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This email was sent by Stats NZ, 8 Willis Street, Wellington, CBD 6011, New Zealand to nz@enz.mil-osi.com
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Universities – The good sh*t helping obese teens – UoA
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Source: University of Auckland (UoA) Can a capsule of healthy gut bugs change the future of obesity treatment? New findings from the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute suggest it might. |
| Eight years ago, 87 obese adolescents took part in a groundbreaking study to see whether fecal transfer (taking ‘good’ gut bacteria from healthy donors and giving them in capsule form to people with a less healthy microbiome) would make a difference to their health and weight. Four years later, a follow-up study, published this week in the world-leading scientific journal NatureCommunications, suggests some significant health benefits from that single gut bugs transfer, with the original overweight teens having reduced risk for a bunch of metabolic changes which can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes. (ref. http://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62752-4 ) Obesity is a significant health problem in New Zealand and elsewhere in the world. In Aotearoa, one in ten children and one in three adults – the third highest rate in the OECD – are classified as obese, according to Ministry of Health figures. Read the gut bugs follow-up study in the journal Nature Communications. Available from 9pm Thursday August 28 (ref. http://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62752-4) |
Employment – Health and safety reforms put workers at risk – NZCTU
Source: NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is renewing its call on the Government to stop their planned health and safety reforms. This follows the news today that confirms the reforms have no evidential basis and are instead being driven by Act party ideology.
“It is disappointing to once again see the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety push uninformed policies that are not supported by evidence or by leaders in health and safety,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.
“The feedback from officials is damning and confirms what we said from the outset. These reforms will not improve health and safety outcomes at work.
“The regulatory impact statement does not state how the reforms would lead to improved safety outcomes. This shows that the intent behind these changes is not a focus on improving safety.
“The Pike River disaster was a wakeup call to up our game on health and safety. It was clear we had to improve our regulator and enforcement, as well as our laws and regulations. A broad consensus emerged to do just that. These new changes will undermine that effort.
“New Zealand has a long way to go to improving its health and safety record. Every week a worker is killed on the job, and 17 more are killed from the impact of work-related illnesses. Every year there are over 30,000 injuries that require more than a week away from work.
“The Minister seems intent on bringing back the regulatory settings that enabled the Pike River disaster. This simply is not acceptable. Her proposed changes to health and safety laws are an insult to those killed and injured at work,” said Wagstaff.
Hawke’s Bay – Fernhill Bridge costing region millions – Transporting New Zealand
Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Road freight association Transporting New Zealand says that weight restrictions on Fernhill Bridge on SH50 in Hawke’s Bay are costing the region millions of dollars, with many freight companies having to complete a 40km return detour to make deliveries.
Fernhill Bridge is a crucial freight corridor linking a large agricultural area with the region’s industrial centre in Hastings. It is also the main access point to the Taihape Road from Hastings. Weight restrictions introduced in 2022 have limited access to a maximum of 31 tonnes for eight axled vehicles.
Transporting New Zealand completed a survey of six local operators, that found the detour was costing just those six local freight companies and their customers an estimated $2.36 million a year, and producing an additional 500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions through additional diesel consumption. This was based on an average of 54 detoured trips per day across the surveyed companies, or nearly 20,000 trips per year.
Hawkes Bay transport operator Stephenson Transport travels through the area around six times a day and must detour. “Running a truck is costly – we all know that, and adding 30 minutes to a trip has a significant impact,” says CEO Todd Stephenson. He says it also makes managing logbook hours a challenge.
Transporting New Zealand Membership Manager Lindsay Calvi-Freeman says that the bridge urgently requires strengthening work and NZTA need to get the project underway.
“NZTA have stated that strengthening Fernhill Bridge is their highest priority project in the Central North Island. Despite this, no work has been done. Freight operators either have to undertake expensive detours or use more, less efficient, smaller trucks.”
