The BusinessNZ Network and leaders across New Zealand’s export sector are calling on all political parties to back the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement, warning the country cannot afford to miss a major economic opportunity.
An open letter published today and signed by 28 exporters and industry associations outlines the significance of getting the deal across the line as global uncertainty, rising protectionism and supply chain disruption continues to reshape international trade.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says trade has long been a strength of New Zealand’s economic policy, and bipartisan support has underpinned our success.
“New Zealand relies on global markets to drive growth, support jobs and lift incomes. That only works when there is consistency and confidence in our trade settings. That’s why we’re making this call to all political parties today.
“This Agreement opens the door to one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and creates real opportunities for New Zealand exporters. We cannot afford to delay this deal.”
The open letter states that the reduction of barriers secured in the Free Trade Agreement will directly benefit sectors including; Horticulture, sheep meat, seafood, wine, honey, wood products, seeds and natural fibres, machinery, digital technology, and services.
ExportNZ Executive Director Joshua Tan says the Agreement is ultimately about backing the people behind New Zealand’s export economy.
“India is on track to become the world’s third largest economy by 2030. Securing fair access to a market the size of India’s backs our farmers, growers, manufacturers, innovators and service providers, as well as the communities that depend on them.”
Tan says opportunities of this scale are rare, and maintaining New Zealand’s longstanding bipartisan approach to trade is critical in the modern trading environment.
“This Agreement was hard-fought and represents our best chance to secure meaningful access to one of the world’s most important growth markets. Businesses want to see the agreement signed and into force as quickly as possible. Now is the time for Parliament to get behind it.”
The full open letter and supporting material can be found atexportnz.org.nz. Business leaders and other interested parties are encouraged to sign the letter and show support for the deal using the link above.
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
The Government needs to take a leaf out of the Australian Government’s book and step up and direct public service agencies to encourage working from home to conserve fuel and reduce the crippling cost of commuting for many workers.
The Australian Government has today launched a$20 million advertising campaignurging people to drive less, use public transport and conserve fuel. Australia has also halved its fuel excise.
“With the threat of fuel shortages remaining high, the Government should be doing everything it can to reduce unnecessary travel. Instead, it’s still clinging to its failed back-to-the-office agenda,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Every public servant who can work from home and who does so instead of driving, is one fewer car on the road burning fuel we can’t afford to waste. This is about conserving a scarce resource as well as easing the financial pain on workers whose commuting costs have surged by $40 to $50 a week.
“Even the Australian Government gets it. Meanwhile, our government refuses to cut fuel excise, or lower public transport fares and is still pushing public servants back into the office. It makes no sense.
“We welcome the temporary 30 percent increase in mileage rates for home and community support workers, a move the PSA campaigned hard for. And it should be made permanent. But it highlights the gap in the Government’s thinking. It recognises fuel costs are punishing many frontline care workers who have no choice but to drive, yet it won’t take the obvious step of reducing unnecessary commuting for thousands of public servants who can do their jobs from home.
“We are in a fuel crisis. A temporary, sensible increase in working from home would ease pressure on our fuel supply, take pressure off household budgets, all while keeping the public service running.
“It’s ironic that this government dragged public servants back to the office with no evidence it improved productivity and has already been forced to back down at MBIE when its rigid policy was found to breach the collective agreement. Now workers are paying through the nose for a commute the Government insisted on.
“The $50 a week tax credit increase for some working families is welcome but does not go far enough. The Government needs to use every tool available to lower costs for workers and letting people work from home where they can is one of the simplest and most effective things it can do.
“The Government needs to look across the Tasman and do all it can right now, as this crisis shows no sign of easing soon.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Anzac Dayremains one of the most meaningful dates in our national calendar – a time to remember courage, sacrifice and the stories that have shaped Aotearoa.
This year, Auckland Council and the AucklandReturned Services Association (RSA) invite communities across Tāmaki Makaurau to come together at services and parades to commemorate our shared history and the generations who have worn our nation’s uniform.
Firstestablished to honour the New Zealand and Australian soldiers who fought at Gallipoli during the First World War, Anzac Day has grown into a national day of remembrance for all New Zealanders who have served in conflicts, peacekeeping missions, and military operations around the world.
It is a day to acknowledge courage, loss, resilience, and the enduring impact of service on individuals, families, and communities.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is Pasifika, andAucklandCivilDefence and Emergency Management Chair, Councillor Alf Filipaina, who will attend the Dawn Service at TāmakiPaenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum,reflects onthe significance of the day:
“Ilook forward to standingproudly alongsideAucklanders, especially those who have served from our Pasifika community,this Anzac Day as we remember those who never returned and honour those who served and continue to serve. I encourage everyone who can to join a service or parade this year as we reflect together on the legacy of our servicemen and women and pay our respects.”
