New Zealanders are still spending hours of their personal time online each day, despite a steady decline in positive sentiment about the Internet, new research shows.
The latest Internet Insights, annual research commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa, reveals that nearly half (47 percent) of New Zealanders spend four or more hours a day on the Internet.
Less than three-quarters (72 percent) of Internet users feel the positives of the Internet outweigh its negatives. This figure has been in steady decline since 2019, when 90 percent felt there were more positives than negatives.
Fewer people think the Internet has a positive impact on cultural beliefs and values now too – 32 percent think it has a positive impact, down five percentage points in two years.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa chief executive Vivien Maidaborn says the research shows the increasingly complex relationship people have with the Internet.
“Love it or hate it, we’re all using the Internet a great deal in our work and personal lives. It’s become so integral to our day-to-day, I think most of us would struggle to get by without it. But that doesn’t mean it’s something we enjoy engaging with, and this complexity is increasing year on year.”
New Zealanders are concerned about a broad range of Internet issues, the research shows.
Seventy-one percent are extremely or very concerned about young children being able to access inappropriate content, 65 percent are concerned about the security of their personal data, and 64 percent are concerned about misinformation.
“This is the first time we have seen misinformation in the top three concerns,” says Maidaborn. “It shows increasing awareness of the critical eye and media literacy needed as an Internet user, which is a good thing, but it likely also reflects the increasing amount of misinformation online, including this new wave of unidentifiable AI-generated misinformation.”
Key Internet Insights 2025 findings:
47 percent of respondents spend four or more hours of their personal time a day on the Internet.
Internet users primarily spend this time on social media, emails and streaming TV & music.
Key concerns for Internet users are:
71 percent are concerned about young children being able to access inappropriate content.
65 percent are concerned about the security of their personal data.
64 percent are concerned about misinformation.
Some groups are more concerned about specific aspects of the Internet:
70% of Maori are extremely or very concerned about identity theft
87% of Pacific peoples are extremely or very concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content online.
Māori (64%) and Pacific peoples (80%) are extremely or very concerned about the Internet being used to share dangerous or discriminatory messaging.
48% of people aged 30-49 are extremely or very concerned about the Internet being distracting or a waste of time.
76% of people aged 70+ are extremely or very concerned about the security of personal data.
Less than a third of respondents say they know where to report concerning, harmful or dangerous content.
About the research
Internet Insights is an annual research report commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa. The 2025 research was carried out by Verian, with interviews conducted between November 25 and December 8, 2025.
The sample size was 1003 and consisted of New Zealanders over the age of 18 sourced using online consumer panels. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
The research covers a range of topics, including Internet use, social media use, and Internet-related concerns.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa is the home and guardian of the .nz domain. We’re not government-funded – we’re an independent, not-for-profit organisation that operates .nz for the benefit of all New Zealanders, reinvesting domain revenue back into the community. We provide grants, help to fund other organisations, and advocate for an accessible and safe Internet that benefits everyone in Aotearoa.
More than 3,500 Mental Health Nurses, Public Health Nurses and Mental Health Assistants who are members of the PSA have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new collective agreement with Te Whatu Ora Health NZ.
The agreement was reached after eighteen months of bargaining involving 32 days of bargaining and mediation, said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The new collective is a testament to the resolve and resilience of members in the face of an unnecessarily protracted bargaining process and unrealistic initial offers,” Fitzsimons said.
“To break the impasse these workers went on strike during the Mega Strike on 23 October 2025 as well as a further strike in November. This settlement is a result of these workers standing together to take collective action.”
Workers will receive a pay increase of 2.5 per cent in year one from December 2025 and a further 2 per cent from December 2026. The agreement also includes an $800 lump sum payment for staff, in recognition of the length of time it took to conclude bargaining.
The new collective started to address workers’ concerns about safe staffing levels, staff shortages and slow recruitment for vacancies.
Mental Health Nurses, Public Health Nurses, and Mental Health Assistants deliver essential care to New Zealanders every day, working in highly stressful environments. This settlement recognises the value of their work and the role they play keeping a health system, which is under significant strain, functioning as well as it does.”
“This ratification result is a step forward but major problems remain in our health system caused by the Government imposing job losses on Health New Zealand and failing to fund our health system properly,” Fitzsimons said.
“All political parties must commit to a properly funded public health system that ensures safe staffing levels, and delivers quality care for all New Zealanders, as well as pay equity for under-valued health workers,” Fitzsimons said.
This is the second significant health collective agreement that was settled last week, after the Allied, Public Health, Scientific and Technical covering over 12,000 allied health workers was ratified on Tuesday (Feb 24).
Voting is shortly to be held on a third health Collective for policy, advisory, knowledge and specialist workers.
The PSA represents more than 26,000 workers employed by Health NZ.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, public health and community groups.
Most of us are online, a lot – but not all of us are having the same experience, new research from InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa shows.
Internet Insights is an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ that acts as a pulse check on Aotearoa New Zealand’s Internet use and community.
The 2025 survey showed Māori, Pacific peoples and people with disabilities have different perceptions of and experiences of online life.
Respondents with a disability or an impairment were significantly more likely to have experienced online harm or harassment – 27 percent compared to the average of 15 percent. Māori were also more likely than average to have experienced online harm or harassment, at 20 percent.
Pacific peoples answering the survey were significantly more concerned than other ethnicities about online harm issues, including cyberbullying, the Internet being used to share dangerous or discriminatory messages and as a forum for hate speech.
InternetNZ chief executive Vivien Maidaborn said whether it’s online or offline, people’s experiences of the online world vary hugely.
“This is just a snapshot of Internet experiences in Aotearoa, but it very likely reflects the lived experiences of Māori, Pacific peoples and people with a disability. The Internet often mirrors society, which unfortunately means discrimination is as present online as it is offline.”
Pacific peoples and people with disabilities were also more likely to hold concerns about limited Internet access for those in low socio-economic groups, the cost of the Internet and access in remote areas.
“This concern bears out in other data too,” says Maidaborn. “We know around 400,000 households lack meaningful digital access, and the barrier is often the cost of devices and connections. There’s still quite significant digital inequity in this country, despite the ever-growing influence the digital world has on our lives.”
Forty-four percent of those surveyed felt they had some awareness and understanding of the digital divide. One in four New Zealanders believe that central government should have primary responsibility for ensuring everyone in Aotearoa can participate fully online, though one in five believe it’s a shared responsibility between government and community.
“Our vision at InternetNZ is for an Internet that benefits all New Zealanders. This report shows again that we still have some way to go and that it will take multiple stakeholders across government and community to achieve this.”
Key findings from Internet Insights 2025:
15 percent say they have experienced online harm or harassment – New Zealanders with a disability or impairment (27 percent compared to the average of 15 percent) and Māori (20 percent) are more likely to have experienced online harm or harassment.
Māori (64%) and Pacific peoples (80%) are extremely or very concerned about the Internet being used to share dangerous or discriminatory messaging. The average across all ethnicities was 61 percent.
44 percent of respondents had some awareness and understanding of the digital divide. The perceived barriers to digital participation were primarily the cost of Internet connections and data, and the costs of devices.
One in four New Zealanders believes the central government should have primary responsibility for ensuring everyone in Aotearoa can participate fully online. One in five say it’s a shared responsibility across multiple groups.
21 percent are not confident they could get support for a digital task.
Internet Insights is an annual research report commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa. The 2025 research was carried out by Verian, with interviews conducted between November 25 and December 8, 2025.
