Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Mental health system still falling short for young people and Māori, new report shows

Source: Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission – says improvements in Aotearoa New Zealand’s mental health and addiction system must come faster to meet the rising need for young people and Māori.
Today Te Hiringa Mahara has released its latest ‘ report card’ on the state of Aotearoa New Zealand’s mental health system. The System performance monitoring report assesses whether people can get help early, access support equitably, receive safe and effective care in crisis, and move through a system that responds to their needs and the needs of their whānau.
“This report shows the system is improving in some areas, but for the people who need it most, we are losing ground,” says Te Hiringa Mahara Chief Executive Karen Orsborn.
“There are signs of progress across the system, however of the six focus areas we measure, only workforce is improving and ‘on track’. In practice, that means although access to services is improving overall, it is not improving fast enough for young people, who continue to face rising psychological distress and persistent gaps in age-appropriate support.
“We are also seeing increased unmet need for professional mental health support for Māori with investment in culturally appropriate services not keeping up.
“We continue to see high rates of seclusion and other coercive practices being used, which raises concerns about the ability of the system to uphold human rights-based practice. Māori continue to experience these practices at a higher rate than any other group. We also want to see action toward not having young people admitted into adult units.
“A fair, robust mental health system is one that works for everyone. For us to achieve that, we must see strong leadership, targeted action where need is greatest, and a more coordinated response to the wider drivers of mental distress,” says Ms Orsborn.
Notes:
Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s – role is to contribute to better and more equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand. We monitor progress, lead with new insights, advocate for change, and highlight where action is most needed. Our mandate is to focus on improving outcomes for Māori and whānau and people with the highest need. We also advocate for the collective interests of people with lived and living experience of mental distress and addiction, and the whānau who support them. 
Read the report and summary: www.mhwc.govt.nz/system-performance 
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Workplace Safety – Stand with Pike joins NZISM campaign to stop law changes that make workplaces more dangerous

Source: New Zealand Institute of Safety Management

– Select committee fails to heed widespread concerns about Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill
– Bill due to be reported back today by Education and Workforce Committee
– Campaign to stop Bill launched today
Stand with Pike campaigners Sonya Rockhouse and Anna Osborne have joined with the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management in an urgent, last-ditch campaign to stop the Government pressing ahead with law changes that make workplaces more dangerous.
The Education and Workforce Committee is due to report the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill back to Parliament today and be debated in Parliament next week at its Second Reading. NZISM understands only minor changes have been made despite an overwhelming majority of business groups, health and safety experts, unions and others opposing the Bill.
“This will be a huge setback to efforts to turn around our appalling health and safety record, so we are grateful for the support of Sonya and Anna from Stand with Pike – they know, more than anyone else, that we can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of the past,” said Mike Cosman, NZISM law reform spokesperson.
“We urge MPs to heed their concerns, learn the lessons from Pike and vote this Bill down.”
Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse are lending their voices to a social media campaign launched today by NZISM.
“We are heartbroken to see the Government persist with this Bill. We believe that it will cost lives. The lessons from the Pike River tragedy have been forgotten,” said Anna Osborne
“Today Stand with Pike and NZISM are launching a campaign to remind politicians across Parliament of the human cost of bad lawmaking. The message of the campaign is simple: Vote this Bill down or send it back to Select Committee for major revision,” said Sonya Rockhouse.
Mike Cosman said there were many problems with the Bill which would not lead to better health and safety outcomes or make it easier for businesses to comply. Indeed, many across the health and safety system believe it will result in more harm and cost to ACC and employers. New Zealand’s fatality rate is 1.7 x that of Australia and 6.5 x that of the UK. The cost of workplace death and injuries is conservatively estimated at $5.4 billion a year. The Bill will increase this cost if passed.
The major problems centre on small businesses being carved out of the new regime;
– The Bill would exempt 97% of New Zealand businesses from having a legal duty to manage many of their most significant risks (the non-critical ones).
– Small businesses have a 24% higher injury rate than large firms. Carving them out makes no sense.
– The main risks that workers in those businesses would no longer be protected against are musculoskeletal risks (e.g. ergonomics, slips and falls) and psychosocial risks (mental health, stress, workload, working hours). These are the number 1 and 2 causes of workplace harm in New Zealand.
– ACC strongly opposes the carve out for musculoskeletal risks because they pay out more than $3.6 billion every year for such injuries in small businesses. Reducing protections is likely to cost hundreds of millions more and cause huge suffering.
“At a basic level workers would no longer have to be provided with safety boots or gloves as hand and foot injuries are not classed as critical. That’s ridiculous,” said Mike Cosman.
“No other country in the world takes this indifferent approach to the health and safety of workers in small businesses. It will cost lives and livelihoods. The likely direct costs to ACC alone make a mockery of this Government’s claims of fiscal discipline and these costs will ultimately be passed on to businesses and taxpayers.”
Stand with Pike urges MPs to listen.
“Our message is simple: Those who can’t learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. We have learned the lessons of Pike River and deregulation of health and safety with the deaths of 29 good men. This Bill should be stopped in its tracks,” said Anna Osbourne.
Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse lost their husband and son respectively in the explosion at Pike River Mine. Along with the other Pike River families and supporters They have been campaigning for safe workplaces ever since.
Mike Cosman is the NZISM Law Reform Spokesperson. He is one of New Zealand’s leading experts on workplace health and safety. Mike has 46+ years’ experience as a regulator, policy maker, manager and consultant. Mike was a member of the Government-commissioned Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety in 2013.
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Local News – Porirua City Councillor Mike Duncan remembered for his generous spirit

