09 Aug 2025
1 year ago
2125 views
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey introduced a national Top Up campaign promoting everyday actions to enhance mental health using the evidence-based 5 Ways to Wellbeing. The initiative aims to encourage proactive behavior change for better mental wellbeing across various settings. The campaign, developed in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, aligns with the Government's Mental Health Targets by emphasizing prevention and early intervention while also improving support services.
06 Aug 2025
1 year ago
2512 views
The speaker expresses gratitude for the opportunity to attend Building Nations 2025 and acknowledges the need for improved infrastructure policy in New Zealand. As the Infrastructure Minister, the speaker highlights challenges in delivering and maintaining infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of efficient systems for economic growth and living standards. Key priorities include developing a National Infrastructure Plan, improving funding and financing, addressing road pricing reform, enhancing the consenting framework, and strengthening asset management and resilience to ensure a prosperous future for New Zealand.
06 Aug 2025
1 year ago
1803 views
The Government is implementing significant fisheries reforms to support sustainable growth in the fishing industry, aiming to remove obstacles and enhance decision-making for setting catch limits. The reforms include more responsive rules based on changes in fish abundance, improved privacy protection for fishers through changes in the onboard camera program, and practical guidelines for landing or discarding catch. These changes align with the goal of fostering a thriving and sustainable fishing industry, with an amendment Bill to be introduced for further feedback through the select committee process.
04 Aug 2025
1 year ago
2061 views
Energy Ministers Simon Watts and Shane Jones welcome the establishment of a strategic energy reserve by major power companies in New Zealand to enhance energy security and maintain affordable prices. The initiative aims to address vulnerabilities in the energy system highlighted by last year's dry winter, which led to high prices and pressure on industries and households. The government is taking steps to strengthen the energy system by ensuring fuel supply security, supporting investment, and enhancing market competition to reduce costs and promote economic growth.
02 Aug 2025
1 year ago
1941 views
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced plans to stimulate economic growth on a third of New Zealand's land, aiming to create jobs and boost wages nationwide. They highlighted issues with the current concessions regime for businesses operating on conservation land, proposing to reform the Conservation Act to streamline processes and introduce charges for foreign visitors at popular sites. The revenue generated from these charges, estimated at up to $62 million annually, will be reinvested in maintaining and enhancing conservation areas, while ensuring free access for New Zealanders.
01 Aug 2025
1 year ago
4298 views
Health New Zealand presented the New Zealand Health Plan to Parliament, as required by the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022. The plan outlines how Health New Zealand will address the Government's health priorities from 2024 to 2027, focusing on improving health outcomes and access to care. It includes targets for faster cancer treatment, improved mental health services, reducing wait times, and enhancing the health workforce, with a clear emphasis on accountability and transparency for tracking progress.
01 Aug 2025
1 year ago
2185 views
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is proposing changes to health and safety regulations in the recreation and entertainment sectors to reduce compliance pressure while maintaining safety standards. The proposed changes include amending the definition of 'adventure activities' to differentiate between high-risk and low-risk activities, as well as updating the Amusement Device Regulations to streamline the permit process for transportable high-risk devices. Additionally, there is a focus on clarifying health and safety obligations for volunteer organizations to encourage voluntary activities while ensuring safety.
31 Jul 2025
1 year ago
1838 views
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka highlights the importance of eradicating invasive weeds to benefit tourism and rural businesses in New Zealand. The government is investing in early detection technology and allocating funds from the International Visitor Levy to protect iconic landscapes like Abel Tasman, Aoraki/Mt Cook, and Tongariro. Additional funding is directed towards combating wilding pines and other significant weeds, aiming to safeguard the environment, economy, and biodiversity of the country.
30 Jul 2025
1 year ago
2037 views
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is consulting with manufacturers, such as wood processors, bakers, and millers, to simplify machine guarding rules and review exposure standards in the manufacturing sector. The proposed changes aim to align standards with real-world risks and international benchmarks, addressing concerns about clarity and compliance burden. The review will also consider updating Workplace Exposure Standards for substances like wood dust and flour dust to ensure practicality and alignment with safety measures, aiming to reduce costs and stress for businesses.
28 Jul 2025
1 year ago
3025 views
Acting Attorney-General Paul Goldsmith has appointed a Judicial Conduct Panel to investigate acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken's alleged conduct at the Northern Club on November 22, 2024, based on a recommendation from the Judicial Conduct Commissioner. The Panel members include the Honourable Brendan Brown KC, Honourable Justice Jillian Mallon, and Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae, with Tim Stephens KC serving as special counsel. The Panel will provide a report to the Acting Attorney-General, who will then determine if Judge Aitken's removal is warranted, with no further comments to be made until the report is received.
28 Jul 2025
1 year ago
1857 views
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is consulting with builders and construction professionals to simplify scaffolding rules and streamline the prequalification process, aiming to align them better with the level of risk. The current complex rules have led to overuse of costly scaffolding, impacting construction productivity and increasing building time and costs. Van Velden is also addressing the frustration with prequalification systems and overlapping duties in the construction sector, aiming to provide clearer guidance and improve efficiency.
25 Jul 2025
1 year ago
3516 views
The Government, led by Health Minister Simeon Brown, is enhancing access to healthcare for New Zealanders by focusing on improved funding for rural practices, faster GP access, and bolstering the GP workforce through training and retention initiatives. Changes to GP funding will better reflect patient needs by updating the capitation model to include factors like multimorbidity and socioeconomic deprivation, effective from July 1, 2026. A new national health target aims to ensure over 80% of people can see a primary care provider within one week, aligning with efforts to improve access to mental health services, while targeted investments in GP training seek to attract and retain more doctors, especially in rural and high-needs areas.
24 Jul 2025
1 year ago
2082 views
Frontline services are implementing enhanced training to support staff in responding to family and sexual violence, aiming to train 10,000 workers within the next two years. Minister Karen Chhour emphasizes the importance of this training in providing best practice support for victim-survivors and enabling staff to effectively address such violence. Progress against the Te Aorerekura Action Plan includes training for Ministry of Justice, Department of Corrections, and Police recruits, with a focus on collaboration and commitment to improve support for victim-survivors.
24 Jul 2025
1 year ago
1841 views
The Government is updating electoral laws to address issues with same-day enrolment, aiming to streamline the voting process and reduce post-election timeframes. Key changes include closing enrolment 13 days before election day, implementing 12 days of advance voting, and introducing automatic enrolment updates. Other adjustments involve stricter rules on treating near voting places, adjusting the donation reporting threshold, and various procedural changes to enhance the electoral system.
20 Jul 2025
1 year ago
2016 views
Billions of dollars in government-funded infrastructure projects are set to begin in the next few months, creating thousands of jobs and driving economic activity nationwide. The projects include new roads, hospitals, schools, and government buildings, aimed at improving infrastructure quality to boost the economy and help with the cost of living. The Infrastructure for Growth work program has delivered on actions to strengthen the infrastructure pipeline, with future projects totaling $207 billion planned across various sectors.