AM Edition: Here are the top 10 politics articles on LiveNews.co.nz for September 17, 2026 – Full Text
1. Election 2026 – Hon. Matt Robson – NZ First Immigration Proposals Prove ‘Patriotism Is the Last Refuge of a Scoundrel’
September 16, 2026
Alliance Party immigration spokesperson Hon. Matt Robson says Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and leader of the New Zealand First party seems determined to prove Samuel Johnson’s dictum that “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”.
Matt Robson says New Zealand First’s recent attacks on migrants are cynical electioneering that wraps the anti-democratic politics of bigotry in the flag.
“It is an old and ugly trick for politicians to seek votes through migrant-bashing policies.
“Mr Peters is introducing Trumpian, MAGA-style politics into the election campaign as he tries to distance himself from his role in the failed policies of the coalition government.
“Equal legal rights are a New Zealand value. Policies that strip fundamental appeal rights from migrants and refugees do not uphold that principle.”
Matt Robson says it is not a New Zealand value to deny citizenship to children of New Zealand residents.
“What comes next for New Zealand First – identity badges for migrants and refugees to be worn at all times?
“Why should taxpaying permanent residents have to wait ten years before being able to apply for citizenship? What evidence is there that this group of New Zealand residents is somehow disloyal?”
Matt Robson says former Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage was a permanent resident without New Zealand citizenship.
“Was he disloyal to New Zealand?
“These MAGA-inspired, anti-migrant rants are the product of divisive and cruel politics that should be swept out of Parliament at the coming election.”
Matt Robson says the Alliance will campaign for positive not divisive immigration policies.
Note – About Hon. Matt Robson
Mr Robson is a former MP for the Alliance and Progressive parties, and was a Cabinet minister in the 1999–2002 Labour–Alliance coalition government. He is co-producer of the recent documentary Last Man Standing, on the life and times of Jim Anderton. Matt works as an immigration lawyer in Auckland and is actively supporting the relaunched Alliance Party.
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2. PSA – Next Govt must make pay equity for care and support workers a priority
September 16, 2026
Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
New report from PSA calls on next Govt. to settle claim within first 100 days
The PSA is demanding whoever forms the next Government make settling the care and support workers’ pay equity claim an immediate priority and repeal the outrageous changes to pay equity law.
The call comes in a new report – Voices of Pay Equity Lost – authored by Professor Katherine Ravenswood and Emma Hitchcock from AUT.
The report launched at Parliament today tells the personal stories of eight care and support workers whose pay equity claim – along with 32 other pay equity claims – was cancelled when the Government gutted the Equal Pay Act under urgency last year, in less than a day, with no consultation and no warning.
“This was constitutional vandalism, depriving 65,000 care and support workers and so many others of the pay rise they need all because the Government chose landlords over care and support workers,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Every day their claim sits unsettled costs them real money – for petrol, for heating, for a deposit on a house. It’s the difference between scraping by and building a future. Care and support workers deserved better than to have years of hard-won progress wiped out in an afternoon.”
With the election just weeks away, the PSA is calling on the next Government to:
- Fund and deliver the pay equity settlement for care and support workers, based on established undervaluation, within its first 100 days.
- Repeal the 2025 changes to the Equal Pay Act, reinstating legislation that gives New Zealand women genuine access to pay equity and restore the cancelled claims and reviews.
- End pay gaps based on ethnicity, disability, sexuality and gender identity.
The report includes support worker Christie Cox, from Christchurch, who said the cancelled settlement had cost her family nearly $30,000 so far in lost income. “That’s a deposit on a house, that’s financial security, some stability for me to be able to actually start my family,” she said.
“This Government chose to sacrifice low-paid women like Christie to make its numbers work – the next one must choose to undo that,” Fitzsimons said.
“And there are good economic reasons to do so. Our analysis based on Treasury’s own economic model shows that reinstating pay equity would grow the economy by $13.5 billion over four years and create around 13,000 jobs.”
The PSA and other unions challenged the Government’s decision at the High Court on the basis it breached the Bill of Rights Act. They are now awaiting a decision after the case concluded last month.
“Win or lose that case, we need concrete political steps to overturn this appalling decision,” said Fitzsimons.
“On 7 November, we urge New Zealanders to choose a new government which commits to delivering pay equity, without delay or excuse.”
