AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for June 25, 2026 – Full Text

Source: New Zealand Government

It is a genuine pleasure to join you at this important Agriculture Conference — a key gathering for our primary sector as we look ahead to the opportunities and challenges shaping rural New Zealand’s future.

I want to acknowledge our MC Rowena, and all the industry leaders and representatives here today who champion the interests of farmers, growers, foresters, and processors. Your commitment to rural New Zealand, often without fanfare, strengthens our country immeasurably.

In particular, I want to recognise Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford and thank you for your considerable leadership and vision. A big part of why farming is doing so well is the advocacy that you and Federated Farmers have undertaken over the last three years. A clear example of this impact is Prime Minister Luxon’s announcement of $109 million for wilding pine control — the result of sustained, effective advocacy on an issue that is genuinely damaging productive farmland.

Minister of Agriculture Future Leaders Scholarship

The quality of leadership I’ve seen across the primary sector over the past three years has led me to focus on how we grow the farm leaders of tomorrow. At the Fieldays opening two weeks ago, I announced the Minister of Agriculture Future Leaders Scholarship — a new initiative to support emerging talent in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry with grants of $10,000 for study, capability building, and industry experience.

I’m grateful that the Fieldays and Ravensdown have joined me as partners, and I’m pleased to confirm that five scholars will be announced each year at the Fieldays, ensuring the next generation of leaders — those who embody the Kiwi can-do spirit — can continue to drive this sector forward.

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Farm

Farming has never been easy, and recent seasons have tested resilience — with dry conditions on parts of the East Coast, storms in the Bay of Plenty, around Otorohanga, and across Southland, Tasman, and Marlborough, alongside volatile international markets, geopolitical tensions, and evolving trade policies.

Yet the results you are delivering are truly remarkable. I would argue there has never been a better time to be a food producer — in New Zealand or around the world. In the face of growing protectionism, higher tariffs, and the disruptions caused by geopolitical uncertainty, you continue to produce more and earn more for every New Zealander.

Fixing the Basics and Building the Future

You may have heard the National Party’s focus over recent months: fixing the basics and building the future. That means fixing healthcare, restoring educational achievement so children learn to read, write, and do maths, restoring law and order with fewer ram raids and reduced violent crime — and supporting the primary sector by simplifying rules and working with farmers, not against them. That is commonsense governing.

And, in return, you are helping us build the future: a growing economy, more jobs, higher wages, and a farming community whose contribution is recognised and who have every right to be proud.

Record Results: A Sector on the Rise

New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is on an extraordinary trajectory. The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI), released just two weeks ago, forecasts export revenue of $64.3 billion for the year to June 2026 — a strong performance driven by robust dairy and red meat prices, growth in apples and kiwifruit, and favourable exchange rates.

Dairy is forecast to reach a record $28.6 billion. Meat and wool are at $14.1 billion. Horticulture is approaching $9.5 billion, and forestry remains a key contributor. These figures are not abstract — they support the wages of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, sustain provincial towns and communities, and underpin our ability to invest in infrastructure, health, and education across the country.

This Government’s vision is clear: to position New Zealand as a world-leading, high-value producer of premium, sustainable food and fibre. We are on track to double the value of our exports within a decade, and the latest forecasts show we are ahead of schedule. By 2030, we are looking at primary exports exceeding $70 billion. I salute every farmer, grower, and processor whose innovation and hard work are making this possible.

Regulatory Reform: Ending the War on Farming

When we took office, the sector faced an ever-growing regulatory burden that eroded certainty and increased compliance costs. We have acted decisively to change this.

The first RMA Amendment Act removed prescriptive winter grazing consents, shifted stock exclusion to a risk-based approach, and better integrated farm environment plans with freshwater requirements.

We are now replacing the Resource Management Act with a modern framework — the Natural and Built Environments Act — that will deliver simpler, more predictable consenting, fewer prescriptive rules, and clearer national direction. This is not about removing environmental standards; it is about making them workable and practical so that farmers can focus on production while delivering genuine environmental outcomes. Improved environmental performance is a must — but it can and should be achieved without imposing unnecessary and excessive costs on the primary sector.

Waikato – Plan Change 1

I know many in this room are concerned about the potential effects of Plan Change 1 in the Waikato. I met with Minister Bishop yesterday to make the case for Waikato farmers. It does not make sense to have a new national planning system adopted by Parliament before the election, while the Waikato remains subject to rules developed under the old system. Minister Bishop will instruct officials to provide advice on options to better align rule-making in the Waikato with the replaced RMA.

Catchment Groups: Backing Local, Farmer-Led Solutions

One of the strongest examples of genuine partnership is the growth of farmer-led catchment groups. These practical, locally focused initiatives are delivering real environmental improvements on the ground.

Two weeks ago, I announced further support through a total commitment of $40.5 million over four years for catchment groups. This includes $13.5 million in the 2026/27 year for 17 catchment collectives, representing 51 individual groups and thousands of farmers. We are also working on longer-term funding certainty, including support for the New Zealand Landcare Trust. These groups have proven their value — they deserve stability and scaled-up backing.

Trade: Opening Markets and Creating Opportunity

Domestic reforms and innovation only matter if we have viable, high-value markets in which to sell. That is why this Government has pursued a deliberate “And” trade strategy — advancing new agreements with India while strengthening and deepening ties with China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the European Union, the UAE, and the GCC. This balanced approach is delivering real results for New Zealand exporters, particularly our primary sector.

