As people live longer and healthier, nurse training needs to respond to avoid ageist attitudes

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Heath, Senior Lecturer in Nursing , University of Waikato

Getty Images

Life expectancy in New Zealand has increased dramatically over the past five decades. In 1970, men lived on average to 68. Today, it’s over 80.

These gains reflect major advances in public health and medical technology. But living longer can mean more years with multiple chronic conditions and disabilities, because age is a significant risk factor for most disease.

This demographic shift will reshape healthcare. Future health professionals will need to be aware of the increasingly complex social, technological and ethical challenges of caring for older people.

Ageism, or discrimination based on a person’s age, should be considered as one of these challenges.

Age influences how health concerns are interpreted. In a recent World Health Organization report, nearly 60% of health professionals admitted to making age-based (or ageist) assumptions about their patients’ abilities or needs.

Genuine symptoms are dismissed as part of normal ageing, leading to flawed decisions. There is evidence that older people are also under-treated, raising the risk of disease progression.

Other consequences include missed diagnoses. Inequalities occur where there is limited access to services or inclusion criteria are set to exclude people over 65.

There is the potential for this kind of thinking to creep into health professional education. It shows up in stereotypes that appear in case studies for learning, or in the way programmes are structured and in the kinds of clinical placements that are used.

Why ageism matters in healthcare

Our national nursing programme review in the polytechnic sector looked at New Zealand student nurses’ experiences.

It shows case studies often favoured information about older people with dementia, falls or end of life care. They rarely reflected active ageing or older adults’ resilience and agency.

Health professionals may adopt ageist attitudes from the rest of society. Student nurses begin their training programmes having been subject to both societal and cultural narratives about the role and importance of older people.

Nurse education programmes often communicated underlying beliefs about the complexity of care. Placements in aged residential care were typically scheduled in the first year of nursing, implying the work was basic if new students could do it.

Almost all nursing students were allocated to an aged-care facility where the frailest 7% of older people live. This reinforces a narrative that older adults are a homogeneous population of dependent, vulnerable people.

It misses the opportunity to teach health promotion for people who are older but remain active and independent.

What students saw

Students’ reflections highlighted the realities of aged residential care and the impact of their perceptions. One participant said:

While on placement, I saw how conveyor belt life was for the residents. It broke my heart. Residents had lost their individual identities and all fun was gone. The nurses and healthcare assistant staff were all so busy and didn’t have much time to interact on personal levels with each resident.

Others noted systemic issues:

People [nurses and carers] in aged residential care do not get paid what they are worth. This severely needs to be changed. They work so hard to not get appreciated as much as they deserve. [They are] constantly understaffed making the workload insurmountable and overwhelming.

Some worried about career stigma:

Being a new graduate and working in aged care would make me unemployable in other areas of nursing.

These comments illustrate how education and system design shape the attitudes of the future nursing workforce towards ageing and aged care. They also highlight the crucial role clinical placements have in shaping future career choices.

Tackling ageism starts in education

The programme review and student comments demonstrate how ageism influences learning, from case studies portraying older people as less capable to placements that equate ageing with frailty and funding systems that appear to devalue older people.

Addressing these issues starts with obvious steps, such as more appropriate design of learning materials and using placements that reflect a spectrum of health needs in later life.

For students who have little experience of older people, fostering inter-generational connection and building empathy can be a powerful tool to reduce ageist stereotypes.

But there is one more area to which we should be alert: ageism is in fact an emerging social determinant of health in later life.

There is a high risk that ageism will compound existing health inequities as Māori, Pacific people and rainbow communities grow older

Preparing the future healthcare workforce means recognising the diverse realities of ageing in contemporary New Zealand. If we want healthcare to meet the needs of an ageing population, education must reflect this complexity.

Tackling ageism in healthcare professional education is a critical first step.

Samantha Heath received funding from MBIE Te Whitinga Fellowship to complete this research. She previously worked in the polytechnic sector. She acknowledges the contribution of co-researchers from across New Zealand during the course of the study.

– ref. As people live longer and healthier, nurse training needs to respond to avoid ageist attitudes – https://theconversation.com/as-people-live-longer-and-healthier-nurse-training-needs-to-respond-to-avoid-ageist-attitudes-269179

How fashion designer Paul McCann reimagines the Indigenous debutante ball

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design and Society, University of Technology Sydney

Michael Currie/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that the following article contains images and voices of deceased persons.

Marrithiyel artist and designer Paul McCann defines fashion as armour. Wearing his own creations allows him to feel protected while centring culture and claiming presence.

McCann describes himself as having “faboriginal flair,” a phrase that captures both the playful and cultural essence of his work.

His celebrated gumnut dress embodies this approach of translating cultural motifs into high fashion. Worn by Gamilaroi and Dunghutti drag queen Felicia Foxx at Australian Fashion Week 20221, the gown was a moment of spectacle and subversion on the runway.

It is through this same lens that McCann traces past, present, and imagined futures of the Indigenous debutante tradition in Warrnambool Art Gallery’s new exhibition The Regional.

The start of debutante balls

In 1780 England, King George III hosted a ball for his wife Queen Charlotte in honour of her birthday and as a fundraising event. Young women of the elite curtsied to the queen, who stood by a giant birthday cake.

As these annual balls continued, the young women were also presented to society to signal marriage eligibility and social season readiness.

These balls eventually formalised the tradition of debuts and spread to the colonies. Arriving in Australia, they were presided over by the Governor and later the Governor-General of Australia.

In the mid-20th century, Indigenous communities took on these traditions and updated them with cultural meanings. One such way was decorating the room and themselves with cultural designs such as boomerang bouquets.

These Indigenous debutante balls claimed presence, resilience and cultural practice. They were especially significant in regional areas, where racism was an everyday reality.

Against this backdrop, the first Indigenous debutante ball in Naarm/Melbourne in 1949 carried particular weight. Many of the young women presented to Sir George and Lady Knox had travelled from country districts.

In 1952, McCann’s own grandmother Elizabeth was presented to Bishop John Patrick O’Loughlin at St Mary’s Club in Garamilla/Darwin.

These early, often regional, events laid the groundwork for what would become an evolving and political occasion in the years to follow.

A political and empowering experience

From the mid-1960s, Indigenous debutante balls became more formal and structured. They also often served as community fundraisers, particularly for regional Indigenous communities.

The NSW Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs’ 1968 Warrane/Sydney debutante ball marked a turning point. The 1968 ball was highly political, shaped by both Indigenous and white activists and politicians, including Prime Minister John Gorton.

Held just seven weeks after the successful 1967 referendum, which acknowledged First Nations people as equal citizens, the ball was described by the media as “the symbolic coming out of all Aboriginal people”.

Some Indigenous community members saw this ball as empowering. Other members criticised it as promoting white ideals. Many young Indigenous people remembered it simply as a night to be together and celebrate.

For the debutantes, it was not just a social occasion, but a personal and a radical declaration of presence. Indigenous women have consistently experienced a disproportionate amount of violence and abuse, and the debutante balls partly functioned as acts of resistance.

The event also offered the debutantes a chance to celebrate their beauty as Indigenous women and feel like a “little black princess”.

Reimagining the balls

Today, debutante balls have evolved to reflect diverse experiences and communities.

Many contemporary Indigenous balls honour both young women and men equally. Gender-diverse and queer communities are carving out their own versions.

These reworkings show how various communities are reshaping debutante balls into spaces of identity, belonging and celebration.

McCann’s work weaves the lineage of debutante balls from their early origins, through mid-century Indigenous versions, to contemporary reinterpretations.

A deeply personal reference in the exhibition is McCann’s grandmother, Elizabeth, and the recreation of her 1950s debutante gown.

He discovered her debutante history through photographs and clippings. This connection leads the exhibition through both personal and collective Indigenous histories.

Alongside this reimagined piece, the exhibition showcases McCann’s signature Indigenous glamour in his existing gowns. These contemporary debutante dresses retain the colonial, white tradition yet are culturally updated with Indigenous designs.

His tailored men’s jackets extend this reinterpretation, highlighting the role of the male partners and celebrating diverse expressions of identity.

McCann’s exhibition weaves through time and space, envisioning both what Indigenous debutantes might have worn in the past and what they could wear in the years ahead.

Honouring the past, present and future

McCann’s work in The Regional opens up conversations about colonial and reimagined debutante scenes. It also reflects on family loss and honouring legacies.

Developed with architects Studio Bright, the exhibition space evokes a ballroom, immersing visitors in McCann’s cultural, historical and personal world.

Velvet curtains, dramatic lighting, mannequins, and Indigenous-painted plinths honours both historical and contemporary Indigenous debutante traditions.

This transformed ballroom space offers visitors a chance to feel the glamour and magic of being centre stage. To reimagine the debutante ball as a place of belonging, beauty, and cultural practice.

In doing so, McCann reminds us fashion operates as both a story and armour for many people and communities, notably the Indigenous debutantes such as his grandmother.

This is an edited extract from Treena Clark’s essay on Paul McCann’s exhibition in The Regional, commissioned by the Warrnambool Art Gallery. The Regional is on now.

Treena Clark has received funding through the University of Technology Sydney Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellowship scheme.

– ref. How fashion designer Paul McCann reimagines the Indigenous debutante ball – https://theconversation.com/how-fashion-designer-paul-mccann-reimagines-the-indigenous-debutante-ball-267979

What will the Uber decision mean for drivers’ tax bills?

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Jomon Perumayan Joseph was caught with a stun gun on the dashboard of his Uber vehicle. NZME

A Supreme Court decision to reject Uber’s appeal against an Employment Court decision that found four of its drivers were employees, not contractors, may raise tricky tax questions, one tax expert says.

Deloitte tax partner Robyn Walker said it would be interesting to see how Inland Revenue responded.

As contractors, Uber drivers had been handling their own tax bills, and could claim expenses such as the cost of fuel against their income.

They also might be registered for GST.

But as an employee rather than a contractor, their employer would be expected to handle all of those things.

“It begs the question as to whether the Supreme Court decision will be followed from a tax perspective. The Supreme Court decision applies for employment law purposes and it doesn’t always automatically follow that the tax answer will be the same, but it will have some influence.

“From a tax perspective it is not possible for employees to claim deductions for the costs associated with earning income. Similarly, employees are not able to be GST registered in respect of the services that they provide their employer.

“To the extent that Inland Revenue concludes the drivers are also employees for tax purposes it will be necessary to determine how to rectify tax positions previously taken and a sensible way forward. All parties involved ought to consider how the tax treatment of the drivers flows through to the amount they are paid, including how they are to be reimbursed for expenses like vehicle running costs.”

Anita Rosentreter, Workers First Union deputy secretary, said the judgement would have implications in future for drivers’ tax expenses and reporting procedures.

“As a union, we think it will become significantly easier, not harder for drivers, and they will get a much better deal overall.

“Uber drivers have to date been responsible for their own tax compliance. Where the contractor system allows expenses to be deducted from taxable income, an employment not only requires those costs to be borne by the employer, but also significantly boosts driver income as drivers enjoy the protection of a wage floor.

“Through the collective bargaining process, we hope to bring clarity to these kinds of issues with Uber as their employer, which will lighten the burden on drivers and demystify what can be an obscure and complicated process.”

She said higher base wages and protections such as a minimum wage, sick and annual leave would be more significant to drivers than the ability to claim expenses.

Inland Revenue said it had no comment to make at this stage.

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200kg of signatures: Huge petition to fix ‘broken’ health system presented to Parliament

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

A petition containing 90,000 signatures is presented to Parliament. RNZ / Giles Dexter

A petition calling for the government to urgently fix the health system – which organisers estimate is New Zealand’s longest petition ever – has been delivered to Parliament.

Unfurled across Parliament’s lawn, the petition stretched down the steps, and past the Cenotaph.

Patient Voice Aotearoa spokesperson Malcolm Mulholland estimated it was 276 metres long, stretching a few metres beyond the length of the Suffrage Petition.

Mulholland said it weighed somewhere between 150 and 200 kilograms, and said it “quite literally” felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“I can’t lift it myself, I need more help. But for me, the first part of the journey feels over.”

A petition containing 90,000 signatures – calling on the government to fix a broken health system – is presented to Parliament. RNZ / Giles Dexter

The 90,000 signatories were signing up to what Mulholland called the Buller Declaration – an assertion that the health system is in crisis, that Māori, rural, and low-income populations are disproportionately impacted, that the government must act urgently to address the crisis and meet its Treaty of Waitangi obligations to protect Māori health, and that it must allocated additional resources to train, recruit, and retain more nurses, doctors, and specialists.

“The call was made that our health system is broken, and because it is broken, people in Buller are missing out on the health care that they need, and in today’s age that is just unacceptable,” Mulholland said.

“It should be the priority of any government, regardless of colour, be they blue or red, that they look after the health of their people.”

Mulholland said his travels around the country had made him realise that what he at first thought was just a Buller problem was then a rural problem, then a Māori problem, then everyone’s problem.

A petition containing 90,000 signatures – calling on the government to fix a broken health system – is presented to Parliament. RNZ / Giles Dexter

The petition was also supported by groups such as the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, and the New Zealand College of Midwives.

It was accepted by MPs from the Greens, Labour, and ACT.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters watched from a distance, but the Health Minister was absent.

Simeon Brown said he had a Cabinet committee meeting and so could not attend the petition handover, but he accepted there were “significant” challenges in the health system.

“I accept that too many people are waiting too long to be able to get the care they need. I hear the concerns of New Zealanders every single day, I meet with staff on the front-line when I’m visiting hospitals on a regular basis, and I’m focused on making sure we address these issues,” he said.

“We’re investing record funding into our health system, we are hiring more doctors, more nurses, and we’re focused on reducing those wait-lists which is why we reintroduced those health targets.”

