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
Hungary election: how a new opponent has forced Viktor Orbán into the first genuinely competitive race in 16 years Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zsofia Bocskay, Postdoctoral Researcher, CEU Democracy Institute, Central European University For the first time since Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010, the Hungarian electorate is faced with a genuinely competitive campaign ahead of the 2026 general election on April 12. For the past 16 years, Prime
Rebel Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb, has genuine warmth – but doesn’t quite work as a musical Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mara Davis Johnson, Lecturer in Creative and Performing Arts, University of Wollongong The Deb is finally here. The film has been plagued by unresolved legal troubles and repeated delays. But here it is – and for the most part, it’s an enjoyable Australian comedy with characteristically crude
What will it take to get ships going through the Strait of Hormuz again? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Professor, Defence and Security Institute, The University of Western Australia; UNSW Sydney Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement by President Donald Trump, linked to Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz, prompted immediate optimism shipping would quickly resume. It didn’t. The following morning, traffic remained minimal. A handful
Artemis II: as humans return to the Moon, which of these 4 futures will we choose? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priyanka Dhopade, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau The four Artemis II astronauts who looped around the Moon this week are expected to splash down soon. NASA’s grand mission spells a return to human deep-space travel, with renewed interest in building a
NZ is surrounded by ocean energy. Just what would it take to tap it? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Stevens, Professor in Ocean Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Earth Sciences New Zealand “Same as it ever was” is a phrase that continues to resonate in 2026. The oil shocks of the 1970s, triggered by conflict in the Middle East, sent global energy prices
‘First contact’ that may have led to complex life on Earth finally witnessed by scientists Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Paul Burns, Associate Professor, School of Biotech & Biomolecular Science, UNSW Sydney On the shores of the west coast of Australia lies a window to our past: the stromatolites and microbial mats of Gathaagudu (Shark Bay). To the untrained eye they look like a collection of
Some countries in Asia are rationing energy – why they’ve been hit hardest by the crisis in the Gulf Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gokcay Balci, Lecturer in Sustainable Freight Transport and Logistics, University of Leeds The war in Iran has led to a global energy crisis. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major energy chokepoint that handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil, has been largely blocked by
The human body isn’t a masterpiece of design – it’s a patchwork of evolutionary compromise Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy E. Hyde, Lecturer, Anatomy, University of Bristol The human body is often described as a marvel of “perfect design”: elegant, efficient and finely tuned for its purpose. Yet, when we look closer, a rather different picture emerges. Far from being a flawless machine, the body reads
Psilocybin mushrooms are going mainstream, but scientific research and regulation lag behind Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hollis Karoly, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Amid a renaissance in the science of psychedelics, public interest in psilocybin – or magic mushrooms, as they’ve long been known – is surging. One study found that rates of psilocybin use increased 44% among
¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! Speedy Gonzales set to make his triumphant return to the silver screen Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jared Bahir Browsh, Assistant Teaching Professor of Critical Sports Studies, University of Colorado Boulder “¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!” Meaning “hurry up, let’s go,” the trademark slogan of Speedy Gonzales was, for generations of children, the first Spanish words they learned. But by the 1980s, ABC had pulled
Fixating on a ‘magic number’ of childcare hours misses what’s most important for kids’ development Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Families with kids juggling full-time work may have been alarmed by media reporting this week, suggesting “too much” time in early childhood education and care could harm their child’s development. Data from a major Australian
Pauline Hanson has a long list of enemies. It’s intentional Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ashlynne McGhee, Head of Editorial Innovation, The Conversation Pretty much everyone of a certain age remembers this line in Pauline Hanson’s maiden speech: “I’m afraid we’re in danger of being swamped by Asians.” It wasn’t the first racist comment she’d made in public and it certainly wasn’t
Will knee injections help your osteoarthritis? Here’s what the evidence says Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Lawford, Senior Research Fellow in Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne Knee osteoarthritis is a complex disease that affects the whole joint, including bone, cartilage, ligaments and muscles. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and movement difficulty, affecting 8.3% of people in Australia. When pain persists,
Is Australia at risk of a recession? Here’s what the data actually shows Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney Talk of a recession in Australia has picked up in recent weeks. Rising fuel prices, a sharp fall in consumer confidence, and signs of softer spending have all added to concerns the economy may be losing momentum.
