Category: MIL-OSI

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Voluntary assisted dying isn’t available to all Australians. In 2026, this may finally change

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben White, Professor of End-of-Life Law and Regulation, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology

Voluntary assisted dying is now available almost everywhere in Australia. This means eligible adults can choose to end their lives with medical assistance.

In November 2025, the Australian Capital Territory voluntary assisted dying laws came into effect.

Of the states and territories, this leaves only the Northern Territory without voluntary assisted dying.

But the NT looks set to change its laws mid-year – and other states are reviewing their current legislation.

Here’s what to expect in 2026.

What might change in the NT this year?

In September 2025, a NT parliamentary committee recommended introducing voluntary assisted dying. It provided drafting instructions for a new bill to be written.

As 2026 began, the NT government announced it would introduce a voluntary assisted dying bill, set to be tabled mid-year. This will be decided by a conscience vote, as occurred elsewhere in Australia.

If the bill follows the national trend, it will pass. But local factors will be significant in the parliamentary debates and may influence how the law is written or implemented.

For example, the NT’s small population is spread out over a large expanse, and it has a higher proportion of Indigenous residents (30%) than other jurisdictions.

If a bill does pass, the laws are unlikely to come into effect for some time, to allow for the system to be properly set up. Based on timeframes elsewhere, territorians would likely have access to voluntary assisted dying in early 2028.

Will this ‘nationalise’ voluntary assisted dying?

Until now, voluntary assisted dying has largely been a matter for the separate states and territories. This has meant strict residency requirements in jurisdictions that allow it.

Currently, these requirements limit voluntary assisted dying access to people who have lived in the particular state or territory for a specified period (although there are some exemptions).

But if the NT joins the rest of the country and voluntary assisted dying is permitted nation-wide, these requirements are not needed.

Commonwealth law also currently bans using telehealth to discuss or arrange voluntary assisted dying for patients. This is due to pre-existing criminal legislation related to “suicide” – not specifically intended to apply to voluntary assisted dying.

There is a very simple legislative fix for this problem: explicitly stating that the ban does not apply to voluntary assisted dying consultations.

But it has not been on the federal political agenda. If voluntary assisted dying becomes available nationally, it will be harder to justify why this barrier remains.

What about existing laws?

Mandatory reviews of voluntary assisted dying laws may mean further changes are ahead.

Victoria was the first Australian state to introduce voluntary assisted dying, in 2017, and still has the most conservative model. It was also the first Australian state to review its law.

In late 2025, Victoria made some legislative amendments to improve access. Some of these changes, which will come into force in April 2027, include:

  • allowing doctors to raise voluntary assisted dying with a patient (previously prohibited)

  • extending the expected time until death 12 months for all conditions

  • requiring conscientiously objecting medical and nurse practitioners to provide information about voluntary assisted dying to patients who ask about it.

These reforms will bring Victorian laws in line with some of the other Australian jurisdictions.

Western Australia has also completed its first review. This recommended changes to policy and practice to improve access and support for eligible people and voluntary assisted dying providers. In 2026, Tasmania, Queensland and New South Wales will also be reviewing their laws.

Significantly, the Queensland review will examine the eligibility criteria (who may access voluntary assisted dying). This was not a requirement of the Victorian and Western Australian reviews.

Law reform may also occur outside these mandatory reviews. In late 2025, the New South Wales parliament considered a proposal which would make it easier for residential facilities that object to voluntary assisted dying – including aged care facilities – to prevent it happening onsite.

This bill did not progress, but the issue remains contested.

What else will be on the agenda in 2026?

The ACT’s new laws give specific powers to nurse practitioners – in line with Canada, but a first in Australia. They are permitted to be one of the two required practitioners to assess eligibility (the other must be a doctor).

The ACT is also unique in not requiring someone to have a specific expected timeframe until death to be eligible. In other states, this is six or 12 months.

Still, we expect the types of conditions people will access voluntary assisted dying for will be similar to other jurisdictions. But ongoing monitoring of how the system is working in the ACT, and who is accessing it, will be important.

It is likely access for people with dementia will also continue to be debated in 2026.

Dementia is now the leading cause of death in Australia.

Unlike some other countries such as the Netherlands, Australia practically excludes access for people with dementia. While there are sustained public calls to change this, it is a complex issue that raises several ethical and practical challenges, including the time at which voluntary assisted dying should be available.

Voluntary assisted dying is now lawful and being accessed across most – and soon, potentially all – of the country. The focus will shift to improving current laws and systems.

These deliberations must be informed by evidence and public consultation. We need to ensure voluntary assisted dying remains safe, but also accessible, to people who are eligible.

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Katherine Waller to this article.

Ben White has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, Commonwealth and state governments, and philanthropic organisations for research and training about the law, policy and practice relating to end-of-life care. In relation to voluntary assisted dying, he (with colleagues) has been engaged by the Victorian, Western Australian and Queensland governments to design and provide the legislatively mandated training for health practitioners involved in voluntary assisted dying in those states. He was appointed as an Expert Legal Advisor to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory for its report on voluntary assisted dying and (with colleagues) developed the accompanying drafting instructions. He was also engaged (with colleagues) to provide a research report to support the Western Australian review of the voluntary assisted dying laws. He is a member of the Tasmanian Panel for the review of the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Act 2021. He (with Lindy Willmott) developed a model bill for voluntary assisted dying for parliaments to consider. Ben is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project number FT190100410: Enhancing End-of-Life Decision-Making: Optimal Regulation of Voluntary Assisted Dying) funded by the Australian government. He is also a Chief Investigator on a current Australian Research Council Linkage Project on voluntary assisted dying (partnering with Voluntary Assisted Dying (Review) Boards and/or Departments of Health in five Australian States.

Casey Haining was previously engaged as a legal writer for the Mandatory Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Training. She was also the appointed research fellow for the review of Western Australia’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2019 (WA). She was also previously engaged as a research fellow on the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship project, Enhancing End-of-Life Decision-Making: Optimal Regulation of Voluntary Assisted Dying (project number FT190100410).

Katrine Del Villar was part of the team engaged by the Western Australian and Queensland governments to design and provide the legislatively mandated training for health practitioners involved in voluntary assisted dying in those states. She was part of the team engaged by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory to develop drafting instructions for its report on voluntary assisted dying.

Madeleine Archer was part of the team engaged by the Victorian, Western Australian and Queensland governments to design and provide the legislatively mandated training for health practitioners involved in voluntary assisted dying in those states. She was part of the team engaged by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory to develop drafting instructions for its report on voluntary assisted dying. Madeleine worked on the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project number FT190100410: Enhancing End-of-Life Decision-Making: Optimal Regulation of Voluntary Assisted Dying) funded by the Australian government. 

– ref. Voluntary assisted dying isn’t available to all Australians. In 2026, this may finally change – https://theconversation.com/voluntary-assisted-dying-isnt-available-to-all-australians-in-2026-this-may-finally-change-269098

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/04/voluntary-assisted-dying-isnt-available-to-all-australians-in-2026-this-may-finally-change-269098/

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I studied 10 years of Instagram posts. Here’s how social media has changed

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Associate Professor of Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

Antoine Beauvillain/Unsplash

Instagram is one of Australia’s most popular social media platforms. Almost two in three Aussies have an account.

Ushering in 2026 and what he calls “synthetic everything” on our feeds, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri has signalled the platform will likely adjust its algorithms to surface more original content instead of AI slop.

Finding ways to tackle widespread AI content is the latest in a long series of shifts Instagram has undergone over the past decade. Some are obvious and others are more subtle. But all affect user experience and behaviour, and, more broadly, how we see and understand the online social world.

To identify some of these patterns, I examined ten years’ worth of Instagram posts from a single account (@australianassociatedpress) for an upcoming study.

This involved looking at nearly 2,000 posts and more than 5,000 media assets. I selected the AAP account as an example of a noteworthy Australian account with public service value.

I found six key shifts over this timeframe. Although user practices vary, this analysis provides a glimpse into some larger ways the AAP account – and social media more broadly – has been changing in the past decade.

Reflecting on some of these changes also provides hints at how social media might change in the future, and what that means for society.

1. Media orientations have shifted

When it launched in 2010, Instagram quickly became known as the platform that re-popularised the square image format. Square photography has been around for more than 100 years but its popularity waned in the 1980s when newer cameras made the non-square rectangular format dominant.

Instagram forced users to post square images for the platform’s first five years. However, the balance between square and horizontal images has given way to vertical media over time.

On the AAP account that shift happened over the last two years, with 84.4% of all its posts now in vertical orientation.

The use of media in vertical orientation spiked on the AAP Instagram account in 2025.
T.J. Thomson

2. Media types have changed

As with orientations, the media types being posted have also changed. This is due, in part, to platform affordances: what the platform allows or enables a user to do.

