NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi president Sandra Grey is blaming the Government for new data released by Stats NZ today that shows child poverty continuing to be a stain on New Zealand.
“Working to reduce inequality for families should be the top priority for politicians. This Government was elected to reduce costs, but their policies are leading to increased poverty and material hardship,” said Grey.
“Child poverty continues to trend upwards. The data shows that one in eight children live in poverty before housing costs, one in six after housing costs. That means one in seven children living are living in material poverty. There has been little improvement in the data over the past year, and on all three core measures of poverty the data has got worse since 2023.
“The biggest worry should that 23,700 more children are living in material poverty since 2023, up 16%. That means that they are going without the absolute basics including food, clothing, and heating.
“Progress on reducing child poverty has gone backwards over the past two years and it’s no wonder given the Government is making the cost-of-living crisis worse. They have cut the minimum wage in real terms, kept benefits low, and increased costs for essentials including prescriptions and travel costs.
“Tackling child poverty should be a top priority of this Government, but instead they are focused on cutting services to fund tax cuts for landlords and big business,” said Grey.
Thousands of Kiwis stayed connected to health services over the holiday period thanks to the Government’s newOnline GP Careservice, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“During the Christmas and New Year period many New Zealanders are on holiday in different parts of the country and away from their regular GP.Online GP Careensures they can still get timely medical advice and treatment wherever they are,” Mr Brown says.
Over the December to mid-January holiday period, 11,800 online GP consultations were delivered to around 11,000 people.
Since launching in May 2025, the service has delivered over 60,600 online GP consultations to nearly 50,000 people, showing strong and sustained demand for flexible healthcare across the country:
More than 85 per cent of consultations resulted in treatment being provided
Nearly 72 per cent of users booked because they couldn’t get a timely in-person appointment. Other reasons included rural location, work and family commitments, and avoiding exposure to infectious illness
Use was highest among people aged 30-49 years
59.5 per cent of users were women and 40.2 per cent were men
Māori made up 14.2 per cent of users, Pacific Peoples 6.9 per cent, and Asian communities 10.1 per cent
“The service is reaching people in both urban and rural communities across the North and South Islands,” Mr Brown says.
To make access even easier, a new Next Available Appointment feature allows people to see the earliest appointment across all online GP providers and compare costs based on age and Community Services Card status.
The feature includes direct booking links and is an early step ahead of a more comprehensive booking system planned for mid-2026.
Health New Zealand is also exploring howOnline GP Carecan be used in more targeted ways, including clinician-to-clinician support in rest homes, community pharmacies, urgent care pathways, and other high-need services.
“Our focus is on ensuring New Zealanders can access healthcare when they need it.Online GP Careis already supporting thousands of people, and it is an important part of our plan to deliver a more accessible and responsive health system that puts patients at the centre,” Mr Brown says.
Work to repair the Serpentine Church, in a remote part of Central Otago, has begun after it was trashed in mid-February.
DOC Central Otago Operations Manager Charlie Sklenar says windows were smashed, artefacts damaged and thrown around, and rubbish left all through the church.
“Serpentine Church is the last intact building in the remote Serpentine Reserve mining area and has stood strong for more than 150 years.
“Most of the Serpentine Reserve’s rich heritage is no longer visible, hidden beneath the tussock, so buildings like this present a tangible connection the region’s history. To have wilful damage inflicted upon it like this is upsetting.”
DOC staff have undertaken initial assessment of the site and completed urgent repairs to secure the site from further damage.
“Our first priority has been to make the building watertight, so there’s no further damage to the interior. Work to restore it fully will take time, and consideration to heritage requirements will be front of mind.”
Heritage repair work takes time and skill, and it’s not as simple as just replacing a window, Charlie says.
“We will draw on experienced people to help complete this work in a way that honours the original building, although every replacement takes the site further from its original material. It’s really disappointing a heritage site that’s stood all these years can have its integrity chipped away by senseless vandalism.”
Although the vandalism is disappointing, the response from the community has been heartening, says Charlie.
“This neighbouring communities take pride over these heritage sites as important parts of their local stories. Once the damage became known, we had people offering to get stuck in and help with repairs. Heritage restoration is very particular work, so we’ll engage qualified specialists for this mahi but we’re grateful for the care shown by the community.
“The best thing people can do is continue to advocate for their local historic sites. Visit them, enjoy them, and take the time to learn about what makes them so special. If you see something out of place, report it and encourage others to always be naturing responsibly.”
Background
Serpentine Reserve is a spectacular and well-preserved mining area on the Rough Ridge mountains.
An all-day walk or mountain bike ride, this significant and isolated scenic reserve has a feeling of remoteness. It shows many of the gold extraction technologies of the 19th century: a stamper battery, water wheel and church.
More than 1,000 m above sea level, the Serpentine Church was the most elevated in New Zealand when it opened in 1873. Today it is the only remnant of a once-bustling village. Much of the town’s rich heritage is hidden beneath the tussock: tailings, waterraces, dams, sod pits and the remains of buildings.
