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Today on The Natural Birth Podcast we have StephanieSteph is a first-time mama from Aotearoa (New Zealand) and she is a proud Sacred Birth Worker graduate.Her pregnancy, birth, and mothering journey have been guided by the rhythm of nature, the innate wisdom of other mammals, and her own intuition. She attended her first birth when she was 3 months pregnant which deeply informed her about the birth and especially the postpartum care she wanted for herself.She had a great home birth midwife who held her through pregnancy, but in her birth she felt that having her partner and best friend was all she needed and ended up free birthing her baby undisturbed. Curious about Stephanie? Find her on instagram as @goddessinclayWant to work with Anna or join The Sacred Birth Worker Mentorship?Find Anna's Website, about her Mentorship & How to Work with Her, as well as all Links & Resources she mentions in the episode here:⁠www.sacredbirthinternational.com/links-podcast⁠

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news Iran has decided to shift its policy from defensive to "fully offensive" due to the deadlock in efforts to agree a permanent end to its war ​with the United States, a senior Iranian official told Reuters overnight. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to bomb Oman, a Gulf emirate and until recently an ally. All this is unnerving bond markets with the yield on the US Treasury 30 year bond now at a 22 year high. And they aren't the only long bond yields to rise. Its a trend of higher money costs that is probably only getting started. However domestically in the US, there have been two third-tier data items out today, and both somewhat positive. The NAHB home builder sentiment survey increased very slightly in August from its unusual July low. But it still remains lower than foir most of 2026 as the core affordability pressures haven't really gone away. Meanwhile, the NY Fed's regional Empire factory survey was more positive in its August report with reporting strong current activity and new order flows stayed positive. Employment hardly changed however, and input cost increases rose fast again even if prices received eased. Meanwhile, Canadian inflation was reported back at 3.0% for July, a bit higher than the 2.9% expected and possibly bringing a rate hike there back into play. Rising fuel prices are a key driver here. Across the Pacific in Singapore, they reported very strong July export growth, up +24% from a year ago to a new all-time monthly July record of S$76 bln but not quite eclipsing their June levels. This is all based on the export of electronic equipment. Their big export destinations are the US, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and India. This exporting strength enabled them to post a very large trade surplus in July. (Imports from China were up, but nowhere near enough to account for the export gains overall. So this isn't a re-export story of the paranoid type.) Japan reported a softer economic activity expansion in Q2-2026 than expected. Analysts had expected their GDP to grow by +2% and up from +1.9% in Q1. But the data released today only shows a +1.1% expansion. But today's data is preliminary and may well be revised higher. Japanese industrial production rose +1.9% in June from May and exceeding the earlier flash indication (which was very good on its own), and far exceeding the May +0.1% rise. This was the third consecutive monthly expansion and the strongest growth since January. And it took the year on year expansion up by an impressive +4.9%. China's industrial production was claimed to be up +4.5% in July from a year ago and basically meeting targets. Within that, they claim hi-tech +16.9% on the same basis. But just like most month before they claim they are doing this with electricity production up only +1.9% in July from the same month in 2025. It seems very implausible, the only country with fast growing industrial output with essentially no growth in electricity used - and over the very long haul. More realistically, China said its retail sales were up only +0.6% in July from a year ago. According to these official sources. China house prices are falling less now. New housing was down -3.2% from a year ago, essentially unchanged from June. In fact many more cities had no change or a small increase especially top-tier cities. Second tier cities aren't getting the same boost however. Existing home sales prices are easing less too. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.73%, up +3 bps from this time yesterday. The 30 year yield is at 5.31% and up +4 bps, and that is its highest in more than 20 years.  The price of gold is rising, now at US$4413/oz, up +US$37 from yesterday at this time. Silver has risen +US$1.50 to just over US$66. Oil prices are up +US$1.50 from yesterday at just over US$84/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$90.50/bbl and up +US$2.  The Kiwi dollar is up +10 bps from yesterday at just on 59 USc. Against the Aussie we have dopped -10 bps to 83.1 AUc. Against the euro we are up +10 bps at 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just on 62.6, up +10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,245 and up +1.8% from yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has also been modest at just on +/-1.3%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the US economy is starting to show signs of exhaustion - just as the Chinese economy looks like it can't actually transition to one where internal demand replaces their industrial exports engine, as they were planning. But locally this week it will be all about how July retail sales turned out, and an update on our June population. And there will be a rush of earnings reports out this week from listed companies. In Australia we will get their July labour market update, and both the August Westpac consumer confidence survey results, along with an update of inflation expectations. Globally. te ongoing standstill between Iran and the US should continue to dictate energy prices and influence global interest rates. Rates will also take the spotlight with minutes from the last divisive meeting of the Federal Reserve, which included three dissents. More US data is expected to confirm their slowing economy. In Japan there will be a raft of data updates for the world's fourth largest economy, including for GDP, exports, inflation, machinery orders and flash PMI data. Indonesia and Sweden will review policy rates and settings this week. In China, July data released this week will include industrial production, retail sales, house prices, fixed asset investment and their unemployment rate. The People's Bank of China is also widely expected to leave its one- and five-year loan prime rates unchanged at 3% and 3.5%, respectively This will come even though they have surprised with their bank lending actually contracting in July, only the third time ever this has happened and by far the largest retreat. Net new yuan loans fell by -¥340 bln in July when a weak no-change was expected (actually a minor +¥45 bln). July is often a lowish month for new bank lending but this latest data represents some real weaknesses. A slowing economy and poor consumer sentiment, particularly for housing, limited the demand for loans. About -¥460 bln of this fall was for consumer debt. But the swing also reflects the downturn for the traditional business sectors of the economy. Their tech sector commonly raises cash in the bond market instead of bank loans. So within this result there may be evidence of a structural shift. Taiwan said its economic activity came in +12.9% higher in Q2-2026 from a year ago, lower than the +15.4% rise in Q1-2026.GDP. It was still the second-best growth pace they have recorded in almost 50 years. Malaysia said its economic activity expanded +6.0% in Q2-2026, a rise from the +5.4% in Q1-2026 and better than the expected +5.7%. In India, the bank lending impulse has the taps open fully, with lending up more than +19% at the end of July from the same point a year ago. This is a new modern record rise rate, and to record levels. Across the Pacific, US retail sales took an unexpected dip in July from June. They fell -0.6% on that basis when a +0.1% rise to compliment June's rise was expected. This is a big miss and was the first decline since October 2025 and the largest in over a year. Weaker sales at online retailers, car dealers, petrol stations and electronics stores shifted the needle, so it was a broad based dip. From a year ago, these July sales were still up +5.2% from earlier gains. Also dipping was US consumer sentiment, but this is for August, so the dour mood is extending. The widely-watched University of Michigan survey came in back at levels that followed the US attacks on Iran, so the July rise was an anomaly. A small easing was expected, but not one this big. Year-ahead inflation expectations ticked up from 4.2% in July to 4.3% this month. Inflation and inflation expectations are key for the Fed. The new boss Kevin Warsh may not want to talk about the elevated threats, but other regional governors are, some who vote. The Atlanta Fed's boss isn't one of those but she says inflation is too high and risks staying like that and embedding unless the Middle East situation resolves quickly. The Chicago Fed's boss is worried too. Current CPI is 3.4% officially, but the Cleveland Fed nowcasts the PCE measure of inflation and their latest update has it at over 3.7%. These levels are a long way from the mandated 2% policy rate and Warsh is likely to get out-voted when they next meet in Mid-September. Financial markets currently price in one chance in three of a +25 bps rise then. And for the record, current US petrol prices are now +5.7% higher than month-ago levels. Diesel is +11% higher on that same basis. Their inflation threat is not receding. Meanwhile the EU reported that Q2-2026, economic activity rose +0.4% in the euro area and by +0.5% in the overall EU compared with the previous quarter, up +1.0% and +1.2% respectively from a year ago. So recent activity is picking up, although in a way that was broadly anticipated. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.70%, up +1 bp from this time Saturday, up +5 bps for the week.  The price of gold is stable, now at US$4376/oz, up just +US$2 from Saturday, up +US$39 from this time last week. Silver has held at just over US$64.50/oz, up a net +US$1 for the week. Oil prices are unchanged from Saturday at just under US$82.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$88.50/bbl. A week ago these prices were US$78 and US$83.50/bbl respectively, so a +6% weekly rise.  The Kiwi dollar is little-changed from Saturday at just under 58.9 USc and unchanged for the week. Against the Aussie we are holding at 83.2 AUc. Against the euro we are still at 50.9 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just over 62.5, unchanged from this time Saturday and very similar to a week ago. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,102and up +0.4% from this time Saturday, down -2.6% for the week. Volatility over the past 24 hours has also been very low at just on +/-0.3%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Friday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news ship traffic in the Hormuz Strait is now at a complete standstill. But oil prices have eased slightly all the same. So, Wall Street rose and to new record highs. In the US, there were +187,000 initial jobless claims last week, a slightly larger increase than seasonal factors can account for. There are now just over 1.8 mln on these benefits, a fall from last week as the very much tighter qualification requirements keep people off these unemployment programs. US producer prices came in slightly lower than expected for July, up +4.7% from a year ago, down from +5.5% in June and lower than the +4.9% expected. A notable fall in July fuel costs offset all other rises in the month. There was a well supported US Treasury 30 year bond auction earlier today, but investors wanted and got higher yields. They came in at a median 5.16% (high 5.22%) which is a 25 year high and something of a warning to the US Administration. This was up from the prior equivalent event median of 5.01% a month ago. Meanwhile, Cleveland Fed President Hammack restated her view that the ‌US central bank should raise rates immediately to bring down too-high inflation and restrain business growth and investment. She is a current FOMC voting member. She said she "lacks confidence" the current do-nothing policy will get inflation back to its target. Meanwhile the Richmond Fed boss Barkin says he is happy to wait. Barkin is not a current FOMC voting member. In Japan, their central bank wants to raise its 1% policy rate from here, and reports indicate that it has government backing for the move now. It could come at the next review in mid-September. Markets have priced in a 75% chance. Japanese producer prices have been rising fast recently and were up 7.2% in July from a year ago. But there was essentially no rise in July from June, so they are starting to see some heat dissipate. India reported strong exports, its third highest monthly total ever, in July, and up +19% from the same month in 2026. But they also reported record high imports, driven by fuel imports. In the EU. euro area industrial production rose in June, very slightly (+0.1%), when a fall (-0.8%) was expected. In the wider EU region, the gain was even better. Production of consumer goods led the way with a strong June result. Gains in Denmark, Poland and Finland were notable. Germany and France dipped. In Australia, regulators there are warning that online brokers are targeting retail investors with complex or high-risk products without clearly disclosing their risks or conducting proper onboarding, leaving those who respond exposed to risky products that could see them lose their investments within hours.  New semi-annual pay data out yesterday in Australia revealed a softening trend in the private sector. Overall average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults were AU$2,084 in May, up just +1.6% overall in the period, up +3.7% for the year. These are the slowest increase rates since 2022. Rises in public sector pay are running at nearly twice the pace of the private sector. Recall, CPI inflation there was at 3.8% in the year to June - so no real gains. Global container freight rates were up a mere +1% last week from the prior week but are +85% higher than year-ago levels. That weekly data masks sharply higher rates to the US from China, offset by lower rates from China to the EU. Bulk cargo rates fell -4.2% in the past week from a cycle high and are now +45% higher than year-ago levels. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.63%, down -5 bps from this time yesterday. The price of gold is falling, now at US$4357/oz, down -US$60 from yesterday. Silver has fallen almost -US$1 to just over US$64.50/oz. Oil prices are down -US$1 from yesterday at just under US$82/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$88/bbl. Hormuz transits have virtually vanished. There has been no crude tankers and only 1 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (0 dark with transponders off) and just two entering for new loads (0 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is now less than 10 exits at the Yemen chokepoint. The Kiwi dollar is down another -10 bps from yesterday at just under 58.5 USc. Against the Aussie we are holding soft at 82.9 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 50.7 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just under 62.1 which is also down -10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,141 and down -0.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has also been low at just on +/-0.8%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again on Monday. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Thursday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the pressure is off the US Fed from inflation threats, temporarily at least. First today, and as markets had expected, US CPI inflation came in at 3.4% in July, dipping from 3.5% in June. Food prices were up +3.0% from a year ago, petrol prices up more than +24%. From June petrol prices fell -2.9% however, which was a bit more than expected. (In August, petrol prices dipped slightly in the first week, but have since started rising again.) Rents were up +3.2%. Electricity prices were up +4.2%. US core inflation - without food and energy - was up +2.5% and this is probably the Fed's get-out-of-jail card. US PCE July inflation data is next due August 27. US mortgage applications recovered notably last week, up +3.6% from the prior week after four of the prior six weeks were decreases. The rise was driven by refinance activity, borrowers who could not wait any longer and taking advantage of a very minor dip in mortgage rates to 6.77% (which will seem high to our readers). Last week, the US reported a huge surge in crude oil stocks, the larges weekly rise in more than three years. It wasn't expected - in fact another retreat was expected. It is not clear why, because it wasn't driven by imports, according to this data. Strategic reserves will next be reported at month-end. The August USDA WASDE report has raised its estimates for beef imports in 2026 and 2027, and lowered its expected milk prices marginally. The US Treasury reported a much larger budget deficit for July than expected, and the expected July deficit was outsized to start with. They ended up with almost a -US$½ tln deficit in the month alone. The public mismanagement is now epic. For their fiscal year to September, they will be reporting a deficit of at least US$2 tln (-US$1.95 tln over the past 12 months), easily a new record. Trump's swamp creatures are helping themselves. Meanwhile, a well-supported UST 10yr auction delivered a yield of 4.63% today (high ofg 4.68%), compared to 4.53% at the prior equivalent event a month ago. Canadian building consents jumped notably in June, up +18% from the same month a year ago driven by non-residential construction. Residential construction rose too, just not as sharply as the commercial sector. In Japan, the Reuters Tankan index for manufacturers rose in August to its highest reading since March. Leading the mood improvement was solid semiconductor demand. But the chemicals also rose along with the metal and machinery sector. Non-manufacturers' sentiment also rose, buoyed by strong domestic consumption. This survey likely points to a similar rise in the official Tankan survey that will come later in August. Japanese machine tool orders continued their very strong growth in July, up +50% from a year ago and which the value wasn't a record, it was very close. These orders have taken off since March 2026. Demand was huge from both domestic and export customers. China's vehicle sales slipped below 2.5 mln in July and recorded a year on year dip of -0.3%. But it is the September to December period when their domestic vehicle sales usually peak. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.67%, dipping -2 bps from this time yesterday. The price of gold is holding at US$4417/oz, up +US$51 from yesterday. Silver has risen +US$1 to just over US$65.50/oz. Oil prices are down -50 USc from yesterday at just under US$83/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just over US$88.50/bbl. Hormuz transits are still very low.  The Kiwi dollar is down -25 bps from yesterday at just under 58.6 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -40 bps at 82.9 AUc. Against the euro we have retreated -20 bps to 50.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just on 62.2 which is down -30 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,420 and down a -0.2% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has also been low at just on +/-0.9%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

