Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Legal Issues – Five unions to take Government to court over pay equity

Source: PSA

Note: The previous version of this release contained an error in paragraph 2. Please use this version. The formal filing of the claim will occur on August 29 at the High Court in Wellington.
Media statement from:
  • New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa
  • Public Service Association Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi
  • Post-Primary Teachers Association Te Wehengarua spokesperson
  • Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa | New Zealand Tertiary Education Union
  • NZEI Te Riu Roa
Five major unions are launching a High Court challenge against the Government over its removal of pay equity rights, arguing the amended pay equity legislation violates fundamental rights and discriminates against women workers.
The NZNO, PSA, PPTA, TEU and NZEI Te Riu Roa are filing proceedings in the High Court seeking a declaration that the amended Equal Pay Act 1972 is inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
The legal challenge argues the Coalition Government's legislation breaches three fundamental rights: freedom from gender-based pay discrimination, the right to natural justice, and the right to fair legal process.
The case gives workers who have been denied their right to challenge gender-based pay discrimination a chance to challenge the Government in court. If successful, a Parliamentary Select Committee must consider the declaration of inconsistency and a Parliamentary debate must occur. The Government is then required to formally respond.
The claim will be formally lodged on August 29 at the High Court in Wellington following a rally by women whose pay equity claims have been cancelled.
NZNO delegate and Plunket nurse Hannah Cook said:
“Nurses and care workers like me are devastated by the scrapping of our pay equity claims. Plunket nurses were so close to finally having our hard work recognised. Nurses and care workers are the backbone of a caring society and the Coalition Government needs to value us. These changes don’t just impact us. They impact our families, our livelihoods and our quality of life.
“The Coalition Government has shown it doesn’t value us nurses and those of us in women dominated workforces. It is 2025 for goodness sake. We shouldn’t still be paid less than those in male dominated occupations.”
PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said:
“We are asking the High Court to declare that the Government’s actions are inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 because of the discrimination New Zealand women will face as a result of the Government’s action. The legal action comes after the Government cancelled pay equity claims and gutted the Equal Pay Act 1972 with no prior signalling and without a select committee process. The Government silenced women but we know the High Court will listen to our claims. This is just the start of our campaign for pay equity for New Zealand women and we will be leaving no stone unturned to achieve pay equity.
“The decision to cancel claims that were about to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority is inconsistent with the constitutional foundations of New Zealand which do not provide for the Government to interfere with the judicial system in this way.”
Sandra Grey, Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary of the TEU said:
“If Brooke van Velden and Christopher Luxon thought avoiding a select committee process would allow them to dodge accountability for stealing $12.8 billion from low paid women workers we’ve got news for them. We look forward to the women of Aotearoa having their day in court to ensure that the government is forced to defend its actions.”
Stephanie Mills, National Secretary of NZEI Te Riu Roa said:
“The scrapping of the teachers claim without consultation and under urgency was a kick in the guts for our teacher members after years of blood, sweat and money getting the claim moving.
“NZEI Te Riu Roa, along with four other unions, has agreed to take the Government to court because they have not followed a democratic process, and because the Government has sent a message to this mainly female profession that their time, expertise and work is not valued.
“Teachers go into their profession knowing the stresses and extra hours involved because they are passionate about young people learning, but they have limits. We’re seeing more teachers looking at other options or teaching in Australia, because they feel their work is not valued in Aotearoa. Teaching is a foundational job for our society, but this Government has shamefully chosen tax cut savings over giving teachers pay equity.”
Chris Abercrombie, PPTA President said:
“This Government’s decision to extinguish our pay equity claim is not only unjust-it is unlawful.
“Our claim was built on years of rigorous, evidence-based work, carried out in good faith under a process agreed with previous governments. To have that work discarded by political decree is a betrayal-not just of teachers, but of every woman in Aotearoa New Zealand whose work has been historically undervalued.
“This is about more than pay. It’s about whether our country honours its commitments to fairness, equity, and the rule of law. We will not stand by while those principles are trampled. Our members deserve better. Our students deserve better. And our democracy deserves better.”
Background
In May 2025, the Coalition Government passed the Equal Pay Amendment Act under parliamentary urgency without consulting unions or affected workers. The legislation effectively

