Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer in International Studies in the School of Society and Culture, Adelaide University
Five years ago, on February 1 2021, Myanmar’s top generals decapitated the elected government. Democratic leaders were arrested, pushed underground or forced into exile.
Since then, the economy has spluttered and foreign investors have headed for the exit. The only growth industries – mostly scam centres, drugs and other criminal activities – enrich those already well-fed.
The military junta has kept its stranglehold via draconian curbs on civil and political liberties. It has bolstered its fighting forces through ruthless conscription, including of child soldiers. They now face rebellions in almost every corner of the ethnically diverse country.
It helps that the military brass can still depend on international support from Russia. China, meanwhile, is playing a careful game to ensure its interests – including prized access to the Indian Ocean for oil and gas – are secured.
And US President Donald Trump’s second term in office has introduced newly unpredictable and detrimental elements to great power politics.
The US government last year cited “notable progress in governance and stability [and] plans for free and fair elections” as justification for removing the Temporary Protected Status designation for immigrants from Myanmar. Although a federal judge blocked this decision a few days ago, this may eventually force previously protected Myanmar citizens to return home.
However, far from being free and fair, the month-long elections that just concluded in Myanmar have been devoid of meaningful democratic practice.
They will entrench the junta and provide little more than a patina of legitimacy that anti-democratic major powers will use to further normalise relations with Myanmar’s military leaders.
Myanmar’s deeply flawed election
The multi-stage elections were being held in only a fraction of the country currently under the military’s authority. Elections were not held in opposition-held territory, so many otherwise eligible voters were disenfranchised.
As such, there is no serious opposition to the military’s proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Civil and political space is also heavily restricted, with criticism of the election itself being a criminal offence.
The main opposition would be the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, which has won by a landslide in every national election it has participated in since 1990. But it has been banned, along with dozens of other opposition political parties. Its senior leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, have been imprisoned.
Despite recent military gains by the junta, supported by Russian military technology and Chinese government pressure, the lines of control may be starting to solidify into an eventual Balkanisation, or break up, of Myanmar into hostile statelets.
The prospects for a future federalised democratic Myanmar seem increasingly remote.
Since, the coup there are many areas now under full opposition control. Take, for instance, a recent declaration of independence by a breakaway ethnic Karen armed group. While they represent only one part of the Karen community in eastern Myanmar, this could well precipitate a flood of similar announcements by other ethnic minorities.
Other groups might declare themselves autonomous and seek backing from governments and commercial and security interests in neighbouring countries such as China, Thailand, India and Bangladesh.
Most neighbouring countries will be uneasy about any further fracturing of Myanmar’s territorial integrity. Some, however, see potential benefits. China, for example, supports some ethnic armed groups to protect its strategic economic assets and maintain stability and influence along its borders.
Will international rulings have any impact?
While the conflict continues at home, Myanmar’s military leadership is defending itself at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. It faces claims it committed genocide against the Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority, particularly during the massacres of 2017.
Given the disdain for international law shown by Russia, China and the Trump administration in the US, any finding against the junta will have limited practical impact anyway.
What next?
Meanwhile, some countries in the the ASEAN bloc appear to be softening their opposition to the junta.
Recently, the Philippines foreign secretary met with Myanmar’s senior military leadership in the country’s first month chairing the bloc. This highlights the conundrum faced by regional leaders.
In the years immediately after the coup, ASEAN sought to keep Myanmar’s junta at arm’s length. But a number of key ASEAN players, particularly the more authoritarian regimes in Southeast Asia, would prefer to find a way to normalise engagement with the generals.
From that perspective, the flawed elections are a chance to embrace superficial democratisation and renewal.
This leaves the Myanmar people – millions of whom have fought hard against the coup and its negative consequences – with invidious choices about how to best pursue their independence and freedom.
There is little positive economic news on the horizon. The IMF projects inflation in Myanmar will stay above 30% in 2026 with a real GDP fall of 2.7%. This would compound an almost 20% contraction since the coup. The currency is worth around one quarter of what it was five years ago at the time of the coup.
In practice, this means many Myanmar families have gone backwards dramatically. An untold number are now entangled in illicit and often highly exploitative businesses.
The military’s proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), will undoubtedly form government after the elections. But unlike the USDP-led government that formed after the similarly flawed 2010 election, this new administration is unlikely to pursue political and economic liberalisation sufficient to entice opposition forces to play along.
The people of Myanmar have now been betrayed and brutalised by the military far too often to believe their easy promises.
As a pro vice-chancellor at the University of Tasmania, Nicholas Farrelly engages with a wide range of organisations and stakeholders on educational, cultural and political issues, including at the ASEAN-Australia interface. He has previously received funding from the Australian government for Southeast Asia-related projects and from the Australian Research Council. Nicholas is on the advisory board of the ASEAN-Australia Centre, which is an Australian government body established in 2024, and also Deputy Chair of the board of NAATI, Australia’s government-owned accreditation authority for translators and interpreters. He writes in his personal capacity.
Adam Simpson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
For flowering plants, reproduction is a question of the birds and the bees. Attracting the right pollinator can be a matter of survival – and new research shows how flowers do it is more intriguing than anyone realised, and might even involve a little bit of magic.
In our new paper, published in Current Biology, we discuss how a single “magic” trait of some flowering plants simultaneously camouflages them from bees and makes them stand out brightly to birds.
How animals see
We humans typically have three types of light receptors in our eyes, which enable our rich sense of colours.
These are cells sensitive to blue, green or red light. From the input from these cells, the brain generates many colours including yellow via what is called colour opponent processing.
The way colour opponent processing works is that different sensed colours are processed by the brain in opposition. For example, we see some signals as red and some as green – but never a colour in between.
Bees see their world using cells that sense ultraviolet, blue and green light, while birds have a fourth type sensitive to red light as well.
Our colour perception illustrated with the spectral bar is different to bees that are sensitive to UV, blue and green, or birds with four colour photoreceptors including red sensitivity. Adrian Dyer & Klaus Lunau, CC BY
The problem flowering plants face
So what do these differences in colour vision have to do with plants, genetics and magic?
Flowers need to attract pollinators of the right size, so their pollen ends up on the correct part of an animal’s body so it’s efficiently flown to another flower to enable pollination.
Accordingly, birds tend to visit larger flowers. These flowers in turn need to provide large volumes of nectar for the hungry foragers.
But when large amounts of sweet-tasting nectar are on offer, there’s a risk bees will come along to feast on it – and in the process, collect valuable pollen. And this is a problem because bees are not the right size to efficiently transfer pollen between larger flowers.
Flowers “signal” to pollinators with bright colours and patterns – but these plants need a signal that will attract birds without drawing the attention of bees.
A walk through nature lets us see with our own eyes that most red flowers are visited by birds, rather than bees. So bird-pollinated flowers have successfully made the transition. Two different theories have been developed that may explain what we observe.
One theory is the bee avoidance hypotheses where bird pollinated flowers just use a colour that is hard for bees to see.
In evolutionary science, the term magic trait refers to an evolved solution where one genetic modification may yield fitness benefits in multiple ways.
Earlier this month, a team working on how this might apply to flowering plants showed that a gene that modulates UV-absorbing pigments in flower petals can indeed have multiple benefits. This is because of how bees and birds view colour signals differently.
Bee-pollinated flowers come in a diverse range of colours. Bees even pollinate some plants with red flowers. But these flowers tend to also reflect a lot of UV, which helps bees find them.
The magic gene has the effect of reducing the amount of UV light reflected from the petal, making flowers harder for bees to see. But (and this is where the magic comes in) reducing UV reflection from a petal of a red flower simultaneously makes it look redder for animals – such as birds – which are believed to have a colour opponent system.
Red flowers look similar for humans, but as flowers evolved for bird vision a genetic change down-regulates UV reflection, making flowers more colourful for birds and less visible to bees. Adrian Dyer & Klaus Lunau, CC BY
Birds that visit these bright red flowers gain rewards – and with experience, they learn to go repeatedly to the red flowers.
One small gene change for colour signalling in the UV yields multiple beneficial outcomes by avoiding bees and displaying enhanced colours to entice multiple visits from birds.
We lucky humans are fortunate that our red perception can also see the result of this clever little trick of nature to produce beautiful red flower colours. So on your next walk on a nice day, take a minute to view one of nature’s great experiments on finding a clever solution to a complex problem.