  Episode: 140 Taking Charge After Stroke: Self-Determination and Recovery with Vivian Fu   In this episode you will discover: ● The Conversation Is the Intervention — A structured, facilitated conversation that centers a person's identity, hopes, and vision for their best day produces measurable improvements in quality of life and independence a year after stroke. Connection isn't soft — it's evidence-based. ● Reframe the Expert in the Room — Take Charge asks clinicians to resist offering advice, validation, or direction — and to trust that the person with stroke already holds the wisdom they need. The hardest part of the facilitator role is staying out of the way. ● Self-Determination Is Not a Luxury — When people with stroke are supported to set their own direction, outcomes improve, costs decrease, and the effects last for years. Building systems that protect that autonomy isn't idealistic — it's what the data demands.   Welcome to the Aphasia Access Aphasia Conversations Podcast. I'm Katie Strong from Central Michigan University and a member of the Aphasia Access Podcast Working Group, a community dedicated to supporting better aphasia care.   Today I'm speaking with Dr. Vivian Fu, a stroke neurologist living and working in Kelowna, British Columbia, the unceded territories of the Syilx / Okanagan people. Vivian trained in Aotearoa New Zealand, where she completed her PhD running the Taking Charge After Stroke trial. Take Charge showed that people with stroke who were supported to follow their own self-determination had much better quality of life and independence a year after their stroke. The second Take Charge RCT showed that two sessions about six weeks apart produce better outcomes than one session. Vivian strives to embed the Take Charge philosophy in her daily practice, and is focused on improving access to high quality stroke care for rural, regional, and underrepresented populations.   I have been looking forward to this conversation. What drew me to Take Charge was how it reframes the question entirely — from what does the clinician do for this person to what does this person want for their own life. That shift is deceptively simple, and as you'll hear, the evidence behind it is anything but.   Let's get into it.   Katie Strong:  Welcome, Vivian. Vivian Fu: Thank you so much for having me, Katie. I'd like to start off with my Pepeha. This is an introduction in Te Reo Māori, which is the indigenous language of the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, and I'll just translate each line. Nō Hong Kong ōku tīpuna. My ancestors come from Hong Kong. I tipu ake au ki Aotearoa. I grew up in Aotearoa, New Zealand. E noho ana au ki Ki-Low-Na. I live in Kelowna, British Columbia. Ko tēnei taku mihi ki ngā tāngata whenua o te rohe nei. I like to pay my deepest respects to the first peoples of this land. I live on the unceded territories of the Syilx and Okanagan peoples. Ko tēnei taku mihi ki ngā maunga, ki ngā awa, ki ngā roto, ki ngā Papatuānuku, o te rohe nei. I'd like to pay my deepest respects to the mountains, rivers, and the lakes, and to Mother Earth. All these important landmarks that have been here for millennia. Nō reira, tēna koutou, tēna koutou, tēna koutou katoa. Therefore, hello, hello, hello, Ko Vivian Fu tōku ingoa. Lovely to be here. Katie Strong:  Well, I'm so glad you're here. And I wanted to start off today asking about the Take Charge program that you've been working with, and talk to me about how that began. What was the origin of that? Vivian Fu:  Sure, so really this work began in probably the late 90s early 2000s when clinicians in Aotearoa New Zealand realized that there were different outcomes for people who were Māori compared with non-Māori, and I guess an important point to illustrate is that in Aotearoa society we view things in a very bicultural lens, and by that I mean Tangata Whenua, who are the people of the land, so indigenous people of the Māori and Tangata Tiriti, so everyone else are people of the treaty. It doesn't really matter where you come from, but you are a person of the treaty if you live in Aotearoa, and so it's a bicultural lens, and so we always look at things in that way, and that's how our kind of entire society is grounded upon that. And so when we look at health outcomes, what we could see back then, and unfortunately what we, in a way, still see now is that Māori were experiencing a stroke at about 20 years younger than non-Māori, and they were more likely to die from their stroke, and also more likely to be severely disabled. And so there was a difference in life expectancy, a difference in overall rehabilitation access, difference in overall outcomes, and so it started off with Professor Matire Harwood's work. She is Tangata Whenua, and in her PhD, she was looking at why there were these differences in outcomes and wanting to address them. And so that started off with the Māori and Pacific Stroke Study, which was essentially conducted in just Māori and Pacific people in Aotearoa, New Zealand, out of many different centers around the country. It was a four arm study.. It was a randomized control trial, and it looked at a conversation, which was labeled as the "Take Charge" session, but it was, it was really a connection and a conversation versus a professionally made DVD from the New Zealand Stroke Foundation about people's experiences and stories after stroke. And then the fourth arm of the trial was getting both of those interventions, and there was a control group. So there were three active groups in one control group. And what the researchers basically found was that anybody who had received this session of discussion and connection did much better a year after stroke in terms of quality of life, independence, and caregiver strain. And so that was the first sort of indication that there was something in that conversation that was really important. Unfortunately, it didn't really take off in terms of being able to be implemented, and so then Dr. Harry McNaughton, who was Dr. Harwood's supervisor wrote multiple grants and tried to get this session into much more of a bigger trial with some some type of implementation, and that's where I came along and we essentially did two things. We operationalized the intervention into something that had a bit of a framework, so with a bit of a booklet and a bit of a structure to follow. Really looking into what was it about that conversation that was so powerful and made such a difference to people, and tried to put those things into practice. Then, secondly, to conduct a second trial in New Zealand out of seven centers for people with stroke who were non-Māori and non-Pacific, because the struggle that we came across was that it was only shown to be effective in a small group of people, but not in everybody, and so we had to do things backwards. And so that was really where it all began, from these principles of self-determination, so Tino Rangatiratanga, which is a really important principle in Te Ao Māori, and in the world of Māori, but also knowing that Māori and a lot of indigenous peoples, we think of health as this concept called Te Whare Tapa Whā, for example, which is the house with four walls. So a person is never just their body and their physical health, there are other walls that keep the house upright. So mental health, spiritual health, and family health, whānau is so important, and feeling as though you have strong foundations in where you belong is also really important. So it's that really holistic look at health of an individual and how we can address all of those things in an intervention is really where it all came from. Katie Strong:  Thank you for sharing. I appreciate the backstory, and also just the idea of what you're thinking about from a holistic health standpoint. I know our listeners are probably curious, some of them might not have heard about Take Charge before, so this is the first time of them hearing about this, and so I was hoping, Vivian, you could give us an overview of what the intervention is, and then maybe walk us through what a session actually looks like in practice. Vivian Fu: Yeah, absolutely. So I'll talk you through the session in the way that it was done in the larger Take Charge trial. So this was done in 400 non-Māori, non-Pacific people with stroke, and our trial there had three arms. So there was a control group, there was a group that received just one session, and then there was a group that received two sessions six weeks apart roughly. The sessions were provided by a trained facilitator, and they were timed roughly somewhere between three to 18 weeks after stroke. So quite a large window, really, depending on when the person with stroke was ready to receive it. So the short version of what it looks like is it's based off the booklet and it's done face to face. It's a conversation and the facilitator is trained at the beginning to really try and establish a relationship…to build a relationship. There's a concept in Te Ao Māori called Whakawhanaungatanga, which is really sort of seeking another person's identity, recognizing who they are as a person, and trying to build connections. And so I guess in English, we think of that as building rapport, building trust. And so it in our trial was done face to face. We have also looked at ways of doing this via telehealth as well, which is, you can imagine, is a little bit different. But that step is really important, and we knew that it was important also in the initial Māori and Pacific trial, because the facilitators who were trained were actually ethnicity matched. So that's something where I think it came quite naturally in that trial, but in the second trial we really wanted to ensure that a relationship was built, and then there are three pages, initial pages in the booklet that look at different things. So the first page is looking at how the person has been affected by the stroke, and then asking them to think about actually who they really are as a person. It's a very simple concept, and a very sort of simple question, but for many people that's the first time they've really been asked that and have had to think about that. So anything that comes to mind that they can relate to, you know, who they are. An individual, and what it is that they love, so for example, for me, I would say, "I'm a mum, and I'm, I'm a stroke neurologist, I am a painter, I'm a poet, I'm someone who loves going for walks in hikes," and, you know, so those kinds of things, and it, and it kind of really builds on on that person's identity and who they are in the world. And so that's that sort of page one. It's really about establishing identity and sense of self. And then the second page is talking then about my hopes and fears. And that might be a tricky one, really, for a lot of people to start talking about and thinking about. They may not want to express that, they may not have been asked that. Sometimes it brings out a lot of emotion, and that's why that initial beginning part of establishing trust and in a kind of a psychological safety space is really important. And then the third page is imagining or envisioning what my best day looks like. And you can be as wild and fantastical about that as you like. When we train our facilitators, we asked them to do these exercises as well themselves, so they can get a really good sense of what that's like, and I had a lovely training session with community health workers from Tanaha First Nation in Cranbrook, BC, and one of one of the attendees in the group said she'd love to have breakfast with a Sasquatch, and so that was absolutely, you know, it was so culturally relevant, so important. Katie Strong:  That makes my Pacific Northwest roots just smile there! Vivian Fu: Exactly! Just so unique to that individual and to where they are in the world. And it's not something you can, you can pluck out of a textbook or pluck out of anything, right. It's where they are. I love that activity. It's quite magical what comes out. And then after those three pages are done, then there are some pages that are specifically related to goal setting, which may or may not be relevant to the person in front of you, things like a physical page, emotional, social, financial, health management type pages. And that really is a way to think about or encourage the person to think about, or we know what are the things that do matter to you, and and what are the things you would like to achieve in the long run, and what are some ways you might be able to break that down into achievable steps that you would personally want to do. But the session in practice can look like anything out of that. It can look from a person at session one being completely clammed up about not wanting to dig deep or not not being ready to engage in that. Or just kind of being, you know, keeping it all to themselves, and thinking about it, and ruminating about it, and then session two, looking very different after they've had that six weeks to think about it themselves. It can look like blank pages, or it could look like a person coming up with all sorts of brilliant ideas. Hopefully, you know, we always encourage if they can write the person with stroke as the one who is writing in the notebook. They keep it. They stick it on their fridge. They do whatever they like with it. They write in it in their own time, but it's completely fine to have blank pages. It's completely fine to have nothing come out of that conversation, nothing verbal, but it's just a space to an invitation to dig deep, and if there's something to say to feel heard. And I guess there was another question. I think that's quite important with regards to what the facilitator is doing, what are they not doing, and the facilitator is trained specifically to listen and ask questions and reflect the ideas that are being expressed by the person with stroke, but what they're not doing is they're not offering any advice or suggestions or pathways forward or how abouts or what abouts. They are not, and this is probably the hardest part. They're not passing any judgment, and that includes good judgment. So, by saying something like, "oh, that sounds like a really good idea", which seems like a really normal response from most people, it kind of implies that there are other ideas that are less good. Or the person with stroke might feel as though they are needing to have that kind of external validation, that external approval, and, and what we don't want is to for them to feel like they're doing this or saying this or thinking these things for the facilitator. We want them to think about it for themselves. And so all we encourage people to respond, is "oh, so you'd like to ride your bike, that's really interesting. How, how do you think you'll, you'll go about doing that?" You know, it's, it's much more neutral, but reflective way of speaking and listening, I guess. Katie Strong:  I am curious, how long is the training, or you know, what kinds of.. what we didn't talk about this, but I know people are going to want to know. So, what does it take to be trained? Vivian Fu: This is quite funny. This is a thing that sort of been on my mind ever since we've started implementation around the world, and I have this ultimate goal of operate like actually making the training have some type of qualification and fidelity, and some structure. There is structure, but it's essentially myself or Harry doing a Zoom with people, and it takes maybe say four hours. But ideally, what we'd love to do is to have sort of recorded videos, and then we'd have live sessions, and then we'd have assessments, and then you get a certificate at the end. I have neither the budget or the… Katie Strong: There's always the next step, for sure. Vivian Fu: I'd love to be for people to be able to say, "Oh, I'm Take Charge trained" and for them to be able to like "Look, I've got this qualification, I'm Take Charge trained, I know how to do this," and especially for if we were thinking about doing it in more clinical trial settings, I think that's really important, but also, you know, for people, you know, to have on their CV, if they're moving between jobs and things, I think it's so useful. But yeah, basically people get in touch with myself or Harry and say, "Hi, we'd like to be trained, can you fit us in?" And we just do it for free. Katie Strong:  Lovely, I love it. And the other question I had as you were talking was how long is a typical session or or is there is there length? Vivian Fu: So in the trial what our facilitators did was they because it was face to face and they had to drive between people's houses, they booked in the session, usually at 10:30 in the morning, and then another session, I think, if I remember correctly, either maybe it was 1:30 in the afternoon. And so you can probably surmise that for people with stroke, usually the 10:30 slot is the most popular. And you know, some people would would prefer to wake up earlier and be ready earlier, so they might ask for something like 9 o'clock and then they might usually go for about an hour and a half to two hours if it's a good going session, and they're really digging deep, and there's a lot to say. And often you know that first half an hour is, "Here's a cup of tea and a biscuit. Let's get to know each other. Tell me all about what happened with your stroke." That kind of stuff, so that listening and connecting stuff actually takes takes a while to establish, and I think people just allowed for that time. Then they'd do a second session in the afternoon again. There are lots of things, you know, cognitive problems, fatigue is a big one. So, if people felt like they couldn't keep going, the facilitator would say , "That's totally fine, we'll book in for, you know, do the rest of this another time, is that okay?" It was fine to really just, you can truncate it and break it up as much as the person really wants. Katie Strong:  Thank you. I appreciate the extra information. You had a recent publication in 2025 with some colleagues that looked at this work from a qualitative lens.  You came up with some themes about doing things my way, coming to my own wisdom, and they're just so deeply related to identity, and what struck me was the contrast participants drew between Take Charge care and standard care, where they described being put in a box receiving scripted advice that had really nothing to do with who they were as a person. And when someone gets to tell the story of who they are to a genuinely good listener, something shifts. I was just curious, if you could think about what you think is happening there, or what you found in your study. Vivian Fu: Well, I think for the most part, as a, you know, as a clinician, if we think about from the moment the person has a stroke, they disempowered from that very moment.  Something happens where they just aren't themselves, and they are brought into a merge. A bunch of things happen to them that they can't really even speak up about. You know, they're popped in a scanner. They might get thrombolised, you know, all these things are happening. And the person doesn't really know what's going on. There are a lot of important qualitative studies that have been done, looking at that element of feeling disempowered, and what somebody in New Zealand study described as feeling gut-wrenchingly emotional. You know, experiences that that aren't heard and aren't ever expressed to to anyone in the healthcare side and aren't dealt with, and so, if you think about that, just that trauma of having a stroke and then going through all of that stuff, and you know, ending up in a bed somewhere on a ward with strangers on the other side of a curtain, and it's really pretty traumatic. And so I think what was powerful with Take Charge was it's an it's an opportunity for someone to finally tell their story and feel heard and for all that stuff to just come out. And a lot of the time you know people might say, "Oh, well, you could talk to your family, you can talk to your kids, or, you know, whatever. Once you get home" but actually, a lot of people don't feel like talking to those who are closest to them about how much it affected them, and there is still an element of stigma. There's still an element of, "Oh, you know, you look great physically, you to someone we know having had a big health scare, and then kind of coming back into that. But there's there's a real dissonance between what is going on inside a person and and how other people are reacting to them coming back into "normal spaces". And so I think the ability to tell your story from the very get go. You know, all of the messiness of it. All the things that went wrong, and then to have somebody listen to that really gives meaning to it and makes it real, but it also helps that person really reestablish their sense of power to regain some power from that that they had lost. And there's a lot of power in story, and I think the kind of, you know, lovely thing about it is that sort of all indigenous cultures sort of be like, you know, First Nations, Māori, Gaelic, a lot of cultures really put a lot of value in the power of storytelling. And that is how historically things were really passed down, and so I think it's through that ability to be able to feel heard and to tell your story that then the person who is speaking can actually hear themselves say things out loud for the first time. And then understand the power and the value and the worth in their words and their experience, and that is that process of coming to my own wisdom, is "Oh, actually, you know, I do know about my body. I am, I am the expert, not these people in their white coats, or you know, with their expertise, I am the expert. I know what I need. I can plan my rehabilitation. I can go back to the things that I want to do, and this is how I'm going to do it." And it's that, that kind of reestablishment of confidence and strength and hope that is so powerful. I think. Katie Strong: I agree. I agree, Vivian. As you know, our listeners are primarily speech language pathologists working with people with aphasia. We also have people with aphasia that are listening, and researchers as well. But you know, the capacity for language being disrupted by aphasia. I was just curious, with Take Charge, as you've studied it, is you know, really a talking therapy with writing, and, and those sorts of things, and so I was just curious, you know, what would it take to extend this kind of intervention to people with aphasia, and what principles would you want to most preserve in the adaptation. Vivian Fu: Yeah, thank you. That's such an important question. We certainly, in the Take Charge trial, included people with aphasia in the trial, and the way that we sort of just included them was if they could understand or the consent form and could mark an "x" on the form, we'd be happy to to have them included, and so we had people with mild to moderate and moderate to severe aphasia in the trial. And we hadn't made any specific changes or tweaks to the intervention, the facilitator just did what they could with what we had. But I think what has come out of reviews of the implementation of Take Charge now in New Zealand is that it is really important for us to look at how we can adapt the intervention for people with aphasia. I think for the facilitators in the trial, what they did was they allowed a lot more time, so the usual two and a half hours became three and a half hours, and that was fine if the person could continue. But also I think from the report we need to look at alternative ways of how we can complete some of these activities, whether it's providing images where people can point, whether it's a lot more inclusion of their family, their whānau important people to them who can help with, you know, subtle guidance, and, and, and having sort of lived with the person now, can read their non-verbal expressions a lot better than a stranger, a facilitator can and can help with the guidance of participating. And really, while Take Charge has been translated, I think, now into seven or eight different languages, we really need to adapt Take Charge to other communication needs and other languages, but what I.. so my role.. sorry, I didn't.. I'd actually say this, but my role in the in the large trial was as the blinded outcomes assessor, so I went around at one year after stroke. I traveled around to the 400 or so different other people, participants' homes around the country, and I sat in their living rooms, and I listened to their stories again. And then I did all of their outcome instruments and got all of their outcomes done, but I did not know which group they were allocated to. And then I locked all the data, and then I'd say, "Hey, so which group did you get Take Charge or not?" And it was really, it was good. I think out of the 400 there were only two people who, when I turned up, actually had the booklet on the table, and so you know, I just ignored it, and then, but yeah, it was, it was really good in terms of sort of blinding and masking, and then sort of having a guess as I was going through and checking where things were at. It was such a privilege for me to, as a stroke doctor, I think you know people don't usually get to do this as a physician, but to, to meet so many different people with so many different stories, and a number of people who still had moderate to severe aphasia, and and were telling me about the impacts of that on their life. But we were still able to communicate a year after stroke, and so I think it is so important that we don't exclude people with cognitive and communication difficulties. We have to adapt the things that we have to make it work for them. What I'd love is to be able to have some kind of focus group with people with aphasia, and, and show them Take Charge, and realize, oh, what can we do? How would this work better for you? Katie Strong:  I love that, and well. Well, and we haven't talked about the materials yet, but I do have to say they're so accessible, or they're very accessible from a visual standpoint as well. Vivian Fu: Thank you. Yes, we are actually modifying them and making the font bigger and having better graphics. We started off with stick figures that Harry drew, and then I think we're actually making them a lot nicer in terms of the graphics, but what we do have at the moment is actually available online for free, and you can just download them as a package. It's if you Google it, it's the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, or www.mrinz.ac.nz  and then under programs, and we spell that as p r o g r a m m e s, and then under programs slash forward slash stroke, I think is where it lives, and at the bottom of the page you should be able to download, a training package and the booklet itself. Katie Strong: Yes, lovely, and we'll have the links on our show notes as well, so you can check those out, listeners, if you're interested. So, thank you. You have two randomized controlled trials that you've talked a little bit about, and a cost effectiveness analysis and qualitative work, all pointing in the same direction that the cost data suggests that Take Charge actually might save money, and that is remarkable, and lots of evidence showing that, but still, it's a challenge in implementing into standard practice, and I was curious if you could talk with us about what you think stands between what the evidence shows and what actually gets implemented. Vivian Fu: Sure, gosh, I love this question. It's it applies for so many interventions, I think, specifically for Take Charge, it's a number of things. So definitely the stuff that affects other interventions being implemented, but for Take Charge itself, it started off with a huge amount of disbelief bias, so people, you know, even after I presented the main results of the second trial at the European Stroke Conference in gosh, when was that? 2019 pre-COVID in Milan. So this is a huge international stroke conference, and this was a plenary session. People stood up and took photos of the results and went, you know, there was this collective gasp throughout the audience of 6000 odd people, but there's just this disbelief that something as simple as a conversation can make a difference to people's objective quality quantitative outcomes, like the, you know, Bartel or the FIM, what they, you know, what their physical outcomes are like at a year. And what their quality of life is like. I think for people who are stroke researchers, a lot of the focus is on that initial 24 to 48 hours after stroke. And you know, that that's kind of where that's kind of where all the funding goes, isn't it? So it's the pre-hospital stuff, and then the interventional things you can stick catheters into and thrombolysis, and you know that's, and that's all great. You know, I, as a stroke physician, I love that part of stroke as well, but to think that you could possibly do something at three to 18 weeks after stroke that could change a person's outcome by a year, and actually we've got a long-term follow-up study now that says that those those same magnitude of changes are still present at five years between the groups is, you know, kind of gobsmacking. And people just go, surely you've fudged this, or surely this can't be true. And so there's this huge disbelief bias that stopped us from being able to publish initially, and it was only after I presented the results in Milan that that we got accepted into a journal. And we'd been trying for about a year beforehand, and, and so there's, there's that disbelief. But also in the way that it has to be provided, you know, it's probably considered quite labor intensive. You know, one on one home visits, and that's why people of other researchers who do believe in Take Charge are now looking at providing take charge in different ways. Like I did a telehealth trial in Canada, in southern Alberta, when I was there as a fellow in Calgary, and there's potential other work that's being. Done in Australia with Take Charge, looking at providing it by computer avatars, by even maybe even AI, and maybe in a larger sort of telehealth format. And so you know other ways of doing it, but I think ultimately it's kind of cultural inertia, because you know, "We've never done this, this is not part of who we are. Why would we need to start something new?" There's probably kind of an established way of thinking about clinician and, and patient, rather than person with stroke, in still in how we practice, and this idea that the therapist and doctor are experts. And so I think it really challenges that dogma and challenges clinician's role, and therefore there's a resistance to accept that this is something that is useful and helpful, and actually doesn't, you know, you don't need to take it personally. You're still doing great work. Take Charge is just a tool that helps supplement everything else that's going on, and so there's a lack of time, and I think we also get quite, as practicing clinicians, we get quite tunnel visioned into this, you know, hamster wheel of go to work, treat all these people, go home. We just keep doing it. Hoping that things will get better for them, but, you know, we, it's only when we start looking at alternative interventions and alternative things that work and start trialing them and being open to that, that I think things will really start to change. We've certainly had interest from random little parts around the world. I think it's been translated into Latvian. I've got people from Sweden who are interested. A little hospital in Germany, and then parts of it's been trialed in pilot studies in the UK. And Harry and I last year trained a whole bunch of occupational therapists in Hong Kong, so you know it is, it is kind of picking up, slowly but surely. Katie Strong: Well to me, you know, most stroke survivors, or people with stroke, as you're referring to them, have chronic challenges, and so all of the early intervention, while important, doesn't necessarily help somebody navigate that longer term change. And so I love that this is just such an empowering way of putting that power back into the person's life, which it seems like it is showing up n in the results that you're sharing. Vivian Fu: Oh, absolutely. I mean, if we think about it, if we just think about thrombectomy and thrombolysis, somewhere between five to 15% of all people with stroke are eligible, and then receive the treatment. That leaves what?, 85 to 95% of people who don't get to receive that. And even after they receive the treatment, there are consequences of stroke that are beyond the physical that don't you know don't have any other thing to address them apart from our routine care, so I completely agree with you. Katie Strong: Well, thinking about what clinicians might be able to do tomorrow or you know, in the near future, for our speech-language pathologists or other practitioners who are listening today and are feeling the pull of this work, and you know, really encouraged by it, but are you know working in an embedded productivity driven impairment focused system, what's one thing that they could do differently in the very next clinical encounter that they have? Vivian Fu:  We have a paper, I think it's written. Oh gosh, where did it.. where did it get published? I think it was published in Practical Neurology. It's titled something, something intrinsic motivation. I should know better. Katie Strong: I'm going find out, and I don't think I read that one, so I'm gonna find it, and I'll put the link in the show notes for everybody. Vivian Fu: Sorry,Harry about the promo, but yeah, I'll send it to you, but essentially it's written to give some guidance on how you can embed Take Charge into your daily clinical practice. And it's written for neurologists, but honestly it applies to everybody.  One of the key things is when you have that next encounter, obviously you know therapists do this a lot better than doctors do, but they ask a lot about, you know, what's outside of the person's life and what's important to them, but maybe move away just, you know, from the very practical questions like "How many steps do you have going in and out of your house?, and How do you hang up your washing?", or whatever, but it's, you know, really much less functional, but more, "Who are you? Tell me a bit more about yourself. What do you love doing? What gets you out of bed?" You know, if I might, the one that I like to use a lot on my ward rounds is, "If you weren't in this hospital bed right now, where would you rather be? What would you rather be doing?", and I do that on my rounds, and it's incredible, because you know, I'll hear all sorts of things, "I'll, you know, be on my boat fishing out on the lake", or I think this lady was like 84 or something. "I'll be with my girlfriends, we'll be having coffee at Tim Hortons", you know, and it's just, I don't know, it's something so unique to that person that I could never, you know, they're in their hospital pajamas with a whole bunch of stuff stuck to them, and I can't envisage them doing that, and yet I'm like, I want you to imagine yourself there. Where would you rather be? Okay, so everybody, that's our goal. It's not to get her home or to get her walking again. Our goal is to get her back in Tim Hortons with her eight friends, having coffee, like that is what this person loves to do. And I think that you know that inquiry, that it shows you care, it shows you see them as an individual, and I think it completely shifts your rehab focus, and then you can ask more questions about that, and they, you know, then you have this whole conversation about about what their life is like. And I think that part of being seen, even if it's only within 60 seconds, makes such a difference to that person. So that's one thing. The second thing I'd be, you know, doing is I'm trying to involve family as much as possible, as much as the person wants, and basically, just seeing them as an individual makes a huge difference already to the way you practice, that would be what I'd focus on. Katie Strong: Agreed, agreed. Well, Vivian, is there something you wish people asked you about this work that they rarely do, something about Take Charge or stroke recovery more broadly that you think the field hasn't quite caught up to yet. Vivian Fu:  Oh gosh, this is a tricky one. I think one thing we ought to recognize is that everybody is doing the best that they can with what they have. And you know, we're not as clinicians on the ground on the front line, we're not involved with funding decisions, and what projects get funded and which ones don't. And there will be the ambitious amongst your listeners, who I really hope will be like, "Oh my gosh, I can apply for this little grant, and I'm going to pilot this, and I think we should give this a go with our people." and I think that is absolutely a great idea to have. And, and I would, myself and Harry will do everything that we possibly can to help support such projects from where we are. I think the important thing to think about is that every little bit that you do makes a difference, and to not feel as though, because you know your funding runs out, or you don't get it, or the world is such a bleak place that you know it's not worth continuing to try. Because people with stroke who see you do this work, they will be grateful for it. And also the patient partners I've met that I've spoken with, and all of the people whom I've interviewed with the qualitative work, they're also happy to be part of something like this. And so even if it's a pilot project. Even if it's, you know, something that may not last, you'd be so surprised at how much momentum you can build with a movement of people who see the value in this and then take it further and further, And that's what I've been really impressed by, and kind of stunned by in all these different locations around the world who have contacted me. I've just been like, "Wow, can't believe [this]." There's this wonderful group in Hunter Medical Research Institute down in Australia, who basically took Take Charge back to their own unique Aboriginal community, the Gamilaroi peoples of that particular area of Australia. They have, like Canada and like the States, they have 1000s of tribes and lots of different groups that all speak completely different languages, but they took it to their local group, and they broke down, take charge into little bits, and then rebuilt it into an intervention that just works for them, and it's called "Yarning Up after Stroke", because what they do is they have a yarn. They yarn, and that's the way they tell their stories. It's yarning, and so you know, I just think it's incredible. Like, they got funding for it, they did it, and now it's an ongoing project that just keeps on in the community being provided to their people, and it's fantastic. So, I think it'll evolve. I love to see how it evolves, and I certainly don't think of, you know, this isn't the kind of intervention that we go around patenting and making a ton of money out of. It's the kind of intervention that everybody makes their own, and hopefully with a lot of input by people with stroke, Katie Strong: I love it. Thank you. Thank you so much for being our guest today, and sharing about Take Charge, and your generosity in sharing about the intervention, and if people are interested in reaching out to contact you, so thank you so much, Vivian. Vivian Fu:  Thank you so much for having me. I hope I haven't spoken too long. Katie Strong: Oh no, it's perfect. Vivian Fu: I'm always happy to be contacted, and yeah, very happy to support anyone who'd like to explore this further. Katie Strong: Thanks so much. On behalf of Aphasia Access, thank you for listening. For references and resources mentioned in today's show, please see our show notes, available on our website at www.aphasiaaccess.org. There you can also become a member of our organization, browse our growing library of materials, and find out about the Aphasia Access Academy. If you have an idea for a future podcast episode, email us at info@aphasiaaccess.org. For Aphasia Access Conversations, here at Central Michigan University in the Strong Story Lab, I'm Katie Strong. Dr. Fu's Email  dr.vivianfu@gmail.com  Resources and Readings Fu, V. (2019). Taking Charge After Stroke: A novel, community-based intervention to improve the lives of people with stroke. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Taking-Charge-After-Stroke:-A-novel,-intervention-Fu/3bc1dbb271f425c72e146510088856e3aad8683e  Fu, V., Fernando, K. M., Bright, F., Riley, J., McPherson, K., & McNaughton, H. (2025). Coming to my own wisdom: A qualitative study exploring the role of the Take Charge intervention in stroke recovery. Clinical Rehabilitation, 39(3), 377–387. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692155241310770 Fu, V., Weatherall, M., McPherson, K., Taylor, W., McRae, A., Thomson, T., Gommans, J., Green, G., Harwood, M., Ranta, A., Hanger, C., Riley, J., & McNaughton, H. (2020). Taking Charge after stroke: A randomized controlled trial of a person-centered, self-directed rehabilitation intervention. International Journal of Stroke, 15(9), 954–964. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747493020915144 Fu, V., Thompson, S., Kayes, N., & Bright, F. (2025). Supporting long-term meaningful outcomes in stroke rehabilitation. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports, 25, 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-025-01403-z Harwood, M., Weatherall, M., Talemaitoga, A., Barber, P. A., Gommans, J., Taylor, W., McPherson, K., & McNaughton, H. (2011). Taking charge after stroke: Promoting self-directed rehabilitation to improve quality of life - a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 26(6), 493-501. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215511426017  Te Ao, B., Harwood, M., Fu, V., Weatherall, M., McPherson, K., Taylor, W. J., McRae, A., Thomson, T., Gommans, J., Green, G., Ranta, A., Hanger, C., Riley, J., & McNaughton, H. (2022). Economic analysis of the 'Take Charge' intervention for people following stroke: Results from a randomised trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 36(2), 240–250. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692155211040727 McNaughton, H., & Fu, V. (2023). Intrinsic motivation. Practical Neurology, 23(6), 489-492.  https://pn.bmj.com/content/23/6/489  McNaughton, H., Gommans, J., McPherson, K., Harwood, M., & Fu, V. (2023). A cohesive, person-centric evidence-based model for successful rehabilitation after stroke and other disabling conditions. Clinical Rehabilitation, 37(7), 975-985. https://doi.org/10.1177/02692155221145433   Medical Research Institute of New Zealand. (n.d.). Take Charge rehabilitation resources. https://www.mrinz.ac.nz/take-charge-rehabilitation-resources World Stroke Organization. (n.d.). Taking Charge after stroke: A person-centred approach to life after stroke [Webinar]. https://www.world-stroke.org/what-we-do/education-and-research/education/webinars/taking-charge-after-stroke-a-person-centred-approach-to-life-after-stroke  

