Source: Federated Farmers
A new poll shows strong public support – especially in Auckland – for cutting green tape to boost agricultural exports and help grow the economy.
The independent poll asked 1000 New Zealanders if regulations, including environmental regulations, should be reduced to allow increases in agricultural production, in line with the Government’s ambition to double exports over the next decade.
Nationwide, 47% of respondents said yes, 35% said no, and 18% were unsure – but the biggest surprise came from Auckland.
“In Auckland, 62% of people backed cutting regulation to enable export growth. Only 23% were opposed,” Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says.
“That’s a huge vote of confidence from New Zealand’s largest city – and from the block of voters who often decide elections.”
The poll results should challenge some of the old assumptions about urban-rural divisions, Langford says.
“Sometimes we hear people in the provinces grumbling about the ‘JAFAs’ not understanding farming, but these numbers tell a different story.
“It turns out Aucklanders do understand where their bread is buttered, quite literally.”
He says the poll result s
Export – ABB named ExportNZ ASB Exporter of the Year 2025 at ExportNZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards – Business Central
Source: Business Central
ABB has been named as Exporter of the Year at the 2025 ExportNZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards
The supreme winner was crowned in Hawke’s Bay at the Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre at a sold-out gala dinner.
MC Matt Chisholm opened the event – followed by a virtual address from Trade and Investment Minister Hon Todd McClay, in front of a sold-out crowd.
The longstanding and highly successful awards are presented by ExportNZ in partnership with ASB to reward and recognise the region’s outstanding exporters.
ASB Head of International Trade Mike Atkins, who presented the Exporter of the Year award, said the quality of entries this year underscored the spirit and purpose of the awards.
“We uncovered a rock star in ABB while both Starboard Bio and Ovenden Seeds have potential to make a meaningful difference in the world.
“At ASB, we are passionate about enabling exporters to scale up, be it through working capital funding or other advisory initiatives across clean tech, food & fibre, productivity, and sustainability.
“Our partnership with ExportNZ in celebrating these awards continues our commitment to the region’s exporters.”
ASB Exporter of the Year ABB Napier is a largely autonomous company specialising in power systems design in production, says the judges.
“Originally VecTek in Onekawa, they have retained their engineering skills, and through a strong focus on innovation and quality produced a unique world leading UPS product. All these products are designed, built and tested to exceptional quality right here in Hawke’s Bay.
“All the winners and finalists are truly exceptional, and we as judges felt spoilt for choice – congratulations to all involved”
Winners and nominees alike across all categories were celebrated by judges and the audience.
ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay Regional Manager Amanda Liddle said “It is outstanding to see another cohort of such amazing finalists and winners.
“Going global is a tough business – more so than ever, but tonight’s exporters show the best of what our region has to offer.
“Congratulations to ASB Exporter of the Year ABB, who also picked up the Ziwi Excellence in Innovation award, your products and clarity of vision were awe inspiring and the win is well deserved.
“All of us at ExportNZ would also like to give our special congratulations to Stephen Jacobi, this year’s NZME Service to Export Award winner. Stephen's tireless advocacy has unlocked many opportunities for New Zealand exporters and businesses the world over, and his tenure on the ExportNZ Advisory Board has been invaluable to the organisation.”
Winners of each category will now go on to the final stage of the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) International Business Awards, held in Auckland on November 27 th for a night of national celebration and international recognition.
The full list of winners:
- 2025 ASB Exporter of the Year: ABB – ABB Napier designs and manufactures innovative solutions to make AI-driven data centres more affordable and energy efficient, addressing AI’s high-power demands. Operating in New Zealand for over 90 years, ABB has invested around $34 million in Napier since 2020 and employs 145 people locally, with plans to expand by up to 50 more as production grows.
- T&G Global Best Established Business Award: Starboard Bio – Starboard Bio produces and exports animal-derived pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and functional food ingredients, supplying frozen raw materials and powdered ingredients for encapsulation to the EU and US markets. The company operates with a team passionate about their products, the New Zealand brand, and enhancing value within the NZ red meat industry.
- ContainerCo Best Emerging Business: Ovenden Seeds – Ovenden Seeds is a specialist seed multiplication company growing, processing, and exporting herb and vegetable seeds, particularly smaller, hard-to-handle varieties. Seeds are dried, cleaned, and packed at a custom facility near Waipawa. With farms in Hawke’s Bay and grower partners in Canterbury, Ovenden focuses on growth and exports to the UK, EU, and US
- Judges’ Choice Award: Haumako – Haumako is the Tātau Tātau Trust’s commercial entity and develops and grows horticultural products for the export market. Tātau invests directly in horticulture to further diversify their economy, foster sustainable regional growth, and create valuable local jobs. By expanding the horticulture industry in Wairoa, Tātau encourages better use of Māori-owned land by sharing opportunities, learning, knowledge gained in their own orchards.
