Palestinians, who were rapidly falling into famine, flocked to these GHF sites, where they were fired upon by US private military contractors and Israeli occupation forces, murdering more than 1000 civilians.
The ‘New York Declaration’ Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and France were busy putting together what would become the “New York Declaration” proposal for ending the war and bringing Western nations to recognise the State of Palestine at the UN.
Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, here came Trump’s so-called “peace plan” that was announced at the White House in October. This plan appeared at first to be calling for a total end to the war, a mutual prisoner exchange and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in a phased approach.
From the outset, Trump’s “20-point plan” was vague and impractical. Israel immediately violated the ceasefire from the very first day and has murdered nearly 300 Palestinians since then. The first phase of the ceasefire deal was supposed to end quickly, ideally within five days, but the deal has stalled for over a month.
Throughout this time, it has become increasingly clear that the Israelis are not going to respect the “Yellow Line” separation zone and have violated the agreement through operating deeper into Gaza than they had originally agreed to.
The Israeli-occupied zone was supposed to be 53 percent of Gaza; it has turned out to be closer to 58 percent. Aid is also not entering at a sufficient rate, despite US and Israeli denials; this has been confirmed by leading rights groups and humanitarian organisations.
In the background, the US team dealing with the ceasefire deal that is headed by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff has been juggling countless insidious proposals for the future of Gaza.
Even publicly stating that reconstruction will only take place in the Israeli-controlled portion of the territory, also floating the idea that aid points will be set up there in order to force the population out of the territory under de facto Hamas control. This has often been referred to as the “new Gaza plan”.
The disastrous GHF As this has all been in the works, including discussions about bringing back the disastrous GHF, the Israelis have been working alongside four ISIS-linked collaborator death squads that it controls and who operate behind the Yellow Line in Gaza.
No mechanisms have been put in place to punish the Israelis for their daily violations of the ceasefire, including the continuation of demolition operations against Gaza’s remaining civilian infrastructure. This appears to be directly in line with Joseph Pelzman’s plan earlier this year to “destroy the whole place”.
The UNSC resolution not only makes Donald Trump the effective leader of the new administrative force that will be imposed upon the Gaza Strip, but also greenlights what it calls its International Stabilisation Force. This ISF is explicitly stated to be a multinational military force that will be tasked with disarming Hamas and all Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip.
The US claims it will not be directly involved in the fighting with “boots on the ground”; it has already deployed hundreds of soldiers and has been reportedly building a military facility, which they deny is a base, but for all intents and purposes will be one.
Although it may not be American soldiers killing and dying while battling Palestinian resistance groups, they will be in charge of this force.
This is not a “UN peacekeeping force” and is not an equivalent to UNIFIL in southern Lebanon; it is there to carry out the task of completing Israel’s war goal of defeating the Palestinian resistance through force.
In other words, foreign soldiers will be sent from around the world to die for Israel and taxpayers from those nations will be footing the bill.
‘Self-determination’ reservation The only reason why Israel has reservations about this plan is because it included a statement claiming that if the Palestinian Authority (PA) — that does not control Gaza and is opposed by the majority of the Palestinian people — undergoes reforms that the West and Israel demand, then conditions “may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood”.
A keyword here is “may”, in other words, it is not binding and was simply added in to give corrupted Arab leaderships the excuse to vote yes.
Hamas and every other Palestinian political party, with the exception of the mainstream branch of Fatah that answers to Israel and the US, have opposed this UNSC resolution.
Hamas even called upon Algeria to vote against it; instead, the Algerian leadership praised Donald Trump and voted in favour. Typical of Arab and Muslim-majority regimes that don’t represent the will of their people, they all fell in line and bent over backwards to please Washington.
It won’t likely work As has been the story with every conspiracy hatched against the people of Gaza, this is again destined to fail. Not only will it fail, but it will likely backfire enormously and lead to desperate moves.
To begin with, the invasion force, or ISF, will be a military endeavour that will have to bring together tens of thousands of soldiers who speak different languages and have nothing in common, in order to somehow achieve victory where Israel failed.
It is a logistical nightmare to even think about.
How long would it take to deploy these soldiers? At the very least, it’s going to take months. Then, how long would this process take? Nobody has any clear answers here.
Also, what happens if Israel begins bombing again at any point, for example, if there is a clash that kills Israeli soldiers? What would these nations do if Israeli airstrikes killed their soldiers or put them in harm’s way?
Also, tens of thousands of soldiers may not cut it; if the goal is to destroy all the territory’s military infrastructure, they may need hundreds of thousands. Or if that isn’t an option, will they work alongside the Israeli military?
It is additionally clear that nobody knows where all the tunnels and fighters are; if Israel couldn’t find them, then how can anyone else?
After all, the US, UK, and various others have helped the Israelis with intelligence sharing and reconnaissance for more than two years to get these answers.
How do regimes justify this? Finally, when Arab, European, or Southeast Asian soldiers return to their nations in body bags, how do their regimes justify this? Will the president or prime minister of these nations have to stand up and tell their people . . . “sorry guys, your sons and daughters are now in coffins because Israel needed a military force capable of doing what they failed to do, so we had to help them complete their genocidal project”.
Also, how many Palestinian civilians are going to be slaughtered by these foreign invaders?
As for the plan to overthrow Hamas rule in Gaza, the people of the territory will not accept foreign invaders as their occupiers any more than they will accept Israelis. They are not going to accept ISIS-linked collaborators as any kind of security force either.
Already, the situation is chaotic inside Gaza, and that is while its own people, who are experienced and understand their conditions, are in control of managing security and some administrative issues; this includes both Hamas and others who are operating independently of it, but inside the territory under its de facto control.
Just as the Israeli military claimed it was going to occupy Gaza City, laying out countless plans to do this, to ethnically cleanse the territory and “crush Hamas”, the US has been coordinating alongside it throughout the entirety of the last two years. Every scheme has collapsed and ended in failure.
It has been nearly a month and a half, yet there are still no clear answers as to how this Trump “peace plan” is supposed to work and it is clear that the Israelis are coming up with new proposals on a daily basis.
