AM Edition: Here are the top 10 politics articles on LiveNews.co.nz for July 12, 2026 – Full Text
1. Investment to support India-NZ 100 Years of Unity through Sport
July 11, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government will invest from the Events Boost Fund to support the India-New Zealand 100 Years of Unity through Sport programme, say Sport and Recreation Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Louise Upston.
“Marking 100 years of sporting ties is a significant milestone in the relationship between India and New Zealand,” says Mr Mitchell. “It speaks to the power of sport to unite nations, foster mutual respect, and create lasting friendships.
“The programme will celebrate a century of connections between our two countries and bring a major series of sporting events to New Zealand in 2026. I am delighted to announce that the Indian Men’s Football team will be amongst the teams to take part, alongside the Individual and Mixed Pairs Bowls teams.”
NZ Cricket’s announcement of its match schedule for the India tour was the first confirmed event in the wider programme of sports.
“The celebrations will culminate in a month of sporting events across New Zealand in November, with the Football and Bowls teams just two of several Indian national sports teams expected to tour simultaneously throughout the month.”
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says, “India and New Zealand share a special relationship, and I’m proud the Government is investing in this cultural and sporting campaign. We look forward to welcoming the teams and fans who will experience the best our country has to offer. Events like this give our economy a real boost and continue to strengthen the ties between our countries.
“This is one of many exciting events the Government is supporting in 2026. From world-class international sports fixtures to arts and cultural celebrations, these events will bring fans, visitors and a big boost to New Zealand’s economy,” says Ms Upston.
The contribution from the government’s Events Boost Fund will help delivery of the 100 Years of Unity through Sport programme.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/07/11/investment-to-support-india-nz-100-years-of-unity-through-sport/
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2. NZ, India relationship elevated to Strategic Partnership
July 11, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have signalled their two countries’ ambition to do more together by elevating their relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
“This is a major step in the relationship between New Zealand and India, and signals our shared ambition to do more together,” Mr Luxon says.
“On this historic visit, Prime Minister Modi and I have backed that ambition with action.”
The Prime Ministers agreed a Roadmap to 2030 for the Strategic Partnership and set the direction for the next stage of the partnership, including an ambitious goal to double two-way trade by 2030.
“This Roadmap reflects the breadth of the relationship – from trade, investment and technology to maritime security, education, tourism, sport, agriculture and community,” Mr Luxon says.
“Implementing our New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement is central to that plan. It is a landmark achievement that will drive long-term growth for both countries.
“It will reduce barriers, give businesses greater certainty, and unlock new opportunities across goods, services, investment, education and tourism – supporting Kiwi businesses to grow, create jobs and lift incomes.
“This FTA will reduce or eliminate tariffs on 95 per cent of New Zealand’s exports to India once fully implemented. From day one, 57 per cent of our exports will be tariff-free.
“It will unlock new opportunities to grow our goods and services exports into a market of 1.4 billion people and contribute to achieving the Government’s goal of building the future by doubling the value of exports by 2034.”
The Roadmap has a significant focus on maritime security, including a Maritime Cooperation Arrangement between the New Zealand and Indian defence forces.
“New Zealand’s prosperity and security depend on a stable and secure Indo-Pacific,” Mr Luxon says.
“That’s why we are stepping up practical cooperation at sea and deepening how we work together and share perspectives on maritime security.”
The leaders also welcomed new arrangements covering a range of areas, including sport, tourism, farm stock breeding and dairying.
“New Zealand and India are connected by people, ambition and opportunity, and by a shared interest in building a winning partnership that delivers for the decades ahead.”
Mr Modi’s visit is the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in 40 years.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/07/11/nz-india-relationship-elevated-to-strategic-partnership/
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3. Singaporeans don’t cancel brands – they silently leave them, Ogilvy’s inaugural 2026 APAC Believability Index reveals
July 8, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
- 92% of Singapore consumers silently disengage when brand believability is lost
- Only 5.9%% would post about a negative brand experience on social media
- Singapore emerges as a high-trust but low-tolerance market where institutional credibility and operational proof matter most
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 8 July 2026 – Ogilvy released its first 2026 APAC Believability Index: The Power of Proof, a comprehensive study examining how consumers across Asia-Pacific (APAC) determine what and who they believe in an increasingly complex information environment shaped by AI-generated content, misinformation, fragmented media and declining confidence in corporate claims.
