Kiwifruit Labour vs National: NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones says the Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry is using “medieval slave practices,” calling for a review of laws behind Zespri’s export monopoly. Youth hardship: CPAG warns welfare changes will strip Jobseeker Support from many 18- and 19-year-olds from November, deepening hardship as youth unemployment stays high. Smokefree push: Health experts back a new Smokefree Action Plan aimed at making cigarettes non-addictive, cutting retailers, and expanding stop-smoking support—especially for Māori and Pacific communities. Health innovation: Auckland researchers win $1.2m to test preschoolers’ vision with a new device that can spot lazy eye without relying on kids sitting still for charts. RSE worker standards: New Zealand is moving to tighten RSE accommodation and employer accreditation after concerns about unsafe, unreasonable housing—workers say they’re here to earn, not “a holiday.” Pacific politics: Pacific Islands Forum leaders meet in Palau with several PMs absent, while New Zealand’s Winston Peters urges “more doing, less hui.” Culture & community: A major Māori carving exhibition, He Toi Whakairo, opens with 140+ whakairo spanning centuries, including work by wāhine carvers. Skincare science: Cawthron and Callaghan Innovation are hunting marine microalgae and bacteria from NZ waters for possible skincare breakthroughs. Music industry politics: NZ musicians launch an election manifesto calling for music to be treated as a serious export industry, with support across education, venues, touring, and Māori music.