Adrian Dyer previously received funding from The Australian Research Council.
Klaus Lunau previously received funding from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Last week’s storms have caused immense damage and heartbreak for many families, including the loss of life. The death of a local school teacher has deeply affected her students, colleagues, and the wider community. Many children and parents have visited the site, and for some, the reality of what has happened is only just beginning to sink in.
Alongside the physical clean up, there is also the emotional weight that follows events like this.
For many children and teenagers, distress does not always show up straight away. It can surface days or weeks later as anxiety, withdrawal, anger, numbness, trouble sleeping, or a heavy feeling they cannot explain.
Support is available for young people who are struggling.
Through the Gumboot Friday programme, free counselling is available for ages 5 to 25. There is no cost, no GP referral required, and young people can choose their own registered counsellor.
“The loss of a teacher is something that cuts right through a community. For kids especially, it can shake their sense of safety in ways they do not always have the words for. It is important they know they do not have to carry that on their own. Getting support early can help stop those feelings from turning into something heavier later on.
And for parents and whānau, you do not need to have perfect answers. Being present, listening, and taking their worries seriously is more than enough to start with,” says I Am Hope founder Mike King.
Schools, clubs and community groups are encouraged to share the Gumboot Friday link so families know help is available.
In the weeks ahead, simple check ins, steady routines, and looking out for one another will matter more than ever.
Outgoing Blues coach Vern Cotter revealed today that his deal with the Queensland Reds was too far advanced for him to consider the now vacant All Blacks head coaching role. Cotter will leave the Blues for Brisbane at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season and said he was as surprised as anyone when he heard the news of Scott Robertson’s sacking earlier this month.
“I was a bit blindsided by the Razor thing,” said Cotter.
“Probably nobody thought that was coming. There was a review, and after two years and two years before the World Cup, that’s what happens.”
Cotter, who originally agreed to a two-year contract with the Blues and extended for this season, said that he had committed to the move to the Reds to replace Les Kiss by the time NZ Rugby (NZR) had made their decision regarding Robertson.
“We were so far down the track with the Reds, it would have been hard to make myself available for the All Blacks. It’s timing and it didn’t work out.”
The 64-year-old, who has had an extensive coaching career at both test and domestic level, admitted that things could’ve been different had they lined up better.
“I’d love to coach All Blacks – I applied in 2011. That’s a long time ago, but, but once again, I had given my word and I don’t want to go back on it. I’m not letting people down.”
Cotter said he hadn’t discussed the end of season player review, that proved so critical in Robertson’s fate, with any of his All Blacks squad members.
“What we can gather from it is that there’s a very clear idea of what they want to happen next. The (NZR) board, David Kirk and whatever. So we’re not privy to it the players aren’t really either… we certainly don’t like asking and that belongs to them and that (All Blacks) environment.
Cotter ruling himself out of contention seemingly narrows the field to Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie as likely leading candidates for the All Blacks role.
New Blues CEO Karl Budge said the process to find a replacement for Cotter was already underway.
“This has been part of planning for quite some time,” said Budge.
“So we’ve had loads of chats with Vern. He’ll tell you that timing is always pretty important, and this is a club that’s well planned out. We wanted to look out to the future and I think the work with Vern has allowed us to do that.”
Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu holds up the trophy as the Blues team celebrate winning the Super Rugby Pacific final.Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Budge praised Cotter for “teaching us how to win” after guiding the Blues to the 2024 title, their first in a full Super Rugby format in 21 years.
Meanwhile, Cotter remains focused on the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific campaign, as they try and repeat that 2024 championship run. He confirmed today that All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu will be missing from the first few rounds, with Barrett on mandatory rest and scheduled to return in round four against the Crusaders.
Tuipulotu is still recovering from a shoulder injury and is expected back by round six.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The current closure, under DOC’s Trigger Action Response Plan for Mautohe Cathedral Cove, stems from the recent extreme rain event across the North Island. Landslides and rockfalls are a known risk across the wider coastal area DOC manages, including Mautohe Cathedral Cove.
DOC’s Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says initial inspections have identified several areas of concern requiring further detailed assessment.
“Ngāti Hei contractors and DOC staff are on site starting the clean-up and assessment operations under a strict safety protocol,” Nick says.
“Independent geotechnical advisors will be on site this week to complete detailed inspections and determine next steps.”
DOC has engaged Tonkin and Taylor to carry out a geotechnical assessment at several sites: Mautohe Cathedral Cove, Opera Point and Waimata Gemstone Bay.
“We expect their initial verbal advice to be available early next week,” Nick says.
Contractors working on the reinstatement of the track to Waimata Gemstone Bay have also been withdrawn.
Nick says public safety remains DOC’s top priority.
“The tracks at Mautohe Cathedral Cove will remain closed until we’re satisfied it’s safe to reopen. This is not the time to go naturing at Mautohe Cathedral Cove.”
There is no target date for reopening the tracks to the cove – and Nick says DOC needs public support to share the message.
“We understand it’s frustrating and disappointing to have the cove closed again.
“But recent events on the East Coast and in Mt Maunganui – along with advice previously obtained by DOC – have shown the risk to public safety must be carefully managed based on reliable information.”
The cove can still be viewed or accessed from the sea but anyone planning to do this should think carefully about the risks – including the possibility of rockfall and further landslides – and whether visiting is sensible at this time.
There has also been a large landslide on the closed Hahei coastal track to Grange Rd – reinforcing the previous decision not to repair and reopen that part of the track network.
Cracking in the path near the Grange Rd look-out has expanded – signalling further potential for landslides in that area.
Opera Point, where the track was reinstated in 2025, has also been compromised with a landslip and is closed as it’s not safe to use. People should not use that track.
Nick says through investigations since the 2023 storms, DOC is aware periodic track and structure damage will continue in the Cathedral Cove Recreation Reserve due to the inherent landscape instability and high likelihood of storm events.
“We identified the most likely places to get damaged again and this recent event aligns with the landslide predictive modelling and past geotechnical analysis.
“DOC is committed to maintaining safe overland access to the Mautohe Cathedral Cove archway for as long as it remains viable while protecting the site’s natural, cultural and recreational values,” Nick says.
There is more encouraging news for those wanting to enjoy a stay in DOC’s North Coromandel campsites. They are expected to reopen this weekend, but people planning to book a site at any of the campsites should check the DOC website for alerts or contact Booking Services.
Tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove were closed in February 2023 due to extensive damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. DOC repaired the tracks through the second half of 2024, and they reopened to visitors in December 2024.
A cordon is up and armed police are in the suburb of Awapuni in Palmerston North while armed officers search for person who fled police after their vehicle’s tyres were spiked.
The police said they were told about a stolen vehicle on Main Street, Roslyn, at about midday.
It was spotted on a nearby street and officers watched the vehicle before deploying road spikes.
The driver then fled on foot, and police are trying to find them.
A gun was found in the abandoned vehicle.
A cordon is up on Alexander Street, and the public is being asked to avoid the area.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Farmers came from far and wide for the the Parapara-Makirikiri Sheep Dog Trial Club auction.supplied
Organisers of a long-standing North Island working dog auction are in disbelief after $320,000 changed hands at their latest sale.
With sheep farming riding a wave of record lamb prices and strong international demand, buyers arrived at the auction near Whanganui last Saturday with extra money in their back pockets.
Hundreds attended the annual Parapara-Makirikiri Sheep Dog Trial Club auction held on a rural property near Whangaehu which featured more than 60 dogs up for sale.
Inclement weather on the day did little to slow the bidding.
Fierce competition pushed heading dog Trix to the top price of $12,200, bettering last year’s best by nearly $3000.
Jonathan Smailes shows his 11-month-old Wedge to the crowd at the Parapara-Makirikiri Sheep Dog Trial Club auction. She sold for $9800.supplied
The top huntaway Mufasa from Taihape’s Peter Wilson sold for $10,500 – with the young farmer selling three more prized working dogs Spud, Shaggy and Queen. This topped last year’s top huntaway of $9800.
And in a strong run of prices, seven huntaways and two heading dogs sold for at least $9000 on Saturday.
Club spokesperson Brenda O’Leary said the scale of the prices had taken organisers by surprise.