There is no permanent mechanism for aid transfers, which the Israelis are blocking. There is no clear vision for governance.
How a US plan envisages Gaza being permanently split into two sections – a green zone and a red zone. Image: Guardian/IDF/X
‘Two Gazas’ plan incoherent The “two Gazas” plan is not even part of the ceasefire or Trump plan, yet it is being pursued in an incoherent way. The ISF makes no sense and appears as poorly planned as the GHF.
Hamas and the other Palestinian factions will not give up their weapons. There is no real plan for reconstruction. The Israelis are adamant that there will be no Palestinian State and won’t allow any independent Palestinian rule of Gaza, and the list of problems goes on and on.
What it really looks like here is that this entire ceasefire scheme is a stab in the dark attempt to achieve Israel’s goals while also giving its forces a break and redirecting their focus on other fronts, understanding that there is no clear solution to the Gaza question for now.
The United Nations has shown itself over the past two years to be nothing more than a platform for political theatre. It is incapable of punishing, preventing, or even stopping the crime of all crimes.
Now that international law has suffocated to death under the rubble of Gaza, next to the thousands of children who still lie underneath it, the future of this conflict will transform.
This UNSC vote demonstrates that there is no international law, no international community, and that the UN is simply a bunch of fancy offices, which are only allowed to work under the confines of gangster rule.
If the Palestinian resistance groups feel as if their backs are against the wall and an opportunity, such as another Israeli war on Lebanon, presents them the opportunity, then there is a high likelihood that a major military decision will be made.
In the event that this occurs, it will be this UNSC resolution that is in large part responsible.
When the suffering in Gaza finally ends, whether that is because Israel obliterates all of its regional opposition and exterminates countless other civilians in its way, or Israel is militarily shattered, the UN should be disbanded as was the League of Nations. It is a failed project just as that which preceded it.
Something new must take over from it.
Robert Inlakesh is a journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. He focuses on the Middle East, specialising in Palestine. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle and it is republished with permission.
Regional student journalists at the University of the South Pacific have condemned the Samoan Prime Minister’s ban on the Samoa Observer newspaper, branding it as a “deliberate and systemic attempt to restrict public scrutiny”.
The Journalism Students’ Association (JSA) at USP said in a statement today it was “deeply concerned” about Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt’s ban on the Samoa Observer from his press conferences and his directive that cabinet ministers avoid responding to the newspaper’s questions.
“The recently imposed suspension signals not merely a rebuke of one newspaper, but a more deliberate and systemic attempt to restrict robust public scrutiny,” the statement said.
“The JSA is especially concerned that these attacks are eroding youth confidence in the [journalism] profession.” Image: JSA logo
“It raises serious concerns about citizens’ right to information, as well as the erosion of transparency, accountability, and public trust.”
“We also note reports of physical confrontations involving journalists outside the Prime Minister’s residence, which are deeply troubling. This is an alarming trend and signals a reverse, if not decline in media rights and freedom of speech, unless it is dealt with immediately,” the JSA said.
“With its long-standing dedication to reporting on governance, human rights, and social accountability issues, the ban on the Samoa Observer strikes at the heart of public discourse and places journalists in a precarious position.
Not an isolated case “It risks undermining their ability to report freely and without the fear of reprisal.”
Sadly, said the JSA statement, this was not an isolated case.
“Earlier this year, the JAWS president Lagi Keresoma faced defamation charges under Samoa’s libel laws over an article about a former police officer’s appeal to the Head of State.
“Samoa’s steep decline in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index further highlights the ongoing challenges confronting Samoan media.”
JAWS’ recent statement highlighting government attempts to control press conferences through a proposed guide, further added to the growing pattern of restrictions on press freedom in Samoa.
“These recent incidents, coupled with the exclusion of the Samoa Observer, send a chilling warning to Samoan journalists and establish a dangerous precedent for media subservience at the highest levels,” said JSA.
“Journalists must be able to perform their work safely, without intimidation or assault, as they carry out their responsibilities to the public. These incidents raise serious questions about the treatment of media professionals and respect for journalistic work.
“As a journalism student association with many of our journalists and alumni working in the region, we are committed to empowering the next generation of journalists.
“The JSA is especially concerned that these attacks are eroding youth confidence in the profession.
“We believe strongly in defending a space where young people can enter a field that is critical to democratic accountability, public oversight, and civic engagement.”
The Victorian government has announced it will send social workers to 20 of the state’s schools to try to reduce violent youth crime.
It will spend A$5.6 million on “targeted” schools next year. The aim is to “intervene early in the lives of children who are heading down the wrong path […] drifting towards violence, crime and anti-social behaviour”.
This is a positive idea, but it requires careful implementation. And will need support from police, teachers and health professionals to work.
What has been announced?
The government says the social workers – called “early intervention officers” – would work within schools and help teachers, principals, wellbeing coordinators and school nurses. They would:
identify children who are most at risk of drifting towards anti-social behaviour and violent crime
keep a constant eye on troubled children, supporting them through a case management approach
focus on improving their school attendance and sense of belonging, and their relationships with peers
support schools in monitoring the status and movements of students who are suspended.
The social workers will not work with what the government terms “the worst youth offenders”. They will target children most likely to become youth offenders if there’s no intervention.
In support of the social workers plan, the state government reported new data from Victoria’s Council on Bail, Rehabilitation and Accountability which shows 70% of Victoria’s worst alleged youth offenders were chronically absent from school before they turned to crime. Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said the data shows
disengagement from school to be a big factor pushing children, particularly those with limited support at home, down a pathway towards violent crime.
This is supported by other studies, which emphasise the importance of education in crime prevention.
The social workers announcement also follows more punitive recent policies aimed at reducing violent crime in Victoria. This includes adult sentences for young people committing violent crimes, such as home invasions. This approach has been criticised by legal experts and advocates as unlikely to reduce offending.
Victoria already has social workers in schools as part of “student support services”. They work with kids, families and teachers to address barriers to learning and wellbeing.
