SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 May 2026 – SIM Academy has opined on the importance of aligning professional development choices with individual learning preferences, particularly for individuals who tend to excel in interactive and collaborative environments. Learners who are inclined towards discussion, coaching, and group-based activities may see additional benefit from training approaches that incorporate real-world application and interpersonal skill development. Such alignment may support greater confidence and more effective application of skills in workplace settings.

SIM Academy’s professional development portfolio includes short courses across areas such as communication, collaboration, and facilitation, reflecting a focus on workplace-relevant skill development.

Supporting Communication Skills Development

Communication remains a key required competency across industries. Programmes in this area focus on helping participants convey messages clearly, adapt communication styles for different audiences, and manage workplace interactions effectively. The ability to speak with confidence, clarity, and impact plays a vital role in achieving meaningful outcomes.

Short professional programmes, such as Effective Communication and Advanced Negotiations, are designed to equip participants with essential skill and provide structured guidance to help them develop purposeful and confident communication skills.

Strengthening Collaboration in the Workplace

Collaboration plays an important role in team effectiveness and organisational performance. Programmes in this area focus on enabling individuals to work effectively in teams, whether in physical or virtual environments. The one-day Collaboration (Intermediate) course covers areas such as team goal-setting, communication, conflict management, coaching, and mentoring. It is intended for supervisors, executives, and managers seeking to strengthen team dynamics and address workplace challenges collaboratively.

Developing Facilitation Capabilities

Facilitation skills are increasingly relevant in guiding discussions and enabling participation in group settings. Programmes in this area are intended for professionals who lead meetings, workshops, or collaborative initiatives. Courses such as The Art and Science of Facilitation introduce practical techniques for managing group interactions, encouraging participation, and supporting productive discussions in workplace settings.

Aligning Learning with Professional Needs

References

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

Hashtag: #SIMAcademy #SIMA

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

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

– 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 major report highlighting the risks of climate change to almost every facet of New Zealand life is a “big wake-up call”, climate researchers say.

One is calling for a war-time approach to climate adaptation, saying partisanship must be removed from crucial decisions about costs.

The Climate Change Commission’s national risk assessment, released on Thursday, highlighted what it said were the 10 biggest climate-related risks for the country.

Threats to buildings, road and rail, and the country’s “degraded” water infrastructure were all on the list, but it also included social and community wellbeing, emergency management, funding and decision-making.

There were “extreme” shortfalls in policy for many of the risks, and too much money was being spent reacting to events instead of building resilience, the commission said.

Earth Sciences New Zealand principal climate scientist Nick Cradock-Henry said since the previous risk assessment was published in 2020, the urgency of the climate risk was now clear.

“The speed and scale, the speed of onset of these risks, is increasing almost in real time,” he said.

“We’re having extreme weather events from once every few years to almost monthly – that is a dramatic acceleration in just a few years.”

Risks that had previously been hypothetical, like insurance retreat, were now a reality in some places, Cradock-Henry said.

“We are seeing already then in the absence of a comprehensive strategy to deal with climate change, insurers are waking up to the fact that there’s no plan.

“There is increasing exposure and there is an unwillingness in the part of insurers to bear the costs of that.”

Responding to the report’s release, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said adaptation to climate change was “a key priority” for the government.

“That’s why last year we released a National Adaptation Framework and are progressing a range of work across the planning system, emergency management, and local government to give us an enduring system that prepares New Zealand for the impacts of climate change, while keeping costs to our society as low as possible,” he said.

The commission’s report would help the government to “better understand the urgency and severity of climate risks so we can sequence and prioritise action”.

Cradock-Henry said the government’s framework was “skeletal” and local councils needed much more clarity and support.

“They are on the front lines of managing this and they are under-resourced and are in many ways essentially flying blind,” he said.

“We need a Climate Adaptation Bill.”

University of Canterbury political science professor Bronwyn Hayward said the report had been released at the “worst time politically”.

“We’re going into a highly partisan election, we’ve got a rushed ultimatum to local government for restructuring, we’re restructuring the key agencies that are responsible for delivering responses to risk, particularly the Ministry for the Environment, and all of this almost chaotic change is really putting at risk our ability to move thoughtfully, inclusively, and transparently in not just planning, but actually implementing action.”

Politicking needed to be put aside so that lasting decisions could be made about how to share the costs of adaptation.

“We’ve seen it occasionally at times of great crisis,” she said.

“In World War II, we actually had ministers that were appointed from the opposition as well as from government. During Covid, we had a select committee that was led by the opposition.”

In the meantime, there was no “coherent plan”.

“We’re leaving individuals to respond to risk and to inform themselves, and we’re dealing with events as if they are one-off emergencies each time that we face them.”

Climate Prescience director and researcher Nathaneal Melia said from a scientific perspective, the report was “a big wake-up call” but likely still underplayed the risks.

It should be treating the massive costs to the economy and society from the North Island weather events in 2023 as the current “best worst-case scenario”.

“Come, say, 10 years’ time, you’re going to get another event like that, that’s going to be worse. And then the one 10 years day the line is going to be worse than that,” he said.

“So, are our systems robust enough to cope with these ‘black swan’ events that are coming?”

The government now has two years to respond to the risk report with a new adaptation plan.

Climate Change minister Simon Watts has previously said that no decisions about cost-sharing will be made until the next term of government.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

New research is underway to support better targeted food safety rules for commercial and recreational deer hunters, says Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard.

Under current food safety rules, deer cannot be killed and supplied for food processing within a two-kilometre buffer zone of a brodifacoum bait station and the restrictions remain in place for three years after the poison is laid.

“These rules make large areas of land unavailable to commercial hunters for extended periods of time. I’m not going to take any shortcuts with food safety, but we need to make sure any rules that limit what people can do are supported by good evidence,” says Mr Hoggard.

“We know the science is always evolving. This research programme will bring the latest information and evidence to bear so we can make better targeted decisions and potentially move away from the current one-size-fits-all model.”

The research will also support New Zealand’s trade assurances with importing countries, he said.

“We have a hard-won and excellent reputation as an exporter of safe, high-quality meat products. This is the kind of research that helps to underpin that reputation, which is so important to our economy.”

The Bioeconomy Science Institute and Lincoln University will work together on the research, and the team will include experts in deer behaviour, toxicology, statistical modelling and bait station design.

“The research is set to be completed by November, and my officials will carefully review it for any insights that would require changes to the rules.”
 

MIL OSI

Date:  06 May 2026

The Department of Conservation is surveying a range of habitats both inside and outside the new marine protected areas as a monitoring baseline of the marine environment. It is working with mana moana, universities and research institutes.

The monitoring is an essential part of ensuring the purpose of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act – to restore the health and mauri of the area – is being met. The monitoring aims to understand the ecological condition and trends, the effectiveness of protection measures, and the impacts of any permitted activities.

Emma Kearney, a marine scientist at DOC, says the surveys provide an environmental snapshot of 2026.

“We need to know what the marine habitats and species look like now, so that we can track trends and changes in the future.

“The 12 new high protection areas are different from marine reserves, because they are legally set up to encourage restoration, such as reseeding shellfish beds or reducing sea urchin numbers.

“This monitoring will help us understand the impacts of the protection as well as the outcomes of marine restoration work.”

Data will be collated and reported on in 2026/2027 – the new legislation requires DOC to report on changes in the marine environment publicly every five years.

The surveys focus on various species including deep and shallow reef fish, spiny and packhorse lobster, scallops and key seafloor species such as horse mussel, rhodoliths, and dog cockle.

A range of methods are used from diving and potting for lobster, to underwater cameras mounted on frames that sit on the seafloor and observe the fish communities.

Emma says the process of marine science takes place both in and out of the water.

“One day I’m out measuring lobster with marine rangers in the Coromandel. Another day I’m behind the computer screen reviewing video footage to see what species are showing up around reefs, and what sizes they are.”

“Many fish and underwater species use the reefs and shellfish beds of Tīkapa Moana to breed and shelter. New areas of protection are crucial as they support these highly productive marine ecosystems.

“In recent months, fishers have been great at respecting the rules when out on the water. Removing fishing pressure helps sea life to grow larger and reproduce. It’s an easy way for people to contribute to the health of Tīkapa Moana,” adds Emma.

Anyone heading out naturing in the Gulf can learn more about these marine protections on the DOC website.

Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana marine protected areas

Contact

MIL OSI

• IF brand introduces EA-IRMS technology, setting a new benchmark in Asia for molecular-level authenticity testing in coconut water.
• The Multi-million THB investment enables source-level testing, detecting adulteration before production, ensuring what consumers drink is truly from nature.
• A shift from industry-standard post-production checks to proactive “source verification,” reinforcing IF brand’s commitment to transparency, quality, and trust.
• Globally recognised EA-IRMS technology acts as a molecular “truth detector,” identifying added sugar and water with precision to safeguard product integrity.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 May 2026 – Amid rising global concerns around food fraud, hidden sugars, and ingredient adulteration in the beverage industry, IF brand, the company behind the internationally recognised IF beverage portfolio, has announced the implementation of Elemental Analyzer Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA-IRMS) technology – becoming the first coconut water brand in Asia to adopt molecular-level authenticity verification for coconut water purity.

Backed by an investment of multi-million THB , this initiative marks a significant shift in how beverage quality is assured. While most industry players rely on post-production testing, IF has taken a proactive approach by implementing EA-IRMS at the raw material receiving stage, enabling the detection of added sugar or water before production even begins.

