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Gaza – After 1,000 Days of War, Gaza’s Children Dream of Home and a Better Future Despite the World’s Failure

Source: Save the Children

After 1,000 days of war, children in Gaza said they had lost homes, schools and a sense of safety but not their hopes for the future with even the ongoing violence failing to stop them from dreaming of peace and careers to help them rebuild their communities. In emotive, personal testimonies, children supported by Save the Children told the aid agency that they wanted people to hear their stories of how the war was impacting them and realise that they wanted to be treated like any other child – with a home, an education, and a safe future. 
 All spoke of how they are living through a brutal war and a catastrophic humanitarian situation, with a recent UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) report concluding that Israeli authorities and security forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. 
 At least 21,000 children have been confirmed killed by the Israeli forces during the war, but the true number is likely to be much higher with an unknown number of children buried under rubble. The number of displaced children exceeds 800,000 – or about 80% of children in Gaza – with over 7,000 unaccompanied and separated from families, according to the Site Management Cluster (SMC). Gaza's 625,000 school-aged children have missed three years of formal education – most of them have experienced disrupted schooling due to successive escalations. 
 Since the declaration of a “ceasefire” last October, another 275 children have been killed by the Israeli forces. In the most recent attacks, an eight-year-old boy was reported killed when an Israeli drone hit tents sheltering displaced people in Deir el -Balah in central Gaza on Monday while a 13-year-old girl was killed by shrapnel from Israeli tank shelling at the weekend in southern Gaza. Last month Raghad Ashour, 18, was killed by an Israeli strike on her way to take her high school exams. 
 The ongoing violence continues to terrify children, with the UNFPA reporting that 96% of children feel that death is imminent. 
 “We could die at any moment. I hope the war stops for us,” said Amani-, a 14-year-old girl, who wanted Palestinian children to have the same rights as any child. But she has not stopped dreaming. She continued: “I hope the war stops so that I can continue my education in Gaza and live my rights as a human like any girl in other countries. I would like to live with love, peace, and an easy life. There are many children in Gaza whose voices are not heard.”  Bisan-, 14, said: “My wish is for the war to stop, for every one of us to return to their home, and for our lives to return to how they were.” 
 Reem-, 16, told Save the Children that she had many dreams for her future and would not give those up, wanting to fulfil her mother’s dream of becoming a doctor. “The most important thing is for my voice and others to reach everyone, so people know what we’re going through. I have many, many dreams. Even before the war I always dreamed of travelling and studying abroad. That hasn’t changed. I still hold onto that dream l will travel and continue my education.” 
 Alongside the ongoing death toll, displacement continues with many families forced to move multiple times in the past 1,000 days with more than 370,000 homes estimated to have been damaged in the war, equivalent to almost 77% of all housing units in Gaza. Israeli authorities have blocked the entry of construction equipment and machinery. 
 Palestinians in Gaza are being pushed inside less than 40% of the strip's territory behind the “Yellow line”. The “Yellow Line” has also reportedly shifted, expanding the area under Israeli military control and further shrinking the space available to Palestinian families. 
 Hunger is also ravaging children in Gaza with estimated 245,000 children in Gaza at risk of or affected by malnutrition as the flow of humanitarian aid remains limited, while available food lacks the dietary and nutritional diversity children need. and food prices are unaffordable for most families. Families in Gaza are telling us that food items such as crisps and chocolates are widely available in Gaza, but nutritious items such as fresh fruit and eggs are often too expensive for most families. 
 Ahlam-, 36, a mother of twins suffering from malnutrition, says: “The children need food, but I have nothing. I do not have the money to buy them anything. Since January, I have been looking for food for them. They are in pain from time to time. They are not growing normally.” 
 Save the Children’s Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, Ahmad Ahendawi, said: 
 “Every day for the past 1,000 days, the world has failed one million children in Gaza, by not intervening to stop the killing and maiming of children. 
 “As their young fragile bodies were blown to bits and pieces by bombs and missiles, the world sold those same weapons to the Government of Israel. As children died from hunger and disease, the Government of Israel failed to live up to its legal obligations to provide humanitarian access, including sufficient nutritious food into Gaza, the world continued trade agreements with the Government of Israel. 
 “Even nine months since a ‘ceasefire’ when over 275 children have been killed by the Israeli forces, the world continues to ignore the voices and needs of children, as they simply demand that they be treated like any other child in the world. 
 Save the Children is calling for the “ceasefire” agreement to become an immediate and definitive ‘ceasefire’ as the first step to save lives and end grave violations of children’s rights. There must be full accountability for crimes against children. Those responsible must be investigated and held to account, to break the cycle of impunity and prevent further harm. 
 Save the Children is calling on governments to immediately suspend the transfer of arms to Israel and ensure that they do not support or sustain unlawful practices in the occupied Palestinian territory. Member States must also ban trade, economic cooperation and services that maintain or support illegal Israeli settlements, in line with the International Court of Justice’s 2024 Advisory Opinion, and represents a necessary step to end the systematic violation of Palestinian children's fundamental rights.
 -Names changed to protect identity.
Notes:
  • Save the Children has worked in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1953, with a permanent presence since 1973. We work with partners to help provide quality education, protection for children, early childhood development support, and employment opportunities for young people.
Together with our partners, Save the Children helped nearly 890,000 people in the oPt in 2025, including almost 430,000 children. As of May 2026, we have supported over 218,000 people, including over 107,000 children in Gaza, through our multisectoral programming.
We have been responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza directly and through our partnerships with local organizations. In Gaza, we’re currently, running two health clinics, 15 nutrition points, water and sanitation services (8 hygiene promotion sites, 59 water trucking sites, 49 sanitation facilities, and 39 solid waste management points), child protection programmes including mental health support and case management at 21 sites, education in 63 temporary learning spaces, and cash transfer programmes to support families whose livelihoods have been decimated.
  • The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is expected to be published in early July that will provide more details about the malnutrition crisis facing children in Gaza.
  • According to UNOCHA the occupied Palestinian territory flash appeal is only 12-24% funded against a minimum need of $2 billion. Humanitarian donors must urgently scale up their funding to the response to meet the needs of children and families in Gaza.
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Appointments – RBNZ appoints Assistant Governor Financial Stability