But they are area-based. They might be spread across a number of schools so their capacity to be on the ground with teachers can be limited.
On the face of it, Wednesday’s announcement is a good idea. We can see this as a positive, proactive attempt to help children’s wellbeing and socialisation. We know young people need to have enough education to be employable and included in our society.
How could children be identified?
Teachers are generally able to identify children who are at risk.
These will be children who are not regularly coming to school (provided there is no illness or other reason invovled), who are chronically late, tired, hungry, not producing homework and not engaged in the classroom. Perhaps they are also disruptive and getting into fights.
What is missing?
The Victorian government says it is borrowing from a Scottish model, which set up a “Violence Reduction Unit” in Glasgow in 2005.
However there are a couple of key differences with the Scottish system. The first is, Scotland is dealing with children who had already been referred to the justice system for offending behaviour. It is trying to divert children from prosecution.
So, working with social workers is required for Scottish children and their families. If they did not, they faced sanctions, such as supervision measures. In extreme circumstances, the child might be placed in alternative care, if the parents lacked capacity to care for their child.
At this stage, the Victorian model does not talk about what it expects from children. If it’s all voluntary, there’s no compulsion on the part of the child or family to really engage with it.
Are we looking at the root causes?
The Scottish system also sees social workers as part of a broader team of health professionals, teachers and police, all of whom had expertise with children and youth justice. It takes a broad perspective – to understand the root causes of a child’s behaviour and needs.
This is why we should be careful not to just plonk social workers into schools with no further supports.
Perhaps there are issues around poverty, homelessness, family dysfunction, mental health or learning disabilities that make it difficult – or impossible – for a child to attend school. Perhaps a child has low literacy levels or needs speech or hearing support.
We have to widen our scope beyond school attendance to why a child isn’t able to engage with school.
Don’t forget role models
Research also tells us children need positive role models in their lives. They need to be able to see what going to school could look like, and what that might mean for their lives.
As well as positive peer relationships, they need to have adults closely involved who can mentor the child and show them there are other ways to behave than being dysfunctional or disruptive.
Ultimately it’s about ensuring children and young people feel like they are part of the community.
Rosemary Sheehan receives funding from Australian Research Council.
New data show wages have risen by a bit more than inflation, but overall real wages are still languishing near 2011 levels.
Over the year to September, wages rose 3.4% in seasonally adjusted terms. That’s according to the latest wage price index data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), released on Wednesday.
That’s slightly more than the rate of inflation over the same period – 3.2% – meaning real wages are up by 0.2% over the year to September.
For the Reserve Bank of Australia, it means an interest rate cut in the near term remains unlikely. However, overall wages growth is nowhere near enough to make up for the huge decline in real wages over the past five years.
What is the wage price index?
The wage price index measures the average change in Australian wages and salaries every quarter. To do this, it tracks a fixed “basket” of jobs across a wide range of industries in both the public and private sector.
It doesn’t include bonuses, and it doesn’t include wage growth that comes about from people getting promoted, switching to better-paid occupations, or moving to other regions.
To illustrate, imagine a world where half of all workers were labourers and the other half were managers.
If the labourers’ hourly wage increased from $30 to $33 (a 10% increase), and the managers’ hourly wage increased from $80 to $84 (a 5% increase), the wage price index would increase by 7.5%. That is the average of 5% and 10%.
It’s an important index, but it doesn’t tell us everything. For example, it doesn’t give us the full story on wage growth, because many people grow their incomes by moving to better-paid jobs or occupations.
In our example, if an individual labourer became a manager, their wage would increase from $30 to $84 – an obvious improvement. But this change is not counted in the index.
It doesn’t tell the full story
The wage price index doesn’t give us the full story on labour costs either.
The Reserve Bank is tasked with setting interest rates to keep annual consumer inflation in a target range of 2–3%, as measured by the consumer price index.
Labour costs aren’t directly included in the consumer price index. But the Reserve Bank still keeps a close eye on wage growth, because higher wages can lead to higher costs for employers and create inflation.
But productivity growth – the continual improvement in our ability to produce more output from the same inputs – reduces labour costs relative to the amount of income a business can generate.
The chart below shows over most of the past three decades, labour costs have fallen, because productivity growth has been stronger than wage growth. The uptick in labour costs since 2023 shows wage growth has been stronger than productivity growth for the past two years.
Have we really had a pay rise?
It feels good to get a pay rise, and governments and employers enjoy the optics.
A joint statement from Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth noted annual real wages have now grown for eight quarters in a row:
the longest period of consecutive annual real wage growth in almost a decade.
But how healthy are Australians’ earnings really?
When wages grow faster than consumer prices, wage earners are able to get more bang for their buck. Until June 2020, this was the case over most of the past few decades.
But when consumer prices grow faster than wages, even if wages are rising, consumer purchasing power goes backwards. This has been the case from mid-2020 until very recently.
As the above chart shows, after accounting for inflation, Australians’ wages have roughly the same purchasing power now as they did back in 2011 – when the iPhone 4 was state-of-the-art and a Donald Trump presidency was a mere thought bubble.
The post-COVID decline in real wages is by far the largest in recent history, but it’s not the only one. In 2000, when the goods and services tax (GST) was introduced in Australia, a jump of almost 4% in the CPI led to a steep dip in real wages, which took about four years to unwind.
A lost decade
A horror stretch starting in 2020 saw an entire decade of real wage growth reversed in just three years. Today’s result consolidates a cautious return to real wages growth.
We will need to wait until the gross domestic product (GDP) figures come out next month to see whether the growth is supported by productivity gains.
While workers will welcome growth in real wages, we must be careful about what we wish for. When wage growth is not supported by productivity growth, employers will often reduce costs by laying off workers.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is currently 4.3%, a low level historically, but it is trending upwards. Ongoing modest wage growth and low unemployment will help workers win back the lost decade.
Janine Dixon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
A Queenstown high school volleyball team is recovering from a crash last night that left a dozen people injured in Invercargill.
