Police say alcohol is fuelling a rise in bad behaviour by rowdy teenagers in Nelson and they’ve increased patrols over the weekends to deal with the problem.

Police officers are worried the behaviour will lead to violence and the problem has co-incided with the closure of a Nelson charitable trust that helps kids stay out of trouble.

Nelson Senior Sergeant Byron Reid said police noticed the increase in youth on the streets about a month ago, between the hours of 8pm-4am, and that often, they were drunk.

“Generally, the age is around 13-18 and they are not in big packs,” he said. “They are individuals, or they might be in groups of three to four or more.

“We are talking about 20-odd children in regular contact with police or regularly in the CBD during those hours over the weekend.

He said seeing young teens on the street late at night, intoxicated, was worrying.

Reid said violence often occurred when people were overly intoxicated.

“It’s always a concern, when you’ve got youth around alcohol. You might not have intended to go out at night to make bad decisions, but once the alcohol comes on board, bad decisions can be made.

“We just don’t want any of our local community injured or affected by this.”

He said police had identified some of the young people’s famililes and they were working with them to prevent them being out on the streets late at night.

“Our rangatahi, we want to make sure they’re safe and not put in situations that can cause them harm.”

He said police weren’t sure how the youth were getting alcohol and they had conducted an investigation in Nelson, which found bottle shops and supermarkets selling alcohol to minors on four occasions. They had been referred to the Alcohol Regulatory & Licensing Authority.

Closure of youth-focused service

Whanake Youth co-founder Lee-ann O’Brien said the health and wellbeing service was started to provide holistic support for vulnerable and marginalised young people into adulthood.

The charitable trust closed last month after nine years, because of financial difficulties.

It had a drop-in space called ‘The Lounge’ for 12-24 year olds, behind the Stoke Memorial Hall, and offered employment opportunities through SYP Cafe, along with school-based services and community programmes.

O’Brien said she worried about where the young people who used the service and spent time at The Lounge would go.

“They said, ‘We come here, because it’s safe… we come here, because it’s fun to do… we come here, because I can’t go home or can’t go to my friend’s place’.

“For me, the concern is, if they’re not here, then where are they and what are they doing?”

O’Brien said lots of services supported young people, but didn’t focus on them and Whanake Youth’s aim was to take into account whatever a young person needed, working alongside family and education providers, including those who had been excluded from mainstream education.

“There is no other service that looks at that bigger picture, with that particular young person in mind and follows their journey.”

She said she had noticed an increase in 10-12-year-olds causing trouble a couple of years ago and the reasons for the behaviour were not clear, but post-pandemic, some young people struggled with resilience.

“We’d seen some young people consuming alcohol, which we hadn’t seen for a really long time, and presenting drunk during the daytime and leaving school to steal stuff.”

She said school and home were places of connection for youth, but they didn’t necessarily feel that, so it was important they felt they had somewhere they belonged.

“I worry, particularly for the young people that we would work with, who seem to have gaps in that ability to feel connected.

“I worry that some of their decision-making may not be so good – what young person makes a good decision anyway? – but then who picks that up and awhis [embraces] them along in that journey?

“How do we restore that relationship with that person? How do we do differently next time?”

O’Brien said she was having conversations with Nelson Bays Primary Health, after the closure of Whanake Youth, to ensure there wasn’t a long break between services.

“We weren’t the whole jigsaw, but we were part of it, and now it won’t be a complete picture.”

‘Nip it in the bud’

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said he was pleased police were increasing patrols, given the problems, but said that parents needed to do their bit too.

“I’m not sure what has led to the increasing numbers of these quite young youth congregating in our central city at the early hours of the morning,” he said. “What I do know is I’ve had multiple reports of it.”

Smith said he had heard from hospitality business-owners, who were used to dealing with 16 and 17-year-olds trying to get into bars and nightclubs, but that they were now seeing 13 and 14-year-olds trying to get in.

He said teen drinking was problematic and he was worried someone would get hurt.

“That’s where we need to nip it in the bud to make sure that we’ve got age-appropriate curfews for our young people and asking our parents, particularly of those 13, 14, 15-year-olds, to work with police, so that we’re not going to end up with a young person being injured or harmed in our CBD.”

Smith said the closure of Whanake Youth was disappointing, but there was plenty of effort through sports clubs, theatre, music, cadets and other community organisations to support young people, and he was open-minded on whether more could be done.

“If there is more that we can do so that our city is providing the opportunities for our young people to be able to enjoy themselves and be able to develop without this high risk behaviour that’s occurring in our CBD, we do need to think about that.

“It’s just making sure that those social services work. I haven’t heard they’re not, I want to give the police the community support.

“If we find that there are gaps, then we need to see how we fill those.”

Police said the increased police presence in Nelson’s CBD would continue for as long as it was needed.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Led by Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation, this research project will examine when and how remote participation should be used in criminal court proceedings, with the goal of supporting fairer and more effective justice processes.

The use of remote participation in courts refers to where one or more participants take part in court proceedings using audio-visual link (AVL) or audio technology, rather than appearing in person. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, remote appearances have become more common in courts around the world, but there is a need for more evidence about the impact on vulnerable defendants, victims, and the integrity of court processes.

“There are many barriers to participation in the court and those who are neurodivergent or have disabilities often require special accommodations. We need to know whether remote participation is a help or a hindrance for these people and determine how we know who is who, and who needs what to enable effective participation,” says retired judge John Walker, a co-director of the Centre, and project co-lead.

“There are many benefits of remote participation by AVL but we hope our research will enable decisions to be made which balance these benefits against the right to fully participate in court” he said.

The project, which is supported through a Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation grant with additional Ministry of Justice funding, will build an evidence base through empirical research with court users and stakeholders, along with a review of international experiences.

Research from this project aims to ensure that technology enhances people’s experiences of court systems and proceedings. “We will focus initially on the effects of remote participation on defendants, especially those who are neurodivergent, have mental health needs, or have intellectual disabilities. We will also examine the experiences of victims, impacts on Māori and Pasifika court participants, and consider the impact on those in custody, including the management of transitions from custodial settings to courtrooms via AV link,” explains John Walker.

“We anticipate that the project findings will contribute to government and judicial decision-making regarding the scope of remote participation, such as the types of proceedings, rights protections, and procedures necessary now and in future,” says project co-lead, Professor Yvette Tinsley.

As an independent voice on justice issues, Te Herenga Waka’s Centre for Justice Innovation is well placed to lead this work. The Centre, based at Te Kauhanganui Tātai Ture—Faculty of Law at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, brings together multidisciplinary expertise to support change in the way that justice is delivered in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The project will be led by the Centre’s co-directors, Professor Yvette Tinsley, John Walker, and conflict resolution practitioner, Everard Halbert (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Whiti), with support from colleagues across the Faculty of Law and wider university.

The Centre held a valuable forum in March, bringing together representatives from the disability and neurodivergence spaces, justice sector agencies, and the judiciary, for a conversation about the challenges and benefits of utilising remote participation for defendants facing barriers to participation.

“The forum raised issues that will guide us in the areas we need to concentrate on in our research”, says John Walker.

A summary report of this forum is now available on the Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation website and is the first of a series of publications from the project.

“We are grateful for our funders’ support of this project, and for the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation’s ongoing support of the Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation’s work in addressing cross-cutting justice issues,” says Professor Tinsley.

Website: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/cjinz

Direct Link to Remote Participation Project: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/cjinz/research/remote-participation-criminal-proceedings

MIL OSI

A $1.26 half-year billion profit for ANZ. A $545 million half-year for Westpac. A $494m result for BNZ.

As New Zealand’s economy reels from one hit to the next, some commentators have asked whether the run of recent profits for banks show they are one of the few businesses that can turn a healthy profit no matter what.

David Cunningham, chief executive of Squirrel and former chief executive of The Co-Operative Bank, said it was fair to suggest that banks were generally able to make money regardless of the wider business environment.

“Imagine if a bank did nothing for a year, stopped lending, stopped doing anything for a year, they’d still make 90 percent of the profit.

“Every year, over 150 or 200 years for many banks, they build up an annuity stream and every year they’re topping that up. The banking sector will typically grow at around the nominal GDP rate. If you think of inflation at 3 percent and real growth at 2, so nominal GDP at 5, that’s pretty much what you’d expect banks to achieve consistently over time unless they’re in a big cost-cutting mode or in a high-growth sort of phase.”

He said there would be times when credit provisions and credit write-offs could affect the reported profits but it did not necessarily mean they lost money.

Many banks set aside large loan loss provisions heading into the Covid-19 pandemic, which then were reversed out.

“They’re providing against the risk that in future they will lose the money… [but] there’s a great saying, the only thing worse than a profitable bank is an unprofitable one.”

He said most customers would be most concerned that banks were supporting investment in the economy and helping people when they needed loans for things like buying houses.

“The question in New Zealand is, are they for a very low-risk business? I mean, it’s almost utility-like. Utilities tend to have predictable, long-run, fairly stable earnings. So is a return on equity sort of near a 13 percent, 14 percent for some of them fair, or, you know, is a return nearer 10 percent like the overall of yield of banks in Australia fairer?”

But Claire Matthews, a banking expert at Massey University, said it was not true that banks were unaffected by wider forces.

She noted Westpac’s result said its impairment provisions were due to worsening economic conditions and margin compression as the official cash rate dropped.

BNZ’s profit was down 38 percent, although largely because of a change in the way it accounts for software spending.

“The banks have managed not to lose money in recent recessions, which reflects careful financial management and the fact that we haven’t had a really substantial downturn. As I’ve said in the past, we don’t actually want the banks to make losses, but they do feel the impact of economic conditions. It is also worth remembering that they are usually affected later by economic downturns, because it takes time to work through to the banks.’

Generate investment specialist Greg Smith said earnings were sensitive in a nuanced way.

“They can generate profits through the cycle, but recent results from ANZ, NAB and Westpac show earnings are clearly being shaped by slower growth, higher bad debts, intense competition and the impact of higher interest rates. The Middle East is a factor.

