Articles tagged with Mit
Government Invests $2M in Central Otago’s Falls Dam Replacement Pre-Construction
1 day ago | 61 viewsThe Government is providing a $2 million loan through the Regional Infrastructure Fund to support pre-construction work on replacing the aging Falls Dam near St Bathans, vital for irrigating 8,000 hectares of Central Otago farmland. The funding will help Manuherikia River Limited assess regulatory, engineering, and financial aspects to ensure a secure and sustainable water supply for horticulture, viticulture, and farming. This project aims to enhance the region’s economic and climate resilience by delivering reliable irrigation and supporting higher-value land uses, with pre-construction expected to take about two years.
Tags: Mark Patterson Falls Dam Central Otago Manuherikia River Limited Regional Infrastructure Fund irrigation horticulture viticulture sheep farming water infrastructureFast-Track Approval Boosts Queenstown with 2,800 New Homes and Jobs
2 days ago | 53 viewsInfrastructure Minister Chris Bishop has approved a Fast-track application by RCL Homestead Bay Limited to build 2,800 homes and a commercial precinct in Queenstown, addressing the region's severe housing shortage and high prices. The project is expected to contribute $720.3 million to GDP and create approximately 4,420 construction jobs, while minimizing pressure on existing infrastructure through independent wastewater systems. This approval marks the 10th successful Fast-track project, demonstrating the system's effectiveness in accelerating essential infrastructure developments across New Zealand.
Tags: Chris Bishop RCL Homestead Bay Limited Queenstown New Zealand Homestead Bay Infrastructure Minister Queenstown Lakes Housing Development Economic BoostGovernment Introduces Bill to Clarify ACC Payments Impact on Welfare Entitlement
4 days ago | 99 viewsThe Government is introducing the Social Security (Accident Compensation and Calculation of Weekly Income) Amendment Bill to clarify how ACC payments affect welfare entitlements and ensure fair treatment between different recipient groups. The bill aims to align the law with longstanding policy by authorizing MSD to retrospectively adjust benefits when backdated ACC payments reduce welfare to zero and to prevent inequities where some recipients receive dual income support for the same need. This legislation responds to court rulings and will not apply retrospectively to cases filed before the bill’s introduction, promoting fairness and certainty in the welfare system.
Tags: Louise Upston Government MSD Social Security ACC Social Development and Employment Social Services and Community Select Committee Social Security Appeal Authority High Court Winter Energy PaymentNew Zealand Updates Anzac Day Law to Honor All War Service Personnel
4 days ago | 92 viewsNew Zealand's Parliament has passed legislation updating the Anzac Day Act to formally recognize all service personnel who have served in times of war, including conflicts after 1966 and allied forces involved in the Gallipoli landing. The updated law broadens commemoration to include those who served in various roles, such as United Nations missions, medical units, the Merchant Navy, and those who died during training. This change strengthens the significance of Anzac Day as a national tradition that honors the courage and sacrifice of all who defended New Zealand and its allies.
Tags: Anzac Day New Zealand Paul Goldsmith Chris Penk Anzac Day Act Gallipoli Veterans World Wars Allied Forces LegislationGovernment Urges North Island Residents to Prioritize Safety Amid Severe Weather Warnings
1 week ago | 130 viewsThe Government is urging North Island communities to prioritize safety amid severe weather warnings and recent flooding that has already caused a fatality. Emergency services and agencies, including the NZDF and local Civil Defence, are actively supporting response efforts and have resources pre-positioned in vulnerable areas. Authorities advise avoiding floodwaters, non-essential travel, and staying alert to landslide risks while following updates from official channels for safety guidance.
Tags: Government North Island Cyclone Gabrielle Mark Mitchell Emergency Management Civil Defence NZDF Severe Weather Flooding South WaikatoLong-Term Tourism Concessions Boost Jobs and Economy in South Island Destinations
1 week ago | 155 viewsConservation Minister Tama Potaka announced long-term tourism concessions in the South Island, including a 38-year concession for The Remarkables Ski Area and multi-decade agreements for the Milford Track and Te Ana-au Caves, aimed at supporting jobs and regional economies. These concessions provide operators with investment certainty while maintaining public access and enforcing environmental and safety standards. Tourism Minister Louise Upston emphasized that such stability helps businesses retain staff, deliver quality visitor experiences, and sustain local communities.
Tags: Tama Potaka Louise Upston The Remarkables Milford Track NZSki Tourism Milford Limited South Island Fiordland Te Rua o te Moko QueenstownIndependent Review Launched on NZ Monetary Policy Response to Covid-19
1 week ago | 148 viewsThe New Zealand Government has launched an independent review to evaluate the monetary policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic, aiming to identify lessons for future major events. The review will focus on the Reserve Bank's decisions, communication, use of additional tools like the Large Scale Asset Purchase programme, and coordination with fiscal policy, with monetary policy experts Athanasios Orphanides and David Archer appointed to lead it. The findings are expected by August 2026 and will be publicly released in September 2026.
Tags: Nicola Willis Athanasios Orphanides David Archer Reserve Bank of New Zealand Monetary Policy Committee Large Scale Asset Purchase Official Cash Rate New Zealand government Bank for International SettlementsRecord Mineral Permit Applications Boost New Zealand’s Gold Mining and Exploration in 2025
1 week ago | 124 viewsNew Zealand’s mineral exploration and mining sector is experiencing strong growth, with record permit applications and approvals in 2025, particularly for gold projects concentrated in the South Island’s West Coast. The diverse mix of prospecting, exploration, and mining permits, along with the conversion of small-scale permits to a more suitable regulatory class, indicates healthy progression and increased confidence in the sector. This momentum, driven by multiple mid-sized projects and active permit management, supports regional economic growth, job creation, and New Zealand’s broader resource development strategy.
