Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Health – IHC welcomes disability change

Source: IHC

IHC is welcoming today’s announced changes to the disability system that will make it more consistent, transparent, sustainable and fair.

The Government has announced a raft of changes that include consistency for Needs Assessments across the country and greater flexibility for individualised funding while holding firm on Enabling Good Lives principles.

IHC’s Director of Advocacy Tania Thomas says this is a big step forward for the sector and it’s great to see that more work has been done to make sure disabled people, their families and carers have a system they can trust and is easy to use.

“The announcement that in 2026 purchasing guidelines, including March 2024 amendments to them, will no longer apply is likely to go some way to helping some to rebuild trust,” says Tania.

“Under the new approach, flexible funding users will have more choice and control but will need to keep their spending within their budget.”

Minister Louise Upston also stated that longer-term work is being done to strengthen the disability support system to reflect the Enabling Good Lives vision and principles.

“Giving disabled people and their families and carers more clarity, certainty, flexibility, and choice is a welcome move,” says Tania. “But it’s a waiting game to understand the detail around how the new approach will make a positive change in the lives of people with disabilities.

“There is still more information to come about the new personal plans, purchasing rules, and what this means for individual people with intellectual disability. We look forward to seeing this in due course.

“We recognise that the changes and earlier announcements support the Enabling Good Lives principles of self-determination and being mana-enhancing.

Earlier this year the Government announced that Disability Support Services would change the way it paid residential service providers. The Community Group Home Pricing Model is simplifying and clarifying the process for residential service providers.

“It is crucial that government continues to prioritise creating spaces for the voice of disabled people in the decision-making processes around key decisions that impact their lives,” says Tania.

These changes are positive, but they come against a backdrop of stark inequality for people with intellectual disability, who are far more likely to live in hardship than other New Zealanders.

Across every measure of deprivation, households with intellectually disabled people are worse off. While the return to greater flexibility is something to applaud, there is still some way to go to address the deep and enduring financial inequities people with intellectual disability experience.

About IHC New Zealand

IHC New Zealand advocates for the rights, inclusion and welfare of all people with intellectual disabilities and supports them to live satisfying lives in the community. IHC provides advocacy, volunteering, events, membership associations and fundraising. It is part of the IHC Group, which also includes IDEA Services, Choices NZ and Accessible Properties.

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Health and Employment – Te Whatu Ora sorry for evading safe staffing data contradicting its claims

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

Te Whatu Ora has today apologised to NZNO for acting “unreasonably” over the release of safe staffing data which contradicts its claims hospitals aren't short-staffed.
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) strategic researcher Nathalie Jaques says the data shows what members are saying.
“Our members are telling Te Whatu Ora they are understaffed and overworked. They're saying this is putting patient safety at risk.”
The Care Capacity Demand Management data shows from January to November 2024 day shifts across all wards were understaffed 51% of the time and all evening shifts were understaffed 35% of the time, she says.
The apology follows an investigation by the Ombudsman which found Te Whatu Ora (see findings attached) “unreasonably” delayed and obstructed the release of data about hospital shifts being staffed below recommended safety levels.
In a letter to Nathalie Jaques (also attached), Te Whatu Ora said: “We acknowledge that refusing this request was not appropriate and may have contributed to delays in the important work you are undertaking on behalf of our kaimahi.”
Te Whatu Ora added it was now “proactively strengthening its processes” to ensure it complies with its obligations under the Official Information Act.
NZNO Chief Executive Paul Goulter welcomed the apology as the right thing to do.
The apology comes as more than 36,000 NZNO nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora will strike again tomorrow (Thursday 4 September).
It is the second time this week NZNO members are walking off the job after Te Whatu Ora failed to address their concerns about patient safety after a year of bargaining.
Notes:
  • NZNO members will strike tomorrow from 7am to 11pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
  • The strike will be a complete withdrawal of labour at every place in New Zealand where Te Whatu Ora provides health care or hospital care services. Life Preserving Services will continue to be provided.
  • NZNO has been in negotiations with Te Whatu Ora since September 2024 and has engaged in 28 days of talks including as recently as last Wednesday.
  • Of those 28 days, 13 days were with support from the Mediation Service and three were in facilitation with the Employment Relations Authority.
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Export Regs – DCANZ welcomes streamlined export regulations

Source: Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ)

