The Reserve Bank governor has warned businesses against trying to pass higher prices on to households.

Anna Breman said inflation expectations have been rising among economic forecasters and businesses – something she is not happy about.

Speaking at Business Canterbury in Christchurch on Friday, she said firms trying to hike prices face an uphill battle.

“In our view, given that wage growth is still subdued, given that the labour market is starting to increase – but households will want to see more of that – we think it will be very difficult for firms to pass on big price increases.”

Anna Breman said households are still struggling with cost-of-living pressures and a weak jobs market, and higher prices will weigh on consumer spending.

Meanwhile, she warned that volatility – from geopolitical tensions to developments in artificial intelligence – could still throw up surpises for inflation.

She said the Monetary Policy Committee will stay responsive to those risks, but will not overreact to short-term volatility.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

20 February 2026 – “To achieve our inflation target, we need to look ahead to the future, while learning from the past and understanding the present”, said Reserve Bank Governor Anna Breman in a speech at a Business Canterbury lunch today.  

“It takes time for the Official Cash Rate to influence the economy and inflation. Therefore, we base our monetary policy decisions on a forecast of where inflation is heading, and not on where inflation is today. The inflation data is important because it helps us shape the forecast and analyse the drivers of inflation.”

Governor Breman spoke to the current economic situation, as outlined in the February Monetary Policy Statement, as a good example of the need to remain focused on the future. “I want to stress that we are never comfortable having inflation outside our target range. But we must accept what has already happened, understand it, and then look ahead. That’s what our Remit asks of us.”

The time it takes monetary policy to influence the economy and the fact that economic data are often volatile and lagging are good reasons to remain forward looking. In addition, focusing on the future helps financial markets anticipate how the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will react to new information about inflationary pressure.

“This allows financial conditions to change in response to new data – in a way that helps us to achieve our mandate – even before the MPC has met to consider the new data and adjust monetary policy,” Governor Breman explained.

Discussing Wednesday’s decision and economic outlook, Governor Breman acknowledged that the path to 2 percent inflation has been bumpy, but that we expect inflation to already be back in our target range in the first quarter of this year. “We are confident that inflation will return to the 2 percent target midpoint over the next 12 months”, she said. Meeting with households and businesses around the country is a good opportunity to get information about how the economy and inflation is evolving.

“That is a positive outlook for 2026. But it doesn’t mean we can put our feet up”, Governor Breman said. “Today’s volatile world only promises to deliver more curve balls. You only have to look at the growth in artificial intelligence and the major shifts in geopolitical relationships to know that the world is changing. The transition is unlikely to be a smooth one.”

“Importantly, being forward focused does not imply that monetary policy is on a pre-set course. We will adjust our plans as we get new information, and always with a focus on the future.”

More information

Download Governor Breman’s speech (PDF, 1.73MB): https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=ae794fd52c&e=f3c68946f8

Monetary Policy Statement February 2026: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=c6ec54e6f8&e=f3c68946f8

MIL OSI

Six tertiary students have been awarded scholarships as part of efforts to support farmers and growers on-the-ground, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard have announced.

“This Government is backing the sector by supporting the next generation of on-farm advisers,” Mr McClay says.

“Our On Farm Support Science Scholarships are an important part of our efforts to ensure the sector can provide specialised on-the-ground expertise and advice for farmers and growers.

“The successful programme has already started producing the next generation of advisers with four of the inaugural 2024 recipients having secured roles.”

The 2026 scholarships went to students enrolled in agricultural science, commerce, or environmental sustainability degrees.

The recipients were Lincoln University students Cameron Brans, Jack Green, Eibhlin Lynch, and Fraser Wilson, Massey University student Ella Hogan, and University of Canterbury student Cecily Holland. Each will receive $5,000 for the year. They have an interest in dairy, sheep, beef, horticulture, and arable production.

“Recipients in the scholarship programme are also mentored by members of the Ministry for Primary Industries On Farm Support team, providing hugely beneficial experience and networking opportunities,” Mr Hoggard says.

“Farm advisers have a vital role to play in providing on-the-ground support to farmers and growers. These students are the future of the advisory sector and will help keep our food and fibre sector thriving.”

Note to editors:  
Biographies of the successful scholarship recipients can be found below.

Name: Cameron Brans
University: Lincoln University 
Degree: Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture)
Home region: Waipawa, Central Hawke’s Bay
Background: Cameron has an interest in sustainable meat and arable production and diversification on-farm. He’s seeking a career in an advisory role that combines scientific and business aspects of agriculture.

Name: Jack Green
University: Lincoln University
Degree: Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons)
Home region: Auckland
Background: Jack has been on an exchange at Cornell University (US) for a semester. His study in 2026 will focus on the growing complexity of data and software on New Zealand dairy farms. He’s seeking a career in agri-tech and farm consultancy.

Name: Fraser Wilson
University: Lincoln University 
Degree: Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture)
Home region: Gore, Southland
Background: Fraser was raised on a sheep and beef farm and is most interested in the sheep industry. He’s seeking a career in rural banking, agribusiness, and has a long-term goal of farm or agri-business ownership.

Name: Eibhlin Lynch
University: Lincoln University
Degree: Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons)
Home region: Whanganui
Background: Eibhlin was raised on a dairy, sheep and beef farm. She’s been on an exchange at University College Dublin in Ireland to learn how the country is tackling similar environmental challenges and consumer pressures within the agricultural sector. She’s seeking a career in farm advisory combining science and rural services.

Name: Ella Hogan
University: Massey University
Degree: Bachelor of Agricultural Science
Home region: Dannevirke
Background: Ella is passionate about supporting the sheep and beef sector through science-based advisory work. She is interested in connecting research and policy with practical farm management to help farmers build resilient, sustainable businesses.    

Name: Cecily Holland
University: University of Canterbury
Degree: Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability
Home region: Wellington
Background: Cecily is interested in horticulture, regenerative agriculture, and helping growers adapt to climate change and improve soil health. She’s seeking a career to work as a sustainability consultant or adviser.

MIL OSI

The Auckland Business Chamber is cautiously optimistic that government promises to ban paywave and credit surcharges from card payments appear to have stalled.

In July last year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson moved to scrap the fees, declaring: “That pesky note or sticker on the payment machine will become a thing of the past.”

The ban was set to kick into effect no later than May 2026, and the move was heavily opposed by businesses.

Now, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government was taking “a breather” on the policy.

“[It’s] still under consideration. We just want to make sure we understand all of the implications before we push the final button on it,” Luxon said.

Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges, who campaigned for an end to the policy, told Morning Report he was hopeful this was a win for small and medium businesses.

“We’ve been stuck between the big banks and the payments providers, the visas and mastercards and consumers, and I suppose politics. I can tell you 29 chambers all over the country reacted viscerally to this, the submissions almost to a single one opposed this strongly,” he said.

“I’ve made and I know Retail NZ has made clear to any minister who will listen our opposition to this. So, look, we don’t know for sure but we’re hopeful this is a win.”

Bridges said the problem with the bill as it stood was a very serious unintended consequences from a blanket ban.

“It’s a slogan in a sense more than it is a policy. In Australia, I understand they walked away from a very similar policy after the unintended consequences and so were there,” he said.

“I hope Scott Simpson and his colleagues will go back and either ditch this or find something more nuanced for the issues that are there.”

The move to axe surcharges followed growing public frustration at the cost and transparency of the charges; the Commerce Commission estimated New Zealanders were paying up to $150 million in surcharges each year, including $45 to $65 million in what it considered excessive charges.

Businesses pushed back, Retail New Zealand arguing every one or two and a half percent made a difference in a tough economy.

The Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill is now languishing on the order paper, ready for be read a second time.

“It’s going nowhere,” New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told reporters on Thursday afternoon, after Luxon’s comments.

Asked if there was any disagreement between the coalition parties, Luxon said no.

“We want to take a breather and have a think and make sure that we fully understand the implications of that on all businesses,” he said.

ACT leader David Seymour said businesses could not afford it.

“The government said it would do it. We’ve listened to the very strong feedback. I’ve listened to small business people saying we get a million bucks through our card system, a 2 percent fee we have to eat would be $20,000, our small business can’t afford that, and that’s why the conversations carry on,” Seymour said.

“We are listening as a government to small business and we’ll get to a better place.”

Seymour said the surcharge ban bill had been through Select Committee, where his colleague Parmjeet Parmar suggested businesses should be able to keep surcharges if they offered a free alternative, like EFTPOS.

“Maybe that’s where we end up, who knows.”

Asked whether the ban would be in place by May as promised, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson said he was “hopeful”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

You might be going to get a bigger contribution to your KiwiSaver this year – but will it be at the expense of your pay rise?

The first step in the increase in KiwiSaver contribution rates takes effect on April 1, for people who do not opt out.

The default rate rises to 3.5 percent from both employer and employee – so many employers will be contributing an amount equal to an additional 0.5 percent of their wage bill from that date.

