Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Whakarongorau Aotearoa

Free 24/7 advice from Healthline nurses and paramedics can help people get the right care, faster

As winter pressure builds across the health system, Healthline is reminding people they can call 0800 611 116 for health advice and information from experienced nurses and paramedics – anytime, day or night.

Healthline supports around 1,000 people every day, helping callers understand what to do next and where to get the right care.

They also have a callback option – if someone doesn’t need help or advice right away, they can ask the Healthline team to call them back. People can go to www.healthy.org.nz to do that.

Brian O’Connell, Chief Operating Officer at Whakarongorau Aotearoa / New Zealand Telehealth Services, who run Healthline said today “Healthline is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Not everyone knows that.

Healthline can also help eligible callers book a telehealth GP appointment, giving people another way to access care without leaving home. Not everyone knows that either.

Calling Healthline early can help avoid unnecessary trips to an emergency department, GP clinic or ambulance call-out. Or getting urgent care to someone who needs it.

For every five people who call Healthline, four are supported to stay safely at home or get care in their community, while only one needs emergency services.”

If you are unsure what to do next, call Healthline free anytime on 0800 611 116.

Source: Federated Farmers

National’s plan to introduce national standards for river gravel extraction and on-farm quarries will cut costs, delays and uncertainty for farmers, Federated Farmers says.

Colin Hurst, Federated Farmers president, says the National Party’s announcement today delivers on two of the 10 national permitted activity standards the organisation called for in its 2026 Election Platform.

“We asked for a set of nationwide rules for everyday farming activities to get rid of needless red tape and cost, and today’s announcement is a significant step in the right direction,” Hurst says.

“Gravel extraction and farm quarries are both practical issues that farmers deal with regularly, so having clear national rules would make a real difference.

“Farmers shouldn’t have to navigate an expensive and time-consuming resource consent process simply to access gravel they need for a farm track, or to remove gravel from a river where it has built up and increased flood risk.”

Under the proposed national standard for river gravel extraction, gravel removal would be a permitted activity where farmers meet a set of standard conditions.

Hurst says this is particularly important for rural communities that can be badly affected when rivers are not properly maintained.

“New Zealand has always had to manage its rivers. Gravel is constantly being washed down our catchments, and if it builds up unchecked, riverbeds rise and the risk of flooding increases.

“Recent flooding in North Canterbury and Wairarapa has shown just how serious the consequences can be for rural communities when rivers aren’t maintained effectively.

“Gravel extraction is one of the tools we have to manage that build-up, while also providing a valuable source of aggregate for construction and infrastructure.”

Hurst says a national standard does not mean imposing identical rules on every river.

“There should absolutely be strong environmental safeguards, and the rules need to recognise that rivers and catchments are different.

“A national standard can set different conditions for different types of rivers and catchments, and there can still be places where extraction is prohibited.

“The important thing is that if you meet the rules, you know you can get on with the work without being dragged through a costly, long-winded resource consent process.”

Federated Farmers has also long advocated for simpler rules around small-scale quarries on farms.

Hurst says many farmers have historically sourced gravel, sand or stone from their own properties for farm tracks and other essential infrastructure, but consenting requirements can make that uneconomic.

“Farmers need aggregate for their tracks, gateways, stock yards and to protect areas where livestock movement can damage the soil.

“Many farmers have perfectly good sources of aggregate on their own farms, but the cost and uncertainty of getting a resource consent can mean they’re forced to buy material from somewhere else, which makes absolutely no sense.

“If a farmer can safely extract a limited amount of aggregate from their own property while meeting clear environmental conditions, they should be able to do that without unnecessary consenting costs.”

The proposed national standard would set conditions such as maximum extraction areas and volumes, while retaining the ability to restrict or prohibit quarrying in sensitive locations.

Hurst says the two announcements – made today at the South Island Election Conference – show the value of moving towards national rules for routine farming activities.

“We’ve been saying for a long time that farmers need certainty and sensible rules, not a different consenting regime depending on which side of a council boundary they happen to be operating on.

“This is exactly the sort of practical reform we want to see more of.”

Hurst says Federated Farmers wants to see the same approach taken in eight other areas: farm plans, vegetable growing, on-farm water storage, drain maintenance, effluent management, fertiliser application, wetland restoration, and small- and medium-scale solar.

“The great news is that the National Party has also already committed to make small-scale solar projects a permitted activity if re-elected to Government in November.

