Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Reappointment of Managing Director of Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority announced The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, welcomed the reappointment, adding, “Mr Cheng joined the MPFA in 2013 and has made valuable contributions to the MPFA since then. Under his leadership in the past three years, the MPFA has been actively taking forward various proposals to reform the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) System. In particular, the eMPF Platform, as a major reform initiative of the MPF System, has commenced operation since June 2024 with phased onboarding of MPF trustees under way. I look forward to Mr Cheng’s continuous effort in leading the MPFA to discharge its duties.”
Mr Cheng Yan-chee was appointed Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of the MPFA in 2013 and Acting Managing Director in 2021. He has been the Managing Director of the MPFA since 2022.
The MPFA is a statutory body established under the MPFSO in September 1998 for the regulation and supervision of the MPF System. Issued at HKT 12:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointment of Chairman of Insurance Appeals Tribunal announced A Government spokesman said, “The IAT provides an effective safeguard to ensure the relevant regulatory decisions made by the Insurance Authority (IA) are reasonable and fair. With his profound expertise in the legal profession and a wealth of experience in public service, we believe that Mr Ma will lead the IAT to operate effectively and raise public confidence in the insurance regulatory regime.”
The Government also expressed gratitude to the outgoing Chairperson, Ms Rachel Lam Yan-kay, SC, for her valuable contribution and dedicated service.
The IAT is a statutory tribunal established in 2017 under the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41) to review specified decisions made by the IA, and to hear and determine a question or issue arising out of or in connection with a review. Issued at HKT 12:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Stablecoins Ordinance to commence operation on August 1, 2025 The Ordinance was gazetted on May 30, 2025. Its main purpose is to supervise activities involving stablecoins, and to introduce a licensing regime for regulated stablecoin activities in Hong Kong.
Section 1(2) of the Ordinance provides that the Ordinance will come into operation on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (SFST) by notice published in the Gazette. For this purpose, the SFST has made the Stablecoins Ordinance (Commencement) Notice to appoint August 1, 2025, as the day on which the Ordinance comes into operation.
At the same time, the Financial Secretary has made the Stablecoins Ordinance (Specification of Persons for Purposes of Section 9(2)(b)(iii)) Notice, to specify professional investors (within the meaning given by section 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571)) as a class of persons for the purposes of section 9(2)(b)(iii) of the Ordinance, i.e. allowing the offering of specified stablecoins issued by a person who is not granted a licence under section 15 of the Ordinance to professional investors.
The SFST, Mr Christopher Hui, said, “After the Ordinance commences operation, the licensing regime will provide suitable guardrails for relevant stablecoin activities. It will be a milestone in facilitating the sustainable development of the stablecoin and digital asset ecosystem in Hong Kong.”
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has also launched a consultation on the detailed regulatory requirements of the regime, including provisions related to anti-money laundering and the counter-financing of terrorism.
The Notices will be tabled before the Legislative Council next Wednesday (June 11) for negative vetting. Issued at HKT 12:00
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, demonstrating a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, conducted a bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, June 4.
SAN DIEGO – The America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) departed Naval Base San Diego May 19 to forward deploy to Sasebo, Japan, as part of a scheduled rotation of forces in the Pacific. The Tripoli will replace the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), which will depart Sasebo and move to San Diego.
From 26 to 28 May 2025, a landmark workshop was held at UNESCO Headquarters to reshape the engagement of Indigenous Peoples within the framework of the World Heritage Convention.
Co-designed and co-led by the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on World Heritage (IIPFWH), together with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee – ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN – the workshop marked a strategic turning point in advancing inclusive, rights-based approaches to World Heritage conservation.
The initiative stemmed from a shared recognition: that the safeguarding of heritage cannot be fully realized without the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples and the effective application of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) – a principle that UNESCO has been actively promoting. More than a capacity-building effort, the workshop was a step towards fostering trust and establishing a foundation for reinforced collaboration between Indigenous knowledge holders and the institutions guiding the World Heritage system.
Over three days, participants engaged in open dialogue and peer learning, deepening mutual understanding of roles, responsibilities and working methods. Discussions centred on three strategic priorities: strengthening Indigenous participation in World Heritage processes; embedding FPIC into evaluation and monitoring frameworks; and jointly developing an action plan to guide future cooperation.
This milestone effort – made possible through the generous and long-standing support of the Governments of Australia and Canada – builds on the momentum of a growing global dialogue. It follows key international gatherings, including the expert workshop in Geneva and the New Delhi Dialogue in 2024, as well as discussions held around the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (New Delhi, 2024).
As the World Heritage system continues to evolve, the lessons, partnerships and mutual commitments forged during this workshop will inform practice across the World Heritage system. They pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable future where Indigenous Peoples are heard and recognized as full partners and rights-holders in the governance of the world’s shared heritage.
Headline: Voting Opens for 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year
Tree of the Year NZ 2025 launches this week, inviting the public to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of six remarkable trees across the country. Run by the NZ Notable Trees Trust, Tree of the Year is a celebration of the iconic trees that shape our landscapes, memories, and communities.
The kimono garment, the national dress of Japan, carries within itself all of the magic and traditions of Japanese culture.
The basic features of the kimono are fairly simple. It is a wrapped front garment with square sleeves that has a rectangular body where the left side is wrapped over the right, except in funerary use.
The garment may be traced back to the Heian period as a distinctive style of dress for the nobility. In the Edo period (1603–1867) it came to a glorious culmination with colourful and expensive fabrics.
The great poet Matsuo Bashō once wrote “Spring passes by / again and again in layers / of blossom-kimono”. Since childhood I’ve loved the mystical image “blossom-kimono”.
In 2020, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London staged their epic exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, where hundreds of garments, accessories, prints and photographs charted the history of the kimono from the 17th century through to the present.
A new exhibition from the National Gallery of Victoria is similarly ambitious. Over 70 fabulous garments of exquisite craftsmanship – some made of silk with gold and silver embroidery and dazzling designs – have been assembled within a context of over 150 paintings, posters, wood block prints, magazines and decorative arts.
Although many of the items have never been previously exhibited in Australia, most are now in the collection of the NGV, with many specifically acquired for this exhibition.
Exquisite production
There are seven newly acquired Edo-period silk and ramie kimonos, richly decorated with leaves, tendrils and falling snow. They provide us with a glimpse at the wealth and sophistication of the samurai and merchant classes of the 18th and 19th centuries.
One of the highlights is the Uchikake Furisode wedding kimono with pine, bamboo, plum and cranes, from the early to mid-19th century.
It is a display of exquisite taste with satin silk, shibori tie dyeing, and embroidery with gold thread. The birds and the vegetation seem to float on the surface and must have created an amazing sight when worn.
Uchikake Furisode wedding kimono with pine, bamboo, plum, and cranes early–mid 19th century. Satin silk, shibori tie dyeing, embroidery, gold thread, 177.5 cm (centre back) 131.0 cm (cuff to cuff). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased with funds donated by Michael and Emily Tong, 2024
The garment is simple and functional and, despite the exquisiteness of its production, it is also restrained in contrast to the conspicuous exuberance of some examples of 19th century European courtly dress.
Some of these Edo period kimonos can become quite narrative-driven in their design, as with the Hitoe kosode kimono with themes alluding to eight Noh theatre plays of the late Edo period. Slightly smaller than the wedding kimono, that was 177.5 cm long as opposed to 167 cm, this one revels in a blue background on gauze satin silk with a multiplicity of little narrative scenes like an assembly of diverse stage sets.
Hitoe kosode, kimono with themes alluding to eight Noh theatre plays late Edo period. Gauze satin silk, paste resist dye, embroidery, gold thread, 167.0 cm (centre back) 124.0 cm (cuff to cuff). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased with funds donated by Jennifer Lempriere and Michael Pithie, 2024
The exhibition also includes the work of contemporary Japanese kimono designers including Hiroko Takahashi, Jotaro Saito, Modern Antenna, Tamao Shigemune, Y&SONS, Rumi Rock and Robe Japonica.
