Posts

Posted on

Insurers welcome Govt decision to keep NHC levy unchanged

Source: Insurance Council of NZ

The Insurance Council of New Zealand | Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) has welcomed the Government’s decision to leave the Natural Hazards Commission (NHC) levy unchanged, amid ongoing concerns around the cost-of-living.
The levy, collected by insurers on behalf of the Government, helps ensure the NHC is funded to provide basic cover for natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and flooding.
“Keeping the levy unchanged for now is good news for households facing ongoing cost-of-living pressures,” ICNZ Chief Executive Kris Faafoi said.
“We welcome the Government’s decision and the importance of keeping insurance accessible. Taxes and levies already account for around 40% of a home premium.”
A recent survey found that 50% of respondents were unwilling to pay $200 more a year to ensure the NHC was properly funded, with 30% willing to pay more.
Mr Faafoi said the NHC continues to play a vital role in supporting recovery when disasters strike.
“New Zealand is one of the most natural hazard-prone countries in the world, and climate change is making these events more severe and intense. The NHC remains a critical component in our ability to recover,” he said.
“We acknowledge the Government is balancing the ongoing sustainability of the NHC Scheme alongside the equally important goal of keeping costs manageable for households today.
“ICNZ has continually emphasised that the best way to manage long-term accessibility is to reduce risk across communities before disaster strikes.
“The Government’s National Adaptation Framework provides much-needed direction on how government, councils, the private sector and communities will work together to reduce and manage climate-related risks. However, we need clear rules, funding arrangements and responsibilities locked in quickly so that adaptation can move from paper to real projects on the ground.
“By reducing risk, we protect our communities and ensure insurance remains accessible,” Kris Faafoi said.
Posted on

Northland News – Former regional councillor Monty Knight remembered

Source: Northland Regional Council

Northland Regional Council (NRC) chair Pita Tipene has paid tribute to former councillor Monty Knight who died tragically in his beloved Far North at the weekend.
Chair Tipene says Councillor Knight was much respected throughout Taitokerau for his business acumen over many years as both a retailer in several fields, including jewellery, and as a winemaker.
“He was inducted into the Northland Business Hall of Fame in 2010, just one year after another Northland retailing legend, jeweller Sir Michael Hill.”
Chair Tipene says Councillor Knight also represented his community via stints on both NRC and the Far North District Council.
“He joined Northland Regional Council representing Te Hiku, the council’s then northern-most constituency in February 2015, in a by-election following the passing of former councillor Dennis Bowman.”
“During his time on council Cr Knight served as one of council’s two appointees to the then new Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe beach board.”
Chair Tipene says Cr Knight will be remembered as a public-minded and down-to-earth person, who cared deeply about his local community.
“Monty was a genuinely nice human being who served his people with passion and commitment.”
He was also not afraid to back himself as evidenced by his successful move into winemaking at Okahu Estate in the 1980s, something sceptics had thought would prove impossible.
“On behalf of Northland Regional Council and its ratepayers I’d like to acknowledge Monty for his exemplary service to the people.”
Posted on