“We want to see the same approach applied across the other areas now, because that’s how we can start taking real cost and complexity out of farming while maintaining strong environmental standards.”

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

14 August 2026

PSNA is urging the government to 'even-up' its foreign policy going into the
November election.

PSNA is responding to Foreign Minister, Winston Peters', announcement of a
new round of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which is
the government's 36th sanction measure against Russia.

PSNA spokesperson Rinad Tamimi says the government's particular
justification for the new sanctions, were Russia's forced migration of
Ukrainians and the dissemination of propaganda to justify Russia's
occupation.

“Israel does the same thing and the government does nothing. It has a list
of 35 Israelis it won't allow to enter New Zealand. But this is a pathetic
list against the more than two-thousand long list against Russia.”

“Israel's ethnic cleansing in Gaza is vast, well documented, admitted and
ongoing. Our government won't mention it, let alone take Russia-level
action against it.”

“And Israel and its proxies, throughout the world, are disseminating what
Israel calls 'Hasbara', which is propaganda and bribes to influence news
media and politicians,” Tamimi says.

“Right here in this country, the Israeli embassy funds the New Zealand
Holocaust Centre. The Centre's been publicly, although fruitlessly,
advocating for compulsory and exclusive study of the Holocaust in schools.
They want to ignore and lessen the significance of other genocides in
comparison – in particular the Gaza genocide”

“All this is intended to stifle free speech and to legitimise Israel's
illegal wars.”

“The Israeli government doesn't like the poll results here and in most
western countries.”

In September 2025, a Reid Research poll for Radio New Zealand
<https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/573204/rnz-poll-shows-more-than-40-perc
ent-of-people-want-new-zealand-to-recognise-palestine> found a ratio of
three to one respondents wanting the government to do more to support
Palestine, than those who wanted more support for Israel.”

“Among National voters, support for the government to do more for Israel was
only 11 percent, while 17 percent of National voters thought the government
should do more for Palestine.”

“The poll showed most National voters didn't care at that time, but of those
who were interested, most backed Palestine,” Tamimi says.

'The Prime Minister would do well to work for what his party members want
and stop NZ First running our foreign policy and ignoring international law.
Bizarrely, an even higher percentage of NZ First voters support Palestine
than the National voters do – nearly 25 percent for Palestine and just under
18 percent for Israel.”

Source: Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation

The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, manager of the $94 billion New Zealand Superannuation Fund, has published an updated set of Sustainable Investment policy documents, following the High Court’s decision in Nazzal v Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation. [https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/nazzal-v-guardians-of-new-zealand-superannuation-]

General Manager Corporate Affairs Cristina Billett said a new standalone Sustainable Investment Policy and associated Procedures describe the policies, standards and procedures that underpin the Guardians’ sustainable investment activities.

The Guardians will review the companies named in the Nazzal proceedings using the updated policy framework and will provide a further update once that process is complete. Ms Billett said the assessment would require time for proper consideration.

“Our approach continues to place significant emphasis on integration of sustainable investment considerations into investment analysis and decision-making, monitoring, engagement and exclusions.”

“Human rights considerations remain integral to the Guardians' Sustainable Investment Policy. Our policy documents now explicitly record our long-standing position that human rights is a key ESG issue for us.”

The updated policy documents are now available on the Guardians' website [https://nzsuperfund.nz/publications/policies/].

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua

14 August 2026

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua's Financial Policy
Committee (FPC) has decided to maintain current LVR settings in its
annual review of macroprudential policy.

“We review settings annually to ensure they remain appropriate given
housing market conditions and financial stability risks. This forms part
of the macroprudential policy framework published earlier this year,”
explains Assistant Governor Financial Stability, Angus McGregor.

In reaching its decision, the FPC considered a range of information,
including house price developments, the risk profile of recent mortgage
lending, financial strain amongst existing borrowers, and the resilience
of the banking system.

“Housing risks are currently contained. Nationally, house prices have
remained broadly flat in recent years, while mortgage lending growth has
been modest and the share of higher-risk lending remains manageable,” Mr
McGregor said.

Accordingly, the FPC decided to maintain the current LVR restrictions
which have been in place since December last year:

* For owner occupiers, allowing up to 25% of new lending to have an
LVR above 80%.
* For investors, allowing up to 10% of new lending to have an LVR
above 70%.

