AM Edition: Here are the top 10 politics articles on LiveNews.co.nz for August 17, 2026 – Full Text
1. Winston Peters – “The Labour, Green, Māori, Opportunity – Antipodean Animal Farm”
August 16, 2026
Source: New Zealand First
Introduction
Good afternoon.
We are here on the seventh day of a total circus in Wellington – it boiled down to what was just an utter distraction last week.
As already stated – after days of speculation and guesswork, it ultimately was, to quote Shakespeare “much ado about nothing”.
That is not to brush-off the seriousness of the issue for National internally, but to highlight the fact that we as a collective government are less than three months away from a pivotal election and our main focus must be the people of New Zealand and our country’s future.
Throughout this week’s distraction, kiwis woke up each day and went to work, some working two or three jobs, still seriously worried about the next pay cheque, or the next rates bill, or the next power and food bill, or how to afford the basics for their family.
All too often, today’s politics has turned into some sort of soap opera, that is seen as entertainment and click-bait for media, or gotcha politics from the opposition, or personal opinions – which ultimately have no effect on the things that really matter and concern kiwis.
There is little doubt about the reasons why a majority of kiwis are disheartened by the direction our political system has been taking for some time.
None of that lessens the basic responsibility that governing parties have.
We must be focussed on what New Zealanders gave us a mandate to do – turning this country around with policies and values that will give our country a better future – driving down the cost of living, cost of food, cost of power, cost of fuel, and turning this economy around – and doing it all with stability and experience.
We in 2023 inherited an economic nightmare. But not enough government members of parliament understood that.
This pivotal election voters want to hear a clear and unified message – that we are going to win, and take New Zealand back to being a leading economy again.
Nelson Electorate
Here in the Nelson Electorate you have a number of problems – first you have a Labour MP.
Second, both Labour and National promised to build the Hope By-Pass in 2023. In short, they have both been fast on the lip and slow on the hip.
You don’t have to spend much time here to know that Nelson doesn’t need Wellington to tell you all how to live.
It needs Wellington to get the fundamentals right – hospital capacity, affordable energy, roads, port, and infrastructure – then get out of the way of the fishermen, growers, exporters and businesses that actually grow the region’s and nation’s wealth.
Take the Hope By-Pass, this is a classic case of the two old parties forward planning.
In 2024 the Nelson-Tasman regional land transport plan lists state highway six at costing $350m over the next ten years.
But they also said that the projects total estimated costs at that stage was already $500m.
The NZTA, by October 2025, had the costs being up to $1.4 billion.
Classically, the NZTA said this includes escalation, contingency and funding risk.
Whatever that means, it is just covering your backside for not getting the figures right in the first place.
Around about now one’s eyes start to glaze over. Because the current proposal is not simply one new strip of road, it’s a two-stage package including interchanges, widening the Richmond deviation to four lanes, Lower Queen Street – Gladstone road works, an SH60 section – round about, and associated connections.
Oh, and by the way, NZTA also recommends tolling to support construction and maintenance.
Then last month, NZTA said it was prioritising finalising design of the Gladstone Road-Lower Queen Street intersection improvements, with detailed design of the other stage one and stage two sections progressing when funding is available – and do you know what that means? Sometime never.
So ladies and gentlemen can we ask you a question, “how did a Hope Bypass project, that in 2024 Regional Transport planning documents showed an approximate $153 million over the first decade – with an overall estimate of almost $500 million – develop into an NZTA investment envelope of up to $1.4 billion just a year later?
Ladies and gentlemen, in the Puhoi to Warkworth North of Auckland motorway, there was massive over expenditure, in the Transmission Gulley North of Wellington, there was massive underestimation of cost, and huge increases of funding was later required even though so much of the new tar seal was defective.
Nelson can’t grow its productive economy if people and exports can’t move efficiently.
In the Nelson area orchards and timber export businesses and the like, have all been hit with high electricity costs. New Zealand First understands the connection between affordable and reliable energy, investment, productivity and retaining regional jobs.
We understand that government needs to remove barriers to productive businesses exporting and growing instead of making business harder.
Ladies and gentlemen, NZFirst is sick of the infrastructure needs of this country being exploited by certain businesses at the enormous cost to rate payers and taxpayers.
We’ve got a record of getting things done at costs and on time.
So, for the Hope By-Pass the first thing we are going to do is stop this wasteful expenditure on forward calculations and get some accountability back into the system. Enter a fixed price contract to complete the project and find ratepayers here the money to do so.
The longer we leave it the more expensive it is going to get – and we need to get it done now.
By the way, don’t forget Labour spent $280 million on light rail in Auckland and didn’t build a single meter. They spend $54 million on a Auckland Harbour Bridge cycle way and nothing ever happened.
If you doubt my record look at the Tauranga Harbour bridges, or the fact that we cancelled the exorbitant costly I-Rex contract for the cook strait ferries – saving you $2.3 billion.
The Labour Party defends their extravagant spending on the ferries, and if you want to see the Labour Party’s plan go to Tasmania right now, they have two massive ferries just like labours I-Rex project, excepting they have no maritime infrastructure and can’t use them, just like we wouldn’t be able to use ours if Labour got its way.
When they were finished with the I-Rex two ferry blow out – they had gone from $401 million for two ferries, to over $4billion.
Why? Because with their two huge ferries the infrastructure had to be rebuilt and that was going to cost four times what the ferries cost.
And yet the sausage roll eater and his crew are still defending this issue when everyone here knows better.
