Category: Evening Report

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Seymour, PhD Candidate in International Relations, Nottingham Trent University

In the two weeks since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran began, Donald Trump’s war aims have fluctuated between crippling Iranian military capabilities and toppling the regime that has ruled there since 1979. But despite the success of the initial strikes, which killed the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, many analysts believe that air power alone will not be sufficient to bring about regime change.

They say this objective would be impossible to achieve without combat troops on the ground, a move that most US military and political leaders have long opposed. Instead, one idea that seems to be circulating in Washington is to support an invasion by armed Kurdish groups in Iraq and western Iran to destabilise the Islamic Republic from within.

Trump publicly backed away from this idea on March 6, telling reporters: “I don’t want the Kurds to go into Iran … The war is complicated enough as it is.” But, given Trump’s trademark inconsistency and the unpredictable nature of this conflict, an armed Kurdish uprising remains a distinct possibility. Such a scenario could have consequences that extend far beyond Iran.

The Kurds are an ethnic group with their own language and culture who have lived in a mountainous area of the Middle East for centuries. Nowadays, they number around 30 million and live in a region that spans parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. The Kurds are widely considered to be the world’s largest stateless people because they do not have a country of their own.

This situation dates to the end of the first world war, when the Ottoman empire collapsed. Kurdish leaders at that time hoped to establish their own state, having lived for 400 years under Ottoman rule. But instead their homeland was divided between several new countries that emerged from the defeated Ottoman state. This left Kurdish communities split across international borders.

Around 10% of Iran’s population is Kurdish and many live in the country’s north-west near the borders of Iraq and Turkey. The Kurdish region of Iran has long been the least economically developed part of the country and Kurdish political parties are outlawed. Armed Kurdish groups have periodically clashed with the Iranian state, demanding greater autonomy or independence.

The Kurdish question is even more sensitive in Turkey, which is home to the largest population of Kurds in the world. Since 1984, the Turkish state has been locked in conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), an armed group that has fought to establish an independent Kurdish state. This conflict has killed more than 40,000 people in the past four decades.

For the Turkish government, the possibility that the US may support Kurdish fighters in neighbouring Iran is therefore not just a foreign policy issue. Turkish leaders worry that strengthening Kurdish armed groups elsewhere in the region could embolden similar movements inside Turkey itself.

In the recent past, Turkey has launched military incursions into the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria. It has also fought a brutal counterinsurgency against PKK fighters inside its own borders. These actions show how strongly Turkish leaders oppose any notion of Kurdish independence anywhere in the region.

American support for Kurdish fighters has caused tension between the US and Turkey in the past. Turkey strongly opposed the partnership between Washington and Syrian Kurdish forces during the fight against the Islamic State militant group in Syria in the late 2010s. It argued that some of these Kurdish groups were linked to the PKK.

Turkey’s relations with Israel have also been strained by the Kurdish question. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has accused the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of undermining the transitional Syrian government by aiding Kurdish groups there. The Kurdish issue has clearly become a major source of tension between Turkey, a key member of the Nato alliance, and the west.

So far, Turkey has largely remained neutral in the Iran war. Despite their regional rivalry, Turkish and Iranian leaders share concerns about Kurdish separatist movements and have sometimes cooperated to contain them. In the past, security forces from both countries have coordinated efforts against Kurdish militant groups operating along their shared border.

Turkish and Iranian officials have also exchanged intelligence and carried out military operations against Kurdish fighters moving between the two countries. And both governments strongly opposed the 2017 referendum on independence that was held by the Kurds in northern Iraq. Over 92% of votes were cast in favour of independence.

Iranian regime change

For Turkey, the collapse or fragmentation of the Iranian state would be deeply worrying. It could create exactly the conditions Turkish leaders fear most: armed Kurdish groups operating across a much longer and more unstable border.

Another concern is the possibility of a new refugee crisis. Turkey already hosts nearly 4 million Syrians following the civil war that began there in 2011 – the largest refugee population in the world. This has become a major political issue inside Turkey.

If conflict or state collapse in Iran – a larger and even more politically complex state than Syria – triggers large-scale displacement, many more refugees could head west towards Turkey. Such a scenario would place considerable political and economic pressure on the government.

Washington may see the Kurds as a useful way to confront the Iranian regime without deploying American troops. But such a strategy could create new tensions elsewhere in the region. For Turkey, Kurdish militancy is not simply a foreign policy issue but a core national security concern.

If the Iran war ends up empowering Kurdish armed groups or destabilising Turkey’s border, Erdoğan may yet feel compelled to respond. This could open up another front in an already expanding regional conflict.

– ref. Why the next escalation in the Iran conflict could be between the US and Turkey – https://theconversation.com/why-the-next-escalation-in-the-iran-conflict-could-be-between-the-us-and-turkey-278341

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/why-the-next-escalation-in-the-iran-conflict-could-be-between-the-us-and-turkey-278341/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

No US president in living memory has gone to war with less public support than Donald Trump has for the war in Iran. Even Barack Obama’s much-maligned Libyan intervention began with 60% of Americans in support in 2011. There is no poll that shows a majority of Americans supporting the Iran war, and multiple polls showing clear majorities against it. And wars usually lose public support as they go on.

Trump did not make a public case for the war before it began, because he preferred quick, surprising strikes preceded by theatrical suspense. He presented the vast military buildup in the Persian Gulf as a high-pressure negotiating tactic in the short-lived bargaining sessions over Iran’s nuclear enrichment.

Trump was undoubtedly emboldened by the tactical success of his removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, though that too was not very popular with Americans.

Wars are not necessarily better when the US government invests a huge effort in justifying them. The justification for the disastrous Iraq War, after all, was based on misperceptions, distortions and falsehoods. But by completely disregarding US public opinion before the war, Trump now finds himself in all kinds of trouble as he tries to fight it.

Americans don’t like seeing themselves as aggressors

Political scientist Bruce Jentleson argued that public support for war in the United States depends not just on how the war is going, but on the public’s understanding of the war’s aims. The US public is much more likely to support wars aimed at imposing restraints on aggressive powers than wars aimed at bringing political change to other countries.

That theory explains why the Bush administration made such an effort to claim Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and was linked to the September 11 terrorist attacks, even though “regime change” was the aim of the Iraq war.

Regime change is also, quite clearly, the aim of the Iran war. Trump has been talking about it for months, and is still talking about it.

It was only after the bombs started falling on Iran that Trump and his administration began to make the case that Iran was an “imminent threat” to the US. It wasn’t very convincing.

After all, Trump had been boasting until recently that he had “completely obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program the year before. In a video released shortly after the attacks, Trump complained about the 1979 Tehran hostage crisis, the 1983 Hezbollah attack on US marines in Beirut, and the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, which he said Iran was “probably involved in”.

It was left to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to make the convoluted argument that the US was acting in preemptive self-defence, because it knew Israel was going to strike Iran, and that Iran would retaliate against Americans in the Middle East.

That did not play well in a country increasingly wary of Israel. A Gallup poll released just before the war began showed that, for the first time this century, more Americans said their sympathies were with Palestinians than Israelis. Recently, the biggest drop in support for Israel has been among political Independents, whose views have shifted significantly during the Gaza War.

Tucker Carlson, the loudest critic of the Iran war on the right, immediately labelled it “Israel’s war”. Joe Rogan, an influential figure among Trump’s 2024 support base of disillusioned young men, said they felt “betrayed” by the war.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has tried to sell the war to Americans by gloating about the death, destruction and fear being inflicted on Iran. Even as investigations show the US military was responsible for the bombing of a school that killed more than a hundred children, he dismisses rules of military engagement as “stupid”. The most recent Quinnipiac Poll showed Hegseth’s approval rating at 37%.

Americans are unprepared for sacrifice

Despite high-profile opponents like Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene, Trump still has most of the MAGA base with him for now. They were never really opposed to foreign wars. What they hated was losing foreign wars, and Trump is promising them swift victory in Iran.

But Trump has not prepared them or anyone else, including his own cabinet, for the costs this war will incur. Especially the disruption to global oil markets, which the International Energy Agency is calling the largest in history, and which will elevate the cost of everything from travel to food.

Trump’s rhetoric about the price of war has hardly been Churchillian. One night he posted on social media that a short term increase in oil prices is “a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!”

But the next day he was forced to calm markets by claiming the war was nearly over.

[embedded content]

The Iranian regime, whose main goal is survival, is well aware of the political and economic vulnerabilities of the US and its Middle Eastern allies, and these appear to be what it is targeting.

At the beginning of the war, Iran’s seemingly scattered attacks on infrastructure, embassies and hotels in Gulf states were a source of mirth for some American commentators. But these were eventually enough to shut down large swathes of energy production and shipping, and inflict far more pain than Trump or his supporters were expecting.

Trump was already facing the same domestic problem that Joe Biden faced. It doesn’t matter how much you tell Americans about positive GDP, stock market and employment numbers; if they are struggling with the cost of living, their view of both the economy and the President will be bleak.

Trump’s glib dismissals of the price of oil are sounding a lot like his airy reassurances at the beginning of the pandemic.

Few Republicans in Congress have been prepared to stand up to Trump over the war. But as midterm elections approach, many of them will be silently praying he finds an excuse to end it as soon as possible.

– ref. Why Donald Trump is losing the war at home – https://theconversation.com/why-donald-trump-is-losing-the-war-at-home-278079

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/why-donald-trump-is-losing-the-war-at-home-278079/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clement Macintyre, Professor emeritus in politics, Adelaide University

For the past six decades, South Australian politics has been characterised by long periods of Labor domination interrupted by short-lived Liberal governments. Since a record 32 uninterrupted years in office came to an end in 1965, the Liberal Party has spent a mere 17.5 years in government. Now, as they go to the election on March 21, the Liberals face yet another term (and probably several more) in opposition.

Led by Peter Malinauskas, Labor enjoys extraordinary levels of popular support. Solid, if unspectacular economic progress, combined with the aggressive pursuit of popular sporting events (AFL Gather Round, LIV golf, MotoGP) has left Labor in a seemingly impregnable position on the eve of the election.

And, as has been the case for much of the past 60 years, the Liberal Party’s ongoing internal divisions provide a sharp contrast with the professionalism of Labor. This in turn has rendered the Liberals an ineffective opposition and made the government’s task easier.

For example, Labor does not seem to be paying any serious political price for its failure to “fix” ambulance ramping at hospital emergency departments, despite this being a key plank in its 2022 election campaign that brought Malinauskas to power. Similarly, the growing level of state debt is apparently not deterring voters.

While the ascent of first-term MP Ashton Hurn to the Liberal leadership in December 2025 was overdue, it has not stemmed the fall in the the party’s polling. Hurn stood out in a very weak shadow cabinet as clearly the Liberals’ best performer. But the legacy of policy shifts and three leadership changes in a single term (one ahead of the prosecution of a former leader on a charge of supplying drugs) remains a continuing drag on the party’s fortunes.

Accordingly, there can be no doubt Labor will win yet another convincing victory. The election-night focus will therefore be less on the size of the majority, and more on how many seats the Liberals will be able to hold. There will also be much interest in whether One Nation can make a breakthrough in the House of Assembly.

Recent polls in SA have mirrored those taken elsewhere in Australia. One Nation now consistently outperforms the Liberals. But whether this will translate into seats in the state’s lower house is less clear.

The Liberals go into the election holding just 13 of the House of Assembly’s 47 seats. Six of these are in the Adelaide metropolitan area, and if any are lost (as several will be), they will be lost to Labor.

