Health – LiveNews.co.nz

Emerging New Zealand leaders to join Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 03:11:55 +0000

Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono

Thirty-six emerging leaders are joining the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono Leadership Network and will be formally inducted in Auckland on 14 November, as the network marks its 20th year.

Selected from a strong field of applicants, the 2026 intake brings together a broad range of talent, experience, and curiosity about Asia from across New Zealand.

Since 2006, more than 500 New Zealanders have joined the network. Members build their skills through workshops, hui in New Zealand and Asia, and networking with peers and alumni.

Asia New Zealand Foundation Deputy Chief Executive Adele Mason says this year’s intake reflects the importance of equipping more New Zealanders to engage confidently with Asia.

“Twenty years is a significant milestone for the Leadership Network,” Adele says. “The world our newest members are stepping into is very different from the one we were preparing leaders for 20 years ago, but the value of bringing people together to learn from one another and build their own connections with Asia remains as strong as ever.”

Inductee Ripene Tito is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, with previous experience supporting ministers across the Health and Pacific Peoples portfolios.

“Through my public service career, I’ve learned that strong relationships are the foundation of good decision-making. I’m looking forward to bringing that perspective to the Leadership Network, deepening my understanding of Asia and contributing to stronger people-to-people connections across New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific.”

Fellow inductee Cassidy Muir, whose career spans technology and business transformation, grew up in Malaysia and brings a personal perspective on navigating different cultures and systems.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my lived experience of navigating different cultures and systems to the Leadership Network, while learning from others and using those insights to help build a more connected and inclusive New Zealand,” Cassidy says.

At the induction in Auckland, new members will meet fellow cohort members, hear from Foundation staff and network alumni, and begin building the relationships that will support them through the programme and their careers.

This year’s Leadership Network members are:

See all the members

About the Leadership Network

The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono Leadership Network equips New Zealand’s next generation of leaders with the knowledge, connections and confidence to engage with Asia. Since its establishment in 2006, the network has supported members to build Asia-related capability, develop leadership skills and contribute to stronger people-to-people links between New Zealand and the Asia region.

MIL OSI

Election 2026 – Greens commitment to full pay equity for care and support workers sets benchmark

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:47:08 +0000

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

The Green Party’s commitment to fully settle the care and support workers’ pay equity claim within the first 100 days of a new government is news 65,000 workers have been waiting to hear.

The Greens today announced their commitment to repealing the Government’s changes to the Equal Pay Act, restoring the original law and settling the care and support workers’ claim. They also committed to pass legislation to settle the claim if that is what it takes.

“This announcement sets the benchmark on what is needed for pay equity to become a reality for care and support workers in New Zealand,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“The commitment is welcome and we are pleased the Green Party has accepted the proven undervaluation and that this settlement must occur quickly.

“The party’s commitment to a 30 percent pay equity uplift would put $350 a week in the pocket of a full-time care and support worker. The average worker, who works 62 percent of full-time hours, would get $220 a week more.

“This will be life changing for workers who are doing it tough in a cost-of-living crisis. Many are back on the minimum wage because of the failure to update their previous settlement.

“The funding of over $1 billion annually to settle this claim must also be seen as an investment in this critical workforce as our population ages. Care and support workers are the backbone of the health and disability system.

“Restoring pay equity also makes economic sense. PSA analysis based on Treasury’s own model shows reinstating all the cancelled pay equity settlements would grow the economy by $13.5 billion over four years, create around 13,000 jobs, and lift an estimated 11,000 children out of poverty.

“The Labour Party said this week it will reverse the pay equity changes and put care and support workers at the front of the queue. This must be a full funded settlement. Care and support workers have waited long enough.

“The choice this election is now clear between parties who value the work of care and support workers and all underpaid women, and the parties in government who sacrificed women to make their Budget numbers work.

“The PSA urges voters to change this government and elect a new government that delivers for women.”

Sarah Strid, a care and support worker and PSA member said, “I’ve done care work for years and I know what this work is worth. And we proved it. The claim is ready to go. So, hearing the Greens say they will fully settle it in the first 100 days means a lot to me. It’s what needs to happen.”

Statement re undervaluation of care and support workers

29 September Opening of books must force Opposition parties to commit to pay equity

The PSA and the NZ Nurses Organisation reveal publicly the precise historic undervaluation of care and support workers showing they have been underpaid by between 24 percent and 38 percent.

Pay equity poll

26 September Pay equity poll: voters say make the fiscals wait, not women!

PSA analysis of economic and fiscal upside to restoring pay equity

9 September Restoring pay equity would boost income of 91,000 families by $300/week – PSA analysis

23 August Govt’s axing of pay equity cost jobs & GDP growth – PSA analysis

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.

MIL OSI

Election 2026 – All parties urged to commit to pay equity – NZNO

LiveNews Publisher — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:47:05 +0000

Source: Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Care and Support workers say to all parties: fund pay equity

Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has applauded the Green Party’s commitment to restore pay equity and fund a settlement for care and support workers and has urged all other political parties to do the same.

The Green Party today announced it would immediately restore the pay equity framework that existed prior to the 2025 changes, prioritise the Care and Support Workers claim, and move quickly to settle it. The commitment is backed by dedicated funding to support the settlement.

NZNO members joined care and support worker members from E tū and PSA at the announcement in Tāmaki Makaurau today.

Among those who had their pay equity claims gutted last year was NZNO delegate and aged care worker Sabina Lama.

“Aged care workers help older New Zealanders live with dignity, independence and quality of life, while also supporting families and communities. It is skilled, essential work, yet many care workers remain among the lowest-paid people in the health sector,” Sabina Lama says.

“Many workers are struggling with the cost of living and supporting their whānau. They shouldn’t be undervalued because care work has traditionally been seen as women’s work.”

The care and support workers’ pay equity claim was one of 33 stopped by the Government’s law change in May 2025. Unions estimate 65,000 care and support workers had their claim stopped. These workers are typically paid between $23.95 and $31 an hour. Unions estimate the minimum cost of restoring the entire pay equity system is $12.8 billion over four years.

More information about Pay Equity

MIL OSI

Allianz Insurance Singapore Pte Ltd Announces Leadership Transition

MIL OSI — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:04:34 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

Asia is one of the core growth regions for Allianz, characterized by a rich variety of cultures, languages and customs. Allianz has been present in the region since 1910, when it first provided fire and marine insurance in the coastal cities of China. Today, Allianz is active in 15 markets* in the region, offering its core businesses of property and casualty insurance, life, protection, and health solutions, as well as asset management. Allianz Asia serves 9 million customers through a diversified footprint across Life & Health and Property & Casualty, supported by a network of distribution partners and a commitment to innovation, talent development and customer-centric solutions.

*Allianz Asia Operating Entities only (8): China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand

Including other Allianz Global Lines (15): Above including Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Vietnam

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

Farm safety rules get a dose of clarity – Federated Farmers

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:03:26 +0000

Source: Federated Farmers

New health and safety guidance will give farmers greater certainty about what is expected of them when managing risks on-farm, Federated Farmers says.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today launched two new Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) covering roles and responsibilities in agriculture and safe farm vehicle operation.

Federated Farmers health and safety spokesperson Greg Anderson says the organisation has worked closely with the Minister and WorkSafe throughout the development of the ACOPs.

“We’ve been heavily involved in this process from the beginning to make sure farmers’ experiences and concerns were reflected.

“Through webinars, direct engagement and detailed feedback, farmers have had a strong voice, and we’re proud to have played a part in getting these changes to where they are today.

“This is exactly what good advocacy should look like – working with Government to get better, more workable rules for farmers.”

Anderson says the finished ACOPs provide much-needed clarity around how health and safety responsibilities work in the fast-changing environment of a farm.

“We all agree that farm safety is absolutely vital and that we need to be doing better, but the rules also need to be grounded in fairness and common sense.

“Farmers will be pleased to see these ACOPs focus on the realities of farm life and provide practical guidance they can actually use – not just vague guidelines.

“Farms are dynamic workplaces, with farmers, employees, contractors and other businesses often working together.

“Having clearer guidance around who’s responsible for what, and how those responsibilities overlap, will give farmers a lot more confidence.”

The Roles and Responsibilities in Agriculture ACOP provides guidance for situations where farmers, managers, workers, contractors, suppliers and others have overlapping health and safety duties.

Meanwhile, the Safe Farm Vehicle Operation ACOP sets out practical ways to manage serious vehicle-related risks, including choosing the right vehicle for the job, assessing conditions and keeping people clear of vehicle movements.

“Vehicle safety is a critical part of farm safety, so having practical guidance around how to manage those risks is important,” Anderson says.

“Good health and safety should be about identifying and managing real risks, rather than farmers having to navigate unnecessary complexity or paperwork.”

The ACOPs will come into effect on 1 April 2027 alongside amendments to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, including changes clarifying responsibilities for recreational activities, director duties and the compliance burden on small businesses.

Federated Farmers also welcomes the potential for the ACOPs to receive safe-harbour status following the legislative changes.

“This is absolutely something we’ve been calling for, because farmers need confidence that if they follow recognised guidance, they are doing what the law expects of them.

“The possibility of safe-harbour status would provide another important layer of certainty and clarity for farmers.

“We’ll continue working closely with WorkSafe to make sure the guidance works in practice and reflects the realities of farming.”

Anderson says Federated Farmers is happy to see the Government’s health and safety reforms progressing.

“We’re proud to have played a meaningful role in helping get this reform process off the ground, and it’s good to see some of the changes farmers have been calling for now taking shape.

“There’s still work to do to lift the bar on farm safety, but farmers need rules that help them manage risk effectively, rather than simply creating more compliance.

“Our priority is helping farmers feel supported and confident to engage with health and safety in a way that genuinely reduces risk on-farm – not just ticks boxes.”

You can find links to the ACOPs here:

MIL OSI

Kiwis name the brands giving them the best service – Reader’s Digest

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:03:17 +0000

Source: Reader’s Digest

QUALITY SERVICE AWARDS 2027

Research behind the 2027 Reader’s Digest Quality Service Awards reveals that New Zealanders’ highest praise goes to brands that make life easy, with AA Roadside Assistance taking out the highest overall quality service score in the country

Friendly people and a hassle-free experience are what win Kiwis over, according to independent research behind the 2027 Quality Service Awards, announced today. More than 1,400 New Zealanders rated 185 brands they had personally used, across 32 industries.

When consumers give a brand a higher score, the same things come up again and again: the experience was easy, quick and hassle-free, and the people were helpful and friendly.

“Kiwis are telling us that great service isn’t complicated,” said Cameron Gentle, Director of Catalyst Research, which conducted the study. “The brands that scored highest make things easy, have people who are genuinely helpful, and sort things out when they need to. That is what earns loyalty, and it’s what this year’s winners do consistently.”

What great service looks like, in Kiwis’ own words

How brands are scored: survey respondents rated only the brands they had personally used, evaluating them across five key measures — personalisation, understanding, simplicity, satisfaction and consistency.

While these custom-designed evaluation pillars are tailored directly by Catalyst Research for our independent consumer surveys, their foundation draws upon earlier service quality studies from Harvard University.

