Public Media – Page 360

ANZ bank’s February survey showed headline confidence falling five points to a net 59 percent optimism level. RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

ANZ headline business confidence down 5 points to net 59 percent optimism
Firms’ own outlook edges higher to 52.6 pct, manufacturing most bullish
ANZ puts the stumble down to the rise in wholesale interest rates
Profit, exports, investment indicators steady or a touch lower
ANZ warns price/cost indicators mixed, may test RBNZ confidence inflation headed lower

The rise in business confidence has taken a breather amid rising wholesale interest rates, but remains broadly upbeat.

The ANZ bank’s February survey showed headline confidence falling five points to a net 59 percent optimism level, but the measure of firms’ own business performance edged higher.

Chief economist Sharon Zollner said the survey overall was solid and the dip might only be temporary.

“The sharp turn in interest rates seen from late-November until mid-February has had an impact on the Business Outlook survey – expected credit conditions and profitability have taken a hit, and past activity has also seen a bit of a wobble.”

She said the Reserve Bank’s recent comments about policy seems to have helped ease rates, which may calm nerves in the next survey.

However, Zollner said there were a few inflation signs that needed to be watched, with inflation expectations the highest since mid-2024.

“The net percent of firms expecting to increase their prices eased very slightly but is still trending in the opposite direction to our and the RBNZ’s inflation forecasts.”

“The net percent of firms expecting higher costs also remains elevated.”

Zollner said the RBNZ has frequently expressed confidence that inflation was headed back into the 1-to-3 percent target band in the near term, but might yet be surprised.

She warns that inflation expectations and pressures are rising which may test Reserve Bank confidence that inflation will fall back into its target band soon.

Manufacturing was the most upbeat at the headline level, but agriculture related firms had the highest readings for export, profit and investment expectations.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Pedestrian dies after being hit by truck in Whangārei

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police said the pedestrian died at the scene. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

A pedestrian hit by a truck in Whangārei this morning has died.

Emergency crews were called to Kamo Road just after 9:35am on Thursday.

Police said the pedestrian died at the scene after being struck.

Kamo Road is still closed between Mains Ave and Simons Street as Police clear the scene.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern moving to Australia

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dame Jacinda Ardern. RNZ

Dame Jacinda Ardern is moving to Australia.

The news comes after an Australia real estate website reported the former New Zealand prime minister had been house hunting for properties in Sydney’s northern beaches.

According to RealEstate.com.au, Ardern and husband Clarke Gayford were seen looking at homes for sale in Curl Curl and Freshwater.

The website puts the median price for homes in Curl Curl at AUD$4.1 million (NZD$4.8m) with a growth of 6 percent in the last 12 months.

In Freshwater, RealEstate.com.au said the median price was $3.9m.

In a statement, a spokesman for Ardern said her family had been travelling “for a few years now”.

“For the moment they’re basing themselves out of Australia – they have work there, and it brings the added bonus of more time back home in New Zealand.”

Ardern, Gayford and 7-year-old daughter, Neve Gayford, had been living in the United States where Ardern was working for Harvard University.

She is also a trustee of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize.

In March 2025, Ardern joined Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government as a Distinguished Fellow and member of the world leaders circle.

Ardern also recent released a memoir, A Different Kind of Power, and a children’s book, Mum’s Busy Work.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Kiwi teaching academic named top Australian lecturer

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealander Roma Forbes is Australia’s top university teacher.

Ōpōtiki-born Forbes, who teaches physiotherapy at the University of Queensland, has been in Australia for 16 years, she told RNZ’s Afternoons.

“I studied physiotherapy at AUT in New Zealand and then came over to the University of Queensland to be a clinical educator, and I thought I’d last five minutes in Australia, but here I am 16 years later.”

She accepted the 2025 Australian University Teacher of the Year award, which recognises her student-centred approach to health education, in Canberra on Tuesday.

“It is quite a unique approach, like in the universities in New Zealand, we have huge numbers of students. I’ve got 200 physiotherapy students each year, and we really don’t want students to be another number, or to get lost in vast numbers. So, it’s so important that we get to know students individually.

