Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Legislation – Radical employment bill threatens every NZ worker – CTU

Source: Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is urging all political parties to vote against Brooke van Velden’s new Employment Relations Amendment Bill, as it will severely undermine workers’ rights.

“This new Bill will legislate many of the attacks on workers’ rights signalled by Brooke van Velden, fundamentally undermining the rights of working people in New Zealand’s employment relations system,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“Following instruction from Uber’s corporate lobbyists, the Minister is wanting to prevent some of the most vulnerable and casualised workers who have been misclassified as contractors from being able to access their legal rights by taking cases to court. Government should not be blocking workers from court because corporates may not like the outcome.  

“The personal grievance changes are also trying to tie the courts hands and prevent them from establishing justice for workers. They entrench power imbalances and leave workers facing unjustified dismissal with no statutory protection.

“These changes threaten every single worker in Aotearoa. The right to seek remedies for unjustifiable and unlawful dismissal is a basic employment right and should not be diluted.

“This Bill also legislates to remove the 30-day rule, which is another attempt undermine unions and protections that unions bring their members. Currently workers in a new role have the protection of any collective agreement in place for 30 days. Removing the rule will encourage employers to exploit workers when they are at their most vulnerable, and to lead a race to the bottom for wages and conditions.

“The Bill heightens worker vulnerability to unjustifiable dismissal, shields employers from the consequences of mistreating workers, and drives people into insecure work. This is in the context of government policy that has caused largescale unemployment.

“Parties across Parliament should vote down this radically unjust law and instead support working people and their families,” said Wagstaff.

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Legislation – All workers will now be able to be fired at will – the Govt has no shame – PSA

Source: PSA

All workers will be in the firing line for instant dismissal regardless of circumstances under a law change now before Parliament.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brook van Velden has introduced the Employment Relations Amendment Bill which will make it harder for workers to bring personal grievance claims.
“This is plainly and simply a fundamental erosion of workers’ rights to secure employment – the Minister is effectively giving employers the green light to fire workers at will,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“It will be virtually impossible for a worker to bring a successful personal grievance if unfairly sacked. This is a radical change for every workplace in New Zealand, again exposing the Government’s priority to make life easier for employers, harder for workers.
“If a worker is dismissed unjustifiably, the only remedy is through a personal grievance. There is no problem here the Government is trying to solve. The current remedies are already very limited with reinstatement only being ordered in 16 cases at the Employment Relations Authority in 2024 according to their Annual Report.
“But now the Bill will make it easier for employers to find a way to undermine any personal grievance claim by establishing some conduct by the worker that contributed to a dismissal.
“Under the Bill, an employer will be able to amplify any conduct by the workers – it won’t be hard for some justification to be found to defend against the claim.
“This is all about weakening any claim and discouraging a worker from bringing a claim in the first place. That will mean workers will find it much harder to be reinstated which is ultimately what most workers want or get compensation for hurt and humiliation.
“The Minister trumpeted the changes as all about ‘labour market flexibility’. We heard the same thing in 1991 with the Employment Contracts Act which the Government then promised would increase productivity. That didn’t happen, it just stripped workers of rights and emboldened employers.
“We are seeing the same playbook now with planned cuts to sick pay, pay equity, the 90-day fire at will law, weakening health and safety requirements for employers and the axing of Fair Pay Agreements.
“That all amounts to less secure employment, lower wages and more dangerous workplaces.
“The Government has no shame and workers across New Zealand will pay the price for that for years to come.”
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 Privatisation – Private health contracts advance Govt’s health privatisation agenda – PSA

Source: PSA

The Government’s directive to Health New Zealand to give 10-year contracts to private hospitals for elective surgeries is a further step towards privatisation of health care, the PSA says.
Stripping money out of the public health system to pay private, for-profit providers will not solve the Government’s underfunding of health, Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says.
“The long-term result of outsourcing to private providers will continue to weaken the provision of public health care by starving it of funds, giving the Government a further excuse to privatise more and more healthcare.
“The plan to contract to private hospital long-term is ushering in the privatisation of the health system, which will inevitably mean syphoning money off from providing health services for all to pay profits to private corporations. This will result in only those who can pay being able to access adequate health care and other vital services.
“The Government wants to drive us towards a US-style health system where the private sector dominates and sick people without health insurance are left at hospital doors.
“The Minister says he is unapologetic about his directive, but the directive was kept under wraps for months.
“If you judge the Government by its actions not its words, it is clear this lack of transparency is cover for privatisation by stealth of public health care.
“Public health services belong to all of us and are there to deliver for people not shareholders.
“Privatisation will also mean that the workers who deliver quality public, health services will see their livelihoods threatened by redundancies and reduced pay and conditions,” Fitzsimons says.
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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Rural voters fed up with rates rip-off – Federated Farmers

