Category: Evening Report

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niall Johnston, Conjoint Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney

If you’re planning an Easter holiday to Bali, Vietnam or Thailand, it’s a good time to check if you and your family are vaccinated against measles.

These are among destinations in Southeast Asia with ongoing measles outbreaks, and Australian health authorities are concerned.

Several Australian jurisdictions have reported ongoing measles cases linked to overseas travel, particularly in Southeast Asia.

With travel increasing during holiday periods, so does the risk of bringing this highly infectious disease into Australia and triggering an outbreak.

But some infections have occurred in Australians who haven’t travelled, and who have no known contact with anyone with measles.

This suggests local transmission is a risk, particularly as fewer young children are receiving both recommended doses of the measles vaccine.

What’s happening in Southeast Asia?

Indonesia, including Bali, remains one of the most common destinations for Australian travellers and continues to have periodic measles outbreaks.

As of February 2026, Indonesia is listed third (behind India and Angola) in the US Centre for Disease Control’s top ten countries for measles outbreaks.

Vietnam has also reported increased measles activity in recent years, particularly affecting young children.

Measles is endemic in Thailand (meaning the virus is always present in the community). World Health Organization data shows a surge in transmission since 2023.

Measles transmission also continues in other popular destinations including the United Kingdom and the United States.

Travel-related cases are driving infections

Australia was declared measles-free in 2014. But as measles remains common in many parts of the world, international travel means it can quickly return to Australia.

In fact, most measles cases in New South Wales in the past year or so were linked to overseas travel. Between January 1 2025 and March 7 2026, 34 of 60 infections were acquired overseas, particularly in Southeast Asia (32 of those cases).

Of the 26 locally acquired infections, 18 were directly linked to a known imported case. Eight had no clear source at the time of reporting, suggesting community transmission.

Measles has been reported across several other states and territories in 2026. These include in Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory.

Why are we so worried about measles?

Measles is far more than a routine childhood illness. It is one of the most infectious known diseases.

The measles virus travels in tiny airborne particles. These particles can remain suspended in indoor air for up to two hours.

This makes transmission more likely in crowded places such as airports, shopping centres, restaurants and hospitals.

An infected person can spread measles to others even before they know they have it. They can spread it from four days before the rash appears through to four days afterwards. So by the time the diagnosis is suspected, many others may already have been exposed.

Measles can start with flu-like symptoms before a rash appears. Later, there can be severe complications including lung infections (pneumonia), ear infections (otitis media), and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

About one to three in 1,000 infections in high-income countries can be fatal.

But I thought Australians were vaccinated?

Because measles spreads so easily, about 95% of the population needs to be immune to prevent ongoing community transmission. This is a known as “herd immunity”.

This means that people who cannot be vaccinated – including very young babies, individuals receiving chemotherapy and others with underlying immune disorders – can be protected, if 95% of the population has been immunised.

According to national data from 2024, about 94.7% of Australian children receive their first measles vaccine dose at 12 months of age. Coverage fell to around 89.5% for children receiving a second on-time dose, at 18 months.

This is what’s driving the current Australian outbreaks.

What travellers should do before going overseas

The most important step is to ensure you and your children are fully vaccinated, and to arrange catch-up vaccines if not.

This lowers the risk of getting sick and/or bringing measles back into Australia and exposing vulnerable groups. These include infants who are too young to be vaccinated who are at particularly high risk, and pregnant people who may experience more severe disease.

You can check your children’s vaccination status via your myGov account or you can ask your health-care provider to look up their records.

Measles vaccines are provided free under Australia’s National Immunisation Program to children at 12 and 18 months.

However, infants as young as six months can receive an extra “early” dose if travelling. This early dose is safe, effective and well tolerated. These infants will also need their routine doses (at 12 and 18 months of age).

Adults born in 1966 or after who do not have two documented doses should consider vaccination.

The measles vaccine has an excellent safety and effectiveness record. Two doses provide long-lasting protection for around 99% of people who are vaccinated.

Try to get vaccinated at least two weeks before departure. This allows for immunity to develop.

We need to stay alert

Measles control is a global problem that requires local vigilance. As international travel increases, ensuring vaccinations are up to date remains one of the most reliable ways to protect individuals, communities and those who are most vulnerable.

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Emma Birrell, an Immunisation Clinical Nurse Specialist with Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, co-authored this article.

– ref. Heading to Bali, Vietnam or Thailand? Why a measles vaccine is more important than ever – https://theconversation.com/heading-to-bali-vietnam-or-thailand-why-a-measles-vaccine-is-more-important-than-ever-278310

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/heading-to-bali-vietnam-or-thailand-why-a-measles-vaccine-is-more-important-than-ever-278310/

By Joshua Carroll

A global coalition of activists is preparing to launch the largest ever flotilla of aid ships aimed at breaking Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), made up of civil society and grassroots groups from South Africa, Spain, Ireland, Türkiye, Norway, Brazil, France — and Aotearoa New Zealand — is planning to sail again in spring this year.

In October 2025, Israeli forces kidnapped the crew members of 41 aid ships as they approached the shores of Gaza.

Activist Greta Thunberg and Novara Media contributor Kieran Andrieu were among those detained for several days and subjected to violence and abuse by guards that they said amounted to torture.

Organisers did not specify how many ships would be involved this time, but in February the Nelson Mandela Foundation said there would be more than 100 boats.

Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, was among those who took part last year.

“Following the sailing of FFC’s Madleen boat in June 2025, a wave of new initiatives emerged, expanding the movement into a broader international effort to send not just one boat, but fleets, and not just a mission, but a coordinated, sustained challenge to Israel’s siege and violent settler colonial policies,” the FCC said in a statement.

“Our actions aim to uphold international law and to support the Palestinian people’s rights to freedom of movement, self-determination, and dignity.

“With our governments fueling genocide and failing to uphold their legal and moral obligations, the people of global civil society are rising together in larger and larger numbers.”

Despite agreeing to a ceasefire in October last year, Israel has continued its genocide in Gaza, attacking and killing civilians there on an almost daily basis, while severely restricting the entry of food, medicine and other essentials into the strip.

“This flotilla is collective action on a massive global scale — uniting activists, legal experts, parliamentarians, medical professionals, engineers, artists, journalists, and other people of conscience across the world,” the FCC said.

Joshua Carroll is a writer and journalist, and a contributor to Novara Media.

#MyAgendaSumud#GlobalMovementtoGaza#gazzesanageliyoruz#globalsumudflottilla pic.twitter.com/NX1mdhC0Vo

— GlobalSumudflotilla (@1ElegantFriends) October 1, 2025

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/activists-plan-largest-flotilla-yet-to-break-israels-siege-of-gaza/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Warwick Smith, Honorary Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Melbourne

Former Treasury Secretary and chair of the Henry Tax Review, Ken Henry, has described the intergenerational injustice built into Australia’s tax system as an intentional “act of bastardry”.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers also seems convinced there is a problem that needs solving and has recently been using the phrase “intergenerational fairness” when talking about the government’s plans for tax reform in the upcoming May budget.

This week, a Senate inquiry into the operation of the capital gains tax (CGT) discount handed down its final report.

This tax applies to the capital gain when an asset such as a house or shares is held for more than a year. It currently includes a “discount” of 50% on the total gain as an offset for inflation.

The committee found the current discount:

• distorts investment decisions
• skews housing ownership away from owner-occupiers and towards investors, and
• has significant implications for wealth inequality — including between generations.

So, what impact would reducing the discount have on the housing market?

How the arguments stacked up

Tax and Transfer Policy Institute academic Robert Breunig’s evidence to the inquiry was almost as colourful as Henry’s commentary. But rather than framing the problem as intergenerational, Breunig sees it as a divide between the asset-owning class and the rest.

We’re heading back to some kind of neo-feudal society where the opportunities that you have in life are determined significantly by the relationship that your parents have with real estate, land and property.

The distribution of opinions on CGT reform is telling.

Virtually every substantial submission to the committee advocating for leaving the discount unchanged came from those who directly benefit from the current system. This includes the Property Investment Professionals of Australia, the Property Council, and the Real Estate Institute.

Meanwhile, those calling for substantial reform include academics, civil society organisations and unions.

The Liberal Party members of the committee drafted a dissenting opinion. They used the same argument Liberal leader Angus Taylor has been making — that reducing the CGT discount will reduce housing supply. Taylor has said:

If you tax something more, you get less of it.

This is, being generous, an exaggeration. CGT is not a tax on homes, it’s primarily a tax on speculation — buying an asset with the hope of selling it for more than you bought it.

The committee reported Australian landlords made a total of $219 million profit on their rental properties in 1999 before the CGT discount was introduced. By 2023, this had turned into a staggering $11 billion loss. This is the direct result of combining negative gearing with the capital gains discount, because losses made on the rental investment are tax deductible.

Also, according to the committee, 92% of investor finance flows into established homes rather than new builds.

That doesn’t create a single new dwelling. It just inflates the price of existing ones by giving tax-advantaged investors a bidding advantage over first-home buyers. Reducing the incentive to speculate should mean fewer speculators, lower prices, and more houses available to owner-occupiers.

Efficiency in the eye of the beholder?

Economists are fond of the word “efficiency”, often wielding it as if it were a neutral, scientific benchmark. But in the world of tax policy, the real question is: efficient at doing what?

There are legitimate reasons for some form of CGT concession, which was initially introduced to encourage investment in shares.

Without one, investors tend to hold assets longer than they should, just to defer their tax bill (what economists call the “lock-in effect”). Part of any nominal gain is simply due to inflation.

Prior to 1999, the discount was benchmarked to actual inflation rather than the current flat 50%. The flat 50% discount overcompensated for inflation and created a subsidy for speculation.

The system distorts decisions

Our current CGT regime is remarkably “efficient” at distorting investment decisions. It incentivises Australians to chase tax-advantaged capital growth rather than productive investment.

It is “efficient” at funnelling capital into existing housing stock, resulting in higher prices.

And it is “efficient” at concentrating wealth in a handful of leafy, high-income electorates. Taxpayers in Wentworth in Sydney’s east receive nine times the national average benefit of the CGT discount; those in Kooyong (which includes Toorak in Melbourne) receive more than five times.

The case for meaningful tax reform

But there is no technically correct way to design a tax system. Like all public policy, getting it “right” depends on our collective values.

When industry groups defend the discount, they aren’t defending an objective economic truth. They are defending a value set that prioritises asset price speculation over housing stability and affordability for owner-occupiers.

Reducing the CGT discount in isolation won’t suddenly make housing affordable in Australia. The interaction with negative gearing of property losses and other issues, such as land tax, public housing and barriers to moving, also need to be considered. But the way we tax capital gains is an important part of the puzzle.

