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Storm News – Firefighters respond to over 800 calls for assistance

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Firefighters are continuing to respond to calls for assistance from people affected by the storm moving across the country.
Between 6pm last night and 8am today, Fire and Emergency New Zealand received 852 emergency 111 calls in the North Island. Most of them (804) related to storm damage, including fallen trees and powerlines, lifting roofs and property damage.
Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper said more than half of the calls came from people in the Wellington Region as the storm moved south, but every part of the North Island except Northland reported storm damage or flooding. A summary of the calls is included below.
“We had a very busy night, and our firefighters are continuing to respond to calls. We appreciate the work they are doing to support their communities and we urge people to follow the advice from civil defence to prepare and keep themselves safe, wherever they may be.”
When life or safety is at threatened, people should call 111 immediately. Staying off the roads, avoiding floodwater and watching for flying debris are simple actions people should take to keep themselves safe.
If people are without power and relying on alternative means of cooking, heating and lighting, they should be mindful of fire safety:
– Switch off all appliances including stoves and heaters that were in use when the power went off.
– Torches are preferable to candles. If candles are your only alternative, put them upright in a secure holder, like a jar, well away from curtains or anything flammable
– Do not use outdoor heaters or cooking equipment indoors
Note to editors – 111 calls relating to the weather received between 6pm Sunday and 8am Monday:
Urgent Response (threat to life or serious damage) – total 97
Auckland/Waitemata/ Counties-Manukau – 2
Waikato – 5
Bay of Plenty – 2
Tairawhiti / Hawkes Bay – 3
Taranaki / Manawatu-Whanganui – 10
Wellington – 75
Less Series property damage – total 300
Auckland/Waitemata/ Counties-Manukau – 8
Waikato – 13
Bay of Plenty – 7
Tairawhiti / Hawkes Bay – 9
Taranaki / Manawatu-Whanganui – 49
Wellington – 214
Minor Impacts – total 407
Auckland/Waitemata/ Counties-Manukau – 6
Waikato – 16
Bay of Plenty – 17
Tairawhiti / Hawkes Bay – 12
Taranaki / Manawatu-Whanganui – 90
Wellington – 266.
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Universities – Yili-Lincoln University research collaboration informs global health policy

Source: Yili

Riddet Institute Fellow Laureate Paul Moughan has led a research collaboration with Yili’s Innovation Centre in New Zealand which will help shape World Health Organisation policy on infant nutrition.

Distinguished Professor Moughan, who chaired the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations' expert consultation which published guidelines on protein quality for humans in 2013, has been working closely with global experts in a joint research effort co-ordinated by the Yili Innovation Centre Oceania (YICO) at Lincoln University.

In a series of papers published in the Journal of Nutrition (2023), Frontiers in Nutrition (2024) and the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2025), the work of Professor Moughan and his team has led to breakthrough research that provides a better understanding and far more accurate way of assessing how well babies can absorb and utilise the essential building blocks of protein from breastmilk.

Professor Moughan’s original work in 2013 provided the gold standard for evaluating protein quality in infant formula: the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS).

His latest research with YICO, the Yili Global Maternal and Infant Nutrition Institute and Professor Yin Yulong, a Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering at the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has produced new data which deepens this understanding further and has already led to new approaches to infant nutrition production within Yili.

“This has been a hugely productive international research alliance and will no doubt lead to further advances in FAO policy,’’ Professor Moughan said.

“Professor Yin is a digestive physiologist of significant international standing and his thoroughness, attention to detail and scientific leadership was crucial to the success of the collaboration.

“The alliance’s work will also lead to global impacts on the production of infant formula leading to improvements in the long-term health of babies and children.

“It has also been very enjoyable working with the scientific team within Yili. I have been very impressed by the technical capabilities of the team and working with them has actually been quite delightful.’’

Head of YICO, Dr Philip Wescombe, said the Yili Innovation Centre Oceania principal aim was to act as a hub for research collaboration across Oceania.

“After 10 years, we are now well-established in driving innovation by strengthening ties with startups, expanding business opportunities, and fostering greater interaction between researchers, industry, and consumers,’’ Dr Wescombe said.