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ)

2 July 2026 – Reserve Bank of New Zealand Governor Anna Breman has appointed Angus McGregor as Assistant Governor Financial Stability following an extensive recruitment process.

Mr McGregor joined RBNZ in 2022 and has been Acting Assistant Governor Financial Stability since March 2025.

Governor Anna Breman says Mr McGregor brings deep experience and proven leadership to one of the Bank's most senior and visible roles.

“Angus has demonstrated strong leadership and has played an important role in maintaining confidence in New Zealand's financial system during a period of significant change,” Dr Breman says.

“His deep knowledge of New Zealand's financial sector, combined with extensive supervisory experience, positions him well to lead our financial stability function.”

Mr McGregor has built trusted relationships across the financial sector, both domestically and internationally, and is highly regarded by stakeholders and peers.

He has also led significant enforcement work, including successful outcomes in recent court action.

Mr McGregor will formally commence as Assistant Governor Financial Stability later this month, and recruitment for his substantive position will begin shortly.

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Property Market – Property values feel the conflict pinch in June – Cotality

Source: Cotality

New Zealand property values edged lower in June, likely reflecting the spillover impacts from Iran-related economic uncertainty and the mortgage rate rises previously seen.

Cotality NZ’s latest Home Value Index (HVI) shows the national median value in June of $806,512 was down by -0.2% from the previous month, pushing the total drop over the past three months to -0.8%. Values were -0.9% down from a year ago and still -17.5% below the peak in early 2022 of $977,387.

Across the main centres, Kirikiriroa Hamilton saw a rise of 0.5% in June, with Ōtautahi Christchurch and Ōtepoti Dunedin both increasing by 0.2%. By contrast, Tauranga edged down by -0.2%, with Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (-0.4%) and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland (-0.5%) seeing further falls.

Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist, Kelvin Davidson said that June’s fall, albeit modest, comes as no surprise.

“We’ve already seen sales volumes continue to weaken a bit as each month passes in 2026 and that has meant the supply of available listings on the market and buyers’ choice remain high.”

“That in itself will tend to restrain property values, but on top of this we’ve also had the Iran conflict rumbling on since early March, with associated adverse effects on economic activity, sentiment, inflation, and mortgage rates.”

“Granted, the peace deal has improved the economic outlook. But the lagged effects of previous uncertainty are pretty clear to see in June’s property value figures.”

“The key main centres of Auckland and Wellington continue to see sluggish value patterns, restrained by factors such as further growth in housing supply.”

“Meanwhile, other main centres such as Hamilton, Christchurch, and Dunedin are edging higher, off the back of a stronger economic base.”

“Recent falls in mortgage rates could be a fillip for buyer confidence and we’re all clearly hoping that the US-Iran peace deal will hold. That would avoid the worst outcomes for inflation, mortgage rates, and the economy – as well as the obvious human and social costs.”

“But the conflict remains a watching brief. And even if the deal does hold, housing conditions are still tilted in buyers’ favour, suggesting little chance of runaway prices anytime soon.”

