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Construction sales decrease in the June 2025 quarter – Business financial data: June 2025 quarter – Stats NZ news story and information release

Construction sales decrease in the June 2025 quarter – news story

9 September 2025

The construction and manufacturing industries had the largest decreases in sales in the June 2025 quarter, out of the 14 industries measured by business financial data, Stats NZ said today.

Construction sales were down $720 million compared with the March 2025 quarter.

Business financial data provides estimates of operating income (sales) and expenditure for most market industries in New Zealand. Unless specified, all sales data are adjusted to account for seasonal effects, but do not compensate for inflation and price effects.

Visit our website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

 

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Business employment data: June 2025 quarter – Stats NZ information release

Business employment data: June 2025 quarter – information release

9 September 2025

Business employment data includes filled jobs and gross earnings, with breakdowns by industry, sex, age, region, and territorial authority area, using a combination of data from two different Inland Revenue sources: the employer monthly schedule (EMS) and payday filing. Both are associated with PAYE (pay as you earn) tax data.

Key facts

Total actual filled jobs in the June 2025 quarter were 2.26 million.

In the June 2025 quarter (compared with the March 2025 quarter):

  • total seasonally adjusted filled jobs were down 0.5 percent (10,560 jobs).

For the year ended June 2025 (compared with the year ended June 2024):

  • total gross earnings were up 1.5 percent ($2.6 billion).

Visit our website to read this information release and to download CSV files:

 

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NZ housing market slump deepens – Wellington approaches 30% and Auckland 20% down from peak – QV

Source: Quality Valuation (QV)

The latest QV House Price Index shows average home values across Aotearoa New Zealand dipped by 0.8% over the three months to the end of August, with the national average now $906,977. That figure is 0.2% higher compared to the same time last year and 13.4% below the nationwide market peak of January 2022.

Across the main centres, Queenstown (2.5%) recorded the strongest gains, followed by Hastings (1.7%) with smaller increases in Tauranga (0.3%), Invercargill (0.4%), and New Plymouth (0.1%). Meanwhile, Nelson (-3.2%) saw the largest quarterly drop, followed by Wellington City (-2.4%), with Whangārei (-1.8%), Auckland Region (-1.4%), Hamilton (-1.2%), Napier (-1.8%), Palmerston North (-0.6%), Christchurch City (-1.2%), and Dunedin (-0.7%) also recording value declines.

QV National Spokesperson Andrea Rush said, “As we head into spring, the housing market remains subdued, with values continuing to decrease in most parts of the country. The slump is most pronounced in Wellington  where values are now close to 30% below their peak, and in Auckland, which is down around 20% — underscoring the scale of the correction since early 2022.”

“The good news is that with home values coming down and interest rates beginning to ease, affordability is slowly improving for buyers in many areas. However, higher living costs, rising unemployment, the broader economic downturn, and stretched household budgets continue to restrict demand,” she said.

“A steady flow of new townhouse and apartment completions are giving buyers greater choice and helping to limit upward pressure on prices. Buyers are taking longer to commit, and sellers are increasingly having to meet the market. Agents report some homeowners are struggling to sell in time to secure their next property, leading to more deals falling through.”

Ms Rush added: “Net migration has slowed sharply since the post-pandemic peak, with more people now leaving New Zealand than arriving, in contrast to the strong inflows that helped to fuel house price growth.”

The impact of the new foreign buyer rules will take some time to show in places like Queenstown and Auckland, where most of the homes priced above $5 million are located.
Download a high resolution version of the latest QV value map here.
Auckland
Values across the Super City are on average around 20% below the January 2022 peak – though it varies by area. Rodney has seen a smaller drop of 12.5% (around $175,000), with average values falling from $1,411,162 to $1,235,103. By contrast, Waitākere has experienced the biggest decline, down 21.7% (around $260,000) from $1,215,527 to $951,690.

QV Auckland Registered Valuer, Hugh Robson said, “Despite a slight lift in sales activity through August, there’s been little movement in prices with all areas seeing values dip in the past three months.”

“Listing levels are healthy across most suburbs, with a number of new townhouse developments recently completed or nearing completion. Well-located homes with some land are continuing to sell well, while townhouses with little or no land are proving less popular.”

