AM Edition: Top 10 Politics Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for September 23, 2026 – Full Text

Source: New Zealand Government

Legislation which disestablishes the Broadcasting Standards Authority has been introduced to Parliament today, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“Our Government promised to get this legislation into the House before we rise. Today we’re delivering.

“New Zealand’s media landscape has changed dramatically, but our regulatory settings have not kept up. For some time now audiences have moved seamlessly between traditional broadcasting, on‑demand services, podcasts and online platforms – yet only a small portion of that content is subject to the BSA’s oversight. It doesn’t make sense, and can create inconsistencies and unfair outcomes for media providers.

“The reality is, the BSA regime was designed for a broadcasting environment that is rapidly disappearing.

“I’m confident greater industry self-regulation is the most practical way to level the playing field across platforms, and can provide an appropriate level of oversight to maintain ethical journalistic standards and audience trust.

“Print media already self regulates through the New Zealand Media Council, and some broadcasters have opted to be part of it. Our expectation is the Media Council will become the primary regulator for journalism. 

“The BSA will continue in its role until legislation is passed into law.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/legislation-to-disestablish-bsa-introduced/

Source: New Zealand Government

Bills to replace the Resource Management Act have passed their third reading in Parliament, marking the most significant overhaul of New Zealand’s planning system in more than three decades, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say.

“Today is a major milestone. After 35 years of the RMA, Parliament has passed legislation for a fundamentally different way of planning for New Zealand’s future,” Mr Bishop says.

“For too long, the RMA has made it harder and more expensive to build the homes and infrastructure New Zealand needs, develop renewable energy, produce food and fibre, and invest with confidence.

“At the same time, it has failed to deliver the environmental outcomes New Zealanders should expect. We have ended up with the worst of both worlds: a system that is costly, complex and difficult to navigate, without delivering effectively for either growth or the environment.

“The Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill replace that system with one that is tightly scoped, simpler, faster, more consistent, and much clearer about the choices we need to make as a country.

“A fundamental change is that more of the big decisions will be made upfront. National policy direction, nationally consistent standards and long-term regional spatial planning will provide much greater clarity about where and how New Zealand grows, what needs to be protected, and what rules people need to follow.

“That means we stop relitigating the same questions over and over again through individual consent applications. Communities, councils, developers, farmers, infrastructure providers and investors will have far greater certainty about what has already been decided and where choices still need to be made.

“More than 100 planning documents will be replaced by 17 regional combined plans. Nationally standardised zones and rules will reduce unnecessary variation across the country, while still allowing for genuine local differences.

“Officials estimate around 45 per cent of consent and permit applications currently required under the RMA could be removed under the new system. Based on 2023/24 volumes, that represents between 15,000 and 22,000 applications that would no longer be required.

“For homeowners, farmers and businesses, they will no longer need to seek permission for ordinary low impact activities. Where activities meet the relevant rules and standards, people will be able to get on with them.

“The new system will also give much greater recognition to the enjoyment of land and require a more deliberate and proportionate approach when planning rules significantly restrict what people can do with their property.

“These changes make planning easier and remove one of the longstanding barriers to investment, productivity and higher living standards in New Zealand.

“The economic benefits of the reforms are significant. Independent analysis projects the new planning system will boost GDP by an additional 0.56 per cent every year by 2050, worth up to $3.1 billion annually.

“A cost-benefit analysis also estimates $13.3 billion in savings over 30 years through lower administrative and compliance costs.

“Better regulation means less time and money spent navigating unnecessary process, and more investment going into homes, infrastructure, businesses and productive activity.”

Mr Court says the dedicated Natural Environment Bill will provide a clearer, focused framework for managing and protecting New Zealand’s natural resources.

“The old system too often confused more process with better environmental protection. Our new system is much clearer about the environmental outcomes that matter and how they are to be managed,” Mr Court says.

“Environmental limits will set boundaries for effects on ecosystems and human health, supported by national instruments and regional natural environment plans covering freshwater, coastal water, air, land, soil and indigenous biodiversity.

“Pragmatic processes and tools for setting and achieving limits will ensure they are workable for Kiwis on farms, in factories, and in nature, while a strong compliance monitoring and enforcement framework will drive accountability for those not playing ball.

“In addition to lower consent and permit volumes, the system also front-loads public participation into developing national instruments and plans—where input can have the greatest influence—so we’re not giving every Tom, Dick, and Hone the opportunity to obstruct individual consents and permits. 

“But success depends on more than legislative change. We need a fundamental reset in planning culture.

“The RMA has encouraged a culture where the safest answer can be more information, more conditions and more process. The new system is designed to change those incentives, so decision-makers can focus on outcomes rather than process for process’s sake.

