Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Employment Disputes – Strike period incident details – NZPFU again declines request to agree community safety process

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received calls for 11 incidents between 12pm and 1pm today, Friday 16 January, the nineth time the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) has taken strike action.
Of these,10 incidents were in areas impacted by the strike, six of which were fire alarms that did not result in a fire.
The remaining incidents related to a motor vehicle crash involving a quad bike, a call to report a dog locked in a car, and a car fire which turned out to be a false alarm, all of which we responded to.
One further incident was a medical emergency which we did not attend during the strike hour. Hato Hone St John responded as per our contingency plan for this industrial action.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler thanked New Zealanders for their extra care during the strike hour.
“I want to thank our 11,800 volunteers across the country, and their employers for supporting them to respond over today’s strike hour,” she says.
“I would also like to thank our Operational Commanders and Communication Centre Managers, who contributed to the response.”
Megan Stiffler says following the fire in Pakuranga last week, Fire and Emergency has again reached out to NZPFU officials to ask them to agree on a process for responding to emergency events.
“Our aim was to put arrangements in place to mitigate the risk to public safety during strikes, while preserving NZPFU members’ right to take industrial action,” Megan Stiffler says.
“This would cover potential loss of life, when fires are likely to spread, and the need for specialist equipment.
“A range of other organisations in New Zealand have specific requirements to mitigate risk to public safety when taking strike action and given the nature of the work we do I believe we have an obligation to work together to develop arrangements during industrial action. 
“Unfortunately, our request was rebuffed by the NZPFU. That is hugely disappointing and puts our communities in harm’s way.”
The NZPFU again plans to strike for an hour at midday on Friday 23 January and Friday 30 January.
“We have consistently called on NZPFU officials to call off these strikes while we’re actively engaged in independent facilitation to progress collective agreement negotiations. There is no point in putting public safety at risk when that process is ongoing,” Megan Stiffler says.
Fire and Emergency’s next scheduled facilitation with the NZPFU is on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 January.
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CPAG concerned over changes in how child poverty is measured

Source: Child Poverty Action Group

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is concerned about today’s announcement from Stats NZ detailing significant changes to how material hardship will be measured in the Household Income and Living Survey, changes that could affect how child poverty is officially understood and reported in Aotearoa.
What has changed
Stats NZ confirmed that the current DEP-17 index will be replaced with a new MH-18 index.
While DEP-17 asks 17 questions and defines material hardship at a score of six or more, the MH-18 index will ask 18 questions with a new threshold of seven or more.
The new index introduces questions about digital inclusion and bedding quality, which CPAG considers important additions. However, it removes an item relating to visiting local places (such as shops), a change that may reduce understanding of in-person social participation.
“These timely updates reflect the changing reality of our society, but it is concerning that social participation in-person has withdrawn, especially without clear reasons for the new Material Hardship Questionnaire being capped at 18 questions,” says CPAG Research and Programme Officer Dr Yu (Harry) Shi.
Concerns about children's voices
Dr Shi also says the updated methodology offers little clarity on how children were considered in the redesign.
During an embargoed briefing on Friday, Stats NZ officials confirmed that material hardship will be assessed through the Household Spending Module, answered by a “nominated ‘best’ person”, typically the bill-payer, rather than young people themselves.
This means that while individual spending modules will be completed by all household members aged 15 and over, those responses will not directly inform headline material hardship rates.
CPAG is concerned this approach risks overlooking variation in children’s experiences within households, with more detailed insights only available to researchers through the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI).
“While asking each person of the age 15 or older to report on their personal spending behaviour, the collation of all individiual responses under a single data point does not reflect the weight of young people’s experience of material hardship, nor does the design align with its lead, the Child Poverty Reduction Act,” says Dr Shi.
“The onus of proof should not be on interested researchers to dive into IDI to isolate young people’s experience of material hardship.”
Impact of Census cancellation? 
CPAG is particularly concerned that some aspects of the redesign may be linked to the scrapping of the Census, a move CPAG has previously raised concerns about .
“The re-design of how we measure material hardship seems prompted by the scrapping of the Census rather than responding to callings of on-the-ground realities from affected communities. The methodology update should signal a concern for democratic input of how and what data is being collected in Aotearoa to measure child poverty.”
Importance of good child poverty data
Measuring material hardship tells us how many children are missing out on essentials such as food, clothing, heating or stable housing. Under the Child Poverty Reduction Act, this data is used to track whether life is improving for our most vulnerable tamariki.
Good data is also a key accountability tool: it allows the public to see whether governments are meeting the targets they have set for reducing child poverty, including the goal of halving it by 2028.
The latest figures from Stats NZ (year ended June 2024) show more than 156,000 children living in material hardship, about 13.4% of all children. This is slightly higher than in 2018 (13.3%), when the Act was introduced, despite improvements recorded over the years in between.
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Marine Environment – Historic Global Ocean Treaty enters into force – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