This only applies for employers who have structured KiwiSaver contributions in the traditional way, where an employee contribution is matched by an employer contribution on top of their pay. People who are paid by total remuneration will have to cover the full increase themselves.

When the change was announced, Treasury said it expected 80 percent of the employer cost to be met by lower than expected pay rises.

Kelly Eckhold, chief economist at Westpac, said it was likely that all else being equal, pay rises this year would be lower.

“In the end, employers will pay a total level of remuneration in line with prevailing supply and demand trends in the market. Changing the allocation of what employees do with that remuneration is not likely to change that assessment. Having said this it will be impossible to know the counterfactual as we can only observe what employees are paid as opposed to what they might have been paid.”

Catherine Beard, director for advocacy at Business NZ, said businesses had to consider the total cost of employing someone.

“ACC charges, potentially fringe benefit tax, you’re going to have training costs, you might have uniforms… as someone who is hiring you think about what is the total cost to me and my business. So over time, any cost of employment does end up being factored into how much it costs to hire someone… superannuation KiwiSaver will be part of it.”

Apparel sector retailers example of hard times

Carolyn Young, chief executive of Retail NZ, said it was still a tough environment for retailers.

“Consider a retailer in maybe the apparel sector. They’ve been heavily hit over the last 12 months.

“Last year apparel monthly sales were down 5 percent in January, 9.1 percent in February, down 8.5 percent in March, down 7.8 percent in April, down 4.4 percent in May, down 1 percent in June… the whole year was really tough.

“They’re really running by the skin of their teeth – there’s no fat in the business… we do know that increasing KiwiSaver … is a place where as a country we need to head.

“The real difficulty is, it’s so challenging right now for retail to navigate increasing costs.”

She said until the economy clearly improved, the contribution increase was likely to mean smaller pay rises.

“It’s definitely a tricky time and definitely a space where employers will have to navigate their budgets really carefully around how they can recognise and reward staff alongside other increases that have been put in place.”

Craig Renney, who is Council of Trade Unions chief economist and policy director and also a Labour candidate in the upcoming election, said it was likely to mean that more low-income people opted out of KiwiSaver. “If you’re struggling with the cost of living, 1 percent on your salary is quite a lot.”

He said a better solution would be an Australia-style system where it was up to the employer to cover the cost of superannuation savings and employees who did not take it up missed out, rather than receiving it in their pay packets.

Meanwhile, a survey by ANZ showed a third of KiwiSaver members intended to stick with the new 3.5 percent default rate when it took effect. Another 21 percent would contirbute more if their employer matched it.

Only 10 percent intended to request a temporary reduction.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A Christchurch woman whose landlord tried to end her tenancy because of the state of her property has been allowed to continue to live in it – and discovered the law is on her side for her cat, thanks to new rules.

The Tenancy Tribunal gave her notice that she would need to improve the state of the house if she was to remain, but she was allowed a pet.

“Regardless of whether and on what terms that consent [for a cat] was given, the new section 18AA RTA now provides that a tenant may have a pet unless the landlord does not consent on reasonable grounds,” the adjudicator said.

“The landlord has consented to the tenant keeping one adult cat at the premises provided the tenant pays a pet bond of two weeks’ rent or $1300.

“The tenant has agreed to remove the kittens from the property and to clean the carpet to remove the smell of cat urine.”

It is one of 2379 pet bonds lodged so far with Tenancy Bond Services, since the rule changed to allow them on 1 December.

Landlords are now required to allow pets, unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said landlords could charge a pet bond of up to two weeks’ rent in addition to the existing bond with clear rules for the tenants’ pet damage liability. Only one pet bond could be charged regardless of the number of pets.

“Tenants do not need to ask their landlord again for pet consent for existing pets that were lawfully kept as part of a tenancy before 1 December 2025,” MBIE said in a statement.

“A pet bond cannot be charged for these pets, but tenants will be fully liable for any pet related damage above fair wear and tear caused after 1 December 2025.”

But parts of the industry were proving slow to catch up with the rules.

David Pearse, managing director of Pukekohe Rental Managers, said he had a rush of inquiries but most tenants did not realise they still had to go through an application process.

“Property managers are struggling with owners that do not want pets and working within the stated exemptions. I believe that there will be a host of Tenancy Tribunal hearing decisions that will need to be held to start to give a clear picture of what is acceptable or not.

“An interesting side issue is that while many like the idea of a pet the cost of ownership has not been carefully considered, and with the bond required, has made many have second thoughts about getting a pet.”

Property Brokers general manager David Faulkner said Trade Me had recently changed its advertisements to say “pets by consent” because many property management companies were still advertising saying “no pets” without realising it could breach the new rules.

Sarina Gibbon, director of Tenancy Advisory, said she had seen instances online where people within the industry were advising tenants not to disclose their animals until they had confirmed a tenancy.

“There are cynical players trying to game the system. My general view is that unless the economic model of renting to tenants with pets shift and unless we have more pet-friendly champions from the landlord side stepping forward to show leadership, we are always going to have to grapple with bad faith dealing.”

Joanna Pidgeon, a director of Pidgeon Judd and a member of The Law Association’s Property Law Committee, said any landlords who said they would not allow pets outright were likely to be breaking the rules.

“We have heard anecdotally that people are finding that they are discriminated against in terms of obtaining a tenancy when they disclose that they have a pet.

“It is very hard to prove that it is discrimination because maybe that there is a better tenant out there that has a better credit record or better references. But people with pets are still finding it very hard to locate tenancies when they disclose that they have pets.

“We are hearing anecdotally that people are feeling discouraged from disclosing it up front, whereas you can, once you have a tenancy, request to have a pet and then the law obviously applies that you can’t unreasonably withhold that consent.

“If a landlord did withhold that consent unreasonably, then you’d be able to prove there was a problem and you could take action and say go to the tenancy tribunal about it.

“Whereas if you just don’t get picked to be a tenant, if there’s a shortage of rental properties, it’s very easy for landlords to pick someone else and very hard for a tenant to prove that it was because they wanted to have a pet that they weren’t chosen as a tenant.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Robert Walters identifies New Zealand’s key labour and salary trends for 2026

Auckland, New Zealand, 19th Feb 2026 - 2026 will be a year of strategic hiring, increased pressure on salaries, and rising workforce mobility across New Zealand, according to new research from global talent solutions partner Robert Walters. 

The findings come from its latest Salary Guide, which surveyed over 2,300 white-collar New Zealand professionals across 12 different industries.  

Shay Peters, CEO, Robert Walters Australia & New Zealand: ”The New Zealand labour market is showing a renewed sense of optimism, but caution remains. Businesses are hiring again, skills shortages persist, and employees are carefully weighing where they work, what they earn, and whether to relocate. This combination is reshaping the workforce: organisations face pressure to attract and retain talent, address capability gaps, and balance pay with cost-of-living concerns, while employees are increasingly strategic about career moves and mobility. How companies respond now will have a direct impact on productivity, growth, and their ability to secure and retain the talent they need for success in the future.” 

Key labour market trends 

Hiring rebounds, but jobseekers remain cautious after 2025 turmoil

Market confidence is gradual but strengthening, with 76% of New Zealand businesses planning to hire in 2026, up from 66% in 2025. 

Hiring demand varies regionally. Canterbury leads hiring intent at 78%, followed by Auckland (75%) and Wellington (72%). 

Despite this uplift in business confidence, employee mobility has cooled. 53% of New Zealand professionals are considering a role change this year, down from 63% in 2025, suggesting a more cautious workforce. 

Shay comments: ”Hiring intent has increased since last year, signalling that businesses are ready to move forward. However, employees are taking a more considered approach. From conversations we’ve been having with job seekers, we know the unstable condition of the 2025 labour market is making people concerned about job prospects in 2026. Economic uncertainty over the past year has made many professionals very risk-aware. The labour market is gradually rebalancing, rather than surging.” 

Rising relocation trends are creating a borderless workforce

Mobility remains a defining feature of the New Zealand workforce. 58% of professionals are open to relocating for work. 

Interest varies regionally. In Auckland, 64% would consider relocating, compared with 53% in Wellington and 51% in Canterbury. 

Australia is the most attractive destination, with 65% naming it as their top choice. Domestically, 54% would consider relocating within New Zealand. Internationally, 23% would consider moving to the UK and 21% to Europe. 

The primary drivers of relocation are higher salaries (71%), better job opportunities (65%), lifestyle changes (53%), and cost of living (38%). 

Interest in Australians relocating to New Zealand has increased this year to 17% (up from 2% in 2025). 

Shay comments: ”The strength of interest in Australia underscores how interconnected the two labour markets have become. For many professionals, relocation is no longer aspirational, it is a strategic financial and career decision. 

New Zealand employers must recognise that they are competing not just locally, but internationally. Organisations that create compelling career pathways, competitive remuneration and flexible work models will be better positioned to retain talent in an increasingly borderless market.” 

