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☆ New Zealand election campaign steps up with cost of living in focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Opinion polls show a coalition of conservative parties is favoured to govern after the election. That would put National in the stronger position to form a coalition government with one or more smaller parties. Labour's popularity has steadily declined this term and Ardern stepped down in January, saying she had "no more in the tank". National leader Christopher Luxon, a political newcomer and former CEO of Air New Zealand (AIR.NZ), told Reuters last month that he aimed to focus on containing inflation. Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, Lucy Craymer, Hipkins, Ardern, Christopher Luxon, Renju Jose, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Labour Party, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand, Labour, Talbot, National Party, Air New Zealand, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Zealand's, Wellington , New Zealand, Sydney

From a survey data perspective, the countries’ moves up the Best Countries list come as they gained in some of the project’s 10 subrankings. In the Best Countries rankings, Neelam points to Australia performing well on an assessment of whether a country is perceived as corrupt. While she announced her resignation in January – before the Best Countries survey was fielded – Neelam says he “wouldn’t discount the Ardern factor” in New Zealand’s rankings rise. New Zealand does have other things going for it that mirror Australia in some ways. Murray, of Karamea, says the country – considered the most scenic among respondents to the Best Countries survey, with Australia at No.

Persons: Paul Murray, I’ve, he’s, ., –, Austin Billimack, he’d, “ Oz ”, ” Billimack, Zealand’s, Murray, Ryan Neelam, it’s, “, ”, Allan Behm, “ We're, Anthony Albanese, Scott Morrison, Albanese, Behm, Morrison, Morrison . New, Jacinda Ardern, – Neelam, Barack, Obama, Eric Crampton, Crampton, Ardern’s, Karamea Organizations: ” Global, U.S . News, FIFA, Australia, New Zealand, Lowy Institute, The Australia Institute, Labor Party, Best, New Zealand Initiative, Zealand Locations: Karamea, New, New Zealand, . Murray, Auckland, Wellington, Australia, Melbourne, Wisconsin, Australia’s, Oceania, Sydney, Australian, Canberra, Nauru, Morrison ., Christchurch , New Zealand, –, Canada

SYDNEY, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday that a referendum to recognise the country's Indigenous people in its constitution will be held on October 14. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who represent about 3.2% of Australia's nearly 26 million population, are not mentioned in the constitution. Here are five things to know about the referendum:PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTIONThe Parliament in August agreed to propose adding a new chapter, Chapter IX-Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to the Constitution. The referendum question would be: "A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. The election commission has said the referendum will see more voting services delivered to remote communities than any other vote in Australia's history.

Persons: Praveen Menon, Alasdair Pal Organizations: SYDNEY, Aboriginal, Torres Strait, Torres Strait Islander Peoples, First Peoples of, Torres Strait Islander, Executive Government, Peoples of Australia, Australian Capital Territory, ACT, Thomson Locations: Australia, Australia's, First Peoples of Australia, Commonwealth, Northern Territory, Sydney

[1/5]A Yes23 volunteer holds pamphlets while speaking with commuters about the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum, in Melbourne, Australia August 30, 2023. Some senior Liberal party leaders, however, have broken ranks and supported the Voice referendum. "The Voice delivers recognition and respect to Indigenous Australians in the manner they have sought," Turnbull said in an opinion piece in The Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday. In the most recent referendum in 1999, Australians voted against changing the constitution to establish Australia as a republic. "I’m just trying to vote yes for the recognition of the real owners of Australia," Sydney resident Oscar Rodas, who was at one of the campaigns, told Reuters.

