Voter fraud allegations and a lack of transparency around political lobbying and funding were some of the top concerns. (File photo)Pixabay/shafin_protic
New Zealand’s reputation for low levels of corruption has taken a hit for the fourth year in a row.
In global organisation Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perception Index – a survey of surveys measuring how corrupt a country is thought to be – New Zealand’s score has fallen two points.
New Zealand still ranked highly in fourth place alongside Norway, and behind Denmark, Finland and Singapore.
“We used to be first in the world and we’ve just seen a continual drop down the ladder – about 10 percent in four years,” Transparency International New Zealand chairperson Anne Tolley said.
“It sort of feels like the wheels are coming off a bit and that’s really dangerous for our democracy.”
Voter fraud allegations and a lack of transparency around political lobbying and funding are some of the top concerns, with prosecutions for bribery, deception and misuse of public funds adding to potential reputational damage.
“A strong democracy has people feeling very confident about those democratic systems and wanting to take part,” Tolley said.
Corruption perception versus reality
Transparency International’s concerns were mirrored in the pilot report released Tuesday from the Anti-Corruption Taskforce, lead by the Serious Fraud Office.
The report looked at how big the issue of fraud and corruption was within public agencies and how well-equipped they were to find and prevent it.
“Cases of internal fraud and corruption are almost certainly being under-reported, due to a number of factors, and the true scale of the issue remains unclear,” the report said.
It highlighted the need for a national anti-corruption strategy, according to Tolley, and it was crucial for New Zealand’s reputation as a small trading nation reliant on global relationships.
“The world’s become more conscious of dirty money – that money is that’s derived from the drug trade and prostitution and modern slavery,” she said.
“We’re all more aware of being sure that we are we are investing and trading with a country that has good systems in place to stop that.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
I buy myself a really expensive prosciutto that is cured only with salt. My kids, on the other hand, are fed ham and salami with ingredients that have a long list of weird chemical-sounding additives like pyrophosphates and polyphosphates hidden behind the numbers like E451 and E452. My prosciutto is merely considered processed, whereas what I feed my kids reaches the level of ultra-processed.
Look here, people, my prosciutto is more than $100 a kilo, and I buy the tiniest amount each week. Grocery store ham or salami costs a little over $30 a kilo.
A sandwich with layers of ham and mayonnaise.
victor_16605
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Defence Minister Judith Collins departs today for Germany to attend the international Munich Security Conference.
“In a turbulent and unpredictable world, the Munich Security Conference is an important opportunity to debate key security issues that impact New Zealand,” Ms Collins says.
“This year the conference brings together global decision-makers and military leaders from more than 100 countries, working to bolster cooperation, collective security and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.”
During the three-day conference Ms Collins will hold bilateral meetings with a number of New Zealand’s long-standing defence partners, including the United Kingdom’s Secretary of Defence, John Healey, and NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte.
She will also speak at a session focused on the interconnected nature of security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.
“I look forward to sharing New Zealand’s perspectives on a range of international issues, particularly the interconnected security challenges facing both of our regions such as Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and escalating strategic competition.
“As a small nation reliant on trade at the bottom of the southwest Pacific, we must take every opportunity to sit at the table and advocate for our interests and values.”
Ms Collins will return to New Zealand on 16 February.
Anton Shashero with Sir Graham Henry.Sarah Gloyer Waiheke Gulf News
While the country has been dragged into a devastating war, two Ukranians are ensuring that rugby stays alive in their home, and that young players have a potential path to safety.
Anton Shashero is coach of Ukraine’s national under-16 side, and thanks to a collaboration between some prominent rugby minds in Aotearoa, he and best friend Maksym Dulia have spent the past week in the country learning from some of the best in the business.
Shashero said the invasion has had an horrific impact on players and the sport in Ukraine.
“A lot of players from the senior national team and from the under-18 team have already died. A lot of them are in the war. In almost in every family now in Ukraine, someone have lost someone. It’s huge. It’s huge.”
He said rugby acts as a beacon for young men during dark times, and for Shashero and Dulia, it had a significant impact.
“When we were kids, rugby was everything for us. You can travel, you can have friends, you can share your moments with boys on the field and it’s the values rugby which rugby gave us.”
That path was able to be extended across the other side of the world,
“We knew that we wanted to come to New Zealand and try to learn from the best. So it was our dream.
“When our boys see that we’re here with the All Blacks, it has a huge impact for them, for their families and for everyone in Ukraine, when they see that we here, it’s big moment now for Ukraine.”
