Housing market confidence continues to improve.RNZ
Housing market confidence continues to improve, though house price growth is expected to remain subdued.
“Indeed, we anticipate only muted house price growth in 2026. High inventory levels and some headwinds for housing demand are likely to temper house price growth,” the latest ASB Housing Confidence report said.
ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said the results suggested confidence had moved past its weakest point, even if a strong price upswing was unlikely.
“House price expectations have clearly rebounded after a soft patch through 2025,” Tuffley said.
“However, high levels of housing supply and only moderate demand are likely to keep price increases relatively subdued through the first half of 2026.”
He said the outlook on interest rates was another reason why price growth would remain in check.
“With inflation ending 2025 above the Reserve Bank’s target band and mortgage rates already edging higher, people are now anticipating further increases this year,” Tuffley said.
“The switch over the quarter to fewer people expecting declining rates and more expecting higher rates was marked.”
However, the survey found rising optimism throughout the country, led by the South Island with a net 36 percent expecting house prices to rise over the coming year.
Auckland recorded the largest quarterly improvement, with net house price optimism rising to 33 percent.
“From a buyer’s perspective, prices are stable, supply is at a 10-year high and mortgage rates are still relatively low,” Tuffley said.
“However, rising expectations for both house prices and interest rates could prompt some buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines to act sooner rather than later, to avoid getting priced out.”
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Giancarlo Italiano joined a growing list of coaching casualties across the A-League.AAP / Photosport
Giancarlo Italiano’s abrupt departure from the Wellington Phoenix is the latest twist in what has become a season of upheaval for A-League coaches.
Three A-League head coaches have failed to see out the 2025/26 campaign, and fewer than half of the league’s 12 clubs have the same man in charge now that they did a year ago.
Across the football world, coaches are rarely afforded patience when results are not going their way, and the A-League has proved no exception. Since the season kicked off in October, almost every month has brought at least one coaching change.
Italiano abruptly stepped down at the weekend following his side’s heavy derby defeat to Auckland FC. Italiano had been the head coach since 2023 and left without addressing the playing group.
He joined a growing list of coaching changes: Western Sydney Wanderers coach Alen Stajcic was sacked in January, while Perth Glory appointed Adam Griffiths to a permanent role in December after firing David Zdrilic in October.
Central Coast Mariners lost coach Mark Jackson to an overseas opportunity on the eve of the season in October and promoted Warren Moon from caretaker to full-time last month.
Only five clubs have the same coach in charge at this point of this season that had at this stage last year after off-season changes to the Newcastle Jets, Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United.
Wellington were the latest to be swept up in that instability. Italiano’s sudden departure left the Phoenix scrambling for a steady hand, turning once again to a familiar figure inChris Greenacre.
Wellington Phoenix’s loss to Auckland FC was the last time Giancarlo Italiano was in charge of the A-League team.Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Greenacre has been Phoenix head coach three times before in an interim capacity and knew well the “cut throat industry” that football coaching was.
“In the past it was needs must and I was kind of the quickest fix and this time it was certainly different,” Greenacre said of the call-up from the reserve team to main side this week.
“I’ve never been in a rush to get to wherever the end may be [in coaching] and I’m literally taking it day by day and that’s the truth.
“How this pans out who knows … the club have been really loyal to me and giving me an opportunity to grow and the club have been patient, but I think we’ve also been loyal to each other which is quite fitting.
“I want to be successful here whether I’m the long term answer or not, I don’t want to go anywhere else I want to be successful here and maybe that’s a point of difference.”
Despite having been in discussions with Phoenix’s director of football Shaun Gill for a while before Italiano left, Greenacre was wary that those who ran clubs could change their mind on appointments.
“I understand how football works and the sooner you get carried away with it it’ll bite you on the backside.”
Auckland FC coach Steve Corica.Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Auckland FC’s Steve Corica has been a head coach in the A-League since 2018. He arrived in Auckland for the club’s first season in 2024/25 after being fired by Sydney FC just weeks into the season prior due a run of losses.
“I don’t like any coach getting the sack, it’s always hard,” Corica said.
Corica did not think Italiano would be the last A-League coach out before next season.
He said a change of coach always had an impact on a club.
“Sometimes for the good and sometimes not so.
“It’s like players, coaches are the same, [club owners] are looking at strengthening their squad so decisions need to be made and I’m sure there’s going to be some turnaround probably next year as well.”
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New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Winston Peters says the “last thing we should do is go and panic” and make a classic mistake “based on blind ideology” in response to Air New Zealand’s financial loss.
But the New Zealand First leader said “politicians should know what they’re talking about” before suggesting a sale.
On Thursday, David Seymour floated the idea after the company posted a bottom-line loss of $40 million in the six months to December.
“Get woke, go broke,” he said, “We hear about electric planes, glossy reports on climate change, paper cups in the Koru lounge. What they can’t seem to do is take off and land on time.”
ACT leader David Seymour.RNZ / Mark Papalii
The Prime Minister brushed off questions about it, saying there would be no asset sales this political term.
But New Zealand First has long opposed selling off state-owned assets.
Peters took to social media to acknowledge Air New Zealand needed to start being on-time and reducing regional costs, but said calls to sell shares when the airline market was in a downturn were “economic lunacy”.
He pointed out airlines were struggling worldwide, partly because there were not enough engines for the aircraft. He said no one had said anything about selling the airline when it had posted a profit.
“Sometimes there’s a downturn, but we can get on top of it.
“We should not go back to the foolishness of Labour and National selling off assets in the past.”
Peters said the added value of Air New Zealand being “owned by us” went to taxpayers and the New Zealand economy.
If it was owned internationally, that value would go to a foreign economy and New Zealand would be used as a place for “economic exploitation”.
“It’s clear as daylight.
“The former CEO warned us of this two years ago, so politicians should know what they’re talking about.”
He said it was a conversation for the upcoming election.
Labour’s finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds also rejected the idea of selling the airline.
Labour’s finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
She acknowledged performance mattered and the board must be accountable for that, “but a short term loss doesn’t actually justify selling a strategic asset and a really key part of New Zealand’s infrastructure”.
“The real taxpayer risk would be losing control of regional routes and international connectivity if ownership shifted offshore.”
She also challenged the Deputy Prime Minister to explain to regional communities how selling it would guarantee connections for their region.
The Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said asset sales were the very reason New Zealanders’ bills were so high, and that privatisation enriched shareholders at the expense of everyday people.
“That’s when profit comes first – passengers, workers, and regional accessibility comes last.”
She said the Greens had always believed assets built by New Zealanders should remain in public hands.
“The Co-Deputy Prime Minister is currently selling more of the poison as though it were the medicine.”
RNZ spoke to people in Wellington on Thursday evening in the after-work rush hour.
“I think it’s important that we have an airline that works well for our country. We need to be able to get around.”
“As a consumer, it’s disappointing that they have such high air prices. I think there’s some fundamental issues around that. It’s a tough business, but privatising isn’t something that I personally or politically would ever want to see happen with an asset like that.”
“It’s our national airline, so probably it makes sense to keep it because we really can’t afford for it to go under, can we?”
“I do love flying Air New Zealand. It’s a great airline!”
“We’ve got to hold on to it. We’ve sold a lot, and it’s not really been of benefit. It’s a short term solution.”
