Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

The NZ Drug Foundation says a major new report on international drug policy reform over the past 10 years shows that the drug control system has failed and countries like New Zealand urgently need to change direction.

The UNGASS decade in review: Gaps, achievements and paths for reform report assesses progress made since the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, widely viewed as a potential turning point in global drug policy.

NZ Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says it paints an incredibly grim picture, with many challenges hampering efforts to reduce the harm from drugs including the financial crisis facing the United Nations, threats to the international rule of law, AI-fuelled illicit trade and reduced funding for harm reduction.

“Old tropes, and the ‘war on drugs’ approach that is regaining momentum in the United States and elsewhere, need to end. Aotearoa New Zealand risks sliding into the same chaos seen in parts of North America if nothing changes,” Helm says.

“All the evidence tells us these approaches are continuing to push things in the wrong direction – the increase in harm and deaths globally over the last ten years is just staggering.”

The report shows that under the current international settings:

• More drugs are being consumed. 
• More potent and new substances have emerged, many of which are volatile and toxic. 
• More people are using drugs. An estimated 316 million people aged 15-64 used drugs in 2023, which is a 28% increase since 2016 and far outpaces 9% global population growth. 
• More people are dying as a result of drug use. Between 2016 and 2021, more than 2,678,000 people died (not including deaths from armed conflict in countries that supply the global drug market). 

There has been an alarming level of incarceration that has disproportionately affected marginalised communities. About 20% of the global prison population – or one in five people – is in prison for drug offences. Of those people, 22% or 2.5 million people are in prison for drug possession alone.

“Sadly, these international trends are all too familiar in New Zealand. Our Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa New Zealand report shows that everything from addiction, to overdose deaths, to criminalisation have increased under our current approach – it’s painfully obvious that we need to change,” Helm says.

“We lose almost three New Zealanders per week to overdose, methamphetamine and cocaine use have doubled in the past year, new toxic substances like nitazenes are killing people and 3,000 New Zealanders have been criminalised for cannabis consumption in the past two years.”

More and more money has been spent on reducing supply, including drug busts, to little or no effect. In fact, mounting evidence shows that law enforcement strategies aimed at disrupting trafficking organisations have often been counterproductive. Instead of reducing supply, they have fragmented criminal groups, creating more dynamic and violent competition over illegal markets.

“Both internationally and here at home, we spend vastly more on combating the supply of drugs than on reducing demand and the harm caused. This approach has not worked so it’s time to take a different approach,” Helm argues.

There are a few bright spots to be found over the 10 years the report canvasses. 59 jurisdictions in 39 countries have now adopted some form of decriminalisation, compared to 33 jurisdictions in 23 countries in 2016. And 45 countries – including Aotearoa New Zealand – have adopted laws and policies to improve access to medicinal cannabis since 2016, bringing the global total to 63.

Helm says that for New Zealand to start turning things around, decriminalisation of drug use, coupled with significant investment in health and harm reduction services, has the clearest evidence of success internationally.

“For example, Portugal’s two decades of experience of decriminalisation is compelling,” she says. “Overdose deaths fell dramatically, HIV transmission rates plummeted, and the burden on the criminal justice system was eased, all without an increase in drug use. Portugal now has one of the lowest rates of drug-related deaths in the EU.”

The NZSA Youth Mentor Programme seeks Emerging Young Writers – YOUTH WRITING MENTORSHIPS OPEN FOR 2026

Four secondary school students will have the opportunity to be mentored by one of New Zealand’s best professional authors in order to develop their craft and hone their writing skills.

The NZSA Youth Mentorship Programme offers aspiring young writers aged 15 -18 a mentorship, from May to November. The intent of the mentor programme is to foster and develop emerging writing talent with the support of established authors. There are 4 places awarded each year in the youth programme, and it is a game-changing opportunity for young writers.

NZSA has been running successful assessment and mentoring programmes since 1999 that aim are to nurture, encourage, inspire and develop emerging writers with the support of established writers through mentoring and assessment.

