10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1283 views
The Health Minister announced the beginning of the procurement process to secure land in Drury for a new hospital in South Auckland, aiming to address the increasing demand and pressure on bed capacity in the region. The new hospital will provide much-needed beds, modern facilities, and expanded emergency services to serve the fast-growing community with significant health challenges. The investment in modern health facilities aligns with the government's goal of improving healthcare services and outcomes for New Zealanders.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1346 views
New Zealand and Singapore have strengthened their trade relationship through the launch of a Strategic Food Partnership and the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies, announced by Minister Todd McClay. The Strategic Food Partnership aims to enhance agrifood trade, facilitate the movement of high-quality food, and promote investment and innovation in the primary and food production sectors. The Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies ensures the continuous flow of goods like food and fuel during crises, with a crisis-response arrangement to prevent export curbs and support supply chain resilience.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1258 views
The Government is investing an additional $3 million to extend the Active Me - Kia Tū Hardship Fund for another year, aiming to support young New Zealanders facing financial challenges in accessing sports and recreation opportunities. The program, delivered by Variety – The Children’s Charity in partnership with Sport NZ, has already benefited over 10,000 children and their families by providing grants of up to $300 per child annually to enable participation in physical activities and remove financial barriers. Minister Mark Mitchell highlights the positive impact of the fund on children's well-being, social skills, and community safety, emphasizing the importance of exploring sustainable funding options and reducing costs for participants through ongoing research by Sport NZ.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1250 views
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour highlights the importance of faster overseas investment decisions for businesses to access capital and create jobs with higher wages. Changes to the Overseas Investment Act have led to significant improvements in processing times, with almost 87% of consent applications processed faster than before. The government aims to streamline the process further to attract more investment, boost economic growth, and support job creation in New Zealand.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1378 views
Minister Brooke van Velden announces an 18-day reduction in passport processing wait times under the current government, with standard applications now taking 7 days instead of 25. The Department of Internal Affairs has achieved this efficiency through digital processes, staff training, and identity verification automation. Van Velden emphasizes the government's commitment to improving services for New Zealanders and ensuring timely passport delivery as application volumes are expected to rise.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1193 views
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey celebrates the inclusion of peer support workers in North Shore Hospital's Emergency Department, marking the completion of the service's implementation in all major Auckland hospitals. The initiative aims to provide timely and tailored support for individuals in mental distress, enhancing their experience in busy emergency settings. The positive impact of peer support specialists is recognized nationwide, leading to plans for expanding the service across the country to improve mental health outcomes and crisis responses.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1370 views
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey and Sir John Kirwan launched Ask Groov, Health New Zealand’s endorsed AI wellbeing guide, to provide 24/7 mental health support. The tool aims to make support more accessible, practical, and personalized, aligning with the government's plan for faster access to mental health services and crisis response. Ask Groov offers safe, evidence-based guidance for managing mild to moderate mental health challenges, complementing professional care and ensuring users can escalate to human services if needed.
10 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1225 views
The Government is considering selling its investment in Chorus to free up capital for more beneficial projects in New Zealand, following the completion of the Ultra-Fast Broadband initiative in 2022. Minister of Finance Nicola Willis highlights the need to redirect the capital into investments that will benefit New Zealanders, with Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop aiming to expedite the sale to private investors by early 2026 to allocate the proceeds towards hospitals, schools, and roads in Budget 2026. NIFFCo will conduct due diligence on the securities, evaluate market interest, and provide recommendations on the optimal sales process, with a decision on the sale expected by the end of 2025 to ensure value-for-money expectations are met.
09 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1221 views
The Government has accepted all recommendations from the Dame Karen Poutasi Review to enhance the children's system and prioritize child safety. Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston emphasizes the need to improve systems to better protect children from harm and ensure every child in New Zealand feels safe. The Government will implement an integrated response overseen by Child and Youth Ministers, focusing on information sharing, supporting children with incarcerated parents, and developing a mandatory reporting regime to enhance child safety.
09 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1144 views
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters welcomes the first phase of the US-led peace deal between Israel and Hamas, emphasizing the need to end the suffering endured by both Israelis and Palestinians over the past two years. He commends the efforts of the negotiating parties, including the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye, for taking a leadership role in the process. Peters urges Hamas to release all hostages and Israel to withdraw troops, emphasizing the importance of delivering on promises for lasting peace and calling for continued efforts towards a complete resolution.
09 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1250 views
In the past two years, the New Zealand government has reduced spending on contractors and consultants by $915 million, exceeding their savings target of $400 million. This reduction has been accompanied by a decrease in the size of the public service by nearly 5%, with a focus on increasing frontline roles while cutting back-office positions. The emphasis has shifted towards prioritizing savings in back-office functions to protect and enhance frontline services, resulting in 1533 redundancies and $80.4 million in redundancy payments in the past year.
09 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1524 views
Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announces new regulations for managing methamphetamine residue in rental properties to provide clarity and safety for both tenants and landlords. The rules establish contamination thresholds, procedures for testing and decontamination, and guidelines for handling abandoned goods in affected properties. Extensive consultation with experts and stakeholders has informed the development of these regulations, which are set to take effect next year to improve safety and transparency in the rental market.
09 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1381 views
Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka announces new regulations for managing methamphetamine residue in rental properties, aiming to provide clarity and safety for both landlords and tenants. The regulations set clear guidelines for contamination levels, decontamination requirements, and tenant options when residue levels exceed certain thresholds. Extensive consultation with experts and stakeholders has informed the development of these regulations, which are expected to be implemented next year.
09 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1319 views
Changes to government procurement rules in New Zealand aim to give local businesses a better chance at winning contracts by introducing an economic benefit test, effective from 1 December. These new rules, resulting from feedback received during consultation, include simplifying processes, reducing the number of rules, and emphasizing the economic value and job creation for Kiwis. The changes are designed to make it easier for both local and international businesses to compete for government contracts while upholding international trade commitments and ensuring responsible use of taxpayer money.
08 Oct 2025
1 year ago
1280 views
The speaker expresses gratitude for the opportunity to address the audience and acknowledges the leadership and commitment within New Zealand's wood processing sector. They highlight the importance of the sector to the national economy, emphasizing its role in regional prosperity and job creation. The speaker discusses challenges facing the industry, opportunities for growth through export value doubling objectives, government support initiatives such as the Wood Processing Growth Fund, and efforts to address barriers like energy costs and trade tariffs while reaffirming support for the sector's growth and excellence.