PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for May 13, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Media Outreach

• With the inclusion principle integrated into main innovation projects, Ant International now links 2 bn user accounts with 150 mn merchants through multi-layered partnerships, provides global account services to 1.6 mn SMEs, and helps over 30 mn underserved businesses and individuals access quality credit.
• As its global payment, global account and embedded finance services expand rapidly, it is accelerating investments in compliance capabilities and advanced security technologies to tackle evolving regulatory and risk environments.
• From basketball courts in New York to marine protection in Java Indonesia, we build extensive partnerships to protect the environment and empower local communities.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 May 2026 – Ant International, a leading global digital payment, digitisation and financial technology provider, today published its 2025 Sustainability Report, the 2nd since the Company began independent operation.

This is also the first year Ant International integrated sustainability metrics into the management’s performance evaluation framework. As Eric Jing, Chairman of Ant Group and Ant International said, “Accountability must be structural, not aspirational. When sustainability outcomes are valued as much as revenue growth or operational efficiency, the whole organisation is more likely to align accordingly-just like how it might work with entire economies.”

In the Company’s 6Ts Sustainability Framework (Travel, Trade, Thrive, Tech, Talent, Trust), Inclusion remains the critical objective. “Our success relies on our ability to innovate for small businesses and emerging markets to thrive above social and technological shifts. Doing great by doing good should be our strategic differentiator,” said Peng Yang, CEO and Douglas Feagin, President at the Report’s launch.

• Alipay+ and Antom, the Company’s Global Payment pillars, now connect 2 bn user accounts globally to over 150 mn merchants. This vibrant ecosystem of interoperability links up more than 10 national QR systems and supports 300+ payment methods in over 220 markets, including all card schemes, and 50 digital wallets, bank apps and BNPL apps.
• Beyond payment, WorldFirst and Bettr, our Global Account and Embedded Finance services, support over 1.6 mn SMEs and provide credit access to 30 mn MSMEs and underserved users, integrating new AI and blockchain capabilities.
• The inclusion metric was built systemically into major innovation projects, for instance, more SME-friendly agentic payment and AI commerce tools, AI-as-a-Service platform for emerging markets, and the EPOS SME AI solutions.

“We will continue to double down on responsible innovation and collaboration to achieve our shared vision: a more inclusive, prosperous, and trustful global economy,” said Yang.

In 2025, Ant International’s sustainability work focused on 3 priorities across the 6T arenas:

Ant International rolled out various AI tools to ensure emerging markets and SMEs need to be able to leverage AI without massive infrastructure or capacity investments.

Payment AI & Agentic Commerce :

• Antom Copilot 2.0 completes payment integration, onboarding, risk and chargeback resolution in secure, automated workflow.
• Antom Agentic Payment Solution enables AI agents to securely initiate and complete card- and APM-based transactions in a pioneering payment mandate model.

FinAI Capacity Building:

• FinAI-as-a-Service platform, the GenAI Cockpit gives toolkits to fintechs, such as Malaysia’s TNG eWallet, and easypaisa, Pakistan’s first digital bank, to build flexible and autonomous AI commerce solutions, from customer-service assistants to sales copilots.
• Custom-made agentic AI assistants such as Alipay+ Voyager, an agentic AI travel companion embedded in super apps.
• Open-sourced AI FX solution delivers FX forecasts with up to 93% prediction accuracy across complex, volatile currency markets.
• EPOS360, an AI-powered SME operation and financing platform, rolls out in Southeast Asia.

The Company invested heavily in 2025 on technologies and partnerships on AML and security.

• SHIELD 3-in-1 Transformer model, supported by 7 bn parameters, identifies high-risk transactions with over 95% precision, while raising payment success rates by up to 13.5%.
• Digital Wallet Guardian Partnership shares risk tech, anti-fraud and funds protection solutions among wallet partners to protect consumers and merchants.
• The Alipay+ Privacy Enhancing Technology (PET) programme was cited by Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission in its practical guidance for industry application.

