Over 100 organisations call for an end to Israel’s weaponization of aid
Despite claims by Israeli authorities that there is no limit on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, most major international NGOs have been unable to deliver a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 2 March.
Instead of clearing the growing backlog of goods, Israeli authorities have rejected requests from dozens of NGOs to bring in lifesaving goods, citing that these organizations are “not authorized to deliver aid.” In July alone, over 60 requests were denied under this justification.
This obstruction has left millions of dollars’ worth of food, medicine, water, and shelter items stranded in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt, while Palestinians are being starved.
“Anera has over $7 million worth of lifesaving supplies ready to enter Gaza – including744 tons of rice, enough for six million meals, blocked in Ashdod just kilometres away,” said Sean Carroll, President and CEO of Anera.
Many of the NGOs now told they are not “authorized” to deliver aid have worked in Gaza for decades, are trusted by communities and experienced in delivering aid safely. Their exclusion has left hospitals without basic supplies, children, people with disabilities, and older people dying from hunger and preventable illnesses, and aid workers themselves going to work hungry.
The obstruction is tied to new INGO registration rules introduced in March. Under these new rules, registration can be denied on the basis of vague and politicized criteria, such as alleged “delegitimization” of the state of Israel. INGOs warned the process was designed to control independent organizations, silence advocacy, and censor humanitarian reporting. This new bureaucratic obstruction is inconsistent with established international law as it entrenches Israel’s control and annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.
Unless INGOs submit to the full registration requirements, including the mandatory submission of details of private donors, complete Palestinian staff lists and other sensitive information about personnel for so-called “security” vetting to Israeli authorities, many could be forced to halt operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and remove all international staff within 60 days. Some organizations have even been issued a seven-day ultimatum to provide Palestinian staff lists.
NGOs have made clear that sharing such data is unlawful (including under relevant data protection laws), unsafe, and incompatible with humanitarian principles. In the deadliest context for aid workers worldwide, where 98 percent of those humanitarians killed were Palestinian, NGOs have no guarantees that handing over such information would not put staff at further risk, or be used to advance the government of Israel's stated military and political aims.
Today, INGOs’ fears have proven true: the registration system is now being used to further block aid and deny food and medicine in the midst of the worst-case scenario of famine.
“Since the full siege was imposed on 2 March, CARE has not been able to deliver any of our $1.5 million worth of pre-positioned supplies into Gaza,” said Jolien Veldwijk, Country Director of CARE.
“This includes critical shipments of food parcels, medical supplies, hygiene kits, dignity kits, and maternal and infant care items. Our mandate is to save lives, but due to the registration restrictions civilians are being left without the food, medicine, and protection they urgently need.”
“Oxfam has over $2.5 million worth of goods that have been rejected from entering Gaza by Israel, especially WASH and hygiene items as well as food,” said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam Policy Lead.
“This registration process signals to INGOs that their ability to operate may come at the cost of their independence and ability to speak out.”
These restrictions are part of a broader strategy that includes the so-called “GHF” scheme – a militarized distribution mechanism promoted as a humanitarian solution. In reality, it is a deadly tool of control, with at least 859 Palestinians killed around “GHF” sites since it began operating.
“The militarized food distribution scheme has weaponized starvation and curated suffering. Distributions at GHF sites have resulted in extreme levels of violence and killings, primarily of young Palestinian men, but also of women and children, who have gone to the sites in the hope of receiving food,” according to Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza.
Both the “GHF” scheme and the INGO registration process aim to block impartial aid, exclude Palestinian actors, and replace trusted humanitarian organizations with mechanisms that serve political and military objectives. They come as the government of Israel escalates its military offensive and deepens its occupation in Gaza, making clear these measures are part of a broader strategy to entrench control and erase Palestinian presence.
“At this point, everyone knows what the correct, humane answer is, and it's not a floating pier, airdrops or the “GHF.” The answer, to save lives, save humanity and save yourselves from complicity in engineered mass starvation, is to open all the borders, at all hours, to the thousands of trucks, millions of meals and medical supplies, ready and waiting nearby,” said Sean Carroll of Anera.
We call on all states and donors to:
● Press Israel to end the weaponization of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction, such as the INGO registration procedures.
● Insist that INGOs are not forced to share sensitive personal information, in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), or compromise staff safety or independence as a condition for delivering aid.