“They can perform well early in a rate tightening cycle because they typically reprice mortgage rates quickly, while deposit rates adjust more slowly, which leads to a temporary expansion in net interest margins. That dynamic helped support profitability over the past couple of years.

“However, what we’re seeing now across ANZ, NAB and Westpac is the other side of that cycle starting to dominate. Higher rates are now feeding through to customers, with banks lifting provisions for bad debts and flagging stress in parts of the economy. Credit growth is slowing, with businesses and households pulling back. Competition for deposits and mortgages is intensifying, putting pressure back on margins. Profits remain high in absolute terms, but earnings growth is limited or declining.”

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LOS ANGELES, US – Newsaktuell – 7 May 2026 – The newly released 2026 Berggruen Governance Index (BGI) paints a mixed picture of global governance heading into a future of mounting shocks, finding widespread gains in public-goods provision from 2000 to 2023 even as democratic accountability edged down and state capacity showed little overall improvement.

The BGI, presented Wednesday by an international group of governance scholars, analyses measurable benchmarks of democratic accountability across 145 countries.

On a 100-point scale, the global score for democratic accountability slipped slightly from 65 in 2000 to 64 in 2023, the most recent data used in the project. The wave of democratisation observed in the closing decades of the last century has stalled in the last 15 years. Democratic accountability fell in 54 countries while it improved in 48 countries.

Yet the BGI — a collaborative project of the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Berlin’s Hertie School and the Berggruen Institute, a think tank headquartered in Los Angeles — captures remarkably widespread growth in provision of public goods.

Encompassing healthcare, education, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and conditions to foster employment and rising prosperity, public goods improved in 135 of the countries studied, while declining slightly in just four. The global average jumped from 58 to 69 points from 2000 to 2023.

The third component of what the BGI authors refer to as the “governance triangle” is state capacity, defined as the ability to tax, borrow and spend, control territory, operate scrupulous, competent bureaucracies and administer predictable rule of law. The index finds the global average ticking up from 48 to 49 points; 56 countries had increased state capacity while 57 declined.

“What does it tell us about the world ahead?” Prof. Helmut K. Anheier, a Luskin School sociologist and BGI principal investigator, asked during the public release of the 2026 BGI on the UCLA campus.

“Countries are not really improving in their governance performance in significant ways. … We’re not really having forward-looking investment in governance capacity. There is considerable inertia.”

The largest improvements across all three BGI components occurred in Gambia, which the report groups with “low-capacity developing states.” These states score low across the board, particularly in the provision of public goods. This cluster constitutes the poorest countries with the least developed economies, which face the most serious challenges.

“They have the greatest exposure to likely future crises, whether it’s global warming, whether it’s a new pandemic, whether it’s another financial crisis, whether it’s the impact of AI,” Anheier said. “And they have the least capacity to respond to it.”

Bhutan, Georgia, Iraq and Tunisia — which make up the remaining top five countries with the largest improvements in the BGI — are classified as “capacity-constrained states.” They tend to be middle-income with struggling democracies. These countries score higher across the board than the low-capacity developing states, but their state capacity tends to lag compared to public goods and democratic accountability.

The capacity-constrained states risk falling into “a cycle that erodes the institutions they have built,” Anheier said.

“Consolidated democratic states”, a cluster of most of the world’s richest countries, which score highly in all three BGI components, have to confront domestic complacency. Further, in the United States and some others, “political dysfunction” is leaving mounting problems unaddressed and risking erosion of state capacity, Anheier said.

At the other end of the spectrum, the country with the farthest fall on the BGI since 2000 is Nicaragua. Second from last is Venezuela, followed by Hong Kong, Hungary and Turkey. The rest of the bottom 10 are Russia, Iran, Poland, El Salvador and Belarus.

Since 2023, which is the last year of data available for the study, Poland and Hungary have both seen government changes via election, despite serious democratic backsliding. Both had fallen out of the group of “consolidated democratic states” by 2023 and moved into the capacity constrained cluster.

The other eight countries at the bottom of the list are all places that once had some semblance of competitive elections, but by now have little or no remaining pretense of democracy. They are grouped by the authors among the “authoritarian and hybrid states”, which have by far the lowest democratic accountability but outperform even some struggling democracies in delivering public goods.

These regimes have tended toward faster economic growth in the period observed. But that seeming prosperity, typically fueled by extractive industries or overreliance on exports, masks “serious institutional weaknesses in these countries, including divided elites,” Anheier said.

Relatively few countries — 21 of the 145 — changed enough for better or worse to be classified in a new group by the end of the 23-year study period.

“Movement between them is rare, but this is largely what we should expect,” said Stella Ghervas, a UCLA historian on a panel of experts who discussed the BGI findings Wednesday. “Government systems are not created in a moment. They evolve over long periods of time.”

Local conditions shaping governance in each country can rarely be quickly reset through political will or even external shocks, Joseph C. Saraceno, a Luskin School data scientist and BGI co-author, said Wednesday.

“Despite all the talk of major transformations happening in global affairs, the underlying configuration of governance simply doesn’t appear to change very much,” Saraceno said. “We use the term inertia to describe this reoccurring pattern. In other words, the structures of global governance are resistant to movement as the conditions beneath them are quite sticky: political economies, demographics, resource endowments. These are deeply layered, and they push each country toward the world that it already inhabits.”

But the challenges lurking around the world may not wait for the slow and difficult processes of political change and development to catch up.

“With the few exceptions of those countries in the consolidated democratic world,” Anheier said, “the great majority of the countries in the world is ill-prepared for the future.”

The full report, ‘ 2026 Berggruen Governance Index – The Four Worlds of Governance’, can be viewed and downloaded from the website of the UCLA’s Luskin School.

Frank Fuhrig, DNA

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When artificial intelligence (AI) comes up in Australian enterprise IT discussions, the focus tends to centre on generative tools, intelligent copilots, and innovation at the edges of the business. However, some of the most concrete and measurable uses of AI are emerging deep in enterprise operational workflows, such as corporate travel management.

According to Jonathan Beeby, managing director, SAP Concur Australia and New Zealand business travel in Australia is gaining real momentum. “SAP Concur data shows that flight bookings in Australia increased almost 10% in 2025 compared to 2024. March 2025 achieved the highest velocity, with corporate bookings surging more than 44% compared to March 2024, reflecting a sharp rebound in corporate travel demand,” he said.

As travel activity continues to accelerate in 2026, Australian organisations are rethinking how travel decisions are controlled and authorised. This shift isn’t just about updating corporate travel policies. It’s about making smarter decisions earlier, moving intelligence upstream of expenditure rather than downstream of it.

Consequently, pre-travel authorisation powered by AI is quietly becoming one of the most pragmatic AI applications in enterprise finance, according to SAP Concur.

Jonathan Beeby, managing director, SAP Concur Australia and New Zealand said, “Travel and expense management is no longer about post audits but preventative control. In traditional travel and expense programs, compliance was largely reactive: employees book trips, later file expenses, and finance teams audit them against policy afterwards. That approach can identify where policy was breached, but it offers little in the way of early prevention, and cost visibility and management.

“In Australia, that shift toward proactive governance is gaining momentum. Business travel surged over the past year as organisations resume commercial travel and business events post-pandemic. Demand for control over discretionary spend is tightening as finance leaders seek earlier visibility, and internal audit teams push for stronger evidence of upfront approval. Modern travellers also expect digital workflows that are intuitive and fast. These combined pressures are driving enterprise adoption of intelligent pre-travel authorisation, where AI and automation inform decisions before bookings are confirmed.”  

Pre-travel authorisation workflows require employees to submit structured trip requests, including rationale, cost estimates, and any policy exceptions. AI and agents are transforming the process.

In contemporary enterprise platforms, AI and agents are being deployed to automatically suggest or pre-fill estimated travel costs based on historical spend patterns; flag out-of-policy items in real time; and tailor approval routing according to risk categories, spend thresholds, and employee profiles.

Jonathan Beeby said, “Intelligent automation interprets context and provides richer guidance at the point of request rather than relying solely on rigid, static business rules. This helps organisations scale governance controls without multiplying manual checks, giving finance teams early insight, and travellers clearer guidance toward compliant choices.

“One of the most compelling benefits of AI-driven travel requests is the quality of data created. Rather than free-text explanations submitted after travel, structured requests capture why the business travel is necessary, anticipated costs, and which manager approved the itinerary and under what conditions. This produces a defensible, machine-readable audit trail that shows approvals, edits, and exceptions over time; a powerful asset as Australian organisations face greater oversight from boards and internal audit functions.”

Solutions such as the Concur Request capability maintain a detailed audit trail showing approvals, changes and exceptions over time and automatically raise flags for review, providing advance spend visibility for Australian finance leaders.

One of the standout advantages of embedding AI in pre-travel authorisation is that it shifts travel data from being a lagging indicator to a leading signal of future expenditure. By consolidating authorised travel commitments ahead of time, finance teams gain a clearer view of upcoming costs long before they hit the general ledger.

This early insight supports better forecasting and proactive budget management, which is particularly valuable in Australia’s geographically dispersed market where aviation and accommodation pricing can vary significantly by region. This proactive intelligence helps CFOs understand emerging travel trends and cost pressures without having to manually wrangle spreadsheets or disparate systems.

Jonathan Beeby said, “The common concern around pre-travel authorisation is the risk of creating process friction that delays routine travel. Smart AI workflows are central to addressing this. They can reduce repetitive data entry and minimise back-and-forth between travellers and approvers, so that low-risk or recurring trips can move quickly through the system, while higher-risk requests trigger additional scrutiny.

“This typically means fewer rejected expense claims for employees, fewer surprises after trips have been taken, and a smoother overall experience; a valuable differentiation in Australia’s increasingly competitive talent market.”  

Pre-travel authorisation is a standout AI example because of its practical utility. This isn’t research code or speculative innovation, it’s an operational capability delivering measurable outcomes including reduced risk, stronger compliance, better data, and faster decisions. Embedding intelligence into day-to-day workflows can demonstrate how AI can be applied sensibly to deliver tangible business value.