“Debt-to-income (DTI) restrictions also remain in place. These
complement LVR restrictions and are an important guardrail against the
build-up of high-risk lending, particularly during periods of low
interest rates and strong housing demand,” said Mr McGregor.

We will continue to monitor developments in house prices, mortgage
lending, and broader financial stability risks. The next review of
macroprudential settings is intended to be in around 12 months, but this
can be brought forward if conditions warrant.

Source: deVere Group

August 13 2026
Claims this week that this is the strongest corporate earnings environment in history, with barely a case for caution, are being directly challenged by the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organisations.

Nigel Green of deVere Group's comments come as global spending on AI infrastructure heads toward $650bn this year, corporate earnings hit fresh records, and the S&P 500 pushes past 7,700, even as the accounting, financing and valuation assumptions underneath that strength draw mounting scrutiny.

He says: “Calling this the best earnings environment in history, and saying that a bear case takes creativity, gets it backwards.

“The real risk is hiding inside the numbers everyone is celebrating, not outside them.”

He continues: “Start with how these profits are being produced.

Hyperscale tech companies are depreciating AI hardware over five to six years.

“Independent estimates put the real replacement cycle closer to two or three years, given how fast this equipment is being superseded.

“Stretch the depreciation schedule and today's expense shrinks, which flatters today's profit.

“If that gap is even half right, a meaningful slice of this year's record earnings is a timing choice, not organic strength, and the bill still comes due.”

Global AI infrastructure spending is on course for somewhere between $600bn and $700bn this year alone, and capital on that scale only makes sense if it produces durable returns for years to come.

“Right now that payback timeline is an assumption rather than a demonstrated fact, and betting a record earnings season on an unproven assumption is not strength, it's exposure dressed up as confidence,” notes the deVere CEO.

He adds: “Layer on how a growing share of this spending is financed.

Suppliers of the infrastructure are investing directly in the companies buying it, who are committing spending straight back into the suppliers in return.

“This circularity doesn't automatically signal anything improper, but it does mean a portion of the revenue and profit being applauded right now is the industry partly funding itself, which is far more fragile than the headline growth figures suggest.”

There is also a popular argument that persistent scepticism is itself bullish, the theory being that doubters eventually capitulate and buy in, and that capitulation fuels the next leg higher.

“I would treat that theory with real suspicion.

Scepticism that refuses to break is not evidence it's misplaced, it may simply mean the sceptics are seeing something the rally has not priced in yet.”

Stack stretched valuations on top of all of this and the picture gets harder to defend, not easier.

Multiples of 40 to 55 times revenue are being justified almost entirely by the strength of the earnings story just described.

Pull on any one thread, the depreciation assumptions, the financing circularity, the payback timeline, and the valuation sitting on top of it starts to look far less secure than the headline numbers suggest.

He concludes: “None of this means investors should panic or walk away from the AI trade altogether, because the underlying technology and demand are genuinely real, but the claim that this is the safest, strongest earnings environment in history, with no credible case for caution, simply does not hold up.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: NAKIMUSHI

August 2026 – NAKIMUSHI, the new Japanese townhouse restaurant from the team behind Michelin-starred Dorian, EEL Sushi, Supermarket of Dreams and the Notting Hill Fish+Meat Shop, will officially open on Monday, 7th September 2026.

Located just moments from Notting Hill Gate, NAKIMUSHI is a dual-format Japanese townhouse led by Chef Yuji Shimokawa Kelly and Chef Robin Kosuge. Bringing together their hugely popular Urchin and Robin's Ramen residencies under one permanent roof, the three-storey restaurant offers two distinct yet complementary experiences, united by a shared commitment to exceptional produce and traditional Japanese techniques.

Spanning three floors, the ground floor is dedicated to a fast-paced ramen bar centred around an open kitchen and communal seating, serving Tokyo-style ramen alongside a concise menu of snacks and cold starters. Upstairs, a more intimate 25-seat restaurant and bar explores a broader approach to contemporary Japanese cooking while keeping ramen at the heart of the menu. Together, the two spaces reflect the chefs' distinct expressions of Japanese cuisine.

The Interiors
Set within a narrow, three-storey listed Victorian townhouse on Kensington Mall, NAKIMUSHI has been carefully restored to balance Japanese design sensibilities with the building’s original architectural character. Guests enter beneath a custom-made noren, through a deep oxblood shopfront set against the original brick façade.