Source: Porirua City Council

Councillor Mike Duncan is being remembered for his community focus, eye for detail, generous spirit and warm smile.
Mike, who passed away suddenly on Sunday, was elected to Council in 2016. That year, the former Dominion newspaper printer and designer actually stood for the mayoralty as well as for Council in what was then the Western ward, finishing in third behind Mike Tana and Euon Murrell.
To sum up his disposition, which we all came to know and enjoy, he told a Kapi-Mana News journalist about missing out on the mayoralty with a twinkle in his eye: “I was disappointed, but then the sun came up…”
Mike stood for Council in 2016 with cornerstones of deep-set community connections, down-to-earth family values and an everyman attitude that resonated with voters on the western side of Porirua.
As a councillor, Mike forged a strong reputation with Council staff and his fellow elected members as someone who played with a straight bat, possessing a calm and competent manner, often with his tongue firmly in his cheek. Due to his journalist, print-making and design background – Mike was a keen cruciverbalist, crafting his own crosswords – he had an eye for detail and was able to spot a misplaced comma or spelling mistake buried in Council documents.
He asked questions that he felt his community needed answered, but never in a combative manner to his colleagues or Council employees.
Along with being a member of Te Puna Kōrero (Council’s committee) and full Council, this term Mike was on the Audit & Risk, Porirua District Licensing (latter as deputy chair) and Hutt Mana Charitable Trust Appointments committees, as well as the Dog Control Hearings Subcommittee. In previous terms, he was an active, hard-working and steady hand among much of the committee networks of Council.
He will be remembered by staff who interacted with him as open-minded, warm and friendly, someone who cared about representing his community around the Council table.
These past few years Mike was MC at the Porirua Anzac Day Civic Service, carrying out his duties with typical aplomb and humility. Mike was a strong advocate for New Zealand Sign Language, and pushed to get interpreters more often included in Council events, including Anzac Day. Mike and his wife Christine had a very personal interest in championing the deaf community, with two of their grandchildren being deaf.
He was no stranger to local politics. Along with a tilt at the Porirua mayoralty in 2010 – losing to Nick Leggett – Mike stood against Graham Kelly for the Labour nomination for the Porirua electorate in 1987. He also stood for the mayoralty in 2019, losing out to Anita Baker.
Mike lived all but two of his years in Porirua, telling Kapi-Mana News in 2016 that he built a home on the site of a burnt-out state house on Te Pene Ave, where his family put down what would be indelible roots.
“I moved to a house next to Mana Esplanade when I was two. We used to collect mushrooms in the hills where Cannons Creek is now. I've travelled a lot, but this is the most beautiful place in the world.”
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Economy – Bay of Plenty bops to the top in ASB’s latest Regional Economic Scoreboard

