MIL Email Publisher (NZ)

Source: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

First in the Galaxy S26 line-up to launch with One UI 9, Galaxy S26 FE pairs advanced camera capabilities with the latest Galaxy AI

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – August 28, 2026 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced Galaxy S26 FE, the newest addition to the Galaxy S26 family and the first in the line-up to launch with One UI 9 — bringing the latest premium Galaxy experiences to more users from day one. With enhanced camera capabilities[1] and more context-aware Galaxy AI[2], it elevates how users capture, create and connect every day. Built around what users value most in a thin and light design, Galaxy S26 FE carries the iconic Galaxy S experience forward.

“Galaxy S26 FE is purposefully designed to deliver the signature strengths of the Galaxy S series, ensuring that every feature makes a meaningful difference in users' daily lives,” said Jay Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience Office, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Packed with beloved Galaxy camera and AI experiences, backed by the latest One UI 9, Galaxy S26 FE comes to life as an ideal choice for those who know exactly what matters most to them.”

Sharper Capture, Effortless Editing

Galaxy S26 FE delivers a more capable camera experience[3] from capture to edit, with an enhanced triple rear camera and advanced image processing that help users capture and refine the moments that matter — whether shooting still scenes or fast-moving action.

• My FanCam,[4] first introduced on the latest Galaxy foldables, is now available on Galaxy S26 FE. It automatically tracks a selected person and keeps them centered, intelligently reframing video as the scene moves, so users can turn dynamic moments into social-ready content with less manual editing. * For video, Super Steady[5] with Horizontal Lock — a favourite among Galaxy S26 users — helps capture smoother, more level footage while filming fast-moving activities, travel moments and everyday scenes on the go. * Galaxy S26 FE supports 3x optical zoom, giving users more confidence when shooting from a distance. For selfies, an enhanced 12 MP front camera[6] captures more in every frame, making group shots easier to take. * Nightography a signature of the Galaxy S series, helps users capture bright and clear shots in low light, with detail preserved even in the most challenging scenes. [7], * Even after the moment has passed, Photo Assist[8] makes it easier to refine images using natural language prompts – turning day into night, adding new elements or restoring missing parts. Plus, edits can be reviewed step by step and revised or undone along the way. * With Gemini Omni[9], users can easily create and edit videos clips based on photo and videos from their Gallery, turning them into polished, ready-to-share videos.

AI Experiences, Always One Step Ahead

Powered by the latest One UI 9, Galaxy S26 FE brings a range of intuitive, context-aware Galaxy AI[10] experiences that make daily life easier by adapting to users' routines to keep them informed and organised. It also handles everyday tasks faster and more seamlessly on user's behalf.

• Updated Now Brief,[11] first introduced on the Galaxy S25 series, is even more personalised through customisable briefing cards like weather and wellness insights. Users can now create their own cards with a simple prompt, making Now Brief more relevant throughout the day. * Now Nudge[12] is expanded to select third-party apps and notifications, surfacing timely, relevant suggestions across more of the day — helping users turn insights into action and manage everyday routines with less friction.
• Circle to Search with Google[13] now allows users to search for multiple items in an image at once, making it easier to identify products, places, objects and more in a single step.

Built to Keep Up Throughout the Day

Galaxy S26 FE brings meaningful upgrades to the everyday essentials users rely on most — including a long-lasting battery and a bright display built for work, entertainment and creativity from morning to night.

• A long-lasting 4,900 mAh battery[14] keeps users going while maintaining the slim and refined design of the Galaxy S26 line-up. With 45W fast charging,[15] users can power up quickly and stay connected for longer. * A 6.7-inch[16] AMOLED display with up to 120 Hz refresh rate provides smooth, immersive visuals with brightness, resolution and clarity for streaming, gaming, browsing and creative work.

Users choosing Galaxy S26 FE as their next device will feel the power of the Galaxy experience from day one. An improved Smart Switch helps users get set up more easily, making the move to Galaxy feel like a warm welcome. Meanwhile, long-term software updates and Samsung Care+ provide added confidence over time.

