PM Edition: Here are the top 10 business articles on LiveNews.co.nz for September 27, 2026 – Full Text
1. MIHAS Awards 2026 Celebrates Excellence and Sets New Benchmark for Innovation, Sustainability and Digitalisation Across the Global Halal Ecosystem
September 26, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
The 2026 edition marked an important evolution of the MIHAS Awards, with a stronger emphasis on future-ready business practices, emerging technologies, digitalisation, sustainability and inclusive growth. The awards recognised companies not only for what they have achieved, but also for how they are innovating, adapting and creating sustainable value in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven global marketplace.
A total of 13 awards were presented across three core flagship categories, namely the Excellence Awards; Innovation, Sustainability & Digitalisation Awards; and, for the first time, the Women in Export (WiEX) Awards.
Introduced for the first time in 2026, the WiEX Awards recognise exceptional women-led businesses across the Excellence and Innovation, Sustainability & Digitalisation categories, reinforcing MIHAS’s commitment to promoting greater inclusivity and recognising the important contributions of women entrepreneurs and business leaders to the growth and internationalisation of the halal economy.
The 2026 awards placed greater emphasis on innovation, sustainability and digitalisation as drivers of competitiveness. In particular, the assessment recognised businesses that are leveraging digital solutions and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance products and services, improve business processes, strengthen market reach, and create new sources of value.
This broader approach reflects the changing nature of the global halal industry, where competitiveness increasingly extends beyond product quality and commercial performance to encompass technology adoption, responsible business practices, innovation capability and the ability to respond to rapidly changing market demands.
The MIHAS Awards 2026 were open to eligible Malaysian and international exhibitors participating in MIHAS 2026. Entries underwent a comprehensive and structured evaluation process, comprising pre-assessment and pitching sessions before an independent panel of judges. The pitching component provided applicants with an opportunity to demonstrate their business achievements, innovation capabilities, sustainability initiatives and use of digital technologies and emerging solutions.
To further strengthen the integrity, transparency and credibility of the awards, an independent external auditor was appointed to observe and validate the evaluation process.
The winners were announced at the official MIHAS Awards 2026 ceremony under the following award categories:
- Product / Service Excellence Awards;
- Product / Service Emerging Star Awards;
- Product / Service Innovation, Sustainability and Digitalisation Awards;
- WiEX Product / Service Excellence Awards; and
- WiEX Product / Service Innovation, Sustainability and Digitalisation Awards.
Chairman of MATRADE, YB Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, said the evolution of the MIHAS Awards reflects the changing priorities of the global halal industry and the need for businesses to remain future-ready.
“The MIHAS Awards are no longer only about recognising excellence achieved today. They are also about recognising the capabilities that will shape the halal industry of tomorrow. This year, we have placed greater emphasis on innovation, sustainability, digitalisation and emerging technologies because these are increasingly important to how businesses compete and create value globally.
“The winners recognised today have demonstrated the resilience, creativity and forward-thinking capabilities needed to navigate a rapidly changing global marketplace. Through the MIHAS Awards, we hope to inspire more companies to innovate, embrace technology, compete internationally and contribute meaningfully to the continued growth of the global halal economy,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE, YBhg. Dato’ Indera Abu Bakar Yusof, said the quality and diversity of entries reflected the increasing sophistication and maturity of businesses within the halal ecosystem.
“The entries received this year demonstrate that businesses in the halal ecosystem are continuously evolving, innovating and adapting to meet the demands of a rapidly changing global market. What stood out this year was the increasing recognition of sustainability, digitalisation and emerging technologies as integral components of business competitiveness and long-term growth”.
“The introduction of the WiEX Awards and the strengthened assessment framework further broaden the scope of the MIHAS Awards, while the independent validation of the evaluation process by an external auditor, reinforces our commitment to credibility and transparency. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists for their outstanding achievements and for demonstrating the dynamism and diversity of the global halal industry,” he said.
Looking ahead, the MIHAS Awards will continue to evolve in line with developments across the global halal ecosystem, with greater recognition for businesses that demonstrate measurable impact, technological adoption, responsible and sustainable growth, innovation and international market potential.
The awards will continue to serve not only as a platform to celebrate achievement, but also as a catalyst for businesses to raise their standards, embrace new technologies, pursue sustainable growth and strengthen their global competitiveness.
The MIHAS Awards 2026 therefore marks more than a celebration of this year’s achievements. It represents a continued commitment to shaping a more innovative, sustainable, digitally enabled and inclusive halal economy – and to recognising the businesses that are helping to build it.
Hashtag: #MIHAS
Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026
Recognised as the World’s Largest Halal Trade Exhibition and hosted by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) as organiser, MIHAS now covers 14 sectors, from food and beverages and pharmaceuticals to Islamic finance, modest fashion, personal care, technology, services and Muslim-friendly tourism. The 22nd edition of MIHAS, themed “Shaping Trust, Driving Resilience”, focused on regulated-by-design governance and technology-enabled trade.
