AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for May 5, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Radio New Zealand

The government has given councils an ultimatum: come up with amalgamation plans within three months or the government will do it for you.

Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced the move on Tuesday afternoon, giving a three-month deadline for reorganisation plans to be delievered.

It followed an announcement in November that groups of city and district mayors – with some government oversight – would be formed to come up with such plans.

But the ministers on Tuesday said if councils failed to make use of the new ‘Head Start’ approach, they would be forced into changes.

“Our message to councils is simple: lead your own reform, or we will do it for you. Either way, change is coming,” Bishop said.

Watts was explicit that proposals should focus on creating larger, more efficient unitary authorities.

He said the government was providing councils with “real flexibility”.

“Proposals don’t need to cover an entire region, but they must show clear support, strong leadership, and real benefits for communities.”

The proposals would be considered by government officials against criteria including practicality, simplicity, value for money, effective representation, timeliness and how it works with the new resource management system.

Decisions would be made this year, then developed in detail and signed off in 2027 to be implemented ahead of the 2028 local elections.

“For areas that do not come forward through the head start pathway, the government will implement a backstop process to ensure reform still happens across the country. This will involve a standardised approach, including transitional governance arrangements while changes are put in place,” Watts said.

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

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

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

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is giving councils a three-month window to put forward proposals to simplify and strengthen local government in their regions, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Local Government Minister Simon Watts say. 

“New Zealand’s local government system is too complex, too costly, and too hard to navigate,” Mr Bishop says.

“We currently have 78 city and district, regional, and unitary councils across the country – a high number for a country of our size.

“Councils shape the places we live and the services we rely on. But too often, the system is tangled in duplication, disagreements, and decisions that defy common sense.

“Councils are critical to delivering the new planning system, which will pass into law this year, enabling housing growth and supporting infrastructure investment.

“We gave careful thought to sequencing this work after resource management reform, but the benefits of doing it now are too large to ignore.

“These reforms are tightly linked. Fixing the planning system while leaving local government untouched would just lock in the same problems. We’re not prepared to do that. It makes far more sense to tackle both together so councils can plan once, adapt once, and get on with delivering.

“A simpler, more efficient local government system will make it easier to deliver those priorities.

“In November last year, Ministers put forward a proposal to simplify local government by reducing duplication, improving accountability, and making it easier for councils to deliver for their communities. The proposal would remove the elected regional councillors and require councils to work together on region-wide plans to simplify structures, cut duplication, and deliver services more efficiently.

“We’ve now completed consultation on that proposal, which received more than 1,100 submissions from councils, sector groups, iwi, and the public.

“What we heard was consistent. There’s strong support for change, but many councils want more flexibility to get on with reform in a way that works for their region.

“Several mayors have told us they’re ready to move now, with clear ideas about what should change and how to do it.

“We’re giving them the opportunity to get on with it through a ‘head start’ pathway.

“But that opportunity won’t sit open forever. If councils don’t step up and put forward credible proposals, the Government will step in and make those decisions.

“Our message to councils is simple: lead your own reform, or we will do it for you. Either way, change is coming.”

Mr Watts says the Government’s new Head Start pathway will enable councils to pitch their own reorganisation ideas.

“From today, councils have three months to work with others in their region and put forward proposals for how they want to reorganise their local government arrangements,” Mr Watts says.

“Proposals should focus on creating larger, more efficient unitary authorities that streamline functions, reduce duplication and improve decision-making.

“We’re giving councils real flexibility. Proposals don’t need to cover an entire region, but they must show clear support, strong leadership, and real benefits for communities.”

Officials will assess proposals against clear criteria, including:

• Can it actually be done? The proposal needs to be realistic and able to be delivered on time.
• Does it support the new planning system? It should make it easier, not harder, to roll out new planning rules and plans.
• Does it simplify things? It should reduce duplication and make decision-making clearer and more efficient.
• Will it deliver better value? It should improve efficiency, save money over time, and support better infrastructure and services.
• Are communities still well represented? It needs to keep a strong local voice and fairly represent different communities, including urban and rural areas.

Cabinet will then decide which proposals to progress, with decisions later this year. Endorsed proposals will then be developed in detail and signed off in 2027, with changes implemented ahead of the 2028 local government elections.