Salary growth remains modest as cost-of-living pressures persist

In 2025, 57% of New Zealand professionals received a pay rise, although most increases fell within the modest 2.5%-5% range, limiting their real impact. 

67% of New Zealand businesses intend to offer salary increases in 2026, while 56% of professionals expect one. 

42% of employees feel underpaid, but 83% of employers believe salaries are keeping pace with the cost of living, highlighting a perception gap. 

Salary dissatisfaction varies regionally. In Canterbury, 46% of professionals do not believe their salary matches the cost of living. In Auckland this stands at 42%, and in Wellington 39%. 

Shay comments: ”As businesses come out of last year’s restructures, organisations have an opportunity to reassess remuneration. Where salary increases are not feasible, employers must focus on career progression, flexibility, and skills development. It’s no secret the movement of New Zealand talent to Australia is well underway. Dissatisfaction around pay is a high retention risk, especially as overseas markets actively target New Zealand talent.” 

Skills shortages squeeze productivity across key sectors

Skills shortages remain critical, with 81% of New Zealand employers experiencing gaps over the past year. 

Regional pressure varies, with 52% of Auckland employers reporting shortages, followed by Wellington (49%) and Canterbury (39%). 

The most acute gaps are in industry-specific expertise (52%), digital and technology capability (37%), and leadership skills (31%) - these areas closely linked to productivity and organisational performance. 

Hiring challenges are compounded by unsuitable applicants (62%) and a lack of formal qualifications (53%). 

 Shay comments: ”Skills shortages are a severe productivity issue. When capability gaps persist, delivery slows and growth opportunities are missed. 

New Zealand organisations must take a long-term view, investing in leadership development, digital capability, and structured workforce planning. Skills gaps directly impact productivity and growth, and with more talent continuing to move to Australia, this challenge will intensify unless decisive action is taken now. Waiting for the market to correct itself is no longer a viable strategy in a competitive global talent landscape.” 

AI adoption accelerates, but concerns remain

AI integration is gaining momentum. 86% of New Zealand businesses are actively promoting AI, and 70% of employers say AI skills are important. 

Adoption at employee level is already high, with 69% using AI in their roles. However, 51% express concern about AI’s future impact on their job.

Shay comments: ”New Zealand businesses are embracing AI at pace, but adoption must be matched with transparency and training. The fact that over half of employees are concerned about AI’s future impact highlights the importance of clear communication and structured upskilling. 

At the speed AI is developing, it’s critical that soft skills like leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving are not lost but actively encouraged alongside new technology. 

Done right, AI can increase efficiency, boost productivity, and complement human talent, supporting the goals outlined in New Zealand’s 2025 AI Strategy for a productive, future-ready workforce.” 

About the Salary Guide: The Robert Walters 2026 Salary Guide provides a comprehensive overview of hiring intentions, salary trends, skills shortages, and workforce mobility across New Zealand. With insights from over 2,300 respondents, the guide highlights how businesses and employees are navigating an evolving labour market shaped by cost-of-living pressures, technological adoption, and mobility opportunities.

About Robert Walters:  

With more than 3,100 people in 30 countries, Robert Walters delivers recruitment consultancy, staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and managed services across the globe. From traditional recruitment and staffing to end-to-end talent management, our consultants are experts at matching highly skilled people to permanent, contract and interim roles across all professional disciplines. 

MIL OSI

Overall drug detections rise nationally, cocaine detections up 148%

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 19 February 2026 – The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), New Zealand’s largest workplace drug testing provider has launched its Q4 Imperans Report, a quarterly workplace drug trends report. The report empowers New Zealand employers to engage in proactive workplace risk management. It provides them with an analysis of drug and alcohol usage trends, combining results from across the country.

In Q4, 4.01% of screens conducted by TDDA indicated the presence of drugs (Q3: 3.75%).

Cannabis remains the most prevalent substance detected in workplace drug testing, although detections eased in many regions following a Q3 peak.

ATS detections were up nationwide in Q4, representing a modest quarter-on-quarter increase. Cocaine detections, while remaining comparatively low overall, jumped 148% from the previous quarter.

Among all positive TDDA results, the most prevalent substances detected were:

·       Cannabis: present in 67.5% of positive tests, down 3.6% from 71.1% in Q3 2025.

·       ATS, including methamphetamine: present in 24.5% of positive tests, up 1.2% from 23.2% in Q3 2025.

·       Opioids, including oxycodone: present in 18.6% of positive tests, up 0.02% from 18.6% in Q3 2025.

·       Benzodiazepines: present in 2.9% of positive tests, up 0.7% from 2.2% in Q3 2025.

·       Cocaine: present in 3.7% of positive tests, up 2.2% from 1.5% in Q3 2025.

The data points to three broad shifts in substance use patterns nationwide. Increasing regional divergence in amphetamine-type substances (ATS), easing THC (Cannabis) detections after a Q3 peak, and a concerning rise in cocaine, significantly in Bay of Plenty, Auckland West and Waikato.

Full regional stats can be found here: https://tdda.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Imperans-Graphs-NZFINAL-19.02.26.pdf

“We warned employers in previous quarters that cocaine use was increasing across the nation, and Q4 data shows that this trend nearly doubled over the festive season,” says Glenn Dobson, CEO of TDDA. “This increase was particularly evident in Bay of Plenty, Auckland West, and Waikato. Businesses in the Bay of Plenty area need to take action immediately, as cocaine detections, which barely registered previously, rose to 9% of positive tests. Cocaine causes overconfidence, reduces focus and concentration, correlates with bad judgement and causes erratic behaviour. If you’re doing business in an affected region, employee education and testing are immediately advised. There’s significant risk for businesses with heavy machinery, you don’t want your workers operating chainsaws while on cocaine.”

Regional highlights

TDDA tracks regional fluctuations in substance use to help employers better manage workplace safety risks through targeted testing, education, and early intervention.

Drug Detection Rate in Auckland West, Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

Q4 data shows that drug trends are increasingly diverging by region, rather than moving in a single national direction. ATS recorded sharp increases, particularly in Auckland West, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Northland, Southland, and Wellington, while easing in some areas including Canterbury, Manawatū-Whanganui and Taranaki. At the same time, cannabis detections declined in many regions after peaking in Q3, although some areas, including Gisborne and Canterbury, experienced a bounce-back. Opioids use also increased across multiple regions, especially in Otago, Taranaki, Tasman and Wellington, reinforcing the need for closer monitoring.

“What this data reinforces is the need to stay proactive,” says Dobson. “As the year gets underway and businesses recruit, onboard new staff, or adjust workforce needs, clear expectations become critical. Fit-for-purpose substance use policies, supported by pre-employment testing, regular testing programmes, and ongoing training and education, help organisations manage risk early and prevent issues from arising on the job.”

Recommendations

“When growth in detection continues across successive quarters, or when drug trends change significantly, it’s a signal employers shouldn’t ignore,” says Dobson. “As summer months continue past the holidays, the priority is stopping trends from becoming established behaviours in your workplace. That requires clear expectations through policy, consistent testing, and early intervention, particularly as people move into new roles or return to work after long weekends.”

TDDA recommends that companies review and update substance use policies at the start of the year, ensure pre-employment testing is clearly embedded into recruitment processes, and maintain regular and random testing programmes. Employers are also encouraged to invest in training and education, so managers feel confident identifying when testing is appropriate, particularly following extended leave periods or during onboarding.

With people moving between roles and workplaces, a proactive approach to policy review, pre-employment testing, and workforce education can help employers reduce risk, protect their people, and maintain safe workplaces throughout the year.

Methodology: Tests from 27 sterile clinic locations and over 60 mobile clinics throughout New Zealand were used. All tests were taken between 1 October and 31 December 2025. Data from preemployment, post incident, regular and random testing has been combined. Testing methods included urine and oral fluid screening. Data is reported into, anonymised, and aggregated using TDDA’s Imperans system, a bespoke IT platform for testing services, data recording, and reporting. It represents a snapshot of drug trends across Australasian workplaces and industries.

Total figures on testing volumes or testing results by industry and region are commercially sensitive.

TDDA drug tests screen for amphetamines; benzodiazepines; cocaine; methamphetamine; opiates and opioids; cannabis; and synthetic drugs.

About the Imperans Report

The Imperans report addresses an information gap for business. Government organisations like ACC and WorkSafe publish incident reports, but they do not quantify when substances are a factor. Reports build businesses’ understanding of substance use patterns regionally and temporally so that they can anticipate and reduce workplace risks. TDDA provides over 250,000 tests every year.

About The Drug Detection Agency

The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) is a leader in workplace substance testing with more than 300 staff, 90 mobile health clinics, 65 locations throughout Australasia. TDDA was established in 2005 to provide New Zealand and Australian businesses with end-to-end workplace substance testing, education and policy services. TDDA holds ISO17025 accreditation for workplace substance testing in both AU and NZ. Refer to the IANZ and NATA websites for TDDA’s full accreditation details. As members of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) and the California Narcotic Officers Association (CNOA), TDDA closely follows and acts on global drug trends.

