CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Asia Pacific Report The global civil society alliance Civicus has called on eight Pacific governments to do more to respect civic freedoms and strengthen institutions to protect these rights. It is especially concerned over the threats to press freedom, the use of laws to criminalise online expression, and failure to establish national human rights institutions ... <a title="Civicus raps 8 Pacific countries for ‘not doing enough’ to protect civic rights, press freedom" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/civicus-raps-8-pacific-countries-for-not-doing-enough-to-protect-civic-rights-press-freedom/" aria-label="Read more about Civicus raps 8 Pacific countries for ‘not doing enough’ to protect civic rights, press freedom">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Eveline Harvey It’s billed as the biggest shake-up to councils in 30 years, but a lot of questions about how the government’s regional council “reset” will work and what will happen remain unanswered. The government on Tuesday announced plans to replace regional councillors with boards made up of mayors ... <a title="Regional councils demise: The plans, timeline and thorny issues" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/regional-councils-demise-the-plans-timeline-and-thorny-issues/" aria-label="Read more about Regional councils demise: The plans, timeline and thorny issues">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Social Development Minister Louise Upston. Marika Khabazi Newly released advice shows officials urged the government against its welfare crackdown on 18-and-19-year-olds, warning it could actually increase the risk of long-term benefit dependency. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) also said the tightened eligibility could incentivise teenage ... <a title="Ministers were warned against teen welfare crackdown, documents reveal" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/ministers-were-warned-against-teen-welfare-crackdown-documents-reveal/" aria-label="Read more about Ministers were warned against teen welfare crackdown, documents reveal">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand Wellington mayor Andrew Little RNZ / Mark Papalii The mayor of Wellington says the coalition’s proposed restructure of local government is a “pretty serious attack” on the Crown’s treaty obligations. The coalition wants mayors of city and district councils to take over the duties of regional councillors, in what would be ... <a title="Regional council revamp ‘pretty serious attack’ on Treaty rights – Andrew Little" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/regional-council-revamp-pretty-serious-attack-on-treaty-rights-andrew-little/" aria-label="Read more about Regional council revamp ‘pretty serious attack’ on Treaty rights – Andrew Little">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Asia Pacific Report Philippines police unlawfully targeted protesters with unnecessary and excessive force during anti-corruption marches in September, according to harrowing new testimony gathered by the human rights watchdog Amnesty International ahead of fresh protests planned across the country this weekend. Ten people interviewed by Amnesty International detailed physical abuse — including violations that may ... <a title="Philippines testimony reveals torture, abuses by police, says Amnesty" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/philippines-testimony-reveals-torture-abuses-by-police-says-amnesty/" aria-label="Read more about Philippines testimony reveals torture, abuses by police, says Amnesty">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ / Mark Papalii Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says the current regional council structure stifles economic growth and that regional councils have suffered cost burdens, “green overreach” and too much influence from iwi. His comments come after the government announced its plan to scrap regional councillors and hand responsibilities over ... <a title="Minister Shane Jones says ‘green banshees’ in regional council are stifling growth" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/minister-shane-jones-says-green-banshees-in-regional-council-are-stifling-growth/" aria-label="Read more about Minister Shane Jones says ‘green banshees’ in regional council are stifling growth">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand Despite dropping in the polls and failing to resonate with voters on a range of issues, Sir Bill English is confident Christopher Luxon is the right person to lead National to victory at next year’s election. Speaking to 30 with Guyon Espiner, the former Finance Minister said the government has done ... <a title="30 with Guyon Espiner: Sir Bill English believes Christopher Luxon will lead National to election victory" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/30-with-guyon-espiner-sir-bill-english-believes-christopher-luxon-will-lead-national-to-election-victory/" aria-label="Read more about 30 with Guyon Espiner: Sir Bill English believes Christopher Luxon will lead National to election victory">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand Regional councils such as ECan may not exist for much longer, under new government plans. File photo. RNZ / Nate McKinnon While opposition parties agree more needs to be done to make local government work better for everybody, they say the government’s proposals to scrap regional councils could remove a layer ... <a title="Local government reforms: Need for local voices stressed" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/local-government-reforms-need-for-local-voices-stressed/" aria-label="Read more about Local government reforms: Need for local voices stressed">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 26, 2025
Ma’an News Agency in Santiago Civil society forces in Chile are preparing to launch an international campaign to demand the expulsion of Israel from the United Nations. This is based on Article 6 of the United Nations Charter against the backdrop of what the campaign describes as “continuous and systematic violations” of international law and ... <a title="Chile plans to launch global campaign seeking to expel ‘pariah’ Israel from United Nations" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/26/chile-plans-to-launch-global-campaign-seeking-to-expel-pariah-israel-from-united-nations/" aria-label="Read more about Chile plans to launch global campaign seeking to expel ‘pariah’ Israel from United Nations">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 25, 2025
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist The United Nations climate conference in Brazil this month finished with an “extremely weak” outcome, according to one Pacific campaigner. Shiva Gounden, the head of Pacific at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the multilateral process is currently being attacked, which is making it hard to reach a meaningful consensus on ... <a title="COP30 ends with ‘extremely weak’ outcomes, says Pacific campaigner" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/25/cop30-ends-with-extremely-weak-outcomes-says-pacific-campaigner/" aria-label="Read more about COP30 ends with ‘extremely weak’ outcomes, says Pacific campaigner">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 25, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand Chris Bishop says Luxon is doing a “wonderful job” as Prime Minister. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Senior National MP and minister Chris Bishop has categorically denied plotting a leadership challenge, insisting that Christopher Luxon remains the best person to be prime minister. Speculation surrounding the prospect of a coup has intensified ... <a title="Chris Bishop says he’s not plotting to roll Christopher Luxon" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/25/chris-bishop-says-hes-not-plotting-to-roll-christopher-luxon/" aria-label="Read more about Chris Bishop says he’s not plotting to roll Christopher Luxon">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
November 25, 2025
Source: Radio New Zealand Wellington. Wellington City Council Wellington City Council could save tens of millions of dollars through cost-cutting, such as reducing staff, according to a new report. In August, the then-new council chief executive Matt Prosser commissioned independent analysis from Deloitte of the council’s processes, as well as finding opportunities to improve performance ... <a title="Deloitte report suggests Wellington City Council has 330 more staff than it should" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/25/deloitte-report-suggests-wellington-city-council-has-330-more-staff-than-it-should/" aria-label="Read more about Deloitte report suggests Wellington City Council has 330 more staff than it should">Read more</a>