- Ziwi Excellence in Innovation Award: ABB
- NZME Service to Export Award: Stephen Jacobi
- Napier Port Unsung Heroes Award: Tamsyn Illston, Natural Pet Foods & Nick Elliot, ABB.
Notes:
ExportNZ Hawke’s Bay is overseen by Business Central, which represents around 3,500 organisations across the lower North Island. Business Central offers advice, learning, advocacy, and support to a wide range of organisations across Central New Zealand. Business Central is part of the BusinessNZ Network.
Foreign Police Forces in NZ – Peace Action opposes establishment of FBI office in NZ
Source: Peace Action Wellington
“Peace Action Wellington completely opposes the opening of a US FBI office in Aotearoa New Zealand. The decision by the NZ government to allow a foreign country's police force to operate here is terrifying.
This is particularly true given the authoritarian regime in power in the US and the FBI's behaviour since Trump's election,” said Valerie Morse, member of Peace Action Wellington.
“The FBI anti-terrorism units have been involved in numerous raids and arrests of student activists at universities across the US. These brutal investigations have nothing to do with criminal actions by anyone and everything to do with student support for Palestine.”
“The NZ government's statement that a key area of collaboration is anti-terrorism is therefore extremely alarming. We have seen the kidnappings and deportations by US federal agents for those involved in nonviolent protests in the US. We want no US policing here.”
“The FBI is a US domestic police force. Its operation here raises very serious questions about its jurisdiction and powers here. We are concerned that FBI officers may be operating here with complete diplomatic immunity from prosecution and may be carrying firearms.”
“New Zealand's most recent public experience with the FBI was the botched raids on Kim Dotcom's house in 2011. What we learned from that was NZ's intelligence agencies engaged in illegal surveillance for the FBI, and the charges brought against Dotcom were not even things that are illegal in this country. In short, the entire case, which is still going on, has been one violation of rights after another.”
“We would like to know if there are other foreign police forces operating here. We expect that there will be widespread opposition to the establishment of an FBI office.”
Crown Minerals Amendment Bill a Step in the Right Direction
Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa
Energy Resources Aotearoa welcomes the passage of the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill into law, describing it as an important contribution to restoring investment confidence and strengthening New Zealand’s energy security.
The Bill reverses the 2018 ban on new petroleum permits, restores the promotional purpose of the Act, provides greater flexibility in how petroleum permits are allocated, and recalibrates the decommissioning rules while retaining suitable safeguards.
Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says the legislation goes some way towards rebuilding the confidence to invest in New Zealand's petroleum sector, which is essential for backing up the country’s renewable electricity system, especially during periods of low hydro inflows and peak winter demand.
“This Bill reverses policy that has done real damage to New Zealand’s long-term energy security, our economic resilience, and our reputation as a place to invest.
Energy prices tell this story. Without a secure domestic gas supply, the alternative is greater reliance on emissions-intensive imports – most likely from coal.
To meet our growing energy needs, we must make better use of the resources beneath our feet to enhance economic, social, and environmental resilience.”
Carnegie acknowledged the Government’s willingness to engage with the sector throughout these changes.
“We appreciate the time Minister Jones and officials have taken to listen to industry concerns and understand the on-the-ground realities. That engagement is reflected in final legislation, which is more workable for our sector.”
Carnegie says the changes are a pragmatic step forward, but more will be needed to achieve the Government’s objectives of restoring investor confidence and revitalising the sector.
“Securing New Zealand’s energy future will require a system firing on all cylinders – which means backing technologies like carbon capture and ensuring all energy options remain on the table, including hydrogen, green gas, biomass, and large-scale renewable generation.
This new Act is an important part of the puzzle, but to attract the kind of long-term investment New Zealand needs, there must be durable, predictable policy settings that survive beyond election cycles.”
Carnegie says energy policy shouldn’t be treated as a political football.
“The stakes are too high, and it’s ordinary Kiwis who end up paying the price when supply is unnecessarily constrained or uncertain.
Today’s reform is a big step in the right direction. Now we need to build on it with consistent policy and a clear long-term plan for how domestic natural gas will help deliver affordable, secure energy and economic growth.”
Mining positivity internationally recognised
Source: New Zealand Minerals Council
Today’s passing of the Crown Minerals Amendment Act is the cherry on top of a great week for mining, says New Zealand Minerals Council chief executive Josie Vidal.
