Public Media – Page 457

If you unwrapped an online ancestry DNA test for Christmas, you might be feeling curious – even excited – about discovering your cultural heritage and family tree.

But did the accompanying card warn it could also blow up your life?

Before you join the more than 26 million people globally who have undertaken ancestry DNA testing through direct-to-consumer companies, there are some important things to consider.

Public health genomics expert Dr Jane Tiller categorises ancestry testing as “recreational genetics” and says accuracy is not guaranteed.

Google DeepMind / Pexels

Why do some people live to 100?

Getting more than you bargained for

For people who know they are adopted or donor-conceived, genealogical DNA testing may be useful and necessary to connect with their biological family when records are otherwise inaccessible.

But if you’re taking these tests as just “a bit of fun”, know there is the risk of uncovering more than you are prepared for, explains Dr Jane Tiller.

“People don’t always expect [their results] can have a dark side — the family tree might not be what they expect,” says Tiller, an ethical, legal and social adviser in public health genomics at Monash University.

Uncovering unexpected family connections can be “life-altering”, says Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow, leading to feelings of betrayal and identity confusion.

She is the president at Jigsaw Queensland, an organisation that provides information, support and referrals for people affected by past adoption practices, including those who discover they are adopted later in life.

“Some learn they were adopted, or donor-conceived [through DNA testing],” explains Sparrow.

“Common reactions include shock, disbelief, anger, confusion, and a sense of betrayal — especially if the truth was hidden by loved ones.”

While sometimes surprising results can lead to positive outcomes, experts warn it’s important to be prepared for the potential impact of uncovering a “family secret”.

In more extreme cases, people may discover they are linked to something criminal or distressing, explains Andelka Phillips, an associate professor in the law school at the University of Leicester and an academic affiliate with the HeLEX Centre, University of Oxford.

For example, a fertility doctor using their own sperm to inseminate patients, or IVF companies using the “wrong sperm” to conceive children.

There can also be cultural implications, Phillips explains.

“Ethnicity [testing] is not standardised, and it might impact your view of your cultural or ethnic identity.”

What will happen to your data?

Where your DNA sample is stored and how your data is used are other considerations.

In 2023, hackers stole the profile and ethnicity information of millions of people from one such company — 23andMe.

Philips says most people don’t read the fine print of genealogical DNA testing.

“The price of these kits has dropped a lot … the profit [these companies] make is from the data and partnerships that emerge from having a large database.

“23andme did have partnerships with pharmaceutical companies; there’s always been this tendency to reuse the data for research.”

In Australia, genetic data is protected as “sensitive information” under the Privacy Act, but that doesn’t mean it’s untouchable.

And if you are sending your DNA to another country, as often is the case with these tests, “you have to know your country’s laws cease to have any impact”, says Tiller.

As more of us use ancestry websites and DNA testing as a bit of harmless fun, experts warn that many people are unprepared for what they might find.

Phillips says people should think about privacy issues and be aware that data leaks are possible.

Data breaches can also affect children, grandchildren and so on, she says.

“Taking any of these tests, you need to think about how comfortable you are with the privacy of your data.

“Would it matter to you if your data was leaked in a breach? Would it be a problem for you if you couldn’t get insurance coverage because of having a test?”

Is ancestry testing accurate?

There is a spectrum of direct-to-consumer DNA testing available, including genetic testing for medical information.

Tiller categorises ancestry testing as “recreational genetics” and says accuracy is not guaranteed.

“There is a reasonable degree of evidence behind what you get back — but over time that might shift, as that evidence base is still developing.”

She says ancestry testing is not standardised, so results may vary from company to company.

Phillips says being informed is vital before taking this type of test.

“I’m not anti-industry, but this is an industry that really needs better oversight and standards.”

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

February 6, 2026

Fears over financial impact of Wellington’s south coast sewage leak

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dive Wellington runs sessions in the Taputeranga Marine Reserve almost everyday. Supplied / Dave Drane

Wellington divers are not only worried about the environmental cost, but the financial fallout of having raw sewage spewing onto the south coast.