The sample size was 1003 and consisted of New Zealanders over the age of 18 sourced using online consumer panels. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
The research covers a range of topics, including Internet use, social media use, and Internet-related concerns.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa is the home and guardian of the .nz domain. We’re not government-funded – we’re an independent, not-for-profit organisation that operates .nz for the benefit of all New Zealanders, reinvesting domain revenue back into the community. We provide grants, help to fund other organisations, and advocate for an accessible and safe Internet that benefits everyone in Aotearoa.
New Zealanders are still spending hours of their personal time online each day, despite a steady decline in positive sentiment about the Internet, new research shows.
The latest Internet Insights, annual research commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa, reveals that nearly half (47 percent) of New Zealanders spend four or more hours a day on the Internet.
Less than three-quarters (72 percent) of Internet users feel the positives of the Internet outweigh its negatives. This figure has been in steady decline since 2019, when 90 percent felt there were more positives than negatives.
Fewer people think the Internet has a positive impact on cultural beliefs and values now too – 32 percent think it has a positive impact, down five percentage points in two years.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa chief executive Vivien Maidaborn says the research shows the increasingly complex relationship people have with the Internet.
“Love it or hate it, we’re all using the Internet a great deal in our work and personal lives. It’s become so integral to our day-to-day, I think most of us would struggle to get by without it. But that doesn’t mean it’s something we enjoy engaging with, and this complexity is increasing year on year.”
New Zealanders are concerned about a broad range of Internet issues, the research shows.
Seventy-one percent are extremely or very concerned about young children being able to access inappropriate content, 65 percent are concerned about the security of their personal data, and 64 percent are concerned about misinformation.
“This is the first time we have seen misinformation in the top three concerns,” says Maidaborn. “It shows increasing awareness of the critical eye and media literacy needed as an Internet user, which is a good thing, but it likely also reflects the increasing amount of misinformation online, including this new wave of unidentifiable AI-generated misinformation.”
Key Internet Insights 2025 findings:
47 percent of respondents spend four or more hours of their personal time a day on the Internet.
Internet users primarily spend this time on social media, emails and streaming TV & music.
Key concerns for Internet users are:
71 percent are concerned about young children being able to access inappropriate content.
65 percent are concerned about the security of their personal data.
64 percent are concerned about misinformation.
Some groups are more concerned about specific aspects of the Internet:
70% of Maori are extremely or very concerned about identity theft
87% of Pacific peoples are extremely or very concerned about young children accessing inappropriate content online.
Māori (64%) and Pacific peoples (80%) are extremely or very concerned about the Internet being used to share dangerous or discriminatory messaging.
48% of people aged 30-49 are extremely or very concerned about the Internet being distracting or a waste of time.
76% of people aged 70+ are extremely or very concerned about the security of personal data.
Less than a third of respondents say they know where to report concerning, harmful or dangerous content.
About the research
Internet Insights is an annual research report commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa. The 2025 research was carried out by Verian, with interviews conducted between November 25 and December 8, 2025.
The sample size was 1003 and consisted of New Zealanders over the age of 18 sourced using online consumer panels. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
The research covers a range of topics, including Internet use, social media use, and Internet-related concerns.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa is the home and guardian of the .nz domain. We’re not government-funded – we’re an independent, not-for-profit organisation that operates .nz for the benefit of all New Zealanders, reinvesting domain revenue back into the community. We provide grants, help to fund other organisations, and advocate for an accessible and safe Internet that benefits everyone in Aotearoa.
New Zealanders are spending slightly less time on social media, but still a considerable amount of time each day, new research from InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa shows.
The 2025 data for Internet Insights, an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ released today, shows we spend an average of three hours of our personal time each day on the Internet.
For close to half of people (46 percent), social media is one of their top three uses of their time. This is closely followed by emails (45 percent) and streaming (41 percent). The number of people who cited social media as one of their top three uses has dropped slightly, down two percentage points since 2023.
Under-30s were the most likely to list social media in their top uses (60 percent of 18-29 year olds, compared to 46 percent across all demographics).
While TikTok is a daily habit for fewer compared to other social media platforms – only 15 percent use it once a day or more – its users are more likely to be younger and to spend considerable time on it each day. TikTok’s New Zealand users spend an average of one hour and 42 minutes a day on the platform, amounting to more than one working day per week.
Facebook is similarly time-consuming – its New Zealand users spend an average of one hour and 24 minutes a day on it. Additionally, 58 percent of Facebook users say they use it daily.
Meta’s Messenger also tops in messaging apps: it’s used at least once daily by nearly half of New Zealanders (47 percent). Whatsapp is used daily by a quarter of New Zealanders.
Despite these statistics, four in 10 New Zealanders (42 percent) are extremely or very concerned that the Internet is distracting and a waste of time. Pacific peoples are most likely to agree with this statement, at 64 percent compared to the average of 42 percent. People aged 30-49 are the next most likely to think so, at 48 percent.
InternetNZ chief executive Vivien Maidaborn says this year’s data reflects what most of us intuitively know.
“We’re spending a lot of time on the Internet, and on social media in particular, I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone.
“But I think it does qualify what we’ve said for a long time, that it’s important that we’re all participating in conversations about how it’s shaped and how it should, and shouldn’t, shape our lives.
“This is particularly important when considering the power held by global social media platforms. New Zealand needs to consider, as a society, what our expectations on platforms operating in our jurisdiction should be, given the massive role they play in our lives.”
Key Internet Insights 2025 findings:
New Zealanders say most of their personal time online is spent on social media – 46 percent say this is one of their top three uses, though this is down by two percentage points from 2023.
Facebook remains the most frequently used social media channels, 58 percent of respondents use Facebook daily; and Messenger the most frequently used messaging app, 47 percent use Messenger daily.
TikTok and Facebook are the most time-consuming platforms. Facebook’s users spend an average of 1 hour 24m a day on the platform, and TikTok’s users spend an average of 1 hour 42m.
Percentage of people who are on this social media platform once a day or more: Facebook: 58% say once a day or more often; Instagram: 31%; TikTok: 15%; Reddit: 7%; LinkedIn: 6%; X (formerly Twitter): 6%; Wechat, Discord, Threads, Telegram, Bluesky & Mastodon all had percentages of 5% or less.
Percentage of people who say they use this messaging platform once a day or more: Messenger: 47% say once a day or more often; WhatsApp: 25%; Snapchat: 12%.
Younger people, Māori and Asian peoples are more likely to use TikTok – 42% of 18-29 year olds use it once a day or more compared to the average of 15%; and 21% of Māori and 20% or Asian peoples compared to the average of 15%.
Young people (18-29) are the highest users of Instagram too, at 56% compared to the average of 31%. Instagram users are also more likely to be women.
Asian peoples are the highest users of Whatsapp (55% compared to the average of 25%).
About the research
Internet Insights is an annual research report commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa. The 2025 research was carried out by Verian, with interviews conducted between November 25 and December 8, 2025.
The sample size was 1003 and consisted of New Zealanders over the age of 18 sourced using online consumer panels. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
The research covers a range of topics, including Internet use, social media use, and Internet-related concerns.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa is the home and guardian of the .nz domain. We’re not government-funded – we’re an independent, not-for-profit organisation that operates .nz for the benefit of all New Zealanders, reinvesting domain revenue back into the community. We provide grants, help to fund other organisations, and advocate for an accessible and safe Internet that benefits everyone in Aotearoa.
New Zealanders are spending slightly less time on social media, but still a considerable amount of time each day, new research from InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa shows.
The 2025 data for Internet Insights, an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ released today, shows we spend an average of three hours of our personal time each day on the Internet.
