Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Health Coalition Aotearoa congratulates leader on political candidacy

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Health Coalition Aotearoa congratulates its co-chair, Professor Lisa Te Morenga (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Te Uri o Hua, Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa), on her newly announced Green Party candidacy for Te Tai Tonga.
Te Morenga, a professor of Māori health and nutrition at Massey University, joined Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) as co-chair Māori in 2021 with a key role on its unhealthy food harm-reduction projects.
“Lisa has made an invaluable contribution to strengthening HCA’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embedding Te Tiriti principles into HCA’s policy, governance, and everyday practice,” says co-chair Professor Boyd Swinburn from the School of Population Health at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
“Over the past five years, Lisa has had a critical role in elevating Māori voices and perspectives within Health Coalition Aotearoa.”
Te Morenga will resign from the board as co-chair with the board set to announce a replacement very soon.
“We wish Lisa the very best for her next step as a leader,” Swinburn says.
“HCA remains non-partisan and does not endorse any political party or candidate,” he says.
“Health Coalition Aotearoa will continue its independent advocacy and evidence-based work regardless of political cycles.”
Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA)
HCA is a coalition of health NGOs, professionals and academics with an unwavering commitment to reduce harm from tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy food and advance public health equity.
Together with its four expert panels – alcohol, tobacco, unhealthy food and public health infrastructure – HCA is a powerful collective voice for preventative health in Aotearoa. Find out about HCA. 
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LNG terminal will make electricity more expensive, polluting and unreliable – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is condemning the Government’s decision to try to force the pubic to pay for an LNG fossil gas import terminal. This is in spite of the evidence from the OECD and others that it will lock our energy system into expensive, unreliable, climate polluting fossil fuels.
The Government today announced that it was planning to proceed with the building of an LNG fossil gas import terminal. It has failed to state how it will pay for it.
“It is ordinary New Zealanders who will end up paying for this terminal if it ultimately proceeds,” says Dr. Russel Norman, Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director.
“New Zealanders will pay through a combination of higher electricity prices, higher taxes to subsidise fossil fuels, and worse climate pollution. Fossil fuels can no longer compete with renewables and storage, hence the government has to step in to subsidise them.
“The OECD and many others have warned the Government that an LNG import terminal is not only unnecessary but that it will result in higher electricity prices, higher climate pollution and less energy reliability.
“The Trump regime’s war against Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a quarter of global LNG exports travel, resulting in a spike in LNG prices.
“Yet in spite of the evidence, in front of our very eyes, that fossil gas is expensive, unreliable and polluting, the Government wants to pursue the dumbest option on the table.
“It seems that the Government is wearing fossil fuel industry ideological blinkers, leading them to give taxpayer money to the fossil fuel industry. They are subsidising fossil fuel exploration, subsidising gas guzzling cars, and now subsidising the import of fossil gas which makes no economic sense.
“It is also disturbing that the three coalition parties have received large political donations from the fossil fuel industry.
“New Zealand has a massive opportunity to embrace a clean energy future which is better for the climate and better for the economy. The only group who will suffer is the fossil fuel industry and their aligned political parties.
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Energy Sector – Government Decisions Put Energy Security And Affordability In Focus

Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

Energy Resources Aotearoa welcomes the Government taking its next step toward abundant, affordable and reliable energy for all New Zealanders by progressing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and consulting on a new Winter Energy Reliability Obligation.
Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says today’s announcements recognise the growing fuel and flexible generation capacity shortages in New Zealand’s energy system.
“These are much-needed steps to strengthen our economic resilience and energy security, giving Kiwi businesses and households confidence that we can keep the lights on when the weather doesn’t play ball.”
The decisions recognise how exposed New Zealand’s energy system has become by prioritising decarbonisation at the expense of secure, reliable and affordable energy, Carnegie says.
“New Zealand is now highly vulnerable in dry years, with our economy exposed to volatile prices that have cost billions of dollars in foregone GDP, weakened competitiveness, and contributed to closures and hundreds of job losses across the country.”
Carnegie says while some novel ideas have been floated recently, including shifting most of New Zealand’s thermal peaking capacity to a fuel that costs nearly twice as much per unit as its LNG equivalent, common sense has prevailed.
“Domestic natural gas remains the cheapest, lowest-risk way to fill the fuel shortage. Once implemented, LNG and the winter energy reliability obligation would give New Zealand the back-up it needs to protect energy users while the domestic gas market recovers.
Much has been made of the volatility of international prices since the Gulf crisis began, but the Government has wisely looked through this to when the conflict ends, supply will stabilise and when there will be downward pressure on prices.”
Even the most ardent critics no longer believe it feasible or pragmatic to rely only on renewable sources of energy for our energy security, Carnegie says.
“Energy independence needs more than wishful thinking. New Zealand needs clear, durable policy settings that unlock continued investment in renewables, firming capacity and deliverable gas.
We look forward to working collaboratively with the Government and officials to deliver this.”
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Election 2026 – Election Time for NZ Foreign Policy to Come "Out of the Shadows" – Says Advocacy Group

Source: Te Kuaka

A leading NZ thinktank and advocacy group has released a detailed blueprint for a different approach to foreign policy, and says it's time foreign policy was brought “out of the shadows”.
Te Kuaka – a group made up of academics such as Marco de Jong and Arama Rata, and lawyers with expertise in international and constitutional law like Dylan Asafo and Gabriella Brayne – has today released a policy brief, 'A Foreign Policy Alternative for the 2026 New Zealand Election'. The group refers to the need to revitalise “an independent, Te Tiriti-based, Pacific-centred, internationalist foreign policy.”
The last year has seen tumultuous developments in world affairs, with Israel's genocide in Gaza, US aggression in Venezuela, and US and Israel's initiation of conflict in Iran.
Te Kuaka's policy brief, released today, says the current government “has radically shifted New Zealand's longstanding foreign policy traditions”, including by moving NZ away from a principled defence of its independent values and interests towards total, unquestioning support for the actions of the Trump administration. 
The brief calls for greater transparency around trade agreements, a War Powers Act to ensure parliamentary authorisation for going to war, shifts in New Zealand's approach to the Pacific towards non-militarisation, NZ intervention in support of South Africa's International Court of Justice case against Israel, among other changes.
“How New Zealand acts in the world has always mattered,” says Marco de Jong, member of and spokesperson for Te Kuaka. “And we need our political parties speaking more openly about their plans on how to maintain and strengthen our independent foreign policy.”
The policy brief also calls for New Zealand to take more strident steps in relation to Indigenous self-determination in Kanaky (New Caledonia) and to support a human rights visit to West Papua.
“New Zealand's slide under this government towards a tightly-aligned, militaristic foreign policy is not inevitable”, adds de Jong. “The coalition government doesn't have a mandate for this dramatic repositioning, and before the coming election we are calling for greater clarity from political parties about what the public can expect to see from them in relation to New Zealand's position in the world.”
The policy brief notes that Te Tiriti o Waitangi has not been sufficiently honoured in foreign policy, and also proposes formalising requirements for Māori representation alongside official New Zealand delegations to international forums. 
“We are in a rupturing world”, says de Jong. “We need to ensure we're not unthinkingly caught in the riptide of major powers' priorities, and that instead we chart our own course, appropriate to our histories and our location in the Pacific.” 
Te Kuaka has previously published reports on conflict prevention and peace mediation, New Zealand's positioning on AUKUS, and civilian casualties and the NZ Defence Force.
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Property Market – Southern centres gain ground in patchy property market – QV

Source: Quality Valuations (QV)

New Zealand’s housing market is still largely treading water – but not everywhere is standing still.

Our latest QV House Price Index shows that the average home value increased by just 0.3% nationally in the three months to the end of May 2026, only marginally more than in our previous index.

