Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Activist News – Protest at today’s National Party caucus retreat – PSNA

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

Palestine solidarity supporters will be outside the National Party caucus retreat this morning from 10am (Commodore Hotel, 449 Memorial Ave, Ōtautahi/Christchurch) to hold the party to account for complicity in Israel’s on-going genocide in Gaza.

“As election year opens we are determined to keep this issue before the government and the public”, says PSNA Co-Chair John Minto. “We will be continuing our demand for the government to sanction Israel for genocide”

In the face of mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza our Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Peters have been silent.

“This is the most important human rights issue of the 21st century – there is nowhere for National MPs to hide”

“The government has betrayed international law, the United Nations, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice – the bedrock agencies of the government’s so-called “rules-based international order”

All those groups have called for action to hold the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel to account for its actions in Palestine but the government is looking the other way.

John Minto
Co-Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

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Energy Policy – Improving transparency in NZ’s energy transition – BusinessNZ

Source: BusinessNZ

The BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) says improved, system-wide data will help businesses, policymakers and communities better understand New Zealand’s energy transition.
BEC's Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard says Powering Change's introduction of a quarterly Measures and Metrics report as part of its refresh will provide a valuable new lens on New Zealand’s energy transition.
“Tracking energy prices, reliability, renewables and emissions over time offers a clearer, whole-of-system view of how the transition is progressing.
“We encourage anyone with an interest in the future of New Zealand’s energy system, including how we maintain security and affordability while reducing emissions, to engage with the Powering Change platform.
Beard says BEC acknowledges the Powering Change team, which is made up of organisations from across the energy system, for their collaborative effort in strengthening understanding of New Zealand’s energy outlook.
“The need for clearer, more accessible information was one of the key actions identified through the Energy Transition Framework, and the refreshed Powering Change platform directly supports that goal.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Revealed: PM’s office received no advice that there are jobs for young people – CPAG

Source: Child Poverty Action Group

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP) and Kick Back can reveal the Prime Minister’s office received no advice that plentiful jobs are available to the 18 and 19-year-old jobseekers his government will soon kick off Jobseeker Support.
Under the Official Information Act, CPAG asked the Ministry of Social Development what evidence was supplied to the Prime Minister about the number and location of jobs available to young people, as well as any costings youth migration for those jobs.
Our request was transferred to the Prime Minister’s office, which refused our request on grounds that “ the requested information does not exist.”
This completely goes against claims the Prime Minister has been making in public, since his government announced it would begin removing access to Jobseeker Support for 18 and 19-year-olds without children.
In multiple media interviews, press conferences, and business events, the Prime Minister has repeatedly asserted that “there are plenty of jobs,” that primary industries are “crying out for young people,” and that if they cannot find work locally, young people should “go where the jobs are.”
Since those comments were made, business leaders and regional employers have pushed back, saying they are not “crying out” for young workers at all. Horticulture employers in Hawke’s Bay stated they were fully staffed and that roles were highly seasonal, not suited to year-round income.
South Island producers and tourism operators have likewise reported fewer vacancies and more applicants, casting serious doubt on the PM’s claim that whole regions are waiting for a wave of teenage labour.
Despite these disputes, the OIA response confirms the Prime Minister received:
– No evidence of industries or regions with sufficient youth-ready vacancies
– No vacancy mapping showing realistic labour demand for teenagers
– No assessment of transport, housing, or training barriers to work
– No modelling of youth relocation (“go where the jobs are”)
– No advice on the safety or welfare implications of youth migration for work
“It’s been evident for some time that the Government’s strategy of reducing poverty by simply getting people into jobs won’t work in an economy with unemployment at a nine-year high, and with roughly four jobseekers for every job ad”, says CPAG spokesperson Isaac Gunson.
“In a nation where 1 in 7 children lives in material hardship, the answer is not to strip away income support when they graduate into adulthood and find there are no jobs for them. That’s just hurting them, and hurting our shared future as a nation.”
Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP) coordinator Agnes Magele says this new information reveals a policy that treats young people as disposable.
“To put it simply, as Nelson Mandela said, ‘There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.’ This OIA shows young people are being sanctioned and pushed off support without evidence that jobs exist or any plan to help them relocate.
“That’s not how you protect the next generation. If the evidence doesn’t exist, the policy shouldn’t either.”
“Our 18 and 19-year-olds are ready to work, their parents are already busting their ass just to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads, and yet the government is punishing them for a system that doesn’t exist. No jobs, no plan, and no evidence – while young people are paying the price.”
“Hardworking whānau have waited long enough and the government needs to stop hiding behind BS excuses and take action now. Anything less is unacceptable!”
Kick Back general manager Aaron Hendry says a lack of opportunity, not ambition, is driving youth poverty.
“Kick Back has serious concerns that this policy is going to push more of our rangatahi and whanau deeper into poverty and make our young people more vulnerable to homelessness. Our rangatahi do not lack motivation, what they lack is opportunity, and the support they need to overcome the very significant challenges they face.
“Instead of punishing young people for an economic crisis that they have had no hand in making, our Government could be investing in solutions, building pathways into meaningful employment, creating opportunities, and building the social infrastructure our rangatahi require in order to thrive.”
CPAG, AAAP and Kickback are loudly and clearly saying enough is enough, renewing calls for the Government to immediately pause the Jobseeker Support changes for 18 and 19-year-olds, and release any labour-market evidence it is relying on to justify the policy.
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Economy – How important are global market shocks for explaining NZGB-swap spreads? – Reserve Bank of NZ

