Country Life: Growing demand for on-farm fun from international tourists

January 31, 2026

Marijke Dunselman, founder and CE of Agritourism NZ © David Oakley

Don’t hide your light under a bushel, open the gate and share New Zealand farming with the world, New Zealand’s agritourism body says.

Agritourism NZ’s founder and chief executive Marijke Dunselman said there was growing global demand for farm experiences, and substantial extra income to be made by welcoming international tourists onto the farm.

“New Zealand is really seen as one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

“All our farms are, you know, in the most spectacular areas, no matter where they are. I think something that farmers underestimate a bit is what they actually have […] the space that we have and the diversity of our scenery is something that people really love.”

Even simple every day experiences on farm are special, she said.

“I’ve worked, for example, with farms that generate their own energy through hydro […] with a big waterfall coming down, for example.

“How they work the sheep and the food that they grow themselves and they drink rain water, you know, all those little things that people take for granted are actually really interesting for visitors.”

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The multi-billion dollar global agritourism market is projected to at least double in the next five years according to various research, although both global and domestic data on the trend is sparse.

Dunselman points to an increase in the international visitor spend in New Zealand generally though – from $3.8 billion the year ending November 2024 to $4.1b a year later.

If farmers want to benefit from the growth, they need to learn how international tourism works, she said.

This is only the second season Te Aratipi Station near Waimārama has been open to walkers. Meredith Lord Photography / Supplied

“What do people want? How do you price your product? What’s involved with the health and safety, the customer experience, and most of all, the marketing as well.

“You need to really diversify that distribution, tapping into all these different distribution channels and then developing, perhaps different types of experiences for the different markets.”

She said international tourists were prepared to pay extra for a guided on-farm walk and added luxury in a simple setting.

“Really comfortable beds, amazing food, an outside bath. You know, little things that suddenly make a rustic hut, a luxury hut.”

Tim talks to a boat load of people on the Hurunui River Supplied

The extra income for farmers could be substantial, paying for their children’s education and offsetting other farm costs, she said. Other benefits include allowing families to remain on the farm, with the next generation taking on the running of a lodge or guided walks.

Profit-share arrangements with other operators were also possible, she said.

On-farm retreats for visitors to learn and practice skills like food growing and photography also have growing appeal.

“You work in with other people that come in to provide services in that retreat, whether it’s a yoga teacher or whether it’s someone who knows a lot about nutrition or photography.”

Agritourism NZ launched its first regional network for agritourism operators in Otago-Southland at the end of last year and plans to launch in more regions, offering agritourism operators support and shared experiences, Dunselman said.

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

Defence Force flies out 140 staff to weather-affected East Coast

By Evening Report -

January 31, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft has deployed to the Gisborne region to help recovery efforts following last week’s severe weather. Supplied

Close to 140 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel, including some who whakapapa to Tai Rāwhiti, are being mobilised to support communities on the East Coast affected by last week’s severe weather.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) NH90 helicopter is helping provide access to isolated communities in the Gisborne and wider East Coast region. On Wednesday, it delivered supplies to Hick’s Bay and Te Araroa.

On Thursday, a C-130J Hercules aircraft transported a local emergency response group of 25 New Zealand Army soldiers along with essential stores and equipment.

The personnel are under the guidance of Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collier, who said the first priority is to get on the ground and see where they can best support the region.

The task unit includes specialist military experts in environmental health, engineering capabilities and civil defence coordination.

“The first step for us will be enhancing our situational awareness to have the right people in the right places,” Collier said.

“We are New Zealand’s Defence Force and we pride ourselves on being available and ready to support national requirements. The majority of individuals join the military to serve our country, so any opportunity we get to support our nation is one we will take. Our soldiers, sailors and seamen take great pride in responding where needed.”

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft has deployed to the Gisborne region to help recovery efforts following last week’s severe weather. Supplied

He said it was “awesome” to be in Tairāwhiti and supporting what has already been a massive effort by the region and communities, and building on that.

Over the past 24 hours, more soldiers were deployed in support of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), including an Engineer Task Unit of 30 personnel with diggers and dump trucks, a Combat Services Support Element of 40 personnel including caterers and maintenance support, an environment health team to support water testing and environmental assessments, and Liaison Officers who will provide situational awareness in affected areas.

A transport platoon will use Medium and Heavy Operational Vehicles (MHOV) to move personnel, equipment and stores.

The NZDF initially deployed personnel in Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, integrating into regional response efforts, including liaison officers and drivers along with 10 military vehicles.

Personnel assisted with the evacuation of civilians in the Bay of Plenty, and worked with Police and Hato Hone St John in Northland on evacuation tasks. RNZAF NH90 helicopters have supported search and rescue tasks as well as surveillance flights over affected areas.

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Major General Rob Krushka said the NZDF was always ready to support civil defence and emergency response efforts.

“NEMA has requested support from the NZDF to help communities recovering from the impact of the recent weather events, and we have mobilised personnel, vehicles and aircraft to support local authorities on the East Coast.”

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

Convicted double-murderer Scott Watson declined parole for a fifth time

By Evening Report -

January 31, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Convicted double-murderer Scott Watson has been denied parole for a fifth time. File picture. Pool / John Kirk-Anderson

Convicted double-murderer Scott Watson has been declined parole for a fifth time, with the parole board suggesting he address a number of their concerns ahead of his next appearance later this year.

After a two-hour hearing, it was suggested Watson undertake further treatment to address his attitudes to violence and women, have an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment and work on his safety plan before he reappeared before the board in November.

The 54-year-old has been in prison for the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope since June 1999.

The Blenheim friends, aged 21 and 17, were last seen stepping off a water taxi onto a stranger’s yacht in the early hours of 1 January 1998 after a New Year’s Eve party at Furneaux Lodge. Their bodies have never been found.

Watson has denied murdering the pair. He first became eligible for parole in June 2015 and it was said at his parole hearings in 2021 and 2020, his refusal to admit to the crimes prevented him from undergoing the psychological treatment he needed, leaving him at an undue risk to the community.

Dressed in a standard-issue prison uniform grey tracksuit, Watson sat alongside his lawyer Kerry Cook at the hearing on Friday. He answered a number of questions put to him by board members about his behaviour, recent incidents that had occurred while in prison and his hopes around his potential release.

Watson said he had enjoyed working with a psychologist and he had developed friendships with people in prison but he also wanted to spend more time with his family. He did not want Corrections to give up on him and he hoped he would be given a chance to follow the psychological service recommendations.

Ben Smart and Olivia Hope were last seen stepping off a water taxi onto a stranger’s yacht in the early hours of 1 January 1998 after a New Year’s Eve party. NZ Police

Concerns about attitudes, use of violence and alcohol and drugs

Board member Dr Jeremy Skipworth said parole hearings proceeded on the basis of a proper conviction and given Watson had not been forthcoming about what happened at Furneaux Lodge that night, the board relied on a general agreement about the most likely scenario.