● Demand the immediate and unconditional opening of all land crossings and conditions for the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid.
Notes
● The occupied Palestinian territory is the deadliest setting for aid workers worldwide, with Palestinian staff accounting for 98% of aid worker fatalities: 509 out of 517 killings that took place between 2023-2025, according to the Aid Worker Security Database.
● On 6 May, 55 organizations warned that Israel’s new INGO registration measures are a grave threat to humanitarian operations and international law.
● On 1 July, 200+ organizations called for immediate action to end the deadly Israeli distribution scheme, including the so-called “GHF” in Gaza, revert to the existing UN-led coordination mechanisms, and lift the Israeli government’s blockade on aid and commercial supplies.
● On 23 July, 100+ organizations warned that, as mass starvation spreads across Gaza, our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away.
● On 29 July, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) wrote that the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip.
● Israel has consistently denied restricting the amount of aid allowed into Gaza, including throughout the period of July 2025, when most of the denials discussed in this statement were issued.
● On 31 July, OHCHR wrote that since 27 May, at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food; 859 in the vicinity of the “GHF” sites and 514 along the routes of food convoys. Most of these killings were committed by the Israeli forces.
● On 4 August, a Palestinian nurse in Gaza was killed when an airdrop struck him.
● On 5 August, it was reported that Israeli authorities are planning for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip.
● On 6 August, UN agencies and NGOs warned that without immediate action most international NGO partners could be de-registered by Israel in coming weeks.
● On 6 August, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) concluded that Israel’s information requests under the INGO registration process risk violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The DPA advised that INGOs should not comply with these requests, and that the only solution is for Israel to amend its requirements and for the relevant ministries to issue a formal protest.
● On 7 August, MSF released a report stating food distributions in Gaza run by the so-called “GHF” are sites of “orchestrated killing and dehumanization” that must be shut down.”
● On 10 August, Save the Children reported the deaths of 100 children due to starvation in Gaza since October 2023.
● On 12 August, a group of UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights published a letter to the Israeli government, stating deep concern that the INGO registration measures “weaken the ability of INGOs to operate independently and impartially and to carry out their humanitarian and human rights work without interference or fear of reprisal” and that “that the obligation to report on INGO personnel, in the context of occupation, armed conflict and serious violations of international law, could raise serious protection and reprisal concerns.”
Signatories:
1. A New Policy
2. ACT Alliance
3. ActionAid Denmark
4. ActionAid International
5. Action Against Hunger (ACF)
6. Action For Humanity
7. All We Can
8. Alliance Sud
9. American Fri
Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation
NZNO members in Theatre, Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit and Radiology at Christchurch Hospital embark on a two-hour full strike tomorrow over continued concerns about chronic and ongoing staff shortages.
Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Christchurch Hospital theatre delegate Gayl Marryatt says in late July members voted overwhelmingly in favour of strikes across these three areas.
“The strike is a result of the desperate staffing issues faced by members on a daily basis.
“Te Whatu Ora’s complete unwillingness to resolve the issues raised in bargaining has meant that members are now standing up to tell Te Whatu Ora, and the Government, that they are willing to take direct action and win on these issues.
“We are taking this action so Te Whatu Ora recognises there are not enough nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants and kaimahi hauora. We want patients to get the care they need.
“If the Coalition Government is as committed to patient safety as it claims, it will ensure they are not under-staffed, under-resourced and overworked,” Gayl Marryatt says.
A picket will be held outside the hospital from 2pm to 4pm.
Life preserving services will continue to be provided.
Source: IHC
14 August 2024 – Hamilton artist Julian Godfery says it felt great to win the 2025 IHC Art Awards Forté Recruitment People's Choice Award with his striking work The Jaguar.
The Jaguar was a clear crowd favourite, earning 3,085 votes out of a total 9,480 cast by the public for this year’s 30 finalists.
It’s not Julian’s first win. He also claimed the same award in 2017 with his piece Invisible Magic.
Julian says his mother, artist Jane Galloway, is an inspiration to him and this particular work was sparked by a nature documentary he saw on TV.
He does his detailed pen-and-ink creations at home, the Enrich+ day base and at Jane’s Raglan studio.
His work has been exhibited at galleries around the North Island.