Meaningful reform requires us to decide what kind of country we want to be: one where everyone has access to a stable, long-term home, or one where your life’s opportunities are dictated by your parents’ relationship with real estate.

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Read more: Capital gains tax discount ‘skewed’ housing towards investors: Senate inquiry

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– ref. Is the capital gains tax discount an act of intergenerational ‘bastardry’? – https://theconversation.com/is-the-capital-gains-tax-discount-an-act-of-intergenerational-bastardry-278659

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/is-the-capital-gains-tax-discount-an-act-of-intergenerational-bastardry-278659/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia

Tropical Cyclone Narelle is currently a very dangerous Category 5 storm, sitting off the Far North Queensland Coast some 350 kilometres northeast of Cooktown. Formed in the Coral Sea, Narelle is packing a punch, with sustained winds near the centre of 205km per hour and wind gusts to 285km per hour.

Sea surface temperatures in the northwest Coral Sea are currently 0.5–1.0°C above average, and this has fuelled the storm’s rapid intensification.

The cyclone’s centre is barrelling towards Cape York at a rapid 26km per hour, and predicted to cross the coast between the Aboriginal community of Lockhart River and Cape Melville on Friday morning. It is expected to weaken a little before it hits land and arrive as a still-dangerous Category 4 cyclone. The small inland town of Coen is also in its path.

The intensity and path of cyclones that form in the Coral Sea are usually difficult to predict. This is because they are pushed in different directions by highly changeable winds, unlike cyclones in most other tropical ocean basins.

Yet Cyclone Narelle has followed a predictable westward path, which makes this cyclone highly unusual.

Where will it go?

The Bureau of Meterology warns that tides in Princess Charlotte Bay, at the base of the narrow part of Cape York Peninsula, are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide, with dangerous ocean flooding. Any coastal residents in this area are warned of a possible dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre crosses the coast.

In March 1899, Cyclone Mahina hit the same general area. Cyclone Mahina is considered the deadliest tropical cyclone in Australia’s recorded history, and probably one of the most intense ever recorded globally.

After crossing eastern Cape York, Narelle will weaken rapidly to Category 2 status, before emerging over the warm waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria during the early hours of Saturday morning. Narelle is expected to intensify again as the cyclone heads steadily towards the eastern Northern Territory.

After crossing the NT as a deep tropical low, Narelle is expected to reintensify off the Kimberley coast during next week before shifting into the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, its quick-moving speed means it won’t have the time to dump lots of rain over swollen catchments across the Top End. Nonetheless, river rises are forecast as the centre moves through.

A strong and ‘compact’ cyclone

Narelle is a very compact cyclone, meaning it has a relatively small area of intense winds around its centre. The area of these destructive hurricane-force winds only extends 50km from its centre, while destructive storm force and damaging gale-force winds extend 75km and 130km, respectively.

Due to the laws of physics, smaller cyclones typically spin up faster than larger ones. Likewise, they also weaken rapidly after moving over land areas. Larger cyclones have more inertia, taking longer to spin up over warm oceans and to wind down over land masses.

When it comes to cyclone size (as measured by the area of outer strong gales), there’s no room for complacency. Australia’s most infamous cyclone – Tracy in December 1974 – only had gales extending 40–50km from the eye. But the extreme core winds hit Darwin directly. Because of this, 70–90% of the city’s buildings were damaged, 60–80% of houses were totally destroyed, and roughly 94% of all housing in the city was rendered uninhabitable. The official death toll was 66 people, with more than 145 severely injured.

As Narelle threatens communities on the Cape York Peninsula, we are reminded of another severe weather event with similar characteristics that also hit northeast Queensland.

Exactly 20 years ago, Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry struck Innisfail, 90km south of Cairns, as an intense Category 4 storm. Larry caused significant damage to Innisfail and neighbouring towns, but largely spared Cairns city. Larry caused widespread structural damage, but also wiped out most of Australia’s banana crop, leading to record high prices.

Cyclone Larry was one of very few Coral Sea cyclones that followed a predictable westward track towards the coast. Not only was its track predictable, but also how quickly it moved forward and its intensity at landfall. Such agreement among forecasting weather models is rare for the Coral Sea, that is globally recognised for its erratic cyclone behaviour.

Coral Sea cyclones

So, what makes Cyclones Larry and Narelle unusual for the Coral Sea?

To answer this question, we need to understand how winds behave around tropical cyclones. Cyclones are affected by winds at different heights in the atmosphere. These can cause them to stall if equally opposing winds meet in the region around the cyclone. In other cases, dominant winds from a particular directions will push them along on a clear path. These are called steering winds.

Cyclones are largely steered by winds in the mid levels of the troposphere — roughly 3–7km above the surface. Severe cyclones — like Narelle — are propelled along by winds at the higher end of this range, due to their deep vertical structures, meaning they are taller. Weaker cyclones have a much shallower depth in the atmosphere, so the dominant steering winds are much lower down.

In the case of Narelle (and Larry), a persistent, deep subtropical ridge of high pressure over eastern Australia and the Coral Sea is acting like a conveyor belt, directing the steering winds around the cyclone centre from east to west. This pattern is predicted to continue into next week, which will eventually push Narelle into the Indian Ocean.

There’s another attribute of fast-moving cyclones that is relevant here. In the Southern Hemisphere, all cyclones rotate clockwise due to the Coriolis Force. Narelle’s fast-forward speed means areas south of the eye of the cyclone will experience more severe onshore storm conditions.

– ref. Cyclone Narelle: ‘compact’, dangerous and unusually predictable – https://theconversation.com/cyclone-narelle-compact-dangerous-and-unusually-predictable-278767

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/cyclone-narelle-compact-dangerous-and-unusually-predictable-278767/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Stokes, Associate Professor, Teaching and Learning Innovation, Adelaide University

K-pop stars Huntr/x are carb-loading, pre-show, on a private jet, when their snacking is rudely interrupted by demons. Rumi, Zoey and Mira break into song, maintaining the tempo as they defeat the demons, drop to earth, and land in a packed stadium concert to tell the screaming audience that’s “how it’s done, done, done”.

This electrifying sequence launches viewers into the world of KPop Demon Hunters. Released in June 2025, engaging action and a catchy soundtrack rapidly led this work to become Netflix’s most watched film of all time. This week, the film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and another for Best Original Song with its identity-embracing anthem Golden.

With content that celebrates Korean pop aesthetics and connects with diverse fandoms, KPop Demon Hunters was arguably destined for success. It’s a fine example of a film that is made for, driven by – and which reflects upon – our digitally-run attention economy.

[embedded content]

A wholesome story of self-acceptance

KPop Demon Hunters is a slickly animated musical and supernatural fantasy. The demon-slaying girl group Huntr/x protect humanity, using K-pop songs and physical strength to keep evil in the netherworld.

The demons decide the best way to defeat Huntr/x is by establishing a rival K-pop band – the Saja Boys. Through their catchy songs, the Saja Boys capture the public’s attention to feed to the uber-demon Gwi-ma (meaning “evil ghost” in Korean) – positioning the demons for world domination.

Huntr/x must use the power of K-pop – and learn to embrace their true selves – to save the world.

The theme of battling conflicting internal identities resonates on multiple levels – for young people struggling to make meaning in today’s messy world, and for an Asian diaspora who may have never seen themselves reflected in such a cultural juggernaut.

Ear worms to draw people in

KPop Demon Hunters has dominated global charts since its release. Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and distributed via Netflix, the film was viewed more than 569 million times in eight months. It then made the leap to sing-along screenings around the world.

The fast-paced story is propelled by a catchy soundtrack, which fuses Korean lyrics with Western pop elements. The fictional K-pop group Huntr/x became the first girl group to top the Billboard Hot 100 since Destiny’s Child’s Bootylicious in 2001. Frozen’s Let it Go only ever got to number five.

Golden won a Golden Globe, and also became the first K-pop song to win a Grammy.

A movie for the K–pop generation

The film itself is unashamedly pop. When the Saja Boys first perform onscreen, the girls can’t help but join the crowd in wiggling their shoulders. “It is annoyingly catchy,” Rumi concedes.

Gen-Z language is embedded throughout the film, such as when Rumi reflects on her journey to become “the Queen” she’s meant to be. When Mira croons, “fit check for my napalm era”, she is both checking her outfit and prepping for an explosive battle. The word play here adds several layers of meaning.

Those watching the music charts in the film closely will also spot an in-joke when they see a Huntr/x song rise above real-world group Twice (members of which were vocalists for several Huntr/x songs).

The narrative both analyses internet culture and strongly connects with its potential, exhibiting attributes shown to increase viral success. The film’s high energy, fun tone and often celebratory sequences make it very shareable; fans were quick to create TikTok dances, memes and gifs.

Its critical and commercial success is also grounded in deliberate cultural policy in the form of hallyu (aka the Korean wave). This cultural export strategy was first implemented by the South Korean government in the late 1990s to exert soft power through cultural products that draw positive attention to – and drive economic interest in – the country.

KPop Demon Hunters’ visuals are grounded in Korean cultural references, from the traditional gat hats worn by the demon boy band, to the humour of the tiger-magpie duo Derpy and Sussie – motifs based on hojakdo folk art, which presented an early form of social critique through a bumbling aristocratic tiger and a wise common-folk magpie.

Virality balanced with contemporary concerns

From Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to the Sailor Moon anime and manga, to Wednesday, supernatural fantasy texts often depict young women fighting monsters as metaphors for contemporary moral dilemmas. So what are the metaphors here?

The film’s literal “demonisation” of pop music isn’t subtle. Yet it acts as meta-textual commentary, actively countering narratives that frame pop culture as inherently negative or destructive.

It also highlights the outsized power of celebrities and influencers in the world today, and how they can leverage our attention for their own ends.

[embedded content]

The Saja Boys play with the notion of influencer as “idol” – in both the celebrity and religious sense – causing viewers to reflect on what celebrities sacrifice for fame, and how it’s a misjudgement to see them as more than human.

The Korean word saja has a dual meaning of both lion and Grim Reaper, subtly emphasising the risks of idolisation. For generations raised in the shadows of influencers, the film raises important moral questions.

At a time when studios are increasingly leaning on safe options such as adaptations, franchises and sequels, KPop Demon Hunters gave us an original, clever story that caters to online cultures and underrepresented groups, while exploring a range of contemporary anxieties.

That, indeed, is how “it’s done, done, done”.