Climate Leaders Coalition launches next chapter

Source: Sustainable Business Council

The Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) is this morning unveiling a new Statement of Ambition and refreshed Strategy, marking the next step in business-led climate action in New Zealand – just as COP30 concludes in Belém.
“As CLC enters a new chapter, we do so with an unwavering resolve to deliver on the commitment the Coalition first set down in 2018, support stable long term policy settings and help Aotearoa New Zealand deliver a pathway to net zero by 2050 for a prosperous future,” says Malcolm Johns, CLC Convenor and CEO of Genesis Energy.
“As the realities of climate action evolve, so too must our collective leadership.”
“The launch of this new Statement of Ambition reflects that, placing greater emphasis on CEO-to-CEO collaboration, increased accountability, and practical partnerships with government to drive enduring change.”
The new statement outlines specific CEO and business commitments in several key areas, including:
– Overall commitment to support New Zealand’s net zero 2050 goal by setting climate targets or goals that contribute to New Zealand’s transition.
– CEO commitment to further build climate knowledge, support teams to deliver climate action across businesses, and engage with board members on climate governance.
– Commitment to work with other CEOs to drive collaborative climate action efforts.
– Business commitments to embed climate considerations into business strategies, publicly report on past progress and future plans, and influence climate action across value chains through collaboration with wider sectors.
– Commitment to advocate for policies and initiatives that support CLC’s vision.
The new statement also reinforces CLC’s expectation of transparency for all signatories, while reflecting the evolution of climate reporting, which is now mandatory for some signatories. To avoid duplication of effort, where possible, the Coalition will rely on public disclosures to gather information to support signatory accountability and collective reporting on progress.
“Public transparency has always been a cornerstone of the Coalition’s work, and remains so. Signatories must continue to transparently report progress against their climate-related targets and goals, as well as their plans for the future.”
A refreshed strategy underpins the commitments, anchoring the Coalition to New Zealand’s legislated 2050 climate targets.
Chief Executive of the Sustainable Business Council (SBC) Mike Burrell says, “This refreshed strategy recognises the complexity of the journey ahead and the diversity of the Coalition’s sectors. Importantly, it ensures even the hard-to-abate sectors remain in the tent, ensuring New Zealand’s biggest climate challenges are tackled head-on. It’s designed to unlock impact, maintain momentum, and ensure our business leaders stay the course.”
“Critically, it also positions the Coalition’s signatory businesses to harness the immense opportunities, particularly in potential economic and export growth, arising from the shift to a net zero economy.”
The Coalition has this morning also announced the focus of its first major collaboration under the new Statement, which will focus on driving emissions reductions in the value chain.
“Signatories recognise scope 3 emissions present the biggest challenge, but also the greatest opportunity to reduce emissions, across the system. We look forward to sharing more information on this work as it’s developed,” says Mr Burrell.
Both the new Statement and refreshed Strategy recognise climate action is not a task CLC can achieve alone, and reflect the Coalition’s steadfast commitment to work alongside government to advocate for stable policy and practical solutions for the betterment of all of New Zealand.
Mr Johns says, “With the launch of this new Statement and refreshed Strategy, we signal our unified commitment to maintain our momentum and continue to lead from the top by engaging our boards, empowering our teams, and building capability throughout our businesses to enable lasting change.”
“We invite other businesses to join us and do the same.”
The new Statement will replace the 2017, 2019 and 2022 Statements. Existing signatories and new signatories will have 18 months from joining, or until March 2027 (whichever comes first), to meet the new commitments.
A copy of the new Statement of Ambition and refreshed Strategy can be found here.
Supporting guidance for signatories can also be found here.
Scope 3 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur across a company’s value chain (all activities involved in creating and delivering a product or service), such as those from suppliers, product use, transportation, and waste disposal.
About the Climate Leaders Coalition
The Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) was launched in July 2018 with a mission of having business CEOs leading the response to climate change through collective, transparent, and meaningful action on mitigation and adaptation. Coalition signatories collectively represent around 30% of GDP, employ around 9% of NZ’s full-time employees, and have a collective turnover of $123 billion. The Sustainable Business Council provides secretariat support for the Coalition.
Posted on

Deep Sea Mining Campaign – New Briefing Paper Released as TMC Reports $184.5M Loss for Q3 2025

Source: Deep Sea Mining Campaign (DSMC)

The Deep Sea Mining Campaign (DSMC) has today released Shifting Tides, a new briefing paper analysing The Metals Company’s (TMC) plan to mine the Pacific Ocean via the U.S. Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Resources Act (DSHMRA). The paper finds that TMC’s proposed pivot introduces significant regulatory uncertainties, and heightens financial, legal, and regulatory risk for investors. 

Drawing on TMC’s own filings, investor presentations, and pre-feasibility study, the briefing concludes that the U.S. licensing pathway is far more complex than TMC likes to suggest. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the process is likely to take at least 18 months, and could face administrative delays or legal challenges. 

“The regulatory pathway is uncertain, politically exposed, and wholly dependent on support in Washington that cannot be guaranteed over time. Investors should be wary of assuming this shift resolves any of the risks that have dogged the project for years,” said Andy Whitmore, Finance Advocacy Officer at the Deep Sea Mining Campaign. 

Shifting Tides also highlights serious questions about TMC’s own financial viability, including:

  • Over-reliance on untested regulatory processes under DSHMRA 

  • Political dependencies that introduce significant volatility

  • Questionable assumptions in revenue projections 

  • Underestimating costs, including royalties payments 

  • Ongoing uncertainties around the feasibility of commercial-scale nodule extraction and processing.

Rather than stabilising the company’s trajectory, TMC’s U.S. pivot appears to introduce new political, legal, and commercial vulnerabilities. This includes a major red flag whether minerals and metals produced via this pathway could be in breach of international law, affecting a range of non-US partners. 