Persons: Albanese, SYDNEY, Anthony Albanese, Pat Anderson, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, James Ross, Malcolm Turnbull, Turnbull, I’m, Oscar Rodas, Cordelia Hsu, Stephen Coates Organizations: Wednesday, Aboriginal, Torres Strait, First Nations Peoples, Liberal, REUTERS Acquire, Liberal Party, Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Torres Strait, Adelaide, Torres, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Melbourne, Lincoln

Bottles of Australian wine are seen at a store selling imported wine in Beijing, China November 27, 2020. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Australia's wine industry faces severe oversupply problems that will need years to resolve, experts say, pointing to Chinese tariffs, high production and export bottlenecks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent removal of tariffs on Australian barley has fed hopes for an early easing of the five-year tariffs China imposed on Australian wine in 2021. Australian wine exports declined a tenth in value to A$1.87 billion and 1% in volume to 621 million litres in the year ended June, Wine Australia’s Export Report said in July. "All we can say is next time you go to buy a bottle of wine, make sure it's Australian," McLean said.

Persons: Florence, Pia Piggott, Lee McLean, McLean, Piggott, Praveen Menon, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Rabobank, China, Labor, Wine Estates, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Australia, Britain, Europe, United States, Asia

☆ Jacinda Arden says she teared up watching New Zealand play at Women’s World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —New Zealand’s former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was moved to tears by the country’s women’s soccer team at this year’s World Cup. Ardern told CNN’s Amanda Davies Monday that she cried while watching the opening match, where tournament co-hosts New Zealand beat Norway, securing the team’s first ever World Cup win. That July 20 game was a pivotal moment for the Football Ferns, as New Zealand’s women’s soccer team are known. Ardern, who was involved in bringing the tournament to New Zealand while Prime Minister, said she was “incredibly proud” to see it come to fruition. Ardern’s comments came at the final event for “Equalize,” a discussion series on equity for women hosted in New Zealand during the World Cup.

Persons: Jacinda Ardern, Ardern, CNN’s Amanda Davies, ” Ardern, Jitka Klimkova, “, ”, Ardern’s, you’ve, It’s Organizations: CNN, New, New Zealand, Football Ferns, Ferns Locations: Norway, Though New Zealand, New Zealand, “, Zealand, Christchurch

☆ New Zealand scraps last of its Covid restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“While our case numbers will continue to fluctuate, we have not seen the dramatic peaks that characterized COVID-19 rates last year,” the health minister added. Covid has put considerably less pressure on the health care system this winter, New Zealand’s current season, with cases accounting for just 2.2% of recent hospital admissions, according to the government. “If New Zealand had had a similar rate of Covid-19 mortality as the United States, we would be reporting around 15,000 deaths from Covid,” he argued. As health minister during much of the pandemic Hipkins was closely associated with the zero-Covid controls. New Zealand goes to the polls in October, and Labour are facing a stiff challenge from the center-right opposition National Party.

Persons: Ayesha Verrall, ” Verrall, Covid, we’re, Chris Hipkins, ”, Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern Organizations: CNN, Zealand, Health, Zealanders, Labour Party, Labour, National Party, Australia Locations: . New Zealand, Zealand, United States, Covid, Wellington

☆ New Zealand will require 900 firms to report gender pay gaps
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Around 900 businesses with more than 250 employees will be asked to report their gender pay gaps in the proposed legislation, Tinetti said in a statement. The requirement will eventually be extended over four years to cover companies that employ more than 100 workers, encompassing around 2,700 firms, she added. Requiring companies to publish their gender pay gap will encourage them to address the drivers of those gaps and increase transparency for workers,” she said. New Zealand has made progress in its public service sector, with women holding more than half of top tier senior management roles and the gender pay gap has shrunk to a record-low of 7.7%. In the private sector, around 200 companies including Air New Zealand and Spark voluntarily report or plan to report their gender pay gap, according to Tinetti.

Persons: Women Jan Tinetti, Tinetti, Spark, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, “ We’ve, ” Radhakrishnan, Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins Organizations: CNN, New, Women, Labour, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, Air New, Zealand, Workplace Relations, Party Locations: New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Pacific

Some opponents, however, argue the move would hand excessive powers to the Indigenous body, while others have described it as tokenism and toothless. A Guardian poll this week showed more Australians are planning to vote no in the referendum than yes, a first in the survey. Parties on both sides of a debate released official pamphlets last month, and are holding road shows about the upcoming vote. "I believe Australia is ready," he said in a radio interview on Wednesday, which marked World Indigenous Day. Albanese has said the referendum will be held between October and December, but has given no fixed date.

