MIL-OSI Export – Page 178

March 31, 2026

Public health providers have to obey strict cyber security rules – so should private contractors

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gehan Gunasekara, Professor of Commercial Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Following a series of significant health data breaches, the government released a cyber security strategy and action plan to establish a national framework for responding to escalating cyber threats.

The strategy covers New Zealand’s critical infrastructure, from the electricity grid to transport, financial payment systems and the health sector. The government held consultations with each sector this week.

We argue better regulatory oversight is particularly urgent for the health sector.

Late last year, more than 120,000 New Zealanders had their medical records compromised when the patient data portal Manage My Health was hacked.

Then in February, the prescription app MediMap was taken offline after patient information was found to have been altered in a cyber attack.

These security breaches have damaged trust in New Zealand’s entire health system. They are being investigated as part of a government review and an inquiry by the privacy commissioner.

To stop this from happening again, the government must require all parties holding, transferring or sharing health data to be subject to regulatory oversight and mandatory audits, regardless of whether they are in the private or public sector.

Lack of a single cyber security law

From a public standpoint, the distinction between public healthcare providers and their private IT service providers is immaterial.

This is reinforced by section 11 of the Privacy Act, which says healthcare providers remain responsible for information handled on their behalf, even when using IT service providers.

However, a clause in the Health Information Privacy Code also lists IT providers as “health agencies” which may result in confusion as to which agency is ultimately responsible.

Currently, New Zealand has no single piece of legislation that mandates enforceable minimum cyber security requirements. There are no explicit, binding due-diligence requirements in primary legislation for choosing IT services, beyond general privacy and security obligations.

We argue this needs to change.

Current issues with health data

When patients change doctors, their old records don’t disappear. They can remain on whichever system their previous practice used for many years.

One patient reported their medical files were still uploading to Manage My Health two years after their doctor’s practice stopped using the platform.

While providers are legally required to protect and manage this information, there is limited proactive auditing. Patients may not be notified unless or until a serious incident occurs.

Section 11 of the Privacy Act should be strengthened to require clear auditable contractual commitments between providers and those acting on their behalf to store or process information.

Government agencies face strict rules because New Zealand’s protective security requirements mandate how government departments must handle sensitive information. If data needs protection when held by the government, it needs equal protection when held by contractors.

In the UK, any public or private organisation accessing patient data held by the public health system must complete a mandatory data security and protection toolkit annually. In the US, federal audits of healthcare providers are conducted under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Another example is Finland, which responded swiftly to a 2020 data breach at the private psychotherapy centre Vastaamo, mandating security audits for all healthcare providers, with no exceptions.

Vastaamo’s system, holding records of 33,000 psychotherapy patients, had stored sensitive data without encryption. Investigations found Vastaamo’s patient database was exposed through very weak administrator access controls and inadequate network restrictions, and that the system had not been subject to effective external security audits.

Since Finland strengthened and broadened mandatory external security audits for those handling patient information, no breach on the same scale has been reported. New Zealand should follow a similar approach.

As we await the findings from the inquiry and review on how the breaches occurred, the government should consider the following points:

Data storage and sovereignty

If data is stored on foreign-owned servers, foreign laws may apply regardless of the physical location. This is particularly relevant when we consider the implications for Māori data.

Due diligence and mandatory oversight

Government agencies must follow clear and auditable processes before trusting private vendors with patient data.

All private companies handling sensitive health data are already categorised as health agencies and must comply with the conditions of the Health Information Privacy Code 2020. Clear guidance should be given to doctors and health providers to help them determine whether they should entrust patient data to private companies.

Historic data

At present, rules regarding the retention and deletion of health data are found across multiple legislative codes. The ability to delete data is limited. We need better transparency and supervision across the system.

We argue New Zealand needs mandatory security audits for all healthcare data systems. We hope the government will enforce this.

– ref. Public health providers have to obey strict cyber security rules – so should private contractors – https://theconversation.com/public-health-providers-have-to-obey-strict-cyber-security-rules-so-should-private-contractors-279300

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/public-health-providers-have-to-obey-strict-cyber-security-rules-so-should-private-contractors-279300/

March 31, 2026

Focusing on how and why you eat – not just what – may be the key to healthy eating

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nina Van Dyke, Associate Professor and Associate Director, Mitchell Institute, Victoria University

When most people think about “healthy eating”, they usually focus on what they eat. That might mean trying to eat more fruit and vegetables or less fast food, or counting calories.

But there’s a lot more to healthy eating than just dietary intake. Behaviours and attitudes around food are also important.

Take, for example, orthorexia nervosa, which is an obsessive preoccupation with consuming only “healthy” foods. If healthy eating only means ingesting healthy foods, then people with orthorexia are super healthy.

But people who live with this eating disorder often struggle with relationships and report poor quality of life, among other issues.

Research suggests that shifting the focus from food itself to our experience of eating can have a range of health benefits. Let’s take a look.

Why are we so obsessed with diet?

Equating “healthy eating” with “healthy diet” may have taken off in the early 1980s with panic over the “obesity epidemic” in Western countries – defined as a rapid rise in the prevalence of people in the population with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater.

But causes of obesity are complex and poorly understood, with numerous possible explanations beyond simply what a person eats. And admonishing overweight people to eat “healthier” has done nothing to reduce population rates of obesity.

There is some evidence that this fixation on weight has resulted in increased rates of disordered eating and eating disorders – both of which involve problematic eating behaviours and distorted attitudes towards food, weight, shape and appearance.

Clearly, something needs to change in how we think about healthy eating.

Listening to your body

A growing body of research on intuitive eating has found this approach has an array of health benefits.