Source: ASB

  • Bay of Plenty reclaims first place, ending Canterbury’s run at the top
  • Canterbury and Otago round out the podium in second and third
  • North Island shows broader improvement, with most regions in top half
  • Wellington lifts off the bottom rung, but ongoing pressures remain

The Bay of Plenty has taken out the top spot in ASB’s Regional Economic Scoreboard for the March quarter, as regional economic growth remains uneven but continues to broaden across New Zealand.

ASB’s Regional Economic Scoreboard ranks New Zealand’s 16 regions across key indicators, including employment, construction, house prices, retail trade and consumer confidence. In the March quarter, the Bay of Plenty led the country, supported by strong employment growth and solid gains across construction demand, retail spending and the housing market.

ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says the Bay’s performance reflects the strength of its primary sector and export base.

“After a bumper 2025 kiwifruit season and a strong start to 2026, the Bay of Plenty has reclaimed the top spot. Strong export demand and solid employment growth are underpinning the region’s momentum,” says Nick.

Canterbury, which held the top position for much of 2025, slipped back to second place but continues to perform strongly across most measures. The region remains well supported by strong dairy incomes, population growth, tourism and ongoing investment.

Otago retained a podium finish in third place, with strong retail spending and tourism activity supporting household demand, although employment growth has softened.

Five of the North Island’s eight regions placed in the top half of the Scoreboard in Q1, reflecting improving momentum across employment, construction demand and retail spending.

“The regional story this quarter is one of a more balanced recovery,” says Nick. “We’re seeing broader improvement across the North Island, with most regions now sitting in the top half of the rankings.”

Auckland remains mid-table, with growth in retail spending and housing activity supported by migration and tourism, though labour market conditions remain weak.

At the other end of the rankings, Wellington showed some improvement, moving off the bottom of the Scoreboard, although the region continues to face significant headwinds, particularly in housing and construction.

“While it’s encouraging to see Wellington lift from last place, the Capital still faces ongoing challenges. Weak housing market conditions and job uncertainty are continuing to weigh on confidence and activity,” says Nick.

Nationally, economic activity continued to gain momentum in the March quarter: ASB is forecasting March quarter GDP growth of 0.8%.

Employment, tourism and migration all lifted, supporting broader economic momentum, while retail spending remained resilient. However, ASB Economists note that global uncertainty is increasingly shaping the outlook.

“While there are encouraging signs of recovery, storm clouds are looming. Inflation remains elevated and global developments, particularly the Middle East conflict, are expected to weigh on growth, cost pressures and consumer confidence in the short term,” says Nick.

“With inflation expected to remain above the RBNZ’s target for much of 2026 and cost pressures building, the pace of the recovery is likely to remain uneven across regions.”

About the ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard

The ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard takes the latest quarterly regional statistics and ranks the economic performance of New Zealand's 16 Regional Council areas. The fastest growing regions gain the highest ratings, and a good performance by the national economy raises the ratings of all regions. Ratings are updated every three months, and are based on 11 measures, including employment, construction, retail trade, and house prices.

The full ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard, along with other recent ASB reports covering a range of commentary, can be accessed at our ASB Economic Insights page: https://www.asb.co.nz/documents/economic-insights.html

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Events – Matariki ki te Manawa returns to Auckland’s city centre this Matariki

Source: Auckland Council

As Tāmaki Makaurau comes together to celebrate Matariki, Matariki ki te Manawa returns to the city centre with illuminated art, storytelling, augmented reality and live performance inspired by the people, places and cultural narratives of the region.

Auckland Live’s Matariki ki te Manawa programme runs from 15 June to 21 July 2026 as part of Auckland Council Events’ Matariki Festival 2026. Through a series of experiences across streets, public spaces and the waterfront, it brings mana whenua, iwi and te ao Māori stories to life.