Voices of Pay Equity Lost launch details
- Parliament, Legislative Council Chamber
- Wednesday 16 September 2026
- 11am – 12pm
- The event features a panel discussion chaired by Fleur Fitzsimons with care and support workers Christie Cox, Kate Halsall, Camella Ross and Dev Deep Singh.
- The report was written by Professor Katherine Ravenswood and Emma Hitchcock of the AUT Social Transformation Research Institute.
PSA analysis on fiscal and economic benefits of pay equity
9 September Restoring pay equity would boost income of 91,000 families by $300/week – PSA analysis
23 August Govt’s axing of pay equity cost jobs & GDP growth – PSA analysis
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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3. India FTA passes with significant majority
September 16, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay is welcoming the passing of the India Free Trade Agreement legislation today, and says the 93-29 vote is a clear demonstration of Parliament’s strong support for this FTA and its significant benefits for the economy.
“The India FTA opens the door for Kiwi exporters to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies. Parliament today overwhelmingly backed the long term benefits the agreement will deliver for all New Zealanders,” says Mr McClay.
“For exporters, the benefits are immediate and substantial. From day one, 57 per cent of New Zealand’s exports to India will become duty-free. Once fully implemented, tariffs are eliminated or significantly reduced on 95 per cent of our exports. That means real savings and real opportunities. The kiwifruit industry alone expects to save around $125 million in tariffs over five years.
“Added to this are faster border clearance and preferential access to a fast-growing middle class that is demanding high-quality food, fibre, technology, education, tourism and professional services. The FTA is also future-proofed, through most favoured nation commitments for wine and key services sectors.
“Negotiations were announced in March 2025 and we expect this high quality agreement to enter into force this year, delivering on our promise to complete an FTA with India this term,” Mr McClay says.
“Exporters will be able to use this agreement to build new relationships, sell more of our world-class products, and contribute to the goal agreed by Prime Ministers Modi and Luxon of doubling two-way trade by 2030.”
“We are already seeing strong momentum as exporters, customers and investors respond to the increased engagement between our countries. This agreement turns India from a market of future promise into a practical opportunity for more New Zealand businesses.”
The FTA will enter into force after both parties have completed their respective ratification procedures.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/16/india-fta-passes-with-significant-majority/
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4. PSA slams as racist, last-minute changes to local government bill
September 16, 2026
Source: Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
The coalition government has slipped several changes into the Local Government (Systems Improvement) Bill that will significantly weaken mana whenua representation at a local government level, the PSA says.
One significant change is removing voting rights from council-appointed members of council committees, so decisions can be made without them.
“Make no mistake, this change – made quietly and quickly without consultation as parliament wraps up for the term – is squarely targeted at tokenising mana whenua representation in local government,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi Kaihautū Māori, Jack McDonald, says.
“These changes are not about enhancing democracy. They are about scaremongering and pandering to the outdated racist views of people who are threatened by iwi Māori having a say on what goes on in their rohe.”
Official advice on the bill changes warns that removing voting rights from appointed committee members would likely make councils less functional overall.
“The Regulatory Impact Statement on the bill questions whether the problem the Government is looking to solve really exists.
“Without the advice of mana whenua and other appointed members of committees, councils will not effectively integrate their expertise and be the poorer for it.
“The RIS also states that most councils will need to undertake governance restructuring when the bill passes – just another thing that councils will need to reform, on top of amalgamating, RMA reform, and new water entities.
“The PSA strongly opposes removing voting rights from appointed local government committee members. Like so much of the legislation brought through parliament by the coalition this term, these changes are being snuck through without proper consultation and is aimed at weakening Te Tiriti and Māori representation in local governance.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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5. Bill passed to get councils back to basics
September 16, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is delivering changes to get councils focused on the basics, with the Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill passing its third reading, Minister Simon Watts says.
“The Bill is a significant step forward for councils and their communities. It means a stronger focus on core services, clearer information on performance and greater accountability for the decisions councils make.
“Ratepayers expect councils to deliver the services they rely on. This Bill removes the focus on the four ‘well-beings’ and puts councils back on core services like roading, infrastructure, water and rubbish.
“Councils will continue to make local decisions, but the expectation is clear: essential services and sound financial management must come first.”
The legislation also strengthens council reporting, giving ratepayers regular information about their council performance and spending.