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US accepts its conditions. So, stalemate there. However, financial markets are kind of shrugging off these risks. Pakistan claims both sides are still talking however. First up today, the overnight dairy Pulse auction brought a stabilisation in prices with the powders rising about +2% and the milk fats little-changed from last week's full dairy auction. In the US, the ADP weekly jobs monitoring of private payrolls continues to slide, and is under +10,000 and its lowest level since the Christmas holiday season. US existing home sales fell -1.7% in July from June, to be now just +1.7% higher than year-ago levels. US household debt data shows it having topped out with the June quarter lower than the March quarter, which itself was lower than the December 2025 year end level. This is essentially because standard mortgage debt levels fell. But home equity loans rose, as did credit card debt, and car loans. Delinquency rates for credit card debt and car loans remained elevated but didn't get worse in this Q3-2026 data. Sentiment in the US SME sector rose in July, but only back to levels that it had prior to the start of Trump's war on Iran. It is now little different to levels they had from the start of 2025 until March 2026. Eyes are now turning to tomorrow's US inflation data for July. This is expected to stay high at 3.4% and only marginally lower than June's 3.5% and as such it will put pressure on the Warsh-led Fed to move to get inflation back into its policy band around 2%. There seems little likelihood of any progress without some policy action. Across the Pacific, Singapore's economy grew +5.9% in Q2-2026, slowing from a +6.3% expansion in Q1 which was their strongest annual growth since Q3-2024. But this latest updated exceeded advance estimates of a +5.7% expansion. In Malaysia, industrial production slowed again in June and is now 'only' +6.5% higher than year ago levels. It was +8.3% higher on that basis in the month before. But their factory production was up almost +10% on the year-ago basis and that is an accelerating rate. It has been their mining sector that is the one that is falling away. In Australia, the rebound in business confidence as tracked in the influential NAB survey stalled in July as Middle East uncertainty and oil price volatility continued to weigh on sentiment. Meanwhile business conditions showed signs of stabilising after weakening earlier in the year. A Westpac survey for the same period showed the same thing. The RBA has left its cash rate target at 4.35% as widely expected. But is has raised expectations that hikes could come soon if inflation does not retreat in the way they want, but only if market conditions don't move first as they need. One thing they do expect is lower house prices and that will help the affordability crisis. Abd we should probably note that aluminium prices are on the rise again. Although not back to their record high levels in early June, they have shifted sharply up in the past week, perhaps due to their central role in the US-Canada trade discussions. It is a key card Canada holds over the US. Trump's punitive 50% tariffs on Canada are due to kick in on August 20 (NZT). The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.69%, dipping -1 bp from this time yesterday but essentially holding its new level.  The price of gold is holding at US$4366/oz, up merely +US$2 from yesterday. Silver has dipped -50 USc at just over US$64.50/oz. Oil prices are up +US$1.50 from yesterday at just under US$83.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$89/bbl. Hormuz transits are still very low. There have been two crude tankers and only 1 cargo ships exiting over the past 24 hours (1 dark with transponders off) and seven entering for new loads (3 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is where the focus is shifting and still low with less than 20 either way at the Yemen chokepoint. The Kiwi dollar is essentially unchanged from yesterday at just over 58.8 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -10 bps at 83.3 AUc. Against the euro we have held at 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just under 62.5 which is unchanged from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,563 and down a -0.5% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has also been low at just on +/-0.8%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news rising oil prices are reigniting inflation concerns and even equity investors have noticed. Bond investors have bid up benchmark bond rates. The Fed next has to deal with this risk in just over a month, but that investors are moving now indicates the heightened concern that Trump's quagmire isn't getting resolved anytime soon. Certainly, his promise of a deal with Iran "very soon", has vanished. Meanwhile, the Yemeni Houthis have struck Saudi related tankers and hit a Saudi oil refinery. So, the conflict is spreading. Markets have reacted as though they expect inflation to rise from here. In Japan, their official 'economy watchers' July survey is signaling continued improvement, especially in their services sector. These survey results took a sharp tumble when the US attacked Iran and the Strait of Hormuz was shuttered. But since then it has climbed back as time has shown that most of the world has adapted effectively, and that includes Japan. Strong exports and a weaker currency have helped. You may recall the recent deadly earthquake in the historic city of Kumamoto. But that hasn't stopped Sony and Taiwan's TSMC announcing yesterday a US$6.3 bln new joint investment into an advanced image sensor plant there. Nikkei has the details. Indonesia's consumer confidence fell in July from June to its lowest level since April 2025 although still in positive territory. The moderation was largely driven by weaker assessments of current economic conditions. And staying in Indonesia, their government has appointed the long-experienced deputy central bank governor to the top position made vacant by the President firing him, foregoing the opportunity to appoint the daughter of the President. This will reassure financial markets that some Turkish-like instability is being avoided. In Australia, bank shares are took a beating yesterday, with Westpac down -5.9%, CBA down -2.1%, ANZ down -1.7% and NAB down -2.4%. The reason is a Westpac Q3 market update that shows their mortgage applications down -11% in the period and are running down -20% following their Federal Budget. Almost all of this fall away is because residential investors are pulling back because the expectation of capital gains is vanishing. Westpac says investor "credit growth" will fall from +9.1% this year to about +4.5% in the next two years. They expect little change in demand by owner occupiers. And don't forget there is an RBA monetary policy review later today. No-one expects any official rate change, but given the high and sticky inflation levels, there will be a lot of interest in their analysis of why they aren't moving to quash it. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.70%, up +4 bps from this time yesterday. The price of gold has risen to US$4364/oz, up +US$21 from yesterday. Silver has risen +US$1.50 at just over US$65/oz. Oil prices are up +US$4 from yesterday at just under US$82/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$87.50/bbl, Hormuz transits have dried right up. There have been no crude tankers and only 2 cargo ships exiting over the past 24 hours (0 dark with transponders off) and five entering for new loads (1 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is where the focus is shifting and still low with less than 20 either way at the Yemen chokepoint. The Kiwi dollar is down -10 bps from yesterday at just over 58.8 USc. Against the Aussie we are little-changed at 83.4 AUc. Against the euro we have held at 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.5 which is down -10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,860 and down a full -2.0% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest however at just on +/-1.2%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news we are facing a new burst in inflation as commodity prices rise, oil and gold both are rising, and benchmark interest rates are stuck high waiting to see where these tea leaves settle. Locally this week we will get June migration data, and inflation expectation updates. There also will be the July PMI update and probably the July REINZ results as well. In Australia, look out for their NAB business sentiment update, but the key event will be the RBA's rate review on Tuesday even if no-change is expected or priced in. That is despite their CPI at 3.8% and running way above their target range of 2% to 3%, and showing little sign it will get back within range any time soon. In the US, they will release their July CPI data too (expect 3.4%), their PPI (expect 5.5%) and another consumer sentiment update. In China, we are awaiting their new yuan debt data which should come late this week and be another quite weak result (expect just +¥45 bln). Over the weekend China released their CPI inflation data, revealing an annual inflation rate of just 0.5% in July, down from 1.0% in the previous month. Analysts had expected an 0.8% rate in July so this was their lowest level since January. Food prices dropped 1.5% year-on-year, following a 1.6% decline in the previous month and marking the fourth straight month it fell. But beef prices rose +4.5% and lamb prices by +6.2% in July from a year ago. Dairy product prices were -1.5% lower however. Meanwhile, China's producer prices rose +3.5% in July from a year ago, slowing from a 4.1% rise in June, and that is their steepest rise in nearly four years. The retreating pace is due to weaker commodity prices, softer domestic demand, and continued pressure from overcapacity. There is also intense price competition in some industries. China's exports surged almost +24% to US$398 bln in July in a better than expected result. The gains were driven by strong demand for AI-related technology products and a rush by manufacturers to ship goods to the US ahead of potential new tariffs. Outbound shipments to the US rose +17%, the EU by +16%, and to ASEAN nations by +38%. And while China reported relatively stable foreign exchange reserves as at the end of July, they also reported that their official gold holdings rose +640,000 oz, almost +20 tonnes in one month. That is the most in a 21 month streak of gold buying. Meanwhile Typhoon Dolphin is heading for the China coast after clipping Okinawa, due to strike south of Shanghai. It is a Cat 3 storm and over 1 mln people have been evacuated to safer ground. Taiwanese exports stayed very high at US$75.3 bln, just off record levels, but as time rolls on with these high or record high levels, the year-on-year gains are fading. Still, they managed to report a +33% rise from a year ago, an unusually strong gain. And their trade surplus remained unusually large at +US$17.2 bln, up from +US$14.3 bln in July 2025. Across the Pacific in the US economy, and even with Trump loyalists controlling the data agency, US non-farm payrolls were reported contracting in July, down -23,000 at the headline level when a very modest +80,000 was expected. That is their worst July result in at least a decade. And it get much worse if you look at actual data because payrolls shrank almost -1.1 mln in July from June before seasonal adjustment. This is the real number of people who lost employment in the month. Their participation rate inched down while their jobless rate was little-changed at 4.1%. US inflation expectations for one year ahead edged down to 3.6% in July from 3.7% in June which was the highest since September 2023. The July level is the new baseline since the US attacked Iran. Prior to that, this survey recorded about 3% for the prior two years. Earnings in the same survey are seen to rise +2.8%, so that continues to record an underwater expectation for household finances. US consumer debt levels rose +3.3% in June with revolving credit rising +6.0% on the same basis as both credit card debt and car loans rising sharply. Student loans recorded an unusual fall. A weakening labour market and both stubbornly high inflation and inflation expectations will complicate the discussions in Warsh's Fed meetings. Do they cut, hold or raise. There are probably votes for all three options. Markets currently price in half a chance of a +25 bps hike in September. And Trump is back trying to screw the scrum. There was quite the contrast in Canada with them reporting their employment rose +75,100 in July from June. It will have been a very long time since they had a gain that exceeded their southern neighbour. Their jobless rate fell to 6.4% and a two year low while their participation rate inched up. Bird flu is spreading in Australia, even if the number of reported cases is still quite minor. There is no way to properly track it, and by the time reports are received, infection is well established.... The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.66%, up +2 bps from this time Saturday but down -8 bps for the week.  The price of gold has risen to US$4343/oz, up +US$6 from Saturday, up +US$293 or +7% from a week ago. Silver has held little-changed at just over US$63.50/oz. That is up +US$5.50/oz for the week or a +9.5% gain. Oil prices are unchanged from yesterday and still just over US$78/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is still just on US$83.50/bbl, A week ago these prices were US$84.50 and US$88/bbl respectively. Hormuz transits are still very constrained. There have been only three crude tanker and 6 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (3 dark with transponders off) and eight entering for new loads (3 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is still low with just 20 either way at the Yemen chokepoint. The Kiwi dollar is unchanged from Saturday at just over 58.9 USc, making it unchanged for the week. Against the Aussie we are little-changed at 83.4 AUc. Against the euro we have held at 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.6 which is up a bit less than +10 bps from this time Saturday essentially unchanged for the week. The bitcoin price starts today at US$65,151 and up +0.6% from this time Saturday, up +3.3% from last week. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been very low however at just on +/-0.3%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Biking and trails can have a huge impact on a destination's economy and community life. Why, then, is it so difficult to fund trail maintenance, and what can your destination do about it? Aotearoa New Zealand economist Benje Patterson joins two Canadian DMO leaders to talk about common challenges in finding sustainable funding for trail networks. They discuss what's working in Queenstown and how to show residents, travellers, businesses, and government the true value of trails, with practical examples. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the second hour of today's show, Katie honours beloved queer musician, comedian and activist Dame Jools Topp of Aotearoa New Zealand's legendary Topp Twins, who died on 23 May from breast cancer, with a special segment. Along with her sister Lynda, Jools' career began in the early 1980s and the Topp Twins became household names. Katie outlines their achievements, including some of their many honours and awards; reads tributes to Jools from social media posts by Bob Downe, Judy Small and Tami Neilson; plays a snippet from Tami's heartfelt words at this week's Aotearoa Music Awards (featuring a salute to LGBTQIA+ people); and highlights Lynda's incredible speech at the Awards. Here is the playlist: Under the Stars – Watty Thompson Untouchable Girls – Topp Twins Mustang Mountain – Topp Twins Princess Leia Was Robbed – Tuck Shop Ladies State of Disarray – Dusken Lights When I Get Better – Amber Farnan Little Bones – Possum Rain on Havana (Chicago Version) – Tom West A celebration of Dame Jools Topp's life was held at the Auckland Viaduct Events Centre on 19 June 2026; watch it on YouTube. The post Untouchable girls – Show #393 (part 2), 31 May 2026 appeared first on Miss Chatelaine.

