Category: Asia

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Cushman & Wakefield Ranked No.1 Real Estate Investment Brokerage Firm in Greater China, Hong Kong, and Chinese Mainland Industrial Market in 2025 by MSCI

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – Cushman & Wakefield has been recognized as the top real estate investment brokerage firm in the Greater China* All-sector, Hong Kong All-sector, Hong Kong Office market and Chinese Mainland Industrial market for 2025 by MSCI based on sell-side sales volume. These top rankings highlight the firm’s continued dominance and exceptional performance in the region’s commercial real estate sector.

According to MSCI 2025 Global Broker Rankings, based on sales volume, Cushman & Wakefield represented 28% of all-sector sell-side investment brokerage transactions in Greater China totaling US$2.2 billion. In Hong Kong, the firm secured 36% of all-sector sell-side brokerage volume, worth US$1.2 billion, and 69% of the office sell-side brokerage volume. Furthermore, the team captured a commanding 77% share of the Chinese Mainland Industrial sell-side brokerage market, accounting for US$887 million in transaction value.

*Rankings in Greater China are based on the sum of sell-side brokerage transaction volume in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong China and Taiwan China.

KK Chiu, International Director and Chief Executive, Greater China at Cushman & Wakefield, said, “The MSCI global brokerage ranking reinforces our leading market share in Greater China and in Hong Kong. We stand out from our peers in our deep local market knowledge and connections with both international and domestic capital, which enables us to serve our investor clients throughout market cycles. In addition, we have fostered strong collaboration between our teams in the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong, enabling us to swiftly capitalize on cross-border opportunities and ensure seamless deal execution for our clients.”

The Hong Kong market experienced a significant rebound late last year, driven by major end-user acquisitions. Francis Li, International Director, Vice President and Head of Capital Markets, Greater China at Cushman & Wakefield, detailed the market’s momentum. “We saw strong liquidity coming back to Hong Kong in 2H last year, including the acquisition by Alibaba and Ant Group of multiple floors at One Causeway Bay for use as their Hong Kong headquarters, a landmark deal brokered by us,” said Li. “Our data shows that full-year commercial real estate investment volume in Hong Kong grew by 33% year-over-year in 2025. At the same time, Hong Kong’s residential and student housing markets are also garnering significant interest from investors.”

In addition to the success in Hong Kong, Li mentioned, “The Cushman & Wakefield Capital Markets team has completed several large logistics deals in the Chinese mainland in the last three years, totaling more than RMB10 billion. These significant transactions reinforce our strong local team capability and resilience when navigating complex market challenges.”

In addition to en-bloc logistics transactions, Cushman & Wakefield has also played a significant role in facilitating industrial investments, including factories and R&D centers, and particularly in assisting leading international companies in establishing a presence in China. Tony Su, Managing Director, National Head of Industrial & Logistics Property Services, China, said: “Despite the challenges faced by China’s logistics and industrial sectors, our team delivered an exceptional performance in 2025. We successfully completed transactions with numerous high-profile, industry leading clients, particularly in the biopharmaceuticals, new materials, and premium food sectors. These partnerships stimulated the local economy, set new industry benchmarks, and inspired a wave of policy innovations. I am extremely proud of the growth and resilience demonstrated by Cushman & Wakefield’s Industrial team in navigating a complex market environment.”

About MSCI

MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data and technology, MSCI power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more effective portfolios. MSCI creates industry-leading research-enhanced solutions that clients use to gain insight into and improve transparency across the investment process.

Hashtag: #Cushman&Wakefield

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/cushman-wakefield-ranked-no-1-real-estate-investment-brokerage-firm-in-greater-china-hong-kong-and-chinese-mainland-industrial-market-in-2025-by-msci/

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PT Danantara Investment Management opens DPT registration for PSEL partners

Source: Media Outreach

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – In its efforts to accelerate the energy transition while addressing the growing challenge of urban waste, the government has tapped PT Danantara Investment Management (DIM) to seek capable partners in developing waste-to-energy (WtE) power plant projects, locally known as Pengolahan Sampah Menjadi Energi Listrik (PSEL).

The PSEL program is supported by Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 109/2025, which governs urban waste management through environmentally sustainable renewable energy solutions.

The initiative begins with the establishment of a verified providers list (Daftar Penyedia Terverifikasi or DPT), a pre-qualification mechanism designed to identify companies with proven track records, strong financial capacity and technical expertise in WtE.

To that end, collaboration with private partners scheme reflects the government’s intention to share risks with the private sector while leveraging its expertise, ensuring that projects are not only delivered but also remain operationally sustainable.

Participation in the DPT is open to single entities and consortiums, both local and foreign, provided their countries maintain diplomatic relations with Indonesia.

In addition, DIM has appointed an independent registration and verification (R&V) agent to ensure a credible and transparent process, ensuring that prospective partners included in the list undergo a structured and transparent evaluation.

“The program is designed to ensure that the establishment of the DPT is carried out in a transparent and systematic manner, in line with good governance principles,” PT Danantara Investment Management said in an official statement.

The submission period for verification documents will run from March 25 to April 25, with DIM set to hold virtual technical discussions (aanwijzing) in two cycles to provide further clarity on technical requirements. The first cycle is scheduled for March 26, followed by the second on April 1. Each cycle will include two sessions to accommodate across different time zones.

While attendance at the aanwijzing sessions is not mandatory, they are expected to serve as an important forum for prospective participants to better understand the application requirements before submitting final documents through the official channel.

Interested companies can write indication of interest by email through registrationwte@danantaraindonesia.com

For further information, providers may refer to

https://www.danantaraindonesia.co.id/media-center/highlight/dim-waste-to-energy-verified-participants-list-registration-2026

Hashtag: #Danantara

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/pt-danantara-investment-management-opens-dpt-registration-for-psel-partners/

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Chubb Life Hong Kong Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Life Chapters at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 Connecting Art, Wealth and Legacy

Source: Media Outreach

  • Chubb Life Hong Kong returns as Official Show Partner of Art Basel Hong Kong for the third consecutive year.
  • Thai artist Wit Pimkanchanapong debuts immersive installation, Life Chapters, exploring how every action defines legacy.
  • The partnership with Art Basel enables Chubb Life Hong Kong to engage High-Net-Worth individuals (HNWIs) by integrating art assets into the broader conversation of wealth transfer and legacy planning.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – To mark its 50th anniversary, Chubb Life Hong Kong presents Life Chapters, an immersive installation by Bangkok-based artist Wit Pimkanchanapong, at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 (March 27–29). As Art Basel’s Official Show Partner for the third consecutive year, Chubb Life Hong Kong reaffirms the company’s longstanding role in safeguarding what truly matters, and protecting customers’ lifetime of work.

Hosted in the Chubb Life Hong Kong Lounge near the Hall 1D entrance at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Life Chapters invites visitors to reflect on how every action shapes the journeys and legacies they leave behind. The artwork leads visitors through shifting paths and walls that reveal changing perspectives, reflecting that each action taken defines a life journey. Each step highlights a central theme: securing what matters most allows individuals to honor their unique journeys and the legacies they leave behind.