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
Nature isn’t scenery. Nature is a society that we rely on for everything, every day. It’s behind our identity and our way of life.
The Green Party is calling out this Government’s record on child poverty following the release of the latest child poverty statistics.
“It’s clear this Government has done nothing to reduce child poverty, choosing landlords and the wealthy over our tamariki,” says Green Party Co-leader and Child Poverty spokesperson, Marama Davidson.
“Today’s figures show 1 in 7 children are living in material hardship. That means their households are struggling to afford their basics needs: food, clothing, heating and transport.
“For Māori and pacific children, the numbers remain abysmal with 1in 4 tamariki Māori and nearly 1 in 3 Pasifika children living in material hardship.
“Whānau across this country are doing everything they can for their tamariki. They shouldn’t have to fight this hard just to cover the basics. Every child in Aotearoa deserves a warm, dry home, a bed of their own, and a full belly.
“Aotearoa has more than enough for every whānau to thrive. This isn’t a resource problem, it’s a political choice.”
“These numbers are not just statistics. Behind every data point is a child going to school hungry, a family choosing between heating and eating, a pēpi growing up without the basics they need to thrive.
“Instead of acting, this Government has watered down its child poverty reduction targets, slashed benefit increases, and ramped up punitive sanctions on families already doing it tough.
“The data is clear: over the course of this Government’s term, there has been no meaningful improvement in child poverty.
“Luxon has had no trouble finding billions in tax breaks for property investors. He’s made his choice, and it wasn’t our kids.
“Aotearoa has more than enough for everyone to thrive. What we lack is a Government with the ambition and the heart to put our mokopuna first.
“We can’t keep tinkering around the edges while a generation of tamariki is being set up to fail. Our mokopuna deserve nothing less,” says Marama Davidson.
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi president Sandra Grey is blaming the Government for new data released by Stats NZ today that shows child poverty continuing to be a stain on New Zealand.
“Working to reduce inequality for families should be the top priority for politicians. This Government was elected to reduce costs, but their policies are leading to increased poverty and material hardship,” said Grey.
“Child poverty continues to trend upwards. The data shows that one in eight children live in poverty before housing costs, one in six after housing costs. That means one in seven children living are living in material poverty. There has been little improvement in the data over the past year, and on all three core measures of poverty the data has got worse since 2023.
“The biggest worry should that 23,700 more children are living in material poverty since 2023, up 16%. That means that they are going without the absolute basics including food, clothing, and heating.
“Progress on reducing child poverty has gone backwards over the past two years and it’s no wonder given the Government is making the cost-of-living crisis worse. They have cut the minimum wage in real terms, kept benefits low, and increased costs for essentials including prescriptions and travel costs.
“Tackling child poverty should be a top priority of this Government, but instead they are focused on cutting services to fund tax cuts for landlords and big business,” said Grey.
The government says its tough on crime approach has driven a significant drop in the number of victims of violent crime.
It comes as the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith put this down to the coalition’s approach to law and order and the near doubling of police foot patrols.
“Since day one, we’ve been working tirelessly to restore real consequences for crime, and to place victims back at the centre of the justice system,” he said.
“We have reformed the sentencing regime so those who cause the most harm are imprisoned for longer, given Police effective tools to deal with gangs, stopped taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, made stalking an illegal and jailable offence, given victims of sexual assault the power to determine if offenders are granted name suppression, restored Three Strikes, and much more.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speak on the latest crime statistics.RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said higher police visibility in communities was helping deter crime and keep criminals off the streets.
“Our investment into the frontline has seen 12 new and expanded beat teams stood up nationwide, including the launch of a beat team in Hamilton this week.
“Our beat officers do an outstanding job at keeping the public, businesses and retailers safe. We know there is a lot more to do but these results show we are heading in the right direction.”
Goldsmith said while the government was tracking ahead on its violent crime reduction target it still had more work to do.
“This is going to be another busy year. We just announced plans to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour.
“Our Crimes Amendment Bill is making its way through the house, and legislation to strengthen trespass laws will soon be introduced.”
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said Oranga Tamariki figures showed there had been a 22 per cent drop in serious repeat youth offending compared with when the Government came into office.
“This is well ahead of our target of a 15 per cent drop before 2030,” she said.
“We promised to fix what matters to New Zealanders. Ram raids are down 85 per cent. Kiwis are no longer being expected to live in fear that their cars have been stolen and used by young offenders in a ram raid of our local small businesses.
“Young offenders are avoiding re-offending because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki and Police are working together more closely. They know now that their actions will have consequences.”
The livestream is due to start about 1.30pm and will be at the top of this page.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has renewed his call for the government to sell its 51 percent stake in Air New Zealand after it reported a significant half-year loss.
The airline posted a bottom-line loss of $40 million in the six months ended December, compared to last year’s profit of $106m.
Revenue was up just over 1 percent to $3.44b, compared to $3.4b a year ago.
Seymour, also the leader of the ACT Party, criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.
