PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for April 27, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Radio New Zealand

Friends That Invest founder Simran Kaur recently told her online networks that she had retired at age 29.

She said she worked out that she should be able to do so when she could draw down enough from investments to cover her annual expenses at around $150,000 a year.

She was not available for media interviews but said she was still working on the business – but out of choice rather than need.

It’s a situation that influencer Zephan Clark is hoping to find himself in by the time he’s 50. The 24-year-old is currently working on a disciplined financial strategy focused on consistent, long-term investing.

“I’m trying to make the money I have work for me. Retirement to me is not necessarily stopping work, but it’s more so having enough money aside or money and investments to pay for the living expenses and everything that life costs, just so I can https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/588776/reverse-mortgage-or-retirement-village-which-will-give-you-the-retirement-you-want have more freedom].”

He said he had picked up all of his investment knowledge online. “Scaling my income is a big one because, you know, the more income you have, the more you can obviously invest. Anybody can invest. You can invest with $20 a week, right?

“Obviously the more consistent you are and, and the more aggressive you are at a young age – I’m only 24 – hopefully the better returns you can possibly get.”

He said he had 8 percent or 10 percent growth per year in his investments so far and was happy with the prospect that some years were down and some up. “As long as I’m beating inflation I’m pretty happy with my return.”

Clark said he was relatively frugal with his other expenses while he worked towards his goal.

“I don’t go out on the weekends, although sometimes I do, I might go out with some of my friends … I’m more aware that I could spend money on silly things like Uber Eats and so I’m like, no, I have food at home, right? And then boom, now I have some, a bit more money to invest every week.”

Research from Stake showed almost half of New Zealanders aged 18 to 24 thought owning assets was more important to getting ahead than having a high salary.

But if your goal is to retire at 40, 50 or even 60, you might be wondering how much money you need to be able to do that.

University of Auckland senior finance lecturer Gertjan Verdickt said a good way to work it out would be to think about how much you need to spend.

Someone who wanted to fund 30 years of retirement, not including any impact of NZ Super, would need an amount 25 times their annual spending. For 40 years, they would need 28 times and for 50 years, 31 times, he said.

This calculation does not include NZ Super, which at the moment would add about $30,000 in income to a single person living alone, before tax, once they were 65.

It means that someone who wants to be able to retire at 40 and live until 90 would need to save $2.3 million, not accounting for NZ Super.

Ralph Stewart, founder of Lifetime Retirement Income, ran the numbers taking the mid-point between the median wage and average wage after tax each year of $66,000, plus inflation of 2.5 percent.

He assumed someone retiring at 50 would want 80 percent of that amount each year until they were 60, then 70 percent of it until they were 75 percent and then 60 percent to age 95.

“Ignoring Super, he would need at age 50 about $1.5 million, at age 55 $1.25 million, at age 60 $950,000 and at age 65, $700,000.”

Including NZ Super, from 65 he would need $500,000 and at 70 would need $400,000 to achieve that income level.

Stewart said those calculations included a small amount of inflation and it could be higher.

“What we try to say to people, rather than work out what the sum is, work out what you think you’re going to have and bung it into our calculator or Sorted’s calculator and it’ll tell you. So you solve for how much you need to live on, not how much capital you have … we find most people, 30 percent or 40 percent more than NZ Super is about the average we solve for.”

He said 80 percent of 60 year olds were still working and 40 percent of 70-year-olds. Only about 2 percent of people would not be working at 50. “It’s a fun thing to think about but it’s not realistic. Don’t get scared.”

Actuaries often talk about a 4 percent rule, which means that people can draw down 4 percent of their investments in a year. But Verdickt said it could be inefficient even when it worked.

He said research had shown funding constant spending with volatile investments meant retirees typically died with 10 percent to 20 percent of their initial wealth unspent, plus another 2 percent to 4 percent lost to paying too much for the spending pattern itself.

“The practical takeaway isn’t to throw out the multiplier approach – it’s still the right heuristic, but to note that rigidly spending the same real amount every year is the real flaw. Retirees who flex their spending down a bit in bad markets can often get away with a smaller nest egg than the multipliers above suggest.”

Opes Partners chief economist Ed McKnight said another option was the rule of 6 percent.

“This is where you need 16.7 times your income to retire early. So on $50,000 that’s $835,000. The catch with this though is that you can’t increase your spending with the cost of living. So you need to be more careful.”

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

Source: New Zealand Government

The Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa continues to deliver for New Zealanders and the economy with $1.49 billion already invested and a further $2.415 billion in the pipeline for a total of $3.905 billion after its first year.