A petition containing 90,000 signatures – calling on the government to fix a broken health system – is presented to Parliament. RNZ / Giles Dexter

Mulholland was not disappointed with Brown’s absence, saying it was more important that “the people” were present.

For now, the petition will stay in Green MP Hūhana Lyndon’s office.

But Lyndon was keen to get the petition into Te Papa, to serve as a constant reminder to whoever is in power of the importance of the health system.

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Rare pink grasshopper discovered during annual Mackenzie Basin survey

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

An ordinary annual insect survey has uncovered an extraordinary grasshopper.

Department of Conservation ranger Jen Schori said she could not believe her eyes, as colleagues called her over to see a deep pink grasshopper near Lake Takapō.

Schori was taking part in the annual grasshopper survey in the Mackenzie Basin, when the discovery was made.

The pink female robust grasshopper (Sigaus robustus) was sunning itself on stones.

“I’ve been studying these amazing creatures for years,” Schori said. “They are usually grey or brown coloured, like river stones.

“I’d heard rumours about a pink one, but never seen one myself. It was so exciting.

“Pink grasshoppers are exceptionally rare. It’s likely caused by a genetic mutation called erythrism, which results in an over-production of red pigment and less of the usual natural pigment that the species has.”

DoC said the robust grasshopper was New Zealand’s largest lowland grasshopper, only found along the edges of braided rivers in the Mackenzie Basin, and nationally endangered.

“These grasshoppers are so unique,” Schori said. “They look almost prehistoric.

“They can jump fairly well, but are renowned for their clumsy landings. They’re also very vulnerable.

Pink grasshopper found during a Mackenzie Basin survey. Supplied/DOC

“The pink one will unfortunately stand out even more to predators, which is why this sighting is so special.”

In 2018, a predator fence was built around a small area of grasshopper habitat in the Mackenzie Basin, but Schori said this pink grasshopper was outside the fence and would have had to fend for herself.

“They do live up to their name,” she said. “They’re quite robust and the females are double the size of the males.

“Maybe she will breed and we will see some more pink ones.

“She has certainly become a bit of a celebrity in our office, and we joke about the paparazzi coming and taking loads of photos. I’m just so happy I got to see one after all these years.”

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Slavery trial: Defendant’s diary of beatings read to jury

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Moeaia Tuai’ is on trial in the High Court at Auckland. Gill Bonnett

A carpenter says he never saw an alleged slavery victim work at three lodges or a campground.

Suli Tuilolo has been giving evidence at Moeaia Tuai’s trial at the High Court at Auckland.

Tuai, 63, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of dealing in slaves. He also denies two rapes, assaults, eight charges of indecent assault, and six of sexual violation by unlawful connection.

Tuilolo, a lodge employee, said the complainant would only visit the lodges to play volleyball, denying he worked 50-60 hours a week in jobs that included cleaning up, repairs and gardening.

Under cross-examination, he was shown a photograph of himself and a young male complainant wearing hi-vis vests.

He denied the man worked there, but may have worn the fluorescent vest to keep warm when he visited, suggesting he played there.

“Are you suggesting that in this photograph [he] is about to go and play volleyball?” asked prosecutor Chris Howard.

“As I said previously, I’m a carpenter, I did my job,” said Tuilolo. “And I always say, he does come around and look around sometimes.”

The only time he would see the complainant was playing volleyball or seeing a young woman he liked, said Tuilolo.

Previously another witness gave evidence, saying she had never seen Tuai hit the female victim, and denying the family turned a blind eye to what Tuai was doing.

‘Blowing the whistle’

In the closing prosecution address Howard said Tuai had been controlling the two young people and their finances, holding them in modern slavery, and beating and raping the female complainant.

Neither was allowed to speak to anyone they did not know, nor to each other in case they told people about the way they were being treated, said Howard.

Tuai’s own diaries have been read to the jury, in which he sets out when beatings happened, working hours and wages, he added.

One complainant had to get a new passport to run away, the court heard, and Tuai made the other one take out a $7000 loan.

She said that after sexually assaulting her, Tuai threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

When the young woman ran away, Tuai called police claiming she had been raped by a different man and and told Internal Affairs she should be deported or lose her citizenship.

It was not a hollow threat as he might also have hoped to stop her ‘blowing the whistle’, said Howard. “The moment she stops being a money-producing asset, he wants her gone.”

The trial continues.

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Murdered Dunedin man planned to install security cameras before death

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dunedin High Court. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Slain Dunedin man Gurjit Singh planned to install security cameras, after discovering his garage door was open weeks before his death, a friend says.

Singh was found dead on the lawn of his home in January last year, stabbed more than 40 times.

A 35-year-old man, known only as Rajinder, is on trial at the High Court for murder.

Rajinder’s defence lawyer insists he had no reason to kill his former employee and there was no animosity between the men.

Friend Jagmeet Buttar told the court Singh was not worried about security, but kept his doors locked, perhaps because he lived alone.

He bought security cameras days after finding his garage door open and had asked Buttar if he had come over to borrow some tools.

When Buttar told him he had not paid a visit, Singh said he planned to install front and backdoor cameras.

“He was not worried about security, he just wanted to just make sure if somebody come here, he can see who’s coming,” he said.

Buttar said Singh was happy, when he called in to pick up a car he had borrowed the night before he was found dead.

Singh told Buttar he was planning a three-day trip to pick up his wife, who was expected to arrive in Christchurch from India.

Buttar left before Singh got ready to go to a pizza party with friends in Helensburgh.

Buttar told the court he was working in Mosgiel the following morning, when he received a call to say that Singh was dead. He drove straight to his house, where he was stopped by police and gave a statement at the station.

Singh and Rajinder had previously worked together at Downer, which had a contract with Chorus to install fibre.

Buttar said Singh did not talk a lot about his work with Rajinder, although he mentioned that he might buy Rajinder’s car and some tools for $20-40,000.

At one stage, Singh told him Rajinder owed him money from their work together in about 2020.

Another friend and former flatmate Sunil Umat described Singh as a person who loved to crack jokes and was always laughing.

They were close friends and he was invited to Singh’s wedding in India.

They would go to the gym together, hang out, and go to BBQs every now and again, Umat said.

When asked if he knew if Singh had any problems with Rajinder, Umat told defence lawyer Anne Stevens KC that he had never brought anything up.

The trial is scheduled for three weeks.

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Parents confused by what to do with potentially contaminated play sand in their homes

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kmart has withdrawn all its sand-based products. (File photo) Supplied / MBIE

A parent fielding concerns from others after testing found asbestos in a range of coloured play sand says they feel like nobody is giving them clear advice on what to do with sand in their homes.

Several schools and early learning services are closed after asbestos was found in rainbow sand from Educational Colours and coloured sand from Creatistics.

The products were recalled because Tremolite (a naturally occurring asbestos in quartz) had been found in samples during lab testing.

The recall expanded to four Kmart products over the weekend.

Kmart’s advice was to stop using the sand immediately and to wear gloves and a mask while getting rid of it according to local rules.

A Kmart spokesperson said trace amounts of asbestos were found in an Anko-brand 14-piece sand castle building set. It also recalled three other magic sand products in blue, green and pink.

A mother, Janelle Hill, told Midday Report, it felt like the buck was being passed.

She said parents were confused about how much cleaning, testing or decontamination was needed.

“You’re asked to contact your local council, WorkSafe… what does this mean when it has been played with in your whare?

“The knowledge around it is so low… what is the risk and how are we getting rid of it? What happens if it was in your house five years ago and you threw it out four years ago?”

Hill said she wanted more guidance for parents that have had the sand in their homes. She wanted to know how things should be cleaned and what should be done with your vacuum if you had vacuumed it up.

Health NZ advice

On its website, Health NZ said people did not need to take any immediate steps to manager their health if they had been exposed to the products.

“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children may cause worry for parents and caregivers. We are working rapidly with other agencies to assess the health risk posed by these products and will share more information when it is available.

“At this stage we do not have enough information to quantify the risk to people’s health, but we advise people to take a precautionary approach and stop using the products.”

Health NZ said anyone using the products in their home should stop immediately and if it was still in its original container place it into a thick plastic bag sealed securely with tape.

“Place that bag or container into a second thick plastic bag, seal it securely with tape, and label it clearly as asbestos-contaminated material.”

It needed to be taken to a landfill rather than going in a normal bin, it said, and parents should contact their local council for advice on where to go.

If the sand was not in its original container, PPE should be worn while cleaning it up. It should be put in a sealed container or thick plastic bag. All surfaces surrounding where it was should be wiped down with a damp cloth.

Full information was available here.

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What do AFL recruiters actually look for in potential draftees?

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Larkin, Senior Researcher in Youth Athlete Development, Victoria University

With the Australian Football League (AFL) season and trade period over, attention turns to the AFL draft.

The annual draft is the moment when many young hopefuls’ dreams become reality: they are selected by one of the league’s 18 clubs.

In the AFL, as with many other sports, the first draft pick is allocated to the team that finishes last, with the second-worst team gaining the second pick, and so on. These picks may be traded between teams after being allocated.

Every year debates spark about who should be picked first, who will slide down the order and who could be the steal of the night.

But how do AFL recruiters actually decide which player’s name to call out on the night?

A key event before the draft

Ahead of the draft, prospects are put through their paces at the annual AFL draft combine: a three-day event where potential draftees complete physical tests such as sprints, vertical jumps and endurance runs, as well as psychological assessments and skill-based drills in front of club scouts.

Each year, potential AFL draftees are tested at the AFL draft combine.

But the identification of future AFL talent starts long before the combine, often years earlier, and involves a highly detailed process that goes far beyond athletic testing.

By the time a player’s name is read out on draft night, clubs have already completed years of background work to assess not just the athlete’s physical abilities but also their skills, mindset and character.

Recruiters’ secrets

In two studies in this area, I asked national recruitment mangers of AFL clubs about their approach with monitoring and assessing potential talent.

They told me the scouting process begins as early as the under-16 national championships.

One recruiter said:

The under-16 national championships is the first main competition where you just see the best (players compete against each other). It is our first real look at a lot of the talent.

Following this, players return to state-based youth competitions and recruiters develop a talent board: a list of standout players identified at the championships.

The recruiters continue to track the potential draftees closely through the next two to three years.

Over time, recruiters apply increasing levels of scrutiny.

The process becomes a form of data gathering, combining on-field performance with off-field assessments. One recruiter said:

We have a database of player strengths and weaknesses, then start to crunch the list and identify players. We then interview players, (conduct) home interviews, psychological profiles, medicals, (and assess their) character and background.

This profile building and refining occurs throughout the players’ development, with recruiters increasingly focusing on in-game performance as they build their athlete profile:

As the year goes on, you just assess their talents and their performances … in different grades and national championships. Their testing data, their GPS metrics and their statistics. You pull all that information together, and then come up with a bit of a list of who you liked – (in terms of players ranked) one to 50, just in pure rankings, and then also by position.

These examples demonstrate how the recruiters develop an initial list of players and refine this list as they monitor their development.

Delving deeper

Beyond in-game performance and athletic ability, recruiters also place great importance on player interviews and reference checks to understand who the athlete is as a person.

One recruiter told me:

Interviews probably take up 50% of our time. We would do between 80-100 home interviews over the course of a year and interview some players up to six or seven times.

Generally, these interviews are conducted in the players’ homes, with the athlete and their immediate family. But recruiters also speak to a wide range of people who know the player well, from coaches and teachers to teammates and even employers:

We’d be talking to his coach, his teachers, talent manager, and employer. We get generally on average, 10-12 references per player. Might be a previous teammate and junior coaches. Right through various different school teachers.

The goal is to build a complete picture of the person, not just the player, as one recruiter explained:

If they’re at the footy club and they’re a good player, the coaches are going to talk highly of them just because they’re a good player. But the team manager will see some things that the coach mightn’t see. Like, he might see that he doesn’t treat his teammates well. Or when no one’s around, he’s picking up and tidying up the changerooms.

Through these conversations, recruiters gain insight into a player’s character, work ethic and attitude – factors that often prove just as, or if not more, important as their physical abilities.

Years of work goes into each pick

Each draft pick represents years of careful monitoring, evaluation and discussion from under-16s through to their final interview.

Becoming an AFL player is not simply about physical performance – it’s about holistic development, the combination of talent, consistency and character that gives clubs confidence to call a player’s name on draft night.

Paul Larkin 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. What do AFL recruiters actually look for in potential draftees? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-afl-recruiters-actually-look-for-in-potential-draftees-267526

Years in the making, the first complete monthly inflation report is almost here

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra

A new “complete” monthly consumer price index (CPI) will be released next week, and will become Australia’s primary measure of inflation.

This new release will finally bring Australia into line with the other advanced economies in the Group of 20, which all publish inflation data every month. It will make it easier to compare inflation trends with other nations.

For the Reserve Bank of Australia, headline inflation from the complete monthly CPI will become the new target for monetary policy.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has been publishing a monthly CPI “indicator” since 2022. But it only had a partial coverage.

The inflation report measures price changes in a fixed “basket” of goods and services each month.

In an updated explanation of the new data published on Tuesday, the bureau said prices of 87% of the CPI basket of goods and services will be updated each month. That’s up from 50% previously.

A quarterly series (an average of the three months) will continue to be published.

What does the new monthly measure mean for our understanding of inflation?

The monthly series will be more volatile

A monthly consumer price index can swing a lot reflecting temporary fluctuations in the volatile prices of goods such as petrol, fruit and vegetables. These get smoothed out somewhat – but not totally removed – in a quarterly index.