Deadline for applications: 6 April 2026
Find out about how to apply: www.authors.org.nz

Comments from previous youth mentees
Eleazar Kenese from Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland was paired with award-winning novelist, poet, journalist and editor, Mikaela Nyman and told us: “I feel that I made a lot of progress under this mentorship as I was introduced to new ways of writing poetry, I progressed as a writer as Mikaela helped me to explore different styles, themes and ideas and under this guidance I was able to write a poem that got published in an anthology. This mentorship was extremely helpful to my progress as a writer as it also gave me a deeper understanding of the standards of poetry in terms of punctuation and purpose (using punctuation as a tool to convey an emotion or thought rather than just for readability)”.

Leo Reid from Hamilton had award-winning author Kyle Mewburn as their mentor in 2024 and had this to say: “Through the NZSA Youth Mentorship Program, I have developed my skills as an author outside of simply writing. My mentor Kyle was endlessly kind and patient with me and I feel I have grown into myself using her help. Kyle offered me the experience of working with a seasoned author as well as providing me with extremely beneficial feedback. I know I can apply these newfound skills to projects outside of the one I had been working on with Kyle. I will look back on this shared time with her as one of immense value to myself, on both a personal level and as a writer.”

“I feel that I improved my skills as a writer and made a great deal of progress in terms of my project — I now have a clear structure, a plan moving forward and many smaller pieces to work with and develop further. Michelle has helped me build confidence in my work and consider things I previously didn't, such as pacing and specific characterisation, as well as highlighting my strengths,” said Stella Weston who was partnered with writer and editor, Michelle Elvy.

The Youth Mentor Programme is run by the NZSA, the principal organisation representing writers in Aotearoa. We offer memberships for writers at all stages of their careers including students. Our assessment and mentorship programmes, such as our annual Youth mentorships, are offered with the support of Creative New Zealand.

NZSA is the principal organisation representing over 1800 writers in Aotearoa New Zealand. Founded in 1934, we administer prizes and awards, provide professional development, offer mentorship and assessment programmes, trade discounts, share industry news and opportunities, and provide spaces for writers to meet via 8 regional branches, a Next Page youth network, and Nga Kaituhi Māori. We offer online and in-person regional and national events. NZSA collaborates across the book sector to make NZ writing and NZ writers more visible. We advocate for writers' and champion fair reward.

ASB has today lowered its 6-month mortgage rate, while increasing some longer term fixed home loan and term deposit rates, as wholesale interest rates continue to rise.  

ASB’s one to three year fixed home loans have increased by between 10 and 20 basis points. To support savers, ASB has also lifted term deposit rates on all terms from nine months to five years, including a 35-basis point rise to its two-year term deposit.  

Fixed home loan rates are influenced by several market factors, particularly wholesale interest rates. Longer term wholesale interest rates have increased by more than 50 basis points since the November 2025 OCR announcement, driving up the cost of providing fixed home loans.

“Today’s changes reflect the reality of our higher wholesale interest rate environment. While this upward movement is good news for savers, with our term deposit rates for two years and above now starting from 4.00%, we know homeowners are watching rates closely. We are here to support, and encourage customers to talk to us around what approach may work best for them,” says Adam Boyd, ASB’s Executive General Manager Personal Banking.

ASB has practical information for customers on the current interest rate environment available on its website as well as support to help customers take control of their financial wellbeing and achieve their goals at its Financial Wellbeing Hub.

PSNA is calling on the government to condemn Israel’s desecration of New Zealand war graves in Gaza.

Israeli bulldozing of the graves was confirmed last week but the New Zealand government has not responded with any comment.

Palestinian Essam Jaradah, who has tended the New Zealand graves for 45 years, confirmed their destruction in an interview with the Guardian newspaper.

“Common decency demands we condemn Israel for this abuse of our war dead,” says Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Co-Chair John Minto. “If it happened anywhere else in the world the government would register shock and be appalled.”

“Australia has spoken out but nothing from New Zealand. No protest expressed, no demand Israel apologise, no request for access to inspect the damage.  Nothing.”

“Neither has there been any response from the New Zealand Returned Services Association.”

Minto says Israel relied on what he called huge and sympathetic media attention for more than two years, demanding the return of the remains of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza.

“It seems the only human remains which matter are Israeli ones. Over a period, Israel has systematically destroyed Palestinian cemeteries and now the war graves of our soldiers.”