All 12 patients were taken to Southland Hospital as a result of the three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Yarrow and Isabella Streets just after 8pm on Tuesday night.
One person was seriously hurt, one person suffered moderate injuries and 10 others were treated for minor injuries.
Wakatipu High School confirmed that 10 players in one of its boy’s volleyball teams and a coach were in a van involved in the crash, as part of their trip to Volleyball New Zealand’s South Island junior championships.
Principal Oded Nathan said the crash happened near Stadium Southland, where the boys had just finished their games for the evening.
“They’re broadly well, obviously a bit shaken and so we’ve been working with students and families, and students have returned back to Queenstown,” he said.
“Whilst all 11 went to hospital that was primarily for precautionary reasons. Nine of them were released very quickly, one had I believe a broken thumb and the other one had some glass that needed to be removed so those two stayed in hospital for a little bit longer.”
On the Spot Yarrow Street owner Visha Patel said he was working in the shop when the crash happened at the intersection outside.
“I heard a big noise. The van flipped over to another car and there were around 10 kids inside,” he said.
“They were like screaming because the whole van flipped over and they were inside.”
The children, who he estimated to be aged about 12 to 13 years-old, were trapped, he said.
“We tried to get them out. I just ran from my shop and tried to open the door. The customers, they came and tried to help me out to pull the van up but we weren’t able to because there were many kids inside and all the doors were locked and everything,” he said.
Patel said emergency services helped the shaken children out of the van.
“They were very quick over here, that’s a good thing. The police were here to clear up everything last night because they were investigating, taking photographs of the scene.”
Patel said the children stayed at his store to keep warm before an ambulance took them to hospital.
Fire and Emergency said three crews were sent to the scene and helped everyone out of the vehicles.
Police said officers were continuing to investigate the crash on Wednesday.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The government is halting new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria, saying “a precautionary approach” is needed while evidence remains uncertain.
In a statement published on Wednesday afternoon, Health Minister Simeon Brown said Cabinet had agreed to the new settings until the outcome of a major clinical trial in the United Kingdom, expected in 2031.
The drugs – known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues – would remain available for people already using them for gender dysphoria, as well as for medical conditions such as early-onset puberty, endometriosis, and prostate cancer.
Brown said the new rules – taking effect on 19 December – would give families confidence that any treatment was “clinically sound and in the best interests of the young person”.
“These changes are about ensuring treatments are safe and carefully managed, while maintaining access to care for those who need it.”
Existing youth gender services would stay in place, with information brought together into one national online hub, Brown said.
In a post on social media website X, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said his party was the only one to campaign on stopping the use of puberty blockers in children.
“It is commonsense to put a pause on these unproven and potentially damaging drugs for children until we assess the results of the clinical trials in the UK once it’s completed.”
The ACT party’s children’s spokesperson Karen Chhour also issued a statement, declaring a victory for science, evidence, and the safety of children.
“I believe young people should be supported to love themselves, not change themselves with experimental medication.”
Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March told RNZ the government was “buying into imported culture wars” and targeting trans people on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance.
“We know from queer people that gender affirming healthcare can be life-saving,” he said. “The government should focus on addressing the core issues that our health system faces… rather than waging culture wars on trans people.”
The coalition’s move mirrors a major shift in the UK following the Cass Review – a four-year investigation commissioned by the National Health Service (NHS).
That review, spearheaded by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass, concluded that the evidence base for gender-affirming medicine was “remarkably weak”, with study results misrepresented by people on all sides of the debate.
Cass also recommended a formal clinical trial to properly test whether puberty blockers, which delay the onset of puberty by suppressing oestrogen and testosterone, were safe and effective for young people. That trial was due to run until 2031.
In response, the NHS stopped routine access to puberty blockers for new patients. Other countries, including Sweden, Finland and Norway, had already tightened access and guidelines.
The Cass Review split opinion among clinicians and academics worldwide. While some endorsed the call of higher evidence standards, others criticised the report’s methodology and warned it downplayed the risk of denying treatment to young people.
At the time, the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa (PATHA) criticised the review as irrelevant to New Zealand and said it ignored the global medical consensus.
“The final Cass Review did not include trans or non-binary experts or clinicians experienced in providing gender affirming care in its decision-making, conclusions, or findings,” PATHA president Jennifer Shields said.
“Instead, a number of people involved in the review and the advisory group previously advocated for bans on gender affirming care in the United States, and have promoted non-affirming ‘gender exploratory therapy’, which is considered a conversion practice.”
Youth health specialist Dame Sue Bagshaw also said she believed puberty blockers were safe and reversible and warned against any “moral panic”.
However, public health expert and Otago University emeritus professor Charlotte Paul said the British approach should give New Zealand clinicians “pause for thought”, saying some had abandoned “normal standards of informed consent for children”.
New Zealand’s Health Ministry last year also released a report finding “a lack of high-quality evidence” on the benefits or risks of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria.
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The prevalence for daily smoking had dropped just a fraction from 6.9 to 6.8 percent.
Daily smoking numbers have plateaued at 6.8 percent as the country looks down the barrel of its Smokefree 2025 goal.
In the year to July 2025, the latest New Zealand Health Survey showed the prevalence for daily smoking had dropped just a fraction from 6.9 to 6.8 percent, while the prevalence of daily vaping had increased slightly from 11.1 percent last year to 11.7 percent this year.
The estimated number of daily vapers this year was 509,000 in 2024/25, up from 33,000 in 2015/16.
Vaping was highest in the 18 to 24 age-group, with more than one in four vaping every day.
Meanwhile, the estimated number of daily smokers has nearly halved since 2011/12, decreasing from 572,000 to 294,000.
Prevalence of daily smoking and daily vaping, total population aged 15 years and over, 2011/12 to 2024/25. Shaded area indicates 95 percent confidence interval.Health NZ
Has Smokefree 2025 gone up in smoke?
Vape Free Kids said the data shows New Zealand has failed to achieve the Smokefree 2025 goal, falling far short of the estimated 82,000 people needed to quit smoking in the last year to achieve the goal.
