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Employment – Fire and Emergency and FECA reach agreement strengthening leadership and community outcomes

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand welcomes the successful ratification of the collective employment agreement with Fire and Emergency Commanders Association (FECA) covering operational firefighting management, District Commanders and Assistant District Commanders, and senior specialist positions.
The collective employment agreement was ratified by FECA members on 2 March 2026, following 14 days of negotiations and an Offer to Settle made on 23 February 2026.
Fire and Emergency Chief Executive Kerry Gregory said the agreement reflects a mature and constructive relationship between the two organisations.
‘This agreement is about strengthening leadership across Fire and Emergency so we can deliver the best possible outcomes for our communities,’ Kerry Gregory said.
‘Securing a new agreement is critical to our leadership capability, operational stability, and our ability to deliver on our strategic direction and organisational change objectives. Just as importantly, it ensures our frontline leaders are aligned, supported, and empowered to perform at their best.
‘It is an important milestone to have this contract settled, as it builds on the progress we made last September when we signed a Strategic Relationship Agreement with the UFBA, who represent more than 650 volunteer brigades across the country.’
FECA President Geoff Purcell said the agreement recognises the vital role Fire and Emergency’s operational leaders play across Aotearoa New Zealand.
‘Our members command, lead, manage and support paid and volunteer firefighters across the motu. This agreement acknowledges their professionalism, their national responsibilities, and their commitment to serving communities,’ Geoff Purcell said.
‘We’re particularly pleased to see the Strategic Relationship Panel formalised, providing a structured and collaborative forum where operational leaders can work closely with Fire and Emergency on issues that matter most.’
The agreement also confirms FECA’s support for Fire and Emergency’s key leadership and cultural change initiatives reinforcing constructive, sustainable relationships with volunteers.
Kerry Gregory said the settlement enables the organisation to focus squarely on its core mission.
‘We acknowledge and thank FECA for their constructive approach to reaching a settlement. With this agreement in place, we can concentrate on what matters most, strengthening how we protect people, the environment, and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.’
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Property Market – NZ housing affordability improves to near decade-best levels – Cotality

Source: Cotality

Housing affordability across New Zealand has improved to its most favourable level in almost a decade, as lower property values, rising wages and easing mortgage rates continue to reduce pressure on buyers.

The latest Cotality NZ Housing Affordability Report for Q4 2025 shows the national value-to-income ratio fell to 7.2, the lowest level since a brief period in 2019 and before that 2016.
Although still slightly above the long-term average of 6.8, the figure represents a marked improvement from the stretched affordability conditions seen during the post-COVID housing boom.
Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said affordability has improved materially over the past three to four years as several market forces moved in the same direction.
“Lower property values, rising incomes and falling mortgage rates have all helped ease the pressure on buyers,” Mr Davidson said.
“Housing certainly isn’t cheap, but for those trying to buy their first home or upgrade, we’re currently seeing the best conditions in several years and a level of affordability that is much closer to the country’s historic norms.”
Mortgage costs return to more typical levels
Mortgage servicing costs have seen the most notable improvement with repayments accounting for 42% of gross median household income, in line with the long-term average.
Mr Davidson noted it’s been almost five years since mortgage servicing hit a peak of 56% recorded in early 2022 and again in late 2023.
“Servicing a relatively new mortgage is also back to around its normal levels and is much improved from the situation a few years ago,” he said.
“Mortgage affordability isn’t easy, but in the current lower interest rate environment it may not be the significant handbrake on medium-term house price growth that it was a few years ago.”
Deposit hurdle easing but still significant
Although saving a deposit has improved compared with recent years, it remains one of the largest barriers to the housing market for aspiring buyers.
The years required to save a 20% deposit has fallen to 9.6, down almost four years from a peak of 13.4 during the post-COVID housing surge.
Mr Davidson said while this figure remains above the long-term average of around nine years, the reduction highlights the positive impact of lower property values and stronger incomes.
“There’s no suggestion the market is affordable as it remains slightly more challenging than ‘normal’ however it has been on an improving trend in recent quarters and is certainly more favourable than the previous post-COVID boom period,” he said.
“Saving for a deposit is just one factor in measuring housing affordability and it currently takes four years less save a deposit than it might have done at the market’s peak. In addition, let’s not forget that a lot of first home buyers don’t actually need a 20% deposit anyway, with many taking advantage of the banks’ LVR allowances.”
Main centres show varying improvements
Affordability across the main centres showed a mixed picture in the December quarter, reflecting differences in how property values have adjusted since the market peak.
Tauranga remains the least affordable of the major centres, with a value-to-income ratio of 8.5 in Q4 2025. Although that figure has eased from its peak of 11.9 in 2021, affordability in the city remains stretched compared with most other main centres.
Auckland has seen one of the more notable improvements with the city’s value-to-income ratio at 7.5, slightly below its long-term average of 7.7, indicating housing costs are closer to typical levels than they have been in recent years.
Wellington is currently the most affordable of the main centres on this measure, with a ratio of 6.4, broadly in line with its long-term average.
Mr Davidson said the recent underperformance of property values in Auckland and Wellington had played an important role in restoring affordability in those markets.
“That adjustment has taken some of the heat out of markets that had previously become extremely stretched,” he said.
Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin have seen less improvement in affordability, as property values in those markets have remained more resilient and have shown modest growth in recent months.
Rental affordability still stretched
While affordability for buyers has improved, rental costs remain elevated. Rents currently absorb 27.9% of gross household income nationally, down slightly from a peak of 28.5%, but still above the long-term average of 25.8%.
Recent easing in rents in Auckland and Wellington has brought those markets closer to their long-term norms. However, Mr Davidson noted most other parts of the country continue to record relatively high rent-to-income ratios.
“Rental affordability remains stretched in a number of regions, and some tenants are likely to earn less than the median used in these measures,” he said.
“That means the real financial pressure for some households is likely to be greater than the headline figures suggest. When rents are already taking up a large share of income, there’s naturally less scope for further increases.”
Outlook cautious despite improving affordability
Improving affordability may reduce one of the key constraints on housing market activity this year, although other factors will continue to influence property values.
Mr Davidson said the outlook for the labour market, alongside lending restrictions such as the debt-to-income ratio rules, would continue to shape housing demand. Over the longer term, sustained improvements in affordability will require an increase to housing supply.
“Affordability may act less as a handbrake on property value growth than it has in recent years,” he said.
“But there are still limits on how far prices can rise in the near term. A lasting improvement in housing affordability ultimately requires more homes to be built, not just in absolute terms, but also relative to demand. The good news is that the Government is already pushing very hard on this lever.”