The average Kiwi home is now worth $912,190, which is 0.2% less than the same time last year and 14.2% below the market’s previous peak in early 2022.

QV spokesperson Simon Petersen said these latest figures pointed to a housing market that remained broadly stable but increasingly patchy around the edges.

“Residential property values continue to hold steady for the most part across Aotearoa. There’s a steady supply of houses for sale and enough buyers to meet the market, but not nearly enough competition to drive prices upward in any major way,” he said.

“But we are still seeing stronger momentum in parts of the South Island – especially in and around Invercargill and Southland in general, where relative affordability and a strong local economy are helping to underpin demand.

“Queenstown also appears to be less affected by the same constraints as we’re seeing elsewhere. Its average home value is slowly but surely pushing closer to the $2m mark following four consecutive months of small but consistent growth.”

“There’s no rising tide lifting all boats. This is a patchwork market, with some centres slowly finding their feet again while others continue to tread water,” Mr Petersen added.

One of the clearest examples of that divergence can be seen in Christchurch, which has become the latest and largest main centre to regain the ground lost following the post-Covid downturn.

Our latest QV House Price Index shows the Garden City’s average home value increased by 1.6% to $808,601 in the May quarter. That figure is now 0.9% above its previous peak in early 2022.

It joins a short list of places that have either recovered or moved beyond their previous peaks, including Invercargill, Queenstown and Greymouth.

“Without accounting for inflation, Christchurch has now regained the ground it lost during the downturn in terms of average home value. It’s a stark contrast to our two other largest cities, Auckland and Wellington, where property values continue to lag,” Mr Petersen said.

“Part of Christchurch’s resilience comes down to affordability. It remains more than $100,000 cheaper to buy the average home there than in the capital city, and considerably cheaper than in Auckland.

“Christchurch has also benefited from a relatively balanced relationship between supply and demand, which helped it avoid some of the sharper swings seen elsewhere during both the boom and the subsequent downturn.”

By comparison, Auckland’s average home value was unchanged in the May quarter at $1,198,037, which is 22.3% below its previous peak.

Wellington, meanwhile, recorded a small amount of growth. Its average home value increased by 0.2% this quarter to $910,286, which is 27.6% below its previous peak.

“Auckland and Wellington experienced much sharper home value growth during the pandemic period. They also have a lot more lost ground to recover as a result. Both markets appear to be stable now, but neither is showing any sort of consistent momentum like we’re seeing in Christchurch.

“Barring a meaningful shift in market conditions, that’s likely to remain the case as we move into winter,” Mr Petersen concluded.
Download a high resolution version of the latest QV value map here.
Northland

Residential property values have been kept virtually motionless in Whangarei.

The city’s average home value remained static this quarter at $736,104. That figure is 0.3% lower than the same time last year.

In comparison, Far North District’s average home value is now 1.4% higher than the same time last year at $715,096. Kaipara’s average home value is currently $835,104, which is just 0.1% higher year on year.

Auckland

Home values stood firm across the wider Auckland region this quarter.

There was no movement up or down, with the average home value staying put at $1,198,037. That figure is 2.8% lower than the same time last year and 0.5% less than at the start of this calendar year.

However, there was some movement at the district level, with Rodney (0.3%), Auckland City (1.2%) and Franklin (0.3%) posting some modest average gains throughout the three months to the end of May.

North Shore City (-1.1%), Waitakere (-0.1%), Manukau (-1.1%) and Papakura (-0.5%) all recorded small reductions in average home value this quarter.

Local QV registered valuer Hugh Robson said Auckland’s housing market remained well supplied while buyers continued to take a careful and considered approach.

“There’s still a good supply of stock on the market and agents are reporting steady numbers through open homes,” he said. “However, that interest isn’t always translating into offers, with many buyers still taking their time and doing their homework before making a move.”

“First-home buyers continue to make up a large share of open-home attendees, particularly at the more affordable end of the market. Activity also remains steady in some central suburbs and inner-city locations, as well as in the $2m-plus bracket, where there continues to be demand for quality properties.”