Parades and Civic Services Across Tāmaki Makaurau
More than80parades and services will be held throughoutTāmaki Makaurau, offering Aucklanders many opportunities to commemorate alongside friends, whānau and their own communities.
Key events include:
Anzac Day Dawn ServiceTāmakiPaenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Domain Begins at 6:00am, followed by a haka performed by Vanguard Military School in honour of the Fields of Remembrance.
A full programme of regional events will be available onOurAuckland, with updates posted regularly.
Auckland Harbour Bridge lights up for Anzac Day
Vector Lights on the Auckland Harbour Bridge will pay tribute to the courageous military personnel of Aotearoa New Zealand – past and present – by lighting up for Anzac Day. These efforts also raise awareness for Poppy Day, the RSA’s annual fundraiser which kicks off on 17 April and aims to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealand veterans of all ages.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge will light up from Thursday 16 to Saturday 25 April, with a commemorative display that will run every 15 minutes from 6pm until midnight. There will also be special dawn showings from 5am to 7am on Anzac Day.
Warbirds take to the skies
Aucklanders can once again look to the skies as the New Zealand Warbirds Association performs a special Anzac Day flypast on Anzac Day 25 April 2026 across New Zealand.
In the Auckland area, the NZ Warbirds formation is expected to begin its procession over Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum before continuing over surrounding suburbs from approximately 10:30am.
All flights are weather dependent.
For those unable to attend in-person, you can watch the Anzac Day Dawn Service on live TV via MĀORI+.
An expansion of cancer infusion services will allow “thousands” more New Zealanders to access “life-saving cancer treatment closer to home”, says Health Minister Simeon Brown.
Brown at Waitākere Hospital on Monday morning announced 14 new infusion centres and expansions at 14 existing sites, enabling “hundreds” more treatments every week.
“Infusion services are essential for delivering a wide range of treatments, particularly for cancer,” Brown said. “Our record $604 million investment in Pharmac through Budget 2024 delivered 66 new medicines, including 33 cancer treatments. That’s life‑changing for many thousands of people, but it also requires increased infusion capacity to ensure patients can access these medicines when they need them.”
He said about 13,000 more infusions were expected to be needed in 2025/6, up 12 percent.
“Once fully implemented, the expansion will deliver 218 more chair-days of treatment space each week. This will allow hundreds more patients to be treated weekly across the country, with each chair typically used by three to five patients per day.”
New services had already been set up in Bay of Islands, Buller, and Waitākere, he said, and existing services expanded in Whangārei, South Auckland, Taupō, Wairoa, Napier, Whanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, and Timaru.
By 2028, there will be additional new services in Dargaville, Henderson, Greenlane, South Auckland, Te Kūiti, Hāwera, Waipukurau, Horowhenua, Golden Bay, Christchurch, and Rolleston, and expanded services in Kaitaia, North Shore, Taranaki, Kāpiti, and Ashburton.
“As part of this investment, a nationwide programme is underway to meet rising demand and ensure more consistent access to care, no matter where people live.
“This includes actively recruiting for additional staff to deliver infusion services, including senior medical officers, specialist nurses, pharmacists, and other allied health professionals.”
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
A fixed-wing aircraft is used to drop fertiliser on a field.New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association
Rural retailers are reporting the supply chain crunch due to impacts of war in the Middle East is flowing down to key agricultural goods.
Farming customers at major rural retailers Farmlands and PGG Wrightson are being warned that the firms were dealing with price increases being passed down to them by suppliers and manufacturers.
Farmer-owned co-operative Farmlands said prices were escalating for imported products like imported palm kernel expeller (PKE), fertiliser and animal feeds, as well as for plastic products and resins.
General manager of strategy Scott Brown said it had increased its orders and inventory to get ahead of further price rises, but assured supply levels were not an issue at present.
“We’re starting to see price increases coming through from our supply areas.”
Brown said there were obvious fuel and fertiliser price increases, but also second-order impacts and further flow-ons.
“Anything that uses especially fuel to be manufactured, shipped, transported. So if you look at plastics, resins, those areas we’re starting to see those price increases coming through.
“And that then will flow on probably to other general goods, as price inflation comes through in those other areas.”
He said manufacturers too were passing down the extra costs.
“We’re seeing it on our own product that we get manufactured coming through, that price escalation, whether that be shipping costs, whether it be manufacturing costs, through to end delivery costs.
“So we’re minimising as much as we can, but obviously we need to pass on those costs as they come through.”
Brown said it was pushing back as much as it could with suppliers to try to get the best deal for its farmers and growers, but expected the impact to be ongoing.