Upon arrival, the pair spent time with Sir Graham Henry, the Hurricanes and at the IRANZ institute.
Anton Shashero and Maksym Dulia at IRANZ in Upper Hutt.supplied
The initiative is part of a broader plan to bring Ukrainian youth boys and girls teams to play in Aotearoa a joint effort between IRANZ, Henry and Brent Impey of Kiwi KARE, a foundation which provides New Zealand aid to Ukraine.
IRANZ general manager Wayne Taylor said it felt like the right thing to do.
“The country has been through a lot of hardship and sport can be something really positive, obviously the timing wasn’t great though with the war but it’s still something we are really keen to do, we are hoping to still get some funding and that it will still happen in the future.”
Impey said that despite everything going on in Ukraine, their passion for sport persists as the five team senior mens rugby competition continues to run.
“Their goal is to reach the 2032 Olympics in sevens, so i thought how can New Zealand help make that happen? We can be a part of reconstruction through sports diplomacy. It represents an opportunity, for New Zealand to be a visionary. “
Infrastructure in Ukraine has been significantly compromised as a result of Russian strikes, forcing Shashero to host junior camps to be held outside of the country.
“We usually do camps outside of Ukraine, in Poland and Georgia and now we go to Portugal for international tournament,” Shashero said.
Shashero and Dulia will take what they have learned home as his young side prepare to take on the best in the Northern Hemisphere.
“We have been given some fundamental things which we implement, now we have to fight to try to become the best team in the Europe. We want to show we can win against the best teams like France, Ireland, England.”
The game has come a long way in Ukraine, as Shashero vividly recalls his first trip to the European champs as a youngster where his team was soundly beaten.
“All we did was trained one week and went there and we couldn’t play well against them.”
Shashero said he has been blown away by the passion for rugby in New Zealand.
“I was at a rugby club and saw a boy maybe one years old, he cannot speak now but he already passing the ball and it’s amazing.”
Having seen some secrets behind competing on the global stage, Shashero also hopes to one day bring a Ukrainian side to Aotearoa.
“I hope that one day one will come in the future. I hope and I believe that if we prepare them for such long period, they can be on the same level with them, especially with New Zealand specialists helping us with this. I hope that it’s going to rise.”
Shashero and Dulia mixing with Hurricanes players.supplied
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Silver medallist New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski Synnott poses on the podium after the snowboard women’s big air final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.AFP/KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV
New Zealand snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has joined an elite club of Olympians – those who will be bringing home broken medals.
After a rough start, Sadowski-Synnott earned her second consecutive silver medal in the Big Air event at the Winter Olympics in Italy, matching her result from four years ago.
“You set goals and you dream about it, and when it actually happens, you still can’t really believe it,” the 24-year-old told Morning Report.
“But yeah, I’m really grateful that I was able to put it down when it mattered and just thankful for all the support from back home and grateful to have my family out here too.”
There have been reports of medals from this year’s Games breaking easily – including from American downhill skiing champion Breezy Johnson, Swedish cross-country skier Ebba Andersson and United States figure skater Alysa Liu.
Asked if she had kept hers safe, Sadowski-Synnott admitted “not exactly”.
“Mine actually broke. But it’s chill. It whacked my snowboard and fell off the thing, but it goes right back in. It’s all good.”
It was suspected the fault stemmed from the medal’s clasp and ribbon, which are designed to split if pulled with force to prevent strangulation.
Organisers on Thursday (local time) said they had found a fix.
Sadowski-Synnott, who has won five Olympic medals in her career, was going to cherish her latest prize regardless.
“It’s pretty sick. It’s pretty special, so beautiful and can’t really believe that I’m holding another Olympic medal.”
She next competes in slopestyle, where she will be defending the gold she won in Beijing in 2022.
BRP‑Rotax unveils its latest milestone in aviation with Aircraft Meets Racetrack. In an unprecedented accomplishment for the Bahrain International Circuit, Red Bull athlete and Rotax Ambassador Luke Czepiela became the first pilot to fly this Grand Prix track’s complete racing line from the air, showcasing the capabilities of Rotax powered aviation in a dramatic low‑level performance.
Gunskirchen, Austria – Newsaktuell – 10 February 2026 – In a demonstration of precision aviation, Luke Czepiela traced the full ideal line of the Bahrain International Circuit at low level, including short takeoffs and landings (STOL) on the start/finish straight. The achievement is documented in the short film Aircraft Meets Racetrack, the first project to emerge from BRP-Rotax’s Brand Ambassador partnership with Luke Czepiela, launched in 2025. The short film premiered during the Bahrain International Circuit’s official F1 pre‑season press conference today.
