AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for April 13, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Radio New Zealand

What if a group of randomly selected people were put in a room and asked to hammer out national policy, or co-opted onto select committees?

It sounds like a social experiment, but was raised repeatedly at last month’s Democracy Forum at Parliament, hosted by Labour’s Duncan Webb and National’s Vanessa Weenink.

The concept even has a name – a citizens’ assembly. It sits under a broader political science idea known as deliberative democracy (our current system is a representative democracy).

Randomly selected people would make decisions as a group. The issue could be very local or take on more precarious national questions, like the superannuation age.

One panelist at the forum was Mika Hervel, a winner of the Rod Oram Memorial Essay Prize. He envisaged the process playing out a bit like a jury.

“A group of randomly selected people, demographically representative of the population as a whole, are brought together, typically to discuss a particular issue,” Hervel explained.

“This group of people is then provided with experts who they can question, stakeholders who they can hear from. They’re provided with information about budgets and costs and benefits, scientific information, modelling… and given time to deliberate.

“This then leads to recommendations often, or decisions that are passed on to be implemented by officials or to be operationalised.”

Of course, Parliament already has built-in ways for people to participate between elections – through petitions, select committees, through contacting MPs – even via protest.

Hervel says these form a solid foundation for public engagement, but deliberative democracy could help address some of the limitations critics often point to in the select-committee process.

He argues that the current engagement is self-selecting, which can mean hearing from the usual suspects again and again, and that MPs rejecting one’s ideas can be disenfranchising.

Others might respond that the current system of self-selected feedback to select committees ensures that subject experts and those most likely to be impacted are also the most likely to feed into the issue.

“Deliberative democracy seeks to engage ordinary people, including those often forgotten by politics and decision-making, which I would suggest energises and connects people to the issues happening that directly affect them,” says Hervel. “[It] helps them see how they are affected and empowers them to be involved in looking for solutions.”

Fellow panelist Max Rashbrooke suggests that 100 people, representative of New Zealand demographically, would likely reach similar conclusions to the whole country, if everyone could fit in a room together.

Constitutional law expert Andrew Butler sees it as an innovative way to improve participation. He described a democratic fatigue – that political parties are not functioning as forums for deliberation in the way they might have in the past, when membership was larger.

“Most people get into politics through political parties – good people who go and put [their] heads above the parapet – because they actually want to make a difference,” says Butler. “They want to help debates, but there is something about the way in which the ecosystem works, which makes that difficult to achieve.”

Butler sees deliberative democracy as complementing select committees.

“Supplementing the work that is done [in Parliament would draw] people in to want to participate on issues that are important.

“What all of the studies emphasise is the importance of framing the issue, getting the right people in the room facilitating the conversation – probably the hardest aspect of the exercise – but well-facilitated deliberative democracy adds to the sense of democracy and… to democracy’s legitimacy.

“One of the points about our democracy is to try and achieve a level of acceptance of decisions, not the ones you agree with – that’s easy. The point of democracy is to find acceptance of those very things you do not agree with.”

While the idea of citizens’ assemblies raised its head repeatedly at the forum and most agreed it could be very useful for local issues, not everyone saw it as a solution for national decision-making, with criticism coming from other speakers, in Q&As and informally.

While proponents argued that democratic engagement is flagging, public submissions to select committees have grown by orders of magnitude over recent Parliaments, repeatedly breaking records and showing participation is in fact improving.

Some participants and attendees pointed out constitutional and process issues, while others saw citizens assemblies as hopelessly naïve – and that disagreement is not a product of politics but exists in any group of people facing a significant issue.

Some argued that the idea discounted the value of expertise and experience, factors they believed were crucial for solving complex national issues. Arguing that assemblies were not a salve to discord, one attendee noted that, in international experience, the randomly chosen participants had received threats (as politicians also do), which mirrored, rather than removed the emotion and discord of traditional politics.

Listen to the audio version of this story by clicking the link near the top of the page.

RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Health NZ (HNZ) is sending more eye operations to the private sector under longer-term contracts without first working out how much that is likely to save compared to short-term outsourcing.

It is moving to set up a “panel” of private providers of ophthalmology it can draw on, though it does not appear to be using all options to boost public care.

One option was for more weekend and evening surgeries in public hospitals.

“Health NZ has not added more evening and weekend operating theatre sessions for ophthalmology,” it told RNZ this week.

Also, it had aimed to add more types of surgery at hospitals in Auckland and Christchurch; however, asked by RNZ if it had added ophthalmology, it did not say.

The tender for the panel has just closed.

The tender said the country’s four health regions could not meet demand for eye care so it would outsource some of the work for five years to start with, with a further five-year right of renewal.

Other related “commitment” contracts would be three years long.

HNZ said the panel would not set a volume for outsourced surgery and more complex procedures would usually still be done in public hospitals.

A coalition of health sector organisations, Kaitiaki Hauora, accused it of going further than ever towards privatisation.

“If the public system is struggling, the answer should be to rebuild it, not hand more of it over,” the group said.

HNZ’s director of hospitals funding Rachel Haggerty pushed back.

“There has been no decrease in public hospital provision for elective treatments in ophthalmology, rather outsourcing has enabled Health NZ to treat the unmet needs of our patients requiring elective treatment intervention. This in part is reflective of our aging population growth,” she said in a statement.

Health NZ already had a mini ophthalmology panel in Auckland and Northland of eight private clinics on three-year contract terms, a table released to RNZ by HNZ showed.

It also had panels set up for outsourcing “surgical”, radiology, endoscopy and cardio procedures, among the 16 clinical specialities.