“TMC’s own filings acknowledge political fragility and the possibility of delays. Investors should understand that this pivot is not the solution Gerard Barron wants you to believe it is,” adds Whitmore. 

Shifting Tides provides a detailed assessment of these risks and analyses what the U.S. pathway might mean for timelines, market confidence, and the deep sea mining industry. 

The briefing paper is available at this link: https://dsm-campaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Shifting-Tides-TMCs-U.S.-Pivot.pdf?utm_source=media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tmc_us_pivot

Posted on

Banking – ASB Investor Confidence Survey: Confidence up 9% for Q3

Source: ASB

  • Net investor confidence is now at 10%, up from 1% last quarter, with Auckland up to 16%.
  • Perceptions of a home as the best returning investment have dropped to their lowest level since first measured in 2015, with under 30s driving the shift to other investments, particularly the share market with confidence jumping to 21%. 
  • Global and domestic issues continue to strongly influence the mood, with perceptions divided among different demographics.

Investor confidence in New Zealand has shown an improvement this quarter, despite the fact that Kiwis continue to navigate a landscape marked by global uncertainty, a flat domestic property market, and evolving expectations for returns.

Across the country, investor confidence is highest in Auckland at +16%, while confidence for the rest of New Zealand is up to 7%, including the South Island at 8% and Lower North Island lowest at just 3%.

ASB Senior Economist Chris Tennent-Brown notes “Investor confidence has improved. Markets have recovered since the volatility we had earlier in the year, and that’s impacting sentiment positively now, but the flat housing market and lower term deposit rates continue to weigh on the mood.”

For a second consecutive quarter, global political instability or uncertainty is the top concern for investors, with 90% citing it as a key factor.

There has been a notable decrease in those saying they are ‘very or extremely concerned’, and fewer investors are making or considering adjustments to their portfolios. In fact, 53% of those with concerns are now choosing not to make any changes – an improvement from last quarter.

Chris says “What we’re seeing is that investors are becoming more accustomed to uncertainty. Based on our customers’ behaviour, most are choosing to stay the course and not make changes to their portfolios, even as global headlines continue to shift.”

When it comes to perception of best returns, Kiwi views are evolving. One’s own home continues to be rated the best investment overall, but this sentiment has dropped to 15%, the lowest level since we started measuring it in 2015.

“While property is still on top, it’s with much less conviction than in the past. New Zealanders are still looking for signs of recovery in the housing market, but it’s clear that confidence in this traditional favourite is being challenged.”

Perceptions about housing being the place to generate the most wealth are very low for under 30s, who may still be trying to work out how to get into the property market, a stark but understandable contrast to the over 60 participants, whose wealth may be tied up in property,” explains Chris.

In contrast to the low readings on housing, the under 30s surveyed are clearly focussed on other investments, particularly the share market, where confidence has lifted significantly over the past quarter, jumping to 21% compared to 13% in the previous quarter and making it the area that the predominantly Gen Z generation is most confident in when it comes to returns.

Overall, managed investments have held steady at 14%, just after KiwiSaver, which has now overtaken rental property and term deposits in perceived return. Public shares are also gaining favour, with perceptions increasing to 12%. Other options such as rental property, term deposits, and bank savings accounts remain stable, but are no longer seen as the stand-out choices they once were.

“Looking ahead, the overall message is one of cautious optimism. While confidence has edged up, the underlying drivers of uncertainty, like global events, policy changes, and a sluggish property market, remain. Investors are adapting to a constantly changing global backdrop, and while the mood is more positive than last quarter, it is far from buoyant.” says Chris.

Posted on

Education – ERO finds removing cell phones from classrooms improving learning, reducing bullying – but only half of secondary students follow the rules