Index results for June 2026
Change in dwelling values
Month
Quarter
Annual
From peak
Median value
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
-0.5%
-1.3%
-2.8%
-23.6%
$1,047,764
Kirikiriroa Hamilton
0.5%
0.0%
-1.4%
-12.5%
$732,114
Tauranga
-0.2%
-0.1%
1.2%
-15.1%
$929,649
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington*
-0.4%
-1.3%
-1.8%
-26.0%
$774,273
Ōtautahi Christchurch
0.2%
0.4%
3.0%
-1.6%
$706,382
Ōtepoti Dunedin
0.2%
-0.2%
2.1%
-9.8%
$622,644
Aotearoa New Zealand
-0.2%
-0.8%
-0.9%
-17.5%
$806,512

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

None of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s sub-markets avoided the wider malaise in June, with monthly value falls ranging from -0.3% in Auckland City, Franklin, and Manukau, down to -0.7% in North Shore and -0.8% in Rodney.

Each of the sub-markets have also fallen over three-month and 12-month horizons, with Auckland City the softest since June last year (-3.7%). From the peak, North Shore is a touch less than -20%, but the drops have been -25% or more in Manukau and Waitakere.

Mr Davidson said, “the subdued sentiment and continued growth in the stock of dwellings in Auckland’s property market is contributing to its soft trend in values.”

“Of course, there are always two sides to the housing market coin, and buyers are in a strong position. Certainly, housing affordability on a range of measures in Auckland is currently better than it’s been for at least a decade.”
 
“In that environment, first home buyers continue to fare well – which is a continued good-news story among some of the caution.”

 
Change in dwelling values
Month
Quarter
Annual
From peak
Median value
Rodney
-0.8%
-0.8%
-1.3%
-21.0%
$1,202,884
Te Raki Paewhenua North Shore
-0.7%
-2.4%
-1.3%
-19.8%
$1,262,274
Waitakere
-0.5%
-1.3%
-2.7%
-25.6%
$900,441
Auckland City
-0.3%
-1.0%
-3.7%
-24.5%
$1,100,832
Manukau
-0.3%
-1.1%
-3.1%
-25.0%
$976,440
Papakura
-0.4%
-1.1%
-3.1%
-24.5%
$784,164
Franklin
-0.3%
-0.6%
-2.6%
-23.1%
$926,543
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
-0.5%
-1.3%
-2.8%
-23.6%
$1,047,764

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington

Across the wider Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington area in June many markets held steady or lifted slightly, including a 0.2% rise in Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta Upper Hutt.

But Wellington City itself was subdued, seeing a -0.9% drop in values, taking the fall over the quarter to -1.7%, enough to leave the drop from the peak at -26.1%. On that measure, however, Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt has still been weaker (-27.3%).

Mr Davidson noted, “much like in Auckland, housing affordability has improved significantly within the Wellington region, opening up opportunities for buyers.”

“In recent months first home buyers have pushed above 40% of purchasing activity in Porirua, Upper Hutt, and Lower Hutt, and in excess of 35% in Wellington City. With listings high, FHBs are certainly benefitting.”

“There’s a sense that the looming election is becoming a factor influencing the property market in general across the country, and this effect could be even more pronounced in Wellington given its concentration of core government services. Sellers may continue to have a difficult time as the year progresses.”

 
Change in dwelling values
Month
Quarter
Annual
From peak
Median value
Kāpiti Coast
0.0%
-0.3%
-1.4%
-22.3%
$813,915
Porirua
0.1%
-0.4%
-2.3%
-24.0%
$759,712
Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta Upper Hutt
0.2%
-0.8%
-1.7%
-24.8%
$718,650
Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt
0.1%
-1.0%
-3.3%
-27.3%
$653,398
Wellington City
-0.9%
-1.7%
-1.1%
-26.1%
$861,765
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
-0.4%
-1.3%
-1.8%
-26.0%
$774,273

Regional results

If anything, the most notable figures in June were found outside the main centres. After previously recording some fairly consistent gains, several provincial markets still felt the pinch in June as well.

Te Papaioea Palmerston North managed to sneak up by 0.1% and Rotorua was flat, but there were falls in many other areas, including -0.5% or more in Heretaunga Hastings, Tairāwhiti Gisborne, and Whakatū Nelson.
Even previously resilient markets such as Waihōpai Invercargill (-0.2%) and Tāhuna Queenstown (-0.3%) edged downwards in June.

“There’s no doubt that most segments of the agricultural sector are doing very well at present and this will tend to support provincial property markets.”

