Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation

October 6, 2026

The Prostate Cancer Foundation welcomes the National Party’s commitment to establish a prostate cancer screening pilot as an important step towards detecting the disease earlier and saving more lives.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among New Zealand men, with around 4,500 new cases and approximately 700 deaths each year.

Prostate Cancer Foundation chief executive Peter Dickens says a screening pilot has the potential to transform the way prostate cancer is detected in New Zealand.

“Too many men are diagnosed when their cancer is already advanced. Detecting prostate cancer earlier can give men more treatment options and, critically, a better chance of surviving their cancer.

“The Foundation has been campaigning for a prostate cancer screening pilot for three years, so we welcome National Party health spokesman Simeon Brown’s commitment to take this important step.

“Now we need to make sure the pilot is properly designed, adequately resourced and based on the best available evidence, with the clear objective of developing an effective nationwide screening programme.”

Dickens says prostate cancer screening should be a cross-party issue.

“New Zealand men should not have to wait for another election cycle for progress on prostate cancer screening.

“We have been engaging with political parties throughout our campaign, and it is encouraging that there appears to be broad support for testing a new approach to prostate cancer screening.

“We urge all political parties to support the pilot and, ultimately, the development of a national programme if the evidence demonstrates that it can save lives and deliver better outcomes for men.”

New Zealand already has organised national screening programmes for bowel, breast and cervical cancer, while a lung cancer screening pilot is also proposed. There is currently no organised national screening programme for prostate cancer.

Dickens says New Zealand can learn from international research and experience in developing its own approach.

“We should learn from the latest international evidence, including the lessons emerging from the large-scale European PRAISE-U programme, and develop a screening pathway that is right for New Zealand.

“A national programme will take time to develop, but today’s commitment provides an opportunity to start building the evidence, systems and capacity needed to make earlier detection of prostate cancer a reality.

“The Foundation looks forward to working constructively with whichever government is formed after the election to make this happen,” Dickens says.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation will continue to advocate for earlier detection, better treatment and improved survival for men with prostate cancer.

Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

6 October 2026

Media are invited to attend “The Ocean in a High CO₂ World”, an international science symposium being held in Wellington from 13–16 October 2026.

The event brings together leading researchers in marine climate change to discuss the latest science about the effects on our oceans of rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels.

This year’s symposium takes place as attention focuses on the upcoming super El Niño and its impacts on global and local marine ecosystems.

Topics to be discussed at the symposium include:

• global changes in marine biodiversity and ecosystem resilience
• technological advances in marine climate change research
• beyond tipping points—translating science into action.

The symposium is being held at the Tākina Wellington Conference and Exhibition Centre, 50 Cable Street, Wellington.

For further information, see:

• Keynote speakers
• Invited speakers
• Programme details

The symposium is hosted by Victoria University.

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi and New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union

The PSA and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union have filed more legal proceedings in the Employment Relations Authority which aim to stop Fire and Emergency NZ pushing ahead with a restructure the Authority has already found was carried out unlawfully.

The unions have filed for compliance orders to stop FENZ making any decisions, dismissing any union members or changing their terms and conditions until it meets its obligations under the collective agreements and the law.

In March the Authority found FENZ breached both collective agreements and its duty of good faith, by failing to consult the unions on whether change was needed and why. Six months on, FENZ has restarted the same process, with the same consultants, without fixing the problem.

“FENZ was told by the Authority it broke the law. Instead of starting again properly, it has dusted off the same plan and is trying to push it through anyway,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“We wrote to the board chair asking him to suspend the restructure. He refused, leaving the unions with no choice but to go back to the Authority.

“FENZ’s so-called ‘reasons for change’ document is a consultant-written mess of bullet points, arrows and coloured boxes, with substantial AI input. Almost every proposed change comes with the exact same boilerplate justification.

“You can’t restructure an emergency service on that basis. It must stop now, before livelihoods are upended for no good reason.

“These are the people who train firefighters, reduce fire risk in our communities and support crews when they’re called out to emergencies. Their jobs shouldn’t be cut on the strength of a document nobody can make sense of.”

Fleur Fitzsimons said this was a textbook case of why a public good test is needed for all public sector restructures. “FENZ has botched this restructure time and again – a public good test would have forced it to properly weigh its impacts across a range of criteria, avoiding this mess.”

NZPFU National Secretary Wattie Watson said the restructure must be stopped.

“FENZ’s chief executive has lost the confidence of his own Minister. FENZ has no business forcing through a process the Authority has already found unlawful.

