AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for June 18, 2026 – Full Text

Source: New Zealand Government

More support is on the way for people experiencing homelessness, with the Government expanding outreach and support services to six new locations, and extending proven initiatives already underway in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say.

“Homelessness has been a problem in New Zealand for decades. We have a broken housing system that is more severe in challenging economic times,” Mr Bishop says.

“Late last year, Minister Potaka and I announced five short-term actions to support rough sleepers. 

“These included funding an additional 300 social homes for the Housing First programme, supporting providers to deliver stronger local responses, making more effective use of transitional housing, strengthening staff guidance on the use of discretion when assessing emergency housing grants, and redirecting benefit funding to better support those in need.

“Those measures, including the additional 300 Housing First social homes, are already making a difference. 

“Since September 2025, a total of 674 households who had been sleeping rough have been moved into stable housing, either through the additional 300 places or existing social homes.

“Between November 2025 and January 2026 alone, 177 people entered a new transitional housing pilot programme in Auckland and Hamilton, managed by homelessness support providers and funded by the Government late last year.

“The funding has also enabled housing assistance centres to deliver more than 1,500 support activities such as mental health or addiction support, or assistance to register for a benefit, along with increased outreach services to those sleeping rough.

“Today we are pleased to confirm that the Government will provide an additional $14.54 million over the next year for support services to help people sleeping rough.

“This additional funding will continue funding for existing services in our main centres with a proven track record of helping people experiencing homelessness. 

“$2.7 million of this funding is to extend the support to six additional locations: Tauranga, Whakatāne, New Plymouth, Napier, Whanganui and Waimakariri. Support will be tailored to local needs, recognising that different communities face different challenges.

“Local reporting and the homelessness insights report released today show there is unmet need in a number of communities around New Zealand.

“This additional investment allows us to expand immediate support services for those who need a home right now, while longer-term work continues to address the underlying drivers of our housing crisis.”

Mr Potaka says the investment builds on encouraging results already being seen through the Government’s homelessness response.

“We have already seen the difference these services can make when people are connected quickly with accommodation and the support they need.

“The early results from Housing First, transitional housing and outreach services show that locally-led approaches are helping people move into housing and improve their circumstances.

“We know homelessness goes beyond just a house. It can involve challenges with health, employment, addiction, family relationships, or access to services. These initiatives help connect people with the right support at the right time and improve outcomes for individuals and whānau.

“Community organisations and frontline providers play a critical role in supporting vulnerable people. This investment will help strengthen that work and ensure more people can access the services available to them.” 

Notes to editor: 

Press release from September 2025 about initial support package: Expanding support for rough sleepers | Beehive.govt.nz

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/additional-14-5-million-support-for-rough-sleepers/

Source: New Zealand Government

New changes are halving the amount of time councils can take to issue Project Information Memorandums (PIMs), allowing building work to get underway more quickly, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk and Local Government Minister Simon Watts say.

“Fixing the basics and building for the future for New Zealand means taking a close look at every part of the building system to identify delays, remove bottlenecks, and improve productivity,” Mr Penk says.

“Project Information Memorandums, or PIMs, are an important part of the building process. They give homeowners and builders greater certainty about site-specific requirements, like natural hazards and infrastructure constraints, before a building consent is requested and construction begins.

“Currently, councils can take 20 working days to process a PIM application, but we know time is money when building a home, and long wait times can quickly drive up costs, delay projects, and frustrate homeowners who are simply trying to get building underway.

“Right now, the system can also undermine competition in our building consent market, with private Building Consent Authorities required to obtain PIMs from councils before they can progress work. The Government wants to ensure there is a strong incentive for councils to process those applications promptly.

“To address these issues, the Government will reduce the processing timeframe for all PIM applications from 20 working days to 10 working days.”

Mr Penk says the change is set to support various key sectors to get on with building, quicker, including housing, agriculture, trades, and infrastructure. 

“Faster processing times will help homeowners and businesses to get on with their projects sooner, improve competition in the building consent market, and reduce unnecessary delays and costs, as part of the Government’s wider work programme to make building easier and more affordable for New Zealanders.

“Reducing PIM processing times will also particularly help our agriculture sector – by accelerating farm development, reducing costs, and improving investment certainty. It will help farmers and rural businesses to respond faster to market opportunities, environmental requirements, and operational needs.”