Ladies and gentlemen
Experience Matters
New Zealand First started our long campaign in March this year and we have been packing the halls around the country every week delivering the message to thousands of kiwis that we are focussed on two things – bold policies our country needs for a real change, and the fight for ordinary hard working kiwis against the establishment, the elites, and the status quo.
Experience and leadership has never mattered more.
We need leaders of the next government to say the things that people are thinking without fear or favour – the things that might be unpopular.
To say the things that others only talk about behind closed doors, too afraid of the backlash from the woke precious snowflakes on the left, or worse, the mainstream media.
New Zealand needs strong leadership who are not afraid to be strong on important issues.
And we don’t need weak leaders who don’t understand New Zealand values.
We can’t go on allowing the two old parties to tinker round the edges of big issues, and do nothing but manage the decline of our country.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are at a pivotal point in the future of New Zealand.
We have already announced a number of bold policies this year.
It is what we need for real change to drive down the cost of living, secure a better future for kiwis, and reinforce who we are as New Zealanders.
Some announced policies
We have announced policies to break up the power companies’ monopoly, and drive power prices down.
We have announced policies to split the supermarket duopoly, and drive food prices down.
We have announced polices to re-establish a competitive New Zealand owned state bank, to drive banking charges down.
We have announced polices to return mining royalties, created in the regions, back to the regions.
We have announced establishing a proper transparent inquiry into those who were injured by the Covid 19 vaccine – so we can find out exactly what happened, who was responsible, and publicly hold them to account.
We are going to expose the cover-up on this issue by the other political parties and so many in the establishment.
We announced our KiwiSaver policy of making it compulsory with automatic $1000 sign-up at birth. It means the day a baby is born it gets $1000 in its account to start saving.
We have announced our policy is to establish a $100 billion Future Fund that will invest in a thirty-year infrastructure plan for our country. And that’s where we are going to get the money for the Hope By-Pass from.
We have also announced that we will pull out of the Paris Agreement that is senselessly hamstringing our economy.
New Zealand has one of the loosest electoral laws in the world, and that is why we have announced a policy to ensure that by 2029 only citizens are allowed to vote in our country.
At our Campaign Launch, we announced a policy to invest $1billion to start exploring our gas and oil reserves in our deep-sea basins so we can own and export our own oil and gas.
Here we are wrestling with an international fuel crisis while we could be owning and using our own.
New Zealand has natural resources that are there, ready to be utilised to transform our country.
This is about New Zealand’s economic sovereignty and security.
And we also have announced the ‘Kiwi Kids Grant’ that will support New Zealand citizens raising their first three children, through the first three years of their lives – $5000 per child for each of the three years.
Citizenship
New Zealand needs to start viewing our citizenship as most other countries around the world do – as a privilege that comes with special and unique rights.
This does not take away from migrants the ability to move here and help build our country, from showing total commitment and patriotism for New Zealand by becoming a citizen.
We have massively allowed so many of our standards to drop.
Even the most basic of privileges and rights in any country like voting has in our country become more like an expectation for anyone, rather than a unique right for New Zealanders.
Ladies and gentlemen, why do so many ‘apologetic globalists’ act shocked and dismayed that a political party is wanting to ensure that citizenship actually means something?
Our recent policies like Kiwi Kids Grant and citizens only voting, is not anti-anything or anti-anyone. Those policies show that we value our citizenship and don’t shy away from wanting special rights and privileges to go with it.
This is about valuing our unique citizenship the way it should be – just like the vast majority of countries do.
We have many more such policies to truly change the direction and thinking of our country.
And what have the other parties announced as policies so far? More taxes, more spending, solar panels and free bus rides.
The election is 83 days away, and already the other parties are reverting to type, as they always do at election time, with no direction, no plan, and no real policy, that will give New Zealand the change that we need.
But there is a difference in this election. Kiwis are looking at what parties are offering as their values and principles in these uncertain times.
NZSIS Report This Week
As the Leader of New Zealand First and as Foreign Minister, there were very concerning announcements this week from the NZSIS director general, Andrew Hampton, regarding national security challenges and intelligence.
The warning is among those contained in the latest Security Threat Environment Report, released as the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, saying New Zealand is confronting the flow-on effects of “the most challenging global threat environment in recent times”.
Andrew Hampton says New Zealand’s geographic isolation “affords us only limited protection from the types of threats we are talking about, whether that be violent extremism, foreign interference, or espionage.”
Attempts at foreign interference targeting New Zealand political figures at both national and local level are “occurring constantly”, with Hampton quoted as predicting that will continue throughout the election campaign.
“Unfortunately, we see attempts at foreign interference targeting political figures, both at the national and local level, occurring constantly”.
The report describes diaspora communities being subjected to transnational repression, where foreign states or their proxies seek to restrict the rights and freedoms people are entitled to in New Zealand.
Hampton describes a spectrum, from online or physical monitoring of people perceived to be dissidents, to harassment.
The threat report says New Zealand’s public and private sectors are being targeted by foreign states and their proxies to gain access to critical assets such as intellectual property and innovative technology.
“The activity cannot be described as benign. It involves state actors with a voracious appetite for any information they can leverage to gain an advantage over New Zealand or our partners.”
The report says espionage – spying – is covertly accessing protected information, and that foreign states frequently use proxies to do that.
While several states are said to conduct espionage here, the SIS names the People’s Republic of China as “the only country we have detected doing it at scale”
New Zealand First is the only party that has consistently called out the threat posed to New Zealand’s democracy through outside influences, and will continue to fight on your behalf to ensure we tighten our immigration status, strengthen our borders, and ensure financial resources are always at a level enabling the SIS and it’s agencies the capability to protect our democracy from outside influences.
This report was released by the NZSIS this week. And there has been a deafening silence from other political parties and many in the mainstream media.
