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Transport – Ferry update answers road freight sector’s burning questions

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Road freight association Transporting New Zealand says ensuring reliable Cook Strait capacity through to 2029 is a strong industry priority, following a major industry update in Blenheim yesterday.
The update, organised by Transporting New Zealand and supported by the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, outlined how the new ferries and associated landside infrastructure will be delivered in 2029.
Transporting New Zealand Chief Executive Dom Kalasih said ensuring a safe and reliable Cook Strait ferry service was vital to the national supply chain.
“With approximately $30 billion worth of freight and thousands of people crossing the Strait every year, the ferry connection is an essential extension of State Highway 1.
“When ferries are out of service during wet and dry dock periods, the fleet can be reduced to two or three vessels for months at a time. This is a concern for the road freight industry,” Kalasih said.
“We’re pleased that KiwiRail proactively published its maintenance schedule to help our members manage demand. Bluebridge has stated it does not intend to dry dock either of its ferries this year.”
Kalasih said that with the retirement of the Aratere and signs of economic recovery, businesses are already reporting pressure on freight capacity during peak periods.
“Ferry providers, the road freight industry and government will all have to work together to ensure adequate capacity across the Strait until 2029. This update was a step in the right direction.”
Kalasih said he was also pleased to hear how Ferry Holdings, KiwiRail, StraitNZ and Port Marlborough were all well aligned on the importance of delivering the landside infrastructure on time and working collaboratively together to do that.
“The last thing New Zealand needs is a Spirit of Tasmania scenario, where new ships arrive before the ports are ready to receive them.”
“Ensuring the ferry connection is safe, reliable and resilient remains a top priority for Transporting New Zealand. That has always been the focus of our advocacy to government, ferry providers and other key freight partners. We’re proud to be the group amplifying the voice of freight providers and their customers.”
The ferry update was followed by a facilities tour run by Port Marlborough, demonstrating that early works for the Waitohi Ferry Redevelopment Project in Picton are well underway. 
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Employment Disputes – Fire and Emergency received calls for 17 incidents during today’s NZPFU strike

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received calls for 17 incidents between 12pm and 1pm today, Friday 27 February, the fourteenth time the New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) has taken strike action.
Of the 17 incidents, 11 were in areas impacted by the strike.
Nine of these were fire alarms which did not result in a fire.
One was a medical incident which we did not attend. Hato Hone St John responded as per our contingency plans.
The remaining incident was a small fire, which was extinguished by building occupants prior to our arrival.
Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler thanked Fire and Emergency’s 11,800 volunteers across the country, particularly those volunteers who were called to attend events in areas impacted by the strike.
“I would also like to thank our Operational Commanders and Communication Centre Managers, who contributed to the response.”
Megan Stiffler also thanked New Zealanders for their extra care during the strike hour.
“Continued strikes by the NZPFU including an escalation to twice weekly strikes, continues to unnecessarily put the public at risk while we remain in facilitated bargaining,” Megan Stiffler says.
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Advocacy – Huge influx of aid urgently needed amid catastrophic conditions in Gaza – MSF

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

Despite the 1 March 2026 deadline for 37 NGOs to leave the Occupied Palestinian Territory, MSF is committed to remaining to provide assistance.

27th February 2026: The international medical humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), is calling for a massive scale-up of lifesaving assistance and unhindered humanitarian access amid the ongoing catastrophe in Gaza, where lives continue to be lost due to sustained violence and persistent aid restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities. Despite these policies, MSF is committed to remaining to provide assistance in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) for as long as possible, working under its registration with the Palestinian Authority.

Under international humanitarian law, as the occupying power, the Israeli authorities are obliged to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance. Yet restrictive new rules, which require 37 NGOs to leave the OPT by 1 March 2026, threaten to drastically reduce already insufficient aid.  Governments worldwide must ensure that the International Court of Justice decisions are respected, including facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance.

