PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for June 28, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 June 2026 – The “Wealth Management Expo 2026”, powered by Bank of China (Hong Kong) (“BOCHK”) and organised by TVB under the theme of “Empowering Enterprises to Go Global, Pioneering the Blue Ocean of Silver Economy”, was successfully held today. The Expo featured top-tier financial experts and prominent figures for market pulse insights and visionary perspectives on the international landscape, the international use of RMB, enterprises going global, silver economy and wealth management.

The Expo was officiated by Mr. Michael WONG, GBS, JP, Acting Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government; Mr. Christopher HUI, GBS, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR Government; and Mr. Stephen CHAN, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK. Mr. Christopher HUI also shared at the opening forum on how Hong Kong as a global offshore RMB hub supports enterprises in going global. Other attending guests included Dr. KO Wing Man, GBS, JP, Standing Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC; Mr. SIU Sai Wo, General Manager (Business Operations) of TVB; and representatives from BOCHK.

Mr. Stephen CHAN, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, said in his opening remarks, “This year marks the inaugural year of the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which clearly supports Hong Kong in strengthening its role as an international asset and wealth management centre. Against this backdrop, Hong Kong, as a vital bridge between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world, is set to tap into an unprecedented opportunity for growth. Bank of China (Hong Kong) will actively align with national policies and the HKSAR Government’s direction by deepening its regional business development and promoting the international use of RMB, while continuing to fulfil its corporate social responsibilities, contributing to the consolidation of Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre.”

Opening Forum: Experts Shared Insights on RMB Empowering Enterprises to Go Global

The opening forum of the Expo “New Opportunities in Global Wealth Investment: RMB Empowering Enterprises to Go Global” featured Mr. Christopher HUI, GBS, JP, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, HKSAR Government; Mrs. Pauline NGAN, BBS, JP, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Mainland Headwear Holdings Limited, Member of the National Committee of the CPPCC; Mr. Sam YU, Chairman of Hong Kong Investment Funds Association; and Mr. Jack YANG, RMB Business Executive Director of BOCHK. They engaged in an in-depth discussion on the international market trends, enterprises going global and the international use of RMB, elaborating new investment opportunities.

Summit Forum: Decoding Silver Economy Opportunities and Industry Integration

The growing silver-haired population is driving demand across a range of areas, including health, lifestyle and wealth management. Held under the theme “Redefining Value in the Silver Age: Uncovering Blue Ocean Market Opportunities”, the summit forum featured Dr. KO Wing Man, GBS, JP, Standing Committee of the National Committee of the CPPCC; Mr. Angus CHAN, Director of Elderly Care Services of Chinachem Group; Mr. Terry WONG, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation; and Mr. Wilson TANG, Chief Executive of BOC Group Life Assurance Company Limited. Drawing on a macro perspective on industry structure, the speakers analysed the business opportunities within the silver economy and explored how to drive supply chain transformation and integration across traditional industries such as healthcare and insurance, while offering a forward-looking view of the immense potential of this emerging market.

Thematic Workshops and Immersive Digital Experience Zone, Showcasing Comprehensive Wealth Growth Strategies

The Expo also held several thematic workshops, in which experts analysed prevailing topics, including global fund and equity market conditions, retirement wealth planning, and emerging markets, equipping clients with insights into wealth growth strategies. Two fund workshops focused respectively on emerging markets and global income opportunities. The first workshop, “Focusing on Emerging Value in Asia: Embarking on a New Chapter for RMB Assets and China’s Equity and Bond Markets”, examined how the Chinese Mainland’s deepening cooperation with ASEAN, the Global South, and Belt and Road Initiative partner countries is generating new investment opportunities in emerging markets. The workshop also offered an investment outlook of the implications of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and the shifting global landscape for RMB assets and the Chinese Mainland’s equity and bond markets. The second fund workshop, “Harnessing Multi-Asset Strategies to Capture Asia-Pacific Income Opportunities,” explored how investors should diversify asset portfolio amid heightened volatility in global equity and bond markets, while capturing income opportunities from Asia-Pacific and emerging markets.

The retirement planning workshop, “Forward-Looking Wealth Planning: Charting Your Own Path to a Premium Retirement”, addressed the retirement pain points commonly faced by Hong Kong residents, offering financial advice for the silver generation to build a solid safety net for themselves and their families. The equities workshop, “Navigating 2026: Decoding Stock Market Strategies”, dissected global equity market performance and explored how different financial products can be used to balance aggressive and defensive positioning to capture markets with growth potential. The wealth management workshop, “AI-led Future: Blue Ocean Opportunities in Southeast Asia and New Horizons for Enterprises Going Global”, examined the AI investment boom and analysed the unique edge of Hong Kong as a “super value-adder” for enterprises going global.

A 3D immersive digital experience zone highlighted BOCHK’s capabilities across its expansive network reach, anti-fraud education, professional services, digital innovation leadership and award-winning credentials.