Verifying Purity at the Point of Origin

Widely recognised as a global gold standard in food authenticity testing, EA-IRMS technology functions as a molecular “truth detector,” analysing isotopic composition to verify whether a product is truly natural or has been altered.

By integrating this technology at the earliest stage of production, IF strengthens its end-to-end quality control system, ensuring that only authentic, unaltered ingredients proceed into manufacturing. This pre-emptive approach moves beyond conventional quality checks, delivering assurance that is not only promised, but scientifically validated from the source.

What You Drink, Proven by Science

At the heart of this initiative is IF brand’s commitment to what it calls “molecular integrity” – ensuring that what goes into every bottle is exactly what nature intended, with nothing added or altered.

In an industry where concerns around hidden sugars and product tampering continue to surface, EA-IRMS technology acts as a powerful verification tool, allowing IF to confirm the authenticity of its ingredients from the very start. By investing in advanced food technology, IF brand reinforces its belief that what consumers drink should stay true to its natural source, delivering transparency they can trust and quality they can taste.

“We believe that trust is built on visible transparency,” said the IF brand announcement . “At IF, we are committed to the highest quality standards. The implementation of EA-IRMS is not only a response to market concerns, but also a step toward establishing a new benchmark for the coconut water industry where authenticity is no longer just a claim, but a fact supported by data.”

With the adoption of EA-IRMS technology, IF brand reinforces its quality assurance framework and supports ongoing efforts to elevate industry standards in Asia. By moving beyond reactive testing to proactive verification, the company is redefining how product integrity can be safeguarded through science, innovation, and transparency. Through this initiative, IF brand continues to lead with purpose, demonstrating that true quality is not just claimed, but proven.

Hashtag: #IFBrand

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

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

The Government has updated national rules for marine aquaculture to make it easier for operators to improve how they farm, adopt new technology and carry out research or trials while maintaining environmental safeguards, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones say.

“Changes to the National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture will remove unnecessary complexity and cost for aquaculture operators,” Mr Bishop says.

“These changes support marine farmers to refine their operations within existing footprints, trial new approaches and adopt better practices, without lowering the bar for environmental protection.

“The amendments also provide councils with clearer national direction about how certain activities should be assessed, reducing unnecessary variation and uncertainty across the country.”

The aquaculture sector employs more than 3000 people, provides food for Kiwis, and generates $650 million in exports annually. 

Mr Jones said the changes were an important step towards reaching the ambitious goal of $3 billion in annual revenue set out in the Aquaculture Development Plan last year.  

“I am a strong and vocal supporter of aquaculture growth because of its enormous potential to further benefit New Zealand’s export economy, bringing much needed jobs and export earnings into the regions.

“Prior to these changes, marine farmers were required to undergo a complex and difficult consenting process to make even minor changes to their operations. These changes reduce the administrative and financial burden of consenting and reconsenting, and introduce rules that ensure sustainability while allowing for the kind of flexibility and innovation that our economy and communities need.” 

When the updated National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture come into effect on 4 June, councils will need to apply the amended rules to new permitted activities and when making decisions on marine aquaculture consents.

“These updates are another step in making the resource management system
more workable and proportionate, while still protecting our marine environment,”
Mr Bishop says.

“The changes form part of the Government’s wider programme to improve how
national direction operates under the current Resource Management Act and will
continue to have effect during the transitional period under the proposed Planning
and Natural Environment Acts. This broader programme will be the biggest suite of changes to RMA national direction in New Zealand’s history.

“The suite of changes includes, among other things, removing barriers to infrastructure, making it easier to build granny flats and support housing growth, removing unworkable rules for the primary sector, and streamlining consenting for renewable energy.”

Key changes to the marine aquaculture regulations include:

• making reconsenting and changes to consent conditions easier and more nationally consistent.
• making it easier to undertake aquaculture-related research or trials.
• making it easier to change or cancel consent monitoring conditions, to keep pace with new science and technology.
• fixing a range of technical issues to improve clarity, consistency and usability of the regulations.

More information about the changes can be found here:  

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/fishing-aquaculture/aquaculture-fish-and-shellfish-farming/national-environmental-standards-for-marine-aquaculture

MIL OSI

It’s cooling down around the country, so how do you stay warm – and safe – in a DOC hut?

Media and Communications Advisor Krysia Nowak explores how to optimise your fireplace game.

Staying warm

Many DOC huts have fireplaces to keep you toasty warm at the end of the day (you can check the DOC website or Plan My Walk to find out which huts). At times, the thought of a warm place is the only thing that keeps you going in a long day tramping in freezing conditions!

But do you know how to get the best performance from a DOC fireplace, or how to keep yourself and others safe? Read on.

7 ways to optimise your fireplace game:

1) Use only as much wood as you need

At some serviced and Great Walk Huts, firewood is supplied as an amenity. But remember this firewood is helicoptered in at great expense, and with all the associated carbon emissions, so burn responsibly and just what you need.

In other locations, you might need to gather dead wood from the forest. Remember, it’s never appropriate to chop down trees on public conservation land.

Insects, fungi, and the soil need some dead wood around, so take a bit, leave a bit, and try not to completely thrash the area close to the hut. We’re just visiting, so it’s important we don’t disrupt the lives of the creatures that call the woods home.

Whether wood is supplied or you collect it yourself, it’s best not to go overboard, so there’s plenty of wood for the next people seeking warmth at the end of the day. Using only what you need helps reduce your impact, leaves more wood to keep later visitors toasty, and gives you warm fuzzy feeling from being a good fellow human.

2) Stack wood appropriately

Stacking wood around the hearth or leaning against the burner box is asking for trouble. Stack it a little away from the fireplace so it doesn’t accidentally catch fire.

3) Keep the fire contained, and don’t leave it unattended

Hopefully, this is a no-brainer, and we all know that fire is dangerous and needs to be treated with care. Treat it like a wayward child with a pair of scissors; it’s probably fine if it keeps doing what it’s supposed to be doing, but I wouldn’t risk leaving it alone.

4) Burn fuel completely

Discovered a half-burnt log and some black charcoal in the fireplace? Don’t biff it, it’s perfectly good fuel! Burn fuel completely to make the best use of resources – again, making sure there’s enough to go around.

5) Put only cold ashes in the ash bins

This means no hot ashes. First off, handing hot ashes is dangerous, and even if you manage not to get burnt, hot ashes sitting in a bucket or disposed of outdoors have been known to damage huts as well. If you used the fireplace overnight, leave the ashes in the burner, since they might still be warm and be a fire hazard.

Once the ashes are cold, they can go in the ash bin – but don’t forget to save those half-burnt and charcoal bits, they’re still good for more warmth!

NO RUBBISH should go in ash bins.

While it may seem like a good idea to burn your rubbish, it can cause health issues for you and others using the hut. One example is people burning UHT milk cartons, which have a thin layer of foil inside. When these burn, the light foils fly up the chimney and settle on the roof, where the hut water is collected from. You see the issue; in the past, we’ve had to urgently clean out entire water tanks due to foil contamination.

Pack in, pack out. No, seriously, don’t put it in the toilet, don’t put it in the fireplace, don’t stuff it into a corner of the hut. Take your rubbish out with you.

Note: if the ash bin is full and you absolutely must dispose of ashes elsewhere, choose a patch of bare earth away from plants and wet it thoroughly so it doesn’t ignite.

6) Replace any wood you use

This is just being a decent person. It’s particularly important if people are using huts in emergency situations – leaving it prepared could be what helps someone make it through the night in relative comfort.

7) Extinguish fires completely before you leave

Again, this makes sense right? Don’t leave the burny thing alone to burn things. An unattended fire could burn down a hut, leaving others stranded without shelter, or it could start a wildfire. You don’t want either of those things on your conscience! Plus, they could cost a fortune to fix.

Plan to stop adding wood at least an hour before you leave to allow the fire to die naturally (a good idea is to allow the fire to die down overnight). If you need to extinguish it faster, damping it with some ash can speed up the process; just make sure it’s fully out before you head out yourself.

So, there you have it – optimise your hut fireplace game so everyone can enjoy their best cold weather tramping experience.

You can find out more about fire safety in the outdoors on the NZ Mountain Safety Council’s website here.

We also recommend making sure you’re fully comfortable and safe with your cooking apparatus, check out our Tips for the humble gas cooker | Conservation blog

Links to where you can find more info:

About DOC huts: Stay in a hut

Fire Safety — NZMSC

MIL OSI

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

The Education Minister Erica Stanford has responded to critics of her controversial curriculum rewrite with a mix of conciliation and defiance.

Stanford told RNZ changes would be made to six draft curriculums but indicated major revisions were off the table, suggesting some critics had not read the documents properly.

Her comments followed several subject associations sharing submissions calling for major changes and in some cases total rewrites of five of the six documents.

The submissions followed an open letter last month from organisations with a mandate to speak for thousands of teachers and principals urging the government to halt its curriculum changes.

Stanford told RNZ there would be changes as there were with the English and maths curriculums introduced last year.

“We took a huge amount of feedback in with English and maths and we made significant changes and we’ll do that again with all of these subject areas. That’s the point of consultation,” she said.

But Stanford ruled out complete rewrites of the documents as requested by Physical Education New Zealand in its submission on the Health and PE draft.

“The PE teachers especially seem to be wanting us to push back to a very vague curriculum that’s stripped of any sort of knowledge and those important skills that need to be taught,” she said.

