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  • line 850, column 2: Missing atom:link with rel="self" [help]

      </channel>
      ^

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/rss.xml

  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  2. <rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0" xml:base="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/">
  3.  <channel>
  4.    <title>Beehive.govt.nz - The official website of the New Zealand Government</title>
  5.    <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/</link>
  6.    <description/>
  7.    <language>en</language>
  8.    
  9.    <item>
  10.  <title>More beat officers, and fewer victims</title>
  11.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/more-beat-officers-and-fewer-victims</link>
  12.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government is continuing to track ahead of its violent crime reduction target as Police prepare to roll out more officers on the beat, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say.&lt;/p&gt;
  13. &lt;p&gt;“Police are continuing to roll out beat teams across the country, with Henderson in West Auckland the next cab off the rank,” Mr Mitchell says. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  14. &lt;p&gt;Since receiving funding through Budget 2024, Police have deployed 63 beat officers across our major cities, and into Dunedin, Rotorua and New Plymouth districts. That number will soon grow to 70 with the launch of Henderson’s beat team of seven in the next few weeks.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  15. &lt;p&gt;“Lifting the presence of police officers in our communities is one of this Government’s law and order priorities.&lt;/p&gt;
  16. &lt;p&gt;“Having Police visible out on our streets goes a long way to deterring crime, and ensuring the public are and feel safe.&lt;/p&gt;
  17. &lt;p&gt;“From August 2024 to the end of July 2025, our beat teams in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have racked up 16,498 foot patrol hours, compared with 7,749 the previous year - a 113 per cent increase.&lt;/p&gt;
  18. &lt;p&gt;“With the six, soon to be seven, beat teams, as well as Retail Crime Units or operations now running across most of the country’s police districts, we will continue to see this highly visible police presence having an impact.&lt;/p&gt;
  19. &lt;p&gt;“Police are focussed and working incredibly hard to get on top of crime, and there is no doubt our beat teams are contributing significantly to keeping our communities safe,” Mr Mitchell says.&lt;/p&gt;
  20. &lt;p&gt;This comes as the Government continues to track ahead of its violent crime reduction target, with new data showing even fewer victims than last reported, Mr Goldsmith says.&lt;/p&gt;
  21. &lt;p&gt;“We announced nine targets in March last year, which included ensuring there are 20,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime by 2029, equating to 165,000 victims.&lt;/p&gt;
  22. &lt;p&gt;“The latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey shows there were 156,000 victims of serious violent crime in the 12 months to May. That’s 29,000 fewer than when we came into government, and 1,000 less than our last update.&lt;/p&gt;
  23. &lt;p&gt;“There were also 4,000 fewer Māori victims, a nine per cent decrease on the last update.&amp;nbsp;Māori are disproportionately more likely to be the victims of crime, so this is another positive step in the right direction.&lt;/p&gt;
  24. &lt;p&gt;“We know our plan to restore law and order is working and we make no apologies for getting tough on crime.&amp;nbsp; We've given police and the courts more tools to go after gangs, we’ve put a stop to public funding of background reports, we’ve toughened up our sentencing laws, and reinstated the Three Strikes legislation.&lt;/p&gt;
  25. &lt;p&gt;“We do expect the data to remain volatile, and there’s still more work to do to continue driving these numbers down.&amp;nbsp;Ultimately, there are still 156,000 victims too many,” Mr Goldsmith says.&lt;/p&gt;
  26. &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  27. </description>
  28.  <pubDate>Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:16:30 +1200</pubDate>
  29.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  30.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125758</guid>
  31.    </item>
  32. <item>
  33.  <title>Departing Reserve Bank Chair thanked</title>
  34.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/departing-reserve-bank-chair-thanked</link>
  35.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Finance Minister Nicola Willis has thanked departing Reserve Bank Chair Neil Quigley for his contribution to the Bank after 15 years as a board member and nine as Chair. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  36. &lt;p&gt;Mr Quigley today tendered his resignation from the board and as Board Chair with immediate effect.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  37. &lt;p&gt;“Mr Quigley has decided that having overseen a number of key workstreams for the Bank, now is the appropriate time for him to hand over to a new Chair.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  38. &lt;p&gt;“Mr Quigley departs with a new funding agreement in place, a major review of capital settings out for consultation and the recruitment of a new Governor well-advanced.&lt;/p&gt;
  39. &lt;p&gt;“He leaves the Bank well-positioned for the future. I thank him for his service and wish him well for the future.&lt;/p&gt;
  40. &lt;p&gt;“Deputy Chair Rodger Finlay will exercise the functions of chair until an appointment is made.&lt;/p&gt;
  41. &lt;p&gt;“Mr Quigley’s departure creates a vacancy on the board which will be filled in due course.”&lt;/p&gt;
  42. </description>
  43.  <pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:50:55 +1200</pubDate>
  44.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  45.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125757</guid>
  46.    </item>
  47. <item>
  48.  <title>Tasman flood waste recovery receives $2M boost</title>
  49.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tasman-flood-waste-recovery-receives-2m-boost</link>
  50.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government has granted Tasman District Council up to $2 million to support the region’s recovery from the severe flooding this winter, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  51. &lt;p&gt;The grant – drawn from the recently established emergency waste funding – will help cover the costs of flood-related waste cleanup, waste and resource recovery infrastructure repairs, and the removal of silt from affected properties.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  52. &lt;p&gt;“The Tasman district was hit multiple times by severe flooding this winter, leaving in its wake vast volumes of waste from households, orchards and farms, the scale of which was beyond the region’s capacity to manage alone,” Ms Simmonds says.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  53. &lt;p&gt;“I understand growers in Riwaka and other settlements along the Motueka River have been among the hardest hit, with many facing devastating crop losses and serious damage to essential infrastructure like sheds, cool stores, packhouses and worker accommodation.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  54. &lt;p&gt;“Silt has also been a major challenge for the region, with thick deposits left across orchards, paddocks and residential areas, making clean-up efforts more complex and costly.&lt;/p&gt;
  55. &lt;p&gt;“The impact on livelihoods and the wider community is significant, and this funding will help ease the clean-up costs and support the council and community as they continue to recover.”&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  56. &lt;p&gt;Ms Simmonds says the emergency waste funding was set up to help councils with the cost of managing waste following an emergency, giving them timely access to a cash injection when communities most need it.&lt;/p&gt;
  57. &lt;p&gt;“The Government is committed to supporting councils and communities in dealing with the aftermath of severe weather.&lt;/p&gt;
  58. &lt;p&gt;“Tasman has a long recovery ahead, and this funding will help ease some of the pressure and support the community as it gets back on its feet.”&lt;/p&gt;
  59. &lt;p&gt;To further support the council, the Ministry for the Environment is helping it apply for a waiver of the waste disposal levy to further reduce the financial burden of disposing of silt and other flood-related waste.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  60. &lt;p&gt;“We know how hard people have been working to clean up and rebuild, and we’re grateful for the resilience and care they’ve shown for one another.”&lt;/p&gt;
  61. &lt;p&gt;For further information visit:&amp;nbsp;Emergency waste funding | Ministry for the Environment&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  62. </description>
  63.  <pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +1200</pubDate>
  64.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  65.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125756</guid>
  66.    </item>
  67. <item>
  68.  <title>Have your say on the Telco Sector Review </title>
  69.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/have-your-say-telco-sector-review</link>
  70.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Kiwis can now have their say on proposals for regulatory change in the telecommunications sector, because their voices are a cornerstone of the Review process, Minister for Regulation David Seymour and Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith say.&lt;/p&gt;
  71. &lt;p&gt;“Telecommunication services are as essential as power and water to Kiwis. Changing the way the sector is regulated will affect almost every Kiwi, so they should get a say,” Mr Seymour says.&lt;/p&gt;
  72. &lt;p&gt;“The review is focussed on key regulatory issues raised by the sector. For example, stakeholders told us the administrating and collecting the Telecommunications Development Levy (TDL) is expensive, inefficient and overly burdensome. Due to that feedback we included it in the Review.”&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  73. &lt;p&gt;The Review looks at:&lt;/p&gt;
  74.  
  75. Shareholder cap and constitutional restrictions
  76. Consideration of telecommunications service obligations (TSO)
  77. The methodology for allocating the Telecommunications Development Levy (TDL) across telecommunications service providers and consumers
  78. Retail Service Quality (RSQ) regulation (Part 7 of the Act)
  79. Fibre Fixed Line Access (FFLA) services regulation (Part 6 of the Act)
  80. Fibre service regulations (Part 4AA of the Act)
  81.  
  82. &lt;p&gt;The Review draft proposals include:&lt;/p&gt;
  83.  
  84. Introducing a binding consumer code enforced by the Commerce Commission to better protect consumers
  85. Replacing or phasing out the existing TSO framework so that infrastructure obligations better align with today’s broadband and connectivity requirements
  86. Getting rid of obsolete rules like how to manage copper networks, which we are trying to phase out
  87. Making telecom companies more attractive to investors so they can raise more capital
  88.  
  89. &lt;p&gt;“The sector contributes around 2.5 per cent to New Zealand’s total GDP. In a high-cost economy like ours, regulation isn’t neutral—it’s a tax on growth. That’s why it’s is critical that we get out of the way and remove the red tape stifling industry growth,” Mr Seymour says.&lt;/p&gt;
  90. &lt;p&gt;“While the review is focused on regulatory issues raised by the sector, it now needs the views of Kiwis,” Mr Goldsmith says.&lt;/p&gt;
  91. &lt;p&gt;“The telecommunication service obligation requires some services in rural areas to be available and affordable, so we need to be sure that’s happening.&lt;/p&gt;
  92. &lt;p&gt;“We all rely on high-quality and affordable connectivity for work, social connection, and access to digital services.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  93. &lt;p&gt;“I look forward to seeing the final review report before making decisions on any recommendations,” Mr Goldsmith says.&lt;/p&gt;
  94. &lt;p&gt;Consultation will be open until Thursday 25 September. Have your say here: https://consultation.regulation.govt.nz/telecommunications-sector-regulatory-review/consultation/&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  95. &lt;p&gt;The full terms of reference are available here: Terms of Reference for the regulatory review of the telecommunications sector&lt;/p&gt;
  96. </description>
  97.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:20:42 +1200</pubDate>
  98.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  99.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125753</guid>
  100.    </item>
  101. <item>
  102.  <title>Legislation to support NZ’s defence and security</title>
  103.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/legislation-support-nz%E2%80%99s-defence-and-security</link>
  104.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Chief of Defence Force (CDF) will be better able to manage their workforce to ensure national security is maintained during industrial action under new legislation introduced today, Defence Minister Judith Collins says.&lt;/p&gt;
  105. &lt;p&gt;“The Defence (Workforce) Amendment Bill means the Minister of Defence will be able to authorise CDF to redeploy uniformed personnel to carry out the roles of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) civilian staff. Any authorisation would be informed by operational and legal advice from the NZDF,” Ms Collins says.&lt;/p&gt;
  106. &lt;p&gt;Currently, the Defence Act allows the Minister to authorise the redeployment of uniformed personnel in situations where health and safety is compromised if work is not carried out by the Armed Forces.&lt;/p&gt;
  107. &lt;p&gt;The new bill broadens this authorisation to include instances where national security and readiness to deliver core defence functions are at risk. This could include work such as providing security at military bases, weapons and munitions servicing, and aircraft maintenance.&lt;/p&gt;
  108. &lt;p&gt;The issue was highlighted when civilian staff took industrial action last December. During this time, the Minister of Defence had to seek a resolution from Parliament to ensure uniformed personnel could continue to conduct the work of striking civilian staff for a period longer than 14 days. This meant decisions were vulnerable to the availability of Parliament and risked sensitive information being publicly disclosed.&lt;/p&gt;
  109. &lt;p&gt;“The ability and right of NZDF civilian staff and public service employees to take industrial action remains. But these changes ensure the security of New Zealand, and the safety of New Zealanders, endures while civilian staff exercise their rights,” Ms Collins says.&lt;/p&gt;
  110. &lt;p&gt;“At a time of increasing security challenges, these commonsense changes need to be made.&lt;/p&gt;
  111. &lt;p&gt;“The authorisation of military personnel to cover civilian tasks when industrial action occurs within the NZDF is not taken lightly. But when required, it should be practical in its application. This Bill delivers on that.”&lt;/p&gt;
  112. &lt;p&gt;The public and interested groups will have a chance to submit on the Bill when it is referred to select committee in September 2025.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  113. </description>
  114.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:17:46 +1200</pubDate>
  115.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  116.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125752</guid>
  117.    </item>
  118. <item>
  119.  <title>Agreement signed on poultry biosecurity</title>
  120.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/agreement-signed-poultry-biosecurity</link>
  121.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government and poultry industry have struck a landmark deal, agreeing how they'll jointly prepare for and respond to exotic poultry diseases, including any possible outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.&lt;/p&gt;
  122. &lt;p&gt;“This new operational agreement between the Government and the Egg Producers Federation (EPF) and Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ) is a significant milestone in the country’s preparation for exotic diseases.&lt;/p&gt;
  123. &lt;p&gt;“The H5N1 strain of HPAI is spreading fast around the world. This agreement means we will be ready to respond if that disease, or others, arrives on our shores.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  124. &lt;p&gt;“The poultry industry earns an estimated $2.2 billion per year domestically and brings in around $200 million in export revenue. It’s essential we’re ready to respond to exotic diseases that could devastate the industry, and impact domestic food supply and international trade.&lt;/p&gt;
  125. &lt;p&gt;“This agreement formally recognises industry bodies as decision-makers, alongside the Government, guaranteeing PIANZ and EPF a seat at the table if any of these diseases are detected in New Zealand.”&lt;/p&gt;
  126. &lt;p&gt;The agreement covers Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease virus and all strains of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), including the HPAI strain H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b.&lt;/p&gt;
  127. &lt;p&gt;“Importantly, the agreement also sets out cost-sharing arrangements between taxpayers and the industry. This recognises the benefits to both parties of being well prepared, reporting early, and responding rapidly,” says Mr Hoggard.&lt;/p&gt;