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

20 January 2026 – We have published an Analytical Note: How important are global market shocks for explaining NZGB-swap spreads?

This Note documents historical developments in the spread between New Zealand Government Bond yields and interest rate swap (IRS) rates – the NZGB-swap spread.   (ref. https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=8856bc1374&e=f3c68946f8 )

Key findings

NZGB-swap spreads tend to become more volatile during periods of global sovereign bond market illiquidity and moved persistently higher after the Global Financial Crisis. The increase in NZGB-swap spreads since mid-2023 has been correlated with higher sovereign bond-swap spreads in a range of jurisdictions. 

This Note estimates a structural vector autoregression model to understand how much of the overall variation in NZGB-swap spreads is explained by US shocks.
Forecast error variance decomposition analysis shows that in the longer-run, around 56% of the variation in the 10-year NZGB-swap spread is explained by US shocks. Historical decomposition analysis shows both US and domestic shocks have been important drivers of the increase in the 10-year NZGB-swap spread since mid-2023.

Trends in New Zealand financial markets can often be traced back to global factors, which is why it is important to understand to what extent changes in domestic financial conditions are a response to global or local shocks.

Why we did this research

The spread between New Zealand Government Bond (NZGB) yields and interest rate swap (IRS) rates – the NZGB-swap spread – has increased since mid-2023.

NZGB-swap spreads often rise sharply during periods of illiquidity in the NZGB market, so it is important to understand whether movements in NZGB-swap spreads can be explained by macroeconomic factors (such as the domestic business cycle or global shocks) or are due to factors that may be symptomatic of a deterioration in NZGB market liquidity.

As discussed in one of our recent speeches, trends in New Zealand financial markets need to be understood in their global context. This is a key motivation for undertaking this analysis to understand how much of the variation in NZGB-swap spreads is driven by US shocks. We focus on the influence of US shocks because of the central role that the US plays in global markets.

Read the speech – Transmission currents and the flow of monetary policy to financial conditions: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=a55c167954&e=f3c68946f8

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Fire Safety – Fire restrictions eased in Hawke’s Bay

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Rain and cooler temperatures have eased the fire risk in parts of Hawke's Bay, which has enabled Fire and Emergency New Zealand to reduce restrictions on open air fires in some places and remove them in others.
From today (Tuesday 20 January) the Ahuriri-Heretaunga, Tukituki West and Tukituki East zones will move from a total prohibition to a Restricted Fire Season. This means farmers and orchardists, contractors, forestry contractors and others can still carry out controlled burns on their land if they need to, but they will need a permit  from Fire and Emergency which provides clear guidelines and advice on how to use fire safely. It also allows people to apply for permits for recreational fires like bonfires.
At the same time, the other parts of Hawke's Bay that have been under a Restricted Season will move to an open season, where fires can be lit without a permit provided people use common sense and follow basic fire safety principles. These zones are Wairoa Inland, Wairoa Coast, Te Haroto, Esk-Tutaekuri, Tararua West, Tararua East Tararua Central, Porangahau and Southern Hawke's Bay Coast.
Fire and Emergency District Manager Tony Kelly has thanked the community for taking notice of the fire safety messages over the previous few weeks, when Hawke's Bay was at high risk of fires.
“The recent rain has helped reduce the danger, but there is a lot of summer left and it will only take a few hot and windy days for vegetation to dry out,” he says.
“If you’re planning a fire, please keep your burn piles small – that is, under 3m – only light one pile at a time and make sure they are fully extinguished before dusk.
“Go back afterwards and check that they stay cold.”
Wherever you are, go to www.checkitsalright.nz to make sure of the fire season in your location, and what rules apply to open fires. 
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Australia-New Zealand – New Zealand firefighters deploy to Victoria

