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Awards – Fusion5 a finalist in 2025 Microsoft Global Partner of the Year awards

Source: FUSION5

Auckland, New Zealand – 13 November 2025: Australasian systems integrator Fusion5 today announced it has been named a finalist for the 2025 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Service Partner of the Year Award. The company has been honoured among a global field of top Microsoft partners for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology.
Kristy Brown, Fusion5 CEO – New Zealand, says “Fusion5 has demonstrated the ability to deliver advanced technology solutions efficiently, repeatedly implementing Microsoft’s AI-driven Digital Contact Centre within three months. Recognition as one of the top four global Dynamics 365 partners for Service affirms our expertise and provides assurance to customers seeking excellence in customer service transformation. We are delighted to receive this recognition.”
The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards recognise Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered outstanding Microsoft Cloud applications, services, devices, and AI innovation during the past year. Awards are classified in various categories, with honourees chosen from more than 4,600 nominations across more the globe. Fusion5 has been recognised for its outstanding solutions and services in the customer service category.
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Service award highlights Microsoft partners’ use of Dynamics 365 Service as the core of their solution, along with Microsoft Copilot and AI capabilities, and seamless integration with Microsoft platforms such as M365, Power Apps and Copilot Studio to deliver exceptional customer value, satisfaction and outcomes.
“Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2025 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards,” said Nicole Dezen, Chief Partner Officer and Corporate Vice President at Microsoft. “This year, our partners harnessed the transformative power of Microsoft’s Cloud and AI platforms to deliver transformative solutions that redefine the boundaries of innovation. The energy and ingenuity across our ecosystem continue to inspire us. The 2025 honourees exemplify what’s possible when technology and vision unite to empower customers around the world.”
As well as being the current Microsoft ANZ Business Applications Partner of the Year, Fusion5 was recently named to the Microsoft Business Solutions Inner Circle Partner for the 9th year in a row. The business was named the Microsoft New Zealand Partner of the Year in 2021.
The 2025 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards are announced ahead of Microsoft Ignite, which will be held in San Francisco from November 18-21. For a full list of categories, finalists and winners, visit: https://aka.ms/2025POTYAWinnersFinalists
About Fusion5
Fusion5 helps organisations improve performance by connecting people, processes, and technology. With expertise spanning business applications, cloud, infrastructure, security, and AI, Fusion5 brings together the platforms and partnerships that power better decisions, stronger operations, and lasting growth.
With a team of more than 950 innovators, Fusion5 works alongside its clients to turn strategy into measurable results – driving productivity, performance, and competitive advantage in a constantly evolving digital world.
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Ready-mixed concrete: September 2025 quarter – update to user survey


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Ready-mixed concrete: September 2025 quarter – Stats NZ information release


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FENZ proposes restructure to build modern and effective emergency service

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is proposing to restructure its organisation to ensure it can sustainably, effectively and efficiently meet New Zealanders’ needs both now and in the future. 
Subject to consultation, the proposals in the restructure will touch around 700 roles across the organisation, resulting in the net loss of around 140 positions.
No frontline firefighter positions are impacted, although some supporting functions may change.
“This proposal is about ensuring we are best positioned to deliver a modern and responsive emergency service,” Chief Executive Kerry Gregory says.
“The primary focus is to provide a trusted service that keeps New Zealanders safe. Our dedicated team does an amazing job looking after our communities and this proposal is about ensuring we are best positioned to continue doing that. 
“I acknowledge this is difficult for the teams and individuals impacted. We are committed to constructively working through their feedback to ensure we get the best outcome.
“Our intention is to communicate the outcome of consultations before the end of the year, allowing as many  people as possible to go into the holiday period with certainty. No structural changes will take effect until the new year, likely to be March/April, to give people and teams time to prepare and transition.
” The changes have been proposed to give effect to Fire and Emergency’s strategic direction, which shapes how the organisation operates and what it focuses its efforts and resources on.”
It is the culmination of a period of evolution that began with the merger of around 40 organisations in 2017 to create a national service. The key drivers behind the proposed changes include:
  • Removing silos and increasing collaboration and oversight across functions
  • Refocusing on Fire and Emergency’s core business
  • Improving role clarity and accountability
  • Enhancing decision-making by empowering leaders
  • Creating 'Centres of Expertise' and improving access to, and quality of, information
“Changing workloads and expectations on our people, along with the need to prepare for future challenges and resource constraints, highlighted the need to make changes to become a more effective and sustainable emergency service,” Kerry Gregory says. 
 “Our operating environment is evolving rapidly. Communities’ needs are changing, and technology, both the tools we use and those that can create new risks, is advancing at pace. To meet these changes, we must adapt and become more adaptable. 
I’m proud of the mahi our teams do every day to keep our communities safe. By making smart decisions now with their input, we can build a more modern, and more trusted emergency service – one that’s equipped to meet the needs of New Zealanders for years to come,” Kerry Gregory says.
Note to Editor
  • Fire and Emergency New Zealand has approximately 14,900 personnel
  • We have around 1300 fire trucks and over 600 station sites
  • In the 2024/2025 financial year, our crews responded to 88,805 incidents
  • Fire and Emergency’s 2024/2025 levy revenue was $796,717,000 and other revenue $41,300,000.
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Govt. must step in and stop the deep cuts proposed by FENZ – PSA