The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) says the New Zealand economy will benefit from today’s announced streamlining of regulatory approaches for dairy exports.
The Government announced the removal of a requirement that dairy exporters must obtain gazetted exemptions for their products from domestic compositional standards when selling to countries with different standards.
It is estimated that exporters could have missed out on millions of dollars in export earnings over recent years because of the requirement.
Chairman Guy Roper says the change will make it easier for companies to export new, high-value, and innovative dairy products.
“This is great news for the New Zealand economy at a time when every export dollar from every market matters.
“DCANZ is not aware of any other country requiring its dairy exporters to obtain gazetted exemptions from domestic compositional standards when they are not appropriate for the export market. These applications have often taken months to process, slowing the time to market for new products.
“The requirement to apply for compositional exemptions has put our exporters at a disadvantage to their overseas competitors when responding to international customer requirements.
“The changes will remove a long-standing and self-inflicted barrier to growing the value of New Zealand’s dairy exports at a time when our economy needs every export dollar it can get”
Every country’s food regulators determine the appropriate product standards for food sold in their market and they do that by taking into account the needs of their domestic populations and factors such as geographically differing nutrient availability across all food sources.
“A good example of this is that Europe has set higher ranges for vitamin D in formulated foods than New Zealand does, reflecting that our northern hemisphere counterparts receive less vitamin D from other sources, such as sunlight.
“Meanwhile, New Zealand’s requirements for selenium levels in formulated foods are higher than other countries, reflecting the low levels we have in our soils and therefore in our other food sources.”
The requirement for compositional exemptions has been in place since 2005 despite there being a legal requirement under the Animal Products Act (1999) for dairy exporters to ensure their products are safe and conform to the requirements of their intended market.
“Dairy exporters have been seeking this change for some years. In 2020 we identified it as a regulatory change that would support export value growth, and the need for the requirement has been consistently questioned since its introduction.
“We are pleased the Government has removed this unnecessary and costly second-guessing of other countries' regulatory competence,” Mr Roper says.
Having a streamlined and less duplicative regulatory approach around this is exactly the type of red-tape reduction needed to support export growth.”
Dairy exports account for one in every four dollars New Zealand earns from all goods and services trade.
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BusinessNZ – Exactly what it says on the tin: Food exporting simplified

Source: BusinessNZ

Today’s announcement from government to reduce regulatory red tape for exporters means competing on the world stage will soon be easier for some Kiwi businesses.
By the end of the month, food exporters will no longer need to apply for exemptions from New Zealand rules if their products already meet the importing country’s requirements.
ExportNZ Executive Director Joshua Tan says the change reflects long-standing recommendations made by exporters.
“This is a sensible, long-awaited fix that ExportNZ and our members have been calling for. Simplifying labelling and composition exemptions has been on the agenda for some time, and we’re pleased to see it addressed.”
Tan says the new system will simplify the process of getting products to market.
“Currently, exporters have to navigate a costly, time-consuming process to secure approvals on a product-by-product basis. The new approach gives businesses more certainty, cuts compliance costs, and reduces delays. It’s a change that will make a real difference to Kiwi exporters competing on the global stage.
“ExportNZ looks forward to working with officials on any further changes to the export process which make it simpler for New Zealand-owned businesses to enter other markets.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
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Natural health sector welcomes commitment to unlock dietary supplement exports