Mr Watts says some councils are already progressing this work, and the Government wants to support that momentum. 

“Councils told us they want reform, but they also want a bigger role in shaping it. Head Start gives them that opportunity while keeping change moving,” Mr Watts says.

“This is about Government not getting in the way. With the Head Start approach, those ready to move can get on with designing arrangements that better serve their communities, without waiting for others.

“For areas that do not come forward through the head start pathway, the Government will implement a backstop process to ensure reform still happens across the country. This will involve a standardised approach, including transitional governance arrangements while changes are put in place.”

Final decisions on local government reform for those councils will be taken by Cabinet in 2027, with changes expected to take effect for the 2028 local elections.

Note to editors:

Who can submit a proposal?

Proposals must be submitted by groups of councils, not individual councils acting alone.

To be eligible:

• A proposal must come from two or more territorial authorities (city or district councils).
• The group must either:
  • represent a majority of the territorial authorities directly affected, or
  • represent a majority of the population in the affected area.
• Regional councils cannot submit proposals.
• Existing unitary authorities (except Auckland Council) can be part of a proposal. 

Proposals can:

• Cover all or part of a region.
• Include neighbouring councils from different regions (where it makes sense).
• Result in one or more unitary authorities (generally one, but in some cases two or three per region). 

What is a proposal expected to do?

Proposals should focus on creating unitary authorities.

This means:

• Combining regional and local council functions into a single organisation.
• Reducing duplication and simplifying decision-making.
• Creating a structure that works better at a regional or subregional level. 

What criteria will proposals be assessed against?

All proposals will be assessed by officials against clear criteria before decisions are made by Cabinet.

Proposals must show:

1. Deliverability

• The proposal is realistic and can be implemented in a timely way.
• It can be in place by, or soon after, the 2028 local elections. 

2. Supports the new planning system

• It will help councils deliver the new planning system.
• It avoids disrupting important work like spatial planning, environmental planning, and infrastructure delivery. 

3. Simpler local governance

• It reduces duplication and complexity.
• It improves how decisions are made across the region. 

4. Economies of scale

• It enables more efficient delivery of services.
• It supports better infrastructure planning and investment.
• It enables effective delivery of key functions like transport, catchment management.

5. Maintains a strong local voice

• Communities continue to be represented fairly.
• Local decision-making is preserved where it matters.
• Urban and rural interests are balanced. 

What happens next?

• Councils have three months from today to develop and submit outline proposals.
• Officials will carry out a rapid assessment of proposals.
• Ministers will recommend which proposals should proceed.
• Cabinet will agree in principle which proposals move forward to detailed design.
• Final decisions are expected in 2027, with changes implemented ahead of the 2028 local elections. 

What if a council doesn’t take part?

• If councils choose not to use the Head Start pathway, or aren’t ready to, the Government will step in to ensure reform still happens through a backstop process.
• Under the backstop, the Government will set a standard approach to reorganising local government.
• It is likely to include simplifying structures and reducing duplication, similar to the goals of the Head Start pathway.
• There will be transitional governance arrangements (such as a board of mayors or other interim body) while changes are put in place.
• The backstop process will be finalised in 2027, with changes expected to take effect from the 2028 local elections.
• The aim is to ensure every part of the country benefits from a simpler, more effective local government system, whether councils choose to lead reform themselves or not.

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is continuing to make significant improvements to the children’s system as part of its commitment to keeping vulnerable children safe from harm.

Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston is leading the work and says three of the 14 recommendations of the Dame Karen Poutasi Review are now complete, with the rest underway.

“In September 2025 Cabinet accepted all the recommendations of the Poutasi Review and committed the Government and agencies to an approach focusing entirely on the safety of children.

“Earlier this year we established an inter-agency hub so key children’s agency staff can quickly access and share information to identify and address risks to children whose sole parents or sole carers are remanded in custody or sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

“As of 29 April 2026, the Hub had responded to 73 Reports of Concern for 110 tamariki.

“Child protection training for core children’s workers is also underway. While wider mandatory training is planned via a phased approach, immediate gains are being made by rapidly rolling out an electronic module covering foundational child protection information.