Meanwhile, advanced technology application must be harnessed by rigorous compliance standards and practices. In 2025, we further expanded:

• Our Risk Management Committee mechanism, which implements a comprehensive risk governance framework from the corporate down to the ground unit level.
• Our 3-layered Anti-Money-Laundering programme is anchored in a global baseline of minimum control standards to ensure consistency and integrity across all markets. We also use AI-powered risk detection and security review tools to improve accuracy and efficiency.

The Company plans to accelerate investments in global and local compliance capabilities to meet evolving regulatory and risk environments.

3. Digitalising Public Participation to Drive Social Impact

In 2025, working with partners from New York to West Java, our people started new grassroots efforts to support youth, environment and community projects with digital expertise.

• As the Innovation Partner for Sustainability of the New York Liberty, Alipay+ began supporting New York Liberty, the WNBA champion team on Liberty Sneaker Drives for underprivileged groups, Math Hoops project to build youth skills, and Threes for Trees project in NYC and Brooklyn.
• AlipayHK launched a main digital channel for charity fundraising after the Tai Po fire, raising HK$200 million from 450,000 super app users in first three days.
• Ocean Buddy, an in-app mini-programme for whale-shark protection in Indonesia, was launched in collaboration with DANA and Konservasi Indonesia, leveraging gamification to connect users’ everyday digital activities to marine protection.
• 10×1000 Tech for Inclusion, a joint initiative with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and over 50 global partners, has certified 9,504 since 2018, 55% of whom are women.

“Sustainability is increasingly becoming our primary driver of responsible innovation, “said Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer of Ant International, “we will work together to ensure that as we expand globally, our progress remains inclusive, measurable, and impactful for the communities we serve.”

Find the full Report on our website: www.ant-intl.com

Hashtag: #AntInternational

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

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

Source: Media Outreach

The 27th edition of The Asian Banker Summit will convene senior banking, regulatory and technology leaders from over 25 countries in Kuala Lumpur on 13–14 May 2026 under the theme “Imagining the AI Bank”.

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

MIL OSI

Source: Radio New Zealand

Retailers and truckers back the government’s more simplified, high-trust fuel rationing system, but Labour says it is simply not credible.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Fuel Security Minister Shane Jones unveiled what happens at the higher-level Phases Three and Four of the national fuel plan on Monday.

Where the earlier approach had rationing at both levels, the updated plan would have Phase Three focus on voluntary limiting of supply, with additional diesel reserves able to be released.

Rationing would be limited Phase Four – the highest level – with sectors qualifying for different levels of usage depending on sector.

Critical users would face no limitations, while the next level down – food and freight – would need to come up with plans on how to reduce usage.

Road Carriers Association chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers told RNZ that would carry some complexity – with fuel use being quite seasonal in some industries – but overall would be “fairly straightforward”.

“A fuel plan for a freight operator, if we did enter Phase Four, would be to look at their fuel consumption over the last 12 months, and the government would give a tasking on that fuel consumption.

“So depending on what the situation was, they might say right there’s a 10 percent reduction on your fuel use, you now need to move to a model where you’re using 10 percent less fuel.

“Yes, there’s work involved, but it should be fairly straightforward.”

It was an improvement over the government’s earlier plan.

“It was overly complicated,” he said. “If you’ve got a food manufacturer who on a processing plant needs a part delivered, is that part considered essential freight? Is it part of an operator who’s allowed to deliver essential freight? How does that actually work?”

He noted if New Zealand reached Phase 4, diesel prices would be expected to be very high – which would curb demand.

Under the third category, which includes retail, companies and community groups would also develop plans but with bigger reductions.

Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young had previously called for food to be at the highest priority, but was not disappointed with the changes.

She said freight and food being in the higher priority would help those relying on their supply chains – and agreed the new system was an improvement.

“I think it would be fair to say that hospitals, ambulances, fire service, police – they are in a different category.

“Freight and food … we know that everyone needs to buy groceries … and to eat to be able to survive. So it’s not that you’re not going to get groceries delivered across the country, but there might be, you know, maybe there’s one less variety on the shelves or something.

“We don’t want to bring the whole country to a halt and for families that have got children that are growing and they’ve got needs – new clothes or you’ve got to get a heater for the house or whatever it might be – you want to know that you can go and get those products.