MATRADE
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Back to index · Read original article
2. Winston Peters – “Ending the Waitangi Make-Work Industry”
September 26, 2026
Source: New Zealand First
It’s great to be back in Tauranga, a city I came to in a snap
election in 1984 and stayed for a quarter of a century.
That quarter century was a time of enormous progress from a
sleepy maritime hideaway to the fastest growing city in New
Zealand.
Back then there were metal roads over the Kaimai, and metal
roads north of Katikati and no bridge across the harbour.
Over 25 years that dramatically changed to two toll free
bridges, new roads to fill half the alphabet, and Tauranga had a
real voice in parliament.
So it’s great to be back.
I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that things are
not as they used to be. And the bustling metropolis is no more.
It’s 42 days till the next election, and only 30 days until early
voting.
noticed the obsession of the other parties with either spending
or taxation.
None of them are addressing the real issue.
How to double the size of our economy by 2050 and ensure our
children and grandchildren have a great future ahead.
New Zealand First does have a strategy to do just that, with the
only credible policy to build a future fund to pay for it.
Today I can announce that we are helping Sun Air maintain its
services to the Bay of Plenty, and we are going to build a new
wharf at Matakana Island.
All part of our Regional Infrastructure Plan which is exclusively
New Zealand First policy because we back the provinces.
And part of that plan also is the reduction of taxation of small
and medium businesses. If your businesses turnover is $30
million or less then we are going to reduce your taxation from
28% down to 20%.
It will enable you to do more, employ more, sell more, market
more and trade more.
New Zealand First is a nationalist party, all the rest are
globalists. So in future we are going to do our utmost to add
value to our products before we sell them overseas and
increase the wealth and employment of New Zealanders.
We are going to deal to the cost of living crisis by breaking up
the power gentailers so power prices come down and remove
the monopoly privileges that supermarkets are using against
both the suppliers and customers.
more money in the small market of New Zealand than they are
in real terms in the bigger market of Australia.
In short we are going to get our own Bank of New Zealand back
which was providing real competition to Australia before Labour
then National sold it off to the Aussies.
Labour (1987) sold the first third, and then National (1992) sold
the second thirds of the BNZ, which at the time of sale had 6
out of 10 New Zealand banking customers.
The neoliberal apologists of both Labour and National have got
a disgusting record of looking after New Zealand assets.
economy the better.
Make New Zealand Healthy
No one can deny that we have a crisis in our health system.
Daily news reports tell us about states of emergency being
declared in our hospital, with our amazing nurses and doctors
being stressed to the max and having to go to work even when
they are sick.
We need more nurses right now because we have too many
sick people.
be very concerned.
● The reality is shocking. In a nation of just over 5 million
people we have one million suffering from one or more
chronic illnesses.
are told that there’s another one hundred thousand waiting
to be diagnosed.
● One hundred and ninety thousand are living with heart
disease and ten thousand are dying from this annually.
● Eighty-three thousand have dementia and this number is
expected to rise to one hundred and seventy thousand by
2050. 500 more people develop dementia every week.
up from forty-nine thousand just two years ago.
And here’s an absolute shocker. In supposedly ‘clean green
100% Pure New Zealand’ we have the second highest
incidence of cancer in the world.
Currently we are spending thirty-three billion dollars on what is
referred to as healthcare.
Ladies and gentlemen that’s thirty-three thousand million
dollars and if by spending that huge sum of money our goal is
to have a healthier nation, we are not even close.
Zealand Healthy, a bold plan to help all Kiwis live longer
healthier lives and reduce the financial pressure on the
economy.
● Put prevention back at the heart of healthcare.
Prevention is the ultimate cure. It’s a lot easier to prevent
than treat. If your house doesn’t catch on fire, you don’t
need the fire engine.
Prevention is already part of the health systems job, but
too often it remains a population slogan rather than
something that changes what happens for the individual
patient.
New Zealand’s own research shows that 59% of health
spending is spent on treating chronic diseases like diabetes
and heart disease, the very illnesses that can largely
be prevented – only 1.75% is spent on preventing them in the
first place.
That’s not a health system. That is an ambulance at the bottom
of the cliff, and New Zealanders are paying for the ambulance.
We want prevention reflected in planning, funding, and the
consultation room. That means helping people reduce
avoidable risk before chronic disease becomes an expensive,
disabling illness.
It is not about dictating lifestyle choices; it is about making
reasonable preventive care a normal part of healthcare.
Future policy must contain the following features.
● Have a strong focus on metabolic health the key driver of
chronic illness
● Ensure that informed consent is a core part of quality
healthcare
● Recognise that consumer choice is what leads to healthier
decisions
● Promote nutrition from primary school to medical school
● Reduce the administrative burden and restore
professional autonomy in General Practice
Ladies and gentlemen, everybody is talking about the cost of
living or taxation but this is the most important policy in this
election – for nothing is as important as health. Health crosses
all boundaries, it is not a left versus right issue.