Investments into private credit are now at almost $900 million, with over $480 million already deployed and a further $376 million committed to businesses looking to innovate and grow, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced today.

“Investments in private credit by AIP investors has had a significant impact for businesses looking to diversify their sources of capital and access more flexible lending arrangements, but who do not want to dilute equity in the business,” Ms Stanford says.

Ms Stanford provided the update today during a visit to United Machinists in Dunedin, a high-tech manufacturer producing specialty parts for New Zealand’s flourishing aerospace and medtech sectors. United Machinists has received AIP private credit investment to support its growth, expand its footprint, and create high‑skilled jobs in the region.

“United Machinists is another excellent example of New Zealand innovation and potential taking flight, supported by private credit and investors who want to support established New Zealand businesses in their next stage.

“Private credit matters because it helps unlock productive capital for New Zealand businesses through private lending, giving firms another option alongside bank finance which is often asset based. This enables expansion, acquisitions, recruitment, investment in plant and equipment, and working capital. 

“Examples of sectors that have benefitted already include aged care and healthcare, horticulture, data centres, digital media and technology, tourism, FMCG exporting, manufacturing, and dental tech.

“Private credit, alongside other AIP investments, including venture capital, private equity, and infrastructure funds are providing investors in the Growth category with a range of choices, with many now splitting their investment across a number of categories. 

“A year after the new settings were implemented, interest in the visa remains strong, showing its competitive edge in an increasingly uncertain world benefitting New Zealand businesses, creating jobs and opportunities for New Zealanders, and growing our economy.”

Since the April 2025 refresh:

• 609 applications have been received for 1988 people
• $1.49 billion is already invested with a further $2.415 billion in the pipeline
• The Growth Category remains the most popular, with most investment flowing through managed funds.
• Within the Growth category managed funds are committed through (rounded to nearest million): Private Credit $899 million, Venture Capital $147 million, Infrastructure $97 million, Private Equity $57 million, Diversified $17 million, and Fund of Funds $10 million. Of this, $778 million (63%) has already been deployed.
• Invest New Zealand undertakes quarterly recertification of managed funds within the Growth category to track compliance with requirements including deployment into the New Zealand economy. 

MIL OSI

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 April 2026 – The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Times Higher Education (THE) co-hosted the Asia Universities Summit 2026 from April 22 to 24. Under the theme “Igniting Global Transformation: Asia’s Leadership,” the three-day premier event explores Asia’s pivotal role in reshaping global innovation and addressing pressing societal challenges through higher education.

The Summit holds particular significance as it coincides with HKUST’s 35th anniversary and marks a decade of partnership between the University and THE since the inaugural summit. This year’s event has attracted over 600 university presidents, policymakers, and industry titans from 25 countries and regions, underscoring a collective commitment to advancing the academic landscape across the continent.

The Summit officially commenced on April 22 at HKUST’s Shaw Auditorium, with the opening ceremony officiated by Dr. SZE Chun-Fai, Jeff, Acting Secretary for Education of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government; Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST; Phil BATY, Chief Global Affairs Officer, and Mei Mei LIM, President, Asia Pacific, from THE.

In her opening remarks, President Ip underscored the need for cross-border collaboration and the evolving role of universities in a rapidly changing world. She said, “As HKUST celebrates its anniversary and a decade of partnership with Times Higher Education, we gather at a defining moment for our region. Asia is increasingly shaping the direction of global innovation, talent development, and societal transformation. In this era of rapid technological advancement and constant change—from artificial intelligence to climate resilience—the challenge of progress lies in anticipating needs and shaping solutions, which calls for a fundamental rethinking of how universities lead. At HKUST, we firmly believe that no single institution can address these global challenges alone; progress will come through openness, partnership, and shared responsibility.

Hong Kong is unique in being the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the global top 100, underscoring its role as a leading international hub for exchange and innovation. Building on this strength, HKUST has initiated dialogues with the world’s leading universities and invited them to Hong Kong to explore opportunities for a university town. This Summit reflects our long‑standing commitment to bringing institutions together to exchange ideas, build meaningful collaborations, and take collective action. By convening leaders from across Asia and beyond, we aim to turn thoughtful dialogue into real impact for our communities and for society at large.”

