AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for October 28, 2026 – Full Text

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 October 2026 – To support the economy and in line with the Government’s and State Bank of Vietnam’s (SBV) directives, Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank, stock code: SSB) adjusts its 2026 business plan. The Bank also elects a new Board Chairperson to strengthen senior leadership.

Adjusting profit targets to support the economy

In line with the Government and SBV directives to ease business difficulties, lower interest rates, and support economic growth, SeABank’s BOD has approved a 15% reduction in its 2026 profit-before-tax target to VND6,008 billion enabling three key actions:

First, reducing interest rates. Annual deposit rates have been cut by 0.5–0.7 percentage points for tenors of six months or longer, creating room to lower lending rates, particularly for SMEs, priority sectors and green projects.

Second, credit allocation and risk management. The Bank prioritizes businesses with sound financial foundations and viable business plans, customers in priority sectors.

Third, leveraging ecosystems. SeABank utilizes existing customer ecosystems and value chains to provide integrated financial solutions, enhancing customer experience and engagement.

These measures reflect SeABank’s alignment with policy directions and strategic focus on growth quality and customer support over rapid expansion at all costs.

Electing new BOD Chairperson, strengthening senior leadership

The BOD elected Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, a current BOD member, as its new Chairperson for the 2023–2028 term, effective October 22, 2026.

The BOD also approved Mr. Le Van Tan’s resignation as Chairperson, and is completing documentation to receive the SBV’s approval for his appointment as CEO, to soon succeed Mr. Le Quoc Long, whose three-year term ends in November 2026. This proactive leadership transition ensures continuity and stability in SeABank’s governance and executive management.

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the Banking Academy of Vietnam and brings nearly 40 years of banking and finance experience. Since joining SeABank in 2015, she has served as Deputy CEO and was elected to the BOD for the 2023–2028 term on April 17, 2024. Her extensive banking and governance experience is expected to support SeABank’s safe, stable growth in line with international standards.

The BOD currently has eight members, including two independent members and three foreign members. All have long-standing experience, supporting SeABank to unlock new growth drivers and create long-term value.

Hashtag: #SeABank #SSB #BusinessPlan

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 October 2026 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), alongside 24 GreenTech park companies, has taken part in Eco Expo Asia 2026. Among them, 11 park companies are showcasing their latest green tech solutions at the HKSTP Pavilion, showcasing innovative solutions spanning energy generation, storage and application, the initiative aims to demonstrate to the industry and the public how local green research moves from laboratories into everyday life, reinforcing Hong Kong’s robust strength as an international Greentech hub.

HKSTP Brings Together Over 250 Greentech Companies: “World-Leading” R&D Steps into Daily Life and Industrial Applications

Among the participating companies in HKSTP Pavilion, nine are making their debut at Eco Expo Asia, bringing technologies in fields such as new energy, battery materials, energy storage, EV charging and retrofitting, and waste-to-energy conversion.

In full alignment with the Nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan, and the Policy Address, HKSTP is dedicated to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T hub. Strategically positioning greentech as one of its four focus areas, HKSTP has built a vibrant green technology ecosystem and gathering over 250 greentech companies. Using the expo as a platform, HKSTP helps participating companies connect with government departments, corporate clients, investors, and partners to explore market expansion opportunities.

HKSTP Pavilion at Eco Expo Asia 2026
HKSTP Booth: 3-E02

Highlighted innovations:

World’s Thinnest and Fastest EV “Ultra Charging” Tech Targets Heavy Transport Electrification
Addressing Hong Kong’s scarce land availability and the high charging demands of heavy EVs, TriTerra Technology developed the world’s thinnest wall-mounted DC ultra-fast charging system. At just 16 cm thick with a single-gun-output of 350 kW, it has already debuted at a Tung Chung hotel project. TriTerra also showcased the world’s fastest liquid-cooled supercharger. Delivering up to 3000 kW through a single connector continuously, this megawatt-level “Ultra Charging” system is engineered for heavy vehicles like container trucks and is certified by national testing entity (CVC Testing Technology Co., Ltd.).

