Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Vital Hutt Valley whānau support service at risk of closure – Birthright proposed to close – PSA

Source: PSA

A proposal to shut down Birthright Hutt Valley after six decades of service will leave hundreds of local single-caregiver families without a lifeline, and the staff that support them without a job.
Birthright, which has supported the Hutt Valley community since the 1960s, has proposed an “orderly wind-down” due to a dire lack of funding. The PSA says government cuts have forced more groups to compete for a shrinking pool of philanthropic grants, effectively starving the sector.
For 60 years, Birthright has been the only local service dedicated to helping single parents and their children. They provide home visits, social work, and practical help to make sure kids have a fair start in life. The service is a vital safety net that keeps families connected and helps them through financial hardship.
“Birthright has been a constant for local families – a place where the jug is always on and there is always someone to listen,” says Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. “This proposed closure should not occur.”
“Birthright are there to support everything from the joy and challenge of a new baby to the heartbreak of losing a child. That kind of local, trusted support has been built over decades, and it can’t just be replaced overnight.”
With the community sector under immense pressure, the PSA is concerned that essential infrastructure is at risk of disappearing right when families need it most.
The PSA is calling for a halt to the closure proposal and is urging government agencies like Oranga Tamariki to work with the Board to find a path forward.
“The closure of Birthright will be a devastating blow to Hutt Valley families and will leave a massive gap in the community with no equivalent service in the region,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
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.
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Nine Kiwi startups could offset emissions at the scale of NZ forests

Source: Ara Ake

Today’s launch of the New Zealand Cleantech Impact Report 2026 shows New Zealand has a pipeline of cleantech companies with the potential to reduce emissions on a global scale. The report notes that just nine of these companies could cut global Greenhouse Gas emissions by 19.2 million tonnes a year by 2030, roughly the same as the carbon absorbed by New Zealand’s forests.
Commenting on the report, MacDiarmid Institute Director Professor Nicola Gaston said what stands out is that many of these companies are based on talent and IP coming straight out of research labs. ‘We’re seeing our scientists and engineers step into founder roles and turn New Zealand’s world-class research into real-world climate solutions.’
The report authors say there’s an opportunity to leverage New Zealand’s strengths and grow the commercial and environmental benefits of our public research here and that Cleantech innovators are scaling quickly, with the need for capital outstripping supply. 
The preface to the previous Cleantech report in 2024 included the aspirations of Will Barker, CEO of Mint Innovation, who said: 
‘In the landscape of global innovation, New Zealand occupies a unique position – a fertile ground for the seeds of clean technology. Yet, despite its promising environment for development, the domestic market does not fully capture the potential of these emerging clean technologies and the longer-term impact they could have on the New Zealand economy.’ 
Mint Innovation has since established commercial partnerships with Jaguar and HP to recycle lithium batteries and recover metals from circuit boards, respectively. 
Nicola said that the 2024 Cleantech Report had identified New Zealand’s Cleantech sector as full of promise with real global potential.
'This 2026 Cleantech Report shows it’s now actually happening,' she said. 'Companies are scaling quickly and delivering real impact across energy and sustainability, but they are starting to run up against a lack of capital to keep that momentum going.
'She said this reinforced the importance of a strong ecosystem to support those leading this work in New Zealand.
‘It has taken a long time to build this capability, and the expertise now moving from research labs into commercial Cleantech is something we need to protect and cherish,’ Nicola said.
'This report really shows the role of researchers in building this Cleantech ecosystem,' she added.
Sophie Braggins, Ara Ake chief executive, says energy innovation remains a major opportunity for New Zealand. This follows Ara Ake’s recent backing of Cetogenix, a New Zealand Cleantech start-up transforming organic biomass into energy, nutrients, and biobased products.
‘We’re committed to supporting start-ups such as Cetogenix and OpenStar Technologies, and we hope this sends a strong signal to the sector,’ she said.
MacDiarmid Institute Deputy Director for Commercialisation, Associate Professor Natalie Plank said New Zealand is doing well for a small country in terms of quality of tech but needs more capital to scale up.
'The potential here is huge, both for emissions reduction and economic growth,’ she says. ‘But to realise it, the Cleantech report is saying these companies need faster access to capital and stronger support to scale.’
The 2026 Cleantech Report has four key recommendations to enhance the impact and commercial success of New Zealand Cleantech researcher innovators:
1.Grow Innovation into Impact – International investors in Cleantech are invited to partner with local innovators to help them scale at pace.
2.Improve Impact Measurement and Communication – Cleantech innovators are urged to calculate their future impact and share these insights with investors and policymakers.
3.Enhance Government Support and International Investment – Government should support Cleantech innovators to scale up for global reach in sourcing capital and market access in the green economy.
4.Integrate Cleantech into Policy – New Zealand policymakers should use this new powerful tool to plan our economic transition to a low carbon economy.
Nicola also said the report reinforces what the government is already hearing from across the research and innovation sector.
‘The government will have seen several recent reports from NZGCP, TIN, NZTech and SBC all pointing to similar conclusions. What sets this report apart is the focus on early-stage Cleantech innovators, many of them operating in the hard to abate areas and offering solutions to energy and supply chain resilience, and critical materials access.’
The report quantifies for the first time the decarbonisation opportunity for local climate innovation.
The report was launched at the first national Cleantech Expo, which was organised by Auckland Council’s Economic Development Office. The expo was hosted by the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and supported by the New Zealand Cleantech Mission.
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Tech – LogicMonitor and Chillisoft scale AI-driven observability across ANZ