“We want to shift the planning culture from caution and delay towards confidence, proportionality, judgment and delivery.

“The new Planning Tribunal will provide a check against council behavioural inertia, giving applicants a low-cost pathway to challenge specified lower-level planning disputes like information and consent condition demands.

“Regulatory relief will discipline over-zealous councils by forcing them to face the cost of specified ‘public good’ controls over private property.

“The ability to justify that cost to the ratepayers who stand to benefit reveals genuine public value and restores fairness for long-suffering landowners in the process. If it can’t convince benefitting ratepayers it’s worth paying for, it hardly justifies forcing the costs on affected landowners.” 

Mr Bishop says passing the legislation is a major achievement, but successful reform will ultimately depend on how the new system is implemented.

“Passing these Bills is not the end of the job. The next task is making sure the new system works in practice,” Mr Bishop says. 

“Budget 2026 invests $294 million over four years to support the rollout of the new planning and environmental management system, including nationally consistent planning information, trusted environmental and hazard data, shared digital services and implementation capability.

“We want people across New Zealand to be working from clearer rules and better information rather than 78 councils repeatedly building separate systems and solving the same problems in different ways.

“The transition will happen in stages. Existing RMA plans, consents and processes will continue while national instruments, regional plans, digital tools and data systems are developed, with the full new system intended to be operating by 2030.

“The Government will also consider the feedback it receives on the illustrative National Policy Direction released in August to inform the development of statutory National Policy Direction, which will go through formal consultation under the new legislation.

“Following Royal Assent, planning.govt.nz will provide information about the new system, including what is changing, implementation guidance, key milestones and supporting resources.

“For decades New Zealand has talked about the problems with the RMA. We are now replacing it with a planning system designed to make decisions earlier, provide greater certainty, enable New Zealand to grow and protect what matters most.

“This is a once-in-a-generation reform, and one that will shape how New Zealand grows and develops for decades to come.”

Notes to editors:

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/rma-era-ends-as-new-system-passes-parliament/

Source: New Zealand Government

After more than a decade of negotiations, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown today marked a major legislative milestone in Parliament, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. 

“The introduction and first reading of the Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill is an important milestone that brings the settlement, signed just weeks ago on Wharekauri, a step closer to becoming law.

“The Bill includes a Crown apology, an agreed historical account and redress for historical Treaty breaches that caused harm to Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri.

“While no settlement can fully compensate for the Crown’s injustices towards Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri, this settlement provides a foundation to support their economic, cultural and social aspirations for future generations.”

The settlement redress includes:

$13 million financial redress and a $5 million cultural revitalisation payment;
The opportunity to buy five Crown properties; and
Relationship agreements with Crown agencies.

The Crown and Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri also agreed to a range of shared redress arrangements with Moriori. These are being implemented through a separate deed and legislation.

A copy of the deed of settlement is available online at: Te Tari Whakatau – Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri. A copy of the Shared Redress Deed is available online at: Te Tari Whakatau – Chatham Islands Shared Redress.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/advancing-ngati-mutunga-o-wharekauri-settlement/

Source: New Zealand Government

A further 120 small businesses will get expert help to put artificial intelligence (AI) to work, with the Government extending its AI Advisory Pilot until 30 June 2027, says Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Cameron Brewer.

Around 150 businesses have already come on board since the pilot launched in January. Delivered through the Regional Business Partner Network (RBPN), it gives businesses trusted expert advice on where AI can make a real difference, and co-funds the development of a tailored AI roadmap and the cost of putting it in place, up to $15,000.

“Plenty of small business owners can see AI could save them time and money. What they often don’t have is the time or in-house expertise to know where to start. That’s the gap this pilot fills,” Mr Brewer says.

“Businesses have put their hands up in strong numbers and the feedback has been encouraging, so we’re backing it with more places and more time.

“AI isn’t just for big corporates with their own IT departments. With the right support, a local manufacturer, tradie or retailer can use it to cut the admin, work smarter and spend more time on what they do best.”

The appetite for AI support goes well beyond the pilot. Between July 2025 and June 2026, the RBPN co-funded approximately 650 businesses to attend AI related courses.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. Helping them get ahead with new technology is all part of the Government’s plan to fix the basics and build the future,” Mr Brewer says.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/government-extends-ai-support-for-small-businesses/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill has passed its third reading.

This marks an important step in strengthening New Zealand’s response to serious and persistent youth offending.

“When I became the Minister for Children, I made it clear that the status quo was not good enough,” says Minister Chhour.

Too many young people were becoming involved in serious and persistent offending, often causing significant harm to victims and communities, while becoming further entrenched in the youth justice system themselves.