It is as important to our Maori and Pacific people as it is to our
Asian and Caucasian people and regardless of what church
they worship at. As Confucius is reported to have said “a
healthy man has a thousand dreams, a sick man just one”.
New Zealand First is talking about sound health policy as the
way forward to end the epidemic of chronic illness that is
affecting the lives and livelihoods of 20 percent of our
population.
after November the 7th please vote for it on November 7th.
Citizenship
New Zealands immigration system must serve New Zealand
and New Zealanders.
For too long, governments have relied on immigration to drive
headline economic growth and cheap labour.
and public services, increased competition for entry-level jobs,
and declining public confidence that immigration is being
managed in the national interest.
Population growth must not outpace our ability to build the
country.
New Zealand First will substantially reduce non-essential
immigration and restore the principle that immigration is a
privilege, not a right.
New Zealand is more than an economy. It is a nation with its
own history, institutions and way of life.
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 and identity.
This does not take away from the ability for migrants looking to
move here, contribute, and help build our country from showing
total commitment and patriotism for New Zealand by becoming
a citizen.
not a right, and not just part of some bureaucratic machinery.
Waitangi Tribunal/Crown Maori Relations/Ministry of Maori
Development
In 1975 the second Labour Government introduced the Treaty
of Waitangi Tribunal to hear claims from 1975 and thereafter.
The irony is that this happened at the same time as there was a
huge Maori land march led by Whina Cooper, against the then
Labour Government that was taking huge tracks of coastal land
off Maori for “public utility purposes”.
changed the definition of Maori for Maori electoral role
purposes.
From being half Maori or more, to being able to recite a Maori
ancestor.
That last change has led to a dramatic miscalculation of how
many Maori there are in this country. With the greatest dilution
of entitlement to call yourself a Maori being as high as being 1
part in 512.
That is why today you hear so called experts and sociologists
and Maori radicals claiming that Maori are 18 or 20 percent of
the population.
And if we are doing a human analysis of needs by race, how on
earth can we expect any accuracy? When the very basis of
calculation is a total misnomer.
We who have Maori in our background are not 20 or 18 percent
of the population or even 12 percent of the population. So why
this pretense goes on is hard to understand unless the primary
purpose of the pretense is the deceit.
Those of you who recall the American Civil Rights Movement
will remember what the objective of that movement was.
It was to enable black people to bust down the barriers to
access the best white institutions. For only that access would
give them equality.
In time they ended up with a President who came from their
community. His name was Obama.
radicals and their white fellow travellers have concocted an
anthem of hate. And demand separate institutions, separate
government, and a racial oversight of all decision making.
These radicals make these demands in the name of the mass
majority of Maori. Although the mass majority of Maori haven’t
asked for it.
And the proceeds of their demands thus far have seen them in
privileged highly paid jobs with a mass cost consumed by their
bureaucracy and nothing trickles down to their people.
That’s the reason why the Waipareira trust has picked up
hundreds of millions. Whilst their peoples housing, education,
and health needs gather dust on the table of Maori aspirations.
That way the Maori elite get rich and the Maori grievance
industry grows larger.
New Zealand First understands implicitly the situation.
And we are utterly against it.
We know that Maori New Zealanders want safe affordable
housing, quick affordable access to health services, easy
access to the conveyor belt of education for their young, and
first world wages.
Come to think of it, that is what everyone in New Zealand
wants.
Once you strip out the self appointed elitists.
As a consequence if you look at the amount of money spent on
Maori radio, Maori TV, and Maori health, every Maori could be
in their own house now and be much healthier.
At the pinnacle of this unjustified demand on the taxpayer is the
Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal.
Which has gone from a justifiable establishment to settle past
grievances to so often today a make work scheme for
imaginary grievances and now sees the foreshore and seabed
of this country as the subject of hundreds of claims ironically
with Maori against Maori for the same maritime territory.
And of late claims before the tribunal to contest the right of a
mandated parliament to pass laws.
That is a direct semi judicial threat against the very essence of
our democracy.
It all began in 1986, when a judicial finding loosely likened the
Treaty of Waitangi to a partnership.
That judicial opinion is utterly false then and of the thousands of
employers in New Zealand at the time, one said so, and he’s
talking to you now.
I said when I heard that judgement “if no one in the British
Empire, including the home countries, was in partnership with
Queen Victoria on the 5th of February 1840, how come Maori
were the day after.
No judicial authority or academic expert has been able to
answer that question ever since.
It is pretentious nonsense to argue otherwise.
And quickly shading from that misconception is the total deceit
being marketed by “Treaty of Waitangi revisionists” that the
Maori never ceded sovereignty.
This last claim is utterly false and it’s made so that general
claims against the population justifies remedial payments to the
claimants.