Inside, the townhouse is enveloped in pale timber, extending across panelled walls, cabinetry and gridded ceilings. Parquet flooring, satin-finished brass, and hand-glazed Japanese Kit Kat tiles in varying shades of oxblood create a restrained, warm atmosphere with the deep red colour theme carried throughout all three floors.
The open kitchen dominates the street-level dining room, where steaming broths, smoking robata grills and shelves of carefully organised ingredients create the lively energy of a traditional Tokyo ramen shop. A long communal table and individual stools run through the centre of the dining room, with additional seating at the window counter.

Upstairs, the daylight-filled dining room provides a calmer setting, with timber tables and chairs framed by leather banquettes, brass table lamps and softly reflective metalwork. The bar sits within the dining room, with a richly coloured tiled counter backed by mirrored, temperature-controlled wine cabinets. Above, a suspended brass rack holds rows of fine glassware.

The top floor is home to the chefs’ preparation kitchen and a temperature-controlled showcase larder, allowing guests a glimpse of the restaurant's produce before it reaches the plate.

The Menu
The ground-floor dining places ramen at the centre of the experience, with guests able to enjoy dishes at the communal table, at the window counter, or to take away. 

Signature bowls include Robin’s celebrated Lobster Ramen with Seafood Paitan and Komatsuna, and Charshu Pork Belly Ramen made with Basque Chicken Broth and Ajitama. Alongside the ramen is a concise selection of snacks and cold plates, including Wild Hamachi with Yukari Ponzu and Nori Oil; Namayasai Salad, Shio Koji Dressing; and Corn Tempura with Fig Leaf Salt. Service is intentionally energetic, inspired by the pace and atmosphere of Tokyo’s back-street ramen shops.

On the first floor, the menu broadens to explore hot Japanese cooking using carefully sourced ingredients from trusted producers. Smaller dishes include Red Prawn and Courgette Gyoza with Umeboshi; Quail Tempura with Jerk Tendashi and Apricot Purée; and Chicken Karaage with Chive Oroshi and Ponzu.

Larger plates, designed to share, include line-caught Steamed Turbot with Red Vinegar An; Grilled Ibérico x Duroc Pork Loin with Red Almond Miso; and Grilled Tuna Kama with Padrón Pepper Dashi and Kimizu. While the offering expands beyond the ramen bar below, ramen remains a defining feature throughout NAKIMUSHI, connecting the restaurant’s two distinct experiences.

The Drinks
Within the first-floor dining room is a bar serving a succinct list of well-crafted cocktails built around Japanese spirits, ingredients and flavours. These include the Shochu Highballs – the popular Japanese drinks combining shochu and carbonated water. Available in both full and low-alcohol versions, these include the Midori-Hai, made with shochu, Midori, Miso Sherry and Shiso, and the Hato-Hai, a shochu take on the Paloma made with Maraschino and Grapefruit – its name taken from hato, the Japanese word for dove.

The drinks list continues with a wide choice of sakes and nama sakes – unpasteurised sakes with bright, fruit-led and punchy flavours. To finish the meal, a selection of aged, full-bodied sakes is available by the glass, including Shirayuki Edo Genroku, a dark amber Junmai brewed by Konishi Shuzo using a recipe dating to 1703, and Hayashi Honten Golden Amber, a rare 12-year-old Junmai Koshu.

The wine list brings together an extensive collection with a particular focus on Burgundy and Italian wines, alongside the carefully selected sake and cocktail offering, chosen to complement the cooking across the restaurant.

Bookings from the 7th September onwards can be made via Sevenrooms HERE (https://www.sevenrooms.com/explore/nakimushi/reservations/create/search/)

Notes

Website: nakimushi.co.uk (https://nakimushi.co.uk/)

Yuji Shimokawa Kelly
Yuji Shimokawa Kelly is a Japanese-British Chef who began his culinary career as part of the opening team at Dinings SW3. Born and raised in London, he spent a year and a half travelling and working in Japan, predominantly in the Japanese Alps. When he moved back to London, he joined the 2-Michelin-star restaurant Umu in Mayfair under the tutelage of Yoshinori Iishi for four years. During lockdown, he was introduced to entrepreneur Chris D’Sylva and Chef Robin Kosuge at the Notting Hill Fish + Meat Shop, before joining the team at Dorian, helping to achieve their first star. Due to Yuji’s expertise and years of training in Japanese fine cuisine, Chris offered him the opportunity to open URCHIN, which began as a 10-seat counter in Sifnos, Greece, and later became a 12-month pop-up in Supermarket of Dreams. He now leads NAKIMUSHI alongside Robin Kosuge as joint Head Chef.

