26 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1284 views
Courts Minister Nicole McKee highlights the Government's focus on faster justice delivery, emphasizing the importance of reducing delays in resolving civil disputes and family wait times for coroners' findings. Significant progress has been made in various jurisdictions, such as the District Court, where active civil cases decreased by 20% and completed cases increased by 8%. The Disputes Tribunal also saw over 900 more cases completed in a year, with a 21% decrease in aged cases, while the Coroners Court reduced active cases by 15% through the introduction of associate coroners and clinical advisors.
25 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1310 views
The New Zealand Army is receiving a $104 million investment in modern digital communications devices and systems to enhance combat capability and interoperability with international partners. Defence Minister Judith Collins emphasized the importance of equipping soldiers with up-to-date technology in a rapidly changing global environment. The investment, part of the Network Enabled Army programme, will provide military grade radio systems, deployable network infrastructure, and specialized communications devices to support real-time decision-making and information sharing among personnel.
24 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1350 views
Dr Anna Breman, First Deputy Governor of Sweden's central bank, has been appointed as the new Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. Dr Breman brings a strong background in economics, having held leadership roles at the Riksbank and Swedbank, and worked with various institutions including the World Bank. She was selected from a pool of 300 candidates based on criteria such as leadership skills, technical expertise, stakeholder engagement, resilience, and cultural understanding. Dr Breman's appointment is for a five-year term starting on December 1, succeeding Christian Hawkesby who will support her transition before leaving his interim Governor role.
24 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1212 views
Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown are pleased with Pharmac's negotiations to increase access to medicines, recognizing the significant impact on New Zealanders' health and well-being. Pharmac's proposal includes funding for five new treatments for various conditions, potentially benefiting over 1,700 people in the first year and up to 4,000 by year five. The proposal aims to improve patient care by introducing quicker administration methods, saving hospital infusion hours and freeing up resources for other treatments, while also emphasizing the importance of public consultation in decision-making processes.
23 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1394 views
The New Zealand Government is introducing two new skilled migrant residence pathways to help businesses attract and retain the workforce they need. These pathways include the Skilled Work Experience pathway for migrants with at least five years of relevant work experience and the Trades and Technician pathway for migrants with specified qualifications and work experience. The government aims to balance attracting higher-skilled workers with managing migration levels responsibly, prioritizing New Zealanders for jobs, and ensuring that skilled and experienced migrants are placed in occupations where they are most needed.
21 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1267 views
The Government is investing $100 million to upgrade hospital facilities in New Zealand, focusing on modernizing and expanding clinical spaces to improve healthcare quality and access. The funding, part of Budget 2025, aims to address neglected infrastructure and ensure timely, quality care for all citizens. The program includes local projects nationwide and remediation efforts to strengthen essential hospital infrastructure, creating jobs and supporting frontline staff while enhancing patient care and hospital resilience.
19 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1314 views
Minister for Women Nicola Grigg commemorates the 132nd anniversary of Suffrage Day, celebrating New Zealand's progress for women's rights. The government has made strides in reducing the gender pay gap, promoting women's representation in leadership roles, and improving health outcomes for women and girls. Grigg emphasizes the importance of continuing efforts towards achieving true equality and expresses gratitude to all women and girls for their contributions to New Zealand's advancement.
18 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1190 views
Finance Minister Nicola Willis appointed Hayley Gourley to the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), responsible for setting the Official Cash Rate (OCR) in New Zealand. Gourley's diverse experience in corporate, rural, and financial sectors will enhance the Committee's discussions, following the recommendation of the Reserve Bank's Board. She will succeed Professor Bob Buckle on 1 October 2025, who will retire at the end of September after making significant contributions to the MPC.
18 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1253 views
Finance Minister Nicola Willis highlighted the impact of global uncertainty on consumers and businesses based on released economic data. Stats NZ reported a 0.9% decline in real Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter following an initial increase. Willis attributed this downturn to international turmoil and tariffs affecting investment decisions. Looking ahead, there are positive signs of economic recovery, with lower interest rates, increased mortgage lending, and a forecasted strengthening of economic growth as tariff-related uncertainty diminishes.
18 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1193 views
Andrew Szusterman has been appointed to the Radio New Zealand Board of Governors by Minister for Media and Communications Paul Goldsmith. Szusterman, an experienced media executive, has worked in television, commercial radio, and digital platforms in New Zealand and abroad. His expertise in audience engagement and understanding of the evolving media landscape will be valuable as RNZ faces challenges in public broadcasting and adjusts to changing audience behaviors. Szusterman will officially join the Board on October 1st.
17 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1291 views
Starting next month, tens of thousands of households will receive increased support for early childhood education through the expanded FamilyBoost scheme, as announced by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. The legislation for the expanded ECE support scheme has passed through Parliament, with Labour reversing its position to support the enhanced FamilyBoost. Changes include increasing the proportion of ECE fees families can claim from 25 to 40 percent, raising the household income limit for FamilyBoost, and making about 21,000 more households eligible for assistance.
16 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1304 views
The Government, led by Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee, is urgently suspending recognition of unsafe international adoptions to protect children and young people. The Adoption Amendment Bill has been introduced to immediately suspend New Zealand's recognition of risky overseas adoptions, citing inadequate safeguards in current laws. The temporary suspension, effective until a specified date or July 1, 2027, aims to prevent harm to children adopted into unsafe situations, with plans for a long-term solution and exemptions for countries with safe adoption practices.
16 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1201 views
The Government is updating the Commerce Act after nearly 20 years to enhance protection for the public and provide more certainty for businesses, focusing on promoting competition, innovation, and fair markets. Key changes include preventing unfair tactics, clearer merger rules, strengthening the Commerce Commission, and facilitating beneficial collaborations among businesses. The amendments aim to ensure the Commerce Commission is more effective, separate governance and regulatory functions, and give the Commission stronger tools to assess mergers and competition concerns, ultimately promoting fairer markets and consumer choice.
06 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1517 views
Health Minister Simeon Brown notes a 25% decrease in the cardiology first specialist assessment (FSA) waitlist in Auckland since November 2023, with patient numbers dropping from 3,829 to 2,847 between November 2023 and March 2025. The reduction in wait times has been significant, especially for those waiting over four months, with a 73% decrease from 663 to 179. Progress has been made across all three Auckland districts, reflecting efforts to expand clinic capacity, improve systems for reminders and follow-ups, and streamline scheduling to reduce delays in booking appointments. The goal is to ensure that 95% of patients are seen within four months by 2030, with ongoing efforts to further reduce wait times and improve access to timely specialist care.
02 Sep 2025
1 year ago
1243 views
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee presented proposed changes to special licensing rules for the events sector at the New Zealand Events Association’s annual conference. The reforms aim to simplify regulations and provide greater certainty and consistency for event organizers, while prioritizing the reduction of alcohol-related harm. Key reforms include the introduction of a national risk-based framework for special license applications, a coordinated approach for multi-district events, raising the threshold for large-scale events, and granting flexibility for televised national events. These changes align with the government's creative sector strategy to streamline regulation and support the thriving of the events industry while maintaining strong safeguards for harm reduction.