“The earlier we work with our farmers and growers in terms of what they need and locking that in, the better we can manage those price increases and give us certainty.
“We’re hoping that this will be short-lived, but we know even if there was resolution on Monday, the impact on the supply chain is going to last for quite some time.”
Brown encouraged farmers to talk with their representatives and plan what they might need over the coming months to try to get ahead of further price increases.
A PGG Wrightson store in Culverdon.Supplied
Meanwhile, agricultural service provider and rival retailer PGG Wrightson said it was also facing price increases passed onto them.
“Off the back of the significant increase in crude oil cost, we are seeing an increase in global shipping costs and local freight/distribution costs which are being passed onto us,” it said on its website.
“The increase in crude oil also applies to products or packaging made from plastic. Where able, we will continue to try to minimise price increases wherever possible.”
It said it was not experiencing supply delays at present, and was working with suppliers to find alternatives to countries that were restricting exports of commodities.
A brown river raging in flood, in a gorge, during a storm.RNZ/ Nick Monro
Wild weather has once again brought flooding, damage and destruction to parts of the country, and uncertainty and stress over a far greater region – particularly those hit before.
There have been four red weather warnings – reserved for the most extreme events – and at least six extreme weather events so far this year, by RNZ’s count – and it’s only April.
The prime minister says the response to Cyclone Vaianu has been far better than previous emergencies.
Christopher Luxon told Morning Report on Monday the system responded well – between local and central government as well as civil defence, iwi and hapū.
“This is the sad reality as we’ve dealt with more and more of these events, you know,” he said.
“Whether it’s the mayors, the Civil Defence, NEMA, you know, our first responders, the rural support, you know, there’s just been great collaboration and we’ve had a series of events that have often been similar size and we’re just so much more joined up and sorted.
“But I think I’m also very grateful, particularly in this event, the message went out very strongly and Kiwi families and households also took responsibility.”
Key roads in the eastern part of the North Island, State Highways 2 and 35, were frequently closed during and after major weather events, often by slips and flooding.
Luxon said iwi were having “conversations” about relocating from areas prone to bad weather and flooding due to climate change.
“They’re having those conversations with the elders who have been very connected to those areas, and that’s been a really positive thing.”
As for the 14 percent – around 675,000 – New Zealanders who currently live in areas prone to flooding, Luxon said it was time to “confront the brutal facts of the reality that actually they are going to be areas of New Zealand that we’re going to have to rethink over time how we manage that”.
“That’s why we’ve got to work on a national flood plan, national adaptation framework… make sure we’re not doing dumb stuff, for example, building back into flood plains.
“And we’ve seen a lot of that over multiple decades, you know, over the last 40, 50 years. Knowledge that existed in the ’50s and the ’60s about where not to build ends up getting built on the ’70s and ’80s, and lo and behold, we have a problem.
“So, we’ve just got to be much more strategic about how we deal with it and then embed resilience into everything that we’re doing.”
As an example, Luxon cited a new four-lane road proposed between Napier and Hastings with “a higher level of resilience and flood protection than we’ve seen”.
“We’ve put $200 million into stop banks and flood protection… that had huge benefits for many different communities.
“We’re working really hard on – we’re going to have a national flood plan for the first time ever by the end of this year. I know this stuff sounds like we should have had it for years, but we didn’t do the practical stuff.”
A response from the Ministry for the Environment released under the Official Information Act detailed that of the government’s claim of “over $1 billion since 2020” in flood protection spending, nearly all of it was committed by the previous government; this government’s contribution has been $200m through the Regional Infrastructure Fund.
Setting aside the $647.5m in one-off disaster recovery funding, the previous government committed $340m over three years to flood resilience.
Luxon said New Zealand was not alone in facing climate challenges.
“In fact, many other countries are in the same boat. And you’ve got to think about it. There’s banks, there’s insurers, there’s councils, there’s central government, there’s homeowners and landowners. And there’s going to be multiple generations, they’re going to be dealing with these issues.
“So over time, how do we get much more knowledge data so that we can actually strengthen New Zealand and make it more resilient and not doing it? So for example, last flood I was up in Hicks Bay Way, State Highway 35… and it was interesting talking to the young Wahine leaders who are doing an amazing job and other emergency response leaders of iwi and hapu.
Oscar award-winning documentary Mr. Nobody Against Putin is a classic story of “a very regular person finding his power and finding his voice”, director David Borenstein says.
Pavel “Pasha” Talankin is the film’s main character – a videographer and events coordinator at Karabash Primary School near Russia’s Ural mountains.
Talankin was uncomfortable with the pro-war lessons he and his colleagues were expected to deliver. He surreptitiously captured footage from his school and sent it to Borenstein who then crafted the documentary.
