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Canterbury Businesses Signal Confidence, But Resilience Is Running Low

Source: Business Canterbury

The latest Quarterly Canterbury Business Survey (QCBS) from Business Canterbury, released today, shows business confidence trending upward, but alongside clear signs that resilience is starting to wear thin.

Business Canterbury Chief Executive, Leeann Watson says, “We’re seeing a big lift in confidence heading into 2026. Businesses are expecting stronger economic conditions and improved financial performance. Hiring intentions are strong too, with two-thirds planning to bring on additional staff over the next year – a positive sign for the local job market.

“Investment intentions have returned to historic averages, which, after a long period of caution, is also encouraging, suggesting businesses are now ready to activate growth plans in the new year.

“The question now is whether confidence carries through on the back of a strengthening economy.  Resilience is something we are starting to watch more closely, after years of repeated economic disruptions and a pretty flat 2025. Confidence from businesses in their ability to manage disruption has slipped in this survey (65%, down 14 points from last quarter), and is now well below where it usually sits (in the mid-80s).

“We know that many businesses have been drawing on their reserves – both financial and psychological – for quite some time, and we’re now seeing results where there is even less buffer to absorb further disruption.

“Concerns about AI adoption and digital transformation have doubled (16%), and mental health and fatigue are trending upward (17%).

“However, the fundamentals remain strong here in Canterbury. We have population growth, one of the most diversified regional economies in New Zealand, and a relatively confident business community that people want to be part of. What we need now is consistent and enabling conditions that turn confidence into activity – including less red tape, stable policy settings, and a growing economy.”

Key QCBS Indicators:

  • Expect Canterbury economy to be stronger in 12 months (75%)
  • Expect stronger financial performance in 12 months (75%)
  • Plan to hire staff in the next 12 months  (67%)
  • Plan to invest in property, plant, and equipment in the next 12 months (64%)
  • Confidence in managing disruption (65%)
Top Issues:
  • Consumer confidence and demand (56%)
  • Productivity and growth (35%)
  • Compliance costs (29%)
  • Cashflow and account receivable/payable (27%)
  • Inflation and interest rates (26%)
  • Emerging concerns: AI adoption (16%), mental health & fatigue (17%)

Business Canterbury, formerly Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, is the second largest Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand and the largest business support organisation in the South Island. It advocates on behalf of its members for an environment more favourable to innovation, productivity and sustainable growth.

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Science – NZ and US studying "huge unknown" in Antarctic climate science – Earth Sciences

Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand

Scientists are measuring a huge unknown in climate science: how much heat Antarctica emits into space.
To do this, Earth Sciences New Zealand and the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center (USA) are looking at far infrared radiation.
Principal Climate Scientist Dr Sam Dean says far infrared radiation makes up about half of the heat emitted by the Earth’s surface
“Far infrared radiation contributes to global warming via the greenhouse effect, particularly through water vapour, which is increasing in the atmosphere as a response to global warming. The more greenhouse gases and water vapour there are, the more far-infrared radiation is trapped in the atmosphere, and the more the planet warms,” said Dr Dean.
Earth Sciences NZ has just deployed an instrument called an Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) to Antarctica, on loan from the U.S. Department of Energy. It will take novel observations of atmospheric infrared radiation, as well as constituents like greenhouse gases, over the next 12 months.
These ground-based AERI measurements are being made in conjunction with NASA's PREFIRE mission – twin, shoebox-sized satellites that are orbiting the Earth and taking the same measurements of the poles from above. The satellites were launched from Māhia Peninsula by Rocket Lab in May and June 2024 .
“AERI will look up as the PREFIRE satellites look down – something that’s never been done in Antarctica before. Warming over Antarctica is a great concern as it may combine with warming oceans to accelerate ice melt, something already being seen in Greenland,” said Dr Dean.
Morgan Connaughton, VP – Communications at Rocket Lab, said it’s exciting to see New Zealand scientists contributing to a globally important study leveraging spacecraft launched from right here in Aotearoa.
“Rocket Lab has launched many climate-focused missions, but being part of a mission that sees Kiwi scientists use data from satellites launched from home soil is particularly special. Space has an enormous role to play in how we better understand our planet and our impact on it. With the ability to build and launch spacecraft, and talented scientists and engineers to undertake groundbreaking studies, New Zealand is ideally positioned to be a leader in space science,” said Ms Connaughton.
Earth’s poles are pivotal for helping maintain the planet’s temperature. Heating from the Sun mostly occurs in the tropics, where weather systems and oceans act to transport that heat polewards. Over Antarctica, heat is then strongly radiated to space.
“It’s vital we understand more about the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere above Antarctica and whether there are changes in the radiation to space. Our observations will allow for testing of scientific models of the greenhouse effect above Antarctica to make sure they’re correct, helping us to better predict how climate change will affect our polar regions, and vice versa,” he said.
Professor Tristan L'Ecuyer of the University of Wisconsin said the lack of far-infrared measurements has limited our knowledge of the Antarctic greenhouse effect that influences ice sheet temperature, melting and refreezing, and, ultimately, global sea level.
“This collaboration between NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and Earth Sciences New Zealand fills an important need for measurements from the ground to compliment the PREFIRE measurements and support polar climate studies,” he said.
This work is part of a larger international collaboration known as SHIRE: The Southern Hemisphere polar Infrared Radiation Experiment. The AERI instrument has been provided by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility, with Earth Sciences NZ and the University of Canterbury deploying several additional instruments to Antarctica in the coming weeks in support of SHIRE.
With support from Antarctica New Zealand, AERI will be deployed at Scott Base until at least October 2026.
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Property Market – More than $114 billion of property listed for sale in 2025… and counting

Source: RealEstate.co.nz

  • An extra $2 billion worth of residential property has been listed for sale so far in 2025, compared to the same time last year
  • More than 108,000 homes have been listed to date – 3,000 more than the same period in 2024
  • Gisborne is the land of the rising sun with an 8% increase in average asking price and 31.5% increase in listings.

Kiwi vendors have listed $114,684,197,610 worth of residential property for sale to date in 2025, according to the latest data from realestate.co.nz.*

In a year which has seen the Reserve Bank effectively half the official cash rate from 4.25% to 2.25%, 108,363 properties were listed for sale, an increase of 2.8% on the same period in 2024 (105,361).

Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, said despite a challenging year economically, Kiwi homeowners have come to the party, giving buyers more choice than they’ve had in a long time.

“As we end the year on an official cash rate that is almost half what we started the year on, we should expect to see increased activity in the New Year once everyone has enjoyed a summer break. And it seems that has already begun. In November, we saw a record of 1.92 million active property searchers on realestate.co.nz, which suggests the Kiwi love affair with property hasn’t waned.”

Major centres report marginal gains

Auckland’s average asking price in 2025 was down 1.3% compared to the same period last year. However, the number of new listings increased by 2.9%, rising from 37,829 properties listed in 2024 to 38,915 in 2025, indicating sellers in our super city are more active in the market.

Similar activity was seen in the capital, with Wellington’s average asking price falling 1.9% from $835,713 in 2024 to $819,736 in 2025.

In the south, Canterbury recorded a 0.5% increase in asking price, going from an average of $720,647 in 2024 to $724,527 in 2025.  The region recorded a 4.4% increase in new listings, with 15,712 properties listed so far this year.

Gisborne rises above the rest with 31.5% more listings in 2025 than 2024

Gisborne is the standout region for the year, recording an 8% increase in average asking price in 2024, with prices moving significantly from $650,043 to $702,343.

During the same period, listings in the region increased by 31.5%, from 422 properties to 555.

To complete Gisborne’s trifecta of results, the region also reported a 31.0% increase in value, with a total of $449,009,000 of property being listed in the region so far in 2025.