• Upgraded Smart Switch[17] makes moving to Galaxy easier than ever. Whether switching from an Android or iOS device, users can scan a QR code to wirelessly transfer data – from passwords and passkeys to call history, accessibility settings and eSIM data — with no extra apps and less setup time. * Galaxy S26 FE is built to last, with up to seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates,[18] allowing users to enjoy the latest features with confidence for years to come. * For added peace of mind, Samsung Care+[19] offers comprehensive coverage optimised to users' needs, including tailored benefits that protect the value of the device. With One UI 9, the new Warranty and care settings hub also makes it easy to enroll in, access and manage Samsung Care+, along with other device care support. * A 6-month free trial of Google AI Pro[20] will bring expanded AI capabilities and 5 TB of cloud storage valued at USD 19.99 per month.

Together, these enhancements deliver the Galaxy experiences users rely on every day in one thoughtfully crafted device.

Availability

Galaxy S26 FE will be available starting Sept. 4 in select markets in three colours: Blueberry, Graphite and Pistachio.[21]

For more information on Galaxy S26 FE, please visit: Samsung”>https://news.samsung.com/global/”>Samsung Newsroom, Samsung”>https://www.samsungmobilepress.com/”>Samsung Mobile Press or Samsung.com”>https://www.samsung.com/nz/”>Samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com”>https://news.samsung.com/global/”>news.samsung.com .

Specifications

Notes

1. Compared to S25FE
2. Compared to S25FE models on One UI 8.5
3. Compared to Galaxy S25 FE.
4. My FanCam feature requires a Samsung Account login. Availability may
5. Super Steady results may vary depending on editing method and/or
6. Compared to Galaxy S25 FE. (FOV 80˚)
7. Compared to Galaxy S25 FE. Results may vary depending on light
8. Photo Assist may require a network connection and Samsung Account
9. Gemini Omni requires an eligible Google AI Pro subscription. Galaxy
10. Samsung Account login may be required to use certain AI features.
11. Now Brief feature requires Samsung Account login. Available
12. Now Nudge feature requires a Samsung Account login. Available
13. Circle to Search is a trademark of Google LLC. Available on select
14. Typical value tested under third-party laboratory conditions.
15. Galaxy S26 FE supports up to 45W wired charging. 45W power adapter
16. Measured diagonally, Galaxy S26 FE's screen is 6.7 inches in the
17. Wired transfers from Android(tm) devices require the receiving
18. Galaxy S26 FE will support seven generations of OS upgrades and
19. Terms and conditions apply. Samsung Care+ coverage, service type
20. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Terms apply. By subscribing,
21. Colour availability may vary depending on country or carrier.

Source: Aged Care Association

The Aged Care Association says recent Health New Zealand contracting decisions affecting established home and community support providers raise a much bigger question about how New Zealand intends to deliver the significant expansion of in-home aged care that will be needed in the years ahead.

Aged Care Association Chief Executive Hon Tracey Martin says New Zealand needs to increase the capacity of its aged care system, not risk reducing it.

“If we want substantially more older New Zealanders to remain safely and independently in their own homes, we are going to need more care capacity, more workforce and more choice, not less.

“At a time when the care workforce is already under significant pressure, we should be very cautious about a commissioning model where a procurement decision can remove established providers, experienced workers, community relationships and service infrastructure from the system.

“Those things have taken years to build. If that capability disappears and we subsequently discover we need it again, it cannot simply be recreated overnight.”

Martin says the Association is also concerned about the prospect of long-term contracting arrangements being put in place while the Government is considering significant reform of aged care following the Ministerial Advisory Group report, A Place to Grow Old: Securing the Future of Aged Care.

“The Ministerial Advisory Group has recommended a significant expansion of care and support in people's homes. The Government has yet to determine its response to those recommendations.

“We therefore need to be very careful about locking in commissioning arrangements for many years that could constrain the choices available to government, providers and, most importantly, older New Zealanders as that new system is developed.

“This is not an argument that every existing provider has an automatic right to a government contract. It is a question about whether limiting publicly funded care to a relatively small number of contracted providers is the best way to build the capacity, workforce and choice New Zealand is going to need.”

The Aged Care Association has been advocating for a different approach.

Under the Association's proposed model, government would assess what care and support an individual needs and determine the publicly funded entitlement available to them.

Providers wanting to deliver that care would have to meet robust national certification, quality, safety and audit requirements. Once certified, however, they would be able to provide publicly funded services to eligible older New Zealanders, rather than having to win a regional contract before they could participate.

Funding would follow the person and their assessed level of need, with the provider invoicing the responsible government agency directly for the approved services delivered.

Martin says this would give older people genuine choice about who enters their home and provides what can be very personal care.