– ref. Singing, slaying and going viral: how KPop Demon Hunters rocked the internet – and the Oscars – https://theconversation.com/singing-slaying-and-going-viral-how-kpop-demon-hunters-rocked-the-internet-and-the-oscars-278439

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/singing-slaying-and-going-viral-how-kpop-demon-hunters-rocked-the-internet-and-the-oscars-278439/

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

The federal government has appointed Anthea Harris, former chief executive of the Australian Energy Regulator and of the Energy Security Board, as Coordinator of a new Fuel Supply Taskforce.

The new taskforce will be established in Anthony Albanese’s own Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Harris will be responsible for:

• driving coordination between the Commonwealth and the states and territories on fuel security and supply chain resilience

• providing consistent, coordinated updates to the Commonwealth and states and territories on the fuel supply outlook, as well as the domestic fuel distribution

• supporting state and territory governments to get fuels to their regions where they are in demand, and acting as a single convening point for fuel supply and forward planning.

In a statement Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said: “This is a cross portfolio coordination role, ensuring the decisions of government are implemented quickly and smoothly”.

Federal, state and territory leaders met as the national cabinet on Thursday morning to discuss the fuel situation. In a communique after the meeting they stressed Australia was “in a good position at present and does not have an overall fuel shortage at this time”.

But they acknowledged there were shortages in some areas because of increased demand.

The leaders appealed to Australians to only purchase “the fuel that they need” and not to “overbuy” which they said was “not the Australian way”.

The leaders said energy ministers and officials were working to coordinate supply updates around the country. Foreign Minister Penny Wong was engaging international counterparts about the continued flow of fuel shipments.

The meeting was briefed by the Director General of the Office of National Intelligence Kathy Klugmann and head of the ASIO Mike Burgess.

Meanwhile the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched an enforcement investigation into claims of anti-competitive behaviour by each of the major fuel suppliers. The investigation covers Ampol Ltd, BP Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, and Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd.

In a statement on Thursday the ACCC said it had received reports about diesel availability to independent wholesalers and distributors servicing regional and rural areas.

ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said: “It is not our usual practice to publicly announce investigations, but given the significance of the issue, the ACCC is confirming this enforcement investigation. We recognise the widespread concerns held by consumers, businesses and farmers about fuel pricing and supply issues arising during the Middle Eastern conflict.”

– ref. Albanese government appoints fuel coordinator as ACCC investigates major suppliers’ conduct in regional Australia – https://theconversation.com/albanese-government-appoints-fuel-coordinator-as-accc-investigates-major-suppliers-conduct-in-regional-australia-277245

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/albanese-government-appoints-fuel-coordinator-as-accc-investigates-major-suppliers-conduct-in-regional-australia-277245/

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 19, 2026.

How melodrama became the theme running through the 2026 Perth Festival
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University Theatre academic Peter Brooks championed the rise of melodrama as a popular form replacing tragedy. Melodrama, he said, tends to be explicit and hyperbolic in its representation of emotional

Where did the ancient Greeks and Romans think lightning came from? Hint: not just the gods
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Edwell, Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University Is it any wonder ancient people thought lightning came from the gods? Even today a close lightning strike feels like a terrifying brush with the supernatural. Some ancient thinkers, however, suspected the gods had nothing to do with

‘Disaster inertia’: why must NZ keep relearning the same lessons from extreme events?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin D Tombs, Pūkenga-Lecturer in Property Law, University of Otago In the aftermath of another summer of weather disasters, there were headlines about a “growing gap” between recovery efforts and preparation for climate change impacts. There were calls for a rethink of how New Zealand approaches natural

How the law of naval warfare applies to the Strait of Hormuz
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Klein, Professor, Faculty of Law, UNSW Sydney The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow body of water adjacent to Iran and Oman, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. While it is a shared body of water between Iran and Oman, Iran functionally

A new museum every 1.5 days: what’s driving China’s massive cultural expansion
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Poplin, Teaching Associate, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross University From state-backed mega museums to privately-funded contemporary art spaces, the expansion of China’s galleries, libraries, archives and museums – or “GLAM” – sector is reshaping how the nation narrates its past and imagines its future. China’s museum

Solomons PM refuses to convene parliament amid political crisis
By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior journalist The Solomon Islands Prime Minister is refusing to convene Parliament next week amid a takeover bid by government defectors who have joined forces with the opposition. Jeremiah Manele is not expected to convene Parliament until May or June and maintains the government is continuing to function despite the

5 books to help you understand Iran – recommended by experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Ley, Deputy Books + Ideas Editor, The Conversation Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran has been condemned in the West as a repressive theocracy. But the history of this vast nation of more than 90 million people is long and complicated. In times of war,

Horror won big at the 2026 Oscars – it’s time the genre was taken seriously
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frazer Lee, Reader in Creative Writing, Brunel University of London The horror genre rose from the grave to win big at this year’s Oscars, with four films featuring prominently in the awards. Ryan Coogler’s period vampire movie Sinners was nominated for a record-breaking 16 Oscars, bringing home

Teens suffer the most from e-bike incidents – are stricter rules the answer?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience, The University of Melbourne E-bikes and e-scooters are in the spotlight again. That’s because Queensland, as part of a parliamentary inquiry, is pushing for the nation’s most comprehensive review of the use and safety of

Why millions of JB Hi-Fi customers are getting these texts and emails about a court case
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Law (consumer protections and credit law), The University of Melbourne It looks like a scam. But if you’ve received an unexpected email or text message, starting with The Supreme Court of Victoria has ordered that you receive this notice because you may

In a world of AI text, speech still reigns supreme
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celeste Rodriguez Louro, Associate Professor, Chair of Linguistics and Director of Language Lab, The University of Western Australia I remember the first time I attended a linguistics lecture as an undergraduate in Argentina. The lecturer asked a simple question: where does language come from? My instinctive answer

Project Hail Mary is packed with hard science. An astrophysicist breaks it down
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Course Director, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology As an astrophysicist, my world revolves around the wonders of space and the mysteries of the universe. This means I can be a tough critic of science fiction books and films that explore these

NZ imports of unhealthy ultra-processed foods have risen sharply since 1990 – new study
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Garton, Senior Research Fellow in Population Health, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Over the past three decades, New Zealand’s imports of “ultra-processed” foods and drinks increased significantly, from 16 kilograms per person in 1990 to 104 kilograms in 2023. Our research shows the share of

Psychedelic drug MDMA could help treat PTSD – but there’s a reason it’s not widely available
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Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/er-report-a-roundup-of-significant-articles-on-eveningreport-nz-for-march-19-2026/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University

Theatre academic Peter Brooks championed the rise of melodrama as a popular form replacing tragedy. Melodrama, he said, tends to be explicit and hyperbolic in its representation of emotional and moral values.

Such a tendency within the arts to depict extremes of emotional life, and to do so overtly and with clarity, was in evidence at the 2026 Perth Festival.

In Lacrima, actors perform on-stage beside projected filmic close ups and clips. Aakash Odedra’s Songs of the Bulbul, by contrast, is a solo dance accompanied by a pre-recorded, sweepingly Romantic score.

They are nevertheless alike. Both chart a tempestuous narrative. From the beginning, we know these stories will conclude in the psychophysical breakdown and self-immolation of the protagonists.

Lacrima’s central character is the much put upon head of a couture studio (played by Maud LeGrevellec). She is caught between impossible deadlines, her resentful underling/husband (Dan Artus), and their daughter’s growing mental collapse.

In Songs of the Bulbul, Odedra is a songbird, denied light and blinded by its owner, so it would sing more plaintively and exquisitely.

Both productions deploy overwrought physicalities to convey their message. Sharply raised voices, outright shouting and tense, aggressive posturing are an omen of the final physical collapse in Lacrima. We witness the increasingly anguished twirls and twisted trajectories of the dancer for Odedra. Grand gestures coincide with climaxes of dramatic intensity.

The Red Shoes offers a less serious approach to over-the-top emotion and character.

Melissa Madden Gray uses her blowsy diva persona Meow Meow to send up herself and convention.

Clambering across a mountain of detritus, assembling and disassembling costumes, and expostulating about Hans Christian Anderson, the piece ends with the cast arrayed across the front as in the marriage-finale of a Shakespearean comedy. Here, a more self-conscious and comedic melodrama of collapse and uncertain revival.

The weird and the loud

The Last Great Hunt’s new work begins with the absurd proposition of staging a “faux foreign film performed live each night”.

Featuring complex filming set ups rapidly installed on stage, Lé Nør (The Rain) is performed entirely in a fabricated, faux-Norwegian language within a fictional world modelled on colourful 1980s video, costuming and make-up.

Romantic friendships and entanglements are unearthed, broken and reconfigured in a series of quick-fire revelations before the cast comes together for a blurred on-screen orgy.

A great example of skilled, hyperbolic silliness.

A personal favourite was Chunky Move’s U>N>I>T>E>D, a spectacularly weird and loud cybernetic mime featuring dancers moving in and out of darkness while Indonesian industrial music from Gabber Modus Operandi pulverises the space.

The performers are attired in quasi-cybernetic modular exoskeletons, taking on a spidery appearance. The dramatic arc leads to its characters being physically sacrificed to a techno-primitive god.

It doesn’t make much sense, but it is thrilling in its dramatic jumps from one tableau to another.

The Tiger Lillies are, in many ways, similar to Chunky Move: what you see and hear was basically what you get, dialled up a notch in this case by the addition of lyrics about knocked-about wicked souls and moments of rhythmic intensity.

The trio’s amoral ditties about life on the street are rendered through episodic lyrical sketches instead of Brecht’s complex psychological and political poetics.

Reaching for the tragic

There were meditative and tragic works within the festival.

The demise of Joseph K at the conclusion of Philip Glass’ operatic adaptation of Kafka’s The Trial is telegraphed from the beginning. But the opera’s narrative and Glass’ alternation of blocks of repetitive music gives plenty of time to watch him struggle. K is rendered musically and dramatically akin to an insect writhing on its own specimen pin.

I was particularly enchanted by Jaha Koo’s intimate study of migration, alienation and the ambivalence of memory in Haribo Kimchi.

The set is modelled on a Korean outdoor restaurant, where Koo charts his journey from Korea to Berlin to Brussels.

Spoken word alternates with short films and animations shown on screens to either side of his modest kitchenette.

Koo relates how the bag of pickled kimchi cabbage his family pressured him to take to Berlin exploded, its scent and juices permeating his apartment block. This taught him the immigrant’s shame.

Yet kimchi represents home, as do other delightful dishes Koo cooks live and distributes to curious audience members.

Koo also describes a return trip to Korea where he visited an eel farm and helped capture several slithering escapees. On screen, a high-pitched, singing, animated eel tells us how eels are birthed in the centre of an ocean, but mature in inland waterways: eels do not have one home, they have many.

We also see a snail which Koo found in his lettuce, kept for a while, and then released; and a Haribo gummy bear enmeshes Koo’s simple narration in fantasies which arise out of daily reality.