Note:

The Cotality NZ Housing Affordability Report measures housing affordability using the ratio of property values to household incomes, the share of income required to service a typical mortgage, the number of years needed to save a 20% deposit, and the proportion of income required to pay rent. The analysis draws on Cotality’s hedonic Home Value Index (HVI), income data from Infometrics, mortgage rates from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and rental data from MBIE tenancy bond figures.

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Greenpeace – Luxon’s climate policies leave Kiwis hurting as petrol hits $3 a litre

Source: Greenpeace

As petrol prices climb to around $3 a litre, Greenpeace is pointing to a series of Government decisions that have left Kiwis hit harder by the oil price spike.
“The Luxon Government has spent the last two years dismantling policies that were helping wean New Zealanders off expensive imported oil,” says Gen Toop, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa.
“Instead of helping households escape volatile and expensive petrol prices, they have crashed the EV market, slashed public transport funding and are spending billions on new roads.
“These decisions are making the climate crisis, and the cost of living crisis worse.”
Greenpeace points to a number of decisions that it says have increased New Zealand's dependence on imported fossil fuels including:
“This Government is effectively turning New Zealand into a dumping ground for the world’s dirtiest, most oil-hungry cars while other countries rapidly switch to EVs,” Toop says.
“At the same time they are slashing public and active transport options which forces more people into cars leaving them facing more pain at the pump when petrol prices spike.
“This latest plan to build a multi-billion dollar LNG import terminal is ludicrous. Importing and burning another volatile fossil fuel is the last thing our climate, and power bills need. Especially when we have all the wind, sun and renewable energy potential we need right here at home.”
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Local News – Porirua keeping tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of the city

Source: Porirua City Council

A report to Porirua City Council’s Te Puna Kōrero Committee has highlighted Council’s commitment to the city’s younger residents.

Council has had “tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of the city” as a strategic priority since 2018, and in 2024 adopted a refreshed Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy. Last week’s report outlined the ways Council is meeting the five focus areas in that strategy, and a roadmap for future action.
It highlights a number of initiatives already making a positive impact in Porirua, including:

  • Careers Expo – an annual event connecting rangatahi with local employers, training providers, and career pathways to prepare them for a thriving future Mahi Rangatahi programme:
  • Council’s inhouse work experience programme for rangatahi, offering mentorship and skill-building opportunities
  • Young Peoples Fund – empowering youth to lead their own projects, with funding for community initiatives designed and delivered by young people
  • Mau Te Rongo – navigators employed to maintain a safe and engaging presence at Porirua railway station and other locations across the city
  • Mana Taiohi and Inside Out training for staff – equipping Council and partner organisations with tools and professional development to better meet the diverse needs of our
  • youth.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker welcomed the report.