“Government should set the standards, determine eligibility and fund the care appropriately. Providers should have to demonstrate that they meet those standards. But once those safeguards are in place, why shouldn't an older New Zealander be able to choose the certified provider they know, trust and want providing their care?

“Choice also creates an incentive for providers to maintain quality. If people can choose between certified providers, providers have to earn and retain their trust through the quality, reliability and professionalism of the services they deliver.”

Martin says opening the system to certified providers would also allow a wider range of organisations, including aged residential care providers, to contribute to meeting increasing demand for support at home.

“We already have aged care providers throughout New Zealand with clinical expertise, trained workforces, infrastructure and deep relationships within their communities. Where they can meet the required standards, we should be asking how we enable that capacity to support older people at home, rather than designing a system that restricts who can participate.

“The challenge facing New Zealand is not that we are going to have too much aged care capacity. Everything we know about our ageing population tells us the opposite.

“If the policy objective is to support more older New Zealanders at home for longer, then we need a strong, diverse and sustainable network of providers capable of delivering that care.

“The question should not simply be who wins the next contract. The question is whether the contracting model itself will deliver the aged care system New Zealand is going to need.

“We have an opportunity through the Government's response to the Ministerial Advisory Group to redesign this properly: assess what a person needs, fund that care appropriately, certify providers against strong national standards, and then give older New Zealanders genuine choice over who they trust to provide their care.

“For something as personal as care in your own home, that choice matters.”

Source: Save the Children

Rescuers are racing to find survivors in the flash flood-devastated areas of Northern Nepal, as Save the Children delivers emergency aid to families, with many places still only accessible by helicopter.

The disaster in the Rasuwa region struck at a time when children were either on their way to school or starting lessons. Many children in the area travel long distances to school – areas that are now cut off by flood waters, potentially separating them from their families or caregivers. Damage to phone and internet infrastructure is also making it challenging for families to contact relatives.

Families are finding shelter wherever they can. Some have moved in with relatives; others are living in public buildings such as community centres. Access to clean water has been severely disrupted across the district.

Save the Children staff working in the flood affected areas say there are significant challenges in reaching communities in need of aid. Roads have been blocked or flooded, and severe traffic congestion is slowing rescue and relief efforts as some people flee affected areas and others travel towards them to support rescue operations.

As the number of people confirmed dead rises, hundreds of people are still reported missing. The massive flash floods came without warning, sweeping through communities in the mountainous region and leaving behind destroyed homes and buildings, broken bridges and a sea of mud and debris.

Tara Chettry, Country Director, Save the Children in Nepal, said:

“Children’s lives changed in an instant. Some have lost their homes and belongings and a sense of security. For a child, losing a home is not just losing a building, it is losing the place where they feel safe.

“In the aftermath of a disaster like this, children are among the most vulnerable and face heightened risks to their health, safety, protection, and wellbeing. They will be confused and distressed after witnessing such devastation. Identifying any separated or unaccompanied children must be a priority for the rescue and response teams.

“While immediate assistance is urgently needed, the response cannot stop with emergency supplies. There will be no quick recovery for many of these communities and children and families will need sustained support well beyond the first days and weeks of this crisis, to meet their urgent needs, rebuild their lives, return to school and recover from this devastating disaster.

“Flexible funding is critical. It will allow us and our local partners to respond to longer term needs as the situation evolves, while investing in recovery and resilience so communities can rebuild safer and stronger.”

Save the Children in Nepal’s emergency response team is working in the affected areas and delivering essential items, including household and cooking kits, mosquito nets and blankets to 1,000 households in the first phase of assistance.

The humanitarian and child rights organisation is coordinating with national and local authorities to establish the immediate and long-term needs of children and families and is ready to scale up its response.

Save the Children has worked in Nepal since 1976. The organisation runs programmes spanning child protection, child rights governance, education, climate change, gender equality, health and nutrition and child poverty.

About Save the Children NZ

Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.

Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi

Beneficiaries will pay the price as mistakes multiply at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) because job cuts mean it is no longer resourced to do its work properly and monitor the greater use of automated decision-making, the PSA warns.

This follows the latest revelation that MSD was swamped with paperwork after a law change rushed through under urgency last year left further beneficiaries having payments wrongly suspended on top of thousands of pensioners missing their Winter Energy Payment.