“When the two victims indicated that they needed a place to sleep, you may have offered them a berth with a genuine intention of hospitality. It’s known that you were intoxicated that night and likely both victims. Once on board a confrontation may have arisen through a social misunderstanding or some form of inappropriate behaviour from you. As you had learnt to rely on violence, including reaching for weapons during confrontations, with three individuals eventually trapped with potentially limited ability to de-escalate the situation, an unintended tragedy may have taken place, leading to the first victim’s death,” he said.

“You have a distinct pattern of not taking responsibility for your actions and shifting blame and distress alongside an overconfidence in your ability to cover up or get away with things therefore it could be considered that your natural tendency would be to cover up such an event to avoid responsibility.”

Watson admitted to being intoxicated at Furneaux Lodge on New Year’s Eve in 1998 and Dr Skipworth questioned his safety plan did not include intoxication with alcohol and drugs as a high risk situation, given it was associated with future escalation into violence.

Watson said it had been included in his previous safety plan but he had removed it as it was in his release plan and a requirement of the conditions for parole, so he thought it was sufficiently covered and he had no plans to consume alcohol or drugs if he did not adhere to those conditions.

“I’ve got a lot to lose if I don’t.

“If I disregarded my safety plan, I think in no time I would just fall over, flat on my face.”

When asked what the ideal first step outside prison would be, Watson said it would be to live with his family, not complete strangers, as he needed the support of those who loved him.

Misconduct at Christchurch Men’s Prison

The board was played footage of a “misconduct event” involving Watson at Christchurch Men’s Prison in 2025.

In the video, a group of men including Watson are sitting around two long tables, with some seen to be playing cards. Watson grabs one of the other inmates, puts him into a headlock, then drags him backwards off the bench he had been sitting on and onto the floor. The inmate then gets to his feet and Watson pushes him back to the ground, before a third inmate steps forward to punch the man in the face.

A psychologist giving evidence at the hearing said it was unpredictable violence that came out of nowhere and did not appear to have a trigger.

Watson had characterised it as a play fight with someone he considered a friend and he had not seen much wrong with it, but he expressed remorse that it had occurred.

He acknowledged that he sometimes said “stupid things” and made jokes that were in poor taste.

“I think there is something in me that self-sabotages.”

A plan for release

Lawyer Kerry Cook said the punishment period of Watson’s imprisonment was over and he was seeking some concrete steps about how to move forward.

“The current unit he is in, it is really treading water unless there is something else happening.”

A Corrections psychologist said she believed Watson could be safely managed in the community, with a release plan, in supported accommodation and with other contingencies.

“Given that Mr Watson has been incarcerated for a significant period of time, 26-odd years, I think that he needs more of a gradual reintegration and reintroduction into a community that is vastly different to the one he left 26 years ago.”

She said there remained concerns about Watson’s attitudes to women, his endorsement of antisocial activities and his friendship with someone who was not pro-social, that needed to be addressed before decisions were made on a rehabilitative pathway.

He had been described as a “nice enough bloke when sober” that had some social and communication difficulties.

She believed a specialist assessment would be beneficial to determine whether some of Watson’s characteristics and traits stemmed from a neurodevelopmental condition, or were the result of long-term incarceration, which would help to better manage his risk in the community.

An independent psychologist said while there remained evidence that Watson believed in condoning the use of violence in specific contexts, she said there was limited evidence of it manifesting in his behaviour and there was nothing to show he harboured hostile attitudes towards women.

She said he displayed concrete views with limited ability for abstract thinking and his personality traits could be a result of his prolonged incarceration, instead of a neurodevelopmental disorder.

“There is a risk Mr Watson has almost given up hope… he doubts he will ever get out.”

Lawyer for Corrections Claire Boshier said Watson still posed an undue risk to society and he was not ready for release.

“Although Mr Watson is assessed at low risk of really serious violence or murder, he is at medium risk of violence short of that and medium risk of general reoffending.”

She said specialised assessment would help to better understand the personality aspects of Watson’s risk, which informed what he was capable of and the approach taken for his release.

While Watson had demonstrated some positive progress, Boshier said it was tempered by several enduring characteristics, including his hostility toward women and his capacity for violence, which was evident in the most recent misconduct event in prison.

“The lack of ability to be able to understand why that unprovoked violence occurred and the lack of insight to reflect on it afterwards… is an indication of why Mr Watson remains an undue risk at this stage.”

Watson is due to reappear before the parole board in November.

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

Review: Carefully observed truths and aural loveliness abound in new Fazed On A Pony album

By Evening Report -

January 31, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

In the 12 years since his first single, the music of Peter McCall has gradually winnowed from ragged indie rock into carefully arranged alt-country. Such is the passage of time and the effect it has on many of us; rough edges sanded away and replaced by smoother surfaces.

Working as Fazed on a Pony, McCall is careful to replace all that youthful bluster with carefully-observed truths. Another metaphor springs to mind: the waves on his second full-length swan may be gentler, but its waters run deep.

The opening lines make this change of perspective clear. “Used to feel like floating far away/ now I stay here”, sings McCall, summing up a type of maturity in just two lines.

He told Under the Radar the track – ‘The Perfect Swan’ – nearly didn’t make the cut, thinking its opening riff sounded like “a slowed-down Blink 182”. I can hear what he means, but it’s a beautiful song, and perfect album-opener, gathering counter-melodies as it goes.

On swan McCall perfects a certain type of amiability that emerged on his previous record it’ll all work out. At times it feels like he’s pulled you aside for a chat, firm but friendly, and always with your best interests at heart.

The triple-hit of ‘Flashes’, ‘Wrong Party’, and ‘Wait Forever’ all fall into this amicable bracket, despite a variety of approaches stretching from angular riffs, to jangle, to propulsive acoustic shimmer.

The last album came together in Dunedin, with McCall backed by some of the city’s indie luminaries, but the lineup is different here, including Rassani Tolovaa from Office Dog and Hamish Morgan of Marlin’s Dreaming. Carrying over is De Stevens, credited as producer on iawo, and mixer on Swan, and bringing with him a guarantee of aural loveliness.

Things get more poignant in Swan’s midsection, with ‘Time to Turn’ featuring ominous lines about “darkest parts in a frame” being “admired in a dark spire”, before a chorus advocates turning things around. Next ‘Heart Goes Blank’ introduces fiddle and vocal harmonies from Flora Knight, resulting in the most country-inflected and melancholy tune here.

Fazed on a Pony’s main strength might be the way McCall invests his work with honesty, not just in lyrics that are simultaneously unfiltered and poetic, but the way he delivers them, conversational and candid.

This culminates in album-closer ‘Anything else’, in which he fires off reams of choice lines like “the last thing I deserve’s always the first thing on my mind” and “when I hit the curb in the carpark I felt a kind of sick relief”, over some of his most open-armed chords.

His voice becomes submerged in guitar fireworks, then reappears for a final thought: “you can just keep trying, and no one needs to know why”. It’s a reassuring end to a comfortable, confident collection.

