LiveNews – Page 220 – MIL-OSI Export

Al Noor Mosque where 51 people were killed in a terrorist attack in 2019. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

A forensic psychologist has called into question a report prepared for the white supremacist who massacred 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques.

Australian Brenton Tarrant is serving life imprisonment without parole for the March 2019 shootings at Christchurch’s Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre.

The 35-year-old now claims he pleaded guilty only because he was irrational due to the solitary nature of his prison conditions.

He is seeking to overturn his convictions and sentence at the Court of Appeal.

On Monday, a psychologist, whose name is suppressed and is only known as Witness B, told the court the prison conditions affected the terrorist’s mental health.

The psychologist said the conditions were onerous and would have affected anyone’s mental health.

On Wednesday, forensic psychologist Professor James Ogloff, Dean of Health Sciences at Swinburne University in Melbourne, questioned the conclusions of that psychologist.

The terrorist was not subjected to deprivation or torture in prison, Ogloff told the court.

Ogloff said he believed when the terrorist spoke with Witness B he might have been consciously exaggerating the distress he claimed to be under at the time he pleaded guilty.

The terrorist’s argument for setting aside his guilty pleas was he claimed he was incapable of making a rational decision at the time because of the torturous and inhumane prison conditions.

A psychologist and a psychiatrist assessed the terrorist before his sentencing in August 2020. Both concluded he was fit to plea at that time.

Ogloff said he had no reason to call into question those assessments.

However, Witness B’s report appeared to reach the opposite conclusion and Witness B based much of his thinking on speaking to the terrorist several years after the time in question, Ogloff said.

When giving evidence on Monday, Witness B had tried to minimise his disagreement with the earlier assessments and appeared to back down from many of his report’s points, Ogloff said.

The terrorist was housed in the prisoners of extreme risk unit in Auckland Prison.

He was cut off from meaningful interaction with other people, including fellow prisoners.

Ogloff said he was not claiming the prison conditions were positive, but nor were they so harsh that severe mental deterioration was inevitable.

On Tuesday, the court heard from the two lawyers who represented the terrorist from late March 2019 until July 2020.

The pair presented an image of a man who was concerned with the attention he received in the outside world, who wanted to control the aspects of his legal proceedings he could, and who was often dismissive of his lawyer’s advice.

The terrorist had indicated to his lawyers he wanted to plead guilty in late July 2019 before again changing his mind several days later.

He finally pleaded guilty in March 2020 but the process was rushed.

However, both lawyers told the court the terrorist had indicated he would always plead guilty but he wanted to control when that happened.

Neither had any concerns about his fitness to provide instruction or to plea.

The court will hear evidence from the final witnesses on Wednesday afternoon before legal arguments on Thursday and Friday.

If the terrorist is successful, his guilty pleas will be overturned and he will stand trial in the High Court.

If he is unsuccessful, an appeal of his sentence will be heard, likely later this year.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/christchurch-terrorist-exaggerating-prison-distress-psychologist-tells-court/

February 11, 2026

Teen allegedly steals e-bike at knifepoint, falls off while being tracked by police helicopter

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / REECE BAKER

An alleged e-bike thief was caught by police after he crashed the bike he is believed to have stolen.

Police were called to reports that an electric trail bike had been taken at knifepoint from Coliseum Drive in the Auckland suburb of Albany at 7.41pm on Tuesday.

The police Eagle helicopter was already in the area, and located the suspect riding at “excessive speed” heading south down the Northern Busway, police said.

“The bike has continued to be tracked by Eagle, as it exited at Constellation Station, making its way onto the Northern Motorway,” Inspector Aron McKeown said.

The suspect was seen exiting at Tristram Avenue, heading for Beacroft Park, McKeown said.

“This reckless run came to an end after he fell off the bike on Bevyn Street.

“The 15-year-old didn’t suffer any injuries, but he did find himself in handcuffs and under arrest.”

Police charged him with aggravated robbery, reckless driving and possession for supply of cannabis.

He will appear at the North Shore Youth Court today.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/teen-allegedly-steals-e-bike-at-knifepoint-falls-off-while-being-tracked-by-police-helicopter/

February 11, 2026

Vascular surgery now available in Northland

Source: New Zealand Government

Northlanders will now be able to access key vascular surgery procedures at Whangārei Hospital, marking an important step in improving access to essential specialist care in the region.