Source: Federated Farmers

Councils have a mountain to climb to win back the trust of rural ratepayers, Federated Farmers says – and that starts with cutting wasteful spending and sharing the burden more fairly.
“At the same time, councils deserve an overhaul of their funding tools and other changes to central government policy,” Feds local government spokesperson Sandra Faulkner says.
“Council rates hikes have climbed well above inflation for several decades, but the pressure on ratepayers has only worsened.
“When elections happen this October, voters should back candidates who commit to capping general rate increases at inflation – unless there’s a genuinely extraordinary reason not to,” Faulkner says.
She says rural ratepayers are fed up with footing the bill for urban-centric services they don’t use and aren’t connected to.
“It’s time to scrap unfair rating differentials and shift towards targeted uniform charges and annual general charges to reduce reliance on property value-based rates.”
Federated Farmers is also calling for legislation changes that would require binding referenda on any council commercial projects that cost more than $500 per rateable property.
“We’re not talking about sewage treatment plants, bridges or other such essential infrastructure,” Faulkner says.
“We’re meaning commercial ventures like stadiums, conference centres and marinas that are beyond core council purposes and can destroy balance sheets.
“It’s not to say these projects can’t happen, but ratepayers should get to make the final call.”
Councils could also save money by sticking to their lane and leaving climate policy to central government, Faulkner says.
“Councils should stop duplicating effort – and wasting ratepayer dollars – by setting climate policies.
“To do something positive for the environment, councils that haven’t already should bring in a rates remission policy for land under QEII covenants, Significant Natural Areas and Outstanding Natural Landscapes.
“Given that public conservation values are protected by these mechanisms, farmers deserve rates relief,” Faulkner says.
Federated Farmers supports RMA and local planning reform that reduces delays, costs and uncertainty, and utilises tools like farm plans rather than consents.
Significant Natural Area and environmental rules must be science-based and farmer-friendly.
Faulkner says central government also has a major role in the drive for council efficiency and fairness.
Federated Farmers believes road users, rather than property owners, should be paying for local roads and bridges – as is the case for State Highways.
“We’re calling for 90% of local roading maintenance and renewal costs to come from fuel excise tax and road user charges, rather than rates. Currently, the average is only 53%.
“Property value rates are a particularly poor mechanism to fund roads for the same reason as general taxation: it doesn’t tie those who use roads with those who pay for roads.
“This system also lacks logic. In areas with a lot of tourism or freight, for example, locals are left paying for roading networks that serve a wider regional or national purpose.”
The 10% cost share left with ratepayers would lock in a district say on local road priorities.
Other steps from central government are also needed to relieve cost pressures on council, Faulkner says.
“Crown land should be rateable, the 30% cap on council uniform annual general charges should be scrapped, and the Beehive should stop unfunded mandates – piling extra responsibilities onto councils with no corresponding funding.”
Faulkner says with council elections looming, now’s a great chance to ask some tough questions of councillors seeking re-election – and those challenging them for seats – on how they’ll lessen the rural rates burden. 
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Legislation – Employment bill clarifies modern grey areas – BusinessNZ

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ supports the introduction of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, saying the changes will have a positive impact across New Zealand’s economy.
Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard says the Bill should provide more certainty, particularly around contract-based work.
“In clarifying the employee-contractor distinction through the previously announced gateway test, the Amendment Bill will simplify chosen working arrangements for all parties involved.
“The personal grievance process is being simplified, preventing the likelihood of rewarding poor employee behaviour. A system that increasingly fines employers for trying to deal with poor performance or serious misconduct including theft, fraud and even violence, is one that clearly needs fixing.
“It also makes sense to tidy up the 30-day rule introduced under the previous Government, which saw new employees automatically classed as union members if there is a collective agreement, for the first 30 days – whether they wanted to or not.
“In reality, the 30-day rule is a compliance headache for employers and employees alike, and is something that BusinessNZ has argued should be removed.
“The issues being addressed in this Amendment Bill have been flagged as a drag on productivity and flexibility by businesses. The BusinessNZ Network has been advocating for these changes for some time, and it’s encouraging to see that Minister van Velden is listening to business owners' concerns during what remains a difficult time to be operating.
“BusinessNZ looks forward to working further with the Minister on workplace issues to improve our economy and make New Zealand an even better place to be.”
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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The current state of housing in Aotearoa New Zealand – Stats NZ media release and report: Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025

The current state of housing in Aotearoa New Zealand – media release

17 June 2025

Housing in New Zealand’s cities is changing, with an increase in housing density, and more multi-unit homes. Home ownership has increased, however housing affordability is still an issue for many households, according to a report released by Stats NZ today.

Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025 brings together information from official and government administrative statistics to describe how housing intersects with people. It is an update of Housing in Aotearoa: 2020 and has updates to time series and new data sources, including aspects of housing not previously covered.

In the June 2024 year, the average annual housing costs for a New Zealand household increased 31 percent, compared with the June 2020 year, while average disposable income increased 24 percent over the same period.

Visit our website to read this news story and report:

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Food prices increase 4.4 percent annually – Stats NZ media and information release: Selected price indexes: May 2025

Food prices increase 4.4 percent annually – media release

17 June 2025

Food prices increased 4.4 percent in the 12 months to May 2025, following a 3.7 percent increase in the 12 months to April 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

Higher prices for the grocery food group and the meat, poultry, and fish group contributed most to the annual increase in food prices, up 5.2 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively.

“All five food groups recorded an annual price increase in May,” prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

The price increase for the grocery food group was due to higher prices for milk, butter, and cheese.

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

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Energy Sector – A Frank Discussion About Losing Your Spark

Source: NZ Compare

-Spark announces another broadband price hike just as winter power bills hit Kiwi wallets.
-Frank Energy is closing – adding more pressure to household budgets.
-NZ Compare sees record-breaking traffic as over 50,000 Kiwis seek better deals this month.
As winter power bills hit and broadband prices spike, NZ Compare is urging Kiwis to take control of their household bills.
The cost-of-living crisis continues on a relentless march and Kiwi households are being hit with a one-two punch: the first hefty winter power bills have landed, and Spark, New Zealand’s largest broadband provider, has announced yet another round of broadband price hikes. Meanwhile, last week Frank Energy customers have been told the brand is closing, and they’ll be moved to parent company Genesis Energy, which will likely come with an increase in the size of the household power bill. For consumers already feeling the financial squeeze, it’s just more frustrating news-and a reminder that loyalty often comes at a price.
But there is hope for those willing to take action. In response to these developments, NZ Compare, the country’s leading comparison platform for utilities and services, is seeing record traffic. Last week alone, the group’s websites experienced their highest-ever weekly traffic, and more than 50,000 New Zealanders have already used the platforms during June to compare broadband, power, and mobile deals.
“This is exactly the time when people need to take control,” says Gavin Male, CEO of NZ Compare. “Just as that first big winter power bill hits your wallet, Spark is turning up the heat with fibre broadband price increases. You don’t have to sit back and take it. There are some really competitive deals out there and if you are already on a fibre broadband connection, switching provider is incredibly simple.”
Spark’s latest price increases follow a broader industry trend of rising costs being passed on to customers, often with little warning. Many consumers, like those previously with Frank Energy, are left scrambling for alternatives.
“Whether you’re dealing with Spark bumping up your fibre broadband bill or a power provider charging more for the same, it’s time to stop paying the loyalty tax,” continues Male. “These companies rely on customers staying passive. The bill apathy has got to stop! By comparing and switching, you’re not only saving money-you’re putting pressure on the market and these companies to stay competitive.”
The team at NZ Compare says now is the perfect time to reassess. Using tools like Broadband Compare, Power Compare, and Mobile Compare, Kiwis can easily find a better plan that matches their household’s usage and budget. And the process is free, fast, and transparent.
“New Zealanders are savvy, and they deserve better,” says Male. “Every time someone switches, it s

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Animal Welfare – Three Greyhounds Dead in Three Days Underscores Need for Racing Ban

Source: Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand

Quick facts:

  • Three greyhounds died in three days of racing in New Zealand this week (12–14 June).

  • Fifteen greyhounds have died on racetracks so far in the 2024/25 season, with six weeks still remaining.

  • An alarming spike in lure-collapse deaths: six dogs this season, including three from the McInerney kennels: a family with a long history of serious welfare breaches.

  • Meanwhile GRNZ is facing a rehoming crisis of its own making: 672 dogs were awaiting adoption as of 1 November 2024, 349 of them still with trainers, not yet in the rehoming process. That number rose to 723 by 1 February 2025.

  • Despite this, in October 2024, GRNZ reported plans to increase breeding.

  • The Government has to hold firm, introduce legislation, and enforce the ban before more dogs pay with their lives.

Three greyhounds have died on New Zealand racetracks in just three days of racing: a brutal illustration of the industry’s ongoing welfare crisis and the urgent need for the forthcoming ban.