He said investors were still active in the market, but many remained cautious given the possibility of future interest rate rises and ongoing concerns around finding good tenants.

“Despite that caution, larger sites are still being purchased for multi-unit development, and there continues to be a significant amount of new-build activity underway across the region.”

Bay of Plenty

Property values continue to slowly zig and zag across the wider Bay of Plenty region.

Rotorua (1.6%) and Tauranga (1.5%) recorded the most growth throughout the three months to the end of May 2026, with their average home values now sitting at $685,828 and $1,052,470 respectively.

Local QV registered valuer Damian Hall said there had been positive signs in Tauranga this autumn.

“Good quality stock is shifting quickly, and the first-home buyer market remains the most active. The more average stock is still taking longer to sell and, in some cases, retailing at a discount,” he said.

“Although the market has stabilised overall, some pockets are performing better than others. Mount Maunganui, for example, is still tightly held and demanding good prices, while Papamoa is very popular for younger families and semi-retired and retirees. Greerton and Gate Pa remain very active for entry level buyers.

“Growth areas of Papamoa and Tauriko have continued to move forward with building consent numbers on the rise again, with Mount Maunganui followed closely behind. Vendors appear to be more willing to meet the market with what appears to be a more happy medium between buyers and sellers.”

Across the wider region, Opotiki (-4.1%) was an outlier this quarter, with Whakatane (-1.3%), Kawerau (-1.4%) and Gisborne (-1.3%) all recording modest reductions in average home value.

Waikato

Home values remained largely subdued across the Waikato region over the three months to May, with market conditions continuing to vary by district.

In Hamilton, the average home value increased by 0.4% to $790,420, which is 0.2% less than the same time last year and 0.6% less than at the start of 2026. It more than reverses the 0.1% reduction we reported for the April quarter.

Across the wider region, stronger quarterly growth was recorded in the districts of Hauraki (4.6%), Waikato (2.5%), Matamata-Piako (1.8%) and Waipa (1.7%). Taupo (0.2%) also recorded a modest amount of growth.

By contrast, Thames-Coromandel District recorded a quarterly decline of 1.9%, which local QV registered valuer Marshall Wu said was “a reflection of the value volatility often associated with lower sales volumes”.

“While sales volumes have eased, the Waikato region continues to show resilience, with pricing momentum subdued and values showing limited upward pressure. First-home buyers remain active, supported by elevated stock levels and improved choice,” he said.

The districts of Waitomo (-1.5%), South Waikato (-1.3%) and Otorohanga (-1.3%) also recorded small quarterly declines, suggesting market momentum remains generally flat heading into winter 2026.

“Limited price growth is expected over the near term, as affordability constraints, elevated unemployment, higher council rates, cautious lending conditions and the possibility of OCR increases continue to keep overall market momentum subdued,” Mr Wu concluded.

Hawke's Bay

Residential property values have eased downward in Napier and Hastings.

Our latest QV House Price Index shows that Napier’s average home value is now $751,171 – down 1% this quarter – and Hastings’ average home value is $765,768, which is 1.7% lower for the quarter.

The average homes in Napier and Hastings are now worth 1.2% and 0.4% less than the same time last year respectively.

Taranaki

Home value growth has remained mostly passive in Taranaki this quarter.

The average home value increased by just 0.1% to $719,490 in New Plymouth and reduced by 0.4% to $466,851 in South Taranaki.  

The exception was Stratford, where the average home value climbed 2.6% to $501,692.

Manawatu

Residential property values reduced by an average of 1.1% in Palmerston North this quarter.

The city’s average home value is now $630,955, which is 0.2% lower than the same time last year and 0.9% less than at the start of this calendar year.

Meanwhile, average home values are 1.3% lower across the wider region this quarter and 0.4% lower on average annually.  

Wellington

It was a mixed bag in the wider Wellington region this quarter, with residential property values gently rising in three districts and falling in two.

