Category: Public Media

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ManageMyHealth breach: Patients at risk of identity theft, extortion – experts

Source: Radio New Zealand

This ransom post screenshot is from a popular hacking forum. Supplied

  • Hackers say ManageMyHealth ransomware attack about ‘business’
  • Company has until Tuesday morning to pay up or 400,000 patient documents released
  • Cyber security experts fear some patients at risk of blackmail or identity theft
  • Patient health portal criticised for sluggish response

Thousands of patients caught up in the ManageMyHealth ransomware attack could be at risk of identity theft or extortion, cyber security experts are warning.

The hackers, calling themselves “Kazu”, posted on Sunday morning that unless the company paid a ransom within 48 hours, they would leak more than 400,000 files in their possession.

In a post on Telegram, the group purporting to be behind the breach said it had brought forward the deadline from 15 January in part because ManageMyHealth had responded faster than expected, but mainly to “put pressure on the company”.

“Their ignorance of our emails and messages, along with their failure to acknowledge users or explain exactly what happened, is the main issue. Many MMH users have been asking the company for an explanation, but they’ve either ignored them or responded with vague statements.”

This deadline escalation statement was shared in a Telegram channel run by Kazu. Supplied

Kazu said it had opted for a low-ball ransom demand of $60,000 “to protect the data and quickly close the deal”.

“But it seems the company doesn’t care about their users’ data.”

The hackers indicated they were prepared to leak the “valuable” data just to make a point.

“We know exactly how valuable health data is and how sensitive it can be.

“Even if the company doesn’t pay the ransom, we can still find buyers for this data.

“To prove our claims and increase the chances of successful deals in the future, we decided to leak the data for free if they don’t pay the ransom.”

Kazu said they were “not a hacktivist group with political motives”.

“We’re doing this as a business. Our main goal is money and building a good reputation in the community.”

The hackers claimed to have successfully extracted ransom money from many healthcare companies in Asia and Africa over the last two months.

“Once the company pays, we send them a copy of the data, delete it from our servers and never post anything related to the company again.”

Patients at risk

Samples for potential “buyers” included clinical notes, lab results, vaccination records, medical photographs and personal identification details, including names, birth dates, addresses, emails and phone numbers.

IT consultant and Christchurch City councillor Cody Cooper was signed up to ManageMyHealth through his GP.

“My clinic has got 20,000 patients so there’s a real push for online. It’s seen as convenient, but patients don’t have a lot of choice.”

He went online to verify the veracity of the claims and was horrified by what he found.

“There’s people’s passports, there’s people’s ADHD documents from a psychiatrist, there’s pictures of people unclothed. It’s very personal data. And my concern as a patient would be, will someone blackmail people? Or try to extort them personally as well, if they don’t pay up?”

From what had been made visible so far, it did not appear the data had been encrypted, Cooper said.

“You can infer this fairly safely because resetting passwords doesn’t cause users to ‘lose’ their stored documents. If the data had been encrypted properly with keys tied to credentials, access would break when credentials change.”

He also questioned why ManageMyHealth took so long to respond.

“The hack was published around 10pm on 29 December, the MMH website notice appeared on the afternoon of 31 December, but the site wasn’t taken offline until that evening.”

Furthermore, the company was taking too long to inform affected clinics and patients, he said.

“It should have been able to determine the extent of the breach relatively quickly. The fact that, days later there is no clear confirmation about what was accessed or copied is worrying.”

However, there was no guarantee that giving in to the hackers’ demands would solve the problem for MMH, he said.

“They may still release the data anyway, they may still contact people, we have no way of knowing if they will honour it.

“Furthermore, if that person is from a country with sanctions, there are laws and treaties that forbid that payment from being made legally as well.”

Patients were just collateral damage, he said.

“I will personally probably look to close my account. I can’t really have confidence in the system after this. Hopefully my clinic will find a solution that’s better.”

Hackers building their ‘brand’

Data journalist Keith Ng said the hackers appeared to be using ManageMyHealth to leverage a bigger payout from one of their other targets: Saudi Icon Ransom.