“We have to be really clear that it’s got to be consistent and it’s got to be knowledge-rich and it has to be scaffolded over time and we’re not going to move away from that. But if we have got some things that we’re introducing too early or there’s too much or there’s stuff that we’ve not considered we’ll certainly take that into consideration.”

Stanford said the draft curriculum specified the skills and knowledge children should learn but it left room for teachers to instill the values and understanding of movement that she said Physical Education New Zealand wanted in the document.

Timeline still being decided

She said she would make announcements about the timeline for introducing the new curriculums – currently three next year and three in 2028 – but stressed she had been taking advice on that before the Principals Federation and NZEI published their open letter calling for a pause.

“I’ve already been working with many of the principal associations for a long time around pace,” she said.

“We already rephased the pace once, or rephased the roll-out, and we’ve been talking to them about how we can potentially look at doing that again. I’m going to be making announcements in the near future about that.”

Asked to what extent timeline changes were limited by the government’s plan to introduce a new secondary school qualification to replace NCEA from 2029, Stanford said there was room for flexibility.

“We’ve done English and maths and those were the two key. There are other areas that are important for obvious reasons like science, and social science has a huge amount of knowledge in it,” she said.

“So there are some subjects that are potentially more critical… than others. It’s not that I’m saying they’re more important because I love the Arts, they were my favourite subjects at school, but when we make compromise of course we have to prioritise some things over others.”

No organisation representing teachers or principals has spoken out in support of the government’s changes, but Stanford claimed most teachers backed her.

“Schools I’ve talked to are hugely on board,” she said.

“I was at a conference on the weekend… 500 teachers and principals from around New Zealand who are there to learn about the science of learning and implementing it in their schools – hugely on board. My view is that it is a quite vocal minority that are opposed to these changes.”

Stanford said the government would provide schools with the resources they needed to introduce the new curriculums successfully, adding that the English and maths curriculums were going well despite initial pushback from some schools.

‘It is a very big change from what people are used’

Curriculum coherence group member and New Zealand Initiative researcher Michael Johnston said the opposition was noisy, but he was not sure it represented the majority of teachers and principals.

“I do think that there’s quite a distribution for how prepared schools and teachers are for the changes that are afoot,” he said.

He said the proposed curriculums were very different to what most teachers were used to.

“It is a very big change from what people are used to and when people look at it they will see far more content than they did in the previous curriculum and they might wonder how are we going to teach all this,” he said.

“That is going to be a challenge but also the curriculum is designed to be taught in a way that our teachers are perhaps not used to and it is possible using really efficient teaching methods to get a lot more done. Having said that, it’s going to take a while and I don’t think anybody’s expecting perfection on day one and neither are these drafts necessarily perfect that’s why there’s a consultation.”

Asked if middle ground could be found, Johnston said: “The consultations will be taken seriously and where there are valid criticisms I think the drafts will be changed. But again, it is a big change and a big change takes some time to get people’s heads around and I think that just has to be understood.”

Opposition to the changes appeared to be strongest in primary schools and Johnston said the Curriculum Coherence Group was concerned that the sector might be over-burdened because its teachers were generalists who had to get grips with all of the new curriculums.

“One of things that we really need is to show teachers how they can integrate teaching across the different learning areas, that they don’t have to teach it all separately,” he said.

“Teachers can’t be expected to just know that, they need to be given the resources.”

Johnston said schools were not being expected to teach the curriculums perfectly as soon as they were introduced.

“The timeline is fast but it’s also necessary,” he said.

“She’s [Education Minister Erica Stanford] made the point that every year that goes by we have more kids sold short so there is a reason for the velocity as well.

“The process has been very rapid, nobody can deny that. When England revised its curriculum it took many years. They have the luxury of a five-year political cycle, we have a three-year political cycle and like it or not, that has an influence.”

The Education Ministry’s Curriculum Centre deputy secretary Pauline Cleaver said the ministry received about 3800 submissions on the six drafts.

“Consultation is designed to gather a wide range of views, including strong criticism, and we expected people to engage strongly with the draft. Hearing all feedback is an important part of the process,” she said.

“We are now carefully working through the feedback, which is helping to identify where the draft materials need greater clarity, and where educators are seeking reassurance about how the curriculum will work in everyday classroom practice.”

Cleaver said the ministry was on track to publish the updated curriculum in the middle of the year.

“Once the feedback has been fully considered, the minister will outline the next steps, including any implications for timing and implementation,” she said.

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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

The world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, now in its sixty-first year, will open at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum on Sunday 28 June. On loan from the Natural History Museum in London, the exhibition features exceptional nature photography from across the globe.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind. Launching in 1965, today the competition receives more than 60,000 entries from 113 countries and territories worldwide. The exhibition showcases 100 images selected by an international jury, highlighting artistic composition, technical innovation and powerful storytelling about the natural world.

The exhibition shines a light on powerful and fascinating images that capture hidden animal behaviour, spectacular species, and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world. Using photography’s unique emotive power, the images share stories from around the world and encourage audiences to reflect on and advocate for the planet.

Ahead of its arrival in Auckland, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026 was announced last month. Austrian photographer Josef Stefan has been named the People’s Choice winner for his image Flying Rodent, capturing a playful Iberian lynx in Spain – following a record-breaking 85,917 public votes worldwide.

The exhibition features the top award-winning images announced late last year, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner Wim van den Heever for his powerful image Ghost Town Visitor, a haunting yet mesmerising image of a rare brown hyena visiting the skeletal remains of a long-abandoned diamond mining town in Kolmanskop, Namibia.

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year was awarded to Andrea Dominizi, aged 17, whose image After the Destruction tells a poignant tale of habitat loss. Framed against abandoned machinery, the image spotlights a longhorn beetle in the Lepini Mountains of central Italy, an area once logged for old beech trees.

Auckland Museum Director of Audience Engagement Victoria Travers says, “It’s a privilege to bring Wildlife Photographer of the Year back to Auckland and share some of the most compelling photos taken of our natural world today. It’s an opportunity to see both the beauty of our planet and the challenges it faces.”

Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, says, “Now in its sixty-first year, we are thrilled to continue Wildlife Photographer of the Year as a powerful platform for visual storytelling, showing the diversity, beauty and complexity of the natural world and humanity’s relationship to it. With the inclusion of our Biodiversity Intactness Index, this year’s exhibition will be our best combination of great artistry and groundbreaking science yet, helping visitors to become inspired to be advocates for our planet.”

The exhibition at Auckland Museum is a chance to view these stunning photographs, beautifully illuminated, up close and in person from Sunday 28 June to Sunday 23 August 2026.

Entry is included with Museum admission, which is free for Aucklanders. Museum Members can see the exhibition first at their Members’ Preview on Saturday 27 June.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London, and supported by local exhibition partner Lindblad Expeditions.

MIL OSI

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has concluded a two-day visit to Singapore, where he met Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and shored up critical fuel supply with the signing of the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES). 

“The visit was an opportunity to bolster New Zealand’s resilience to global shocks and strengthen our economic ties to Singapore,” Mr Luxon says. 

“The inaugural Annual Leaders’ Meeting between Prime Minister Wong and I was an important step in turning our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership into practical action.

“The AOTES, signed by Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay and Singapore Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology Dr Tan See Leng, protects the movement of essential goods, such as fuel and food.

“In these uncertain times, having a reliable and trusted partner such as Singapore matters more than ever.

“Singapore is a critical partner in New Zealand’s economic development and there is huge scope for us to deepen our trade and investment links. That was the focus of the Singapore-New Zealand Leadership Forum, and it was exciting to see our senior government and business leaders coming together to explore new opportunities to work together.”

The Prime Minister also visited Jurong Island, the centre of Singapore’s refining and chemicals industry, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

“Jurong Island showed in practical terms why Singapore matters to New Zealand. As the supplier of a third of our fuel, Singapore is central to the fuel supply chains and infrastructure that support our economic and energy security.

“We spoke to executives from the major fuel companies to better understand how they are responding to the global fuel crisis and are confident that Singapore will continue to supply fuel to New Zealand,” Mr Luxon says.

The Prime Minister also called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam during the visit.

“It was a valuable opportunity to reflect the depth of the New Zealand-Singapore relationship and our shared commitment to a stable and prosperous region.”

Mr Luxon visited Changi Naval Base for a defence engagement showcasing uncrewed surface vessels and new capabilities.

“This is a defence partnership forged over time and proven in practice. For generations, our troops have trained in each other’s countries. 

“Built on trust and shared service, our defence ties continue to support national and regional stability while evolving into new areas of capability and commercial collaboration,” Mr Luxon says.

MIL OSI

Analysis – Christopher Luxon will leave Singapore on Tuesday evening reassured fuel will continue to flow to New Zealand shores, but painfully aware of the trouble brewing on the horizon.

There was a stark warning from his counterpart, Lawrence Wong, at the prime ministers’ joint press conference on Monday.

Singapore’s refineries have adjusted and adapted to the new world of limited supply through the Strait of Hormuz, but Wong was clear that even when it reopens it could be another six months of pain before things correct themselves.

Wong outlined that not only has infrastructure been destroyed in the Middle East, which will slow up any reboot once freedom of navigation resumes, but ships will want assurances that they’re safe from drones and any potential attacks.

That assurance won’t happen overnight, and it could take time for shipping companies to test the waters and perhaps even wait to see others be guinea pig first, before venturing into the Strait themselves.

Wong says his base case is that supply coming through the Strait of Hormuz “remains limited for quite a prolonged period of time, at least to the end of the year, perhaps even beyond”.