“Ratepayers deserve to know where their money is going and whether they are getting value for money,” Mr Watts says.
“Six-monthly reporting will give ratepayers clearer information on council performance and spending, making it easier to compare councils and hold them to account. Better information means greater transparency and stronger accountability.”
“The Bill strengthens democratic accountability to Local Government, by restricting council voting to elected members.
“Democracy is non-negotiable. Unelected members can provide valuable expertise and advice, but voting rights should sit with those elected and accountable to their communities.”
The legislation also strengthens elected members’ access to council information, modernises outdated requirements, and removes unnecessary compliance costs.
Councils will also receive additional tools to recover growth-related infrastructure costs from Fast-Track approved developments that are unanticipated, proceed ahead of planned infrastructure investment, or place demand on infrastructure across council boundaries.
“Growth should pay for growth. Where a Fast-Track development creates additional demand for infrastructure, an appropriate share of that growth-related cost should be met by the development rather than existing ratepayers,” Mr Watts says.
“The changes do not alter the Fast-Track approvals process. They provide a pathway for councils to recover growth related infrastructure costs and reduce the risk of funding shortfalls falling on councils and ratepayers.”
“The Bill will now proceed to Royal assent, with implementation phased in over time and support provided to councils as the reforms take effect.
“This legislation is an important part of the Government’s wider programme to restore discipline, improve performance and get councils focused on the basics.
“Combined with our work on water reform, regional deals and rates capping, these changes will help deliver stronger accountability, better infrastructure outcomes and better value for ratepayers.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/16/bill-passed-to-get-councils-back-to-basics/
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6. Next steps confirmed for development levy reform
September 16, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is progressing a new development levies system to improve infrastructure funding for housing and urban growth across New Zealand, with several changes confirmed following consultation with councils and developers.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer say the updated proposals include changes to how levy areas will operate, requiring the Crown to pay development levies, independent regulation through the Commerce Commission, and a revised timetable for implementing the new system.
“New Zealand has struggled for decades to build infrastructure at the same pace as our towns and cities have grown,” Mr Bishop says.
“We can free up land for housing, but if the infrastructure isn’t there to support development, projects will still struggle to get off the ground and communities rightly worry about additional pressure on existing roads, pipes and local services.
“The development levies system is a once-in-a-generation improvement to infrastructure funding. We consulted extensively on how the new system should work, and we have listened to feedback. Today we are confirming several changes to the proposals and the next steps for implementation.”
Mr Watts says one of the significant changes following consultation is how levy areas will operate.
“Councils strongly supported moving from development contributions to development levies, but developers raised legitimate concerns about over-charging, cross-subsidisation and the need for greater consistency and predictability.
“Under the revised approach, councils will be required to establish separate levy areas where there are substantial differences in forecast infrastructure costs.
“This is a change from the approach we consulted on, which would have allowed broader levy areas alongside high-cost overlays.
“It means charges will better reflect differences in the cost of servicing development in different locations, while still giving councils the flexibility they need to plan infrastructure over the longer term.”
The Government has also confirmed that core Crown agencies, as well as Crown entities, will be required to pay development levies.
“Under the current development contributions regime Crown entities, such as Kāinga Ora and the New Zealand Transport Agency, pay development contributions but core Crown agencies, including the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice and Department of Corrections, do not,” Mr Bishop says.
“That inconsistency will end under the new system.
“If the Crown builds a new school, hospital or other facility that creates additional demand on local roads, water networks and other infrastructure, it is reasonable that it pays its fair share.
“Growth should pay for growth, regardless of whether that growth is being driven by private development or the Crown.”
The Commerce Commission will be the independent regulator of the new development levies system, with the Government providing $30 million through Budget 2026 to establish the regulatory function between 2026 and 2030.
“The Commerce Commission will establish nationally consistent methodologies for calculating levies, set information disclosure requirements, monitor the operation of the system and have a compliance and enforcement role,” Mr Brewer says.
“Independent regulation will help build confidence in the new system by ensuring councils and developers are working from clear and consistent rules.
“Councils will retain the ability to respond to local circumstances, while developers and ratepayers will have much clearer information about how charges have been calculated and confidence that the system is independently overseen.”