Art isn't his only creative outlet and he's also part of a band. “I play drums in Robert Mullen Junior and Fri
Source: Porirua City Council
Nominations for the mayoralty and Porirua’s three wards have closed and the candidates announced.
There are three candidates in the running for Porirua’s mayoralty – Anita Baker, Kathleen Filo, and Ura Wilson-Pokoati.
In the Pāuatahanui General Ward, covering the northern part of the city, there are eight candidates standing for four seats: Brent Ching, Phill Houlihan, Moira Lawler, Ross Leggett, Paul Nation, Aditi Tiwari, Josh Trlin and Nathan Waddle.
Current councillor Tracy Johnson is not standing again.
In the Onepoto General Ward, representing the city’s west and east, there are 15 people standing for five seats: Miriam Albert, Angel Domingos, Mike Duncan, Chris Ellis, Hemi Fermanis, Kathleen Filo, Jaistone Finau, Izzy Ford, Moze Galo, Geoff Hayward, Sharon Hilling, Zac Painting, Siobhan Samuel, Ura Wilson-Pokoati, and Yan Zhang.
In the Parirua Māori Ward, which has one councillor voted on by those on the Māori electoral roll, there are four candidates: Raniera (Daniel) Albert, Rawinia Rimene, Jess Te Huia, and Kylie Wihapi.
We use Single Transferrable Vote (known as STV) in Porirua, meaning you rank your preferred candidates.
Porirua Deputy Electoral Officer Jack Marshall says candidate videos will be up on the Council website in the coming weeks to help voters get to know the candidates by hearing from them directly.
“The mayor and councillors make key decisions on how the city is run and Council oversees facilities like Pātaka, Te Rauparaha Arena, libraries, parks, reserves, sportsfields, along with events. Council makes important decisions for our city, so it’s really important that you vote for what makes you Porirua Proud!” he says.
If you’re on the General Electoral Roll, you will also be asked to vote in the Porirua-Tawa Constituency for Greater Wellington (the regional council).
Everyone, no matter what electoral roll you are on, will also vote in three polls: two binding polls on the Parirua Māori Ward and Te upoko o te ika a Māui Māori Constituency, as well as a non-binding poll on future Council structures in the Wellington region.
For those on the Māori Electoral Roll, there is no election for the Greater Wellington Te upoko o te ika a Māui Māori Constituency, as there was only one nomination for the one vacancy. As such Shamia Makarini has been elected unopposed.
Voting papers, which will be posted out in September, must be returned before 12 noon on election day, Saturday 11 October. You can post them back in the free post envelope or, return them to one of the specially marked orange voting boxes at your local supermarket, and many community facilities across the city. A full list of voting boxes will be on our website in the coming weeks.
If you weren’t enrolled by 1 August, you’ll need to cast a special vote.
Details of community voting sessions we are holding across the city will also be published closer to the voting period on our website.
Source: Dental for All
A group advocating for improved access to dental is calling on the Government to bring dental into the public healthcare system to ease cost of living pain.
Dental for All – a group of dentists, oral health therapists, unions, and poverty action groups – says that recently released research shows rising dental costs are adding to the strain faced by households.
New 2025 research published by University of Otago academics shows that between 1978 and 2023, fees for five core dental treatments increased by 75%-236% while earnings went up by 46%.
Hana Pilkinton-Ching, Dental for All spokesperson, said: “We already knew that dental care was cost-prohibitive, with almost half of us unable to afford it, but this latest research shows households dealing with high food and gas costs are also facing rising dental costs for essential care.”
The New Zealand Health Survey for 2023-2024 showed that 45% of people in New Zealand were unable to access dental care because of cost.
Pilkinton-Ching added: “We are calling on the Government to address this as a matter of urgency. There's no good medical or policy reason why dental is carved out of our public healthcare system, and with dental costs continuing to rise the Government needs to get a grip on this.”
Research shows that untreated oral healthcare problems are associated with downstream health problems, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline and Alzheimer's.
Work previously produced by Dental for All shows that keeping dental out of our public healthcare system is costing New Zealand $2.5bn in lost productivity and $3.1bn in reduced quality of life.
The Dental for All coalition continues a
roadshow this week, travelling this evening to Whanganui, followed by further events in the coming days in New Plymouth, Hamilton, and Rotorua.