The regional and Singapore insights were revealed at an event at the Ogilvy Singapore office attended by more than 60 invited guests including global, regional and local brands, not-for-profit organisations, and government agencies.
Conducted in partnership with YouGov, the research surveyed 7,176 respondents across the markets of Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong SAR, and Mainland China, including 1,050 respondents in Singapore.
The report reveals that organisations are dangerously overlooking a reputational blind spot that directly impacts revenue. A staggering 93% of APAC consumers quietly disengage when believability in a brand or organisation is lost, with almost half (48%) stopping their purchases entirely.
In Singapore, the findings reveal a distinct local paradox: Singapore is a high-trust market, but not a high tolerance one. While Singapore consumers place significantly greater belief in Government, institutional and credentialed sources compared with much of the region, they are also deeply pragmatic and unforgiving when brands fail to deliver on their core promises.
The report finds that 92% of Singapore consumers silently disengage when brand believability is lost, while only 5.9% would post about a negative brand experience on social media. This suggests that the most pressing reputation risk for brands in Singapore may not be public outrage, but quiet withdrawal – with customers switching providers, stopping purchases, avoiding brand content, deleting apps or simply never returning.
In response to these findings, Ogilvy has launched its Believability Diagnostic Tool, powered by an enterprise-grade AI agent, built and housed in WPP Open. The Believability Agent is designed to help C-Suite leaders identify the “Say-Do Gap” between what brands promise and what customers experience – enabling organisations to detect potential silent disengagement before it affects business performance.
Richard Brett, President of PR& Influence, Ogilvy Asia Pacific, said: “Believability has evolved from a PR challenge into a commercial imperative. In a world of AI slop and synthetic content, misinformation and growing skepticism, the brands that succeed will be those that can prove what they say. Singapore is a particularly important market because believability here is deeply anchored in institutional credibility and operational delivery. Consumers may not always complain publicly when belief is lost, but they will act – and often, they will act silently.”
Akashah Q, Managing Director for PR & Influence, Social, Ogilvy Singapore and Malaysia, added: “The Singapore data shows that silence should not be mistaken for satisfaction. A stable sentiment dashboard or low complaint volume may hide a much bigger commercial risk. Singaporeans are careful when assessing proof – they value official sources, factual correctness and operational competence. For brands, the implication is clear: Believability is built not only by what you say, but by whether your actions, service and evidence consistently back it up. If not, they will politely but brutally break up with you. The reputational crisis of the future may not begin with a hashtag. It may begin with silence.”
Key Singapore Findings from the Ogilvy APAC 2026 Believability Index:
1. Singaporeans do not always cancel brands. They silently leave them.
The most dangerous reputation risk in Singapore may be the one brands cannot see. When Singapore consumers lose belief in a brand, 92% take silent actions (vs 93% across APAC). More than half (54.4%) stop purchasing the brand’s products or services entirely, while 33.5% switch to a more believable competitor. A further 37.3% become wary and suspicious of similar brands, products or services and 19.7% simply avoid the brand’s content without telling anyone.
In contrast, only 5.9% would post a negative brand experience on social media (vs 10% in APAC), and only 9.5% would leave a negative review or public comment.
Implications: The findings indicate that brands relying primarily on public complaints, social listening or visible sentiment may be missing the larger commercial reality: Customers have already left, without leaving a public trace.
2. Competence over purpose
Purpose, values and ESG commitments still matter, but in Singapore, they cannot compensate for operational failure,
The study found that 42.1% of Singapore consumers abandoned a brand in the past year because its product or service did not deliver on what was promised. This significantly outweighs the 23.2% who walked away over poor business ethics and the 14.4% who left due to exaggerated environmental or sustainability claims.
Implications: The findings suggest that Singapore consumers are not asking brands to choose between purpose and performance. They are asking brands to prove purpose through performance.