“Buyer sentiment is relatively upbeat, with recent surveys suggesting many see now as a good time to purchase. The latest cut to the OCR and correspondingly lower interest rates, plenty of choice, and a sense that prices may have bottomed out are helping to support that confidence.”
Wellington
Wellington has experienced the largest value falls in the country since the January 2022 peak, with the steepest drop in Wellington City – West, where average values have fallen 29.9% (more than $400,000) from $1,442,657 to $1,010,714. Lower Hutt has also seen significant declines, with average values down nearly $300,000 from $1,032,527 to $741,841 over the same period.
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QV Wellington Registered Valuer and Senior Consultant David Cornford said, “Good stock is attracting steady interest and often multi-offers, but overall values while still ticking down across all areas remain relatively flat.”

“Well-maintained homes continue to sell strongly, while ex-rentals with deferred maintenance are struggling and can often be picked up relatively cheaply.”

“Most buyers remain cautious and are steering clear of properties that need significant work, but for those with the skills and appetite to take it on, this part of the market presents an opportunity to add value and create equity.”

“There does appear to be a little more optimism creeping back into the market.”
Christchurch
QV Christchurch Registered Valuer Olivia Brownie said, “The Christchurch housing market has continued to cool through the winter months, which is typical for this time of year, although values are still up annually overall.”

“Recent weeks have brought a lift in enquiries, with more people preparing to buy or sell as spring approaches,” she said.

“The easing of interest rates may help to get more sales across the line in the coming months, with demand remaining healthy, particularly from first-home buyers.”

“Local economic fundamentals point to ongoing stability, though national economic conditions could influence momentum.”
Largest regional value changes

Regional divergence is still occurring, although most areas we measure across the country are now experiencing value decreases.
Queenstown Lakes District remains the country’s most resilient market, leading national growth with the highest average value at $1,860,392. That’s 16.8% (about $270,000) higher than the January 2022 peak, fuelled by strong tourism, holiday home demand, and ongoing construction that is creating jobs and driving housing need. Nearby Mackenzie District, including popular lakeside towns such as Tekapo, is also on the rise — up 5.8% this quarter, 7% year on year, and 17.9% since the peak to $802,892.

Hamilton Central values also rose 6.8% this quarter, bucking the wider city trend. QV Hamilton Senior Registered Valuer, Marshall Wu, said affordability, proximity to the CBD, strong rental demand, and new townhouse developments are driving momentum.

Carterton recorded the largest drop over the past three months, reflecting the broader downturn across the Wellington region — a pattern now spreading to Wairarapa commuter towns.

Nelson values fell 3.2% this quarter. QV Nelson/Marlborough Manager Craig Russell described the market as “flat rather than falling,” with steady demand for tidy $500,000–$800,000 homes. But properties with issues are struggling to sell, while those above $1 million often take six months or more and need price cuts to attract interest. He added that recent job losses have added uncertainty, and unlike other regions, Nelson is not benefiting from higher dairy prices.
You can check value changes over time in your region with QV’s interactive map on www.qv.co.nz/price-index/
 

The QV HPI uses a rolling three month collection of sales data, based on sales agreement date. This has always been the case and ensures a large sample of sales data is used to measure value change over time. Having agent and non-agent sales included in the index provides a comprehensive measure of property value change over the longer term.
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Hundreds of Wellington City Council workers face uncertain future with proposed restructure

Source: PSA

The PSA is urging Wellington City Council to withdraw a planned restructure impacting hundreds of jobs, coming just weeks before local government elections.
The council is proposing a major shake up of the Customer and Community business group.
“Hundreds of Wellington City Council workers across libraries, parks, recreation, city safety, and digital services face job uncertainty with many positions proposed for disestablishment,” said PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.
“We will write to the CEO tomorrow morning asking that it is withdrawn.”
There are a number of dismissals proposed through redundancy.
Our initial count indicates 63 jobs going, 31 of which are currently vacant across the following teams: Connected Communities, Creative Capital, Park Sports and Rec, Smart Council, Libaries, Archives and Community spaces. There are significant changes proposed to many more jobs.
“These people are committed Wellingtonians who have more to give our city. This restructure would take Wellington backwards.
“The proposals would mean the loss of specialist expertise in parks, recreation and city safety to name a few and would result in unmanageable workloads for those who remain.
“At a time when there is so much concern about the future of Wellington, we oppose this major restructure, particularly so close to the council elections. It is not appropriate to be embarking on re-structure this significant in the pre-election period. It is a constitutional norm that significant work like this does not occur so close to a local election.
“The timeline currently has final decision documents being released three days after the local election, this is deeply wrong.”
The union will be supporting members during this challenging time.
“We are closely examining the proposal, we can already see a number of serious mistakes and our members are asking whether it has been written by AI.
“The PSA is also concerned that there is only three weeks' consultation on a 216-page proposal affecting this many workers and services – that is simply inadequate.”
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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Health and safety reforms: an opportunity to invest to save lives, reduce costs

