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Keeping Hope Alive: 32,124 free counselling sessions delivered through Gumboot Friday in 2025

Source: AuthorityPR

I Am Hope closes out the year having delivered 32,124 free counselling sessions through Gumboot Friday for young people aged 5–25, connecting rangatahi with a registered counsellor of their choice within days. I Am Hope is grateful for the Government’s support for Gumboot Friday, and for the thousands of New Zealanders — from classrooms to boardrooms — whose donations and fundraisers keep the platform and programmes running.

Mike King, founder of I Am Hope, says community is the backbone of the work.

“From kindergartens and kura doing mufti days, to sports clubs and marae, to small businesses, tradies and big corporate partners — the support is unwavering, and it floors us again this year. We don’t take a dollar of that trust for granted. There’s plenty of noise, but our job stays simple: when a young person puts up a hand, we get them in the room with a counsellor, fast. This really is the village at work. Thank you, Aotearoa.”

Alongside counselling, Little People, Big Feelings continues to reach Kiwi kids. Ambassadors Ruby and Noah have travelled the country reminding tamariki that their feelings matter; more than 9,000 children took part this year, with big smiles, brave conversations, and simple tools that help kids name emotions and ask for help sooner. It’s been a year of growth, kindness, and courage — and they’re excited to meet even more little people with big feelings next year.

Since 2019, New Zealanders have helped deliver over 144,164 free sessions — proof that practical, community-backed support reaches kids when it counts.

AT A GLANCE

• 32,124 free counselling sessions delivered via Gumboot Friday to November 2025
• 800+ registered counsellors nationwide
• Over 144,00 rangatahi and tamariki have accessed free counselling through Gumboot Friday since 2019
• More than 9,000 tamariki reached via Little People Big Feelings programme

If you’re under 25 or know someone who needs to talk, visit www.gumbootfriday.org.nz

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Reserve Bank files High Court action against ASB Bank – RBNZ Statement

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

STATEMENT: 15 December 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua has filed civil proceedings in the High Court against ASB Bank Limited for breaches of core requirements under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009 from at least December 2019.

ASB's non-compliance relates to its failures to:

  • establish, implement, or maintain an AML/CFT programme that complied in all respects with the requirements of the AML/CFT Act;
  • adequately conduct ongoing customer due diligence;
  • report suspicious activities within the timeframe provided in the AML/CFT Act;
  • conduct enhanced customer due diligence; and
  • terminate business relationships as required by the AML/CFT Act.

Acting Assistant Governor of Financial Stability Angus McGregor says this action is an important reminder to industry that serious non-compliance with the AML/CFT Act is unacceptable.

“The AML/CFT Act has been in place for well over a decade now and the Reserve Bank expects banks to have the systems and resources in place to be fully compliant with these requirements” Mr McGregor says.

“Banks who do not comply increase risk for New Zealanders and our financial system. Non-compliance with account monitoring and reporting requirements denies New Zealand law enforcement and intelligence agencies access to crucial time-sensitive information that is needed to detect and deter criminal activity.”

ASB has co-operated with the Reserve Bank and has admitted liability for all seven causes of action.

The parties have agreed to jointly recommend to the Court that a penalty of $6.73m is appropriate in this case, though the final determination is for the Court.

The enforcement response promotes the AML/CFT Act's purposes, which are to detect and deter money laundering and the financing of terrorism; maintain and enhance New Zealand's international reputation; and contribute to public confidence in the financial system.

It is not alleged that ASB was involved in money laundering or the financing of terrorism. As this matter is now before the High Court, the Reserve Bank will not be making any further comment.

In determining its enforcement response, the Reserve Bank applied its Enforcement Principles and Criteria Guidelines, which are available on the Reserve Bank's website. https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=3881919c3f&e=f3c68946f8

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Electronic card transactions: November 2025 – Stats NZ information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Electronic card transactions: November 2025 – information release

12 December 2025

The electronic card transactions (ECT) series cover debit, credit, and charge card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants. The series can be used to indicate changes in consumer spending and economic activity.