  128. &lt;p&gt;“By sharing the costs of preparation and response, we ensure there are strong incentives on farmers to take preventative measures while also encouraging them to report suspected disease as soon as possible.”&lt;/p&gt;
  129. &lt;p&gt;Under the agreement, industry will contribute 45 per cent of readiness costs for all poultry diseases and 45 per cent of response costs, with the exception of HPAI – for which industry will meet 40 per cent of the response costs.&lt;/p&gt;
  130. &lt;p&gt;Readiness costs can include the cost of developing plans for response operational activities, running exercises for testing plans, and applied research to improve response operations. Response costs can include diagnostics, communications and activities to control a disease.&lt;/p&gt;
  131. &lt;p&gt;“We have also agreed that cost-shareable activities for an H5N1 outbreak should be limited, and that industry will lead responding to an outbreak in poultry farms as soon as possible after a detection, with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI),” says Mr Hoggard.&lt;/p&gt;
  132. &lt;p&gt;“Last year’s avian influenza outbreak at a single commercial egg farm in Otago cost an estimated $25 million. That cost could easily have been far greater were it not for the rapid action on behalf of the farmer and MPI to stand up a response and restrict movements.&lt;/p&gt;
  133. &lt;p&gt;“That outbreak, and the success of containing it to a single farm, showed just how important partnership with industry is in any response.”&lt;/p&gt;
  134. &lt;p&gt;Executive Director for the Poultry Industry Association and the Egg Producers Federation, Michael Brooks, says the agreement is an important step towards a unified response to exotic poultry diseases.&lt;/p&gt;
  135. &lt;p&gt;“The industry’s priority now is to ensure our poultry and egg producers have the most robust biosecurity processes possible in place, to protect their flocks and businesses from H5N1 and other unwanted diseases. H5N1 is a disease spread by wild birds, so our industry, like others, is vulnerable without the right planning, regulation and MPI’s support. &amp;nbsp;We’re pleased with the strong collaboration with MPI.”&lt;/p&gt;
  136. &lt;p&gt;The agreement comes into effect on 1 September 2025.&lt;/p&gt;
  137. </description>
  138.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:14:07 +1200</pubDate>
  139.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  140.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125751</guid>
  141.    </item>
  142. <item>
  143.  <title>Government’s creative sector strategy goes live </title>
  144.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government%E2%80%99s-creative-sector-strategy-goes-live</link>
  145.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government has published its strategy to boost Kiwis’ engagement with the arts, grow the sector’s economic contribution and create more jobs, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith says.&lt;/p&gt;
  146. &lt;p&gt;“Our government’s vision is for New Zealand to we be as well known for its arts and creativity, as it is for dairy exports and beautiful scenery. We know we already have a strong base and areas of global excellence.&lt;/p&gt;
  147. &lt;p&gt;“In November 2024, we released our first draft of Amplify, sparking a conversation with those across the sector, seeing if we can agree broadly on a pathway forward.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  148. &lt;p&gt;“Creativity doesn’t lend itself to tidy strategies. That is why Amplify is enabling, rather than constraining. It provides a framework, but leaves plenty of room for individuals, communities, companies and institutions to find their own path. I’d like to thank all those who have provided feedback and shaped this strategy.”&lt;/p&gt;
  149. &lt;p&gt;Amplify sets out a series of goals for the sector:&lt;/p&gt;
  150.  
  151. The economic contribution of the arts and creative sectors grows to at least $22 billion (of GDP), with a focus on cultural exports and tourism by 2030.
  152. A 10 per cent increase in the number of New Zealanders engaging with New Zealand arts, culture, and heritage by 2030.
  153. 5,000 more people working in the creative and cultural sector by 2030.
  154.  
  155. &lt;p&gt;There are three strategic pillars which outline actions the Government will take to reach these targets:&lt;/p&gt;
  156.  
  157. Maximising value for New Zealand from the creative and cultural sectors through the Crown investment in Arts, Culture and Heritage and wider government investment.
  158. Enhancing New Zealand’s creative and cultural talent pipeline and supporting sustainable career opportunities.
  159. Modernising and streamlining Government regulation so it enables the cultural sectors to thrive.
  160.  
  161. &lt;p&gt;“This is not a set-and-forget strategy. Amplify will be a living document, updated regularly with input from creative industries to ensure it remains relevant to the sector. The conversation will continue.” Mr Goldsmith says.&lt;/p&gt;
  162. </description>
  163.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:56:25 +1200</pubDate>
  164.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  165.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125750</guid>
  166.    </item>
  167. <item>
  168.  <title>Institute of Intelligence Professionals Conference</title>
  169.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/institute-intelligence-professionals-conference</link>
  170.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.&lt;/p&gt;
  171. &lt;p&gt;Thank you to Dan Wildy for the kind invitation and for the hard work you do to keep this institute alive while balancing your day job at New Zealand Police.&lt;/p&gt;
  172. &lt;p&gt;I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you in person today. However, it is comforting to know that our intelligence professionals come together like this to share ideas and update each other on best practice. I say that because there has probably never been a time when your work is more in demand.&lt;/p&gt;
  173. &lt;p&gt;For a long time, intelligence insights from professionals like you, have been a key source of information and insight for decision makers like me.&lt;/p&gt;
  174. &lt;p&gt;You have enjoyed a monopoly on the best tradecraft; you have had the best relationships with overseas partners; and the best access to specialised technology from which to draw your insights.&lt;/p&gt;
  175. &lt;p&gt;It is fair to say that there are signs that monopoly is beginning to crumble.&lt;/p&gt;
  176. &lt;p&gt;Intelligence professionals are now competing in a highly contested information environment where there is some very interesting work happening in the open source.&lt;/p&gt;
  177. &lt;p&gt;My colleagues and I as decision makers rely on your hard work to cut through the noise by giving us clear, impactful and credible insights on the things that truly matter.&lt;/p&gt;
  178. &lt;p&gt;I am fortunate that I to get to read rich and impactful intelligence across all of my portfolios.&lt;/p&gt;
  179. &lt;p&gt;You can count me as a happy customer, but I’m not the only one that can benefit from your insights.&lt;/p&gt;
  180. &lt;p&gt;A key challenge for you is to understand how to use your insights to support a wider range of New Zealanders: from the private sector, to critical infrastructure operators, to community organisations.&lt;/p&gt;
  181. &lt;p&gt;These groups all make decisions that can have implications for our national security.&lt;/p&gt;
  182. &lt;p&gt;How can you provide actionable intelligence and guidance that organisations and citizens can actually use?&lt;/p&gt;
  183. &lt;p&gt;There will always be intelligence that is too sensitive to be shared broadly.&lt;/p&gt;
  184. &lt;p&gt;No one is expecting you to relinquish the Crown jewels, but there’s an opportunity to find a balance.&lt;/p&gt;
  185. &lt;p&gt;How you engage as intelligence professionals is crucial to ensuring New Zealanders have confidence that you are focused on what matters to support our nation’s prosperity and security.&lt;/p&gt;
  186. &lt;p&gt;Another key challenge is to understand how innovation and technology can support this endeavour.&lt;/p&gt;
  187. &lt;p&gt;New Zealanders need you to stay ahead of the threats. That’s not going to happen without an innovation mindset and embracing the technological solutions that can help us solve our biggest problems.&lt;/p&gt;
  188. &lt;p&gt;Today I will share my thoughts on these challenges, to hopefully set the scene for some of your discussions today.&lt;/p&gt;
  189. &lt;p&gt;Implementing the national security strategy&lt;/p&gt;
  190. &lt;p&gt;This Government is focused on ensuring a secure and resilient New Zealand- one that is protected as a free, open, and democratic society for future generations.&lt;/p&gt;
  191. &lt;p&gt;This is the vision outlined in our national security strategy.&lt;/p&gt;
  192. &lt;p&gt;The strategy sets out three priorities:&lt;/p&gt;
  193.  
  194. Acting early to prevent national security threats and build resilience;
  195. Working together with our international partners, businesses, and people across New Zealand; and
  196. Adopting an integrated approach for our national security system.
  197.  
  198. &lt;p&gt;As Minister of the NZSIS and GCSB, Defence, and Space, I’m lucky to see the great work happening in this area.&lt;/p&gt;
  199. &lt;p&gt;We are achieving some wins, and I think you can help us drive further change.&lt;/p&gt;
  200. &lt;p&gt;Acting early&lt;/p&gt;
  201. &lt;p&gt;The first priority is acting early.&lt;/p&gt;
  202. &lt;p&gt;Intelligence insights are absolutely crucial to helping the national security system, and the country as a whole, to act early on a range of threats.&lt;/p&gt;
  203. &lt;p&gt;I see this regularly in the reports that come across my desk.&lt;/p&gt;
  204. &lt;p&gt;In the cyber-security space the sooner we become aware of and take action against a threat, the stronger our defences are.&lt;/p&gt;
  205. &lt;p&gt;The National Cyber Security Centre’s Malware Free Networks, or MFN capability, is an excellent example of how early access to intelligence gives us the awareness needed to protect New Zealanders.&lt;/p&gt;
  206. &lt;p&gt;MFN has disrupted more than 500 million threats since it started operating in 2021.&lt;/p&gt;
  207. &lt;p&gt;If that’s not a success story for intelligence then I don’t know what is.&lt;/p&gt;
  208. &lt;p&gt;But there is the potential to deliver even greater impact.&lt;/p&gt;
  209. &lt;p&gt;There is some excellent thinking underway across the national security system about how we act earlier to disrupt the capabilities of these malicious actors and legally prevent them from striking in the first place.&lt;/p&gt;
  210. &lt;p&gt;When it comes to countering violent extremism, early intelligence insights are supporting efforts to disengage individuals from a radicalisation pathway.&lt;/p&gt;
  211. &lt;p&gt;The next step is to think about ways we can disrupt individuals when they are first engaging in violent extremist propaganda.&lt;/p&gt;
  212. &lt;p&gt;In order to stay ahead of the threats, the intelligence and security agencies need to do more than just collect intelligence and provide protective security advice.&lt;/p&gt;
  213. &lt;p&gt;What if the NZSIS was able to covertly divert an individual in some way? Or encourage a potential violent extremist to seek help and support? We could achieve an even greater impact.&lt;/p&gt;
  214. &lt;p&gt;In the murky world of foreign interference and espionage, early intelligence insights and protective security advice help prepare government officials and the private sector to visit countries where they may be targeted.&lt;/p&gt;
  215. &lt;p&gt;These insights can also support communities who are being targeted by transnational repression activities such as surveillance or harassment.&lt;/p&gt;
  216. &lt;p&gt;The new foreign interference legislation currently before the House will send a message to foreign state actors that this behaviour is unacceptable in New Zealand. It will also make it harder for them to operate here.&lt;/p&gt;
  217. &lt;p&gt;Working together domestically and internationally&lt;/p&gt;
  218. &lt;p&gt;The second priority from the strategy is about domestic and international collaboration.&lt;/p&gt;
  219. &lt;p&gt;We’ve seen significant advances from this intelligence community to make your insights more accessible to a broader audience of New Zealanders.&lt;/p&gt;
  220. &lt;p&gt;I may be biased as their Minister, but both the GCSB and the NZSIS have been shining lights in this regard- for example the GCSB’s annual Cyber Threat Report and the NZSIS’s Threat Environment Report.&lt;/p&gt;
  221. &lt;p&gt;I would like to congratulate the Service for publishing another excellent document last week.&lt;/p&gt;
  222. &lt;p&gt;This report brings these threats to life through clear descriptions of what we face and case studies based on actual activities that have been observed over the past year to 18 months.&lt;/p&gt;
  223. &lt;p&gt;There are some challenging issues in the report that will need to be addressed by our broader society.&lt;/p&gt;
  224. &lt;p&gt;It’s about time these conversations were normalised and for more people to understand why our national security is worthy of attention.&lt;/p&gt;
  225. &lt;p&gt;There is an attitude in some quarters that security and economic growth are somehow in competition with each other.&lt;/p&gt;
  226. &lt;p&gt;That couldn’t be further from the truth. You can’t have prosperity without security, and you can’t have security without prosperity.&lt;/p&gt;
  227. &lt;p&gt;In my space portfolio, we talk about growth and security in the same conversations.&lt;/p&gt;
  228. &lt;p&gt;We attract investment into this sector not only because we have brilliant people and technology, but also because we’re a safe place to do business with an enabling regulatory system and strong security provisions.&lt;/p&gt;
  229. &lt;p&gt;The most recent example of this is the ground-based space infrastructure legislation I recently passed in Parliament.&lt;/p&gt;
  230. &lt;p&gt;To be attractive to potential investors, New Zealand needs to show we can protect our IP and those of our customers.&lt;/p&gt;
  231. &lt;p&gt;That’s why I’m glad to see the NZSIS and GCSB raising awareness about the threat of foreign interference, espionage and cyber attacks. This is encouraging much more mature conversations about identifying threats and managing risk.&lt;/p&gt;
  232. &lt;p&gt;I would like to see these conversations taking place in boardrooms across the country, but particularly in our technology and research sectors.&lt;/p&gt;
  233. &lt;p&gt;If we don’t take security seriously enough, it will be a foreign state actor benefiting from our leading edge innovation, not New Zealand.&lt;/p&gt;
  234. &lt;p&gt;To foster collective understanding we must also focus on the work you do with our international partners.&lt;/p&gt;
  235. &lt;p&gt;I know those relationships are strong and I know they are vital.&lt;/p&gt;
  236. &lt;p&gt;You as intelligence professionals are well regarded, particularly within our most important relationship with the Five Eyes intelligence partnership.&lt;/p&gt;
  237. &lt;p&gt;We receive tremendous value from these relationships, but I know we contribute significant value too.&lt;/p&gt;
  238. &lt;p&gt;That’s why it is so galling to hear commentary that questions the value of our Five Eyes participation or claims that it interferes with our independent foreign policy.&lt;/p&gt;
  239. &lt;p&gt;Nothing could be further from the truth, and frankly it is time people grew up. We remain firmly in charge of our own destiny. In fact, our Five Eyes relationships help us to maintain our independence. When we receive good intelligence, we make good decisions.&lt;/p&gt;
  240. &lt;p&gt;I think it is time we talked more about the kind of value we receive.&lt;/p&gt;
  241. &lt;p&gt;It is as simple as this: our membership of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership contributes to the safety and security of New Zealand each and every day.&lt;/p&gt;
  242. &lt;p&gt;Being part of the Five Eyes gives us access to capabilities that help to disrupt drug flows. It helps us counter violent extremist, terrorist and foreign interference threats. It keeps us in the fight on espionage and cyber attacks.&lt;/p&gt;
  243. &lt;p&gt;Any cooperation with Five Eyes partners is always on our own terms. It needs to be done in accordance with our own laws and priorities, and our sovereign decision-making abilities are maintained throughout.&lt;/p&gt;
  244. &lt;p&gt;I think there are plenty of reasons for New Zealanders to have trust and confidence in these relationships.&lt;/p&gt;
  245. &lt;p&gt;The debate misses the real point - our security and prosperity, now and into the future.&lt;/p&gt;
  246. &lt;p&gt;Thank you for the work you do as intelligence professionals to keep our Five Eyes relationships so strong.&lt;/p&gt;
  247. &lt;p&gt;Adopting an integrated approach&lt;/p&gt;
  248. &lt;p&gt;I will finish with the third priority from the national security strategy: adopting an integrated approach.&lt;/p&gt;
  249. &lt;p&gt;Because of our size, we can only achieve the scale we need by working together and sharing resources across government.&lt;/p&gt;
  250. &lt;p&gt;New Zealand risks being left behind by the fast-moving world of artificial intelligence if we don’t look at how to achieve greater technological integration.&lt;/p&gt;
  251. &lt;p&gt;It’s important to get the transition to AI right, but we also can’t afford to muck around.&lt;/p&gt;
  252. &lt;p&gt;From a security and intelligence perspective, AI is important for three reasons:&lt;/p&gt;
  253.  