On the positive side of the ledger, Kapiti Coast (0.5%), Porirua (0.7%) and Wellington City (0.2%) all recorded modest gains in average home value throughout the three months to the end of May 2026.

Average home values diminished in Upper Hutt (-0.9%) and Hutt City (-2.6%) this quarter.

“The market has softened slightly, in response to the economic uncertainty caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and high stock levels as we head into the winter months,” said local QV registered valuer David Cornford.

“Buyers are taking a cautious approach with higher interest rates now expected, and weaker job security expectations following recent announcements of further cuts to the public service. This is having a dampening impact on the property market in Wellington with many buyers continuing to take a wait-and-see approach.”

“First-home buyers continued to be active with plenty of options available given the high number of properties on the market,” Mr Cornford added.

Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough

Residential property values continue to inch up and down across the top of the South Island without much conviction.

Nelson (0.1%) and Marlborough (0.8%) recorded modest quarterly increases, while Tasman District (-0.6%) recorded a modest quarterly reduction.

“Although the number of properties available for sale remains elevated, market sentiment is weak on the back of a sluggish economy and an expected rise in mortgage interest rates,” said QV Nelson/Marlborough manager Craig Russell.

“First-home buyers continue to dominate activity in the sub-$800,000 price bracket, while demand is relatively weak for mid and upper bracket properties. Overpriced properties tend to end up sitting for long periods on the market.”

West Coast

Home values have risen by an average of 4.4% this quarter across the West Coast region.

Of the three districts that make up the wider region, Buller District recorded the largest increase of 7.4% for the three-month period and an average value of $404,313. That figure is 5.2% higher than the same time last year.

Westland District recorded an increase for the three-month period of 6.9%, an average value of $524,464, and a 10.6% increase from 12 months ago.

Grey District recorded an increase for the three-month period of 1%, an average value of $470,079 and a 5.3% increase from the same time 12 months ago.

Local QV registered valuer Rod Thornton commented: “The index over the past year has tended to fluctuate somewhat, which to an extent could be expected in a market like the West Coast, where sales volumes tend to be lower and there is a wide mix of housing types, locations, price points and value drivers.

“However, over recent periods the index has been relatively stable, and we would characterise the market as being steady overall, albeit slower.”

Canterbury

Autumn brought slow but steady growth for much of the Canterbury region.

Our QV House Price Index for May 2026 shows residential property values increased this quarter in Christchurch, Waimakariri and Selwyn by averages of 1.6%, 0.3% and 0.6% respectively.

QV South Island professional services manager Michael Tohill described the local housing market as being “steady as she goes” as we now move into the winter months.
 
“Sales levels have remained steady with buyers and sellers conscious of the economic situation but confident enough to make a decision. These are desirable places to live and affordable by national standards, with positive net migration to the region,” he said.

“The townhouse market is starting to show more pressure, which is a supply situation rather than demand. There are a large number of properties for sale and a large number will be coming on stream later in the year.”

“We’re also seeing some price pressure for older townhouses versus new ones that have a better design element and fitout,” Mr Tohill added.

Meanwhile, residential property values have also risen across much of the wider Canterbury region.

Ashburton (2.3%) and Hurunui (2.2%) recorded the most growth throughout the three months to the end of May 2026, with their average home values now sitting at $609,109 and $663,580 respectively.

The only deficit was in Timaru, where the average home value reduced by 0.6% to $539,159.

Otago

Residential property values have mostly gone in one direction this quarter in Otago.

The QV House Price Index for May 2026 shows that Waitaki (-0.8%) and Clutha (-2.7%) recorded the only average deficits this quarter.

Central Otago saw the largest average increase – up 4.4% to $924,522 – with Queenstown (1.2%) a distant second. The latter’s average home value is now just $58,268 short of the $2m mark.

In Dunedin, the average home value increased by 1% to $658,597 this quarter. That figure is now 2.9% higher than the same time last year and 9.3% lower than its previous peak in late 2021.

Southland

Home value growth has remained mostly positive again in the Southland region this quarter.

Southland District and Invercargill recorded small reductions during the month of May, but their average home values remain 0.4% and 1.7% higher for the quarter respectively.

At $546,484, Invercargill’s average home value is now 7.8% higher than the same time last year and 2.9% higher than the start of 2026.

You can check value changes over time in your region with QV’s interactive map on www.qv.co.nz/price-index/
 

The QV HPI uses a rolling three month collection of sales data, based on sales agreement date. This has always been the case and ensures a large sample of sales data is used to measure value change over time. Having agent and non-agent sales included in the index provides a comprehensive measure of property value change over the longer term.
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LGBT+ population of Aotearoa New Zealand: Year ended June 2024 – Stats NZ information release

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LGBT+ population younger, income varies between groups – LGBT+ population of Aotearoa New Zealand: Year ended June 2025 – Stats NZ news story and information release

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Asia’s massive tech rout marks first real "macro shock" of the AI era – devere Group

Source: devere Group

June 8 2026 – The massive sell-off sweeping through Asia's technology sector marks “the first real macro shock of the AI era” and exposes just how dependent global markets have become on a single investment theme, warns Nigel Green, CEO of global financial advisory giant deVere Group.

The warning comes as South Korea's Kospi plunged as much as 8% on Monday, with AI-linked giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix leading the declines.

In Japan, SoftBank sank 7.5%, while Tokyo Electron and Advantest fell 6.7% and 5% respectively. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's leading contract chipmaker, also came under pressure as selling spread rapidly through Asia's AI supply chain.

The rout followed a sharp decline in US semiconductor stocks after Broadcom reported quarterly revenue that missed market expectations.

The subsequent sell-off wiped an estimated $1.8 trillion from S&P 500 market capitalization and sent shockwaves through markets that have become increasingly reliant on AI-related companies for growth and performance.

Just weeks ago, many of the same companies were at the centre of one of the most powerful rallies in recent market history.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix had surged to record valuations on the back of AI optimism, helping transform South Korea into one of the world's best-performing major equity markets.

Nigel Green says: “The speed and scale of the reversal matter far more than the declines themselves.

“Broadcom was merely the trigger.

“What investors are witnessing is the first real macro shock of the AI era.

“Investors have been reminded that expectations can become so elevated that even a relatively modest disappointment can trigger a global repricing.”

Nigel Green argues that the reaction reveals a profound shift in financial markets.

“AI is no longer behaving like a technology sector,” he says.

“It's now behaving like a macro asset class capable of moving markets, influencing capital flows and shaping investor sentiment across continents.

“The fact that one earnings report from California can trigger selling from Seoul to Silicon Valley within hours is an enormous wake-up call.”

The deVere CEO says many investors continue to think about AI as a sectoral theme when its influence now extends much further.

“AI-linked companies are driving national stock markets, influencing export economies, attracting sovereign capital and shaping institutional asset allocation decisions.

“Very few investment themes have ever reached this level of importance.”

South Korea provides one of the clearest examples. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix now account for an extraordinary share of the Kospi's market capitalization, meaning shifts in sentiment toward AI can have a disproportionate impact on the wider market. Taiwan faces a similar dynamic through TSMC's dominant position within the global semiconductor ecosystem.

Markets have become extraordinarily sensitive to developments within a relatively small number of AI-linked companies.

“The AI trade is now so large that it's increasingly dictating the mood of global markets.”

The deVere chief executive stresses that he remains firmly bullish on the long-term outlook for artificial intelligence.

Businesses continue to accelerate AI investment, governments are expanding digital infrastructure programmes and demand for advanced computing power remains robust.

But he warns that investors should prepare for further episodes of volatility.

“Investors should expect more moments like this,” he notes.

“Once a theme reaches macro scale, disappointments stop hurting individual stocks and start shaking entire markets.”