Source: New Zealand Institute of Safety Management

The 2025 State of a Thriving Nation report from the Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum makes clear the cost to New Zealand and workers of our comparatively poor health and safety performance, says the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management.
The Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum report released today sets out some stark statistics:
  • The cost of harm to New Zealand workers, businesses and Government has risen from $5.2 billion in 2024 to $5.4 billion in 2024
  • Our workplace fatality rate is 6.9 x that of the United Kingdom and 1.7 x that of Australia. These trends (and similar ones for injury) remain when correcting for the type of work we do in New Zealand compared to other countries.
  • 80% of the 25 OECD countries with higher productivity than New Zealand have lower workplace death rates
  • Serious injuries involving more than a week off work have fallen, but the average time to recover is now twice what it was 15 years ago.
“Together, these numbers add up to a huge and tragic cost to New Zealand workers and their families and a massive drag on businesses, and their productivity as well as a burden on ACC, health and social welfare,” said Mike Cosman, New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM) spokesperson.NZISM is calling on the Government to seize the opportunity to invest in the system and lift this burden of harm. “We urge the Government to ensure that their health and safety reforms respond to the call from businesses, workers and experts to ensure:
  • Better system leadership and coordination between agencies with clear governance to hold them accountable for delivering results
  • Improving and investing in WorkSafe. The need for a well-funded regulator with the right capacity and capability, a clear direction and a collaborative mindset has never been greater
  • Clearer and more comprehensive regulations and guidance. In a fast-moving world our standards need to reflect the current context and be kept up to date.
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Tourism Sector – Southern Way campaign finalist in 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards

Source: Southern Way

Celebrating Regional Unity and Marketing Innovation – Queenstown, NZ (8 September 2025) Southern Way is proud to celebrate its selection as a finalist in the prestigious New Zealand Tourism Awards 2025, under the Industry Collaboration Award category. This recognition celebrates the power of collective vision and the strength of regional partnerships in shaping the future of tourism across Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Southern Way represents a macro-regional alliance of eight Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) spanning the lower South Island – from Waitaki to Stewart Island, Central Otago to our smallest region Clutha, to Southland and everywhere in between. This collaboration showcases the diversity and richness of the South, inviting travellers to explore iconic landscapes, vibrant cities, and authentic local experiences.

At the heart of this achievement is the ‘One Trip to See It All’ campaign, delivered in partnership with Air New Zealand and the Southern Airport Alliance (Dunedin, Queenstown, and Invercargill Airports). The campaign promoted open-jaw and multistop travel, encouraging North Island residents to fly into one Southern Way destination, explore the region, and fly out from another.

Running from July to August 2024, the campaign generated impressive results and drove travel performance.

Mat Woods, Chief Executive of Destination Queenstown, said that being recognised as a finalist in the awards was a testament to what can be achieved when regions unite under a shared purpose.

“We’re proud to work together as a macro-region, amplifying our collective voice and showcasing the South’s extraordinary offerings. Air New Zealand’s support was instrumental in bringing this vision to life, alongside the amazing backing of our Southern Airports Alliance. This nomination reflects the strength of our partnership and the bold direction we’re heading as a united lower South Island.”

Mark Frood, GM Tourism & Events at Great South added: “The Southern Way is more than a campaign—it’s a movement that proves collaboration is our greatest asset. Together, we’re building a resilient, future-focused visitor economy that celebrates the richness of our landscapes, communities, and shared ambition.”

The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards will be announced at the Gala Dinner on Wednesday, 29 October. For more information about Southern Way and its regional experiences, visit Southern Way’s official website: https://southernway.nz

About the Southern Way
The Southern Way is a collective of the eight Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) in the lower South Island, including Dunedin, Waitaki, Wānaka, Clutha, Central Otago, Queenstown, Fiordland, and Southland. The Southern Way collective works together to further the reputation of the lower South and undertake promotional activity. It has developed a regional brand proposition that unites Otago and Southland around a shared identity and presenting a cohesive and diverse visitor offering.

www.southernway.co.nz

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Heritage NZ – Person Includes Woman exhibition to open at Kate Sheppard House