This is why New Zealanders need an ‘eyes wide open’ political party like New Zealand First.
NZFirst Party Mandate
New Zealanders gave us a mandate to turn this country around after the Labour Party wasteful spend-up, achieved nothing, and put people on the “go woke, go broke path”.
We signed a coalition agreement to govern with stability and experience three years ago – and we have kept our word.
New Zealand First brings what is too often missing in politics – experience and common sense.
New Zealand First brings a commitment to New Zealand industry, to manufacturing, to jobs right here for our own people.
New Zealand First brings commonsense to immigration policy – where we allow in people that we need, not people who need us.
We believe in infrastructure before population growth, not afterwards, and infrastructure focused on fixing what’s broken, not flash upgrades and vanity projects.
New Zealand First brings traditional kiwi conservative values – where hard work should be rewarded, where job security and home ownership underpins a stable family life.
We want a country where young people aren’t worried about their family’s future, or where they see better opportunities overseas.
We are the party of social conservatism, patriotism, and nationalism. Those values are what it means to be a Kiwi – and New Zealand First is proud to not only stand by those values, but to fight for them.
This is an election where the question is simple: do you trust a cabal of woke left-wing student politicians from Labour, nutbars from the Greens, separatists from the Māori Party or the globalist consultants from Opportunity to stick up for your family and for your country?
Politics is sometimes farcical, take last week – Chris Hipkins shocked the country and held a media conference to announce that he has ruled New Zealand First out. As you can imagine it took us all by surprise.
Not least, because we had ruled Labour out in 2022, then again twelve months ago, and again every month when answering the same stupid questions from the media.
When Hipkins wasted everyone’s time and ruled us out, we said Hipkins had “severe learning difficulties”, and we stand by that statement.
Who is Labour Ruling In?
But what should be the most concerning, is that he did not rule out working with the Māori Party, and their racist separatist policies.
He did not rule out working with the Greens, and their $88 billion debt increase, or their new policy bribe to give $2.4 billion to Marae – without any external checks.
In fact, what did Labour think? They fully supported that bribe.
The Opposition Antipodean Animal Farm
Did Hipkins rule out working with Opportunity, who want homeowners to pay 1.75% of your land value every year for their home? You already pay local rates, now you will have to pay annual rent to the Government.
And what did the leader of TOP say when questioned about an old couple on the pension, who worked hard and saved all their lives, bought a house for their future and their children’s future, who would face a $20k land tax bill every year? She said, yes, they will have to downsize their house to afford it.
And do you know what that money would be used for? Infrastructure? Health? Education? Fuel security? Food prices? No.
It will be used to give everyone in New Zealand, even if they don’t have a job, a Universal Basic Income of $19,400 a year – for free, for life, for doing nothing.
Opportunity calls this ‘fairness’.
New Zealand First calls it ‘communism’.
And the Labour Party has said they will work with Opportunity.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the stark truth. The Labour Party that you once knew, perhaps even supported, is no more.
That party is gone. All of these polices and parities they are willing to support are proof of that.
Can you imagine Helen Clark or Michael Cullen, or Bob Tizard or Peter Frazer signing up to this?
These parties on the left are not people who see New Zealand as one people, one country, one flag, one law, or people who believe in fundamental kiwi values like hard work, ambition, and personal responsibility.
These are people who believe in a separatist society, and who want to borrow, tax, and spend – but have zero economic credentials, or even vision, to deliver growth.
Chris Hipkins and Labour are willing to work with parties like Opportunity, Greens, and the Māori Party because Labour care more about the number of seats that will give them power, rather than the danger of who it is that will sit in those seats.
Challenging the Status Quo
The greatest threat to this blind ideology, to social elitism, and to the status quo, is New Zealand First.
And the country we are defending is called New Zealand – it’s in our party’s name.
We fight for the hardworking blue-collar Kiwi battler, who just wants the chance to help build a country they are proud of.
In this election, we have a rare chance to change the shape of parliament for the better, and in doing so, to reshape our country the way you want it.
We are asking you to make a choice with our future generations in mind.
Take back control from the Wellington bubble.
Take back control from those who choose to be CV politicians, where they are here one day, “no more gas in the tank”, and are gone the next – taking with them a rolodex of international jobs, speaking circuits, or book tours, looking back over their shoulder at New Zealand’s decline – which they caused.
New Zealand First, from our launch thirty-three years ago, has been battling that elitist status quo. No one can deny that. On issue after issue that needed public exposure, the rest remain silent. When others wouldn’t raise a finger, we have raised the roof.
Conclusion
Ladies and gentlemen, we are all here because we love our country, and we are proud of it.
True democracy is a rare flower in the history of humanity.
Down thousands of years living in democracy with freedom is a historical rarity.
We have inherited a free country that our forebears fought and died for, and it’s our job to preserve it.
But only if we are proud of what we have inherited can we come together and move forward to shape the vision of our country’s future.
We live in a country that, at its core, traditional New Zealand values once saw us amongst the world’s leaders – hard work, fair pay, valuing our citizenship, building a sense of community, and knowing who we are as kiwis.
We must remember, New Zealand is the beneficiary of Western values, democracy, and the rule of law. And the advancement and enhancement of those principles have only occurred in those societies that have united together as one people – and who celebrate their nationhood instead of perpetuating division.
There is a lot of uncertainty around the world and at home, but we must keep hope alive that, with hard work and perseverance, tomorrow will be better.
New Zealand First is nationalist, patriotic, and socially conservative values that we fight for.
It hasn’t been easy – but things in life worth doing never are.
We must never forget that challenge.