Persons: Albanese, Matt Qvortrup, Anthony Albanese, Warren Mundine, Dean Parkin, Qvortrup, Praveen Menon, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Guardian, ANU College of Law, West, Thomson Locations: Australia, Torres, West Australia

☆ New Zealand justice minister quits after being charged following car crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 24 (Reuters) - New Zealand's justice minister resigned on Monday after being arrested in relation to a car crash the previous day, the fourth minister to quit the cabinet in as many months in an election year. "She understood that retaining her ministerial warrant was untenable, especially for a justice minister to be charged with criminal offending," Hipkins said. Hipkins said Allan's "recent personal struggles with mental health have been well documented and it appears some of those issues came to a head yesterday." Once touted as a potential successor to previous prime minister Jacinda Ardern, Allan said she will take time to consider her future in politics. My actions yesterday show I wasn't okay," Allan said in a statement.

Persons: Kiri Allan, Chris Hipkins, Allan, Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, I've, Renju Jose, Lincoln Organizations: Labour, National Party, Thomson Locations: Wellington, Sydney

☆ Women’s World Cup Begins With Host Nations in Opening Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Andrew Das | The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

He moved through the building site, discharging the firearm as he went. Clearly, with the FIFA World Cup kicking off this evening, there are a lot of eyes on Auckland. Image Members of the Philippines Women’s World Cup team in Auckland on Thursday. New Zealand’s prime minister, Chris Hipkins, said the Women’s World Cup would proceed as planned. Even before then, gun ownership was relatively rare in New Zealand, and gun violence is considered unusual.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Andrew Coster, Coster, ”, David Rowland, Abbie Parr, ” Mr, Hipkins, cordoning, Saeed Khan, Lise Klaveness, ” Halvor Lea, Maren Mjelde, Jacinda Ardern, Juliet Macur, Andrew Das, Yan Zhuang, Tariq Panja Organizations: Armed Offenders Squad, FIFA, New Zealand Herald, Police, ., Eden, United States, Vietnam, Norway, New Zealand Police, Associated Press, New Zealand, Agence France, Norway women’s Locations: New Zealand, Auckland, Queen, Auckland , New Zealand, Norway, Auckland’s, U.S, Australia, Ireland, Philippines, ”, Norwegian, Christchurch, North, Raurimu, Aramoana, Sydney

Auckland, New Zealand CNN —A shooting that erupted inside a building in central Auckland killed at least two people and injured six others, say New Zealand officials, casting a cloud over the Women’s World Cup that was set to start later in the day. The shooting is “an isolated incident,” and “not a national security risk,” New Zealand police said on Twitter, adding that the male shooter was also dead. During a press conference in Wellington, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the Women’s World Cup, which is due to kick off later in the city on Thursday, will “proceed as planned.”“Clearly, with the FIFA World Cup kicking off this evening, there are a lot of eyes on Auckland. “Auckland Transport says passengers coming in to the city should delay travel. New Zealand’s parliament voted to ban military-style semi-automatic weapons in 2019, weeks after the Christchurch massacre left 50 people dead.

Persons: “, Chris Hipkins, ” Hipkins, Nathan Frandino, Reuters Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, I’m, ” Brown, RNZ, Brown, ”, Nisha, ” Nisha, Jacinda Ardern, Ardern Organizations: New Zealand CNN, Auckland, New, Twitter, CNN, Newshub, Police, Wellington , New Zealand, FIFA, Reuters Auckland Mayor, New Zealand, ”, Auckland Transport Locations: Auckland, New Zealand, Wellington , New, New, Zealand, Norway, American, there’s, Christchurch

☆ New Zealand, in recession and heading to polls, goes pragmatic on China trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WELLINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins trod a careful line on his first trip to China last week as leader, focusing on trade and economic opportunities but avoiding contentious issues such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang or security concerns. New Zealand has long been seen as the most conciliatory towards China among the Five Eyes security grouping, which includes Australia, the U.S., Britain and Canada. “(Hipkins's) visit certainly gave China a tick in the international legitimacy box and Beijing has gained at least as much from Hipkins' visit as New Zealand exporters,” Victoria University's Ayson said. New Zealand exporters were prominent in the visit with a delegation of 29 businesses travelling with the prime minister to China. The most recent polls from late May put a coalition of opposition parties National and Act ahead of a Labour-Green party coalition.