As corporate travel continues to rebound, more Australian organisations are recognising that the most impactful place to apply intelligence is before spending is committed, at the moment of intent. AI-driven pre-travel authorisation is emerging as a clear example of how enterprise technology can strengthen governance not by adding layers of control, but by embedding smart decision support where it matters most.

MIL OSI

• Reserve Bank warns of heightened uncertainty due to Iran war
• Economic recovery expected to be “somewhat slower”
• Financial institutions well-placed to support economy

Risks to financial stability have increased due to the Middle East conflict, with a bleaker outlook for the economy, potentially making it harder for borrowers to service debt.

In its half-yearly Financial Stability Report, the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) stressed the country’s financial system remained resilient, and the banking system was well-placed to support customers even if conditions worsened.

The RBNZ said the longer the Iran war continued, the greater the risks to global financial stability, with New Zealand already feeling “significant economic effects”.

Governor Anna Breman said high diesel prices were having the biggest effect on the transport and logistics sectors, as well as primary industries, including forestry and fishing.

“While economic growth had been recovering prior to the conflict, we are now likely to see a somewhat slower recovery, affecting job growth and debt servicing,” Dr Breman said.

The RBNZ said banks had strong capital and funding buffers, meaning they were not only “well-placed” to help struggling customers, but also manage stresses in offshore funding markets.

It said stress testing results showed banks’ ability to withstand significant economic shocks, including geopolitical events like the Middle East conflict.

The RBNZ expected the impact on insurers to be limited, noting health insurers have raised premiums and adjusted policies following several years of high claims costs.

The RBNZ said it was working on a stress test of life and health insurers.

Fuel prices close to their highest levels in 50 years

Unsurprisingly, the RBNZ said higher oil prices will increase costs for firms, including those already facing weak demand.

“Prices for these important inputs are now close to their highest levels in the past 50 years after adjusting for inflation,” the RBNZ said in its report.

It warned that in addition to increased costs for firms, higher oil prices will reduce consumers’ spending power.

“Higher near-term CPI [consumer price index] inflation due to the conflict will reduce real wages,” the RBNZ said.

“While it seems unlikely at this stage that the impact on real wages will be as large as it was over 2021/22, even a small decline in spending power could create financial hardship for some households given the existing cost-of-living pressures.”

Meanwhile, low profitability in recent years meant firms were in a “more vulnerable position”.

“Business deposits were elevated after the pandemic, given fiscal support and the strong economic recovery,” it said.

“However, over the past three years, business deposits, particularly for smaller firms, have declined as a share of GDP [gross domestic product].”

The RBNZ said mortgage arrears have also declined from the recent peak as the economy improved, with non-performing loans at around 0.6 percent of lending.

However, it said arrears and non-performing loans remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Explainer – New Zealand has signed a deal with Singapore that will ensure exports of essential supplies like food and fuel keep flowing, even during a crisis.

A bit like the one we’re facing now.

While it was inked this week, negotiations concluded last year, and Singapore has kept the fuel coming since the outbreak of the war on Iran.

Neither Christopher Luxon nor his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong would have known just how handy that deal was going to become back in October.

It’s a pretty simple equation, crisis or no crisis: New Zealand needs fuel, Singapore supplies fuel. Singapore needs food, New Zealand supplies food.

With no refinery in New Zealand since the closure of Marsden Point, we’ve had to rely on importing refined fuel from elsewhere. Singapore has supplied around a third of that.

The background

New Zealand and Singapore have a longstanding trade relationship.

In the year to June 2025, two-way trade was worth $11.07 billion.

The two countries signed a free trade agreement (the New Zealand-Singapore Closer Economic Partnership, or CEP) all the way back in 2000.

In April 2020, they committed to a declaration on trade in essential goods, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

That declaration ensured neither New Zealand nor Singapore would impose export restrictions like tariffs on 120 essential goods like various foods, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment.

While the declaration was non-binding, in 2022 former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and former Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong established a supply chain working group to build on those commitments and spirit of cooperation.

In October 2024, Cabinet agreed to launch negotiations, and a year later the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES) was agreed to.

Were we at risk of fuel being cut off?

Singapore has made it clear it was hardly going to turn the tap off anyway, given the relationship and how much it runs counter to our general trade philosophies.

New Zealand farmers are pretty reliant on diesel, in order to produce the food that is then exported to Singapore.

So there was never much of a motivation for Singapore or New Zealand to all of a sudden become more protectionist.

But now it’s in writing, with legal obligations, and sitting within the CEP.

“Unlike the declaration, the AOTES is a binding, treaty level agreement and is not responding to an immediate supply shock but helping both of our countries prepare for future crises,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials wrote in a national interest analysis.

Countries can use a critical shortages exception under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), but this new deal is “novel,” officials said, because it prevents that from happening.

Not that New Zealand has ever used that exception. To the best of their knowledge, officials couldn’t find an example.

So, even if Singapore experiences a supply shock, it still can’t apply that shortages exception, which gives New Zealand more certainty.

But what if the worst happens?

If we’re talking about the absolute worst of the worst of situations, like a nuclear apocalypse which wipes out all of our crops, or the island where Singapore’s refineries are based all of a sudden sinks into the sea, then yes, sure, Singapore and New Zealand could technically circumvent the agreement.

The countries can still use other provisions or exceptions in the GATT or their World Trade Organisation agreements, so they can still impose export controls for “reasons such as national security threats, the protection of human, plant and animal health, public morals, or the regulation of classification, grading or marketing of commodities in international trade.”

That’s where a rapid review clause comes in, meaning both parties can call an emergency meeting to discuss adding or removing goods to or from the list.

Singapore and New Zealand have also promised to share information with each other in the event of a significant or imminent supply chain disruption, such as the predicted impact on their economy or national security, or how long it may last.

There is a provision within Singapore and New Zealand’s CEP which allows Singapore to adopt “any measure” to address critical shortages of essential imports.

So, if there’s a supply chain crisis, Singapore could use the provision within the CEP to prove an exemption from the AOTES.

But, officials said, the threshold was high, as the “relevant goods need to be listed as essential in Singapore’s domestic law, the critical shortages need to give rise to major difficulties for Singapore, and the measure should not be used to arbitrarily discriminate against New Zealand or to impose a disguised restriction on trade.”

So why is fuel still so expensive?

While the deal reduces New Zealand’s risk of fuel shortages, it doesn’t reduce our exposure to prices.

The AOTES ensures both countries continue to “expedite and facilitate” the flow of supplies, and prevents them from imposing export restrictions.

It does not “cut across” the role of the private sector in the production or management of supply chains, and there’s no regulation within the agreement for the private sector.

It also doesn’t mean New Zealand or Singapore have to commit to procurement, or guarantee the supply of goods.

New Zealand importers still have to pay the market rate for the fuel, and that inevitably gets passed on to consumers.

Singapore’s refineries have had to adapt to process sweeter crude than they’re used to, and sourcing it from elsewhere has also brought in extra costs.

The fuel companies can source it. They can refine it. They can transport it. But it’s still going to cost us, especially if that supply gets more constrained.

That’s why, even though the fuel is still coming into New Zealand, we’re still seeing those prices at the pump.

Both Wong and Luxon have been bleak in their assessments of the fuel crisis, with neither thinking it’s going to end any time soon.

What else is in there?

Food and fuel are the headline items, mainly because they’re the most pressing things the respective countries would need in a crisis.

The lists can be changed, but only if both parties agree to the edits.

New Zealand’s list includes petroleum and oils (other than crude, which we wouldn’t need anyway without a refinery), hydrocarbons, medications, vaccines, polymers, medical equipment, and building materials like steel and glass insulation.

Officials on the New Zealand side said the list was chosen to reflect what New Zealand already imported from Singapore, as well as “whether New Zealand could or could not stand-up production of the specific good in the times of crisis, how substitutable the good is, and whether we can easily source the good from elsewhere.”

Singapore’s list is almost entirely food: meats, vegetables, legumes, fruits, dairy, grains.

Coal is also on Singapore’s list, as are photographic cameras, for some reason.

Is it really a world first?

The “first of its kind” definition is technically true.

Australia concluded negotiations on a similar economic resilience deal with Singapore last month, committing to keep supplying Singapore with liquefied natural gas while Singapore promised to keep supplying Australia with refined fuel.

But even though New Zealand’s deal has only just been signed now, it has been locked in for longer.

Luxon has used that to rebuff criticisms that he should have got on a plane to Singapore sooner. The deal was agreed to in October, Singapore promised to abide by it in-principle once the war started, there was no rush.

“We didn’t need to, because the Australians didn’t have what we have. They probably still haven’t got what we have. We put this in place in October, Prime Minister Wong and I are good friends, and we agreed that we would work to this and formally sign it on this visit. So it’s served us incredibly well. We haven’t needed to go sooner as a result of this,” he told RNZ ahead of the trip.

Can we expect others to join in?

Luxon is pointing to the deal as an example of smaller countries innovating and modernising trade architecture, rather than responding to the United States’ tariffs with a tit-for-tat protectionism.

Both he and Wong have expressed openness to other countries wanting to join in.

Singapore and New Zealand’s deal had an advantage because they came from a running start, and had identified the products each other wanted, but both prime ministers have said others can sign up, as long as they can meet the same standards, guarantees, and commitments.

In July, New Zealand will chair a meeting with 15 other like-minded economies such as Malaysia, Switzerland, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates, and Luxon has said it’s possible some of those countries may want to give it a go.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

New Zealand and Singapore have today signed a major agreement to protect the movement of essential goods such as fuel and food.

The signing of the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES), witnessed by Prime Ministers Christopher Luxon and Lawrence Wong, guarantees neither country will impose export restrictions on the other, and formalises practical cooperation on supply chain resilience. 

“The past few months have shown we live in a volatile world – Kiwis are seeing that every time they fill up their car. That is why we are hustling in the world to protect New Zealand and build our resilience in uncertain times,” Mr Luxon says.

“The AOTES is a demonstration of New Zealand and Singapore working together as trusted partners. In times of crisis, we know we can rely on each other.