“The cost-benefit on this strengthening project is very clear. The longer NZTA wait, the more delay and expense local businesses and consumers will have to endure.”
“We’re told strengthening the bridge will cost around $10 million. For just six operators, the cost of doing nothing exceeds that within five years. It’s a no-brainer to get it done now.”
“Hawke’s Bay needs a productive road network to unlock its economic potential and support its booming primary industries. Just to provide some perspective this is a region producing 60% of the country’s apples, 11% of the sheep, 12% of the beef, 10% of the grapes, 69% of the squash and is home to 8% of New Zealand’s pine forest.”
“We’re calling on NZTA to urgently allocate funding to the project and schedule a date for the strengthening work.”
Attached images:
1. Fernhill Bridge Archival Photo – 76 years on from its opening in 1949, Fernhill Bridge is due for a major strengthening upgrade (the 70-year-old wooden truss bridge it replaced is shown in the foreground). Source: Fernhill Bridge – Grammer family By Attribution Alone, Ian Matheson City Archives.
2. An illustrative freight detour, avoiding Fernhill Bridge
About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter-regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
Real Estate – Bedrooms bring big gains: Kiwis prepared to pay the price for space
Source: RealEstate.co.nz
- Aucklanders hit with steepest price rise between one and two-bedroom homes
- Extra bedroom in Central Otago/Lakes District commands $500,000 increase in average asking price
- Wellington records 45% increase in average asking price between one and two-bedroom homes.
New data from realestate.co.nz highlights the additional value extra bedrooms can add to a property’s asking price; showing number of bedrooms is one of the clearest indicators of price difference in New Zealand’s property market.
Nationally, the average asking price increased by 32% when going from a one to two-bedroom property, and by 31% between a two and three-bedroom home.
The price difference continued to escalate as the number of bedrooms increased, with a 43% difference between three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes and a 40% difference between four-bedroom properties and those with five or more.
Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz says homeowners willing to renovate could be rewarded for their efforts at sale time.
“At a national level, we’re talking about an almost $400,000 jump between a three-bedroom and a four-bedroom home and almost half a million dollars in increased value between a four-bedroom and a five-bedroom home.
“Property owners who are willing to roll up their sleeves and add another bedroom through a smart renovation will likely benefit when selling. Not only can adding an extra bedroom make a property more liveable, but it can also deliver one of the most significant value boosts when it comes time to sell.
“On the flip side, buyers need to be aware of the price differences when upsizing,” Williams says.
Auckland: the sharpest jump between one and two bedrooms
In Auckland, buyers who purchased homes between July 2024 and July 2025 paid 50% more on average to move from a one-bedroom property to a two-bedroom home – the steepest price jump recorded among New Zealand’s major regions.
The average asking price for a one-bedroom home sat at $513,668, rising to $772,483 for two bedrooms. Prices continued to climb steadily as the bedroom count increased.
Wellington also recorded a substantial increase in prices between one and two-bedroom homes, with prices increasing 45% from $435,116 to $629,991. However, the increase in average asking price between three, four, and five-bedroom properties was more gradual in the capital, 33%, 28% and 31% respectively.
Waikato and Canterbury see more value in four and five-bedroom homes
In Waikato and Canterbury, the biggest increase came when upsizing from a three-bedroom home to a four-bedroom home, reinforcing the value of homes with four or more bedrooms in these markets.
The difference in average asking price between a three-bedroom and a four-bedroom home in Waikato was $288,519 or 39%, while the difference between a three and four-bedroom property in Canterbury was $255,437 or 36%.
An extra bedroom valued at half a million dollars in Central Otago/Lakes District
Another region of note was Central Otago/Lakes District, which recorded a 64% increase in average asking price between two and three-bedroom homes during this 12-month period. The average asking price of a two-bedroom home in this sought after region was $858,387, but this increased to $1,412,870 for a three-bedroom home, a jump of $554,483.