“The taxpayer has to have a purpose for having all that capital tied up. My question is, what is that purpose if they’re not providing a service that is affordable and timely? Instead, they seem to have been distracted by a million other objectives.”
Seymour said Air NZ had been doing “politically motivated stuff” when it couldn’t take off and land on time for a decent price.
“Get woke, go broke. 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,” he said.
“I’m fortunate that as an MP I don’t have to pay for work flights, but whenever I look at one privately, they’re looking at $600 to go from Wellington to Invercargill one way. That’s crazy.”
Seymour’s comments come as the airline continues to face severe disruption due to grounded aircraft.
Air NZ said the half-year loss was largely driven by global engine maintenance delays, slower-than-expected recovery in domestic demand, increasing costs, and a weaker New Zealand dollar.
It said that while capacity would likely increase modestly in the second half with aircraft returning to service and new aircraft, the airline was cautious on whether it would translate to earnings uplift.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
The Defence Force is going to begin testing air, land and sea drones from a Mount Maunganui company.
Syos Aerospace drones are used in Ukraine and it recently took another step towards helping develop ‘wingman drones’ for the UK’s Apache attack helicopters, including for strike and target acquisition
The government said the trial of the combat-proven tech would strengthen capability while growing local industry.
“Having cutting-edge drone technology developed and supported by local businesses will reduce supply chain risk and strengthen our resilience,” said Defence Minister Judith Collins in a statement on Thursday.
Neither the Beehive or Syos’ media releases said how many drones or what the deal was worth. RNZ has asked for more information.
The trials in coming months would include transporting supplies, and doing maritime patrols and route reconnaissance.
Supplied
NZDF said it was looking at integrating the drones with a fire control system designed and built in New Zealand by European firm Hirtenberger.
New Zealand consulting firm Sysdoc would support training.
Its long-range drone project has a ballpark budget of $100-$300 million over four years. Other sums would be spent on AI in behind that.
Budget 2025 funded counter-drone systems – say, that shoot down drones – as one of 15 “priority” projects, but not maritime or other drones.
Supplied
Collins said the Syos deal was exactly what the recently released defence industry strategy called for, for delivering on the $12 billion defence capability plan.
The army and navy get to test Syos’ SG400 Uncrewed Ground Vehicle, SM300 Uncrewed Surface Vessel, SA2 ISR drone and SA7 one-way effector drone.
The NZDF has been part of big drone-testing exercises by the US and other Five Eyes partners in recent years, but last year took just a single drone to one such joint exercise in Australia.
Syos said it was delighted.
Syos chief executive and founder Sam Vye.Supplied
“Our platforms and systems have been proven in some of the world’s most demanding environments, and we’re proud to bring that experience to New Zealand’s capability development,” said chief executive and founder Sam Vye.
“Structured experimentation” at NZDF aligned with how they worked, he added.
The NZDF is trying to align itself with its Australian counterpart on emerging military tech. This was an objective of the AUKUS Pillar Two agreement; NZ has not joined that agreement but was still pushing to become more interoperable as combat, reconnaissance and other tech becomes more advanced.
The government says its tough on crime approach has driven a significant drop in the number of victims of violent crime.
It comes as the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith put this down to the coalition’s approach to law and order and the near doubling of police foot patrols.
“Since day one, we’ve been working tirelessly to restore real consequences for crime, and to place victims back at the centre of the justice system,” he said.
“We have reformed the sentencing regime so those who cause the most harm are imprisoned for longer, given Police effective tools to deal with gangs, stopped taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, made stalking an illegal and jailable offence, given victims of sexual assault the power to determine if offenders are granted name suppression, restored Three Strikes, and much more.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speak on the latest crime statistics.RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said higher police visibility in communities was helping deter crime and keep criminals off the streets.
“Our investment into the frontline has seen 12 new and expanded beat teams stood up nationwide, including the launch of a beat team in Hamilton this week.
“Our beat officers do an outstanding job at keeping the public, businesses and retailers safe. We know there is a lot more to do but these results show we are heading in the right direction.”
Goldsmith said while the government was tracking ahead on its violent crime reduction target it still had more work to do.
“This is going to be another busy year. We just announced plans to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour.
“Our Crimes Amendment Bill is making its way through the house, and legislation to strengthen trespass laws will soon be introduced.”
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said Oranga Tamariki figures showed there had been a 22 per cent drop in serious repeat youth offending compared with when the Government came into office.
“This is well ahead of our target of a 15 per cent drop before 2030,” she said.
“We promised to fix what matters to New Zealanders. Ram raids are down 85 per cent. Kiwis are no longer being expected to live in fear that their cars have been stolen and used by young offenders in a ram raid of our local small businesses.
“Young offenders are avoiding re-offending because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki and Police are working together more closely. They know now that their actions will have consequences.”
The livestream is due to start about 1.30pm and will be at the top of this page.
The Defence Force is going to begin testing air, land and sea drones from a Mount Maunganui company.