The kimono as a concept
The kimono is more than an historic artefact, one where ideas and methods of production were to remain constant for centuries. It is also an idea that inspires designers working in international fashion houses.
The NGV exhibition includes kimono-inspired works of Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano, Comme des Garçon, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Zambesi and Rudi Gernreich.
Alexander McQueen’s Gown, belt and sandals (Dégradé) (2007) is one of the takeaway memories from this exhibition. The humble functional kimono has been totally transfigured.
To the silk-satin shell there have been added leather, metal and rubber accessories and synthetic shoulder pads. The purple and pink colour scheme and the sweeping sleeves that trail along the ground create a mesmerising and dominant phantom-like character that owns and dominates the space.
It is difficult not to be impressed by McQueen’s vision, but we have now moved quite a long way from the kimono.
The kimono is a wonderful concept – an armature on which to hang many different ideas. The beauty of this exhibition is that it frees the idea of a garment from a static piece of cloth, at best to be displayed on a dummy, to something approaching a concept in design that artists will clasp and from which they will create their own work.
There are many rich nuances in the show, for example the superb almost monochrome and somewhat gothic Men’s undergarment (nagajuban) with graveyard, skulls and crescent moon (c.1930).
Men’s undergarment (nagajuban) with graveyard, skulls and crescent moon c. 1930. Silk, wool, cotton 127.0 cm (centre back) 130.5 cm (cuff to cuff). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Maureen Morrisey Bequest, 2018
At the same time, we have Women’s kimono with geometric design and accessories (c.1930) with its polychrome exuberance with reds, blacks and greys combining geometric motifs with soft organic feather-like forms.
Bashō’s “blossom-kimono” was a meditation on the passing of time and the hope that a young girl will live to experience wrinkles that come with old age. The kimono in this exhibition celebrates the passing of time and generational change within the life of an immortal idea about function, form and ideas of beauty.
Kimono is at the National Gallery of Victoria until October 5.
Sasha Grishin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Victorian MP Moira Deeming attracted headlines recently when news broke she’s intending to sue three former Liberal premiers, among other party figures.
Why? Deeming is trying to recoup millions of dollars in legal costs after a successful defamation case.
Who pays for legal action in Australia, particularly in civil courts, can be confusing. But given how expensive litigation can be and the big names involved in this case, it’s worth unpacking.
How did we get here?
In March 2023, Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming spoke at a “Let Women Speak” rally held at Parliament House in Melbourne. The rally was interrupted by protesters, who were described as “neo-Nazis”.
After the rally, the then-Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto made a series of public statements implying Deeming had associations with the neo-Nazi groups and therefore needed to be expelled from parliament.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, in December 2023 Deeming sued Pesutto in the Federal Court for defamation. A year later, she won her lawsuit.
Pesutto was ordered to pay $300,000 in damages for the harm to Deeming’s reputation and the associated emotional distress she suffered.
But that wasn’t the end of what Pesutto had to pay.
Last month, the Federal Court also ordered Pesutto to pay $2.3 million to cover Deeming’s costs in winning her suit (in addition to having to pay his own costs).
This has created some serious problems for both Pesutto and Deeming.
It is a problem for Pesutto because he doesn’t have the money to pay and is now facing bankruptcy proceedings and his own possible expulsion from parliament.
Former premier Jeff Kennett has spruiked a crowdfunding campaign to help fund Pesutto’s legal liabilities.
It is a problem for Deeming because she will be out $2.3 million if Pesutto cannot come up with the money.
So, Deeming is now looking around for someone else who might be made to pay Pesutto’s tab.
What does the law say?
The reason Pesutto has to pay is that in nearly all Australian courts, the standard order at the end of a lawsuit is that the loser has to pay the costs – for example, lawyers’ fees, court costs, and expert witness fees – of the winner.
Usually the loser simply makes payment, unless they don’t have the financial means to do so, and the court proceedings are over.
However, the court can make “third-party costs orders”. These are orders making someone other than the losing party responsible for paying the loser’s costs bill.
Deeming’s solicitor has indicated, in a widely reported letter to Pesutto’s lawyers, that Deeming intends to seek payment of her costs from up to nine Liberal Party notables, including former premiers Ted Baillieu, Denis Napthine and Jeff Kennett, due to their alleged funding of Pesutto’s legal costs during the case.
Though the court rules allow for a third party to pay costs, and courts have broad discretion to make almost any kind of costs order, the High Court has established certain circumstances that should be considered first.
These circumstances include where a party to a lawsuit is insolvent or a “person of straw”, and where a third party has an interest in the subject of the litigation.
Perhaps tellingly, the letter from Deeming’s solicitor reportedly states Pesutto was a person of straw and that the Liberal Party figures did have an interest in the proceedings. However, this would need to be accepted by a court for Deeming to be successful.
How can people bankroll the court battles of others?
Providing money to support another person bringing litigation was originally frowned on by the law. It was regarded as “champerty” and “maintenance”. Both were treated as criminal offences.
The High Court of Australia has observed that law of maintenance and champerty can been traced to the Statute of Westminster the First of 1275. Some trace it back to Greek and Roman law.
Maintenance was where a person “improperly, and for the purpose of stirring up litigation and strife, encourages others either to bring actions, or to make defences which they have no right to make”.
But there were exceptions, such as where the maintainer acted from charitable motives or because the person maintained was family.
Champerty was a type of maintenance where the funder received some reward, such as part of the outcome of the successful litigation. The vice was stirring up litigation, oppressing others and creating an incentive to tamper with evidence.
Over time, however, Australian jurisdictions abolished the prohibition.
Access to justice, including the ability to raise a defence, is often costly in Australia because of legal fees and the loser pays system. Many litigants need financial help to bring or defend litigation.
Indeed, Australia now allows third-party litigation funding where a corporate entity funds the proceedings in return for a share of the recovery, as is commonly used in class actions and insolvency cases.
While bankrolling of civil litigation is now business as usual, it is not entirely unregulated. The courts have power to prevent an “abuse of process”, typically through permanently halting proceedings.
An abuse of process typically arises where the use of the court’s procedures unjustifiably negatively affects a party, or where it serves to bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
If a funder repeatedly supported unmeritorious claims or defences, or misused court procedures, then the courts can step in, but this is a high bar.
As a result, the main response to third parties financing litigation is to seek costs from them when the unsuccessful party cannot pay. Deeming will need to pursue this through the court.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.-34) led 17 of their colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Kika Scott demanding the Trump Administration provide answers on the changes it has made in determining deferred action for youth with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). The Members also express concern that these changes leave SIJS youth vulnerable to exploitation and deportation.
“We write to express our concern regarding recent changes seen in determinations of deferred action for youth with special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS), and to request further information about SIJS deferred action policy and adjudications,” wrote the Members. “Since early April, SIJS recipients have been receiving SIJS approval notices without deferred action determinations. This leaves abused and abandoned youth in legal limbo while heightening their vulnerability to exploitation.”
Created in 1990, SIJS provides permanent protection to immigrant children who have survived parental abuse, abandonment, neglect, or similar harms and for whom it would be dangerous to return to their home country. Since 2022, youth with SIJS have also received a deferred action designation, allowing them to legally work and avoid the danger of deportation while waiting to apply for lawful permanent residency. There has been a backlog of applications for permanent residency since April 2016.
“In the absence of a durable solution to the SIJS backlog, we believe it is critical that USCIS continue to consider every approved SIJS petitioner for deferred action,” continued the Members. “Additionally, we are deeply concerned by reports from practitioners of increased occurrences of detention and deportation of SIJS recipients, with ICE acting to strip SIJS youth of deferred action upon detaining them. Barring other circumstances, seeking removal of SIJS youth who are awaiting visa availability is in direct contravention of congressional intent for the program.”
