Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) is calling for a public inquiry and urging the Government to rethink its support for heated tobacco products (HTPs), followingfresh revelationsthe Government extended a 50% tax cut on the products for two more years.
Following on the heels oflast week's revelations about tobacco industry lobbying of politicians, Health Coalition Aotearoa is calling for a public inquiry into tobacco industry influence. HCA is also calling for the Prime Minister to reassign the tobacco and vaping portfolio away from NZ First.
The heated tobacco products tax break was introduced last year-against the advice of government officials. They pointed out tobacco giant Philip Morris (who have a monopoly on heated tobacco products in Aotearoa New Zealand) would be the main beneficiary.
“There’s no evidence heated tobacco products help people stop smoking, or that they’re significantly less harmful than cigarettes,” says Dr Jude Ball, Health Coalition Aotearoa spokesperson and University of Otago researcher.
“Yet the Government, despite committing to a one-year trial, have extended the tax cut by two more years. This decision is favourable to the tobacco industry but not beneficial to public health.
“This latest decision adds to a worrying trend of Government policy decisions that align with tobacco company interests.
The Government’s approach to evaluating if heated tobacco products help people quit smoking is unclear. It is highly unusual for a Government to run a trial like this which, by cutting a tax on HTPs, helps the sole seller of heated tobacco products (Philip Morris) to increase their product sales. Especially if there is no evidence that product helps people to quit cigarettes.
“Tobacco giant Phillip Morris are the sole beneficiaries of this tax cut. It’s a poor use of taxpayer dollars at a time when our health system is already stretched,” says Dr Ball.
Health Coalition Aotearoa calls on the Government to act with urgency and leadership and:
Launch a public inquiry into tobacco industry influence on Government policy.
Strip NZ First of the tobacco and vaping portfolio.
We also support thepetition launched by Vape-Free Kids NZcalling on the Prime Minister to strip the tobacco and vaping portfolio from New Zealand First.
New research from Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission has revealed that record numbers of women are feeling more uncomfortable financially compared to their male counterparts.
Data from the Retirement Commission’s financial sentiment tracker has found that 62% of women are financially uncomfortable in comparison to 51% of men in the year to 30 June 2025. The proportion of women who were worried about their finances pay-to-pay and their levels of debt is now the highest since research began in July 2021.
The Retirement Commission surveys thousands of New Zealanders each year to track how people are feeling about their finances. The insights are used to help identify where particular challenges are and opportunities to provide better support.
Over the last few years, the financial sentiment tracker has shown the power that having an emergency savings fund can have on people’s financial wellbeing when they have some protections in place to cope with the unexpected. This latest report reveals that 44% of the population currently do not have an emergency fund in place, ultimately threatening their financial resilience.
Women were less likely than men to have an emergency fund (48% either don’t think they’ll have one or are just considering setting one up, compared to 41% of men).
Data found that 64% of people who had set up an emergency savings fund in the last three months felt confident about their future (almost identical to those with established funds at 65%) in comparison to only 22% of those without a fund.
This August, the Retirement Commission’s annual Sorted Money Month campaign is putting the spotlight on emergency savings.
Sorted Personal Finance Lead Tom Hartmann is encouraging New Zealanders to set up an emergency savings fund if they don’t already have one.
“Starting an emergency savings fund, even if it is only $5 a week, can help people avoid debt and cope better in a crisis,” he says.
“The research shows that putting money into emergency savings to deal with financial challenges when they arise, will also help you feel more optimistic about the future, and encourage a savings habit that ultimately builds financial resilience.”
The National Strategy for Financial Capability partners are also supporting Money Month with events and programmes across the country. These events can be found the on the Sorted event calendar allowing people to find out what is happening locally and get involved.
Ngā Tāngata Microfinance Trust’s General Manager, Vijay Farley-Naiker was keen to support the drive to build emergency savings with their community. Ngā Tāngata Microfinance offers affordable loans to help those on low incomes get ahead with money.
Farley-Naiker's advice is, “start your emergency savings today, it’s a small step that can make a big difference and break the cycle of financial stress.”
Ngā Tāngata Microfinance is running a free family event in Henderson, Auckland Build your buffer, on Saturday 30 August, with a free sausage sizzle, games as well as budgeting services, financial mentors and financial institutions ready to help people start building their emergency fund.
Sorted will host two free webinars during Money Month, providing independent financial information to help people start an emergency savings fund. Stressed to sorted – Emergency savings 101 will be held on 12 August followed by How and emergency fund can save your life on 26 August, featuring a panel of experts from community and financial organisations as they share their tips for building and keeping emergency savings.