The Local Government (Infrastructure Funding) Amendment Bill will be introduced in the first quarter of 2027, with further opportunities for councils, developers and the public to have their say through the select committee process and consultation on the detailed levy calculation methodologies and disclosure requirements.
Councils and water organisations will have flexibility over when they implement development levies after the Commerce Commission has issued the required calculation methodology, through to 2030.
Development levies will replace the current development contributions system and allow councils and water organisations greater flexibility to recover the forecast cost of providing infrastructure capacity for growth across defined areas.
Levies will apply to infrastructure including water supply, wastewater, stormwater, transport, reserves and community infrastructure.
“Under the current system, councils can struggle to recover the full cost of infrastructure needed for growth, particularly where infrastructure has not yet been individually planned and costed,” Mr Watts says.
“When that happens, existing ratepayers can be left carrying the shortfall.
“The new system will put councils in a much better position to plan ahead and recover an appropriate share of the long-term infrastructure costs associated with growth.
“At the same time, developers need confidence that charges are fair, predictable and based on clear rules. The new system will provide greater national consistency, transparency and independent oversight.”
Mr Bishop says the reforms are a critical part of unlocking housing growth.
“The Government launched its Going for Housing Growth programme to fix the underlying problems that have made it too difficult and expensive to build enough homes in New Zealand.
“We are freeing up more land for development, improving the way infrastructure is funded and financed, and giving councils stronger incentives to support housing growth.
“Infrastructure funding has too often become a handbrake on development. These reforms will give councils better tools to fund growth, give developers greater certainty about what they will be expected to contribute, and reduce the risk that existing ratepayers are left paying for the cost of new development.
“Creating a more predictable system for housing growth, with the infrastructure to support it, is an important step in fixing the basics and building the future.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/16/next-steps-confirmed-for-development-levy-reform/
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7. Amnesty International – New Zealand urged to back international justice for crimes against humanity in Iran
September 16, 2026
Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand calls on the Government to support an UN-led international criminal justice mechanism as survivors continue to seek accountability
As the fourth anniversary of the Woman Life Freedom uprising is marked around the world, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand is urging the New Zealand Government to support international justice efforts for crimes against humanity committed by Iranian authorities against protesters.
The call comes alongside a new Amnesty International investigation, Architects of Atrocities: State Machinery Orchestrating Crimes Against Humanity in Iran’s 2022 Woman Life Freedom Uprising, which documents how Iranian authorities allegedly committed crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, enforced disappearance, imprisonment, rape and persecution, during the nationwide protests that followed the death in custody of Jina (Zhina) Mahsa Amini in September 2022. The report identifies 87 officials who Amnesty International says should be criminally investigated.
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has launched a public petition calling on Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters to join other UN member states in supporting the creation of an international criminal justice mechanism for crimes against humanity committed in Iran.
Lisa Woods, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand Movement Building & Advocacy Director, said: “The scale and gravity of human rights abuses in Iran demand a response of equal scale and seriousness from New Zealand and governments around the world. New Zealand must do more, using every avenue available – to stand with the people of Iran, to end the cycle of impunity and hold perpetrators to account.”
According to Amnesty International’s findings, impunity for the violent suppression of protests in 2022 has emboldened further repression, including the mass killing of protesters during nationwide unrest in January 2026. Amnesty argues that without meaningful accountability, the cycle of violence against those demanding human rights and political freedoms will continue.
The new report draws on years of research, including interviews with 270 people and analysis of more than 2,000 videos and extensive documentary evidence. It concludes that Iranian authorities implemented a state policy of lethal force to crush protests and systematically shielded perpetrators from accountability.
New Zealand solidarity events
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand is partnering with Iranian Solidarity Group New Zealand to commemorate Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman Life Freedom movement through events in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
The programme includes screenings of Nasrin, the documentary about prominent Iranian human rights lawyer and women’s rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh, alongside community speakers and performances.
Screenings occur in:
- Christchurch – September 17
- Dunedin – September 18
- Wellington – September 20
- Auckland – September 20
An Iranian Solidarity Group New Zealand spokesperson said: “On the fourth anniversary of Jina Mahsa Amini’s killing, we remember how Woman, Life, Freedom became a unifying movement that brought together Iranians across political views, generations and ethnicities, united by a shared demand for freedom, equality and dignity. Its powerful and universal message resonated around the world because these are rights that belong to all of us.