This wistfully melancholy piece is almost the inverse of melodrama. The only bodily collapse here was mine, as I quietly shed a tear for the eel’s song.

Cross-culturalism, Boorloo style

The BhuMeJha Project was an evening of performance and food mounted by spiritual arts and culture organisation Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya.

Performed within a circle of aged gums near to the river, just getting to the location as the sun was setting was moving.

Music includes Carnatic violin and vocals from musical director Hariraam Lam; Malaysian violin and frame-drum from Mohammad Hisharudy; Indian tabla by Sivakumar Balakrishnan; and, most strikingly, the songs, clapstick and authorised Australian First Nations choreography courtesy of Yolngu songman Daniel Wilfred.

Dance and song is provided by a largely female ensemble, drawing on Indian classical gestures.

Reflecting diverse levels of training, groupings and poses tend to be loose — although teachers Sukhi Krishnan and Aarthi Kamalesh are both facially engaged and physically sharp.

Quite what dramatic exchange the dancers are enacting remains obscure until Wilfred joins to perform a brief mime of fishing on the Arnhem land coast with a long spear, mirrored by the larger group.

Wilfred’s vocals cut through the musical blend with sharp force and intensity.

The BhuMeJha Project is not polished, but it is highly affecting.

Of the shows I saw, only BhuMeJha was inescapably of Boorloo-Perth. Ironically, this was true because, like Koo’s eels, it indirectly alluded to global histories of displacement and settlement. As a result, it paid little attention to melodramatic imperatives of legibility or scale.

The BhuMeJha Project and Haribo Kimchi are big in their modest summoning of multiple locations and the emotions played out at them. We need more shows like that.

– ref. How melodrama became the theme running through the 2026 Perth Festival – https://theconversation.com/how-melodrama-became-the-theme-running-through-the-2026-perth-festival-278535

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/how-melodrama-became-the-theme-running-through-the-2026-perth-festival-278535/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Edwell, Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University

Is it any wonder ancient people thought lightning came from the gods? Even today a close lightning strike feels like a terrifying brush with the supernatural.

Some ancient thinkers, however, suspected the gods had nothing to do with it.

They wondered, centuries ahead of their time, if lightning was related somehow to the movement of air and clouds.

A reminder of power and wrath

In the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome, thunder and lightning strikes were the prime weapon of Zeus (the king of the gods, known to the Romans as Jupiter). Reminders of his power and wrath via lightning strikes were everywhere.

The ancient Greek poet Hesiod (who was writing around 700 BCE, about the same time as Homer) described Zeus hurling bolts of lightning and thunder at his divine enemies. Zeus also struck humans such as the mythical King Salmoneus as punishment for demanding his subjects worship him as a god.

Surviving Greek and Roman statues depict Zeus hurling lightning bolts as his chief weapon of power.

For the Romans, Jupiter and the gods more generally intervened dramatically in human affairs via lightning strikes. They were often a clear indication of divine displeasure.

The father of Pompey, one of Rome’s most powerful Republican generals, was killed in 87 BCE by lightning (according to one version of the story). He was conducting a military campaign in the middle of a civil war. According to the Roman writer Plutarch, Pompey’s father was one of Rome’s most hated generals. For many at the time, the gods had dispensed justice.

In about 125 CE, the well-travelled emperor Hadrian climbed Mount Casius in Syria to view the sunrise. When he offered a sacrifice to Zeus/Jupiter, to whom the mountain was sacred, a lightning bolt killed both the attendant and sacrificial victim. Hadrian himself was spared.

In 283 CE, the Roman emperor Carus wasn’t so lucky. He was struck and killed by lightning while on campaign against the Persians. One ancient account claimed Carus was killed because he campaigned further than the gods allowed.

In the fourth century CE, the Greek writer Libanius was struck by lightning while reading a play of Aristophanes. He would suffer from debilitating headaches and other afflictions for the rest of his life.

Complex rituals and a gift from the gods

Occasionally, lightning was sent by the gods to aid an emperor in battle. When Marcus Aurelius campaigned against a tribal group in the 160s CE, lightning bolts scattered the enemy.

According to the church historian, Eusebius, the legion accompanying him was, from then on, known as the thundering legion (Fulminata).

Roman religious practice ordered complex rituals surrounding the ground struck by lightning. In what was known as the Bidental Ritual, priests purified the affected spot. It was then sealed off and forbidden to be walked on or even looked at.

Even the emperor Constantine, a supporter of Christianity from early in his reign, ordered the performance of traditional pagan rites when public buildings were struck by lightning in 320 CE.

‘That’s not Zeus up there’

While many believed fervently that lightning was an instrument of angry gods, not all were convinced.

In The Clouds, an ancient Greek play by Aristophanes (who lived around 448 to 380 BCE), the philosopher Socrates exclaimed in the middle of a thunderstorm

That’s not Zeus up there – it’s a vortex of air.

The first century CE Roman philosopher Seneca believed

clouds that encounter each other with little force cause flashes of lightning; if impelled by greater violence, thunderbolts.

He didn’t see a role for the gods in producing either phenomenon.

One in a million

Of course, many other ancient cultures believed lightning (and thunder) had religious significance.

In Zoroastrianism, a key religion of ancient Persia, lightning produced the fastest fire of 16 different types of fire.

Fire was central to the worship of Ahura Mazda, the supreme god of Zoroastrianism.

For the Kunwinjku people of Arnhem Land in northern Australia, the ancestral being Namarrkon embodied lightning and thunder. He used stone axes to split the clouds and bolts of lightning as weapons.

The United States Centre for Disease Control estimates that around 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the US each year. But the chances of being struck in any one year are incredibly rare at less than one in a million.

Very few of us would still see lightning as a weapon of the gods. But when lightning strikes today, it might still evoke a sense of supernatural power and foreboding.

– ref. Where did the ancient Greeks and Romans think lightning came from? Hint: not just the gods – https://theconversation.com/where-did-the-ancient-greeks-and-romans-think-lightning-came-from-hint-not-just-the-gods-270797

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/where-did-the-ancient-greeks-and-romans-think-lightning-came-from-hint-not-just-the-gods-270797/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin D Tombs, Pūkenga-Lecturer in Property Law, University of Otago

In the aftermath of another summer of weather disasters, there were headlines about a “growing gap” between recovery efforts and preparation for climate change impacts.

There were calls for a rethink of how New Zealand approaches natural hazards and for decision-makers to learn from the lives and homes lost in landslides and floods.

If this sounds all too familiar, it is because the country has become locked in a state of “disaster inertia” – one that has existed for longer than we might think.

Our analysis of New Zealand’s post-disaster reviews over the past decade shows the same problems – some dating back to 1986 – have been repeatedly identified but rarely translated into meaningful policy reform.

Successive warnings from the scientific community about the country’s exposure to extreme weather similarly go unheeded.

With each disaster, we found the country’s response and recovery system reacts in a largely ad hoc way. The capacity and finances of local authorities, which are often already grappling with major infrastructure deficits, are strained as they lurch from one event to the next.

Put simply, New Zealand keeps patching up damage while failing to address its systemic issues – leaving lives, livelihoods and property increasingly at risk as climate impacts intensify.

How disaster inertia shows up in practice

Our review highlighted several concerning trends.

Climate change adaptation efforts are often channelled into engineered protection such as seawalls and levees. But this focus can crowd out land-use planning tools that reduce risk more fundamentally – by keeping development away from exposed areas or enabling planned, staged relocation of homes and infrastructure over time.

The current approach can also create a “levee effect”, encouraging more development behind the protections. This increases flood risk when those protections inevitably fail, and it delays urgently needed avoidance measures.

It may be true that “building back better” – rebuilding damaged homes and infrastructure to higher resilience standards after a disaster – can sometimes improve resilience.

But it often comes at higher cost and with increased residual risk – the danger that remains even after any affordable protections are built – if communities remain in place.

There is also a strong social and political premium placed on rapidly “getting back to normal”, even where that normal is a state of vulnerability, and the “new normal” means increasing frequency and intensity of change.

Another recurring problem comes with the high opportunity costs that follow disasters.

When government funding is inconsistent and piecemeal, local authorities often use scarce resources to rebuild in place and restore what was lost, rather than addressing the underlying drivers of risk through land-use planning. This reinforces institutional inertia and stifles preventive adaptation.

Elsewhere in our analysis, we found that unclear roles between agencies to be persistent problem. While the recommendations of the reviews we assessed could differ depending on the hazard, most were vague about how responsibilities should be allocated in future.

A chance to break the cycle

National stocktakes estimate that around 750,000 New Zealanders and half a million buildings – worth more than $145 billion – are located near rivers and along coasts already exposed to extreme flooding.

As these pressures grow in the years ahead, it is clear from our review that a coherent framework for disaster risk reduction is urgently needed. This must include clear responsibilities, sustainable funding and close integration with adaptation policy.

Action should not be delayed while waiting for better data in the hope it will prompt individuals and councils to respond more effectively. Much of the data needed already exists, but must be coordinated and standardised now.

Progress must begin with strengthening resilience systems, providing sustainable adaptation funding and avoiding risk, with planning for relocation where necessary.

Local authorities are in desperate need of stronger legislation to support action on climate risk reduction and preparedness.

New Zealand has an opportunity to address these issues through current legislative reforms.

These include the Emergency Management Bill, which will replace the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act and clarify roles and responsibilities across the emergency management system.

The Planning Bill, now before parliament, is intended to replace the Resource Management Act and improve how land use, development and natural hazards are managed. Amendments to the Climate Change Response Act have also been signalled to support the implementation of a national climate adaptation framework.

If these reforms fail to align around preemptive risk reduction, communities will face growing damage to homes and livelihoods without insurance or the means to relocate.

– ref. ‘Disaster inertia’: why must NZ keep relearning the same lessons from extreme events? – https://theconversation.com/disaster-inertia-why-must-nz-keep-relearning-the-same-lessons-from-extreme-events-278192

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/disaster-inertia-why-must-nz-keep-relearning-the-same-lessons-from-extreme-events-278192/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Klein, Professor, Faculty of Law, UNSW Sydney

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow body of water adjacent to Iran and Oman, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.

While it is a shared body of water between Iran and Oman, Iran functionally exercises a greater amount of control over it.

The strait is a vital conduit for the shipment of oil, gas and other exports (notably fertiliser) from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. At its narrowest point, it is just 21 nautical miles (24 miles or 39 kilometres) wide.

With the ongoing conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States, Iran has restricted the movement of ships through this waterway, causing global repercussions for oil supply and trade in other important commodities.

Can Iran do this under international law? And can the US lawfully send military convoys through the strait to protect international shipping?