“We’re committed to putting our tamariki and rangatahi at the heart of everything we do. This report is a testament to our city’s vision – where every child and young person feels valued, listened to, and empowered to shape their future.
“Our youth have told us what matters most to them, and we’ve listened. By working together as a community, we are creating pathways for success and wellbeing for all Porirua’s young people.”
The full meeting agenda, including the report, can be viewed online at www.poriruacity.govt.nz/meetings
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Retirement Com – New guides give schools clear pathway for implementing financial education

Source: Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission

 

Schools and financial education providers now have access to new Financial Education Implementation Guides, giving them practical support to plan and deliver high-quality financial education as it becomes compulsory in the curriculum. 

 

With 70% of New Zealanders agreeing school is a good place for young people to learn about money, the two guides, developed by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission in partnership with the Ministry of Education and financial education providers, provide a clear roadmap for what to teach, when to teach it, and how learning builds from Years 0 to 13.

 

Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says the guides remove complexity and provide practical support for schools as financial education is mandated. “The Government’s decision to make financial education compulsory is an excellent step forward to increase New Zealanders’ financial capability.” 

 

“For financial education providers and funders, both current and potential future ones, these guides offer something they've long asked for, a shared framework, clear curriculum expectations, and visibility for programmes that meet the standard. These guides bring everyone onto the same page.”  

 

The release of the guides follows last year’s announcement that financial education will become compulsory within the national curriculum, including through the social sciences learning area, which is currently out for consultation. Financial mathematics is also explicitly included in the updated Mathematics & Statistics learning area. The guides provide practical support for schools as financial education becomes an increasingly important part of the curriculum.

 

“Every young person in New Zealand deserves to leave school with the skills and confidence to manage their money. These guides are about clarity and confidence. They show schools what good financial education looks like, how learning builds over time, how to work effectively with external providers, and how to plan programmes that are age appropriate and curriculum aligned,” Deputy Secretary for Te Poutāhū at the Ministry of Education, Pauline Cleaver says. 

 

The Retirement Commission has also released new maths resources as part of its Sorted in Schools programme, that apply the guides’ best practice principles and align with the Mathematics & Statistics curriculum, showing how financial education can strengthen learning across subjects.

 

The Financial Education Implementation Guides are available at: Financial Education Implementation Guides

 

Notes

Current providers who are part of the financial education providers’ advisory group include ASB, Banqer (supported by Kiwibank), BNZ, Life Education Trust, Money Time, SaVy, Westpac, and Young Enterprise Trust. Assistance will also be offered by the financial advice community. There will be opportunities for new providers as gaps are identified. Schools can choose which provider or providers they want to work with. 

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Economy – RBNZ working with industry to improve access to basic transaction services

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

12 March 2026 – Last year the Council of Financial Regulators (CoFR) consulted the public on whether New Zealanders should have the right to access a basic transaction account if they want one.

50 submissions were received and 22 community groups, financial institutions, fintechs, and support services were directly engaged, with 98% of submitters stating that action is needed to improve access to transaction accounts.

Acting Assistant Governor Financial Stability, Angus McGregor, says that the consultation clearly highlighted the challenges some groups face in accessing the basic banking services necessary to meet their everyday financial needs.

“This consultation process has allowed us to gather a wide range of perspectives, take on board industry feedback, and find pragmatic solutions.” Mr McGregor says.

“We received constructive input from the banking sector, and a willingness to work with us to solve this issue through a collaborative approach.”

The RBNZ is developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support this approach to addressing financial exclusion.

Under the MoU, participating financial entities will commit to provide access to all New Zealand consumers unless they have a compelling reason for declining to provide a basic transaction product. Public sector agencies will commit to clarifying regulatory requirements, co-ordinating efforts, and highlighting best practices that can be adopted to support financial inclusion.

The MoU will provide flexibility for participating entities to develop their own solutions to promote inclusion, while ensuring progress can be monitored through regular reporting.
This work aims to bring financial inclusion in New Zealand in line with other developed countries such as Canada, the UK, France, Denmark and Sweden.

The RBNZ will be leading co-ordination of the MoU, with support from the Financial Markets Authority, the Banking Ombudsmen, the Retirement Commission, the Department of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Department of Corrections.

“This work directly supports our statutory purpose of enabling economic wellbeing and prosperity for all New Zealanders, and aligns with recommendations in the Commerce Commission's Market Study into Personal Banking Services.” Mr McGregor says.

