Articles tagged with Commerce
New Zealand Government Advances Infrastructure Funding Reforms to Boost Housing Growth
2 hours ago | 32 viewsThe New Zealand Government is advancing reforms to improve infrastructure funding and financing to support housing and urban growth, focusing on land supply, infrastructure, and growth incentives through its Going for Housing Growth programme. Key initiatives include introducing the Infrastructure Funding and Financing (IFF) Amendment Bill, replacing development contributions with a new development levies system, and proposing the Commerce Commission as the regulator for development levies to ensure fairness and transparency. Public consultation on these reforms runs until February 2026, aiming to create a flexible, consistent system that enables faster housing development and better infrastructure delivery.
Tags: Chris Bishop Simon Watts Scott Simpson Housing Minister Local Government Minister Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Infrastructure Funding and Financing Development Levies Commerce Commission New Zealand GovernmentNew Zealand Minister Scott Simpson to Attend 2025 PACER Plus Meeting in Solomon Islands
1 day ago | 46 viewsMinister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Scott Simpson is traveling to the Solomon Islands to attend the 2025 PACER Plus Ministerial Meeting, emphasizing the agreement's role in strengthening economic growth and trade in the Pacific. Since PACER Plus began, New Zealand's trade with member countries has increased by 47 percent, highlighting the success of this partnership. During his visit, Simpson will also engage with the Solomon Islands–New Zealand Business Community and regional counterparts before returning to New Zealand on 28 November.
Tags: Scott Simpson PACER Plus Solomon Islands New Zealand Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Commerce Consumer Affairs Pacific Islands Australia TradeNew Zealand Unifies Weather Services to Enhance Forecasting and Climate Safety
5 days ago | 70 viewsLegislation has passed its first reading to enable Earth Sciences New Zealand to acquire MetService, uniting the country’s key meteorological agencies to improve climate understanding and natural hazard response. The bill removes MetService from the State-Owned Enterprises Act, mandates data access policies, and exempts the acquisition from certain commerce regulations to prioritize public benefits over competition concerns. This integration aims to provide clearer climate insights, more accurate forecasts, faster warnings, and enhanced scientific collaboration while maintaining MetService’s trusted brand and authoritative public safety role.
Tags: Shane Reti Simeon Brown Earth Sciences New Zealand MetService Meteorological Services Legislation Amendment Bill New Zealand weather forecasting climate expertise Commerce ActNew Zealand Unites Weather Agencies for Better Forecasting and Climate Insights
5 days ago | 82 viewsLegislation has passed its first reading to enable Earth Sciences New Zealand to acquire MetService, uniting the country’s key meteorological agencies to improve climate understanding and response to natural hazards. The bill removes MetService from the State-Owned Enterprises Act, mandates data access policies, and exempts the acquisition from certain competition laws to prioritize public benefits. This integration aims to provide clearer climate insights, more accurate forecasts, faster warnings, and enhanced collaboration using expanded infrastructure and technology.
Tags: Shane Reti Simeon Brown Earth Sciences New Zealand MetService Meteorological Services Legislation New Zealand weather forecasting climate expertise Commerce ActNew Zealand Introduces Safe Harbour Laws to Combat Online Scams Faster
1 week ago | 129 viewsThe New Zealand Government is introducing safe harbour legal protections to enable banks, telecommunications providers, and digital platforms to act swiftly and confidently in blocking suspected online scams without fear of prosecution. These protections require reasonable grounds for suspicion, proportional action, and correction of any unintended disruption, supporting a prevention-first approach against scams that caused $265 million in losses last year. Complementing this, the New Zealand Anti Scam Alliance is developing a trusted flagger system and new fraud intelligence tools to identify and freeze suspicious accounts, enhancing cross-sector collaboration to combat evolving scam threats.
Tags: Scott Simpson New Zealand Anti Scam Alliance Payments NZ New Zealand Banking Association Commerce and Consumer Affairs safe harbour fraud intelligence tool mule accounts online scams trusted flagger systemNew Zealand Hikes Penalties for Misleading Advertising to Protect Consumers
1 week ago | 65 viewsThe Government plans to significantly increase penalties for breaches of the Fair Trading Act, raising maximum fines to the greater of $5 million, three times the commercial gain, or the transaction value, to better deter misleading advertising and unfair business practices. The reforms will shift most breaches from criminal to civil liability, allowing the Commerce Commission to act on a lower standard of proof, while serious offenses remain criminal, aiming to create a fairer marketplace and protect consumers. These changes follow rising complaints and aim to align New Zealand’s laws with international standards, with legislation expected to pass next year after public consultation.
Tags: Nicola Willis Scott Simpson Government Fair Trading Act Commerce Commission Consumer NZ Pak’nSave Woolworths misleading advertising penaltiesGovernment Accepts Banking Competition Recommendations for Increased Innovation and Consumer Benefits
1 week ago | 71 viewsThe Government has accepted or partially accepted all recommendations from the Finance and Expenditure Committee's inquiry into banking competition, focusing on business, rural banking, and lending to Māori entities. The findings highlighted concerns about high banking profitability, market concentration, barriers to entry, and regulatory settings, aligning with the Commerce Commission's report. Actions include allowing Kiwibank's parent company to raise capital, emphasizing banking competition in policies, encouraging standardization of financial information, disclosing account profitability, expanding regulatory sandbox trials, developing a licensing model for innovation, and coordinating monitoring through the Treasury.