By the numbers:
44% of the general population do not currently have an emergency savings fund.
64% of those who’ve set up an emergency fund in the last three months agree with the statement ‘I/we feel optimistic and confident about my/our future right now’ compared to only 22% of those who don’t believe they will set one up in the near future.
Only 35% of those with an emergency fund are concerned about finances from pay to pay, compared to 64% of those without a fund.
56% of participants feel financially uncomfortable, while 44% feel financially comfortable.
The gap between women and men feeling financially comfortable has widened over the past four years, with only 38% of women feeling financially comfortable compared to 49% of men in 2025.
The proportion 18 to 34-year-olds feeling financially comfortable has declined from 53% in 2022 to 43% in 2025
The proportion of Māori participants feeling financially comfortable has dropped from 42% two years ago to 34% this year.
On a year-on-year basis, more people are concerned about finances from pay to pay this year (42%) compared to last year (40%), while optimism about the future has increased to 46% from 44%.
About Sorted Sorted is a free service run by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, the government-funded, independent agency dedicated to helping New Zealanders get ahead financially. As New Zealand’s trusted personal finance site, Sorted has the information needed to tackle debt, plan and budget, save and invest, dial up your KiwiSaver, plan for retirement, protect what's important, and manage a mortgage. Providing tools, guides and blogs, Sorted can help no matter where you are at when it comes to money. About Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission aims to help New Zealanders to retire with confidence. Retiring with confidence means New Zealanders feel secure they’ll have resources to live and the know-how to make
31 July 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ) has created a series of financial inclusion indicators, designed to improve understanding of how well the financial system is serving the diverse needs of our communities and how it evolves over time.
Director of Financial System Assessment, Kerry Watt, says financial inclusion is an important feature of an effective modern financial system.
“When people are excluded from financial services, it can limit their ability to participate in the economy and ultimately their wellbeing. Our indicators are part of our efforts to understand and track how the financial system is serving New Zealanders,” Mr Watt says.
The indicators focus on the ability of individuals and businesses to obtain and access to financial services such as cash services, deposit accounts, and credit.
Key findings from the report include:
97% of adults in Aotearoa New Zealand reported having at least one deposit account. However, access varies by age, income, and ethnicity.
70% of adults have at least one regulated credit product, though this drops to 64% among Māori. Regional disparities are also evident, with Gisborne showing notably lower access relative to its population size than other parts of the country.
Rural residents, particularly those over 60, are less likely to find it easy to deposit cash than urban residents.
Māori-owned businesses received $3.5 billion in lending from the four largest banks, just 2% of total business lending (of $185 billion).
The indicators have been developed based on international approaches and reflect the growing recognition, both globally and domestically, of financial inclusion as a core component of financial system performance.
“Understanding and promoting financial participation is a priority for the Reserve Bank. These indicators build a fuller picture of access, use, and outcomes to support New Zealanders in having reasonable access to financial products and services that meet their needs,” Mr Watt says.
Māori have highest increases in life expectancy – media release
30 July 2025
Life expectancy at birth for people identifying with the Māori ethnic group increased more than that of other broad ethnic groups between 2005–2007 and 2022–2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
However, life expectancy for Māori remains lower than that of other ethnic populations.
Life expectancy at birth for people who identify as Māori was 75.8 years in 2022–2024, up 3.1 years from 2005–2007. Over the same period, life expectancy at birth for people who identify with ‘European or Other’, Pacific, or Asian ethnicities each increased by 1.5–1.6 years.
In 2022–2024, life expectancy at birth was:
81.8 years for the population of Aotearoa New Zealand as a whole
82.8 years for people who identify with European or Other (including New Zealander) ethnicities
76.9 years for people who identify with a Pacific ethnicity
86.3 years for people who identify with an Asian ethnicity.
Visit our website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:
Over the last 15 years or so, High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs) have become more visible on New Zealand roads. They are heavier, longer, and – surprisingly for some – more efficient, safer, and greener.
HPMV’s increased freight capacity reduces the number of required vehicle trips, resulting in emission reductions, reduced congestion, and reduced accident risk (Report to the Ministry of Transport, 2015).
HPMVs also pay significantly higher rates of Road User Charges than other heavy vehicles, based on their impact on the pavement. This ensures they contribute proportionally to road maintenance and improvement.
HPMVs operate under permits issued by NZTA and local councils, on roads and bridges that can accommodate the additional mass and length of the larger vehicles. NZTA processed 7,000 heavy vehicle permits in 2023.
Unfortunately for road freight companies and their customers, applying for a HPMV permit can be a complicated process. This includes navigating NZTA’s permitting portal, carefully measuring the vehicle, entering the data correctly, and then waiting for the permit to be granted.
In response to member feedback, Transporting New Zealand has produced aseries of three “How-To” videos, presented by Membership Manager Jim Crouchley.
“Many operators find it difficult to know where to start with the HPMV process and no one really knows who to call to help.” says Jim.
“We wanted to show how to start the process, and what operators will need to have in front of them to complete the task. The ability to pause the video and work through the stages should be helpful for people who only do this process from time to time.”
“These guides show operators how to register their business on the NZTA permitting portal, measure a vehicle when applying for a permit, and upload a permit application to NZTA.”
In addition to providing educational resources, Transporting New Zealand has consistently advocated for the Government to simplify permitting processes and get more efficient trucks on the road.
Transport Minister Chris Bishoprecently announceda comprehensive reform of New Zealand’s land transport rules, that provide an excellent opportunity to facilitate such improvements.
Transporting New Zealand has been providing feedback to regulators on how to unlock greater productivity, and continues to work with government officials.
As the healthcare landscape shifts to meet the changing needs of patient populations, understanding the broader context and the importance of the general practice and rural hospital medicine workforces becomes more important than ever.
Every two years The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners undertakes its Workforce Survey to gain insight into how our members who work in (or are training towards) general practice and rural hospital medicine feel about their vocations, the environments they work in and their place in the sector.
A snapshot report on key findings has been released and was shared with members in a plenary session by College President Dr Luke Bradford last week at GP25: Conference for General Practice.
Dr Bradford says, “The majority of the findings aren’t new or surprising. They add to the wealth of evidence we already have and emphasise the need for swifter action and bold reform while providing fresh insights into the distinctive and evolving nature of general practice and rural hospital medicine.
“We acknowledge the recent funding announcements from the Minister and are optimistic that the additional funding for our GP training programme will encourage more medical graduates into the workforce now the financial barriers have been removed.
“I’m heartened to see improvements since the 2022 survey on those who would recommend general practice and rural hospital medicine as careers. Responses show a workforce who value the personal connections with patients, the intellectual stimulation spurred by the variety and complexity of cases that allow them to use their full skillset and knowledge base alongside the ability to make a tangible difference to patients’ lives.
“There are, however, some concerning results around retirement, reduction in hours and intentions to leave New Zealand.”
Within the next five years 35% of GP and 21% of rural hospital doctor respondents intend to retire and 35% of 30-34-year-old GP respondents are considering leaving New Zealand, with 15% intending to leave.
“The College will continue to address these challenges, because as well as growing the workforce, retaining the current workforce – those who train the trainees – must be a priority.”
Survey findings show our members as being nimble and innovative. They continue to show resilience and have a deep commitment to their patients. But they are vocal about the challenges of navigating a health system that doesn’t recognise the value of their specialism, the workforce shortages and working within a model of care that isn’t adapting quickly enough to keep up with patient or workforce need.
Key findings tell us that:
43% of GP respondents were likely to recommend a career in general practice. This has increased from 39% in the 2022 Workforce Survey but is still below the 54% in the 2020 survey.
76% of rural hospital doctor respondents were likely to recommend a career in rural hospital medicine.
Burnout levels amongst general practice and rural hospital doctors, while still unacceptably high, have improved since the 2022 Workforce Survey. In 2024, 38% of GP respondents and 26% of rural hospital doctor respondents rated themselves as highly burnt-out, compared to 48% (GPs) and 49% (rural hospital doctors) in 2022.
New roles and skillsets are being welcomed into our multi-disciplinary teams to address patients’ physical, mental, social and holistic needs.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies are being carefully incorporated into daily work to reduce some of the administrative burden that comes from managing such diverse patient loads, but concerns around data privacy, Māori data sovereignty and system integration are top of mind.
This snapshot is the first in a series of reports from the 2024 Workforce Survey data.
Federated Farmers is backing changes to regulation under the Resource Management Act (RMA) that would let councils take a more balanced and pragmatic approach to freshwater rules.
In a submission to the Ministry for the Environment this week, the organisation clearly signalled broad support for the Government’s proposed direction.
“New Zealand’s freshwater rules have become too complex and are completely unworkable,” Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says.
“They’re a nightmare not just for farmers, but also for local councils tasked with the unenviable job of trying to untangle a bureaucratic bird’s nest of rules – and implement them.
“That’s why we support plans to strip away the layers of overly prescriptive direction that have left us with rules no one can reasonably comply with.
“Rules like the fertiliser cap, wetland definitions and the application of Te Mana o te Wai should be on the chopping block for repeal or major amendment.”