Tāmaki Makaurau has long been a gathering place for waka from many different shores. Matariki ki te Manawa draws on the spirit of Tāmaki herenga waka, herenga tangata to bring together the people and cultures of the city in celebration and reflection.

The programme connects various places across the city centre. Award-winning light installation Tūrama on Queen Street returns this year to civic spaces and the waterfront. Together, the five components of the trail remind us of the story of Waihorotiu, the ancient stream that flows beneath the city’s streets. Joined by Taurima in Elliott Street and Reo Haukura in Lorne Street outside the Central Library, the city is in for a fantastic light-filled experience.

Pou Auaha Creative Director Ataahua Papa (Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta), who has led Matariki events in Tāmaki Makaurau for 10 years, says Matariki ki te Manawa is an opportunity for everyone to experience the city through the stories of te ao Māori.

“The city centre of Tāmaki Makaurau is a vibrant space with so much to share. We have curated inclusive illuminated storytelling experiences grounded in tikanga and mātauranga Māori, to share these stories with all the people and cultures within the city,” says Ataahua Papa.

The programme features a range of art works including light installations, photography, sculptures and light boxes by Graham Tipene, Ataahua Papa, Angus Muir Design, Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole, alongside many other talented artists and storytellers.

Auckland Live Director Daniel Clarke says Matariki ki te Manawa creates opportunities for people to connect with the histories, creativity and cultural narratives of Tāmaki Makaurau.

“The programme invites people to see Tāmaki Makaurau through a uniquely Māori lens. Matariki ki te Manawa brings people together in shared public spaces to experience Māori storytelling, celebrate creativity and deepen their connection to the city and one another.”

Matariki ki te Manawa also includes a range of partner events and experiences taking place across central Auckland, including Karangahape Road, the city centre, waterfront and Britomart. Partner organisations include Auckland Libraries, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, New Zealand Maritime Museum, Auckland Philharmonia, SkyCity, Basement Theatre, Q Theatre, Karangahape Business Association, Commercial Bay and Britomart. Please refer to the programme guide for a full list of partner events, dates and booking information.

Matariki ki te Manawa forms part of the region-wide Matariki Festival 2026, proudly presented by Ngāti Tamaoho in collaboration with Auckland Council Events. This is the third and final year of Ngāti Tamaoho as iwi manaaki of the Matariki Festival.

The wider Matariki Festival programme includes Ngā Reo o te Rangi: Voices of the Stars at Auckland Town Hall, the national Hautapu ceremony at Takaparawhau, hosted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the return of Vector Lights for Matariki on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and concludes with Te Kora Kora ki Waihorotiu at Shed 10 – a free all ages concert.

Ataahua Papa says there is also a range of exciting community-led pop-ups taking place throughout the festival and encourages people to explore the city centre and discover the stories woven throughout the programme.

“There is something for everyone at Matariki ki te Manawa regardless of your reo or Matariki knowledge. Follow the trails, discover the artworks and experience, and let the stories of this rohe guide your journey through the city,” adds Ataahua Papa.

Programme:

Matariki ki te Manawa
15 June – 21 July | Auckland city centre (various locations)
Free and open to all
Full programme and event information at: Matariki ki te Manawa

Tūrama
30 June – 19 July | Queen Street
The tāhūhū of Matariki ki te Manawa returns to Queen Street. This award-winning light installation by Graham Tipene, Ataahua Papa, and Angus Muir Design with Phil Wihongi traces the story of Waihorotiu, the historical waterway that flows beneath our feet, connecting past to present along the city’s busiest spine.

Taurima
11 June – 21 July | Elliott Street
Created by Lissy Robinson-Cole, Rudi Robinson-Cole, Ataahua Papa, and Angus Muir Design, Taurima honours the history of Elliott Street as a traditional māra kai, a source of sustenance for the whenua. The works take the form of a pātaka, celebrating that ancestral story of place and inspired by Wharenui Harikoa.

Mana Wahine
Ongoing | The Strand
Wiremu Barriball’s stylised moko kauae designs on flags with the Matariki colour palette celebrate the mana of wāhine during this powerful time of year. A vivid presence woven into the daily life of the city.

