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Household living costs increase 2.1 percent – Household living-costs price indexes: March 2026 quarter – Stats NZ news story and information release
Local News – Outstanding speakers lined up for Porirua’s second BizFest
Source: Porirua City Council
BizFest 2026 in Porirua promises outstanding guest speakers as the event aims to celebrate the city’s village economy and inspire, strengthen and celebrate all things business.
The event, to be held on 21 July at Te Rauparaha Arena, is run jointly by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Porirua City Council. The theme this year is Build Your Village, saluting how doing business collaboratively in Porirua doesn’t involve corporate jargon – working together is how it’s always been done.
BizFest 2026 will be MC’d by the amazing Eteroa Lafaele and keynote speakers on the bill are Wellington Phoenix women’s head coach Bev Priestman, rugby superstar Ruby Tui and businessman Sir Ian Taylor.
Whereas last year’s inaugural event focused on “You can survive this”, the 2026 version builds on that hope and implores attendees to “Let’s thrive together”.
This year's theme of Build Your Village focuses on doing business the Porirua way, where whanaungatanga and kotahitanga drive strategy and operations. Along with the lineup of speakers, it features interactive workshops led by local experts, structured networking sessions, and an exhibitor marketplace showcasing services and support for small businesses.
Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik says Porirua’s business community has always had something special, so it’s about recognising that, celebrating it, and growing.
“This is not just a day to hear people speak,” Mr Modlik says.
“This is about connecting and feeling proud of where you are; being excited to continuing to build our village and benefit from that.
“Te mana o te takitini, the strength of many, isn’t new to us, it’s how it’s always been. BizFest gives that approach the infrastructure it deserves.”
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says 21 July will be the opportunity to not just be inspired, but to act.
“Porirua is a place to do business, our city is humming and, importantly, somewhere we look out for one another. BizFest can show off what we have, the innovation that is present, and what exciting things can happen as we continue to move forward.
“What we want is lasting economic success – the village continues to work and flourish long after the event ends.”
BizFest 2026: Build Your Village, runs from 9am-4pm at Te Rauparaha Arena. Tickets are available from https://tickets.ticketspace.co.nz/tickets/bizfest2026
For more information, go to poriruacity.govt.nz/bizfest
Legislation – WORLD VISION WELCOMES FIRST READING OF MODERN SLAVERY BILL IN PARLIAMENT
Source: World Vision
World Vision New Zealand welcomes the historic first reading of a Modern Slavery Bill in parliament today which will help to strengthen the country’s response to slavery and exploitation, while improving transparency for consumers, investors, and businesses.
The Bill passed its first reading with 112 votes in favour, demonstrating strong cross-party support.
World Vision New Zealand National Director, TJ Grant, says it was emotional to witness the Bill pass its first reading in parliament today.
“New Zealanders have been advocating for this legislation for years and it is momentous to finally see the bill pass its first reading with genuine cross-party support.
“The Bill will help New Zealand to play its part in ending modern slavery for more than 50 million people worldwide [i] , including 8,000 [ii] right here in New Zealand,” he says.
The Bill’s first reading took place today following an historic cross-party move earlier this year to fast-track the legislation using a Standing Order 288 which has never before been used in New Zealand’s parliament.
The standing order meant the Bill bypassed the private member’s ballot because it had the support of more than 61 non-executive MPs.
At today’s first reading, the co-sponsor of the Bill, Labour MP Camilla Belich stressed the overwhelming support for the Bill.
“This is a practical bill that will address a very serious problem. There’s huge support with businesses and with New Zealanders. A survey in 2022 showed that 81% of New Zealanders support taking action on modern slavery. This is not controversial. It’s the right thing to do,” she said.
Fellow co-sponsor of the Bill, National MP Greg Flemming told the house the Bill would bring greater transparency to New Zealand’s supply chains.
“It does turn the attention of companies to their supply chains, and it has been proven time and again that when companies look for these things they see things they haven’t previously seen. That is the fruit of this modern slavery reporting framework,” he said.
The Modern Slavery Bill will introduce:
- Mandatory reporting: requiring businesses and other entities with a consolidated revenue of more than $100 million to prepare, submit, and publish public annual modern slavery statements which detail incidents, risks, due diligence, remediation, complaints, and training across operations and supply chains.
- Greater transparency and accountability: through an online public register of modern slavery statements, and annual reports detailing incidents, risk trends, offences, and civil penalties.
- Enhanced support for victims: through requirements to guide government agency support, improve victim identification, and the services available to trafficking survivors.
- Improved national data collection to track the scale of modern slavery, along with a regular review to strengthen modern slavery legislation in New Zealand.
World Vision research shows that the average New Zealander spends around $77 a week [iii] on goods that are likely linked to child labour, forced labour, or human trafficking, such as electronics, clothing, shoes, and toys.
Grant says the New Zealand business community, local and international investors, and the broader New Zealand public have continually called for modern slavery laws because it is the fair and right thing to do.
“This Bill requires companies to take responsibility for their supply chains and gives New Zealanders confidence that the goods they are buying are slavery-free,” Grant says.
The Bill will now progress to the Education and Workforce Select Committee and Grant is urging New Zealanders to make a submission to help strengthen the law.
“Today’s milestone shows that when New Zealanders speak up, change can happen, so I hope New Zealanders can feel proud that we have got to this point, but it doesn’t end here – we need people to show their support through the Select Committee submission process.
“We have a real opportunitiy to get this right and with continued public support, New Zealand can move into 2027 with modern slavery laws that are strong, robust, and fit for purpose,” Grant says.
Notes:
A timeline of advocacy for a Modern Slavery Act:
- March 2021: 100 businesses sign an open letter calling for modern slavery legislation.
- June 2021: World Vision and Trade Aid delivered a 37,000-strong petition to the Government.
- July 2021: The Labour Government establishes the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group (MSLAG) to support and inform the development of an effective regulatory regime in New Zealand.
- April 2022: The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment solicits public submissions on a proposal for modern slavery legislation. More than 5,000 submissions were made with 90% in support.
- September 2022: The Labour Government releases the feedback which showed widespread support from New Zealand businesses and individuals to introduce law to address modern slavery.
- June 2022: When interviewed as leader of the opposition, Christopher Luxon says that an issue he would march in the streets for is modern slavery legislation.
- March 2023: An independent poll finds that 81% of New Zealanders support legislation to verify the absence of modern slavery in supply chains.
- July 2023: The Labour Government announces that modern slavery legislation will be drafted requiring businesses to publicly report on modern slavery risks.
- May 2024: The National Coalition Government disestablished the Modern Slavery Leadership Advisory Group (MSLAG).
- April 2024: When questioned about modern slavery legislation, Minister van Velden and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said this was not a current priority for the Government.
- June 2024: Camilla Belich, Labour spokesperson for Workplace Relations and Safety questioned Minister van Velden on modern slavery at Parliament question time. Minister van Velden reiterated that modern slavery legislation is currently not a priority for the Government.
- December 2024: World Vision NZ’s Rebekah Armstrong, barrister Jacob Parry, and ANZ’s ESG Lead Rebecca Kingi co-drafted the Modern Slavery and Trafficking Expert Practitioners (MSTEP) Modern Slavery Bill.
- December 2024: The Labour Party issued a media release expressing its support for modern slavery legislation and calling on National to back it as well.
- April 2025: National MP Greg Fleming lodged the Modern Slavery Reporting Bill as a Private Member’s Bill, focused on business reporting obligations. This complemented his Increasing Penalties for Slavery Offences Bill, currently before Select Committee.
- June 2025, Labour MP Camilla Belich lodged a Modern Slavery Bill. This bill introduces similar business reporting requirements but is more comprehensive including updates to the Crimes Act stronger provisions for victim protection and support and the establishment of an Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
- August 2025: The Minister of Justice announced plans to amend the Crimes Act to strengthen laws against trafficking, including many provisions recommended in the MSTEP Bill. World Vision launched its campaign urging politicians to work together utilising the rule of 61.
- September 2025: 28 signatories, representing institutional investors and New Zealand businesses accounting for more than NZD 215 billion, released an open letter calling for urgent action on modern slavery legislation.
- September 2025: The Government introduced the Adoption Amendment Bill to prevent trafficking and unsafe adoptions, signalling willingness to strengthen New Zealand's response to modern slavery and trafficking.
- December 2025- both member bills were removed from the ballot.
- January 2026 joint modern slavery bill introduced.
- April 2026: Modern Slavery Bill has it’s first reading in Parliament.
Investments – NZ Super Fund well positioned in volatile markets
Source: New Zealand Superannuation Fund
STAKEHOLDER UPDATE APRIL 2026 – NZ Super Fund well positioned in volatile markets.
The NZ Super Fund is well positioned in the current volatile market conditions with investment strategies performing as expected.
As at 31 March, Fund value stood at $86.6 billion and the Fund had returned 11.9 percent over the previous 12 months, slightly ahead of the passive Reference Portfolio benchmark, which had returned 11.01 percent (all returns after cost and before NZ tax).
Co-Chief Investment Officer Brad Dunstan says: “Our inter-generational mandate and our operational independence allow us to implement long-term investment strategies that can take advantage of market volatility. We remain heavily weighted to growth assets; therefore, the value of the Fund will fluctuate in the short term. Our focus remains on maximising long-term returns and managing risk appropriately.”
Senior investment team appointments
We’re delighted to announce three new senior appointments to our investment team.
Current team members Sian Orr and Bryan Bennett have been appointed Director, Private Equity and Director, Real Assets respectively. With some 20 years’ collective experience on the investment team, Orr and Bennett have been involved in some of the Super Fund’s most important investments as portfolio managers and have held numerous governance roles on behalf of the Fund.
Their appointments follow Brendon Jones’s promotion to Head of Real Assets and the return to the Guardians of former staffer Qing Ding in the newly-created role of Head of Portfolio Strategy and Research.
Meanwhile, Chis Parks has been named Director, Sustainable Investment – a role which will include fostering cross-team collaboration to ensure sustainability considerations are fully integrated into all parts of the Guardians’ investment process, and leading the Guardians’ stewardship activities.
Parks has 20 years’ experience across the fund management industry, including at large Australian super fund QSuper, in climate and sustainability research and as an impact investment Principal and portfolio manager.
Recruitment is continuing for a Head of Portfolio Completion and Head of Private Equity.
Judicial Review finding
We are considering our response to a judicial review decision in which the New Zealand High Court found certain parts of our current sustainable investment policy documents do not comply with legislative requirements.
In broad terms, the Court found that the relevant parts of the policy documents did not identify with sufficient clarity the standards and procedures the Guardians applies in order to invest the Super Fund “in a manner consistent with avoiding prejudice to New Zealand’s reputation as a responsible member of the world community ”.
We will update stakeholders once we have thoroughly evaluated the decision and determined how to respond to it.
Fund makes $1.6 billion tax payment to NZ Government
The Super Fund is once again the nation’s largest single taxpayer following a $1.6 billion payment to the NZ Government in the first week of April.
Tax paid by the Fund now exceeds the Government’s required capital contribution to the Fund, a trend that is set to continue over the coming decade.
On Treasury’s current modelling, the Government will continue contributing to the Fund for the next 10 years; however, forecast contributions during that time of just under $2.5 billion are dwarfed by the $20+ billion in tax Treasury expects the Government will receive from the Fund.
Tax paid by the Fund for the 2025 financial year represents approximately 10 percent of the New Zealand’s corporate tax take and 1.4 percent of total tax paid.
Treasury’s modelling of the Fund’s contributions and withdrawals profile will be updated following the NZ Government’s Budget announcement in May.
Other tax news
Meanwhile, the Government has changed provisional tax rules so that from July 2026 the Super Fund will need to make only one provisional tax payment per year, instead of the three payments currently required.
As well as aligning the Fund and its wholly-owned subsidiaries with the approach applied to KiwiSaver funds, this change will reduce compliance costs; allow us to make a more accurate assessment of our provisional tax payments; and reduce the need for us to regularly liquidate investments to meet our NZ tax liabilities.
Thin capitalisation rules will also be changed so that overseas entities looking to invest in qualifying infrastructure projects will receive the same tax treatment as their New Zealand counterparts.
The current regime limits the amount of tax-deductible debt foreign investors can use to finance projects in New Zealand.
The National Business Review quoted Revenue Minister Simon Watts as saying the changes were designed to strike a better balance between protecting the New Zealand tax base and attracting necessary funding for economic growth.
Guardians Head of Tax John Payne told NBR that the changes removed one obstacle to overseas investment, but cautioned several other factors went into determining an investment opportunity's attractiveness.
Nevertheless, Payne said, the Fund, which often sought co-investment from overseas partners, would be spreading the word that change was coming and New Zealand was “open for business”.
Genesis Energy re-enters portfolio following change to decarbonisation method
The Super Fund will no longer exclude companies with incidental or very low exposure to fossil fuel reserves from its listed equities portfolios, following a review of the methods it uses to meet its carbon targets.
The change means the Fund has now invested in NZX-listed Genesis Energy and can consider investing in climate change transition assets that may previously have been excluded. It also removes some operational complexity.
The Fund's carbon targets are reviewed every five years, most recently last year. The Fund is currently ahead of target reductions in carbon emissions intensity and in potential emissions from fossil fuel reserves owned by the Fund, and is on track to achieve its goal of net zero by 2050.
Fossil fuel reserves had been subject to a blanket exclusion from the Fund’s listed equities portfolio as a means of meeting overall climate targets, and to reduce exposure to climate change-related investment risk. This blanket exclusion is no longer required to meet these targets, given the Fund’s passive global equity portfolio is now tracking MSCI indices that are aligned with the Paris Agreement and subject to ongoing decarbonisation.
Farewell to GHD House; open for business at the CPO from 11 May
After more than a decade in Zurich/Jarden/GHD House, we’re moving across Te Komititanga Square into our new offices in the Chief Post Office Building, above Waitematā train station, in downtown Auckland.
The new office will be open from 11 May. We’re looking forward to hosting stakeholders there later in the year, once we’re settled in. Our new physical address is Level 1, 12 Queen Street, Auckland 1010. Our postal address and other contact details will remain the same.
PEI Awards: NZ Super wins Limited Partner of the Year Award
In March the Super Fund was named by Private Equity International (PEI) magazine as its Asia-Pacific Limited Partner of the Year. PEI said the Fund became a “hot property” for General Partners after formally relaunching its buyout programme with a particular focus on the lower mid-market.
“At a time when many LPs are seeking to consolidate their GP relationships with a smaller number of – often larger, more established – managers, NZ Super has likely positioned itself as a top priority for US and European rainmakers in 2026 and beyond.”
The category runner-up was AustralianSuper.
NZ Super Fund at Pacific Islands Investment Forum
The Super Fund sponsored a recent meeting of the Pacific Islands Investment Forum (PIIF) ‘Women in Super’ network in Vanuatu.
Women in Super Steering Committee member and Sustainable Investment Analyst at the Guardians Laumanu Mafi, who was formerly on the investment team at the Retirement Board of Tonga, said the network was focused on capability-building, strengthening female participation in the superannuation industry and improving retirement outcomes for women.
“We value our partnership with PIIF and helping with this event was a great way to contribute to an important network of female investment and pension leaders.”
The Fund has been a member of PIIF, a group of 20 Pacific Island funds, for more than a decade. Excluding the Fund, PIIF members are responsible for investing around NZ$29 billion, with the largest funds being from Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
NZ Hotel sales progress
Brookfield Asset Management last month received Overseas Investment Office consent to buy the 280-room Rydges Wellington and the 84-room Sofitel Queenstown from NZ Hotel Holdings, which is 80 percent-owned by the NZ Super Fund.
Brookfield had previously announced it would invest approximately $250 million to acquire and reposition the two properties.
This transaction follows the sale last December of the QT in Auckland's Viaduct for $87.5 million to ASX-listed hotel operator EVT. Four other properties in Christchurch, Rotorua and Auckland remain on the market.
Domestic expansion for Datacom
Datacom, Australasia's largest home-grown tech company, recently announced it had bought T4’s Auckland data centre.
The Highbrook facility is the second Auckland site for Datacom, which is 45 percent-owned by the NZ Super Fund, and takes the Group's total number of sovereign data centres across New Zealand to five.
Announcing the transaction, Datacom Chief Executive Greg Davidson said the acquisition reflects the growing importance of sovereign infrastructure as demand for data, AI and secure digital services accelerates.
Read Datacom's full announcement here: https://nzsuperfund.cmail19.com/t/d-l-gullkn-hujkdust-u/
GO OFFLINE AND CHANGE A LIFE: KIWI STARS BACK WORLD VISION 40 HOUR CHALLENGE
Source: World Vision
Kiwi sports and music stars are calling on the nation’s youth to switch off their screens for this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge to tackle severe hunger in the Pacific.
Rugby players Caleb Clarke and Wallace Sititi, singer-songwriter Paige Tapara, and climate advocate Brianna Fruean are fronting this year’s campaign to raise funds for children in Solomon Islands facing severe food shortages caused by rising seas and unpredictable crops.
The nationwide campaign runs from 19-21 June 2026 and invites participants to go offline for 40 hours by giving up phones, gaming, social media, streaming, and even electricity, while raising funds for hungry children in Solomon Islands.
World Vision New Zealand National Director, TJ Grant, says right now, one in six children in the Pacific is living in severe food poverty [i] .
“These are our closet neighbours in the Pacific, yet nearly half of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition and are not getting what they need to grow and thrive [ii] .
“This year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge is asking rangatahi to give up their screentime for a short time to support vulnerable children in Solomon Islands, where 80% of people rely on fishing and farming for food and income [iii] , but climate change is making it increasingly difficult for families to put food on the table.
Rugby player Caleb Clarke says he’s proud to get behind a campaign to support hungry children in the Pacific.
“I have Pasifika heritage and Aotearoa New Zealand has so many close links with the Pacific, but it’s heartbreaking to know how many Pasifika kids are struggling to get enough to eat. I’d really encourage young people here to step up and do what they can to support their Pacific neighbours,” he says.
World Vision 40 Hour Challenge ambassador Wallace Sititi says the campaign is a powerful way for young people to step up.
“My family has always taught me the importance of giving back and putting others first. Going offline for 40 hours is a simple thing to do and it’s even more fun when you take it on with your mates. Together, we can make a real difference.”
Fellow ambassador, singer-songwriter Paige Tapara says in 2026 the challenge to be offline for 40 hours is truly demanding.
” I did the 40 Hour Challenge more than a decade ago, and even back then, I was scrolling on my phone, but there’s so much more to life beyond the screen. Your best memories are created offline with your mates and when you’re doing something meaningful. When you can use your time to do something good as well, why wouldn’t you?” she says.
Grant says this year’s campaign taps into a growing desire among young New Zealanders to switch off from devices.
World Vision New Zealand’s focus groups with Year 7-11 students in 2026 vii found that rangatahi say they feel tired or bored after long periods online and many admitted they would find it difficult to be offline completely. When asked what they would be doing if they were not online, most said they would be playing sport, spending time with friends and whānau, or getting outdoors.
The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge aims to help young people flip the script and turn time offline into something positive, purposeful and powerful.
Renowned climate advocate Brianna Fruean says giving young people a vehicle to instigate global change is one of the key tenets of the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge.