“This shouldn’t be happening in the middle of an election campaign, when parties including Labour have committed to a review of FENZ. Locking in the biggest restructure in FENZ’s history weeks out from polling is reckless.”

Previous statements

18 Mar 2026 – ERA rules FENZ broke the law – restructure breached good faith and obligations to consult

Public good test

31 August 2026 – Enough is enough: public good test needed to stop Govt's reckless 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.

Source: New Zealand Police Association

The New Zealand Police Association, Te Aka Hāpai, will hold its 91st Annual Conference at the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, 147 The Terrace, Wellington, from Wednesday 14 October to Friday 16 October 2026.

The theme of the conference is 'Fit mind: Fit for duty – Resilience, wellbeing and performance in every policing role'.

Media are invited to the following conference events:

Wednesday 14 October

Official Opening

9:45am: All media to be set-up and seated

10:00am: Mihi whakatau: Inspector Rob Rutene

Conference opening speech: NZPA President Steve Watt

Thursday 15 October

New Zealand Police Association Bravery Awards presentation

8:45am: All media to be set-up and seated

9:00am: Mihi whakatau: Inspector Rob Rutene

Brief address and award presentation: Sir Wayne (Buck) Shelford

Attending: Assistant Commissioner Corrie Parnell

RSVP by Friday 9 October by contacting:

Jane Young | Communications Manager/Strategic Advisor, NZ Police Association

Email: jane.young@policeassn.org.nz | Mobile: 027 268 9412

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage

“Every story we preserve is a gift to future generations, helping them understand who we are and where we come from,” says Secretary for Culture and Heritage Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae.

“That’s why I’m delighted to celebrate the recipients of the 2026 Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho New Zealand Oral History Grants, whose work will help keep these voices and experiences alive.”

Seventeen community oral history projects will receive a share of $144,215 through this year’s funding round.

From preserving Kiribati cultural knowledge to recording refugee experiences and the lives of people living with Long Covid, the projects highlight the breadth of communities and experiences that shape Aotearoa New Zealand.

“This year’s recipients will capture accounts of migration, language revitalisation, community leadership, arts and culture, climate resilience, health, sport and social change.

“Funding will also support projects preserving the voices behind three decades of Ngāti Hine FM, recording the experiences of Samoan families who settled in Wellington before the Dawn Raids, and documenting the lives of women who grew up on the Denniston Plateau.

“Together, these projects will preserve knowledge, perspectives and lived experiences that deepen our understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand and ensure they remain accessible for generations to come,” says Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae.

Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho grants are selected by an independent panel of experts. Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage administers the grants, which were established by the Australian Sesquicentennial Gift Trust in 1990 to mark 150 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The grants support community-based oral history projects that reflect a wide range of identities, communities and perspectives.

Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho funding rounds are offered every two years. The next opportunity to apply for funding will open in 2028.

2026 Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho New Zealand Oral History Grant recipients

• Whirinaki Whare Taonga, Ōrongomai Tū Tonu, $4,000
• Kiribati Federation Aotearoa Charitable Trust, Te Maneaba: Preserving Kiribati knowledge through elders’ voices, $6,571
• Paul Roy, The Pioneers of NZ Hang Gliding, $9,960
• Cilla Harnett, Tāhuhu Kōrero: Ngāti Te Whiti, $10,980
• Richard Greissman, Founding Members of the Child Action Poverty Group of New Zealand, $6,742
• Jacqui Tisch, In Our Own Words: Voices of adult literacy learners, $9,100
• Dr Emma-Jean Kelly, Neurodivergents Talk Neurodivergence, $7,893
• Chakara Lim, Acts of Memory New Zealand: Cambodian migrants, $5,000
• Ivan Yeo, From Refuge to Belonging: Oral histories of Mount Roskill’s refugee communities, $10,000
• Leanne Hiroti, The 1980s Heyday of Shearing in the Mighty Maniototo, $9,617
• Dr Grace Bateman and Paul Garbett, Long Covid – The Long Battle, $9,900
• Dan McLeod, Ngā Reo o Ngāti Hine FM: Recording the voices behind three decades of reo irirangi/iwi radio, $9,980
• Julie Benjamin, Girls of Denniston: Growing up on the hill, $5,000
• Ashleigh McLarin, Anna Scorey and Katrina Tamaira, Clay Hands Aotearoa oral history project: Stage 1, $9,000
• Nga Uri o Maikuku raua ko Huatakaroa 1891 Trust, Ngā Reo o Maikuku rāua ko Huatakaroa, $10,472
• Lewis Ratapu, Te Whakarukea o Tāwhirimātea: A cultural understanding of flood mitigation & climate resilience in Te Wairoa, $10,000
• Fara Iati, Talanoa I le Mativa: Reclaiming 'poverty' through the stories of Wellington Samoan migrants from the early 1970s, $10,000