An additional 53% increase in the average asking price was recorded for four-bedroom properties in the region, a difference of $754,970. There was almost a million-dollar jump from $2,167,840 for a four-bedroom to $3,091,115 for a five-plus-bedroom home.
Williams says the price increases for extra bedrooms across the country show just how strong demand is for properties that suit growing families and lifestyles.
“These homes are often seen as the ‘forever home,’ so buyers are willing to stretch further to secure them.”
About realestate.co.nz
We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996.
Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry.
Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.
Glossary of terms:
Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.
Arts – Kōkōwai: A night of Indigenous fashion, art and music at Auckland Museum
Source: Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum
The Auckland Museum Store presents Kōkōwai, a one-night-only, evening of fashion, art, live music and performance on Friday 12 September at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Kōkōwai, named for the sacred red ochre pigment once used to adorn bodies and mark the tapu, will showcase the work of two acclaimed wāhine ringatoi Māori, Shona Tāwhiao (Ngāi Te Rangi) and Stevei Houkāmau (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui).
Shona Tāwhiao is know for her distinctive “Harakeke Couture” style, which has been presented at fashion weeks in New Zealand, London, Malaysia, and beyond. Tāwhiao will present a special showing of her woven couture and streetwear, and will showcase new works that fuse traditional weaving with contemporary design, highlighting her unique blend of heritage and innovation.
Stevei Houkāmau carved uku (clay) works speak to whakapapa, whenua and tīpuna, and have earned national and international recognition, including winning the 2023 Kiingi Tūheitia Portraiture Award and representing Aotearoa at Munich Jewellery Week. At Kōkōwai, Houkāmau’s clay forms will be brought into dialogue with movement and ritual, extending her practice into a live performance setting.
The evening will culminate in a performance taking place under the Museum’s tanoa. Invoking the sacred, the ancestral, and the earthly, Tāwhiao and Houkāmau’s works will be brought to life through movement and ritual.
Charged with the sonic force of 2025 Taite award-winner Mokotron’s live fusion of hiko (Māori electronic music), with taonga puoro, and expertly woven together by director Te ‘Okota’i Paitai, Kōkōwai is no ordinary night at the Museum.
Hokohoko Musuem Store, Retail Manager, Karyn Watson invites visitors to be curious, “Kōkōwai is a chance to experience firsthand the powerful creativity of two extraordinary wāhine ringatoi we represent at Hokohoko Museum Store. Along with DIVA open late for the evening, audiences can immerse themselves in artistry, story telling and cultural expression. A stunning selection of Shona and Stevei’s work will be available to purchase on the night. Come and explore, come adorned, be inspired!”
Tickets also include entry to DIVA, the spectacular international exhibition direct from London’s V&A. Featuring over 50 looks rarely seen by the public, DIVA showcases costumes worn by some of the world’s most iconic performers, some from their own collections.
Highlights include Maria Callas’ stage ensemble as Norma (1952), Marilyn Monroe’s fringed black dress from Some Like it Hot (1959), and the only known surviving dress worn by silent film star Clara Bow. Visitors can also see Bob Mackie designs worn by Tina Turner, P!nk and Cher; Elton John’s Louis XIV–inspired 50th birthday costume with a towering powdered wig and train, designed by Sandy Powell; and Shirley Bassey’s couture pink gown by Julien MacDonald, complete with diamanté-studded wellington boots, worn at Glastonbury in 2007.
Tickets for Museum Store Presents: Kōkōwai are on sale now at aucklandmuseum.com
Museum Store Presents: Kōkōwai
Friday 12 September 2025 7pm–10:30pm
Te Ao Mārama South Atrium, Auckland Museum
$55 adults, $65 door sales. Includes entry to DIVA. 10% discount for Museum Members.
7 pm – Doors open / DIVA open
8 pm – Kōkōwai performance
8:30 pm – DJ Miss Bee
10:30 pm – Event ends
About the artists:
Shona Tāwhiao
Artist, designer, and weaver Shona Tāwhiao, Ngāi Te Rangi, has exhibited her distinct style of raranga woven work for 25 years.
