Posts

Posted on

Legislation – Employment bill clarifies modern grey areas – BusinessNZ

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ supports the introduction of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, saying the changes will have a positive impact across New Zealand’s economy.
Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard says the Bill should provide more certainty, particularly around contract-based work.
“In clarifying the employee-contractor distinction through the previously announced gateway test, the Amendment Bill will simplify chosen working arrangements for all parties involved.
“The personal grievance process is being simplified, preventing the likelihood of rewarding poor employee behaviour. A system that increasingly fines employers for trying to deal with poor performance or serious misconduct including theft, fraud and even violence, is one that clearly needs fixing.
“It also makes sense to tidy up the 30-day rule introduced under the previous Government, which saw new employees automatically classed as union members if there is a collective agreement, for the first 30 days – whether they wanted to or not.
“In reality, the 30-day rule is a compliance headache for employers and employees alike, and is something that BusinessNZ has argued should be removed.
“The issues being addressed in this Amendment Bill have been flagged as a drag on productivity and flexibility by businesses. The BusinessNZ Network has been advocating for these changes for some time, and it’s encouraging to see that Minister van Velden is listening to business owners' concerns during what remains a difficult time to be operating.
“BusinessNZ looks forward to working further with the Minister on workplace issues to improve our economy and make New Zealand an even better place to be.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
Posted on

The current state of housing in Aotearoa New Zealand – Stats NZ media release and report: Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025

The current state of housing in Aotearoa New Zealand – media release

17 June 2025

Housing in New Zealand’s cities is changing, with an increase in housing density, and more multi-unit homes. Home ownership has increased, however housing affordability is still an issue for many households, according to a report released by Stats NZ today.

Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025 brings together information from official and government administrative statistics to describe how housing intersects with people. It is an update of Housing in Aotearoa: 2020 and has updates to time series and new data sources, including aspects of housing not previously covered.

In the June 2024 year, the average annual housing costs for a New Zealand household increased 31 percent, compared with the June 2020 year, while average disposable income increased 24 percent over the same period.

Visit our website to read this news story and report:

Posted on

Food prices increase 4.4 percent annually – Stats NZ media and information release: Selected price indexes: May 2025

Food prices increase 4.4 percent annually – media release

17 June 2025

Food prices increased 4.4 percent in the 12 months to May 2025, following a 3.7 percent increase in the 12 months to April 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

Higher prices for the grocery food group and the meat, poultry, and fish group contributed most to the annual increase in food prices, up 5.2 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively.

“All five food groups recorded an annual price increase in May,” prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

The price increase for the grocery food group was due to higher prices for milk, butter, and cheese.

Visit our website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

Posted on

Energy Sector – A Frank Discussion About Losing Your Spark

Source: NZ Compare

-Spark announces another broadband price hike just as winter power bills hit Kiwi wallets.
-Frank Energy is closing – adding more pressure to household budgets.
-NZ Compare sees record-breaking traffic as over 50,000 Kiwis seek better deals this month.
As winter power bills hit and broadband prices spike, NZ Compare is urging Kiwis to take control of their household bills.
The cost-of-living crisis continues on a relentless march and Kiwi households are being hit with a one-two punch: the first hefty winter power bills have landed, and Spark, New Zealand’s largest broadband provider, has announced yet another round of broadband price hikes. Meanwhile, last week Frank Energy customers have been told the brand is closing, and they’ll be moved to parent company Genesis Energy, which will likely come with an increase in the size of the household power bill. For consumers already feeling the financial squeeze, it’s just more frustrating news-and a reminder that loyalty often comes at a price.
But there is hope for those willing to take action. In response to these developments, NZ Compare, the country’s leading comparison platform for utilities and services, is seeing record traffic. Last week alone, the group’s websites experienced their highest-ever weekly traffic, and more than 50,000 New Zealanders have already used the platforms during June to compare broadband, power, and mobile deals.
“This is exactly the time when people need to take control,” says Gavin Male, CEO of NZ Compare. “Just as that first big winter power bill hits your wallet, Spark is turning up the heat with fibre broadband price increases. You don’t have to sit back and take it. There are some really competitive deals out there and if you are already on a fibre broadband connection, switching provider is incredibly simple.”
Spark’s latest price increases follow a broader industry trend of rising costs being passed on to customers, often with little warning. Many consumers, like those previously with Frank Energy, are left scrambling for alternatives.
“Whether you’re dealing with Spark bumping up your fibre broadband bill or a power provider charging more for the same, it’s time to stop paying the loyalty tax,” continues Male. “These companies rely on customers staying passive. The bill apathy has got to stop! By comparing and switching, you’re not only saving money-you’re putting pressure on the market and these companies to stay competitive.”
The team at NZ Compare says now is the perfect time to reassess. Using tools like Broadband Compare, Power Compare, and Mobile Compare, Kiwis can easily find a better plan that matches their household’s usage and budget. And the process is free, fast, and transparent.
“New Zealanders are savvy, and they deserve better,” says Male. “Every time someone switches, it s