Learn more about TDDA by visiting https://tdda.com/.

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

19 February 2026 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will increase the number of scheduled monetary policy decisions from 7 to 8 per year, starting in 2027.

The Monetary Policy Committee has discussed the upcoming increase in the frequency of Consumers Price Index (CPI) data releases. From next year, CPI data is set to be published on a monthly basis, rather than quarterly. Due to this, the Committee believes it is appropriate to move to 8 scheduled decisions.

To accommodate an 8 decision schedule, the previously announced February 2027 decision date has been moved a week earlier.

While we have set dates out to February 2028, the Monetary Policy Committee can make unscheduled decisions at any time, should financial or economic conditions warrant it, and have done so in the past.

Our Financial Stability Reports will continue to be released twice a year, in May and November.

Monetary policy and OCR dates

DateAnnouncement
2026
8 April Monetary Policy Review and OCR
27 May Monetary Policy Statement and OCR
8 July Monetary Policy Review and OCR
2 September Monetary Policy Statement and OCR
28 October Monetary Policy Review and OCR
9 December Monetary Policy Statement and OCR
2027
10 FebruaryMonetary Policy Review and OCR
17 MarchMonetary Policy Statement and OCR
5 May Monetary Policy Review and OCR
16 JuneMonetary Policy Statement and OCR
4 AugustMonetary Policy Review and OCR
15 SeptemberMonetary Policy Statement and OCR
27 October Monetary Policy Review and OCR
8 DecemberMonetary Policy Statement and OCR
2028
9 FebruaryMonetary Policy Review and OCR
 

Financial Stability Report announcement dates

DateAnnouncement
 2027
12 MayFSR
10 November      FSR

MIL OSI

A case in which a man lost access to $11,000 of cryptocurrency has prompted a warning that some people might not realise the limits around access.

The man complained to the Insurance and Financial Ombudsman scheme.

He had created a cryptocurrency wallet and shortly afterwards was targeted by scammers who instructed him to open it and transfer the cryptocurrency to them.

When his bank alerted him to the scam, he stopped the transfers with $11,000 remaining in the digital wallet.

When he tried to access it later he was unable to do so. He was asked to use a back-up file but could not find it.

He told IFSO the platform should reimburse him. He said he was not adequately informed about the need to back-up the wallet and there were no clear warnings or prompts about the risks, he said.

Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens said crypto platforms had an obligation under the Consumer Guarantees Act to exercise reasonable care and skill.

The IFSO scheme looked at the information and prompts shown during the wallet set-up process, additional information available through links on the setup screens, the platform’s actions the issue was reported, and the platform’s terms of use.

She said, during set-up, the app displayed screens explaining that the wallet should be backed up, the back-up was the only way to recover funds if access was lost, and the platform could not access or restore wallets on behalf of customers.

The set-up screens also included links to further information explaining how wallet back-ups worked and the consequences of not completing one.

“We found no evidence that the platform failed to exercise reasonable care and skill. The information about backing up the wallet was presented during set-up, and additional explanations were readily available.

“We also noted that the platform took reasonable steps to assist [the man] once the issue was identified, but recovery was not possible without a back-up file. The platform’s terms clearly stated that customers are responsible for backing up their wallets and safeguarding access.”

The complaint was not upheld.

Alex Sims, a professor in the department of commercial law at the University of Auckland and an associate at the UCL centre for blockchain technologies, said people probably did not realise the limits on accessing cryptocurrencies and education was needed.

‘Although it does depend on the platform being used as many cryptocurrency platforms will hold and control the cryptocurrency, but this platform didn’t do this.”

Stevens said cryptocurrency platforms were different from traditional banking services and it was vital that people paid close attention to the set-up instructions.

Internationally, there have been cases where people have accidentally lost access to their crypto wallets, and lots millions of dollars.

A Welsh man said he unintentionally dumped 7500 bitcoin units in a landfill.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Businesses on Wellington’s South Coast are doing it tough since the failure of the Moa Point wastewater plant forced the closure of some of the capital’s most popular beaches.

An association of local businesses, Destination KRL, said hospitality and other water-dependent employers had lost – on average – more than half their customers in the last two weeks.

They have called for support from Wellington City Council.

Worst timing possible

On a warm, still summer evening at Wellington’s Lyall Bay, the usually bustling beach is deserted.

Co-owner of nearby Botanist cafe Maria Boyle said the sunny weather – especially following a storm in the capital – would usually see her cafe packed with customers.

“With this weather everybody gets out, they’re excited, the weather’s nice. We would be completely full right now and we’ve got, maybe, a quarter of the amount of tables we’d normally have.”

She said daytime customers had nearly halved since the plant failed.

Boyle said – for her business – the closure of the beaches could not have come at a worse time.

“We essentially rely on this busy summer trade to get us through winter. Last winter was the worst winter we’ve ever had. For this to happen – after the last two years of terrible hospitality – it’s a disaster.”

Further down the beach, local fish and chip shop Seaview Takeaways had been feeding beachgoers for nearly 34 years. Owner Vicky Shen said in the last two weeks they had lost nearly 70 percent of their business.

She had planned to cut staff hours to stay afloat.

“I have to deal with it. So I will cut down some hours of my labour. I will do it myself. So I will work longer myself – so that’s very difficult – but otherwise I can’t afford it.”

Surfboard maker Jack Candlish of Verdure Surf builds his boards within sight of the city’s most popular surf break – right next to Wellington Airport and Moa Point.

He usually sold just over a third of his boards to locals, but said he had not received a single local inquiry since news of the contamination of the surf spot broke.

“If it drags on much longer we’ll probably look at relocating. It’s something that we’ve already thought about doing but this has been a bit of a kick to, kind of, fast-track that process.

“We might as well be in Palmerston North as far as I’m concerned, when the beach isn’t even accessible.”

Another massive mountain to climb

Steve Walters of Destination KRL said he had heard from about 30 businesses in the area reporting dramatic losses over the last fortnight.

He said people in the beachside suburb paid some of the highest rates in the country, and if a solution could not be put in place quickly the council should step in to help.

“We’ve got government workers being reduced in this town and people being pretty tight with their money. Now on top of that a combination of entities have failed in providing a service which these businesses have paid for, so they’re feeling ‘we’ve just suddenly got another massive mountain to climb’ and they need support to get over that.”

A spokesperson for Wellington City Council said they had been in touch with business leaders in the area and were looking at how best to support affected businesses. But the council could not provide details of any plans at this stage.

“We appreciate the Moa Point plant failure will be having an impact on the South Coast, in particular some of the businesses in Lyall Bay,” a spokesperson said.

“We want to encourage Wellingtonians to get down to Lyall Bay, especially on a good day, and pay the cafes and other businesses a visit and spend some money.”

Wellington Water said it could be months before the plant was back in operation.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts has announced the appointment of Stuart Calman as New Zealand’s Climate Change Ambassador.

“I am pleased to welcome Stuart to this role, given his expertise in foreign policy, trade and development, along with strong climate policy experience,” Mr Watts says.

“Stuart brings an excellent understanding of opportunities for enhanced cooperation with the Pacific and Southeast Asia. A particular focus in 2026 will be supporting Australia in its role as chair of the UN Climate COP31 negotiations, in partnership with the Pacific. Stuart’s expertise will be beneficial in supporting New Zealand’s economic, trade, and climate goals.”

Mr Calman is a senior diplomat who served as New Zealand’s Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) based in Jakarta from 2022-24. He has held leadership roles in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade with a focus on energy, climate resilience and sustainable economic development in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Prior to joining the Ministry in 2013, Mr Calman held management roles in the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Economic Development, responsible for climate change, energy and environmental policy.

Mr Calman studied Business, Economics and Development at Massey University and his whakapapa includes Ngāti Toa, Raukawa ki te Tonga and Kāi Tahu. He will take up his new, Wellington-based role effective immediately, replacing Stuart Horne who has taken up the role of New Zealand Consul-General in Honolulu. 

Mr Calman’s appointment as Climate Change Ambassador starts on Monday 16 February 2026.

MIL OSI

Robert Walters identifies New Zealand’s key labour and salary trends for 2026

Auckland, New Zealand, 18th Feb 2026 - 2026 will be a year of strategic hiring, increased pressure on salaries, and rising workforce mobility across New Zealand, according to new research from global talent solutions partner Robert Walters.  

The findings come from its latest Salary Guide, launching today, which surveyed over 2,300 white-collar New Zealand professionals across 12 different industries.  

Shay Peters, CEO, Robert Walters Australia & New Zealand: ”The New Zealand labour market is showing a renewed sense of optimism, but caution remains. Businesses are hiring again, skills shortages persist, and employees are carefully weighing where they work, what they earn, and whether to relocate. This combination is reshaping the workforce: organisations face pressure to attract and retain talent, address capability gaps, and balance pay with cost-of-living concerns, while employees are increasingly strategic about career moves and mobility. How companies respond now will have a direct impact on productivity, growth, and their ability to secure and retain the talent they need for success in the future.” 