Source: Heritage New Zealand

A powerful new exhibition opens at Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House on Women’s Suffrage evening (19 September), featuring photographic portraits of unnamed women taken in the Whanganui-Rangitīkei region between 1856 and 1889.
Entitled Person Includes Woman: Nineteenth Century Women Confronting the Lens, the exhibition presents black and white photographs taken by Whanganui photographer William Harding between 1856-1889 . The selection of images offers a rare and striking insight into women’s lives during a formative period of colonial settlement.
Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House in Ilam was once the home and campaign hub of suffragist Kate Sheppard, who led a movement of national and international activism that secured woman’s suffrage in New Zealand in 1893.
Today, the house is cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
According to Helen Osborne, Property Lead for Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House, the exhibition title is a direct reference to groundbreaking women’s suffrage legislation that was passed in 1893.
“For the first time, the law declared that “person includes woman” – a legal statement that recognised the legal and universal civic status of wāhine | women,” she says.
“These three words exposed the absurdity of needing to define women ‘as people’ – under the law before that, women were not legally recognised as persons! They remain a powerful reminder of how recent the struggle for women’s equality was and how deeply embedded in our nation’s collective memory and identity.”
Helen first encountered the William Harding photographic collection several years ago and was struck by the depth and emotional honesty of the portraits – images that immediately captured her attention.
“I became obsessed by this largely unrecognised series of glass plate negatives which offered an intimate glimpse of women living at great social change as well as the suffrage campaign,” she says.
“William Harding provided a safe and affordable space for a wide cross-section of women, Māori and Pākehā to sit for a portrait . They weren’t simply passive sitters or confined to colonial ideals of domesticity – they were recorded as individuals confronting the lens with intelligence, discomfort, confidence or unease. Although, these images were not created with political intent, seen together they form a vivid testament to women whose presence was often excluded from formal archives during a time when society was navigating transformations of power, culture and identity.”
In 2024, Harding’s photographic collection was recognised by UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register for its cultural and historical significance and compelling visual record.
According to the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, William Harding and his wife Annie arrived in New Zealand in 1855 and settled in Whanganui where William set up a photographic studio the following year. Facing intense competition from other photographers, William’s business struggled and at one point was heavily subsidised by the success of a dance school run by Annie.
The biography says: “When taking portraits […] Harding failed to flatter his sitters either by investing in elaborate studios and fittings or by retouching.”
“The direct and steady gazes of his subjects connect with the viewer,” says Helen.
“The images reflect a range of social positions – from young to old, wāhine Māori, to working class to elite settler. Many names are now not known. The women selected all have presence, and their images challenge the restrictive visual codes of the Victorian era.”
The emotional range visible in so many of the women’s faces struck Helen, including expressions of defiance, grief, poise, boredom, tenderness and sometimes resistance to the photographic process itself.
“For Māori, the concept of kanohi kitea – the seen face – carries deep er cultural significance. Being visible and remembered within one’s own whānau and community has enduring value. This also speaks to mana wāhine – the authority, resilience, and presence of Māori women – which persists even when the colonial record has silenced or obscured their names,” she says.

Bottom of Form
In 1889 William and Annie moved to Sydney leaving behind 6500 glass plates which are now held in the Alexander Turnbull Library and the Whanganui Regional Museum.
The Exhibition Celebratory Opening is ticketed – To book for the opening of the exhibition Suffrage Day follow the link: www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/exhibition-openingperson-includes-woman-c19th-women-confronting-the-lens-tickets-1554468921389. Otherwise open Sept 20th – 11am-3pm Thursday to Sunday. Free entry.
The Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House Museum tours are at 11am and 1pm. Bookings recommended.
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Business – Construction insolvencies remain high as sector pressures persist

Source: BWA Insolvency

New data shows construction continues to lead New Zealand's insolvency statistics, with 187 cases recorded in Q2 2025, the highest of any industry.

Figures from the latest BWA Insolvency Quarterly Market Report reveal that while overall insolvency numbers have plateaued, sector-specific pressures remain. The construction sector has seen a 13% increase in business failures this quarter compared to Q2 2024, with cases dropping from 192 cases in Q1 2025 or 3%.
 
BWA Insolvency principal Bryan Williams says the construction sector is continuing to feel the brunt of economic challenges, with business services and retail trade also facing significant challenges.  
 
“Despite a slight quarterly dip, construction insolvencies remain elevated. Project delays, cost overruns and cashflow constraints are still hitting builders and contractors hard,” says Williams.
“Many firms are operating on razor-thin margins. When one job falls over, it can trigger a domino effect.”
 