“The regime responded with brutal repression in an attempt to crush the movement, but the people of Iran did not give up. They rose again in January 2026, facing an even harsher crackdown.
“Amnesty International’s new report brilliantly documents the atrocities committed during Woman, Life, Freedom, and we echo its call for those responsible to be held accountable on the international stage.
“This is why Iranian Solidarity Group New Zealand is proud to partner with Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand on events in Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland, commemorating Jina and the Woman Life Freedom uprising, highlighting Amnesty’s report, and screening Nasrin, the story of prominent Iranian human rights lawyer and women’s rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh, alongside a programme of speakers and performances.”
Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand is encouraging New Zealanders to sign its petition and call on the Government to support international accountability efforts through the United Nations.
“The international community cannot continue to allow survivors and victims’ families to be denied justice while those responsible remain beyond accountability,” said Woods.
Notes
Amnesty International’s report, Architects of Atrocities: State Machinery Orchestrating Crimes Against Humanity in Iran’s 2022 Woman Life Freedom Uprising, documents alleged crimes against humanity committed during the 2022 protests and identifies 87 officials for potential criminal investigation.
Amnesty International is calling for the UN General Assembly to establish an international criminal justice mechanism to investigate and advance accountability for crimes against humanity committed in Iran.
Public petition: Demand International Justice for Crimes Against Humanity in Iran
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8. Greenpeace – New election scorecard shows parties with worst environmental policies are also taking donations from polluting industries
September 16, 2026
Source: Greenpeace Aotearoa
National, ACT and NZ First have taken over $1 million in political donations from agribusiness-linked donors since 2022, new Greenpeace analysis reveals.
The finding is part of Greenpeace’s 2026 election scorecard, which exposes a stark divide between the parties over the future of New Zealand’s rivers, oceans, climate and conservation land.
Greenpeace says the figures should “set alarm bells ringing”, following revelations about Fonterra’s secret lobbying of the Government over the Smith climate case, and recent reports that major agriculture lobby groups privately lobbied Ministers for changes to new environmental laws – many of which were subsequently adopted.
Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop says: “Our scorecard shows voters have fundamentally different choices for nature this election. Some parties are promising to restore environmental protections and tackle pollution, while others want more mining, fossil fuels and ocean exploitation.”
National, ACT and New Zealand First received the lowest possible grade each scoring an F, while Labour scored a C, The Opportunities Party a B, and the Greens and Te Pāti Māori received an A.
The scorecard looks at some of the biggest environmental decisions facing the next Government. It also puts political donations from major industries alongside the parties’ policy positions.
“We included donations data because people deserve to know which companies and wealthy individuals are funding the political parties vying for power this November”, says Toop.
“If you follow the money, a disturbing pattern emerges. The parties taking money from agribusiness, fishing, mining and fossil fuel interests are the parties promising policies that benefit those industries at the expense of our environment.”
The analysis shows since 2022, National, ACT and NZ First have collectively received $1,143,659 from agribusiness interests, $345,980 from mining interests and $314,261 from oil and gas companies. National and NZ First collectively received $172,812 from commercial fishing interests.
ACT alone received $771,761 from agribusiness-linked donors. ACT MP Simon Court is also the Ministerial Under-Secretary overseeing RMA reforms that environmental groups warn will gut protections against agricultural pollution, while ex-president of Federated Farmers, ACT MP Andrew Hoggard, is Associate Minister of Agriculture.
“Big industries may have deep pockets to pour into political donations, but ultimately voters decide who gets to govern”, says Toop.
“This election, voters have the power to choose whether our rivers, oceans, climate and wild places are protected, or whether the industries profiting from their destruction continue to get their way.”
Notes to editor
Full details on the scoring methodology and breakdown of political parties’ responses can be viewed here. Political donations analysis can be seen here.
Political parties were sent questions about their environmental policies and positions broken down by category – conservation land, oceans, freshwater, climate, and environmental law and democracy.
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9. New Pharmac proposal for Kiwis with gout
September 16, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has today welcomed a new Pharmac proposal to widen funded access to febuxostat for people with gout.
“Improving access to medicines in New Zealand is important to patients and their families. That’s why it has been a focus for this Government,” Mr Seymour says.