We needed to do something different. That is exactly what this Bill does.”

This Bill provides important tools to protect communities, support victims, and improve outcomes for the most at-risk young people in our youth justice system.

At the heart of the legislation is the young serious offender declaration, which enables a stronger and more targeted response to the small group of young people who continue to offend despite previous interventions.

The declaration provides the Youth Court with additional tools to intervene earlier and more effectively to reduce the risk of future offending.

The new military-style academy order will be the most intensive response available to the Youth Court.

The order combines structure, discipline, education, therapeutic support and transition planning to help eligible young people address the causes of their offending and build more positive futures.

“Ultimately, this legislation is about safer communities, greater public confidence in the youth justice system and better outcomes for young people.

This Bill builds on, and locks in, the progress we have made as part of the Government’s wider commitment to reduce serious and persistent child and youth offending by 15 percent by 2030.

I am pleased to report the number of serious youth offenders has reduced by 26 percent since June 2023.

These results clearly demonstrate that targeted, decisive action can improve outcomes for our young people and communities, putting them on a different path in life is what will help unlock their potential.” says Minister Chhour. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/bill-continues-progress-on-responding-to-serious-youth-offending/

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government will begin work on a National Events Strategy to establish a long-term direction for New Zealand’s events system and extract more value from events, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

“Events play an important role in growing our economy, attracting visitors, supporting local businesses and benefiting communities across New Zealand,” Louise Upston says.

“New Zealand has a strong track record of delivering world-class events and the new National Events Strategy will build on that success, providing a national direction for the system and taking into account New Zealand’s strengths, competitive advantage, and national priorities.

“The Strategy will provide a framework for New Zealand to be more deliberate about attracting, supporting and leveraging events that maximise public value outcomes.

“This could include increasing the value of tourism exports, creating new trade and investment opportunities, enhancing New Zealand’s international brand and reputation, and delivering social and community benefits.

“Over time, the Strategy will provide for a stronger, more ambitious events sector that delivers greater value for New Zealanders and supports growth across the country.

“The announcement follows an independent review of New Zealand’s approach to events, which found we are a strong events host but could take a more strategic and coordinated approach to maximise the full public value that events deliver.”

The independent review’s recommendations included having a system-wide strategy, a coordinated investment platform, stronger prospecting, leverage, legacy and evaluation, a national stewardship function, durable local co-investment and an integrated events portfolio.

Louise Upston says the Government will take time to consider the review’s wider recommendations while starting work on some of the more immediate actions it suggested, including developing the Strategy.

“Those immediate actions include practical steps to improve how the events sector works together, strengthen partnerships between central government, local government and industry, and identify opportunities early to maximise benefits to the economy, tourism, industry, and our communities.

“I want to thank everyone who took part in the review and shared their insights and experience. The report provides useful input as we continue to look at how events can deliver even more value for New Zealand.

“By working together and putting the right settings in place, we can build a stronger national events pipeline that delivers even greater benefits for New Zealanders,” Louise Upston says.

Notes to editor:

 The independent review was carried out by MartinJenkins and is available here.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/building-a-stronger-future-for-new-zealand-events/

Source: New Zealand Government

The independent review of New Zealand’s monetary policy response to COVID-19 shows the Reserve Bank was too slow to take its foot off the accelerator when the economy recovered more strongly than expected, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

The review, conducted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Athanasios Orphanides and former Reserve Bank Assistant Governor David Archer, was established to identify lessons that could be learned to improve the response to future economic shocks.  

“The review concludes that the initial response to the pandemic from the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was appropriate and effective, but monetary policy stimulus remained in place too long.

“This stimulus, on top of an already overheating economy, contributed to a costly boom-bust cycle. Inflation reached 7.3 per cent and the unemployment rate fell to what the reviewers call an ‘unsustainable historic low’.

“Getting inflation back under control required a substantial tightening of monetary policy that increased unemployment and curtailed growth.”

Nicola Willis says the reviewers also took issue with the previous government’s decision to broaden the Reserve Bank’s mandate by requiring it to support maximum sustainable employment as well as maintain price stability.

“In the reviewers’ words ‘these amendments downplayed the importance of price stability’ and ‘effectively mandated that the Bank should tolerate larger and longer lasting inflation deviations from target’.

“One of this Government’s first actions on taking office was to restore the Bank’s single focus on inflation, as the greatest contribution monetary policy can make to employment in the medium term is keeping inflation under control.

“The reviewers also welcomed changes made to the MPC charter earlier this year to encourage diversity of thought in MPC decision-making.

“Those changes include making committee members’ votes public when there is not consensus and making it easier for MPC members to discuss their views publicly.”  