Key labour market trends  

Hiring rebounds, but jobseekers remain cautious after 2025 turmoil

Market confidence is gradual but strengthening, with 76% of New Zealand businesses planning to hire in 2026, up from 66% in 2025. 

Hiring demand varies regionally. Canterbury leads hiring intent at 78%, followed by Auckland (75%) and Wellington (72%). 

Despite this uplift in business confidence, employee mobility has cooled. 53% of New Zealand professionals are considering a role change this year, down from 63% in 2025, suggesting a more cautious workforce. 

Shay comments: ”Hiring intent has increased since last year, signalling that businesses are ready to move forward. However, employees are taking a more considered approach. From conversations we’ve been having with job seekers, we know the unstable condition of the 2025 labour market is making people concerned about job prospects in 2026. Economic uncertainty over the past year has made many professionals very risk-aware. The labour market is gradually rebalancing, rather than surging.” 

Salary growth remains modest as cost-of-living pressures persist

In 2025, 57% of New Zealand professionals received a pay rise, although most increases fell within the modest 2.5%-5% range, limiting their real impact. 

67% of New Zealand businesses intend to offer salary increases in 2026, while 56% of professionals expect one. 

42% of employees feel underpaid, but 83% of employers believe salaries are keeping pace with the cost of living, highlighting a perception gap. 

Salary dissatisfaction varies regionally. In Canterbury, 46% of professionals do not believe their salary matches the cost of living. In Auckland this stands at 42%, and in Wellington 39%. 

Shay comments: ”As businesses come out of last year’s restructures, organisations have an opportunity to reassess remuneration. Where salary increases are not feasible, employers must focus on career progression, flexibility, and skills development. It’s no secret the movement of New Zealand talent to Australia is well underway. Dissatisfaction around pay is a high retention risk, especially as overseas markets actively target New Zealand talent.” 

Skills shortages squeeze productivity across key sectors

Skills shortages remain critical, with 81% of New Zealand employers experiencing gaps over the past year. 

Regional pressure varies, with 52% of Auckland employers reporting shortages, followed by Wellington (49%) and Canterbury (39%). 

The most acute gaps are in industry-specific expertise (52%), digital and technology capability (37%), and leadership skills (31%) - these areas closely linked to productivity and organisational performance. 

Hiring challenges are compounded by unsuitable applicants (62%) and a lack of formal qualifications (53%). 

 Shay comments: ”Skills shortages are a severe productivity issue. When capability gaps persist, delivery slows and growth opportunities are missed. 

New Zealand organisations must take a long-term view, investing in leadership development, digital capability, and structured workforce planning. Skills gaps directly impact productivity and growth, and with more talent continuing to move to Australia, this challenge will intensify unless decisive action is taken now. Waiting for the market to correct itself is no longer a viable strategy in a competitive global talent landscape.” 

AI adoption accelerates, but concerns remain

AI integration is gaining momentum. 86% of New Zealand businesses are actively promoting AI, and 70% of employers say AI skills are important. 

Adoption at employee level is already high, with 69% using AI in their roles. However, 51% express concern about AI’s future impact on their job.

Shay comments: ”New Zealand businesses are embracing AI at pace, but adoption must be matched with transparency and training. The fact that over half of employees are concerned about AI’s future impact highlights the importance of clear communication and structured upskilling. 

At the speed AI is developing, it’s critical that soft skills like leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving are not lost but actively encouraged alongside new technology. 

Done right, AI can increase efficiency, boost productivity, and complement human talent, supporting the goals outlined in New Zealand’s 2025 AI Strategy for a productive, future-ready workforce.” 

Rising relocation trends are creating a borderless workforce

Mobility remains a defining feature of the New Zealand workforce. 58% of professionals are open to relocating for work. 

Interest varies regionally. In Auckland, 64% would consider relocating, compared with 53% in Wellington and 51% in Canterbury. 

Australia is the most attractive destination, with 65% naming it as their top choice. Domestically, 54% would consider relocating within New Zealand. Internationally, 23% would consider moving to the UK and 21% to Europe. 

The primary drivers of relocation are higher salaries (71%), better job opportunities (65%), lifestyle changes (53%), and cost of living (38%). 

Interest in Australians relocating to New Zealand has increased this year to 17% (up from 2% in 2025). 

Shay comments: ”The strength of interest in Australia underscores how interconnected the two labour markets have become. For many professionals, relocation is no longer aspirational, it is a strategic financial and career decision. 

New Zealand employers must recognise that they are competing not just locally, but internationally. Organisations that create compelling career pathways, competitive remuneration and flexible work models will be better positioned to retain talent in an increasingly borderless market.” 

About the Salary Guide: The Robert Walters 2026 Salary Guide provides a comprehensive overview of hiring intentions, salary trends, skills shortages, and workforce mobility across New Zealand. With insights from over 2,300 respondents, the guide highlights how businesses and employees are navigating an evolving labour market shaped by cost-of-living pressures, technological adoption, and mobility opportunities.

About Robert Walters:  

With more than 3,100 people in 30 countries, Robert Walters delivers recruitment consultancy, staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and managed services across the globe. From traditional recruitment and staffing to end-to-end talent management, our consultants are experts at matching highly skilled people to permanent, contract and interim roles across all professional disciplines. 

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

• The Infrastructure Commission has released the country’s first National Infrastructure Plan
• Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop requested the plan and is pushing for cross-party buy-in
• The plan sets out 16 recommendations, and 10 priorities for the next decade

The country’s first National Infrastructure Plan has landed, laying out an ‘affordable’ plan to tackle the country’s infrastructure woes.

The 226-page report discusses “formidable challenges” to New Zealand’s roads, water pipes, power lines, hospitals, schools and courts.

It said building and maintaining infrastructure was becoming more expensive as climate change was making the natural hazard risks more severe.

On top of this, much of what had been built in the past decades was wearing out and needed to be replaced, the report said.

Infrastructure Commission chief executive Geoff Cooper said the plan set out a practical, affordable pathway to deliver the infrastructure the country needed over the next 30 years.

“While the plan looks at the long term, it’s clear that we need to take action now. Weather events and infrastructure failures make very clear the importance of investing to renew and build resilience into the networks that sustain our way of life.

“We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done. Each year we invest just over $20 billion on infrastructure, yet on a dollar-for-dollar basis we achieve less than many of our more efficient international peers.”

Cooper said the plan was “ambitous, but centred on affordability” to give decision makers a clear, system-wide picture of where pressures were emerging and where investment would deliver the greatest value.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 16 recommendations (detailed version below)

1. Needs-based capital allowances

2. Land transport funding and oversight

3. Long-term investment planning

4. Predictable government funding signals

5. Multi-year budgeting

6. Asset management performance reporting

7. System-wide assurance

8. Asset management assurance

9. Investment readiness assurance

10. Project information coordination

11. Stable resource management framework

12. Integrated spatial planning

13. Optimised infrastructure use

14. Accelerated electricity investment

15. Coordinated workforce development

16. Public sector project leadership

Cooper said the plan charted an affordable way to meet a diverse set of infrastructure demands over time and identified how to best prioritise and sequence a large programme of significant investments such as roads, rapid transit, and hospitals.

“The plan demonstrates a fundable and affordable programme of works that futureproofs existing services, while incrementally building on the network as the country grows and develops,” he said.

“A plan by itself won’t change anything. The National Infrastructure Plan charts the course, but progress depends on how decision-makers, delivery agencies, industry, and communities use the plan to do things differently.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 10 priorities for the next decade (detailed version below)

1. Lift hospital investment for an ageing population

2. Complete catch up on renewals in the water sector and restore affordability

3. Implement time of use charging and fleetwide road user charges

4. Prioritise and sequence major land transport projects

5. Manage assets on the downside

6. Prioritise adequate maintenance and renewals

7. Identify cost-effective flood risk infrastructure

8. Commit to a durable resource management framework

9. Commit to upzoning around key transport corridors

10. Take a predictable approach to electrify the economy

Responding to the release of the report, Bishop said delivering and maintaining better infrastructure was a key part of the coalition’s plan to fix the basics and build the future.

“The government has spent a lot of time in the last two years making a start on fixing the basics of our system, but there is a lot more to do.

“The Investment Management System has been strengthened, long-term investment plans are beginning to be developed, and ministers are demanding higher quality information from agencies.

“We have launched a comprehensive programme of work to improve asset management in the public sector.”

Bishop said the coalition would study each of the recommendations carefully and publish its response to the plan in June 2026.

“As part of our response to the National Infrastructure Plan I intend to engage with other political parties in Parliament.

“Infrastructure Commission officials will make briefings available to parties who wish to take a deeper dive into the detail behind the recommendations, and I will be writing to Parliament’s Business Committee seeking time for a special debate on the plan.

