MIL Email Publisher (NZ)

First-home buyers have become an increasingly dominant force in New Zealand's housing market, boosting purchase volumes and their market share as overall sales activity remains subdued amid economic uncertainty.
 
Cotality’s NZ Monthly Housing Chart Pack shows property sales volumes fell for a fifth consecutive month in May, down -8.3% compared to the same month last year. Across the first five months of 2026, sales activity was down -4.7%, representing 1,775 fewer transactions nationally.
 
Yet despite the broader slowdown in housing activity, first home buyers were the only major buyer group to increase their number of purchases in 2026, up 2.4% compared to the same period last year.

Completing 10,025 transactions so far this year, first home buyers have lifted their share of purchases from 25.8% to 27.7%, compared to the same period in 2025, cementing their position as New Zealand's most active buyer group.
 
Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said first home buyers were taking advantage of market conditions that remain challenging for many other purchasers.
 
“Sales activity remains fairly subdued, but first home buyers continue to buck that trend,” he said.
 
“With lower property values than a few years ago, plenty of property to choose from, access to KiwiSaver and the availability of low-deposit lending have all combined to help keep first home buyers active and give them confidence to get into the market.”
 
The trend is strongest in the main centres, where first-home buyers account for almost 31% of purchases in Auckland and almost 39% in Wellington.
 

Values remain flat despite softer activity
 
Nationally, property values continue to reflect the subdued market conditions, with the Cotality Home Value Index essentially flat in May. National median values were down -0.1% over the past quarter and -0.6% over the year.
 
Although values remain -17% below their peak nationally, performance varies significantly across the country. Christchurch remains one of the stronger markets, with positive annual growth of 3.2%, while Auckland values remain -2.6% lower than a year ago.
 
Mr Davidson said elevated listing levels were limiting any significant uplift in prices.
 
“Even though the flow of new listings has hit a seasonal low and eased recently, buyers still have plenty of choice and that is helping keep a lid on property values,” he said.
 
“Most vendors are not under pressure to sell, so there’s no rush to discount and we're not seeing widespread price falls, but nor is there any evidence of upward momentum. The market is in a neutral or holding pattern.”

Movers and investors pull back
 
While first home buyers have expanded their share of purchases, movers and investors have become more cautious.
 
Purchases by movers have fallen by around -11.1% compared to the same period last year, while multiple property owners with mortgages have declined by -5.7%.
 
Mr Davidson said economic uncertainty, the upcoming election and questions around future tax settings were likely contributing to the softer investor activity.
 
“Some investors will be looking at a rental market where rent growth has flattened out, while others will be acting with caution as they consider the potential policy changes that could emerge after the election,” he said.
 
“At the same time, movers tend to be more sensitive to confidence and labour market conditions, and that caution is still pretty evident.”

New listings soften but buyers retain the advantage
 
The number of properties coming to market has eased slightly in recent weeks in response to the traditional winter slowdown, but there’s still a high level of stock available on the market.
 
Mr Davidson said the recent modest fall in stock levels hasn’t been significant enough to materially change the balance of power in the market.
 
“Although stock levels have eased a little as we head into winter, there’s still enough choice in the market for buyers to retain the upper hand when it comes to price negotiations,” he said.
 
“Market conditions remain much more balanced than they were during the boom years.”

Outlook improves as inflation concerns ease
 
Mr Davidson said the biggest economic change over the past month had been the outlook following the recent US-Iran peace agreement.
 
While inflation remained above the Reserve Bank's target band at 3.1% in the March quarter, the prospect of lower energy costs and reduced geopolitical uncertainty had improved the outlook for both inflation and economic growth.
 
“The possibility of an OCR increase in July appears less likely than it did a few weeks ago,” he said.
 
“There is still plenty of uncertainty ahead, but if the peace agreement holds it should reduce some of the inflation concerns that have been weighing on confidence.”
 
Mr Davidson said lower inflation risks and a more stable interest rate outlook could help lift confidence and support a modest improvement in market activity during the second half of the year.
 
“Sales volumes have been weaker than expected through the first five months of 2026, but the outlook for interest rates appears a little more settled than it did a few weeks ago,” he said.
 
“Any recovery is likely to be gradual rather than dramatic, but the outlook appears somewhat more positive than it did a month ago – provided the peace deal holds.”

Surgeons’ music choices can shape how teams feel and work, new research from the University of Auckland shows.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals that different sounds can bring teams together or create tension, boost confidence or distract, and even signal how a procedure is progressing.
 
Lead researcher Dr Anantha Narayanan, a trainee vascular surgeon and PhD candidate in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, was inspired to explore the topic as a medical student after noticing music being used to create a calming atmosphere in the theatre. A saxophonist, he combined his enthusiasm for music with his dedication to research.
 