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Read more: As war raises oil prices, households pay while energy companies profit

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What is its legal status during times of peace?

The Strait of Hormuz is used for international navigation between two high seas areas. As such, it is defined as an international strait under international law.

Even though these waters are subject to the sovereignty of the adjacent states, all other states’ ships have navigational rights through the strait.

So as long as those ships pass through the strait continuously and expeditiously, the coastal states should not take any steps to prevent their passage.

What about during war?

Once there are armed hostilities between two (or more) states, the law of armed conflict – or international humanitarian law – applies.

The law of naval warfare is part of the law of armed conflict.

Some laws of naval warfare can be traced back to the Hague Conventions adopted at the start of the 20th century.

Most commonly, states will rely on the 1994 San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea.

Under the law of naval warfare, states are generally divided between belligerents (those engaged in armed hostilities) and neutrals (those not involved in the war).

The line between belligerents and neutrals is not always an easy one to draw. In the Middle East, at a minimum, Iran, Israel and the US could be classified as belligerents.

According to the San Remo Manual, ships flagged to neutral states, including their warships, may exercise their navigational rights under general international law through a belligerent’s strait.

It is recommended that neutral warships give notice of their passage as a precautionary measure. A belligerent must not target neutral ships – they are not considered military objectives and must not be fired upon.

During this conflict, Iran’s territorial sea (which includes the waters within the Strait of Hormuz) counts as an area of naval warfare. The belligerent states are legally required to have due regard for the legitimate rights and duties of neutral states in an international strait.

But legal protection for neutral commerce is weak. Many ships have avoided the strait – and will continue to do so – during this conflict.

Can Iran close the strait during times of war?

In line with the San Remo Manual, straits under the sovereignty of neutral states must remain open for transit passage for both neutral and belligerent shipping.

However, belligerent states are not similarly required to keep their straits open.

Can convoys lawfully be used to protect commercial shipping?

Convoys typically involve warships travelling with a fleet of merchant ships to deter and protect against attacks from belligerents during passage.

They have been used previously in the Strait of Hormuz and in the Persian Gulf.

But merchant vessels may become military objectives and subject to attack by belligerents if they travel in a convoy with belligerent warships. So any cargo vessel being escorted by a US warship places itself in danger, as it may be lawfully attacked by Iran.

If warships belonging to neutral states escort cargo ships that are also flagged to neutral countries, these merchant vessels are not military objectives, in accordance with the San Remo Manual.

A belligerent warship would, however, have a right to visit and search these ships to ensure they are not carrying contraband to the enemy.

To minimise this risk, neutral states would need to provide Iran with information as to what each ship is carrying.

What about Australian ships?

Iran may question Australia’s status as a neutral state in light of its offer to assist the United Arab Emirates as a measure of collective self-defence against Iranian attacks.

If Australia’s actions render it a “party to the conflict” under the law of armed conflict, it is no longer a neutral state – it is now a belligerent.

Its warships, along with any private vessels escorted in the strait, could then potentially be subject to lawful attack by Iran.

– ref. How the law of naval warfare applies to the Strait of Hormuz – https://theconversation.com/how-the-law-of-naval-warfare-applies-to-the-strait-of-hormuz-278653

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/how-the-law-of-naval-warfare-applies-to-the-strait-of-hormuz-278653/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Poplin, Teaching Associate, Faculty of Education, Southern Cross University

From state-backed mega museums to privately-funded contemporary art spaces, the expansion of China’s galleries, libraries, archives and museums – or “GLAM” – sector is reshaping how the nation narrates its past and imagines its future.

China’s museum sector has expanded at an unmatched pace this century. From 2010 to 2024, a new museum has opened, on average, every 1.5 days. There were 382 new museums registered in 2022 alone – and a total of 6,833 registered towards the end of 2024.

None of this is a coincidence. China’s museum boom reflects a coordinated national strategy that links heritage, urban development, the creative industries and soft power.

The broader GLAM sector has expanded in parallel, with significant government investment in public libraries, archival digitisation projects and large cultural precincts. Museums, however, remain the most visible symbol of this transformation.

From scarcity to saturation

China is reported to have had only around 25 museums when the Communist Party gained power in 1949. For several decades, museums would remain relatively limited in number and scope – and would be strictly controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These were didactic spaces shaped by strict ideological parameters.

In May 1942, CCP Chairman Mao Zedong chaired a three-week forum where he argued there is no art detached from, or independent of politics. Cultural policies thereafter retained revolutionary aims under the CCP. Dedicated “work units” managed all artistic creation up until the end of the Cultural Revolution (and Mao Zedong’s death) in 1976.

This made way for the Open Door Policy led by the nation’s new leader Deng Xiaopeng in 1978. With the slogan “to get rich is glorious”, this policy led to significant transformation in leadership and belief systems. The 1970s to 1990s marked a period of relative openness and avante-garde expression.

The 1990s and early 2000s further saw a gradual liberalisation of the sector, alongside the rise of contemporary art. Independent artist-run spaces flourished in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou – often in repurposed factories or warehouses.

Returning to a more curated cultural ecosystem

Today, however, grassroots initiatives have mostly been consolidated into state-zoned cultural districts. Beijing’s 798 Art Zone – which now hosts more than 150 galleries – is one of the first examples of this shift. What began in 2002 as a space for independent artist-led experimentation became part of a structured cultural economy from mid-2003.

Generally, there are drivers behind such consolidations:

• regulation and stability: formal zoning provides clearer legal frameworks and allows for easier monitoring

• economic optimisation: state-sanctioned and aligned cultural districts are more likely to attract tourism and real estate investment

• narrative alignment: institutional oversight ensures exhibitions operate within acceptable ideological boundaries.

This curated cultural strategy has been rolled out through a number of successive five-year plans. In the most recent ones – including the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) – museums have been framed as instruments of national storytelling.

They allow the state to curate narratives that promote social cohesion, while balancing global discourse with national priorities. And this is central to China’s ambition to become a cultural superpower.

So what’s on offer?

Broadly speaking, there are four major categories of museum: historical and archaeological museums; revolutionary/party history museums; science and technology museums; contemporary art museums and private institutions.

At the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan (opened in 2023), audiences can view 4,000-year-old relics from the Shu civilisation. Or they can experience multimedia works inspired by Chinese mythological creatures at The Hong Kong Palace Museum.

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Science and technology museums have multiplied, as have industrial heritage centres and niche institutions dedicated to ceramics, design and animation.

Private contemporary art institutions such as [Beijing’s X Museum] and UCCA position themselves within international art circuits. Yet, even these operate within broader municipal planning frameworks.

The nation’s museum expansion is highly structured. The National Cultural Heritage Administration sets targets for development, encourages free public access policies, and supports digitisation initiatives.

For citizens, expanded access has democratised cultural participation. For local governments, museums can be used to anchor urban redevelopment projects that help with city branding and tourism.

A broader cultural renaissance

China’s rebranding of itself through its creative industries is not a phase. It’s part of the building of the nation’s identity. The goal isn’t merely to preserve, but to project – to shape both domestic identity and global perception.

Smaller experimental and independent voices may struggle within this increasingly formalised framework. Writing for the Australian Institute of International Affairs, research assistant Guang Yang questioned how much room exists for dissenting or marginal histories when ideological parameters are embedded in national storytelling projects.

Museums curate memory, define heritage and stage visions of the future. The growth in China’s museum sector signals a nation investing heavily in how it sees itself and how it wishes to be seen.

– ref. A new museum every 1.5 days: what’s driving China’s massive cultural expansion – https://theconversation.com/a-new-museum-every-1-5-days-whats-driving-chinas-massive-cultural-expansion-277380

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/a-new-museum-every-1-5-days-whats-driving-chinas-massive-cultural-expansion-277380/

By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister is refusing to convene Parliament next week amid a takeover bid by government defectors who have joined forces with the opposition.

Jeremiah Manele is not expected to convene Parliament until May or June and maintains the government is continuing to function despite the political “crisis”.

Manele has been in power less than two years and has already faced two leadership challenges.

Now his former Foreign Minister, and fellow party member, Peter Shanel Agovaka, has been recruited by a breakaway group of MPs who want to form a new government.

In a statement, the opposition Leader’s office claimed the defection of 19 government ministers and backbenchers to the opposition and independent ranks has left Manele running a minority government.

Agovoka told RNZ Pacific on Tuesday that a change of government, led by the People’s First Party (PFP) would see him replace Manele.

“I feel it’s time for me, representing central Guadalcanal, to take up the challenge to lead our country,” he said.

New coalition agreement
The statement said 27 MPs signed a new coalition government agreement on Tuesday and have filed a motion of no confidence in Manele and his Ownership, Unity and Responsibility (OUR) Party.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports the notice was signed by the former Deputy Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for South Vella La Vella, Frederick Kologeto.

It reports that the notice was received on Monday.

The motion can be moved and debated once a seven-day notice period ends, and when the Prime Minister convenes Parliament.

Government House has confirmed receiving a petition from opposition MPs for the Governor-General to order an extraordinary sitting of Parliament to debate the motion.

The opposition needs at least 26 MPs to vote in favour of the motion for it to pass. If successful an election for a new Prime Minister is then held by secret ballot.

The PFP, joined by the official opposition, have petitioned for an extraordinary sitting of Parliament.

‘Signals serious crisis’
“When such a significant number of sitting members, including ministers, abandon their own coalition, it signals a government in serious crisis,” the statement said.

“These decisions were not made lightly, they reflect deep frustrations over internal divisions, lack of trust, and growing concerns that the government has lost its sense of direction and purpose.”

The statement said the mass exodus raised urgent constitutional and governance questions.

“Can a government that has lost the confidence of 19 of its own members continue to claim legitimacy? Can it effectively govern while grappling with internal collapse?,” the statement said.

“What is unfolding is not just a reshuffling of numbers; it is a rejection of leadership that has failed to unite, failed to listen, and failed to deliver.”

The breakaway group took part in a highly-publicised photo shoot yesterday as a sign of solidarity.

Agovoka said previously that the 12-member PFP had the numbers to form a new government with the opposition and independent MPs, but the situation was “fluid”.

“There is a critical motion that should be dealt with immediately … we’ll just hope that our number, which is 27, holds,” he said.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/solomons-pm-refuses-to-convene-parliament-amid-political-crisis/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Ley, Deputy Books + Ideas Editor, The Conversation

Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran has been condemned in the West as a repressive theocracy. But the history of this vast nation of more than 90 million people is long and complicated.

In times of war, we can overlook complexities in search of simple certainties. We asked five experts on Iran to recommend books that offer complex insights into the nation’s politics, culture and people.