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

What are the money lessons to teach your kids at every age?

By Evening Report -

January 31, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

As parents prepare for another school year, there’s one subject that often gets overlooked: money.

Financial literacy isn’t just about numbers. It’s about building skills that will shape your child’s future decisions, from buying their first car to planning for retirement.

The good news? You don’t need to be a finance expert to teach these lessons. Start with age-appropriate concepts and build from there. Here’s what to focus on at each stage.

The most valuable lesson you can teach at any age? Money is a tool, not a goal.

Unsplash

Election 2026 – the policies, the politics, the peculiarities

By Evening Report -

January 31, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

National’s Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis speak to media after Luxon’s State of the Nation address. RNZ / Calvin Samuel

Politicians sharpen their knives and their tongues as we bump our way to 7 November

Election day is 7 November, but 28 May is the date when the fur is predicted to start flying among the coalition partners.

That’s Budget Day, and political convention dictates that after that, the gloves are off and the minor parties can start doing their utmost to distinguish themselves from the coalition leader.

“You pass your last budget as a government in election year, then you kind of – wink wink, nudge nudge – kind of fall apart a little bit,” says the Herald’s political editor Thomas Coughlan.

“You allow yourselves to differentiate a little bit more, just so that by the time you get on to the hustings, onto the campaign trail, once you do that … the parties of the government have their own unique identity and they’re not subsumed into this bigger idea of the National-led coalition.

“So ACT and New Zealand First will be, after Budget Day I think, wanting to spread their wings and take flight and step out from underneath the shadow of National.”

Coughlan says it’s interesting though that this coalition has been more, shall we say ‘boisterous’, than coalitions past – and the three members have been arguing since they were sworn in.

“That seems to have been a strategy on behalf of all three parties, but particularly those two minor ones … to keep their own separate identities in the coalition. And to be fair to those two parties, it has worked, to a certain extent. Both parties are polling above 5 percent, New Zealand First for the first time since it entered Parliament. It’s the third largest party in Parliament.”

The Detail also talks to Newsroom’s political editor Laura Walters about the lead-up to the election.

She and Coughlan agree that the economy is top of the agenda, and National will be either helped or hindered depending on how people are feeling about their personal circumstances.

“It’s the economy, but it’s also that cost of living thing as well,” Walters says.

“It’s not just whether the economy is getting better – we’ve already seen some of those economic indicators tell us that things are getting better, that recovery is on the horizon. It’s not just about that, it’s going to be, do people feel like things are getting better? Are their grocery bills more affordable, are their power bills more affordable? Do they feel like they can get ahead? Maybe they can buy that first home, they can actually put some savings away.

“It’s about the economy, it’s about the cost of living, but it’s not just about the data and the theoretical – it’s about really how people feel.”

For more on the big issues this election, including possible leadership changes, listen to the full podcast.

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.

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

Open letter: Seven warning signals to the global warmongers who are claiming to lead

By Asia Pacific Report -

January 30, 2026

COMMENTARY: By Richard David Hames

Dear warmongers:

You are sleepwalking towards a war in the Middle East that could set the whole world ablaze. Do not pretend you don’t know this.

Your generals know it. Your intelligence agencies know it. Financial markets know it. Every citizen with a memory longer than a news cycle can feel it in their bones.

This is an open letter from a species that wishes to survive. I will be blunt.

1. Halt all preparations for a war of choice against Iran or any other state in the region. Freeze strike planning. Pull back offensive deployments. If you really have evidence of an imminent threat, present it to independent, technically competent, international scrutiny. If you will not do that, the world is entitled to assume this is a manufactured crisis.

2. Put in place binding, monitored arrangements to stop accidents turning into cataclysms: naval and air incident protocols, hotlines that actually work, rules of engagement that favour restraint, not bravado. If you cannot even agree to that, you are not avoiding war — you are courting it.

3. Stop playing God with other people’s governments. Regime‑change schemes — whether by bombing, sanctions that strangle civilians, or covert destabilisation — have left a trail of wrecked societies across the Middle East and beyond. You know the record. You just refuse to learn from it.

4. If you possess nuclear weapons, stop using them as toys for your vanity. Commit — publicly, in law — to never being the first to use them. Make it clear that any nuclear use by anyone, anywhere, will be treated as an unforgivable crime. If you cannot do even that, your talk of “values” is a sick joke.

5. Choke off the money pipeline that keeps this war machine humming: end the revolving door between government and arms manufacturers, subject major arms sales to real global oversight, and stop treating conflict as a business model. As long as war pays, someone will always be lobbying for it.

6. Admit that your own house is not in order. Societies riven by inequality, corruption and polarisation are more prone to lash out abroad. Fix the rot at home instead of reaching for foreign enemies to distract your populations.

7. Above all, drop the delusion that domination is leadership. Real leadership today is the courage to restrain your own power when using it would shatter the fragile systems that keep all of us alive.

You are not emperors. You are temporary stewards of a civilisation perched on the edge of multiple tipping points, and you’re not any good at that either.

If you drag us into yet another avoidable war, with nuclear forces in the background, you are gambling with everything that breathes.

So here it is, without poetry or excuse:

Step back from your stupidity. Submit your claims to scrutiny. Rein in your war machines. Protect those who speak truth. Treat nuclear weapons as the abomination they are. Stop feeding the economy of perpetual conflict.

If you cannot do that, then you only have the right to call yourselves fools.

Richard David Hames is an Australian philosopher-activist, strategic adviser, entrepreneur and futurist, and he publishes The Hames Report on Substack.

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Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Puzzling slow radio pulses are coming from space. A new study could finally explain them

By The Conversation -

January 30, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Csanád Horváth, PhD Candidate, Radio Astronomy, Curtin University

Artists impression of the white dwarf in GPM J1839-10 interacting with its companion star, producing a powerful radio beam. Danielle Futselaar

Cosmic radio pulses repeating every few minutes or hours, known as long-period transients, have puzzled astronomers since their discovery in 2022. Our new study, published in Nature Astronomy today, might finally add some clarity.

Radio astronomers are very familiar with pulsars, a type of rapidly rotating neutron star. To us watching the skies from Earth, these objects appear to pulse because powerful radio beams from their poles sweep our telescopes – much like a cosmic lighthouse.

The slowest pulsars rotate in just a few seconds – this is known as their period. But in recent years, long-period transients have been discovered as well. These have periods from 18 minutes to more than six hours.

From everything we know about neutron stars, they shouldn’t be able to produce radio waves while spinning this slowly. So, is there something wrong with physics?

Well, neutron stars aren’t the only compact stellar remnant on the block, so maybe they’re not the stars of this story after all. Our new paper presents evidence that the longest-lived long-period transient, GPM J1839-10, is actually a white dwarf star. It’s producing powerful radio beams with the help of a stellar companion, implying others may be doing the same.