“To make the most of international interest in mining in New Zealand, untap the potential of critical minerals, and make a greater contribution to jobs, exports and the economy, we need enabling legislation such as the Crown Minerals Amendment Act,” Vidal says.
“One of the significant aspects of this law for us, is that the emphasis on promoting mining goes back into the purpose statement of the Act. This is important because it shows the world that the New Zealand Government understands the value of our mining industry and that gives export markets and investors confidence.
“The positivity around mining has been reflected in the respected international analysis of policy and investment attractiveness in 82 mining jurisdictions globally by the Fraser Institute in its Annual Survey of Mining Companies, 2024, released this week.
“After languishing near the bottom of rankings for too many years, due to uncertainty about the environment for mining, New Zealand has made a massive leap and is now ranked higher than any Australian jurisdiction on the Investment Attractiveness Index – at 12th of 82, compared with 43rd of 86 in 2023 – and 15th of 82 on the Policy Perception Index, compared with 50th of 86 in 2023.
“This week we also hosted an event to discuss science in the sector, and it was heartening to see the buzz around the critical minerals the world needs and what is available in New Zealand, and how we can add value and be part of the global supply chain.
“Professor Chris Bumby, Chief Scientist (Materials) at the Robinson Research Institute within Victoria University of Wellington spoke about the potential for value-add processing of New Zealand’s critical mineral resources. He pointed out why metals production matters – ‘today’s world is built from metals and tomorrow’s world will require a whole bunch more’, he said.
“He highlighted New Zealand opportunities included critical minerals vanadium, titanium, zirconium, tungsten, and antinomy, among others, and the value New Zealand minerals bring to the world’s steel production.
“New Zealand science and research stands out globally and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Shane Reti also spoke about the work the Government is doing to further enable science and technology to advance our country in a rapidly changing high-tech world.
“There is so much exciting work happening in our minerals industry and it is important to have enabling laws that back our claims that New Zealand is open for business, and that the Fast-track Approvals Act is allowed to work as it is intended and is not derailed by vexatious detractors,” Vidal says.
Federated Farmers back Government health & safety review
Source: Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers is backing moves to review health and safety rules for farmers, saying it’s unfortunate some seem to have completely misunderstood the Minister’s announcement.
“Taking a closer look at these rules is really important, so it’s disappointing a lot of people have gotten the wrong end of the stick,” Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says.
“The Government aren’t trying to add layers of bureaucracy or wrap farm kids up in cotton wool. They’re actually trying to do the exact opposite of what’s been portrayed in the media so far.
“This is all about making sure health and safety rules are practical, common sense, and easy to understand – and Federated Farmers absolutely welcome that conversation.”
Langford says the current health and safety rules for farmers have gone way too far and are unnecessarily confusing for smaller family-owned farming operations.
“We’re talking about small mum and dad type businesses which might only employ one or two staff members. They’re certainly not big corporates with a health and safety manager on staff.
“They’re hands-on farmers who actually spend their days farming rather than sitting in an office. That’s why it’s so important these rules are practical and easy to understand.”
He says confusion about health and safety obligations has meant some farmers no longer allow children on the farm like they would have in the past, for fear of falling foul of the law.
“There’s something very special about growing up on a farm and having that classic rural childhood many farmers enjoyed themselves,” Langford says.
“That’s the childhood I had, and my own kids have had something similar, but I think we’re at risk of losing that kind of upbringing if we don’t get these rules right.”
Langford says preserving that traditional rural Kiwi upbringing, while still keeping kids safe, is exactly what Minister Brooke van Velden is trying to achieve.
“I think it’s unfortunate the Minister’s examples were things like collecting eggs and watering plants – because that’s not really what we’re talking about here.
“The fact those are the talking points the Minister was provided with by bureaucrats tells you everything you need to know about why we need to get Wellington out of farming.
“In reality, we’re talking about things like feeding calves, shifting stock, or helping mum and dad hose down the shed after milking – perfectly safe everyday farming activities.”
Federated Farmers 100% backs what the Minister has announced and look forward to engaging in the consultation process.
Education – Simone Kaho awarded 2025 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency in Hawaii
Source: Creative New Zealand
Fulbright New Zealand and Creative New Zealand are delighted to announce Simone Kaho is the recipient of the 2025 Pacific Writer’s Residency.
This annual award is for an established New Zealand writer of Pacific heritage to carry out work on a creative writing project exploring Pacific identity, culture or history at the University of Hawai'i for three months.
Simone Kaho says many writers she admires and follows have won the award in previous years.