Intuitive eating means trusting internal body cues that tell us when, what and how much to eat. For example, tuning into your stomach growling telling you it’s time to eat, or noticing feeling full or satisfied, or that you may crave certain foods because your body wants specific nutrients (such as protein after exercising).

Studies have shown this approach can lead to better physical and mental health as well as better diet quality, and is associated with lower BMIs.

Research also shows eating at regular intervals and eating with other people also lead to better overall health and diet.

But if you find it hard, you’re not alone

Most of us are surrounded by food environments that make healthy eating difficult.

Unhealthy food environments promote overeating and encourage us to override our innate signals of hunger and fullness.

When we’re surrounded by cheap and accessible sugary snacks, fast foods and large portions – and lots of marketing – it can be hard to develop a positive relationship with food.

The issue is particularly acute for people in more disadvantaged communities.

For example, in our research with rural Australians about food and eating, most told us they wanted to eat more healthily, but found it difficult for many reasons, These included busy schedules and the cost of healthier food.

Habits and emotional eating can also make healthy eating difficult.

So, what works?

For most people, healthy behaviours and attitudes to eating mean a balanced, flexible and non-judgmental approach, without fear of “bad” foods. It means paying attention to hunger and fullness cues.

But it also means recognising that food is a source of social and cultural connection. A healthy attitude to food doesn’t ignore nutritional information – it incorporates this knowledge into a broader and more joyous approach to eating.

Here are three suggestions to get you started.

1. Recognising signs of hunger and fullness

These may differ from person to person. Can you hear your stomach start to growl or your energy begin to dip? Is it a while since you ate? And while eating, is there a point where the hunger has gone away and you no longer feel a strong desire to continue eating? Some people find using hunger and fullness scales useful.

2. Reframing “bad” foods

Is there a food you really like but don’t eat because you consider it “bad” or “forbidden”? Try incorporating a small amount into your next meal or snack. You may find that doing so brings greater joy to your eating while simultaneously taking away its power.

3. Eating with people

If you normally eat by yourself or “grab and go”, see if there’s a way to plan more time for meals and include other people – whether this is more family meals or group lunches with coworkers.

But some people have to follow a specific diet

People with medical conditions that require a particular type of diet – such as those with diabetes or coeliac disease – need to follow that advice. But they may still be able to have healthy behaviours and attitudes towards food even within these constraints.

For example, one 2020 study of people with type 2 diabetes found that more intuitive eaters had better control of their blood sugar levels.

The bottom line

So – if you don’t have a medical condition that prevents it – go ahead and have some of that birthday cake. And then listen to your body when it tells you you’ve had enough.

If you feel that you have an unhealthy relationship with food that is interfering with your life, please contact your GP to discuss your options. You may also want to contact the Butterfly Foundation for support.

– ref. Focusing on how and why you eat – not just what – may be the key to healthy eating – https://theconversation.com/focusing-on-how-and-why-you-eat-not-just-what-may-be-the-key-to-healthy-eating-273019

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/focusing-on-how-and-why-you-eat-not-just-what-may-be-the-key-to-healthy-eating-273019/

March 31, 2026

Strongest evidence yet that vaping likely causes cancer

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bernard Stewart, Professor, Paediatrics and Child Health, UNSW Sydney

As early as the 1880s, there was evidence that smoking tobacco damaged your lungs. But it took almost 100 years to definitively show that smoking causes lung cancer.

So, what about vapes?

Until now, most research that has looked at the cancer risk for people using vapes, also known as electronic or e-cigarettes, has mainly focused on their role as a gateway to smoking tobacco. This is because we know people who vape are more likely than non-smokers to take up smoking.

But whether they cause cancer by themselves has been unclear. There are still no long-term studies. But now a comprehensive review of the evidence I conducted with colleagues, published today, has found vaping likely causes oral and lung cancers.

What we looked at and what we found

Given there is no long-term research on whether vaping directly causes cancer, we had to look for effects on the body that we know are linked to cancer.

We identified all peer-reviewed research published between 2017 and mid-2025 that looked at health impacts of vapes considered indicative of potential cancer causation.

The aerosol that vapers inhale contains a complex range of chemicals, including nicotine and its byproducts, and vapourised metals. This aerosol demonstrates almost all of the ten “key characteristics of carcinogens” identified by the World Health Organization.

Blood and urine analyses from vapers confirmed they had absorbed chemicals from e-cigarette chemicals that we know are linked to cancer. These studies revealed nicotine and its breakdown products present in their bodies, including carcinogenic (cancer-causing) metals from the heating element and organic compounds from vapourising e-liquids.

There is no doubt vaping alters tissues in the mouth and lungs. We found evidence of mutations in DNA from the mouth and lungs in those who vaped, which is further evidence of carcinogen exposure.

There was also evidence of changes to cancer biomarkers in the lung and mouth tissue of vapers. Cancer biomarkers are changes in cell or molecular structure that precede a tumour developing. Some of these can be observed under a microscope, such as inflammation, while others such as oxidative stress are detected by molecular analysis.

We also examined experiments on mice which found the aerosols in vapes caused lung cancer, as well as cases reported by dentists who thought that oral cancers in certain individual patients (who didn’t smoke) were caused by them vaping.

Our review did also examine studies that had addressed the possibility vaping may cause cancer. However none of these covered the wide range of evidence we had assessed.

What this means

The evidence shows nicotine-based vapes are likely to cause oral and lung cancer. We just don’t yet know how many cases it will cause.

But in the evidence we looked at, there was rising concern, and a significant shift in the conclusions that had been drawn.