“It depends on who’s gonna own it, right? I don’t really want someone who doesn’t give a shit about the environment, and will just keep charging high prices for flights.”
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The blobfish, which was declared the world’s ugliest animal in 2013, beat the odds to win the competition last year.Bhakti Patel
Voting for Fish of the Year opens on Saturday.
The competition run by the Mountain to Sea Conservation Trust celebrates New Zealand’s weird, wonderful, and often overlooked marine life.
Much like the well known Bird of the Year, the competition spotlights native species and raises awareness about their conservation status.
“People might not realise that so many of our fish in New Zealand are actually endemic, which means they’re found only in New Zealand waters,” said co-director of the conservation trust Samara Nicholas.
The blobfish was not a contender this year, but there were plenty of other fish in the sea.
An orange roughy.Mountains to Sea
“There’s some really interesting deep water fish like orange roughy to some of our highly threatened banded kōkopu for example,” said Nicholas.
“Then some really weird and interesting fish all in between, like the sunfish, which is the heaviest fish in the world, and the torrentfish, which is really well adapted to living in rivers where there’s high water flow.
“So it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the fish that call New Zealand home and to get engaged and excited and try and make your favourite fish win.”
Voting runs from Saturday 28 February – Sunday 15 March.
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It disrupted the transfer of radiology images – including X-rays, CT and MRI scans – for two hours across both regions.
PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons described the outage as “critical”, forcing clinicians and radiographers to text and phone each other scan results.
“The impact of clinicians needing to resort to text and phone to pass on vital information is that mistakes are more likely, it takes longer, and when you’re dealing with patients in ED or in operating theatres, time is everything.
“It is absolutely critical that these systems are of a modern standard and that these outages don’t keep happening.”
Health New Zealand said the outage was resolved quickly on Thursday afternoon, and standard back-up processes were used while it was happening.
A spokesperson said patient care was not compromised.
Fitzsimons said no IT outage affecting critical clinical information was minor.
“These are important systems that clinicians rely on, and that need fixing because they are not set up to a modern standard, and we’ve lost the experts who know how to patch them quickly.”
“More [outages] will occur, because we’ve lost the data and digital experts from Health New Zealand, after government-imposed funding cuts.”
She wanted Health New Zealand to launch a review into this outage, as it had for the [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/585415/staff-public-deserve-answers-after-major-it-outage-at-hospitals-union-says
incident on 28 January].
Health Minister Simeon Brown said he was aware of a “brief IT issue” in the northern region on Thursday.
“I want to thank staff for resolving the issue swiftly and ensuring there was no disruption to patient care.”
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The study analysed 26847 mental health callouts – or 5.7 percent of total callouts between July 2022 and June 2023.Supplied / St John
A study into thousands of ambulance callouts for mental health shows most were non-urgent, and should have been managed in the community.
It found “most callouts [89.8 percent] were of low acuity, with a notable proportion of repeat callouts, suggesting unmet need for mental health care”.
That, and the fact that many – 32.8 percent – did not need to be taken to hospital, “suggest that many mental health callouts may be managed outside emergency settings”.
The study, published in the NZ Medical Journal on Friday, analysed 26847 mental health callouts – that was 5.7 percent of total callouts between July 2022 and June 2023 – before police began to retreat from mental health callouts.
Events which counted towards the study included attempted suicide, self-harm and anxiety.
The study also showed inequalities based on ethnicity. Māori accounted for 22.1 percent of these callouts, and Pacific people for 4.6 percent.
There is a disproportionately high rates of mental health related callouts among younger Māori and Pacific people compared to younger non-Māori or Pacific people, and higher proportions of callouts in areas of lower socio-economic deprivation.
Nearly a third (30.8 percent) of mental health callouts occurred in the most deprived areas (quintiles 9 and 10), with the highest proportions among Māori (47.7 percent) and Pacific peoples (49.9 percent).
Female patients accounted for over half of these callouts across all ethnicities.
“Continued reliance on emergency services suggests inadequate access to or insufficient community-based support,” the report says.
One of its authors, Gabby Harding, a lecturer in paramedicine at Auckland University of Technology and a paramedic herself with Hato Hone St John, said the low number of people taken to hospital means many would have been referred to community-based care.
“So it suggests that people are seeking support when other services aren’t available. As we know, people ring 111 when they are at a crisis point or in distress.”
Repeat callouts, where people called back within the year, suggested there may be a gap in continuous, accessible and culturally safe care, she said.
She said it was an opportunity to develop links between ambulances and community-based mental health services.
Ambulance services could refer people back to community services, but people’s access would still rely on those services being available, which was different by area.
Recommendations from the report
The study says future mental health policies should make it a priority to ensure appropriate systems, services and support for Māori and Pacific peoples were in place.
It also points out that addressing socio-economic determinants of mental health, like financial strain, unemployment and poor access to healthcare services, could improve people’s mental health.
“Addressing these issues requires comprehensive policy changes and a targeted approach to mitigate stressors such as racism, socio-economic inequities, stigmatisation and systemic barriers to healthcare,” the study says.
Wellington City Mission says sometimes people just need to talk
Pip Rea from the Wellington City Mission said people experiencing mental health distress could be having suicidal thoughts or a panic attack, and at that point, “they don’t know where to go, they don’t know what to do”.
“Something that’s ingrained in us as New Zealanders is to call 111, ask for an ambulance, and they will help us, they will know what to do – and so that’s what people do.”
Often by that stage, people had tried places like their GP or talking to someone, and had reached crisis point.
She said the City Mission had a good relationship with Wellington Free Ambulance, meaning people could be redirected to their Crisis Cafe, which was open all hours.
“A community, peer-led response – that’s what works, not a clinicalised model such as ED.”
It also meant repeat callers had somewhere else to go, rather than calling 111 in future.
Their service was “not over capacity, but we definitely are busy”, with numbers increasing month-on-month. In the Crisis Cafe’s first 11 months of operation, they had had more than 750 people through the doors, she said.
Wellington City Mission had a good relationship with Wellington Free Ambulance and people could often be redirected to their Crisis Cafe, Pip Rea said.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Minister says people reach out for loneliness and stress – issues which are ‘serious’ but ‘non-urgent’
The Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey, said his office’s own work had shown similar trends to this recent study.
“When we started working toward a mental health response to 111 calls, we started by examining the data. What we found was that a significant number of calls were being coded as “1M” by police, a category used for mental health,” he said.
People were reaching out, some repeatedly, for issues like loneliness, stress about housing or finances, or other social challenges.
“While these are serious and important issues, they are not always situations requiring an immediate response,” Doocey said.
He said this data backed the need for the government’s rollout of mental health co-response teams, which would work alongside police or ambulance staff to respond to 111 calls.
“I recently visited a co-response team who spoke about the value of having a joined-up response, particularly in dealing with repeat callers, as they know the person well and can respond accordingly,” he said.
Matt Doocey said his office’s own work showed similar trends to the study’s.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Health NZ says more work to do, but investment is being made
Health NZ national director for mental health and addiction Phil Grady said the agency was committed to providing faster access to primary and specialist mental health and addiction services while growing the mental health workforce to meet increasing need.