“If those businesses [are] not allowed to have freight going to their sites, it will mean that, you know, the public will start to panic.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the plan was “simply not credible”.

“Their fuel plan amounts to: do nothing; do nothing; do not very much; panic,” he said.

“I think the bones of it are there, but the idea that it’ll just run on goodwill without really clear detail about how it’s supposed to operate is just very naive.

“Families are having to make some really tough choices between going to the supermarket or going to the petrol station, and this government’s message is very clear to those families: you’re on your own.”

He refused to say what Labour would do differently, saying the plan was “what this government is supposed to have been working through, and they don’t seem to have answers”.

Tighe-Umbers, however, had high hopes a self-managed approach could work.

“If we’ve got to Phase Four, Kiwis have shown that we’re good at pulling together and doing the right thing in those times – you only have to look at our response in the Christchurch earthquake and responses to cyclones.”

He contrasted that with the Covid-19 response, which he said tried to control things to a high degree.

“Fuel station workers or transport operators to actually be involved in policing, that’s never a good move … we learned it’s actually very difficult and just introduces a whole lot of complexity.

“If there was a lot of people or operators not doing the right thing, then government would have to get more aggressive … but I think this is the right approach to start with.”

Young was not so sure.

“I’m not sure how cohesive we are as a community at the moment, and whether we consider each other or we’re just considering ourselves,” she said.

“That would be the caution I would have around whether we would really legitimately pull together as a community and say ‘yep, for the better, this is what I’ll do, and I’m going to comply to all of these things’, knowing that it’s not necessarily going to be enforced.

“I guess as long as everyone’s playing by the rules, then we’re all good with it, and it will just be a matter of making sure that there is really clear direction given to businesses and households.”

Regardless, Hipkins said agreed Phase Four was unlikely to be needed.

Willis on Monday pointed to the government’s modelling showing the probability of moving to Phase Four was in the single digits.

She indicated the measures imposed by Phase Three – which could include releasing some of the 90 million litres of reserve diesel set to be held at Marsden Point by the end of June – would ideally preclude the need to move to Phase Four.

“In just about all of the scenarios that they mapped out, they said actually with your additional reserve and your minimum stockholding obligation and a bit of fuel restraint you should be covered.”

Willis said the government was open to releasing the modelling publicly.

Luxon said with the Southeast Asian refineries that supplied New Zealand having secured supplies of crude through July and August, further reductions were not expected.

“We should know many weeks in advance of any increased likelihood of New Zealand bound orders or shipments being disrupted.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Businesses on both sides of the Tasman are reporting widespread economic damage caused by the Middle East conflict.

A survey of nearly 700 members by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) indicates 80 percent of businesses were seeing increased costs with 60 percent reporting heightened risk and uncertainty in decision-making.

“This is not a distant crisis. It is landing on Australian and New Zealand businesses right now, and our members are seeing it firsthand across every sector of the economy. CA ANZ represents 140,000 finance professionals. What they are telling us matters, and government needs to listen,” CA ANZ chief executive Officer Ainslie van Onselen said.

“The findings reflected a defining economic challenge for both countries.”

The survey of chartered accountants included finance leaders across industries with broad visibility, including manufacturing, retail, agriculture, logistics and healthcare in New Zealand and Australia.

About one-in-five businesses indicate they would raise prices, with New Zealand at 24 percent and Australia at 17 percent.

About 6-in-10 reported their organisation was directly exposed to the conflict’s economic effects, with greater impact in New Zealand (68 percent) than Australia (55 percent). A further 21 per cent said it was too early to assess the full impact.

Of those exposed, higher energy costs were the most common concern (77 percent), followed by supply chain disruption (46 percent), higher production costs (40 percent), shipping and freight delays (40 percent) and exchange rate volatility (36 percent).

New Zealand businesses were more exposed to shipping disruption, with 48 percent reporting freight delays compared to 32 percent in Australia.

CA ANZ chief economist professor Richard Holden said the pain was unlikely to be short-lived.

“Higher energy prices don’t just hit at the bowser, they push up the cost of food, freight, manufacturing, meaning everything increases in price. Businesses and households are already under pressure. This makes it worse.”