“With a third of New Zealand’s fuel refined in Singapore, this Agreement turns trust into action – and right now, that’s keeping fuel flowing to New Zealand when it matters most.

“As the best food producer in the world, New Zealand has what the world wants. With this Agreement we are leveraging that special skill to protect what Kiwi communities need,” Mr Luxon says.

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay, who signed the AOTES, says it aims to reduce the risk of supply‑chain disruption.

“It is built on cooperation forged during the COVID‑19 pandemic and recognises that reliable access to essential goods is most critical during times of crisis.

“New Zealand and Singapore have a strong record of developing practical, modern trade rules together, including through the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement.

“This Agreement is a world first and the latest example of our shared commitment to keeping fuel, food, medicines and other critical goods moving when they are needed most,” Mr McClay says.

The AOTES establishes binding commitments preventing either government from imposing export restrictions on an agreed list of goods – including fuel, foodstuffs, construction materials, and other essential supplies. 

It will be incorporated into the existing New Zealand-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, following domestic approval processes in both countries.

MIL OSI

A gynaecologist and women’s health expert says Pharmac’s rationing of menopause drugs is reasonable from an equity perspective, given the global shortages.

Progesterone capsules will now be dispensed on a monthly basis, instead of three-monthly.

Auckland University associate professor Dr Michelle Wise said it’s a fair call from Pharmac.

“It’s a response that makes sense from the perspective of equity, so it’s not like I can go down to my pharmacy and get a year’s worth, and someone else can’t get it at all.

“I like the idea that it’s seemingly fair across wherever you are in the country, that you can at least get a month’s supply.”

Wise said the global shortages are driven by more women requesting menopause hormone therapy and demanding better healthcare in mid-life.

She said she’d expect the trend to continue and hopes regulators and suppliers around the world can keep up with the demand.

Wise said there have been shortages of estradiol patches on and off since the pandemic.

However, she believed New Zealand was facing shortages of progesterone capsules for the first time.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Homeware and furniture shops around Auckland and nearby regions appear to be losing some of their traffic to Swedish retail giant Ikea.

Data from Dot Loves Data shows that, as a category, home and furnishings is growing significantly.

Director Justin Lester said he could not comment on specific businesses but the total amount spent in the home and furnishing category in Auckland was $59.9 million in March, 5.82 percent up on the previous year.

People were travelling to Auckland to buy things in that category, he said. The total spend within Auckland by domestic visitors was up 72 percent in December compared to the year before. In March it was up 89 percent compared to March 2025.

In November 2025, before Ikea opened there was just over $7 million spent in Westgate on furniture and home furnishings. Just under $7m was spent in Mt Wellington. About $6m was spent in Glenfield, just under $5m in Newmarket, Just under $6m in Manukau and just over $6m in East Tamaki.

The next month, after Ikea’s opening on December, there was more than $20 million spent on total home and furnishings in Mt Wellington, and only just over $5m spent at most in other suburbs.

Lester said that trend had continued through the year. “It looks like Mount Wellington’s become a real hub within the Auckland precinct. It’s a real driver of the local economy there.”

Retail consultant Chris Wilkinson, from First Retail Group, said he would expect Ikea to have an anchoring effect, pulling shoppers in to the area.

But he said nearby retailers would benefit.

“You get inspired by what’s going on at Ikea… You might think, oh, I might like a little bit more style or I might like a little bit more whatever. So you go into Ikea but then perhaps you’re going to go to the Nick Scali afterwards, or you’re going to go to Freedom, or maybe availability is not there, so you’re going to look further.

“The anchor value of Ikea is incredibly significant.”

He said people would travel to Mt Wellington to shop. “When you are going to Ikea, you are very purposeful. This isn’t a place you just pop into and spend five minutes there. It’s not lie a normal strip business where you pop in, have a quick cast of your eye and go ‘yep it’s for me’ or ‘no it’s not’… people make a very determined decision and when they make determined decisions they’re purposeful and that typically results in a transaction.”

He said Ikea encouraged people to come back by having a range of things to pull them in, from meatballs and ice-cream to furniture, and ever-changing store displays.

“It really does keep people very sticky with the brand. And once you’ve got that habitual visitation, that’s starting to benefit everyone.”

He said people had been more focused on their homes and living environments since the pandemic.

“There’s been quite a shift in people’s mindset about the role of their houses because they’ve spent more time in them, more flexible working and all those aspects. It really has just changed the dynamic quite significantly. And of course, played into these nesting categories, as we would call them.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

If a new pathogen emerged today, the world would be largely unprepared, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says.

The Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Annex [PABS] could not be agreed to in time for adoption at the next World Health Assembly.

It’s an essential part of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which aims to strengthen global prevention, preparedness, and response to future pandemics.

The agreement as a whole cannot proceed towards ratification, if the annex is not agreed to.

Clark, co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, said it was a disappointing result.

Clark said some sticking points prevented the annex from going through.

“The huge issue is about equitable access to vaccines and to the technologies which develop vaccines. That’s been the sticking point.

“As well, the developing countries have wanted an undertaking, that in return for honouring their obligations under the international health regulations to make information about a new pathogen available, they would then get the benefits of sharing that information from whatever new innovation comes along.

“It’s stuck on this basic principle of equity, with at this point, developed countries not being prepared to concede enough on the equity side, to satisfy developing countries,” she said.

Clark said, as a result, the world would be unprepared, if a new pathogen emerged.

“[I have] several concerns around the lack of preparedness now, one that, of course, vaccine misinformation and disinformation is rife, so that’s a more difficult context to be implementing 101 public health measures in.

“Secondly, a lot of countries still have a lot of fiscal issues arising from having to spend their way through the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Then you have the issue of not enough international finance for developing countries for preparedness and for response, so there’s so many issues and areas where we’re not prepared.”

Clark said co-ordination was key.

“Co-ordination is critical and it’s needed… at the regional level as well as at the global level.

“There’s a whole ecosystem, around vaccine development, procurement, distribution, financing, which needs to work, and we’re not there yet.”

Geopolitical conflicts were also having an impact on preparedness, she said.

“The key issue is the distrust between north and south. There’s a very bad taste from the last pandemic where developing countries did not get a fair shot at getting the vaccines, developed countries gobbled up most of what was available, the production wasn’t sufficient to then supply developing country populations.

“When some of us were beginning to get our boosters, health workers and some poor countries had never had as much as a single shot of a vaccine.

“There’s a lot of resentment about this and a determination from the developing countries not to settle for something that will be inequitable in future,” she said.

Clark said, while political leaders were dealing with immediate issues, they could not afford to neglect foreseeable risks.

“Right now, leaders are grappling with the cost of living, the spill-over impacts from the war on Iran, so pandemic preparation response is not top of mind.

“Unfortunately, that means that negotiations like these can founder, because they don’t have sufficient political attention,” she said.

The 79th World Health Assembly will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18-23 May, 2026.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The cost of calling out an air ambulance helicopter is skyrocketing to over $13,000 an hour – and not because of Iran war fuel price rises.

The hike of almost 65 percent from the current $8200 an hour kicks in from Friday.

“The cost increase for third-party customers does not include the recent fuel price increase as it was calculated prior to the rise in jet fuel costs,” said Health New Zealand and ACC which ordered the rate hike.

The main third-party customers were police and the Rescue Coordination Centre which used the helicopters on almost 3000 operations a year.

The two agencies have been approached for comment, with RNZ asking if they might have to cut back on using the aircraft.

Civil Defence callouts could also cost more, for councils or NEMA.

Health NZ and ACC, which separately fund about 12,000 medical flights and hospital transfers a year, paid for jet fuel for the air ambulances directly, and said that cost had risen due to the Iran war by over $500,000 a month.

“As joint funders of air ambulance services, Health New Zealand and ACC will keep reviewing service costs annually to support service sustainability,” they told RNZ in a statement.

Some of the cost of medical flights has always been met by fundraising for the 23 helicopters by various trusts.

On the search-and-rescue or SAR side, the increase could cost the RCC another $8m a year based on 1400 flight hours in 2024.

Northern Rescue which covers Auckland, Northland and Coromandel said it was not in a position to comment, other than that it was “committed to serving our community and continuing to provide a high-quality, reliable aeromedical service when tasked” and that it was “important to note that we do not control the coordination or dispatch of aircraft”.

The NZ Helicopter Association said the rise would help but still left a gap.

“The full amount will still not cover the operating costs for the air ambulance,” association chair Scott McKenzie said.

“They’ll still need to do a significant amount of fundraising to cover some of their training costs and for purchasing new equipment.”

A big driver was the cost of spare parts in some cases up 80 percent or more since the pandemic – he cited a major part that used to cost $300,000 and was now over a million.

As for higher fuel prices, “This price increase was coming before the fuel price increase hit the country – there’s still a requirement that money will be covered somewhere,” McKenzie said on Thursday.

“In one week, we had an 83 cent per litre increase in the price of Jet A1, which all of the aircraft operate.”

HNZ and ACC said the $8200 an hour rate set in 2024 was not covering costs. The rates were the minimum they set that the country’s three rescue chopper providers had to charge.

“This earlier rate was a partial cost recovery that did not fully cover fleet renewal, capability uplift, and long-term sustainability,” they said.

“In addition, service delivery costs have since increased significantly because of fleet modernisation, pilot upskilling, and inflation.”

“As a result, we have advised air ambulance providers that from May 1, 2026, the full hourly cost of $13,450 must be recovered from third-party customers.

“This approach ensures that third-party customers are fully funding costs generated and supports the financial sustainability of the air ambulance service for patients with urgent health or injury needs.”

The government in the last two years has spent about $27m replacing 16 of the older air ambulance helicopters.

Councils and the National Emergency Management Agency might also be exposed to the latest hourly rate hike if they have to call on the aircraft, as happened in Cyclone Gabrielle.

After the storm, some councils struggled to get reimbursed for aviation and other expenses.

SAR operations sometimes use cheaper regular helicopters but these are usually not as large or well equipped, or able to fly in bad weather or at night so readily.