Williams says Gisborne’s activity over the past 11 months gives it rockstar status. “Gisborne has been one of the more dynamic regions this year, bucking the national trend of minimal movement. Growth across price, listings, and total value is a rare combination in this market, and it’s cemented Gisborne as a region to watch.”

The West Coast was also a performer of note, with the region’s total value of property listed increasing 16.2%, from $353,869,449 in 2024 to $411,091,900 this year. That was driven by the region’s 13.1% increase in new listings and a 1.9% increase in average asking price from $478,951 in 2024 to $488,269 in 2025.

To fix or flick in 2026?

Off the back of a steady 2025, Williams predicts more movement in the market in the coming year.

“Buyers are waiting in the wings, and it will be exciting to see them come to market,” said Williams. “History tells us that New Zealand’s property market turns on a dime, so we’re waiting for the first of the dominoes to fall. Once buyers step out of the starting gate, we can expect the market to move quickly.”

“There is still a lot of choice for New Zealanders, so we’re not expecting much movement of prices until stock reduces to around 25,000 properties (currently sitting over 35,000). And given our national aversion to uncertainty, next year’s election may give pause for some buyers and sellers.”

*Data compares market activity between 2024 and 2025 during the period 1 January to 30 November.

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

Realestate.co.nz – your home for property search.

We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. We are certified carbon neutral (2024 & 2025) and in 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.

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

Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time.

 Glossary of terms:  

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

Price drop reflects the difference between a property's original asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. While it doesn’t show the final sale price, it provides a strong signal of how much sellers are adjusting to meet buyer demand.  

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Lifestyle – Read With Me: New Summer Reading Challenge Helps Tackle the Holiday Learning Dip

Source: Duffy Books in Homes

Duffy Books in Homes, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, launches The Summer Reading l Pānui Challenge: Read with Me. The reading challenge starts today and encourages students who are going into Years 0–8 in 2026 to read with their whānau over the summer holidays. Students who complete and return the reading and pānui tracker form at the end of the summer holidays will receive a badge and certificate.

Duffy Books in Homes, General Manager, Linda Vagana says, “The Summer Reading Challenge is a great opportunity for students to continue their literacy skills over the summer holidays. It encourages whānau to read together. Children who discover an enjoyment of reading and books now, become adults who inspire a love of reading to their whānau and wider community. Research shows that children who read for 9 minutes a day will be exposed to over 1 million words a year – heck yeah. So let’s get reading whānau.”

Daily reading is encouraged but consistency is key – students will be eligible for a badge and certificate even if they haven’t read every day. Schools, kura, parents and whānau are encouraged to join the challenge and track the days they’ve read together over the summer holidays. The tracker forms can be downloaded from the Parent Portal and completed either digitally or printed.

“We know that children are more likely to maintain the academic skills and knowledge that they learned throughout the school year if they continue to read during the summer holidays. Younger children are more likely to regularly read if they are supported by parents and whānau,” Ministry of Education General Manager, New Zealand Curriculum and Te Whāriki, Hayley Welch says.

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Recognition – Fijian Indian youth advocate wins Amnesty International award

Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand


22-year-old Fijian Indian curator and community organiser Dylan Chand was announced today as the winner of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s Gary Ware Legacy Award.
Chand has a background in social impact work, is the Founder and Director of the Youth Climate Collective, recently returned from the UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil, and has facilitated powerful intergenerational conversations about justice, equity, and belonging. He will use the $9000 award to develop and host the Girmitiya Exhibition, which aims to bring to light the lived realities of Indian indentured labourers, known as Girmitya, who were taken to Fiji under the British colonial system from 1879 to 1916.
On hearing the news, Chand said, “To me, winning the Gary Ware Legacy Award means recognition of the Girmitiyas (Indian Indentured Labourers) and the sacrifices they made so that their descendants could have better lives than the ones they were forced to endure. It feels like a moment where their stories, which were long silenced by trauma and forgotten by colonial history, now have the opportunity to be acknowledged and heard.
“The incredible support from Amnesty International and the Ware Family, allows me to carry out deeper research and map out a meaningful story for young Indo-Fijians, Tangata Moana, Tangata Tiriti, and the wider Aotearoa community. It’ll allow me to build on the legacy and work of Indo-Fijian historians who have dedicated their lives to preserving Girmitiya stories, often with limited resources and support.
“As the Indo-Fijian diaspora grows, I hope The Girmitiya Exhibition will provide a place for young Indo-Fijians to connect with their identity, learn about their ancestors, and understand the sacrifices that have shaped their lives today.”
The Gary Ware Legacy Award is a funding opportunity from Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, designed to empower and equip people under the age of 25 with a passion for protecting and promoting human rights. Launched in 2020, the award is made possible by the generous support of the Ware family, facilitated by the Acorn Foundation, who each year provide $4500 for a young person or group to turn their human rights vision into action. This year, to mark Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand's 60th birthday, the award was doubled to $9,000.
Entries were received from rangatahi across the motu, with a range of inspiring ideas and initiatives. They were then judged by a panel of young people, with the winner announced on 10 December, which is celebrated around the world as Human Rights Day, commemorating the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
Gary Ware was a passionate human rights advocate who inspired generations of young people to get involved in the work of Amnesty International during his lifetime. As a lover of music, he organised concerts and events to raise money and awareness for human rights over the years, as well as serving multiple terms on the Amnesty International Board. The Ware family has gifted this award as a beautiful lasting legacy of Gary’s life.
Gary’s granddaughter Neve Kortegast, who was on the judging panel this year, said, “This award is really special to me, as my grandfather was a passionate activist with a big heart. He took pride in empowering others and supporting them to make a positive difference. This award serves as a piece of the everlasting and impacting legacy he left behind with us.”
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand and the Ware family commissioned the contemporary Māori artist Todd Couper to design a taonga to accompany the funding of the Gary Ware Legacy Award. Couper, of Ngāti Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu descent, is based in the Bay of Plenty and has created a beautiful wooden whakairo (carving) to reflect the kaupapa of the award.
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First Responders – Tongariro National Park Fire Update #9

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Drones with thermal imaging equipment have found little to no fire activity on the Tongariro fireground overnight.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand will have 37 personnel on the ground today, including firefighters, specialist fire investigators and incident management personnel. They will be supported by one helicopter.
Incident Controller Assistant Commander Renee Potae says the fire is totally contained and today’s work will be focused on consolidating the blacked-out perimeter to a width of 30-50 metres.
Discussions will begin with the Department of Conservation and Iwi today about handing back the fireground. Planning for demobilising Fire and Emergency’s operations will also begin today.
SH47 reopened with traffic controls last night. Fire trucks are still likely to be moving through the area for at least another 24 hours, so all drivers are asked to observe the signposted speed restrictions and any areas of single lane carriageway.
The restrictions apply from the intersection of SH47 and Mangatepopo Rd to approx. 1.5km north of the intersection of SH47 and SH48.
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Cyber Security – Gen Threat Labs Calls it “The Year the Internet Outgrows Human Intuition”

Source: Botica Butler Raudon Partners for Gen

Gen Reveals Cybersecurity Predictions for 2026 to Kiwis

Auckland, Dec. 10, 2025 – Gen (NASDAQ: GEN), a global leader dedicated to powering Digital Freedom through its family of Cyber Safety brands, today unveiled its 2026 Cybersecurity Predictions, forecasting a year defined by blurred realities, synthetic identities, emotional manipulation at scale, and a browser environment that becomes the primary battleground for everyday digital life.

According to Gen Threat Labs, 2026 marks the moment when the internet will evolve faster than human intuition can keep up. AI will not simply accelerate digital experiences – it will reshape trust, how we view identity, and truth itself. What was once fringe becomes normal. What was once obvious becomes ambiguous. And what once relied on human instinct will demand verification, scepticism, and new digital reflexes that most people have never been taught.