  254. AI has huge potential to make your agencies more efficient and effective.
  255. Our adversaries are already using AI in ways that undermine our interests; and finally
  256. Intelligence professionals need to support New Zealanders to embrace AI safely and securely.
  257.  
  258. &lt;p&gt;I am pleased that your agencies have work underway in these areas, but it would be even better if we went faster, if we were more joined up, and if we better leveraged private sector capabilities.&lt;/p&gt;
  259. &lt;p&gt;There is no point undertaking this work within our agencies’ silos – an integrated approach will make us both stronger and safer.&lt;/p&gt;
  260. &lt;p&gt;If you were after a challenging and rewarding career, you have come to the right place.&lt;/p&gt;
  261. &lt;p&gt;There are some incredible opportunities to deliver credible, impactful and actionable intelligence that has the potential to make a real difference. You are excellent at countering threats but let’s consider how you can disrupt threats too.&lt;/p&gt;
  262. &lt;p&gt;You are lucky enough to work with the best of the best both here in New Zealand and alongside your international partners.&lt;/p&gt;
  263. &lt;p&gt;My message to you is to make the most of those opportunities and always strive for better.&lt;/p&gt;
  264. &lt;p&gt;Thank you for keeping us well informed and for the great work you do to keep New Zealand safe and secure.&lt;/p&gt;
  265. </description>
  266.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:11:18 +1200</pubDate>
  267.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  268.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125749</guid>
  269.    </item>
  270. <item>
  271.  <title>Government reforms to improve alcohol regulation </title>
  272.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-reforms-improve-alcohol-regulation</link>
  273.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee today announced proposed changes to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, and says the focus is on restoring fairness and practicality to the system without compromising public safety.&lt;/p&gt;
  274. &lt;p&gt;“Most New Zealanders who choose to drink alcohol do so responsibly. Our reforms recognise that responsible drinkers should not be penalised because of the behaviour of a few who do not drink safely,” Mrs McKee says.&lt;/p&gt;
  275. &lt;p&gt;“The Government is making targeted reforms to alcohol legislation to remove unnecessary red tape while continuing to uphold protections that minimise alcohol-related harm.&lt;/p&gt;
  276. &lt;p&gt;The package aims to improve how the law operates in practice, removing compliance burdens that don’t meaningfully reduce harm, while strengthening areas where regulation can have a real impact.&lt;/p&gt;
  277. &lt;p&gt;Key changes include:&lt;/p&gt;
  278.  
  279. Fairer, clearer licensing processes, including ensuring that objections to licence applications come from the local community, and allowing applicants the right to respond to objections;
  280. Modernised rules for national events, enabling Ministers to declare major televised events without the need for legislative amendments each time;
  281. Stronger safeguards, such as improved age verification under the Government’s Digital Identification Trust Framework, and clear responsibilities for alcohol delivery services to prevent sales to intoxicated or underage people.
  282.  
  283. &lt;p&gt;“These are practical changes that maintain the core objective of the Act - minimising alcohol-related harm - while recognising that regulation must also be proportionate and workable,” Mrs McKee says.&lt;/p&gt;
  284. &lt;p&gt;The reforms also reflect growing consumer demand for non-intoxicating alternatives. Licensed premises will be required to offer a wider range of zero- and/or low-alcohol beverages, and outdated definitions in the Act will be updated to reflect modern products and preferences.&lt;/p&gt;
  285. &lt;p&gt;“People deserve to have choices, including the choice to enjoy a drink responsibly, or to opt for non-alcoholic alternatives that suit their lifestyle. The current rules around non-alcoholic options are overly restrictive and don’t reflect how people actually drink today,” Mrs McKee says.&lt;/p&gt;
  286. &lt;p&gt;Mrs McKee stressed that territorial authorities will retain all current powers to regulate alcohol within their communities through Local Alcohol Policies and District Licensing Committees.&lt;/p&gt;
  287. &lt;p&gt;“I trust local councils to make the right decisions for their communities. If people have concerns about alcohol in their area, they should raise them directly with their council, and many already do.”&lt;/p&gt;
  288. &lt;p&gt;“These changes strike a careful balance: they make life fairer for responsible drinkers and honest businesses, while continuing to target the areas where alcohol misuse can cause real harm,” Mrs McKee says.&lt;/p&gt;
  289. &lt;p&gt;Cabinet decided to&lt;/p&gt;
  290.  
  291. Allow licence applicants a right of reply to objectors.
  292. Only allow objections to applications from local communities.
  293. When renewing a licence under a new LAP, require DLCs to change licence conditions, rather than completely decline the application.
  294. Allow hairdressers and barbers to supply small amounts of alcohol to customers without a licence.
  295. Allow premises like wineries, such as breweries and meaderies, and distilleries, to hold both on- and off-licences to support cellar door sales.
  296. Update regulations so that rapid delivery services will be better supported to reduce alcohol-related harm.
  297. Enable the responsible Minister to declare a stand-alone exemption to special licensing requirements for national televised events.
  298. Allow age verification digital identity credentials as approved evidence of age documents for alcohol purchases.
  299. “Non-alcoholic” drinks are drinks with no alcohol content. E.G., water and soft drinks.
  300. “Low alcohol” drinks are drinks with negligible alcohol content. E.G., kombucha.
  301. “Zero-alcohol” drinks are drinks with no alcohol content, but which simulate alcoholic drinks e.g. 0.0% gin.
  302.  
  303. </description>
  304.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:55:54 +1200</pubDate>
  305.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  306.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125748</guid>
  307.    </item>
  308. <item>
  309.  <title>Demolition by neglect stops here</title>
  310.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/demolition-neglect-stops-here</link>
  311.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Good morning.&lt;/p&gt;
  312. &lt;p&gt;First, acknowledgements to the dignitaries gathered today including Mayor Ben Bell, local and regional councillors, heritage leaders including from Heritage New Zealand, rail and engineering leaders, and members of the community.&lt;/p&gt;
  313. &lt;p&gt;We are joined by the Honourable Mark Patterson, Minister for Rural Communities and a local Member of Parliament here in Southland.&lt;/p&gt;
  314. &lt;p&gt;Thank you to KiwiRail’s Vanessa Oakley for your words today, but more importantly for facilitating the transfer of ownership of this historic station to the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.&lt;/p&gt;
  315. &lt;p&gt;We also acknowledge Duncan Roy, head of the Interislander and a Southlander whose parents first met here at this Station.&lt;/p&gt;
  316. &lt;p&gt;Thank you to Dr Murray King for his words on behalf of the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand, and more importantly for taking on this restoration project in addition to the many heritage projects the Trust has delivered for decades.&lt;/p&gt;
  317. &lt;p&gt;We have come all the way to Mataura from the Winterless North, three days before Spring, to celebrate a very special occasion.&lt;/p&gt;
  318. &lt;p&gt;As you have heard, this important feature of New Zealand’s industrial and rail heritage will be restored.&lt;/p&gt;
  319. &lt;p&gt;To adapt a rail phrase, ‘demolition by neglect stops here.’&lt;/p&gt;
  320. &lt;p&gt;The Mataura Railway Station was built in 1921, on a railway line that first opened in 1875 thanks in no small part to one of New Zealand’s most important leaders: Sir Julius Vogel.&lt;/p&gt;
  321. &lt;p&gt;This nation was built on rail, enabling extensive development of the industries that turned us into a leading export nation.&lt;/p&gt;
  322. &lt;p&gt;And we can do it all again too, but that is a different speech.&lt;/p&gt;
  323. &lt;p&gt;This station was designed by Sir George Troup, then the Railway Architect and later the Mayor of Wellington.&lt;/p&gt;
  324. &lt;p&gt;Sir George’s stations dot the New Zealand map, and this is a particularly special example.&lt;/p&gt;
  325. &lt;p&gt;It still retains the original arts and crafts features designed by Sir George.&lt;/p&gt;
  326. &lt;p&gt;Its symmetrical form, gabled roof, original cresting and shiplap weatherboards are a sight to behold.&lt;/p&gt;
  327. &lt;p&gt;This is a building that wants to be seen.&lt;/p&gt;
  328. &lt;p&gt;And the best use of heritage is to use it.&lt;/p&gt;
  329. &lt;p&gt;This Station has sat derelict on Main Street for far too long.&lt;/p&gt;
  330. &lt;p&gt;Unlike others who believe heritage buildings and structures should be left in the past, we understand their importance to communities, to our national identity, and to our future.&lt;/p&gt;
  331. &lt;p&gt;In Wellington, the local MP wants to tear down statues.&lt;/p&gt;
  332. &lt;p&gt;We have news for her: the past doesn’t go away just because you hide from it.&lt;/p&gt;
  333. &lt;p&gt;The past is with us every day.&lt;/p&gt;
  334. &lt;p&gt;We either learn from our past by understanding our history, or we live in ignorance.&lt;/p&gt;
  335. &lt;p&gt;This Station is not just as you see it today – in need of a new roof, replacing rotten weatherboards, painting over the tagging, and fixing the hole in the floor.&lt;/p&gt;
  336. &lt;p&gt;This Station is a symbol of our national character.&lt;/p&gt;
  337. &lt;p&gt;Because only fools steam ahead without knowing where they have come from.&lt;/p&gt;
  338. &lt;p&gt;Communities, like this one who have campaigned to save this Station, are not fools.&lt;/p&gt;
  339. &lt;p&gt;We are for the people.&lt;/p&gt;
  340. &lt;p&gt;When the people say they want to see a building restored, and we have responsibility for it, we put our minds to the task to find out how to do it.&lt;/p&gt;
  341. &lt;p&gt;KiwiRail is a commercial enterprise.&lt;/p&gt;
  342. &lt;p&gt;The revenue it earns, like every other business, goes back into its bottom line to pay for its staff, pay its bills, and invest for its future.&lt;/p&gt;
  343. &lt;p&gt;That revenue is not available for worthy public causes.&lt;/p&gt;
  344. &lt;p&gt;So that is where we, the Government, come in.&lt;/p&gt;
  345. &lt;p&gt;We provide a small amount of funding each year to KiwiRail for public good purposes.&lt;/p&gt;
  346. &lt;p&gt;That funding pays for important items like Rail Safety Week, the modest annual campaign to lift awareness of safety.&lt;/p&gt;
  347. &lt;p&gt;It subsidises heritage rail operators to access the rail network so that we, the public, can enjoy steam locomotives and historic carriages right here on our network.&lt;/p&gt;
  348. &lt;p&gt;We wrote to KiwiRail’s new chair, Sue Tindal, who regrettably gives her apologies for this event, and requested they consider lifting their annual contribution to the Rail Heritage Trust so that it can do more with local volunteers and donors to save our industrial heritage.&lt;/p&gt;
  349. &lt;p&gt;Ms Tindal discussed this with her board, and they determined to lift the contribution from $120,000 to $500,000 per year.&lt;/p&gt;
  350. &lt;p&gt;This is the type of funding that makes a real difference – multiplied by the volunteer labourers and donors who chip in to make it all work.&lt;/p&gt;
  351. &lt;p&gt;And we are pleased to see KiwiRail and the Trust agree to a transfer of ownership and the prioritising of this restoration as job number one.&lt;/p&gt;
  352. &lt;p&gt;We hope the Council might come to the party with some funding also.&lt;/p&gt;
  353. &lt;p&gt;It joins other positive endeavours, like the Trust and KiwiRail’s work to restore the Moana footbridge on the West Coast – itself part of a largely intact railway yard with multiple buildings cared for by the Trust.&lt;/p&gt;
  354. &lt;p&gt;This building, once restored, has a prominent location right here on Main Street.&lt;/p&gt;
  355. &lt;p&gt;The Trust will want tenants – a café, a gallery, an office.&lt;/p&gt;
  356. &lt;p&gt;Tourism operators like Dunedin Railways and KiwiRail might even see the potential in bringing their customers here.&lt;/p&gt;
  357. &lt;p&gt;Today, as they say, is just the beginning.&lt;/p&gt;
  358. &lt;p&gt;Now, let’s have a look around the building.&lt;/p&gt;
  359. &lt;p&gt;Thank you very much.&lt;/p&gt;
  360. </description>
  361.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:02:23 +1200</pubDate>
  362.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  363.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125746</guid>
  364.    </item>
  365. <item>
  366.  <title>Demolition by neglect stops here</title>
  367.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/demolition-neglect-stops-here</link>
  368.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand will receive an increased annual contribution to support its restoration efforts of rail heritage buildings and structures, Rail Minister Winston Peters announced today.&lt;/p&gt;
  369. &lt;p&gt;“This is about our national industrial heritage and the volunteer power and engineering pride of railway communities,” Mr Peters says.&lt;/p&gt;