Consistency — the most common reason Kiwis give a top score. “Always” and “never had a problem” run through the comments more than any other phrase. An Auckland Mitre 10 customer put it in four words: “Consistent quality and reliable support.” A Wellington Mercury customer: “Great power company that always does what it says it will do.”

Simplicity — being easy to deal with. A Gisborne AA Insurance customer: “Very good service and easy to deal with on phone and online.” An Auckland AMI customer: “Excellent customer service. Long history. Easy claims process.”

Satisfaction — delivering what was promised. An Auckland Specsavers customer: “Love their services, customer service is always amazing. Additionally their products are great and they have a wide variety.” An Auckland Apex customer: “Good price, quality cars and awesome customer service.”

Understanding — mentioned least often, remembered most. A Canterbury State Insurance customer: “When the lady answered the phone and I explained that I had been in an accident, the first thing she asked me was ‘are you alright?’” A Hawke’s Bay Chem-Dry customer: “They cleaned a chair for me under difficult circumstances and were very kind.”

Personalisation — service shaped around the individual. A Hawke’s Bay State Insurance customer: “Wonderful service, tailoring my policy to suit my contents.” A Waikato Specsavers customer: “The optician tailored eye tests and frame suggestions fully to my eyesight and lifestyle needs.” An Auckland Bridgestone customer: “They are really helpful and provide me with personalised service.”

“The strongest brands are not necessarily those that never make a mistake. They are the ones that respond well, communicate clearly and make customers feel that their business matters,” said Sheron White, GM of Publishing at Reader’s Digest.

This year’s standout winners

AA Roadservice achieved the highest Quality Service Score of any brand in the 2027 research, 83 out of 100, taking Gold in Roadside Assistance for the eleventh consecutive year. The AA was recognised in seven categories in all: Gold for AA Insurance in both Car Insurance and Home & Contents Insurance for the third year running, Gold for AA Health, and Silver for AA Life, AA Pet Insurance and AA Travel Insurance.

Specsavers celebrated double Gold, winning both Optometrists — its eleventh consecutive year at the top of that category — and Hearing Services.

Resene Paints has now won 11 consecutive Golds in Paint & Decorating Stores. G.J. Gardner Homes won Gold in Home Design & Build Services for the third consecutive year.

New World took Gold again this year in Supermarkets, its ninth win in the awards and a mark of consistent service in one of the country’s largest and most competitive categories.

“What strikes me about this year’s winners is how many have been recognised year after year,” said Algy Pereira, CEO of Reader’s Digest. “Good service isn’t a campaign you run. It’s a standard you hold, through good years and hard ones, and Kiwis notice the brands that do.”

The full list of winners across all 32 categories is available at https://www.qualityserviceawards.co.nz/results. Winners will be celebrated at an awards event in Auckland on 22 October.

Notes to editors

About the research: independent research firm Catalyst Research surveyed 1,417 New Zealanders aged 18+, using the Dynata research panel. In a first-stage survey, consumers named the brands they use, unprompted. Neither the organisers nor Catalyst choose which brands are included, and brands cannot pay to be nominated or to win.
How brands are scored: respondents rated only brands they had personally used, on five measures: personalisation, understanding, simplicity, satisfaction and consistency. Each measure is scored 0–10 and combined into a Quality Service Score out of 100. Scores of 80 or more are rated Excellent, and 90 or more Sensational.
Only customers can vote: at both stages, New Zealanders can only name and rate brands they have used themselves, so every score comes from real, first-hand experience. There are no expert panels, paid judges or algorithms, and no scraped online reviews.
Research-led award integrity: the 2027 Quality Service Awards will recognise 70 Gold and Silver winners across 35 categories. Every winner is officially announced and published, with award results based solely on the research outcomes and not influenced by commercial participation.
A fresh sample every year: the survey sample is refreshed annually, with previous participants excluded for three years, and categories are rotated so respondents are not fatigued.

About the Quality Service Awards

Now in their 13th year in New Zealand, the Quality Service Awards recognise the brands that deliver the best customer service, as rated by the New Zealanders who use them. The awards are commissioned by Reader’s Digest, with the research carried out independently by Catalyst Research.

More of this year’s winners

Additional winners are listed below for media wishing to cover a particular brand, category or region.

Mercury secured two Gold awards, for Electricity Providers and Internet Service Providers, alongside Silver for Gas Providers. Southern Cross received Gold for Life Insurance and Travel Insurance, as well as Silver for Health Insurance.

Several brands have now built remarkable records with New Zealand consumers. Harcourts has been recognised in Real Estate Agencies for 12 years. Bridgestone has taken Gold in Tyre Servicing Centres 11 times, Skinny has been recognised in Mobile Phone Service Providers for 10 years, BestStart in Early Childhood Centres and Princess Cruises in Cruise Operators for nine years each, Kings Plant Barn in Garden Centres for eight, and The Tile Depot has added a seventh Gold in Tiling Stores.

Summerset retained Gold in Retirement Villages and Flooring Xtra reclaimed the top position among Flooring Stores, while Chem-Dry won Gold for Home Maintenance. Other Gold winners included Milford (Specialist KiwiSaver Providers), NZ Seniors (Funeral Insurance), SPCA Pet Insurance (Pet Insurance) and Toyota Certified (Manufacturer Certified Car Sales).

Silver winners also delivered exceptional service, finishing as one of only two award-winning brands in their category. State Insurance took double Silver, in Car Insurance and Roadside Assistance, AMI was recognised in Home & Contents Insurance, Tony’s Tyre Service in Tyre Servicing Centres and Pulse Energy in Electricity Providers. Apex and Busy Bees were named for the first time, earning Silver in Car Rentals and Early Childhood Centres respectively.

With just one Gold and one Silver awarded in each category, both are a significant achievement. Together, the 2027 winners show the brands New Zealanders single out for outstanding service across a wide range of industries.

What New Zealanders told us in this year’s survey

“The audiologist was warm, friendly and very easy to talk to. We felt very comfortable and at ease.” — Canterbury, aged 70+, on their hearing service

“They anticipated my needs after the fire and it was less stressful knowing all the cleaning was being done.” — Southland, aged 50–59, on their home maintenance company

“They explain everything in lay people’s terms.” — Northland, aged 70+, on their electricity provider

“Whenever I’ve had to make a claim they’ve been relatively easy to deal with.” — Wellington, aged 40–49, on their home and contents insurer

“Lovely staff in the hospital ward.” — Auckland, aged 60–69, on their retirement village

MIL OSI

Longer lives require better systems and better care for older people

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:03:07 +0000

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner

Aged Care Commissioner Erin James says Aotearoa New Zealand must ensure that longer lives are supported by systems that protect the rights, dignity, autonomy and wellbeing of older people throughout every stage of ageing.

“International Day of Older Persons recognises the valued place older people hold in our communities, and within families and whānau,” says Ms James.

“It also provides an opportunity to reflect on the issues and challenges currently facing older people.”

Ms James says this year’s theme The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives, asks us to consider whether our systems and services have kept pace with the significant change in how long we are living.

“Increased life expectancy is a major achievement and gains in this area should be celebrated,” she says.

“But success cannot only be measured by the number of additional years that we live. We need to consider how those years are lived.

“The question must be whether our systems can support people to live those longer lives well.”

Ms James says an ageing population is often discussed in terms of increasing demand for health services and aged residential care.

“Planning for changes in demographics is necessary. However, older people must be valued for the significant contribution they make to our society and not simply seen as a pressure on services to be managed. Our systems must evolve to meet changing needs.

“Older people have rights, and rethinking systems for longer lives means starting with the person themselves and asking what they need to continue living well, with dignity, choice, connection and purpose.”

As we consider what changes need to be made to the aged care system to respond and adapt to a changing population, reform must be measured by what it means for the person receiving the care, says Ms James.

“There are important conversations underway about the future sustainability and design of our aged care system. We know that change needs to occur, but sustainability cannot be considered in isolation from quality, safety and the rights of older people

“Longevity should prompt us to think ambitiously about what a good later life looks like.

“We should not accept a lower expectation of dignity, safety, autonomy or quality care just because our system is under strain.”

Ms James says, as reforms continue to be considered and debated, older people must be included in these discussions.

“A society that values longevity, must also value the rights and voices of older people”, she says.

“Listening to older people, their families and whānau must be central to the way services are designed, monitored and improved.

“The opportunity presented by reform is to design a system that is sustainable because it works better for people, not because it delivers less.

“As Aged Care Commissioner my focus is on advocating for equitable access to safe, high-quality care for all older people in Aotearoa New Zealand, wherever that care is delivered.”

International Day of Older Persons: more information

MIL OSI

Mental health report reveals concerning rise in coercive practices

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:02:47 +0000

Source: Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

Te Hiringa Mahara is calling for focused attention to embed a human-rights approach after a new report revealed rising seclusion rates, particularly for Māori, and uneven progress in reducing coercive practices.

Today’s Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction services regulatory report reinforces the need to reduce coercive practices, which are inconsistent with effective therapeutic care and human rights obligations.

“We know that isolating people in seclusion and treating people compulsorily against their will causes harm and has limited therapeutic value. People with lived experience consistently describe the trauma they experience and the loss of trust in services as a result,” says Te Hiringa Mahara Director of Mental Health and Addiction Sector Leadership, Sonya Russell.

“People experiencing mental health crisis need trauma-informed, culturally safe care that upholds their human rights and promotes supported decision-making.

“Too many people get into services too late when they are experiencing crisis. A robust early crisis response approach is at the heart of an effective mental health and addiction system and we need to get that right.

“The wide variation between districts in the use of seclusion and compulsory treatment shows what can be achieved with sustained effort and resources. We acknowledge the gains made by these districts. However, there are districts where rates of seclusion and compulsory treatment are high, so the practices that lead to these rates need immediate attention.

“Te Hiringa Mahara has long called for the elimination of seclusion. In June, we recommended Health New Zealand publish a national seclusion elimination plan by June 2027. We reinforced that recommendation in our ‘Roadmap for mental health, addiction and wellbeing‘, released shortly afterwards.

“The Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction services regulatory report also highlights persistent and unacceptable inequities. Māori remain significantly more likely than any other ethnic group to be subject to compulsory assessment, community treatment orders and inpatient treatment orders. Māori men continue to experience the highest rates of compulsory treatment.

“While the new Mental Health Act, passed in July 2026, introduces processes that are better aligned to upholding human rights protection and is a significant step forward, it will not come into force until 1 July 2028. To embed a human rights framework in our mental health and addiction system, we must accelerate efforts to drive practice change and reduce coercive practices. The care people and their whānau receive must be respectful, equitable, uphold their rights and focus on their wellbeing,” says Sonya Russell.

Note for editors:

The Office of the Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services Regulatory Report released today covers 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.
Māori were twice as likely as Pacific peoples to be subject to community treatment orders, 7.7 times as likely as Asian peoples and 3.2 times as likely as other ethnicities. For inpatient orders, Māori were 2.1, 8.6 and 3.2 times as likely, respectively.
Māori were 6.8 times more likely than non-Māori to be secluded, with their rate rising from 9.6 to 10.2 per 100,000 in 2024/25.
The Pacific seclusion rate rose 6%.