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Friday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news oil prices are up today as Iran flexes its diplomatic muscle and threats, one of which is an effort to block US ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile Trump is backing away from more action in the region, potentially leaving US allies in the lurch. Through all this, crude prices are rising again, and US pump prices never dopped back during the recent fall in crude prices. That has bond markets worried that inflation may be about to turn up again, and yields rose somewhat today. In the US, July job cut announcements were very low. In fact, US-based employers announced 33,429 job cuts in the month, the fewest in two years. But AI led all reasons for job cuts for a fifth straight month and was responsible for almost 11,000 during the month. The tech sector cut the most jobs, followed by the financial sector. Cut is government , and services were almost non-existent. This data comes ahead of tomorrow's July non-farm payrolls report which is expected to show jobs growth a very low +80,000. US jobless claims dipped last week but only by what seasonal factors would have expected. There are now 1.84 mln people on these benefits slightly lower than a year ago, and two years ago. Tough eligibility restrictions are restraining enrollment in conjunction with tougher restrictions on eligibility for SNAP (food stamps). More than 4 mln people have been cleared from these programs and much tougher restrictions are coming. The USDA has restricted access to data recording the numbers of people receiving this assistance. While still elevated, the NY Fed's Global Supply Chain Pressure Index eased low in July. In Europe, retail sales sagged slightly in June, dipping -0.1% from May when a +0.1% rise was expected. That leaves them up +1.2% from a year ago on a real/volume basis. Meanwhile, German factory orders rose +3.1% in June from May to be +6.5% higher than year ago levels, an accelerating pace from May. Apart from a few newsworthy bumps in between, in fact these order levels have been on an upswing since September 2025. Strong export growth in June delivered Australia an unexpected trade surplus, of +AU$1.9 bln when a deficit of -AU$1.1 was expected after May's -AU$2.4 bln deficit. Their exports rose +8.6% from a year ago, boosted by an unusual rise in gold exports, up more than +25% from the same month a year ago. Global container freight rates turned up marginally last week from the prior week to be +77% higher than year-ago levels. Outbound rates from China to the US drove the rise, which rates to and from the EU were lower. Those rates have to compete with the very fast & successful overland rail service out of China. Meanwhile, bulk cargo rates jumped more than +12% in the past week to be +60% higher than year-ago levels. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.67%, up +5 bps from this time yesterday.  The price of gold has dipped to US$4245/oz, down -US$8 from yesterday. Silver has dipped -50 USc at just over US$61.50/oz. Oil prices are up +US$3 from yesterday and now just under US$77.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$82.50/bbl and up +US$3.50. Hormuz transits are still very constrained. There has been no crude tanker and 11 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (5 dark with transponders off) and nine entering for new loads (4 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is still low with just a few more than than 20 either way at the Yemen chokepoint. Alternative routes are now making a significant, if costly, difference. The Kiwi dollar is down -20 bps from yesterday at just under 58.7 USc. Against the Aussie we are little-changed at 83.4 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 50.9 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.4 which is down -10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,550 and down -0.2% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has stayed low at just on +/-0.6%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again on Monday. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Thursday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news Iran and Oman say they have a deal on the Hormuz Strait, and the US says it is still hoping for a deal to open it up. But the US no longer has any cards, it seems. Away from all that in the US, mortgage applications fell again last week with both new loan and refinance activity falling, probably due to the continued rise in home loan interest rates and pushing them up to year-ago levels of 6.81%. Their ADP jobs report only signaled +44,000 July jobs added to private payrolls, much less than the expected low +70,000 and the low June level of +95,000. This report is the precursor to Saturday's July non-farm payrolls release where analysts expect July payrolls to have expanded +202,000. Those analysts may be in for some disappointment. The ISM services PMI for July came in little-changed at a modest-to-moderate reading, boosted by good new order levels but held back by faster rising costs. Also, jobs in the sector contracted. Meanwhile the S&P Global version of the US services PMI recovered to a similar level, reporting activity rises at their strongest rate since October 2025, job creation at highest for eight months amid an improved outlook, but much steeper rises in both input costs and selling prices. US crude oil stocks recovered somewhat last week with a rare rise. But this may have been because they are still drawing down their strategic reserves at a rate that is worrying many and now at almost an all-time low since 1983. In China, their private S&P Global (RatingDog) services PMI fell back sharply. It is still expanding, but now only just. Total activity and new business both expand more slowly. Employment rose for third month running, the longest sequence since the second half of 2024. And they recorded the weakest rise in average input prices since January. Yes, this survey is better than the contracting official version, but the fall-away was faster in this report. Singapore's retail sales rose sharply in June to be +4.0% higher than year-ago levels. Meanwhile their PMI rose faster and near its best-ever, but largely because firms there built stocks to retain resilience. Japan's services PMI expanded at a slower pace in July as cost pressures remain intense there. And Indonesia said its economic activity was +5.3% higher in June than a year ago with the expected rebound from the Q1 dip coming as expected - but slightly better than anticipated. The copper price has surged again, now at a new all-time high of US$14,825/tonne (NZ$25,000/tonne, and at $25/kg no doubt a new target for thieves.). The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.62%, down -1 bp from this time yesterday.  The price of gold has risen to US$4253/oz, up +US$165 from yesterday. Silver is up +US$2.50 at just over US$62/oz. Oil prices are down another -US$1.50 from yesterday and now just on US$74.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$79/bbl and down -50 USc. Hormuz transits are still very constrained. There has been only one crude tanker and 6 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (1 dark with transponders off) and eleven entering for new loads (6 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is still low with much less than 20 either way. The Kiwi dollar is little-changed from yesterday at just over 58.9 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -30 bps at 83.4 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.5 which is down -10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,698 and up +1.2% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has stayed low at just on +/-0.7%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the oil price has taken another large retreat today even though the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz remain essentially closed. Alternative ways to shift crude oil out of the region are gathering pace and effectiveness. But this big price drop is directly related to Scott Bessent saying a deal with Iran to reopen the Streat is imminent, comments that have moved markets. But first up today, there was another full dairy auction earlier this morning and prices in USD were virtually unchanged overall (+0.1%), but they did dip in NZD by -0.9% on the higher currency. Of note is the new season volumes offered, very similar to the same event a year ago. But prices are now a full -10% lower this year than then. In the US, job openings fell in June, coming in slightly less than expected. The number of job openings fell in almost all industries except in the logistics sector and in federal government. Regionally, openings fell in the Northeast (-62,000), the South (-50,000), and the Midwest (-97,000), but rose in the West (+32,000). Also falling were US factory orders. They dipped -0.3% from the previous month in June, extending the revised -1.1% decline in May. This was disappointing because analysts had expected a +0.2% increase. It was the first month of back-to-back declines in nearly one year. Still, they are up more than +10% from June a year ago, reflecting the earlier stockpiling urgency. Meanwhile US exports of both goods and services fell -0.9% in June while their imports of both fell -1.8% on the same basis. That narrowed their trade deficit although not be as much as expected. The US Logistics Managers Index is still very high, but is now slowing as the stockpiling urgency seems 'full' now. July demand for warehouse capacity and transportation both actually retreated in the month. The RealClearMarkets/TIPP Economic Optimism Index edged down in August from July, missing market expectations of an improvement and remaining below the neutral level. The Six-Month Economic Outlook index fell on weaker expectations for the US economy. In Canada's June exports rose as did their imports, both much more than expected and delivering a larger trade surplus than expected, to a four year high. Canada's transition away from dependence on its now-unreliable southern neighbour has been impressive, you have to say. In China, they have set a new target to reach 50% of electricity produced from non-fossil fuels by 2030, up fron 42% now. It is a heady and fast goal. In Australia, household spending rose +0.8% in June from may to be +6.0% higher than year-ago levels. This is a very consistent rising trend from September 2024 when it was at under +1% from the prior year. This high gain was largely due to increased spending on cars, especially EVs, and for travel. And we must note that the H5 bird flu is killing more birds in Australia now. It is getting closer, even in Eastern states. As we noted yesterday, the copper price has risen again and is now over US$14,000/tonne and back at record highs. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.63%, down another -6 bps from this time yesterday. The price of gold has risen to US$4088/oz, up +US$55 from yesterday. Silver is up +US$2 at just over US$59.50/oz. Oil prices are down another -US$4 from yesterday and now just under US$76/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$79.50/bbl. Hormuz transits are still very constrained. There have been only three crude tanker and 9 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (7 dark with transponders off) and ten entering for new loads (4 dark), again all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is still low with much less than 20 either way. The Kiwi dollar is back up +30 bps from yesterday at just over 58.9 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -10 bps at 83.7 AUc. Against the euro we have firmed +10 bps to 51.1 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.6 which is back up +20 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,915 and up +0.1% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just on +/-0.7%. Join us later this morning for the June update of the New Zealand labour market. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Transgender TikTok star Te Warena talks about identity, grief and healing through moko kauae, followed by a studio discussion with sports journalists Ravinder Hunia and Mitch Redman summing up Aotearoa New Zealand's performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Ngā mihi ki a Te Māngai Pāho & NZ On Air.  