Investment so far included:
The $10 million Mental Health Innovation Fund, aimed at supporting faster access to a greater range of community-led support, like Ki tua o Matariki to run peer support groups for expectant mothers aged 15-24 in Auckland.
A $61.6m investment, announced in late 2025, to expand crisis recovery cafés and peer support in emergency departments.
Money from Budget 2025 was being used to roll out co-response teams and expand telehealth capacity.
$3.5m annual funding boost to specialist mental health services for infants, children and teens in Tairāwhiti, Counties Manukau, and Waitematā.
Uptake was increasing for community-based services, with the Access and Choice programme having provided more than a million sessions since it began in 2020.
An additional 6072 people had received specialist services compared to the previous year, Grady said, and an additional 557 full-time-equivalent mental health workers had been recruited since March 2023.
“This is promising – but we know there is more to do, and we remain committed to improving services to meet the needs of communities,” Grady said.
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Housing market confidence continues to improve.RNZ
Housing market confidence continues to improve, though house price growth is expected to remain subdued.
“Indeed, we anticipate only muted house price growth in 2026. High inventory levels and some headwinds for housing demand are likely to temper house price growth,” the latest ASB Housing Confidence report said.
ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said the results suggested confidence had moved past its weakest point, even if a strong price upswing was unlikely.
“House price expectations have clearly rebounded after a soft patch through 2025,” Tuffley said.
“However, high levels of housing supply and only moderate demand are likely to keep price increases relatively subdued through the first half of 2026.”
He said the outlook on interest rates was another reason why price growth would remain in check.
“With inflation ending 2025 above the Reserve Bank’s target band and mortgage rates already edging higher, people are now anticipating further increases this year,” Tuffley said.
“The switch over the quarter to fewer people expecting declining rates and more expecting higher rates was marked.”
However, the survey found rising optimism throughout the country, led by the South Island with a net 36 percent expecting house prices to rise over the coming year.
Auckland recorded the largest quarterly improvement, with net house price optimism rising to 33 percent.
“From a buyer’s perspective, prices are stable, supply is at a 10-year high and mortgage rates are still relatively low,” Tuffley said.
“However, rising expectations for both house prices and interest rates could prompt some buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines to act sooner rather than later, to avoid getting priced out.”
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Confidence in New Zealand’s housing market has lifted sharply this quarter, with an increasing proportion of Kiwi expecting house prices to rise over the next year, despite growing expectations that interest rates will increase.
In ASB’s latest Housing Confidence Survey, a net 30% of respondents now expect house prices to increase over the next 12 months, up from 17% in the previous quarter. Buying sentiment remains high and broadly unchanged, with a net 27% of respondents saying now is a good time to buy a home – well above the long‑term average.
What’s driving the shift?
ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says the results suggest confidence that the housing market has moved past its weakest point is building, even if a strong price upswing is unlikely.
“House price expectations have clearly rebounded after a soft patch through 2025,” Nick says. “However, high levels of housing supply and only moderate demand are likely to keep price increases relatively subdued through the first half of 2026.”
At the same time, households are considering the interest rate outlook.
“With inflation ending 2025 above the Reserve Bank’s target band and mortgage rates already edging higher, people are now anticipating further increases this year,” Nick says. “The switch over the quarter to fewer people expecting declining rates and more expecting higher rates was marked. In the face of that shift, the greater degree of confidence on future house price increases is a call-out”.
What it means for the housing market
Optimism has increased across all regions, led by the South Island with a net 36% expecting house prices to rise over the coming year. Auckland recorded the largest quarterly improvement, with net house price optimism rising to 33%.
Nick says conditions continue to favour buyers, particularly first‑home buyers, with listings remaining high, giving purchasers plenty of choice and time to negotiate.
“From a buyer’s perspective, prices are stable, supply is at a 10‑year high and mortgage rates are still relatively low. However, rising expectations for both house prices and interest rates could prompt some buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines to act sooner rather than later, to avoid getting priced out.”
What’s next?
Expectations for both interest rates and house prices to rise over the next year may encourage some buyers to bring forward purchasing decisions. This, alongside an expected improvement in broader macroeconomic conditions, could underpin housing market activity. The recent lift in home lending to both investors and first‑home buyers supports this.
Despite the improvement in sentiment, ASB economists caution that household finances remain a key constraint. Unemployment is still elevated and economic recovery remains uneven across the regions which is likely to temper any near‑term surge in housing activity.
Confidence in New Zealand’s housing market has lifted sharply this quarter, with an increasing proportion of Kiwi expecting house prices to rise over the next year, despite growing expectations that interest rates will increase.
In ASB’s latest Housing Confidence Survey, a net 30% of respondents now expect house prices to increase over the next 12 months, up from 17% in the previous quarter. Buying sentiment remains high and broadly unchanged, with a net 27% of respondents saying now is a good time to buy a home – well above the long‑term average.
What’s driving the shift?
ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says the results suggest confidence that the housing market has moved past its weakest point is building, even if a strong price upswing is unlikely.
“House price expectations have clearly rebounded after a soft patch through 2025,” Nick says. “However, high levels of housing supply and only moderate demand are likely to keep price increases relatively subdued through the first half of 2026.”
At the same time, households are considering the interest rate outlook.
“With inflation ending 2025 above the Reserve Bank’s target band and mortgage rates already edging higher, people are now anticipating further increases this year,” Nick says. “The switch over the quarter to fewer people expecting declining rates and more expecting higher rates was marked. In the face of that shift, the greater degree of confidence on future house price increases is a call-out”.
What it means for the housing market
Optimism has increased across all regions, led by the South Island with a net 36% expecting house prices to rise over the coming year. Auckland recorded the largest quarterly improvement, with net house price optimism rising to 33%.
Nick says conditions continue to favour buyers, particularly first‑home buyers, with listings remaining high, giving purchasers plenty of choice and time to negotiate.
“From a buyer’s perspective, prices are stable, supply is at a 10‑year high and mortgage rates are still relatively low. However, rising expectations for both house prices and interest rates could prompt some buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines to act sooner rather than later, to avoid getting priced out.”
What’s next?
Expectations for both interest rates and house prices to rise over the next year may encourage some buyers to bring forward purchasing decisions. This, alongside an expected improvement in broader macroeconomic conditions, could underpin housing market activity. The recent lift in home lending to both investors and first‑home buyers supports this.
Despite the improvement in sentiment, ASB economists caution that household finances remain a key constraint. Unemployment is still elevated and economic recovery remains uneven across the regions which is likely to temper any near‑term surge in housing activity.
Did ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s actions merit an ICC trial? Here is how the prosecution, the victims’ representatives, and the defence are presenting their cases during the pre-trial at the International Criminal Court. Report compiled by Rappler.
The team of prosecutors, victims’ representatives, and the defence are laying out their cases aiming to prove — or challenge — whether Duterte’s actions warrant trial.
After this pre-trial hearing, the ICC judges may decide whether there is enough evidence to move forward to a full trial, a process that could define Duterte’s legacy and signal accountability.
The defence team, so far, has painted a portrait of a president who was tough, outspoken, and misunderstood, but whose actions, they argued, were within the law.
Rappler has highlighted some of the most striking statements from the sessions. This will be updated as the confirmation of charges progresses and ends tomorrow.