“Infrastructure lasts for generations. Where we can build durable consensus, we should.

“Fixing the basics and building the future of New Zealand infrastructure is central to lifting living standards and driving our prosperity. The National Infrastructure Plan is a great contribution to this shared agenda for everyone in New Zealand. Now it is up to all of us to do the hard work required to turn ambition into delivery.”

The commission consulted on a draft plan last year before giving the final report to Bishop on 22 December 2025.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 16 recommendations (detailed version)

1. Needs-based capital allowances: Ensure fiscal strategy and capital allowances are informed by the commission’s independent assessment of long-term needs and agencies’ infrastructure asset management and investment plans.

2. Land transport funding and oversight: Reform the land transport funding and investment oversight system to ensure financial sustainability and enhance economic and social outcomes by aligning investment expectations with available revenue and strengthening efficiency and accountability in delivery.

3. Long-term investment planning: Introduce legislative requirements for capital-intensive central government agencies to prepare and publish longterm investment and asset management plans aligned with the government’s fiscal strategy.

4. Predictable government funding signals: Extend the horizon over which governments plan their infrastructure funding intentions and communicate these intentions to agencies and the public.

5. Multi-year budgeting: Adopt multi-year budgeting arrangements that leverage and reinforce high-quality infrastructure planning, delivery and asset management practices.

6. Asset management performance reporting: Require, through legislation, capital-intensive central government agencies to report on asset information and asset management performance, including progress against their investment and asset management plans.

7. System-wide assurance: Establish a consolidated assurance function that provides ministers with a system-wide view of infrastructure planning, delivery, and asset management performance and risk.

8. Asset management assurance: Establish an assurance function for capital-intensive central government agencies covering asset management and investment planning activities.

9. Investment readiness assurance: Strengthen investment assurance by applying a transparent, independent readiness assessment to major government-funde investment proposals.

10. Project information coordination: Require all infrastructure providers to maintain up-to-date data in the National Infrastructure Pipeline and strengthen arrangements for improving data quality over time.

11. Stable resource management framework: Commit to maintaining a stable legislative framework for resource management that enables infrastructure development while managing environmental impacts.

12. Integrated spatial planning: Ensure spatial planning within the resource management system aligns infrastructure investment with land-use planning and regulation.

13. Optimised infrastructure use: Set land-use policies to enable maximum efficient use of existing and new infrastructure.

14. Accelerated electricity investment: Establish clear, consistent, and coordinated government policies to accelerate electricity infrastructure investment that supports economic growth and emissions reduction.

15. Coordinated workforce development: Align workforce development planning and policy with infrastructure investment and asset management plans and the commission’s independent view of longterm needs.

16. Public sector project leadership: Strengthen public sector project leadership through a consistent, system-wide approach to appointing, developing, and supporting infrastructure leaders.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 10 priorities for the next decade (detailed version)

1. Lift hospital investment for an ageing population: Increase investment as a share of GDP to address ageing population demands and maintenance backlogs through clear long-term planning.

2. Complete catch up on renewals in the water sector and restore affordability: Sector affordability can be restored through national guidance on demand management, resourcing the economic regulator and providing assurance over investment proposals.

3. Implement time of use charging and fleetwide road user charges: This is essential for improving the efficiency of our urban road networks, particularly in congested cities.

4. Prioritise and sequence major land transport projects: Restore affordability by timing major road and rapid transit investments based on demonstrated demand and cost benchmarking, while using low-cost and targeted improvements first to lift network performance.

5. Manage assets on the downside: Actively plan for declining demand scenarios arising from changing demographics, technology and climate change, and explore asset recycling opportunities within portfolios to maintain value and affordability.

6. Prioritise adequate maintenance and renewals: Central government agencies must prioritise adequate funding to prevent asset deterioration and costly reactive fixes.

7. Identify cost-effective flood risk infrastructure: Climate change will intensify flooding and impact infrastructure, requiring effective community risk management approaches.

8. Commit to a durable resource management framework: New Zealand needs a durable legislative framework with spatial planning and national standards that can evolve through incremental amendments.

9. Commit to upzoning around key transport corridors: This will lead to more efficient use of water and other networks and maximise the value of transport infrastructure investments.

10. Take a predictable approach to electrify the economy: Achieving electrification and net zero carbon targets requires predictable market rules and policy settings rather than non-commercial government investment in electricity supply.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Consumer NZ says significant savings are on the table for some people as house insurance premiums rise sharply in a few cities and drop in others.

Consumer NZ’s latest house and contents premium survey found relief in insurance prices in Auckland, while prices in Wellington and Christchurch continue to rocket.

“Our research found the median premium for a large house in Auckland had dropped by around 11% compared with the previous year. Whereas, in Christchurch and Wellington, the median premium for a large house went up by about 10%,” said Rebecca Styles, Consumer’s research lead.

However, savings are available for those who can shop around.

“When we compared policies with the same excess and sum insured across the 6 centres, we found the median potential saving was about $550.”  

“More than 8 in ten people have had the same insurance provider for at least 3 years. When people decide to switch, it’s usually because of price, and with some of the savings available, we can see why.”

How the prices stack up

Wellington continues to be the most expensive city for house insurance. The median cost for house and contents insurance for a standard home was a whopping $3,824 in Consumer’s 2025 house and contents premium survey.

Dunedin has the cheapest home insurance options, with the median cost for house and contents insurance for a standard home coming in at $2,227.

The impact on consumers

According to Consumer’s latest insurance survey, around three-quarters of New Zealanders are at least somewhat concerned about the cost of house insurance. More recently, Consumer’s research has revealed that three in ten New Zealanders list the cost of insurance as a top financial concern.

Insurance retreat has been big news recently, and Consumer expects this will continue to impact more areas around the country because of the increasing number of floods, landslides and sea surges.  

“About 1% of over 3,000 survey respondents told us they couldn’t switch because no provider would offer them insurance. “

Insurance savings tips

Shop around – if you are offered a better price by another provider, you could use this offer to haggle with your current provider. Head to Consumer’s house and contents insurance webpage to compare prices and policy details.

If you’re struggling, opt for a higher excess so you can lower your premiums. Don’t set the excess so high you couldn’t scrape the money together if you needed to make a claim.

Ask your insurer if your premiums would be cheaper if you installed an alarm or security cameras – the savings might subsidise the installation costs.

If you can afford to, pay your premiums annually – you should get a discount.

If no insurer will cover your home, you can contact the Natural Hazards Commission and ask about its natural hazards cover (known as NHCover). It might be able to provide you with natural hazard insurance directly. You can contact NHCover on NHCover@naturalhazards.govt.nz.

Notes

Consumer gathered quotes for house and contents insurance premiums from nine insurers for homes in the six main centres in Aotearoa. We collected the quotes in November 2025, for policies starting on 1 December 2025.

Consumer NZ requested quotes for:  

a couple with a standard-sized house insured for $560,000 (which we increased from $550,000 after using a sum insured calculator) and contents for $90,000

a family of four with a large house insured for $840,000 (which we increased from $800,000 after using a sum insured calculator) and contents for $140,000.

MIL OSI

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop today welcomed the release of the National Infrastructure Plan and tabled it in Parliament.

“New Zealand’s future prosperity depends on high quality infrastructure. It is central to our quality of life and to the Government’s “Going for Growth” agenda,” Mr Bishop says.

“Delivering and maintaining better infrastructure is a key part of the Government’s plan to fix the basics and build the future New Zealanders both need and deserve.

“Creating a 30-year plan for New Zealand’s infrastructure was a key campaign commitment for the National Party in 2023, and I asked the independent New Zealand Infrastructure Commission to begin work on it shortly after we formed government. 

“The resulting National Infrastructure Plan, released today, sets out a 30-year view of how New Zealand can improve the way it plans, funds, maintains and delivers infrastructure. The final Plan follows consultation on a draft released last year and identifies four themes for change and 10 priority actions for the decade ahead.”

“The Plan does not sugar coat things: New Zealand has real challenges ahead. 

“We spend a lot on infrastructure – around 5.8% of GDP annually over the last 20 years, one of the highest in the OECD – yet we rank towards the bottom for efficiency, and fourth to last in the OECD for asset management. Many central government agencies do not properly understand what they own or have long-term investment plans. The assurance system for new projects and long-term investments is fragmented and inconsistent.

“The Government has spent a lot of time in the last two years making a start on fixing the basics of our system, but there is a lot more to do. The Investment Management System has been strengthened, long-term investment plans are beginning to be developed, and Ministers are demanding higher quality information from agencies. We have launched a comprehensive programme of work to improve asset management in the public sector. 

“On top of this, we have established National Infrastructure Funding and Financing to connect private capital with public projects, clarified roles and responsibilities across the system, published Funding and Financing Principles, updated guidance material for PPPs, and improved the quality and transparency of the National Infrastructure Pipeline.

