Midday Report Essentials for Wednesday 19 August 2026

Education Minister Erica Stanford speaks with Guyon Espiner about the government's $31 million plan to convert modern learning environments into traditional classrooms. Major General John Howard, a retired military leader and former Chief of Defence Intelligence for the NZDF, was also Deputy Director for Commonwealth Integration at the US Defense Intelligence Agency. He speaks with Guyon Espiner about Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith cancelling an appearance at a meeting in Canberra with Australian and Japanese counterparts. Cotality's latest Housing Affordability Report shows the ratio of house values to household incomes has returned to 2015 levels. Cotality chief economist Kelvin Davidson talks to Guyon Espiner.