“People in Northland who need renal fistula surgery or varicose vein treatment will now be able to receive that care closer to where they live, without having to travel to Auckland,” Mr Brown says.

“Travelling for treatment can be stressful and disruptive for patients and their families, and providing these procedures locally is a practical step that will make a real difference.”

The new service builds on the vascular outpatient clinics and nurse specialist support that Auckland-based teams have provided for some time. While specialist teams have regularly travelled north to support patients, until now surgery itself could only be completed in Auckland.

“Delivering these procedures monthly at Whangārei Hospital is the next stage in strengthening the vascular service for Northlanders.

“It expands on the longstanding support provided by visiting vascular teams and reflects a commitment to ensuring more care is delivered as close to home as possible.”

Clinical nurse specialists have also been recruited to coordinate care, provide pre- operative and post operative support, and ensure patients have a seamless experience across both local and visiting services.

“Improving access to quality health services in regional and rural New Zealand is a priority for the Government. Strengthening services in places like Northland is an important part of fixing the basics and building a health system that works better for patients across the country,” Mr Brown says.

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/vascular-surgery-now-available-in-northland/

February 11, 2026

De Beers Group and Assouline Celebrate the Launch of “A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of A Cultural Icon 1926-2026”

Source: Media Outreach

LONDON, UK – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – In the 1930s, De Beers redefined the role of diamonds in society, celebrating them as masterpieces of nature and craftmanship. Before this, diamond jewelry pieces were treasures exchanged discreetly amongst society’s elite, as luxury houses, fearful of diminishing their mystique, fostered only private relationships with their clients. De Beers revealed the wonder of diamonds to a wider audience, shifting the perception of them from luxury item to a gift integral to romantic milestones and aspirational, glamorous lives, as well as a way of marking personal achievement.

De Beers Group And Assouline Celebate The Launch Of “A Diamond Is Forever: The Making Of A Cultural Icon 1926-2026”

When copywriter Frances Gerety captured the diamond’s essence with the phrase “A Diamond Is Forever” in 1947, the declaration enshrined the diamond as a promise of love and endurance, a sentiment resonating far beyond the notion of a simple gift. Gerety’s words, seen on archival advertisements, magazine placements, and celebrity endorsements, reflected the deep cultural connection between diamonds and enduring relationships. Commissioned artwork from artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Raoul Dufy draw a direct line between a diamond’s rarity—each one formed deep within the earth over billions of years—and the creative genius of fine art. By sharing these artistic visions with the world, De Beers revealed the wonder of diamonds—nature’s oldest treasure—to a wider audience, elevating their aura and allure while preserving the sense of rarity and significance that sets them apart.

For a century, the story of diamonds has been one of transformation and continuity. In the 1960s, stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe adorned themselves with diamonds, embodying the elegance and glamour associated with the gemstone. The 1990s “Shadows” campaign, with its evocative pairing of diamonds and the neoclassical composition Palladio by Karl Jenkins, captured the essence of the diamond: authentic, unique, and everlasting.

In recent years, the conversation around diamonds has expanded to include provenance, sustainability, and ethical stewardship, affirming the diamond’s place as a symbol not just of love but of responsibility and conscience. Much like walking through a gallery that traces the evolution of artistic expression, A Diamond Is Forever offers a view into how diamonds have come to embody the shifting ideals and aspirations of society itself.

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/de-beers-group-and-assouline-celebrate-the-launch-of-a-diamond-is-forever-the-making-of-a-cultural-icon-1926-2026/

February 11, 2026

Government launches independent review into Reserve Bank’s Covid-19 response

Source: Radio New Zealand

The review into the Reserve Bank was to identify key lessons, the government said. (File photo) RNZ

The government is launching an independent review of the Reserve Bank’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, due to be published just months out from the election.

The review – to be released in September – will focus on the central bank’s actions, including cutting the official cash rate to 0.25 percent and engaging in money printing.

It would also look at the coordination of monetary and fiscal policy – that is, how the bank’s response interacted with the government’s.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the review’s purpose was to identify any key lessons, in light of the associated spike in inflation and house prices.