The five-year duration of the new ophthalmology panel would deliver “better value for money through stronger commercial leverage”, Haggerty said.

Yet when asked if the agency had analysed how much the long-term deals might save compared to the short-term ones, she said no.

“Health NZ has not completed a standalone analysis quantifying savings from longer-term versus previous short-term outsourcing contracts, including for ophthalmology,” Haggerty said.

“This work is currently in the planning stage.”

The agency’s savings programme was among the areas ranked weakest in a recent report to a committee working to decentralise Health NZ.

Outsourcing hits 19 percent

The share of outsourced elective procedures versus those done in public hospitals had climbed steadily, from 8.6 percent of public-funded treatments in 2011-12, to 12.5 percent halfway through the Labour-led government’s term in 2020, to 16.7 percent in 2023-24.

The government’s introduction of its ‘Elective Boost’ policy last year would likely push that share higher.

The boost was an attempt to hit a target of 95 percent of patients getting their elective surgery within four months.

HNZ told Health Minister Simeon Brown last year hitting that would take two things: more outsourcing and more insourcing.

For the latter, to increase operations in public hospitals required “better use” of the country’s newest surgical hospital Tōtara Haumaru, which had a delayed start in 2024 due to staff shortages, and also of Burwood “by expanding the elective treatments they are funded to provide”.

Asked if it had done this, Haggerty said, “Service additions at individual facilities (including Tōtara Haumaru, Manukau Health Park, and Burwood) are set regionally based on workforce, theatre capacity, and demand.

“Any ophthalmology expansion is coordinated with national clinical and capacity planning.”

She did not make clear what if any speciality procedures had been added where.

In Waitematā, she said, ophthalmology procedures increased from about 19 a month before April 2025 to about 125 a month now in public facilities.

As for the second must-have – more outsourcing – Brown was told this demanded setting up longer-term agreements such as of two-to-three years.

HNZ told RNZ the longer terms provided more certainty for patients and clinics and a more stable market to build a workforce and infrastructure plus better commercial leverage.

It told Brown last year the main risks to upping volumes both in- and out- sourced were around how to increase the availability of senior specialists and still safely manage public hospital clinical workloads; and that the private workforce might be “insufficient” to take on the extra work.

Health commentator Ian Powell, who used to head the senior doctors’ union, said in a column the new panel plan would hit the reality of ophthalmology’s small number of clinics that faced huge technology costs to set up.

There were only 175 ophthalmogists countrywide, 85 of those primarily in private clinics, Powell said. “Already stretched, it is unlikely that there is the workforce capacity.”

Ophthalmology elective treatments had risen from 23,000 five years ago to 31,600 last year, said Health NZ. Five years ago, about 7700 were outsourced, versus 11,600 now with several months yet to run in the financial year.

Kaitiaki Hauora contended the panel tender signalled a clear shift to privatisation.

Its chair – and ex-chair of HNZ – Rob Campbell – said the move was qualitatively and quantitatively “significant” for community eye-health.

He called the panel a case of “contract fishing … cast it out and see what we catch. It is very dangerous as the bidder can start to control the process”.

Haggerty said outsourcing was a long-standing part of planned care.

“Volumes are managed so outsourcing complements public services, improves access, and supports elective targets.”

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Source: Media Outreach

QUANG NINH, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 April 2026 – The People’s Committee of Quang Ninh Province, in coordination with Vingroup and the People’s Committees of Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Bac Ninh, today officially launches the Hanoi– Quang Ninh high-speed railway project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2028. With a maximum design speed of up to 350 km/h, the project will shorten travel time between the two localities by five to seven times, to approximately 23 minutes.

The launch ceremony for the Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway project is part of a series of activities celebrating the successful election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, aimed at creating momentum for a new phase of development.

The event was attended by Mr. Le Minh Hung, Politburo Member and Prime Minister; Mr. Pham Minh Chinh, former Politburo Member and former Prime Minister; Mr. Pham Gia Tuc, Politburo Member and Standing Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh, former Politburo Member and former Standing Deputy Prime Minister; Mr. Luong Tam Quang, Politburo Member and Minister of Public Security; along with leaders of central ministries, agencies, and localities.

The Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway project is developed by VinSpeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development Joint Stock Company, a member of Vingroup, with a total investment of over VND 147 trillion, equivalent to more than USD 5.6 billion, excluding land clearance costs.

The project spans four localities: Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh, with a total length of 120.2 km. It is designed as a double-track, standard-gauge (1,435 mm), fully electrified railway, with a maximum operating speed of up to 350 km/h. The section passing through Hanoi will operate at a maximum speed of 120 km/h. The project is expected to deploy the latest generation of high-speed trains, alongside world-class signaling, communications, and equipment systems supplied by Siemens Mobility (Germany), with a roadmap for technology transfer to VinSpeed during operations.

The starting point of the line will be at Co Loa Station, located within the Vietnam National Exhibition Center, Vinhomes Global Gate Hanoi urban area. The terminal station will be Ha Long Station, located within Globe Forest Park, Vinhomes Global Gate Ha Long, Quang Ninh. The route will include three intermediate stations at Gia Binh (Bac Ninh), Ninh Xa (Hai Phong), and Yen Tu (Quang Ninh), as well as one depot located at the Ha Long terminal station.