Between 2017 and 2019, researchers tended to say there wasn’t enough evidence to conclude that vapes cause cancer. This included papers that typically looked at cancer biomarkers and carcinogenic mechanisms.

By 2024 and 2025, almost without exception, authors were expressing concern. They noted that the idea vaping has a lower cancer risk than smoking could no longer be supported, given the evidence we now have.

Our study, which looks at cancer caused by vapes in their own right, marks a new approach to what we know about the link between cancer and vaping.

What we still don’t know

We still don’t have direct evidence that there are more cancer cases than expected among people who vape.

The fact it took 100 years to demonstrate that smoking causes cancer indicates it will take decades to make a similar case for vaping. And it will be challenging, because definitive proof will depend on a population of people who only vape, not people who smoke and vape.

So we need large and carefully planned studies, which will then allow us to monitor and detect cancer early, and precisely determine if it is caused by – or worsened by – vaping. Lives can be saved by these means, but only if this research is funded and started now.

– ref. Strongest evidence yet that vaping likely causes cancer – https://theconversation.com/strongest-evidence-yet-that-vaping-likely-causes-cancer-279550

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/strongest-evidence-yet-that-vaping-likely-causes-cancer-279550/

March 31, 2026

Is E10 fuel bad for my car? And could it save me money?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zachary Aman, Professor of Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia

Fuel has become a precious, and increasingly expensive, commodity.

The ongoing Middle East conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off 20% of the world’s oil supplies. This, coupled with tit-for-tat attacks on key energy infrastructure across the region, has sent fuel prices soaring.

In Australia, petrol and diesel bowsers have already started running dry. And the country’s leading motoring organisation is now urging drivers to fill up with E10 fuel, in an effort to conserve our national fuel supplies.

So what exactly is E10? And could it help ease the current fuel crisis?

Remind me, what’s E10?

E10 is a type of fuel made from a mixture of regular unleaded petrol and ethanol. Ethanol is a highly flammable liquid produced when sugars from plants, such as corn or sugarcane, are fermented into ethyl alcohol or ethanol.

To make a batch of E10, you combine nine parts petrol with one part ethanol. So the “E” stands for ethanol and the “10” indicates how much of it is in the blend. Given ethanol costs less than regular petrol, E10 is generally cheaper than other fuel types.

E10 fuel contains 3% less energy than other low-grade petrols. This means if you swap regular unleaded for E10, you’d need about 3% more E10 to travel the same distance. So while E10 is often cheaper at the bowser, it’s likely any savings will be balanced out by the need to fill up more often.

Could it damage my car?

Both ethanol and regular unleaded petrol can be ignited. So blending these two liquids to make E10 produces a fuel that is compatible with modern combustion engines.

However, the inclusion of ethanol increases the octane rating of the fuel. The octane rating is based on how quickly a fuel ignites in a standard combustion engine. So the higher the octane rating, the more stable the fuel and the less likely it is to damage engine cylinders and rods.

But if you have an older car, it may be best to avoid using E10. This is because engines built before 2000 are generally incompatible with this type of fuel. Ethanol can degrade older seals and fuel lines, which are often made of plastic and rubber not designed for exposure to ethanol. Importantly, E10 is not suitable for use in petrol carburettors. These devices, which pump a mixture of fuel and air into combustion engines, are only found in older cars.

So the idea that E10 damages cars likely comes from its effect on older vehicles. But for cars with engines made after 2000, E10 is generally safe to use.

Is E10 better for the environment?

Research suggests the combustion of E10 could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 5%, depending on how the ethanol is produced.

Crops such as sugarcane, commonly used in Brazilian and some Australian ethanol, absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide as they grow. This can help offset the emissions produced from the combustion of E10. In contrast, corn-based ethanol, which is mostly found in the US, has a negligible impact on carbon dioxide emissions. Sitting in the middle is ethanol made from wheat. Research suggests this kind of ethanol may slightly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But this variability means some people broadly view E10, and its apparent environmental benefits, with scepticism.

What about the global fuel crisis?

Over the past 14 years, demand for E10 fuel has declined by about 44%. But this trend could turn around, as the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz forces governments around the world to consider alternatives to diesel and regular petrol.

For countries which import most of their crude oil and refined petroleum products, encouraging the production and use of E10 may slightly reduce the strain on domestic fuel supplies. This is because adding up to 10% ethanol increases how much regular petrol is available. However, this assumes residents have engines that are compatible with lower-grade fuels. And it would only be useful if countries can produce their own ethanol, instead of relying on imported ethanol.

In Australia, we import the vast majority of our diesel. This makes us extremely vulnerable to fuel shocks, including the crisis we’re currently experiencing. We meet about 20% of our national fuel demand with domestic supplies. However, only a portion of that fuel is produced in the form of unleaded petrol which is suitable for E10 blending.

Australia produces nearly all of the ethanol we consume domestically, in any given year. This includes ethanol used in E10 fuel. Increasing our domestic ethanol production, involving both our agricultural and manufacturing sectors, could help conserve a small percentage of our national petrol supplies. This is because the E10 blending process must happen at the point of refining, so we can only add ethanol to the petrol we produce in Australia.

If every Australian switched to using E10, this would save roughly 2% of the 20% of petrol we produce domestically. Every saving matters in a global fuel crisis. However, our current reliance on fossil fuels such as coal and gas limits the potential benefits of switching to E10.

So if you do switch from diesel or petrol to E10, you may see a slight reduction in your fuel costs and emissions. However, this decision is unlikely to take much pressure off our limited fuel supplies. For that we need effective policy and, ultimately, a swift end to the current Middle East conflict.

