Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ)
10 April 2026 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ) Assistant Governor Money Karen Silk encourages the public to have their say about local access to withdraw cash, deposit cash and swap cash for low-denomination banknotes and coins.
There has been strong interest in the “Keeping Cash Local” consultation with more than 4000 responses so far. The deadline was extended to 31 July 2026 to allow more time for people and industry to respond, and for RBNZ to share further materials.
“As part of the consultation, we have received questions about the legal basis for the proposal we are consulting on, and we will release more information about this within two weeks. This may assist people in shaping their feedback on the consultation. We will also provide some Official Information Act responses that will be completed within that timeframe,” says Karen Silk.
RBNZ is responsible for ensuring that cash meets needs of the public.
“No decisions have been made yet on the proposals outlined in the consultation, and we want to hear a wide range of views about what the minimum services should be locally to withdraw cash, deposit cash, and swap cash free-of-charge, in every district of New Zealand. The public’s views are important and will help inform our approach,” says Karen Silk.
“Our preferred approach is to work with banks to explore how the public’s access to cash services could be improved on a voluntary basis and we welcome responses from the cash industry,” says Karen Silk.
Additionally, alternate formats of the consultation document – in NZSL, braille, easy read, audio and large print – will be made available in May to allow disabled people and their communities to have their say.
Cyclone Vaianu is a dangerous event, and people in affected regions need to take every warning seriously, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says.
Cyclone Vaianu is expected to move across the North Island on Sunday 12 April and NEMA Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management John Price is urging people in the affected regions to take action early – it could save your life.
“Before the storm hits, prepare your home and your family. Make a plan for power cuts or evacuation, have supplies ready, tie down loose items and clear your gutters.
“When the weather worsens, people need to act quickly to stay safe.
“Strong winds and heavy rain can injure or kill, and taking action early can save your life.”
John Price says you should trust your own “danger sense” and take action – don’t wait for Emergency Mobile Alerts or official warnings.
If you are in an affected area:
Leave immediately if floodwaters are rising
Take extreme care if you must travel. Watch for flooding, debris and closed roads
Landslides are very likely and are extremely dangerous. Leave immediately if you notice small rockfalls or muddy water, buildings or trees moving, or creaking or rumbling noises
Stay out of floodwater – it contains debris and contamination, and is extremely dangerous
Do not drive, walk or swim through it
Do not let children play in it
“Stay informed and stay safe ,” John Price says.
“Listen to the radio. Check MetService warnings for your area and follow your local Civil Defence group on social media.
“We understand people may be tired of hearing warnings, but severe weather causes real harm to people, whanau, families, communities and the country.
“We have been through events like this before. We will get through this one too if we prepare, stay alert, and act when something doesn’t feel right.”
Saturday kerbside collections (due to Easter holiday)
Saturday’s collections are for areas that would usually be collected on Friday, due to the public holiday.
With windy conditions expected, please remember to bring your bins in as soon as they’ve been emptied.
Leaving bins out can lead to them being blown over, creating hazards on our streets, and making a mess in your neighbourhood.
Put your bins out as usual
Bring them back in promptly once collected
Let’s keep our streets safe and tidy.
Inner City Centre collections
Sunday morning collections are still going ahead as planned, but due to the approaching cyclone, and to ensure the safety of our crews, we’re asking inner-city residents to hold onto their rubbish, and recycling until the Monday morning collection — unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Strong winds can cause loose materials to become hazards on our streets and put people at risk.
If you do need to put your rubbish and recycling out:
Place them out as close to collection time as possible
Place in a secure location to ensure nothing can blow away
Thank you for helping keep our crews and communities safe.
Inorganic Collections for week of 13 April
Inorganic collections booked for Monday 13 April collection will be moved to Saturday 18 April.
The rest of the week will go ahead as scheduled.
For Aotea / Great Barrier Island residents only
Due to the severity of the cyclone, we need time to assess road conditions, debris, and any potential damage before collections can safely take place on Aotea/Great Barrier Island.
Next week’s rubbish and recycling collections on Aotea/Great Barrier Island will be pushed out by one day, like a public holiday schedule:
Monday collections → Tuesday 14 April
Tuesday collections → Wednesday 15 April
Strong winds can blow bins and crates over, causing mess and disruption on our roads. Please do not place rubbish or recycling out — keep items secured on your property until it is safe to put them out.
If wet weather continues, please hold onto your paper and cardboard. Wet paper and cardboard can’t be recycled, so it’s best to keep it dry and put it out at your next collection.
Thank you for your understanding while we prioritise safety for our crews and community.
India’s mobile services market is expected to witness a steady growth through 2030, driven by the 5G expansion and surging data consumption. While traditional voice revenues continue to decline, telcos are increasingly leveraging high-ARPU premium 5G plans and new monetization levers for high-speed data services to drive revenue growth, reveals GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.
GlobalData’s India Mobile Broadband Forecast (Q4-2025) reveals that the total mobile services revenue in the country is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% from $33.3 billion in 2025 to $43.7 billion in 2030, driven by the growth in mobile data service revenue.