Operational integrity and factual correctness emerged as among the strongest drivers of believability in Singapore, reinforcing the importance of delivering consistently on the basics before brands can credibly make broader claims.
3. Institutional credibility is Singapore’s believability baseline
Across APAC, people rely on different sources of authority. In some markets, belief is built from the ground up through peers, lived experience and word of mouth. In Singapore, the believability architecture looks a little different – it stands out as one of the region’s clearest institutional-trust markets.
61% of Singaporeans find government sources, politicians and officials highly believable
– more than double the rest of the region overall (Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia) at 26%. In addition, 82.4% say credibility, including official, credentialed or backed-up sources, is the leading factor in believing new information. Social media platforms sit much lower as a source of believability, at 12.7%.
This contrasts with more relational trust markets such as Australia and the Philippines, where people with lived experience and peer recommendations play a more dominant role.
Implications: For organisations, this means that communication strategies which work in one APAC market may not automatically build belief in Singapore. In high-stakes sectors such as finance, health, technology, food safety, sustainability and public infrastructure, brands need stronger institutional anchors: Official statements, named spokespeople, transparent data, third-party validation, academic or technical expertise and clear operational proof.
4. Action over apology
Singapore consumers do not reject apologies, but they do reject them without evidence of action.
The study found that 56.2% of Singaporeans say that brands must actively correct a mistake or fix a problem before they will believe the brand again. This outranks public acknowledgement or apology, cited by 46.8% of respondents.
Encouragingly, lost belief is not necessarily permanent. 78.7% of Singapore consumers believe lost believability can be regained, while only 15.1% believe that once belief is lost, it is gone forever.
Implications: The implication for brands is that the crisis response must be action-first. Consumers want to know what has been fixed, who is accountable, what will change, how recurrence can be prevented and how progress will be proven.
5. Different generations leave and return on different terms
The study also found that believability is lost and rebuilt differently across age groups in Singapore.
Millennials appear to be among the most commercially sensitive audiences, with 68% stopping engagement with a brand due to lack of belief in the past 12 months – the highest of any generation. For this group, belief is often won or lost through customer experience, service recovery and responsiveness.
Baby Boomers show stronger reliance on institutional sources, with 69% finding Government or institutional sources highly believable. However, once trust is broken, they are more likely to make a clean break, with 60% stopping purchases when doubts rise.
Gen Zs are more willing to give brands another chance, with only 8% saying trust is permanently lost once broken. However, they also demand more proof of change, with 64% expecting brands to actively correct mistakes and 44% wanting brands to communicate in more transparent and evidence-based ways.
Implications: The findings point to a new generational reality: Younger consumers may forgive faster, but they also audit harder.
To help leaders navigate this shift and operationalise the findings, Ogilvy’s Believability Diagnostic Tool uses a multi-agent architecture that pairs Ogilvy’s proprietary seven-year Believability dataset with behavioural science cognitive engine to analyse a brand’s “Say-Do Gap” to measure the actual distance between its marketing promises and actual customer experience.
By triangulating corporate messaging against verified customer and employee sentiment, the tool calculates a brand’s Believability Elasticity to see how far a corporate promise can stretch before customers silently disengage – and impact the bottomline.
For Singapore where 92% of consumers say they silently disengage when believability is lost, this elasticity is especially important. Once the threshold is exceeded, the consequence may not be outrage. It may be attrition.
@Ogilvy Singapore on LinkedIn@Ogilvy Singapore on Instagram
The full Ogilvy APAC 2026 Believability Index: The Power of Proof is downloadable here.
Hashtag: #BelievabilityIndex2026 #ThePowerofProof #Ogilvy
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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4. Hong Kong SMEs Face “Triple Squeeze” from Rising Costs, Weak Demand and Interest Rates Fluctuations, Dah Sing Bank Survey
July 8, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Consumption Outflow Continues to Weigh on Revenues As Local Business Environment Enters Adjustment Phase
Dah Sing Bank remains committed to staying close to the needs of SMEs and understanding the challenges and opportunities they face in a rapidly changing business landscape. To gain deeper insights into the latest operating conditions of local SMEs, the Bank commissioned a survey[1] in May 2026 through a major local media outlet, interviewing over 340 Hong Kong SMEs to understand how they are responding to changing consumption patterns and advancing environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives under the current economic environment.
