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Northland News – $3.8M of Regional Sporting Facilities Rate funding allocated

Source: Northland Regional Council

Ruakākā Wahitakaro and Northland Regional Volleyball Arena will receive up to $2.6 million and Sportsville Dargaville Stage Two up to $1.2M in the latest allocations from the Northland Regional Council’s Regional Sporting Facilities Rate.
The council’s Strategic & Commercial Projects Manager Phil Heatley says the GST exclusive sums will go to Ruakākā Wahitakaro and Northland Regional Volleyball Arena in the current financial year and to Sportsville Dargaville Stage Two in 2026-2027.
Stage One of Ruakākā Wahitakaro was a community centre completed in 2024. The estimated total project cost for Stage Two is $8.5M and will include a multi-sport indoor facility featuring two indoor courts and supporting meeting spaces. It will also include ‘Northland’s Home of Volleyball’, a regional facility for volleyball providing training and competition opportunities and the ability to host regional, district and community events.
Mr Heatley says Sportsville Dargaville Stage One was completed in December 2018 and involved six multi-purpose outdoor courts with a supporting multi-sport facility.
“The estimated project cost of Stage Two is $9M and will include a multi-sport indoor facility featuring two indoor courts and supporting meeting spaces.” “It is designed to provide opportunities for training and district competitions and the ability to host regional, district and community level events.”
Mr Heatley says the NRC struck the targeted $14.07 plus GST Regional Sporting Facilities Rate (per SUIP/Rating Unit) in its 2024-2034 Long Term Plan to provide funding support to assist in the development of Northland sporting facilities that are of regional or district-wide benefit.
A working group made up of representatives from the NRC, Northland’s three district council’s and Sport Northland had recommended the funding for the 2024-2027 financial years. Regional councillors had confirmed the group’s recommendation at a council meeting late last month.
“This will give those overseeing the projects a degree of certainty to plan and a platform to apply for third party funding.”
Mr Heatley says potential recipient projects are identified through a regionwide consultation process, initially to inform ‘Kokiri ai Te Waka Hourua’, a strategy for play, active recreation and sport. The strategy was produced in partnership by the NRC, Sport Northland, Northland’s three district councils and Sport New Zealand.
“A proposed project is presented to Sport Northland in the first instance, by a regional or district not-for-profit sporting focussed group, for consideration and prioritisation.”
“Substantial work by the working group sees the prioritisation of regional sporting facility projects.
Mr Heatley says for this allocation, 16 projects had been in varying states of readiness with six being advanced enough to be able to be scored and benchmarked against council-approved criteria. 
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Energy Sector – Consultation to build on New Zealand’s strong fuel security welcome

Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

Energy Resources Aotearoa welcomes today’s announcement of public consultation on the proposed Fuel Security Plan by Associate Minister of Energy Shane Jones.
Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says the proposed plan is a constructive opportunity to build on New Zealand’s already high-performing fuel security settings.
“New Zealand has a robust, well-functioning fuel supply system. Our current system, based on importing refined fuels, rather than crude, gives us more flexibility and resilience than when we imported crude into Marden Point, a single point of failure.”
Carnegie says the proposed Fuel Security Plan announced today is about building towards a longer-term strategic direction for New Zealand’s fuel security.
“The risks we face today are not the same as five years ago. The geopolitical landscape is shifting, and our security planning must change with it.
It’s critical that the Government balances our high-functioning fuel imports system with any domestic production. We will seek to ensure the final plan does this in a way that minimises costs for consumers.”
Fuel resilience must continue to be balanced with affordability and practical implementation, Carnegie says.
“It’s important to be clear-eyed: New Zealand will always rely on imported fuels. Domestic alternatives like biofuels will only ever supplement, not replace, imported fuels.
We have to weigh the cost of resilience. Emerging technologies often come at a premium, and we need to think critically about how much we’re willing to pay for the insurance for domestic production”
Carnegie says the best insurance policy remains New Zealand’s diversified network of experienced fuel suppliers.
“This consultation is an opportunity to make innovative, cost-effective improvements to an already strong system.
We look forward to engaging with the Government to find the lowest-cost, most effective options to build on our current level of resilience, without duplicating effort or adding unnecessary cost.”
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Economy – RBNZ to open next phase of Exchange Settlement Account System application process in September 2025

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

15 July 2025 – Payment service providers and other interested entities can request an introductory meeting now.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ) will open the second phase of the Exchange Settlement Account System (ESAS) application process in September 2025.