Having trained in traditional Māori raranga weaving techniques and methods, by Kahutoi Te Kanawa, Tāwhiao’s talent has been described as exquisite and undeniably unique.
The fusing of her love of fashion and culture with her specialised techniques in weaving has enabled Tāwhiao to create Haute Couture from flax fibre known to Māori as harakeke. This has resulted in her unique style being dubbed “Harakeke Couture”.
Tāwhiao’s multi award-winning collections of Harakeke Couture have been presented at New Zealand London Malaysia Fiji Hong Kong and Melbourne Fashion Weeks since 2010.
Tāwhiao has showcased her works internationally at the MaMo Arts Festival in Honolulu, Chapel St Roch in Paris and in London at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich to an international group of museum curators.
In 2016 Tāwhiao was invited by Dr Maia Nuku to participate in a three-week residency at the Oceanic Department of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Tāwhiao leant her creative influence to films such as the Māori Merchant of Venice and River Queen and in 2012 designed costumes for ‘The Māori Troilus and Cressida’ that opened Shakespeare’s Olympics at The Globe Theatre in London to rave reviews. This led to her being nominated and winning the Brancott Estate ‘Best Costume Designer of the Year’ at The Chapman Tripp Theatre awards in Wellington New Zealand.
Stevei Houkāmau
Stevei Houkāmau, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, is a Wellington‑based contemporary Māori uku (clay) artist whose work speaks to whakapapa, whenua, and tīpuna. Since 2011, she’s drawn on traditional Māori patterns and narratives to craft sculptural, carved clay forms embodying spiritual and ancestral connection.
Her acclaimed work Kia Whakatōmuri te haere whakamua, a derived lineage piece honoring her great-great-grandmother Hinemaurea, earned her the prestigious 2023 Kiingi Tūheitia Portraiture Award, judged at Pipitea Marae before King Tūheitia.
In March 2025, Stevei represented Aotearoa at Munich Jewellery Week through KOHĀ Moana, a collaborative activation with Neke Moa and Sofia Tekela‑Smith, that explored koha, reciprocity and connection with moana in public adornment performances.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including FESTPAC (Guahan), various Indigenous art gatherings, and a solo exhibition at Objectspace, Auckland. Stevei was also the inaugural Māori Artist-in-Residence at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre and maintains pieces in public and private collections at home and abroad.
MOKOTRON
MOKOTRON is a Tāmaki-based Māori producer from Ngāti Hine, who spreads seismic waves of low frequency Indigenous electronic music. Exploring ancient futurism through music, MOKOTRON imagines a reality without colonisation, where the ancestors transition from the ancient world into the modern, creating futures of hope juxtaposed with the hard realities of urban disconnection.
2022 was a breakout year for MOKOTRON, releasing three 12” EPs on Spanish label Electro Records, as well as featuring on a number of digital compilations at home and abroad.
In March 2024 MOKOTRON released THE UNITED TRIBES OF BASS, a landmark remix project, exclusively featuring Māori and Cook Island Māori electronic practitioners from throughout the motu. This was followed in December by the release of the album WAEREA, Mokotron’s debut album which reached Number 4 on the Aotearoa Album Charts and is close to selling out its third pressing on vinyl. MOKOTRON rounded off the year by winning Te Tohu Kaipuoro Toa (Favourite Solo Act) at the 2024 Mighty Aotearoa Alternative Awards and performing at Boiler Room Aotearoa.
2025 has seen MOKOTRON reaching new levels of national and international recognition. After headlining Port Noise Festival and touring across the country, they were awarded the prestigious Taite Music Prize and Te Manu Taki Tāhiko o te Tau Best Electronic Artist at the Aotearoa Music Awards for the album WAEREA. MOKOTRON has just returned from their first UK tour, performing at Glastonbury Festival and London dates at Foundation FM and Colour Factory in East London as part of Lady Shaka’s Pulotu Underworld collective.
