Articles tagged with New Zealander
Remembering Jim Bolger: A Tribute to a Dedicated New Zealand Leader
6 hours ago | 38 viewsJim Bolger's passing is marked with condolences for his family. He was a significant figure in New Zealand politics, serving as Prime Minister during a challenging period of transition. Despite policy differences, he led the country's first MMP Government with integrity and dedication, and continued to contribute to New Zealand's interests on the global stage post-politics. His legacy should be one of a devoted New Zealander who served his country with distinction.
Tags: Jim Bolger Joan Bolger New Zealand Prime Minister politics MMP Government coalition integrity New Zealand Ambassador New ZealanderKiwiRail Welcomes New Directors as Jager and Wattie Conclude Tenure: Minister Peters Announces Changes
1 day ago | 42 viewsKiwiRail directors Rob Jager and Bruce Wattie will finish their service on 31 October 2025, with two new directors appointed starting 1 November 2025, as announced by Minister for Rail Winston Peters. Jager and Wattie are recognized for their contributions, with Jager's leadership background and Wattie's accomplishments highlighted. New directors Murray Harrington and Alastair Bell bring financial acumen and governance expertise to help KiwiRail improve operations and meet expectations for increased efficiency and profitability.
Tags: Rob Jager Bruce Wattie Winston Peters Sue Tindal Murray Harrington Alastair Bell Shell New Zealand Air New Zealand KiwiRail New ZealandersEmpowering New Zealanders: Cyber Smart Week Recap & Future Initiatives
2 days ago | 45 viewsCyber Smart Week, organized by the National Cyber Security Centre, aims to raise awareness about cyber security threats in New Zealand, highlighting the gap between perception and action. The initiative includes tools like How Exposed Am I? to help individuals assess and improve their online security practices. Additionally, the government's efforts, including the All of Government Digital Portfolio, focus on enhancing cybersecurity standards and efficiency across public sector agencies to build a more secure digital environment for all New Zealanders.
Tags: CyberCX Cyber Smart Week New Zealanders National Cyber Security Centre International Cyber Security Awareness Month New Zealand GCDO Digital Portfolio Public Cloud Data Centre Certification MarketplaceGovernment Allocates $3M to Extend Active Me - Kia Tū Fund for Youth
6 days ago | 94 viewsThe 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.
Tags: Government Sport and Recreation Minister Hon Mark Mitchell Variety – The Children’s Charity Sport NZ New Zealanders financial hardship physical activity communities young peopleAccelerated Overseas Investment Decisions Boost New Zealand Business Growth and Job Creation
6 days ago | 95 viewsAssociate 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.
Tags: David Seymour LINZ Overseas Investment Act New Zealanders Minister Capital Investment Processing times National Interest Test RegulationsMinister Brooke van Velden: Passport Processing Efficiency Soars, Wait Times Slashed by 18 Days
6 days ago | 79 viewsMinister 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.
Tags: Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden passport processing efficiency New Zealanders Government Kiwis families Department of Internal Affairs processing timesUnlocking Capital: Government to Sell Chorus Securities for Infrastructure Investment
6 days ago | 64 viewsThe 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.
Tags: Government Chorus NIFFCo Nicola Willis Chris Bishop Treasury fiscal strategy economic growth New ZealandersGovernment Saves $915 Million on Consultants, Boosts Frontline Roles
1 week ago | 98 viewsIn 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.
Tags: Public Service Minister Judith Collins frontline roles public service contractors consultants savings Government redundancies New Zealanders restructureNew Zealand Government's Stance on Israel-Palestine Conflict
1 week ago | 75 viewsTwo years ago, Hamas carried out terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens, leading to a devastating massacre. New Zealand has condemned the violence and called for a negotiated ceasefire, the return of hostages, and the unimpeded flow of aid. While some push for Palestinian statehood recognition, the focus remains on achieving peace and providing aid to those affected by the conflict.
Tags: Mr Speaker Hamas Israeli citizens New Zealanders Israel Palestinian civilians United Nations United States Muslim countries Saudi ArabiaNew Zealand's Initiatives to Reduce Youth Benefit Dependency
1 week ago | 163 viewsMinister Louise Upston announces two key initiatives aimed at reducing benefit dependency and encouraging young New Zealanders to stay in work. The first initiative involves removing Jobseeker payments for 18- and 19-year-olds if their parents can financially support them. The second initiative offers a $1,000 bonus payment to young people who participate in the Community Job Coaching service, secure employment, and remain off benefits for 12 months.