The inflation rate based on the new monthly series will therefore be more volatile than that based on the quarterly. We will need to build up some history before we know just how much more volatile. But the experience with the partial monthly measure (and experience in other countries) provides a guide.

The Reserve Bank has commented it “will take time to learn about the properties of the monthly CPI data”.

The Reserve Bank will “initially continue to focus on measures of underlying inflation from the quarterly CPI”. It will forecast the quarterly rather than the monthly CPI.

The monthly index will sometimes give earlier warning of a changing trend in inflation. For example, in mid-2025 the jump from 1.9% in June to 3.0% in August was a warning that inflation was no longer falling.

But it can also give misleading signals. In late 2022, the monthly index showed inflation jumping from 7.4% to 8.4%. But the quarterly index revealed inflation had peaked at 7.8% in the December quarter.

In mid-2023, the monthly index showed inflation picking up from 4.9% in July to 5.6% in September; yet the quarterly index showed inflation was continuing to decline.

In mid-2025 the monthly index showed inflation was down to 1.9%, below the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target band, leading some commentators to expect a run of further interest rate cuts. But we now know (underlying) inflation has been staying stubbornly near the top of the Reserve Bank’s band.

The Melbourne Institute has produced a monthly Australian inflation gauge since 2002. But it isn’t much quoted, perhaps because of the volatility.

Too much information?

Encouraging the media and the public to pay more attention to the monthly index might create the impression there’s more inflation than there is.

Behavioural economics says people are “loss averse”. They pay more attention to bad news (high inflation) than good news (low inflation). The monthly figures mean the media will be reporting inflation news 12 times a year, rather than four.

Media reporting each month might amplify things. When the monthly number is low, this may get less attention. Some commentators might even succumb to the temptation to “annualise” a month’s movement, multiplying by 12. This can present a misleading, or alarming, picture.

Over the longer term, the more volatile annual inflation rate based on the monthly data may be within the 2-3% target band less often than the rate calculated from the quarterly data.

The Reserve Bank’s task of restraining inflationary expectations may therefore become harder with the focus shifting to the new monthly measure.

John Hawkins was formerly a senior economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia.

– ref. Years in the making, the first complete monthly inflation report is almost here – https://theconversation.com/years-in-the-making-the-first-complete-monthly-inflation-report-is-almost-here-269707

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for November 18, 2025

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on November 18, 2025.

When we see someone being touched, our brains automatically simulate how it feels
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Smit, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Cognitive Neuroscience‬, University of Sydney Sebastian Dumitru / Unsplash Touch is fundamental to how we perceive our own bodies and connect with others. A gentle brush stroke on our body can feel soothing, while a pinch or cut can be painful.

How does the hair-loss drug finasteride work? Can it affect my mental health?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University agrobacter/Getty For many men the gradual thinning of hair is about more than just their appearance. Finasteride, a drug widely prescribed for the treatment of male pattern baldness has been used effectively for many years for this deeply

Marilyn Garson: How shall we speak now since the Gaza ‘ceasefire’?
COMMENTARY: By Marilyn Garson How shall we speak and act now? For six years, Alternative Jewish Voices has spoken in an aspirational voice. This is intentional. Research shows, the voice that mobilises new political engagement is a voice of moral clarity which invites others to join the work of making a better world. We ground

Samoa Observer: The PM’s wish and our promise
EDITORIAL: By the Samoa Observer They say the march toward authoritarian rule begins with one simple act: taking control of the narrative and silencing the independent press. Yesterday, Samoa witnessed a step in that direction. Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, elected by the people to serve them, has already moved to weaken one of democracy’s

New study finds 2 in 5 Australians experience traumatic events as children
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucinda Grummitt, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney Tanya Gorelova/Pexels Some 42% of Australians experience a traumatic event before turning 18 – and it affects their health decades later. Our study, released today, analysed data from

Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access
By Renate Rivers of PMN News Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt has banned the country’s only daily newspaper, the Samoa Observer, from all ministerial press conferences. The move has raised serious concerns among industry stakeholders about media freedom as he faces growing political and legal pressure. La’aulialemalietoa announced the ban on Monday at

Australian businesses have actually been slow to adopt AI, survey finds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stan Karanasios, Professor in Information Systems, The University of Queensland Burst/Unsplash Over the past few years, we have repeatedly been told artificial intelligence (AI) is coming for our jobs. In May last year, the International Monetary Fund warned the technology was hitting labour markets like a “tsunami”.

Vince Gilligan’s sci-fi series Plur1bus taps into our greatest fears about AI
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elliott Logan, Lecturer in Film, Screen, and Culture, Monash University Apple TV Viewers of Apple TV’s new science fiction series, Plur1bus, have been quick to point out eerie similarities with modern concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) – even if that’s not what it’s maker intended. Writer and

Strangers in their own land: how a new citizenship category could avoid a trap for Indigenous children born overseas
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah-Kay Coulter, Lecturer in Indigenous Studies, The University of Melbourne John Bryers Ruddock was born in Australia but is a New Zealand citizen by descent through his Māori mother. However, his children are not citizens under the current law because they were born in the United States.

Australians are markedly more worried about the US, still wary about China: new poll
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elena Collinson, Senior Project and Research Officer, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney Australians remain supportive of the US alliance, but they are viewing it much more critically than before. And many are more concerned about American behaviour under the Trump administration, while softening their views

This widely used chart makes the clean energy switch seem much harder than it actually is
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asma Aziz, Senior Lecturer in Power Engineering, Edith Cowan University Unsplash/The Conversation, CC BY-SA If you follow news about climate change, you’ve probably seen the term “primary energy”. This phrase refers to the raw energy in fuels and natural resources – the energy content of oil in

View from The Hill: The Liberals may fell Sussan Ley but she won’t make it easy for Taylor and Hastie
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In 2015, soon after he had rolled Tony Abbott to become prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull was heckled when, with a straight face, he told New South Wales Liberals, “We are not run by factions”. Once, there had been a contrast,

A cancer specialist explains why parents should not be too worried about coloured sand recalls
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Linton, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Sydney Schools have been shut in the Australian Capital Territory after children’s play sand was recalled due to asbestos fears. Almost all Canberra primary schools were closed on Monday, with Education Minister Yvette Berry conceding it could take

Amyl and the Sniffers’ generosity shows what’s missing for Australia’s live music venues
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow in Music Industries and Cultural Economy, RMIT University When the Amyl and the Sniffers’ free show at Federation Square was cancelled on Friday night due to safety concerns, the band worked quickly to turn this disappointment around. Using their performance fee,

Civic squares as contested spaces: what history and urban planning can tell us about Fed Square
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Iampolski, PhD Candidate, Centre for Urban Research RMIT, RMIT University kevin laminto/Unsplash On Friday, thousands packed into Melbourne’s Federation Square for a free Amyl and the Sniffers show. Within minutes, fences buckled, the perimeter was breached, and the gig was cancelled over crowd crush fears. It

Finally, Indigenous peoples have an influential voice at COP30. They’re speaking loud and clear.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danilo Urzedo, Research fellow, The University of Western Australia Indigenous peoples are on the vanguard of climate action. Longstanding relationships with land means they endure the direct consequences of climate change. And their unique knowledge offers effective solutions to climate problems. But despite this, international climate policies

An AI lab says Chinese-backed bots are running cyber espionage attacks. Experts have questions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne Lone Thomasky & Bits&Bäume / Better Images of AI, CC BY Over the past weekend, the US AI lab Anthropic published a report about its discovery of the “first reported AI-orchestrated cyber

Trump’s Gaza peace plan faces a pivotal UN Security Council vote. Can it get across the line?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Burgis-Kasthala, Professor of International Law, La Trobe University The UN Security Council is set to vote on a US-proposed draft resolution in New York on Monday that sets the groundwork for the next stage of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza to be put

Why Pope Leo is making a plea to save our cinemas
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruari Elkington, Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries & Chief Investigator at QUT Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC), Queensland University of Technology To the best of my knowledge, Pope Leo XIV has never visited the town of Yass in New South Wales. Yet efforts by the Yass community

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for November 17, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on November 17, 2025.

PM backs minister’s ‘pragmatic’ call to spend Kāinga Ora money on local bridge

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Chris Bishop. Supplied

Senior minister Chris Bishop is rejecting criticism over a funding decision shifting Kāinga Ora money to a walking and cycling bridge in his electorate that he campaigned on, which the government cancelled.

Bishop – the minister for housing and transport, and Hutt South MP – agreed in March this year to Lower Hutt City Council’s request to reallocate funds earmarked for stormwater upgrades for the CityLink Bridge, a project he campaigned on.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins criticised the move, saying it did not pass the “sniff test” and was a “questionable and unaccountable” shifting of money.

The bridge between Melling Railway Station and Lower Hutt city centre was part of the wider RiverLink project.

The money was part of Kāinga Ora’s Infrastructure Acceleration Funding agreement with Lower Hutt City Council, designed to support housing developments by upgrading water infrastructure in the city.

Bishop said shifting the funds was a “pragmatic decision” driven by Lower Hutt City Council.

He said the council had come to him having identified an “underspend” with the infrastructure money and asked to transfer that to the CityLink Bridge.

“It’s actually pretty straightforward – the council asked for it, we agreed.”

He said the government had agreed to a similar request Hamilton City Council made last year, asking if money allocated for a cycleway could be put into water infrastructure instead.

Asked whether he should have recused himself from the Lower Hutt decision, Bishop said it was not unusual to make decisions impacting multiple portfolios and electorates.

“I don’t think there’s a conflict there.”

But Hipkins slammed the move as a “very questionable process”.

“It certainly doesn’t pass the sniff test in terms of having one minister, moving money from one portfolio that he’s responsible for, to another portfolio that he’s responsible for, for a project which he campaigned on in his own electorate, which his government cancelled.”

He said the government should not be re-allocating money away from stormwater upgrades to “prop up” a project it cancelled.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he backed Bishop’s decision as “pragmatic”.

“Also he took advice from the Cabinet Office and acted accordingly on that advice.”

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

Wellington Hospital to get new ‘hybrid’ operating theatre

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Hospital. RNZ / REECE BAKER

Wellington Hospital will have a new $16 million operating theatre by early 2028.

Health Minister Simeon Brown said Health New Zealand had approved the funding for what’s known as a hybrid theatre.

It allows for both traditional surgery and the use of imaging technology – meaning teams can complete complex procedures in one place, without having to move patients between theatres and imaging suites.

Brown said moving patients can create delays and extend recovery times.

“The new $16.25 million hybrid theatre directly addresses those challenges, delivering the highest standard of care in a single, seamless environment,” he said.

“It will replace the current model where a single patient may need to be seen by two different teams in separate rooms.

“By consolidating care in one space, Wellington Regional Hospital will be able to increase its surgical output, allowing more patients to receive timely, quality treatment.”

The theatre will be built on the hospital’s third floor, replacing a non-clinical space. It will have direct access to the emergency department, intensive care unit and post-anaesthesia care unit.

The build will begin mid-to-late 2026, and the theatre will be operating between late 2027 and early 2028.

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

Search for missing boatie scaled back

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Family members raised the alarm on Friday night when the pair failed to return to Pataua South, near Whangārei. NZ Coastguard

Police are scaling back the search for a man missing off the Northland coast four days after a fishing trip came to a tragic end.

Northland police search and rescue leader Paul Overton said Auckland Coastguard Air Patrol joined the aerial search on Tuesday morning.

Police, including the national dive squad, and the navy searched a large area of sea and shoreline on Monday in the hope of finding the man’s body.

Daily shoreline searches would continue in the hope that changing currents and water pressure would help to return the missing man.

“We have extensively searched a vast area since we were first alerted on Friday night, in the hope of bringing the missing man home to his family,” Overton said.

“Our search has by no means stopped, but on Tuesday we’ll scale back and consider what other options are available to us.”

The missing boat, a six-metre runabout, was found empty and adrift near Bream Bay’s Hen and Chicken Islands on Saturday. One body was found at Pātaua North later that same day.

Family members raised the alarm on Friday evening when the pair failed to return to Pātaua South, east of Whangārei.

Overton said agencies and volunteers involved in the search included the Police Eagle helicopter, Land Search and Rescue, Coastguard Tūtūkākā and Coastguard Whangārei.

Police appreciated the many offers of help and supportive messages they had received from the public and those wishing to help, he said.

“It’s been a really challenging time for everyone involved and we are grateful to each and every person who has assisted us during the past few days.”

He urged anyone who saw anything unusual in the water in the area where the fishermen went missing to call police on 111.

A rāhui, or customary ban on swimming, fishing and seafood gathering, has been placed on the coast from Tutukākā to south of Waipu Cove, including Whangārei Harbour and the Hen and Chicken Islands.

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

Prosecution downgrades charges against soldier accused of strangling former partner

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

The man was facing a court martial hearing on two counts of strangulation but the prosecution has amended the charges to male assaults female. RNZ / Jonathan Mitchell

The prosecution has downgraded charges against a soldier accused of strangling his former partner.

The Army corporal, who has interim name suppression, was initially facing a court martial hearing at Burnham Military Camp on two counts of strangulation.

Judge Tini Clark told the military panel on Tuesday morning that the prosecution had amended the charges to male assaults female due to a discrepancy around the date of the accusations.

During cross-examination on Monday by defence lawyer Andrew McCormick, the complainant conceded she was unsure whether the events happened in 2018 or 2019.

A specific charge of strangulation was introduced into law at the end of 2018.

It carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ jail, compared to only two for male assaults female.

On Tuesday morning, the court heard the soldier chose not to comment when approached by the Defence Force Serious Investigations Branch.

