Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Asia NZ Foundation – Experts to gather in Wellington for symposium exploring developments shaping the Asia region

Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation

Policymakers, academics, and business leaders from across New Zealand and Asia will gather in Wellington on 20 May to discuss the geostrategic shifts shaping our region.
The Asia Symposium: Asia in Transition – The Middle Power Moment, hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation in partnership with The Asia Foundation, will examine the forces shaping Asia and the growing role of small and middle powers in the region.
The symposium reflects growing interest in how middle powers can help shape regional stability, strengthen economic resilience, and sustain cooperation amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.
The full-day event will feature keynote addresses, expert panels, and facilitated discussions, connecting New Zealand decision-makers with regional experts and practitioners.
Asia New Zealand Foundation chief executive Suzannah Jessep says the symposium comes at a critical time for New Zealand's relationship with Asia.
“The Asia region is central to New Zealand's future, economically, strategically, and diplomatically. The symposium creates an important opportunity for New Zealand decision-makers to engage directly with experts from across Asia, helping to build the relationships and understanding needed to navigate a complex regional environment.”
She adds that partnering with The Asia Foundation brings deep regional insight and expands the networks and perspectives available to New Zealand audiences.
The Asia Foundation’s vice president for strategic partnerships Thomas Parks says:
“Partnering on this symposium reflects our commitment to connecting on-the-ground knowledge with decision-makers who need it most. From supply chain resilience to regional security and geopolitics, these are issues our country offices and teams across more than 20 countries work on every day.”
We see this symposium as part of a longer-term effort to strengthen dialogue, relationships, and regional understanding between New Zealand and Asia,” he added.
Dr Julia Macdonald, the Foundation's research and engagement programme manager, says the symposium reflects the Foundation's commitment to timely, relevant engagement with Asia.
“The Asia region is changing fast, and New Zealand needs access to timely, policy-relevant insights to respond effectively.
“This symposium ensures those insights are tested, challenged, and translated into practical conversations that can inform New Zealand's engagement with Asia.”
New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Rt Hon Winston Peters will deliver the symposium’s keynote address alongside senior policymakers, business leaders, regional practitioners, and researchers from across Asia and New Zealand, including:
  • Ryan Black, director, government affairs, Microsoft ANZ
  • Professor David Capie, director, Centre for Strategic Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, and Trustee, Asia New Zealand Foundation
  • Peter Kell, Foundation senior fellow 2026 and chief operating officer, Obayashi Corporation
  • Kuik Cheng-Chwee, professor of International Relations, National University of Malaysia
  • Thomas Parks, vice president for strategic partnerships, The Asia Foundation
  • Dr Sinderpal Singh, assistant director, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University
  • Professor Bec Strating, director of the La Trobe Centre for Global Security and a Professor of international relations, La Trobe University
  • Kat Tolosa, director for governance and resilience, The Asia Foundation, Philippines
  • Todd Wassel, country representative in Thailand, The Asia Foundation
  • Simon Watt, commercial barrister, public law and climate change specialist, Clifton Chambers
  • Dr Zulfikar Yurnaidi, head of energy modelling, policy and planning department, the ASEAN Centre for Energy
About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono
Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is one of New Zealand’s leading authorities on Asia. Its mission is to equip New Zealanders to thrive in Asia, by providing experiences and resources to build knowledge, skills and confidence. The Foundation’s activities cover more than 20 countries in Asia and are delivered through eight core programmes: arts, business, entrepreneurship, leadership, media, research, Track II diplomacy and sports.
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Asia NZ Foundation – Top Southeast Asian tech entrepreneurs visiting New Zealand this month

Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation

Nine tech entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia will visit New Zealand from 17 to 23 May for a week of collaboration and exchange with their New Zealand counterparts.
The visit is part of the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI), delivered by the Asia New Zealand Foundation in partnership with the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The delegation showcases Southeast Asia’s fast-moving tech scene. Participants span sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, health-tech, sustainability, and weather prediction systems.
Paula Da Costa Xavier, CEO of Similie, joins as the first participant from Timor-Leste, after the country’s accession to ASEAN last year. She says:
“The programme is a valuable chance to collaborate with New Zealand innovators and founders, share Similie’s work in climate, water, and disaster risk reduction, and return home with new ideas that can strengthen our impact.”
Nguyen Quang Vinh, CTO of Vietnamese AI robotics company VinDynamics, adds:
“Being part of the Young Business Leaders Initiative provides a unique opportunity to see how emerging technologies are being applied in different markets. I’m particularly interested in learning how New Zealand companies are approaching innovation in areas like AI and robotics.”
Throughout the week, delegates will take part in a programme of workshops, meetings, site visits, as well as discussions with New Zealand companies, investors, and startup communities. The programme will conclude with the New Zealand Tech Week Awards on Friday, 22 May.
The visit is designed to give participants a clearer understanding of New Zealand’s emerging tech sector, opportunities to collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs, and practical insights into growing their businesses beyond their home markets.
Chief Executive of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Suzannah Jessep, said the visit highlights the value of connecting New Zealand’s tech sector with fast-moving markets in the ASEAN region.
“There is a huge amount of digital innovation happening in Southeast Asia. Creating opportunities for founders from the region to connect directly with New Zealand’s tech community helps keep New Zealand engaged with that momentum, while building the understanding needed to operate across borders and grow in international markets.”
Four of the entrepreneurs will speak at an Asia After Five event in Auckland on 18 May to share their insights on setting up and operating tech businesses in their respective countries.
Since launching in 2011, the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative has supported more than 130 Southeast Asian entrepreneurs to visit New Zealand, while enabling over 80 New Zealand entrepreneurs to explore opportunities throughout the ASEAN region. The YBLI network now includes more than 270 entrepreneurs.
Meet the 2026 ASEAN YBLI Tech delegation.
  • Kanlaya, Phommasak, Co-founder & COO, Lailaolab ICT Solutions Co., Ltd.
  • Vinh, Nguyen, CTO, VinDynamics
  • Aimi, Ramlee, Co-founder/Director of Digital Innovation & Growth, Tyne Solutions
  • Matilda, Narulita, CEO & Co-founder, Nexmedis
  • Yik Wai, Chee, Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer, Grafilab
  • Ana Paula, Da Costa Xavier, CEO, Simile
  • Tanakrit, Sermsuksan, Founder, SEA Bridge
  • Rothsethamony, Seng, CEO and Co-Founder, Bamnang Academy
  • Shenny, Tang, Sdn Bhd & Head of Growth, Innov8 Labs.
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About half of children under 5 in Somalia battling malnutrition as risk of famine announced for the first time in four years – Save the Children

Source: Save the Children

About half of children under 5 in Somalia are facing acute malnutrition as poor rains and rising costs drive up hunger levels, with risk of famine announced for the first time in four years, Save the Children said.
New data from the global hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), showed that over 1.88 million children aged 6-59 months are suffering from acute malnutrition, including 493,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), a 2% increase since data in February.
In addition, over 6 million people, or one in three people, are now experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity with over 1.9 million people facing emergency levels of food insecurity, signalling urgent action is needed to save lives and livelihoods.
Burhakaba district in the Bay region of southwest Somalia has been classified to be facing the risk of famine through June 2026 – the first time such a classification has been announced in Somalia since the devastating drought of 2022.
This classification means that at least one out of three children are expected to be acutely malnourished, with many more children expected to die from preventable diseases due to complications without urgent intervention.
Failed rains, a sharp spike in food price due to the conflict in the Middle East, depreciation of the Somali Shilling in the south, and conflict-related displacement have combined to push more people into hunger since the previous forecast in February.
Suad-, 45, a mother of five, is living with three of her children in a makeshift tent at a camp for displaced people fleeing drought and conflict in the outskirts of Kismayo city, Somalia. This is the second time she has sought refuge in this camp, having been displaced four years ago at the peak of Somalia’s worst drought in recent memory.
She told Save the Children: “The situation is very dire. We have nothing to eat. We have nothing to sleep on and cover ourselves at night. You see my small child has even burned himself on the hands while trying to look for something to eat in other houses in the camps.”
Mohamed Mohamud Hassan, Country Director for Save the Children in Somalia, said:
“Somalia is in the grip of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. Children are dying from preventable causes – malnutrition, disease, displacement – while funding falls far short of what is urgently needed.
“The window to prevent famine in Burhakaba and wider deterioration across Somalia is closing fast. We call on the international community to act now, scale up lifesaving assistance, and ensure that no child dies because the world looked away.”
Save the Children is calling on the international community to urgently increase humanitarian funding to meet the needs of over 6 million people requiring assistance, prioritise support for nutrition and health programmes to prevent child deaths, and invest in longer-term resilience programming.
Save the Children has been working in Somalia since 1951, delivering life-saving health, nutrition, education and protection services.
Notes:
[1] According to the latest IPC report, 1.88 million children are estimated to be suffering acute malnutrition, an increase of 42,000 more children who require treatment for acute malnutrition from previous forecast in February.
Therefore 1.88 million children estimated to suffer from acute malnutrition is 49% or nearly half of all children under five. 
The New Zealand Government currently supports one of our programmes in Somalia through its Disaster Response Partnership. 
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Business – Demand grows for Māori-led startup accelerator entering third year