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand has sent 22 firefighters to Victoria today, following a formal request from Emergency Management Victoria.
The contingent consists of 20 firefighters experienced in arduous conditions, and two liaison officers.
One of the crews is from the Department of Conservation, one is from the forestry industry and the other two crews comprise volunteer firefighters from Fire and Emergency brigades around the country.
They departed this morning and will return to New Zealand on 2 February.
Victoria is experiencing extreme weather conditions with multiple bushfires, which have already caused loss of life and extensive damage to homes, property and the environment.
Assistant National Commander Ken Cooper says the firefighters who have been selected for this deployment are all experienced at working on complex wildfires in difficult terrain and hot temperatures. Their taskings will be confirmed when they reach Melbourne, but they are equipped and ready to stay at a fire camp in a remote location.
Fire and Emergency has international agreements to provide mutual assistance, and regularly deploys personnel overseas to Australia, Pacific Islands and North America.
“We assess each request to ensure that we have the capacity to send appropriate personnel without compromising our ability to maintain full capability to respond to incidents at home,” Ken Cooper says.
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Billionaire wealth jumps three times faster in 2025 to highest peak ever, sparking dangerous political inequality says Oxfam

Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

Billionaires 4,000 times more likely to hold political office than ordinary people
Billionaire wealth jumped by over 16 per cent in 2025, three times faster than the past five-year average, to $18.3 trillion – its highest level in history, according to a new Oxfam report today as the World Economic Forum opens in Davos.
Billionaire wealth has increased by 81 per cent since 2020. This comes as one in four people don’t regularly have enough to eat and nearly half the world’s population live in poverty.
The report “Resisting the Rule of the Rich: Defending Freedom Against Billionaire Power” analyses how the super-rich are securing political power to shape the rules of our economies and societies for their own gain and to the detriment of the rights and freedoms of people around the world.
The surge in billionaire wealth coincides with the US Trump administration pursuing a pro-billionaire agenda. It has slashed taxes for the super-rich, undermined global efforts to tax large corporations, reversed attempts to address monopoly power and contributed to the growth of AI-related stocks that have provided a boon to super-rich investors world-wide.
His presidency has sent a clear warning sign to the rest of the world about the power of the ultra-rich. Rather than solely a US phenomenon Oxfam’s paper demonstrates that rising oligarchy is undermining societies worldwide. Oxfam’s report finds:
  • The collective wealth of billionaires last year surged by $2.5 trillion, almost equivalent to the total wealth held by the bottom half of humanity – 4.1 billion people.
  • The number of billionaires topped 3,000 last year for the first time, while the richest, Elon Musk, became the first ever to surpass half a trillion dollars.
  • Billionaires are 4,000 times more likely to hold political office than ordinary people.
  • The $2.5 trillion rise in billionaires’ wealth would be enough to eradicate extreme poverty 26 times over.
New Zealand has four people with over a billion US dollars of wealth. These four billionaires together own more wealth than a third of New Zealanders, over 1.8 million people combined. At the same time, more than 900,000 people in Aotearoa suffer from food insecurity, over 17% of the population.
“It’s obscene to see such a massive accumulation of wealth by so few individuals, while nearly a million people in Aotearoa can’t afford enough to eat” said Nick Henry, Oxfam Aotearoa’s Advocacy and Policy Lead.
“No-one should be going hungry in a society that produces so much wealth. We need our political leaders to stand up to the billionaires and multi-millionaires and say we’re going to tax this extreme wealth so that every Kiwi family can have a decent quality of life.”
“The widening gap between the rich and the rest is at the same time creating a political deficit that is highly dangerous and unsustainable.” said Oxfam Executive Director Amitabh Behar.
Oxfam estimates that billionaires are 4,000 times more likely to hold political office than ordinary citizens. A World Values Survey of 66 countries found that almost half of all people polled say that the rich often buy elections in their country.
“Governments are making wrong choices to pander to the elite and defend wealth while repressing people’s rights and anger at how so many of their lives are becoming unaffordable and unbearable,” Behar said.
Billions of people are being left facing avoidable hardships of poverty, hunger and death from preventable diseases because the system is rigged against them. Worldwide one in four people face food insecurity, having to regularly skip meals.