“The Reserve Bank of New Zealand took unprecedented action in response to the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis. (File photo) RNZ / Nathan McKinnon

“These actions helped to preserve jobs and keep businesses afloat, but the indirect impacts included decades-high inflation, and losses of about $10.3 billion on the LSAP [Large Scale Asset Purchase] programme and a significant spike in asset values with house prices increasing 30 per cent in one year.”

In October, Reserve Bank chief economist Paul Conway told a Sydney investment conference the LSAP scheme, commonly referred to as money printing, had effectively paid for itself and helped the economy to function at a time of stress.

“By boosting economic activity during the pandemic, LSAPs increased government tax revenues,” Conway said.

“This higher revenue almost entirely covered the direct losses from LSAPs, leaving consolidated crown debt virtually unchanged over the medium term.”

Other commentators have strongly criticised the LSAP programme, the cost and the related programme of $19b of cheap loans to banks.

Monetary policy experts Athanasios Orphanides and David Archer have been appointed to carry out the independent review.

Orphanides was a former governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus and member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank.

Archer was a former Reserve Bank assistant governor and former head of the Central Banking Studies Unit at the Bank for International Settlements.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/11/government-launches-independent-review-into-reserve-banks-covid-19-response/

February 11, 2026

Why are new tea towels worse at drying dishes than old ones?

Source: Radio New Zealand

There’s a peculiar ritual in many kitchens: reaching past the crisp, pristine tea towel hanging on the oven door to grab the threadbare, slightly greying one shoved in the drawer.

We all know that old faithful dries dishes better, even if we can’t quite explain why. It seems counter-intuitive – shouldn’t brand new towels, fresh from the packaging, outperform their worn-out predecessors?

Yet here we are, instinctively choosing the frayed over the fresh.

That “worn in” feeling we associate with our favourite bath towels, tea towels and even bed linens isn’t just nostalgia.

Arina Habich

. There’s genuine science behind why your tea towels actually improve with age, and understanding it might change how you think about all your household textiles.

The science of soaking it up

Tea towels are typically made from cotton or linen fibres, chosen specifically because these natural cellulose fibres are inherently hygroscopic, or water-loving.

But fibre type alone doesn’t determine how well your towel performs. A textile’s absorption is the result of a complex interplay between fibre, yarn, fabric structure, and any finishes applied during manufacturing.

Textiles absorb and hold water in two key places: within the fibre structure itself, and in the spaces between fibres and yarns. This is why fabric structure matters so much.

Think about bath towels – when was the last time you used a smooth, thin one? Bath towels are typically thick terry pile construction with lots of small loops on the surface. These loops dramatically increase surface area, allowing water to be easily wicked into the fabric.

Tea towels come in various constructions: plain weave, twill weave, waffle cloth, or terry. Plain weave towels – the kind you see with printed designs – require a smooth surface for clean, crisp screen printing.

Waffle cloth, which looks exactly as its name suggests, has a three-dimensional texture that makes it incredibly effective. Like with terry towels, this structure increases surface area and enhances water absorption.

Why old beats new

So what makes your battered old tea towel superior to its pristine replacement? Three key factors are at play.

Silicone finishes. Many brand-new textiles arrive coated in silicone softeners that provide softness and wrinkle resistance, making them appealing on store shelves.

But here’s the catch: these same finishes are often water resistant. Your brand new tea towel may literally have a water-repellent coating. The fix is simple – always wash new tea towels in hot water before first use.

The impact of laundering. Fabrics undergo significant changes during their first several washes – typically up to six cycles. During manufacturing, whether knitted or woven, fabrics are held under tension. Washing causes the yarns to relax in what’s called “relaxation shrinkage”, reverting to their natural, tension-free state. Industry typically tolerates up to 5% shrinkage.

Here’s where it gets interesting: while your tea towel’s dimensions may shrink slightly, its mass stays the same, meaning the fabric becomes thicker and denser. In waffle weave towels, this shrinkage can make the three-dimensional texture more pronounced, increasing surface geometry and absorption. This phenomenon has been documented in terry bath towels, as well.

