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Northland News – Voting papers on way

Source: Northland Regional Council

Voting papers for next month’s local body election will begin arriving in people’s mailboxes from today, Tuesday 09 September.
Dale Ofsoske, the Northland Regional Council’s Electoral Officer, says voting papers will be delivered to registered voters from 09-22 September 2025.
Local body elections are conducted by postal voting, and papers must be put in the mail no later than Tuesday 07 October to ensure they arrive in time to be counted.
“After that date however, you can hand deliver your voting paper to a ballot box up until midday on Election Day, Saturday 11 October.”
A list of ballot box locations can be found via your local district council website.
Mr Ofsoske says anyone who does not receive voting papers by 22 September should contact the Northland Regional Council electoral office by phoning (0800) 922 822 or emailing specialvotes@electionservices.org.nzand requesting a Special Vote.
Special Votes can also be obtained from dedicated district council offices in Whangārei, Kaipara and the Far North. (Visit their websites for locations nearest to you.)
Twenty-three people have been nominated for the regional council, however, due to only one nomination in the Mid North General Constituency the sole candidate, Geoff Crawford, has been declared elected unopposed.
This leaves 22 people contesting the remaining eight seats on council; six general seats and two Māori seats.
A list of all candidates and their profiles is on council’s website at: www.nrc.govt.nz/elections
To help voters make an informed choice, the Northland Regional Council also recently invited candidates to film a 90-second video addressing three questions:
  • Why do you think you're right for the role?
  • In your view, what's the biggest challenge facing our region?
  • What are your top priorities for council/Northland for the next three years?
To watch the candidate videos go to: www.nrc.govt.nz/candidates2025
Meanwhile, as well as voting for those who will represent them around the council table for the next three years, all voters will also be able to vote on whether to keep or remove the Northland Regional Council Māori constituency, Te Raki Māori.
More information about the poll is available on council's website at: www.nrc.govt.nz/poll
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Animal welfare – One year on: Animals still dying on notorious Southland mud farm – SAFE

Source: SAFE For Animals

Exactly one year ago, SAFE helped expose shocking footage of dead and dying sheep on a Southland mud farm. Today, new footage from the very same farm shows that nothing has changed.
Filmed between 5-6 September, the footage shows a sheep likely struggling to give birth, her lamb’s head visibly stuck. The farmer pushes her to the ground, drags her through a fence, and takes her out of sight to a nearby bush. She is seen upright and alert, but moments later appears lifeless. What happened to her afterwards remains unknown.
The next day, at least two dead newborn lambs were found lying in mud.
SAFE Campaign Manager Emma Brodie says the actions of the farmer are unconscionable and may well be criminal.
“This sheep was dragged out of sight at the very moment she most needed help. Not knowing what happened next is every bit as disturbing as what we did see.”
SAFE says the incident shatters the myth that animal deaths on mud farms are simply the result of bad weather.
“This is the exact same farm where sheep were filmed dead in mud one year ago. At the time, Federated Farmers tried to excuse it as poor weather. But this year has been significantly drier – and still, animals are dying.”
“These conditions are not the product of an extreme weather event, they’re the result of a farming practice that is dangerous by design,” says Brodie.
Mud farming forces animals to live, sleep, and give birth in paddocks saturated with mud, faeces, and urine. SAFE says this is an inherent violation of New Zealand’s animal welfare laws, which require that animals’ basic needs be met, and that they be handled in ways that prevent unnecessary pain and distress.
“No animal should ever be condemned to give birth or die in mud. These conditions are completely inconsistent with the obligations set out in the Animal Welfare Act. MPI knows the risks, yet its failure to enforce the law has enabled systemic neglect on these farms,” says Brodie.
SAFE is urging the Government to take decisive action and end mud farming in Aotearoa. More than 17,000 people have already signed SAFE’s petition calling for an end to the practice.
“This is not about one bad farm, or one bad season. It is the inevitable outcome of mud farming everywhere, and it will keep happening until the Government ends it.”
SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.
We're creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.
Notes:
  • All images and footage are credited to Matt Coffey.
  • Footage from 5-6 September 2025 showing a farmer dragging a sheep through a fence while in labour and dead lambs in mud.
  • Footage and images from September 2024 showing dead and dying sheep and lambs on the same Southland mud farm.
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Environment Events – KASM, Greenpeace invited to submit on Fast-Track seabed mining application

Source: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM)

Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) and Greenpeace today welcomed the invitation from the Fast-Track expert panel considering the seabed mining application to make a submission on the project.

