AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for April 11, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington’s new water entity is under scrutiny from the Commerce Commission over proposed water bills it released last month, and charges may not reach the steep amounts initially projected.

Commerce Commission Chair John Small said the entity and the five Wellington councils had started meeting, and is looking at a revised Water Services Strategy, which includes pricing.

Last month Tiaki Wai released a set of projected charges – including bills of up to $6800 per year in a decade for residents – as it tries to upgrade old, failing infrastructure.

Chair Will Peet warned of “very steep” price increases, with average increases of 14.7 percent this coming financial year, potentially increasing by 28 percent in 2027-2028, and more than doubling by 2036.

The Commission was called to step into discussions after the Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Wellington Mayor Andrew Little expressed concern over the charges.

Small said the commission was “looking closely” at Tiaki Wai’s model.

“We will be looking at that model ourselves to make sure they are not overcharging.

“I have not got sufficient information to say they are over-charging, and if I did we would do something about it.”

Small said there were “a lot of moving parts in the model”, and one way “the pain could be eased” was how quickly the entity reached financial viability, and climbed out of debt.

“This is about the recovery of costs over time and how quickly this company gets up into a position where essentially it can borrow its money on its own account.”

Tiaki Wai is taking over $9 billion of water assets from Greater Wellington, Porirua, Wellington, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt councils from 1 July.

It’s also taking on $1.7b in debt, and has a capital spending programme of $6.8b over ten years.

Peet previously warned operating revenue in the first year or $385 million would not be enough to take on the huge back-log of failing, non-compliant plants, and a network of old, leaking pipes.

Small said it was up to both the five councils and directors of the company to agree on the financial model for Tiaki Wai.

“Everybody wants it to be set up to succeed, nobody wants to have the leaks and the failures that have been there in the past.”

The commission is regulating water services under the Local Water Done Well model, including asking organisations to publicly report on how much money is being spent on water networks.

It may also have the power to put in performance requirements or regulate pricing – as they do with Watercare and with electricity and lines companies – but they need sign off from the minister to allow that.

Prices ‘unreasonable and unnecessary’ – mayors

Wellington’s mayor Andrew Little said he personally felt the initial indicative charges were “unreasonable and unnecessary”, but detailed work needed to happen to see whether they could come down.

“I can’t predict what they are going to do, or where their thinking is at, but they should note that there is concern.

“As a consequence of that concern and with the help of the minister the meeting with Commerce Commission was convened.

“They should read into that [that] there is genuine concern, and the first draft of their pricing strategy isn’t the best one, and that things need to be re-considered.”

When asked whether Tiaki Wai has asked councils for more money to operate, Little said the entity was reserving that as an option, and every council needed to be involved in examining Tiaki Wai’s timeframes and priorities.

Porirua mayor Anita Baker said Tiaki Wai could revise its programme of work as a potential way to bring down charges.

“It’s about prioritising what they do. Do we need another set of [storage] lakes right now? Or do we need to get other things that are non-compliant going, or do we get [water] meters quickly so that people save money.

“I think the long term figures that they’ve put out for people are horrendous and not achievable for anybody.”

Lower Hutt City Council Mayor Ken Laban said the indicative charges would be too expensive for some people, but affordable for others.

“The scale of the transfer, and the scale of this model is enormous.”

Laban said the councils were debating with Tiaki Wai over what timeframe to spread the “pain” of such high costs.

“The cost is the cost, the reality is water is getting more expensive and it has to be paid for – these are the very debates we are having.”

Upper Hutt Mayor Peri Zee said she thought the Wellington region needed specific government funding help to solve the issue.

“The problem isn’t the Water Services Strategy, the problem is the scale of work required to fix the scale of the infrastructure.

“If I was the government and I was intending to spend a few billion dollars of infrastructure in Wellington, it wouldn’t be on a tunnel.”

Greater Wellington Regional council chair Daran Ponter said he was pleased the Commerce Commission had leaned into the issue.

“We acknowledge that Tiaki Wai are in a difficult situation but they must find a better way to ease consumers into the cost increases that are coming.”

Local government minister Simon Watts said he understands the opening debt position for Tiaki Wai is significant.

“This represents the legacy of model that wasn’t working and which we are correcting with Local Water Done Well.

“The government has been very clear that under Local Water Done Well the Crown will not be providing financial assistance to local government for the delivery of water services. 

“The Commerce Commission is now working with Tiaki Wai’s board, management, and shareholding councils on financial models which will manage the impact on customers. This is the most appropriate way forward.”