“They’re implying they’ve got their hands full and don’t want to be distracted by small fry here, that’s their explanation for wanting this over quickly – and if they don’t get their ransom they will release data for free.”

For Kazu, it was an exercise in brand management.

“They want to establish themselves as a ‘trustworthy’ ransomware group. By that they mean ‘If you pay us, we’ll delete the data and you’ll never hear from us again. If you don’t pay us, bad things will happen to you’.

“So they want to build up their business and use the New Zealand dataset to make an example out of, so people will take them more seriously in the future.”

Unfortunately, the ManageMyHealth breach was unlikely to be the result of a sophisticated hacking operation, Ng said.

“This is probably a couple of days work for a couple of people. It’s not like an elite hacking crew, it’s about volume and they want to make sure they’ve got targets on the hook all the time.

“They poke around and try to find common vulnerabilities, flaws, they’re really looking for low hanging fruit – and if they don’t find it, they move on quickly to the next target.”

Over and above the technical question of which part of ManageMyHealth’s system was not secure, the more important question was what processes it had in place, whether it was having regular independent security audits and taking action to fix the problems identified, he said.

“A business that sets itself up as a health information management system has a lot of incentive to do things right because when they fail, really catastrophic things like this happen, and it is an existential risk for them.

“So we should expect better from these businesses and the fact they let this one slip past them, they should be held accountable.”

In its public statements, ManageMyHealth appeared to be trying to minimise the scale of the problem, Ng said.

“They’re saying only 7 percent of users were affected, but 7 percent of 1.8 million is quite a big number. The other thing they’ve said is ‘only one component’ of the site is affected, not the core database. But it’s the kind of things in there – medical photos, test results – which make it so sensitive and damaging for people who are affected.

“It’s probably the worst data breach that I recall seeing in New Zealand so far.”

Aura Information Security’s Patrick Sharp said medical records were hugely valuable to criminals.

The Medibank ransomware attack in Australia in 2022 resulted in many thousands – “maybe even hundreds of thousands” of real financial crimes, he said.

“It’s quite likely that the 126,000 or so people affected – depending on the kind of information involved – may suffer at the hands of criminal gangs, lots of scams, blackmail, those kind of things.”

ManageMyHealth has been approached for comment.

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Woman waited 11 hours at Wellington Hospital’s emergency department, was not seen by doctor

Source: Radio New Zealand

Woman spent 11 and a half hours at Wellington Hospital’s emergency department, but was never seen by a doctor. 123RF

Health New Zealand has apologised to a woman who spent 11 and a half hours at Wellington Hospital’s emergency department, but was never seen by a doctor.

The agency said that on the day she visited in early December, the emergency department reached 256 percent occupancy at some points, making it one of the ED’s busiest days in recent years.

The woman, who RNZ has agreed not to name, said she had been experiencing severe abdominal pain and fevers for about 24 hours, she rang Kenepuru Hospital who advised her it was best to go to Wellington Hospital.

She arrived at the emergency department about 12.30 pm on 1 December, talked to reception and saw a triage nurse, she said.

“Throughout the waiting time, I was experiencing severe spikes of pain, so I’d go back to the triage to get pain medication, and they would get signatures to give me pain medication, and I would go back to the triage person to follow up around time.”

Her blood tests were taken after several hours, she said, but the pain wasn’t subsiding and she wanted to see a doctor to understand what was going on.

She became “visibly upset” and “frustrated” after 10 hours waiting, she said, at which point staff asked if anyone had talked ot her about her blood test results.

She described the experience waiting in pain as “scary”.

“I was in pain and I was feeling nauseous, and at that point afraid if I didn’t get seen, or if I went home wasn’t sure what was going to happen…I wouldn’t have come in the afternoon around 12 pm, if I didn’t think it was important to be there.”

After about 11 hours, she said she asked to talk to the charge nurse about the delay in seeing a doctor.

“The charge nurse spoke to me, and said that they were struggling to see everyone in a reasonable timeframe because of staff constraints, and that even if they could see me, there wasn’t a place to put me, there was no space.”