This video is hosted on Youtube.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
File photo. Hungary’s veteran nationalist leader Viktor Orban conceded defeat.AFP
Hungary’s veteran nationalist leader Viktor Orban conceded defeat after a landslide election victory by the upstart opposition Tisza party, in a setback for his allies in Russia and US President Donald Trump’s White House.
Results based on 46 percent of votes counted showed the centre-right, pro-EU Tisza party of Peter Magyar winning 135 seats – or a crucial two-thirds majority – in the 199-member parliament, ahead of Orban’s Fidesz party.
“The election results are not final yet, but the situation is understandable and clear,” Orban said at the Fidesz campaign offices. “The election result is painful for us, but clear.”
Pollsters predicted a record voter turnout, with Hungarian television showing long queues outside some voting stations in Budapest. Data at 1630 GMT, half an hour before polls were due to close, showed 77.8 percent of voters casting their ballots, up from 67.8 percent four years earlier.
If the final results confirm the early readings, an end to Orban’s period in government after 16 years in power would have significant implications not only for Hungary, but for the European Union, Ukraine and beyond.
It would likely spell an end to Hungary’s adversarial role inside the EU, possibly opening the way for a 90 billion euro loan to war-battered Ukraine blocked by Orban.
Defeat for Orban could also mean the eventual release of EU funds to Hungary that the bloc had suspended due to what Brussels said was Orban’s erosion of democratic standards.
Orban’s exit would also deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of his main ally in the EU and send shockwaves through Western right-wing circles, including the White House.
In Hungary, a Tisza victory could open the way for reforms that the party says would aim to combat corruption and restore the independence of the judiciary and other institutions.
However, the extent of such reforms will depend on whether Tisza can secure the two-thirds constitutional majority it would need to reverse much of Orban’s legacy.
Economic stagnation hurt Orban’s support
Orban, a eurosceptic, carved out a model of an “illiberal democracy” seen as a blueprint by Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and its admirers in Europe.
But many Hungarians have grown increasingly weary of Orban, 62, after three years of economic stagnation and soaring living costs as well as reports of oligarchs close to the government amassing more wealth.
Tisza’s leader Magyar appears to have successfully tapped into this frustration.
Casting his vote for Tisza in the Hungarian capital, Mihaly Bacsi, 27, said the country needed change.
“We need an improvement in public mood, there is too much tension in many areas and the current government only fuels these sentiments,” he said.
Another voter, who gave her name as Zsuzsa, said she wanted continuity.
“I would really like if all the results that have been achieved in recent years remain – and I am terribly afraid of the war,” she said, referring to the conflict raging in Ukraine, Hungary’s eastern neighbour.
Orban sought to cast Sunday’s election as a choice between “war and peace”. During campaigning, the government blanketed the country with signs warning that Magyar would drag Hungary into Russia’s war with Ukraine, something he strongly denies
– Reuters
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Teenage running phenomenon Sam Ruthe has cast doubt over his immediate racing future after suffering a stress fracture to his lower leg.
Ruthe, who turned 17 on Sunday, posted that he’ll be “off the radar for a while”, although there was no indication whether time out will affect his preparation or availability for the Commonwealth Games in July.
On the running app Strava, he indicated the injury caught him by surprise.
“It wasn’t a running related injury and was caused by lateral movement activity like football, so I will be off the radar for a bit while it heals,” Ruthe said.
A fibula stress fracture might typically take six to 12 weeks of recovery time but, crucially, requires rest and low-impact activity.
That could affect Ruthe’s buildup for the Games in Glasgow, starting on 23 July, followed by the world under-20 championships in the United States in early August.
He was also scheduled to contest the mile at a Diamond League event in early July – the Prefontaine Classic.
Sam Ruthe celebrates after winning the mile at the John Thomas Terrier Classic indoors meet at Boston University, 31 January, 2026 (US time).Supplied/ Athletics NZ – Aaron Bui
Ruthe has stunned the athletics community with a series of blistering performances over the past year, knocking off numerous national and world age group records.
It’s unrealistic to expect kids to suddenly be thinking critically, says Maree Davies, an academic researcher on critical thinking and dialogic.
“Learning is emotional, and in particular learning is emotional for teenagers. And so, the first part for teenagers in critical thinking is to have the opportunity to just think, well, how do I feel about this? What has been my experience of this?” Davies says.
Davies, from the Auckland University, has written Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers as a guide for parents, caregivers and teachers.
Like any other skill, critical thinking requires practice, Davies told RNZ’s Nine to Noon.
“The opportunities to practice those high-level skills, done in groups so that you’re talking to your friends, you’re talking to your mates – teenagers respond very well to that talk between each other.”
She believes teenagers are perfectly capable of grappling with broader more complex issues.
