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IHC – New Jobseekers rule hurts people with intellectual disability

Source: IHC

The Government’s decision to means test the families of 18- and 19-year-olds before they qualify for Jobseeker support will unfairly punish young people with intellectual disability and families already struggling to make ends meet.

From November 2026, households earning over $65,000 will be expected to financially support their 18- or 19-year-old teenagers before those young adults can access Jobseeker or an equivalent Emergency Benefit.

IHC Director of Advocacy Tania Thomas said the policy seemed to have been developed without any consideration for young people with disabilities and their families.

“Families with children who have disabilities already face higher living costs, and this new rule assumes a one-size-fits-all level of parental support that simply doesn’t exist,” Tania said.

The change comes as research continues to show the deep and persistent financial hardship experienced by families that include a person with an intellectual disability. IHC’s Cost of Exclusion report found that families supporting a child with intellectual disability are much more likely to experience long-term poverty and hardship.

“Setting a hard cut-off at $65,000 treats all families as if they face the same costs, no matter where they live in NZ or what extra needs their teenager has ” Tania said. Policy needs to reflect those realities.”

Many young people with intellectual disability want to work but there is insufficient support to assist them into employment. IHC’s data from a forthcoming report shows the odds are already stacked against them. Compared to the non-intellectually disabled population, people with intellectual disability are:

more than five times more likely to have no qualifications
73% less likely to be employed
More than three times  more likely to not be in education, employment, or training
More than 1.2 times more likely to have one parent not in full-time employment.

Tania said IHC’s data also shows that people with intellectual disability experience disproportionately high levels of deprivation, from struggling to pay unavoidable bills and afford food, to being unable to heat their homes or take a holiday. Nearly half could not pay an unavoidable bill within a month without borrowing, compared with 18 percent of the general population, she said.

“This policy change ignores the reality that many of these families are already doing everything they can,” Tania said. “What’s needed is investment in meaningful employment opportunities and targeted financial support, not new barriers.”

IHC is calling on the Government to review the proposed parental income test and develop an individualised eligibility process that recognises the unique care and financial needs of young people with disabilities and their families.

Editor’s Note:

60% of the Intellectually Disabled population have no qualification vs 11% in the general population
21% of people with Intellectually Disability have paid employment compared to 77% of the general disabled population
41% of young people with Intellectually Disability are not in education, employment, or training compared to 14% of young people in the general population
67% of children with an Intellectually Disability have only one parent working full-time vs 56% of children in the general population.

About IHC New Zealand

IHC New Zealand advocates for the rights, inclusion and welfare of all people with intellectual disabilities and supports them to live satisfying lives in the community. IHC provides advocacy, volunteering, events, membership associations and fundraising. It is part of the IHC Group, which also includes IDEA Services, Choices NZ and Accessible Properties.

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Oxfam – Two thirds of climate funding for Global South is loans as rich countries profiteer from escalating climate crisis

Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

New research by Oxfam and CARE Climate Justice Centre, published today, finds developing countries are now paying more back to wealthy nations for climate finance loans than they receive- for every 5 dollars they receive they are paying 7 dollars back. 65% of funding is delivered in the form of loans.
This form of crisis profiteering by rich countries is worsening debt burdens and hindering climate action. Compounding this failure, deep cuts to foreign aid threaten to slash climate finance further, betraying the world’s poorest communities who are facing the brunt of escalating climate disasters.
Some key findings of the report:
  • Nearly two thirds of climate finance was made as loans, often at standard rates of interest without concessions. As a result, climate finance is adding more each year to developing countries’ debt, which now stands at $3.3 trillion. Countries like France, Japan, and Italy are among the worst culprits.
  • Least Developed Countries got only 19.5% and Small Island Developing States 2.9% of total public climate finance over 2021-2022 and half of that was in the form of loans they have to repay.
  • Developed nations are profiting from these loans, with repayments outstripping disbursements. In 2022, developing countries received $62 billion in climate loans. We estimate these loans to lead to repayments of up to $88 billion, resulting in a 42% “profit” for creditors.
  • Only 3% of finance specifically aimed at enhancing gender equality, despite the climate crisis disproportionately impacting women and girls.
Oxfam Aoteraoa’s Climate Justice Lead, Nick Henry said: “New Zealand does well in providing all of our climate finance as grants rather than loans, setting an example for other rich countries to follow.”
“Rich countries are treating the climate crisis as a business opportunity, not a moral obligation,” said Oxfam’s Climate Policy Lead, Nafkote Dabi. “They are lending money to the very people they have historically harmed, trapping vulnerable nations in a cycle of debt. This is a form of crisis profiteering.”
This failure is occurring as rich countries are conducting the most vicious foreign aid cuts since the 1960s. Data by the OECD shows a 9% drop in 2024, with 2025 projections signalling a further 9-17% cut.
As the impacts of fossil fuelled climate disasters intensify -displacing millions of people in the Horn of Africa, battering 13 million more in the Philippines, and flooding 600,000 people in Brazil in 2024 alone – communities in low-income countries are left with fewer resources to adapt to the rapidly changing climate.
“Rich countries are failing on climate finance and they have nothing like a plan to live up to their commitments to increase support. In fact, many wealthy countries are gutting aid, leaving the poorest to pay the price, sometimes with their lives” said John Nordbo, Senior Climate Advisor at CARE Denmark. “COP30 must deliver justice, not another round of empty promises.”
“New Zealand's climate finance commitment is due to run out at the end of this year and urgently needs to be renewed. Pacific communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis need and deserve our ongoing support” said Nick Henry.
Adaptation funding is also critically underfunded, receiving only 33% of climate finance as investors favour mitigation projects with more immediate financial returns.
Ahead of COP30, Oxfam and CARE are calling on rich countries to:
  • Live up to climate finance commitments: Provide the full $600 billion for 2020-2025 and clearly outline how they plan to scale-up to the agreed $300 billion annually, and lead on the $1.3 trillion Baku to Belém roadmap.
  • Stop crisis profiteering: Drastically increase the share of grants and highly concessional finance to prevent further indebting the world’s most climate-vulnerable communities.
  • Multiply adaptation finance: Commit to at least triple adaptation finance by 2030, using the COP26 goal to double adaptation financing by 2025 as a baseline.
  • Provide finance for loss and damage: The global Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage must be adequately capitalized. Victims of climate change must nor continue to be ignored.
  • Mobilize new sources of finance: Raise funds by taxing the super-rich, which in OECD countries alone can raise $1.2 trillion a year, and the excess profit of fossil fuel companies globally, which could raise $400bn per year annually.
Notes
The CARE Climate Justice Center (CJC) leads and coordinates the integration of climate justice and resilience across CARE International’s development and humanitarian work. The CJC is an initiative powered by CARE Denmark, CARE France, CARE Germany, CARE Netherlands, and CARE International UK. To learn more, visit www.careclimatechange.org
Results of a global survey by Oxfam International and Greenpeace show 8 out of 10 people support paying for public services and climate action through taxing the super-rich. The research was conducted by first party data company Dynata in May-June 2025, in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Kenya, Italy, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US. The survey had approximately 1200 respondents per country, with a margin of error of +-2.83%. Together, these countries represent close to half the world’s population. See the results here: https://www.oxfam.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Oxfam_-Greenpeace-survey-results-–-Public-support-for-taxing-the-Super-Rich_For-26June25.pdfx
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University Research – Smart tech set to revolutionise heart care – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Smart devices that utilise artificial intelligence have enormous potential to treat heart disease and, with strategic investment, NZ could be at the forefront.

Smart devices that utilise artificial intelligence have enormous potential to treat heart disease and, with the right investment, Aotearoa, New Zealand could be at the forefront, says a leading scientist at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Cardiovascular diseases kill almost 18 million people every year, making them the leading cause of death globally, according to the World Health Organization. In Aotearoa, New Zealand, one in three deaths is from heart disease.

A group of leading heart scientists has gathered evidence from the latest research on the role of the nervous system in conditions like uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart failure, or dangerous heart rhythms in order to find out where the gaps are and where the field needs to go next. See Nature Reviews Cardiology.

“Many of the medical devices that are currently fitted into patients are what we call ‘free running’, because they are not being controlled by any bodily cues,” says lead author Professor Julian Paton from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

“It is like a heating system in a house without a thermostat. It just gets hotter and hotter. Whereas, in this review, we are saying, ‘hang on a minute – how does the body actually work? The body works by having a thermostat,” Paton says.

Paton who directs Manaaki Manawa, the centre for heart research at the University of Auckland, has become increasingly interested in the role of stress in heart disease, or more specifically how stress effects the autonomic nervous system that regulates automatic functions in the body, such as heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.