“These aren’t just administrative glitches, they’re what happens when you pass complex law changes under urgency, hand them to a workforce that’s already lost hundreds of colleagues to cuts, and expect nothing to go wrong,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

“MSD is accelerating the use of automated decision-making to notify beneficiaries of changes to benefits, and AI will also be increasingly used. There will be more problems and mistakes coming if this Government’s agenda continues.

“If a rushed law change processed by real people can cause this much damage, leaning harder on automated decision-making with even less human oversight risks getting it wrong on an even bigger scale, and it will be beneficiaries and their families who pay the price.

“The Minister in charge of MSD, Louise Upston says she expects MSD to manage its ‘operational workloads’ but stands by while staff are let go and then expects nothing to change. That’s just more evidence of how poorly thought through the Government’s cuts have been all along.

“MSD staff are doing their absolute best for the people who rely on them, often with less time, less support and more cases than ever before. When you squeeze a system that hard, mistakes aren’t a possibility, they’re a certainty.

“Ministers need to stop treating MSD staff as an infinite resource. Properly resourcing and staffing the Ministry is what stops real people going without food and rent money because of a backlog no one had the capacity to clear,” Fitzsimons said.

Background

28 August 2026: Christopher Luxon, Louise Upston said no benefits were cut after law change, they were wrong

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: Morningstar DBRS

27 August 2026

Overview

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has triggered an unprecedented surge in demand for digital infrastructure, particularly data centres. 

Once viewed as a niche segment within real estate and infrastructure markets, these facilities have rapidly evolved into a distinct asset class. 

As AI models grow in scale and complexity, their computational requirements increase exponentially, making data centres essential to supporting this technological transformation. 

Sustaining AI expansion requires significant investment. In the U.S., AI-related spending was estimated at USD 430 billion in 2025 and could more than double by 2029, reflecting both rapid innovation and the capital-intensive demands of computing, storage and energy infrastructure. To support this growth, technology companies have raised around USD 300 billion from U.S. investors and increasingly relied on bank financing for AI and data-centre development. Banks have become deeply involved in this ecosystem, not only in the U.S. but also in Europe and the UK through large-scale financing, syndicated lending and securitisation. As a result, the banking sector is increasingly embedded in the expansion of AI-driven digital infrastructure. According to Morningstar DBRS, this creates significant business opportunities for banks whilst also increasing sector concentration risks, prompting active exposure management. However, whilst data-centre lending has been one of the fastest-growing areas of bank credit in recent years, exposures generally remain a modest share of overall loan portfolios. Furthermore, banks employ a range of established risk-management tools, including syndication, concentration limits, exposure caps, portfolio monitoring and risk-transfer mechanisms, to manage sector-specific risks and limit excessive concentration.

Key Highlights

• AI is driving unprecedented investment in data centres, thereby transforming them into a strategic asset class and creating significant financing opportunities for banks through lending, syndication, and capital markets activities.
• Banks' exposure to the data-centre sector is growing rapidly across the U.S. and Europe, supported by strong demand from hyperscalers and AI developers, but this expansion increases concentration and credit risks.
• Banks are actively managing these risks through syndication, securitisation, and risk-transfer structures, shifting part of the exposure to institutional investors whilst raising new questions around transparency and systemic risk.

Strategic Rationale for Banks' Exposure to Data Centres

Banks' exposure to data centres takes multiple forms, including syndicated loans to developers, corporate lending to hyperscalers and infrastructure operators, and capital-markets financing through structured finance transactions. Given the scale of modern AI infrastructure projects, financing is typically arranged by large banking syndicates capable of underwriting substantial amounts of capital. Moreover, banks support the sector through a broad range of capital markets solutions, including M&A advisory, debt arranging and equity capital markets transactions.

U.S. banks remain the dominant participants in the market. Institutions such as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo regularly arrange multibillion-dollar financings for data-centre developers and AI-related infrastructure. For example, JPMorgan led a USD 7.1 billion construction loan for Crusoe's Stargate AI campus in Texas in 2025, whilst a consortium led by Morgan Stanley and MUFG provided USD 2.6 billion of financing to CoreWeave later that year.

European banks have also increased their participation through infrastructure lending, project financing, and syndicated transactions, both within Europe and internationally. For instance, Deutsche Bank AG, in September 2025, provided EUR 600 million of financing to Sweden-based EcoDataCenter and participated in AirTrunk's AUD 4.3 billion financing in Australia alongside other lenders. Beyond traditional bank lending, private credit funds, infrastructure investors, and asset managers are becoming increasingly important capital providers. NVIDIA Corporation's recently announced initiative to help mobilise more than USD 500 billion for AI infrastructure illustrates both the scale of anticipated investment needs and the growing role of nonbank capital providers.