Source: PSA
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is calling on the Government to come clean on plans to undermine the rights of public sector workers, after Judith Collins hinted the Government was looking at options to restrict collective bargaining and the right to strike.
In comments made on Radio NZ this morning, the Public Service Minister suggested the Government was exploring “a lot of options” for public sector workers when it comes to collective bargaining.
“The PSA is seeking an urgent assurance the Minister will not be restricting the fundamental right of workers to collective bargaining and the right to withdraw their labour,” PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said.”The right to strike is a cornerstone of our democratic workplace relations system and the Government must come clean on any options they are looking at that could undermine this right.”
This Government has already demonstrated a pattern of undermining workers' rights without proper notice or consultation. It removed pay equity rights with no warning, changed the law to financially penalise workers for taking partial strike action, and Minister Collins has already deployed replacement labour during the Defence Force strike.
“We're seeing a concerning escalation in this Government's anti-worker agenda,” Fitzsimons said. “The timing of these comments comes as bargaining is underway in health and the public sector and the Government is offering below-inflation pay offers.
“This is the same Government that recently increased board directors’ pay by 80%. If the Government wants to avoid public sector strike action then it should negotiate in good faith and offer fair pay increases that recognise the rising cost of living and the valuable work our members do.”
The PSA is seeking an urgent meeting with Minister Collins to discuss these concerning comments and the Government's intentions regarding public sector workers' rights.
“We call on Minister Collins to clarify exactly what options the Government is considering and to rule out any moves to restrict the right to strike,” said Fitzsimons.
“The right to strike is protected under international law and is a fundamental principle of free and democratic societies, for workers in both the private and public sectors. Any attempt to restrict this right would be a backward step for working New Zealanders.”
Transcript from RNZ interview:
COLLINS: “…we’re fully aware that the unions have said that they are going to continue strikes and they want to have strikes that we’ll see across the public sector and that’s probably more political than it is in the interests of their members because don’t forget these partial strikes bring about a partial drop in wages as well.
DANN: “… do we just need to cut to the chase and get back to arbitration and leave it to an independent panel to make the call and then move on?”
COLLINS: “Well I think there’s going to be a lot of options that we’re looking at as a government as to how to move away from this basically yearly attack on students and also what we’re seeing with the…”
Source: Brainchild PR for
RealEstate.co.nz
- More than $82 million was cut from asking prices in Q2 2025, nearly $20 million more than in Q1
- National average reduction per listing was $40,310
- Steepest single price cut was $750,000 on an Auckland lifestyle property.
Vendors across New Zealand collectively reduced their asking prices by $82 million in the second quarter of 2025, according to new data from realestate.co.nz. This was almost $20 million more than the $63 million in price reduction during the first quarter, but well below the $108 million trimmed from asking prices in the same period last year.
In Q2 2025, 2,040 properties listed on realestate.co.nz recorded a price drop, a 21.0% increase on Q1 2025 (1,686).
Vanessa Williams, spokesperson for realestate.co.nz, says the $80 million cut from property prices in Q2 suggests vendors are having to make bigger adjustments to meet market expectations.
“In Q2, we saw both the number of properties with price drops and the size of those reductions increase compared to the start of the year. While cuts aren’t as steep as they were in 2024, sellers are clearly making bigger moves to meet buyers and get deals across the line. This tells us buyers are in a strong position and many vendors are more willing to negotiate to secure a sale.”
The data compares the difference between a property’s initial asking price when listed on realestate.co.nz and its price at the point of sale or withdrawal. Although this isn’t the same as the final sale price, it does provide a clear signal of how much sellers have adjusted their expectations to meet buyer interest.
Premium markets lead price drops per listing
Nationally, there was an average of $40,310 trimmed from the 2,040 listed properties which reported a price drop in Q2.
The region with the largest total price drop was Auckland with $20,529,579, followed by Waikato with a total price drop of $9,443,509, and Wellington with $8,203,001. The regions with the lowest price drops in Q2 were: West Coast, $248,000; Gisborne, $270,000; and Wairarapa, $1,026,500.
The five largest single reductions were all in premium markets; the greatest of which was a property in Auckland, listed for $6,500,000 with a final asking price of $5,750,000, a price drop of $750,000. In Q1 2025,the largest price drop was also in Auckland. The property was originally listed for $4,899,500 and then reduced to $4,295,000 – a reduction of $604, 500.