Key facts
All figures are seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified.

Values are at the national level and are not adjusted for price changes.

November 2025 month
Changes in the value of electronic card transactions for the November 2025 month (compared with October 2025) were:

  • spending in the retail industries increased 1.2 percent ($86 million)
  • spending in the core retail industries increased 1.1 percent ($67 million).
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Employment Disputes – Fire and Emergency received calls to 22 incidents during today’s strike

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received calls for 22 incidents between 12pm – 1pm today, Friday 12 December, the time of the most recent strike action taken by members of the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU).
Of these, 12 incidents were in areas impacted by the strike.
Six of these incidents were fire alarms that did not result in a fire. The remaining incidents related to two signs of smoke spotted by members of the public which did not result in a fire, two medical emergencies, one small residential gas leak and one small fire in a backyard.
The small backyard fire in Te Teko was extinguished by a volunteer crew from Kawerau.
Hato Hone St John responded to the medical emergencies, as per our contingency plan for this industrial action.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler thanked New Zealanders for their extra care during the strike hour.
“I want to thank our 11,800 volunteers across the country, and their employers for supporting them to respond over today’s strike hour,” she says.
“I would also like to thank our Operational Commanders and Communication Centre Managers, who contributed to the response.
“We are disappointed that the NZPFU has issued further strike notices for one-hour strikes at 12pm on 19 and 26 December.
“This is rolling the dice on people’s safety. We’ve urged the NZPFU repeatedly to call off their strikes because there is no good reason for continuing to put the community in harm’s way while both parties are in facilitation.”
Bargaining
Last week, the Employment Relations Authority referred Fire and Emergency and the NZPFU to facilitation to help make progress in ongoing negotiations for the NZPFU’s collective employment agreement.
Two days of facilitation took place on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 December and facilitation is ongoing.
“Attending independent facilitation with the Authority is the next logical step in coming to an agreement and we will participate in good faith with the NZPFU.
“We hope the facilitation process introduces some realism into discussions. The NZPFU’s most recent settlement proposal was more than three times higher than our offer prior to facilitation, which we believe was fair, sustainable, and reasonable, and in line with other settlements across the public service.
“That settlement was a 6.2 percent increase over three years.
“This would have taken the average senior firefighter remuneration from a range of approximately $80,700-$87,400 to $85,800-$92,900 at the end of the period, excluding overtime and allowances which currently adds an average of $38,800 to annual remuneration. We believe this represents a fair and sustainable increase for our people.
“We value our people, which is why over the past decade average senior firefighter pay has cumulatively increased by 37 percent – more than 10 percent above the average increase for all workers.”
Note to editors
– Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union have been in bargaining talks for a collective employment agreement for paid firefighters since 16 July 2024.
– Fire and Emergency’s offer made prior to facilitation was a 6.2 percent increase over three years and compares favourably with equivalent public sector agreements.
– Fire and Emergency considers the offer is sustainable, balances cost of living pressures being faced by individuals alongside fiscal pressures faced by Fire and Emergency and is consistent with the Government Workforce Policy Statement.
– The previous 2022 collective employment agreement settlement provided a cumulative wage increase of up to 24 percent over a three-year period for paid firefighters.
– Fire and Emergency has also been investing in replacing our fleet. We’ve taken delivery of 317 new trucks since 2017 and have another 78 on order. We are currently spending over $20 million per year on replacement trucks. There is also a significant programme of station upgrades underway, as well as investment in training.
– For the 2025/26 financial year, Fire and Emergency’s operating budget is $857.9 million. Of that operating budget, 59 percent will be spent directly on the frontline, while another 32 percent is spent on frontline enablers. This means that over 90 percent of Fire and Emergency’s budget is spent on the frontline and the people directly supporting the frontline.
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Govt abandons NZ’s climate credibility with shameful methane bill – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