Posted on

Animal Welfare – Three Greyhounds Dead in Three Days Underscores Need for Racing Ban

Source: Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand

Quick facts:

  • Three greyhounds died in three days of racing in New Zealand this week (12–14 June).

  • Fifteen greyhounds have died on racetracks so far in the 2024/25 season, with six weeks still remaining.

  • An alarming spike in lure-collapse deaths: six dogs this season, including three from the McInerney kennels: a family with a long history of serious welfare breaches.

  • Meanwhile GRNZ is facing a rehoming crisis of its own making: 672 dogs were awaiting adoption as of 1 November 2024, 349 of them still with trainers, not yet in the rehoming process. That number rose to 723 by 1 February 2025.

  • Despite this, in October 2024, GRNZ reported plans to increase breeding.

  • The Government has to hold firm, introduce legislation, and enforce the ban before more dogs pay with their lives.

Three greyhounds have died on New Zealand racetracks in just three days of racing: a brutal illustration of the industry’s ongoing welfare crisis and the urgent need for the forthcoming ban.

The three deaths occurred across three racetracks this week:

  • Homebush Sydney was euthanised on Wednesday 12 June after suffering a catastrophic spiral fracture of the left femur during a race in Invercargill (source).

  • Homebush Feijoa collapsed and died at the lure in Christchurch on Friday 13 June (source).


  • Midnight Brockie, also racing on Friday, suffered a fractured right hock and tibia with complete displacement at Whanganui and was euthanised trackside (source).

“This is not reform. This is carnage,” said Emily Robertson, spokesperson for the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand (GPLNZ). “Three dogs dead in three days of racing – and still this industry has the audacity to challenge the government’s decision to shut it down. It’s beyond belief.”

Midnight Brockie, just three years old, had raced 49 times and earned $45,470 in prize money before her death. She was the littermate of Brockie’s Rocket, another greyhound who collapsed and died at the lure in Manukau in September 2024 (source).

Greyhounds collapsing and dying at the end of their race – sometimes even after winning – is a particularly alarming new trend that has emerged over the past two seasons. In the 2023/24 racing season, three dogs died this way. So far in the 2024/25 season, that number has doubled, with six greyhounds collapsing and dying at the lure, including three from the Darfield, Canterbury kennels of trainer Jonathan McInerney.

The McInerney family has a long and troubling history in the greyhound racing industry. In 2023, John McInerney Sr was banned from the sport for 12 months by the Racing Integrity Board (RIB) after being found guilty of multiple serious animal welfare breaches, including failing to provide veterinary care and pain relief to a dog for three weeks. The dog was later diagnosed with cancer and euthanised (source).

In the same ruling, two dogs at his Manawatū satellite facility – operated by another son, Stephen McInerney – tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine.

John McInerney Sr has faced a raft of other RIB charges. The most serious in recent years include:

So far, 15 greyhounds have been killed on New Zealand racetracks since 1 August 2024, with six weeks of the racing season still to go. These figures reflect deaths alone, not the hundreds of serious injuries, including fractures, torn muscles, and other trauma that greyhounds continue to suffer on tracks every single week. GPLNZ warns that further deaths are likely unless urgent action is taken.