There were 23 graves of New Zealand World War I soldiers in the Commonwealth War Cemetery, plus another two from the 280 strong Rarotongan Company from the Cook Islands, which also fought for Britain to capture Palestine from the Turkish Ottomans.

“The families of these soldiers deserve to hear their government speak out” says Minto.

Earlier reports show appalling and deliberate damage and bodies desecrated in at least 16 other cemeteries across Gaza and Canada reported damage to the war cemetery where Canadian soldiers lie alongside New Zealanders.

According to a CNN report:

Cemeteries are given protections as “civilian objects” under international law and are afforded special protections, with limited exceptions.

“Israel has always flouted international law, and the desecration of cemeteries adds to the long list of its war crimes in Gaza,” says Minto.

“There might be some people who believe Israeli excuses that there are tunnels under everything in Gaza, so everything should be bombed or bulldozed flat.”

“But Israel has no right to be there.  It is in illegal occupation of Gaza and the other Palestinian Territory of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.”

“If Israel respected international law, and withdrew its military occupation, the graves would not have been desecrated” says Minto.

The land for the cemetery was gifted by the people of Palestine. 

“We are not aware that any New Zealand politician has ever visited these graves in Gaza so probably the Prime Minister will turn his back on Israeli desecration of our history as he has on the mass killing, starvation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.”

John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

New Zealand Rental Report, January 2026 – Capital city takes charge with record number of new rental properties listed.

Wellington hits record high with 965 properties listed for rent in January
Scarfies had less choice with 32.9% fewer new rental listings in Otago than January 2025
National average rent falls to $634/week, down 2.0% year-on-year

Students moving to the capital for the start of the academic year are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a rental property. In January, Wellington reached a record high of 965 properties listed for rent, a whopping 54.2% more rental listings than the same time last year.

However, students heading south face a much tighter rental market.

Otago’s new rental listings were down 32.9% year-on-year, with just 139 properties listed for rent this January, compared to 207 in January 2025.

Meanwhile, Canterbury offered students more choice with 892 new rental listings in January 2026, an increase of 16.9% on same time last year.

Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz says, the data shows just how important timing and location are for student renters.

“For students heading back to campus, where you study has a big impact on your rental experience. Wellington renters are spoilt for choice this year, while those moving to Otago will need to be organised and act quickly in a far more competitive market. It’s very much a tale of two cities.”

A little more left in the pocket as average weekly rents fall

Students in Wellington may also find they have more in their bank accounts – average weekly rents have fallen 8.9% year-on-year to $659/week, although this remains above the national average rental price of $634/week.

Renters in Auckland are also paying above the national average rent, with the average rent in the City of Sails at $686/week, down just 1.8% on January 2025.

The average weekly rent has fallen in Otago (down 4.1% year-on-year to $519/week in January 2026) and stayed flat in Waikato (down 0.3% year-on-year to $556/week). Canterbury is the only university region to record an increase in average weekly rental prices in January, up 1.2% to $584/week.

Williams says these year-on-year declines suggest landlords in some regions are having to be more competitive on price, particularly where supply has lifted.

 “We’re seeing rental markets behave very differently across the country. For student renters, these figures underline how local supply conditions shape affordability. More choice gives renters leverage, but in markets where supply hasn’t lifted, prices remain resilient.”

Which regions are seeing a rise in rental stock?

National rental stock increased 9.8% in January 2026, with 7,830 rental properties available compared to 7,129 properties in January 2025.

Hawke’s Bay recorded the greatest year-on-year increase in stock levels, up 115.8% compared to January 2025 to 123 properties. Wairarapa also recorded a significant increase in stock levels, up 97.3% year-on-year to 73 properties, while Gisborne recorded the third highest year-on-year increase in stock levels in January 2026, up 56.4% year-on-year to 61 properties.

Williams says the lift in rental stock nationally is an encouraging sign of activity in the market.

“Overall, this is a rental market offering very different experiences depending on where renters are studying or relocating. For those who have flexibility around location, there are real opportunities emerging, but in tighter markets, preparation and speed remain key. Understanding local conditions has never been more important.”

About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)

We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. In 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.

Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.    

Glossary of terms:  Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.  

New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.  

Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.  

Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.  

Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of

Economic Research.  

Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.

New Zealand is taking fantasy sports to a whole new level with a league only Kiwis could dream up: Meadow Fresh Fantasy Herd – what we believe to be the world's first fantasy league powered by real cows.