“But the generally softer tone of the property value data in June is a reminder that sentiment and higher financing costs also matter greatly too.”

“Borrowers may be breathing easier now that the US-Iran peace deal is broadly holding. But even in provincial property markets a strong upturn still looks unlikely in the next 6-12 months at least.”

 Region
Change in dwelling values
Month
Quarter
Annual
From peak
Median value
Whakatū Nelson
-1.0%
-1.5%
-2.1%
-14.7%
$718,879
Tairāwhiti Gisborne
-0.6%
-2.2%
1.9%
-15.8%
$593,073
Heretaunga Hastings
-0.5%
-2.7%
-4.6%
-20.8%
$706,529
Ahuriri Napier
-0.3%
-1.2%
-2.0%
-19.8%
$718,262
Tāhuna Queenstown
-0.3%
-0.7%
3.4%
-3.3%
$1,741,997
Whanganui
-0.3%
-1.1%
0.0%
-12.4%
$493,799
Whangārei
-0.3%
-0.3%
-1.1%
-19.4%
$716,875
Waihōpai Invercargill
-0.2%
0.4%
6.1%
-0.3%
$535,274
Ngāmotu New Plymouth
-0.1%
-0.7%
-1.4%
-6.9%
$704,632
Rotorua
0.0%
0.1%
-0.9%
-12.8%
$644,039
Te Papaioea Palmerston North
0.1%
0.1%
1.2%
-18.2%
$604,104
Property market outlook
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Legislation – Government makes a dog’s breakfast of the Conservation consultation – Greenpeace

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace Aotearoa says the Government has made an absolute “dog's breakfast” of the Conservation Amendment Bill consultation and there remains no clarity as to what exact changes are being made to the contentious Bill.
The Environment Committee today announced an extension to submissions on the Bill until 12pm (midday) on Monday 13 July 2026. The extension follows widespread confusion after the Conservation Minister announced he intended to remove the Bill's land sale and exchange provisions. Those comments were widely reported as though the Bill itself had already changed.
But Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says that was never the case and the public has no reason to trust promises coming from the Government over it.
“The Environment Committee has now agreed to work with legal drafters to remove the land sale and exchange provisions before the Bill goes back to Parliament, but until we see the amended Bill, it remains unclear exactly what exactly is being removed,” says Toop.
“Until the amended text is released, there is no certainty that public conservation land is safe from being sold off or commercially exploited beyond recognition.”
Toop says the uncertainty is significant because the Bill contains multiple provisions that work together to make conservation land easier to sell or exchange.
“The Bill doesn't contain just one land sale clause. It expands the categories of conservation land that can be sold, weakens the legal test for selling land, and changes the purpose architecture of the Conservation Act to give greater weight to commercial exploitation.”
“Even if the Government removed all those clauses they are still proposing to take a wrecking ball to the concessions framework, and allow the Minister to approve private resorts, monorails, shops and other inappropriate commercial exploitation inside National Parks.”
“And even with all the land sales clauses removed, the Bill would still make it easier for more open cast mines and toxic tailings dams to be approved on public conservation land.”
Toop says the Government should abandon the Bill altogether.
“After fierce public backlash to this Bill, the Minister tried to paper over the cracks with his hollow announcement. But this is the same Government that has spent its time in power waging a war on nature, and is backed by NZ First, a party openly pushing for more mining and commercial exploitation on public conservation land.”
“From start to finish this Bill is rotten to its core. It is unfixable and should be binned.”
Greenpeace is encouraging everyone concerned about the future of public conservation land to make a submission before the new deadline. People who have already submitted are being invited by the Committee to lodge an additional submission if they wish to.
Notes
After a bill has been publicly notified and introduced to Parliament it is then referred to a Select Committee, a cross-party panel of MPs who function as a ‘technical working group’ working on behalf of Parliament, not Ministers.
Ministers cannot tell a committee what changes to make to a bill. Any ministerial announcement purporting to do this has no effect. Only the Committee can instruct the legal drafters to make changes.
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Economy – Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eleven months ended 31 May 2026 – NZ Treasury

Source: The Treasury

The Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eleven months ended 31 May 2026 were released by the Treasury today. The May results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU 2026), published on 28 May 2026, and the results for the same period for the previous year.

Overall, the key fiscal indicators for the eleven months ended 31 May 2026 were stronger than forecast. The operating balance before gains and losses excluding ACC (OBEGALx) showed a deficit of $6.8 billion, which was $3.0 billion smaller than forecast. Net core Crown debt was $2.8 billion lower than forecast, at $186.0 billion or 41.3% of GDP.