Robin Kosuge
Robin Kosuge was born in London to a Polish mother and a Japanese father. He trained at culinary school before gaining early experience at an okonomiyaki restaurant in Leicester Square and later at Kouzu, in Belgravia, where he was first introduced to the fundamentals of pastry. He went on to work in pastry at Selfridges and in a boulangerie in Paris before moving to Tokyo to join Dominique Ansel, where he spent two years. After returning to London in 2019, a chance encounter led him to train in sushi alongside Yuji Robertson at Chris D’Sylva’s Notting Hill Meat+Fish Shop. Following further travels across Asia and Europe, Robin joined the opening team at Dorian in 2022. Having spent years researching ramen in both Paris and Japan, he introduced Robin’s Ramen – a one-day pop-up at EEL Sushi in the summer of 2025, before expanding the concept into an eight-month residency at Supermarket of Dreams, which ran from October that year until May 2026. He now leads NAKIMUSHI alongside Yuji Shimokawa Kelly as joint Head Chef.

Chris D’Sylva
Originally from Melbourne, entrepreneur Chris D’Sylva began his career in brand strategy before moving to London to pursue ventures in food. In 2019, he opened the Notting Hill Fish+Meat Shop, followed in 2020 by the Supermarket of Dreams, a community-focused retail space created during lockdown to support both local residents and London’s independent food businesses. He is also the owner of the Michelin-starred Dorian in Notting Hill and the owner of EEL Sushi on Talbot Road. Chris continues to develop projects that blend hospitality, retail, and collaboration.

Source: Solomon Islands Government Ministry of Rural Development

DATE: THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST, 2026

The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is one of the 24 ministries within the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) machinery. MRD was established on 28 September 2007.

Its core mandate, as contained under Legal Notice 164 in accordance with the Constitution of Solomon Islands, is to oversee the effective planning and implementation of Government’s Rural Development Policies.

Its vision is to ensure all rural Solomon Islanders meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihood.

Website: https://solomons.gov.sb/ The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is one of the 24 ministries within the Small Malaita constituency lauds PRC's continued support for community development, receives SBD100,000 grant assistance The Small Malaita Constituency Office has commended the People's Republic of China's Embassy in Honiara for its continued support of community development in Solomon Islands, after receiving SBD100,000 in grant assistance under the Embassy's Small and Sustainable Development Project Fund, marking another milestone in strengthening rural development and improving community livelihoods.

The funding will go towards the purchase of two boats and one engine, for AIAU Association from Tawaro village and a family of seven sisters from Fanalei village.

The project aims to improve sea transportation, giving rural communities safer and more reliable access to markets, health services, schools, and other essential services.

Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Brown Honimae expressed his sincere appreciation to the Government of the People's Republic of China for their continued support of community development in Small Malaita and Solomon Islands as a whole.

Honimae said the assistance reflects the strong partnership and enduring friendship between Solomon Islands and the People's Republic of China, with tangible benefits reaching rural communities.

“This funding will directly improve the lives of our people by providing a reliable means of sea transportation.

For many of our rural communities, boats are not a luxury but a necessity, connecting people to essential services and economic opportunities,”

Honimae said.

He added that the constituency remains committed to ensuring development assistance is channelled through a fair and transparent process, directed toward projects with a lasting, meaningful impact on people's lives.

Honimae also acknowledged the Chinese Embassy for its ongoing support through the Small and Sustainable Development Project Fund, noting that such assistance complements the constituency's development priorities and contributes to the welfare of rural communities.

The Small Malaita Constituency Office reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with development partners to deliver practical and sustainable projects that improve the quality of life for its people.

Source: SAFE For Animals

Animal rights organisation SAFE is raising serious conflict of interest concerns after the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) confirmed it will retain committee member Sandra Faulkner following her election as Vice President of Federated Farmers.

At NAWAC's July committee meeting, Ms Faulkner stated she planned to remain on the committee despite recently being elected to one of the most senior leadership positions within New Zealand's largest farming lobby group. SAFE subsequently wrote to NAWAC Chair Dr Matthew Stone seeking clarification and received confirmation that Ms Faulkner would be staying on as a committee member, despite the clear conflict between her responsibility to provide independent animal welfare advice and her leadership role advocating for farming interests.

SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says the issue goes far beyond standard conflict of interest declarations.

“The question isn't whether Sandra Faulkner has declared her interests correctly. The question is whether New Zealanders can have confidence in the independence of an animal welfare advisory committee when one of its members also holds an influential position within a powerful farming lobby group.”

NAWAC was established under the Animal Welfare Act to provide independent advice to the minister responsible for animal welfare. Federated Farmers, meanwhile, exists to advocate for the interests of farmers and actively campaigns for policy and regulatory outcomes that directly affect the commercial use of animals.

Hall points to a recent statement by then Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford celebrating the fact the lobby group had achieved all 12 of the key priorities it has put forward to the Government over the past three years, underscoring the influence Federated Farmers holds within the current Coalition Government.

“NAWAC cannot credibly claim to be an independent source of advice on animal welfare while allowing senior leadership within a major animal agricultural lobby group to remain on the committee,” says Hall.

SAFE says the conflict is particularly concerning because many of the animal welfare issues addressed by NAWAC directly affect sectors represented by Federated Farmers, including: intensive farming systems; mud farming or ‘winter grazing’; livestock transport; husbandry practices; animal welfare regulations and codes of welfare; and compliance and enforcement frameworks relating to farmed animals.

Following NAWAC's refusal to require Ms Faulkner to step down, SAFE has written to Associate Minister for Agriculture Andrew Hoggard and the Ministry for Primary Industries, calling for urgent action. The organisation is seeking Ms Faulkner's removal from the committee and the appointment of a replacement member with expertise in an area such as animal welfare science, animal behaviour, animal ethics, law, or public policy.

“This is about more than one committee member,” says Hall. “This situation exposes exactly what's wrong with New Zealand's animal welfare system – a fundamentally broken system that allows industry interests to exert significant influence over animal welfare decision making.”

Newsroom article: 16 June 2026
https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/06/15/parties-of-the-right-battle-for-the-small-but-mighty-rural-vote

SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.

We're creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.

Notes

Sandra Faulkner was elected Vice President of Federated Farmers in June 2026 after being on the national board for four years: ‘New vice president Sandra Faulkner farms with husband Rob at Wairakaia, near Gisborne, where they run a diverse operation including sheep, beef, cropping, citrus, farm forestry and contracting.’ Source: Federated Farmers.
https://fedfarm.org.nz/Web/Web/Media-Release/2026/June/Federated-Farmers-elects-new-national-president.aspx

NAWAC is a statutory committee established under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to provide independent advice to the Minister responsible for animal welfare.

On 30 July 2026, NAWAC Chair Dr Matthew Stone confirmed by reply to SAFE that Ms Faulkner would remain on the committee.

SAFE has written to Minister Andrew Hoggard and MPI Deputy Director-General Karin Adair calling for Ms Faulkner to be required to step down from NAWAC and be replaced by a member free from comparable conflicts of interest.

“We put forward 12 priorities for the incoming government and we’re pleased to have got all 12 of those across the line over the past three years.” — Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford

Source: Tertiary Education Union

A restructure of Massey University senior management (SLT), announced this week would weaken academic representation and ignores the real pressures facing staff, says the union for university, polytechnic and wānanga staff, the Tertiary Education Union (TEU).

The proposal would reduce academic roles at SLT and create an additional academic management layer while creating new roles including a “chief of staff” and “chief people and culture officer”. A proposed Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise role would not be required to have a doctoral qualification or an established academic research profile.

Associate Professor Sean Phelan, TEU Massey University Branch Academic Representative, says the proposal weakens academic voice at the VC's table.

“Universities are not corporations that also happen to teach. Their public value depends on independent scholarship, robust academic governance, and the protection of academic freedom. Any structural change must strengthen, not weaken, these foundations.”

Massey University union staff are also currently negotiating a new collective agreement and say the announcement, while the university refuses to meet staff claims for a real salary rise and secure work feels like a slap in the face.

TEU Massey University Co-Branch President, Te Awatea Ward, says that the staff who teach and support students every day of the week are the people who the university’s reputation relies on.

“Our workloads have increased enormously due to previous staffing cuts, and the cost of living is hurting us all. We just want our employer to see what we do and value us for it.

“It is appalling that the Vice-Chancellor appears more focussed on reshuffling senior management than investing in the staff that teach, research, and keep the University running. Professor Venter needs to value his staff and recognise the purpose of the University.”