Source: Natural Health Products NZ

Natural Health Products NZ has welcomed the Government's decision to slash red tape for food exporters and is encouraged that dietary supplements have been identified as the next priority for reform.
“This is exactly the kind of practical, business-friendly approach our sector needs,” says Natural Health Products NZ spokesperson Samantha Gray.
“For more than a decade, we've been advocating for a fix to New Zealand's broken and outdated dietary supplement regulations. Today's announcement shows the Government is now moving in the right direction.
“We're particularly encouraged by the explicit commitment to tackle dietary supplements as the next priority. This will unlock export opportunities worth $500 million annually, particularly in high-growth markets like the Middle East and Asia that the Government is prioritising.
“Different countries have varying regulatory requirements for health claims and composition. Our exporters should be free to meet those requirements without unnecessary barriers, helping us maximise the Government's free trade agreements.
“Our sector is ready to contribute significantly to New Zealand's export growth. We have innovative companies ready to commercialise NZ R&D and prepared to expand into new markets – we just need the regulatory framework to support them.”
Natural Health Products NZ is calling on the Government to move urgently on developing workable exemptions for dietary supplements.
“We're hopeful Ministers Hoggard and Seymour will maintain this momentum and deliver the reforms our growing sector needs.”
Natural Health Products NZ is the peak industry body representing around 80% of the $2.3 billion sector whose members range from small businesses to companies employing thousands of New Zealanders, across manufacturing, distribution, research and retail.
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Politics – Seymour is rage-baiting on Paris Agreement – Luxon mustn’t bite – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace agrees with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon that pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement would be the “fastest, quickest” way to “punish farmers” – and is warning him not to weaken New Zealand’s methane target for the very same reason.
“Luxon is right: backing down on climate commitments would hammer New Zealand’s international credibility, our trade relationships, and the future of our farming sector,” says Greenpeace campaigner Amanda Larsson.
“That’s also exactly what will happen if Luxon caves and reduces New Zealand’s methane target. Seymour is rage-baiting the extremist edge of the farming community to grab headlines – Luxon mustn’t bite.”
Luxon today signalled that a decision on the methane target is imminent. The announcement is hotly anticipated after it made global headlines earlier this year. Dozens of leading scientists published  an open letter on the front page of the Financial Times, urging him not to weaken the target but to strengthen it in line with advice from the independent Climate Change Commission.
Methane makes up nearly a third of global warming and is over 80 times more powerful than CO₂ in the short term. Slashing methane, particularly from livestock, is seen by scientists as the fastest way to slow warming in our lifetimes – a vital “emergency brake”.
Larsson added: “Luxon is right to call Seymour out – the majority of farmers, agribusiness leaders and companies know that ditching Paris is a disastrous idea. But Luxon needs to do more than just call out a cynical extremist. The same arguments he’s made in defence of Paris apply to the methane target.
“If the methane target is weakened, Fonterra will struggle to meet the climate commitments their biggest customers – like Nestlé – require. Our exports are already at risk as global markets demand food with lower climate and environmental footprints.”
Weakening methane action would also conflict with international climate law and trade agreements, and could carry legal consequences under the recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion and clauses in New Zealand’s trade deals with the EU and UK.
Greenpeace says a strong methane target is not only vital for climate action but also for driving the innovation needed to open New Zealand up to premium export markets.
Larsson says “Strong regulation must be paired with government support to help farmers transition to ecological practices that restore rivers, clean up drinking water and protect biodiversity – while meeting customer expectations.”
“David Seymour is playing a very cynical and self-serving game. True leadership requires the Government to be the torchbearer for a long-term vision for our primary sector – one that’s good for farmers, the economy, and future generations.”
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Science – NZ waters teeming with undiscovered seaweed species, scientist says

Source: Earth Sciences New Zealand

Scientists believe they’re only seeing a snapshot of what could be living in our subantarctic islands and deep waters.
This comes after Earth Sciences New Zealand researcher, Dr Roberta D’Archino, discovered a dozen new native red seaweed in just one family of red algae, and described four new genera – the level above species.
“Aotearoa is extremely diverse, stretching from the subtropical waters of the Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands to the colder waters of the subantarctic islands. Lots of these locations, particularly the subantarctic islands, are only rarely and opportunistically explored, meaning we don’t have many samples of the seaweed and invertebrates that live in the coastal water there,” said Dr D’Archino.
Seaweed provides essential habitat for fisheries and plays a vital role in carbon capture – assisting the oceans to produce about 50% of the Earth’s oxygen.
Dr D’Archino has been studying New Zealand seaweed for 20 years, collecting and identifying specimens to fill knowledge gaps and document the native flora.
So far, she has described 27 new species and 13 new genera.
“The process of describing new species of macroalgae takes significant work to ensure the specimen hasn’t already been named elsewhere. This includes comparing morphology with other known species, which relies on having fertile samples, extensive knowledge, and undertaking DNA analysis,” said Dr D’Archino.
This is made even more difficult when there are so few samples with reproductive structures needed to formally describe new genera.
One of the new seaweeds that Dr D’Archino described, came from just a single collection made by European explorers in the 19th century at the Auckland Islands and identified as Callophyllis ornata.
It puzzled her for years.
“A box full of specimens in the herbarium Te Papa included red foliose algae collected in the subantarctic islands tentatively identified as C. ornata, but were morphologically different one to another, suggesting it included more species unknown to science.
“There was a lot of detective work to link recent collections with the specimen collected in 1842; I had to borrow a little fragment of the holotype stored in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (France), and compare it to specimens collected recently. It took years, but I eventually I concluded that it belongs to an endemic new genus, Motumaha and I was able to describe other two genera, Alseida and Thetisia, from the mystery box,” said Dr D’Archino.
Dr D’Archino believes there could be still hundreds of species of native seaweed alone that are yet to be described, especially from remote places as the subantarctic islands and the mesophotic zone, a habitat still poorly known. Some of the taxa discovered were collected at about 100 m depth.
“The fact that we discover new species from a few opportunistic collections hints that we’ve only scratched the surface of finding out what’s living in our oceans. It would be amazing to do a targeted expedition to these places to find what else out there – there's still so much to be discovered.
“If we don’t know what there is, how do we know what to protect from environmental degradation, climate change, and biosecurity threats? And given how important these organisms are, it seems like these are knowledge gaps we should be filling,” said Dr D’Archino. 
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DCANZ welcomes streamlined export regulations