Operating Pressures Intensify Under “Triple Squeeze”
The Survey shows that 80% of respondents indicated that their operating costs and profit margins have been affected this year by geopolitical developments, energy price fluctuations or global supply chain instability. Rising costs (79%), weakening market demand (78%) and fluctuations in interest rates (52%) were identified as the most significant external risks.
With cross-border spending and northbound consumption becoming increasingly prevalent, approximately 74% of SMEs reported that their revenues have been negatively impacted, with nearly one in five experiencing declines of more than 20%. Key competitive pressures stem from cross-border e-commerce platforms offering lower-priced daily necessities (45%), increased weekend consumption in Shenzhen (43%), and a rise in outbound travel reducing local spending (30%).
SMEs Step Up Measures to Adapt
In response to the rising costs, SMEs are actively adopting various strategies to stabilise operations, including renegotiating supplier terms (26%), adjusting pricing (24%), and optimising inventory management (20%). At the same time, in light of outbound consumption trends, businesses are strengthening customer retention strategies. While price promotions remain the most common approach (34%), SMEs are also increasingly introducing experiential elements (29%) and strengthening digital marketing efforts (25%) to improve competitiveness.
Against a backdrop of ongoing uncertainty, SMEs are placing greater emphasis on business stability. A stable customer base (30%) and predictable cash flow (22%) are seen as key factors in sustaining operations, alongside lowering operating cost (22%). This reflects growing attention on financial resilience and liquidity management.
Constraints Persist Amid Rising Support Needs
Despite these efforts, SMEs continue to face resource and information constraints in navigating challenges and pursuing transformation. More than half of the respondents have never applied for or are unfamiliar with government support schemes. In addition, while some SMEs are interested in advancing ESG initiatives, 37% consider them burdensome due to costs, and 32% are unsure where to begin, indicating a cautious pace of adoption overall.
Dah Sing Bank Supports SMEs Resilience
In a rapidly changing business environment, Dah Sing Bank believes that enhancing cash flow efficiency and operational flexibility is key for SMEs to address business pressures. The Bank is committed to supporting SMEs through diversified and flexible lending and financing solutions tailored to their business needs. These include a wide range of import/export trade finance services and payment options, as well as the Merchant Receivables Loan – a service designed to provide merchants with quicker access to capital. Such initiatives enable SMEs to strengthen cash flow management and improve the predictability and efficiency of their daily operations.
Furthermore, Dah Sing Bank offers comprehensive hedging tools to help enterprises manage foreign exchange and interest rate risks. This support enables businesses to mitigate financial exposure arising from global economic volatility, enhance resilience, and expand their businesses in both local and global markets steadily. In addition, the newly launched Dah Sing Business Multi-Currency Mastercard Debit Card helps SMEs reduce transaction costs and manage expenses more effectively, providing a one-stop and seamless experience for local and overseas transactions.
Dah Sing Bank Deputy Chief Executive, Senior Executive Director and Head of Group Personal Banking, Ms Phoebe Wong, said: “The Survey shows that Hong Kong SMEs are facing multiple challenges, including rising costs, shifting demand and evolving consumption patterns. At the same time, it is encouraging to see businesses actively adopting measures such as optimising cost structures and enhancing customer experience. In an environment of heightened uncertainty, stable cash flow and operational agility has become even more important. Dah Sing Bank has long been a trusted partner to SMEs, and we remain committed to combining financial services with practical support to help enterprises improve capital efficiency and resilience. Our goal is to empower SMEs to maintain stability in a constantly changing market and lay a solid foundation for sustainable long-term growth.”
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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5. Tonga Ratifies CTBT, Completing Treaty Universalisation in Pacific Region
July 9, 2026
Vienna, 7 July 2026 – Tonga has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), becoming the 179th State to do so and completing universalisation of the Treaty across the Pacific region. For a part of the world deeply impacted by nuclear testing, it is a milestone long in the making.