They explore the revolution through religion, politics, Iranian mythology and personal experience. There’s a classic graphic-novel memoir and a daring novel of addiction. And an astonishing memoir takes us inside Iran’s prisons.

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Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a beautifully illustrated and compelling memoir of Iran’s 1979 revolution, told from the childlike perspective of the author as she comes of age amid uprising, crackdown and sudden, enforced Islamisation.

Persepolis is a graphic novel for people who don’t read graphic novels – its hand-drawn black-and-white illustrations enhance the story without taking away from its playful hilarity – and at times profound and confronting sadness.

This is a highly personal story, but also an account of how a proud and ancient people came to be ruled by a fanatical minority. Through the story of Satrapi and her family, we glimpse the complexities of modern Iranian history.

A unique and special book, Persepolis will stay with you long after you finish turning its pages.

Kylie Moore-Gilbert is a research fellow in security studies at Macquarie University.

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The Shah and the Ayatollah: Iranian Mythology and Islamic Revolution – Fereydoun Hoveyda

The Shah and the Ayatollah is written by Fereydoun Hoveyda, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations from 1971 until 1979. It attempts to explain the phenomenon of the Islamic Revolution from a fresh angle.

Unlike many scholars who focused on the role of authoritarianism, Westernisation or economic factors, Hoveyda looks into Iranian mythology. He uses what he calls Rostam Syndrome to explore the reasons behind the Islamic Revolution. Rostam, a mythological hero in the Iranian epic Shahnameh, faces his son Sohrab on the battlefield; unaware of his true identity, he kills him.

By defining the leader in Iran as a father, and following father–son relationships through different segments of the society, Hoveyda explains the revolution not in terms of people seeking democracy, but as an endeavour to replace the weak patriarch (the shah) with the strong one (the ayatollah).

Hossein Asgari is a postdoctoral research fellow in the College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities at Adelaide University.

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The Uncaged Sky – Kylie Moore-Gilbert

The Uncaged Sky is the astonishing memoir of Kylie Moore-Gilbert, an Australian who spent 804 days in Iran’s prisons.

As her interrogations began, she was served chocolate cake, typifying the bizarre style of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp. She reports the tortures and reprieves of prison life: disgusting toilets, lenient wardens and complex relationships. In their wake, her resilience is jaw-dropping; “I am still free, because freedom is an attitude, freedom is a state of mind”.

She illuminates broader issues in Iran, including the Revolutionary Guards’ extortions (“it’s about determining your price”) and the treatment of imprisoned women. In the inmates that protect her, and in her own machinations, we observe people seeking out agency – freedom within repression.

Hessom Razavi is a clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Western Australia. His family fled to Australia from Iran in the 1980s to escape persecution.

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How Islam Rules in Iran: Theology and Theocracy in the Islamic Republic – Mehran Kamrava

Mehran Kamrava is an authority on Iran. His book, How Islam Rules in Iran: Theology and Theocracy in the Islamic Republic, provides comprehensive coverage of the evolution of the structure of Islamic rule, from its inception in 1979 to 2024.

It examines the theological debate that has shaped the Islamic Republic’s political institutions and state policies. In this, Kamrava shows “how religious intellectual production in Iran has impacted the ongoing transformation of Iranian Shi’ism and ultimately underwritten the fate of the Islamic Republic”.

The book is very insightful about the ways religion and politics have interacted to make the Republic both resilient and vulnerable.

Amin Saikal is emeritus professor of Middle Eastern studies at Australian National University.

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In Case of Emergency – Mahsa Mohebali

It’s one of Iran’s many paradoxes that Mahsa Mohebali’s prize-winning 2008 novel, about an addict in an apocalyptic, earthquake devastated Tehran, could be published – though some parts were censored, and all her books are now banned.

Originally published as Negaran nabash (Don’t Worry), In Case of Emergency follows an unconventional, disenchanted young woman from Iran’s upper class as she roams the city’s streets seeking her next dose, while her family tries to escape Tehran. Playful and raw, it depicts youth at the point of despair.

Extreme in its language and topics, it is not for the faint-hearted: translator Mariam Rahmani has deliberately gone all-in on the profanity. The result is a deeply unsettling, powerful novel that sheds light on a facet of Iranian society you didn’t know existed.

Laetitia Nanquette is an associate professor in literary studies at UNSW, specialising in Persian literature and Iranian book history.

– ref. 5 books to help you understand Iran – recommended by experts – https://theconversation.com/5-books-to-help-you-understand-iran-recommended-by-experts-278000

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/5-books-to-help-you-understand-iran-recommended-by-experts-278000/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Law (consumer protections and credit law), The University of Melbourne

It looks like a scam. But if you’ve received an unexpected email or text message, starting with

The Supreme Court of Victoria has ordered that you receive this notice because you may be a group member in the JB Hi-Fi Class Action.

it is most likely real. Those messages are about an upcoming court case, relating to extended warranties sold by JB Hi-Fi over more than a decade.

More than 8 million customers who bought those warranties are eligible to be part of the case – and potentially compensation if the case succeeds. The clock is now ticking for them to decide whether to stay involved, or opt out.

Win or lose, the case will be significant in addressing unanswered questions about Australians’ protections for defective goods.

It challenges the value of extended warranties to buyers – and exactly what retailers have to tell consumers about their rights under Australian consumer law.

What the court case is about

The case relates to extended warranties sold by electronics and appliances retailer JB Hi-Fi between January 1 2011 to December 8 2023. A similar action against retailer Harvey Norman may follow.

Extended warranties are often offered to consumers to buy at the point of sale for electronics and white goods. They purport to provide extended protection against certain faults past the time of the manufacturer’s warranty.

Consumer advocates have long questioned the benefits of extended warranties, because the Australian Consumer Law already provides consumers with guarantees of performance and quality on purchased goods.

In particular, goods have to be of “acceptable quality”, meaning – at minimum – they have to be safe and durable. These statutory guarantees last beyond the manufacturer’s warranty.

Opt out or stay in?

The initial trial will begin in Victoria’s Supreme Court from October 5 and is expected to run for six weeks.

If you want to stay involved, you don’t need to do anything.

But to opt out, including to possibly pursue your own claim, you need to read the information and complete an online opt out notice by May 29.

Were consumers misled?

This case is not just about the value of an extended warranty. It is also about what consumers were told – or should have been told.

Legal firm Maurice Blackburn, which is running the case, needs to show consumers were actually misled about what they were paying for as compared to their rights under the Australian Consumer Law. It is not enough to show consumers decided to buy something that was not as useful as they might have thought.

In this case, the plaintiff being represented by Maurice Blackburn bought

• a fridge for $745.17
• an extended warranty, known as an “extra care repair cover plan”, for $62.57
• and a delivery and connection package for $65.

Maurice Blackburn is arguing their client was misled in making this purchase by the salesperson, who said the extended warranty was “a good idea”.

JB Hi-Fi’s defence

The defence filed by JB Hi-Fi argues that information about both the extended warranty and the statutory consumer guarantees was available at the point of sale. This meant consumers could make their own assessment of an extended warranty’s value.

JB Hi-Fi also argues its extended warranty had some “additional” value beyond that provided under the Australian Consumer Law.

JB Hi-Fi recently told business website Inside Retail it “intends to vigorously defend the proceedings”.

Class actions and consumer rights

Class actions – where one person makes a legal claim representing of a wider group of affected people – are becoming more common in Australia.

Research from 2024 found consumer cases were the second most frequently filed class action in Victoria in the previous five years.

Individually, consumers usually find it too expensive to go to court to pursue compensation for poor quality products or unfair business practices.

But collectively, consumers may be able to achieve some redress through a class action. Recent examples delivering wins for consumers include cases against:

Cheaper alternatives to class actions

Not everyone thinks class actions for consumer claims are a good idea. Their funding structure can affect payouts, and delays sometimes occur in paying out compensation.

Other less costly options available include complaining to the regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC);
small claims tribunals; or relevant industry ombudsman services.

Our recent research suggests artificial intelligence solutions – such as generative AI providing information to consumers trying to resolve disputes with a trader over small value claims – could be useful. But using AI for legal help can also come with risks.

However, those alternatives don’t resolve the kind of systemic questions about business practices and consumer expectations that will soon be addressed in the JB Hi-Fi extended warranty case.

Expect millions of Australians – and other retailers – to be closely following news of this case from October on.

– ref. Why millions of JB Hi-Fi customers are getting these texts and emails about a court case – https://theconversation.com/why-millions-of-jb-hi-fi-customers-are-getting-these-texts-and-emails-about-a-court-case-278306

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/why-millions-of-jb-hi-fi-customers-are-getting-these-texts-and-emails-about-a-court-case-278306/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience, The University of Melbourne

E-bikes and e-scooters are in the spotlight again.

That’s because Queensland, as part of a parliamentary inquiry, is pushing for the nation’s most comprehensive review of the use and safety of e-mobility devices. This includes electric scooters and electric bikes.

After months of hearings and more than 1,200 submissions, the inquiry has produced 28 recommendations. These cover everything from age limits to requiring riders to have at least a learner driver’s licence.

These recommendations are the latest attempt to make e-mobility devices safer, particularly for younger riders. Just last week, two teenagers were killed in an e-bike crash south of Brisbane, the most recent e-bike incident involving younger riders.

So will these recommendations work? And are they based on evidence?

Who’s most at risk?

Discussions about e-mobility safety have mostly focused on e-scooters, which are electric-powered scooters ridden standing up. But recent research suggests e-bikes may pose the same, or even greater, risk to riders.

A 2025 analysis examined nearly 14,000 injuries involving either e-scooters, e-bikes or conventional bikes, treated in US emergency departments. This study found injuries among e-scooter riders were no more severe than those sustained by e-bike users or conventional cyclists.

Evidence from Europe supports this finding. One 2025 study compared injury rates among e-scooter and e-bike riders across seven European cities. After controlling for other factors including location, usage patterns, and exposure to e-mobility devices, researchers found e-bike users were more likely to get injured than e-scooter riders.

We also know children and teenagers are disproportionately affected by e-mobility accidents. In Australia, nearly one-third of e-scooter deaths involve a child.

And we’re seeing a similar pattern develop in e-bike incidents. Despite a lack of national e-bike data, Australia recorded at least seven fatal e-bike crashes involving children or teenagers between February 2025 and March 2026, five of which happened in Queensland. Tragically, these incidents cost eight young lives.

In most Australian states, legal e-bikes are limited to a top speed of 25 km/h. They must also follow strict power and design standards. However, a growing number of e-mobility devices on Australian roads don’t meet these requirements. These include modified e-bikes or imported models which can reach much higher speeds. So in practice, these function more like electric motorbikes.