Created by Meadow Fresh, the game lets players draft real cows for their chosen team, score points from live farm data, and compete for a $20,000 top prize. Just like fantasy football, which relies on real athlete stats, Fantasy Herd draws on actual milking outputs and behavioural data collected from the herd at Nottingham Dairy Farm in North Otago, New Zealand.

Fantasy Herd ambassador Tav Hughes – content creator, meme connoisseur, and proud champion of Kiwi culture – says jumping in was an easy yes.

“I love anything that helps bridge the gap between town and country.  Most people only ever see the finished dairy products on the supermarket shelves, not the tech, care and effort behind them,” Hughes says. “Fantasy Herd is a crack-up idea, but it's also educational and uniquely Kiwi. I reckon people are going to get hooked.

“Or at least until my darling COW HABUNGA takes home the gold!”

Meadow Fresh Marketing Manager, Jen Jones says the aim is simple: make dairy farming fun, visible and accessible to everyone.

“Although dairy remains one of New Zealand's defining industries, its place in Kiwi culture has evolved.

“With Meadow Fresh Fantasy Herd, we wanted to shine a positive light on dairy by creating something unexpected, entertaining, and true to what modern dairy really looks like, it's exciting and high tech.”

Just like traditional fantasy sports, Fantasy Herd players are selecting their own lineups, drafting real cows, each wearing a solar-powered smart collar from New Zealand's ag-tech company Halter.  

Helen Moore, VP Marketing and Growth at Halter explains:

“Halter's collars monitor every cow's location, behaviour, and movement. This gives farmers a valuable tool to maximise their productivity and to care for their animals. We're stoked to surface the data and insights that Halter farms rely on, and bring it to everyday Kiwis.”

North Otago farmer Tim Richards, whose cows star in the game, says it's been a hit on-farm too.

“The cows don't even know they're athletes yet, but we've been laughing over who should be captain. If a bit of friendly competition helps people appreciate the care behind the dairy products in their fridge, that's amazing.”

Draft opens 9th February, one week before the first round, giving players time to build their herds, choose their captain cow, and join a league. After six rounds, the herder with the highest total score will be crowned Fantasy Herd Champion and take home $20,000*.

Players can register and build their fantasy herd now at www.fantasyherd.co.nz.

*T&Cs apply. NZ res 18+. Commences 26/1/26. Ends 30/3/26. Full T&Cs available at www.fantasyherd.co.nz

Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury will arrive into Samoa this weekend for a fuel stop as the ship begins its first South West Pacific maritime operation for 2026, Operation Calypso.

The deployment includes a visit to Tokelau, a realm nation which was last visited by an RNZN ship in 2020.

Making the journey on Canterbury to the atolls of Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo will be the Governor-General of New Zealand Dame Cindy Kiro and her husband Dr Richard Davies, reaffirming the special bonds between the two nations as they mark the centenary of New Zealand administration of Tokelau on 11 February.

Also travelling to Tokelau will be personnel from various New Zealand Government agencies.

Weather agency MetService received a request from Tokelau government agencies for observer training and will be conducting a needs assessment as well as servicing the Automatic Weather Station on Nukunonu.

One New Zealand Police officer will take the opportunity to meet with the Tokelau Chief of Police and other officials, and an officer from the Tokelauan National Disaster Management Office will also be on Canterbury to transit between the atolls.

Once the mission in Tokelau has concluded, Canterbury will return to Apia to disembark some passengers before returning to New Zealand via Raoul Island.

On Raoul Island, Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopters and flight crew who are on board Canterbury, along with New Zealand Army personnel and the ship’s company, will assist MetService and Earth Sciences New Zealand personnel to carry out upgrade and maintenance tasks of critical weather, tsunami and volcano monitoring equipment and facilities.

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Major General Rob Krushka, says the Pacific mission Operation Calypso highlights the capability of the New Zealand Defence Force’s people and platforms.

“Tokelau and Raoul Island are two examples of hard to reach places in our region, where carrying out tasks can be very logistically challenging.

“We’re pleased to be able to support the visit of Her Excellency the Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro and New Zealand government agencies to deliver services and equipment to these areas through one of our regular South West Pacific deployments.”