“I think teenagers are old enough to think, well, ‘who are these people who’ve developed these algorithms? Who’s that morally disengaged? Who are scammers? Why do people scam? Why do people pay scammers?’ So that deeper kind of societal thinking about critical thinking I think is key.”
She believes this type of deeper discussion also keeps teens engaged.
“You want to be exposing them to truly things that are provocative, like things that have ambiguity, that they’re going to argue.
“I think if you give them kind of some lame topics to think about, they’re not excited or interested enough to find out the different multiple perspectives and to find out the reliability of that source.”
She rejects the idea that kids now have poor attention spans.
“I work a lot in schools. I’ve had teenagers myself. When kids are motivated, they will spend considerable time going deeper and delving deeper and arguing and looking up and looking at other ideas around a topic if it’s provocative enough.”
Teenagers value respect, Davies says.
“They don’t want to be your friend. They absolutely value that you respect your opinion and that you’re giving them opportunity to give their opinion.”
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Around the world, democracy as a system of government is backsliding. After more than 50 years of liberal democracy in ascendancy, democratic progress plateaued around the turn of the century and is now going backwards.
In 2025, there were only 31 liberal democracies out of 179 countries assessed. And the United States – once the poster-child for democracy – was downgraded from “liberal democracy” to “electoral democracy” because of declining checks and balances on power, freedom of expression and civil rights and equality before the law.
Australia is one of the few remaining liberal democracies, and a leading one at that. But we are not immune to anti-democratic forces or the fraying international rules-based order.
A new Grattan Institute report, For the people: Future-proofing Australia’s democracy, identifies the main vulnerabilities for Australia’s democracy and opportunities to build a better, more resilient democratic system.
This is no coincidence. Our democracy underpins our prosperity and safeguards our rights and freedoms. International evidence shows democracy supports peace and economic growth, while delivering longer lives and more education.
[embedded content]
Social trust matters too. Countries with higher interpersonal trust – like Australia – tend to have higher economic growth and lower income inequality, which in turn support democratic resilience.
But the world order in which Australia has flourished is now being seriously tested. These are more turbulent times not just for our economy or standard of living, but for liberal democracies themselves.
Our report takes stock of Australia’s greatest asset: the health of our democracy.
The good news is that Australians’ support for democracy has been consistently strong – even growing over time. Only a small share of the population is discontent or disengaged with the system, and the data do not suggest either have been spreading.
While support for democracy remains high in Australia, satisfaction with how our democracy actually works is more fragile.
Satisfaction with democracy is typically lower among groups who are less well served by the status quo. Most obviously, our institutions have persistently failed First Nations Australians, and don’t fully support new migrants.
Renters are less satisfied than homeowners, and people in regional areas tend to be less satisfied than people in cities.
Migrants are an interesting exception here. Migrants (except for those from the United Kingdom) are typically more satisfied than people born in Australia with the way democracy works here, despite the disadvantages they often face living here. This may, at least in part, be due to direct experience with other systems.
Everyone needs confidence that the system can work for them, even if it doesn’t always. Groups who persistently lack security, opportunity, or solidarity under the current system cannot reasonably be expected to trust or defend it.
3 big risks
Where there is fuel for discontent, there is increasing risk that global challenges could spark a blaze. Three inter-related global risks are particularly testing for democracies.
First, the decline in traditional news media and the rise of online and social news sources are fragmenting our fact base, and making misinformation and extreme views more salient in people’s daily lives.
Second, global political tensions and the rise of anti-democratic forces overseas are testing Australia’s social cohesion at home.
And third, the heightened probability of economic, social, and environmental shocks increases the challenges democratic governments face to deliver better outcomes for their people.
These are risks – not eventualities. The resilience of our democracy is in its capacity to recognise challenges and collectively respond.
And 5 ways forward
Our research and consultation identified five priorities for Australia to build a better and more resilient democracy:
1. Make the most of our parliament
Our elected federal parliament sits at the centre of Australia’s democracy. An independent review should consider how to make it more representative and better functioning – to rebuild trust in politics, improve administration of government and enable better long-term decision-making.
2. Nurture belonging and engagement
We need more ways to have a say and be heard and clearer pathways to citizenship. Our public sector leaders should also be actively stitching public engagement into the fabric of our existing institutions.
3. Protect our public sphere
A healthier public sphere requires ensuring the sustainability of our news media and investing in institutions that produce trusted information. We should also experiment with responses to misinformation, to work out which approaches are effective at scale.
4. Tackle the known policy challenges
In a democracy, process matters, but so do outcomes. Australians need confidence that our system of government can work for them and build something better than the status quo.