The three deaths occurred across three racetracks this week:

  • Homebush Sydney was euthanised on Wednesday 12 June after suffering a catastrophic spiral fracture of the left femur during a race in Invercargill (source).

  • Homebush Feijoa collapsed and died at the lure in Christchurch on Friday 13 June (source).


  • Midnight Brockie, also racing on Friday, suffered a fractured right hock and tibia with complete displacement at Whanganui and was euthanised trackside (source).

“This is not reform. This is carnage,” said Emily Robertson, spokesperson for the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand (GPLNZ). “Three dogs dead in three days of racing – and still this industry has the audacity to challenge the government’s decision to shut it down. It’s beyond belief.”

Midnight Brockie, just three years old, had raced 49 times and earned $45,470 in prize money before her death. She was the littermate of Brockie’s Rocket, another greyhound who collapsed and died at the lure in Manukau in September 2024 (source).

Greyhounds collapsing and dying at the end of their race – sometimes even after winning – is a particularly alarming new trend that has emerged over the past two seasons. In the 2023/24 racing season, three dogs died this way. So far in the 2024/25 season, that number has doubled, with six greyhounds collapsing and dying at the lure, including three from the Darfield, Canterbury kennels of trainer Jonathan McInerney.

The McInerney family has a long and troubling history in the greyhound racing industry. In 2023, John McInerney Sr was banned from the sport for 12 months by the Racing Integrity Board (RIB) after being found guilty of multiple serious animal welfare breaches, including failing to provide veterinary care and pain relief to a dog for three weeks. The dog was later diagnosed with cancer and euthanised (source).

In the same ruling, two dogs at his Manawatū satellite facility – operated by another son, Stephen McInerney – tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine.

John McInerney Sr has faced a raft of other RIB charges. The most serious in recent years include:

So far, 15 greyhounds have been killed on New Zealand racetracks since 1 August 2024, with six weeks of the racing season still to go. These figures reflect deaths alone, not the hundreds of serious injuries, including fractures, torn muscles, and other trauma that greyhounds continue to suffer on tracks every single week. GPLNZ warns that further deaths are likely unless urgent action is taken.

“These aren’t freak accidents. They’re the inevitable result of a system that treats dogs as disposable,” said Robertson. “Despite repeated reviews, recommendations, and reassurances of reform, dogs continue to suffer and die.”

In December 2024, the Government announced – with support from all political parties – that it would phase out greyhound racing in 20 months, after the industry was formally put on notice in September 2022. The ban decision followed multiple reviews, including the WHK Report (2013), the Hansen Report (2017), and the Robertson Review (2021), all of which raised serious concerns about animal welfare, high euthanasia and injury rates, data, and transparency in the industry.

GRNZ is now seeking a judicial review to challenge the ban, a move GPLNZ describes as “a desperate attempt that delays the inevitable and prolongs the suffering of greyhounds used and abused by this industry.”

“GRNZ should be focusing on ensuring no more dogs are harmed, winding down racing, and rehoming the dogs it claims to care about,” said Robertson. “The truth is, GRNZ is in the midst of a rehoming crisis of its own making – one that was already worsening even before the ban was announced.”

Figures from the Racing Integrity Board, the agency tasked with overseeing all three racing codes in New Zealand, show that as of 1 November 2024, 672 greyhounds were awaiting adoption, with 349 of them still housed with their trainers, not yet in rehoming centres or foster care (source).

“In their own annual report, GRNZ claimed to have rehomed 673 dogs in the 2023/24 season, meaning a full year’s worth of dogs were already sitting, waiting, and hoping for a home. That number rose to 723 by 1 February 2025 following the Government’s announcement of the ban,” Robertson said.

“And instead of urgently addressing this backlog, GRNZ is spending its time and resources in court trying to keep this inherently dangerous industry alive — and perversely had actually planned to increase breeding numbers.”

According to its own Animal Welfare Quarterly Progress Report (31 October 2024, p.12):

“…an uplift is required to maintain current racing levels and the industry’s overall contribution to the economy. Providing support and incentives to encourage and sustain the breeding industry will be a key focus for GRNZ in 2025 and beyond.”

GPLNZ is calling on the Government to hold firm, introduce legislation, and enforce the ban before more dogs pay with their lives.