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

Source: New Zealand Government

Defence Minister Chris Penk has paid tribute to the contribution businesses supplying the New Zealand Defence Force make to national security and resilience at the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence to Industry. 

“This year’s award recipients have delivered high-quality equipment, assets, infrastructure and services that are fundamental to the successful operations of the New Zealand Defence Force and the Ministry of Defence,” Mr Penk says. 

“In an increasingly complex and challenging world, Defence relies on strong partnerships with innovative and capable New Zealand businesses.  

“More than 800 suppliers provide essential goods and services to Defence across New Zealand. Their contribution boosts supply chain resilience and ensures Defence is always ready to respond in times of trouble.” 

Award winners this year include a construction firm that built the Maintenance Support Facility at Burnham Military Camp and a company that designed and manufactured new physical training and combat socks. 

“This year’s award recipients employ New Zealanders, grow specialist skills, drive regional growth, and boost our exports. Their impact is significant,” Mr Penk says.

“Defence spending is an important driver of innovation and opportunity across multiple sectors. A strong local defence industry will support the delivery of the 2025 Defence Capability Plan (DCP), which outlines planned commitments to double defence spending over eight years.” 

The Minister has also announced the reinvigoration of the Defence Industry Advisory Council, which administers the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence to Industry. 

The Council has refreshed its membership and updated its Terms of Reference to strengthen alignment with the Government’s defence and economic growth priorities. 

Notes to editors:  

For more information on Defence procurement visit: www.defence.govt.nz/business-and-industry/how-defence-works-with-business/

MIL OSI

Source: Media Outreach

COLORADO, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 May 2026 – Recently, BGEANX Exchange officially obtained the Financial Service Provider (FSP) registration license in New Zealand. This certification provides authoritative assurance for the compliant operations of BGEANX in the Oceania region, further solidifying its legitimacy in the international market.

Registration as a Financial Service Provider (FSP) in New Zealand is a globally recognized compliance certification and a crucial regulatory qualification in the cryptocurrency market. It requires licensed institutions to strictly adhere to regulatory standards, implementing multiple provisions concerning fund security, anti-money laundering (AML), customer identity verification (KYC), and market conduct norms.

Entities registered with the FSPR (Financial Service Providers Register) are authorized to conduct corresponding business activities. Therefore, BGEANX can operate compliantly in multiple financial services, including asset custody, financial product trading, portfolio management, and cross-border payments, ensuring that the services provided by the platform adhere to legal regulations and international standards.

The compliance team of BGEANX Exchange stated: “Obtaining the New Zealand FSP license is an affirmation of our platform and business, and further demonstrates the global applicability of the BGEANX compliance framework. We consistently adhere to the principle of compliant operations to provide security for global users.”

The acquisition of the FSP license marks the leading position of BGEANX Exchange within the global compliance system. Through this qualification, BGEANX Exchange is able to provide various services that meet international financial regulatory requirements, further enhancing its brand competitiveness in the global market.

BGEANX Exchange has consistently been committed to promoting the standardization of the cryptocurrency market. By obtaining various compliance qualifications, the platform has demonstrated its high regard for and long-term commitment to the regulatory environments of various regions. According to its disclosed compliance roadmap, BGEANX Exchange will continue to strengthen its compliance framework to adapt to the increasingly stringent international regulatory landscape.

Obtaining the FSP license marks another significant milestone in the compliance strategy of BGEANX Exchange. Leveraging its solid compliance foundation, the platform will advance the global development of its digital asset trading services, provide users with innovative financial services, and propel the industry into a new phase of development.

Hashtag: #BGEANX

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

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

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 May 2026 – Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) is set to broaden its strategic engagement with the African continent as Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Ms Loretta Lee today (May 10) embarks on an eight-day visit to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Kigali, Rwanda. The mission aims to strengthen economic ties with African economies and promote Hong Kong as the premier springboard for African enterprises to tap into the Chinese Mainland and Asia-Pacific markets.