“As Chubb Life Hong Kong turns 50, beginning our anniversary year at Art Basel is a deliberate choice,” said Belinda Au, President of Chubb Life Hong Kong and Head of North Asia. “Our clients entrust us with what is irreplaceable – their families, their futures and their enduring legacy that reflects a lifetime of work. By bringing Life Chapters to Art Basel, we are highlighting a belief that runs through our 50th Anniversary campaign: every action is a legacy. Our role is to give customers the protection and clarity to take mindful actions with confidence.”

This commitment to safeguarding what matters most and recognizing the role of art in legacy planning is underpinned by Chubb’s global reputation as a long‑standing patron and insurer of the arts. With Hong Kong established as one of the world’s leading art trading hubs, and research showing that high-net-worth individuals allocated an average of 20% of their wealth to art collections, art is also an increasingly important part of client portfolios and a key consideration in asset portfolio and legacy planning for high-net-worth individuals.

The Art Basel installation marks the beginning of a year-long program celebrating Chubb Life Hong Kong’s 50th Anniversary, including cultural partnerships, community initiatives and conversations on life, legacy and intergenerational planning. Across this year, these activities will honor five decades of helping people in Hong Kong protect their aspirations and live the lives they imagine.

Appendix

About Life Chapters

At Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 (March 27–29), Chubb Life Hong Kong will present Life Chapters (hosted in the Chubb Life Hong Kong Lounge near the Hall 1D entrance at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre), an immersive installation by Bangkok-based artist Wit Pimkanchanapong that explores life-defining moments that shape an individual’s path.

As patrons navigate the shifting, maze-like environment within Chubb Life’s lounge, they’ll encounter subtle cues – objects, sounds, phrases – that serve as portals for reflection, while shifting walls, semi-transparent surfaces, and changing sightlines will heighten visitors’ awareness of one another and create a shared experience.

Life Chapters leaves space for viewers to construct their own readings. Instead of guiding them toward a single conclusion, the installation encourages experimentation and responsiveness, rewarding those who explore its possibilities. The pathways visitors trace – deliberate or intuitive – suggest the fluidity with which life can pivot, open or be reimagined. In this sense, the work is completed by participation: each passage through the maze inscribes a new layer of meaning, making the audience an active contributor to the artwork’s evolving form.

The work embodies Chubb Life Hong Kong’s belief that every action is a legacy – that what we do, however small, reshapes the paths available to ourselves and others.

About Wit Pimkanchanapong

Wit Pimkanchanapong is a Bangkok-based artist. Born in 1976 in Bangkok, Pimkanchanapong graduated from the faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand in 1992 and received a MA in Visual Communication, Electronic Media & Time-Based Media, from Kent Institute of Art & Design, Maidstone, UK in 1994.

Wit identifies the special qualities of particular spaces, materials and multimedia from an architectural viewpoint and causes them to reflect the uniqueness of the region or place, transforming these into spaces that bring awareness to the viewer. He also creates places where people can share artworks, via an idiosyncratic mechanism combining media technology and everyday items.

Maze as a concept has become an important form in Pimkanchanapong’s work since 2021. Its origins come from his encounter with a Buddhist maze ceremony on the northern border of Thailand, which opened a way for him to bring together art, architecture, design and technology. He sees the maze as a literal representation of life: it is not linear or predetermined, and it contains many entry points, shifting routes, and unexpected possibilities. Viewers of the work may move forward, reach a dead end, and then find a new path — a rhythm the artist connects with the “rebirths” one can experience over a lifetime.

Exhibitions and shows:

  • Paraphernalia, Galerie du Haïdouc, Bourges, France (2003)
  • Have We Met?, Japan Foundation Forum, Tokyo, Japan (2004).
  • Bangkok Bangkok, La Capella, Barcelona (2005)
  • Politics of Fun, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin (2005)
  • Yokohama Triennale, Yokohama, Japan (2005)
  • Mairie de 6e, Paris, France (2006)
  • Temporary Art Museum SoiSabai with Yoshitomo Nara, Silpakorn Universiity, Bangkok (2006)
  • Some Proposals for the Next Future, Silpakorn University, Bangkok (2007)
  • Sharjah Biennale, Sharjah, UAE; Animated Painting, San Diego Art Museum (2007)
  • The 7th Asian Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT7), Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane (2009)

Previous works:

  • 《 Mist》 . Installation view at Central Plaza, Chieng Rai, Thailand, 2011.
  • Myarab (Fawn). New World Mall, Banglamphu – Bangkok Design Week 2026, 29 Jan – 8 Feb 2026
  • Baan Bardo: Wonderfruits, Pattaya, Thailand, Dec 2025
  • Not Quite a Total Eclipse – 100 Tonson Gallery, Bangkok, 2009
  • Planetary Seed, 100 Tonson Gallery, Bangkok, 2024
  • Octave Maze, Sonic Voyage: A Journey of Rhythmic Flair exhibition by One Bangkok Retail and Cat Radio

Hashtag: #Chubb

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/chubb-life-hong-kong-celebrates-50th-anniversary-with-life-chapters-at-art-basel-hong-kong-2026-connecting-art-wealth-and-legacy/

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Tasman ratepayers face rates increase of almost 10 percent as council grapples with costs

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

Tasman District ratepayers are facing a rates increase of almost 10 percent, as the council grapples with the costs of last years floods and three waters infrastructure, on top of its core business.

Last week, the Tasman District Council elected members were split on moving forward with its draft annual plan which had an average rates increase of 9.9 percent, with sent staff back to the drawing board to consider how to further cut costs.

The split vote of 7-7 forced the council to seek legal advice after the plan failed to progress.

At an emergency meeting today, elected members voted 10-4 to put the draft annual plan out for consultation. The average rates increase for the 2026-27 remained at 9.9 percent, with an end of year debt of $320 million, $8m less than what was proposed at the last meeting.

The increase includes 2.3 percent for the costs of last year’s weather events, 5.3 percent for three waters cost increases and 2.3 percent for the rest of council business, which is below the government’s proposed 4 percent rates cap.

Council chief executive Leonie Rae told elected members that it had taken the direction to lower rates and had come back with options that could be exercised within the annual plan boundaries, with clarity on what the impact on the community would be.

She said the organisation was running lean, the salary budget had been reduced by $1.4m and it was running with around 40 staff under its FTE, and there were “continuing efforts to find efficiencies, savings and extra revenue where possible”.

Rae said in comparison to other councils, Tasman’s rates per capita were $1673, while the average was $1898. The district’s rates per rating unit were $3668, compared to an average of $3876.

“We are doing work and continuing to try and improve our financial position because we’re ratepayers too and no one wants to come to you with big figures, least of all of us.