Core Crown tax revenue at $114.9 billion, was $0.9 billion higher than forecast. The variance predominantly reflected higher-than-forecast corporate and other individuals’ tax revenue owing to stronger-than-forecast provisional tax revenue.

Core Crown revenue at $126.6 billion was $1.7 billion higher than forecast. In addition to the favourable core Crown tax results, revenue from the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) was $0.5 billion higher than forecast reflecting an increase in the price of New Zealand Units (NZUs) and a higher volume of NZUs being surrendered to the Crown.

Core Crown expenses at $132.4 billion, were $0.9 billion lower than forecast spread across a range of functional classifications, including core government services, economic and industrial services, transport and communications and education.

The OBEGALx deficit was $6.8 billion, $3.0 billion smaller than forecast reflecting the core Crown results noted above along with results of State‑Owned Enterprises. When including the revenue and expenses of ACC, the OBEGAL deficit was $9.5 billion, $3.4 billion smaller than the forecast deficit.

The operating balance surplus of $1.1 billion was $3.6 billion stronger than the forecast deficit of $2.5 billion. This mainly reflects the favourable OBEGAL variance mentioned above, with variances in gains and losses on financial and non-financial instruments broadly offsetting each other.

The core Crown residual cash deficit of $4.6 billion was $2.0 billion smaller than forecast. Net core Crown operating cash outflows and capital cash outflows were $1.9 billion and $0.1 billion lower than forecast, respectively. The net core Crown operating cashflows variance was largely driven by higher than forecast tax receipts and lower than forecast personnel and operating costs, broadly consistent with the trends in core Crown tax revenue and expenses discussed above.

Net core Crown debt at $186.0 billion (41.3% of GDP) was $2.8 billion lower than forecast. This variance was mainly driven by the smaller‑than‑forecast core Crown residual cash deficit mentioned above. In addition, the Reserve Bank's issued currency was $0.7 billion higher than forecast.

Gross debt at $222.5 billion (49.3% of GDP) was higher than forecast by $1.2 billion. This primarily reflected higher-than-forecast issuances of Euro Commercial Paper driven by short-term cash requirements and unsettled purchases of securities, partially offset by lower-than-forecast cross-currency derivatives in loss at 31 May 2026.

Net worth attributable to the Crown at $181.2 billion (40.2% of GDP) was $4.1 billion higher than forecast. This reflected the stronger-than-forecast operating balance result mentioned above ($3.6 billion) along with higher-than-expected property, plant and equipment valuation movements.


      

  Year to date Full Year
May
2026
Actual1
$m		 May
2026
BEFU 2026
Forecast1
$m		 Variance2
BEFU 2026
$m		 Variance
BEFU 2026
%		 June
2026
BEFU 2026
Forecast3
$m
Core Crown tax revenue 114,925 113,985 940 0.8 124,807
Core Crown revenue 126,641 124,962 1,679 1.3 137,235
Core Crown expenses 132,408 133,337 929 0.7 147,239
Core Crown residual cash (4,578) (6,563) 1,985 30.2 (9,314)
Net core Crown debt4 186,040 188,863 2,823 1.5 191,761
          as a percentage of GDP 41.3% 41.9%     42.4%
Gross debt 222,535 221,371 (1,164) (0.5) 223,761
          as a percentage of GDP 49.3% 49.1%     49.5%
OBEGAL excluding ACC (OBEGALx) (6,787) (9,827) 3,040 30.9 (11,937)
OBEGAL (9,507) (12,897) 3,390 26.3 (15,058)
Operating balance (excluding minority interests) 1,061 (2,508) 3,569 142.3 (4,137)
Net worth attributable to the Crown 181,217 177,081 4,136 2.3 175,459
          as a percentage of GDP 40.2% 39.3%     38.8%
  1.  Using the most recently published GDP (for the year ended 31 March 2026) of $450,959 million (Source: Stats NZ).
  2. Favourable variances against forecast have a positive sign and unfavourable variances against forecast have a negative sign.
  3. Using BEFU 26 forecast GDP for the year ending 30 June 2026 of $452,159 million (Source: The Treasury).
  4. Net core Crown debt excludes the NZS Fund and core Crown advances. Net core Crown debt may fluctuate during the year largely reflecting the timing of tax receipts.
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Aviation – CAA sets direction and priorities with latest planning documents including new 2026-2027 safety and security focus areas

Source: Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Statement of Intent (SOI) and Statement of Performance Expectations (SPE), published on 1 July, set out what the organisation will deliver and how it will measure progress.

Both documents can be downloaded from our corporate publications page.

For the first time the SPE highlights CAA’s new safety and security focus areas for the 2026-2027 year. See table below.