Dr. SZE Chun-Fai, Jeff, highlighted Hong Kong’s unique position as an international education hub, stating, “Universities today are not only centers of knowledge creation but also powerful drivers of innovation, resilience, and societal impact. In an era of rapid technological advancement, higher education must translate cutting-edge research into real-world solutions that address global challenges. HKUST exemplifies this excellence and achieves remarkable rankings, with its entrepreneurial story equally unmatched, demonstrating the worldwide impact of its research discoveries. Hong Kong has long served as the world’s super-connector and super-value adder, bridging East and West. Our highly internationalized and diversified post-secondary education system positions us ideally to facilitate this convergence between global academic networks and the opportunities of the Chinese Mainland and the wider region. Education, technology, and talent form a foundational triad for success. By fostering talent attraction, interdisciplinary education, industry-academic partnerships, and research collaborations with our counterparts elsewhere, we are building a vibrant ecosystem that strengthens Hong Kong’s innovation edge, contributing to Asia as well as national development.”

Phil Baty reaffirmed THE’s enduring partnership of trust with HKUST and celebrated Asia’s rising global influence, stating, “A decade ago, right here on this stunning campus, THE launched its first-ever Asia Universities Summit. Today, we are witnessing a tilt in the balance of power in global higher education and research from the West to the East. This extraordinary trajectory is driven by Asia’s booming research productivity and global ambitions. Hong Kong, with five universities now ranked among the world’s top 100, stands at the heart of this transformation—a city which we believe will remain the flagship atop the rising tide across Asia, cementing its position as a world-leading powerhouse. New knowledge creation is not a zero-sum game, as we all gain from the leapfrogging Asian university sector. This Summit is a celebration of your excellence and the glorious diversity of our academic community.”

Following the opening ceremony, President Ip joined Prof. Martin O. BERGÖ, Vice-President of Karolinska Institutet, in a keynote fireside chat on longevity science. The discussion explored how advances in biomedicine, neuroscience, and translational research can extend both lifespan and healthspan, while contributing to resilient and equitable societies. President Ip shared insights from her pioneering neuroscience research, including the University’s efforts to decode the biological basis of healthy aging. She said, “Healthy aging is not just about adding years to life, but adding life to our years. We need a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive care. At HKUST, we are focused on monitoring risks for any diseases early and implementing preventive measures. Longevity science is about extending the ‘healthspan’ and as a university, we have much to offer through our research and collaborations. We are uniquely positioned to contribute to this field.”

A spotlight on the first day was a fireside chat between Prof. Harry SHUM, Chairman of the HKUST Council, and Judson ALTHOFF, CEO of Microsoft’s Commercial Business. The dialogue delved into the transformative power of AI across both industry and academia, discussing how universities can collaborate with global technology leaders to prepare students for an AI‑pervasive world. Emphasis was placed not only on technological capability, but also on trust, critical thinking and mindset change within institutions.

Prof. Shum underscored the importance of embracing AI across disciplines, “For our university, at this time, the number one priority is really a mindset change—to focus on AI for science, engineering, business, humanities, and medicine. AI is already here. We do not have to be afraid of this technology. It is a powerful new tool for us and a wonderful thing that we must learn and master to drive growth and innovation.”

Throughout the Summit, President Ip participated in two leadership meetings with over 15 university presidents and senior leaders from institutions across Asia, engaging in candid, strategy‑focused exchanges on shared regional challenges. One session examined how Asia’s emerging innovation corridors—from the Greater Bay Area to other fast‑growing technology belts—can redefine global technology leadership, with discussions centered on governance models and cross‑border collaboration. Another session focused on shaping next‑generation cities, exploring how universities can align research, talent development and policy engagement to support sustainable urban transformation amid rapid technological and societal change. These high-level dialogues emphasized the need for strategic alignment between academic research and regional development, reinforcing the Summit’s mission to leverage Asian leadership for global transformation through collaborative institutional design and shared expertise.

Across a series of high‑level sessions, HKUST senior leadership played an active role in shaping discussions on inclusive leadership, trusted AI in higher education, research commercialization, climate resilience, and global research collaboration. The sessions examined how universities can strengthen governance frameworks to ensure the responsible and ethical use of AI, while cultivating innovation ecosystems that translate research outcomes into socio-economic impact.

The dialogue also addressed strategies for nurturing entrepreneurship, climate‑proofing rapidly growing cities through interdisciplinary engineering approaches, and sustaining borderless research collaboration amid rising geopolitical and regulatory pressures. Collectively, these contributions highlighted HKUST’s commitment to advancing responsible innovation, international partnership, and university leadership attuned to Asia’s evolving challenges and global responsibilities.