ESAS is New Zealand's principal high-value payments system used by banks and other financial organisations to settle their financial transactions in real time. In March 2025 RBNZ completed a multi-year review of ESAS and expanded the access criteria to include more non-bank entities.

In April 2025 RBNZ published the new access criteria and opened the first phase of the application process, when licensed non-bank deposit takers (NBDTs) in New Zealand were invited to apply.

In September 2025 RBNZ will open the second phase of the application process, when other interested entities can apply. This may include payment service providers, overseas deposit takers and operators of designated Financial Market Infrastructures (FMIs).

Information on the phase 2 application process and guidance on requirements to meet the access criteria will be published on the RBNZ website in September.

In the meantime, RBNZ invites anyone who has read the access criteria and is considering applying for ESAS access to email ESASAccess@rbnz.govt.nz for an introductory meeting.

The introductory meeting is an informal opportunity to discuss ESAS, and for RBNZ to understand an entity's intended use and share information on prerequisites and other requirements to help the entity prepare to apply from September, if they choose.

Registered banks and licensed NBDTs in New Zealand can continue to apply for ESAS access at any time. Access criteria and information for phase 1 applicants is available on the RBNZ website.

More information

Exchange Settlement Account System: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=d9e45cd26c&e=f3c68946f8
ESAS access criteria: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=02cc7268e0&e=f3c68946f8

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Health Appointments – New Medical Director appointed – College of GPs

Source: Royal NZ College of General Practitioners

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has appointed Dr Prabani Wood as its new Medical Director.
Dr Wood is a Hamilton-based specialist GP working at the University of Waikato Student Health Service.
Dr Wood obtained her medical degree and BA in Physiological Science from the University of Oxford and emigrated to New Zealand in 2005. She has been a GP for more than 16 years and brings a wealth of post-graduate experience in medicine, surgery, anaesthetics and public health, including a Master's degree in public health from the University of Auckland.
In 2015, Dr Wood established a new GP practice in Hamilton, with the multi-disciplinary team providing comprehensive care to over 8,500 patients in the region.
College Chief Executive Toby Beaglehole says, “Dr Wood’s extensive academic, clinical and medical advisory experience gives her great insight into the challenging nature of general practice, primary care and rural hospital medicine. She is a passionate advocate for primary healthcare and shaping policy to deliver better health outcomes for New Zealanders, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Dr Wood onto the College team.”
A desire to join the call for change and highlight the economic case for strengthening the specialist GP workforce led Dr Wood to publish a research report with The New Zealand Initiative in April 2025. The report, ‘The Heart of Healthcare: Renewing New Zealand’s Primary Care System’ reviews the critical role and challenges facing general practice in New Zealand, focusing on the importance of continuity of care and systemic health care issues.
Dr Wood takes up the Medical Director’s role on Monday 11 August.  
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Economy – RBNZ explores the impact of an ageing population on the financial system

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

15 July 2025 – New Zealand faces an economic shift as the population ages, according to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in a Financial Stability Report special topic article released today.

While the economic impact will unfold slowly, the Reserve Bank is urging financial institutions to understand and be prepared for the structural changes and potential risks associated with this long-term change, Director of Financial System Assessment Kerry Watt says.  

“An ageing population is likely to influence savings, borrowing and investment behaviour. This in turn will affect interest rates, asset prices and the demand for financial products. The overall impacts may be complex and vary over time.”  

As the population ages, overall savings are expected to rise in the near term before declining. People typically borrow when young, save during their working years, and draw down those savings in retirement.  

Increased saving could put downward pressure on interest rates and lift the value of assets like housing and equity. Demand for housing loans may decline as the population ages. Older investors may favour lower risk assets.  

For banks, increased deposit funding and reduced demand for mortgages may encourage a shift towards other types of lending and expansion in the provision of other services. For the insurance sector, demand for health insurance is expected to grow, while demand for life insurance may decline.  

Demographic change and changes in the levels of savings and borrowing may also affect how monetary policy flows through the economy. In addition, increased expenditure on healthcare and superannuation will impact fiscal policy.

“Understanding and adapting to these changes will be key to maintaining financial system resilience,” Mr Watt says.    