“The biggest cuts are happening at the top end of the market, where a single adjustment can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars,” says Williams. “At the same time, many regional markets are seeing only modest reductions, showing just how varied price movement is across the country.”
Williams says although the market is stagnant, it doesn’t mean well-priced properties aren’t selling. If sellers meet buyers' price expectations, the market will move, she adds.
Buyers using realestate.co.nz to search for a property will be notified of any price reduction to their saved listings.
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.
Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.
Want more property insights?
- Market insights: Search by suburb to see median sale prices, popular property types and tr
Source: BusinessNZ
NZ’s energy system must keep improving to provide for NZ business competitiveness while simultaneously moving to net-zero emissions, BEC says.
“As NZ continues its energy transition, pressures to maintain an affordable and secure energy system are climbing. Within this context it is important to keep track of how the country is performing on the global stage.
“Over the last decade the World Energy Council’s annual trilemma report has provided this invaluable context, but due to major overhauls, is not releasing one this year.
“While not a direct replacement for the trilemma report, our research has benchmarked NZ against a diverse group of countries, selected on the basis of top and bottom trilemma placings, economic and geographic similarities, and importance as trading partners.”
The report includes notable insights into how other countries manage their energy sectors, including:
– China's strategy of cross-subsidised pricing to combat hardship;
– Ireland’s economic management given relatively high energy prices;
– The consequences of capacity payments within Pakistan’s energy sector;
– Diverse national approaches to achieving energy security; and
– Iceland’s accomplishment of nearly 80% renewable energy consumption.
“Although the primary purpose of this report is not to rank countries but rather to highlight opportunities for improvement, it is noteworthy that NZ performs well, achieving an overall ranking of 5 th within the 16 countries considered.
“Continued improvement when compared to NZ’s international peers is essential for ensuring NZ business competitiveness while continuing the push towards net-zero emissions,” Tina Schirr said.
Source: Cotality
New Zealand property owners are realising the lowest rate of resale profits in more than 10 years, as subdued values and elevated stock levels continue to give buyers the upper hand.
Cotality NZ’s latest Pain & Gain Report shows 89.4% of properties resold for more than their original purchase price in the June 2025 quarter, down from 90.7% in the March quarter and the lowest rate since mid-2014.
The Pain & Gain Report analyses homes resold during the quarter, comparing the most recent sale price to the property’s previous sale price, determining whether the sale made a gross profit (gain) or a gross loss (pain).
Cotality NZ’s July Home Value Index (HVI) showed national property values remain more than 16% below their post-COVID peak, despite more recent signs of stabilisation.
Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said while the resale performance of property had softened in recent years, most vendors were still achieving a gain.
“Nearly nine out of 10 resellers are still making a gross profit, which in many cases is a substantial amount of money,” Mr Davidson said.
“However, the results reflect the fact that values are still well down from the peak in many areas and buyers with finance approved continue to hold most of the pricing power.”
The national median resale gain in Q2 2025 was $279,000, well below the late-2021 peak of $440,000, but still above anything seen prior to late 2020. The median loss was $52,500.
Hold periods a key factor
The length of time a property is owned before resale remains one of the strongest indicators of whether it will sell for a profit or a loss, with the current market conditions amplifying that effect, Mr Davidson said.
As a critical driver of resale outcomes, he said longer hold periods generally allow values to appreciate enough to smooth out any cyclical downturns.
“In the June quarter, the median hold period for a gain was 9.4 years, which is the longest in our data since the mid-1990s. For a loss, it was just 3.5 years,” he said.
“That’s particularly relevant now, because 3.5 years ago was effectively the market peak when prices were very high and interest rates were already climbing. For some of the buyers at that time, any unforeseen change in circumstances since, such as a job loss, could have resulted in a forced sale at a lower price than expected.”
Houses outperform apartments
Standalone houses continued to outperform apartments, though both sectors softened. In Q2 2025, 9.8% of houses resold at a loss, compared with 33.8% of apartments.
“This should not be interpreted as a sign of collapse in the apartment sector, however. The tendency for apartments to see less price growth over time always means they’re a greater chance to see gross losses, especially if resold into a weak market,” he said.