Resident Director of Yili Group Oceania Region, Zhiqiang Li, said Yili was proud of the work of YICO and of Yili’s teams across Oceania and in Inner Mongolia.

“We are honoured to learn of the warm and respectful relationships the company’s internal technical staff have developed with leading global researchers in China and New Zealand, the support we can provide as Asia’s largest dairy producer, and the fifth largest dairy company in the world,’’ Mr Li said.

References

Hodgkinson, S. M., Xiong, X., Yan, Y., Wu, Y., Szeto, I. M.-Y., Li, R., Wescombe, P., Duan, S., Liu, H., Yin, Y., Lim, W. X. J., & Moughan, P. J. (2023). An accurate estimate of the amino acid content of human milk collected from Chinese women adjusted for differences in amino acid digestibility. The Journal of Nutrition, 153, 3439–3447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.10.009

Moughan, P. J., Deglaire, A., Yan, Y., Wescombe, P., Lim, W. X. J., Stroebinger, N., Duan, S., Szeto, I. M.-Y., & Hodgkinson, S. (2024). Amino acid requirements of the infant: The amino acid composition of human breast milk. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1446565. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1446565

Wu, Y., Yan, Y., Xiong, X., Li, R., Duan, S., Tang, M., Szeto, I. M.-Y., Liu, H., Hodgkinson, S. M., Moughan, P. J., Wescombe, P., Wang, J., & Yin, Y. (2025). Effect of different ratios of αlactalbumin to βcasein in infant formula on true ileal digestibility and intestinal morphology of suckling piglets. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 73, 6144–6150. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c10520

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Environment – Mine e-waste for gold, not beautiful landscapes – Zero Waste

Source:  Zero Waste Aotearoa

As a fast-track consent is sought for a major gold mine in Central Otago and another has already been granted in Coromandel, Zero Waste Aotearoa is calling upon the government to mine electronic waste, not beautiful landscapes, for gold and other precious metals.

E-waste contains a significant concentration of gold, with one metric tonne of electronic waste containing up to 800 times more gold than a tonne of mined ore. While precious metals (including gold, silver, copper) make up approximately 60% of the composition of some e-waste, gold specifically is highly concentrated, with a single tonne of circuit boards containing roughly 39 grams of gold.

New Zealand currently generates 99,000 tonnes of e-waste every single year. Approximately 98 percent ends up in landfill or is disposed of illegally, according to the Ministry for the Environment.

“At present the voluntary product stewardship scheme means that we have one of the lowest rates of e-waste recovery in the world. We are literally throwing gold away into landfills while proposing to dig it up elsewhere in some of the country's most beautiful landscapes. It is the height of madness,” says Sue Coutts of Zero Waste Aotearoa.

“Like many people across the country, we are gravely concerned about the environmental impact of gold mining. We think that there are much better ways to get these valuable resources – and ensure that they stay in circulation forever, not dumped in landfills.”

“The World Gold Council says that only 7% of gold is used in tech but 27% of worldwide gold production is already from recycling. This is more than 4 times what we need for tech – there is no valid reason to dig up any more of our precious ecosystems.”

“Product stewardship would create a pathway for a new industry: one built on resource recovery of valuable materials and a circular economy.”

NZ company MINT Innovation relocated to Sydney because they could tap into flows of e-waste from extended producer responsibility schemes that collect electronic waste in Australia.

They chose not to invest in NZ because there is no regulated e-waste scheme here. That's $60m in turnover that will be dropping into the Australian economy every year instead of ours.

E-waste was declared a priority product in June 2020 requiring the establishment of a regulated product stewardship scheme under the Waste Minimisation Act. Yet six years on, a mandatory scheme is not in place and no further work is being done.