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

When we see someone being touched, our brains automatically simulate how it feels

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Smit, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Cognitive Neuroscience‬, University of Sydney

Touch is fundamental to how we perceive our own bodies and connect with others. A gentle brush stroke on our body can feel soothing, while a pinch or cut can be painful. We often think of touch as something we feel through our skin, but our eyes also play an important role in shaping what we experience.

One famous example is the rubber hand illusion. When people see a rubber hand being stroked while their own hidden hand is touched in the same way, they can start to feel as if the rubber hand is part of their body. This illusion shows how what we see can change what we feel.

But how does the brain actually do this? In our latest study, we measured brain activity to see how quickly the brain interprets what the eyes see when someone is touched.

We wanted to know how and when the brain works out whether the touch is pleasant or painful, threatening or safe, or whether it’s happening to our own body or someone else’s.

What happens in the brain when we see someone touched

We used electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain activity from the scalp with millisecond precision while participants watched hundreds of short videos showing different types of touch to a hand. These included soft strokes with a brush, presses with a finger, or sharp contact with a knife.

We then used machine learning to see whether patterns of activity in viewers’ brains could reveal what kind of touch they were seeing.

Within just 60 milliseconds of seeing a touch, the brain distinguished who and what was being touched. For example, it could tell whether the scene showed a hand from a first-person perspective (likely one’s own) or a third-person perspective (likely another’s), and whether it was a left or right hand.

By around 110 milliseconds, sensory information was being processed, such as how the touch might feel on the skin – soft and tingly from a brush stroke or sharp and painful from the tip of a knife.

A little later, around 260 milliseconds, the brain began to register emotional dimensions, such as whether the touch looked soothing, painful, or threatening. These findings show that, in just a fraction of a second, our brain transforms a simple image of touch into a rich sense of who is involved, what it might feel like, and whether it’s comforting or painful.

Why this matters for empathy and social connection

Our findings show that when we see someone being touched, our brains quickly interpret what that touch might feel like. This fits with the idea that the brain briefly “mirrors” what it sees in others, simulating their experience as if it were our own. This rapid, embodied response may form the basis of empathy, a process that helps us to recognise danger and connect socially.

Some people actually feel sensations such as tingling, pressure or pain when they watch others being touched – a phenomenon known as “vicarious touch”. Understanding how the brain instantly decodes observed touch may help explain why seeing an image of injury or pain can make some people physically cringe while others remain unaffected.

Our next step is to explore how these rapid brain responses differ between people who experience vicarious touch and those who do not, which could help explain individual differences in empathy.

In the long run, understanding how the brain sees and interprets touch could help explain problems with empathy, improve therapies that use touch or body awareness, and enhance immersion and social connection in digital environments such as virtual reality.

It reminds us that even seeing touch can help us feel closer to others.

Tijl Grootswagers receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Sophie Smit 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. When we see someone being touched, our brains automatically simulate how it feels – https://theconversation.com/when-we-see-someone-being-touched-our-brains-automatically-simulate-how-it-feels-268892

How does the hair-loss drug finasteride work? Can it affect my mental health?

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University

For many men the gradual thinning of hair is about more than just their appearance. Finasteride, a drug widely prescribed for the treatment of male pattern baldness has been used effectively for many years for this deeply personal problem.

Yet, behind its use are growing concerns about its link to the development of depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts.

There is now critical discussion among both users and health-care professionals about the potential hazards associated with its continued use.

So how does the drug work? And what does the evidence say about the risk of developing a mental health problem?

How does finasteride work?

Finasteride is used to treat androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness. It works to regrow hair and prevent the further loss of hair.

One of the key causes of pattern baldness is the production of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone which the body makes from testosterone. When it binds to the follicles of hairs, it initiates a process called hair follicle miniaturisation. This is where the growth cycle of the hair becomes progressively shorter, resulting in thinner and weaker hair.

Finasteride works by blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. By blocking the enzyme, dihydrotestosterone concentrations can be reduced by around 60–70% for the majority of men.

Finasteride was first approved in the late 1990s as a prescription-only medicine and is taken as a daily 1 milligram oral tablet. Medications available at a higher 5 mg daily dose are not used for baldness, but as a treatment for non-cancerous prostate enlargement.

This medication is not indicated for women, even though they can also have this type of hair loss.

How can it impact your mental health?

Changes in mental health are not listed as an established side effect in Australian guidance given to health-care professionals.

Based on clinical trials, the most common effects include:

decreased libido
erectile dysfunction
reduced semen production.

The guidance also describes an increased risk of prostate cancer and a potential risk for breast cancer. Yes, men can get breast cancer too.

While initial clinical trials conducted to obtain approval for the drug didn’t demonstrate mental health concerns, monitoring of patients using the drug has since indicated a potential increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. But as this is based on patients self-reporting symptoms, according to the guidance there is no definitive link.

However, in May 2025, the European Medicines Agency safety committee stated suicidal thoughts was a confirmed side effect of finasteride. The European Union also advises patients that finasteride can cause a depressed mood and depression.

Similarly, in a warning about compounded finasteride, the United States Food and Drug Administration stated in April 2025 that topical formulations of the drug has similar side effects to the oral version. These include depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

What should you do if it is affecting your mental health?

If you notice changes in your mental health while taking the drug, try not to handle significant mood changes by yourself. If you’re feeling unusually low, anxious or emotionally unstable, check in with a doctor so they can help you figure out whether finasteride is contributing to your mood and what support you may need.

If the symptoms are mild, they may suggest pausing finasteride to see whether things improve, or continuing with additional mental health support. If your symptoms are more severe, stopping the medication and getting prompt medical review may be appropriate.

If you are taking finasteride and are worried about its side effects, it is safe to stop immediately. Most side effects ease once the medication is out of your system, although a small number of people have reported symptoms that persist.

If you do decide to stop, this will mean that your hormone levels will gradually return to baseline and the hair growth seen with the drug will be lost over time.

If finasteride is not the right fit for you, there is another evidence-based alternative.

Topical minoxidil is a first-line treatment that can be used on its own or with other treatments and is available from pharmacies over the counter. It only works while it’s being used and may irritate the scalp, but its effectiveness is well-established and widely recommended.

While depression and anxiety are associated with minoxidil, the incidence is much lower because of their topical application.

There is also a medication called dutasteride. However, as it works in a similar way to finasteride, it may also increase your risk of developing mental health problems. So it is best to avoid dutasteride if finasteride is not suitable for you.

If this story has raised any issues for you, please contact one of the services below:

Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service (ages 15+): 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. He is a member of the Haleon Australia Pty Ltd Pain Advisory Board. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design and testing.

Jasmine Lee 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. How does the hair-loss drug finasteride work? Can it affect my mental health? – https://theconversation.com/how-does-the-hair-loss-drug-finasteride-work-can-it-affect-my-mental-health-269902

Decision on Liam Lawson’s F1 future delayed even further

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand F1 driver IAN BUNDEY / MPS AGENCY © / PHOTOSPORT

Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane says it is likely a decision on their 2026 driver line-up won’t be made until this season ends.

In September, Red Bull indicated that a decision on the line-up for both teams for next season would be made after the Mexico Grand Prix (26 October).

They then announced that the decision would be delayed.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen is the only driver in the Red Bull stable contracted through until 2028, however the other three seats (in Red Bull and Racing Bulls) are unconfirmed for 2026.

Commentators have said that Frenchman Isack Hadjar is likely to be promoted to Red Bull, while current Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda, New Zealand’s Liam Lawson, and Red Bulls F2 driver Arvid Lindblad are the contenders for the two Racing Bulls seats.

It had also been suggested that the delay might be because of the new regulations coming in next year. The team has to decide which drivers would be best suited to adapt quickly to the new cars. But Permane told Motorsport.com that was not the issue.

“We are in a very tight battle ourselves [for sixth], but also, Red Bull are in a very tight battle in their constructors’ championship [battle for second],” Permane said.

“We just want to have some stability, and that may well go on right until the end of the season. So you may not find out until Monday morning after Abu Dhabi (the final round).

“I don’t know exactly when it’ll be, but that’s the reason. It’s nothing to do with next year’s rules.”

Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls, 2025. ALESSIO MORGESE / AFP

The regulation changes for 2026 may count against Lindblad, who is currently seventh in the 2025 F2 standings.

Lawson and Hadjar have so far scored 82 points for Racing Bulls in 2025, with the team sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Continuity as teams go through extensive simulation work in the off season is likely to be key.

“You always want the experienced driver. We see with James [Vowles at Williams] and his two super-experienced drivers, they hit the ground running pretty much every weekend,” Permane told Motorsport.com.

“And that’s not to take anything away from our guys, but experience always counts. Nothing beats pace, obviously. So you have to have that pace there. It will undoubtedly help for next year.

“On the other hand, you could look at it and say, well, everyone’s starting from a clean sheet of paper.”

Formula 1 heads to Las Vegas this week. The last two rounds are in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Lawson is 14th in the driver standings, seven points behind Hadjar and eight points ahead of Tsunoda.

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Top writers ruled out of NZ book awards due to AI covers

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Two books by distinguished authors have been ruled out of New Zealand’s premier literary prize because their covers were generated with artificial intelligence.

Elizabeth Smither’s Angel Train and Stephanie Johnson’s Obligate Carnivore, both of whom received one of the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, were removed from contention for the $65,000 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction in the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards

The New Zealand Book Awards Trust – which run the awards – said a bookseller suspected AI use and alerted organisers, upon which Christchurch-based publisher Quentin Wilson confirmed it.

Stephanie Johnson and Elizabeth Smither.

Supplied / Liz March

.

Johnson told Morning Report writers often had little to do with the creation of covers. But she had suggested a “wicked-looking cat with fake teeth” for her novel.

She said she understood why the Trust wanted to draw a line in the sand as the industry grapples with the alarming rise of AI, but she argued the literary work should outweigh concerns about a fictional book’s cover.

This year is the first time AI regulations have been applied to the awards. The criteria spelled out in the entries pack state that books are judged as a whole — including jacket design — and that works containing AI-generated illustrations or AI-authored content are not eligible.

However, publisher Quentin Wilson said the covers would have been created many months before the entry guidelines were issued.

“If the Awards Trust had signalled its intention to change the criteria well in advance of the submission process (such major changes are normally signalled a year in advance), more nuanced and widely understood eligibility criteria could have been developed.”

Book ruled out of awards contention due to AI cover

Morning Report

Wilson said the situation highlighted the need to develop thorough and clear guidelines around AI use, especially when authors already heavily relied on tools like Photoshop and Grammarly.

Nicola Legat, chairperson of the New Zealand Book Awards Trust, said the rules followed research and consultation with the local book sector and aimed to support creative and copyright interests.

“The Trust does not take lightly a decision that prevents the latest works of two of New Zealand’s most esteemed writers from being considered for the 2026 award.

“However, the criteria apply to all entrants, regardless of their mana, and must be consistently applied to all.”

Chloe Blades, manager of Unity Books Auckland and a judge in the PANZ Book Design Awards, supported the restrictions, saying they set essential parameters around creative integrity.

“Book covers speak to what’s inside the book, interpreted by sentient, compassionate, empathetic, thoughtful people, and it’s those characteristics that AI can’t offer that give a book its character and soul.

“I know this is a strong opinion and it’s ok for people to disagree, but people designing a book cover is, just like writing the book, how we maintain our industries creativity and integrity.”

Blades said AI poses a significant challenge to the book industry but welcomed the broader conversation about its use.

“AI is as big a threat to books as Amazon was when it arrived, if not more so, and we survived that.

“We need to work together to only let AI into our industry in a way that works for us – and preserve what makes this industry great.”

Legat said the Trust may revisit and refine the AI rules in the future.

The 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, opening for entries this week, will include similar restrictions.

The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards celebrate literary excellence for books written by New Zealanders.

New Zealand’s first Māori wahine professor Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Waikato) won the General Non-Fiction Award for her memoir Hine Toa: A Story of Bravery at the 2025 awards in May.

The longlists for most of the 2026 Ockham categories will be announced on 29 January, 2026.

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

Marilyn Garson: How shall we speak now since the Gaza ‘ceasefire’?

By Asia Pacific Report -

November 18, 2025

COMMENTARY: By Marilyn Garson

How shall we speak and act now?

For six years, Alternative Jewish Voices has spoken in an aspirational voice. This is intentional. Research shows, the voice that mobilises new political engagement is a voice of moral clarity which invites others to join the work of making a better world.

We ground our voice in facts, and today’s facts are shattering. We share the outrage that we hear. However, outrage alone does not make change. It has to be channeled forward into principled action.

Hope is resistance. AJV met last week to ask where we find that hope now, while grief and anger feel overwhelming.

With unprecedented Western permission and complicity, Israel’s genocide is ongoing. The IDF has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and decimated the built environment of Gaza.

They are queueing up more of the same in the West Bank. The tonnage of IDF poisons will affect generations. Israel has killed 271 and injured 622 Palestinians since the ceasefire.

Gazan Palestinians are living in atrocious conditions as winter closes in. Israel is preventing UN agencies and NGOs from responding, despite the International Court of Justice’s October finding that Israel is obligated to provide for Gazan Palestinians and not to impede others from doing so.

Bombed half a dozen countries
Along the way, Israel has bombed half a dozen countries which are not at war with it.

The silence of governments like ours imagines this dystopia as a new baseline. They will settle for negotiating the speed of Israel’s new crimes against the survivors of Palestine.

We utterly reject their selective amnesia — but each time we call out our complicit government, we need to call them forward and judge them against something better.

We do that by placing the value of human life at the centre of our understanding. People have laboured for a century and a half to embed a rights-based vision of human dignity and equality.

Rights are not an opinion; rights are the basis of international law and institutions. That today’s governments spit on Palestinians’ rights does not invalidate Palestinians’ rights. It raises the stakes.