MIL OSI

Community organisations call on opposition parties to commit to funding care and support workers’ pay equity settlement

LiveNews Publisher — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:02:39 +0000

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Unions, care and support providers, and community organisations have written an open letter to opposition parties asking them to commit to settling and fully funding the care and support workers’ pay equity claim within the first 100 days of the next Government based on the agreed undervaluation.

The open letter, signed by 29 organisations including all the unions involved in the claim, the provider peak bodies, and a number of employers, states that the claim was all but agreed when the current Government gutted the Equal Pay Act.

“This letter, signed by peak bodies in the care and support sector and unions, shows the widespread support for urgently settling this claim.”

“Care and support workers have waited too long already. The comparator roles are agreed, the level of undervaluation is agreed, the only action left is funding and settling the claim quickly,” said PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Assistant Secretary Melissa Woolley who was a negotiator for unions in the claim.

“Unions and employers spent hundreds of hours on the claim. They agreed the comparator roles. They found care and support workers were undervalued by between 24 and 38 percent.

“Settling this claim should be a top priority for the next Government in the first 100 days. Care and support workers are the backbone of our health system.

“A settlement only works if it is paid for. These services are mostly funded by the Crown. Providers cannot be left to find the money.

“Parties should build the settlement on what is agreed, and they should say now whether they will.”

The letter says any settlement must come with a commitment to fund:

the direct costs of the pay equity settlement
the flow-on pay adjustments across the wider care workforce, including those needed
to maintain pay differentials that recognise qualifications, experience, clinical responsibilities and professional accountability

The letter says these costs must be built into the funding models for the services concerned, so providers do not absorb them.

Settling the claim would change the lives of the women who do this work. It would also benefit the wider economy. PSA analysis of Treasury modelling shows reinstating it would grow the economy by $13.5 billion over four years, create around 13,000 jobs, and lift an estimated 11,000 children out of poverty.

New Zealanders back it. A recent Talbot Mills poll found that New Zealanders would be prepared to delay the Government’s return to surplus by a year to restore pay equity than oppose it, 49 percent to 28 percent.

Signatories:

Access
ActionStation
Aged Care Association New Zealand
Aotearoa Women’s Watch
Atamira Platform
Auckland Action Against Poverty
AUT Social Transformation Research Institute
BPW New Zealand
Carers New Zealand
CBCT
E tū
Disabled Persons Assembly NZ
Filipino Care Workers United
Home and Community Health Association
Migrant Action Trust
Mōkihi Hauora
National Council of Women of New Zealand
New Zealand Disability Support Network
New Zealand Nurses Organisation
NUPE
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi
PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
Rodger Wright Harm Reduction Network
Te Mana Taki Havora Health Action Trust
Te Roopu Taurima
Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Women’s Centre
Totara Farm Trust
Working Women’s Resource Centre
YWCA

MIL OSI

Global Sales of Professional Service Robots Surge 24%

MIL OSI — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:15:25 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

7,000 Humanoids emerge as new market
117,000 Transport and logistics’ robots lead as top application

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY – Newsaktuell – 30 September 2026 – Global shipments of professional service robots increased by 24% to almost 250,000 units in 2025, highlighting a successful shift tocommercial automation. These findings are presented in the World Robotics 2026 Service Robots report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

“Service robots are expanding into everyday operations,” says Jane Heffner, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “Sales went up across all three segments with double-digit growth rates: professional service robots gained 24%, medical robots grew 19%, and consumer service robots surged by an impressive 37%.”

Top applications for professional service robots

Transportation and logistics stays in the lead as top application, with 117,500 units sold in 2025. This was up 21%, and represents a market share of 47%. These robots are primarily used for transportation as well as for the automation of material flows and delivery processes.. Although traditional sales remained the main monetization channel, RaaS business models continued to grow in popularity. In the US, this already is the dominant business model.

Hospitality robots rank in second place. Machines for mobile guidance, information points in public environments, and telepresence account for the majority of these robots. The market for professional cleaning robots follows in third place, with floor cleaning as the main application in this segment.

Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots, which are designed to resemble humans and operate in human-centric environments, are gaining massive attention for their potential flexibility. While recent advances in AI, sensors and control systems have enabled impressive pilot projects, most current applications remain specialized and often require human teleoperation. In 2025, about 7,000 units of full-size humanoids (above 140 cm) were sold globally. These robots are intended for commercial and professional applications beyond R&D and entertainment.

Key challenges such as safety standards, high training and maintenance costs, and the lack of a strong business case, particularly in industrial settings, continue to limit widespread adoption. For humanoid robots to become practical everyday tools, further progress in intuitive programming, robust manipulation, economic scaling, and standardized safety is essential.

“In a special chapter of the World Robotics 2026 report, we provide a comprehensive overview about humanoids as the robotics newest market,” says Dr. Werner Kraus, Chair of the IFR Service Robot Committee.

Robots for consumer use

Consumer service robots have primarily consisted of domestic robots aimed at the mass market. Overall sales of consumer robots increased by 37% to almost 34.2 million units in 2025. Key trends include automating household tasks, integrating artificial intelligence and connecting to smart home systems.

Medical robotics

With 8,400 units sold and a growth rate of 57 % surgical robots are the main driver of growth in the medical robotics market, reflecting their increasing adoption in clinical practice. The transition from technological development to commercial deployment has gained significant momentum over the past decade. This is driven by advances in robotics, improved clinical outcomes, and growing acceptance among healthcare professionals.

Downloads

Graphs and press releases for download by IFR at: https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/global-sales-of-professional-service-robots-surge-24-percent

Please note: World Robotics Service Robots report is sample data. Data is NOT projected to the whole industry. Sample composition varies each year. All numbers at the World Robotics Service Robots 2026 report are based on a sample of 238 service robot suppliers. Compiling or comparing data from different World Robotics Reports is strongly discouraged.

https://www.ifr.org
https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-federation-of-robotics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIdKFuqg5XxIPf_k2j4ZRfA

Hashtag: #IFR #InternationalFederationofRobotics

About IFR

The IFR Statistical Department provides data for two annual robotics studies:

World Robotics – Industrial Robots: This unique report provides global statistics on industrial robots in standardized tables and enables national comparisons to be made. It presents statistical data for around 40 countries broken down into areas of application, customer industries, types of robots and other technical and economic aspects. Production, export and import data is listed for selected countries. It also offers robot density, i.e. the number of robots per 10,000 employees, as a measure for the degree of automation.

World Robotics – Service Robots: This unique report describes marketable products, tasks, challenges and new developments by service robots application. The report includes the results of the annual IFR service robot survey on global sales of professional and consumer service robots and an industry structure analysis including a full list of all service robot producers known to the IFR. The study is jointly prepared with the robotics experts of Fraunhofer IPA, Stuttgart.

Follow IFR on LinkedIn and YouTube

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

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

Se7en Friday Provides Show-Calling for National Day Parade 2026 at the National Stadium

MIL OSI — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 02:19:38 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – Se7en Friday Pte Ltd, an event management company in Singapore, provided show-calling services for the National Day Parade 2026 (NDP 2026) at the National Stadium on 9 August. The company fielded four experienced show-callers across three months of planning and rehearsals leading up to show day. It also planned and ran the appreciation event held after the parade for the participants, volunteers, and crew behind the production.

NDP 2026 returned to the National Stadium for the first time since 2016 and played to a capacity crowd of about 42,000, the largest National Day Parade audience in a decade. Staged under the theme “Majulah Singapura, Go Beyond!”, the show ran across six chapters on an arrow-shaped stage measuring 162 metres long and 74 metres at its widest, served by six stage lifts and eight tunnel entrances and exits. More than 2,600 performers and 36 artistes took part alongside 32 marching contingents and 1,271 civilian participants, according to the NDP 2026 organising committee. The production carried 1,654 entertainment lighting fixtures and over 170 special effects machines, and featured NDP’s first indoor drone display, in which 300 drones flew 30 metres above a stadium floor occupied by performers.

Show-calling is the discipline that commits all of that to a single running order. Working from a cue script, the show-caller calls each segment change, performer entry, lighting state, audio cue, video roll and effect in sequence over headset to the crews and stage managers executing them. What separates a parade from a corporate show is that there is no reset. The running order cannot be paused or restarted, so a late cue does not delay the show. It puts the performers, the drones, the lighting, and the broadcast feed out of alignment with one another for as long as it takes to recover. Se7en Friday’s show-callers worked through the full rehearsal ladder, including the combined rehearsals, the two National Education shows, and the previews on 25 July and 1 August, building and testing the cue stack and the contingency calls for weather, timing overruns, and equipment faults. This same level of show control and precision underpins Se7en Friday’s work in dinner and dance event management and large-scale corporate productions.

The appreciation event that followed the parade was planned and run by the same team, covering catering, event decoration, master of ceremonies services, and the games and segments that made up the programme. Because the team producing it had worked the production from planning through to show day, the event was built by people who knew the schedule the participants had been keeping. For the organisers, it also placed a single supplier in charge of both the show-calling and the appreciation event, rather than a second vendor briefed from scratch once the parade was over.

Henry Tan, Events and Managing Director at Se7en Friday, said the engagement was decided in rehearsal.

“A show this size is not difficult because it is big, it is difficult because nothing waits. If a cue lands a second late, the performers, the drones, and every light in the building are a second out of alignment, and there is no way to take it back. So most of the work happened in the stadium in the weeks before, building the cue stack and deciding in advance what we would do if something went wrong, which meant that on the night there was nothing left to decide. The appreciation event was the other half of it. For months everybody on this project had been working to somebody else’s cue, and that was the one evening the people who built the show got to sit down and be looked after.”

The same cue scripting, stage management, and rehearsal practice apply to the company’s commercial work at a smaller scale. Se7en Friday runs conference and seminar event management, dinner and dance events, product launches and openings, family days and retreats, and livestreamed and hybrid events, using an in-house production team with its own warehousing and logistics fleet and full-time crew.

The NDP engagement is the largest application to date of the production discipline Se7en Friday applies to its corporate work. The company continues to operate from Singapore, serving government ministries, statutory boards, and corporate accounts. The direction Tan has set out is for the company to continue operating as a single production partner across the full run of an event, from cue scripting and technical delivery through to the events that follow it, rather than as a supplier engaged for one component of a programme.
https://www.se7enfriday.com/
https://www.facebook.com/teamse7enfriday#
https://www.instagram.com/se7enfriday/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt4i211XGED5FoOr-dJlz9w/videos

Hashtag: #Se7enFriday

About Se7en Friday

Founded in 2015, Se7en Friday Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based corporate event management company with more than 10 years of industry experience. The company has delivered over 5,200 events across more than 20 industries for clients including the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, alongside statutory boards and Fortune 500 corporations. Its services span conferences and seminars, product launches and openings, dinner and dances, family days and retreats, and livestreamed, virtual and hybrid events, supported by an in-house production team, company-owned warehousing and a logistics fleet. Se7en Friday is bizSafe Level 3 certified, a certified Safe Event SG organiser, and the exclusive carrier of L-Acoustics professional audio systems in Singapore.