The Treaty of Waitangi tribunal has become a make work
organisation. Now hearing any and all claims that in a former
time would’ve been dismissed on application as being
inappropriate.
That’s why New Zealand First today is announcing its plan to
end the Treaty of Waitangi grievance industry and get back to
all being equal citizens with equal rights in our country.
New Zealand First will table legislation within the first 100 days
after the next election to immediately abolish the Waitangi
Tribunal, and replace it with the Treaty of Waitangi Completion
Commission.
Which will have the purpose of finalising all claims pre 2008,
after which time its work will be finished.
The Treaty of Waitangi industry jobs will be replaced by real
work. The days of the tribunal acting as an authority above
parliament will be over.
We will put an end to activists using the Tribunal and taxpayers
money as a platform to interfere with the direction and
legislation of parliament.
Maori land reform and administrative improvements in the
Maori Land Court will be a major priority for New Zealand First.
Under New Zealand First, the Ministry of Maori Development
will be directed to drive practical outcomes that accelerate
development. The Ministry will ensure that Maori owned land,
marine farming, forestry and other resources continue to
enhance regional productivity, employment and community
resilience.
We will ensure that all relevant policy issues pertaining to the
implementation of existing Treaty of Waitangi settlements are
addressed by a strengthened Ministry of Maori Development.
Contemporary claims, modern policy differences, and post-
settlement leadership will be the responsibility of the Ministry of
Maori Development.
responsibility of the Ministry of Maori Development.
As written into the law in 1991 when that department was
established.
Conclusion
Ladies and Gentlemen, governments matter.
If you look at Asia, the most successful economy used to be
Burma. The government changed; and it’s now called Myanmar
and it’s a cot case.
If you look at South America Venezuela used to be the leading
economy; the government changed and now it’s a cot case.
And that is New Zealands future if you are not ultra careful in
this election.
If you believe that first a racist and second a communist
collection of MPs can be welded onto Labour and make a
successful government then you’re dreaming.
Chris Hipkins must wake up in beads of sweat at the prospect
of what partners he’s got to work with when the election is over.
The Greens have sworn marxists in their parliamentary ranks.
The Maori party have sworn separatists in their ranks.
and the Opportunity party, which is the media’s choice, has a
tax policy that would make Stalin blush and would bankrupt
nearly every retired couple.
This is an impossible combination going forward.
because too many have never been in government before.
Having said that, the comparison of working with the other side
is unimaginable.
Ladies and Gentlemen, New Zealand First stands for one
country, called New Zealand, one flag, one standard of
citizenship, one law for all, and one democracy where
everybody is equal.
We have a vision of hope and growth for our country and to do
that we need you.
If you give us the tools we will get the job done.
Party Vote New Zealand First.
And let’s put New Zealanders first.
ENDS
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/26/winston-peters-ending-the-waitangi-make-work-industry/
Back to index · Read original article
3. NZFirst to Campaign on 20% Tax Rate for SMEs
September 24, 2026
Source: New Zealand First
New Zealand First is announcing today it will campaign on lowering the company tax rate for SMEs to 20% for companies with turnover under $30million, from its current 28% tax rate.
This is a much-needed bold step to encourage more investment by our small businesses that will create higher productivity, expand their business, and employ more New Zealanders.
Corporate taxes can reduce productivity, particularly in entrepreneurial and innovative sectors. Lower company tax rates can improve long-run productivity growth, and stimulate the creation of new companies.
A lower tax rate leaves additional cash available for reinvestment and reduces reliance on bank debt.
It is estimated that the tax reduction will have an initial annual fiscal cost of approximately $1billion. This will be more than covered in the medium term by more companies collectively paying a lower tax rate, higher employment, a growing economy, and more spending.
This is about moving away from policies that give short-term sugar hits to consumers and move toward proper long-term investment in businesses that will grow our economy and increase productivity, increase labour demand, employment, and wages.
A similar move has been made by Australia in recent years and provides a credible international model. New Zealand needs to catch up to key competitors to ensure that we are seen as a country of growth for our businesses that innovate and create productivity and employment.
The OECD consistently ranks corporate income taxes among the taxes most harmful to economic growth because they affect investment decisions and capital formation.
It shows that lowering corporate tax rates encourages investment by reducing the cost of capital, and that corporate taxation can have a negative effect on productivity.
New Zealand needs smart long-term thinking to turn our economy around and get our economy growing.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/24/nzfirst-to-campaign-on-20-tax-rate-for-smes/
Back to index · Read original article
4. Partnerships to empower at-risk Rotorua youth
September 26, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
More than 400 young people across Rotorua will be supported to stay engaged in education and develop employment skills, through two new funding partnerships totalling nearly $900,000, Youth Minister James Meager has announced.
The Government has invested $330,000 into Digital Natives Academy, to deliver two youth development programmes over one year.