Mobile voice service revenues will decline at a CAGR of 2.4% over the forecast period, in line with a continued drop in the mobile voice service ARPU levels, as operators offer free voice minutes with their bundled plans and users increasingly shift towards OTT-based voice communication platforms. Mobile data service revenue, on the other hand, will increase at a CAGR of 8.9% between 2025 and 2030, thanks to the continued rise in data subscriptions and projected increase in the adoption of relatively high ARPU yielding 5G services.
Neha Mishra, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The average monthly data usage over mobile networks is forecast to increase from 25.7 GB in 2025 to 58.9 GB in 2030, in line with the continued surge in consumption of high-bandwidth online video and social media content over mobile networks, given the widespread availability of 4G networks, 5G network expansions and operators’ data-centric plans.”
4G remained the leading mobile technology in terms of subscriptions in 2025 but its share of total mobile subscriptions is expected to drop over the forecast period as users increasingly migrate to higher speed 5G services.
5G will overtake 4G by 2027, by subscriber base and maintain its lead through 2030, supported by the ongoing 5G network expansion and investment initiatives by major MNOs. While Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio already offer widespread nationwide 5G coverage, Vodafone Idea (Vi), a later entrant in March 2025, has started accelerating its expansion to strengthen its market position. Also, telcos offering unlimited 5G data plans will further support the growth of 5G adoption across both metro and non-metro areas.
Reliance Jio led the mobile services market in India in terms of mobile subscriptions in 2025, followed by Airtel India. Reliance Jio, with currently over 200 million 5G users, will retain its leadership through to 2030, supported by its rapid 5G rollouts. Airtel India is the second largest mobile service provider. It has aggressively scaled up its 5G deployment, added about 25,000 new 5G sites in 2025, growing its 5G user base to more than 135 million.
Mishra concludes: “India’s mobile market will continue to evolve by scaling 5G adoption while balancing affordability and monetization. As data usage continues to surge, operators will prioritize wider network rollouts, capacity enhancements, and tiered pricing strategies to convert traffic growth into revenue. At the same time, digital services, content bundling, and ecosystem partnerships will play a key role in driving customer engagement and long-term value creation in an intensely competitive landscape.”
Notes:
Quotes provided by Neha Mishra, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData Information based on GlobalData’s India Mobile Broadband Forecast (Q4-2025)
About GlobalData
GlobalData Plc (LSE:DATA) operates an intelligence platform that empowers leaders to act decisively in a world of complexity and change. By uniting proprietary data, human expertise, and purpose-built AI into a single, connected platform, we help organizations see what is coming, move faster, and lead with confidence. Our solutions are used by over 5,000 organizations across the world’s largest industries, providing tailored intelligence that supports strategic planning, innovation, risk management, and sustainable growth.
Whitireia and WelTec is celebrating a strong five-year performance across its three Bachelor of Nursing programmes, with graduates consistently demonstrating exceptional clinical capability, cultural competency and academic excellence.
Across the Bachelor of Nursing Māori, Bachelor of Nursing, and Bachelor of Nursing Pacific, graduates are entering the workforce as confident, compassionate, work ready nurses.
Between 2021 and 2025, ākonga (learners) achieved impressive course completion rates of 90-93%, supported by high-quality, innovative teaching and robust academic guidance. State Final Examination outcomes underscore this readiness, with a 100% pass rate for the Bachelor of Nursing Māori in 2024 and a 100% for the Bachelor of Nursing in 2025.
“Our nursing programmes continue to demonstrate the strength of Whitireia and WelTec,” says Dr Tania Mullane, Programme Manager, Bachelor of Nursing Pacific. “These results reflect dedicated kaiako (tutors), highly engaged ākonga, and a shared commitment to preparing nurses who serve their communities with confidence and compassion.”
The Graduate Diploma in Nursing Pacific has performed strongly, with 25 Pacific-trained nurses graduating last year. Supported by Health New Zealand-funded scholarships covering fees, travel, and equipment, the programme has strengthened learners’ ability to become registered nurses in Aotearoa.
Whitireia and WelTec’s postgraduate pathway continues to grow, with just over a thousand ākonga completing applied postgraduate programmes in nursing and paramedicine over the past five years. Postgraduate offerings – including the long-standing Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Mental Health and Addiction), now in its 31st year – support areas such as Tamariki Ora (Well Child Health), Extended Care Paramedicine, and Forensic Leadership.
“What sets our programmes apart is the way we integrate academic excellence with strong pastoral care and culturally responsive teaching,” says Miriam White, Bachelor of Nursing Programme Manager. “Our ākonga demonstrate resilience, skill, and a genuine commitment to making a difference.”
Whitireia and WelTec’s state-of-the-art simulation suite provides realistic, high quality learning environments for all nursing ākonga, supported by expert kaiako (tutors). “We have exceptional expertise in simulation education, enabling ākonga to safely develop, refine, and apply their nursing knowledge, skills, and practice. Simulation enables structured debriefing, supporting clinical judgement and critical thinking that are transferable to their clinical practice,” says White.
Health providers and graduates consistently recognise the programmes for their strong equity focus and culturally responsive, Kaupapa-based practice. Bachelor of Nursing Māori Programme Manager Shayola Koperu says, “With research and teaching anchored in real-world nursing needs and national priorities, the programmes stay current, credible, and genuinely impactful.”
