Articles tagged with Equity
New Social Homes in Tauranga Designed for Autistic Adults Opened
1 hour ago | 26 viewsHousing Minister Chris Bishop announced the opening of seven new social homes in Tauranga specifically designed for autistic adults, developed by Autism NZ’s provider Equity House and funded through Budget 2024. These homes address the shortage of one-bedroom social housing and feature sensory-friendly designs like dimmer switches and neutral colors to support residents' independence and comfort. Each resident has a self-contained unit within a supportive community, with access to pastoral care for daily needs, ensuring safety, dignity, and confidence.
Tags: Chris Bishop Equity House Autism NZ Housing Minister Tauranga Budget 2024 social homes autistic community New Zealand social housingGovernment to Continue Efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme in 2027 Saving $122M
2 weeks ago | 205 viewsAssociate Education Minister David Seymour announced the Government will continue the Healthy School Lunches Programme in 2027, providing nutritious meals to around 242,000 students daily while saving taxpayers $122 million that year. Since Term 1 2025, the programme has delivered over 48 million meals to more than 1,000 schools, improving efficiency with nearly 100% on-time delivery and significantly reduced complaints, at a lower average meal cost than under the previous government. Budget 2026 allocates $212.4 million to extend the programme and the ECE Food programme, with additional funding to explore eligibility improvements and ensure lunches reach more children in need.
Tags: David Seymour Healthy School Lunches Programme Government Budget 2026 ECE Food programme taxpayer savings Ministry of Education Labour government school meals equity indexCharter Schools Show Promising Attendance Rates with Focus on Improvement
2 months ago | 383 viewsAssociate Education Minister David Seymour reports that charter schools, which opened in 2025, have shown promising attendance rates slightly above state schools, with some schools significantly improving attendance among students facing educational challenges. Charter schools receive greater autonomy and funding flexibility but must meet minimum attendance standards based on their equity index, with ongoing monitoring and potential intervention by the Authorisation Board if standards are not met. The government aims for 80% regular attendance, emphasizing accountability to ensure more children attend school, learn, and succeed.
Tags: David Seymour charter schools attendance rate baseline data education challenges minimum standards equity index Authorisation Board school funding student attendanceJohn Williamson Reappointed Chair of NZ Superannuation Guardians Board
2 months ago | 545 viewsJohn Williamson has been reappointed as Chair of the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Board for two more years starting October 1, reflecting his strong leadership and extensive experience. The Board manages government investments in the NZ Super Fund and the Elevate NZ Venture Capital Fund, with five of seven members currently in their first term. This reappointment aims to ensure stability, continuity, and robust investment performance to grow New Zealand’s sovereign wealth funds for future generations.
Tags: John Williamson Nicola Willis Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation Board NZ Super Fund Elevate NZ Venture Capital Fund Hellaby Holdings Ltd New Zealand government sovereign wealth funds private equity Māori resource lawStructured Literacy Mandate Boosting Reading Success Nationwide, Education Minister Reports
7 months ago | 736 viewsThe Government's mandate of structured literacy is positively impacting reading achievement nationwide, according to Education Minister Erica Stanford. All primary schools now teach structured literacy and the new English curriculum, with new entrants undergoing a phonics check after 20 weeks to assess reading progress. Phonics data shows a significant increase in reading success, with improvements seen across the country, leading to a reduction in students needing targeted support and notable advancements in Māori and Pacific student achievement.
Tags: structured literacy reading achievement Education Minister Erica Stanford phonics data student achievement literacy reforms Māori students Pacific students equity decilesLandcorp Introduces Livestock Equity Partnership for Future of Farming in New Zealand
8 months ago | 903 viewsLandcorp has introduced a new livestock equity partnership program in New Zealand to assist farm operators in building equity and securing the future of farming, according to State Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown. The initiative aligns with the government's goals of enhancing rural employment, boosting farm productivity, and facilitating ownership opportunities for the next generation of farmers. The equity partnership model expands on Landcorp's existing contract farming options for dairy farmers and aims to promote high performance, unlock the farming sector's potential, and create pathways for aspiring farmers to take ownership of farms like Mahiwi Farm.
Tags: Landcorp livestock equity partnership farm operators farming New Zealand State Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown rural employment farm productivity ownership pathways next generation farmers