“We’ve put them into spaces where they can work together. They can be valued and they can contribute to the group,” she says.

Her acceptance speech, which she says she delivered in her still strong Kiwi accent and included the use of te reo, emphasised the importance of student voices being heard.

“The area that I teach is pain, and particularly chronic pain. And so many people have misconceptions about what chronic pain is, so to actually hear from students, what do they understand about chronic pain? What’s been their experiences for them and maybe with their families or even their grandparents?

“To really hear what their views are, it’s so much easier, more fun to teach when we know the perspectives they’re coming in with.”

Forbes says she remains deeply proud of her eastern Bay of Plenty roots and acknowledges Te Whakatōhea and the whenua she grew up on when she speaks publicly.

She credits her upbringing in Ōpōtiki with shaping her resilience and strong sense of responsibility to community.

While she’s found great professional success over the ditch, Forbes hasn’t ruled out returning home.

“I left for personal reasons; my partner was actually over here. So, I miss New Zealand a lot. I’m very tempted all the time to come home and be able to help with universities there.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Perpetual Guardian purchases Trustees Executors for undisclosed sum

Source: Radio New Zealand

Andrew Barnes, Perpetual Guardian founder. Supplied

Estate planning, trust and investment manager Perpetual Guardian Group is stepping back into the corporate supervision market with the purchase of Trustees Executors Limited for an undisclosed sum.

The companies are the oldest trustee institutions in the New Zealand, with histories stretching back more than 140 years.

Perpetual Guardian Group provides estate planning and investment services, and looks after over 125,000 client relationships, with $2.8 billion in funds under management, and $8b in total assets under management.

Trustees Executors supervises more than $200b worth of KiwiSaver, managed funds and other investment products.

It is the appointed supervisor for a wide range of investment managers and listed entities, including Milford Asset Management funds, Fisher Funds schemes, Midlands Funds, and the NZX‑listed Vital Healthcare Property Trust.

Perpetual Guardian previously exited the supervision sector in 2021, but said the acquisition will make it the country’s largest provider of fiduciary services.

Fiduciary services make sure that fund managers follow the rules, protect investors’ money, report accurately, and run their fund the way they promised.

Perpetual Guardian said it has notified the Financial Markets Authority of the sale.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Fizz goes out of the beer industry as consumption keeps falling

Source: Radio New Zealand

Unsplash / Bence Boros

The fizz has gone out of the beer industry.

Stats New Zealand numbers out Tuesday show beer consumption fell 10 percent to 265 million litres in the year ended December 2025.

It’s part of a sustained downward trend in overall alcohol consumption, happening in New Zealand and around the world.

Brewers Association of New Zealand executive director Dylan Firth told Midday Report it saw a bit of a shift this past year.

But not only that, Firth said there have been a “slight decline” over recent years, giving the industry time to look at what it was doing and understand its consumers.

He said there was “definitely” more of a push towards the lower, no alcohol space.

Firth said the higher alcohol beers had taken more of a hit.

“If you actually break down the data closely, the real story isn’t just about total volumes that are moving, it’s about how they’re shifting.

“The beer above 5 percent ABV, it fell about 27 percent which is quite significant but at the same time, 2.5-4 percents category was broadly stable, in fact a slight increase, so what that shows is there’s a shift in that space.”

Firth said lower carb options had seen “massive growth” and he put it down to a generational shift.

He said the younger generation don’t drink as much and they are drinking less as they get older for health reasons.

Firth also said Covid-19 lockdowns saw a change in the way people meet – with a lot moving to online – meaning not as many people were going out socially to have a drink.

Despite this, beer wasn’t going away, he said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Ministers say ‘tough on crime’ working as new figures unveiled

Source: Radio New Zealand

The government says its tough on crime approach has driven a significant drop in the number of victims of violent crime.

It comes as the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reported 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime in the year to October 2025 than two years previously.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith put this down to the coalition’s approach to law and order and the near doubling of police foot patrols.

“Since day one, we’ve been working tirelessly to restore real consequences for crime, and to place victims back at the centre of the justice system,” he said.