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news we are now in the peak vacation season in the northern hemisphere with policy activity relatively low. But US petrol costs are high in this summer driving season. Trump continues to claim he is negotiating with Iran. Iran continues to deny any talks are taking place. Still, this stalemate is a relatively peaceful one, but one that leaves Iran and Oman holding all the cards in the Hormuz Strait. In the US, their widely-watched ISM factory PMI came in slightly better than expected with a good expansion, one marginally stronger than the S&P Global PMI result we noted yesterday. This ISM version recorded stronger new order flows and prices increasing at a slower pace. In China, their top leadership is 'vacationing' as usual at the beach resort of Beidaihe. Oddly, Xi doesn't appear to be there. Over the weekend we noted that China's official factory PMIs all turned down, and into contraction territory. The private S&P Global version has been less gloomy in the past, but yesterday's release also shows a sector slipping in July from June. But at least this alternate version is not yet contracting. And they feature rising new order levels, which is promising. India's July factory PMI is still expanding at a solid pace, but that paces has now slipped to its lowest in five years. New order intakes are rising but slower, and input cost pressures are easing there. And while we are at it, we should note that the factory PMIs for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Malaysia all remained quite positive and expansionary. All of these noted that cost pressures are also easing now. The Australian version is rising too, but cost pressures there are still elevated. In Australia, the Cotality Home Value Index dropped -0.7% in July from June, the sharpest monthly decline since December 2022 and accelerating from a -0.4% fall in the prior month. The drop was after higher mortgage rates, affordability pressures, and soft consumer sentiment that all hurt housing demand. Sydney and Melbourne lead the downturn, with home values falling -1.4% and -1.2%, respectively in a month. Staying in Australia, the Melbourne Institute Monthly Inflation Gauge increased materially in July, after falling in the previous two months. The increase was broad-based, with annual headline inflation of 4.0%. The monthly cost of living also increased across a range of household types. Later this week we will jet the June household spending data from the ABS and also their cost of living indicators. This MI data suggests whatever those ABS results in June, things will get worse in July. We should note that the copper price is rising again, making another tilt at the record highs it reached in May and June this year. It is now back up at US$14.330/tonne, just -2% below that record peak. At the rate it moves, it could breach that very soon. AI build-out demand, as supply constraints deepen, are driving this latest rush. Some of it is stockpiling in the expectation Trump will queer the pitch with a tariff move. In any event, the world's big mining firms are shifting away from iron ore to copper mining, chasing these riches. We could probably also note that SpaceX 'listed' at US$135/share but opened at US$160. It is now struggling to hold US$110/share today. Not helping are that 'lockup' investors and staff are now net sellers. Shorting SpaceX seems to be a growth game. We should probably also keep an eye on accounting firm KPMG. The consequences of its horror story in Australia are about to be played out, with maybe global implications. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.69%, down -6 bps from this time yesterday.  The price of gold has slipped to US$4033/oz, down -US$9 from yesterday. Silver is little-changed at just over US$57.50/oz. Oil prices are down -US$4.50 from yesterday and now just under US$80/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$83.50/bbl. Hormuz transits are still very constrained. There has been only one crude tanker and 6 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (4 dark with transponders off) and five entering for new loads (2 dark), all Iran-linked. The Red Sea activity is still low at about 20 either way. That is kept low because only Chinese-bound vessels are getting Houthi exemptions. The Kiwi dollar is down -30 bps from yesterday at just over 58.6 USc. Against the Aussie we are little-changed at 83.8 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.4 which is down -20 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,851 and up +0.9% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just on +/-1.4%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

This is episode 5 of a six-part series on food imperialism. Welcome to Edible Empire, a podcast by Planet Pulse Pacific about the hidden cost of our food.Beyond recipes lies a story of power. From colonial plantations to modern agribusiness, this podcast reveals how the pursuit of food has redrawn maps, exploited people, and still shapes who holds control today.This episode explores how New Zealand's dairy industry links local landscapes to global extraction, ecological harm, and the wider machinery of food imperialism.New Zealand's image of clean, green pastures hides one of the world's most intensive dairy industries. Behind each glass of milk there is a hidden web of global extraction: phosphate mined from occupied Western Sahara, palm kernel imported from deforested Southeast Asia, and polluted rivers flowing through Māori ancestral lands. This episode traces how New Zealand's dairy boom reshapes both local ecosystems and distant economies, from illegally occupied territories in West Africa to political power in New Zealand. Through the story of “white gold”, we uncover how even the purest landscapes are bound into the machinery of food imperialism.Here, we discuss the environmentally destructive and geopolitically fraught supply chains connecting intensive dairy production in Aotearoa New Zealand with phosphate mining in the illegally occupied territory of Western Sahara. Our three expert guests detail how New Zealand's export-driven commodity model creates intense global market pressures for corporate profit and high-yield volume. Freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy exposes the catastrophic local consequences of this system, explaining how excessive synthetic nitrogen and fertiliser inputs poison rivers, disrupt aquatic ecosystems, and contaminate drinking water. Geographer Dr Milena Bojovic unpacks the structural traps forcing farmers into continual intensification, which in turn fuels a dependency on rare, internationally contested mineral resources.Finally, researcher and artist Dr Crystall Bennes traces the physical journey of this phosphate rock, revealing how Western agricultural high yields rely heavily on wealth extracted under colonial conditions from the Boo Cra mine, highlighting the profound human and environmental costs borne by displaced Sahrawi populations.Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss out on the next episode!Resources from this episode:https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/article/view/9629/8507https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/mike.joy https://www.gofundme.com/f/almasar-library-education-centre-for-children-and-women https://wsrw.org/en https://www.crystalbennes.com/ To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that now we are in August, there are only 100 working days until Christmas, and less than 70 until our 2026 general election! You will need to pull your finger out to ensure your 2026 goals are on track to be accomplished. This week will see the release of a number of updates on how the July real estate market performed. More importantly, we will get the June labour market update and that is expected to show rising joblessness (to 5.4%). To be fair, labour market data are lagging indicators. In Australia, Cotality and Domain will report what they saw in their residential real estate markets. And we will get both household spending and cost of living updates for June this week, neither expected to show improvements. We should also note that their fuel excise tax suspension ended last night. From April to June the discount was 32 AUc/liter, for June and July it was 16c. Now there is no relief discount there. Globally it will be all about July PMIs (other than keeping an eye on the warmongers who all show a distinct lack of any idea on how to end the conflicts they started). In the US, the other important data will be their end of week labour market updates in their non-farm payrolls report. There is little evidence to suggest it will be a strong one and markets currently expect another month of less than +100,000 gains (+91,000) and a rising jobless rate (4.3%). We will be tracking their bond market signals closely too. And that the Trump Organisation is regarded by banks as a money-laundering entity barely raises an eyebrow these days, indicates how low the US has fallen. But also, a key background reason risk premiums are rising. In India, they will get a central bank review but no-change to their policy rate (5.25%) is anticipated. We will be tracking those PMIs too, especially in China to see if the private S&P Global versions continue to be more upbeat than the dour official versions. After four months of minor expansion, those official factory PMIs has slipped back into small contraction with a much sharper shift than was expected. After two months of minor expansion, their official services PMI also slipped back into a small contraction, also a sharper shift lower than expected. China's overall growth targets are looking less likely to be achieved the longer the year goes on. But lets not overstate these pullback signals; most countries would love to have their growth levels even at the reduced impetus. China's key issue is that new order levels are fading and exports are the key driver, not internal consumption (which is their goal). So more induced infrastructure stimulus is on the way. Korean industrial production bounced back sharply in June after the minor but unexpected dip in May. The June level was +5.8% higher than a year ago, up +2.3% from May, a heartening rebound for them. The Korean stock market bounced back sharply on Friday after the earlier dives, but they still ended the week down more than -3%. Japanese industrial production recorded a similar recovery in June, up +4.2% from a year ago, up +1.3% for the month. But that was not matched by retail sales in Japan which took a rather large tumble, down -4.1% from the strong year-ago level, up +0.5% from May. The Japanese central bank intervention support for their currency may have been significantly expensive, even if it has succeeded in halting the devaluation with a 3% recovery. Reports indicate they spent US$45 to US$50 bln on the few-days effort. It happened again on Friday, this time in a joint action with the US. And more may be coming. EU inflation came in at 2.9% in July as expected, up marginally from June's 2.8%. Australian producer prices rose +3.6% in June from a year ago, the most since early 2025 and above the anticipated +2.5% and even the 'high' Q1-2026 3.0% level. Inflation is embedding and it is a result that will focus attention by officials. In the US, even though the US Fed held its policy rate unchanged last Thursday (despite 3 dissenters wanting higher rates), markets have pushed US benchmark rates higher anyway. The UST 10 year is +27 bps higher at the end of July than at the beginning. Their 30 year benchmark is also +27 bps higher. Most of these increases came in the past two weeks, and will resonate soon for American home loan borrowers. The updated July University of Michigan sentiment survey confirmed its better July levels, and confirmed lower inflation expectations. Still, these new levels are -11% lower than year-ago levels with perceptions of current conditions -19% lower. These measures are still in the down-trend that started in 2024 even after these better July results. They noted that US consumers remain focused on pocketbook issues like purchasing power, while political or military developments remain more in the background. Also improving in July were the results of the Chicago PMI, clearly benefiting from stockpiling and reshoring still. In the current Q2-2026 earnings season reporting, 86% of S&P 500 companies have reported a positive EPS surprise and 77% of S&P 500 companies has reported a positive revenue surprise. In Canada, they reported their GDP rose modestly in June, a third consecutive rise and the fifth gain in six months as their economy gathers steam. Q2-2026 results aren't yet available but it is clear they will be quite positive, in contrast to the small dip in Q1-2026, and the weak Q2-2025 result. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.75%, up +1 bp from this time Saturday, up +7 bps for the week. We make that its highest since January 2025 (briefly) and prior to that October 2023. The 30 year yield is at 5.28% and a 20+ year high.  The price of gold has fallen to US$4042/oz, down -US$8 from Saturday down -US$6 for the week. Silver is down -50 USc at just over US$57.50/oz, down -US$1 for the week. Oil prices are little-changed from Saturday still at now just over US$84.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is still just over US$88/bbl.  The Kiwi dollar is unchanged from Saturday at just under 58.9 USc, but up +100 bps for the week and back to early June levels. Against the Aussie we are up +10 bps at 83.8 AUc. Against the euro we unchanged at 51.1 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.6 which is also unchanged from this time Saturday, and also up +100 bps for the week. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,293 and up +0.4% from this time Saturday, down -1.4% for the week. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just on +/-1.0%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Fungi underpin the health of our ecosystems, yet they're one of the least understood groups of organisms. In this episode of Scigest, host Dr Hilary Ireland sits down with recently retired mycologist Dr Peter Buchanan, whose remarkable 50-year career has helped transform our understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand's fungi.   In the first of this two-part conversation, Peter shares the experiences that shaped his career and lifelong interest in fungi. He discusses fungal diversity, the importance of taxonomy and plant pathology, and the role fungi play in crop production, disease management and post-harvest storage. Peter also reflects on how molecular biology has transformed fungal research, opening new opportunities to understand fungal relationships, identify pathogens and improve disease management. Part 2 of this conversation will be available from 17 August. Vegetable caterpillar fungi link: www.sciencelearn.org.nz/videos/768-vegetable-caterpillar-fungi Peter Buchanan profile: www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1445-dr-peter-buchanan To view our full catalogue of podcasts including extra links on some podcasts please go to our Scigest pages: www.plantandfood.com/scigest

Welcoming Shruthi Vijay Kumar, coach, facilitator andeducator based in Aotearoa New Zealand, to Purposely Podcast. Shruthi works with leaders and organisations trying to shiftfrom extractive to more regenerative ways of working. She draws on indigenous, eastern and western knowledge traditions to do it. She holds an MBA from Oxford, has worked with the World Economic Forum, taught at AUT, and foundedthe Fire Circle, a space for cross-cultural wisdom bringing together indigenous elders from around the world with leaders in business, education and community. This conversation starts with pain. Shruthi was a highachiever who found her way into a blue chip consulting firm in Melbourne, only to be sat down by a senior partner and told her performance was not where it needed to be. She talks openly about what that did to her, the tears, thecollapse of external validation, and the long process of rebuilding a sense of worth that did not depend on how a company reviewed her every few months. Thatexperience, she says, set her free. Rather than waiting for conditions to change or for someone to give her permission, she left and went to India to work for a small education startup trying to reimagine curriculum throughstorytelling. It was, she says, the most aligned she had ever felt. From there, a career took shape that sits at the intersection of inner work and outer impact. Shruthi trained as a coach fromher mid-twenties, drawn to a discipline that holds space for people to find their own answers rather than being told what to think. She is clear that the most important thing she has brought to that work is her own inner journey, including time in ashrams in India, with a mindfulness community in theCoromandel, and with spiritual teachers whose presence, she says, has helped her meet the grief and pain that clients bring. The Fire Circle grew out of the COVID period, when Shruthiand three colleagues from Australia, New York and Arnhem Land asked what it would look like to elevate indigenous and pre-colonial wisdom in conversations about business, leadership and how to build back differently. The circle nowhas eight or nine elders from around the world. It has run online gatherings, retreats with climate leaders, and guest lectures at business schools. The animating idea is that nature is not one priority among many. It is the foundation on which everything else rests. This episode of Purposely is brought to you by Benevityand Trust Investments.