“Whitireia and WelTec has a strong nursing legacy and a clear focus on the future,” she adds. “These results speak to the strength of the programmes and the trust our communities place in us as educators of the next generation of nurses.”
Cyclone Vaianu is a dangerous event, and people in affected regions need to take every warning seriously, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says.
Cyclone Vaianu is expected to move across the North Island on Sunday 12 April and NEMA Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management John Price is urging people in the affected regions to take action early – it could save your life.
“Before the storm hits, prepare your home and your family. Make a plan for power cuts or evacuation, have supplies ready, tie down loose items and clear your gutters.
“When the weather worsens, people need to act quickly to stay safe.
“Strong winds and heavy rain can injure or kill, and taking action early can save your life.”
John Price says you should trust your own “danger sense” and take action – don’t wait for Emergency Mobile Alerts or official warnings.
If you are in an affected area:
Leave immediately if floodwaters are rising
Take extreme care if you must travel. Watch for flooding, debris and closed roads
Landslides are very likely and are extremely dangerous. Leave immediately if you notice small rockfalls or muddy water, buildings or trees moving, or creaking or rumbling noises
Stay out of floodwater – it contains debris and contamination, and is extremely dangerous
Do not drive, walk or swim through it
Do not let children play in it
“Stay informed and stay safe ,” John Price says.
“Listen to the radio. Check MetService warnings for your area and follow your local Civil Defence group on social media.
“We understand people may be tired of hearing warnings, but severe weather causes real harm to people, whanau, families, communities and the country.
“We have been through events like this before. We will get through this one too if we prepare, stay alert, and act when something doesn’t feel right.”
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is preparing for the expected impacts of Cyclone Vaianu.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler says Fire and Emergency has been working with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups since mid-week.
“We have well trained local crews right across the North Island and we will be pre-positioning specialist resources, including enhanced rescue and water rescue teams to support those local crews.
“This is expected to be a fast moving and high intensity storm with a wide area of impact, including areas still recovering from severe weather in March,” Megan Stiffler says.
“Flooding, landslides and falling trees can be expected, with consequent impacts on power, communications, and travel.
“We are ready to respond where we are needed, and we have extra resourcing ready to be deployed at short notice.”
Megan Stiffler says Fire and Emergency’s advice is to always call 111 when life or safety is at risk.
“Do not drive through floodwater – you are putting yourself at risk and risking the lives of those who come to your rescue.
“In floodwaters you can’t tell how deep the water is, or how swift. The road may have been washed away and there could be hidden obstacles.
“At home, tie or take down trampolines and outdoor furniture and prepare for power outages.
“We recommend using torches and battery powered devices wherever possible to reduce the risk of unwanted fire in your home during a power outage.”
For the latest weather warnings follow MetService and follow New Zealand Civil Defence and your local Civil Defence page for emergency warnings and advice.
Police are praising rescue staff who have retrieved two climbers from a precarious mountainside near Sabre Peak in Fiordland National Park today.
About 4.30pm on Wednesday, a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) was activated in the Sabre Peak area.
A Southern Lakes Helicopter was dispatched, however, due to heavy rain and low cloud, a rescue was unable to be carried out. The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) passed information to Police so they could launch a search and rescue operation.
On Thursday morning, Police were contacted by the brother of one of the climbers, who had received Emergency SOS satellite text messages from his brother. The messages confirmed both of the experienced climbers were uninjured, but unable to move due to the severe weather.
A second rescue attempt later that day was unsuccessful, again due to the conditions.
Southland Search and Rescue Coordinator Dougall Henderson says Police maintained contact with the climbers via satellite, keeping them updated with rescue efforts.
“About 7am today, the Southern Lakes Helicopter crew successfully located the climbers and carried out a 100 foot long line extraction from the mountainside,” he says.
“Their survival is remarkable. They had been stranded on the steep mountainside for three nights, sheltering in a two-person bivvy and sleeping bags, which became saturated during prolonged exposure to severe weather.
“They had run out of food, and believed they would not have survived another night on the mountain.”
Both climbers were checked over by a doctor on board the helicopter and were transported to Te Anau for further medical assessment.
Sergeant Henderson says the outcome highlighted both good decision-making by the climbers and the challenges faced by rescue services in alpine environments.
“The climbers made the right decision to activate their beacon early and remain in place once the weather deteriorated,” he says.
“They were well equipped and they communicated clearly using satellite messaging, and that allowed rescuers to make informed decisions while waiting for a safe weather window.
“This was also an outstanding effort by the helicopter crew, operating in an extreme and unforgiving alpine environment. Their ability to safely locate and extract the climbers using a long line technique prevented what could have been a far more serious outcome.”
Police say the incident is a timely reminder of the unpredictability of Fiordland weather and the limitations of rescue operations in mountainous terrain.
“Even when help is on the way, adverse weather can delay rescue efforts,” says Sergeant Henderson.
“People heading into alpine or remote areas need to plan conservatively, monitor forecasts closely, and carry appropriate emergency equipment – including a PLB or satellite communication device, or both.”