In addition to their letter, Senator Cortez Masto introduced the Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act to fix the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) program. This legislation would exempt SIJS children from annual employment-based visa caps, ending years-long case backlogs and allowing these children to move forward with their lives as lawful permanent residents of the United States. Congressman Gomez introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Read the full letter here and the bill here. Additional signatories to the letter include Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.-09), Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.-02), Luz Rivas (D-Calif.-29), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09), Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.-20), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52), and Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.-07).
The first and only Latina senator, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada, calling on both administrations to protect TPS holders and other immigrants, as well as leading commonsense legislation to fix our broken immigration system. Cortez Masto joined Senator Rosen (D-Nev.) in introducing the Born in the USA Act to effectively block the implementation of President Trump’s unconstitutional Executive Order attempting to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States. She has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers.
Job seekers can submit job applications during the event and may be selected for on-the-spot interviews. They can also make enquiries on the employment services provided by the LD at its counter inside the venue.
The job fair will be held from 11am to 5.30pm at the Tin Ching Community Hall, Tin Ching Estate, Tin Wah Road, Tin Shui Wai (near Light Rail Tin Yuet Station). Admission is free, with final admission time at 5pm each day. Issued at HKT 11:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Rabies Regulation (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2025 (the Amendment Notice) and the Rabies (Transponders on Imported Dogs) (Exemption) Notice (the Exemption Notice) were published in the Gazette today (June 6). The Amendment Notice aims to introduce the International Organization for Standardization standard microchip (ISO microchip) containing the specific code of Hong Kong for dog identification purposes and as evidence that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies, while the Exemption Notice will exempt legally imported dogs from the need of implanting a microchip as mentioned above.
A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau said, “Currently, many countries and places commonly use the ISO microchip. The Government will introduce an ISO microchip containing the specific code of Hong Kong in addition to the existing AVID microchip. Dogs in Hong Kong already implanted with the AVID microchip and dogs legally imported and implanted with the ISO microchip do not need to additionally implant the ISO microchip containing the specific code of Hong Kong. The new measure will further facilitate the movement of dogs into and out of Hong Kong while ensuring the source of the microchip could be traced.”
To prevent and control rabies, the Rabies Regulation (Cap. 421A) requires keepers of dogs to ensure that their dogs are vaccinated against rabies, microchipped and licensed at the age of 5 months, and thereafter the dogs are to be revaccinated against rabies and have the licence renewed every three years. The Government has consulted the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of the Legislative Council and stakeholders, including licensed animal traders, animal welfare organisations, pet transport agents, veterinary clinics and animal organisations regarding the Notices and have obtained general support.
The two Notices will be tabled by the Government before the Legislative Council at its sitting on June 11 for negative vetting, and will enter into force on August 1, 2025.
Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwright and Soo Hugh Australians in Film, in association with presenting partners Screen Australia and VicScreen, proudly announce the return of FUTURE VISION—Australia’s premier global television exchange for the world’s top creative minds—set to take place July 14–16 at ACMI, Australia’s national museum of screen culture in Melbourne. With the global screen industry in flux, FUTURE VISION enables Australia’s leading creatives to connect and forge smarter collaborations with each other and international partners as they collectively reflect, reimagine and reinvigorate the way stories are told. Three of the most powerful global voices in contemporary storytelling will headline the second annual event.
Richard Gadd, the multi-Emmy, Golden Globe and Peabody-winning creator and star of the cultural phenomenon Baby Reindeer. Sally Wainwright, BAFTA award-winning creator and director of the critically acclaimed Happy Valley. Soo Hugh, Peabody-winning and BAFTA-nominated creator of the internationally lauded series Pachinko.
Bruna Papandrea (Nine Perfect Strangers) and Tony Ayres (The Survivors), return as FUTURE VISION co-chairs, continuing their leadership at a time where strategic solutions have never been more important. With the international screen industry confronting global market contraction, regulatory uncertainty, and the rise of AI — FUTURE VISION 2025 will explore how creativity and strategic collaboration can guide the industry forward. This year’s theme, Optimism, builds upon last year’s focus on Courage, inviting attendees to reimagine what’s possible in this rapidly evolving media landscape. Papandrea and Ayres said, “We are so enormously thrilled to have three of our television heroes coming to FUTURE VISION this year. Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwright, and Soo Hugh are undoubtedly some of the most exciting television creators in the world today. They create unforgettable worlds and characters that explode onto our screens, and they are masters of their craft. We cannot wait to engage with them in Melbourne and bring their thinking and provocation to the thought leaders at home.” Richard Gadd said, “Events like FUTURE VISION are very important. They bring together people who care about pushing boundaries, taking risks, and telling stories that mean something.” Sally Wainwright said, “I’m delighted to have been asked to take part in FUTURE VISION and am looking forward hugely to talking telly with everyone. One of my absolute favourite shows of recent years was Deadloch. I loved it because it was as absurd as it was dark, which for me is always a winning combination. I’m thrilled to be able to visit where it was shot.” Soo Hugh said, “Throughout my career, I’ve been lucky to learn from extraordinary storytellers who taught me the power of vision and reminded me how deeply personal stories can resonate globally. I’m excited to attend FUTURE VISION – to listen, exchange ideas, and be inspired by voices that see the world a little differently.” FUTURE VISION will once again bring together drama and narrative comedy creators, writers, producers, commissioners, and development executives from Australia and across the globe for three days of cutting-edge conversation and strategic thinking:
Monday, July 14 – OPEN DAY: A day open to established creatives, industry stakeholders, and curious minds. Also available via livestream for those who cannot make it to Melbourne. July 15–16 – INVITE-ONLY SESSIONS: Programming for top-tier writers, directors, producers, and commissioning executives.
From keynote conversations to insightful case studies, FUTURE VISION offers an unprecedented opportunity for the industry to come together, think big, and shape the future of television. Screen Australia COO Grainne Brunsdon says: “Screen Australia is proud to be supporting FUTURE VISION once again. With Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwright and Soo Hugh to headline, the 2025 offering will be valuable for our Australian screen sector to come together and learn from key industry players on how we can continue to launch our stories onto a global stage. Considering our local industry is already one of innovation, strong community and resilience, we have good reason to get behind the event’s theme of Optimism.” Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks says, “Victoria’s screen industry has a strong track record of creating high-end television that captivates audiences across the globe. We’re proud to support the return of FUTURE VISION to Melbourne for another year. This event connects Australia’s leading screen storytellers with the creators of some the world’s most watched TV series. From global sensation Apple Cider Vinegar to forthcoming new series The Survivors, Victoria continues to be a global screen powerhouse.” Australians in Film Executive Director Peter Ritchie says; “There are real opportunities for the Australian screen sector globally, and we are so enormously grateful to our headline international guests, our co-Chairs, Screen Australia and VicScreen, all our industry partners, attendees and guests who are coming together so generously to prioritize a strategic approach to the ways we commission, develop and execute our Australian screen stories for international audiences.” FUTURE VISION is proudly supported by industry peers Walt Disney Company Australia & New Zealand, Netflix and Stan. Our Venue Partner is ACMI, our Official Hotel Partner is Sofitel Melbourne On Collins and our Supporting Partner is Scape. FUTURE VISION Media Enquiries Jane Lunn C/- LUNN &Co +61 402 248 811 | [email protected] Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist + 61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected] Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu) + 61 428 767 836 | [email protected] All other general/non-media enquiries Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 6, 2025.
Defections are fairly common in Australian politics. But history shows they are rarely a good career move Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University For many years now, Australian political scientists have pointed out that that established partisan allegiance is in decline. In 1967, 36% of Coalition supporters and 32% of Labor voters reported lifetime voting
Spit or swallow? What’s the best way to deal with phlegm? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Niall Johnston, Conjoint Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney Pop Paul-Catalin/Shutterstock A spitting pot I consider as an essential part of the bed-room apparatus. That’s what French physician René Laennec wrote in 1821. Laennec, who invented the stethoscope, spent his days gazing at his patients’ phlegm.