Meet Diocletian – the Roman emperor who retired to grow cabbages Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Edwell, Associate Professor in Ancient History, Macquarie University Very few Roman emperors died natural deaths. Most were assassinated, some died in battle and one was even struck by lightning. Some emperors sensed the danger and got out of Rome altogether. But only one laid down his
Designing cities: should we build from scratch or keep history alive? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abeer Elshater, Professor of Urban Morphology, Ain Shams University Cities are often described as living archives of human memory. Walk through an old neighbourhood in an Islamic city like Fez in Morocco or Cairo in Egypt, and you can see layers of history in its streets and
PNG defence minister steps aside amid army recruitment controversy By Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor Papua New Guinea’s Defence Minister Dr Billy Joseph has stepped aside to allow investigations into allegations he interfered with army recruitment. Prime Minister James Marape said he would assume the defence portfolio while an independent probe into PNG Defence Force recruitment irregularities proceeded. A media release from Marape
Grattan on Friday: Taylor and Canavan are chalk and cheese – and that’s a problem for Taylor Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra If you want a basic measure of the difference between Liberal leader Angus Taylor and Nationals leader Matt Canavan, compare these two reactions to US President Donald Trump’s extraordinary threat this week that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. Asked
How does Medicare’s new Mental Health Check In work? Is this low-intensity CBT likely to help? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Baldwin, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology; UNSW Sydney If you’ve been struggling with your mental health lately, a new free service could help. Medicare Mental Health Check In launched earlier this year to give more Australians access to mental health care. The
Auckland Emergency Management continues to urge Aucklanders to get prepared and have a plan ahead of Cyclone Vaianu arriving in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Auckland and Aotea Great Barrier Island are currently under three weather warnings – keep up-to-date with the latest MetService forecast and all current watches or warnings by downloading the MetService app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit the MetService website: metservice.com
Prepare your home
If you or your property are in danger at any time, phone 111 – don’t wait, natural warnings need to be acted on immediately.
Get ready for power outages:
Strong winds bring down trees and can cause power outages.
Make sure you’ve got a torch and batteries.
Keep your phone and power banks charged.
Have a battery-operated radio (remember, your car radio can be an alternative).
You can prepare your property ahead of time by:
Checking drains and gutters to ensure they aren’t blocked.
Clearing tree branches, leaves and debris – these can cause flooding issues during heavy rain.
Putting away or tying down any loose outdoor furniture and trampolines in case of high winds.
Have a plan and a grab bag
Consider where you might go if you need to leave home in a hurry. Have the talk and make a plan with whānau and friends about what you would do and where you would go if it is unsafe to shelter in place.
Have a grab bag prepped and ready with essentials like:
Medication
Warm clothes and sturdy shoes
Chargers
Snacks and water
And remember babies and pets’ needs too.
Delay unnecessary travel
Plan your travel carefully and consider whether your travel this weekend is essential.
Make sure you drive to the conditions and never drive through floodwaters or over slips.
Drivers should expect the Auckland Harbour Bridge may need to be fully closed if wind gusts get too high. It is also likely that there will be lane closures and reduced speed limits in place.
Check for real time updates before you travel on the NZTA Highway conditions page: Highway conditions for Auckland | NZTA Journey Planner.
Allow extra time when travelling on public transport during severe weather in case there are delays during your journey. Before taking public transport check the live departures feature in the AT Mobile app.
Postpone remote walks and recreational activities at our parks and beaches until after the weekend.
The forecast is predicting large swells and high energy waves. These conditions are not ideal for boating or shore fishing.
Auckland Council services
Sports fields around the Auckland region will remain open for activities to take place on Saturday 11 April – but all fields will be closed throughout the day on Sunday 12 April.
Those who have booked to stay overnight at any of Auckland’s regional parks this weekend are being advised to stay at home and are being offered full refunds.
Tāwharanui campground, Te Haruhi Bay campground, and Tunnel Point campground will be closed this weekend.
For tree damage on public land, go to the council’s website and ‘report a problem’ online.
Report stormwater issues and flooding to the council on 09 301 0101.
Visit the Auckland Council website: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz for more information.
Advice for boaties
Check your boat before the bad weather arrives.
Secure sails and loose items on deck.
Check condition of mooring lines and run extra lines and if necessary, consider removing your boat if on a mooring in an exposed mooring zone.
Keep a close watch on the weather forecast.
Stay informed
Keep up-to-date on the latest information from official sources and trusted channels.