According to plan, the project is expected to be completed and enter commercial operation in 2028, reducing travel time from Hanoi to Quang Ninh by five to seven times, from over two hours to approximately 23 minutes.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Bui Van Khang, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh Province, stated: “The Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway is a mega-project that carries significant expectations. It demonstrates the capacity and strong commitment of the investor, and stands as clear evidence of the increasingly deep participation of the private sector in critical national infrastructure. We are committed to continuing close coordination with central ministries and the investor throughout project implementation; proactively addressing any arising challenges; and ensuring land clearance, resettlement, and all necessary conditions are in place for the project to be delivered on schedule and to the highest quality standards.”

As the first inter-regional high-speed railway project to be implemented in Vietnam, the Hanoi –Quang Ninh line is expected to create strong momentum for the Northern Key Economic Region, while marking a significant step toward a new era of accelerated development, contributing to the realization of the Party’s and Government’s determination to enhance national competitiveness.

Representing the investor, Mr. Nguyen Viet Quang, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vingroup, shared: “Today’s launch ceremony for the Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway affirms Vingroup’s strong commitment to contributing to infrastructure development, steadily building a modern, internationally-standardized transport infrastructure system, thereby supporting socio-economic growth and improving the quality of life for the Vietnamese people.”

Mr. Michael Peter, Global CEO of Siemens Mobility, shared: “We are committed to bring to Vietnam the world’s most advanced, safest, and most efficient high-speed rail system with proven track record across the globe. Every day, our trains run around one million kilometers, three times the distance to the moon, with an unbeaten safety record. Each train is developed fully digitally, delivering maximum energy efficiency and a superior passenger experience. Siemens is committed to deliver a close and sustainable partnership with Vingroup, where we envision a true win-win partnership, including an extensive technology transfer program. We will build and service these trains together, creating a new railway ecosystem in Vietnam.”

The Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway is the second project undertaken by VinSpeed. In December 2025, VinSpeed officially broke ground of the Ben Thanh – Can Gio railway line in Ho Chi Minh City, which is also expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The consecutive rollout of two high-speed railway projects in both the northern and southern regions not only affirms VinSpeed’s strong execution capabilities, but also lays the foundation for the development of a multi-billion-dollar railway and supporting industries ecosystem, contributing to elevating Vietnam’s position and competitiveness on the global stage.

Hashtag: #Vingroup #VinSpeed

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Researchers have identified “te reo trauma” as a barrier to the revitalisation of the Māori language.

Dr Raukura Roa (Waikato, Maniapoto, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Ngāti Raukawa) told RNZ the working definition for te reo Māori trauma is “a person’s emotional, psychological, spiritual distress and or physical injury caused by harmful events or by association to harmful events, which directly impacts their ability and or willingness to learn and or speak te reo Māori”.

One of the things that had her start research on this topic, which became the report Te Reo Māori Trauma Literature Review authored with Professor Tom Roa, was the fact that despite it being widely talked about on social media especially, there was no definition for Māori language trauma.

“The fundamental thing I wanted to accomplish, though, with this particular research is identifying exactly what it is we’re talking about when we say te reo Māori language trauma and also to be quite specific. So language trauma is across all languages, te reo Māori language trauma is specific to te reo Māori, so I wanted to get those things distinct.”

Research was expanded in a second report, Everyday Experiences of Te Reo Māori Trauma by Dr Mohi Rua, which saw a small number of participants share their experiences anonymously.

Roa said when learning a language there were both internal and external barriers that needed to be overcome. External barriers included time, money, government policy, but other people’s attitudes and comments could also be perceived as external barriers.

“So other people’s behaviours, other people’s attitudes, comments can be perceived as an external barrier. The other people, however, the comments, the judgments, it points to an internal barrier around fear.

“Fear of being judged because you made a mistake or just plain fear of making mistakes. Fear of being embarrassed or humiliated because you mispronounced some words, or you used the completely wrong word for the wrong context and in that moment was either judged or experienced embarrassment by being judged or publicly humiliated based on the way in which you were corrected.”

The physical injuries and emotional scars experienced by the generation of Māori who experienced corporal punishment at school for speaking te reo was also a barrier, she said.

“Even by association, so even if you yourself weren’t caned for speaking te reo Maori, if you saw someone who was caned, that would stop you as well. Our brains do a quick calculation. Te reo Māori equals pain. Te reo Māori is bad. Don’t speak te reo Māori.

“What’s missing is just there’s no freedom to just kōrero. Just kōrero. If it’s on social media, if it’s, you know, in person, on the phone, on Zoom hui. Kaore te iwi i te tino wātea ki te tuku i te reo kia rere, he wehi.”

Can we reach 1 million speakers by 2040?

In 2019 the government pledged to ensure one million people in New Zealand were able to speak basic te reo Māori by 2040. Roa said reo trauma would be a big barrier to that goal.

Te reo was New Zealand’s most widely spoken language after English, data from Stats NZ showed there were 213,849 te reo Māori speakers in 2023, up from 185,955 in 2018, an increase of 27,894 people (15 percent) since the 2018 Census.

Roa said that was a huge increase, but if the number of speakers continued to increase at a pace of 30,000 every five years, the country would reach approximately 303,000 speakers by 2040, quite a shortfall.

“The thing is, until now, we haven’t really started dealing with Māori language trauma as a barrier. We’ve talked about it. We know about it. We know that there’s a barrier there. We know that there is trauma there. We know that people experience fear, they experience embarrassment. We haven’t actually come up with a strategy to combat that barrier, to dismantle that barrier.”

In order to reach that goal, New Zealand needed to find new strategies and be committed to not only identifying the barriers, both external and internal, but also be willing to work on dismantling those barriers, she said.

‘It gives a very clear message’ – Te Mātāwai on trauma research

Chair/toihau of Te Mātāwai’s Komiti Rangahau, Teina Boasa-Dean, said it made sense that there be further research from Te Mātāwai into te reo trauma.