KASM comment:

“We will bring critical evidence to the process that nobody else can, such as our expert on the pygmy blue whale population residing in the South Taranaki Bight, so it makes sense for the panel to invite us to take part. It’s good to see the panel recognise the value and legitimacy of our contribution which draws on over a decade of involvement on this issue,” said KASM Chairperson Cindy Baxter.

“It’s critical that this panel has all the relevant evidence before it to make this decision – we all need to do our collective best  within an awful process that shouldn’t be happening in the first place.  Trans Tasman Resources has already had this bid to destroy our moana rejected by the highest court in the land, but ducked out of the process, clearly thinking the Fast-Track would be an easier bar to clear.”

Greenpeace comment
“This would be a brand new destructive activity  and this project would be the first in the world of its kind. Given Trans Tasman Resources’ parent company has been promoting a much bigger site of 877 square kilometres to its shareholders, it’s clear this first application sets a critical precedent,” says Greenpeace seabed mining campaigner Juressa Lee.

“We’ve been involved in this process for the past 12 years, and we represent literally tens of thousands of people who’ve signed our various petitions calling for a ban on seabed mining. “

The two organisations welcomed the panel’s extensive list of interested parties: it has called on a wide range of voices to make submissions on the application.  They have 20 days to make their submission.

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Advocacy – Keep Your Eyes on Gaza: A People Being Exterminated

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand

New Zealand The Palestine Forum of New Zealand urgently draws attention to the escalating catastrophe in Gaza, where entire families are being left homeless and exposed under relentless bombardment.

 In just 72 hours:

  • Five high-rise buildings (more than seven floors, containing 209 apartments) were bombed. Each apartment sheltered at least 20 people, meaning over 4,100 children, women, and the elderly are now homeless.
  • More than 350 tents were destroyed. Each tent sheltered around 10 displaced people, meaning 3,500 people lost their last refuge.

 The catastrophic toll:

  • In total, around 550 families, nearly 7,600 people, have been left in the open, without food, water, or shelter, struggling against hunger, heat, and death.

“This is not collateral damage. This is the systematic extermination of a civilian population,” said a spokesperson for the Palestine Forum of New Zealand. “Every day, the world watches in silence as thousands of innocent lives are destroyed. The time for statements has passed; urgent action is required.”

 Call to action:

  • The Palestine Forum of New Zealand calls on humanitarian organizations, governments, and the international community to act immediately to stop the annihilation of Gaza’s people and to provide urgent relief.
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Business employment data: June 2025 quarter – Stats NZ information release

Business employment data: June 2025 quarter – information release

9 September 2025

Business employment data includes filled jobs and gross earnings, with breakdowns by industry, sex, age, region, and territorial authority area, using a combination of data from two different Inland Revenue sources: the employer monthly schedule (EMS) and payday filing. Both are associated with PAYE (pay as you earn) tax data.

Key facts

Total actual filled jobs in the June 2025 quarter were 2.26 million.

In the June 2025 quarter (compared with the March 2025 quarter):

  • total seasonally adjusted filled jobs were down 0.5 percent (10,560 jobs).

For the year ended June 2025 (compared with the year ended June 2024):

  • total gross earnings were up 1.5 percent ($2.6 billion).

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

 

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Construction sales decrease in the June 2025 quarter – Business financial data: June 2025 quarter – Stats NZ news story and information release

Construction sales decrease in the June 2025 quarter – news story

9 September 2025

The construction and manufacturing industries had the largest decreases in sales in the June 2025 quarter, out of the 14 industries measured by business financial data, Stats NZ said today.