Stay up to date with weather forecasts and check AT and NZTA’s journey planners for any public transport and roading disruption.
Visit the AEM website (aem.govt.nz) for the latest information, and advice on getting your household prepared for an emergency – you can also visit getready.govt.nz.
President Donald Trump’s rapid and dramatic turn from threatening to kill “an entire civilization” in Iran on the morning of April 7, 2026, to announcing a two-week ceasefire later that day left many observers with a sense of whiplash.
While it is difficult to predict whether the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran will hold or how events will unfold, the dynamics of the conflict so far reveal multiple vulnerabilities in the short term and numerous detrimental effects on the region in the medium to long term.
Already, the truce has shown signs of strain. Iran and the U.S. almost immediately offered dueling narratives about the agreement, including whether it would cover the war in Lebanon. Iran and Pakistan, the primary mediator, asserted that it would, while the U.S. and Israel, which pledged to honor the U.S. agreement, said it would not. Indeed, a day after the ceasefire came into force, Israel conducted some of its most intense bombing in Lebanon to date.
Over the past decade, there has been a shift in regional alliances in the Middle East, leading to increasingly assertive foreign policies by many countries and a deepening rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The current war only fuels these dynamics, incentivizing competition and offering governments and militant groups new opportunities to exert leverage over opponents.
The current reality also underlines the idea that external intervention and privileging war over diplomacy has made conflict resolution ever more difficult in a region with a long history of imperial expansion, great power competition and bitter political divides.
A Lebanese man gathers his belongings from his home, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike a day after the ceasefire with Iran went into effect.AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Regional fault lines
One of the more remarkable aspects of the war in Iran that began on Feb. 28 was how quickly it escalated in terms of geographic scope and the actors pulled into it.
The three key countries involved – Israel, the U.S and Iran – are all facing internal political tensions, polarization and legitimacy crises.
Outside countries such as China, Russia and Pakistan have deployed their own strategic interests and diplomatic tools in the conflict in indirectly getting involved.
The conflict has also drawn in a variety of regional governments and other groups, from [Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states] to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
All of that is bound to deepen the fault lines that make regional tensions and sectarian conflict more likely in the long run.
Meanwhile, public opinion in the Arab world shows profound damage to the United States’ reputation in the region and a loss of credibility in the international legal and humanitarian system.
I think these developments are also deeply troubling for the long term.
Events since the war began have been bad enough. The war has led to over 1,200 Iranian civilian deaths, over 3.2 million Iranians temporarily displaced and significant damage to Iranian infrastructure. Thirteen American soldiers have also died in the course of the conflict, as have more than two dozen in Israel and the Gulf states.
The Houthis and the politics of regional instability
The Houthis in Yemen, one of the conflict participants that remained surprisingly silent at the outbreak of the war, are instructive for understanding the region’s complicated and fractured dynamics.
Houthi supporters burn American and Israeli flags during a rally against the war on Iran in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 3, 2026.AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman
Avowed opponents of Israel, the Houthis declared war against the country following the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza.
In 2024, the Houthis attacked maritime shipping in the Red Sea near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime choke point. That prefigured, in a much smaller and less consequential way, Iran’s own actions in blocking the Strait of Hormuz during the current crisis.
That Houthi campaign to block maritime shipping resulted in a U.S.-led international coalition and significant military strikes against the insurgent group, their redesignation as a foreign terrorist organization, and ultimately a ceasefire deal between the U.S. and the Houthi movement in May 2025.
Yet the underlying regional disputes and domestic fractures that the Houthis were part of were never resolved.
Eventually, the Houthis reentered the fight against Israel amid the latest war in Iran, attacking Israel on March 28.
They refrained from attacks in the Red Sea and currently are observing the ceasefire. But entering the war enabled a weakened Houthi movement to signal resolve, military capacity and commitment to its alliance with Iran, just as Yemen continues to face an economic and severe humanitarian crisis. The Houthis now also have added leverage to play the role of spoiler amid ongoing diplomacy.
The costs of diplomacy avoidance
Of course, the Houthis are not the only movement that will perceive the war on Iran as an opportunity to exert regional influence.
Just as the Houthis and their enemies are using regional conflicts to boost their domestic legitimacy and strategic advantages, so too are the more salient participants − Iran, Israel and the U.S. − relitigating their own past conflicts on the battlefield.