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Science and Ethics – New animal-free alternative flies to NZ today replacing blood from unborn calves

Source: Beyond Animal Research

For the first time in New Zealand, a new animal-free alternative to Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is being imported today by a charity, and will be trialled in a research laboratory, marking a major milestone for both science and animal welfare in Aotearoa.
Today (16/02/26) the first shipment of FRS Pioneer, an animal-free, serum-free alternative to FBS, is en route to Aotearoa as part of a New Zealand pilot study being organised by local charity Beyond Animal Research (BAR).
Foetal Bovine Serum is a widely used laboratory product made from the blood of unborn calves and has been a default ingredient in cell culture research globally for decades. Despite growing ethical and scientific concerns, New Zealand laboratories have not previously had access to such a cost-effective, innovative, trial-ready alternative.
That changes from today.
“This is the incredible moment where change for animals used for science happens” says Tara Jackson, co-founder of Beyond Animal Research.
“For the first time, New Zealand researchers can test this new, genuine alternative to foetal bovine serum in their own labs. This shipment represents years of scientific innovation – and the beginning of a new chapter for how research can be done in Aotearoa.”
The shipment marks the official start of BAR’s New Zealand pilot study, which will support researchers to trial FRS Pioneer in research and teaching settings, document outcomes, and build local evidence to support wider uptake of animal-free methods, not just here in NZ but globally.
FRS Pioneer was developed by Dr Katie Bashant Day, Chief Scientist at Media City Scientific, in response to long-standing limitations of animal-derived serums, including ethical concerns, batch-to-batch variability, contamination risk, and supply instability.
“Foetal bovine serum is inconsistent by nature – every batch is different because every animal is different,” says Dr. Day.
“Animal-free alternatives like FRS Pioneer are designed to be more consistent, more reproducible, and better aligned with where modern science is heading. Seeing this product arrive in New Zealand for real-world trials is incredibly exciting.”
New Zealand is also a producer and exporter of foetal bovine serum, with pregnant cows sent to slaughter and blood collected from their unborn calves for use in laboratories domestically and overseas. BAR says the pilot study represents an opportunity for New Zealand to lead a transition away from this practice.
“New Zealand has the chance to be part of a global solution, not just the supply chain,” says Jackson.
“This pilot is about removing the practical barriers that stop researcher and their labs from changing – access, cost, logistics, and confidence – and replacing them with real, local evidence.”
The first researchers participating in the pilot are based at Victoria University of Wellington, with further institutions expected to join as the study progresses.
A spokesperson from Victoria University of Wellington says the pilot reflects growing interest within the research community in more ethical and scientifically robust tools.
“Researchers are increasingly aware of the limitations of animal-derived products,” the spokesperson says.
“Being able to trial an animal-free alternative in a New Zealand context is a valuable opportunity to assess both scientific performance and practical feasibility.”
BAR says the pilot is the first step in a longer-term goal to make the routine use and production of foetal bovine serum in New Zealand unnecessary and therefore obsolete.
“This single shipment matters,” says Jackson.
“But what matters more is what it enables – better science, greater transparency, and real progress for animals.”
Notes
  • Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is produced from the blood of unborn calves after pregnant cows are slaughtered.
  • Globally, around 800,000 litres of FBS are produced each year. Because only a small amount comes from each calf, that volume likely represents the deaths of around one to two million unborn calves worldwide annually.
  • FBS from NZ is manufactured (including slaughtered) in NZ and exported internationally.
  • Through an Official Information Act request to MPI, we confirmed that between January and November 2025, NZ exported approximately 29,000 kilograms of foetal bovine serum (FBS). Based on industry yield estimates, this volume is likely to have come from the blood of tens of thousands of unborn calves – conservatively between 28,000 and 83,000 foetuses in 2025 alone.
  • FBS is widely used for cell culture e.g. studying human diseases, discovering new medicines, producing vaccines and cell therapies, freezing and storing cells for future experiments
  • Animal-free, serum-free alternatives can reduce ethical harm and improve scientific consistency and reproducibility.
  • This is the first import of FRS Pioneer into New Zealand.
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Health and Policy – Burnett Foundation Aotearoa welcomes the Government’s decision on U=U