The beaches are off limits, after a “catastrophic failure” at the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant flooded the site, and sent raw sewage spilling from an outfall close to shore at a rate of 70 million litres a day.

A couple of kilometres from the outfall is the eastern boundary of the Taputeranga Marine Reserve.

Since 1998 Dive Wellington has overlooked the reserve, with owner Dave Drane telling RNZ he was lucky to have it on his doorstep.

“It’s a jewel you know, but no one will be using it for the … forseeable future, and it’s a major part of our business taking people diving in it.”

Since the treatment plant’s failure was discovered – around 1am on Wednesday – Wellington Water has found 80 percent of its equipment damaged, with full repairs expected to take months.

In an update on Thursday evening, it said it was working to redirect the untreated wastewater into an outfall 1.8km offshore, as soon as possible, and put screening in to remove items such as sanitary pads.

But it warned the temporary fix would not completely stop periodic discharges from the outfall pipe close to shore.

A rāhui from Ōwhiro Bay to Breaker Bay remained in place, preventing people from going in the water, collecting seafood, or walking their dogs on the beach.

Drane said the dive and snorkelling business was used to navigating ‘no swim’ warnings following bouts of heavy rain, but the current situation would cost it severely. Supplied / Dave Drane

Drane said the dive and snorkelling business, between Ōwhiro and Island bays, was used to navigating ‘no swim’ warnings following bouts of heavy rain, but the current situation would cost it severely.

“It’s going to affect us financially, in lots of ways. Even the bad advertising from it, where people think, ‘well, I’m not going to learn to dive in Wellington’, but also the bookings that we’ll have to cancel.”

Drane said 30 students were lined up to dive in the Taputeranga Marine Reserve next week, which now would not happen.

Diving in the harbour was an option, he said, but it was nothing like the reserve, where divers were guaranteed to see crayfish, extensive fish life, and even octopuses.

The whole thing had left him feeling “pretty rubbish,” he said, and he believed water quality in the marine reserve was an ongoing concern.

The failure had come amid upgrades at the treatment plant that should reduce discharges according to Wellington Water, but in the meantime had limited the plant’s capacity.

“There’s been overflows everytime there’s a significant downpour of rain,” Drane said.

“We get a notification to say that you can’t go on the coast for the next two days or in the harbour or wherever. I think it’s good that they’re doing upgrades to the treatment plant … it’s long overdue, definitely, but I think it’s a bit late possibly and that’s half the problem.

“We’ve got this jewel right on our doorstep and we’re ruining it.”

Mountains to Sea Wellington provides lessons, a community snorkelling programme and marine education. Supplied / Mountains to Sea Wellington / Kristine Zipfel

Busiest time of year at risk

Following the news of the wastewater plant’s failure, Zoe Studd was scrambling to figure out what to do with “potential months” of beach closures.

The co-founder of Mountains to Sea – an organisation that aimed to connect people to nature – said it was their busiest time of year.

“We run a huge number of school programmes and they’ve all been impacted by the spill.”

Studd said a month of community snorkelling days were also up in the air.

“That’s 600 to 700 people, so they can’t take place. So we are scrambling to think about … some of the other locations where we can hold [them].

“A spill like this obviously really impacts us, but it’s really devastating to think about what some of those potential impacts might be for our coastal environment as well.”

She said it was hard to understand how a failure on such a scale had happened, but said the initial shock at the news had turned to sadness.

“Just really upset about it. That’s our backyard, we spend all our time in those waters, we absolutely love it – most Wellingtonians do.

“We won’t be the only people by any means who are feeling really distressed by the idea that they can’t be in and around their coastline.”

Studd was hopeful the issue would get resolved quickly, but until then said she would not be going anywhere near the water.

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

February 6, 2026

A tale of two waka

Source: Radio New Zealand

This is a story about two vintage wooden boat cultures, Māori and Pākehā, which come together every Waitangi weekend at the popular Lake Rotoiti Wooden and Classic Boat Parade.