Syos Aerospace drones are used in Ukraine and it recently took another step towards helping develop ‘wingman drones’ for the UK’s Apache attack helicopters, including for strike and target acquisition
The government said the trial of the combat-proven tech would strengthen capability while growing local industry.
“Having cutting-edge drone technology developed and supported by local businesses will reduce supply chain risk and strengthen our resilience,” said Defence Minister Judith Collins in a statement on Thursday.
Neither the Beehive or Syos’ media releases said how many drones or what the deal was worth. RNZ has asked for more information.
The trials in coming months would include transporting supplies, and doing maritime patrols and route reconnaissance.
Supplied
NZDF said it was looking at integrating the drones with a fire control system designed and built in New Zealand by European firm Hirtenberger.
New Zealand consulting firm Sysdoc would support training.
Its long-range drone project has a ballpark budget of $100-$300 million over four years. Other sums would be spent on AI in behind that.
Budget 2025 funded counter-drone systems – say, that shoot down drones – as one of 15 “priority” projects, but not maritime or other drones.
Supplied
Collins said the Syos deal was exactly what the recently released defence industry strategy called for, for delivering on the $12 billion defence capability plan.
The army and navy get to test Syos’ SG400 Uncrewed Ground Vehicle, SM300 Uncrewed Surface Vessel, SA2 ISR drone and SA7 one-way effector drone.
The NZDF has been part of big drone-testing exercises by the US and other Five Eyes partners in recent years, but last year took just a single drone to one such joint exercise in Australia.
Syos said it was delighted.
Syos chief executive and founder Sam Vye.Supplied
“Our platforms and systems have been proven in some of the world’s most demanding environments, and we’re proud to bring that experience to New Zealand’s capability development,” said chief executive and founder Sam Vye.
“Structured experimentation” at NZDF aligned with how they worked, he added.
The NZDF is trying to align itself with its Australian counterpart on emerging military tech. This was an objective of the AUKUS Pillar Two agreement; NZ has not joined that agreement but was still pushing to become more interoperable as combat, reconnaissance and other tech becomes more advanced.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has renewed his call for the government to sell its 51 percent stake in Air New Zealand after it reported a significant half-year loss.
The airline posted a bottom-line loss of $40 million in the six months ended December, compared to last year’s profit of $106m.
Revenue was up just over 1 percent to $3.44b, compared to $3.4b a year ago.
Seymour, also the leader of the ACT Party, criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.
“The taxpayer has to have a purpose for having all that capital tied up. My question is, what is that purpose if they’re not providing a service that is affordable and timely? Instead, they seem to have been distracted by a million other objectives.”
Seymour said Air NZ had been doing “politically motivated stuff” when it couldn’t take off and land on time for a decent price.
“Get woke, go broke. 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,” he said.
“I’m fortunate that as an MP I don’t have to pay for work flights, but whenever I look at one privately, they’re looking at $600 to go from Wellington to Invercargill one way. That’s crazy.”
Seymour’s comments come as the airline continues to face severe disruption due to grounded aircraft.
Air NZ said the half-year loss was largely driven by global engine maintenance delays, slower-than-expected recovery in domestic demand, increasing costs, and a weaker New Zealand dollar.
It said that while capacity would likely increase modestly in the second half with aircraft returning to service and new aircraft, the airline was cautious on whether it would translate to earnings uplift.
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
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is taking questions after the announcement of a new crime figures.
It comes as the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith put this down to the coalition’s approach to law and order and the near doubling of police foot patrols.
“Since day one, we’ve been working tirelessly to restore real consequences for crime, and to place victims back at the centre of the justice system,” he said.
“We have reformed the sentencing regime so those who cause the most harm are imprisoned for longer, given Police effective tools to deal with gangs, stopped taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, made stalking an illegal and jailable offence, given victims of sexual assault the power to determine if offenders are granted name suppression, restored Three Strikes, and much more.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said higher police visibility in communities was helping deter crime and keep criminals off the streets.
“Our investment into the frontline has seen 12 new and expanded beat teams stood up nationwide, including the launch of a beat team in Hamilton this week.
“Our beat officers do an outstanding job at keeping the public, businesses and retailers safe. We know there is a lot more to do but these results show we are heading in the right direction.”
Goldsmith said while the government was tracking ahead on its violent crime reduction target it still had more work to do.
“This is going to be another busy year. We just announced plans to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour.
“Our Crimes Amendment Bill is making its way through the house, and legislation to strengthen trespass laws will soon be introduced.”
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said Oranga Tamariki figures showed there had been a 22 per cent drop in serious repeat youth offending compared with when the Government came into office.
“This is well ahead of our target of a 15 per cent drop before 2030,” she said.
“We promised to fix what matters to New Zealanders. Ram raids are down 85 per cent. Kiwis are no longer being expected to live in fear that their cars have been stolen and used by young offenders in a ram raid of our local small businesses.
“Young offenders are avoiding re-offending because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki and Police are working together more closely. They know now that their actions will have consequences.”