Luxon has also shifted his tone recently, upping the rhetoric about how New Zealanders must be feeling about the ongoing fuel crisis, while also trying to reassure people there’s nothing to worry about.

In Singapore that language escalated to a comment that New Zealanders watching the news are “seeing the world literally on fire”.

“You’re seeing it in the conflict, and you’re seeing the rules-based system that we used to uphold being sort of upended, and that comes with huge amounts of anxiety and worry and concern.”

The new intelligence Luxon and his fuel and finance minister Nicola Willis collected in Singapore from the big five energy companies was that although the feedstock they’re getting is different and requires adaption at their refineries, they’re still able to meet “the needs of all their customers”.

The assurance Luxon and Willis received was that things will get bumpier over time but there’s no risk to supply currently and into the next few months.

Willis added that she was impressed by how “front of mind” New Zealand is for these Singapore-based refineries.

“Exxon Mobil was very conscious they’re supplying fuel that helps our transport system operate, helps our economy operate, and they’re very conscious of the agreement between our two governments.”

That agreement on essential supplies continuing to flow during times of crisis was officially signed by the trade ministers on Monday.

It’s a world-first and already other countries are looking to the deal as an opportunity to secure some of their own guarantees.

Luxon’s sense is that other southeast Asian nations will probably be first cabs off the rank for something similar, which both New Zealand and Singapore are very open to.

Wong says he welcomes other countries joining what is a new and innovative approach to trade.

“If they’re able to meet the same standards then it will start to expand a network of trusted partners who can provide similar assurances to one another.”

Luxon added to that saying, “if you can meet the standard and are prepared to back each other, have each other’s backs in the way that we’ve modelled that out, we would welcome that as well”.

It’s a new world order of sorts – small trading nations taking the inward-looking approach of some bigger economies and flipping it to say, keeping the doors open can provide more security rather than less.

And while together Singapore and New Zealand’s population of about 11 million has nothing on the likes of India, with a population of close to 1.5 billion, the little guys are making a splash in the world.

It was just last week that Trade Minister Todd McClay and many of the travelling business delegation were in New Delhi putting the ink on a free trade agreement that many thought was a pipedream just a few years ago.

The Middle East conflict has no real end point in sight and economies the world over are feeling the consequences of that.

The shining light at the end of the tunnel could end up being the trade agreements and business connections playing out in the background of a punishing and enduring fuel crisis.

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Farmers need to be paid to start using methane-busting technology in their herds and on their land, agri-climate leaders say.

Their comments follow earlier warnings from industry and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that, without penalties or incentives, there are few reasons for farmers to invest in some of the tools.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said the government would work with farmers to “maximise the emissions reduction innovation underway” but would not be drawn on whether the government was looking at subsidies or other incentives.

Last year, the government scrapped its previous plans to put a tax on agricultural methane by 2030 and weakened the country’s 2050 methane emissions reduction target.

Instead, it opted for a market- and industry-led approach, with Watts saying that widespread uptake of the new mitigation tools would be “critical”.

The government-industry partnership AgriZeroNZ had so far invested $78 million into developing methane-inhibiting technologies such as vaccines and genetics.

Some, such as low-methane sheep genetic selection and effluent pond treatments, were available now, while others are still in much earlier stages of development.

Overall, the government has committed $400m to accelerate development and commercialisation.

At the annual Agriculture and Climate Change conference in Wellington last week, AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee said some of the technologies had a commercial benefit because they also improved animal productivity.

However, many – including a methane-inhibiting capsule or ‘bolus’ being developed by New Zealand company Ruminant Biotech – did not.

“In the absence of productivity improvement, which is often quite hard to prove, there will need to be an incentive,” he said.

Speaking to RNZ afterwards, he said there were already some industry incentives available for the lowest-emitting dairy farmers.

“But to get broader-scale adoption, there’ll need to be a reason for farmers to use them,” McNee said.

“If there’s a productivity improvement, great, that”ll be a key driver. If there’s not, there’ll need to be some sort of payment to the farmer to take the technology up.”

Other countries had used direct subsidies, or made use of voluntary carbon markets.

AgriZeroNZ was “looking at all options”.

“It’s part of our role to get the tools available, but also part of our role to work with farmers and others to get them used.”

Methane – which is a short-lived gas but has a huge warming effect while it exists in the atmosphere – makes up roughly half of New Zealand’s emissions.

Almost all of it comes from farms, especially the burps and breaths of ruminant animals like cows and sheep.

Only 40 percent would use methane vaccine – survey

A 2025 survey of farmers by the Bioeconomy Science Institute (formerly Manaaki Whenua Landcare) found only seven percent of dairy farmers who responded said reducing their emissions would be a major focus in the next two years.

Only 40 percent of respondents planned to use a methane vaccine, if it became available.

Ruminant Biotech market access director George Reeves told the conference that New Zealand risked losing its global competitiveness unless it developed a “robust, long-term, scalable incentive for methane abatement”.

He told RNZ that did not necessarily have to be taxpayer-funded.

Instead, New Zealand could use voluntary carbon markets, or set up a scheme similar to one being developed in Australia, where farmers could earn carbon units by reducing their emissions intensity.

Ruminant Biotech planned to launch its bolus for certain types of beef cattle later this year and expected that “early adoption is going to be okay”, Reeves said.

However, he wanted to see a broader incentive scheme in place by 2028.

AUT industry fellow and climate economist David Hall said a direct government subsidy scheme for deployment of some tools would make sense while they were still new and did not have general buy-in.

“In the economics of innovation, that’s recognised as a justified and reasonable cost.”

Once the tools had a market foothold, that direct support could be withdrawn, and a low-level price on emissions introduced to keep driving uptake, he said.

Incentive to use potential methane vaccine removed

In a speech to a DairyNZ forum in March, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton raised concerns about both the timeframe and uptake of some promised technologies.

He pointed out that the government’s baseline emissions projections relied on at least 37 percent of dairy cattle receiving a methane vaccine – which were still at ‘proof-of-concept’ stage – by 2030.

“I personally find this assumption heroic,” he said.

“Not only do we not yet have such a vaccine, but the government’s decision to abandon a price on methane removes the incentive to use one should it materialise.”

Significant taxpayer funding was being invested into vaccines and other technologies.

“Taxpayers are entitled to ask why this outlay should continue if the vaccines are not going to be adopted,” he said.

Subsidies could be a pragmatic approach, “but the quid pro quo has to be uptake”.

In a submission on the amended emissions reduction plan last year, industry group DairyNZ also called the assumptions about uptake “ambitious”.

“DairyNZ has consistently encouraged government to be cautious when making assumptions on technology availability, efficacy and uptake.”

Incentives were essential, but the tools also needed to be practical to implement, and must not affect food safety or threaten overseas trade, the organisation said.

In a written statement, Watts said the government had “increasing confidence in the technology pipeline” and expected to see the first tools that AgriZero had invested in available this year.

“While emission predictions inherently carry some uncertainty, the government is committed to working with the agriculture sector to boost productivity while lowering emissions,” he said.

There would be ” range of opinions” on any new technology, he said.

“However, I have heard from many in the sector who support the development of new methane inhibitors and other incentives that increase production while reducing emissions.”

He did not answer questions about whether any policy work had been commissioned on an incentive or offset scheme, or what would drive uptake in the absence of any productivity gains.

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Teachers specialising in music, physical education, science, technology and history have slammed draft curriculums covering their subjects.

Submissions provided to RNZ say the music curriculum was unteachable, science was over-crowded and in some cases even silly, while PE needed a total rewrite.

They say combining dance and drama in the arts curriculum was problematic, and technology was confusing and unusable.

Consultation on the six drafts for Years 0-10 closed at the end of last week.

The drafts would replace a curriculum many said was too vague with documents that set out more clearly what teachers must teach at each year level, from the start of primary school through to the first two years of secondary school.

The government wants to finalise the curriculums later this year, with schools using the new science, social sciences, and health and physical education curriculums next year, and the arts, technology and learning languages from the start of 2028.

Many principals groups said the timeline was unworkable and Education Minister Erica Stanford said she would make announcements on the curriculum soon.

All submissions provided to RNZ highlighted a lack of meaningful Māori content in the drafts.

Drama New Zealand said: “There is very little, if any, indigenous knowledge in ‘performing arts’ and what is there is tokenistic.”

A submission from Bay of Plenty science teachers said the curriculum’s “guiding kaupapa of ‘excellent equitable outcomes, reflecting the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi’ is not evident anywhere in the science draft”.

The New Zealand History Teachers Association said the social sciences draft breached principles derived from Te Tiriti o Waitangi, while Physical Education NZ said the draft health and physical education curriculum weakened “the bicultural foundations that underpin learning in Aotearoa New Zealand”.

Last week, the Education Ministry said it was finalising the number of submissions received.

PE ‘not fit for purpose’

Physical Education New Zealand’s submission on the draft health and physical education curriculum said the document needed a total rewrite.

“The current draft curriculum is not fit for purpose,” the submission said. “It does not require refinement, it requires complete reworking.

“Any attempt to adjust or ‘tweak’ the existing draft will result in a curriculum that is incoherent, difficult to implement and ultimately unable to deliver meaningful outcomes for ākonga.

“The issues are not peripheral. They are structural, conceptual and disciplinary.”

It listed problems including a narrow view of PE centred on performance and measurable competencies, a fragmented and underdeveloped approach to knowledge, and lack of coherence as children progressed.