Construction sales were down $720 million compared with the March 2025 quarter.

Business financial data provides estimates of operating income (sales) and expenditure for most market industries in New Zealand. Unless specified, all sales data are adjusted to account for seasonal effects, but do not compensate for inflation and price effects.

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

 

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NZ housing market slump deepens – Wellington approaches 30% and Auckland 20% down from peak – QV

Source: Quality Valuation (QV)

The latest QV House Price Index shows average home values across Aotearoa New Zealand dipped by 0.8% over the three months to the end of August, with the national average now $906,977. That figure is 0.2% higher compared to the same time last year and 13.4% below the nationwide market peak of January 2022.

Across the main centres, Queenstown (2.5%) recorded the strongest gains, followed by Hastings (1.7%) with smaller increases in Tauranga (0.3%), Invercargill (0.4%), and New Plymouth (0.1%). Meanwhile, Nelson (-3.2%) saw the largest quarterly drop, followed by Wellington City (-2.4%), with Whangārei (-1.8%), Auckland Region (-1.4%), Hamilton (-1.2%), Napier (-1.8%), Palmerston North (-0.6%), Christchurch City (-1.2%), and Dunedin (-0.7%) also recording value declines.

QV National Spokesperson Andrea Rush said, “As we head into spring, the housing market remains subdued, with values continuing to decrease in most parts of the country. The slump is most pronounced in Wellington  where values are now close to 30% below their peak, and in Auckland, which is down around 20% — underscoring the scale of the correction since early 2022.”

“The good news is that with home values coming down and interest rates beginning to ease, affordability is slowly improving for buyers in many areas. However, higher living costs, rising unemployment, the broader economic downturn, and stretched household budgets continue to restrict demand,” she said.

“A steady flow of new townhouse and apartment completions are giving buyers greater choice and helping to limit upward pressure on prices. Buyers are taking longer to commit, and sellers are increasingly having to meet the market. Agents report some homeowners are struggling to sell in time to secure their next property, leading to more deals falling through.”

Ms Rush added: “Net migration has slowed sharply since the post-pandemic peak, with more people now leaving New Zealand than arriving, in contrast to the strong inflows that helped to fuel house price growth.”

The impact of the new foreign buyer rules will take some time to show in places like Queenstown and Auckland, where most of the homes priced above $5 million are located.
Download a high resolution version of the latest QV value map here.
Auckland
Values across the Super City are on average around 20% below the January 2022 peak – though it varies by area. Rodney has seen a smaller drop of 12.5% (around $175,000), with average values falling from $1,411,162 to $1,235,103. By contrast, Waitākere has experienced the biggest decline, down 21.7% (around $260,000) from $1,215,527 to $951,690.

QV Auckland Registered Valuer, Hugh Robson said, “Despite a slight lift in sales activity through August, there’s been little movement in prices with all areas seeing values dip in the past three months.”

“Listing levels are healthy across most suburbs, with a number of new townhouse developments recently completed or nearing completion. Well-located homes with some land are continuing to sell well, while townhouses with little or no land are proving less popular.”

“Buyer sentiment is relatively upbeat, with recent surveys suggesting many see now as a good time to purchase. The latest cut to the OCR and correspondingly lower interest rates, plenty of choice, and a sense that prices may have bottomed out are helping to support that confidence.”
Wellington
Wellington has experienced the largest value falls in the country since the January 2022 peak, with the steepest drop in Wellington City – West, where average values have fallen 29.9% (more than $400,000) from $1,442,657 to $1,010,714. Lower Hutt has also seen significant declines, with average values down nearly $300,000 from $1,032,527 to $741,841 over the same period.
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QV Wellington Registered Valuer and Senior Consultant David Cornford said, “Good stock is attracting steady interest and often multi-offers, but overall values while still ticking down across all areas remain relatively flat.”

“Well-maintained homes continue to sell strongly, while ex-rentals with deferred maintenance are struggling and can often be picked up relatively cheaply.”

