Articles tagged with New Zealand
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Celebrate World Children's Day: Support and Become a Caregiver in New Zealand
20 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 1041 viewsOn World Children's Day, Minister Karen Chhour highlights the vital role of over 2000 caregivers in New Zealand who provide stability and care to children in need. Caregiving is a community responsibility requiring diverse individuals who are patient, kind, and committed, with Oranga Tamariki offering training and ongoing support. The need spans from short-term respite to permanent homes, encouraging more people to consider becoming caregivers to help children thrive.
Tags: World Children's Day caregivers New Zealand Karen Chhour Oranga Tamariki child care respite care transitional care family home caregivers community supportNew Zealand Cuts Clean Vehicle Standard Charges to Lower Car Costs in 2026
20 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 1412 viewsThe Government has passed legislation to temporarily reduce charges under the Clean Vehicle Standard by nearly 80% starting January 2026, aiming to prevent an estimated $264 million in extra costs being passed to consumers. The Standard, which sets progressively tighter CO₂ emission targets for vehicle imports, currently causes most importers to incur charges, risking higher vehicle prices. The changes include protecting credits until 2028 and launching a full review by June 2026 to ensure the Standard remains effective and sustainable for New Zealand.
Tags: Chris Bishop Clean Vehicle Standard New Zealand Transport Minister vehicle emissions legislation CO2 emissions fuel efficiency import charges emission targetsNew $7.5M Funding Boost Ensures Future of NZ’s Iconic Great Rides
20 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 876 viewsThe New Zealand Government is allocating $7.5 million over three years to maintain and manage the country’s 23 iconic Great Rides, supporting their economic, recreational, and environmental benefits. These trails attract over 2 million users annually and contribute $1.28 billion to local economies, creating jobs and boosting related businesses. The funding includes dedicated trail managers and maintenance improvements, ensuring long-term sustainability and growth of the cycle trail network.
Tags: Louise Upston New Zealand Great Rides Ngā Haerenga John Key Tourism Cycle Trail Fund Ruapehu DunedinNew Zealand Government Strengthens Child Welfare on World’s Children Day 2024
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 973 viewsThe New Zealand Government, on World’s Children Day, reaffirmed its commitment to improving the lives of young Kiwis through its Child and Youth Strategy, focusing on supporting early childhood, reducing child material hardship, and preventing harm. Key initiatives include tax relief for families, affordable early childhood care, targeted funding for parenting programs, and prioritizing children with complex needs through the Social Investment Fund. Additionally, the government has accepted all recommendations from the Dame Karen Poutasi Review, enhanced child protection systems, increased financial support for families, and invested in social housing and community food programs to address child poverty and safety.
Tags: Louise Upston Dame Karen Poutasi Child Poverty Reduction Minister New Zealand Government Child and Youth Strategy Social Investment Fund Budget 2025 FamilyBoost KidsCan Whānau MāoriGovernment Reforms Building Research Funding to Boost Innovation and Cut Costs in NZ
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 914 viewsThe Government is reforming building research funding by repealing the outdated Building Research Levy Act 1969 and consolidating research funding into the existing building levy under the Building Act 2024 to improve transparency, efficiency, and innovation. The new system will centrally manage funds with sector input, ring-fence research funding for long-term projects, and make funding contestable to broaden access for universities and industry organizations, while reducing costs for consent applicants. These changes aim to enhance accountability, support a more resilient building sector, and contribute to making building easier, more affordable, and supportive of economic growth in New Zealand.
Tags: Chris Penk Building Research Levy Act Building Research Association of New Zealand BRANZ Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment MBIE Building Act 2024 Building Amendment Bill Building Consent Authorities New Zealand GovernmentNew Zealand Expands Gender Pay Gap Toolkit to Include Ethnicity and Disability Gaps
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 984 viewsNew Zealand’s expanded Gender Pay Gap Toolkit now includes tools for calculating gender-ethnicity and gender-disability pay gaps, along with resources tailored for small to medium-sized businesses and young women. Despite the overall gender pay gap falling to 5.2 percent, significant disparities persist for Asian, Māori, Pacific, and disabled women, highlighting ongoing challenges. Developed in partnership with businesses and community groups, the toolkit provides practical guidance to help organizations measure, analyze, and address overlapping pay gaps to create fairer workplaces.
Tags: Nicola Grigg Karanina Sumeo YWCA Auckland New Zealand Gender Pay Gap Ethnicity Pay Gap Disability Pay Gap SMEs Women Wāhine MāoriNZ Banks Gain Freedom to Share Fraud Data, Cutting Red Tape and Boosting Security
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 954 viewsAssociate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has introduced a ministerial exemption to the AML/CFT Act 2009, allowing banks to share anti-money laundering information to better prevent fraud and scams. This reduction in red tape enables banks to act faster and collaborate more effectively to freeze scam transfers before funds are lost overseas. The government aims to create more agile regulatory settings by freeing businesses from excessive compliance burdens while targeting actual financial criminals through wider AML/CFT reforms.