– ref. Is E10 fuel bad for my car? And could it save me money? – https://theconversation.com/is-e10-fuel-bad-for-my-car-and-could-it-save-me-money-279081

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/is-e10-fuel-bad-for-my-car-and-could-it-save-me-money-279081/

March 31, 2026

‘Mum and Dad both finished school in Year 10’– how to help first-in-family students graduate from uni

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Patfield, Lecturer, Teachers and Teaching Research Centre, School of Education, University of Newcastle

Each year, about 30% of new undergraduates in Australia are the first in their families to go to university.

This means their parents do not have a university-level qualification. Often, they also don’t have any siblings or relatives who have gone to uni as well.

So these students must navigate a new and unfamiliar pathway. National data shows they are not only less likely to go to uni, but they are also less likely to graduate than those with university-educated parents.

Our new research provides insights into how we can support first-in-family students to complete their university studies.

A new focus on completion

Until very recently, federal government university funding has tended to focus more on getting students to enrol.

This year, a new “needs-based” funding model encourages universities to better support students from underrepresented backgrounds to graduate.

First-in-family students can be considered an “umbrella” equity category, as students often fall into multiple equity groups. For example, they may be Indigenous, come from a regional area and a low socioeconomic background.

On top of this, they face educational disadvantage by being newcomers to higher education. In many cases, these students are the first in their families to finish school.

On the one hand, this means first-in-family students are educational trailblazers. On the other, they can’t rely on family members to guide them on this journey.

Our new research

Since 2017, we have been conducting research with first-in-family students across Australia, Austria, Ireland and the United Kingdom, looking at what actually helps these students to persist in their studies.

Our latest paper, published this month, includes interviews with 174 first-in-family students from across diverse age ranges, locations, study disciplines and life circumstances.

Despite varied contexts, these students consistently described three powerful internal drivers drawn from their backgrounds that helped them to succeed: a strong work ethic, defying the expectations of others, and wanting a better life.

This shows us first-in-family students often have significant personal strengths as they begin their studies.

A strong work ethic

Many of the first-in-family students in our research drew on a deeply ingrained sense of effort and perseverance, often learned from their family.

While students expected things could be difficult at university, they saw their progress as dependent on their own hard work rather than talent or entitlement. This resulted in them approaching university as something that had to be earned, rather than a given. As one interviewee told us:

[It’s] something that we were taught when we were younger that if you really want something, nothing in life is ever going to be handed to you on a silver platter […] that’s probably because of that working class ethic in our family, just to never give up – where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Defying the expectations of others

For these students, their persistence at university was also driven by a strong internal motivation to challenge the way they were perceived by others.

University represented an important space to demonstrate their capability, intelligence, and worth, particularly when they had faced discouragement or negativity from family members and partners. Staying at university therefore came to represent more than just getting a degree:

There was a stage where I just went, ‘I actually think I can do this and I want to prove to everyone – especially my husband – that I’m not this silly, dumb person that can’t put one foot in front of the other’.

Wanting a better life

The third internal driver was students’ desire for change. University was not simply about finding a job, but about securing stability, reducing risk and changing life trajectories – both for themselves and often for their families.

For these students, any short-term hardship during university was justified by the longer-term outcomes believed to come from a degree:

Mum and Dad both finished [school] in Year 10. We come from a low socioeconomic background so I always just wanted to be better. Not better, but I don’t know, have more opportunity I guess.

What’s needed now

Our research shows how first-in-family students have the determination and aspiration to succeed.

However, as we argue in our paper, universities often rely on students’ own efforts to persist in their studies, hoping they will compensate for systems not designed with them in mind.

For many of the first-in-family students in our research, struggle was seen as a normal part of life. This means universities shouldn’t put the onus on students to reach out for help – as they are not likely to do so.

What can universities do

Our research suggests there are several proactive changes universities can make to help first-in-family students stay and complete their studies. These include:

routine check-ins from course coordinators and key professional staff.
making academic and social support part of the first-year curriculum.
opt-out, rather than opt-in, academic skills development, so students can learn the ropes of university study and life.

Academic staff also need time and support to monitor students’ progress and intervene early if there is an issue.

More flexibility will also help

A shift towards flexible student pathways is also required. Not everyone can afford to study full-time and finish a degree in the set timeframe. Many students need to work to support themselves, particularly those who are first-in-family.

Universities could look at simplifying transitions between full-time and part-time study and making part-time enrolment a more visible and legitimate option. Having full-time study as the “default” can create pressure to remain enrolled full-time, even when it might be unsustainable.

They can also ensure that if a student repeats a course, it triggers personalised academic support and enrolment advice, rather than this being framed as a failure.

Now is the time to redesign systems so persistence becomes a shared responsibility, rather than relying on students’ capacity to quietly carry the load.

– ref. ‘Mum and Dad both finished school in Year 10’– how to help first-in-family students graduate from uni – https://theconversation.com/mum-and-dad-both-finished-school-in-year-10-how-to-help-first-in-family-students-graduate-from-uni-279323

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/mum-and-dad-both-finished-school-in-year-10-how-to-help-first-in-family-students-graduate-from-uni-279323/

March 31, 2026

Why does chocolate cost so much this Easter, when cocoa’s price is at a 3-year low?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vinh Thai, Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, School of Accounting, Information Systems and Supply Chain, RMIT University

An Easter bunny for $10. A box of 20 hollow Easter eggs for $18. A 100g block of plain dark chocolate for $8.50.

Even last year, such high prices wouldn’t have been surprising. Cocoa prices spiked to all-time highs above US$12,000 per ton in 2024.

But the price of cocoa then fell through most of 2025. It was trading at around US$3,165 per ton on March 28, back to where it was around three years ago.