‘Looking at options’ – Tiaki Wai

Tiaki Wai declined an interview with RNZ, saying board chair Will Peet was unavailable.

But Peet said in a recent community webinar that he was “hearing loud and clear from the community that these charges are unaffordable – and we are looking at options”.

“But overall it comes down to what we start off, but more importantly, the state of the asset and how much is going to be required to fix it and provide the people of Wellington with the safe, clean, reliable, water, wastewater, and stormwater that we all want.”

Peet also said in a statement the board was committed to working with the councils and the commission to get to a stable financial foundation, while managing the impact on customers.

He said Tiaki Wai’s task was to charge enough to deliver improvements on essential water services, but not charge more than necessary.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: New Zealand Government

A second joint Government and industry Cruise Forum will bring together responsible ministers and industry representatives to further strengthen New Zealand’s position as a world‑class cruise destination.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says the upcoming Forum is an effective way for the Government and industry to work together to support a resilient, competitive and growing cruise sector.

“Cruise plays an important role in New Zealand’s visitor economy and in many of regional communities, injecting $1.37 billion into the New Zealand economy in the previous financial year. 

“However we also know cruise activity has experienced significant volatility in recent years due to global market trends, deployment changes, and commercial pressures. 

“The Government and cruise sector representatives have been working together to address these issues, including improvements in regulatory coordination, engagement on biofouling management, and investment in port infrastructure.

“Holding a regular forum with industry means we can address shared challenges and ensure New Zealand remains an attractive and reliable destination for cruise lines.”

The first Cruise Forum was held in 2025 to support collaboration on key issues and unlock opportunities affecting cruise connectivity.

This year’s Forum on May 26 in Wellington will look at how to further strengthen the cruise sector, improve the visitor experience, and help New Zealand stay competitive in a fast‑changing global market.

In addition to the Cruise Forum, the Minister will attend Seatrade Cruise Global, the world’s largest annual cruise industry event, in Miami this April.

“Seatrade is a valuable platform to promote New Zealand, to meet directly with cruise lines, and demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting the cruise sector,” Louise Upston says. 

“We want the world to know New Zealand is open for business and we welcome visitors to experience the warm hospitality we have on offer.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Sandbags are being made available across Coromandel as officials brace for what they say could be a significant wave event from Cyclone Vaianu.

Strong wind watches for Saturday to Monday and heavy rain watches for Saturday and Sunday are in force for the North Island.

MetService said it is still highly likely it will issue severe weather warnings as forecasts become more clear.

Earth Sciences NZ said more than 200mm of rain could fall in 18-24 hours in some places.

Thames Coromandel District Council started dispensing sandbags and sand from several locations across the peninsula on Thursday.

They will be available until Saturday and locations can be found on the council’s website.

It said Vaianu will be the year’s third big storm, and it was still recovering from the one in January.

“We are expecting a significant wave event for eastern Coromandel beaches during Saturday and Sunday with a peak on Sunday morning,” Thames Coromandel Civil Defence and Emergency manager Brian Carter said.

“It is important people prepare as best they can and stay away from beaches during the storm,” he added.

“We may see some coastal inundation from waves and potential slips throughout the district.”

The council said much of Coromandel was still prone to slips and it was working with the Waikato Regional Council on modelling impacts from waves.

Campground owners have been asked to make sure campers are away from areas that are prone to flooding.

Standard pre-storm preparations are also being made to crucial infrastructure to make sure there is back-up power.

Thames Coromandel mayor Peter Revell told RNZ the worst of the weather was expected from midnight Saturday to Sunday evening.

“So we wanted people to be prepared well ahead of time for that,” he said.

“Probably the difference this time is we’re also expecting a bit of wave motion, some quite heavy swells coming in.”

Revell said meteorologists have told the council the storm has very low pressure at its centre, and with strong winds there could be swells of 3 metres or more.

“Probably we’ll begin to see that on Friday evening,” he said.

He urged people to stay clear of eastern Coromandel beaches from Friday night if that eventuates.

Surf Life Saving training suspended

North of Auckland, the Ōrewa Surf Life Saving Club was putting suspensions in place from Friday evening.

“Based on advice from Surf Life Saving New Zealand, all training activities and the use of club equipment will be suspended from 8pm Friday until 6am Monday,” it posted on Facebook.

“This suspension applies to all aspects of Ōrewa SLSC. To be clear the club does not endorse the use of any SLS equipment during the above time period or members entering the water during the impending conditions.”