We believe banks' involvement in data-centre financing is consistent with their traditional role in supporting large-scale infrastructure and technology investments. The sector offers attractive long-term growth prospects, significant financing needs, and access to strategically important technology clients. In addition to lending income, syndication and capital-markets activities generate substantial fee revenues in a normalising interest rate environment, whilst limiting balance sheet usage.

Key Risks Associated With Data-Centre Financing

Despite strong growth prospects, we note that data-centre financing carries several risks for banks. In our view, concentration risk is one of the most significant credit considerations for banks active in the sector. Projects are typically large and often dependent on a limited number of hyperscalers, AI providers, or specialist operators.

Credit risk is also closely linked to expectations regarding future AI adoption. Many investment decisions assume continued growth in demand for computing capacity and the sustained use of new infrastructure. If commercial AI adoption develops more slowly than expected, utilisation rates and cash flows may fall short of projections, weakening borrowers' ability to service debt.

Data centres are also exposed to technological obsolescence risk, although to a lesser extent. Rapid advances in chip technology, computing architecture, and cooling technologies may reduce existing facilities' competitiveness, calling for considerable additional investment to remain operationally relevant.

Finally, data centres face asset-specific risks across both the development and operating phases. For facilities under development, permitting delays, construction challenges, power-connection constraints, and cost inflation can adversely affect project performance and increase risks for lenders. For operational assets, revenues often depend on long-term contracts with a relatively small number of tenants, whilst project economics rely on access to reliable and affordable electricity. Energy-price volatility and evolving environmental regulations can adversely affect project performance and increase risks for lenders.

Insurance availability has also become an increasingly important consideration, with higher premiums, tighter coverage terms, and reduced insurer capacity already affecting some large-scale data-centre projects.

Concentration risk at the tenant level remains particularly relevant. Large hyperscalers continue to account for a significant share of industry demand and capacity commitments, creating dependency on a relatively small group of counterparties. Recent market data indicates that hyperscalers represented approximately 59% of North American data-centre tenant demand in 2026, highlighting the importance of monitoring customer concentration and counterparty exposure.

We have also previously highlighted risks related to energy availability and physical security considerations for data centres, which are likely to remain important as the sector continues to expand.

Managing Down Exposures Through Risk Transfer and Securitisation

In response to concentration, capital-allocation, and portfolio-management concerns, banks are increasingly adopting strategies to reduce retained exposures. One primary tool is syndication, which allows institutions to distribute loans across a broader group of lenders and investors, limiting single-name balance sheet exposure. The USD 2.6 billion CoreWeave financing is an example of this approach, with exposure distributed among a large lending syndicate rather than retained by a small number of lead arrangers. Banks are also making greater use of significant risk transfer (SRT) transactions, enabling them to transfer portions of credit risk to external investors whilst preserving client relationships and maintaining lending capacity. In addition, banks increasingly use loan sales and secondary-market transactions to reduce retained exposures, free up capital, and enhance balance sheet flexibility. As a result, institutional investors, including private credit funds, insurance companies, and infrastructure investors, are becoming increasingly important providers of funding for digital infrastructure projects.

Securitisation also plays a growing role. By packaging data-centre loans into ABS and similar structures, banks can convert relatively illiquid exposures into tradable securities and broaden the investor base supporting the sector. For example, Vantage Data Centers completed the first EMEA data-centre ABS transaction in 2024, raising GBP 600 million through securitised notes, whilst Switch issued USD 1.7 billion of data-centre ABS in 2024 and a further USD 3.5 billion of ABS and CMBS financing in 2025. These transactions illustrate how capital markets are increasingly being used to recycle capital and redistribute risk beyond the banking system.

In our view, whilst these mechanisms improve capital efficiency and support the continued expansion of AI infrastructure, they may also create new vulnerabilities. Strong investor demand could weaken underwriting discipline, whilst the migration of exposures from regulated banks to nonbank financial institutions may reduce transparency and complicate the assessment of systemwide risk. Regulators are likely to focus not only on banks' direct exposures but also on the channels through which AI-related infrastructure risks are redistributed across the broader financial system.