In rural SA, which has traditionally been dominated by the Liberals, they face threats not just from One Nation, but from several strong independent candidates who threaten to turn these contests into three-cornered battles. With a record number of candidates nominating, predicting the flow of preferences is difficult.

---

Read more: SA Newspoll shows Liberal wipeout likely; Victorian Morgan poll puts One Nation first on primaries

---

While polls show support for One Nation at somewhere in the mid-20s across the whole state, it may well be a little higher in rural electorates. Given One Nation received just 2.63% of the vote at the 2022 election (albeit standing in just over half the seats), this is a remarkable rise. It also reflects the growing disaffection with the Liberals seen across the rest of the country. At the same time, it may not be enough to budge rural Liberals from their seats as Labor preferences will probably come to the rescue of some beleaguered Liberals.

At the 2022 election, with one exception where there was significant support for an independent candidate, Labor won at least 20% of the primary vote in SA’s Liberal-held rural seats. With Labor preferencing the Liberals ahead of One Nation, to win a seat One Nation will need to either secure a substantial first preference vote or draw sufficient preferences from the minor parties and independent candidates. It could happen – but as long as the Liberals can stay ahead of Labor in the count, it is unlikely. If it does happen it will only be because the Liberal primary vote has collapsed, and in some seats the election of a high-profile independent is every bit as likely as a One Nation win.

On the other hand, in the state’s upper house, where members are elected under a proportional election system, all the signs are that One Nation will win two, possibly three seats. So, party defections aside, they seem sure to have some presence in the SA parliament for the immediate future.

So what might be the lessons for the rest of Australia? If support for One Nation on March 21 matches or exceeds their standing in the opinion polls, we will know the threat to the coalition is real – at least in the short term.

If One Nation fails to break through in SA, it will be largely a result of the particular circumstances of continuing high levels of support for the premier and the Labor Party.

But, with the exception of Western Australia, this combination of conditions is unlikely to be found across the rest of Australia. After the SA election, all eyes will turn to the byelection in the federal seat of Farrer, which is likely to tell us more about the changing shape of party politics in Australia.

– ref. South Australian election is likely to be Labor in a landslide. But who will be the opposition? – https://theconversation.com/south-australian-election-is-likely-to-be-labor-in-a-landslide-but-who-will-be-the-opposition-275834

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/south-australian-election-is-likely-to-be-labor-in-a-landslide-but-who-will-be-the-opposition-275834/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lyndsey Collins-Praino, Associate Professor, School of Biomedicine, Adelaide University

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological disorder, with over 10 million cases worldwide. Up to 150,000 Australians currently live with the disease and 50 new cases are diagnosed each day.

The number of people living with Parkison’s is projected to more than triple between 2020 and 2050.

Yet despite the immense impact on those living with Parkinson’s and their loved ones, and the staggering cost to our economy – at least A$10 billion a year – there is still a lot we don’t know about how this disease presents and progresses.

A recent large-scale study of nearly 11,000 Australians living with Parkinson’s disease provides some critical insights into symptoms, risk factors and how these affect men and women differently. Let’s take a look.

First, what is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s is a progressive disease in which cells that produce the chemical messenger dopamine in a part of the brain called the “substantia nigra” begin to die. This is accompanied by multiple other brain changes.

It is usually considered a movement disorder. Common motor symptoms include a resting tremor, slowed movement (bradykinesia), muscle stiffness and balance issues.

But Parkinson’s also involves a variety of lesser known non-motor symptoms. These may include:

• mood changes
• difficulties with memory and cognition (including slower thinking, challenges with planning or multitasking and difficulty paying attention or concentrating)
• sleep disturbances
• autonomic dysfunction (such as constipation, low blood pressure and urinary problems).

While these are sometimes referred to as the “invisible” symptoms of Parkinson’s, they often have a greater negative impact on quality of life than motor symptoms.

So, what does the new research tell us?

The study used data collected as part of the Australian Parkinson’s Genetics Study led by the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. After a pilot study in 2020, it was launched as an ongoing, nationwide research project in 2022.

Some 10,929 Australians with Parkinson’s were surveyed and provided saliva samples for genetic analysis. This is the largest Parkinson’s cohort studied in Australia and the largest active cohort worldwide.

There were several key initial findings.

1. Non-motor symptoms are common

The study reinforced how common non-motor symptoms are, with loss of smell (52%), changes in memory (65%), pain (66%) and dizziness (66%) all commonly reported.

Notably, 96% of participants experienced sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and daytime sleepiness.

2. A better picture of risk factors

The study also provided insights into what can influence Parkinson’s risk.

This is important because we don’t completely understand what causes the dopamine producing cells in the substantia nigra to die in the first place.

Age is the primary risk factor for Parkinson’s. The new study found the average age for symptom onset was 64, and for diagnosis, 68.

3. Genes and environment both play a role

In the recent study, one in four people (25%) had a family history of Parkinson’s. But only 10–15% of Parkinson’s cases are caused by – or strongly linked to – mutations in specific genes.

It’s important to remember that families don’t only share genes but often their environment.

Multiple environmental factors, such as pesticide exposure and traumatic brain injury, also increase risk of Parkinson’s.

The majority (85–90%) of cases of Parkinson’s are likely due to complex interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors, and advancing age.

The study showed environmental exposures linked to Parkinson’s risk were common:

• 36% of people reported pesticide exposure
• 16% had a prior history of traumatic brain injury
• 33% had worked in high-risk occupations (such as agriculture, or petrochemicals or metal processing).

These exposures were significantly higher in men than in women.

4. Differences between the sexes

The disease is 1.5 times more common in men. In the new study, 63% of those surveyed were male.

Parkinson’s also presents and progresses differently in males and females.

The study found women were younger than men at time of symptom onset (63.7 versus 64.4 years) and diagnosis (67.6 versus 68.1 years), and more likely than men to experience pain (70% versus 63%) and falls (45% versus 41%).

Men experienced more memory changes than women (67% versus 61%) and impulsive behaviours, particularly sexual behaviour (56% versus 19%) – although most participants exhibited no or only mild impulsivity.

What we still don’t know

The large-scale study and its comprehensive survey shed valuable light on people living with Parkinson’s in Australia.

But it’s still only a sliver of the population. More than 186,000 people with Parkinson’s were invited to participate and just under 11,000 took part – a less than 6% response rate.

Of these participants, 93% had European ancestry. So this sample may not be fully representative of Parkinson’s disease.

The information we have about symptoms also relied on self-reports by the study’s participants, which are subjective and can be biased or less reliable than objective measurements of function. To address this, the researchers are planning to use smartphones and wearable devices to collect more comprehensive data.

Finally, while this provides a snapshot of the current cohort, it’s not clear how participants compare to people of a similar age without Parkinson’s, or how their symptoms may change over time.

These are important areas of future research for this ongoing study.

What all this means

Studies like this provide crucial insights into risk factors linked to Parkinson’s. They also help us better understand the symptoms people experience.

This is important because the way Parkinson’s presents varies from person to person. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms to the same extent.

Similarly, the way the disease progresses over time differs between people.

A better understanding of the factors that influence this can lead to earlier identification of who’s at risk and more personalised ways of managing this disease.

– ref. Largest ever Parkinson’s study shows how symptoms differ between men and women – https://theconversation.com/largest-ever-parkinsons-study-shows-how-symptoms-differ-between-men-and-women-277730

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/largest-ever-parkinsons-study-shows-how-symptoms-differ-between-men-and-women-277730/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caroline Cumberbatch, PhD Candidate, School of Creative Arts and Media, University of Tasmania

According to anthropologist Richard Wrangham, cooking fundamentally altered the human species. He claims the control of fire and the advent of cooking sparked significant biological changes (including brain development and digestive efficiency). This shaped human communities through the shift from solitary foraging to communal meals around fires.

No wonder the kitchen is positioned as the heart of the home. Writer Tony Birch describes it as “a place of great joy that held memories of life that were always loving”.

But the Australian kitchen is a consumable product, typically replaced every 15 to 20 years in pursuit of an idealised lifestyle. The kitchen is now a site for renovation, consumption and waste generation – not an enduring place of connection to our sense of belonging and culture.

Contemporary kitchen replacement cycles create physical waste and destroy any accumulated social value, with new kitchens constructed from materials designed to prevent such accumulation in the first place.

If we think about the kitchen as a space that sustains family and community bonds, we can rethink the way we renovate it.

The changing shape of our kitchens

Kitchen design has shifted significantly over time.

In the 1850s, a traditional kitchen centred around a large table that enabled communal work to cook simple food like bread, pies or stew.

Social changes brought about by the industrial revolution reduced the availability of domestic servants for middle-class households and created pressure to redesign kitchens for women working alone.

By the mid-20th century, as women increasingly entered the workforce, kitchen design became focused on efficiency. Compact workspaces, continuous benchtops and integrated storage emerged to accommodate both preparing and cooking meals, and multitasking.

Internal walls were removed by the late 1970s to reveal open kitchen dining areas. This organised approach became a display of style and status.

Since then, purely functional considerations have given way to striking visual appeal.

Now, luxury kitchens feature exotic stone surfaces, bespoke cabinetry, elaborate lighting and statement appliances.

In 2020–21, newly built Australian homes installed 215,000 kitchens, valued at a record A$7.58 billion. This was in addition to an estimated 160,000 kitchen renovations – 64% of which involved enlarging the kitchen footprint. This suggests we are renovating our kitchens in a reimagining of the space, rather than for maintenance or repair.

Paradoxically, as kitchens get larger and cost more, the actual practice of home cooking has measurably declined.

Cooking up waste

Approximately 29 million tonnes of building waste accumulated in Australia in 2022–23. Replaced kitchens go mostly to landfill.

Compounding the generation of physical waste, current design practices also erode the kitchen’s ability to function as the heart of social life.

A central table creates a natural gathering place. Contemporary island benches typically arrange seating along one side. Stools lined like soldiers are organised for service and separate work and social sides.

Rather than a social hub, this design restricts social interaction beyond the person straight ahead.

Contemporary kitchen design also ignores the accumulated social value in existing materials. Instead of honouring worn spots where hands have rested and marks that record meals shared together, kitchens are replaced with mass-produced materials designed to emphasise aesthetics.

Like jeans that acquire character over time, kitchen surfaces store memories and reflect personal experiences. Authentic emotional connection emerges through use. It is not artificially applied through styling.

Kitchen materials themselves are manufactured in ways that prevent the formation of social connections. Materials that promote “fingerprint resistance” promise to prevent the signs that would otherwise document human presence and family interaction.

This positions the ideal kitchen as one that never shows evidence of having been used at all.

Highly polished, pristine surfaces were once needed to prevent the spread of tuberculosis. Today, materials gleam to create luxurious effects and provide an appearance of hygiene, which is felt to be a genuine need.

Materials that maintain pristine appearances become markers of status. The material resistance to marking represents a deeper resistance to the social connections kitchens traditionally fostered.

Contemporary kitchen culture embodies a fundamental contradiction. The “heart of the home” is designed to resist the very traces of life that would make them heartful.

A different approach

“Designer” kitchens increasingly adhere to standardised perfection. An alternate approach to designing these spaces recognises them as places where social bonds strengthen during time spent together preparing, sharing and conversing.

When you think about renovating your kitchen, think about how the space will evolve over time, rather than reaching for a complete, manufactured solution that is replicated globally.