Hooper says national direction under the RMA has been a key driver of impractical freshwater regulation, dictating what councils must do and leaving little room for regional flexibility.
“Freshwater rules need to make sense in the local context and for the communities they affect.
“Highly prescriptive national bottom lines might sound good on paper, but in reality they’ve created unrealistic expectations on the ground for rural and urban communities.”
In some catchments, nutrient reductions of 60% or more would be needed to meet the previous Government’s current targets.
Modelling also shows that even with a blanket conversion from pastoral farming to forestry, many communities still wouldn’t be able to achieve desired water quality standards.
“That’s not just impractical – it’s impossible,” Hooper says.
“We need freshwater policy that’s grounded in reality and reflects real-world trade-offs
“Everyone wants to see improved environmental outcomes, but these require a strong economy, growing exports and thriving rural communities.
“If we want to achieve all of those things, we need a pragmatic and balanced approach to policy that’s firmly grounded in science, practicality and fairness.”
Federated Farmers supports the proposal to amend or repeal the more problematic aspects of the current national direction, including wetland rules and the principle of Te Mana o te Wai.
“Farmers and councils need freshwater rules that are clear, measurable and informed by credible science – but the concept of Te Mana o te Wai fails that test on all three counts,” Hooper says.
“While it may seem like a pragmatic focus on water quality, the concept is ultimately focused on the spiritual health of water rather scientifically measurable health.
“That makes its application, when imposed as a legal directive, completely unworkable.”
The Government has indicated it expects to introduce a new Natural Environment Act to replace the RMA this year, and have this new act become law by mid-2026.
Federated Farmers supports the proposed changes to RMA national direction but is urging the Government to stop tweaking rules under the current RMA and instead develop new national direction under the replacement act.
“With new resource management legislation due by mid-2026, it makes little sense to keep tinkering with a failed framework that’s on its way out,” Hooper says.
“The Government has rightly frozen new regional freshwater rules under the failing RMA. Our submission argues the Government should implement these changes by beginning work now to ensure national direction under new replacement legislation is ready to go on day one.
“They’d be better off focusing their efforts on developing a clear, workable direction under the new Natural Environment Act.”
It takes a special kind of human to grab a small bike (125cc or less), load up with a tent, pop on as many layers as possible and head off in the freezing cold at a blistering average speed of 60KM per hour!
But that’s exactly what an intrepid group of self-described “jolly good buggers” will be doing on the 9 th and 10 th of August – riding for young Kiwi men affected by the most commonly diagnosed cancer in their age group.
TheCold Kahunais an annual charity ride organised by Hawke’s Bay fundraising group the Jolly Good Chaps, that sees courageous (or possibly unhinged) riders brave sub-zero temperatures as they travel from Auckland, Waikato, Tauranga, Wellington and Hawke’s Bay, to converge on Ohakune for a weekend of camaraderie, campfires, and scooter-fueled shenanigans – before heading home with frozen fingers and full hearts.
This year marks their second time riding in support of Testicular Cancer New Zealand – a charity dedicated to raising awareness, providing support services, and helping men detect cancer early, when it’s most treatable.
Among the riders is Tane Stubbs, a testicular cancer survivor and member of the organising committee.
“Having had testicular cancer myself, being part of the Cold Kahuna was a good opportunity to lead from the front – and to raise awareness where it counts,” says Tane.
He says supporting Testicular Cancer NZ is a way of giving back to others facing the same fight.
“Everyone has different ways of giving back. Any donation to any cause is great, but helping Testicular Cancer NZ means giving back to our men.”
But behind the mayhem is a serious message.
Around 190 New Zealand men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year. While highly treatable when caught early, 8 lives are still lost annually-often because the signs weren’t recognised or action wasn’t taken soon enough.
Diagnosed after a self-check and quick visit to his GP, Tane credits early action with helping him through his journey.
“I was worried when I found something, but because I’d done my homework on testicular cancer, I knew to go straight to my doctor. That decision made all the difference,” he said.
Testicular Cancer NZ CEO Peter Dickens says the Cold Kahuna ride helps spark a life-saving ripple effect that can make all the difference.
“This event helps spread the word and save lives. By encouraging men to talk about their health and know the warning signs, and by raising vital funds for those already affected, the riders are creating real impact. We’re proud and grateful for their support.”
For Glenn Fulcher, spokesperson for the Jolly Good Chaps, the Cold Kahuna’s power lies in its authenticity – mixing mateship with meaningful action. “You stop for a yarn, raise some dingaling, and keep it real by talking about health in a way that’s not preachy,” says Glenn. “And yes, there are loads of frozen blue-like balls on scooters in the middle of winter – but it’s all about helping men feel less awkward talking about something that could save their lives.”