Why doesn’t that lower cocoa price mean cheaper chocolates on our shelves this Easter?

What’s the price of cocoa now?

Cocoa prices began rising in 2023, but really took off in early 2024, surging to an all-time high. That rate of growth was even faster than the US stock market and cryptocurrency bitcoin.

There were multiple factors behind that sharp rise. These included intense rains and heat hitting harvests in West Africa – which grows around two-thirds of the world’s cocoa – as well as disease, fertiliser issues, and other supply disruptions. The United Nations Trade and Development agency said climate change contributed to those smaller harvests and rising costs.

Since then, cocoa’s price has come down significantly – though after a price bounce only last month, industry website Confectionery News warned:

For manufacturers, the latest price swing is yet another reminder that volatility is the new normal in cocoa markets.

Cocoa-free chocolate

Confectionery makers have responded to the last few years of higher prices by reformulating more of their products to use less cocoa.

Many of the world’s biggest chocolate makers are working on lab-grown, fermented and upcycled “cocoa” – or even cocoa-free chocolate.

But that work to research and develop cocoa alternatives also comes with a cost. We’re yet to see how commercially viable those alternatives will be.

What about the price of chocolate?

It’s understandable why consumers get frustrated with higher chocolate prices – especially at Easter, the biggest chocolate sales period of year.

And, as consumer advocates have long pointed out, Easter chocolates often come with a higher price tag. Consumer group Choice’s latest annual assessment of Easter egg prices found some chocolate eggs on sale this Easter are smaller but more expensive for the second year in a row.

But this Easter, shoppers may be asking another question – given cocoa costs have plunged, why hasn’t the shelf price of all chocolates on our supermarket shelves also fallen?

The short answer is time.

While the current price of cocoa is down from its highs, even as recently as December last year, the price was about double what it is now.

Especially for the biggest producers, at least some of the cocoa or cocoa products used to make chocolate being sold now would have been bought when prices were still at much higher levels.

Some key cocoa products used in chocolate making, such as cacao nibs, can last for many years if stored in the right cool, dry conditions.

When large commercial chocolate makers are calculating their profits and losses, and setting their chocolate prices, they have to factor in what they’ve already paid for ingredients – not the current prices.

In other words, it’s still too soon to expect the full savings from the recent cocoa price drop to be passed on.

Cocoa is also not the only cost to consider in chocolate prices. While some other key ingredients such as sugar have come down in price in recent years, others such as vegetable oil (often used as a cheaper alternative to cocoa butter) have risen. Then there’s everything from labour and energy costs, to packaging and transport.

Think about packaging alone. If you buy chocolates with any kind of plastic packaging, that plastic was made from petrochemicals. Those petrochemicals are derived from oil and natural gas, and are crucial in making up more than 6,000 everyday products.

As a result of the Middle East war, packaging makers have already warned consumers to expect price hikes on future food, groceries and medications because of “unprecedented disruptions” to resin supplies, used to make plastic.

The outlook for chocolate prices

There is some good news. The International Cocoa Organization has reported global cocoa supplies are back in surplus again, thanks to better weather. An even bigger surplus is forecast for the 2025-26 growing season.

There’s also been slower demand for cocoa, which could keep the price at lower levels.

Looking ahead, it is possible we could see some slight reduction in chocolate prices towards the end of 2026 and moving into 2027.

But chocolate is also a perfect example of just how our global food systems are closely intertwined with much bigger geopolitical and logistical factors. Like so much else, what we pay for chocolate next year will depend at least partly on how long the current Middle East war and global oil crisis drags on.

– ref. Why does chocolate cost so much this Easter, when cocoa’s price is at a 3-year low? – https://theconversation.com/why-does-chocolate-cost-so-much-this-easter-when-cocoas-price-is-at-a-3-year-low-279209

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/why-does-chocolate-cost-so-much-this-easter-when-cocoas-price-is-at-a-3-year-low-279209/

March 31, 2026

NT rock art thousands of years old sheds new light on the mysterious Tasmanian tiger

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul S.C.Taçon, Chair in Rock Art Research and Director of the Place, Evolution and Rock Art Heritage Unit (PERAHU), Griffith University

Extinct animals have long fascinated people around the world – from dinosaurs, to giant kangaroos, to enormous flightless birds and almost unimaginable sea creatures.

But one of the most intriguing is the Tasmanian tiger, also known as the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus).

These large dog-like animals with stripes on their backs once roamed throughout the Australian mainland. But when Europeans colonisers arrived, thylacines were only found in Tasmania, hence the name Tasmanian tiger.

The earliest European drawing of a Tasmanian devil (top) and a Tasmanian tiger/thylacine (bottom) by George Prideaux Harris in 1808. Wikimedia (Harris, G.P. 1808. Two new Didelphis species from Van Diemen’s Land. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 9:174–178, Figure 1)

Our team of researchers has been documenting depictions of thylacines and other creatures at rock art sites in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, for decades.

Today, we publish new research on rock art in north-west Arnhem Land, including 14 rock paintings of thylacines and two of Tasmanian devils. A few of these paintings were previously known but not described, while others were identified by our team over the past three years.

A painting of a Tasmanian devil in an Awunbarna cave-like site, in a north-west Arnhem Land style of a few thousand years ago. In the enhanced version, made using a program called DStretch, barbed lines that may represent spears are more evident. Paul S.C. Taçon, Author provided (no reuse)

Besides rock art, we also examined recent paintings on bark, paper and canvas – as well as information from Aboriginal elders. Our findings emphasise how thylacines are still important to Arnhem Land Aboriginal communities today.