Ms Lee said, “Africa holds a strategic position in the Global South, representing a vital engine of growth in an era of global economic uncertainty. Interconnectivity is the key to unlocking this potential, and Hong Kong plays a strategic role in linking capital, talent, and innovation and technology between Africa, the Chinese Mainland, and international markets to drive high-quality, multilateral growth. As the Government’s arm for both inward investment and Chinese Mainland enterprises aiming to go global, InvestHK facilitates two-way investment through strategic market insights, extensive global access, targeted promotion and policy facilitation. “

Ms Lee will visit Johannesburg from May 10 to 13 to meet with representatives from the local chambers, financial institutions, banks, fintech interests, and business and professional services sectors. Extending her mission to Kigali, Rwanda, from May 13, Ms Lee will represent InvestHK at the Africa CEO Forum to drive high-level exchanges with C-suite executives from the continent’s leading multinationals.

African enterprises establishing a presence in Hong Kong can benefit from a globally recognised common law system and Asia’s most competitive tax regime. Most recently, Hong Kong has further sharpened its competitive edge by announcing a halve in the profits tax to 8.25 per cent from the standard 16.5 per cent for qualifying physical commodity traders. By combining this fiscal incentive with the city’s status as the world’s pre-eminent offshore Renminbi hub, Hong Kong offers African commodities exporters a high-liquidity, efficient gateway to Asian markets.

In line with the advancement of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong is leveraging its status as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to support national development. As China-Africa economic relations pivot towards high-value trade and investment, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to accelerate two-way capital flows – spurring growth across finance, shipping, and innovation and technology.

Citing the South African national rugby team’s recent first-ever title at the Hong Kong Sevens, Ms Lee emphasised that such vibrant people-to-people connections are not merely symbolic, but serve as a meaningful foundation for driving bilateral economic connection.

Hashtag: #InvestHK

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

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Opposition MPs say former TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman was “hounded” into resigning, after a “witch hunt” all while public broadcasters are under “immense pressure” from the coalition.

There has also been an outpouring of reaction from other broadcasters and commentators.

Many were grieving the loss to political journalism, some questioning the support TVNZ gave its reporter and others stating it should not have been a sackable offence.

Others have argued the scrutiny and pressure applied by the media should also apply to its own reporters.

Sherman resigned on Friday following a period of scrutiny over an incident during pre-Budget drinks in Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ office a year ago.

She had used a homophobic slur against Stuff journalist Lloyd Burr in response to “deeply personal and inappropriate remarks”, she said. She apologised at the time and informed her manager.

The resignation also came after a suspension from Parliament due to breaching parliamentary rules by pursuing an interview with National’s chief whip Stuart Smith, during a period of scrutiny on Luxon’s leadership.

Prior to her resignation, veteran journalists Richard Harman and Audrey Young had both written in support.

Harman told The Post there was a “bit of a public beat-up of Maiki going on at the moment” and that TVNZ should back its reporter.

Young wrote in her column on the NZ Herald at the end of April the level of hate against Sherman was “just incredible” and “clearly goes well beyond journalistic critique”.

The day the story about the incident in Willis’ office broke in a blog written by Ani O’Brien, Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour told reporters if the content was accurately reported, “it’s absolutely disgraceful”.

“But the fact that it hasn’t been a story for nearly a year is in itself a disgraceful double standard, and I think we should all just be glad that one woman with a substack actually made it a story, because we all know that in the same circumstances, a member of Parliament would have got wall to wall coverage night after night after night, don’t we?”

At the time, he suggested Parliament’s speaker should consider Sherman’s access to Parliament.

Opposition politicians speak out

Labour MP Willie Jackson said Sherman had been hounded into resignation after she made a mistake.

He acknowledged her as a “trailblazing” wahine Māori broadcaster, and despite a “number of run ins with her over the years” was very proud of her.

“It’s a shame TVNZ let her down so badly, deciding obviously with pressure from this government, that her position was untenable.”

Green MPs Hūhana Lyndon and Steve Abel also spoke out.

Lyndon said the right “came out hard to hunt her down” and suggested considering the context where public broadcasters under “immense pressure and threats” from ministers of the coalition government created a “chilling effect”.

Abel called it a “witch-hunt” and said something was “rotten” in New Zealand with right wing politicians targeting journalists.