Reo Haukura
12 June – 21 July | Lorne Street
Originally commissioned for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, this work by Ataahua Papa and Angus Muir Design responds to the permanent sculpture outside the Central Library. Ko te reo kia rere, ko te reo kia tika, ko te reo kia Māori.

Rā
12 June – 21 July | Vulcan Lane
Commissioned in 2025, this work by Tyrone Ohia and Dr Riki Gooch with Angus Muir Design embraces the Māori name for the sun, bringing light and sound into the city centre to energise, spark joy, and ignite a sense of fire in the heart of Tāmaki.

Are Atoms Alive?
10 July – 2 August | Aotea Square
New for 2026, this large-scale installation by Storybox and Oculo journeys from distant galaxies to the depths of cells dividing in the human body, connecting Earth to the Matariki star realm through a seven-minute looped film projected across seven screens.

Arawhetū
30 June –19 July | Aotea Square through to Myers Park
Artist Kereama Taepa leads a team of 10 artists to connect past, present, and future with an augmented reality star trail stretching across the city. Different interpretations of the stars of the Matariki cluster and Puanga create an unforgettable, family-friendly experience for all ages.

Lightboxes — Nuku Collection
23 June – 19 July | Beresford Square
Wāhine from Qiane Matata-Sipu’s Nuku photographic collection are brought into the winter light through a series of lightboxes, linking Karangāhape Road to the city centre activations. In partnership with Karangahape Business Association.

Lightboxes — Tūhono
19 June – 19 July | Te Komititanga to Te Tōangaroa
Four cube lightboxes give insight into the creative talent responsible for the incredible works that form part of Tūhono, led by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and supported by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited through Major Events, extending the network of light-based storytelling across the city centre.

Matariki Taimoana
4 & 11 July | Silo Park
Matariki returns to Silo Park with two events celebrating local artists. The 4 July event marks the launch of Vector Lights on the Auckland Harbour Bridge for Matariki 2026 with an evening of music and celebration. On 11 July, a day of family-friendly activity, music, and storytelling takes place alongside the installation of public artwork Whai by Janine Williams on the gantry. Presented in collaboration with AUDO, Fresh Concept and Auckland Council Public Art.

He Ara Hīkoi
8 July – 6pm, 11 July – 5pm, 17 July – 6pm, 19 July – 5pm | Te Tōangaroa to Aotea Square
Guided walking tours from Mahuhu-ki-te-rangi Park at Te Tōangaroa, up Queen Street to Aotea Square, visiting all installations and activations and bringing the stories of each work to life. Offered in both te reo Māori and English and programmed for weekday and weekend experiences.

NOTES

About Auckland Live
Auckland Live is the premier organisation for performing arts, culture, entertainment and events in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, presenting a vibrant and diverse programme of live arts and experiences across Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest network of iconic venues and public spaces, including the Aotea Centre, The Civic, Auckland Town Hall, Viaduct Events Centre, Bruce Mason Centre, Aotea Square, The Cloud, Shed 10, Queens Wharf, Te Komititanga and locations throughout the city centre; as part of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, a council-controlled organisation, Auckland Live champions creativity, supports artists and communities, and helps shape Auckland as a dynamic, inclusive and globally connected cultural destination.

About Ngāti Tamaoho
Ngāti Tamaoho are of Te Waiohua and Waikato descent, located between Te Mānukanuka o Hoturoa (Manukau Harbour), Āwhitu and Te Pūaha O Waikato (the lower Waikato River). Ngāti Tamaoho are proud to be Iwi manaaki bringing Matariki alongside Auckland Council Events for everyone to celebrate.

About Auckland Council Events
Auckland Council Events are events supported by the Auckland Council Group, including local boards and council-controlled organisations, recognising events supported by Auckland ratepayer funding. This support can include investment, delivery or promotion of events, to bring our communities together, celebrate Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s identity and deliver social and economic benefits.    

About Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s cultural, events and destination agency. It is an Auckland Council-controlled organisation that works to make Auckland a vibrant place to live and visit, through events, experiences and taonga (treasures).  

About the Matariki Festival 2026 theme
For the past three years Ngāti Tamaoho have participated in a Tāmaki Makaurau regional theme for the festival each year. The theme for Matariki Festival 2026 is ‘Matariki ki te Rangi’ (Matariki in the Sky). It highlights celestial knowledge, aspiration, and renewal and encourages everyone to look up to ngā whetū (the stars), reflect, seek guidance, and think about our shared responsibility to care for the taiao (natural surroundings), wai (waterways, rivers, and ocean), and whenua (land).

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Honours – 11,800 Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteers honoured

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

More than 11,800 Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteers across 590 volunteer fire brigades are being celebrated this week for Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu – National Volunteer Week.
National Commander Kerry Gregory says volunteers are a critical part of Fire and Emergency’s workforce.
“Our gratitude and respect for our volunteers extends beyond one week,” Kerry Gregory says.
“Many New Zealanders don’t know that volunteers make up approximately 80 per cent of our personnel and they are available to serve their communities 24/7 365 days a year. Fire and Emergency couldn’t provide the service we do to communities without them.
“Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu – National Volunteer Week gives us the public platform to thank our volunteers for their service, as well as their whānau, friends and employers, that make volunteering possible” Kerry Gregory says.
“Volunteer roles vary greatly with people volunteering as firefighters, operational support, medical first responders and brigade support. They attend callouts, training, and community events, which often mean time away from work and home. 
“Our volunteers can’t do it alone and National Volunteer week is an opportunity to really highlight the role employers of our volunteers and families play in keeping our communities safe by releasing our people from work to attend incidents and supporting them right across the country. They are an essential part of the support crew who keep New Zealand safe. A huge thank you for the ongoing support they all give to our people.
“Our volunteers come from all walks of life but share one thing in common – they generously volunteer their time to serve their communities in addition to whānau, mahi and other responsibilities.
“We want to raise awareness of the incredible work our volunteers do and give the public a chance to thank them too.
“We’re inviting people to go to our Facebook or Instagram pages and leave a message of thanks or support.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to lead an organisation full of people that are committed to our core purpose – serving communities together.” 
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Health – Wai July Returns: Tāne Māori Encouraged to Choose Wai Over Waipiro This July

Source: Hapai Te Hauora

Hāpai Te Hauora is calling on tāne Māori across Aotearoa to once again choose wai over waipiro this July, as its Wai July campaign returns for a second year. The month-long challenge encourages participants to go alcohol-free for July, creating space to reflect on their relationship with alcohol while backing their bros and prioritising their hauora. More than 600 people registered for the inaugural Wai July campaign in 2025, with thousands more engaging with the kaupapa online. The strong response highlighted a growing appetite for alcohol-free spaces and conversations within Māori communities.
Hāpai Te Hauora Chief Operating Officer Jason Alexander says the campaign is about creating opportunities for people to pause and reflect.
“Wai July isn't about judgement or telling people what they should do. It's about creating space to pause, reflect, and see what changes when alcohol is taken out of the picture for a month.”
“Whether someone decides to stay alcohol-free after July or not isn't really the point. The value comes from taking a step back and being intentional about the role alcohol plays in their life.”
Alcohol continues to be a significant contributor to preventable harm in Aotearoa, impacting physical health, mental wellbeing, whānau relationships, finances, and communities.
Māori continue to experience disproportionate levels of alcohol-related harm, with alcohol contributing to poorer health outcomes, increased rates of injury, and wider social and economic impacts across whānau and communities.
Wai July provides an opportunity to challenge the normalisation of alcohol, shift the environments that sustain harm, and centre the wellbeing of whānau.
One of the campaign influencers returning this year is Montel Tivoli, who is now more than three years into his alcohol-free journey. Tivoli says taking a break from alcohol can create space for growth and self-reflection.
“The biggest positive change I've experienced since becoming sober has been developing true self-confidence and finally facing my inner trauma.”
“I used alcohol to suppress those things and often turned to it as a way to hide. Becoming sober was never really about alcohol itself. It was about no longer relying on a substance to numb the inner work that needed to be done.”
“You will never regret a better version of yourself.”
Hāpai Te Hauora has again partnered with an experienced alcohol and other drugs counsellor to provide confidential support throughout the month.
The support has been part of Wai July since the campaign began, recognising that taking a break from alcohol can raise questions about habits, wellbeing, relationships, and the role alcohol plays in people's lives.
Alexander says having support available is an important part of the campaign.
“If we're encouraging people to reflect on their relationship with alcohol, we also have a responsibility to make sure support is available for those who want it.”
“For some people, taking a break from alcohol can be straightforward. For others, it can bring up challenges, questions, or simply highlight habits they haven't had the chance to reflect on before.”
Throughout July, participants will hear from tāne Māori sharing their own experiences, challenges, and motivations for choosing wai over waipiro. The campaign will also provide practical tips, encouragement, and reminders that participants are not doing it alone.
Alexander says the challenge is simple.
“Take a break from waipiro for July and see how you feel.”
“You might sleep better. You might save some money. You might not notice much at all. The point is giving yourself the opportunity to find out.”
Registrations for Wai July are now open at waijuly.nz 
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Universities – NZ scientists tackle brain disease in Philippines

