New Zealanders know more and more about the hazards they live alongside – but the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)’s Annual Preparedness survey (attached) suggests they’re not taking steps to prepare themselves and their whānau.

NEMA’s annual survey monitors how prepared New Zealanders are for emergencies, and how they respond during and after an emergency event.

This year’s survey found that although 91% of New Zealanders thought it was quite or very important to be prepared for an emergency, only 40% had taken steps to prepare themselves or their household for an emergency in the past 12 months.

Despite this, 51% of respondents felt they were very or quite well prepared for an emergency (up from 46% in 2024), and 64% believe they know a lot or a fair amount about preparing for one (a 10% increase since 2022).

“When it comes to household preparedness, confidence levels may have increased, but the number of people taking the real steps to prepare themselves has stayed the same,” John Price, NEMA’s Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management, says.

“This gap between perception and action leaves many New Zealanders vulnerable during emergencies. Your safety is your responsibility, because there may not be a cavalry on the way when you need it.

“In an emergency, professional first responders like Police, Fire and Emergency and Civil Defence staff have to focus on rescues and helping the people who are most at risk – they can’t waste valuable time helping people who haven’t done their bit.

“If you haven’t prepared, you could be putting other people at risk. Being prepared will prevent harm to you and those you care about.”

NEMA has been surveying New Zealanders about emergency readiness since 2006, and the results show that preparedness increases by 10-15% after major events like the Canterbury quakes or Cyclone Gabrielle, but decreases after that.

“If you’re waiting for an emergency to happen before you start preparing for one, you’re working backwards,” Price says. “It can feel overwhelming at first, but creating a plan doesn’t have to happen all at once.

““Making a plan is easy, quick, costs nothing, and will make a huge difference in an emergency. Just ask some simple questions – like where to go, who needs our help, and who can help us.

“You can start small and build it up gradually – every step you take makes a difference for you and your community.”

John Price encouraged New Zealanders to join over 700,000 others in signing up to next week’s ShakeOut earthquake drill and tsunami hikoi – and to take the opportunity to make a plan for your household.

The survey also highlighted the role of public education campaigns, and how they prompt New Zealanders to take action. Nearly half of New Zealanders recall NEMA’s “Long Strong, Get Gone” advertising campaign, and 42% of those who saw it took action or spoke to someone about preparedness.

The “Flood Waters are Deep Trouble” campaign – heavily-targeted ads that run during severe weather events – also prompted action among 64% of those who saw it.

To learn more about how to prepare your household for an emergency, visit NEMA’s Get Ready site atgetready.govt.nz.

Veteran Māori activist Mike Smith is urging Te Pāti Māori and the Toitū te Tiriti group to move swiftly into the next phase of their political journey, saying now is not the time to stall or look backwards.

“There are always potholes along the road,” said Smith. “We try to avoid them, but sometimes we hit one. When that happens, we shouldn’t stop and drive back and forward over it. If you get a flat tyre, don’t keep driving on the rim—change the tyre and keep going. This is not about the potholes or the tyres. It’s about the journey and the destination—and most importantly, it’s about the whānau in the back seat.”

Smith said he’s encouraged to see Te Pāti Māori refocusing and repositioning as the year draws to a close.

“It’s good to see and hear that Te Pāti Māori is refocusing—it’s perfect timing to carry that energy into the new year. The kaupapa of Māori advancement is bigger than any single organisation. This is the moment to strengthen our collective resolve, not lose momentum.”

As part of this renewed push, Smith is calling for cross-party collaboration among Māori Members of Parliament from Te Pāti Māori, the Greens, and Labour, to deliver a solid, unified campaign agenda heading into next year’s elections.

“We need to start talking and working together now to shape a campaign platform that reflects the shared priorities of our people—tino rangatiratanga, justice, and a fair future for our mokopuna,” he said.

At the same time, Smith is calling on the Māori movement itself—including community organisations, hapū networks, and advocacy groups—to tighten its organisation and deliver a coherent, progressive development agenda capable of being enacted both inside and outside of government.

“Our strength lies not just in who we elect, but in how we organise. The movement must stay focused on building solutions—economic, social, and cultural—that can be delivered whether we’re in government or not. The next phase of our journey must be grounded in unity, discipline, and purpose.”

Smith emphasised that the political road ahead will not be smooth, but the focus must remain on the destination and the wellbeing of the whānau who depend on the movement’s leadership and courage.

“The road will always have bumps, but if we stay united and keep our eyes on the horizon, we’ll reach the destination our ancestors dreamed of. The most important thing is that we keep driving—together.”

Mike Smith
Veteran Activist and Climate Leader
Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu

Every year on October 10, the world comes together to raise awareness of mental health and advocate for the right to live with dignity, support, and well-being.

But for Palestinians, mental health is not just a matter of awareness, it’s a matter of survival.
Decades of occupation, siege, forced displacement, and daily violence have created a collective trauma that affects every generation. The children who grow up under bombardment. The families living under constant fear. The youth carry the weight of loss, exile, and injustice.

Mental health in Palestine cannot be separated from the political reality that causes the pain. Healing requires more than words, it requires freedom, justice, and an end to the systems of oppression.

On this World Mental Health Day, we stand with mental health workers and communities in Palestine who continue to care for others despite their own suffering. We honor their resilience and demand global action to address the root causes of Palestinian trauma.

Mental health is a human right. So is freedom.

Palestine Forum of New Zealand.

10 October 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua has today published Competition Assessment Guidelines that outline how we take competition into account when developing prudential policy.

Director Prudential Policy Jess Rowe says the guidelines are designed to support policy teams in identifying and assessing competition impacts early in the policy development process.

“Competition is already a key principle we take into account when making policy decisions. These guidelines provide a clear framework for how and when competition should be considered,” Ms Rowe says.

“Thinking about competition early in the process helps us to explore or consider alternative ways of achieving regulatory objectives while also promoting better outcomes for competition.”

The Competition Assessment Guidelines for Prudential Policy set out key concepts that underpin competition analysis, helping ensure our decisions support a sound and efficient financial system.

Competition Assessment Guidelines for Prudential Policy: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=44b874876b&e=f3c68946f8

The publication of the Competition Assessment Guidelines for Prudential Policy responds to recommendations from the Commerce Commission's market study into personal banking services, and aligns with the Minister of Finance's December 2024 letter of expectations, which called on RBNZ to develop a competition assessment framework for prudential policy.

“I'd like to thank our Commerce Commission peers for their insights and suggestions as we worked to develop these guidelines,” says Ms Rowe.

Deposit Takers Act 2023

The Competition Assessment Guidelines for Prudential Policy will be of particular use as we work to complete a multi-year programme to introduce the Deposit Takers Act 2023 (DTA). The DTA modernises New Zealand's regulatory framework for deposit takers. It aims to help ensure the safety and soundness of deposit takers and support a stable financial system that New Zealanders can trust.

DTA standards will be issued by 31 May 2027 and come into effect on 1 December 2028.

Deposit Takers Act – Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=cdfb5ec8ef&e=f3c68946f8