Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Real Estate – New real estate agency launches in the Southern Lakes

Source: Scope Communications

A new real estate brand has launched to meet the modern needs of property vendors and buyers in the Southern Lakes.

The new agency – Aspire Realty – is a future-focused brand that combines deep market knowledge with modern marketing strategies and a personalised, relationship-driven approach. Founded by respected real estate professional, Craig Myles, the agency is based in Wānaka but will represent select properties in the wider Lakes region.
 
“Aspire Realty is about freedom: the freedom to adapt our marketing to our values and our clients’ needs,” Myles says. “We’re creating a bespoke experience without the limits of corporate brands. Even in a high-tech world, people still want genuine relationships and trusted expertise. At the end of the day, it’s the agent who sells the property, not the brand.”
 
With a career sales record exceeding $500 million since 2014, Myles brings extensive local experience and a commitment to transparency. He has spent more than a decade working in the region’s property sector, earning multiple industry awards and building strong relationships across the Southern Lakes.
 
Joining Myles as partner in Aspire Realty is skilled salesman, leader and negotiator George Wallis, who brings high-level expertise from the corporate and automotive sectors.
 
“We’re looking forward to providing an elevated real estate experience that has not been presented in the Southern Lakes before,” Wallis says. “Aspire Realty is about aspiration – not just owning a home but embracing the lifestyle this region offers. We’re proud to bring a modern brand to life that reflects our experience and gives us creative freedom.”
 
The Aspire Realty team also encompasses Emma Pledger, Robyn Myles and Mandy Myles, who have extensive cross-industry experience. While the agency specialises in premium property, Aspire Realty represents a broader range of properties across the region and is launching with a range of high quality listings both on and off market.

Myles says the Southern Lakes remains one of the country's most desirable places to live and invest.

“Buyer behaviour and marketing methods are shifting, but demand here remains strong,” he says. “The investment opportunities and lifestyle here attract buyers from offshore – particularly Australians and ex-pat Kiwis – as well as purchasers from throughout NZ.”

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Local News – Porirua celebrates 60 years as a city

Source: Porirua City Council

Porirua turns 60 this week. We officially became a city on 2 October in 1965 – when our population hit 20,000 people, the threshold (at the time) to become a city. Today, Porirua is home to 61,800 people.
Porirua became New Zealand’s 21st city and was the first place to make the transition from a borough to a city. Porirua had become a borough in 1962 before achieving city status in 1965, and the make-up of suburbs has changed since that time. The northern suburbs of Paremata, Plimmerton, Pukerua Bay, Pāuatahanui and Whitby were part of Hutt County until 1973, with Horokiri joining Porirua city in 1989 with the final dissolution of Hutt County.
Whitford James Richard Brown was elected Porirua’s first Mayor in 1962 when Porirua was a borough, but became Mayor of Porirua in 1965. Porirua has had just six mayors in the 60 years we’ve been a city – Whitford Brown, OBE (1965-1983), John Burke, QSO (1983-1988), Jenny Brash (1988-2010), Nick Leggett (2010-2016), Mike Tana (2016-2019) and Anita Baker (2019 – current).
In the lead-up to our 60th anniversary, we’ve been honouring Porirua’s journey and more recent history on Facebook and on our website. You can check them out at poriruacity.govt.nz/60for60
To celebrate the milestone there will be a cake cutting ceremony and live music at Pātaka Art + Museum at midday on Thursday 2 October – all are welcome.
There are also other whānau-friendly events happening on and around that date to celebrate our anniversary. Here are the detailsof all the events: Cake Cutting Ceremony – Celebrate with a slice of Porirua
When: Thursday 2 October 12pm Where: Spine, Pātaka Art+MuseumFree event, open to the community
Join us in celebrating Porirua City’s 60th birthday with a formal ceremony followed by birthday cake and live music.
Badge Making Workshop – Badge of Honour Station
When: Thursday 2 October, 11am-1pm Where: Spine, Pātaka Art+Museum
Come and design your own badge for Porirua’s 60th birthday, all ages welcome.
From Me to Future Porirua
When: Thursday 2 October – Sunday, 6 October Where: Pātaka Art+Museum
Write your hopes, dreams or advice for Porirua 60 years from now. Drop them in the Pātaka letterbox and these will be preserved as taonga for future generations
Face painting
When: Saturday 5 October and Sunday 6 October11am-1pm
Where: Kai Tahi
48 hours of Big Games from Kapiti Castles
When: Saturday 5 October and Sunday 6 OctoberAll day
Where: Kai Tahi
Massive Colouring Mural
When: Saturday 5 October and Sunday 6 OctoberAll day
Where: Kai Tahi.
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Health and Education – "Give us more" – young people want sex ed to be earlier, longer, and more inclusive