It’s a story inspired by the 1911 hand-coloured photograph above, which was taken at Lake Rotoiti in the central North island by Rotorua photographer of the day C P Parkerson.

It was a time before Pākehā holiday homes on the lake. When simple wooden waka kōpapa carved out of totara logs – like the one pictured – were still common as a principal mode of transport. By the 1950s kōpapa were rare.

The culture around wooden boats is rich for both Māori and Pākehā at Lake Rotoiti – and both are under revival.

Every Waitangi for 28 years, the parade has gathered vintage wooden boats: dinghies, pleasure launches,steam boats, yachts, elegant 50s speedboats and – early prototypes of jetskis – hydrocycles.

The parade is the work of a key community organisation around the lake, the Classic Wooden Boat Association. Restoration of some seriously beautiful wooden craft having become a major part of contemporary lake culture. They follow in the wake of the wealthy families who built holiday homes here in the 1930s.

Local retiree Caroline Main – who lives a few bays along from the settlement of Ōtaramarae – recalls as a child when a visiting launch was the only contact they had with the outside world. Today having a stately wooden launch, ‘The Snark’, to sedately move around the lake is an important part of the Mains’ lives.

The Rotorua region is our lake district, with a series of interconnected lakes and waterways. Long before roads and rail, waka plied the waters here on the state highway of its day, into the central North Island.

Rotoiti and nearby Lake Okataina were places renowned for waka carvers with Ngāti Tarāwhai a nationally recognisedcarving school and the great totara harvested from the forest, says Jim Schuster at Ruato on the lake. Schuster is an acclaimed marae restorer, and great-great-grandson of renowned carver Tene Waitere.

In recent years the wooden boat parade is bringing together Pākehā and Māori, with two Te Arawa waka joining the flotilla.

While the the great Te Arawa waka taua (war canoe) often heads to Waitangi, says an organiser Eugene Berryman-Kamp, the paddlers are also practised to participate in waka tangata (“a people lover”) and waka tētē (fishing canoe).

Berryman-Kamp credits the rising popularity of waka ama with the young, since the 80s, as a big part of the revival of waka culture.

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

February 6, 2026

Summer drowning numbers tracking higher than last year

Source: Radio New Zealand

Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Glen Scanlon says ways to mitigate the risk of drowning include not doing water activities alone, wearing life jackets and to swim between the flags. Surf Lifesaving NZ

The number of people that have drowned across the country this summer is tracking higher than last year, Water Safety New Zealand says.

There had been 30 deaths over the past two months in waterways, lakes and beaches which compared to 34 in total last summer.

Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Glen Scanlon said in 2026 18 people had died in the water – seven more than the same time last year.

“Many of those have happened when the weather was last at its best, so earlier in January.”

Water Safety New Zealand chief executive Glen Scanlon. Water Safety NZ

Scanlon said often days of bad weather kept people away from the water, so it was weekends like the one ahead which were of particular concern to the organisation.

“It is often that people sort of underestimate the conditions when the weather comes clear again, and they unexpectedly find themselves in trouble.”

He said there were ways to mitigate the risk of drowning such as not doing water activities alone, wearing life jackets and to swim between the flags.

Water Safety New Zealand encouraged people to have a great time in the water this weekend, but to enjoy beaches and waterways safely, he said.

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

February 6, 2026

Opposition infighting gives coalition brief relief at Waitangi

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sits with coalition party leaders Winston Peters and David Seymour. RNZ/Mark Papalii

Analysis: For once, it was the opposition feeling some heat at Waitangi, as Te Pati Māori’s internal turmoil spilled out on the ātea.

The public airing of dirty laundry was one of the few moments of note at this year’s political pōwhiri, with Thursday’s events otherwise proceeding much as everyone expected.

Protesters’ plans to block ministers from the Treaty Grounds came to naught, squashed quickly by security. And the activists left well before the coalition leaders had even begun to speak.

The government speeches were met by some stray heckles, sure, and some sustained grumbling, but nothing like the theatre of the past two years.