The weird thing about Winston Peters is that, when he's overseas, he's all Henry Kissinger or Kofi Annan on it. The ultimate diplomat. But then he comes back here, goes through Customs, and turns into Nigel Farage. Which is why, on one hand, we shouldn't be all that surprised by the appalling things he said to Chinese-born Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan. Comments which, quite rightly, are being described as racist. And which he needs to apologise for. Politicians across the political spectrum are saying the same thing - including some of his own coalition colleagues. National's Simeon Brown is one of them. Because, of course, telling someone to go back to where they came from is racist. It's also dumb, when this person you're accusing of only being here five minutes - as Winston Peters did - has lived here more than 30 years. Christopher Luxon, though, is being Christopher Luxon. At least he isn't taking Winston's side, but the strongest thing he seems too capable of saying is that Winston Peters has a long track record of making inappropriate comments. And that what he said was “unhelpful”. Which just plays into those tired old excuses that some people keep making for the NZ First leader. You know: “Oh, that's old Winston up to his usual tricks”. And, yes, he is up to his usual tricks. But is that an excuse for such appalling, antiquated behaviour? Not in my book. And that's why he has to apologise. He can't be sacked as Foreign Affairs Minister. So he has to apologise.So how this all started, is that Peters was speaking in Parliament's debating chamber and this Green MP - who was born in China and moved here when he was a child in 1994 - started a bit of the usual heckling that MPs on all sides of the House like to do. Peters was talking about the Covid inquiry and Lawrence Xu-Nan called out, asking if he was vaccinated.Winston wasn't happy about that and said: “Go back to your own country. You only came here just five minutes ago. Go back to your own country, that's where they lie like a flat fish. But they don't lie like that here, alright. This is what we call democracy.” Saying: “This is called a democracy, unlike what you're used to.” Not surprisingly, China isn't happy. And former Trade Minister and former Speaker of the House Sir Lockwood Smith says that's going to be a bit of a problem. Because China now knows how he feels about our biggest trading partner. The other thing, is that if racism isn't tolerated anywhere else - if it isn't tolerated at schools and universities and at workplaces - then why should it be tolerated at Parliament? Answer is: it shouldn't. What's more, the Human Rights Commissions says this on its website: “In 1972, New Zealand signed up to the UN's International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This requires the government to take action to eliminate racism and racial discrimination and promote understanding between all races in Aotearoa New Zealand.” For now, Winston Peters is part of New Zealand's government - one of its most senior ministers - and, as part of that government, he is obliged to honour this commitment. And, instead of pushing back and saying that those of us who think he's behaving like an out-of-touch fossil are just pearl clutchers indulging in faux outrage, Winston Peters needs to pull his head in and apologise. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has received backlash from the ambassador of China and former Prime Minister Helen Clark after racist comments made in the house on Wednesday to Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan. Xu-Nan joins the show with Nick Mills this morning to share his reaction on the remarks, and the behaviour allowed in parliament. When asked if he thought Peters was being racist, Xu-Nan said "the comments speak for themselves". He also bought up the lack of accountability from not only Peters, but the Prime Minister as the leader of cabinet. Xu-Nan said he has received an outpour of support, proving "there is more goodness here in Aotearoa New Zealand than a few comments here and there". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Friday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the giant US economy is slowing. It hasn't had three consecutive lackluster quarters in at least a decade, certainly not since the GFC. US jobless claims fell last week but by less than seasonal factors would have suggested. There are now 1.85 mln people on these benefits, less than last year at this time but only marginally less than two years ago. US PCE inflation fell in June to 3.7% from 4.0% in May, as analysts had expected. But that is way higher than the Fed used to say it would tolerate. Personal disposable income rose less than personal spending, and for a fifth consecutive month. Meanwhile, their Q2-2026 GDP update sagged in its first estimate, now up +1.5% and lower than the Q1-2025 final reading of +2.0%. Analysts had expected Q2 to come in at 2.1% so this data is a disappointment. It does mean a Fed rate hike is probably off the table, so equity markets rose. But so did long term bond yields although there was a notable pullback in short term yields and so their rate curve steepened sharply. The USD also took a tumble and is now down -1.6% in just the past two days. As expected, China's top leadership pledged to roll out targeted stimulus measures to support their economy in the second half of the year. The directives, issued at a Politburo meeting yesterday, come as the world's second-largest economy faces weak domestic demand and deepening structural imbalances. Second-quarter growth has been lower than they need to reach their targets. In Japan, observers see a Bank of Japan market intervention to support the yen. The yen rose sharply to the 157 range against the US dollar at one point yesterday, its strongest level since mid-May. Staying in Japan, consumer sentiment picked up in July but that is off a lowish base and it is barely back to its 2023-2024 levels. Sentiment surveys in the EU were out too for July and they rose again to extend their streak for both consumers and business sentiment.. EU GDP results for Q2-2026 were also released overnight, rising to 1.2% from a year ago. For them, that is quite positive. In Germany, CPI inflation rose 2.8% in July, up from 2.3% in June which was below what they had in prior months, so more back at trend. The Bank of England reviewed their monetary policy overnight, but made no changes. In Australia in a briefing released on the ASX, banking major NAB noted that their "total Australian home lending applications were 15% lower than the prior quarter". Staying in Australia, they reported that the number of new dwellings consented rose +7.2% in June from May to 18,328 (up +8.9% from a year ago). Houses were up only +0.4% but other dwellings were up almost +18% from May, although that doesn't quite take them back to year-ago levels despite this recent surge. Yesterday, Ampol (the owner of Z Energy here) reported sharply increased margins. Clearly refiners have been adding much more to retail prices than just the higher cost of crude. Global air travel fell in June, not by a lot, but essentially driven by sharp retreats in Middle East travel. Also unusual is a fall-off in both domestic and international travel in North America, an unexpected shift. Domestic air travel in China was also unusually weak. Container freight rates fell again last week, down -3% but they remain +70% higher than year-ago levels. Bulk cargo rates also fell marginally to be -24% lower than year-ago levels. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.67%, up +2 bps from this time yesterday. The 30 year yield is nearly at a 20 year high. The key 2-10 yield curve is now at +44 bps (+13 bps). Their 1-5 curve is now at +36 bps (+8 bps) and the 3 mth-10yr curve is at +100 bps (+6 bps). There has been a sharp steepening of the US rate curve today, a harsh market verdict on the Warsh performance yesterday.  The price of gold has risen to US$4105/oz, up +US$30 from yesterday. Silver is now just under US$59/oz, up +50 USc from yesterday. Oil prices have dipped by -50 USc from yesterday at now just under US$84/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just over US$89/bbl and down -US$1.50. Hormuz transits are still constrained. There have been 3 crude tankers and only 7 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (1 dark with transponders off) and ten entering for new loads (4 dark). The Red Sea activity is still low at less than 20 either way. The Kiwi dollar is up +100 bps from yesterday at just under 58.8 USc and suddenly back to early June levels. Against the Aussie we are up +40 bps at 83.3 AUc. Against the euro we have risen +30 bps to 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.5 which is up +80 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,802 and up +1.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just on +/-1.4%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again on Monday. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Dave and Brendan discuss NZ PE in the July Aussie Book Club. The document is a foresight provocation—not a prediction—intended to challenge assumptions and stimulate strategic thinking for those working at the intersection of sport, recreation, and secondary education in Aotearoa New Zealand. It aims to help organizations prepare for a range of plausible futures between 2026 and 2040, especially as profound changes in curriculum, technology, demographics, and equity reshape education.The documents central question is: How can the sport and recreation sector secure and strengthen its place in secondary education across unpredictable futures?