“People can’t believe how much money we have turned over at the sale,” she said.
“There’s a shortage of quality farm dogs.”
O’Leary attributed some of the success of the sale to farmers having less time to break dogs in.
And top-priced Twix certainly fitted the bill.
Taihape farmer Peter Wilson said it’s hard to let your best friends go to another home.supplied
She was described in the run down as “honest, good natured, easy to work and have around”.
Mufasa meanwhile was also fully broken in and “a nice powerful dog”.
Wilson conceded it could be hard to let dogs go to a new owner.
The sun came out only briefly on the day of the sale.supplied
“I’m pretty adamant that these dogs have to go to a good home. At the end of the day they’re good mates of mine,” Wilson said.
“They do a lot for you. But when someone’s paying top dollar like they have been, they’ve got to look after them.”
On average huntaways fetched higher prices with an average of $6500.
That pipped the heading dogs average of $4700.
The event is run as a fundraiser for the Parapara-Makirikiri Sheep Dog Trial Club. O’Leary said the auction entry fee of $150 per dog will now help with the club’s running costs. She said most of the funds will be used to host their annual hill country trial held at Parikino which includes the cost of getting sheep to the trial.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
More than 10,000 more withdrawals were made from KiwiSaver for hardship reasons last year than in 2024, and providers say there’s no sign of the rate slowing.
Inland Revenue data shows there were 58,460 withdrawals for hardship reasons in 2025, 10,000 more than were made for a first home.
In total, $514.8 million was withdrawn from KiwiSaver because of hardship, and $2.1 billion for a first home.
In 2024, there were 47,390 hardship withdrawals to a total of $403.8m
Dean Anderson, founder of Kernel, said it showed the two-speed economic recovery that New Zealand was experiencing.
The level of first-home withdrawals up a third year-on-year for the month in December, while hardship withdrawals were up 12 percent.
“On one end, sustained economic pressures, both at the household level and business level – such as in the hospitality sector – have forced Kiwis who’ve exhausted other means to tap their retirement savings just to get by,” he said.
“On the other end, three years of falling house prices, plus price stabilisation through 2025, and falling interest rates have opened the door for first-home buyers – many now in their mid-to-late 30s with a decade-plus in the workforce and substantial KiwiSaver balances built up.
“Combined with government first-home support, KiwiSaver is proving a key deposit tool, and we should expect these withdrawals to keep rising as balances grow… The data underlines that KiwiSaver is serving a dual role – supporting home ownership and acting as a financial release valve for those under pressure – but that growth masks a deeper trade-off: every dollar withdrawn today is a dollar not compounding for retirement.”
Pie Funds’ chief executive Ana-Marie Lockyer said there had been no meaningful slowdown in hardship withdrawals.
“The number of approved applications has remained relatively static over the past year rather than trending down.
“That suggests financial pressure is still present for a consistent group of members, even as broader economic indicators begin to stabilise. While we’re not seeing an acceleration, we also aren’t seeing clear signs of easing yet.”
Koura founder Rupert Carlyon said he expected the rate of withdrawals to continue.
“I think there’s three things. There’s clearly the economic climate, which is making life difficult for people. I think you’ve got larger balances, which mean that people all of a sudden are starting to think about it a whole lot more.
“And then the third thing is there’s a greater awareness that you can actually make withdrawals.”
He said a big question would be whether, if there was a shift to make KiwiSaver compulsory or add incentives, the rules on withdrawals had to be tightened.
“At the moment it’s a voluntary saving scheme without any incentive, so you kind of go ‘it’s people’s money’. It’s kind of hard to argue that they can’t get it out for all this stuff. If we move into a different type of scheme, which I think is what a lot of people are starting to talk about, then yeah, what happens to all these withdrawals?”
Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson said the data showed that more New Zealanders were having to dip into KiwiSaver to deal with immediate financial pressure.
“Households are clearly under strain, but early withdrawals come at a real long-term cost because people lose the compounding investment gains that help fund a decent retirement. KiwiSaver is designed to support people later in life, so accessing it early should remain a last resort.
“Our 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies highlighted that New Zealand still lacks consistent data on the range of reasons why these withdrawals are happening. Without better information, it’s difficult to design targeted solutions to try to reduce hardship withdrawals and improve financial resilience. Better data collection is essential if we’re to protect New Zealanders’ long-term retirement outcomes.”
The logbook of presidential flights in Indonesia reveals an unusual pattern — from the Merdeka Palace to the Land of the Bird of Paradise.
By 2023, then President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had set foot in Papua at least 17 times — a record in the republic’s history, surpassing the total visits of all previous presidents combined.
Each touchdown of the presidential plane on the land of Papua or at the new airports he inaugurated was more than just a working visit. It was a statement of presence as a political message: Papua is no longer marginalised; it exists on Indonesia’s main political map.
Yet, behind the roar of the presidential plane and the welcoming traditional dances, lies a critical question: Has the physical presence of a national leader, accompanied by the rumble of massive infrastructure projects, touched the core issues of Papua?
Or has it merely become a grand symbol of integration, while social fractures, injustice, and sorrow continue to flow?
This analysis evaluates the multifaceted impact of President Jokowi’s dozen plus visits and draw crucial lessons for the new administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (Jokowi’s Son) in weaving a more just and sustainable Papuan policy.
The multidimensional impact of Jokowi’s visits From a national political perspective, the frequency of President Jokowi’s visits to Papua, was a smart and unprecedented political communication strategy. Each landing in the Melanesian land has not merely been a routine agenda but a powerful symbolic political performance.
Handshakes with tribal chiefs, meetings with traditional leaders in public arenas, and speeches amid crowds function as direct counter-narratives to long-standing issues of marginalisation and separatism.
This physical presidential presence is an undeniable visual declaration: Papua is an inseparable part of Indonesia, and the nation’s highest leader is consistently present there.
This presence serves as a potent tool of state legitimacy, shortening the psychological distance between the centre of power in Jakarta and the easternmost Melanesian region, while demonstrating the intended political commitment. However, beneath this symbolism, the legitimacy built through physical presence is temporary if not supported by real structural change.
The critical question often raised by the community, especially Indigenous Papuans (OAP), is simple yet fundamental: “After the president’s planes and helicopters leave and the protocol frenzy subsides, what has truly changed for our lives?”
The narrative of integration through presence and physical development often clashes with demands for self-determination and historical grievances still alive among indigenous Papuans, as reflected in the ongoing armed conflict in the Central Highlands, indicating that this approach has not fully addressed the deep-seated roots of dissatisfaction.
The most visible legacy of the Jokowi era in Papua is none other than the infrastructure revolution — thousands of kilometres of the Trans-Papua Road cutting through wilderness and remote mountains, the magnificent Youtefa Bridge in Jayapura, and airport modernisations like Ewer Airport in Asmat, Wamena Airport, and the construction of the trans-Wamena-Jayapura road, Wamena-Nduga road, and other physical developments.
The government’s logic is that connectivity is an absolute prerequisite for growth. With good roads, the price of necessities in the interior is expected to drop, tourism can develop, and public services like health and education can become faster and more equitable.
Data from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing indeed records significant accessibility improvements. However, behind this physical progress, reports from organisations like the Pusaka Foundation and Greenpeace Indonesia warn of massive and often overlooked ecological impacts.
The opening of certain segments of the Trans-Papua Road is judged to accelerate deforestation, threaten Papua’s unique biodiversity, and disrupt watershed areas.
More profoundly, the issue of community involvement and consent in land acquisition processes often becomes a source of new conflict, sparking tension. As Indonesian human rights activist Usman Hamid has stated, infrastructure development is like a double-edged sword: on one side, it opens isolation and shortens distances, but on the other, it paradoxically erodes customary land rights, damages the environment that is the source of their cultural life and subsistence, and ironically, is enjoyed more by new settlers with greater capital and networks.
On the socio-economic level, the government vigorously distributed various social assistance programmes such as the Indonesia Health Card (KIS), Indonesia Smart Card (KIP), and various forms of Direct Cash Assistance (BLT).
These affirmative policies aim directly at catching up on welfare gaps and, statistically, have succeeded in reducing poverty rates in cities like Jayapura, although they remain the highest nationally. Sectors like Youtefa Bay tourism also show rapid growth. However, the economic growth created is often enclave-like and not inclusive.