BOCHK Private Wealth also officially unveiled its new Wealth+ service proposition at the event, expanding its scope beyond wealth management to encompass multi-dimension of clients’ lives, including lifestyle experiences, family financial planning and holistic well-being, with a commitment to addressing client’s unique and individual needs.

The “Wealth Management Expo 2026” concluded successfully with fruitful outcomes. Through a full day of engaging forums, workshops, digital experience zone and sponsored booths, industry professionals, investors and the public can gain insights into global opportunities, keep abreast of the latest development in the international use of RMB and the strategic advantages of enterprises going global, while capitalising on the diverse opportunities presented by the silver economy, and mastering financial management and wealth growth.

Hashtag: #WealthManagementExpo2026

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

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

Source: New Zealand Government

Importance of the freight sector

I want to begin by stating the obvious: we understand how critical the freight sector is to New Zealand’s success.

Freight is what keeps our country moving. When your sector is working well, the rest of the economy works well. When it’s not, everything slows down.

The pride we feel when picking up a product in an overseas supermarket and seeing the silver fern on the front doesn’t happen by chance. It’s made possible by a freight sector that moves our products efficiently from farm gate to factory and from factory to port – and ultimately to shelves around the globe.

Whether it’s milk from Fonterra, meat from Silver Fern Farms, or kiwifruit from Zespri, these exports rely on a freight system that works. Without it, our economy stalls. With it, we thrive. 

When we say we’re listening to the sector, we mean it. 

We’ve launched a clear action plan relating to freight, focused on lifting productivity and making the system work better.

That plan is about getting the fundamentals right. Making sure our freight networks are clear and prioritised, that we’re investing in the right places, and that the system is more reliable and resilient when things go wrong.

Alongside that, we’ve reinstated the National Freight Demand study because good decisions rely on good data.

For too long, we’ve been trying to plan the system without a clear, up-to-date picture of what’s actually moving around the country, where it’s going, and how that’s changing over time.

Bringing that study back gives us the information we need to plan properly, prioritise investment, and make smarter, evidence-based decisions.

But reinstating the study wasn’t really about the benefits to us – it was about the benefits to you. You told us that you rely on the data, and we listened. 

Freight Advisory Council

One of the most useful steps we’ve taken to continue to get workable and informed advice has been establishing the Freight Advisory Council.

I set that up last October because I wanted practical advice from people who actually operate in the system. 

I particularly want to acknowledge the Council today, and Transporting New Zealand as a key member, because that input has been invaluable.

You’ve seen this most clearly during the fuel response.

The Council met regularly during the peak of the crisis, advising us and stress testing our positions against real-world impacts, and helping us avoid getting caught up in solutions that might look good on paper but don’t actually work on the ground.

I understand the Council is turning its attention back to medium-to-longer term issues such as quality system data and the workforce, as well as assessing the impact of potentially structurally higher fuel prices on the freight and supply chains.

I look forward to seeing the products of these discussions.

Red tape

I want to address something I hear consistently from this sector – the sheer amount of red tape you’re dealing with.

Not big, headline-grabbing issues, but the accumulation of small, technical rules, permits and restrictions that slow you down every day.

The reality is a lot of these issues never make it anywhere near a Minister’s desk.

Individually, they don’t look big enough. They don’t look urgent enough. They’re often highly technical. So they get parked, pushed aside. 

More often than not, they end up in the too-hard basket.

But when you add all of these issues up, they drive down productivity, add costs to your businesses and ultimately, a drag on the economy as a whole. 

Well, I am fed up with these meaningless rules holding you up. I am committed to taking them out of the too hard basket. 

Our Land Transport Rules Reform Programme is an important first step on unclogging the system – creating a pipeline of reform that clears the backlog and keeps the system moving.

Heavy vehicle productivity rule changes

We have already made good progress, some of which I want to announce today.

I am making a set of heavy vehicle productivity changes. They’re practical, not flashy – but importantly, they’re permanent.

Some of these have been accelerated as part of the Government’s Fuel Response Plan. That includes allowing Class 1 drivers to operate slightly heavier zero-emission vehicles, enabling Class 2 drivers to operate heavier electric buses, and removing permit requirements that frankly no longer make sense given the modern fleet.

These changes sit within Phase One of our national fuel response plan and will help ease some of the immediate pressure from the current situation.

These accelerated changes were consulted on as part of a broader package of heavy vehicle productivity proposals. 

Alongside the above changes, I am also pleased to announce that I have made final policy decisions on a number of other further permanent rule changes, including:

Removing H plates to reduce compliance costs and enforcement confusion
Removing inconsistencies in the rules to make them simpler and easier to comply with 
Removing the Accelerated Licensing Process, and
Standardising speed limits for tractors and special-type vehicles to 40kmh. 
Introducing three new load pilot vehicle signs to better inform motorists

These changes are expected to come into effect before the end of the year.

What that means in practice is less paperwork, more flexibility, and fewer unnecessary barriers getting in the way of doing your job.

It’s about making sure the rules keep up with the vehicles we now have on our roads — and cutting red tape where it’s causing real-world problems.

Now, we know this isn’t a complete solution. But it is a meaningful first step – and there is more coming as the work continues.