The club said its search and rescue squad would remain on call throughout the storm.

“We strongly advise all members to stay clear of the water during this period, including in a personal capacity. The forecasted conditions across the North Island pose significant risk, even for highly experienced lifeguards,” it added.

In Bay of Plenty, Tauranga City Council said it acknowledged it had “been a challenging start” to 2026.

“It’s understandable that people may be feeling unsettled,” it said.

The council said a dedicated incident management team was constantly assessing conditions and was ready to activate if needed.

Vector issues advice in Auckland

Lines company Vector said extra crews and support teams are standing by and closely monitoring conditions.

It said ahead of the storm, people could charge mobile phones, torches and power banks and check on any medical backup plans.

“Most importantly, if you see any fallen or low-hanging power lines at any time, stay well away. Treat them all as live and dangerous and call 111 immediately,” it said.

Massey University meanwhile said if Red warnings were issued for any of its locations of Auckland, Palmerston North of Wellington, then the affected campus would close.

“This includes the Recreation Centres and libraries,” it said.

‘Potential to be significant and damaging’

Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell said Cyclone Vaianu was potentially a significant and damaging storm.

“I know that many communities are still recovering from earlier flooding and weather warnings are currently in place for parts of the country due to a separate weather system,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Rain falling on ground that is already saturated means fallen trees, landslides, flooding and dangerous river conditions are more likely.

“The government, MetService, NEMA and Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups are all keeping a very close eye on Cyclone Vaianu. The government stands ready to assist as required,” he said.

“Put safety first. Don’t take any chances,” the minister said.

Police urged people to “as always” take care on roads.

“High winds could damage trees, powerlines and insecure roofs and make driving hazardous for all drivers and especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Media Outreach

• Asia Pacific holds the largest share of ranked markets on the Index for the first time in more than a decade, claiming 10 out of 25 spots.
• Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea and India see leaps in ranking as Thailand and Malaysia re-enter the top 25.
• Technological and innovation capabilities emerges as the most important factor shaping investment decisions.
• Industrial policy is now critical in investment decisions, with 84 percent of investors citing it as extremely or very important.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 April 2026 – Kearney’s Global Business Policy Council today released the 2026 Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index (FDICI), an annual survey of global business executives that ranks markets most likely to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) over the next three years. The 2026 Index sees Asia Pacific (APAC) claiming the largest share of the ranked markets (10 out of 25) for the first time in more than a decade, amid a global investment environment shaped by intensifying geopolitical tensions, expanding industrial policy, and accelerating technological competition.

The survey, conducted in January 2026 among more than 500 senior executives from leading corporations worldwide, shows that companies remain committed to international investment despite mounting uncertainty. Eighty-eight percent of respondents say they plan to increase foreign direct investment over the next three years, signaling sustained confidence in long-term global opportunities.

The United States and Canada retain their first and second positions on the Index. Japan rises to third, and China (including Hong Kong) climbs to fourth. Singapore (8^th), South Korea (11^th) and India (22^nd) post gains as Thailand (20^th) and Malaysia (21^st) re-enter the top 25 list after three and 12 years respectively— reflecting a strong showing from APAC.

“The APAC region emerges as a winner as investors recalibrate how they make decisions in a more turbulent operating environment,” said Shigeru Sekinada, Region Chair, Asia Pacific at Kearney. “The technological capability, economic growth potential, and geopolitical relevance offered by the top-ranking APAC markets make them choice FDI destinations among a business community that is both actively pursuing emerging opportunities and attentive to mounting complexities and risks.”

Middle powers and emerging markets attract renewed investor interest

Most APAC markets in the top 25 list saw improvements in rankings, but none as remarkable as Singapore, which rose from 15^th to 8^th place. This leap can be attributed to the city-state’s reputation as a hub for R&D and innovation, supported by tax incentives, research grants, and partnerships. One third (34 percent) of investors in the survey cite Singapore’s technological innovation as the strongest reason to invest there, followed by its economic performance (30 percent), driven by expansions in biomedical manufacturing and electronics, and sustained AI-driven semiconductor and server related growth.

Singapore’s significant gain in this year’s Index, alongside those of markets like Saudi Arabia, reflects the rise of “middle powers”—markets that are neither great powers nor small states but still exercise meaningful influence in international politics and generally abide by global rules and norms.