Amid all of these current regional trends of crises and contestation, the United States’ own strategic goals have remained remarkably unclear. The Trump administration has vacillated from a focus on regime change to preventing Iran from developing nuclear capabilities.
President Donald Trump departs a news conference on April 6, the day before threatening to destroy Iran’s civilization − and then agreeing to a ceasefire.AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
So far, there are no indications that talks with Iran to extend the ceasefire into a full diplomatic agreement will successfully prevent Iran from pursuing uranium enrichment. Indeed, one of the contested points of the framework for talks with Iran is the apparent acceptance of Iran’s right to nuclear enrichment.
In 2018, Trump abandoned the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or so-called Iran deal. In it, Iran agreed to terms, including limiting uranium enrichment, that would block its path to a nuclear weapon, should it have desired one.
Under the Iran deal, Tehran had also complied with inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It was not until much after American withdrawal from the agreement that Iran once again started stockpiling uranium and pursuing enrichment.
In her 2020 book on the tenuous 22-month diplomatic process leading to the Iran deal, aptly titled “Not for the Faint of Heart,” Ambassador Wendy Sherman wrote how complex, challenging and delicate such multiparty negotiations can be.
But the recent war on Iran suggests that the current machine-gun politics approach toward Tehran and the Middle East favored by the U.S. and Israel comes with serious costs and risks.
In the course of a war with unclear targets, vague strategic objectives and high human costs, the region is far less stable than it was when the conflict began. That has made the path to long-term durable peace all the more difficult now that diplomacy is back on the table.
For the first time since Viktor Orbán came to power in 2010, the Hungarian electorate is faced with a genuinely competitive campaign ahead of the 2026 general election on April 12.
For the past 16 years, Prime Minister Orbán’s party Fidesz has dominated. Faced with smear campaigns and attacks portraying opponents as a threat to national interests and sovereignty, any opposition has been fragmented and ineffectual, held together by uneasy alliances.
This time round, however, Fidesz’s hold is threatened by a single challenger, the Respect and Freedom Party (Tisza), which is currently leading by around 20 percentage points in the polls. Founded in 2020 and led by Péter Magyar since 2024, this centre-right party positions itself as a cross-ideological alternative. Its main focus is tackling government corruption and improving living standards and public services. Its international stance is pro-European and unifying.
The 2026 contest comes at a time of economic strain and growing public dissatisfaction. Hungary is one of the EU’s poorest member states. It also ranks among the most corrupt in international indices. Voters are therefore not just choosing between parties, but between the continuation of an entrenched system and what the Tisza is framing as a regime change.
Hungary is widely described as a competitive autocracy. Elections are regularly held, but the government dominates most of the media and benefits from institutional rules that favour it. Research bears this out. Campaigns in competitive autocracies occur in constrained information environments: governments dominate the media, limit opposition visibility, and, as studies I have contributed to show, often disseminate misinformation from the top.
The opposing parties drew huge crowds to Heroes’ Square and the Hungarian Parliament on March 15 this year.Wikimedia, CC BY
Increased public engagement
Fidesz has reshaped the country’s political system in ways that help it retain a durable electoral advantage. Since 2010, televised debates have disappeared from election campaigns. Around 85% of the media is now controlled by pro-government outlets that often convey identical narratives.
In line with these constraints, the government’s rhetoric has centred on security for over a decade. In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine gave new momentum to the Fidesz campaign. It framed the opposition as pro-war. Campaign events were held in controlled settings, with Orbán appearing in pro-government media and smaller local events.
The 2026 election campaign has been different. Orbán is now campaigning more actively across the country. While he has continued to claim that the opposition, aligned with Ukraine and the EU, would take Hungary to war, he has been making frequent appearances and directly engaging with voters. Other government figures have also taken on a more visible role. Ministers are touring the country and appearing at campaign events.
The party has also made efforts to strengthen its social media presence as a way to distribute pro-government messages.
Despite this, the government’s control over the campaign agenda has been less stable than in previous elections. Increased exposure has come with greater risks. High-profile party members have generated public controversy. In January, transportation minister János Lázár drew ire for comments he made about the country not needing foreign labour, in which he also insulted Hungarian Roma.
Elsewhere, there have been confrontations at campaign events, where protesters have openly challenged the prime minister and black-clad security personnel have intervened. Anti-government protests at these events have also multiplied, reflecting this more direct and less controlled campaign environment.
