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Associate Health Minister David Seymour has empowered Pharmac and Medsafe to explore the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up their processes. “Faster access to medicines has always been a priority of mine. For many New Zealanders, pharmaceuticals are life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely,” Mr Seymour says.
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti says today marks a major milestone for New Zealand’s science and innovation sector with the launch of three new science organisations designed to unlock innovation, drive economic growth, and improve the lives of hardworking Kiwis. “Science, innovation and technology are the engine rooms of a productive economy and our Government is committed to powering up our scientists and innovators to deliver for New Zealanders,” says Dr Reti. “From today, six Crown Research Institutes will merge to form two new entities: the Bioeconomy Science Institute and the Earth Science Institute.
New Zealanders can now access trusted primary healthcare around the clock, no matter where they are in the country, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “A new 24/7 digital health service, launched today, means people can have virtual consultations with New Zealand-registered doctors and nurses, anytime, anywhere,” Mr Brown says. “This is about making sure Kiwis can get the medical help they need when they need it, especially when they can’t get a timely appointment with their regular general practitioner (GP), or outside normal clinic hours.
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has today introduced the Online Casino Gambling Bill to the House of Representatives. “The Online Casino Gambling Bill will introduce a regulatory system for online gambling in New Zealand, which will prioritise harm minimisation, consumer protection, and tax collection,” says Ms van Velden. Cabinet has previously agreed to introduce new legislation to regulate the online casino gambling market, which is currently unregulated in New Zealand.
The Government is introducing specific coward punch offences to ensure perpetrators receive tougher sentences, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “A ‘coward punch’ gets its name for obvious reasons. These attacks affect everyday Kiwis and are often committed by cowardly attackers, who strike when the victim is distracted.
A new 110km/h speed limit on the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will come into effect first thing tomorrow morning, Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity, and with over 20,000 vehicles travelling this motorway every day, the new higher speed will help ensure people and freight can get to where they need to go, quickly and safely,” Mr Bishop says. “Late last year, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) publicly consulted on increasing the speed limit from north of the Pūhoi interchange viaduct to south of the Warkworth roundabout to 110km/h.
The Government is introducing new offences to ensure those who assault on-duty first responders or prison officers spend longer in prison, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Where others may flee, first responders and prison officers run towards danger to help those who need urgent assistance. “Assaulting them puts multiple lives at risk, so there must be greater consequences for these heinous acts of violence.
Around 135,000 women across New Zealand who are eligible but not currently enrolled for breast cancer screening will benefit from the successful national rollout of a new digital platform, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “The launch of Te Puna across the country is a major step forward for delivering faster and smarter screening services,” Mr Brown says. “Te Puna replaces an outdated legacy system with a modern, streamlined platform that makes it easier for women to enrol, book, and manage their breast screening appointments – helping more women get screened earlier.
A New Caledonian delegation will tour New Zealand next week to learn about aspects of our economic development, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “As New Caledonia seeks to recover economically from a challenging period in its history, New Zealand is pleased to be sharing our own lessons and experiences. “When visiting New Caledonia twice in the past year, we heard from businesses, including Kanak entrepreneurs, significant interest in New Zealand’s economic development – including the Māori economy.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has appointed a new management agency responsible for implementing and enforcing the National American Foulbrood Pest Management Plan (AFB NPMP). The New Zealand Bee Health and Biosecurity Trust (NZBB) will take over management of the NPMP from 1 July 2025. “The NZBB will bring a lot of experience.
The government’s secure digital storage capability has been significantly boosted with the opening of the new all-of-government data centre, the Minister Responsible for the GCSB and Minister of Defence Judith Collins says. “This facility will provide a safe, secure storage capability for New Zealand agencies to process and store some of the government’s most sensitive information for the next quarter of a century,” says Ms Collins. “Today we conduct the vast majority of our business digitally, and the amount of government data that requires safe and secure storage is only going to increase.
Broadcaster Paul Henry has been appointed to the TVNZ Board, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Henry has spent nearly his entire career involved in the broadcasting industry, producing news, current affairs, and entertainment programming both here in New Zealand and overseas. “He was integral in the establishment of the successful multi-platform Paul Henry breakfast show, established and sold a radio station in the Wairarapa, and was heavily involved in the launch of the former radio network Today FM.
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is today announcing it will no longer use the informal name of Te Puna Aonui and will adopt its legal name: the Executive Board for the Elimination of Family Violence and Sexual Violence. “This decision reflects the reality that all people are potentially victims of Family Violence and Sexual Violence, as well as the wishes of disgruntled former advisory board members who have asked for the gifted Te Reo name to be returned,” says Mrs Chhour. “They have raised their concerns with me around my decision to not extend their tenure as the Ministerial Advisory Board, as well as concerns around my decision to include other communities in a new, multi-cultural advisory board which will replace the current Māori-only one.
The Government’s work to deliver better public services for New Zealanders is paying dividends for people working to gain their driver licence, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “National average wait times are now just four days for a full licence test and seven days for a restricted licence test, down from a peak of up to 90 days in some regions,” Mr Bishop says. “At one point in 2024, we saw wait times get as high as 90 days in some regions, with a backlog of over 80,000 people applying to sit their licence tests at one point.
Canterbury’s Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre has been allocated permanent test flight airspace, giving advanced aviation companies the freedom to safely trial next-generation technologies, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) permanent special use airspace designation for Tāwhaki anchors Canterbury’s growing reputation as a national hub for space and advanced aviation innovation. ” Ms Collins announced the Tāwhaki designation at the launch of the Waitaha Canterbury Aerospace Strategy, which aims to position Canterbury as a global leader in aerospace innovation by 2035.