“Utterly shameful”. That’s Greenpeace Aotearoa’s response to the Government’s new methane targets following the first reading of the Climate Change Response Act (2050 Target and Other Matters) Amendment Bill today in Parliament.
Greenpeace Aotearoa climate spokesperson Rhiannon Mackie says, “This is a Government for polluters, by polluters. The only people who benefit from this legislation are the intensive dairy industry executives who’ll get to continue lining their pockets by profiting from climate pollution.
“Everyday New Zealanders – including farmers – are already experiencing the impacts of catastrophic climate change, and it will get worse without urgent action to cut methane emissions from intensive livestock production now.”
The legislation will be passed under urgency, meaning the public will not get to have a say on this decision. On Tuesday, it was revealed that advice from the Ministry for the Environment recommended not adopting these targets.
“It’s clear that Luxon has abandoned New Zealand’s climate credibility, and is engaging in straight-up climate denial. Even the Government’s own advisors recommended against this approach, but Luxon is ignoring that advice and instead doing the bidding of the agribusiness industry – as he has since day one as Prime Minister,” says Mackie.
The proposed targets have sparked international condemnation, with the European Union Trade Commission recently committing to investigating a potential breach of the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement, and New Zealand being awarded the ‘Fossil of the Day’ award at the latest UN climate conference. In June, international climate scientists wrote to Luxon, calling on him to avoid setting targets based on the concept of ‘no additional warming’.
Mackie says, “Everyone from renowned climate scientists to our trading partners in Europe and the Ministry for the Environment here in Aotearoa are saying that this move is out of step, not only with climate science, but also with the actions of other countries with similar emissions footprints.”
The bill also bakes in the controversial and fundamentally flawed concept of ‘no additional warming’ into climate legislation, requiring future Governments to consider this when reviewing methane targets in 2040. This approach has been rejected by the scientific community around the world.
“No additional warming is this Government’s attempt to wave a magic wand and disappear all of our historic methane emissions – but sweeping climate pollution under the rug doesn’t solve the climate crisis,” says Mackie.
“New Zealand has just sparked a global race to the bottom, where other major livestock-producing countries will now see it as acceptable to avoid action on climate change by adopting ‘no additional warming’.
“Methane is our climate emergency brake. If we reduce methane emissions from intensive livestock farming rapidly, we can prevent the worst of the climate crisis. But instead, Luxon and his Government have chosen to let polluters write the policy and caved to the demands of industry lobby group Federated Farmers.
“New Zealanders want to see urgent climate action that protects our lives and livelihoods. Future generations are depending on us to do the right thing. If this Government insists on carrying on their war on nature, they should expect resistance.”
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ASB Classic Auction for Youthline returns, serving up exclusive prizes and experiences

Source: ASB

Calling all generous Kiwi, the pre-tournament ASB Classic Auction for Youthline is back, and every bid will help make a difference for young people across Aotearoa. This year’s line-up includes priceless ASB Classic memorabilia and experiences for your nearest and dearest’s Christmas stocking.

Items up for grabs include:

  • Tennis shoes signed and worn by Naomi Osaka at the 2025 ASB Classic
  • ASB Classic Women’s Final Experience, including meet and greet with winner
  • An ultimate ASB Classic Getaway 5-star SkyCity stay, Lexus Luxury Drive & Men’s Semi-Final Experience
  • Apple iPhone 16
  • A $250 PTS x Nike Teamwear Voucher

The auction, supporting youth mental health charity Youthline, is now live on TradeMe until Sunday 21st December.  A second round of auction items will go live during the tournament and run through to Sunday 18 January, with all funds raised going to Youthline.

For the fourth year running, Youthline is the official charity partner of the ASB Classic.  Every dollar raised at the tournament will help Youthline deliver critical services, including its 24/7 Helpline that connects rangatahi with trained counsellors whenever they need support.