The livestream is due to start about 1.30pm and will be at the top of this page.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is taking questions after the announcement of a new crime figures.
It comes as the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith put this down to the coalition’s approach to law and order and the near doubling of police foot patrols.
“Since day one, we’ve been working tirelessly to restore real consequences for crime, and to place victims back at the centre of the justice system,” he said.
“We have reformed the sentencing regime so those who cause the most harm are imprisoned for longer, given Police effective tools to deal with gangs, stopped taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, made stalking an illegal and jailable offence, given victims of sexual assault the power to determine if offenders are granted name suppression, restored Three Strikes, and much more.”
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said higher police visibility in communities was helping deter crime and keep criminals off the streets.
“Our investment into the frontline has seen 12 new and expanded beat teams stood up nationwide, including the launch of a beat team in Hamilton this week.
“Our beat officers do an outstanding job at keeping the public, businesses and retailers safe. We know there is a lot more to do but these results show we are heading in the right direction.”
Goldsmith said while the government was tracking ahead on its violent crime reduction target it still had more work to do.
“This is going to be another busy year. We just announced plans to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour.
“Our Crimes Amendment Bill is making its way through the house, and legislation to strengthen trespass laws will soon be introduced.”
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said Oranga Tamariki figures showed there had been a 22 per cent drop in serious repeat youth offending compared with when the Government came into office.
“This is well ahead of our target of a 15 per cent drop before 2030,” she said.
“We promised to fix what matters to New Zealanders. Ram raids are down 85 per cent. Kiwis are no longer being expected to live in fear that their cars have been stolen and used by young offenders in a ram raid of our local small businesses.
“Young offenders are avoiding re-offending because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki and Police are working together more closely. They know now that their actions will have consequences.”
The livestream is due to start about 1.30pm and will be at the top of this page.
Some of the universe’s most extreme explosions leave behind almost no trace. The original explosion is unseen, but our observations can capture the long-lived echo it leaves behind as the shock front ploughs into its surrounding environment.
In new research accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, we have discovered what may be the clearest example yet of one of these hidden explosions: the radio afterglow of a powerful gamma-ray burst whose initial blast went unnoticed.
The only other viable explanation for what we see is an extraordinarily rare event in which a star is torn apart by an intermediate-mass black hole: a long-hypothesised, elusive class of black holes that has proven difficult to detect.
Either way, we’re watching the slow-motion aftermath of one of the most extreme, rare events the cosmos can produce.
While these jets are launched in all directions, we only observe the small fraction whose emission is directed towards us. When it is directed away from us, the initial flash goes unseen, and all we can observe is the slowly fading afterglow.
Animation of a gamma-ray burst showing the narrow, high-energy jets.NASA
Although these so-called “orphan afterglows” of gamma-ray bursts have been predicted for decades, finding them has proven extraordinarily difficult. Without a high-energy flash to announce their arrival, astronomers have to search thousands of square degrees of sky.
As a result, these cosmic explosions are easy to miss, and hard to recognise when they do appear – until now.
A cosmic ghost appears
Using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP), a 36-antenna radio telescope at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara in Western Australia, we scanned vast regions of sky for unexpected long-lived radio transients (astronomical objects that appear and change over weeks to years). We were trying to catch rare events that reveal themselves only through their fading radio emission.
In data from one of these wide-field surveys, we noticed a radio source (named ASKAP J005512-255834), that hadn’t been there before.
It brightened rapidly, releasing 10³² Watts of energy into space – comparable to the total radio energy output of billions of Suns – and then began to fade slowly over time.
Brightening of the radio afterglow detected in the RACS survey with ASKAP. Observations beginning in 2022 capture the source turning on, after which it remains detectable for more than 1,000 days.Emil Lenc
This behaviour immediately set it apart. Most radio transients either evolve quickly or flare repeatedly. This source did neither. Instead, it behaved like the lingering echo of a single, immensely powerful explosion.
Although ASKAP J005512-255834 was bright at radio wavelengths, it left almost no signal at other wavelengths. We could not see a counterpart in visible light or X-rays.
This is exactly what astronomers expect from an orphan afterglow: the fading, widening glow of a tightly focused cosmic jet that was not initially pointed towards Earth, becoming visible only after it slows and spreads.
A busy neighbourhood, billions of light-years away
This rare transient is located in a small but bright galaxy around 1.7 billion light-years from Earth. The galaxy has an irregular structure and is actively forming stars, making it a natural environment for extreme stellar events such as stellar collapse or violent stellar disruption.
The image on the left shows the location of the radio afterglow within the galaxy 2dFGRS TGS143Z140, captured with the Magellan Telescope in Chile. On the right, we see the same radio source detected by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India.Ashna Gulati
The position of the explosion is off to one side, not aligned with the galaxy’s central nucleus. Instead, it appears to lie within a compact star-forming region, possibly a nuclear star cluster.
This raises new questions about what kinds of environments can host such powerful cosmic events.
Could it be something else?