Related Research

• Money Laundering Risks in European Banking: Credit Implications, Emerging Threats and Evolving Supervision (5 August 2026)
• ECB's Geopolitical Reverse Stress Test: More About Risk Management Than Capital (3 August 2026)
• One Rulebook, Many Markets: The Remaining Barriers to Europe's Banking Union (28 July 2026)
• European Commission to Further Advance European Banking Integration and Simplify Rules (21 July 2026)
• European Banking Midyear Outlook: Middle East Conflict Not Derailing Positive Earnings Dynamics (20 July 2026)
• European Depositor Preference Reform: Implications for Bank Credit Ratings (30 June 2026)
• Can Europe's Savings and Investments Union Overcome Fragmentation to Reap Potential Credit Benefits? (15 June 2026)
• Mythos-Class AI Raises Cyber Stakes for European Banks (10 June 2026)
• Middle East Conflict is Leading to Higher Provisions for Some Global Banks (2 June 2026)
• Shifting Demographics Create Structural Challenges for European Banks (2 June 2026)
• Italian Banks' Solid Q1 2026 Results Support Credit Profiles As Earnings Momentum Normalises (14 May 2026)
• U.S. Data Center Q1 2026 Research (27 April 2026)
• European Banks' Middle East Exposures: Modest Direct Risk, With Potential Stress Via Indirect Macro-Financial Channels (9 April 2026)
• European Data Centre CMBS: Regulatory Clarity Could Supercharge Italy's Data Centre Expansion (18 March 2026)
• European Banks' AT1 Instruments at a Crossroads: Regulatory Reassessment and Market Implications (11 March 2026)
• Data Centres: AI, Power, and the Energy Transition (9 March 2026)
• Middle East Conflict: Direct and Indirect Impact Manageable for Global Banks and Asset Managers (3 March 2026)
• The Expanding Role of Synthetic SRTs in European Bank Capital Planning (2 February 2026)
• Stablecoins and the Digital Euro: The New Frontier for Europe's Payment Landscape (19 January 2026)

Notes

All figures are in euros unless otherwise noted.

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Northland nurse and academic Dr Pipi Barton has been awarded the 2026 Te Akenehi Hei Memorial Award celebrating nurse leadership.

This prestigious title is awarded only every two years. It is the highest honour that can be given by Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa representing Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO's Māori members. The Award is named after Akenehi Hei, the first Māori nurse and midwife to register under her own name rather than the name ‘Agnes’ given to her by her Pākehā employers.

Dr Barton (Ngāti Puhiawe, Ngāti Horotakere, Ngāti Hikairo ki Kāwhia) was presented with the taonga at the Indigenous Nurses Aotearoa Conference held at Māhurehure Marae in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) earlier this month.

Since becoming a registered nurse in 1991, Dr Barton has made it her career mission to advocate for Māori nurses as both tauira (students) and in the workforce.

In her acceptance speech, Dr Barton acknowledged her tīpuna Māori and tapuhi Māori saying she stands for them. “This award carries the ingoa of Akenehi Hei. As Māori nurses we stand on the shoulders of those who stood before us, and I have spent much of my career advocating for Māori nurses. There have been many who have walked along beside me and supporting me along the way,” Dr Barton says.

The findings of her doctorate research supported the establishment of NorthTec's Puawānanga Tapuhi Māori (Bachelor of Nursing Māori) programme. One of only four Māori nursing programmes and the only one to be based in a rural setting in the Māori community of Ngāwha, near Kaikohe.

The Māori nursing programme officially launched last year, and the first cohort is due to graduate next year.

Dr Barton's masters and doctorate research focused on Māori health and Māori nursing. It examined how the Māori nursing workforce has remained static at 7% for the past 40 years despite Māori making up 17.5% of the population.

“Our programme is a response to that to try and grow the Māori workforce and particularly the rural Māori nursing workforce,” Dr Barton says.

“My research identified that Māori students and nurses really struggle in mainstream Bachelor of Nursing programmes and that there is a need for more Māori nursing programmes. I'm currently doing research to determine whether Māori programmes increase Māori retention and completion of Bachelor of Nursing programmes.”

Caption: 2026 Te Akenehi Hei Memorial Award recipient Pipi Barton, right, pictured with previous recipient Dhyanne Hohepa, left, and Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku. Photo credit: Naera Ohia

Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the tragic events yesterday in Nepal, including those who have lost loved ones, those who are missing, and everyone involved in the response and recovery effort.