Source: LogicMonitor

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 20 APRIL 2026:  LogicMonitor®, the AI-first platform for Autonomous IT, today announced a strategic partnership with Chillisoft to scale growth across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). The partnership combines LogicMonitor's unified platform with Chillisoft's established cybersecurity partner ecosystem to expand distribution and market reach, while supporting organisations as they move toward more autonomous, resilient IT operations.

Chillisoft is a specialist cybersecurity software distributor operating in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. It provides technical support, pre-sales consulting, and managed services, including managed detection and response (MDR) to reseller partners and enterprises.

Through this partnership, LogicMonitor becomes Chillisoft's first dedicated observability and AI-driven IT operations partner, underscoring a shared commitment to a scalable, partner-led go-to-market model focused on long-term regional growth.

The collaboration also strengthens how both organisations bring AI capabilities to market. Powered by Edwin AI, LogicMonitor enables teams to prioritise alerts, detect anomalies, and identify root causes earlier, while supporting more efficient and consistent operational outcomes. Chillisoft complements this by helping partners translate these capabilities into tangible customer value.

As one of LogicMonitor's most mature markets outside the United States, ANZ represents a significant opportunity to expand adoption of Autonomous IT. By combining LogicMonitor's platform with Chillisoft's partner network, the companies will enhance how intelligent insights and automated actions are delivered to customers across the region.

Gavin Lawless, CEO Australia, Chillisoft, said the partnership with LogicMonitor is designed to address a common scaling challenge. “Chillisoft's vendors are growing quickly; however, they don't have large in-country teams. Many are being asked to deliver strong growth year on year without significantly increasing headcount. That's where Chillisoft comes in. We operate as an extension of the business, often to the point where the lines between vendor and distributor become seamless.”

Lawless added, “LogicMonitor brings Chillisoft an AI-first platform for Autonomous IT, unifying visibility from user to code across infrastructure, cloud, Internet, and digital experience. This strengthens our ability to support partners with end-to-end visibility across the infrastructure environment, an increasingly critical requirement as organisations manage more complex, interconnected systems.”

Luke Fogarty, Regional Vice President, Technical Services APAC at LogicMonitor, said, “Organisations are placing greater emphasis on resilience and visibility across their digital environments as AI adoption accelerates. This partnership enables LogicMonitor to scale through a well-established partner network, while ensuring partners are equipped with the expertise needed to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes for customers.”

The partnership introduces a two-tier distribution model, with Chillisoft working with resellers, consulting partners, and managed service providers (MSPs), who in turn deliver solutions to end customers or operate LogicMonitor in multi-tenant environments.

Strengthening presence in New Zealand

New Zealand is a key focus for the partnership. Chillisoft brings an established local presence built over nearly three decades, with strong relationships across partners and customers. LogicMonitor primarily operates in the region through partners, making Chillisoft's footprint a critical enabler of further growth.

Fogarty added, “New Zealand is an important growth market for LogicMonitor. Working with Chillisoft allows us to scale through an experienced local team, deliver joint initiatives, and more closely support partners and customers.”

LogicMonitor plans to launch a New Zealand-based data centre later this year as part of its long-term regional strategy. The facility will complement existing infrastructure in Sydney and Singapore, providing improved performance, reduced latency, and enhanced support for data sovereignty and compliance requirements for customers across the Asia Pacific region.