This has been doubled to $660,000 via co-funding from The Spark Foundation, Bay Trust, Hoku Foundation, and Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust.
“The Academy’s first pathway, for those aged 12 to 15 years, is focused on developing digital technology skills and capabilities to increase school engagement. Participants will take part in hands-on digital and creative technology workshops linked to real-world education and career pathways,” Mr Meager says.
“The second will strengthen pathways into training and employment for those aged 15 to 24 years, through one-to-one mentoring, employer and training provider connection, job shadowing, work trials and, where appropriate, paid internships.”
Digital natives were hosted by local MP Todd McClay when Rotorua young people were able to engage with MPs on the benefits of this programme at Parliament.
Additionally, Te Puna Ariki Charitable Trust has received $105,000 to deliver two initiatives. Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust, Department of Internal Affairs, Geyser Community Foundation, Bay Trust, and Te Taumata o Ngāti Whakaue have contributed a combined $130,000 over one year, for a total investment of $235,000.
“The Trust’s first programme will support young people aged 12 to 14 years to reconnect with education and strengthen school engagement through one-to-one mentoring, life coaching, and tailored youth development activities,” Mr Meager says.
“The second initiative will see participants aged 15 to 24 years develop work-readiness skills and gain practical experience in real work environments, undertaking roles such as landscaping, cleaning, and administration, alongside contributing to community projects.
“These two partnerships represent a significant investment in the future of Rotorua’s young people. The programmes and initiatives will provide the support they need to thrive in education, transition into employment, and embark on fulfilling careers.
“This investment is part of our new direction for all Ministry of Youth Development funding to only go to programmes that can demonstrate successful outcomes, which align with key government targets.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/26/partnerships-to-empower-at-risk-rotorua-youth/
Back to index · Read original article
5. COSDENT Pioneers a New Era of Human-Centred Dental Care Through AI and Innovation
September 23, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Founded in Bangkok in 2014, COSDENT is a premium dental healthcare provider specialising in cosmetic and digital dentistry. Drawing on four generations of dental expertise and the founder’s background in architecture and urban design, the company developed COSDENT Smile Design, a diagnostic methodology that considers not only teeth but also smile patterns, speech, gestures, and personal identity. This approach enables patients to participate actively in designing treatments suited to their lifestyle and personality.
Technology is central to the COSDENT experience, but never at the expense of human expertise. Through digital smile previews, preference-based planning, and its Smart AI Consultation, patients can better understand their options before treatment. The system analyses symptoms, medical history, and preferences to recommend the appropriate specialist with 96% accuracy, allowing clinicians to dedicate more time to diagnosis, complex treatment, and meaningful conversations with patients.
This philosophy became particularly important during a major internal disruption in late 2024, when several key production and development team members departed simultaneously. Rather than simply replacing roles, COSDENT redesigned its operations around AI and automation. The transition preserved patient care while enabling the organisation to encode its protocols, service standards, and operational knowledge into its systems. As a result, employees from diverse backgrounds—including hospitality, retail, and design—can enter healthcare roles while maintaining consistent service standards.
The transformation has delivered measurable results. Integrated automation improved operational efficiency by 70%, while clinicians gained 40% more time for complex treatment. International patient acquisition increased by 55%, team satisfaction rose by 45%, and the company’s FY2025 revenue grew 23.3% to THB 110.5 million, accompanied by an 18.1% increase in net profit.
With its vision to bring AI-enhanced, human-centred care across Asia by 2030, COSDENT is preparing to expand its digital ecosystem, open-talent model, and international patient services. By proving that innovation can create more meaningful human interactions rather than replace them, COSDENT continues to demonstrate how a purpose-driven brand can transform both healthcare experiences and the future of service excellence.
Hashtag: #COSDENT
About Enterprise Asia
About Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Back to index · Read original article
6. Markforged Appoints Unotech as Exclusive Distributor in Hong Kong
September 24, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Bringing Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR) Technology to Local Market, Targeting Aviation Maintenance, Electronics Manufacturing, and Medical Devices Launch Event Successfully Held at Hong Kong Productivity Council
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 September 2026 – Markforged, a leading provider of industrial additive manufacturing solutions, today proudly announced the official appointment of Unotech Limited (“Unotech”) as its exclusive distributor in Hong Kong. Unotech will fully manage the sales, technical support, and application development for Markforged’s product portfolio in the region, delivering comprehensive end-to-end support for local industries. The official launch event was held at the Inno Network of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC).
The event kicked off with an opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by executives from both companies, followed by the first live demonstration of Markforged’s patented Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR) technology. This breakthrough technology overcomes the material limitations of traditional 3D printing by precisely laying down continuous strands of carbon fiber, Kevlar, and high-strength, high-temperature fiberglass inside the part during printing. The resulting components match the strength and rigidity of machined aluminum, making them ready for quick use in manufacturing jigs, fixtures, robotic grippers, production tooling, and end-use functional parts.