Cost recovery and who pays for what around air ambulances and other rescue aviation responses has been a factor causing headaches for NZ Search and Rescue, Police, the RCC, ambulance providers, HNZ and Fire and Emergency (FENZ) for at least several years.

In 2023 a FENZ internal email referred to legislative complications and “our logistical problems and double/tripling up of same resource request”.

HNZ stepped in last year with FENZ to remind it was not allowed to directly order up an air ambulance helicopter to transport its cliff rescue crews, even if they did not have another option to get to a rescue over an hour by road away.

Just last month the RCC was given the job of developing a new SAR aviation coordination system to resolve the longstanding problems.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A new charter for the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee will strengthen the committee’s transparency and accountability by making the views of individual members clearer, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

The charter, which comes into effect today, has been agreed by the Minister and the MPC, which sets the Official Cash Rate.

“From today, when the committee does not reach consensus, members’ votes will be publicly available,” Nicola Willis says.

“The new charter also makes it easier for MPC members to communicate publicly about monetary policy by easing current restrictions and encouraging members to speak externally, while retaining rules that ensure equal access to information.

“The MPC will also begin attributing material differences in views in its records of meetings.

“Alongside the independent review of New Zealand’s monetary policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic, these changes will strengthen transparency, support accountability, and help build public understanding of the MPC’s decision making,” Nicola Willis says.

“The committee will review these changes, along with its wider decision-making processes, in 12 months and report back to me on their effectiveness and whether they support clear communication and transparency.”

Note for editors

The new charter is available on the Reserve Bank’s website: Monetary Policy Framework – Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua
Advice received on the MPC Charter and other changes to enhance transparency settings is available on Treasury and the RBNZ’s websites:

https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/information-release/advice-relating-changes-strengthen-monetary-policy-committee-transparency-settings
Information releases – Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua

MIL OSI

What does the nervous system do?

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 April 2026 – Following its successful presentation at LANDMARK, Central in March, the 2nd MOTIFX – Embracing the Beauty of Chinese Culture will be showcased at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 27 to 30 April 2026, as part of Home InStyle and Fashion InStyle 2026.

Home InStyle and Fashion InStyle bring together a wide range of international brands celebrated for their craftsmanship and creativity, serving as a dynamic platform for exchange across the design and lifestyle industries while sparking new ideas and collaborations.

Organised by the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) under the Vocational Training Council (VTC), and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), the 2nd MOTIFX invites emerging designers to reinterpret traditional Chinese motifs for contemporary living. Under the theme “Culture to Nature – A Surreal Garden of Botanical Patterns,” the exhibition explores the Chinese “grass” radical (艹 / 艸) through diverse creative perspectives. The works span a range of contexts and formats, from two- and three-dimensional pieces to both physical and digital mediums.

Curated by Michael LEUNG, the exhibition features works by 30 local design students and emerging designers from a range of disciplines, alongside participating local and international designers including Chulan KWAK, Cynthia MAK, Made by Sandwich, Karmuel YOUNG, Tomy NG, Moon.noon, STICKYLINE, and Leona FUNG. Over 100 original patterns inspired by the 艹 / 艸 radical bloom in Chinese character across the exhibition space, each rooted in the same ancient, ever‑living origin yet expressing distinct creative voices.

Artist Panel Discussion: “Cultural Fusion in Lifestyle Design: The Surreal Aesthetics of MOTIFX”
30 Apr 2026 | 11am-12pm

On 30 April 2026, in an artist panel discussion titled “Cultural Fusion in Lifestyle Design: The Surreal Aesthetics of MOTIFX,” moderated by Edith CHEUNG, Creative Director of MOTIFX, curator Michael LEUNG, artist Leona FUNG, and Moon HUNG will share their insights on blending traditional Chinese elements with contemporary lifestyle design. Through their works across multiple MOTIFX venues, they will discuss the effortless fusion of East and West in Hong Kong’s creative life, revealing the surreal beauty born from cultural intersection.

Featured Highlights: From Calligraphic Lines to Gardens of Time

Chulan KWAK – “Cursive Structure”

Chulan KWAK’s Cursive Structure series transforms two‑dimensional calligraphy into three‑dimensional objects. Inspired by the flowing strokes of Caoshu (草書) and the Small Seal Script (小篆體) form of the 艹 / 艸 radical, the work turns “Radical Grass (艹 / 艸)” into a pair of low chairs.

By keeping the distinction between 艹 / 艸 and 木 (tree), the pieces are set apart from the vertical form of trees and bring the energy and tension of calligraphic brushwork into physical space.

Cynthia MAK – “Tea Lamp”

Drawing inspiration from the Chinese character 茶 （tea） and the poetic essence of “Life is like tea – bitter at first, then sweet,” Cynthia reflects on life’s delicate balance between darkness and brightness in her creation, “Tea Lamp”. She reimagines the traditional Chinese lantern through vibrant colours and geometric abstraction, which serves as a warm reminder that, after a bitter day, a gentle radiance always awaits at home.

Made by Sandwich – “Garden of States”

Made by Sandwich’s Garden of Time probes the philosophical relationship between the 艹/ 艸 radical and time. The designers argue that numerous 艹/艸 – derived characters (such as 茂, 蘇, 萎, 荒) illustrate the shifting conditions of plants across time rather than static shapes. The work breaks away from a linear conception of time, layering moments of growth, decline, and disappearance onto a single visual. By assembling these “time slices” into one composition, it constructs a garden of time in which multiple states coexist, showing the simultaneous presence of flourishing and disappearance.

Karmuel YOUNG & Tomy NG – “Tower”

Inspired by the radical grass symbol (艹 / 艸), Karmuel YOUNG and Tomy NG collaborate on the multimedia work, “Tower”. A still yet highly charged installation that captures a moment of growth, “Tower” fuses art, fashion, and furniture using contemporary raw materials, dutifully interpreting growth as a process of emergence, layering, and change.

Karmuel shapes the base on Suprematist and Constructivist ideas, using rigid geometric forms and a neutral palette to highlight the texture of the materials, creating a stable, balanced yet restrained structure.

Tomy adds a glowing cellular element that acts as both light and living form. The floor lamp is designed as a suspended “cell”: a translucent 3D‑printed resin core wrapped in an inflatable latex membrane that functions like a placenta. As the latex inflates and deflates, the shape expands and contracts, shifting between open and enclosed states. Compared with the solid base, the structure feels fragile, porous, and time‑based, turning light into a living presence shaped by pressure and duration.

Immersive Experiences: The Intersection of Virtual and Reality

The exhibition utilizes multi-media works and installations, leading visitors into a sensory experience.

Moon.noon – “Blossom Unbounds”

Moon.noon’s “Blossom Unbounds” creates a multisensory, immersive experience that brings together dynamic visuals and music into one seamless environment for MOTIFX. Drawing inspiration from the grass radical (艹 / 艸) in Chinese characters, the work abstracts botanical forms into flowing patterns that reflect the cycles of the 24 solar terms and local flora.

Visual and auditory elements are carefully combined so that viewers move between the real and the digital, experiencing the changing seasons—from spring’s blossoming to winter’s quiet dormancy—and feeling the continuous rhythm of nature and culture. The installation invites personal discovery while dissolving the boundaries between traditional art and immersive, sensory‑driven design.

STICKYLINE – “Geometric Variants in Growth”

STICKYLINE’s large-scale installation Geometric Variants in Growth questions the boundary between the virtual and the real. This lush geometric jungle is built entirely from the endless stacking of two simple paper modules, each patterned with lines that resemble leaf veins while also echoing digital barcodes.

The work suggests that, as we allow real, tangible nature to gradually fade away, every like, share, and copy‑paste on social media nurtures an ever‑expanding virtual jungle that spirals out of control.

By inviting visitors to step into this man-made landscape, the installation prompts reflection on the increasingly blurred symbiosis between humans and nature—where both are quietly disappearing at once.

Contemporary Transformations of Traditional Craft

The exhibition also features works by artist Leona FUNG. Her brand ByLeona’s premium porcelain series blends the auspicious symbolism of traditional Chinese floral motifs with contemporary geometric aesthetics.

Leona moves beyond ceramics as mere tableware, selectively blended in Motifx ambassadors’ pattern with ByLeona’s original designs, extending intricate patterns onto functional objects such as floor lamps, mirrors, and candle holders. Guided by the principle that “every pattern carries meaning, and every meaning is auspicious,” she seamlessly integrates cultural symbols into modern living spaces, showing how traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design can speak to each other.

This April, step into the symbolic world hidden within Chinese characters and immerse yourself in the myriad forms of this fantastical natural realm.

Curator: Michael LEUNG
Born in Hong Kong, Michael LEUNG earned his Master’s degree from Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands, where he later founded Studio AA (previously MIRO). His practice spans graphic, product, and spatial design, often exploring the intersections of craftsmanship and industry, local culture, and sustainability. Recipient of the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award and Perspective 40 Under 40, his work has been showcased at Milan Design Week, Dutch Design Week, and other major international exhibitions. In recent years, he has collaborated with institutions such as the Vitra Design Museum (Germany) and the V&A (UK), extending his creative vision into exhibition curation.

Participating Designers
Chulan KWAK
Chulan KWAK is a Seoul‑based designer whose work spans sculpture, furniture, and spatial design. Trained in craft and conceptual design (BFA, Hongik University; MA, Design Academy Eindhoven), he focuses on transforming the energy and rhythm of calligraphy into three‑dimensional form, allowing shapes to extend as if freely brushed through space.

His practice centres on the distinction between the static line and the dynamic stroke, using layered plywood and MDF to construct fluid, volumetric gestures that replace carving with assembly. Through his ongoing Cursive Structure series, KWAK turns calligraphic strokes into chairs, benches, and sculptures that capture movement, balance, and the constant transformation of nature and form.

Cynthia MAK
Cynthia MAK is an emerging Hong Kong artist and designer whose work is known for its distinctive compositional language and geometric arrangements, forming a unique abstract style. Her paintings combine colour, form, and aesthetic judgment with emotional expression, drawing viewers into a cheerful and uplifting atmosphere.