Fabric ageing. Repeated washing and drying causes minor surface damage that actually improves performance. Small fibres gradually raise up from the fabric surface, creating a fluffier, “hairier” texture.

Really smooth tea towels aren’t very absorbent because water struggles to wet the surface – it can almost bead up due to the contact angle between water and the smooth fabric.

But as washing raises more fibres off the surface making a “rougher” textile, the contact angle decreases, making the fabric easier to wet. Waffle fabrics, with their irregular surfaces, are inherently more absorbent from the start due to favourable contact angles.

In short: washing leads to more surface texture, leading to better absorption.

Not just tea towels

The real revelation here isn’t just about tea towels – it’s about how we think about textiles in general.

That “worn in” feeling we associate with our favourite bath towels, tea towels and even bed linens isn’t just nostalgia. Many of our home textiles are genuinely performing better after repeated laundering, having shed their factory finishes and relaxed into their true structure.

So before you send your old tea towels off for recycling to replace with new ones, remember: those frayed edges and faded patterns represent months of your towel becoming exactly what it was meant to be.

And when you do buy new household textiles, wash them at least once before using to remove any residual finishes.

Rebecca Van Amber is a Senior Lecturer in Fashion & Textiles, RMIT University.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/11/why-are-new-tea-towels-worse-at-drying-dishes-than-old-ones/

February 11, 2026

Police request public’s help in finding Hastings stabbing suspect

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police said the alleged offender fled the scene prior to their arrival. RNZ / Richard Tindiller

A man remains in critical condition after being stabbed in Hastings on Saturday, and police are appealing for more information on his attackers whereabouts.

Police said they were called to a stabbing at an address in the Karamu Road North area at around 3.25am where a man was found with “severe injuries”.

“Police immediately provided first aid before paramedics transported him to hospital, where he underwent surgery,” a spokesperson said. “He remains in a critical condition.”

Police said the alleged offender fled the scene prior to their arrival.

“At approximately 6am, police received information about a man hiding at a property on Mayfair Avenue, not far from where the incident occurred.

“The man was located and arrested without further incident.”

Police said he had been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and was remanded in custody.

Police were now seeking CCTV footage from residents in the surrounding area that may have captured information between the time of the incident and his arrest.

“Residents are asked to carefully check the time settings on their cameras, including any daylight‑savings adjustments, to ensure footage covers the relevant period.”

Police also asked locals to check their properties for any items that may have been discarded by the alleged offender.

Anyone with information is asked to make a report at 105.police.govt.nz or by calling 105.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/11/police-request-publics-help-in-finding-hastings-stabbing-suspect/

February 11, 2026

Sheep farmers come to parliament to celebrate record year

Source: New Zealand Government

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has today hosted a celebratory barbecue for farmers, industry representatives and MPs to mark the upcoming National Lamb Day on 15 February.

“As we honour the legacy of the pioneers behind the first shipment of frozen sheep meat to the United Kingdom, we also celebrate lamb exports exceeding $4 billion for the first time last year,” Mr McClay says.

“Today we acknowledge the red meat sector and its significant economic contribution to New Zealand, as well as the hardworking men and women behind that success.

“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Meat and wool export revenue alone is forecast to increase seven per cent to $13.2 billion in the year to 30 June 2026.

“The efforts of New Zealand’s hard-working sheep and beef farmers support tens of thousands of jobs, and the sector is crucial to New Zealand’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of exports in 10 years.

“This Government is focused on building the future. We’re cutting red tape through significant reforms, building trade, boosting farmgate returns, and investing in the health of rural New Zealand,” Mr McClay says.

“Since coming to Government, we have concluded, signed and entered into force the NZ–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, finished negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, and secured a high-quality, once-in-a-generation Free Trade Agreement with India.

“We’ll continue removing barriers to trade, opening doors to new partners and making the most of strong trading relationships.”

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LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/sheep-farmers-come-to-parliament-to-celebrate-record-year/

February 11, 2026

Point Hope Releases Research on AI Adoption and the Durability of Incumbent Businesses

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE / KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 February 2026 – Point Hope, a local investment firm, has published a new research note examining the implications of accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) investment, infrastructure constraints, and evolving competitive dynamics within equities markets.