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

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

Explore Fully Funded PhD Opportunities at World #18 CUHK

MIL OSI — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 02:04:10 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

Unlock US$232,420+ PhD scholarship packages—apply by 1 Dec 2026

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 September 2026 – For prospective doctoral and research postgraduate students seeking to elevate their research on a global stage, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has opened applications for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), offering fully funded PhD opportunities for the 2027–28 academic year. Supported by competitive scholarship packages, distinguished faculty mentorship, and cutting-edge facilities, CUHK provides an ideal launchpad for high-achieving international scholars to drive global impact.

Dedicated Doctoral & Postgraduate Scholarships
Through CUHK’s enhanced HKPFS Package, successful PhD candidates receive a scholarship package valued at over US$232,420+, covering annual stipends, full tuition fee waivers, lodging awards, and conference travel allowances across their normative study period. Additionally, competitive international awards, including the Belt & Road Scholarship, are available to cover full tuition fees for eligible research postgraduate students.

World-Class Academic & Research Ecosystem
Ranked 18th globally by QS World University Rankings 2027 and 10th in Asia by Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2026, CUHK provides a top-tier environment for master’s and doctoral candidates alike. Situated on Hong Kong’s largest university campus, CUHK offers 240+ English-taught postgraduate programmes across eight faculties, featuring 20 subjects in the global top 30 and six in the top 10—including Education (#1), Gastroenterology and Hepatology (#2), Nursing (#6), Computer Science (#7), and Arts and Humanities and Artificial Intelligence (both ranked #9).

Research postgraduates at CUHK create real-world impact alongside 430+ top 2% global scientists while accessing 250+ interdisciplinary research institutes, four State Key Laboratories, and pioneering InnoHK centres. Through collaborations with leading universities worldwide, they contribute to innovations that generate tangible impact locally, nationally, and globally. Driven by this dynamic research environment, CUHK unlocked over US$324 million in annual research funding in 2024–25 alone.

Voices of International Students
The transformative impact of CUHK’s academic environment is echoed by its international doctoral students:

“The HKPFS has enabled me to advance interdisciplinary research in Blue Humanities and Pacific environmental literature,” said Ananya Roy, an HKPFS awardee pursuing a PhD in English Literary Studies from India. “Through international conference presentations and forthcoming publications, I am developing a globally engaged research agenda that bridges literary studies and environmental thought.”

Alexandra Rose McCombie, a PhD candidate in Biology from Scotland, added: “The opportunity to study science at CUHK has allowed me to pursue my passion through an intellectually challenging and thoroughly enjoyable programme in one of the world’s most vibrant cities. Researching alongside world-class academics and talented peers has been incredibly motivational and inspiring for my future career.”

Take Your Next Step Global
Applications for the 2027–28 HKPFS intake close on 1 December 2026 (11:59PM HKT).

To help prospective international applicants navigate admission requirements and scholarship applications, CUHK will host a Virtual Info Session on 15 October 2026. Attendees will connect live with professors and current students to gain key tips on admission and scholarship opportunities.

For event registration and application details, visit https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/hkpfs.

https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/hkpfs

Hashtag: #CUHK #HKPFS #PhD

About CUHK

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a leading comprehensive research university with a global reputation and world-leading rankings. Located in the heart of Asia, CUHK has a vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. The University has eight faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Together with the Graduate School, the University offers over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All faculties are actively engaged in research in a wide range of disciplines, with an array of research institutes and research centres specialising in interdisciplinary research of the highest quality.

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

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

Greenpeace joins complaint to EU over NZ’s climate policy regression

LiveNews Publisher — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:41:56 +0000

Source: Greenpeace Aotearoa

Greenpeace Aotearoa has joined a complaint to the EU, lodged by EU-based organisation Both ENDS, over New Zealand’s failure to comply with clauses in the EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement requiring strong climate action.

Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director Dr Russel Norman says, “The New Zealand Government has spent the last three years systematically undermining climate and environment laws and regulations in our country, often with the explicit stated purpose of gaining trade benefits.”

“We are in a climate and biodiversity crisis, and the UN is warning that we are set to breach 1.5℃ of global temperature rise. We need urgent action to cut climate pollution rapidly, but the Government has instead spent the last three years engaged in a race to the bottom on environmental regulation – and that’s why we have co-sponsored this complaint.”

Norman says that this action comes after years of good-faith engagement with the New Zealand Government.

“Over the last three years we have met with the Prime Minister, Ministers and senior officials on many occasions to urge them to change course and to warn them that they were breaching the sustainability chapter of the free trade agreement with the European Union. We have mobilised people to sign petitions, we’ve made submissions against their legislation, we’ve marched in the streets, and more. But this Government has not listened.”

“Hence today we are joining this complaint in the hope that the risk of losing preferential trade access to the EU market will encourage the New Zealand Government to change course. Sadly it seems that money is the only language they understand.”

The EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement, signed in 2023, requires both parties to ‘effectively implement the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, including commitments with regard to nationally determined contributions’, and ‘to refrain from any action or omission that materially defeats the object and purpose of the Paris Agreement.’

Dr Norman says, “We need to act collectively as a global community to achieve our climate and environmental objectives, yet the New Zealand Government has consistently and deliberately undermined global efforts, and undermined the Paris climate agreement in particular.”

“Whatever the outcome of the New Zealand general election in November, we need to insist that the next New Zealand Government rejoins the nations of the world that take their climate and environment responsibilities seriously.”

The Both ENDS complaint identifies several areas of concern as evidence of a breach of the EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement, including:

The reversal of the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration
The weakening of the biogenic methane target
The removal of the ETS backstop for agricultural emissions, and refusal to price agricultural emissions at all.
The Climate Change Response (Tort Liability) Amendment Act, which retroactively prevents legal action against climate-polluting companies.
A failure to set ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as required under the Paris Agreement

The Both ENDS complaint is co-sponsored by the following New Zealand organisations and individuals: the Environmental Law Initiative, Greenpeace Aotearoa, Ngāti Pūkenga Iwi ki Tauranga Trust, OraTaiao: New Zealand Climate and Health Council, Mike Smith, and Professor Emeritus Jane Kelsey.

MIL OSI

MED-EL Launches World’s First Commercially Available Totally Invisible Cochlear Implant

MIL OSI — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:04:32 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

· World’s first and only commercially available cochlear implant with all components implanted beneath the skin
· Continuous hearing day and night
· Hearing performance designed to be the same as established cochlear implant solutions

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA – Newsaktuell – 29 September 2026 – MED-EL, a global leader in hearing implant technology, today announced the launch of TICI UNICO, the world’s first and only commercially available totally invisible cochlear implant. Designed for people with severe-to-profound hearing loss, TICI UNICO enables continuous hearing 24 hours a day while remaining completely beneath the skin. It has received CE Mark approval and is being introduced in European markets.

MED-EL Launches World’s First Commercially Available Totally Invisible Cochlear Implant Copyright: MED-EL

Cochlear implants have helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide to hear. TICI UNICO expands hearing implant options by combining continuous hearing with complete invisibility and freedom from external audio processors. Users can hear while sleeping, exercising, showering, swimming and charging the device.

“TICI UNICO is a new chapter in the history of hearing,” says Dr. Ingeborg Hochmair, co-founder and CEO of MED-EL. “For the first time, invisible hearing with a cochlear implant is possible. This is a milestone for people with hearing loss and the result of decades of research and innovation at MED-EL.”

MED-EL Launches World’s First Commercially Available Totally Invisible Cochlear Implant Copyright: MED-EL

Key benefits of TICI UNICO:
· Completely invisible
· 24/7 access to sound
· No external equipment to wear, remove, or maintain
· No concerns about losing or damaging external devices
· Hearing performance comparable to established cochlear implant solutions

Long-Held Vision becomes Reality

Capturing sound through the skin has long been one of the greatest challenges in developing a totally invisible cochlear implant. MED-EL successfully developed an innovative microphone technology designed to deliver high-quality sound while remaining completely beneath the skin.

Prof. Philippe Lefèbvre, Head of the ENT Department at CHU Liège, and Prof. Joachim Müller, Associate Professor for Otology and Cochlear Implants at LMU University Hospital Munich, highlight the significance of TICI UNICO: “Twenty-four-hour, invisible hearing opens the door to a completely new generation of hearing implants.”

For recipients, the impact extends to the freedom of hearing. Thomas, one of the first TICI UNICO recipients, says: “I wake up hearing, fall asleep hearing, and can enjoy everyday moments without having to think about my hearing device.”

TICI UNICO is intended for people with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss who may benefit from a cochlear implant. More information: http://go.medel.com/tici.

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

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

Fewer than 1 in 3 Singaporeans have enough savings for prolonged critical illness recovery

MIL OSI — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:20:19 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

2 in 3 Singaporeans expect recovery during their ‘health gap’ year to cost more than $200,000

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 September 2026 – Recovering from a critical illness (CI) can take far longer than many Singaporeans expect, yet few are financially prepared for the journey. A poll by Prudential Singapore (“Prudential”) found that 67 per cent of Singaporeans expect recovery from a severe-stage critical illness to take more than a year. However, only 29 per cent say their savings could cover household expenses for that long if they had no income during recovery.

The findings highlight the challenges of what Prudential terms “health gap years” – the period when individuals may be unable to work while recovering from a critical illness such as cancer, heart attack or stroke, even as ongoing household expenses, caregiving costs and financial commitments continue.

Concerns over the cost of recovery are reflected in the poll as only one in five Singaporeans (20 per cent) are confident they could cover both medical bills and everyday expenses during recovery. More than three in five (64 per cent) estimate they would need more than S$200,000 to cope with the financial impact of a severe-stage critical illness.

The findings are aligned with the Life Insurance Association (LIA) 2022 Protection Gap Study that reported a 74 per cent CI protection gap. This suggests that most people do not have sufficient protection coverage, which leaves them financially vulnerable in an unforeseen event.

Mr Manu Tandon, Chief Health & Protection Officer, Prudential Singapore, said: “Many people recognise that recovery from a critical illness can take a long time, yet they may not be financially ready when it happens. Critical illness is not merely a medical episode. It can have far-reaching emotional, financial and physical implications for patients and their families, long after they leave the hospital. This may include the patient’s loss of income, the strain of additional expenses, and greater demands on caregivers.”

These concerns are reflected in the poll where about half the respondents (46 per cent) cited medical expenses as their primary concern, while 34 per cent were worried about the loss of income and 31 per cent about burdening their family.

Critical illness can impact long-term financial goals

Beyond immediate healthcare expenses, respondents expect CI to affect their long-term financial security. If they run out of funds during recovery, they are most likely to draw on their emergency funds (53 per cent), retirement savings (40 per cent) or sell investments (33 per cent). Almost one in four (24 per cent) would even return to work earlier than planned.

Families with children may face particularly difficult trade-offs. Among respondents with children, 35 per cent identified education fees as a key expense during recovery. If they were unable to work, 24 per cent were likely to pull their children out of enrichment classes and 19 per cent would dip into education funds.