Source: Tapuwae Roa

Tapuwae Roa has again welcomed 10 Māori-founded startups into its Tupu Accelerator, marking the third consecutive year of the eight-week programme supporting high-growth enterprises with global ambitions.
The 2026 cohort was formally welcomed last week at a mihi whakatau hosted at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, attended by representatives from Aotearoa’s venture capital, investment, government, and innovation sectors.
Delivered in partnership with Sprout Agritech and co-funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Tupu was established to address the underrepresentation of Māori within Aotearoa’s startup ecosystem and support founders seeking to scale innovative ventures.
“We’ve seen increasing demand year-on-year from founders building ambitious ventures with global potential. At the same time, we’re seeing growing engagement from investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners who recognise the value and calibre of Māori innovation emerging through the programme,” says Tapuwae Roa Kaihautū, Te Pūoho Kātene.
Since launching in 2024, the accelerator has received applications from more than 200 Māori-founded startups across Aotearoa, onboarding 53 founders into the programme, with 75% identifying as Māori and a growing number of Pasifika co-founders also participating.
The programme has also continued to attract strong regional and demographic diversity, with participants representing 15 regions across Aotearoa and nearly half based outside of Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Wāhine founders have consistently made up a significant proportion of participants, including 55% of the 2026 cohort.
“Part of Tupu’s role is addressing structural gaps within Aotearoa’s innovation and investment ecosystem,” says Kātene.
“Founders based outside of major centres often face reduced access to accelerator programmes, capital networks, specialist support, and investment pathways. The same barriers continue to disproportionately affect minority founders.
“Tupu exists to help close those gaps by creating pathways into high-growth entrepreneurship, investment readiness, and innovation ecosystems for pakihi Māori across the motu.”
For Tīrama Vital founder Bernece Maude (Ngāti Maniapoto), the programme represents an opportunity to further scale her venture internationally.
“Being accepted into Tupu is a big step forward for me and for Tīrama Vital. It’s an opportunity to learn, build alongside other Māori founders, and take this to the next level, growing a global wellness business from Aotearoa that creates value for our whenua, our growers, and our people,” says Maude.
Hannah Dryland (Ngāpuhi), co-founder of Insyt, says Tupu will help strengthen the company’s strategic and commercial capability as it continues developing solutions for people living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
“We’re excited to be part of the Tupu Accelerator. We’re here to build something that genuinely improves how people live with IBS, and this gives us the environment and support to keep moving forward,” says Dryland.
The accelerator will run over the next eight weeks and culminate in the Tupu Accelerator Showcase, where participants will pitch their ventures to investors, partners, and industry leaders.
The showcase will be held at the Aotea Centre, Auckland, on 2 July 2026. Earlybird tickets are available now for $150 + GST and can be purchased from: https://tupu2026.lilregie.com/
TUPU ACCELERATOR 2026 COHORT:
To read more about the cohort and their pakihi please visit: https://tupu.org.nz/purapura/purapura-2026/
  • Dairy Tech Solutions: Tawa Holyoake (Ngāti Whātua)
  • Ako Insight: Ashleigh Heke (Ngāpuhi) & Pati Lafaialii
  • Rauhī: Nicola Walker (Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui) & Kelly Brown (Taranaki, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Te Ātiawa (Taranaki)
  • The Long Game: Julia Steenson (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua, Waikato), Toni Lea & Cassie Roma
  • Insyt: Hannah Dryland (Ngāpuhi) & Lachlan Arthur
  • Tīrama Vital Limited: Bernece Maude (Ngāti Maniapoto)
  • Hinu Ora: Kimberly Tait (Ngāi Takoto, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāti Whakaue, Te Aupōuri) & Rowena Lloyd (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Tūhoe, Waikato)
  • iSPARX.group Limited: Joffre Kopu (Te Ātiawa (Taranaki)), James Norling & Bram Holyoake (Te Atiawa (Taranaki))
  • KAHU.CODE Limited: Xaviere Murray-Puhara (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāti Porou) & Michael Puhara (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāti Porou)
  • PetUltra Limited: Sam Scott (Ngāti Wai) & Manu Weepu (Ngāi Tahu/Kāi Tahu).
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BusinessNZ backs targeted changes to plant rights