We must never stop believing in New Zealand.
That is our vision and that is our mission.
To protect, to save, and to restore New Zealand’s place at the top of the world.
By putting New Zealand and New Zealanders first.
We are asking you to join us – and Party Vote New Zealand First.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/16/winston-peters-the-labour-green-maori-opportunity-antipodean-animal-farm/
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2. Proposed local rock lobster management measures at Aotea Great Barrier Island
August 16, 2026
Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Have your say
The Aotea/Great Barrier Local Board and the Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea Iwi Trust Board have requested that the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries implement local rock lobster management measures in the waters around Aotea Great Barrier Island that would affect both recreational and commercial fishers.
Fisheries New Zealand is seeking your feedback on the proposed measures.
Consultation started on 5 August and closes at 5pm on 4 September 2026. Once consultation closes, Fisheries New Zealand will analyse the submissions and prepare advice to support the minister’s response to the request.
Background about the request
This request responds to concerns raised by residents and mana whenua that commercial and recreational rock lobster fishing effort will increasingly be displaced from the closed areas of CRA 1 (east coast of Northland) and the closed areas and the high-protection areas of CRA 2 (inner Hauraki Gulf) to Aotea Great Barrier Island, leading to the localised depletion of rock lobsters.
This consultation differs from many fisheries consultations in that the proposals have been developed by the board and the trust – it is not a package of measures proposed by Fisheries New Zealand. Rather, Fisheries New Zealand’s role is to facilitate consultation, provide supporting analysis, and advise the minister on the merits of the proposal following consideration of submissions and direct engagement with key stakeholders.
What they have proposed
They have proposed 5 Aotea-specific management measures that would apply to spiny rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) and packhorse rock lobster (Sagmariasus verreauxi).
- Establish 6 recreational-only areas where commercial rock lobster fishing would be prohibited.
- Reduce the daily limit for recreational fishers.
- Introduce an accumulation limit for recreational fishers, with the limit set at a single day’s catch. This would prevent recreational fishers from accumulating multiple days’ catch.
- Introduce a maximum legal size for both commercial and recreational fishers.
- Introduce a closed season for both commercial and recreational fishers to coincide with autumn and winter mating seasons of these species.
It is proposed that these measures be implemented within a boundary one nautical mile from Aotea. Full details are in the consultation document.
Fisheries New Zealand seeks your feedback on the measures that have been proposed for Aotea, including whether:
- you are concerned about the long-term sustainability of rock lobster fishing at Aotea Great Barrier Island
- you support the implementation of the measures that have been proposed by the Aotea/Great Barrier Local Board and Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea Iwi Trust Board
- there are other measures, or variations on the proposed measures, that you would like Fisheries New Zealand to consider that could support the long-term sustainability of rock lobster fishing at Aotea Great Barrier Island.
Consultation document
Proposed local rock lobster management measures at Aotea Great Barrier Island [PDF, 2.4 MB]
Supplementary documents
Map of Aotea Great Barrier Island and proposed management areas [PDF, 1 MB]
Government media release
Feedback sought on Great Barrier rock lobster – Beehive
Making your submission
Email your feedback by 5pm on 4 September 2026 to FMsubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
A template is available to help you complete your submission.
Submissions template [DOCX, 72 KB]
While we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:
Inshore Fisheries Management
Fisheries New Zealand
Private Bag 12031
Mount Maunganui
Tauranga 3116
New Zealand.
What to include
Make sure you tell us in your submission:
- the title of the consultation document
- your name and role
- your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
- your contact details (such as phone number, address, or email).
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 to 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation
Our privacy commitment
The Privacy Act 2020 applies to all submissions. Any personal information you provide will be used only for the purpose of informing this consultation. All submissions will be read by MPI staff. MPI may also use artificial intelligence (AI) to summarise content and identify key themes. All AI outputs will be subject to human review.
To find out about the personal information we collect, our approach to privacy and security, and your rights, refer to this web page: Privacy and security
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/16/proposed-local-rock-lobster-management-measures-at-aotea-great-barrier-island/
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3. Greenpeace – Thousands of NZers demand ‘hands off conservation land’ in nationwide day of action.
August 16, 2026
Source: Greenpeace
Thousands of people across Aotearoa have taken part in a nationwide day of action today, calling on the Coalition Government to keep its hands off public conservation land and throw out the Conservation Amendment Bill.
More than 35 protests took place across the country, coordinated by Greenpeace and organised by local communities from Invercargill all the way up to Aotea Great Barrier Island.
Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says the scale of the mobilisation reflects how strongly New Zealanders feel about protecting public conservation land.
“New Zealanders are fed up with this Coalition Government’s attempt to exploit and degrade public conservation land. These are the places where we go camping, tramping, hunting or fishing, and they are places that we love deeply.
“The Conservation Amendment Bill is rotten to its core. It opens the door to more mining, more commercial exploitation and degradation of the wildlife and places we all love.”
“Today, thousands of people, from all walks of life, have taken to parks, forests, rivers, and town centres, to demonstrate their opposition to the Bill and to tell the Government to keep its hands off public conservation land.”
The Conservation Amendment Bill proposes to change the purpose of the Conservation Act from protecting nature to enabling commercial exploitation “to the greatest extent practicable. It originally proposed making it easier to sell off around 5 million hectares of public conservation land, before the Government backed down and committed to removing those provisions.
Organisers at more than 35 protests across the country took action with their communities – from creating giant driftwood messages riverbanks, holding rallies in public parks and flying banners in conservation areas.