Day 1 — February 23, 2026
Deputy ICC prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang delivers his team’s opening statement. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“Mr Duterte’s criminal plan and his intent were no secret. He not only shared them with his co-perpetrators and members of the [Davao Death Squad], but also made them abundantly clear to the general public in the numerous public statements that he made time and again.
“His intent and knowledge are shown by the multiple statements that he made throughout his mayoral and presidential tenure promising to reduce crimes by killing alleged criminals, promoting the common plan, and urging the police and even members of the public to kill alleged criminals.”
— Deputy ICC prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang on how Duterte’s public speeches demonstrate his intent and knowledge in promoting drug war killings
Victims representative: Filipino lawyer Joel Butuyan delivers his opening statement on behalf of the victims of Duterte’s drug war during the first day of confirmation of charges hearing. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“The arrest and detention of Mr Duterte has not stopped impunity in the Philippines. The virus of impunity that he spread all over the country has become a cancer that has metastasised, infecting millions of Filipinos. Mr. Duterte has created clones of himself. He converted millions of peace-loving citizens into bloodthirsty disciples who have become converts to the belief that violence and killings are valid solutions to societal problems.
“The killings masterminded by Mr Duterte continue to have consequences for the victims, even to this day, because of his clones. These mini-Dutertes harass, threaten, or commit outright violence against the victims and their families.”
— Lawyer Joel Butuyan, ICC-appointed common legal representative for victims, on the culture of impunity in the Philippines and the continuing threats faced by families of drug war victims
“If the charges are not confirmed in this case, one of the gravest concerns of the victims is that Mr Duterte will return to the Philippines as a conquering hero. He will resume preaching his gospel of impunity. In fact, if Mr Duterte could threaten to slap the judges of this court — which he did while he was president — this chamber should imagine the kind of terror-filled threats and the violent actions that can easily be used against the victims if the suspect walks free from this court.”
— Lawyer Joel Butuyan, ICC-appointed common legal representative for victims, on the potential risks if Duterte is not tried in court and punished.
Lead defence counsel Nicholas Kaufman delivers the defence team’s opening statement. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“Rodrigo Duterte was, and will always remain, a unique phenomenon. His style of statesmanship was novel and unpalatable to many. His expletives and hyperbole grated, while his honesty and wild popularity irritated. He spoke openly from the heart, sincerely and truthfully. And what a contrast between him and his successor in Malacañang. For [Duterte], his word was his word, and the people knew it. For President Bongbong, his was for the wind and the people will not forget it.”
— Lead defence counsel Nicholas Kaufman on Duterte’s style of leadership and his contrast with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“[Duterte]’s rhetoric was calculated to arouse fear and obedience, to instill fear in their hearts, and to inculcate a respect for the law in their minds. Nothing more, nothing less. That was his intent, and it was not criminal.”
— Lead defence counsel Nicholas Kaufman on Duterte’s use of rhetoric to enforce law and order.
Senior trial lawyer Julian Nicholls of the ICC prosecution team during the first day of the pre-trial hearing on Monday, February 23. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“The reality is that Mr Duterte’s message was clear, and it was understood by the perpetrators, and it was followed. That message was: commit murder at my direction, and I will protect you, I will pay you, I will promote you. That’s what happened.
“And I’ll say this as well, your Honours, for purposes of this confirmation hearing, disregard every speech ever made by Mr Duterte. Throw them all out. There is still ample evidence of substantial grounds based on the other evidence which we have put on our list of evidence. And the evidence as a whole, when you weigh it together, will show that what [Nicholas Kaufman] said is not correct, that Mr Duterte intended for his subordinates to follow the law and that he was interested and that his speeches were simply bluster.”
— Senior trial lawyer Julian Nicholls of the ICC prosecution team, on why evidence beyond his public speeches demonstrates intent to commit killings.
Day 2 — February 24, 2026
Prosecution trial lawyer Edward Jeremy presents witness evidence on Day 2 of Rodrigo Duterte’s pre-trial proceedings. Image: Screenshot from the ICC/Rappler
“Mr Duterte goes on to comment on extrajudicial killings. And as he does so, your Honours will note the nonchalant, casual manner in which he draws his finger across his throat . . . And in this opulent, gilded presentation room, the officials laugh along with their president while he boasts about his skills in extrajudicial killing. Outside, on the streets of the Philippines, the bodies pile up.”
— Lawyer Edward Jeremy of the ICC prosecution team, on the behaviour of Duterte during public speeches that were shown in the confirmation of charges hearing
“And in the face of this public outcry, Mr Duterte was forced to temporarily withdraw police from drug operations . . . And this led to a reduction in the frequency of killings. In announcing this temporary withdrawal, Mr Duterte sarcastically stated that he hoped that this would satisfy ‘bleeding hearts and the media’. And, in this way, he publicly communicated that this was not a genuine effort to prevent crime, but rather a temporary attempt to placate public criticism. And less than two months later, Mr Duterte decided to once again scale up operations.”
— Lawyer Edward Jeremy of the ICC prosecution team, on Duterte’s response following the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos
Robynne Croft of the ICC prosecution team discusses the charges against Duterte. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“From everything you have heard over the past two days, there can be no doubt about Mr Duterte’s knowledge and intent. He intended that the crimes would be committed and he was aware that they would be committed as a result of implementing the common plan . . . Mr Duterte knew because he himself established the DDS to kill people. He repeatedly broadcast his intention to implement the common plan nationally if elected president. He made it clear that this would involve killing.
“Once he was president, he moved his trusted co-perpetrators from Davao into key national positions. And as the number of killings rose, Mr Duterte persisted with the common plan. He praised the 32 killings in a one-time big-time operation in Bulacan. He publicly named so-called high-value targets. He promised to protect police and as your Honours have heard, Mr Duterte has admitted to many of these things.”
— Lawyer Robynne Croft of the ICC prosecution team, on the deliberate orchestration of drug war killings and the role of the Davao Death Squad and national officials in executing the common plan.
Paolina Massida, OPCV principal counsel, speaks on behalf of the victims. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“We speak for families who cannot be here, mothers who buried their sons, children who lost their parents, the spouses who now raise families alone, and communities that have lived for years under fear and silence and that continue to bear the consequences of violence that swept through their neighborhoods like a storm. These victims appear today before you not as mere statistics or distant figures or images in reports . . . but as human beings whose rights under the Rome Statute have been violated in the most profound ways.”
— Paolina Massida, principal counsel of the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV), on what the families of drug war victims had to go — and are going — through.
“The shooting could happen immediately, behind closed doors or in the street, or the victims would be taken away by the gunmen, only for shots to be heard minutes later and the body to be discovered by local residents. At times, bodies were dumped elsewhere, sometimes with hands tied or heads wrapped in plastic. Relatives typically found them after being alerted by policemen or by the neighbors.”
— Paolina Massida, OPCV principal counsel, on the pattern of killings during Duterte’s drug war.
“In other cases, victims tried to seek justice. They went to the police, to local officials, to government agencies. They filed reports, they asked for investigation, they begged for answers. Their pleas were ignored, their complaints were dismissed, their testimonies were doubted. In some cases, the very people they approached for help were the same ones involved in the violence. They were left with no path forward. No institution was willing to hear them, no authority was willing to protect them, no system was willing to acknowledge what was happening.”
