Articles tagged with Commission

Showing 15 of 112 articles

Deborah Hart Appointed Chair of New Zealand Sport Integrity Commission Board

27 Jul 2026 | 1 month ago | 347 views

Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell announced Deborah Hart as Chair of the Sport Integrity Commission Board, highlighting her extensive governance, legal, and accountability expertise to lead the Commission's next phase. Traci Houpapa MNZM was appointed Deputy Chair after serving as interim Chair, and Tim Castle was reappointed to the Board for another two years, ensuring strong leadership and experience. Deborah Hart’s background includes leading major independent reviews, expertise in dispute resolution, and roles in human rights and regulatory systems, positioning her well to enhance New Zealand’s sport integrity system.

Tags: Mark Mitchell Deborah Hart Traci Houpapa Tim Castle Sport Integrity Commission New Zealand Sport and Recreation Minister Utilities Disputes Limited Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Human Rights Review Tribunal

Jane Searle Appointed New Children’s Commissioner to Advocate for Kids' Wellbeing

07 Jul 2026 | 2 months ago | 493 views

Jane Searle has been appointed Children’s Commissioner, bringing over 15 years of experience in child protection, including roles as chief executive of Child Matters, a police detective, and legal professional. Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston highlighted Ms Searle’s deep understanding of children’s issues and her capability to advocate for their wellbeing. Ms Searle will begin her five-year term on 1 August 2026, succeeding Dr Claire Achmad, who was thanked for her dedicated service.

Tags: Jane Searle Louise Upston Claire Achmad Child Matters Children’s Commissioner Social Development Employment Minister New Zealand Police barrister solicitor

New Zealand Passes Landmark Mental Health Law Reform Ending Youth Seclusion

04 Jul 2026 | 2 months ago | 448 views

New Zealand has passed landmark legislation to overhaul its mental health laws for the first time in over 30 years, modernizing compulsory care, strengthening rights, and ending seclusion for young people. The reforms introduce new protections to keep mothers and babies together during compulsory care, limit the use of seclusion for adults, enhance supported decision-making, increase family involvement, and restrict electroconvulsive therapy use. These changes, influenced by feedback from those with lived experience and recommendations from the Royal Commission, aim to improve safety, dignity, and recovery-focused care, and will take effect in two years.

Tags: Matt Doocey New Zealand Mental Health Minister Parliament Mental Health Laws Royal Commission of Inquiry Electroconvulsive Therapy Seclusion Mental Health Care Mental Health Reform

New Zealand Passes Landmark Mental Health Law Reform Ending Youth Seclusion

04 Jul 2026 | 2 months ago | 536 views

New Zealand has passed landmark legislation to overhaul its mental health laws for the first time in over 30 years, modernizing compulsory care and strengthening patients' rights. Key reforms include ending seclusion for young people, introducing protections to keep mothers and babies together, enhancing supported decision-making, and tightening safeguards around electroconvulsive therapy. These changes, influenced by recommendations from the Royal Commission and input from those with lived experience, aim to improve safety, dignity, and recovery-focused care, with implementation set for two years from now.

Tags: Matt Doocey New Zealand mental health Parliament Mental Health Minister seclusion compulsory mental health care Royal Commission of Inquiry electroconvulsive therapy family involvement

Aeeden Boadita-Cormican Appointed New TAIC Commissioner Until 2031

30 Jun 2026 | 2 months ago | 511 views

Associate Transport Minister James Meager announced Aeeden Boadita-Cormican as the new Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC), serving until May 2031. With over 35 years of legal experience and prior involvement in the transport sector, she has held significant roles including General Counsel at the Accident Compensation Corporation and governance positions in various organizations. Ms Boadita-Cormican replaces Bernadette Arapere and will work alongside the existing TAIC Commissioners to contribute her expertise and collaborative approach.