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Thursday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the US and the world are facing a new jolt of inflation as the hot war activity spread. The US central bank response? ignore the risks and pretend things will return to normal soon. But first, US mortgage applications fell sharply last week, their largest dip since mid-May, and driven by a -10% fall in refinance activity. And that came as their benchmark mortgage interest rate rose yet again, now its highest in a year. Also falling sharply last week were US crude oil stocks, down much more than expected. They have fallen in 12 of the past 14 weeks, and this latest one is one of the larger retreats. Worse perhaps, their strategic oil reserves are now at at levels they last had in 1983 just after they started building these reserves in 1982, and their economy is now nine times as large. These strategic reserves have gone from double the private system holdings, to only 75% of them. It is poublic mismanagement on an epic scale. The US Fed held its policy rate unchanged, even while noting they have high inflation that isn't easing and they have "supply shocks that have driven price increases" well above their 2% goal. But it was a split decision with three members voting to hike +25 bps. One of those was not Jerome Powell; he was in the nine who voted for the hold. Chairman Warsh's style is all over this statement because it was very short with little transparency. And Warsh's inflation fighting vow seems to be just talk. Across the Pacific, Singapore reported that their producer prices rose more than +30% in June from a year ago, maintaining the pace of increase for non-oil goods they have had since March. In South Korea, there has been real drama on their stock exchange with declines so sharp they had to temporarily suspend trading. It is all related to perceptions about tech valuations. Even though these companies are reporting sharp profit increases, investors worry that Chinese chipmakers are about to eat their lunch. At one point yesterday the share market there was down -13%, suddenly wiping out all the prior AI gain euphoria. But it ended down 'only' +6% to cap a five-day retreat of -17%. In Australia, June CPI inflation came in at 3.8%, and less than the 4.0% expected. It was kept up by the expiry of household energy support measures, but the falls in fuel costs more than offset that. More here. Will this deter the RBA from moving their policy rate on August 11? It may do, but inflation expectations remain very high. Some analysts now expect a hawkish hold. The lower CPI hit the AUD hard yesterday, presumably because FX markets no longer see higher interest rates imminently. The global credit risk environment has evolved heading into the second half of 2026 but continues to be driven by two main sources of short-term risk, according to Fitch Ratings; rising vulnerability to an AI-related market correction and persistent geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. This is on top of a broader context of slowing US consumer momentum, high inflation risks stemming from the 2Q energy shock and structural public finance pressures limiting the ability to respond to risk events. Credit risk premiums will rise, says Fitch. Iran was annoyed Trump claimed talks were taking place when they weren't, so they reinforced their point. Then the US and Saudi Arabia attacked Iran-linked forces in Iraq. And the Houthis attacked two Saudi tankers off Yemen. This mess isn't going away. June air cargo demand rose in June, at a time of a relative lull in Middle East tensions. It was up +8.5% overall, up +9.6% for international trade. Asia/Pacific activity was up +9.5% from a year ago. There were larger increases in air cargo trade with North America. Meanwhile the China-to-Europe cargo train trade is surging, added to by very fast 15 day transit times for peak demand of air conditioning units, for example. Shipping via the Suez canal chokepoint will probably never recover for consumer goods. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.65%, up +5 bps from this time yesterday and with a small push higher after the Fed decision. The price of gold has risen to US$4075/oz, back up +US$45 from yesterday. Silver is now just over US$58.50/oz, back up +US$1.50 from yesterday. Oil prices have risen sharply by +US$5.50 from yesterday at now just over US$84.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$90.50/bbl and up +US$5. Hormuz transits are still basically halted. There have been no crude tankers and only 8 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (6 dark with transponders off) and 16 entering for new loads (11 dark). The Red Sea is even less active than the prior day. The Kiwi dollar is down -10 bps from yesterday at just under 57.8 USc. Against the Aussie we are up +30 bps at 83.3 AUc. Against the euro we have dipped -10 bps to 50.7 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 61.7 which is down -10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,890 and up +0.5% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just on +/-0.9%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news China's clear need for less oil has pushed its price sharply lower even as both the Gulf of Hormuz and the Red Sea remain effectively shut. As other sources raise their output, global demand is being undermined, essentially by this Chinese transition. But first up today, we should note the overnight dairy Pulse auction. Prices achieved were a bit more than -1% lower than the prior week's full auction in USD, but a bit less than that in NZD. In the US, the ADP weekly private payrolls monitoring recorded another easing, only +15,000 and extending the easing trend that has been in place since early May. The US merchandise trade deficit came in more than -US$100 bln in June, a second straight month of an unusually high negative level. Year-on-year, exports were up, but imports rose faster. Meanwhile both their retail (+3.1%) and wholesale inventories (+4.1%) rose in June, reflecting the stockpiling trend that has been in place for a while now. The expected improvement in the Richmond Fed factory survey didn't eventuate in July from June, but it remains modestly positive. New order flows edged lower while price and cost levels remained elevated. But there was a solid improvement in the Dallas Fed services sector recorded in their July survey. Nationally, the Conference Board's consumer sentiment survey in the US took a step lower in July. This extends its falling trajectory that started in early 2025. The auction for the US Treasury 7yr Note was well supported earlier today but again, investors are getting higher yields for the elevated risk they perceive. This latest one delivered a median yield of 4.41% (high of 4.47%) compared to 4.20% at the prior equivalent event a month ago. In Japan, a major 7.1 earthquake in the south has caused widespread damage and deaths. And Japan's parliament has approved a plan to create a "second capital" capable of keeping the country running if disaster strikes Tokyo. It is likely to be in Osaka. Malaysia said producer prices there were +9.2% higher in June than a year ago. This was an unexpected jump from the anticipated +7.7% which was similar to the May rise. Staying in the region, Singapore reported its birth rate for 2025 and for the first time since its independence, it has fallen below +30,000 in a year. It, like many places, is on a steep trajectory of lower fertility. Industrial production in India rose +7.3% in June from a year ago, more than expected and the sharpest pace of expansion in nearly two years. It seems to be bouncing back from the initial shocks from the Middle East conflict. Later today, we will be getting the June CPI result from Australia and a no-change 4.0% rate is anticipated. But yesterday Governor Michelle Bullock was out speaking and affirming that they are worried that these high levels are embedding, so their 1-3% target range is not likely in the medium term. Some are wondering if this was a signal that an unexpected hike is about to be delivered next week. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.60%, down -5 bps from this time yesterday. The price of gold has fallen to US$4030/oz, down -US$48 from yesterday. Silver is now just over US$57/oz, down -US$1.50 from yesterday. Oil prices have fallen another -US$3.50 from yesterday at now just over US$79/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just over US$84.50/bbl and down -US$5. Hormuz transits are still basically halted. There have been no crude tankers and only 3 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (1 dark with transponders off) and three entering for new loads (1 dark). The Red Sea is even less active than the prior day. The Kiwi dollar is up +20 bps from yesterday at just under 57.9 USc. Against the Aussie we are up +40 bps at 83 AUc. Against the euro we are holding at just on 50.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 61.8 which is up +20 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,568 and down -2.1% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just on +/-1.7%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news Iran is claiming control of the Strait of Hormuz as the US backs away, unable to exert the pressure it thought it could. The pause in fighting there has calmed markets significantly even if few ships are actually transiting. Elsewhere, the US durable goods order report for June was a strong one, up +8.9% from the same month a year ago, but only up +0.3% from May, so most of the gain was in prior months and the June rise was much less than the expected +2.5%. Capital goods were up +4.1% from a year ago, but excluding defense and aircraft, they were up a good +14%. The Dallas Fed regional factory survey was positive too, even if only marginally. That completes seven consecutive months of only marginal changes, some up, some down. Price and wage pressures remained markedly elevated, they said. There were two large US Treasury bond auctions overnight, both well supported. But both saw sharpish rises in yields from the prior equivalent events a month ago. The two year median yield rose +13 bps, and the five year yield rose +21 bps on the same basis. In Canada, their central bank surveys market participants quarterly and these professionals were less upbeat than at the previous survey. They foresaw no policy rate changes in 2026, but rises in the next two years. They also foresee a 25% chance of recession, although more likely growth in the 1-2% range. This is lower than in the prior survey. Trump's trade tensions are the main risk they see. Singapore has surprised markets with another tightening move, its second consecutive such shift. Singapore regulates its monetary policy via its exchange rate (the S$NEER). It is raising its exchange rate to dampen inflationary pressures. The June CPI inflation rate there rose to 1.9%, its highest since August 2024. Singapore's industrial production growth came in less than expected in June, up +7.2% from a year ago when a +9% rise was expected, down from the almost +18% in May. China reported strong industrial profit growth in June, up +15% from the same month a year ago although this was less than the claimed +18% growth rate for the first half of 2026. They say their factory sector profits rose more than 20% on the year-to-date basis, but companies producing electricity saw theirs fall more than -4%. Local listed companies did well, but foreign companies hardly made any gains. Local private companies came in in-between. Expectations are rising that the current CCP summit in Beijing will deliver new stimulus programs. The Indonesian central bank chief has been pushed out with two years left on his term. The Indonesian government wasn't happy with the standard approach of the experienced governor, and wanted the central bank to support it's all-out drive for economic growth rather than inflation control. It was a sudden change, but one preceded by the President appointing a family member as a deputy governor earlier in the year (remember Turkey?). Indonesia has been suffering a weak currency due to the political interference. In Europe, Spain, France and Italy are all battling out-of-control wildfires. Everywhere is battling intense heat. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.65%, down -3 bps from this time yesterday.  The price of gold has risen to US$4078/oz, up +US$26 from yesterday. Silver is now just on US$58.50/oz, up +50 USc from yesterday. Oil prices have fallen sharply and by US$8 from yesterday at now just over US$82.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just under US$89.50/bbl and down -US$9. Hormuz transits are still basically halted There have been 3 crude tankers and only 2 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (1 dark with transponders off) and two entering for new loads (1 dark). The Red Sea is only marginally more active. The IEA has been reviewing why oil markets have proven more resilient through the current crisis than some had feared and they point out that oil output in countries not directly affected by the Persian Gulf troubles has risen notably and most countries are permitting export flows. They also point o the major release of strategic reserves to cushion the shocks, with 290 mln barrels released so far with more than 1 bln still in reserve. But they note that markets for refined products are considerably tighter than for crude oil. The Kiwi dollar is down -20 bps from yesterday at just on 57.7 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -30 bps at 82.6 AUc. Against the euro we are down -10 bps at just under 50.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 61.6 which is down -20 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,917 and up +0.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just on +/-0.9%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news that after more bellicose threats, Trump has backed off hitting Iran as he had signaled, another TACO twist. The region isn't quiet, but the threatened escalation by the US hasn't happened, not yet anyway. The oil price hasn't really eased back yet on this lull and is holding most of last week run-up towards US$100/bbl again. Trumps policy twerking has everyone unnerved. Away from that and looking ahead locally, this week will feature the big data dump of the June quarter RBNZ series. We will especially be watching household deposit growth, which stalled in May. In Australia, it will be all about Wednesday's CPI release (expect a small rise to 4.1%) and Friday's PPI (expect a rise to 3.5%). In the US, the spotlight will be on the Thursday Fed meeting. Analysts expect no-change at 3.75% even though CPI inflation was at 3.5% for June and rising, remaining well above the Fed's 2% target. Even their PCE inflation was running at 4.1% for May. We will get their June update on Friday. In the meantime, financial markets are pricing in more of a chance of a hike - if not at this meeting then two by the end of the year. There will be a lot of other US data out this week, including a Q2 GDP update, and the Conference Board's sentiment survey. The week will also feature some Big Tech profit results. In Japan, all eyes will be on Friday's central bank decision, especially on how they intend to respond to their currency problems. Not no change from their 1% rate is anticipated. In China, it will be all about a big set-piece Communist Party meeting. There will be a lot of interest to see if big new stimulus is announced there. Their PMI's may signal how urgent that is. Over the weekend in Japan, CPI inflation stayed low in June even if it did rose to a six month high. It came in at 1.7% in June from 1.5% in May, its highest since December. The pickup was largely driven by a slower decline in electricity and fuel prices as government energy subsidies were scaled back. Japan's private sector expanded to a five-month high in July via a sharp rise in manufacturing production and an improvement in their factory PMI which was driven mainly by the sharpest increase in manufacturing orders for five years. The July PMIs for India came in notably lower than for June as private sector growth receded and inflation pressure, especially for fuel, intensified. This is putting them in a tough spot with spreading social unrest. Their factory PMI dipped only marginally but their services PMI registered a notable easing. In the US the first of the July PMIs shows that business activity growth rose modestly but to an eight-month high in July although that isn't an especially high benchmark. However selling prices rose sharply and at their fastest rate for nearly four years. Input cost inflation was at a 14 month high. Their factory sector expansion was little-changed however from June with new orders little-changed. It was their services sector that expanded more, albeit modestly US new home sales were little-changed in June but maintained the modest level they have had all year. That makes then -5.6% lower than year-ago levels. Canadian producer price growth fell back slightly in June from May but are still +12.4% higher than year-ago levels. Raw material input costs by manufacturers were up more than +20% from a year go. Meanwhile, the Russian central bank trimmed -25 bps from its key policy rate, taking it to 14.0%. A year ago, this rate was 21%. They have CPI inflation officially at 6.0%, although this seems an unlikely level. In the EU, eurozone business activity has risen for first time in four months in July amid renewed expansion of new orders. Their factory PMI inched up, and their services PMI inched up too. But to be fair, these higher levels are not significant and the expansion is minor compared to other global regions. But at least it isn't a contraction. The German versions of these PMIs was generally better than the overall set. German consumer sentiment didn't budge however. In Europe, their ugly heat and worrying fire season isn't easing. In fact a new wave of extreme heat is forecast over the next few weeks. It is part of an accelerating trend that will likely extinguish European glaciers far faster than anticipated just ten years ago. Australia also got better new factory order levels in July, the first increase in new business in five months. Improved demand conditions underpinned a stronger expansion in output, led to upgraded recruitment activity and enabled greater protection of profit margins. This data confirms the good labour market data released yesterday. But overall Australian growth is likely to remain sluggish. Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra house prices actually fell in the June quarter, an unusual but necessary shift to make their housing more affordable. It takes serious political bravery to turn a frothy market where gains just fell from the sky. Bitumen prices are surging again on the closed Hormuz and Red Sea shipping lanes. They are back to levels that we had in mid-March and which lasted to mid-June. Interestingly, urea prices are staying low as are potash prices (minor rises) but sulphur prices never fell after the March spike. Naphtha (used for plastics manufacturing) is rising sharply again. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.68%, unchanged from this time Saturday but up +13 bps for the week. The price of gold has firmed to US$4052/oz, virtually unchanged from Saturday up +US$49 for the week. Silver is now just on US$58/oz, down -50 USc from Saturday, up +US$2 for the week. Oil prices have risen back +US$1.50 from Saturday at now just over US$90.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$98.50/bbl and up +US$2. A week ago these prices were US$82 and US$88/bbl respectively. Hormuz transits have almost halted entirely There have been no crude tankers and only 1 cargo ship exiting over the past 24 hours (0 dark with transponders off) and none entering for new loads (0 dark). The Red Sea is also now effectively blocked at Yemen although a small handful of ships are still getting through (less than 20 each way). Still almost 800 vessels are waiting for things to calm down. The Kiwi dollar is unchanged from Saturday at just on 57.9 USc but down -50 bps for the week. Against the Aussie we are still at 82.9 AUc. Against the euro we are holding at just over 50.9 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 61.8 which is unchanged from this time Saturday but down -50 bps from a week ago. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,673 and up +0.7% from this time Saturday and up +1.0% from a week ago. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just on +/-0.5%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again on Tuesday. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Friday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news tankers in the Red Sea have been hit by missiles fired from Yemen. This is unnerving global markets today, and oil prices have jumped everywhere. Bond yields are surging, pushing up mortgage rates and weighing on equity valuations, especially for tech firms. But first in the US, there were 192,000 initial jobless claims last week, a notable drop and far lower than seasonal factors would have accounted for and lower than expected. There are now 1.85 mln people on these benefits, also lower than a year ago but actually an increase from a week ago as claimants are staying on benefits longer even if it is now much harder to get initially qualified. The Chicago Fed's National Activity Index came in slightly below trend, but enough to suggest the US economic expansion was still in place in June. But if the Atlanta Fed's GDP Now tracking is to be believed, that expansion is at a modest level. Consensus forecasts are being trimmed too. The US Treasury 10 year TIPS yield of inflation-protected bonds jumped about +30 bps today and back to the highs we last saw in the pandemic and prior to that in the GFC. Canadian retail sales expanded in June, extending their positive track to six consecutive months. This was for both value and volume terms, to be +5.9% higher than year ago levels. Canadian CPI is running at 2.8%. Across the Pacific, China's foreign direct investment rose +US$11.1 bln in June, better than expected and better than the -US$7.6 bln fall in the same month in 2025. Meanwhile, China's consumer trade-in subsidy program is losing momentum as appliance and car demand weakens. South Korea said its economic activity expanded an impressive +3.7% in Q2-2026, almost the same as the +3.8% in Q1. This is their fastest expansion since Q4-2021, and came in above market estimates of +3.5%. Strong exports were a key factor in this result. Singapore's June CPI came in at +1.9% in June and although that was its highest since August 2024 it was less than the 2% expected. And that was because there was no change from May. In India, we should keep an eye on youth protests, because they are spready and gaining surprisingly wide support. In Europe and as expected by many, the ECB left its key interest rates unchanged at its July meeting overnight, following the +25 bp hike in June. Since then, policymakers have struck a more cautious tone, adopting a "wait-and-see" approach as softer inflation, wage growth, economic activity, and inflation expectations have reduced the urgency for another move. But that may have changed today with the unexpectedly large spike in oil prices. But who knows how fast that may change again? Markets anticipate another ECB rate hike in September. Staying in the EU, consumer sentiment improved in July. That is to say it got less negative. And in a decision likely to intensify trans-Atlantic trade tensions, European Union regulators overnight hit Google with a €890 mln fine for illegally undercutting competition through its dominance in search. Google will not be hurt by this directly in the short term because it reported almost +US$41 bln in profits in Q2-2026 alone. If it is hurt, it will be from their heavy cash burn for its AI buildout. The Australian labour market grew surprisingly strongly in June, adding +76,300 new jobs, far better than the +15,000 expected. Their jobless rate was stable at +4.4%. More than half the new jobs were in NSW, with good gains also in Queensland and Western Australia. But Victoria shed jobs in the month. This strength will add spine to the RBA's fight against rising inflation (4.0%) because they will be now less worried about a weak economy The RBA next meets on August 11, 2026 - 17 days away. Global container freight rates fell -4% last week to be +74% higher than year ago levels. Outbound rates from China were the basis of the pullback from the prior week. Bulk cargo rates were down -8% for the week, and these are now a third higher than year-ago levels. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.70%, up +4 bps from this time yesterday and its highest since January 2025.  Wall Street is -1.4% lower today on the S&P500 with the Nasdaq down -2.5%.  The price of gold has fallen to US$4042/oz, down -US$98 from yesterday. Silver is now just on US$57.50/oz, down -US$2.50 from yesterday. Oil prices are another +US$6 higher from yesterday at just on US$93/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$101.50/bbl and up +US$7. Hormuz transits are still just a trickle There have been no crude tankers and 5 cargo ships exiting over the past 24 hours (5 dark with transponders off) and 8 entering for new loads (1 dark). The Red Sea is also now effectively blocked at Yemen although a small handful of ships are still getting through (less than 20 each way). More than 700 vessels are waiting for things to calm down. The Kiwi dollar is another -40 bps lower from yesterday at just over 57.7 USc. Against the Aussie we are also down -40 bps at 82.8 AUc. Against the euro we are down -30 bps at just over 50.7 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 61.6 which is down -40 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$64,762 and down -2.1% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been extreme at just on +/-7%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again on Monday. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Thursday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news we may be facing a renewed oil supply shortage and this time reserves are at unusually low levels. The combined impacts of extended closures in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea are mounting, and just as we thought the May-June stresses had faded. US mortgage applications rose slightly last week and that was despite an unexpected fall in refinance activity. But since mid-June this US housing market indicator has essentially been flat. And US mortgage rates are now at an 11 month high. US crude oil stocks rose unexpectedly last week when another fall was anticipated. Yes, it was minor, but still. Maybe it indicates that local production is rising faster than some assume. Or surging imports from Canada or Venezuela? Or maybe that demand is lackluster. Or all three. US Strategic Reserve levels fell again and to their lowest level since 1983. Today's US Treasury 20yr bond auction saw its yield surge through 5%, ending with a median yield of 5.12% and a high of 5.16%. That is up sharply from the prior equivalent event a month ago of 4.88%. And demand was lower too (-4%). It is quite the rate move. Not to be outdone, the overnight German 20 year bund auction rose to 3.60%, up from 3.38% a month ago. Across the Pacific, Japanese exports rose faster than expected in June, up more than +19% from a year earlier. The weak yen helped as did strong demand for electronics and other data center equipment. The June export level was their second highest on record, just a whisker off the March record. At the same time their imports surged as well, up +25% and also more than expected to a new record high, just eclipsing the October 2022 level. Oil prices were high but oil import volumes retreated. The net result was a modest but stable trade deficit in June (from May), but slightly worse than the small trade surplus in June a year ago. None of this helped the yen however because it fell to a 40 year low against the USD. Against the NZD it has only been this low in 2024 and 2007. In case anyone is still confused, or unaware, the Chinese regulator, China Securities Regulatory Commission, has been organising the SOE home team to bolster the Chinese stock markets recently, after they showed some negative indications. This has driven some good rises, but also a creeping state ownership in many listed Chinese companies. The Shanghai Composite closed up +1.8% yesterday, the Shenzhen Component was up +4.8%, while the ChiNext was up +7.1% and the STAR Market index jumped 8.8%. This is not to claim other governments don't manipulate markets; they do (Trump, Japan, etc.). But the Chinese moves don't seem sustainable unless the reasons for the dour conditions that prompted the artificial buying are resolved. In other economies, regulators would get punished by investors if issues aren't resolved. In China it is the other way around. The Philippine-China dispute about who controls the sea off the Philippine coast is taking an ugly turn with China posting racist trope video targeting Filipino's. It is unnecessary and grubby diplomacy. But 'going low' isn't something China invented. Surprising most observers, the Indonesian central bank did not raise its policy rate overnight following its June out-of-cycle shift higher. It judged that that earlier move was all that is needed at this time to defend the rupiah. In Australia, the latest update of the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Leading Index, which indicates the likely pace of economic activity relative to trend three to nine months into the future, suggests growth there is stalling. While the latest growth pulse is still not overly weak it is broadly consistent with stalling activity through the middle of the year. Later today the June labour market report will be released in Australia. It is expected to show tame jobs growth. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.66%, up +3 bps from this time yesterday and matching its recent mid-May highs.  The price of gold has risen to US$4140/oz, up +US$71 from yesterday. Silver is now just on US$60/oz, up +US$1.50 from yesterday. Oil prices are another +US$2.50 higher from yesterday at just under US$87/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$94/bbl and up +US$2. Hormuz transits are still just a trickle There have been just 2 crude tankers and 3 cargo ships exiting over the past 24 hours (5 dark with transponders off) and 5 entering for new loads (3 dark). Three of these outbound ships were hit by missiles. The Red Sea is also now effectively blocked at Yemen although a small handful of ships are still getting through (less than 20 each way). More than 700 vessels are waiting for things to calm down. The Kiwi dollar is another -20 bps lower from yesterday at just over 58.1 USc. Against the Aussie we are also down -10 bps at 83.2 AUc. Against the euro we are down -10 bps at just under 51 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62 which is down -20 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$66,141 and down -0.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has again been low at just over +/-0.9%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Shutterstock Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Kia ora. Welcome to Tuesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news many countries are awaiting news of a new barrage of US tariffs, although the fear level is nowhere near as high this time as this weapon has proven relatively limp in the past, and mainly hurts US consumers. First today, the overnight dairy auction surprised somewhat with an end to the recent weakness, rising +1.5% in USD terms although down almost -1.0% in NZD terms on the firmer NZD. Perhaps surprisingly, milk fats did quite well, other than cheddar (-6.5%). Powders were all up. Some say that northern hemisphere heatwaves have buyers nervous that this will soon weigh on production levels there, so stocks are being built in case. In the US, the slower hiring trend that started in early May continued last week with the ADP weekly tracking reporting its lowest level since March, just after this weekly tracking series started. US timber prices are rising and quite sharply recently. That is because of forest fires in the US Pacific Northwest states, and in British Columbia, the main exporting Canadian province to the US. Trump's new tariffs on Canada are making things worse for US housebuilders. The early outcomes for the Q2-2026 earnings reporting season (with 10% of S&P 500 companies reporting actual results), 88% of these companies have reported a positive EPS surprise and 85% have reported a positive revenue surprise. The US summer holiday season is starting to peak now and will stay like this until early August. The season overall ends on their Labor Day on September 7. We note this because commercial activity is different during this period and financial market activity is lighter than usual. The same is true for Canada of course. But US border states are doing it tough because Canadians are choosing to avoid the US for their holidays as the insults and tariff actions from Trump's Washington swamp stay aggressive. In China, new stimulus is being rolled out. Its gigantic "Six Networks" buildout is getting a major boost as part of more infrastructure spending. Those six are: water networks (canals), power grids, data centers, 6G development, undergrounding pipelines, and supply-chain efficiency upgrades. But they are also trying to get their service sector re-energised as well with targeted 'investments'. Meanwhile, China is re-thinking its tax rebates that are driving its export competitiveness. It needs those funds for its domestic projects, and it doesn't need the international alarm their mercantalist export policies are creating. In Europe, the ECB's Q2 lending survey has found banks have tightened credit standards moderately for firms on higher perceived risks and lower risk tolerance. Corporate loan demand rose while demand for housing loans and consumer debt decreased. Interestingly, companies seeking green loans were found to have much better financial profiles. Germany's ZEW sentiment survey recovered notably in July after four months on weakness, and this is mirrored in their wider survey for the EU. The price of copper is rising again, getting near the record highs it posted at the start of the Iran-US conflict. Driving some of this are unusually low copper stocks in China. Meanwhile the FAO is reporting that hunger in the world fell again in 2025 and for a third consecutive year. Around 645 million people, or 7.8% of the world's population, experienced hunger last year, down from 8.1% in 2024 and 8.6% in 2022 The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.63%, up +3 bps from this time yesterday and approaching its recent mid-May highs.  The price of gold has risen to US$4069/oz, up +US$65 from yesterday. Silver is now just over US$58.50/oz, up +US$2 from yesterday. Oil prices are +US$1.50 higher from yesterday at just on US$84.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just over US$92/bbl and up +US$3. Hormuz transits are still just a trickle There have been just 1 crude tanker and 3 cargo ships exiting over the past 24 hours (4 dark with transponders off) and 11 entering for new loads (3 dark) and all this traffic is Iran-linked. The Red Sea is also now effectively blocked at Yemen. The Kiwi dollar is -20 bps lower from yesterday at just over 58.3 USc. Against the Aussie we are also down -20 bps at 83.3 AUc. Against the euro we are down -10 bps at just on 51.1 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at 62.2 which is down -10 bps from this time yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$66,421 and up +1.3% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has again been modest at just over +/-1.4%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow. Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

A recently released study from researchers at the Otago, Canterbury, and Massey universities has found an association between nitrate concentrations in drinking water, and pre-term births. The study is the first of its scale to investigate the health impacts of nitrate on health, involving the birth records of over 735,000 babies born between 2008 and 2021.  It comes after the Ministry of Health launched a review into the health effects of nitrate in drinking water earlier this year, with groups such as Greenpeace long-arguing for a reduction in the maximum acceptable value of nitrate in drinking water for Aotearoa New Zealand. So, to learn more about what the study found, Producer Theo spoke to its lead author, the University of Canterbury's Associate Professor Tim Chambers.