Meanwhile, emerging markets remain dynamic and increasingly interconnected with global investment flows. China ranks as the top market on the Emerging Markets Index for the third consecutive year. Thailand and Malaysia (6^th and 7^th on the Emerging Markets Index) post some of the largest gains in the rankings while Vietnam (16^th) rises three spots.Investor sentiment toward emerging markets has improved modestly year over year, suggesting that companies are increasingly looking beyond traditional investment hubs as they expand supply chains and pursue growth opportunities across a broader set of emerging markets.

Innovation drives investment decisions

Technological and innovation capabilities rank as the most important factor influencing where companies choose to invest, surpassing traditional considerations such as regulatory efficiency and domestic economic performance. As investment in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and data-driven technologies accelerates worldwide, markets with strong innovation ecosystems are increasingly viewed as the most attractive destinations for long-term investment.

Investors cite technological innovation as the strongest or tied strongest reason to invest in 10 of the 25 markets on the Index, including Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan (China).

Geopolitical risk and industrial policy reshape the investment landscape

Executives remain alert to rising global risks even as investment intentions remain strong. Geopolitical tensions rank as the most likely development over the next year (36 percent), followed by commodity price increases and political instability in developed markets (30 percent).

“Geopolitical instability and rising commodity prices have proven to be major factors impacting global business this year, as reflected in the current Middle East conflict. Supply chain resilience, diversification of energy sources and government policies will be crucial for markets to maintain their attractiveness in the eyes of investors in the medium term,” said Sekinada.

At the same time, industrial policy is playing an increasingly central role in shaping investment decisions. According to the survey, 84 percent of investors globally say industrial policy is extremely or very important in determining where they invest, and 57 percent believe it has a positive impact on their company’s business performance. APAC investors show strong support for infrastructure development and subsidies as the most effective industrial policy tools, with 88 percent of investors in the region viewing infrastructure-focused industrial policy as favorable, and 80 percent saying the same for subsidies.

About the 2026 Kearney FDI Confidence Index®

The 2026 Kearney FDI Confidence Index^® is constructed using primary data from a proprietary survey of 507 senior executives of the world’s leading corporations. The survey was conducted in January 2026. Respondents include C-level executives and regional and business leaders. All participating companies have annual revenues of $500 million or more. The companies are headquartered in 30 countries and span all sectors.

The Index is calculated as a weighted average of the number of high, medium, and low responses to questions on the likelihood of making a direct investment in a select market over the next three years.

Index values are based on responses only from companies headquartered in foreign markets. For example, the Index value for the United States was calculated without responses from US-headquartered investors. Higher Index values indicate more attractive investment targets.

All economic growth figures presented in the report are the latest estimates and forecasts available from Oxford Economics unless otherwise noted. Other secondary sources include investment promotion agencies, central banks, ministries of finance and trade, relevant news media, and other major data sources.

https://www.kearney.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/kearney/

Hashtag: #Kearney

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: New Zealand Government

The panel which inquired into alleged conduct by Judge Ema Aitken has found her removal is not justified, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“The Judicial Conduct Panel has found that Judge Aitken’s actions were a serious breach of comity. Comity requires each branch of Government – the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature – to act with mutual restraint and respect towards the others. 

“However, the Panel considered the Judge’s conduct fell short of the high threshold of ‘misbehaviour’ necessary to warrant consideration of her removal. Therefore, Judge Aitken will remain an Acting District Court Judge until her warrant expires in February 2027. 

“I would like to thank all those who participated in this assessment and the panel members for their service. Judicial conduct panels are an important mechanism to maintaining trust and confidence in the judiciary.

“I will not be making any further comment.”

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Source: New Zealand Government

Today’s roll return data tells us what we already knew; families want schooling options that reflect the needs of their children, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. 

Data released today shows that as of March 1 2026 there were 1,471 students enrolled in 16 charter schools. 

“These numbers show that diversity and choice in New Zealand’s schooling system is important to parents,” Mr Seymour says. 

“In the original seven schools alone, rolls have tripled, from 215 students to over 658. 

“The six-year partnership school programme peaked at 1,441 students in 11 schools. In just under two years of the charter school model, we’ve opened more schools, and more students are enrolled. 

“The Charter School Agency has modelled what charter schools cost per student, using the same formula used by the Ministry for Education to calculate the cost of state school students. It puts education union claims about the costs of charter schools to bed. In 2024 the average state primary school was funded $8,762 per student. A charter primary school of the same size receives an estimated $8,278 per student. In 2024 the average state secondary school was funded $11,040 per student. A charter secondary school of the same size receives an estimated $10,741 per student.