Fuel crisis

In the context of the fuel situation, we’ve also taken a very close look at a wider range of potential temporary regulatory changes.

We worked through a full set of options, including payload changes, overdimension travel, and a number of broader heavy vehicle proposals.

Most of these options didn’t make sense as a short-term response.

Not because we’re opposed to change, but because the analysis simply didn’t stack up. Some options would have delivered only marginal benefits or only applied to a small portion of the fleet.

Others would have taken too long to implement to make a meaningful difference in the short term.

And in some cases, the trade-offs were stark.

Take mass limits, for example. Officials modelled potential diesel savings of up to 16 million litres over six months in a best-case scenario. This is equivalent to about 1.5 days’ diesel use at current levels.

But achieving that would have come at a cost of around $150 million in additional infrastructure damage over the same period.

When it came down to it, the costs outweighed the benefits.

That’s why we made the call to keep this change in reserve and only do it if the situation worsens. 

If we move into Phase Four of the Fuel Response Plan, we are ready to go with targeted payload changes. This is because at Phase Four the cost of diesel is likely to be materially higher, the need to conserve supply is more acute, and overall freight task and road damage would be correspondingly lower – meaning the benefit-cost balance is likely to look quite different.

Looking ahead to Phase Two, we’ve got a set of targeted, temporary changes ready to go if needed. 

That includes lifting route restrictions on overdimension vehicles so they can use key Auckland motorways — cutting down travel distances and improving efficiency. 

And we’ve done the groundwork with NZTA and Auckland Transport to make sure those changes stack up.

That gives us a pathway to act if we need to but in a way that is proportionate to the scale of the challenge.

Looking further ahead, there is more we can do to lift productivity, particularly through changes to the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.

But I want to be very clear about the Government’s position: we are not in the business of subsidising the freight sector. Any changes we make will need to ensure the effects on infrastructure are properly accounted for and managed through the system.

That position – that any changes need to reflect the user-pays principle – is workable in the longer term in a way it isn’t in the middle of a short-term fuel response. And that comes down to two key things.

First, infrastructure.

When changes to vehicle weights and dimensions are planned for, their effect on the network can be managed. NZTA and local road authorities can build those changes into their asset management planning, their maintenance programmes, and their long-term investment decisions.

That means roads, pavements and bridges can be designed, maintained and renewed to accommodate more productive vehicles rather than the Crown being left with an unplanned bill from accelerated wear.

Second, industry has time to adapt.

Short-term changes would focus on the existing fleet, putting more weight on their axles, which concentrates the impact on the network.

Over the longer term, operators can invest in things like different axle configurations that spread loads more effectively, and adopt newer vehicle technologies — including zero-emission vehicles — that improve productivity without the same level of infrastructure impact.

VDAM change, done properly, is about enabling a smarter, more efficient system over time.

And that’s exactly how we’re approaching the next phase of work.

We’re building it on real-world evidence and robust research, so that any changes we bring forward will lift productivity, deliver meaningful benefits for operators, and properly account for the impacts on the network, including how those costs are paid for.

And that work is already underway.

The fuel response work has given the longer-term VDAM programme a running start. To develop the regulatory relief options at pace, NZTA brought forward an initial assessment of state highway bridges, and commissioned Road Controlling Authorities to do the same on the local network. 

That evidence – alongside the sector input and the policy analysis and modelling done at pace – now feeds directly into the next phases of heavy vehicle productivity reform.

Because if we’re going to do this, we want to do it properly and make sure it is grounded in engineering reality, not assumptions.

That’s what gives us confidence that the next phase of VDAM reform will be both ambitious and workable.

Potential for future reform

Finally, as Minister I also want the Government to turn its mind more to how our ports interconnect with freight and supply chains.

Ports are a critical component of the system and it is important to check that the settings are right. I hear a lot of commentary from freight stakeholders about ports.

I look forward to receiving the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee report on its inquiry into ports and the maritime sector. 

MCERT will help the Government develop its response to that report, and I am keen for it to think about how ports fit into the system, as I do see the potential for reform there.

Conclusion

Thank you again for the opportunity to speak with you about the Government’s transport programme.

You play a vital role in the land transport system, and I want us to keep working together to achieve our shared goals.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the conference and make the most of the connections you build while you’re here.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/26/speech-to-transporting-nz-conference/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has decided the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme will become a permanent part of New Zealand’s refugee resettlement system, Associate Minister of Immigration Casey Costello announced today.

“The trial of the CORS programme shows it can deliver strong outcomes for refugees in employment, housing, education, and community connection,” Ms Costello says.

“Making it permanent means we can build on the skills, partnerships and knowledge developed through the pilot. This is a positive step and provides a programme that we know works.”

The permanent CORS programme will begin 1 July, with organisations able to apply to become approved community sponsors from that date. The introduction of the programme will be scaled, with 50 places available in the first year. From 1 July 2027, 200 people per year will be able to settle here through CORS.

“This is the first time New Zealand will have an ongoing complementary refugee resettlement pathway, with CORS sitting alongside our Refugee Quota Programme,” Ms Costello says.

