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Callaghan debacle: 176 science workers left hanging as Govt botches its own policy

Source: PSA

Eighteen months after announcing it would disestablish Callaghan Innovation, the Government has failed to pass the legislation needed to do it – leaving 176 workers with no idea what their future holds.
Then Science Minister Shane Reti stated in writing that Callaghan Innovation would be wound up by 30 June 2026. That deadline is fast approaching yet not a single piece of legislation has been introduced to Parliament.
A Budget allocation of $28 million to keep the agency running for another year is the only concrete outcome of 18 months of planning.
“This is a fiasco of the Government’s own making,” says PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.
“It announced the closure of Callaghan Innovation without a clear plan for where many staff would go, without legislation to make it happen, and without any apparent understanding of what it would take.
“It has disestablished over 100 roles in that time, an appalling loss of expertise, and devastating for the workers who were made redundant. But eighteen months on, the lack of a final plan for closure means the remaining 176 workers are in limbo still. It’s disgraceful.”
A total of 80 of the remaining staff were told transfers to other agencies – including the Bioeconomy Science Institute, Earth Sciences NZ, MBIE, and the new Advanced Technology Institute – would proceed on 1 July 2026. Those transfers are now delayed indefinitely, with no legislation in sight and no date confirmed.
A further 96 staff have no confirmation on a transfer to another agency and could face redundancy, but with no certainty at this stage on what is coming next for them. Some have been waiting 18 months to find out if they still have a job.
“Some are waiting to transfer. Some are waiting for a redundancy. Some have no idea at all what happens to them. Every single one of them has been left in this position by a government that failed to do the work before making the announcement.
“The Government loves to talk about reforming the public sector and cutting 8,700 jobs. But it can’t manage the disestablishment of a single agency with 18 months’ notice. What does that tell you about its ability to deliver anything?”
The PSA is calling on the Government to urgently provide Callaghan Innovation staff with clear timelines and certainty about their employment.
“These are skilled science workers and researchers who have given years of service. They deserve better than this shambles. The longer this drags on, the more of them will vote with their feet and leave for countries that actually value what they do.”
See Letter to Callaghan Innovation from Science Minister Shane Reti to Chair, Callaghan Innovation January 2025
See also Save Science Coalition report: 16 April 2026 Underfunding our future: the human face of the science cuts
Previous PSA statements on science cuts:
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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Awards – Central Otago’s shift to organics shines at national wine awards
Source: Scope Communications

Central Otago’s shift towards organic wine continues to gain momentum, with several renowned wineries receiving accolades at the recent Aotearoa New Zealand Organic Wine Awards.

Of the 181 medals awarded, 73 went to 11 Central Otago wineries – 40% of the national total – highlighting the strength and scale of the region’s organic sector.
 
Gibbston Valley was a strong performer at the awards, securing six gold medals and the highest total medal count, reinforcing its leadership in organic winemaking.
 
Gibbston Valley chief winemaker Christopher Keys says the results reflect both vineyard excellence and the strong trajectory of the wider industry.

“It is a joy to see the consistent excellence New Zealand’s organic vineyards have reached,” Keys says.

“This is recognition not just for Gibbston Valley, but for New Zealand organic wine as a whole. It’s one part of a bigger picture, but it is an important part.”

Central Otago Winegrowers Association general manager Carolyn Murray welcomes the success of Central Otago producers at the awards.

“With 30% of our vineyard area now under organic management, Central Otago has become New Zealand's leading organic wine region,” says Murray. “This achievement reflects the commitment of growers who believe that great wine begins in the vineyard – with healthy soils, balanced ecosystems, and a deep respect for the land.”

Momentum behind organic wine in New Zealand continues to build. According to the 2025 New Zealand Winegrowers Sustainability Report, 16 per cent of wineries now hold organic certification, up from 10 per cent in 2024.

Keys said this growth is translating into quality and character in the glass.

“Being organic brings you closer to the place, revealing the real identity of the wine. When you open a bottle, it has the ability to transport you back to this special part of the world.”

Now in its 13th year, the Aotearoa New Zealand Organic Wine Awards celebrate the country’s best certified organic wines. To be eligible, entrants must use certified organic grapes and are assessed through a blind tasting process by an independent, consumer-based judging panel.

Gibbston Valley’s top honours were led by its single-vineyard pinot noirs, which featured strongly in the gold medal tally, alongside the 2025 rosé and 2024 chardonnay.