 

More information

The Grey Wave: Exploring the impact of an ageing population on the financial system: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=b0d0c803e0&e=f3c68946f8

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Rural News – Alternative grass grub weapon now urgent – Federated Farmers

Source: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers says urgent action is needed to plug a looming gap in treatments to fight native grass grub, which costs the agricultural sector hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
“This is our biggest agricultural pest by a country mile, yet there’s a real risk farmers’ arsenal to fight it will soon be empty,” Feds biosecurity spokesperson David Birkett says.
“It’s pleasing that manufacturers have work developing new chemicals underway.
“We also need the Environmental Protection Authority to prioritise and fast-track their assessment of any new options.”
Costelytra giveni is a scourge for pasture and lawn, and also a risk to horticulture and native plant root systems.
The two most effective chemicals to control the grub – chlorpyrifos and Diazanon – are both being phased out after decisions by the EPA to ban them.
Chlorpyrifos, a broad-spectrum organophosphate insecticide, is banned in the European Union and Canada, and its use is heavily restricted in Australia.
It is in the process of being phased out internationally via the Stockholm Convention, of which New Zealand is a signatory.
The EPA recently consulted on banning chlorpyrifos here. After considering new information, and holding a public hearing, a decision-making committee found risks to people and the environment – especially to those spraying it – outweighed the benefits.
“We’re pleased the EPA listened carefully to our submission, and decided that for the agricultural sector, the ban would come at the end of an 18-month phase-out period,” Birkett says.
“However, stocks of chlorpyrifos are already very limited and in the face of bans, manufacturers are taking it out of production.”
The other potent weapon for combating grass grub, Diazanon, will also be banned from 2028.
Federated Farmers understands AgResearch and ag chem companies are well underway with developing a new tool for combatting grass grub.
“We’d really like to see them accelerate that development work. It would be disastrous for food production and our agricultural exports if our farmers are left high and dry for any period without an effective control method,” Birkett says.
A 2018 study said native scarab grass grub causes losses of up to $380 million on dairy farms and $205 million on sheep and beef farmers every year – and that was with access to chlorpyrifos.
Birkett says the EPA also needs to play its role swiftly.
“Federated Farmers has been critical of the EPA’s failure to get on top of a backlog of assessment applications for agri-chemicals and animal health treatments.
“We’ve welcomed Government announcements on new measures aimed at streamlining assessment processes, particularly in cases where chemicals are already being used safety in other countries.
“But the the EPA also needs to adjust its priorities and not focus on assessing generic chemicals that are already available,” Birkett says.
“Their work stream needs to take better account of how far off approvals are for effective replacement products, including biosecurity and pest increase issues, and how much delays would cost the country.
“The new chemicals that offer the greatest economic benefits should get priority in the queue – and I would put any new treatment for grass grub in that category,” Birkett says. 
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Marine Environment – Sea spurge found at Kapowairua (Spirits Bay) Northland

