Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa and New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc)

25 September 2026

Matariki Williams (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Whakaue, Taranaki, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) has been awarded the 2026 Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa (TCA) and The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc $25,000 Writers’ Award for her untitled project on the life and art of Robyn Kahukiwa.

Williams will be working with Penguin Random House, Christchurch Art Gallery, Season Gallery, and the whānau of Robyn Kahukiwa, on the writing project which seeks to celebrate the significant contribution of artist Robyn Kahukiwa.

“Whaea Robyn's work is ubiquitous: in kōhanga reo, doctor’s waiting rooms, classrooms and libraries, protest posters, and the homes of people she honoured by gifting work to them. We are incredibly honoured and humbled by this award, it gives us the opportunity to whakamana all that Robyn made and gave to the nation, and will allow us to create a taonga befitting what she was,” said Williams.

The selection panel of award-winning authors Vanda Symon, Jade Kake, and Vincent O'Malley said Kahukiwa's art is instantly recognisable, but little is known about her life and journey.

“Robyn Kahukiwa passed in 2025 and this project will shine a well overdue light on this significant and beloved artist’s career and works,” said Symon, who convened the selection panel.

The selection panel also shortlisted Liv Sisson for a new nature book and Elizabeth Cox for a new work titled Cissy and Winnie: the Deaths of Two Wellington Girls.

“The three finalists selected not only presented fascinating and exciting topics with beautiful samples of prose, they also possessed a wow factor that made them stand out from a strong field. We wish all of the applicant the very best with their projects, and our congratulations to the winner and finalists,” said Symon.

The TCA | NZSA Writers' Award received 47 applications in 2026 from writers working on an extensive range of projects from natural history, architecture, grief, memoir, immigrant experiences, adoption and identity, fine arts, biography and social history.

The New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc was proud to administer the award this year. TCA and NZSA would like to thank all the writers who took the time to apply and to this year’s judging panel.

Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa (formerly Copyright Licensing NZ) plays a key role in making creative rights valuable assets for all New Zealanders, be they rightsholders like authors, publishers and artists, or users such as educators, students and businesses. TCA provides licences to help make copying, scanning and sharing printed works easy and legal.

New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) was established in 1934 and is the principal organisation representing writers’ interests in NZ. A national office oversees 8 branches and hubs, administers prizes and awards, runs professional development programmes, advocates for the sector and to raise the visibility of NZ writers and NZ writing. It works with Next Page, its developing Youth writer’s network and in partnership with Ngā Kaituhi Māori.

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua

25 September 2026

A new internal member of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's (RBNZ) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Rebecca Williams, has been appointed by the Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, on the recommendation of the RBNZ Board.

The MPC is responsible for the monetary policy decisions needed to support price stability.

Ms Williams, Senior Manager Economics at RBNZ, starts a one-year term on 15 October 2026. Ms Williams fills a seat on the Committee that has been vacant since March 2025 and ensures continuity of internal membership following Karen Silk's departure.

“We are delighted to welcome Rebecca to the MPC. She has worked extensively in monetary policy and forecasting, including advising the MPC on the current state of the New Zealand economy,” RBNZ Chair Rodger Finlay says.

“Rebecca brings a strong understanding of the monetary policy settings required to meet the Bank's inflation objective.”

Ms Williams joined RBNZ in 2010 and has a BCom (Hons) in Economics and a BA in History from the University of Canterbury.

“We look forward to working with Rebecca, whose many years of experience in economic analysis and forecasting, including leadership of analysts, will be a real asset to the Committee,” RBNZ Governor and MPC Chair Dr Anna Breman says.

“With her analytical capabilities alongside deep institutional knowledge, I know Rebecca will make a significant contribution to our work.”

Ms Williams will take part in the Monetary Policy Review being delivered on 28 October 2026.

NOTES

Separately, on 16 September 2026, RBNZ announced the retirement of Assistant Governor Money and internal MPC member Karen Silk, who will depart the Bank in mid-December.

The Governor has used the forthcoming vacancy to review the shape of the Executive Leadership Team. Two Assistant Governor roles, Assistant Governor Monetary Policy and Assistant Governor Payments and Cash, will be established. The RBNZ Board expects to recommend the new Assistant Governor Monetary Policy to the Minister of Finance for appointment to the Monetary Policy Committee.

MORE INFORMATION

• Profile of Rebecca Williams
• Internal members of the Monetary Policy Committee
• Monetary Policy Framework

Source: Alliance Party

Friday 25th September 2026

The Alliance Party has released its Retirement and Aged Care Policy, which keeps the pension universal, lifts the couple rate to the highest level the law allows, and commits to ending the asset test for rest home care.

The Alliance's health spokesperson, Ethan Gullery, says too many people spend their whole working life saving for retirement only to end up losing their independence.

“People spend their whole life working and saving to own their home, and then they end up having to spend it on care before the state will help.”