Other major award winners included Greystone as ‘Riedel Vineyard of the Year’, Mount Edward Muirkirk pinot noir 2024 as ‘Riedel Wine of the Show’, and Quartz Reef Wines as ‘Sustainable Vineyard of the Year’.

Keys says it is encouraging to see the South Island perform so strongly: “Central Otago and North Canterbury have featured prominently in the award results.”

Gibbston Valley executive managing director Cristina Griffith says the results underscore the winery’s long-term investment in organic practices.

“These awards highlight not only how outstanding the wines are, but also the commitment behind converting our vineyards without losing an ounce of quality.”

Gibbston Valley Organic Wine Award Medals
Gold

  • Gibbston Valley GV Collection Rosé 2025 
  • Gibbston Valley China Terrace Chardonnay 2024 
  • Gibbston Valley Le Maitre Pinot Noir 2024 
  • Gibbston Valley China Terrace Pinot Noir 2023 
  • Gibbston Valley School House Pinot Noir 2024 
  • Gibbston Valley School House Pinot Gris 2024.

About Gibbston Valley
Gibbston Valley is Queenstown’s leading wine and experience destination. The award-winning Gibbston Valley Wines is a premium organic wine brand, and its Cellar Door and Wine Cave are among the Southern Lakes’ top visitor experiences. The Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa offers luxury accommodation and a renowned day spa, named ‘New Zealand’s Best Resort Spa’ for six consecutive years. The soon-to-open Gibbston Valley Golf Course and Clubhouse will further enhance the curated wine and hospitality destination, set in the heart of the beautiful Gibbston Valley.  www.gibbstonvalley.com
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Aged Care – Assessment Bottlenecks Are Delaying Care and There Is a Solution

Source: Aged Care Association

The Aged Care Association (ACA) is calling for urgent action to address growing delays in access to dementia and aged care assessments, warning that older New Zealanders and their families are being left without safe options while waiting for access to care, and urging the immediate use of appropriately trained aged care clinicians to help reduce assessment backlogs and get people into the right care sooner.
Health New Zealand has acknowledged significant pressure within the Manawatū Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) service, citing more than a doubling in referrals compared with the same time last year, increasing complexity of cases and workforce shortages impacting assessment capacity.
ACA Chief Executive Tracey Martin said providers are reporting that the consequences are now being felt across families, facilities and the wider health system.
“Our members are telling us there are currently approximately 300 people waiting for dementia or aged care assessments in the Manawatū area alone. While that figure is based on provider reports rather than official published data, the consistency of what we are hearing should concern everyone.”
“We are also hearing reports of similar assessment delays emerging in parts of the South Island.”
Martin said assessment delays are not an administrative inconvenience.
“When someone reaches the point of needing an assessment, something has already changed. A spouse can no longer cope. Someone is becoming unsafe at home. Hospital discharge may be delayed. These are not people waiting for convenience. These are people waiting for care.”
Members report families are increasingly approaching aged care facilities directly asking whether there is any pathway to support while they wait.
“One provider described having to explain to families that even urgent needs assessments were taking six to eight weeks. Those are devastating conversations because families have usually reached the point where they have no safe alternatives left.”
Providers are also reporting examples of people entering temporary or lower-level arrangements while waiting for reassessment, only for their needs to escalate beyond what was originally assessed.
“In some cases providers are left managing risk they did not create because people are waiting too long to access the right assessment and the right level of care. That is not simply frustrating. It creates real risk.”
“Aged residential care providers are funded, staffed and certified to deliver specific levels of care. When someone’s needs change but the assessment system cannot respond quickly enough, providers are left caring for people whose actual needs may no longer match the care level they are approved to provide.”
“That puts older New Zealanders at risk of being in the wrong environment, places enormous pressure on families and leaves providers and staff trying to manage situations that are becoming clinically unsafe.”
“When assessment delays result in people being left or placed in the wrong level of care, the risk to that person increases. If something then goes wrong, the provider is often held accountable while the system factors that contributed to the situation are often swept under the carpet.”
“The answer cannot be to ask providers to continue holding higher and higher levels of risk while people wait. The answer must be getting people assessed and into the right care before a situation reaches crisis point. Our members should not be left carrying the consequences of a delayed assessment system.”
Martin said there is a practical solution available immediately.
“During COVID, appropriately trained staff within aged residential care facilities were able to undertake assessment activity for people already in their care. That reduced pressure on the system and helped people move more quickly into the right support.”
“We should immediately reintroduce the delegated model where appropriately trained and approved clinical staff within aged residential care can complete defined assessment functions for residents already receiving care.”
“This would not replace NASC or Health New Zealand. It would free assessment teams to focus on people in the community with urgent unmet need while using clinical capability that already exists.”
“Health New Zealand has advised that it is monitoring wait times, prioritising higher-needs cases, using temporary support packages and short-term care beds, and recruiting additional assessment capacity. However, monitoring pressure is not the same as relieving pressure, and too many older New Zealanders and their families are already on the brink of crisis.”
The ACA is calling for:
  • Reintroduction of delegated assessment capability for appropriately trained aged residential care clinicians
  • Immediate visibility of assessment waiting times by region
  • Temporary surge capacity in areas experiencing significant backlogs
  • Clear escalation pathways for urgent dementia and aged care assessments
  • A national review of assessment workforce capacity and future demand
“Aged care is health care. If older New Zealanders cannot access assessment and move into the right care at the right time, the whole health system feels the impact.”
“Our election message is simple. Older New Zealanders deserve the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
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New research identifies key challenges for New Zealand’s energy infrastructure