It is anticipated that the MoU will come into effect later this year.

More information:

Read the CoFR Consultation Summary on Access to Basic Transaction Accounts: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=1545100f1e&e=f3c68946f8

Background information:

Issues Paper on Access to Basic Transaction Accounts – This Issues Paper builds on Recommendation 14 from the Commerce Commission Market Study into personal banking services, for the banking industry to collaborate to make basic transaction accounts widely available found here: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=86d03f3ba9&e=f3c68946f8
Financial Inclusion Indicators Base Set Report: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=1f879f66b8&e=f3c68946f8
First Steps to Financial Inclusion Report: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=d70d87a7b2&e=f3c68946f8
CoFR – CoFR represents five agencies: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the Financial Markets Authority, the Commerce Commission, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Treasury. Financial Inclusion is one of five priorities for CoFR. The CoFR Financial Inclusion Community also included Te Ara Ahunga Ora The Retirement Commission and the Ministry for Social Development as observer agencies. More information on CoFR's financial inclusion work can be found here: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=2fa26e3350&e=f3c68946f8

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Job Losses – Heinz Wattie’s Announces Proposed Changes to Operations in New Zealand

Source: Heinz Wattie

Today, Heinz Wattie's Limited announced proposed changes to certain areas of its New Zealand business as part of the company's shift to focus on its long-term strategy.

After careful consideration, the company is proposing to discontinue sale and production of frozen vegetables and Gregg's coffee, as well as dips sold primarily under Mediterranean, Just Hummus and Good Taste Company brands. These products would be phased out over the course of the year. 
The proposal would result in the closure of three manufacturing facilities located in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. Packing would also cease at the associated frozen lines in King Street, Hastings. 
Approximately 350 roles are expected to be impacted as a result of the proposed site closures and other changes across the business. The final number would be confirmed following consultation and consideration of redeployment opportunities.
Heinz Wattie's Managing Director, Andrew Donegan, said: “We are deeply aware of the impact this would have on our people, their families, our growers and suppliers, and the communities we have been part of for many years. These are people who have helped build this business over decades, and our priority now is supporting them.”
“The decision to start this process was not taken lightly. Numerous alternatives and options were explored before reaching this phase. It is a necessary step to position our company for the future.” Donegan adds. 
Over recent years, the manufacturing environment in New Zealand has become increasingly difficult.  Globally high inflation and various industry challenges have all placed ongoing pressure on the commercial performance of the business.
The business will continue to work closely with employees, union representatives, growers, suppliers, retail partners and other local stakeholders throughout the consultation period.

ABOUT HEINZ WATTIE'S
A subsidiary of The Kraft Heinz Company, Heinz Wattie's is a major food producer with a proud New Zealand heritage. Founded by Sir James Wattie in 1934, Wattie's is home to the nation's favourite tomato sauce, baked beans, spaghetti and a wide range of fruit and vegetable products and meals enjoyed by millions of Kiwis up and down the country. Learn more about New Zealand's best-loved food brand, by visiting www.watties.co.nz

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Events – Gumboot Friday Delivers Hope in February: 1,754 Young People Supported

Source: Gumboot Friday

In February 2026, Gumboot Friday helped 1,754 young people aged 5–25 access free counselling, delivering a total of 2,721 sessions. Every session is free, needs no referral, and is chosen by the young person from a network of registered counsellors on the Gumboot Friday platform.

Breakdown by age group:

• 490 young people aged 5–11 (28%)
• 510 young people aged 12–17 (29%)
• 754 young people aged 18–25 (43%)

These numbers show what early intervention actually looks like: young people getting seen when they need it, not after things reach crisis point, not when “things get bad enough”.

“I look at the February numbers and I see the kids behind them — and a lot of them are still in primary school. The tricky thing is, a child who needs to talk doesn’t always look ‘obviously’ distressed. It can show up as being snappy, going quiet, not sleeping, acting out, or even without any obvious tells at all. What matters is they get the chance to sit down with someone who actually listens — properly — before things pile up,” says I Am Hope founder Mike King.

“Government funding covers the counselling sessions themselves, and donations to I Am Hope are what keep Gumboot Friday running — onboarding counsellors, maintaining the system, running our school programmes, and supporting the wider foundation. To everyone who’s backed this kaupapa, thank you. It means help is there when our young people need it,” King says.

If you’re 25 and under and need someone to talk to, visit www.gumbootfriday.org.nz to connect with a counsellor for Free. No GP referral needed.