This investment reflects LogicMonitor's understanding of the region's operational and regulatory needs, as well as the growing demand for resilient, enterprise-grade digital operations. With greater control and localised performance, organisations will be better equipped to deliver secure, high-quality digital services.

As hybrid environments expand and internet dependencies increasingly sit on the critical path of digital services, local infrastructure will help enterprises maintain resilient, secure, and high-performing operations.

About LogicMonitor

LogicMonitor® is the AI-first platform for Autonomous IT, enabling enterprises to operate complex digital systems with greater resilience, efficiency and confidence. By unifying visibility from user to code across infrastructure, cloud, internet and digital experience, LogicMonitor delivers the intelligence required to anticipate issues, eliminate blind spots and take action automatically. Powered by Edwin AI, LogicMonitor helps IT and business leaders reduce operational toil, protect revenue and accelerate innovation in an increasingly complex digital world.

For more information, visit www.logicmonitor.com

About Chillisoft

Chillisoft is a multi-award-winning specialist cybersecurity solutions distributor. Established in New Zealand in 1998, Chillisoft has firmly maintained its base while also extending into both Australia and the wider Pacific region. With continuous growth, Chillisoft thrives in servicing the Oceania region, providing the best possible cybersecurity solutions. Chillisoft works with leading and emerging vendors to bring top-level solutions to its reseller partners and their customers. The company carefully selects leading or emerging products from reliable and reputable vendors that can benefit its resellers and end-user clients in target markets.

For more information, visit https://www.chillisoft.net/.

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Health – ACC GP‑led MRI programme goes nationwide, cutting weeks off diagnosis times

Source: ProCare

ProCare is pleased to announce that the ACC GP-led MRI Programme will launch in Manawatū, the final region in New Zealand to access the service. With the support of THINK Hauora, this expansion means eligible patients with knee, lumbar or cervical spine injuries nationwide will be able to access MRI scans sooner, without needing to see a specialist first — a significant milestone in improving timely access to care.

The milestone marks the culmination of nearly nine years of work since ProCare and Mercy (now Allevia) Radiology first piloted a GP‑led MRI referral pathway in 2017.

The programme enables trained GPs and nurse practitioners (NPs) to directly refer eligible patients for MRI scans, removing the need for an initial specialist appointment. Evidence shows the pathway can reduce MRI wait times and time away from work by around two to three weeks, helping patients receive diagnoses and treatment sooner. It also eases pressure on specialist services and delivers savings to the wider health system and ACC.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare, says reaching nationwide coverage is a significant milestone for both patients and primary care.

“When we launched this programme as a pilot in 2017, the aim was simple — to remove unnecessary steps and get people the right care sooner,” Norwell says.

“Nearly a decade on, having this pathway available nationwide shows how general practice‑led innovation improves outcomes for patients and their whānau, while also strengthening the health system.”

“We’re grateful to ACC and the primary health organisations that have chosen to work together with us on this mahi. Together we're demonstrating what primary care can achieve at scale.”

More than 1,500 GPs and NPs have already used the programme in the upper North Island, where ProCare and Pinnacle deliver it on behalf of 18 primary health organisations — with many more clinicians using the service through other PHOs across the country.

Participating clinicians complete training in musculoskeletal assessment, ACC eligibility, referral processes, and clinical governance giving them the confidence to manage patients' care closer to home.

In the upper North Island, the programme is supported by ProCare’s ProFusion digital platform, which helps ensure referrals meet clinical guidelines and supports clinical quality and governance. The system links GP referrals with MRI reports and uses automated checks to support continuous improvement, while providing assurance for ACC.

ACC, which partners with ProCare and primary health organisations nationwide to deliver the programme, says the pathway aligns with its focus on improving recovery and long‑term outcomes.

Megan Main, Chief Executive at ACC, says: “ACC acknowledges and values ProCare’s leadership and contribution to the development of the GPMRI service. GPMRI demonstrates the impact that strong collaboration between ACC and primary care can have in improving recovery outcomes for injured New Zealanders, while also supporting the long-term sustainability of the scheme.”

The national rollout has been delivered in partnership with ACC, Pinnacle Midlands Health Network, Pegasus Health, Tū Ora Compass, WellSouth and other primary care partners across the motu. With the addition of Manawatū, patients everywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand now have access to a faster, simpler MRI referral pathway led by primary care.