“These aren’t freak accidents. They’re the inevitable result of a system that treats dogs as disposable,” said Robertson. “Despite repeated reviews, recommendations, and reassurances of reform, dogs continue to suffer and die.”

In December 2024, the Government announced – with support from all political parties – that it would phase out greyhound racing in 20 months, after the industry was formally put on notice in September 2022. The ban decision followed multiple reviews, including the WHK Report (2013), the Hansen Report (2017), and the Robertson Review (2021), all of which raised serious concerns about animal welfare, high euthanasia and injury rates, data, and transparency in the industry.

GRNZ is now seeking a judicial review to challenge the ban, a move GPLNZ describes as “a desperate attempt that delays the inevitable and prolongs the suffering of greyhounds used and abused by this industry.”

“GRNZ should be focusing on ensuring no more dogs are harmed, winding down racing, and rehoming the dogs it claims to care about,” said Robertson. “The truth is, GRNZ is in the midst of a rehoming crisis of its own making – one that was already worsening even before the ban was announced.”

Figures from the Racing Integrity Board, the agency tasked with overseeing all three racing codes in New Zealand, show that as of 1 November 2024, 672 greyhounds were awaiting adoption, with 349 of them still housed with their trainers, not yet in rehoming centres or foster care (source).

“In their own annual report, GRNZ claimed to have rehomed 673 dogs in the 2023/24 season, meaning a full year’s worth of dogs were already sitting, waiting, and hoping for a home. That number rose to 723 by 1 February 2025 following the Government’s announcement of the ban,” Robertson said.

“And instead of urgently addressing this backlog, GRNZ is spending its time and resources in court trying to keep this inherently dangerous industry alive — and perversely had actually planned to increase breeding numbers.”

According to its own Animal Welfare Quarterly Progress Report (31 October 2024, p.12):

“…an uplift is required to maintain current racing levels and the industry’s overall contribution to the economy. Providing support and incentives to encourage and sustain the breeding industry will be a key focus for GRNZ in 2025 and beyond.”

GPLNZ is calling on the Government to hold firm, introduce legislation, and enforce the ban before more dogs pay with their lives.

Notes:

Greyhounds killed in the 2024/25 racing season on track are:

  1. Midnight Brockie – 13 June – Whanganui – fractured right hock and tibia with complete displacement

  2. Homebush Feijoa – 13 June – Addington – collapsed and died at the lure 

  3. Homebush Sydney – 11 June – Invercargill- spiral fracture left femur – euthanasia post race 

  4. Carrington Magic – 16 May – Whanganui  – open spiral fracture of left tibia fibula 

  5. Big Time Hinda – 10 April – Cambridge – collapsed at lure and dead on arrival 

  6. Know Motor – 8 March – Addington – fractured right radios ulna and died after surgery 

  7. Homebush Honey – 13 March – Addington – collapsed and died at track trial 

  8. Homebush Milo – 7 March – Addington – collapsed at lure and dead on arrival 

  9. Highview Amber – 27 December- Whanganui – complete fractures of left and right radius ulnas

  10. Call the tune – 13 December – Addington – cramp at lure, collapse in wash bay, transported to vet and euthanised due to an unmanageable hemorrhagic shock 

  11. Diamond Roman – 10 December – Invercargill- compound fracture of right tibia fibula which was severely comminuted and displaced 

  12. Homebush Shadow – Wednesday 27 November – Invercargill – complete fracture of the left radius ulna

  13. What’s on – 18 October – Addington – incident at lure, severe neck pain – diagnosed with fractured vertebrae and due to severity of fracture was euthanased 

  14. Brockie’s Rocket – 29 September – Manukau – collapsed and died at the lure (autopsy result – spontaneous tension pneumothorax)

  15. Rocket Queen – 20 September 2024 – Addington – compound fracture to its radius/ulna.

Posted on

Public transport just got a salary sacrifice, tax-free upgrade

Source: Extraordinary

New benefit means cheaper commutes, cleaner cities, and more money in workers' pockets, says Extraordinary  

Kiwi fintech maverick, Extraordinary, has seized a rare opportunity to align the stars — combining a recent Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) change with a first-of-its-kind salary sacrifice solution. As a result, Kiwi commuters now have a powerful reason to leave the car at home. Public transport can finally be paid for using pre-tax income, made possible by Extraordinary's Card and platform.