The three-day event concluded with a closing ceremony, cementing new strategic partnerships and a shared vision for the future of higher education in the region.

Download photos here: https://hkust.edu.hk/news/hkust-and-times-higher-education-co-host-asia-universities-summit-2026

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Source: New Zealand Government

Three more regional airlines will receive Regional Infrastructure Fund loans to help support regional air routes and safeguard essential air services, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Associate Transport Minister James Meager say.

“These loans will help regional passenger airlines manage debt, maintain their fleets, and continue operating the routes important for the wellbeing, resilience and economies of regional communities,” Mr Jones says.

“Regional connectivity is vital to New Zealand’s economic and social wellbeing, but the industry is under pressure, with some crucial routes at risk. That is why we have taken action to help stabilise the sector in the short to medium term,” Mr Meager says.

The three airlines receiving funding from $30 million ring-fenced in the Regional infrastructure Fund are:

Air Chathams – $17.2m to refinance debt. The airline connects Auckland, Whakatāne, Whanganui, Kāpiti, Wellington, Christchurch, Chatham Islands and Pitt Island
Sounds Air – $4.5m to upgrade its fleet and refinance debt. The airline connects Wellington, Picton, Kāpiti, Blenheim and Nelson
Island Air – $252,000 for fleet maintenance. The airline connects Tauranga and Motiti Island

“Many of these airlines provide essential services and are the often most efficient way for locals to access specialist health care, connect with family, and do business,” Mr Meager says.

“In places like the Chatham Islands, regional airlines are the sole connector for residents to the mainland. Losing those routes would risk people being cut off from the rest of the country and disruption to the delivery of essential services.”

Mr Jones says the regional airlines funding package was created in late 2025, several months prior to the current Middle East conflict.

“The impact on fuel supply and pricing has had ramifications across the world, including in the aviation sector. The situation in New Zealand is no different.

“The Government acknowledges it is now an even more challenging commercial environment for regional airlines, and there is uncertainty about the future.

“We’ve listened to concerns from regional operators and have requested advice from officials regarding the potential for temporarily adjusting loan conditions to help regional airlines meet their obligations in adverse conditions. We expect to be able to speak more about this in coming weeks,” Mr Jones says.

Kānoa, the Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit, is continuing to progress applications for support from other airlines. The Government announced the first loan, to Golden Bay Air, in February.

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Good afternoon.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you, Sue Tindal, Peter Reidy and KiwiRail for hosting us all today. 

It is good to be in Christchurch, where the first rail in New Zealand was laid. Indeed, the South Island was home to former Premier Julius Vogel, who started New Zealand’s rail system. He built more rail in ten years during the 1870s than the entire 130 years that followed. Now that’s fast-track infrastructure.

Our acknowledgements to KiwiRail’s workers, unions, and customers; to the companies involved in building this precinct; to Mainland Rail; and to local leaders including Ngāi Tahu, Mayors Phil Mauger and Lydia Gliddon, Deputy Mayor, Regional Council Chair Deon Swiggs, councillors, and local Members of Parliament.

We offer a special acknowledgement to the Ambassadors of Switzerland and Spain who join us today, reflecting the fact that the new fleet of locomotives are built by Swiss company Stadler at their manufacturing base in Valencia, Spain.

When last responsible for rail, we committed $75 million to build a new rail maintenance facility here in Christchurch, supporting around 150 construction jobs and resetting rail for a strong future in the South Island. A final $35 million investment capped off the programme some years ago for the full precinct upgrade.

If anybody is confused, “we” means Shane Jones and yours truly. 

Because here are the facts:

Rail in this country was degraded and in a state of managed decline. While many were fast on the lip but slow on the hip, we stepped up and committed to a wholesale rebuild of the industry. 

We changed the law to fund the rail network like we fund the state highway network. Since then, sleeper by sleeper, bridge by bridge, year by year, we are rebuilding the rail network.

A decade ago, the network would shut often due to slips and washouts. This year, with so many major storms, only one washout near Te Puke has stopped the network for just days, not weeks like the old days.

We funded the replacement of old locomotives and wagons, so they can spend less time in the workshop being fixed and more time serving our nation by hauling heavy goods across the country. 

We rebuilt workshops like this one in Christchurch and Hillside in Dunedin, upgraded them in Auckland and Lower Hutt, and built a new one in Hamilton because we wanted safer, more efficient, more productive working environments for skilled workers to maintain railway rolling stock.

These investments—ongoing for the network, one-off for the commercial assets—achieve one thing: reliability.