Speaking from the Coromandel protest, Catherine Delahunty, Chair of Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki, said, “Our community is participating in the national day of action to protect conservation land because the last thing we need is more development in our forests. We already have mining companies preparing for toxic gold mining on this land and the Conservation Amendment Bill is the last straw.
“Today our people are rallying in the Wentworth Valley against Rua Gold mining plans and some are also protesting Shane Jones who will be in Thames at 2pm. We must protect the forests, not the greed of multinational miners.”
Greenpeace’s Gen Toop says this is just the beginning.
“Public conservation land exists today because generations of New Zealanders have cared for it and fought to protect it. Today showed that people across Aotearoa are ready to do that again.”
“We know we have a responsibility to leave these places as wild and beautiful for the wildlife that depends on them, and for the generations who come after us.”
“In a month’s time, people will come together in Auckland to March for Nature. The Coalition Government’s war on nature cannot continue. It must bin the Conservation Amendment Bill, stop dismantling environmental protections and start protecting nature for generations to come.”
Photo and video: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y39hNkUpT7l3KZMg63j5xreVnEJUuED7?usp=sharing
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4. PSA STATEMENT – ACT wants public service to be a bad employer, exposing the real agenda behind its ‘reset’
August 16, 2026
Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
ACT coming after requirements for the public service to be a good employer says everything about the party’s real agenda, putting more power in the hands of employers and undermining public services.
The policy announced today aims to remove Section 73 of the Public Service Act, which requires the chief executives of Government departments to operate an employment policy that complies ‘with the principle of being a good employer’. It also wants to remove all spiritual and cultural obligations, and put into law the requirement for public services to be delivered based on need, not race.
“ACT wants to make the public service worse, not better and continue its destructive campaign to further erode the rights of workers,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Remember ACT has been part of a government which has spent three years attacking workers, scrapping pay equity, bringing in fire-at-will, and making dangerous changes to health and safety. There’s a pattern here, and it’s not good for workers, let alone the delivery of public services.
“The policy behind the good employer provisions is that the Government should be an exemplar employer. It’s supposed to show the country what good looks like, not race to the bottom.
“ACT wants to remove the requirement for fair and proper treatment from the public service, and they’ve made clear they don’t agree with it for private employers either. This isn’t really about quality public services or neutrality, it’s about ACT’s discomfort with employers having any obligation to treat their people fairly at all.”
The PSA says a public service that reflects the community it serves, including its diversity, is part of what makes it effective and legitimate, not a problem to be legislated away.
“A public service should look like New Zealand. That’s not social engineering, that’s just good sense if you want an organisation that understands and can respond to the people it’s there to serve,” Fitzsimons said.
“And let’s be clear about how racist this reset really is. Removing the ability for public servants to observe cultural and spiritual practices, on top of pushing ‘need not race’ into law, is part of the continued attack on Māori in the public service and the policies to improve outcomes for Māori.
“We all know what this is all about. It’s part of a wider ACT agenda to run down public services, so they can be wound back and readied for privatisation. Weaken the workforce, weaken the service, then say it isn’t working.
“Come 7 November, we will be urging voters to change the Government and stop this racist, divisive agenda. We need a new government that protects public services and ensure they deliver to the needs of New Zealanders.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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5. Small Malaita constituency lauds PRC’s continued support for community development, receives SBD100,000 grant assistance
August 14, 2026
Source: Solomon Islands Government Ministry of Rural Development
DATE: THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST, 2026
The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is one of the 24 ministries within the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) machinery. MRD was established on 28 September 2007.
Its core mandate, as contained under Legal Notice 164 in accordance with the Constitution of Solomon Islands, is to oversee the effective planning and implementation of Government’s Rural Development Policies.
Its vision is to ensure all rural Solomon Islanders meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihood.
Website: https://solomons.gov.sb/ The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is one of the 24 ministries within the Small Malaita constituency lauds PRC’s continued support for community development, receives SBD100,000 grant assistance The Small Malaita Constituency Office has commended the People’s Republic of China’s Embassy in Honiara for its continued support of community development in Solomon Islands, after receiving SBD100,000 in grant assistance under the Embassy’s Small and Sustainable Development Project Fund, marking another milestone in strengthening rural development and improving community livelihoods.
The funding will go towards the purchase of two boats and one engine, for AIAU Association from Tawaro village and a family of seven sisters from Fanalei village.
The project aims to improve sea transportation, giving rural communities safer and more reliable access to markets, health services, schools, and other essential services.
Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Brown Honimae expressed his sincere appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for their continued support of community development in Small Malaita and Solomon Islands as a whole.
Honimae said the assistance reflects the strong partnership and enduring friendship between Solomon Islands and the People’s Republic of China, with tangible benefits reaching rural communities.
“This funding will directly improve the lives of our people by providing a reliable means of sea transportation.
For many of our rural communities, boats are not a luxury but a necessity, connecting people to essential services and economic opportunities,”
Honimae said.
He added that the constituency remains committed to ensuring development assistance is channelled through a fair and transparent process, directed toward projects with a lasting, meaningful impact on people’s lives.
Honimae also acknowledged the Chinese Embassy for its ongoing support through the Small and Sustainable Development Project Fund, noting that such assistance complements the constituency’s development priorities and contributes to the welfare of rural communities.
The Small Malaita Constituency Office reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with development partners to deliver practical and sustainable projects that improve the quality of life for its people.
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6. Bora Group Posts Record 2Q26 Revenue and Strong Profits as Margins expand and Operations Resume Demand-Driven Growth
August 13, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
2Q26 Business and Financial Highlights
- Bora delivered historically record-high quarterly revenues of NT$5,889 million in 2Q26, up 47.2% quarter-over-quarter driven by broad-based operational momentum, with basic EPS of NT$4.36.