Te ‘Okota’i Paitai
Teokotai Paitai (Ta’i) is a multidisciplinary artist with ancestral ties to Rarotonga, Mangaia, Samoa (Moata‘a), and Scotland (Clan Colquhoun). Born and raised in Central Auckland, Ta’i’s creative practice is grounded in both lineage and lived experience.
It’s been over 30 years since Ta’i entered into the contemporary performing arts scene, starting out as a dancer. He’s been fortunate to work alongside and for many of his heroes, some of whom are now shining stars looking down at us.
He is currently exploring and teaching weaving, not only as an artistic expression but also as a tool for well-being. Through this practice, Ta’i actively challenges colonial narratives that seek to dismiss or erase the living cultural traditions of Oceania and Indigenous communities worldwide. For him, weaving is an act of resistance, reclamation, and cultural continuity.
Watch:min World
Amplifying the voice of Wāhine through movement since 2017. Watch:min have been leading in spaces within Street Dance and Krump in Aotearoa uplifting women through programmes, shows, and events.
ABOUT AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of New Zealand's first museums and is free for Aucklanders. The Museum tells the story of New Zealand, its place in the Pacific and its people. The Museum is a war memorial for the province of Auckland and holds one of New Zealand's top three heritage libraries.
It has pre-eminent Māori and Pacific collections, significant natural history resources and major social and military history collections, as well as decorative arts and pictorial collections.
Employment and Law – Restriction on right for Defence staff to strike unjustified – PSA
Source: PSA
New legislation restricting the right of civilian Defence workers to strike is completely unjustified and represents an escalation in this Government’s undermining of fundamental workplace rights, says the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
The Defence (Workforce) Amendment Bill introduced today would allow the Defence Minister to authorise the use of military personnel to replace striking civilian workers during industrial action, making it harder for Defence staff to bargain for fair pay and conditions.
“This legislation will make it harder for Defence personnel and their families to achieve fair pay rises and it is by design,” PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said.
“Last year PSA members at the Defence Force were offered a zero pay increase and were only able to achieve a better offer after taking strike action.
“It is no coincidence the Minister is introducing this legislation at the same time she is openly musing about restricting public sector workers’ right to strike for better pay and conditions.
“Bringing the military in as strike-breakers is an extremely serious move and the current legislation recognises this by requiring a resolution of Parliament. This bill gives the Minister that power directly.
“We know many in the military will be quietly uncomfortable being required to cross picket lines if civilian staff take strike action. This kind of divisive tactics by the Government within the Defence Force is terrible for morale.
“Public sector workers face the same rising costs as everyone else. Instead of restricting their fundamental democratic right to strike, the Government should show them respect and pay them fairly.”
The legislation comes as the Government has stripped away pay equity rights, introduced pay deductions for partial strikes following low level industrial action at Defence, and is making it harder for workers to appeal unfair dismissal.
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.
New Zealand – Reserve Bank renews currency swap facility with People’s Bank of China
Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand
28 August 2025 – The People's Bank of China (PBOC) and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand today announced the renewal of a reciprocal currency arrangement (swap line) to support the settlement of cross border transactions between New Zealand and Chinese businesses.
The size of the swap facility is RMB 25 billion, and it has a five-year maturity which may be extended if both parties agree. The arrangement was first agreed in 2011 and was previously renewed in 2014, 2017 and 2020.
The aim of the swap line is to help promote bilateral trade and economic development between the two countries while also supporting financial stability.
Weather News – A wild, windy end to winter – MetService
Source: MetService
Covering period of Thursday 28th – Sunday 31st August – A wild, windy end to winter.
Meteorological spring begins on Monday.
An orange Heavy Rain Warning is in force for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthurs Pass until 4 pm today.
Strong Wind Watches are in force for the Canterbury High Country, Marlborough and Wellington today as well as Hawke's Bay south of Napier, the Tararua District, and Wairarapa north of Martinborough into Friday.