In addition, Youthline will benefit from Lobbo, the much-loved and iconic ball-throwing competition held during the ASB Classic. Spectators can purchase tennis balls and take part by tossing them from the stands toward targets on the court, with great prizes up for grabs. Weather permitting, Lobbo will be held on four days of the ASB Classic, Wednesday 7 Jan, Friday 9 Jan, Tuesday 13 Jan, and Thursday 15 Jan.

Shae Ronald, Youthline Chief Executive, says “We’re incredibly grateful to our Principal Partner ASB for their continued support of Youthline, and we’re stoked to be the official charity partner of the ASB Classic for the fourth year running. The funds raised through the tournament will directly support our 24/7 Helpline, ensuring young people across Aotearoa can access free, confidential support whenever they need it. Every bid makes a real difference to a young person’s wellbeing, and we thank everyone who gets involved for helping us be there when it matters most.”

Mark Graham, ASB Executive Manager Commercial Partnerships says “This year marks 30 years of the ASB Classic, and we’re proud to bring together two of our most important partners – the ASB Classic and Youthline – again for 2026. The support from everyone who took part helped us raise over $100,000 for Youthline last year, and we’re excited to see what this year’s auction and activities will achieve. We encourage everyone to get involved, whether that’s bidding on an incredible auction item or having a go at Lobbo during the tournament.”

To get involved and support a good cause, view the ASB Classic Auction for Youthline charity items on TradeMe here: https://www.trademe.co.nz/stores/ASB-Classic-Auction

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Employment – Pitiful minimum wage increase adds insult to injury for workers robbed of pay equity – PSA

Source: PSA

The Government's 45 cent minimum wage increase is an insult to thousands of workers already struggling to make ends meet, many of them women in care and support roles, who have already lost out from the axing of pay equity.
“This is just further proof of a government intent on making the life of working people even harder. It’s offensive and shows how out of touch this government is,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“For care and support workers who this Government betrayed by stripping them of their pay equity rights, this is salt in their wounds. These predominantly female workers were already underpaid – now they're going further backwards with an increase that barely keeps pace with inflation.
“It's cruel, it's calculated, and it exposes exactly where this Government's priorities lie – and it's not with the workers who care for our elderly, support people with disabilities, and keep essential services running.
“In a week where the Government embraced the biggest anti-worker changes in a generation, this is more evidence of a government determined to do the bidding of its business mates.
“These workers deserve better. New Zealanders deserve better.”
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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Transport – Fernhill Bridge strengthening a huge win for freight

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

National road freight association Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is welcoming an announcement from the Transport Minister confirming SH50’s Fernhill Bridge will be strengthened.
The deteriorating state of the 76-year old bridge over Ngaruroro River meant speed and weight limits were introduced in 2022. This limited access to vehicles of a maximum 31 tonnes over eight axles, at a maximum speed of 30km/h.
In August, Transporting New Zealand called attention to the costly inconvenience these limits have imposed. To avoid the bridge, heavy vehicles must take a 40km detour to make deliveries. Some local transport operators are travelling this detour route six or more times a day.
A survey of six transport companies in the region found that the detour was costing them and their customers an estimated $2.36 million a year and producing an additional 500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
“This is a huge win for those in the Hawke’s Bay region who have been waiting for the bridge to be strengthened for three years now,” said Transporting New Zealand’s Membership Manager for the Lower North Island, Lindsay Calvi-Freeman.
“Transporting New Zealand are pleased that Minister Bishop, along with local MPs Katie Nimon and Catherine Wedd have pushed for this crucial freight corridor to be restored. The region produces a significant amount of primary products – including 60 per cent of the country’s apples and 12 per cent of our beef.
“These strengthening works will therefore be essential to unlocking the region’s full economic potential.”
The Government’s announcement also confirmed that, once strengthened, Fernhill Bridge will be able to accommodate High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs) and 50MAX configurations. The works are expected to begin in 2026 and take 11 months to complete.
The news comes just one day after Minister Bishop announced the one-lane Pekatahi Bridge on SH2 will be replaced by a new two-lane bridge. 
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More than maintenance – new guidance to drive better care of New Zealand’s infrastructure