Under current policy, a person is only entitled to government funding for rest home care once their assets, including the family home, have fallen to $300,811. With care costing around $1,500 a week, someone whose home and other assets are worth $650,000 would pay for about four and a half years of care before the state contributes.

Mr Gullery says Super already shows a better way to do it.

“We don't means test Super. Everyone gets it, and that's a big part of why it's survived. Long-term care should work on the same basis.”

The policy includes a long-term approach to supercharge KiwiSaver into a true superannuation fund, completing the promise of the 1974 Superannuation Act. The first step includes a $10,000 endowment to new KiwiSaver accounts, ringfenced for retirement or terminal illness.

“The repeal of the Superannuation Act in 1975 was one of the worst economic decisions ever made in this country, and we have been playing catch up as a nation ever since. The best time to set up a superannuation system that works was decades ago – the second best time is now. As no one else will take up the mantle of forward-thinking people like Norman Kirk, the Alliance Party will do so proudly.”

“Our changes to KiwiSaver will take decades to bear fruit in full, but will ensure future generations are supported to live in dignity and security through their retirement.”

The Alliance Party also promises to increase New Zealand Superannuation for couples to 72.5 percent of the after-tax average wage. Parliament put that upper limit in the law. The Alliance would use it, and adjust Super every quarter.

The policy also:

• Keeps the age of entitlement for Super at 65
• Funds independent advocates to support older people dealing with agencies and providers
• Sets up a dedicated Ministry for Senior Citizens

“We are a workers' party,” says Mr Gullery. “And after working most of their lives, workers deserve the security of knowing that they can enjoy a healthy and happy retirement without the fear of financial insecurity.”

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua

25 September 2026

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua is requesting an independent report from TSB under Section 95 of the Banking (Prudential Supervision) Act 1989.

Section 95 gives the Reserve Bank the power to require a bank to provide a report by a Reserve Bank-approved, independent person. Reports under Section 95 are part of the Reserve Bank's supervisory toolkit and provide independent assurance and insight about banks' systems and practice.

The Reserve Bank issued the Section 95 notice after TSB identified and reported issues concerning aspects of the computation and reporting of its capital and liquidity ratios.

TSB has advised the Reserve Bank that it has appointed Deloitte to undertake the report. A final report is due to the Reserve Bank in November.

As this is an ongoing prudential matter, the Reserve Bank is unable to provide any further comments.

Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand

A real say in the decisions that shape our lives

With the general election approaching, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has launched More Voices, a national campaign asking how people can have greater influence over decisions that affect their lives, their whānau and their communities. Amnesty will hear directly from communities and use what it learns to develop proposals for more open and accountable government decision-making.

The campaign begins as voters prepare for the general election on Saturday 7 November. Enrolment closes at midnight on Sunday 25 October. Amnesty says the election is an immediate chance for people to express their right to participate, but having a voice cannot begin and end at the ballot box. All people should be able to influence laws and public decisions before they are settled.

More Voices responds to concerns about rushed lawmaking and processes that limit scrutiny or leave people living with the consequences of decisions without a meaningful seat at the table. Amnesty says the problem is not confined to one party or one term of government.

“How government makes decisions can be as important as the decisions themselves. When people affected by a law are shut out, scrutiny is limited and change is rushed through with urgency, the risk to their rights grows,” says Jacqui Dillon, Executive Director of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand.

More Voices brings Amnesty’s “Is it human? Is it right?” lens to government decision-making, asking whether the people affected are heard and their rights protected before decisions are made. For Amnesty, participation must give people a genuine chance to shape a decision while there is still room to change it. Asking for views after the direction has been set is not meaningful influence. The consequences of those decisions are felt in everyday life, by people, whānau and communities.

More Voices asks questions like: “What would make it easier for you to have a real say in the decisions that affect your life, your whānau and the people around you?”

More Voices is ultimately about people feeling heard, valued and able to influence decisions that affect their lives and the lives of people they care about. Amnesty will bring together the recurring themes in the responses and use those findings to shape the next stage of the campaign. That work will include ideas for improving participation, transparency and accountability in central and local government decision making.

“In Aotearoa, this work must begin with Te Tiriti o Waitangi and affirming tino rangatiratanga. Decision making is better when it's grounded in respectful relationships and Te Tiriti is the starting point for right and just relationships in Aotearoa,” Dillon says.

More Voices will launch in public through a series of open long-table conversations during September and October with the first event this Friday 25 September at Freyburg Place in central Auckland. Anyone can take a seat and join the discussion.

The long tables are the public starting point for More Voices. The wider campaign will continue through the election and beyond, combining community listening, stories from people affected by public decisions, practical participation tools and advocacy for better decision-making.

Amnesty has also published two free resources: a guide to engaging with decision-makers and a guide to effective lobbying. They are designed to help people raise an issue with local candidates and elected representatives.