While the themes and issues raised by Roa’s research were not new, they brought new insight into the contemporary experiences of te reo speakers, she said.

“It gives a very clear message that what is still deeply embedded inside communities, Māori communities in particular, is the notion that a number of different forms of distress, anxiety, even discriminatory, I think, attitudes towards te reo Māori has exacerbated lots of different forms of anxiety around language learning, language revitalisation.”

Boasa-Dean said te reo trauma had “without question” been a hindrance to language revitalisation over the last 50 years.

Referring to it as “trauma” was a very pointed and accurate way of describing what people were experiencing, what learners were experiencing in terms of encountering their language and their cultural knowledge, maybe for some of them for the first time, she said.

Māori needed to design innovative strategies to cope with the different forms of trauma, whether that was anxiety or distress, she said.

“Much of that sits on the shoulders of skilled and talented facilitators to ensure that they are conscious, number one, that … many, many of our people will walk into the door, the language learning door, with different levels, different shades, and different degrees of fear.

“Kei te nui anō hoki te aupēhitanga i tō tātou reo me ōna tikanga i roto i a Aotearoa i tēnei wā tonu. Nō reira, he wā tōtika tēnei wā ki te kawe haere anō hoki i ō tātou taiaha ki te turaki anō hoki i ērā taiapa ki raro, kia mauri tau ai te ngākau, te wairua, te hinegaro o te tangata e kuhu mai ana ki te ako i tāna reo me ōna tikanga tonu.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Described as a visionary leader and a builder of belonging – former Manukau City Mayor Sir Barry Curtis was celebrated at his funeral service in Manukau on Friday.

Sir Barry died last week, aged 87.

He had a career of nearly 40 years in local-goverment, and was one of the longest serving mayors in New Zealand.

He led Manukau City from 1983 to 2007 at a time when the city was expanding rapidly, and has been remembered in eulogies by colleagues and politicians as a mayor with a love for community, equity and inclusion.

Hundreds gathered at the Dew Drop Events Centre for the service, including family, former and current mayors, councillors and members of parliament.

Sir Barry Curtis’s casket was carried into the venue that he played a key role in envisioning for Manukau, with Kapa Haka by students from Otahuhu College – his old high school.

Colin Dale, former chief executive of Manukau City Council who worked alongside Sir Barry for two decades, said he was the best leader.

“He was an icon, a legend, I think he was the best mayor,” he said.

Dale said Sir Barry’s legacy in Manukau reflects not only in the many infrastructure projects he pushed for – including the Manukau Rail Link and the Te Irirangi Drive project – but also all the community and sporting groups he promoted, such as Enterprising Manukau, City Manukau Education Trust, Counties Manukau Sports Trust, the Māori Wardens in Ōtara, and other Pasifika groups across the city.

He also “hammered forever” for the courthouse in Manukau, and the Manukau police station, which both became a reality, said Dale.

Dale praised Sir Barry’s relationships with Iwi and Hapū and his enduring bonds with Waikato-Tainui.

He said during Auckland’s 1994 drought, it was Sir Barry who struck the long-term agreement with Tainui for the city to access water from the Waikato River.

Former MP Aupito Su’a William Sio says for many Pasifika and Māori communities, Sir Barry’s leadership was special, carrying warmth and affection.

“He made us feel welcome and valued, it was powerful to see a palangi of his stature, mingling at our gatherings, shaking our hands, speaking our language, even when he stumbled in pronunciation,” he said.

Aupito said he travelled with Sir Barry to Samoa in 1993, where Sir Barry was bestowed the Matai title of Seiuli at the request of the Samoan diaspora in Ōtara, in recognition of his contribution to the community here.

Sir Barry led by example to show palangi leaders that inclusion was not a matter of negotiation, but an obligation, said Aupito.

Aupito described Sir Barry as a “builder of belonging”.

“He made Manukau not just a city, but a family, his legacy lives on not in the echoes of speeches, but in every smiling face at the part, in every child learning in the library, in every family who swims in water made free for all,” he said.

For Anne Candy, who worked alongside Sir Barry as his deputy mayor for nine years, Sir Barry’s leadership was one that championed equity and diversity.

“Manukau, New Zealand’s most progressive city was also Manukau – the face of the future. This was Sir Barry’s command that whatever was happening in Manukau would eventually be happening in the whole of Aoteaora.

“Manukau was the face of the future, it was the face of Pākehā, it was the face of Māori, it was the face of Asians, it was the face of Middle Easterns, it was the face of every country in the world who found Manukau was their home,” she said.

Candy said Sir Barry had a vision of infrastructure that would benefit the whole community.

His passion to have mana whenua as a status of uncompromising respect was a foundation upon which many treaty activities took place in Manukau City, she said.

Former Waitākere City Mayor Sir Bob Harvey said Sir Barry has a legacy second to none in New Zealand.

“Sir Barry was a giant in local politics and King of Manukau of course, and the success of the South was really his child, he adored the South,” he said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

• DOC staff on Rakiura have logged 75 security incidents in the past year, including threats, harassment and verbal abuse linked to predator-free work
• Local groups opposed claim community concerns about 1080 and other toxins have not been properly heard
• DOC says no further drops are planned this year but the project is continuing – and it cannot succeed without community support

Department of Conservation staff on Stewart Island are logging about one security incident a week linked to predator-free work, including harassment, threats and verbal abuse.

The Department is one of several partners working on an ambitious goal to make Rakiura fully pest-free, but residents say the project – and in particular the use of toxic baits – has proven deeply divisive.