Tags: James Meager David Clarke Stephen Davies Howard Paula Rose Bernadette Arapere Transport Accident Investigation Commission Clifton Chambers Accident Compensation Corporation Southern Response Earthquake Services

New Appointments Strengthen New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Leadership

29 Jun 2026 | 2 months ago | 548 views

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop announced the reappointment of Sue Tindal as Deputy Chair and the appointment of Natasha Possenniskie as a new director to the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission board. Tindal’s extensive financial and governance experience, along with Possenniskie’s 25 years in infrastructure planning and delivery, will enhance the Commission’s capacity to provide strategic oversight and robust project assurance. These appointments demonstrate the Government’s commitment to strengthening leadership and expertise to fulfill the Commission’s expanded mandate and improve infrastructure outcomes in New Zealand.

Tags: Chris Bishop Sue Tindal Natasha Possenniskie New Zealand Infrastructure Commission KiwiRail Auckland Council PwC Commonwealth Bank of Australia Urban Outcomes Limited Massey University

New State Redress Bill Enhances Abuse in Care Support and Introduces Offender Payment Rules

24 Jun 2026 | 2 months ago | 604 views

The Redress System for Abuse in Care Bill, recently passed its third reading, aims to improve the state redress system by recognizing abuse experiences, providing alternatives to litigation, and extending coverage to survivors of abuse in mental health facilities from 1993 to 2022. The Bill introduces a presumption against financial redress for survivors convicted of serious violent or sexual offences sentenced to five years or more, while still allowing access to other forms of redress and establishing an independent redress officer to review exemptions. Implementation will begin in stages, with the serious offender process starting on 1 August 2026 and full coverage including mental health abuse after 2022 set for 14 July 2027.

Tags: Erica Stanford Charlotte’s Change Redress System Abuse in Care State redress scheme Redress Officer Royal Commission Sentencing Act 2002 Serious offender process Government Response

New Zealand Improves Mental Health Access with Faster Support and More Workers

23 Jun 2026 | 2 months ago | 554 views

New Zealand's mental health and addiction services are improving, with faster access to support and more frontline workers, as evidenced by meeting four out of five key targets and increased demand for primary care. The government has implemented significant workforce expansions, new training pathways, and enhanced crisis response initiatives, resulting in reduced vacancy rates and better timeliness of services. Independent confirmation from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission highlights ongoing progress, though challenges remain, particularly in emergency department wait times, as efforts continue to build a more effective mental health system.

Tags: Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister New Zealand Mental Health and Addiction Health New Zealand Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Clinical Psychology Psychiatry Crisis Recovery Cafés Peer Support Workers

New Zealand Government Responds to National Infrastructure Plan with 16 Key Actions

16 Jun 2026 | 2 months ago | 531 views

The New Zealand Government has formally responded to the Infrastructure Commission’s National Infrastructure Plan, agreeing to support all sixteen recommendations and committing to improve infrastructure planning, funding, and asset management. Key actions include reviewing the land transport funding system, legislating long-term investment planning and asset reporting, enhancing data quality in the National Infrastructure Pipeline, and strengthening public sector project leadership. The Government aims to address inefficiencies, close the infrastructure deficit, and ensure better coordination and accountability to build a sustainable infrastructure future.

Tags: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission National Infrastructure Plan Government Response Geoff Cooper Mr Bishop Labour Party Green Party Ministry for Cities Environment Regions and Transport Public Service Commission

Budget 2026 Invests $90M in Mandatory Training to Protect Children at Risk

04 Jun 2026 | 3 months ago | 681 views

Budget 2026 allocates $90 million to enhance child protection by funding mandatory training for 20,000 core children’s workers and boosting the capacity of Oranga Tamariki and Health NZ to respond to increased reports of harm. This investment supports the implementation of recommendations from Dame Karen Poutasi’s report, aiming to improve early risk identification, multi-agency collaboration, and system responsiveness. A phased rollout of training and capacity building will ensure manageable implementation and inform future resource decisions as the child protection system evolves.