Memories of a curious creature

Scientists studying fossil remains suggest the thylacine became extinct on the Australian mainland about 3,000 years ago. The Tasmanian devil disappeared from the continent about the same time. Dingoes, humans and ancient climate change have been implicated in their demise.

The last known thylacine in Tasmania died in Hobart’s Beaumaris Zoo in 1936, but reports of tiger sightings in rugged, remote parts continued. Recent research suggests the thylacine may have persisted in Tasmania until the 1980s.

In the mid-1800s, Aboriginal people in Tasmania told settlers many things about thylacines, including that they had a powerful swimming ability, much like domestic dogs.

In the 1900s, rock paintings and engravings of thylacines were recorded at various locations on mainland Australia, especially in the north of the continent. Arnhem Land is particularly rich in images of this curious creature.

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While making a digital tracing of a rock painting, co-author Joey Nganjmirra identifies the subject as a thylacine.

Paintings in red, white and yellow

Our research focuses on rock paintings from Awunbarna (Mount Borradaile) and Injalak Hill (near Gunbalanya), east of the East Alligator River that separates Arnhem Land from Kakadu National Park.

Map showing the location of Awunbarna (Mt Borradaile) and Injalak Hill, Northern Territory, Australia. Andrea Jalandoni, Author provided (no reuse)

Since 2018, we have been working with local Aboriginal community members to record hundreds of rock art sites in each location – some of which include thylacine paintings.

North-west Arnhem Land is well known for its rich galleries of rock paintings. These have been made over at least the past 15,000 years and feature unique styles and subject matter. Our new findings add to the region’s cultural and scientific importance.

The thylacine and devil paintings we examined were made in various Aboriginal art styles. They were usually made with red and sometimes yellow ochre in various styles. The oldest were made about 15,000 years ago, while others were made at various times since.

Two of the paintings were made using white pipe clay (kaolin) with red ochre.

Red and white painting of a thylacine, Main Gallery, Injalak Hill and enhanced version. Paul S.C. Taçon, Author provided (no reuse)

One red and yellow thylacine painting had fine white cross-hatching added to its body within the past few hundred years.

The white pigment does not last long and easily flakes off. It is coarse and sits on the rock surface rather than penetrating and staining the way red ochre does. Most paintings with white are less than 1,000 years old.

This suggests some depictions of the two extinct species are more recent than we might have expected.

The yellow and red Injalak Hill thylacine (top) and a lab-processed version (bottom). Fine white hatched lines were added to the body in the past few hundred years. Ben Dyson, Author provided (no reuse)

Rock art depictions of thylacines are much more numerous and widespread across mainland Australia than Tasmanian devils. Including our new findings, only 25 Tasmanian devil images have been documented – versus more than 160 thylacine depictions.

Thylacines may have survived much longer in pockets of northern Australia than Tasmanian devils, but were likely also more culturally important.

An Awunbarna thylacine in the Large Naturalistic style, about 15,000 or more years old. A painting of a macropod has been superimposed over it. Paul S.C. Taçon, Author provided (no reuse)

At three rock art sites we recorded pairs of thylacines. Some Aboriginal elders we worked with had stories about Ngalyod (Rainbow Serpents) having two thylacines as pets that would swim in rock pools where Ngalyod resided.

The tails of the thylacines are shown in a few different positions – and some thylacines are depicted with teeth.

These variations don’t seem to be linked to the style or age of the work. It’s more likely they relate to different ways paintings were used to pass on information about the animal.

An Injalak Hill Large Naturalistic style thylacine with sharp teeth (top), and a lab-processed version (bottom). Craig Bangarr, Author provided (no reuse)

Stories passed down through generations

Contemporary artists in western Arnhem Land have long been inspired by these paintings and related stories. Today, they continue to portray the thylacine across various forms of media. They also have a name for thylacines: Djankerrk.

A thylacine painting on canvas made in 2017 by Kunwinjku artist Nicodemus Nayilibidj with bold stripes above an area of fine cross-hatching (private collection) Paul S.C. Taçon, Author provided (no reuse)

The thylacine lives on in western Arnhem Land, not as a living animal or a ghost from the past, but as a creature that still has present day relevance. Our new research, conducted in collaboration with community members, contributes towards our understanding of what makes the thylacine so meaningful.

– ref. NT rock art thousands of years old sheds new light on the mysterious Tasmanian tiger – https://theconversation.com/nt-rock-art-thousands-of-years-old-sheds-new-light-on-the-mysterious-tasmanian-tiger-278670

Evening Report: https://eveningreport.nz/2026/03/31/nt-rock-art-thousands-of-years-old-sheds-new-light-on-the-mysterious-tasmanian-tiger-278670/

March 31, 2026

Deputy PM David Seymour outlines 5 lessons learned from Covid in addressing NZ’s fuel response

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Deputy Prime Minister is pointing to parts of the Covid-19 pandemic response the government will avoid in navigating potential fuel shortages, saying “our long-term future must not be eroded by short-term political theatrics”.

David Seymour, who was highly critical of parts of the previous government’s pandemic response, spoke to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday morning about “the event affecting every part of business right now”.

He said there was no point pretending the conflict in Iran was “abstract or somebody else’s problem” given the impact it had on an “isolated island nation like ours”.

He referenced current fuel stocks as being robust, and said “if, and only if, there is a risk of running out, would we go to demand-side restrictions”.

Seymour then outlined five lessons to learn from the Covid period, saying it would be “mad to ignore a live experiment in politics and policy during a scary global situation” given the country was facing another global event that “could be scary”.