If trains turn up on time, customers use them. In transport, schedule reliability is everything. As the network and rolling stock reliability improves, so too does KiwiRail’s profitability and the share of rail moving New Zealand’s goods.

KiwiRail’s half-year result shows the evidence: it earned $73 million in profit, exceeding its target, and lifted volumes by 7 percent versus road lifting by 2 percent. That shows freight is moving from road to rail.

This is an industry that is regaining its purpose and its confidence.

And more importantly, it is doing so in service of our country.

And the best is yet to come: the 66 new DM locomotives will be a major advance for rail performance in New Zealand.

The entire DX locomotive fleet will complete their service, after forty and fifty years running, replaced by DM locomotives with greater hauling power and cabs at both ends to simplify yard movements.

What’s more: rail is already 2.5 times more fuel efficient than trucks on average, and the fuel economy of the DMs are vastly superior. As we see when fuel prices spike, it is rail that proves its worth. We saw this in the 1970s, and we are seeing it again today.

It proves once again that being green is an economic choice; requiring none of the eyerolling, virtue signalling nonsense seen by some of our opponents in Parliament.

But thankfully, we are not at Parliament. We are in Christchurch, with people who know how to get things done.

You have in your midst the team running Mainland Rail, a private company that bought the old Capital Connection carriages from Wellington and diesel units from Auckland Transport.

This evening, they are running the very first major events excursion train to the first Crusaders match at the brand-new Christchurch Stadium. We have the honour of catching that train, although I hasten to add: as Minister for Rail, not as a rugby supporter.

Would any of this have happened had we not set a course to rebuild the rail infrastructure, giving confidence to people like Mainland Rail to put their money at risk by giving the rail business a go?

They have great ambitions to use the rail network within and around Christchurch for public transport services.

So to the local body officials in the room wanting passenger rail services here in Christchurch, listen up: you can be like Auckland was and waste time on light rail waiting for hand-outs from the taxpayer, or you can be like Waikato and use the existing rail infrastructure and back it by funding half like every public transport service in this country.

To be clear, that is not an endorsement of any new service, of Mainland Rail, or even KiwiRail. It is a statement of commonsense to those with grand ideas: put in the work to build a viable proposition for your community.

Because as you have seen today with this building, these locomotives, and the performance of KiwiRail when delivering our strategy: we deliver good ideas.

And with that it is a pleasure, as Minister for Rail, to at last launch the Waltham Maintenance Hub and the first four of many DM Class locomotives.

Thank you.

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

• Life was looking up for man found dead after a house fire in Ruapehu, friends say
• The man’s boarder was killed in a car crash shortly after the fire
• Police launch homicide investigation.

A 62-year-old man found dead after a house fire in the small Ruapehu settlement of Rangataua was getting his life back on track after a tough decade recovering from serious medical problems, close friends have told RNZ.

John Alan Seymour was found dead during a scene examination of his Kaha Street house the day after it was destroyed by fire late last Thursday.

Police now say the fire appeared to have been deliberately lit and have launched a homicide investigation.

Shortly after the blaze took hold police were called to a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 49 near Rangataua, southeast of Ohakune.

Thirty-five-year-old Jason Savage was killed in that crash and RNZ can reveal that he was a boarder at Seymour’s house.

“Police can confirm the vehicle, and the deceased are connected to the Kaha Street address,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Varnia Allan, in a statement this week.

“Police are working to establish what exactly has occurred at the Kaha Street address.”

Seymour mostly lived alone at his one-storey house, but would sometimes take in boarders for periods of time, RNZ understands.

‘Bad things have happened to a good guy’

“For the last 12 months of Seymour’s life, he got his act together,” a close friend, who asked not to be named, told RNZ.

“Something changed. John had purpose. He had friends, who were very supportive, around him…

“That’s why it’s such a big shock to us.”

Seymour was a fitter, a highly skilled engineer who would travel around New Zealand on different jobs.

However, his life changed more than a decade ago when he suffered a brain aneurysm or bleed.

His friend said Seymour was not found for two days and then spent three months in hospital. After he was discharged he could not return to his former work, and it took a while to adjust to the change.

But, recently he had developed a good network of people around him, and had bought a large lathe, which he kept at a workshop.

He also had a wood splitting business. A sign advertising this is still visible at the front of the charred wreckage of his house.

“He was getting out of bed. He was spending a lot of time at this workshop,” said his friend’s partner.

The pair were out of the district when the fire happened. They said Seymour would have known he could have come to them if he was in trouble.