About ProCare
ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, virtual/tele health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi.

 As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland and Northland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz

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Consumer NZ – Time’s up on retirement village repayment delays

Source: Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ is calling for a law change so residents who leave a retirement village get their money back sooner.

Its newly launched petition asks people to back a call for residents to be repaid within 3 months of their retirement village agreement ending.

“Retirement village residents or their families can be left in financial dire straits when they have to wait too long to get their own money back – it’s not fair, and it needs to be fixed,” says Jon Duffy, Consumer NZ chief executive.

“Residents pay big money to live in a village. When they leave, they get their money back minus a management fee of up to 30%. But the village isn’t usually under any obligation to repay that money until the unit is relicensed so people can be left waiting years,” says Duffy.

Consumer spoke to Barbara who decided to leave her retirement village after a devastating cancer diagnosis and a series of debilitating falls. She thought her money would be returned straight away, but it wasn’t. She faced significant struggles as she navigated a move closer to whānau and piling medical bills. While she worried about making ends meet, the retirement village held on to her money – it took more than 2 years to get her own money back.

At present, there are no laws that say how quickly villages must pay back residents or their estates. The government has proposed a 12-month deadline for repayment, but Consumer says this is too long to wait.

The government has also said the new repayment timeframe will only apply to future residents, not the 55,000 residents already residing in villages. Consumer says that’s not good enough.

New Zealanders want fast and fair repayment for all village residents

Recent research by Consumer found that 84% of New Zealanders support the introduction of rules requiring residents to be repaid within a fixed timeframe – and 83% of people believe residents should get their money back within 3 months or less.

“It’s crucial that the law is changed and that the change applies to all residents. Otherwise, we risk a two-tier system where current residents are disadvantaged by the status quo that can see them unfairly out of pocket while a village holds on to their money for unacceptably long periods of time,” says Duffy.

Eight in ten New Zealanders agree new repayment rules should apply to current and future residents.

Consumer’s fight for fair

Consumer wants new laws requiring:

full repayment of residents’ money within 3 months of the occupation right agreement ending
an interim repayment of 10% or $50,000 (whichever is higher) within 5 working days of an agreement ending
interest on late repayments
public disclosure of repayment timeframes, so residents know what to expect before they move into a village.

The new rules should apply to all residents. Villages that face genuine financial constraints could apply for extensions. Villages that share at least half of any capital gains with residents would be exempt from the repayment rules. The petition will be open until late May and is available on Consumer’s website https://campaigns.consumer.org.nz/retirement-villages

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Groundbreaking Southland urea fertiliser project to support New Zealand agriculture

Source: Victorian Hydrogen

A major new 1.5 million tonne per year urea fertiliser project is set to be developed in Southland, offering an environmentally innovative and strategically significant alternative to imported urea fertiliser.

The proposed $3 billion project, intended to be located about 30 kilometres northeast of Invercargill, will give New Zealand’s agricultural sector self-sufficiency, which is critical to the long-term security and performance of an economy heavily dependent on agriculture.

Developed by Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen, the project will also deliver significant investment and employment opportunities in Southland.

“The Southland lignite-to-urea project represents a transformative opportunity for New Zealand’s fertiliser supply chain,” says Victorian Hydrogen executive director Allan Blood.

“By combining proven global technologies with local innovation, we aim to deliver high-quality urea at competitive prices while supporting long-term sustainable agricultural growth and addressing climate challenges.”

New Zealand currently imports 500,000 tonnes of urea annually. In addition New Zealand manufactures 265,000 tonnes, but falling gas supply means domestic production might end.
The proposed facility aims to:

Enhance domestic supply and reduce reliance on volatile international markets.
Stabilise fertiliser costs and mitigate foreign exchange and cost risks for farmers.
Produce additional products such as AdBlue, a diesel exhaust additive to reduce emissions.
Support peaking power electricity demand of up to 114 MW at any one time by temporarily reducing production.

The Southland facility will employ a proven lignite gasification process:

Lignite is reacted with oxygen at high temperatures and low pressures to produce syngas.
Syngas is reacted with steam to produce hydrogen.
Hydrogen is combined with atmospheric nitrogen to produce ammonia.
Ammonia is then reacted with captured carbon dioxide from previous reactions to produce urea.