Police encourage anyone venturing into remote or alpine environments to leave their intentions with a trusted person, check weather conditions in advance, and be prepared to delay or abandon plans if conditions deteriorate.
More information and tips can be found on the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council website.
As thousands of people packed into the Gold Coast’s Warner Bros Movie World theme park for the school holidays on Wednesday, one of Australia’s biggest roller coaster rides ground to a halt.
No one ever wants to see rides stop – not the theme parks, not the regulators, and especially not the ride passengers.
It’s not the first time it’s happened: riders were stopped on the same roller coaster in January 2024, when a loose scarf got tangled in the wheels and the ride operator stopped as a precaution.
Yet as someone who has been voluntarily involved in writing the standards on Australia’s amusement rides for almost 29 years, here’s why I’ve felt comfortable taking my own kids on roller coasters – and what work is being done right now to improve safety further.
Before opening the theme park each day the roller coasters are tested both empty and loaded.
Roller coasters are a gravity ride: the roller coaster train is elevated to the top of the ride, then gravity takes it down. If it’s empty, it might get stuck on the way down because it does not have enough stored energy to get over the humps, rises and round the bends. To test it being loaded, dummies full of water are placed in the passenger seats.
The theme parks also run other tests, from practice evacuation procedures to manage unexpected stoppages, through to checking multiple trains running on the roller coaster track stay at a safe, separated distance.
Before launching every ride, there’s a diagnostic check on the passenger restraint system. There are also other checks, such as for potentially faulty limit switches, which keep the trains on the roller coaster from ramming into each other. If there is an alarm for one of these devices, the staff can’t launch the ride.
If you’ve ever been in the queue for ages, thinking “hurry up, why don’t they start the ride?” – the ride operator is most likely running safety checks, or waiting for bad weather to pass.
Beyond the morning tests, theme parks have an engineering team on standby to check and fix rides if needed. They also have a night shift to conduct preventative maintenance, particularly during peak times such as school holidays.
Australia doesn’t publish national safety data on amusement rides, as they’re regulated on a state basis. The Conversation contacted Queensland’s regulator to request state-based data, but this was not available in time for publication.
The United States is home to more theme parks than the rest of the world. According to The Global Association for the Attractions Industry’s latest safety reports, there were 1,495 injuries at North American theme parks out of around 422 million visitors in 2024.
In North America, roller coaster rides accounted for 44% of those injuries in 2024 – the highest level on record. But the overall injury rate is still lower than many other activities, with just 2.86 injuries for every 1 million attendees – down from 4.78 injuries per million a decade earlier.
To put that risk in perspective, in 2001 Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive, compared the risks of injury or death from different activities.
Using around a decade of data, they found people were less likely to die from a fairground ride in the UK (1 in every 834 million rides) than rock climbing (1 in 320,000 climbs), canoeing (1 in 750,000 outings) or even catching a plane (1 in 125 million passenger journeys).
What’s changed since the Dreamworld tragedy?
A 2020 coroner’s inquiry into the deaths of four people at Dreamworld in 2016 recommended significant changes to theme park management, including more stringent, regular inspection of rides.
Queensland announced stricter safety rules in 2019 in response to the Dreamworld failures. In 2024, it followed up on the coroner’s recommendations, launching Australia’s first “amusement device safety” code of practice. It’s a detailed rule book for everything from theme parks to dodgem cars and jumping castles.
Nationally, there’s an independent Standards Australia committee for amusement rides and devices. I’m a voluntary member, representing Engineers Australia.
The committee is in the process of adopting the world’s best practice European standard on amusement rides. Standards Australia hopes to release a draft for public comment this year.
So there’s still more work to do. But if you’re visiting a theme park these holidays, deciding whether to let your kids try a ride, my recommendation is let them enjoy their childhood. It’s probably safer than you think.
Farmers, growers and rural communities are encouraged to stay up-to-date with weather warnings and prepare for Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson say.
Impacts are possible across all of the North Island and Upper South Island from late Saturday to Monday. There may also be some impacts for the Chatham Islands.
MetService is forecasting significant heavy rain and damaging gale-force winds and has issued multiple wind and rain warnings. Farmers, growers, and rural communities are encouraged to stay informed through their forecasts and take necessary precautions.
“Stay safe, be prepared for power and communications outages, and take warnings from forecasters and civil defence seriously,” Mr McClay says.
“It’s important to self-evacuate if you see rising water and to keep out of floodwaters.”
Mr McClay says farmers and growers have shown significant resilience getting through multiple severe weather events already this year, and have taken proactive steps to ensure the welfare of their animals.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is actively monitoring the cyclone and has staff on-the-ground working closely with local emergency management groups and providing support where required.
“This incoming severe weather event will be particularly tough for rural communities who are still in recovery mode and repairing previous damage,” Mr Patterson says.
Mr Patterson is encouraging farmers and growers to prepare by moving stock to higher ground and seek support if they need it.
“Farmers and growers who require support are encouraged to contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.”
Damage to State Highway 35 near Hicks Bay in January.Supplied / NZTA
Tairāwhiti Civil Defence is encouraging people to be proactive about preparing themselves as Cyclone Vaianu tracks towards the North Island.