“These will drive where we direct our regulatory effort across the aviation system, so we can have the greatest impact,” CAA Director Kane Patena says. “We’ll work closely with the sector through targeted engagement and education, helping participants and organisations meet their safety and security responsibilities and manage their own risks effectively.”

“A recent example of this approach is our work on dangerous goods and lithium battery safety through airport security. By identifying this as a key risk area, we focused efforts on targeted education and awareness activities, helping industry participants and passengers better understand and manage the risks traveling with these items brings.” Patena says.

These focus areas have been informed by ICAO's global and regional priorities, alongside an understanding of New Zealand's unique aviation environment and domestic context. The CAA intends to review these periodically to ensure they remain fit for purpose and to ensure our regulatory efforts continue to be directed towards the areas where they can have the greatest impact on aviation safety and security outcomes.

Patena says the documents provide a clear line of sight between the organisation’s strategy, delivery and Government expectations.

“The SOI and SPE outline what matters most for aviation safety and security right now, and how we will demonstrate progress against our deliverables with practical actions and measurable results.”

“Our intent is on being a safety-focused, efficient, and responsive regulator to support the aviation sector, align with Government expectations and facilitate a safe and secure aviation system for New Zealand.”

The SOI outlines the CAA’s medium-term direction for the next four financial years from 2026 to 2030, including how it will track progress against its vision and purpose.

The SPE is published annually and focuses on delivery in 2026-27. It sets out the five activities the CAA is funded to deliver, the results it is aiming to achieve, and how performance will be measured. These activities are:

  • Policy and rule settings
  • Education and engagement
  • Certification and licensing
  • Monitoring and investigation
  • Security delivery.

Together, the SOI and SPE meet the CAA’s statutory reporting requirements under the Crown Entities Act 2004 and provide transparency about its priorities, performance, and use of public resources.

The performance measures in these documents also support quarterly and annual reporting, providing a clearer picture of progress and impact. The SPE includes financial statements and estimated costs for 2026-27, outlining the resources required to deliver work programmes.

Performance measures for 2026-27 have been refreshed to ensure they remain relevant, clear, and useful for tracking performance over time.

Overall, the SOI and SPE link the CAA’s strategic direction with its day-to-day activities, showing how priorities translate into measurable results and public value.

CAA’s focus over the next 18-24 months also includes work to modernise CAA’s regulatory certification and decision-making processes, continue its progress with the Rules Update Programme, and deliver a new Business Transformation Programme which will make targeted investments across technology, capability and systems to drive CAA’s performance.

As New Zealand’s aviation regulator, the CAA’s primary focus is maintaining aviation safety and security. This focus underpins all decisions and actions, helping ensure the aviation system remains safe and secure for those who work in, and rely on it. Over time, this has contributed to a sustained reduction in aviation accidents and fatalities.

Safety and security focus areas 2026-27

Safety focus areas

Outcomes sought from CAA activities

Dangerous goods

Ensuring dangerous goods on passenger aircraft are handled safely and meet required standards

Avoiding Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)

Reducing terrain and weather-related risks in regional air transport and helicopter operations

Uncontrolled airspace and aerodromes

Supporting safer operations in busy uncontrolled environments and reducing mid-air collision risks

Airworthiness and maintenance

Supporting participants and organisations to mitigate component failures and loss-of-control events through strengthened maintenance compliance and practices

Runway and aerodrome safety

Reducing runway incursions and excursions at aerodromes that support passenger air transport using large aircraft

Security focus areas

Outcomes sought from CAA activities

Security of air cargo

Enhancing security across the secure cargo system, including known-customer arrangements and cargo-only aircraft

Airside boundary integrity

Strengthening access controls and protecting airside security areas at security-designated aerodromes

Security in vulnerable locations

Improving physical and personnel security in landside areas at airports with security screening and lifting practices at regional aerodromes

International security risks

Improving our understanding of offshore risks and the security performance of foreign air operators.
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Education – From resettlement training to online learning: Open Polytechnic celebrates 80 years of helping New Zealand’s workforce