The research addresses two dominant concerns currently shaping investor sentiment. The first is whether AI will disrupt incumbent businesses, particularly in capital-light software sectors. The second relates to whether physical constraints — especially power generation, permitting, and grid capacity — may slow the rollout of AI infrastructure and temper expectations embedded in current market valuations.

According to the firm’s analysis, both concerns warrant careful consideration. Power generation remains capital-intensive and time-consuming, suggesting that AI deployment is likely to progress unevenly rather than in a linear fashion.

At the same time, the scale of capital investment underway is unprecedented. Large technology companies have outlined plans for an estimated US$600–700billion of AI-related capital expenditure in 2026, with a significant portion directed toward data centres, chips, servers, and supporting infrastructure. These commitments reflect their belief that AI will become a core input across the global economy.

The research argues that for equity investors, the more consequential question is not whether AI adoption will continue, but how it will reshape competitive advantage among incumbent businesses.

Recent market volatility has highlighted increasing scepticism toward established software companies, particularly those operating capital-light, subscription-based models. However, Point Hope cautions against assuming widespread displacement. Large software incumbents that possess entrenched enterprise relationships, network effects, and proprietary data, are likely to also have high switching costs for their customers, particularly in regulated or mission-critical environments.

Furthermore, the research notes that technological adoption does not necessarily imply wholesale reinvention. In many cases, AI is expected to reinforce incumbents’ competitive positions rather than undermine them.

This durability-focused perspective underpins Point Hope’s long-term equity investment approach, which emphasises resilience to disruption, cash-flow generation, and the ability to compound value across market cycles.

“We view earnings and cash-flow durability as the ultimate arbiters of value,” says Guan Zhen Tan, Chief Investment Officer of Point Hope. “That perspective encourages patience during periods when market narratives move faster than fundamentals.”

Point Hope’s research concludes that while markets will ultimately resolve these questions through earnings releases in the coming months, periods of heightened narrative-driven volatility may reward patient investors willing to prioritise fundamentals over short-term themes.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/point-hope-releases-research-on-ai-adoption-and-the-durability-of-incumbent-businesses/

February 11, 2026

‘Education hub’ opens for students cut off from schools by Helena Bay Hill slip

Source: Radio New Zealand

Students cut off from their high schools by a monster slip northeast of Whangārei are instead taking lessons at a temporary ‘education hub’ set up at a local primary school. Supplied / Ngātiwai Trust Board

Northland secondary students cut off from their schools by a massive slip are taking lessons at a temporary ‘education hub’ until the road can be reopened.

Last month’s deluge triggered a landslide on Russell Road which has cut off the main road access for coastal communities northeast of Whangārei.

While the road to the north has reopened following repairs to a washed-out bridge, the detour via the Ōpua ferry adds at least an extra two hours each way to the journey to Whangārei.

The Ministry of Education said students in Helena Bay, Ōakura and Whangaruru normally attended four different high schools in Whangārei.

Isabel Evans, hautū (leader) for Te Tai Raro-North, said an education hub had been established at a local primary school so the affected students could continue learning.

Lessons at He Puna Ruku Mātauranga o Whangaruru, or Whangaruru School, started on Monday.

Evans said students attending the hub would remain enrolled at their usual schools. Learning would be supported on-site using Whangaruru School’s facilities, with students working at their current year levels using learning packs provided by their enrolled schools.

“School leaders will remain in regular contact with hub staff, the students and whānau. The hub will remain in place until the slip is cleared or the road is deemed safe to travel.”

Earlier, Whangārei District Council infrastructure committee chairman Brad Flower said the slip at Helena Bay Hill involved around 100,000 cubic metres of mud, boulders and trees. Some of the boulders weighed as much as 100 tonnes apiece.

Flower said even if contractors were able to shift 1000 cubic metres of debris a day, and worked every day with no weather interruptions, it would take three months to clear the road.

Only once the slip was cleared would it be known if the road itself had been damaged.

In the meantime the council had opened up an alternative ‘lifeline route’ south to Whangārei via Pigs Head Road and Kaiikanui Road.

But that route was narrow, steep and unsealed, with traffic only allowed through in convoys at set times, one direction at a time.