A strong wind warning has been issued for all of Gisborne, with north of Tolaga Bay also under a heavy rain warning and south of Tolaga Bay under a rain watch.
“Unfortunately this is getting all far too familiar in terms of routine,” said Tairāwhiti Emergency Management group manager Ben Green, who said they were monitoring the weather system and preparing for it.
He said “assets” were being pre-positioned in places such as the top of the East Coast such as around Te Araroa and Hicks Bay, which he said were already fragile from storm damage sustained just a couple of months prior.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said State Highway 35 between Te Araroa and Hicks Bay would be closed as a precaution from 6.30pm on Saturday due to the already fragile Punaruku slip site.
Green said they were facing a “trifecta” of hazards with large storm surges or swells, heavy rain and strong winds.
Green was encouraging people in the region to stay up to date with MetService’s warnings and be proactive in preparing for the cyclone, including by charging phones, clearing out gutters and drains and tying down loose items like trampolines.
In the event of heavy rain, he also advised people near streams or low lying areas to make a plan to move early and avoid needing to evacuate at night.
Hunters and holidaymakers warned to think twice
A strong wind warning had been issued for Rangitīkei, Whanganui and Ruapehu, with wind watches for other parts of the Manawatū-Whanganui region.
“We know it is peak hunting season with the roar on at the moment. Given the forecast rain and wind, we recommend you think twice before heading out hunting this weekend,” Civil Defence Manawatū Whanganui said on its Facebook page.
“This is not the time for ‘she’ll be right’ attitudes. You are better off staying safe and waiting for good weather, rather than ending up in a situation beyond your control.”
It gave the same advice to people with travel plans over the school holidays.
“You are better delaying/cancelling plans and staying safe than getting yourself and your family into a potentially dangerous situation.”
It said no states of emergency had been declared in anticipation of Cyclone Vaianu’s impacts, and there had been no discussions about doing so.
The Department of Conservation has closed a number of its campsites across the North Island.Flickr / Brett Taylor
DOC closes campsites
The Department of Conservation (DOC) urged people to put their personal safety first and reconsider any outdoor plans this weekend.
“We’ve taken the precaution of closing numerous DOC locations across the North Island, including several popular campsites,” it said.
People who had a booking for a DOC campsite or hut this weekend, and had decided not to go because of the weather, could contact DOC for a refund.
HONG KONG SAR & NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 April 2026 – Wallace Woo Studio is proud to announce a seismic shift in the landscape of contemporary art with the formal introduction of Geological Abstractionism. This global launch is anchored by two definitive academic volumes: the new manifesto The Dimension of Sedimentation (ISBN: 978-988-71890-2-2) and the foundational philosophical art book Stalactite – The Clamorous Stillness (ISBN: 978-988-71890-0-8).
Refining a lifetime of meditative practice and artistic devotion, Wallace Woo presents a theoretical framework that transcends traditional abstract expressionism. While mid-century Western abstraction often focused on the “spontaneity of the moment,” Woo’s Geological Abstractionism shifts the focus to the “accumulation of eternity.” At the heart of this movement is Stalactite Aesthetics — a sophisticated visual language where gravity serves as the secondary artist. “In my studio, time does not flow away; it sediments,” says Wallace Woo. “Each layer of pigment represents a crystallized moment of consciousness.”
The Documentation of an Evolution
The global launch is supported by two landmark publications, both of which are part of the Hong Kong Public Libraries permanent collection, ensuring their status as protected intellectual property:
The Dimension of Sedimentation: The current manifesto defining the shift from “capturing a moment” to “accumulating time.”
Stalactite – The Clamorous Stillness: A visual-philosophical record documenting the transition from the fluid exploration of Zenflow to the established principles of Geological Abstractionism. This volume invites viewers into “Cave Time,” showcasing the artist’s signature “Acrylic with Ink Spirit” technique through two movements: Slow Living and Wild Growth.
Quick Fact Sheet: The Evolution of Abstraction
To position this new movement within art history, the following comparison highlights the breakthrough of Geological Abstractionism:
Movement
Driving Force
Geological Abstractionism’s Breakthrough
Action Painting (Pollock)
Physical Action
From human energy to Natural Gravity
Color Field (Rothko)
Spiritual Space
From visual rendering to Physical Sedimentation
Geological Abstraction (Woo)
Gravitational Flow
The first “Collaboration between spirit and Earth’s laws.”
The Philosophy: Internal Geomorphology
Woo defines his process as “Inner Geology“ — the study of how spiritual stillness can manifest as physical texture. By utilizing the inherent weight of fluid media and allowing it to settle through verticality, he captures what he calls the “Clamorous Stillness”.
Looking Toward Paris: June 2026
This global announcement serves as a strategic prelude to Woo’s solo exhibition in Paris this coming June at the Espace Temple Gallery, where the physical manifestations of these theories—the “solidified proof of evolution”—will be unveiled to the European art community.
Police have now arrested eight people in relation to a fight at the Common Room bar on 8 March.
Detective Sergeant Heath Jones says more than 30 charges have been laid amongst those arrested.
“We are pleased to have held some of those responsible to account. Our team of three investigations staff have worked incredibly hard to bring about this result.