As an example, Instagram didn’t allow users to post videos until 2013, three years after the platform started. It added the option to post “stories” (short-lived image/video posts of up to 15 seconds) and live broadcasts in 2016. Reels (longer-lasting videos of up to 90 seconds) came later in 2020.

Some accounts are more video-heavy than others, to try to compete with other video-heavy platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. But we can see a larger trend in the shift from single-image posts to multi-asset posts. Instagram calls these “carousels”, a feature introduced in 2017.

The AAP went from publishing just single-image posts in the first years of the account to gradually using more carousels. In the most recent year, they accounted for 85.9% of all posts.

Following the introduction of carousel posts on Instagram in 2017, the AAP account’s use of them peaked in 2025 with 85.9% of all posts.
T.J. Thomson

3. Media are becoming more multimodal

A typical Instagram account grid from the mid-2000s had a mix of carefully curated photographs that were clean, colourful and simple in composition.

Fast-forward a decade, and posts have become much more multimodal. Text is being overlaid on images and videos and the compositions are mixing media types more frequently.

A snapshot of an Instagram account’s grid from late 2015 and early 2016 showed colourful photos, engaging use of light, and strategic use of camera settings to capture motion.
@australianassociatedpress

There are subtitles on videos, labels on photos, quote cards, and “headline” posts that try to tell a mini story on the post itself without the user having to read the accompanying post description.

On the AAP account, the proportion of text on posts never rose above 10% between 2015 and 2024. Then, in 2025, it skyrocketed to being on 84.4% of its posts.

In 2025, posts on Instagram had become much more multimodal. Instead of just one single photo, the use of carousel posts is much more common, as is the overlaying of words onto images and videos.
@australianassociatedpress

4. User practices change

Over time, user practices have also changed in response to cultural trends and changes of the platform design itself.

An example of this is social media accounts starting to insert hashtags in a post comment rather than directly in the post description. This is supposed to help the post’s algorithmic ranking.

Many social media users have started putting hashtags in a comment rather than including them in the post description.
@australianassociatedpress

Another key change over this timeframe was Instagram’s decision in 2019 to hide “likes” on posts. The thinking behind this decision was to try to reduce the pressure on account owners to make content that was driven by the number of “like” interactions a post received. It was also hypothesised to help with users’ mental health.

In 2021, Instagram left it up to users to decide whether to show or hide “likes” on their account’s posts.

5. The platform became more commercialised

Instagram introduced a Shop tab in 2020 – users could now buy things without leaving the app.

The number of ads, sponsored posts, and suggested accounts has increased over time. Looking through your own feed, you might find that one-third to one-half of the content you now encounter was paid for.

6. The user experience shifts with algorithms and AI

Instagram introduced its “ranked feed” back in 2016. This meant that rather than seeing content in reverse chronological order, users would see content that an algorithm thought users would be interested in. These algorithms consider aspects such as account owner behaviour (view time, “likes”, comments) and what other users find engaging.

An option to opt back in to a reverse chronological feed was then introduced in 2022.

Example of a direct message transformed into AI images with the feature on Instagram.
T.J. Thomson

To compete with apps such as Snapchat, Instagram introduced augmented reality effects on the platform in 2017.

It also introduced AI-powered search in 2023, and has experimented with AI-powered profiles and other features. One of these is turning the content of a direct message into an AI image.

Looking ahead

Overall, we see more convergence and homogenisation.

Social media platforms are looking more similar as they seek to replicate the features of competitors. Media formats are looking more similar as the design of smartphones and software favour vertical media. Compositions are looking more multimodal as type, audio, still imagery, and video are increasingly mixed.

And, with the corresponding rise of AI-generated content, users’ hunger for authenticity might grow even more.

T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliate with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society.

– ref. I studied 10 years of Instagram posts. Here’s how social media has changed – https://theconversation.com/i-studied-10-years-of-instagram-posts-heres-how-social-media-has-changed-272898

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/04/i-studied-10-years-of-instagram-posts-heres-how-social-media-has-changed-272898/

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Olives have been essential to life in Italy for at least 6,000 years – far longer than we thought

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emlyn Dodd, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies, Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London; Macquarie University

How far back does the rich history of Italian olives and oil stretch? My new research, synthesising and reevaluating existing archaeological evidence, suggests olive trees have been exploited for more than 6,000 years. The first Italian olive oil was produced perhaps 4,000 years ago.

The olive was central to ancient life in Italy. Wild and domesticated olives provided edible fruit. By the mid-first millennium BCE into the Roman period, olive oil was used in cooking, medicine, ritual and hygiene.

Table olives are rich in calories, lipids, vitamins and minerals, and high in calcium. Olive wood is dense, and was used in crafting, construction and for fuel. The waste from pressing olives (pomace) was also a remarkably popular domestic and industrial fuel source in antiquity, burning at a higher temperature for longer and with less smoke than charcoal.

Uses of the olive tree and its fruit were diverse.

During the early Roman Empire (around the first century CE) it is possible Rome’s immediate hinterland produced 9.7 million litres of olive oil per year.

Today, Italy remains among the top olive producing regions in the Mediterranean.

A deep history of olive exploitation

Evidence from ancient pollen shows that olive trees were present in Italy during the Pleistocene, more than 11,000 years ago. These were likely wild olives.

In order to think about exploitation and cultivation, it is important to discern human interaction with the plant and its fruit.

Olive tree charcoal, suggestive of human exploitation, has been found in Mesolithic layers from the seventh and sixth millennia BCE (8,000 years ago) in Sicily and Apulia in the south of Italy.

In northern Italy, the Arene Candide cave in Liguria revealed olive charcoal along with quern stones and sickle blades, possibly used for rudimentary olive harvesting and processing. People at this time began to shape the landscape of wild olive trees by using wood for fuel, collecting wild fruit or pruning off branches for fodder.

The Arene Candide cave in Liguria, where olive charcoal and tools were found dating to the sixth millennium BCE.
Capricornis crispus/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

An exponential increase in evidence occurs in the Neolithic (6000–3500 BCE), hinting at more intensive use of the olive tree.

But our earliest olive stones, which provide more convincing evidence of olive fruit consumption, are not found in an occupation context until the Middle Neolithic (around 5000–4000 BCE). Much of this early material comes from Calabria, Apulia and Sardinia, with only limited glimpses in central Italy and the Veneto.

Despite accumulating evidence, no conclusive signs yet exist for the Neolithic production of olive oil in Italy.

The earliest olive oil in Italy?

Organic residue analysis has detected plant oils, perhaps from olives, in an Early Bronze Age (2000 BCE) large clay storage jar (pithos) from Castelluccio, Sicily. But there remain challenges in our ability to discern between different types of oils using this technique, and preservation in the Mediterranean is rarely ideal.

Bronze Age ceramic storage jar (pithos) perhaps used to store olive oil, found at Castelluccio, Sicily.
Fabrizio Garrisi/Wikimedia Commons

More potential indicators for olive oil have been found in ceramic storage jars from Broglio di Trebisacce, Calabria, and Roca Vecchia, Apulia, in the mid-second millennium BCE.

The Bronze Age also saw olive cultivation expand into marginal lands where the wild olive did not grow, for example at Tufariello, Campania, around 1700 BCE. There was clearly significant interest in the exploitation of olives in Bronze Age Italy, which likely included the production of oil at least on a small scale.

Iron Age developments

Italian regions experienced different trajectories around 1000 BCE. Parts of southern Italy show declines in olive cultivation, perhaps linked to changing economic and cultural events. Sites on the Ionian and Adriatic coast maintain olive charcoal, stones, oil residues and even imprints of olive leaves on ceramics.



Read more:
Remaking history: using Ancient Egyptian techniques, I made delicious olive oil at home – and you can too

Possibly the earliest stone rotary olive millstone in the Mediterranean was discovered at Incoronata, Basilicata, dating to the seventh century BCE.

The invention of rotary mills signalled an important change in processing power and efficiency. Mills crushed olives, separating skin from flesh before they were pressed for oil. Although they are generally thought to originate in the Aegean, where examples from the sixth and fifth centuries BCE exist, the find from Incoronata might instead suggest a central Mediterranean origin.

Reconstructed stone rotary olive mill (trapetum) originally from Boscoreale, now at Pompeii.
Heinz-Josef Lücking/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Recent research demonstrates external cultures, like Phoenicians or Greeks, were not solely responsible for the introduction of olive cultivation or oil production. This follows similar conclusions reached for viticulture and winemaking in Italy.

Cultural exchange through trade and colonisation brought different knowledge, technology and ideas of production around oleiculture and oil production, creating forums for local innovation.

These forces energised already-intensifying cultivation. By around 600–500 BCE, Etruscan communities began to play a key role in the systematic establishment of groves and the use of olives in central Italy.