Mr Watts says councils play a critical role in enabling building and development projects, and ratepayers rely on those processes to be efficient and timely.

“New Zealanders deserve a local government system that delivers results. Cutting PIMs processing times means homeowners, businesses and farmers can get projects underway sooner by removing unnecessary barriers, reducing delays and lowering costs.

“Our Government is focused on councils getting back to the basics, ensuring they are delivering core services efficiently and improving outcomes for the communities they serve.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/speeding-up-council-reports-to-get-building-faster/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government will build on tourism growth by targeting more marketing in Australia, the United States and China, alongside attracting more business events to New Zealand.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says investing in these markets will bring more visitors and drive economic growth.

“The Government is focused on growing the economy so Kiwis can get ahead, and as our second largest export, tourism is a crucial part of that,” Louise Upston says.

“We set ambitious goals: return international visitor numbers to at least pre-pandemic (2019) levels by 2026, and double the value of 2023 tourism exports in ten years.

“We’re making strong progress. Stats NZ data in June showed international visitors were up about 8 per cent on last year – we’re now at 94 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. MBIE data also shows that, from March 2024 to March 2026, overseas visitor spend increased by $2.5 billion to $13.7 billion.

“This shows our investment through Tourism New Zealand is paying off for Kiwis.

“But today we’re putting the pedal to the metal — building on that momentum to drive growth, jobs and incomes.”

The Government will make a one-off $4 million investment to boost Tourism New Zealand’s marketing in Australia, the United States and China.

“It makes sense to back the sector’s strong growth and encourage more people to choose New Zealand for their next holiday.”

An additional one-off $1 million will support attracting more business events.

“Business events are a high-value part of our visitor mix, bringing people who spend more, travel outside peak seasons, and help build skills and connections across our economy,” Louise Upston says.

“Multi-day conferences supported $925 million in economic activity in 2025 and generated more than 735,000 international visitor nights. This funding will help maintain a strong pipeline of international conferences.

“While the recent fuel crisis may affect travel plans, we’re working closely with the sector to ensure New Zealand remains an attractive destination.

“These investments will help attract more visitors sooner and deliver real benefits for communities across New Zealand.

“I’ll have more to say soon about investments to meet growing demand.”

Notes to Editor

• Funding comes from the International Visitor (Conservation and Tourism) Levy and is one-off funding for the 2026/27 financial year.
• The $4 million will expand Tourism New Zealand’s existing international marketing activity in those key markets, rather than new campaigns.
• The $1 million will go towards Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme: Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme | Business Events

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/18/driving-visitor-growth-and-business-events/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government’s ongoing focus and investment on getting Police back to basics and focused on frontline policing is yielding impressive results, with the new Taradale Police Station opening today, says Minister of Police Mark Mitchell.

“In Budget 2024, the Government put $34.6 million of capital investment aside for frontline policing. That included the new Taradale Police Station, which replaces the old one that was closed in 2023.

“In the constrained fiscal environment that we are in, my message to Police has been that they need to deliver cost-effective and modern solutions, sometimes thinking outside the box, in order to deliver projects on time and within budget.

“The station opening today is both on time, and approximately five per cent under its project budget with a total cost at this stage of $7.2 million.

“Police have done an outstanding job delivering a modular, modern and fit-for-purpose solution that maximises value for taxpayers and ensures that our Police have a world-class working environment in the Hawke’s Bay.

“By using a modular build, with modules constructed in Wellington and assembled onsite, Police have shown impressive innovation and pace in getting the station opened again. Demolition commenced in September 2025 and the new station is now open, only eight months later.

“The station provides additional assurance for the Hawke’s Bay community during the severe weather events that they have come to know too well, that Police will be responsive to their needs as a community.

“Budget 2026 furthered our investment in core Police infrastructure, with replacements on the way for the ageing Greymouth and Whanganui stations.

“This Government is restoring law and order by fixing the basics, making sure that our Police staff who do incredible work to keep their communities safe have fit-for-purpose and efficient workplaces.”