“MSF is working to preserve services for patients in an increasingly constrained environment,” says Christopher Lockyear, MSF Secretary General. “The needs are immense and drastic restrictions have deadly consequences. Hundreds of thousands of patients need medical and mental health care, and tens of thousands require long-term medical, surgical and psychological follow-up.”

Despite the US-led peace plan, the Israeli authorities continue to heavily restrict and even deny water, shelter and medical care. Living conditions are maintained at undignified levels, and violence continues to kill and injure Palestinians on a daily basis. In recent weeks, humanitarian aid reaching Gaza has significantly decreased. In the West Bank, medical and humanitarian needs continue to escalate amidst alarming increases in violence, forced displacements, armed settler attacks, home demolitions, settlement expansion and obstruction to healthcare.

The withdrawal of MSF’s registration with the Israeli authorities is already impacting patient care, as deregistration compounds the strain on a health system devastated over the past two years and constrained by persistent restrictions on essential medical equipment and supplies. Since the beginning of January, MSF has been prevented by the Israeli authorities from bringing international staff and additional supplies into the OPT, and by March 1 2026 all MSF’s international staff will be forced to leave the territory.

MSF’s medical programmes are already facing shortages, and our medical teams are particularly concerned for their ability to continue to provide emergency trauma care and rehabilitation services to patients, as well as pediatric care, sexual and reproductive health services, care for non-communicable diseases and psychiatric conditions. In the longer term, MSF’s activities will be uncertain and potentially impossible to maintain under such restrictive conditions.

“MSF’s programmes are critical lifelines. Medical care and humanitarian assistance on this scale cannot easily be replaced,” says Christopher Lockyear. “Amid ongoing humanitarian catastrophe, MSF will stay in the OPT for as long as possible, doing as much as we can. We call on the Israeli authorities to enable humanitarian aid at scale and on the international community to ensure Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are not abandoned to their fate.”

MSF has been working in the OPT since 1988, providing medical and mental health care, as well as large-scale water and sanitation services more recently. In 2025, MSF supported one in five hospital beds in Gaza, assisted one in three deliveries, carried out 913,284 outpatient consultations, and distributed more than 700 million litres of water. In January 2026, MSF provided 83,579 outpatient consultations, treated 40,646 emergency cases, and treated 5,981 patients for trauma-related conditions. In response to overwhelming needs, MSF had planned to expand its programmes in 2026 with a budget of €130 million. That support is now shrouded in uncertainty.

The restrictive new registration requirements, used as a pretext to obstruct assistance, coincides with a coordinated global campaign of online attacks targeting MSF, promoted by the government of Israel.“A delegitimisation campaign, grounded in false and unsubstantiated allegations, is designed to discredit MSF, silence the organisation’s voice, and obstruct the provision of healthcare,” says Christopher Lockyear. “In a context where international journalists are barred and Palestinian journalists are regularly killed, further reducing NGO access risks removing yet another layer of witnesses to the ongoing violence and its enduring impacts on people.”

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation.  MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières  working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au

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Health Policy – Election year puts rare disorders care under spotlight as families wait for action

Source: Rare Disorders NZ (RDNZ)

As an election year gets underway, pressure is mounting on political parties to explain how they will act on rare disorders care.

Rare Disease Day tomorrow marks the start of Rare Disorders Month and 583 days since the Government agreed to New Zealand's first Rare Disorders Strategy. While a recent hui between Health Minister Simeon Brown, implementation agencies and stakeholders has been welcomed as a positive step by Rare Disorders NZ (RDNZ), formal implementation has yet to begin.

RDNZ says the delay of nearly two years continues to affect an estimated 300,000 New Zealanders living with a rare disorder, many of which start in childhood and are lifelong.

RDNZ Chief Executive, Chris Higgins, says the organisation has written to all political parties seeking clear commitments for how they would act on priorities important to the rare disorder community. These include early and accurate diagnosis, planned clinical care pathways, access to medicines, disability and social supports, workforce development, research and national data collection.