He envisages a new generation of medical devices that work with thermostats, monitoring relevant changes in the body and adjusting devices to modulate nerves to keep the cardiovascular system in balance.

These devices could use machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence) to identify what a person’s normal ‘settings’ are and respond appropriately to correct them when they are showing signs of going awry. An example would be blood pressure – detecting when it has gone up too high and switching on a device to lower it and then turning off the device when it has come down to a safe level.

Such technology is not far away, Paton says.

“All this is potentially do-able with current technology but has not seen the light of day yet,” Paton says.

In the future, stem cells could further improve heart healthcare. Scientists are exploring how to repair or replace damaged nerve cells that control the heart using stem cells. Combining stem cell therapy with bioelectronic devices could offer a powerful new way to treat heart disease.

Paton sees huge potential for the University of Auckland to develop such devices.

“We have the capability, with engineers, bioengineers, tissue engineers, physiologists, surgeons, to generate these novel devices, test them pre-clinically, and then do first-in-human studies,” Paton says.

“It proves the value of government funding for early discovery research, because we need some money to be able to produce and trial these new innovative devices,” Paton says.

There are challenges to work through, such as the acceptability of such devices, how they are maintained, governance of data gathered using AI and more. However, if these new devices work, they will be entering global markets that are worth billions of dollars.

“So, economically for the country, medical devices are a huge route to generating revenue,” Paton says. “But it does require slight reorganisation of the deck chairs such that different disciplines start working together more with a specific focus.”

Dr Daniel McCormick, a senior researcher in the University’s Bioengineering Institute, sees the potential for a Medtech collaboration.

“The Auckland Bioengineering Institute has a unique capability to make devices, which is matched by world-leading expertise in cardiac physiology,” McCormick says.

“The University of Auckland can turn that competitive advantage into health outcomes for people with heart disease – and generate economic returns for New Zealand, but only if we have investment from the government and philanthropists to bridge the gap from knowhow into physical devices that we can sell.”

So, while the heart and vessels both contain muscle that is regulated by nerves, these are accessible and their activity controllable by devices.

“This is pointing to a new era of implantable electroceutical devices and bionic medicine. New Zealand can and must be part of this,” Paton says.

Read the paper: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-025-01212-4
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Energy Sector – Keeping Kiwis on Gas Saves Money

Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

Electrifying everything doesn’t make sense for consumers. That’s the clear message from a Castalia report, commissioned by the Gas Industry Company (GIC), on the impact of decommissioning the gas distribution network to achieve a rapid shift to electrification.
Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says the report reinforces what many in the energy sector have been saying for years: a forced gas network switch-off would result in higher bills for families, higher costs for businesses, and eye-wateringly expensive environmental benefits.
The report outlines that electricity and LPG prices would have to decrease by 60 per cent or gas prices rise by 70 per cent to make disconnecting the gas network and electrifying economically feasible.
“Castalia’s report proves our long-held view that disconnection would be more expensive than the status quo and that consumers would bear the brunt of dismantling access to the natural gas used by thousands of Kiwis.
Network disconnection is 45 per cent more than the status quo – a total of $1 billion over 25 years. Almost all of this would be paid directly by households and businesses through higher energy bills and the cost of replacing appliances.”
Castalia estimates that turning off gas and meeting the additional electricity demand, mainly through new onshore wind, could reduce emissions by approximately 36 million tonnes of CO₂ between 2029 and 2050.
Carnegie says the cost of those reductions is exorbitant – around $900 per tonne – and far above the price New Zealanders already pay through the ETS, which is now around $55 per tonne.
We’d be spending a lot more than we need, and if wind power doesn’t come online as quickly as assumed, generation like coal would likely fill the gap, making the environmental case even weaker.
In plain terms, these reductions would harm families and businesses at a time when they are already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
Having a functioning gas network is the best option for consumers now and into the future. It not only positions us for the possibility of new natural gas but also the progressive scaling up of biomethane and hydrogen.
What’s worse is that today’s forced expensive emission reductions would foreclose the promise of cheaper options tomorrow – an economic and environmental lose-lose.”
Carnegie says the Government and energy sector agree that our system works best when it is underpinned by natural gas, and there is now, with its energy package released last week, a real possibility of further investment in exploration.
New Zealanders want lower emissions, but we also want to keep the lights on and our homes warm without breaking the bank. There are smarter, cheaper ways to reduce emissions than forcing people to switch from gas to electricity. “
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Advocacy – Trump’s peace proposal and "Hamas-Nitanyaho"’s YES-NO – PFNZ

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand (PFNZ)

It is clear that what is called the “peace plan” presented by the American president in its current form looks like a document of surrender that paves the way for a new long-term colonization of the Gaza Strip. The matter becomes even clearer when the task of oversight is placed on Tony Blair, the man who incited the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, and when the duties of maintaining security and stability in Gaza are assigned to non-Palestinian
parties. More than that, it is a plan that constitutes a lifting of the international cover from the possibility of holding Netanyahu and his racist Zionist government accountable for the crimes of extermination that, as I write this, continue.