Source: Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ)

The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) says the New Zealand economy will benefit from today’s announced streamlining of regulatory approaches for dairy exports.
The Government announced the removal of a requirement that dairy exporters must obtain gazetted exemptions for their products from domestic compositional standards when selling to countries with different standards.
It is estimated that exporters could have missed out on millions of dollars in export earnings over recent years because of the requirement.
Chairman Guy Roper says the change will make it easier for companies to export new, high-value, and innovative dairy products.
“This is great news for the New Zealand economy at a time when every export dollar from every market matters.
“DCANZ is not aware of any other country requiring its dairy exporters to obtain gazetted exemptions from domestic compositional standards when they are not appropriate for the export market. These applications have often taken months to process, slowing the time to market for new products.
“The requirement to apply for compositional exemptions has put our exporters at a disadvantage to their overseas competitors when responding to international customer requirements.
“The changes will remove a long-standing and self-inflicted barrier to growing the value of New Zealand’s dairy exports at a time when our economy needs every export dollar it can get”
Every country’s food regulators determine the appropriate product standards for food sold in their market and they do that by taking into account the needs of their domestic populations and factors such as geographically differing nutrient availability across all food sources.
“A good example of this is that Europe has set higher ranges for vitamin D in formulated foods than New Zealand does, reflecting that our northern hemisphere counterparts receive less vitamin D from other sources, such as sunlight.
“Meanwhile, New Zealand’s requirements for selenium levels in formulated foods are higher than other countries, reflecting the low levels we have in our soils and therefore in our other food sources.”
The requirement for compositional exemptions has been in place since 2005 despite there being a legal requirement under the Animal Products Act (1999) for dairy exporters to ensure their products are safe and conform to the requirements of their intended market.
“Dairy exporters have been seeking this change for some years. In 2020 we identified it as a regulatory change that would support export value growth, and the need for the requirement has been consistently questioned since its introduction.
“We are pleased the Government has removed this unnecessary and costly second-guessing of other countries' regulatory competence,” Mr Roper says.
Having a streamlined and less duplicative regulatory approach around this is exactly the type of red-tape reduction needed to support export growth.”
Dairy exports account for one in every four dollars New Zealand earns from all goods and services trade.
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Longstanding partnership drives strategic transformation at NZ’s second-oldest charity