If approved, Pharmac will widen funded access to febuxostat from 1 February 2027. Pharmac is proposing to remove the need for people with gout to trial a medicine called probenecid before they are eligible for treatment with febuxostat, therefore enabling earlier access to febuxostat.
“Approximately 6% of adult New Zealanders are affected by gout and many are not able to manage their symptoms with diet and/or use of other medicines,” Mr Seymour says.
“Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid in the body. When uric acid levels become too high, urate crystals can form in and around the joints, leading to painful gout attacks that can cause sudden swelling, redness, and severe pain.
“Taking febuxostat can help prevent gout attacks and reduce the risk of long-term joint and kidney damage caused by ongoing crystal build-up.
“Currently, if people cannot control their gout symptoms on allopurinol they must trial another medicine, probenecid, before becoming eligible for funded febuxostat.
“If approved Pharmac will remove the requirement to trial probenecid. This would give patients and clinicians two options for second-line treatment: febuxostat or probenecid. For some people, febuxostat may be the preferred option because it only needs to be taken once a day and it can be easier to adjust the dose if needed.
“We’re making the system work better for the people it serves. When people can access their medicines easily, they stay healthier for longer. It also reduces pressure on other parts of the health system.”
Now Pharmac want to hear from you. Consultation opens on Wednesday 16 September 2027 and closes on 5pm, Wednesday 30 September 2027. Have your say here: https://consultations.pharmac.govt.nz/medicines/febuxostat
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/16/new-pharmac-proposal-for-kiwis-with-gout/
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10. New mobile units expand access to breast screening
September 16, 2026
Source: New Zealand Government
All four new mobile breast screening units have been delivered, adding capacity to screen more women a year as free screening expands, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Women’s Minister Nicola Grigg say.
“These units are a key part of making sure services can manage demand as free screening is extended to eligible women aged 70 to 74 by 2028,” Mr Brown says.
“Because they’re mobile, they also take screening directly to women where they live, from provincial centres to small towns and rural communities, making it easier for more women to get screened.”
The four new units, which bring the national mobile screening fleet to 14, have gone to:
- BreastScreen Midland (two units), covering Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Lakes District
- BreastScreen Coast to Coast (one unit), covering Manawatū, Horowhenua, Tararua, Whanganui, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, and East Coast
- BreastScreen Waitematā Northland (one unit), covering Waitematā and Northland
Each unit is expected to screen around 5,000 women every year and is fitted with a mammography machine, IT equipment to transmit images, and an internal waiting area.
The Waitematā Northland unit is the only “self-drive” mobile screening unit in New Zealand. Staff can move it themselves rather than relying on a transport company to tow it, so it can get to more locations. It is also shorter and easier to manoeuvre than traditional semi-trailer units, which means it can reach places that have been difficult to service in the past, such as Russell and parts of the Hokianga, including Panguru.
“Northland has many rural and geographically isolated communities, and we know travel can be a significant barrier to breast screening.
“Because this unit can go where larger mobile units can’t, women in some of our most remote communities will no longer have to travel long distances to a fixed clinic or the nearest mobile unit to get screened.”
Alongside the mobile units, four new or redevelopment sites have been established in Whangārei, Takapuna, Greenlane, and Kāpiti. The Counties Manukau site is due to be completed this month.
The age extension will make approximately 120,000 more women aged 70 to 74 eligible for free screening over time. The national rollout began in October 2025 with women aged 70, as well as those aged 74, and expands each October, with women aged 71 included from next month, followed by those aged 72 and then 73 over the next few years.
“Extending free screening to women aged 70 to 74 gives thousands more women the chance to have breast cancer detected early,” Ms Grigg says.
“Since the rollout began, 42,768 women in the new age groups have been invited and 24,470 have already been screened.
“In that time, 339 breast cancers in the new age group have been detected – cancers that might otherwise not have been found until much later, when treatment can be more complex. That’s why I encourage every eligible woman to book her mammogram as soon as her invitation arrives.
“The breast screening age extension is one of several changes we’re making to improve health outcomes for women. Last month we announced new guidelines so GPs can diagnose endometriosis without women first needing surgery, and from 1 March 2027 cervical screening will be free for all eligible women.
“We’re committed to delivering real improvements for women, and these initiatives are all about making sure they get the care they need, sooner.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/16/new-mobile-units-expand-access-to-breast-screening/
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