“Implementing the Rare Disorders Strategy is an important first step to progress improvements on many of these issues. Election year presents an opportunity for all parties to show how they would turn the Strategy into action for New Zealanders living with rare disorders and their families,” Higgins says.

For families, the consequences of delay in diagnosis could be life changing.

Sophia Ama was three days old when her mother Brooke Ama noticed her becoming grey, floppy and refusing to feed.

“She was quivering and I knew something was seriously wrong,” Brooke says.

Sophia was urgently transferred to Starship's paediatric intensive care unit, where she was placed on life support and dialysis before being diagnosed with a rare metabolic genetic condition, Propionic Acidemia. Doctors told her parents that if treatment did not start that night, there was only a five percent chance she would survive.

“Early diagnosis gave Sophia a chance. Without it, she wouldn't be here,” Brooke says.

Chris Higgins says, unlike Sophia, over half of New Zealanders with rare disorders wait more than a year for diagnosis.

“Each year during Rare Disorders Month in March we have seen the wider community show up for Rare, supporting one another. The question now is whether the current and successive governments will do the same and implement the changes that would improve diagnosis and other outcomes,” Higgins says.

Tomorrow night, 49 landmarks across the country will light up for Rare as the community gets ready for a month of activity to raise awareness.

Rare Disorders NZ is a charitable organisation that is currently the only source of support, data and advocacy for the 300,000 New Zealanders living with a rare condition.

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Security – ASB warning customers of bank impersonation scam

Source: ASB

ASB is alerting customers to an increase in fraudulent activity involving scammers making cold calls and pretending to be bank staff.

Scammers are contacting people by phone, claiming to be from the bank’s fraud team and saying there is suspicious activity on the customer’s account. They then ask the customer for personal and banking details including login details, dates of birth and access codes, in order to access their account.

ASB Acting Chief Operating Officer Gerard Graham says the bank is taking the scam activity seriously and acting quickly to warn customers.

“These scammers are persistent. They’re also highly sophisticated and so come across as credible when trying to convince customers to hand over their online banking credentials.

“If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you are unsure, ask for a Caller Check. This allows us to send a secure message directly to your ASB Mobile Banking App so you can verify you are speaking with us before sharing any information. If in doubt, hang up and call us back on one of our publicly listed numbers.

“Regardless of where you bank, protecting yourself from scams starts with staying informed.”

Mr Graham says customers should be aware that while ASB's fraud team may on occasion call customers to verify unusual transactions, the bank will never:

  • Ask for banking passwords, PINs, or any codes the bank sends to your phone
  • Ask for a full credit card number, especially not the CVC
  • Ask customers to purchase gift cards, set up cryptocurrency accounts, or transfer funds to keep their money safe
  • Ask customers to download software or for remote access to their device
  • Send verification emails. Any verification from ASB will come through ASB’s Mobile Banking App.

ASB is urging any customer who believes their account may have been compromised to contact the bank immediately on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or +64 9 303 0332 if calling from overseas, or to visit their local branch.

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Government Cuts – Govt. science jobs exodus ramps up – 134 jobs going at new bioeconomy institute – PSA