Source: Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa

New Zealand’s largest ever survey of young people’s views on RSE has delivered a clear message to policy makers – leave our RSE content alone and give us more information, starting younger and finishing later.
More than 1000 people aged 16 to 20 responded to a Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa survey on relationships and sexuality education (RSE) in schools.
Chief executive Jackie Edmond says she chose to carry out the survey at a time when RSE was a topic of much debate – as young people’s voices were noticeably absent. “Government has carried out a review of RSE and politicians are weighing in, particularly on hot topics like gender. But nobody seems to be asking young people what they want.”
“Our survey respondents were clear that they wanted RSE better timed to correspond to their needs around sexual activity and relationships. Young people told us that the information they get often comes “too late” as they have already started puberty or started their period before learning about it,” Ms Edmond says.
“The same is true for sexual activity and relationships. Many of those who responded to our survey highlighted the issue of safety. They talked about how the skills learned in RSE helped them identify and understand sexual harassment, assault and abuse. More than three quarters of survey respondents strongly or somewhat agreed that RSE lessons beyond Year 10 would be beneficial to their personal development and well-being.”
Ms Edmond says the initial survey results are being released ahead of the new curriculum launch which is due in Term 4 of this year.
“The RSE curriculum has become a politicised issue with lots of imported rhetoric. We felt it was important that young people, for whom the curriculum should be designed, should be the voices at the forefront of this debate.
“I was also struck in the survey responses by young people’s concern for a curriculum which worked not just for them but for their peers, including their LGBTQIA+ peers, and their teachers.
In their responses, young people told us the changes they want to see:
  • Provide more RSE earlier and continue it into later years of secondary school
  • Ensure that RSE content is inclusive and comprehensive for all genders
  • Consult with young people about what is included in RSE
  • RSE is seen by young people as critically important and necessary
  • Provide more access to teachers who are teaching RSE. Students perceive that teachers are uncomfortable with the content and want them to be better supported.
Ms Edmond says the content released today is a high-level summary of the survey and a final version will be released before the end of 2025.
More:
Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa Community Health Promoter Julia Drury is retiring at the end of this year after more than 34 years working in and around RSE. She says her take-home message from a career spent working with young people is that they want RSE to be compulsory and inclusive from Year 1 to Year 13 so that online learning – for instance through social media – isn’t the default.
“Young people want knowledge and skills to negotiate healthy relationships, talk with others about consent and discuss the realities of body image and sharing images at school. It’s crucial that this happens before they are confronted with online images that don’t look like them or views and attitudes they don’t share,” she says.  
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Weather News – A week of changeable weather; snow and cool temperatures in the south – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 29th September – Thursday 2nd October:

  
•    Short-lived rainbands move across the country throughout the week.
•    Clear skies on Tuesday for much of the country.
•    Strong Wind and Heavy Rain Watches for South Island; Canterbury High Country, Otago, Fiordland, Stewart Island and Southland.
•    Snow to low levels for parts of the South Island on Wednesday.

The trend of short-lived rainbands persists this week as a several fast-paced fronts move over the country. Westerly to southwesterly winds also persist, however due to the fast-moving nature of these fronts, many people across the country will also see spells of dry weather.

MeService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti says, “In situations like these, with fast-changing weather and changeable conditions, it’s better to check the forecast for exact timings for rain”.

Along with these rainbands, there could be short periods of heavier rain and possible thunderstorms. For today (Monday), there's a moderate risk of thunderstorms in the western half of the North Island and along the southeast coast of the South Island.

It’s not all doom and gloom for the week though, “Many parts of the country will enjoy clear, sunny skies on Tuesday, perfect for outdoor activities,” Shiviti adds. “The exception will be western areas of the South Island, where it’s expected to stay cloudy and wet.”

Blustery conditions are set to continue for parts of the country this week, especially for the South Island on Tuesday ahead of the next front

Strong Wind Watches are in place for Tuesday and Wednesday in areas including Canterbury High Country, Otago, Fiordland, Stewart Island and Southland.
A Heavy Rain Watch is also in effect for Tuesday in the headwaters of Otago’s lakes and rivers.