Giving Classic Vintage Cars an Electric “Heart”: Exploring New Directions in Automotive Reuse
To reduce scrapped vehicle emissions and preserve classic car models, Refined Motor has developed a road-legal modular electric vehicle conversion technology—the world’s only modular system holding EU R100 battery safety certification and electromagnetic compatibility certification. Converted vehicles can be legally registered and driven in over 50 countries and regions worldwide. Refined Motor is showcasing a successfully converted 1990 classic Rover Mini at the pavilion (alongside other success cases like the 1994 Bentley Turbo, 1989 BMW E30, and 2007 Land Rover Defender). Retaining the classic appearance while incorporating air conditioning and power steering, it features a pioneering dedicated mobile app that allows owners to remotely control door locks, windows, pre-cool the air conditioning, and monitor charging status just like driving a modern smart EV. This solution is also suitable for commercial fleet upgrades and garage partnerships, exploring sustainable transportation models that extend existing vehicle lifespans and minimize resource waste.

AI-Powered Smart Energy Storage System
Leyden Power International Limited (Leyden Power) specializes in intelligent battery energy storage systems and integrated energy solutions, combining storage hardware & software, AI-powered energy solutions, and project delivery services. Its core Navy Series mobile storage products serve commercial and industrial users, data centers, construction sites, and temporary power applications through diesel generator replacement or hybrid operation, load management, and multi-source energy coordination. The company has expertise in liquid-cooled system integration and remote operations and maintenance, and participates in Hong Kong collaborations involving solar power, energy storage, charging, and virtual power plants.

Industry-First High-Speed Sodium-Battery Electric Bike and Automotive Start-Stop Battery: Exploring Energy Storage Choices Beyond Lithium
Facing the challenges of lithium resource shortages and high costs, CNAE China Company Limited utilizes abundant, lower-cost, eco-friendly, and non-toxic sodium resources to showcase the industry’s first high-speed sodium-battery electric bike, alongside the CNAE Power S95 sodium-ion automotive start-stop battery series (12V/30Ah/630CCA) designed for frequent vehicle start-stop conditions. Featuring superior temperature adaptability, the battery technology maintains high capacity and stable power output even in extreme heat and -20°C freezing conditions. The battery also supports ultra-fast charging, reaching 80% charge in just 10 minutes, demonstrating the application potential of novel batteries in daily transportation.

Rethinking Wind Energy: 100% Recyclable Aluminium Turbines
Yuan Da He Fa Energy Technology Group Limited showcased its new aluminium wind turbine, engineered to address two major pain points of traditional fibreglass blades. The aluminium blades are fully recyclable, resolving the end-of-life recycling challenge, while the split-type blade structure enables transport in standard 40-foot containers, overcoming the bottleneck of oversized blade logistics. Paired with the company’s self-developed self-climbing crane technology, the design also supports the construction of ultra-high towers to capture high-quality wind resources at altitude.

Appendix: 11 Participating Park Companies at HKSTP Pavilion, Eco Expo Asia 2026

Solution Category: New Energy

1. AEL (International Holdings) Limited
2. Green Vigor Limited
3. Orbit Biotechnology Limited
4. Sunlight Eco-Tech Limited
5. Yuan Da He Fa Energy Technology Group Limited

Energy Storage Systems & Innovative Applications

1. CNAE China Company Limited
2. Gotion High-Tech (HK) Limited
3. GreenSeed Power Limited
4. Leyden Power International Limited
5. Refined Motor Company Limited
6. TriTerra Technology Limited

Additional GreenTech park companies exhibiting at Eco Expo Asia 2026

1. Achelous Pure Metal Company Limited
2. afterNATURE Limited
3. AirDefender International Company Limited
4. ChinaTec
5. Dunwell Engineering
6. Green AI Technology Limited
7. Lihe Technology
8. Locolla Limited
9. Logistics and Supply Chain Multitech R&D Centre Limited
10. Luquos
11. NerOcean Limited
12. Open Ocean Engineering Limited
13. Stellerus Technology Limited

Hashtag: #HKSTP

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Source: Alliance Party

Tuesday 27 October 2026

The Alliance Party is supporting Workers First Union members taking 24-hour strike action at IAG offices in Auckland and Christchurch today.

Workers at IAG, the company behind major insurance brands AMI, State, NZI, Lumley and Lantern, are striking for 24 hours, with pickets scheduled from noon to 2pm at 1 Fanshawe Street in Auckland and 14 Show Place in Christchurch.

The strike follows more than 18 months of collective bargaining without a settlement, after the workers’ collective agreement expired on 31 March 2025.

According to Workers First, IAG is seeking to introduce a 90-day trial period for new employees, allowing the company to dismiss them without the normal protections against unjustified dismissal.

Alliance Party Leader Victor Billot says IAG is pushing for the right to sack new workers without having to justify their dismissal.

“This is exactly why we need a new Government and new laws that will protect the working-class majority from arbitrary abuses of power.”

Mr Billot says 90-day trial periods amount to a licence to fire at will.