Source: PSA

– Net loss of 169 roles including 46 directly supporting firefighters
– 13% of FENZ of non-firefighting staff proposed to go
– FENZ cutting spending by $70m/year – 10% of annual budget
Fire and Emergency NZ’s proposal to cut 13% of non-firefighting staff across the country and shave 10% off its annual budget, is reckless at a time of escalating climate-driven emergencies.
Staff at Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) were today given a 260-page consultation document and told to provide feedback within two weeks before the new structure is confirmed just days before Christmas.
“The Government must step in and stop these short-sighted cuts – FENZ is telling its workers to do more with less, which will impact FENZ’s ability to deal with emergencies and prevent future emergencies,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“It’s alarming that the proposed cuts include the net loss of 46 roles in the Operational Response branch that sits at the heart of FENZ’s ‘frontline delivery’, supporting fire stations and firefighters and communication centres.
“These workers do critical work like ensuring the urgent coordination of resources for fires and other emergencies.”
FENZ is also proposing to cut 45 roles in the Prevention branch which according to FENZ aims to ‘reduce risk and harm before emergencies occur and currently has the accountability for ensuring our people are well trained should they occur’.
“This includes cutting the roles of four wildfire specialists – how does that make sense when the Tongariro National Park fire shows how important it is to be prepared for such emergencies?
“The wildfire, which required mobilisation of resources from across the country, coupled with concerns about the state of the ageing fire engine fleet should have been a wake-up call that FENZ needs more investment, not deep cuts.
“At a time of rising climate risks from more frequent extreme storm events and wildfires, and the increasing population in major urban centres, these proposed cuts are completely the wrong approach.”
The restructure follows the Government in December refusing to agree to the insurance levy increases FENZ wanted – 95% of its revenue funded through the levy, forcing FENZ to shave spending by $50m a year over the next three years. On top of that the Government has ordered FENZ to cut $60m from its budget by 2029, all up about 10% of its current expenditure is to be cut.
“The Government is deliberately allowing the underfunding of FENZ, and ignoring the risks to New Zealanders’ lives and property.
“Yet again, we are seeing the Government pushing through shortsighted decisions regardless of the consequences for public safety.
“Workers who are impacted are in a state of shock. And this comes at a time of great uncertainty with bargaining for a new collective agreement currently ongoing.
“Imposing such a fundamental restructure on staff with an extremely short consultation period, just before Christmas is insulting and unfair.
“Many workers and their families now face a bleak Christmas period knowing their jobs are on the line. This tells you how much the Government cares about workers who do such a courageous job keeping New Zealanders safe.
“The PSA will be strongly opposing these changes and will be setting out the risks in a comprehensive submission. It should never have come to this.”
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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Economy – China fixed communication service revenue growth to remain stagnant through 2030, forecasts GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

The total fixed communications services revenue in China is expected to see sluggish compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.7% in its revenue from $303 billion in 2025 to $314 billion in 2030, mainly due to drop in average revenue per user (ARPU) levels, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s China Fixed Communication Forecast (Q3 2025) reveals that fixed voice and fixed broadband service lines will expand at a CAGR of 1% and 1.5%, respectively, over the forecast period. However, both voice telephony and broadband ARPU levels will drop considerably during the period thereby dragging the overall revenue growth.

For instance, fixed voice ARPU levels in the residential segment is expected to decline from $5.07 to $4.35 between 2025 and 2030 due to the growing popularity of mobile/Internet-based communication. Similarly, broadband ARPU levels are expected to decline from $31.10 to $29.53 in residential segment due to the discounted pricing plans offered by operators.