The comments below are intended to help explain what is currently understood about the likely physical processes involved, how climate change can influence these types of hazards, and what this could mean for Aotearoa New Zealand.

The comments can be attributed to Dr Simon Cox, Chief Scientist – Mountains to Sea, Earth Sciences New Zealand.

What exactly happened in Nepal?

At this stage, full details are still emerging, including exactly what collapsed and how much material was involved. What is clear is that a large volume of ice came from a glacier high in the headwaters. Rock and subglacial water may also have been involved.

The material appears to have fallen from around 5,200 metres into a valley 1,200 metres below, where it transformed into a very large debris flow by entraining water, sediment and other material as it moved downstream. It may have formed a dam that subsequently burst. The massive rapid debris flow travelled over 60 km down a river valley and out of the mountains.

While reports initially attributed the ground tremors to a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, updated data from analysis of long period seismic waves by the US Geological Survey indicates that the seismic energy was instead generated by the impact of collapsed material itself.

What impact is climate change having on events like these?

It is important not to describe climate change as the simple or sole trigger for this event. However, climate change is generating conditions that can destabilise high mountain rock and ice, making these kinds of high-mountain collapses and cascading hazards more frequent.

Climate change is affecting the stability of snow, ice and rock in high mountain environments. Warming can reduce ice support on steep slopes, increase meltwater, and change freeze-thaw and rainfall patterns. These changes can weaken slopes and make large collapses more likely in some locations.

Could something like this happen in Aotearoa New Zealand?

Aotearoa New Zealand has steep, glaciated mountain terrain where ice, rock and debris can fail and move rapidly downslope. Large rock and ice avalanches have occurred in the Southern Alps, fortunately generally in remote areas without major impacts on people or infrastructure.

Researchers are mapping these events and studying their causes, which can include glacier retreat and loss of ice support, heavy rain, meltwater, freeze-thaw processes and earthquakes.

The risk in New Zealand is somewhat different from places such as the Himalayas, largely because our highest mountain regions are much less populated. However, events such as this demonstrate the importance of considering cascading hazards. When a large landslide or ice avalanche enters a river or lake, it can entrain water and sediment, temporarily dam a river, generate waves, or produce debris flows and floods that transfer the effects many kilometres downstream.

We understand many of the processes involved and know where these types of hazards have occurred in the past. A systematic assessment is needed to determine which of our mountain areas may become more prone to these hazards in the future as the climate continues to warm.

27 August 2026

Niuean personnel who answered the call to serve during the First World War are being remembered with memorial headstones in honour of their service.

Thirty-nine memorial headstones were transported to Niue on a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules and handed over to the Government of Niue and the Niue Returned Services Association (RSA) in a ceremony yesterday.

The memorial headstones will be placed in villages around Niue providing a place for the community and others to pay tribute to the Niuean men who joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as part of the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion.

Head of Veterans' Affairs New Zealand (VANZ), Alexander Brunt, says Niue's sacrifice in the First World War was immense.

The 150 servicemen who volunteered represented around four per cent of Niue's population at the time.

Their journey was marked by hardship, including exposure to and death from illnesses and conditions they had never experienced at home, he said.

“We hope that these memorials will help the descendants of your veterans preserve the special places where they honour and remember the loved ones they lost, their courage, service and sacrifice.”

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) was represented at the ceremony by Wing Commander Adam O'Rourke, who said it was a privilege to accompany the delivery and honour the legacy of the Niuean men who volunteered to serve with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

“Their service forged an enduring bond between Niue and New Zealand, carried forward by the Niuean coastwatchers of the Second World War,” he said.

“This partnership between our countries is reflected to this day. Kiwis of Niuean heritage continue to serve in the NZDF and our defence relationship continues to evolve to meet the needs of a changing Pacific,” he said.

VANZ, the NZDF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade worked in partnership with the Government of Niue and the Niue RSA to see this important project realised. As part of this effort, the New Zealand High Commission will provide support for the installation of the service memorial headstones in villages throughout Niue, to ensure the legacy of those who served lives on in their communities.

Video footage of the ceremony

Background notes:

Initially New Zealand declined offers of troops from Niue but following losses during the Gallipoli campaign, men were recruited from Niue and the Cook Islands. They trained at Narrow Neck camp in Auckland before embarking for Suez in February 1916.