Australia is in the firing line of Trump’s looming ‘revenge tax’. It’s a fight we’re unlikely to win Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Cooper, Professor of Taxation Law, University of Sydney Alexey_Arz/Shutterstock The Australian Labor Party just won an election victory for the ages. Now, it may be forced to walk back one of the key achievements of its first term. Here’s why: United States President Donald Trump is
‘HIV shouldn’t be death sentence in Fiji’ – call for testing amid outbreak By Christina Persico, RNZ Pacific bulletin editor Fiji’s Minister for Health and Medical Services has revealed the latest HIV numbers in the country to a development partner roundtable discussing the national response. The minister reported 490 new HIV cases between October and December last year, bringing the 2024 total to 1583. “Included in this number
E-bikes and e-scooters are popular – but dangerous. A transport expert explains how to make them safer Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Rose, Professor in Transport Engineering, Monash Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University nazar_ab/Getty Last weekend a pedestrian in Perth tragically died after being struck by an e-scooter. This followed the death of another person in Victoria last month who was hit and killed by a modified
‘There are too many unpleasant things in life without creating more’: why Impressionism is the world’s favourite art movement Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sasha Grishin, Adjunct Professor of Art History, Australian National University Installation view of French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston on display from June 6 to October 5, at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Sean Fennessy Impressionism is the world’s favourite art movement. Impressionist paintings create
‘Deadly’ sports diplomacy: why Australia’s Indigenous people must be a part of our sports strategy Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stuart Murray, Associate Professor, International Relations and Diplomacy, Bond University Sean Garnsworthy/ALLSPORT Since coming to power in 2022, the Albanese government has focused strongly on the Indo-Pacific. The prime minister’s recent trip to Indonesia was the latest high-level bilateral summit as Australia seeks to recalibrate relationships, enhance
Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau RyanJLane/Getty Images As part of its resource management reforms, the government will soon allow “super-sized granny flats” to be built without consent – potentially adding 13,000 dwellings over the next decade to provide “families
Is black mould really as bad for us as we think? A toxicologist explains Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Peeradontax/Shutterstock Mould in houses is unsightly and may cause unpleasant odours. More important though, mould has been linked to a range of health effects – especially triggering asthma. However, is mould exposure linked to a serious lung disease
Resident-to-resident aggression is common in nursing homes. Here’s how we can improve residents’ safety Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Ibrahim, Professor, Aged Care Medical Research Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University Wbmul/Shutterstock The Coroners Court of Victoria is undertaking an inquest into the deaths of eight aged care residents across six facilities, over a nine-month period in 2021. Each death occurred
We tracked 13,000 giants of the ocean over 30 years, to uncover their hidden highways Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ana M. M. Sequeira, Associate Professor, Research School of Biology, Australian National University Alexandra Vautin, Shutterstock Big animals of the ocean go about their days mostly hidden from view. Scientists know this marine megafauna – such as whales, sharks, seal, turtles and birds – travel vast distances
‘No one knew what was happening’: new research shows how domestic violence harms young people’s schooling Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Roberts, Professor of Education and Social Justice, Monash University Taiki Ishikawa/ Unsplash, CC BY Every school around Australia is almost certain to have students who are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence. The 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study found neglect and physical, sexual and emotional abuse
Internal tensions throw PNG anti-corruption body into crisis By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Three staffers from Papua New Guinea’s peak anti-corruption body are embroiled in a standoff that has brought into question the integrity of the organisation. Police Commissioner David Manning has confirmed that he received a formal complaint. Commissioner Manning said that initial inquiries were underway to inform the “sensitive
Tasmania could go to an election just 16 months after its last one. What’s going on? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania Tasmania’s Liberal government and its premier, Jeremy Rockliff, have come under huge pressure since the state budget was handed down last week. It’s culminated in the Tasmanian House of Assembly voting to pass a motion of no
Grattan on Friday: Albanese will need some nuance in facing a female opposition leader Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese loves a trophy, especially a human one. He prides himself on his various “captain’s pick” candidates – good campaigners he has steered into seats. Way back in the Gillard days, he was key in persuading discontented Liberal Peter
Punishment for Te Pāti Māori over Treaty haka stands – but MPs ‘will not be silenced’ RNZ News Aotearoa New Zealand’s Parliament has confirmed the unprecedented punishments proposed for opposition indigenous Te Pāti Māori MPs who performed a haka in protest against the Treaty Principles Bill. Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi will be suspended for 21 days, and MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for seven days, taking effect
Virgin Australia is coming back to the share market. Here’s what this new chapter could mean Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rico Merkert, Professor in Transport and Supply Chain Management and Deputy Director, Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS), University of Sydney Business School, University of Sydney Petr Podrouzek/Shutterstock It is finally happening. After five years of being a private company, Virgin Australia will relist on the
GPs asking men about their behaviour in relationships could help reduce domestic violence Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelsey Hegarty, Professor of Family Violence Prevention, The University of Melbourne Domestic violence is increasing in Australia. A new report shows one in three men have ever made a partner feel frightened or anxious. One in 11 have used physical violence when angry. And one in 50
The Top End’s tropical savannas are a natural wonder – but weak environment laws mean their future is uncertain Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University François Brassard The Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory contains an extensive, awe-inspiring expanse of tropical savanna landscapes. It includes well-known and much-loved regions such as Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Arnhem
The plans of five alleged car thieves have been busted by Rangiora Police.
The quintet were apprehended about 2am on Wednesday 4 June, two cars of interest were tracked to Pegasus, north of Christchurch. The vehicles had been stolen earlier in the night, one from Bishopdale and the other from St Albans.
With only one way out of Pegasus, Police laid spikes and waited until the alleged offenders drove over them, Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel said.
“They’ve kept driving for a short distance, but the spikes did their job and both cars eventually came to a stop.”
Police apprehended the boys and young men without further incident, but Police discovered another vehicle had been interfered with.
“At Pegasus, we’ve established there was an attempt to steal a third vehicle, but all they’ve done is break a window and make a mess of the ignition – and sadly, that’s a headache for yet another car owner.”
The five are aged between 13 and 23, Senior Sergeant McDaniel said.
The 13-year-old has been referred to Youth Services, while the other four are scheduled to appear in the Christchurch District Court and Christchurch Youth Court on charges including unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, attempting to unlawfully take a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of an air rifle, and failing to stop for Police.
“We know car theft is an ongoing problem and urge vehicle owners to purchase immobilisers or steering wheel locks if they have to park on the street.
“Even with attempted car theft, it’s more than an inconvenience, because offenders can cause a lot of damage to the ignition when they’re attempting to start the car. This offending has a real impact on real people’s lives, and we need the community’s help to prevent it.
“If you see suspicious activity, such as people casing out vehicles, the best thing you can do is call 111 immediately.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GENEVA, June 6 (Xinhua) — United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Thursday expressed concern over the new travel ban imposed by the United States.
In a statement sent to Xinhua, he said the broad and comprehensive nature of the new restrictions raises concerns “from the perspective of international law.”
According to F. Türk, although international law allows states to regulate their borders sovereignly, they “have an obligation to ensure equal protection of all persons before the law and to prevent discrimination on any grounds, including nationality, origin, religion, migration or other status.”
“We are also generally concerned that the extremely unfortunate official public statements containing disparaging assessments of those affected by these measures contribute to the stigmatization of people from the countries concerned both in the United States and abroad and may increase their likelihood of facing xenophobic hostility and harassment,” the High Commissioner added.
US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday completely banning entry into the country for citizens of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Eritrea. The document will go into effect on June 9. –0–
Big animals of the ocean go about their days mostly hidden from view. Scientists know this marine megafauna – such as whales, sharks, seal, turtles and birds – travel vast distances to feed and breed.
But almost a third are now at risk of extinction due largely to fishing, shipping, pollution and global warming.
Protecting them can be difficult, because we don’t often know where these animals are.
New research I led sought to shed light on the issue. My colleagues and I gathered 30 years of satellite tracking data to map hotspots of megafauna activity around the globe.