Business services also saw a sharp rise in insolvencies, jumping 56% from Q1 to Q2. Retail trade followed with a 26% increase, while food and beverage, manufacturing, and property sectors saw modest declines.
 
Williams says the data highlights the uneven nature of economic recovery.
“Some sectors are adapting and consolidating, while others are still under pressure. Insolvency trends are no longer just about macro conditions, it’s about how each industry is responding to change.”
 
While total insolvencies fell 1.6% from Q1 and 5.5% year-on-year, Williams cautions that the figures reflect a stabilisation at elevated levels, not a full recovery.
 
“We're seeing a plateau, not a turnaround. Businesses are still vulnerable, especially those that haven't adapted to new operating models.”
 
Williams says the rise of AI and digital tools is reshaping the business landscape.
 
“New entrants are leveraging technology to run leaner, more agile operations. That's where growth is happening. Older businesses that haven't evolved are struggling to keep up.”

Industry-specific insolvency trends

  • Construction: down 3% from Q1, from 192 to 187, up 13% year-on year 
  • Business Services: up 57% from Q1, from 53 to 83, up 14% year-on-year  
  • Retail Trade: up 26% from Q1 from 38 to 48, up 33% year-on-year 
  • Food & Beverage: down 18% from Q1, from 76 to 62, up 24% year-on-year  
  • Manufacturing: down 16% from Q1, from 49 to 4, down 2% year-on-year 
  • Property & Real Estate: down 5% from Q1, from 64 to 6, down 34% year-on-year.

Williams says early intervention remains critical: “Whether you're in construction or consulting, the message is the same: seek help early. Waiting too long limits your options.” 

Key Q2 2025 findings:

  • Total insolvencies: 666 (down 1.6% from Q1, down 5.5% year-on-year) 
  • Liquidations: 616 (down 3.6% from Q1, down 3.8% year-on-year ) 
  • Receiverships: 46 (up 35.3% from Q1, up 9.5% year-on-year) 
  • Voluntary administrations: 4 (flat from Q1, down 82.6% year-on-year).
The full Quarterly Market Report is available here. 
About BWA Insolvency  
BWA Insolvency is a leading insolvency firm that supports New Zealand businesses through liquidations, receiverships and voluntary administrations (VA), specialising in VA in particular.  Founder Bryan Williams has 30 years' experience in the industry and has recently become just the second person in New Zealand and one of 200 people worldwide to be named a Fellow of global insolvency organisation Insol International. 
 
About the BWA Insolvency Quarterly Market Report 
BWA Insolvency has been tracking data on liquidations, receiverships and voluntary administrations since 2012. The Registrar of Companies Office records the filings of companies that have gone into a formal state of insolvency. BWA Insolvency then does a deeper investigation to show industry trends and provide a detailed snapshot of what's happening in the market for the Quarterly Market Report. 
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Energy Sector – Ara Ake backs 13 projects to unlock New Zealand’s energy flexibility

Source: Ara Ake

Ara Ake has approved over $600,000 in funding from the National Flex Discovery Fund for 13 flexibility service providers (FSPs). The Fund is designed to accelerate the commercialisation of emerging energy solutions by providing targeted grants.
“Flexible energy resources, like batteries and electric vehicles, can help the electricity grid during peak demand, reduce the need for new infrastructure, and lower costs for consumers. However, much of New Zealand’s flexibility remains untapped because it is not visible, measurable or accessible,” says Rob Campbell, Ara Ake Board Chair.
“The Fund was set up to address this issue. As it was 160% oversubscribed for the $1 million grant funding pool available, we can see there is clear appetite from New Zealand innovators and industry to deliver flexibility services.”
The Fund is aimed at two areas:
  • Helping flexibility providers become discoverable to potential buyers on an open-access flexibility platform.
  • Supporting providers already visible on these platforms to grow and enhance capacity or improve reliability.
Allocated funding was split into two tracks: approximately $200,000 for Track 1 and $400,000 for Track 2. Of the 20 applicants, 13 were successful. The projects were selected based on the Fund criteria that emphasised value-for-money and connected the greatest number of new providers to open-access flexibility platforms.
“This will help provide visibility to potential buyers and ensure a diverse supply of flexibility services across Aotearoa with the potential to scale up as the New Zealand flexibility market evolves in the years to come,” says Rob Campbell.
By the end of 2025, the funding will result in multiple new connections across Flexviz, FlexPoint™, Localflex and GrideX flexibility platforms.
“By next winter, the recipients of Track 2 funds will deliver five projects across diverse technologies: hot water controls, home energy management systems, remote, smart and fast EV charging, and commercial and industrial load. This represents significant potential new flexible load made accessible to the electricity system in time to provide support through the colder winter months in 2026,” says Briony Bennett, Senior Energy Innovation Manager, Ara Ake.
The successful recipients are:
1. Supa Energy
2. Octopus Energy
3. Flex-Able
4. PowerHub
5. Gridsmart, Rinnai NZ
6. Ecotricity
7. EWI Energy
8. Daikin New Zealand
9. Evnex
10. Lastmyle
11. Cortexo
12. Counties Energy
13. Simply Energy
“We’ve been preparing for a flexible future for a while now, and this funding will help us turn our trials and pilots into a scalable solution. We’re looking forward to supporting the grid as New Zealand’s vehicle fleet continues to electrify,” says Tom Rose, Product Owner, Evnex.
“PowerHub appreciates this grant, which enables us to connect to a flexibility platform,” says Sophia Bristow, Startup Strategist, PowerHub Group. “As a growing small business in the New Zealand market, being part of the Flex Fund cohort is an important step forward for us.”
Find out more about the National Flex Discovery Fund here. 
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Sustainable Business – SBC launches new framework for national system to help reduce freight emissions at Climate Change & Business Conference