At present, there is no consistent national data distinguishing between crashes which involve legal e-bikes from those involving modified or high-powered devices. This makes it difficult to know how dangerous they may be.

However, media and police reports suggest higher-speed and modified devices are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among younger riders.

What does Queensland want to do?

Queensland’s parliamentary inquiry is the latest, and potentially most comprehensive, attempt to reform Australia’s e-mobility laws.

Importantly, the inquiry largely treats e-bikes and e-scooters as being two parts of the same policy problem. This is because the two devices share many of the same safety risks and infrastructure needs.

The subsequent report outlines 28 recommendations which aim to reshape how e-bikes and e-scooters are used, sold and regulated across Queensland. These recommendations include:

• stronger product standards and tighter import rules to prevent high-powered or unsafe devices entering the market
• clearer legal distinctions between compliant and illegal devices
• new rules governing where and how these devices can be used
• lower speed limits on footpaths
• greater enforcement powers for police
• more support for education and awareness campaigns aimed at improving rider behaviour.

Overall, these recommendations mark a shift towards a more safety-focused regulatory framework. And if Queensland adopts all 28 recommendations, the state would go from being one of Australia’s most permissive e-mobility jurisdictions to one of the strictest.

There are two controversial recommendations?

The inquiry also proposed setting a rider age limit and requiring riders to hold at least a learner driver’s licence.

Supporters argue these measures would improve safety by ensuring riders have at least a basic understanding of road rules. As part of the licence requirement, Queensland would add e-mobility education to the state’s current learner driver training.

Critics, particularly some cycling advocacy groups, oppose these two proposals. They describe them as being draconian, saying these recommendations would place unnecessary restrictions on young riders and reduce e-mobility uptake more broadly.

However, international research suggests children younger than 16 lack the judgement and knowledge to safely use e-mobility devices, particularly in high-traffic situations. Queensland’s parliamentary inquiry came to the same conclusion.

And some countries have already introduced competence-based tests for e-mobility users. For example, Israel requires young people to pass a road rules theory test before they can ride an e-bike.

So, where to from here?

We’re yet to see whether the Queensland government will adopt these recommendations.

Regardless of its decision, the e-mobility sector is rapidly expanding, both in Australia and globally. However, we don’t have the research needed to help policymakers effectively regulate how e-mobility devices are used.

In that vacuum, governments have often made regulatory decisions based on information from parliamentary inquiries or stakeholder feedback. These processes might appear to be inclusive and democratic. However, they may allow certain people or organisations to dominate policy discussions, potentially to their benefit.

A more effective approach would combine robust research, transparent injury data and case studies outlining other countries’ current e-mobility policies.

– ref. Teens suffer the most from e-bike incidents – are stricter rules the answer? – https://theconversation.com/teens-suffer-the-most-from-e-bike-incidents-are-stricter-rules-the-answer-278542

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/teens-suffer-the-most-from-e-bike-incidents-are-stricter-rules-the-answer-278542/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frazer Lee, Reader in Creative Writing, Brunel University of London

The horror genre rose from the grave to win big at this year’s Oscars, with four films featuring prominently in the awards.

Ryan Coogler’s period vampire movie Sinners was nominated for a record-breaking 16 Oscars, bringing home four golden statues – including the coveted best actor prize for Michael B. Jordan.

Weapons’ Amy Madigan fended off stiff competition to win best supporting actress, and – at the PG-rated end of the horror spectrum – K-Pop Demon Hunters won best animated film and best original song.

Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus shuffled away from the ceremony clutching three Oscars in its cadaverous hands. It won best production design, best costume design, and best make-up and hairstyling out of nine nominations that included best picture and best supporting actor for Australian actor Jacob Elordi.

It would appear that horror is now considered up there with the costume dramas and masterpieces of world cinema that have long been mainstays of film industry awards. But this has not always been the case. Aside from rare recipients such as William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) – which took possession of golden statues for best adapted screenplay and best sound but missed out in all eight of its other nominations – horror has often taken a back seat during awards season.

It seems unfathomable now that Anthony Perkins didn’t receive any Oscar love for his now-iconic role as Norman Bates in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960). Fans were also horrified, but not in a good way, when Ari Aster’s 2018 occult chiller Hereditary (and its trailblazing performance by lead actress Toni Collette) was completely overlooked by the Academy.

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The Exorcist was the first of only a handful of horror features to be nominated for the best picture award. Jaws (1975), The Sixth Sense (1999), Black Swan (2010) and Get Out (2017) were all nominated, and more than worthy potential recipients, but were all snubbed. In 1991 Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs won best picture (there’s much debate as to whether the film is a horror or a thriller – let’s just say it’s both), but why the wait for another success story like that of Sinners?

For many, the view that horror is less worthy of mainstream gongs stems from the “video nasty” era when rental shelves at petrol stations across the Western world placed horror tapes on the top shelf alongside more lurid adult titles.

But horror is a very broad church and anyone with a passion for the genre will tell you of their love of everything from gore-fests such as Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (1981) to quieter, more atmospheric terrors like Jack Clayton’s The Innocents (1961) and Robert Wise’s The Haunting (1963).

Indie horror is a hotbed of innovation and experimentation and an inclusive place to take risks and have fun. And perhaps one reason for horror’s ascension to the big league of film awards ceremonies is the way in which it is purpose-built to hold a mirror up to society’s problems.

Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance (2024) explored ageing, body image and media manipulation via twin powerhouse performances from Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore. Fargeat was the first woman to be Oscar nominated for writing and directing a horror film, and Moore received a best actress nomination, but both were snubbed on the night.

Jordan Peele’s brilliant and disturbing horror-with-comedy Get Out (2017) took an unflinching look at racism with the Academy awarding it best screenplay. Horror can tackle these big themes using allegorical storytelling, revealing that the scariest monsters of all are often ourselves.

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While cheering on the great and good during the Oscars coverage on Sunday night, I was reminded of my own undying love for the genre. I remembered my first ever live book reading at a big horror convention called Horrorfind Weekend in Maryland, US. Tens of thousands of fans were in attendance, lining up for hours for autographs from horror luminaries such as George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, 1968) and Tony Todd (Final Destination franchise, 2000s, and Candyman, 1992).

The panel discussions often continued in the bar afterwards and I remember chatting with one of my horror heroes, the writer and filmmaker John Skipp (A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, 1989). We were talking about how to reach a wider audience with our work and Skipp reminded me, “If you make outsider art, you’ll attract outsider fans.”

Perhaps, this is the key to horror getting the gold standard of approval from awards voters. The more our leaders push us into ever widening margins with their endless stoking of culture wars, the more we become outsiders. We need to face our demons in order to overcome them. Many of us long to be seen, and horror stories see all of us.

The emerging generation of horror filmmakers like Ryan Coogler know this and embed it within their work. To paraphrase the (now Oscar-winning) song Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters, horror is done hiding, and now it’s shining.

– ref. Horror won big at the 2026 Oscars – it’s time the genre was taken seriously – https://theconversation.com/horror-won-big-at-the-2026-oscars-its-time-the-genre-was-taken-seriously-278574

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/horror-won-big-at-the-2026-oscars-its-time-the-genre-was-taken-seriously-278574/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Varker, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne

About 11% of Australians will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their life.

PTSD is a mental health disorder people may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.

People with PTSD currently have several treatment options, including certain psychological treatments and medications.

In 2023, Australia became the first country in the world to allow health-care professionals to use a psychedelic drug to treat PTSD. This drug is MDMA, a synthetic compound commonly known as ecstasy.

So why aren’t these drugs more widely available, nearly three years on? And who can actually use them for PTSD treatment?

How do we currently treat PTSD?

PTSD symptoms can include feeling constantly on guard, experiencing flashbacks or nightmares, and avoiding people or places which remind you of the traumatic event. These symptoms can last for many years if left untreated.

Under current Australian guidelines, people diagnosed with PTSD have several treatment options, known as first-line treatments.

These include trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, in which a therapist helps a patient work through distressing memories of the traumatic event. This gives patients practical skills to gradually return to places or activities they may have been avoiding.

Patients may also benefit from taking medications such as paroxetine, fluoxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine. These antidepressants affect the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin or noradrenaline, and help calm the body’s fear response. But medication is considered a second-line treatment. This is because they are less effective in the long term compared to trauma-focused psychological therapies.

These treatments are effective ways to treat PTSD. But they may not work for everyone, for various reasons. Some people may find trauma‑focused therapies difficult to engage with or tolerate. They may also have another mental health condition which may interfere with treatment.

Another way to treat PTSD

In Australia, MDMA has become another way to treat PTSD. MDMA, also known as 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, is a synthetic compound which causes your body to release high levels of dopamine. It is typically the main ingredient in the illegal drug ecstasy.

Interest in using MDMA to treat PTSD has grown rapidly over the past 15 years. Scientists have been investigating whether MDMA is an effective treatment by conducting various research trials. These involve giving patients MDMA with psychotherapy, a type of therapy where patients talk to specially trained psychotherapists. Taken together, this approach is known as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

There is conflicting evidence that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is an effective way to treat PTSD, compared to various control conditions. A recent systematic review of all existing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to treat PTSD found if all studies were considered, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy appears to be effective.

However, when researchers examined only the most rigorous scientific studies, they found MDMA-assisted psychotherapy had little effect. This raises concerns about the safety and effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, and suggests we need more high-quality research.

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy can also be expensive. Patients must pay for the MDMA itself, as well as psychiatry and therapy appointments. Unlike trauma-focused psychotherapies, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy requires two therapists to be present at each session. And under current guidelines patients must do a minimum of nine therapy sessions, including three MDMA dosing sessions which each last eight hours.

In 2023, Australia became the first country to reclassify MDMA from being a “prohibited” to a “controlled” substance. This means it is no longer completely banned for all uses in Australia, but can be prescribed under strict conditions. To prescribe MDMA, psychiatrists must become “authorised prescribers”. As an authorised prescriber, psychiatrists must seek approval from an Human Research Ethics Committee before they can prescribe MDMA for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Psychiatrists must also demonstrate they have the necessary training to minimise any risk to patients.

In 2026, Australia published a set of guidelines to help regulate how we use MDMA to treat PTSD.

In general, the guidelines advise against using MDMA-assisted psychotherapy outside clinical trials. This is because these trials meet certain ethics and governance requirements. It is hard to replicate these conditions in a clinical setting without imposing strict rules about data collection, clinical supervision and safety processes.

The guidelines also strongly advise against using MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for patients who would usually be excluded from clinical trials for safety reasons. People with cardiovascular disease (a condition affecting the heart or blood vessels) is one example.