— Paolina Massida, OPCV principal counsel, on the systemic failure in the Philippines to provide justice or protection for drug war victims.
“The victims have waited years for this moment. They have been silenced, stigmatized, and denied justice in their own country. Today, they stand before you with the hope that justice long denied may finally be within reach. This [ICC] is their last refuge. And today, on their behalf, we ask this chamber to affirm that their suffering matters, that their rights matter, and that the rule of law extends even to the most powerful by confirming all the charges against Mr Duterte and committing him to trial.”
— Paolina Massida, OPCV principal counsel, on the appeal of victims for accountability.
Filipino lawyer Gilbert Andres, ICC-appointed common legal representative for victims, discusses the plight of the victims. Image: Screenshot from ICC/Rappler
“Mr Duterte’s drug war campaign targeted the very humanity of the victims, of their families, and of their communities. In Filipino, the indirect victims expressed this in one sentence: ‘Inalisan kami ng dangal.’ We were stripped of our dignity.”
— Lawyer Gilbert Andres, ICC-appointed common legal representative for victims, on their dehumanisation and targeting during Duterte’s drug war.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 February 2026 – Fast-tracking innovation and technology (I&T) development is a core feature of the 2026-27 Budget, unveiled yesterday (February 25) by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Mr Chan said Hong Kong would be stepping up support measures such as computing power, land and capital, to enhance the city’s influence as a global source of original innovation.”Hong Kong’s strengths in innovative scientific research and commercialisation of research outcomes lie in our internationalised qualities, strong research capabilities, support of financial sector and a rich pool of high-calibre talents,” Mr Chan said.
He added that the Government is pressing ahead with the industrialisation of artificial intelligence (AI) and deepening its integration across various industries, while encouraging wider AI application, referred to as AI+, with an initial focus on life and health technology and embodied AI.
HKSAR’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, sets out strategies to propel Hong Kong’s innovation and technology development
“I will establish and chair the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy to formulate strategies and create favourable conditions for AI to empower the transformation and development of industries,” Mr Chan said.
“We are making proactive efforts to align with the National AI+ Initiative by promoting ‘industries for AI’ and ‘AI for industries’ through application.”
The Financial Secretary highlighted that the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute Company Limited will come into operation in the second half of this year, to promote AI+ development and transformation of R&D outcomes and advise the Government on relevant matters.
Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, echoed the need for holistic development of AI+ development. “When you talk about AI, you cannot just talk about AI research, or just talk about the infrastructure, we have to do it together. Actually, that is what we have been doing in the past three years. Everything is very important.”
Central to the Government’s efforts in promoting I&T is the San Tin Technopole area in the Northern Metropolis development.
“The San Tin Technopole will provide a large piece of land which can help accelerate the commercialisation of R&D results and provide industrial space for prototyping, pilot and mass production,” Mr Chan said. He proposed injecting $10 billion (US$1.28 billion) as initial capital to take forward the development, while leveraging market resources to accelerate the progress.
Mr Chan also earmarked $10 billion (US$1.28 billion) to accelerate the development of the Hetao Hong Kong Park by engaging the market to speed up the disposal of the remaining land parcels under Phase 1 development, providing key infrastructure, further strengthening support to start-ups and establishing a venture fund.
Mr Chan set aside about $220 million (US$28 million) to establish in Hong Kong the first national manufacturing innovation centre outside the Chinese Mainland. This, he said, reflects the Government’s commitment to implementing the Co-operation Agreement on the Development of New Quality Productive Forces and the Promotion of New Industrialisation signed with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to promote industrial collaboration.
The Budget also sets out support measures for various technology-related emerging industries. Among them is the aerospace industry. The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises will take the lead to identify aerospace enterprises to develop in Hong Kong. Also, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited would review the relevant listing requirements to facilitate and attract the listing of aerospace enterprises in Hong Kong.
Noting that low earth orbit satellites can support the development of high-end industries, Mr Chan said the Government would proactively expand telecommunications infrastructure, streamline the relevant licensing regime and promote future 6G applications.
Meanwhile, the $10 billion (US$1.28 billion) Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund, introduced by the Government to channel market capital to invest in emerging fields of strategic importance, such as life and health technology, AI and robotics, as well as future industries, is expected to commence operation within this year.
“The key is to popularise the understanding and use of AI by all levels of society,” Mr Chan said.
MACAU SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 February 2026 – Marking a dynamic arrival of the Year of the Horse, on February 21 and 22 (the fifth and sixth day of the Chinese New Year), Galaxy Macau Presents: The Jimmy O. Yang Chinese New Year Show brought luck and laughter to a full-house Galaxy Arena, bringing a vibrant festive show to over 18,000 spectators. The two-night show presented a star-studded line-up: besides standup Hollywood comedic star Jimmy O. Yang, international pop star Jackson Wang, Cantopop legend Wan Kwong and popular Hong Kong R&B singer Tyson Yoshi took the stage for an action-packed variety show format, with Cantonese stand-up comedian Kong Chiho warming up the crowd on both nights.
The opening act performed by Kong Chiho warmed up the crowd with his sharp, funny Cantonese humour. A glittering lion and dragon dance show commanded the stage – with Jimmy camouflaged – surprising guests as he sprang out from under one of the lucky gold lions. Delivering his signature rapid-fire, culturally resonant humour, Jimmy sent shockwaves of laughter echoing through Galaxy Arena, with the comedian wishing the house a lucky Chinese New Year as he warmly welcomed them to Galaxy Arena.
Taking place during Chinese New Year, “Galaxy Macau Presents: The Jimmy O. Yang Chinese New Year Show” spread joy and laughter with Jimmy and his special guests.
In addition to the comedy sets, Jimmy’s novel variety show format offered more fun and surprises with his father, Richard O. Yang performing as the God of Fortune and spreading cheer among the front rows of the audience.
Eagerly awaited appearances by pop luminaries amped up the show’s star power, as guests Tyson Yoshi, Wan Kwong and Jackson Wang, who took to the stage for funny, tongue-in-cheek repartees with Jimmy. The joyful interactions between the guests and Jimmy’s continual dialogue of humour-meets-talk show style sparked waves of laughter from the audience, with the stars’ personal Chinese New Year greetings transforming the Galaxy Arena into a hive of celebration.
In association with Tyson Yoshi, Wan Kwong and Jackson Wang, Jimmy staged two joyful spectacles at Galaxy Arena. The combination of stars ignited wondrous inspirations.
Once again presenting world-class performers in its Galaxy Arena – especially during the Chinese New Year period – Galaxy Macau offered over 18,000 guests and spectators a festive programme full of excitement and auspicious cheer. Together with the resort‑wide festive campaign themed “Start the Year Lucky at Galaxy Macau”, a multitude of visitors from across the region were attracted to enjoy Macau as a crossroad for eastern and western culture during the most important festival in Chinese culture, cementing the territory’s position as the World Centre for Tourism and Leisure.
Kong Chiho, an uprising stand-up comedian from Guangzhou performed a hilarious warm-up set over the two nights.
For more information about Galaxy Macau, please visit www.galaxymacau.com.
The largest indoor arena in Macau, Galaxy Arena is proud to be hosting Jimmy O. Yang again, spreading Chinese New Year joy and blessings over two nights.