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Brain scientists from the University of Auckland are helping communities in the Philippines to better understand a brain disease that only affects Filipino men.

Neuroscientists from the University of Auckland and Massachusetts General Hospital worked together to help set up a brain bank on the small island of Panay in the Philippines

Tissue donated to the brain bank provides a vital resource for the scientists, who are trying to unravel the secrets of X-linked dystonia parkinsonism (XDP).

This degenerative brain disease only strikes men of Filipino descent, often hitting when they are in their twenties or thirties.  

About eight years ago, Distinguished Professor Sir Richard Faull, Associate Professor Henry Waldvogel and Dr Malvindar Singh-Bains from the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research began providing expertise to help people in the Philippines with XDP.

The brain disease has a wide range of symptoms, with many men experiencing severe uncontrolled movements, muscle spasms and tremors.

“They're not aware of these swaying, jerking movements, until they try to do a task,” says Singh-Bains.

“Eating is a tough one for them. You see men twisting their head back, then forward, or they put a tea towel around their mouth to try to trick their brain into stopping the uncontrolled movements.

“It’s very confronting.”

Many are unable to walk, but don’t have resources like wheelchairs.

“Often, they end up bed-bound, lying on mattresses on the floor,” she says.

Although mothers who carry the gene that causes XDP have no symptoms, many carry a burden of guilt for passing on to their sons the gene that causes the debilitating disease, says Singh-Bains.  

Panay has a population of about 4.5 million and about six out of every 100,000 people there suffer from XDP.

The outreach from Auckland to the Philippines began in 2017, when Harvard University Professor and Chief of Neurology Anne Young asked Sir Richard to join her on a trip to the Philippines to look for ways to help people with XDP.  

In 1994, Sir Richard had founded the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank at the University of Auckland, so his expertise was desperately needed in the Philippines.

Two years later, the XDP Brain Bank was launched.

It was funded by the Sunshine Care Foundation and Collaborative Centre for XDP, established by Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine, whose Filipino brother has the condition.

Singh-Bains and Waldvogel first visited the Philippines in 2018, their suitcases packed with essential equipment.

“We instantly knew that we wanted to help,” she says.

“My family is originally from India, and in the Philippines I saw the same extremes of wealth and poverty. So I have a strong sense of connection with the community there.”

Singh-Bains and Waldvogel condensed months of training into four-hour sessions, where locals learned how to painstakingly preserve brains donated by the families of people with XDP, after they passed away.

The methods they demonstrated in Manila and on Panay allow the tissue to be used for research at Auckland and Harvard universities.

The neuroscientists hope to uncover what happens inside a brain with XDP – and eventually find ways to treat the condition, says Singh-Bains, who is the Douglas Research Fellow at the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank.