For close to half of people (46 percent), social media is one of their top three uses of their time. This is closely followed by emails (45 percent) and streaming (41 percent). The number of people who cited social media as one of their top three uses has dropped slightly, down two percentage points since 2023.
Under-30s were the most likely to list social media in their top uses (60 percent of 18-29 year olds, compared to 46 percent across all demographics).
While TikTok is a daily habit for fewer compared to other social media platforms – only 15 percent use it once a day or more – its users are more likely to be younger and to spend considerable time on it each day. TikTok’s New Zealand users spend an average of one hour and 42 minutes a day on the platform, amounting to more than one working day per week.
Facebook is similarly time-consuming – its New Zealand users spend an average of one hour and 24 minutes a day on it. Additionally, 58 percent of Facebook users say they use it daily.
Meta’s Messenger also tops in messaging apps: it’s used at least once daily by nearly half of New Zealanders (47 percent). Whatsapp is used daily by a quarter of New Zealanders.
Despite these statistics, four in 10 New Zealanders (42 percent) are extremely or very concerned that the Internet is distracting and a waste of time. Pacific peoples are most likely to agree with this statement, at 64 percent compared to the average of 42 percent. People aged 30-49 are the next most likely to think so, at 48 percent.
InternetNZ chief executive Vivien Maidaborn says this year’s data reflects what most of us intuitively know.
“We’re spending a lot of time on the Internet, and on social media in particular, I don’t think that’s a surprise to anyone.
“But I think it does qualify what we’ve said for a long time, that it’s important that we’re all participating in conversations about how it’s shaped and how it should, and shouldn’t, shape our lives.
“This is particularly important when considering the power held by global social media platforms. New Zealand needs to consider, as a society, what our expectations on platforms operating in our jurisdiction should be, given the massive role they play in our lives.”
Key Internet Insights 2025 findings:
New Zealanders say most of their personal time online is spent on social media – 46 percent say this is one of their top three uses, though this is down by two percentage points from 2023.
Facebook remains the most frequently used social media channels, 58 percent of respondents use Facebook daily; and Messenger the most frequently used messaging app, 47 percent use Messenger daily.
TikTok and Facebook are the most time-consuming platforms. Facebook’s users spend an average of 1 hour 24m a day on the platform, and TikTok’s users spend an average of 1 hour 42m.
Percentage of people who are on this social media platform once a day or more: Facebook: 58% say once a day or more often; Instagram: 31%; TikTok: 15%; Reddit: 7%; LinkedIn: 6%; X (formerly Twitter): 6%; Wechat, Discord, Threads, Telegram, Bluesky & Mastodon all had percentages of 5% or less.
Percentage of people who say they use this messaging platform once a day or more: Messenger: 47% say once a day or more often; WhatsApp: 25%; Snapchat: 12%.
Younger people, Māori and Asian peoples are more likely to use TikTok – 42% of 18-29 year olds use it once a day or more compared to the average of 15%; and 21% of Māori and 20% or Asian peoples compared to the average of 15%.
Young people (18-29) are the highest users of Instagram too, at 56% compared to the average of 31%. Instagram users are also more likely to be women.
Asian peoples are the highest users of Whatsapp (55% compared to the average of 25%).
About the research
Internet Insights is an annual research report commissioned by InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa. The 2025 research was carried out by Verian, with interviews conducted between November 25 and December 8, 2025.
The sample size was 1003 and consisted of New Zealanders over the age of 18 sourced using online consumer panels. Results have a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.
The research covers a range of topics, including Internet use, social media use, and Internet-related concerns.
InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa is the home and guardian of the .nz domain. We’re not government-funded – we’re an independent, not-for-profit organisation that operates .nz for the benefit of all New Zealanders, reinvesting domain revenue back into the community. We provide grants, help to fund other organisations, and advocate for an accessible and safe Internet that benefits everyone in Aotearoa.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 March 2026 – On the eve of the 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC 2026), Huawei announced that it will officially launch the open source project for the A2A-T (Agent-to-Agent for Telecom) protocol supporting software during the event. This initiative aims to accelerate the global adoption and practice of telecom-grade agent-communication standards through open collaboration, and to jointly build an open, collaborative, and prosperous Agentic Internet era.
A2A-T Framework
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, highly Autonomous Networks are becoming a crucial direction for the communications industry, and the importance of industry collaboration is increasingly prominent. To this end, the A2A-T protocol, including the IG1453 beta version and the enhanced prompt meta-model IG1453A, was jointly released by global telecommunications industry partners at the TM Forum Accelerate Week on February 6, 2026. It aims to provide a unified interaction framework for multi-agent collaboration, addressing challenges faced by operators in automated production, such as collaboration efficiency, reliability, and security.
As a standardized agent interaction protocol, A2A-T marks a new stage in agent interaction, unlocking three major industry breakthroughs: a revolutionary improvement in integration efficiency, reducing the system integration cycle from “months” to “days”. Breaking the boundaries of task collaboration to support complex cross-domain, cross-vendor workflows; and accelerating industry ecosystem convergence by lowering interconnection barriers through unified standards, fostering a sustainable collaborative ecosystem.
While standards chart the course for the industry, open source is the optimal path to achieve widespread interoperability and rapid innovation. In line with the evolutionary consensus of the Autonomous Network industry, Huawei is going to open source the core supporting software for the A2A-T protocol, to practically propel this standard from industry consensus to global deployment.
This open source project will encompass key components for implementing the A2A-T protocol, including:
A2A-T Protocol SDK: Provides integration tools for standardized interaction between agents.
Registry Center: Enables authentication, addressing, and skill management for multiple agents.
More detailed information will be officially announced during MWC 2026 at the Global Autonomous Network Industry Summit (14:30~16:00, March 2, 2026, Sofitel Barcelona Skipper Hotel). We cordially invite global industry partners to attend the launch event on-site or follow the project’s progress through online channels, working together to promote the prosperity of the Agentic Internet.
Hashtag: #Huawei
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 March 2026 – Huawei will release the Agentic Core solution at MWC2026 Barcelona. This solution will leverage three engines—NE intelligence, network intelligence, and service intelligence—to address key challenges in the AI era, such as the sharp increase in traffic, differentiated network requirements, and new service monetization for operators, and promote the large-scale commercial use of intelligent network.
NE intelligence: As AI agents become a core capability of next-generation AI phones, the number of connected entities will increase tenfold, with connections extending from “humans” to physical AI (such as embodied robots and autonomous driving). This will require the introduction of key capabilities such as digital identity, agent registration and discovery, and A2A session management to build a low-latency, highly reliable network foundation, supporting the large-scale commercial deployment of physical AI.
Network intelligence: As service AI agents become more prevalent, they will generate diverse network experience requirements. For example, AI robots may require 100 Mbit/s bandwidth and 20 ms latency. Therefore, it is necessary to evolve from predefined rule networks to intent-driven networks, where network AI agents will understand the needs of different organizations, dynamically match resources, and implement a closed-loop process for policy generation, configuration, and delivery.
Service intelligence: Compared to OTT players, operators have more opportunities to provide inclusive intelligent services. Huawei supports operators’ service innovation through three key services, going beyond connectivity. AISF (Service Intelligence) will evolve from an interactive entry point to a full-featured personal assistant, integrating communication, content, and services. Communication experiences will shift toward immersive interactions, breaking through the boundaries of voice. The integration of computing and networks will continue to be commercialized, providing sustainable computing power support for AI inference and content generation.
Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to deepen the three-layer intelligent collaboration practice with operators, aiming to provide 7×24-hour inclusive intelligent connectivity, and work together to bring users a more efficient, convenient, and intelligent digital life, and create new value in the intelligent Internet era.
Hashtag: #Huawei
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 March 2026 – The eighth edition of “No Limits”, jointly presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, officially opened on 28 February evening at the Auditorium of Kwai Tsing Theatre. The opening programme, The Nature of Why, is performed by Paraorchestra—the world’s first professional inclusive orchestra—offering audiences an immersive arts experience inspired by Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman. Fusing live orchestral music, contemporary dance and audience interaction, the work redefines the boundaries of inclusive art.
Under the theme “All of Us, All Ways”, the eighth edition of “No Limits” is committed to revealing the richness of diverse values and connecting people through the arts. For the first time, “No Limits” has collaborated with two of Hong Kong’s flagship performing arts companies—the Hong Kong Dance Company and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra—to produce multidisciplinary inclusive programmes. These collaborations aim to inspire new perspectives, demonstrate how inclusive arts are being further integrated into Hong Kong’s cultural mainstream, and open up the limitless imagination that diversity brings.
“No Limits” 2026 presents 11 boundary-breaking programmes across music, theatre, dance and film, in a total of 29 performances. In addition to Paraorchestra’s immersive orchestral-dance production The Nature of Why, highlights include: Wayfaring Beyond, a brand-new large-scale outdoor dance work co-produced by “No Limits” and the Hong Kong Dance Company, and co-choreographed and performed with the award-winning China Hong Kong Para Dance Sport Association; Light and Shadow on Strings, co-produced by “No Limits” and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, featuring visually impaired rising star erhu player Yang Enhua in a concert blending traditional and contemporary Chinese music; the Asia premiere of award-winning contemporary dance work Harmonia by Theatre Bremen and Hungarian choreographer Adrienn Hód, challenging established notions of bodily value in dance; the Asia premiere of Precarious Moves, a semi-autobiographical solo performance by Vienna-based artist Michael Turinsky that confronts social expectations and established frameworks surrounding disabled bodies; “No Limits” Asia newly commissioned theatre work Two Blind Women in the Snowy Tokugawa Nights – Sleeping Fires with renowned director Kuro Tanino; and the Asia premiere of Zer-Brech-Lich, an original playful and sensorial musical dance theatre work by Swiss-based choreographer Alessandro Schiattarella, created and performed with three disabled performers. This year, “No Limits” launches the “Local Creative Research and Development Scheme”, pairing local artists with individuals of diverse abilities to co-create new works exploring inclusive practices. The initiative injects fresh vitality into Hong Kong’s inclusive arts landscape, while research outcomes will be presented during “No Limits” 2026 to showcase the potential of inclusive arts.
Ms Sum Fong-kwang, Vivian, JP, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “‘No Limits’ provides a stage for artists with different abilities to showcase their creativity and talents, fostering an inclusive community. It bridges people with different origins, backgrounds and abilities, which on the one hand enriches our arts and cultural offerings, and on the other, showcases the role of creativity as a continuous driver of societal development. I wish this year’s ‘No Limits’ resounding success, and every audience find inspiration and enlightenment through the programmes.”
At the opening ceremony, Mr Sebastian Man, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society, said: “Since its inception in 2019, ‘No Limits’ has promoted inclusion through local and international inclusive arts performances, as well as the Jockey Club ‘No Limits’ Education and Community Outreach Programme, showcasing the remarkable talents of artists with diverse abilities. As we enter the eighth edition, we are delighted to collaborate for the first time with Hong Kong’s flagship arts companies to present two locally produced programmes that embody the spirit of diversity and inclusion. We sincerely thank The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, co-presenter of ‘No Limits’, for its long-standing support. We also thank our Strategic Supporting Partner, Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, for providing comprehensive accessibility services to ensure that everyone can experience the power of the arts. Above all, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every participating artist for their tremendous dedication.”
Mr Nicholas D Hunsworth, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said: “In keeping with No Limits’ theme this year “All of Us, All Ways” – a series of community programmes will be presented by artists with varying abilities to promote inclusion. It reminds us that differently abled people are not different at all, but an integral part of a diverse society. The Hong Kong Jockey Club has long supported arts and cultural projects to enrich lives and build a culturally vibrant city – as evidenced by over 50 years’ funding for the Hong Kong Arts Festival. The Hong Kong Jockey Charities Trust – in partnership with the Hong Kong Arts Festival – has co-presented No Limits since its inauguration in 2019.”
Photo Caption: (From left) Ms Ida Lam, Chairperson of the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong; Mr Sebastian Man Shiu-wai, Vice Chairman, Hong Kong Arts Festival Society; Ms Vivian Sum, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr Nicholas D Hunsworth, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Ms Flora Yu, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, jointly served as officiating guests for the No Limits 2026 opening ceremony.
Building on its established practices, “No Limits” 2026 continues to advance social inclusion and talent development through a wide range of initiatives under the Jockey Club “No Limits” Education and Community Outreach Programme. These initiatives promote inclusivity and creativity, strengthen networks across the education and community sectors, and lay the foundation for a more empathetic and inclusive society. Programmes include the inclusive dance project VISION, International Symposium The Way Forward: A Humanistic–Tech Framework for Inclusive Innovation, school touring concert The Ways We Move, as well as the “No Limits” Creative Training Programme and Community Showcases.
In addition to live performances, online screening programmes include the documentary A Space in Time by Riccardo Servini and Nick Taussig, which follows a couple and their two sons born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy as they journey forward together; Sarah Polley’s Away from Her, portraying a couple of over 40 years facing early-onset Alzheimer’s disease; Taku Aoyagi’s documentary Fujiyama Cottonton, set at Mirai Farm, which serves people with disabilities, and exploring the beauty of everyday life, creativity and community; and Caroline Cavalcanti’s Lapse, a heart-warming story of two teenagers—a deaf skateboarder and a rap enthusiast—who form a bond through sign language and shared struggles.
Tickets for live performances are now available via URBTIX. Half-price concessionary tickets are offered to full-time students, people with disabilities and one companion, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. (www.urbtix.hk/series/124?bannerCode=NL2026) Community programmes are free and open to the public without prior registration. Programmes screened online will be available free of charge on the official website www.nolimits.hk from 30 March to 25 May 2026.
Extending the spirit of inclusion beyond the stage, “No Limits” has also launched a brand-new accessibility-themed plush toys collection. Purchase “No Limits” programme tickets worth HK$500 or more in a single transaction via URBTIX to receive one No Limits Inclusive Plush Toy Redemption Coupon upon ticket collection. Available while stocks last.
Arts Accessibility Services “No Limits” collaborates with the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong to enhance high-quality art projects with accessibility services and ensure that audiences with varying needs can enjoy performances without barriers. Accessibility services differ from programme to programme, and include audio description, accessible captions, sign language interpretation, theatrical interpretation, braille booklets, audio booklets, easy-to-read booklets and relaxed performances. Extra wheelchair seats may be available at the venues, and guide dogs are welcome.