But Associate Health Minister Casey Costello and Action on Smoking and Health group (ASH) say that’s not the case.
Costello said the data is only to the end of June 2025, so the entirety of the year’s data won’t be known until the next survey.
Ruth Bonita, an Emeritus Professor of Public Health and ASH spokesperson, said she believes it is possible New Zealand could reach the under 5 percent goal of Smokefree 2025 by next year.
Costello and Bonita also both noted that under 25s were already a “smoke-free generation” with smoking rates of around 3 percent.
“This is a real success story,” Bonita said.
Small decrease a ‘predictable pattern’, focus on getting older long term smokers to quit
Bonita said the data shows the country is on the right track, and it’s to be expected that smoking rates are no longer declining rapidly.
“As prevalence gets lower and lower [it’s] harder to make a bigger impact on it.”
Costello said the data very clearly shows the 45 to 64 age group is the demographic of long term addicted smokers that more still needs to be done to reach.
“The progress New Zealand has made means that those who currently smoke cigarettes are mostly older, long-term smokers and since the start of the Smokefree work, they have been the most difficult group to get to quit,” she said.
“All of the tools, supports and approaches that have worked so well over the last few years are still in place. We need to build on these and target the key populations – older smokers and especially Māori and Pacific peoples. Māori and Pacifica smoking rates have fallen significantly over the last five years, but this trend has to continue.”
She said the Government’s approach was to take practical steps to provide smokers the tools to quit and stay quit.
“I want to ensure we are making the best use of the resources in this area, including getting people to engage with quit smoking providers and I’m looking at further regulatory change to ensure we have a regime that reflects the harm of products and has appropriate controls on the market.”
Concern about young people vaping
Vape Free Kids are concerned about youth vaping rates.
The group said the youth vaping rate has increased for 15 to 17 year olds from 10.3 percent to 13.6 percent.
They said this means an additional 4000 young people are living with a daily vaping addiction.
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Moeaia Tuai is on trial accused of controlling two young people, keeping their passports and pay, sexual violation and assault.RNZ / Gill Bonnett
The jury in an Auckland slavery trial has been told they have to decide whether a man treated two young people as if they were his property.
Moeaia Tuai, 63, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of dealing in slaves, two rapes and assaults, and other sexual offences.
Justice Wilkinson-Smith, summing up the case, said the prosecution say Mr Tuai’s actions were the ‘very definition of slavery’, in exercising rights of ownership over the complainants.
“It can include conduct such as restricting freedom of movement – where a person can go, restricting freedom of association – who they can spend time with, restricting freedom of communication – who they can contact and talk to, using actual or threatened violence for breach of rules, retaining income and denying access to money, threatening consequences such as deportation to ensure compliance, restricting access to education to maintain control.
“All of these things can be used to control a person in a way that is tantamount to possession.”
The jury had to decide whether that happened, she said.
She said most prosecutions in New Zealand courts could only be for offending which happened here.
“Slavery is different. It captures alleged offending both in and out of New Zealand. So, the charge of slavery relating to both [complainants] covers the time period and the events that are alleged to have occurred in Australia as well as in New Zealand.”
The Crown alleges Tuai kept their passports, bank cards and wages, forcing one to take out a loan, and threatening both with deportation if they spoke out.
Tuai’s lawyer Tua Saseve told the jury at the High Court at Auckland that the defendant did not take unreasonable or excessive expenses from the young people’s wages, and safeguarded their bank cards and passports.
He was also not a ‘puppetmaster’ who forced the female complainant to make a previous, false allegation of rape against another man.
The jury is now considering its verdicts.
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A wandering dog in Moerewa in the Far North.RNZ / Peter de Graaf
Northland’s roaming dog epidemic has turned a Whangārei grandmother into a prisoner in her own home.
Tracy Clarke says she loves walking, but has not ventured even to the corner of her street in three years, after a series of close calls with rushing dogs.
If it was not for a courier driver who saved her during one particularly frightening incident, she was convinced she would not be alive today.
“I just walked around the corner of the street. I really had nowhere to go. This dog just came flying out a couple of metres in front of me, it was heading straight for me, and I just froze,” she said.
“Then I heard a lady scream at me, and I literally dived into her van, slammed the door shut, and this dog’s mouth was up at the window.”
Clarke’s walking days ended there and then.
Dogs were constantly roaming her neighbourhood, she said.
She praised the efforts of the council’s animal control officers, but said they were hamstrung by ineffective and outdated laws.
She knew of one especially aggressive dog that had been wandering her street for more than three years – but every time it was picked up, the council was required to give it back.
Clarke has now organised a petition, calling on Parliament to tackle the crisis.
“People have had enough of the situation. They want to see the government step up and rectify it, sort it out, and rewrite laws that were actually written way back in the 1980s.”
A pack of roaming sharpei-cross dogs in bush near Paihia in the Bay of Islands.RNZ / Peter de Graaf
New measures could include mandatory desexing, a three-strike rule for owners of roaming dogs, fence height requirements and steeper fines for irresponsible owners.
Her petition did not target responsible owners – she said it could actually benefit them.
Responsible dog owners currently carried much of the cost – collected through registration fees – of fixing the problems created by bad owners.
Clarke said she had received high-powered backing in recent days with the SPCA urging its supporters to sign the petition.
The SPCA said roaming dogs were a serious risk to animal welfare and public safety.
“Dogs that roam are at risk of being injured or killed in traffic, becoming involved in dog attacks, transmitting disease, wildlife predation, fouling and becoming a community nuisance. Many dogs that roam are often not desexed, contributing to unwanted litters.”
Fixing those problems required a combination of education, enforcement and legislative reform, the SPCA said.
Further north, Bay of Islands dog advocate Leonie Exel agreed the situation was “out of hand”.
“As the economy worsens and people get poorer, it’s getting worse because people don’t have the money to fence, they don’t have the money to feed their dogs properly. People are exhausted so they let their dogs wander. All these factors come into play, it’s a very complicated issue,” she said.