“I do want to stress to you that further cuts into the operations will have to make significant cuts to levels of service because everyone is very, very busy.”

At last week’s meeting, elected members debated how the proposed storm recovery rate should be set, how much of the roading renewals should be funded by debt, and whether several community facility projects should be paused or not.

At today’s meeting, there was further discussion about the council’s debt in the short term, and whether to increase depreciation to get some debt relief.

One of the more contentious recommendations from last week was that a targeted weather event recovery rate of $125 be introduced for five years to fund $14.6m of the council’s recovery costs from the two winter floods last year.

Councillor Timo Neubauer proposed an amendment that the rate be set on capital value, instead of being a fixed amount per rating unit, which was lost 8-6, with staff agreeing it could be included as an option in the consultation document though the fixed charge would remain the preferred option.

Neubauer said the council had spent the last few months looking for savings, which hadn’t been easy and he hoped the process could be refined in the future, so elected members had more detail about major capital projects, earlier in the process.

He said he and others had asked for more detail around significant increases in the Three Waters infrastructure projects, and aggregated figures made it hard to understand what was driving the costs and where prioritisation could have occurred.

Mayor Tim King said the region was facing continued pressure in many areas, as was the rest of the country.

Mayor Tim King. Samantha Gee / RNZ

“That is the situation we are in all the time, pretty much the whole time I have been in this seat, things have come from left field, Covid, floods, it has been never ending the challenges.”

He said “uncertainty was the name of the game” and the council needed to be adaptable and flexible as it faced those challenges.

King said the council was not a business but instead had to provide a mix of community services, act as a regulator and be an infrastructure provider while also promoting growth.

“We have all of these roles and all of these hats and they don’t fit neatly into a tidy financial package.”

Councillor Trindi Walker asked whether there was any room for movement, if the feedback from the community after consultation was that they could not afford a 9.9 percent rates rise.

“Do we have room to suddenly stop, pause, look and acknowledge what our community is saying? Or are we so far in now that we have to wait for the long-term plan?”

Deputy Mayor Brent Maru supported the motion and said the diversity around the council table was a good thing.

“The debate and the different views and the different suggestions isn’t unhealthy for the system.”

“As we work through this, we will compromise, we will check the decisions we make on behalf of the communities we represent and come up with a collective decision.”

Councillors Mark Greening, Mark Hume, Dean McNamara and Paul Morgan voted against moving the updated draft annual plan to consultation.

McNamara said he wanted to see more action taken to reduce costs.

“This plan’s still going out with building nice-to-haves when we’re borrowing money to pay for our business as usual, all which increase both our debt and our ongoing costs.”

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/tasman-ratepayers-face-rates-increase-of-almost-10-percent-as-council-grapples-with-costs/

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1exchange and Capitaux Partner to List NVDAt, among the First ISIN-Backed Tokenized NVIDIA Stock

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – 1exchange, a leading regulated RWA exchange for listing and trading RWA tokens, has entered a strategic partnership with Capitaux, the issuer of NVDAt, an ISIN-registered tokenized security referencing NVIDIA shares. The collaboration is set to bring NVDAt, ISIN-backed tokenized NVIDIA stock, to global investors, establishing a new benchmark for credibility and standardization in the global RWA tokenization market.
NVDAt is structured as a 1:1 asset-backed tokenized representation of NVIDIA shares, designed for compliant and efficient on-chain trading upon listing. ISIN registration enhances transparency, interoperability, and institutional recognizability across trading, settlement, and reporting systems. By supporting issuers in obtaining ISIN registration, 1exchange enables clearer identification and stronger alignment with established financial standards for RWA tokens.
With transparent and compliant architecture, independent third-party custody, and institutional grade blockchain security, Capitaux enables institutions to transform real-world assets into globally tradable digital securities. 1exchange is actively building its listing-to-trading ecosystem to bring high-quality and compliant RWA tokens to investors worldwide. The forthcoming listing of NVDAt further strengthens 1exchange’s tokenized product offering, supporting the scalable growth of the RWA tokenization market.
“By introducing an ISIN-backed RWA token in partnership with Capitaux, we will be bringing institutional-grade compliance standards into the on-chain RWA tokenization market.” says Sheena Lim, CEO of 1exchange, “Our focus is to make the listing and trading of RWA tokens more transparent, structured, and accessible for investors.”

Hashtag: #1exchange #tokenization #toenizedstocks #RWA

https://www.1x.exchange/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/1-exchange/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About 1exchange

1exchange, a member of FOMO Group, is a leading exchange for Real-World Assets (RWA) security tokens and private listings, licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Offering full-stack on-chain infrastructure, the platform enables issuers to list enterprise-grade RWAs, while enabling investors to trade modern digital assets in a regulated secondary market, unlocking global liquidity.
Visit www.1x.exchange for more information. For media inquiries, please contact media@1x.exchange.


Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is provided strictly for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any securities or financial products listed or traded on 1exchange (“1X”).
Investments involve risks, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance.
Readers should carefully consider their investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance, and should conduct their own independent research. Where appropriate, readers are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.
This article has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/1exchange-and-capitaux-partner-to-list-nvdat-among-the-first-isin-backed-tokenized-nvidia-stock/

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Pioneering Māori broadcaster and journalist Moari Stafford dies

Source: Radio New Zealand

Pioneering Māori journalist Moari Stafford. Moari Stafford

Pioneering Māori broadcaster and journalist Moari Stafford, who cultivated opportunity and empowered generations of Māori journalists for more than 20 years, has died.

He was 74.

Hailing from Waikato, Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Apakura and Ngāti Te Wehi, Stafford spent much of his life in Kawhia situated on the east coast, under the shadow of Maunga Pirongia – the tallest peak in Waikato.

Stafford grew up speaking te reo in a community that recognised the language as a tāonga that must be preserved and protected.

He joined Te Karere as a reporter in 1987, the year te reo Māori was recognised as an official language in New Zealand.

At a pivotal time in history, he became part of a generation that championed Māori journalism through challenging times.

Veteran broadcaster Tini Molyneux worked closely with Stafford for many years in broadcasting and said it was a challenging time but his dedication to te reo was relentless.

“He didn’t pursue a career in broadcasting but had a calibre of reo that was becoming hard to find at the time, so he was encouraged to get involved,” Molyneux said.

“Throughout his career he prioritised te reo in his decision making which created opportunities for people who didn’t fit the status quo of mainstream journalism.”

Stafford was appointed editor of Te Karere in 1991 and over the next 20 years he played a vital role in launching the careers of award-winning journalists and broadcasters.

Māori broadcaster and journalist Mihingarangi Forbes remembers Stafford as an “incredible boss” and respected figure in the newsroom.

“I started at Te Karere in 1994, we were the last of the cadetships for Te Karere… we were so excited and we had a whakatau in the marae there at Māori and Pacific programmes. There would have been about 50 people who worked there at the time,” Forbes said.