But if MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is the best option, the guidelines make clear who should have access to it. This is limited to adults who:

• have had PTSD symptoms for at least six months after their diagnosis
• have experienced moderate or severe PTSD symptoms in the past month
• have already received an suitable amount of first-line evidence-based treatments
• are not likely to be exposed to other significant traumatic events during the course of treatment.

Will psychedelics become a common PTSD treatment?

Australia’s new guidelines take a positively cautious approach to treating PTSD with psychedelic drugs. This is because many scientists say we need more research to know whether MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is a beneficial and safe treatment for people with PTSD.

Overseas, health authorities are also approaching this topic with caution. In 2024, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration decided against approving MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. This was to allow researchers more time to test its safety and effectiveness.

So while there does seem to be a place for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to treat PTSD, we need to make sure we’re doing it safely and effectively. Controlling access to psychedelic drugs is key to that.

– ref. Psychedelic drug MDMA could help treat PTSD – but there’s a reason it’s not widely available – https://theconversation.com/psychedelic-drug-mdma-could-help-treat-ptsd-but-theres-a-reason-its-not-widely-available-276262

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/psychedelic-drug-mdma-could-help-treat-ptsd-but-theres-a-reason-its-not-widely-available-276262/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Garton, Senior Research Fellow in Population Health, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Over the past three decades, New Zealand’s imports of “ultra-processed” foods and drinks increased significantly, from 16 kilograms per person in 1990 to 104 kilograms in 2023.

Our research shows the share of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in New Zealand’s total food and drink imports rose from 9% in 1990 to 22% in 2023.

The medical journal The Lancet defines UPFs as:

branded, commercial formulations made from cheap ingredients extracted or derived from whole foods, combined with additives, and mostly containing little to no whole food.

These foods include soft drinks, sweet and savoury snacks and ready meals. They are gaining global attention as a major health and environmental concern.

Diets high in UPFs carry a risk of developing a wide range of serious health conditions – including being overweight or obese, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic kidney disease and depression – and premature death.

Due to their reliance on plastic packaging, and water and energy use in production, they are also environmentally damaging.

We don’t have a clear picture of how much ultra-processed food New Zealanders are eating because the country has not run a national nutrition survey since 2008.

But if New Zealand is anything like Australia or Canada, it is likely about half the population’s energy intake is represented by UPFs.

The rise in dominance of UPFs observed over three decades in this study highlights the need for policies to counteract these trends in order to protect population nutrition.

Cheap and high in energy

UPFs are are generally made of cheap inputs such as high-yield crops (soy, maize, wheat, sugarcane, palm fruits) or scraps of meat, which are separated into starches, fibre, sugars, proteins and oils and fats.

These components are then chemically modified and combined, using industrial techniques such as extrusion, moulding and pre-frying.

They are typically high in calories as well as sugars, salt and fats. Most contain additives such as flavours, colours and emulsifiers to make the final product look and taste good.

We know about 70% of packaged food in New Zealand supermarkets is ultra-processed. We also know that 18% of premature death and disability is due to unhealthy diets and excess weight; two risk factors linked to high UPF consumption.

History of UPF entry into New Zealand

UPFs have entered the global market during the past 70 years. Initially developed as military rations during the second world war, they have since become ubiquitous.

Research shows US tobacco companies bought UPF manufacturers and applied their knowledge of flavours and child-focused marketing to develop sweetened drink brands and products with purposeful combinations of salt, fats and sugars that trigger a dopamine-like reward response.

Combined with chemical flavourings, these products became “hyper palatable” and designed to be over-eaten.

UPF producers based mainly in the US and Europe then sought to expand their reach into other regions, including the Pacific, vying for entry into untapped markets in middle- and lower-income countries.

New Zealand is an interesting case because it had a highly regulated food system until the neoliberal reforms of the 1980s and early 1990s. The market was insular and food choices were limited until then.

After the World Trade Organization was established in 1995, New Zealand rapidly opened up to overseas imports as well as foreign investment to develop its own food processing industries.

Tracking imports reveals concerning trend

Even more than the UPF products themselves, food derivatives such as industrial sweeteners and other commodity ingredients (for example, refined wheat flour and plant oils) destined to go into UPFs produced domestically make up a large and growing proportion of import volumes.

In 2023, New Zealand imported nearly 21 kilograms of industrial sugar sweeteners per person (in addition to 47 kilograms per person of regular cooking sugar).

These trends have occurred alongside a dramatic rise in obesity in the New Zealand population. While correlation does not imply causality, the influx in UPFs suggests we are likely consuming too much to be healthy.

The world’s top food system experts recommend dietary patterns with a diversity of whole or minimally processed foods (that are mostly plant-sourced), and minimal consumption of added sugars, saturated fats and salt.

But New Zealand’s food environments are increasingly dominated by UPFs, including products that target children. Social and economic circumstances (with one in three households struggling with food insecurity) increase people’s reliance on cheap, less perishable and convenient food.

Many people are time-poor, financially constrained and have limited inter-generational and community support, and whole foods are increasingly expensive. The addictive properties of UPFs and constant marketing make people crave these products.

Shifting these trends isn’t going to happen through market self-correction or individual behavioural change.

According to a 2023 progress report, successive governments have failed to implement internationally recommended policies for regulating unhealthy food products, falling well behind global best practice.

The report highlights the need for New Zealand to introduce mandatory regulations to reduce unhealthy food marketing in all media and on packaging, with a particular focus on protecting children.

It also recommends a levy on sugary drinks and mandatory targets for reducing salt and added sugar in key food categories of processed and ultra-processed foods. However, interventions will also be needed to make healthy, whole foods more available and affordable.

Each of these interventions stands to put a significant dent in New Zealanders’ consumption of UPFs, especially if implemented together as a comprehensive policy package to promote healthier food environments.

– ref. NZ imports of unhealthy ultra-processed foods have risen sharply since 1990 – new study – https://theconversation.com/nz-imports-of-unhealthy-ultra-processed-foods-have-risen-sharply-since-1990-new-study-278085

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/nz-imports-of-unhealthy-ultra-processed-foods-have-risen-sharply-since-1990-new-study-278085/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Course Director, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology

As an astrophysicist, my world revolves around the wonders of space and the mysteries of the universe. This means I can be a tough critic of science fiction books and films that explore these topics.

But when I walked out of a recent preview screening of the film adaptation of Andy Weir’s 2021 science fiction novel Project Hail Mary, I had tears of joy in my eyes. The filmmakers had done justice not just to the original story, but also to the science at the heart of it.

The story revolves around Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, who awakes from a coma with no memory and no idea why he’s on a space ship 11.9 light years away from Earth. As his memories slowly start to return, the truth becomes clear. The Sun is dying, and he is our only saving grace.

So here are the science facts – as well as the science fiction – of the film, which is in cinemas in Australia and New Zealand from today.

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A dying sun

In Project Hail Mary the Sun is dying due to an alien organism that has spread around our part of the Milky Way.

Firstly, could an organism spread from one solar system to another? According to some scientists, yes. It’s a theory called panspermia.

We have no hard evidence to prove it right now. But the theory isn’t completely wild. We know material from solar systems can be transported great distances – we ourselves have witnessed as least three interstellar visitors enter and fly through our Solar System.

If life forms could survive the harshness of space and live on such rocky bodies, it’s possible this is how life could spread. But that life would likely be basic organisms.

As for the organism at the centre of this movie, astrophage, its mechanics and behaviour sit rightly in the wonderful world of science fiction.

The size of space

The idea of humans travelling between stars feels like an almost impossible challenge.

In our galaxy alone there are more than 400 billion stars, but only roughly 100 of them are within 20 light years of Earth.

Project Hail Mary focuses it’s attention on one of those systems, known as Tau Ceti, sitting 11.9 light years away.

If we were to travel to this star with the fastest spacecraft humans have ever flown in, the Apollo 10 module, travelling at more than 39,900 kilometres per hour, it would take us 320,000 years. In a story where the Sun is dying now, there is no time for that. So how does Project Hail Mary overcome this problem?

Enter special relativity.

Special relativity is one of the most paradigm-shifting theories of modern history. Developed by Albert Einstein in 1905, it equated mass and energy as one and the same. It best known by the famous E = mc² formula.

What Einstein was able to work our mathematically, and we’ve later proved observationally, is that the closer to the speed of light something travels, the slower the time it experiences in its reference frame.

It’s called a Lorentz transformation – and it allows us to determine the time experienced in a reference frame different to our own, say travelling close to the speed of light.

The movie doesn’t give a full physics lesson on this, but rather uses visual cues, including correct mathematics worked out by Grace on a whiteboard to demonstrate this time change.

What Grace determines is that he’s only been in a coma for four years due to the effects of time dilation on a ship travelling that fast. Which is scientifically spot on.

We have to talk about the aliens

While on the mission to save our world, Grace meets another being trying to do the same – Rocky.

We (us astronomers at least) do believe aliens exist somewhere in the universe. This belief isn’t based on crop circles or UFOs; it’s based on statistical chances.

In the Milky Way alone we estimate there are at least 100 billion planets. If life was able to form, evolve and thrive on Earth, there are many reasons why astronomers believe that could be true in other systems.

A lot of our confidence relates to the essential building blocks of life as we know it. All life on Earth is carbon based. But if we break down our existence even more, we find one thing: amino acids. These organic compounds are the foundation of our DNA.

What’s most exciting is that we’ve identified these in space. Samples from asteroids and fallen meteorites have confirmed many of the amino acids needed for life on Earth also exist on other objects in our Solar System.

Alien earths beyond our own

The film allows audiences to see what other planets might look like.

When Andy Weir originally wrote this novel, it was scientific consensus that alien worlds likely existed around Tau Ceti and the home planet of our new friend Rocky, 40 Eridani A.

But in recent years science has progressed and new data suggests both of these systems appear to have had false detections of planets.

So at least for now, Rocky’s home doesn’t exist – but thousands of others do. As of March 2026 astronomers have confirmed 6,100 exoplanets. These are worlds that exist beyond our own solar system, around distant stars, and can be either rocky or gaseous.

One place Grace and Rocky need to explore on their adventure to save the stars is a theoretical planet orbiting Tau Ceti. Here we see stunning hues of green and red, and distinctive swirls of gases mixing in the atmosphere.

It’s reminiscent of the gas giant of our own Solar System, Jupiter.

Project Hail Mary is more than just an epic adventure film with beautiful visuals. It’s a story that reminds us how important our world is – and how vital science is to our continued existence on it.

– ref. Project Hail Mary is packed with hard science. An astrophysicist breaks it down – https://theconversation.com/project-hail-mary-is-packed-with-hard-science-an-astrophysicist-breaks-it-down-278428

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/19/project-hail-mary-is-packed-with-hard-science-an-astrophysicist-breaks-it-down-278428/