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ says changes to plant variety rights (PVR) should ensure more of the value created by New Zealand science and ingenuity stays here, to drive innovation, lift export returns and support long-term economic growth.
Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard says at a time when our country must find new ways to grow export revenue, lift productivity, and fund public services in the decades ahead, strengthening the innovation foundations of our most successful export sectors is a must.
“Plant breeding is a long-term investment. In many cases it can take 15 to 25 years for new varieties to move from research through to final product. If New Zealand wants to remain competitive internationally and continue growing high-value exports, we need regulatory settings that give innovators confidence to invest here.
“In kiwifruit alone, PVR varieties account for more than 70 percent of fruit export value, supporting thousands of jobs across growing, packing, logistics and marketing.
“More than half of apple orchards grow PVR varieties, too.”
Beard says proposed amendments under consideration should better align New Zealand’s plant variety rights regime with international best practice, including key export markets such as the EU, UK and Japan.
“New Zealand’s horticulture sector already generates billions in export revenue and supports jobs right across the country. Stronger protections will help reduce the risk of intellectual property leaks during the testing and application process, while also supporting further investment into research and development.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Investments – ASB Investor confidence survey: Investor confidence dips in March quarter as global tensions weigh on sentiment

Source: ASB

Investor confidence fell to 6% in the March quarter, down five percentage points from the previous quarter after stabilising late last year, ASB’s latest Investor Confidence survey shows.

ASB Senior Economist Chris Tennent-Brown says global events played a clear role in shaping sentiment during the quarter.

“The change in mood was especially clear in March, which aligns with the timing of recent global developments. These events tend to amplify uncertainty, even if the underlying economic fundamentals have not materially changed,” says Chris.

Younger investors stood out as a relative bright spot. Net confidence among those under 30 rose to 21%, up from 16% in the previous quarter, while confidence declined for all other age groups. Confidence in KiwiSaver among under-30s also lifted, increasing to 23% from 16%.

Chris says it is important to distinguish between confidence levels and actual market performance.

“While confidence has dipped, the world’s major sharemarkets have continued to perform well, albeit with bouts of volatility. KiwiSaver, managed funds and global share markets have recovered from earlier volatility, with US equities back trading around their highs,” he says.

”Markets are forward-looking and tend to move quickly, which is why making reactive changes based on short-term sentiment can be counterproductive.”

During the quarter, New Zealanders have stuck with familiar, long-term investment options. In terms of perception of best return, respondents rated their own home and KiwiSaver jointly as the investments most likely to provide the best returns, with both options selected by 16% of respondents, while rental property also rose over the quarter.