Source: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission

New research by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, finds that while the cost to build renewable generation is falling, we face challenges with short-term electricity price volatility and with the long-term investment needed to power a larger, low-carbon economy.
Build costs are falling for renewable energy
“We’re used to hearing that infrastructure is hard to build in New Zealand, and that it’s only getting more expensive over time. But the electricity sector shows it’s possible to build infrastructure differently – at a lower cost and with long-term benefits for the economy,” says Peter Nunns, General Manager – Strategy at Te Waihanga.
“From 2015 to 2025, the cost of new wind farms halved and the cost of new solar farms fell by two-thirds. Geothermal power stations cost less to build here than the global average. By comparison, New Zealand’s new road, hospital, and water projects have multiplied in cost over the last decade.”
Challenges to affordability remain
“Falling costs to build new generation help keep energy affordable. But despite this trend, energy infrastructure faces some challenges in the short and long term. Addressing them in a consistent, predictable way is critical to keeping investment flowing and prices affordable for consumers,” says Nunns.
The Commission’s research, 'Shifting currents: Energy infrastructure in transition', identifies a short-term challenge with high and volatile wholesale electricity prices, which, along with a recent lift in regulated electricity lines charges, have pushed up prices for consumers, especially large industrial users.
Price volatility has been driven by declining gas production, which raises the cost of ‘backup’ generation when renewables fall short. Building new electricity generation and storage is needed to offset declining gas, but uncertainty about future gas supply and electricity demand, including the future of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, appears to have slowed new investment.
“Wholesale electricity prices are now falling as the pace of investment picks up,” Nunns observes. “But it’s early days, and we need to avoid undue regulatory hurdles and ensure there’s sufficient competition to build new generation.
“As new renewable generation comes online, it will also change how the electricity system operates. The value of shifting demand away from peaks will rise, and financial 'hedging' markets will play a larger role in helping large industrial users and retailers manage exposure to variable wholesale prices.”
Need for clarity on the long-term outlook
“Our long-term challenge is scaling up electricity infrastructure to power a larger, low-carbon economy,” says Nunns.
“Forecasters agree that New Zealand will use more electricity as we shift transport, heating, and industry away from fossil fuels. We’ll need to expand generation from sources like wind, solar, and geothermal to meet demand. But the pace of electricity demand growth is uncertain, driven by technology trends like EV adoption and data centre construction, and by policy decisions that influence how energy is used in our economy.”
The research outlines how a predictable approach to key policy settings can help give infrastructure providers the confidence to invest. Delivering the transition will also require government, regulators, and industry to adapt and coordinate, ensuring decisions in one area do not cause problems in another.
'Shifting currents: Energy infrastructure in transition' provides evidence and analysis on the challenges facing New Zealand's electricity infrastructure. It supports the National Infrastructure Plan's recommendation to establish clear, consistent, and coordinated government policies to accelerate electricity investment.
The paper will be available on tewaihanga.govt.nz from 5am Friday, 12 June.
Notes:
  • Energy infrastructure is one of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure networks with over $53 billion in assets. This reflects over a century of building, transforming, and improving networks.
  • Renewable electricity generation in New Zealand exceeded 95% in the last quarter of 2025, and it is predicted that it could reach as high as 98% by 2050, according to the Climate Change Commission’s projections.
  • The Report on energy hardship measures: year ended June 2024 (MBIE) notes the impact of high energy prices, with 6.7% of households not being able to afford to keep their homes adequately warm in 2024.
  • To meet legislated net-zero emissions goals, the Climate Change Commission advice is that that electricity will replace fossil fuels used to power homes, business and vehicles, leading to 60% growth in electricity demand by 2050.
  • Te Waihanga estimates that between $2 to $5 billion per year over the next 30 years will be required to meet renewal and business-as-usual growth requirements in electricity generation, transmission and distribution. An additional $835 million per year on average will be needed to meet decarbonisation-related electricity demand. 
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Community organisations call on Government to properly fund sexual violence prevention – PSA