“Having a complementary pathway for settlement is supported by the UNHCR and reflects approaches used internationally, including in Australia, Canada and the UK.

“This is about combining strong government support with community-led approaches that help people settle well and build independence.”

Under CORS, the Government funds core services such as immigration processing, health checks, and international travel, while approved community organisations provide settlement support, including housing, access to services, and support into employment and community life. The programme also includes an international referral partner.

“The strength of the programme lies in the human connection – communities providing practical support, a sense of belonging, and helping people find their feet from day one,” Ms Costello says.

“We’ve seen families welcomed into communities, supported into housing and employment, and quickly becoming part of everyday life in New Zealand.

“That is the key to a successful refugee programme – it isn’t just about providing refuge, it is about ensuring people can settle well and feel that they have a new home.”

CORS will be delivered alongside New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme, maintaining an overall number of refugee resettlement places available at 1,500. Places will be progressively allocated to the community sponsorship pathway as it scales up, with the Quota Programme adjusting accordingly. This allows CORS to be funded from within existing baselines.

The Refugee Quota Programme will remain New Zealand’s primary humanitarian pathway, and any allocated CORS places that are not taken will return to the Quota Programme. 

“In the current environment, this is the best way to ensure a programme that we know works well can continue into the future,” Ms Costello says.

“The Government remains firmly committed to an overall resettlement intake of 1,500 people per year. New Zealand currently takes the third largest number of UNHCR mandated refugees internationally, behind Canada and Australia.” 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/community-sponsorship-programme-to-be-permanent/

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 25 June 2026 – To mark the International Day of the Seafarer, Fleet Management Limited (Fleet Management) has called for greater global recognition of the “silent professionals” keeping global supply chains moving, alongside the launch of “Pulse”, its new seafarer app designed to provide continuous, practical support at sea.

As tensions ease across key corridors such as the Strait of Hormuz, Fleet Management supports renewed multilateral efforts to address a troubling pattern in which seafarers, as civilians, are repeatedly exposed to conflict, and to ensure they are protected from its human cost.

Dr. Harry Banga, Founder and Executive Chairman of The Caravel Group and Fleet Management Limited, said: “Countries, industries and communities rely on seafarers to keep essential goods flowing. Waterways like the Strait of Hormuz are key arteries of the global economy. When disrupted, the impact is immediate. Costs rise. Supply chains tighten. Today is a reminder that the industry and governments must act decisively to uphold safe and free navigation, so seafarers can sail with confidence.”

Echoing the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2026 theme, “Carrying world trade. Carrying the risks,” Fleet Management emphasises that while seafarers drive global commerce, they are increasingly placed on the frontline of geopolitical disruptions to keep essential fuel, food and goods moving. Since February, an estimated 20,000 civilian seafarers, including around 600 under Fleet Management’s care, have borne these risks daily, navigating volatile waters and, at times, remaining at anchorage for extended periods until conditions stabilise.

Captain Rajalingam Subramaniam, Chief Executive Officer of Fleet Management Limited, said: “As a company, and as an industry, we have a responsibility to speak up. Seafarers are civilians who carry responsibility in the face of risk and adversity, in conditions beyond their control. This must not become the new normal. They must be seen, heard and properly protected. We are encouraged by the IMO-led evacuation efforts underway to restore safe transit, and hope confidence will soon rebuild.”

Fleet Management takes a systematic approach to protecting its seafarers in high-risk environments, prioritising physical and mental wellbeing and strong ship-shore connectivity. Developments are monitored around the clock, with routes adjusted as needed and constant communication maintained to safeguard crews, vessels and the environment. As conditions evolve, any resumption of transit is assessed on a vessel-by-vessel basis. Ships cannot simply turn their engines on and go. Each is evaluated against its own risk matrix, ensuring every movement is deliberate, controlled and grounded in safety.

Fleet Management remains committed to safe, fair and responsible sailing practices that put seafarers first. Through Fleet Care, seafarers have access to 24/7 mental health support, wellbeing programmes and family initiatives that provide connection and reassurance at home. Across the fleet, one million meals are served each year to support nutrition, while industry-leading insurance ensures protection at sea and while on leave. Together, these measures reduce pressure, share the load and help seafarers stay safe, supported and focused in demanding conditions.

The Launch of Pulse: Connecting Seafarers to 24/7 Support, Onboard and Onshore

Angad Banga, Chief Executive Officer of The Caravel Group and Executive Director of Fleet Management Limited, stated: “Recognition has to translate into action. Not once a year, but every day. That means understanding the pressures our seafarers operate under, and responding with consistent, practical support. At Fleet, this shows up in the decisions we make, and the systems we build to support our crews.”

Today, Fleet Management launched Pulse. Far more than an app, it is a digital lifeline for its 27,000-strong seafaring community, simplifying life at sea. Designed for life at sea, Pulse brings documents and updates into one place, reducing administrative burden and giving seafarers greater clarity and control, while providing 24/7 access to critical physical and mental health support. It ensures they stay connected and can access Fleet Care resources at any time, whether on board or on leave. For Fleet Management’s global community, Pulse represents a significant step in turning commitment into consistent, everyday support.