David Seymour. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

1. Avoid the time trap

He said the first and most important lesson was not to let the situation “warp time”.

He said during Covid, the daily press conferences made “24 hours seem like a year” and the “first 24 minutes we spent waiting to hear the day’s figures felt like a month”. He also said the fiscal situation was the “most obvious time warp victim”.

To date during the current global situation, he said the financial support announced by the government in response to the current crisis was targeted, timely, temporary and funded.

2. Balancing human needs

Seymour said he was still astonished at how quickly education was “glossed over” during Covid.

“How educated the population is will trump any other variable across a generation. But, in the Covid time trap we abandoned it,” he said.

Seymour said he did not think students should be learning from home because of the fuel crisis, “because we cannot afford to put education back at the bottom of the totem pole after working so hard to get students back at school”.

He said education would not be sacrificed if the government needed to move to demand-side rationing.

3. Do it with, not to, the people

Seymour said the Covid response “took on its own momentum” and by the end of 2021, “we’d been in a state of crisis management for 18 months”.

“Many others felt the response was being done to rather than with them,” he said.

That was why the current government had been working “double time” behind the scenes to “keep fuel supply up and be ready to manage demand as a last resort”.

“Rather than jumping to the podium, we are quietly making plans we hope to never use.”

He also encouraged businesses to come directly to the Ministry for Regulation with suggestions for where regulations could be relaxed.

4. Remember we’re all human, all New Zealanders

He said when it came to democracy, the Covid response was a lesson in “what not to do”.

“People accepted the suspension of democracy and the rule of law so easily.”

He said any move to ration demand or limit normal activity would affect millions of New Zealanders, so people were entitled to know the rules and legal basis for them.

“Otherwise, you risk ignoring the fourth lesson, and people feel they haven’t been listened to. That’s when you get riots on the lawns of Parliament.”

5. Learn from the world, and don’t reinvent the wheel

He said New Zealand’s isolation was a big factor in the current fuel situation, similar to Covid.

“Then, we had several weeks’ notice as each variant crawled across the globe. Today, we’re tracing back ships coming to Marsden Point from Korean and Singaporean refineries, and then the ships going to those refineries.”

He said if the government could see what was coming, it could take time to prepare, and watch what others did to plan New Zealand’s response.

“We should never be too proud to learn from another country. We’re pretty good, but we don’t have a monopoly on wisdom.”

He concluded these lessons mattered because the government could not let “today’s crisis erode our country’s future”.

“Fiscal discipline is what stops the first shock being followed by a second one.

“So, when we say do not take your eye off the fiscals, we are not changing the subject,” he said.

He said with “cool heads” the government could respond to fuel shortages from the war without committing the “knee-jerk mistakes made during Covid”.

“We cannot prevent every external shock. But we can make sure New Zealand responds with fiscal discipline and common sense.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/31/deputy-pm-david-seymour-outlines-5-lessons-learned-from-covid-in-addressing-nzs-fuel-response/

March 31, 2026

Fuel cost jumps $40 in a week: Who’s feeling it most?

Source: Radio New Zealand

At an average price of $3.42 a litre for 91, it would cost an average household buying 43 litres of fuel a week nearly $150. RNZ / Unsplash

It now costs a typical household $40 more to fill up their car than it did last week – and people in some of the country’s more remote and lower-income areas may be feeling it most.

Ipsos’s latest mobility report, which covers 31 countries, showed New Zealanders were particularly reliant on their cars. Across the world an average 43 percent said it would be impossible to live without a car, but that rose to 51 percent in New Zealand.

Another 36 percent said they could live without their vehicle but preferred to have it.

Across the 31 countries, 39 percent of respondents said their primary mode of transport was car – but that rose to 66 percent in New Zealand, ahead of 64 percent in the United States.

That may be an issue when oil prices are rising fast.

Data from the Ministry of Transport shows car dependence may not be evenly spread across the country.

It indicates that while Auckland, Wellington and some of the east coast of the North Island have low levels of light vehicle usage – between 6489 and 8611 vehicle kilometres travelled per person per year, Northland, Waikato, Southland and the west coast of the South Island all had high usage, above 10,423.

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said many people in regional areas were not driving much but those who were, would drive a lot.

He said the price shock of rising fuel prices would hit those who had to drive more and did not have transport alternatives.

“Essentially the provincial parts of New Zealand are really quite dependent and they’re quite sensitive to those changes in prices… I was talking to somebody in Taranaki, they drive almost an hour to get to work every day. There’s no other way to get there.”

He said, at an average price of $3.42 a litre for 91, it would cost an average household buying 43 litres of fuel a week nearly $150.

“That’s up $40 from last week… when I look at where refined prices are in Singapore and Korea, we’re probably looking at [getting to] $3.80.”

He said that would mean $165 a week for households on fuel before they bought any other essentials.

“That’s the bit that really worries me, this is not the first thing that has happened. Since 2019, the cost of necessities has gone up by about $300 a week.”

He said that included food, electricity and insurance.

“Whatever income gain you’ve had, a huge chunk of that has been taken out.”

Jake Lilley, policy director for Fincap, the financial mentor network, said it would not be surprising if car use was higher in places where incomes were lower, because the strain of vehicle costs was something that often came up in data and conversations with financial mentors.

“We have often commented that transport is essential for people’s health, well-being and social participation. In many places a whānau will need access to a vehicle to meet these essential needs and this is often one of the biggest strains on balancing a household budget when seeing a financial mentor for support. Whānau might also find it hard where public transport is available to juggle school pickups, work and income appointments, medical appointments, managing any disability someone in the whānau may have and getting to work on time without access to a vehicle.”

