Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – 22 September, 2025 – Samsung Electronics New Zealand is launching two free drive-through e-waste collection events this October to help Aucklanders easily and responsibly clear out unwanted electronics and prevent them from ending up in landfills.

With electronic waste being one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world, these events provide a simple, cost-free solution for the community. Residents can drop off everything from old computers and TVs to heat pumps and whiteware[1]—even items not made by Samsung—at Trusts Arena on Saturday October 11, and at Eden Park on Saturday October 18.

This initiative is a critical part of Samsung’s broader commitment to sustainability, which extends from product design to end-of-life solutions. The company is again partnering with Echo, New Zealand's largest e-waste disposal company[2], to ensure all items are handled and processed in an environmentally sound manner.

“We believe that our responsibility doesn't end when a product is sold; it extends to its entire lifecycle,” said Shannon Watts, Group Marketing Director at Samsung New Zealand. “These bi-annual collection events are a hands-on way for us to empower the community to make a real difference. We are committed to not only designing energy-efficient products but also providing accessible, free pathways for people to responsibly dispose of old tech and keep harmful materials out of our environment.”

Samsung’s e-waste collection events in May earlier this year were a major success, diverting an impressive 45,955 kg of e-waste from landfills, resulting in 13,179 kg of greenhouse gas emissions avoided. With its second round of events this year, Samsung continues to highlight the growing issue of electronic waste and promote responsible e-waste management through these initiatives.

The events are designed to be as convenient as possible, allowing participants to simply drive up and drop off their items without ever leaving their vehicle. Those wanting to attend can RSVP via the Facebook event pages (here for Trusts Arena or here for Eden Park) or simply drive to the designated drop-off points at either of the below locations from 9am – 3pm on Saturday, October 11th and 18th.  

Trusts Arena Lower Carpark
Saturday October 11th
Gate 3
65-67 Central Park Drive
Henderson
Auckland 0612

Eden Park Carpark
Saturday October 18th
Gate M, entry via Sandringham Road
Kingsland
Auckland 1024

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

About Echo Tech Limited

Echo Tech Limited is New Zealand’s largest e-waste recycler, offering end-to-end services for IT asset disposition, telecom decommissioning, and IT asset resale. Through innovative processes and a transparent revenue-share model, Echo helps clients maximise value while delivering measurable environmental outcomes.

[1] Not all old electronics will be accepted/collected on the day. We do not accept CDs & DVDs, Floppy discs, Household and LED lightbulbs, LPG gas bottles, Medical devices, Glass, Hazardous Waste (e.g., Paint, Garden Waste, General Chemicals), or Furniture (e.g., TV Cabinets).

[2] Participants are responsible for deleting (as applicable) any data on electronic appliances or devices. Samsung is not responsible for any data or loss of data in electronic appliances dropped off at this event.

HPE Cray XD2000 system now powers Earth Sciences New Zealand's industry-leading 'Supercomputing System for Advanced Weather Forecasting and Research', accelerating environmental science and forecasting.

Auckland, New Zealand – 22 September 2025 – HPE (NYSE:HPE) today announced that Earth Sciences New Zealand (formally NIWA) of Aotearoa (New Zealand) selected HPE Cray XD2000, purpose-built for AI and simulation workloads, to accelerate the organisation's environmental science and precision of meteorological forecasting.

The new system, named Cascade, replaces Earth Sciences New Zealand's aging high performance computing (HPC) and delivers a threefold increase in computational power for researchers to run multiple AI-powered simulations simultaneously for more accurate weather predictions.  The new system supports Earth Sciences New Zealand's mission to strengthen the country's resilience against weather and climate-related hazards, such as wildfires and flooding from heavy rainfall.

Cascade is powered by AMD 4th Gen EPYC processors and tightly coupled with HPE GreenLake for File Storageto deliver a highly performant, simplified storage environment and enable 19 petabytes of data to accelerate local research, supporting faster decision-making and more informed crisis management.