People can take part in the campaign and download resources at https://www.morevoices.nz/.

Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

Energy Resources Aotearoa says the Government’s latest Gas Security Fund investment and an updated petroleum exploration data pack will help companies assess New Zealand’s gas potential and advance a promising offshore prospect in Taranaki.

Chief Executive John Carnegie says the announcements support successive steps in exploration: improving access to existing geological information, making it easier to use, and helping EnZed Energy raise the capital to drill the Kaheru prospect off Taranaki.

“Good, readily available geological data is the platform a thriving exploration industry is built on. An updated petroleum exploration data pack adds to the information available to companies looking at New Zealand. It’s the first comprehensive update since 2018, bringing together open-file well, seismic and geological data from across our petroleum basins. Carnegie says.

“New Zealand is competing with other countries for exploration capital. Companies need evidence of where the opportunities might be before they commit money to finding out what’s there.”

The Gas Security Fund will invest $21.5 million through a time-limited equity arrangement for EnZed Energy’s Kaheru offshore exploration project.

“Kaheru is exactly the kind of exploration we need. It’s a serious prospect off Taranaki, targeting an estimated 182 petajoules of gas.

New Zealand’s gas fields are declining, and discoveries won’t happen unless we drill. Kaheru gives us a chance to find a significant new source of domestic gas. EnZed Energy is prepared to pursue it, and this investment helps bring the drilling campaign closer.” Carnegie says

Earlier this month, the Fund announced up to $23.5 million in loans for Todd Energy’s McKee Gas Cap and McKee-Tariki projects. Both use existing Taranaki fields and infrastructure and, if successful, are expected to have gas flowing by the end of 2027.

“Those Todd Energy projects offer a way to bring more gas to market relatively quickly. Kaheru and the updated petroleum exploration data point to the opportunities further ahead.

With offshore exploration taking years to turn into production, we need that work under way while projects in existing fields help address the immediate supply problem,” Carnegie says.

“The Fund is helping individual projects move forward, but building on this portfolio approach to New Zealand’s energy security will take much larger pools of private capital.

Investors need to trust that New Zealand’s policy settings will last over the life of these projects.”

“Nearly one in three adult New Zealanders now engages with our sector. That represents over a million Kiwis choosing to make exercise part of their lives.”

“The people being recognised through these Awards aren't just delivering workouts. They're building communities, creating a sense of belonging and helping people overcome barriers to exercise.”

Nearly one in three adult New Zealanders now use the exercise industry, as record entries for the 2026 ExerciseNZ Awards highlight the growing reach and diversity of the sector.

Exercise New Zealand (ExerciseNZ) today announced the finalists for the 2026 ExerciseNZ Awards, following a record number of entries across this year's award categories.

The record response comes as around 30% of adult New Zealanders now participate through the structured exercise sector, a record level of engagement and a significant milestone for an industry focused on getting more Kiwis moving.

ExerciseNZ Chief Executive Richard Beddie says the two trends are closely connected.

“Nearly one in three adult New Zealanders now engages with our sector. That represents over a million Kiwis choosing to make exercise part of their lives, and behind every one of them are the people and facilities creating the environments that make that possible.”

“This year's record number of Awards entries gives us a snapshot of the extraordinary work happening across the country – often at a very local level – to help New Zealanders become and stay active.”

________________________________

Awards Evolve Alongside a Changing Industry

The 2026 Awards have expanded to recognise the increasingly diverse roles people and organisations play in supporting New Zealanders to exercise.

New and refreshed categories include Personal Trainer – Targeted Coaching, Emerging Personal Trainer, People's Choice, Reception / Front of House Team, Sales Excellence, and Recreation Facility of the Year.

The new categories recognise that the diversity in creating lifelong exercise habits extends well beyond the traditional image of a gym or personal trainer.

This is reflected in this year's finalists, who represent gyms, studios, recreation and aquatic facilities and independent exercise businesses from communities across Aotearoa. Finalists include personal trainers, group exercise instructors, educators, yoga and Pilates teachers, students, leaders, front-of-house teams and sales professionals.

________________________________

A Bright Spot for Physical Activity

The sector's growth is particularly important as New Zealand continues to grapple with the challenge of keeping people physically active throughout their lives.

Beddie says the numbers show the exercise industry has an increasingly important role to play in the country's wider health and wellbeing.

“There is no single solution to getting New Zealand more active. What we do know is that more Kiwis than ever are choosing structured exercise, and that is something worth celebrating.”

“The people being recognised through these Awards aren't just delivering workouts. They're building communities, creating a sense of belonging, helping people overcome barriers to exercise and, in many cases, changing people's relationship with physical activity altogether.”

________________________________

The ExerciseNZ Awards have been recognising excellence within New Zealand's exercise industry for more than 20 years and celebrate achievement across individual, team, facility and community categories.