  370. &lt;p&gt;“Only fools steam ahead without any knowledge of where they have been, and communities that value their past are not fools.&lt;/p&gt;
  371. &lt;p&gt;“KiwiRail has a small amount of funding for public good initiatives like rail safety campaigns, helping the public enjoy historic steam locomotives and carriages access on the network, and minor infrastructure works for community benefit.&lt;/p&gt;
  372. &lt;p&gt;“We requested KiwiRail’s board consider increasing its public good investment in heritage and were pleased to hear from new Chair Sue Tindal that they have increased the annual contribution to the Trust from $125,000 to $500,000.&lt;/p&gt;
  373. &lt;p&gt;“The Trust has restored many railway buildings, including the famous Cass railway station, as depicted in the painting by Rita Angus. The Trust has a long list of valued sites which they want to support with local financial and volunteer backing.&lt;/p&gt;
  374. &lt;p&gt;“Discussions are underway to transfer ownership of the historic Mataura Railway Station from KiwiRail to the Trust, with this funding increase enabling its restoration with the support of local volunteers and donors. This project has been at an impasse for too long, and we have heard the provincial champions who have worked hard to see it restored so we are fixing it.&lt;/p&gt;
  375. &lt;p&gt;“Resolving another neglected heritage site, KiwiRail is repairing the historic rail footbridge at Moana on the West Coast and is in discussion with the Trust about it taking responsibility the for the bridge’s ongoing upkeep,” Mr Peters says.&lt;/p&gt;
  376. </description>
  377.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:00:15 +1200</pubDate>
  378.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  379.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125745</guid>
  380.    </item>
  381. <item>
  382.  <title>NZ–UAE Trade Agreement enters into force today, unlocking billions in new opportunities</title>
  383.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz%E2%80%93uae-trade-agreement-enters-force-today-unlocking-billions-new-opportunities</link>
  384.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The New Zealand–United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has officially entered into force today, opening the door to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Agriculture, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay announced.&lt;/p&gt;
  385. &lt;p&gt;“The NZ–UAE CEPA is New Zealand’s fastest-ever trade agreement. Negotiated in just over four months, it delivers up to an estimated $42 million in tariff savings per year for Kiwi exporters and the wider economy,” Mr McClay says.&lt;/p&gt;
  386. &lt;p&gt;“From today, 98.5 per cent of New Zealand’s exports to the UAE will enter duty-free, rising to 99 per cent by the start of 2027. This is one of the best goods market access packages we have ever secured.”&lt;/p&gt;
  387. &lt;p&gt;Key goods, such as dairy ($766m), red meat ($52.5m), apples ($34.9m), kiwifruit ($7.8m), seafood ($15.5m), forestry products ($9.4m), and honey ($5.2m) will all enter duty free from today.&lt;/p&gt;
  388. &lt;p&gt;The UAE is one of New Zealand’s largest markets in the Middle East, and a gateway into a US$500 billion economy that is growing and diversifying rapidly. With two-way trade already worth $1.44 billion a year the CEPA creates a platform to go much further.&lt;/p&gt;
  389. &lt;p&gt;The UAE imports 90 per cent of its food, meaning strong new opportunities for New Zealand’s world-class producers.&lt;/p&gt;
  390. &lt;p&gt;“Beyond goods this agreement creates a platform for two-way investment, digital trade, and services opportunities that will generate jobs, lift incomes, and boost the economy for all New Zealanders,” Mr McClay says.&lt;/p&gt;
  391. &lt;p&gt;“The CEPA strengthens our relationship with a key Gulf partner and takes us a step closer to the Government’s goal of doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports in 10 years.”&lt;/p&gt;
  392. </description>
  393.  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:01:00 +1200</pubDate>
  394.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  395.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125744</guid>
  396.    </item>
  397. <item>
  398.  <title>Speech to National Regulators’ Community of Practice: Business as usual?</title>
  399.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/speech-national-regulators%E2%80%99-community-practice-business-usual</link>
  400.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Introduction&lt;/p&gt;
  401. &lt;p&gt;Normally I’d start these things off by thanking you all for having me, thanking the conference organisers, and saying how nice it is to be in Australia, with our ANZAC Partners.&lt;/p&gt;
  402. &lt;p&gt;I am pleased you invited me, and I always enjoy meeting Australians, one way or another. However, when I saw the conference title “Regulation 2025 to 2050: Disruption, Change, and Continuity,” my heart sank.&lt;/p&gt;
  403. &lt;p&gt;It’s one of those phrases that could be used to describe almost any point in time. To show you what I mean, I thought of some other uses:&lt;/p&gt;
  404. &lt;p&gt;The Steam Age 1770-1914: Disruption, Change and Continuity&lt;/p&gt;
  405. &lt;p&gt;Europe: 1939-1945: Disruption, Change and Continuity&lt;/p&gt;
  406. &lt;p&gt;Or, a more local example. Australian Cricket 2018: Sandpaper, Spin, and Turn&lt;/p&gt;
  407. &lt;p&gt;Just checking you’re listening.&lt;/p&gt;
  408. &lt;p&gt;Besides being far too versatile, the title screams that the status quo carries on, whatever it is. There’s no sense of urgency . No question of whether our underlying assumptions are correct. Whatever happens, we end up back at continuity.&lt;/p&gt;
  409. &lt;p&gt;I’d like to challenge that, because dare I say, I bring a different perspective. I am not a professional regulator, I’m not an unelected public official.&lt;/p&gt;
  410. &lt;p&gt;I’m a representative of my neighbours, who trust me with their vote, and ask me to speak on their behalf. They conduct rigorous and public performance reviews every three years, and there’s no tribunal hearing if I don’t like the outcome.&lt;/p&gt;
  411. &lt;p&gt;My basic thesis is this. The past three decades have seen an explosion of regulatory activity, both on the compliance side and the administrative side.&lt;/p&gt;
  412. &lt;p&gt;This growth in activity has had three effects, each one more pernicious than the last.&lt;/p&gt;
  413. &lt;p&gt;Number one, it consumes significant real resources, both in direct costs and in delays.&lt;/p&gt;
  414. &lt;p&gt;Number two, it leads to a deadweight loss when otherwise viable projects are forgone due to regulatory costs.&lt;/p&gt;
  415. &lt;p&gt;Number three, over time it changes our culture, because children grow up with fewer heroes who took initiative and succeeded.&lt;/p&gt;
  416. &lt;p&gt;These costs have not been justified by any improvement in people’s outcomes. Not even close. Instead, the explanation for the regulatory explosion lies in public choice economics.&lt;/p&gt;
  417. &lt;p&gt;Let me lay this out.&lt;/p&gt;
  418. &lt;p&gt;The regulatory explosion&lt;/p&gt;
  419. &lt;p&gt;I was talking to one of the people I represent this morning. This person has a land development company. They’ve been building Kiwi suburbs for three generations. I spoke to them this morning to get a story straight they told me a few years ago.&lt;/p&gt;
  420. &lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, I’d remembered it correctly. Their developments are often coastal. They take land and create beautiful subdivisions where people are extremely happy to live.&lt;/p&gt;
  421. &lt;p&gt;One of their first coastal developments, 35 years ago, took a matter of months to consent. It involved eight different resource consents, perhaps understandable considering all the modification of a coastal environment to create canals and so on. There were less than a handful of expert consultants involved. Perhaps a civil engineer, a surveyor, and one or two others.&lt;/p&gt;
  422. &lt;p&gt;That development stands today as one of the more desirable addresses in New Zealand. Nobody, so far as I’m aware, believes that it is an environmental problem. In fact, some of New Zealand’s wealthiest people pay a fortune to live in this modified environment.&lt;/p&gt;
  423. &lt;p&gt;The Business has carried on replicating the success, but the regulatory costs have exploded. They tell me they now need 37 different resource consents to do exactly the same thing. Physically, it is identical to the development of the early 1990s. At last count, they needed 26 different paid experts to interface with the regulator.&lt;/p&gt;
  424. &lt;p&gt;These are the direct costs and delays. The fees are astronomical. Consenting is now measured in years instead of months. Altogether massive costs have been added. And yet, nobody can point to a better outcome for all these resources being diverted.&lt;/p&gt;
  425. &lt;p&gt;The second effect is that people stop doing things. My constituent tells me that they now turn down projects that would have proceeded in happier and simpler regulatory environments.&lt;/p&gt;
  426. &lt;p&gt;The third effect is that a three generation business may not a have a fourth, if we don’t get our act together. It would be such a shame to lose that accumulated knowledge because regulatory costs make development more expensive than homebuyers can afford to pay.&lt;/p&gt;
  427. &lt;p&gt;I’m proud to say our Government is doing serious, first-principles reform of resource management. New underlying legislation will be in place before the 2026 election. I think there will be a fourth generation and Kiwis will see a return to housing affordability over the medium term.&lt;/p&gt;
  428. &lt;p&gt;We are also reforming building regulations, starting from the premise of equivalency with overseas materials and techniques. It’s absurd that 67 territorial authorities have each been gatekeeping their own bespoke building product market. These changes I’m sure will go a long way to helping the next generation own a part of their country, and believe that country is worth their support.&lt;/p&gt;
  429. &lt;p&gt;Housing is perhaps the most important regulatory failure in New Zealand. Home ownership rates have plummeted and a generation that sees no future in a property owning democracy will militate against a democracy that hasn’t worked for them.&lt;/p&gt;
  430. &lt;p&gt;In New Zealand we now have sitting politicians openly questioning whether democracy is the best system. Ironically, they themselves are elected, but I didn’t say they were smart, just that they’re reflecting a sentiment too many young New Zealanders share.&lt;/p&gt;
  431. &lt;p&gt;I believe the broken pathway to home ownership is one of the biggest challenges that societies like Australia and New Zealand face, and at its heart it is a regulatory failure.&lt;/p&gt;
  432. &lt;p&gt;I could make similar arguments for everything from access to medicines, to financial services to operating a daycare. The consistent refrain is that people who went into a field to achieve a goal are frustrated with their regulatory environment.&lt;/p&gt;
  433. &lt;p&gt;“All I wanted to do is help children reach their potential,” they’ll say, “but all I actually do is fill out forms for the Ministry of Education.” “I went into this financial advice to protect the vulnerable from conmen, but it’s so hard to ask me for advice that they end up with the conmen anyway.” I could tell you stories from my neighbours who elected me all night.&lt;/p&gt;
  434. &lt;p&gt;My challenge is to ask yourself: For the pages of rules, the number of regulators, and the time spent in compliance activity, can you really say the outcomes you’re delivering are more cost effective than three decades ago?&lt;/p&gt;
  435. &lt;p&gt;The Productivity Paradox&lt;/p&gt;
  436. &lt;p&gt;I believe the regulatory explosion explains more than a generation disillusioned with the housing market. Housing production is not the only industry that’s been stifled.&lt;/p&gt;
  437. &lt;p&gt;In New Zealand we talk about the productivity paradox. New Zealand has done all the right things, and rarely rates outside the top five nations in a public policy league table. And yet we find ourselves on the wrong end of the productivity statistics. In the past decade we’ve had a moribund growth rate of 0.2 per cent.&lt;/p&gt;
  438. &lt;p&gt;How to explain this paradox? My theory comes from an Economics Professor I tutored under. I won’t name him because these academics exist in a suffocating left wing environment, and being quoted by me can leave them sitting all alone in the staffroom.&lt;/p&gt;
  439. &lt;p&gt;His basic point was that the era of neo-liberalism is known for deregulation, but shouldn’t be. Yes, you have more freedom to do things, but practically they are harder to do.&lt;/p&gt;
  440. &lt;p&gt;People are forced to spend more time on what he calls transactional activity; that is getting permission to do work, demonstrating work has been done, showing qualifications to do work, planning to do work, everything but actually doing work.&lt;/p&gt;
  441. &lt;p&gt;The converse is that people have less time to actually do work, less time for what he calls transformational activity. All of this is borne out well by the story from by subdivision building constituent, but it could be borne out in most industries just as easily.&lt;/p&gt;
  442. &lt;p&gt;Officially, New Zealand is one of the freest societies in history. You really can register a business in moments. We have thrown off the kind of 20th century petty bureaucracy and soft corruption that prevents people in developing countries even setting up shop. They have been replaced by new barriers to nearly everything you might seek to do after that, and we transform less because we’re too busy transacting.&lt;/p&gt;