Local manufacturing and engineering units face pressing dual challenges: compressed lead times and a growing share of high-mix, low-volume orders. Custom manufacturing tools—such as fixtures, assembly jigs, inspection gauges, and automated grippers—are the hardest hit. Markforged’s additive manufacturing platform effectively shifts production capabilities directly back to the facility floor. By enabling “print-on-demand” iterations right after design changes, it significant reduces traditional tooling lead times that usually stretch into weeks. For Hong Kong’s manufacturing environment, characterized by limited space, high labor costs, and tight delivery schedules, this digital solution significantly leverages operational and clinical efficiencies.
Leveraging Unotech’s robust industrial technology network in Hong Kong, Markforged’s advanced hardware and materials can be efficiently and reliably integrated across universities, research institutes, and manufacturing facilities. Backed by an in-house
team of application engineers, Unotech provides on-site installation, professional training, and tailored application development to help clients shorten supply chains, reduce inventory, and enhance production resilience.
Ivan Siu, Sales Director of Unotech Limited, stated: “We are deeply honored to partner with Markforged, a pioneer in industrial 3D printing. Combining Markforged’s technological dominance with our local footprint, we are confident in delivering highly cost-effective, reliable, and innovative manufacturing choices to Hong Kong. Our dedicated technical team will focus on mission-critical industries, including aviation maintenance, electronics manufacturing, medical devices, and precision engineering. These sectors demand superior part strength and rapid turnaround times, which perfectly match the capabilities of CFR technology. We will continue to strengthen our local engineering capabilities to drive the long-term growth of Hong Kong’s smart manufacturing ecosystem.”
Brian Chen, General Manager of Greater China and Vietnam at Markforged, added: “Hong Kong stands as a vital technology and trade hub within the Greater Bay Area, with a sophisticated customer base spanning multiple advanced manufacturing sectors. We chose Unotech as our exclusive partner because of their deep local technical expertise and comprehensive after-sales service network. An exclusive partnership concentrates accountability, ensuring our customers have a single, seamless point of contact for total peace of mind. Markforged will directly share our extensive repository of case studies and validated material data from the Greater China region with the Unotech team, empowering them to maximize operational efficiency for our medical, aviation, and precision engineering clients.”
Please click here to download high resolution images
| 1. Markforged appointed Unotech as its exclusive distributor in Hong Kong, with executives from both companies hosting the opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. |
| 2. Brian Chen, General Manager of Greater China and Vietnam at Markforged said that the company chose Unotech as their exclusive partner because of Unotech’s deep local technical expertise and comprehensive after-sales service network. |
| 3. Ivan Siu, Sales Director of Unotech Limited said they were deeply honored to partner with Markforged. |
| 4.&5 First live demonstration of Markforged’s patented Continuous Fiber Reinforcement technology at the event. |
| 6. Markforged and Unotech ‘s management pose for a group photo with industry representatives. |
Hashtag: #Unotech
About Markforged
Markforged is an industrial additive manufacturing company that enables manufacturers to create strong, end-use parts, fixtures, and spares right on the factory floor through its Digital Forge platform and Continuous Fiber Reinforcement (CFR) technology. This approach shortens supply chains, reduces inventory, and enhances production resilience. Its product line includes industrial-grade composite and metal additive manufacturing systems, serving sectors such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, medical devices, and precision engineering.
About Unotech Limited
Unotech Limited is an industrial technology solution provider in Hong Kong. By introducing smart manufacturing and 3D printing technologies, Unotech delivers equipment supply, application development, and technical support services to local research, educational, and manufacturing institutions.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Back to index · Read original article
7. 380 more health care workers at the end of winter too little too late – NZNO
September 25, 2026
Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation
An announcement of 380 additional nurses, midwives and health care assistants for hospitals around the country at the end of winter is too little too late, NZNO says.
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku says chief nurse Nadine Gray’s comments this morning that Te Whatu Ora has listened to nurses rings hollow.
“It’s a shame they have only decided to listen now. These new health workers are an acknowledgement by Te Whatu Ora of the immense pressure our nurses, midwives and health care assistants have been under.
“They have been warning Te Whatu Ora for two years that chronic and deliberate short staffing is putting their patients at risk.
“In the meantime, nurses have struggled through the worst influenza outbreak in a decade, overcrowding in our hospitals and hours – and sometimes days – long waits in emergency departments. It should not have come to this.
“But any additional health care workers is good news for patients.”
Te Whatu Ora and the Coalition Government continue to claim they have hired 2100 more nurses, but Health Minister Simeon Brown has admitted just 54 new FTE nurses have been added to the hospitals since they came to office, Kerri Nuku says.
“This is partly because of a Government-imposed recruitment freeze designed to save millions of dollars which kept 1300 nursing roles vacant over the past two years.