Source: Sustainable Business Council

The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) has successfully completed the second phase of its Low Emission Freight Certificate (LEFC) collaboration, marking a major step in the development of a new national system to help reduce emissions from Aotearoa New Zealand’s heavy freight sector.
SBC collaborated with a number of its members, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (EECA) and DETA to design a market-based mechanism to facilitate decarbonisation, launching the framework of the system at the Climate Change and Business Conference today. This is the final piece in a multi-year SBC project to help members and businesses move the needle on heavy freight emissions.
The LEFC system is designed to reward freight companies that invest in low-emission vehicles and to give businesses a clear and credible way to decarbonise their freight emissions. If implemented this would be a world-leading initiative, allowing New Zealand businesses to demonstrate their efforts to reduce emissions.
The system works by allowing freight operators using cleaner vehicle technologies, such as hydrogen and electric, to generate certificates. These certificates can then be purchased by businesses wanting to reduce their Scope 3 emissions – indirect emissions which come from a company’s supply chain like the transport of goods and services.
The design follows international best practices to ensure transparency and accuracy, and avoids double counting of emissions reductions. If implemented, it will support both freight providers investing in low-emission trucks, as well as businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact.
Now the design of the framework is complete, SBC is looking for a provider to bring the system to life, including setting up and running a central registry, managing the certificates, and ensuring the operation is verified and audited each year.
“This is a pivotal moment for the freight sector and a huge opportunity for New Zealand,” says SBC Head of Climate and Nature Antonia Burbidge.
“If implemented this would be a world first scheme. SBC and our participating members have worked closely with industry leaders, government agencies, and technical experts to co-design a system that is practical, credible, and scalable. Now we need a provider to turn this into action to drive real emissions reductions across the supply chain.”
DETA Consulting is the project’s design partner.
Principal Consultant David Taylor says, “Setting up a system like the LEFC is essential to unlocking scalable, transparent decarbonisation in freight. It creates a way to recognise and reward low-emission freight activity, while giving businesses a credible way to report reductions in their supply chain emissions.”
“This is a real and innovative opportunity to turn ambition into action.”
The LEFC initiative has been developed as an SBC-led collaboration. Contributing member businesses include NZ Post, Lyttelton Port Company, Hiringa, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and CHEP. Additional participating organisations and technical experts who have worked on developing the framework design and legal considerations include the Ministry of Transport (MoT), and Chapman Tripp, New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Retyna. The Smart Freight Centre (SFC) and Toitu Envirocare were engaged as part of the process.
NZ Post Head of Sustainability Maddie Spence says, “Industry collaboration on innovative solutions is essential to helping decarbonise heavy freight. We’re excited to see the Low Emissions Freight Certificate system move from concept to reality.”
SBC is now inviting expressions of interest from any organisations interested in knowing more about implementing the system and supporting New Zealand’s transition to a low-emissions and climate resilient economy.
Background 
Member-led collaborations in hard to abate sectors form a critical part of SBC’s work programme.
The transport sector is New Zealand’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, with heavy vehicles accounting for approximately 5% of New Zealand’s emissions.
Copies of the full LEFC Project Summary and LEFC Demand Report project summary detailing the design and framework of the LEFC system can be accessed here.
This work has been part funded by SBC, EECA and participating member organisations.