Maria, a small business owner in Jayapura, illustrates this reality — large infrastructure projects are handled by contractors from outside Papua, hotels and medium-scale businesses are often owned by non-Papuan investors, while local SMEs struggle to compete due to limited access to capital, training, and marketing networks.
The structural gap between OAP and non-Papuans in ownership of means of production and access to quality job opportunities remains wide. Consequently, many Papuan sons and daughters only become manual labourers or contract workers on the grand projects building their ancestral land, an irony that deepens the sense of injustice.
In the socio-cultural realm, President Jokowi’s presence, often adorned with Papuan cultural ornaments and humbly participating in traditional dances, was a powerful form of symbolic recognition. This gesture sent a national message that Papuan culture is respected and valued at the highest state level.
However, this symbolic recognition on the political stage often does not align with the daily reality in Papua. The late Papuan peace figure, Father Neles Tebay, once described that in Papuan cities, “two worlds” often coexist but do not integrate: the modern world of migrants dominating the formal sector and modern economy, and the world of indigenous communities, often marginalised in culturally insensitive development processes.
Ethnic-tinged horizontal conflicts that have occurred, such as in Jayapura and Mimika, are clear indicators of how fragile social harmony is and how deep the unresolved socio-cultural gap remains.
The darkest and most challenging point of this entire development narrative lies in human rights issues and the unending armed conflict. Although presidential visits often include a conflict resolution agenda, incidents of human rights violations and armed clashes between security forces and the TPNPB (West Papua National Liberation Army) continue to recur, with unarmed civilians often becoming trapped victims, as in the tragedies in Nduga and Intan Jaya highlighted by Komnas HAM and LBH Jakarta.
An approach relying almost solely on physical development, unaccompanied by sincere efforts towards historical reconciliation and fair, transparent law enforcement for past human rights violations, is considered by many in Papua as merely “covering a festering internal wound with a bandage”.
This unresolved historical pain and injustice continues to be the main fuel for resistance and demands for independence, proving that concrete and asphalt roads alone are not enough to build lasting peace and justice felt by all the nation’s children.
Valuable lessons for the Prabowo-Gibran era The current administration under President Prabowo Subianto and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka must not continue the Papuan policy with business as usual. The previous administration’s legacy offers a clear roadmap, as well as warnings about dead ends that must be avoided.
Four critical lessons should form the basis for transitioning from symbolic development to substantive, just transformation.
First, policy focus must undergo a paradigm shift from mere physical development towards the holistic empowerment of Papuan people. This means massive investment in quality education with curricula relevant to social contexts and local potential, as well as vocational training that equips Indigenous Papuans with skills to manage the economy on their own land.
Firm and measurable affirmative schemes must be designed to ensure Indigenous Papuans are not merely spectators, but the primary owners and managers of strategic economic sectors, from culture-based tourism and organic agriculture to creative industries.
Without this step, magnificent infrastructure will only become a channel for an extractive economy controlled by outsiders, perpetuating dependency and disparity.
Second, the government must enforce the principle of absolute harmony between development, cultural preservation, and environmental protection. Every major project, especially those touching customary lands and indigenous forest areas, must undergo credible, participatory, and legally binding Environmental and Social-Cultural Impact Assessments (AMDAL & ANDAL).
Development must no longer sacrifice local wisdom and ecosystems that are the soul and identity of Papuan society. Development models imported from Java or Sumatra must be reviewed and replaced with approaches born from dialogue with local ecology and culture, so that progress is not synonymous with environmental destruction and cultural marginalisation.
Third, this new era must open space for conflict resolution through a courageous approach of dialogue and reconciliation. The government needs to initiate inclusive dialogue involving all elements of Papuan society, including pro-independence groups willing to discuss peacefully, to address the roots of historical and structural dissatisfaction.
This complex issue has been comprehensively formulated by the Papua Peace Network. The establishment of an independent and trusted Papua Truth and Reconciliation Commission could be a monumental step to heal past wounds and build a foundation for sustainable peace, recognising that true security is born from justice.
Fourth, Special Autonomy must be revived in its meaning and spirit. A comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law, along with its trillions of rupiah in fund flows, is a necessity.
These funds must be shifted from physical projects that are often off-target to investments in enhancing the capacity, health, and economy of indigenous Papuans. More importantly, Special Autonomy must be interpreted as a political recognition of the special rights of Indigenous Papuans.
This means strengthening traditional institutions and providing real and decisive participatory space in every strategic decision-making at the provincial and district levels, so that policies are no longer felt as something imposed from Jakarta.
Ultimately, the main challenge for the Prabowo-Gibran administration is to demonstrate that commitment to Papua goes beyond rhetoric and showcase projects. Success will be measured not by the length of roads built, but by the fading of tension, the reduction of disparities, and the rise of self-confidence and economic independence among Indigenous Papuans.
Only by making these four pillars — human empowerment, harmony, dialogue, and living autonomy — the foundation of policy can Papua be truly integrated into the Republic of Indonesia in a dignified and sustainable manner.
“Only by making four pillars — human empowerment, harmony, dialogue, and living autonomy — the foundation of policy can Papua be truly integrated into the Republic of Indonesia in a dignified and sustainable manner.” Image: Laurens Ikinia/APR
A revolutionary approach model To translate the lessons from the previous era, the current administration requires a radical change in its approach model, moving from a centralised development paradigm towards participatory governance based on Papuan native institutions.
This ministry is not intended to manage regional administration, but specifically to guarantee the fulfilment of indigenous Papuans’ rights, as mandated in the Special Autonomy Law.
By placing the Governing Body for the Acceleration of Special Autonomy Development in Papua (BP3OKP) and the Papua Special Autonomy Acceleration Executive Committee under it, the government can create centralised, strong, and accountable coordination, thereby avoiding programme overlap and leakage of Special Autonomy funds.
This institutional revolution must be supported by data-based governance and authentic participation. Every policy and fund allocation, especially the massive Special Autonomy funds, must arise from rigorous data studies and in-depth dialogue with the community, rather than just technocratic planning in Jakarta.
Transparency and accountability in fund use must be guaranteed through independent oversight mechanisms that actively involve representatives of traditional councils or institutions, religious institutions, and local NGOs as watchdogs. Only then can the allocated funds truly become an instrument of change, not merely an instrument of expenditure.
Another key pillar is building equal and formal partnerships with Papuan traditional institutions, such as the Papuan Customary Council (DAP) and various stakeholders. These institutions are not merely ceremonial objects but must be recognised as strategic government partners in every stage of development, from planning and implementation to evaluation.
As socio-cultural anchors, understanding the pulse and real needs of the community, their involvement can prevent social conflict and ensure development programmes align with local wisdom and customary rights.
Furthermore, meaningful decentralisation becomes a prerequisite for success. Local governments in Papua must be given substantive authority and massive capacity building to independently manage natural resources and public services.
Moreover, the development approach must start from the grassroots, making participatory development at the village level the standard method. This method ensures that community aspirations are heard directly and the projects implemented truly address their priority needs, not merely pursuing physical targets.
Ultimately, this approach aims to reverse the traditional relationship between the central government and local governments in Papua. From a relationship that has so far seemed patron-client, to a partnership based on the sovereignty of indigenous communities and substantive justice.
Thus, development is no longer felt as something given from above, but something built together from below, creating a sense of ownership and sustainability that will become the foundation for long-term peace and prosperity in Papua.
Indonesianising in the Papuan Way Reinterpreting the term “Indonesianising” Papua is a main task for the current administration. This concept must no longer be interpreted as an assimilation process erasing distinctive identity, but must transform into an integration that respects uniqueness.
True integration is not homogenisation, but an effort to embrace diversity as a strength. In this context, Indonesia is not a single mould, but a mosaic that gains its beauty precisely from the differences of each piece. For this, a multidimensional approach grounded in four main pillars is required.
First, in the field of education, the national curriculum must become more flexible and inclusive. Enrichment with local content — such as the history and wisdom of Papuan tribes, local languages, and inherited ecological wisdom — should not be merely supplementary, but the core of the learning process.
Schools must become places where Papuan children are proud of their identity while mastering global competencies. Second, in the field of the economy, self-reliance must be built on local strengths.