The 2026 winners will be announced at the ExerciseNZ Awards Ceremony at the Grand Millennium Auckland on Friday 20 November, with 26 awards to be presented.

View the full list of 2026 ExerciseNZ Awards finalists and Awards Ceremony information.

Source: Child Poverty Action Group

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) welcomes elements of the Alliance Party’s proposed Universal Child Benefit policy that align with recommendations in CPAG’s 2026 election manifesto for reducing child poverty.

CPAG has consistently argued that every child should have access to adequate income support, regardless of whether their parents are in paid work or receiving income support.

We have also long advocated for an end to discriminatory treatment of children based on their parents’ employment status, and for family support payments to maintain their value over time through appropriate indexation.

The Alliance proposal reflects several of these principles, including recognising that all children should be supported, that caring for children is valuable work, and that reducing child poverty should be a central goal of government policy.

“CPAG is pleased to see political parties engaging seriously with solutions to child poverty,” said executive officer Lyn Amos.

“New Zealand’s child poverty rates are the result of policy choices, and reducing them requires deliberate policy action. We welcome proposals that strengthen income support for children and address the barriers faced by families on low incomes.”

CPAG notes that while there is significant overlap between the Alliance policy and CPAG’s recommendations on income support, reducing child poverty requires action across a range of areas, including housing, health, disability support and education.

Adequate income support is essential, but it is one part of the broader package of measures needed to ensure children have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

“As always, CPAG is non-partisan. We assess policies according to their potential to improve outcomes for children. We encourage all political parties to commit to evidence-based measures that reduce child poverty and uphold New Zealand’s obligations under the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018.”

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers is welcoming Labour’s commitment to review the Sharemilking Agreements Act and is calling on the other major parties to do the same.

Labour Party agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton announced at the NZ Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators’ ag policy debate last night that a Labour Government would “review and fix” the Act.

“It is something the sector has been asking for. We’ve listened and we will deliver,” Luxton said.

Federated Farmers sharefarmer chair Sam Ebbett says Labour’s commitment is a positive step towards bringing the legislation into line with modern dairy farming.

“We’ve been calling for this review of the Sharemilking Agreements Act because the legislation has failed to keep pace with the way dairy farming operates today.

“Contract milking is now a major part of the dairy progression pathway, but contract milkers sit outside the Act because they’re paid a negotiated rate rather than a share of returns.

“So, even though contract milkers perform essentially the same role as variable-order sharemilkers, they can have quite different protections under the law because of how they’re paid.

“We don’t think that’s a good enough outcome – and a review of the law is urgently needed.”

There were 1,367 dairy herds operated by contract milkers in the 2024/25 season, representing 13.2% of all herds.

Unlike variable-order sharemilkers, contract milkers aren’t guaranteed the minimum terms and dispute-resolution process provided by the Act and Sharemilking Agreements Order 2011.

Instead, they rely on their individual agreements and general contract law, even where there’s a significant imbalance in bargaining power.

Ebbett says that is increasingly out of step with the role contract milking plays in helping young farmers establish themselves in the industry.

“The Sharemilking Agreements Act was designed to provide a statutory floor for sharemilkers, but the industry has changed hugely since then.

“Contract milking has become a really important first step into self-employment for a lot of young farmers, and we need a framework that gives them confidence in those arrangements.”

Federated Farmers sharefarm owner chair Brendan Attrill says the issue also matters for farm owners, particularly those using sharemilking and contract milking as part of succession and business planning.

“Sharemilking and contract milking are critical entry points into dairy farm ownership and succession pathways,” Attrill says.

“They allow the next generation to build capability and capital while providing established farmers with a practical way to transition out of the business.”

Attrill says the Sharemilking Agreements Act also predates modern arrangements such as hybrid contracts, processor incentives and environmental payments.

“We’ve got a dairy industry operating in a very different commercial environment from what this legislation was originally designed for back in the 1930s, especially with the increase in contract milking since the 2010s.

“We need the legislation to reflect how farming businesses actually operate today, while keeping the flexibility that makes these different progression pathways work so well.”

Federated Farmers wants a review to consider whether the framework can provide appropriate and consistent minimum protections for comparable dairy operating arrangements, without converting operators into employees.

It also wants coverage to reflect the nature of the work rather than simply how an operator is paid, greater clarity around new revenue and incentive payments, and clearer, more accessible and proportionate dispute-resolution mechanisms.

Federated Farmers has written to the major political parties asking them to commit to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act 1937 and Sharemilking Agreements Order 2011.

“It’s great to have Labour on board – but now we’re calling on the other major parties to make the same commitment,” Ebbett says.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. There is a clear case for updating legislation that was written in the 1930s to reflect how the dairy sector actually operates today.”

“It’s time to bring the law into the 21st century.”