Tags: New Zealand Shane Jones mining exploration mineral permits gold West Coast New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals regional economic growth mining projectsOne Year On: $200M Boost Drives 463 Affordable Māori Rental Homes Delivery
2 weeks ago | 172 viewsOne year after the Government’s $200 million investment, 463 affordable rental homes for whānau Māori have been approved across 11 Māori-led projects, with 392 homes contracted and over 260 progressing through early development stages. These homes are located in high-need regions and are intended to remain affordable rentals for at least 25 years, supporting long-term housing stability and community capacity. The initiative aligns with the Government’s broader efforts to fix the housing system by unlocking land, improving infrastructure, and reducing building barriers to increase housing supply and economic growth.
Tags: Tama Potaka Toitū Tairāwhiti Housing Limited Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi Ngāti Whakaue Tribal Lands Māori whānau Tamariki Government affordable housing Māori housing providersCrown and Ngāti Hāua Finalize Historic Treaty Settlement with $19M Redress
3 weeks ago | 231 viewsThe Crown and Ngāti Hāua have concluded nine years of negotiations with settlement legislation passing in Parliament, acknowledging historical Treaty breaches and returning 64 culturally significant sites along with $19 million in financial redress. The legislation also provides statutory pardons for Te Rangiātea and Mātene Ruta Te Whareaitu, who were wrongfully tried under martial law in 1846, restoring their mana and honouring their legacy. This settlement aims to restore the relationship between the Crown and Ngāti Hāua and support the iwi’s economic, social, and cultural wellbeing for future generations.
Tags: Ngāti Hāua Crown Treaty of Waitangi Paul Goldsmith Te Rangiātea Mātene Ruta Te Whareaitu Taumarunui Te Pua o Te Riri Kore New Zealand Parliament Treaty settlementNZ Government Launches $1.2M Support for Recovery After Severe Weather Impact
3 weeks ago | 144 viewsPrime Minister Christopher Luxon announced initial government support for recovery efforts following severe weather, including temporary housing for around 500 displaced people and $1.2 million in immediate relief funds, with additional funding available from various agencies. The government is prioritizing infrastructure repairs, health and mental support, and reimbursing marae that provided community welfare, while Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell emphasized ongoing assessments and future support. Luxon also appointed Hon Chris Penk as Associate Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery to coordinate the response and advise on a potential independent inquiry into the Mount Maunganui tragedy.
Tags: Christopher Luxon Mark Mitchell Chris Penk Mount Maunganui Welcome Bay Warkworth Natural Hazards Commission New Zealand Transport Agency Ministry for the Environment Ministry of Primary IndustriesFour New Community Forensic Step-Down Beds to Open Early in Waikato
4 weeks ago | 192 viewsFour new community-based forensic step-down beds will open early in March through a partnership between Ember Services Limited and Health NZ, accelerating the government's Mental Health Plan commitment. Funded by Budget 2025, these beds aim to improve access to specialist forensic services, supported by community teams and specialist staff to ensure patient and public safety while facilitating gradual reintegration and reducing relapse risks. This initiative complements existing facilities and forms part of a broader strategy to enhance mental health support, frontline staffing, and crisis response.
Tags: forensic beds community based beds Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey Ember Services Limited Health NZ Waikato Budget 2025 mental health plan specialist forensic servicesNew Community Forensic Step-Down Beds to Open Early in Waikato
4 weeks ago | 244 viewsFour new community-based forensic step-down beds will open early in March through a partnership between Ember Services Limited and Health NZ, accelerating the government's Mental Health Plan commitment. Funded by Budget 2025, these beds aim to provide faster access to specialist forensic services, supported by community teams and specialist staff, to safely reintegrate patients transitioning from inpatient forensic care. This initiative enhances bed capacity alongside a new acute forensic inpatient facility in Waikato and forms part of a broader strategy to improve mental health support, frontline staffing, and crisis response.
Tags: Ember Services Limited Health NZ Matt Doocey Mental Health Minister Waikato Budget 2025 forensic beds community based beds Mental Health Plan frontline workersSouthland’s $13.6M Industrial Hub Boosts Gore Economy and Creates Jobs
1 month ago | 760 viewsThe Government is providing a $3.1 million loan to support a $13.6 million industrial subdivision near Gore, a joint venture between Ngāi Tahu’s Hokonui Rūnanga and Robertson Transport Limited, addressing the shortage of large industrial lots in the area. The 43-hectare project, located on State Highway 1, will create up to 50 construction jobs and attract various industries while generating sustainable income for Hokonui Rūnanga to fund community services. This development is the first phase of a 90-hectare master plan aimed at diversifying Southland’s economy and includes future plans for marae relocation, housing, and childcare facilities.
Tags: Mark Patterson Hokonui Rūnanga Ngāi Tahu Robertson Transport Limited Southland Gore District Regional Infrastructure Fund Associate Minister for Regional Development New Zealand Eastern SouthlandMilford Sound Tourism Gets Long-Term Concession to 2050 for Sustainable Management
1 month ago | 210 viewsConservation Minister Tama Potaka has approved a long-term concession for Milford Sound Tourism Limited to operate key visitor infrastructure at Milford Sound Piopiotahi until 2050, providing certainty for essential facilities in this important conservation area. The decision emphasizes balancing conservation, safe visitor access, and support for regional economies, while recognizing the cultural significance of the site through a partnership with Ngāi Tahu. Officials will now negotiate terms to ensure statutory obligations, capital investment, and broader tourism interests are addressed, supported by government funding for the Milford corridor.
Tags: Tama Potaka Milford Sound Piopiotahi Milford Sound Tourism Limited Ngāi Tahu Conservation Minister Aotearoa New Zealand International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy Tangata Whenua Department of Conservation New Zealand Government