Now we must fight for the vision even as we wield it.

Our baseline is a world in which people flourish with their basic needs and dignity ensured. We protest the deficits from that standard. We judge Israel and its powerful accomplices against the standard of an accountable, just peace for all who live between the river and the sea.

Daily erosion of our democracy
Even as our allies have taken the step of recognising Palestine, Luxon, Seymour and Peters cosy up to Donald Trump. We are reeling from their daily erosion of our democracy.

Our government’s position on Palestine and the value it places on our own lives follow from a single agenda. This government is harming far more people than it is benefiting. We find hope in the work that brings together a majority for change.

While Palestine has become the cement of a broad global movement, Zionism is shifting. Israel used its years of Zionist-Jewish permission to consolidate new sources of support. It is no longer dependent upon Jewish social licence.

Christian Zionism, long the majority of Zionism, is now an insider shaping American policy. Israel dedicates new budgets to influencing American Christians.

Christian Zionist influence is now being unsettled in turn by the far Right, as Zionism attracts support from the eschatological, racist and fascist extremes. Trump’s MAGA world is grappling with the rise of more radical White racist nationalism. Those extremists are seeking narrative position and influence.

In Aotearoa, Israel’s deputy foreign minister has met with Christian nationalist Brian Tamaki and Alfred Ngaio. There are five rabbis in this country, while 130 Christian Zionist clergy wrote together of their representatives’ time with Winston Peters before Peters declined to recognise Palestine.

In order to lend effective support to the liberation of Palestine, our protest needs to target the evolving structures and financial flows of Aotearoa’s Zionism.

This does not relieve the Zionist-Jewish community of responsibility. Globally, Zionist-Jewish institutions have eagerly wrapped Israel’s violence in the guise of Jewish identity, in order to place Israel’s genocidal actions beyond challenge.

Peace of the graveyard
Aotearoa’s Zionist-Jewish spokespeople still imagine only the peace of the graveyard, after which there might be a nicer Zionism.

A significant segment of Liberal-Zionist Jews seems to have turned against the war — although not against Zionism. That speaks to some capacity for change despite the institutions.

We welcome every effort to end this genocide. However, as principled anti-Zionists our goal is greater than the cessation of firing. In our own community and in Palestine, we must change the conditions that give rise to genocide. We need to decolonise the Jewishness that taught us to stake our future on the oppression and slaughter of others. There is no nicer Zionism.

To realise a liberatory Jewishness, we need new institutions with genuinely new communal leadership. We work for a future without Jewish supremacy or exceptionalism. Two-thirds of Jewish New Yorkers aged 18-44 just voted for Mayor Mamdani in one such act of qualitative, visionary change.

We will not displace this toxic new Right power by emulating their perpetual outrage. That would only turn us into the thing we oppose.

Outrage alone leaves one numb with grief and alienation. It stokes the identity politics which deny that we can live together. It leads to the despair which hardens the status quo.

We will only displace this power with an aspirational, broadly based vision of something better. We learn from the long, great works of our time: the works of peace, Indigenous rights, the common cause of dignified life in the hardest places.

Tangled roots of colonisation
That quality of holistic movement has coalesced around Palestine. We have never heard so many people acknowledge that the change must reach to the tangled roots of colonisation, racism, capitalism and fascism.

AJV brings to this our Jewish inheritance which recognises that social, ecological and material justice are inextricable. Together we will place life and justice at the centre of the work that needs doing, here and there.

In this dark time, hope is resistance and these are our ways forward.

In outrage and in aroha, we are Alternative Jewish Voices of Aotearoa.

Marilyn Garson writes about Palestinian and Jewish dissent. This article was first published by Sh’ma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices and is republished with permission. The original article can be read here.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Weather: Heavy rain hits Bay of Plenty, other places warned they will get some too

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Weather warnings are in place across the country. Supplied / MetService

Heavy rain is causing localised downpours of between 25 and 40mm per hour in Bay of Plenty, west of Ōpōtiki.

The bands of rain are moving westwards and did not currently have lightning, but MetService has placed a severe thunderstorm watch on the area until 3pm Tuesday.

MetService’s Mark Todd said in these conditions, people should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and monitor the situation in case the watch is upgraded to a warning.

“Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially about low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips,” he said.

Earlier, MetService issued an orange heavy rain warning for the Bay of Plenty from 8pm Tuesday, which meant the organisation was highly confident that heavy rain would occur.

Severe gales were also possible in the South Island.

“A front stalls over Westland and Canterbury today, bringing heavy rain and possibly strong winds, then weakens,” the forecaster said in a statement.

“Humid northeasterlies affect the upper North Island and many places there are also expected to experience heavy rain during Tuesday and Wednesday. There are several warnings and watches for heavy rain around the country, and also a wind watch for parts of Canterbury.”

Northland could also expect heavy rain east of Kerikeri and Dargaville, as could Auckland and Great Barrier Island, between 2pm Tuesday and the same time Wednesday.

“Periods of heavy rain with localised downpours possible. Isolated areas may exceed warning criteria, especially in downpours.”

There was a high chance that heavy rain watch could be upgraded to a warning.

Heavy rain watches were also in place for Waitomo, Waikato and Taupo from 3pm for 24 hours; Taumarunui and Taihape north of Ohakune, from 11pm Tuesday for 12 hours; and Taranaki, for 23 hours from 9pm.

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

Wesley College’s school board dissolved after safety concerns at its hostels

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wesley College is in Paerata, south of Auckland. (File photo) RNZ / Shannon Haunui-Thompson

A school’s board has been dissolved after a spate of safety issues at its boarding hostels.

Earlier this month, Wesley College, in Paerata south of Auckland, started legal proceedings against the Ministry of Education after the ministry suspended the school’s licence to house boarders.

The ministry said that those taking NCEA exams and international students would be allowed to stay in the dorms until the end of the term, but Year 9 and 10 students needed to leave immediately. The school wanted the dorms to stay open for all students until the end of the year and said the legal action related to the “abrupt closure directive” relating to the younger students.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Methodist Church, which founded the school, said it would commission an external review into the current Wesley College Trust Board, which had been dissolved.

Senior church leaders would take over the board in the interim.

The president of the Methodist Church, Te Aroha Rountree, said the decision was made after careful reflection about the school’s future direction and the Church’s responsibilities as its founder.

“Wesley College holds a special place in the life of the Methodist Church and across generations of families who have been part of its story. Our decision to pause, review, and renew its governance is about ensuring the college has the strongest possible foundation for the years ahead.

“This is a time to listen, to learn, and to rebuild with integrity and care. The wellbeing of students, staff, and whānau remains at the heart of everything we do.”

The church said the review would “inform the reconstitution of a refreshed trust board structure”.

Rountree acknowledged the “generous service” of outgoing board members.

“Their commitment and aroha for the college over many years have been immense. This step continues the shared goal of a vibrant and thriving Wesley College community.”

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

‘Minor infractions’: Police Minister showers police commissioner Richard Chambers with praise following swim during tsunami advisory

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police Minister Mark Mitchell sitting beside commissioner Richard Chambers. (File photo) RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Police Minister Mark Mitchell has showered the police commissioner Richard Chambers with praise, saying a few “minor infractions” should not detract from his “phenomenal” performance in the job.

On Tuesday morning, RNZ revealed Chambers took a “very brief dip” at Oriental Bay on 1 August despite a tsunami advisory being in place. He was with FBI Director Kash Patel at the time after an early morning run.

Chambers last week also admitted he had recently been ticketed for going 112km/h in a 100km/h zone.

Speaking at Parliament on Tuesday, Mitchell acknowledged the swimming incident was “not good enough” but stressed Chambers thought the warning had been lifted.

“Yes, he shouldn’t have been in the water, and that’s why he called me and apologised and said, you know, that was an oversight on his part.”

Mitchell said Chambers was the “best guy, without a doubt, to be leading” the police service, and he had great admiration and respect for him.

“These were minor infractions, and he rang me and informed me of both of them straight away and made an apology,” Mitchell said.

“He is a man packed full of integrity. He is deeply engaged with his front line and understands what they need and how to support them. And he’s also got a very good strategic mind on him.”

Chuckling, Mitchell said he had endowed Chambers with a new nickname – “Speedy Gonzales” – following his speeding ticket.

Chambers earlier told RNZ he went for the mid-winter swim just after 7am believing the tsunami advisory had been lifted. He said he apologised to Mitchell after later discovering the advisory had not been lifted until about 8.30am.

“It is not usual for me to ignore such warnings,” Chambers said.

The advisory was issued the day before by the National Emergency Management Agency after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s remote east coast.

Mitchell said the advisory was necessary and extremely serious.

“Every morning, at about six o’clock, there are a whole lot of people that come down to the beaches to enjoy nature, to go for a walk, take their dogs for a walk.

“And at that stage, we still weren’t 100% sure that we weren’t going to have… massive tidal movements on the beaches, and had we had one of those, then people could die.”

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

Samoa Observer: The PM’s wish and our promise

By Asia Pacific Report -

November 18, 2025

EDITORIAL: By the Samoa Observer

They say the march toward authoritarian rule begins with one simple act: taking control of the narrative and silencing the independent press. Yesterday, Samoa witnessed a step in that direction.

Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, elected by the people to serve them, has already moved to weaken one of democracy’s most essential pillars.

With barely seven full days in office, he directed his power at the Samoa Observer, the very institution tasked with holding leaders like him to account.

SAMOA OBSERVER

The Prime Minister accused this newspaper of misleading and inaccurate reporting, of disrespect and of having “no boundaries.” He went further by invoking the name of Sano Malifa, founder and owner of the Samoa Observer, suggesting that the paper had strayed from its mission, a statement he’s made countless times.

So let us clear the air.

Does the Prime Minister remember Sano Malifa’s reporting when, as Deputy Speaker, he gave a second hand car from his dealership to then Speaker of the House, Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua, without cabinet approval?

It was Sano Malifa who wrote extensively about the matter and helped ensure the vehicle was returned when questions were raised about improper dealings.

Does he remember the concrete wall fence he attempted to build stretching toward Parliament, a plan never sanctioned by cabinet?

Does he remember calling the Samoa Observer before the 2021 general elections seeking permission to erect FAST party tents outside its offices and being refused, because this newspaper does not trade favours for political convenience?

Does he forget that Sano Malifa stood alone to question the one party rule of the HRPP, a party he joined and one his father served in, while most of the country remained silent because they felt they could not speak?

Does he forget that the Sano Malifa he now quotes would never permit any leader to run the country unchecked?

Let this be understood. Sano Malifa’s vision remains fully intact. It demands scrutiny of whoever occupies the Prime Minister’s chair, even if that chair is fake. It demands accountability, regardless of who holds power.

It is intact in the way this newspaper was the only media organisation to question the Prime Minister’s meetings with foreign leaders while he sat on his famous chair, despite the warnings of his own advisers.

It is intact in ensuring the public knew their new leader had been quietly flown out on a private plane for medical treatment, while sick patients in an overcrowded and underfunded hospital struggled without food because of unpaid wages for kitchen staff, even as its minister announced plans for a new hospital.

It is intact in the story of a father whose pleas for justice went unanswered after his son was badly beaten and fell into a coma, until the Samoa Observer published his account and police were finally forced to act.

It is intact in the simple reporting of rubbish piling up near homes, which was cleared by the government the very next morning.

It is intact even when Sano Malifa’s own village and family appeared on the front page during a dispute, because he believed in accountability for all, including himself.

So why would the Prime Minister believe he is entitled to special treatment?

As the elected Prime Minister, whose salary, car and expenses are paid for by the public through their hard earned taxes, he should know that the media’s fundamental role is to keep him honest.

If the Prime Minister is truly concerned about the vision of journalists, he need only look at those closest to him. A JAWS executive, Angie Kronfield, publicly declared she wished the Observer editor’s face had been disfigured during the assault carried out by the Prime Minister’s own security guards.

Better still, her husband, Apulu Lance Pulu, a long-time journalist and owner of Talamua Media, was charged alongside the Prime Minister and later convicted of fraud in a 2020 court case. Yet he now seems to enjoy the Prime Minister’s favour as a preferred media voice. Let that sink in.

So if the Prime Minister wants proof of a failed vision, he need not search far.

Lastly, the Prime Minister’s other claim that an outsider writes for this newspaper is a fiction of his own making.

The Samoa Observer remains under the same ownership, grounded in nearly 50 years of service to the public. And since he has made his wish clear that this newspaper is no longer welcome at his press conferences or those of his ministers, let us state this without hesitation. The same people stand behind this newspaper, and our promise to our readers has never wavered.

The Samoa Observer editorial published on 18 November 2025.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Whakaari/White Island volcanic ash forces flight cancellations

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Air Chathams plane. Supplied

Whakatāne Airport says ash from Whakaari/White Island has severely impacted services.

Chief executive Mark Read said Air Chathams cancelled morning and afternoon flights in and out of Whakatāne on Tuesday due to the volcanic ash advisory.

Air Chathams’ Whakatāne services fly to Auckland, Paraparaumu and Whanganui.

Volcanic ash also impacted flights at Tauranga Airport in the last 24 hours.

A screen shot of steam rising from Whakaari/White Island on 30 October 2025. Supplied

Tauranga Airport manager Ray Dumble said it was forced to cancel the last four flights departing Tauranga on Monday night, along with the first four departures on Tuesday morning.

Tauranga Airport has since resumed services as normal.

The volcano was at alert level 3, denoting a minor eruption, and was seen releasing ash and steam over the weekend.

Forty-seven people were on the Bay of Plenty volcano when it erupted in December 2019, killing 22 and seriously injuring 25.