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Pay Equity – Five unions to take Government to court over pay equity – PSA

Source: PSA

Media statement from:
  • New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa
  • Public Service Association Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi
  • Post-Primary Teachers Association Te Wehengarua spokesperson
  • Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa | New Zealand Tertiary Education Union
  • NZEI Te Riu Roa
Five major unions are launching a High Court challenge against the Government over its removal of pay equity rights, arguing the amended pay equity legislation violates fundamental rights and discriminates against women workers.
The NZNO, PSA, PPTA, TEU and NZEI Te Riu Roa have filed proceedings in the High Court seeking a declaration that the amended Equal Pay Act 1972 is inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
The legal challenge argues the Coalition Government's legislation breaches three fundamental rights: freedom from gender-based pay discrimination, the right to natural justice, and the right to fair legal process.
The case gives workers who have been denied their right to challenge gender-based pay discrimination a chance to challenge the Government in court. If successful, a Parliamentary Select Committee must consider the declaration of inconsistency and a Parliamentary debate must occur. The Government is then required to formally respond.
The claim will be formally lodged on August 29 at the High Court in Wellington following a rally by women whose pay equity claims have been cancelled.
NZNO delegate and Plunket nurse Hannah Cook said:
“Nurses and care workers like me are devastated by the scrapping of our pay equity claims. Plunket nurses were so close to finally having our hard work recognised. Nurses and care workers are the backbone of a caring society and the Coalition Government needs to value us. These changes don’t just impact us. They impact our families, our livelihoods and our quality of life.
“The Coalition Government has shown it doesn’t value us nurses and those of us in women dominated workforces. It is 2025 for goodness sake. We shouldn’t still be paid less than those in male dominated occupations.”
PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said:
“We are asking the High Court to declare that the Government’s actions are inconsistent with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 because of the discrimination New Zealand women will face as a result of the Government’s action. The legal action comes after the Government cancelled pay equity claims and gutted the Equal Pay Act 1972 with no prior signalling and without a select committee process. The Government silenced women but we know the High Court will listen to our claims. This is just the start of our campaign for pay equity for New Zealand women and we will be leaving no stone unturned to achieve pay equity.
“The decision to cancel claims that were about to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority is inconsistent with the constitutional foundations of New Zealand which do not provide for the Government to interfere with the judicial system in this way.”
Sandra Grey, Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary of the TEU said:
“If Brooke van Velden and Christopher Luxon thought avoiding a select committee process would allow them to dodge accountability for stealing $12.8 billion from low paid women workers we’ve got news for them. We look forward to the women of Aotearoa having their day in court to ensure that the government is forced to defend its actions.”
Stephanie Mills, National Secretary of NZEI Te Riu Roa said:
“The scrapping of the teachers claim without consultation and under urgency was a kick in the guts for our teacher members after years of blood, sweat and money getting the claim moving.
“NZEI Te Riu Roa, along with four other unions, has agreed to take the Government to court because they have not followed a democratic process, and because the Government has sent a message to this mainly female profession that their time, expertise and work is not valued.
“Teachers go into their profession knowing the stresses and extra hours involved because they are passionate about young people learning, but they have limits. We’re seeing more teachers looking at other options or teaching in Australia, because they feel their work is not valued in Aotearoa. Teaching is a foundational job for our society, but this Government has shamefully chosen tax cut savings over giving teachers pay equity.”
Chris Abercrombie, PPTA President said:
“This Government’s decision to extinguish our pay equity claim is not only unjust-it is unlawful.
“Our claim was built on years of rigorous, evidence-based work, carried out in good faith under a process agreed with previous governments. To have that work discarded by political decree is a betrayal-not just of teachers, but of every woman in Aotearoa New Zealand whose work has been historically undervalued.
“This is about more than pay. It’s about whether our country honours its commitments to fairness, equity, and the rule of law. We will not stand by while those principles are trampled. Our members deserve better. Our students deserve better. And our democracy deserves better.”
Background
In May 2025, the Coalition Government passed the Equal Pay Amendment Act under parliamentary urgency without consulting unions or affected workers. The legislation effectively

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Universities – Cutting-edge healthcare technology to showcase in heart of South Auckland – U0A

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

NZ's medical technology innovation hub, Medtech-iQ Aotearoa holding showcase in heart of South Auckland.
New Zealand's medical technology innovation hub, Medtech-iQ Aotearoa will hold an inaugural showcase in the heart of South Auckland this month.
 