Initially drawn to art as a way to express herself beyond words, Cynthia re‑engaged with painting during the 2021 pandemic, embracing the creative control it offered and embarking on a new professional path. Her work has been shown at institutions such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Ginza Six in Tokyo, and Abu Dhabi Art, and she has collaborated with renowned brands including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Isetan Shinjuku, and Hong Kong Landmark on projects that bring joy to audiences and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Made By Sandwich

Made by Sandwich is a Shanghai‑based creative collective founded in 2023. Attuned to the fast‑changing visual landscape, the studio offers integrated services including visual identity, packaging design, book and publication design, 3D and motion design, and exhibition curation. At Made by Sandwich, design is not just an output but the condition for fostering communication.

Karmuel YOUNG

Karmuel YOUNG is a Hong Kong–based menswear designer and founder of the cross‑media brand KARMUEL YOUNG. After graduating, he worked at Damir Doma in Paris and Ute Ploier in Vienna, then returned to Hong Kong to lead creative projects at Lane Crawford and design menswear for I.T. He launched his label in 2014, initially focusing on footwear and accessories, and presented his first full menswear collection in 2019.

He has received Lane Crawford’s “Creative Call Out” award and was named one of “10 Asian Designers To Watch” in 2021. The brand continues to explore innovative cutting, sustainability, and cross‑disciplinary collaborations, gradually building a contemporary men’s wardrobe.

Leona FUNG

Leona FUNG is the founder and artist of Hong Kong aesthetic brand ByLeona. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she studied at the University of Cambridge and began her career in private banking before launching her own ceramic brand, combining business insight with artistic sensibility.

Leona specialises in translating Eastern cultural symbols through modern design, using ceramics and home‑living products to express an “Eastern essence, Western expression” aesthetic. Her works have been shown at international platforms such as Maison&Objet and Fine Art Asia, and are now in the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and other art institutions, high‑end hotels, and shopping malls. She also creates bespoke designs for global brands, promoting contemporary Eastern aesthetics and cross‑cultural dialogue.

Exhibition Details

The 2nd MOTIFX – Embracing the Beauty of Chinese Culture
@ Home InStyle & Fashion InStyle 2026
Date: 27–30 April 2026
Time:
9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Monday to Wednesday)
9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Thursday)
Venue: Booth 3CON‑001, Hall 3E South Concourse area,
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

“Cultural Fusion in Lifestyle Design: The Surreal Aesthetics of MOTIFX” Artist Panel Discussion
Date: 30 April 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Venue: THE RUNWAY, Halls 3FG, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Moderator: Ms. Edith Cheung
Speaker: Mr. Michael Leung, Ms. Leona Fung, Mr. Moon Hung

Hashtag: #MOTIFX

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

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

SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 April 2026 – The 6th Asian Beach Games opened on Wednesday evening in China’s tropical resort city of Sanya, with the opening ceremony held at the seaside Yasha Park.

Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin declared the Games open after 45 delegations marched in for the continental Games, which had previously been scheduled to be held in 2020.

After having twice been postponed, chiefly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sanya Games has drawn around 10,000 participants, including 1,790 athletes.

The Games marks the first time Hainan has hosted a continental-level beach sports event. It is also the first major international sporting event since the island-wide Hainan Free Trade Port was inaugurated last December.

Scheduled from April 22 to 30, the Games features 14 sports, 15 disciplines and 62 events. It is the second time that China has hosted the Asian Beach Games, after the 2012 edition in Haiyang, Shandong Province.

China has sent a delegation of 255 members, including 171 athletes, competing in 13 sports and 60 events, marking the country’s highest participation in Asian Beach Games history.

Hashtag: #6thAsianBeachGame #Sanya #China

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

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

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has brushed off criticisms of his government after days of heated speculation about his leadership.

In a media standup at HamiltonJet Global in Christchurch on Friday morning, Luxon brushed off businesses’ concerns about a lack of funding to bring SailGP back to Auckland.

He has also joked about losing votes in Auckland as a result of his support for the Crusaders, and avoided saying much about a National Party dinner where guests could pay $10,000 to sit next to him.

Auckland events boss Nick Hill told Morning Report he was “very disappointed” at the loss of SailGP, saying it was “significant loss” for the City of Sails and blaming a lack of buy-in from the government.

Luxon said the proposal for funding Sail GP in Auckland did not stack up, but distanced himself from it – acknowledging he was not across the details.

“Yeah, look, um, you know, we’ll continue our conversations with Auckland Council and SailGP but the proposal we received just frankly didn’t stack up,” he said.

He was unsure how much money the government was being asked to provide.

“I can’t remember what the proposal specifics was but when we run it through our evaluation criteria, just didn’t stack up.”

He said Tourism Minister Louise Upston would know about the specifics.

“I’m just well aware that when we looked at the cost-benefit ratio, it didn’t meet the criteria … it just didn’t meet the criteria, is all I know.”

He rejected the suggestion from Auckland businesses the government was working against them.

“Ah absolute rubbish. This is a government that’s backed State of Origin into Auckland, it’s a government that’s put a whole bunch of major events into Auckland, it’s invested in the New Zealand International Convention Centre, invested in the CRL, and we’ve made big investments and big support programmes into Auckland.”

He was in Christchurch [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/593268/christchurch-stadium-opening-te-kaha-opens-after-15-year-wait ahead of the first Super Round at the city’s new stadium Te Kaha, when 10 of the Super Rugby Pacific’s 11 teams would all play at the same venue.

Having grown up in the city, he said it was “tough” to say whether Te Kaha had overtaken Eden Park as the national stadium.

“I gotta say, it’s a world class stadium. It was a pleasure to open it three or four weeks ago. I’ll be there tonight,” he said.

Leadership woes

Luxon has been under pressure in recent weeks over poor polling numbers and leaks from who he has described as disgruntled MPs.

Coalition tensions turned up a notch this week too, as New Zealand First’s Winston Peters criticised Luxon’s decision to call a confidence vote in himself without informing coalition partners, saying that was unwise and would lead to instability.

Luxon and his deputy Nicola Willis in turn criticised Peters in the media – the first time they have been willing to do so directly and publicly.

Despite all that, he joked about losing support in Auckland, where he holds the seat of Botany.

“I’ll be in my Crusaders kit, I’ll lose 5000 votes in Auckland – but that’s okay, because I’m a Crusaders guy through and through.

“If I’m honest with you, in terms of scale and size, Eden Park’s obviously large and can accommodate certain activity, but I can tell you, I’m going to be coming to Christchurch a lot to see a lot of things down here.”

He said it was important to draw international events like Robbie Williams to New Zealand, as every dollar spent on attracting them was “getting $3.20 back into the local economy here”.

“So it’s fantastic, so exciting and it’s honestly – I don’t know whether you guys have been inside it – but it’s amazing. It’s incredible. It’s covered. We’re so close to the action, you’ll be able to hear the lineout calls, it’s just going to be brilliant.”

Christchurch ‘a role model’

He said Christchurch was a “real role model for how we want New Zealand to ultimately look and feel like”.

“You’ve got incredibly modern, reliable infrastructure. You’ve got a fantastic airport, awesome university, great schools, fantastic infrastructure now with the stadium and the redevelopment that’s taking place, and it’s growing very quickly.

“It’s an affordable city, more affordable city than many other parts of New Zealand, and so things like our planning laws are changing in order to be able to increase the supply of housing across the rest of New Zealand.”

In the four years after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes devastated the city centre, the John Key-led government provided an estimated $16.5 billion, with about half coming from insurance payouts from the then-Earthquake Commission.

Luxon said there was “plenty of cash around” from private capital, but “whether the government needs to be involved, government doesn’t need to be involved in everything. It’s quite good if we’re not in many cases”.

The ongoing fuel crisis that has resulted from the US and Israel conflict with Iran has been putting additional pressure on government finances after high spending under Labour that aimed to keep the economy growing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Support for businesses and those struggling with high fuel prices has been limited to “targeted, timely and temporary” spending, with the main component being a $50-a-week increase for working families earning tax credits.

Luxon said New Zealand had managed to secure supplies and there was no disruption there, “but, you know, the world needs peace to be breaking out there”.

He said rhetoric like US President Donald Trump’s was not needed.

“We don’t need escalation.”

More weather concerns

Luxon’s comments were made shortly before news of more heavy rain lashing the country – causing landslips in Auckland and prompting people to evacuate their homes.

He was asked about a new report out from the Climate Change Commission pointing to a risk before 2030 of a shortfall of Emissions Trading Scheme units possibly resulting in volatile price spikes, but said his main concern was “growth over and above everything else”.

He said the country was “determined to deliver on our climate change commitments, net zero 2050 … and we’re on track to do exactly that”.

“Last quarter this country generated less emissions than we’ve ever had, ever since we started recording in 2010 – and that’s because we’ve got a government that doesn’t just do bumper stickers and slogans and words, we actually do action and investment, as illustrated by our big investments in the renewables energy boom that’s taking place.”

The government’s push towards renewable energy has largely been focused on planning changes.

Luxon was also questioned about a National Party fundraising dinner, where property developer Matthew Horncastle paid $10,000 for a ticket to sit next to the prime minister and his wife, Amanda.

When Luxon was asked about how things had gone at the dinner on Thursday, he initially said “with who?”

After the name was repeated, he said “oh, there was a National Party event I was at last night, yeah. But yesterday I was also at a company called Zethos, which was pretty exciting because that’s a startup that’s come out of the engineering school that’s recycling critical minerals here in Christchurch”.

Horncastle has previously said that if he entered politics he would aim to be a National Party prime minister by winning the Christchurch Central seat – which has been a Labour stronghold, with just one National MP holding it since 1946.

Asked if Horncastle was the kind of person he wanted in National, Luxon only said it was a “broad church, and if people want to support us from all sorts of work, as it does for every political party, uh, it was just a party event last night”.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

People receiving a benefit may not realise the impact a KiwiSaver hardship withdrawal could have on their entitlements, one provider says.

Graham Allpress, group general manager of client service delivery at the Ministry of Social Development, said every situation would be different but anyone who was thinking about making a KiwiSaver withdrawal should check to understand how it could affect their benefit payments.