Pulsars emit powerful beams of radio waves from their poles, which sweep across our line of sight like a lighthouse.
Joeri van Leeuwen

Enter white dwarf pulsars

Like neutron stars, white dwarfs are the remnants of dead stars. They’re about the size of Earth, but with an entire Sun’s-worth of mass packed in.

No isolated white dwarf has been observed to emit radio pulses. But they have the necessary ingredients to do so when paired with an M-type dwarf (a regular star about half the Sun’s mass) in a close two-star system known as a binary.

In fact, we know such rapidly spinning “white dwarf pulsars” exist because we’ve observed them – the first was confirmed in 2016.

Which raises the question: could long-period transients be the slower cousins of white dwarf pulsars?

More than ten long-period transients have been discovered to date, but they’re so far away and embedded so deep in our galaxy, it’s been difficult to tell what they are. Only in 2025 were two long-period transients conclusively identified as white dwarf–M-dwarf binaries. This was quite unexpected.

However, it left astronomers with more questions.

Even if some long-period transients are white dwarf–M-dwarf binaries, do they radiate in the same way as the faster white dwarf pulsars? And are the long-period transients only visible at radio wavelengths doomed to be a mystery forever?

What we needed is a model that works for both, and a long-period transient with enough high-quality data to test it on.

A uniquely long-lived example

In 2023 we discovered GPM J1839-10, a long-period transient with a 21-minute period. It was the second-ever such discovery, but unlike its predecessor or those found since, it is uniquely long-lived. Pulses were found in archival data going back as far as 1988, but only some of the times that they should have been detected.

As it’s 15,000 light-years away, we can only see it in radio waves. So we dug deeper into this seemingly random, intermittent signal to learn more.

We watched GPM J1839-10 in a series dubbed “round-the-world” observations. These used three telescopes, each passing the source to the next as Earth rotated: the Australian SKA Pathfinder or ASKAP, the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, and the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in the United States.

Radio data recorded in the ‘round-the-world’ observations. Five consecutive orbits are stacked to align the heart-beat pattern. The colour represents the telescope used.
Author provided

The intermittent signal turned out to not be random at all. The pulses arrive in groups of four or five, and the groups come in pairs separated by two hours. The entire pattern repeats every nine hours.

Such a stable pattern strongly implies the signal is coming from a binary system of two bodies orbiting each other every nine hours. And knowing the period also helps us work out their masses, which all adds up to being a white dwarf–M-dwarf binary.

Checking back, not only were the archival detections consistent with the same pattern, but we were able to use the combined data to refine the orbital period to a precision of just 0.2 seconds.

A heartbeat pattern

Radio data alone tells us GPM J1839-10 is definitely a binary system. What’s more, the peculiar heartbeat of its pulses gives clues to its nature in a way that’s only possible from looking at radio signals.

Inspired by a previous study on a white dwarf pulsar, we modelled GPM J1839-10 as a white dwarf generating a radio beam as its magnetic pole sweeps through its companion’s stellar wind. The varying alignment of the binary bodies with our line-of-sight throughout the orbit accurately predicts the heartbeat pattern.

We can even reconstruct the geometry of the system, such as how far apart the stars must be, and how massive they are.

All told, GPM J1839-10 has the potential to be the missing link between long-period transients and white dwarf pulsars.

Animation of the model. The white and red spheres are the white dwarf and M-dwarf. The arrow represents the white dwarf’s rotating magnetic moment. The yellow cone is the radio beam whose activity depends on the alignment of the white dwarf’s magnetic moment with the M-dwarf. Below is the radio flux density detected on Earth.
Author provided

Armed with our model, other astronomers have already been able to detect variability at our measured periods in high-precision optical data, despite not being able to distinguish the binary pair.

Research is ongoing on exactly how the emission physics works, and how the broader range of long-period transient properties fit together. However, this is a crucial step towards understanding.

Csanád Horváth receives funding from an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

Natasha Hurley-Walker receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Puzzling slow radio pulses are coming from space. A new study could finally explain them – https://theconversation.com/puzzling-slow-radio-pulses-are-coming-from-space-a-new-study-could-finally-explain-them-272893

View from The Hill: Hastie pulls out but Liberal leadership battle remains in flux

By The Conversation -

January 30, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

The battle over the Liberal leadership took a dramatic turn late on Friday when Andrew Hastie announced he was pulling out.

His surprise announcement came just a day after a meeting between Hastie and the other aspirant – defence spokesman Angus Taylor – over who should challenge Sussan Ley, ended in stalemate.

Hastie’s action has brought more clarity to the path ahead. At the same time, it has also left it uncertain, at least in the short term.

Will Taylor, who now has a clear run as conservative candidate, move quickly to bring on a spill? Or will he delay? He’s recently been against an early move but now Hastie is out of the way, his thinking may change.

And it will obviously also be a matter of whether he is confident of his numbers. It may be that even some of the conservatives in the party will believe Ley should be given more time.

Taylor ran Ley close after the election. Her failure to cut through has cost her support since then. On the other hand, some Liberals not tied in tightly to either camp may be unimpressed by the recent disrespectful treatment of her by the jostling aspirants. The numbers could be fluid just now.

Party sources did not have a firm take, after the Hastie announcement, on whether things would move quickly, or whether the embattled leader might get a reprieve.

Much could depend on the reactions coming from members of the parliamentary party – already reeling from the fast moving crisis – over the weekend, ahead of the resumption of parliament on Tuesday.

There is a regular Liberal Party meeting on Tuesday. That would be an unfortunate day for a spill if there was an interest rate rise.

Hastie’s retreat follows Thursday’s debacle, when the two aspirants and their conservative factional backers were captured on camera arriving for their Melbourne meeting. It was the worst of looks – a gaggle of men, not a woman to be seen, plotting to overthrow a female leader, before they went on to a memorial for a female former Liberal MP, Katie Allen.

Leadership struggles are always messy but the optics of this one are worse than most.

Sometime after the meeting, Hastie decided he didn’t have the numbers. It is unfortunate he hadn’t been able to come to this conclusion before the Thursday scenes.

He’d been pushed by a group of supporters, and set things up for a challenge, including with a newspaper story saying his wife was OK with him becoming leader (which would take him away a lot from his young family). He overreached – a comment on his poor judgement.

He said in his statement: “Over the past few weeks there has been speculation about the future leadership of the Liberal Party.

“I’ve previously stated that I would welcome the opportunity to serve my party and our country as leader of the Liberal Party.

“But having consulted with colleagues over the past week, and respecting their honest feedback to me, it is clear that I do not have the support needed to become leader of the Liberal Party.

“On this basis, I wish to make it clear I will not be contesting the leadership of the Liberal Party.

“Australia faces massive issues. I have made it my single focus to campaign on critical issues including immigration and energy, and I have no intention of stopping that.”

A cynic might read this as saying while he won’t be running for leader he will continue to make trouble.

Apart from immediate party sentiment, what happens now will be affected by the opinion polls that will come this weekend. One would have to think they would be bad for Ley.