She said she left with her husband shortly after 2am the following morning, after being told it wasn’t clear when she could be fully admitted into the hospital.

The woman said she tried to “push through the pain”, and on a work trip to Christchurch the next day, started to throw up and went to a 24 hour surgery.

She said she was soon after transferred via ambulance to Christchurch Hospital where she said she had a range of tests, including CT Scans, further blood and urine tests.

She said while she understood some of the pressures Wellington Hospital was under, she felt the communication at Christchurch Hospital was clearer, more understanding and more efficient.

“I think the system is overwhelmed in Wellington at the moment.”

(h) Hospital’s occupancy reached 256 per cent ‘at some points’

The woman submitted a formal complaint to the hospital, and in its response to her, which RNZ has seen, the ED’s operations manager, Julia Mitchell, apologised for the long wait to see a doctor, saying it was not “reflective of the standard of care we strive to provide”.

“We completely understand and share your concerns about the long wait times, and we sincerely apologise for the distress this may have caused you,” Mitchell said.

December 1 was one of the hospital’s “busiest days in recent years”, she said, and when the woman arrived at ED just after 12.30 pm, occupancy was at 145 per cent.

“…this only got worse through the day, up to 256 per cent at some points”.

“When the hospital inpatient service is also over capacity this impacts on our ability to move those who require it, into inpatient wards. Both situations affect our ability in ED to see patients in a timely manner,” Mitchell said.

Health NZ’s target is for 95 per cent of patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred from an emergency department within 6 hours by 2030.

Capital and Coast has the second worst performing ED in the country for this target, achieving the 6-hour target only 50 per cent of the time, according to Health NZ’s latest July to September 2025 results. https://info.health.nz/about-us/what-we-do/planning-and-performance/health-targets#the-5-health-targets-16962

A Cabinet Paper released last year seeking budget approval for a refurbishment of the site, said Wellington ED’s services couldn’t meet demand, and had a constraining layout meaning one in ten patients didn’t wait to see a clinician, and one-third of patients were being treated in corridors, rather than cubicles.

The government announced last June Wellington Hospital would receive a major upgrade, with a new emergency department and 126 additional beds and treatment spaces.

(h) ‘Very sorry’ – Health NZ

Health NZ did not respond to RNZ’s questions about what Wellington ED’s current average wait-time is, or how many times the ED has reached over 100 per cent occupancy in November or December.

Capital Coast & Hutt Valley’s group director of operations, Jamie Duncan, said the hospital had not reached the same levels of occupancy as it had on December 1 by mid-December.

“We are very sorry for the upset and distress this patient experienced during her visit to Wellington Hospital’s Emergency Department on 1 December,” Duncan said.

The patient was triaged on arrival and given a code of 3 due to pain – her vital signs were normal, she was given pain relief, had blood tests taken, which were reviewed by a senior medical officer and found to be “normal”, he said.

“Unfortunately, the day she attended was an extremely busy day for the department.”

He said when patients are triaged they are prioritised according to clinical need, rather than the order they present.

“All decisions are made on a case by case basis by experienced clinical teams, with patient safety always the foremost consideration

“While we aim to treat and discharge patients as efficiently as possible, we recognise how frustrating it can be to wait, and we genuinely empathise with anyone who experiences this.”

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How to ditch all the bad stuff that happened last year and start afresh

Source: Radio New Zealand

New year, fresh start, as the saying goes.

Your chance to shut (or slam) the door on 2025 and fling open a new one to a bright and shiny 12 months ahead.

If only it was that easy, right? It’s hard to bundle up the pain of a difficult year, take it to the tip and push it into the void.

Karen Nimmo.

Supplied

How a nutritionist overcame binge eating

Maybe you lost a loved friend, had a health scare, got made redundant or had money troubles? Or maybe you’re just weighed down by the constant stream of bad news and the state of the world.

So how do you dump all those gremlins lurking in your mind and hit 2026 with a fresh (or even tiny) sense of optimism?