New research by Extraordinary shows strong appetite for the change:

  • 21% of Kiwis who currently commute by car say they would consider switching to public transport if their employer offered a tax-free travel benefit – rising to 40% among younger workers aged 18–34. 
  • 19% of remote workers say they'd commute into the office more often if they received a public transport allowance.

With younger employees especially responsive to incentives, the new option gives employers a powerful tool to support greener, more vibrant cities – while helping workers keep more of their pay.

These findings come at the perfect time: employers can now provide public transport allowances without incurring Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) – saving both employers and employees money, and making cleaner, more affordable commuting a reality.

To mark the milestone, Extraordinary CEO Steven Zinsli joined Mayor of Auckland Wayne Brown for a media moment on Auckland's Britomart, one of the city's busiest business and transport hubs.

“This is a game-changer for how people travel to work,” said Steven Zinsli. “It's now easier and cheaper for employers to support public transport, and workers can keep more of what they earn.”

Until now, FBT rules meant employer-subsidised transport came with tax penalties, limiting uptake. That's now changed – with Extraordinary's innovative solution, employees will have the ability to top up existing transport cards using pre-tax income, reducing travel costs and encouraging more sustainable transport options.

The shift arrives at a crucial moment, as cities like Auckland seek ways to reduce congestion and emissions, while also reviving CBD activity. Recent research shows that office occupancy remains below 70% in some major centres, well below pre-pandemic levels.

Mayor Wayne Brown said: “One of my key priorities when I was elected as Mayor was to get Auckland moving, and initiatives like this will make it easier for people to get to work by bus or train and help reduce congestion on our roads. This is good for the environment, good for our cities and good for our economy.”

Why this matters:

  • More money in workers' pockets: public transport benefits are now tax-free 
  • No extra cost to employers: avoid FBT while supporting sustainability 
  • Convenience: Top up existing transport cards using pre-tax income 
  • Cleaner cities: fewer cars = reduced emissions and congestion 
  • City revival: supports return-to-office and urban vibrancy.

Extraordinary is already partnering with major employers across New Zealand and expects demand to accelerate as more businesses take advantage of the updated FBT rules.

To read more, visit www.extraordinarypay.com/our-solutions/public-transport.

About Extraordinary  

Extraordinary is a New Zealand-based fintech platform revolutionising how employers manage non-payroll benefits. Its smart employee card supports Gifting, Public Transport, Rewards, and other allowances – replacing reimbursements and manual admin with real-time, flexible payments. Founded in 2021 and based in Auckland, Extraordinary is trusted by forward-thinking companies to boost retention, compliance, and employee satisfaction.

Posted on

Arts and Education – US directors bring touch of Broadway to NASDA show

Source: Ara Institute of Canterbury

When Kiss Me Kate hits the stage at Papa Hou Theatre in the heart of Christchurch next week, audiences will experience a show polished by an internationally acclaimed director-choreographer duo.
Ara Institute of Canterbury’s National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Arts (NASDA) has brought in US-based stage superstars Diane Laurenson and Bob Richard to work with ākonga (students) for the much-loved musical production.
The pair’s combined careers span Broadway, the West End and beyond with international tours, television and film credits to their names. While they bring a wealth of expertise to NASDA, they’re also in their element as devoted educators.
“We’ve worked with professionals for almost 40 years but it’s a dream to be among new talent who are growing as actors and to help build a foundation for the world they’re going into,” Laurenson said.
“It’s kind of like being a rock in the stream,” Richard added. “As professional directors we can help them steer a course and identify what they want to focus on as emerging artists.”
Laurenson is a celebrated Fosse veteran, working directly with Broadway leg