On Wednesday, colder air will bring sleety showers to low levels in Southland and Clutha in the morning (with a noticeable wind chill). These areas in the south may see snow down to 300 metres,  but likely falling even lower in Southland.
With cooler air in place, daytime maximums will stay low across the South Island; some spots may struggle to hit double digits on Wednesday and Thursday.

A cooler airmass brought in by southwest winds will make for frosty mornings across the South Island through to Friday.

By the weekend, yet another front is expected to move across the country, bringing more rain and strong winds. Keep an eye on the MetService website for updates.
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Property Council – Seismic Shift: Government’s Earthquake-Prone Building Overhaul a Win for Communities

Source: Property Council New Zealand

 

Property Council New Zealand has welcomed the Government’s announcement to overhaul the assessment of earthquake-prone buildings, calling it a long-awaited reset that addresses the flaws of a regime which has left thousands of buildings empty and communities burdened with unfair costs.

 

Chief Executive Leonie Freeman says the previous approach, centred on rigid percentage ratings under the New Building Standard (NBS), was confusing, disproportionate, and damaging to towns and cities across the country.

 

“For too long, shifting rules have created uncertainty, paralysing investment and leaving buildings empty across our cities,” Freeman says. “We’ve long called for seismic standards that are workable, proportionate, and focused on real risk. Today’s announcement is a step in the right direction.”

 

She describes the old NBS percentage system as arbitrary, with small variations creating major consequences for owners and tenants. “The difference between 66% and 67% NBS could mean whether a building was occupied or left vacant, even though it sits within the margin of error. The system became fixated on numbers that didn’t reflect real safety, while ratings swung every time the rules shifted. It’s no wonder tenants started demanding 80–100% NBS, despite the law only defining ‘earthquake-prone’ as below 34%.”

 

The result, Freeman says, was particularly tough on smaller towns. “The previous cost burden caused huge disruption in regional towns where remediation simply didn’t stack up. Many owners faced bills in the millions, with no clear pathway forward. Instead of strengthening, buildings were abandoned, becoming derelict and putting communities at greater risk.”

 

Freeman says the new system finally recognises the need for a more targeted, risk-based approach. “The old regime was like forcing every car to replace its engine every 10 years, regardless of condition. The new approach inspects each car on its age and state of repair, fixing only what needs attention. It’s smarter, it’s fairer, and it focuses on genuine life-safety risks.”

 

She says the changes will deliver more targeted, practical outcomes. “Recognising that not all regions face the same level of risk is common sense. It allows us to focus resources where they’re needed most – in high-risk areas like Wellington and Napier – while avoiding unnecessary costs in lower-risk regions.”

 

Property Council has long advocated for a two-tier system that enables greater clarity in seismic decision-making and more stable rules, including a longer review cycle for regulation. While a 20-year review cycle was not adopted, Freeman says it remains an important goal. 

 

“Shifting seismic standards every few years doesn’t just hurt property owners, it undermines communities. We’ve seen schools relocated into temporary classrooms, small businesses forced to close, and billions of dollars in stalled investment because the rules kept changing. Japan has shown us that stable rules give owners, engineers, and investors the confidence to plan long-term. New Zealand should be no different.”

 

Looking ahead, Freeman says the reset is a positive step for the property industry and the communities it serves.“Ultimately, the number one priority is safety for our communities. With safe buildings backed by scientific evidence, clear rules, and long-term confidence, we can get our towns and cities thriving again.”

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Oxfam reacts to NZ government’s decision not to recognise Palestinian statehood

Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

At the United Nations over the weekend, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand will not recognise Palestinian statehood. 
Oxfam Aotearoa Executive Director Jason Myers said, “We are disappointed at our government’s inaction on this issue. Recognition of statehood is more than a symbolic gesture, it affirms the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, which is a fundamental human right.”
Oxfam insists that concrete steps must be taken toward an immediate and permanent ceasefire so that aid can freely flow into Gaza and to ensure the release of the hostages and illegally detained Palestinian prisoners.
Myers continued, “We call on the leaders of our country to push harder to broker a lasting and just peace that ensures security and prosperity for both Palestinians and Israelis.”
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Health – Call for Pharmac to fund life-saving heart drugs out of reach for many Kiwi families