5. Prepare for the future
Crises are the moments that build trust, or lose it, and the future will almost certainly be more volatile. Governments can prepare by reducing our vulnerability to known risks, building fiscal buffers and calibrating expectations about what governments can reasonably do to cushion the blow.
Governments can and should lead on this. But we mustn’t forget that in a democracy, we govern ourselves. This is a task for all of us.
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
Napoleon Bonaparte’s maxim may well have been in the minds of policymakers in Moscow and Beijing these past weeks, as the U.S. war in Iran dragged on. And now that a 14-day ceasefire between Tehran and Washington is in effect – with both sides claiming “victory” – Russian and Chinese leaders still have an opportunity to profit from what many see as America’s latest folly in the Middle East.
Throughout the weekslong conflict, China and Russia struck a delicate balance. Both declined to give Iran – seen to a varying degree as an ally of both nations – their full-throated support or sink any real costs into the conflict.
As a scholar of international security and great power politics I believe that is for good reason. Beijing and Moscow were fully aware that Iran could not “win” against the combined military might of the United States and Israel. Rather, Iran just needed to survive to serve the interests of Washington’s main geopolitical rivals.
Below are four ways in which the U.S. war in Iran has damaged Washington’s position in the great power rivalries of the 21st century.
1. Losing the influence war in the Middle East
As I explore in my book “Defending Frenemies,” the U.S. has long struggled to balance competing objectives in the Middle East. During the Cold War, this meant limiting the Soviet Union’s influence in the region, while contending with the development of nuclear weapons by two troublesome allies, Israel and Pakistan.
By the 2020s, the priorities in Washington were aimed at restricting the influence of the U.S.’s great power rivals – China and to a lesser degree Russia – in the Middle East.
Yet under Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, China and Russia have sought to increase their footprintin the region through a variety of formal alliances and informal measures.
For Russia, this took the form of aligning with Iran, while also partnering with Tehran to prop up the now-ousted regime of President Bashar Assad during the Syrian civil war. Meanwhile, China increased its diplomatic profile in the Middle East, notably by acting as a mediator as Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic ties in 2023.
The irony of the latest Iran war is that it follows a period in which circumstances were unfavorable to Russian and Chinese aims of increasing their influence in the Middle East.
Trump’s decision to wage war against Iran directly contradicts the national security strategy his administration released in November 2025. According to the strategy, the administration would prioritize the Western Hemisphere and the Indo-Pacific, while the Middle East’s importance “will recede.”
In co-launching a war in Tehran with Israel, without any prior consultation with Washington’s other allies, Trump has shown a complete disregard for their strategic and economic concerns. NATO, already riven by Trump’s repeated threats to the alliance and designs on Greenland, has now shown further signs of internal divisions.
That offers benefits for China and Russia, which have long sought to capitalize on cracks between America and its allies.
The irony, again, is that the war in Iran came as Trump’s vision of the U.S. as the hegemonic power in the Western Hemisphere was making advances. International law and legitimacy concerns aside, Washington had ousted a thorn in its side with Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and replaced him with a more compliant leader.
3. Disproportionate economic fallout
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where some 20% of the world’s oil passes, was as predictable as it was destructive for U.S. interests.
But for Russia, this meant higher oil prices that boosted its war economy. It also led to the temporary but ongoing easing of U.S. sanctions, which has provided Moscow an indispensable lifeline after years of economic pressure over the war in Ukraine.
While a prolonged closure and extensive damage to oil and natural gas infrastructure in Iran and the Gulf states no doubt hurts China’s energy security and economy, these were risks Xi appears willing to accept, at least for a time.
And by building up a domestic oil reserve and diversifying energy sources to include solar, electric batteries and coal, China is far better positioned to weather a prolonged global energy crisis than the U.S. Indeed, Beijing has made strides in recent year to encourage domestic consumption as a source of economic growth, rather than be so reliant on global trade. That may have given China some protection during the global economic shock caused by the Iran war, as well as push the economy further down its own track.
The more the U.S. loses control over events in the strait, the more it loses influence in the region – especially as Iran appears to be placing restrictions on ships from unfriendly nations.
China’s former foreign minister looks on as Iranian and Saudi diplomats shake hands during Beijing-mediated talks in 2023.Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP
That provides a massive soft power boost for Beijing. It was China that pressed Iran to accept the 14-day ceasefire proposal brokered by Pakistan. Indeed, China has slowly chipped away at America’s longtime status as global mediator of first resort.
In general, the Iran war adds weight to Beijing’s worldview that the U.S.-led liberal international order is over. Even if China benefited at some level from the war continuing, its decision to help broker the ceasefire shows that China is increasingly taking on the mantle of global leadership that the U.S. used to own.
