Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Government Cuts – Birthright Hutt Valley closes as Government leaves single-caregiver families out in the cold – PSA

Source: PSA

Birthright Hutt Valley closes its doors on Friday after 60 years of supporting single-caregiver whānau in the region. The PSA says the Government has failed the Hutt Valley community, and this loss will be felt for generations to come.
“This closure is a failure of government. Birthright has served this community for 60 years and it’s closing because the Government would not fund it adequately, “said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary, PSA Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“It's heartbreaking,”
“There has been no response from Oranga Tamariki, no plan, and no replacement. Hutt Valley families have been left out in the cold,”
“If this Government was serious about children and families doing well in New Zealand, they wouldn’t have let an organisation like close,”
“This Government has chosen tax relief for landlords over a 60-year-old organisation support single-caregiver families,”
“When you allow an organisation like this to close, you are not just failing the families in front of you today – you are failing generations to come.”
Birthright is the only specialist social service for single-caregiver whanau in the Hutt Valley. Its social workers have helped families navigate WINZ, supported survivors of family violence, advocated in family court, and provided practical help through the Whānau Room.
“In the days since we announced our closure, whānau have been coming to us asking where they can turn to now. And I have had to tell them I do not know. There is nothing else,” said Birthright Manager, Sarah Szabo.
“We have laughed and cried with these families. We have been there for some of the hardest moments of their lives. Saying goodbye to them is devastating.”
Birthright Hutt Valley closes its doors on Friday 22 May
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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Advocacy – Peters’ First Step to Sanctions on Israel – PSNA

Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

 

PSNA has congratulated Winston Peters for calling-in the Israeli ambassador, as the first step in New Zealand imposing meaningful sanctions on Israel.

The Foreign Minister has just posted;

 

 

“It’s about time he made this first step to show Israel it can’t continue to flout international law,” says PSNA National Spokesperson Rinad Tamimi. 

 

“These breaches include violent assaults on heroic New Zealanders trying to get desperately needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.” 

 

“These heroic New Zealanders represent the very best of New Zealand values of care and compassion”

 “Two of our kiwis, Mousa Taher and Julien Blondel, had already suffered brutality at the hands of the Israeli military, on an earlier flotilla boat last month. Mr Peters refused then to speak out then against the bashings Israel meted out on these brave New Zealanders.”

 

 “This is the first time in more than 2 ½ years of genocidal attacks on Palestinians that Mr Peters has called in the Israeli ambassador”.

 

 “Up ‘till now he’s done nothing.  And it’s not though he’s not spoiled for recent choice.”

 

  • Israel’s daily breaches of the so-called ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon
  • Israel’s invasion and ethnic cleansing of vast areas of Lebanon – Israel now occupies more of Lebanon than Russia occupies of Ukraine
  • Israel’s mass killing and starvation of civilians in Gaza and creeping re-occupation.
  • A sharp increase in the pogroms by illegal Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities and theft of Palestinian land in the Occupied West Bank.

 

 “We suspect Mr Peters has only called-in the Israeli ambassador on this occasion because that’s what the US and European countries have done,” says Tamimi.

 

“Our government’s foreign policy is determined by US/Israeli priorities.”

 

 “Mr Peters is carefully pointing out in his posting that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has also criticised his cabinet colleague Itamar Ben Gvir for ‘his conduct relative to the flotilla”.

 

“Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.  He is not the good-guy Mr Peters is trying to make him out to be.”

 

“But having made that first step, we want to see more of Peters speaking out, show more courage, more independence and more real action,” says Tamimi. “We want to be proud of New Zealand, not ashamed.”

 

Rinad Tamimi

National Spokesperson

PSNA

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Local News – Option for Spicer Landfill’s future decided – Porirua