- CDMO revenue growth and increased site utilization rates, along with strong growth in the rare disease business and a return to growth for generics business of the Pharma Sales operations lifted group profitability, with gross margin expanding to 41.3% from 36.0% and operating margin reaching 16.8% from 10.2% in 1Q26. Excluding one-time costs related to the Weider Global Nutrition transaction, operating margin was approximately 18%.
- CDMO’s strong backlog of US$317 million as of end of 2Q26, another historical high following a strong quarter, signals that Bora’s core business continued to perform with higher demand.
- Pharma Sales’ rare disease franchise continues to show double digit sequential growth and the increased demand from government channels during the quarter with stabilized pricing in DLS has lifted the generics business back to normal.
- Reflecting Bora’s recent increase in investment in Sunway Biotech, from 35.97% to 42.27% and subsequent acquisitions of Weider Global Nutrition’s, the Company has introduced “Consumer Healthcare (CHC)” as a new segment in its revenue mix disclosure beginning this quarter. In 2Q26, revenues from CHC were NT$824.76 million in 2Q26, a 354.4% increase QoQ and 234.3% YoY, and contributed to 14% of the Bora Groups consolidated revenues, an all-time high.
- Cash-on-hand reached an all-time high of NT$8,431 million as the Company was preparing for MacroGenics Inc.’s Rockville facility acquisition.
- The Company has kicked off a group-wide AI in Manufacturing, BORA AIM, program aimed at improving process efficiency across sites, spanning engineering, quality and production. Bora has also signed a partnership with Insilico Medicine for AI drug discovery. The first 6 months will focus on beta version testing of the Bora AIM agents and AI champions to drive process consolidation.
- Share capital increased 0.3% during the quarter from employee stock option exercise.
Mr. Bobby Sheng, Chairman of Bora Group, stated, “We are pleased to announce Bora Group’s return to strong operating profits and double to triple-digit growth on all key margins sequentially, as well as demonstrate that our soft 1Q26 performance was anomalous rather than structural. Our impressive sequential improvement was driven entirely by strong demand from both our CDMO and Pharma Sales businesses, with 2Q26 manufactured batches reaching 0.38 billion doses, led by increased commercial production in Maple Grove and Zhunan sites and a full quarter of operations in the Maryland injectable facility, while our flagship products DLS and VIGAFYDE® in Pharma Sales continues to secure leading market share.
Our focus right now is execution. CAPEX investments in our mature sites, including facilities in Taiwan and in Canada, continue to deliver operational leverage driven by gross margin expansion, and our recently acquired oral solid dose facility in Maple Grove continues to show stellar and impactful demand as we sign more projects. Our 12-month rolling backlog is at historic high in almost all our sites, despite projected manufacturing delays at our Maryland injectable facility as we diligently respond to FDA audit observations from a recent audit. Bora Group’s commitment to the fast-growing Biologics manufacturing industry took another big step as we look to integrate 12,000 liters of capacity, and 3 commercial products from our Rockville facility, as well as see revenue recognition from this acquisition starting Q3. As Bora’s CDMO footprint expands in the US, we continue to capture durable, high-value demand as customers increasingly prioritize supply security and onshore capacity.
In addition, we are seeing sustained growth and improved gross margins in the Vigabatrin franchise, our most important, rare disease franchise, thanks to renegotiations with our partner vendors. Accelerated state and government orders for generics products increased 2Q26 revenues and 6 new generics launches have also supported a more diversified generics portfolio. Together, the advancement in rare disease franchise and generics business has positioned Bora’s Pharma Sales business, operating under the name Upsher-Smith, in a far stronger state than it was just a quarter ago.
As announced in July, we are excited to be developing a group-wide AI in Manufacturing program, BORA AIM, aimed at improving process efficiency across sites, spanning engineering, quality and production. We also announced a partnership with Insilico Medicine to enhance our understanding of AI drug discovery and create more customized AI manufacturing platforms for AIDD small molecules. In the next 12 months, Bora Group will be ready to showcase some exciting AI-enabled CDMO platforms that will truly add value to our partners and sharpen the overall competitive advantages of Bora Group.
As our momentum carries Bora into the second half of the year, we expect margins of our flagship products in Pharma Sales and CHC businesses to hold steady on continuous revenue growth, and improved efficiencies in the CDMO business in addition to consolidation of new revenues from the Rockville facility.”
2Q26 Operational Achievements & 2026 Outlook
Global CDMO Operations
Revenues increased 30.3% year-over-year and 29.0% quarter-over-quarter including internal orders, and 33.0% and 40.2% external orders only, or NT$2,116.4 million. The growth was primarily driven by a strong rebound in injectables following the semi-annual maintenance in 1Q26 and same period last year, and demand acceleration overall as we continue to meet the increasing backlog.
CDMO business also signed a record high US$378.2 million in total external wins. Highlighted by a 10+2-year, multi product commercial contract in our Maple Grove facility with a new top-20 pharma company, and 14 new molecules from pre-commercial programs from multiple new customers. Bora is confident in its mid- to long-term growth trajectory as pharma and biotech companies continue to look for US based CDMOs as a part of their efforts to onshore US production and improve supply chain resilience.
During the quarter, 0.38 billion doses, or 109 molecules, were developed and manufactured. Contribution from the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies stood at roughly 30% and should increase drastically in the next 8 quarters.