Pradeepthi Kantipudi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Fiber will remain the leading broadband technology in terms of subscription share through the forecast period driven by the government’s support for expansion and improvement of fiber network infrastructure in the country. FTTH coverage is widespread with about 99% of residential broadband subscriptions on fiber optic lines as of 2025 and is expected to reach 100% by the end of 2030.”

China Mobile will lead the fixed broadband services market in 2025, by subscription share, followed by China Telecom and China Unicom. China Mobile will maintain its leadership in the market through 2030 driven by its strong position in the fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) segment and a focus on upgrading gigabit broadband network across the country. China Mobile's commitment to integrate advanced technologies, such as AI-driven network management and 10G PON deployments, has enhanced service quality and customer satisfaction.

Kantipudi concludes: “As service differentiation increasingly relies on network performance, reliability, and bundled digital services, the operators that pay attention to customer experience while optimizing operational efficiency will lead the next wave of China’s fixed broadband growth.”

Notes:

Quotes provided by Pradeepthi Kantipudi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData
Information based on GlobalData’s China Fixed Communication Forecast (Q3 2025)
GlobalData’s China Fixed Communication Forecast:  Quantifies current and future demand and spending on fixed voice and data services. The data is published quarterly.

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

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Health – "An indictment on our nation": Health Coalition Aotearoa slams country’s fall in global tobacco industry interference ranking

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

Health Coalition Aotearoa says it is an “indictment on our nation” for New Zealand to fall from second in 2023 to 53rd in a global study released today assessing the interference of the tobacco industry.
The 2025 Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index outlined New Zealand’s “most deteriorated” and paper-thin protection against tobacco industry interference.
Health Coalition Aotearoa’s Smokefree Expert Advisory Group co-chair Professor Chris Bullen says the report shows the Government’s actions are far too closely aligned with the tobacco industry’s agenda.
“This report shows our Government blindly letting Big Tobacco waft back into New Zealanders’ lives despite decades of relentless work towards Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal. How many times do we have to remind the government that tobacco kills?” asks Bullen.
Despite overwhelming opposition from health experts, Māori health providers and other New Zealanders, in early 2024, the Government repealed crucial elements of the Smokefree Act, gave tax breaks to tobacco companies through the reduced excise tax on heated tobacco products, and continues to allow unregulated lobbying by the tobacco industry.
Bullen says, “We are the first country in the world that we’re aware of with a government that has reduced a tobacco tax. Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in Aotearoa. Rolling back protections and bending to industry pressure is not just shameful, but harmful – it will have health consequences for many of New Zealand’s most vulnerable people.”
This report reflects the decades of progress dismantled by the current Government and sends a clear signal to New Zealand: tobacco industry priorities now outrank public health.
Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) is a coalition of member organisations committed to closing the health prevention gap in Aotearoa. HCA has been campaigning for tighter regulation of lobbying and industry influence on policy across all government sectors in its Level the Playing Field campaign since April 2025.
HCA works with the Cancer Society, ASPIRE Aotearoa research group, Public Health Communication Centre and Vape-Free Kids in a collaborative effort to increase transparency on tobacco industry lobbying and improve smoking and vaping cessation policy.
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Universities – Building resilient cities in a time of climate change

Source: University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka

Local and international experts are meeting in Wellington this month to share their knowledge on creating healthier, more resilient cities in the face of the challenges posed by climate change.

The International Conference on Urban Health, co-hosted by the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka and the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH), is being held at the Tākina Convention Centre from 17-21 November.

The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Weaving Climate Action, Equity and Wellbeing – From the Pacific to the World’, reflecting the urgent need to integrate Indigenous knowledge systems, climate resilience and health equity in urban development.

Distinguished Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman, from the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, says it is the first time the event has been held in Oceania.

“The conference offers an unparalleled opportunity for delegates to engage with the most pressing urban-health issues facing New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific islands, from climate change to sustainable transport to environmentally sustainable public and community housing developments.

“It gives us all the chance to learn from others and share successful initiatives to build sustainable cities.”

The conference has attracted participants from more than 35 countries, with visitors coming from as far afield as India, Uganda, Denmark, Saudi Arabia and China.

The programme features more than 100 sessions, with panel discussions on ‘nourishing landscapes’,  which will feature Māori researchers and practitioners coming together to share Indigenous insights and solutions for restoring food systems, and on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) age-friendly strategy, which has been adopted by local councils in Aotearoa.