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

Nations Championship gets thumbs down from former NZ Rugby boss

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

All Blacks back Will Jordan dejected following defeat to England. www.photosport.nz

Former New Zealand Rugby chief executive David Moffett believes World Rugby’s new Nations Championship will be a flop.

The 12 team tournament will be held every two years, with teams competing for points during the existing July and November windows.

There will be a finals weekend in London in late November, culminating in a title decider between the top ranked Northern Hemisphere team and the top ranked Southern Hemisphere team.

All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor in action against England. ActionPress

Next year, the All Blacks will host France, Italy and Ireland in July, before away tests against Wales, Scotland and England in November.

The venues for the All Blacks home tests are yet to be confirmed.

Moffett told RNZ it would not be the financial boon World Rugby hopes it would be.

“I’m not overly blown away by it,” Moffett said.

“It’s just another dressed-up competition that World Rugby has come up with. Let’s not kid ourselves that this is going to be the solution to all of rugby’s ills.

“I’m not so sure that too many people are going to care about it. International rugby today I liken to the Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup is a carnival that comes around once a year and a whole lot of people go and watch with no real interest in racing.

“That’s what we’re seeing happening around the world with rugby events.”

David Moffett. Photosport

Moffett believes the Nations Championship could lose money and used the Sevens World Series as an example.

“Look at Sevens, we don’t have a (international) Sevens tournament in this country anymore because they (World Rugby) decided there was going to be nine rounds and they’re going to be played in these great venues all around the world and everybody’s going to race out and want to play Sevens.

“Well none of that’s happened, the only thing that really happened is I think they’ve lost about 40 million euros this year on the Sevens tournament alone.”

However, New Zealand Rugby’s Cameron Good is confident fans will get behind the concept.

“I think it just means that every game in July and November matters,” Good said.

“We’re creating a competition that’s played outside of World Cup and Lions years. It creates that real jeopardy around every fixture, building up to what will be a new final series at the end of November.

“New Zealand rugby, if you look at what we’ve built for the next five years, we’re trying to introduce really fan-centric (games), what the fans want.

“We have the Greatest Rivalry Tour (2026 All Blacks tour of South Africa) and the Nations Championship, meaning there’s no talk now of friendlies. Every single game in July and November will matter. You’ll see it on a table. You’ll be following your team and seeing who they’ll match up against in that finals weekend.

“The All Blacks are now going to play every six-nations team, either home or away, in these Nations Championship years and then the final series is something completely new. So we’ve added a weekend to the international calendar.”

And Good is confident it will be a financial success.

“The fact that you’ve got all Six Nations teams, all Sanzaar teams, and we’ve invited Japan and Fiji in, we think this will resonate with fans, but also with broadcasters and commercial partners.

“We’re already pretty advanced with a lot of those conversations. It’s something new and different, but we think it’ll heighten what happens in those July and November windows and then give us something completely new with that finals weekend.”

ActionPress

He believes the Northern and Southern hemisphere rivalry is something fans want more of.

“You will find out who the best team in the world was in that year and you’ll also get to definitively decide or know which hemisphere is the better hemisphere,” Good said.

“There’s always a lot of speculation about North vs South in rugby. This will actually allow us to say who came through as the hemisphere in that year.”

Moffett believes the Nations Championship could detract from the four yearly World Cup, but Good isn’t concerned.

“Ultimately, in a World Cup, you’ve got to go through a round of 16, a quarter, a semi and a final, so there’s a uniqueness about prevailing at a World Cup.

“This (Nations Championship) is quite a different format, obviously less teams involved. Certainly in those World Cup years, that will be the pinnacle event. There is no Nations Championship in those years.”

One of the criticisms of the Nations Championship is that it only serves the world’s top teams and isn’t doing a lot to help grow the game or help tier two nations improve.

Good said a second competition which mirrored the Nations Championship was in the pipeline for the lower ranked sides.

“We’re working with World Rugby to help them create, I guess, the second tier of the Nations Championship. That will include the next 12 ranked teams in the world and will run in the same July and November windows.”

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

New Zealand awarded dubious ‘Fossil of the Day’ at COP30 climate talks

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

View of the logo of COP30 UN Climate Change Conference, in Belem, Para state, Brazil, taken on 6 November 2025. AFP / Ludovic Marin

New Zealand has been given the ignominious ‘Fossil of the Day’ award at the COP30 global climate summit, for its decision to weaken methane emissions policies.

It’s the fourth time New Zealand has received the dud award, handed out by climate NGO Climate Action Network International and designed to shame countries that block progress at the annual talks.

New Zealand was last named Fossil of the Day in 2023, for the National-led government’s decision to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration.

It has previously been given the award in 2022 for pushing to delay setting up a loss and damage fund to compensate poorer countries bearing the brunt of climate change-fuelled extreme weather, and in 2021 for the then-Labour government’s decision not to update New Zealand’s emissions target.

Unlike carbon dioxide, which warms the atmosphere for centuries, methane is a short-lived gas but has huge warming potential.

Reducing methane has attracted growing attention as an ’emergency brake’ on warming while the world works on technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and remove them from the air.

But in October, the government said it would lower New Zealand’s methane emissions target, after a review found that was sufficient to meet a controversial ‘no additional warming’ goal.

It also scrapped an earlier promise to introduce a price on agricultural methane by 2030.

Climate Action Network International said the weakened methane target was “not science-based”.

“It is certainly not consistent with the Paris Agreement or with the [UN Framework Convention on Climate Change] principles of equity and responsibility.”

About half of New Zealand’s overall greenhouse gas emissions are methane emissions – mostly produced by agriculture.

Climate Change minister Simon Watts [ https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/environment/578698/climate-change-minister-defends-weakened-methane-emissions-target-ahead-of-cop30] defended the change in New Zealand’s methane policies before he headed to COP30, being held in Belém, Brazil.

He said reducing the size of New Zealand’s dairy herd was “not economically rational” and he believed methane-inhibiting technology being developed would be sufficient to meet the new target, without a methane tax.

Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Amanda Larsson said the latest Fossil of the Day award was “embarrassing but it’s sadly not surprising”.

Amanda Larsson. RNZ / Jonathan Mitchell

“Fossil of the Day is the award no country wants to receive, and today, the shame of receiving it is on Christopher Luxon’s Government, who are weakening the requirements for our most polluting industry to take action on climate change.”

Larsson said the change to the target followed agriculture industry lobbying and directly contradicted advice from the Climate Change Commission to strengthen the methane target.

The ‘no additional warming’ target – which aims to get New Zealand’s methane emissions back to 2017 levels, was an “accounting trick”, Larsson said.

“Other major livestock producers will be looking to us to see whether this approach is worthwhile. Our government has just lit the fuse on a global methane race to the bottom – once one domino falls, others will follow.”

Climate Minister Simon Watts. RNZ / Nick Monro

Earlier in the week, University of Canterbury professor of physics David Frame told RNZ it was “a good idea” to work on methane, “but only if this is additional to [carbon dioxide] mitigation”.

New Zealand remains a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to lower methane emissions by 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030.

Frame, who served on the independent panel that was tasked with finding an emissions range consistent with ‘no additional warming’, said if the world as a whole adopted ‘no additional warming’ as a target, methane emissions would drop by four percent over the next decade.

“That would be progress compared with actual trends.”

New Zealand was not incentivising agricultural methane emissions reductions as well as it could, though.

“We should… explore a [low] price on methane emissions, because it’s among the best-justified and most effective policy approaches,” he said.

“This government may have ruled out a methane price, but governments are like buses – there are new ones along from time to time. Good ideas have a habit of hanging around until someone tries them.”

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

New study finds 2 in 5 Australians experience traumatic events as children

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucinda Grummitt, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney

Some 42% of Australians experience a traumatic event before turning 18 – and it affects their health decades later.

Our study, released today, analysed data from 15,893 Australians aged 16–85, collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2020 and 2022.

The findings reveal a confronting truth: two in five Australians – around 8.25 million people – experienced at least one traumatic event before the age of 18.

These events, ranging from witnessing domestic violence to experiencing sexual assault or the death of a loved one, often occur shockingly early in life and leave lasting marks on mental and physical health.

This means recognising trauma in childhood – and responding early – is an urgent public health issue that can save lives.

What counts as trauma?

For its National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, the Australian Bureau of Statistics selected a random, representative sample of Australians across the country to participate in interviews.

Participants answered questions about 28 types of traumatic experiences and when they first occurred.

These included physical or sexual assault, life-threatening accidents, natural disasters, exposure to war and conflict, domestic violence, or the unexpected death of a loved one.

The results were sobering. Among the participants, the most common types of traumatic events experienced before age 18 were:

the unexpected death of a loved one (27%)
witnessing domestic violence (21%)
experiencing sexual assault (21%).

Nearly half of those exposed to childhood trauma had experienced multiple types, with the average age of first exposure to any traumatic event just 9.5 years.

Some of the most harmful events – such as being badly beaten by a parent or witnessing domestic violence – began, on average, at just 6–7 years old.

The ripple effects in adult life

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event in childhood will go on to experience negative health effects. But it does increase your risk.

We found strong links between childhood trauma and a wide range of mental health conditions.

People who had experienced traumatic events in childhood had significantly higher odds of all mental health and substance use disorders, as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviours, compared to those who never experienced trauma.

But the impact wasn’t limited to mental health. Childhood trauma was also associated with increased odds of serious physical conditions in later life, including asthma, arthritis, cancer and kidney disease.

However, the cross-sectional design means we can’t say trauma caused these health outcomes – only that they’re strongly associated.

We also compared outcomes for people who experienced trauma in childhood versus adulthood.

While trauma at any age is harmful, our study found earlier exposure was often more damaging. For example, compared to those whose trauma occurred only in adulthood, people who experienced trauma as children had higher odds of:

suicidal thoughts and attempts
panic disorder
generalised anxiety disorder
social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder
persistent depression.

How trauma affects the brain and body

Traumatic events can cause significant changes in the body. Trauma affects the brain, hormones, immune system, and even gut health.

When stress-response systems activate briefly, they help the body cope with threat (sometimes known as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response).

But with repeated or chronic exposure to trauma, stress hormones stay high for too long, creating harmful “wear and tear” on the body.

The ongoing strain can lead to health problems including inflammation, a weaker immune system, insulin resistance, and increased risk of conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

Early experiences of trauma can have a particularly damaging impact because the body and brain are developing rapidly and are especially responsive to the environment.

Children who go through trauma may also struggle to form healthy relationships and coping skills, which can make life harder as they grow up.

A problem we can’t ignore

There are some limitations to our data. Because this study relied on people remembering and reporting childhood trauma, there’s a chance of bias or misreporting.

And while our sample was nationally representative, it excluded people experiencing homelessness or living in institutions, who are likely to have even higher rates of trauma.

Still, the scale and severity of the problem are clear.

Our findings build on the landmark Australian Child Maltreatment Study, which found 62% of Australians had experienced abuse, neglect, or domestic violence in childhood. The high levels of emotional abuse and neglect – which we did not measure – may explain that study’s higher statistic.

Together, the studies show childhood trauma is not rare, and its effects ripple across decades.

Yet trauma often goes unrecognised

Raising awareness is critical to help prevent suicide, reduce economic cost, and improve the lives of millions of Australians.

Hundreds of organisations across the country do vital work to nurture and protect children from the harmful effects of trauma exposure. But the scale of the problem means there is much more work to be done.

We must consistently embed trauma-informed care across systems that serve children and adults – from schools and hospitals to mental health services and the justice system.

This means recognising the signs of trauma, responding with empathy, and avoiding practices that may retraumatise.

For example, children exposed to trauma may act out or withdraw at school. Harsh punishment, such as suspension or expulsion, reinforces feelings of shame and isolation and risks retraumatising them. It can make these kids more likely to drop out of school, have trouble finding work, experience difficulties in relationships, and become involved in the justice system.

Ensuring teachers and schools have the tools to recognise when behaviour signals trauma and the support to manage these behaviours without retraumatising students is critical. Responding with care and support can change a child’s life.

If there’s one takeaway from this research, it’s this: childhood trauma is a significant public health issue – and addressing it could save lives.

If this story has raised any issues for you, please contact one of the services below:

Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
Kids Helpline (ages 5–25 and parents): 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
Suicide Call Back Service (ages 15+): 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au
13YARN (First Nations support): 13 92 76 or 13yarn.org.au.

Lucinda Grummitt 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. New study finds 2 in 5 Australians experience traumatic events as children – https://theconversation.com/new-study-finds-2-in-5-australians-experience-traumatic-events-as-children-266893

Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access

By Asia Pacific Report -

November 18, 2025

By Renate Rivers of PMN News

Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt has banned the country’s only daily newspaper, the Samoa Observer, from all ministerial press conferences.

The move has raised serious concerns among industry stakeholders about media freedom as he faces growing political and legal pressure.

La’aulialemalietoa announced the ban on Monday at his first press conference in two months, held just days after returning from medical treatment in New Zealand.

He told journalists that the ban also applies to his cabinet ministers. The decision follows a tense confrontation on Saturday, when journalists from the Samoa Observer and the BBC went to the Prime Minister’s home to confirm his return.

The journalists said they remained on the public roadside but were approached by men from the PM’s property, who accused them of trespassing and of behaving disrespectfully.

“They don’t respect me as the Prime Minister. In my time in New Zealand, I never saw any reporters writing so disrespectfully about leaders,” La’aulialemalietoa told reporters in his office on Monday.

“I was in my home for 10 minutes when they arrived. They argued with the police. They were told to leave as I was only just reuniting with my family and trying to say a prayer. My home is a private home, not a public place.”

Assault allegation
In a report published on Saturday, Observer editor Shalveen Chand alleged he had been assaulted during the Saturday exchange, in full view of police officers nearby.