Because ASKAP J005512-255834 is so unusual, we had to do some detective work to figure out what it might be. We carefully examined (and ruled out) some alternative explanations, including stars, pulsars and supernovae.
The only other scenario capable of reproducing the observed radio behaviour involves a star being torn apart by an intermediate-mass black hole. These are a rare class of black holes that sit between stellar remnants and the supermassive giants found in galaxy centres.
Such events are thought to be extremely rare at radio wavelengths, but we cannot completely rule out this explanation. Confirming it would make this the first example of its kind, a discovery just as interesting as an orphan gamma-ray burst.
A hidden universe revealed by radio waves
Was this discovery a stroke of luck, or the first glimpse of a long-hidden population? Until recently, we simply didn’t have the tools to know.
ASKAP J005512-255834 is the most convincing orphan gamma-ray burst afterglow yet identified. It was found by using our radio telescope to search for the long-lived echo of an explosion we didn’t know had occurred.
Using the same approach, we now hope to uncover many more of these orphan afterglows and finally give them a place in our cosmic story.
In doing so, we may be able to build a full picture of the gamma-ray burst population, including those that never announced themselves with a flash, but lingered quietly as ghosts in the radio sky.
The “frugal chic” aesthetic is having its moment, however contradictory the concept may seem. “Frugal” suggests a focus on thriftiness, while “chic” oozes a sense of classic luxury.
Coined by former model and content creator Mia McGrath before trending on TikTok, this is one of the latest attempts to change how we think about clothes and disrupt our voracious appetite for fashion.
McGrath encourages Gen Z to think about the positive aspects of making do with less. For her, being frugally chic refers to:
An individual who values quality, high taste, and freedom. They reject this new world of overconsumption that preys on the insecurities of unconscious doom scrollers.
Frugal chic means a commitment to purchases that will last for many years and be part of a “forever wardrobe”.
McGrath calls on consumers to invest in quality – “buy it nice or buy it twice” – while blending luxury purchases with cheaper and even thrifted clothes.
Slow fashion, repair cafes and capsule wardrobes
McGrath is not the first to try to influence change by promoting sustainable, responsible clothing consumption.
The global slow fashion movement supports individuals to (as the name suggests) slow down clothing purchases. But simply shopping less is easier said than done.
Slow fashion is driven by an increased awareness of the environmental and societal impact of the purchases we make. It also means forming a different, deeper relationship with our clothes.
Repair cafes set up in many countries (including Australia) further aid this work. They offer opportunities for people to fix their clothes – whether broken zips, missing buttons, rips, or something more complex – with the help of skilled repairers.
An uptick in “capsule wardrobes” has also been framed as a responsible choice. A capsule wardrobe encourages fewer classic, high-quality items in neutral colours as staples that can be worn interchangeably with each other and with bolder accent pieces.
Each of these matters as a counterpoint to what has become a massive problem: Australia’s spiralling consumption and discard rates.
Many of those clothes don’t form part of a “forever wardrobe”. Across that same year, Australians sent 220,000 tonnes of castoffs to landfills. That’s 880 million items. A further 36 million items of unwanted clothing were shipped overseas, adding to mounting global landfills.
Fast fashion emits greenhouse gases and microplastics, with much of its waste sent to landfills in developing countries.Misper Apawu/AP
The production, consumption, use and disposal of clothing are emission-intensive. In 2024, Australia’s per capita emissions for clothing were equivalent to driving more than 3,600 kilometres in a petrol-fuelled car. That’s further than a road trip from Melbourne to Perth.
Despite these startling figures, our shopping continues.
Restrictions and austerity
Frugal chic has plenty of historical parallels. Though the contexts differ, these moments encouraged Australians to make do with the little they had.
More than 150 years ago, as a flood of gold-rush migrants descended on Australia, many had only a few changes of clothes – as many as could be counted on one hand. This was considered sufficient.
Clothing did not have a single life. It could be mended, adjusted and adapted. It could be passed down from person to person. Clothing was so valuable it was often bequeathed.
At the end of its wearable life, clothing was recycled into something new. It might be cut down to fit children, pieced together and sewn into quilts and waggas (quilts made out of recycled clothes, fabric scraps, old blankets and burlap bags) for warmth at night, or torn into rags.
This considered attitude to clothing did not end in the 20th century. Global upheavals continued to underline the critical importance of long clothing lifecycles.
In the Great Depression, as rates of unemployment soared, clothing budgets plummeted. This demanded ingenuity to keep families clothed.
Austerity measures introduced in Australia during World War II included the rationing of clothing. Measures also included the control of clothing styles to save fabric, threads and buttons. Known as “victory styling”, this created a direct link between less clothing and contributing to the war effort.
Some responded by making new clothes out of old garments salvaged from the back of wardrobes. Others turned to novel materials such as sugar bags to make themselves new outfits.
Reframing restraint
Like these historical examples, the “frugal chic” aesthetic frames frugality as virtuous – aligning with the shift towards sustainability – and aspirational, signalling an intention to live more mindfully.