The rate of poverty reduction has stagnated with levels broadly where they were in 2019. Extreme poverty is rising again in Africa. Political decisions made by governments across the world last year to slash aid budgets have directly hit people living in poverty and could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030.
Civil liberties and political rights are being rolled back and suppressed; 2024 was the nineteenth successive year of decline with a quarter of all countries curtailing freedoms of expression. Last year there were more than 142 significant anti-government protests across 68 countries which authorities typically met with violence.
“Being economically poor creates hunger. Being politically poor creates anger.” said Behar.
The chances of democratic backsliding through, for example, the erosion of the rule of law or the undermining of elections is seven times more likely in highly unequal countries. “No country can afford to be complacent. The pace that economic and political inequality can hasten the erosion of people’s rights and safety can be frighteningly fast,” he said.
Governments are allowing the super-rich to dominate media and social media companies. Billionaires own more than half the world’s largest media companies and all the main social media companies.
The report cites Jeff Bezos’ purchase of the Washington Post, Elon Musk with Twitter/X, Patrick Soon-Shiong with the Los Angeles Times and a billionaire consortium buying large shares of The Economist. In France, far-right billionaire Vincent Bolloré now controls CNews, rebranding it as the French equivalent of Fox News. In the UK, three-quarters of newspaper circulation is controlled by four super-rich families.
The report cites evidence that only 27% of top editors globally are female and just 23% belong to racialized groups respectively. This has seen their voices marginalized, while minorities like immigrants and people of colour are often stigmatized and scapegoated and critics silenced.
Authorities in Kenya have used X to track, punish and even abduct and torture government critics. A study by the University of California meanwhile found that in the months following Elon Musk’s acquisition of X the rates of hate speech increased by about 500 per cent.
“Our societies feel more toxic today because they demonstrably are, but not always for the reasons we’re being told. The outsized influence that the super-rich have over our politicians, economies and media has deepened inequality and led us far off track on tackling poverty. Governments should be listening to the needs of the people on things like quality healthcare, action on climate change and tax fairness,” Behar said.
Oxfam is calling on governments to prioritise:
  • Realistic and time-bound National Inequality Reduction Plans, with well-established benchmarks and regular monitoring of progress.
  • Effectively taxing the super-rich to reduce their power, including with broad-base taxes on income and wealth at high enough rates to reduce massive levels of inequality.
  • Stronger firewalls between wealth and politics including by tougher regulations against lobbying and campaign financing by the rich, ensuring more media independence, and banning hate speech.
  • Accountability for the political empowerment of ordinary citizens, including stronger protection for people’s freedoms of association, assembly and expression and for civil society organisations and trade unions.
Notes:
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Energy Initiatives – Politicians go head-to-head on New Zealand’s energy future at Electrify Queenstown 2026

Source: DESTINATION QUEENSTOWN & LAKE WĀNAKA TOURISM

Queenstown, New Zealand (19 January 2026) Award-winning summit Electrify Queenstown will return in May 2026 with a power-packed programme combining political debate, high-profile speakers, immersive electric experiences and practical advice for businesses and households ready to electrify.

Delivered by Destination Queenstown, with principal sponsor Aurora Energy, Electrify Queenstown 2026 will be held across three days at the Queenstown Events Centre, from Sunday 17 May to Tuesday 19 May 2026.

The centrepiece will be The Future of New Zealand's Energy System: Political Debate, bringing together representatives from National, Labour, the Green Party, and The Opportunity Party for a rare on-stage energy discussion, moderated by leading journalist Paddy Gower.

Electrify Queenstown 2026 also features a strong line-up of national and international speakers shaping the future of electrification, energy and transport, along with panel discussions on everything from electrification myth-busting to finance.

Beyond the stage, the summit is known for its immersive, real-world electric experiences and demonstrations. Attendees will be able to visit smart homes and businesses, get hands-on with the latest e-bikes, e-boats, e-vehicles, solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and household tech, and also receive practical, direct advice in the How-to-Hub, hosted by Queenstown Electrification Accelerator.