For more event details, please visit the “No Limits” website: www.nolimits.hk Click here for programme details: www.nolimits.hk/programme Urbtix: https://www.urbtix.hk/series/124?bannerCode=NL2026
Appendix
Programme
Date
Programme
Performer/ Director
Venue
Highlights
27 Feb – 1 Mar 2026
The Nature of Why
Paraorchestra
Auditorium,
Kwai Tsing Theatre
28 Feb – 1 Mar 2026
Wayfaring Beyond
Hong Kong Dance Company & China Hong Kong Para Dance Sport Association
Parade Ground,
Tai Kwun
13-15 Mar 2026
Zer-Brech-Lich
Alessandro Schiattarella and Ensemble
Black Box Theatre,
Kwai Tsing Theatre
17-18 Mar 2026
Precarious Moves
Michael Turinsky
The Box,
Freespace, WestK
21-22 Mar 2026
Harmonia
Unusual Symptoms / Theatre Bremen / Adrienn Hód
The Box,
Freespace, WestK
27-29 Mar 2026
Two Blind Women in the Snowy Tokugawa Nights – Sleeping Fires
Kuro Tanino
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
28 Mar 2026
Light and Shadow on Strings
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (Chamber Ensemble)
Yang Enhua (Solo and Ensemble)
Auditorium,
Tsuen Wan Town Hall
“No Limits” International Symposium
8 Mar 2026
The Way Forward: A Humanistic–Tech Framework for Inclusive Innovation
JC Cube, Tai Kwun
Online Programmes
Free screening available on “No Limits” website
Programme
Director
30 Mar – 25 May 2026
A Space in Time
Riccardo Servini & Nick Taussig
30 Mar – 25 May 2026
Away From Her
Sarah Polley
30 Mar – 25 May 2026
Lapse
Caroline Cavalcanti
30 Mar – 25 May 2026
Fujiyama Cottonton
Taku Aoyagi
Hashtag: #NoLimits
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 March 2026 – At MWC Barcelona 2026, Huawei unveiled a full suite of U6GHz products and solutions designed to fully unleash the potential of 5G-A and enable a smooth evolution towards 6G. This suite provides the large capacity, low latency, and premium user experience required for the emerging mobile AI era.
AI is rapidly emerging as the core engine of the intelligent world. According to IDC, AI applications and devices have seen explosive growth over the past year: global monthly active users surpassed 1 billion, AI-powered smartphones accounted for over 50% of new shipments, AI glasses and other emerging devices saw an annual growth rate of over 50%, and token consumption surged by hundreds of times. This brings great opportunities for the mobile industry but also raises multi-dimensional requirements on the network. For example, AI multimodal interactions increase uplink traffic demand by three to five times; real-time decision-making requires low latency and deterministic assurance; ubiquitous AI agents demand more secure and reliable wide-area connectivity.
Currently, 5G-A has become the mainstream commercial technology for global operators, and is also the focus of service innovation and future evolution. The U6GHz band, with its large bandwidth and superior coverage, is becoming a key band for 5G-A evolution and commercial use. Following WRC‑23, U6GHz has been designated as a key mobile communications band. China, the UAE, Brazil, and several European countries are actively promoting spectrum identification, allocation, and testing. In terms of the industry chain, mainstream CPEs and smartphones are expected to be commercially available in 2026, paving the way for large-scale commercial use of U6GHz.
Huawei’s full U6GHz product suite covers a complete matrix of macro sites, micro sites, and microwave equipment, maximizing the advantages of ultra-large bandwidth in U6GHz. It precisely meets the core requirements of mobile AI applications for high capacity, low latency, and superior experience, providing a systematic solution for both the performance leap of 5G-A networks and the seamless evolution towards 6G.
To address outdoor coverage and capacity needs, Huawei has launched a series of AAU products. The U6GHz 256 TRX AAU adopts the extremely large antenna array (ELAA) design and digital-analog hybrid intelligent beamforming algorithms to deliver coverage capabilities comparable to C-band. Meanwhile, with the hyper-resolution MU-MIMO algorithm and 400 MHz ultra-large bandwidth, the product can achieve ultra-large capacity of 100 Gbps in the downlink and over 10 Gbps in the uplink, as well as optimal experience of 10 Gbps in the downlink and 1 Gbps in the uplink, to cope with the connection pressure brought by massive AI terminals and applications. To meet the network performance and deployment requirements in different scenarios, Huawei will also launch U6GHz AAUs with flexible combinations of channels and arrays, helping operators deploy 5G-A networks on a large scale in U6GHz and fully meet service requirements in the mobile AI era.
To meet the high concurrency and large capacity requirements of indoor AI applications, Huawei has launched U6GHz small cell products. They support the ultra-large bandwidth of 400 MHz in U6GHz and integrate and coordinate the U6GHz band with all sub-6 GHz bands. With simplified design and deployment, the products can help operators ensure consistent multi-dimensional experience of AI applications in both indoor and outdoor scenarios, allowing users to enjoy high-quality connections anytime and anywhere.
In terms of transmission, Huawei has launched new microwave products to meet the high‑bandwidth transmission requirements of U6GHz base stations. With industry-unique full-duplex technology, they can significantly improve the bandwidth and capacity of transport networks, meeting the peak traffic requirements of 5G-A and laying a solid foundation for evolution to 6G.
As AI adoption accelerates, U6GHz has become the key to exploring the present and unlocking the future. Huawei’s full U6GHz product suite is now commercially available. It can not only address the capacity challenges of 5G-A, but also support smooth evolution to 6G. This will open up new commercial opportunities for operators and lay a robust connectivity foundation for the intelligent world.
Hashtag: #Huawei
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
New Zealand’s weak response to the unprovoked and illegal United States and Israel attacks on Iran at the weekend has stirred strong criticism from many quarters.
A former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark, who also held a top United Nations position for eight years, labelled the government’s response “a disgrace”.
“In the absence of an imminent threat to the security of the United States and Israel, their armed attacks on Iran are illegal under international law,” she said. “They have no legitimate claim to invoking a right of self-defence.”
Clark was a Labour prime minister in New Zealand from 1999 to 2008 and administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) from 2009 to 2017.
Other critics of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ joint statement today condemning Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Israel and on US assets in the Gulf States included the opposition Green Party, a geopolitical strategic analyst, and a Palestine justice advocate, warning that Washington and Tel Aviv were risking a risky power vacuum in Iran and chaos across the Middle East with democracy unlikely to succeed.
Luxon and Peters singled out Iran for criticism in their statement while virtually ignoring the fact that Israel and the US had initiated hostilities with their sudden attack, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior regime figures, while Washington was still engaged with Tehran in negotiations about a possible nuclear agreement.
“We condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s indiscriminate retaliatory attacks on Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan,” they said. “We cannot risk further regional escalation, and civilian life must be protected.”
In Clark’s response, she also shared on social media a statement from The Elders, an independent advocacy group linking senior public figures including herself, which condemned the military strikes by the US and Israel as a “threat to regional and global security”.
“History shows that wars to force regime change deliver neither democracy nor stability,” said The Elders chair Juan Manuel Santos.
In absence of an imminent threat to security of US & Israel, the armed attacks on Iran are illegal under international law. The Iranian regime is a vicious theocracy which has caused huge trauma to its people. But that isn’t a reason for a breach of Iran’s sovereignty. @TheElderspic.twitter.com/zBeJn9jQ1m
“Trump and Netanyahu’s unilateral attack on Iran must be condemned as an illegal and unprovoked act against the people of the region and any genuine pathway to peace,” opposition Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said.
“This latest escalation in aggression is part of a decades-long pattern of behaviour of the US dragging the region into more wars, violence, and bloodshed.”
“First the US kidnaps the president of a sovereign state after killing more than a score of civilians on the open seas without warrant or evidence of wrongdoing,” said 36th Parallel Assessments director Dr Paul G Buchanan. “Now it kills the head of state and supreme religious leader of another sovereign state, teaming up with a regime credibly accused of committing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank in order to do so.”