MedTech Explorer will be an interactive showcase of MedTech innovations – from life-saving medical devices and AI-powered diagnostics, to wearable health tech and digital solutions shaping the future of healthcare. The event will bring researchers, innovators and experts together with cutting-edge healthcare technology alongside South Auckland communities.
 
Open to the public with free admission, the event will be held at the Fale in Māngere on 28 August.
 
University of Auckland’s Strategic Partnership Lead of Auckland Bioengineering Institute Dr Diana Siew, co-leads the national Te Titoki Mataora | Medtech Research Translator programme, the foundation of Medtech-iQ Aotearoa. She also chairs the national stewardship group of Medtech-iQ Aotearoa.
 
Her vision is to develop capability in NZ to create new medical technologies with a focus on health and equity. She aims for the Fale showcase to inspire young Pacific people and entrepreneurs to participate in the sector, highlighting opportunities for high-value jobs, supporting Pacific community health and encouraging the start of their own tech businesses.
 
“It's important to meet the Pacific community in the heart of their neighbourhood. This is a such a wonderful opportunity to introduce Pacific youth to the wonders of the latest technology meeting the urgent demands of the health sector.
 
“This event offers the community a unique look up-close, to not only learn the latest techniques and equipment available, but also to showcase to our young people possible career pathways about making a real difference to the lives of whānau and fri

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Health and Employment – Te Whatu Ora nurses begin local strikes on Monday

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Exhausted Te Whatu Ora nurses will begin several local strikes on Monday in response to their concerns about staff shortages continuing to go unaddressed, NZNO says.
The actions by Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members follow a 24-hour nationwide strike by more than 36,000 Te Whatu nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora on 30 July.
NZNO delegate and District Nurse Lesley Pook says North Shore District Nursing Service nurses will begin a week-long “uniform strike” on Monday 18 August.
“Instead of uniforms, we will wear T-shirts saying ‘Not Enough Nurses’. These are designed to prompt patients and members of the public to ask us about the conditions we work in.
“The North Shore District Nursing Service is short of six staff. That leaves 26 nurses to provide crucial community-based nursing such as complex wound care, intravenous medication management, cancer treatment support and palliative care.
“Being short-staffed means we have to ration care. We can’t see everyone when we need to and have to rush the appointments of those we can get to.”
Lesley Pook says without district nursing services, many more patients would need hospital-based care, putting further pressure on already stretched wards and emergency departments.
Meanwhile, nurses from two other regions go on strike next week to stop redeployment to other areas of their respective hospitals in order to fill staffing gaps caused by chronic shortages.
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) nurses at Auckland City Hospital and their colleagues from Ward 4 (Acute Surgical Services) at Whangarei Hospital undertake a “redeployment strike” 7am on Monday 18 August to 7am Saturday 23 August. This will enable these nurses to stay in their wards with their patients with CVICU patients in particular being very vulnerable.
NZNO Ward 4 delegate Chantelle Thompson says the strike involves NZNO members remaining at their places of work, leaving only for genuine Life Preserving Services, and focusing on the critically ill patients for whom they are trained to care.
“Nurses are currently sent to other areas that are short-staffed when required, but this often results in their own areas becoming understaffed. They are also sometimes seeing patients outside their areas with no orientation and are often unfamiliar with these patients.
“As the health system stands, it does nothing to enforce safe staff-to-patient ratios. This strike is about safe staffing and putting patient safety first,” Chantelle Thompson says. 
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Legal Issues – IHC welcomes Supreme Court decision confirming unfair detention for intellectually disabled man

Source: IHC

IHC welcomes today’s Supreme Court decision that has confirmed the human rights of a man (‘J’) locked away for half of his life have been breached.