As meteorological winter comes to a close on Sunday, there will be no shortage of weather to herald the changing seasons. MetService is forecasting weather systems that hold in them the flavours of spring, with strong westerly winds, rain, thunderstorms, and snow in the coming days.
MetService has issued Severe Weather Warnings and Watches for heavy rain and strong wind today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday). Settled conditions are set to rapidly deteriorate for the North Island through the remainder of the day as a band of rain with blustery northerly winds move onto the North Island.
Additionally, there is a chance of thunderstorms with heavy rain and small hail for Taranaki this evening. In the meantime, strong winds, thunderstorms and rain have already been affecting the South Island. Observed gusts reached 116 km/hour for Mount Cook Airport, 112 km/hour for Roxburgh Airport and 98 km/hour for Wallacetown this morning. Furthermore, the chance of thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail continues for the remainder of the day for Nelson, Buller, Grey and Westland.
An orange Heavy Rain Warning is in force for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthurs Pass until 4 pm today. Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible.
Strong Wind Watches are in force for the Canterbury High Country, Marlborough and Wellington today as well as Hawke's Bay south of Napier, the Tararua District, and Wairarapa north of Martinborough during Friday
Metservice meteorologist Alanna Burrows says, “Damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures is possible. Driving may be difficult, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Prepare your property by securing items that can be picked up by strong winds and drive cautiously.”
On Friday, the strong westerly winds and possible thunderstorms ease by the end of the day. Temperatures are expected to drop over southern New Zealand; and snow may affect some elevated parts of the South Island, including some of the higher roads there.
Then, as we move into the last weekend of winter, we are expecting to see another boost to winds and swell, combined with fast-moving rainbands. A strong northwesterly flow builds over the country ahead of another front, which moves onto southern New Zealand late in the day on Saturday and quickly over the country on Sunday, followed by a strong and showery west to southwest flow. And with a nod to winter, there is a chance that snow may affect some of the higher South Island roads this weekend.
Heavy southwest swell, with heights between 5 to 6.5 metres, is forecast to develop for the western coastlines of the country through Sunday.
“The weekend sees a transition into a breezy springtime setup, and we may find more Strong Wind Watches issued. Please, keep up with the latest information at metservice.com,” advises Burrows.
Local News – Welcoming Plan adopted by Porirua City Council
Source: Porirua City Council
A Welcoming Plan for Porirua City was adopted by Te Puna Kōrero at its meeting this morning.
Part of Porirua City’s Welcoming Communities Programme, the plan was developed with input from Ngāti Toa, elected officials, and the community.
The aim of the plan is to create stronger community connections and a sense of belonging for the multitude of cultural groups that live in Porirua, and foster social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing.
“Having the plan adopted is a big step towards Porirua becoming a committed welcoming community,” says General Manager Community and Partnerships, Reuben Friend.
“The last Census showed that Porirua is home to residents of more than 100 different ethnicities, so it’s important that we are committed to ensuring the city is a safe, welcoming and exciting place to live.”
The Welcoming Plan outlines ways that Council can work to achieve positive outcomes for its diverse communities across areas such as leadership, equitable access, economic development, business and employment, and culture and identity.
A corresponding implementation plan is being developed to achieve the goals outlined in the Welcoming Plan.
Porirua City joined the Welcoming Communities programme in January 2023. It is one of 35 councils and five local boards in Aotearoa that participate in the programme.
In July last year Council gained accreditation as a Committed Welcoming Community.
The programme is led by Immigration New Zealand, in partnership with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities and the Human Rights Commission and is part of the International Welcoming Network.
Funding for Porirua City to develop this programme comes from Immigration New Zealand.
Adoption of the Welcoming Plan coincides with Welcoming Week 2025 – a week of celebrations and events to help build stronger communities and celebrate Porirua as a welcoming place.