The Alliance’s Workers’ Rights and Employment Policy directly addresses the erosion of workers’ rights, stating that “secure, fairly paid, meaningful work is a basic human right.”

The Alliance rejects the idea that workers’ wages and conditions should be treated simply as costs to be minimised, he says.

Mr Billot says the Alliance Party fully supports the workers’ decision to take industrial action for fair employment conditions.

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Almost half of all public health spending – 46.4% – was funnelled to the private sector in 2025, a new report into growing private ownership in the health system has found.

Private sector providers captured 80% of the $3 billion increase in combined Health NZ and ACC health spending since 2022/23, according to the report, Who Owns the Health System? which was released today.

Of the combined $31.9 billion Health NZ and ACC public health spend, $14.8 billion went to private sector providers in 2024/25.

“Despite strong public support for a public health system, billions in public funding now flow to an increasingly consolidated corporate health sector, dominated by private equity investors, pension funds, and asset managers,” report researcher Edward Miller says.

“These corporate providers are obliged to maximise shareholder returns, which can come at the expense of safe staffing levels, wages, training, equipment, infrastructure and patient care,” Miller says.

In 2025 the ‘healthcare and social assistance’ industry generated $4.5 billion in surplus before income tax (a measure of pre-tax profit), up from just $2.2 billion in 2020.

The report documents increasing corporate consolidation in five key health sectors (primary care, radiology, pathology, private hospitals and outsourced elective surgeries, aged care and community support services). It also maps ownership and identifies ways public money flows into the private health system.

Miller said the prevalence of debt-financed leveraged buyouts used by many corporate providers raises questions about the costs of outsourcing.

“Tight fiscal constraints have capped investment in public sector capacity, creating pressures used to justify outsourcing. But private providers face much higher borrowing costs than the Government. In effect we are swapping cheap and transparent public debt for expensive and often opaque private debt.

“Highly-leveraged ownership structures generate large interest expenses which reduce taxable income. These concerns are heightened by complex corporate structures spanning jurisdictions like the Bahamas, Luxembourg, Singapore and the Cayman Islands.

“Outsourcing means taxpayer dollars are helping fund the expansion of private sector capacity. We need a strategy that ensures public funds are used to build the workforce, facilities and services of the public health system.

“The public health system rests on the promise that if you fall ill, have an accident, need an operation or have a baby, the public system is there for you.

“Increasing health privatisation undercuts this promise. It also undercuts the need for the health system to reduce barriers and health disparities experienced by Māori, because health care is increasingly driven by commercial considerations.

“The pace of privatisation is no longer a creep, privatisation has bolted,” Miller says.

The report includes nine recommendations to hold private providers more accountable, to ensure the Crown’s te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations to Hauora Māori are met, and to build an equitable, accessible and high-quality public health system.

About the report

The report was commissioned by three health unions: Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Union; Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Toi Mata Hauora; and the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi, with support from the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research (CICTAR).

It was published by Public Futures Aotearoa, a coalition of unions, community groups and researchers, supporting those fighting to keep public assets and services in public hands.

The report will be launched at an event today (Tuesday October 27) at St Andrew’s on the Terrace, 30 The Terrace, Wellington.

Notes: Corporate ownership of health sectors (see also attached fact sheet)

• Corporate ownership of the general practice sector has increased to an estimated 25% in 2025.
• Publicly funded elective surgeries in private hospitals have grown by 93% in four years to more than a billion dollars in 2024/25.
• 75% of the Diagnostics, imaging and radiology sector is owned by corporates.
• 76% of aged residential care provision is publicly-funded, with two of the Big Six providers owned by offshore private investors.
• 32% of Home and Community Support Services are provided by for-profit companies.

Issued on behalf of Public Futures Aotearoa members by the PSA.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 October 2026 – Programme choice, fees, university recognition and career prospects are often among the first considerations when students compare higher education options. For students who may require accessibility support, however, another practical question can be equally relevant: whether they will be able to participate effectively in learning and campus life once they enrol. Accessibility in higher education extends beyond physical infrastructure. It can include how students access learning, participate in classes and assessments, navigate the campus, and communicate individual requirements to their institution.

In Singapore, the Enabling Masterplan 2030 (EMP2030) sets out the national vision of becoming a more inclusive society by 2030. Its 29 recommendations span three strategic themes, including strengthening support for lifelong learning. One of its stated aspirations is for persons with disabilities to have greater access to lifelong learning opportunities and resources by 2030. Against this backdrop, SIM Global Education (SIM GE) is highlighting why accessibility should form part of the conversation when students and families evaluate their higher education choices.