When Racing Meets Aviation
The project transfers what racing drivers follow on the ground with high precision accuracy into the sky. The circuit’s racing line becomes an aerial flight path, demanding exceptionally tight tolerances, high and low speeds, and uncompromising line discipline. Conducting the maneuver required extreme precision. Low altitude, shifting wind conditions, more than 495 light poles, and the narrow, enclosed layout of the Grand Prix track created an environment with virtually no margin for error.
“Flying a racing line from the air demands absolute control at low altitude and instant reaction in every phase,” said Czepiela, Rotax Brand Ambassador. “It is precision flying in its purest form.”
The flight was performed in a CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL equipped with the 160‑hp Rotax 916 iS engine. The aircraft’s lightweight STOL design, immediate throttle response, and exceptional power‑to‑weight ratio made the aerial replication of the racing line possible.
Production took place during the 2025 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain – marking the first time all project partners collaborated on‑site. Working closely with the Bahrain International Circuit, Red Bull Bahrain, and local authorities, the team implemented a comprehensive safety and operations plan. The track and airspace were fully closed to ensure uninterrupted filming, supported by constant air traffic coordination and emergency services on-site.
“With Luke Czepiela, we aimed to create something that authentically unites our two passions: racing and aviation,” said Peter Ölsinger, General Manager of BRP‑Rotax and Vice-President Sales, Marketing RPS‑Business & Communications. “This project represents technical precision, long‑standing partnerships, and the courage to pursue new creative paths.”
The film not only showcases a great achievement it underscores Rotax’s mission to connect disciplines, push boundaries, and deliver high‑performance experiences on the ground and in the air.
Advances multi-typology brand expansion into more than 10 new cities in Asia Pacific and Europe, including lyf in Wellington and Ascott in Taipei
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 February 2026 – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the wholly owned lodging business unit of CapitaLand Investment (CLI), signed a record 19,000 units across 102 properties in 2025, marking 27% year-on-year growth in new signings. Its asset-light expansion was led by higher-fee segments such as resorts, supported by accelerating franchise momentum and strong conversion activity. Ascott entered more than 10 new cities across Asia Pacific and Europe, growing its global footprint to over 230 cities in more than 40 countries. The company now operates and has under development more than 1,000 properties[1] with over 176,000 units globally.
Ascott marked its entry into Taipei with the signing of the 185-room Ascott Nangang Taipei, located in a prime mixed-use development within Nangang Software Park, one of the city’s premier business districts. The partnership agreement was signed by Ms Jocelyn Wang, Chairman, The GAIA Hotel and Mr Kevin Goh, Chief Executive Officer, The Ascott Limited and Lodging, CapitaLand Investment.
Mr Kevin Goh, Chief Executive Officer, Ascott, said: “2025 marked a key milestone for Ascott as we accelerated asset-light signings and strengthened revenue visibility. With these new signings, we now have the embedded income to exceed our S$500 million fee target as pipeline projects turn operational. Our flex-hybrid model and multi-typology brand strategy enable us to optimise performance for property owners across market cycles, while disciplined investments in loyalty, technology and business development position us to capture growth in higher-fee segments including resorts, branded residences, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions) and wellness. I thank our global teams and partners for their continued support as we advance our ambition to be the preferred hospitality company.”
Ms Serena Lim, Chief Growth Officer, Ascott, said: “As travel evolves into a lifestyle, consumers are seeking greater flexibility and choice in how they live, work and explore. Guided by insights from our owners and guests, we have pursued a deliberate growth strategy anchored in our flex-hybrid model and a differentiated suite of flexible living offerings. We are heartened by the robust growth in 2025, driven by strong owner commitment as reflected in portfolio deals across multiple brands. Approximately 30% of new signings came from existing partners expanding with us, underscoring trust in Ascott’s platform and our ability to meet diverse traveller and resident needs worldwide.”
Strategic City Expansion In 2025, Ascott entered more than 10 new cities in Asia Pacific and Europe, including notable first properties in Wellington and Taipei, resort destinations such as Phuket, Phu Quoc and Langkawi, as well as emerging Tier-2 cities like Lucknow and Thanjavur in India.