A dog roams the streets in Kaikohe.RNZ / Peter de Graaf
Exel said the current law did not serve communities well, and led to inconsistencies in the ways councils around the country approached the roaming dog problem.
She said mandatory desexing – except for dogs belonging to registered breeders – would help, but the “absolute key” to changing owners’ behaviour was community education about how to care for dogs and be safe around them.
“A happy dog is not often a dangerous dog … We need to have lots of loved dogs, not wandering on the streets killing cats or getting into people’s rubbish and driving them mad, or biting people, or making people afraid to walk their own dog. Until we do community education, de-sexing, and have really effective animal control, we’ll keep having the same problem.”
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said his council would explore its options when the dog control bylaw came up for renewal next year.
The problem was huge, he said.
“In the Far North, we have around 8000 dogs registered annually and 12,000 dogs on record. But the probable reality is that we’ve got more than 20,000 to 30,000 dogs across the district,” he said.
Tepania agreed the current law needed to change.
He supported a push by Auckland Council for greater powers to de-sex roaming dogs when they were picked up, so they did not carry on breeding once they were returned to their owners.
New figures from ACC showed the dog problem was also hitting New Zealanders in the back pocket.
In the year to the end of October, dog-related ACC claims totalled more than $15.6 million, on track to break 2024’s record of $18.5m for the full year.
That was a roughly 80 percent increase from the total of $10.6m five years ago.
In Northland alone the cost was $1.1m for the year to the end of October, more than double the 2020 figure of $509,000.
The number of dog-related injury claims to the end of October was just under 12,000, with 750 of those in Northland.
A pack of roaming sharpei-cross dogs in bush near Paihia in the Bay of Islands.RNZ / Peter de Graaf
Tracy Clarke said politicians had allowed the problem to escalate for too long.
“All I want is to be able to walk down to the dairy to get my milk, or walk up the road to wait for the bus. In three years I haven’t walked to the corner, which is probably about 100 footsteps away.”
However, Clarke said the petition was not just for herself.
It was for everyone who had been affected by poorly cared-for dogs, or those who had lost their lives, such as Elizabeth “Effie” Whittaker in Moerewa in 2023 and Neville Thompson in Panguru in 2022.
“This is about the Nevilles from Panguru. It’s about the people whose animals have been killed, it’s about the kid down at the park you see on the news who’s just suffered a dog bite. It’s about the old lady who’s too scared to take her little chihuahua for a walk. All those scenarios we’re just seeing way too many of,” she said.
Local Government Minister Simon Watts said he understood and shared community concerns about roaming dogs.
Watts said he and Andrew Hoggard, the minister responsible for animal welfare, had asked the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to “explore non-regulatory approaches to support better dog control”.
That included improving the quality and consistency of dog-related data, he said.
The DIA told a Parliamentary Select Committee last month that the Dog Control Act was “increasingly not fit-for-purpose” but the government had no plans to amend it at this time.
Farmers chasing the high dairy prices seen last season are partly behind the current oversupply now putting them under pressure, according to an economist.
The average price fell three percent to US$3678 a tonne at last night’s global dairy trade auction – the 7th consecutive drop and a new 15-month low.
However, ASB senior economist Chris Tennent-Brown said the price fall was not unexpected.
He said there were early signals that milk production would be very strong this season.
“That price weakness has been something we’ve had in our forecasts since May, when we started making predictions for the season ahead,” he said.
“We came in with what seemed like a conservative forecast there of 9.75 when Fonterra had a starting forecast of $10 but with a really wide range.
“Let’s face it, even if it was 9.50, if it wasn’t for the fact that we’d just had a milk price north of $10, we’d be thinking this is fantastic news.”
Tennent-Brown said they’d stick with their forecast price for now, though the weather might impact supply.
He said this was the case when last year’s summer drought saw production taper off over the final months of the season, helping farmers get to a record 10-dollar-per kilo of milk solids payout.
“It’s a classic response that prices are going to be good. You’re going to be motivated to do what it takes to keep production high as an individual farmer but that adds up to the sort of production growth we’ve seen.
“From a farmer’s perspective, you want to make as much milk as you can and capture the good prices so it’s not like anyone will be praying for a drought so prices can pick up.
“But if conditions remain favourable, I think we’ll see good production numbers and in turn, it’s hard to see prices really turning around and heading north.”
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A collective of indigenous chefs are using WIPCE as a springboard for cultural connection through kai.
The group includes Māori chefs Kārena and Kasey Bird, Joe McLeod and Kia Kanuta, as well as Hawaiian Kealoha Domingo, Native American Crystal Wahpepah and Samoan Henry Onesemo.
Nearly 4000 delegates from indigenous nations around the world have descended on Auckland for the education conference held once every three years.
Chef Joe McLeod told RNZ the idea to collaborate was born at a food festival in Hawai’i where the Hawaiian chefs suggested showcasing their kai together at WIPCE.
“So, it’s a partnership between New Zealand, Hawai’i, Canada, Australia, Samoa, Tonga… There’s only a handful of us for now, so we’re kick-starting this group to hopefully expand it out over time as we progress moving forward. But the whole purpose of the kaupapa is to show off the best of our cultural food. Our culinary cultural identity.”
The events the collective is running at WIPCE include an exclusive dinner where international chefs were paired with Māori chefs to create dishes like Kangaroo Laab, roasted turkey and Hapuka Hinu-kōhue.
The dinner was sold out but McLeod said in “typical Māori” fashion he added an extra four seats for his whānau.
It hasn’t all gone to plan as well with some of the suitcases not making it on to the plane, he said.
“So, it’s been a real dog’s breakfast of a nightmare trying to sort it out. So, I don’t think we’re going to get the food that’s part of their luggage that was supposed to come over yesterday with our guests coming over from Hawaii.”
McLeod said meeting for WIPCE was the first time the collective had all met each other, so he thanked the conference for kick starting the journey.
It’s just the start of the initiative and he is hopeful it will continue to grow.