“This submission is intentionally direct, because the stakes are high,” the submission said

Physical Education New Zealand managing director Heemi McDonald told RNZ the draft would take physical education back to the 1950s and 1960s, when the subject was focused on sport.

“It drives physical education back down to a skills-and-drills kind of approach,” he said. “If we look back in our past, like maybe in the 50s and the 60s, the PE curriculum was very much sports skills and drills, and the discipline has moved significantly from that time along with the world.”

McDonald said the subject had moved on significantly, and the draft failed to recognise the importance of learning about movement, identity and relationships through physical education.

For example, he said five-year-olds needed to understand how they moved, how to work with other people and skills to move through the world.

“At its most basic level, that’s what our curriculum should reflect – this idea that our bodies are moving, we move in the world with others, we move in different environments and we all have a different experience,” he said.

McDonald said sport was good, but the subject was much more than that.

“If I’m teaching a young person to develop a particular movement skill – rolling or throwing or catching – we want them to be able to see that in lots of different contexts because you’re not only going to throw and catch in softball or cricket.”

“If every child has to do netball or has to do hockey or has to do cricket, which is what the draft implies, then who are we missing out, who are the kids who are not going to engage in those things.”

“The risk… is that we end up as sports coaches as opposed to teachers.”

He said PENZ supported a more prescriptive curriculum that made clearer what teachers should teach.

Technology – significant issues

Technology Education New Zealand’s submission said its members raised significant problems with the draft technology curriculum.

“Feedback consistently highlights significant structural, pedagogical, cultural and practical issues that require attention to ensure the curriculum is clear, equitable, implementable and able to meet the needs of all ākonga,” it said.

“A core concern is that the curriculum’s overall purpose feels vague and insufficiently defined. Many teachers report difficulty understanding the intended outcomes, the role of design thinking, and how the learning area supports both practical and academic pathway.

“Confusion is further amplified by inconsistent or unclear use of terminology, uneven expectations across year levels and complexity that escalates sharply between phases. Many describe the structure as poorly sequenced and lacking coherence across Years 1-10.”

The submission said members were also unhappy with the curriculum’s approximate allocation of an hour a week for the subject in Years 0-8 and 1.5 hours a week in Years 9-10.

Association chair Hamish Johnston told RNZ the draft had many big problems.

He said some technology areas had been squished together to make unviable subjects and the curriculum’s recommended time allocation for technology was badly conceived.

At Years 7-10, areas such as textiles, hard materials, food and biotechnology had been combined to a single ‘Materials and Processing Strand’.

“The classroom spaces where they would be taught, the teacher expertise to teach those things, putting them all in one subject together does not seem viable,” he said.

Johnston said the curriculum expected too much in some areas and recommended far too little time for technology – about 1.5 hours a week.

“The issue with the timing is it reduces certain subjects to an amount of time that would not allow deep and meaningful teaching,” he said.

Johnston said many schools allowed about three hours a week for each of the eight learning areas, but the new curriculums set aside more time for English and maths, and less for other subjects.

He said the sector had put up with about eight years of change and impending change, and it was burning through teachers.

Arts’ near-total absence of creativity

Drama New Zealand’s submission said combining dance and drama as performing arts was “problematic and devalues both disciplines”.

“There is very little, if any, indigenous knowledge in ‘performing arts’ and what is there is tokenistic,” it said.

“The draft curriculum does not reflect research and evidence for sound curriculum design for arts education, especially drama and dance internationally.”

Meanwhile, Music Education New Zealand Aotearoa’s submission said the music part of the curriculum was too focused on formal music lessons, with next-to-no mention of creativity or love of music.

“The draft curriculum, as written, is not deliverable in the majority of primary school contexts, without fundamental changes to resourcing, teacher capability and time allocation,” it said.

Association chair Kat Daniela said the curriculum would worsen existing inequities, because it required trained music teachers and could not be taught by generalist primary teachers.

“We have students who move into secondary school having never had any dedicated curriculum music time and then we have others who have had really rich music experiences,” she said. “Our concern is that the divides that already exist, and that lack of access and equity would be further widened.”

Daniela said the curriculum had to teachable by regular teachers.

“It has to be available for generalist teachers,” she said. “They have to have the ability to be able to teach, it because we don’t have a huge number of music specialists.”

Daniela said the draft also contained many basic errors, which the association assumed the Education Ministry would fix.

Science ‘just silly’

A submission from Bay Science, an organisation for teachers in Bay of Plenty, said a survey indicated 80 percent of its members believed the draft science curriculum had “far too much content” and 84 percent wanted significant changes.

Teachers’ notes on the draft said much of the content was too advanced for the age it was aimed at and primary schools did not have the required equipment.

Comments included “way too early for this” and “difficult concept at this level”, while mention of Greek scientist Theophrastus for Year 1 students was labelled “just silly” and “ridiculous”.

The submission said the draft was not internationally comparable, had knowledge gaps and did not honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Intermediate school science specialist John Marsh told RNZ he liked a lot of the content, but worried that it lacked New Zealand flavour and would require a lot of support for teachers.

“I think there’s some really nice pieces in it, but it it does have some flaws,” he said. “The thing I really like about it is very clear principles, theories and exemplars, which I think will be very useful.

“It’s been aligned to the UK and some of the USA curricula, so international curricula, and that’s good and bad. It’s nice to be able to kind of make a connection, but I think we have missed out on making it New Zealand’s curriculum.”

Marsh said, in the past 12 years, New Zealand schools had emphasised the “nature of science”, meaning the skills and approaches scientists used to investigate problems and make observations, but the draft had dropped that completely.

“I think that’s a mistake,” he said.

Marsh said UK and US primary schools tended to employ science specialist teachers, unlike New Zealand, where science specialists were a rarity.

“A lot of overseas programmes are textbook-driven,” he said. “I have taught in textbook systems in Ireland and England, and it was pretty boring.

“I’m not sure if going towards a a more book-driven or content knowledge, especially in the primary sector, is going to be as engaging for our kids, because New Zealand kids like doing things, they like pulling stuff apart, observing, discussing amongst themselves and that sort of thing.”

Social sciences

The NZ History Teachers Asssociation’s submission on the draft social sciences curriculum said the document needed significant changes.

“The design, as it stands, will undermine effective teaching and student learning, and substantive revision is required,” it said.

“This draft curriculum is full of distortion and obfuscation that will harm Māori students, and has a eurocentric positionality. So much content is included that the concern is not that New Zealand history is absent from the new curriculum, but that it will be taught in a cursory and monocultural manner, re-inforcing outdated misconceptions and myths.”

The submission said the government was making too much change too fast.

“The pace of curriculum change is unreasonable, has layered multiple demands on schools and kura, and has created huge workloads on the sector. This will have significant negative impacts, including impacting on the recruitment and retention of teachers.”.

The submission said the draft’s teaching of history in a chronological sequence was a mistake.

“The curriculum describes what comes next, but not how learning deepens or what students should be increasingly able to do. This creates a fragmented experience of disconnected topics, rather than a cumulative pathway of understanding.”

It also said the curriculum did not meet the ‘Science of Learning’ principles that supposedly underpinned it.

“The draft references principles aligned with the Science of Learning, but does not enable them in practice. This is a fundamental design flaw.

“Cognitive load is too high: Dense, unprioritised content introduces too many new ideas simultaneously, limiting retention.”

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Penny Taylor was in an induced coma, “frying from the inside”.

The 36-year-old mother-of-two had been rushed to hospital after being discovered unconscious.

There, she was given 30 minutes to live and a two percent chance of survival.

As her organs failed, her three and seven-year-old children were told to say goodbye.

It was November 2009 and prior to her collapse, Taylor only knew she had a vomiting bug. In reality, it was meningococcal septicaemia.

Meningitis covers a range of serious and life-threatening diseases involving inflammation of the meninges – the membrane lining the brain and spinal cord.

In Taylor, the meningococcal bacterial infection led to blood poisoning, which can escalate rapidly, damaging blood vessels and organs – and ultimately left her a double-amputee.

Now, the Health Minister wants to know what services are available to survivors like Taylor, who on Wednesday last week told a Health Select Committee that after she was discharged from hospital, she had to fend for herself.

Survival against the odds

Taylor survived, but only just. She said it was a “harrowing experience,” particularly for her family, but told RNZ she was willing to revisit it in the hope that others could avoid her fate.

Before she became ill, she knew very little about the dangers of the meningococcal bacteria.

“I knew it was around, but I didn’t know that I could get it at my age. I didn’t realise that everyone is open to it and that we all carry it in the back of our throats and it’s kind of a bit like potluck as to whether it takes hold or not.”

Meningitis presents with flu-like symptoms, including vomiting, and as a mother to a toddler, Taylor naturally blamed a daycare bug. “I just thought, ‘Oh, it’ll be a 24-hour bug, I’ll be fine.’”

Fortunately, Taylor’s mother – who’d been given a heads up that her daughter was unwell – popped in on her way home from work and upon finding her daughter unresponsive, called an ambulance.

She later told Taylor that by the time it arrived, a little dot had appeared on her leg. A rash can be a tell-tale sign but doesn’t occur with every infection.

“By the time I got to hospital that had rapidly grown right across my body, and I was turning black before her eyes,” Taylor said.

In Palmerston North’s intensive care unit – her body about twice the size from the swelling and looking like she’d been “eaten from frostbite” – Taylor was put in a coma.