“Moari was an incredible boss, so supportive: mātanga reo, mātanga tikanga, mātanga kawa. He had a huge heart, he believed in people.

“He would always see something in us. He would guide us through our hapa and our mistakes that we made which, when you work at Te Karere and Te Ao Māori, making a mistake can be fatal. He would always guide us through that and pull us out the other side.”

Forbes said Stafford would travel between Kawhia and the TVNZ office in Auckland weekly – a distance of around 200 kilometres.

“He was an amazing family man”, she said.

“He’d always bring us kai Māori, rewana bread or a boil up or any kind of Māori kai that he’d bring from home, kai moana, and he’d share it with everybody.”

“I’ll dearly miss him. I’ll miss his texts. He kept in touch with me for my last 32 years, encouraging me every time he saw me out there or doing something good, he’d let me know.”

Another veteran Māori broadcaster to work under Stafford was Julian Wilcox who, alongside Māori media mogul Bailey Mackey, joined Te Karere as a reporter in the late 1990s.

Wilcox told RNZ Stafford was a “quiet and humble” man whose time working manual jobs gave him a dogged work ethic.

“Moari just was worried about filling the half hour that we had on Te Karere… but he got into the gig because of, I found out later on, the encouragement of one of the great tohunga of Tainui, Henare Tuwhangai, who was a main orator for Te Arikinui Te Ataarangikaahu in his time, and one of the great tohunga of Māoridom,” he said.

“It was always about doing the gig, filling the half hour, making sure you had a kaupapa, and turning that kaupapa into a story, filling it out for two and a half minutes – which I know is a long time in news – but that was the average story length for Te Karere… he had that kind of discipline.”

Wilcox said Stafford was always interested in the voices of those the mainstream would leave out of the regular 6pm bulletin.

“How I figured out to please Moari was that if I could get kaumātua and kuia that people often didn’t see in news, particularly in mainstream, talking about news of the day, whatever it might have been at that time, the happier he’d be.

“I’d always turn up to work, and he would always say, ‘What’s your story?’ and I would tell him, ‘Well, I’ve got this kuia…’”

“He’d say ‘Kapai! Go get it’,” Wilcox said.

Stafford was part of a cohort of some of the first Māori broadcasters and journalists to appear regularly on New Zealand television screens like Hinerangi Goodman, Martin Rakuraku, Whai Ngata, Derek Fox, Tini Molyneux and Hirini Henare.

Wilcox remembers them all as “icons”.

“These were people who grew up watching… he was a cool, lovely, lovely man and [without] him I probably wouldn’t have a media career. We owe him a lot and we’re going to miss him.”

Former Te Karere journalist Dean Nathan joined Te Karere in the early 2000s. He told RNZ he met Stafford much earlier life as boy when Stafford worked in Forestry around the small, isolated town of Te Kao in the Far North.

“Who would have thought you would have met a forestry manager in television, right? Editing a national programme and obviously with turning over news it’s a demanding job and the team’s got to be out there and, you know, on the ball every day,” he said.

“I remember him as a really supportive editor and producer, a beautifully natured man.”

Nathan said Stafford gave him huge work opportunities.

“I’m grateful for Moari because he supported me and that was pretty much the starting of my career in television. He was the first editor to send me to repot internationally in America and North America, Canada and Hawaii and all over the South Pacific.

“Those are opportunities that really broadened my my skills and ability and I’m really grateful for that. I love Moari,” Nathan said.

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

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/pioneering-maori-broadcaster-and-journalist-moari-stafford-dies/

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Oyster farmers get final payment over October Mahurangi River sewage spill

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wastewater poured into the Mahurangi River in October. Supplied

Watercare has announced its final tranche of compensation payment for oyster farmers North of Auckland, after an estimated 1200 cubic metres of sewage flowed into the Mahurangi River last October.

Watercare said a power surge at its Lucy Moore Memorial Park pump station tripped the pumps, and was compounded by an alarm and monitoring system that wasn’t operating as it should be – leading to delays in the response.

Wastewater poured into the Mahurangi River between the afternoon of 29 October, and the next morning.

One Mahurangi oyster farmer told RNZ that much of their 80,000 dozen oysters had to be dumped.

Watercare’s final payment brings the total payout to $2.75 million for the nine oyster farms.

Previously, a payment of $1 million was made in the immediate weeks following the spill and another $1 million at the end of last year.

Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne said the payment decision followed independent assessments of the financial impact resulting from the October event.

“We sincerely apologise to the oyster farmers affected by this incident and recognise the impact it had on their livelihoods and on the wider Mahurangi Harbour aquaculture industry,

“We commissioned an independent loss assessment to understand the financial impact of the October event on oyster farmers, resulting in the farms being shut down by MPI during a critical part of their harvesting season. This process has informed Watercare’s approach to resolving the claims.”

Watercare said independent reviews into the cause of the overflow has now been completed.

It said the reviews found that the incident resulted from “a unique chain of events involving technical and operational factors” at the newly commissioned station at Lucy Moore Memorial Park.

“We have taken the findings of the reviews seriously and have already implemented improvements to strengthen our systems and processes,” said Bourne.

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

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/oyster-farmers-get-final-payment-over-october-mahurangi-river-sewage-spill/

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Queenstown Lakes District Council seeks 35-year consent to pump wastewater into Kawarau River

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Queenstown Lakes District Council has voted to seek long-term approval to pump treated wastewater into the Kawarau River.

Councillors agreed on Thursday to lodge a 35-year resource consent application for discharge from the Shotover Wastewater Treatment Plant, while staff keep looking for alternative solutions to the region’s wastewater woes.

The decision comes one year after the council first diverted wastewater to the Shotover River under emergency powers, following persistent performance issues at a disposal field on the Shotover Delta.

The temporary plan prompted community backlash, with some locals saying the river was at risk and the council had not been transparent.

QLDC retrospectively applied for consent in May, then sought for the case to be handled by the Environment Court.

Separately, the Environment Court ruled the council needed to fix the issues long-term, and lodge a long-term resource consent application by 31 May.

Under the $77.5 million plan supported by most councillors on Thursday, the council would install advanced filters at the treatment plant, and build a 1.4km pipeline to carry the treated wastewater to a rock outfall structure on the Kawarau River.

It was the option recommended by council staff as the most technically feasible and cost-effective pathway, designed to handle the district’s projected growth through to 2060.

However, the plan was strongly opposed by Ngāi Tahu.

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Iwi representatives stated that the direct discharge of human waste to natural water was “abhorrent” and contrary to tikanga, because water classified as waikino (polluted water) should not be mixed with other categories of water, council documents showed.

Assessments showed the Kawarau River’s high energy and flow would provide rapid dilution, meaning the environmental effects were “no more than minor”.

The volume of wastewater requiring disposal from the Shotover plant was projected to more than double by 2060 to to 26 million litres per day, council documents showed.

On Thursday, councillors debated asking the Environment Court for an extension to the consent deadline – a move council staff had warned could be risky and costly.