Roman consolidation and scaling up

The Roman period saw olive cultivation pushed well past its natural bioclimatic limits. Olive trees were grown at higher altitudes, latitudes and in more arid regions.

Production occurred across much of the Italian peninsula, even in subalpine regions and marginal lands.

Archaeological and ancient environmental material illustrate a substantial oil-producing habit and emerging market in Roman Republican and Imperial Italy – perhaps on a larger scale than previously thought.

Some oil production facilities may have had four or more presses. This illustrates exceptional processing scale, such as the elite villa of Vacone in central Italy.

A facility in Apulia, used from the first century BCE onwards, had an oil cellar with perhaps 47 enormous clay jars (dolia), potentially storing 25,000–35,000 litres.

Oil production also occurred at a smaller-scale in urban centres and isolated rural locations. The discovery of a production site at Case Nuove, Tuscany, provides a rare glimpse into modest scale olive processing using rudimentary technologies.

As analytical and scientific techniques improve, the ancient history of olive oil in Italy will continue to evolve, pushing our knowledge further back in time and adding new detail and nuance.

Emlyn Dodd 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.

– ref. Olives have been essential to life in Italy for at least 6,000 years – far longer than we thought – https://theconversation.com/olives-have-been-essential-to-life-in-italy-for-at-least-6-000-years-far-longer-than-we-thought-273461

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/04/olives-have-been-essential-to-life-in-italy-for-at-least-6-000-years-far-longer-than-we-thought-273461/

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New research shows Australians support buying local for different reasons – and not all will pay more

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Luckman, Professor of Culture and Creative Industries, Adelaide University

We have now passed the annual Australia Day peak of calls urging us to “buy Australian” – especially lamb. The iconic green-and-gold “Australian Made, Australian Grown” logo, launched by then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1986, turns 40 this year.

We are also often encouraged to support local businesses in tough times. The recent devastating impacts of bushfires in Victoria highlights the importance of supporting local businesses in need.

But is buying local feasible or desirable for most Australians? Who buys Australian made – and why? These questions were at the heart of our latest research, which drew on a nationally representative survey of 924 Australian consumers.

We found a majority of Australians support buying local. But their motivations for doing so vary significantly – and not all are willing to pay more.

Looking beyond the farmers’ market

Most previous research has focused on local food. Much less is known about motivations for buying other kinds of local goods.

We asked people whether they sought to buy locally produced goods across a wide range of categories, including fruit and vegetables, meat, alcoholic drinks, clothing, furniture, decorative items, personal accessories and other household goods.

If the answer was yes, we asked why – and whether they were willing to pay more to do so.

Who buys Australian made and why?

We found the desire to “buy local” cannot be neatly categorised as progressive or conservative, nor is the desire to support local confined to any one demographic group.

We found most Australians had a strong desire to buy local. Overall, the top three reasons were:

  1. “to support the local economy and jobs”
  2. “better quality”
  3. “I prefer to support small business”.

This was consistent across all product categories, with supporting the local economy and jobs by far the strongest motivation.

What matters to men and women

But there were some notable variations. For example, while responses by gender were fairly similar, men were far more likely than women to seek out Australian-made alcoholic beverages, which they saw as “better quality” and “safer and more trustworthy”.

In the same product category, women were far more interested in the “story” of such products, choosing the response “I like to know where and how it is produced” more frequently than men.

When it came to clothing and personal accessories, concern for labour conditions and environmental impacts emerged as stronger drivers for women.

Who’s willing to pay more?

Perhaps surprisingly, we found income level has little to do with whether people are willing to pay more for locally produced goods. This is where other values come into play.

We found those aged over 45 had the strongest preference for buying local, and this was primarily motivated by a desire to support the local economy and jobs. However, they were also the least willing to pay more. Notably, ethical or values-based considerations were less of a driver for this group.

In contrast, younger people were more likely to buy local for environmental reasons or for reasons related to labour conditions and workplace ethics. Despite being on lower incomes, younger people were generally willing to pay more for these considerations.

Additional differences became clear when we considered respondents’ political views – particularly their views on immigration.

Those aged over 45, who held the strongest desire to support local economy and jobs, also held the most negative views about immigration – saying they felt that immigration numbers were too high and should be tightened.

This was in contrast to the younger respondents who also sought to buy local for reasons extending beyond supporting the local economy. More motivated to buy local for environmental or ethical reasons, this cohort tended to have more positive views about immigration, feeling that immigration numbers were “about right” or could be higher.

Why this matters

The disruption of COVID made local production and buying more urgent and more common. This sped up a shift towards small-scale and local production that began before the pandemic.

Since the pandemic, Australian businesses have experienced further economic and environmental disruptions: natural disasters, the United States’ reintroduction of tariffs, and the ongoing cost of living crisis, to name a few.

However, our research suggests the same act of buying local holds different meanings across demographics and the political spectrum.

These findings are important to consider at the present moment, as anti-immigration sentiment becomes more visible.

Susan Luckman receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Michelle Phillipov receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. New research shows Australians support buying local for different reasons – and not all will pay more – https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-australians-support-buying-local-for-different-reasons-and-not-all-will-pay-more-274731

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/04/new-research-shows-australians-support-buying-local-for-different-reasons-and-not-all-will-pay-more-274731/

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Insurer’s block on new policies not ‘a tipping point’ for NZ customers – Insurance Council

Source: Radio New Zealand

Insurance Council chief executive Kris Faafoi

The Insurance Council says although one insurer has stopped offering home policies in some South Island towns, it’s not an industry-wide issue.

RNZ has revealed that the company had halted new home, business and landlord insurance policies in the West Coast town of Westport, due to the high flood risk the town faces.

The insurer had also stopped offering new policies in the north Canterbury township of Woodend, along with Rolleston and Lincoln, RNZ reported.

It has also emerged AA has a blanket exclusion for new policies in Blenheim, with several residents contacting RNZ about the issue.

In a statement, AA Insurance told RNZ the temporary restrictions were in place because the company has reached the maximum level of exposure to seismic risk it can take on in the areas.

Meanwhile, the government has launched a probe into high home insurance costs.

Insurance Council chief executive Kris Faafoi told Morning Report AA had made the “difficult decision” not to issue new policies, due to its current exposure.

“It’s only one insurer – it’s not an industry-wide issue. They’re obviously making a business decision based on the exposure they’ve seen with customers in one particular area.”

He said customers needed to shop around and other insurers were already picking up the business in the affected areas.

He denied the country had reached “a tipping point” with insurance because of its natural hazards, including seismic risk, and the impact of climate change, however, insurers had been warning for soe time of the higher risks the country was facing.

“The risk of events becoming more severe and more frequent is real and as a country we need to deal with that, not just to protect communities from the kinds of damage that has been caused over the last couple of weeks but also to keep insurance accessible and affordable over the long term,” Faafoi said.

He welcomed the government review of insurance costs. Many people would not realise that 40 percent of the cost of premiums was due to taxes and levies.

Treasury has highlighted that insurance companies were more profitable in this country than in Australia.

Faafoi responded that New Zealand had a high risk profile – it was the second highest in the world, according to Lloyds Premiums, and this had a flow-on effect, he said.

In 2023 insurers had a $4 billion exposure to events such as Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland anniversary weekend floods for private customers, so they needed to ensure they had strong balance sheets.

There were peaks and flows around insurance payouts relating to major events and hopefully premium prices were starting to stabilise.

There were 22 members of the Insurance Council, so it was a competitive environment and customers had choices.

On the review, Faafoi said: “It’s a pretty short and sharp review … The government wants to work with the insurance industry to get an understanding of the drivers of premiums and we welcome that.”

The council hadn’t heard what was required as yet but was keen to cooperate.

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

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/insurers-block-on-new-policies-not-a-tipping-point-for-nz-customers-insurance-council/

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Appeal for information following Strowan burglary

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are appealing to the public for information following the theft of an Olympic gold medal in Christchurch on Monday 2 February.

The medal was won by rowing legend, Leslie O’Connell at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and was stolen during a burglary at Mr O’Connell’s Strowan address.

On Monday 2 February, around 9.50am, Police received a report of burglary at the address, which had occurred at some point after midnight that same day.

Detective Nigel Thomson says a number of items were taken during the burglary, but the gold medal holds immense personal and sentimental value to Mr O’Connell.

“The Olympic gold medal is a significant piece of New Zealand sporting history, and is irreplaceable for Mr O’Connell.

“We understand that Olympic medals are often difficult to sell and are frequently recognised once publicly reported.

“For that reason, Police are urging anyone who has information on the medal’s whereabouts to please come forward.

“If you are in possession of the medal – we urge you to return this immediately and without damage,” Detective Thomson says.