J has an intellectual disability and autism, has been detained under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act since 2006.

The Court of Appeal acknowledged J’s original offending in 2004 as minor, but ruled his ongoing secure detention was justified because multiple experts said he posed a high risk to the public if released.

The original charge carried a maximum penalty of three months in prison or a $2000 fine, but due to his intellectual disabilities and autism, he was found unfit to stand trial.

IHC joined the case, along with the Human Rights Commission, as intervenor in 2024 to assist the Court in understanding the rights of people with intellectual disabilities.

IHC Director of Advocacy Tania Thomas says people with intellectual disabilities deserve appropriate support and the rights they are entitled to under the law – in the same manner that all New Zealanders should be treated.

“This man has been treated unfairly under the law for too long,” says Tania. “This decision will ensure that more balanced considerations occur in future, and people like J will receive more appropriate care and support to be able to work towards release.”

The Court’s new approach in determining how compulsory orders are considered prioritises the importance of each individual’s human rights alongside the seriousness of the offence and the community’s ongoing safety.

IHC will continue to advocate for changes to the disability framework supporting people like J under this Act.

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Justice Issues – Sensible Sentencing Trust calls for minimum non-parole sentences for Coward’s Punches

Source: Sensible Sentencing Trust

15 August 2025 – The Sensible Sentencing Trust has today called on the Government to refresh its recent Cowards Punch law announcement with meaningful reform as had been achieved in multiple Australian States – rather than a tough-sounding headline with no actual teeth.

SST National Spokesperson, Louise Parsons today said: “While we welcome the Government’s willingness to address the broad issue, the proposal to introduce a new Cowards Punch law is little more than a name change from ‘Manslaughter’ to ‘Coward’s Punch’ with no change to sentencing requirements. The maximum sentence for both is ‘Life’ which is of course never imposed. It is the sentence that matters, not what it’s called – and not what the irrelevant maximum sentence is.”

“The glaring omission in the recent announcement, is the failure to propose a robust minimum non-parole sentence – which Sensible Sentencing Trust recomm

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Environment – ECAN study confirms Canterbury nitrate issue escalating – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling on Environment Canterbury (ECan) to put an end to dairy expansion on the plains, following new data that shows nitrate contamination worsening in the region.
ECan’s latest Annual Ground Water Quality Survey released this week shows that nitrate-nitrogen contamination is worsening across 62% of groundwater wells, while 18% show no change in contamination and 20% show a decrease, in sites where a ten-year trend can be established
“This data confirms what’s been clear for years: nitrate contamination is a worsening crisis for Canterbury. Everybody should have access to clean, safe drinking water, but for many Cantabrians, turning on the kitchen tap means worrying about getting sick,” says Greenpeace freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe.
“The ECan study directly acknowledges that the main source of nitrate contamination is intensive dairying and the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. It points out that most affected communities are those ‘in areas around and downstream of intensive farming’.
“Despite the worsening freshwater crisis, ECan has given approval for a wave of dairy expansions across the region, which will devastate freshwater ecosystems and increase nitrate contamination of drinking water.”
Since the start of the year, Environment Canterbury has approved over a dozen resource consents for dairy expansions, enabling nearly 16,000 cattle to be added to the region’s dairy herd.
“Town supplies in Hinds, Darfield and Oxford have already exceeded 5 mg/L, levels of nitrate associated with an increased risk of cancer and pre-term birth. As nitrate levels increase, it’s only a matter of time before a baby in Canterbury is seriously harmed by Blue Baby Syndrome as a result of nitrate-contaminated drinking water,” says Appelbe. “This is a serious health issue that Environment Canterbury should be deeply concerned by.”
“It’s not too late to turn things around. If we reduce the number of dairy cows and phase out the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, we can restore water quality and ensure that everyone, no matter where they live, has access to clean, safe drinking water.
“Environment Canterbury is utterly failing in its responsibility to protect sources of drinking water. People across the region expect better, and are willing to stand up for safe drinking water. Candidates standing for the Canterbury Regional Council in the upcoming local elections must commit to clean drinking water for all, and to end the intensive dairy industry’s contamination of groundwater.”
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Advocacy – National Day of Action for Palestine – Tomorrow – Saturday 16 August – PSNA

Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

 

In more than 25 centres around the country, New Zealanders will be rallying and marching tomorrow in a National Day of Action for Palestine.