If there were an early ballot and Taylor won, he would come to the leadership when the government is vulnerable on the economy. This week’s inflation numbers were bad. Even if there were not an interest rate rise next week, one would be on the horizon.

Taylor’s natural ground is economics, so that could give him a good start although, it should be noted, he had trouble as shadow treasurer performing against Jim Chalmers last term.

If the conservatives decide not to move quickly against Ley, that buys her extra time, but it is doubtful she would be able to put it to long-term use. Apart from the pressure from the polls, the Taylor forces and the media would ensure she was always living on borrowed time.

But the nature of Ley is that even under the worst of political circumstances she holds her nerve, trying to keep the wolves at bay, one day after another.

The “wolves” of course are not just in the Liberal ranks. Ley is also trying to deal with the Nationals, who shattered the Coalition last week. She would like to put the team together again, without giving ground over the issue of shadow cabinet solidarity that triggered the breach.

On Friday she allocated to Liberal shadow ministers the portfolio responsibilities given up by the Nationals when they split.

This is only a temporary arrangement, she said. It gives a window for a Nationals rethink. Once things are set in stone, it would be harder to bring the Coalition back together – which some Liberals and some Nationals want to do and others, in both parties, don’t want to happen.

If there is no move for reconciliation, Ley says she will announce a new full shadow ministry in a week, elevating Liberal backbenchers to permanently fill vacancies.

That’s of course assuming she is there in a week.

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.

– ref. View from The Hill: Hastie pulls out but Liberal leadership battle remains in flux – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-hastie-pulls-out-but-liberal-leadership-battle-remains-in-flux-274743

The government has promised a $25 billion boost to hospital funding – but only hints at real reform

By The Conversation -

January 30, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute

Federal and state governments have finally resolved their long-running standoff on public hospital funding.

The deal struck at National Cabinet on Friday includes a A$25 billion boost to hospital funding, and state government commitments on disability services for children.

But while public hospitals will get more money, there’s no clear plan to manage surging costs and rising demand.

Let’s take a look at what’s been agreed, and what’s still missing.

But first – how did we get here?

The states run public hospitals, but both the federal government and the states fund them. Since 2011, a series of deals called National Health Reform Agreements has set out how that funding works.

From 2017, under the second five-year agreement, federal spending growth was capped at 6.5%. That has left the states paying for around three quarters of cost growth since then.

In December 2023, National Cabinet committed to reversing that trend. The federal government agreed to increase its share of spending from around 40% to 42.5% by 2030, and then to 45% by 2035.

The plan also tied hospital funding to progress on disability reforms, including states delivering foundational supports outside the NDIS.

But when the 2020 agreement expired last year, governments failed to land a new five-year deal. Instead, they agreed to a one-year extension for 2025–26, with the Commonwealth providing an additional $1.7 billion.

Since then, there has been a fierce debate between the two sides, often spilling out into public accusations.

The federal government argued it has put record funding on the table. And Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on states to rein in hospital cost growth, which has surged higher in recent years, helping to blow a hole in the federal budget.

The states countered that long-term funding promises are too far-off for a system in crisis today. They have also pointed to challenges stemming from failures in federal government systems.

This includes thousands of “stranded patients” stuck in hospital for weeks or months because they can’t get aged care places, or disability supports. It means up to one in ten public hospital bed days are being used by patients who shouldn’t be there.

What’s the deal?

The federal government has now agreed to boost public hospital spending by $25 billion over five years. Its total spending is expected to be $220 billion from 2026–27 to 2030–31, so the increase is 12%. It means the federal government’s share of total spending should rise.

The investment has been welcomed by state governments and it’s badly needed as demand for care, the cost of care, and wait times have all been rising sharply.

Some media has reported a federal commitment of $2 billion to help get stranded patients out of hospital and into aged care, but this has not been formally announced.

In return for federal investment in public hospitals, the states have agreed to match $2 billion in federal funding for the Thriving Kids program. The program will provide support outside the NDIS for children with developmental delay and disability. Its start date will be pushed back by three months.

All governments agreed to aim for NDIS cost growth of 5–6% a year, down from the previous target of 8%, and well below the current growth rate of 10%.

What’s missing?

A last-minute deal on hospital funding is welcome, as is progress on NDIS reform. But a rare opportunity to commit to substantive national health reform may have been missed.

An independent review of the last deal, commissioned by the federal, state and territory health ministers, found that although it is called a “National Health Reform Agreement”, the deal is really just a public hospital financing mechanism.

The review recommended 45 changes, arguing that the next agreement must be more than narrow and transactional, achieving real changes such as shifting care out of hospitals, driving innovation in health care, and joining up a fragmented system.

Even the main focus of these narrow agreements – the mechanics of prices and funding for public hospital care – should be improved to promote hospital productivity and reduce the length of patients’ hospital stays.

If you want national reform, it helps to buy it. This $25 billion deal will help secure new foundational supports for children. But it’s still not clear if much-needed reforms to public hospitals have been agreed.

The National Cabinet announced that the new agreement “has key reforms embedded throughout to make Australia’s hospital and health-care system more effective, efficient and equitable”.

With public hospital costs rising by $3 billion a year, and hospitals around the country under strain as Australia’s population gets bigger, older, and sicker, those reforms are increasingly urgent. A full assessment of today’s agreement will have to wait until they are revealed.

Grattan Institute has been supported in its work by government, corporates, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporting organisations is published at www.grattan.edu.au.

Elizabeth Baldwin 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.

– ref. The government has promised a $25 billion boost to hospital funding – but only hints at real reform – https://theconversation.com/the-government-has-promised-a-25-billion-boost-to-hospital-funding-but-only-hints-at-real-reform-274617

13-year-old rodent sniffer dog back on the job after rat found on predator free island

By Evening Report -

January 30, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Detector Gadget on Ulva Island. Matt Jones

A semi-retired specialist investigator has been called back to active duty after an intruder was discovered in a sanctuary off the coast of Rakiura Stewart Island.

Detector Gadget, a rodent sniffer dog, is patrolling Ulva Island, Te Wharawhara after a young female rat was found in a trap there earlier this month.

The island achieved predator free status in 1997 and is home to many native species including the Stewart Island brown kiwi tokoeka, the kākā, and South Island saddlebacks.

DOC said the biosecurity network had been activated with more than 300 traps and 50 cameras now operating.

Physical surveillance had also ramped up, including bringing in Detector Gadget.

Gadget’s handler, Sandy King told Checkpoint that after thorough checking from Gadget, fortunately no rats had been found on the island.

“Gadget went for a couple of walks this week, just looking at places that are high priority or areas where rats tend to gravitate to.

“There are a few buildings on the island, some houses … we spent a bit of time checking around and under those buildings and the sort of immediate environs and some of the more popular beaches and public places as well.”

King said with Gadget’s experience, she was sure if there had been a rat on the island, it would have been sniffed out.

However, Gadget’s sensitivity to rats can depend on the conditions.

“She generally picks them up from a reasonable distance away, but it does depend on which way the wind’s blowing. She’s not very tall, so her height of nose isn’t that great – a taller dog might have an advantage in some conditions.”