The medal can be returned anonymously through either of the below options:

– Dropped off to any Police station

– Through a trusted third party who can arrange delivery to Police

Anyone with information that may assist Police, or who wishes to facilitate the return of the medal, is asked to contact Police through 105, either online or over the phone, and reference file number 260202/5563.

Information can also be provided through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/appeal-for-information-following-strowan-burglary/

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Tiny Northland town becomes centre of ‘impressive’ low petrol prices

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Dan Cook

The small beachside community of Mangawhai is traditionally associated with surfing and a legendary pub, but in the last few months of 2025, it became New Zealand’s petrol price hot-spot.

The Northland town has never been a cheap place to visit, let alone live, but residents and visitors have, over the past few months, been treated to some of the lowest petrol prices in New Zealand.

Mangawhai is home to a number of petrol stations, a Mobil near the town’s New World Supermarket, another closer to the heads, a G.A.S station and a new self-serve Gull across the road from the town’s museum.

According to the Gaspy App, which monitors fuel prices across the country, since the self-serve station opened in September, the price of 91 has sat at $2.33.9 except when dropping for discount days.

The director of Gaspy, Mike Newton, says the town is a bit of an outlier since the Gull station opened in September.

“They’ve had it really good, pretty much since then. They’ve just steadily been 20 cents lower than that national average, which is pretty impressive, especially for Northland, I don’t think they’ve generally have it that good.”

AA spokesperson Terry Collins said this type of competition shouldn’t be limited to Mangawhai.

“What we’re seeing here is a perfect example of competition driving prices down. The Commerce Commission has talked about it from time to time, about how when we do see lower prices, we see them in areas with the most competition.”

A file photo of a Gull petrol station. RNZ / Dan Cook

‘A lot of discounting going on’

The day First Up visited Mangawhai, the average price of petrol across the country was $2.55.9 per litre. Mangawhai’s Gull had the third lowest price at $2.33.9 per litre – only bettered by the Allied pump at Opua Marina and Westgate’s Costco.

Newton said the months of lower prices at the Gull forced Mangawhai’s other stations to compete, but the lower prices were not usually as sustained as they have been since September.

“If those other stations don’t compete, they won’t get any business. When the price is that much lower, if they’re sitting across the road and their price is 20 cents higher, why would anyone go there?”

Collins said they saw fluctuations in prices depending on demand during an average week.

“What we’re tending to see lately is a lot of discounting going on, people chasing on particular days, Tuesdays and Thursdays kind of thing, before the weekend and after the weekend where the demand is slacking and because they want volume they’ll make these discount offers to drive sales.”

As for Mangawhai Gull station’s other products, Newton said they were not as much of a bargain. “It’s really only the 91 price that is the significant outlier, diesel and 95 are pretty much tracking the national average, there’s really not much to be saved there”

He said the price of petrol nationwide has been pretty steady. “We haven’t seen any of the huge shifts we saw like when Russia headed into Ukraine, those sort of global [events] which see massive price changes, it’s really been steady as she goes.”

As for Mangawhai’s low prices, Collins said it was all good. “I’m not sure if they’re doing it in this case to encourage tourism, I think basically it has been ignited by the arrival of Gull and the competition it brings, but no, long may we enjoy it.”

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Homicide probe launched after man assaulted outside Napier nightclub dies

Source: Radio New Zealand

A 21-year-old man has appeared before Napier District Court on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

A homicide investigation has been launched in Napier after a man assaulted outside a nightclub last week died.

Andy Winitana, 46 from Hastings, died in hospital on Wednesday after sustaining injuries during an assault early on Sunday.

A 21-year-old man has appeared before Napier District Court on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and has been remanded in custody.

Further charges are now being considered.

He is next due to appear in Napier District Court on 25 February.

Police said they wanted to hear from anyone who may have footage or have witnessed the assault on the Napier wharf area between 12.30am-1.30am on Sunday 1 February.

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Minister Shane Jones hails roading upgrades to Treaty Grounds

Source: Radio New Zealand

Shane Jones at Waitangi in 2025. RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is hailing the completion of upgrades to the road to the Treaty Grounds in time for Waitangi Day this year.

Haruru Falls Road has been paved with added guardrails, drainage and earthworks thanks to $1.57 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund and $400,000 from the Far North District Council.

The upgrade – completed with just days to spare – provides a second paved route to the grounds without the need to go through Paihia.

Jones attended the opening on Wednesday with iwi leaders, trustees of the Waitangi National Trust, Far North Mayor Moko Tepania and other dignitaries.

“Anyone familiar with the road will know that it was a dusty, uneven and sometimes treacherous route because it was partially unsealed,” Jones said.

A further $10.2m from the RIF is helping with upgrades to the grounds themselves, including car parks, toilet blocks, pathway lighting and drainage to protect the Treaty House, due for completion this year.

“The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are a place for all New Zealanders and where much of our country’s history was shaped. It’s a site of national significance and its importance is evident in the more than 160,000 visitors who head to the grounds each year,” Jones said.

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‘People we’ve never seen before’: Homelessness in Wellington not letting up, agencies say

Source: Radio New Zealand

Social services say they’re seeing alarming numbers of rough sleepers in the capital. RNZ / Richard Tindiller

Social services say they are seeing alarming numbers of rough sleepers in the capital, with a constant stream of new people trying to get help.

It comes as an announcement by the government about move on orders for the homeless looms – with legislation expected to be introduced soon.

In the last two quarters of 2025, outreach teams dealt with between 30-40 people “never seen before”, Downtown Community Ministry’s chief executive Natalia Cleland said.

Before that, from the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2025, there was a 40 percent increase in rough sleeping each quarter, she said.

About 160 people were sleeping rough in Wellington within the past three months, Cleland said.

“I feel that whilst the numbers of people rough sleeping is high and it’s terrible, it’s actually quite disheartening as well to see new faces coming through the doors asking for services.”

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge agreed.

“There’s no question in my mind that the need we are seeing in our community, and the desperation of people’s circumstances is greater than we’ve ever seen before.”

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Edridge said in the year since the mission’s community hub in Newtown Whakamaru opened, 70,000 people had walked through its doors – though some of these would be repeat visitors.

About 30,000 hot meals had been served, with about 5500 people using the showers, and 6500 shopping at the social supermarket.

“Every day I see people I’ve never seen before in our cafe.”

‘Jail’s my home’

Marcus Pohio, 57, said his most recent stint on the streets had been about two months.

He said he was housed by Downtown Community Ministry for years, but lost his house when he went to prison, and had since been shoplifting “to survive”.

Pohio said he had been in and out of jail for the past decade, and when he went to court again on new theft charges, he would ask to be sent inside again.

“I seem to have more of a home in jail than I have out here. Jail’s my home, in the last 10 years I’ve probably done about 13 legs – just through drug addiction and theft, mainly theft, and through misbehaviour.”

He now sits outside a supermarket on Lambton Quay asking for money for food, he said.

In the year since the City Mission’s community hub in Newtown, Whakamaru, opened, 70,000 people had walked through its doors. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Downtown Community Ministry said it had been in touch with Pohio, who was under the Housing First service and was in the process of getting back on the social housing waitlist.

Pohio said he had seen a lot of new rough sleepers in the capital recently.

“There’s a lot of familiar faces, but there’s a lot of new people popping up, from Upper Hutt and Porirua, all over the place – the Auckland crowd are here, a lot of my mates from Auckland are here, they’ve come from Auckland because they want a better life here.”

He heard police had been moving rough sleepers away from Courtenay Place.

“All my mates have left the streets of Courtenay Place because they’ll be moved by police, police will move them along… they say take your shit and go – go, go go.”

But Police area prevention manager Jason McCarthy, said they did not move homeless people on in Wellington.

“Homelessness is not in itself a criminal matter, but rather a complex social issue that requires a multi-agency approach.”

McCarthy said police were sometimes called on to deal with disorder, intimidation and substance abuse, and these matters were handled on a “case-by-case” basis.

“Police are aware of a number of locations across the Wellington area that are frequented by unhoused people, however there is no particular location currently that gives cause for any additional Police resources to be utilised.”

Bradley Mohr said he was homeless in Wellington for a year and eight months about two years ago, but now lived with his sister.

He was asking for money outside New World on Willis street, saying he was trying to clear a debt, when RNZ stopped to talk to him.

Mohr said he had noticed new rough sleepers on the streets too.

“There’s just a lot more hustlers around… it’s just all increased – maybe they were getting no money in their town, so they come to Wellington.”

Bradley Mohr. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

Rough sleepers appearing in new areas of the city?

Cleland said Wellington’s central city was still the main place where the street commmunity slept.

The agency had had recent reports of others seeking shelter in Charles Plimmer Park, in Mount Victoria.