We all have years that are destined for the sh*t can. No-one escapes: Remember the late Queen describing 1992 as “Annus horribilis” — a Latin phrase for a disastrous year — referring to the break up of three of her children’s marriages and a destructive fire at Windsor Castle?

Those years can leave us with what psychologists call a “negativity hangover,” — the mind’s tendency to cling far more tightly to what went wrong than to what went right.

It means we’re more likely to drag the “bad stuff” from a tough year forward, while minimising — or even ignoring — any good and positive things that happened in the same year.

So how do we stop running the same mental script from last year — and turn things around?

A psychological landmark

The concept of New Year’s resolutions began 4000 years ago when the ancient Babylonians made pledges to their Gods during their New Year celebrations to ensure good fortune.

Through many iterations, the tradition has held up. It means even the most sceptical of us can feel the tug of possibility in January — if we allow ourselves to.

The trick is to use the new year marker intentionally — not by pretending bad things didn’t happen the previous year, but deciding what we are going to carry forward, and what we need to leave behind.

True, some things can’t be quickly or easily changed — houses and relationships, money worries, difficult bosses. But that doesn’t mean we should slide into the helplessness trap.

Psychologically, it’s helpful to target the things we have control over. For example, our health habits, how we spend some of our time , who we spend it with and our attitudes.

Here are four ideas to help.

Rate your year (if you dare)

Before stumbling into a new year, review the last one. Too much forward thinking about all we’d like to do, can lead us to live our lives in deficit, thinking about all we haven’t done, and don’t have.

Use these four questions to remind yourself that the year was not 100 percent awful (because no years are).

What (small things) delighted me? How did I improve? How did I show courage? What, and who, was the most fun?

Even in a tough year, there are tiny victories, moments of joy, lessons learned and things to celebrate. Honing in on those promotes positive feelings and resilience. It also reminds us that we don’t have to conquer adversity, just learn to live alongside it.

Kill some darlings

This is a phrase novelists use referring to the “killing off” characters that once meant a lot to them because they’re no longer serving a purpose.

Make a list of all the thoughts, activities and habits that are not serving you — or actively undermining you. Choose one that, if you got rid of it, could have the greatest impact on your life.

Maybe it’s reducing news consumption, social scrolling or crap TV watching? Maybe it’s those three wines you have in the evening? Maybe it’s your negativity towards your partner? Then take your answer to the next question.

Forget goals, choose a habit

Choose a healthy habit to counter the unhelpful one. Goals only last until they’re reached but good habits can sustain us for a lifetime. Commit to one thing, do it daily and if you get to February 1 (at which point most people have ditched their resolutions), celebrate!

Write yourself a postcard

Keep it simple. Ask yourself: “Who do I want to be this year?” Then grab a postcard and write a note to yourself about how you’d like things to be at the end of 2026. Include how you want to be thinking, feeling and behaving. There’s not much room, so you’ll need to cut to the chase.

Aim for a compassionate, hopeful message. Then, when this year tests you (which it will, likely in unexpected ways), you can pull it out to refocus, and give yourself a lift.

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‘It can’t be worse, right?’: What’s ahead for the economy in 2026

Source: Radio New Zealand

123rf

The past year was a tough grind for many households and businesses but forecasters say there is economic improvement on the horizon.

Kelly Eckhold, chief economist at Westpac, said he was expecting the economy to be much stronger in 2026, with growth in GDP of about 3 percent over the year compared to a flat 2025.

“That’s supported by lower interest rates in the coming year. Whereas in 2025 we saw relatively strong performance by the primary sector and tourism to some extent but not so much the services sector and the bits of the economy that really drive the major urban areas, we think we probably have much more balanced growth in 2026.”

Households might not see much wage growth initially, he said, because that was one of the last things to move, but inflation should be weaker. “The cost of living crisis should ease off a bit.”

Gareth Kiernan, chief forecaster at Infometrics, agreed things should improve.