Accessibility considerations can begin before classes start

Students who anticipate requiring accessibility support may benefit from raising their needs before beginning their studies, rather than waiting until an issue emerges during the semester. SIM GE encourages students with disabilities to contact its Student Development team early to explore accessibility services, including where formal documentation or a diagnosis may not yet be available. The institution works with its partners to reduce barriers in academic and non-academic areas.

Early discussion does not mean that every requested arrangement will automatically apply. SIM GE notes that available access arrangements depend on the university associated with the student’s programme. This is particularly relevant when comparing programmes delivered in collaboration with different university partners. Students may therefore need to understand how accessibility arrangements apply to the specific qualification they are considering, rather than assuming that the same provisions apply across all programmes.

Physical accessibility forms one part of the student experience

The physical environment remains an important consideration, particularly for students with mobility or other access requirements. SIM’s current campus accessibility provisions include ramps for building access, automatic sliding doors at the main entrances to Blocks A and B, stair lifts, accessible toilets and parking spaces, Braille on lift buttons and lift service at the overhead bridge opposite the campus. SIM also acknowledges on its accessibility information page that gaps in physical accessibility may still exist and provides a channel for students to raise barriers they encounter while navigating the campus.

For prospective students, this suggests that a campus visit can serve a purpose beyond viewing lecture theatres and recreational facilities. Students with particular accessibility requirements may also use the opportunity to understand how they would move between classrooms, student services, study spaces and other frequently used parts of the campus.

Inclusive learning extends beyond campus infrastructure

An accessible campus alone does not necessarily make the overall learning experience accessible. UNESCO has highlighted that students with disabilities can face barriers to higher education that extend beyond physical access, including barriers associated with learning environments and participation. It has called for broader collaboration to strengthen inclusion and equity within higher education.

For institutions, this places attention not only on facilities but also on how teaching and learning respond to different student needs. In 2026, SIM’s Centre for Teaching & Learning introduced a training series aimed at helping lecturers better understand and respond to students with special needs and diverse learning profiles. The initiative forms part of SIM Academic Division’s professional development efforts around more inclusive classroom practices.

Such efforts reflect a wider consideration for students choosing where to study: whether accessibility is addressed only through physical facilities or is also considered in the learning environment.

Programme-specific arrangements need to be understood early

Accessibility requirements can differ considerably between students. They can also be affected by programme structures, assessment requirements and the policies of the relevant awarding institution. SIM GE therefore advises early contact so that students can explore what accessibility services may be relevant to their individual circumstances. Its published guidance makes clear that available access arrangements are dependent on the university for the programme concerned.

For students and families comparing higher education options, practical considerations may include identifying who coordinates accessibility support, how early requirements should be raised, whether arrangements involve the institution, the awarding university or both, and what process applies if a student’s needs change during the course of study. Establishing these details before enrolment can provide greater clarity about what support may be available and what steps a student may need to take.

Accessibility is becoming part of the broader inclusion agenda

Singapore’s approach under EMP2030 places lifelong learning within the broader national effort to enable persons with disabilities to participate more fully in society. The Government’s 2025 updates to the Masterplan also included work to increase the availability of accessible training courses, alongside initiatives to create more inclusive physical and social environments.

Higher education institutions form one part of that wider learning ecosystem.

For prospective students, choosing a university will continue to involve considerations such as academic quality, programme fit, cost and future opportunities. For those who require accessibility support, understanding the learning environment and available support arrangements can provide another important piece of information before making that decision.

SIM GE’s position is that these conversations are better started early. By understanding what support is available, how it applies to a particular programme and where potential barriers may exist, students can make a more informed assessment of whether a learning environment meets their needs before their university journey begins.

References:

1. Ministry of Social and Family Development — Enabling Masterplan 2030 – https://www.msf.gov.sg/what-we-do/enabling-masterplans/emp2030
2. Ministry of Social and Family Development — EMP2030 Strategic Themes. – https://www.msf.gov.sg/what-we-do/enabling-masterplans/strategic-themes
3. SIM Global Education — Student Accessibility – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/student-care
4. SIM Global Education — Student Care – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/student-care
5. SIM — Academic Development – https://www.sim.edu.sg/academics/teach
6. UNESCO — Breaking Barriers in Higher Education for Students with Disabilities. Discusses accessibility and inclusion challenges faced by students with disabilities in higher education – https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/breaking-barriers-higher-education-and-students-disabilities

https://www.sim.edu.sg/

Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE

About SIM Global Education