Detector Gadget in action detecting mice that were about to be transported to a rodent-free island. Miriam McFadgen

The Jack Russell Fox Terrier cross stands around 25cm high and being the runt of her litter only weighs in at around 5.5kg.

Despite not catching any predators in her latest mission, King said Gadget has had many successes over her career.

“The absolute career highlight was when she discovered some live mice in a bundle of building material that was about to be loaded onto a boat and to be transported to a rodent-free island. If Gadget hadn’t found that, it probably would have gone.”

It’s not only conservationists getting excited by the possibility of a pest-free environment, with Gadget’s own enthusiasm hard to ignore according to King.

“Her little tail goes round and round, a bit like an aeroplane propeller, sometimes I’m almost expecting her bottom to lift off the ground, and you can see that she is just really excited.”

Detector Gadget in action in Bluff detecting mice. Miriam McFadgen

Despite being called back to duty on Ulva Island, Gadget’s recent months have been spent easing towards retirement.

“She turned 13 in November … but she’s still fairly active and capable of doing jobs like we’ve just finished. So, yeah, she came out of retirement, dusted off her vest and muzzle and went to work.

“She’s one of those active elderly, people that still keep working.”

King said that Gadget’s official retirement is on the horizon and expects her to step back from work in about six months.

However, if people want to keep up with her adventures, she has got a keen Facebook following on her Detector Gadget page.

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

UpScrolled – the Australian pro-Palestine platform shaking up global social media

By David Robie -

January 30, 2026

Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

By Agnese Boffano in London

As Meta, TikTok, Instagram and X continue to dominate online social spaces, a new platform called UpScrolled has entered the scene.

It is not built around dances or memes, but instead positions itself as a space promising fewer shadowbans and greater freedom of political expression, particularly for pro-Palestinian voices.

So, what is it exactly, and why are users switching?

UpScrolled was launched in July 2025 by Palestinian-Australian app developer Issam Hijazi.

At first glance, the platform feels familiar. It features an up and down scrolling video feed reminiscent of TikTok, alongside profile pages, comments and direct messaging features similar to Instagram.

The similarities, however, appear to end there. Unlike major platforms where opaque algorithms determine which content is amplified and which is buried, UpScrolled claims to operate differently.

The platform describes itself as a space where “every voice gets equal power”, promising to operate without “shadowbans, algorithmic games, or pay-to-play favouritism”, according to its website.

In an interview with Rest of World, Hijazi said the motivation behind the launch was the overwhelmingly pro-Israel content he saw being promoted on more established platforms following 7 October 2023.

Working for what he described as big tech companies at the time, Hijazi expressed deep frustration.

“I could not take it anymore. I lost family members in Gaza, and I did not want to be complicit. So I was like, I am done with this, I want to feel useful,” he said.

The Tech for Palestine incubator, an advocacy project that funds technology initiatives supporting the Palestinian cause, has publicly backed the platform.

Palestinian-Australian app developer Issam Hijazi’s message to the public . . . reimagining what social media should be. Image: APR screenshop

Moderation without the black box
Hijazi said UpScrolled’s content moderation process differs from other social media platforms in that it does not selectively censor particular groups or viewpoints.

Content deemed illegal, such as the sale of narcotics or prostitution, is removed, but when it comes to free speech, the approach is rooted in transparency, ethics and equal treatment.

According to 7amleh, the Arab Centre for the Advancement of Social Media, major tech platforms such as Meta have consistently engaged in a “systemic and disproportionate censorship of Palestinian and pro-Palestinian content”. This includes the removal of posts, restrictions on account visibility and, in some cases, permanent bans.

Throughout the war on Gaza, numerous Palestinian organisations, activists, journalists, media outlets and content creators were targeted over their pro-Palestine views.

Gaza-based journalist Bisan Owda . . . her censored TikTok account has been restored after a global outcry: “I am still alive.” Image: AJ screenshot APR

Bisan Owda, an award-winning Gaza-based journalist with more than 1.4 million followers on TikTok, is among the most prominent recent examples, whose account was reportedly permanently banned earlier this week — but has now been reinstated after a global outcry.

Critics argue that censorship concerns extend beyond the Palestinian issue, affecting other sensitive topics, including criticism of US government policies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

High profile commentators critical of the Trump administration have reported what they describe as a systematic effort to remove or suppress their videos and content.

[embedded content]
It’s Bisan from Gaza . . . why the truth is so dangerous. Video: AJ+

Users flock to UpScrolled
Users frustrated with big tech’s control over online narratives have increasingly turned to the new platform.

UpScrolled has reached number one in the social networking category of Apple’s App Store in both the US and the UK.

As of Tuesday, the app had been downloaded around 400,000 times in the US and 700,000 times globally since its launch. An estimated 85 percent of those downloads occurred after January 21 alone, according to data from marketing intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

The Palestinian-founded app has also seen a surge in downloads following the recent acquisition of TikTok by American billionaire Larry Ellison, a co-founder of Oracle.

Ellison is a prominent supporter of Israel and maintains close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has also financially backed the Israeli military, including a $16.6 million donation made during a 2017 gala organised by the Friends of the Israeli Forces.

The timing of UpScrolled’s rise has therefore not gone unnoticed. The platform appears to have capitalised on widespread frustration and anger over biased content moderation, offering an alternative built around transparency and user control.

The app remains a work in progress, with users having reported crashes and server overloads amid its rapid growth over the past week.

Still, UpScrolled poses a challenge to dominant platforms and highlights a growing appetite for social media spaces that give users greater control over what they see and share.

Republished from the Middle East News Agency (MENA) and The New Arab.

This article was first published on Café Pacific.

Auckland Hearts to meet Wellington in Super Smash T20 women’s final

By Evening Report -

January 30, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland Hearts Molly Penfold celebrates a wicket. Kerry Marshall/www.photosport.nz

The Auckland Hearts have booked a place in tomorrow’s Super Smash T20 women’s final after a convincing eight wicket win over the Northern Brave.

The Northern Brave won the toss and elected to bat first in the elimination final in Christchurch.

Nensi Patel anchored the innings with a top score of 46 but wickets kept falling around her.

Auckland Hearts captain Maddy Green led the way with four wickets and two catches and the Brave were dismissed for 138, just inside 20 overs.

Chasing 139 to win, the Hearts made it look easy, losing just two wickets a long the way. Prue Catton top scored with 56 not out.

The Auckland Hearts will meet the defending champion Wellington Blaze in tomorrow’s Super Smash final in Christchurch.

In the men’s Twenty20 competition the Canterbury Kings play the Auckland Aces in the other elimination final this evening. The winner will meet the Northern Brave in tomorrow’s final.

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

Sharon Maccanico’s parents heartbroken after daughter killed in Mount Maunganui landslide

By Evening Report -

January 30, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sharon Maccanico. Supplied / NZ Police

The parents of a young teen missing after a landslide tore through a Mount Maunganui campground say their “hearts are broken”.