We are seeing strong momentum across key markets. Exports to the United Kingdom have risen 79 percent over the past three years, driven predominantly by our food and fibre industries. Trade with the European Union has generated an additional $3 billion in exports in just the first two years, again with the bulk coming from the primary sector. 

Exports to China have reached $42.3 billion this year, supported by a beef quota that now exceeds Australia’s. The UAE has recorded a 34 percent increase in trade in the first six months alone, while even in the challenging environment of 10 to 15 percent US tariffs, our exports to the United States have grown by 4 percent year-on-year, with beef and kiwifruit returning to zero-tariff access.

The New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement, signed in April this year, stands as one of the most significant market access breakthroughs in a generation for our primary industries. This landmark deal opens the door to a market of 1.4 billion people and provides tariff reductions or elimination on 95 percent of our current exports to India. Key wins include immediate duty-free access for sheep meat and wool, seafood, and infant formula; substantial new quota access for apples — the first preferential access India has granted in any FTA — and tariff-free entry for kiwifruit within quota, with a 50 percent tariff reduction outside it.

Horticultural exporters will also gain improved access for avocados, cherries, blueberries, and other products, while over 95 percent of forestry products will enter tariff-free immediately. Together with gains in wine, honey, and selected dairy ingredients, these outcomes will deliver higher returns for our farmers, growers, and processors, create jobs on the land, and bring new vitality to rural communities. We expect lamb exports alone to double within the first year.

We campaigned on doubling the value of New Zealand’s exports within ten years. Since taking office, we have already delivered a $17 billion increase and remain firmly on track to achieve that goal — with the primary sector continuing to do the heavy lifting.

But we now have more market access and greater international consumer demand than we can currently satisfy. Consumers around the world choose New Zealand food and fibre because of its reputation for quality, safety, and environmental integrity. Grass-fed, safe, nutritious — they value the story of cows on pasture and sheep on the hills, and your commitment to clean water and environmental care.

But those consumers have choices. On the supermarket shelves of the world, they can look to Australia, Ireland, or any number of countries making similar claims. Our challenge — and our opportunity — is to produce more, in ways that strengthen rather than compromise our environmental standing.

Land Use Flexibility: Backing Kiwi Farmers and Growers to Feed the World

At the Fieldays I announced a significant new policy: Land Use Flexibility — backing Kiwi farmers and growers to feed the world. The principle is straightforward. If you can demonstrate the same or an improved environmental and climate footprint, you should have the freedom to choose what you use your land for. With one exception: I have banned the conversion of productive land to pine trees for carbon farming.

Using science and innovation to produce more from the same amount of land — or less — is something Kiwi farmers have done for generations: larger ewes, more meat per hectare, increased dairy solids per unit of production, the development of gold and red kiwifruit varieties, better apple cultivars. This is in our DNA.

To underpin this, we have announced six projects in partnership with the private sector, worth $143 million in total, to pilot and prove these concepts — in dairy to reduce nitrate loss, in sheep and beef to maximise pasture utilisation, in horticulture to boost kiwifruit production, in forestry to add value to our wood, on whenua Māori, and in aquaculture to make better use of land and sea resources. These are real projects on real farms, demonstrating that greater flexibility, paired with smart technology and investment, delivers both higher productivity and better environmental performance.

This is our strategy: workable rules, targeted innovation funding, and genuine trust in those who know the land best.

Conclusion

This National-led Government is unequivocally committed to the success of New Zealand’s primary industries as a core governing priority. Our vision is a resilient, innovative, high-value sector that drives national prosperity, supports thriving rural communities, and leads the world in sustainable production.

The SOPI numbers tell a compelling story of growth and optimism. But they are the result of your work. We will continue delivering workable regulations, practical environmental solutions, strong trade access, and investment in innovation and people.

We are with you. Keep building. Keep growing. And know that this Government will do everything in its power to ensure New Zealand agriculture remains competitive, profitable, and sustainable for generations to come.
 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/25/primary-industries-new-zealand-summit/

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister for Racing Winston Peters is urging all parts of New Zealand’s racing industry to work together to secure its long-term future.

The Minister’s call is in response to the report produced by the TAB New Zealand Racing Advisory Committee, outlining wide-ranging proposed reforms for the sector.

“Everyone involved in racing wants a strong and sustainable future for the industry,” says Mr Peters. 

“The question now is how the key stakeholders in racing work together to achieve that.”

Mr Peters acknowledges and thanks the Advisory Committee for their work and commitment, noting the significant time and expertise that went into producing the report.

He notes the report highlights a lack of alignment across key industry organisations.  The Minister says the report shows the need for a more unified approach within the sector.

“For reform to succeed, it cannot be driven in isolation. It must be built on collaboration, shared understandings, and a commitment from all parts of the industry to move forward together,” Mr Peters says.

The Minister has made clear that, with a General Election approaching, large-scale legislative reform is not the immediate priority for the Government.

Instead, he is encouraging industry participants — including TAB New Zealand and the racing codes — to work constructively together over the coming months.

“The expectation is simple: the Advisory Committee, TAB NZ, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Harness Racing New Zealand must engage closely, in good faith, and develop a cohesive pathway forward,” says Mr Peters.