The proposed plan, consisting of twenty articles, plainly disowns the Palestinian people’s right to self-rule, self-determination, and sovereignty over their land without external interference, rights that are, of course, inalienable. This plan was drafted unilaterally and discussed and approved by parties without consulting all Palestinians -the tragedy that still eats away at our political system and its parties: that the Palestinian decision is never in the hands of the Palestinian, and that he, his land and his holy sites are always subject to the logic of guardianship by a non-Palestinian other!

The plan masquerading as peace appears at first glance to have come to rescue Netanyahu and his government after his army failed over 22 months to recover the hostages by force, destroy Hamas, disarm it and dismantle the tunnel network, and point 13 of the plan represents the core of all this.

According to my reading of the twenty points, the plan in its current form offers no more than a temporary halt to the aggression against the Palestinians – and that is a good thing – so that Netanyahu can retrieve his hostages in exchange for the release of 200 Palestinians serving life sentences in Israeli prisons as well as 1,700 Palestinians arrested from Gaza during the aggression, and in addition an exchange of the remaining bodies held by both sides. The question now is: Who will guarantee that aggression will not resume, and that the plan to
occupy Gaza and forcibly displace Palestinians will not continue once the first stage is complete and Hamas is stripped of its final bargaining card, the hostages?

Anyone who understands President Trump’s foreign policy knows that dismantling what is called the project of “political Islam” and its movements, especially in the Middle East, drying up their funding sources and deterring the establishment and the states that stand behind them are at the top of his foreign priorities. This explains the alignment of the positions of many Arab and Islamic countries with Trump’s policies, foremost among them Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, which welcomed Trump’s peace plan, which includes their explicit approval and agreement to disarm Hamas
and that Hamas should not return to rule Gaza in the future nor participate in governance directly or indirectly.

Also among the priorities of his foreign policy is ending conflicts and wars, eradicating organized criminal gangs and networks that traffic children and organs, and establishing peace as a cornerstone for revitalizing the global economy. Anyone following the American mass media knows that President Trump can no longer tolerate Netanyahu’s adventures and arrogance, especially after the Qatargate political scandal and after Netanyahu’s violation of
Qatari sovereignty by bombing of Hamas leadership in Doha and Netanyahu’s procrastination in prolonging the aggression and extermination in Gaza. All of this has recently resulted in the reshaping of American public opinion against Israel and Zionism, led by Charlie Kirk, one of the biggest supporters of President Trump, and resulted in his assassination in the same way President John F. Kennedy was assassinated (despite the fact that Charlie Kirk was
a supporter of Israel as well)!

The scene seems contradictory and unclear to the public, but after the Qatargate scandal many American politicians and military figures agreed that, to get rid of Netanyahu, who has become a burden not only on the region and America but on Israeli citizens themselves, Hamas (which Netanyahu uses as a pretext) must be eliminated first, on the premise that Hamas and Netanyahu are two sides of the same coin, according to their claim. This would pave the way for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.

Let us be more realistic and admit as Palestinians that what Hamas did on October 7 harmed Palestinians more than it helped them, and that Hamas with its weapons and approach could not protect the Palestinians in Gaza from the brutality and might of the Israeli army. On the contrary, the Palestinians in Gaza were left facing extermination, displacement, and starvation without any sense of responsibility from the international community. Here we are not in the position of criticizing Hamas, as Hamas is one of the components of the Palestinian people, but it is in an unenviable position now, and the national consensus must be to unite to save what can be saved for Palestine.