The Cascade system features direct liquid cooling (DLC) technology that minimises energy use and water usage and efficiently cools the computational cluster, which was architected flexibly to allow future expansion. Furthermore, the electricity supplied to the CDC data centre, where Cascade is housed, is generated from 100% renewable sources.

“We're thrilled to partner with Earth Sciences New Zealand on this groundbreaking initiative,” said Chris Weber, Vice President and Managing Director, South Pacific at HPE. “By delivering advanced HPC and AI capabilities, we're empowering New Zealand's leading climate and environmental researchers with the tools they need to drive scientific discovery and tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Importantly, we're able to maximise energy efficiency through direct liquid cooling and leverage renewable energy. This collaboration showcases the true potential of technology to make a meaningful impact, both locally and globally.”

In another milestone, Earth Sciences New Zealand's Cascade is set to be the largest implementation in the Asia Pacific region of HPE GreenLake for File, across both HPC and traditional enterprise computing. For Earth Sciences New Zealand, it represents a significant commitment to future-proof the country against the impacts of climate change and ensuring public safety for generations to come.

Based in Auckland, Earth Sciences New Zealand is the country's leading provider of natural and environmental science services, internationally recognised for its cutting-edge research in climate, freshwater, geological resources, energy futures and marine science. As an island nation, New Zealand faces unique challenges from atmospheric rivers – narrow corridors in the atmosphere that carry large quantities of water vapour and are known to cause major rainfall events – which makes Earth Sciences New Zealand's role in forecasting weather even more vital to support its national climate resilience.

“This upgrade with HPE Cray XD2000 marks a huge leap forward in our ability to understand and predict the environment around us,” says Dr Jess Robertson, Chief Scientist – Advanced Technology at Earth Sciences New Zealand. “Enhancing scientific research with the advanced technology solutions gives us the tools to make smarter and safer decisions with confidence for New Zealand in a changing climate.”

Alongside its forecasting capabilities, Earth Sciences New Zealand also supports the country's low-carbon economy and biodiversity protection, improving water quality, social equity, and regional development.

Partnering with HPE, Earth Sciences New Zealand is able to achieve unprecedented performance for its workloads, supercharging research data, processing and forecasting capabilities. Leveraging HPE's extensive design and liquid cooling expertise, Cascade is purpose-built to operate at full capacity for longer, maximising scalability and up-time. Cascade will also use real-time data to unlock an advanced weather forecasting technique referred to as nowcasting. Nowcasting uses AI to predict short-term, highly-localised weather rapidly, supporting the inclusion of solar and wind in high-frequency energy markets as well as emergency response to fires and extreme weather.

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise 

HPE (NYSE: HPE) is a leader in essential enterprise technology, bringing together the power of AI, cloud and networking to help organisations achieve more. As pioneers of possibility, our innovation and expertise advance the way people live and work. We empower our customers across industries to optimise operational performance, transform data into foresight, and maximise their impact. Unlock your boldest ambitions with HPE. Discover more at www.hpe.com.

The anticipated recognition of a Palestinian state by additional governments this week marks an important symbolic step. However, recognition alone will not bring meaningful change, end the occupation, or deliver justice and peace.

For decades, the Palestinian people have endured dispossession, displacement, and a relentless campaign of violence. While symbolic gestures acknowledge Palestine’s right to statehood, they fall short of addressing the urgent realities on the ground: the ongoing genocide in Gaza, expanding settlements in the West Bank, and the denial of fundamental human rights to millions of Palestinians.

What is required is concrete international action:

• Ending military, political, and economic support for Israel’s system of occupation and apartheid.

• Demanding full accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including support for the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court processes.

• Supporting Palestinian self-determination through practical measures, including sanctions, trade restrictions, and diplomatic pressure.

Recognition of Palestine is a necessary affirmation of legitimacy. But without enforcement of international law and tangible consequences for Israel’s violations, it risks being reduced to yet another symbolic milestone while Palestinians continue to suffer.