He was a private man who had been into skiing, and had formed close relationships with former colleagues and those he spent time with at his workshop.

He was friendly towards others in Rangataua, a small community he loved, where locals had to be resilient.

They said a planned memorial service for Seymour on Friday would likely be full of people he had met during his time working throughout the country.

“He was just a special person. He would do anything for anyone. He was always willing to stop and have a chat,” his friend said.

“He was in a good space. Bad things have happened to a good guy. It’s devastating to everyone concerned he’s left behind.

“It’s just a shock to everyone.”

Explosions during fire cause concern

A neighbour told RNZ Seymour would often come around and clear her guttering, as he had for the person who lived in the house before her.

He also loved the dogs that lived in the neighbourhood.

Angie Miller said she lived a coupe of hundred metres from Seymour’s house.

She had known who he was for almost two decades, but mostly just to wave at. Others in the village were closer.

“My friends say he was a very kind person and very knowledgeable.”

Last Thursday Miller saw flames and had walked closer to the scene for a look, but retreated after hearing explosions.

“I was quite worried about the firefighters.”

When RNZ visited the scene emergency tape fluttered in the chill wind blowing off the slopes of Mt Ruapehu, which loomed in the background.

A sign outside warned of hazards, including the “unstable structure” and a diesel tank.

A burned out vehicle was parked in front of the house.

Rangataua’s population might hit a couple of hundred, but that would likely be during the winter ski season or summer holidays, and many of the houses are unoccupied most of the time.

Chris Williams lives along Kaha Street and saw the fire take hold.

“There were a lot of flames. It was getting to the point where it was just engulfing the house.

“We heard the fire trucks and the alarms. We didn’t take any notice until we smelt the smoke coming our way.”

Williams said he knew Seymour by sight, but not well.

After the fire police officers wearing white overalls had combed the scene.

“The next three or four days afterwards were just teaming with police. They asked me what I saw – if I saw anything or any suspicious people.

“There’s no suspicious people here. We all know one another.”

The village was quiet and everyone seemed to mind their own business, Williams said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

A resurrected minerals deal with the US is causing mixed reactions among environmentalists.

A Cabinet paper has revealed that Resources Minister Shane Jones wants to continue negotiations for a bilateral agreement with the US over rare minerals.

Currently, the US has been heavily reliant on China for these materials.

Critical minerals are used in a variety of modern-day tech, from smartphones and renewable energy to weapons.

Their use in a military context gave Greenpeace director Russel Norman pause.

“Donald Trump hates renewable energy. It’s all about getting minerals to fuel his war ambitions,” he said.

He worried that the deal could be used to circumvent environmental protections and let foreign interests plunder New Zealand’s resources.

He pointed to Trans-Tasman Resources, an Australian-owned company, which wanted to mine 50 million tonnes of seabed a year for 30 years in the South Taranaki Bight.

“There is no benefit in New Zealand in destroying the biodiversity off in South Taranaki just so that an Australian mining company can dig up vanadium and give it to the US military.”

The Fast Track panel rejected Trans-Tasman Resources’ plans.

Norman said New Zealand “should have nothing to do with the deal”.

“We don’t need to go and destroy the seafloor all around the world in order to get those minerals.”

This was supported by University of Auckland professor Nicola Gaston.

She said highly sought-after, rare minerals can be sourced through recycling.

She cited several companies that had created circular economies of extracting materials from waste products for new applications, such as Mint Innovation and Zethos.

“If a deal is about us actually backing these New Zealand companies to do the work that they’re doing internationally, that would be super.”

But she expressed reservations about the deal if it involved mining.

“I just would not want us to be locking ourselves into some sort of exploitation that is not able to be managed according to our own policy goals or the social licence that we have in New Zealand for mining.”

‘They never have practical alternative solutions’ – Jones

Jones responded to criticism, saying New Zealand was not solely pursuing a bilateral deal with the US, but was also exploring wider partnerships with ”like-minded nations”.

He said this country was already part of an international agreement with countries like the UK, Japan and South Korea to work together to secure supplies of critical minerals.

Jones said any development of the sector would still be subject to New Zealand’s environmental and legal safeguards, including the resource consenting process and Treaty obligations.

”Obviously, the consenting process – we need to ensure that when these minerals are extracted, it happens with established statutory guardrails,” he said.

He also noted the challenges of refining, saying there was currently little capacity in New Zealand and that processing minerals can come with ”a host of negative externalities”.