Source: Porirua City Council

A public refuse transfer station in place of Porirua’s Spicer Landfill has been identified as the preferred way forward when the landfill closes in 2030.
Porirua City Council’s Te Puna Kōrero Committee today considered four options, before landing on one to progress to the next stage of planning.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said it was clear from public consultation that the community wants to keep access to local waste services, and that retention of Trash Palace is important.
“The option selected today allows for both these things, as well as being the most cost effective,” she said.
Spicer Landfill is nearing the end of its life, with a resource consent that will expire in 2030. As it is unlikely that a new resource consent would be approved, decisions need to be made about what happens next with waste disposal.
Earlier this year, Porirua City Council asked the public for their views on four possible options. The goal was to select which option should be fully scoped and then consulted on in more detail as part of next year’s Long-term Plan.
Three of the options involved various types of public refuse transfer station, and the fourth was to close the landfill with no replacement service.
At the moment, the public drop rubbish at a refuse transfer station at Spicer, and it is buried within the landfill grounds. When the landfill closes, a refuse transfer station would mean people drop rubbish on site as usual, but it is taken away and buried elsewhere.
The three transfer station options varied as to who they would service – option A was public only, option B was the public and heavy vehicles, and option C was the public, heavy vehicles and clean fill disposal.
The majority of submissions were in favour of retaining a refuse transfer station of some kind, with 70 per cent choosing options A, B or C, and 24 per cent opting to close the landfill with no replacement service.
Of the transfer station options, A was the most popular, meaning the transfer station would be for public use, accepting disposal from cars, vans, trailers and small/light trucks only . This option was the most cost effective. It also meant that Trash Palace and the bulk recycling facility could stay on site, providing valuable waste minimisation services.
Based on community feedback and other factors, option A was found to provide the most effective balance between maintaining access to local waste disposal services, minimising costs, and preserving opportunities for on-site waste minimisation and diversion.
This will now be scoped in more detail for consultation as part of the Long-term Plan in 2027, when a final decision on the future of waste disposal at Spicer Landfill will be made.
The committee also passed a chair’s recommendation from Councillor Geoff Hayward that the Long-term Plan consultation includes a programme of waste minimisation initiatives, to support a transition towards a low waste system. 
“It has become very clear through this process that the wider region must seriously engage on a more strategic discussion about the future of residual waste,” said Mayor Baker.
“If ever there were a candidate for Councils to be closer aligned on an important issue, this is it.”
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EPA seeks feedback on bifenthrin insecticide proposals

Source: Environmental Protection Authority

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is calling for submissions on a proposal to restrict the use of insecticides containing bifenthrin.
The public consultation runs from 21 May – 21 July 2026.
Bifenthrin is used on a wide range of crops, including kiwifruit, squash, vegetable brassicas, and tomatoes, to control insects. It is also used to treat timber, for professional pest management, biosecurity, and as an insecticide in and around the home and garden as a targeted spot spray.
The EPA is reassessing the use of bifenthrin and has identified serious environmental risks from some uses, particularly to the aquatic environment.
Dr Shaun Presow, Acting Hazardous Substances Applications Manager, says bifenthrin poses significant risks to fish and aquatic invertebrates, birds, and non-target insects, including bees, when sprayed extensively on crops.
“In the risk assessments we’ve modelled, this spray can drift and enter nearby waterways, which is of concern to the EPA.”
Currently, bifenthrin substances may be sprayed on crops over large areas by wide dispersive methods, such as agricultural boom sprayers or air blast methods using a-high powered fan to propel spray on to foliage.
The EPA proposes prohibiting the use of bifenthrin by wide-dispersive application methods. An exception could be made for biosecurity uses, where additional controls would manage any risks to the environment and to bystanders.
“Many non-agricultural uses we’ve modelled do not show significant risk to people or the environment so we’re not looking to restrict those uses,” says Dr Presow.
“We are proposing some changes to the labels for products with bifenthrin to make users aware of risks of paraesthesia, the sensation of pins and needles, and the risks to bees.”
Alternative insecticides are available to replace most agricultural uses of bifenthrin.
Dr Presow says, “In this consultation we’re looking for feedback on the risk assessments we’ve done, on the costs and benefits of use, the economic impacts of restricting use as proposed, potential alternatives that may have a lower impact on the environment, and from Māori on potential benefits or concerns.”
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Budget 2026: What is Needed Is A Budget That Listens