In March, there was more than $49 million withdrawn from KiwiSaver for financial hardship reasons, by 5610 people.

Both the number of people withdrawing and the total amount were higher than in March 2025.

There were more than 60,000 hardship withdrawals in the year to March, about three times the typical pre-pandemic rates.

Allpress said a one-off KiwiSaver withdrawal would not generally be considered income for benefit purposes.

“However, if a person made periodical withdrawals from their KiwiSaver due to hardship, for example, every three months, such payments could potentially be considered income for benefit purposes.

“Under the Social Security Act 2018, a person’s income includes any periodical payments made to the person from any source and used by them for income-related purposes whether or not the payments are capital.

“The withdrawn amount will also be considered a cash asset, which may affect benefits such as Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support.

“The amount someone can withdraw before it impacts their payments will depend on any income they are also receiving from other sources and any cash assets they already have.”

Ana-Marie Lockyer said the rules could catch people out because they were not likely to be top of anyone’s mind when they were making a withdrawal decision.

“I looked into it and it isn’t a KiwiSaver-specific rule-it’s how the benefit system works. Once money is withdrawn from KiwiSaver, it’s treated like any other income or asset. The issue is that people don’t naturally think of their KiwiSaver that way, which is where the disconnect happens.

“Where it could become an issue is for people making regular or staged withdrawals, particularly if they’re also receiving accommodation support. What feels like a sensible way to manage their savings could unintentionally affect their entitlements. It’s a good reminder that decisions around KiwiSaver-especially withdrawals-don’t happen in isolation. Understanding the downstream impacts, including on benefits, is really important.”

Allpress said people should also contact MSD to see whether they could access any other help without needing to tap into their KiwiSaver accounts.

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A herb found in natural cold medicine has been linked to nine reports of “hypersensitivity reactions”, including anaphylaxis, in the past three years.

The ingredient known as Andrographis paniculata had recently been reviewed by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and officially linked to anaphylaxis there, too.

The nine cases reported in New Zealand since 2023 ranged in seriousness from rash, shortness of breath, swelling, throat tightness and hives, to anaphylaxis, according to the Ministry of Health.

Medsafe had previously put out warnings that the drug could cause these reactions as far back as 2017.

A Ministry of Health spokesperson said: “We continue to remind people to carefully check the listed ingredients in natural health products before use.”

The government was working to modernise how natural health products were regulated in New Zealand.

“The government agreed in September 2024 that natural health products would be regulated under a standalone bill, to be developed following engagement with the natural health products sector.”

But New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists (NZAMH) spokesperson Dr Sandra Clair said the herb was widely used in Eastern and Western healthcare to prevent and treat acute viral and bacterial infections.

“It has a long history of use in traditional Ayurveda and is also supported by recent Western clinical research confirming its excellent safety record and effectiveness,” she said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Thai government included Andrographis among its officially used treatments.

Reported side effects were rare, and should be weighed against benefits, which she said were “substantial and well-supported”.

“Many synthetic medicines are associated with not only rare but also frequent side effects,” she said. “However, they remain in use because their overall benefits to patients are deemed to outweigh the risks when used appropriately.”

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SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 20 April 2026 – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the wholly owned lodging business unit of CapitaLand Investment (CLI), recorded a landmark year of signings in Southeast Asia in 2025, adding more than 7,300 units across the region. This represents a 55% increase over the 4,700 units signed in 2024 and marks Ascott’s strongest signing performance in Southeast Asia to date.

The momentum placed Ascott among the top three hospitality companies in Southeast Asia by new signings in 2025, according to Horwath HTL. Building on this performance, Ascott has an established regional portfolio comprising over 200 operational properties and a pipeline of about 150 properties across Southeast Asia, spanning multiple typologies and markets. With more than 25 new properties expected to open within the next 12 months, the pipeline reflects strong owner confidence in Ascott’s brands and its proven ability to convert signings into operational properties at scale.

Ascott’s expansion is underpinned by Southeast Asia’s structurally resilient tourism fundamentals. Following the region’s near-complete post-pandemic recovery in 2025, travel momentum is increasingly driven by intra-ASEAN demand, rising visitor spending and improving regional connectivity[1]. At the same time, the region’s hospitality market remains highly fragmented, with independent and unbranded properties accounting for most hotel supply. As more owners look to established international operators for brand strength, distribution reach and revenue capabilities, Southeast Asia continues to present a strong pipeline for Ascott’s growth across signings and conversions.

Ms Serena Lim, Chief Growth Officer, Ascott, said: “Southeast Asia continues to be one of the most dynamic hospitality markets in the world and Ascott is well positioned to capture the opportunity. With over four decades in our home base, we have established deep market expertise and a trusted brand presence, positioning us for our next phase of growth. Our expansion is intentional and owner‑led, anchored by long‑term partnerships with owners who value our flex‑hybrid model and its ability to deliver resilient outcomes. Supported by our multi‑typology brand strategy, we have moved beyond our serviced residence heritage to unlock opportunities across a broader range of lodging types. The depth of owner interest and track record across Southeast Asia gives us confidence in both our pipeline and our ability to execute this expansion.”

Ms Wong Kar Ling, Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Ascott, said: “The upcoming wave of openings reinforces Southeast Asia’s role as both a core growth engine and a showcase for Ascott’s multi-typology brand strategy. As we scale across cities and resort destinations, disciplined execution remains our focus – from efficient conversions to reliable delivery on the ground. The strength of our local teams has been instrumental in translating strategy into outcomes, turning pipeline into reality with the speed and precision our owners and guests expect. We are particularly excited about our upcoming resort openings across the region, which will meaningfully expand our leisure offerings and open up new destinations for Ascott Star Rewards members to explore and enjoy their rewards.”

Growing into New Cities and Markets
Ascott’s development pipeline will extend its footprint into around 20 new cities across Southeast Asia, taking the company beyond established gateway markets and deeper into emerging leisure and business destinations. New cities entering the Ascott portfolio include Phu Quoc and Nha Trang in Vietnam; Phuket and Hat Yai in Thailand; Labuan Bajo and Medan in Indonesia; Davao and Biñan in the Philippines; and Johor Bahru and Langkawi in Malaysia.

Driving Speed to Market through Conversions and Brownfields
About 30% of the development pipeline in Southeast Asia will be delivered through conversions, reflecting Ascott’s capability to reposition existing assets under its brands and accelerate market entry. Among the notable examples are three Bayview-branded properties in Penang and Langkawi owned by Oriental Holdings, which will be rebranded as Ascott Batu Ferringhi Penang, Oakwood Georgetown Penang and FOX Hotel Langkawi by 2028. Conversion projects expected to open within approximately one year of signing include Citadines Mitra Bandung, Oakwood Pandanaran Semarang and Fox Hotel Nagoya Batam.

Alongside new-build developments, conversions enable Ascott to meet demand in markets where opportunities exist but greenfield supply pipelines are constrained. This dual-track approach strengthens Ascott’s ability to scale efficiently across diverse markets and property types.

Expanding Across Multiple Lodging Types
The development pipeline across Southeast Asia reflects the full breadth of Ascott’s multi‑typology brand strategy, anchored by its serviced residence heritage and extending across hotels, resorts, social living properties and branded residences. It spans brands including Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Somerset, The Crest Collection and The Unlimited Collection. This range of brands and formats positions Southeast Asia as a showcase for Ascott’s ability to address demand across different markets, guest segments and destination types.

Resort properties represent one of the most significant areas of growth within this pipeline. Upcoming resort openings across Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand will complement Ascott’s established urban portfolio and strengthen its balance across business and leisure travel segments.

Highlights of Upcoming Openings
More than 25 properties from Ascott’s pipeline are expected to open within the next 12 months. These near‑term openings follow the launches of Somerset Valero Makati in the Philippines and Oakwood Cameron Highlands in Malaysia earlier this year, and form part of a broader rollout across Southeast Asia.

Ascott Tay Ho Hanoi
Ascott Tay Ho Hanoi is poised to become Ascott’s largest full‑service MICE hotel and a landmark events and hospitality destination in Vietnam’s capital. Located on the shores of West Lake in Hanoi’s upscale Tay Ho District, the property features an international convention centre that is already operational, offering 13 flexible event spaces including Hanoi’s largest pillarless hotel grand ballroom with capacity for up to 2,000 guests. When fully open in 2027, the property will also offer 1,165 hotel rooms and serviced apartments as well as premium wellness facilities including a spa, gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and yoga rooms, alongside 10 dining concepts and a sky bar overlooking the lake. Ascott Tay Ho Hanoi combines long-stay living, hotel accommodation and world-class MICE facilities under one roof, firmly establishing Ascott’s credentials in Vietnam’s fast-growing meetings and events market.

Lasong Hotel & Villas Sam Son by The Unlimited Collection
Set to complete its full opening on 24 April 2026, Lasong Hotel & Villas Sam Son by The Unlimited Collection will mark the debut of a landmark wellness resort on Vietnam’s northern coast. Located at the confluence of the Ma River and Sam Son Beach in Thanh Hoa Province, the property brings together 68 boutique hotel rooms and 20 private pool villas already in operation since mid-2025, with the newly opening 190-room Sky Vista tower completing the full resort experience. Sky Vista is anchored by an authentic Korean jjimjilbang, four-season pool, plant-based dining and a full spa, drawing on Sam Son’s coastal heritage and Vietnamese-Korean wellness traditions to deliver a deeply local and distinctive stay.

HARRIS Resort Cam Ranh
Slated to open progressively from 4Q 2026, HARRIS Resort Cam Ranh marks the debut of the HARRIS brand in Vietnam and signals the start of a wave of Ascott resort openings along the country’s coastline. The 693-unit all-in-one resort is located along Long Beach in Cam Ranh, one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing leisure and aviation hubs. It is designed for families and leisure travellers, featuring specialty dining, a beach club, recreational facilities and dedicated meeting spaces.