Looking at 3Q26, the Company is highly optimistic, with our backlog having climbed to an unprecedented level even after a strong quarter of manufacturing output. We do anticipate some timing shifts in revenue recognition related to scheduled semi-annual maintenance at our Maryland injectable site, alongside targeted quality-enhancement activities in connection with observations on passive RABS (Restricted Access Barrier System) line received from an FDA audit that took place 2Q26. However, there has been no reduction in total commercial batch productions in 2026 as we speak and several existing clients have initiated transfers to the FlexPro isolator filling lines. RFP activity has risen, with the first GMP PPQ campaign starting in August. On the newest, isolator-based AST lines, factory acceptance testing (FAT) is planned for Q326, with qualification to follow in 2027, expanding our ability to onboard small-scale isolator programs, including tech transfers.
On biologics, Rockville facility revenue recognition started in the first month of 3Q26 and the site has confirmed that it is on track to deliver batch production volumes ahead of last year’s run rate of around 13 batches for the remainder of 2026. We anticipate one-time transaction costs from this acquisition of approximately 3% of the purchase price including legal and FA fee and transition related expenses as stated in the Transition Service Agreement. The Rockville acquisition expands biologics capacity and brings integrated drug substance (DS) and drug product (DP) capabilities under one roof, strengthening our end-to-end service offering and attracting more inbound opportunities and higher value conversion with cross selling opportunities for our injectable business.
For our strategic investment in Tanvex Biopharma, the main Bora Biologics platform company, although the business still operates at a loss, Tanvex has built a strong presence in international conferences, especially Bio International in the US in June. We have seen a positive uptick in pipeline from leading biotechs and heavy weight biopharmas, and stable demand for early-stage PD programs in Zhubei. The Rockville acquisition is expected to orchestrate and accelerate opportunities for Tanvex in the coming quarters.
Pharma Sales Operations
Revenues decreased 2.7% year-over-year and increased 30.4% quarter-over-quarter, arriving at NT$2,934.04 million in 2Q26. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a product rationalization program in 2025 that lead to the withdrawal of a basket of legacy generics products.
During the quarter, specialty and brand came in strongly, up 58.8% for the quarter QoQ and displayed almost 50% growth against 2025 run rate. The rare-disease Vigabatrin franchise demand is robust, and our continuous investment in the segment has resulted in much broader patient access compared to when we acquired Upsher-Smith 28 months ago. On coverage, we are on track to achieve year-end formulary goal of >50%, supported by more regional plans and strong physician adoption as they gain experience with VIGAFYDE®. The Company has also renegotiated contracts with suppliers, leading to improved gross margins for the franchise during the quarter and expects full economic contribution starting 3Q26. Simultaneously, the Company out-licensed its non-core assets, Stiripentol generics and 505(b)(2), during the quarter, fully capturing the economic value of these drug assets to enable fueled and renewed focus on core specialty and brand business.
The generics business returned to stability as Upsher-Smith successfully defended flagship product DLS. High value generics advanced 20.6% sequentially from downstream restocking, narrowing the year-to-date YoY decline against 2025 run rate to high teens.
Having executed our way through specialty and brand business growth and generics portfolio optimization, we have returned to the 2023–2024 peaks of Pharma Sales performance but with healthier and more resilient operating profits. As of now, Upsher-Smith sees 6 ANDA pending approval.
CHC Operations
Bora Group has increased holdings of Sunway Biotech to 42.27% through a private placement at $NT 596 million. Subsequently, Sunway completed the acquisition of Weider Global Nutrition (WGN), a global nutritional supplements company with offices in the US, Spain, and Germany and products sold in over 60 countries. Benefitting from the consolidation of WGN that started in May, Consumer Health business totaled NT$824.76 million in 2Q26, a 354.4% increase QoQ and 234.3% YoY. Focusing on longevity and sports nutrition, WGN’s distribution strength is expected to meaningfully contribute to the CHC business in 2026 and beyond and shall deliver vertical-integration synergies to Sunway’s existing ingredients’ manufacturing operations. Together, the WGN acquisition is expected to catapult Sunway Biotech into a leading global nutritional supplements company and substantially accelerate top and bottom-line improvements in the future.
Recent Investor Conference
Bora will host English online earnings call at 8:00 a.m. Taiwan time on Aug. 14th, 2026. The event will cover the Company’s 2Q26 financial and business results and 2H26 outlook.
English Online Earnings Presentation Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/225504163505748?p=UyyncWl1CnOzjBCNKD
Bora will participate in Goldman Sachs 2026 CDMO day in Singapore in Sept. For 1:1 meetings with management, please contact your GS representative.
Bora 2026 Earnings Schedule
Q3 2026: Expected in the 2nd week of Nov 2026
Q4 2026: Expected in the 2nd week of Mar 2027
Hashtag: #BoraGroup
About Bora
By investing in talent, infrastructure, and biologics expansion, Bora continues to transform operations and achieve sustainable growth. Committed to making success “certain,” Bora sets new standards in the pharmaceutical and CDMO industries.
For more, please visit:
https://www.bora-corp.com
https://www.boracdmo.com
Disclaimer:
This document and the accompanying information may contain forward-looking statements. All statements regarding the company’s future business operations, potential events, and prospects (including but not limited to forecasts, targets, estimates, and operational plans) are considered forward-looking statements unless they refer to factual occurrences. Forward-looking statements are subject to various factors and uncertainties that may cause significant differences from actual results, including but not limited to price fluctuations, actual demand, exchange rate variations, market share, competitive conditions, changes in the legal, financial, and regulatory framework, international economic and financial market conditions, political risks, cost estimates, and other risks and variables beyond the company’s control. These forward-looking statements are based on current predictions and assessments, and the company disclaims any responsibility for future updates.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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7. CPA Australia outlines recommendations for Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address
August 13, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
As one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies, CPA Australia has today submitted to the government a comprehensive series of policy recommendations under the following themes:
- Strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading international financial centre
- Developing the Northern Metropolis as a key engine of economic growth and innovation
- Reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as an international trade hub
- Establishing leadership in sustainable finance and transition finance
- Building a future-ready workforce and innovation-driven economy
Macro vision and strategic positioning
Mr Cyrus Cheung, President of CPA Australia Greater China Division, emphasised the importance of long-term planning to support Hong Kong’s future competitiveness; “Hong Kong is entering an important period of economic development. The formulation of Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan alongside China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address provides an opportunity to leverage the city’s unique strengths, support innovation and sustainable investment, and strengthen its long-term competitiveness.”