“It can’t be worse, right? You’ve had good export prices, you’ve got interest rates which are headed lower than we had been thinking… there’s a bit of caution coming on some of those exports… but I think between the effects of the strong prices over the last 18 months and the low interest rates and the government doing more in the infrastructure space – if not anywhere else, you put all those together and there are enough signs that growth should be better.”

He said the international environment would be something to keep an eye on. “Trump and the tariffs had derailed things somewhat through the early part of this year and that sort of has hung over the economy for the rest of 2025. But who really knows in that space, I guess.”

He said there were some small signs that the labour market was already improving and that should continue to build. “There does seem to be a bit more of an air of optimism and maybe a bit more genuine growth starting to come through as opposed to the high business confidence we had a year ago which didn’t really translate into anything much this year.”

Economists from BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, said they expected 2 percent growth in 2026.

“The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s rate cuts will continue to ease monetary policy conditions – even if most of the easing cycle is likely behind us – supporting household spending and business investment. We anticipate a 25 basis points cut to 2 percent by the end of 2026. Government infrastructure projects – including Auckland’s City Rail Link, major highway upgrades such as the Waikato Expressway, and water resilience programmes – will add momentum. Externally, strong demand for dairy and meat, alongside a tourism rebound, should underpin growth.

“However, downside risks persist. An escalation in global trade tensions or new tariffs could weaken export performance, while a slower-than-expected recovery in Mainland China – New Zealand’s largest trading partner – would dampen agricultural demand.

“Domestically, persistent labor shortages and wage pressures could restrain productivity, and delays to infrastructure projects would reduce fiscal support. Additionally, if inflation proves sticky, the Reserve Bank may pause or reverse rate cuts, curbing the anticipated lift to consumption and investment.”

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub said he was much more optimistic about 2026. “Mainly because we’re starting to see a bottom in a lot of things a the moment. Some of the distress is fading.”

But he said the recovery would not be felt evenly.

“I think there has been a real expansion of poverty in New Zealand, there’s a chunk of New Zealanders that are continuing to do it really tough.

“They’re stuck in that position where they work in industries that are not going to recover strongly. They work in industries that have relative low-wage, they work and live in places where the cost of living has gone up a lot with rents… so these things are not going to turn around quickly.

“A rising economy Is not enough to lift them up.. But for the median and for the people in the top end I think things will look a lot better.”

Sources of growth will change, he said, as some of the momentum shifted out of the primary sector.

“But by the second half of the year, all the weight of the rate cuts, the cumulative benefits of all the rate cuts would have come through. And we should start to see banks lending again because, you know, they’re fair weather friends.

“And then once they start lending money, that’s when you really juice up the cycle because it’s really about investments.

“When people start to make investments and businesses make investments, that’s really when the economy recovers. Also, I’m getting more optimistic on the government’s capex plans.

“For the last couple of years, they’ve been reducing spending, reducing spending, reducing spending. That’s really the only place austerity has worked so far in not investing in infrastructure. But if you look at all the announcements that have taken place in the second half of this year, it’s all about central government and local government doing more next year. And so all the pipeline stuff, it looks like we are going to see quite a lot of activity starting in the beginning of next year. So with the government coming back and hopefully the private sector coming back through the middle of next year, you’ve kind of got more of a platform for growth.”

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Major search launched for missing tramper near Lake Ōhau

Source: Radio New Zealand

Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

Police have launched a major search for a missing tramper near Lake Ōhau.

Connor Purvis, 20, set off to climb Mt Huxley on or around 30 December, descending through the Huxley River South Branch.

But he has not returned from his tramp, which police say is sparking concern.

Police Search and Rescue teams, Land Search and Rescue teams, and a Department of Conservation alpine rescue team are all trying to find him.

Connor Purvis. Supplied / NZ Police

Otago Coastal Search and Rescue Coordinator Sergeant Matt Sheat said helicopters were also scouring the area.

They have been looking through huts and camp sites but have found no sign of Purvis.

“We ask anyone who has climbed Mt Huxley or has been tramping or hunting in the Huxley River South Branch between 28 December and 2 January to make contact with Police if they haven’t already,” said Sheat.