“The technology is well established globally. The world’s latest urea plant, using technology identical to that we would use in Southland, was commissioned in Zambia in late 2025. The Southland project is about applying this existing technology in a smarter and cleaner way,” Mr Blood says.

“We are committed to mitigating the greenhouse gas impacts before the project proceeds, not after.

“Environmental management will be central to the project’s design, with various opportunities being looked at. These include using CO₂ to make algae-based cattle feed, liquid fuels, construction materials, and in inhibitor technologies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.”

Unlike traditional urea production, which relies heavily on expensive natural gas, this project will convert lignite to gas while generating its own electricity, some of which can be exported to the grid.

Mr Blood emphasises the company’s dedication to transparent engagement with stakeholders, including local iwi, Ngāi Tahu rūnanga, councils, farmers and landowners across the 3,141-hectare exploration area that has been applied for.

“Mining operations will be designed to minimise disruption, with progressive rehabilitation and more-than-fair compensation for affected landowners,” he says.

“There will be no requirement to acquire farms Mining will occur in long, narrow strips affecting only a small portion of land at any one time. Land will be rehabilitated progressively, and any loss of productivity will be fully compensated by a multiple. We hope that the project will be seen as a substantial additive to annual farm income.”

The project is expected to apply for approvals under the fast-track regulatory process. Key milestones include:

Applying for regulatory consents and engaging with landowners.
Completing initial geological and hydrological studies by spring 2026.
Progressing to detailed engineering and process design.
A targeted three-year pathway from the conclusion of the very detailed studies currently underway, to full production.

“The initial economic analysis looks very good indeed and hence the desire to move forward quickly,” Mr Blood says.

“New Zealand is currently exposed to global fertiliser shocks it can’t control. This project is about providing national self-sufficiency for the next 50 years plus – producing what farmers need in New Zealand, with world-class technology and robust environmental safeguards,” Mr Blood says.

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Annual inflation at 3.1 percent in March 2026 – Consumers price index: March 2026 quarter – Stats NZ news story and information release

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Local News – Porirua Careers Expo back for 2026!

Source: Porirua City Council

The Porirua Careers Expo is promising a jam-packed day at Te Rauparaha Arena next month, offering a chance to engage with a wide range of industry professionals and education providers and improve your CV, along with free food, giveaways and the opportunity to win one of eight $250 Prezzy cards.
Now in its third year, this free event runs from 9.30am-3.30pm on Tuesday, 5 May. It’s designed for students, school leavers and anyone looking for inspiration to find the education or career pathway that suits them.
There will be more than 80 stalls to explore in areas such as technology, health and beauty, professional, construction, trades, and more. Exhibitors include BRANZ, Downer, Porirua New World, Wellington Free Ambulance, TradeMe, PikPok Gaming Studio, banking, Ardmore Flying School, NZ Police, NZ Defence Force, vocational education, and universities.
Porirua City has partnered with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education, Le Fale Jobs and Skills Hub, and Partners Porirua to deliver this expo for our community.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says young people of all ages are welcome to head along to get a head start and insight into what might come next.
“The feedback we had from the last two Career Expo events was amazing,” she says.
“It has a fun, welcoming atmosphere with plenty of interactive displays and friendly people who will answer all your questions. It can be inspiring to see our rangatahi genuinely seeking out those opportunities for the next chapter in their lives; even just making connections and having conversations.”
Last year more than 3300 people from Porirua and across the Wellington region attended the expo. There is an expectation that, with the reputation already established, the numbers could be even greater this time around.
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Federated Farmers applauds fuel support for rural schools