He said the “selective unilateral application of force” without imminent threat from either country “demonstrates two things: 1) the US and Israel have gone rogue; and 2) in doing so they have set a dangerous precedent for others to follow suit (think China with regard to Taiwan)”.
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) co-leader John Minto compared the current crisis with 1951 when Iran held its first democratic elections and elected its first democratic government led by Mohammad Mosaddegh as prime minister.
“Two years later the US and UK put in place Operation Ajax which overthrew this democratically elected government because the Iranians had nationalised the extraction and export of Iranian oil.
“This first democratic government in Iran was replaced by the autocratic rule of the US-friendly Shah.
“Today the US and Israel have attacked Iran yet again because Iran supports the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom from Israel’s genocidal occupation of Palestine and its ethnic cleansing and theft of Palestinian land.
“The US and Israel have never been interested in the democratic freedoms of Iranians. They want Iranians to live under the dictatorship of a US-bought leadership — just as the people of Arab countries across the Middle East suffer today.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Australian National University; The University of Western Australia; Victoria University
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said their aim is to bring about a favourable regime change in Iran. The implications of this for Iran, the region and beyond should not be underestimated.
Although Khamenei’s killing is a significant blow to the Islamic regime, it is not insurmountable. Many Iranian leaders have been killed in the past, including Qassem Soleimani, Tehran’s regional security architect, who was assassinated by the US in January 2020.
Khamenei’s departure is unlikely to mean the end of the Islamic regime in the short run. He anticipated this eventuality, and reportedly last week arranged a line of succession for his leadership and that of senior military, security and political leaders if they were “martyred”.
However, Khamenei was both a political and spiritual leader. He has commanded followers not only among devout Shias in Iran, but also many Muslims across the wider region. His assassination will spur some of them to seek revenge, potentially sparking a wave of extremist violent actions in the region and beyond.
A regime built for survival
Under a constitutional provision of the Islamic Republic, the Assembly of Experts – the body responsible for appointing and dismissing a supreme leader – will now meet and appoint an interim or long-term leader, either from among their own ranks or outside.
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the head of the judiciary
Ali Asghar Hejazi, Khamenei’s chief-of-staff
Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Rohullah Khomeini.
The regime has every incentive to do what it must to ensure its survival. There are many regime enforcers and defenders, led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its subordinate paramilitary Basij group, across the country to suppress any domestic uprisings and fight for the endurance of the regime.
Their fortunes are intimately tied to the regime. So are a range of administrators and bureaucrats in the Iranian government, as well as regime sympathisers among ordinary Iranians. They are motivated by a blend of Shi’ism and fierce nationalism to remain loyal to the regime.
Mourners react following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at Enqelab Square in Tehran, Iran.Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA
Many are deeply aggrieved by the regime’s theocratic impositions and dire economic situation and took to the streets in protests in late 2025 and early 2026. The regime cracked down harshly then, killing thousands.
Could a public uprising happen now? So far, the coercive and administrative state apparatus seems to be solidly backing the regime. Without serious cracks appearing among these figures – particularly the IRGC – the regime can be expected to survive this crisis.
Smoke rises in central Tehran after the US-Israel attack.Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA
Global economic pain
The regime has also been able to respond very quickly to outside aggression. It has already hit back at Israel and US military bases across the Persian Gulf, using short-range and long-range advanced ballistic missiles and drones.
While many of the projectiles have been repelled, some have hit their targets, causing serious damage.
The IRGC has also set out to choke the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow strategic waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean. Some 20% of the world’s oil and 25% of its liquefied gas flows through the strait every day.
The IRGC conducting a military drill in the Strait of Hormuz on February 16, nearly two weeks before the US-Israel attacks.Sepah News handout/EPA
The United States has vowed to keep the strait remain open, but the IRGC is potentially well-placed to block traffic from going through. There could be serious implications for the global energy supply and broader economy.
Both sides in this conflict have trespassed all of the previous red lines. They are now in open warfare, which is engulfing the entire region.
A prolonged war looks likely
If there was any pretence on the part of Washington and Jerusalem that their attacks would not lead to a regional war, they were wrong. This is already happening.
Many countries that have close cooperation agreements with Iran, including China and Russia, have condemned the US-Israeli actions. The United Nations secretary-general António Guterres has also urgently called for de-escalation and a return to diplomatic negotiations, as have many others.
But the chances for this look very slim. The US and Iran were in the middle of a second round of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program when the attacks happened. The Omani foreign minister, who mediated between the two sides, publicly said just days ago that “peace was within reach”.
But this was not enough to convince Trump and Netanyahu to let the negotiations continue. They sensed now was the best time to strike the Islamic Republic to destroy not just its nuclear program but also its military capability after Israel degraded some of Tehran’s regional affiliates, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and expanded its footprint in Lebanon and Syria over the last two and a half years.
While it is difficult to be definitive about where the war is likely to lead, the scene is set for a long conflict. It may not last days, but rather weeks. The US and Israel do not want anything short of regime change, and the regime is determined to survive.
With this war, the Trump leadership is also signalling to its adversaries – China, in particular – that the US remains the preeminent global power, while Netanyahu is seeking to cement Israel’s position as the dominant regional actor.
Pity the Iranian people, the region and the world that have to endure the consequences of another war of choice in the Middle East for geopolitical gains in an already deeply troubled world.
The Albanese government has backed the American strike on Iran, while confirming Australia was not given prior warning.
Federal cabinet’s national security committee met early Sunday. Although supporting what has been done, the government is emphasising Australia is not a central player in Middle East issues.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said after the death of Ayatollah Khamenei was confirmed that “his passing will not be mourned.”
In a joint statement, Albanese, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said: “It has long been recognised that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global peace and security.
“The international community has been clear that the Iranian regime can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
“We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security.”
Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson told the ABC: “A coordinated attack to address what has been an ongoing build-up of their nuclear programme is something that’s very good for international peace and security. Of course, we hope the situation is contained.”
Shadow foreign minister Ted O’Brien said: “Our position is clear: Israel has the right to defend itself and Iranians have the right to live free of oppression.”
But Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said: “The Greens condemn these illegal, abhorrent and unilateral attacks. Australians do not want to be dragged into another US-Israeli war.
“Australia’s support of Trump and Netanyahu’s illegal attack last night was disgraceful. We cannot bomb our way to peace.”
A sceptical note from within the Coalition came from Nationals senator Matt Canavan. He told The Conversation “not a single regime change war has left the world a better place in my lifetime – not sure why this would be any different”.
Canavan said it was great to see the Ayatollah gone. “But it was great to see Saddam and Gaddafi gone too. Now things are much worse for those countries and the region. Add the Taliban to that list too.”
Shadow industry minister Andrew Hastie, an Afghanistan veteran, said: “As a veteran of the so-called forever wars, I’m very suspicious about regime change by force. But Iran has a terrible regime – they’re a proxy, they’re underwritten by Chinese and Russian tech,” he told Sky News.
The Iranians orchestrated two attacks in Australia in 2024, one of them the firebombing of the Adass Synagogue in Melbourne. Iran’s ambassador was later expelled.
Asked whether the weekend attack was legal and whether he was concerned this might erode further the international rules-based order, Albanese said those judgements were for the US and those involved directly.
He said he hoped the actions taken would lead to a “swift resolution”.
Wong said Australia did not want to see the situation escalate into a wider regional war. “We seek the resumption of dialogue and diplomacy”, she said. “We join our partners in calling on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law.”
On whether Australia had any prior warning, Wong said: “We weren’t told in advance. You wouldn’t expect us to be.
“We are not at the centre of the issues in the Middle East but we obviously play a role in the international community.”