Easily accessible micro-financing systems, entrepreneurship training, and strong marketing support for flagship products like Wamena arabica coffee, sago, matoa, or high-value marine products will create a sovereign economy that empowers, rather than displaces, the indigenous people.
Third, recognition at the legal level is the foundation of justice. Recognition of the customary land rights of indigenous communities in land and natural resource governance must be guaranteed and integrated into national regulations. This is a concrete step to prevent agrarian conflict and ensure development benefits return to the rightful land owners.
Fourth, building intensive cultural dialogue through student, artist, and youth exchange programs between Papua and other regions, or other countries. This direct interaction will break the chain of prejudice, build empathy, and strengthen a true sense of brotherhood as one nation.
Towards a ‘Just Papua’ The legacy from the previous period is ambivalent. On one hand, there is magnificent infrastructure and symbolic integration strengthened through physical presence; on the other, deep disappointment remains due to unbridged gaps and a persistently pulsating conflict.
The Prabowo-Gibran administration now stands at a historical crossroads. The choice is between continuing the visually spectacular yet often elitist “concrete development” model or taking a more winding yet dignified path: namely, the Papuan human empowerment model, which places indigenous Papuans as the primary subject and heir to the future of their own land.
This strategic choice will be fate-determining. It will measure, later at the end of their term, whether presidential and vice-presidential visits to Papua are still met with cold protocol performances, or with new hope and genuine smiles from a people who feel recognised, valued, and empowered.
Ultimately, genuine national integration can only be realised when Indigenous Papuans can stand tall with all their identity and dignity, not as a party being “Indonesianised,” but as fully-fledged Indonesians who also shape the face of the nation.
The future of Papua is not about becoming like others, but about being itself in the embrace of the Bird of Garuda.
Laurens Ikinia is a Papuan lecturer and researcher at the Institute of Pacific Studies, Indonesian Christian University, Jakarta. He is also an honorary member of the Asia Pacific Media Network (APMN) in Aotearoa New Zealand, and an occasional contributor to Asia Pacific Report.
Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Carolyn Cooper.Supplied
The health watchdog has criticised inadequate staffing at Ōamaru Hospital’s emergency department after investigating the death of an elderly woman.
The 93-year-old was given the wrong amount of saline as a result of a prescribing error in November 2023.
Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said while she was concerned about the care provided to the woman after multiple errors by different staff, a postmortem found the prescribing error did not cause her death.
“While I acknowledge that individual staff were involved, I consider that the workload at the time meant that staff could not carry out their respective roles adequately,” she said.
Cooper found Waitaki District Health Services, which managed the hospital at the time, bore the responsibility of ensuring safe staffing and had breached the woman’s right to health care that minimised the potential harm and optimised her quality of life.
“I am critical that the ED (emergency department) did not have adequate staffing levels to manage high patient numbers and that this had an impact on the standard of care provided to Mrs A by multiple staff,” she said.
Cooper recommended Waitaki District Health Services apologise to the woman’s family and noted the organisation had continued to recruit and employ more staff and boosted training for nursing staff on the infusion of IV fluids.
She said Waitaki had guidelines in place relating to saline but steps had been taken to make the information more widely available.
A sole doctor on a busy emergency department night shift
The woman was seen by a hospital doctor who diagnosed her with pneumonia, urinary retention and severe hyponatraemia, or abnormally low sodium levels in her blood, in November 2023.
He prescribed her 100ml of three per cent saline at a rate of 200ml per hour before his shift finished and a different doctor took over her care.
Waitaki District Health Services acknowledged to the commissioner that the emergency department was busy.
“Dr C was the sole doctor covering Ōamaru Hospital on night shift and was responsible for all ED patients, the acute medical/ward patients, arranging transfers, speaking to consultants at Dunedin Hospital, and taking phone calls from nursing homes, as Ōamaru Hospital provides all urgent care to the region after hours,” the report said.
A registered nurse found a 1000ml bag and showed it to a nursing student, who told him the chart was wrong and it should read 1000ml not 100ml.
The night shift doctor prescribed a 1000ml bag to run over 10 hours because he believed it was a more cautious approach and asked for her levels to be checked in a few hours.
The doctor acknowledged he was not overly familiar with prescribing the saline solution and told the commissioner that there were no hospital guidelines and staff had not raised any concerns about his decision.
Staff noted there was an audible crackle while she was breathing but her condition did not appear to have deteriorated and she was alert.
It was not until the night shift doctor checked her sodium levels just before the morning handover that he realised the rise was too rapid, telling nurses to stop her fluids immediately.
When her original doctor arrived at work, he realised the error and started reversing the sodium correction but the woman soon became unresponsive and died.
A postmortem found she died from pneumonia and sepsis and the sodium correction had not been too rapid.
Cooper raised concerns about the night shift doctor’s actions because he prescribed the larger saline bag despite being unfamiliar with the solution and did not look up the hospital’s guidelines.
“Severe hyponatraemia in a severely ill elderly respiratory patient is such a red flag, and ultimately Mrs A’s care was the responsibility of Dr C despite his suggestion that staff did not raise concerns on reading his prescription,” she said.
Cooper said the woman’s treatment was a moderate departure for the accepted standard of care because the prescribing error was not responsible for her death and the workload was “at the limit of what can be considered safe”.
She also criticised the shift leader and nursing student who administered the dose despite concerns the prescription was incorrect, saying the shift leader did not adequately supervise the student.
Cooper found the woman’s deteriorating condition might have been noticed earlier if her vitals had been better assessed and documented.
She recommended Health New Zealand Southern, which took over operations at Ōamaru Hospital in July 2024, provide training for emergency department staff and rural hospitals on managing abnormally low sodium levels, update the commissioner on staffing levels, confirm different saline bags were kept in separate places and show it was improving its documentation.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Ten-year-old kākāpō Marian incubating three eggs in her nest on Anchor Island.Kākāpō Recovery Programme DOC
Conservation lovers glued to a black and white livestream from a remote island off the coast of New Zealand on Sunday can safely claim to be the only people to have seen a critically endangered kākāpō lay an egg in real time.
The images beamed to the world from a large cavity beneath a rātā tree on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island showed 23-year-old Rakiura laying her second egg of the season, the product of a dalliance with Kōmaru a week earlier.
Kākāpō Cam shows Rakiura just after she laid her first egg of 2026.SUPPLIED/DOC
The pair are among just 236 of the flightless parrots alive.
More than than 20,000 people have tuned in to watch Rakiura in her nest since the feed went live on 23 January.
Kākāpō only breed every two to four years and this year’s season could the best yet following a bumper mast, or mass fruiting of rimu berries.
They are predominately based on Whenua Hou, three kilometres west of Stewart Island/Rakiura, with two other breeding populations on Fiordland’s Pukenui/Anchor Island and Te Kākāhu/Chalky Island.
Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger Jake Osborne told RNZ’s Kākāpō Files podcast that monitoring technology allowed experts to keep an eye on the eggs and learn more about the elusive parrot’s nesting behaviour.
Kākāpō technology project lead Jake Osborne working on the Kākāpō Cam set‑up.SUPPLIED/DOC
While Rakiura has returned to the same nest in each of the past seven breeding seasons, the only way to confirm she would commit this year was to wait to see if she would lay her first egg there.
He said DOC staff and volunteers were able to watch that happen on 22 January.
“We’ve all been quite thrilled to be able sit and watch her in her natural nesting behaviour and for the first time we think for anyone alive today, [watch her] lay a couple of eggs. It’s pretty cool to see in full high definition,” he said.
Kākāpō technology project lead Matt Robertson working on the Kākāpō Cam set‑up.SUPPLIED/DOC
Rakiura’s livestream did not go live until the following day, though the footage of her first egg can be seen here.
She laid another egg on on 25 January.
Kākāpō have been known to lay five eggs but Rakiura has more commonly had two to four egg clutches, usually laid about three days apart.
After mating with Kōmaru on 15 January, she was artificially inseminated on 21 January.
Osborne said getting the monitoring and streaming equipment to the remote island sanctuary was no easy task and involved a lot of effort and trial and error.
“It’s one thing to get a camera to work, it’s another thing to keep the camera working in an environment like that, with a stable connection to get enough power to run it all night and all day requires a lot of solar power, some pretty big batteries, some computers, routers, all sorts of things that let us monitor it remotely,” he said.