But “frugal chic” is not without tension. For one thing, most “frugal chic” content casts frugality as a choice rather than a necessity for dealing with issues of overconsumption or low income.
For another, it could be seen as an example of the pressure placed on women to look and act in certain ways – not simply to prioritise sustainability, but to appear both fashionable and financially savvy at the same time.
Will the “frugal chic” aesthetic change how we think about our clothes? It’s hard to say, but all rallying cries for sustainable fashion consumption hold potential for much-needed change.
Police and the Ministry of Health are working together in response to growing concerns about the misuse of nitrous oxide, particularly when it is used by drivers. Nitrous oxide is also known by other names, including nangs, laughing gas, and nos.
Police is increasingly concerned by the growing number of incidents involving drivers inhaling nitrous oxide and putting themselves, their passengers, and other road users at risk.
Assistant Commissioner of Road Policing and District Support Tusha Penny says any substance that affects judgement, coordination, or consciousness can have deadly consequences when someone is behind the wheel.
“Police is concerned with the immediate danger this is posing on the road,” says Assistant Commissioner Penny.
“We are now seeing an increase in the use of nitrous oxide as a factor in a number of serious crashes, including some crashes where people have died.”
While investigations into individual crashes continue, the risks are clear and grave: inhaling nitrous oxide can rapidly cause dizziness, confusion, and blackouts.
“We appreciate where the public has called Police to report instances of people using nitrous oxide in vehicles. We have taken action in response to those calls, and they have helped prevent harm and likely saved lives.”
Police is also engaging with retailers and reminding them that the sale of nitrous oxide is illegal for recreational use under the Psychoactive Substances Act.
“We will be providing letters to retailers in areas where this is a known issue over the coming weeks to remind them of their obligations.”
Police will take a graduated response to the unlawful supply of nitrous oxide, with a focus on engagement, education and encouragement, alongside enforcement where appropriate.
“We will continue to work alongside our partner agencies, monitor the situation closely, and step up to enforcement if we need to,” Assistant Commissioner Penny says.
The Ministry of Health’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Joe Bourne says that reports from Police of nitrous oxide misuse linked with driving are a particular concern.
He says that nitrous oxide can cause significant harm when misused for recreational inhalation, and those harms are magnified when combined with driving. Mixing nitrous oxide with alcohol or other drugs can have unpredictable effects and increase the risk of harm.
“Nitrous oxide may seem relatively harmless, but it can cause real damage. When it’s inhaled, the gas pushes oxygen out of your lungs and bloodstream, which can make you dizzy, cause you to black out, or even be life threatening in some cases,” says Dr Bourne.
“It should go without saying, that dizzyness or blackouts while driving are extremely dangerous.”
Inhaling nitrous oxide can also have long-term effects.
“Separately we know that heavy, frequent, or chronic use can cause nerve damage, leading to, weakness, numbness, and long-term problems with movement or coordination,” says Dr Bourne.
Dr Bourne says unfortunately health professionals are the ones who see the harms from drug misuse, and it’s important to raise awareness about them.
He advises individuals to contact their health care provider if anyone has used these products and is concerned about their health. The Ministry will work with Health New Zealand to raise awareness of the harms caused to physical and mental health by the recreational use of nitrous oxide.
If you’re concerned about your own drinking or drug taking, you can reach out to the Alcohol Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797, or text 8681.
Police and the Ministry of Health are working together in response to growing concerns about the misuse of nitrous oxide, particularly when it is used by drivers. Nitrous oxide is also known by other names, including nangs, laughing gas, and nos.
Police is increasingly concerned by the growing number of incidents involving drivers inhaling nitrous oxide and putting themselves, their passengers, and other road users at risk.
Assistant Commissioner of Road Policing and District Support Tusha Penny says any substance that affects judgement, coordination, or consciousness can have deadly consequences when someone is behind the wheel.
“Police is concerned with the immediate danger this is posing on the road,” says Assistant Commissioner Penny.
“We are now seeing an increase in the use of nitrous oxide as a factor in a number of serious crashes, including some crashes where people have died.”
While investigations into individual crashes continue, the risks are clear and grave: inhaling nitrous oxide can rapidly cause dizziness, confusion, and blackouts.
“We appreciate where the public has called Police to report instances of people using nitrous oxide in vehicles. We have taken action in response to those calls, and they have helped prevent harm and likely saved lives.”
Police is also engaging with retailers and reminding them that the sale of nitrous oxide is illegal for recreational use under the Psychoactive Substances Act.
“We will be providing letters to retailers in areas where this is a known issue over the coming weeks to remind them of their obligations.”
Police will take a graduated response to the unlawful supply of nitrous oxide, with a focus on engagement, education and encouragement, alongside enforcement where appropriate.
“We will continue to work alongside our partner agencies, monitor the situation closely, and step up to enforcement if we need to,” Assistant Commissioner Penny says.
The Ministry of Health’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Joe Bourne says that reports from Police of nitrous oxide misuse linked with driving are a particular concern.