Quizzed on whether Australia supported regime change, Wong said, “We stand with the people of Iran in fighting against an oppressive regime. Ultimately, Iran’s future must be determined by the people of Iran.”
Australians in Iran continue to be advised to leave if it is safe to do so, which is difficult given the air space is closed.
The government said its ability to provide consular assistance in Iran was “extremely limited”. The Australian embassy is closed.
As well as being advised not to travel to Iran Australians are also advised not to travel to Israel, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, among other countries in the region.
Australians requiring urgent consular assistance can contact the Consular Emergency Centre 24/7 on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside Australia.
The local Iranian community in Australia numbers some 50,000, with many anxiously trying to contact family and friends in Iran.
Yasinta Moiwend was startled when, on a quiet morning, a massive ship docked at her village pier in West Papua.
The vessel carried hundreds of excavators and was escorted by military forces. It was the first convoy of 2000 heavy machines to arrive in Papua under a National Strategic Project for food production, palm-based biodiesel, and sugarcane bioethanol.
Yasinta, a Marind Anim woman in Merauke, never realised that her village had been chosen as the ground zero for what would become the largest forest conversion project in modern history — turning 2.5 million ha of tropical forest into industrial plantations under the guise of “food security” and the “energy transition”.
Vincen Kwipalo, from the Yei community, was also shocked when his clan’s land was suddenly marked with a sign reading: “Property of the Indonesian Army.”
Only later did he learn that the land had been seized for the construction of a military battalion headquarters, at the very moment when sugarcane, a plantation company, was also encroaching on his ancestral forest.
Threatened by the same project, Franky Woro and the Awyu community in Boven Digoel erected giant crosses and indigenous ritual markers on their land. Known as the Red Cross Movement, this form of resistance has spread among Indigenous groups across South Papua.
More than 1800 red crosses have been planted to confront corporations and the military—both physically and spiritually. Though a Christian symbol is central to the movement, local Church prelates condemned it as not part of the church.
[embedded content] The Pesta Babi trailer. Video: Jubi Media at Café Pacific
Pesta Babi (“Pig Feast”) combines detailed field recordings with in-depth research to examine the power structures behind the operation.
It exposes how government and corporate entities — collaborating with military and religious groups — advance international and national goals of “food security” and “energy transition” at the expense of Indigenous communities and landscapes.
The documentary illustrates the networks of Indonesian elites, oligarchs, and multinational corporations that benefit from the project, providing a vivid depiction of the political ecology of Indonesian governance in Papua.
Pig Feast serves as a record of colonialism that remains intact today.
This film is co-produced by Jubi, Ekspedisi Indonesia Baru, Greenpeace, Yayasan Pusaka, and Watchdoc Documentary. It is being screened as part of a weekend of West Papua Solidarity Forum events organised by West Papua Action Tāmaki Makaurau.
“Pesta Babi” (The Pig Party) . . . the West Papuan documentary film being world premiered in New Zealand next month. Image: Jubi Media
Nationally, listings rose 7.8% year-on-year while total stock grew just 1.8%, indicating homes are selling through rather than accumulating
Over 12,200 new listings hit the market in February 2026, more than in any other month of February since 2013
Southland records all-time average asking price high of $584,768
The property market is showing signs of turning, according to new data from realestate.co.nz.
New listings surged 7.8% year-on-year in February to 12,252, the highest level for February since 2013, while total housing stock rose by just 1.8%. The slower growth in overall stock compared to new listings suggests properties are being sold through rather than accumulating.
Month to date, the number residential property seekers on realestate.co.nz are also up year-on-year, pointing to increased buyer confidence. Sales data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) also supports a moving market, with the strongest sales to start to a year since the 2022 market peak*.
Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz, says February’s figures show sellers aren’t sitting on the sidelines anymore.
“When new listings rise faster than total stock, it tells us homes are being sold through rather than sitting on the market. That’s an early sign that activity is lifting and sellers are feeling more confident about listing. It’s early days, the OCR didn’t change last week, and we need to remember it’s an election year, but we are seeing momentum, which is what we had hoped to see in 2026.”
Contributing to the surge in new listings were four regions which recorded year-on-year growth of more than 20%:
Central North Island recorded a 25.0% year-on-year increase to 160 new listings
Taranaki experienced a 22.3% year-on-year increase to 280 new listings
Marlborough recorded a 21.1% year-on-year increase to 15 new listings
Manawatu/Whanganui reported a 20.9% year-on-year increase to 549 new listings.
Southland was the only region to record a double-digit year-on-year decline in February, down 13.9% to 217 new listings.
What’s happening to average asking prices in the regions?
The national average asking price remained steady in February, up just 1.4% year-on-year to $861,180. However, more movement was felt in the regions.
Southland recorded a new all-time average asking price high of $584,768, a 10.6% increase on February 2025. It was one of four regions to record a February high: Central North Island saw the biggest year-on-year increase, up 15.3% to $868,057; Central Otago/Lakes District was up 12.1% year-on-year to $1,613,298, and Canterbury, despite only increasing its average asking price by 3% year-on-year, recorded a February high of $738,385.
Northland’s average asking price dropped out of the $800k bracket for the first time since June 2025, to $799,879. While Waikato tipped back into the $800,000 bracket for the first time in a year, increasing a marginal 0.8% year-on-year.
Wood says price stability at a national level provides reassurance, but the regional variation shows signs of renewed confidence around the country.
“Areas like Southland and Central North Island, which have recorded all time February and overall highs, contrast with Northland, which has declined. Movement like this reinforces the notion that property is a local market.
Do current stock levels point to market activity?
National stock levels rose a modest 1.8% year-on-year to 36,357 in February 2026. However, stock is not increasing at the same pace as new listings, suggesting properties are being sold through rather than accumulating, and signalling strengthening market activity. Although not an all-time high, the last time total stock was over 36,000 in the month of February was in 2015.
Of our 19 regions, 13 saw single-digit growth, with Northland recording the largest year-on-year increase of 9.1%. No region recorded double-digit stock level growth.
However, three regions recorded double-digit, year-on-year stock declines in February:
Southland’s stock levels fell 21.4% to 522 (compared to 664 in February 2025). It is the region with the largest year-on-year drop for the eighth consecutive month.
Central Otago/Lakes District recorded a 15.6% year-on-year decline with 862 properties compared to the 1022 listed in February 2025.
Otago’s stock levels also fell 11.5% to 1041, down from 1176 in February 2026.
Wood says February’s data points to a market beginning to shift.
“If this continues, we could see conditions become more competitive. Confidence is rebuilding gradually, and while external factors like interest rates and the election will influence sentiment, we can expect to see more activity in the market throughout the year.”
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Glossary of terms:
Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.
New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.
Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.
Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.
Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of
Economic Research.
Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.
Nationally, listings rose 7.8% year-on-year while total stock grew just 1.8%, indicating homes are selling through rather than accumulating
Over 12,200 new listings hit the market in February 2026, more than in any other month of February since 2013
Southland records all-time average asking price high of $584,768
The property market is showing signs of turning, according to new data from realestate.co.nz.
New listings surged 7.8% year-on-year in February to 12,252, the highest level for February since 2013, while total housing stock rose by just 1.8%. The slower growth in overall stock compared to new listings suggests properties are being sold through rather than accumulating.
Month to date, the number residential property seekers on realestate.co.nz are also up year-on-year, pointing to increased buyer confidence. Sales data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) also supports a moving market, with the strongest sales to start to a year since the 2022 market peak*.
Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz, says February’s figures show sellers aren’t sitting on the sidelines anymore.