Source: Northland Regional Council

A new sea spurge infestation has been found at Kapowairua (Spirits Bay) – the first discovery of the unwanted beach weed east of Cape Reinga and at least 60 kilometres from the closest known site on Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe – Ninety Mile Beach.
Joanna Barr, Northland Regional Council’s Biosecurity Manager – Pest Plants, says the infestation was discovered by Ngāti Kuri’s Te Haumihi team which has been progressively surveying the coastline in their rohe to check whether sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias) has established.
The weed is native to Europe, but it is likely to have arrived in New Zealand on ocean currents from Australia, where it has become a major weed on their southern coastline.
“Having local teams supported to undertake proactive surveillance work has meant that this new site has been detected while it is still relatively small and in a relatively contained area.”
Te Haumihi Programme Manager Melanie Dalziel says the find included more than 50 plants in a six square metre area including one larger plant that was likely the original plant, 18 smaller mature plants that had seeded, and 32 seedlings.
While it was very disheartening to find these plants, she acknowledged her team, and the support of NRC, in being able to locate and safely remove the plants before more plants could set seed.
Ms Dalziel says her team has now prioritised regular surveillance and monitoring to beaches along the eastern ridgeline of the rohe of Ngāti Kuri.
Ms Barr says the surveillance work behind the latest find was undertaken as part of a management programme, delivered in partnership with iwi and hapū, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Department of Conservation and the Northland Regional Council.
She says there are a number of iwi and hapū groups engaged in the surveillance programme, controlling known sites and surveying the coast. Locals and volunteers have also been involved in surveying and reporting sites.
“Over the past 12 months 175km of Northland’s coastline has been surveyed, focused primarily on the west coast.”
Ms Barr says there are now sea spurge sites recorded in seven different areas in Northland; Poutō peninsula, the Waipoua River mouth, Mitimiti, Ahipara, Waipapakauri, Hukatere and now Kapowairua, Spirits Bay.
The plants in all of these areas have been controlled and the sites are searched every four months to detect and remove any new seedlings, which can reach maturity and set seed in less than five months if not controlled.
Ms Barr says sea spurge is causing major environmental damage at many Australian beaches, displacing native plants and changing natural patterns of sand movements.
“It has the potential to overrun our native dune species and threaten the habitats of native birds.”
She says an adult plant can produce between 5000 and 20,000 buoyant and salt-tolerant seeds every year, and these can travel long distances on ocean currents.
“This means there is an ongoing risk of seeds making their way over and establishing along our long stretch of coastline, with the west coast being the most at risk.”
She says that makes it vital that any sightings are reported.
Sea spurge looks like a small shrub and typically grows up to 50 centimetres in height although it can sometimes reach up to one metre.
“It has tightly packed leaves that are bluish green in colour, with the stem having often a red tinge at the base. Do not touch it as it has a milky sap, which is toxic to people and animals and may cause temporary blindness.”
Its flowers are composed of yellowish green petal less flowers found in clusters while leaves are stalkless, hairless, alternate, crowded and overlapping along the stems.
Ms Barr says anyone who thinks they have found sea spurge should report it as soon as possible using the Ministry for Primary Industries Pests-and-Diseases hotline on 0800 80 99 66.
“Take some clear photos and please do not disturb the plants as the sap is toxic, and you could also spread the seeds via your clothing and equipment.” “Plants can also regrow from root fragments.”
People should note the location as accurately as possible – GPS coordinates are ideal, or you can open Google Maps and drop a pin on the map (and/or screen shot your location on the map). You can also use the iNaturalist app to mark potential sites.
Ms Barr says sea spurge looks similar to the rare native spurge, waiūatua / waiū-o-Kahukura (Euphorbia glauca), however, the native spurge has much larger leaves that are 30-80mm long. The New Zealand linen flax (Linum monogynum) and the sand daphne / toroheke (Pimelea villosa) which grow in the coastal environment are also similar.
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Northland News – Plan winter earthworks carefully; NRC

Source: Northland Regional Council

As Northland moves through the wetter months from May to September, the Northland Regional Council is warning effective planning and management of earthworks is critical to reducing environmental impact and ensuring successful outcomes.
“While significant rain events can occur in summer, late autumn through early spring sees the most frequent and intense rainfall,” the council’s Compliance Monitoring Manager Tess Dacre says.
“This increases the risk of sediment discharge from open sites and poses real challenges in compacting fill and managing stream works.”
To safeguard water quality and prevent erosion, developers and contractors are urged to:
  • Minimise open earthworks and avoid stream work during winter
  • Stabilise as much of the site as practical by 30 April, well ahead of the official winter season
  • Align work with topography; low gradients and short slopes are easier to manage than long steep ones
  • Identify necessary erosion and sediment control measures and consider additional options to lower discharge risks
  • Ensure controls are easy to access for routine maintenance
  • Progressively stabilise exposed areas throughout the season
  • Arrange reliable access to stabilisation materials such as hay mulch, including provisions for urgent needs.
Ms Dacre says if operating under a regional consent, a winter work approval may be required and ongoing stabilisation of open areas is a key condition for approval.
“Winter doesn’t have to mean work stops – but it does require smarter, more responsive planning.” “With the right strategies, we can protect the environment and keep projects moving.”  
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Advocacy – Government told NZ should not follow Australia’s lead to criminalise support for Palestine – PSNA

Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

 

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is urging the New Zealand government NOT to follow Australia’s example with measures which would effectively criminalise the Palestine solidarity movement.

 

The Australian government has announced plans to implement recommendations from its anti-semitism envoy which PSNA says creates a ‘hierarchy of racism’ with anti-semitism at the top, while Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism hardly feature.

 

However we know at least some of the appalling anti-semitic attacks in Sydney have been bogus.