Tags: Louise Upston Dame Karen Poutasi Oranga Tamariki Health NZ NZ Police Child Poverty Reduction Minister Royal Commission of Inquiry Whanaketia Budget 2026 Child Protection Protocol

Commerce Commission Proposes Cut to Company Card Fees Saving NZ Businesses $40M Annually

03 Jun 2026 | 3 months ago | 646 views

The Commerce Commission has proposed reducing the fees businesses pay to accept company cards, potentially saving retailers around $40 million annually and contributing to a total expected saving of up to $290 million per year for businesses. Commerce Minister Cameron Brewer highlighted that current interchange fees in New Zealand are nearly double those in Australia and unfairly burden businesses, which often pass these costs onto consumers through higher prices. The draft decision is open for consultation, with a final ruling expected later this year, aiming to ensure fairer payment processing costs and benefits for both businesses and consumers.

Tags: Commerce Commission Cameron Brewer retailers interchange fees company cards businesses consumers New Zealand Government banks

New Zealand Strengthens Copyright Law to Protect Creators and Cultural Heritage

02 Jun 2026 | 3 months ago | 683 views

The New Zealand government is enhancing copyright laws to extend protection by 20 years and strengthen creators' rights, ensuring iconic works continue to benefit their artists. Changes will allow not-for-profit cultural institutions greater flexibility to digitally preserve and provide access to works, including those with unknown copyright holders, while preventing commercial misuse and combating offshore piracy. Additionally, creators will have stronger ownership of commissioned works, improved protections for digital tools, and ongoing consideration of a copyright framework for generative AI by 2027.

Tags: New Zealand Cameron Brewer copyright law creators' rights cultural institutions digital copies piracy copyright licensing commissioned works generative AI

New Tertiary Research Excellence Fund Boosts Innovation and Cuts Red Tape

02 Jun 2026 | 3 months ago | 610 views

The new Tertiary Research Excellence Fund (TREF) will replace the Performance-Based Research Fund, investing $315 million annually to enhance research capability in New Zealand's tertiary education system with a focus on economic growth and reduced compliance costs. TREF emphasizes impact through metrics like external research income, citations, commercialisation, and policy outcomes, aiming to reward research excellence in a more efficient and responsive manner. Developed with expert advice and sector engagement, the fund’s operational design begins immediately, with phased implementation from 2027 and full alignment by 2029.

Tags: Penny Simmonds Sir Peter Gluckman Tertiary Research Excellence Fund TREF PBRF Tertiary Education Commission New Zealand Cabinet University Advisory Group

Budget 2026 Introduces Prudential Levy on NZ Banks and Financial Firms

28 May 2026 | 3 months ago | 715 views

Budget 2026 introduces a new prudential levy on banks, non-bank deposit takers, insurers, and financial market participants to cover Reserve Bank regulatory costs, aligning with international practices and ensuring taxpayers do not bear these expenses. The levy, expected to raise around $209 million over four years, will be paid to the Reserve Bank and returned to the government via increased dividends, with implementation planned for mid-2027 after consultation. This measure aims to strengthen New Zealand’s financial system by funding supervision, licensing, monitoring, and crisis management of regulated entities, including 27 banks, 14 non-bank deposit takers, 81 insurers, and five financial market infrastructures.

Tags: Budget 2026 prudential levy Reserve Bank Nicola Willis Financial Markets Authority Commerce Commission New Zealand banks insurers financial market participants financial regulation

Budget 2026: New Prudential Levy on NZ Banks and Financial Market Players

28 May 2026 | 3 months ago | 706 views

Budget 2026 introduces a new prudential levy on banks, non-bank deposit takers, insurers, and financial market participants to fund the Reserve Bank’s regulatory and supervisory services, ensuring these costs are borne by the industry rather than taxpayers. The levy, estimated to raise around $209 million over four years, aligns with international practices and will be implemented by mid-2027 after sector consultation. It targets a broad range of financial entities, including 27 banks, 14 non-bank deposit takers, 81 insurers, and five financial market infrastructures, supporting the Reserve Bank’s role in maintaining financial stability.

Tags: Budget 2026 prudential levy Reserve Bank Nicola Willis Financial Markets Authority Commerce Commission New Zealand banks insurers financial market infrastructure financial regulation