Robust opposition
This shift is in direct response to the challenge Tisza poses. The party emerged as a major contender following the 2024 European parliamentary elections.
Magyar is a former Fidesz member and the ex-husband of the former justice minister Judit Varga. He entered frontline politics in early 2024, distancing himself from the government following the presidential pardon scandal, which led to the resignation of both Varga and president Katalin Novák. He later released a recording of Varga referring to alleged interference in a major corruption case.
He has spent the past two years touring the country and building local Tisza organisations. In his speeches, streamed on social media, Magyar often responds within hours to government-related developments then returns to them in later appearances. Following allegations of intelligence interference targeting his party, he quickly incorporated the issue into his campaign.
Cost of living
This campaign is unfolding against a backdrop of difficult economic conditions. Inflation is high, living costs are rising, the economy is stagnant. Research shows that competitive authoritarian governments, like Orbán’s, use propaganda to shape media narratives and reduce the salience of economic problems for voters. Tisza, by contrast, has made living standards a central theme.
In the final weeks of the campaign, Magyar has emphasised the argument that Orbán’s government is aligned with Russia and highlighted concerns about election rigging as a basis to call for electoral reform. Orbán has struggled to push back on all counts and has found itself unable to shift the campaign agenda back towards security issues.
Former Orbán ally Peter Magyar has forced a real campaign in Hungary for the first time in a long time.EPA
Magyar’s party has also demonstrated its ability to connect to the public. On March 15, a key national holiday marking the 1848 Revolution, Tisza held a rally in Heroes’ Square, Budapest, rivalling the government’s own peace march. Sources vary on the scale of both events. Fidesz quoted the Hungarian Tourism Agency’s figures of 180,000 people at the government’s march, and 150,000 at Tisza’s. Politico quoted sources close to the opposition estimating their attendees numbering over 350,000.
In his speech at his march, Orbán again framed the election as a contest between peace and war, casting it as a decision between himself and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Magyar, however, used national symbols and historical references to present the vote as a decisive turning point in Hungary’s political direction.
For years, Fidesz shaped campaigns on its own terms, limiting uncertainty. The current campaign shows that this control can be disrupted: rather than responding to government attacks, the opposition has set the agenda by elevating issues that mobilise public attention, forcing the government into a more competitive mode of campaigning.
This election therefore presents the possibility of more than a routine change of government. It could mark a turning point for the political system. Whether or not such a shift materialises, the campaign demonstrates that even in constrained environments, ruling parties can be pushed into forms of competition more typical of democratic settings. Once this happens, structural advantages no longer compensate for the strategic demands of open contest.
The Deb is finally here. The film has been plagued by unresolved legal troubles and repeated delays. But here it is – and for the most part, it’s an enjoyable Australian comedy with characteristically crude humour, but aimed squarely at a young, female audience.
It’s a shame it’s not as good a musical as it is a comedy.
The Deb began life as a stage musical, as the first recipient of Rebel Wilson’s scholarship program for young, female-identifying comedy writers. Written by Australian comedy writer Hannah Reilly and musician Meg Washington, the musical was produced by the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and enjoyed a successful season in 2022. Almost immediately, Wilson flagged her intent to adapt the stage show for film.
Set in the fictional, drought-ravaged town of Dunburn, The Deb is a loose riff on the fable of the the town mouse and the country mouse.
Wealthy, stylish, attractive and self-confident Maeve (Charlotte MacInnes, reprising her role from the stage production) is a Sydney private school student who, after being expelled from school for staging a political protest against the tyranny of the top shirt button, is dispatched to the country by her principal-slash-mother for some fresh country air and a change of perspective.
Her cousin and foil, Taylor Simpkins (Natalie Abbott), is an earnest, sweet, unpopular farm girl, desperate to find a date for the debutante ball. Politically, socially, and sexually, the two girls are a world apart.
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All about the women
Maeve is initially horrified at the tradition of the deb ball and what she sees as its backwards, patriarchal implications. Yet one of the film’s strengths is that it manages to make the clash between Maeve’s woke politics and the sensibilities of Dunburn’s residents for the most part funny, rather than painfully didactic.
As Maeve softens, she realises that traditions – even antiquated ones – are important rituals that connect communities together.