  443. &lt;p&gt;The Public Choice Origins of the Explosion&lt;/p&gt;
  444. &lt;p&gt;Why has this happened? If you accept that the regulatory state grown faster than the value it delivers for the past three or four decades, what is the explanation?&lt;/p&gt;
  445. &lt;p&gt;I’ve pondered this and find the public choice explanation the most convincing. If you are not familiar with the public choice literature, it is worth it. Even if for no other reason that it will make politics less frustrating. Few people are truly evil or stupid, but politics creates weird incentives. Public choice is the application of micro-economics and game theory to political actors.&lt;/p&gt;
  446. &lt;p&gt;At its heart is a tragedy of the commons. If you vote badly, or don’t vote at all, you face no cost. I know you guys get fined for not voting, but that’s another story. You still wake up on Sunday morning with the same Government regardless of voting effort.&lt;/p&gt;
  447. &lt;p&gt;Being informed and rational about voting has an opportunity cost. You have to give up other opportunities to do it. If you’re familiar with Garet Hardin’s essay, The Tragedy of the Commons, you should be able to see the parallel.&lt;/p&gt;
  448. &lt;p&gt;Bad or poorly informed votes are a benefit to the person who casts them. The costs are spread across everyone else who needs to live under bad policy. It’s the same as a herdsman putting another cow on the commons to get a private benefit at public expense.&lt;/p&gt;
  449. &lt;p&gt;Nonetheless, there are a lot of people who do benefit from bad policies, such as excessive regulation. Sometimes, it’s regulated parties who calculate that regulation will cost them less than their competitors. Other times it’s interest groups who want some cause they believe in recognised. Other times its regulators who are eager to expand the scope and size of their practices. Still other times it’s the 26 ‘experts’ who get paid to interface with the regulators.&lt;/p&gt;
  450. &lt;p&gt;There is no shortage of organised interest groups wanting more regulation, and they have an unlikely advantage. As Mancur Olsen wrote in his Logic of Collective Action 'there is a systematic tendency for 'exploitation' of the great by the small.' Small groups find it easier to organise politically, and tend to do better at lobbying.&lt;/p&gt;
  451. &lt;p&gt;You might ask why regulations has seemingly grown in the past three or four decades when public choice has been true for a lot longer than that. I have some thoughts about that, which I won’t go into in the interests of time. If you don’t all drum me out of here for the content of this speech I might tell you at the bar.&lt;/p&gt;
  452. &lt;p&gt;A problem defined&lt;/p&gt;
  453. &lt;p&gt;If you agree that there is a problem with regulation, that it is large and systematic, and it is driven by phenomena best explained by public choice theory, then I have one more proposition to sell you: A problem defined is a problem half solved.&lt;/p&gt;
  454. &lt;p&gt;If the public have been left worse off because it’s difficult for them to monitor the quality of regulatory initiatives, then our goal should be to lower to cost to citizens of tat monitoring. That is, in a nutshell, what New Zealand’s Ministry for Regulation was set up to do.&lt;/p&gt;
  455. &lt;p&gt;The Regulatory Standards Bill, currently wending its way through Parliament, is especially designed to do that.&lt;/p&gt;
  456. &lt;p&gt;The Regulatory Standards Bill&lt;/p&gt;
  457. &lt;p&gt;The Bill has three parts. A declaration regime, a set of principles, and an enforcement regime.&lt;/p&gt;
  458. &lt;p&gt;The first part is a declaration regime. We have had Regulatory Impact Statements for a long time, and they have been ineffective for a long time. There is little incentive for Ministers or departments to demand more rigorous scrutiny of their own regulatory initiatives. Something about turkeys and Christmas comes to mind.&lt;/p&gt;
  459. &lt;p&gt;These will be largely replaced by Consistency Assessment Statements, which will be different because they will have a statutory basis. They will reflect a set of principles, which make up the second part of the law.&lt;/p&gt;
  460. &lt;p&gt;Respect for property rights, liberties, the rule of law, problem definition and cost-benefit analysis, among other principles, will be set in law by Parliament as mandatory considerations this year. The aim is to make the impacts of collective action on individual rights clearer and simpler for the wider public to understand.&lt;/p&gt;
  461. &lt;p&gt;That leaves the third part, which addresses the turkey-Christmas problem. A statutory Board appointed by the Governor General on the advice of Cabinet will evaluate the quality of Consistency Assessment Statements. The Regulatory Standards Board will issue declarations if they a Consistency Assessment Statement is inadequate. This offers the public a further facility for evaluating the regulatory costs they’re proposed to carry.&lt;/p&gt;
  462. &lt;p&gt;The Ministry of Regulation hosts the Regulatory Standards Board. It will also support the preparation of Consistency Assessment Statements. However, it has some other purposes.&lt;/p&gt;
  463. &lt;p&gt;Sector Reviews&lt;/p&gt;
  464. &lt;p&gt;It is about to commence its fifth Sector Review, where it asks regulated Parties for their complaints and identifies rules to be modified or removed. We recently removed all regulation of hairdressers in New Zealand, after discovering people have been paying for follow rules with no benefit whatsoever for my entire lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;
  465. &lt;p&gt;We are changing the way that Early Childhood Education is regulated. In two years we will have changed most of the rules, legislated new graduated principles for regulating, and replaced the regulator with a different agency to achieve separation between policy and enforcement.&lt;/p&gt;
  466. &lt;p&gt;A similar overhaul is occurring in the field of Agricultural and Horticultural products regulation. New Zealand farmers have had to use outdated subset of the products their competitors can access. We are fixing that with greater use of foreign equivalency, and greater accountability for performance.&lt;/p&gt;
  467. &lt;p&gt;We never stop these sector reviews. We are in the middle of an overhaul of Telecommunications regulations. We have just begun consulting on harmonisation of New Zealand’s 36 different rules for product labelling that prevent Kiwis from accessing a wider choice of more affordable goods.&lt;/p&gt;
  468. &lt;p&gt;We also carry out frequent inquiries into tips the public send us through the Red Tape Tipline. We found that rules around Garden sheds and distance to boundary were stopping people make full use of their back yards. Urban intensification makes this regulation more costly every year. We got rid of the rule last month, and this month Pink Floyd guitarist was pinged for breaching a similar rule in England. He don’t need no regulation, and I bet he wishes he was here, where he could place his shed freely.&lt;/p&gt;
  469. &lt;p&gt;Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;
  470. &lt;p&gt;Our Government is confronting on the Regulatory Explosion head on. If we want our society to work, meaning we want the next generation to believe in it rather than militate against it, then we must succeed.&lt;/p&gt;
  471. &lt;p&gt;Our chosen method is sunlight, informed by Public Choice Theory. Our goal is to shift the political calculus away from regulating, unless it is rigorously demonstrated to be the only solution to a well-defined problem, with benefits exceeding its costs.&lt;/p&gt;
  472. &lt;p&gt;If we succeed in enabling greater public scrutiny of regulatory initiatives, this profession will need to ask itself whether the last four decades of regulatory growth has really delivered cost-effective benefits to the wider public, or simply rents for the regulatory state.&lt;/p&gt;
  473. &lt;p&gt;Thank you very much for listening, and I hope all 700 of you have a wonderful conference.&lt;/p&gt;
  474. </description>
  475.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:52:55 +1200</pubDate>
  476.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  477.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125743</guid>
  478.    </item>
  479. <item>
  480.  <title>Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence centre announces new name</title>
  481.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/prevention-family-and-sexual-violence-centre-announces-new-name</link>
  482.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour has today confirmed the new name for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence multi-agency organisation.&lt;/p&gt;
  483. &lt;p&gt;“I am pleased to announce that it will now be called ‘The Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention’.&lt;/p&gt;
  484. &lt;p&gt;“This name reflects the role this team plays in aligning government strategy, policy and investment to improve the family violence and sexual violence system through the implementation of the National Strategy and its Action Plan,” said Min Chhour.&lt;/p&gt;
  485. &lt;p&gt;The Centre supports government agencies to take a collective, community-led and people-centred approach to delivering solutions that prevent and respond to violence, strengthen and heal.&lt;/p&gt;
  486. &lt;p&gt;It has significant work underway in partnership with communities and plays a central role in enabling evidence-based responses to family violence and sexual violence.&lt;/p&gt;
  487. &lt;p&gt;For information about The Centre for Family Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention, visit their website at www.preventfvsv.govt.nz.&lt;/p&gt;
  488. </description>
  489.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:28:26 +1200</pubDate>
  490.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  491.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125742</guid>
  492.    </item>
  493. <item>
  494.  <title>Gender Pay Gap lowest since records began</title>
  495.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/gender-pay-gap-lowest-records-began</link>
  496.  <description>&lt;p&gt;New Zealand’s gender pay gap has decreased from 8.2 percent in the June 2024 quarter to 5.2 percent in the June 2025 quarter, which is the lowest since the series began in 1998 according to Stats NZ data released today.&lt;/p&gt;
  497. &lt;p&gt;“This is fantastic news for women across New Zealand,” Minister for Women, Nicola Grigg says.&lt;/p&gt;
  498. &lt;p&gt;“The Government is committed to growing the economy to lift wages, opportunities, and living standards for all New Zealanders. Inflation and interest rates are down, wages are growing faster than inflation, and growth is&amp;nbsp;expected to average 2.7% per year creating 240,000 jobs over the next four years.&lt;/p&gt;
  499. &lt;p&gt;“Last year I launched the first ever, government-backed gender pay gap calculator to support businesses to reduce their gender pay gap. I want to thank everyone who has taken up the challenge, calculated their pay gap, and taken action to address it. Collectively we are all working towards achieving my ambition of growing economic empowerment for women across the country.&lt;/p&gt;
  500. &lt;p&gt;“The data today shows women’s median hourly earnings in the past year have grown to $33.76. However, pay gaps remain wider for women from some ethnic groups, so I will be launching the second iteration of the toolkit to address those ethnic pay gaps in the coming months,” Ms Grigg says.&lt;/p&gt;
  501. &lt;p&gt;The gender pay gap declined 3.0 percentage points, the first statistically significant decline since 2017.&lt;/p&gt;
  502. &lt;p&gt;“I’m incredibly proud of the businesses that have leaned into addressing their gender pay gaps. We know there is more to do to keep growing incomes and closing the pay gap and I encourage all employers to make this a priority.&lt;/p&gt;
  503. &lt;p&gt;“Our Government is focused on supercharging the economy so that all New Zealanders are better off, including women and girls across the country.”&lt;/p&gt;
  504. </description>
  505.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +1200</pubDate>
  506.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  507.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125741</guid>
  508.    </item>
  509. <item>
  510.  <title>Express lane for new supermarkets </title>
  511.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/express-lane-new-supermarkets</link>
  512.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government will remove barriers preventing competitor supermarkets from launching or expanding in New Zealand with a series of urgent legislative and policy changes Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says.&lt;/p&gt;
  513. &lt;p&gt;“We’re creating an express lane for new supermarkets to boost competition and deliver better deals for Kiwi shoppers.&lt;/p&gt;
  514. &lt;p&gt;“Earlier this year we ran a Request for Information (RFI) process asking what would help challenger supermarkets take on the current duopoly.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  515. &lt;p&gt;“The responses revealed widespread frustration with restrictive zoning, slow consenting, and cumbersome regulations that make it extremely difficult for new competitors to gain a foothold in the New Zealand grocery sector.&lt;/p&gt;
  516. &lt;p&gt;“In response to this feedback the Government has agreed to:&lt;/p&gt;
  517.  