Hashtag: #GalaxyMacau
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Sir Richard Taylor has been honoured in Los Angeles tonight. File picture.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Wētā Workshop co-founder Sir Richard Taylor has been recognised for his contributions to the visual effects industry at the 24th Annual VES Awards on Thursday night in Los Angeles.
Global professional honorary society the Visual Effects Society (VES) awarded Sir Richard the VES Visionary Award. Previous recipients include Christopher Nolan and J.J. Abrams.
“I’m honoured by this recognition from the Visual Effects Society, a community of artists and practitioners that I feel blessed to have been a part of since its inception,” Sir Richard said.
“I accept this award on behalf of all of our crew at Wētā Workshop, whose work has always been in creative service – using practical effects, design, and physical craftsmanship to help expand what’s possible in collaboration with VFX and film-making teams around the world.”
He said the award reflected the dedication, ingenuity, and generosity of spirit by the many artists who had joined him on his journey over the past 38 years.
He said he was incredibly grateful to the VES for celebrating the creative and collaborative journey of him and his colleagues and their efforts to bring imagined worlds to life.
The VES Visionary Award recognises an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of VFX to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention, and groundbreaking work. The society selected Sir Richard Taylor for his undeniable impact on the VFX industry as co-founder of the Wētā companies.
Wētā Workshop has provided the design and physical effects for more than 160 films, including the globally acclaimed The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Avatar trilogies, as well as Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, the Thor series and Black Panther.
It has won five Academy Awards across three disciplines, special effects makeup, VFX, and costume design. Sir Richard has also received four BAFTAs and more than 35 national and international awards for his work within the creative industries.
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
Sir Richard Taylor has been honoured in Los Angeles tonight. File picture.RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Wētā Workshop co-founder Sir Richard Taylor has been recognised for his contributions to the visual effects industry at the 24th Annual VES Awards on Thursday night in Los Angeles.
Global professional honorary society the Visual Effects Society (VES) awarded Sir Richard the VES Visionary Award. Previous recipients include Christopher Nolan and J.J. Abrams.
“I’m honoured by this recognition from the Visual Effects Society, a community of artists and practitioners that I feel blessed to have been a part of since its inception,” Sir Richard said.
“I accept this award on behalf of all of our crew at Wētā Workshop, whose work has always been in creative service – using practical effects, design, and physical craftsmanship to help expand what’s possible in collaboration with VFX and film-making teams around the world.”
He said the award reflected the dedication, ingenuity, and generosity of spirit by the many artists who had joined him on his journey over the past 38 years.
He said he was incredibly grateful to the VES for celebrating the creative and collaborative journey of him and his colleagues and their efforts to bring imagined worlds to life.
The VES Visionary Award recognises an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of VFX to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention, and groundbreaking work. The society selected Sir Richard Taylor for his undeniable impact on the VFX industry as co-founder of the Wētā companies.
Wētā Workshop has provided the design and physical effects for more than 160 films, including the globally acclaimed The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and Avatar trilogies, as well as Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, the Thor series and Black Panther.
It has won five Academy Awards across three disciplines, special effects makeup, VFX, and costume design. Sir Richard has also received four BAFTAs and more than 35 national and international awards for his work within the creative industries.
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
ADELAIDE, Australia, Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On 13 February 2026, DENZA officially opened its first showroom in South Australia, marking another step in the brand’s expansion across Australia. The launch in Adelaide signals the continued growth of the premium new energy brand and the increasing global presence of Chinese intelligent manufacturing.
More than 150 guests attended the opening ceremony, including representatives from government, business and media, along with DENZA VIP customers. Guests included Wing You, General Manager of BYD Australia and New Zealand; Brian Jia, Deputy General Manager of BYD Australia and New Zealand; Mark Harland, Chief Operating Officer of DENZA Australia and New Zealand; Robert Milne, Regional Manager of DENZA Australia and New Zealand; Judy Sun, Country Representative of Harmony Auto Australia and New Zealand; Daniel Fang, Deputy Country Representative of Harmony Auto Australia and New Zealand; and Max Chapman, the Dealer Principal at Harmony DENZA Australia.
Following DENZA’s official entry into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth on 10 December 2025, the opening of DENZA Adelaide represents the next step in the brand’s Australian journey. Operated by Harmony Auto, the Adelaide showroom is its first location in South Australia. Guided by a long-term vision and a customer-first philosophy, DENZA Adelaide is committed to delivering a premium ownership experience to local drivers. Combining advanced technology with refined luxury, DENZA continues to expand its footprint across Australia, bringing high-quality, intelligent electric vehicles to South Australian consumers while strengthening the global presence of premium Chinese new energy brands.
During the ceremony, Max Chapman welcomed guests and acknowledged Adelaide’s first DENZA B5 owner and his family, while Mark Harland, Chief Operating Officer of DENZA Australia and New Zealand, thanked Harmony Auto for its support in the brand’s international expansion.
A ceremonial vehicle handover was also held during the event. Wing You presented the keys to Rod Ventura, Adelaide’s first DENZA owner, and his family. The moment symbolised the trust between brand and customer, and marked the beginning of a new chapter in intelligent, safe and sustainable mobility for more Australian families.
Located in one of Adelaide’s prominent inner-city precincts, the DENZA Adelaide showroom blends contemporary design with local cultural inspiration. The space integrates artistic aesthetics with advanced automotive technology, creating a refined environment for customers to explore the brand’s vehicles and services. The showroom is scheduled for its official grand opening in March, with the wider community warmly invited to attend.
As the economic and cultural centre of South Australia, Adelaide is home to a steadily growing premium consumer market, alongside increasing demand for new energy vehicles. The launch of DENZA Adelaide further strengthens the brand’s Australian network and introduces a new benchmark for premium electric mobility in the region.
Looking ahead, DENZA will continue to position Adelaide as a strategic hub to deepen its presence in Australia, promote intelligent and sustainable mobility, and work alongside local partners to shape the future of premium new energy transportation.
Kiwibank delivered a positive half-year result for the six months to 31 December 2025 (1H26), with net profit after tax of $103 million, up 12% on the prior comparative period. The increase reflected strong balance sheet growth and a more favourable credit environment for customers. It’s also clear some customers continued to face financial pressure. In 1H26:
Lending of $1.8b increased total lending to $37.6b:
Retail home lending grew 1.6 times faster than the market, increasing $1.3b, reflecting strong demand for Kiwibank’s competitive rates. In the six months to December 2025, Kiwibank accounted for 13% of all net new bank mortgage lending growth, helping 6,213 Kiwi get on the ladder and more than 3,000 to refinance.
Kiwibank backed businesses and owners with lending of $0.4b, taking total business lending to $8.7b.
Deposits increased $1.4b, with total deposits rising to $31.8b.
Chief Executive Steve Jurkovich said the growth showed more customers were choosing a New Zealand-owned bank.
“In a tough period for many, more Kiwi chose to bank with us. We supported businesses to expand, helped more customers get on the ladder as our lending continued to grow faster than the market, and had strong deposit activity as Kiwi backed a purpose-led, New Zealand-owned alternative,” Jurkovich said.
Net interest margin decreased to 2.18 percent (from 2.29 percent) reflecting the competitive environment and increased cost of funding.