The Global Ocean Treaty, dubbed one of the most significant pieces of environmental legislation in decades, will officially enter into force this Saturday [January 17], paving the way for global ocean protection on the High Seas.
Less than one percent of international waters, which make up the majority of the world’s oceans, are currently highly protected. The new Treaty will provide the legal tool to make vast high seas sanctuaries around the globe possible, protected areas that will help mitigate the climate crisis, halt biodiversity collapse and safeguard food security for the billions who depend on the ocean.
Greenpeace Aotearoa campaigner Ellie Hooper says: “Today we are celebrating this historic moment, the result of decades of tireless campaigning to protect the high seas which are home to a vast array of ocean life from coral reefs to whales and seabirds.
“But now the essential work of creating protected areas on the high seas must begin. This includes in the Tasman Sea, between Aotearoa and Australia, where New Zealand remains the only country still carrying out destructive bottom trawling – degrading this hugely biodiverse ecosystem and standing in the way of ocean protection.
“We are calling on the New Zealand Government to back the creation of global ocean sanctuaries and stop destructive bottom trawling from where it does the most harm.
“Time and time again we’ve seen how industrial fishing interests seek to water down ocean protection, fighting to keep destroying the ocean ecosystems that we all rely on. To make the most of this historic win the Government must get on with real work of creating protection, not pandering to the fishing industry who prioritise profit over the health of our blue planet.”
The New Zealand public is already onside. Recent polling shows 79% of New Zealanders support the creation of a global ocean sanctuary in the South Pacific Tasman Sea and 78% want bottom trawling banned in this area.
“The time for action is now – NZ must not delay getting behind this historic Treaty that could revolutionise the way the oceans are managed,” says Hooper. New Zealand has not yet ratified the Global Oceans Treaty – also known as the High Seas Treaty- but was an early signer in 2023, signalling the intention to ratify.
The Treaty coming into force marks the beginning of a crucial countdown to protect 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. Scientists have consistently said protecting a third of the world’s oceans by 2030 is critical to mitigating the dual climate and biodiversity crises.
Increasing High Seas protection from under 1% as it currently stands to 30% in the next four years will require governments to co-operate, be bold, and protect large areas of the ocean high in biodiversity values.
Greenpeace Aotearoa is urging the New Zealand Government to back the creation of a sanctuary in the Tasman Sea, which is earmarked as one of the first places in the world to be protected in a global ocean sanctuary. Seamounts rise from deep and warm and cool currents collide in the Tasman Sea creating a globally significant area that is exceptionally abundant, from ancient corals to migrating whales, rare sharks and high diversity of fish and concentration of seabirds.
“We’ve seen for ourselves the beauty and life that thrives in the Tasman Sea”, says Hooper who led a scientific expedition to explore seamounts in the region last year.
“We also saw the impacts of bottom trawling, observing vast amounts of destroyed coral rubble along known trawl tracks. To protect the ocean for the future, New Zealand must stop bottom trawling and back meaningful ocean protection.”
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Lifestyle – From Resolutions to Real Life: Building Habits That Last Beyond January – Exercise NZ

Source: Exercise NZ

“There's nothing wrong with wanting to make a fresh start in January,”

“But all-or-nothing goals, extreme routines, and relying purely on motivation can set people up to struggle. Real change comes from consistency, support, and doing what's realistic for your life.”