“It is encouraging that many of the Commission’s top 10 priorities for the decade ahead (page 14) reflect work already underway by the Government:

• Lifting hospital investment for an ageing population – Health New Zealand now has a long-term capital infrastructure plan, and this Government is providing record investment in both capital and maintenance spending for health.
• Completing catch-up on water renewals and restoring affordability – The Local Water Done Well reforms are well underway, including stronger economic oversight.
• Implementing time-of-use charging and fleetwide road user charges – Legislation enabling time of use pricing was passed last year, and the government is working with Auckland Council on scheme options. We have begun the transition to Electronic Road User Charges (E-RUC) across the transport fleet.
• Prioritising and sequencing major land transport projects – the government will soon publish a Major Transport Projects Pipeline.
• Managing assets on the downside and prioritising maintenance first – Phase 1 of the government’s Asset Management Work Programme has provided practical tools and guidance to agencies so that they can up their game in asset management. Phase 2 is about driving more fundamental changes to system settings.
• Identifying cost-effective flood resilience infrastructure – The Government has developed a National Adaptation Framework to help reduce and manage the growing risks we face. The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has invested nearly $200 million into 74 flood resilience projects across the country.
• Committing to a durable resource management framework – The government has introduced legislation to replace the Resource Management Act with a more enabling and stable system, with spatial planning and national standards at its heart.
• Upzoning around key transport corridors – the government’s housing and planning reforms are focused on enabling transport-oriented-development, particularly around the new City Rail Link stations.
• Taking a predictable approach to electrification – we are focused on creating stable policy settings to unlock investment in electricity generation and transmission.

“The Plan contains a series of recommendations for long-term system shifts, including legislative change to require long-term investment and asset management plans, a consolidated assurance function for Ministers, and better linkages between the Commission’s assessment of long-term needs and fiscal strategy.

“We will be studying these recommendations carefully and the Government will publish a response to the plan in June 2026.

“As part of our response to the National Infrastructure Plan I intend to engage with other political parties in Parliament. Infrastructure Commission officials will make briefings available to parties who wish to take a deeper dive into the detail behind the recommendations, and I will be writing to Parliament’s Business Committee seeking time for a special debate on the Plan. 

“Infrastructure lasts for generations. Where we can build durable consensus, we should.

“Fixing the basics and building the future of New Zealand infrastructure is central to lifting living standards and driving our prosperity. The National Infrastructure Plan is a great contribution to this shared agenda for everyone in New Zealand. Now it is up to all of us to do the hard work required to turn ambition into delivery.”

MIL OSI

*Clarification: This article has been updated to clarify AA Insurance’s policy

Aucklanders may finally be getting some relief on their insurance premiums – but the same cannot be said for Wellington and Christchurch, and some people are struggling to get it at all.

Consumer NZ said its latest survey of house and contents insurance premiums showed the median price for insurance for a large house in Auckland had dropped 11 percent year-on-year.

But in Wellington and Christchurch, the cost of insurance was up 10 percent.

Wellington was the most expensive city in the country for house insurance. The median cost of house and contents cover for a standard home was $3824 a year, Consumer’s insurance expert Rebecca Styles said.

Dunedin has the cheapest home insurance options, with the median cost for house and contents insurance for a standard home coming in at $2227.

The quotes were based on a couple with a standard-sized house insured for $560,000 and contents for $90,000, and a family of four with a large house insured for $840,000 and contents for $140,000.

Styles said people could often save money by shopping around.

“When we compared policies with the same excess and sum insured across the six centres, we found the median potential saving was about $550.

“More than eight in 10 people have had the same insurance provider for at least three years. When people decide to switch, it’s usually because of price, and with some of the savings available, we can see why.”

She said people who could find a better price elsewhere could use that to try to negotiate a discount with their current provider.

Opting for a higher excess could also mean lower premiums. But Styles said people should not set their excess so high they could not cover it if they had to claim.

“Ask your insurer if your premiums would be cheaper if you installed an alarm or security cameras – the savings might subsidise the installation costs. If you can afford to, pay your premiums annually – you should get a discount.”

Styles said 1 percent of the 3000 people who responded to the survey said they could not switch because no other provider would offer insurance.

The Auckland drop was coming on the back of a large spike after Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary weekend flooding, she said. It could be that flood mitigation efforts and infrastructure improvements were also reducing risk.

But people in high risk areas were likely to find it harder to find insurance, she said.

“I think in Wellington and Christchurch, it’s the same old thing of earthquakes, floods and landslides. And it just means that we’re paying more and more for insurance in those regions.

“With the reports of AA Insurance not covering some postcodes, and I think other insurers are weighing up risk across the country, they’re always monitoring their risk portfolios and making sure they don’t have too much risk in one area more so than another. And, if we don’t do anything about a climate adaptation framework, practically in terms of infrastructure – there’s just more and more frequent extreme weather events and flooding – if the infrastructure doesn’t keep up with that, I think prices will just keep going up and up.”

AA Insurance has implemented a temporary pause on new house and landlord policies in a small number of areas across New Zealand.

If someone was struggling to find suitable cover, they could contact the Natural Hazards Commission and ask about its natural hazards cover, which offered more limited protection, she said. “It’s sort of the insurance of last resort for natural hazards. So it would be for your house, it wouldn’t be for your contents.”

She said the government’s investigation into the insurance market would help in terms of giving people assurance about whether they were paying fair price.

“We eagerly await the outcome of that, given it’ll be at least six months.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Aucklanders may finally be getting some relief on their insurance premiums – but the same cannot be said for Wellington and Christchurch, and some people are struggling to get it at all.

Consumer NZ said its latest survey of house and contents insurance premiums showed the median price for insurance for a large house in Auckland had dropped 11 percent year-on-year.

But in Wellington and Christchurch, the cost of insurance was up 10 percent.

Wellington was the most expensive city in the country for house insurance. The median cost of house and contents cover for a standard home was $3824 a year, Consumer’s insurance expert Rebecca Styles said.

Dunedin has the cheapest home insurance options, with the median cost for house and contents insurance for a standard home coming in at $2227.

The quotes were based on a couple with a standard-sized house insured for $560,000 and contents for $90,000, and a family of four with a large house insured for $840,000 and contents for $140,000.

Styles said people could often save money by shopping around.

“When we compared policies with the same excess and sum insured across the six centres, we found the median potential saving was about $550.

“More than eight in 10 people have had the same insurance provider for at least three years. When people decide to switch, it’s usually because of price, and with some of the savings available, we can see why.”

She said people who could find a better price elsewhere could use that to try to negotiate a discount with their current provider.

Opting for a higher excess could also mean lower premiums. But Styles said people should not set their excess so high they could not cover it if they had to claim.

“Ask your insurer if your premiums would be cheaper if you installed an alarm or security cameras – the savings might subsidise the installation costs. If you can afford to, pay your premiums annually – you should get a discount.”

Styles said 1 percent of the 3000 people who responded to the survey said they could not switch because no other provider would offer insurance.

The Auckland drop was coming on the back of a large spike after Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary weekend flooding, she said. It could be that flood mitigation efforts and infrastructure improvements were also reducing risk.

But people in high risk areas were likely to find it harder to find insurance, she said.

“I think in Wellington and Christchurch, it’s the same old thing of earthquakes, floods and landslides. And it just means that we’re paying more and more for insurance in those regions.

“With the reports of AA Insurance not covering some postcodes, and I think other insurers are weighing up risk across the country, they’re always monitoring their risk portfolios and making sure they don’t have too much risk in one area more so than another. And, if we don’t do anything about a climate adaptation framework, practically in terms of infrastructure – there’s just more and more frequent extreme weather events and flooding – if the infrastructure doesn’t keep up with that, I think prices will just keep going up and up.”

If someone was struggling to find suitable cover, they could contact the Natural Hazards Commission and ask about its natural hazards cover, which offered more limited protection, she said. “It’s sort of the insurance of last resort for natural hazards. So it would be for your house, it wouldn’t be for your contents.”

She said the government’s investigation into the insurance market would help in terms of giving people assurance about whether they were paying fair price.

“We eagerly await the outcome of that, given it’ll be at least six months.”

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

• Services sector expands at a slower pace in January
• Sales activity continues rising, employment falls
• Proportion of negative comments increases
• BNZ says economy is on the right track

The services sector recovery slowed to a crawl last month.

The BNZ-BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index (PSI) fell by 0.8 points to 50.9 in January, below its long-term average of 52.8.

A reading above 50 indicates the sector, which accounts for nearly three quarters of the economy, is expanding.

BusinessNZ’s chief executive Katherine Rich said despite the slowdown in January the sector remained on the right side of the ledger after such a lengthy period of contraction.

Activity/sales was the only sub-index to rise in January, with a softer reading for new orders/business, while stocks/inventories, supplier deliveries, and employment moved further into contraction.

The proportion of negative comments climbed to 58.7 percent, with firms reporting low confidence, holiday shutdowns and high operating costs.