He also said TVNZ bosses needed to be questioned, because Sherman’s statement implied she no longer had the backing of her employer.

“Why would the bosses in a public media institution whose duty is upholding the principle of free and independent media not be backing a journalist who has clearly been targeted for political reasons.”

Te Pāti Māori MP, and former broadcaster, Oriini Kaipara also took to social media, calling Sherman’s treatment “deeply upsetting to witness”.

“Maiki is one of the sharpest political journalists in the country. Intelligent, fearless, composed, and uncompromising in holding power to account.

“Her rise mattered. Not just professionally, but culturally.

“So many Māori, especially wāhine and rangatahi, saw themselves in her. Many only turned the news on or anticipated any political story because of Maiki.”

Kaipara said it felt “personal” and reeked of “foul play”.

Voices from outside Parliament

There had also been an outpouring of support, including from Māori broadcasters, and questions about double standards.

Scotty Morrison gave a mihi during Te Karere’s show the day the news broke, acknowledging the loss for TVNZ and the brilliance of Sherman’s work.

Miriama Kamo wrote on social media, acknowledging the pressure of the high-profile job while Sherman juggled being a mother to six kids as well. Kamo also questioned how TVNZ had supported its reporter, and how it planned to “address the vacuum her departure has left”.

Moana Maniapoto said “somewhere someone is raising a glass,” and the resignation was not good news for the public in election year.

Former Māori Party chief of staff Helen Leahy wrote the relationship between the press gallery and politicians was never an easy one.

“But you don’t get the breaking news by sitting noho puku [sitting still]. You don’t get a leader opening up and being vulnerable without mutual respect. Maiki would persevere.”

Political commentator Liam Hehir queried a double standard, asking why comments of a prominent journalist at a work-function were “inherently off limits”.

On X, pollster David Farrar wrote the resignation was “sad”.

“I don’t think one regrettable moment should cost you your job. We need less cancel culture, not more.”

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark wrote that at a party in the Minister of Finance’s office, “where one assumes alcohol flowed”, there was an exchange between journalists.

“The aftermath – one was later hounded from her job. The other wasn’t. All in the context of public media being undermined. Shameful.”

Former political editor Duncan Garner wrote after nearly 20 years inside Parliament, he knew how the place worked.

“The rules were broken all the time. By journalists. By MPs. By ministers. By people who later got promoted, protected, forgiven, knighted and sent off to cushy jobs.

“So why Maiki?”

And O’Brien – who posted the original blog breaking the story said for years journalists and commentators – including Sherman – had “enthusiastically participated in a culture where politicians and public figures were subjected to career-ending moral scrutiny for comments or conduct less severe than this”.

“The modern media class has normalised the idea that professional ruin is an acceptable and even righteous outcome for personal failings.

“It is difficult now to object when that same standard is turned inward.”

Politik blog writer Richard Harman posted online saying this was the “most hostile environment within which to be a political journalist I have known in my 55 years as a journo”.

“The mob is ruling at the moment. They have tasted blood. Who will they turn on next?”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Scrapping of the fees-free policy for tertiary education will be “very disruptive” to students and their families, says former finance minister Grant Robertson

The scheme was introduced under Jacinda Ardern’s government and changed by the current government to cover the final year of study.

Finance minister Nicola Willis confirmed on Friday the scheme will get the chop in the upcoming Budget – adding that that students completing their tertiary studies this year remained eligible for fees-free.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Morning Report the harsh reality was the scheme had been “quite a failure”, and it was better to stop it and redirect some of that funding to trades training.

Former Labour minister – and now University of Otago Vice Chancellor – Grant Robertson told Checkpoint on Monday that students and parents have been budgeting with fees-free in mind.

“Really that’s my concern in an environment where I see the impact of the cost of living on the young people around us here at the university and on their parents,” he said;

Robertson said it’s expensive going to university, polytechnic or starting an apprenticeship, and scrapping the policy will reduce accessibility and inclusion for students.

“We’ll see what the government does with the money, and the trades is certainly an area where we want to include more people, but fees-free already did an element of that.”

He wanted the government to investment in tertiary education and research in the upcoming budget, saying it lifts the country’s economic prospects.

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