To donate, fundraise, or get involved with I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday, head to www.iamhope.org.nz or text HOPE to 469 for a $3 donation.

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Health – Aged Care Association Calls for Stronger Direct Communication in Pandemic Planning

Source: Aged Care Association

The Aged Care Association is urging the Government to strengthen direct communication pathways between Ministers and essential service sectors as part of future pandemic preparedness planning.
Chief Executive Tracey Martin says the call is grounded in her unique experience serving on both sides of the system – as a senior decision-maker during the pandemic and now as the national representative for aged residential care providers.
“At the onset of COVID-19, I served as a dedicated COVID Minister and as Minister for Seniors. In that role, I participated in all Cabinet and COVID Minister briefings led by the Ministry of Health and was directly involved in Government oversight of the national pandemic response,” Ms Martin said.
“My responsibility was to advocate for older New Zealanders and the services supporting them at the highest levels of decision-making during an unprecedented crisis.”
Now, as Chief Executive of the Aged Care Association, Ms Martin says she has gained a different perspective from providers who were delivering frontline care under extraordinary pressure.
“In my current role, I have come to better understand how some operational decisions taken during the response were experienced by the sector. In several cases, actions implemented at an agency level were widely believed by providers to be deliberate Cabinet decisions.”
She says this created confusion about where decisions were made and who was accountable.
“One example raised with us was the withdrawal of sector-held personal protective equipment supplies, which were replaced with products that providers considered to be of lower quality. Those affected believed this was a direct Government directive, when in practice operational implementation decisions sit at different levels within the system.”
Ms Martin emphasised that the issue is not about revisiting past decisions, but about learning practical governance lessons for the future.
“What this experience highlights is the need for structured, two-way communication channels between essential sector groups and responsible pandemic Ministers. When communication flows only through large agencies, there is a risk that operational realities and sector impacts are not always conveyed with full context – either up to Ministers or back down to those delivering frontline services.”
The Association is recommending that future pandemic planning frameworks include:
  • Formal mechanisms enabling essential sector representatives to communicate directly with designated pandemic Ministers
  • Clearer distinction between Cabinet-level decisions and agency operational implementation
  • Transparent communication pathways to ensure information provided to Ministers and guidance issued to sectors is consistent and accurate
“Aged care providers are a critical part of New Zealand’s health system and care for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” Ms Martin said.
“In a crisis, clarity of communication is as important as clarity of policy. Stronger direct connections between decision-makers and essential sectors will improve trust, decision quality and system performance when New Zealand needs it most.”
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Tax Reform – Concern that NZF, ACT could sink closure of major tax loophole

Source: Tax Justice Aotearoa

11 March 2026, 3 pm – NZ First and ACT appear to be threatening to sink a tax measure that would close a major tax loophole and raise important revenue for the government. Tax Justice Aotearoa and the Better Taxes Coalition say this is a concerning development.

It was reported in the NZ Herald today that the coalition parties are likely to oppose the proposal currently being considered by the Government for company loans to be treated as taxable income in circumstances where the shareholder would otherwise gain a tax advantage compared with recipients of dividends or salaries.

“This is a significant loophole – it creates unfairness and deprives the government of much needed revenue – and it looked like the Government was going to move to close it,” said Glenn Barclay, spokesperson of Tax Justice Aotearoa and the Better Taxes Coalition.

“It is concerning that  NZ First and ACT,  might not support a measure that both Australia and the UK have and which will address what appears to be a very significant distortion in the tax system. Shareholders owe around $29b to companies at the moment – that is a substantial amount and it needs to be taxed appropriately,” said Barclay.

Tax Justice Aotearoa submitted to the IRD consultation on the proposal and argued the UK legislation was the best model for Aotearoa New Zealand to follow. There the tax charge is linked to the loan and is repayable if the loan is repaid, providing an incentive to do so and ensuring that legitimate loans will not be taxed.

“The UK model is well established and a workable approach that would not result in excessive taxation,” said Glenn Barclay. “But would remove the current distortion and gather revenue that's currently being lost to this loophole.”

Tax Justice Aotearoa noted the 2017-18 Tax Working Group recommended that closely held companies should provide security to IRD if the company was owed a debt by a shareholder and there was doubt about the ability and/or the intention of the shareholder to repay the debt and therefore should have been taxed as if the loan was a dividend or salary.

“The rhetoric around this has been intentionally overblown”, said Glenn Barclay. “With the right design, taxing shareholder loans would be a practical response to a real problem of unfairness and lost revenue – it would not be 'draconian' or 'double taxation'. We call on all the parties in the Coalition Government to take a constructive approach to address this major loophole in our tax system”.