Overall, the survey reinforces the importance of maintaining a long-term focus, even when confidence softens.

“A key message for investors is to stay anchored to a well-planned, long-term investment strategy rather than reacting to short-term noise,” says Chris.

Notes:

ASB has tracked investor confidence in the NZ market since 1997. This analysis is based on 727 online interviews in Q1 2026 with adults aged 18 years and older throughout New Zealand.  A sample of this size has a maximum margin of error of 3.6% at the 95% confidence level.  Fieldwork occurred between 7th January and 1st April 2026.

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Education – National hui returns to birthplace of cultural safety in nursing education

Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury

180 delegates gather at Ara Institute of Canterbury for Hui ā Tau mō Ngā Ākonga Neehi Māori (National Māori Student Nurses Hui)
Ara Institute of Canterbury is proud to co-host this year’s Te Kaunihera o Ngā Neehi Māori Hui ā Tau mō Ngā Ākonga Neehi Māori, welcoming around 180 Māori nursing ākonga (students), kaiako (lecturers) and sector leaders together for four days of wānanga (discussions), connection and professional growth.
Ara Associate Director of Māori Success, Tate Tiatia, said hosting the hui was both a privilege and a return to the place where kawa whakaruruhau (cultural safety) began.
“This gathering returns to where Dr Irihapeti Ramsden first developed the foundations of cultural safety in nursing education. Her legacy continues to guide how we teach, how we care for people and how we support Māori ākonga into the profession. To host the hui back in Ōtautahi is deeply significant,” she said.
Te Rōpū Kawa Whakaruruhau chair, Irihapeti Bullmore, said the hui reinforced the importance of culturally grounded learning and practice.
“Our ākonga thrive when their identity and whakapapa (genealogy)are recognised as a source of strengths. This hui reflects that. It also reminds us that culturally safe healthcare is not optional. It is essential for whānau who rely on our health system,” she said.
This year’s hui (gathering) also coincides with the first intake of Ara’s refreshed Bachelor of Nursing (Puahou Tapuhi o Aotearoa). Developed at Ara and shaped by expertise from across the motu (country), the programme strengthens commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and expands indigenised content. The curriculum will be implemented by other institutes, including Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT), from next year.
Dean of Faculty – Health, Science and Sustainability, Dr Michael Shone, said the new curriculum reflects a future-focused approach to Māori nursing education.
“This curriculum reflects the future of nursing in Aotearoa. Clinical capability matters, but so does understanding identity, whānau and culture. Our graduates need both,” he said.
The hui’s theme, Ka Rito te Tī, Sustaining Care from Within, is about grounding hauora (health) in identity and connection. Ara conference lead and kaiako, Jade Hancy, said the kaupapa (topic) focuses on strengthening who students are as Māori and supporting each other to stand strong in the profession.
“This hui creates space for renewal. It is a place where Māori nurses and ākonga can reconnect with purpose, with culture and with each other,” she said. “It’s also a chance to be visible and to encourage more Māori to join us in this profession. Our health system needs more Māori nurses because Māori are over represented in poor health outcomes. Change will not happen unless more of us are part of the workforce supporting our own communities.”
Ara second-year nursing student Josh Lang, who will MC the event, said last year’s hui in Taranaki had a lasting impact on him.
“It was inspiring. Being surrounded by mātauranga (knowledge) gave me a sense of belonging and showed me what Māori leadership in nursing looks like. To welcome everyone to Ara this year, to our place, is really exciting.”
Supported by the Ara Foundation, the hui features keynote speakers including Dr Suzanne Pitama and Tania Huria, workshops in hauora Māori, leadership development, taonga pūoro (Māori musical instruments, often used to support healing) and activities across Ara’s City and Manawa campuses.
Tate Tiatia said Ara was honoured to stand alongside Te Kaunihera o Ngā Neehi Māori and the organising komiti (committee).
“Our ākonga return from these hui invigorated and inspired,” she said. “They come back with stronger connections to each other, to their culture and to the profession they are entering. We’re proud to support a kaupapa that helps grow the next generation of Māori health leaders.”
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BusinessNZ – More bark, less bureaucracy for animal and plant products