Note to editors: 

• The new station has been funded from the Government’s Budget 2024 investment in frontline policing (from the capital investment of $34.6 million). It cost $6 million to construct, with the total project cost, at this stage, at $7.2 million. The total cost of the new build has come in under our projected budget by approximately 5 percent.
• Police collaborated with Niche Group, who delivered the build.
• The building is constructed from a rigid steel frame which provides great seismic robustness and allowed the 19 modules making up the building to be bolted together on site. Conventional construction materials such as gib, timber and insulation were then added to complete the building.
• Police staff will be using the new station from Monday 8 June.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/new-taradale-police-station-opens/

Source: New Zealand Government

More than 1300 schools and 220,000 students have used the Student Mentoring Assessment Tool (SMART) since it was introduced in February, Education Minister Erica Stanford said today.

The Government introduced twice yearly assessment in reading writing and maths. 

“We campaigned on this in 2023, we funded it and we delivered it.

“We introduced the SMART assessment because parents, academics, ERO and education experts told me we need to do better, when it comes having consistent, accessible reporting about how children are progressing.”

Under SMART, parents of students in Years 0–10 will receive nationally consistent reporting across reading, writing and maths, including:

• One of five clear progress descriptors showing learning progress
• An explanation of why that progress marker was chosen and how parents can support next learning steps
• Information on progress over time and attendance
• Information on phonics achievement and twice-yearly progress check-ins

“Rich detailed reports on student achievement will be released to the parents and schools of those 220,000 students from 3 July.”

“By using a nationally consistent reporting approach supported by twice-yearly progress check-ins parents receive reliable, easy-to-understand information about progress in reading, writing and maths, alongside attendance information and guidance on next learning steps.

“This will be the first time in more than 20 years that parents have had commonsense easy to understand report about how their child is doing at school.

“The SMART tool is a commonsense way to support consistent assessment,” Ms Stanford says.

“For too long some students have been turning up to high school without knowing the basics of reading, writing and maths and their parents have been in the dark.

“Using better reporting we can get these students help earlier and giving them the opportunity they deserve to succeed.

“This isn’t about ideology; it’s about ensuring children have the right supports at the right time.

“Anyone suggesting we remove SMART from our schools, is more interested in the voices of Unions, than what students, parents and schools need,” Ms Stanford said.

Student completion rates of more than 70 percent across participating schools reflects that schools and kura are actively integrating SMART into classroom practice as part of teaching and learning.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/220000-students-take-the-smart-test/

Source: New Zealand Government

An $8 million investment in community programmes using sport and physical activity to reduce child and youth offending has been announced by Sport and Recreation Minister, Mark Mitchell.

The Reducing Child and Youth Offending project is a Sport NZ initiative using physical activity and sport to support children and young people who experience higher risk factors relating to offending or reoffending.  

“This initiative aims to improve outcomes for children and young people and contributes to the Government’s target of reducing youth offending by 2030. 

“We are investing in trusted community organisations with proven capability and strong local connections to support children and young people through the positive vehicle of physical activity and sport,” says Mr Mitchell.

The project is part of a wider, joined‑up approach that works alongside whānau, communities and government partners (NZ Police, Department of Corrections, Oranga Tamariki) to strengthen positive opportunities and reduce harm over time. 

“The project focusses on secondary and tertiary prevention, which helps ensure support is focused where it can make the biggest difference. It supports community-led solutions and aims to help prevent young people from entering or re-entering the youth justice system.

“I have seen firsthand the difference that sport and recreation can make in the lives of young people.  This investment means more support, greater access, and real opportunities for those who need it most.”  

The funding will be delivered across four waves through Community Impact Investment, as part of a Sport NZ led Reducing Child and Youth Offending Project.  The first wave has been approved that will see $2.2 million support five organisations.

Note to editors:

Five organisations have been approved for Wave One of the Community Impact investment:

• Pūmanawa Āwhina works in partnership with NZ Police and other community organisations to deliver community‑led, physical activity‑based programmes that support connection, wellbeing, and positive life outcomes for rangatahi, alongside whānau and communities in Auckland and Northland.
• Live for More (Tauranga), which uses surf therapy to support young men aged 16–25 who are at risk of offending or reoffending, and who are experiencing challenges such as substance use, justice system involvement, and gang affiliation.
• Champions Initiative – Billy Graham Youth Foundation (National), which empowers young people through boxing, building confidence, resilience, and community across New Zealand. 
• Te Rāhi a Māui (Canterbury) a kaupapa Māori organisation that uses physical activity (ki-o-rahi and other traditional Māori activities) to support young people within Youth Justice settings and the Corrections Youth Unit.
• Blue Light Ventures (National) is a youth organisation (who works in partnership with NZ Police) to provide a range of Youth Camps, Programmes & Support. RISE is Blue Light’s bespoke national initiative aimed at using physical activity and sport, alongside quality mentoring, to support 10–18‑year‑olds at risk of offending or reoffending through Life skills Camps and Individualised Pathways.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/reducing-child-and-youth-offending-through-sport-and-recreation/