Responding to the criticism from Greenpeace, Jones said environmental advocacy groups rarely offered workable alternatives.

”Greenpeace are consistent critics in terms of capitalism, economic development… They never have practical alternative solutions,” he said.

”They want a clean green future, but they refuse to acknowledge that New Zealand has the very minerals that can contribute to that future,” he said.

Jones said opponents were holding back the sector.

”Mining has been marginalised in New Zealand by green Luddites, lily-livered bureaucrats and politicians that have been unwilling to show Kiwis that we can mine and still have positive environmental impacts.”

He also downplayed concerns about the potential military use of exported minerals.

”I don’t believe it is a concern… New Zealand is not in the weapon-making business,” he said, adding that lawful trade should not be restricted based on how what’s being traded will be used.

Jones said the government would continue discussions with multiple countries and planned to host a critical minerals forum at Parliament to get feedback from the sector.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has brushed off criticisms of his government after days of heated speculation about his leadership.

In a media standup at HamiltonJet Global in Christchurch on Friday morning, Luxon brushed off businesses’ concerns about a lack of funding to bring SailGP back to Auckland.

He has also joked about losing votes in Auckland as a result of his support for the Crusaders, and avoided saying much about a National Party dinner where guests could pay $10,000 to sit next to him.

Auckland events boss Nick Hill told Morning Report he was “very disappointed” at the loss of SailGP, saying it was “significant loss” for the City of Sails and blaming a lack of buy-in from the government.

Luxon said the proposal for funding Sail GP in Auckland did not stack up, but distanced himself from it – acknowledging he was not across the details.

“Yeah, look, um, you know, we’ll continue our conversations with Auckland Council and SailGP but the proposal we received just frankly didn’t stack up,” he said.

He was unsure how much money the government was being asked to provide.

“I can’t remember what the proposal specifics was but when we run it through our evaluation criteria, just didn’t stack up.”

He said Tourism Minister Louise Upston would know about the specifics.

“I’m just well aware that when we looked at the cost-benefit ratio, it didn’t meet the criteria … it just didn’t meet the criteria, is all I know.”

He rejected the suggestion from Auckland businesses the government was working against them.

“Ah absolute rubbish. This is a government that’s backed State of Origin into Auckland, it’s a government that’s put a whole bunch of major events into Auckland, it’s invested in the New Zealand International Convention Centre, invested in the CRL, and we’ve made big investments and big support programmes into Auckland.”

He was in Christchurch [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/593268/christchurch-stadium-opening-te-kaha-opens-after-15-year-wait ahead of the first Super Round at the city’s new stadium Te Kaha, when 10 of the Super Rugby Pacific’s 11 teams would all play at the same venue.

Having grown up in the city, he said it was “tough” to say whether Te Kaha had overtaken Eden Park as the national stadium.

“I gotta say, it’s a world class stadium. It was a pleasure to open it three or four weeks ago. I’ll be there tonight,” he said.

Leadership woes

Luxon has been under pressure in recent weeks over poor polling numbers and leaks from who he has described as disgruntled MPs.

Coalition tensions turned up a notch this week too, as New Zealand First’s Winston Peters criticised Luxon’s decision to call a confidence vote in himself without informing coalition partners, saying that was unwise and would lead to instability.

Luxon and his deputy Nicola Willis in turn criticised Peters in the media – the first time they have been willing to do so directly and publicly.

Despite all that, he joked about losing support in Auckland, where he holds the seat of Botany.

“I’ll be in my Crusaders kit, I’ll lose 5000 votes in Auckland – but that’s okay, because I’m a Crusaders guy through and through.

“If I’m honest with you, in terms of scale and size, Eden Park’s obviously large and can accommodate certain activity, but I can tell you, I’m going to be coming to Christchurch a lot to see a lot of things down here.”

He said it was important to draw international events like Robbie Williams to New Zealand, as every dollar spent on attracting them was “getting $3.20 back into the local economy here”.

“So it’s fantastic, so exciting and it’s honestly – I don’t know whether you guys have been inside it – but it’s amazing. It’s incredible. It’s covered. We’re so close to the action, you’ll be able to hear the lineout calls, it’s just going to be brilliant.”

Christchurch ‘a role model’

He said Christchurch was a “real role model for how we want New Zealand to ultimately look and feel like”.

“You’ve got incredibly modern, reliable infrastructure. You’ve got a fantastic airport, awesome university, great schools, fantastic infrastructure now with the stadium and the redevelopment that’s taking place, and it’s growing very quickly.