The review’s recommendations are primarily for the Reserve Bank and the MPC and focus on strengthening monetary policy decision-making under uncertainty.

“I expect the Bank to consider these recommendations carefully and report publicly on its response.

“The Government also acknowledges the review’s recommendations around the interaction between financial governance and monetary policy and will consider further advice.

“The COVID-19 pandemic constituted an unprecedented economic shock. It has taught New Zealand some painful lessons.

“It is important that we learn those lessons and do not repeat the mistakes of the past,” Nicola Willis says.

Note to Editors:
•    Dr Orphanides is a former governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus and member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank, and a professor of the Practice of Global Economics and Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 
•    Mr Archer is a former Reserve Bank assistant governor and former head of the Central Banking Studies Unit at the Bank for International Settlements. 
•    The independent review is available here: https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/commissioned-report/independent-review-monetary-policy-response-covid-19-pandemic
•    Summary factsheet attached

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/lessons-to-be-learned-from-covid-response/

Source: New Zealand Government

Major milestones have been reached on two Canterbury water infrastructure projects that will help strengthen the region’s resilience to drought and support economic growth, Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson says.

“Investment in water storage infrastructure is critical for our communities, farms and businesses. It’s encouraging to see significant progress being made on the Crown-supported Wrights Road Storage Ponds and the Opuha Dam,” Mr Patterson says.

“This week, Burnt Hill Storage Limited celebrated the beginning of construction of its Wrights Road Storage Ponds project. This project will deliver an additional 8.2 million cubic meters of water storage capacity, equivalent to over three Olympic sized swimming pools, improving water supply for farmers in the scheme.

“Meanwhile, Opuha Water Limited recently successfully tested a major new outlet valve at Opuha Dam as part of its wider upgrade programme. The new outlet significantly increases the dam’s ability to release excess water in advance of major weather events so that it can store flood waters. This improves flood protection of downstream communities, productive land and critical infrastructure throughout the catchment,” Mr Patterson says.

Both projects received loans last year through the government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF), with Burnt Hill Storage Limited receiving up to $15.6 million and Opuha Water Limited receiving up to $20.8 million.

These government loans form part of the total cost of each project, with the scheme owners providing significant co-investment to fund the balance. The Burnt Hill Storage scheme has an estimated total cost of $58.5 million, while the Opuha Water Ltd project has an estimated total cost of $84.15 million.

“Through the RIF, the government is investing in infrastructure that delivers multiple benefits, from supporting economic activity and agricultural productivity to improving community resilience and protecting critical assets,” Mr Patterson says.

“It’s great to see strong momentum on the delivery of these two projects, which will provide lasting benefits for Canterbury, helping the region remain productive, resilient and prepared for future challenges.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/rif-strengthens-canterbury-water-resilience/

Source: New Zealand Government

For the first time, New Zealand has a clear picture of where mental health and addiction ringfenced funding is being spent, what is making a difference, and where more attention is needed, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. 

“Billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money goes into mental health and addiction every single year, but until now we haven’t had a clear enough picture of whether that investment was reaching the right services, in the right places, for the people who needed it most,” Mr Doocey says. 

“Before coming into government, I repeatedly asked where the $1.9 billion mental health investment had gone and what difference it was making.

“New Zealanders were repeatedly told how much money had been announced but couldn’t get a clear answer on where it was going or what it was achieving.

“That’s a problem when you can’t, hand on heart, say that what you’re investing is going to where it’s most needed.

“That’s why we established the Mental Health and Addiction Ringfence Taskforce – to get the answers we didn’t have.

“Three independent reports published today give us the clearest picture yet across infant, child and youth mental health and addiction services, alcohol and other drug services, and forensic mental health services.

“We can now see where investment is going, who is using services, where services are under pressure and where there are gaps.

“That means we can make better decisions about where funding should go next, rather than simply putting more money into the system and hoping for the best. 

“Our mental health plan is focused on faster access to support, more frontline workers, and a better crisis response. We need to know that investment is translating into those better outcomes for New Zealanders.

“By publishing these reports, we are again proving that we are not afraid of being held accountable and being transparent with New Zealanders about where we need to do better.

“The findings are already informing and will continue to inform future policy and investment decisions, particularly so we can ensure our young people are getting the support they need and deserve.

“The dedicated youth mental health roadmap being co-designed by young people will complement this work by also ensuring their voices are heard and that it is designed around their needs and what works best for them.

“This is a step forward in continuing to turn the corner, fix the basics and build a better mental health system.” 

Notes to editor:

The reports can be found here and here

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/22/funding-clarity-to-deliver-better-outcomes/

MIL OSI