Mr Cheung said Hong Kong should build on its role as a “super-connector” and “super-value-adder” by broadening its strategic focus beyond traditional trade and financial flows. “We recommend positioning Hong Kong as a comprehensive capital markets hub encompassing commodities, precious metals, carbon products, digital assets and RMB-denominated products. Given its strong financial, regulatory and legal foundations, Hong Kong should set a long-term ambition to become Asia’s leading centre for gold trading, clearing, settlement, financing and risk management.”
He added that Hong Kong is well placed to play a larger role in supporting the international expansion of Chinese enterprises.
CPA Australia’s recent research on Chinese enterprises going global found that over 3,000 A-share listed companies generated RMB 4.90 trillion in overseas revenue in the first half of 2025 alone. As Chinese enterprises continue to expand into ASEAN, the Middle East, Africa and other international markets, Hong Kong should position itself as the leading provider of professional services to support their global growth.
Enhancing Hong Kong’s capital market ecosystem
Mr Kelvin Leung, Deputy President of CPA Australia’s Greater China Division, highlighted key priorities for enhancing Hong Kong’s capital market ecosystem; “Hong Kong’s long-term success will depend on its ability to evolve beyond a traditional IPO fundraising centre into a comprehensive capital formation centre, positioning the city’s financial sector at the heart of international capital flows between entrepreneurs, investors, institutions and global markets.”
Mr Leung said this evolution should be supported by the continued development of areas such as digital finance, asset tokenisation, offshore RMB business, wealth management and family offices. “To support Hong Kong’s long-term development, the government should leverage the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) to catalyse private sector investment in strategic industries. To further strengthen the economy, we encourage the government to develop a Capital Formation Strategy in close collaboration with Mainland regulators.”
Mr Leung added that maintaining Hong Kong’s tax competitiveness will be critical to preserving its status as a leading international financial centre. “We suggest a comprehensive review of Hong Kong’s tax system, potentially structured as a series of interconnected reviews covering key sectors including family offices, funds, corporate treasury centres, insurance, and private credit. Led by the Advisory Committee on Tax Policy, these reviews should focus on reducing administrative burdens, assessing substance requirements and safeguarding the city’s international investment appeal.”
Accelerating Northern Metropolis growth and technology commercialisation
Dr Albert Wong, a divisional councillor on CPA Australia’s Greater China Division, outlined a potential roadmap to support Hong Kong’s technological transformation: “The Northern Metropolis should be positioned as an internationally connected engine of growth and innovation, serving as a strategic platform bringing together world-class universities, research institutions, multinational corporations, investors and technology enterprises to accelerate the development and commercialisation of new technologies.”
Dr Wong said stronger support is needed to help innovative ideas move more efficiently from research laboratories to commercial markets. “To strengthen Hong Kong’s innovation ecosystem, we recommend establishing a ‘Government-as-First-Customer’ procurement program to support local tech firms. We also recommend leveraging the HKIC as an anchor investor, where appropriate, to help attract private capital into locally developed technologies, alongside the creation of a University Commercialisation Acceleration Fund, to expedite the translation of research into commercial outcomes.”
He added that Hong Kong should further strengthen support for business adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies. “To align with the national ‘AI+’ initiative and enhance business competitiveness, Hong Kong should expand support for AI adoption through measures such as an AI Adoption Support Scheme for SMEs and a Cross-Border Data Exchange Sandbox with the GBA.
Dr Wong emphasised that realising the full benefits of AI requires significant investment in education, workforce development and talent attraction. “Capturing the opportunities presented by AI requires a fundamental transformation in education and workforce skills. Hong Kong should aim for higher levels of digital literacy, critical thinking, communication and human-AI collaboration across all levels of education and training,”
Leadership in sustainable and transition finance
Highlighting long-term economic resilience and sustainable growth, Mr Cyrus Cheung added that said Hong Kong is well positioned to play a leading role in financing Asia’s transition to a lower-carbon economy. “Building on its strengths as a leading centre of finance and professional services, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to become Asia’s leading centre for financing the transition to low emissions technologies and serve as a bridge between the Chinese Mainland’s carbon markets and international investors. The Five-Year Plan should include a clear ambition to develop a comprehensive ecosystem for sustainable finance, transition finance, carbon trading, climate-related reporting, assurance and advisory services.”
Mr Cheung said Hong Kong has a unique opportunity to leverage its access to both Mainland and international capital to support the region’s decarbonisation efforts. “By adopting international sustainability standards and leveraging its access to Mainland and global capital, Hong Kong can play a leading role in mobilising investment for Asia’s decarbonisation transition. The Northern Metropolis should also be positioned as a demonstration zone for sustainable urban development and green infrastructure.”
CPA Australia believes that aligning near-term policy initiatives with a clear five-year strategic framework will help Hong Kong strengthen its competitiveness and accelerate its development into a more diversified, innovative and resilient economy.
Hashtag: #CPAAustralia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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