Source: Burnett Foundation Aotearoa

Associate Health Minister Doocey’s decision to sign the U=U declaration today is a critical step on the road towards zero locally acquired HIV transmissions in Aotearoa New Zealand.
U = U stands for Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U). It means that a person living with HIV who is on effective treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to sexual partner(s).
“The U=U message helps increase testing, treatment adherence, and viral suppression rates, but most importantly, it increases the confidence and dignity of people living with HIV. It’s proof that science and compassion walk hand in hand,” says Liz Gibbs, CEO of Burnett Foundation Aotearoa.
This decision makes New Zealand the 5th country to sign the multinational U=U Call to Action, behind Australia, Canada, the USA, and Vietnam.
“Currently people living with HIV may face prosecution under the Crimes Act for HIV non-disclosure to their sexual partners (unless they are using a condom), even if they are on treatment with an undetectable viral load and therefore pose zero risk of transmission. With the Government’s official endorsement of U=U, it gives the Police, Courts and government departments the backing required to modernise outdated guidelines and policies, so they are in-keeping with the latest science.” says Gibbs.
This is a significant step forward that many across the HIV and sexual health community have been advocating for several years, and we are thrilled to see it finally come to pass.
About Burnett Foundation Aotearoa:
The Burnett Foundation Aotearoa is a national organisation dedicated to preventing HIV transmission, supporting people living with HIV and reducing stigma across Aotearoa. For 40 years, it has driven public health education, advocacy, and community-led support. The foundation empowers people with knowledge, care, and connection, working towards a future with zero HIV transmissions. 
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Politics – Seymour’s calls for small government lazy politics straight from hard-right playbook – ignores NZ’s growing challenges – PSA

Source: PSA

ACT Leader David Seymour's latest attack on the public sector is straight out of the hard-right playbook – slash and burn now, worry about the consequences later.
“We've seen this movie before Iin the 1980s and 90s and we know how it ends – with worse services for New Zealanders and the country less able to deal with the challenges we face,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The last thing New Zealand needs is more ideologically driven re-structuring designed to meet some arbitrary numerical target and bugger the impact on what really matters – the future of our country and the health and well-being of New Zealanders.
“This is lazy politics from David Seymour and an attempt to distract from the failure of the Government to address the high cost of living facing New Zealanders.
“Seymour wants to cut agencies at exactly the wrong time. New Zealand's population is growing rapidly and aging. We face a massive infrastructure deficit. Climate change is here right now, as recent severe storms even this week show.
“On top of that, we have our unique bicultural obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, severe homelessness and high unemployment, and being an isolated island nation dependent on biosecurity – these challenges are complex and require more capability, not less, they need specialist agencies.
“Now is the time to be investing in the public services here to support New Zealand, not make more damaging cuts.
“The sad irony is that every time there's a crisis – whether it's Pike River, the Christchurch earthquakes, or the 15 March mosque attacks – the Royal Commissions consistently recommend more resources and clearer accountability, not fewer agencies.
“What Seymour dismisses as 'vanity portfolios' are often responses to specific community needs and advocacy. The Cancer Control Agency exists because cancer advocates fought for years for independent national leadership. Agencies serving women, Pacific peoples, and ethnic communities exist because these groups were historically underserved by government.
“Seymour claims reducing agencies will magically boost productivity and wages. That's fantasy economics. Countries with strong public services – like Norway, which he name checks – invest heavily in their public sector and pay their workers well.
“ACT's ideological belief in a minimal state will leave ordinary Kiwis to fend for themselves while the wealthy like Seymour’s landlord mates get tax cuts.
“The truth is New Zealand needs a capable, well-resourced public service to tackle the challenges ahead. Seymour's slash-and-burn approach would leave us weaker, less prepared, and less able to protect New Zealanders when they need it most.
“Voters will have a clear choice this election – and the PSA will be saying loud and clear that ACT wants to sacrifice our future all for a deeply flawed ideology.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Weather News – MetService Red Warning for Manawatu, Rangitikei and Ruapehu Districts

Source: MetService

Covering period of Sunday 15 – Monday 16 February 2026 – At 2:36pm MetService escalated the Severe Weather Warnings in Manawatu, Rangitikei and Ruapehu Districts north of Feilding and east of State Highway One to a Red Warning for Heavy Rain, in consultation with the Horizons Regional Council.    

All MetService Warnings have the potential for impacts, but Red Warnings are reserved for the most extreme weather events where significant impact and disruption are expected.

The escalation to a Red Warning comes as a deep area of low pressure sinks southwards across the eastern coast of the North Island, feeding heavy rain into the region, accompanied by strong gusty winds.