Source: Kia Manawanui Trust | The Heart of Aotearoa New Zealand

Thousands of Kiwi heart patients are missing out on a proven, life-saving heart medication because it is not publicly funded.
Kia Manawanui Trust – The Heart of Aotearoa is calling on Pharmac to fund a class of medicines called PCSK9 inhibitors that reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol.
This medicine could transform the lives of an estimated 1 in 250 New Zealanders living with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) – a genetic condition that causes dangerously high ‘bad’ cholesterol, putting them at risk of heart attack or stroke at an early age.
“I’m still young – I want to minimise deterioration as much as I can, because I want to be around for my son for a long time,” the 50-year-old says.
“I’ve got a lot more life to live and a lot more to give.”
Heart disease has already claimed his grandfather and uncle at a young age – and Matt worries he may be next.
“I just want to survive – and be there for my wife and our three young children as they grow up.”
PCSK9 medicines can dramatically lower levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, offering patients like Korie and Matt a real chance at longer, healthier lives.
But in New Zealand, these treatments aren’t funded.
Patients must either pay thousands of dollars themselves or go without, leaving their cholesterol dangerously high.
Currently funded cholesterol medications aren’t enough to reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol to a safe level for patients living with FH.
Trust Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says the situation reflects a wider national failure.
“Unfortunately, their stories are not unique – it is the reality for thousands of New Zealand families living with FH, an inherited heart disease.
“They are living with a constant ticking time bomb inside their chest, while the treatments that could save their lives are sitting on the shelf, out of reach.”
The lack of funded treatment options for heart disease, in general, is appalling, Ms Harding says.
“We are decades behind other countries, including Australia, where these medications are already funded and changing lives.”
Pharmac needs to ring-fence a dedicated fund for cardiac drugs, she says.
“Heart disease is the number one killer in New Zealand, so it makes sense to do this.
“Every day we delay funding vital heart medications means more heart attacks and deaths that could be prevented.”
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Health – Aged Care Association backs Wairoa Mayor: Government must act on aged care crisis

Source: Aged Care Association

The Aged Care Association (ACA) backs Wairoa Mayor Craig Little in his criticism of government inaction that has left the town without a single aged care bed more than two years after Cyclone Gabrielle.
Mayor Little has called the lack of residential care in Wairoa an “emergency” that has been ignored by everyone “from the Prime Minister down.”
“Our association raised this issue more than a year ago, urging ministers to act, and offering to work with government to resolve this crisis. At the time, we were told it was under control, and no help was needed. Yet over a year on, Wairoa families are still left to provide hospital-level care at home, without equipment, medication, or specialist support,” says ACA Chief Executive, Hon. Tracey Martin, “and care partners are breaking due to the inability to receive respite support at appropriate levels.”
The Association is once again calling on the government to work with our sector to deliver care for Wairoa immediately.
“We have members ready and willing to step up for Wairoa. We just need a serious commitment from government and its agencies to make this happen.” 
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Health – Up to 700 GP trainees to benefit from funding boost this year – College of GPs