Key milestones included the company’s expansion into New Zealand beyond its Quest franchise, with lyf making its debut in Wellington. Construction is expected to commence by the end of 2026, with the 108-room property set to transform six floors of a commercial building in the CBD, incorporating lyf’s signature social spaces and interconnected rooms for group travellers. With its strategic location in the heart of the capital’s business hub, the property embodies lyf’s experience-led social living philosophy, providing an accessible base for travellers, professionals and long-stay guests to connect with Wellington’s vibrant urban energy.
Ascott also entered Taipei, launching its flagship brand with the 185-room Ascott Nangang Taipei in Nangang Software Park, one of the city’s premier business districts. Scheduled to open in 1Q 2027, the serviced residence is part of a prime mixed-use development that also houses Taiwan Fertilizer Co., Ltd.’s headquarters and multinational companies including HP, Yahoo, Philips and Intel. It is further supported by a vibrant MICE and tourism ecosystem, with direct footbridge access to the Nangang Exhibition Centre, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre metro station and LaLaport shopping mall. The Nangang High Speed Rail station is also within walking distance. Designed for both short and extended stays, the property builds on Ascott’s expertise in transit oriented, mixed-use developments and supports its continued growth in the market.
Resort Portfolio Expansion Capitalising on strong leisure travel demand, Ascott’s multi-typology brand strategy drove 15 resort signings in prime locations such as Phuket, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and Bali, expanding its portfolio in resort destinations to over 50 properties. Notable additions include the 693-unit HARRIS Resort Cam Ranh, marking the brand’s first entry into Vietnam, alongside a 250-unit lyf and a 120-unit Somerset at Lagoon City Seville, Spain, a mixed-use development anchored by an 18,000-square-metre man-made lagoon.
In 2025, Ascott expanded its branded residences portfolio by partnering with quality developers on two new properties, adding over 1,000 units. These include the 227-unit Residences at Ascott Abov Patong Phuket (pictured), adjacent to Ascott Abov Patong Phuket Resort and just 150 metres from the iconic Patong Beach.
The company also expanded its branded residences portfolio by partnering with quality developers on two new properties, adding over 1,000 units: Residences at Ascott Abov Patong Phuket, next to Ascott Abov Patong Phuket Resort, and Oakwood Premier Branded Residences Luohu Shenzhen, co-located with Oakwood Premier Luohu Shenzhen. Leveraging its hospitality expertise and brand recognition, Ascott is well-placed to deliver lifestyle-oriented residences that meet growing demand in Asia Pacific while generating fee growth. Co-locating branded residences with its hotels enhances operational and marketing synergies, diversifies revenue streams and strengthens Ascott’s value proposition to owners and investors.
Ascott’s second branded residence project in 2025, Oakwood Premier Branded Residences Luohu Shenzhen, will feature 792 residential units in the vibrant Luohu district, sharing the same building as the 450-unit Oakwood Premier Luohu Shenzhen.
Franchise Growth Momentum More than a quarter of the units signed in 2025 were under franchise agreements, supporting Ascott’s asset-light expansion. Franchise momentum in East Asia accelerated as the company strengthened its regional pipeline. Five Quest properties were secured in China through Ascott’s joint venture with Jin Jiang, alongside four franchise agreements to expand Citadines’ presence in the country. The largest franchise signing of the year was the 510-key Oakwood in Gangneung, South Korea, a resort-led development in Gangneung’s Cultural Olympic Special Zone with strong connectivity to Seoul, demonstrating Oakwood’s scalability in leisure and extended-stay markets.
In other regions, Ascott’s Quest franchise contributed five new signings in Australia, while franchise agreements for the Oakwood, Somerset and The Unlimited Collection brands in Europe and Africa further strengthened the company’s global footprint.
Conversions-led Growth Over 38% of units signed in 2025 were conversions, reflecting owners’ preference for faster, lower-risk routes to market and Ascott’s ability to execute conversions efficiently across its diversified brand portfolio. Recent conversions, including Citadines Antasari Jakarta, Oakwood Bencoolen Singapore and lyf Zhangjiang Shanghai, were completed within months of signing, demonstrating Ascott’s capability to reposition assets swiftly and accelerate revenue generation for owners.