“All my organs had failed … I had a 42-degree temperature … I was essentially frying from the inside.” In that state, “completely unrecognisable,” Taylor’s children said goodbye.

Left to fight for myself – survivor

According to Public Health and Forensic Science there were 40 cases of meningitis in 2024 and 2025 (down from 52 in 2023 and 69 in 2022). There have been six cases so far this year.

Principal medical advisor to the Immunisation Advisory Centre, Nikki Turner said while it’s common to carry meningococcal, it’s rare to catch it.

“But when you catch it, it moves fast and sudden … if you treat it in time, you can manage it, but if you don’t get it in time, it can be lethal.”

Taylor defied the doctors’ expectations and after a month in ICU woke from her coma – but she said that was only the beginning.

On Wednesday, the Health Select Committee heard the details of the long and arduous journey that’s characterised the past 15 years of her life.

Unable to be transferred to Waikato Hospital, Taylor was sent to Lower Hutt’s plastics ward, where she underwent multiple surgeries – debriding, skin-grafting, and amputations of fingers and both legs below the knee.

“The next month was probably the most torturous part of the whole journey … that didn’t really need to happen had I gone to Waikato,” she said.

“Morning and night I was having surgeries and in-between they were transporting me to Wellington Hospital for dialysis. So, every single bump, touch, I would feel … that was excruciating.”

Back in Palmerston North, rehabilitation wasn’t smooth either.

“As soon as I was out of hospital, everything stopped. I had no aftercare, I had no physiotherapy, I was there to fight for myself.”

It was tough going, she said, in a wheelchair and with a young family, she had no choice but to go back to work.

Taylor said the funded prosthetics didn’t work for her – the sockets hurt her damaged skin – and ultimately, she raised “a deposit on a house” to get innovative osteo-integration surgery in Australia.

She said such surgery wouldn’t be right for everyone, but for her – after two years of rehabilitation – she was able to go back to fulltime work, hit the gym, and walk over 10,000 steps a day.

“So that was worth it for me, I actually got my life back.”

Taylor said the past decade-and-a-half had been a rollercoaster that she had navigated on her own and didn’t know where she would be without her children – her driving force.

She suspected it was a different story for those at high risk of contracting the disease.

“A 16, 17-year-old youth trying to navigate life again without kids to live for, it would be extremely hard for them.”

‘People are simply not aware of it’

Better aftercare is one of a handful of demands the Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand is making.

Alongside Taylor, foundation chairman Gerard Rushton told the Health Select Committee that not enough had been done to raise awareness since he was last before it in 2022.

He said expanding access to free vaccines and increasing awareness of the disease were key to preventing the spread of meningitis – the rapidity of which meant treatment often came too late.

Rushton’s own teenage daughter died after contracting the disease in 2014.

“We were completely unaware of the risk that meningitis posed, and we thought that because Courtenay had a vaccination when she was a baby, that she was actually protected.

“The underlying factor of most cases of meningitis in New Zealand is that people are simply not aware of it.”

Rushton said a school-based vaccination programme could help close that gap and protect young people before they entered university or the workforce.

He feared the current programme – free vaccines for 13-25-year-olds in their first year of close living situations – was inequitable and those most at risk were missing out.

“Presently, Māori and Pasifika are four to five times more likely to get meningitis and they are under-represented at halls of residence or boarding schools.”

The foundation said that those who weren’t eligible for free vaccines faced paying $150 per dose. Two doses of meningococcal B and one dose of meningococcal ACWY are recommended for full protection in older children to adults, it said.

In 2022, the foundation submitted an application to Pharmac to fund all 13-25-year-olds, regardless of where they were living.

Pharmac director advice and assessment, David Hughes said its Immunisation Advisory Committee recommended the application be declined, considering a universal vaccine was not proportionate to the risk.

“This recommendation to decline was made on the basis of evidence that people in close living situations and other high-risk groups within the 13-to-25-year age group were most important to target as the evidence supported reducing the vaccination risk for individuals.”

Hughes said feedback was sought on that decision and is currently being reviewed – no further funding decisions have been made.

He noted two applications to widen access to the meningococcal B and A,C,W, Y vaccines would be reviewed by the committee later this month.

Meningococcal A,C,W,Y vaccines for 5-21 years and 13-21 years had been recommended for funding when the budget allows, he said.

“When assessing which vaccines to fund, Pharmac takes into consideration a number of factors, including clinical advice from our advisors, cost of the vaccine, its effectiveness and the benefit on the wider health sector from funding this vaccine.”

Rushton told the Health Select Committee that at the very least, there should be free vaccines for all community services card-holders and urged bipartisan support.

Turner said if the country had the resources, she’d back expanding the programme, but that wasn’t the case, which meant vaccination had to be targeted.

She said the meningococcal vaccines were highly effective (around 80 percent), but that protection waned after three to five years.

Associate Minister of Health (Pharmac), David Seymour said vaccines were important and good value if they stopped people from getting sick.

However, he said funding decisions must be made by independent experts at Pharmac, not politicians.

“If politicians get to decide what medicines get bought, we will end up buying the things that have the best political campaigns behind them, and we will miss out on the things that give the most healthcare value for money, ” he said.

Committee member and Labour Party health spokesperson, Ayesha Verrall said as a doctor, she’d seen the “harrowing consequences” of meningitis first-hand.

“Wherever possible we should prevent illness rather than intervene too late with costly treatment – vaccination is one of the tools we have to do that.”

She said she hoped to further explore the funding of vaccines at future committee hearings.

Questions about aftercare

In response to questions from RNZ, Health Minister Simeon Brown said meningitis survivors should have access to appropriate support and ongoing care.

“I have asked Health New Zealand for information on this issue, including what services are currently available and how these are being delivered.”

Verrall also urged the agency to address “reports of inconsistent care and support” as a priority.

Health New Zealand [Health NZ] national clinical director protection, Christine McIntosh did not directly address questions about support for survivors.

She said like other infectious diseases, treatment for meningococcal disease is publicly available, including disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, follow up and contact tracing to identify other potential cases.

McIntosh says steps have also been taken since to raise awareness since a report from the Health Select Committee in 2023.

Such measures included providing advice through the Immunisation Advisory Centre to around 32,000 vaccinators (mostly general practitioners), talking to boarding schools at the beginning and end of the school year about vaccines, and informing tertiary institutes about eligibility for students and providing material to promote vaccination.

McIntosh said Health NZ’s annual ‘Meningitis week’ campaign encouraging vaccine uptake, coincided with one from the Meningitis Foundation.

She also noted that the most common strain, meningococcal B, was included in the National Immunisation Schedule (making vaccines free) for babies at three, five, and 12 months old.

“We have made significant improvement in childhood immunisations, with 82.9 percent of children fully immunised at 24 months of age in the quarter to December 2025, compared to 77.0 percent in the quarter to December 2024.”

Turner said vaccinations were only part of the answer and that among adolescents and young adults, lifestyle also played a part in spreading the disease.

“It’s close contact with each other. It’s sharing mucus, body secretions, it’s sharing water bottles.

“Obviously, it’s not possible to stop doing all of that. So, it’s also good healthy living, sleeping well, eating well, and getting access to healthcare services as soon as you’re unwell. Being aware of the disease … being aware of rashes.”

For Taylor, reducing the prevalence and spread of meningitis was the goal – and said it could be achieved through vaccination.

“I have teenagers myself now and they’re right in the prime age for it. If we can raise the prevention … then people won’t end up travelling the road that I have.”

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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

NEW DELHI, INDIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 May 2026 – The Indo-Pacific region continues to be the focal point of global growth dynamics and strategic competition, and relations between Vietnam and India are facing new opportunities to develop in a deeper, more substantive, and more sustainable manner. Building on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2016, cooperation in the fields of economy, science and technology, and environment has increasingly been identified by both sides as key pillars.

In 2024, the two sides adopted an Action Plan to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 2024-2028 period. This document not only consolidates traditional areas of cooperation but also expands into new domains such as science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, energy and sustainable development.

Economy continues to be a bright spot in bilateral cooperation

Over the past decade, Vietnam-India economic cooperation has recorded significant positive developments. Bilateral trade turnover has maintained steady growth, increasing from over USD 14 billion in 2023 to nearly USD 16.5 billion in 2025, reflecting the increasingly close integration between the two dynamic Asian economies.

The structure of two-way trade has increasingly demonstrated complementarity. Vietnam has strengthened its exports of electronics, machinery, processed agricultural products, wood, and seafood, while India serves as an important supplier of steel, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and textiles to Vietnam.

Amid the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains, both Vietnam and India are intensifying efforts to diversify their partners and reduce dependency risks. This creates significant room for the two countries to promote supply chain linkages in areas such as processing and manufacturing industries, supporting industries, logistics, and high-tech agriculture. Vietnam, with its strategic location in Southeast Asia, can serve as a gateway for Indian enterprises to expand their presence deeper into ASEAN, while India represents a vast market with rapidly increasing consumer demand.

Science and technology: a new driver for deeper cooperation

Scientific and technological cooperation has seen remarkable development recently, gradually shifting from exchanges to more substantive collaboration, tied to specific products and developmental needs. Priority areas of cooperation include information technology, biotechnology, clean energy, and digital transformation.

Several representative projects, such as the Satellite Data Receiving Station and Satellite Image Processing Center, the Vietnam-India Nuclear Science Center (Da Lat), the Army Software Park (Nha Trang), and the Center of Excellence in Software Development and Training (CESDT), have been contributing to enhancing Vietnam’s technological capacity. Notably, the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program continues to be an effective channel for human resource training, helping Vietnamese officials and experts access modern management knowledge and experience.