  518. Legislate so that new supermarkets which would improve grocery competition regionally or nationally will qualify as fast-track referrable projects under the Fast-Track Approvals Act.&amp;nbsp; Legislation will be introduced to Parliament in November and passed by the end of the year. It will be supported by a new Government Policy Statement on Grocery Competition.
  519. Streamline building consenting processes for new supermarkets by selecting a single building consent authority to standardise and streamline building consent processes for grocery developments that would enable competition regionally or nationally.
  520. Amend Building Act regulations to facilitate pre-approved “MultiProof” building plans for multiple grocery developments.&amp;nbsp;
  521. Improve the operation of the Overseas Investment Act regime by clarifying the pathways available for grocery investments, including through grocery-specific provisions in the Ministerial Directive Letter.
  522. Amend the Commerce Act to better combat “predatory pricing” with the introduction of an objective economic test for the prosecution of firms misusing their market power to exclude or stamp-out competitors.
  523. Actively explore options for potential importers of food to bring new product lines into the country.&amp;nbsp;
  524.  
  525. &lt;p&gt;“The responses to the RFI revealed five prospective new domestic competitors and credible growth aspirations among several existing grocery retailers.&lt;/p&gt;
  526. &lt;p&gt;“Ultimately those businesses will make their own investment decisions about whether and when to launch new supermarkets - the Government’s policy changes are intended to give them more confidence to do so.&lt;/p&gt;
  527. &lt;p&gt;“We have been in talks with Costco about its plans to open more stores in New Zealand. Costco is a major international grocery player whose annual revenue exceeds New Zealand’s GDP. Their single West Auckland store has already markedly changed competitive dynamics in that local area and has provided a major export-pathway for New Zealand food producers.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  528. &lt;p&gt;“Costco has confirmed the Government’s express lane consenting approach will assist with their future expansion plans. They have also confirmed they can see opportunities for new stores to be built in New Zealand in the next few years.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  529. &lt;p&gt;“It is disappointing that other major international retailers such as Aldi and Lidl opted not to take part in the initial RFI.&amp;nbsp; It’s possible that the changes we are announcing today will encourage them to take a more serious look at New Zealand.&lt;/p&gt;
  530. &lt;p&gt;“I note that many responses to the RFI reinforced the importance of work to ensure existing fair trading, grocery and competition legislation is adequately promoting the interests of consumers and effectively deterring anti-competitive behaviour.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  531. &lt;p&gt;“The Commerce Commission is progressing a number of enforcement actions under existing law and is investigating stronger protections for suppliers under the Grocery Supply Code.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  532. &lt;p&gt;“The Government has completed consultation on changes to promote consumer interests by strengthening enforcement and penalties under the Fair Trading Act.&amp;nbsp; Potential changes will shortly be considered by Cabinet.&lt;/p&gt;
  533. &lt;p&gt;“Some respondents to the RFI argued that the only way to truly improve supermarket competition is for the Government to forcibly break up Foodstuffs and/or Woolworths due to their entrenched market positions.&lt;/p&gt;
  534. &lt;p&gt;“A decision to restructure the supermarkets is not a decision that would be taken lightly. It would be a significant intervention that would carry costs and risks that would need to be rigorously weighted against the potential benefits to shoppers.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  535. &lt;p&gt;“A cost-benefit analysis is underway on specific options for restructuring the duopoly and will inform future advice I intend to take to Cabinet on whether further legislative changes are required to improve competition.&lt;/p&gt;
  536. &lt;p&gt;“Our objective is a more competitive grocery market that delivers better prices and more choice for Kiwi shoppers. We remain open to potential market-led solutions that may be put forward by the major incumbents.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  537. &lt;p&gt;Notes to Editors:&lt;/p&gt;
  538.  
  539. The Government ran a Request for Information process from 30 March to 12 May 2025. The RFI asked about the barriers to entry and investing and growing at scale in the market.
  540. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) received 24 responses to the RFI. Responses came from a mix of existing companies, prospective competitors, advocacy groups and other interested parties.
  541. Due to commercial sensitivities, RFI responses will not be publicly released.
  542. The grocery work programme has three streams:
  543.  
  544.  
  545. Regulatory: reducing regulatory barriers to make entry and growth of retailers easier and more attractive.
  546. Enforcement: strengthening fair trading and competition legislation to deter anti-competitive behaviour and promote the interests of consumers.
  547. Structural: investigating the costs, benefits and risks of restructuring the incumbent retailers in order to promote competition.&amp;nbsp;
  548.  
  549. </description>
  550.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:52:22 +1200</pubDate>
  551.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  552.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125740</guid>
  553.    </item>
  554. <item>
  555.  <title>$24.62m RIF funding for East Coast and Hawke’s Bay</title>
  556.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/2462m-rif-funding-east-coast-and-hawke%E2%80%99s-bay</link>
  557.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Funding of $24.62 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will turbo-charge horticulture expansion in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti through water storage, flood resilience and whenua Māori projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.&lt;/p&gt;
  558. &lt;p&gt;“This investment from the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) will help grow these regional economies by further enabling and unlocking high-value horticulture development that supports regional employment, productivity, and export growth while also strengthening regional resilience to economic shocks, and weather events such as storms and droughts,” Mr Jones says.&lt;/p&gt;
  559. &lt;p&gt;“The Coalition Government is focused on strengthening and growing our economy, and supporting our regions to succeed is a key part of making that happen.&lt;/p&gt;
  560. &lt;p&gt;“That’s why we’re paying close attention to areas like the East Coast, where geographic isolation can make these communities especially vulnerable during extreme weather events, with limited access to infrastructure and disrupted supply chains posing significant challenges.&lt;/p&gt;
  561. &lt;p&gt;“Three of these projects directly address the growing need for water access year-round to support our expanding horticulture exports and enhance productivity.&lt;/p&gt;
  562. &lt;p&gt;The projects are:&lt;/p&gt;
  563.  
  564. Turanga Fast Five (Gisborne - Tairāwhiti) will receive a $11.93m loan to establish a diversified high-value horticulture development on five underutilised whenua Māori land blocks in Tairāwhiti totalling 70ha.
  565. Tātau Tātau Horticulture Limited Partnership (Wairoa - Hawke’s Bay) will receive a $6.83m loan to expand its existing water storage capacity and establish a scalable post-harvest facility. This builds on the $1m received from the Māori Development Fund.
  566. Makauri Aquifer Recharge Limited (Gisborne - Tairāwhiti) will receive a loan of up to $3m to build water infrastructure to replenish the Makauri aquifer in Tairāwhiti, delivering a more reliable water supply for primary production on fertile Tūranganui-a-Kiwa flats, near Waipaoa River.
  567. Ngāti Pahauwera Commercial Development Limited (Wairoa - Hawke’s Bay) will receive a $2.36m loan to develop a 42,000cu m water storage reservoir and distribution infrastructure to convert 30ha of whenua Māori into commercially competitive pipfruit orchards.
  568. Quality Roading Services (QRS) (Wairoa - Hawke’s Bay) will receive a $500,000 grant to strengthen flood protection around the operations hub and depot of QRS, a Wairoa District Council-owned engineering firm that plays a critical role in Wairoa’s disaster response and recovery.
  569.  
  570. &lt;p&gt;“These investments are playing a critical role in enhancing the region’s resilience and supporting a more productive future, for the benefit of the region and the entire country,” Mr Jones says.&lt;/p&gt;
  571. &lt;p&gt;Mr Jones announced the funding at an event in Wairoa today, where he officially opened the final part of Wairoa’s $10.96m CBD development project Te Wairoa e Whanake.&lt;/p&gt;
  572. &lt;p&gt;The development consists of a new community business and tourism facility, which was supported by a $5.80m investment from the former Provincial Growth Fund.&lt;/p&gt;
  573. </description>
  574.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +1200</pubDate>
  575.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  576.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125739</guid>
  577.    </item>
  578. <item>
  579.  <title>Canterbury and Waikato University appointments</title>
  580.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/canterbury-and-waikato-university-appointments</link>
  581.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced four new appointments and two reappointments to the governing councils of the University of Canterbury and the University of Waikato.&lt;/p&gt;
  582. &lt;p&gt;“I am very pleased to appoint Dr Sina Cotter Tait and Steven Wakefield to the University of Canterbury Council, and Fiona Michel and Erin Wansbrough to the University of Waikato Council,” says Dr Reti.&lt;/p&gt;
  583. &lt;p&gt;“These are high calibre appointments who bring valuable skills and experience to their respective Councils, and who will support the leadership and decision making of these important institutions.&lt;/p&gt;
  584. &lt;p&gt;“I am also pleased to reappoint Hon Amy Adams to the University of Canterbury Council, and Graeme Milne ONZM to the University of Waikato Council. Hon Adams and Mr Milne are making valuable contributions and I am grateful they are willing to serve a further term.&lt;/p&gt;
  585. &lt;p&gt;“Universities have a critical role to play in generating the ideas and developing the talent we need to build up our economy, and it is important that these institutions are governed by capable and experienced councils.”&lt;/p&gt;
  586. &lt;p&gt;University of Canterbury Council&lt;/p&gt;
  587. &lt;p&gt;Sina Cotter Tait and Steven Wakefield have been appointed to the University of Canterbury Council, while Hon Amy Adams has been reappointed for a further term on the Council.&lt;/p&gt;
  588. &lt;p&gt;Dr Sina Cotter Tait has more than 20 years’ experience as a civil engineer, and holds a number of directorships.&lt;/p&gt;
  589. &lt;p&gt;Steven Wakefield is a professional director who has extensive experience in risk advisory services and governance. He is currently Chair of the New Zealand Health Innovation Hub.&lt;/p&gt;
  590. &lt;p&gt;Hon Amy Adams is the current Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. She provides legal expertise, strong governance experience, and valuable regional networks to the council.&lt;/p&gt;
  591. &lt;p&gt;University of Waikato Council&lt;/p&gt;
  592. &lt;p&gt;Fiona Michel and Erin Wansbrough have been appointed to the University of Waikato Council, and Graeme Milne has been reappointed for a further term.&lt;/p&gt;
  593. &lt;p&gt;Fiona Michel is the Chief Executive Officer of Braemar Hospital and has held senior executive roles in the private and public sectors, including in health.&lt;/p&gt;
  594. &lt;p&gt;Graeme Milne ONZM is a professional director who previously held senior roles in the primary industry and health sectors in New Zealand and internationally. He has served on the University of Waikato Council since 2017.&lt;/p&gt;
  595. &lt;p&gt;“I welcome all the new appointments and thank them for stepping up to this important role. I also acknowledge with gratitude those reappointed members who are continuing to support and serve on our tertiary institutions,” says Dr Reti.&lt;/p&gt;
  596. &lt;p&gt;“I also wish to recognise the valuable contributions made by the outgoing council members, and to thank them for their service.”&lt;/p&gt;
  597. &lt;p&gt;The outgoing council members are Simon Graafhuis (University of Waikato), Meleane Burgess (University of Waikato), and Keiran Horne (University of Canterbury).&lt;/p&gt;
  598. </description>
  599.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:41:27 +1200</pubDate>
  600.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  601.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125738</guid>
  602.    </item>
  603. <item>
  604.  <title>Long-term safety and resilience improvements to start at Mangahauini Gorge</title>
  605.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/long-term-safety-and-resilience-improvements-start-mangahauini-gorge</link>
  606.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Major works are getting underway in Mangahauini Gorge on State Highway 35 (SH35) north of Gisborne, as crews tackle the final and largest phase of Cyclone Gabrielle recovery efforts in Tairāwhiti, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.&lt;/p&gt;
  607. &lt;p&gt;“Since Cyclone Gabrielle, Transport Rebuild East Coast and local contractor crews have worked very hard to keep one lane of the highway through the Mangahauini Gorge open, while a long-term solution was designed. The upcoming programme of work is all about protecting the highway for the long-term,” Mr Bishop says.&lt;/p&gt;
  608. &lt;p&gt;“Once complete in mid-2026, SH35 through the gorge will be fully open to two lanes for the first time since Cyclone Gabrielle. Much of the work will take place in and around the Mangahauini River, where repeated weather events have shifted the riverbed and eroded the land beneath the highway.&lt;/p&gt;
  609. &lt;p&gt;“The Mangahauini River is constantly shifting, but cyclones like Bola and Gabrielle trigger dramatic changes, moving the riverbed several metres in every direction. These shifts weaken the land, cause slips, and undermine the highway, leading to closures and major disruptions for the community.&lt;/p&gt;
  610. &lt;p&gt;“A key innovation in the work to be delivered is the construction of a ‘roughened channel’, believed to be the first of its kind in a New Zealand river. Half a kilometre of the riverbed will be reshaped into the roughened channel, with specially made interlocking blocks (called hanbars), rocks and other material.&lt;/p&gt;
  611. &lt;p&gt;“The roughened channel will help keep the river on course and away from the road, ensuring SH35 stays open for East Coast communities. The highway will also be realigned, repaired, and rebuilt to make it straighter, smoother and safer.&lt;/p&gt;
  612. &lt;p&gt;“At a programme cost of around $50 million, the work is being delivered in packages with East Coast contractors. Crews have started early site set-up this month, with work expected to continue into mid-2026. Larger earthworks and river works are expected to start in September, with the new roughened channel laid in the summer season, followed by the new road surfacing.&lt;/p&gt;
  613. &lt;p&gt;“Local contractors did an excellent job building a temporary track through Mangahauini Gorge after the cyclone, and I want to thank them for their rapid response that reconnected communities when it mattered most. The final programme of work will upgrade that route to meet state highway standards, ensuring long-term safety, resilience, and reliability for SH35.&lt;/p&gt;
  614. &lt;p&gt;“I want to thank local communities for their patience as the team has worked hard to get us to this point and I look forward to the works through the Mangahauini Gorge being completed in mid-2026.”&lt;/p&gt;