He said when he asked police for help, he was told to lodge a complaint at the station. He has since filed a formal report.

BBC journalist Dr Mandeep Rai, who witnessed the incident, said the Samoa Observer team acted “carefully and respectfully”, and that the hostile response was surprising. She said the difficulty in simply confirming a national leader’s safe arrival raised questions about transparency and access.

The Prime Minister linked the ban to what he described as “wrong” and “disrespectful” reporting, including stories published during his medical leave.

“When I was away, I saw numerous reports that were wrong . . . especially the story about a meeting between the Deputy PM and my CEOs. A meeting that never happened.”

La’aulialemalietoa said that as Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) chairperson, he had previously banned the Observer from party events, but lifted that ban when he became Prime Minister at the request of senior government officials.

The ban intensifies an already tense political climate in Samoa.

In October, former Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa filed a ST$1.1 million ($NZ698,000) defamation case against him, alleging he falsely linked her to interference in the murder investigation of American Samoan academic Dr Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard. The case is now before the Supreme Court.

Regional pressure also rising
There are also ongoing election-related disputes, public service tensions, and growing scrutiny about the government’s commitment to transparency.

La’aulialemalietoa’s return to Samoa follows an unofficial meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland earlier this month, his first public political engagement in weeks.

The two leaders discussed major issues, including health infrastructure, drug-trafficking in the Pacific, and labour mobility.

La’aulialemalietoa confirmed plans for new hospitals in Tuanaimato and Savai’i and reiterated his support for the Pacific Justice campaign, which seeks visa-on-arrival access to New Zealand for Pacific citizens.

At the start of Monday’s press conference, La’aulialemalietoa asked the Samoa Observer’s reporter to leave his office. The exchange happened in front of the president of the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) and other senior media members.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ and with PMN News permission.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

What is workslop?

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Workslop masquerades as meaningful, it may appear superficially polished, and yet requires others to interpret, fix, or even redo it.

It’s a growing source of frustration in the workplace, Dr Kate Niederhoffer a social psychologist told RNZ’s Afternoons.

She is vice president of Texas-based BetterUp Labs and co-authored a study on workslop when she started to hear anecdotal evidence of it.

Kate Niederhoffer.

Photo courtesy BetterUp

.

“It looks like it’s really polished, but after a little bit of inspection, it’s pretty clear that it doesn’t exactly advance the task, and it actually pushes the burden of the work onto the recipient of the work.”

What’s insidious about workslop is that it not only shifts the cognitive burden to the recipient, she says, but that cognitive effort then becomes an emotional problem.

“You start to get frustrated, annoyed… just not really knowing why somebody is wasting your time providing this polished looking document that doesn’t exactly advance the task forward.”

This in turn can cause friction between workers, she says.

“This interpersonal consequence, where we noticed we were judging people who were authoring this content, trusting them less, not wanting to work with them.”

Workslop misses the mark when it comes to knowing your audience, she says.

“It’s a lack of immersing yourself in the work, so it’s not just the shared content, but it’s that natural human process where you attune to your audience and you try to figure out, what does this person know that’s unique from me, that’s shared with me?

“And then you create that dance in your head of providing the right information that they know and that you both know that takes into account context really well.”

She is positive about AI more generally, she says, the problem is more one of insidious interpersonal problems.

“We think this is an atrophy of the collaboration muscles that really make work happen.”

In her survey 53 percent of recipients self-reported generating workslop, she says.

“If 53 percent of people are admitting to this, then we know it’s probably under-reported and probably more than people are willing to say.”

A deeper dive revealed people were using it to plough through work that felt overwhelming, she says.

“They’re juggling too much at work right now. It’s sort of a burnout-like sensation. And so, the mindset isn’t so much like, ha ha, I’m doing this to trick someone who’s receiving the work and I’m getting away with it.

“It’s more like I don’t have the energy to complete this task myself. And so, I’m relying on these tools as a shortcut to help me get by.”

She doesn’t believe workslop is indicative of a failure of the tool, however.

“It’s really a breakdown of these deeply human skills and muscles that we have always needed and will still need.”

The survey revealed intense feelings from workers over this emerging workslop phenomenon, she says.

“They talk about betrayal, resentment, anger. In some cases, it’s leading people to resign with very short notice.”

However with the right mindset she believes AI can boost productivity and creativity.

“When you have what we call a pilot mindset, when you’re high in agency and optimism, then you tend to approach these tools in a discerning way.

“You’re not overly reliant on them, but instead you’re using them to augment the competencies that you already have.”

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

Serko sees strong revenue growth, while posting increased loss

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Serko handles corporate travel management and expenses, and operates the Booking.com for Business platform. Unsplash

Travel software company Serko posted a bigger bottom-line half-year loss driven by one-offs, but its income surged, thanks to its partnership with US giant Booking.com.

Key numbers for the six months ended September compared with a year ago:

Net loss $9.5m vs $5.1m loss
Revenue $61.8m vs $42.7m
Operating expenses $65.1m vs $50.4m
Adjusted earnings (EBITDAFI) $6.1m vs $1.2m
Free cash flow $3.0 vs $1.3m
No dividend

Serko said the increased loss was driven by foreign exchange losses and a non-cash accounting loss on the sale of its InterplX expense business.

It said momentum in its Booking.com for business drove the result, with completed room nights up 32 percent to 2.1 million, while active customers increased 40 percent from a year ago.

“Our performance reinforces Serko’s continued track record and ability to deliver high growth and cost discipline as we execute on our strategic focus areas,” chief executive Darrin Grafton said.

Grafton said the company was also looking at opportunities from artificial intelligence.

“Serko is well positioned to unlock the full value of AI as a core pillar of our strategy and product roadmap.”

The company was co-designing AI-powered capabilities with customers in the US, and said it had received positive engagement.

It said Australasian travel revenue was stable, with online bookings up 2 percent and improved margins.

Serko reaffirmed its full-year income guidance of $115-$123 million, compared to $90.5m in the year ended March 2024.

Forsyth Barr senior analyst James Lindsay said the result was “solid” with total income slightly ahead of expectations.

He noted Serko’s balance sheet remained strong with net cash of $65m.

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

Air New Zealand says cabin crew considering strike action

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

The airline says no formal notice of a strike has been received. Kai Schwoerer

Air New Zealand says it has been made aware by E tū union that staff have voted to take industrial action.

“We are aware that cabin crew represented by E tū union have voted to take industrial action,” Air New Zealand’s chief executive officer Nikhil Ravishankar said in a statement.

“However, no formal notice of a strike has been received.”

He said negotiations were scheduled to continue with the union later this week to “progress efforts to reach a fair and sustainable agreement that recognises the important work our crew do”.

More to come.

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

Seafood company Sanford’s full-year net profit $63.7 million, more than triple previous year

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sanford’s net profit for the year ended September was $63.7 million. Supplied / Sanford

Seafood company Sanford has made a record full-year profit driven by the strong performance of its aquacultural business.

Net profit for the year ended September was $63.7 million, or more than three times the year earlier’s $19.7m.

However, overall revenue was little changed at $584.1m.

Cash flow was up 85 percent on the year earlier, helping the company cut net debt by nearly half to $92.1m.

Managing director David Mair said improved profitability, prudent capital management and conservative dividend levels played a part in the debt reduction.

“Sanford plans to reduce debt further in FY26 so that capital investment initiatives can be considered and funded within our balance sheet.”

While Sanford’s salmon and mussels aquacultural business exceeded expectations, the wild catch fell short of the year earlier.

“We are now focused on operating as a commodity player, where reducing costs and operating more efficiently are critical for our continued success,” Mair said.

“I have carried out an initial high-level review of our aquaculture businesses (salmon and mussels) with a clearer understanding of what is needed to build a platform for growth.

“Driving product costs down and lowering overheads will make us more competitive in any market. Whilst we have made improvements, there is a lot more that needs to be done.”

He said global demand for protein continued to increase, though market turbulence continued.

“This means we need to review the markets we operate in. Sanford has become concentrated in several large traditional markets, particularly China and the US. China is, and will continue to be, a key market for our company.

“The US will remain more challenging. We must create a broader market scope for our products, then develop, maintain and enhance our interactions with key customers in those markets.”

He said many factors were beyond Sanford’s control.

“While always striving for performance improvements, it should not be assumed that this year’s financial result will be repeated.”

The company will pay a full year dividend of 10 cents a share, which was the same as last year’s.

Sanford’s chairperson Sir Rob Mcleod also announced a plan to retire from the board in the next calendar year.

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

When will instant coffee be affordable again?

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Instant coffee prices have spiked this year. creative commons – pixabay – moritz320

The cost of food continues to climb, with Stats NZ figures showing some of the sharpest increases in staples like cheese, eggs and milk.

But few items rose as sharply in price as instant coffee – up 25.5 percent on last year, to an average $7.88 per 100g.

“I think for the refills of the Moccona coffee it was like maybe $6 or $7 and now it’s like nearly $11,” one listener told Morning Report.

“It can range a lot, like at some places they might be $6.50, other places they’re closer to $10,” said another.

“I just grab it and put it in the trolley. It’s a necessity, right?” a third added.

Coffee Supreme chief executive Andrew Lowe said there were a range of factors at play.

“It’s gone up because of drought. It’s gone up because China is drinking a lot more coffee … It’s gone up because we buy coffee in US dollars and the New Zealand exchange rate has just dropped a little, and that just makes it a bit more of a pinch,” he told Morning Report.

“It’s gone up because freight gets hard with a few wars, and so instability in the supply chain and commodity traders see coffee as a great way to make money. We’re seeing a 300 percent increase in the cost of green beans compared to this time a year to a year-and-a-half ago. And that’s incredibly high.”

With instant coffee specifically, Lowe said global corporates like Nestle had two- to three-year contracts with growers which were being renewed amid such cost pressures, “which is why you’re seeing it spike so aggressively all at once”.

Lowe said for a long time farmers had been selling much of their product at below cost, offsetting that by working “with brands like Coffee Supreme at the specialty level to create a higher quality product and get a better margin as a mix”.

“But what they’re doing now, because of their confidence in the market over the last 12 months, is they’re planting trees, which is great, so… supply will go up.

“But it’s a crop – it takes two to three years to bear really great fruit. And so while we’re seeing good signs now, we won’t benefit from that for a year or so.”

Speciality coffee products tend to move around in price less, he said, while instant coffee “goes up and down on the commodity markets way more, so it’s more volatile”.

“We’re working really hard with farmers, with our factories and with our process to keep costs down where we can.”

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

Our Changing World: Mixing oil and water, the greener way

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Some of the Dot Ingredients team in the lab at AUT that they are currently working out of. Claire Concannon

Oil and water famously don’t mix – until surfactants get involved. These molecules act as tiny brokers between two opposites, one end binding to the oil and the other to water, allowing shampoos, detergents, creams and paints to form smooth, stable blends.

But most of the world’s surfactants come from sources with an environmental cost. “Currently 95 percent of surfactants are either derived from the petrochemical industry, so from fossil fuels, or from palm oil,” says Dr Jack Chen, associate professor of chemistry at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). “The rest are derived from food crops, which we want to avoid because it competes with food production.”

Chen and his team have found a new way to make surfactants from cellulose – the fibre found in plants – and in 2024 they launched a start-up, Dot Ingredients, to take their discovery beyond the lab.

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Currently, the nine-employee company is based in a lab at AUT. The particles are made here by first dissolving the cellulose, coaxing it into tiny spheres called nanoparticles, coating these nanoparticles in plant oil, and then finally peeling the oil from one half of the sphere to leave part of it oil-loving and the other water-loving.

Once a batch is made the team test them in the lab for their ability to form an emulsion – a stable mixture of oil and water.

Chen and the team have high hopes for their ‘celluspheres’ (their name for these cellulose particle surfactants) to be used in many different products and industries, but to start they are focused on the cosmetic industry.

“There’s a lot more demand, both from the surfactant producers, from the cosmetic brands, as well as consumers themselves, for greener and more sustainable ingredients,” says Chen. The industry’s higher margins also make it an ideal testing ground before scaling up for cheaper, higher-volume products like paints or detergents.

The company wants to target the cosmetic industry first. Claire Concannon

Even though they are tiny – a human hair is 50-100,000 times wider than a nanoparticle – these new particle surfactants are still larger than existing surfactant molecules.

Head of product Dr Victor Yim has been putting the particles to test in the lab by creating serums and lotions. Having previously worked in product development in a skin care company, Victor knows what to look for, and he’s interested in the differences between traditional surfactants, and their new, larger particle surfactants. “There’s a lot of exciting applications,” he says. “We can make something milky thin that molecular surfactants can’t really do as well.”

For now, they are sourcing cellulose from wood pulp – which is made from wood chips and used to make paper. Something they are investigating, with researchers at the University of Auckland, is whether they might be able to use waste from other industries instead. For example, could they use the cellulose in ‘grape marc’ – the leftover grape skins and stems from winemaking – thereby turning wine waste into a sellable sustainable surfactant.

Currently Dot Ingredients has funding support to get to March 2026, and scaling up production is the next challenge. “We’re still very small-scale, so 100 gram batches, but with the capacity to go up to one kilogram,” says Chen. “Our goal is that in two years’ time we’d be able to make 20 kilogram batches, and that’s enough to serve a couple of product lines in a cosmetic brand.”

They are also experimenting with different types of surfactants – positively or negatively charged, or both, and exploring temperature-responsive variations that could adapt their properties on demand.

While Chen describes himself as “primarily an academic with lots of ideas”, this start-up opportunity to bring something out of the lab into “reality” has energised him “I’m really, really enjoying this journey and it’s kind of sparked our creativity and we think we might have even other startups in the pipeline.”