Consider what can be reused and repaired. And think about what materials invite touch and develop character with use, evolving to become catalysts for storytelling and memory-sharing, thereby extending the kitchen’s lifetime. This might mean reusing handles touched by children over years, or drawer faces which connect past to present.

Incorporate a central table to form a genuine social hub.

Engage craftspeople and artists as collaborators who can creatively rework existing materials and objects into distinctive, functional elements for a new space, rather than manufacturers supplying a whole new room.

Every material preserved binds us together and honours the people and resources they embody.

The more we invest in creating the perfect kitchen, the less capable it is to develop the authentic connections that justify its central position in family life.

– ref. Kitchens are the heart of the home. What do all these bland luxury renovations lose? – https://theconversation.com/kitchens-are-the-heart-of-the-home-what-do-all-these-bland-luxury-renovations-lose-272061

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/kitchens-are-the-heart-of-the-home-what-do-all-these-bland-luxury-renovations-lose-272061/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Duck, Post-Doctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney

As households are squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis, central bank governors such as Jerome Powell in the United States and Michele Bullock in Australia are coming under repeated fire from politicians, pundits and households.

Before each interest rate decision, there is debate about what the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) should do and predictions as to what it will do. Afterwards, the gap between these generates heated commentary.

This is uniquely Australian: a high concentration of variable-rate mortgages exposes Australian households to interest rate changes more than in other advanced economies.

Interest rate decisions affect the economy in several ways, including business borrowing costs, the value of the Australian dollar and inflation expectations. But they also have an almost immediate effect on households’ cash flows.

Ahead of Tuesday’s Reserve Bank interest rate decision, the debate has reignited.

Housing complicates the picture

One of the RBA’s core tasks is to limit price rises in consumer goods and services – fuel, groceries, power bills and so on. But the bank has repeatedly stressed it does not target house prices when deciding on whether to change rates.

Our recent research shows that house prices and household debt, having increased dramatically over recent decades, complicate the RBA’s decisions.

In addition to inflation and employment, the RBA is responsible for ensuring the stability of the financial system. High house prices and household debt can lead to financial instability risks.

What former RBA insiders say

Interviews we conducted with five former RBA economists showed that housing does indeed influence their interest rate decisions. A review of RBA documents shows although the bank often publicly denies targeting the housing market, it uses households’ mortgage payments to control inflation and slow the economy.

One former RBA economist said housing “paralyses them, and it causes them to make mistakes”.

According to this economist, between 2015 and 2019, the RBA held interest rates higher than its own modelling suggested it should. During this period, the RBA undershot its inflation target because it was worried that lower interest rates would increase house prices and cause financial instability.

In 2017, then-Governor Philip Lowe said the RBA would like faster economic growth and lower unemployment. But achieving this with lower interest rates “would encourage people to borrow more” and probably “put more upward pressure on housing prices”. Lowe didn’t consider either of those things to be “in the national interest”.

When asked about this period, the same ex-RBA economist interviewed said:

there were policy mistakes that were made specifically because they were looking at the housing market too much.

They said the RBA’s modelling suggested it should cut interest rates, and that its decision not to cut went against its own research.

Another former RBA economist said this period was dominated by internal debates at the bank about whether it should focus on inflation or the risk of financial instability caused by high house prices and large mortgages.

They said that although there was “a strong case” for lower interest rates, the RBA decided to hold them steady because it was worried about its financial stability objectives.

Scrutiny over house prices

At a Senate hearing late last year, RBA Governor Michele Bullock faced scrutiny over rapidly rising house prices and inflation.

When asked about the role the Reserve Bank played in fuelling higher house prices, Bullock admitted that “part of the way monetary policy works is through the housing market”. But she did “not accept that the Reserve Bank is responsible” for house prices.

When pressed on the role played by property “speculators” and tax settings like the capital gains tax discount, Bullock replied:

Government runs government policies on housing. The policy that I’ve got control over is the interest rate.

Slower growth in house prices would make it easier for the RBA to set interest rates. Removing tax breaks for investors that increase housing demand, house prices, and household debt would help.

In Senate hearings about reforming the capital gains tax discount, former RBA governor Bernie Fraser said the tax breaks should be scrapped.

Rate increases hit differently

Interest rates will remain political because of their uneven effects.

Interest rate rises increase the burden of repayments for younger, more heavily mortgaged households while boosting the savings and investments of older, wealthier households.

Interest rate cuts increase house prices and lock people out of the market.

Throughout 2024 and early 2025, as interest rates were rising, Australians who rent or make mortgage payments had softer growth in household spending than those who own their property outright.

During the recent rise in inflation, spending diverged between age groups. Those aged 18-39 reduced their spending on essentials and discretionary categories while those aged over 60 increased their spending.

Recent homebuyers are spending twice as much of their income on mortgage payments than new homebuyers were five years ago, when the official cash rate was near zero.

Another hike in interest rates is expected, either on Tuesday or in May.

Our research shows that the RBA – constrained by high house prices, large mortgage payments and global events – is unlikely to avoid the public or the government’s ire any time soon.

– ref. Despite denials, there are signs the RBA does consider house prices in setting rates – https://theconversation.com/despite-denials-there-are-signs-the-rba-does-consider-house-prices-in-setting-rates-277477

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/despite-denials-there-are-signs-the-rba-does-consider-house-prices-in-setting-rates-277477/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ren Perkins, Lecturer in Indigenous Education, The University of Queensland

The federal government is promising a new policy to guide First Nations students right throughout their education careers. It will cover from the time they are in early childhood education right through to after they leave school.

The First Nations Education Policy has the potential to significantly influence outcomes for First Nations students, their families and communities. It brings together years of commitments and policies in many different places into a shared national direction.

What is it meant to achieve? And what would meaningful success actually look like?

What is the policy trying to do?

The last First Nations-specific education policy was released in 2015. But this only aimed to improve educational outcomes and strengthen cultural inclusion across Australian schools.

And while the policy established national priorities, progress since then has been uneven and significant gaps remain. As the most recent Closing the Gap data shows, there are ongoing disparities between Indigenous students and their non-indigenous peers.

At the end of 2025, the government announced it was developing a new policy in 2026. Rather than introducing a single new program, it aims to set common priorities across early childhood, schools, vocational education and higher education.

It seeks to:

• define shared priorities for First Nations education and establish how change will be implemented and evaluated

• translate existing national commitments, such as the Mparntwe Education Declaration (which sets out a vision for all Australian students), school funding agreements, the national Indigenous early childhood strategy, Universities Accord and Closing the Gap, into tangible action

• improve educational outcomes in early childhood, schooling, and post-school pathways.

The government has committed to consulting with First Nations communities across metropolitan, regional and remote contexts.

What are the positives so far?

At its core, the First Nations Education Policy aims to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous learners.

For the first time the policy will span the full education life cycle. This matters because students do not enter school or university in isolation. Their learning is shaped by families, communities, culture and earlier education experiences.

It also signals a move from broad aspirations to more concrete actions, including how progress will be measured and evaluated.

The discussion paper emphasises cultural safety, self determination, and recognising the strengths, knowledges and aspirations of First Nations peoples.

It also acknowledges that a “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work, committing to flexibility across systems and locations.

These are positive signs. This suggests, if done well, the policy could shift reform away from deficit narratives about “closing gaps” and towards systems that work with First Nations communities.

But of course, ambition alone does not guarantee change.

What are the risks?

Australia has seen ambitious First Nations education policies before.

One danger is confusing consultation with shared decision-making. While community input matters at the start, past reforms have often stopped short of shifting real authority. Research has repeatedly shown that decades of Indigenous education policy have produced limited systemic change in Australia.

Research consistently shows meaningful and sustained improvements for Indigenous students are only possible when communities are partners in decision-making, not just consultees.

First Nations voices have informed education policy in the past, but rarely shaped outcomes. Too often, First Nations expertise is sought through consultation rather than embedded within the systems that implement policy. Shifting this requires more First Nations teachers and leaders, but also greater First Nations authority within education departments and decision-making roles.

What is ‘success’?

There is also a risk “success” is defined too narrowly. If progress is measured mainly through attendance or test scores, the policy may miss what many communities value most: cultural safety, belonging and local control.

Education reform in the past has also tended to focus on students rather than systems.

In other words, are students coming to school? Are they graduating? This means curriculum (what they are learning), workforce capability (who is teaching them and with what skills), governance (who is making decisions) and institutional racism are often left untouched.

This limits the impact of even well-funded programs.

So for this policy to succeed, it needs structural change. This includes clear accountability, long-term investment, and sustained support for First Nations leadership across education systems. Without that shift, Australia risks repeating a familiar cycle of promise without delivery.

What happens next?

Governments and education providers now have an opportunity to rethink how decisions about First Nations education are made and who makes them.

Then the real test will be how the policy is funded, implemented and evaluated over time. If it leads to stronger First Nations authority, this new policy could be seen as a real turning point for Indigenous students.

If not, it risks becoming another well-intentioned policy that falls short of meaningful change.

– ref. There’s a new plan to help First Nations students from daycare to uni. What does it need to work? – https://theconversation.com/theres-a-new-plan-to-help-first-nations-students-from-daycare-to-uni-what-does-it-need-to-work-273899

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/16/theres-a-new-plan-to-help-first-nations-students-from-daycare-to-uni-what-does-it-need-to-work-273899/

COMMENTARY: By Kellie Tranter

The US-Israeli attack on Iran has unequivocally demonstrated to the world — apart, it seems, from Australia’s government — that being an ally of the US attracts potentially disastrous liabilities but confers few if any benefits.

The US was manipulated into starting this illegal and unjustified war simply because Netanyahu planned it, even though it was and is reputation destroying and obviously detrimental to US interests whether in the Gulf or otherwise.

Apparently, Australia had no notice of the intended attack, and it had not the courage to confirm its obvious illegality.

It then decided, no doubt at the behest of the US, to send a spy plane to participate in the war and as well as some missiles. It is preposterous to assert that Australia is taking defensive action to protect the UAE: data from the spy plane obviously will be integrated into the now degraded US intelligence system and used to support the instigators of the illegal war.

Now look at what is happening to US allies in the region apart from Israel — and in case we need reminding, Australia is not Israel.

The US policy of force projection has completely failed: its massive military might means nothing when it is used reflexively, not strategically, to start a war the real aim of which is dictated by Israel and is the destruction of Iran in pursuit of the Greater Israel project.

Pursuing that aim without any coherent strategy or proper preparation has exposed the US and all its allies, not just those in the Middle East, to probably catastrophic consequences.

Thrown under a bus
Our great protector could not even defend its own military bases and defence systems, let alone the allied Gulf countries that it threw under the bus and did not even try to protect.

Its war has set in train an economic catastrophe just starting to engulf most of the world as we speak, including Australia but with Russia being a notable exception.

Australia’s craven endorsement of the illegal attack and its voluntary entry into the war to support the aggressors is extraordinary. There was no need to do either nor any rational explanation unless we were subject to US coercion.

The consequence of bipartisan decisions since John Howard first came to power is that our politicians have committed our country to the support of a failing flailing superpower that has been co-opted by Israel a small Middle East country has been a perpetrator of violence and aggression against almost every country in the region with the object of regional hegemony.

Its public figures, even in the middle of the current war, are talking about Turkiye being the next target. It is simply hard to believe that the US could be so stupid as to embark upon this enterprise, so detrimental to its reputation and its own interests, when Iran had publicly stated exactly what it would do in response, including closing the Strait of Hormuz.

The American people did not want this war but had it imposed upon them. Australians were not asked: in fact, we still haven’t been told directly that we’ve joined the fray.