He says that nitrous oxide can cause significant harm when misused for recreational inhalation, and those harms are magnified when combined with driving. Mixing nitrous oxide with alcohol or other drugs can have unpredictable effects and increase the risk of harm.
“Nitrous oxide may seem relatively harmless, but it can cause real damage. When it’s inhaled, the gas pushes oxygen out of your lungs and bloodstream, which can make you dizzy, cause you to black out, or even be life threatening in some cases,” says Dr Bourne.
“It should go without saying, that dizzyness or blackouts while driving are extremely dangerous.”
Inhaling nitrous oxide can also have long-term effects.
“Separately we know that heavy, frequent, or chronic use can cause nerve damage, leading to, weakness, numbness, and long-term problems with movement or coordination,” says Dr Bourne.
Dr Bourne says unfortunately health professionals are the ones who see the harms from drug misuse, and it’s important to raise awareness about them.
He advises individuals to contact their health care provider if anyone has used these products and is concerned about their health. The Ministry will work with Health New Zealand to raise awareness of the harms caused to physical and mental health by the recreational use of nitrous oxide.
If you’re concerned about your own drinking or drug taking, you can reach out to the Alcohol Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797, or text 8681.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a Parliamentary and business delegation to Latin America next week, highlighting the strategic importance of New Zealand’s ties with the region.
“This trip is a timely opportunity to strengthen our relationships in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay – and to identify areas we can work together to navigate an increasingly uncertain global environment,” Mr Peters says.
“Our Latin American partners are important to us and this visit will raise our commercial profile in the region and create opportunities for New Zealand businesses. The delegation will promote New Zealand’s reputation as a provider of innovative, high-quality products and services and help create new commercial linkages. Latin American markets offer exciting potential for New Zealand exporters.”
Mr Peters will be accompanied by a business delegation as well as a group of MPs from across Parliament:
Nicole McKee, Minister for Courts and Associate Minister of Justice;
Tim van de Molen, Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee;
Carmel Sepuloni, Deputy Leader of the Opposition; and
Damien O’Connor, Opposition Trade Spokesperson.
The delegation will meet with senior government leaders and a range of parliamentary, business and education contacts.
On its way back to New Zealand, the delegation will undertake short programmes in Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and French Polynesia.
“The Pacific is central to New Zealand’s foreign policy approach. We are pleased to have visited all Pacific Islands Forum countries at least once during this Parliamentary term and are looking forward to returning to French Polynesia and to making connections in Rapa Nui.”
The delegation departs on Sunday 1 March and returns on Monday 9 March.
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.RNZ / Mark Papalii
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour has renewed his call for the government to sell its 51 percent stake in Air New Zealand after it reported a significant half-year loss.
The airline posted a bottom-line loss of $40 million in the six months ended December, compared to last year’s profit of $106m.
Revenue was up just over 1 percent to $3.44b, compared to $3.4b a year ago.
Seymour, also the leader of the ACT Party, criticised the airline, saying it should go back to the basics.
“The taxpayer has to have a purpose for having all that capital tied up. My question is, what is that purpose if they’re not providing a service that is affordable and timely? Instead, they seem to have been distracted by a million other objectives.”
Seymour said Air NZ had been doing “politically motivated stuff” when it couldn’t take off and land on time for a decent price.
“Get woke, go broke. 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,” he said.
“I’m fortunate that as an MP I don’t have to pay for work flights, but whenever I look at one privately, they’re looking at $600 to go from Wellington to Invercargill one way. That’s crazy.”
Seymour’s comments come as the airline continues to face severe disruption due to grounded aircraft.
Air NZ said the half-year loss was largely driven by global engine maintenance delays, slower-than-expected recovery in domestic demand, increasing costs, and a weaker New Zealand dollar.
It said that while capacity would likely increase modestly in the second half with aircraft returning to service and new aircraft, the airline was cautious on whether it would translate to earnings uplift.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
26 February 2026 – Jess Rowe, Director Prudential Policy, says the opening of this second tranche of consultation marks another milestone as we work towards implementing the DTA.
“Technical feedback on the standards will help us to implement the DTA as intended to modernise and integrate our prudential framework,” Ms Rowe says. “We will continue to engage with industry and the public to ensure a proportionate approach that supports a competitive financial system.”
Consultation on exposure drafts of the DTA Standards is taking place in three tranches. The first tranche was published on 30 October 2025.
The second tranche of consultation, published today and open until 15 May, includes exposure drafts and guidance of the following five standards:
Governance Standard
Risk Management Standard
Disclosure Statements Standard
Business Transfers, Holding Entity, and Restricted Activities Standard
Consultation on tranche three will open in June 2026 and all DTA Standards will come into effect on 1 December 2028.
Consultation also opens on Due Diligence Guidance
As part of tranche two, we are also consulting on the Due Diligence Guidance. This paper provides guidance on how directors can exercise due diligence to ensure that the deposit taker complies with its prudential obligations.