(See event details below)

 

“We will be marching to demand our government sanction Israel and hold it to account for the mass starvation and ethnic cleansing in Gaza” says PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal.

 

In the last 24 hours stories from Gaza have been headlined:

 

Gaza hunger “catastrophic” says UN

The day Israeli settlers lynched two young men in the West Bank

 

“These horrific headlines are a direct result of western government failure – our government included”

 

“Prime Minister Luxon has just talked for 22 months while Palestinians have faced mass killing and mass starvation”

 

“Israel doesn’t take any notice of words – only action counts for this genocidal state”

 

“Without sanctions on Israel now, Luxon’s legacy will be complicity with genocide.”

 

All out for Gaza tomorrow!

 

Maher Nazzal

Co-Chair PSNA

 

North Island
Rawene – Winter Films for Palestine
Forth Saturdays of the month
Rawene Hall
5:30 pm
August 23 – No Other Land
 
Kerikeri – Rally
First Saturday of the Month
 
Whangarei – Let Gaza Live – Sanction Israel
Saturday August 16
10:00 am
Gather at the Hatea Carpark
 
Auckland – Stand for Palestine
Monday – Friday
3:00 – 4:00 pm at the US Consulate – 23 Customs Street East
4:00 – 5:00 pm at Te Komititanga Britomart Square
 
Auckland – Leafletting for the Nationwide Rally
Wednesday August 13
Any time of the day
Email AK-Leafletts@PSNA.nz to join in
 
Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!
Every Saturday
8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Ostend Market, Waiheke Island
 
Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau
Every Saturday
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Join the team – text John on 021 899 659
 
Auckland –Rally and March
Saturday August 16
2:00 pm
Te Komititanga / Britomart Square
 
Thames – Vigil to Stop the war on Children
(Hosted by The Basket – Social and Environmental Justice – Hauraki)
Saturday 16
9:00 – 11:00 am – Then Hikoi to Auckland
Cnr Pollen and Pahau Street
 
Tauranga – Hikoi to Auckland for Nationwide Rally
Saturday August 16
Contact your local organiser for details – Tauranga@PSNA.nz
 
Tauranga – Flag Waving
Sunday August 17
11:00 am
Coronation Park, corner Nikau & Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui
 
Hamilton – Flag Waving for Palestine
Every Saturday
1:00 pm
Flynn Park, Cnr Wairere Drive & Naylor, Hamilton
 
Raglan – Rally
Hosted by Whaingaroa Palestine Solidarity
Saturday 16 August
2:00 pm
Outside Raglan Library
 
Cambridge – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Cambridge Town Hall
 
Rotorua – Rally for Palestine
Every Thursday
4:30 pm
National MP Todd McClay’s Office – Cnr Amohau and Ranolf St lights, Rotorua
 
Gisborne
Saturday August 16
9:30 am
Hikoi around the bridges of Gisborne from Heipipi Park
 
Napier – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:30 am
Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout
 
Hastings – Rally for Palestine
No Rally this Sunday.
This has been changed to focused on the Rally in Napier on Saturday
 
Palmerston North – Rally
Every Sunday
2:00 pm
The Square, Palmerston North
 
Ngāmotu-New Plymouth
(Hosted by Palestinian Solidarity Taranaki)
Saturday August 16
1:00 pm
The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth
 
Whanganui – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Riverside Market, Whanganui
 
Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine
Every Wednesday
11:00 am
Memorial gate – Martinborough Square, at the end of SH53
 
Masterton – Gathering for Gaza
Every Sunday
9:30 am
Town Hall Lawn, Masterton
 
Wellington – Flags on the Bridge
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Every Friday
7:15 – 8:15 am
Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington
 
Wellington – Rally at Wellington Hospital
(hosted by Aotearoa Healthcare workers for Palestine)
First Friday of the month
 