Indeed, Hamas is between two options, both bitter, and the final word now belongs to the Palestinian people in Gaza, who have suffered and continue to suffer the pains of this tragedy. Gaza can no longer foot the bill and offer further sacrifices to the thirst for blood. Gaza is not just numbers and figures, and anyone who speaks for Gaza with rhetoric of martyrdom and sacrifice while living outside it should go to Gaza, stay there and face what the Palestinians in
Gaza face; only then will they understand the humanitarian urgent need to stop the aggression against our people in Gaza so that children and adults may enjoy security and peace. The time has come for this brutal aggression against Gaza to stop, and stopping the aggression on Gaza is, in short, the end of the chapter of Hamas and Netanyahu once and for all.

Sam Alfa
Governor
Palestine Forum of New Zealand

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Health – Working age New Zealanders overall health declining – ASMS report shows

Source: Association of Salaried Medical Specialists

Excellent health is now reserved for just a small minority of working age New Zealanders, as physical health falls and psychological distress climbs, according to new research.
Managed Decline is the latest report from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists which looks at the decline in health of New Zealanders aged 15-and over since 2011/12.
The report analyses health data gathered as part of the New Zealand Health Survey and uses values from Treasury to estimate the increased costs that result.
Since 2011/12 there has been now an additional social cost of between $2.6 and $8.6 billion a year.
The paper shows between 2011/12 and 2023/24:
  • a decline in excellent health of adults which dropped from an average of 20 per cent to 11.5 per cent
  • an increase in overall fair/poor health from 11 per cent to 14.6 per cent
  • unmet need for mental health across all adults has more than doubled in the past five years alone
  • psychological distress increased among all adults under 65. The greatest change is among the 15-24 year-old age group, which climbed from 5 per cent to 23 per cent
“These changes compound the increased demand on our health system, over and above the impact from an increasing and aging population,” report author Andrea Black says.
“Working age groups saw an almost 50 per cent increase in poor or fair health.
“It is just a matter of time before this spills over into poor health – with implications for health services, the workforce and society as a whole.”
The report estimated the additional annual costs from a decline in health
– $400 million in additional fiscal costs. This is an estimate of an increase in visits to ED and hospital admissions that could have been prevented by earlier primary care.
– $2.6 billion – $8.6 billion per year is the estimate of the social costs from the overall decline in health. These costs represent
the amount of money an individual would need to receive to be compensated for
their decline in health, with the higher number representing the annual losses
if the increase in psychological distress continues.
Report author Andrea Black says the research looked to put dollar values on the declining state of New Zealand’s general health.
“The health system is dealing with increased, preventable hospital admissions due to a lack of access to primary care.”
Unmet need for a GP due to wait time has more than doubled in the past three years to 25.7 per cent in 2023/24. For women, unmet need due to wait time is now 30 per cent.
“The decline in health will be driven primarily by determinants such as housing, incomes and education rather than necessarily the state of the health system,” Black says.
“If trends continue over the next 12 years, the report estimates that only 6.6 per cent of adults will be in excellent health while almost 20 per cent would be in fair/poor health. The impact of this decline doesn’t seem to have been factored into the government’s long-term thinking. We need to address this.”
More information:
The full report can be accessed here: 
ASMS union members who work in emergency departments, primary care and mental health services are also available for interviews on request by contacting:  Matt Shand | Communications Advisor, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Notes:
In the New Zealand Health Survey adult respondents (aged 15+ years) are categorised as having good or better self-rated health if they answered ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ to the question: In general, would you say your health is … ?
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Weather News – Ready, Set, Go! The Weather Race Continues – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 6th – Friday 10th October

  • Heavy Rain Warning for the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers 
  • Heavy Rain Watches for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass as well as the Tararua Range 
  • Strong Wind Warning for Canterbury High Country 
  • Strong Wind Watches for inland regions of the southern South Island, Wellington and Wairarapa 
  • Road Snow Warnings for Milford Road (SH94), Crown Range Road, Arthur’s Pass (SH73) and Lewis Pass (SH7) 

Spring beginning to feel a bit like a relay run? It’s been an active spring so far with plenty of weather and it’s starting to feel like there’s only a short chance to catch a breath before the next leg begins.  

As for today, a frontal band of rain and strong winds are advancing on a northwards course across the South Island and then will sprint across the North Island tomorrow, followed by a strong showery west to southwest wind. Heavy swell, with waves above four metres are forecast for western coasts and southern South Island for today and tomorrow.  