Tags: Louise Upston New Zealanders Jobseeker payments Ministry of Social Development Community Job Coaching service Parental Assistance Test welfare benefit dependency National’s Welfare that Works policy young peopleJan Dawson Appointed as Chair of ACC Board by Minister Scott Simpson
2 weeks ago | 104 viewsJan Dawson has been appointed as the new Chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) Board by Minister Scott Simpson due to her strong leadership and governance experience. Minister Simpson emphasizes the need for improved outcomes at ACC, highlighting the importance of prioritizing clients and delivering efficient rehabilitation services. Dawson's extensive background in governance and track record of driving results make her well-suited to lead the turnaround efforts at ACC, focusing on enhancing rehabilitation outcomes for injured New Zealanders.
Tags: Scott Simpson Jan Dawson ACC Board New Zealanders ACC scheme Port of Auckland Serko Mitre 10 KPMG New Zealand David HuntNew Investment Boosts Physiotherapy Workforce for Faster Orthopaedic Care Access
2 weeks ago | 155 viewsHealth Minister Simeon Brown announces new investment in physiotherapy workforce to improve access and reduce wait times for orthopaedic care. The Musculoskeletal (MSK) orthopaedic pathway, launched in August 2024, has already completed over 7200 first specialist assessments and 9500 follow-up appointments. By expanding the Advanced Clinical Practice Physiotherapist workforce and supporting postgraduate training, the initiative aims to increase assessment capacity, reduce unnecessary surgeries, and ensure 95% of patients receive timely care within four months.
Tags: Simeon Brown Health Minister physiotherapy orthopaedic care New Zealanders Musculoskeletal (MSK) pathway Advanced Clinical Practice Physiotherapist Health New Zealand Auckland University of Technology University of OtagoMinisters Doocey and Patterson engage with Thames community to enhance rural healthcare access
2 weeks ago | 146 viewsAssociate Health Minister Matt Doocey and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Patterson are visiting Thames to engage with the local community and gather feedback on the implementation of the Rural Health Strategy. The main focus of the roadshows is to address concerns about healthcare access in rural and remote areas, with Budget 2025 allocating $164 million to enhance urgent and after-hours care nationwide, particularly in rural communities. The government is committed to strengthening rural healthcare, expanding the rural health workforce, and improving access to quality care for all New Zealanders, including those in rural communities.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mark Patterson Rural Health Healthcare Rural Communities Budget 2025 New Zealanders Mental Health Roadshows Rural Health StrategyStrengthening Rural Health on the West Coast: Ministers Engage with Greymouth Community
2 weeks ago | 123 viewsAssociate Health Minister Matt Doocey and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Patterson are visiting Greymouth as part of the Rural Health Roadshow to address healthcare challenges in geographically spread-out communities like the West Coast. Budget 2025 allocated $164 million to enhance urgent and after-hours care, aiming to ensure 98% of New Zealanders can reach urgent care within an hour. The Government is dedicated to removing geographic barriers to healthcare access, focusing on strengthening mental health and rural healthcare outcomes for all New Zealanders, especially those in rural communities like Greymouth.
Tags: Matt Doocey Mark Patterson Associate Health Minister Rural Health Minister for Rural Communities Greymouth Roadshow Budget 2025 New Zealanders Mental HealthGovernment Announces Key Appointments in State-Owned Enterprises Portfolio
2 weeks ago | 111 viewsState-Owned Enterprises Minister Simeon Brown announced appointments and reappointments at Kiwi Group Capital Ltd and NZ Post. David McLean was reappointed as Chair at Kiwi Group, with Scott Pickering appointed as a director. At NZ Post, Alastair Bell and Grant Stapleton were appointed as directors. These appointments aim to ensure strong governance and leadership in State Owned Enterprises to meet future challenges and opportunities.
Tags: Simeon Brown David McLean Scott Pickering Alastair Bell Grant Stapleton Kiwi Group Capital Ltd NZ Post State Owned Enterprises New Zealanders