“Cybercriminals are no longer adapting to technology – they’re directing it,” said Siggi Stefnisson, Cyber Safety CTO at Gen. “From identity to emotion to the browser itself, every corner of the internet is becoming a contested space. Our goal is to prepare people for the reality ahead and empower them with the habits and tools that can keep them safe.”

Gen’s 2026 predictions outline five seismic shifts reshaping digital life:

1.    The Year Humans Need to Be Verified

Deception will leave the screen and enter daily life as AI makes it possible to clone a person’s face, voice, and writing style in seconds. Synthetic personas – friends, colleagues, influencers, even romantic partners – will emerge with shocking realism.

Deepfakes will move from videos into real-time calls and live interactions, turning trust into a liability and making human verification the new safety reflex.

Consumer Tip: Pause, then verify. Use a second channel to confirm sensitive requests. Hang up and call known numbers. Set family safe words. If visuals or audio look slightly “off,” stop before you act.

2.    The AI Feedback Loop Distorts Online Truth

In 2026, the internet will enter an AI-driven distortion cycle. Machine-generated content gets scraped, summarised, and republished by other AIs, degrading accuracy and creating a flood of synthetic noise.

To counter this, tech and media organisations will begin deploying authenticity markers and content-signing frameworks, though adoption will lag behind the surge of misinformation.

Consumer Tip: Apply a “two-source rule.” Verify important claims through a credible, independent source. For finance, health, or safety topics, go directly to official websites rather than reshared posts or summaries.

3.    The Scam Industry Evolves into Emotional Engineering

Scams will transform from generic scripts into adaptive emotional engines. With real-time sentiment analysis, AI will sense fear, hesitation, guilt, or excitement – and tailor responses instantly.

This new era of “empathetic scams” will mirror human connection to manipulate more effectively than ever before, requiring people to notice emotional red flags, not just technical ones.

Consumer Tip: When a message sparks a strong emotion, name it. That breaks the illusion of intimacy scammers rely on. Then run the message through trusted scam detection tools like Norton AI Scam Assistant or Avast Scam Guardian.

4.    Synthetic Identities Trigger a Collapse in Digital Trust

AI will now generate entire identity kits – realistic IDs, bills, selfies, and even live video – that pass most basic verification checks. Criminals will use these fabricated personas to secure loans, open accounts, and commit cross-platform fraud at scale.

As “identity fusion” attacks expand across financial, tax, wallet, and service ecosystems, static credentials will no longer be enough.

Consumer Tip: Share ID documents only through verified websites or apps you navigate to directly. Enable transaction alerts or credit freezes and avoid sending credentials through unsolicited links. 

5.    The Browser Becomes Ground Zero for Deception

The browser has become the most heavily targeted environment in 2025, and this trend will expand in 2026. AI-generated malvertising, fake storefronts, poisoned pop-ups, and session token theft will dominate online crime. Clicking what appears to be a bank or retailer link may lead to an AI-generated clone designed to steal payment details or login credentials.

Malware increasingly lives inside the page itself, not in downloads, making it harder for even cautious users to detect.

Consumer Tip: Use passkeys or two-factor authentication for important accounts and review your active sessions regularly. Shop through trusted retailers, look for real contact details, and avoid buying through ads or sponsored results. Select safe-by-design browsers, such as the new Norton Neo, built with AI-driven protection at its core.

 

To learn more about Gen’s 2026 Predictions, read the 2026 Predictions Blog.  


About Gen 

Gen (NASDAQ: GEN) is a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom through its trusted consumer brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, MoneyLion and more. The Gen family of consumer brands is rooted in providing financial empowerment and cyber safety for the first digital generations. Today, Gen empowers people to live their digital lives safely, privately and confidently for generations to come. Gen brings award-winning products and services in cybersecurity, online privacy, identity protection and financial wellness to millions of people in more than 150 countries. Learn more at GenDigital.com. 