“When new listings rise faster than total stock, it tells us homes are being sold through rather than sitting on the market. That’s an early sign that activity is lifting and sellers are feeling more confident about listing. It’s early days, the OCR didn’t change last week, and we need to remember it’s an election year, but we are seeing momentum, which is what we had hoped to see in 2026.”
Contributing to the surge in new listings were four regions which recorded year-on-year growth of more than 20%:
Central North Island recorded a 25.0% year-on-year increase to 160 new listings
Taranaki experienced a 22.3% year-on-year increase to 280 new listings
Marlborough recorded a 21.1% year-on-year increase to 15 new listings
Manawatu/Whanganui reported a 20.9% year-on-year increase to 549 new listings.
Southland was the only region to record a double-digit year-on-year decline in February, down 13.9% to 217 new listings.
What’s happening to average asking prices in the regions?
The national average asking price remained steady in February, up just 1.4% year-on-year to $861,180. However, more movement was felt in the regions.
Southland recorded a new all-time average asking price high of $584,768, a 10.6% increase on February 2025. It was one of four regions to record a February high: Central North Island saw the biggest year-on-year increase, up 15.3% to $868,057; Central Otago/Lakes District was up 12.1% year-on-year to $1,613,298, and Canterbury, despite only increasing its average asking price by 3% year-on-year, recorded a February high of $738,385.
Northland’s average asking price dropped out of the $800k bracket for the first time since June 2025, to $799,879. While Waikato tipped back into the $800,000 bracket for the first time in a year, increasing a marginal 0.8% year-on-year.
Wood says price stability at a national level provides reassurance, but the regional variation shows signs of renewed confidence around the country.
“Areas like Southland and Central North Island, which have recorded all time February and overall highs, contrast with Northland, which has declined. Movement like this reinforces the notion that property is a local market.
Do current stock levels point to market activity?
National stock levels rose a modest 1.8% year-on-year to 36,357 in February 2026. However, stock is not increasing at the same pace as new listings, suggesting properties are being sold through rather than accumulating, and signalling strengthening market activity. Although not an all-time high, the last time total stock was over 36,000 in the month of February was in 2015.
Of our 19 regions, 13 saw single-digit growth, with Northland recording the largest year-on-year increase of 9.1%. No region recorded double-digit stock level growth.
However, three regions recorded double-digit, year-on-year stock declines in February:
Southland’s stock levels fell 21.4% to 522 (compared to 664 in February 2025). It is the region with the largest year-on-year drop for the eighth consecutive month.
Central Otago/Lakes District recorded a 15.6% year-on-year decline with 862 properties compared to the 1022 listed in February 2025.
Otago’s stock levels also fell 11.5% to 1041, down from 1176 in February 2026.
Wood says February’s data points to a market beginning to shift.
“If this continues, we could see conditions become more competitive. Confidence is rebuilding gradually, and while external factors like interest rates and the election will influence sentiment, we can expect to see more activity in the market throughout the year.”
About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)
We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. In 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.
Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.
Want more property insights?
Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time.
Sold properties: Switch your search to sold to see the last 12 months of sales and prices.
Valuations: Get a gauge on property prices by browsing sold residential properties, with the latest sale prices and an estimated value in the current market.
Glossary of terms:
Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.
New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.
Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.
Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.
Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of
Economic Research.
Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, has been killed in the strikes, Iranian state media reported.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says he was killed early Saturday morning at his office. Satellite imagery shows significant damage to parts of the Leadership House compound, which is Khamenei’s office in Tehran.
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Video has emerged of crowds of people searching through the rubble.
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Nationally, listings rose 7.8% year-on-year while total stock grew just 1.8%, indicating homes are selling through rather than accumulating
Over 12,200 new listings hit the market in February 2026, more than in any other month of February since 2013
Southland records all-time average asking price high of $584,768
The property market is showing signs of turning, according to new data from realestate.co.nz.
New listings surged 7.8% year-on-year in February to 12,252, the highest level for February since 2013, while total housing stock rose by just 1.8%. The slower growth in overall stock compared to new listings suggests properties are being sold through rather than accumulating.
Month to date, the number residential property seekers on realestate.co.nz are also up year-on-year, pointing to increased buyer confidence. Sales data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) also supports a moving market, with the strongest sales to start to a year since the 2022 market peak*.
Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz, says February’s figures show sellers aren’t sitting on the sidelines anymore.
“When new listings rise faster than total stock, it tells us homes are being sold through rather than sitting on the market. That’s an early sign that activity is lifting and sellers are feeling more confident about listing. It’s early days, the OCR didn’t change last week, and we need to remember it’s an election year, but we are seeing momentum, which is what we had hoped to see in 2026.”
Contributing to the surge in new listings were four regions which recorded year-on-year growth of more than 20%:
Central North Island recorded a 25.0% year-on-year increase to 160 new listings
Taranaki experienced a 22.3% year-on-year increase to 280 new listings
Marlborough recorded a 21.1% year-on-year increase to 15 new listings
Manawatu/Whanganui reported a 20.9% year-on-year increase to 549 new listings.
Southland was the only region to record a double-digit year-on-year decline in February, down 13.9% to 217 new listings.
What’s happening to average asking prices in the regions?
The national average asking price remained steady in February, up just 1.4% year-on-year to $861,180. However, more movement was felt in the regions.
Southland recorded a new all-time average asking price high of $584,768, a 10.6% increase on February 2025. It was one of four regions to record a February high: Central North Island saw the biggest year-on-year increase, up 15.3% to $868,057; Central Otago/Lakes District was up 12.1% year-on-year to $1,613,298, and Canterbury, despite only increasing its average asking price by 3% year-on-year, recorded a February high of $738,385.
Northland’s average asking price dropped out of the $800k bracket for the first time since June 2025, to $799,879. While Waikato tipped back into the $800,000 bracket for the first time in a year, increasing a marginal 0.8% year-on-year.
Wood says price stability at a national level provides reassurance, but the regional variation shows signs of renewed confidence around the country.
“Areas like Southland and Central North Island, which have recorded all time February and overall highs, contrast with Northland, which has declined. Movement like this reinforces the notion that property is a local market.
Do current stock levels point to market activity?
National stock levels rose a modest 1.8% year-on-year to 36,357 in February 2026. However, stock is not increasing at the same pace as new listings, suggesting properties are being sold through rather than accumulating, and signalling strengthening market activity. Although not an all-time high, the last time total stock was over 36,000 in the month of February was in 2015.
Of our 19 regions, 13 saw single-digit growth, with Northland recording the largest year-on-year increase of 9.1%. No region recorded double-digit stock level growth.
However, three regions recorded double-digit, year-on-year stock declines in February:
Southland’s stock levels fell 21.4% to 522 (compared to 664 in February 2025). It is the region with the largest year-on-year drop for the eighth consecutive month.
Central Otago/Lakes District recorded a 15.6% year-on-year decline with 862 properties compared to the 1022 listed in February 2025.
Otago’s stock levels also fell 11.5% to 1041, down from 1176 in February 2026.
Wood says February’s data points to a market beginning to shift.
“If this continues, we could see conditions become more competitive. Confidence is rebuilding gradually, and while external factors like interest rates and the election will influence sentiment, we can expect to see more activity in the market throughout the year.”
About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)
We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. In 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.
Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.
Want more property insights?
Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time.
Sold properties: Switch your search to sold to see the last 12 months of sales and prices.
Valuations: Get a gauge on property prices by browsing sold residential properties, with the latest sale prices and an estimated value in the current market.
Glossary of terms:
Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.
New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.
Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.
Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.
Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of
Economic Research.
Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.