Source: Epson Australia and Epson New Zealand

MELBOURNE, 6 October 2026 – Epson will appear as a Silver Sponsor at the 2026 Catholic Education Business Administrators (CEBA) Conference, taking Stand S01 at 1 Hotel Melbourne from Tuesday 6 to Friday 9 October and will address delegates directly on Friday 9 October at 9:35am.

The conference theme, “United in Purpose”, puts sustainability and mission at the centre of school administration at a time when business managers and finance leaders across Catholic education are being asked to do more with disciplined budgets.

Epson's presence speaks directly to that pressure. School print fleets sit in a difficult corner of the budget, where quality expectations from teaching staff and marketing teams stay high while the cost per page, the service contract and the waste volume all need to fall.

Epson's answer to those challenges comes to Melbourne in the form of two working demonstrations and a giveaway.

WorkForce Enterprise AM-C4000

The WorkForce Enterprise AM-C4000 is the centrepiece of the stand. It is a compact A3 colour multifunction device built for workgroups that need high volume output without the footprint, power draw or heat of a conventional A3 laser copier.

For a school business office, that combination matters in ways that rarely make a spec sheet. A smaller device fits into a front-office space that was never designed as a print room. Lower power consumption reduces the running cost that sits under the surface of every departmental budget. Also, because the AM-C4000 uses Epson's Heat-Free print technology rather than a fuser-based laser engine, there is no warm-up period to absorb and far fewer parts to service over the life of the machine.

The device easily handles the work a Catholic secondary or combined school typically generates: reports, newsletters, exam papers, enrolment packs, governance documentation and the steady stream of administrative forms that move through a school year. It scans, copies and prints in colour at A3, which means the finance office can deploy a single device standard across an administrative team instead of maintaining a mix of desktop printers and an outsourced copy arrangement.

Delegates will be able to put the machine through its paces on the stand. Seeing the output quality and the speed in person is a different proposition from reading a specification, particularly for administrators weighing a fleet refresh against a ten-year capital plan.

SureColor P906

Epson will also showcase the SureColor P906, which addresses a challenge that has quietly grown inside Catholic education. School marketing teams now produce a significant volume of photographic material, from prospectus covers and annual reports to graduation portraits, art department coursework and archival records.

The SureColor P906 gives schools the ability to produce exhibition-quality photography, fine art and professional presentation materials in-house, eliminating the need for short-run outsourced printing. From gallery-standard student portfolios and framed artwork to prospectus covers and commemorative prints, it delivers colour-accurate results while creating new opportunities for fundraising, coursework support and donor communications that reflect the institution’s standards and reputation.

Visitors to the conference will also have the chance to win an Epson EcoTank ET-4950. EcoTank remains the clearest illustration of the cost argument Epson makes to education buyers. A refillable ink tank system removes the cartridge replacement cycle entirely, so the cost per page is dramatically lower. For a school administrator, the giveaway is a chance to take the technology back to a campus and test the running cost claim in a real office.

Epson participates in CEBA because the business administrators, bursars and finance leaders attending are often responsible for long-term print and imaging investment decisions across Catholic schools. These are practical buyers looking beyond brochures to understand real-world costs, reliability, service support and whether a single platform can meet the needs of both administration and teaching environments. With many schools reviewing fleets, capital projects and technology roadmaps, Epson’s presence at Stand S01 provides answers in one place, while demonstrating how technologies such as Heat-Free printing, refillable tank systems and on-site photo production can help schools reduce costs, minimise waste, lower energy consumption and improve output quality.

Epson will be on Stand S01 for the full conference program, including the welcome reception on Tuesday 6 October from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 October from the morning until 5:00pm and Friday 9 October from 8:00am until 1:00pm.

Epson will also give a five-minute address to conference delegates on Friday 9 October at 9:35am.