The ratification was formalised on 7 July 2026 at a ceremony at United Nations Headquarters in New York, attended by David Nanopoulos, Chief of the Treaty Section at the UN Office of Legal Affairs, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations, Ambassador Viliami Va’inga Tōnē, and CTBTO Senior Liaison Officer, Charles Abechi Oko.
Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), welcomed the ratification.
Tonga’s ratification is a proud moment for the Pacific and a meaningful contribution to the global effort to ban nuclear test explosions for good. The Kingdom has long stood on the right side of this issue: as a party to the Treaty of Rarotonga, as a consistent voice for non-proliferation and disarmament, and as a country that understands how nuclear testing has impacted this region. I am deeply grateful to the many Tongan officials and regional partners who worked to bring this moment about.
Robert Floyd, CTBTO Executive Secretary
Ambassador Va’inga Tōnē reflected on the significance of the step.
For Tonga, this is not simply a legal formality. It is a statement of who we are and what we stand for. The Pacific has felt the pain of nuclear testing. Ratifying the CTBT is our contribution to ensuring that no one, anywhere, has to go through that again.
Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations, Ambassador Viliami Va’inga Tōnē
UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, also underscored the Treaty’s importance.
The CTBT is an integral part of the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture. It embodies a simple but vital truth: nuclear tests must never be allowed – not even one.
Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Tonga’s ratification is the result of sustained engagement between States Signatories, regional partners, the CTBTO and Tongan leadership over many years.
This step reflects the strong commitment of His Royal Highness Tupouto’a Ulukalala, Prince Regent of the Kingdom of Tonga, to international peace and security, and to the leadership it requires. Over the years, Floyd has met regularly with senior officials and members of the Tongan Government, including a mission to the country in May 2025, when Secretary for Foreign Affairs Viliami Malolo reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for the CTBT and its engagement with the Treaty. Ambassador Tone, who delivered the instrument of ratification in New York, has also been a steadfast champion of non-proliferation and disarmament.
At the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, the CTBTO head met with then-Prime Minister ʻAisake Valu Eke. Earlier this year in April, the Executive Secretary met with Ambassador Va’inga Tōnē on the sidelines of the NPT Review Conference in New York, shortly before Tonga confirmed its ratification.
Tonga is a party to the Treaty of Rarotonga, which established the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone in 1985, the second such zone in a populated area of the world, prohibiting the manufacture, stationing, and testing of nuclear explosive devices in member territories. Tonga is also a State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
With Tonga’s signature and ratification, the CTBT now counts 188 States Signatories and 179 ratifying States. Within the Organization’s broader SEAPFE grouping, which covers South-East Asia, the Pacific and the Far East, just two countries have yet to ratify.
Background:
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans all nuclear explosions everywhere, by everyone, and for all time. Adherence to the Treaty is nearly universal, with 188 signatories and 179 ratifying States. To enter into force, the Treaty must be ratified by all 44 States listed in its Annex 2, for which nine ratifications are still required.
The CTBTO has established an International Monitoring System (IMS) to ensure that no nuclear test explosion goes undetected. Currently, 307 certified facilities – of a total of 337 when complete – are operating around the world, using four main technologies: seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide.
The data collected by the IMS has also been used for disaster mitigation such as earthquake monitoring and tsunami warning, as well as research into fields as diverse as whale migration, climate change and the prediction of monsoon rains.
You can learn more about the Treaty and the Organization at www.ctbto.org
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6. NZ Super Fund – STAKEHOLDER UPDATE JULY 2026 – Global recognition for Guardians
July 8, 2026
The NZ Super Fund has for the third year in a row been awarded a perfect score in the annual GSR (governance, sustainability, resilience) scoreboard published by international sovereign wealth fund experts GlobalSWF.
First introduced in 2020, the GSR scoreboard assesses 200 state-owned investors against 25 criteria covering each entity’s governance structure and processes, responsible investment policies and practices, and ability to manage liquidity and operational risk.
The Super Fund is one of nine investors to achieve a perfect score.
CEO Jo Townsend says GlobalSWF’s scoreboard is a valuable guide to industry best practice for state-owned investors.
“We are delighted to have performed well against these criteria again,” Ms Townsend said.