BNZ senior economist Doug Steel preferred to concentrate on the direction of travel of the data, rather than one month’s results, saying that “the big question to end 2025 was whether the economy may be turning”.

“Data since then has given us confidence that recent positive momentum can be sustained. The economy is growing.”

The combined PSI/PMI activity indicators are consistent with BNZ’s forecasts of rising GDP this year, according to Steel.

He expected the Reserve Bank to leave interest rates unchanged this week, but a key question for the Reserve Bank would be when does increasing economic growth start translating into higher inflation.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A prisoner with a burst appendix was told it was a stomach bug, and waited six days to be admitted to hospital for surgery.

The Health and Disability Commissioner said multiple registered nurses saw the woman, but their clinical impression was that of a viral infection.

On her admission to hospital on 5 July, 2022, she was diagnosed with a burst appendix, and the next day she underwent an operation to remove her appendix, drain a pelvic abscess, and remove a section of her large intestine.

Her symptoms were first flagged after a standard morning medication round, when two nurses noted that the woman, who the report calls Ms A, had been vomiting for the past three days and unable to keep food down.

Ms A told the commissioner investigating her case that a nurse told her it was a stomach bug, and when her symptoms persisted at the next appointment, she was told to “ride it out”.

The prison has denied clinical staff said this. It explained the woman’s treatment was focused on managing nausea and vomiting, and maintaining hydration, as nurse assessments indicated a viral illness and an absence of any red flag symptoms.

The woman was seen by multiple nurses during the next six days for nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, but there was no record of observations like temperature, blood pressure, or pulse, no abdominal examinations, and no description of bowel movements taken at these assessments.

There was also no evidence her fluids were monitored, despite the vomiting, and no clear record of the effect of pain medication provided.

She was eventually referred to the local hospital by a medical officer, following blood tests on 5 July.

She spent nine days in hospital, and was discharged on 14 July. She complained to the Health and Disability Commissioner the following month, on 22 August.

Commissioner Vanessa Caldwell found the Department of Corrections had breached the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights by failing to provide appropriate care to Ms A, and to escalate her care in light of her symptoms and multiple presentations.

Department of Corrections accepts the care was below standard, blames staff shortages and high turnover

According to the HDC report, the Department of Corrections accepted the nursing assessments and documentation did not meet professional standards – or the department’s own expectations.

However, it explained its health team was experiencing high volumes of staff vacancies, staff turnover, and unplanned absences at the time of these events.

The prison, which is not named in the report, also had no permanent health centre manager nor access to a clinical quality assurance advisor at the

time, it said.

Ms A said she was in a vulnerable and dependent state, and the clinical staff did not do enough to escalate her care. She said the consequences of these events have greatly affected her, and she has since undergone a second surgery.

Changes since the incident

The prison told HDC the following changes had been made since the incident:

Commissioner also recommends a written apology

The commissioner said the prison should write an apology to Ms A, to be sent to HDC within three weeks for forwarding.

When Corrections was approached for further comment, Juanita Ryan, deputy chief executive Pae Ora, said she would like to reiterate the department’s apologies to Ms A.

“The medical care Ms A received fell short of what is rightly expected of us. It is critical that while someone is in our custody, we support and improve their health, ensure their physical safety, and treat them with dignity and respect. In this instance we did not provide adequate healthcare for Ms A and for this we are truly sorry. We have apologised to Ms A directly.”

She said they had done or were on track with a number of other recommendations made by the commissioner – including providing copies of relevant guidance documents and audit findings.

Corrections now also required evidence that all staff at the prison had completed the Graduate Certificate in Nursing: Rural Assessment of the Deteriorating Patient at Ara Institute of Canterbury, she said, and a new online training module on pain management was on track to be completed by the end of March.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A man with multiple sclerosis died from choking while being fed by a healthcare assistant sitting up in bed.

A Health and Disability Comissioner (HDC) report by Carolyn Cooper looked into the events, after his family made a complaint following his death amid concerns about his overall standard of care.

The man – named Mr B in the report – was aged in his late 20s and had lived at Lonsdale Total Care Centre in Foxton for about six months before his death in May 2022.

As well as multiple sclerosis, he was diagnosed with mental health co-morbidities, was sight-impaired and required assistance for all aspects of daily living – including to feed and reposition himself.

The family’s complaint queried why he was not showered for the six months he was there – but Lonsdale explained it was because he had requested not to be showered, and preferred to be washed daily, despite attempts by staff to encourage showering.

The hoist

In their initial complaint, Mr B’s family questioned why he was confined to his bed due to a broken hoist.

Up until late March of that year, Mr B was lifted out of bed on request – usually to smoke, which the home believed was important for his mental health – and that was usually done with a hoist.

But Lonsdale said that at no point was a standing hoist unavailable, but it was not used because of safety concerns due to Mr B’s violent swaying and involuntary body movements.

The HDC report concluded: “It is my view that Lonsdale has provided a plausible explanation of why these issues occurred, and I acknowledge that the staff were respecting Mr B’s wishes.”

The choking incident

Lonsdale noted Mr B had choked once before, and a plan was made for him to sit upright when eating to mitigate the risk.

However, Lonsdale told the HDC: “It is a fair question if more should have been done to recognise and mitigate the risk of choking, in particular by referring [Mr B] for specialist assessment. It’s one we have asked ourselves.”

Recommendations

The HDC found Lonsdale in breach the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights, and was critical that Mr B’s risk of choking was not identified earlier and made part of a more comprehensive care plan.

Lonsdale has accepted this finding.

Ms B, who is Mr B’s mother and the one who laid the complaint, responded that she regretted placing Mr B in their care.

A registered nurse, who was asked to give feedback on the situation for the HDC report, said: “It appears that the care team knew Mr B well and were responsive to his needs; however, I consider the lack of personalised care guidance to have potentially created increased risk, particularly for those who were not familiar with Mr B’s care requirements.”

Since the incident, Lonsdale had made a number of changes to improve documentation and evaluations for those in their care.

The HDC report commended Lonsdale for apologising to Mr B’s family and for the prompt improvements, and made no further recommendations.

Approached by RNZ for further comment, Lonsdale general manager Mark Buckley said the team strove to provide the highest level of quality care to all their residents.

“All of us here at Lonsdale continue to extend our sincere condolences to our resident’s family,” he said. “This was a distressing event for everyone involved.”

Since the event in 2021, they had worked to improve aspects of care such as planning, communication and documentation, along with a change of GP practice to a more ARRC (Age-Related Residential Care Agreement) focused provider and the upgrade of patient management software. A clinical manager and additional management support were appointed in 2022.

“We continue to do all we can to make sure that an incident like this can’t happen again.

When approached by RNZ for further comment, Lonsdale general manager Mark Buckley said the team strove to provide the highest level of quality care to all their residents.

“All of us here at Lonsdale continue to extend our sincere condolences to our resident’s family,” he said. “This was a distressing event for everyone involved.”

Since the event in 2021, they had worked to improve aspects of care such as planning, communication and documentation, along with a change of GP practice to a more ARRC [Age-Related Residential Care Agreement] focused provider and the upgrade of patient management software. A clinical manager and additional management support were appointed in 2022.

“We continue to do all we can to make sure that an incident like this can’t happen again.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 February 2026 – Lee Kum Kee Sauce (“Lee Kum Kee”), the global leader of Asian sauces and condiments, marked a successful debut as the Platinum Sponsor of the 2026 Chinese New Year Festival & Market Day in Auckland. Co-hosted by the Auckland Chinese Community Centre (ACCC) and Channel 33, this festival was held on 14 February 2026, in celebration of the upcoming Year of the Horse, bringing together families, community groups, and cultural performers.

Set against the backdrop of the Auckland Showgrounds, the festival featured over 200 specialist stalls offering traditional Chinese hot delicacies, festive foodstuffs and traditional arts and crafts, attracting over 20,000 visitors. The extensive entertainment programme included lion dances, traditional Chinese songs and performances that brought the spirit of the celebrations to life.

Lee Kum Kee set up a captivating booth experience for festivalgoers of all ages, allowing them to explore an extensive range of sauces through delectable tastings, exclusive promotional sales, and the exciting “Chopstick Lucky Dip” prize-giving game, which drew enthusiastic participation throughout the event.

In serving the local community, Lee Kum Kee aims to bring traditional festive moments to life. Gary Hui, Business Development Director – Oceania of Lee Kum Kee Sauce, remarked, “Spring Festival represents family, togetherness, and the joy of sharing meals. We are proud to support an event that reflects these values. Whether you are discovering new tastes or enjoying familiar favourites, we hope this festival brings joy and connection to all.”

A trusted household name for generations, Lee Kum Kee is renowned for its authentic Asian sauces that inspire home cooking and festive dining. Through on-going community partnerships and cultural celebrations, Lee Kum Kee remains committed to supporting local communities while promoting Chinese culinary culture worldwide through the joy of food.

https://www.LKK.com

Hashtag: #LeeKumKee #LKK

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.