Ipsos also found public transport was less well regarded here – 57 percent said it was accessible compared to 62 percent globally and 59 percent said it was safe compared to 62 percent on average across the world.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/31/fuel-cost-jumps-40-in-a-week-whos-feeling-it-most/

March 31, 2026

Search underway after person goes overboard from ferry in Cook Strait

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kaiārahi ferry. File photo. Supplied / Regan Ingley

A search is underway for a person that went overboard from an Interislander ferry on the Cook Strait overnight.

A KiwiRail spokesperson said the incident happened from its Kaiārahi ferry.

Police said they were alerted to the incident about 2.20am on Tuesday.

They said while they are trying to locate the person, they’re are not seeking anyone else in relation to this matter.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/31/search-underway-after-person-goes-overboard-from-ferry-in-cook-strait/

March 31, 2026

Forestry industry unsure if it’s included in national fuel plan

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Forest Owners Association said there was concern in the industry that it was not specifically noted in the national fuel plan. Nick Monro

A forestry group wants the industry to be listed as critical in the government’s national fuel plan, saying it’s crucial to regional economies and supports other key sectors.

The plan lists agriculture as a critical customer for fuel that would be prioritised under a fuel supply crisis, but does not specifically mention the forestry industry.

Forest Owners Association chief executive Elizabeth Heeg told Morning Report on Tuesday there was concern in the industry that it was not specifically noted in the plan.

“The guidance that came out with the revised fuel plan on Friday did say that it’s food supply and primary production that would be prioritised during time-critical periods, but we’re just looking for assurance that forestry is included in that primary production.”

She pointed to time-critical work such as clearing trees felled in storms before they attracted fungus, ruining their usability as timber.

“But we also were a critical part of the food supply chain. You know, pallets are either made out of plastic, wood and we’re not seeing a lot of plastic come into the country right now where those supply chains are threatened by the crisis. So wood pellets are going to be quite critical to food shipping as well as wood crate and building materials.

“So we’ve got an element to play in supporting the other economically important services.”

She said there was 1.8 million hectares of forestry requiring active management, and it was “really difficult to turn that off and on, because you end up having impacts to both the forest and to the mills and the infrastructure that supply those pallet makers”.

“Look, I think we’re committed to working with the government and working within our own supply chain to try and make it economic where we can and to work across to keep things turned on, but to recognise where we need to make some efficiencies. But it’s a really difficult situation, with some mills that have closed in the last two years. We’re under a lot of pressure.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/31/forestry-industry-unsure-if-its-included-in-national-fuel-plan/

March 31, 2026

Police investigate reported hit-and-run in South Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

Police are investigating a report of a hit-and-run in South Auckland on Tuesday.

They were called to Johnstones Road in the suburb of Ōtara after a pedestrian was hit by a car around 5.30am.

Upon arrival, police were not able to locate the victim – and witnesses at the scene saw the car leaving the area.

The Eagle helicopter located the car a short time later in Māngere and were speaking with the occupant.

Enquiries were ongoing to establish the exact circumstances around what occurred, police said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/31/police-investigate-reported-hit-and-run-in-south-auckland/

March 31, 2026

Teen running star Sam Ruthe selected for first New Zealand team

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand runner Sam Ruthe PHOTOSPORT

Teen running star Sam Ruthe headlines a 12-strong New Zealand athletics team to contest the World Under-20 Championships later this year.

Ruthe has been selected in his first international team and will contest the 1500 metres at the meeting in Eugene, Oregon in August.

The competition is a week after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games which Ruthe is also hoping to compete at.

Ruthe has enjoyed a headline-grabbing past year, culminating in breaking John Walker’s New Zealand mile record and running a world Under-18 best of 3:48.88 in Boston.

The 16-year-old is currently the number one-ranked athlete for 2026 in the U20 men’s 1500m.

Boh Ritchie who is an 800m specialist, alongside 400m star Madeleine Waddell, return for their second World U20 Championships, having both competed at the 2024 edition in Peru.

The 2026 World Under-20 Championships return to Hayward Field, Eugene, for the first time since 2014.

The 2014 Championships saw Eliza McCartney break onto the global stage for the first time, earning bronze in the women’s pole vault. Since the 2014 championships, Hayward Field has been completely rebuilt and in 2022, hosted the World Athletics Championships.

The NZ Team for the 2026 World Athletics Championships

Kendra Scally-Tu’i – 100m & 200m
Madeleine Waddell – 400m Coach: Sonia Waddell
Boh Ritchie – 800m Coach: Angela Russek
Scarlett Robb – 1500m & 3000m Coach: Graeme Holden
Bronwen Rees-Jones – 3000m Steeplechase Coach: Steve Rees-Jones
Karmen Maritz – Shot Put & Discus Coach: Mike Schofield
Sam Ruthe – 1500m Coach: Craig Kirkwood
Joe Martin – 800m Coach: Ian Moini
George Wyllie – 1500m Coach: Craig Kirkwood
Connall McClean – 800m Coach: Hamish Meacham
Manaia Christiansen – Shot Put Coach: John Eden
Austin McDougal – Shot Put & Discus Coach: Mike Schofield

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/03/31/teen-running-star-sam-ruthe-selected-for-first-new-zealand-team/

March 31, 2026

Live: Deputy PM David Seymour on New Zealand’s fuel response

Source: Radio New Zealand

He said there was no point pretending the conflict in Iran was “abstract or somebody else’s problem” given the impact it had on an “isolated island nation like ours”.

He referenced current fuel stocks as being robust, and said “if, and only if, there is a risk of running out, would we go to demand-side restrictions”.

David Seymour. RNZ / Mark Papalii