Security incident reports from DOC, revealed to RNZ under the Official Information Act, show tensions reached a boiling point on 75 occasions from September 2024 to December 2025.

Among a string of incidents linked to predator free work were two involving damage or theft on boats, one involving hazardous substances, and another of “obscene behaviour.”

Some of the threats, harassment and verbal abuse was aimed at contractors or volunteers, and some came via email or social media, the records showed.

In August, a group of people opposed to Predator Free Rakiura held a protest.

DOC’s Southern South Island Operations Director Aaron Fleming said it was not unusual for DOC staff to encounter harassment or security incidents at work, but there had been a particular increase over the past year as staff on Rakiura worked through 1080 operations.

“We have had to work with [staff on Rakiura] to support them in how to deal with situations which might be a bit confronting, and ensure that we’ve got measures in place to keep them safe,” he said.

The incidents were linked to a “vocal minority”, he said.

“It’s not just been people on the island. It’s been people that we’ve heard from around the country as well, who have particular views around that methodology. We have really tried hard to work with those people. And it’s really important when people have views, which may differ to our own, that we can have constructive dialogue and really productive sessions with them to help them understand their questions, for us to hear their feedback.”

Environment Southland reported last month that it too had encountered “emerging tensions” on Rakiura linked to recent animal control work.

DOC and Zero Invasive Predators, the key delivery partner for Predator Free Rakiura, had held a number of public meetings from the outset of the programme, Fleming said.

“We have set up engagement sessions for this project over the last year and a bit. We have brought in experts, so it’s not just the DOC voice or the contractor’s voice, so they can hear from other people and other perspectives,” he said.

‘We do not really have a say’

In Oban, one of the groups opposed to the project was the Protect Rakiura Trust, a community group headed by resident Furhana Ahmad.

Ahmad said she would never condone threats or harassment, but she felt the engagement sessions had been rushed and her group’s perspective had not been fully acknowledged.

She estimated about a third of the island’s residents were members of her group, and said they were worried about the seemingly “indiscriminate” use of toxins including 1080.

“I think it is sad that there is this divide and it has not been helped by the attitudes and the way that DOC have dealt with this whole agenda, which is unfortunately going to carry on and on because there is a mindset that this is the best thing for Rakiura,” she said.

“This is our life. We are not their experiment. And it’s absolutely arrogant for them to treat us like this.”

The hunter-led Rakiura Whitetail Trust had also raised concerns with the project, saying DOC needed to take more care to manage the risks of toxic baits.

Trustee Antony Simpson said DOC should have carried out more rigourous trials before an August 1080 drop that killed more deer than expected – though DOC maintained hunters had been warned in advance that the effectiveness of deer repellent on whitetail deer was unknown.

He said the conversations between his group and those leading Predator Free Rakiura had felt like a box ticking exercise.

“We feel like this island isn’t our island – we do not really have a say as such. It has been run from the other side of the Strait by people on the mainland,” he said.

That would hopefully change in the future, he said.

“We’ve been talking to the Department of Conservation and we’ve got a seat at the table and going forward. We’re going to be part of the decision making and if we can come out with a solution that helps the conservation side and the hunting side it’s going to be perfect.”

‘A big faceless government entity’

Among 13 members of Predator Free Rakiura’s Engagement and Advisory Group – tasked with representing local voices – is Riki Everest, who is also a Rakiura Māori Lands Trustee.

He said it was disappointing that opposition to Predator Free Rakiura had escalated to verbal abuse and harassment.

“I have seen slightly older people who have dedicated their lives to conservation being treated unkindly by other members of our community who throw stones and are not very kind to them…. most of them are my friends, you know, they are good fishermen, they are good hostesses, they are good chefs… but none of them dedicate their life to conservation. So I mean what gives them the right to throw stones at people and stuff and call them names?” he said.

“Do I believe that the engagement has been satisfactory? No, in some ways – but I don’t know if it ever would be for the people that are really staunchly against it. I don’t think they’d ever find peace with it. I think they’ll find every avenue that they can to stop it.”

He said he understood people’s concerns about the project because he too had reservations when he first joined the group.

“I sat at that table like most people here on the island and with my arms folded and yeah I was a sceptic, absolutely. I’m in the, I guess, maybe 70/30 or 80/20 comfortable stage of what we’re trying to do, and whether it’s achievable. We all have doubts about the longevity of things,” he said.

But Predator Free Rakiura was worth it, he said.

“I believe that it is, because no one is caring for the ngahere of Rakiura. Who is protecting the taonga species?” he said.

Shona Sangster, a Stewart Island Rakiura Community and Environment Trustee, and another member of the Engagement and Advisory Group, said people opposed to the project generally were not doing so to stick up for rats and possums.

“I am kind of a little bit embarrassed that our community has reacted that way to DOC. I would say that, I think, putting the best interpretation on it, they are reacting to what they see as a big faceless government entity, rather than somebody they see as a member of their own community,” she said.

“I think there is a lot of strong feeling. I think there is a natural resistance to change in any small community, especially small rural communities – some people would just prefer things to stay the same.”

She said another aerial operation was likely at some point, so it was important to keep open dialogue with the community.

“I think we just need to take people on the journey of why it’s happening here and how it’ll work here. We need to get people involved in the work, seeing why the choices are being made, why we’re choosing one method over another, and why things don’t work,” she said.

‘We are not going to buy into it’

Ahmad maintained that people who opposed Predator Free Rakiura had not been treated with respect, and alleged some of the incidents on DOC’s list had been blown out of proportion.