We tracked 12,794 animals from 111 species to find out where they go. The results reveal underwater “highways” where megafauna crisscross the global Ocean. They also show where megafauna dwell for feeding and breeding. Now we know where these special places are, we have a better chance of protecting them.
Satellite tracking reveals marine megafauna migration pathways and places of residence. Sequeira et al (2025) Science
Pulling all the data together: a mega task
For more than 30 years, marine biologists have tagged large animals in the sea with electronic devices and tracked their movements via satellite. The trackers capture data on everything from speed of travel, to direction of movement and where the animals spend most of their time.
I put a call out to the global research community to bring together the tracking data. I hoped it would help scientists better understand the animals’ movements and identify their favourite places.
Some 378 scientists from 50 countries responded. We assembled the world’s largest tracking dataset of marine megafauna. It includes species of flying birds, whales, fishes (mostly sharks), penguins, polar bears, seals, dugongs, manatees and turtles. They were tracked between 1985 and 2018, throughout the world’s oceans.
Ana Sequeira swimming with a whale shark in Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, to collect samples. Australian Institute of Marine Science
Mapping reveals a lack of protection
When we started analysing the data, it showed the tagged animals used some parts of the ocean more frequently than others. Most of them travelled to the central Indian Ocean, northeast Pacific Ocean, Atlantic north, and waters around Mozambique and South Africa.
It’s likely this reflects a lack of data from elsewhere. However, these species are known to go to places where they are most likely to find food, so we expect some areas to be used more than others (including the areas we detected).
Currently only about 8% of the global ocean is protected. And only 5% of the important marine megafauna areas we identified occur within these existing marine protected areas.
This leaves all of the other important marine megafauna areas we identified unprotected. In other words, the species using those areas are likely to suffer harm from human activities taking place at sea.
More than 90% of the important marine megafauna areas we identified are exposed to high plastic pollution, shipping traffic or to intensifying global warming. And about 75% are exposed to industrial fishing.
We also found marine megafauna tend to spend most of their time within exclusive economic zones. This area lies beyond the territorial sea or belt of water 12 nautical miles from the coast of each country, extending 200 nautical miles from shore. The presence of megafauna in these exclusive economic zones means individual countries could increase the protection afforded within their jurisdictions.
About 40% of the important marine megafauna areas were located in these zones. But about 60% were on the high seas.
The future of marine megafauna conservation
The High Seas Treaty, recently adopted by the United Nations and signed by 115 countries, governs the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological biodiversity on the open ocean.
Working alongside this treaty, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030. This presents an opportunity to ensure important marine megafauna areas are well represented.
We used an optimisation algorithm to identify the best areas to protect, when it comes to marine megafauna. We gave priority to areas that are potentially used for feeding, breeding, resting and migrating across all the different species.
But even if important marine megafauna areas are selected when 30% of the ocean is protected, about 60% of these areas would still stay unprotected.
Significant risks from human activities will remain. Management efforts must also focus on reducing harm from fishing and shipping. Fighting climate change and cutting down noise and plastic pollution should also be key priorities.
Like for most megafauna on land, the reign of marine megafauna might come to an end if humanity does not afford these species greater protection.
Ana M. M. Sequeira receives funding from the Australian Research Council and a Pew Marine Fellowship from the Pew Charitable Trusts. She is also affiliated with the University of Western Australia.
Mould in houses is unsightly and may cause unpleasant odours. More important though, mould has been linked to a range of health effects – especially triggering asthma.
However, is mould exposure linked to a serious lung disease in children, unrelated to asthma? As we’ll see, this link may not be real, or if it is, it’s so rare to not be a meaningful risk. Yet we still hear mould in damp homes described as “toxic”.
Indeed, mouldy homes can harm people’s health, but not necessarily how you might think.
What is mould?
Mould is the general term for a variety of fungi. The mould that people have focused on in damp homes is “black mould”. This forms unsightly black patches on walls and other parts of damp-affected buildings.
Black mould is not a single fungus. But when people talk about black mould, they generally mean the fungus Stachybotrys chartarum or S. chartarum for short. It’s one of experts’ top ten feared fungi.
The focus on this species comes from a report in the 1990s on cases of haemorrhagic lung disease in a number of infants. This is a rare disease where blood leaks into the lungs, and can be fatal. The report suggested chemicals known as mycotoxins associated with this species of fungus were responsible for the outbreak.
Hundreds of different chemicals are listed as myocytoxins. These include ones in poisonous mushrooms, and ones associated with the soil fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus.
The fungus typically associated with black mould S. chartarum can produce several mycotoxins. These include roridin, which inhibits protein synthesis in humans and animals, and satratoxins, which have numerous toxic effects including bleeding in the lungs.
While the satratoxins, in particular, were mentioned in the report from the 90s in children, there are some problems when we look at the evidence.
The amount of mycotoxins S. chartarum makes can vary considerably. Even if significant amounts of mycotoxin are present, getting them into the body in the required amount to cause damage is another thing.
Inhaling spores in contaminated (mouldy) homes is the most probable way mycotoxins enter the body. For instance, we know mycotoxins can be found in S. chartarumspores. We also know direct injection of high concentrations of mycotoxin-bearing spores directly in the noses of mice can cause some lung bleeding.
Stachybotrys chartarum mycotoxins have been blamed for lung issues after exposure to black mould. Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock
But just because inhaling spores is the probable route of contamination doesn’t mean this is very likely.
Moulds can affect human health in ways unrelated to mycotoxins, typically through allergic reactions. Moulds including black moulds can trigger or worsen asthma attacks in people with mould allergies.
People with impaired immune systems (such as people taking immune-suppressant medications) may also be prone to mould infections.
In a nutshell
There is sufficient evidence that household mould is associated with respiratory issues attributable to their allergic effects.
However, there is no strong evidence mycotoxins from household mould – and in particular black mould – are associated with substantial health issues.
Ian Musgrave has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study adverse reactions to herbal medicines and has previously been funded by the Australian Research Council to study potential natural product treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. He is currently a member of one of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s statutory councils.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, attends the “Youth Responsibility in a Shared Future: Islamic-Confucian Dialogue and New Horizons for Malaysia-China Cooperation” forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Openness for dialogue between Malaysia and China plays a key role in strengthening civilizational exchanges and enhancing people-to-people relations by bridging differences, according to academics and experts at a forum in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
The Global Civilization Initiative, proposed by China, holds significant theoretical and practical value in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, building a just and equitable international order, and enhancing mutual understanding, Shao Liang, counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia, told the “Youth Responsibility in a Shared Future: Islamic-Confucian Dialogue and New Horizons for Malaysia-China Cooperation” forum.
“We are living in a time of tremendous global uncertainty,” said Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan, president of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association, noting that in response to global challenges, there is an urgent need to embrace civilizational dialogue.
Majid also called on young people to bravely shoulder the responsibilities of the times, promote the ideals of peace, and commit themselves to building an inclusive and harmonious global future.
For his part, Osman Bakar, rector of International Islamic University Malaysia, said that in today’s increasingly diverse world, cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Malaysia and China are more important than ever.
He stated that through dialogue and cooperation, young people can become bridges that connect different civilizations, resolve differences, and promote shared values.
The participating youth representatives generally agreed that young people should contribute to cultural exchange and civilizational dialogue between Malaysia and China.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China Daily | June 6, 2025
In Minchinabad, Pakistan’s Punjab province, Muhammad Basit Ghauri, a keen observer of the country’s energy transition, is excited about the progress made there.
Nearly every home, public building, shop and mosque in the city is adorned with glistening solar panels, many of which were imported from China. This scene was something Ghauri didn’t expect to see in areas so far away from major cities, but the sight of solar panels is becoming ever more common in Pakistan.
“What used to be a luxury — solar energy — has now become a practical solution for the lower-middle and even lower income households,” said Ghauri, who works for Renewables First, a Pakistani think tank, in an interview ahead of World Environment Day, which fell on Thursday.