This system is associated with a Heavy Rain Warning for the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers and Heavy Rain Watches for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass as well as the Tararua Range. A Strong Wind Warning is in place for the Canterbury High Country, and Strong Wind Watches for inland regions of the southern South Island, Wellington and Wairarapa. Road Snow Warnings are issued for Milford Road (SH94), Crown Range Road, Arthur’s Pass (SH73) and Lewis Pass (SH7).

Through Wednesday to Friday, a ridge of high pressure will bring some settled weather and a recovery break to most of the North Island, while a showery northwest flow affects the South Island. Through the latter part of the week there will be a focus on speed for the South Island, as those northwesterly winds are expected to increase through Thursday and Friday.  
And the winner of this race?  

MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows says, “Well, it’s not a real race with a real winner, but perhaps we’ll give the South Island the award for endurance. That being said, with a long-lasting northwesterly flow locking in from Wednesday, the prize of this weather scenario looks like warmer than average temperatures through the second half of this week.”  

MetService is forecasting widespread temperatures over 20°C for Friday. Napier and Hastings could reach 26°C and 28°C respectively. Whanganui could see a maximum of 23°C, Kaikōura 24°C and 20°C for Gore. Temperatures are predicted to remain warm overnight.

“It is not looking like any PBs [personal bests] for temperature at this stage, but we will be on the stopwatch to record what happens,” advises Burrows.

Keep up to date with our latest forecasts at metservice.com.
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Defence News – Statement on the marking of one year since the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui

Source: New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF)
 
The following is attributable to Captain Rodger Ward, who has recently taken over from Commodore Andrew Brown as the HMNZS Manawanui Response Lead
 
Today marks one year since the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui off the coast of Samoa on 6 October 2024. The ship ran aground the previous evening on a reef off Upolu while conducting a survey task. In the ensuing hours, despite the elements and the darkness, all 75 ship’s company and passengers made their way to shore safely, thanks in very great part to Samoan authorities and the courage of the local Samoan community who responded to the incident as it unfolded.
 
Alongside our Samoan colleagues much work has been carried out in the past 12 months to minimise the effects of the sinking and investigate the causes. Fallen shipping containers have been removed. Fuel, oil, other pollutants, equipment, weapons, ammunition and debris have been recovered and the wreck has been made as safe as possible.
 
Further work is required. That work includes progressing an independent wreck assessment together with environmental studies. This information will be essential in supporting decisions about the future work required.  The priority remains, as it has been throughout, to minimise any environmental impacts of the sinking, and to support the Government of Samoa in its response.
 
It is pleasing to note that monitoring by the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa has shown the seawater in the area is clear and uncontaminated from elevated hydrocarbons resulting in the warning on fishing being lifted completely in February.
 
We also recognise the need to support the sailors, passengers, and those involved in the rescue, and what followed.  
 
One year on we recognise the impact that the sinking has had on the people of Samoa, particularly the communities of the South coast, and also the support the NZDF has received from the Government and people of Samoa in dealing with the aftermath.
 
A comprehensive Court of Inquiry into the causes has been concluded and considerable work to implement the recommendations is underway.
 
Any disciplinary proceedings that may arise are yet to be determined, but we can advise that the investigation is reaching its closing stages.
 
The NZDF and our supporting agencies remain committed to doing the right thing: working with the Government of Samoa in dealing with the effects of the sinking, implementing the recommendations of the Court of Inquiry and ensuring that the 75 ship’s company and passengers continue to be supported.
 
In reflecting on a year on from the grounding and sinking, we remain eternally grateful that no lives were lost.

Note: Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, announced the New Zealand Government has made a payment to the Government of Samoa of Samoan Tala (SAT) 10 million (approximately NZD 6 million) following the grounding and sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui.  The payment follows a request from the Government of Samoa.

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Tourism – International sustainable tourism leaders attend Queenstown forum

Source: Destination Think Collective

Queenstown, NZ (6 October 2025) Some of the world’s leading voices in destination management, tourism leadership and sustainability will descend on Queenstown from 6 – 10 October for the Destination Think Forum 2025.

The forum, convened by Destination Think, will highlight the region’s leadership in regenerative tourism and put Queenstown and Wānaka at the centre of global conversations about the future of tourism. As leaders from across the globe converge here, they will explore how the Southern Lakes region is reimagining its visitor economy and how lessons learned in Queenstown can help shape the next chapter of global tourism.

Over the five days, delegates will participate in panels, site visits, workshops and networking events focused on the theme of “Regeneration in Practice.”  Attendees include senior tourism delegates from across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania, keen to share what works in their regions, and equally keen to learn from Queenstown’s journey.