“For DOC staff to go around complaining and basically, almost like creating stories to make the opposition look bad and to make us look like we are being unkind to them or doing the wrong thing or being, you know, taking illegal or nasty tactics is really low life on their part. We’re not going to buy into it,” she said.

DOC rejected that, saying the list simply reflected the number of entries into its internal Risk Manager system.

“Incident reporting is a standard health and safety requirement and is essential to ensuring staff safety and preventing escalation or normalisation of inappropriate behaviour. It includes social media commentary relating to the predator control work which could originate from elsewhere in New Zealand or internationally,” Fleming said.

DOC said threatening and intimidating behaviour would not be tolerated.

While no 1080 drops were planned for the island this year, Fleming said background work was underway to determine the next steps for Predator Free Rakiura.

The community would not be left behind, he said.

“We are absolutely committed to working with our community on achieving this goal. We need to do this with our community. We can’t do it without them. So when we are ready and we’ve got work that we’re doing at the moment to understand how we’re going to go about this going forward… we’ll absolutely be continuing to engage with our community,” he said.

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

Source: Media Outreach

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 April 2026 – Within the context of a new global growth cycle, Vietnam is cementing its position as a strategic hub for global institutional capital. At the ‘Inbound Capital Flows’ forum, analysts underscored that Vinhomes is making a significant contribution to shaping the next generation of urban development and also addressing critical mass challenges in the Asian property sector. Through ‘urban marvels’ like Vinhomes Green Paradise, Vietnam is effectively repositioning itself as a leader in large-scale, infrastructure-led real estate on the world map.

Vietnam’s Macroeconomic Resilience Amid Global Volatility

Amid global volatility, geopolitical fragmentation, and monetary tightening cycles, Vietnam has distinguished itself as a rare convergence of macroeconomic stability and long-term growth potential. International analysts now recognize the country as a strategic hub for institutional capital.

Political consistency is the bedrock of Vietnam’s appeal. The country’s high-growth trajectory is underpinned by strong governance coherence, with a unified government that minimizes execution risk. Over the past five years, a series of legal reforms have strengthened land valuation transparency, financial discipline, and environmental compliance. These regulatory improvements systematically align Vietnam’s real estate market with international institutional standards.

Infrastructure investment serves as another structural catalyst. With public investment reaching approximately 7% of GDP, Vietnam is undertaking one of the region’s most aggressive infrastructure expansion programs. Flagship projects such as Long Thanh International Airport, Cai Mep deep-sea port, and metropolitan ring roads are not merely improving connectivity, they are fundamentally reshaping spatial economics and unlocking new real estate frontiers.

Urbanization further amplifies this trajectory. Unlike many regional peers that have reached saturation, Vietnam remains in an early-to-mid stage of urban transformation, creating a sustained demand pipeline for residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. From a capital markets perspective, Vietnam demonstrates stronger growth across key indicators compared to neighboring countries, with robust FDI inflows and a favorable demographic profile positioning it as a top-tier emerging market in Asia’s real estate investment landscape.

Vinhomes Green Paradise (Can Gio): A New Urban Wonder of Asia

As global investor preferences shift from fragmented, single-asset developments toward integrated urban ecosystems, Vinhomes has emerged as a master developer capable of delivering internationally competitive megaprojects. At the center of this evolution is Vinhomes Green Paradise in Can Gio, a coastal development that international experts describe as unmatched in Asia.

Infrastructure plays a catalytic role in unlocking such projects. The transformation driven by Long Thanh Airport and Cai Mep Port significantly improves accessibility to Can Gio, redefining peripheral land into high-value development corridors. Vietnam’s coastal real estate, long overlooked, now offers a unique opportunity to develop globally competitive destinations, provided they are master-planned and executed at scale.

The defining factor is achieving critical mass. A large-scale integrated development that combines education, healthcare, entertainment, and residential zones within a single master plan is what truly differentiates a project. This philosophy is embedded from inception in Vinhomes’ development model. From an international vantage point, investors are increasingly looking for “urban wonders”, destinations that act as economic engines and catalysts for regional development. Vinhomes Green Paradise is regarded as truly a wonder, featuring world-class infrastructure and amenities.

Stephen Higgins, representing Cushman & Wakefield, emphasized the project’s unique positioning: “There is currently nowhere else in Asia delivering a project like Vinhomes Green Paradise in Can Gio, located adjacent to an existing major city.”

When benchmarked against global icons such as Marina Bay Sands and Palm Jumeirah, the project signals Vietnam’s emergence as a new frontier for landmark urban developments. In this paradigm, Vinhomes transcends the role of a conventional developer, positioning itself as a place-maker that engineers destination ecosystems, an increasingly critical concept in global real estate investment strategy.

Competitive Advantages of Scale, Pricing, and a Strategic Entry Point

A defining characteristic of Vietnam’s real estate market is the rare combination of high growth potential and relatively attractive pricing at scale. With a population of 100 million and a median age of 32, ideal within the region, Vietnam benefits from a demographic dividend that underpins long-term housing demand, absorption rates, and market liquidity.

Vietnam’s strategic geographic positioning near major economic hubs such as China, Singapore, and Hong Kong enhances its role within regional supply chains and capital flows. Importantly, the country can deliver world-class developments at a much more competitive price point. This pricing arbitrage creates significant upside potential as the market continues to mature and converge toward regional benchmarks.