Rough sleeping in different parts of Wellington’s town belt was not new, Cleland said, but fluctuated depending on the weather.

A person in the Shelly Bay area told RNZ he had seen a homeless camp at the start of Shelly Bay Road in Miramar in the past two months, but the people had recently packed up and left.

Andrew Wilson, Salvation Army core officer in Newtown, said rough sleeping and anti-social behaviour in the Wellington suburb of Newtown had improved since a concerning spike last year.

“We’ve seen some of our rough sleepers be housed now for longer than they have been for a long time – some of them receive proper mental health support and are practically thriving now that they’re receiving the support they need.”

Others had moved to different areas of the city.

Wilson said drugs were “rampant” in Newtown last year, but the police had done an “amazing” job cracking down on the suppliers.

“There is a risk that some of that starts to pop up again, and so we are working closely with police to ensure it stays out of our community, because that was a large driver of the anti-social behaviour we saw in our community last year.”

Andrew Wilson, Salvation Army core officer in Newtown. RNZ / Mark Papalii

Unclear how far ‘move on’ orders could apply

The Prime Minister has said a decision about “move on” orders in city centres would be announced shortly, with legislation expected to be introduced in the House.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith would not respond to RNZ questions about whether move on orders would apply to city centres throughout the country, or be limited to Auckland.

“The government has made decisions and will make announcements soon. All details will be revealed then,” a spokesperson for his office said.

Edridge said the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet had sought his comment on move on orders for rough sleepers before Christmas.

He said Wellington City Mission would actively oppose any move on orders if they were implemented without support services, but he was hopeful that would not be the government’s approach.

The Prime Minister has previously told Morning Report move on orders would be considered alongside support for the homeless.

“If move on orders aren’t created or imposed alongside a range of support services, then they’re absolutely ineffective and absolutely abhorrent for our community,” Edridge said.

“The idea that we would move somebody because we don’t want them there, or because we’re somehow offended by their circumstances or behaviour, but don’t do anything about seeking to address that behaviour is just wrong.”

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North Shore resident stung by yellow-legged hornet wants neighbours to stay vigilant

Source: Radio New Zealand

MPI officers removing a yellow-legged hornets nest from a property in Glenfield. Supplied / Niki Sherriff

An Auckland North Shore resident who was stung by a yellow-legged hornet while gardening is calling on her community to stay vigilant and report sightings to help eradicate the outbreak.

The number of yellow-legged hornet queens found in Auckland has risen to 49, and 51 nests have been destroyed since the sightings in October last year.

The majority of nests were found in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas, however most recently, new nests had been found in Takapuna and Forest Hill.

Biosecurity New Zealand had laid 1080 traps, and radio tracking technology was introduced in December last year to trace worker hornets back to their nests – already contributing to identifying 10 nests.

Niki Sherriff has had two nests removed from her property on Roberts Road in Glenfield over the past three months.

She was trimming a dense bush in front of her house two weeks ago, when she was stung by a hornet after unwittingly disturbing a hidden nest.

Sherriff said she was stung through her gardening gloves, and was lucky to not be allergic to stings.

In November last year, she reported a hornets’ nest in the corner of her covered deck, and was already familiar with what the insects looked like through leaflets from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).

It did not take long for her to recognise the insects flying in and out of the bush, and she immediately reported it to the MPI hornets hotline.

Sherriff said MPI officers exterminated the colony, and have been regularly taking samples from a trap they had put in her lemon tree.

However she was still worried that not everyone in the community was aware of the threat and the need to report sightings, and hoped that eradication and education efforts could be further ramped up.

Sherriff said she felt there may be less awareness of the hornets oubreak among renters and people who did not normally do gardening.

“MPI just can’t do this on their own, they really just need everybody to keep their eyes peeled and be vigilant, they’ve got really good resources on their website about what a hornet looks like,” she said.

Sherriff said she was worried that hornets were in leafy communities like Glenfield, where there were many hedgerows and places for them to build nests.

To date, MPI had received more than 11,060 public reports of sightings.

Biosecurity NZ’s commissioner north, Mike Inglis, said radio transmitters attached to woker hornets had helped to succesfully track 10 yellow-legged hornet nests.

Surveillance and tracking had also scaled up as the summer progressed, he said.

He said the radio trackers had been useful as hornets began to build larger secondary nests high up in the trees, where they were less visible to ground searchers.

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$70m cost to fix Waitaki erosion by 2050, $80m needed for Ōamaru sewage by 2125

Source: Radio New Zealand

Erosion visible from the Hampden Closed Landfill. Supplied/Waitaki District Council

Plans to fix coastal erosion caused by increasingly big and powerful waves pounding the Waitaki coast could cost $70 million before 2050, with another $80 million needed to protect the entire Ōamaru sewage system by 2125.

In a report commissioned by the district council in late 2024 and publicly released this month, engineering firm BECA found three roads, a railyard, pump stations, a pā site and urupā were at risk.

The report described some locations as extremely vulnerable and others at risk from the next major storm.

BECA’s recommendations included relocating Hampden Cemetery, closing two coastal roads and accepting the loss of private property and land in northern Ōamaru over the next 24 years.

Waitaki District Council has weaved many of the suggested measures into its long term plan.

Mayor Mel Tavendale said the council faced some tough decisions and community feedback was important.

Waitaki Mayor Melanie Tavendale. Jackie Tav

“We’re a coastal community, we are going to be having these challenges and they’re ongoing. We do need to have some brave conversations and work out what’s important to us and what’s not as important because it’s going to get more and more challenging,” she said.

She said not all the land in the report was council-owned, so the council was trying to share the cost with other agencies, such as KiwiRail and the Transport Agency, where possible.

“I guess in a lot of ways the district cannot afford a $70 million spend. We need to prioritise the council-owned land and then we need to work with the community on other strategies,” she said.

“There are a few sites where [the erosion] is always going to be a bit further or a bit less than expected but it’s a well-known issue. How we solve the issue, that’s not as well-formulated at this stage.”

Peak wave heights expected to rise from 2m to 3.5m

The BECA report predicted 100-year peak wave heights could rise from under 2 metres to over 3.5m along parts of the coast by 2125.

Coastal scientist Martin Single said parts of the eastern South Island had been eroding for 12,000 years because of sea-level rise since post-glacial times, accelerated by climate change.

Single, an environmental consultant with Shore Processes and Management, said more storms were expected to hit the coast each year.

“I think it’s good to see that these reports are being written to identify the financial ramifications of coastal erosion around the country and the significance to infrastructure, and where a lot of money is actually going to have to be pushed into either protecting these assets or relocating them,” he said.

Long-time Ōamaru resident Peter De Reus said he remembered playing on fields at Waitaki Boys’ High School that had since washed out to sea.

He hoped the council would consult with ratepayers before deciding whether to abandon or reinforce an at-risk site.

“Obviously, you cannot guard the whole coast. It’s just not feasible to do that but areas where a lot of the town drive and routinely travel, those areas should be hardened and protected, armoured,” he said.

Beach Road future debated

One site in the BECA report, Beach Road North, has already been closed to traffic for several years, partly because of erosion and partly because of excavation work to remove historic waste.

The council had set up temporary fences for walkers and cyclists while it decided whether to reinforce and reopen the scenic coastal route or keep it closed permanently.

BECA estimated road reinforcements would cost almost $12m, while keeping it closed and relocating services would cost about $4m.

Beach Road North has already been closed to traffic for several years. Supplied / Waitaki District Council

De Reus said the temporary closure came as a surprise to many people and there was little support for a long-term closure, even though it was a cheaper option.

“We’re a tourist town and the area landscape around us is critical for us to market the town as for the tourist town. This road was a real big bonus for Ōamaru,” he said.

Ōamaru Ratepayers and Residents Group chair Ray Henderson said he also supported reopening Beach Road, noting it functioned as a backup to State Highway 1.

“Some years ago there was an accident on Mill Bridge [near the town of Herbert], a car actually got jammed on the bridge and that basically brought State Highway 1 to a halt. There’s nowhere else to go,” he said.

Other work ongoing

A Waitaki District Council spokesperson said the BECA report did not include recent work to tackle historic waste at risk of erosion.

‘Project Reclaim’ removed thousands of tonnes of waste from two fly-tip sites on Beach Road North and the former Hampden landfill, they said.

The council had also been reinforcing the coastline, carrying out rock armouring at the Ōamaru breakwater and replacing sections lost during storms.

“In 2025 we had to replace some on the north side of the Holmes wharf following some rough seas and some alongside the Orwell Street pump station when required,” the spokesperson said.

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‘A warning shot’ on the east coast

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tani Atkins-Waitoa and her crew deliver lunches to the workers around Te Araroa. Sharon Brettkelly

Sharon Brettkelly visits Ōpōtiki and Te Araroa to see how the towns are faring after the devastating January floods

The ancestral mountain of Te Araroa on the East Cape is still moving nearly two weeks after a devastating storm brought slips crashing onto roads and homes.