Source: Education Review Office

ERO finds removing cell phones from the classroom has improved learning and reduced bullying – but only half of secondary students follow the rules.
Education Review Office’s (ERO) independent review has found that removing cell phones from the classroom has improved students’ learning. From Term 2 last year, students were required to keep their phones away during the school day.
“ERO has found that removing cell phones from the classroom has had a really positive impact on students’ learning” says Ruth Shinoda, Head of ERO’s Education Evaluation Centre.
  • Eight in ten secondary teachers report removing phones has improved students’ focus on schoolwork.
  • Two-thirds of secondary teachers report students’ achievement has improved.
“The good news is that removing cell phones from classrooms hasn’t just improved learning, it has also improved behaviour and reduced bullying,” Ms Shinoda says. “This means that teachers can spend more time on teaching and less on managing behaviour.” 
  • Three-quarters of secondary teachers report removing cell phones has improved student behaviour in the classroom.
  • Two-thirds of secondary leaders say bullying has decreased.
  • Teachers report students are now talking more and having good social interactions during breaks now that they aren’t on their phones.
These improvements are despite only half of secondary students following the rules. “Student compliance is an issue in secondary schools,” Ms Shinoda says. “ERO found less than 4 in 10 Year 12 and 13 students follow the rules.”
“School leaders and teachers have put in a lot of time and effort into getting cell phones put away,” says Ms Shinoda. “ERO found that strong teacher enforcement is the key to improving compliance and raising student outcomes.”
  • When schools strongly enforce the rules, students’ compliance doubles and they are nearly twice as likely to improve their behaviour and reduce bullying. 
  • Tougher consequences like notifying parents also increases compliance and confiscating phones doubles students’ likelihood of improved focus in class and achievement.
ERO found parents need to do more to support schools in getting cell phones put away. “What is concerning is that the top reason students break the rules is to connect with their family – 3 in 5 rule-breakers do so for this reason,” says Ms Shinoda.
  • When parents resist phone rules, students are almost twice as likely to break the rules.
There is further to go. Half of secondary teachers report wearable devices as a problem, and students can still use these and other devices to be distracted by social media in class.
ERO is recommending four things:
1.Keep the ‘Phones Away for the Day’ requirement – it is making a positive difference for students.
2.Increase compliance of secondary students by sharing with schools the approaches that work most. 
3.Increase parents’ awareness of the benefits of removing cell phones (and other digital distractions) and how they can help.
4.Consider further action to remove other digital distractions (e.g. smartwatches) and reduce the potential harm of social media at school – learning from the experience of other countries.
NOTES
From Term 2 2024, school boards must prohibit students from using or accessing cell phones during the school day. This includes break times, and off-site school activities or programmes. Schools need to allow exemptions in certain circumstances, including for health or learning support needs:  Education (School Boards) Regulations
2020 (LI 2020/193) (as at 01 October 2024) 22 Duty to prohibit the use or
access of mobile phones – New Zealand Legislation
Education Review Office (ERO) research draws on:
  • 10,700 survey responses from school leaders and teachers, board members, students, and parents and whānau, covering schools and students in Year 7 and above. 
  • Interviewing school leaders and teachers, board members, students, and parents and whānau through interviews and focus groups. 
  • National and international studies.
  • Analysis of Board Assurance Statements. 
  • Insights from ERO school reviews.
Posted on

Employment – Kāinga Ora staff get just 9 days to comment on job cuts proposal – PSA

Source: PSA

Kāinga Ora, the Government’s social housing agency, has given staff affected just nine days to comment on a change proposal to axe 10 jobs and let workers losing their jobs know in the week before Christmas.
Kāinga Ora released a change proposal to affected staff at 5pm on Tuesday to reduce the Ministerial services team by 10 roles from 22 roles to 12 roles. In May Kāinga Ora cut 620 roles.
Redundancy notices will be issued from Wednesday 17 December with the new structure taking effect from Monday 26 January.
Staff affected by the latest changes have been given only until Thursday 27 November to provide feedback, Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says.
The Kāinga Ora change proposal was released to staff the day after the PSA and the Professional Firefighters Union initiated action in the Employment Relations Authority after Fire and Emergency New Zealand gave its non-firefighting staff just two weeks to consult on a 265-page proposal to cut 140 roles.
“The Kāinga Ora time frame is similarly riding roughshod over the rights of workers and treating consultation as a tick box exercise. It makes a mockery of one of the values espoused by Kāinga Ora – ‘Manaakitanga – Putting people first’,” Fitzsimons says.
“This rushed process is another example of the Government’s contempt for working New Zealanders, treating them as disposable commodities rather than people whose views deserve to be taken into account about decisions that will have a significant effect on their lives,” Fitzsimons says.
The proposal is to cut 12 roles in Kāinga Ora’s Ministerial Services team and create two new positions. The team manages core democratic functions such as Ministerial enquiries, Official Information Act requests and responses to Parliamentary Questions.
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 care and community groups.
Posted on