Source: New Zealand Government

Recovery works in the Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 (SH2) are ramping up with contracts now in place to help restore full operation of the state highway after weather events earlier this year, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.  

“Following the severe weather events in January 2026, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has worked hard to keep the road open. They are now focused on longer-term recovery works, with the aim of restoring full access to SH2 and removing the need for ongoing traffic management,” Mr Bishop says.  

“Stellar Projects has been appointed as project managers, Beca is providing design services, and physical works contracts have been signed with Geovert and Waiotahi Contractors Ltd. This will ensure specialist geotechnical capability is complemented by local delivery expertise on the ground.

“This is a significant step towards restoring this critical freight lifeline back to full operation as quickly as possible. The recovery and resilience work being delivered includes replacing damaged culverts and drains, improving 312 culverts to better manage rainfall, as well as stabilising larger slip sites such as Goldsmith slip. 

“The Goldsmith slip is the largest slip on SH2 in the Waioweka Gorge. More than 20,000 cubic metres of debris fell onto SH2 because of recent weather events, closing this key freight route for over three weeks. 

“Planning is well underway to repair the slip quickly and safely. Installation of a rockfall barrier system will begin later this month. From Sunday 21 June, there will be evening closures for 10 nights, from 9pm to 5am. Work will take place Sunday to Thursday, with no work on Friday or Saturday nights. 

“A one-hour window from 1am to 2am will allow freight through, and NZTA is working closely with the freight industry and local communities to help minimise disruption as much as possible.

“From early July, installation of the steel net will begin. This work will be carried out during the day under the current stop/go traffic management in place at the Goldsmith Slip. 

“I want to thank everyone for their ongoing patience as this work is carried out. I know the disruption has been frustrating, but this resilience work is critical to help reduce the risk of further unplanned road closures. Road users should continue to keep an eye on conditions, as well as updates on the NZTA journey planner.

“The regular unplanned closures show just how important targeted resilience improvements are in the Waioweka Gorge. When the road closes, the economic impact is significant, with regional losses estimated at around $8 million for every day the route is shut.

“We know the impact is significant. That’s why, in Budget 2026, the Government committed around $75 million in funding for further resilience work to target some of the most vulnerable sections of the corridor between Ōpōtiki and Matawai.

“The NZTA Board is due to consider updated options for investment in coming months, with a briefing provided to Ministers for endorsement. The scope of the work is expected to be a mix of slope stabilisation, rockfall protection, and further drainage improvements to address known critical and high-risk sites.

“I want to thank everyone involved in keeping the road open to this point, including local East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick who has been a strong advocate for resilience investment in this important piece of roading infrastructure.”

Notes to the editor: 

• NZTA is currently investing around $33 million into the recovery works in Waioweka Gorge. This includes around $25 million to return the road to its previous level of service, and a further $8 million in targeted improvements.
• The repair at the Goldsmith slip site includes the installation of a rockfall barrier system (attenuator) designed to capture and slow falling rocks and debris as it moves down the slope, protecting the road at the bottom. Installation of the barrier system is weather dependent.
• Confirmation of the scope of works expected to be delivered through the Budget 2026 funding will be confirmed in due course, once the NZTA Board and Joint Ministers have considered the options for investment. Sites identified for investment will address critical and high-risk sites identified through NZTA’s National Resilience Assessment Tool (NRAT)
• The NRAT is an easily accessible digital tool that provides a nationally consistent overview of all the resilience disruption risks on the transport network. The tool makes it easier to assess, prioritise, monitor, and report on state highway damage/disruptions and network resilience more efficiently and effectively and allows funding to be targeted to the most critical sites.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/recovery-works-get-underway-in-waioweka-gorge/

Source: New Zealand Government

Threatened native wildlife will get a reprieve from predators with a $14.1 million boost to predator control funding, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

The investment from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will support the Department of Conservation to scale up its predator control work to protect native species facing increased threat from a major South Island beech mast. 