Persons: Chris Hipkins trod, Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, ”, Robert Ayson, “ Hipkins, Nanaia Mahuta, Xi Jinping, University's Ayson, David Capie, Derek J, Grossman, Biden, Lucy Craymer, Lincoln Organizations: WELLINGTON, Zealand, Labour, Victoria University, Labour Party, Centre, Strategic Studies, National, Green, RAND Corp, Wellington, “, Thomson Locations: China, Xinjiang, Zealand, Australia, U.S, Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, Pacific, Taiwan Strait, Beijing, Hipkins, New Zealand, Auckland, United States, India, Russia, Washington

☆ The prime minister of New Zealand flies in a 30-year-old plane and prepared a spare plane for his trip to China in case the old one breaks down
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has readied a spare aircraft for an official visit to China — just in case the 30-year-old plane he's traveling in breaks down. Hipkins traveled to Beijing on Sunday in a Royal New Zealand Air Force Boeing 757 with a business and trade delegation, as well as media. A New Zealand Air Force plane sits on the tarmac at Auckland Airport on May 21, 2023, preparing to take New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to Papua New Guinea. The prime minister's spokesperson said using the air force plane is "far cheaper" than a commercial charter. In August, Defense Minister Peeni Henare and a 30-person delegation got stuck in the Solomon Islands after their plane broke down.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Hipkins, China —, Nick Perry, David Seymour, Jacinda Ardern, Peeni Henare, John Key Organizations: Morning, Zealand's, Royal New Zealand Air Force Boeing, Air Force, New Zealand Air Force, Auckland Airport, New Zealand, Associated, ACT, Boeing Locations: China, Beijing, Royal, Manila, Philippines, Darwin, Australia, Shanghai, Papua New Guinea, Zealand, Antarctica, Solomon Islands, India

☆ New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins under fire for bringing backup plane on China trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Isaac Yee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —New Zealand’s Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been criticized for bringing a backup plane on his visit to China this week, with opposition leaders pointing to excess planet-warming emissions created in the middle of the climate crisis. A “backup aircraft” was “pre-positioned” in the Philippine capital Manila in case the primary aircraft carrying Hipkins and a trade delegation broke down, the spokesperson said. The leader of the opposition National Party Chris Luxon said Hipkins’ use of two planes wasn’t a good look environmentally, according to CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand (RNZ). The 757s are “around 30 years old, are nearing the end of their economic lives, and are due for replacement between 2028 and 2030,” Hipkins’ spokesperson said. Former New Zealand prime ministers have faced political embarrassment after their planes broke down on official trips.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, “, ”, National Party Chris Luxon, David Seymour, ” Seymour, Seymour, ” Hipkins, John Key, RNZ, Jacinda Ardern, Hipkins Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Zealand’s, CNN, National Party, Radio New Zealand, ACT Party, Ford, Defense Force, RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Boeing, New Zealand Defense Force, Former New Zealand, RNZAF Boeing, Air Force Locations: Hong Kong, China, Philippine, Manila, India, Australia, Melbourne, Auckland, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai

"I think most of the world is watching," Megan Davis, constitutional lawyer and Aboriginal woman who is leading the campaign for the change, told Reuters in an interview. A successful referendum will set a precedent that will be "really useful for other indigenous populations around the world in relation to recognition," Davis said. While a majority of Indigenous Australians back the change, support has been wavering at a national level, according to recent opinion polls. In the past there have been 44 proposals for constitutional change in 19 referendums, and only eight of these have passed. Pat Anderson, another Indigenous woman and campaign leader said this was the best political space Aboriginal Australians have been in since their struggle started over 200 years ago.