As China pioneers the development of an ecological civilization, the ripple effects of the unwavering commitment of the world’s largest developing nation have extended far beyond its borders, notably benefiting other developing countries like Pakistan.
Experts and officials are envisioning greener, more sustainable futures for countries in the Global South, drawing inspiration from China’s pioneering advancements in environmental and climate initiatives.
This resonates strongly with one of the key tenets of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, which emphasizes China’s commitment to jointly promote the construction of a global ecological civilization and get deeply involved in global environmental governance, in order to come up with a worldwide solution for environmental protection and sustainable development.
For Ghauri, the ongoing energy transition in Pakistan has primarily been propelled by the declining costs of solar energy and the increasing prices of electricity from the country’s unreliable grid, with solar panels from China playing a crucial role in facilitating this shift.
Pakistan purchased some 16 gigawatts of solar panels from China last year at a cost of more than $2 billion, Ghauri said.
According to the International Energy Agency, China accounts for approximately 80 percent of global solar photovoltaic module manufacturing and has driven a more than 80 percent reduction in the price of solar panels over the past decade.
Ghauri said that instead of just importing its solar products, Pakistan can also learn from China’s experiences in developing its solar energy industry.
“No one has built a stronger solar supply chain than China. They dominate global manufacturing not by accident, but through smart investments and a long-term strategy,” he said.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited China in December, engaging in an in-depth discussion with Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu.
While praising China’s significant achievements in air pollution control, Sharif expressed a sincere desire to strengthen communication and collaboration with China on air quality management, the renewable energy industry and low-carbon development, according to the ministry.
In interviews with China Daily during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Azerbaijan late last year, the environment ministers of Cambodia and Nigeria also expressed their hopes of learning from China’s experiences to advance environmental and climate initiatives in their respective countries.
Eang Sophalleth, Cambodia’s minister for the environment, said: “China has been through so much in the past 20 years. Those experiences are very rich. Cambodia is going through the same phase of developing. And with that experience, it can help us to minimize the impact on the environment in Cambodia.”
Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Nigeria’s minister for the environment, underscored that there is significant potential for China to assist developing nations in addressing their climate challenges.
“China is a country that understands what we are going through because they have gone through it,” he said.
Dimitri de Boer, director for China at ClientEarth, an environmental law organization, said there is a major opportunity for developing countries to learn from how China is moving toward green and low-carbon development.
While China has enjoyed impressive economic growth, with people’s living standards having improved significantly, the country has also experienced significant environmental improvement in the past decade, he said.
“Air pollution dropped by more than half, surface water quality is much better, and cities are becoming greener. China’s carbon emissions are starting to plateau, even while power demand continues to increase every year,” he said.
De Boer emphasized China’s potential to collaborate with other developing nations in advancing their green and low-carbon development initiatives.
Solar and wind power are now often more affordable than fossil fuels, with their cost continuing to drop, and electric vehicles are becoming very competitive, de Boer said.
“Countries with a decent level of industrialization could be very well placed to start producing these green technologies in their countries, providing major new business and employment opportunities,” he added.
As Men’s Health Week (9–15 June) approaches, ExerciseNZ is calling on men across Aotearoa to rethink strength, not just in terms of muscle, but in how we care for our bodies, minds, and futures.
New global research published in European Heart Journal has raised concerns about the heart health of men who overindulge in strength-based training, especially those focused primarily on bodybuilding, often using extreme training methods or performance-enhancing substances. While the findings are serious, they also present a valuable opportunity to shine a light on a more sustainable and empowering path to health and fitness. Men’s Health Week reminds us that small, consistent steps make a big difference. ExerciseNZ CEO Richard Beddie says: “It’s not about pushing hard, it’s about being consistent, staying safe, and building strength for the right reasons.”
Why Men’s Health Week Matters
Men in Aotearoa face some sobering health statistics. A boy born today is likely to live nearly four years less than a girl born next door. He’s also 20% more likely to die from a heart attack and 30% more likely to develop diabetes. Every day, eight Kiwi families lose a loved partner, father, or family member to an illness that could have been prevented.
Even more concerning, one in four men in New Zealand won’t live to see retirement age. The picture is even more serious for Māori and Pasifika men, who experience lower life expectancy and higher rates of illness than other groups in Aotearoa.
But there is hope. Exercise is consistently recognised as one of the most effective forms of preventative medicine, often more powerful than pharmaceuticals for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Moving more isn’t just about fitness, it’s about staying alive, connected, and well.
Strength Training: A Tool for Life
Strength training is one of the most powerful tools men can use to improve both physical and mental wellbeing. It supports stronger bones, better sleep, sharper minds, and a reduced risk of disease. However, as the new research shows, extremes come with risk. You don’t need to overtrain to get results. Progress built on balance lasts longer. This Men’s Health Week, ExerciseNZ encourages men to realign their training goals using the following tips:
Train with intention: Choose sustainable movement, not just maximum effort. Seek support: If you’re unsure, work with a registered REPs trainer or facility. Connect to your why: Whether it’s being there for your tamariki, managing stress, or simply feeling better, know what drives you. Connect with others: Move with whānau, join a class, or share your journey. It’s easier (and more fun) together. Start small: Walk more. Stretch more. Move a little every day. Then build from there
Men’s Health Week is about empowering men to take charge. You don’t have to do everything, you just need to do something!
This morning, Waipā Networks cut the ribbon on its newly commissioned 33kV zone substation alongside Transpower’s Grid Exit Point (GXP) – a combined investment of over $45 million.
With Waipā’s population set to grow to around 75,000 over the next 25 years and another 13,200 homes to be built in and around the area, Waipā Networks’ new substation will significantly enhance resilience and future capacity to support our rapidly growing district.
Over 200 attendees gathered in Hautapu to mark the commissioning of the two projects, with the event opening with a karakia and the gifting of a special taonga by Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā mana whenua.
Waipā Networks Chief Executive Sean Horgan acknowledged everyone involved, including key partners, Transpower, and his team, for their mahi. He described the completion of this major infrastructure project as a landmark achievement and a first for Waipā Networks.
“This milestone represents a solid step forward for our business and the district’s energy future, supporting our growing business community by enhancing our ability to connect large new electricity loads to the network.
“It’s more than a technical achievement – it’s a declaration of intent. It strengthens our network, enables growth within Waipā, and lays the foundation for a low-carbon, electrified future.”
Horgan noted the timing was especially meaningful as the company celebrates over a century of service to the Waipā district and its communities.
“We are 100% owned by our customers, and it is an honour to look back at 100 years of service, while at the same time looking ahead to the future. Our mission remains the same: to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable electricity and to do it in a way that unlocks opportunities for our community.
Located in one of Waikato’s fastest-growing industrial zones, the new substation is designed to power the future, enabling electrified transport, low-carbon agriculture, regional manufacturing, and greater integration of solar, battery, and smart grid technologies.
“This is modern infrastructure, designed for a modern district that’s ready for growth.”
Transpower Executive General Manager Grid Delivery Mark Ryall says that Waipa is just one of many regions where demand for electricity is rapidly growing.
“Across the motu, we expect demand to grow around 70% by 2050 as Kiwis increasingly electrify the way we live and work. Transpower has a key enabling role for this energy transition as the owner and operator of our electricity transmission grid, working with our electricity sector partners across Aotearoa to deliver the reliable power system that our communities need to thrive and prosper.”
Transpower has completed 20 customer projects to connect new demand or relocate existing assets to make way for development over the last 18 months, not including new generation. During the same time, a further 15 projects have progressed to delivery, which involves detailed design or construction, and 23 have entered the investigation stage.
“These projects mean our local lines company partners like Waipā Networks can provide more power to their communities and big industrial users can electrify their operations. The future is bright, renewable and affordable, but getting there will require a heap of investment from Transpower and our partners across the industry. That’s an investment in our prosperity and energy security, and the hard mahi is well underway.”