Source: PSA

Community groups have signed an open letter calling on the Government to properly fund prevention to reduce New Zealand’s rate of sexual violence, which is one of the worst in the developed world.
A study published in the Lancet estimated that among people aged 12 to 18, almost 30 percent of New Zealand women and one in five men experience sexual violence.
The open letter specifically calls for the Government to fund RespectEd Aotearoa, which faces closure in August. RespectEd Aotearoa delivers specialist sexual violence prevention education to schools, workplaces, prisons, and communities – work that changes attitudes, builds skills, and stops harm before it happens.
The letter was launched following no new funding for sexual violence services being part of Budget 2026, and last week’s news, revealed by the PSA, that the Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention is proposing to cut a third of its workforce.
“It’s clear that preventing sexual violence is not a priority for this Government, said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary of the PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Reducing our appalling record on sexual violence requires sustained investment in prevention, yet the organisations doing that work are being forced to close,
“Organisations have signed the open letter because they know that failing to properly fund sexual violence prevention means more people will be harmed. That is what is at stake here.”
There is widespread concern about the loss of an organisation like RespectEd, and what it signals for the future of sexual violence prevention and community public services in New Zealand.
“PSA members at RespectEd have built deep community relationships and specialist expertise over many years, that cannot be easily replaced, said Fitzsimons.
“The breadth of support for the letter reflects deep concern across the sector about what comes next,
“The community public services sector is at breaking point. Funding opportunities are scarce. Longstanding, specialist organisations are being forced to close. The cumulative damage to communities will take years to undo.”
The letter calls on the Government to fund RespectEd Aotearoa, recognise sexual violence prevention as an essential service, halt cuts to the community sector, and honour its obligations under Te Aorerekura – New Zealand’s commitment to eliminate sexual violence.
The open letter has been sent to Minister Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children and for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence. It is now open for the public to sign at: Fund Sexual Violence Prevention – Together
Current signatory organisations:
  • Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children
  • Counselling Services Centre – Ngā Whakahaymarutanga
o te Hauora
  • Eastern Refuge Society
  • Good Shepherd NZ
  • Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga
Mahi
  • Hui E! Community Aotearoa
  • National Council of Women – Wellington Branch
  • New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae
Kaimahi
  • PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
  • Tāhono Trust
  • Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Women’s
Centre
  • The Backbone Collective
  • Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom,
Aotearoa Section
  • Women’s Refuge | Ngā Whare Whakaruruhau o Aotearoa
  • Women’s Refuge Tāmaki Makaurau
  • YWCA Tāmaki Makaurau
  • New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, Te Kauae
Kaimahi
  • Atamira Platform
  • Dr Merrill Simmons Hansen, MANZASW, Reg SW. PhD,
ISSC Therapy, IFS Informed, Supervision
  • Dr Debbie Hagar, Disability portfolio, Tauiwi
Caucus, Te Ohaakii a Hine – National
  • New Zealand Disability Support Network.
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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Major boost coming for New Zealand’s economic statistics – Stats NZ news story

 

 

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Consumer NZ – New Zealanders stretched by food costs want tougher action on supermarket pricing

Source: Consumer NZ

A new Consumer NZ survey shows food budgets are under strain for 82% of New Zealand households, and 67% have low confidence in government policies to help keep food affordable and accessible.

Consumer NZ says the results show cost-of-living pressure at the checkout is forcing many households to change what they buy and how they shop.

“Food is a basic necessity, but for many households it’s getting harder to afford the food they want and need,” says Consumer NZ head of research and advocacy Gemma Rasmussen.

The survey found more than a third of New Zealanders regularly or very often stretch their food budget.  

Only one in three households say they have enough of the food they want, while nearly half say they have enough food, but not the food they would prefer.

Rasmussen says food insecurity is increasingly showing up as compromise.