Earlybird tickets are on sale now.

Mat Woods, Chief Executive of Destination Queenstown & Lake Wānaka Tourism, says Electrify Queenstown continues to evolve as electrification gathers pace.

“Across the country we're seeing electrification move from early adoption to the mainstream, and this summit captures that moment – bringing together political leaders, global thinkers and real-world examples to show what's possible, what's next, and how communities and businesses can be part of the transition.

“And with the General Election this October, Electrify Queenstown 2026 will provide an opportunity to hear directly from politicians about how they plan to power New Zealand's future.”

Speakers and panellists include renewable electricity advocate, entrepreneur and inventor Dr Saul Griffith, Rewiring Aotearoa's Mike Casey, and Queenstown-based Xero founder Sir Rod Drury, all returning for a second year, along with Aotearoa environmentalist and entrepreneur Izzy Fenwick.

Queenstown Lakes District Mayor John Glover says: “Electrification is vital for the future of the district and as a business owner, I've seen firsthand how smart energy choices can strengthen resilience and reduce long-term costs.

“Electrify Queenstown is valuable because it shows what's already working, locally. It gives people practical confidence that these solutions are achievable, scalable and relevant to our community.”

Electrify Queenstown 2026 is proudly supported by principal sponsor Aurora Energy, along with supporting sponsors Air New Zealand, Westpac, Queenstown Lakes District Council, TomTom Productions, and Queenstown Catering.

Richard Fletcher, Chief Executive of Aurora Energy, says the company is pleased to be principal sponsor for the third consecutive year.

“This event continues to play a vital role in helping businesses and households understand the benefits of electrification, from cost savings and efficiency gains to reducing emissions and building resilience.

“As the owner of the main electricity distribution network in Queenstown, our role is to ensure the network is safe, reliable, and ready to meet growing demand. We are investing in our network across the Wakatipu area, and have a number of projects underway to support growth and enable future energy choices. As demand for electricity continues to rise, we remain committed to ensuring our network is ready.”

For the first time, Electrify Queenstown 2026 will introduce ticketing, including early-bird pricing, to ensure the event remains financially sustainable into the future.

“It allows us to keep bringing in world-class speakers, immersive experiences and practical content, while building a platform that's sustainable for the long term,” Woods says.

Tickets are now on sale for Electrify Queenstown 2026, with options to attend individual days, events, or the full three-day programme.

Day 1 – Sunday 17 May: Electric Experiences

Community and business-focused electric tours, demonstrations and exhibitions showcasing electrification in action

Day 2 – Monday 18 May: Business Innovation, Investment & Policy

Keynote speakers, political debate, and finance and investment panels, aimed at business leaders, boards,decision-makers and the community

Day 3 – Tuesday 19 May: How to Electrify

Practical, hands-on sessions for business owners, operators and teams focused on implementation, cost savings and real-world solutions

For more information, visit www.electrifyqueenstown.co.nz
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Weather News – Relentless Heavy Rain and Strong Winds – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 19th – Friday 23rd January

  • Yellow Heavy Rain Watch for Northland 
  • Yellow Heavy Rain Watches for Auckland (north of the Harbour Bridge), Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula 
  • A Low with tropical origins likely to impact New Zealand’s weather from Wednesday.

Significant severe weather continues this week with heavy rain and strong winds for the North Island.  

Northland is under an active Yellow Heavy Rain Watch until midday on Tuesday the 20th of January as showers continue. Additionally, severe thunderstorms with localised downpours of 25-40 mm/h possible for Northland this evening (Monday) through until early Tuesday morning. Yellow Heavy Rain Watches have also been issued for Auckland (north of the Harbour Bridge), Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula for Tuesday.

Why so much rain for Northland? MetService Meteorologist Devlin Lynden says, “A persistent moisture-laden easterly flow has been drawn down from the tropics. As the moisture is pushed onto the coastal ranges, it is forced upward, this cools the air down and allows that moisture to condense and fall out as rain… and a lot of it.”  

On Tuesday, heavy rain is expected to affect parts of Northland, particularly the northern and eastern coasts. Heavy rain is also possible about Gisborne/Tairāwhiti and northern Hawke's Bay. As well as strong easterlies expected in the north of the North Island.