“We have reformed the sentencing regime so those who cause the most harm are imprisoned for longer, given Police effective tools to deal with gangs, stopped taxpayer funding for the proliferation of cultural reports, made stalking an illegal and jailable offence, given victims of sexual assault the power to determine if offenders are granted name suppression, restored Three Strikes, and much more.”

Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speak on the latest crime statistics. RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said higher police visibility in communities was helping deter crime and keep criminals off the streets.

“Our investment into the frontline has seen 12 new and expanded beat teams stood up nationwide, including the launch of a beat team in Hamilton this week.

“Our beat officers do an outstanding job at keeping the public, businesses and retailers safe. We know there is a lot more to do but these results show we are heading in the right direction.”

Goldsmith said while the government was tracking ahead on its violent crime reduction target it still had more work to do.

“This is going to be another busy year. We just announced plans to provide police with the power to issue move-on orders to deal with disorderly behaviour.

“Our Crimes Amendment Bill is making its way through the house, and legislation to strengthen trespass laws will soon be introduced.”

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said Oranga Tamariki figures showed there had been a 22 per cent drop in serious repeat youth offending compared with when the Government came into office.

“This is well ahead of our target of a 15 per cent drop before 2030,” she said.

“We promised to fix what matters to New Zealanders. Ram raids are down 85 per cent. Kiwis are no longer being expected to live in fear that their cars have been stolen and used by young offenders in a ram raid of our local small businesses.

“Young offenders are avoiding re-offending because they know Courts, Oranga Tamariki and Police are working together more closely. They know now that their actions will have consequences.”

The livestream is due to start about 1.30pm and will be at the top of this page.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Defence Force to test air, land, and sea drones from Mount Maunganui company

Source: Radio New Zealand

Supplied

The Defence Force is going to begin testing air, land and sea drones from a Mount Maunganui company.

Syos Aerospace drones are used in Ukraine and it recently took another step towards helping develop ‘wingman drones’ for the UK’s Apache attack helicopters, including for strike and target acquisition

The government said the trial of the combat-proven tech would strengthen capability while growing local industry.

“Having cutting-edge drone technology developed and supported by local businesses will reduce supply chain risk and strengthen our resilience,” said Defence Minister Judith Collins in a statement on Thursday.

Neither the Beehive or Syos’ media releases said how many drones or what the deal was worth. RNZ has asked for more information.

The trials in coming months would include transporting supplies, and doing maritime patrols and route reconnaissance.

Supplied

NZDF said it was looking at integrating the drones with a fire control system designed and built in New Zealand by European firm Hirtenberger.

New Zealand consulting firm Sysdoc would support training.

Defence ran consultations with companies in January around a potential plan for surveillance drones to scour the Pacific.

Its long-range drone project has a ballpark budget of $100-$300 million over four years. Other sums would be spent on AI in behind that.

Budget 2025 funded counter-drone systems – say, that shoot down drones – as one of 15 “priority” projects, but not maritime or other drones.

Supplied

Collins said the Syos deal was exactly what the recently released defence industry strategy called for, for delivering on the $12 billion defence capability plan.

The army and navy get to test Syos’ SG400 Uncrewed Ground Vehicle, SM300 Uncrewed Surface Vessel, SA2 ISR drone and SA7 one-way effector drone.

The NZDF has been part of big drone-testing exercises by the US and other Five Eyes partners in recent years, but last year took just a single drone to one such joint exercise in Australia.

Syos said it was delighted.

Syos chief executive and founder Sam Vye. Supplied

“Our platforms and systems have been proven in some of the world’s most demanding environments, and we’re proud to bring that experience to New Zealand’s capability development,” said chief executive and founder Sam Vye.

“Structured experimentation” at NZDF aligned with how they worked, he added.

The NZDF is trying to align itself with its Australian counterpart on emerging military tech. This was an objective of the AUKUS Pillar Two agreement; NZ has not joined that agreement but was still pushing to become more interoperable as combat, reconnaissance and other tech becomes more advanced.

Australia announced a three-year research project into counter-drone technology this week.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

February 26, 2026

Watch live: Christopher Luxon talks law and order as latest crime stats unveiled

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is taking questions after the announcement of a new crime figures.