The heaviest rain is forecast for overnight tonight, Sunday, into Monday with the Red Severe Weather Warning running from 6pm Sunday to 2pm Monday.

MetService meteorologist John Law says, “It will be a wet and windy night for many parts of the lower and eastern North Island tonight, with rain returning and persisting through the night. The rainfall around Taihape and the eastern areas of Manawatu is of particular concern, bringing a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding, slips and disrupting travel.”

“A Red Warning signifies that people need to act now as immediate action is required to protect people, animals and property from the impact of the weather. People should also be prepared to follow the advice of official authorities and emergency services.”

This is the second Red Warning MetService has issued this year, and it’s the 21st Red Warning weather event since the highest alert level was introduced back in May 2019.

Severe Weather Warnings and Watches also cover much of the eastern and lower North Island both for Heavy Rain and Strong Winds. With strengthening winds forecast though the night, Strong Wind Warnings for severe gales extend from the Cook Strait coast right up the eastern coast with a high chance that the warnings in Hawke’s Bay, eastern Taihape, the Tararua District and Wairarapa could be upgraded to a Red Warning. The strong winds will also be generating rough seas and large waves around the southern and eastern coasts of the North Island.  
 
As the weather system sinks southwards wind and rain will reach down to the top of the South Island, where some Severe Weather Warnings and Watches are also in place.  
 
Keep up to date with weather and warnings via metservice.com or our free MetService weather app.  

MetService also now provides push notifications for Severe Weather Warnings via our app.  More information can be found here about enabling them. 

Understanding MetService Severe Weather Warning System

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (Localised Red Warning) – take cover now:

This warning is a red warning for a localised area.
When extremely severe weather is occurring or will do within the hour.
Severe thunderstorms have the ability to have significant impacts for an area indicated in the warning.
In the event of a Severe Thunderstorm Red Warning: Act now!

Red Warnings are about taking immediate action:

When extremely severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Issued when an event is expected to be among the worst that we get – it will have significant impact and it is possible that a lot of people will be affected
In the event of a Red Warning: Act now!

Orange Warnings are about taking action:

When severe weather is imminent or is occurring
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather
In the event of an Orange Warning: Take action.

Thunderstorm Watch means thunderstorms are possible, be alert and consider action

Show the area that thunderstorms are most likely to occur during the validity period.
Although thunderstorms are often localised, the whole area is on watch as it is difficult to know exactly where the severe thunderstorm will occur within the mapped area.
During a thunderstorm Watch: Stay alert and take action if necessary.

Watches are about being alert:

When severe weather is possible, but not sufficiently imminent or certain for a warning to be issued
Typically issued 1 – 3 days in advance of potential severe weather.
During a Watch: Stay alert

Outlooks are about looking ahead:

To provide advanced information on possible future Watches and/or Warnings
Issued routinely once or twice a day
Recommendation: Plan.
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Mission Accomplished: firefighters return from Victoria

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

New Zealand firefighters have completed four weeks of service in Victoria, working on bushfires in the north of the state.
The second contingent of 22 personnel will return home tomorrow (14 February) after two weeks based near Tallangatta in the northeast of Victoria. 
The Bravo team had replaced the Alpha deployment, with each composed of 20 firefighters drawn from Fire and Emergency volunteer brigades, the Department of Conservation and forestry companies. Two liaison officers accompanied each deployment.
The teams have been working alongside crews from Australia and Canada, which had also sent support.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper says the kiwis’ work ethic and achievements have been widely praised. 
“As well as firefighting and mopping up operations, they were tasked with assessing and clearing trees in areas where the fires had passed through. This is an essential part of the recovery for communities,” Ken Cooper says.
“Fortunately, conditions have eased in Victoria and other states are currently managing the level of bushfire activity in their own areas. 
 “At this point we have no other requests for assistance, but we remain in close touch with our partner agencies in Australia as the fire season is far from over.”
The 44 personnel who deployed to Victoria were all experienced in firefighting in arduous conditions, including high temperatures and challenging terrain. 
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Visitor arrivals pass 3.5 million – International travel: December 2025 – Stats NZ news story and information release

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Net migration gain of 14,200 – International migration: December 2025 – Stats NZ news story and information release