“It started with a simple question,” he says, “does music actually have an effect in the operating theatre, or do people just enjoy it?”

That question grew into his PhD, culminating in the final Background Auditory Conditions in Healthcare (BACH) study, a qualitative exploration
of music’s role in surgery.

The study shows music is neither simply good nor bad. When chosen collaboratively, it can improve teamwork, lift mood and help patients feel at ease. But when imposed, it can create discomfort, heighten tension and reinforce hierarchy.
 
“A key finding is that how music is chosen matters as much as what music is chosen,” Narayanan says. “Operating theatre teams should make shared decisions, because not everyone experiences it in the same way.”

When staff are included, music can foster a relaxed and positive environment, but exclusion can highlight tensions.

Many of the stories shared in the study underline how personal musical taste can be.

One participant recalled a moment of strong team cohesion when music lifted the mood during a break. “There was a point in the afternoon where three circulating nurses were all having a little dance in the back, everyone was on board, things were on track, and it was a nice time.”

But not every experience was as harmonious.
 
In one case, a surgeon’s affinity for opera clashed with colleagues’ preferences, while other accounts described music causing frustration or conflict. And country music from a surgeon was “quite painful when it was on for about 15 hours,” one participant said.

Music could also create awkward moments. One surgeon operated on a teenage boy who had requested rap music during a minor procedure. “It was quite appalling in terms of the language that was going on, and I was quite shocked while he was going off to sleep,” the surgeon says.

Sometimes, music underscored unforgettable moments. The Lion King’s iconic 'Circle of Life' played as a baby was lifted from the womb during a caesarean section, at the mother’s request.

Music can act as an environmental cue, the study finds. “Observers or participants in the theatre environment may use it as information to check if things are going well or not,” Narayanan says. A soundtrack may help teams relax and focus but is often turned off during critical moments to allow full focus.

Researchers conducted structured interviews with seven surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses about their experiences with music in theatre. The data was analysed qualitatively, he says, revealing five key themes: “reflection of team cohesion, contributing to a therapeutic space, not a panacea for all, a mirror to power or hierarchy and a useful environmental cue.”

Narayanan says the takeaway is simple.
 
“It’s not about choosing the perfect song,” he says. “It’s about making sure everyone feels included.”
 
He says music can be a powerful tool in the operating theatre when used thoughtfully, enhancing teamwork, communication, and the overall surgical experience.
 
The study, A qualitative exploration of the perceptions of music use by healthcare professionals in the operating theatre (the BACH study), was supervised by Associate Professor Anna Serlachius, with co-authors Sian Ellett, Associate Professor Manar Khashram and Professor James Fisher from the University’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.

Six New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel have this month been part of a multinational effort in Papua New Guinea to destroy about 2200 explosive remnants left over from the Second World War.

Delivered under Australian Defence Force (ADF) leadership, Operation Render Safe brought together military personnel from Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States to locate and safely dispose of about 7550kg of the explosives.

The operation focused on explosive remnants of war – or ERW – identified during previous missions in the Gazelle, Kokopo and Rabaul districts of East New Britain province. They have continued to pose a serious risk to local communities for more than 80 years.

The munitions were moved to pits that had been dug so charges could be placed on them to destroy them.

The smaller and more stable bombs were moved via vehicle and the larger ones carried by several people with slings.

New Zealand Army Captain ‘C’*, Senior National Officer of the Kiwi contingent, said the six-person NZDF Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was embedded within the ADF-led task force, working alongside Papua New Guinea Defence Force and international counterparts.

“It’s a challenging task, in a hot and humid jungle environment and with seriously degraded munitions that have spent 80 years exposed to the weather and sea salt,” Captain C said.

“But it’s an important task to ensure the safety of communities in these areas.”

The NZDF maintains a highly capable EOD service, drawing personnel from the Royal New Zealand Navy, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force.

EOD teams provide regular domestic support to New Zealand Police, including the assessment and disposal of improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance.

NZDF personnel are also very experienced in ERW clearance operations across the Pacific, having undertaken similar work in Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Nauru in recent years.

The Force Integration Training conducted in Australia prior to deployment ensured the multinational team could operate effectively together in the challenging Papua New Guinea conditions.

“The training ensured we were not only a strong, cohesive team, but also allowed us to build enduring relationships that will support future operations,” Captain ‘C’ said.

“Every time we work with the ADF and our partner nations, it’s a valuable opportunity to understand each other’s procedures—ensuring we remain interoperable and ready to deploy together when needed.”

Render Safe is a long-standing multinational initiative, running for more than 20 years, aimed at reducing the threat posed by ERW across the Pacific and strengthening regional security through cooperation.

The NZDF contribution reflects New Zealand’s ongoing commitment to regional security and its close defence relationships with Papua New Guinea, Australia and other international partners.