The Jolly Good Chaps have made it easy to support the cause – each rider has a personal fundraising page, and donations from fri
Pak’N'Save Richmond workers are calling out their “Kiwi owned and operated” bosses after a 6-month bargaining ordeal for attempting to drive down average supermarket wages, undermining union rights, and giving loyal staff a raw deal, all the while pocketing healthy profits for themselves.
Bargaining with the store’s owners, Glenn and Tracey Anderson, has dragged on since January 2025 with no meaningful progress, according to Ross Lampert, Workers First National Organiser (Retail Food). Mr Lampert said that the company refuses to offer industry-standard basics like a staff discount or long service leave, and their latest pay offer after six months of bargaining falls well below inflation, meaning a real-terms pay cut for workers who are already struggling with the cost of living.
“This is exactly what happens when the Foodstuffs model lets individual owners race each other to the bottom – it’s Kiwis fleecing other Kiwis,” said Mr Lampert. “They proudly talk about‘investing in the team’while they chip away at pay, undermine union rights, and break the law to keep wages low.”
Pak’N'Save Richmond has a long history of anti-union behaviour, Mr Lampert said. Workers have been offered higher wages to sign Individual Employment Agreements instead of the union-negotiated Collective, which is a clear breach of employment law. The union holds documented evidence, including payslips showing two different rates offered for the same role at the same time, with the only difference being union membership.
One worker at the store, commenting anonymously due to restrictions on public speech contained in company policy, said: “Customers are always shocked we don’t even get a staff discount, let alone a living wage.”
Another store worker said: “Management tries to scare people away from the union and bully staff into signing individual deals. It’s a scam.”
The company has also attempted to restrict access for union organisers by actively trying to block Mr Lampert’s ability to go into certain areas, behaving aggressively and hiding workers from having fair representation. This intimidation has left many staff afraid to speak up, but Workers First members say they are ready to stand strong together and take further action if needed.
“This is why Fair Pay Agreements were so important,” said Mr Lampert. “They were designed to stop exactly this kind of race to the bottom, but our current Government scrapped them, leaving workers exposed to shoddy operators like these who are determined to keep supermarket workers teetering on the edge of poverty.”
“Even the Australian chains like Woolworths treat Kiwi workers better than these ‘proudly Kiwi’ owners.”
“Kiwi shoppers deserve to know that the people stacking their shelves and serving them every day are being paid fairly and treated with respect. Right now, that’s not happening at Pak’nSave Richmond.”
Background information
Workers First Union holds documented evidence of unlawful pay preference as described above – it is available to media on request.
Bargaining between Workers First and Pak'N'Save Richmond was initiated on 30 January 2025.
The company is currently in the process of expanding the physical footprint of the Pak’N’Save Richmond store into Richmond mall, prompting the displacement of at least 14 other retail stores.
In reaction to the United Nations’ 2025 edition of“The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World”(SOFI) report launched today, showing only a slight progress in reducing hunger and warning that over half a billion people could be chronically hungry by 2030-nearly 60% of them in Africa – Emily Farr, Oxfam’s Food and Economic Security Lead, said:
“We are witnessing the collapse of a moral contract. While some regions have seen some modest gains, the world is veering dangerously off track, leaving the poorest and more vulnerable behind. As top donors, including the G7, push through a historic 28% cut to aid by 2026, 2.6 billion people -over a third of humanity -still cannot afford a healthy diet. These are not just statistics. These are lives unravelling and futures stolen.
“This is not a crisis of scarcity – it is a crisis of inequality. Climate chaos, conflict unchecked, and broken policies-driven by greed and impunity-are tearing apart global food systems and entrenching inequality. In 2024 alone, billionaires’ wealth soared by $2 trillion while poverty barely budged. Since 2015, the world’s richest1% have amassed $33.9 trillion– enough to end global poverty 22 times over. Yet hunger persists, not by accident, but by design. As fields flood and crops wither, aid is slashed, and a few corporate giants profit from the wreckage.
Low-income countries are paying the highest price for a crisis they did not create. While global food price inflation peaked at 13.6 percent, it soared to 30 percent in the poorest economies- wiping out household budgets and access to food. In Africa, 1 in 5 people remain chronically hungry, with women and children hit hardest by deep cuts in nutrition programs.
“We cannot afford a global food system built on injustice and indifference. Despite a modest improvement, we are nowhere the pace needed to meet global goals. The tide can still be turned, but only if governments act with urgency and unity: restore gutted aid, crack down on food profiteers, and invest in local farmers and local food systems that feed people, not profit margins.”