Source: Open Polytechnic

Open Polytechnic turns 80 this year, celebrating its history of providing hundreds of thousands of Kiwis access to career-focussed, flexible distance learning wherever they live.
“Since 1946 we have been helping learners from all over Aotearoa New Zealand change their lives through access to flexible distance learning,” says Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Sharon Cooke.
“Over its 80-year history, Open Polytechnic has continually evolved to meet the changing vocational learning needs of New Zealand’s workforce.”
Open Polytechnic has gone from enrolling 615 learners in 1946 to 40,000 today, with 73% of learners studying while working and 97% studying part-time.
Graduates include industry leaders and business owners who have made the most of studying with New Zealand’s leading flexible online learning provider to advance or change their careers.
Well-known landscape designer Bayley LuuTomes changed careers from advertising to horticulture more than a decade ago and has never looked back.
He worked as a gardener in Wellington, before enrolling in Open Polytechnic’s National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4) which he completed in 2012.
Since then, Bayley has run his own business for the past decade, Bayley LuuTomes Design and travels the world from his Christchurch base designing gardens.
In recent years, he has also appeared on My Green Dream Home TV show and worked with Open Polytechnic Academic Staff Member in floristry Megan Parker on The Welcome Garden at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. One of many international shows he has exhibited at.
“Studying through Open Polytechnic gave me the foundation and confidence to pursue a career in landscape design,” Bayley says.
“When I enrolled, I could never have imagined that my career would one day take me onto international stages, television screens, and award-winning projects around the world.”
Waikato-based Sabine Lang used her New Zealand Certificate in Business (Small Business) (Level 4) to help set up her own gluten-free bakery called Lang’s Little Bakery in 2023.
“I could’ve never pulled off starting or running my own business without the knowledge I gained during the programme,” Sabine says.
“It has not only given me the knowledge, but also the confidence.”
The family business is going so well that it has hired two additional staff and is looking to expand its operation from a food trailer to a bakery shop and cafe in Cambridge in the Waikato soon.
Taking her career to new heights, Open Polytechnic graduate Hana Whaanga (Ngāti Rakaipaaka) is now a nominated member of the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) national board.
Hana graduated from Open Polytechnic with a Bachelor of Library and Information Studies (BLIS) in 2023 and works as a Learning and Discovery Librarian at the Hastings District Libraries, where she has been for the past nine years.
“Having my Open Polytechnic tohu (qualification) makes me feel incredibly proud of the work I've done to date in and for this field. I am most proud of the depth of relationships that I have developed and nurtured over time and this whanaungatanga (sense of connection) is what I value overall,” Hana says.
History of Open Polytechnic
Open Polytechnic began life as the Technical Correspondence School under its first principal Dr John Nicol, opening on 1 July 1946, providing distance learning from its home base in Wellington.
Its role was to provide resettlement training, predominantly in trades and farming subjects, for returned servicemen and women following World War 2.
Courses in these early years covered farming, motor mechanics, engineering, agriculture, horticulture, surveying, electrics, plumbing, textiles and more.
Under 1990 tertiary education reforms, The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand name was introduced, resulting in a fundamental change to the organisation’s role as an education provider for learners anywhere in New Zealand.
With this change, Open Polytechnic became the specialist national provider of open and distance learning at tertiary level.
The education reforms meant that the Open Polytechnic was able to start offering degrees, with the first graduate of its Bachelor of Business in 1995.
Fast forward to 2026 and Open Polytechnic offers more than 100 qualifications and 1,000 courses from certificate to diploma and degree level and is one of the oldest distance learning institutions in the world.
Degrees at Open Polytechnic are now offered in accountancy and business, applied management, psychology, communication, information technology, information & library studies, social health and wellbeing, social work, engineering technology, and early childhood education. Open Polytechnic also offers certificates and diplomas in construction management, engineering, business and small business, psychology, information technology, health and wellbeing, legal executive and real estate, pharmacy, education and financial services.
About Open Polytechnic
Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s largest specialist provider of open and distance learning; Open Polytechnic enrols over 40,000 mainly part-time learners per year. The majority of learners are adult learners, combining work and study.
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NZ Minerals Council – Let reality rule