Making Seafarers Seen: Global Action and Awareness Across Markets

With over 80 percent of global trade travelling by sea, the vital contributions of seafarers and the daily challenges they manage often remain unseen. To address this, Fleet Management launched global advocacy and educational initiatives this week to highlight both the importance of seafarers and the realities of life at sea.

Fleet Management’s crewing offices across India, the Philippines and China have delivered targeted family outreach initiatives, including the Fleet Care Family Outreach Programme, providing health and wellbeing support to seafarer families, alongside community engagement activities. These efforts are supported across offices worldwide and in multi-city public awareness campaigns reaching audiences across major cities to build broader understanding and recognition. Together, these initiatives reinforce Fleet Management’s commitment to making seafarers visible, valued and supported both at sea and at home.

Supported by strong training investments, including over 80,000 certificates issued annually and 500 cadets trained each year at the International Maritime Institute (IMI), Fleet Management ensures its workforce remains skilled, resilient and fully supported at sea.

Hashtag: #Fleet

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

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

Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/26/thanks-for-your-public-transport-feedback/

Source: Media Outreach

As the first authorized reseller of Amazon Leo that has an APAC headquarters in Hong Kong, Pulsar will offer low Earth orbit satellite connectivity powered by Amazon Leo to commercial maritime customers to support vessel communications, crew welfare, digital solutions, and onboard operations.

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

Source: New Zealand Government

Taranaki patients will benefit from significantly improved hospital care with the official opening of Taranaki Base Hospital’s New East Wing, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey say.

“The Taranaki Base Hospital redevelopment is a critical investment in modernising healthcare for the people of Taranaki,” Mr Brown says.

“Stage two, the centrepiece of the $462.6 million redevelopment, opens to patients on Monday and represents a significant step change in the delivery of acute and specialised healthcare services across the region.

“Last year, we invested an additional $59.2 million to meet cost pressures that had emerged since 2022 – ensuring we could complete stage two and deliver a modern, fit-for-purpose hospital that meets the region’s needs now and into the future.

“The New East Wing brings emergency, intensive care, radiology, diagnostics, laboratory, maternity and neonatal services together in one integrated acute care precinct, alongside a new Acute Assessment Unit to support earlier senior clinical decision-making and reduce unnecessary admissions.

“It increases the number of patient spaces to 151, up 55 from current capacity – a 57 per cent increase to meet growing demand for services across the region. The building has also been designed with future expansion in mind.”

Key features of the New East Wing include:

•    A significantly expanded emergency department with around double the current capacity
•    Co-located radiology and imaging services to support faster diagnosis and treatment
•    A new ICU located alongside emergency and diagnostic services
•    A modern maternity service with new delivery suites, postnatal wards and improved family facilities
•    A dedicated primary birthing unit in a purpose-built setting
•    A new neonatal unit integrated with maternity and delivery services
•    A new Acute Assessment Unit to improve early clinical decision-making and reduce unnecessary admissions
•    Upgraded laboratory services, with 34 workstations, to support faster diagnostic turnaround times
•    A rooftop helipad providing direct access to the ED, ICU and theatres, so critically unwell patients can receive life-saving treatment as quickly as possible
•    A new Integrated Operations Centre, improving hospital-wide coordination and the efficient delivery of care across the campus

Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey represented the Government at today’s opening, officially cutting the ribbon on the New East Wing and marking the completion of this significant stage of the redevelopment.

“The opening of the New East Wing means more capacity, faster access to treatment, and more modern facilities – delivering better care closer to home for Taranaki patients. It’s about improving patient flow, reducing delays, and ensuring people get the right care as quickly as possible,” Mr Doocey says.

“We’re focused on fixing the basics and building the future of our healthcare system with the infrastructure it needs. This building will serve the people of Taranaki for many generations to come, ensuring patients get the care they need when they need it.”

The New East Wing sits within the broader Taranaki Base Hospital redevelopment, which has already delivered the $56.1 million cancer centre, a mental health facility, a renal unit, an energy centre, resilience upgrades, and an earlier inpatient building.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/25/new-east-wing-opens-at-taranaki-base-hospital/

Source: Media Outreach

DALIAN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 June 2026 – The World Economic Forum’s 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as Summer Davos, opened on June 23 at the Dalian International Conference Center. Held under the theme “Innovating at Scale,” the forum brought together more than 1,700 leaders from government, business and technology across over 90 countries to discuss how innovation can be translated into real-world applications and industrial transformation. Matrix Robotics, a China-based company specializing in Physical AI and embodied intelligence, participated in the forum as its sole humanoid robotics service provider. The company’s integrated technology stack combines its independently developed WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model, a general-purpose full-body motion control system and high-degree-of-freedom dexterous hands. Its third-generation humanoid platform, MATRIX-3, was deployed in the venue’s first-floor dining area, where it served attendees as an AI barista throughout the forum. Leveraging the model’s general-purpose capabilities, cross-scenario adaptability and long-horizon task generalization, Matrix Robotics demonstrated the system’s readiness for real-world commercial service applications to attendees from around the world.