Ultimately, an alternative option put forward by councillor Gavin Bartlett – to apply for the consent, but also direct the chief executive to undertake further investigations into long-term disposal options – was approved.

Councillor Jon Mitchell described it as a pragmatic but inclusive option.

“This will expedite getting us out of the current situation we’re in, into something marginally more acceptable. With an open mind to pursuing what other options might be available,” he said.

Councillor Nicola King said it was a difficult decision, but it would be costly and without “real reason” to delay the decision.

“We just have to make sure it’s not our long-term solution,” she said.

Mayor John Glover abstained from voting, and councillor Niki Gladding voted against it.

Once the council selected the most cost-effective option, it would be difficult to justify looking at anything else, she said.

“If you’re a developer and you’ve paid development contributions towards it, you’re not going to be wanting to pay twice for a second solution,” she said.

“Once we’ve done this, we’ve done it… we’ll have lost the opportunity to set the direction that we don’t want our wastewater just pouring into the Kawarau.”

RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Community urges caution

Earlier in the meeting, during a public delegation, Queenstown Lakes Community Action founder Nikki Macfarlane urged the council to pause – in part because there had not been a “full environmental assessment clearly setting out the risks of each option” nor “meaningful engagement with the community”, she said.

“Once that pathway is set, it’s difficult to reverse,” she said.

“We’re asking you to request an extension from ORC and the Environment Court so you have the time and the necessary information to make a decision that you can stand behind with confidence.”

Andrew Davis, a Queenstown resident of 20 years, said the council should look at options to improve the quality of the wastewater.

“We are privileged to live in an environment with pristine water bodies, whereas many of the comparative plants are discharging into highly degraded environments,” he said.

Other options on the table

In the lead-up to Thursday’s vote, council staff also looked at adding a wetland to the Shotover Delta, hybrid schemes trialling partial disposal via deep boreholes, or shallow soakholes at Frankton Flats, or a high-cost land-only irrigation scheme on the Crown Terrace.

The council held a series of drop-in sessions in December and January for community members to learn about the options, but skipped full public consultation to meet the May deadline.

Councillors agreed to direct the chief executive to keep looking at “reasonably practicable wastewater options, including land-based and hybrid land-water options that may minimise the extent of the discharge of treated effluent to water”, and report back by March 2027.

The council also agreed to seek further hui with Kā Rūnaka leaders, and undertake further community engagement.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/queenstown-lakes-district-council-seeks-35-year-consent-to-pump-wastewater-into-kawarau-river/

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Oyster farmers to get another $2.75 million compensation over Mahurangi River sewage spill

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wastewater poured into the Mahurangi River in October. Supplied

Watercare has announced its final tranche of compensation payment for oyster farmers North of Auckland, after an estimated 1200 cubic metres of sewage flowed into the Mahurangi River last October.

Watercare said a power surge at its Lucy Moore Memorial Park pump station tripped the pumps, and was compounded by an alarm and monitoring system that wasn’t operating as it should be – leading to delays in the response.

Wastewater poured into the Mahurangi River between the afternoon of 29 October, and the next morning.

One Mahurangi oyster farmer told RNZ that much of their 80,000 dozen oysters had to be dumped.

Watercare’s final payment brings the total payout to $2.75 million for the nine oyster farms.

Previously, a payment of $1 million was made in the immediate weeks following the spill and another $1 million at the end of last year.

Watercare chief operations officer Mark Bourne said the payment decision followed independent assessments of the financial impact resulting from the October event.

“We sincerely apologise to the oyster farmers affected by this incident and recognise the impact it had on their livelihoods and on the wider Mahurangi Harbour aquaculture industry,

“We commissioned an independent loss assessment to understand the financial impact of the October event on oyster farmers, resulting in the farms being shut down by MPI during a critical part of their harvesting season. This process has informed Watercare’s approach to resolving the claims.”

Watercare said independent reviews into the cause of the overflow has now been completed.

It said the reviews found that the incident resulted from “a unique chain of events involving technical and operational factors” at the newly commissioned station at Lucy Moore Memorial Park.

“We have taken the findings of the reviews seriously and have already implemented improvements to strengthen our systems and processes,” said Bourne.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/oyster-farmers-to-get-another-2-75-million-compensation-over-mahurangi-river-sewage-spill/

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Screening rates for HPV increase at clinics with self-tests

Source: Radio New Zealand

123rf

HPV self-tests increase screening rates, with a new study finding 10 percent more coverage at clinics which offer it.

Self-testing for human papillomavirus was rolled out nationally in September 2023.

The study period for this newly-published research took place before that change – between February 2022 and September 2023 – but it compared screening rates at clinics which offered self-testing, to those which didn’t.

It found screening coverage was 10.8 percent higher at practices offering self-testing, and higher for all groups, including Māori – a historically undeserved group.

Published on Thursday in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Women’s Health journal, it included 22,511 people enrolled in 14 GPs in Te Tai Tokerau Northland.

Half the practices offered HPV self-testing and half offered a vaginal speculum exam by a doctor or nurse, the standard screening method before self-testing was introduced.

Professor Bev Lawton, lead author of the study and director of the University’s Te Tātai Hauora o Hine-National Centre for Women’s Health Research Aotearoa, said the study proved self-testing was a game changer.

“We know from our previous research the HPV self-test is acceptable and accessible for under- and never-screened wāhine Māori,” she said.

HPV causes 95 percent of cervical cancers. According to Health NZ, since HPV self-testing was introduced in 2023, 81 percent of those being screened have opted to self-test – in the two years to July 2025, screening coverage rose by 7.4 percent.

It was important to understand how changes to the kinds of test on offer would affect the overall coverage, or number of people being reached by the programme, Lawton said.

“If you’re going to change it and offer a self-test, you don’t want to lose your coverage,” she said. “Because the more people that the programme screens, the more likely that you’re going to save lives.”

Speaking from Austria, where she and her colleagues were discussing the study findings at the international conference EUROGIN, an international congress on HPV infections and associated cancers, she said the study could have worldwide ramifications – millions of people around the world could be spared an invasive vaginal speculum exam.

“We believe all national cervical screening programmes should urgently consider a universal offer of HPV self-testing through primary care,” she said.

“If you have an organised screening programme, as you do in high income countries… it really means that millions of women do not need to have a speculum.”

The research was funded by the Health Research Council, the Ministry of Health, and Mahitahi Hauora.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/screening-rates-for-hpv-increase-at-clinics-with-self-tests/

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Can Gio: The Emerging Catalyst in Southern Vietnam’s Tourism Transformation

Source: Media Outreach

HCMC, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – Southern Vietnam consistently stands out as one of the country’s most dynamic gateways for international travelers. Anchored by Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s economic and financial nucleus, this region benefits from year-round tropical weather and a richly diverse marine ecosystem, positioning it as a natural tourism hub.