On Wednesday, a low of tropical origin moving southeast, is expected to approach the North Island, bringing heavy rain and strong east to northeast winds. For Northland, Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula there is a chance that northeast winds will reach severe gale in exposed places. 

On Thursday, the path and strength of the low originating from the tropics is very uncertain. It is likely that it will pass over or close to the North Island and may extend a trough onto the South Island. Heavy rain and strong winds are possible in many northern and central parts of the country.  

On Friday, although there remains much uncertainty, the low should move off to the east of mainland New Zealand.  

MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows says, “With more heavy rain expected for Northland, who have already experienced significant flooding this past weekend, please prepare and check in on your neighbours. Keep up to date with Civil Defence Northland too.”  

Find our latest warnings at www.metservice.com/warnings and our Severe Weather Outlook at www.metservice.com/warnings/severe-weather-outlook.

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Property Market – Does property double in a decade? Not in the last cycle, new data from realestate.co.nz shows

Source: RealEstate.co.nz

  • National average asking price increased by 55.1% in past 10 years
  • Auckland’s average asking price increases only 23.5%
  • The regions take the cake for delivering the biggest returns with seven doubling in price since 2015
  • Gisborne reports 145% increase from $284,134 in 2015 to $697,527 in 2025.

Lore tells us that property prices double every 10 years, but the latest data from realestate.co.nz shows this wasn’t the case nationally in the last decade. Between 2015 and 2025 New Zealand's national average asking price only increased by 55.1%, from $556,931 to $863,747.

While the highly sought-after doubling in value milestone may not have occurred nationally, seven of New Zealand’s 19 regions did achieve the coveted accolade.

Gisborne topped the chart with a 145.5% increase in its asking price from $284,134 in 2015 to $697,527 in 2025. Manawatu/Whanganui followed with a 121.5% increase from $274,032 in 2015 to $606,985 in 2025 and Central North Island recorded the third highest increase of 119.2% from $348,659 in 2015 to $764,316 in 2025.

Of the major centres, Auckland delivered the least value increase in the last decade with a 23.5% increase from $846,730 in 2015 to $1,045,328 in 2025. Waikato was the standout performer with a 95.9% increase in average asking price over the decade, from $405,770 in 2015 to $795,097 in 2025.

Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says while it may be true for some, the last decade has debunked the notion as a general rule. “The idea that property always doubles in value every 10 years is a simplification that doesn’t reflect how the market really works,” says Williams. “Property moves in cycles – we have peaks, plateaus, and periods of correction, so doubling in value isn’t a guarantee and it will always depend on individual properties and locations as well.”

“Over the past decade, we’ve seen significant regional variation and, in many areas, growth has fallen well short of that aspirational ‘doubling in value’ benchmark. While prices generally rise over time, growth is rarely linear and depends heavily on when in the cycle you buy and sell.”

Which regions fetched returns for homeowners?

Southland (111.3%), Hawke’s Bay (105.0%), Wairarapa (100.7%) and Coromandel (100.1%) were the four remaining regions that more than doubled their average asking price during the past decade.

Williams says despite an ever-changing landscape, the value of property continues to increase over the long term.

“Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen the New Zealand property market navigate some of the most dramatic economic shifts in recent history, from a pandemic-fuelled boom to a sharp market reset. In the same period, we’ve seen significant regulatory change, with the introduction of loan-to-value (LVR) restrictions, the bright-line test, and more recently, debt-to-income (DTI) ratios.

Through it all, property has remained a national conversation and a first-choice of investment for many Kiwis.”

The good news? Hold on for another five years and your price may double

There’s better news for homeowners who bought 15 years ago – the national average asking price has come close to doubling over this period, increasing by 91.9% since 2010, from $450,014 to $863,747 in 2025.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Central Otago/Lakes District recorded the greatest in average asking price over the 15-year period with prices rising 125.1% from $660,246 to $1,485,995.

About realestate.co.nz | New Zealand’s Best Small Workplace (2025)

Realestate.co.nz – your home for property search.

We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996. Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry. We are certified carbon neutral (2024 & 2025) and in 2025, realestate.co.nz was crowned Best Small/Micro Workplace in New Zealand by Great Place to Work.

Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.  

Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.  

Want more property insights?

Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and trends over time.

 Glossary of terms:  

Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.  

Price drop reflects the difference between a property's original asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. While it doesn’t show the final sale price, it provides a strong signal of how much sellers are adjusting to meet buyer demand.