“This was a violent incident that was understandably traumatising for the victims and those who witnessed it.
“Our enquiries are ongoing, and we are likely to lay further charges.”
Police are now asking for the public’s help to identify the two people pictured (see attachments), as we believe they will be able to assist with our enquiries.
If you know who they are or have any information that might help our enquiries, please use our 105 service, quoting reference number 260308/6292.
Information can also be shared anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
A speeding motorist has led Auckland Police to discovering a loaded firearm and nitrous oxide.
On Thursday evening, a road policing unit was carrying out usual patrols in Epsom when a speeding saloon caught an officer’s attention.
Senior Sergeant Dave Plunkett, from Auckland City Road Policing, says a traffic stop was carried out on Green Lane West around 5.30pm.
“As an officer was approaching the vehicle, he has observed the two occupants allegedly trying to hide balloons,” he says.
“This has invoked a further search of the vehicle which resulting in several concerning finds.”
Inside the Honda, Police located a loaded sawn-off rifle, ammunition and four large cannisters of nitrous oxide.
The 20-year-old driver and 21-year-old passenger were arrested on the roadside.
Senior Sergeant Plunkett says after further enquiries the driver is facing charges and will appear in the Auckland District Court next week.
He has been charged with unlawful possession of a pistol, unlawful possession of ammunition, possession of a psychoactive substance and careless driving.
“It is incredibly concerning for us that the driver was not only speeding but was also under the influence of nitrous oxide at the time,” Senior Sergeant Plunkett says.
“Any substances such as drugs or alcohol have no place in your system while you’re driving.
“This could have been a dangerous cocktail leading to someone being seriously injured or killed on our roads.”
Police continue to remain visible across our roads, and advise anyone who sees dangerous behaviour, such as someone inhaling from balloons, to call 111 immediately.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Buchan, Professor of History, School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science, Griffith University
In the midst of a war of his own choosing, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, recently tried to threaten his way out of it. On April 7, he posted on Truth Social that unless Iran buckled to his will, “a whole civilization will die tonight”.
He presumably meant to amplify his earlier claim that he intended to bomb Iran back to “the stone age”.
Trump’s words are rarely to be taken at face value. Yet his recent incitement to war crimes proved shocking, even by his standards.
But what actually is “civilisation”? And why has Trump’s threat struck a nerve in even his most ardent loyalists?
Coined in an age of conquest and enslavement
The word “civilisation” is a creation of the age of Enlightenment in the 18th century. It was coined to describe a social order that European philosophers and writers then believed was coming into being in parts of Western Europe.
The word derived from older terms in Europe’s lexicon. To be “civil” denoted politeness, and “civility” a code of peaceful conduct essential to city life.
One of the first people to use the word was French political economist Victor de Riqueti, Marquis de Mirabeau (1715–89). In his work L’ami des Hommes, ou, Traité de la Population (The Friend of Man, or Treatise on Population) (1756), civilisation implied three things.
Mirabeau described the historical role of Christianity as the “primary driving force of civilisation”. What he meant was Christianity curbed human violence and turned Europeans by slow degrees over time toward amity and friendship. In other words, the civilised knew God and acted with divine purpose – or at the very least, were less violent and cruel than the “uncivilised”.
Mirabeau also employed the word to describe the “natural cycle of barbarism and […] civilisation”. Here, he implied all peoples were located somewhere along a pathway in time between the condition of mere barbarians, and the exalted heights occupied by the civilised. Not all may scale the heights, but those who do must take care to avoid falling.
The civilised could see more, know more and have more. That “more”, Mirabeau suggested, was the evidence of their civilisation. The barbarian by contrast, simply lacks.
Finally, Mirabeau used the word to warn of a “return of barbarism and oppression” that would destroy “civilisation and liberty”, endangering “humanity in general”. Civilisation needed defence, especially from the so-called “barbarians”, who he warned may be among us, rather than threatening hordes beyond the city gates.
Here then, at the very origin of the word, lies a deep-laid curse.
Civilisation’s curse is the monumental presumption of separation, of imagining oneself as different from all others, and privileged by that difference. That privilege has so often been expressed in the disdain for, or fear of, “the barbarians” who must be “civilised” – turned away from their presumed savagery, heathenism or mere animality.
A term wrapped up in identity
These connotations still reverberate in contemporary use of the term. It echoes in plural references to particular civilisations in time, such as the Romans, Babylonians, Inca or Mexica.
Although different in language and laws, these civilisations were capable of providing a reasonably refined way of life in flourishing cities, such as with running water, sanitation, roads and bridges. Useful as a teaching aid, this “bricks and mortar” approach reduced civilisation to something like a checklist.
In 1996 the American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington invoked this “bricks and mortar” view in The Clash of Civilisations and the Remaking of World Order. In the post-Cold War era, he argued, global order would be riven not by ideological division so much as by conflicts between distinct civilisations. Huntington’s thesis has been widely discredited, but the idea of plural civilisations remains.
Today, however, the most potent meaning of the word is what we might call the civilisation of capital letters. Western Civilisation, for example, is still regularly invoked to convey a certain history that links Britain and Western Europe with their far-flung colonial offshoots (such as Australia).