A local state of emergency in the Hikurangi-Coastal Ward, which included the coastal communities worst affected by the storm, was lifted on 3 February.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/education-hub-opens-for-students-cut-off-from-schools-by-helena-bay-hill-slip/

February 11, 2026

Big gaps in awareness, treatment, support for ovarian cancer

Source: Radio New Zealand

Nearly half of all New Zealand women with ovarian cancer are being diagnosed in emergency departments across the country. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

A new report says there are big gaps in New Zealand awareness, treatment and support for ovarian cancer which is the least survivable women’s cancer and takes one woman’s life every two days.

The Ovarian Cancer Foundation released new research at Parliament on Wednesday which found significant gaps in New Zealand’s awareness, diagnosis, treatment, support, research and clinical trials for ovarian cancer.

The report titled State of Ovarian Cancer Report – Aotearoa New Zealand 2025 said that there are an average of 306 new diagnoses each year and that one woman dies of the disease every 48 hours.

The foundation’s general manager, Liz Pennington, told Midday Report that there was a lack of awareness and understanding of the signs and symptoms of ovarian.

“We know that in New Zealand for example, nearly half of all women are actually being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in emergency departments across Aotearoa and we certainly know that when women are attending Accident and Emergency they’re attending because obviously they’re in pain or the presenting really acutely.”

That was a significantly higher rate of women being diagnosed in A and E than in Australia, where the rate was 21 to 28 percent, she said.

Crosses representing ovarian cancer deaths on the steps of Parliament after a petition with more than 7000 signatures, calling for national diagnostic guidelines to be developed for ovarian cancer was presented there on 16 March 2021. RNZ / Dom Thomas

New Zealand had a very low level of research funding into ovarian cancer when compared with comparable companies, she said.

“When it comes to access to things like clinical trials currently in New Zealand women can only access five, again if we look across the Tasman in Australia women can access 44.”

Another issue is problems with accessing ultrasound for New Zealand women which meant that diagnosis was often significantly delayed, with women being encouraged to pay to go privately when and if they could, she said.

“And we’ve got 30 percent of women dying in that first year from the diagnosis that I talked about and a five year survival rate of only 42.8 percent, so a really significant issue needing significant investment and a plan of action really.”

A woman who went to the GP in Australia with potential symptoms of ovarian cancer such as bloating, feeling full without having eaten a lot and changes to bowel or bladder habits would be treated differently from one in New Zealand, she said.

“In Australia the pathway would be pelvic exam, so you know a feel of her tummy and things, a discussion and then she can be sent for both a blood test and a scan, here in New Zealand that’s not the case.”

In New Zealand, the woman may be sent for the blood test which is called CA125 and then after that she would be likely to have to revisit the GP where there could be problems getting an appointment and then she might be sent for an ultrasound, she said.

“But the large majority of GPs were telling us in the survey that access to ultrasound was difficult and that it was one of the key factors delaying diagnosis – so that’s something that needs to change.”

Three new treatments for ovarian cancer had been released in New Zealand in the last five years which had reduced the gap with Australia, she said.

But if those treatments were not funded then patients and their families had to resort to things like crowd funding or mortgaging their houses to pay for it, she said.

The report urges health decision-makers to implement the following actions:

Add ovarian cancer symptoms education to the national cervical screening programme and clarify that screening does not detect other gynaecological cancers
Amend Health Pathways to allow GPs to refer symptomatic women for an ultrasound at their first GP visit
Identify people at higher genetic risk before they get ovarian cancer
Address gynae-oncology specialist shortages
Prioritise ovarian cancer clinical trials
Increase funding and focus on ovarian cancer by the Health Research Council
Address data gaps and make accurate, real-time data more accessible across the health system
Improve medicines access and investment
Include people with lived experience, their whānau and patient advocacy groups in service design, policy and research

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/big-gaps-in-awareness-treatment-support-for-ovarian-cancer/

February 11, 2026

More work rolls in for small- and medium-sized businesses

Source: Radio New Zealand

Small- and medium-sized businesses SMEs are handling more work than usual. 123RF

Small- and medium-sized businesses SMEs are handling more work than usual, with nearly 40 percent reporting an increase in levels normally expected in the first quarter, according to a recent survey of more than 500 businesses.