Caregiving costs represent a major blind spot

The poll also found that many Singaporeans may be underestimating the financial impact of caregiving during recovery. For most families, the financial strain will deepen when caregivers leave work to provide care. Almost 3 in 4 (72 per cent) cited financial support as the most important form of support for caregivers, but only 13 per cent believed their household would have enough savings if a caregiver stopped working to care for them.

Respondents also identified caregiving-related costs that could arise during recovery, including costly drugs and alternative treatments (71 per cent), ongoing daily living expenses linked to care needs (67 per cent) and rehabilitation and therapy (59 per cent).

Mr Tandon added: “Ultimately, being prepared for potential health gap years can make a difference between a recovery journey overshadowed by financial stress and one focused on what matters most: recovery and getting life back on track. Building a strong financial safety net to weather a critical illness event is crucial not only for the individual, but the whole family.”

Owning a critical illness (CI) plan does not mean adequate protection

Although more than half (59 per cent) of respondents own a CI plan, only 20 per cent are confident that they have adequate coverage to sustain them through recovery.

CI insurance is designed to provide a lump sum payout that will help policyholders manage income loss and additional expenses, and it supplements hospitalisation insurance that pays for medical bills incurred from hospital stays. Nearly nine in 10 respondents (88 per cent) said a lump-sum CI payout would be important in helping their families manage caregiving expenses and income loss during recovery.

Said Mr Tandon: “This indicates that consumer awareness and ownership of a CI plan do not necessarily translate into a sense of financial security. Closing the protection gap would require consumers to assess if their coverage is enough to support them and their families throughout the health gap years. Besides the sum assured, understanding the breadth of coverage and types of illnesses covered under your plan is important as there are different types of plans available. This is why it is important to do regular reviews with your financial representative to ensure your coverage continues to meet your needs through the years.”

The poll commissioned by Prudential surveyed 1,000 Singapore residents aged 18 to 55+ from June to July 2026. The study explored how prepared Singaporeans are for their potential “health gap years” and examined gaps in financial preparedness, caregiving support and understanding of CI protection.

https://www.prudential.com.sg/
https://sg.linkedin.com/company/prudential-assurance-company-singapore
https://www.facebook.com/PrudentialSingapore/
https://www.instagram.com/prudentialsingapore/?hl=en

Hashtag: #PrudentialSingapore

About Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd (Prudential Singapore)

Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd is one of the top life and health insurance companies in Singapore, serving the financial and protection needs of the country’s citizens for 95 years. As at 31 December 2025, it has S$66.3 billion funds under management. The company has an AA Financial Strength Rating from leading credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s and delivers a suite of well-rounded product offerings in Protection, Savings and Investment through multiple distribution channels including a network of 5,400 financial representatives.

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

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

Hisense at the 17th FutureChina Global Forum: Deepening ASEAN Roots with “Local for Local,” Charting a New Path for Chinese Brands Going Global

MIL OSI — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:35:15 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 September 2026 – The 17th FutureChina Global Forum recently convened in Singapore. As the annual flagship event of Business China, the forum brought together business and political leaders from China and Southeast Asia for dialogue on shifting consumption structures, China’s manufacturing capabilities, and the evolving regional competitive landscape. Ms. Clara Chang, President of Hisense ASEAN, was invited to attend and, drawing on Hisense’s 57-year history and three decades of overseas expansion, shared her observations on China’s changing consumer landscape, manufacturing upgrades, and paths to globalization for Chinese enterprises.

From “Buying Products” to “Buying Lifestyles”: The Logic of Consumption Is Being Rewritten

Ms. Chang noted that the underlying logic of home appliance consumption is shifting from “purchasing home appliance bundles and choosing features based on price” to “making targeted upgrades, addressing specific pain points, and paying for genuine experiences.” What has changed is not what consumers buy but why they buy—and what value they expect appliances to create. This shift is pushing competition beyond end-product manufacturing toward long-term competition in core technologies and cross-scenario system solutions. Hisense believes that the home, automotive, energy, health, and office sectors together form a single integrated living system—and that corporate boundaries will inevitably expand from “product boundaries” to “consumer lifestyle boundaries.” This is the underlying logic behind Hisense’s expansion from traditional home appliances into semiconductors and automotive electronics.

Service as Growth: Products Are No Longer the Endpoint but the Entry Point

Addressing the idea of “making service itself a growth engine,” she explained that this means redefining products not as “one-time hardware deliveries” but as entry points into “long-term user relationships that can be continually nurtured and sustained.” Products are no longer the endpoint of a transaction—they are the entry point for service. In the past, products were defined by the question, “What technology do we have?” In the future, they must be defined by the question, “What problems and needs do consumers have?” Once a user purchases a Hisense product, that product becomes an ongoing point of connection: software upgrades, maintenance, and trade-in services are all available through Hisense. In ASEAN, Hisense has built its brand around three core lifestyle scenarios: Technology, Health, and Art. Technology enhances efficiency; Health improves quality of life; and Art meets aesthetic needs. Together, they correspond to consumers’ progression from “getting by” to “living well” to “living life on their own terms.”

Technology Benefits People; Industry Benefits People: The “Two-Way Journey” of Manufacturing and Consumption Upgrading

The story of Hisense Laser TV exemplifies the value of long-term technological investment. Hisense began investing in laser display technology in 2007 and became a global leader in the field over the next 17 years. By 2024, Hisense Laser TV accounted for 65.8% of global shipments, ranking No. 1 worldwide for six consecutive years. At CES 2025, Hisense unveiled RGB-Mini LED technology, advancing RGB technology toward industrialization and mass production. Hisense believes that Chinese manufacturing and Chinese consumption are forming a new symbiotic relationship—a “two-way journey”: consumption determines why we innovate; manufacturing determines how far we can innovate; and true innovation, in turn, creates new forms of consumption. The two reinforce each other in a spiraling process.

30 Years of Going Global: True Globalization Must Be Localized

At the forum, Ms. Chang shared three layers of experience from Hisense’s 30-year overseas journey. The first layer is “Take root first, then bloom.” Hisense entered the South African market in 1996—30 years ago. Today, Hisense operates 32 R&D centers, 41 industrial parks and manufacturing bases, and 65 overseas companies and offices, forming a “7+1” regional network with integrated R&D, manufacturing, and sales. Since 2018, Hisense has helped more than 40 supply chain partners expand overseas. The second layer encompasses 20 years of building its own brand. Hisense adheres to “Local for Local,” establishing regional headquarters, factories, and local teams in ASEAN. Hisense broke ground on the Thailand HHA Smart Manufacturing Industrial Park—its largest overseas industrial park—in September 2025. The third layer concerns the present and the future: ASEAN serves as a testing ground for brand globalization. Major projects involving commercial displays for the Indonesian government and Kelin Electric have been successfully implemented in ASEAN, marking B2B as Hisense’s second growth curve and driving its evolution from a home appliance brand to a technology group.

Globalization Upgraded: From “Made in China” to “Created for the World”

She noted that the underlying logic has shifted from exporting products and capacity to exporting technological value and localized scenario solutions. The narrative has evolved from “affordable Chinese manufacturing” to “a global brand that takes root locally and solves local users’ problems.” Today’s globalization harnesses global resources, innovation, and manufacturing to serve consumers worldwide. Hisense’s experience in ASEAN reinforces one conviction: the best approach to globalization is not to replicate the Chinese model but to use China’s technology, manufacturing, and brand capabilities to respond to the real needs of each local market and grow alongside local partners. As Ms. Chang concluded: “Quality is character; quality is morality; quality is values. Enterprises that hold fast to conscience amid the noise are the foundation and future of China’s high-quality development.” Looking ahead, guided by confidence, determination, a commitment to its original aspirations, and craftsmanship, Hisense will continue to uphold its “user-centric” philosophy as it deepens its roots in ASEAN, expands its global reach, and shares its experience, channels, and localization resources with more Chinese brands. Together, they will help Chinese brands move from “going global” to “becoming truly global.” https://hisense.sg/

Hashtag: #hisense

About Hisense

Founded in 1969, Hisense is a global technology group operating in 160+ countries, with a strong portfolio across TVs, home appliances, air-conditioning and commercial solutions. Recognised as one of the Top 2 TV brands worldwide, Hisense continues to strengthen its global presence through innovation, quality manufacturing and major international partnerships, including its role as an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026

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

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

HKSTP Leads Delegation to Germany and Austria

MIL OSI — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:35:05 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

Forging new Hong Kong–Europe pathways in AI, New Industralisation and smart city innovation with German Industry and Commerce and ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 September 2026 – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), in partnership with German Industry and Commerce (GIC) and ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, and supported by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, InvestHK and HKETO Berlin, led a delegation of eight Hong Kong Science Park companies to Germany and Austria from 21 to 25 September 2026 for a focused programme of business matching, ecosystem exchange and institutional engagement across Munich, Vienna and Graz. Bringing together government, industry, academia and innovation ecosystem partners, the mission deepened engagement with leading stakeholders, created new opportunities for cross-border collaboration and commercialisation in artificial intelligence (AI), new industralisation, and smart city, and reinforced Hong Kong’s role as a preferred platform for innovation exchange between Europe and Asia.

Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, delivered a speech at the Applied Artificial Intelligence Conference 2026 (AAIC) in Vienna, Austria. He had an exchange with the HKSTP delegation to learn about their innovative solutions.

The delegation marked a major step forward in HKSTP’s growing engagement in Central Europe. As HKSTP’s first market-focused mission to Germany, Europe’s largest AI market and a leading enterprise technology hub, it built on earlier collaboration with ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA, including GO AUSTRIA Spring 2025 and 2026 and the renowned ViennaUP Festival, as well as more recent joint efforts with partners in Germany and Austria under Global Connect and the Global Innovation Exchange. The ongoing efforts created practical pathways for Hong Kong companies to explore partnerships, validate demand and expand into key European markets.

A key highlight was HKSTP’s participation in the Applied Artificial Intelligence Conference 2026 (AAIC) in Vienna, Austria, to connect with key industry partners and investors for potential business collaboration. Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, delivered a speech titled “AAIC-Talk: Applied AI in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area: Innovation, Industrial Transformation and Opportunities for Collaboration with Austria”at theAustria’s flagship international AI business conference.He shared Hong Kong has elevated AI into a core industry and is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic innovation and technology (I&T) centres. He also invited Austria to partner in shaping AI’s next chapter, and highlighting opportunities for collaboration between Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and Austria. During the Conference, Professor Sun had a brief exchange with park companies from the delegation participating in the Conference to learn about their innovative solutions.

Mr Eric Or, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer of HKSTP, said, “HKSTP is committed to helping innovators scale beyond borders. Our inaugural delegation to Germany and the continuous connection with Austria highlights the value of strategic international engagement in opening doors for park companies to connect with leading industry, academic and investors in Europe. It also reflects Hong Kong’s unique role as a gateway for cross-border collaboration, underpinned by its distinct strengths as a super-connector and super value-adder. As HKSTP continues to expand its global outreach to further strengthen Hong Kong’s innovation links with global markets, and reinforce the city’s position as an international innovation and technology hub.”