Source: New Zealand Minerals Council

Advancing the Conservation Amendment Bill has become a contest that we hope reality wins, says New Zealand Minerals Council chief executive Josie Vidal.
“What began as an overdue plan to modernise law to make it more workable for tourism, so that visitors could contribute to maintaining the conservation areas they use, turned into a political football,” Vidal says.
“A misinformation campaign with flaming red maps shouting that 60 percent of the conservation estate was going to be sold and/or dug up spread through social media without any real evidence, but rather a very loose interpretation of what the bill might make possible. In reality we all know that no New Zealand Government would get public agreement to sell off vast tracts of conservation land.
“The groups behind this campaign were jumping the shark to try and derail the parliamentary process they are also part of. That is, submitting to and appearing before the Environment Committee considering this bill so that it can be changed and/or improved as it progresses.
“Their actions to force a section of the bill to be removed threatens to undermine the tried and true process. We hope it hasn’t been derailed completely. We must maintain order in law making.
“We give a dose of reality in our submission on the bill and present the facts as responsible users of the conservation estate. Mining companies make significant contributions to pest and predator control and improving conservation outcomes with money and resources not always accessible by the Department of Conservation.
“Reality is:
– Stakeholders were consulted by the Department of Conservation over many years about this modernisation, including what it intended, and equally importantly, what it didn’t intend.
– The mining industry is a small, but important client of the Department of Conservation with permission to access the conservation estate given on a case-by-case basis. We are not seeking to change that.
– Mining to-date has impacted just 0.04 percent of the vast conservation estate. There are no plans to buy and mine swathes of the conservation estate; it makes no economic sense.
– It is possible to balance economic imperatives with positive environmental outcomes.
“We hope the Government holds its course to modernise outdated conservation laws. We believe all stakeholders continue to have opportunities through this process to give their views and make their cases.
“We also believe stakeholders have the same end goal; our truly precious conservation land is preserved and there are adequate funds to maintain it. Those funds are not unlimited.
“We urge all stakeholders to respect the process and it is our sincere hope the select committee, and the bill, are allowed to work through the prescribed process without any more fantasy scenarios.”
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Appointments – The Co-operative Bank elects new director and reports annual results at AGM

Source: The Co-operative Bank

The Co-operative Bank has reported its FY26 annual results and announced at its AGM last night that customer-shareholders had elected experienced financial services executive Nick Astwick to its Board.
The customer-owned bank reported a profit before rebates and tax of $11.1 million and maintained a total capital ratio of 18.5%, the highest among New Zealand-registered banks, providing a strong buffer to support customers, help protect depositors and enable continued investment through economic cycles.
Chief Executive Mark Wilkshire said FY26 was focused on addressing what customers said mattered most while strengthening the Bank for the future.
“This year we reduced fees, simplified products, improved digital capability through the launch of digital wallets, and lifted service consistency,” Mr Wilkshire said.
“Customers have responded positively to these changes, with growth in customer deposits, savings funds and home lending during the year. We're seeing customers choose to do more of their banking with us.”
Last month, The Co-operative Bank returned a further $1.2 million to eligible customer-shareholders through its rebate profit-sharing model, taking the total amount returned to customers since the initiative began in 2013 to $25 million.
“Profit sharing is a clear demonstration of our customer-owned model in action. When we do well, our customers do well. We reinvest what we need to strengthen the Co-operative and improve services, then return the balance to our customers,” he said.
The Bank also delivered an estimated $2.3 million in annual customer savings through fee reductions and removals introduced during the year, alongside continued investment in digital tools and simpler banking products.
FY26 highlights included:
– Revenue of $101 million.
– 8.5% growth in savings funds.
– 3.4% growth in customer deposits.
– 3% growth in home loan lending.
– Maintaining the number one ranking in the Consumer NZ Banking Survey for the fifth consecutive year.
At the AGM, it was also announced that customers had voted to elect Nick Astwick as a director.
Mr Astwick brings more than 20 years’ experience across banking, insurance, investment management and other highly regulated sectors. He is currently Chief Executive Officer of Southern Cross Health Society and has extensive experience leading large customer-owned and member-based organisations.
Chair Brett Sutton said Mr Astwick's experience will be a valuable addition to the Board.
“Nick brings extensive leadership experience across customer-focused organisations, deep knowledge of financial services and a strong understanding of co-operative and member-based business models. We are delighted to welcome him to the Board.”
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Climate News – Earth Sciences New Zealand’s Seasonal Climate Outlook for July to September 2026

Source: Earth Sciences

Highlights: El Niño conditions have now been confirmed in the tropical Pacific, according to Earth Sciences New Zealand criteria. The event remains in its early stages.

* There is an 80% likelihood for El Niño to reach or exceed strong intensity during the July-September period; impacts on New Zealand's weather are expected to become more pronounced as the season progresses, peaking in intensity over the 2026-27 summer (for more information: https://earthsciences.nz/news/el-nino-declared-expected-to-intensify-into-one-of-the-strongest-on-record)
* Rainfall is likely to be near normal or below normal for the north and east of the South Island, and the east of the North Island. Rainfall is most likely to be below normal for the remainder of the North Island. The west of the South Island is likely to see above normal rainfall.
* Air temperatures are equally likely to be near or above average nationwide, though cold snaps and frosts are expected. Increasingly windy and variable conditions are anticipated later in winter and into spring as El Niño signals strengthen.
* Two lower-probability factors remain under active monitoring: Sudden Stratospheric Warming events, which have become more frequent in recent years, and the remote possibility of an out-of-season tropical cyclone, historically associated only with El Niño years.