June 2026: A new report by Richard Fabling from Motu Economic and Public Policy Research estimates employment effects of Covid-19 vaccine mandates on workers in the New Zealand education and health sectors. The study found that the mandates had long-lasting employment impacts for workers who chose not to comply.

Using data from Statistics New Zealand's Integrated Data Infrastructure, the research examined employment outcomes for degree-qualified workers affected by the mandates announced in October 2021.

While the mandates increased vaccination rates in both sectors, for workers who defied the requirements many lost jobs in their original sector, took lower-paid work elsewhere, or moved within New Zealand in search of employment. Although employment outcomes improved over time, the effects remained evident more than two-and-a-half years later.

The report describe this as labour market "scarring", with lower employment rates and reduced earnings persisting through to mid-2024. In contrast, workers who complied with the mandates experienced comparatively small employment effects.

The study does not assess the public health benefits of vaccine mandates, focusing instead on their labour market consequences for affected workers.

Photo: Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.

June 2026: The Malaghan Institute's CAR T-cell research team has received a Health Research Council of New Zealand project grant to enhance cancer-killing CAR T-cells by improving their metabolic 'fitness'. The grant, worth $1.2 million over three years, aims to help these modified immune cells better perform in adverse environments caused by solid tumours - one of the current limitations of this ground-breaking therapy.

"Internationally, CAR T-cell therapies similar to the one being assessed in the Malaghan's ENABLE-2 clinical trial are revolutionising cancer therapy by training a patient's own immune system, specifically their T-cells, to hunt and kill cancer cells," says Senior Research Fellow Dr David O'Sullivan who is leading the project.

While several CAR T-cell therapies are in routine use overseas for the treatment of certain blood cancers, the therapy has yet to break significant clinical ground for the treatment of solid tumours.

"Although successful in treating blood cancers, the full potential of these therapies for solid cancers is yet to be achieved. As 'living drugs' CAR T-cells are vulnerable to immune suppression caused by tumours which can impair their cancer-killing activity."

Solid tumours are particularly efficient at suppressing the immune system and use a number of perverse strategies - like nutrient depletion - to stymie the effectiveness of immunotherapies like CAR T-cell therapy.

Dr David O'Sullivan. Photo: Malaghan.