“Most buyers remain cautious and are steering clear of properties that need significant work, but for those with the skills and appetite to take it on, this part of the market presents an opportunity to add value and create equity.”

“There does appear to be a little more optimism creeping back into the market.”
Christchurch
QV Christchurch Registered Valuer Olivia Brownie said, “The Christchurch housing market has continued to cool through the winter months, which is typical for this time of year, although values are still up annually overall.”

“Recent weeks have brought a lift in enquiries, with more people preparing to buy or sell as spring approaches,” she said.

“The easing of interest rates may help to get more sales across the line in the coming months, with demand remaining healthy, particularly from first-home buyers.”

“Local economic fundamentals point to ongoing stability, though national economic conditions could influence momentum.”
Largest regional value changes

Regional divergence is still occurring, although most areas we measure across the country are now experiencing value decreases.
Queenstown Lakes District remains the country’s most resilient market, leading national growth with the highest average value at $1,860,392. That’s 16.8% (about $270,000) higher than the January 2022 peak, fuelled by strong tourism, holiday home demand, and ongoing construction that is creating jobs and driving housing need. Nearby Mackenzie District, including popular lakeside towns such as Tekapo, is also on the rise — up 5.8% this quarter, 7% year on year, and 17.9% since the peak to $802,892.

Hamilton Central values also rose 6.8% this quarter, bucking the wider city trend. QV Hamilton Senior Registered Valuer, Marshall Wu, said affordability, proximity to the CBD, strong rental demand, and new townhouse developments are driving momentum.

Carterton recorded the largest drop over the past three months, reflecting the broader downturn across the Wellington region — a pattern now spreading to Wairarapa commuter towns.

Nelson values fell 3.2% this quarter. QV Nelson/Marlborough Manager Craig Russell described the market as “flat rather than falling,” with steady demand for tidy $500,000–$800,000 homes. But properties with issues are struggling to sell, while those above $1 million often take six months or more and need price cuts to attract interest. He added that recent job losses have added uncertainty, and unlike other regions, Nelson is not benefiting from higher dairy prices.
You can check value changes over time in your region with QV’s interactive map on www.qv.co.nz/price-index/
 

The QV HPI uses a rolling three month collection of sales data, based on sales agreement date. This has always been the case and ensures a large sample of sales data is used to measure value change over time. Having agent and non-agent sales included in the index provides a comprehensive measure of property value change over the longer term.
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Hundreds of Wellington City Council workers face uncertain future with proposed restructure

Source: PSA

The PSA is urging Wellington City Council to withdraw a planned restructure impacting hundreds of jobs, coming just weeks before local government elections.
The council is proposing a major shake up of the Customer and Community business group.
“Hundreds of Wellington City Council workers across libraries, parks, recreation, city safety, and digital services face job uncertainty with many positions proposed for disestablishment,” said PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.
“We will write to the CEO tomorrow morning asking that it is withdrawn.”
There are a number of dismissals proposed through redundancy.
Our initial count indicates 63 jobs going, 31 of which are currently vacant across the following teams: Connected Communities, Creative Capital, Park Sports and Rec, Smart Council, Libaries, Archives and Community spaces. There are significant changes proposed to many more jobs.
“These people are committed Wellingtonians who have more to give our city. This restructure would take Wellington backwards.
“The proposals would mean the loss of specialist expertise in parks, recreation and city safety to name a few and would result in unmanageable workloads for those who remain.
“At a time when there is so much concern about the future of Wellington, we oppose this major restructure, particularly so close to the council elections. It is not appropriate to be embarking on re-structure this significant in the pre-election period. It is a constitutional norm that significant work like this does not occur so close to a local election.
“The timeline currently has final decision documents being released three days after the local election, this is deeply wrong.”
The union will be supporting members during this challenging time.
“We are closely examining the proposal, we can already see a number of serious mistakes and our members are asking whether it has been written by AI.
“The PSA is also concerned that there is only three weeks' consultation on a 216-page proposal affecting this many workers and services – that is simply inadequate.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Health and safety reforms: an opportunity to invest to save lives, reduce costs