We would do well to draw an important lesson from this fiasco. Remember that had Israel not insisted on the US attacking Iran the US would have continued its aggressive behaviour against China with the intention of provoking some sort of direct conflict.

Provocative acts
We have not endeared ourselves to China, by far and away our largest trading partner, by Morrison’s covid origin allegations, by entering into the AUKUS alliance or by participating in such provocative acts as pushing battleships through seas just off the coast of China and thousands of kilometres from Australia.

The Chinese demonstrated their dissatisfaction by trade restrictions and also their capacity to respond in kind by sending their Navy vessels to circumnavigate Australia; at the same time they also demonstrated, perhaps unintentionally, that Australia’s threat detection architecture was hopeless.

Now remember that whatever the outcome of the war against Iran, which at this stage the US seems to be losing, we have seen Iran demonstrate strategic conduct of a war against the odds.

And if as is likely the US still pursues its goal of repressing Chinese influence and power, it will leave us in a position similar to that the Gulf states now enjoy.

That is to say, we are a convenient forward operating base that will be defended only to the extent necessary to protect US interests, any defensive capacity we have will be co-opted to serve the interests of the US in any conflict and we will suffer exactly the same abandonment as the Gulf states when defending us loses priority.

But importantly, we have automatically become a target because of the American bases we host, particularly those providing surveillance and intelligence capacities like Pine Gap.

China is a vastly greater military power than Iran and its missiles undoubtedly could accurately target any location in Australia with little chance of interception. The US has demonstrated by what it is doing now in the Gulf countries that we will be used as a forward operating base until our utility is exhausted or extinguished, at which time the US will pack up and leave .

Defeating a rogue power
Iran has shown that a small country with determination can build a fighting force that with the benefit of strong leadership and capable military strategists can challenge and probably defeat a rogue great power.

It defies comprehension that we are paying huge sums of money and confirming our commitment to what has proven to be a protection racket by an incompetent and immoral international thug.

China has no intention of attacking us and never did: it wants the respect it has earned and mutually beneficial good relations.

We are far better off in the long-term putting more trust in our neighbours with common interests, as just happened with Indonesia, and forming truly defensive alliances with reliable, law abiding allies than tying ourselves to a modern Titanic that will take us down with it when it inevitably flounders.

Kellie Tranter is a lawyer, researcher, and human rights advocate. This commentary was first published on her X account where she tweets from @KellieTranter

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/15/war-on-iran-australia-should-put-trust-in-its-neighbours-not-a-modern-titanic-rogue-state/

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 15, 2026.

Eugene Doyle: Will Israel and the US wreck the Gulf States along with Iran?
COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle The United States and Israel have, for decades, pursued the destruction of Iran as a sovereign state. We are now in the opening days of what may be the final, decisive war to determine either the survival of the Iranian state or the expulsion of the US from the Arab lands

From the gauntlet to stopping the Iran war, Carolan makes action plea
Asia Pacific Report A peace advocate urged people in New Zealand today to get behind a “Stop Wars Aotearoa” campaign to oppose the illegal and unprovoked US-Israeli war on Iran and expand beyond solidarity with Palestine. In the 127th week of protest against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and occupied West Bank, socialist trade union

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for March 14, 2026
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 14, 2026.

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/15/er-report-a-roundup-of-significant-articles-on-eveningreport-nz-for-march-15-2026/

COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

The United States and Israel have, for decades, pursued the destruction of Iran as a sovereign state.

We are now in the opening days of what may be the final, decisive war to determine either the survival of the Iranian state or the expulsion of the US from the Arab lands and the creation of an entirely new security architecture for West Asia.

Sounds implausible? We live in truly unprecedented times and many scenarios are possible.

There are signals as to what may come next and to help identify them I spoke with US Ambassador (ret) Chas W. Freeman.

Whether intended or unintended, the US and Israel are in the process of severely damaging the economies of the Gulf States. By attacking Iran, they knew full well what the Iranians would do in response — after all, Iran had warned that any further attack on it would lead to a regional war.

Are we witnessing a brazen plan to destroy both Iran and seriously weaken the Gulf States, using Iran as a weapon to do the latter? Could this be a Machiavellian plan to throw a cluster bomb into The Great Muslim Reconciliation between the Sunni states and Shia Iran?

Will the war halt or accelerate the project to create an Islamic NATO which is based around last year’s Saudi-Pakistani defence pact? The Saudis have the dollars; the Pakistanis have the nukes and the troops.

Permanent isolation of Iran
The permanent isolation of Iran was the centrepiece of the US-promoted Abraham Accords — designed to bring the Israeli regime into the circle of love and keep Iran out in the cold.

Anything that runs counter to this is a threat. The war comes at a time when Iran and the Gulf States had taken major steps to mend fences after decades of hostility.

The murder of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on orders of Donald Trump in 2020 was supposed to kill off a diplomatic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Soleimani and other officials were killed in a US missile strike at Baghdad airport without the permission of or notification to the Iraqi government. He was, according to Iranian, Saudi and Iraqi sources, including Iraqi PM Adil Abdul-Mahdi, heading for a meeting with his Saudi counterpart to broker a peace deal.

The assassination was successful but the US attempt to kill off the peace process failed.

US sabotages diplomacy
A week before the US and Israel launched their latest attack, Egypt and Iran announced that they had agreed to fully restore diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors. It was the latest in a series of such moves to bring Iran in from the cold.

As the Middle East Institute pointed out shortly after, “Within days of the Israeli strike, [Pakistan’s] Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Doha in a show of solidarity. Seizing the crisis as an opportunity to elevate Pakistan’s strategic presence in the Gulf and the wider Middle East, its government voiced support for the proposed formation of a joint Arab-Islamic security force.”

The quickly signed Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) got a lot of attention in West Asia and was soon dubbed an “Islamic NATO” — an alliance that could one day replace American boots on the ground.

The Gulf States were also slowly coming to the realisation that America was unreliable, Israel was a genuine threat and Iran might be useful as a counterbalance to the US and Israel. A Pakistani nuclear shield and conventional military backup was being discussed as far away as Ankara; there were even whispers Iran might be invited to join.

Now, back to that question of whether the US is, through its war on Iran, deliberately weakening the Gulf States as part of a strategy to keep the Muslim world divided. I asked US Ambassador (ret) Chas W. Freeman and he replied, “I think you give far too much credit to the United States, and more particularly, to Israel, in terms of devious planning to do these things in the Gulf,” Freeman said.

“We’re actually pretty stupid and clumsy at what we do. Look at what we’re doing with the Peshmerga and the Kurds. How stupid do you have to be to do that?”

Ambassador Freeman is highlighting what has been a recurring cycle in US foreign policy – strategic betrayal — in which it uses groups like the Kurdish Peshmerga or the freshly-minted Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK) to attack US enemies only to throw them under the bus the moment they have served their purpose.

Luring Iranian Kurds
The CIA and the White House have tried to lure the Iranian Kurds into the current battle, Trump blurting out how “wonderful” it would be and how the map of Iran would be redrawn. This will only fuel Iranian nationalism.

Ambassador Freeman is numbered among those who believe that the US-Israeli defence shield is running low on interceptors and Iran could strike back hard in the coming weeks. He also surmises that the Iranians will have secretly signalled to the Gulf States that a condition of the war ending — if Iran gets to set the terms — will be the removal of all US military from the Gulf States.

None of us can say with certainty what the respective breaking points for the belligerents are but I certainly believe Iran is very far from out of the fight that the US and Israel has forced on them.

“Prior to the US-Israeli attack, the Gulf Arabs were moving — in their usual incoherent and inchoate way — toward some kind of coalition with Iran to balance Israeli military hegemony in the region,” Ambassador Freeman told me.

“Now Israel and the United States have given an opening to Iran to pursue its long term objective, which is to remove the American presence from the Gulf. Iran has turned a vicious attack on it into a strategic opportunity to force the Gulf States to do a cost-benefit analysis.”

Chas Freeman is probably right: the US didn’t intend to shatter the Gulf States as one of its war aims. That leaves the more plausible explanation: the Americans and Israelis are simply demented and war-crazed.

Either way, the US-Israeli war machine must be stopped for the sake of humanity.

Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington, New Zealand, and a contributor to Asia Pacific Report. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. This article was first published on his website www.solidarity.co.nz

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/15/eugene-doyle-will-israel-and-the-us-wreck-the-gulf-states-along-with-iran/

Asia Pacific Report

A peace advocate urged people in New Zealand today to get behind a “Stop Wars Aotearoa” campaign to oppose the illegal and unprovoked US-Israeli war on Iran and expand beyond solidarity with Palestine.

In the 127th week of protest against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and occupied West Bank, socialist trade union organiser Joe Carolan called on protesters to redouble their efforts.

Speaking in Auckland’s Te Komititanga Square, he praised a public meeting in Mt Eden this week that heralded the start of a rolling peace movement that echoed the efforts in a bid to halt the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq — “a war based on a lie” about non-existent weapons of mass destruction.

Carolan drew comparisons between his native Ireland and the colonisation of New Zealand.

Apart from Christianity, the colonisers “needed another pretext to civilise great unwashed”. Militarism.

He paid tribute to “anyone who ran the gauntlet outside the public meeting on Wednesday that we held at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall where we remember the price of wars — in fact working class lives — both here and abroad”.

“And we should remember the dead and not go to war again — that’s the whole point of a war memorial hall.

‘Ran the gauntlet’
“But those of us who ran the gauntlet of the people waving Israeli flags and lecturing us about human rights, waving the American flags and lecturing us about women’s rights when the place is run by rapists and pedophiles obviously – know it’s Operation Epstein Fury now.

“An operation so [US President Donald] Trump and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu can both avoid what is coming to them which is a long time in prison until they die.”

Netanyahu is wanted on an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and Israel is on trial for genocide with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a case brought by South Africa and 14 other countries.

“Many people didn’t show shock at all in the West, and condemn the murder of 170 school students — young women — that you guys purport that you want to liberate.

“You killed them. You liberated them from their lives and their blood is on the hands of those [US and Israeli] forces.

“And also Iran is a gigantic country of 90 to 100 million people. Of course, it’s not a monolithic country, there are people with many different views.

“I’ll give you two words in Irish, you might have heard them before, about who should determine Iran’s future, and that’s Sinn Féin — ‘Ourselves Alone’.

‘Run own revolution’
“Nobody has the right to determine the future of any nation, except the people who live in that nation themselves, including whether how they run their own revolution or how they run their own democracy.”

Sinn Féin is also an Irish republican political party, founded in 1905, striving for self-determination and ending British rule in Northern Ireland.

Tomorrow Te Komititanga Square is hosting an Irish cultural festival to mark the lead up to St Patrick’s Day on March 17.

Tayyaba Khan of Palestine Solidarity Network (PSNA) spoke about the mosque massacre in Christchurch on 15 March 2019 when a lone Australian gunman murdered 51 Muslims at Friday prayers in New Zealand’s worst case of terrorism. The gunman is serving a life sentence for his crimes.

Khan also remembered the survivors and their struggle to rebuild their lives.

Other speakers today highlighted how the rally was reminding the New Zealand government and the public that many in the country were totally opposed to the continuing genocide in Palestine.

“There is no ceasefire in Gaza and the US and Israeli Zionists continue to drive the Palestinian people out of their ancestral homes and land to colonise the region,” said a protest flyer.

“To everyone in the square today we invite you to join with us and the many peoples around the world in condemning the unlawful US and Israeli military assault on Iran.”