Source: Federated Farmers

Extra support for small, rural and isolated schools to help them manage fuel cost pressures is timely and very welcome, Federated Farmers says.
“The huge spike in fuel prices – particularly diesel – from the Middle East conflict has hit rural schools particularly hard,” Feds education spokesperson Richard Dawkins says.
“Students and teachers in rural areas face longer distances when travelling to and from school.
“Smaller rural schools have the same or similar fixed costs to much bigger schools but when your roll is a couple of dozen, vs 200-300-plus, dividing costs that are per-pupil based across that smaller roll is a lot tougher.”
The Government this week announced a package of targeted relief, including $37 million to accelerate work to replace diesel boilers at up to 70 schools, and a temporary increase to Relief Teacher Transport Allowance mileage rates.
It will also provide one-time cash grants of $2,500 to all schools with under 100 students to cover extra mileage costs.
There will also be a 30% increase in the conveyance allowance to help eligible families with the cost of getting children to school or the nearest bus route, benefiting 5,000 further students.
“This is sensible, financially prudent and targeted assistance that will make a difference for rural schools,” Dawkins says.
“Federated Farmers has been working closely with the Rural School Leadership Association and Rural Women NZ over our successful campaign for a review of school bus routes and eligibility criteria.
“I think through that campaign we’ve heightened awareness among MPs that schools are an essential part of rural communities, and that they enable families and farm staff to live and work in more isolated areas.”
Earlier in the month the three groups had written to the Government seeking an increase in the conveyance allowance, which hadn’t been reviewed since 1985.
“The rural National Party MPs have been supportive of our advocacy and we thank Education Minister Erica Stanford and Cabinet for listening, and taking this action,” Dawkins says.
In the medium term, the Government is to invest $2.35 million per year for two initiatives to grow the workforce and ensure rural schools have a good pipeline of teachers, funded through reprioritisations.
The Go Rural programme, where student teachers receive $4,000 to cover the costs of undertaking a professional experience placement in a rural and isolated school is being expanded by a further 87 places per year, from the 2026/27 financial year.
The number of places available in the Teacher Bonding Scheme will increase by 50, from 185 places to 235 per year. This scheme supports teachers with up to an additional $40,000 over five years for working in hard to staff schools, the majority of which are rural and isolated.
“These changes are positive for the future of rural schools – an investment not just in education of rural school children but in farming and rural communities,” Dawkins says.
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Corrected date: Te Whau Pathway recognised for connecting Auckland communities to nature

Source: Herenga ā Nuku – the Outdoor Access Commission

Te Whau Pathway Environment Trust – which is promoting the construction of a landmark walking and cycling route following the Whau River – will receive an Outdoor Access Champion award. The award celebrates the Trust’s role in connecting West Auckland communities with their local environment and creating safe, accessible spaces for people of all ages.
Te Whau Pathway Project is delivered as a partnership with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, Henderson-Massey and Whau Local Boards, Te Kawerau a Maki, and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei,
The Outdoor Access Champion Award, presented by the Outdoor Access Commission, Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, will be awarded at:
  • TIME: 3.00pm 
  • DATE: Friday, 24 April 
  • VENUE: Te Ipu Kura a Maki – Henderson Civic Chamber, Level 2, 1 Smythe Road, Henderson.
Once completed, Te Whau Pathway will link neighbourhoods from Te Atatū Peninsula to Green Bay, creating Auckland’s only off-road route connecting the Waitematā and Manukau harbours. As sections open, the pathway is already becoming part of daily life for local whānau – a place to walk, cycle, wheel, learn about the environment, and spend time alongside the awa.
Outdoor Access Commission chief executive Dan Wildy says the pathway stands out for the way it puts communities and accessibility at the centre.
“Te Whau Pathway shows what’s possible when communities design their own access to their local environment,” says Dan Wildy.
“It’s a project that opens up the Whau River for people who live nearby – including kids – in ways that are safe, inclusive and connected to homes and communities.”
A key focus of Te Whau Pathway Environment Trust has been working with local schools and tamariki, helping young people build the pathway and strengthen their connection to the river. The pathway provides safe, off-road options for walking and cycling and opportunities for learning about waterways, ecosystems and kaitiakitanga.
Chair of Te Whau Pathway Environment Trust, Tony Miguel, says the project is as much about people as it is about infrastructure.
“Te Whau Pathway is being built with the communities it runs through,” says Tony Miguel.
“We work with schools and tamariki to build the pathway. It’s not just about transport, it connects them with the Whau, so they can understand their local river, and know that this pathway belongs to them.”
Designed as a shared pathway for walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users, Te Whau Pathway improves access to neighbourhood parks, bird habitats and green spaces, while supporting low-carbon, everyday travel. Its staged construction approach allows people to start using sections as they open, while environmentally sensitive design helps protect the river and surrounding ecosystems.
Several on land sections are already open, with the first major boardwalk section was opened in March this year. As more of the pathway opens, it will continue to strengthen connections between suburbs such as Te Atatū, Glendene, Kelston and Avondale – linking people to schools, shops, parks and the waterfront.
The Outdoor Access Champion Award presentation will celebrate the collective mahi of community members, partners and supporters who have helped bring Te Whau Pathway to life.