A seasonal closure covering thousands of square kilometres of deepwater fishery east of the South Island will protect spawning orange roughy and help the stock recover, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. 

“Last year, I made a significant cut to the commercial catch limit for East and South Chatham Rise (ESCR) fishery, and at that time also directed officials to develop options to protect orange roughy spawning areas in the fishery to support ongoing recovery,” Mr Jones says. 

“Following public consultation, I have decided to close the whole of the northwest spawning area of the ESCR fishery during the pre and peak spawning period for orange roughy, which is from early June to mid-July each year. This encompasses spawning areas for orange roughy within the ESCR area, a total area of 4983 sq km.”

Orange roughy form dense schools to spawn at predictable times and locations each year.

Mr Jones says spawning area protections, and the catch limit reductions, are a response to stock assessments showing the ESCR orange roughy fishery is under pressure and requires careful management to rebuild.

“It is important that orange roughy are given the chance to spawn and grow their population.

“The Chatham Rise orange roughy fishery has been valuable to our fishing industry for many years, supporting jobs and economic prosperity. Ensuring its sustainability means it will continue to benefit New Zealanders well into the future.

“Commercial fishers can catch orange roughy in other parts of the fishery during the seasonal closure, and throughout the whole fishery for the rest of the year.

“This has been a difficult decision, which represents a significant jolt to the industry. The proposal went through a consultation process, during which I heard from industry and other stakeholders.

“This feedback, as well as the best available fisheries science, was used by my officials to develop the advice I based my decision on. I thank everyone who provided feedback during public consultation.”

More information, including maps of the closures, can be found on Fishery New Zealand’s website.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/04/seasonal-closure-to-support-orange-roughy/

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/04/significant-artwork-waharoa-revitalised-in-aotea-square/

Minister of Education Erica Stanford today welcomed David Ferguson’s appointment as Chief Executive and Chief Review Officer of the Education Review Office.

ERO plays a vital role in evaluating education policy and assessing whether it is effective, as well as how well schools are performing.

“We need to make evidence-based education decisions, and the work ERO does to provide detailed education reviews is essential to that process,” Ms Stanford said.

Ms Stanford said Mr Ferguson’s background in education meant he would be able to get up to speed quickly and provide strong leadership.

She also thanked Ruth Shinoda for stepping into the role of acting Chief Executive since late 2025, and Tim Fowler who has acted as Chief Executive since May this year.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/04/minister-welcomes-new-ero-chief-executive/

The Green Party says this Government has nearly halved funding for food banks in Budget 2026, extending the $15 million in annual support for just one more year before cutting it to $8 million a year from 2027, at the very moment demand has never been higher.

“Food banks are the last lifeline for the people doing it the toughest, and this Government has chosen to nearly halve their funding,” says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. 

“Demand has never been higher. The NZ Food Network is now supporting more than half a million people every month, a 165 per cent increase since 2020. Cutting food bank funding now is cruel.” 

“This Government is fuelling unemployment and has no plan to end the cost-of-living crisis it presides over. They are cutting benefits and now they are cutting food banks. They are pulling away the last supports people rely on at the exact moment they need them most.” 

“They have found just $23,000 more for school breakfasts while more than a quarter of tamariki live in households where food runs out. That tells you everything about where this Government’s priorities sit.” 

“Food banks shouldn’t need to exist. But while they do, there is no excuse for halving their funding,” says Davidson.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/04/luxons-government-nearly-halves-food-bank-funding-as-demand-hits-record-high/

It’s been a bumper few months for events, with multiple world-class fixtures confirmed under the Government’s Events Attraction Package, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

“Earlier this morning it was announced globally that New Zealand will host the inaugural Snow League World Challenge at Cardrona in September. I’m looking forward to welcoming the world’s top snow sports athletes to our slopes where they’ll go head-to-head with Kiwi talent,” Louise Upston says.

“This is the global opening event for the Snow League Season and will showcase the league’s best in snowboarding and freeskiing. 

“The Snow League World Challenge sits alongside other top class sporting events such as the hugely successful World Surf League tour event in Raglan and the upcoming New Zealand International Football Festival in Auckland.

“From sports to concerts, we’re backing cities and regions with funding, creating boosts to local economies.

“Another great example is confirming Post Malone’s world tour to rock the Mt Smart stage on 21 October. 

“When world-renowned artists like Post Malone include New Zealand in their tour schedule, it delivers significant economic benefits and creates a tangible buzz which is why we invest in bringing them here. 

“We know top tier concerts generate a strong return. It’s estimated that for every dollar spent on live performances, $3.20 is returned in benefits to the wider community.”