  615. </description>
  616.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:05:48 +1200</pubDate>
  617.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  618.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125737</guid>
  619.    </item>
  620. <item>
  621.  <title>Water reform for sustainability and growth</title>
  622.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/water-reform-sustainability-and-growth</link>
  623.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Local communities across the country are set to benefit from the completion of the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation, which will enable safe, reliable, and financially sustainable water services, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson say.&lt;/p&gt;
  624. &lt;p&gt;“Already, two million Kiwis are set to benefit from Local Water Done Well through accepted water services delivery plans, and through the changes we made to the Watercare charter last year,” Mr Watts says.&lt;/p&gt;
  625. &lt;p&gt;“As the remaining water service plans are submitted, local communities will be covered under models specifically designed to ensure sustainability and investment in the water infrastructure needed.&lt;/p&gt;
  626. &lt;p&gt;“When we came into Government, we made it clear that we would provide a solution for local communities that achieved this, and which managed finances responsibly, to respond to historic under-investment. This investment will additionally help to enable further housing growth across our regions.&lt;/p&gt;
  627. &lt;p&gt;“In 2023, councils and communities resoundingly rejected Labour’s expensive Three Waters policy, a proposal that we moved to repeal and replace with water reforms which will now keep water service ownership and decision-making local.&lt;/p&gt;
  628. &lt;p&gt;“Now, with enactment of the enduring Local Government (Water Services) Act and Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act, we have given councils the framework, delivery models, and tools they need to address the specific challenges they are facing, in a way that works for the ratepayers they serve.&lt;/p&gt;
  629. &lt;p&gt;“This Government knows that the unavoidable solution to years of underinvestment in water infrastructure comes at a cost to everyday Kiwis, and that is why this legislation focuses on financial sustainability.&lt;/p&gt;
  630. &lt;p&gt;“Local Water Done Well also provides for monitoring of progress and finances, and oversight for the public. It introduces economic regulation of water services to provide oversight and accountability, and that gives confidence to consumers.&lt;/p&gt;
  631. &lt;p&gt;“The legislation also strips out excessive and unnecessary regulatory costs, while ensuring that compliance requirements are at the level needed for safe, effective water services.”&lt;/p&gt;
  632. &lt;p&gt;“Kiwis should be getting a fair deal on water, and Local Water Done Well delivers on this,” Mr Simpson says.&lt;/p&gt;
  633. &lt;p&gt;“The Commerce Commission will oversee the economic regulation regime, which will initially apply to local government drinking water supply and wastewater services.&lt;/p&gt;
  634. &lt;p&gt;“This oversight by the Commerce Commission will ensure that ratepayers are getting the quality infrastructure they deserve, at a price that is fair and reasonable.”&lt;/p&gt;
  635. &lt;p&gt;“We are already receiving strong water services delivery plan submissions from councils, both as multi-council arrangements and from those going it alone, and I look forward to seeing the remaining submissions to provide the best coverage for Kiwis,” Mr Watts says.&lt;/p&gt;
  636. &lt;p&gt;“Multi-council arrangements provide a good option for financial sustainability, and we are already seeing instances of these as more councils submit plans. Ultimately, Local Water Done Well is about the quality of water services, and provided they meet the requirements, we are ensuring councils have flexibility to make arrangements best-suited for their communities.&lt;/p&gt;
  637. &lt;p&gt;“I want to congratulate and acknowledge all the councils putting in fantastic work. We are seeing great plans and we anticipate that the overwhelming majority will do what’s right for locals.&lt;/p&gt;
  638. &lt;p&gt;“Local Water Done Well is all about giving councils and locals the choice of what works for them, and which works for ratepayers for years to come, and I look forward to long awaited improvements.”&lt;/p&gt;
  639. </description>
  640.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 11:24:15 +1200</pubDate>
  641.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  642.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125736</guid>
  643.    </item>
  644. <item>
  645.  <title>New Business Investor Visa to support growth</title>
  646.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-business-investor-visa-support-growth</link>
  647.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government is modernising visa settings to attract experienced businesspeople to help grow New Zealand’s future.&lt;/p&gt;
  648. &lt;p&gt;“The Business Investor Visa (BIV) will provide a pathway to residence for business migrants who are ready to invest in, operate and grow established businesses here,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.&lt;/p&gt;
  649. &lt;p&gt;“This new visa will bring overseas investment to maintain and create jobs, grow incomes, and breathe new life into existing businesses across the country.”&lt;/p&gt;
  650. &lt;p&gt;The new Business Investor Visa, which opens for applications in November 2025, offers two investment options:&lt;/p&gt;
  651.  
  652. A $1 million investment in an existing business, with a three-year work-to-residence pathway.
  653. A $2 million investment in an existing business, with a 12-month fast-track to residence pathway.
  654.  
  655. &lt;p&gt;“We are introducing a more targeted pathway for experienced businesspeople with capital to invest and the hands-on experience and skills needed to run a successful business. It has clearer settings that are easier for applicants to understand and for Immigration New Zealand to process, and it’s designed to deliver real economic benefits.&lt;/p&gt;
  656. &lt;p&gt;“The Business Investor Visa forms part of our broader refresh of business visa settings, alongside our improved Active Investor Plus visa.&lt;/p&gt;
  657. &lt;p&gt;The introduction of the Business Investor Visa sees the retirement of the Entrepreneur Category. It had low application volumes, high decline rates, and didn’t deliver strong economic impacts.&lt;/p&gt;
  658. &lt;p&gt;“Work is also underway on a visa pathway for startup-entrepreneurs with scalable, innovative business ideas, designed to complement existing settings and complete the suite. “Our Government is focused on smart, flexible and nuanced immigration solutions to help stimulate the New Zealand economy.&lt;/p&gt;
  659. &lt;p&gt;These changes will help bring brighter days ahead for all Kiwis,” Ms Stanford says.&lt;/p&gt;
  660. </description>
  661.  <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:27:47 +1200</pubDate>
  662.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  663.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125735</guid>
  664.    </item>
  665. <item>
  666.  <title>Government prioritises forestry sector amid ongoing safety concerns</title>
  667.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-prioritises-forestry-sector-amid-ongoing-safety-concerns</link>
  668.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today launched the Approved Code of Practice [ACOP] for Forestry and Harvesting Operations for the forestry industry.   &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  669. &lt;p&gt;ACOPs are practical guidelines to help people in specific sectors and industries to comply with their health and safety duties. The sector-specific ACOPs programme is one part of the broader health and safety reforms.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  670. &lt;p&gt;WorkSafe has worked with the forestry industry, including input from both workers and forestry companies to create guidelines aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries in the sector.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  671. &lt;p&gt;These guidelines can now be used across the Forestry sector to help reduce ambiguity about health and safety obligations. It was developed by the industry, for the industry, alongside WorkSafe, to address the specific risks the sector faces.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  672. &lt;p&gt;Forestry is one of New Zealand’s highest-risk industries. Over the past decade, an average of four to five forestry workers have died at work each year.  A forestry worker is 20 times more likely to be killed and 7 times more likely to suffer serious injury than the average worker.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  673. &lt;p&gt;For years there has been concern about the high rate of deaths in the forestry sector, and in September 2024, the Minister visited operations on the ground.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  674. &lt;p&gt;"I met with people in the Forestry sector during my health and safety road show last year. While visiting a forestry operation, I saw the risks and dangers workers are faced with firsthand," says Ms van Velden.   &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  675. &lt;p&gt;“This new forestry code follows a suite of health and safety reforms announced earlier in the year which aim to focus the system on reducing critical risk and improve clarity for businesses, with a strong focus on supporting high-risk sectors.”  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  676. &lt;p&gt;“As part of the reforms, I announced a shift to greater reliance on ACOPs in order to provide sectors with specific, up-to-date guidelines, and changing the ACOP model to reassure people that if they comply with an ACOP, they have done enough to meet their health and safety duties.”  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  677. &lt;p&gt;Beyond forestry, the Government plans to develop ACOPs for multiple sectors including agriculture and construction. These codes will provide practical guidelines that reflects the real needs of each industry, moving away from one-size-fits-all approaches that have created confusion for employers.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  678. &lt;p&gt;"We want to work with industry to create codes of practice that are realistic and effective," says Minister van Velden. "The goal is to make health and safety laws clearer and simpler while actually improving workplace safety."  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  679. &lt;p&gt;The initiative forms part of broader health and safety reforms based on extensive consultation with various industry sectors.  &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  680. &lt;p&gt;Editor notes: &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  681.  
  682. Over the past 15 years 61 workers have been killed in the sector and 150 workers have suffered serious injury resulting in hospitalisation
  683.  
  684. </description>
  685.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:31:19 +1200</pubDate>
  686.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  687.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125734</guid>
  688.    </item>
  689. <item>
  690.  <title>Tax bill to grow the economy and ease cost of living</title>
  691.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tax-bill-grow-economy-and-ease-cost-living</link>
  692.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Revenue Minister Simon Watts has introduced a new tax bill aimed at boosting New Zealand’s economy, helping businesses grow, and making it easier for skilled people to live and work here.&lt;/p&gt;
  693. &lt;p&gt;“This Government’s top priority is growing the economy so we can deliver more jobs, higher wages, and lower costs for New Zealanders,” Mr Watts says.&lt;/p&gt;
  694. &lt;p&gt;“One way to do that is by making New Zealand a place where talented people and investors want to stay and build their futures.”&lt;/p&gt;
  695. &lt;p&gt;“Currently, new migrants are taxed on estimated overseas income, even if they don’t actually receive&amp;nbsp;it. The new law will change that, so they are only taxed on money they actually earn.&lt;/p&gt;
  696. &lt;p&gt;“This makes it fairer and more attractive for skilled migrants to move here, and helps keep talented New Zealanders from leaving.”&lt;/p&gt;
  697. &lt;p&gt;The bill also makes it easier for overseas visitors working remotely, sometimes known as digital nomads, to stay longer in New Zealand before being taxed, encouraging them to spend more in our economy while they’re here.&lt;/p&gt;
  698. &lt;p&gt;To help businesses attract and keep good staff, the Bill fixes tax timing issues with employee share schemes - a common way smaller businesses reward workers.&lt;/p&gt;
  699. &lt;p&gt;The bill also reduces unnecessary tax compliance costs. For example:&lt;/p&gt;
  700.  
  701. Joint ventures:&amp;nbsp;Current GST practices will be recognised instead of forcing businesses through costly changes.
  702. Residential&amp;nbsp;solar power:&amp;nbsp;People who export excess power back to the grid won’t face income tax, recognising that the compliance burden would outweigh any benefit and to encourage greater solar and battery uptake.
  703.  
  704. &lt;p&gt;“These practical changes make the tax system simpler and more effective. They remove barriers that hold back investment and growth,” Mr Watts says.&lt;/p&gt;
  705. &lt;p&gt;“With this bill, we’re backing businesses, attracting investment, and creating the conditions for a stronger economy – one that delivers more opportunities, higher wages, and a lower cost of living for New Zealanders.”&lt;/p&gt;
  706. </description>
  707.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:30:00 +1200</pubDate>
  708.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  709.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125731</guid>
  710.    </item>
  711. <item>
  712.  <title>Government introduces stronger protections for dogs</title>
  713.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-introduces-stronger-protections-dogs</link>
  714.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Government has taken action to ban the prolonged tethering of dogs, with new regulations targeting owners who fail to properly care for their dogs coming into force next month, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says.&lt;/p&gt;
  715. &lt;p&gt;“Prolonged tethering causes significant distress to dogs, affecting their health by limiting their freedom to move and perform normal behaviours,” Mr Hoggard says.&lt;/p&gt;
  716. &lt;p&gt;“This can lead to excessive barking, aggression and other behaviours which could endanger their welfare, and the safety of families that own dogs, the public and other animals.&lt;/p&gt;
  717. &lt;p&gt;“These new rules target the unacceptable treatment from a small minority of owners that I often hear members of the public raising concerns about.&lt;/p&gt;
  718. &lt;p&gt;“Prolonged confinement and tethering of dogs is one of the most common areas investigated by SPCA. They tell me they receive daily calls about it and it accounts for about 10 per cent of dog-related welfare complaints. That’s why we’re putting a stop to it.&lt;/p&gt;
  719. &lt;p&gt;“The new rules target dog owners who do not let their dogs off tether to receive sufficient exercise to maintain their health and wellbeing.&lt;/p&gt;
  720. &lt;p&gt;“Responsible dog owners who love and care for their animals and regularly take them out for walks won’t be affected by the new rules.”&lt;/p&gt;
  721. &lt;p&gt;Under the new rules:&lt;/p&gt;
  722.  
  723. a person must not tether a dog by a rope, line, or chain attached to a fixed point for extended periods where they suffer harm
  724. certain categories of vulnerable dogs including puppies and pregnant dogs cannot be tethered at all except in a few exceptional cases, for example when visitors such as a tradesperson or other animals are on the owner’s property temporarily.