Much more than just history, Western Civilisation also implies identity; as if the appellation encompasses who we are as a nation. In this identification lies that deeper curse.
Too frequently has the curse of civilisation inspired this recurrent nightmare. In his 1899 novel, Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad presented civilisation as a kind of madness – a derangement of humanity expressed in a nightmarish will to “exterminate all the brutes”.
Thanks to Trump’s threats, this is where we find ourselves now: on the cusp of that persistent curse. As long ago as 1767, one of the earliest adopters of the word, Scots philosopher Adam Ferguson (1723–1816), sought to trace humanity’s path “from rudeness to civilisation”.
Yet Ferguson also questioned the obtuse presumption spawned by the word, that “we are ourselves the supposed standards of politeness and civilisation”. From there it was but a short step to the arrogant assumption that “where our own features do not appear […] that there is nothing which deserves to be known”.
When President Trump says that Iran’s “civilisation” will be “taken out in one night”, we hear echoes of that presumption. His words have made barbarians of us all, equally at the mercy of a madman’s curse.
IntraCare has not said how many patients were affected.Unsplash / RNZ
Private healthcare provider IntraCare can now confirm patient data was accessed during a cyber breach in March, and says it’s identified a group which may be responsible.
The company, which specialises in “image-guided precision medical diagnostics and interventions”, became aware of the breach on Friday, 20 March, and immediately shut down its IT systems.
In an update on its website, the company said it has now made direct contact via email with affected patients. It did not answer questions from RNZ on how many patients were affected.
“The investigation to identify who is responsible is an ongoing process and although a group that we suspect may be in possession of personal information has been identified, under the Privacy Act no details that could identify that group can be provided.”
Cyber experts and the police were monitoring for unauthorised use or distribution of the data. “At this time, we do not have evidence of unauthorised use.”
It has taken out a High Court injunction to help protect any data that may have been accessed, and says the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, government agencies and the police have been kept informed.
A total of 28 procedures were either deferred or relocated in the week following the incident. Full services resumed on 30 March.
“We recommend caution – not only due to this incident but also as cyber incidents are on the rise.”
An hour before Trump said he’d cause the death of a “whole civilisation” if Iran didn’t open the strait of Hormuz, an Iranian official said the shipping channel would be reopened for two weeks if the United States stopped bombing Iran.
The US has now stopped bombing Iran.
So we’re back to the status quo before Trump began his war.
Only now, Iran can credibly threaten to close the strait if it doesn’t get what it wants from Trump — thereby causing havoc to the US and world economies. Trump’s only remaining bargaining chip is his threat of committing war crimes.
In other words, Tuesday’s showdown was a clear victory for Iran and a clear defeat for Trump (although he framed it as a victory).
The Iran fiasco is only the latest in a host of examples revealing how to defeat Trump.
In addition to Iran, similar strategies have been used by China, Russia, Canada, Mexico and Greenland.
Inside the US Inside the United States, the people of Minneapolis have used them, as have Harvard University, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, writer E Jean Carroll and the law firms Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale.
What’s the strategy that connects them all? All refused to cave to Trump, despite his superior military or economic power.
Instead, they’ve engaged in a kind of jiujitsu in which they use Trump’s power against him, while allowing Trump to save face by claiming he’s won. Consider:
Iran knew it was no match for the superior might of the US (and Israel). So it used cheap drones and missiles to close the Strait of Hormuz and incapacitate other Gulf oil installations, thereby driving up the prices of oil and gas at the pump in the US, which has put growing political pressure on Trump, months before a midterm election. Hence, Trump has been forced to pause his war.
China knew what to do when Trump imposed a giant tariff on Chinese exports to the US: it put restrictions on seven types of heavy rare earth metals and magnets, crucial to US defense and tech industries. Beijing continues to use these rare earth restrictions as tactical levers in ongoing negotiations over trade, rather than demand complete surrender by Trump on his trade policies.
Russia has leveraged its vast deposits of oil and natural gas in gaining leverage over US allies. It has also demonstrated its potential ability to intrude into US elections (the Mueller report detailed a “sweeping and systematic” campaign by Russia to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, primarily favouring Trump).
Canada and Mexico have won tariff showdowns with Trump by leveraging the US’s substantial economic dependence on them for components and raw materials, but without crowing about their victories.
Greenland has leveraged public opinion globally and in the United States — overwhelmingly against an American invasion or occupation — to curb Trump’s ambitions there.
Minneapolis resistance Now, as to what’s happened inside the United States:
The citizens of Minneapolis and St Paul have leveraged their asymmetric power against Trump’s ICE and border patrol agents by carefully organising themselves into a force of non-violent resistance to protect immigrants there.
Harvard University’s strategy for resisting Trump’s interference in Harvard’s academic freedom has been to leverage its influence with the federal courts in Boston and the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, to get rulings that stopped Trump (although he’s still trying).
The comedian Jimmy Kimmel turned a political crisis into a ratings victory by using the public backlash against his suspension from ABC, which Disney owns. Since ABC reinstated him, Kimmel has continued to target Trump, and secured his contract through 2027.