“We also want to hear from anyone who may have seen or spoken to Connor in the South Temple, Ahuriri or Huxley valleys in that same timeframe.

“It’s a large-scale search over a large area, and the smallest piece of information could make all the difference.”

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Welcome to the unfun retreat where less is more

Source: Radio New Zealand

​Luxury, indulgence, immediately satisfying every need and want – these are all must-haves when it comes to a holiday. Or so you might think.​

However, in an era of self-improvement surrounded by a world of excess, deprivation might be what you need. It can seem somewhat ironic – paying money to have or do less, but taking out noise, food, or comfort might leave room for something better (that’s the idea anyway).

While science can’t vouch for all the claimed benefits, there is some evidence that a moment of discomfort can result in, well, results, whether that be more confidence, detoxification or meaningful relaxation.

Āio Wīra Retreat Centre in Auckland.

supplied

If you’re looking for a challenge in the new year, here are some retreats and camps geared toward taking something away:

A fasting retreat

Āio Wīra is a retreat centre in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges that specialises in fasting retreats. The retreats range from three to 10 days of juice only, and start at $795.

Some participants opt to do a day or two of a water-only fast, says Diana Davies, a nurse, naturopath, and fasting retreat facilitator. Many people come because they want to stop and kickstart a new habit, she says.

“The most common thing people say is they want to rest. ‘Look, I’ve been bingeing. I’ve been drinking too much. I’ve been eating crap. I just need to stop and give my body a rest’.”

The retreat is surrounded by bush and bird life. In lieu of lavish meals, participants can expect organic fruit and vegetable juice with a broth in the evening. There are also massage, yoga, and meditation options.

Āio Wīra Retreat Centre serves participants broth each evening of a fasting retreat.

supplied

To lessen the intensity of the juice fast, Davies recommends participants prepare for the fast in the days before the retreat by reducing or cutting out meat, alcohol and caffeine, while reducing the portion size of meals.

“Coffee headaches are the biggest thing people complain about. They stop the coffee, and boom, here comes the headache.”

Davies reminds those who are struggling that it is a sign that their body is dealing with something and that they will feel better on the other side.

“Fasting has been going on for thousands of years…”

Davies has only had one person who attended a fasting retreat and said he adamantly hated it.

“It’s not for everyone, but it’s for a lot of people.”

What does science say: There is limited evidence that juice fasts aid in detoxing the body, which already has its own inbuilt detox systems, according to Healthline. It can result in weight loss, but also uncomfortable symptoms like brain fog and irritability.

However, multiday water-only fasts can lead to a process known as autophagy when our glucose stores run out, and we start burning body fat for energy, according to Dr David Moreau, from the University of Auckland’s Brain Dynamics Lab. In autophagy, our cells divide more slowly and go into a self-cleaning mode, “which is potentially important to prevent things like cancer or other diseases,” he says.

However, a juice fast often feeds the body too many calories for it to reach the autophagy phase. Pregnant women, those with a history of eating disorders and those with type 1 diabetes or a low Body Mass Index (BMI) should not consider fasting, Moreau adds.

Silent retreats

Sister Eveleen Retreat House is located above a surf beach in Christchurch.

supplied

The Sister Everlyn Retreat House in Christchurch hosts regular seven-day silent retreats. The organisation was established by an Anglican nun, and many who attend retreats do believe in God, but not all of them do, says Antje Duda, the house’s director.

“A lot of people come, they just need rest, and when you come onto our porch, the whole space breathes peace in a way.”

A seven-day retreat costs $880 with shared accommodation and meals provided. The house is located in an extensive garden and near a surf beach. There is a chapel on site for prayer and contemplation.

The second day can be challenging as participants adjust to a new rhythm of silence, and by the third day, they have typically found their groove, says Duda.

The chapel at Sister Eveleen Retreat House, which hosts silent retreats.

supplied

“You know, people look at each other, they understand without words. You don’t have to talk. At the end, they know each other quite well, even though they haven’t talked.”