Source: BusinessNZ

Proposed changes to agricultural, horticultural and veterinary product regulation will slash red tape, improve productivity and innovation across the primary sector, and be a comfort for pet owners across the country, BusinessNZ says.
Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard says streamlining approval pathways and reducing unnecessary duplication should help businesses access new tools and technologies more efficiently, while maintaining appropriate safeguards.
“If successfully implemented as a risk-based system, these proposed changes will dramatically increase the availability of the latest modern treatments for animals and plant growth in New Zealand.
“New Zealand’s primary sector operates in an increasingly competitive global environment, so it is important our regulatory settings support innovation, productivity and timely access to new products.
“Greater recognition of trusted overseas assessments and a more proportionate approach to lower-risk products should help reduce delays and compliance costs, while still maintaining confidence in the system.
“The current regulatory regime does not match the risk for some medicines, which means New Zealand’s pet owners have been missing out on the latest cancer and pain relief treatments available elsewhere around the world, because firms find our small market regulation too costly, slow and uncertain.
“This is an issue which BusinessNZ and our members have been advocating for, for some time now. We congratulate Ministers Hoggard and Grigg,  MPI and Ministry for Regulation officials for this sensible change that will make a practical difference to our economy – and companions.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Transport – More Waka Kotahi workers thrown into upheaval as restructures pile up – PSA

Source: PSA

More dedicated workers at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi are facing massive upheaval and uncertainty with new restructures announced, three weeks after another major restructure.
The latest restructures, just announced to staff, propose over 140 roles to be disestablished and a net loss of 30 positions. The changes impact three groups, Transport Services, (responsible for the national road building programme including the Roads of National Significance), and Commercial and Corporate, and System Leadership.
Three weeks ago, Waka Kotahi announced a proposed restructure of its Regulatory Group, impacting around 250 positions, another 10% of its workforce. This latest restructure means nearly one in five workers are facing significant uncertainty about their future employment.
“This is relentless. Workers are being hit with restructure after restructure, and the toll on people and their families is huge,” said Duane Leo, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Workers tell us they are in a state of shock and now face months of uncertainty worried about whether they will have a job.”
Final redundancy decisions are announced in July for workers in Transport Services and in August for Commercial and Corporate, and System Leadership staff.
“These are all experienced, dedicated public servants who keep our transport system running,” said Duane Leo. “They deserve stability, not to be constantly looking over their shoulders wondering if their job is next.
“These workers are being sacrificed to suit misguided notions of ‘simplification’, ‘reducing duplication’, and ‘breaking down silos’, all management-speak that ignores the human cost of this constant change.
“As with so many restructures, people are being asked to do more with less, outsourcing will have to happen and the bill for external consultants is bound to rise. How is that efficient?
“In reality, so much of this is driven by Ministers demanding agencies cut their spending regardless of the consequences.
“The timing also makes no sense. The Government is pumping tens of billions of dollars into road building, but cutting the very people responsible for planning, delivering and managing that investment. It’s a recipe for delays and mistakes as years of expertise walks out the door.
“Little wonder so many public service workers feel undervalued and are considering leaving New Zealand as our recent survey shows: https://www.psa.org.nz/news-media/shock-survey-result-one-in-four-public-service-workers-thinking-of-leaving-nz
“The PSA will be fighting for every impacted worker,” said Duane Leo.
Background on current proposed restructures
Transport Services
The Transport Services group is being split into two new groups: Infrastructure Development and Delivery (focused on the capital transport programme) and Assets and Operations (focused on asset management, maintaining and operating the transport network). 68 positions disestablished, net loss of 21 roles.
Commercial and Corporate, and System Leadership
A reorganisation to clarify accountabilities across NZTA’s planner, investor, deliverer and asset manager functions. 78 roles disestablished, net loss of 9 roles.
Regulatory Group restructure (announced 21 April)
253 positions impacted, net loss of approximately 36 roles. This followed an earlier phase one restructure completed in late 2025.
Previous PSA statements on Waka Kotahi restructures
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Advocacy – The Siege Will Break: Global Sumud Flotilla Announces Final Leg to Gaza Following israeli State Piracy, Abductions and Torture in International Waters

Source: Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF)

The flotilla departs tomorrow with 54 boats and nearly 500 participants from 45 countries on the eve of Nakba Day.