About Epson, Epson Australia and Epson New Zealand

Epson is a technology innovation and engineering company whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company uses technology and engineering ability to implement real-world solutions in precision innovation, industrial & robotics, office & home printing and visual & lifestyle.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1.4 trillion.

https://corporate.epson/en/

Epson Australia offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the commercial, industrial, consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets and is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market. Epson is the market leader in Australia and worldwide in sales of projectors for the home, office and education. Established in 1983, Epson Australia is headquartered in North Sydney and is a subsidiary of the Epson Group headquartered in Japan.

https://www.epson.com.au

Epson New Zealand offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the commercial, industrial, consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets and is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the retail market. Epson is a market leader in New Zealand, Australia and worldwide in sales of projectors for the home, office and education. Epson New Zealand is headquartered in Auckland and is a branch of Epson Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the Epson Group headquartered in Japan.

https://www.epson.co.nz

Source: Warehouse Stationery and The Salvation Army

October 5, 2026

Warehouse Stationery launches nationwide appeal on World Teachers’ Day as child material hardship reaches a 10-year high

Teachers see more than what happens at the front of the classroom. They see the child borrowing a pencil, sitting out because they don’t have the right supplies or quietly noticing they have less than those around them.

And often, they’re the first to step in. Finding spare stationery, creating opportunities and sometimes dipping into their own pockets so every child has the same chance to take part.

Most of us can remember a teacher who did that for us. Someone who noticed our potential, built our confidence or simply made sure we didn’t feel left behind.

Launching on World Teachers’ Day (Oct 5th), Warehouse Stationery and The Salvation Army are inviting New Zealanders to ‘Thank a Teacher’ who made a difference in their life and help give that same chance to another Kiwi child.

The nation’s latest material hardship figures (year ended 2025) from Stats NZ show 14.3% of children – around 169,300, or one in seven – are going without multiple everyday essentials, leaving little room for the additional items children need to participate fully at school.

The Thank a Teacher appeal encourages New Zealanders to create a free personalised card for a teacher who made a difference in their life, through the Warehouse Stationery website. For each card created, Warehouse Stationery will donate $2 to The Salvation Army, up to $50,000, to help provide school essentials to Kiwi children experiencing hardship.

Anyone who wants to do more can add a donation at Warehouse Stationery stores nationwide, helping the fund grow further.

Fronted by primary school teacher, TikTok creator and Traitors NZ contestant, Samantha Richards says she has seen first-hand what having the right school supplies can mean to a child but also how quickly they notice when they are the one without.

“As teachers, we get to see kids discover what they’re capable of. Sometimes all it takes is someone noticing what they’re good at, giving them confidence or being in their corner when they need it.

“But every child needs the basics to have that chance. You want them walking into class thinking about what they’re going to learn or who they’re going to play with at lunch – not what they don’t have. And if there’s a teacher who believed in you, made you feel like you belonged or just made school a better place to be, they’re probably worth thanking.”

The Salvation Army Community Ministries Territorial Secretary, Christina Tyson, says rising material hardship is forcing more families to make difficult choices about everyday necessities.

“When household budgets are stretched, school costs can become another source of pressure. Having the same basics as their classmates can make a real difference to a child’s confidence and ability to learn, helping them focus on simply being a kid.”

Funds raised will be distributed through The Salvation Army’s 70 Community Ministries centres, reaching hundreds of families in need from Kaitaia to Invercargill with support towards stationery, technology and other school essentials.

Warehouse Stationery’s Education Specialist Amy Croxford says the appeal connects the teachers who help shape young lives with the tools children need to thrive at school.

“We’ve been part of Kiwi classrooms for a long time and regularly hear stories of teachers going above and beyond to support their students, often in ways that go unseen. Thank a Teacher is about recognising the people who help shape young lives every day, while turning that gratitude into practical support for children who need it most.”

The appeal runs nationwide from 5 October until 1 November 2026. Create a card at Warehouse Stationery or visit one of the 67 Warehouse Stationery stores nationwide.

HOW TO TAKE PART

Got a teacher in mind? Saying thanks takes a minute, and every card helps tamariki in need.

• WHAT: Create a free personalised thank-you card for a teacher who made a difference in your life
• WHEN: 5 October, World Teachers’ Day, to 1 November 2026
• WHERE: Online at Warehouse Stationery or at card-making stations in all 67 Warehouse Stationery stores nationwide
• HOW IT HELPS: For each card created, Warehouse Stationery will donate $2 to The Salvation Army, up to $50,000
• WANT TO DO MORE? Add your own donation when shopping at any Warehouse Stationery store

ABOUT WAREHOUSE STATIONERY AND THE SALVATION ARMY

For more than a decade, Warehouse Stationery and The Salvation Army have worked together to give Kiwi kids the supplies and support they need to thrive at school. Bringing together Warehouse Stationery’s longstanding connection to Kiwi classrooms with The Salvation Army’s nationwide reach into communities experiencing hardship, the partnership has helped thousands of children with school essentials and opened up further opportunities through the Aspire Kiwi Youth Development Programme, supporting young people to build confidence and life skills, and tertiary scholarships helping remove financial barriers to further study. Thank a Teacher is the latest initiative to build on this work, with funds raised available from February 2027 to help ease the financial pressure of school costs.