Scale is another decisive factor. Mega-scale developments exceeding 1,000 hectares provide a rare opportunity to design entirely new urban environments. Globally, such large contiguous land parcels are increasingly scarce, making Vietnam one of the few markets capable of delivering next-generation master-planned cities. Within this landscape, Vingroup stands out as a dominant force, with Vinhomes at the forefront of executing these large-scale visions. By integrating residential, commercial, and smart-city infrastructure within a unified master plan, Vinhomes is not merely supplying real estate, it is institutionalizing a new asset class for global investors.

Highlighting the requirements for market competitiveness, Troy Griffiths from Savills stated: “Vietnam must compete through pricing, quality, and the value delivered within a master-planned estate.“ When these three pillars converge, real estate evolves from a transactional asset into a long-term value platform.

With global capital increasingly reallocating toward markets with structural growth and scalable opportunities, Vietnam is transitioning from an emerging destination to a strategic investment hub.

As a central figure in this transition, Vinhomes is playing a significant role in evolving Vietnam’s urban landscape and elevating the nation’s standing within the global real estate sector.

https://vinhomes.vn/en

Hashtag: #Vinhomes

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Conservation advocates say a [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/591849/sobering-reading-waterways-worsening-around-the-country-report-reveals new report confirms the country’s freshwater is at breaking point.

The Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ’s Our Freshwater 2026 report highlighted the worsening quality of groundwater, rivers and lakes, including increasing levels of nitrates, E.coli levels breaching the legal limit, and nearly half of the country’s river network being unsafe for swimming.

Around half (45 percent) of the 998 groundwater monitoring sites tested had E. coli concentrations above the legal limit for drinking water on at least one occasion between 2019 and 2024, and modelling estimated 44 percent of New Zealand’s total river length was unsuitable for activities like swimming due to faecal contamination.

Among other indicators painting a worrying picture the report said glaciers, which acted as major freshwater reservoirs for rivers and groundwater, were rapidly retreating – decreasing 42 percent between 2005 and 2023. Invasive species were having a direct impact on native ecosystems and even hydroelectric power generation. Wetlands continued to be lost or degraded, despite only 10 percent of historical wetland areas remaining.

Other issues exacerbated by climate change included rising sea levels risking saltwater contamination of coastal groundwater, increased extreme rainfall amplifying run off and erosion, landslides sending more sediment into streams and rivers, and increased droughts predicted for the country’s north, the report said.

Forest and Bird spokesperson Nicky Snoyink said the environment needed action, not another report tracking declining water quality.

“We’ve seen report after report that highlights this stuff – this one sheets home that our freshwater is at breaking point.”

Ministry for the Environment chief departmental science adviser Dr Alison Collins said the report underscored the importance of freshwater and the interconnected nature of ground and surface water.

The report was not intended to provide policy advice, but to supply independent evidence to support decision-making, showing where pressures were building and where progress was occurring, she said.

Over the longer term, nitrogen was one of the biggest pressures, Collins said.

Nitrogen worsened at about 53 percent of lake sites, while nitrogen in groundwater worsened at 39 percent of sites.

Rivers showed a more mixed trend, with nitrogen very likely worsening at 31 percent of monitored river sites and very likely improving at 30 percent between 2005 and 2024, Collins said.

Another concern was ecosystem health, with 54 percent of river length showing moderate or severe organic pollution and 63 percent of our lakes in poor or very poor health.

In the short term, the ministry was concerned about E.coli, cryptosporidium, and other bacteria and pathogens that could cause gastrointestinal illnesses, she said.

While the report pointed to pressures from land use, it was not just the farming sector that was responsible, Collins said.

“In Canterbury, for example, urbanisation around Rolleston and Prebbleton and Lincoln has meant there’s more impermeable surfaces which increase runoff, and more stormwater and wastewater pressure,” she said.

The report identified critical knowledge gaps, including a lack of data on how much water was being taken from rivers and lakes, when and for what purpose.

The information was available on how much water was consented for, but not how much was actually used.

“It would be helpful if we knew more – it would give us a much better understanding of risks and low flow in the system,” Collins said.

Other areas where information was lacking included on emerging contaminants like pharmaceuticals, stimulants, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, dubbed forever chemicals for their persistence in the environment and human body) and microplastics.

“Evidence gaps include pathways from land to freshwater, long-term impacts on ecosystems and drinking water, the scale of pesticide residues following heavy rainfall and sowing and interactions with antimicrobial resistance,” the report stated.

University of Waikato associate professor Nicholas Ling said the report had some positive signs, but they were few and far between.

Climate change was taking a toll in longer dry spells and more frequent heavy rainfall, but also in increased bacteria and harmful algae, that reproduced far faster with each degree of increased temperature, he said.

Ling said he wanted to see improved co-ordination between those caring for water.

“There are so many agencies that have jurisdiction in freshwater from the Ministry of the Environment, the EPA [Environmental Protection Authority], regional councils and DOC [Department of Conservation] and Fish and Game – there’s a whole lot of organisations, but there’s no co-ordinated effort.”

It was entirely possible to turn things around, and other countries who had experienced similar declines were making huge gains in their freshwater quality, he said.

“In places like the UK, otters have returned to every county and there’s loads of fish species you can catch in the Thames now.

“They’ve made these striking improvements in freshwater quality, which demonstrates it is possible to reverse the decline, but we’re not seeing that in this country despite our clean green image.”

While not everyone was as concerned as they should be at the rate of indigenous freshwater fish threatened with extinction – 89 percent, among the highest in the world – freshwater quality affected everyone, Ling said.

“It’s our drinking water, it’s our recreational activities. Two-thirds of our lakes are unsafe to recreate in now because their water quality is poor, almost half of our rivers are unsafe to swim in.

“A lot of our drinking water comes from rivers or lakes or groundwater and that’s declining – that’s a real threat to both our economy and to people’s health,” Ling said.