Brand Performance and Expansion Ascott’s brands achieved milestones in scale and geographic reach in 2025. Citadines surpassed 200 properties globally with 17 new signings, boosted by its conversion-friendly positioning, while Oakwood secured 16 signings, maintaining strong owner appeal across business, leisure and extended-stay segments. Ascott’s collection brands continued their geographic expansion, with The Unlimited Collection expanding in Africa and Europe, while The Crest Collection entered the Middle East. Following the signing of The Unlimited Collection in Casablanca, Morocco, Ascott’s portfolio in the country now comprises 10 operational and pipeline properties across Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech. This underscores Ascott’s strong momentum in Morocco, one of Africa’s most dynamic hospitality markets.
The flagship Ascott brand recorded 10 new signings, expanding its global portfolio to 87 properties including operational and pipeline assets. Notable additions include Ascott Coronation Square Johor Bahru, which secures a flagship position at the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone with direct connection to the upcoming Rapid Transit System Link, and Ascott Shenton Way Singapore, the brand’s third property in the city-state. Opening as a dual-format hotel and serviced residence, Ascott Shenton Way Singapore will integrate wellness-driven experiences with sustainable operations, showcasing the brand’s evolution in a prime CBD location.
[1] Includes Managed, Franchised, Leased, Owned and Other properties (including those under funds and JVs).
The NZ Drug Foundation says a major new report on international drug policy reform over the past 10 years shows that the drug control system has failed and countries like New Zealand urgently need to change direction.
The UNGASS decade in review: Gaps, achievements and paths for reform report assesses progress made since the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, widely viewed as a potential turning point in global drug policy.
NZ Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says it paints an incredibly grim picture, with many challenges hampering efforts to reduce the harm from drugs including the financial crisis facing the United Nations, threats to the international rule of law, AI-fuelled illicit trade and reduced funding for harm reduction.
“Old tropes, and the ‘war on drugs’ approach that is regaining momentum in the United States and elsewhere, need to end. Aotearoa New Zealand risks sliding into the same chaos seen in parts of North America if nothing changes,” Helm says.
“All the evidence tells us these approaches are continuing to push things in the wrong direction – the increase in harm and deaths globally over the last ten years is just staggering.”
The report shows that under the current international settings:
More drugs are being consumed.
More potent and new substances have emerged, many of which are volatile and toxic.
More people are using drugs. An estimated 316 million people aged 15-64 used drugs in 2023, which is a 28% increase since 2016 and far outpaces 9% global population growth.
More people are dying as a result of drug use. Between 2016 and 2021, more than 2,678,000 people died (not including deaths from armed conflict in countries that supply the global drug market).
There has been an alarming level of incarceration that has disproportionately affected marginalised communities. About 20% of the global prison population – or one in five people – is in prison for drug offences. Of those people, 22% or 2.5 million people are in prison for drug possession alone.
“Sadly, these international trends are all too familiar in New Zealand. Our Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa New Zealand report shows that everything from addiction, to overdose deaths, to criminalisation have increased under our current approach – it’s painfully obvious that we need to change,” Helm says.
“We lose almost three New Zealanders per week to overdose, methamphetamine and cocaine use have doubled in the past year, new toxic substances like nitazenes are killing people and 3,000 New Zealanders have been criminalised for cannabis consumption in the past two years.”
More and more money has been spent on reducing supply, including drug busts, to little or no effect. In fact, mounting evidence shows that law enforcement strategies aimed at disrupting trafficking organisations have often been counterproductive. Instead of reducing supply, they have fragmented criminal groups, creating more dynamic and violent competition over illegal markets.
“Both internationally and here at home, we spend vastly more on combating the supply of drugs than on reducing demand and the harm caused. This approach has not worked so it’s time to take a different approach,” Helm argues.
There are a few bright spots to be found over the 10 years the report canvasses. 59 jurisdictions in 39 countries have now adopted some form of decriminalisation, compared to 33 jurisdictions in 23 countries in 2016. And 45 countries – including Aotearoa New Zealand – have adopted laws and policies to improve access to medicinal cannabis since 2016, bringing the global total to 63.
Helm says that for New Zealand to start turning things around, decriminalisation of drug use, coupled with significant investment in health and harm reduction services, has the clearest evidence of success internationally.
“For example, Portugal’s two decades of experience of decriminalisation is compelling,” she says. “Overdose deaths fell dramatically, HIV transmission rates plummeted, and the burden on the criminal justice system was eased, all without an increase in drug use. Portugal now has one of the lowest rates of drug-related deaths in the EU.”
“The evidence is clear that any law reform efforts must be coupled with significant investment in support, including ringfenced funding for services designed and delivered by Māori, who have experienced the greatest harm from our current laws,” she says.