And for Russia, the Iran war and the rupture between Trump and America’s NATO allies over their lack of support for it, shift world attention and U.S. involvement from the war in Ukraine.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
While stopped in heavy Melbourne traffic recently, I noticed that what looked like a shadow under a row of spotted gums (Corymbia maculata) along a major road was actually a stain on the concrete kerb.
As a botanist, it caught my attention; biological stains always have an interesting story attached.
Stains like these – under many tree species, on your car after certain leaves have fallen on them, and on your timber deck after rain has washed leaves onto it – are from tannins leaching out of foliage.
Tannins are astringent and bitter-tasting chemicals found in many leaves; they’re what add flavour to red wines, chocolate and tea. Oak timber is high in tannins, and it’s the tannins in oak barrels that enrich the flavour of some wines.
So tannin stains on concrete, cars and decks may be unsightly, but that doesn’t mean tannins are unimportant.
Important to plants
When it rains, materials such as amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and sugars can be washed or leached from leaves of trees. These contribute to the complex chemistry of soils. Many of the microflora and fauna in the ground, which contribute to healthy soils, depend on these chemicals for their growth and proliferation.
Among the many chemicals that are leached from leaves are tannins.
Tannins are important to plants as their bitter taste makes the leaves unpalatable; it’s the plant’s way of trying to dissuade animals from eating their leaves.
Some caterpillars and grasshoppers are turned off by tannins; koalas and possums cope with tannins by having specialised gut microbes that allow them to consume high-tannin diets.
If you spot a water-filled cavity or hollow in a tree trunk, or in between the trunks and a branch, it is often dark brown or even black due to the tannins that have leached into it.
These tannins can be efficient in preventing insects and other pests from growing in the water, although mosquito larvae can be quite resilient if the concentration of tannin is low.
Sometimes forests and felled timber leach so much tannin into streams and rivers they create a blackwater river, where the water may look and taste bad, but is often safe to drink.
The brown stains seen in Tidal River at Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria, and the Franklin River, Tasmania, are caused by tannins.
The dark colour of tannin streams does not mean they are unhealthy, and may indicate the tree canopy cover upstream is in good nick.
Tannins leached into soil can play an important role in the rate of litter decomposition, which is important to ecosystem function.
When tannin levels are high, they slow down litter decomposition. That means the leaf litter can be a food source for bugs for a long time. It also reduces soil drying and protects soil microbes.
A number of tree species contain tannins that contribute to the durability and the distinctive colours of their timbers.
The name tannin comes from their use, particularly in days gone by, in the tanning of leather. However, they are also used in the dyeing of fabrics and as wood preservatives.
Tannins range in colour from pale yellows through orange to dark browns that are almost black. Their chemical structure means they bind well with fibres such as cotton and linen for long-lasting and environmentally-friendly colours.
We are just learning of their many environmental roles, and their impact on human health has yet to be fully explored (we do know they can be anti-oxidants and anti-carcinogenic).
As for that tannin stain I spotted while stuck in traffic, it’s likely it’ll still be there next time I drive past. Concrete is very porous and the tannins from the leaves above will be topped up each time it rains. So stains like this may be more or less permanent.
Tannin stains can generally be washed from vehicles and other non-porous surfaces quite easily, but a high pressure spray may be required to clean up tannin-embedded concrete, slate or stone paving surfaces. Warm or hot water may help.
For such a common stain on concrete, there is much we don’t know about tannins and so much to learn.
Released on Monday, a report by coroner Andrew Schirnack said Irene Katsougiannis had feared her son, who could be violent, and was addicted to alcohol, drugs and gambling.
It said Irene Katsougiannis suffered severe blunt force trauma to her head, as well as minor injuries on her torso and arms.
The pathologist found a bloody ornamental dolphin at the scene was the probable weapon, adding “the fins of the dolphin may explain the puncture wounds and other injuries”.
Son killed mother, spent thousands at Hong Kong bars
Irene Katsougiannis’ body was found on 16 October, 2023, by a concerned friend, who hadn’t heard from her for two days.
The report said Irene Katsougiannis had been teaching music until 4.30pm on 13 October.
Her son had been at a casino in Auckland and arrived in Wellington that evening, buying alcohol, then catching a bus to her house.
A ranchslider at the property was smashed, and glass was scattered inside and outside.
The next afternoon, he transferred more than $12,000 to his bank account from one she had control over and booked a flight to Hong Kong, leaving the next day.
He arrived, and spent $8000 at a night club and bars. By 9pm NZT, Hong Kong authorities reported he’d fallen from a 14-storey building to his death. He had Irene Katsougiannis’ phone.
“Approximately 30 minutes before Soterios’ fall, a message was received on that phone from a contact of Ms Katsougiannis, checking on her wellbeing and referring to a homicide investigation.”