Source: New Zealand Institute of Safety Management

The 2025 State of a Thriving Nation report from the Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum makes clear the cost to New Zealand and workers of our comparatively poor health and safety performance, says the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management.
The Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum report released today sets out some stark statistics:
  • The cost of harm to New Zealand workers, businesses and Government has risen from $5.2 billion in 2024 to $5.4 billion in 2024
  • Our workplace fatality rate is 6.9 x that of the United Kingdom and 1.7 x that of Australia. These trends (and similar ones for injury) remain when correcting for the type of work we do in New Zealand compared to other countries.
  • 80% of the 25 OECD countries with higher productivity than New Zealand have lower workplace death rates
  • Serious injuries involving more than a week off work have fallen, but the average time to recover is now twice what it was 15 years ago.
“Together, these numbers add up to a huge and tragic cost to New Zealand workers and their families and a massive drag on businesses, and their productivity as well as a burden on ACC, health and social welfare,” said Mike Cosman, New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM) spokesperson.NZISM is calling on the Government to seize the opportunity to invest in the system and lift this burden of harm. “We urge the Government to ensure that their health and safety reforms respond to the call from businesses, workers and experts to ensure:
  • Better system leadership and coordination between agencies with clear governance to hold them accountable for delivering results
  • Improving and investing in WorkSafe. The need for a well-funded regulator with the right capacity and capability, a clear direction and a collaborative mindset has never been greater
  • Clearer and more comprehensive regulations and guidance. In a fast-moving world our standards need to reflect the current context and be kept up to date.
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Tourism Sector – Southern Way campaign finalist in 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards

Source: Southern Way

Celebrating Regional Unity and Marketing Innovation – Queenstown, NZ (8 September 2025) Southern Way is proud to celebrate its selection as a finalist in the prestigious New Zealand Tourism Awards 2025, under the Industry Collaboration Award category. This recognition celebrates the power of collective vision and the strength of regional partnerships in shaping the future of tourism across Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Southern Way represents a macro-regional alliance of eight Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) spanning the lower South Island – from Waitaki to Stewart Island, Central Otago to our smallest region Clutha, to Southland and everywhere in between. This collaboration showcases the diversity and richness of the South, inviting travellers to explore iconic landscapes, vibrant cities, and authentic local experiences.

At the heart of this achievement is the ‘One Trip to See It All’ campaign, delivered in partnership with Air New Zealand and the Southern Airport Alliance (Dunedin, Queenstown, and Invercargill Airports). The campaign promoted open-jaw and multistop travel, encouraging North Island residents to fly into one Southern Way destination, explore the region, and fly out from another.

Running from July to August 2024, the campaign generated impressive results and drove travel performance.

Mat Woods, Chief Executive of Destination Queenstown, said that being recognised as a finalist in the awards was a testament to what can be achieved when regions unite under a shared purpose.

“We’re proud to work together as a macro-region, amplifying our collective voice and showcasing the South’s extraordinary offerings. Air New Zealand’s support was instrumental in bringing this vision to life, alongside the amazing backing of our Southern Airports Alliance. This nomination reflects the strength of our partnership and the bold direction we’re heading as a united lower South Island.”

Mark Frood, GM Tourism & Events at Great South added: “The Southern Way is more than a campaign—it’s a movement that proves collaboration is our greatest asset. Together, we’re building a resilient, future-focused visitor economy that celebrates the richness of our landscapes, communities, and shared ambition.”

The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards will be announced at the Gala Dinner on Wednesday, 29 October. For more information about Southern Way and its regional experiences, visit Southern Way’s official website: https://southernway.nz

About the Southern Way
The Southern Way is a collective of the eight Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) in the lower South Island, including Dunedin, Waitaki, Wānaka, Clutha, Central Otago, Queenstown, Fiordland, and Southland. The Southern Way collective works together to further the reputation of the lower South and undertake promotional activity. It has developed a regional brand proposition that unites Otago and Southland around a shared identity and presenting a cohesive and diverse visitor offering.

www.southernway.co.nz