WAVE Powers a Live Service Demonstration at a Leading Global Forum

This year’s Summer Davos focused on “Innovating at Scale,” with artificial intelligence and the application of emerging technologies in the real economy among the forum’s key topics. A key question for the industry is how embodied intelligence can move beyond laboratory demonstrations and achieve commercial deployment at scale.

Moving beyond conventional static hardware displays, Matrix Robotics created a live demonstration area in the venue’s first-floor dining zone. The service solution is built around the WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model and a general-purpose full-body motion control system. Combining cross-scenario generalization, stable execution of long-horizon tasks and high-degree-of-freedom dexterous hands, the system provided live coffee service to international attendees and demonstrated its ability to operate in a real-world service environment.

The WAVE model handles perception, reasoning and high-level motion planning, while the full-body motion control system coordinates the robot’s physical movements. Long-term testing across multiple scenarios has demonstrated stable performance, enabling the system to support frequent and continuous service at the venue. MATRIX-3 serves as the physical platform through which the intelligent system performs real-world tasks.

Generalization Enables Autonomous Coffee Service, While Dexterous Hands Demonstrate Precise Manipulation

In the dedicated demonstration area, the WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model coordinates the workflow together with the full-body motion control system and high-degree-of-freedom dexterous hands, enabling MATRIX-3 to perform a standardized coffee-service process. Using the model’s multimodal visual perception, the robot independently identifies and picks up an empty coffee cup, calculates the force required to press the coffee machine’s controls, lifts the hot beverage after brewing, plans a route to the guest and delivers the finished drink steadily.

The WAVE model incorporates physical force-control reasoning, allowing the system to adjust the dexterous hands’ grip strength in real time and reduce the risk of cups slipping or hot beverages spilling. The continuous, multi-step workflow—from picking up a cup to delivering a hot beverage—demonstrated the WAVE model’s multitask processing and generalization across different movements, highlighting the role of the underlying AI system in complex physical interactions.

WAVE Supports Replicable Solutions for Commercial Service Applications

As the forum’s sole humanoid robotics service provider, Matrix Robotics used live coffee service to demonstrate its approach to a key industry challenge: many humanoid robots emphasize hardware demonstrations, while limitations in model generalization make rapid deployment across multiple scenarios difficult.

Matrix Robotics has focused on deploying robotic systems in standardized, repetitive service environments, with its core technology centered on the WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model and general-purpose full-body motion control system. With multitask adaptability and cross-scenario transfer capabilities, the system demonstrates its potential for deployment at international forums, exhibition venues, retail stores, cultural and tourism spaces and other service environments, offering a replicable solution for the digital transformation of the global service industry.

International Attendees Experience China-Developed AI Technology Firsthand

Throughout the forum, entrepreneurs, technology professionals and Chinese and international media visited the dining-area demonstration to experience the autonomous coffee service powered by the WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model and performed by MATRIX-3’s dexterous hands. Attendees received coffee prepared by the robot and observed the system’s stable and fluid operation firsthand.

A senior executive of Matrix Robotics said that Summer Davos provides a leading global platform for showcasing China’s AI innovation. The live coffee-service demonstration provides a direct example of the company’s commercialization strategy centered on the WAVE model. Matrix Robotics independently develops the WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model, the general-purpose full-body motion control system and high-degree-of-freedom dexterous hands. The company continues to improve multitask generalization, safe human-robot interaction and extended continuous operation, with the goal of moving Physical AI from concept demonstrations toward commercial deployment at scale.

Expanding Applications and Accelerating Embodied AI Deployment at Scale

As the global embodied AI industry enters a period of rapid development, general-purpose AI model capabilities and commercialization across different scenarios are becoming key areas of competition. The forum’s theme, “Innovating at Scale,” closely aligns with Matrix Robotics’ long-term development strategy centered on the WAVE model.

Combining the WAVE model’s general-purpose and long-horizon task capabilities with high-degree-of-freedom dexterous hands, the integrated system can support applications beyond coffee service, including exhibition reception, material handling and precision object manipulation, creating broad potential for deployment across industries.

By participating in Summer Davos in Dalian, Matrix Robotics demonstrated the real-world operating capabilities of its independently developed intelligent system and created a platform for international industry exchange and cooperation. Going forward, Matrix Robotics will continue to advance the WAVE Embodied AI Foundation Model, the general-purpose full-body motion control system and general Physical AI algorithms, while expanding applications across retail, cultural tourism, exhibitions and industrial support. With foundation-model technology at the core of its strategy, the company will work with global industry partners to accelerate the large-scale deployment of embodied AI and bring China-developed Physical AI technology to a broader global audience.

Hashtag: #MatrixRobotics

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

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

Source: New Zealand Police

The first 2026 wing to graduate from the New Zealand Police Auckland campus will be acknowledged and celebrated this Friday 26 June.