Notes:

Greyhounds killed in the 2024/25 racing season on track are:

  1. Midnight Brockie – 13 June – Whanganui – fractured right hock and tibia with complete displacement

  2. Homebush Feijoa – 13 June – Addington – collapsed and died at the lure 

  3. Homebush Sydney – 11 June – Invercargill- spiral fracture left femur – euthanasia post race 

  4. Carrington Magic – 16 May – Whanganui  – open spiral fracture of left tibia fibula 

  5. Big Time Hinda – 10 April – Cambridge – collapsed at lure and dead on arrival 

  6. Know Motor – 8 March – Addington – fractured right radios ulna and died after surgery 

  7. Homebush Honey – 13 March – Addington – collapsed and died at track trial 

  8. Homebush Milo – 7 March – Addington – collapsed at lure and dead on arrival 

  9. Highview Amber – 27 December- Whanganui – complete fractures of left and right radius ulnas

  10. Call the tune – 13 December – Addington – cramp at lure, collapse in wash bay, transported to vet and euthanised due to an unmanageable hemorrhagic shock 

  11. Diamond Roman – 10 December – Invercargill- compound fracture of right tibia fibula which was severely comminuted and displaced 

  12. Homebush Shadow – Wednesday 27 November – Invercargill – complete fracture of the left radius ulna

  13. What’s on – 18 October – Addington – incident at lure, severe neck pain – diagnosed with fractured vertebrae and due to severity of fracture was euthanased 

  14. Brockie’s Rocket – 29 September – Manukau – collapsed and died at the lure (autopsy result – spontaneous tension pneumothorax)

  15. Rocket Queen – 20 September 2024 – Addington – compound fracture to its radius/ulna.

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Public transport just got a salary sacrifice, tax-free upgrade

Source: Extraordinary

New benefit means cheaper commutes, cleaner cities, and more money in workers' pockets, says Extraordinary  

Kiwi fintech maverick, Extraordinary, has seized a rare opportunity to align the stars — combining a recent Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) change with a first-of-its-kind salary sacrifice solution. As a result, Kiwi commuters now have a powerful reason to leave the car at home. Public transport can finally be paid for using pre-tax income, made possible by Extraordinary's Card and platform.

New research by Extraordinary shows strong appetite for the change:

  • 21% of Kiwis who currently commute by car say they would consider switching to public transport if their employer offered a tax-free travel benefit – rising to 40% among younger workers aged 18–34. 
  • 19% of remote workers say they'd commute into the office more often if they received a public transport allowance.

With younger employees especially responsive to incentives, the new option gives employers a powerful tool to support greener, more vibrant cities – while helping workers keep more of their pay.

These findings come at the perfect time: employers can now provide public transport allowances without incurring Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) – saving both employers and employees money, and making cleaner, more affordable commuting a reality.

To mark the milestone, Extraordinary CEO Steven Zinsli joined Mayor of Auckland Wayne Brown for a media moment on Auckland's Britomart, one of the city's busiest business and transport hubs.

“This is a game-changer for how people travel to work,” said Steven Zinsli. “It's now easier and cheaper for employers to support public transport, and workers can keep more of what they earn.”

Until now, FBT rules meant employer-subsidised transport came with tax penalties, limiting uptake. That's now changed – with Extraordinary's innovative solution, employees will have the ability to top up existing transport cards using pre-tax income, reducing travel costs and encouraging more sustainable transport options.

The shift arrives at a crucial moment, as cities like Auckland seek ways to reduce congestion and emissions, while also reviving CBD activity. Recent research shows that office occupancy remains below 70% in some major centres, well below pre-pandemic levels.

Mayor Wayne Brown said: “One of my key priorities when I was elected as Mayor was to get Auckland moving, and initiatives like this will make it easier for people to get to work by bus or train and help reduce congestion on our roads. This is good for the environment, good for our cities and good for our economy.”

Why this matters:

  • More money in workers' pockets: public transport benefits are now tax-free 
  • No extra cost to employers: avoid FBT while supporting sustainability 
  • Convenience: Top up existing transport cards using pre-tax income 
  • Cleaner cities: fewer cars = reduced emissions and congestion 
  • City revival: supports return-to-office and urban vibrancy.

Extraordinary is already partnering with major employers across New Zealand and expects demand to accelerate as more businesses take advantage of the updated FBT rules.

To read more, visit www.extraordinarypay.com/our-solutions/public-transport.

About Extraordinary  

Extraordinary is a New Zealand-based fintech platform revolutionising how employers manage non-payroll benefits. Its smart employee card supports Gifting, Public Transport, Rewards, and other allowances – replacing reimbursements and manual admin with real-time, flexible payments. Founded in 2021 and based in Auckland, Extraordinary is trusted by forward-thinking companies to boost retention, compliance, and employee satisfaction.