Median resale gains for houses were $276,000, while for apartments the figure was $110,750. Median losses were broadly similar at $50,000 for houses and $55,000 for apartments.
The share of owner-occupier resales made at a loss was 10.1%, similar for investors (10.7%), with no evidence of investors exiting the market at fire-sale prices.
“Recent tax changes, together with lower mortgage rates, have eased the pressure on landlords, and the data doesn’t point to any large-scale sell-off,” Mr Davidson said.
Main centres
Christchurch was the most resilient of the main centres, with 4.9% of Q2 resales made at a loss, well below the national figure of 10.6%. At the other end of the spectrum for the main centres, Auckland recorded the highest proportion of loss-making sales at 15.9%, followed by Tauranga (13.2%) and Wellington (11.9%).
Median resale gains in dollar terms told a different story. Tauranga recorded the highest nominal resale value at $373,500, ahead of Auckland ($350,000) and Wellington ($340,000), while Christchurch had the lowest among the main centres at $263,500.
Mr Davidson said the apparent contradiction between resilience and dollar gains reflected different market dynamics.
“In Christchurch, prices didn’t climb to the same heights as Auckland or Wellington during the boom, so there’s been less distance to fall, and fewer owners pushed into a loss-making position,” he said.
“The flip side is that because the market has generally been more affordable, the resale gains tend to be smaller in dollar terms.”
“In Auckland, you’ve got higher-value properties generating bigger absolute gains for those who bought before the peak, but you’ve also got more recent purchasers who paid top prices and are now more exposed to selling at a loss.”
Regional insights
Outside the main centres, resale performance varied widely. Queenstown continued to stand out, with its share of loss-making sales edging up slightly to 3.6% but delivering median gains of $565,500.
Mr Davidson said this aligned with the area’s HVI results, which shows values in the region are only 6.6% below their peak with no sustained weakness despite national price falls over the past three years.
“Queenstown’s unique mix of limited supply, strong domestic and international demand, and high-end property has underpinned its resilience,” he said.
“Even when volumes slow, sellers in these markets are rarely forced to sell at a discount and buyers are often prepared to pay a premium for the lifestyle and location.”
Rotorua also recorded strong resale gains at $310,000, while other areas saw greater signs of strain. Kaipara (17.9% of sales at a loss) and Rangitīkei (20.0%) were among the smaller districts with the highest proportions of loss-making resales, possibly reflecting localised market pressures.
Outlook
Mr Davidson said the Pain & Gain results for the rest of the year would be closely aligned to the movements in property values, adding that migration tr
Source: Chris Mardon
Bold action is needed to accelerate New Zealand’s transition to cleaner, more energy-efficient homes and businesses, says energy efficiency expert Dr Chris Mardon.
“Two ways are subsidising hot water heat pumps through the Warmer Kiwi Homes initiative, and helping homeowners improve energy efficiency through a Ratings Assistance Scheme,’ says energy efficiency expert Dr Chris Mardon.
Both are recommended in an excellent report by the New Zealand Green Building Council.[1]
“These initiatives would expand the use of hot water heat pumps across the country, modernise heating systems, reducing carbon emissions, and lower energy bills for Kiwi households.
“Hot water heat pumps are among the most efficient technologies available for residential and commercial water heating. By using electricity to transfer heat rather than generate it directly, these systems can reduce energy use by up to 75% compared to traditional electric or gas water heaters.
“Many countries offer incentives to homeowners and landlords to install hot water heat pumps – but not in New Zealand.
“Consequently, hardly any New Zealand homes and businesses have hot water heat pumps, with most using less efficient electric elements or gas water heaters. Hot water heat pumps are more efficient but they’re also – currently – more expensive, so their installation needs to be encouraged.
“To make heat pumps and hot water heat pumps more accessible, subsidies should be offered to both homes and businesses—mirroring successful programmes in Canada, the US, Europe, and Victoria, Australia. These incentives could be delivered through the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme,” Mardon says.
“Another method is the proposed Ratepayer Assistance Scheme (RAS), which allows ratepayers to borrow money to install energy efficient appliances such as hot water heat pumps, with repayments made over time through rates bills. A RAS is under development but requires enabling legislation.
“Together, these measures would represent a transformative shift in how New Zealand heats its homes and buildings—ushering in a cleaner, more resilient energy future,” Mardon says.