Tags: Government Finance and Expenditure Committee Nicola Willis Commerce Commission Kiwibank Reserve Bank Scott Simpson Financial Markets Authority Treasury Māori.Minister Scott Simpson Strengthens Trans-Tasman Partnerships in Canberra and Sydney
4 weeks ago | 150 viewsMinister Scott Simpson is traveling to Canberra and Sydney to enhance New Zealand's partnerships with Australia, focusing on regulatory approaches, financial competition, and consumer protection. In Canberra, he will meet with Australian government officials to deepen cooperation and explore ways to promote fairer markets and economic growth. The Minister's agenda also includes engagements with the National Anti-Scam Centre, the Australian Banking Association, and Google to advance anti-scam initiatives and strengthen consumer protections in digital environments.
Tags: Scott Simpson Minister of Commerce Consumer Affairs Canberra Sydney New Zealand Australia Federal Government State Government ACCNew Bill Bans Surcharges on Foreign and Commercial Cards for Easier Payments: Impact on Businesses and Consumers
2 months ago | 288 viewsThe Government, led by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson, is expanding the surcharge ban to include foreign-issued cards and commercial cards, aiming to simplify transactions for businesses and consumers. The Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill has passed its first reading, prohibiting surcharges on in-store EFTPOS, Visa, and Mastercard payments. The ban, set to be implemented within a month of passing the Bill, aims to save businesses up to $90 million annually and prevent surprise costs for Kiwi shoppers at payment terminals.
Tags: Government payment pain point surcharge ban foreign cards Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson Retail Payment System Amendment Bill Commerce Commission banking fees merchant service fees interchange feesNew Commerce Act Amendments Boost Public Protection and Business Certainty
2 months ago | 232 viewsThe 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.
Tags: Government Commerce Act Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson Competition Innovation Commerce Commission Collaboration Mergers ConsumersHave Your Say: Kiwis Invited to Shape Telecommunications Regulatory Changes
3 months ago | 374 viewsKiwis are encouraged to provide input on proposed regulatory changes in the telecommunications sector, as their feedback is crucial to the review process, according to Ministers David Seymour and Paul Goldsmith. The review focuses on key regulatory issues such as the Telecommunications Development Levy (TDL), shareholder caps, and service quality regulations. Proposed draft changes include implementing a consumer code, updating infrastructure obligations, eliminating outdated rules, and enhancing investor appeal for telecom companies to boost growth in the sector.
Tags: David Seymour Paul Goldsmith Telecommunications sector Regulatory change Telecommunications Development Levy Retail Service Quality Fibre Fixed Line Access Telecommunications service obligations Telecommunication services Commerce CommissionLocal Water Done Well: Government Legislation Benefits Communities Nationwide
3 months ago | 329 viewsThe Government's Local Water Done Well legislation aims to provide safe, reliable, and financially sustainable water services to local communities across the country. The legislation focuses on ensuring financial sustainability, oversight, and accountability in water service delivery, with the Commerce Commission overseeing economic regulation to ensure fair pricing and quality infrastructure. Councils are encouraged to submit water services delivery plans that meet the requirements and provide flexibility to make arrangements best-suited for their communities, ultimately benefiting Kiwis with improved water services.
Tags: Local Government Minister Simon Watts Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson Kiwis Watercare charter Three Waters policy Local Government (Water Services) Act Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act Commerce Commission councils water services delivery planGovernment Initiatives to Boost Banking Competition Unveiled by Finance Minister Nicola Willis
3 months ago | 362 viewsFinance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed the release of the Finance and Expenditure Committee (FEC) Inquiry into banking competition, focusing on business, rural banking, and lending to Māori entities. The inquiry supports the Government's efforts to enhance competition in the banking sector for better services for Kiwis. The report, based on submissions from 148 stakeholders and public hearings, will be reviewed by the Government for proposed action items by November 2025.
Tags: Finance Minister Nicola Willis FEC Inquiry banking competition Government Commerce Commission Kiwis Kiwibank Reserve Bank financial stabilityUpdate on Competition Policy Reforms for Economic Growth
3 months ago | 424 viewsThe Government is focused on growing the economy by improving competition settings, with updates on the Commerce Act review and Commerce Commission governance. Reforms to the Commerce Act aim to simplify collaboration processes, enhance confidentiality protections, and promote competition. Additionally, initiatives include strengthening banking competition, implementing open banking, regulating retail payments, and introducing a new water services regulatory regime under the Commerce Act to ensure efficiency and transparency.
Tags: Government economy competition settings Commerce Act review Commerce Commission collaboration competition safeguards beneficial collaboration confidential information industry codesMinistry for Regulation Launches Sector Review to Streamline Product Labelling Regulations
3 months ago | 697 viewsMinisters Seymour and Simpson have announced a Ministry for Regulation review to address the high costs and complexities of New Zealand's product labelling regulations, which hinder affordability and global competitiveness. The current system, comprising over 30 codes and standards, imposes unnecessary compliance burdens on businesses, leading to increased prices and limited wage growth. The review aims to streamline regulations, reduce compliance costs, and enhance Kiwi goods' competitiveness internationally, with a focus on benefiting both businesses and consumers by simplifying the labelling process.
Tags: David Seymour Scott Simpson Minister for Regulation Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kiwis New Zealand labelling regulations businesses consumers compliance costs