The delegation began in Munich, focusing on Germany’s industrial AI and enterprise innovation ecosystem, and engaging institutions including Chamber of commerce and industry for Munich and upper Bavaria (IHK), Siemens AI Lab, and the European Union’s top Technical University of Munich (TUM). Discussions centred on industrial AI, advanced manufacturing, technology translation and cross-border collaboration. The high potential tech firms continued the week-long journey in Vienna and Graz, connected with leading Austrian research, industry and innovation organisations, including the leading Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), Austrian Institute of Technology and more.

Highlighted innovations from the delegation:

GenAI-Powered Marketing – Amber International Holding Limited introduced MIA, its new agentic AI marketing platform designed to monitor markets, generate on-brand content and support distribution workflows with human approval.
Let AI run enterprises. Let AI do business – Echronos AI Group, a China-based innovator in industrial-grade AI Agentic OS, leverages the HKSTP ecosystem and Hong Kong’s global connectivity as a gateway for international expansion. The company introduced its flagship JovaAI platform to European industry leaders. Powered by proprietary semantic and multi-agent orchestration technologies, JovaAI coordinates complex enterprise workflows, from inquiry-to-quote orchestration and cross-border customs planning to dynamic production rescheduling.
End-to-end AI Talent Solution – Neufast offers corporate AI strategy consulting and technical implementation for an agentic AI platform covering candidate sourcing, performance appraisals, and leadership development. It is expanding in Europe through partnerships with SAP SuccessFactors for enterprise business transformation and TÜV Rheinland for ISO27001 certification, with the support of the Austrian government’s Go Austria Plus programme by the Global Incubator Network Austria (GIN) and Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

Together, these engagements in Germany and Austria deepened HKSTP’s ties with the regions’ innovation ecosystem and opened new opportunities for collaboration in applied AI, robotics, smart production and commercialisation between Hong Kong and Europe.

Appendix: List of park companies in the HKSTP’s delegation

Amber International Holding Limited
Cogniser Infotech Ltd
Echronos AI Group
Haircosys Limited
IGRAPH TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
Neufast Limited
Robocore Technology Limited
Westwell Technology (Hong Kong) Limited

Hashtag: #HKSTP

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) was established in 2001 and has built a proven foundation as Hong Kong’s leading innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. Established for 25 years, HKSTP is supporting 14 unicorns, has nurtured more than 17,000 research professionals and built a community of over 2,600 technology companies from 26 countries and regions across four strategic pillars: Life and Health Technology, AI and Robotics, Microelectronics and Advanced Manufacturing, and GreenTech and New Energy.

As an ecosystem orchestrator, HKSTP provides end-to-end support to attract and nurture talent, accelerate commercialisation and help technology ventures scale. Its innovation infrastructure spans over 240 hectares covering Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, three modern InnoParks in Tai Po, Tseung Kwan O and Yuen Long, and InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong, advancing Hong Kong’s vision for new industrialisation and smart manufacturing.

Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch in Futian, Shenzhen, strengthens cross-border collaboration by connecting Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and global innovation networks and propels Chinese innovators onto the world stage, while also delivering comprehensive GBA landing support to accelerate cross-border success for local and international ventures.

As HKSTP enters its next chapter with strong foundations, it continues to deepen impact, elevate quality and create value for innovators. As an ecosystem built to lead change, HKSTP is empowering Hong Kong to define what comes next in innovation, growth and opportunity.

More information about HKSTP is available at www.hkstp.org.

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

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

Lifestyle – Cardio, Strength and Power: Research Broadens the Longevity Picture

LiveNews Publisher — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:12:00 +0000

Source: Exercise New Zealand

29 September 2026

Cardiovascular fitness has long been recognised as a powerful predictor of longevity. Now muscle power is attracting attention, with one study reporting roughly six- to seven-fold differences in mortality hazard between the lowest and highest-power groups. The findings put strength applied at speed firmly in the longevity conversation, although they do not yet establish whether power outperforms cardiovascular fitness.

For decades, cardiovascular fitness, commonly assessed through measures such as VO₂ max, has been central to our understanding of exercise and long-term health. Strength has increasingly become part of that conversation too. Emerging research highlights why we also need to distinguish between how much force someone can produce and how quickly they can apply it, also known as power.

A study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2025 followed 3,889 men and women aged 46 to 75 for a median of 10.8 years. Researchers found that muscle power relative to body weight was a much stronger predictor of mortality than relative handgrip strength.

Men in the lowest-power group had 5.88 times the mortality hazard of those in the highest-power group. For women, the equivalent figure was 6.90. These associations remained after adjustment for age and several other health factors. For context, a major cardiovascular fitness study reported approximately five times the mortality hazard among those with low fitness compared with elite fitness. The new power findings show an association with mortality of a broadly comparable magnitude, reinforcing why power deserves attention alongside cardiovascular fitness in the longevity conversation.

Exercise New Zealand Chief Executive Richard Beddie says the findings warrant greater attention to power in the way people exercise as they age.

“We’ve spent years telling people to stay fit and build strength as they age. Those messages remain important. Now we need to make sure power is part of the conversation too.”

Research published in Experimental Gerontology in 2026 adds to this evidence. The study examined 2,134 adults aged 65 and older, comparing sit-to-stand muscle power with handgrip strength and their relationships with physical function and mortality. Low sit-to-stand power was associated with poorer functional ability and higher all-cause mortality in both men and women. Among men, it also had a stronger association with slow walking speed than low handgrip strength.

Power, Falls and Maintaining Independence

Strength is the capacity to produce force. Power combines force with speed. Getting out of a chair, climbing stairs or taking a sudden step to regain balance all involve applying strength at speed.

“Everyday life doesn’t happen slowly. If you stumble, you need to react quickly,” says Beddie.

Related research published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, involving 1,876 adults aged 65 and older, linked low sit-to-stand power with a history of falls and fractures in men and hip fractures in women.

Low power also predicted hospitalisation in women and was associated with longer hospital stays and higher all-cause mortality in both sexes.

Beddie says these findings underline the practical importance of maintaining physical capability through middle and older age, from managing stairs to continuing recreational activities.

“Exercise for longevity is also about maintaining the physical capacity to keep doing the things that make life worth living.”

What Does This Mean When You Go to the Gym?

The studies establish associations between muscle power and survival. They do not prove that power training itself extends lifespan or that it should take priority over cardiovascular exercise.

Exercise New Zealand encourages people to develop power alongside cardiovascular fitness and strength.

For the average gym-goer, this can mean building a foundation of strength and movement skills, then learning to move with appropriate resistance more quickly while maintaining good technique. The approach should reflect each person’s age, ability, experience and health.

A registered exercise professional can help people incorporate suitable power exercises into their programme and progress them appropriately.

Beddie says the research clearly shows the need to broaden how people think about staying physically capable as they age.

“The message for New Zealanders is simple: don’t just train to stay strong, train to stay powerful.”

MIL OSI

PSA – Women must come first – improving books leave no excuse for anything less than a full care and support pay equity settlement

LiveNews Publisher — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:11:57 +0000

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Women must come first.

With today’s update showing a slightly improving fiscal picture, there is no excuse for Opposition parties not to commit to a pay equity settlement for care and support workers that is real, meaningful and fully in line with the current claim, delivered within 100 days of taking office.

“The books are in better shape than the Government has been telling us. That removes any excuse for delay.

“The 65,000 mostly women care and support workers need a settlement that delivers everything in their claim,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

New PSA analysis shows what settling the claim would mean for workers. A 30 percent pay equity uplift based on work on comparators completed last year (see below) would put $350 a week in the pocket of a full-time care and support worker. The average worker, who works 62 percent of full-time hours, would get $220 a week more.

“That’s life-changing money for women workers who care for our most vulnerable, many of whom are back on the minimum wage because of the failure to update their previous settlement,” said Fitzsimons.

“We welcome Chris Hipkins’ statement last night that reversing this government’s outrageous pay equity law change is a priority straight away. Now Labour needs to take the next step and commit to a quick settlement for care and support workers.

“The work on their claim is done. The evidence shows they are underpaid by up to 38 percent because they are women. The settlement is ready to go. These workers shouldn’t have to wait any longer.

“Today’s numbers show there is room to move, particularly with net debt coming down. Let’s be clear the real cost of pay equity is far lower than the headline figure. Treasury’s own modelling shows settling the claims this Government cancelled would grow the economy by $13.5 billion and create 13,000 jobs over four years. It would also bring in an extra $5 billion in tax.

“That brings the net cost down to around $1.5 billion a year, a return of $2.25 for every dollar spent. That’s better value than the Government’s own flagship growth policies.

“Low-paid women spend what they earn in their local communities, supporting local shops and local jobs. That’s good for workers, good for families and good for the economy. And with an ageing population it has never been more important to retain and grow this critical workforce. We can’t afford not to do this.

“Voters get it. Our polling shows people would rather push out the surplus target than keep making women wait. Politicians need to listen. We want a firm commitment, with funding in opposition parties’ fiscal plans, before 7 November,” said Fitzsimons.

Statement re undervaluation of care and support workers

29 September Opening of books must force Opposition parties to commit to pay equity

The PSA and the NZ Nurses Organisation reveal publicly the precise historic undervaluation of care and support workers showing they have been underpaid by between 24 percent and 38 percent.

Pay equity poll

26 September Pay equity poll: voters say make the fiscals wait, not women!

PSA analysis of economic and fiscal upside to restoring pay equity

9 September Restoring pay equity would boost income of 91,000 families by $300/week – PSA analysis

23 August Govt’s axing of pay equity cost jobs & GDP growth – PSA analysis

MIL OSI

Webinar: Politicians to present lobbying reform policies

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 23:02:11 +0000

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Media are invited to cover an upcoming webinar, where politicians from across the political spectrum will present their parties’ policies on lobbying reform.

Lobbying is set to be an election issue: attend a webinar on Monday 5 October to hear where six political parties stand on the issue.

“Out of 47 OECD countries, we are bottom of the class for regulating lobbying activities, when most countries have already enacted laws and regulations,” says Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chair Professor Boyd Swinburn.

See OECD Economics Working Paper 2026: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2026/01/regulating-lobbying-activities-to-protect-competition_269a52e7/ad88f58a-en.pdf

“None of these lobbying regulations, including in places like Ireland, Australia, Canada or France, are perfect, but they do create transparency and accountability.”

The webinar comes at a time when Aotearoa New Zealand faces a health system crisis that could be eased by policies addressing tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food. However, it is highly likely that lobbying by vested interests before and during the development of health policy is the main reason successive governments have failed to act.

One in four years of healthy living lost in New Zealand is caused by the impacts of tobacco, obesity and unhealthy food, and alcohol.

“It doesn’t have to be this way if politicians put people, their voters, ahead of the profits of harmful industries,” says Swinburn.