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City recorded the highest visitor volume nationwide, welcoming over 53.5 million arrivals, including approximately 8.5 million international tourists. Yet, a persistent paradox remains. Despite its status as the country’s primary entry point, the city largely functions as a transit node rather than a destination where visitors choose to linger. Many travelers stay only briefly before continuing to established coastal destinations such as Vung Tau, Phu Quoc, or Phan Thiet.

Ho Chi Minh City has yet to fully evolve into a tourism ecosystem capable of sustaining extended stays. The limitation is not solely due to the absence of large-scale, destination-defining developments, but also stems from a more fundamental constraint, connectivity infrastructure. For years, the southern region’s interprovincial transport network has developed unevenly, resulting in prolonged travel times and overreliance on a limited number of arterial routes.

That landscape, however, is entering a period of inflection.

A new wave of infrastructure investment – arguably the most extensive in the region’s history – is being deployed, with Can Gio at its epicenter. The convergence of strategic transport corridors is not only reducing travel friction between economic and tourism centers, but also unlocking the long-overlooked potential of Can Gio, gradually reshaping the broader economic and tourism geography of southern Vietnam.

The city’s long-term vision positions Can Gio as a new growth pole, with projected capacity to attract approximately 40 million visitors annually. This ambition contributes to Vietnam’s national target of welcoming 30-35 million international tourists and 160-180 million domestic travelers by 2030.

A 40-Million-Visitor Hub and the Transformation of Southern Tourism

Historically, Can Gio has been recognized as the “green lung” of Ho Chi Minh City, home to a vast mangrove ecosystem and a UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve spanning approximately 75,000 hectares. Under a new development vision, the district is gradually repositioning itself as “Saigon’s seaside”, a large-scale coastal tourism center located just beyond a metropolitan population of over 10 million.

A series of major infrastructure projects is now converging to redefine Can Gio’s accessibility. For the first time, the area will benefit from a multi-layered transport network, effectively dismantling the geographic isolation that has persisted for decades.

On the aviation axis, Can Gio will connect directly to Long Thanh International Airport, designed to handle up to 100 million passengers annually, via Rung Sac Road and the Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway.

On the urban rail axis, the Ben Thanh – Can Gio metro line, expected to commence operations in Q3 2028, will reduce travel time from the city center to the coast to just 13 minutes, shorter than a typical coffee break, effectively integrating Can Gio into the daily living, working, and leisure radius of both residents and visitors.

On the road network, the Can Gio Bridge, scheduled for completion in 2029, will replace the existing Binh Khanh ferry and establish seamless connectivity with regional expressways, embedding Can Gio into both domestic and international logistics networks.

Meanwhile, the Can Gio – Vung Tau sea-crossing route, targeted for completion in early 2029, will open a new coastal tourism corridor, enabling Can Gio to capture a share of the more than 18 million annual visitors currently traveling to Vung Tau.

Complementing this infrastructure backbone, the emergence of Vinhomes Green Paradise is widely viewed as a catalytic force, one capable of activating a new “southern economic and tourism super-map.”

Conceived as an ESG mega-urban development, the project is designed not only to deliver integrated hospitality, entertainment, and lifestyle offerings, but also to function as a central gateway and distribution hub for regional tourist flows.

A True ‘Must-play’ Destination

Commenting on the Vinhomes Green Paradise project in Can Gio, Mike Gorman, Senior Project Architect at RTJ II Golf Course Architects, remarked: “This is going to be completely unique to Vietnam. It will become something people from around the world travel to experience, a true ‘must-play’ destination.”

Its large-scale, experience-driven ecosystem includes: VinWonders Can Gio, envisioned as one of the region’s leading entertainment complexes; two international-standard 18-hole golf courses; a network of 5–6 star hotels and boutique properties totaling nearly 7,000 rooms; the 7-hectare Song Xanh Theater; a five-star Vinmec hospital in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic (USA); and Vin New Horizon, a senior living urban model. This diversified offering enables year-round operations, catering to a wide spectrum of visitor demographics and preferences.

Vinhomes Green Paradise has been conceptualized to align with evolving tourism trends, urban utility integration, and experiential demand, while leveraging Can Gio’s ecological assets to create distinctive, place-based experiences for both visitors and residents. Among hundreds of global participant, Vinhomes Green Paradise has been selected as the first official participant in the “7 Wonders of Future Cities” campaign organized by New7Wonders. Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of New7Wonders and President of the campaign, described the project as a compelling model for the concept of a future city, where progress is measured by quality of living across generations.

From an investment perspective, the formation of this “southern economic and tourism super-map” signals not only expanded headroom for the tourism sector, but also the influx of capital and the prospect of sustained real estate value appreciation.

For context, Singapore welcomed approximately 16.5 million international visitors in 2025, generating around SGD 29 billion (equivalent to USD 22.6 billion) in tourism revenue. Against this benchmark, Can Gio’s target of 40 million annual visitors serves as a foundation for long-term asset value growth, as the area evolves into a leading coastal economic and tourism urban center in Vietnam and the wider region.

Hashtag: #Vinhomes

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/can-gio-the-emerging-catalyst-in-southern-vietnams-tourism-transformation/

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Media OutReach Newswire Further Strengthens Singapore and Asia Pacific Reach with Strategic AsiaOne Partnership

Source: Media Outreach

Agreement with the Singapore digital media platform reinforces Media OutReach Newswire’s role as the leading global newswire for Asia Pacific

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 March 2026 – Media OutReach Newswire, Asia Pacific’s first and only global newswire, has entered into a strategic content partnership with AsiaOne, one of Singapore’s most prominent digital media platforms.

This partnership means that Media OutReach Newswire will be the first newswire to provide guaranteed online news posting on the AsiaOne website. The collaboration further solidifies Media OutReach Newswire’s status as the only global newswire offering guaranteed online news posting on two leading digital media platforms, AsiaOne and CNA, for all Singapore press release distributions.

The partnership follows recent high-profile collaborations with the Asia News Network (ANN), the consortium of leading Asia Pacific news media, and CNA – marking a period of rapid strategic growth. Once again, a leading media outlet has chosen to launch their partnership with Media OutReach before any other newswire, which demonstrates the deep trust it has earned within the global media ecosystem.

With this addition, Media OutReach Newswire’s Singapore distribution now guarantees online news posting on trusted news platforms AsiaOne, CNA, MoneyFM89.3 and Vulcan Post, as well as influential lifestyle media like Alvinology, Asia Journeys and SuperAdrianMe. This is alongside Asia News Network (ANN), a grouping of 20 leading news sites across Asia Pacific.

Ms Jennifer Kok, Founder and CEO of Media OutReach Newswire, said: “We are pleased to announce this partnership with AsiaOne, a digital news pioneer that has been a trusted voice in Singapore for 30 years. As the first global newswire they have chosen to partner with, this collaboration reflects the high level of credibility we have built. Together with our existing partnerships with CNA and ANN, this reaffirms Media OutReach Newswire’s role as the definitive global newswire for Singapore, Southeast Asia, and the wider Asia Pacific region.”