Market-leading value for customers
Kiwibank remained focused on making banking simpler, fairer and more competitive:
Kiwibank continued to offer market-leading or joint-leading rates across key home loan and deposit terms, ensuring customers benefited from sharper pricing when borrowing or saving.[1]
Kiwibank home loan customers repaid their home loans faster than the market. This helped them build equity sooner and reduced their long‑term interest costs.[2] Kiwibank’s Retail Online Call account has no conditions, no penalties and no hidden hurdles, so every customer receives the full rate on offer.[3] Kiwibank removed 12 everyday banking fees, including the Visa Debit Card annual account fee, overseas ATM withdrawal fees, and card replacement fees.
“We focused on delivering the most value for the greatest number of customers and we did that by helping Kiwi to build equity in their homes faster while growing their savings and benefiting from lower fees,” Jurkovich said.
Building the bank of the future
Kiwibank made further progress on its multi-year transformation, including key upgrades to its digital banking and payments platforms[4], improvements to fraud and scam protections[5], and continued development of its new core banking platform.
“Our transformation is about building a modern, resilient bank that can deliver new and competitive products faster and give customers a better experience,” Jurkovich said.
Kiwibank also maintained New Zealand’s largest physical banking network, providing face-to-face access for customers and communities across the country.
Outlook
With lending and deposit growth continuing to outperform the market and business confidence expected to lift, Kiwibank is well positioned heading into the second half of the financial year. This momentum comes as economic activity is forecast to broaden through 2026, with more sectors strengthening despite global uncertainty and cautious household spending.
“We continue to back our customers through the good times and the tougher times as we build a stronger Kiwibank that drives more competition in New Zealand for the long term,” Jurkovich said.
[1] In 2025, Kiwibank offered the lowest or joint-lowest 12-month fixed home loan rate for 92 percent of the time, and the lowest or joint-lowest 24-month rate for 52 percent of the time; and held the highest or joint-highest 180-day rate for 84 percent of weeks and the highest or joint-highest 270-day rate for 80 percent of weeks.
2 Over the past two years, Kiwibank customers have been repaying equity in their home loans around a third faster than the market average. Based on RBNZ C35 data and internal benchmarking (June 24-December 25). Kiwibank customers’ net amortisation has been consistently around 0.6% above the market average, narrowing to ~0.3% when interest rates rose. Customers also make 0.3–0.5% more excess repayments on average, and scheduled repayments have typically been 0.1–0.2% higher than the market when interest rates are stable or falling.
3 Kiwibank’s Retail Online Call account offers customers the advertised rate of 1.50% without conditions that can limit access and returns.
4 Kiwibank rolled out Modern Digital Banking and Modern Payments technology to around 860,000 customers in November and December, making everyday banking faster, safer and more reliable, which supports switching and helps protect customers from fraud.
5 Kiwibank delivered changes required under the industry wide Scam Protection Commitments that took effect on 30 November 2025. This included the implementation of Confirmation of Payee, improved real time fraud blocking, high-risk transaction monitoring, and in the moment scam education that gives customers more control over potentially risky transactions.
About Kiwibank
Kiwibank is a Purpose-led organisation that has modern, Kiwi values at heart and keeps Kiwi money where it belongs – right here in New Zealand. As a Kiwi bank, with more than a million customers, our trusted experts are focused on supporting Kiwi with their home ownership aspirations and backing local business ambitions, so together we can thrive here in Aotearoa and on the world stage. Kiwibank is the #1 bank in Kantar’s 2024 Corporate Reputation Index and the only bank in the top 15. To find out more about Kiwibank visit www.kiwibank.co.nz.
[1] In 2025, Kiwibank offered the lowest or joint-lowest 12-month fixed home loan rate for 92 percent of the time, and the lowest or joint-lowest 24-month rate for 52 percent of the time; and held the highest or joint-highest 180-day rate for 84 percent of weeks and the highest or joint-highest 270-day rate for 80 percent of weeks.
[2] Over the past two years, Kiwibank customers have been repaying equity in their home loans around a third faster than the market average. Based on RBNZ C35 data and internal benchmarking (June 24-December 25). Kiwibank customers’ net amortisation has been consistently around 0.6% above the market average, narrowing to ~0.3% when interest rates rose. Customers also make 0.3–0.5% more excess repayments on average, and scheduled repayments have typically been 0.1–0.2% higher than the market when interest rates are stable or falling.
[3] Kiwibank’s Retail Online Call account offers customers the advertised rate of 1.50% without conditions that can limit access and returns.
[4] Kiwibank rolled out Modern Digital Banking and Modern Payments technology to around 860,000 customers in November and December, making everyday banking faster, safer and more reliable, which supports switching and helps protect customers from fraud.
[5] Kiwibank delivered changes required under the industry wide Scam Protection Commitments that took effect on 30 November 2025. This included the implementation of Confirmation of Payee, improved real time fraud blocking, high-risk transaction monitoring, and in the moment scam education that gives customers more control over potentially risky transactions.
ADELAIDE, Australia, Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On 13 February 2026, DENZA officially opened its first showroom in South Australia, marking another step in the brand’s expansion across Australia. The launch in Adelaide signals the continued growth of the premium new energy brand and the increasing global presence of Chinese intelligent manufacturing.
More than 150 guests attended the opening ceremony, including representatives from government, business and media, along with DENZA VIP customers. Guests included Wing You, General Manager of BYD Australia and New Zealand; Brian Jia, Deputy General Manager of BYD Australia and New Zealand; Mark Harland, Chief Operating Officer of DENZA Australia and New Zealand; Robert Milne, Regional Manager of DENZA Australia and New Zealand; Judy Sun, Country Representative of Harmony Auto Australia and New Zealand; Daniel Fang, Deputy Country Representative of Harmony Auto Australia and New Zealand; and Max Chapman, the Dealer Principal at Harmony DENZA Australia.
Following DENZA’s official entry into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth on 10 December 2025, the opening of DENZA Adelaide represents the next step in the brand’s Australian journey. Operated by Harmony Auto, the Adelaide showroom is its first location in South Australia. Guided by a long-term vision and a customer-first philosophy, DENZA Adelaide is committed to delivering a premium ownership experience to local drivers. Combining advanced technology with refined luxury, DENZA continues to expand its footprint across Australia, bringing high-quality, intelligent electric vehicles to South Australian consumers while strengthening the global presence of premium Chinese new energy brands.
During the ceremony, Max Chapman welcomed guests and acknowledged Adelaide’s first DENZA B5 owner and his family, while Mark Harland, Chief Operating Officer of DENZA Australia and New Zealand, thanked Harmony Auto for its support in the brand’s international expansion.
A ceremonial vehicle handover was also held during the event. Wing You presented the keys to Rod Ventura, Adelaide’s first DENZA owner, and his family. The moment symbolised the trust between brand and customer, and marked the beginning of a new chapter in intelligent, safe and sustainable mobility for more Australian families.
Located in one of Adelaide’s prominent inner-city precincts, the DENZA Adelaide showroom blends contemporary design with local cultural inspiration. The space integrates artistic aesthetics with advanced automotive technology, creating a refined environment for customers to explore the brand’s vehicles and services. The showroom is scheduled for its official grand opening in March, with the wider community warmly invited to attend.