“NZNO calls on Te Whatu Ora to fast track the hiring of this additional staff. Te Whatu Ora has been deliberately slowing down recruitment with the use of regional panels to approve vacancies. This has meant it can take up to six months in high-needs, understaffed wards such as neonatal units to bring new staff on.
“NZNO hopes today’s announcement means these panels will no longer be used to slow down recruitment, and these nurses, midwives and health care assistants will be on the floor at our hospitals as soon as possible,” she says.
“Te Whatu Ora has said this an annual calculation and decision, so it is surprising they called a media conference to announce business as usual.”
NZNO supports nurse-to-patient ratios, which is why NZNO fought to have methodology included in our most recent collective agreement, Kerri Nuku says, and this work is now underway.
Back to index · Read original article
8. New councillors to strengthen Game Animal Council
September 25, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
Two new appointments to the Game Animal Council (GAC) will broaden its expertise and ensure it has the community connections required to drive New Zealand’s largest-ever hunter-led game animal management workstreams.
Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager has appointed Lisa Chase and Simon Cameron as councillors for one-year terms, from 1 October 2026.
“Ms Chase and Mr Cameron will be valuable additions following recent designations of New Zealand’s first two Herds of Special Interest (HOSI): the Fiordland Wapiti, and Sika in Kaimanawa and Kaweka Forest Parks,” Mr Meager says.
Lisa Chase brings governance experience through roles as a Trustee of Tūwharetoa-owned Waihi Pukawa Trust, operating the North Island’s largest deer farm. She was previously a Trustee of the Owhaoko B&D Trust, which has a hunting-focused business operating within the Sika range and works with key HOSI stakeholders.
“Lisa provides a valuable connection between the GAC, who will manage the Sika HOSI in the central North Island, and the community, who will be relied on to help deliver on-the-ground deer management. There are significant opportunities for locals, particularly youth, to engage with the HOSI and gain the skills, experience and knowledge necessary for successful careers in wild animal management,” Mr Meager says.
Simon Cameron has held several governance roles with Federated Farmers, including West Coast Provincial President. Combined with his professional hunting and guiding experience, Simon holds several key connections in the wild animal management sector and wider South Island.
“Farmers have identified wild animal management as a key issue, and it is important that we work across all sectors to find combined solutions to common problems. Simon will be tasked with keeping our farmers and hunters connected, improving access to hunting opportunities, and better utilising the expertise and resources of both groups to manage deer populations to a sustainable level,” Mr Meager says.
“This is an opportunity to collaborate, identify problem areas and deliver real, practical solutions for farmers and hunters. Partnership, not partisanship, will be what leads us to better hunting, farming and conservation outcomes.
“Simon’s geographic proximity to the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation will be an added benefit as we roll out the country’s first Herd of Special Interest in Fiordland.”
Mr Meager says the appointments round off a series of governance changes that strengthen the GAC’s role as a statutory manager of game animals in New Zealand.
Recent appointments also include former Deputy Prime Minister and current Chair of Pharmac Hon Paula Bennett, and experienced venison exporter and meat processor Jim Goodall. Wellington Airport CEO and existing GAC councillor Matt Clarke was also recently appointed as Chair of the Council.
“The GAC has delivered a strong programme of work since its inception in 2013, and these latest appointments reflect the importance of having strong governance in place to lead the Council into the next phase of game animal management in New Zealand,” Mr Meager says.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/25/new-councillors-to-strengthen-game-animal-council/
Back to index · Read original article
9. Angel Health Wan Chai Clinic Commences Operations, Providing General Practice, Health Check and Vaccination Services
September 25, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
The Wan Chai clinic focuses on primary and everyday healthcare services. General practice consultations address common health concerns, while health check and vaccination services support medical and preventive healthcare needs across different age groups and stages of health.
General Practice Services for Common Health Needs
General practice services at the Wan Chai clinic are provided by registered doctors and cover assessment, consultation and follow-up for common health concerns and general illnesses, including common respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal conditions and other everyday physical symptoms.
Clinical assessment is arranged according to presenting symptoms and health conditions, with relevant examinations or follow-up recommendations provided according to medical needs.
Health Check Services for Different Stages of Life
Health check services are also available at the Wan Chai clinic, with general health assessments and relevant examination items arranged according to individual health requirements.
In addition to general health checks, the Wan Chai clinic provides pre-school physical examinations and related medical report services for young children, supporting health examination and documentation requirements before school admission. Examination arrangements are made according to applicable requirements and health conditions.
Vaccination Services Supporting Preventive Healthcare
Vaccination services are also available at the Wan Chai clinic. Vaccination arrangements are assessed according to factors including age, health conditions and vaccination history, supporting preventive healthcare needs at different stages of life.
The commencement of operations at the Wan Chai clinic further expands the Angel Health medical service network, with general practice consultations, health checks and vaccination services forming the principal service areas of the Wan Chai location.