Source: PSA

The Bioeconomy Science Institute, in existence less than a year, is shedding 134 jobs in the latest blow to the science workforce already gutted by hundreds of jobs losses since the Government began overhauling science and research agencies.
The Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI) announced today that a voluntary redundancy process had resulted in 134 staff members agreeing to leave, representing around 6% of its workforce of 2,300.
BSI was formed last July from the merger of AgResearch, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research and Scion.
“This is just more of the same from a government determined to shed talented people across the public sector regardless of the consequences,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“BSI was set up to promote innovation in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, aquaculture, biotechnology – how can it do this with a smaller workforce?
“Voluntary redundancy is preferable to forced dismissals but make no mistake, every expert who takes a package and heads overseas is a loss New Zealand will feel for years to come.”
BSI’s downsizing comes on top of three of the agencies (AgResearch, Scion and Landcare) axing 152 roles in an earlier restructure. With the disbanding of Callaghan Innovation and cuts to other Crown Research Institutes, the Government has shed more than 600 scientists and researchers on top of many other experts.
“This is another black mark on the Government’s record on science. Remember Science Minister Shane Reti’s bold promise in May 2025 announcing the reforms.
‘These reforms are about unlocking the full potential of science to deliver stronger economic growth and greater resilience for New Zealand. We’re not wasting a moment.’
“Such hollow words Dr Reti. Your government is wasting the tremendous talents of so many, paying lip service to the real potential of the science sector to drive economic growth and prepare us for the challenges we face from AI and other new technologies through to climate change.
“All the Government is doing is shifting the deck chairs with no increase in funding.
“It’s ignored the repeated warnings from its own Science System Advisory Group, a warning the group made explicit in its final report last October, stating that ‘the lack of adequate investment in science, innovation and technology has played a significant role in our sluggish productivity’.
“Come November the PSA will be reminding voters of the choice the Coalition Government political parties made to prioritise tax cuts over a science sector equipped to drive our future prosperity.”
Previous statement
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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PSA and NZNO to host pay equity rally at Parliament

Source: PSA

Workers belonging to the Public Service Association and New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation alongside public supporters will rally in support of pay equity at Parliament this Monday.
Care and support worker Kate Halsall is bringing along a trolley of groceries to symbolise the earnings she is missing out on every week. On average, care and support workers have been missing out on $145.85 every week since their pay equity claim was cancelled.
“Groceries, warrants of fitness, absolutely everything is going up except my pay packet,” she says.
“I hear from my coworkers that everyone is constantly juggling their budgets. If there’s even one unexpected little hiccup, our whole budgets are blown. We do important, life-saving work – it's so wrong that we're not valued for the work we do.”
“Women have not forgotten the betrayal of the National-led Government when, under the cover of darkness, they cancelled pay equity claims and gutted the Equal Pay Act,” PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, says.
“As we saw in the People’s Select Committee report this week, the changes to pay equity that this Government made last year were an abhorrent abuse of power. New Zealanders value women’s work, and believe everyone in female-dominated sectors deserve to be paid fairly.
“This rally is part of a whole week of action in support of working women in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on 8 March.”
NZNO spokesperson and aged care health care assistant Lisa Marriner had her pay equity claim cancelled last year.
“It’s taken for granted that women in female-dominated sectors such as care and support are paid much less than men in other sectors,” she says.
“We are acutely aware we are undervalued compared to men. We know our value and how important our work is but it’s more than that. It’s actually not fair that a man with similar skills and experience to us in a male-dominated sector is paid much more than us because someone, somewhere decided their work is worth more than ours.
“That’s why we must keep speaking out. For ourselves, our colleagues, our daughters and our nieces.”
Rally details
What: Rally in support of pay equity and working women.
When: 12:00-12:30pm, Monday 2 March.
Where: Parliament Lawn.
Confirmed MPs in attendance include Labour MP Jan Tinetti.
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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ASB – Housing confidence on the rise according to ASB

Source: ASB

Confidence in New Zealand’s housing market has lifted sharply this quarter, with an increasing proportion of Kiwi expecting house prices to rise over the next year, despite growing expectations that interest rates will increase.

In ASB’s latest Housing Confidence Survey, a net 30% of respondents now expect house prices to increase over the next 12 months, up from 17% in the previous quarter. Buying sentiment remains high and broadly unchanged, with a net 27% of respondents saying now is a good time to buy a home – well above the long‑term average.

What’s driving the shift?

ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says the results suggest confidence that the housing market has moved past its weakest point is building, even if a strong price upswing is unlikely.

“House price expectations have clearly rebounded after a soft patch through 2025,” Nick says. “However, high levels of housing supply and only moderate demand are likely to keep price increases relatively subdued through the first half of 2026.”