Source: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission

The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission has published new guidance – ‘Asset Management and Investment Planning’ – to help lift performance across government when it comes to taking care of New Zealand’s infrastructure assets – our hospitals, schools, courts, roads and more.
“New Zealand has a challenge on its hands when it comes to looking after its public infrastructure,” says the Commission’s General Manager Investment Andy Hagan.
“New Zealand ranks near the bottom of developed countries for asset management – the practice of taking care of and making the best use of the infrastructure we already have.
“Leaky hospitals, mouldy classrooms, and deteriorating public buildings are the visible signs of a system that has struggled to plan and invest for the long term,” he says.
“Asset management needs to be at the centre of business planning, but too often it seems to be a secondary consideration.
“For instance, quality infrastructure management starts with understanding your assets, but many central government agencies – which are responsible for almost half of New Zealand’s infrastructure – still fall short. In June 2025 about half of central government’s most capital-intensive agencies reported that their asset registers didn’t currently meet the required standards.
The new guidance is an important step in addressing this issue. It provides a structured and consistent approach to planning, delivering, operating, maintaining, and renewing the infrastructure assets we depend on. It sets clear expectations and focuses on the areas where improvement is most needed:
  • consistent and transparent investment planning
  • robust and reliable asset data to inform better decisions
  • visibility of asset performance across agencies.
“The guidance introduces annual performance metrics on financial, service, and risk performance. If used, these will give decision-makers and the public clearer visibility of how well agencies are managing their assets and whether they are meeting their long-term plans.
“But guidance only works if it’s used, and we’re challenging every agency to raise the bar. Managing our assets well is not an optional ‘nice to have’ – it’s a basic building block to ensure services can meet community needs at an efficient cost, now and into the future,” Hagan says.
“Our poor asset management record reflects a systemic issue. To lift performance consistently across the system, agencies need to be clear about what assets they own, why they own them and how they plan to manage them in such a way that they deliver high-quality, value for money services to the public.
“Most of the infrastructure we will need for the next 30 years already exists – but we need to look after it. By using this guidance, leaders can turn asset management from a compliance task into a strategic advantage – helping deliver better services, smarter investments, and stronger public trust,” Hagan says.
Notes
  • The guidance ‘Asset Management and Investment Planning’ supports Government direction through Cabinet Office circular (23) 9, which requires agencies to prepare long-term asset management and investment plans.
  • The guidance draws on the ISO 55000 international standard that provides a framework for effective asset management. The guidance includes a number of performance metrics that agencies can adopt to monitor and report actual outcomes against their plans.
  • The guidance was developed with a working group of representatives from key government agencies. The guidance draws on their collective experience and insight to ensure it is both practical and effective. 
  • Beyond developing this new guidance, the Commission highlighted the need for better asset management in the draft National Infrastructure Plan that we publicly released in June 2025 for feedback. In the draft Plan we recommended mandating the publication of asset management plans and annual performance indicators, as well as introducing independent assessments of those plans. We are currently working on the final Plan, which we will deliver to the Minister for Infrastructure before the end of the year.
  • While designed for central government, the guidance can also be used by local authorities and other public asset owners.
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Quality of geographic information in the experimental administrative population census (APC) – Stats NZ research paper

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Quality of geographic information in the experimental administrative population census (APC)

11 December 2025

Quality of geographic information in the experimental administrative population census (APC) provides an overview of how population counts at territorial authorities (and Auckland local board areas) and statistical area 2 (SA2) compare across the APC, 2023 Census data, and the official estimated resident population (ERP). Population demographics have been restricted to age, sex, and level 1 ethnicity.

Visit our website to read this research paper:

For media enquiries contact: Media team, Wellington, media@stats.govt.nz“>media@stats.govt.nz, 021 285 9191

The Government Statistician authorises all statistics and data we publish.