Ms Townsend said the increase in sustainability and resilience scores globally reflected the increasing awareness among investors of how relevant these criteria were for long-term success.
“Our discussions with peers show a strong ongoing commitment to these areas, in keeping with our shared focus on creating long-term value for stakeholders.”
The Super Fund is also one of 13 New Zealand investors recently recognised as Responsible Investment Leaders by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).
RIAA said Responsible Investment Leaders were required to demonstrate leading practice across four pillars: Responsible Investment commitment and transparency; ESG integration and screens; Stewardship; and Allocation of Capital.
Guardians co-Chief Investment Officer Will Goodwin said RIAA recognition was an important benchmark.
“The RIAA’s four pillars are well aligned with what we consider to be best-practice portfolio management,” said Goodwin.
“Integrating these considerations into an investment strategy is not an optional extra, it is absolutely fundamental to achieving strong, sustainable risk-adjusted returns.”
Beachlands South development moves to next phase
Beachlands South Limited Partnership (BSLP), the company behind the development of a master-planned community in East Auckland, is moving to internalise the management of its flagship project as preliminary earthworks get under way at the 255 hectare site.
BSLP has announced the appointment of Ian Passau to head the project’s new management team. Passau has held senior executive roles with NZX-listed property company Kiwi Property Group, Arvida and Foodstuffs, and helped to design and implement Auckland Airport’s commercial property development programme.
BSLP has also named Guy Milburn as Chief Operating Officer. Milburn has more than 20 years’ experience in the property and construction sectors in New Zealand and Australia, most recently as COO at Lime Global. He previously held various GM roles at Ngāi Tahu Property.
The Super Fund is the majority shareholder in BSLP, alongside local iwi Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, property fund Hāpai, and interests associated with construction and property organisation Russell Property Group.
Taranaki Offshore Partnership welcomes new legislation
Taranaki Offshore Partnership (TOP), a joint venture between the Super Fund and global infrastructure investor Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners that wants to develop New Zealand’s first offshore wind farm, says the recent passing of the Offshore Renewable Energy Bill is a significant step towards harnessing a world-class fuel source that will generate both sustainable energy and significant downstream economic benefits.
Read TOP’s full announcement here.
Guardians supporting development of award-winning New Zealand Taxonomy
Guardians investment team members Greg Munford and Terina Williams are among a group of industry, investment and sustainability experts creating a sustainable finance framework that is gaining international recognition.
The New Zealand Taxonomy project was last month awarded the 2026 Climate Bonds Initiative Award for Most Innovative Taxonomy. The citation said the project, which is being led by the Centre for Sustainable Finance with support from the Ministry for the Environment, was providing “global leadership in the development of science-based criteria for agriculture and forestry, two of the most difficult sectors for taxonomy development.”
The New Zealand Taxonomy is intended to identify economic activities that either meet sustainability criteria or are actively transitioning towards doing so, thereby helping qualifying New Zealand businesses access global and local green finance.
It is also recognised as one of the first such initiatives to explicitly incorporate climate change adaptation and resilience measures.
Terina Williams (pictured above), a member of the Forestry & Agriculture Technical Advisory Group, said that as well as encouraging investment in local primary industries, the Taxonomy will also help New Zealand exporters maintain access to important overseas markets.
“A growing number of countries are introducing carbon border adjustment mechanisms or mandatory climate-related disclosures. The Taxonomy provides a practical mechanism for exporters to demonstrate their environmental credentials.”
The broader New Zealand Taxonomy project covers agriculture and forestry, energy, buildings and construction, and transport. It will be submitted to the Government to consider for endorsement in December 2026.
Established in 2010, Climate Bonds Initiative is a UK-based non-governmental organisation focused on developing a large and liquid Green and Climate Bonds market that will help drive down the cost of capital for climate projects and improve access to lower-cost debt in emerging markets https://www.climatebonds.net/
More information about the New Zealand Taxonomy can be found on the Centre for Sustainable Finance website: https://sustainablefinance.nz/nz-taxonomy/
Super Fund features as case study in new ICPM study
The Super Fund is one of five funds profiled in a paper that looks at the various ways in which the Total Portfolio Approach to investing is being implemented. Guardians Head of Asset Allocation Charles Hyde was one of the contributors to the study, which was published by the Toronto-based International Centre for Pension Management and is available on their website.