“People may still be getting by, but they’re settling for less, changing what they buy and, in some cases, cutting back on fresh and whole foods.”

Among those who changed grocery shopping habits in the past year, 71% are buying more budget or home-brand products, 69% are buying fewer premium items, 59% are buying more in bulk and 30% are buying less fresh or whole foods.

The findings also show little faith in the current policy response, with 67% of respondents saying they have low confidence in the government’s ability to keep food affordable.

“Public confidence is very low, and it hasn’t improved since last year. People want stronger action on supermarket pricing and competition,” says Rasmussen.

86% support an Australian-style rule allowing large supermarkets to be penalised for charging unreasonably high prices relative to supply costs and a fair profit margin.

Rasmussen says concern about supermarket pricing remains widespread.

“Only 35% say they have high trust in supermarket pricing and promotions, and 24% don’t think supermarkets are upfront about them. Nearly a quarter don’t believe discounts represent real savings.”

Shrinkflation also remains a source of frustration. Seventy-two percent of respondents say they’ve noticed products getting smaller without a matching price drop, and three-quarters say supermarkets are not transparent enough about shrinkflation.

Rasmussen says the message from consumers is clear in an election year: “Households are under pressure and want more meaningful action to improve affordability and accountability in the supermarket sector.”

“The grocery market study feels like a distant memory, and we’re yet to see meaningful change at the checkout. It’s no surprise many New Zealanders are fed up.”

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Government Cuts – Lowering Māori injury rates put at risk by Govt’s focus on culture wars – PSA

Source: PSA

WorkSafe latest restructure proposal is putting at risk the organisation’s success in lowering serious injuries and deaths among kaimahi Māori.
Under the proposal, released to staff on 20 May, the organisation would no longer have a dedicated function focussed on reducing the injury rate for Māori, Pasifika and migrant workers, said Jack McDonald the Kaihautū Māori for the PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Decentralising this capability will put at risk a successful approach that has seen the rate for serious injuries for kaimahi Māori compared with non-Māori fall from 55% in 2018-2022 down to 30% in 2024,” McDonald said.
“We know from experience that spreading culturally skilled workers thinly across organisation dilutes their influence and makes them less effective than when they operate as part of a team.
“Kaimahi Māori are most effective when they are working together and connected to their culture,” McDonald said.
“The proposed changes would create 16 additional permanent positions, as well as 19 fixed-term positions, which is a welcome increase for a stretched agency. However, it shows that the move to decentralise cultural capability is driven by ideology rather than a need to cut costs,” McDonald said.
“It is beyond belief that it’s proposed to move away from a centralised model that has produced proven results because of the Coalition Government’s obsession with stripping te reo Māori and tikanga Māori out of public services.
“People’s health and safety, and lives, are being put at risk at the expense of the Coalition’s “one-size-fits-all” approach to delivering public services.
“While great progress has been made there is still a lot more work to be done to further reduce the injury rate for Māori, and other vulnerable workers, Pasifika and migrant workers.
“A large number of Māori, Pasifika and migrant workers are employed in high-risk occupations like forestry, agriculture, manufacturing and construction. This means they are disproportionally represented in workplace death and injury statistics.
“It makes sense to keep together the people with the cultural knowledge, language and networks to work effectively with these high-risk groups where there is a proven need.
“Dedicated capability would be needed even more with the Māori and Pasifika workforce being younger and growing faster than the general population.
“The rapid growth of the Māori economy and Pasifika business ownership also means there will be increased demand for WorkSafe to provide culturally appropriate advice to employers,” McDonald said.
Examples of Government cuts to Māori capability
Cuts to ACC Māori, Pasifika and disability roles: Govt cuts come for Māori, Pasifika, disability roles at ACC
Removing references to Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles in 19 laws: Removing Te Tiriti principles will do lasting damage to public services
StatsNZ disestablish its Tangata Tiriti Learning Capability Team: Statistics NZ proposes axing Māori Learning Capability team in latest cull
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, public health and community groups.
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Housing Trust shows significant returns for Queenstown Lakes

Source: Scope Communications

An independent local study has confirmed that the Secure Home programme – delivered by the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust (QLCHT) – produces a social and economic return of nearly four times its level of investment.

The Social Return on Investment report by economist Benje Patterson shows this assisted home ownership model currently generates an average of $8.3 million in social benefits every year, with total benefits valued at $186.4 million over a 30-year mortgage horizon. The analysis found that – for every $1 invested – Secure Home returns $3.90 in social value, driven largely by economic benefits such as improved workforce stability, increased productivity, and stronger household finances.