“This training module is already being tested with over 400 Core Children’s Workers from agencies. The Education sector and NGOs will make up the remainder of the 500 testing cohort by the end of June 2026.

“We have now also completed work on the Poutasi Review Recommendation 10 – ensuring early childhood education centres (ECEs) have effective child protection policies and that these are actively monitored.

“The relevant ECE licensing changes are taking place this month. The Ministry of Education has developed guidance to support the implementation of these changes by the Education Review Office (ERO). Monitoring of ECEs’ child protection policies is firmly embedded in ERO’s and the Ministry of Education’s compliance activities.

“We want suspected abuse to be identified sooner and be more consistently reported so that the system can respond quickly and so children experiencing abuse can be provided with appropriate support.

“The Government and agencies also continue to support the work being done by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, which is rolling out sessions around the country to ensure workers know that the Privacy Act does not prevent the sharing of information where the safety of children is involved,” Louise Upston says.

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

New requirements for electric vehicle (EV) chargers supplied in New Zealand will make it easier and more affordable for people to charge their vehicles, while helping ensure the electricity system is ready for growing demand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.

By 2050, smart EV charging could:

• Reduce household power bills by up to $220 a year
• Save up to $4 billion in electricity network costs

“More New Zealanders are choosing electric vehicles, or considering one for the future, and we need to make sure our electricity system is ready,” Mr Brown says.

EV chargers supplied in New Zealand will need to meet a minimum standard of ‘smart functionality’ and be clearly labelled. This will make it easier for people to choose chargers that can automatically shift charging to cheaper times based on price and network signals, while ensuring their vehicle is charged when they need it.

“This means EV chargers can automatically shift charging to times when electricity is cheaper and demand on the system is lower – such as overnight or other off-peak periods.”

Once in effect, the new requirements will apply to new EV chargers with a charging capacity above 2.4 kW, covering most fixed household and business chargers.

“In practice, this means your EV can charge overnight at cheaper times without needing to think about it.”

Mr Brown says this will become increasingly important as EV uptake grows and electricity demand rises.

“Without smarter charging, unmanaged EV charging could increase household peak demand by up to 40 per cent and add around $220 a year to the average household power bill by 2050. Managing charging can avoid these costs.

“That additional demand would fall on peak times, putting pressure on the grid and driving the need for costly new electricity generation and network upgrades – costs that would ultimately be passed on to consumers.”

Smart EV charging helps avoid this by shifting demand away from peak periods and responding to signals such as time-of-use or dynamic pricing, as well as network constraints.

The potential savings are significant, with avoided network costs of up to $4 billion by 2050.

The decision also brings New Zealand into closer alignment with Australia and other key trading partners, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and China, which are moving towards regulating smart EV charging.

“Our focus is on ensuring all Kiwi households and businesses have secure, affordable energy, particularly as demand grows. This change is about building the future of New Zealand’s energy system – one that is smarter, more resilient, and better able to support the growing use of electric vehicles.”

Note to editors:

• The new requirements will be enabled through amendments to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2000. Legislation is expected to be introduced to Parliament later this year and will come into force following the normal Parliamentary process.
• MBIE and EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) will undertake public consultation on the draft rules to implement these EV charger regulations before they come into force.
• EECA maintains the EV smart charger approved list for chargers that already meet the current voluntary standards for smartness and energy efficiency.
• Portable charging cables that often come with an EV are typically below 2.4 kW, so the new requirements will not apply to them.

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Strong progress is being made to bring more overseas-trained doctors already living in New Zealand into the primary care workforce, with half the planned placements now underway, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. 

“Making it easier for New Zealanders to see a doctor is one of the Government’s top priorities,” Mr Brown says.

“We know the biggest barrier for Kiwis is simply getting an appointment with their GP. Supporting 100 overseas-trained doctors already living here to complete their registration and build long-term careers in general practice is a key part of fixing that.”

A total of 180 overseas-trained doctors expressed interest in the new Government-funded training programme designed to boost New Zealand’s primary care workforce. 

The programme helps qualified international doctors gain registration, with a strong focus on those wanting to enter general practice roles. It also creates a clear pathway for international doctors already in the country and ready to contribute to our health system.