Perennial agitators Winston Peters and David Seymour seemed almost disappointed at the muted response, with the former clearly trying to provoke a reaction from the crowd.

For his part, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon delivered a well-foreshadowed address, preaching the importance of working through differences with words and debate.

It’s advice that perhaps Te Pati Māori should have taken on board.

Anticipation was high ahead of the party’s Waitangi appearance, its first time fronting to the north since the co-leaders’ no-show at Ngāpuhi’s emergency hui late last year.

On Monday, the party was sitting in court, with its out-and-then-in-again MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi fighting to reverse her expulsion and be permanently reinstated.

In the most blistering of speeches on Thursday, her son Eru Kapa-Kingi upbraided Te Pati Māori – “sort yourselves out” – lamenting the “silencing” of his mother and the wider region.

At first, Waititi appeared to offer an olive branch in response: “I can hear the anger and feel the pain”.

He even extended an apology of sorts: “If I have done you wrong, I offer you my head.”

But any such contrition was short-lived. The speech was immediately followed by a haka tautoko which saw Waititi’s wife Kiri Tamihere-Waititi advance on the host side.

As she squared off with Eru Kapa-Kingi, eyeballing him, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi shouted from the marae’s veranda: “hoki atu” or “go back”.

Any brief hopes of reconciliation were dashed.

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi underlined the point later as she stood to speak, defiant: “I’m not going anywhere.”

Speaking to media afterwards, Waititi said the party’s next steps would depend on the court’s judgement.

But he bristled at Te Pati Māori being singled out, claiming many parties had shown division before.

He turned his sights on others in the opposition, decrying Labour’s efforts to try win back the Māori seats.

“Labour don’t do MMP very well,” Waititi declared. “A vote for Labour is now a vote for New Zealand First.”

The comments could apply just as well to the Greens, who used Thursday’s events to unveil their own candidates in the Māori electorates.

Notably, they include a former lawyer for Te Pati Māori, Tania Waikato, and a former Te Pati Māori candidate, Heather Te Au-Skipworth.

Green co-leaders Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson sit alongside ACT’s deputy leader Brooke van Velden. MARK PAPALII / RNZ

Greens’ co-leader Marama Davidson made short shrift of Waititi’s suggestion that they leave the Māori seats alone: “Nobody owns any seats. Nobody owns any votes.”

Labour and the Greens came to Waitangi, hoping to present a united front and to draw a contrast with the warring factions within the coalition. They leave further away from that goal than closer.

Asked what he made of the opposition’s showing at Waitangi on Thursday, Luxon dodged the question, saying that was not his focus.

But Finance Minister Nicola Willis could not help herself: “They looked messy,” she said, a smile on her face.

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

February 6, 2026

Southern Brown Kiwi lays rare two eggs

Source: Radio New Zealand

A picture of a Southern Brown Kiwi. TUI DE ROY / Minden Pictures / Biosphoto

A Tokoeka, also known as the Southern Brown Kiwi, from the Haast region has surprised conservation workers with laying two eggs this season, which is uncommon for the species.

Devon Collins from the West Coast Wildlife Centre, which helps to incubate and hatch Kiwis that are at risk to predators, said Tokoeka usually lay one egg per year due to the low food availability in the colder climate of the South Island. In comparison to the North Island Brown Kiwi, which can lay three to four eggs per a year.

He said the centre received three Tokoeka eggs this season, including two from the same mother.

Collins said the first egg from this mother was the second smallest Tokoeka they’ve ever successfully bred at the centre in 15 years, weighing 320 grams. Her second egg weighed 360 grams.

While there are tens of thousands of Tokoeka on Stewart Island and in Fiordland, the Haast region has a much smaller population of around 400, said Collins.

“Every egg means a lot, every egg we can get our of hands on and get out of the hands of introduced predators, that would otherwise probably take that egg or that chick, is really important for us, so the difference between two and three eggs coming in per season is pretty massive,” said Collins.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

February 6, 2026

Summer drowning numbers tracking high than last year