Kesha said on a podcast that she's out here collecting human teeth from her fans, turns out there are similarly weird collections happening right here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Bree Tomasel & Clint Roberts on ZM - follow us @breeandclint on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been well reported that Aotearoa New Zealand is facing a severe shortage of aged care workers. Some groups estimate we'll need an extra 16,000 workers over the next three years alone. So, what does working in that field look like? Well, our next guest is the perfect person to help answer that question. Darren McKean runs the Ranfurly Manor residential care centre, but before this job he did many, many others.

What does it mean to paddle a river your family fought six generations to free? This week marks the one-year anniversary of the historic first descent of the undammed Klamath River by Indigenous youth in the Paddle Tribal Waters program. To honor it, Anna is replaying her conversation on The Discomfort Zone Podcast with Keeya Wiki, a Yurok kayaker who completed that first descent at 17. Keeya also belongs to the Te Aupouri and Ngati Porou tribes of Aotearoa (New Zealand), and her family has fought for generations for the health of the salmon, the river, and their right to fish. This conversation is about joy as resilience, and what happens when the healing of a river becomes the healing of the generations connected to it. If you love rivers and want to understand what dam removal and Indigenous-led restoration mean for the people who fought for it, this one is for you. In this episode, Keeya and Anna explore: What it felt like to paddle the Klamath after generations of advocacy for dam removal How Keeya listens to her body and grounds herself when fear and self-doubt show up The intense underwater moment on the river that tested her self-trust The power of community, mentorship, and representation in outdoor spaces Why the joy Keeya experienced on the river has the power to heal generations Since this conversation, Anna has read The Water Remembers by Amy Bowers Cordalis, Keeya's aunt and the lawyer who played a key role in getting the Klamath dams removed. Amy joins The Discomfort Zone Podcast later this summer, and you may have seen Amy and Keeya together on the Kelly Clarkson Show sharing their family's legacy. Consider this replay the first chapter of that story. Whether you paddle whitewater, care about river restoration, or simply want to hear what courage and joy sound like, listen now and let the Klamath's story move you.

Sex work is often called the world's oldest profession. It's survived moral panics, technological leaps, a global pandemic, and endless political debate. This episode looks at the state of sex work in Aotearoa New Zealand - one of the few countries where it's fully decriminalised - and asks whether legal protection translates to real safety, dignity, and wellbeing. We hear from workers about the realities of the mahi: the parts that are misunderstood, the parts that are genuinely hard, and the disruption to old models of working. And we examine how stigma, even in a decriminalised environment, continues to shape workers' access to housing, healthcare, and community - and what it takes to live a full life when your work is still, for many, unspeakable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kia Ora Powtearoa ListenersThe Capital Shield has happened. 96 coaches! 96!! By far the largest tournament ever to take place in Aotearoa New Zealand. And our own Welshy and Trickey were there.So, in this episode, we hear from Trickey. What was his team, who did he play, what did he drink? we find out it all. And to help get Trickey to tell us the details we have drafted in the TO and all round friend of the show Mushoomy! He will also be with us to tell the tale of this amazing event.So, strap in for a longer than usual episode as we celebrate the Capital Shiel NZ Major 2026.Colonel O'Truth's YouTube channel can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/@ColonelOTruthMiniatureIssues He built the stadium that was used as top table.If you are not already on discord, come and join us on the NZBB Discord server here - https://tinyurl.com/joinNZBBC and please visit the NZ Blood Bowl Community FB page here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/NZBBC/ If you are not already on discord, come and join us on the NZBB Discord server here - https://tinyurl.com/joinNZBBC and please visit the NZ Blood Bowl Community FB page here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/NZBBC/ Intro music adapted from Bensound.com. Cheers Bensound. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Michael Rhodes claims the gospel is inherently political, and "the Lord reigns" was never just a private comfort but a statement about who actually runs the world. We name the two instincts that keep so many of us stuck: retreating into a safe bubble or chasing the halls of power, and why a more holistic approach is necessary. And we get practical: city council meetings, speed bumps, a libertarian business owner whose whole politics quietly rearranged once he started hiring single moms. In a moment when faith and politics have collapsed into the culture war, this feels like a third way, or a faithful way - a politics you can practice this week, on your own street, as a small taste of the beauty of the Kingdom of God.Michael J. Rhodes (PhD, Trinity College / University of Aberdeen) is lecturer in Old Testament at Carey Baptist College in Aotearoa New Zealand. He is the author of several books, including Reimagining Biblical Politics, Just Discipleship, Formative Feasting,and Practicing the King's Economy (with Robby Holt and Brian Fikkert). Rhodes (an ordained EPC pastor) and his family currently live in South Auckland, where they are part of an intentional community engaged in Christian community development.Michael's Book:Reimagining Biblical PoliticsConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Support the show

Aotearoa/New Zealand's longest-running citizen science project is about to kick off again.

Fifty years ago this week, Aotearoa New Zealand was hit by a snowstorm for the ages.

Nicola Toki and Emile discuss this week's critter of the week, which this week is the frilled shark. The frilled shark is classified as At Risk - Naturally Uncommon in Aotearoa New Zealand. It's a deep-sea specialist that turns up only occasionally in trawl bycatch, but its fossil ancestors once swam in shallow seas around the Chathams 66 million years ago. Instead of a swim bladder, the frilled shark floats using a giant oil-filled liver - basically a built-in deep-sea buoyancy tank! They also announce and celebrate the New Zealand Fungus of the Year winner!

"Who is Aotearoa New Zealand's greatest ever Olympian?" It's the kind of question that - at least before the smartphone - you could spend hours arguing about down the pub. Our guest on NZ Sport History today is sports journalist Joseph Romano. He's been to every Olympics since the 1980s so he's better placed than most of us to come up with an answer. His latest book - "NZ's Top Olympians" - charts our Olympic History. He chats to Jesse.

The red meat sector is a cornerstone of Aotearoa New Zealand. Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) and Meat Industry Association (MIA) have just released new research that offers a robust, evidence-based assessment of the economic and social contribution of the sector, including production, processing and exporting. It is the first full measure of the sector's economic and social contribution since 2020. Project Lead Connor McIndoe from Business and Economic Research (BERL) joins us to make sense of it all. Read the full report here: Research shows New Zealand's red meat sector drives nearly $50 billion in annual spending across the economy.  

In this episode of the Elevate Podcast, Andrew Eagles, CEO of the New Zealand Green Building Council, joins the conversation to unpack how healthier, more energy-efficient homes can create major financial advantages for both developers and homeowners. From lower-interest development finance to green mortgage offers, Andrew explains how Homestar certification is helping builders access funding benefits while delivering warmer, drier, and more comfortable homes. Andrew shares practical insights into the Homestar process, common misconceptions around cost, and why many developments can achieve certification with only minor design changes. He also discusses the future of building standards in New Zealand, the growing influence of global green finance, and why energy performance ratings are likely to become a key part of every home sale. Packed with real-world examples, this episode is essential listening for builders, developers, and anyone interested in the future of residential construction in Aotearoa New Zealand.Useful links:The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) Homestar™Free Homestar Design GuideInfometrics researchWhere else you can find usWebsite: https://www.masterbuilder.org.nz/Elevate Platform: http://elevate.masterbuilder.org.nzInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterbuildernz/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/registeredmasterbuildersYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmh_9vl0pFf0zSB6N7RrVeg

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Aotearoa New Zealand later this year. The expected visit follows the signing of the trade agreement between India and New Zealand last month. However, Prime Minister Modi is a controversial figure in Indian politics, largely for his religiously divisive policy and anti-Muslim speeches. Wire Host Caeden spoke to Sapna Samant, GP, storyteller, and activist, who is critical of Indian Prime Minister Modi and his supporters in the diaspora, about his expected visit.

Maddie Ballard (she/her) is a writer of mixed Chinese heritage from Aotearoa New Zealand. Her debut essay collection was published as Bound: A Memoir of Making and Remaking (The Emma Press, 2024) in the UK and Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary (Tin House, 2025) in the US. She co-edits Starling, a literary journal for emerging New Zealand writers, and writes a sporadic Substack. She currently lives in Melbourne. In Patchwork, a charming and evocative sewist's diary, Maddie Ballard explores the making (and sometimes remaking) of seventeen specific garments over a period of great change in her life—from a jacket lined with the embroidered Cantonese names of her female ancestors, to a dressing gown made as a gift for a dear friend, to an eco-friendly, zero-waste dress. As the wardrobe grows, so too does Maddie. From her first off-kilter dresses and coats to perfectly fitting pants, readers follow along as she learns to navigate the world around her and how she sees herself in it—both as she is and as she hopes to be. Stitch by stitch, word by word, Maddie drafts her own patterns for ways of living. Throughout the diary, delightful illustrations bring Maddie's creations to life on the page. With a focus on the practical comfort and pleasure provided by sewing in a time of personal renewal, Patchwork: A Sewist's Diary is a warmhearted celebration of the value of craft in the modern age. This episode of Sew Organised Style podcast for SewOver50 was both video and audio produced by Maria Theoharous in her sewing room. With permission of Maddie. Sound by Kaneef on Youtube Many thanks for the ongoing monthly support of the podcast's Patreon contributors. Their paid Patreon membership enables me to create these video and audio podcasts for free. You can find Sew Organised Style podcast, spelt with an s not a z, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts And yes. If you live in Australia and decide to purchase your own Mimiquin custpm dressform, I'll be your body scanner for Mimiquins UK. Tag your makes using @sharesewover50 to be able to find your makes in chronological order on Instagram. I look forward to joining you in your sewing room next time. Stay safe everyone. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Hill reviews Out of the Blue: Essays on Artists from Aotearoa New Zealand 1985-2021 by Christina Barton, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press.

An expert in traditional Maori weaving says the return of a centuries-old cloak to Aotearoa New Zealand has brought surprise, intrigue, and a closeness to her ancestors. Erin Johnson reports.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced a new task force aimed at addressing violent crime in tribal communities. The Indian Country Violent Crime Task Force was announced May 5, which is also Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Awareness Day. Officials say the initiative is designed to strengthen law enforcement coordination and protect families across Indian Country. The effort will be led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services and will work with federal, tribal, and state partners to expand investigations, deploy mobile enforcement teams, and target drug trafficking and crimes against children. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says the initiative takes what he calls a “zero-tolerance approach to violent crime” and is focused on protecting tribal communities. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland says the effort is also about strengthening coordination and accountability. In a statement, he says working closely with tribal communities will help improve public safety outcomes and prevent future crime. Officials say the task force will focus on solving missing persons and homicide cases, while using data to identify high-crime areas and direct resources where they are needed most. The initiative builds on earlier federal efforts, including Operation Lady Justice and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, as concerns about public safety in Indian Country continue. Keystone Pipeline in Canada. (Courtesy TransCanada) A 650-mile crude oil pipeline through eastern Montana and Wyoming just cleared another hurdle on the way to construction. Montana Public Radio's Ellis Juhlin reports, President Donald Trump issued a cross-border permit for the Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project Thursday. The pipeline would move no less than half a million gallons of crude tar sands oil from Canada into the U.S. daily. Its proposed path covers some of the same area as the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, which was terminated under President Joe Biden. The Bridger Pipeline would cross major rivers including the Missouri and the Yellowstone, prompting fears about the potential for contamination of water sources. It could also run through the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. Tribal nations were not consulted as part of Trump's permitting decision and say a pipeline in this area could violate treaty rights. Jenny Harbine, a lawyer with the nonprofit firm EarthJustice, says pipelines like these are known to break. “Crude oil spills are extraordinarily time, consumptive and costly to clean up, and I don’t know that our local communities in Montana or our regulators are prepared for that kind of devastation.” The proposal must still go through several permitting processes at the state and federal level before construction could begin, but the pipeline is fast-tracked, and supported by Republican lawmakers in Montana. Construction could begin as early as next summer. Diehtosiida, a Sámi knowledge centre in Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino, Norway, where the 2026 Journalism Excellence Awards ceremony will take place in September. (Photo: Illustratedjc via Wikimedia) The World Indigenous Broadcasters Network (WIBN) has announced the finalists for its 2026 Journalism Excellence Award, highlighting top Indigenous reporting from around the world. Six journalists were selected from an international field, representing media organizations in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Sápmi, and Canada. The award recognizes excellence in storytelling, cultural integrity, and public accountability in Indigenous journalism. Entries were reviewed by an independent panel of Indigenous media leaders, who evaluated work based on reporting quality, innovation, and impact. WIBN Chair Shane Taurima says this year's finalists reflect the strength of Indigenous journalism globally, with reporting grounded in community voices and focused on issues that matter most. The winner will be announced at the WIBN Conference in Sápmi, Norway in September. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Wednesday, May 6, 2026 – Tribes try to stay ahead of prediction markets on sports betting

TRN Podcast Nick Estes live in conversation with Kim TallBear about the conference they organized,  Holding Our Ground: Voices and Strategies Against Self-Indigenization.  You can watch the individual panels that were livestreamed  on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKWiQX270BMoLRv25dDskRfsJ2pptPf3Z Conference description: "This two-day, hybrid symposium will convene leading experts, community members, and "first responders" to the global issue of self-Indigenization, particularly in the form of "Indigenous ethnic fraud," or "pretendianism," as it is referred to in North America. The symposium will be held in Minneapolis, on the traditional homelands of the Dakota people, who were imprisoned and eventually exiled in 1863 to aid settler appropriation of "Minnesota," a word also taken from the Dakota. On top of seizing land, US citizens have for centuries "played Indian" via sports mascots and appropriating Native nation names and iconography in scouting and in industries including the military. In the twenty-first century, we see ballooning numbers of US citizens make mythological claims to belong to Native lineages and nations. Some capitalize on those claims to appropriate Indigenous resources and opportunities, and to seize governance of institutions. We see an obviously violent example of self-Indigenization in the Department of "Homeland Security" whose agents seize governance of these lands, terrorize, imprison, and threaten to exile. As multiple forms of self-Indigenization converge, not all are grasped as violent, yet they combine to further colonial extraction. Extractive self-Indigenization, including Indigenous ethnic fraud, not only targets American Indians, but also First Nations, Métis, and Inuit in Canada; and global Indigenous communities in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, and elsewhere. This symposium will bring participants together to engage in critical discussions, learn from one another, and discuss actionable strategies to disrupt this global problem." Empower our work: GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-red-medias-indigenous-content  Subscribe to The Red Nation Newsletter: https://www.therednation.org/ Patreon https://www.patreon.com/redmediapr