“Scary? I wouldn’t say scary, no,” says Robin Hapeta, whose family home is in the shadow of the towering Whetumatarau.

“I go back to that saying of the old people, ‘I am the land and the land is me’. If the land is moving it’s telling a story, really.

“It’s a warning shot, that’s what I reckon. It’s moving because there’s problems.”

Te Araroa local Robin Hapeta. Sharon Brettkelly

The Detail is speaking to Hapeta after landing at the Te Araroa airstrip for a brief visit. He has pulled up on his ride-on lawn mower outside the mānuka factory as a convoy of work vehicles drive past.

The group have been clearing up at nearby Punaruku, where a family with small children were trapped on the roof of their home for several hours as flood waters and debris rushed past.

Everyone in this settlement is part of the clean-up, he says.

The main road to Gisborne, State Highway 35, is now open, though Waka Kotahi says the area is still fragile and it may need to close at short notice for safety reasons. But whānau are still cut off on the other side of Te Araroa, around Hicks Bay and Onepoto, due to several slips. Many homes in the neighbouring settlements have been red-stickered.

Te Araroa local Robin Hapeta. Sharon Brettkelly

Hapeta says he’s “devastated for our whānau over the hill. But in saying that, they’re pretty strong, pretty hundy out there.”

Families have also been stranded on the road to the East Cape Lighthouse after two big slips blew out culverts.

“They can swim around at low tide or get a boat and some of the younger ones have got their four wheelers.

“But it’s still dangerous, the mountain is still moving.”

A pop-up kura has been set up at a marae in Te Araroa, catering for children of all ages, some of whom can’t attend school in Hicks Bay.

Tani Atkins-Waitoa has just pulled up in her ATV, and says she’s grateful that her three children can attend the school while she delivers 60 lunch packs to people “contributing mahi towards the cause”.

“We’re the road workers, plumbers, septic cleaners and we go round dropping off all their lunches,” she says.

More than 160 kilometres along the East Coast in Ōpōtiki, the town is undamaged but it has been hit hard by the closure of two main roads to Gisborne, SH35 and Waioweka Gorge, from two separate storms.

Waka Kotahi says Waioweka will stay shut for several weeks as it works to clear 40 slips.

Opotiki Mayor David Moore near the site of the planned marina. Sharon Brettkelly

“The Waioweka is a lifeline for Gisborne, products going to Port of Tauranga, our products, businesses from both sides, families affected. You have the commercial pressure that’s coming on but I’m comfortable that Waka Kotahi have done a very good job,” says Ōpōtiki mayor David Moore.

Moore says nothing can future proof the steep and winding gorge which is prone to slips.

“We need to mitigate these long term closures. We are very lucky in Ōpōtiki and Tai Rāwhiti, we have some very experienced roading companies [and] earth works companies based in Ōpōtiki. We cannot afford to lose them, those are the guys that are going to open this.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m not a big believer in centralisation and [that] big is better.

“With the ministers involved, I’m confident they realise the seriousness of this. They want to get us back on track, well they need a track to get back on track and I think you have to have local voices standing up and pushing that if we don’t see it.”

Listen to The Detail to hear Moore explaining the impact of the road closures on his town’s economy, the need for government support for projects like the planned marina and the financial troubles of Whakatōhea Mussels, an open ocean farm and factory.

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‘Dying is hard to do’: Cancer sufferer says KiwiSaver withdrawal bar too high

Source: Radio New Zealand

Some KiwiSaver members are having difficulty withdrawing their contributions, despite being terminally ill (File photo). RNZ / REECE BAKER

A cancer sufferer says he’s been so discouraged by what he’s discovered about early KiwiSaver withdrawals that he hasn’t even tried to get much-needed money out of his account – and wants the system to change.

The man, who wants only to be identified as Christopher because he has not told his teenage children about his prognosis, said he had been given about three years to live.

He was told in August that his cancer was stage four and terminal.

“At the time of discovery in August, the doctor said that based on what he saw, I only had a handful of months left. Fortunately, I have private health insurance and was therefore able to actually be seen and start treatment. If I hadn’t already had private health insurance, I’m sure I would have died before I was able to start treatment, if I’d been forced to rely strictly on the public health system.”

He said researching what was involved in a hardship application for KiwiSaver was “so discouraging” that it did not make sense to go through it and be rejected.

“I’ve got limited time and fighting with someone that’s holding my money and refusing to give it up is just one more stress I can’t afford.”

He pointed to a case that was dealt with by Financial Services Complaints Ltd, in which a woman wanted to withdraw her money early.

She too had incurable cancer and was not expected to reach 65.

She applied on the basis of serious illness but was declined because the supervisor for the scheme said she did not meet the criteria because she was expected to live at least another 12 months.

She argued it was unfair because she was not going to need the money for retirement. She said it was also unfair to say she was able to work because she was sacrificing time with her family to do so.

FSCL said the decision to decline her application was reasonable given that she did not face an imminent risk of death, which was determined as likely to happen in the next six to 12 months.

Christopher said he had lost his job as a public servant and had eight months without work before he found a contract role that lasts until June.

“Different kinds of cancer have different effects. Pancreatic cancer for example, is extremely painful and quite brutal. I’ve got bowel/colon cancer so the immediate first-order effects are moderate in comparison. However, things like the side-effects of chemo, the fact that treatment is two days out of five working days … it’s a lot for an employer to be willing to deal with. Those two days are strictly for the treatment/chemo infusion. The next day … it’s hard to even get out of bed. For me, that’s every other week.

“And that’s not even going into the various side effects of the medication, like puking, hyper-sensitivity to cold, brain fog and so forth.

“Even when I move, I’m super slow compared to a few months ago … Future contracts mean I have to disclose my diagnosis and hope that doesn’t mean I lose the contract to someone that doesn’t have cancer.”

He said living in Wellington with a mortgage and two kids meant that he had to work.

“I’ve got two or three years where I’ll be able to essentially function but … living ain’t easy. And dying is surprisingly hard too it seems. Instead of being able to spend time with the family, I’m either working or sleeping.”

He said the system should change.

“In theory, it’s my money. The government is apparently confident enough in my ability to manage it and get good returns, that they’ve cut the amount they’re willing to match.

“And yet trying to actually do something with it, people are treated as if they’re applying for a loan and have to justify it to the bank/service provider. I understand that there need to be rules to prevent people withdrawing it willy-nilly but when you’re talking about someone literally dying … I think it’s a bit ridiculous.

“I don’t deserve to actually enjoy the couple of remaining years of good life that I have and instead have to wait until I’m knocking on the hospice door, before they’ll reluctantly agree that they guess they can release my money? It feels like the banks/service providers consider it to be their money and it’s massively inconvenient for them when we need access to it. With the amount of profits the banking sector has turned in over the last few years, it’s kind of hard to swallow that these rules are in place just for my own good.”

David Callanan, general manager of corporate trustee services at Public Trust. Supplied / Public Trust

David Callanan, general manager of corporate trustee services at Public Trust, said he was sorry to hear about Christopher’s situation. He said while he could not speak about a specific case, in general people could apply to withdraw money under significant hardship or serious illness criteria.

“Under a serious illness application, people may meet criteria for ‘imminent risk of death’ as stated by law, allowing a full withdrawal of their KiwiSaver investment. The Financial Services Council’s guidelines interpret this as the person being diagnosed with a terminal illness with 18 months or less to live.

“However, supervisors and providers are encouraged to take a commonsense approach and the supervisor assesses each application individually.

“As part of the withdrawal application, the person will need a doctor or nurse practitioner to complete a declaration form confirming their illness. This form asks the medical practitioner to give a detailed description of their patient’s condition and attach any supporting evidence.

“Under a serious illness withdrawal application, a person may meet criteria to withdraw if they are totally and permanently unable to work due to their illness. This could allow them to access a full or partial withdrawal, or one-off costs.

“A person can also apply to withdraw on significant financial hardship grounds. In most cases, this could allow them to access an amount equivalent to up to 13 weeks of living expenses, including any one-off costs. We encourage people to speak to their KiwiSaver provider in the first instance to discuss early withdrawal options.”

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How much do accountants actually earn?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Australian accountants are still getting paid more than New Zealanders. 123RF

Australian accountants are still getting paid more than New Zealanders – but the local sector had a bigger pay bump in the past year.

That’s according to the Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ) remuneration survey released on Wednesday.

It showed that members’ median pay was up 0.3 percent in Australia for the year, while New Zealand’s was up 6 percent.

People who were full-time employees in New Zealand were earning a median $153,000 a year. Part-timers were earning a median $98,800.