They will soon be boosting the frontline with two new constables bound for Northland District and 32 deployed across Tāmaki Makaurau. 

The 32 Auckland-trained graduates will join 21 Porirua-trained graduates from the 396 Chiquita Holden Wing who are also bound for Tāmaki Makaurau. The 396 wing are graduating tomorrow from the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua.

This makes a total of 53 new constables starting their duties in the wider Auckland region the week beginning Monday 6 July.

Media are invited to the graduation of the 397 Rod Bell ONZM Wing

What:    Graduation of the New Zealand Police 397 Recruit Wing
Who:     For families and friends to celebrate with the new graduates
Why:     Completion and graduation from their initial training course
Where: Barfoot and Thompson Stadium, 203 Kohimarama Road, Kohimarama, Auckland
When:   Thursday 26 June at 11am – media will need to be in place by 10.45am
How:     RSVP if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz

Wing 397graduates

Five of the graduates are following in the footsteps of family and joining the front line. Fifteen were born in countries other than New Zealand – many of them from England.  Seven of the new graduates are ex-military and 20 have tertiary qualifications.
One graduate bound for Counties Manukau is Taina Fox-Matamua: Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu. Taina was a professional NPC rugby player who played for the Tasman Mako and played professionally in Italy for three years. He will be based in Manurewa.

Wing Patron

Rod Bell ONZM is a former New Zealand Police officer and long-standing youth advocate. A past CEO of Blue Light, Rod is currently Blue Light’s Operations Manager.

Rod joined New Zealand Police in 1983 as a member of Wing 87. Following graduation, he worked on the frontline in Auckland Central and Takapuna, later moving into the Criminal Investigation Unit. In 1989 he was appointed Officer in Charge at Wellsford Police Station, leading a small team and covering communities including Mangawhai and surrounding districts.

Returning to Auckland in the mid-1990s, Rod held a range of leadership roles from Section Sergeant to Sergeant in Charge of Team Policing and Youth Services. He retired from Police in 2001 after developing and overseeing the Crime Control Unit.

Alongside his policing career, Rod built a business that grew from a hobby into a company with 35 staff before being sold in 2005. He went on to establish, grow and later sell two further businesses. During this period, Rod also became the inaugural CEO of Blue Light National, serving in a voluntary capacity until 2012 and helping lay the foundations for the organisation’s national growth.

In 2014, Rod was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to youth and the Police. At the end of 2023, he stepped down as CEO of Blue Light after expanding the organisation to more than 120 staff and supporting the establishment of the Blue Light Foundation to help fund the work of Blue Light’s 75 branches across New Zealand. Along with his Operations Manager role, he is currently a Trustee of the Blue Light Foundation.

ENDS

If you’re interested in joining police check out newcops.govt.nz

Issued by Police Media Centre

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/media-advisory-auckland-based-wing-welcomes-34-new-cops-to-the-frontline/

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)

The appointment of a CEO from a NYSE American-listed mining company will further strengthen ARE’s Board as it progresses its planned Nasdaq listing. Mr Gili brings deep Wyoming, hydrometallurgical and mine development expertise to the largest known rare earth deposit in the United States.

LARAMIE, Wyo., June 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — American Rare Earths Limited (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) (“ARE” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that it has agreed to appoint Matthew D. Gili, B.Eng, BSc, as a Non-Executive Director of the Board. Mr. Gili’s appointment will become formally effective upon completion of the necessary Australian regulatory formalities, which are expected to be completed shortly. Upon commencement, Mr. Gili will join the Company’s Technical Committee and contribute directly to advancing the Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project, the largest known rare earth deposit in the United States on a total rare earth oxide (TREO) basis,¹ toward construction and production.

The appointment is a key component of ARE’s broader Board renewal program as the Company accelerates toward a NASDAQ compliance dual-listing targeted in H2 2026, with a prospective full U.S. domicile planned for 2027. Once appointed, Mr. Gili will bring to the ARE Board a sitting chief executive of a NYSE American-listed Wyoming mining company, adding institutional credibility and U.S. capital markets depth at a decisive moment in the Company’s development.

BOARD COMMENTARY

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¹ Refer ASX announcement dated 4 February 2025.

STRATEGIC CONTEXT: BOARD RENEWAL AND NASDAQ PATHWAY

American Rare Earths is advancing on two parallel and mutually reinforcing tracks. At the project level, the Company has commenced its 2026 FS-level drilling program at the Cowboy State Mine within Halleck Creek, targeting geological and geotechnical data to support ore reserve estimates, geotechnical engineering, environmental baseline studies, and pilot-scale metallurgical testwork. In parallel, the Company has taken a series of deliberate steps toward a NASDAQ listing in H2 2026, including the appointment of BDO Audit Pty Ltd as U.S.-standard auditor and the engagement of Rimon as U.S. securities counsel to guide SEC registration and disclosure requirements.