The retreats are guided, which means participants do a verbal check-in with the retreat’s spiritual director each evening so they can process what they have experienced that day and throughout their week. Those check-ins are important to flag those who might be struggling, although the retreat is not equipped to deal with a mental health crisis, says Duda.

“Spiritual direction is not counselling, and it’s basically a space to process faith in any way.”

What does science say: Psychology Professor Julia Rucklidge from the University of Canterbury says there is evidence that at least meditative retreats can be positive. She pointed to a 2017 examination of data from numerous studies, which found that meditation retreats had a positive impact on reducing depression, anxiety, and stress while improving the quality of life for participants.

“However, I can’t determine specifically whether these meditation retreats were fully silent, and it is really hard to control for all the other influences on wellbeing that happen – like the amazing food you would typically get in a retreat setting, the switching off from phones, the immersion in nature, etc.

“These other factors outside of the silence will also influence outcomes.”

One caveat that Rucklidge adds is that silent retreats might not be helpful to everyone, including vulnerable individuals who might experience a resurfacing of past trauma.

Survival course

SOS Survival Training, based in west Auckland on a 1000 acre block of land, puts participants into realistic survival scenarios – lost in the bush overnight, an aviation incident or being stranded at sea. The courses are “a detox from the overstimulated world that we live in,” says Stu Gilbert, a former instructor with the Royal New Zealand Air Force who is behind SOS Survival Training.

When comfort and technology are removed, participants find a “focus to rediscover resourcefulness and build their confidence,” he says.

“Most people think survival is about physical skills, but often the real transformation occurs when people’s backs are against the wall,” he says.

While the courses aren’t all designed to test toughness, you’re not exactly comfortable. In the intermediate bushcraft training program, which costs $280, participants are expected to build their own shelter and keep a fire lit throughout the night, all with minimal equipment (no matches and definitely no firestarters). Those with some experience in bushcraft can go on a solo overnight trip.

​The courses are designed to impart survival skills while building confidence, according to the SOS Survival Training website.

What does science say: Not all adventure is good adventure, says Susan Houge Mackenzie, an associate professor of tourism at the University of Otago. However, when it is done well and the situations are not too challenging or scary, participants can experience personal growth, including developing resilience.

“There’s a theory that I work with a lot, self-determination theory, and it says we have those three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.”

“And so I’d say if these experiences help fulfill those needs, then they can absolutely lead to all sorts of positive personal growth outcomes.”

Research also suggests that being outdoors “gives us a broader perspective of being part of something larger than ourselves…” says Mackenzie.

Green and blue spaces – that’s science speak for the bush and ocean – can have a calming effect while restoring our attention that is constantly fragmented by urban settings, she adds.

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State Highway 8 closed after four-vehicle crash

Source: Radio New Zealand

File photo. RNZ / Simon Rogers

Three rescue helicopters have rushed to a four-vehicle crash that has closed State Highway 8 near Tekapo.

Three people have serious injuries.

Police say the crash happened about 7pm, between Tekapo Powerhouse Road and Braemar Road.

Another person has moderate injuries.

The road is expected to be closed for some time.

Police are urging drivers to delay travel between Tekapo and Twizel, or face delays.

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RNZ’s best podcasts to listen (or relisten) to over summer

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Māori and a migrant explore the heart, history and future of Māori wardens – Aotearoa‘s hi viz kaitiaki of aroha, manaaki, and mana motuhake.

Find out how one becomes a Māori warden, what they do and what the future holds for the uniquely Kiwi institution.

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

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Freeski halfpipe: Finley Melville Ives scores another World Cup podium place

Source: Radio New Zealand

‘Pretty hyped to tick that one off’ – Melville Ives’ back on podium after landing trick for first time

Finley Melville Ives in action at the FIS World Cup halfpipe event in Calgary, 4 January, 2026. FIS Park and Pipe

Wānaka teenager Finley Melville Ives’ impressive form has continued in the latest FIS World Cup event with a second in the halfpipe in Calgary.

The 19-year-old reigning world champion won the China leg last month, and has followed up with runner-up in Calgary after being outpointed by American Nick Goepper.