Wellington – Rally
(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)
Saturday August 16
1:00 pm
Hikoī for Palestine meeting at Te Aro Park at 1:00 pm with a Hikoī on the streets to Midland Park
See https://www.instagram.com/falastin_tea_collective for further details
 
South Island
 
Nelson – Let Gaza Live – Sanction Israel
Saturday August 16
10:30 am
Hikoi along Whakatū Drive
Check out the PSNA Facebook page later in the week – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064134091562
 
Blenheim – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
11:00 am
Blenheim Railway Station
 
Picton – Rally for Palestine
Every Saturday
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Picton Foreshore
 
Greymouth – Te Tai Poutini – West Coast
Saturday 16
11:00 am
Grey District Council lawn, (in front of fountain), High Street, Greymouth,
 
Christchurch – Flags for Palestine
Every Friday
4:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch
 
Christchurch – Let Gaza Live – Sanction Israel
Saturday August 16
12:30 pm – Flag Waving before the rally – Durham Street side of the bridge
1:00 pm
Bridge of Remembrance
 
Timaru – Let Gaza Live – Sanction Israel
Saturday August 16
10:30 am
Statue for Tranquillity, Sophia Street, Timaru
 
Dunedin – Let Gaza Live – Sanction Israel
Saturday August 16
1:00 pm
Meeting at the Octagon for Flags Waving and making noise – Bring pots to bang
 
Invercargill – Rally
(hosted by Invercargill Stands With Palestine)
Sunday August 17
1:00 pm
Wachner place, Invercargill
 
Invercargill – Council meeting at Environment Southland (delayed to)
Wednesday 20 August
10:00
Meet outside Environment Southland Price St at 9.45 am for 10:30 meeting

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National War Memorial awarded status of National Historic Landmark

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage

“I am delighted to announce that the National War Memorial at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park has been made a National Historic Landmark of Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Secretary for Culture and Heritage Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae.
“Receiving this recognition for our country’s National War Memorial is incredibly significant, and it is only the second place in New Zealand to receive Landmark status.
“The National War Memorial is central to Pukeahu and the story of Aotearoa New Zealand. It speaks to the service and sacrifice made by New Zealanders in efforts to create peace for the future.
“The Carillon Tower is currently being seismically strengthened so that it is preserved and protected for present and future generations of New Zealanders to enjoy,” says Leauanae.
The National Historic Landmark status is awarded by the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage with support from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The programme celebrates and safeguards our key national sites so everyone can appreciate their stories and significance for generations to come.
National Historic Landmarks are places of outstanding national heritage value that tell the stories of who we are as New Zealanders. “As the agency that administers the programme, we are proud to formally recognise the National War Memorial in this way. This status reflects the memorial’s profound significance to our national heritage, speaking to the sacrifice, resilience and evolving identity of our nation” says Chief Executive Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Andrew Coleman.
“This recognition is the result of a comprehensive and inclusive process, with strong stakeholder and public support from across the motu.
“We thank all those who took part in shaping this important decision – it’s a landmark moment, not just for the National War Memorial, but for the people of New Zealand,” says Coleman.
A formal dedication at the National War Memorial will be made when the building reopens after its seismic strengthening work is complete.
Notes
For more information about the National War Memorial, visit the Manatū Taonga website: https://www.mch.govt.nz/our-work/memorials-and-commemorations/pukeahu-national-war-memorial-park 
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Banking and Finance – ASB drops mortgage rates

Source: ASB 

ASB has today reduced four of its fixed home lending rates, including some of its most popular terms.

ASB’s Executive General Manager Personal Banking Adam Boyd says “We’ve got tens of thousands of customers due to refix onto lower rates in 2025, and we know any rate reduction is going to help these households, with savings they can put towards other important things. By Christmas, around 90% of customers holding a fixed home loan are likely to be on a rate less than 6%.”

 ASB also reduced some term deposit rates by between 5 and 15 basis points.

All rate decreases are effective immediately.

 

  Fixed home lending term

Previous rate

New rate

Rate decrease

6-month

5.29%

5.12%

– 17 bps

1-year

4.89%

4.79%

– 10 bps

18-months

4.89%

4.79%

– 10 bps

2-year

4.95%

4.89%

– 6 bps