Source: Hapai Te Hauora

The past year has pushed many whānau to their limits. Rising living costs, housing stress, severe weather events and ongoing inequities continue to place pressure on communities already carrying the weight of stretched systems. And yet communities continue to respond – supporting each other, stepping up during crises and leading solutions often before public services do.
As the Government prepares to deliver Budget 2026, Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for a budget that listens. One that responds to what communities are already telling us and backs the approaches already making a difference.
Protecting Our Mokopuna: National SUDI Prevention
The earliest days shape lifelong health and wellbeing. Investing early in pēpi and whānau builds stronger foundations for healthier futures.
Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for:
  • Comprehensive support through the first 100 sleeps covering safe sleep, feeding, whānau wellbeing, and infant health.
  • A universal safe sleep package, ensuring every whānau can access a safe sleep space of their choice, whether a wahakura, Pēpi-Pod, or bassinet, alongside trusted support.
  • Funded kaupapa Māori antenatal programme including antenatal education, childbirth education, and wahakura weaving.
Climate resilience and healthier communities
Recent weather events have shown marae and local communities are often first responders during emergencies.
Environmental health is public health.
Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for:
  • Dedicated funding for Māori-led climate resilience and emergency preparedness, recognising the role marae and communities already play during crises.
  • Increased investment in flood preparedness and recovery for vulnerable communities susceptible to major flood events.
Warm homes and winter wellness
Warm, dry and healthy homes are essential for wellbeing. No whānau should have to choose between heating and food.
  • Invest in Māori-led, community-based hubs providing integrated vaccination, nutrition, and energy support.
  • Investment in Māori-led housing initiatives that increase housing supply, improve quality of housing, and put downward pressure on housing costs.
  • Expand insulation and heating subsidies specifically for in need whānau to ensure resilient, healthy homes.
  • To prioritise tamariki by continuing to ensure all schools provide high-quality, nutritious meals that support learning, development, and lifelong health.
Backing Māori-led solutions and healthier communities
Communities already know what works for their people.
Short-term funding cycles create instability and make it harder for communities to deliver long-term solutions.
Funding certainty for Māori-led services allows providers and communities to plan sustainably, respond locally and focus on prevention rather than crisis response.
Hāpai Te Hauora is calling for:
  • Investment that supports trusted community leadership and local decision-making that is already delivering solutions.
  • Community-led strategies that reduce alcohol, gambling, tobacco and unhealthy food harm
“The past few years have shown us that communities are already leading many of these solutions,” says Hāpai Te Hauora CEO Jacqui Harema.
“What we need now is long-term investment that backs prevention, strengthens resilience, and supports whānau before crisis point.”
Budget 2026 is an opportunity to invest earlier, respond smarter, and back what communities already know works. 
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Good Events – Firefighters take on the Sky Tower

Source: Blood Cancer NZ

Over 1,100 firefighters from across the country are once again gearing up to take on the 1,103 steps of Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower for Blood Cancer NZ’s Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge.
The Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge will be held on Saturday, 23 May with firefighters from not only New Zealand but also from Australia, USA, and a large group from the Cook Islands ascending the Sky Tower stairs while wearing full firefighting kit and breathing apparatus weighing up to 25kg.
With the fundraising total already over $1,700,000 this week and quickly climbing, the firefighters have been working hard in their spare time and weekends to achieve the $2,000,000 fundraising target.
Along with fundraising at local supermarkets, farmers markets and sports games, the firefighters have once again created unique ways to raise money in the pursuit of being named the top fundraising brigade. Numerous brigades have the support of their local communities behind them with many holding annual fundraising evenings like quiz nights, dances, quirky social media campaigns, and auctions that are always highly anticipated with the locals. In Nelson, they took over the runway for a fundraising walk.
The funds raised from event go back into the community by helping Blood Cancer NZ continue to run their vital service supporting Kiwis and their families right across New Zealand who are living with a blood cancer.
For many of the participating firefighters, the cause hits close to home with several brigades dedicating their climbs to family and friends, or well-known locals in their hometowns who have been diagnosed with a blood cancer or related condition.
Stewart Reynolds, Chief Financial Officer at Auckland Airport and Squad 51 member. Auckland Airport has been a supporter of the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge since it began more than 20 years ago, with members of its senior leadership team regularly joining Auckland Airport’s first responders in climbing the Tower.
“Auckland Airport has been involved in the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge for two decades, and it’s something we’re incredibly proud to support. Our Airport Emergency Service team and fire fighters around the country do an outstanding job every day, and this event is a powerful way to recognise that commitment while raising funds for Blood Cancer NZ. Taking part is a great reminder that, beyond the numbers, it’s people and community that really matter and this challenge makes a meaningful difference for families across New Zealand.”
“We’re proud to have supported the Firefighters Challenge for more than two decades, helping raise awareness and support for those affected by blood cancer. We look forward to continuing this partnership and backing the incredible work Blood Cancer NZ does for communities across New Zealand,” says Callum Mallett, SkyCity Chief Operating Officer.
Tim Edmonds, CEO of Blood Cancer NZ says every year as the event has grown the level of support from the firefighters and their communities continues to grow as well.
“We can’t thank this incredible group of firefighters, their generous communities, and event partners enough for all they are doing to help support blood cancer patients. It means that we are able to extend the support we provide for more than 3,000 patients each year while also accelerating research to improve outcomes for the 1 in 18 New Zealanders that will be diagnosed with a blood cancer in their lifetime” says Edmonds.
Blood Cancer NZ
– Blood Cancer NZ is the national charity dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with blood cancers and related blood conditions. www.bloodcancer.org.nz
– Blood Cancer NZ does not receive government funding – the dollars raised from the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge help fund our core services including patient support, education, and funding for research, awareness and advocacy.
To support a brigade visit: www.firefightersclimb.org.nz
Key facts about blood cancers
– Every day, 8 New Zealanders are diagnosed with a blood cancer that’s nearly 3,000 New Zealanders a year.
– The cause of blood cancers is unknown.
– These diseases can strike anyone, of any age, at any time, without warning.
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Health – Bupa nurses take pay equity claim over historic wage discrimination – NZNO

Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

NZNO nurses working at Bupa aged residential care homes throughout Aotearoa New Zealand have raised a pay equity claim to address historic gender-based wage discrimination.
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa NZNO has more than 380 registered nurse members working at Bupa’s 40 aged residential care homes across the country.
NZNO aged care national delegates committee member and registered nurse Maree Ross says the formal claim follows workplace meetings and a recent member ballot.
“Aged care nursing has been historically and systematically undervalued because it is work predominantly performed by women.
“Aged care nursing is highly skilled and clinically complex work, often done under considerable pressure. In many facilities, a single registered nurse is responsible for the clinical oversight for the whole facility for an entire shift.
“Our pay equity claim calls for our work to be properly recognised and paid,” she says.
During the member meetings, nurses spoke of the risk to resident safety caused by chronic understaffing caused by caring for increasingly unwell people and growing workloads, Maree Ross says.
“Their concerns echo the findings of NZNO’s Care in Crisis: Manaaki i te Raru report that aged care nurses are constantly forced to make impossible choices about who gets help first because they are stretched so thin.
“While our pay equity claim is specific to Bupa nurses, historic gender-based wage discrimination occurs across the aged care sector. We are standing up for all our aged care colleagues to be valued and paid comparably to male dominated workforces with similar skills.
“It is timely this claim was lodged a year after the Coalition Government gutted our previously world class pay equity scheme to 'save the Budget’,” Maree Ross says. 
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Oxfam – Aid cuts left DRC exposed to Ebola – Oxfam is mounting a response

Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

Reacting to the World Health Organization’s declaration of the Ebola outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) – with over 400 suspected cases and 89 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo – Dr. Manenji Mangudu, Oxfam Country Director in the DRC, said:
“Our partners are sending us deeply alarming reports. One doctor in Mongwalu Health Zone, Ituri told us: ‘There are already deaths in the community. When people die at home, it means there are many more undetected cases. Yesterday alone, we had 15 suspected cases in isolation. By the time patients reach us, it is often too late to save them.' With millions lacking access to functioning health facilities, this novel strain risks an already catastrophic crisis over the edge.
“This outbreak is hitting a country already stretched to breaking point. Ongoing conflict and years of aid cuts have deepened a humanitarian crisis of staggering scale: one in four people are going hungry. Those same aid cuts left DRC effectively exposed to Ebola, weakening the surveillance systems that should have detected this outbreak weeks earlier.
“Oxfam and its partners are mounting an emergency response in Ituri, providing clean water, sanitation and health awareness to affected communities. But this crisis is arriving at a moment of critically depleted humanitarian funding. Without urgent financial assistance, efforts to save lives risk being fatally undermined.”
Notes
  • Oxfam’s Ebola response is focused on public health promotion and supporting community-lead solutions to break the chain of transmission. Oxfam will also be providing safe, clean water in affected communities and improving the health centres infrastructure.
  • Oxfam needs £10m to scale up its emergency response in DRC, aiming to reach most vulnerable communities in Bunia, Beni and Butembo regions.
  • According to the latest IPC findings, 26.5 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity from January to June 2026, including 3.6 million in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) and 22.9 million in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis)
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Awards – Tower wins Canstar’s Home & Contents Insurer of the Year Award

Source: Canstar

21 May, 2025: Tower has won its third consecutive Canstar Home & Contents Insurer of the Year Award, for consistently delivering outstanding value and customer satisfaction.

For this year's award, Canstar's expert panel researched 14 home and contents insurance products from 11 providers. Each policy was assessed across 30 nationwide property addresses, to ensure a comprehensive comparison.

Awarding Tower its Insurer of the Year Award, our expert panel noted that while average policy prices increased 3.5% year-on-year across its research, Tower recorded significant reductions in its average premiums across all three of its home and contents insurance products.