“We knew there was demand for charter schools. In some cases, demand was even higher than we expected. Northwest College in Auckland has had to move into a bigger building to accommodate its growth, and its waitlist continues to grow. Newer schools are in huge demand too. Twin Oaks School only opened in Term 3 last year, and already has to move into a bigger space next term,” Mr Seymour says. 

“Charter schools show that education can be different if we let communities bring their ideas to the table.

“These schools have more flexibility in return for strictly measured results.

“The charter school equation is: the same funding as state schools, plus greater flexibility plus stricter accountability for results, equals student success.

“There are more ideas in the communities of New Zealand than there are in the Government. That’s why we open ideas to the wider community and apply strict performance standards to the best ones.

“With many schools having just finished their first term, and another 4 schools opening later this year, I expect to see this strong growth continue.” 

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

More New Zealanders and their families will have faster access to support for eating disorders with the rollout of peer support workers in eating disorder services and further support coming for families and carers, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says.

“This Government is committed to reducing wait times and improving access to eating disorder support. That’s why last year we refreshed the Eating Disorders Strategy for the first time in 16 years, supported by $4 million of additional funding each year,” Mr Doocey says.

“This investment is focused on getting support to people earlier, better supporting families and carers, and increasing capacity of specialist eating disorder services.

“Today I am in Hamilton to hear from the new peer support workers working in the Waikato Specialist Eating Disorders Service. This is especially heartening considering it was only a short time ago I was in Christchurch meeting with the only Health New Zealand-employed peer support worker working in specialist eating disorder services.

“We know peer support workers make a big difference. These are people with experience of eating disorders who can play a big role in supporting others through recovery. It is great to see new peer support roles being implemented in each of the four regional eating disorder services, with workers in place in Wellington and Waikato.

“A big part of the new direction is creating community support for families and carers. I have heard from many families who want to know how to better support their loved one. This is important because families and carers play a critical role in the recovery of an eating disorder.

“That’s why I am also pleased to meet with Eating Disorders Carer Support and Eating Disorders Association of New Zealand today. They have been chosen to deliver this support, so families and carers do feel supported. They will be ensuring people feel well equipped to support their loved ones experiencing eating disorders.

“We want New Zealanders to know when they or their family member reaches out for support, this Government is committed to ensuring support is there.” 

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Public Service Association (PSA) says further job cuts at Te Puni Kōkiri the Ministry of Māori Development would gut the Crown’s ability to meet Te Tiriti obligations.

The PSA said staff had recently received a change proposal which would cut 45 roles and establish 18 to meet government spending reductions.

If it proceeds 27 roles will be cut, impacting the ministry’s people capability and culture, Māori capability, health and safety, information systems, and property and finance functions.

The loss of those roles would come on top of previous restructuring at the ministry.

PSA kaihautū Māori Jack McDonald said the cumulative job cuts would decimate Te Puni Kōkiri.

“These proposed cuts would mean the overall loss of more than 100 roles, about 21 percent of the workforce, further gutting the Crown’s ability to meet their Te Tiriti obligations and deliver improved outcomes for Māori.”

In a statement to RNZ, Te Puni Kōkiri said it was consulting with kaimahi on proposed organisational changes, and no final decisions had been made.

“We recognise that this is a challenging time for our people. Our priority is to ensure kaimahi are kept informed, supported, and have the opportunity to engage meaningfully in the consultation process.

“We are committed to a fair and transparent process and will carefully consider all feedback before any decisions are finalised. We will take the time to carefully consider all feedback before any decisions are made.”

McDonald said Te Puni Kōkiri led critically important work, including advising government on kaupapa Māori and Māori/Crown relations.

“This government has slashed Māori- and Te Tiriti-focused roles, teams and programmes, and the role of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori in the public service has been undermined.

“These senseless cuts will mean the work of supporting ministers and senior leaders will fall on already stretched staff. This mahi is often unseen and unpaid and will increase the risks of burnout and increased stress for staff.

“Axing Māori capability roles that support Te Puni Kōkiri kaimahi strengthening their te reo Māori and tikanga Māori will hamper the organisation’s ability to engage effectively with te ao Māori, which is critical to the work of Te Puni Kōkiri.

“Te Puni Kōkiri has a proud tradition over decades in ensuring that public services deliver for Māori. It is very disappointing that its legacy is being undermined.”

The PSA said the final decision would be announced at the end of April.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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