The Palestine Forum of New Zealand calls on the New Zealand Government to move beyond statements of concern and take real steps to support justice, accountability, and freedom for the Palestinian people.

Maher Nazzal

Palestine Forum of New Zealand

• Investor confidence fell to its lowest since Q3 2020, sitting at nett 1% for Q2 2025, but well above Q2 2020 lows of -25%.
• Around half of respondents were “very concerned” about global issues impacting investments.
• Aucklanders were the most upbeat, while lower North Islanders were the least optimistic.

Confidence among New Zealand investors has dipped to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic as a flat housing market, sharemarket volatility and global uncertainty weigh on views about returns for the coming year.

The latest ASB Investor Confidence Survey shows nett investor confidence – the difference between those that think investment returns will improve versus worsen in the coming year – has fallen from 9% in Q1 to only 1% for the three months to June.

Sentiment fell across all regions in the first half of the year, with the lower North Island experiencing the biggest drop from nett 12% in the three months to January to -6% this quarter – an 18% decline. Aucklanders were the most positive, with nett 10% expecting returns to improve in the coming year.

ASB senior economist Chris Tennent-Brown says the survey reflects a range of global and domestic pressures.

“It’s been a challenging six months, with markets affected by uncertainty around tariffs and global issues, alongside concerns at home, such as the housing market which hasn’t bounced back the way people expected it to. This has led to a more pessimistic tone in overall investor confidence, which seems to be suffering from the same weak sentiment we’re seeing in consumer confidence.

Sentiment is the weakest in the lower North Island, and in contrast, in Auckland the mood is more positive, even though the region faces some of the same challenges.”

The survey shows general confidence is highest among those under 39-years-old, with those over 60 the least optimistic. Chris says this in part a reflection of where the different age demographics tend to hold their assets and where they are in the investment life cycle.

Of those surveyed, 51% said they were very concerned about the impact of global political instability or uncertainty on investments. 47% felt this way about international geopolitical tension and conflict and 43% about international trade policies, including tariffs. Half of those that had concerns had made, or considered making, changes to their investments as a result.

“These global issues were really impacting many investments around April in a negative way, but subsequently markets have improved a lot and are now knocking around record highs in the case of the US share market.  Understandably, global issues are still weighing on Kiwi investors’ minds and there is still a lot of uncertainty both here and abroad. However, it was pleasing to see confidence in managed investments lift over the quarter, although confidence in KiwiSaver did ease within the survey when investors were asked which investment they expect to provide the best return.

“Volatility in investment markets is always a challenge. The ups and downs of investment values can help investors understand their tolerance for taking risks, and ability to ride out negative periods in financial markets. The second quarter highlighted the importance of sticking with long-term strategies and savings goals, rather than chopping and changing to try and time markets,” concludes Chris.

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

Notes:

ASB has tracked investor confidence in the NZ market since 1997. The analysis is based on 780 online interviews with adults aged 18 years and older throughout New Zealand during Q2 2025. A sample of this size has a maximum margin of error of 3.5% at the 95% confidence level.

Over 20 WHO Western Pacific Member States gather in Singapore to address healthcare sector’s role in contributing to, and tackling, the climate crisis

Singapore, 18 September 2025 – Globally, 5% of total climate emissions come from the healthcare sector, contributing to the ever-mounting global threat of climate change. To address this specific challenge, the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office and the Centre for Sustainable Medicine at the National University of Singapore convened representatives from more than 20 Asia-Pacific countries* to chart a roadmap to transform the region’s healthcare systems to adapt to the changing climate, lower their carbon emissions, and become more environmentally sustainable.  

The Inaugural Western Pacific Action Forum on Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems spotlighted the urgent need to invest in climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems – a win-win strategy that helps protect lives, strengthens national preparedness against multiple hazards, and reduces costs through sustainable and efficient measures.