Mr Peters emphasised that government intervention is a last resort, and that the industry itself has tools available under current legislation to progress several of the changes it is seeking.

“There is more that can be done within existing settings. The industry must first demonstrate its ability to act collectively and make progress before seeking further legislative change.

“The opportunity is there for the industry to collaborate, align its priorities, and present a united case for the future,” Mr Peters says.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/minister-urges-racing-industry-to-work-together/

Source: New Zealand Government

Education Minister, Erica Stanford today marked a significant step towards reforming New Zealand’s education system with the passing of the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill at its Third Reading.

“The changes will enable system-level reforms to clarify roles and responsibilities across the sector, improve oversight and accountability, and ensure schools, teachers, and learners are better supported”, Ms Stanford says.

The legislative reforms include:

• Establishing the New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA), as a Crown entity, to manage, plan, build, maintain and administer the education property portfolio by no later than 1 November 2026. 
• Transferring the Ministry of Education’s regulatory functions for early childhood education (ECE), school hostels, and private schools to the Education Review Office (ERO) by no later than 1 November 2026.
• Reforming the role of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, including shifting responsibility for setting professional standards to the Secretary for Education which includes standards and criteria for teacher registration, initial teacher education, ongoing practice, and the Code of Conduct. The safety of students becomes a priority for the Teaching Council through its core statutory role of teacher registration, competence and conduct oversight. The Council’s governance structure will now have 7-9 ministerially appointed members.

“A high performing education system depends on high quality teaching. These workforce reforms are informed by the latest evidence on the need to strengthen the confidence and readiness of our new teachers, as well as recent findings that show the need for a professional regulatory body that has a clear focus on protecting child safety and quality assuring teaching practice,” Ms Stanford says. 

The Bill strengthens curriculum regulatory settings by requiring a regular rolling cycle of curriculum area reviews. New minimum safeguards are introduced for reviewing and amending the curriculum, and schools will be required to provide parents with better health curriculum information.

The Bill also improves attendance exemption processes, mandates school participation in international education studies to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, strengthens the rules around use of physical restraint in school hostels, enables the recognition of micro-credentials, and provides greater flexibility for charter schools. 

Additional minor and technical changes have also been included to support the ongoing work to redesign the vocational education and training system.

“These reforms clarify who is responsible for what, reduce duplication, and enable our education agencies to work more effectively together. These changes should lead to better support for schools, kura, and early learning providers and better outcomes for students and their families,” Ms Stanford said.

The Bill is now due to receive Royal Assent, after which implementation will begin across agencies and the wider education system.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/education-system-reforms-pass-third-reading-in-parliament/

Source: New Zealand Government

Teachers, principals and schools across New Zealand are being celebrated in the first inaugural Education Excellence Awards, Education Minister Erica Stanford hosted today.  

The inaugural New Zealand Education Excellence Awards — Ngā Tohu Kairangi Mātauranga o Aotearoa, were held at Parliament in Wellington to recognise the outstanding work of schools and kura across the country.  

“The Education Excellence Awards are about celebrating teachers, schools and kura that are driving change and achieving results,” Ms Stanford said. 

“Recognising that quality teaching and school leadership are the two of the most important factors impacting student learning. We need to celebrate the skills and dedication of those who bring that to life every day in the classroom.” 

The national awards programme, launched this year, highlights outstanding progress and performance across four areas critical to student success:  

Student engagement and attendance  
Raising student achievement
Quality teaching and instruction
Educational leadership. 

“Raising student achievement is fundamental. Every student needs a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy to successfully progress through their education.” 

“Attendance is equally critical; students need to be in the classroom to learn. Schools recognised today are using effective and innovative ways to get young people back into the classroom, engaged and excited about learning.” 

The awards also highlight the pivotal role teachers and leaders have in driving education success.

“High-quality teaching has the biggest impact on student outcomes, and strong leadership ensures that great practice is consistent across a school. 

“The award commendations, finalists and winners show what is possible when schools focus on evidence-based teaching, set high expectations, and provide the right environment for their community of learners,” Ms Stanford said.   

Ms Stanford says the awards are about more than prize money — they are about recognising the lasting impact of our teaching profession and lifting performance across the system.

“The leadership, professionalism, and commitment of our teachers and school leaders showcased today is making a real and lasting difference for communities. 

“While congratulating the schools recognised was a focus of today’s award ceremony, the real opportunity here is to learn from these examples,” Ms Stanford concludes.  

Finalists and winners were selected following a comprehensive selection process, including nominations from students, families, staff, and communities, and application assessment by panels of education experts.   

Editor notes: 

New Zealand Education Excellence Awards prize money, commendations, finalists and award winners

Each winning school will receive $20,000, other finalists will receive $5,000 and schools that were recognised with a commendation will receive $1,000. 

All winners, finalists and commendations will receive framed certificate, and winners also received a trophy.

School applications were assessed in the following education settings*

Primary school with 150 students or fewer (known as U1, U2 and U3 schools)
Primary school with over 150 students (known as U4 schools)
Secondary (any size)
Area schools could apply in either a primary or secondary setting category.

* Not all education settings had an award winner.

Finalists and Award Winners

Excellence in Raising Student Achievement finalists and award winners

Manurewa Intermediate, Tāmaki Herenga Waka | Auckland South/Southwest (Award winner – primary school over 150 students)
Long Bay College, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West
Rutherford College, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West
Auckland Girls’ Grammar School, Tāmaki Herenga Manawa | Auckland Central/East (Award winner – secondary school)

Excellence in Student Engagement and Attendance finalists and award winners

Kaihere School, Waikato (Award winner – primary school 150 students or fewer)
Kaiti School, Tairāwhiti | Hawke’s Bay(Award winner – primary school over 150 students)
Rāroa Normal Intermediate, Wellington
Iqra School, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West
Nelson College For Girls, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast
Maniototo Area School, Otago, Southland(Award winner – secondary school)

Excellence in Quality Teaching and Instruction finalists and award winners

Sommerville School, Tāmaki Herenga Manawa | Auckland Central/East (Award winner – primary school over 150 students)
Long Bay College, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West
Albany Junior High School, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West
Avondale College, Tāmaki Herenga Manawa | Auckland Central/East (Award winner – secondary school)

Excellence in Educational Leadership finalists and award winners

Manurewa Intermediate, Tāmaki Herenga Waka | Auckland South/Southwest
Goodwood School, Waikato (Award winner – primary school over 150 students)
Gulf Harbour School, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West
Nelson College For Girls, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast
Rolleston College, Canterbury, Chatham Islands
Westlake Girls’ High School, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland North/West (Award winner – secondary school)

Commendation recipients

School, region and commendation focus

Bayswater School, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata – Auckland North/West – Embedding culturally responsive practice
Christchurch North College, Canterbury, Chatham Islands – Commitment to student wellbeing
Mairangi Bay School, Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata – Auckland North/West – Strong community focus
Ōpunake High School, Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatū – Engagement with students and whānau
Rotokawa School, Bay of Plenty, Waiariki – Innovative integration of AI

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/new-awards-celebrate-excellence-and-delivering-real-results-for-students/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has decided the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) programme will become a permanent part of New Zealand’s refugee resettlement system, Associate Minister of Immigration Casey Costello announced today.

“The trial of the CORS programme shows it can deliver strong outcomes for refugees in employment, housing, education, and community connection,” Ms Costello says.

“Making it permanent means we can build on the skills, partnerships and knowledge developed through the pilot. This is a positive step and provides a programme that we know works.”

The permanent CORS programme will begin 1 July, with organisations able to apply to become approved community sponsors from that date. The introduction of the programme will be scaled, with 50 places available in the first year. From 1 July 2027, 200 people per year will be able to settle here through CORS.

“This is the first time New Zealand will have an ongoing complementary refugee resettlement pathway, with CORS sitting alongside our Refugee Quota Programme,” Ms Costello says.

“Having a complementary pathway for settlement is supported by the UNHCR and reflects approaches used internationally, including in Australia, Canada and the UK.

“This is about combining strong government support with community-led approaches that help people settle well and build independence.”

Under CORS, the Government funds core services such as immigration processing, health checks, and international travel, while approved community organisations provide settlement support, including housing, access to services, and support into employment and community life. The programme also includes an international referral partner.

“The strength of the programme lies in the human connection – communities providing practical support, a sense of belonging, and helping people find their feet from day one,” Ms Costello says.

“We’ve seen families welcomed into communities, supported into housing and employment, and quickly becoming part of everyday life in New Zealand.

“That is the key to a successful refugee programme – it isn’t just about providing refuge, it is about ensuring people can settle well and feel that they have a new home.”

CORS will be delivered alongside New Zealand’s Refugee Quota Programme, maintaining an overall number of refugee resettlement places available at 1,500. Places will be progressively allocated to the community sponsorship pathway as it scales up, with the Quota Programme adjusting accordingly. This allows CORS to be funded from within existing baselines.

The Refugee Quota Programme will remain New Zealand’s primary humanitarian pathway, and any allocated CORS places that are not taken will return to the Quota Programme. 

“In the current environment, this is the best way to ensure a programme that we know works well can continue into the future,” Ms Costello says.

“The Government remains firmly committed to an overall resettlement intake of 1,500 people per year. New Zealand currently takes the third largest number of UNHCR mandated refugees internationally, behind Canada and Australia.” 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/community-sponsorship-programme-to-be-permanent/

Source: New Zealand Government

Quarter three mental health and addiction target results show New Zealanders are continuing to get faster access to support, with all three mental health and addiction access targets improving on the previous quarter, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today. 

“The Government’s mental health plan is delivering faster access to support, more frontline workers and a better crisis response, with four out of five mental health and addiction targets now being met. Over the last two and a half years we have delivered on a range of commitments that are now clearly making a real difference for New Zealanders,” Mr Doocey says. 

“The results today show progress is being made despite more people reaching out for primary mental health support. For reference, 84,345 people accessed primary mental health support in the most recent quarter, up from 73,239 a year earlier. 

“Despite this, nearly 84 per cent of people are accessing primary mental health support within one week. The data shows more New Zealanders are accessing mental health services, but at the same time more people are being seen faster. 

“We know in particular that our young people have a vocabulary a lot of us never had when we were growing up. They can talk about their mental health more openly and are more willing to seek support when they need it.  

“That is a good thing, and it is encouraging that more people are reaching out for help. It makes the improvements we are seeing in access and wait times even more significant. 
“The Government has had a relentless focus on our mental health plan since coming into office. Already it has delivered:

• An 11 per cent increase in Health New Zealand mental health and addiction frontline workers.
• An 11 per cent increase in Health New Zealand mental health and addiction frontline workers.
• On track to double clinical psychology internships, already going from 40 in 2023 to 74 in 2026.
•   Increased psychiatry registrar intake by 50 per cent.
• Established a new psychology assistant pathway, with students in class in semester two. 
• Published New Zealand’s first dedicated mental health workforce plan in our first year and refreshed it in 2025. 
•  Funded eight new crisis recovery cafés, with four already open. 
•  Funded 11 Emergency Departments to have peer support workers, with eight already delivered. 
• Funded 10 new mental health co-response teams, with many already operating. 
• Increased the number of funded beds from 1,317 to 1,368 over the last year.

“It is not just the Government saying progress is being made. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s report provides independent confirmation that we are heading in the right direction. 

“The Commission found workforce vacancy rates have fallen from 11 per cent in 2022 to 8 per cent in 2025, more people are entering mental health training, and timeliness of access to services is improving. 

“Importantly, the Commission noted that targets help drive improvement, saying that ‘what gets measured gets done’. They are right. Targets help identify where more work is needed and guide investment to where it is most needed, whether that be in a particular region or for a particular group. 

“While there is more work to do, these results show we are turning the corner. More people are getting faster access to support, more workers are on the frontline, and we are fixing the basics by building a better mental health system fit for the future.” 
Notes to editor:
•    82.2 per cent of people are accessing specialist mental health support within three weeks, against an 80 per cent target. 
•    83.7 per cent of people are accessing primary mental health support within one week, against an 80 per cent target. 
•    68.5 per cent of people are being admitted, transferred or discharged from an emergency department within six hours, against a 95 per cent target. 
•    25 per cent of the mental health and addiction ringfence is going towards early intervention and prevention. This target has been met. 
•    514 new mental health and addiction workers have been trained, against a target of 500.
 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/real-results-delivered-for-mental-health/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government’s focus on improving roads across the country continues, with the successful completion of the 2025–26 state highway renewal programme, Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed today.

“We are focused on ensuring government agencies are better at looking after the infrastructure assets we already have, to ensure New Zealanders get the most from their public infrastructure,” Mr Bishop says.

“That’s why we’ve invested in road maintenance and renewals through the State Highway Pothole Prevention Fund, which has seen a record $2.07 billion allocated to road and drainage maintenance and renewals through the 2024–27 National Land Transport Programme.

“The recently completed 2025–26 state highway renewal programme builds off the back of groundbreaking work the summer before, continuing our focus on building high-quality, longer-lasting roads across the country.

“This was achieved despite a number of significant weather events affecting the country’s roads, particularly across the upper North Island throughout the start of 2026.

“Water is the enemy of roads, and the continued presence of weather events this summer made it challenging for roading crews to complete programmes, while also presenting challenges to the roading network as a whole.

“In the end, over 1,800 lane kilometres of road either received a new layer of seal or asphalt, or the entire road was completely replaced. With more than 250 lane kilometres of road being rebuilt, NZTA and its maintenance contractors achieved a similar result to last summer, delivering a large number of brand-new, high-quality roads.

“Any sites that were unable to be completed due to weather or other factors will be completed next summer – the final year of the 2024–27 National Land Transport Programme.

“I extend my thanks to the communities, drivers and truckies who’ve been patient through another busy maintenance season, and to the contractors who’ve worked hard to deliver these improvements despite challenging conditions.

“This work is disruptive, however the use of innovative construction techniques, improving practice around the utilisation of risk-based traffic management guidance, alongside comprehensive communication campaigns, ensures that New Zealanders experience better journeys both during construction and after works take place.

“Having safe, high-quality roads to drive on is critical for people getting to work, transporting goods, and travelling to their favourite destinations.”

Notes to editors:

Around 2,100 lane kilometres of road were expected to be rebuilt or resealed over the 2025–26 summer maintenance period. 
The annual renewal programme can be viewed on the NZTA Forward Works Programme interactive map.
October to March is the traditional construction season, however some works may take place outside of this window, depending on the treatment type and weather/temperature conditions.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/smoother-safer-roads-delivered/

Source: New Zealand Government

Good morning, everyone.  

It’s great to be here at the Community Housing Aotearoa Conference again – I believe the last time was November 2024 – I look forward to catching up with many of you.

I’d like to acknowledge Paul Gilberd and his team at CHA for hosting this event and inviting me to speak.  

I’d also like to acknowledge Mana whenua, Ngāti Whātua Orakei, and AUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Damon Salesa.  

And I’d like to thank everyone in this room.  

From community housing providers to tenancy managers, financiers, iwi, support service providers, community leaders, and developers. All of you do a great job providing warm and dry homes for people in need – and so much more.

As a Minister, there are some things I don’t like to do, and there are many long hours and late nights away from home.  

But one of the best parts of my job is attending openings of life changing homes across the country and meeting the people who are receiving support – seeing the difference it makes.  

It’s a large part of why I do what I do.

You’ve heard me say this before: the Government backs affordable housing and social housing.  

But – like many of you – we also think the current system is broken.  

The Government can do a much better job at supporting those in most need and being more ambitious for people.  

That’s why we’re creating an entirely new Housing Investment System centred on three principles: building the right types of homes, in the right places, for the right people.

We’re also progressing a broader Review of the Social Housing System, which I’m not pretending will be easy, but – in my view – is the right thing to do.

Today, I want to talk to you about the progress we’ve made over the past two and a half years.  

Then, I want to go over the Government’s vision for housing supports and our plan to achieve it, including the Review of Social Housing, which I know many of you would like more detail on.  

Root-cause of our housing crisis

Before I get into it, I’d like to quickly touch on our wider housing crisis.  

Because you can’t look at social housing in a vacuum.  

The truth is, that our failure to create a functioning private housing market has led to a cascading series of extremely difficult and expensive public policy problems to solve, with real human costs.

We all know housing costs are too expensive.

Over the last 30 years, New Zealand has seen some of the largest house price growth in the OECD.  

Similarly, from 2017 to 2023 – average rents increased by around $180 per week.  

In the year to June 2024, around 46% of renters spent more than 30% of their income on housing. Māori and Pacific households fared worse at 64% and 70% respectively.  

There are also around 20,000 families on the social housing wait list.

It’s clear that unaffordable housing – largely caused by the artificial scarcity of developable urban land, and other planning barriers – has contributed to increased need.  

This is bad for all New Zealanders, it’s phenomenally expensive for government, and – most critically – it has made life tougher for people at the hard end.  

Central government spends around $5 billion on housing assistance per year in many different forms. That includes the accommodation supplement, Income Related Rent Subsidies, emergency housing grants, transitional housing, and initiatives to address homelessness.

If that $5 billion amount stays flat over the 4-year budget period, the government will spend over $20 billion on helping people to be housed.

That’s two thirds of central government’s school property portfolio, or billions of dollars more than our entire network of hospitals – an astonishing amount of money.

This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t spend money on housing people who need help – this is to make the broader point that kiwis and the government are paying the price for a housing challenge that, at least in part, is of our own making.

Our housing challenge has also manifested into a moral issue.  

A generation locked out of home ownership. People living paycheque to paycheque just to afford rent. And a long list of families in housing need who can’t get access to a warm dry home.  

I am committed to fix housing by focusing on the fundamentals – this includes our Going for Housing Growth programme, improving the rental market, making changes to lower construction costs, reversing aspects of the earthquake prone building laws, making it easier to build granny flats and papakāinga, and reforming of our planning laws to create a much more enabling system.

But no matter how well-functioning the private housing market is, there will always be those who need extra support, and that’s a legitimate role of the State – otherwise, why are we here.  

Progress to date  

Since coming into Government, we have made good progress:  

• House prices have been largely flat,  
• Rents are flat to falling,
• First home purchases have been at record highs, and  
• There are 5,000 less households on the housing register.

Now I’ll quickly touch on work we have progressed since I spoke to you last.  

Kāinga Ora Turnaround Plan

I’ll start with the Kāinga Ora (KO) Turnaround Plan, which was released in February 2025.

When we came into Government, KO was out of control, with debt on its balance sheet rising from $2.3 billion in 2017/18 to $16.5 billion in 2023/24. KO’s own 2023 Board-approved budget also showed debt forecast to grow to $24.8 billion by 2026/27. That’s about 12 New Dunedin Hospitals.

That situation was unsustainable.  

Every dollar KO failed to manage properly was a dollar that could not go toward providing good outcomes for kiwis in housing need.  

Since the Turnaround Plan was released, KO has delivered better outcomes for tenants and communities – all while getting its books back in order and progressing a strong delivery programme.  

Tenancy satisfaction is rising, vacancy rates are lower, fewer tenants are in rent arrears, and KO is doing a better job of managing its tenants to support safe, respectful communities.

On the financial side of things, KO has got peak debt down by $10 billion, build costs are down, and operating costs are down.  

On the delivery side, KO has delivered 5,000 net new social homes (7,800 gross) since November 2023 but is now focused on keeping its stock at around 78,000 while improving the quality, typology, and location of home through its renewals and retrofit programme.  

For instance, KO is selling high-value properties – like the $3.4m villa next to Lorde’s old house on Trinity Street in Ponsonby – and reinvesting in other homes.

This includes investing in smaller places, as 55 percent of people on the register need a one-bedroom home, but only 12 percent of KO’s stock is one-bedroom.

While there is more work to do it is clear that Kāinga Ora is getting back on track. This is an excellent example of the Government’s drive to fix the basics and build the future.

Lower financing barriers for CHPs

Let’s move onto lower financing barriers for CHPs.  

Since I spoke to you last, the Government has taken two actions that have already started to lower barriers to financing for CHPs.

In September 2025, we established Crown lending facilities of up to $150 million for the Community Housing Funding Authority – and I’d like to thank James Palmer for his fantastic work in this space.

CHFA is already helping CHPs access finance. They have advanced $530m of funds nationwide and financed 34 community and affordable housing providers. This frees up resources to deliver more homes, faster, and for less.  

With the banks, CHPs were paying about 8.5% interest rates, and now CHFA is enabling refinancing at a fixed rate of 4% for three to five years.

There are also savings for taxpayers. For new CHP social housing, the government could save around $45k per house over the first five years of a 25-year IRRS contract. This enables us to continue to back the CHP sector with more investment over time.  

This also means governments will be able to fund more places with the same amount of money.  

On top of the lending facility, in October 2025, the Government launched a second action to reduce CHP borrowing costs –

The CHP Bank Loan Guarantee Scheme, where the Crown guarantees 80% of loans to providers by participating banks.

The scheme can support up to $900 million in both new lending and the refinancing of up to 50% of providers’ existing lending.

Budget places  

While we have been levelling the playing filed between KO and CHPs, we have continued to back social and affordable housing.

Since coming into Government, CHPs and KO have delivered 7,500 net new social homes (9,200 gross).

We have approved $426m for Māori-led delivery of around 1,000 homes – including papakāinga, affordable rentals, and owner-occupied housing.

We have also continued to invest in new places.  

Through Budgets 24, 25, and 26 we have built a genuine, long-term social housing pipeline of opportunities for the CHP sector and other providers.  

This is something that the sector has been asking for, and that no government has really delivered – until now.  

I’ll break down the pipeline.

In Budgets 24 and 25, the Government funded at least 2,050 places to be delivered by June 2027, which is actually now looking closer to 2,200 places – which is great!

As of May 2026, over 500 places have been delivered, and 85% of the 2,200 places will be one or two bedrooms.

Flexible Fund  

Then, in Budget 2025, the Government established the Flexible Fund, which is supporting the delivery of 675 to 770 homes for delivery from July 2027 to the end of 2029.  

The Flexible Fund collapses and combines previous housing programmes.

Until recently, the status quo was a confusing alphabet soup of tightly defined, duplicative programmes where providers are forced to mould their models to rigid criteria or be left out.

We aren’t doing that anymore.

We are moving to a future state with one flexible pot of money that can be deployed to all types of interventions – including affordable rentals and new, innovative solutions – that best meet housing need and represent good value for money.

The last part of the pipeline is made up of the places funded in Budget 2026.  

Budget 2026 topped up the Flexible Fund by $69.2m, which will support the delivery of an additional 1,800 to 2,250 homes over three years starting from July 2028.  

I’m really proud of building a credible, deliverable, and long-term pipeline for CHPs and other providers.

And, I don’t want to get ahead of the Budget process, but my intention is to continue to top up the Flexible Fund and build up the long-term pipeline.

Vision for Flexible Fund and Housing Investment Plan

A key differentiating factor of the Flexible Fund – is how places are allocated.  

In the past, governments have invested in social housing without a clear understanding of what is needed, where it is needed, and who is best placed to deliver it.  

But now we have a Housing Investment Plan, which will be updated every year and/or funding round.  

The first Plan was published in 2025 and uses detailed data and local insights to identify where housing need is highest and which types of homes are required.  

In other words, we want to ensure future investment reflects the real-world needs of communities.

The first Plan had a large focus of need in locations – like Far North, South Auckland, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hastings, and the main centres.  

This is a good first step.

But my vision is for the Housing Investment Plan to use high-quality data to identify and target investment into priority cohorts.  

Cohorts that, if we invested in them, would deliver the greatest benefits to households, to government, and to society.  

A real social investment approach.  

I have a hypothesis that some of these cohorts are recently released prisoners, families doing it tough with young children, and kiwis with mental health challenges or disabilities.  

Here’s one statistic that has stuck with me – NZ longitudinal research following people post release shows a 4.6 times higher reimprisonment risk for those with unstable housing.  

On a more personal note, I have been exercised about two stories of people falling through the cracks.  

The first is the guy in New Plymouth in a wheelchair, living in a motel for over four years with his son just waiting for a KO house. It took two years just to sort out a ramp.  

The other, is a man who was in a mental health care unit and had to stay there for years because there was nowhere for him to go.  

Both examples are disgraceful, and it’s exactly what I am trying to change.  

Now, I don’t want to guess what the cohorts are, I want to get it right.

That’s why I’ve asked the Social Investment Agency to do the analysis with Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry of Social Development using IDI and other rich data.  

This analysis will get more sophisticated overtime and will feed into future Housing Investment Plans.  

Review of Social Housing  

Now, I’ll finish off with the Review of Social Housing – or ROSH.  

This is a multi-year reform of our social housing system.  

I want to create a system that is fair, represents value for money, supports upward mobility, and where those in most need receive help for the period that they need it.  

There are some fundamental problems in the current social housing system that we’re seeking to address –  

The current system is unfair. Similar households can get very different financial support depending on whether they are in social housing or a private rental.  

On average, social housing tenants on a main benefit have $105 more a week left after housing costs than comparable private renters receiving the Accommodation Supplement.

The system is also expensive, and our limited stock is not being used effectively. For example, 29 percent of people in social housing can afford a lower quartile market rent. That’s not to say those people need to move on, as they could require social housing for other reasons. But it makes the point that current settings don’t necessarily target those in most need.  

Many people are also stuck in social housing dependency – and it’s largely the fault of the system. 30 percent of tenants have been in social housing for over 10 years. And households are now forecast to remain there for an average of 16.7 more years.  

Tenants are simply not incentivised or supported enough to gain more independence.  

The changes through ROSH aim to deliver a fairer, more effective and efficient system.  

There are three key shifts to be progressed over a number of years:

1. The first is refocusing social housing to those who need it most.
2. The second is delivering a package of interventions to help people through the social housing system towards independence.
3. The third is to improve fairness and financial incentives by closing the gap between social and private housing.  

On the last shift, you will be aware of the three initial changes, that include:

• Increasing the minimum Income Related Rent contribution for social housing tenants and those in emergency and transitional housing, from 25 percent to 30 percent of income from 1 April 2027.
• Increasing the maximum weekly AS amount for households by between ~$10 and ~$30 per week.
• Reducing the maximum rate of Temporary Additional Support to better reflect its original purpose as temporary hardship support.
   

I acknowledge that these changes are not easy and are not supported by everyone. I understand that.  

But, if I’m being honest, these are the tough decisions that need to be made.  

The very real alternative is a fiscally unsustainable, and untargeted regime that leaves behind some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders.  

If money was no object, we could fund 20,000 houses tomorrow.  

But two things – government funds are constrained – that’s reality.  

And, based on recent history, I don’t think funding tens of thousands of places in a short space of time, at vast expense will solve the problem.  

If that was going to work, then Labour would have solved the problem. But they didn’t.  

Over the same period that they delivered over 12,000 additional public homes, the housing register quadrupled (2017-2023).  

Now, some of you might say – well, that’s because housing costs became more unaffordable and swiftly outpaced income.  

And that’s precisely my point.  

The most effective, long-term fix for our housing challenge – broadly – is to make housing more affordable.  

Social housing also needs to be reshaped to be a solution for those who need it most, for the period that they need it.

Now, some people will need it for the rest of their life, others will need it as a stepping stone. That’s OK – we don’t want a one-size-fits all solution.  

Change is difficult, but it’s the right thing to do.

In terms of next steps –  

Besides the Budget 2026 changes, we have not locked in any decisions.  

We need to work with you, the sector, to develop proposals to give effect to these key shifts. And if there are other shifts you think would be better – then I am up for hearing your ideas.  

I have directed MSD and HUD/MCERT Officials to engage with stakeholders from July to September this year to develop this thinking.

In addition to broader engagement on the proposals, MSD and HUD will be setting up a small expert advisory group to support this work.  

Next year, Ministers will make further decisions on policy proposals in line with the three shifts we recently announced, including the basis of a new needs assessment and interventions to support mobility.

I know many of you are keen to understand the data and advice that underpinned the May announcement.  We are working to release the material which supported our decisions. This will be available in July.  

My officials will be talking with the sector more in the second half of this year with iwi, community housing providers, Kāinga Ora, and social service providers as the next stage of ROSH is developed.  

Conclusion  

In closing, I want to be clear: the Government cannot deliver a better social housing system without you.  

Providers are not just delivery partners, you are innovators, problem‑solvers, and deeply connected to the people and communities we are trying to support.  

Your experience on the ground is important to us.  

The reforms and investments I’ve outlined today are about giving you greater certainty, and a stronger platform to plan and deliver for the long term.

I genuinely want to work together to build a better housing support system.  

I look forward to continuing this work with you and I thank you for the commitment, professionalism, and empathy you bring to this important work every day. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/24/speech-to-community-housing-aotearoa-conference/

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Travellers arriving on a new, simpler travel option for eligible Chinese and Pacific visitors have already brought $215 million into New Zealand’s economy in only six months, a new analysis has found.

Since launching in November 2025, the 12‑month visa waiver trial for eligible Chinese and Pacific people travelling from Australia has made it faster and cheaper to visit New Zealand.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says the trial has been a runaway success.

“The trial has really taken off, with more than 92,000 requests approved so far, and more than 80,000 Chinese and Pacific travellers already arriving using the new pathway.

“It goes to show that when the Government pays attention to the details and fixes the basics, small changes can yield big results for New Zealanders.”

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says halfway through, the trial is off to a flying start.

“Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment analysis of the first six months of the 12-month trial shows it directly resulted in an increase of more than 40 per cent in Chinese visitor arrivals, with travellers on the trial pathway delivering an estimated $215 million boost to the economy.

“That’s tourism dollars flowing into the New Zealand economy. It’s people filling hotel rooms, cafes, restaurants and shops. It’s jobs and incomes for Kiwis, and it’s growth for New Zealand businesses across the country.

“Tourism is New Zealand’s second-largest export earner and provides jobs for one in nine New Zealanders, and it’s on a positive trajectory.

“Stats NZ’s most recent data shows total visitor arrivals for the month of April were up by 21,300 on the previous year. Chinese visitors made up more than half of that with a significant increase of 11,100 from April 2025.

“It’s great to see so many people making the most of the opportunity to come and experience all we have to offer here in New Zealand. We look forward to welcoming even more visitors during the next six months of this trial.”

Decisions on next steps for the trial will be made after a full evaluation at the end of the 12-month trial period.

Until further decisions are made, eligible Chinese and Pacific visitors will be able to continue to travel to New Zealand from Australia with a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) rather than a visitor visa.

Note to editor:

• Since November 2025, eligible Chinese and Pacific Island Forum passport holders travelling to New Zealand from Australia no longer need to obtain a visitor visa. Instead, as part of the 12-month trial, they can request a New Zealand electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).
• Instead of spending $441 for a visitor visa and waiting an average of 4 days, individuals from China travelling via Australia can pay as little as $117 and have their request for an NZeTA processed in less than 72 hours. Individuals from the Pacific can pay as little as $17 instead of spending $216 for a visitor visa and waiting an average of four days.
• More details on the numbers, including a breakdown of Chinese and Pacific travellers, can be found on the INZ website: Background on the NZeTA: Why it was introduced and key statistics: Immigration New Zealand

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/25/215-million-boost-from-new-travel-option/