“It's a fabulous thing to receive institutional support for work that is so challenging. What if our most profound connections aren’t just with family, but in deep attunement with nature, recognising patterns in the unseen, and finding new ways to move forward? In this project, I'll be drawing theoretical lines between Pacific people who are neurodiverse, and the traits of Pacific wayfinders—and I hope to find evidence of these in Hawaii's research archives,” says Simone.
Fulbright NZ Executive Director Penelope Borland says it is heartening to see the residency taken up by a poet of Simone’s distinction.
“We are thrilled to be granting the 2025 Pacific Writer’s Residency to Simone Kaho, enabling her to continue her work that has already received widespread acclaim, most recently seeing her take up the 2022 Emerging Pasifika writer in Residence at the prestigious International Institute of Modern Letters. With this award, Simone will travel to Hawai'i, where I am sure a deeply meaningful experience awaits her,” says Penelope.
Makerita Urale, Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager Pacific Arts, herself an alumna of the residency, says the award is timely for Simone’s literary career.
“Simone’s work is fearless and deeply grounded in lived experience and cultural insight. This residency is a fitting next step for an artist of her calibre, and we look forward to seeing how her time in Hawai'i will further shape and strengthen her work,” says Makerita.
Previous recipients of the prestigious Pacific Writer’s Residency have been some of New Zealand’s most celebrated writers, including Tusiata Avia, Karlo Mila, Oscar Kightley, David Eggleton, Mīria George, and playwright Victor Rodger.
Greenpeace – Luxon opens the door to billions in taxpayer-funded oil field decommissioning costs
Source: Greenpeace
In an act of climate denial, the Luxon Government is today planning to pass legislation to try to restart offshore oil and gas exploration, but they are also slipping in a further amendment that opens the door to taxpayers picking up the billion dollar tab to decommission oil and gas infrastructure.
“Attempting to restart offshore oil and gas exploration is bad enough, given advice from the International Energy Agency that we can’t burn existing known fossil fuel reserves if we are to avoid dangerous global heating. When you’re in a hole the first step to escape is to stop digging,” says Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director Dr. Russel Norman.
“The environment movement will fight any new offshore oil and gas exploration just like we did when John Key was Prime Minister.
“But this legislation is even worse: Luxon is proposing to overturn existing law that makes oil companies automatically responsible for the costs of decommissioning oil and gas fields.”
Under existing law, even if an existing operator onsells an end-of-life oil and gas field to a shell company, which then goes bankrupt when faced with the costs of decommissioning, the original operator is still responsible for the cost.
“Luxon is changing the legislation so that the Minister of Resources and the Minister of Finance are given total ministerial discretion to approve the onselling of the depleted field, and if they approve and the final operator goes bankrupt, the original oil field operator is NOT responsible for the decommissioning costs. The government will end up with the cost.
“New Zealand taxpayers will be the ones that will be picking up the cost of cleaning up after oil companies abandon exhausted oil fields. Costs that could run into billions of dollars,” says Dr. Norman.
“New Zealand has already learnt an expensive lesson in how the oil industry operates. The Tui oil field passed through a number of hands before it was finally sold to an offshore oil company Tamarind that had little money, and Tamarind went bankrupt when faced with the cost of decommissioning the exhausted field. New Zealand taxpayers were stung for $300million to clean up the mess and plug the wells, which was only completed in June 2025.
“After the Tui field fiasco, the law was changed to make sure oil field operators were responsible for the clean up costs, regardless of how many shell companies to which it was onsold.
“The oil industry hated the changes to the law on liability for decommissioning costs as much as they hated the ending of offshore oil and gas exploration. And now they have their chance to pass on the costs to the taxpayers and you can be sure they will take it.
“As the New Zealand oil and gas industry enters its sunset phase, the costs of plugging the wells and cleaning up all the seafloor pipes etc will run into the billions.
“This fossil fuel-obsessed government has given in to pressure from the oil industry and opened the door to making taxpayers pick up the costs of cleaning up after them.
“This is part of a trend by this backward-looking Luxon government which has allocated $200m to help invest in new gas fields.
“Last month, it brought embarrassing shame to New Zealand by pulling out of the international Beyond Oil and Gas coalition, which has pledged to phase out fossil fuels.”
“New Zealand will have energy security, lower prices and low emissions by investing in solar, wind, geothermal, storage, efficiency and demand side management. That is our future, not the nonsense being promoted by Luxon and Shane Jones.”
Resources
The Tui oil field decommissioning project https://www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/energy-and-natural-resources/minerals-and-petroleum/tui-project
The 2021 amendments to make oil companies responsible for decommissioning costs:
Weather News – Return to winter’s chill – MetService
Source: MetService
Covering period of Thursday 31st July – Monday 4th August – After a soggy start to the week for many across the motu, the end of the week brings sunnier skies and a return to chilly winter nights.