Many of the men succumbed to illnesses they had never been previously exposed to, often exacerbated by climate conditions they were also not used to. By late May 1916, over 80 per cent of the Niuean men had been hospitalised, and the decision was made to withdraw them.

The Niuean contingent saw combat service in France, experiencing artillery fire while digging trenches and establishing communications. None died from combat, but from the illnesses they were exposed to.

Source: Te Mātāwai

Media Release | 27 August 2026

Te Mātāwai is pleased to announce the appointment of Ruakiri Fairhall (Ngāti Tarāwhai, Te Arawa, Te Whakatōhea), as its new Co-Chair.

Current Co-Chair Mātai Smith says Ruakiri brings extensive experience in governance, te reo Māori revitalisation, haka, and iwi leadership, along with a strong commitment to advancing the reo Māori aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi.

“Ruakiri is a dedicated champion of te reo Māori who has supported a wide range of language initiatives within Te Arawa and internationally, particularly in London.”

“He has made an excellent contribution since joining the Board, and we are delighted to welcome him into this new leadership role,” says Co-Chair Mātai Smith.

Ruakiri joined the Te Mātāwai Board in May 2025, having served in an acting capacity since October 2024. He has represented Te Pae Motuhake o Te Arawa since 2021.

He offers a depth of governance expertise as a trustee of Ngāti Tarāwhai Iwi Trust, Te Reo Irirangi o Te Arawa and Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi Charitable Trust.

“I’m excited and humbled to be in this new role of Hoa-Toihau and I am driven by the goal of ensuring te reo Māori is alive, healthy, vibrant and safe for our future generations across Aotearoa, and the globe. Te reo Māori is a language for all,” says Ruakiri.

Photo caption: Photo of Te Mātāwai Board Co-Chair Ruakiri Fairhall (Ngāti Tarāwhai, Te Arawa, Te Whakatōhea) who was appointed to his leadership role yesterday.

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Members of the public are welcome to attend the national Merchant Navy Day commemoration at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington on Thursday 3 September.

“Merchant Navy Day is a time to recognise New Zealand's civilian seafarers and the part they played in supporting our country through war and conflict,” says Secretary for Culture and Heritage Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae.

“Merchant ships were the lifeline between New Zealand and the rest of the world. Their crews transported people, equipment and supplies across oceans during some of the most dangerous periods of the twentieth century.”

This year's ceremony will highlight the contribution of women who worked aboard merchant vessels.

“Women made a valuable contribution to New Zealand's maritime workforce during the world wars. Working as stewardesses and in other shipboard roles, they helped keep vessels operating and passengers cared for, often in challenging circumstances.

“By bringing these stories into the spotlight, we gain a fuller picture of the people who contributed to New Zealand's wartime and maritime history.”

The commemoration will also acknowledge the 75th anniversary of the loss of the troopship Wahine in 1951.

“The Wahine was carrying New Zealand personnel destined for service in Korea when it was wrecked in the Arafura Sea, north of Australia. Although there was no loss of life, the incident underlines the risks associated with moving people and supplies across vast distances.

“The story of the Wahine is a reminder that military operations relied not only on those in uniform, but also on civilian ships and crews working behind the scenes.”

Merchant Navy Day also provides an opportunity to recognise the families who supported merchant seafarers throughout their service.

“Many merchant seafarers returned home with little public recognition. This commemoration helps ensure that their contribution, and the support of their families, remains part of our shared national story.

“I encourage everyone to join us at Pukeahu as we reflect on the sacrifices made at sea and honour those whose service helped keep New Zealand connected to the world.”

People attending this year’s commemoration are asked to arrive at the Hall of Memories at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park by 10.45am for an 11.00am start.

Further information

• Merchant Navy Day is marked annually on 3 September, the anniversary of the 1939 sinking of the British passenger liner Athenia, the first Allied merchant ship lost in the Second World War.
• Merchant ships carried troops, food, fuel, raw materials, and military supplies across dangerous sea routes during wartime.
• New Zealand relied heavily on sea transport to move exports, imports and personnel between Britain, the Pacific, Australia, and other destinations.
• Merchant seafarers included deck and engineer officers, seamen and engine room hands, radio operators, stewards, cooks, and other shipboard workers, including some women.
• More information on New Zealanders in the Merchant Marine and the Merchant Navy is available at:
  • New Zealanders in the Merchant Marine
  • The Merchant Navy

Caption: Second World War Merchant Navy propaganda poster (The National Archives, INF3/124/Wikimedia Commons)