Against the backdrop of the vigorous Fourth Industrial Revolution, the potential for cooperation between the two countries remains vast. The two sides can expand their cooperation into emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, fintech, and biotechnology, aiming for the goals of co-development and co-innovation. ­

Environmental cooperation and sustainable development are gradually expanding

In the context of increasingly complex climate change, environmental cooperation between Vietnam and India is becoming an important component of the bilateral agenda. Areas such as renewable energy, water resource management, circular economy, and disaster-resilient infrastructure are receiving growing attention and promotion from both sides.

Cooperation agreements in marine science, along with Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) supporting communities, such as clean water supply, drought mitigation, and saline intrusion prevention in the Mekong Delta, have delivered practical results. Vietnam’s participation in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), initiated by India, also opens up opportunities to strengthen cooperation in sustainable infrastructure and climate change adaptation.

In the coming period, areas encompassing solar energy, energy storage, waste management, marine pollution monitoring, and early warning systems for natural disasters are considered promising directions for cooperation.

Prospects for cooperation

The prospects for cooperation in the coming period are assessed as positive. With the economic and scientific-technological complementarity, along with strong political will from both sides, Vietnam-India relations have many favorable conditions to grow more strongly, particularly in areas such as the digital economy, green economy, innovation.

Orientations for promoting cooperation in the coming period

With a foundation of excellent relations and significant room for cooperation, the two countries have the basis to elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new height, making it increasingly substantive and effective in the new phase, particularly in the context of the two countries heading towards new high-level engagements with the state visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to India in May 2026.

To effectively capitalize on opportunities, both sides need to continue maintaining high-level exchanges, intergovernmental mechanisms and specialized dialogues, and further translate strategic commitments into cooperation programs and projects with clear roadmaps and resources.

In the economic field, efforts should be intensified to remove trade barriers, improve logistics connectivity, and promote the review and upgrading of the ASEAN – India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA); strengthen the development of large-scale investment projects in priority areas such as pharmaceuticals, the marine economy, renewable energy, and supporting industries.

In the field of science and technology, establishing joint research cooperation mechanisms, strengthening linkages between research institutes, universities, enterprises, as well as promoting expert exchanges, technology transfer, and human resource training will play an important role.

In the environmental field, efforts should be directed toward building a comprehensive green cooperation framework, focusing on water management, marine science, plastic pollution reduction, clean energy, and disaster-resilient infrastructure, while also effectively leveraging regional initiatives such as the CDRI.

Hashtag: #MAE

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The Oz/NZ great divide when it comes to treating blood cancer

This week, actor Sam Neill announced he was cancer free, after groundbreaking treatment for lymphoma blood cancer in Australia.

Now he’s fighting for the lifesaving CAR T-cell therapy to be available for blood cancer patients across Australia, fronting a media campaign there calling for public funding of the treatment.

“Treatments like this – CAR-T therapies and others coming through in a rapidly changing medical world – I hope to be available to everyone who needs them in Australia and NZ [and worldwide],” he said.

CAR T-cell therapy genetically modifies the patient’s immune cells to target and kill the cancer cells.

When chemotherapy he was undergoing in New Zealand stopped working to treat his blood cancer, Neill was accepted into an Australian clinical trial for the T-cell therapy. It was his last option and it worked.

“It’s science at its best,” said Neill, who is patron of Snowdome medical foundation, which has been pushing for the therapy to be accessible to everyone.

The same battle for access to the best blood cancer treatment is going on in New Zealand, but there are stark differences between the two countries in what’s offered to patients and their survival rates.

In Australia, CAR T-cell therapy is already available in the public health system for certain blood cancers at certain hospitals, and the government is set to announce a rollout of the specific therapy used in Neill’s treatment in the next two months.

Here, there is no funded CAR-T therapy. Blood Cancer NZ head of advocacy Rosie Shaw says New Zealanders have to go offshore for the treatment that costs more than NZ$700,000 per patient.

Shaw says a privately funded CAR-T clinical trial is underway in New Zealand and, if it is successful, it could lead to funded treatment, but nothing is promised and the New Zealand health system is grappling with introducing expensive, but revolutionary new blood cancer therapies and medicines.

She says Neill’s news brings a lot of optimism to an issue that is little understood.

Last week, the Blood Cancer NZ charity presented its State of Blood Cancer report at parliament, which detailed the burden of blood cancer for the first time.

There are 100 different types of the disease, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. It is estimated 27,000 Kiwis live with blood cancer, one in 18 will develop it in their lifetimes.

It is the third-leading cause of cancer death, but in most cases, it cannot be prevented or screened for, and it cannot be removed by surgery.

It can be cured or treated with medicines and, in some cases, a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant.

Like Neill, Auckland man Andrew Mackintosh initially had chemotherapy for his aggressive form of lymphoma and it also stopped working.

Unlike Neill, who had access to revolutionary therapy, Mackintosh’s only lifesaving, cancer-curing option was a stem cell transplant, but he was told he would have to wait in the queue, because there was not enough hospital space or medical staff to treat him immediately.

Eight months later, he got the transplant. In Australia. He says he would have waited 1-2 months, but he was too sick to travel.

By then, he was so ill, he was not sure he would survive. He’s grateful the transplant cured him, but he is angry that the delay cost him, his family and taxpayers.

“The gaps that I had in the system, they cost me more. They cost me in terms of the outcomes that I’ve got, they’ve cost me in terms of not being able to get back to the workforce.

“They’ve also cost the health system, because that entire eight months that I was waiting, I was on very expensive drugs, I was seeing the haematologist every week, I was getting blood tests done, I needed monitoring, I needed tests. It’s not saving the health system money by not providing these services.

“They gave me the treatment that I waited for eventually and then I needed more help out the back side of it, so I’m angry that there’s no point – not even a cost-saving benefit – to not providing these outcomes. It’s just hurting everyone, including the taxpayer.”

Macintosh decided to speak about his experience at Blood Cancer NZ’s presentation to parliament last week, because he says other patients who have fallen through the gaps are “too sick, too busy fighting their disease or the system to speak up”.

“Others are no longer here.”

Just last month, he watched his father die, after he was diagnosed with leukeamia.

“It was brutal watching what could have happened to me, happen to him,” he told the group, but he worried about the next generation of his family.

“I am here today to speak as a patient, as someone who has lost his father to blood cancer and as the parent of a potential future patient.

“I need to know that, if a blood cancer or blood disorder diagnosis is in my son’s future, that this preventable harm will be prevented and that his standard of care will not be riddled with gaps that he has no choice but to accept.

“As a parent, I want him to live. I want him to have the best possible outcome.”

In response to the Blood Cancer report, the government said it would set up a taskforce.

Mackintosh says it is the first step in stopping the so-called medical migration of New Zealanders seeking faster, better, but more expensive treatment overseas and stopping the persistently high death rate.

“Especially on the medicines front, we need the funding opened up to Pharmac to fund the blood cancer medicines appropriately. I’ve heard haematologists say we’re 20 years behind in New Zealand on that stuff.

“We also need to close some of the gaps in terms of treatment differences across the country, so removing what gets called the ‘post-code lottery’ for cancer patients, and the other big one from my perspective is the infrastructure including the number of people in the workforce.”

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

Prof. Dr. Yodchanan spoke about elevating “SPACE-F Batch 7” to the policy level and building awareness, stating that MHESI aims to present food innovation products from the startups in this batch at the upcoming Cabinet meeting. This will allow the Prime Minister to taste them, raising awareness that FoodTech is the nation’s new future. The products will be presented to the Cabinet in the next two weeks.

Regarding the core concept of combining technology with “Thai taste,” Prof. Dr. Yodchanan emphasized that no matter how advanced the technology is, it must maintain the “Nice taste of Thailand.” He cited a “high-tech omelet” he previously tasted as an example, noting that there is still room for improvement to make it taste closer to an authentic Thai omelet so that the technology can truly win over consumers’ hearts.

The MHESI Minister continued that regarding food innovation under the Wellness Economy, this year focuses on using the Wellness Economy as a New Growth Engine. This is not limited strictly to food but includes AI, ICT, and software, aiming to push Thailand into a global Wellness Tourism Hub with support from the BOI in connecting investment opportunities.

Prof. Dr. Yodchanan further stated that regarding the use of biodiversity and quality ingredients (Biodiversity & GI), startups will be encouraged to utilize Thailand’s rich biodiversity and GI products as substitutes for imported raw materials. This will help reduce costs and create a unique identity.

“As for connecting the ‘Thinker’ with the ‘Doer,’ this program emphasizes linking startups with large industrial corporations and investors. This helps startups in the Accelerator group advance toward Series A or B funding, while helping the Incubator group learn business and pitching experiences from their seniors to cross the business ‘Death Valley.’ Furthermore, regarding food and nutrition security in the era of war: in the current global conditions facing wartime situations, Food Security and Nutrition Security are vital. This program is an opportunity for startups to create innovations that help solve problems for the whole world, with the government working closely with SPACE-F to create new services and products,” the MHESI Minister said.

However, “SPACE-F Batch 7” features 20 participating startups from 10 countries, focusing on the Proof of Concept (POC) strategy to ensure they can tangibly grow toward commercialization on an international scale.

Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency (NIA), stated that NIA aims to strengthen the potential of startups and innovative entrepreneurs to overcome business crises and grow commercially in a tangible way. Over the past 6 years, the SPACE-F program has concretely reinforced its role as a regional food innovation hub by incubating and accelerating over 100 startups from 18 countries worldwide, generating a total funding value of over 5.1 billion THB. For the SPACE-F Year 7 program, it marks another major milestone of leapfrog growth, setting a new international record with an all-time high of 204 applicants, continuously increasing from 156 in Cohort 6 and 148 in Cohort 2, reflecting the confidence of global startups in the program’s potential. Concurrently, the program has significantly expanded its international reach, with applicants from 57 countries worldwide, up from 34 countries in the previous cohort, affirming that SPACE-F is a truly global platform connecting and driving world food innovation.

“The SPACE-F program is considered a vital mechanism in driving the development of a strong and comprehensive foodtech startup ecosystem by systematically connecting knowledge, technology, and the industrial sector together. Particularly, it provides opportunities for startups to co-develop and test real products (Proof of Concept: POC) with large corporate partners, as well as access expert networks and world-class infrastructure. This includes testing protein innovations focused on appearance, freshness, and taste with Thai Union; developing modern health and nutrition solutions with ThaiBev and Nestlé; utilizing deep-tech research laboratories from Mahidol University; and enhancing fundraising capabilities from Foodland Ventures, which plays a crucial role in reducing business risks and effectively increasing the chances of commercialization. For SPACE-F Year 7, it aims to elevate startup development through 2 main programs: the Incubator Program, which focuses on laying business foundations and developing prototypes into market-ready products, and the Accelerator Program, which focuses on accelerating business expansion through connections with strategic partners and investors. This covers 7 key areas of the food industry: 1) Personalized Nutrition, 2) Future Protein, 3) Circular Food Systems, 4) Smart Manufacturing, 5) Sustainable Production, 6) Food Safety, and 7) Novel Consumer Experience, to build high-potential startups capable of developing quality new products that directly meet market demands, ready to compete and grow sustainably on the global stage.“

Ms. Sirichit Jiraruangkiat, Senior Director – Group Innovation at Thai Union Group PCL, revealed, “As a co-founding partner of the SPACE-F program, Thai Union Group PCL continues to drive the development of Thailand’s foodtech startup ecosystem. We aim to support breakthrough growth by promoting the development and testing of innovations at the industrial level, particularly through the Proof of Concept (POC) process, to elevate the standards of future protein products to compete internationally. Thai Union prioritizes the application of modern food production and preservation technologies, covering everything from maintaining product quality and freshness and developing appealing appearances to sensory research to create textures and flavors that effectively meet the demands of global consumers. Simultaneously, the SPACE-F program remains committed to a ‘No Equity Taken’ approach, allowing startups to retain full ownership of their innovations, maintain business agility, and grow independently and sustainably in the long term.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pasit Pakawatpanurut, Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, further added, “With expertise in food science, nutrition, biotechnology, and related fields, Mahidol University serves as an academic powerhouse and innovation infrastructure, providing startups with access to advanced laboratories, pilot plants, and modern research equipment. They also receive in-depth consultation from a team of expert researchers to successfully transition research into products that truly meet global market demands (Lab-to-Market). This collaboration is therefore a key mechanism in driving sustainable food innovation and enhancing Thailand’s competitiveness as a global foodtech hub. Mahidol University’s involvement in the SPACE-F program also plays a vital role in strengthening the country’s foodtech startup ecosystem in the long run.”

In addition, another key partner is Thai Beverage Public Company Limited, which places great importance on continuous research and development, believing it to be essential for startups. As a sponsor of the SPACE-F program, they are pleased to be part of an ecosystem that enhances the potential of foodtech startups and provides business and technological guidance to help startups discover solutions that truly meet the needs of the global food market.

Ms. Jenica Conde Cruz, Business Manager – Cereal Partners Worldwide & Incubator at Nestlé (Thai) Ltd., also stated, “Nestlé, a global leader in food and beverages, plays a vital role as a strategic partner of the SPACE-F program. We aim to elevate foodtech startups through the transfer of Research & Development (R&D) knowledge and product development experience under the ‘Good food, Good life’ concept. Nestlé also provides in-depth consultation to support the development of products that meet Nutrition, Health, and Wellness needs, while promoting the use of innovation to tackle global food industry challenges. In parallel, Nestlé also drives the development of innovations that align with sustainability goals by opening opportunities for startups to learn together with experts from our global research center network, in areas of food preservation technology, eco-friendly packaging, and responsible sourcing.”

Victor Chen, CEO of Foodland Ventures Co. closed with, “Foodland Ventures, a leading Venture Capital firm and Accelerator from Taiwan, has joined as a strategic partner in the SPACE-F program to push foodtech startups to expand their businesses into international markets. We aim to act as a bridge connecting innovation from Taiwan with food industry networks in Thailand and Southeast Asia. With expertise in key technologies such as Restaurant Automation, Alternative Protein, and Smart Supply Chain, Foodland Ventures is ready to support startups through access to the Taiwanese market and resources, providing investment and business strategy consultation, and connecting them with the industrial sector to test solutions in real-world environments. This collaboration marks a significant step in building a ‘FoodTech Corridor’ between Thailand and Taiwan to elevate startup potential and drive the food industry toward a sustainable global future.”

The “SPACE-F Year 7” program also introduced 20 startups from 10 countries worldwide: South Korea, Spain, Canada, USA/Argentina, Australia, Singapore, UK, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Thailand, selected for this year’s program. All will have the opportunity to co-develop and test real innovations with leading industry partners, covering product development, industrial-level testing, and commercialization in the real market

Such collaboration is a key highlight of the program, providing startups the opportunity to test technology and innovations in real-world environments, reducing development limitations, and increasing the chances of creating business models that accurately meet market demands.

10 FoodTech Startups Joining the Accelerator Program

1. Terra Bioindustries Inc (Canada): Upcycles agricultural and food industry waste into high-value ingredients such as sugar, protein, and fiber for use in the food, biotech, and chemical industries.
2. Nucaps (Spain): Develops functional protein ingredients using microencapsulation technology to wrap active substances and probiotics, enhancing nutritional value, reducing costs, and improving taste to effectively promote consumer health.
3. BeNatureBioLab (South Korea): Develops functional ingredients using nano and microencapsulation technology from natural proteins to wrap active substances and probiotics, increasing the stability, absorption, and efficiency of substances in food, supplements, and health products.
4. Kinava (South Korea): Converts food waste into biofertilizer, biochar, and biogas within hours using HydroThermal Carbonization (HTC) technology, which reduces odor, energy use, and emissions.
5. ComexSoft (Spain): A near real-time market intelligence platform that collects and organizes retail data, matching similar products specifically developed for accurate decision-making.
6. PROTINOS (Thailand): High-protein noodles made from egg whites and soybeans containing complete essential amino acids, created using enzyme incubation techniques, serving as food to help care for and protect health.
7. SicPama (South Korea): A QR ordering and payment platform with a CRM system that links social media with actual service usage and repeat visits, helping restaurants measure returns and increase revenue.
8. Nourish Ingredients (Australia): High-performance animal-free fats created via precision fermentation to solve the taste and texture issues of plant-based alternative foods by mimicking the key fats found in meat and dairy products.
9. Kresko RNAtech (USA/Argentina): Nutrients from biological RNA found in natural foods, developed by AI and biotechnology to be more stable and better absorbed, for use in dietary supplements and health products.
10. Agrifreeze (Singapore): Develops freezing technology using Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) to control the formation of small ice crystals, reducing food damage and maintaining quality close to fresh products.

10 FoodTech Startups Joining the Incubator Program

1. Eatwellconcept (Thailand): An AI-powered personalized therapeutic diet platform for NCD patients, offering real-time nutritional guidance by dietitians to improve health and quality of life.
2. AmaranthLab (UK): Protein ingredients from amaranth for GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) nutrition to control blood sugar levels and satiety, for use in various functional food products.
3. Openfarming (Saudi Arabia): An AI operating system for food distributors that converts orders from multiple channels into real-time data, enabling automated demand forecasting and dynamic inventory management without changing existing workflows.
4. Zuppar Reborn (Thailand): Biodegradable fruit and bakery stickers made from pineapple waste, replacing plastic labels with an alternative that can decompose into fertilizer.
5. VeriPura (Thailand/Singapore): An AI and Blockchain platform for automated document management and product traceability, making food exports to Europe easier and more compliant with regulations (EU).
6. YiXingYuan (Taiwan): A modular small-scale fruit processing factory (Factory-in-a-box) utilizing High Voltage Electric Field (HVEF) technology to process fruits directly at the source, preserving product quality while reducing energy use, costs, and spoilage.
7. JOLA (Thailand): Vitamin-infused jelly pet food that develops DIY treat products, such as jellies for dogs and cats, focusing on natural ingredients, good nutrition, and creating a shared experience between owners and pets.
8. UPLI (UK): A precision fermentation platform to create functional proteins with characteristics similar to human breast milk, used to increase nutritional value in food at an industrial scale.
9. Emerald Plast (Thailand): Biodegradable food materials and packaging made from starch and bioplastics to replace traditional plastics, reducing environmental impact and enhancing sustainability image.
10. Squizify (Thailand): A digital food safety platform integrating software and IoT devices to automatically track, monitor, and manage food business standards, complete with real-time data analysis.

https://www.nia.or.th/

Hashtag: #NIA #NationalInnovationAgency

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

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