02 Apr 2026
6 months ago
1122 views
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has appointed Heather Simpson as Deputy Chair of Antarctica New Zealand, recognizing her extensive governance experience and strategic understanding of Antarctica's importance to New Zealand. Ms. Simpson, a board member since 2024, has contributed to supporting research, environmental stewardship, and oversight of the Scott Base Redevelopment Project. Her new role will involve assisting the Chair and Board in navigating a strategically and operationally challenging period, effective from April 1, 2026.
20 Aug 2025
1 year ago
1642 views
The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act, passed into law, has improved the freshwater farm plan system to make it more workable and affordable for farmers, reducing duplication and costs by allowing industry organisations to certify and audit plans. This change recognizes good work done by farmers and industry groups in managing risks, focusing on actual on-farm risks and practical actions to reduce them. The Act increases the minimum farm size requiring a freshwater farm plan to 50 hectares for certain land uses, removing the requirement for around 8,000 smaller, lower-risk farms, supporting environmental stewardship and growth in the primary sector.