Among them will be Rikke Holm Petersen, Director of Marketing, Communication & Behaviour at Wonderful Copenhagen. Rikke has been a vocal advocate for transforming tourism from consumption toward positive contribution, as demonstrated by Copenhagen’s CopenPay initiative, which rewards visitors for sustainable actions.

Rikke says she believes tourism has the power to shape communities, landscapes and behaviour beyond traditional boundaries. “I’ve come to the Southern Lakes region not just to share, but to be inspired. Queenstown’s alpine landscapes, its commitment to carbon-zero goals and the deep connection between people and place present a powerful opportunity for the future of destination stewardship.”

Mat Woods, Chief Executive of Destination Queenstown and Lake Wānaka Tourism, will contribute as a guest speaker, covering the region’s Destination Management Plan (DMP), including its ambitious goal for a carbon zero visitor economy, as well as local case-studies.

“Queenstown is grappling with the same challenges many destinations elsewhere face, balancing visitation, community expectations and ecological impacts. Hosting an event like this helps us to lay out how we can evolve across the tourism industry by sharing opportunities and learnings. We look forward to showing what’s possible here and learning from peers who are pushing boundaries globally.”

The Destination Think Forum 2025 will focus on how tourism can transition from sustaining to restoring the places it touches. Sessions will explore regenerative models, carbon reduction pathways, governance structures and community collaboration. For Queenstown, the event is a chance to highlight the progress of its Destination Management Plan, deepen international partnerships, and further position the Southern Lakes as an example of how tourism can create lasting positive impact.

For more information about the Destination Think Collective, visit destinationthink.com/collective/

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Advocacy – Will NZ be a country of war profiteers? – Peace Action WELLINGTON

Source: Peace Action Wellington

The just released New Zealand Defence Industry Strategy is clear that the government intends to fund and develop a home-grown defence industry. The ‘defence industry’ is better known as the weapons industry or arms trade.

(ref. https://www.defence.govt.nz/publications/new-zealand-defence-industry-strategy-delivering-capability-faster/ )

“The peace movement and the movement for a free Palestine will actively oppose the development of a weapons industry here. New Zealanders do not want to be a nation of war profiteers,” said Valerie Morse of Peace Action Wellington.

“Peace Action Wellington and our sister organisations have a long history of actively campaigning against the NZ Defence Industry Association annual weapons expo. This week there will be peace blockades and protests against the Aerospace Summit, with actions in Christchurch where the event is being held as well as Wellington and Auckland.”

“Space capabilities is one of three areas where the Strategy intends significant focus. The weaponisation of space is a major threat to global peace and security. New Zealand’s decision to focus on this is alarming.”

“Overwhelming New Zealanders do not want to be involved in, or invested in the arms trade. The 2025 Mindful Money survey on investment into arms companies shows very clearly that 80% of people here do not want to make money from the industries of war. As we watch the horrors unfold in Gaza, we are collectively revolted by the harm of weapons proliferation.”

“As part of the Strategy, the government is prioritising funding the weapons industry. It says the motivation for this big spend up is that, ‘The global order is being reshaped in ways that undermine our interests’. What it does not say is that the countries responsible for undermining our interest are two of our closest military allies: the United States and the UK. Both these governments are directly arming and funding a genocide. They are responsible for the mass slaughter of at least 60,000 people in Palestine and unimaginable horror. Their bombs rain down every single day on Gaza City delivered by Lockheed Martin.”

“What is even more surreal is that the Strategy anticipates funnelling money to global weapons companies with a so-called ‘technology accelerator’ that has a cash pool of somewhere between $100-$300 million. One of the world’s most profitable industries is being underwritten by hard-working people while many are struggling to pay their bills, stay in their homes and feed their kids.”

“The Strategy also seems ignorant that the NZ economy is rapidly de-industrialising with thousands of job losses across the country due to lack of government leadership – this entire project is based on an advanced manufacturing sector. Engineering firms have lost 1,200 people in 12 months amid the government’s poor economic management.”

Notes

Mindful Money 2025 research on weapons spending: https://mindfulmoney.nz/learn/revealed-huge-increase-in-weapons-in-your-kiwisaver-fund/

Job losses in engineering sector: https://www.acenz.org.nz/engineering_firms_lose_1200_people_in_12_months_amid_major_slowdown_in_infrastructure