From Auckland, she continues to guide staff and volunteers in the Philippines on brain preservation techniques, sometimes through late night video calls.

Tissue from more than 100 brains has now been processed by the brain bank in Panay.

Singh-Bains leads a team that has been working on identifying the ‘disease signature’ of XDP in brain tissue sent from Panay to Auckland. This work has been funded by the Collaborative Centre for XDP.

Later this year, the University of Auckland team hope to publish their groundbreaking discovery of the blueprint of the disease in the striatum, part of the brain that is crucial for controlling body movement.

“We've spent the past four years trying to figure out what the disease signature is in the striatum – and we think we’ve finally cracked it,” says Singh-Bains.  

Mapping the signature of XDP in the brain will allow scientists to replicate the disease in lab-grown brain cells and animal models.  

From there, researchers can start hunting for treatments that might relieve symptoms, prevent the onset of the disease, or delay its impacts.  

Earlier this year, Sir Richard and Singh-Bains returned to the Philippines to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Panay brain bank and Collaborative Centre for XDP.

They met with about 400 patients, family members and medical professionals, who expressed “immense gratitude” for their support, says Sir Richard.

Singh-Bains says the Western world doesn't always care about illnesses that affect people in distant lands.

“We get asked why brain scientists here in New Zealand are studying a disease that mostly affects people in the Philippines.

“Our answer is clear: We're trying to help humanity,” she says.

Sir Richard adds: “They reached out for our help and you can’t say no.”

Right now, the only treatment available to people with XDP in the Philippines is Botox injections, which help ease their movement symptoms for a few months.

“We’re giving all we can to try to find a better treatment,” says Singh-Bains.

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Taking a moment to read bank messages helps keep your money safe, says Banking Ombudsman

Source: Banking Ombudsman Scheme

16 June 2026 – An increase in scam complaint numbers has prompted the Banking Ombudsman to urge customers to read and act on security alerts from banks.
Scam complaints to the scheme rose 18 per cent in the first quarter of the year, the first rise since late 2024. Banking Ombudsman Nicola Sladden said messages or notifications from banks were often a warning that something may be wrong, as well as a chance to stop a scam before any money was lost.
Banks send messages through apps, texts and emails to alert customers when access to their bank account is being set up on a new device, passwords are being changed or when transactions are being made.
Ms Sladden said, if a customer has already clicked a phishing link, they may think the messages are part of a legitimate transaction, such as confirming a delivery or paying a toll.
“Some people may overlook a notification or not read a full message, especially if they’re busy or distracted,” she said. “But taking a moment to read the full message could make the difference between keeping or losing money to a scam.”
In one recent case , a customer was selling items on an online marketplace when they received a link from the buyer to arrange postage. They clicked on the link to a website and entered bank account details to confirm details for the payment. Soon after, they received email and text messages containing codes to set up a banking app on a new device. The messages stated that the customer should contact the bank if they were not setting up the app. However, the customer did not read the messages and entered codes into the website. The following day, $16,700 was transferred from their account.
Ms Sladden said sharing codes or approving actions in banking apps could allow scammers to use the account as if it were their own.
“Banks may consider whether messages were read and acted on when deciding whether to reimburse a loss.”
In another case , a customer received an email appearing to be from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). The customer clicked a link that took them to a website resembling IRD, then to another resembling their bank, where they entered their banking details. The scammer used these details to log into the customer's account, triggering a genuine security code from the bank. The customer, believing the code was prompted by their own activity, entered it into the website. A few days later, $60,000 was transferred from the customer's account.
Ms Sladden said customers should be especially careful with messages that included a code or asked them to approve activity – and should always check that the message matches what they are trying to do.
“When you receive a message from your bank, stop and read it carefully. If something doesn’t seem right, contact your bank using the phone number on its website or app, never through a number or link in a message.”
She said sharing a code was one of the most common ways scammers gained access to bank accounts.
“Security notifications are there to protect customers. A brief pause to read a message and act on it is a simple way for customers to keep their bank account safe and prevent a loss.”
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Electronic card transactions: May 2026 – Stats NZ information release