Angel Health Wan Chai Clinic Information
Address:
Shop F, G/F, Spring Garden Mansion, 33 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 09:00–13:00 / 14:00–19:00
Saturday: 09:00–13:00
Official Website:
https://www.angelhealthmedicalhk.com/
https://www.angelhealthmedicalhk.com/
https://www.facebook.com/people/%E5%AE%89%E5%AF%B6%E9%86%AB%E7%99%82%E9%86%AB%E5%8B%99%E6%89%80%E7%81%A3%E4%BB%94%E6%98%A5%E5%9C%92%E8%A1%97%E8%A8%BA%E6%89%80/61593502505426/
Hashtag: #Medical #Health #Life
Angel Health
Angel Health is a healthcare service provider in Hong Kong, providing general practice consultations, health checks, vaccination services and related healthcare services through different service locations to support everyday medical care, health assessment and preventive healthcare needs.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Back to index · Read original article
10. Federated Farmers – What if we built water storage like Tasmania?
September 23, 2026
Source: Federated Farmers
By Richard Dawkins, Federated Farmers water storage spokesperson
New Zealand doesn’t have a shortage of water storage ideas – what we lack is a system for turning the best of those ideas into reality.
Across the country, there are water storage and infrastructure projects at every stage of development, from Northland to Central Otago.
Some are already operating, some are well advanced, and others are little more than concepts.
That’s encouraging, but the problem is every community still seems to have to reinvent the wheel.
They assemble their own team, find funding, commission studies, work through consenting and somehow maintain enough local enthusiasm to keep a project alive for years.
When a project is finally finished, much of that knowledge and experience simply walks out the door.
We should be much better at this by now because water storage isn’t a new challenge – we’ve been talking about it for decades.
Many of the projects being discussed today have long histories, and the barriers are familiar: finance, consenting and finding people with enough time and determination to keep pushing them forward.
I think we can learn a lot from the approach taken across the ditch in Tasmania.
Rather than expecting every community to start from scratch, Tasmania has a dedicated entity with the people and expertise to assess projects, work alongside local communities and move viable schemes through development.
If a project isn’t going to stack up, they establish that early and move on.
If it does stack up, they use the same engineering, commercial and project development capability to turn it into something that’s ready for investment.
Then the lessons learned are carried into the next project.
It makes perfect sense, and IrrigationNZ has been looking closely at that model and advocating for a similar, more coordinated approach here.
I’m not saying New Zealand needs to copy Tasmania line for line, but there’s plenty we could learn from the model.
There’s also plenty of evidence here at home showing why storage is worth getting right.
Take Opuha Dam in South Canterbury, where farming benefits from the water, but irrigation is only part of the story.
Releases from the dam have historically prioritised environmental river flows, followed by domestic and stock water, then irrigation and electricity generation. The lake has also become an important recreational asset.
It’s a useful reminder that water storage is about so much more than just putting more water on farmland.
Done well, water storage can support environmental flows, drinking water, recreation, groundwater recharge, productive land use and climate resilience.
It helps both rural and urban communities manage longer dry periods and more variable rainfall.
Reliable water also changes the decisions people are prepared to make.
If farmers and growers know water will be available when they need it, they can invest with more confidence, use water more efficiently and consider different crops or higher-value land uses.
That investment doesn’t stop at the farm gate; it flows into processing, jobs, service businesses and stronger regional economies.
The Central Plains irrigation scheme is a good example. Federated Farmers’ 2026 election platform points to the scheme as contributing around $400 million to Canterbury’s GDP in 2025 and supporting more than 2,200 full-time jobs.
None of this means every proposed dam should be built, or that taxpayers should be writing blank cheques.
Water users should pay for the private benefits they receive, and projects still need to stack up commercially and environmentally.
But there’s a clear role here for government in helping worthwhile projects through the difficult early stages and removing unnecessary barriers before good projects are killed by process.
That’s why Federated Farmers is asking the next government to provide seed funding for new water storage projects.
We also want faster approvals, resource management reform that properly enables community storage and managed aquifer recharge, and a national standard that makes sensible on-farm water storage much easier to build.
Fast-track consenting is already helping address the consenting challenge for some major projects, but consenting is only one part of the job.
Someone still needs to identify the opportunities, test the engineering and economics, build local support, find the funding and turn a concept into something investors can actually back.
This is where a more coordinated approach like Tasmania’s could make a real difference.
We already have the projects, the expertise, and the successful examples showing what water storage can deliver.
Now we need to build a system that turns our best water storage opportunities into reality.
Captions
Richard Dawkins beside dam on his farm.jpg – Richard Dawkins beside one of two dams on his farm in Marlborough’s Waihopai Valley. This dam holds 85,000 cubic metres and was built in 2020; the other one, built in 2016, holds 47,000 cubic metres. Together, the dams store 132,000 cubic metres of water for irrigating 135ha of grapes.
Back to index · Read original article