While folks in southern and eastern parts will still see a few showers, for the rest of the country the weekend is a great time for outdoor plans, whether you’re heading out for a stroll, off to a Saturday sports game, working in the garden, or taking the opportunity to hang the washing out.
Today’s action is in the upper North Island: eastern parts of Auckland and Northland, as well as Taranaki, may hear a rumble of thunder or see a scattering of hail this afternoon as some beefier showers roll through.
Today’s action is in the upper North Island: eastern parts of Auckland and Northland, as well as Taranaki, may hear a rumble of thunder or see a scattering of hail this afternoon as some beefier showers roll through.
MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino advises, “With heavier showers expected right around school run time and into rush hour, make sure to keep an eye on the rain radar to see if any pop up near you.”
Luckily for those cleaning up after heavy rain and flooding in Bay of Plenty yesterday, just a few showers are forecast for the region today, although the odd shower might still be heavy.
There’s one more month of meteorological winter, and the next few days will certainly feel like it. Overnight temperatures dip into the negatives for much of the country, and many in the South Island will be back to single-digit daytime highs.
There’s one more month of meteorological winter, and the next few days will certainly feel like it. Overnight temperatures dip into the negatives for much of the country, and many in the South Island will be back to single-digit daytime highs.
“Clear skies, cold air, and light winds are perfect conditions for frosty nights and mornings – watch out for icy roads, and bring any precious pot plants in out of the cold,” Martino suggests.
There is light on the horizon, though, with longer days bringing more daylight hours. Today the country sees an average of 45 minutes more daylight than we did a month ago on the shortest day of the year, and during August we’ll add another hour and a quarter to that.
All eyes (and ears) have been on the tsunami advisories issued by NEMA for coastal regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. MetService supports the distribution of this safety-critical messaging with a banner on our Marine forecast pages directing users to https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/ for the most up-to-date information, as well as advising people through individual coastal and recreational marine forecasts to expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at shore.
All eyes (and ears) have been on the tsunami advisories issued by NEMA for coastal regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. MetService supports the distribution of this safety-critical messaging with a banner on our Marine forecast pages directing users to https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/ for the most up-to-date information, as well as advising people through individual coastal and recreational marine forecasts to expect strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at shore.
Martino explains, “The wave models used by weather forecasting agencies capture waves produced by wind and weather, so the swell heights in our marine forecasts don’t include any contribution from tsunami waves. Tsunami modelling is carried out by specialists at Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly GNS Science), and messages issued by NEMA represent the official warning status for New Zealand.”
Heritage NZ – Exhibition with a difference at Alberton
Source: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
An exhibition with a difference will be unveiled at Alberton, the historic Mt Albert mansion cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, on August 10.
Alberton – Impressions of an Art Group in Residence draws on the work of members of the Auckland Plein Art Group. The historic property – which earlier hosted the group of artists – is the focal point of the group’s creative expression, with interior and exterior scenes of the landmark heritage building serving as subject for the artists.
The Auckland Plein Air Group is the brainchild of Nicki Heenan and Amanda Gleason who started the group in the summer of 2023.
“En plein air is an ethos of painting that follows on in the traditions of the French Impressionists and such English artists from the 1800s as Constable and Turner, who took their inspiration from nature and looked for new ways to communicate their ideas,” says Nicki.
“This was happening in the 1860s – much the same time as the construction of Alberton. There has been a huge revival in plein air painting in the past 10 years with festivals being held around the world.”
The Auckland Plein Air Group provides a welcoming social environment where people share ideas and provide support and encouragement to each other with the possibility of presenting their artwork to a wider audience through exhibitions and tutorials.
The exhibition in Alberton’s ballroom is an opportunity for people to come and appreciate the group’s work. The artworks are also available for sale.
“What these artists have produced is remarkable,” says Alberton Property Lead Rendell McIntosh.
“They have managed to create a range of images that capture Alberton’s many different moods and angles. The paintings help us see Alberton through fresh eyes – even those of us who are very familiar with the building.”
For more information: visitheritage.co.nz/whats-on/auckland-events/plein-air-painting-exhibition-alberton
– Alberton Impressions of an Art Group in Residence opens on August 10 and runs through to August 31. Entry to the exhibition in the Alberton Ballroom is free (donation appreciated). Standard entry fee applies to visit the rest of house.
– Join us for a Quick Draw event on (Sunday August 31, 11am-1pm) where you can bring your own art materials and paint alongside the Auckland Plein Air Group members. The Quick Draw is a fundraising event with a suggested $5 koha. All ages, especially school age, welcome and there are special awards for young painters.