Business price indexes: September 2025 quarter – Stats NZ information release


This email was sent by Stats NZ, 8 Willis Street, Wellington, CBD 6011, New Zealand to nz@enz.mil-osi.com


Unsubscribe

Posted on

Transporting New Zealand says timely delivery of port infrastructure essential for Cook Strait connection

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

National Road Freight Association Transporting New Zealand has welcomed the certainty provided by Minister Peter’s announcement on the Cook Strait ferry project, saying it will allow the Government to focus on the timely delivery of the supporting port infrastructure by 2029.
Transporting New Zealand Head of Policy and Advocacy Billy Clemens said that it was essential the landside infrastructure, including modifications to the existing Aratere berth in Wellington and a new dual-level linkspan in Picton are delivered before the new vessels arrived.
“Our road freight members want to see the party politics get parked, and a bipartisan focus on delivery”.
“The Cook Strait is an extension of SH1, so having a competitive connection with adequate capacity is essential to our road freight members and the national supply chain. Approximately $30 billion of freight crosses that Cook Strait each year, with Interislander capturing roughly 45% market share and Bluebridge on 55% (according to 2024 MoT estimates).”
“The Government’s focus needs to be avoiding the delays and cost blowouts that have plagued Project iReX and many other major transport and infrastructure developments around the country.”
“The Government’s decision to procure rail-enabled vessels, against the advice of the Government’s Ministerial Advisory Group, presents an additional risk of cost escalations, as the Ministry of Transport notedback in 2023. This risk will have to be closely monitored.”
“Ferry Holdings Limited, and the shareholding Ministers of Transport, Rail and Finance all need to be focussed on prompt delivery of the Cook Strait Ferry Replacement Work Programme. We are reassured to see Ferry Holdings has a clear statement of intent and performance indicators, and look forward to meeting with their CEO shortly.”
Clemens says that freight companies want to see Interislander and Bluebridge taking steps to ensure adequate freight capacity over the next four years, including prioritising time-sensitive freight over passenger transport where necessary.
“With only four ferries currently operating, Interislander and Bluebridge are going to have to carefully manage freight capacity, or we will see price hikes and costly delivery delays for businesses and consumers.” 
Posted on

Teen vaping crisis worsens, system ‘truly failed to protect them’, health organisation says

Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation

Vaping is far from under control, with new figures showing a worrying rise in use among teens.
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ warns that the latest Health Survey -showing daily vaping among 15-17-year-olds has climbed from 10.3 per cent to 13.6 per cent in a year – highlights a serious issue.
Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says this escalation raises serious questions about whether current measures are anywhere close to adequate.
“An increase like this doesn’t happen by accident.
“It tells us the protections in place simply aren’t enough.”
The survey also showed that vaping among 18-24-year-olds is also unacceptably high at 23 per cent, Ms Harding says.
These new figures echoed those from the Foundation’s latest nationwide youth survey – the 2024 ARFNZ/SPANZ/NZAIMS Vaping in New Zealand Youth Survey.
It found high vaping use among older secondary students.
In 2021, 17% of Year 12s and 13% of Year 13s reported vaping in the last seven days. In 2024, those figures have risen to 20% for Year 12s and a striking 26% for Year 13s.
Foundation Māori Community Liaison and youth vaping educator Ms Sharon Pihema says the new figures are a clear sign that things are still heading in the wrong direction.
“A rise from 10.3% to 13.6% daily vaping in just one year shows how easily these products are still reaching our teenagers.
“The fact is 15-17 year olds aren’t legally old enough to purchase vapes, so this big increase shows the system has truly failed to protect them,” she says.
“If access was genuinely under control, we wouldn’t be seeing increases like this.”
The lack of adequate resourcing for prevention and education is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, Ms Pihema says.
“The Foundation is doing everything it can with the capacity it has – all with no support from government.”
The Foundation has been running vaping education workshops in schools for years, Ms Pihema says.
“We even met with Associate Health Minister Casey Costello asking for financial support to run these workshops, but we are always turned down.
This year, the Foundation strengthened prevention through a new community Train-the-Trainer programme endorsed by the NZ College of Respiratory Nurses.
The initiative equips educators, youth workers and whānau advocates with the tools to teach rangatahi about the harms of vaping.
The Foundation wants to see the Government halt the establishment of further Specialist Vape Retailers (SVRs), ban the sale of vapes in general retailer stores, limit the nicotine content of all vape products to 20 mg/mL, and re-examine the prescription model.