Sharon Maccanico, 15, was one of six victims of the deadly slip at the holiday park last week.

Pakuranga College confirmed Maccanico was among two of its students who died in the tragedy, alongside Max Furse-Kee, also 15.

Sharon’s parents, Natallia and Carmine said their daughter was born in Italy and moved to New Zealand when she was 8.

Sharon was an accomplished dancer, winning an international competition last year. Supplied / NZ Police

“This was where her passion for dance began. Sharon wanted to be a professional dancer, and she would often practice for hours every day,” they said in a statement.

“She participated in seven solo competitions at regional and national level and won all seven. Last year she also won an international competition in Belarus.

“We gave her all the support we could and were so proud to watch her work towards achieving her dreams.”

Her parents said they were extremely proud of Sharon, and she was loved by all.

“Our family is a very close family and always did everything together.

“Sharon and Natallia had a bond like no other, and were best friends. Sharon felt comfortable to talk to her about everything and had a very close relationship with both her parents.”

Supplied / NZ Police

Sharon has an older sister in Belarus, who no matter how far apart they were, would always remain in close contact and had such a strong bond, they said.

She also remained close to her family in Italy and would often call them.

Natallia and Carmien said their daughter “met the love of her life Max” and they quickly formed a strong relationship.

“Max became a treasured part of our family, and he looked after Sharon and made her feel so special,” they said.

They thanked everybody for their support and messages.

“We also want to express our gratitude to the community, local iwi, and all the people who have been beside us through this difficult time. We are very grateful for their support.”

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

World squash number one denies Paul Coll maiden title in quick fashion

By Evening Report -

January 30, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Paul Coll (left) and Egyptian Mostafa Asal in the final of the Tournament of Champions title in New York. PSA

The world number one has denied New Zealand squash star Paul Coll a maiden Tournament of Champions title in New York.

Egyptian Mostafa Asal dominated the final of the platinum level tournament 3-0.

Coll, ranked number two in the world, was competing in the prestigious final for the first time and so was Mostafa, who clinched his first Tournament of Champions title with a 58 minute victory.

Asal looked impressive from the outset, grinding Coll down over 24 minutes in the opening game to take an 11-6 win.

Coll struggled to find any momentum in the second as Asal found his rhythm and showcased his class, hitting a barrage of winners to dominate the scoreline 11-1.

It was more of the same in the final game, Asal writing his name in the history books at Grand Central Terminal, growing a commanding lead and playing his trademark precision squash to win 11-4.

Coll will next be in action at the Windy City Open in Chicago, starting 5 February.

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

New 60-bed mental health unit opens at Auckland’s Mason Clinic

By Evening Report -

January 30, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

The clinic cares for people with serious mental health problems or disabilities who have committed or who are charged with serious crimes. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A new 60-bed mental health unit has opened at Auckland’s Mason Clinic, the country’s largest forensic psychiatric service.

Health New Zealand said the $162 million, three-storey building called E Tū Wairua Hinengaro will replace leaky, ageing units with ongoing air quality issues.

The clinic cares for people with serious mental health problems or disabilities who have committed or who are charged with serious crimes.

Mental health and addiction national director Phil Grady said the new unit would result in better outcomes for patients and a better working environment for staff.

“This facility represents the latest chapter in a long and important story, the evolution of the Mason Clinic and of forensic mental healthcare in New Zealand,” he said.

“The true value of E Tū Wairua Hinengaro is that it enables improved models of care and gives staff new options to safely manage patients’ needs – options that were simply not possible in the old units.”

The first patients were expected to move into the unit in late February.

Health NZ said recruitment was underway for an additional 57 full-time staff and there had been a good response from candidates.

E Tū Wairua Hinengaro, meaning quality of mind, was significantly bigger than the old units, with 10,000 square metres of floor space, Health NZ said.

It said the unit was a safe, recovery-focused place, featuring secure courtyards and enhanced ventilation.

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

Sussan Ley fills frontbench holes temporarily, giving a brief window for Nationals to rethink Coalition split

By The Conversation -

January 30, 2026

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Friday allocated responsibilities formerly held by the Nationals to existing Liberal shadow ministers on a temporary basis.

This will get the opposition through the next parliamentary week, starting Tuesday. It also gives the Nationals a chance to rethink their split of the Coalition, if they choose.

But if there is no move for reunification, Ley declared she would appoint new Liberal shadow ministers before Monday of the following week. This would further entrench the split, making a rapprochement much more politically complicated.

The parliamentary Liberal party has its regular meeting on Tuesday. Although on balance, a move for a leadership spill is not expected, the situation is unpredictable.

Ley said in a statement: “With several upcoming parliamentary sittings, including Senate Estimates, the Liberal Leadership Group has met and agreed that the finalisation of longer term shadow ministerial arrangements is also required.

“It is intended that these acting arrangements cease before the second February sitting week commences (Monday 9 February), when I appoint a further six parliamentarians to serve in the Shadow Cabinet and two in the outer Shadow Ministry, on an ongoing basis.

“There is enormous talent in the parliamentary Liberal Party and my party room is more than capable of permanently fulfilling each and every one of those roles.”

Ley said the Nationals’ decision to leave the Coalition was “regrettable and unnecessary” and stressed again the “door remains open”.

“The Liberal and National parties exist to serve the Australian people and the maintenance of a strong and functioning relationship between both is in the national interest — whether we are in a formal Coalition or not.”

Nationals Leader David Littleproud responded to Ley’s request earlier this week for a leadership meeting before parliament resumes by saying he was unavailable until after Monday’s Nationals meeting dealt with the call for a spill by Queenslander Colin Boyce.

Ley said: “I understand and respect his decision to await his party’s consideration of a forthcoming spill motion. Following Monday’s parliamentary meeting of The Nationals, I will attempt to meet with whoever is elected as their leader.”

Littleproud’s leadership is not under threat at the meeting.

The temporary responsibilities existing frontbenchers take on are:

Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien: assistant treasurer and financial services
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash: trade, investment and tourism
Shadow Health Minister Anne Ruston: agriculture, fisheries and forestry
Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan: resources and northern Australia
Shadow Special Minister of State James McGrath: infrastructure, transport, regional development, local government and territories
Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor: veterans’ affairs
Shadow Environment Minister Angie Bell: water and emergency management.

With leadership aspirants Andrew Hastie and Taylor failing at a Thursday meeting to reach an agreement about who would challenge Ley, the Liberals are in a holding pattern.

Ley, who is usually constantly giving news conferences and interviews, has made no media appearances for a week.

Thursday’s footage of the Hastie-Taylor meeting has added to the dreadful publicity around the Liberals, especially the message it sent to women: an all-male gathering to talk about rolling a female leader, held on the day of the memorial service for a much-respected female former Liberal MP. And then the outcome was a stalemate.