There’s a lot to like about the performances. The Deb is a proud member of a movement that I have previously termed the “female turn” in Australian musical theatre, recognising the viewership for musical theatre overwhelmingly skews young and female.
The film is unambiguously geared at this market. This is a film all about the women, and both MacInnes and Abbott deliver in spades.
This is a film about – and for – women.John Platt/Rialto Distribution
The male characters, like the salt-of-the-earth Rick (Taylor’s father and the town’s mayor, played by Shane Jacobsen) and Maeve’s dreamy love interest Dusty (Costa D’Angelo), are peripheral at best.
Wilson’s on-brand performance as Janette, a hairdresser whose claim to fame is having waxed Hugh Jackman’s “back, sack and crack”, delivers exactly the broad comedy that the project’s funders, who made her appearance on screen a condition of their investment, were presumably looking for. Wilson’s two onscreen daughters deserve special mention. Stevie Jean, who plays teenage mean-girl Annabelle, has one of the best voices in the cast, while Scarlett Crabtree’s Kid Koala is a comic highlight.
The trouble with the music
The strong performances are not enough to override the film’s central problem: that, devastatingly for a musical, the music is the weakest link.
The Deb doesn’t manage to settle on either a sonic or choreographic language that supports the deeply Australian narrative, humour, aesthetic and landscape underpinning it.
Individually, there are some great, catchy songs – but the score as a whole does not cohere. Stylistically, the influence of Fangirls and Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical is apparent, but the creators of The Deb seem to have misunderstood that in both these cases, there were more sophisticated dramaturgical underpinnings connecting genre, story and character than are evident here.
There are some great, catchy songs – but the score as a whole does not cohere.John Platt/Rialto Distribution
While songs can perform a multitude of different functions in musical theatre, in The Deb they mostly do not push the plot forward.
The film itself implicitly concedes this: as the plot heats up, there is a long, songless stretch where all the important things happen without music. To my mind, this was an admission by the filmmakers that the music is subsidiary to the action; a soundtrack, rather than an integrated, essential part of the storytelling.
Genuine warmth
My husband grew up in a country town akin to Dunburn, and I had the great pleasure of watching the film with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, both of whom had actually attended their own debutante balls (my husband abandoned us after the first song, reinforcing my view about the film’s audience).
The three women who remained found many pleasurable, laugh-out-loud moments of quintessentially Australian humour in the film. It exhibits a genuine warmth for Australian regional towns, and the people who live there. It’s a welcome message for a nation that, as the current polling for One Nation indicates, continues to experience a city/country divide.
It’s a pity it doesn’t have a winning, iconic song to bind us together and do what musicals do best – send us out into our communities, armed with songs to share.
Pharmac said people might receive smaller supplies than usual “to ensure everyone can continue to access this important treatment”.IGOR STEVANOVIC / SCIENCE PHOTO
A national shortage of progesterone pills has left perimenopausal and menopausal women unable to collect their full prescriptions.
Pharmac on its website said an increase in demand and long lead times to manufacture the product meant there was limited supply of the Utrogestan-branded capsules.
One woman, who did not want to be named, told RNZ she had been given eight tablets by her pharmacist to get her through the next few days, but he was unable to fulfill her entire script.
She said the medication helped her with poor sleep, mood regulation and heavy periods, and expected going without it would have a direct impact “pretty quickly”.
Pharmac said people might receive smaller supplies than usual “to ensure everyone can continue to access this important treatment”.
It said multiple shipments were arriving between March and mid-May 2026.
“It will take time for this stock to reach pharmacies around New Zealand.”
The medication was not included in Pharmac’s list of shortages caused by the conflict in the Middle East – the only one listed currently was isosorbide mononitrate, used to prevent chest pain, and for which a substitute was available.
Judge Ema Aitken will appear before the panel, after allegedly disrupting a function at Auckland’s exclusive Northern Club in 2024.RNZ Composite
A judicial conduct panel has found the actions of Judge Ema Aitken during an event at Auckland’s Northern Club in 2024 doesn’t justify her being removed.
The panel found her actions were a “serious breach of comity” but “fell short of the high threshold of ‘misbehaviour’ necessary to warrant consideration of her removal”.
Judge Aitken was accused of yelling at New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, and calling him a liar.
She denied yelling, and claimed she didn’t recognise Peters and didn’t know it was a political event.
Judge Aitken will remain an acting district court judge until her warrant expires in February.
More to come…
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
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