“If your goal improves your quality of life, not just your body, you're far more likely to stick with it,”

As gyms fill and motivation peaks in the first weeks of January, Exercise New Zealand is encouraging Kiwis to rethink how they approach New Year's resolutions, focusing less on short-term motivation and more on sustainable habits that last.

The issue isn't goal-setting itself, but how goals are set.

While New Year's resolutions are popular, many don't stick. An international study cited by Scientific American suggests more than 80% of resolutions are abandoned by February, often because goals are too ambitious, too rigid, or unsupported.

It's encouraging that most resolutions are centred on improving health and wellbeing (79%). However, many people (62%) report feeling external pressure to change rather than being guided by personal readiness or enjoyment. This presents an opportunity: when goals are self-driven, realistic, and supported, they are far more likely to lead to lasting, positive change.

“There's nothing wrong with wanting to make a fresh start in January,” says ExerciseNZ Chief Executive Richard Beddie. “But all-or-nothing goals, extreme routines, and relying purely on motivation can set people up to struggle. Real change comes from consistency, support, and doing what's realistic for your life.”

Motivation fades, habits last

Motivation is powerful at the start of the year, but it's often temporary. When life gets busy, stress increases, or results don't come quickly, motivation can drop, and so can resolutions.

That's why focusing on small, repeatable actions rather than dramatic transformations is more effective. Real progress comes from habits that fit everyday life, ones that still feel achievable in February, sustainable in June, and part of the routine by next December.

In practice, goals are more likely to last when they are personally meaningful, clear but flexible, built gradually, focused on consistency rather than intensity, and supported by others.

“If your goal improves your quality of life, not just your body, you're far more likely to stick with it,” says Beddie.

Three simple ways to make your New Year's resolution stick

To get started, ExerciseNZ shares three simple, research-informed tips to help turn New Year's intentions into lasting habits.

Do it with others: Exercising with a friend, group, or support network helps build accountability and makes movement more enjoyable.
Choose movement you enjoy: People are far more likely to stay active when they enjoy what they're doing, rather than forcing routines they don't like.
Start small and be specific: Breaking goals into clear actions, such as exercising twice a week. This makes habits easier to repeat and maintain.

As 2026 begins, ExerciseNZ encourages New Zealanders to prioritise regular physical activity to support physical health, mental wellbeing, and long-term quality of life. Moving beyond short-term resolutions, support from local gyms and registered exercise professionals can help people incorporate movement into daily life and sustain safe, effective participation over time.

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Stats NZ updates material hardship measure for child poverty statistics – Stats NZ news story

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Stats NZ updates material hardship measure for child poverty statistics – news story

 

16 January 2026

Stats NZ has changed how we measure material hardship to ensure continuity between the new Household Income and Living Survey (HILS) and the Household Economic Survey (HES) it replaced in 2024.

HILS was introduced to streamline and modernise how Stats NZ collects and produces household income, expenditure, net worth, and child poverty statistics. It incorporates updated collection technology and questionnaire design to reduce the survey burden on respondents and improve data quality. To address the impact of these design changes, the Government Statistician has made the decision to update the methodology used to measure material hardship.

In February 2026, Stats NZ will produce material hardship statistics using an updated methodology that includes the use of a new 18-item index called MH-18.

Visit our website to read the full news story and methods paper:

 

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Employment Disputes – Strike period safety warning – NZPFU declines request to agree community safety process

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is warning the public to take care and be vigilant during today’s strike by the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU).
The strike will take place between midday and 1pm and will mean responses to emergencies in areas covered by paid firefighters will be delayed.
“We’re reminding the public to be cautious during this period. We will continue to answer calls and respond to fires, but our response times will be longer than normal given volunteers will be responding from the next nearest station,” National Commander Megan Stiffler says.
“This was demonstrated last Friday with the fire in Pakuranga. Following that event, we again reached out to NZPFU officials to ask them to agree a process for responding to emergency events. 
“Our aim was to put arrangements in place to mitigate risk to public safety during strikes, while preserving NZPFU members’ right to take industrial action. 
This would cover potential loss of life when fires are likely to spread and the need for specialist equipment.
“A range of other organisations in New Zealand have specific requirements to mitigate risk to public safety when taking strike action and given the nature of the work we do I believe we have an obligation to work together to develop arrangements during industrial action.
“Unfortunately, our request was rebuffed by the NZPFU so we’re again warning the public to take extra care during today’s strike. 
“We have consistently called on the NZPFU to call off these strikes while we’re actively engaged in independent facilitation to progress collective agreement negotiations. There is no point in putting public safety at risk when that process is ongoing,” Megan Stiffler says. 
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Northland News – Marris to head Kaipara Moana Remediation Operations