Annual Report wins Gold
In June, the Guardians’ 2025 Annual Report won Gold at the Australasian Reporting Awards, our 13th consecutive Gold Award, and was named best report in the Financial Services sector.
Latest SOI and SPE now available
The Guardians’ 2026-31 Statement of Intent, and 2026/27 Statement of Performance Expectations, have been published and are available on our website.
People News
The Guardians recently announced the appointments of Will Fletcher as Head of Private Equity and Alternatives and Dr Anastasia Moskvina as Head of Data Analytics.
Dean Hill, formerly of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, has been appointed Strategic Relationship Manager, overseeing some of our most important external partnerships, including with Northern Trust and Bloomberg.
Finally, Eleanor Morrison has been appointed Fund Finance Manager, leading financial accounting and reporting for the NZ Super Fund.
And special congratulations to former Guardians’ staffer Joe Margison, recently appointed CEO of Virgin Hotels Collection.
Co-CIOs in the Media
Brad Dunstan tells Investment Magazine’s Darcy Song how our assessment that equity risk premia are likely to reduce has led to us lowering the long-term expected return for our benchmark reference portfolio.
Will Goodwin writes in the NZ Herald that sustainability is fundamental to risk, return, and portfolio resilience over decades, making it a core component of any long-term investment strategy.
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7. Matariki – His Majesty King Charles III’s message for Matariki
July 10, 2026
Source: Government House
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8. Auckland Council appoints independent reviewer for Heart of the City
July 9, 2026
Source: Auckland Council
Cassandra Crowley has been appointed by Auckland Council as an Independent Reviewer and Governance Observer to support Heart of the City through the process of restoring a functioning Executive Committee.
Auckland Council’s Chief Executive Phil Wilson, who has confirmed Ms Crowley’s appointment, says her role is to verify the Heart of the City’s membership register and support the steps required for a Special General Meeting to elect a new Executive Committee.
“Aucklanders deserve a vibrant, safe and prosperous city centre and Heart of the City’s members deserve a high-functioning business association. This appointment ensures continuity of its important services in the city centre, while supporting resolution of Heart of the City’s governance challenges.
“The council has a significant interest in the success of the city centre and acknowledges Heart of the City and its role working for the economic benefit of the city centre.
“Cassandra will provide independent oversight and assurance over the membership verification process, communications to members and BID affiliates, and the steps required for a Special General Meeting to elect a new Executive Committee.
“This is about ensuring there is a fair, transparent and credible process that gives confidence to Heart of the City members and the public,” he says.
Importantly, we have agreed with the organisation’s Chief Executive that, while these membership and governance matters are resolved, Heart of the City will continue to deliver its day-to-day operations, including marketing, security and events. Major new decisions will not be made until a new Executive Committee is in place.
“While we can’t yet say how long Ms Crowley will need to be in this role, the priority here is ensuring that all the necessary steps to having a new Executive Committee in place are carried out as quickly as possible,” says Mr Wilson.
About Cassandra Crowley
Cassandra has extensive executive and governance experience including in and around local government and membership organisations.
She is a chartered accountant, barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. She is also a member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.
As well as her commercial advisory work, she’s a non-executive director in several sectors of the New Zealand economy, including Deputy Chair of the NZTA Board, NZX listed South Port and a number of other businesses.
Cassandra is an independent (external to Auckland Council) member of the council’s Audit and Risk Committee. She also chairs several audit, finance and risk committees and committees overseeing digital transformation. She’s a past president of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/07/09/auckland-council-appoints-independent-reviewer-for-heart-of-the-city/
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9. Rethinking Urban Development: Vietnamese Developers Shaping Future Cities
July 11, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 July 2026 – As global urban challenges evolve, Vietnamese Developers offer valuable insights into alternative development models.