The agreed appointment of Mr. Gili directly will advance the Board’s quality and composition in anticipation of the NASDAQ listing. U.S. institutional investors, index funds, and mining sector analysts routinely assess the calibre of non-executive directors alongside technical and financial credentials when evaluating emerging mine developers. A Board that includes a sitting NYSE American-listed CEO with a track record of building mines in the United States, operational experience in Wyoming, and hands-on hydrometallurgical processing knowledge is materially stronger in the context of U.S. investor due diligence.

The Company has confirmed that the NASDAQ listing is targeted as a compliance listing in 2026, with ASX retaining its status as the primary listing. A prospective shareholder vote on Company domicile to the United States is planned for 2027. The Board renewal program, of which this agreed appointment forms a part, is explicitly designed to ensure that ARE meets and exceeds the governance, independence, and leadership expectations of both the NASDAQ listing standards and U.S. institutional investors.

PROCESSING SYNERGY: URANIUM ISR AND RARE EARTH HYDROMETALLURGY

A central aspect of Mr. Gili’s relevance to American Rare Earths is the substantial overlap between uranium in-situ recovery (ISR) processing and rare earth element (REE) hydrometallurgical processing the primary processing pathway being developed for Halleck Creek. While the two commodities are distinct, the core unit operations that underpin commercial-scale production share the same fundamental chemistry and engineering disciplines:

• Acid leaching: Both uranium ISR and REE leaching use sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as the primary lixiviant to mobilize target metals from mineralized host rock into solution.
• Solvent extraction (SX): Liquid-liquid solvent extraction is the principal separation technology for both uranium purification and REE individual element separation. The same class of extractants (e.g. D2EHPA, Cyanex 272, Alamine 336) are used across both industries.
• Ion exchange (IX) resins: IX circuits are deployed in both uranium ISR facilities and REE processing plants for selective metal recovery from dilute leach solutions.
• Precipitation and drying: Final product stages yellowcake (U3O8) in uranium, mixed REE carbonate or oxide in rare earths use analogous precipitation, filtration, drying, and calcination processes.
• Environmental and solution management: ISR operations require rigorous management of pregnant and barren leach solutions, aquifer protection, and groundwater restoration — disciplines directly applicable to the environmental and hydrogeological management requirements of REE processing in Wyoming.

Research has demonstrated that REEs including scandium and yttrium have been co-recovered as by-products directly from uranium ISR process solutions in pilot programs, underscoring the chemical affinity between the two recovery systems. Mr. Gili’s operational oversight of ISR uranium hydrometallurgy at Lost Creek an operating Wyoming ISR facility gives him direct, practitioner-level experience with these unit operations in a Wyoming geological, environmental, and regulatory context. This is not analogous experience; it is substantively the same processing discipline applied to a different target metal.

INVESTMENT CASE: WHY THIS APPOINTMENT MATTERS

ABOUT THE HALLECK CREEK RARE EARTHS PROJECT

The Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project, located in Albany and Platte Counties, Wyoming, hosts the largest known rare earth deposit in the United States on a total rare earth oxide (TREO) basis¹. The Cowboy State Mine area within Halleck Creek offers cost-efficient open-pit mining methods on Wyoming State land, benefiting from streamlined permitting under Wyoming’s mining-friendly regulatory environment. The project is currently progressing DFS-level drilling (commenced May 2026) alongside a Whole of Property Development Assessment awarded to leading U.S. engineering consultants.

Halleck Creek is strategically positioned to reduce U.S. reliance on rare earth imports, predominantly from China, while meeting growing domestic demand from defence, advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, wind energy, and semiconductor industries. The project includes plans for onsite mineral processing and separation facilities, and the Company is engaged with U.S. Government-supported R&D programs to develop innovative extraction and processing technologies. The Company is evaluating a potential Wyoming rare earth processing hub strategy that would leverage the state’s existing critical minerals infrastructure.

_________________________________
¹ Refer ASX announcement dated 4 February 2025.

ABOUT AMERICAN RARE EARTHS LIMITED

American Rare Earths (ASX: ARR | OTCQX: ARRNF | ADR: AMRRY) is a critical minerals company at the forefront of reshaping the U.S. rare earths industry. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. (WRI), the Company is advancing the Halleck Creek Project in Wyoming, a world-class rare earth deposit with the potential to secure America’s critical mineral independence for generations.

ARE is committed to environmentally responsible mining practices and continues to collaborate with U.S. Government-supported R&D programs to develop innovative extraction and processing technologies for rare earth elements. The Company is progressing toward a NASDAQ dual-listing in 2026 to deepen its engagement with U.S. institutional and retail investors and accelerate the path to project financing and construction. Further information is available at www.americanree.com.

INVESTOR AND MEDIA CONTACTS

This announcement has been authorized for release by the Board of American Rare Earths Limited.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the planned NASDAQ listing, the advancement of the Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project toward feasibility and production, processing technology development, project financing, and the strategic benefits of the Board appointment described herein. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors include, without limitation: delays in permitting or regulatory approvals; changes in commodity prices; failure to complete the NASDAQ listing on the timeline described; capital cost overruns; changes in technology or processing pathways; and general economic conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

– Published by The MIL Network