A recent series of cancer research survey findings, published in the NZ Medical Journal, found broad public support for rules to regulate lobbying across voters for all parties and undecided voters: https://nzmj.org.nz/journal/vol-139-no-1641/public-support-for-better-controls-on-lobbying-and-industry-influence-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-findings-from-a-national-survey

Despite the evidence and public support, successive governments have failed to enact changes at a national level that would prevent illness and save lives. The result is a system that creates enormous health harm, disproportionately experienced by Māori, Pacific people, lower socioeconomic communities and children.

Politicians will be asked where their party stands on:

A Lobbying Regulation Act with a mandatory, searchable public register.
Stand-down periods to slow the revolving door between government and lobbying roles.
Stronger management of commercial conflicts of interest.
A rewrite of the Official Information Act.
Tighter limits on political donations.

Health Coalition Aotearoa has received positive responses from – Te Pāti Māori Debbie Ngārewa Packer, Green Party Hūhana Lyndon (health), Jessica Hammond The Opportunity Party, Labour Camilla Belich, National – no response, NZ First Jenny Marcroft, ACT Todd Stevenson.

Join Health Coalition Aotearoa for this cross-party webinar to hear directly from representatives about the reforms they will support and push for. The discussion will be moderated by Georgie Craw from WEAll Aotearoa with time for audience Q&A: https://www.weall.org.nz/read-panui/welcome-georgie-craw-our-new-communications-lead

Event details

Date: Monday, 5 October 2026

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM NZT

Format: Online via Zoom Panel

Confirmed Parties: ACT | Labour | Greens | Opportunity Party

Cost: Free (Registration required)

MIL OSI

Opening of books must force Opposition parties to commit to pay equity – PSA

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:01:59 +0000

Source: PSA

– Care and support workers claim must be funded and settled by next Govt. in first 100 days

– Release of the cancelled claim details reveals they are underpaid by as much as 38% because they are women

The PSA is calling on Opposition parties to be explicit on their commitment to settling the care and support workers’ pay equity claim within 100 days after today’s opening of the books at the Pre-Election Fiscal and Economic Update.

This comes as the PSA and the NZ Nurses Organisation reveal publicly the precise historic undervaluation of care and support workers showing they have been underpaid by between 24 percent and 38 percent.

“We know there is strong public support for restoring pay equity and 65,000 care and support workers must be first in line given that the work on their claim has already been completed, the settlement is ready to go,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“Today the rubber hits the road. The fiscal and economic pathway will be clearer. That means there will no longer be any excuse for Opposition parties not to walk their talk and spell out how they will deliver on their repeated public commitments to reinstating pay equity for care and support workers.

“Today we are revealing the details behind the completed work of the pay equity claim for care and support workers. Their claim, along with 32 other claims, was cancelled, under urgency, without consultation, by the Government last year in a disgraceful act of wage theft.”

The historic undervaluation to support the pay equity claim of care and support workers was determined by using five comparators – similar occupations – to calculate what they should be paid for comparable work (see background below).

Care and support workers are on average more than $29,000 worse off because of the scrapped pay equity claims with a level four support worker now missing out on a rate of $42.64 an hour.

Opposition parties have been briefed on these calculations.

“Taking the mid-point of the range, care and support workers, who carry out essential work caring for our most vulnerable, are due a pay rise of 30 percent. That would make a huge difference to their everyday lives in a cost-of-living crisis. For many that helps secure a deposit on a first home.

“There is strong public support for settling claims – a Talbot Mills poll the PSA commissioned shows that people think hitting fiscal targets should take a back seat to restoring pay equity. 49% think the surplus target could be pushed out a year to reinstate pay equity.

“Voters get what is at stake and are prepared to push out fiscal targets to do what is right for underpaid workers. Politicians need to listen,” said Fitzsimons.

NZNO aged care delegate and pay equity spokesperson Lisa Marriner said; “The evidence from our pay equity process showed our work had been undervalued, and the work needed to settle the claim was done. Cancelling the claim didn’t solve the undervaluation and it didn’t change the needs of the people we care for. It just left workers waiting again for the fairness we were promised.

“Pay equity is good for workers, good for families and good for the communities we support. The evidence has already been gathered, and a solution is ready to go. What aged care workers need now is a clear commitment and funding to settle the claim and restore a pay equity system that workers and employers can rely on.”

Fleur Fitzsimson said the PSA would be holding Opposition parties to account for the promises they have made to workers to date as we head towards 7 November.

“In coming days and weeks, we expect firm commitments to settle the care and support pay equity claim. Voters need to know.

“The next Government must right the wrongs of the past and do the right thing for the 180,000 workers predominantly female workers who were sacrificed by this government for its fiscal priorities.”

The PSA is calling on the next Government to:

1. Fund and deliver the pay equity settlement for care and support workers, based on established undervaluation, within its first 100 days.

2. Repeal the 2025 changes to the Equal Pay Act, reinstating legislation that gives New Zealand women genuine access to pay equity and restore the cancelled claims and reviews.

Background on

Under the Equal Pay Act 1972 “comparator” is the male-dominated workforce a claim’s pay is benchmarked against. A comparator looks at occupations that are the same or substantially similar to the claimant workforce’s work, or are different work, but involving similar skills/experience, responsibilities, working conditions or degree of effort.

For care and support workers, the comparators were similar occupations in Corrections, Customs, Fisheries and two in Health (healthcare assistants and mental health assistants).

Pay equity poll

26 September Pay equity poll: voters say make the fiscals wait, not women!

PSA analysis of economic upside to restoring pay equity

9 September Restoring pay equity would boost income of 91,000 families by $300/week – PSA analysis

23 August Govt’s axing of pay equity cost jobs & GDP growth – PSA analysis

MIL OSI

Health – A future where every New Zealander can get the surgery they need

LiveNews Publisher — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:57:02 +0000

Source: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Tuesday 29 September 2026

Aotearoa New Zealand needs a health system that delivers safe, effective and timely surgery to people when they need it, wherever they live.

That is the vision the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) is putting to political parties ahead of the 7 November general election.

RACS is calling for the next government to make three commitments:

Grow and retain the surgical workforce

Aotearoa needs enough surgeons and a wider surgical workforce — from anaesthetists and nurses to technicians, orderlies and support staff — to meet current and future demand, with more training positions and targeted action to build capacity in underserved communities.

Make access to surgery needs-based and equitable

Healthcare resources should be directed to where the need is greatest, informed by evidence. This includes investing in high-quality demographic data and building a surgical workforce that is appropriately distributed to meet the needs of all communities, including those in regional and rural settings, and better reflects Aotearoa’s population.

Build the infrastructure to deliver surgery

Accelerated investment is needed into modern digital and data systems as well as operating theatres, procedural suites and hospital beds so the health system can meet current and future demand.

“People should not have to wait longer for surgery because the health system has failed to plan for the workforce, facilities or digital infrastructure needed to deliver it, or because those resources are not available where they are needed most,” said Dr Sharon English, Chair of the RACS Aotearoa New Zealand National Committee.

“Aotearoa has an opportunity at this election to take a longer-term view of surgical care. We hope political parties can put ideology aside and unite around a shared vision for the future, and the practical steps needed to make it a reality. That means building the workforce, capacity and systems we need, and making sure they are available where they are most needed, so people can access timely surgery wherever they live.”

Read the full RACS manifesto: https://www.surgeons.org/News/Advocacy/Manifesto-2026—advocacy-targeting-the-7-November-general-election-in-Aotearoa-New-Zealand

About the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

RACS is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The College is a not-for-profit organisation that represents more than 8000 surgeons and 1300 surgical Trainees and Specialist International Medical Graduates. RACS also supports healthcare and surgical education in the Asia-Pacific region and is a substantial funder of surgical research. There are nine surgical specialties in Australasia: Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Urology and Vascular Surgery.

MIL OSI

Vitals Announces Expansion to Singapore and Hong Kong as Bruce Rockowitz Highlights Thailand’s Wellness Model

MIL OSI — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:04:25 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 September 2026 – Vitals today announced that it is extending its data-driven wellness model to Singapore and Hong Kong. The move expands a platform built around testing, interpretation, telehealth and recurring products into additional Asian markets.

Vitals is a diagnostics-led health and wellness platform founded and led by Charles Temple, a New Zealand entrepreneur with more than 18 years of operating experience in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Its proposition is straightforward: rather than asking consumers to guess which vitamins, supplements or lifestyle changes they need, test first, interpret the results properly and build the recommendation around the individual.

The entry point is testing, and Vitals has made it deliberately easy. Its Comprehensive Wellness Test is non-invasive: a small hair sample collected at home is analyzed using German technology to screen more than 700 biomarkers spanning nutritional, metabolic and systemic indicators. For customers who want clinical-grade data, Vitals Longevity blood programs — Essential Wellness, Advanced Vitality and Executive Longevity — cover up to 82 laboratory indicators, with a licensed nurse drawing the sample at the customer’s home or office. Samples are processed by partner laboratories certified to ISO 15189 and by the Ministry of Public Health, and customers can add individual tests to any program.

Results are delivered digitally through the Vitals platform, where an AI analysis layer, working with the laboratory and the company’s clinical team, turns raw values into a personalized report and a recommended protocol. Vitals is rolling out online consultations with licensed doctors for interpreting blood results, general health questions and, over time, physician-supervised programs, so that the customer does not have to bridge the gap between data and decision alone.

“Thailand offers a useful case study in how traditional consumer categories can be rebuilt around data,” said Bruce Rockowitz, spokesperson for Vitals. The Vitals model connects testing, interpretation, medical advice, recommendations and recurring products into a single digital relationship.

Thailand already has many of the ingredients required for a wellness economy: a sophisticated healthcare sector, accredited laboratories, a strong tourism industry, established hospitality infrastructure and consumers increasingly familiar with premium health and beauty products. The personalized testing and supplements market in Thailand is forecast to grow from about $80 million in 2026 to $124 million by 2033, according to Grand View Research.

Vitals extends its data-driven wellness model across Asia

Vitals’ own-brand supplement range is developed using the company’s formulations, produced by third-party manufacturers in Thailand and independently tested. It sits alongside more than 100 global and local brands sold through Vitals’ retail stores and online platform. Because every recommendation traces back to the customer’s own results, the company can stay in contact to retest, refine the protocol and refill rather than relying on one-off purchases.

Vitals is now extending its model to Singapore and Hong Kong. The same logic can extend beyond supplements into hospitality, food, beauty, travel and healthcare, where adding data, personalization and digital distribution can potentially turn traditionally service-based businesses into recurring consumer platforms.

For more information about Vitals, visit: https://vitals.co.th/en

Hashtag: #Vitals

About Vitals

Vitals is a diagnostics-led health and wellness platform with physical stores and an online platform. It offers non-invasive hair-based wellness testing of more than 700 biomarkers, at-home blood testing with licensed nurse collection and certified laboratory analysis, AI-generated personalised reports and protocols, online consultations with licensed doctors, and a supplement marketplace combining its own third-party-tested range with more than 100 global and local brands.