Vinhomes’ strategic response is crystallized in its ESG
For much of the past century, urban development followed a relatively straightforward equation: build housing, expand infrastructure and accommodate population growth. This formula is now showing its limitations. As climate risk intensifies, biodiversity declines and cities compete not only for investment but also for talent, developers around the world are now forced to redefine the very nature and purpose of what they build.
From the Gulf to Singapore, and from Scandinavia to Southeast Asia, large-scale urban projects are evolving into integrated ecosystems where mobility, green infrastructure, education, healthcare, digital services and environmental restoration are planned together. The industry paradigm has shifted from constructing buildings to designing places capable of sustaining both economic growth and quality of life over generations.
Vinhomes has initiated a comprehensive repositioning to navigate this global transition.
Known as Vietnam’s largest residential developer, the company is increasingly recognized not merely as a builder of housing projects, but as a creator of large-scale lifestyle ecosystems, communities where urban planning, technology, ecology and public services are conceived as parts of the same system.
When Nature Becomes Urban Infrastructure
For decades, environmental considerations were often introduced after a city’s masterplan had already been completed.
The emerging model reverses that sequence. Across many of its recent developments, Vinhomes operates on the principle that natural systems should become the starting point of planning. Hydrology, coastal conditions, biodiversity and existing vegetation are treated as design inputs that shape the urban layout from the earliest stages.
This philosophy marks a notable departure from conventional large-scale development, particularly in rapidly urbanising markets where natural landscapes have frequently given way to intensive construction.
With more than 30 developments across Vietnam and a land bank equivalent to roughly two-thirds the size of Singapore, Vinhomes has the unusual opportunity to test this planning approach at a metropolitan scale.
Rather than replicating identical urban formulas, each project is designed around the ecological characteristics of its location.
The company maintains that the long-term success of a city should ultimately be measured not by how much has been built, but by whether natural ecosystems continue to thrive decades after residents have moved in. That perspective aligns with an increasingly influential school of urban planning in which green infrastructure is viewed as essential public infrastructure.
Factors Compelling Cities Toward Regeneration
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks have become standard across global investment. Urban planners, however, are beginning to question whether sustainability alone is sufficient.
Maintaining today’s environmental conditions may no longer be enough if tomorrow’s cities must also respond to rising temperatures, sea-level change and growing demographic pressures.
Vinhomes’ strategic response is crystallized in its ESG++, a framework that extends beyond conventional ESG principles by introducing two additional objectives: Regeneration and resilience.
The distinction is subtle but important.
Regeneration implies restoring ecological systems rather than simply reducing environmental impact. Resilience focuses on designing cities capable of adapting to changing climatic, technological and social conditions over many decades.
Projects such as Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio and Vinhomes Global Gates Ha Long are intended to demonstrate how these concepts can be incorporated into large-scale urban planning, combining renewable energy, smart infrastructure and ecological restoration within a single development model.
This shift highlights a growing global consensus: the success of next-generation cities will ultimately be measured by their ability to adapt to increasingly complex environmental challenges.
Vietnam’s Urban Story Is Becoming Part of a Global Conversation
For many international audiences, Vietnam remains associated primarily with its cultural heritage and natural landscapes. Urban development may become an equally important part of that story.
Rapid urbanisation, expanding infrastructure investment and a national commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 have created conditions in which entirely new urban models can be planned without many of the legacy constraints facing older cities.
This developmental opportunity is capturing increasing global interest.
Commenting on Vinhomes Green Paradise’s participation in the global 7 Wonders of Future Cities initiative, Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Director of the New7Wonders Organisation, described Vietnam as undergoing a “transformative step change” in its national identity and global positioning. He pointed to the country’s progress in reducing the carbon footprint of urban mobility as an example of coordinated action between government and the private sector that offers valuable insights extending beyond Southeast Asia.
For Vinhomes, participation in international platforms such as 7 Wonders of Future Cities is therefore less about showcasing a single project than about contributing to a broader discussion on how rapidly developing economies might approach urban growth differently. The company’s evolution mirrors a wider shift taking place across the global property sector.
Increasingly, the core value proposition for developers is no longer anchored in how many buildings they can deliver. Instead, it centers on whether they can create cities that remain economically competitive, environmentally resilient and socially relevant long after construction has ended.
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