As the economic and cultural centre of South Australia, Adelaide is home to a steadily growing premium consumer market, alongside increasing demand for new energy vehicles. The launch of DENZA Adelaide further strengthens the brand’s Australian network and introduces a new benchmark for premium electric mobility in the region.
Looking ahead, DENZA will continue to position Adelaide as a strategic hub to deepen its presence in Australia, promote intelligent and sustainable mobility, and work alongside local partners to shape the future of premium new energy transportation.
Patient care has again been compromised by the second major IT outage to impact hospitals across Auckland and Northland in less than a month.
The PSA is aware a critical outage this afternoon impacted the systems which store and manage all medical images from x rays, CT and MRI scans. The system crashed for an hour impacting hospitals in our most populous region. The Northland region is continuing to experience issues.
“This is the second critical failure in less than a month, again exposing how fragile the hospital IT systems are. Patient safety is again being put at risk because of government underfunding,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The PACs system impacted by the outage is a critical function of our hospitals which clinicians rely on to access images so they can assess and treat patients needing urgent treatment in EDs, in operating theatres and elsewhere.
“The outage means clinicians and radiographers must communicate by text and phone to pass on vital information from scans. Without a doubt this will slow down treatment, compromising care.
“It was only late last month that a 12 hour outage forced clinicians across hospitals in Auckland and Northland to use paper-based systems and whiteboards.
“The Government shouldn’t need another wake-up call. It needs to immediately review funding for health digital services and IT infrastructure, admit its mistakes in cutting digital services expertise and commit to properly resourcing IT system upgrades and maintenance.
“Does someone have to die before urgent action is taken? New Zealanders deserve better, we can’t afford to wait.
“This comes after we warned the Government of the consequences of severely downsizing Health NZ’s digital services team, but it still ploughed on with significant cuts.
“This is 2026 – our health system should not be grinding to a halt because of preventable IT failures.”
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, health boards and community groups.
Patient care has again been compromised by the second major IT outage to impact hospitals across Auckland and Northland in less than a month.
The PSA is aware a critical outage this afternoon impacted the systems which store and manage all medical images from x rays, CT and MRI scans. The system crashed for an hour impacting hospitals in our most populous region. The Northland region is continuing to experience issues.
“This is the second critical failure in less than a month, again exposing how fragile the hospital IT systems are. Patient safety is again being put at risk because of government underfunding,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The PACs system impacted by the outage is a critical function of our hospitals which clinicians rely on to access images so they can assess and treat patients needing urgent treatment in EDs, in operating theatres and elsewhere.
“The outage means clinicians and radiographers must communicate by text and phone to pass on vital information from scans. Without a doubt this will slow down treatment, compromising care.
“It was only late last month that a 12 hour outage forced clinicians across hospitals in Auckland and Northland to use paper-based systems and whiteboards.
“The Government shouldn’t need another wake-up call. It needs to immediately review funding for health digital services and IT infrastructure, admit its mistakes in cutting digital services expertise and commit to properly resourcing IT system upgrades and maintenance.
“Does someone have to die before urgent action is taken? New Zealanders deserve better, we can’t afford to wait.
“This comes after we warned the Government of the consequences of severely downsizing Health NZ’s digital services team, but it still ploughed on with significant cuts.
“This is 2026 – our health system should not be grinding to a halt because of preventable IT failures.”
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, health boards and community groups.
Thursday, 26 February 2026 – Jim Beam Homegrown is turning up the volume on the future of New Zealand music, announcing six breakthrough acts from 150 entries to perform on the Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage at this year’s festival at Claudelands Oval in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.
The Jim Beam Homegrown Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage is a dedicated performance platform for emerging Kiwi artists and reflects the Festival’s commitment to fostering homegrown talent.
Andrew Tuck, Jim Beam Homegrown chief executive and managing director, says the new stage represents a defining step in the festival’s evolution.
“Homegrown has always been about backing Kiwi music at every level,” says Tuck. “The Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage gives these emerging artists the opportunity to perform and gain visibility. These artists are already making noise, but we’re providing them with a stage to be louder!”
The selection process The six emerging artists who will perform at Jim Beam Homegrown have been selected from a nationwide competition, which was open to artists of all genres. To be eligible, artists needed to have 2026+ monthly listeners, followers, or streams; 2026+ social followers; a press kit; radio ready single; and the ability to perform a 45-minute set of original music. Jim Beam Homegrown received 150 entries, of which the final six have been selected.
They are: Altercation X Erin G, Cordian, Imani-J, PRINS, Verity, Wet Denim.
Tuck says the overwhelming number of entries to the competition proves the future of Kiwi music is in safe hands.
“To see more than 150 artists put themselves forward shows just how much talent is out there. Narrowing it down to six wasn’t easy, but these artists have something special. In a few years, we fully expect some of these artists to be headlining major stages across the country.”
Tuck says: “Jim Beam Homegrown has always been a ground for fostering Kiwi talent, and this initiative strengthens that pathway. We’re not just booking artists for a set, we’re investing in the next chapter of New Zealand music.”
With seven stages, tens of thousands of fans, and the most ambitious production scale in Homegrown history, the addition of the Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage reinforces the festival’s mission: uplifting local talent while celebrating the artists who carry the sound of Aotearoa to the world.
Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage Line Up
Altercation X Erin G | Auckland Tamaki Makaurau-based singer-songwriter, Erin G, and Queenstown DJ/Producer Altercation will team up to dive into new sonic territory with their EP, Dream it Again, a poignant EP which captures Erin G’s intimate storytelling alongside Altercation’s soulful side of drum and bass.
Cordian | Auckland An alternative/progressive rock group from Auckland, the band consists of Mike Raven (Guitars/Keys, Kris Raven (Drums/Percussion, Nick Raven (Bass) and Dity Maharaj (Vocals/Artwork).
Imani-J | Nelson Haitian-New Zealand artist, Imani-J is crafting music that sits at the intersection of Afrofusion and R&B. An artist in the truest sense of the word, Imani-J is a singer, songwriter, dancer, and performer with a strong vision for her future.
PRINS | Auckland PRINS is a New Zealand-born pop artist carving out a bold, international lane with sleek pop hooks, sharp visuals, and a live show built for scale. Blending high-energy pop with a darker, confident edge, her sound sits comfortably alongside RAYE, Selena Gomez, Tate McRae, and Ashnikko, polished, emotionally charged, and unapologetically modern.
Verity | Hamilton Known for her deeply honest storytelling and blend of pop, soul, and R&B, vocalist, performer and social media star, Verity started her musical journey in Hamilton, Kirikiriroa and continues to carve out a sound that is raw, real and unmistakably her own.
Wet Denim | Wellington Four-piece rock pop band from Wellington, Wet Denim established themselves as a must-see live act in the Australasian scenes. The group’s sound is a blend of captivating vocals, lush guitar chords, syrupy basslines, and hard-hitting drums.
The festival will be held in Hamilton for the first time in 2026, kicking off on Saturday, 14 March at Claudelands Oval.
About Jim Beam Homegrown
Jim Beam Homegrown is New Zealand’s largest Kiwi-only music festival, celebrating the best of Aotearoa’s musical talent. Established in 2008 in Hamilton, initially as X*Air, an extreme sports festival, Jim Beam Homegrown showcases a wide range of genres, including rock, funk, pop, reggae, hip-hop, and electronic music.