QLCHT chief executive Julie Scott says the report is a compelling representation of their continued work in housing affordability and social inclusion in the Queenstown Lakes.

“This report confirms what we see every day on the ground,” she says. “Secure Home is not just changing lives for the families who live in these homes, it is delivering real, measurable economic value for the entire Queenstown Lakes community.”

As of December 2025, the Secure Home programme supported 93 households and 250 residents, including 156 working‑age adults and 91 children, with a 98 per cent employment rate among working‑age residents.

The report shows that around 69 per cent of Secure Home’s total benefits are economic, reflecting the programme’s role in supporting a permanently housed, locally based workforce in a district where housing insecurity and vacant homes undermine productivity.

“Queenstown Lakes depends on a stable workforce, yet too many workers are forced to leave because they cannot secure long‑term housing,” adds Scott. “Secure Home keeps people living and working here, reduces staff turnover for employers, and strengthens the resilience of our local economy.”

The remaining 31 per cent of benefits are social, including improved mental and physical health, more settled schooling for children, increased community involvement, and the wellbeing gains that come from living in a warm, secure home.

A key driver of the programme’s impact is inclusionary housing, where developers provide land to QLCHT at a reduced cost or as a gift. The analysis found that without discounted land, Secure Home’s social return would fall from $3.90 to $2.60 per dollar invested.

“This clearly shows why inclusionary housing matters,” Julie Scott said. “When land costs are reduced, the social and economic return for the community increases dramatically. It is a smart policy that delivers long‑term value well beyond the initial investment.”

Economist Benje Patterson says the report clearly shows that Secure Home is delivering substantial, long‑lasting value not only for participating households, but for the sustainability of the Queenstown Lakes economy as a whole.

“What stands out about the QLCHT’s Secure Home programme is that its return is driven primarily by economic factors, rather than largely intangible social wellbeing gains often associated with community housing,” he says. “In a high-cost housing market like Queenstown Lakes, secure and affordable tenure helps people stay in the district and remain in the local workforce, which reduces churn for employers. At the same time, these lower housing costs give households more room for discretionary spending, as well as savings and wealth creation.”

www.qlcht.org.nz

About the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust
QLCHT is a not-for-profit social enterprise created to manage and deliver affordable housing solutions to those vital to the community who cannot afford it. Initiated by Queenstown Lakes District Council in 2007, which recognised the affordability issue and acted upon it, the Trust is an independent entity operating throughout the Queenstown Lakes District.

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ACT’s rural crime crackdown spot on – Federated Farmers

Source: Federated Farmers

ACT Party proposals for more resources to combat crime in rural areas are right on the mark, Federated Farmers says.
“Thieves, livestock rustlers, poachers and boy racers are an absolute nuisance in our rural communities,” Feds rural crime spokesperson Karl Dean says.
“They don’t care at all about the safety of others and they feel like they can get away with it more easily in isolated parts of the country.
“We fully support today’s announcement from ACT that it wants to establish a dedicated rural crime unit within NZ Police and target an extra 100,000 extra patrol hours in rural areas.
“That’ll be music to farmers’ ears – and much better than horrible sound of burnouts and blaring music late at night.”
Dean says extra patrols must come in addition to retaining local rural police and stations in small towns.
“Last year we successfully fought back against a plan to cut rural police resources in rural North Canterbury.
“That showed just how much rural families and businesses value having local cops on the ground in their communities, who know the people and know the area.
“When you have police stationed in rural towns, the response times are faster and offenders know they don’t have the luxury of time before a cop from a distant town gets there.”
Dean also applauds ACT’s idea of extending eligibility for Text 111 services to people in rural areas with unreliable mobile coverage.
“That will ensure those people can contact emergency services via text when a voice call drops out.
“Mobile coverage in many rural areas remains patchy. A Text 111 service is worthwhile back-up and will add to rural residents’ sense of security.
“On that technology front, we’d also support investigation into reviving the Rural Lookout app that was trialled for two years in Canterbury.
“That app let farmers report thefts and other crimes, attach photos and a geolocation using their smartphone.
“It was working really well – until it was quietly slipped into oblivion.”
Federated Farmers also supports ACT’s call for a crackdown on poachers and livestock rustlers, with increased penalties.
“When people intent on this sort of crime are carrying firearms, that’s a recipe for tragedy if anyone gets in their way,” Dean says.