Tags: Nicole McKee Associate Justice Minister New Zealand fraud prevention scams banks regulatory reform financial crimeNew Zealand and Iceland Partner to Boost Geothermal Energy Innovation and Research
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 863 viewsNew Zealand and Iceland signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in geothermal energy development through joint research, industry workshops, and academic exchanges, focusing on superhot and supercritical geothermal systems. This partnership builds on decades of shared expertise and recent collaborations, aiming to advance renewable energy innovation and support New Zealand's goals to double renewable generation by 2050 and boost geothermal production by 2040. The agreement was formalized at COP 30 and includes financial commitments, such as New Zealand allocating up to $60 million for geothermal exploration in the Taupō Volcanic Zone.
Tags: Winston Peters Shane Jones Simon Watts Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson New Zealand Iceland geothermal energy renewable energy COP 30 Taupō Volcanic ZoneNZ Government Proposes Digital Food Labels to Boost New Supermarkets Entry
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 857 viewsThe New Zealand Government is proposing a trial of digital food labelling for lower-risk imported goods to reduce costly re-labelling requirements for new supermarkets entering the market. This initiative aims to provide allergen, ingredient, and nutrition information via QR codes and digital platforms while ensuring compliance with food safety regulations. Public consultation on the trial is open until December 19, 2025, with the goal of enhancing market entry flexibility and supporting trans-Tasman digital labelling efforts.
Tags: Nicola Willis Andrew Hoggard New Zealand Food Act digital labels supermarkets food labelling food safety economic growthNew Zealand Makes Stalking a Criminal Offence with Up to 5 Years Prison
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 915 viewsNew Zealand has passed legislation making stalking a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison, addressing long-overdue protections against persistent and harmful intrusions. The new law defines stalking as a pattern of behavior likely to cause fear or distress, including acts such as following, unwanted communication, and damaging reputations, with the offence coming into force in May 2026. This legislation prioritizes victim needs, particularly protecting women and children, and includes a police notice system and relevant defenses to effectively combat stalking and harassment.
Tags: Paul Goldsmith Justice Minister New Zealand stalking harassment Crimes Legislation Parliament victims advocacy PoliceNew Zealand Introduces Stalking Offence with Up to 5 Years Imprisonment
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 981 viewsParliament has passed new legislation making stalking a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison, addressing persistent and harmful behaviours that cause emotional, psychological, and economic harm to victims. The law defines stalking as a pattern of behaviour likely to cause fear or distress, including acts like following, unwanted communication, and damaging reputations, with enforcement beginning in May 2026 after necessary training and public information are prepared. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith emphasized the importance of prioritizing victims, particularly women and children, and acknowledged the advocacy efforts that helped bring the legislation to fruition.
Tags: stalking harassment Paul Goldsmith Justice Minister New Zealand Crimes Legislation Parliament victims advocacy PoliceNew Zealand Passes New Law to Combat Foreign Interference and Protect Security
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 1046 viewsNew Zealand has passed the Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill to strengthen protections against deceptive, corruptive, or coercive foreign interference. The legislation creates new offences criminalizing foreign interference and updates espionage-related laws to safeguard national security. While encouraging transparent diplomatic and lobbying activities, the law aims to hold accountable those engaging in covert or harmful foreign influence.
Tags: New Zealand Paul Goldsmith foreign interference legislation Parliament Crimes Amendment Bill espionage government information security defenceNew Zealand Passes Law to Combat Foreign Interference and Protect Security
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 889 viewsNew Zealand has passed the Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill to better protect the country from deceptive, corruptive, or coercive foreign activities aimed at manipulating society. The legislation creates new offences specifically criminalizing foreign interference and updates existing laws related to espionage and wrongful communication of government information. While normal diplomatic and transparent engagements remain unaffected, the government emphasizes that foreign interference will no longer be tolerated.
Tags: Paul Goldsmith New Zealand foreign interference legislation Parliament Crimes Amendment Bill espionage criminal law government securityNew Safeguards for Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogues Prescribing in NZ
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 892 viewsThe Cabinet has agreed to introduce new safeguards on prescribing gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, restricting their use for new patients with gender dysphoria or incongruence until further clinical trial results are available, while maintaining access for existing patients and those with other medical conditions. This precautionary approach follows a lack of high-quality evidence on the benefits and risks of these treatments for gender dysphoria and aligns New Zealand’s regulations with those of the UK and other countries. The government emphasizes ensuring treatments are safe, evidence-based, and accessible through continued support and centralized youth gender services.
Tags: Simeon Brown gender dysphoria Ministry of Health New Zealand United Kingdom Medicines Act endometriosis prostate cancerNZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters to Visit Vietnam, Thailand, and China Next Week
19 Nov 2025 | 9 months ago | 1060 viewsMinister Winston Peters will visit Viet Nam, Thailand, and China next week to strengthen New Zealand's key relationships in Southeast Asia and discuss regional challenges with senior leaders. He will also attend an event in Guangzhou marking New Zealand’s purchase of two interisland ferries, highlighting the strong trade ties with China. This visit underscores the Coalition Government’s commitment to maintaining and enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation with both Southeast Asia and China.
Tags: Winston Peters New Zealand Viet Nam Thailand China Southeast Asia Guangzhou Ha Noi Bangkok Coalition Government