The first quarter survey by accounting software firm MYOB indicates a quarter of SMEs had less work than usual in the pipeline, though there was an increase in the number expecting an increase in trade over the first three months of 2026.

Several key sectors, including 38 percent of manufacturing SMEs, 37 percent of retail businesses and 33 percent of the construction and trades businesses surveyed reported an increase in orders or work commissioned before the end of March.

MYOB chief customer officer Dean Chadwick said many SMEs were still navigating uneven demand and ongoing cost pressures, though the survey results suggested business activity for the new year had started on firmer footing.

“SMEs ended 2025 with largely steady trading conditions in the final few months of the year, though performance varied across the sector,” he said.

“While more than a quarter of businesses exceeded their sales expectations and most met their forecasts, a quarter saw a softer-than-predicted performance.”

The survey indicated SMEs were moving on their own spending plans, with 44 percent of those surveyed planning to bring forward deductible business purchases on things like supplies or equipment, before 31 March.

“We know from our research at the end of last year that many local businesses are planning to take advantage of the Investment Boost to maximise business investment this year,” he said.

“We can also see from the latest data that businesses are making good on the growth ambitions they signalled at the end of last year – not only seizing opportunities to increase sales before the end of the financial year, but also upping their own spending on plant, supplies and equipment to boost their operations.”

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/11/more-work-rolls-in-for-small-and-medium-sized-businesses/

February 11, 2026

Safety restrictions eased on four Tauranga homes after landslide

Source: Radio New Zealand

Damaged property from the landslide at Welcome Bay on 23 January. RNZ / Calvin Samuel

All four homes red-stickered in Tauranga’s Welcome Bay after a deadly landslide last month have had their safety restrictions eased.

The large slip hit neighbouring homes on Welcome Bay Road killing two people during the storm that hit the upper and eastern North Island.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council said yellow stickers had replaced the red.

“Given the land had dried out since the weather event, and the ‘additional weight’ on the land reduced, council’s consultant geotechnical engineers deemed the risk of imminent slip had reduced to a point where the properties could be accessed, under certain conditions,” it said.

Three homes had a Y2 type of sticker which allowed short-term access, and one had a more onerous Y1 which allowed access only to certain parts of a building.

It was up to the homeowners what to do next.

“Additional geotechnical investigations for affected properties will need to be undertaken by the homeowners in conjunction with their insurance companies, to identify a way forward to remove the hazards,” council duty controller Peter Watson said in a statement.

The council was not considering an inquiry, he said.

An [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/585703/tauranga-city-council-votes-for-independent-review-into-fatal-mt-maunganui-landslide

independent inquiry] is going ahead nearby under Tauranga City Council into the Mt Maunganui campground landslide that killed six people, and the government may also do an inquiry.

Last month, local resident Dawn McNaughton said there were seven slips on her property on Welcome Bay Road. Supplied

No detailed survey of landslide risks

The history of landslides in the Welcome Bay area included a geotech study in 1980 that said: “Recent subdivisions in Welcome Bay should be examined by a geotechnical engineer as the area contains many inferred landslides, which may be reactivated by urban development.”

It was titled A preliminary assessment of geological factors influencing slope stability and landslipping in and around Tauranga city.

“The site of the fatal slip was not subdivided until the 1990s, with the building having been built in the year 2000, therefore it would not have been one of the subdivisions mentioned in the report,” Watson told RNZ on Tuesday.

The council had not carried out a detailed survey or assessment of landslide risks for the parts of Welcome Bay Road in the district, he said.

“We instead require that the stability of subdivisions on sloping ground … is assessed and demonstrated by an accredited geotechnical engineer or geologist as part of the resource consent process.”

Urban and lifestyle development areas that were known to be susceptible to land instability from studies done in 1981 and 2009 became a focus, but the Welcome Bay Road properties were zoned rural and not included in these studies.

The studies provided input for its district plan hazard maps, covering:

For the latter, “the scale at which this assessment was completed does not allow analysis on a site-by-site or individual subdivision scale”, Watson said.

The Geotechnical Society has a list of geotech studies in the area.

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

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/safety-restrictions-eased-on-four-tauranga-homes-after-landslide/

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