At the same time, households are considering the interest rate outlook.

“With inflation ending 2025 above the Reserve Bank’s target band and mortgage rates already edging higher, people are now anticipating further increases this year,” Nick says.  “The switch over the quarter to fewer people expecting declining rates and more expecting higher rates was marked.  In the face of that shift, the greater degree of confidence on future house price increases is a call-out”.

What it means for the housing market

Optimism has increased across all regions, led by the South Island with a net 36% expecting house prices to rise over the coming year. Auckland recorded the largest quarterly improvement, with net house price optimism rising to 33%.

Nick says conditions continue to favour buyers, particularly first‑home buyers, with listings remaining high, giving purchasers plenty of choice and time to negotiate.

“From a buyer’s perspective, prices are stable, supply is at a 10‑year high and mortgage rates are still relatively low. However, rising expectations for both house prices and interest rates could prompt some buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines to act sooner rather than later, to avoid getting priced out.”

What's next?

Expectations for both interest rates and house prices to rise over the next year may encourage some buyers to bring forward purchasing decisions. This, alongside an expected improvement in broader macroeconomic conditions, could underpin housing market activity. The recent lift in home lending to both investors and first‑home buyers supports this.

Despite the improvement in sentiment, ASB economists caution that household finances remain a key constraint. Unemployment is still elevated and economic recovery remains uneven across the regions which is likely to temper any near‑term surge in housing activity.

ASB economists are anticipating a 25bp OCR hike by year‑end and an eventual OCR peak of 3.25% but note that circumstances can change quickly – (read more here: https://www.asb.co.nz/content/dam/asb/documents/reports/economic-note/asb-rbnz-review-feb26.pdf?et_rid=NDE3ODI5NTcxMjM5S0&et_cid=10091851

The current steer from the RBNZ is that the OCR is expected to rise, just not immediately.

The latest ASB Housing Confidence Survey, along with other recent ASB reports covering a range of commentary, can be accessed at the ASB Economic Insights page: https://www.asb.co.nz/documents/economic-insights.html

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Fragile hospital IT systems again exposed by major outage – action needed now – PSA

Source: PSA

Patient care has again been compromised by the second major IT outage to impact hospitals across Auckland and Northland in less than a month.
The PSA is aware a critical outage this afternoon impacted the systems which store and manage all medical images from x rays, CT and MRI scans. The system crashed for an hour impacting hospitals in our most populous region. The Northland region is continuing to experience issues.
“This is the second critical failure in less than a month, again exposing how fragile the hospital IT systems are. Patient safety is again being put at risk because of government underfunding,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“The PACs system impacted by the outage is a critical function of our hospitals which clinicians rely on to access images so they can assess and treat patients needing urgent treatment in EDs, in operating theatres and elsewhere.
“The outage means clinicians and radiographers must communicate by text and phone to pass on vital information from scans. Without a doubt this will slow down treatment, compromising care.
“It was only late last month that a 12 hour outage forced clinicians across hospitals in Auckland and Northland to use paper-based systems and whiteboards.
“The Government shouldn’t need another wake-up call. It needs to immediately review funding for health digital services and IT infrastructure, admit its mistakes in cutting digital services expertise and commit to properly resourcing IT system upgrades and maintenance.
“Does someone have to die before urgent action is taken? New Zealanders deserve better, we can’t afford to wait.
“This comes after we warned the Government of the consequences of severely downsizing Health NZ’s digital services team, but it still ploughed on with significant cuts.
“This is 2026 – our health system should not be grinding to a halt because of preventable IT failures.”
Previous statement
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Events – Jim Beam Homegrown announces emerging artists to perform at 2026 Festival

Source: Jim Beam Homegrown

Thursday, 26 February 2026 – Jim Beam Homegrown is turning up the volume on the future of New Zealand music, announcing six breakthrough acts from 150 entries to perform on the Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage at this year’s festival at Claudelands Oval in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.