Media Contact
Vitals
Media enquiries: info@vitals.co.th
Website: https://vitals.co.th/en

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

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

Huawei releases world’s slimmest and largest foldable smartphone

MIL OSI — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:49:39 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

First smartphone to run HarmonyOS 7 and include chip design breakthrough LogicFolding

SHENZHEN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 September 2026 – Huawei released the HUAWEI Mate XT 2 | ULTIMATE DESIGN trifold smartphone on September 7. The phone is the first to run HarmonyOS 7, and is the slimmest and largest foldable smartphone in the industry. The Mate XT 2’s Kirin 9050 chip also includes a major breakthrough in semiconductor design. As the first smartphone to feature the LogicFolding Tau (τ) Chip, the Mate XT 2 marks the chip’s official entry into mass commercialization.

World-class engineering and design

The device is proving popular with consumers due to its foldable wing-like form, which means it can be opened up, transforming the phone into a tablet.

The engineering to make this possible is unprecedented. The glass screen must be tough enough to withstand daily use, whilst being able to fold thousands of times. The hinge to allow the screen to fold is the first of its kind. Once open, the handset is just 3.5mm thick. However, the screen is not the only remarkable folding technology in the device.

The first chip with semiconductor design breakthrough, LogicFolding

The Mate XT 2 Ultimate Design includes a major breakthrough in semiconductor design. The phone is the first to use Huawei’s LogicFolding Tau chip Kirin 9050 Pro. Designed by engineers in Huawei’s HiSilicon team, the chip offers a solution to the problem of geometric scaling.

With Moore’s law (the historical observation that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years) believed to be reaching its physical limit, making chips smaller is becoming more challenging and costly.

For Huawei, faced with external restrictions, the need to find a solution came sooner than expected.

In May this year, He Tingbo, President of Huawei’s HiSilicon division, unveiled a new way of designing and making chips, alongside a new law to measure their performance, the τ (Tau) Scaling Law. The work led to Ms He being recently named one of the world’s leading AI innovators by Time Magazine.

The point of shrinking transistors was never the smallness itself, it’s what the smallness delivered. Shoppers looking to buy the latest smartphone don’t care if the chips inside have 7, 5 or even 2-nanometer nodes, they care about the performance of the device in their hands. What matters to consumers is the time it takes for a task to be completed, a video to be shared or a game to load. The performance of the chip should be measured in the same way: by time, not size. This is why Huawei proposed τ (Tau) Scaling Law as an alternative to Moore’s Law.

Breaking through barriers to improve performance

The Kirin 9050 Pro uses 3D integration to boost performance. Traditional chip advancement focussed on packing more and more transistors into a linear plain by making each one smaller. LogicFolding uses 3D integration to reduce the distance between transistors by stacking them on top of one another, increasing the number of transistors whilst reducing the distance between them.

In fact, in the Kirin 9050 Pro transistor density has risen from approximately 155 to 238 million transistors per square millimetre. That’s an equivalent increase to what was achieved in the previous three years using geometric shrinking.

It was thought that stacking active transistors on top of each other and sealing them inside a solid mobile device would present an engineering challenge. Power turns into heat, which in a confined space would raise the temperature and ultimately break the device.

The key to the solution came in recognising that integrated chips have both transistors and circuits. As He Tingbo explains in her IEEE article, Huawei’s τ Chip Was Supposed to Melt?, the inner workings of a chip can be compared to an office worker’s day of work. Many office workers will use more energy on their commute to and from the office than they do at their desk because they are moving around more on the road. The ‘work’ part of their day is not the most energy intensive part as they are often seated at their desk.

The same is true for chips. The most energy intensive part of the process is the ‘commute’, moving data from point A to point B, not processing it. Integrated circuits use power in two main ways. The first is switching, flipping a transistor gate to change a bit from 0 to 1 and back. The second is the transmission of that data, moving the bits from one part of the chip to another.

This is important in mobile phones where a lot of performance requirements are asked of a single chip. Equally, however, in a large AI cluster 80% of the energy is used in the moving the data, not processing it. In both cases, LogicFolding reduces the space between transistors which in turn reduces the power used. The previous assumption that packing transistors on top of one another would increase the heat turned out to be false. In fact, even with a higher transistor density per millimetre, LogicFolding chips run cooler per unit of work. The result is Huawei’s most powerful smartphone ever.

The first phone to run HarmonyOS 7

The Mate XT 2 is the first smartphone to run HarmonyOS 7. Forty-two percent more powerful than the previous generation, it remains the slimmest and largest foldable display in the industry when open. The cover screen spans 6.5 inches, boosting the screen-to-body ratio from 86.4% to 92.8%. Enhanced with 70% better anti-reflection, the screen exhibits a deeper, cleaner black when off, and pure, crystal-clear transparency when lit.

The Huawei Mate XT 2 also introduces the world-first Smart Shield Privacy Screen on a foldable screen. Two independent pixel sets co-exist within the 10.2-inch display at a micro-pitch of just 9 μm. When Privacy Mode is activated, the screen seamlessly switches from a wide viewing angle to a narrow one while maintaining identical resolution and clarity, protecting your privacy in public spaces without compromising your view.

Industry first ECG analysis

Health tech is increasing important to consumers, and so the Mate XT 2 is the industry’s first smartphone to introduce ECG analysis. Capitalising on the innovative tri-fold form factor, users can simply hold both side frames with both hands while unfolded to capture a 30-second ECG signal. Paired with the medically certified analysis software, it generates detailed ECG reports to help identify Sinus Rhythm, Atrial Fibrillation, and Premature Beats.

The launch of the Mate XT 2 marks a significant moment in Huawei’s journey. The company’s R&D has delivered industry leading, and industry changing innovation. More than half of Huawei’s employees work in R&D. That’s over 100,000 people. The company currently holds 160,000 active patents worldwide. In the first half of 2026 alone, Huawei’s R&D investment was over RMB 121 billion, accounting for 25.94% of revenue, up 25.2% year on year.

The HUAWEI Mate XT 2 | ULTIMATE DESIGN starts at RMB 19,999 and is now available for purchase, along with a stylus set, following its official sales launch at 10:08 on September 12^th.

Hashtag: #Huawei

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

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

Dusit celebrates Michelin recognition across its global portfolio, led by Two-Key status for flagship Dusit Thani Bangkok

MIL OSI — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:34:16 +0000

Source: Media Outreach

Latest Michelin Guide distinctions span hotels and restaurants in Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, and the UAE, reflecting the breadth of Dusit’s hospitality offering

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 September 2026 -Dusit Hotels and Resorts, the hotel arm of Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is celebrating continued Michelin recognition across its international portfolio, spanning distinctive hotel stays and dining experiences across multiple brands and markets.

Dusit Thani Bangkok, Dusit’s reimagined flagship hotel overlooking Lumpini Park, has been elevated to Two Michelin Keys in the Michelin Guide’s 2026 global hotel selection.

Leading the latest honours is Dusit Thani Bangkok, Dusit’s reimagined flagship hotel opposite Lumpini Park in the heart of the Thai capital, which has been elevated from One to Two Michelin Keys – denoting an exceptional stay – in the Michelin Guide’s 2026 global hotel selection.

Rebuilt on the site of the original hotel, which opened in 1970 and closed for redevelopment in 2019, the 257-room property reopened in September 2024 as a key component of Dusit Central Park, a landmark mixed-use development bringing together the hotel, luxury residences, offices, retail, and an expansive rooftop park.

Conceived to set a new benchmark for the Dusit Thani brand, Dusit Thani Bangkok presents a contemporary interpretation of its predecessor’s distinctive identity, with all guest rooms offering sweeping views of Lumpini Park. The hotel reflects a broader evolution of Dusit’s luxury offering, centred on combining the group’s Thai hospitality heritage with contemporary design and highly personalised service, while shaping each property’s experiences around its destination.

This approach is reflected to award-winning effect elsewhere in Dusit’s global portfolio. Dusit Thani Kyoto in Japan and Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort in the Philippines have each retained One Michelin Key – denoting a very special stay – maintaining Dusit’s Michelin Key presence across three countries while demonstrating how the brand’s Thai-inspired gracious hospitality can take distinct forms in different locations.

Beyond its Michelin Key properties, ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, ASAI Bangkok Sathorn, and ASAI Kyoto Shijo – all part of Dusit’s locally focused lifestyle brand, ASAI Hotels – are also included in the Guide’s curated hotel selection, comprising properties chosen by Michelin’s inspectors for their quality, individual character, and connection to their destinations.

Michelin recognition also extends to Dusit’s dining experiences. At Dusit Thani Bangkok, Cannubi by Umberto Bombana holds One Michelin Star in the Michelin Guide Thailand 2026 – making it the only Italian restaurant in Thailand to hold the distinction. The contemporary Italian restaurant received its first Star when the 2026 edition was announced in November 2025.

Elsewhere in Bangkok, Thien Duong, the Vietnamese restaurant at Baan Dusit Thani, retains its Michelin Bib Gourmand, recognising good-quality, good-value cooking.

In the Philippines, Benjarong, serving refined Thai cuisine, and Umu, specialising in Japanese dining, at Dusit Thani Manila are both included as Michelin Selected restaurants in the Michelin Guide Philippines 2026.

In the UAE, Namak, serving contemporary Indian cuisine at Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, continues its run as a Michelin Selected restaurant.

Collectively, the Michelin recognition spans multiple Dusit brands, destinations, and hospitality experiences, from luxury and lifestyle hotels to a diverse range of dining concepts.

“Receiving Two Michelin Keys for Dusit Thani Bangkok is a tremendous honour, and one made even more meaningful by the wider Michelin recognition our hotels and restaurants continue to receive across several destinations,” said Chanin Donavanik, Group CEO, Dusit International. “These achievements belong first and foremost to our teams, whose skill, creativity, and care shape the experiences our guests enjoy every day. They also affirm our belief that staying true to our Thai hospitality heritage while continually evolving for the needs of today’s travellers can create experiences that resonate far beyond our home market. We are immensely proud of what our teams have achieved, and we will continue building on this foundation across our portfolio.”

High-resolution images and a short video accompanying this media release are available here: Dusit celebrates Michelin recognition

For more information about Dusit Hotels and Resorts, please visit dusit.com.

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About Dusit Hotels and Resorts

Dusit Hotels and Resorts is the hotel arm of Dusit International. With a heartfelt belief and commitment to introducing Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to the world, Dusit Hotels and Resorts offers guests a uniquely special stay in high-style surroundings and a personalised approach to service. The group’s portfolio of hotels, resorts and luxury villas includes close to 300 properties operating under a total of nine brands (Devarana – Dusit Retreats, Dusit Thani, Dusit Suites, Dusit Collection, Dusit Hotels, dusitD2, Dusit Princess, ASAI Hotels, and Elite Havens) across 19 countries worldwide.

For more information, please visit dusit.com

About Dusit International

Established in 1949, Dusit International is a leading hospitality group listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its operations comprise five distinct yet complementary business units: Dusit Hotels and Resorts, Dusit Hospitality Education, Dusit Foods, Real Estate Development, and Hospitality-Related Services.

Dusit’s diversified investments in real estate development, hospitality-related services, and the food sector are part of its long-term strategy for sustainable growth, which focuses on three key areas: balance, expansion, and diversification.

For more information, please visit dusit-international.com

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

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