Keynote speakers at the conference include Skye Duncan, the Executive Director of the Global Designing Cities Initiative, who will discuss human-centred urban design; Professor James Ward (Pitjantjatjara, Narungga), the Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Queensland; Professor Mike Davies from the Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering at University College London, who will discuss the provision of healthy and comfortable built environments in a changing climate; and Professor Deidre Brown, the Director of the Centre for Māori and Pacific Housing Research at the University of Auckland, who will share insights on the impacts of housing design on hauora Māori and Pacific peoples.

Researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, presenting at the conference include Professor Howden-Chapman, who will lead a panel of colleagues in a discussion about the findings from a five-year Endeavour Fund research programme on the value of public and community housing in Aotearoa New Zealand; Professor Nevil Pierse, who will share his findings about the outcomes of the Healthy Homes Initiative; Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, who will discuss the impact of the WHO healthy housing framework; and Guy Penny (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa), who will talk about his work on the Papakāinga development at the Wainuiomata Marae.

This year, for the first time, the conference will include a government round table with national and local government leaders and their international counterparts discussing how urban policy and governance can drive health, equity, and climate resilience in our cities. The session will be free and open to the public and will be held on Thursday, 20 November from 3pm to 4.30pm at Tākina.

The conference opens on Monday, 17 November with a free one-day symposium, ‘Designing Cities for Every Age’, at the Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, which will look at how cities can be better designed to support people at every stage of life. Please register for the symposium on the ICUH website (for catering purposes).

Notes:

The full programme is now available on the conference website: https://www.icuh2025.org/

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I Am Hope begins search for new Chief Executive as founder Mike King prepares for next chapter

Source: Authority PR

I Am Hope Foundation, home of the Gumboot Friday initiative, is preparing to open an exciting new chapter in its journey to improve youth mental health in New Zealand. The organisation will soon begin the search for a new Chief Executive to lead its next phase of growth and innovation.

While serving as Executive Director and Principal Ambassador, founder Mike King has carried a share of the organisation’s Chief Executive duties. He says it’s the right moment for fresh leadership to take I Am Hope forward.

“When we started I Am Hope it was nothing more than a dream, a small group of people trying to make sure every young person could access free mental health support without barriers. Building this organisation from scratch has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. But we’ve reached a point where it’s time for a new vision and a new voice to take us forward,” says King.

“I’ve loved every second of this journey, the wins, the challenges, the people. I’m incredibly proud of the impact we’ve made through Gumboot Friday, funding thousands of counselling sessions for young Kiwis. Now it’s time for someone else to build on that legacy.”

Under King’s leadership, I Am Hope has grown from a grassroots movement into a nationally recognised mental health charity. Since launching Gumboot Friday in 2019, the initiative has provided more than 137,000 free counselling sessions to young New Zealanders aged 5 to 25.

The new Chief Executive will lead the foundation through its next evolution, expanding services, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring the sustainability of free mental health support for generations to come.

King will continue to play a key role in the organisation in a new capacity, which will be announced alongside the appointment of the new Chief Executive.

“I’m not going anywhere,” King adds. “My passion for helping young people hasn’t changed. I’ll be taking on a new role that lets me get back to what I love most, connecting with people, challenging the system, and championing hope.”

The recruitment process for the new Chief Executive will begin in the coming weeks.

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Economy – Reserve Bank NZ’s Wellington building temporarily closed after isolated asbestos disturbance

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ)

12 November 2025 – RBNZ's Wellington building has been temporarily closed to allow for an isolated asbestos disturbance to be remediated.

On Thursday 6 November, as part of a routine building-wide survey of asbestos material, an isolated disturbance of asbestos was identified at 2 The Terrace. The area was contained and the finding was reported to Worksafe. Coincidentally, a 4.9 magnitude earthquake also closed the building that evening for air quality monitoring to be completed.

Assurance testing has since been completed, however the building needs to remain closed while the asbestos disturbance is remediated, as fire sprinkler systems on a key emergency exit floor need to be deactivated.

The health and safety of our staff and tenants is a priority. Therefore, the building has been closed while remediation works take place, which could take until November 24.

RBNZ does not anticipate any impact on our services. Business continuity plans have been activated and are currently operational, including through staff working from the RBNZ's Auckland premises.

RBNZ's Wellington building contains encapsulated asbestos and planning for refurbishment of 2 The Terrace is underway, in line with our 2024/2028 Statement of Intent. Further information on progress of this project is detailed in our 2025 Annual Report.

2024/2028 Statement of Intent: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=5228815309&e=f3c68946f8

2025 Annual Report: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=ce5a8728cb&e=f3c68946f8