So far, 49 international doctors have commenced through the programme, with additional cohorts to be rolled out over the coming months as it scales nationally. These doctors are already contributing to primary care services across Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Capital Coast, Hutt Valley, Wairarapa, Canterbury, and the West Coast.

“Doctors on the pathway gain valuable hospital experience and up to 18 months in community-based general practice. That means they are trained and placed where they are needed most – right in the communities they will serve. Every doctor who completes this pathway is another doctor helping Kiwis get the care they need, when they need it.

“There are many overseas-trained doctors here, qualified, and ready to help. This programme ensures they can get the training they need to deliver care where it’s needed most.

“This programme is part of a wider Government plan to make it easier for Kiwis to see a doctor, with expanded digital and after-hours services, stronger support for GP clinics, and a growing primary care workforce – so more appointments are available and care can be delivered closer to home.

“Our focus is clear: ensuring Kiwis can see a GP when they need one – and that means building the future of the healthcare workforce. Supporting overseas‑trained doctors already living in New Zealand will strengthen access to care for communities across the country for years to come,” Mr Brown says.

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister for the Environment Nicola Grigg has announced two new appointments and one reappointment to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board.

Lisa Tumahai, CNZM, and Professor Nicola Shadbolt, ONZM, have each been appointed to the EPA board for three-year terms.

Lisa Tumahai has extensive governance and leadership experience in iwi, commercial, and public sector organisations. The current Deputy Chair of the Climate Change Commission, she brings deep knowledge of climate change, environmental protection, and Treaty of Waitangi considerations.

Professor Shadbolt has over 30 years’ governance experience spanning government, industry, and commercial boards. A former Climate Change Commissioner, she brings strong expertise in the primary sector, agribusiness, and regulation, alongside internationally recognised governance credentials.

“Together, these appointments bring a strong mix of governance, regulatory, scientific, and climate expertise to the EPA.”

Current board member Mary Anne Macleod, who was first appointed in 2019, has been reappointed for one year and will serve as Deputy Chair from 1 July 2026. 

“I would like to thank the outgoing Deputy Chair, Paul Connell for his contributions to the EPA Board over the past seven and a half years,” Minister Grigg says. 

Lisa Tumahai’s term began on 4 May 2026, and Professor Shadbolt’s term will commence on 1 July 2026. 

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is confident the party’s promise of three free doctors visits a year is “realistic”.

His comments come as rural doctor, and Rural Health Network chairperson, Dr Fiona Bolden told Morning Report, a focus was needed on workforce shortages over free doctor’s visits for all.

Labour earlier announced if it was in government it would give every New Zealander three free doctor’s visits a year with a new Medicard, Support local GPs to buy into practices, free up to 4.5 million appointments a year by giving patients more time, space and tools to see patients and fix general practice’s long-term funding challenges.

Hipkins told Morning Report the party had done its due diligence before announcing the policy and was confident it could handle the demand.

He said New Zealand had a problem with many GPs nearing retirement or choosing to leave the workforce.

It was “really difficult” to see a GP, Hipkins said, and he thought part of that was due to the prices.

“The policy is about shifting where we focus our healthcare… it ultimately is going to result in more efficiency for the health system.”

At the moment, he said many people were presenting at emergency departments because they could not afford to go to a doctor.

However, Bolde said the big issue facing GPs, especially in rural areas was that the workforce was “totally exhausted”.

“Whether people can actually access the doctor or not is the issue. Giving free doctors visits isn’t going to be helpful in areas where there are no doctors.”

Bolde said she would want to see proper rural funding and a rural health workforce plan which extended 30 years rather than just short-term things.

Health Minister Simeon Brown said the government was focused on improving access to GP services, and the biggest challenge was simply getting an appointment.

“Promising free visits does not address the core issue if there are not enough doctors available to see patients. Our priority is to increase capacity in primary care so more people can actually get care when they need it.

“That is why the government is investing directly in GP clinics and the primary care workforce, including the largest funding increase to general practice in a decade.”

Brown said access to GPs was being expanded through services like online GPs and urgent care to help ease traditional clinics, including in rural areas.

He said targeted recruitment and retention initiatives were underway for rural communities as well as training pathways to support rural practice.

“Our focus will remain on practical changes that improve access for patients and ease the workload on doctors, rather than making commitments that risk worsening workforce pressures.”

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