MARMARIS – The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) issued a definitive declaration today from the port of Marmaris, confirming that its nonviolent mission to break Israel's illegal siege of Gaza will proceed. The fleet departs tomorrow, joining forces with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to launch 54 boats carrying nearly 500 participants from 45 countries. As the world mobilizes after 78 years of Palestinian dispossession, occupation, and erasure, the flotilla will be at sea, sailing toward Gaza, maintaining that commemoration without action is no longer enough.

Four New Zealanders are set to continue on this mission to break Israel's illegal siege. These individuals are Samuel Leason, Hāhona Ormsby, Mousa Taher, and Julien Blondel.

After a month defined by maritime violence, illegal abductions, and the documented torture of international human rights defenders by the israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), our fleet has regrouped and expanded in preparation for the final leg of its journey to the shores of Gaza where they will deliver food and aid to Palestinian children and families continuing to live under israel’s brutal occupation.

The Strategic Mandate for Action

The decision to proceed is grounded in visceral mandates. While Gaza’s healthcare system continues to face total collapse, the Flotilla’s medical fleet serves as a direct, civilian-led humanitarian intervention. GSF organizers emphasized that as the Israeli regime attempts to make the blockade the permanent status quo, the strategic risk of inaction has become far greater than the risks of sailing.

This determination follows the return of Steering Committee members Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila, who were released on May 10 after ten days of illegal detention and systemic abuse and torture at the hands of the israeli state as well as the beating and sexual abuse of flotilla volunteers who were illegally intercepted and detained in European international waters on 29 April. Their return is a testament to international mobilization, yet their release does not constitute true freedom while over 9,500 Palestinians remain trapped in a system of torture and impunity.

For the Flotilla, the moral imperative of direct action against the israeli regime far outweighs the risks of remaining silent in the face of ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing. In parallel with the maritime departure, a land convoy is currently staging in North Africa. Comprised of dozens of trucks and hundreds of participants from over 30 countries, this overland mission is moving through Libya toward the Rafah border crossing.

Defying the Machinery of Impunity

The mission has further evolved into a universal struggle for liberation. Representatives from the Rohingya community and other oppressed peoples have joined the fleet, framing Gaza as the tip of the spear in a global uprising against genocide.

A Direct Challenge to Global Complicity and State Piracy

Flotilla organizers explicitly condemned the complicity of the Greek government, the European Union, and other flag states whose silence allowed the IOF to carry out abductions in international waters, over 1,000 km from Gaza, with total impunity.

Parallel to technical preparations, international legal experts finalized a global accountability strategy at a legal symposium held last week. This includes immediate legal prosecution and potential proceedings at the International Criminal Court against the israeli state and governments providing diplomatic and logistical cover for these crimes; exploring legal actions in more than 30 countries; and continued demands for sanctions against and reparations from the israeli state for its ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.

GSF continues to demand formal accountability for the violence and sexual abuse inflicted on participants. GSF maintains that civilian maritime missions are firmly protected under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a framework the Israeli state and its allies are currently dismantling.

A Direct Challenge to Political Cowardice

The mission stands as a direct challenge to world leaders who have offered only calibrated statements and letters while witnessing the continued genocide and starvation of Gaza. While 14 UN Special Rapporteurs, the Prime Ministers of Spain and Brazil, and 19 members of the U.S. Congress have spoken out, the U.S. State Department has issued threats against its own citizens rather than defending them from attacks in international waters. This response is being documented as a legal and political fact.

In the absence of state intervention, people of conscience are acting as the physical barrier between military brutality and Palestinian lives. As the flotilla sets sail, movement and Palestinian civil society leaders are coordinating global protests on land, with over 400 actions planned across 47 countries on May 15 and 16. The horizon is not negotiable.