Waipā is growing faster than ever before, and so is the need for a reliable and resilient electricity network.
Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan said it was a significant milestone not just for Cambridge, but for the entire Waipā district.
“It’s more than the completion of a critical infrastructure project, it’s a powerful symbol of growth, progress and foresight, and represents confidence in our district’s future,” she said.
“We’re building real communities – connected, thriving places where people can live and raise families, and where businesses can grow and succeed. Energy is a critical part and enabler of this.”
As the district steps into a new age of electricity, Horgan said the new substation is only the beginning.
“We’re also defining the design of our future network architecture for Te Awamutu and Kihikihi, harnessing new technology to provide practical and reliable solutions for our customers,” he adds.
“It’s about delivering for all of our communities; past, present, and future”.
The Australian Labor Party just won an election victory for the ages. Now, it may be forced to walk back one of the key achievements of its first term.
Here’s why: United States President Donald Trump is about to declare an income tax war on much of the world – and we Australians are not on the same side.
Over in the US, the “One Big Beautiful Bill act” – a tax and spending package worth trillions of dollars – has been passed by the House of Representatives. It’s now before the Senate for consideration.
Within it lies a new and highly controversial provision: Section 899. This increases various US tax rates payable by taxpayers from any country the US claims is maintaining an “unfair foreign tax” by five percentage points each year, up to an additional 20% loading.
Having been an integral part of an international effort to create a global 15% minimum tax, Australia now finds itself in the firing line of Trump’s “revenge tax” warfare – and it’s a fight we’re unlikely to win.
A global minimum tax rate
The origins of the looming income tax war started in 2013, when the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released its plan to stamp out “base erosion and profit shifting”.
This refers to a range of strategies often used by multinational companies to minimise the tax they pay, exploiting differences and gaps in the tax rules of different countries.
The OECD’s first attempt to tackle the problem was a collection of disparate measures directed not only at corporate tax avoidance, but also controlling tax poaching by national governments and “sweetheart deals” negotiated by tax officials.
Under both Labor and the Coalition, Australia was initially an enthusiastic backer of these attempts.
However, the project was not a widespread success. Many countries endorsed the final reports but, unlike Australia, few countries acted on them.
After the failure of this first project, the OECD tried again in 2019. This evolved to encompass two “pillars” to change the global tax rules.
Pillar one would give more tax to countries where a company’s customers are located. Pillar two is a minimum tax of 15% on (a version of) the accounting profits of the largest multinationals earned in each country where the multinational operates.
Labor picked up this project for the 2022 election, promising to support both pillars – and they honoured that promise.
US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on May 22. The Washington Post/Getty
Mixed success
Around the world, the two pillar project had mixed success. Pillar one was dead-on-arrival: most countries did nothing. But Australia and several other countries, mostly in Europe, implemented pillar two – the global minimum tax.
The OECD has always maintained the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project was a coalition of the willing, meant to rebalance the way income tax is allocated between producer and consumer countries, and rid the world of tax havens.
In the US, Republicans did not share that view. For them, BEPS was simply another attempt by foreign countries to get more tax from US companies.
This Republican dissatisfaction with the OECD is now on full display. On the first day of his second term, Trump issued an executive order, formally repudiating any OECD commitments the Biden administration might have given.
He also directed his officials to report on options for retaliatory measures the US could take against any foreign countries with income tax rules that are “extraterritorial” or “disproportionately affect American companies”.
Why Australia is so exposed
Australia could find itself in the firing line of Trump’s tax warfare on many fronts. And the US doesn’t lack firepower. Section 899 adds to a number of retaliatory tax provisions the US already had at its disposal.
The increased tax rates would affect Australian super funds and other investors earning dividends, rent, interest, royalties and other income from US companies.
Australian super funds in particular are heavily invested in US markets, which have outperformed local stocks in recent years.
It would also affect Australian managed funds owning land and infrastructure assets in the US, as well as Australian entities such as banks that carry on business in the US.
And there are other measures that would expose US subsidiaries of Australian companies to US higher tax.
The bill would even remove the doctrine of sovereign immunity for the governments of “offending” countries. Sovereign immunity refers to a tax exemption on returns that usually applies to governments. This means the Australian government itself could have to pay tax to the US.
There are concerns on Wall Street this will dampen demand for US government bonds from foreign governments, which are big buyers of US Treasuries. The argument may sway some in the Senate – but how many remains to be seen.
What Australia may need to do next
We may be incredulous that anyone would consider our tax system combative, but enacting the OECD pillar two was always known to be risky.
There are other, homegrown Australian tax measures that have drawn American ire.
In 2015, Australia enacted an income tax measure (commonly called the “Google tax”) specifically directed at US tech companies. In 2017, we followed this up with a diverted profits tax. Trump’s bill specifically targets both measures.
Tying ourselves to the OECD’s global minimum tax project might have seemed like a good idea in 2019. In 2025, it looks decidedly unappealing, and not just because of Trump.
First, there is not actually any serious revenue in pillar two for Australia. Treasury’s revenue estimate totalled only $360 million after four years, just slightly more than a rounding error in the federal budget.
Second, we are increasingly alone and vulnerable in this battle. It might feel emotionally satisfying to stand up to the US. If there was a sizeable coalition alongside us, there might be some point.
If Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill act does pass through the US Senate, the Australian government and business will be left exposed to much higher costs.
Since abandoning the US market is not really an option, it might be time to surrender quietly and gracefully – by reversing, at the very least, the contentious bits of pillar two.
Graeme Cooper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Infants born very preterm spend weeks or even months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) while their immature brains are still developing.
During this time, they receive up to 16 painful procedures every day. The most common is a routine heel prick used to collect a blood sample. Suctioning of the infant’s airways is also common.
While many of these procedures provide critical care, we know they are acutely painful. Even tearing tape off the skin can be painful.
The commonest strategy to manage acute pain in preterm babies is to give them sucrose, a sugar solution. But my recent research with Canadian colleagues shows this doesn’t stop these long-term impacts.
In New Zealand, there is no requirement to document all procedures or pain treatments. But as the findings from our Canadian study show, we urgently need research to improve long-term health outcomes for children born prematurely.
Long-term effects of pain in early life
We collected data on the number of procedures, clinical exposures and sucrose doses from three NICUs across Canada.
One of these sites does not use sucrose for acute pain management. This meant we were able to compare outcomes for children who received sucrose during their NICU stay and those who did not, without having to randomly assign infants to different care as you would in a randomised controlled trial – the gold standard approach.
At 18 months of age, when children born preterm are typically seen for a follow-up, parents report on their child’s behaviour. Our findings replicate earlier research: very preterm babies who were exposed to painful procedures early in life showed more anxiety and depressive symptoms by toddlerhood.
Our findings are similar regarding a child’s cognition and language, backing results from other studies. We found no link between preterm babies’ later behaviour and how much sucrose they were given to manage pain.
The sweet taste of sucrose is thought to alleviate pain because it leads to the release of endorphins. It has become the worldwide standard of care for acute neonatal pain, but it doesn’t seem to be helping in the long term.
As is the case internationally, sucrose is used widely in New Zealand, but there is considerable variation in protocols of use across hospitals. No national guidelines for best practice exist.
Pain management guidelines also help, but whether these changes improve outcomes in the long term, we don’t know yet.
We do know there are other ways of treating neonatal pain and minimising long-term impacts. Placing a newborn on a parent’s bare chest, skin-to-skin, effectively reduces short and long-term effects of neonatal pain.
For times when whānau are not able to be in the NICU, we have limited evidence that other pain management strategies, such as expressed breast milk, are effective. Our recent research cements this: sucrose isn’t helping as we thought.
Understanding which pain management strategies should be used for short and long-term benefits of this vulnerable population could make a big difference in the lives of these babies.
This requires additional research and a different approach, while considering what is culturally acceptable in Aotearoa New Zealand. If the strategies we are currently using aren’t working, we need to think creatively about how to limit the impact of pain on children born prematurely.