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

Black Ferns star Ruahei Demant heading to Britain

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Ferns Ruahei Demant. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant is heading to Britain to help develop her game.

Demant will play for the Bristol Bears on a four month deal starting later this month.

A former World Player of the Year, Demant is one of just three players to have won 50 caps for the Black Ferns

Bristol head coach Scott Lawson said Ruahei was a “genuinely world-class player”.

“Her vision, leadership and ability to influence games at the highest level set her apart and we can’t wait to welcome her into our group later this month.

“You don’t become World Player of the Year without being something truly special, and her experience with the Black Ferns will bring immense value to our environment both on and off the pitch.

Lawson said Demant’s arrival would help ease a number of injuries they were dealing with.

The 30-year-old heads to Britain with the full blessing of New Zealand Rugby.

“This is a great development opportunity for Ruahei to spend time in a different environment and experience a different competition and style of play,” NZR Head of Women’s High Performance Hannah Porter said.

“We believe it will be highly beneficial to her both as a player and person and look forward to seeing those benefits when she returns to New Zealand for international duty with the Black Ferns in April’s Pacific Four tournament, and the upcoming Super Rugby Aupiki season in June.”

Demant was named World Player of the Year in 2022 after helping the Black Ferns to the 2021 World Cup title.

She was a part of the side that finished third at this year’s World Cup in Britain.

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

Cricket: Daryl Mitchell to miss rest of West Indies series

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Cap Daryl Mitchell takes a catch. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz / Photosport Ltd 2025

Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell will miss the rest of the ODI series against West Indies because of injury.

Mitchell experienced discomfort in his thigh while scoring his seventh ODI century in Sunday’s seven-run win over West Indies at Hagley Oval.

He didn’t field in the Windies innings.

Mitchell remained in Christchurch on Monday as the rest of the squad travelled to Napier for the second game on Wednesday.

The scan revealed a minor groin tear which will require two-weeks rehabilitation.

A New Zealand Cricket statement said the prognosis means that Mitchell should recover in time for the three-Test series against West Indies starting at Hagley Oval on 2 December.

Canterbury batter Henry Nicholls, who was called in as cover, will remain with the squad for the remainder of the series.

“He has been our standout performer in the ODI format so far this summer, so he’ll be missed for two important matches,” said coach Rob Walter.

“Henry has been in top form in the Ford Trophy and is an experienced international cricketer, so it’s great to welcome him back into the side.”

The third game is in Hamilton on Saturday.

West Indies then play a tour match against a selection side in Lincoln next week before the first Test.

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

Refuge organisations shocked at increase in women needing to escape abuse

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Anti-family violence white ribbon day is 25 November. 123RF

WARNING: This story includes content that may be disturbing to some readers.

One Rotorua women’s refuge says it has been shocked at the increase in those needing to escape abusive homes over the past 18 months.

But the rise in those affected by family violence isn’t just a Rotorua problem – one Auckland provider told RNZ the economic situation in New Zealand over the last year and a half has compounded the problem.

Jonathon Hagger is on the board of Waiariki Women’s Refuge in Rotorua.

He said they had a feeling more women and their families were needing help, but it was still a shock to see their numbers from the last financial year.

“Our crisis line, which is where they will reach out and ring to say they need help, had a 30 percent increase in volume during the last financial year,” Hagger said.

That ended in June.

“What we are seeing is a trend upwards again, of even greater number of requests for assistance and help for women and families who are experiencing violence or unsafe living circumstances.”

Chief executive of the refuge Sarah Small said it knew the numbers would only increase as the year came to an end.

“And if we are experiencing those numbers I hate to think what other organisations are experiencing as well,” she said.

However, she said she felt lucky that in Rotorua, community services worked together to help people in need.

Further north in Auckland, specialist family violence service provider Shine said it saw a 58 percent increase in women needing to use its refuges over the last financial year.

The general manager of social services at Presbyterian support northern (of which Shine is a part), Grenville Hendricks, said these women had no other safe option and it was difficult to find space and money to support all those in need.

“We rely a lot on our sponsors and our donors to supplement money that we get from government,” he said.

Shine’s refuge manager Sophie Maclaren said food and housing insecurity, job loss, increased meth use and addiction had all contributed to the rise.

She said it was seeing families where violence had not been a problem before.

“Which tells us that all of these stresses are actually adding to [the country’s] problem of family violence,” she said.

Both organisations said more funding and easier access to government support would help as they struggle with the increased demand.

“There’s no extra funding and there’s no recognition for those extra costs so our refuge is at the point where we are considering where do we go from here and what choices do we make,” Hagger said.

Hendricks said bureaucracy could get in the way of quickly supporting families leaving violence.

“To get emergency accommodation for women that need that for safety reasons, often that’s a huge challenge and there’s a lot of bureaucracy we need to go through to try and get that emergency accommodation for them,” he said.

The Ministry of Social Development’s group general manager of enablement, Karen Hocking, said emergency housing continued to be available as a last resort.

“We are concerned to hear a women’s refuge is having difficulties helping vulnerable whānau to access accommodation,” she said.

Hocking said when someone approached the ministry with an urgent housing need, it considered all options to avoid homelessness including financial assistance to start a new tenancy or a referral to transitional housing provider.

“Where possible we refer people escaping violence to transitional housing providers because it offers more stability and tailored support.”

Anti-family violence white ribbon day is on 25 November.

Where to get help

Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
Healthline: 0800 611 116.
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.

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

Sexual Violence

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

Education Ministry gets hundreds of calls, emails over play sand contamination – Seymour

By Evening Report -

November 18, 2025

Source: Radio New Zealand

Educational Colours Rainbow Sand has been recalled. Supplied / Product Safety NZ

The deputy prime minister says several hundred schools and childhood centres have contacted the Ministry of Education after the discovery of asbestos in a range of coloured play sand.

Rainbow sand from Educational Colours and coloured sand from Creatistics has been recalled because Tremolite (a naturally occurring asbestos in quartz) has been found in samples during lab testing.

David Seymour said as of Monday night, about 16 early childhood centres had closed.

“There’s been enormous amounts of phoning and emailing, several hundred early childhood centres have been in touch with the Ministry of Education on suspicion they might have this sand and many more primary schools.

He told First Up instructions had been sent out, advising that the sand should be isolated if possible and to isolate the area if the sand had already been spread around.

There were about 200 asbestos removal specialists staff throughout New Zealand that they could seek guidance from and that list had been provided to schools and early childhood centres, he said.

“We’ll continue to assist, you know for a lot of parents this is deeply distressing but what does need to be said is we understand the problem, we’ve put in place a procedure for dealing with it where there’s a suspicion of it.”

Seymour said the goal was to clean it up if necessary and to get centres re-opened as soon as possible.

“It’s a massive disturbance to people in their daily life when you have a sudden unexpected closure of a daycare centre.”

There were millions of products brought into New Zealand and purchased every year, he said.

“We could put in a regime that nothing could be sold unless it had been tested in some way but I think people know deep down that that would not be realistic and chances are we’d miss something totally unexpected.”

Sand recall shows lack of due diligence from businesses, Eco Choice Aotearoa says

But a New Zealand product certification organisation said the discovery of asbestos in brands of play sand showed a lack of due diligence from businesses.

Laura Gemmell from Eco Choice Aotearoa told Morning Report there was a high trust model for product safety in New Zealand.

“My own son’s school was affected by this so I was surprised to get an email saying his class would be closed today, his whole school will be closed today.”

But she said from a professional stand point she was not surprised it had happened.

“We see so many everyday products that New Zealanders buy that have really gnarly ingredients in them and they’re none the wiser.”

In Australia and New Zealand the importer really had the primary responsibility to ensure their products were safe, she said.

“But it’s almost sort of like an honesty system, importers are sort of trusted to verify safety but they’re not actually required to prove it.

“So I think this is a really good example of why something like mandatory due diligence for high risk products, like those that are used by children, could potentially be a partial solution.”

Although even that would not catch everything, she said.

“I’m a parent and I see people, you know other parents buy things from other retailers, online retailers, and bring things in and you know having no visibility of what’s in them.”

People did not realise what a big problem that was and it really paid to check, she said.

There were standards that people could look for in terms of toys and art products, she said.

“There’s the European toy safety standard which is represented by an EN71 on the side of products, that’s a really good one to look at, and secondly they have something called Reach and that sort of excludes chemicals of concern, ingredients of concern.”

Gemmell said she would encourage people to work out which standards and certifications they trusted and look for them for products for children or that were used routinely in the home.

In the coloured sand case there was no indication that the asbestos had been intentionally added, she said.

“Asbestos occurs naturally so it could be in a quarry where they got this sand, through equipment or storage containers that were also contaminated.”

Businesses really needed to understand their product, “they need to know what’s in that product otherwise they shouldn’t be selling it”, she said.

Several large Australian retailers were selling the sand, but so far Kmart was the only one identified as selling it in New Zealand, she said.

“But these are companies that should know their supply chain, they should know their source, they should be requiring independent testing, they should be auditing their supply chain and they should have things like supplier agreements in place with really clear expectations around health and safety and things like that.”

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

Australian businesses have actually been slow to adopt AI, survey finds

By The Conversation -

November 18, 2025

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stan Karanasios, Professor in Information Systems, The University of Queensland

Over the past few years, we have repeatedly been told artificial intelligence (AI) is coming for our jobs.

In May last year, the International Monetary Fund warned the technology was hitting labour markets like a “tsunami”. Many of the tech giants behind the technology have been making their own confident predictions about which jobs will be wiped out first.

Yet inside many Australian firms, the reality is much less dramatic.

Last week, the Reserve Bank of Australia released the findings from a 2025 survey of 100 medium and large-sized firms, which sought to understand how technology investments have been affecting the way businesses run. It found enterprise-wide AI transformation was the exception rather than the norm.

This presents a strange mismatch: a loud global story about an AI “jobpocalypse”, and a much quieter story inside firms about experiments, pilots and a lot of waiting around for real productivity gains to show up. The Reserve Bank’s report helps explain why.

Laying the groundwork

Australian firms haven’t been ignoring AI and technology. The report notes that over the past decade, total IT investment has grown by almost 80%, faster than other types of capital investment.

Much of that has gone into software, cybersecurity, cloud and upgrading internal systems such as customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning platforms.

While these investments are mostly about keeping the lights on and do not deliver big productivity pay offs on their own, they are essential groundwork to make firms’ systems and processes ready for AI.

‘Minimal’ use of AI

AI is now starting to move up the priority list. About two-thirds of firms surveyed said they have adopted AI “in some form”.

But for the largest group – representing nearly 40% of all respondents – this use was still “minimal”.

Man typing on laptop, screen open to ChatGPT website — Many firms reported only ‘minimal’ use of AI tools.
Viralyft/Pexels

The most common use cases were tasks such as summarising emails or drafting text using off-the-shelf-products like Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT.

Just over 20% of all firms reported “moderate” adoption, using AI to assist with tasks such as demand forecasting or inventory management.

And a small frontier group – less than 10% of all firms – said they had embedded AI into more advanced processes such as fraud detection.

Impact on jobs

Asked about jobs and the future, companies said AI and automation would likely save some labour, particularly on traditionally time-consuming tasks. But they didn’t expect it to cause catastrophic job losses.

Around half said they expected AI and machine learning would lead to a modest reduction in headcount over the next three years.

Firms planning to reduce their headcount expected to do so through natural attrition (employees resigning or retiring), lower intake of new staff, and redundancies.

Routine finance, administration and contact centre work were seen as most at risk of being automated. But firms also said AI would likely create demand for new roles related to the technology – such as in cybersecurity and redesigning processes.

Why are Australian firms so slow?

The Reserve Bank’s findings align with other reports showing Australia as a cautious adopter of AI when compared, for example, to the United States.

Global report cards on AI adoption and innovation more broadly consistently place Australia behind many other advanced economies.

A few key themes stand out from the Reserve Bank’s survey and other international evidence.

First, much of Australia’s recent technology investment has gone into cybersecurity, compliance, legacy system upgrades, data quality improvements and cloud migration. This is a necessary first step before AI investments.

Second, many firms have been struggling to hire the skills needed to drive AI transformation, such as data engineers and data scientists.

And third, Australia’s business culture is cautious, with low trust and high levels of concern about AI. Adding to this, individuals’ “shadow” use of AI tools (without telling their bosses) can mask the true extent of the technology’s adoption.

Do Australian firms need more support?

If Australian businesses want to move beyond “ChatGPT for emails”, evidence points to several practical steps they and governments can make.

Better engagement of company boards is crucial for moving beyond shallow pilots of digital technology, especially when workers distrust AI and directors see it as a risk. Providing evidence of more successful use cases is an important part of this shift.

Australia also needs to invest in lifting AI skills across the workforce, with a particular focus on reskilling workers and preparing for the likely decline in entry-level jobs for young people.

The report indicates firms see the uncertain regulatory environment as a major barrier. The goal should be to have clear, risk-based rules that make safe experimentation easier.

Without these, firms are effectively told two things at once: “move fast to stay competitive” and “don’t you dare breach privacy, copyright or ethics”.

Brace for a bumpy ride

It appears we may not yet be racing toward a world without workers, but rather a messy and uneven transition.

The number of AI firms in Australia has grown substantially, and there is clear momentum and optimism.

For now, however, many businesses are still working out how to make AI useful, embed it into workflows and manage its risks. Their biggest complaints are about ambiguous regulation and skills shortages – not having too many humans.

Stan Karanasios 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. Australian businesses have actually been slow to adopt AI, survey finds – https://theconversation.com/australian-businesses-have-actually-been-slow-to-adopt-ai-survey-finds-269812

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