About the Gen Threat Labs 

Gen Threat Labs is the Cyber Safety research team within Gen, focused on uncovering and analyzing the latest digital threats and scams worldwide. Rooted in data, research, and technical expertise, the team identifies patterns and risks that shape the evolving cyber landscape. Their insights power the security technologies that protect people across Gen’s portfolio of trusted brands, including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, and others. 

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Greenpeace – High risk of economic losses from Cook Islands nodule extraction and sales – new study reveals

Source: Greenpeace

The economic potential of seabed polymetallic nodules in the Cook Islands has been overstated, according to a new independent study commissioned by Greenpeace International.[1]
The analysis shows that, once costs, market factors, and technological challenges are accounted for, deep sea mining for Cook Islands nodules is more likely to have a negative economic return.
Juressa Lee, Greenpeace Aotearoa seabed mining campaigner says: “Deep sea mining companies that have made bold claims to try and win social licence in places like the Cook Islands are now being exposed – their sales pitch simply doesn’t add up. Scientific warnings are crystal clear: deep sea mining will damage the oceans and harm biodiversity. Millions of people across the world, including people in the Cook Islands, are concerned about the threats posed by this industry. When you add the major financial risks, it’s hard to understand why anyone is still pushing this industry at all.”
Polymetallic nodules are metal-rich rocks that sit on the deep seafloor, increasingly targeted by mining companies despite scientists’ warnings of severe ecological damage. [2]
The new report highlights several reasons why the promise of these “golden apples” – as Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown described the nodules – does not hold up. The author finds that the technologies required to extract the nodules have not been commercially demonstrated, noting that operating “at depths three times greater than the Deepwater Horizon and >15 times deeper than North Sea oil, pose significant challenges to reliable operation”.
According to the author, the estimated operating costs at such depths are on a par with, or higher than, their expected market value, making commercial operations unviable.
According to this expert's assessment, there are no single processing facilities worldwide capable of converting raw nodules into saleable metals, and building new plants and supply chains would involve major technical and financial risks. Market outlook is weakest for cobalt and manganese, the primary components of value in Cook Islands nodules. The expert finds Cook Islands nodules' estimated market value is only US$100-140 per dry tonne, far below the level needed to support a profitable industry.
The release of the study comes as the deep sea mining frontrunner, Belgium's Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR) announces its plan to divest its interests in the Cook Islands and refocus on activities in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). GSR intends to sell its share of the joint venture company Cobalt Seabed Resources (CSR), which was established to pursue mining in the Cook Islands.
Although no buyer has been officially named, local reporting has pointed to speculation about a possible sale to American company Wetstone, a newly formed company with little public track record and who seems close to former International Seabed Authority Secretary General, Michael Lodge.[3][4][5]
Lee says: “The future of Pacific Island nations is inextricably linked to healthy oceans – yet this future is now at risk from proposals to open the deep sea to mining, whether within national or international waters. The Pacific Ocean, and the livelihoods it sustains, must be protected.
“Resistance to seabed mining in the Cook Islands and across the Pacific is strong and persistent. Pacific Peoples will not be sidelined by corporations and powerful countries trying to impose this new form of extractive colonialism on the region.
“Alongside our allies, who want to protect the ocean for future generations, we will continue to resist wannabe miners who want to strip the seafloor, causing irreversible harm for profits that are clearly far from guaranteed.”
Greenpeace urges coordinated action from Pacific Island governments to safeguard their own waters by putting a ban on deep sea mining, while a global moratorium at the International Seabed Authority is needed to defend the ocean, which is of utmost importance to Pacific People's cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing.
Notes:
The Author: Lyle Trytten is a chemical engineer and metallurgical consultant with over three decades of global experience in sustainable battery metals, spanning R&D, project development, operations, and lifecycle and techno-economic assessments across nickel, cobalt, copper, lithium, and graphite. His expertise has been featured in The Elements of Deep Sea Mining, the Redefining Energy – Tech podcast series, and major media outlets including Bloomberg, Time, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal. He has also informed national and international agencies and contributed to the analytical foundation of the recent RAND Corporation report on seabed mining.
2. Study measuring the impacts of a deep-sea mining machine finds the abundance of animals at the site decreased by 37%  https://www.nhm.ac.uk/press-office/press-releases/study-measuring-the-impacts-of-a-deep-sea-mining-machine-finds-t.html
3. GSR and the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) hold exploration rights through their joint venture, Cobalt Seabed Resources Ltd, but GSR has confirmed it is withdrawing from its Cook Islands interests https://deme-gsr.com/news/gsr-announces-strategic-review-of-its-seabed-mineral-interests-to-advance-priority-initiatives-in-the-ccz/
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Privacy Commissioner makes it clear: "You can share personal information to keep children and young people safe"

Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner

Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says there needs to be an end to stories of children not getting the help they need because people in organisations are worried about information sharing and privacy.
He says, “There is no legislative barrier to information sharing where there is a wellbeing or safety concern for a child. A child’s wellbeing and safety always comes first.”
To make his expectations clear, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has released new information sharing guidance aimed at helping people working in the sector. “Knowing what you can share, when, and with whom, can feel challenging, especially if there is urgency or the needs of the child or young person are complex.
“Our new guidance provides the information people working in the children’s sector need to confidently make good and timely decisions about when they can share information to protect children and young people’s wellbeing and safety.”
“Not sharing information when you can and should, can cause harm, Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says.
“Sometimes, important information is not disclosed, as people are worried about the Privacy Act, but the Privacy Act does not stand in the way of protecting children.”.
“There have been too many examples where relevant information has not been shared, and children have been harmed or died. This guidance will help people working in the children’s sector know their obligations around sharing information and when they can and should disclose information.”
Information sharing is a critically important activity within the children’s sector and we’re working with several government agencies to embed the message that you can share personal information to keep children and young people safe, the Commissioner says.
The guidance covers sharing under the Oranga Tamariki Act (wellbeing and safety), the Family Violence Act (protection from family harm) and the Privacy Act, and includes useful tools such as quick reference guides and checklists.
Our guidance on sharing information to protect the wellbeing and safety of children and young people is part of an integrated government response (rec 7) relating to the Dame Karen Poutasi review in 2022.
The information sharing guidance is now available on our website.
If anyone thinks a child is in immediate danger, they should call Police on 111.
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Advocacy – Human Rights Day – 10 December – PFNZ

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand (PFNZ)

Today, on Human Rights Day, we reaffirm the universal principle that every human being is entitled to dignity, freedom, and justice. These are not abstract ideals; they are basic rights that must be protected, upheld, and defended everywhere.

Yet for the Palestinian people, these rights remain systematically denied.

For more than seven decades, Palestinians have endured occupation, displacement, collective punishment, and the daily violation of their fundamental human rights. This year, Human Rights Day arrives under the shadow of unprecedented devastation in Gaza, where entire families have been erased, communities destroyed, and essential infrastructure, hospitals, schools, homes — reduced to rubble. Palestinians in the West Bank also face escalating settler violence, land confiscation, mass arrests, and severe movement restrictions.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on this day in 1948, states clearly that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. This promise continues to be broken for Palestinians.

New Zealand must stand on the right side of history.

We call on the New Zealand Government to:

  • Unequivocally uphold international humanitarian and human rights law in its foreign policy regarding Palestine.
  • Demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza.
  • Support international accountability mechanisms, including investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity.
  • End military, economic, and diplomatic support for practices that sustain apartheid, occupation, and collective punishment.

Human Rights Day is not merely a moment for reflection; it is a call to action. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity. As New Zealanders, we pride ourselves on fairness, compassion, and a commitment to international law. These values must extend to Palestinians, whose humanity is equal, whose rights are universal, and whose freedom is long overdue.

Palestine Forum of New Zealand remains steadfast in advocating for justice, dignity, and the full realisation of human rights for the Palestinian people.

Until freedom and justice are achieved, our voice will not waver.

Palestine Forum of New Zealand