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand launched its updated Green Compact at Linfox’s Auckland head office on Friday. The Green Compact sets out the industry’s roadmap to a net-zero road freight sector by 2050.

Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih says the industry needs to decouple emissions from New Zealand’s growing freight task.

“Road freight carries 93 percent of New Zealand’s freight by tonnage. Our challenge is to move more freight while using less fuel and producing fewer emissions for every tonne delivered.

“Rising fuel prices are shifting the dial. Fuel-efficient and lower-emission vehicles are becoming more commercially attractive, not just environmentally desirable.”

Kalasih noted that the low and zero-emission heavy vehicle fleet grew from 568 vehicles to 1,867 vehicles between March 2023 and September 2026, an increase of 1,299 vehicles or approximately 229%.

“Modelling by MTA and NZIER predicts that by 2045, 69 percent of our heavy truck fleet will still be diesel. High upfront costs and limited charging and refuelling infrastructure remain significant barriers. Industry action needs to be supported by policy settings that make investment commercially sensible,” Kalasih says.

The update highlights immediate ways operators can reduce fuel use, costs and emissions, including combining loads, backloading, route optimisation, fuel-efficient driver training and greater use of high-productivity vehicles.

“Decarbonisation is not just about replacing every diesel truck. A fuller truck, a better-planned route and a well-trained driver can reduce costs and emissions today,” says Kalasih.

Transporting New Zealand is calling on the next Government to make the transition commercially viable through full capital expensing for high-productivity and low-emission trucks, stronger roads and bridges, updated vehicle dimension and mass rules, and a nationwide public fast-charging network for heavy vehicles.

The Green Compact Update can be found here.

About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.

Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 93% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.

Source: Alliance Party

Monday 5 October 2026

The Alliance Party has released its Foreign Affairs, Defence, and International Relations Policy, a rebuke of the USA-centric philosophy which has skewed Aotearoa New Zealand’s international relations for the better part of eighty years. Foreign Affairs and Defence spokesperson Josh Harford said that the policy is designed to cement the country’s independence in a fractious world:

“We are increasingly moving away from a unipolar world order determined by the capriciousness of American foreign policy. It is time to forge our own path, with the independence and security of our Pacific region front and centre.”

The policy emphasises internationalism, non-alignment, disarmament, and decolonisation. It includes support for a strong United Nations and the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone. It also reaffirms the Alliance Party’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. Harford said that one basic tenet of the policy is the right to self-determination:

“Too many people around the world are subjected to rule through force. Whether it is nations under dictatorship, or independent people subjugated by another nation. We would use our voice to draw attention to these injustices. In the Middle East, we must demand self-determination for Palestinians and the right to return to their homeland.”

“The Alliance Party is proud of New Zealand’s record as an internationalist nation. As a founding member of the United Nations, UNESCO, and much more, we have a proven track record as a fighter for peace, diplomacy, and stability around the world. We are a proud and committed advocate of the Sustainable Development Goals, and we have the opportunity to build on this record into the future.”

He also took aim at the brutal cycle of debt which he says cripples the Global South:

“Developing nations should not be trapped in cycles of debt repayment that prevent them from providing basic services, investing in their people, or developing sustainable economies. Global South debt is a leading cause of corruption, poverty, and state failure.”

“National destitution is often a direct result of colonialism and resource extraction. Developed nations, especially those who participated in exploiting other countries, have a responsibility to cancel their foreign aid debts as a form of reparation. We see the necessary link between economic and national sovereignty. One without the other is illusory, and that is as true for Aotearoa New Zealand as it is for anywhere else.”

Mr. Harford also pointed to existing US military and intelligence infrastructure in New Zealand as undermining national sovereignty:

“As we speak, our country is providing military and political intelligence that the United States uses or provides to other powerful states, enabling atrocities around the world. Tangimoana, Waihopai, Black Birch, and Wellington’s FBI Office are used to advance the hegemony of another state, with no regard for our own national interest. We pledge to immediately terminate intelligence sharing, with a view to fully demilitarising these facilities.”