Osborne said Rakiura’s nest is down a dark valley, making solar power impossible, so the equipment is powered from a hill top 300 metres away.
This year’s live stream set up involved four solar panels, 26kg of batteries, 300m of cable, satellite internet, routers, voltage converters and more.
Kākāpō have also been transferred to Pukenui/Anchor Island and Te Kākāhu/Chalky Island in southwest Fiordland, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in Waikato, North Island, and Coal Island/Te Puka-Hereka. Once abundant, by the late 1800s the birds had come under attack from humans and pests.
An early bid to preserve the kākāpō saw several hundred relocated to predator-free Resolution Island in Fiordland, then wiped out when stoats arrived just years later.
By the mid-1900s, only a few birds survived in the most isolated parts of the country, according to a DOC history of efforts to save the world’s heaviest parrot.
By the late 1970s, multiple expeditions had turned up just two dozen of the birds in Fiordland, all male, but the discovery of a large population on Rakiura Stewart Island in 1977 has formed the basis of conservation efforts since.
The birds were initially evacuated to three offshore island sanctuaries, Codfish Island/Whenua Hou, Te Hoiere/Maud Island and Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island to stem attacks from feral cats which were decimating the colony.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on January 27, 2026.
Australia is turning the spotlight on financial abuse in relationships. What can NZ learn? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Barrett, Professor of Taxation and Commercial Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It’s a problem as old as marriage and money: one spouse, usually the husband, using financial control to dominate the other. From restricting spending and hiding debts, to forcing someone into
Vanuatu citizenship sales strong despite currency hassles and integrity issues By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor With all the setbacks of recent years, Vanuatu’s citizenship sale schemes should be dead in the water — instead they are thriving, and geopolitical chaos is playing a part. The citizenship-by-investment sector is the biggest single revenue earner for Vanuatu’s government, but lingering issues of integrity cast a
Most AI assistants are feminine – and it’s fuelling dangerous stereotypes and abuse Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ramona Vijeyarasa, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney In 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) voice assistants worldwide surpassed 8 billion, more than one per person on the planet. These assistants are helpful, polite – and almost always default to female. Their names also carry gendered connotations.
Does your child want a part-time job? Here’s what the law says about kids at work Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kerry Brown, Professor of Employment and Industry, School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University Boston Public Library/Unsplash For teens, a holiday or weekend job is a good way to earn pocket money and learn a new range of skills. But given the historical and ongoing exploitation
Ending duty-free tobacco sales would be good for health – and health budgets Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Getty Images Until recently, Aotearoa New Zealand led global tobacco control innovation. Evidence-based policies, including sustained tobacco excise tax increases, saw large reductions in smoking rates, which will save thousands of lives. Yet duty-free tobacco sales remain a
ChatGPT Health promises to personalise health information. It comes with many risks Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Ayre, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Sydney Health Literacy Lab, University of Sydney Many of us already use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT for health advice. They give quick, confident and personalised answers, and the experience can feel more private than speaking to a
Did the kids stay up late in the holidays? 3 ways to get sleep routines back Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yaqoot Fatima, Professor of Sleep Health, University of the Sunshine Coast Catherine Falls Commercial/ Getty Images For many families, the holidays mean sleep routines go out the window. Bedtimes drift later, screens stay on into the late evening, sleep-ins become the norm. But as term time rolls
Back to school: what are the money lessons to teach your kids at every age? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angel Zhong, Professor of Finance, RMIT University Atlantic Ambience/Pexels As parents prepare for another school year, there’s one subject that often gets overlooked: money. Financial literacy isn’t just about numbers. It’s about building skills that will shape your child’s future decisions, from buying their first car to
In ancient Mesopotamia, what was a ziggurat? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides, Associate Professor in Ancient History, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Macquarie University The ziggurat of Ur is in modern-day Iraq. حسن/Unsplash A ziggurat (also spelled ziqqurat) was a raised platform with four sloping sides that looked like a tiered pyramid. Ziggurats were common in ancient
Why the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis is so significant – expert Q&A Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Shanahan, Associate Professor of Political Engagement, University of Surrey Federal immigration agents in the city of Minneapolis are accused of having wrestled a 37-year-old intensive care nurse called Alex Pretti to the ground and then shooting him dead. The killing took place just over a mile
Shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis has put America’s gun lobby at odds with the White House Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer in History and International Studies, Leiden University Another US citizen has allegedly been killed by immigration agents in Minnesota, raising tensions between state and federal governments. The actions of the federal agencies involved has drawn fierce criticism not only from former Democratic presidents Barack
Eroding trust in Fiji politics – lessons of 2025 and beyond ANALYSIS: By Shailendra B. Singh “You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.” Although made in an American context, this observation by President Harry S. Truman has universal appeal. It highlights the unpredictable and treacherous nature of politics, whether it’s the chameleon-like antics of politicians or the fickleness of voters. The precariousness of politics
Chris Hedges: We sowed the wind, now we will reap the whirlwind COMMENTARY: By Chris Hedges The murders of unarmed civilians on the streets of Minneapolis, including the killing of the intensive-care nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti, would not come as a shock to Iraqis in Fallujah or Afghans in Helmand province. They were terrorised by heavily armed American execution squads for decades. It would not come as
The Government has announced a $1 million Marae Emergency Response Fund to reimburse marae for welfare support provided during recent severe weather events across the Upper North Island, allowing them to replenish resources and build resilience.
Between 20 and 23 January, flooding and landslips caused widespread disruption across Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Tairāwhiti, with marae opening their doors to evacuees, stranded travellers and isolated residents, often among the first to activate, says Mr Potaka.
“At least 20 marae across five regions activated to support their communities, providing kai, shelter, power and essential support to anyone who needed it.
“This fund ensures marae are not left carrying the costs of that mahi allowing them to replenish what was used, recover from the immediate response, and continue to build their resilience for future events.”
The $1 million allocation has been added to the Māori Development Fund, enabling Te Puni Kōkiri to provide one-off reimbursement grants to marae that delivered welfare support during the January 2026 severe weather event.
Marae or related organisations that provided welfare support can apply for reimbursement grants by contacting their regional Te Puni Kōkiri office to begin the process.
Funding can be used to cover eligible costs incurred while supporting communities, including food, accommodation, utilities and other essential welfare expenses.
“I want to acknowledge and thank the marae, volunteers and communities who stood up for others during these events. Their leadership, Manaakitanga, and care had made and continue to make a real difference,” Mr Potaka says.
Just before 9.30am on Thursday, a large landslide came down from Mauao at Mount Maunganui, following a sustained period of heavy rain.
The landslide slipped down into the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, and shortly after it became apparent that several people were unaccounted for.
FENZ, Police and ambulance teams immediately got to work on the rescue operation to save the people who were missing in the landslide.
For three long days, everyone in the country was longing for a miracle.
None more so than the families of the missing people – who endured the agony of knowing where their family member was yet being unable to reach them.
On Saturday, we were devastated to receive the news we had all been dreading.
Police confirmed that the six missing people could not have survived, and the rescue operation would therefore move to a recovery.
Sharon, Max, Lisa, Jacqualine, Susan and Måns. People just like us – grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sons, sisters, and brothers.
This is a tragedy for the families, and for the communities of Mount Maunganui and the wider Bay of Plenty.
Mount Maunganui is a place where many people have made happy memories. Every summer, it attracts visitors from across New Zealand and from overseas.
It’s not hard to see why – with the beautiful beach, the friendly locals and, of course, Mauao.
Mauao welcomes hundreds of people every day, who want to experience nature and the fresh air, watch the sunrise, connect with their friends, process and gain perspective on the challenges of daily life, and take in the spectacular views at the top.
It was described over and over to me by locals as a place of great “joy and wellbeing” that grounds them.
The Beachside Holiday Park at the base of Mauao has to be one of the best spots in the country to spend your summer.
It is a particular cruelty of this awful event that families have gone from the happiness of a summer holiday in this Kiwi campground, to facing the unimaginable grief of so suddenly and unexpectedly losing a loved family member.
Some of those who we lost were far from home, and I thank locals and Police who have given everything to support the families over these long and painful days since the landslide occurred.