“It’s an affordable city, more affordable city than many other parts of New Zealand, and so things like our planning laws are changing in order to be able to increase the supply of housing across the rest of New Zealand.”

In the four years after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes devastated the city centre, the John Key-led government provided an estimated $16.5 billion, with about half coming from insurance payouts from the then-Earthquake Commission.

Luxon said there was “plenty of cash around” from private capital, but “whether the government needs to be involved, government doesn’t need to be involved in everything. It’s quite good if we’re not in many cases”.

The ongoing fuel crisis that has resulted from the US and Israel conflict with Iran has been putting additional pressure on government finances after high spending under Labour that aimed to keep the economy growing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Support for businesses and those struggling with high fuel prices has been limited to “targeted, timely and temporary” spending, with the main component being a $50-a-week increase for working families earning tax credits.

Luxon said New Zealand had managed to secure supplies and there was no disruption there, “but, you know, the world needs peace to be breaking out there”.

He said rhetoric like US President Donald Trump’s was not needed.

“We don’t need escalation.”

More weather concerns

Luxon’s comments were made shortly before news of more heavy rain lashing the country – causing landslips in Auckland and prompting people to evacuate their homes.

He was asked about a new report out from the Climate Change Commission pointing to a risk before 2030 of a shortfall of Emissions Trading Scheme units possibly resulting in volatile price spikes, but said his main concern was “growth over and above everything else”.

He said the country was “determined to deliver on our climate change commitments, net zero 2050 … and we’re on track to do exactly that”.

“Last quarter this country generated less emissions than we’ve ever had, ever since we started recording in 2010 – and that’s because we’ve got a government that doesn’t just do bumper stickers and slogans and words, we actually do action and investment, as illustrated by our big investments in the renewables energy boom that’s taking place.”

The government’s push towards renewable energy has largely been focused on planning changes.

Luxon was also questioned about a National Party fundraising dinner, where property developer Matthew Horncastle paid $10,000 for a ticket to sit next to the prime minister and his wife, Amanda.

When Luxon was asked about how things had gone at the dinner on Thursday, he initially said “with who?”

After the name was repeated, he said “oh, there was a National Party event I was at last night, yeah. But yesterday I was also at a company called Zethos, which was pretty exciting because that’s a startup that’s come out of the engineering school that’s recycling critical minerals here in Christchurch”.

Horncastle has previously said that if he entered politics he would aim to be a National Party prime minister by winning the Christchurch Central seat – which has been a Labour stronghold, with just one National MP holding it since 1946.

Asked if Horncastle was the kind of person he wanted in National, Luxon only said it was a “broad church, and if people want to support us from all sorts of work, as it does for every political party, uh, it was just a party event last night”.

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

Source: Media Outreach

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

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is investing more than $800,000 to repair three of New Zealand’s Great Ride cycle trails following significant storm damage, plus marketing funding to aid regional tourism recovery, says Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston. 

“Repairing these trails ensures they can continue to drive regional tourism, support local businesses, and provide high‑quality outdoor recreation experiences,” Louise Upston says.  

“An initial $300,000 is going toward immediate safety work on the Hauraki Rail Trail which is enabling it to reopen to cyclists in time to enjoy the changing autumn landscapes, following storm damage in January.   

“The Waikato River Trail will receive $110,000 to help repair significant damage that occurred in February across 50 kilometres of the trail.   

“Further south, Tasman’s Great Taste Trail will receive almost $427,000 to reinstate the track between Wai‑iti Reserve and Quail Valley Road, subject to final route confirmation. This adds to support provided last year and brings total Government investment in extreme‑weather repairs on the trail to just over $2 million.  

“The trail contributes around $34 million to the local economy each year, and this work will help ensure it continues to play that vital role.  

“As regions recover from summer storms, it’s important we support tourism businesses to welcome visitors back. 

 “Alongside infrastructure repairs, targeted marketing funding has also been approved to help affected regions rebuild visitor confidence and support tourism recovery following the January 2026 severe weather events in the upper North Island.  This includes $55,000 for domestic and international marketing in Hauraki Coromandel and $10,000 for an autumn business‑events marketing campaign in the Bay of Plenty.  

“More than 2 million people enjoy the 23 Great Rides of Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails each year, contributing an estimated $1.28 billion to regional economies, and today’s support helps regions keep welcoming visitors as they recover from severe weather.  

“These trails are a long‑standing partnership between central and local government and the communities that host them. Today’s investment reinforces that commitment.” 

MIL OSI