In Australia, full-time employees were getting a median A$160,500 (NZ$185,800) and part-time employees A$138,664 (NZ$161,000).

Full-time employees in the United Kingdom were earning a median GBP 133,522 (NZ$303,500).

Charlotte Evett, general manager NZ regions at CAANZ, said there had been higher salaries in Australia through the history of the survey.

“Australia is a powerhouse economy compared to ours… they have the big mining engine in minerals that we don’t have. But it’s still very, very good pay in New Zealand.”

She said it was notable that Otago accountants reported a 27 percent pay increase year-on-year.

“Nelson was up 11 percent, Canterbury was up 7 percent. Even the South Island and West Coast were up 6 percent. If you compare that to Australia, they had some good growth, Queensland was up 10 percent but apart from that ours are certainly standout numbers.”

She said that was part of the “two-speed economy” that had been seen in other sectors recently as Auckland and Wellington were slower to recover.

“On top of that I think we’d be remiss not to look at lifestyle… central Otago has got rivers, lakes, mountains, snow, beautiful weather… the story has been New Zealanders are moving to Australia in droves. While that is true, I think the report shows that Kiwis should look at specific regions in New Zealand before considering Australia.”

In New Zealand, general managers were earning $287,000, chief financial officers $270,400 and directors $215,080.

In Australia, CFOs were earning the most, at A$280,800 (NZ$326,000) and directors $231,000 (NZ$268,100).

Aucklanders topped the New Zealand table.

The largest pay growth was seen in the not-for-profit sector in Australia and corporate New Zealand.

The survey showed that while 76 percent of people had received a pay increase, almost a quarter had received 2.5 percent or less.

Only 8 percent of New Zealanders had experienced a pay increase of more than 10 percent. But 21 percent of those aged 20 to 29 had received such a lift.

New Zealand’s gender pay gap remains at 24 percent while Australia’s is 14 percent.

Artificial intelligence is expected to transform accounting further in the near future, with new tools emerging to assist with tools such as GST returns.

Evett said the industry was making the most of it.

“When you look at accounting back over time, I think it continues to and historically has moved with technology faster than any other profession. When you think of technology as the abacus, the calculators, then we’ve gone to cloud computing and now AI. So, I think it’s very exciting.

“It’s definitely has and continues to reshape accounting, but it’s not replacing accountants. Most New Zealand organisations would say they’re using AI and report positive results, especially in finance teams.”

She said it could be used to free accountants up to add value, spend time and build trust. Recent research by Infometrics had shown there would be a shortage of 15,000 accountants over the next five years. “Pretty exciting when you combine that with technology.”

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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/2026/02/04/how-much-do-accountants-actually-earn/

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Diabetes care in NZ: thousands of patient records reveal who’s being left behind

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato

Getty Images

For the tens of thousands of New Zealanders who live with type 2 diabetes, managing the chronic condition can start to feel like keeping score.

A patient is given a list of numbers by their doctor. Blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are tracked closely, with targets designed to reduce the risk of complications such as heart attacks, kidney failure, blindness and early death.

In theory, those targets apply equally to everyone. In practice, they are far harder to reach for some New Zealanders than others.

Using health records from more than 57,000 adults with type 2 diabetes, our newly published study found Māori and Pacific people are much less likely than New Zealand Europeans to meet key clinical targets, even when they are seeing a doctor regularly.

The same pattern holds for people living in more deprived neighbourhoods and for many rural patients.

Consider HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) tests. These measure average blood sugar levels over the past three months. A lower result is better. But fewer than half of all people in the study hit the recommended targets for HbA1c.

Among Māori, just 43% met the targets. Among Pacific people, the rate was lower still, at 36%. By contrast, around one in two Asian and New Zealand European patients were at target. We also found the proportion of people not meeting targets also rises dramatically relative to social deprivation.

These disparities can come with dire consequences. Over time, high blood sugar damages blood vessels and nerves, driving up the risk of amputations.

Māori and Pacific people face these complications earlier and more often than other New Zealanders, often due to being diagnosed much earlier in life. The same pattern shows up for blood pressure and cholesterol, key predictors of strokes and heart attacks.

Clear targets, unequal outcomes

At first glance, they can look like the result of individual choices. A common refrain is that people are simply not trying hard enough. But that explanation doesn’t hold up. It assumes a level playing field, which does not exist.

Most health targets are set as if everyone has easy access to care: a regular doctor, reliable transport and enough income to support healthier choices. But managing diabetes demands more than willpower. It involves regular appointments, blood tests, adjusting medications and building long-term relationships with clinicians.

That may be easy to write into a guideline, but it is much harder if a patient lives far away, can’t get time off work or is juggling transport, childcare and tight budgets.

For patients in rural areas, a routine appointment can mean taking half a day off work and spending hours on the road, along with the cost of fuel. Specialist services are often even further away. With ongoing workforce shortages, continuity of care can be difficult to maintain.

Many patients end up seeing a different doctor or nurse each visit, which makes it hard to build any kind of relationship with the person managing their care. For Māori and Pacific patients, this lack of continuity can compound care that already feels rushed or culturally unsafe.

When people do not feel heard, it becomes harder to stay engaged. Missed appointments are often labelled as “disengagement”, when they are more accurately a reasonable response to a system that does not fit people’s lives.

Newer diabetes medicines that protect the heart and kidneys are now available, but access is not always straightforward. Although these drugs are funded in New Zealand, tight eligibility rules and follow-up requirements mean many people who qualify never receive them.

Others stop taking them because of side effects, cost, or uncertainty about how the medicines are meant to help.

Cost matters, too. Even in a publicly funded system, people still face co-payments for GP visits, prescriptions and transport. For families already stretched by housing and food costs, diabetes care must compete with everything else.

Accordingly, people living in more deprived areas face greater challenges keeping glucose at optimal levels, regardless of motivation.

What the targets are really telling us

Over time, these small frictions accumulate. Blood sugar creeps up, blood pressure stays high, and targets are missed. The system records a “failure”, but that failure is not evenly distributed.

Clinical targets developed under ideal conditions are not neutral when applied universally. They remain useful, but only if there is honesty about what they capture. In practice, they often reflect how well the health system is working.

More equitable diabetes care would look different: seeing patients closer to home, longer appointments and support that includes whānau as well as individuals. It would mean removing cost barriers, ensuring continuity and investing in rural and kaupapa Māori services alongside urban hospitals.

Read this way, diabetes targets become indicators of system performance. Right now, they show where care is accessible and effective – and where inequity persists. Ignoring these signals risks embedding inequity for another generation.

Lynne Chepulis receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand

Sara Mustafa 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.

– ref. Diabetes care in NZ: thousands of patient records reveal who’s being left behind – https://theconversation.com/diabetes-care-in-nz-thousands-of-patient-records-reveal-whos-being-left-behind-274421

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/04/diabetes-care-in-nz-thousands-of-patient-records-reveal-whos-being-left-behind-274421/

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Youth mental health services improved since Tauranga teen Maddie Hall’s death – Health NZ

Source: Radio New Zealand

Leanne and Gareth Hall. RNZ / Kim Baker-Wilson

Warning: This story discusses youth mental health and suicide.

Youth mental health services and wait times have improved in the years since Tauranga teenager Maddie Hall took her own life, Health New Zealand says.

The 16-year-old died in March 2023, almost three years after she was first taken to hospital following an attempt to end her life.

During that period she attempted suicide more than 40 times, was seen by clinicians dozens of times, and faced delays in getting certain support and treatment.

In findings made public on Tuesday following a 2024 inquest, coroner Marcus Elliott found Maddie died by suicide but there was “no aspect of the medical care which can be said to have ‘clearly linked to the factors that contributed’ to Maddie’s death”.

As a result, he had no power to make any comments or recommendations about Maddie’s death.

But Maddie’s parents Gareth and Leanne Hall said clinicians could have been done more for their daughter and they wanted changes to the mental health system.

A serious incident review was completed after Maddie’s death and “service improvements” were identified.

Health New Zealand national director of mental health and addictions service enhancement Phil Grady said work on implementing the review’s findings had been started and there had been material improvements to services since 2023.

A child in Maddie’s situation could expect faster assessment and access to support today, he said.

“The independent review took into account how we receive and assess referrals in terms of the multidisciplinary team in that district and looked at ways of improving triage assessment and ensuring that we’re shortening the distance and prioritising those most in need to make sure that they are receiving a service,” Grady said.

“We’ve taken those things into account and continuing to work on them.

“In addition to that our overall wait times as a country have improved over the years since Maddie was engaged in working with services and her tragic death. So we know child and youth are receiving a more timely response, but there’s still work to be done to achieve the target of 80 percent being seen in three weeks.”