Together, Lasong and HARRIS Resort Cam Ranh mark the beginning of Ascott’s significant resort push across Southeast Asia through 2028. In Vietnam, this will be followed by Citadines Selavia Phu Quoc in 2027 and Somerset Nha Trang in 2028.

Beyond Vietnam, the resort pipeline extends across multiple markets. Scheduled to open in 2027 are Ascott Abov Patong Phuket Resort in Thailand, lyf Resort Labuan Bajo and Oakwood Jimbaran Villas and Residences Bali in Indonesia, as well as Balai Dajao by Preference in Siargao, the Philippines. In 2028, this will be followed by Ascott Batu Ferringhi Penang in Malaysia, Citadines Mactan Cebu Resort in the Philippines and Oakwood Premier Berawa Beach Bali in Indonesia, expanding the range of leisure destinations available to Ascott Star Rewards members across the region.

1926 Heritage Hotel Penang by The Unlimited Collection
Opening in 2026 to coincide with its centenary, the 78-room 1926 Heritage Hotel Penang by The Unlimited Collection breathes new life into one of George Town’s most storied properties. Located on Burma Road within Penang’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed enclave, the hotel has been sensitively restored to preserve its original Anglo-Malay architectural character while delivering a full-service experience – including a swimming pool, gym, spa and wellness centre, hair salon, bar and bistro, restaurant, and flexible event spaces comprising a function hall and meeting room. The property exemplifies The Unlimited Collection’s philosophy of celebrating the cultural soul of a destination, offering guests an immersive gateway to Penang’s rich heritage and living culture. The reopening has already captured international attention, with The New York Times and Bloomberg highlighting the hotel in their respective features on Penang as a must‑visit destination for 2026.

lyf Chinatown Singapore
Slated to open in July 2026, lyf Chinatown Singapore exemplifies the lyf brand’s experience-led approach to social living, set against one of Singapore’s most historically significant precincts. The property is housed within a newly developed building linked to four pre-war conservation shophouses on Pagoda Street, within the Jamae Chulia Heritage site. Social spaces – including a coworking lounge, social kitchen, rooftop swimming pool and outdoor courtyard – are designed to foster community and connection among the next-generation of travellers, digital nomads and creatives. The property will also programme cultural experiences rooted in the local neighbourhood, reinforcing the lyf brand’s philosophy of integrating authentic local culture into the social living experience.

Somerset Clarke Quay Singapore
Somerset Clarke Quay Singapore forms part of CanningHill Piers, a landmark integrated development on River Valley Road. The 192-unit serviced residence occupies a prime riverfront address in the heart of the Clarke Quay day-to-night lifestyle precinct, with direct connectivity to Fort Canning MRT station and dual frontages facing the Singapore River and Fort Canning Hill. Rooted in biophilic design and thoughtful comfort, the property is conceived as a nature-inspired sanctuary where families can come together, with spaces crafted for connection, ease and everyday living – making it one of the most distinctive Somerset addresses in the region.

Ascott Ortigas Manila
Expected to open in 2026, Ascott Ortigas Manila marks the debut of the flagship Ascott brand in the Ortigas Central Business District, one of Metro Manila’s most dynamic commercial hubs. A conversion of the well-established Joy-Nostalg Hotel & Suites Manila, the 229-unit property closed in January 2026 for a comprehensive renovation of its rooms, public spaces and food and beverage offerings. Located directly across from the Asian Development Bank headquarters, it is ideally positioned to serve corporate, long-stay and leisure travellers, and will offer dining, a spa, fitness centre and event spaces upon reopening.

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An increase in the price of takeaway coffee in March helped pull food prices up 3.4 percent higher than a year earlier.

It follows a 4.5 percent rise in the 12 months to February.

Stats NZ said higher prices for meat, poultry and fish, up 7.3 percent, were the main drivers of March’s annual increase.

That was followed by restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, up 2.8 percent.

The biggest contributors to the annual increase were steak, takeaway coffee, white bread and mince, Stats NZ said.

The average price of a takeaway coffee in March was $5.20, Stats NZ said, up from $4.88 a year earlier.

Coffee prices have been pushed higher as the cost of beans has risen but that pressure has eased more recently.

But other costs for cafes are likely to remain a concern, such as the price of dairy and rising fuel.

Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen said the increase coming through now could also be a result of earlier increases that had not yet been passed on.

“Just a timing variation, probably because for items like coffee, they do only probably reprice a couple of times a year so you’re not going to see an immediate jump in those prices, they’re more going to bleed through over time.”

He said coffee bean prices were still higher than before the pandemic.

“Talking to people in the sector, those who are selling coffee are trying to eat as much as they can themselves so they don’t have to pass the price increase on. They’re worried that if they pass the full price increase on, people just won’t buy coffee out any more.”

He said the latest food stats included almost none of the recent fuel price increase.

“When we looked at our grocery supply cost index with Foodstuffs, what was quite clear there was that you weren’t really seeing any immediate impact.”

He said it was likely to only start to show up from May.

Foodstuffs said it experienced retail price rises of 3.7 percent in March.

Managing director Chris Quin said the rise in fuel prices would be felt across the food system.

“We’re seeing the early impacts of higher fuel costs, but some of that pressure will take time to show up on shelf because we’re at the end of global and domestic supply chains,” Quin said.

“We are working closely with suppliers to navigate a tough environment, while trying to protect customers from rising costs as much as we can.”

He noted that olive oil had dropped more than 20 percent, cauliflower was down 16.8 percent, apples down almost 15 percent and kumara down almost 14 percent.

Food prices fell 0.6 percent in March compared to February, Stats NZ said.

Contributors were kiwifruit, chocolate blocks, cheddar cheese and beef mince.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

• RSE workers’ costs should be more fairly shared with employers and government, report finds
• Policy being reviewed by MBIE, including workers’ shared accommodation
• Concerns over ‘blacklisting’ of workers who raise grievances

An international report into New Zealand’s seasonal worker scheme says reform is needed to bring down migrants’ costs, and protect them from abuse.

The government says its own review of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme will consider the report’s recommendations, as well as the views of employers and Pacific partners.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) report calls on the government and employers to cut migration costs to shoulder a more equitable share of costs including transport, accommodation and set-up costs.

More than 20,000 workers arrive each year from the Pacific, filling jobs in horticulture and viticulture such as fruit-picking.

The ILO report recommended workers be allowed to change their Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) more easily and have free access to healthcare.

In particular, it highlighted that workers who raised issues were “vulnerable to blacklisting” when it came time for possible re-hiring for another season. It pointed to a previous study which found RSE workers were unlikely to make formal complaints, due to fears of being perceived as troublemakers and out of cultural respect for authority.

RSE workers who were dismissed from employment lost their right to remain in New Zealand, and the report-writers found no information on being able to change employers in material provided to RSE workers.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said that transfers to new employers were possible on a case-by-case basis – if requested by an employer, the labour inspectorate, an engagement partner, or a Pacific liaison officer.

The report questioned how accessible and effective those channels were for workers wanting to report exploitation or other grievances.

Following the release of the previous ILO report four years ago, Australia had adopted a recommendation to disincentivise employers from deducting unreasonable amounts from workers. It now had a minimum take-home salary of AU$200 per week.

The latest report recommended New Zealand should adopt the same policy and also noted labour hire companies were not subject to a general licensing requirement.

It called for a review of the participation of women and other underrepresented groups in both work schemes.

“Further strengthening these schemes in line with international labour standards will help ensure their long-term success and benefit workers, employers and countries of origin and destination alike,” said ILO Pacific office director Martin Wandera.

An unconnected surveyconducted by MBIE and representing a quarter of RSE employers suggested many went beyond their legal and pastoral obligations to help staff. Of the employers who responded to the survey, more than half had helped fund or organise full or partial containers sent back to workers’ home countries.

Supplies included building materials, tools, water tanks, solar panels, generators, school supplies and household goods – and assistance in the wake of disasters was also common.

Accommodation

The ILO report found protections already in place in New Zealand included a ban on charging recruitment fees. But it said many workers were in debt when they arrived – to employers, as well as banks, governments and family back home – because of travel and documentation costs.

“MBIE undertakes direct monitoring of employer deductions, though the details of what is considered ‘reasonable’ could not be found in the documents made available for this review,” it said.

Employers often provided accommodation to their workers, and a new framework set out the basic standards, as well as how much they could charge for better lodging.

The government said in January it was allowing higher rent caps – inflation-increased each year – to encourage employers to invest in better-quality accommodation.

Weekly caps from $150 to $211 had been introduced this month – the maximum rental charge depended on the accommodation quality and features, such as the number of people sharing a bedroom, the age of the building and bathroom proximity.

But in an update last month, INZ said employers would be given a transitional period of up to two years if they were currently charging a higher amount than they would be able to under the new methodology.

“Employers will only be able to recover the actual cost of providing accommodation, and all charges must be reasonable,” it said. “Employers must still comply with employment law, including the Minimum Wage Act and the Wages Protection Act, and employers remain responsible for ensuring accommodation deductions are lawful.”

RSE review

The government-set cap on RSE worker numbers had risen from 5000 when the scheme started in 2007 to 20,750 last year.

Most came from 13 Pacific countries, although latest (pre-pandemic) figures show employers also recruited other nationalities, such as Filipinos and Malaysians.

In 2022, the-then Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Karanina Sumeo said she witnessed slavery-like conditions and said the RSE scheme was being run in a way that allowed modern slavery to take place.

In 2024, the government removed the requirement that RSE workers be paid 10 percent above minimum wage.

They now had to have worked at least two seasons before the additional 10 percent was applied. However, the average number of seasons worked was below three, according to research by the Development Policy Centre’s Charlotte Bedford, who said New Zealand was languishing behind Australia in worker protections and wages for RSE workers.

MBIE said its review was considering the ILO’s report and recommendations, as well as input from employers and Pacific nations to ensure that the RSE scheme continued to benefit workers, their source countries and the horticulture and viticulture sectors.

“The scope of this review is broad, spanning employer and compliance settings, labour market settings and the visa itself,” said its policy manager Sam Foley. “Accommodation quality standards are being considered in the policy review which is currently underway.”

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