– ref. Sussan Ley fills frontbench holes temporarily, giving a brief window for Nationals to rethink Coalition split – https://theconversation.com/sussan-ley-fills-frontbench-holes-temporarily-giving-a-brief-window-for-nationals-to-rethink-coalition-split-274030

Convicted murderer Clayton Weatherston denied parole after 18 years in prison

By Evening Report -

January 30, 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

Clayton Weatherston who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend Sophie Elliott in Dunedin. He stabbed the 22-year-old 216 times on 9 January 2008. File picture. File photo / Pool

This story discusses graphic details of violence.

Convicted murderer Clayton Weatherston has told the Parole Board that his mutilation of Sophie Elliott was “just an F-U to everything about her”.

The 50-year-old has been declined parole and will remain behind bars until at least November 2027.

Weatherston was an academic at Otago University who lectured in economics and had been in a relationship with the honours student.

Elliott, 22, had left Weatherston and was packing up her life to move to Wellington to take up a job at Treasury on 9 January 2008, Weatherston’s 32nd birthday.

Weatherston arrived at her family home in the Dunedin suburb of Ravensbourne armed with a knife.

He stabbed her to death so viciously the knife broke and used a pair of scissors in his frenzied attack.

Weatherston inflicted 216 stab or cutting wounds as well as seven blunt force injuries and disfigured her body.

On Friday morning he appeared before the Parole Board for the first time after serving an 18-year non-parole period of imprisonment.

His lawyer told the panel Weatherston was not seeking parole and understood more time would have to pass before he was eligible.

Panel members asked Weatherston if he had reflected on his offending and had any explanation for his attack on Elliott and his actions after she was dead.

He told the board the attack was “incredibly misguided” and he was ashamed and remorseful.

“My offending was about alleviating frustration,” Weatherston said.

“It was about alleviating my distress. A lot of the things going on in my life were projected on to her, anything I don’t like about her, anything I don’t like about myself.

“It was a visceral, brutal way of wiping out someone you have perceived as hurting you in the worst way possible. It was just an F-U to everything about her and about that I am ashamed and ashamed I would channel that towards another person.”

Sophie Elliot was 22 when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend Clayton Weatherston in Dunedin on 9 January 2008. Supplied

At trial Weatherston tried to blame the attack on Elliott, claiming the partial defence of provocation.

Her death shocked New Zealand and Weatherston’s antics at trial further outraged the nation, leading to the partial defence of provocation being abolished by statute.

“I feel shifting the blame, shifting the focus of behaviour away from me was completely wrong,” Weatherston told the Parole Board.

“I certainly regret the nature of that court process. I think the focus should be on my behaviour and I really regret that, the way things played out at that time.”

Panel member Alan Hackney asked Weatherston if he had any flashbacks or nightmares about his crime.

“Yes, all of those things,” Weatherston said, impassively.

“There are certain triggers in everyday life, mentions of certain words, comments from other people. Looking back it’s just extreme regret for the tragedy of the whole situation.”

Upon reflection, Weatherston claimed his offending caused him a “high degree of anxiety and stress and shame”.

Hackney remarked that Weatherston “described that incredibly calmly” considering the distress he described to the board.

“I don’t feel calm and in fact I feel extremely emotional,” Weatherston said.

“It’s not something that’s easy to deal with. Some days I get very emotional about it and some days I say ‘you just have to accept what has happened and move forward’.

“Sitting here today and as I present to you, I’m trying to maintain myself in this environment,” Weatherston said, lifting his glasses and wiping an eye.

During his trial, the court heard Weatherston had kicked another former girlfriend and made her nose bleed.

He was asked about the conflicting accounts he had given of that assault and his responsibility for it.

He told the Parole Board he maintained he was “jumping over” the woman and it was an “accidental act that I immediately apologised for”.

The board heard Weatherston had not been involved in any misconduct during his time in prison.

He had not undertaken any rehabilitation and there was some way to go before that could happen.

Weatherston had read for more than 1000 hours and had familiarised himself with methods of psychology.

The board heard he remained at high-risk of reoffending against intimate partners.

Weatherston said he believed he had some element of neurodivergence and “some degree of personality traits”.

When it was pointed out that clinicians had assessed him as suffering from a severe personality disorder he responded, “I don’t subscribe to the high degree of narcissistic personality disorder opined”.

A support person told the panel that he had seen “a lot of change, growth and development” in Weatherston during his 18 years behind bars.

Weatherston’s lawyer Roger Eagles said his client “does feel remorse and shame for his actions” and “understands the huge distress caused for the victim’s family and friends”.

He said it was possible Weatherston would make “rapid progress” when he undertook rehabilitation because he was “undoubtedly a gifted man intellectually”.

Weatherston told the board he was a different man from the “hard-charging, younger version of me”.

“I want to verbalise my remorse and action it. I take it incredibly seriously,” he said.

Gil Elliot, Sophie Elliot’s father, had sought a postponement order to prevent Weatherston appearing before the Parole Board again for several years, although it was not imposed. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Elliott’s father Gil remained sceptical about Weatherston’s remorse.

“I’m not sure whether that would be genuine or not,” he told RNZ following the board’s decision.

“Narcissists’ mental state doesn’t change because it can’t change. They are wired that particular way.

“His mental state when he went in should not be or won’t be any different then to his mental state now 18 years later.”

Gil thanked Victim Support and the Parole Board for their support and manner, which put him and his support people at ease.

He had sought a postponement order to prevent Weatherston appearing before the Parole Board again for several years, although it was not imposed.

“It was bad enough going through the hearing this time although it was certainly a lot better than we thought it was going to be because the Parole Board was so nice and accommodating,” Elliott said.

“I’m sure not sure I’d attend another hearing, but November 2027 we’ll have to go through it all again.”

Elliott said his daughter’s death and her killer’s brutality would hang over him “forever and a day”.

The Parole Board will assess Weatherston’s progress late next year.

Where to get help:

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Sexual Violence

Family Violence

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

UpScrolled – the pro-Palestine platform shaking up social media

By Asia Pacific Report -

January 30, 2026

By Agnese Boffano in London

As Meta, TikTok, Instagram and X continue to dominate online social spaces, a new platform called UpScrolled has entered the scene.

It is not built around dances or memes, but instead positions itself as a space promising fewer shadowbans and greater freedom of political expression, particularly for pro-Palestinian voices.

So, what is it exactly, and why are users switching?

UpScrolled was launched in July 2025 by Palestinian-Australian app developer Issam Hijazi.

The similarities, however, appear to end there. Unlike major platforms where opaque algorithms determine which content is amplified and which is buried, UpScrolled claims to operate differently.

Working for what he described as big tech companies at the time, Hijazi expressed deep frustration.

“I could not take it anymore. I lost family members in Gaza, and I did not want to be complicit. So I was like, I am done with this, I want to feel useful,” he said.

The Tech for Palestine incubator, an advocacy project that funds technology initiatives supporting the Palestinian cause, has publicly backed the platform.

Palestinian-Australian app developer Issam Hijazi message to the public . . . reimagining what social media should be. Image: APR screenshot