 

PSNA Co-chair John Minto says PSNA has no tolerance for anti-semitism in Aotearoa New Zealand, or anywhere else.

 

“But equally there should be no place for any other kind of racism, such as Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. Our government must speak out against all forms of discrimination and support all communities when racism rears its ugly head.  Let’s not forget the murderous attacks on the Christchurch mosques.”

Minto says the Australian measures will inevitably be used to criminalise the Palestinian solidarity movement across Australia.

 

“We see it happening in the US, to attack and demonise support for Palestinian human rights by the Trump administration.  We see it orchestrated in the UK to shut down any speech which Prime Minister Starmer and the Israeli government don’t like.”

 

 PSNA agrees with the Jewish Council of Australia who have warned the Australian government adopting these measures could result in

 “undermining Australia’s democratic freedoms, inflaming community divisions, and entrenching selective approaches to racism that serve political agendas”

Minto says the free speech restrictions in the US, UK and Australia have nothing to do with what people usually understand as anti-semitism.

 

“The drive comes from the Israeli government.  They see making anti-semitism charges as the most effective means of preventing anyone publicly pointing to the genocide its armed forces are perpetrating in Gaza.”

 

“The definition of anti-semitism, usually inserted into codes of ethics or legislation, is from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.  The IHRA definition includes eleven examples.  Seven of the examples are about criticising Israel.”

 

“It’s quite clear the Israeli campaign is to distract the community from Israel’s horrendous war crimes, such as the round-the-clock mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza, and deflect calls for sanctions against Israel.”

 

“Already we can see in both the UK and US, that people have been arrested for saying things about Israel which would not have been declared illegal if they’d said it about other countries, including their own.”

 

Minto says there are already worrying signs that the New Zealand government and New Zealand media and police are falling into the trap.

 

“Just over the past few weeks, there has been an unusually wide-ranging mainstream media focus on anti-semitism;

 

However, our politicians and media have been silent about;

 

  • An attack which knocked a young Palestinian woman to the ground when she was using a microphone to speak during an Auckland march
  • An attack where a Palestine supporter was kicked and knocked to the pavement outside the Israeli embassy in Wellington.  The accused was wearing an Israeli flag.  He was not held in custody and the Post newspaper has reported neither the arrest nor the resulting charge (this case is due in court 15 July)
  • An attack on a Palestine solidarity marshal in Christchurch who was punched in the face, in front of police, but no action taken.
  • An attack in Christchurch when a Destiny Church member kicked a solidarity marshal in the chest (no action taken by police)
  • Anti-Palestinian racist attacks on the home of a Palestine solidarity activist in New Plymouth.  One of our supporters has had their front fence spraypainted twice with pro-Israel graffiti and their car tyres slashed twice (4 tyres in total) and had vile defamatory material circulated in their neighbourhood. (The police say they cannot help)
  • The frequent condemnation of anti-semitism by the previous Chief Human Rights Commissioner, but his refusal to condemn the deep-seated anti-Palestinian racism of the New Zealand Jewish Council and Israel Institute of New Zealand.
  • The refusal of the Human Rights Commission to publicly correct false statements it published in the Post newspaper which claimed anti-semitism was increasing, when in fact the evidence it was using was that the rate of incidents had declined.

 

Minto says in each of the cases above there would have been far more attention from politicians, the police and the media had the victims been Israeli supporters.

 

“Meanwhile, both our government and the New Zealand Jewish Council have refused to condemn Israel’s blatant war crimes.  There is silence on the mass killing, mass starvation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.   The Jewish Council and our government stand together and refuse to hold Israel’s racist apartheid regime to account in just about any way.”

 

“This refusal to condemn what genocide scholars, including several Israeli genocide academics, have labelled as a “text-book case of genocide’, brings shame on both the New Zealand Jewish Council and the New Zealand government.”

 

 “Adding to the clear perception of appalling bias on the part of our government, both the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, have met with New Zealand Jewish Council spokespeople over the war in Gaza.”

 

“But both have refused to meet with representatives of Palestinian New Zealanders, or the huge number of Jewish supporters of the Palestine solidarity movement.”

 

“New Zealand must stand up and be counted against genocide wherever it appears and no matter who the victims are.”

 

John Minto

Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

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Stats NZ information release: Electronic card transactions: June 2025