Source: Royal NZ College of General Practitioners

Up to 700 GP trainees to benefit from funding boost this year
At GP25: Conference for General Practice in July, Health Minister Hon Simeon Brown announced significant additional funding for registrars across the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP). This was an important acknowledgement of the value of general practice as a medical specialism and the need to grow and retain the GP workforce.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) has been working alongside Minister Brown and Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to confirm how this funding, the ” Training Boost,” will be used to benefit registrars. The package includes:
  • Funding for up to 337 of our GPEP year 3 and 3+ trainees to complete their training and undergo their Fellowship Assessment. These trainees may not have been able to complete Fellowship previously due to financial and other constraints
  • Registrar-incurred learning and membership fees will be paid by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for currently enrolled GP registrars in years 2, 3 and 3+ of GPEP for the 2025 academic year.
Funding support will be sustained beyond 2026 to ensure GP registrars are supported to complete their training and become vocationally registered general practitioners in New Zealand, as previously announced by the Minister.
This further funding will help support ongoing training and education costs for approximately 400 GPEP year 2 and 3 trainees annually.
College CE Toby Beaglehole says, “The Training Boost significantly reduces the financial constraints that have long been associated with becoming a specialist GP. As a College, we can now focus more tightly on the growth and retention of the GP workforce and training our registrars to be innovative and adaptable GP leaders tending to the complex and evolving needs of patients and communities.
“This funding means that up to 700 GP registrars who are currently in years 2,3 and 3+ of GPEP will have their incurred learning and membership fees paid (or refunded) to support them to complete their training and become specialist GPs.
“I’d also like to acknowledge the huge amount of work and cross-organisation collaboration that has been undertaken to get us to this point. Working together with Health New Zealand to deliver on a future-proofed, sustainable general practice workforce will have a significantly positive impact on health outcomes and is a massive win for patients.”
Minister for Health, Hon Simeon Brown says “The Government is focused on building a stronger, more sustainable GP workforce so that more New Zealanders can access the care they need, when they need it.
“This investment is a critical step in future-proofing the GP workforce and building a stronger pipeline of locally trained doctors. By supporting doctors to complete their training and stay in general practice, we are investing not only in their careers, but in the health and wellbeing of communities across the country for years to come.”
Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora National Chief Medical Officer says, “Supporting GP registrars through sustained funding will strengthen the pipeline of future general practitioners to the benefit of communities right across Aotearoa.
General practice is the backbone of our health system. GPs are often the first point of contact for patients and play a critical role in prevention, diagnosis, and long-term care. We need far more of them, and we need to support them better.
This new investment helps remove financial barriers that have historically limited access to specialist GP training, and it is a meaningful step toward a more equitable and resilient health system.”
College CE Toby Beaglehole is available for comment. Please contact communications@rnzcgp.org.nz or call 021 027 81909 to arrange an interview.
Notes:
  • Previously, GP registrars only have their first year of GPEP training funded with the second and third years having to be self-funded. This approach was different to other medical training programmes across New Zealand and Australasian medical colleges which are fully funded for their entirety.
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Defence News – Whakatāne soldier builds around the Pacific

Source: New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF)

The New Zealand Army’s Sergeant Shaun Taylor jumped at the chance to return to the Cook Islands as he grows his resume of building work from the heat of the tropics to the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica.

The Troop Sergeant is again taking part in Exercise Tropic Twilight, which this year is carrying out work on the small island of Ma’uke.

Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this year’s exercise involves more than 30 personnel from the NZ Army’s 25 Engineer Support Squadron, 2 Engineer Regiment supported by a medical team and troops from Australia, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The team is carrying out maintenance and improvements on the island’s solar farm, water infrastructure, school and halls during the exercise.

Sergeant Taylor, who grew up in Whakatāne but has whakapapa back to Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Toarangatira, was part of the 2015 Tropic Twilight, on the island of Penrhyn in the northern Cook Islands.

“I had no idea I’d come back. When I heard that we could potentially be deploying here I was pretty keen. I’m always keen to get out and do what we do.”

Sergeant Taylor joined the NZ Army in 2011 and the following year started his carpentry apprenticeship. One of his first deployments was in a humanitarian assistance role, fixing infrastructure in the Solomon Islands. He has posted twice to Antarctica to help maintain McMurdo Station.

Besides construction work, he has taken part in Gallipoli commemorations and spent seven months with the multi-national force manning the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea.

Another highlight was spending two years at the NZ Army marae, Rongomaraeroa-o-ngā-hau-e-whā, working in cultural education.

Sergeant Taylor said his role on Ma’uke was to support the commander and managing the troop. 

“I’ve got a good feeling so far. I think we’ll achieve all our tasks. We've got some really good military tradespeople. I've got no doubt we’ll smash all the work out.”

The team hadn’t dealt a lot with solar installations, but they will install solar units to power the bore pumps that deliver water to the island’s 240 residents.

“Our guys are quite new to the whole solar thing. They're just delving a bit more into it. It's not part of the initial apprenticeship, so that's going to be a good learning experience for them,” Sergeant Taylor said.

“I don't think any of it's going to be too much of a challenge. Our guys are really capable of doing the work.”

Sergeant Taylor said he was also the unofficial cultural lead for the group.

“I speak te reo Māori and that's very similar to Cook Island Māori so I've been able to speak quite openly with the locals. Our reo is very similar. I'd say it's 90 percent the same. There are just little differences here and there.

“All the locals seem really happy to have us here too. So I think that's going to be a big part of the success here.

“We are simply here to be active in the neighbourhood of the Cook Islands and show that we value our partnership with them. This work is the way we can show that.”