This year beech forests throughout the South Island have dropped trillions of seeds, fuelling rat and stoat breeding, which will put vulnerable native birds, bats and other wildlife at high risk over the coming year. 

“We’re funding more predator control to protect our precious wildlife in national parks and other priority sites across the South Island,” says Mr Potaka. 

“The additional funds will be targeted to Kahurangi, Arthur’s Pass, Mount Aspiring and Fiordland national parks, which are some of our most popular visitor sites.

“DOC will control predators over more than 360,000 ha at these sites and in the Maruia, Arawhata and Landsborough valleys on the West Coast. 

“This work will help safeguard species such as mohua/yellowhead, kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet, piwauwau/rock wren, pekapeka/bats, whio, kea and kiwi.

“Aotearoa New Zealand is the only place in the world you find these unique species. They are a drawcard for international tourists and Kiwis alike, who visit these places to get out in nature. 

“We have seen the recovery of native birds like mohua, rock wren and kiwi in areas where rats, possums and stoats are effectively suppressed.

“With sustained predator control we can hold the line for our biodiversity as we work towards achieving New Zealand’s predator free goal.” 

The IVL funding enables DOC to scale up to deliver its largest predator control programme ever across one million hectares or 12 per cent of public conservation land in 2026/27. 

Note to editors:

With the IVL funding of $14.1 million DOC will deliver predator control using aerially applied biodegradable 1080 and trapping over 367,000 ha at the following sites:

Kahurangi National Park (45,000 ha)
Arthur’s Pass National Park (70,000 ha)
Mount Aspiring National Park (45,000 ha)
Fiordland National Park (45,000 ha) 
Maruia valley, Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve (37,000 ha)
Arawhata valley, South Westland (75,000 ha)
Landsborough valley, South Westland (50,000 ha)

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/boost-for-predator-control-to-protect-endangered-wildlife/

Source: New Zealand Government

Wasp control across visitor hotspots and priority biodiversity sites will double, backed by a $2 million International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy boost, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says.

“Wasps are more than just a nuisance for visitors enjoying New Zealand’s fantastic outdoors – they have a major impact on native species and are also one of the most damaging insect pests in the country, costing our economy more than $130m annually,” Mr Potaka says. 

The IVL investment will mean Wasp Wipeout – which works with community groups by providing bait and technical expertise to control introduced German and common (Vespula) wasps – can spread into every region in New Zealand.

“Whether it’s a beach picnic, a night out camping, or a day walk through stunning native bush, no one wants wasps joining them on their trip in the outdoors. 

“Wasp Wipeout has been really successful in those places it’s currently operating, with support from community groups like local NZ Deerstalkers and Fish and Game branches, tramping and mountain bike clubs, and Te Araroa Trails Trust. 

“But we know introduced wasps are an issue across the motu, and this funding boost means community groups will have the tools to tackle the issue at place.”

Currently the programme, run by the Department of Conservation, treats about 30,000 hectares annually – mostly in South Island beech forests in Nelson-Tasman, Marlborough, West Coast and Canterbury.

“Through this extra funding, Wasp Wipeout aims to grow that coverage to 60,000 hectares,” Mr Potaka says.

“The money will also allow the programme to better plan and coordinate wasp control work and work with those developing new tools, technologies and research to control this difficult pest. 

“New Zealand has some of the highest Vespula wasp densities in the world. At some sites all you hear is the hum of wasps at the height of summer. This funding will help return the sound of the bush back to birdsong.”

Note to editors: 

• Wasp Wipeout uses vespex bait to target two of the five introduced wasp species in New Zealand (German and common wasps). 
• The new International Visitor Levy funding will provide $400,000 annually for the next five years. 
• Wasps eat important food sources for our native birds, bats, insects and lizards. They also eat a huge number of native insects and have even been seen killing newly hatched birds. 
• In some areas, wasp density can get to 12 nests, or 10,000 worker wasps, per hectare. 
• More information about Wasp Wipeout is also available here.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/2m-funding-boost-turbocharges-wasp-wipeout/

Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/17/work-begins-on-rangitata-river-stopbanks-to-improve-flood-resilience/