  725.  
  726. &lt;p&gt;There are exceptions to the new rules — for example, working dogs such as farm dogs provided they are regularly off-tether and receive adequate exercise.&lt;/p&gt;
  727. &lt;p&gt;“We’ve worked closely with SPCA, farming organisations and other stakeholders to ensure the new rules are both effective and workable, and I acknowledge their support,” Mr Hoggard says.&lt;/p&gt;
  728. &lt;p&gt;“This Government is committed to animal welfare and received strong public support for this change.”&lt;/p&gt;
  729. &lt;p&gt;The new rules take effect on 25 September 2025 and will enable animal welfare inspectors to issue infringements when they identify a dog is suffering harm from being tied up for long periods. This change has been enabled through an amendment to the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018.&lt;/p&gt;
  730. </description>
  731.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:13:21 +1200</pubDate>
  732.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  733.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125730</guid>
  734.    </item>
  735. <item>
  736.  <title>Infrastructure Pipeline continues to grow</title>
  737.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/infrastructure-pipeline-continues-grow-1</link>
  738.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The latest quarterly update from the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission shows that the value of infrastructure initiatives in the National Infrastructure Pipeline has grown to $237.1 billion, an increase of $30.2 billion over the past quarter, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says.&lt;/p&gt;
  739. &lt;p&gt;“This is great news for the construction sector and the wider economy,” Mr Bishop says.&lt;/p&gt;
  740. &lt;p&gt;“The Pipeline is managed by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission and provides a national view of current and future infrastructure projects and programmes, from roads, to water infrastructure, to schools, and more, and includes central government, local government and private sector projects.&lt;/p&gt;
  741. &lt;p&gt;“The Pipeline now contains over 9,200 projects that are underway or being planned, helping New Zealand’s infrastructure construction sector plan ahead for major upcoming projects and hire and retain key staff in the right locations.&lt;/p&gt;
  742. &lt;p&gt;“The Commission’s projections show at least $17.5 billion in projected potential spend across 2025, which accounts for about 4 per cent of our GDP.&lt;/p&gt;
  743. &lt;p&gt;“The June Pipeline update shows that the overall value of initiatives with a confirmed funding source has increased, up $13.5 billion to $125.1 billion. This has been supported by the inclusion of NZTA highway maintenance programmes and the redevelopments of Christchurch Men’s Prison and Hawkes Bay Prison.&lt;/p&gt;
  744. &lt;p&gt;“The Commission continues to work with infrastructure providers to improve the transparency and quality of information that is available. A more complete Pipeline improves the effectiveness and value that we can gain from this tool. I recently wrote to all councils reminding them of the importance of contributing and updating their Pipeline data, and I expect the same engagement from our central government agencies too.&lt;/p&gt;
  745. &lt;p&gt;“It’s encouraging that the number of infrastructure providers who contribute to the Pipeline has grown with every quarter under this Government. There are now 121 organisations contributing, including central government, local government, and the private sector.&lt;/p&gt;
  746. &lt;p&gt;“The Commission is currently collecting data for the September quarter. This will inform the final version of the National Infrastructure Plan, which will be delivered in December.&lt;/p&gt;
  747. &lt;p&gt;“I encourage the remaining councils and any infrastructure provider who is not yet contributing to reach out to the Commission, because a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects means a growing economy with more jobs and more opportunities for Kiwis.”&lt;/p&gt;
  748. &lt;p&gt;Read the latest Pipeline update: https://tewaihanga.govt.nz/the-pipeline/pipeline-snapshot&lt;/p&gt;
  749. </description>
  750.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:58:56 +1200</pubDate>
  751.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  752.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125729</guid>
  753.    </item>
  754. <item>
  755.  <title>Social Investment Fund open to change lives</title>
  756.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/social-investment-fund-open-change-lives</link>
  757.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Social service providers now have a new opportunity to change lives, with the opening of the Social Investment Fund this week, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.&lt;/p&gt;
  758. &lt;p&gt;The agency has also identified priority groups for the first round of the fund as children with highly challenging parental or schooling situations, specifically:&lt;/p&gt;
  759.  
  760. Children with parents who are, or have recently been, in jail
  761. Children of parents who experienced the care system, and
  762. Children who have been stood down or suspended from school before age 13
  763.  
  764. &lt;p&gt;“Data and evidence – which underpins the social investment approach – shows children who fall into those groups are most likely to experience poor outcomes and require costly government support throughout their lives.&lt;/p&gt;
  765. &lt;p&gt;“It also shows us that intervening earlier in their lives helps not just them, but also the country as they make better contributions as citizens, saving the taxpayer in the process.&lt;/p&gt;
  766. &lt;p&gt;“The Social Investment Fund is designed to improve outcomes for families, individuals and communities by investing in what actually works, and to give organisations that know those communities best the freedom to get on and do what they do best.&lt;/p&gt;
  767. &lt;p&gt;“The Fund enables the Government to invest earlier, smarter, and with a much more transparent measurement of the impact those interventions have for the people they’re designed to help.”&lt;/p&gt;
  768. &lt;p&gt;The Fund has $190 million over four years in Budget 2025 for those carefully targeted investments.&lt;/p&gt;
  769. &lt;p&gt;Notes to editors:&lt;/p&gt;
  770.  
  771. More information on criteria, specifics of applying and reporting requirements can be found here.
  772. Social Investment Fund FAQs can be found here.
  773. Three projects were identified at Budget 2025 to demonstrate social investment in practice. They are: Autism NZ, Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa and He Piringa Whare’s Te Tihi o Ruahine.
  774.  
  775. </description>
  776.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:08:05 +1200</pubDate>
  777.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  778.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125726</guid>
  779.    </item>
  780. <item>
  781.  <title>Energy Minister to attend APEC Energy Meeting </title>
  782.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/energy-minister-attend-apec-energy-meeting</link>
  783.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Energy Minister Simon Watts will travel to Busan, the Republic of Korea, to join leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region at the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Ministers Meeting.&lt;/p&gt;
  784. &lt;p&gt;“Energy security and affordability are my bottom lines as Minister for Energy. International collaboration is crucial for achieving these goals, and I look forward to contributing to discussions on how we can build more resilient, secure, and sustainable energy systems in the region and harness energy innovation,” Mr Watts says.&lt;/p&gt;
  785. &lt;p&gt;“Korea’s theme for APEC 2025 – Building a Sustainable Tomorrow – is incredibly relevant for New Zealand as we deal with our own energy security and affordability challenges on our path to doubling renewable energy by 2050.&lt;/p&gt;
  786. &lt;p&gt;“The meeting is an important chance to connect with many of my counterparts and build momentum behind the region’s shared energy goals. In particular I intend to engage with colleagues from the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Korea while offshore.”&lt;/p&gt;
  787. &lt;p&gt;Key topics of discussion include electricity expansion for a secure supply, strengthening grid security and reliability, and AI-driven energy innovation.&lt;/p&gt;
  788. &lt;p&gt;Mr Watts is attending the conference from Tuesday through Thursday.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  789. </description>
  790.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:06:28 +1200</pubDate>
  791.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  792.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125725</guid>
  793.    </item>
  794. <item>
  795.  <title>Pacific Healthy Homes initiative delivers for families</title>
  796.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pacific-healthy-homes-initiative-delivers-families</link>
  797.  <description>&lt;p&gt;The Pacific Healthy Homes Initiative has already helped over 300 Pacific households with warmer, drier homes, and the Government is extending it, Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.&lt;/p&gt;
  798. &lt;p&gt;Since July 2024, the initiative has built on the Healthy Homes and Warmer Kiwi Homes programmes, with additional eligibility for older Pacific peoples with chronic health conditions.&lt;/p&gt;
  799. &lt;p&gt;Nearly $4 million has been invested so far, with an additional $1 million committed through to 30 June 2026.&lt;/p&gt;
  800. &lt;p&gt;Dr Reti says the programme is delivering real results:&lt;/p&gt;
  801.  
  802. Over 300 Pacific households supported in the past year
  803. More than 5,200 interventions such as insulation, heating, and minor repairs
  804. 200 more households expected to benefit over the next year
  805.  
  806. &lt;p&gt;“The Government is focused on improving the lives of Pacific families,” Dr Reti says.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
  807. &lt;p&gt;“The Healthy Homes Initiative provides simple additions, like curtains, heat pumps, better ventilation, that keep a home warm and dry.&lt;/p&gt;
  808. &lt;p&gt;“By investing in healthy homes, we are reducing preventable illnesses, helping keep Pacific children and older people out of hospital and able to keep going to school, to work and be a part of their community.”&lt;/p&gt;
  809. &lt;p&gt;The initiative is delivered by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples in partnership with local providers in South Auckland and Porirua.&lt;/p&gt;
  810. &lt;p&gt;“All new funding goes directly into homes, ensuring families receive the support they need to live healthier lives,” Dr Reti says.&lt;/p&gt;
  811. &lt;p&gt;The University of Otago is independently evaluating the programme to guide future investment in Pacific housing solutions.&lt;/p&gt;
  812. </description>
  813.  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:27:52 +1200</pubDate>
  814.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  815.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125724</guid>
  816.    </item>
  817. <item>
  818.  <title>Whangārei Hospital parking expansion shifts into gear</title>
  819.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/whang%C4%81rei-hospital-parking-expansion-shifts-gear</link>
  820.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Patients and families visiting Whangārei Hospital are one step closer to easier access, as a procurement process begins for additional and upgraded carparks to support the hospital’s ongoing redevelopment, Acting Health Minister Matt Doocey says.&lt;/p&gt;
  821. &lt;p&gt;“We know carparks are an important part of hospital infrastructure, and making it easier for patients, staff, and visitors to access health services is a priority for our Government,” Mr Doocey says.&lt;/p&gt;
  822. &lt;p&gt;“The carparks at Whangārei Hospital are already at capacity, and the construction of the new Child Health Centre, limited street parking nearby, and growing demand is adding further pressure.”&lt;/p&gt;
  823. &lt;p&gt;“As we deliver the much-needed redevelopment of Whangārei Hospital, it’s essential that people can access services easily. Parking is a key part of that.”&lt;/p&gt;
  824. &lt;p&gt;Health New Zealand is seeking a civil contractor to build a major new carpark extension ahead of construction of the Acute Services Building.&lt;/p&gt;
  825. &lt;p&gt;“This will replace those carparks lost due to construction on the wider campus as well as adding to the current capacity.&lt;/p&gt;
  826. &lt;p&gt;“This project will not only replace the carparks lost due to construction across the campus, it will also boost overall capacity. The tender covers an on-grade carpark extension of an existing facility, providing 552 spaces along with new infrastructure and clear wayfinding at Whangārei Hospital.”&lt;/p&gt;
  827. &lt;p&gt;The tender is of a scale suitable to many local contractors and suppliers.&lt;/p&gt;
  828. &lt;p&gt;“We are committed to delivering a modern hospital for the people of Whangārei and Northland. We know carparking is a real issue for the community, and this is another step forward in ensuring people can get the care they need when they need it. I look forward to seeing further progress on the redevelopment of Whangārei Hospital,” Mr Doocey says.&lt;/p&gt;
  829. </description>
  830.  <pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 18:29:35 +1200</pubDate>
  831.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
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  834. <item>
  835.  <title>Infrastructure Minister to visit Australia</title>
  836.  <link>https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/infrastructure-minister-visit-australia</link>
  837.  <description>&lt;p&gt;Infrastructure, RMA Reform, Housing and Transport Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Sydney and Canberra this week to for a series of engagements with the infrastructure industry and Australian political leaders.&lt;/p&gt;
  838. &lt;p&gt;“Our Government is working hard to show the world that New Zealand is open for business. Attracting investment, particularly into our infrastructure sector, is a priority for growing our economy and creating jobs for New Zealanders, as is improving the way we deliver and maintain large infrastructure projects across the country,” Mr Bishop says.&lt;/p&gt;
  839. &lt;p&gt;“While in Sydney this week, I will speak at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) International Public Works Conference (IPWC 2025) about my priorities for New Zealand’s infrastructure and our National Infrastructure Plan,” says Mr Bishop.&lt;/p&gt;
  840. &lt;p&gt;“IPWEA provides an opportunity for me to engage with infrastructure industry experts from Australia and beyond.&lt;/p&gt;
  841. &lt;p&gt;“I will also speak about our housing reforms alongside New South Wales Premier Chris Minns at the Centre for Independent Studies, and meet with NSW State Treasurer Daniel Mookhey to discuss the actions NSW is taking to reduce approval times for consenting and their approach to infrastructure planning.&lt;/p&gt;
  842. &lt;p&gt;“In Canberra I am looking forward to engagements with a range of federal counterparts including Leader of the House Hon Tony Burke, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Hon Catherine King, Housing Minister Hon Clare O’Neil and Environment Minister Hon Murray Watt.”&lt;/p&gt;
  843. &lt;p&gt;Mr Bishop leaves for Australia tomorrow and will conclude his visit on Thursday.&lt;/p&gt;
  844. </description>
  845.  <pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:27:27 +1200</pubDate>
  846.    <dc:creator>beehive.govt.nz</dc:creator>
  847.    <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.beehive.govt.nz/125722</guid>
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