He concludes: “This massive sell-off underscores that markets are beginning to discover something much bigger: AI is now macro, and what happens in AI no longer stays in AI.”

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.

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Save the Children – Philippines earthquake on first day back at school affects 3 million students as rescue efforts underway

Source: Save the Children

MANILA, 8 June – A magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked parts of the southern Philippines, causing damage in a key coastal city and affecting about 3 million students in the province of Sarangani [1]. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. suspended school classes in affected areas while calling on residents in coastal areas to evacuate immediately after a tsunami warning was issued.
The country's Department of Education said that about 6,000 schools have been exposed to the earthquake, although this data could change as the full extent of the damage unfolds.
Faisah Ali, Humanitarian Manager, Save the Children Philippines, said:
“Today marked the opening of classes and schools across the Philippines after the country's summer break, but the Mindanao earthquake has put a terrifying and sudden stop to that. While the full extent of the damage is not yet known, our teams are reporting that the earthquake has destroyed classrooms and schools and forced classes to shut across many parts of the island.
“Children are scared, and their lives and learning have been disrupted. We're assessing the situation on the ground, where Save the Children already has a presence, and will work to reach affected children as soon as possible, including to ensure that learning continues even after an event like this.”
Save the Children has been working in the Philippines since 1981 with programmes in humanitarian response, health and nutrition, education, and children's rights and protection.
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Federated Farmers welcome QEII funding pledge

Source: Federated Farmers

Doubling funding for the QEII National Trust would be the best bang for buck conservation investment the next Government could make, Federated Farmers says.
“More funding would mean more farmers can voluntarily protect important biodiversity and natural habitats on their land for future generations,” Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says.
“Doubling the trust’s funding has been a long-standing priority for Federated Farmers because it’s a model that is well-proven.”
Demand for new covenants has been growing rapidly but government base funding has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade
“More and more landowners want to covenant special areas on their properties, but QEII simply hasn't had the resources to keep pace,” Langford says.
The National Party announced this afternoon it will double the trust’s funding if it’s part of the next government.
“We’re now calling on other political parties to get in behind the National Party’s pledge and make this a cross-party priority and commitment,” Langford says.
The QEII Trust provides the covenant legal paperwork and expertise on how best to protect native bush, wetlands and other special habitats.
Farmers voluntarily commit the land, and their hard work putting in fences and tackling pest animals and plants.
A Waikato University study found for every dollar of QEII money, farmers and other landowners put in $6 to $7 in foregone production from the land, and ongoing work to protect the habitat.
More than 5,400 QEII covenants now protect almost 190,000 hectares of privately owned land across New Zealand with the vast majority located on farms.
If all QEII covenants were combined, it would be New Zealand's fourth-largest national park-sized protected area.
With Government base funding static since 2015, and other one-off funding streams drying up, QEII Trust CEO Dan Coup says this year’s new covenant target is just a quarter of what was achieved in 2024.
“It’s the first time we’ve had to ration what we’re doing really tightly.
“That means some covenant opportunities will be lost forever as people stuck on our waiting list pass away, lose faith or sell their property.”
Coup says the funding shortfall doesn’t just hit new covenant rates.
“These farmers and landowners are facing increasing challenges looking after their native bush and wetlands with more extreme weather events, more feral animals and more weeds, including wilding pines.
“We want to be able to provide a bit more advice and support for those 5,400 property owners who are already doing this good work.”
Coup says the trust is very grateful to the National Party for its leadership and acknowledgement of what the trust does.
“This is not a politically contentious cause so we hope other parties will take a similar view.”
Langford says the success of QEII demonstrates why voluntary, incentive-based conservation approaches are more effective than heavy-handed regulation.
“Farmers have shown time and again that when they're supported and empowered, they'll step up.
“QEII is one of the best examples of conservation success in New Zealand, and the next government needs to lock in this funding increase to allow even more landowners to be part of that story.”