02 Nov 2026
1 week ago
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A $3. 46 million grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will provide safer access to Rotorua’s Eastgate Business Park from State Highway 30, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Transport Minister Chris Bishop say. A four-way intersection controlled by traffic lights at the junction of SH30 and Wahanga-A-Rangi Crescent will improve safety on the busy highway, support development at the business park and provide for future access to the planned Rotorua Airport Business Park nearby.
01 Nov 2026
1 week ago
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A grant of $1. 11 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will support a Māori-led initiative to install solar power, battery storage and back-up generators in community facilities in the Far North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. Mr Jones says the investment will strengthen local energy resilience and help maintain essential services in some of Northland’s remote communities when power is disrupted.
01 Nov 2026
1 week ago
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The Regional Infrastructure Fund will invest in supporting Mainland Rail to return passenger rail services to Christchurch for a 12-month trial and establish the Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill Mainlander as a regular service, Rail Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. “New Zealand’s railways began in Christchurch in 1863, and it is time we put them back to use again for passenger rail, not just freight and tourism,” Mr Peters says. Mainland Rail, which owns rail carriages, intends to provide a 12-month trial service to test Canterbury’s appetite for rail as a public transport service and run more frequent trains from Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill.
30 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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Breaking ground on one of New Zealand's most important transport infrastructure projects – Warkworth to Te Hana – marks a significant step towards greater economic growth for Auckland, Northland and the upper North Island, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. Mr Bishop joined project partners, mana whenua and stakeholders today to turn the first sod on the Warkworth to Te Hana section of the Northland Expressway, kicking off construction on the first Road of National Significance in the wider Northland Corridor. "The Warkworth to Te Hana motorway will create a safer, more resilient and more reliable connection between Auckland and Northland, improving freight efficiency and making journeys easier for the thousands of people who use this corridor every day.
29 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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Gisborne City and 10,000ha of some of the region’s most productive land are now better protected from flooding, following the completion of the Waipaoa Flood Control Scheme, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “The people of Tairāwhiti can feel proud of what has been achieved here. Since 2019, approximately 64km of stopbanks along both sides of Waipaoa River have been widened and raised, providing a higher level of protection designed to withstand a one-in-100-year flood event,” Mr Jones says.
29 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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A new building at Mātai Medical Research Institute will expand medical research, specialist healthcare and education opportunities in Tairāwhiti, supported by a $20 million loan from the Regional Infrastructure Fund, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “In its short history, Mātai has put Tairāwhiti on the map with what it has achieved in advanced medical imaging and neuroscience research. They are true pioneers in translating preventative and predictive healthcare research into real-world health solutions,” Mr Jones says.
29 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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Customs Minister Casey Costello is travelling to Tonga this evening to represent New Zealand at the official opening of the country’s second detector dog facility. “The new facility in Vava’u will help strengthen Tonga’s border and build local capability to combat organised crime and the drug trade,” Ms Costello says. “Transnational, serious and organised crime (TSOC) is a growing challenge across the Pacific with criminal networks exploiting legitimate trade and travel to move illicit drugs, firearms and cash across borders.
29 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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Northland will soon have a Rural Training Hub to help grow the rural health workforce and improve access to healthcare for communities across the region, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today. “One in five New Zealanders live in rural communities, and they should not be disadvantaged when it comes to accessing timely, quality healthcare,” Mr Doocey says. “The Government is focused on fixing the basics and building the future by training more health professionals closer to the communities they will serve.
28 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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Those in need of mental health or addiction support will have another place to go with a new Crisis Recovery Café officially opening today in Lower Hutt, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “The new Café, Te Kāhua Ora, will provide a safe, welcoming place where people can talk to someone who understands what they are going through and get the support they need,” Mr Doocey says. “We know a busy ED is not always the best environment for someone experiencing mental distress.
28 Oct 2026
1 week ago
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Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that Vanguard Prep School will open on the North Shore, Auckland in Term 1 next year, offering a new option for students in Years 7 to 10. “Every child deserves the chance to learn and grow in ways which are more specific to their needs. Vanguard Prep School will give more students that opportunity,” Mr Seymour says.
23 Oct 2026
2 weeks ago
312 views
The Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is resigning, Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Air Marshal Tony Davies has informed me that he’ll be resigning from his position as Chief of Defence Force, effective immediately. “The reasons regarding his decision relate to integrity matters, that he did not previously disclose.
23 Oct 2026
2 weeks ago
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Associate Health Minister David Seymour has today welcomed Pharmac’s decision to extend the 12-month transitional access funding limit for Pertuzumab with trastuzumab (Phesgo) for people receiving treatment for certain types of breast cancer in private clinics. “In the past, when Pharmac funded a new cancer treatment, people already paying for that treatment privately are forced to make a very difficult choice: spend their savings to continue private treatment undisrupted, or transfer to a public hospital. The latter can be detrimental to their recovery,” Mr Seymour says.
23 Oct 2026
2 weeks ago
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A major upgrade of State Highway 76 Brougham Street in Christchurch is set to move into its second stage of key roading improvements, as a new pedestrian and cycle bridge prepares to open, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Downer has been appointed to carry out work on Stage Two of the SH76 Brougham Street Upgrade,” Mr Bishop says. “SH76 Brougham Street is one of Christchurch’s busiest streets and serves as the main freight route to the South Island’s largest port at Lyttelton.
23 Oct 2026
2 weeks ago
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Grants from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will support two marae to strengthen their ability to serve as community hubs and offer refuge in times of emergency, Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. A $4 million grant will go to Mataura Marae in the Southland town of Mataura. A $150,000 grant will also be provided from the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to Takitimu Marae in Wairoa.
23 Oct 2026
2 weeks ago
226 views
The Regional Infrastructure Fund will invest $6 million towards replacing the Monowai Suspension Bridge in western Southland, Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson and South Island Minister James Meager say. The funding will support construction of a new bridge on Lake Monowai Road, ensuring continued access to Monowai Valley and Fiordland National Park. “This bridge is a vital link for the Monowai Valley communities and businesses, and the historic Monowai hydroelectric power station which has contributed to the electricity network for more than 100 years,” Mr Patterson says.