The writer E Jean Carroll defeated Donald Trump in two civil cases over sexual abuse and defamation, ultimately securing over $88 million in damages from him — verdicts that have been upheld by federal appeals courts.
Carroll’s lawyers used a civil lawsuit, requiring a lower burden of proof than proving a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. They presented the jury with Trump’s Access Hollywood tape and testimony from other Trump accusers. His depositions, where he called her a “whack job”, were played for the jury.
The law firms Perkins Coie, Jenner & Block, Susman Godfrey, and WilmerHale refused to follow Trump’s executive orders targeting law firms that had represented causes or clients that Trump opposed.
First Amendment rights infringed The firms leveraged constitutional arguments with the federal courts — arguing that the orders infringed on their First Amendment rights to advocate whatever causes they wished, violated the constitution’s separation of powers because the orders would prevent the judiciary from considering challenges to executive authority, and violated their clients’ rights under the constitution to be represented.
The Justice Department ultimately dropped its fight against these firms in March 2026 after federal appellate judges also found Trump’s orders unconstitutional.
What’s happened to the countries and organisations that have caved to Trump?
All have strengthened Trump’s leverage over them. Europe seems incapacitated, fearing Trump will leave Nato (despite a US law prohibiting it), but unable to decide where to draw the line with him.
Columbia University has been racked by dissent from both students and faculty. The Trump regime continues to make demands of it.
The law firms that caved in to Trump’s executive orders have seen lawyers exit who felt the deals betrayed the firms’ values and principles.
Microsoft dropped Simpson Thacher to work with Jenner & Block — a firm that fought Trump. Students at elite law schools have also reportedly begun to shun firms that struck deals with the Trump regime.
Bottom line: there’s now a clear blueprint for how to defeat Trump. It’s available to any country, organisation or person on which he seeks to impose his will: reject his demands and then use your own asymmetric power — a form of jiujitsu — to turn Trump’s power against him.
A car drove into Ming Xing Fast Food takeaway outlet in Glendene, West Auckland.Supplied
A car crashed into a West Auckland takeaway outlet on Thursday night, leaving the owner facing the prospect of being closed for a month.
Weiming Lin of Ming Xing Fast Food in Glendene was notified about the incident by a friend who happened to pass the shop after the incident.
“I came around immediately. The tow truck was still there,” Lin said.
“The front window and the wall … have all been smashed. The interior was also a mess.”
He said a counter in the shop had been shunted off its original location.
The car that drove into a takeaway outlet in West Auckland.Supplied
Police said they were called to the single-vehicle crash on Great North Road at around 9:50pm in which a car had struck a store.
“The shop was closed at the time, and there were no reports of injuries,” a police spokesperson said.
“Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances of the crash.”
Lin said he couldn’t figure out how the vehicle managed to strike his store, as it wasn’t close to any sharp turning point.
“We probably can’t operate normally for a month,” he said.
He said he was communicating with his insurance provider and would only know how significant the losses he faced would be later.
“There will be some loss as we won’t have any income and still must pay the mortgage and all sorts of costs,” he said. “It’s a headache for me.”
Police detained the driver on the night of the accident, Lin said.
Weiming Lin, owner of Ming Xing Fast Food, said the accident messed up the interior of his store.Supplied
Fire and Emergency northern shift manager Garreth Lewis said it responded to the crash with four fire trucks, leaving the scene after assisting police and the ambulance.
“There were no persons trapped,” he said.
Hato Hone St John also attended but was not required on scene as it appeared to be a non-injury incident.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Financial Markets Authority headquarters in Auckland.Google Maps
The Financial Markets Authority is seeking to liquidate further entities linked to Rangiora-based investment company Chance Voight Group.
The application to the High Court seeks liquidation for 25 entities, after FMA concerns about how the group has been managed and whether it can meet its financial obligations.
This is the second liquidation application made by the FMA relating to Chance Voight.
In December, the FMA sought the liquidation of its parent company, Chance Voight Investment Corporation, and five of its main subsidiaries.
“The FMA’s decision to seek liquidation of further Chance Voight entities, in addition to those subject to the December 2025 application, follows our receipt of the interim liquidators’ report detailing their preliminary investigative findings, as well as our own continuing investigations into the Chance Voight Group,” FMA head of enforcement Margot Gatland said.
The High Court granted the FMA’s application for the appointment of interim liquidators, pending a hearing on whether the companies should be liquidated.
The interim liquidators report remains under interim suppression and the FMA asked the court to lift suppression at a hearing on 3 March.
The High Court has since issued a judgement on the release of the report, but it remains under suppression until 5pm, 17 April.
Chance Voight Group principal Bernard Whimp opposed the release of the report.
The FMA said its investigation into the group and Whimp was ongoing.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
It is unclear how many youth are on the roof.RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
A group of young people have climbed onto the roof at a youth justice residence in Wiri, South Auckland.
Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive Youth Justice Services & Residential Care, Dean Winter, said they are working with police to get the group down at Korowai Manaaki.
“A number of young people have gained access to the roof within the facility,” he said.
“We are working with police to resolve this matter and can confirm there are no concerns for public safety. The young people are still within the confines of the facility.”
Police said they were called to the residence shortly after 11am and efforts to get the group down are ongoing.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand