Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) is again urging the government to uphold its long-standing policies and publicly take action against record Israeli settlement expansion.

It has just been reported that the Israeli cabinet has approved 19 more illegal settlements in the equally illegal Occupied West Bank. This decision will double the number of settlements in the West Bank since the current Israeli government came to power.

PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal says past National-led governments have taken a strong rhetorical stance against such settlements.

“In 2016, the Key government co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which declared Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Occupied East Jerusalem ‘a flagrant violation of international law’,” Nazzal says. “Yet the number of settlers has doubled since then.”

“New Zealand, along with other equally silent Western bloc countries, is paving the way for more hatred and conflict — conflict that is likely to spill beyond the region — by continuing to ignore Israeli violations,” Nazzal says.

“Not only is Israel taking land for settlers, it is openly encouraging settler violence. There have been thousands of attacks on Palestinians — many of them lethal — especially during olive harvest season over the past two years.”

Nazzal says the government should also be reminded that Israel has violated the 10 October ceasefire in Gaza 738 times, directly killing more than 400 Palestinians during that period.

“Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently demanding that various countries ban marches and public statements in support of Palestine,” he says.

“It is long past time for governments to tell Netanyahu that it is his genocidal government that is driving hatred and conflict.”

Maher Nazzal
National Co-Chair PSNA

Source: Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ shares its three top tips to arm bargain hunters with a winning strategy when they hit the shops this Boxing Day.  

“When you’re on the hunt for the best possible deal, you need to watch out for those less-than-genuine bargains,” says Jessica Walker, campaigns manager at Consumer.

“You need a plan to shield you from the hype and protect you from buying a dud.”

1. Come up with a game plan

Boxing Day is another massive marketing opportunity for businesses to persuade shoppers to part with their dollars.  

To avoid a buy-now-regret-later situation, shoppers should separate their wants from their needs and set a budget before hitting the shops.

“Our advice is don’t buy something unless you really need or want it. While the pull of the last sale of 2025 could be strong, the first sale of 2026 is probably less than a week away,” says Walker.

“Keep in mind that the Consumer Guarantees Act does not allow shoppers to get a refund simply because they change their mind about a purchase.”  

2. Know the rules of the game

“No refunds” or “no exchanges on sale items” signs are likely to be misleading. If something you buy is faulty or not up to standard, the Consumer Guarantees Act gives you the right to a replacement or a refund.

You don’t need the original packaging to return a faulty item either.  

“If one of your boxing day purchases is faulty, the retailer must put things right. You don’t need the original packaging to return the product.”

Walker also urges shoppers to resist the pressure to fork out for extended warranties – you're already covered under the Consumer Guarantees Act.

If you’re shopping online, watch out for 'dark patterns', too. Consumer's research into digital designs that are intended to influence and manipulate online consumer behavior has found they waste our money and time. One-third of New Zealanders said they had spent more money than they intended because of a dark pattern.

“Don’t believe ‘only three left!’ claims, or countdown timers.  
 
These tactics play on our FOMO [fear of missing out] and effectively encourage us to spend more, and quickly.”  

3. Play the long game

“While sales can be exciting, we recommend waiting for the thing you really want to go down in price, rather than just choosing the product with the biggest saving on Boxing Day,” says Walker.

Consumer’s product tests frequently show that top price doesn’t always mean top quality.

“A big discount, doesn’t necessarily mean a good deal.”

Do your research to check whether the sale price really is better than the normal selling price – and check it’s not cheaper somewhere else. You can check the price options on priceme.co.nz and pricespy.co.nz. This is an easy way to see if the ‘sale’ price is a genuine bargain.

Finally, sweep your wallet and drawers for any unused gift cards before hitting the sales.

“One in five gift card holders end up with expired cards, and Consumer estimates over $10 million is wasted on unredeemed gift cards every year. So, if you have got credit on a gift card, we recommend you ‘use it or lose it’ this Boxing Day.”

About Consumer

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

 

Despite plans to suppress Palestine support protests throughout most of the western world, Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says it will continue to hold regular rallies and marches against Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

 

PSNA co-chair John Minto says the movement will continue to organise consumer boycotts and demand government sanctions on Israel.”

 

“This is a genocidal, apartheid regime.  We will not be cowed by the butchers in Tel Aviv who perversely claim it’s the protests which are causing a rise in anti-semitism.” 

 

“Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity, is the person most responsible for rising anti-semitism across the world.  He claims to be acting on behalf of Jews everywhere.”

 

“This is bare-faced anti-semitism from Netanyahu himself.  Jews are not responsible for Israel’s genocide in Gaza, nor for its apartheid policies.“

 

“Nor are they responsible for Israel’s ethnic cleansing in the Occupied West Bank and Occupied East Jerusalem, which is on the largest scale since the Nakba in 1948.”

 

“Every week, hundreds of thousands of Jews across the world march side by side with Palestinians and human rights activists to demand an end to Israel’s genocide and to impose accountability on Netanyahu’s regime,” Minto says.

 

“The rise of anti-semitism, so horrifically expressed in the attack on Bondi Beach last week, is a direct result of Israel’s ongoing mass killing and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza and the abject failure of western governments to hold Israel accountable.”

 

Minto says PSNA is appalled at the complete silence from the government since the so-called ‘Trump Plan Ceasefire’ came into effect.

 

“Our government has spoken out loudly and clearly over the Bondi massacre, as we would expect.”

 

“But the government has effectively joined Trump to declare that Palestine issues are all solved and so New Zealand can ignore, or even endorse Israeli killing and occupation, to enhance its relations with Israel and the US.”

 

“We’ve heard nothing from Foreign Minister Peters or Prime Minister Luxon over UN reports of 379 Palestinians killed by Israel since the ‘ceasefire’ was agreed two months ago”

 

“Because Israel still limits food access, every day, more United Nations reports come in of hunger, babies dying from the cold, and at least 100,000 still facing starvation.”

 

“Most of those killed in Gaza were women and children with another “Bondi-level” death toll every day – all marked with deathly silence from our government.“

 

“The only thing the New Zealand government has done, is to change its decades-long regular vote in the United Nations, to allow Israel’s unquestioned illegal occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights to continue.”

 

“All the more reason for us to continue to protest.”

 

John Minto

Co-Chair PSNA

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

17 December 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has released its decisions on the new capital settings applying to deposit takers.

“Following the completion of the review commissioned by the Board in March, we are pleased to announce modernised capital rules that will support an efficient and resilient financial system,” said Rodger Finlay, Chair of the RBNZ Board.

“We recalibrated our risk appetite to have regard to our new Financial Policy Remit, and to reflect important developments since 2019, including the introduction of the Depositor Compensation Scheme, and more intensive supervision, enforcement, and resolution approaches. This led us to ease common equity requirements across the system by around $5 billion compared to current levels, while still remaining confident in our system resilience.”

The package announced today includes reduced requirements for common equity, more granular risk weights, simplification of capital instruments, and greater alignment of instruments for the 'big four' banks with Australian settings. The final package further refines risk weights consulted on in August.

“Our approach is simple, strong, proportionate, and efficient. These new settings will reduce the overall cost of deposit takers' funding, which we expect to see passed on as benefits to New Zealanders through increased lending and reduced rates, which we will monitor closely,” said Reserve Bank Governor, Dr Anna Breman.

“Small and mid-sized deposit takers should see a proportionately larger reduction than the four large banks, which should allow them to grow and compete more effectively.”

“Our review was short and sharp, but robust,” said Acting Assistant Governor of Financial Stability, Angus McGregor. “We were informed by over 40 high-quality submissions, supplemented by independent external reports and advice. It was essential that this review was transparent, open to challenge, and provides for enduring policy settings.”

“As a result of submissions, we made material changes to our proposals, including reducing some risk weights further to better reflect risk.”

“These internationally-calibrated settings bring us closer to alignment with Australia, while still recognising the New Zealand context and higher risk profile. To ensure the benefits of these new settings are realised promptly, we will commence an accelerated implementation in the early new year, with full implementation under the new Deposit Takers Act in 2028.”

“Our forward work programme also includes on-going refinements to risk weights and implementing our new resolution framework and instruments. This ensures New Zealanders can be confident in the safety, soundness, and efficiency of the financial system,” concluded Mr McGregor.