Media OutReach Newswire remains the only global newswire that guarantees online news posting exclusively on trusted, authentic media sites. This guaranteed presence on authoritative news sites like AsiaOne, with its high domain trust and over 5.5 million* monthly visits, provides brands with a significant boost in AI discoverability in SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This ensures that client news is not only seen by human readers but is also accurately surfaced and cited by AI-generated answers from leading Large Language Models (LLMs).

As the leading global newswire for Asia Pacific, Media OutReach Newswire is trusted by Asian corporations, SMEs, and government agencies to distribute their news globally. In addition to offering the most extensive distribution network and guaranteed news visibility, the newswire owns a proprietary international journalist database. This provides a robust global news reach spanning the Asia Pacific, USA, Canada, UK, and Europe, as well as Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

Its total communications solutions empower strategic communicators and PR professionals to demonstrate tangible success through targeted news distribution and direct journalist access, as well as ready-to-use reporting and campaign intelligence with ROI designed for C-suite presentations.

*Source: Similarweb

Hashtag: #MediaOutReachNewswire

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/media-outreach-newswire-further-strengthens-singapore-and-asia-pacific-reach-with-strategic-asiaone-partnership/

Posted on

Live: Fuel stations run out again, Luxon warns NZ preparing for ‘prolonged’ Iran conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand

Petrol stations across the country are seeing a surge of drivers filling up as petrol prices rises amid fears of rapidly jumping prices and potential shortages.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have been addressing the latest on the fuel crisis, warning that NZ is now preparing for a possible ‘prolonged’ Iran conflict.

“Hope is not a plan,” Luxon said.

It comes in the wake of a global rise in oil prices following the US-Israel war on Iran. Iran’s response has included the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transportation channel for Middle Eastern energy exports.

Strikes overnight hit Iran’s part of the world’s largest gas field. Iran has vowed revenge, listing energy targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar as potential targets.

The Automobile Association here has warned further price hikes are likely.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis face questions on the fuel crisis. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

There have been reports of service stations running out of fuel as motorists rush to fill up.

New Zealand has several weeks’ supply in storage or on the way, the government has said.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/live-fuel-stations-run-out-again-luxon-warns-nz-preparing-for-prolonged-iran-conflict/

Posted on

Live: Fuel stations run out again, Luxon warns NZ preparng for ‘prolonged’ Iran conflict

Source: Radio New Zealand

Petrol stations across the country are seeing a surge of drivers filling up as petrol prices rises amid fears of rapidly jumping prices and potential shortages.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis have been addressing the latest on the fuel crisis, warning that NZ is now preparing for a possible ‘prolonged’ Iran conflict.

“Hope is not a plan,” Luxon said.

It comes in the wake of a global rise in oil prices following the US-Israel war on Iran. Iran’s response has included the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transportation channel for Middle Eastern energy exports.

Strikes overnight hit Iran’s part of the world’s largest gas field. Iran has vowed revenge, listing energy targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar as potential targets.

The Automobile Association here has warned further price hikes are likely.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis face questions on the fuel crisis. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

There have been reports of service stations running out of fuel as motorists rush to fill up.

New Zealand has several weeks’ supply in storage or on the way, the government has said.

Luxon and Willis will be speaking to the media at Parliament from 1.30pm. Watch it live at the top of this page. RNZ will also be blogging the developments as they happen.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/live-fuel-stations-run-out-again-luxon-warns-nz-preparng-for-prolonged-iran-conflict/

Posted on

Black smoke seen rising from Auckland suburb of Ponsonby

Source: Radio New Zealand

Smoke seen rising over Ponsonby from St Paul’s College. Supplied / Linda Hallas

Black smoke can be seen over the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby.

Photos from St Paul’s College, on Richmond Rd, show smoke rising in the distance.

Do you know more? Share your pictures and stories with us at: iwitness@rnz.co.nz

It is understood Ponsonby Automotive on Williamson Ave is well involved in fire.

Explosions had been heard coming from the scene, Stuff reported.

Smoke seen rising over Ponsonby from St Paul’s College. Supplied / Linda Hallas

Auckland Pet Hospital on nearby Pollen St has been evacuated.

In a post to their Facebook page, staff said “all our animals are safe and have evacuated with us.”

Fire and Emergency has been approached for comment.

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/black-smoke-seen-rising-from-auckland-suburb-of-ponsonby/

Posted on

Football Ferns named for World Cup Oceania Qualifiers Finals in NZ

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kate Taylor is back for the Football Ferns. Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.nz

The Football Ferns squad has been named for the Oceania Qualifiers finals in Aotearoa next month, where the side will aim to book a ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.

The squad sees Ferns’ regulars Ally Green, Jacqui Hand, Gabi Rennie, and Kate Taylor, added to the group, who won all three Oceania Qualifiers games in the Solomon Islands earlier this month without conceding a goal.

The Football Ferns will first face Fiji in the semi-finals on Sunday, 12 April at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton.

The winner of that game will then take on the winner of Papua New Guinea v American Samoa on Wednesday, 15 April at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland, with the victorious side securing qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

Football Ferns head coach Michael Mayne said because the games come so quickly after the group stage, the decision was made to retain the vast majority of that squad.

“So we have real consistency and can hit the ground running once the players are back home,” Mayne said.

“The tournament in the Solomon Islands was a great start to the year, and while the scores reflected the difference in quality we have over those OFC nations, what was pleasing was the way in which we stayed connected to what we wanted to get from the fixtures in the way we played and approached those matches very professionally as a group.”

“The reality is, we have not played in New Zealand in over a year, so being back in Aotearoa is a real privilege and the prospect of qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in front of our home fans and families is very special and not something we get to do very often.”

Full squad

Liz Anton

Hannah Blake

Kelli Brown

Claudia Bunge

Milly Clegg

Victoria Esson

Michaela Foster

Ally Green

Maya Hahn

Jacqui Hand

Deven Jackson

Grace Jale

Katie Kitching

Charlotte Lancaster

Meikayla Moore

Emma Pijnenburg

Gabi Rennie

Indiah-Paige Riley

Alina Santos

Rebekah Stott

Kate Taylor

Pia Vlok

Grace Wisnewski

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/football-ferns-named-for-world-cup-oceania-qualifiers-finals-in-nz/

Posted on

Serious Fraud Office looking at Chatham Islands Council spending

Source: Radio New Zealand

A scathing Auditor General report said former council chief executive Paul Eagle’s actions over a project to upgrade his own accommodation were unacceptable and misleading. RNZ / Te Aniwa Hurihanganui

The Serious Fraud Office is evaluating a scathing Auditor General report into spending by former Chatham Islands boss Paul Eagle.

The Auditor General’s report, released last week, said former council chief executive Eagle’s actions over a project to upgrade his own accommodation were unacceptable and misleading, after costs blew out by more than $250,000.