Source: Rata Foundation

Home & Family, New Zealand's second-oldest charity, has been using evidence and data to transform how it delivers services to vulnerable children and their whānau across Canterbury.
The organisation, established in 1898 as the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, provides early intervention and wrap-around support to pēpi, tamariki, rangatahi and their parents/caregivers and whānau, and operates across multiple sectors including family violence prevention, parenting support, youth mentoring, therapy services and work with the New Zealand Family Courts.
Chief Executive Val Carter says that taking a deep dive into their data has been pivotal in gaining insights and strengthening the organisation’s impact within the community. “The Good Measure reports allow you to really look at your data and understand where you best add impact. It was a great opportunity for us to evaluate what we did, how we did it and what benefit and impact it made within the community.”
The organisation's initial Good Measure report in 2022 focused on their parenting services at the time. “The social return on investment that came out of our first Good Measure report showed that for every dollar invested in Home & Family's programmes, the community benefited by $2.40. This was a really positive outcome, but it also gave us the opportunity to think about what we were delivering and how we delivered it. This resulted in significant changes to the way that we deliver services, particularly parenting services, to our community.”
In 2023, the organisation implemented SafeCare, a structured early intervention parenting programme originating in the United States. Home & Family is currently the only provider of this programme in New Zealand.
Programme Manager Hamish Mepham says the initiative represents a shift from a generic social work approach to targeted, evidence-based interventions. “The development of SafeCare was informed by how the Good Measure report demonstrated our impact with the community. We wanted something to be effective but have some really good research evidence behind it to say why it was effective.”
SafeCare uses a skill-based curriculum that builds on the knowledge, experience and existing strengths of a parent/caregiver. Through initial baseline assessments, a parent’s initial skill set is identified, with this information used to inform how to deliver the training in remaining sessions. SafeCare participant Josh says: “The SafeCare programme's taught me a lot. I think I've come a long way from what I did know to now. Without Hamish being in the picture when he came in, I don't think I would be where I am now. I don’t think I would probably still have my boys.”
A follow-up Good Measure assessment conducted in 2024 revealed the programme's significant long-term benefits, particularly for children. Ms Carter says: “For us, the most interesting and motivating figure was that the social value for children who participated in our SafeCare programme was over $17,000 over their lifetime. This represents the long-term benefits that targeted, evidence-based early intervention can provide – not just immediate support, but lasting positive outcomes that follow children into adulthood.
“We work with about 900 to 1,000 people impacted by family violence, and when we talk about one person, it's also all of the extended whānau that sit behind that one referral.”
The transformation has been supported through a long-standing partnership with Rātā Foundation, spanning over 20 years, with the Good Measure reports undertaken through the Strengthening the Sector Programme. “Rātā invited us initially to undergo the Good Measure report so we could review what we were doing, if it was working and what could be done to improve our support. Rātā has been a core catalyst into us being able to be more effective with what we do. It is that real trusting relationship that we've been able to build and maintain over the years that has been so vital for our organisation.”
Rātā Foundation Head of Community Investment Kate Sclater says: “At Rātā, we value our relationship with Home & Family who have a solid foundation of social impact in the Canterbury region. This partnership is based on the strong alignment of a shared vision to empower families and whānau to thrive, and a shared commitment to continually strive to learn and evolve, to improve outcomes for future generations. For us success is when organisations take learning and use it to improve programmes and services for the people they support.”
Recently Home & Family moved into a new facility in Opawa, bringing all operations under one roof for the first time, including the team of 20 to 25 permanent staff and volunteers. The building includes Kōmanawa, meaning ‘Oasis’, a dedicated client space designed specifically for children and their whānau. “Kōmanawa is our client space and it's going to be set up really to be child friendly. The majority of the clients who will be using the space will be children and their whānau, so we've wanted to make it as welcoming as possible.
“Next for Home & Family is really settling into our new space and building on the opportunities that we've been able to enjoy through our partnership with Rātā to really strive to provide the best possible service for our community.”
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Statistics NZ proposes axing Māori Learning Capability team in latest cull – PSA

Source: PSA

Statistics New Zealand has proposed today to disestablish its Tangata Tiriti Learning Capability Team alongside further reductions to its People and Culture team.
PSA Kaihautū Māori Marcia Puru strongly opposes the move, saying it's a blatant attack on Māori – Māori kaimahi, te Reo Māori, and Tiriti development at Stats NZ, but it also removes sector-leading professional development opportunities for all staff.
“This proposal is yet another example of the austerity-driven, anti-diversity political environment this Government has pushed so hard for. It doesn’t need to give directives – it's very clear to agencies that any public services that focus on Māori are not welcome.”
Puru says that Stats NZ will be failing on its legislative functions such as quarterly reporting on the Te Ture Mo te reo Māori (Māori Language Act).
“My main concern is how Stats NZ will continue to meet its obligations as a Tiriti partner. To keep up with these legislative functions, Stats NZ will need to hire external evaluators – which will no doubt cost them more in the long run. In short, these cuts are regressive and short-sighted.”
The Tangata Tiriti team will lose six roles, with three staff merging with the larger People & Culture team. The People & Culture team itself will be reduced by two roles.
These cuts to the team come despite Stats NZ running a $2M budget surplus last year.
“A recent internal review of the Tangata Tiriti Learning and Capability team said it has delivered outstanding outcomes. Stats NZ says in its own proposal document that the Tangata Tiriti team have delivered important work. There's a lot in there insinuating their work is expensive, but no cost analysis was actually completed for the review, or for the document.
“Why not keep these highly valuable workers right where they are, so that they can continue to help upskill their coworkers in te ao Māori?
“The answer, as usual, is a falsely restrained balance sheet. The Government would have the money to pay public service workers if they hadn’t given their landlord mates billions.”
The Tangata Tiriti team drive internal programmes to improve Stats NZ’s knowledge and capability to work within te ao Māori.
“Instead of having a team of in-house experts who have built up relationships within the organisation, Stats NZ is planning on reducing its focus on te ao Māori within growing the workforce and will be scaling back teaching te reo, using a combination of inhouse and outsourced expertise.
“This is a retrograde step that will hinder Stats NZ’s ability to engage effectively with Māori, the exact opposite of what the agency needs after they failed to engage with tangata whenua for the 2018 Census.”
This restructure is the sixth Stats NZ has undergone since the National-led Government came into power in 2023, cutting staff in December 2023, September 2024, twice in October 2024, December 2024, and now September 2025.
Other PSA statements on Stats NZ:
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.