Mia Mclean does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
For many years now, Australian political scientists have pointed out that that established partisan allegiance is in decline. In 1967, 36% of Coalition supporters and 32% of Labor voters reported lifetime voting for their side. At the 2022 election, the Australian Election Study found the figures to be 16% and 12%.
These changes help to explain the rising support for independents and minor parties at federal elections; they now take about a third of the primary vote.
So much for voters. What about for politicians? Of course, there have always been plenty of parliamentarians who had an earlier stint as a member of some other party before landing in the one that sent them into parliament. Brendan Nelson was in the Labor Party before he was Liberal. John Gorton was Country Party before he was Liberal. Adam Bandt was Labor before he was Green. And so on. We are all entitled to change our minds, even if switching political parties was once closer to changing football teams – a habit that immediately arouses suspicion in a sports-loving nation.
Senator Dorinda Cox’s switch from the Greens to the Labor Party was apparently a homecoming, according to Cox. She was once a Labor Party member, she said. Last week, she was criticising the party over its approval of Woodside’s Northwest Shelf gas project. This week, she finds Labor’s values aligned with her own.
Of course, her defection has been accompanied by a steady leaking of little details of her Greens career, such as an excoriation of the Labor Party, in her application to run for the Greens, when she said the ALP patronised “women and people of colour” and cared more about its donors than members.
That’s politics, but it’s a democratic deficit that senators elected as part of a Senate team, in a system that has facilitated above-the-line voting since 1984, can sit for years afterwards in the parliament as a member of another party.
But good luck in getting up a constitutional change, via referendum, to change that.
Still, it is easy to understand how such nimbleness breeds cynicism about political parties. Another perspective might be that the fluidity of allegiance out in the electorate has come to inhabit the political class itself.
All the same, defections from one party to another are quite rare these days in federal politics, at least after one is sitting in parliament. But defections from a party to sit as an independent are not and some, such as Bob Katter, have managed to build successful political careers outside the parties.
One who did not was was Julia Banks, the Liberal member for Chisholm, who announced she would not be seeking re-election and then left the party for the crossbench in the wake of Scott Morrison’s ascension to the leadership in 2018. Banks complained of bullying and intimidation within the Liberal Party and the wider parliament, and wrote a book on her experiences. She subsequently failed to gain election as an independent in another seat.
There were several defectors in the last parliament. A House of Representatives crossbench that began at 16 had reached 19 by the end, with the defections of two Liberals (Russell Broadbent and Ian Goodenough, both after losing preselection) and one National, Andrew Gee, the latter over his party’s opposition to the Voice. Only Gee has lived politically to tell the tale, winning Calare as an Independent, as Peter Andren did before him.
Defections from minor and microparties are especially common, based as they often are on a high-profile leader and lacking traditions of party discipline or solid structures of organisational governance. Jacqui Lambie began as a Palmer United Party senator. Tammy Tyrrell began as a Jacqui Lambie Network senator.
The biggest “defection” in modern Australian politics was that of Cheryl Kernot from the Australian Democrats to the Labor Party in 1997. It is easy, over a quarter of a century on, and with the Australian Democrats no longer in the Australian parliament, to underestimate what a big deal this was at the time.
Kernot was a rock star of a politician, leader of the Australian Democrats, and a national celebrity. But there are significant differences with Cox beyond Kernot’s greater eminence. She resigned her Senate seat immediately and would win the marginal Brisbane seat of Dickson in the following year’s election. Then, in 2001, she would lose it to a young and ambitious former policeman named Peter Dutton.
The experience was ultimately an unhappy one for Kernot: she believed that having recruited her into the ranks, the Labor Party – and its leader, Kim Beazley, did not know how to make the best use of her. She was also on the receiving end of some relentlessly negative and sometimes intrusive media coverage. And by her own admission, she made mistakes. The story of her career’s unravelling is not straightforward. The role that gender played in it remains contentious.
Perhaps Kernot’s experience would alone be sufficient to prompt second thoughts in anyone seeking to jump ship. There are, of course, older prohibitions. In the Labor Party, a defector was known as a “rat”. Billy Hughes, the prime minister whose effort to introduce conscription in the first world war split the party, is the most famous of them.
“Rat” is not a word much heard these days, but it was thrown around a bit when Senator Fatima Payman defected in 2024, and applied more seriously in 1996 to Labor Senator Mal Colston when he resigned from the Labor Party in exchange for the deputy presidency of the Senate.
The best historical example of a defection being good for your career is that of Joe Lyons, who ratted on Labor in 1931 to lead a new party called the United Australia Party, a switch engineered by a small group of influential businessmen.
The circumstances – the Great Depression, real fear of civil violence, and the disintegration of a federal Labor government – were highly unusual.
More commonly, defection is a bad career move. Most of the Labor politicians who went over to the breakaway anti-communist Democratic Labor Party (DLP) in the mid-1950s found themselves out of parliament and looking for a new job. Stan Keon, one of those flying high ahead of the split, even occasionally mentioned – unrealistically – as a possible future prime minister, would run a Melbourne wine shop. Others, such as Vince Gair, Queensland Labor premier, lived to fight another day as a DLP senator (and ambassador to Ireland).
Cox has three years left of her senate term. After that, she will be at the mercy of the Labor Party. Labor won three Senate seats at the 2022 half-Senate election in Western Australia and perhaps it could do so again. On that occasion, in a surprise victory, the third place went to the young up-and-coming union organiser, Fatima Payman.
Frank Bongiorno does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
Through the first round of the Electrifying the Great Rides Fund, $478,750 in co-funding has been approved to install 10 e-bike charging stations across the Hawke’s Bay Trails and the Remutaka Cycle Trail. These stations will be located at key points along the trails, including outside popular business premises and i-SITEs, enhancing accessibility for e-bike users and encouraging longer, more enjoyable rides.
The $3 million Electrifying the Great Rides Fund was launched in 2024 to make New Zealand’s cycle trails more appealing to both domestic and international visitors.
In a move to broaden the impact of the programme, the second round of funding – opening on 1 August 2025 – will expand eligibility to include Heartland and Connector Rides. These trails form part of the wider Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trail network and often traverse rural and remote areas. The expanded criteria will allow more communities to benefit from increased tourism and improved trail infrastructure.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is also working with sector partners to refresh the overall New Zealand Cycle Trail programme, ensuring it continues to meet the growing demand for nature-based and environmentally friendly tourism experiences.
More information about the second funding round will be available on the MBIE website from 30 June 2025. Territorial authorities and community groups supported by their local councils are encouraged to apply.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 6) announced that the tender period for the design, build and operate contract for the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 2 (I∙PARK2) (Contract No. EP/SP/312/24) has been extended to noon on July 18, 2025.
The EPD invited tenders for the contract on December 20, 2024. The tender period was originally scheduled to expire at noon on June 27, 2025.
The EPD has commissioned Binnies Hong Kong Limited as the project’s Engineering Consultant. For enquiries, please contact the person-in-charge, Mr Colin Chan (Telephone: 2601 1000; Fax: 2601 3988; E-mail: BinniesHK@binnies.com).
It’s important people know how much super they have, where it is, and if their employer is paying the right amount. At tax time we encourage everyone to complete a super health check.
For most people it only takes a few minutes, and most checks can be done on ATO online. The super health check consists of the following 5 checks:
1. Check your contact details
2. Check your super balance and employer contributions
3. Check for lost and unclaimed super
4. Check if you have multiple super accounts and consider consolidating
5. Check your nominated beneficiary
People can do a super health check at any time, but it’s a good idea to do it at least once a year, such as when preparing their tax return. It’s a great way of understanding super and staying in control.
An additional benefit of completing a super health check could be the early detection of fraudulent activity. If people think there’s been activity on their super account that they haven’t authorised, they should contact their super fund immediately.
Visit ato.gov.au/SuperHealthCheck for more information or to watch a short that explains each check in more detail.
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