I want to acknowledge and thank everyone involved in the recovery operation, including our incredible FENZ, Police DVI and contractor teams who have been working tirelessly on what is a very confronting and challenging scene.
I also want to thank our first responders and the brave local heroes who put themselves in harm’s way to try to help others in the initial aftermath of the landslide.
To those on the front line and supporting in the background – emergency services, medical staff, iwi, community leaders, and volunteers – thank you for your professionalism, your care, and your strength.
Maximum efforts are ongoing to recover all six people and return them to their families so that they can begin the sad task of preparing to farewell them appropriately.
Sadly, two other families have lost their loved ones through these recent weather events.
Another family is still waiting for news after a man went missing in a river near Opotiki.
To the family who lost their beloved boy and his grandmother in the landslide at Welcome Bay;
And to the family of the man who was lost in the flooded Mahurangi River, and the family of the man who remains missing near Opotiki:
Our hearts and our thoughts are with you too.
My thoughts are also with those who have lost their homes, their farms, their livelihoods and all their possessions in floods and landslides.
Five regions declared states of emergency last week – Whangarei, Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti.
Response and recovery operations are underway in each region, and I want to commend everyone involved.
I have seen the huge efforts going into the response, from central and local government, iwi, and community organisations.
I’ve also seen and heard stories about Kiwis helping their neighbours, marae opening their doors to the community, and people delivering food to emergency service personnel who are working 24 hours.
It is an unfortunate reality that we continue to have these extreme weather events, but each time our response gets better and faster.
And each time, we see the very best of New Zealanders.
There is much work to be done over the coming days and weeks, with the immediate focus being on supporting those families and individuals who have been displaced.
Our Government is committed to doing what is needed, working with councils and communities on the recovery and rebuild.
I want to end by acknowledging again the nine lives lost in these recent weather events, and the heartbreak their whānau and loved ones are carrying.
Though I know it does not ease your pain or sorrow, to the families who have lost loved ones in this tragedy, I want you to know this:
The whole country is with you. Every New Zealander is grieving with you.
While we cannot take away your pain, we can carry some of its weight alongside you.
As the scripture says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
That comfort comes through community, through presence, through aroha, and through looking after one another in the days ahead.
The woman was sent to the maternity ward at Waitākere Hospital in West Auckland.RNZ / Dan Cook
A woman’s baby was stillborn after multiple errors were made and risk factors overlooked in a stretched Auckland health system.
The Health and Disability Commission said the baby’s parents were failed by Health NZ Waitematā, which runs Waitākere and North Shore hospitals.
The woman had repeatedly raised worries with health staff before she lost her baby at 38 weeks pregnant in 2021.
Deputy commissioner Rose Wall’s report outlined how, at various times in her pregnancy, risks were not properly acted on.
They included the woman’s large uterine fibroid, the baby’s small size, a small amount of amniotic fluid, and abnormal heartbeat at hospital.
The situation escalated when she went to hospital at about 38 weeks pregnant, worried about a lack of movement.
After monitoring, she was sent home but returned the next day. Her baby had died.
The woman told the commission the lack of attention, repeated mistakes and poor communication caused “irreparable harm”.
“These human errors ultimately led to the death of my baby,” the woman told the commission.
Deputy commissioner Rose Wall.LANCE LAWSON / SUPPLIED
“I did everything I could to raise concerns and advocate for my wellbeing and that of my baby, but I was not heard … This has not only been a clinical failure but a deeply personal tragedy that has left lasting emotional and psychological damage.”
The mistakes began early, shortly after the woman was found to have a large fibroid – a benign uterine growth that is often harmless but usually needs extra monitoring.
Her midwife referred her to an obstetrician – but not enough plans were made to monitor the baby’s growth in the weeks to come.
If that had happened, the baby’s small size may well have been identified early, Wall said in her report.
The woman told the commission she had repeatedly asked for an ultrasound from 28 weeks gestation but her midwife did not refer her until 37 weeks when the midwife became concerned about the baby’s growth.
It took 10 days to get an emergency ultrasound.
That scan showed the baby was small and had a low amount of amniotic fluid but the radiologist’s report contradicted itself, saying in one place that the fluid was normal and in others that it was low.
The next day, the woman told the midwife she had not felt her baby move since the scan.
What happened at hospital
The woman’s midwife rang the hospital to tell them the woman was on her way, having warned her she may need to be induced or have a caeserean.
She went to Waitākere Hospital where the baby’s heart was monitored.
It was found to be normal in general but there had been one instance of it dropping suddenly and recovering slowly.
After more monitoring, the heartbeat returned to normal and the woman was sent home. She was told to come back two days later for further monitoring unless she was concerned before that.
But the next day she returned because she could not feel her baby move.
The registrar did an ultrasound and could not find a heartbeat.
“Sadly, Baby A had died,” the report said.
Fault with Health NZ
Deputy commissioner Rose Wall said care provided to the mother by Health NZ Waitematā was inadequate.
“No action was taken in light of the large fibroid; information that was provided by the [woman’s midwife] was not passed on; there was a failure to recognise that a normal-sized baby was unlikely to have low amniotic fluid volume; and it was not recognised that Baby A was a small for gestational age baby because the estimated fetal weight was plotted … incorrectly,” she said.
“These errors were made by multiple staff, for which I hold Health NZ Waitematā responsible.”
An expert who reviewed the case found the woman’s midwife had repeatedly tried to communicate to hospital staff about the baby’s risk factors – including when the hospital sent her home.
There were multiple chances to identify that the baby was small, the expert said.
“He said that if it was known that Baby A was small, then the clinical management of the acute presentation would have been different, as an small for gestational age baby with reduced fetal movements, low amniotic fluid volume, and an abnormal [heart scan] would have led to admission, if not delivery,” the report said.
Wall also criticised the radiologist for including contradicting information about the amniotic fluid in her report.
A stretched hospital
The woman would ordinarily have been sent to North Shore Hospital but it was too full when her midwife called so she was sent to the smaller maternity unit at Waitākere.
The senior obstetrician at Waitākere that day told the commission they were not consulted or informed about the diversion order.
“They became aware of it only when patients started to arrive from North Shore Hospital,” the report said.
There was normally only one senior obstetrician on duty there, but she requested back up and Health NZ had sent a junior doctor to help.
Health NZ responds
Health NZ said it fully accepted the findings and recommendations in the report.
Its director of operations at Waitematā, Brad Healey, said it aimed to provide excellent healthcare and was deeply sorry it did not in this case.
“We have apologised to our patient for the failings identified in the report, the ongoing distress and acknowledged that this apology is likely to be of limited comfort after such a tragic loss,” he said.
Health NZ Waitematā had made process changes including to ensure abnormal findings or urgent issues are escalated as soon as possible, he said.
The commission’s report said the organisation also had contingency plans in place if maternity patients had to be diverted to other hospitals.
The mother told the commission she wanted to see change.
“I hope that this reaches the outcome it deserves so that no other mother or family has to experience the same preventable heartbreak,” she said.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
A woman who arrived at Christchurch Hospital’s emergency department in acute pain died the next day after staff missed signs she had sepsis.
The 65-year-old patient died of urosepsis, a life-threatening complication of a urinary tract infection, in January 2022.
In a report released on Tuesday, deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Carolyn Cooper said the hospital failed to provide reasonable care, making “severe departures from standard practice”.
“I concur that there was a failure to recognise urosepsis in a timely way, which subsequently led to a lack of appropriate treatment being provided to [the woman],” she said.
Health NZ completed an adverse event review (AER) into the woman’s care and also found delays in the recognition and treatment of urosepsis.
The report said the woman had a history of high blood pressure and Crohn’s disease, with a previous bowel resection, small bowel obstructions and a kidney stone.
The woman was diagnosed with renal colic after being assessed in the ED and given pain relief.
She was then transferred to the hospital’s urology unit.
The report said the woman was experiencing prolonged hypertension by the next morning.
“Throughout the day, [the woman] received intravenous fluid boluses as the primary intervention for her hypotension. However, her [high blood pressure] did not respond to this adequately,” the report said.
“The AER found that a lack of response or improvement from the fluid should have triggered a challenge of the diagnosis and consideration of other possible differential diagnoses or causes. However, this did not occur.”
Medical reviews at the time suggested the woman’s hypotension may have been due to the effects of the pain relief.