“I’ve been in the industry almost 56 years, so this is not new to me, but to our young ones coming through, oh mate, it’s stunning to watch them get all excited like how I used to 50 years ago. But my role now is mainly kaumātua rangatira, leader, and someone who can open a lot of doors for the next generation.”
McLeod said that is his gift to the next generation of Māori chefs, to open doors for them once they decide where their vision lies.
Members of the Indigenous Chef’s Collective foraging for kai Māori at Velskov native forest farm.RNZ/Nick Monro
Hawaiian Chef Kealoha Domingo told RNZ it’s “been nothing short of amazing” to connect with the other chefs.
Domingo said he is fortunate to have fallen into the role of reconnecting indigenous people in Hawai’i with their traditional foods.
“It’s motivating me to continue the work and to connect with other people who are doing the same, to just build the bonds and build the strength and, you know, increase everything exponentially as the network grows.”
The Chefs also had the chance to visit Velskov native forest farm in the Waitākere Ranges, ostensibly to relax amongst the hustle of WIPCE but also a chance for the international chefs to forage for native plants.
Members of the Indigenous Chef’s Collective foraging for kai Māori at Velskov native forest farm.RNZ/Nick Monro
Head of Tourism at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Karen Thompson-Smith said Velskov is a fantastic new venture that allows tourists to learn a little bit more about kai Māori.
It’s fantastic to see indigenous chefs from around the world visit Auckland and be able to utilise local produce, she said.
“Auckland is a melting pot. We have so many different cultures that make up Auckland. So we’ve got this incredible, different cuisine that’s been built on the back of our indigenous people being the Māori people and how they prepare their food.
“There’s this real cross-pollination coming through. And what we’re seeing in our food scene here in Auckland is just this development of different food offerings.”
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Francis DeVries (21) of New Zealand fights for control against Leonardo Campana (16) of Ecuador in the first half of the International Friendly at Sports Illustrated Stadium.Ira L Black
The All Whites have ended the year with a 2-0 loss against Ecuador in New Jersey.
In the first ever game between these two sides the world no.23 South Americans scored a rare goal four minutes into the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Nilson Angulo was credited with the opening goal that snuck in past goalkeeper Max Crocombe’s post off an assist from Gonzalo Plata. It was Angulo’s first goal for his country.
Leonardo Campana scored the second seven minutes before full-time, also his first for Ecuador.
Ecuador have now only scored five goals in their last 15 games will also keeping yet another clean sheet. This victory stretched Ecuador’s unbeaten run to 15 games.
Crocombe’s efforts between the posts stopped Ecuador from capitalising on even more of their chances.
Meanwhile, the New Zealanders were unable to truly test the opposition keeper.
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley made changes to the starting side for the second game of the international window with Tyler Bindon replacing Michael Boxall in defence, Alex Rufer and Ben Old started in the midfield for Joe Bell and Matthew Garbett with Ben Waine also getting his chance up front.
Marko Stamenic skippered the side with Boxall on the bench and regular captain Chris Wood missing the All Whites’ games this month.
New Zealand defender Bill Tuiloma was forced from the field with a leg injury just before half-time with Storm Roux called on as the early replacement.
The All Whites end the calendar year with three wins, six losses and a draw.
On 6 December the Football World Cup draw will be held in Washington DC and the All Whites will find out who they will play, and where, at next year’s tournament co-hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico.
The All Whites have two more international windows that they could play in next year, in March and early June, before the world cup kicks off on 11 June.
Read how the game unfolded here
All Whites: Max Crocombe, Kees Sims, Nik Tzanev, Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Francis de Vries, James McGarry, Storm Roux, Tommy Smith, George Stanger, Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma, Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Ben Old, Owen Parker-Price, Alex Rufer, Sarpreet Singh, Marko Stamenić, Kosta Barbarouses, Andre de Jong, Eli Just, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine.
Ecuador: Hernan Galindez, Moises Ramirez, Cristhian Loor, Angelo Preciado, Piero Hincapie, Felix Torres, Willian Pacho, Cristian Ramirez, Joel Ordonez, Jhoanner Chavez, Leonardo Realpe, Moises Caicedo, Alan Franco, Gonzalo Plata, Kendry Paez, Alan Minda, John Yeboah, Pedro Vite, Jordy Alcivar, Yaimar Medina, Denil Castillo, Patrik Mercado, Enner Valencia, Kevin Rodriguez, Leonardo Campana, Nilson Angulo, John Mercado, Jeremy Arevalo.
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A West Auckland School has confirmed a small number of coloured sand samples tested for asbestos have come back positive.
Several coloured play sand products have been recalled after tests found a naturally occurring asbestos.
About 40 schools and early childcare centres have closed, or planned to, because of the contamination fears.
The product has been sold in both New Zealand and Australia and is subject to multiple safety recalls.
Matipo School in Te Atatu Peninsula originally told parents they did not have any of the recalled sand products, but was testing other types of sand used for art activities as a precaution.
The school set out steps including independent testing, isolating and temporarily closing affected class rooms, and ensuring there was no access to the sand until it was confirmed safe.
However, Principal Jonnie Black wrote to members of the school community to say a small number of samples tested had returned positive results.
“I want to reassure our community that there is no immediate risk, and we are following all recommended Ministry of Education and health and safety procedures,” he said.
“Affected classrooms have been temporarily relocated while we complete air-quality testing and arrange professional decontamination of those spaces.”
Students were safe, well supervised and settled in alternative learning areas, he said.
Black said they had asked the families of specific classes to seal and return any sand-based artwork, so it could be disposed of safely and appropriately.
“This step is part of the national precautionary process to ensure full compliance with safety guidelines.”
The school understood how unsettling the situation was, Black said.
“Please be assured that the safety and wellbeing of our tamariki and staff remains our highest priority.”
Meanwhile, in Nelson, Enner Glynn School principal John O’Regan told Checkpoint they had to close four classrooms due to the potentially contaminated sand. The children have been sharing classrooms or moved to another space such as the library.
“It’s certainly been disruptive,” O’Regan said.
He said the tests for three of the classrooms have come back negative, while they are still awaiting the results of the fourth classroom.
However, O’Regan said despite having negative results back, they are advised not to send children back into those spaces.
“We are still waiting to have the all clear to open those classes.”
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Awni Etaywe, Lecturer in Linguistics | Forensic Linguist Analysing Cyber Terrorism, Threatening Communications and Incitement | Media Researcher Investigating How Language Shapes Peace, Compassion and Empathy, Charles Darwin University
Words are powerful tools. Violent extremists know this well, often choosing their phrasing extremely carefully to build loyalty among their followers. When wielded just so, they can do enormous harm.
Because their words are chosen so deliberately, researchers can look for patterns, trends and red flags. What exactly do extremists say that builds followings, incites hatred and violence, and can ultimately lead to deadly attacks?
Our research looking at the rhetoric of the extremists behind some of recent history’s worst terror attacks sheds light on this question. We’ve identified six key tactics terrorists use to mobilise people behind their cause.
By being able to spot the tactics, we can dismantle the language and protect people and communities from radicalisation.
Divide and conquer
In previous work, we examined the language of far-right incitement in the Christchurch shooter’s 87-page manifesto.
Our latest work analysed jihadist texts. These included al-Qaeda’s former leader Osama bin Laden’s speeches after September 11, and Islamic State’s former leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s statements in the organisation’s magazine.
We used linguistic analysis to focus on how language was used strategically to both reduce and accentuate cultural differences. We examined how inciters use words to create bonds and obligations to mobilise violence.
We found two main types of incitement messages: those that strengthen connections in the group to build a shared purpose, and those that separate the group from outsiders and paint others as enemies.
This kind of messaging can divide society and make people strongly identify with the group. As a result, following the group’s rules – even extreme actions – can feel like proof someone truly belongs and is loyal.
But in violent extremism, commands alone are often insufficient to inspire violence or mobilise support. So how do extremists use these underlying strategies to get people to act?
6 rhetorical tactics
Once violence has been established as a moral duty by isolating the group, there are six key techniques extremists deploy.
1. Weaponise difference
Extremists don’t just label outsiders as different. They frame them as immoral and dangerous. “Us” versus “them” becomes the backdrop for later calls to action.
Inciters link loyalty and honour to threats from outsiders. Osama bin Laden urged violence against pro-US Arab governments, calling them “traitor and collaborator governments […] created to annihilate Jihad”.
The Christchurch shooter, Brenton Tarrant, attacked nongovernmental organisations supporting immigrants, calling them “traitors”. He called immigrants “anti-white scum” and compared them to a “nest of vipers” that must be destroyed.
Dehumanising outsiders strengthens group bonds and can have deadly consequences.
2. Evoking heroes and icons
Extremists use famous people, places or events to make their audience feel part of a bigger story. Names like “Saladin” or places like “Hagia Sophia” and “Londinium” link followers to icons or past struggles, making them feel like defenders or avengers.
Tarrant said:
this Pakistani Muslim invader now sits as representative for the people of London. Londinium, the very heart of the British Isles. What better sign of the white rebirth than the removal of this invader?
3. Repurposing religious texts
Extremists use not religion itself, but twisted and decontextualised versions of religious texts to justify violence.
Quoting God or religious figures makes the message seem legitimate and frames violence as a moral or spiritual duty. This strengthens followers’ loyalty and belief that violent acts serve “our” shared values.
Tarrant quoted Pope Urban II of the first Crusade, while Al-Baghdadi misquoted Allah.
4. Tailored grievances and inflammatory language
Inciters tailor grievances before audiences voice them. Words like “humiliation”, “injustice” or “cultural loss” help bind followers to a common cause.
Osama bin Laden spoke of Muslims living in “oppression” and “contempt”. While the Christchurch shooter warned of “paedophile politicians” and that immigration would “destroy our communities”.
Naming and labelling unites followers and divides outsiders.
5. Metaphors and messages of kinship
Osama bin Laden hailed his audience through metaphor as “soldiers of Allah”, while describing enemies “under the banner of the cross”. Such contrasts intensify loyalty and hostility at once.
On the other hand, kinship terms pull people in. Words like “brothers”, “sisters”, “we” and “our” make strangers feel like family. Calling followers “our Muslim brothers” turns political duty into a personal, moral duty — like protecting family.
Osama bin Laden used familial terms to build loyalty among followers. Maher Attar/Getty
Tarrant did this too. His line “why should you have peace when your other brothers in Europe face certain war?” links violence to family safety and future generations.
By contrast, “they” and “them” mark outsiders as non-kin. That sharp us versus them grammar strips empathy and makes exclusion or harm easier to justify.
6. Coercion into violent actions
In addition to commands, recommendations, or warnings that explicitly instruct someone to do something, there’s also coercion. It makes violence feel like care for the group.
Extremists do this by framing violence as duty. Phrases like “it is permissible” in jihadist texts shift violence from taboo to obligation, as in “it is permissible to take away their property and spill their blood”.
They also frame the outgroup as an existential threat. This justifies preemptive violence as self-defence or necessity, as in Tarrant’s “mass immigration will disenfranchise us, subvert our nations, destroy our communities, destroy our ethnic binds […]”.
What can be done with this research?
Extremist rhetoric does not just exist online. It echoes in protests, forums and political debates.
Countering extremism means understanding its tactics. Policymakers, educators and community leaders can help by identifying and deconstructing these tactics if they encounter them.
Teaching critical literacy is also key so communities can spot and resist coercion.
We can also create counter-messages that affirm belonging without fuelling polarisation.
Extremist language hijacks shared values, turning them into obligations to hate and harm. Stopping violence before it starts means dismantling this language through education, transparency and proactive communication.
Awni Etaywe is affiliated with Charles Darwin University, Australia – a Lecturer in Linguistics and a researcher specialising in forensic linguistics, focusing on countering violent extremism, threatening communication, and incitement to hatred and violence.