The reductions come on the back of Tower switching fully to address-level, risk-based pricing earlier this year. The new pricing model's high-tech approach to risk assessment won Tower a Canstar 2026 Innovation Award. (ref. https://www.canstar.co.nz/star-rating-reports/innovation-excellence-awards-2026/#tower )

Canstar NZ editor, Bruce Pitchers, says: “Over the past two years, the insurance industry has experienced a rigorous process of repricing, regulatory tightening and technological acceleration.

“Tower's wins over this period display the insurer's continued dedication to delivering its customers the best levels of cover alongside market-leading pricing.

“The hat-trick is a real feather in Tower's cap and sends a clear signal to Kiwi homeowners of where to go for the best value insurance.”

Paul Johnston, Tower Chief Executive, says it's pleasing to be named Canstar's Home and Contents Insurer of the Year for the third year in a row: “Alongside our continued customer growth, this recognition shows that Kiwis appreciate our focus on making insurance simpler and easier. Our risk-based pricing approach is enabling us to offer more competitive, personalised pricing.

“We know the cost of living remains front of mind for many New Zealanders, and affordable, accessible insurance is critical to giving people peace of mind if the unexpected happens. We've worked hard to deliver value by pricing for the specific risks of each property, and by offering three levels of comprehensive cover, with the flexibility to add additional benefits.

“As a Kiwi insurer, we're incredibly proud to bring this award home once again. It reflects the dedication of our Tower team, who work hard every day to support New Zealanders, and the trust of our customers who choose us. They're the reason we do what we do.”

Outstanding Value Home & Contents Insurance Awards

While our Insurer of the Year Award takes into consideration consumer feedback from thousands of Kiwi homeowners, Canstar's Outstanding Value Awards are based purely on policy price vs cover level.

In addition to Tower, this year, three insurance companies have won Canstar Outstanding Value Home & Contents Insurance Awards:

TradeMe

TradeMe, which is a white label of Tower, retains its award for delivering an outstanding value insurance product that combines competitive pricing with great policy features.

AMI & State

For the second year in a row, AMI & State each earn an Outstanding Value Award. Each brand's home and contents policy is underwritten by IAG and offers a balanced combination of features and premiums.

For the full details of Canstar's 2026 Home & Contents Insurance Awards click here: https://www.canstar.co.nz/home-contents-insurance/awards/

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Report reveals health system underfunding, more revenue needed – Better Taxes

Source: Better Taxes for a Better Future Campaign

The 'How Much Funding is Needed for Health in the 2026 Budget?' report just released by Kaitiaki Hauora reveals the extent of underfunding of our health system, and the pressing need for significant changes to our tax system to gather the revenue we need to build a better health system, according to the Better Taxes for a Better Future Campaign.

“The health system is in crisis, there is a pressing need for more funding. But this is a problem years in the making – we have underfunded our health system for many years, while prioritising tax cuts for landlords and tobacco companies, over meeting the basic needs of our communities,” said Kate Stone, spokesperson for the Better Taxes for a Better Future campaign.

The report predicts that it is likely that Budget 2026 will not provide enough funding to even match the cost and demographic pressures for the year ahead. The authors estimate that $1.405 billion is needed for Vote Health just to meet those pressures, but the government has undertaken to provide just $1.37 billion to cover both rising costs and demographic pressures, and any new initiatives announced by the Government in this year's Budget.

Looking beyond the funding needed to keep the health system going over the next year, to close the gaps in key areas of our health system, such as primary health, Hauora Māori, workforce and electives would require $6,834m in operational funding per year plus $1,061m in capital.

“The amount required to address immediate pressures and to build a health system that can deliver quality, timely and affordable care to everyone in Aotearoa will be significant. We need a tax system that can raise the revenue we need not just for a bandaid, but to close these gaps that have been widening over time,” said Stone.

“We are a low tax country relative to countries we like to compare ourselves to, and this flows through to our health system. Our health funding is much lower than 16 other countries compared in the report and has been for some time. Most of these  countries have higher levels of tax, including higher top income tax rates and a comprehensive capital gains tax (CGT). Australia, for example, used its recent Budget to increase the coverage of its CGT and increase taxes on trusts.”

“In New Zealand we rely heavily on income tax and GST paid by working people, but most accumulated wealth goes largely untaxed. If we close these gaps in our tax system and ensure that big corporates and the ultra wealthy contribute their fair share we can generate the revenue we need to build a better health system,” said Stone.