Persons: Megan Davis, Davis, Pat Anderson, Anderson, Stephen Coates Organizations: SYDNEY, Reuters, First Nations, Nations, UN, United, Indigenous Peoples, Australia's, Thomson Locations: Australia, Torres, Scandinavia, British, Australia's, Canada, New Zealand, United States

☆ For New Zealand exporters, China both a target and a risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Wellington has historically taken a more conciliatory approach towards China than Australia or its other Five Eyes security partners. “Building of North Asia (markets) and the building of Southeast Asia (markets) is really, really crucial because it's de-risks that dependency,” Talbot said. CALLS FOR DIVERSIFICATIONThere is no expectation that New Zealand will stop selling to China. China needs the food and fibre that New Zealand produces and is prepared to pay for it. “China is going to be a really, really fundamental trading partner for this country for the foreseeable future,” Pete Chrisp, chief executive of government funded international business development agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, Xi Jinping, ”, Mathew Talbot, it's, ” Talbot, New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, “, ” Hipkins, Hipkins, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Xi, It's, Pete Chrisp, Lucy Craymer, Martin Quin Pollard, Lincoln Organizations: New Zealand, New, Alliance, National People’s, New Zealand Trade, Enterprise, Thomson Locations: China, Australia, New Zealand, Wellington, Asia, Southeast Asia, Zealand, North America, Beijing

SYDNEY, June 19 (Reuters) - Australia's Senate passed legislation on Monday that paves the way for the country to hold a landmark referendum later this year on whether to recognise its Indigenous people in the constitution. Support for the constitutional change has been wavering in the recent weeks. Getting constitutional change is difficult in Australia. In the past there have been 44 proposals for constitutional change in 19 referendums, and only eight of these have passed. Independent Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe, who has also been a vocal opponent of the bill, said the change will only create a "powerless advisory body".

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Malarndirri McCarthy, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Lidia Thorpe, Praveen Menon, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's, Labor Party, Liberal Party, Independent, Thomson Locations: Torres, Australia's, Australia

The referendum, which comes amid a wider reckoning over race relations, proposes to change the constitution and establish an advisory body called the Indigenous Voice to Parliament to give Indigenous Australians a direct say in policies that affect them. Five of those polled were funding or planned to fund the "Yes" campaign, while none endorsed nor were contributing to "No". Commonwealth Bank told Reuters it plans to fund the "Yes" campaign and had hosted two panel discussions with Indigenous speakers. Rio Tinto, which faced criticism in 2020 for destroying Indigenous rock shelters, said the Voice would bring an "additional lens" to government decision-making. Aurora Milroy, a lecturer in Indigenous affairs at the University of Western Australia, said supporting the Voice was easy publicity for companies.

Persons: Rita Wright, Loren Elliott, Anthony Albanese, Intifar Chowdhury, Albanese, Meg O'Neill, Ross Piper, Baker McKenzie, Thomas Mayo, Kate Gillingham, Peter Dutton, Coles, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Aurora Milroy, Byron Kaye, Praveen Menon, Melanie Burton, David Crawshaw, Devayani, Anant Chandak, Veronica Khongwir, Sujith Pai Organizations: Australian, REUTERS, Australia's, BHP, Rio Tinto, Woodside Energy, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Labor, Voice, National, Nine Entertainment, Reuters, Commonwealth Bank, Ethical Investment, Qantas, Australian Financial, Liberal, Fair Australia, Miners, Fortescue Metals, University of Western, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Rio, Western Australia, Woodside, Queensland, University of Western Australia, Melbourne

☆ Jacinda Ardern made a dame in New Zealand
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Former New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern, who stepped down from her post earlier this year, has been made a dame in one of the country’s highest honors. “Having served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2023, Dame Jacinda Ardern is recognized for her service to New Zealand during some of the greatest challenges our country has faced in modern times,” Hipkins said in a statement. The move grants Ardern the title of Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. In a statement to CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand (RNZ), Ardern said she was “incredibly humbled” by the accolade. Within a year, she had become only the second world leader to give birth in office.