“I believe the way out of hopelessness is action. Doing something collectively reminds us that we’re part of something bigger. By standing together, we can be part of the change we want to see in the world.”
Funds raised in this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge will help provide families in Solomon Islands with seeds, tools, and training to grow more resilient, predictable crops so children have the nutritious food they need to grow healthy and strong.
Young people can sign up online, with friends, at school, or through their church. For more information, visit 40hour.org.nz
[i] One in six children in the Pacific region live in severe child food poverty. (UNICEF)
[ii] Almost half of children under five (47%) in the Pacific suffer from chronic malnutrition. (WVI Report)
[iii] More than 80% of Solomon Islanders depend on fishing and farming for food and income. (WVNZ – Pacific)
Health Provision Failures – Heartbreaking tragedies were avoidable – NZNO
Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation
Analysis by a media outlet, published today, finding health care staff shortages were contributing factors in the deaths of 11 babies is a national and avoidable tragedy, NZNO says.
The analysis by Stuff into the deaths which date back to 2016 also found staffing issues were identified in a further five cases in which the babies survived but had to be resuscitated and suffered lifelong injuries and disabilities.
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO Kaiwhakahaere and midwife Kerri Nuku says staff shortages are completely avoidable.
“These whānau may have had different outcomes if these hospitals were safely and properly staffed.
“This analysis also noted the pressure on staff, and I would like to acknowledge the mental toll these events would have had on them.
“While these cases span numerous governments, every government makes a decision about the levels of funding they provide for the public health system. The Coalition Government must choose to properly fund the public health system so there are enough midwives in our delivery suites,” Kerri Nuku says.
Te Whatu Ora is already on notice from the Coroner over its chronic and ongoing short staffing in our hospitals following the death of Len Collet at Taranaki Base Hospital Emergency Department in 2020.
“Safe staffing saves lives. Midwives, nurses and the whānau they care for deserve better.
“It is time for Te Whatu Ora to implement urgent safe midwife to patient, and nurse to patient ratios. Health care funding must be based on patient need not arbitrary budgets,” she says.
Kerri Nuku says each case analysed by Stuff represents the darkest moment for that whānau.
“These deaths are utter tragedies and every parent’s worst fear. The birth of a baby should be one of the happiest times in your life. My heart and condolences are with each and every whānau that lost a baby.
“The grief that these mothers endure is tragically life changing.”
Middle East: World leaders must centre protection of civilians and agree an enduring and sustainable ceasefire – Amnesty International
Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
The fragile, temporary ceasefires, between the United States and Iran, and between Israel and Lebanon, must be replaced by an enduring, sustained, and comprehensive regional ceasefire that covers all countries affected by this conflict, to avoid further catastrophic civilian suffering and pave the way for justice, respect for international law and long-term human rights protection for all, Amnesty International said today.
Despite a reduction in armed hostilities this remains a critical and deeply precarious moment for civilians across the Middle East. Both current ceasefire agreements are fragile, temporary and in danger of collapse at any moment, endangering the lives of millions of civilians once more. The USA and Iran are continuing to trade threats and carry out attacks and ship seizures in the Strait of Hormuz.
In Lebanon, as has been the case since 2024, the latest ceasefire has led to a reduction but not an end in hostilities and the Israeli military has remained on Lebanese territory, ordering residents in dozens of villages in border areas not to return. Meanwhile, civilians in Iran face dual risks of atrocity crimes linked to a resumption in unlawful US/Israeli attacks as well as further deadly repression by the Iranian authorities.
“The 28 February US-Israeli attacks on Iran were unlawful, violating the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force and they triggered unlawful acts by Iranian authorities in retaliation. Since then, more than 5,000 people have been killed and millions of civilians across the Middle East have had their lives upended as interrelated conflicts have escalated across the region and civilians and civilian infrastructure have come under attack. All parties including the USA, Israel, Iran and Hezbollah have launched unlawful attacks displaying a chilling disregard for human life, while the US President has issued brazen threats to commit war crimes and even genocide, threatening to wipe out ‘a whole civilization’ in Iran.
“The international community must now draw a red line: there must be a durable and genuine ceasefire; this requires a full halt in armed hostilities by all parties, across all affected countries,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“The so-called ceasefire agreements reached in Gaza in 2025 and Lebanon in 2024
demonstrably failed to stop Israeli attacks on civilians, with as many as 765 Palestinians killed since then, and near daily air strikes and extensive destruction of civilian property in southern Lebanon.
demonstrably failed to stop Israeli attacks on civilians, with as many as 765 Palestinians killed since then, and near daily air strikes and extensive destruction of civilian property in southern Lebanon.
“In a region long scarred by conflict, amidst long-standing impunity for crimes under international law, and the constant threat of renewed violence, civilians cannot afford another partial, selective or short-lived pause that leaves them living in fear and bracing for a repetition of the atrocities they have suffered.”
The armed conflicts quickly spread to 12 countries, endangering the lives and health of millions of civilians with attacks devastating civilian homes and critical infrastructure, harming the environment, and triggering economic shockwaves felt across the region and the globe.
A sustainable, enduring ceasefire is the only credible path to protecting civilians and paving the way for longer-term security, human rights protection and justice for all in the region – including those in Iran, Lebanon, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and in Gulf states.
In Iran, by 7 April, US and Israeli attacks had resulted in at least 3,375 people killed and 25,000 injured, including hundreds of children, according to official figures. The US-Israeli attacks in Iran took place as the population was still reeling from unprecedented massacres of thousands of protesters and bystanders by Iranian authorities during the crackdown on January 2026 protests.
In Lebanon, by the time the ceasefire was announced, 2,294 people had been killed, including 177 children, more than 7,500 wounded. Since the ceasefire, Israel and Hezbollah have continued to trade attacks, with continued reports of civilian casualties.
At least 21 civilians have been killed in Israel where the population has endured attacks from both Iran and Hezbollah. Four people have been killed in the occupied West Bank. Between 28 February and 15 April 2026, at least 29 people have been killed in the Gulf including 13 in the United Arab Emirates, seven in Kuwait, three in Bahrain, three in Oman and three in Saudi Arabia. The figures exclude US military casualties.
At least 21 civilians have been killed in Israel where the population has endured attacks from both Iran and Hezbollah. Four people have been killed in the occupied West Bank. Between 28 February and 15 April 2026, at least 29 people have been killed in the Gulf including 13 in the United Arab Emirates, seven in Kuwait, three in Bahrain, three in Oman and three in Saudi Arabia. The figures exclude US military casualties.
In a briefing published today, Amnesty International details the ongoing dual risks faced by the people of Iran, who are trapped between armed conflict and deadly repression.
The organization is highlighting the need for a dual, people-centred diplomatic approach that combines efforts to establish an enduring ceasefire with concrete steps to prevent atrocity crimes by the Iranian authorities.
“A ceasefire that is not accompanied by long-term solutions that safeguard human rights and address root causes is little more than a temporary patch over a deep wound. This is particularly true in Iran, where the population remains at risk of further atrocities at the hands of the Islamic Republic authorities, and in Lebanon, where civilians face the prospect of renewed conflict, indefinite displacement of civilians and destruction of their homes,” said Agnès Callamard.
“We are witnessing a continued dangerous erosion of the global international legal order and of respect for international humanitarian law. The international community must fully investigate the US and Israeli unlawful attacks on Iran in violation of the UN Charter and all crimes under international law, and ensure that states and individuals are held accountable.
Civilian harm in Lebanon
In Lebanon, where attacks by Israel have had a devastating impact on civilians and have continued in recent days, there is an urgent need for a durable ceasefire that applies to both Israel and Hezbollah – and ensures all civilians are protected in the longer term on both sides of the border.
The Israeli military must immediately cease attacks stop razing civilian structures, withdraw from Lebanon. All those displaced from their homes must be allowed to return. Hezbollah must stop launching attacks into Israel.
Israel had said it would refrain from offensive attacks during the ceasefire, but that it retained the right to take “all necessary measures for self-defence at any time against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks,” and that it would not withdraw from Lebanese territory. During both the current and previous ceasefire agreed in November 2024, Israel has continued to carry out near daily attacks and to destroy Lebanese civilian property along the border. For civilians, this led to prolonged displacement, devastated livelihoods, and the anguish of living in limbo, while accountability and reparations remained nowhere in sight.
Hezbollah has also launched attacks, including into northern Israel, since the current 2026 ceasefire agreement.
From 2 March 2026 onwards, the Israeli military carried out relentless air strikes across the country, killing and wounding civilians, healthcare workers and journalists. The Israeli military’s overly broad mass ‘evacuation’ orders covering huge swathes of southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut displaced over a million people. Israeli forces have also carried out extensive destruction of residential areas and other civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon and are continuing to demolish homes in border villages.
On one of the worst days, on 8 April, the Israeli military boasted it had carried out 100 strikes within just 10 minutes in Lebanon – killing more than 350 people -including simultaneous attacks in crowded civilian areas of central Beirut without warning. The absolute impunity that Israel has enjoyed for its 2024 unlawful attacks in Lebanon has fuelled further violations in 2026.
After repeated rounds of devastating conflict, which have been marked by international crimes, absolute impunity, and civilian lives upended again and again, plans for
accountability must be drawn up and implemented. International crimes must be credibly investigated and alleged perpetrators prosecuted before national or international courts.
accountability must be drawn up and implemented. International crimes must be credibly investigated and alleged perpetrators prosecuted before national or international courts.
The Lebanese government should facilitate accountability efforts, including by accepting the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction. Civilians harmed by international humanitarian law violations should be provided prompt, adequate and effective reparations that recognizes the extent of the harm suffered.
Iranians face dual atrocity risks In Iran, tens of thousands of air strikes by the USA and Israel between 28 February and 7 April have caused grave civilian harm. In one egregious incident, an unlawful US strike on a school in Minab killed 156 people, including 120 children. US and Israeli attacks also caused extensive destruction and damage to civilian infrastructure, including power plants, bridges, universities, schools, residential buildings, medical centres, steel factories and petrochemical facilities endangering the lives and livelihoods of millions and harming the environment.
However, even a durable ceasefire alone cannot guarantee the protection of civilians or
safeguard the human rights of people in Iran. Protesters, dissidents, and others advocating for fundamental political change remain at grave risk of further atrocities by Iranian authorities. Since the US-Israeli attacks, Iranian authorities have ramped up their crackdown on any actual or perceived opposition amid the longest state-imposed internet shutdown on record in Iran.
safeguard the human rights of people in Iran. Protesters, dissidents, and others advocating for fundamental political change remain at grave risk of further atrocities by Iranian authorities. Since the US-Israeli attacks, Iranian authorities have ramped up their crackdown on any actual or perceived opposition amid the longest state-imposed internet shutdown on record in Iran.
Senior officials have made menacing statements in recent weeks equating any form of dissent with siding with the “enemy” and have openly threatened further mass killings of anyone expressing dissent or peacefully advocating for the downfall of the Islamic Republic system, publicly boasting about carrying out thousands of unlawful killings of protesters in January 2026.
The authorities have also arbitrarily executed at least 19 people:
eight protesters nine dissidents and two individuals accused of espionage for the USA and/or Israel. The authorities are also persisting with mass arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture to wipe out dissent.
eight protesters nine dissidents and two individuals accused of espionage for the USA and/or Israel. The authorities are also persisting with mass arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture to wipe out dissent.
The recurrence of atrocities in Iran is rooted in a constitutional structure that entrenches impunity and systemic discrimination and deprives people of access to justice and effective remedies.
To ensure that people in Iran do not face risks of further massacres, a ceasefire must be accompanied by urgent diplomatic action from the international community to prevent atrocity crimes by the Iranian authorities, to support Iranian civil society-led calls for fundamental changes, including to the constitution to ensure equality and respect for human rights, including the right to life.
“In a country reeling from the combined impact of devastating US and Israeli bombings and state-orchestrated massacres, the risks of atrocity crimes by the Iranian authorities against the people in Iran remain significant. They face the threat of renewed air strikes and mass killings if the truce collapses and the prospect of a deadly repression and another severe wave of killings by ‘trigger-ready’ security forces targeting protesters and dissidents they label as ‘enemies’,” said Agnès Callamard.
“The international community must recognize that Iran’s human rights and impunity crisis, now compounded by the US/Israel unlawful attacks and vast suffering of civilians, requires a dual, people-centred diplomatic response. This means combining efforts to investigate the UN Charter violations, protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law with action to prevent atrocity crimes by the Iranian authorities, and support Iranian civil society’s calls for a rights-respecting constitution. It also means establishing pathways for international justice, including the UN Security Council’s referral of Iran's situation to the International Criminal Court.”
Civilian harm across the region A sustainable enduring ceasefire is also the only means of ensuring the protection of civilians and a secure, just and sustainable future for people across the region.
Civilians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory have come under fire from both Iranian missiles and Hezbollah rocket fire. In Israel, at least 34 people were killed – 21 civilians in Israel and 13 soldiers in combat operations in southern Lebanon in 2026. In one unlawful attack, Amnesty International found that a wildly inaccurate Iranian ballistic missile was used to carry out an attack that struck a synagogue in Beit Shemesh killing nine Israeli civilians.
The Huthi armed group in Yemen has also repeatedly fired missiles at Israel, including in March 2026. Four Palestinian women were also killed in the occupied West Bank due to Iranian missile attacks. During the 2024 escalation, Amnesty International documented Hezbollah’s use of inherently inaccurate weapons to launch unlawful rocket attacks that killed and injured civilians in Israel in violation of international humanitarian law.
Israeli authorities must refrain from carrying out unlawful attacks and commit publicly to full respect for international humanitarian law, particularly the prohibition of directing attacks at civilians and civilian objects. Without taking real and concrete steps to end violations of international law and tackle long-standing impunity the risk of repeating rounds of armed conflict is war crimes and other serious violations remains constant.
Iranian strikes on the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman have escalated risks to civilians, with attacks extending beyond US military bases and damaging energy infrastructure, airports, desalination plants and residential neighbourhoods. Iranian officials openly declared their intention to cause economic harm and attack US economic interests.
“The latest regional escalation follows more than two and a half years of relentless conflict across the Middle East, from the Hamas-led attacks on civilians in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, and Israel’s 2024 attacks in Lebanon,” said Agnès Callamard.
“As the threat of renewed atrocity crimes looms, global inaction undermines the mechanisms the international community relies on to prevent and respond to mass atrocities. World leaders must urgently come together to ensure a lasting, comprehensive ceasefire comes into effect immediately -to stop the normalization of mass civilian suffering, defend our shared humanity and help create conditions across the region for a future grounded in human rights, justice and lasting stability.”
Gas gaps and supply strain as security pressures intensify – BusinessNZ
Source: BusinessNZ
New insights from the World Energy Council show New Zealand’s energy sector is entering a more complex and constrained phase, with supply and demand now emerging as the country’s top energy concern.
The World Energy Issues Monitor is a global snapshot of the key challenges and uncertainties shaping the energy sector. The 2026 report highlights a significant shift from last year, with affordability no longer the primary uncertainty. Instead, pressure is building around declining domestic gas supply, rising electricity demand, and the challenge of delivering new infrastructure at pace.
BusinessNZ Energy Council Policy Advisor Ben Young says the latest NZ-specific findings (which accompany the report) reflect a system under transition – and under increasing pressure.
“Affordability uncertainty, while still being a clear priority, has improved off the back of actions from industry and government, the bigger issue now is the growing supply & demand imbalances in the system.
“New Zealand’s domestic gas production has fallen sharply in recent years and is expected to decline further, while electricity demand is set to rise due further to electrification, industrial use, and data centres. At the same time, infrastructure planning has re-emerged as a major uncertainty in the survey.”
The report also highlights growing concern around economic security, as New Zealand becomes increasingly reliant on imported fuels to support its energy system, something Young says is placing renewed pressure on the 'energy trilemma' (balancing security, affordability, and sustainability).
“Trade-offs are now emerging. Ensuring security of supply particularly in dry years may require greater reliance on imported fuels, which has implications for both cost and our emissions.
“On the bright side, the report signals toward reduced uncertainty for affordability, alongside significant investment in new generation and innovation in areas such as geothermal and emerging technologies.
Young says the energy system is changing rapidly. “What this report shows is a growing awareness of the challenges ahead, and the need for coordinated, long-term action to manage them.”
The 2026 Issues Monitor is available to read now. The accompanying New Zealand Country Commentary can be found here: https://www.worldenergy.org/world-energy-community/members/entry/new-zealand
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.
Politics – National MP’s tone-deaf attack on workers exposes who this Govt really serves – PSA
Source: PSA
A National MP has used tax cuts from 637 days ago to justify cutting workers’ pay in 2026 – a startling admission about how the National Party really treats essential workers.
At this morning’s Education and Workforce Select Committee hearing on the Employment Leave Bill, National’s Carl Bates accused the PSA of having “significantly over dramatised” the impact of the bill on workers, and demanded to know whether the union supported the Government’s 2024 tax cuts – as if a tax cut nearly two years ago justified legislating pay cuts for essential workers today.
“This is giving with one hand and taking with the other, and New Zealanders won’t be fooled by it,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“National was not upfront when it delivered its tax cuts in July 2024 that essential workers who do overtime and work anti-social hours would face cuts to their leave and pay less than two years later. If this was the plan all along, workers deserved to know.
“Is Carl Bates really saying it’s ok to disadvantage people now based on the tax cuts they got two years ago? This is Tory maths, rich coming from an accountant. It simply doesn’t add up.
“A tax cut is the Government taking less of what you earn. This bill is the Government legislating to pay you less when you take leave. They are completely different things, and it is insulting to suggest one cancels out the other.
“Bates pointed to one worker earning $140,000 and claimed they got $1,000 a year from the tax cuts. But that worker only earns $140,000 because they work overtime and anti-social hours doing essential work. This bill would significantly cut their pay.
“Is this now the position of the Prime Minister and the National Party – that workers have to offset the loss of leave payments against their tax cuts? Can workers expect other cuts to their take-home pay on the basis that they got a tax cut in 2024?
“This morning, the committee heard from care and support workers looking after people in their nineties, mental health nurses caring for young people in crisis, social workers protecting children, corrections officers keeping communities safe, meat inspectors underpinning a multi-billion dollar export industry, meteorologists whose forecasts keep pilots safe, and the very workers who make Parliament itself function.
“Every single one explained how this bill will cut their pay in a cost-of-living crisis.
“It’s a startling admission about how the National Party treats workers. In a cost-of-living crisis, people doing extra work to care for and protect New Zealanders cannot be forced to accept less pay for it.
“The PSA put workers in front of this committee so MPs could hear directly from the people affected. Instead of listening, Carl Bates lectured them. That tells you everything about who this Government really serves.
“The PSA strongly opposes this bill, which ignores the cost-of-living crisis the Government promised to fix, and will be campaigning hard against it.”
Background information
The Employment Leave Bill proposes to repeal the Holidays Act 2003 and replace it with a new framework. Under the bill, leave would accrue in hours rather than weeks, and additional/casual hours would receive a 12.5% Leave Compensation Payment instead of accruing leave entitlements. Workers who regularly work overtime, anti-social hours or are on-call would receive significantly less pay when they take leave.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.