According to the Al Jazeera death toll live tracker, 1444 people have been killed in Iran, at least 15 in Israel, 11 US soldiers and 19 dead in Gulf states.

“We stand in solidarity with all the people of Iran and across the Middle East, particularly Palestine, including Gaza and Lebanon,” said rally MC Leeann Wahanui-Peters.

Al-Quds Day marked
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people around the world marked Al-Quds Day yesterday. This is marked annually to show support for Palestine and oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

Reporting from the huge Tehran rally, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi said Iranians hoped to both show their support for Palestinians and express “defiance and resilience” amid the US-Israeli attacks.

“They think that by killing us, we will be afraid, that by dropping bombs on our heads, we will be afraid. No, we stand by our country,” a woman demonstrator told Al Jazeera.

Another protester said Iranians had shown in their confrontation with the US and Israel that “the wall of oppression can be broken”.

“Today, with their presence in different squares, the people showed that it is possible to overcome injustice and break the wall of oppression,” he told Al Jazeera.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian was also seen at the rally in the Iranian capital — shaking hands with people and posing for selfies — along with other Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

[embedded content]

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/15/from-the-gauntlet-to-stopping-the-iran-war-carolan-makes-action-plea/

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 14, 2026.

‘There’s volatile times ahead’ for the Pacific, warns Barbara Dreaver
By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific Waves host TVNZ’s 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has released a new memoir looking back at over 30 years of reporting in the region. The book, titled Be Brave, details moments in Dreaver’s career in the Pacific from covering natural disasters to coups and personal tragedies. Speaking to Pacific Waves,

War on Iran: ‘It’s abominable, the lies that the American mainstream media is telling the people’
Democracy Now! AMY GOODMAN: The US-Israeli war on Iran has entered its 11th day. Its impact is being increasingly felt across the globe. Al Jazeera is reporting residents of Tehran overnight experienced “some of the most intense bombardment” of the war. At least 40 people were reportedly killed near the city’s Risalat Square. In Lebanon,

How the menstrual cycle can make or break an athlete’s performance
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie A. Steel, Senior Lecturer in Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition, Western Sydney University As soccer’s Women’s Asian Cup continues in Australia, much analysis will inevitably focus on the physical: the speed of Mary Fowler, the power of Sarina Bolden, the endurance of Yui Hasegawa and Ellie

China’s ban on fuel exports is deeply worrying for Australian air travellers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor of Law, Deakin University Australia’s vulnerability to liquid fuel shortages and price hikes has intensified amid reports China has told oil refiners to halt all fuel exports. This adds to continued global uncertainty about the duration of the Iran conflict and its impact upon

It’s not hoarding: farmers need to buy huge amounts of diesel to keep our food secure
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Craft, Lecturer in Accounting and Personal Financial Planning, Western Sydney University Over recent weeks, Australian drivers have watched as petrol and diesel prices have soared, raising concerns about wider price shocks to come. But at the same time as urban motorists see rising prices, something else

New ban on dangerous rodent poisons is lifeline for our native animals
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Associate Professor in Wildlife Conservation, Edith Cowan University We’ve just had an epic win for our native animals, such as owls, goannas and eagles. And after years contributing to the scientific evidence on the wildlife impact of rodent poisons, it’s a day scientists like myself

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for March 13, 2026
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 13, 2026.

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/14/er-report-a-roundup-of-significant-articles-on-eveningreport-nz-for-march-14-2026/

By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific Waves host

TVNZ’s 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has released a new memoir looking back at over 30 years of reporting in the region.

The book, titled Be Brave, details moments in Dreaver’s career in the Pacific from covering natural disasters to coups and personal tragedies.

Speaking to Pacific Waves, Dreaver said she wanted readers to see the Pacific through her eyes.

“Be Brave” – Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver reflects   Video: RNZ Pacific Waves

“The Pacific is so important to the world, it is important to New Zealand and Australia and I thought, if I show it like the real stories . . .  what happens behind the scenes that it just might provide, you know, share that joy really of the Pacific with people.

“I’m really concerned about the way the region is going at the moment, and I think there’s volatile times ahead and so I really decided some time ago that I wanted to record it and record, for my family as well.”

The Kiribati-born journalist also encourages up and coming Pacific journalists to report “without fear or favour”.

“When people say to you, as a Pacific journalist ‘you’re not being culturally aware’ . . .  we know what’s culturally aware.

“We do and quite often people in power use it as a means of stopping you reporting.

“So you have to be really aware of the boundaries on that.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/theres-volatile-times-ahead-for-the-pacific-warns-barbara-dreaver/

Democracy Now!

AMY GOODMAN: The US-Israeli war on Iran has entered its 11th day. Its impact is being increasingly felt across the globe. Al Jazeera is reporting residents of Tehran overnight experienced “some of the most intense bombardment” of the war.

At least 40 people were reportedly killed near the city’s Risalat Square.

In Lebanon, the death toll from Israel’s attacks are nearing 500. About 700,000 residents have been displaced.

Earlier today [March 10], Iran reportedly fired drones toward Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates, where a large fire broke out in an industrial area home to petrochemical plants. A suspected Iranian missile also hit a residential building in the capital of Bahrain, killing one person and injuring eight others.

On Monday, the Pentagon posted online a photo of a missile with the words “No Mercy” superimposed on it. An accompanying message read, “We have Only Just Begun to Fight.”

But soon after, Trump told CBS News, “I think the war is very complete, pretty ​much,” he said. Trump’s CBS interview led oil prices to drop and for global stocks to quickly rise.

But after the Wall Street markets closed, Trump told Republicans in Florida the US hasn’t “won enough.” At a news conference on Monday, ABC News reporter Selina Wang questioned Trump about the conflicting messages.

SELINA WANG: Mr. President, you’ve said the war is, quote, “very complete,” but your defense secretary says this is just the beginning. So, which is it? And how long should Americans be prepared for this war to last for?

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, I think you could say both. It’s the beginning. It’s the beginning of building a new country. But they certainly — they have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti-aircraft equipment. It’s all been blown up.

“They have no radar. They have no telecommunications. And they have no leadership. It’s all gone.

“So, you know, you could look at that statement. We could — we could call it a tremendous success right now. As we leave here, I could call it, or we could go further.

“And we’re going to go further. But the big risk on that war has been over for three days. We wiped them out the first — in the first two days.

AMY GOODMAN: On Monday, President Trump said he had a good call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who reportedly proposed a, “quick political and diplomatic end to the Iranian conflict”.

We begin today’s show with retired Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who served as chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell during the run-up and early years of the US war on Iraq. He’s taught national security affairs at both George Washington University and the College of William and Mary.

Colonel Wilkerson, welcome back to Democracy Now! Can you respond to what has taken place over this last 11 days, starting with the diplomatic talks in Geneva between Iran and the United States? And as those talks were just wrapping up, US and Israel attacked Iran and killed the supreme leader there. Your response?

LAWRENCE WILKERSON: Yes, and, Amy, for the second time, we violated international law in that respect, and just common human decency. And your comments at the opening of the show were spot-on, but not nearly broad and deep enough.

I come from an administration of George W. Bush and Richard Bruce Cheney that committed war crimes, war crimes that Colin Powell and his lawyer Will Taft and I agonised over in trying to present some message to the American people about them. This administration has committed more war crimes in the last few days than I think any country since Adolf Hitler committed. And that is an incredible condemnation of this entire process.

We have bombed civilians relentlessly. We have bombed a school. We have bombed a hospital. We have struck facilities in the nature of Iran’s oil capacity that is now putting black poison all over 10-plus million people.

And we are essentially not bombing ballistic missile sites and bombing war materiel. We’re bombing people. We took a lesson from the IDF, if you will. We are bombing people, as, incidentally, they are still doing in Gaza and doing now in Lebanon.

These are all war crimes. And one wishes with fond hope that someday we might be called before the bar of justice and have to account for these war crimes. And what you just talked about is a crime also in the eyes of international relations and people who want to keep decent international relations ongoing in the world. We’re destroying that.

And on top of all of that — and this is the real serious problem here for America — Trump and Hegseth and Rubio and the other entourage of their national security complex have completely misjudged the nature of this war, as has, to a certain extent, Bibi Netanyahu.

This is a country as big as Western Europe, with 93 million people, probably 90 million of whom will fight us to the bitter death, who live in terrain that almost killed Alexander the Great. It is entirely inhospitable to military operations.

And Trump is talking about — actually talking about putting ground forces there. And the only way he will be able to claim any nature of victory is to do that. Only that will be the end of the empire’s presence in the Levant and the Middle East in general, because we will not be able to sustain that economically, physically.

We do not have the soldiers or Marines to do that. But that’s what he’s talking about. This is pure nonsense.

There was a column in Haaretz yesterday, and the title of the column, essentially, was “Trump will chicken out in this war, too.” I’m sorry, he’s not going to chicken out necessarily. That might be the tone and tint he puts to it. He’s going to be defeated, as are we.

[embedded content]
“End of the Trump Presidency” – retired colonel slams war in Iran      Video: Democracy Now!

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Colonel, I wanted to ask you — we played that clip with Trump talking about all the damage that Iran has sustained, but there’s been very little acknowledgment by the US military or the White House to the enormous damage that has occurred to the US military footprint in the Middle East for decades. All of these bases and radar, multibillion-dollar radar, were established throughout the region. And what’s your understanding of the nature of the damage that has occurred to all of these bases, not just among the Gulf states, but also even in Iraq and other places of the Middle East?

LAWRENCE WILKERSON: Yeah, that damage is enormous. And I think what you’re witnessing right now is the initial steps of the empire, the American empire’s retreat from the Levant and the Middle East in general.

I don’t think we’re going to be able to sustain our presence there after what’s going to happen here, particularly if we stay at this for a long time and really do take significant casualties. We’re already taking more casualties than people know about, because the media is not being apprised of it.

Yes, we had the ceremony at Dover, but there are people getting ready at Landstuhl, our throughput hospital in Germany, right now to accept multiple casualties coming in. They’ve stopped their civilian service and so forth at that hospital. And other things are being geared up, too, like Walter Reed.

I don’t think they have even a modicum of appreciation of what kind of casualties are going to result, though, especially if we put ground forces into Iran. And that is the only way, unless he just lies completely about it, that Trump is going to be able to assert any kind of real force with regard to this population.

And to your point, in Bahrain, they have taken out billions of dollars’ worth of US radar and equipment, including the vertical missile loading cranes, so now ships have to go all the way to Diego Garcia to load these weapons.

They have essentially obliterated our capacity to carry out combat actions from a number of places in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Al Udeid is actually under under threat now, too.

And this is all part of the warp and woof of our ability to carry out combat operations in the region. I’m not even sure our biggest facility for passing on troops, throughput facility, that we used in both Iraq wars — is in Kuwait. I’m not even sure that that’s up now and able to do anything.

So, how would you even get Marines or soldiers, God forbid, into Iran? That’s a huge problem. They will sink the ships that are coming to deposit those troops wherever they’re coming.

We have not really damaged their ballistic missile capability. And the media blackout on Israel is keeping the American people from seeing the enormous degree of destruction to Israel, the latest component of which was a riposte to Israel’s having struck their oil facilities, on Haifa, their oil facility port.

And Haifa is being taken down much the way Eilat was taken down by the Houthis, the Allah Ansar, in the Red Sea, when we failed to be able to reopen the Red Sea. And that’s the next step.