Persons: Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Dame Jacinda Ardern, ” Hipkins, Dame, ”, Ardern, “ Organizations: CNN, Former New Zealand, Labour Party, Merit, Radio New Zealand, Kiwis, United Nations General Assembly, Harvard University, Harvard Kennedy School, New Locations: New Zealand, Zealand, Christchurch, Wellington

☆ Ardern receives New Zealand top honour for leadership during COVID, mosque attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ardern was named "Dame Grand Companion," the second highest honour in New Zealand, on King Charles' birthday holiday celebrated by the country on June 5, and she made the coronation honours list for this year. The awardee is usually chosen in New Zealand by the prime minister and then approved by the British monarch, the head of state. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Ardern was recognised for her service during some of the greatest challenges New Zealand had faced in modern times. Ardern, who became the prime minister in 2017, resigned in January in a shock announcement saying she had "no more in the tank" to lead New Zealand. "But I have heard that said by so many kiwis who I have encouraged to accept an honour over the years," Ardern said in a statement.

Persons: Jacinda Ardern, King Charles, Chris Hipkins, Ardern, Hipkins, Renju Jose, Aurora Ellis Organizations: SYDNEY, Former, New Zealand, kiwis, Thomson Locations: Christchurch, New Zealand, British, Sydney

☆ Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Ex-Leader, Is Now Dame Jacinda Ardern
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Natasha Frost | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jacinda Ardern was awarded the title of dame on Monday for service to New Zealand, barely four months after ending her term as prime minister, during which she became the global face of a compassionate brand of liberal politics. The accolade — Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit — is the country’s second highest and was granted as part of an annual tradition of awarding honors for the King’s Birthday holiday. The honorees are usually chosen by the prime minister and approved by the British monarch, King Charles III, who is New Zealand’s head of state. Ms. Ardern said she was “humbled” by the award and had initially considered declining it. “So many of the things we went through as a nation over the last five years were about all of us rather than one individual,” she said in a statement, adding, “For me this is a way to say thank you — to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life.”

Persons: Jacinda Ardern, —, King Charles III, Ardern, ” Locations: New Zealand, Zealand, British

In a full page statement published in The Sydney Morning Herald, Rugby Australia (RA) said the proposed referendum is "too important a contest to watch in silence". "Provision for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in our Constitution is long overdue," it added. RA and the AFL join the National Rugby league (NRL), several AFL clubs, and other sports governing bodies like soccer's Football Australia, Tennis Australia and the Australian Olympic Committee in formalising support for Indigenous recognition through a referendum. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has staked significant political capital on the referendum, has been keen to get the support of leading sports bodies and players. Some of Australia's top athletes are Indigenous, like NBA star Patty Mills, former Olympic sprinter Cathy Freeman and former woman's tennis world number one Ash Barty.

"The Albanese Government is delivering a transformational package of support to the Pacific, to respond to Pacific priorities and ensure our shared interests in a peaceful, prosperous and resilient region," the government said in a statement. Canberra has looked to build its defence capabilities amid concerns about rising global geopolitical tensions and China's growing influence among Pacific island nations. Defence spending as a proportion of GDP will lift above its current trajectory to be 0.2% higher by 2032-33, the budget showed. Over the next four years, the government will invest more than A$19 billion to implement the priorities identified in a defence strategic review released last month, the budget statement said. "Ultimately, defence spending will grow over the medium term, which is in line with the strategic circumstances," defence minister Richard Marles said in a statement.

Hudson will be one of the few female executives leading a major company in Australia, although rival carrier Virgin Australia also has a woman as its CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka. "I come with an understanding of this organization that is very deep," Hudson told reporters in her first news conference as CEO designate. "Vanessa has been market-facing as CFO since October 2019, which will have prepared her well for the very public role as Qantas CEO," RBC Capital Markets analyst Owen Birrell said in a note. Though men still account for far more top executive roles in Australian-listed companies, a growing number of high-profile CEO roles are occupied by women, including at the No. Qantas said Hudson would continue in her current role until taking over as Qantas' 13th CEO at the 2023 annual general meeting.

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