The Jim Beam Homegrown Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage is a dedicated performance platform for emerging Kiwi artists and reflects the Festival’s commitment to fostering homegrown talent.

Andrew Tuck, Jim Beam Homegrown chief executive and managing director, says the new stage represents a defining step in the festival’s evolution.

“Homegrown has always been about backing Kiwi music at every level,” says Tuck. “The Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage gives these emerging artists the opportunity to perform and gain visibility. These artists are already making noise, but we’re providing them with a stage to be louder!”

The selection process
The six emerging artists who will perform at Jim Beam Homegrown have been selected from a nationwide competition, which was open to artists of all genres. To be eligible, artists needed to have 2026+ monthly listeners, followers, or streams; 2026+ social followers; a press kit; radio ready single; and the ability to perform a 45-minute set of original music. Jim Beam Homegrown received 150 entries, of which the final six have been selected.

They are: Altercation X Erin G, Cordian, Imani-J, PRINS, Verity, Wet Denim.

Tuck says the overwhelming number of entries to the competition proves the future of Kiwi music is in safe hands.

“To see more than 150 artists put themselves forward shows just how much talent is out there. Narrowing it down to six wasn’t easy, but these artists have something special. In a few years, we fully expect some of these artists to be headlining major stages across the country.”

Tuck says: “Jim Beam Homegrown has always been a ground for fostering Kiwi talent, and this initiative strengthens that pathway. We’re not just booking artists for a set, we’re investing in the next chapter of New Zealand music.”

With seven stages, tens of thousands of fans, and the most ambitious production scale in Homegrown history, the addition of the Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage reinforces the festival’s mission: uplifting local talent while celebrating the artists who carry the sound of Aotearoa to the world.

Manuka Phuel Nexus Stage Line Up

Altercation X Erin G | Auckland
Tamaki Makaurau-based singer-songwriter, Erin G, and Queenstown DJ/Producer Altercation will team up to dive into new sonic territory with their EP, Dream it Again, a poignant EP which captures Erin G’s intimate storytelling alongside Altercation’s soulful side of drum and bass.

Cordian | Auckland
An alternative/progressive rock group from Auckland, the band consists of Mike Raven (Guitars/Keys, Kris Raven (Drums/Percussion, Nick Raven (Bass) and Dity Maharaj (Vocals/Artwork).

Imani-J | Nelson
Haitian-New Zealand artist, Imani-J is crafting music that sits at the intersection of Afrofusion and R&B. An artist in the truest sense of the word, Imani-J is a singer, songwriter, dancer, and performer with a strong vision for her future.

PRINS | Auckland
PRINS is a New Zealand-born pop artist carving out a bold, international lane with sleek pop hooks, sharp visuals, and a live show built for scale. Blending high-energy pop with a darker, confident edge, her sound sits comfortably alongside RAYE, Selena Gomez, Tate McRae, and Ashnikko, polished, emotionally charged, and unapologetically modern.

Verity | Hamilton
Known for her deeply honest storytelling and blend of pop, soul, and R&B, vocalist, performer and social media star, Verity started her musical journey in Hamilton, Kirikiriroa and continues to carve out a sound that is raw, real and unmistakably her own.

Wet Denim | Wellington
Four-piece rock pop band from Wellington, Wet Denim established themselves as a must-see live act in the Australasian scenes. The group’s sound is a blend of captivating vocals, lush guitar chords, syrupy basslines, and hard-hitting drums.

The festival will be held in Hamilton for the first time in 2026, kicking off on Saturday, 14 March at Claudelands Oval.

About Jim Beam Homegrown

Jim Beam Homegrown is New Zealand's largest Kiwi-only music festival, celebrating the best of Aotearoa's musical talent. Established in 2008 in Hamilton, initially as X*Air, an extreme sports festival, Jim Beam Homegrown showcases a wide range of genres, including rock, funk, pop, reggae, hip-hop, and electronic music.  

Tickets to the inaugural Hamilton event can be found at www.homegrown.net.nz