Posted on

Health Policy – Cancellation of Health Charter a giant step backwards for health and community support workers – PSA

Source: PSA

Hard on the heels of the cancellation of pay equity claims for thousands of hospital, health and community support workers, the Government’s announcement today that they’re dropping the Te Mauri o Rongo Health Charter is another callous twist of the knife, the PSA says.
Minister Simeon Brown’s suite of changes to the Pae Ora Act will see, among other things, a repeal of the Te Mauri o Rongo Health Charter.
“The Health Charter set out shared values and principles to shape behaviours for how Te Whatu Ora will support and promote a safe working culture across health, including the funded community sector. Now it’s gone, with seemingly nothing to replace it,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi national secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, says.
“Hospital, health, and community support workers are already under immense strain. They’re constantly asked to do more with less. And the high frequency of assaults by patients – particularly for mental health workers – is increasingly, frighteningly normalised.”
The PSA played a critical role in developing the charter, standing up a working group of health and community support workers shortly after Te Whatu Ora was established. It was developed by the health workforce for the health sector, and is a positive framework to lead and support the health system to develop relationships to achieve pae ora (healthy futures).
“A functioning health system must commit to supporting their workforce and empowering them to speak out when their safety is compromised. Otherwise we’ll just do what New Zealand has done for years, and drive out our highly trained health workforce to sunnier pastures overseas.
“The commitment to a well-trained workforce with access to appropriate resources to develop their skills, as well as workers to provide person and whānau-centred services, are a challenge to this Government.
“The coalition continues to show us who and what they value. It’s very clear that they’re continuing to completely under-value the workers, and especially the women workers, who prop up the system to serve New Zealand whānau when they need it most.”
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.
Posted on

Defence News – Anzac delegation rounds off Pacific tour with constructive Timor-Leste visit

Source: New Zealand Defence Force

New Zealand’s Chief of Army, Major General Rose King, and Australia’s Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, combined for a joint visit to Timor-Leste last week.

The two chiefs met with senior Ministry of Defence and Falintil-Forcas de Defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL) members to discuss shared security priorities and long-standing partnership and cooperation programmes. These included ways to continue to support and strengthen F-FDTL, which in turn provides valuable insight and lessons for both the Australian and New Zealand armies.

The delegation also met with Australian Defence Cooperation Program (ADCP) and New Zealand Mutual Assistance Programme (MAP) personnel, which have been long-standing commitments in the country.

“Timor-Leste is an important security partner to both Australia and New Zealand. Our shared history and commitment to a peaceful, stable region is at the core of our growing fri

Posted on

Erosion of Safety Protections – Government turns its back on workers’ safety – CTU

Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is dismayed by the Government’s decision to abstain from the new International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on biological hazards that would strengthen worker protections.

“This Convention provides a comprehensive framework for preventing and managing biological workplace health and safety issues,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“Representatives of Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations at the 113th International Labour Conference have resoundingly voted for the adoption this new Convention and accompanying Recommendation on protection against biological hazards in the working environment.

“There is strong international support for this Convention which has been ratified by more than 95% of representatives from the 187 ILO member states. The New Zealand workers’ delegation voted in favour of this convention which embeds the importance of healthy and safe work as a fundamental aspect of good work for everyone.

“Unfortunately, the New Zealand Government has joined Bangladesh, Djibouti, Panama, Algeria, Guatemala, and India as the only Governments to vote against or abstain in the vote for the Convention. New Zealand Business representatives did not vote at all.

“The failure of the Government to support this convention reflects its total disregard and disinterest in workers’ safety and health and shows how isolated New Zealand has become from global efforts to improve safeguards at work,” said Wagstaff.

James Ritchie, the Spokesperson for the biological hazards Convention stated:

“This is the first international instrument that specifically addresses biological hazards in the working environment at the global level. It follows the Covid pandemic, and the 2022 decision to include a safe and healthy working environment in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work.

“The New Zealand Government rejection of this historic convention is not a theoretical exercise, implementing its provisions would save lives now and during future outbreaks of infectious diseases,” said Ritchie.