New Zealand had experienced high levels of land use intensification, such as increased use of fertilisers and irrigation, increased stocking rates and soil draining, which had also led to increased fertiliser run off and contaminants leaching into waterways, the report found.

Irrigated land had increased by 99 percent between 2002 and 2022 while land used for dairy farming had almost tripled over the same period.

The number of dairy cattle increased 71 percent from 3.4 million to 5.9 million between 1990 and 2023, peaking at 6.7 million in 2014.

Primary food production accounted for 74 percent of allocated freshwater use. Between 2018 to 2022, the dairy industry used about 2.5 billion cubic metres of surface water a year, around 93 percent for irrigation, the report said.

Green Party environment spokesperson Lan Pham said she hoped the report served as a wake-up call for the government.

“They cannot continue this slash and burn approach when it comes to environmental protection, because if they do the environmental outcomes – like we’ve seen in this report – are not going to lie.

“Things are just going to get worse, and unfortunately, it will be Kiwis who pick up the cost of that.”

She said the figures on the country’s unsafe rivers, or groundwater that was unsafe to drink were “entirely unacceptable.”

And she warned moves to fold the Ministry for the Environment into a new mega ministry would see even fewer protections for water.

“The Ministry for the Environment has been around for 40 years now and that’s because Kiwis decided the environment was so important that they wanted a dedicated ministry.

“Eroding that and all the removals of freshwater protection the government is doing is simply going to make the situation worse rather than better.”

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

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

Households around the country are under increasing financial pressure, as the cost of fuel rises – so what can you do if you’re feeling the pinch?

RNZ asked experts for their tips.

Cut spending

Enrich Retirement founder Liz Koh said people should look at their bank statements for the past three months.

“Categorise your spending into three groups – fixed expenses you have little or no control over, like rent, mortgage or insurance, discretionary expenses you have full control over and which are not essential, like lunches, coffees and entertainment, and the remaining group, essential expenses that you have some control over, like food and petrol.

“The easiest expenses to cut back on are the discretionary expenses. Set yourself a limit on how much money you spend on these items by either setting up a separate bank account to cover them or paying for them in cash.”

She said most people would find food was their biggest expense, after their rent or mortgage payments.

What are your money saving tips? Email susan.edmunds@rnz.co.nz

“Take a hard look at what you are spending. Set a limit on food expenses and cut back on the number of times you go to the supermarket.

“Depending on how big your family is, you may be able to save $100 a week or more on grocery items by planning your meals, buying cheaper brands and cutting out some items altogether.”

Move your mortgage

If you have a mortgage, you may be able to save a few thousand dollars by shifting to another bank or threatening to.

Banks have competed with cashback offers for some time and new customers are often offered up to about 1 percent of their loan amount as a cashback incentive.

Even if you don’t move banks, sometimes it is possible to ask your current bank to match a competitor’s offer with a “retention” payment of its own.

The payments usually come with rules around how long a customer must remain with the bank.

Review subscriptions

You might have subscriptions you aren’t using or that you haven’t reviewed in a while.

Koh said people should regularly review their payments for things like streaming services, websites and other memberships, and see whether they still needed them.

Some banks offer tools to help with this.

Think about how you drive

Kernel founder Dean Anderson said the cost of petrol and diesel would be the main concern for most households now.

“Most of us are still driving internal combustion cars and how we drive has a real impact on fuel use. With prices seeming to climb every other day, those habits matter.”

Things like driving slower and accelerating more gently can cut fuel use.

“Public transport is an easy win, if it’s a viable option for your commute. There’s also a Kiwi tech company, Extraordinary, that employers can set up to let staff pay for public transport from gross rather than net income.

“For an average commuter, that could mean savings of $700-plus a year, without changing your routine. Easy savings into your back pocket.”

Have an emergency fund

It might be hard to do at the moment, but building up a savings account to fall back on can save money in the long run.

When you have that buffer, you’re less likely to need expensive short-term debt to cover emergencies.

Consistency more important than timing

Pie Funds chief executive Ana-Marie Lockyer said people should set up regular saving and investment habits, not get stuck trying to time the markets.

“Keeping up regular contributions to things like KiwiSaver, even when markets feel a bit uncertain, is one of the most effective ways to build wealth over the long term.

“If people have the option, looking at ways to boost income – whether that’s through looking at growth opportunities in your existing job or a new one, picking up extra work or building new skills – can often have a bigger impact than cutting costs alone.

“Overall, it’s less about doing anything drastic, and more about staying steady and making small, sensible improvements where you can.”

Take advantage of the government KiwiSaver contribution

It’s not as much as it used to be, but it’s still worth getting the full government contribution.

Put $1042 into your KiwiSaver account before 30 June each year to have about $260 added.

Shop around

You may be able to save money or pick up additional incentives by shopping around for a better deal on your power, phone or broadband.

For example, Powershop offers a $150 power credit to new customers, Pulse Energy offers $160, Mercury has $300 for those who sign up for electricity, or a free Samsung product for people taking electricity and broadband contracts for a two-year term.

Powerswitch has previously said people can often save hundreds by moving to another supplier with a better price.

“Power, broadband and mobile plans are often very similar across providers,” Anderson said. “If you’re not locked into a contract, it’s worth reviewing your options.

“Switching can come with upfront credits, free months or discounted rates – small wins that add up over the year.”

Sell things

Earlier this year, Trade Me said that 75 percent of people had unused or unwanted items in their homes that they could sell.

It said, on average, each person had 19 things they could sell, which would have an estimated value of $1300.

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