Health New Zealand national director of mental health and addictions service enhancement Phil Grady. Nathan Mckinnon / RNZ

At present about 75 percent were seen within that timeframe.

Grady said every parent had the right to expect their child’s life could be saved when they entered the mental health system at a time of crisis.

“I would accept that every parent would expect that,” he said.

“We’ve got a range of services that parents, if they’re worried, can reach out to. We’ve got access and choice in our general practices. We’ve got free counselling and support services. We’ve got Whakarongorau 1737, a range of online tools, and we’ve got our specialist services. So my message is to families that may be worried about their young ones there is help available.”

He extended his condolences to Maddie’s family and loved ones.

“Every life lost to suicide is one too many,” Grady said.

“As a parent myself, I know that losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare and my thoughts are with Maddie Hall’s family, whānau, friends and all those that have loved her.”

Grady backed the state of the country’s mental health system.

“We’re working to improve our services as a whole. I think we’ve got very strong and growing ICAMHS (Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). We’ve got around 6500 clinicians working across our mental health and addiction services doing terrific work every day,” he said.

“So I think they are absolutely fit for purpose, really strong clinical leadership, strong clinical services across the country, and I really back our staff. In fact, I’d say it’s a great, great service.

“That being said, we recognise that actually there is some pressures on our services in terms of the amount of need out there in the community and we’re always looking to improve.”

In responding to the coroner’s findings, Maddie’s parents said they hoped their daughter’s death could be a catalyst for change in the mental health system.

“Maddie would have wanted a change and improvements in the mental health system, she hated other kids suffering and we don’t want other kids to suffer like Maddie did either. So if something good can come from Maddie’s passing I think that will help us,” her father Gareth said.

“People don’t understand how much these kids suffer and that’s the thing that still burns us is how much Maddie suffered. There has to be something done to prevent these kids suffering as much as they do because if it was a medical disease you know everything in the doctors’ power would be done to try to reduce the suffering.”

Where to get help:

  • Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
  • Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
  • Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
  • Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
  • Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
  • Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
  • What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
  • Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
  • Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
  • Healthline: 0800 611 116.
  • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
  • OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

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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/2026/02/04/youth-mental-health-services-improved-since-tauranga-teen-maddie-halls-death-health-nz/

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Homicide investigation launched, Napier

Source: New Zealand Police

Please attribute to Detective Sergeant Ryan Kemsley of Hawke’s Bay Crime Squad:

A homicide investigation has been launched after a man assaulted outside a Napier nightclub last week has died.

Police can name the victim as Andy Winitana, 46, of Hastings.

He died in hospital on Tuesday 3 February, after he had sustained injuries during an assault around 1am on Sunday on West Quay in Ahuriri outside a premises.

We extend our sympathies to his family, who we will continue to support.

A 21-year-old man has appeared before Napier District Court on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and has been remanded in custody.

Further charges are now being considered. He is next due to appear in Napier District Court on 25 February.

Police would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident on the wharf area on West Quay between 12.30-1.30am on Sunday 1 February.

We would also like to hear from anyone who might have footage available.

Please contact us online at 105.police.govt.nz, or call 105, and use the reference number 260201/1791.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/homicide-investigation-launched-napier/

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Home insurance premiums fall despite ongoing weather risks

Source: Radio New Zealand

Home insurance premiums fell in the last year, even in areas prone to weather-related risks. RNZ

Home insurance premiums fell across all regions of the country in the last year, even in areas prone to weather-related risks, new Treasury data shows.

The availability of insurance from multiple underwriters also improved in most hazard-prone areas, despite major insurer AA Insurance halting new policies in selected postcodes.

However, areas in high flood risk zones are still attracting thousands of dollars a year in extra premiums, in some cases.

Actuarial consultancy Finity has monitored insurance premiums on behalf of Treasury since late 2022, for a dataset of properties chosen to match New Zealand’s natural hazards profile.

The addresses are real but other information, such as property age, sum insured and construction materials, has been randomised so that the ‘houses’ in the dataset are not real people’s homes.

Since October 2023, the monitoring has expanded to include 1710 properties in suburbs around the country that are known to be flood-affected, either by river or surface flooding.

Smaller subsets are used to monitor pricing and availability for other hazard risks, such as landslides.

The most recent report, based on October 2025 data but released on Tuesday, showed that premiums had fallen since October 2024 – the first drop in pricing since monitoring began.

That was true for every region in the country.

Nationally, the average cheapest premium available fell from $1999 a year to $1886.

In its report, Finity said that multiple insurers had implemented decreases, driving the average price down.

“New business prices peaked around mid to late 2024 and have been falling since, driven by favourable reinsurance conditions and a benign period of natural perils losses.”

The monitoring occured prior to the recent massive storm and flooding in the upper North Island.

Experts have previously warned that insurance will become prohibitively expensive or impossible to get at all for some properties, as the risk from climate change-driven weather events continues to rise.

RNZ revealed last week that AA Insurance has temporarily stopped offering new home insurance policies in Westport because of the town’s flood risk.

The Finity data was collected prior to that decision – which AA Insurance informed Buller District Council of in late December.

However, there was “clear evidence that many insurers are using flood risk as a driver for their online underwriting criteria”, the Finity report said.

“Availability is limited in some high risk flood areas, specifically Avondale, Edgecumbe, Woolston and Westport,” the Finity report said.

“For example, the majority of low and high flood risk quotes in Westport only received quotes from two underwriters, with only one [property] quoted by three or more underwriters.”

As flood risk increased, availability dropped, the report said.

“High flood risk locations received approximately twice the number of rejections as locations with no flood risk.”

For insurers who did provide online quotes, the additional flood premiums were now higher.

The average quote for some of these properties was more than $1000 extra, up to a maximum quote in one case of $9250.

The report noted AA Insurance’s approach to new policies in “specific postcodes with very high seismic risk”, where a temporary halt had been placed on new policies.

RNZ reported on Tuesday that north Canterbury township Woodend was among those postcodes, along with Rolleston and Lincoln.

The pause, which began last September, also appeared to apply to Blenheim and the neighbouring settlements of Renwick and Seddon.

“Any impact from this restriction on the data shown will be outweighed by the wider increases in online availability in high seismic areas,” the Finity report said.

Overall, 95 percent of homes in the seismic dataset could get an online quote from at least two of the four underwriters included in the Finity monitoring (IAG, Tower, AA Insurance and Vero) – a small jump from 93 percent the year before.

That was mostly due to improved availability in Canterbury, central Wellington and the Hutt Valley.

Since the fatal Mount Maunganui landslide last month, landslide risk in New Zealand had earned heightened public attention.

The Treasury data did not show any evidence that insurers were charging additional premiums for properties with a high landslide risk – in fact, these properties attracted slightly lower premiums than the national average.

However, it noted that insurers were paying attention to landslide risk, with Tower expanding its property-level risk-based pricing last year to include landslide hazard.

Tower chief executive Paul Johnston said that had allowed the company to classify 93 percent of its customers as ‘low risk’ or ‘very low risk’, with an average reduction of $70 in premiums for those properties.

A ‘couple of percent’ had been classified as ‘very high risk’, with increases to their premiums.

A third of those increases were over $100 but Johnston would not say what the largest premium increase was.

For properties facing very large increases, “we’re calling them individually and talking to them about that and what we can do”, he said.

An Insurance Council spokesperson said it was “important New Zealand takes a long-term view on the risks from natural hazards as we face the prospect of more frequent and severe events due to climate related events”.

“We support a government-led approach to mitigate and adapt to the changing climate and an agreed set of natural hazard and climate risk data so we are all on the same page.

“This in turn will help reduce risk, protect communities and keep insurance accessible in the future.”

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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/2026/02/04/home-insurance-premiums-fall-despite-ongoing-weather-risks/

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Mechanical failure sees Wellington Water discharge untreated sewage at Moa Point

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Water’s Moa Point treatment plant (file photo). Wellington Water

After a night of heavy rain, Wellington Water has started discharging raw sewage off the city’s south coast, and issued two other wastewater discharge notices.

Wellington Water said a mechanical failure at 3am on Wednesday caused it to start an unconsented discharge of untreated wastewater from its Moa Point treatment plant.

It said the sewage would emerge at the short outfall into the ocean at Tarakena Bay and may cause the water to appear cloudy or murky.

The water agency said it had discharged screened wastewater into Karori Stream at 10.45pm on Tuesday. That would also flow into the sea on the south coast.

About half an hour before that, fully treated sewage was released at 10.18pm into Waiwhetū Stream in Lower Hutt, which flows into the sea near Petone beach.

Water monitoring body Land, Air, Water Aotearoa advises people to stay out of the sea for two or three days after heavy rain.

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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/2026/02/04/mechanical-failure-sees-wellington-water-discharge-untreated-sewage-at-moa-point/