The Bab al-Mandeb will be closed once the Houthis have gotten into action full time again. And 60 percent of the world’s commerce passes through the Red Sea. It’s not oil and gas exclusively. It’s all manner of things — foodstuffs, commodities and such.

So, this is a war with long legs. Trump has completely misinterpreted it. The only one who’s interpreted it correctly is Bibi Netanyahu, and I think he’s ready to use a nuclear weapon, should it become as bad as it looks like it might right now, because Iran has not even began to shoot its most sophisticated missiles.

And now the second and third class of those missiles is getting through almost without opposition. Imagine what these Mach 3, Mach 4 missiles, with huge warheads that have maybe a hundred different other warheads they display all across an area, are going to do to Israel once they’re fired.

They’re still there, and they’re still ready to fire.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Colonel, I wanted to actually — you mentioned the media coverage of what is going on in Israel. It has been amazing to me that all of the major US media are based in Israel, in Tel Aviv, yet we are seeing the least amount of coverage of what is going on within Israel.

I want to quote from a piece, an online piece, that CNN reporter Oren Liebermann posted earlier this week. And he wrote — and I’m quoting — “Every reporter in Israel — and every member of the public — is subject to a military censor. On national security grounds, the regulation authorises the censor to prohibit reporting or broadcasting any material that could reveal sensitive information or pose a threat to the country’s security interests.”

And he goes on to say, “This is particularly sensitive during wartime, where the military censor has made clear that broadcasting any images that reveal the location of interceptor missiles or military sites hit by enemy projectiles is forbidden, especially in live broadcasts.”

Now, they say this on their website, but they never mention this on air. And none of the networks are mentioning on air that they are strictly prohibited from showing any actual, real damage. I’m wondering your sense of the responsibility of the US media, especially since they’re always showing us the results of the plumes rising in Abu Dhabi or in Saudi Arabia or even in Iran, but not the direct hits that are occurring within Israel.

LAWRENCE WILKERSON: I’ll tell you what I told the senior editor to The Washington Post recently. I think it’s abominable, the lies that the American mainstream media, both video and print, is telling the American people. And they’re putting us in jeopardy in a real substantive sense, because the American people have no way of judging just how foolhardy, how stupid, how unwise, how violative of international dictum and rule this war is.

And when it gets to the point — I think this is the end of the Trump presidency, actually, because when it gets to the point where the pressure is so great and some of this has to come out and casualties are manifest, then the American people are going to ask really important questions: Why did you lie to us? Why did you tell us what you were telling us? Why did you start this war of choice?

Iran was no threat to the United States of America whatsoever. Did you go to war for Israel? We have heard you went to war for Israel. These are questions that are finally going to get out there in the hustings and going to have to be answered by someone, probably your local congressman, the supine body that has done nothing to check this president, particularly in the war power.

And we haven’t even talked about that.

This is a complete violation of the Constitution of the United States. Just as Kofi Annan said about the 2003 Iraq War, it’s an illegal war. And he went on to say it was a violation of our own Constitution. And he was absolutely right.

But this pales — or, that pales in comparison with what Trump is doing right now, and what he is going to probably have to do in order to seem to correct his errors.

And I’m truly worried that this destruction of Israel is going to reach a point — I listened to Netanyahu recently speaking in Hebrew to his clan, to his group — Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and others like that.

At the end of his remarks in Hebrew, which was translated for me very reliably, I think, he essentially said that if it went south, if it went bad, he was prepared to show the Iranians something they had never seen before.

I think he meant a nuclear weapon. And I go back to 1973 when Golda Meir told a BBC reporter — you can check, it was printed in London the next day on the front page — that she would use a nuclear weapon, in response to his question, “Would you use a nuclear weapon?”

Because at that time, they were pretty hard-pressed in the 1973 war. And she said, “Yes,” without equivocation. I think we’re back at that point again, and for probably a far more dangerous situation.

AMY GOODMAN: I know you have to go, Colonel Wilkerson, but I just want to point out you were the former chief of staff of Secretary of State Colin Powell, who dragged his feet on supporting the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but ultimately gave that speech, that he would call a stain on his career, at the UN.

It was critical for Bush, President Bush, that it was Colin Powell who gave this speech, because he was seen as the reluctant warrior. And he gave that speech saying there was evidence of Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction. Can you make a parallel to what we’re seeing today?

LAWRENCE WILKERSON: I can, but I think this is far greater a travesty and a tragedy. That was bad enough. And torture was the thing that broke my back, and ultimately it sort of broke Colin Powell’s back, too, because we realised that we had signed up not only to a war that was not necessary, we had signed up to a president of the United States for the first time in the nation’s history making public policy torture.

Other human beings being tortured was made presidential public policy. This is far worse, I think, and it’s been building for some time. It’s been building all since Trump was elected, and actually since his first administration. And I think it makes what we did — not to discount it, but it makes it pale by comparison, and it makes me deeply concerned about the future of this republic.

AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you so much for being with us, Lawrence Wilkerson, retired Army colonel, former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell from 2002 to 2005.

Published under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License by democracynow.org on 10 March 2026.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/war-on-iran-its-abominable-the-lies-that-the-american-mainstream-media-is-telling-the-people/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie A. Steel, Senior Lecturer in Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition, Western Sydney University

As soccer’s Women’s Asian Cup continues in Australia, much analysis will inevitably focus on the physical: the speed of Mary Fowler, the power of Sarina Bolden, the endurance of Yui Hasegawa and Ellie Carpenter.

However, in high-pressure environments, those who think the quickest and most creatively can have just as much impact as those who run the fastest.

This brings us to a crucial, under-researched frontier in sports science: the influence of women’s sex hormones that regulate processes such as the menstrual cycle, and what the central nervous system does for athletes.

My recent study analysed previous and current research that suggests the menstrual cycle can play a role in performance, while also drawing attention to the fact there is still so much we do not know.

The power of the brain

To produce their skills and make the right decisions, athletes need effective interaction between key body systems such as the nervous, endocrine (hormonal) and muscular systems.

The nervous system is primarily the command and communication system of the body and includes the brain, spinal cord and motor neurons.

A key function is to collect information that can then be used to make decisions (in the brain), then initiate and execute movements.

The brain is able to command tasks through regulating processes such as attention, memory, judgement and creativity. These processes also underpin learning, which ultimately allows us to perform.

The endocrine system meanwhile produces and manages hormones in the body, which also helps with communication. For example, sex hormones (oestrogen and progestrone) act as neurotransmitters and help regulate brain activity.

Oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate dynamically across the menstrual cycle, with low levels during week one of menstruation and a steady rise in week two. Oestrogen peaks just before ovulation (around the middle of cycle), while progesterone reaches its highest levels after ovulation.

Both hormones return to low levels in the days leading to the next bleeding phase.

But how is this relevant to sport performance? Let’s dig a little deeper.

How hormones can affect athletic performance

Consider your favourite Matildas team member: she is skilled, tenacious and renowned not only for her athleticism but her tactical nous.

She must read the play and either attack, defend, or set up play for others. That involves lots of thinking and making decisions under pressure.

Now imagine if a highly skilled and consistent athlete is a little off their game. Any number of factors could be at play, one of which is hormone fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle.

During different phases of the menstrual cycle, hormones rise or dip, which can mean the brain may or may not be getting enough hormones to work efficiently.

A dip in hormone levels may impact performance positively or negatively: it may mean you are a little calmer, or you react a little slower. Likewise higher levels (around ovulation) may lead to increased errors, or more risk-taking.

But here’s the kicker – sometimes hormone fluctuations leave some women performing even better at certain stages of their cycle than they would anticipate.

Some emerging research has found women may be quicker to react during the bleeding (menstrual) phase, or their spatial awareness may be better during the first half of the menstrual cycle.

This knowledge is crucial in sport because it might be the difference between winning and losing.

Importantly, for athletes who experience changes in cognition due to hormone fluctuations or symptoms (not everyone does), it can lead to making a decision too late – potentially conceding a goal, losing possession, or moving in a way that causes an injury.

It must be noted any influence of menstrual phases on athletic performance is highly individualised.

Other factors such as sleep, recovery, fatigue or perceived fatigue and even altitude can also play a role, so it’s important to note this is only one factor when it comes to performance.

It is also important to consider menstrual symptom management which can include pain, heavy bleeding, bloating, breast soreness and nausea – all of which are particularly difficult on training and competition days.

Athletes must manage the practical aspects of menstruating which may include carrying extra pain medication, heat packs, or highly supportive bras. Moreover, they must consider whether they have comfortable and effective ways to manage bleeding, and what facilities are available.

Some athletes may use hormonal contraception to reduce symptoms or skip periods and time bleeding onset.

Crucially, research indicates many athletes using hormone contraception report negative side effects such as mood swings and weight gain.

This emerging scientific area is beautifully complex and one we need to understand better if we truly want women to thrive and reach their full potential in sport.

Practical advice for athletes and coaches

As we close the knowledge gap, there is still much we can do in the field.

First, encourage athletes to track their menstrual cycle (preferably on paper so they can decide how this information is used).

Athletes should understand sensitive medical information is theirs alone to share. Coaches should never use this information to bench an athlete, for example.

Tracking cycles allows women to see patterns – they can predict possible dips or highs in performance and implement mitigation strategies. Strategies may include athletes performing a longer or more specialised warm-up, or even resting a little more.

To help athletes mentally prepare for a game, and when they know hormone fluctuations may leave them a little distracted, coaches could also implement extra cognitive motor drills (tasks that make them think and move).

This might include small-sided games, reaction time tasks and fun, fast decision drills.

So as you gear up for the Women’s Asian Cup finals, look beyond the physical. Be curious about what drives these athletes’ performance and what may or may not influence their form.

Above all, appreciate the complexity of being an athlete in women’s sport.

– ref. How the menstrual cycle can make or break an athlete’s performance – https://theconversation.com/how-the-menstrual-cycle-can-make-or-break-an-athletes-performance-275310

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/how-the-menstrual-cycle-can-make-or-break-an-athletes-performance-275310/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor of Law, Deakin University

Australia’s vulnerability to liquid fuel shortages and price hikes has intensified amid reports China has told oil refiners to halt all fuel exports. This adds to continued global uncertainty about the duration of the Iran conflict and its impact upon oil supplies.

On Friday, the Australian Financial Review reported China had notified oil refiners to halt all exports, casting doubt over at least two cargoes due to be shipped to Australia.

Two transport ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important transport route, have also been blown up making it likely future ships will not make this journey while the conflict continues.

This means Asian refineries like those in China are receiving significantly less oil. This reduction in supply mean these refining countries must, in turn, assess their own strategic requirements for petrol, diesel and jet fuel.

China asks refineries to stop all fuel cargoes

Asia countries gets up to 90% of their oil from the Middle East. As a net importer of liquid fuels, Australia is heavily reliant upon exports from Asian refineries. This is particularly true for jet fuel.

Aviation experts have long warned of the susceptibility of Australia to jet fuel disruption. For example, the Sydney Airport’s chief executive officer, Scott Charlton, has indicated Sydney is completely reliant on jet fuel imports and has no refinery capacity.

This makes any decision by China to stop exports of jet fuel to Australia extremely concerning. Depending upon how long this continues, it is likely to cause significant disruptions to flight scheduling. In 2025 Australia imported about 32% of its jet fuel from China.

Without these exports, Australia must turn to other countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and India. However, they are also experiencing the impact of the Middle Eastern conflict, and it is possible further export restrictions from these countries may follow.

When stockpiles really matter

If this happens, Australia will need to rely upon its strategic stockpile of jet fuel because it has very little domestic refinery capability. Unfortunately, these stockpiles are not significant.

As of mid-March 2026, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources confirmed Australia has approximately 29 to 32 days of jet fuel in reserve, which amounts to to approximately 802 million litres. These stocks are held either onshore at storage facilities or on ships located within Australia’s exclusive economic zone, which extends extends from 22 to 370 kilometres from the coastline of Australia and its external territories,.

This stockpile is consistent with the minimum domestic stockpile obligations imposed by the Australian government. However, Australia has not complied with the 90-day stockpiling obligation for members of the International Energy Agency (IEA), and cannot provide international assistance.

In recent days, the IEA has ordered its member states release the biggest oil stockpile reserves in history. Four hundred million barrels of emergency oil, representing a third of the total stockpiles of all member states, were released. This is far more than the 2022 release of 182 million barrels of oil by IEA countries following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

What will happen to Australian flights?

Australia’s jet fuel supply chain is designed around continuous tanker deliveries, rather than long term storage. Large airports store jet fuel in tank farms, with mutiple storage tanks, connected to pipelines and hydrant systems. These facilities can only hold a few weeks of jet fuel at a time.

This means airports will run out quickly if new supplies do not arrive.

There are many reasons why Australia has not increased its security stockpile of liquid fuel. These include a decline in domestic refining capacity, reliance upon cheaper global supplies and costs and space associated with fuel storage. However, the lack of a significant stockpile has now put Australia in a precarious situation.

If jet fuel deliveries to airports completely stop, airports will need to rely upon their reserves. Jet fuel reserves would run low within a few weeks, or less. Authorities are likely to prioritise emergency and military flights, reduce commercial aviation and impose fuel rations.

It is unclear what the current impact of fuel export restrictions upon flight scheduling will be. Qantas, the biggest user of jet fuel in Australia, has indicated it will need to increase its fares, however at this stage flights have not been cancelled. But this is on the cards if supplies do not arrive beyond March, and there is a need to impose fuel rationing.

Air New Zealand has already cut 1,100 flights from its service due to fuel pricing and supply issues. There are concerns this will lead to increased airfares, fuel surcharges, flight reductions and cancellations in the immediate future. In the longer term, we might also see the prospect of flight rationing.

– ref. China’s ban on fuel exports is deeply worrying for Australian air travellers – https://theconversation.com/chinas-ban-on-fuel-exports-is-deeply-worrying-for-australian-air-travellers-278313

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/chinas-ban-on-fuel-exports-is-deeply-worrying-for-australian-air-travellers-278313/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Craft, Lecturer in Accounting and Personal Financial Planning, Western Sydney University

Over recent weeks, Australian drivers have watched as petrol and diesel prices have soared, raising concerns about wider price shocks to come.

But at the same time as urban motorists see rising prices, something else often happens in rural Australia. Farmers begin filling their diesel tanks. This behaviour can look like hoarding, or even panic buying. But in many cases, it is simply practical farm management.

If we want to keep our food supplies secure, understanding what farmers need in diesel supplies now, and in coming months, will be crucial.

How farmers buy diesel – and why it matters now

On Friday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it was:

concerned about petrol and diesel availability in some regional and rural locations, and has heard concerns from residents, businesses and primary producers about the potential impacts of this situation.

Diesel shortages or higher prices can have a heavy impact on farmers, as I’ve seen up close.

I’m an academic expert in accounting and financial decision making. But I’ve also observed farm operations firsthand, through time spent on a family farm in regional New South Wales.

Many farms keep large diesel tanks on their properties. These tanks supply tractors, harvesters, irrigation pumps and trucks. During busy seasons such as sowing or harvesting, farms may use thousands of litres of fuel.

Because diesel is a key production input, farms treat it differently from household fuel purchases. Under the relevant Australian accounting standards for inventories, inputs used in production can be recorded as inventory until they are used. This means fuel bought today can sit on the farm’s balance sheet as an asset until it’s consumed.

If a farmer expects to use the fuel anyway, buying earlier can reduce exposure to future price increases. Research on agricultural risk management shows farmers often bring forward input purchases when they expect costs to rise or supplies to tighten.

Winter sowing is coming, meaning diesel is vital

Farmers and other off-road industries can claim refunds for fuel excise through the Fuel Tax Credit scheme.

The program lowers the effective cost of diesel used in activities such as agriculture and mining. This makes bulk purchasing more viable for businesses that already have storage tanks.

Farm income is also seasonal. Revenue often arrives after harvest, while many costs occur months earlier during planting and preparation. Bringing forward purchases of inputs, such as diesel, can therefore help manage cash flow.

When distributors warn fuel prices may rise, many farmers will try to fill the tanks they already have. This is especially common as farms prepare for winter sowing in southern Australia – now just months away.

‘Just-in-time’ supplies

Australia imports most of its refined fuel. Much of it comes from refineries in Asia, particularly Singapore.

Prices in that wholesale market can change daily, and those changes quickly affect what Australian retailers expect to pay for their next delivery.

This reflects a broader supply strategy used across many industries. Since the 1980s, companies around the world have adopted what is known as “just-in-time” inventory management. The system was developed by Toyota in Japan and later spread globally through manufacturing and logistics systems.

Under just-in-time systems, businesses keep inventories low and rely on frequent deliveries, rather than storing large stockpiles. The goal is to reduce storage costs and avoid tying up money in unused goods.

Research in operations management shows this approach can improve efficiency when supply chains are stable.

Australia’s fuel system works in a similar way. Rather than maintaining very large national fuel reserves, the country relies heavily on regular shipments of imported fuel through major ports. Government data shows Australia imports a large share of its petrol, diesel and jet fuel.

This system is efficient during normal times. But when geopolitical tensions push oil prices higher, price expectations can move quickly through the supply chain.

Fuelling our food future

All of this highlights a much broader issue: Australia stores relatively little fuel compared with some other developed countries.

For many years, the country struggled to meet the International Energy Agency requirement that member nations hold emergency oil reserves equal to 90 days of imports.

Most fuel storage is concentrated near major coastal ports. Australia could strengthen energy security by building more inland fuel storage.

Regional logistics hubs – such as Parkes or Dubbo in New South Wales, Toowoomba in Queensland, or Kalgoorlie in Western Australia – already sit on major freight routes.

Building new fuel storage is expensive and heavily regulated. That’s where the government could step in, funding new regional storage infrastructure through grants, low-interest loans or tax incentives.

Keeping Australia’s public emergency reserves in the same tanks used by private companies would help keep these facilities economically active, rather than sitting unused.

There’s an opportunity here – to use this experience to make Australia’s fuel and food security harder to disrupt in future.

– ref. It’s not hoarding: farmers need to buy huge amounts of diesel to keep our food secure – https://theconversation.com/its-not-hoarding-farmers-need-to-buy-huge-amounts-of-diesel-to-keep-our-food-secure-278208

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/its-not-hoarding-farmers-need-to-buy-huge-amounts-of-diesel-to-keep-our-food-secure-278208/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Associate Professor in Wildlife Conservation, Edith Cowan University

We’ve just had an epic win for our native animals, such as owls, goannas and eagles. And after years contributing to the scientific evidence on the wildlife impact of rodent poisons, it’s a day scientists like myself feared would never come.

This week, the federal pesticides regulator finally announced a ban on the sale of a type of rodent poisons called second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs).

This means that some commonly used rat baits will be taken off the shelf at supermarkets and hardware shops. These baits can have a devastating effect on native animals, which receive lethal or crippling doses when they eat poisoned rats and mice.

Let’s look at what these rodent poisons (or rodenticides) are, why they are lethal for wildlife, and why they needed to banned.

What’s wrong with “second generation” rodent poisons?

Rat and mouse baits are an essential part of everyday life – people use them without thinking. Most baits are anticoagulants, which stop the blood coagulating or clotting and cause animals to bleed to death.

The first over-the-counter baits (developed in the 1940s) used chemicals such as warfarin and coumatetralyl, and are the first-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGARs). Notably, these chemicals break down relatively quickly, both in the environment and the livers of animals who consume them. For example, warfarin only lasts 35 days.

But as rats and mice developed resistance to these baits, second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGARs) were developed. The active chemicals in these baits persist much longer in the tissues of the animals who eat them. They can last up to 217 days (brodifacoum) and 248 days (bromodiolone).

This means poisoned rodents move around with these persistent chemicals in their body until they die. And when predators such as owls or goannas eat them, these chemicals accumulate in their livers. The more rodents an animal eats, the higher the concentrations of chemicals that builds up. Eventually, this makes them sick, and often leads to death from poisoning.

When our lab starting working on this issue a decade ago, the problem was well known overseas but poorly studied in Australia. In our first review of the topic, we identified the need for stronger regulation of SGARs in Australia, noting many instances of wildlife exposure here. Australia was lagging behind other countries in awareness and regulation.

My then-PhD student Mike Lohr, now an independent researcher, undertook the first dedicated study on wildlife exposure in Australia. He found 73% of 73 Australian boobook owls were poisoned. We were alarmed enough look more broadly. Sadly, our work identified high rates of exposure and lethal poisoning in native reptiles and threatened carnivores. And colleagues have documented poisoning of many of our night birds, possums, eagles and even frogs.

Endless review had disappointing outcome

The science is unequivocal but Australia fell behind many countries in refusing to withdraw these products from sale to domestic consumers. A regulatory review due in 2015 was delayed multiple times. In the meantime, faced with a lack of action from the regulator, there has been a people-led “owl-friendly” movement, in which councils took action to educate citizens and retailers on the issue and encourage them to stop using SGARs.

In July 2024, I was part of a scientific delegation to Parliament House in Canberra to meet with politicians and the federal pesticides regulator, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, to present our scientific evidence. The review was delayed another year, and finally released just before the end of 2025.

Unfortunately, it fell short of what many of us had expected. It relied on simple label changes and the use of tamper-proof bait boxes to present wildlife from being poisoned. It even suggested removing most of the less-harmful rodent poisons from sale because they lacked required bitter-tasting ingredients to be compliant. But it proposed no regulation of the dangerous second-generation poisons.

Our own research (currently under peer review), proves native wildlife is at risk of eating bait directly from tamper-proof bait boxes. We recorded up to 21 species of native wildlife interacting with bait boxes (investigating, feeding in close proximity or even with their heads in bait boxes). Furthermore, poisoned mice and rats are still being eaten by native predators as long as SGARs are being used.

Finally, Australia goes from laggard to leader

Unexpectedly, on March 10 2026, the pesticides authority announced that after consulting with states and retailers, SGARs sales would be suspended for a year, with regulatory controls put in place to prevent sale to consumers. SGARs will still be available to licensed and trained pest controllers.

This news is very welcome, however after the year-long suspension we need SGARs to be defined as a “restricted chemical product” (RCP). This means they can be removed from sale to consumers permanently, and only be accessible to commercial providers.

The removal of these toxic rodent baits from public sale will save countless native animals from suffering, and improve the outlook for many threatened species. First-generation rodent poisons and non-coagulant baits that are better for wildlife will remain available for home users.

And there are many alternatives to try first before reaching for those baits. These include cage traps, snap traps, electric traps, good hygiene practices and rodent-proofing. The owls and goannas will thank you.

– ref. New ban on dangerous rodent poisons is lifeline for our native animals – https://theconversation.com/new-ban-on-dangerous-rodent-poisons-is-lifeline-for-our-native-animals-278072

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/new-ban-on-dangerous-rodent-poisons-is-lifeline-for-our-native-animals-278072/

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 13, 2026.

Why doesn’t Hobart have a Chinatown?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Imogen Wegman, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania On November 18 1909, greengrocer Claude Nam Shing was woken up by shouts of “fire”. He found his store, on the corner of Elizabeth and Melville Streets in central Hobart, ablaze. He escaped quickly. The fire brigade arrived and

Desperate to flee abuse in Cambodian scam compounds, these young Indonesians are now facing suspicion back home
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Setijadi, Lecturer in Asian Studies, The University of Melbourne In the first two weeks of March, two young Indonesian women died alone in a hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The first, who Indonesian officials have identified as 22-year-old Susi Yanti Br. Sinaga died following a critical

Oil, petrol, gasoline: a chemical engineer explains how crude turns into fuel
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zachary Aman, Professor of Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia As the US–Israel war on Iran escalates, so too does the global oil crisis. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, and the

Should I take vitamin C to ward off colds, lower blood pressure or reduce cancer risk?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Vitamin C is one of the most iconic nutrients in popular health culture, often credited with preventing colds, boosting immunity and even fighting serious diseases. But while it’s essential for our bodies to function, its benefits are often

Job performance reviews are outdated and often pointless. Why do we still use them?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danaë Anderson, Lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Every year organisations roll out their refreshed strategies, new KPIs and ambitious goals for the year ahead. But despite the changing pace in work patterns, technology and workforce requirements, one thing

Is ‘period syncing’ real? Two reproductive health experts explain
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emmalee Ford, Adjunct Lecturer, Sexual and Reproductive Health, University of Sydney Have you ever heard two or more women say they’re on the same cycle? This is a common claim among women who live together, for example in a family or as housemates. This idea that people

Keith Rankin Analysis – Israel, Epstein, and Big Money
Analysis by Keith Rankin. On Tuesday, I wrote UAE, Israel, And The Hexagon Alliance which illuminated Israel’s duplicity in relation to Hamas, and the understated but very strong alliance between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel. And Israel’s agenda to divide and rule the ‘Middle East’ by creating its own encircling alliance; and setting

Friday essay: ‘epic fury’ – the men of MAGA might be the most emotional US leaders ever
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Kon-yu, Associate Professor, Creative Writing and Literary Studies, Victoria University In 2016 and again in 2024, Donald Trump ran against two supremely qualified presidential candidates, who both lost. Both had decades of service to government and high-ranking jobs within Democratic administrations. Both were women. Hillary Clinton

Iran’s cultural heritage in the crossfire – expert explains what has been damaged and what could be lost
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katayoun Shahandeh, Lecturer in Museum Studies, SOAS, University of London Following joint attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, the country has come under repeated strikes. These attacks, which were ostensibly supposed to target Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, have also caused

We can’t coerce our way to social cohesion. Here’s what else governments should be doing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keiran Hardy, Associate Professor, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University Last week, Queensland followed the New South Wales and federal parliaments by passing stronger hate crime laws in response to the Bondi terror attack. The Queensland laws target two specific phrases – an approach that risks the laws

Social media has supercharged real estate marketing – and made it cheaper. But it also brings risks
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Piyush Tiwari, Professor of Property, The University of Melbourne Whether using newspaper or television ads, posters or signposts on the front lawn, the mechanism for selling a home has been the same for many decades: broadcast the message to the crowd and hope the right person finds

A PhD is an apprenticeship in research – we can’t let AI take that away
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne When OpenAI launched ChatGPT-5 in August of last year, many academics scoffed at the tech company’s claims its new artificial intelligence (AI) model possessed “PhD-level” intelligence. After all, how could systems so

Why exposing young children to AI content could have irreversible consequences
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Whitcombe-Dobbs, Senior Lecturer in Child and Family Psychology, University of Canterbury Artificial intelligence (AI) already affects many areas of daily life, including the lives of young children. Many families give screens to children younger than two, and AI-generated content is increasing on the popular YouTube Kids

Do therapies like EMDR affect memories of traumatic events?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Bryant, Professor & Director of Traumatic Stress Clinic, UNSW Sydney To recover from abuse or another traumatic experience, some people turn to a therapy called eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing, or EMDR. But this may present problems if these people pursue justice in the courts. In New

NAPLAN is being used by some schools as an entrance exam. This isn’t what it’s designed to do
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Lewis, Associate Professor of Education Policy, Australian Catholic University School students around Australia have begun their NAPLAN tests this week. Amid technical glitches during the writing component of the exam on Wednesday, there has also been confusion about the purpose of the test. Earlier this week,

A deadly strike, or Call of Duty clip? How the US government is trying to memeify the war on Iran
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Baldino, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of Notre Dame Australia Millions of people recently watched a video posted by the White House showing US strikes against Iranian targets. The clip didn’t just resemble Call of Duty: it mixed real strike footage with footage

‘The world should see this’, say Papua deforestation doco filmmakers
By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific journalist For a country with a record of large deforestation projects, Indonesia’s current activities in the far southeastern corner of the republic, South Papua province, surpass all. With 2.5 million hectares of land being cleared for sugarcane and rice production for food and biofuel projects, alongside large oil palm concessions,

Four possible outcomes with the war on Iran – but only one viable
Only one of these four paths protects humanity — the other three are likely destroy it. ANALYSIS: By Qasim Rashid This week Donald Trump threatened more war crimes on the people of Iran. We are now in the most dangerous phase of this crisis, and pretending otherwise is reckless. As a human rights lawyer, I

Grattan on Friday: Dennis Richardson’s exit puts antisemitism royal commissioner under more pressure
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra By personality and at his stage in life, Dennis Richardson is a man who, on occasion, stands on his dignity. Richardson, 78, has a stellar public service career behind him. As a former head of ASIO, and former secretary of

Journalist Barbara Dreaver’s memoir on three decades reporting from the Pacific
RNZ Pacific The seventh narco sub in Pacific waters was discovered last week as the wave of methamphetamine becomes the latest crisis challenging the region. 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has spent decades reporting on the region from this country, including the drug battle and subsequent HIV epidemic in some countries. Dreaver has released her

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/er-report-a-roundup-of-significant-articles-on-eveningreport-nz-for-march-13-2026/

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Setijadi, Lecturer in Asian Studies, The University of Melbourne

In the first two weeks of March, two young Indonesian women died alone in a hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The first, who Indonesian officials have identified as 22-year-old Susi Yanti Br. Sinaga died following a critical illness, despite having no prior health conditions.

Her family said Susi left Indonesia in December 2025 with her boyfriend and a promise of a job in Malaysia. She ended up being trafficked into a scam compound in Cambodia. Within three months, she was dead.

The other woman, a 20-year-old shopkeeper from Pekanbaru, Riau province, arrived in Cambodia under similar circumstances and died only a few days after Susi. According to multiple NGO sources who assisted her in her final days, her death was linked to the physical and sexual abuse she suffered in the compound.

These women are among the thousands of young people who have found themselves stranded in Cambodia in recent months after leaving scam compounds that had opened their doors in anticipation of rumoured police raids.

Many who have made their way to the Cambodian capital are Indonesian. They began lining up outside the Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh in mid-January, seeking help to return home.

By March 9, the embassy said it had received more than 5,400 requests for assistance from Indonesian citizens in less than three months. Over 1,800 have so far been repatriated with the embassy’s assistance. Most of the others are now hosted in a dedicated facility, where they wait for their turn to leave.

These numbers represent a sharp increase from 2025. They highlight the scale of trafficking of young Indonesians into “scam factories” across Southeast Asia, mostly in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines.

Clearly, what is happening to these Indonesians is a complex structural problem, shaped by regional labour precarity and weak regulation.

Yet, Indonesia is largely overlooked in existing media coverage of the issue. Relatively little is known about how Indonesians are entrenched in the industry as victims, operators and stakeholders.

Why young Indonesians are in the industry

In March last year, the Indonesian government reported that, with the assistance of the Thai government, it had rescued and repatriated 569 of its citizens from online scam compounds in Myanmar.

This drew national attention to the issue, raising urgent questions about why and how so many young people are being lured into this work.

---

Read more: Scam Factories: The inside story of Southeast Asia’s fraud compounds – Part 1

---

Spurred by limited employment opportunities, low wages and political discontent, Indonesian youths have been leaving the country in droves.

Some of these young people enter the scam economy willingly. Others go voluntarily but find themselves trapped once inside. Many more are deceived from the outset, lured into becoming so-called “cyber slaves”.

Among rescued trafficking victims, familiar stories emerge. Most are recruited through friend referrals or fake job offers on social media. Once at their destination, however, they are abducted and trafficked into scam compounds. Their passports are confiscated. They are told they owe large fees for flights, visas, accommodation or training, and must work to repay this debt.

Some of these victims eventually rise through the ranks to become scam operators, supervisors or even recruiters who lure other Indonesians, often friends or family, into the industry.

As NGOs have highlighted, however, progression in the industry often involves coercion and debt bondage. Many are compelled to recruit others as a condition for repaying imposed debts, avoiding punishment or securing improvements in their living conditions.

These dynamics blur the boundary between victim and perpetrator.

This contributes to the criminalisation of trafficked individuals. They should instead be recognised and protected as victims of modern slavery.

Escaped from slavery, greeted as suspects

In Indonesia, public discourse tends to frame those who end up in scam compounds either as criminals or gullible youths who fell for false promises.

Following the mass repatriation of Indonesian nationals from Myanmar scam centres last year, returnees were detained and questioned before being released.

They were processed primarily through law enforcement procedures rather than victim support mechanisms.

Indonesian police have also noted some citizens returning from Myanmar’s scam centres refused to be repatriated because of the money they were earning as scammers.

Those who have recently emerged from scam compounds in Cambodia are even more likely to be perceived as willing perpetrators. Cambodia’s growing reputation as a regional hub for cybercrime has fostered a widespread assumption that Indonesians who travel there already know what kind of work awaits them.

Recent news coverage highlighting the large number of Indonesians working in Cambodia’s online industries has further entrenched this narrative, casting them as complicit actors deliberately scamming fellow citizens.

In the wake of the reports of the recent Cambodian raids, some government officials have called for returnees to face criminal prosecution under Indonesian law.

On social media, some popular commentators have argued Indonesian scam workers should not be repatriated. Some have even called for them to be stripped of their citizenship.

Who benefits from blaming trafficked workers?

Framing returnees as potential criminals is politically convenient but counterproductive. It discourages victims from seeking help from authorities.

It also makes it more difficult for civil society organisations, already strapped for funding, to mobilise support for these young Indonesians.

This ultimately benefits traffickers and industry operators.

This narrative also obscures how Indonesians are now involved at all levels of the scam industry, from recruiters and transnational operational staff to elites with financial stakes in the businesses.

The persistent focus on criminalising trafficked workers diverts attention from the deeper structures of deception and exploitation underpinning the industry.

With youth unemployment still high in Indonesia, this issue is not going away. Until trafficked workers are treated as victims rather than criminals, and the structures that feed this industry are addressed, the cost will continue to be borne by vulnerable young people like Susi and the young woman from Pekanbaru who died alone in Phnom Penh.

– ref. Desperate to flee abuse in Cambodian scam compounds, these young Indonesians are now facing suspicion back home – https://theconversation.com/desperate-to-flee-abuse-in-cambodian-scam-compounds-these-young-indonesians-are-now-facing-suspicion-back-home-274853

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/13/desperate-to-flee-abuse-in-cambodian-scam-compounds-these-young-indonesians-are-now-facing-suspicion-back-home-274853/