A spokesperson for the office said it was assessing the report to determine whether there are sufficient grounds to open an enquiry or criminal investigation into the issues raised.

“At this stage, no further information can be given, including whether the SFO will open an enquiry or investigation.”

The council has referred concerns raised in a scathing Auditor General’s report to the Serious Fraud Office.

In a post on its Facebook page this week, the council said it had formally received the report and had unanimously resolved to refer it to the appropriate authority for consideration.

“We are committed to responding responsibly, transparently, and in the best interests of our community,” Mayor Greg Horler said.

The Auditor General’s report, released last week, said former council chief executive Paul Eagle’s actions over a project to upgrade his own accommodation were unacceptable, after costs blew out by $250,000.

Eagle’s handling of documents was misleading and showed exceptionally poor judgement, the report said.

It said the former Wellington MP edited or created quotes and contracts for the project, and did not make “moderate” or “conservative” funding choices.

The original budget was set at $200,000 and blew out to $460,001.65. Another $37,739.19 was also spent on rent to house Eagle and his family as the work went ahead.

“We saw little sign of any consideration of containing costs during the project. We also consider that the chief executive made spending choices that were not moderate and conservative,” the report said.

“Purchasing expensive appliances for the kitchen and carrying out extensive electrical work that suppliers working on the project widely considered to be excessive were particularly questionable.”

The report also uncovered “serious integrity questions” for the council to contend with, including its policies relating to procurement, conflicts of interest, staff expenses and fiscal reporting.

It said Eagle had sole oversight over the project, and because the cost of the upgrade could be perceived as benefiting Eagle, his family should have instigated approval by the council, mayor or deputy mayor, in line with council policy.

The report was tabled in Parliament last Thursday.

“We have not reached a view on the legality of the chief executive’s actions. In this case, we consider it sufficient to draw the council, Parliament, and the public’s attention to the matter.”

In a letter included in the report findings, Eagle, who resigned last month, apologised and said his actions did not meet the standards expected of himself and his role.

“I started as chief executive of the council in late 2023, three months earlier than planned and, because of the illness of the outgoing chief executive, did not receive a formal, structured induction process covering the policies, processes, systems and documentation expected of the role.

“I wholeheartedly accept now that I should have sought clarity and support for this process.”

Interim council chief executive Bob Penter declined to be interviewed.

Paul Eagle has been contacted for comment.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/serious-fraud-office-looking-at-chatham-islands-council-spending/

Posted on

Live: Fuel stations run out again, Luxon and Willis faces questions about fuel crisis

Source: Radio New Zealand

Petrol stations across the country are seeing a surge of drivers filling up as petrol prices rises amid fears of rapidly jumping prices and potential shortages.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis are set to talk about the latest on the fuel crisis.

It comes in the wake of a global rise in oil prices following the US-Israel war on Iran. Iran’s response has included the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transportation channel for Middle Eastern energy exports.

Strikes overnight hit Iran’s part of the world’s largest gas field. Iran has vowed revenge, listing energy targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar as potential targets.

The Automobile Association here has warned further price hikes are likely.

There have been reports of service stations running out of fuel as motorists rush to fill up.

New Zealand has several weeks’ supply in storage or on the way, the government has said.

Luxon and Willis will be speaking to the media at Parliament from 1.30pm. Watch it live at the top of this page. RNZ will also be blogging the developments as they happen.

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

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/live-fuel-stations-run-out-again-luxon-and-willis-faces-questions-about-fuel-crisis/

Posted on

‘Should not be alarmed’: Massive training exercise on Lake Tekapo this weekend

Source: Radio New Zealand

Lake Tekapo. Karen Jiang

A multi-agency Search and Rescue training exercise is scheduled this weekend, police said, in the Tekapo region.

Lake Tekapo will host Operation Oasis between Friday and Sunday, “a complex, multi-phase scenario designed to test search techniques, field skills, and fatigue management in realistic conditions”.

It will involve more than 200 specialists from across Canterbury, including members of Police, Coastguard, Surf Life Saving New Zealand, Land Search and Rescue, Amateur Radio Emergency Communications, Alpine Rescue Canterbury, Hato Hone St John, and the Defence Force.

“Members of the public will see increased activity in the area, with use of helicopters, boats, and Search and Rescue personnel and equipment,” police said.

“This is a planned, routine training exercise and the public should not be alarmed.”

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/should-not-be-alarmed-massive-training-exercise-on-lake-tekapo-this-weekend/

Posted on

Crashes cost up to 70% more than expected, data shows

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Ministry of Transport currently factors elements such as road closures, emergency service response, and the social costs for the life lost into the total cost of a road fatality. RNZ

A transport consultancy firm says analysis of traffic data reveals the total cost of a crash is up to 70 percent higher that previously calculated.

The Ministry of Transport currently calculates the social cost of a road fatality at more than $15 million, which includes elements such as the road closure, emergency service response, and the social costs for the life lost.

But Abley Principal Transportation Planner Chris Blackmore told Nine to Noon data analysis shows that the impact of a crash on the overall road network is not factored into that calculation.

“There’s a lot of big immediate costs that we see when you look at the impacts of road trauma – be that FENZ, hospital admission, recovery costs.

“We do occasionally take into account any easily visible impacts of closing a road … but at the moment that’s only really included at a high level, and it ignores a lot of the secondary and following impacts.”

Councils and the Transport Agency had traditionally relied on physical equipment such as pneumatic road tubes to measure traffic data.

“That’s really what has prevented, up until now, having a more holistic view of the impacts of what we call network disruption.”

But a system called TomTom Area Speed enabled the analysis of more information, and more sophisticated data about the wider impacts crashes had, Blackmore said.

TomTom takes information from sources such as Apple, data from the cars themselves, and other apps motorists might be using to show exactly how widespread the congestion is, for how long, and what activities might be affected.

Blackmore provided the example of a crash between a bus and a car on Auckland’s Tamaki Drive, which closed the significant connection between the eastern bays and the city centre for more than 24 hours.

“What we could see with TomTom was that as that link closed, people had to find their way around.

“Say five O’clock, six O’clock in the morning, that’s all right … but what happens when you get into the peak hour … we see all of the other connections from the eastern bays massively overloaded.

The TomTom data showed exactly how people reacted to road closures, he said.

“Some people do u-turns, some people turn of earlier and try and get through some back roads, some people try to tough it out in the queue.”

When the data was added up, it revealed the overall impact the crash had on travel times, and the total disruption to the road network.

Crashes on rural roads also could carry a heavy unseen cost, Blackmore said, using the example of a crash on State Highway 6 near Kington in Otago.

“What we saw there was that travel time increases weren’t as significant because there’s not a heap of congestion. People could figure out that there’s a crash before they started driving down State Highway 6 and make their choices.

“But we did see hundreds of thousands of extra kilometres that people had to travel, and that has impacts on people’s lives and their routines as well.”

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/03/19/crashes-cost-up-to-70-more-than-expected-data-shows/