On that phone, the internet search history included “tourist visa Hong Kong” and “highest peaks” in various locations.
The report said he had no suspicious wounds on his body, and local police did not identify any “suspicious or criminal elements”.
Irene Katsougiannis ‘fearful’ of son
Soterios Katsougiannis lived a transient lifestyle and his mental health declined, after the sudden death of his father in 2017, the report said. Handwritten notes found in his mother’s bedroom revealed the nature of their relationship.
“They disclose that Ms Katsougiannis experienced Soterios engaging in violent behaviours, including throwing and breaking items in her home, throwing eggs and spitting at her.
“Ms Katsougiannis recorded incidents where Soterios swore at a ‘demon’, appeared to believe he was communicating with God and believed he was responding to his mother’s ‘telepathic thoughts’.”
Soterios Katsougiannis would regularly request money from his mother and she would agree, despite it causing her financial strain.
“It appears Ms Katsougiannis felt intimidated by his behaviours,” the report said.
Coroner Schirnack said her death was a tragedy.
Irene Katsougiannis ‘a dear friend’
Soon after Irene Katsougiannis’ death, family friend Katy told RNZ she was a valued friend, netball coach and member of the Greek community.
“Her loss will be felt far and wide,” she said. “I am in shock, and my heart and sincere condolences go out to her family and all who love her.”
Greek community group Odysseus Brotherhood paid tribute to her on Facebook, saying it was saddened by the tragic news of the passing of “our dear friend”.
Irene Katsougiannis was a piano tutor at Queen Margaret College, and principal Jayne-Ann Young also described her as a “very dear colleague and friend”.
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
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giuseppe Carabetta, Associate Professor of Workplace and Business Law, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney
ANZAC Day is commemorated on 25 April each year as a tribute to more than 2 million Australians who’ve served in war and peacekeeping operations.
That date is always the same. But how it’s marked as a public holiday varies between states and territories when it falls on a weekend, as it does this year.
Some Australians will get an extra day off as a result, while millions of others won’t.
That can be confusing for employees, and creates a rostering headache for employers operating across states and territories, such as in hospitality, retail, health, transport and other essential services.
Whether you’re an employee or an employer, here’s what you need to know about workers’ rights to paid time off.
Do you get a bonus day off?
People often assume public holidays such as Anzac Day are automatic “days off”. However, the rules under Australian employment law are a bit more complicated.
A bonus day: New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory all have a public holiday on April 25 2026. But they’ve also declared an additional public holiday on Monday April 27. If you’re rostered to work on that Saturday or Monday, both of those days count as public holidays in NSW, WA and the ACT.
Just one day: Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory will only observe Anzac Day on Saturday April 25. If you work in a Monday-Friday job, unfortunately this means you won’t get an Anzac Day holiday this year.
Those variations have direct implications for people’s entitlements to leave and penalty rates.
Public holiday pay rules
If a public holiday such as Anzac Day falls on a day a permanent employee would normally work, they are entitled to:
be absent from work on a public holiday
and be paid their base rate of pay for ordinary hours that would have been worked on that day.
But if you’re not rostered onto work on a public holiday (including if you’re a part-timer or casual, whose hours don’t fall on the public holiday), you won’t get paid for that day.
Can employees refuse to work on public holidays?
Let’s say you’re a nurse, rostered on for Saturday April 25, which is a public holiday right across Australia, or on Monday April 27 if you’re in NSW, WA or the ACT.
If your employer asks you to work then, do you have to agree? And, if you do agree, do you get extra pay?
Under the national Fair Work Act, employers cannot require an employee to work on a public holiday. Employers are allowed to ask, but it has to be a “reasonable request”.
Likewise, an employee may refuse a request to work on a public holiday if their refusal is “reasonable”.
Whether a request (or refusal) is reasonable depends on the circumstances. The Fair Work Act identifies various factors that can be taken into account, including:
the employer’s operational requirements (such as if the business must operate that day)
the employee’s role and seniority
the employee’s personal circumstances, such as caring responsibilities, religious observance or cultural significance
whether the employee will receive additional compensation, including penalty rates or time off in lieu
and whether the employee was given adequate notice.
A failure to properly assess or document these factors can expose employers to disputes, underpayment claims and even legal action.
Extra rights to check
Beyond that national law, it’s important to know your rights if you (or your staff) are also covered by an award or enterprise bargaining agreement.
These can impose additional or stricter obligations, such as higher penalty rates on public holidays, or additional rostering and consultation requirements.
For employees, that can be good news, as it can mean more pay. But this can significantly increase an employer’s costs for public holiday work.
For employers with staff across Australia, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this year’s Anzac Day public holidays.
That makes early planning and clear communication from both employers and employees even more important – well before April 25.