Climate-resilient health systems reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events, natural hazards, disease outbreaks and compound crises. Most health system carbon emissions stem from supply chain activities. Measuring baseline emissions can generate efficiency and savings that may be reinvested to protect health. Integrated approaches not only improve health outcomes but also support national climate and development goals.  

The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, through its Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health, is working with Member States to strengthen and expand the global Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). Malaysia recently became the eleventh country in the Region to join ATACH, swiftly followed by the Cook Islands as the twelfth, reinforcing regional momentum.

Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, opened the Forum with a strong call to action, stating, “The climate crisis is projected to cause an additional 250 000 deaths every year between 2030 and 2050. Investing in climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems is therefore one of the smartest, and possibly one of the least complex, choices we can make. It saves lives today while preparing our communities, and the health systems that safeguard them, for the future.”

Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information, and Ministry of National Development, Singapore, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to climate action in the health sector. “Singapore is taking steps to lower our healthcare sector emissions … The actions we take will not only safeguard the health of our people but also strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our healthcare system in the face of mounting climate change challenges. By working closely together, we can transform the way healthcare is delivered, creating a healthier future for both people and planet.”

Stressing the importance of collaboration across sectors, Dr Susan Mercado, Director for Programme Management, WHO Western Pacific, emphasized, “The Forum provided us with an opportunity for countries to share experiences and learn from one another. Almost 99% of the world’s population breathes air with pollution levels exceeding WHO air quality limits, reminding us that no country is immune. Regional collaboration, recognizing that all countries are ultimately connected, is key to accelerating climate and health action.”

The Forum aimed to foster policy and budgetary commitments to embed climate resilience and low-carbon strategies into national health system planning and implementation. Over two days in Singapore, participants engaged in technical sessions, policy dialogue and knowledge exchange designed to inspire solutions, strengthen partnerships and accelerate implementation.

Professor Nick Watts, the Director of the Centre for Sustainable Medicine at the National University of Singapore, spoke about the broader vision, stressing, “This is not only about protecting people’s health but also about contributing to climate and development goals, especially with the finish line of the Sustainable Development Goals barely five years away. A healthier, more resilient future is still possible if we act together.”

*Countries participating in the Forum are (in alphabetical order):

Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Viet Nam

About WHO ACE
The WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health (ACE), based in Seoul, Republic of Korea, supports 38 WHO Member States and areas in addressing the health impacts of climate change and environmental risks, and in building resilient, sustainable health systems.

About ATACH
Established at COP26 in 2022, the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) brings together over 90 WHO Member States and more than 80 partners. The Alliance supports countries in building climate-resilient, sustainable, and low-carbon health systems, advancing climate–health priorities and advocating for health-promoting climate action across all sectors.

Today, on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the Palestine Forum of New Zealand (PFNZ) joins people around the world in calling for an end to war, violence, and injustice.

This year’s theme is a stark reminder that peace is more than the absence of conflict — it is the presence of freedom, dignity, and justice. For Palestinians, however, peace remains an unfulfilled promise. Over seven decades of dispossession, ongoing occupation, daily violence, and apartheid policies have denied Palestinians the most basic right to live in peace.

“The world cannot talk about peace while ignoring the injustice inflicted on Palestine,” said Maher Nazzal. “We call on the New Zealand government and the international community to act with courage and clarity: there can be no peace without ending Israel’s occupation, lifting the siege on Gaza, and recognising Palestine’s right to self-determination.”

PFNZ stresses that New Zealand’s proud history of standing for justice, from opposing apartheid in South Africa to championing nuclear disarmament, demands that we also speak up for Palestine today.

On this International Day of Peace, we urge New Zealanders to:

• Support efforts for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza.

• Call on our government to recognise the State of Palestine.

• Stand in solidarity with Palestinians striving for freedom and justice.

True peace will only come when Palestine is free.

Maher Nazzal
Palestine Forum of New Zealand