Source: Northland Regional Council

Kaipara District Council (KDC) chief executive Jason Marris has been appointed the new Pou Tātaki (General Manager) of Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) operational arm Kaipara Maurikura.
Kaipara Moana Remediation Joint Committee Chair Tame Te Rangi says Mr Marris offers a profile of more than 25 years of experience in leading, motivating, and developing multi-disciplinary professional teams.
Whangārei-based Mr Marris has been Chief Executive of KDC since November 2022 and has also held management roles at the Whangarei District and Auckland Councils. Prior to his local government career, he spent approximately 12 years with the New Zealand Defence Force.
Tame Te Rangi says Mr Marris will lead a 12-strong team at Kaipara Maurikura, a collaboration to reduce the impact of sediment on the mauri of Kaipara Moana, Aotearoa’s largest harbour system which spans 6000 square kilometres across both Northland and Auckland, including more than 8000km of rivers and streams.
The organisation’s long-term goal is to halve sediment flows into the Kaipara. Across the headwaters of the key river system catchments, KMR invests in projects to restore wetlands, fence off rivers and streams, and plant trees or regenerate forest in the riparian margins and on erosion-prone areas.
Tame Te Rangi says Mr Marris – who will take up his new role in mid-April – is passionate about creating alignment between people, strategy, policy, and operations to deliver impactful work programmes.
“Known as a values-driven leader and a true people person, Jason works effectively across all levels of an organisation and excels at viewing challenges from multiple perspectives.”
Tame Te Rangi thanked KMR’s Acting Pou Tātaki Emma Doré, who has helmed the organisation since former Pou Tātaki Justine Daw resigned from her role in early December. 
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Fire Safety – Restricted Fire Season in coastal parts of North Otago

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Outdoor fires will need a permit in the coastal area of North Otago from Monday morning, when Fire and Emergency New Zealand brings in a Restricted Fire Season for its Coastal Waitaki Zone.
The zone stretches from just south of Palmerston to the Waitaki River and extends about 50km inland.
Inland Otago is already in a Restricted Fire Season, including Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and northern parts of the Waitaki District.
District Commander Craig Gold says that the latest change in fire season reflects the increasing levels of fire risk around Otago. In spite of intermittent rain, vegetation is drying out rapidly and will burn readily.
Declaring a Restricted Fire Season means that farmers, contractors, forestry contractors and others can still carry out controlled burns on their land if they need to, but they will have a permit which provides clear guidelines and advice on how to use fire safely.
There are exemptions for cultural cooking fires, but other types of recreational fires like campfires and bonfires will also need a permit, obtained in advance.
Go to www.checkitsalright.nz to find out the fire season status for any location in the country, and get advice on how to use fire safely.
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Annual food prices increase 4.0 percent – Selected price indexes: December 2025 – Stats NZ news story and information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Annual food prices increase 4.0 percent – news story

 

16 January 2026

Food prices increased 4.0 percent in the 12 months to December 2025, following a 4.4 percent increase in the 12 months to November 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

Higher prices for the grocery food group, up 4.6 percent, contributed the most to the annual increase in food prices. This was followed by meat, poultry, and fish, up 7.4 percent annually.

The average price for:

  • milk was $4.92 per 2 litres (previously $4.25), up 15.8 percent annually
  • beef steak – porterhouse was $44.30 per kilogram (previously $36.39), up 21.7 percent annually
  • white bread was $2.20 per 600 grams (previously $1.39), up 58.3 percent annually.

The average prices for milk and bread represent the cheapest available options.

Visit our website to read the full news story and information release and to download CSV files: