AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for September 9, 2026 – Full Text

Source: New Zealand Government

An industry-led initiative to help Taranaki firms pursue large-scale procurement opportunities has been accelerated by a Regional Infrastructure Fund grant of $3 million, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.

The Taranaki Alliance aims to help local companies secure more than $100m in contracts over its first three years, supporting the retention or redeployment of hundreds of skilled roles in the oil and gas sector. 

“Taranaki has a huge amount of expertise and experience in engineering, logistics and manufacturing due to decades of oil and gas sector work. These firms are now looking for new opportunities to apply that know-how and retain the region’s talent,” Mr Jones says.

“This region has been a powerhouse economy in New Zealand for several decades but that is in jeopardy with the decline in our oil and gas industries due in part to decisions made by the previous government. The decision last week by Methanex to idle its operations from next year, with the loss of 150 jobs, is evidence of that. 

“This Coalition Government supports the country’s regional economies, and this grant will help Taranaki businesses harness their combined knowledge and experience on new projects, ensuring the region continues to grow and prosper.”

The Taranaki Alliance was set up last year by Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, the region’s economic development agency, in partnership with local engineering, manufacturing, and technical services firms. 

It will work as a hub to help firms collaborate on identifying, tendering for and, ultimately, securing large-scale national and international contracts across infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, energy, and civil sectors. It will also provide international partners with a one-stop shop to access the region’s heavy industry and engineering prowess.

“This funding provides a significant boost to Taranaki’s efforts to diversify its economy. It will support the region to make a structural shift away from oil and gas sector activity to other large-scale projects, while building resilience across the wider business community, not just those companies directly involved.” 

New Plymouth District Council and Venture Taranaki have also committed funding to the initiative, with further revenue expected from membership and service fees.

The Regional Infrastructure Fund grant will advance work towards establishing a commercially sustainable operating model and be used to cover core operating costs, including lead generation, bid co-ordination, lifting compliance and assurance capability, and providing a single entity for representing the region’s economic offering.  

More than 85 firms have expressed interest in joining the Taranaki Alliance, reflecting strong regional interest in taking a co-ordinated approach to large-scale procurement and supply chain opportunities. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/government-backs-taranaki-economy-jobs/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has renewed the deployment of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel in support of Ukraine’s self-defence, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith say.

“New Zealand’s condemnation of Russia’s aggression and of the atrocities committed in Ukraine remains undiminished. We are fully committed to supporting the people of Ukraine,” Mr Peters says. 

“The brave Ukrainian men and women who have been fighting for years deserve our support for their courage and fortitude. We will continue to play our part alongside other likeminded partners in the international community,” Mr Goldsmith says. 

Up to 70 NZDF personnel will be deployed in Europe, with the majority training Ukrainian Armed Forces in Poland as part of a multinational initiative, led by Norway. The NZDF will also continue providing intelligence, liaison and logistics support in Europe. 

“The NZDF’s support through Operation Tīeke will prioritise training in specialist areas such as electronic warfare and drone operations, capabilities that are critical to Ukraine’s self-defence,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“The defence of Ukraine has significant implications not only for the security of Europe, but also for the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. 

“That is another reason why New Zealand continues to play its part providing military and diplomatic support, humanitarian and economic assistance, and in maintaining economic pressure on Russia through our international sanctions efforts.” 

Operation Tīeke has been extended until 30 June 2028.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/new-zealand-continues-its-support-to-ukraine/

Source: New Zealand Government

Thousands of food business staff have benefitted from the Government’s new online food safety courses so far, with the third free module in the series going live today, says Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard.

“The Food Safety Basics training modules launched just four months ago have been well received by food businesses,” says Mr Hoggard.

“More than 7,000 people have accessed the first module introducing food safety and over 3,000 the most recently launched one on hygiene.

“Food businesses are a critical part of our economy, and the Government is committed to finding and removing obstacles to their success.

“With food safety training costing anywhere from $50 to $200 a staff member, these free resources are not only providing an important line of defence for consumers but also saving businesses money.”

The third module in the series of six is ‘Maintaining a food safe workplace.
The content covers cleaning and sanitising, pest control, and how maintenance, storage, and managing waste can affect food safety.

The Food Safety Basics course has been developed with input from the Restaurant Association, Hospitality NZ, restaurants, cafes, and local authorities. The remaining modules – which cover handling food safely, allergens, and traceability and recalls – should all be available online by early next year. 

“This free training is just one part of ongoing practical changes to make food safety simpler and smarter for food businesses of all sizes,” says Mr Hoggard. 

Other recent changes by the Government include:

levelling the playing field for food businesses with multiple sites by applying consistent verification rules across the country
changing the rules for small-scale meat processors so they cut costs thanks to reduced sampling and testing requirements, while maintaining current high food safety standards
reducing costs for home-based cake makers by removing ongoing verification and revising registration requirements
introducing new rules so food exporters whose products meet the requirements of the importing country no longer needed to apply for special exemptions from New Zealand rules.

The free online courses can be completed here.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/free-online-food-safety-training-benefits-thousands/

Source: New Zealand Government

Staff and students at ten schools with significant roll growth pressure will benefit from 34 additional classrooms and a new gym, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

 The $32.8 million investment has been made possible through savings in the school property portfolio. Since July 2024, more efficient planning, prioritisation and delivery has generated over $330 million in savings to be reinvested into school property.

 “Every dollar we save through more efficient delivery is put into the classrooms and facilities schools need,” Ms Stanford says.

 “We are focused on getting better value from the school property portfolio so we can invest more where the pressure is greatest.”

Schools receiving additional classrooms or facilities:

• Avondale Primary School (Auckland) – 4 classrooms
• Berkley Normal Middle School (Waikato) – 4 classrooms
• Botany Downs Secondary College (Auckland) – 8 classrooms
• Chapel Downs Junior College (Auckland) – new gym
• Gilberthorpe School (Canterbury) – 2 classrooms
• Massey High School (Auckland) – 6 classrooms
• Massey High School (Auckland) | Satellites for Arohanui Special School – 4 classrooms
• Takanini School (Auckland) – 2 classrooms
• Te Waka Unua School (Canterbury) – 2 classrooms
• Waitara High School (Taranaki) – 2 classrooms

The additional classrooms are spread across Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki and Canterbury and include four new satellite learning support classrooms for Arohanui Special School, based at Massey High School.

The new Chapel Downs Junior College will also receive its gym earlier than previously planned, with construction expected to begin around April 2027 and completion targeted for mid-2028.

Projects will be delivered through standard designs or offsite manufacturing to support more efficient delivery, with work starting over the next 12 months on all projects receiving reprioritised funding.

Today’s announcement builds on the nearly 1,400 new classrooms funded across New Zealand over the past three years, with more students learning in new, warm, safe and dry classrooms.

“We are delivering more bang for buck by improving the way school property is planned and built. This means our funding is going further, and even more classrooms can be delivered,” Ms Stanford says.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The four classrooms at Massey High School for Arohanui Special School will be satellite classrooms. Satellite classrooms are associated with a base specialist school but located on the site of another school. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/government-funds-more-classrooms-for-growing-schools/

Source: New Zealand Government

The world’s top squash players will compete in the 2028 PSA Squash World Championships in Auckland, supported by a $1 million investment from the Government’s Major Events Fund, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston announced today.

“The World Championships are one of the most prestigious events in world squash. I’m proud for New Zealand to host players and crowds from around the world at the New Zealand International Convention Centre in February 2028,” Louise Upston says.

“Securing the PSA Squash World Championships is a fantastic win for New Zealand, for Auckland and for the future of squash in this country, and this excitingly comes just months before squash makes its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

“Major sporting events like this attract visitors, boost economic activity, and showcase what New Zealand has to offer to international audiences around the world.”

Louise Upston says New Zealand has a proud squash history and a strong reputation for producing world-class athletes. 

“Hosting the sport’s pinnacle event provides a unique opportunity for our players to compete against elite international talent on home soil. It’s exciting and it inspires the next generation of champions from our proud sporting nation.”

With squash set to make its Olympic debut later that year, the World Championships will help raise the sport’s profile, encourage greater participation and create a lasting legacy for squash in New Zealand.

“The World Championships in Auckland further strengthen New Zealand’s reputation as a destination capable of hosting major international sporting events, helping to attract future events and the benefits of that. Not only that, they build national pride, and I’m pleased that New Zealand will be hosting the games and showing what it has to offer to our international visitors.

“We want New Zealand to be firmly on the map for world-class sporting, arts and cultural events, and securing the PSA Squash World Championships is another example of the momentum we’re building through our Major Events Fund investment.”

Notes for editor:

• The event is being delivered with support from the Government’s Major Events Fund and Auckland Council Events through Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.
• The event will be held in Auckland in February 2028 and played on a glass court at the New Zealand International Convention Centre.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/new-zealand-secures-prestigious-psa-squash-world-championships/

Source: New Zealand Government

Investor migrants in the Active Investor Plus Growth category will soon be able to invest in approved managed funds supporting Build to Rent developments.

In December 2026, Growth category applicants will be able to include Build to Rent as part of their overall investment in New Zealand. 

“Active Investor Plus is designed to attract experienced investors who can make a meaningful contribution to New Zealand’s economy,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. 

“The Growth category is particularly focused on investment that supports business growth, innovation and productivity. Adding Build to Rent gives investors another option, while keeping that focus through the managed funds model. 

“Active Investor Plus is attracting strong global investor interest and significant investment. This targeted change is part of the Government’s ongoing work to keep the visa competitive, effective and focused on investment that benefits New Zealand,” Ms Stanford says. 

Housing Minister Chris Bishop says Build to Rent has an important role to play in getting more homes built and giving renters more choice. 

“New Zealand needs more homes of all kinds, including more long-term rental homes that are purpose-built for renters,” Mr Bishop says. 

“Adding Build to Rent to the Growth category gives those experienced investors another way to put their capital into New Zealand, while helping support the delivery of new rental housing. 

“This is about unlocking more investment into the homes New Zealand needs to grow. 

“Build to Rent can add to rental supply over time, while the managed funds model provides clear safeguards around who manages the investment and how developments are delivered,” Mr Bishop says. 

Minister of Building and Construction Simon Watts said, we want our investment and building settings working in the same direction – attracting both capital and talent and supporting construction – in this instance to build the houses we need. It’s another example of this Government fixing the basics and literally building the future.”

The Growth category minimum investment remains $5 million, and applicants will still need to meet all relevant Active Investor Plus requirements. Build to Rent investment will be available through approved managed funds only, and direct investment in Build to Rent developments will not be available. 

Applicants and their family members will not be able to live in a Build to Rent development funded through their investment. 

More information on the detailed requirements is available on the Immigration New Zealand website. 

Notes to editors 

• The Active Investor Plus visa was refreshed from April 2025, replacing the previous weighted model with two categories: Growth and Balanced. 
• The Growth category requires a minimum investment of NZD $5 million. 
• Since the refreshed settings were introduced, Active Investor Plus has delivered more than 900 applications totalling around $5 billion in approved and pipline investments.
• More than 80 percent of applications have been under the Growth category. 
• Build to Rent investment will only be available through managed funds approved by Invest New Zealand. Investments in a wider range of property developments (both residential and commercial) can still take place under the Balanced category. Direct investment in Build to Rent developments will not be available. 

Applicants and their family members will not be able to live in a Build to Rent development funded through their investment. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/aip-visa-growth-category-expands-to-support-build-to-rent/

Source: New Zealand Government

Results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 indicate achievement is stabilising after years of decline but more needs to be done to lift performance, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

New Zealand students remain above the OECD average across all three subjects, ranking ninth in reading, tenth in science, and 16th in mathematics. These results are broadly similar to PISA 2022.

Positively, New Zealand students were amongst the highest performers in computational problem-solving, which was part of the 2025 PISA focus area, Learning in the Digital World.

New Zealand students were also more positive about school in 2025 than they were in 2022, with more saying they learned useful things and felt prepared for adult life.

Compared with 2022, PISA 2025 shows:

• The achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students narrowed in all three subjects.
• The number of students who reported applying additional effort when work becomes challenging increased by 6.9 percent
• Students placed greater value on school and were more likely to say they are learning useful skills for work and life.

“It is encouraging to see students value what they are learning and build the skills they need for a changing world,” Ms Stanford said.

While these PISA results are encouraging, some caution should be applied when interpreting the data.  

New Zealand did not meet the OECD participation requirements for PISA 2025. Only 52 percent of selected schools and 76 percent of selected students took part. This means the results may look more positive than they would in a fully representative sample and need to be treated with care.

PISA and other similar longitudinal international studies provide valuable insights into how our education system is performing and changing over time.

Ms Stanford said taking part in international studies is essential.

“Together with our national data, these studies help us understand the strengths of our education system and where we need to improve.”

This is why the Government recently passed legislation that requires selected schools to participate in PISA and other international monitoring tools. 

“Greater use of data to drive consistent improvement is one of my six education priorities. We are focused on using data from studies such as PISA to make decisions to raise student achievement”

PISA Science	2000	2003	2006	2009	2012	2015	2018	2022	2025
New Zealand	–	–	530	532	516	513	508	504	509
OECD Mean	–	–	495	498	498	491	489	485	482

PISA Reading	2000	2003	2006	2009	2012	2015	2018	2022	2025
New Zealand	529	522	521	521	512	509	506	501	497
OECD Mean	494	494	485	491	493	490	487	476	461

PISA Maths			2003	2006	2009	2012	2015	2018	2022	2025
New Zealand	–		523	522	519	500	495	494	479	480
OECD Mean	–		499	490	492	490	487	489	472	463

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/results-stabilise-but-more-work-to-do/

Source: New Zealand Government

Air connectivity to Stewart Island has been boosted with a Regional Infrastructure Fund loan to the island’s sole airline, Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson says.

“This initiative continues the Government’s commitment to strengthen regional air services and support the vital economic and social benefits regional airlines bring to some of our most remote communities,” Mr Patterson says.

A $640,000 loan to South East Air, owner of aircraft operated by Stewart Island Flights, will support the refurbishment and return to service of an aircraft it owns – boosting the fleet from four to five aircraft.

“This loan means the airline will be able to better meet peak season demand and scheduled services can continue when aircraft maintenance is prolonged by unforeseen delays.

“It will also support island residents’ access to healthcare services and education, boost response times in an emergency, and help drive Stewart Island’s tourism, trade and general business activity.”

The loan to South East Air is part of a $30 million Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) package developed in 2025 to support vulnerable regional air services.

The regional air connectivity package is designed to help regional passenger airlines manage debt, maintain their fleets, and continue operating the routes important for the wellbeing, resilience and economies of regional communities.

“This loan will shore up a vital connection for Stewart Island to the mainland, particularly with ongoing higher fuel costs continuing to have an impact on the aviation sector,” Mr Patterson says.

“Having viable regional airlines is an important part of ensuring the communities in our regions have the best chance to thrive.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/stewart-island-air-service-boosted-by-rif-loan/

MIL OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

With the growing impacts of disasters globally, it is critical that countries work together to reduce risk, strengthen preparedness, and support more resilient communities. This Memorandum of Cooperation reflects our shared commitment to learning from one another and improving how we prepare for, respond to, and recover from future events,” Minister Mitchell says. 

“New Zealand and Japan share a deep understanding of the impacts disasters can have on communities. As we mark 15 years since both the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami and the Christchurch earthquake tragedies, we remember how our countries stood side by side. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and communities affected by the recent earthquakes and flooding in Japan.  

“New Zealand and Japan have a long history of friendship and partnership. We face a remarkably similar risk landscape, including earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic activity, severe weather and flooding. This gives our countries a unique opportunity to learn from one another.   

“Japan is internationally recognised for its expertise in disaster risk reduction, preparedness and early warning systems. The Memorandum of Cooperation will support the sharing of best practice and capability development to strengthen resilience in both countries to ensure we are well prepared to meet challenges that lie ahead. 

“The agreement reflects our shared commitment to improving resilience across the Asia-Pacific region through a more coordinated and collaborative approach. It comes at a time when New Zealand and Japan are deepening cooperation across a range of areas, as we navigate together a more uncertain and unpredictable global environment” Minister Mitchell says.  

The agreement is part of the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) work as an internationally recognised leader in emergency management. NEMA supports emergency management initiatives in the global arena with a specific focus on the Pacific and commitments under the United Nations and regional frameworks. 

NEMA also has Memorandums of Cooperation with Australia, Fiji, USA, Canada, South Korea, and Türkiye. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/08/new-zealand-and-japan-strengthen-emergency-management-cooperation/