Clinicians noted the woman was “chirpy and chatty” throughout the day and that she did not have a fever but clinical notes also recorded instances of the woman shivering, a symptom of sepsis, the report said.
“The AER found that clinical staff exhibited anchoring bias – that is, there was an over-reliance on the absence of a fever, which normally is present in urosepsis, despite the lack of improvement over the day,” the report said.
“While the nurse in charge, the house officer, and the registrar were informed of [the woman’s] deterioration, there is no evidence of a senior medical officer consultation (after the initial ward round at 8am), consideration of involvement of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team, or a rapid response call being made when [the woman’s] observations were in the red and blue zone, as required by the mandatory escalation pathway.”
The deputy commissioner found an “early warning score” chart had several incomplete observations throughout the day, with the total score also not recorded, which was not in line with Health NZ policy.
Cooper criticised Health NZ’s failure to follow its mandatory escalation and urosepsis policies and the renal colic protocol.
“Had these policies been adhered to, the delay in the diagnosis of urosepsis may have been avoided,” she said.
Cooper recommended Health NZ Waitaha Canterbury apologise to the woman’s family.
She also recommended developing an education and training plan for staff around diagnosing urosepsis and the importance of medical documentation.
Health NZ told the commissioner it had changed its renal colic protocols to highlight the need to consider an alternative diagnosis, run an education refresher on sepsis and run an education session for urology nurses.
Health NZ has been contacted for comment.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
A man, who turned himself into to police on Christmas Day in relation to an ongoing double homicide investigation in Ruatiti, has pleaded not guilty to two unrelated charges.
The man, who’s identity is supressed for legal reasons, was not required to appear in the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday and made the plea via his lawyer.
The nature of the charges he faced was also suppressed.
It was the man’s second appearance in recent days.
On Friday, he appeared before a bail hearing.
All details of that hearing are also suppressed.
The man was due to reappear for a case review hearing in March.
The bodies of 56-year-old Brendon Leigh Cole and 54-year-old Trina Michelle Cole were found at a rural property in Ruatiti, west of Ruapehu, on 13 December.
No charges had been laid in relation to their deaths, and the homicide investigation is ongoing.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the first stage of Government support for initial recovery efforts in the regions affected by last week’s severe weather event.
“The impact has been devastating for many people, particularly those who have tragically lost loved ones at Mount Maunganui, Welcome Bay and Warkworth,” Mr Luxon says.
“Over the last few days, I have visited a number of communities and seen the devastation first-hand.
“Our priority is finding accommodation for those who have been displaced. I am advised there are around 500 people across the North Island who are displaced and assessments are ongoing. The Government has activated the Temporary Accommodation Service to help those people access temporary housing.
“We are focused on getting supplies into communities that are currently cut off while we clear the slips and assess the damage to the roads. State Highway 35 (East Coast) and State Highway 25 (Coromandel) have both suffered significant damage and will take some time to repair. KiwiRail is also assessing its lines.
“Health NZ is monitoring the impact on the health system and supporting people experiencing mental distress, while the Ministry of Social Development is working with people who need financial support.”
The Government is making available $1.2 million to support affected regions with immediate and pressing needs through Mayoral Relief Funds, on top of the annual government contribution that has already been made to these funds.
“A further $1 million will reimburse marae that provided welfare in response to this event, and allow them to replenish and continue to build their resilience. Marae have been exceptional in the way they have stepped up to help their communities, providing shelter, food and care to people in need,” Mr Luxon says.
There is also existing funding across government that is available to support recovery effects in response to natural hazards and weather events. That includes, for example:
The Natural Hazards Commission which has up to $700 million available for claims from this event.
The New Zealand Transport Agency which has over $700 million allocated for emergency work on local roads and state highways for the 2024-2027 NLTF period.
The Ministry for the Environment has $7.2 million to help local authorities clear emergency waste.
The Ministry of Primary Industries Rural Support Trusts have funding to support rural communities.
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell says more support will be available once assessments of the damage have been completed.
“While this event is not on the scale of Cyclone Gabrielle in terms of the number of people affected, for those who have been affected the impact is significant and we will make sure they’re properly supported to get back on their feet,” Mr Mitchell says.
The Prime Minister also announced today that he has appointed Hon Chris Penk as Associate Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery.
“The severity of last week’s weather means the recovery is going to take some time,” Mr Luxon says.
“Chris Penk will support Mark Mitchell by leading the coordination of the Government’s response. He will have responsibility for bringing together government agencies to ensure a joined-up response.
“I have also asked that the Associate Minister bring advice back to Cabinet on the potential scope of a government inquiry into the events at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park last Thursday.
“I believe there is a strong case for an independent government inquiry. Establishing the facts is not only what the families of those who lost their lives deserve, but also important to help ensure lessons are learned to prevent similar tragedies in future.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Barrett, Professor of Taxation and Commercial Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
It’s a problem as old as marriage and money: one spouse, usually the husband, using financial control to dominate the other.
From restricting spending and hiding debts, to forcing someone into legal or financial arrangements they don’t understand, financial abuse has long been a tool of power and coercion within intimate relationships.
While laws that once treated married women as legal minors have been dismantled, financial abuse remains widespread – and largely hidden. Increasingly, it is being recognised not just as a private harm, but as a systemic one, shaped by legal, tax and corporate systems.
There is no reason to expect the problem is any less severe in New Zealand and the case for closer investigation and policy attention is just as compelling.
As Australia moves to reform its systems, the question for New Zealand is what lessons can – and can’t – be imported.
What is financial abuse?
Broadly, financial abuse can include stealing money or property, failing to repay loans, or coercing someone into handing over assets or selling property for another’s benefit.
Unlike in New Zealand, Australia has a dedicated Tax Ombudsman with statutory powers to investigate whether tax administration benefits the community.
The Australian Treasury has also launched a public consultation on tackling financial abuse linked to coerced or fraudulent company directorships.
Together, these initiatives signal growing concern about how legal and financial systems can inadvertently enable abuse, even as the true scale of the problem remains unclear.
One particular issue stands out: fraudulent or coerced directorships, in which people are unknowingly or unwillingly made legally responsible for companies they do not run.
Under Australian law, this can carry severe financial consequences. While the Australian Tax Office is normally treated as an ordinary creditor when a company is liquidated, it also has the power to issue a director penalty notice, which can make company directors personally liable for unpaid tax.
In some cases, this liability takes immediate effect. In others, directors have just 21 days to pay outstanding PAYG (equivalent to PAYE in New Zealand), GST and superannuation debts before enforcement begins.
While these strictly enforced penalty notices act as a strong deterrent to directors who genuinely control companies, they can be highly problematic for innocent people who have been coerced into directorships or appointed without their knowledge.
Consider the example of “Anna”. After she receives a large inheritance, Anna’s husband sets up a company and secretly appoints her as its sole director, without taking on that role himself.
When the business runs into financial trouble and fails to pass on tax deducted from employees’ wages, Anna – who has had no involvement in running the company – becomes personally liable.
Because she is listed as the director, the Australian Tax Office can issue her with a director penalty notice, putting her inheritance and personal assets at immediate risk.
What this means for New Zealand
Different rules apply in New Zealand. Inland Revenue currently has no equivalent power to issue director penalty notices and must generally rely on the liquidation process to recover unpaid tax from insolvent companies.
While the tax department ranks ahead of many creditors, personal liability for directors arises only if a court considers it just: a high threshold.
In practice, it is highly unlikely a court would order compensation from someone who played no role in managing a company and was coerced into becoming, or fraudulently appointed as, a director.
This suggests that the specific weaponisation of company directorships observed in Australia may be far less prevalent in New Zealand. But it does not mean financial abuse is any less common, only that it may operate through different legal and institutional pathways.
Indeed, New Zealand company law arguably treats dishonest directors too leniently, while Australia’s tougher enforcement regime highlights how blunt legal instruments can unintentionally compound harm for abuse victims.
Recent Australian investigations acknowledge this tension, but also reveal how difficult it is to design systems that deter wrongdoing without trapping the innocent.
In New Zealand, we know that financial abuse is common – it is a normal consequence of a power imbalance in an intimate relationship. But we must also understand how it is happening before it can be alleviated. Australian experience doesn’t provide simple answers.
Jonathan Barrett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