His consistency is a good sign with the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in northern Olympics just over a month away.

Conditions were testing in Calgary with temperatures of about -10deg Celsius affecting speed in the pipe, while flat light reduced visibility.

But that didn’t deter Melville Ives from successfully performing a trick for the first time in competition, nailing a switch left double corked 1440 safety grab on the second hit of his second finals run.

“The conditions were pretty tricky today, but managed to put my run down and land a trick I’d never done before in competition, so I am pretty hyped to tick that one off,” Melville Ives said.

New Zealand free skier Finley Melville Ives, left, on the podium after finishing second to American Nick Goepper, centre, and Birk Irving, who was third in the FIS World Cup halfpipe event in Calgary, 4 January, 2026. Snow Sport NZ

After topping qualification from his heat, he took the early lead with his first run, but Goepper took the lead on the second run.

Melville Ives struck back with his trick switch 1440, but a couple of bobbles on two of his runs saw him fall short of Goepper, whose American team-mate Birk Irving finishing third.

“I’m so stoked, I can’t believe it. It’s been an incredible start to the World Cup season,” Melville Ives said.

“To be up there on the podium with Nick, I am so grateful.”

Fellow Wānaka athlete Ben Harrington had his best result of the season, finishing eighth.

The halfpipe tour heads to Aspen for next weekend, with New Zealand’s slopestyle athletes returning to competition.

Tough day for Robinson

It wasn’t such a good day for Queenstown alpine skier Alice Robinson, who crashed out of a second successive World Cup event, failing to finish the first run in the giant slalom in Slovenia.

The two dips have dropped Robinson to third in the overall World Cup standings, behind American Mikaela Shriffin and Switzerland’s Camille Rast, who won a World Cup giant slalom for the first time in Slovenia.

Robinson had led the standings after winning two giant slaloms in November and December, followed by the first Super G win by a New Zealander in St Moritz.

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

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‘The mood is of happiness and hope’ – Venezuelans in NZ

Source: Radio New Zealand

A person flutters a national flag in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. AFP / FEDERICO PARRA

A Venezuelan woman living in New Zealand says her family and friends in Venezuela are happy – but anxious – about the move by the United States to capture the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Ari Ruiz and her sister Katherine Halkett have both lived in New Zealand for more than 10 years.

Ruiz said she rang her parents in Venezuela this morning to tell them the news, and her mother broke into happy tears.

Ruiz said her parents hoped this will be the first step towards change for the country.

“There has also been a lot of uncertainty about what comes next,” said Katherine Halkett.

“I think that is where a lot of the anxiety comes from, but the mood in Venezuela, of most Venezuelans, is of happiness and hope. The attacks started at about 8 o’clock (pm) New Zealand time, and we haven’t stopped watching the news since and it very scary.”

Halkett said their parents are in Barquisimeto – about five hours drive from Caracas where the attacks were – and knew nothing of the attacks until their phone call.

Other friends and family members who live in Caracas had a very different experience.

“None of them were in any danger at any point, but there were loud noises, windows shaken by the explosion, and smoke. Very scary of course.”

MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP

Halkett said America’s reasons for the attack may be complicated, but she said people who say it was all about oil did not understand the situation in Venezuela.

“To all the people in New Zealand, from the comfort of their couches with all their human rights, I tell them that we in Venezuela have not had access to the petroleum money from the Venezuelan government for many years.

“They have given away our petrol to Iran, to Cuba, to Russia, to China. So for them now to be worried about our petrol when we haven’t had our petrol for many years.

“That’s why Venezuelans are not really worried about that.”

Halkett said people in New Zealand were worried about what will happen with the petrol, but not the torture, state violence and political detainees.

Halkett said about 90 percent of the population lived in poverty, with about half the population in extreme poverty.

“My mum’s pension is $US4 a month, and box of 20 eggs is $US10, so people are dying,” said Ruiz. “People don’t have access to food.”

Ruiz said their family and friends say the streets have been very quiet, and it felt as if everyone was waiting to see what will happen next.

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