It’s not just events on the slopes and stage the Government is backing. On May the fourth, the LEGO® Star Wars™exhibition was announced as coming to Wellington’s Tākina in June, promising a blockbuster experience that brings the iconic Star Wars franchise to life through LEGO®bricks, with creative force Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught at the controls.

Following confirmation that Tottenham Hotspur will play Auckland FC in July, the New Zealand International Football Festival announced another fixture, with Chelsea F.C Women set to face an Auckland FC Women’s Invitational XI at Eden Park on 8 August.

“When events like these come to town the economic benefits are substantial. Hotels fill up, restaurants and cafes thrive, tills ring, and local businesses see a surge in customers.

“In addition, every agreement includes a leverage and legacy element. From football development to school engagement to creative sector employment, we’re delivering both immediate impact and long-term benefits.

“2026 is shaping up to be a standout year for showstopper events supported through the Government’s Events Attraction Package,” Louise Upston says.

The $40 million Events Attraction Package is part of a wider $70 million Major Events and Tourism package announced by the Government in September 2025 and events announced to date are:

Linkin Park – Auckland
Ultra Music Festival – Wellington
FIFA World Series – Auckland
World Surf League – Raglan
Robbie Williams – Christchurch and Auckland
New Zealand International Football Festival – Auckland
LEGO® Star Wars™: The Exhibition – Wellington
Post Malone New Zealand – Auckland
Snow League World Challenge – Wānaka

Individual event funding amounts under the Events Attraction Package will not be disclosed for commercial reasons. 
 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/04/global-stars-shine-on-new-zealand-boosting-cities-and-regions/

The South Island’s first Rural Training Hub, that will grow a pipeline of doctors, nurses and midwives for rural New Zealand, will soon be working on the West Coast, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.

“The Rural Training Hub shows the Government’s commitment to fixing the basics and building the future for the one in five New Zealanders who live in rural communities. Kiwis should have access to timely, quality care wherever they live and that’s exactly what we are focused on delivering,” Mr Doocey says.

“Previously, rural communities have been overlooked when it comes to workforce development. This Government is fixing that by bringing healthcare closer to home for rural New Zealanders and training more health professionals closer to the communities they will serve.”

The new South Island Rural Training Hub is the third of four hubs being rolled out nationally, following South Taranaki and Wairoa District.

“Rural communities know that when you train people locally, they’re far more likely to stay local. That’s exactly what these hubs are designed to do. 

“The hub will support students into clinical placements, create stronger training pathways, and pastoral support to help attract and retain frontline health workers across the South Island.

“The West Coast has been leading the way in rural generalism for years. This hub recognises that leadership and will help grow a stronger rural workforce for the future.

“We know communities understand what works best for them. That’s why the hub will better align workforce planning with communities’ needs. It will also give more people greater exposure to rural health careers and improve the pathway between undergraduate and postgraduate rural training.”

A dedicated Programme Lead based on the Coast will work alongside local partners across the South Island to help develop the hub and strengthen local education and training opportunities.

“This is about making sure rural communities aren’t left behind and backing the local workforce to deliver for their communities.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/04/first-rural-training-hub-comes-to-the-south-island/

Schools will save money, have greater energy security, reduce school energy bills, and reduce their carbon emissions through a $30 million Government initiative to put solar panels on up to 500 schools across New Zealand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Education Minister Erica Stanford say.

“The solar on schools programme marks a significant step toward energy affordability and resilience across the education sector,” Mr Brown says.

“Early modelling by Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) shows that solar panels are estimated to pay for themselves within five to seven years and a 30kW system – the standard size for a school – could save a school up to $8,000 a year in electricity bills.”

As well as solar panels and batteries, energy management systems will be installed at selected schools to help them monitor and manage their energy use more efficiently, further reducing costs and reliance on the grid.

“The programme will generate up to 10.1GWh of energy annually – the equivalent of powering 1,500 homes per year.

“Schools will also have options to sell energy back to the grid, generating an estimated $6.7 million in revenue over 10 years.”

Education Minister Erica Stanford says solar on schools will ease pressure on ongoing energy costs and create long-term savings that can be redirected to other school priorities.

“This will help schools continue to achieve great outcomes for students while reducing energy costs, helping the environment and educating school students about renewable resources and the science behind solar. It’s a win-win,” Ms Stanford says.

The programme will be rolled out in stages, with the first stage aligning with the Ministry of Education’s previously announced school diesel boiler replacement programme and aimed at schools that are facing the largest increases in energy costs. It is expected that between 80 and 100 schools will receive solar panels in the first year. 

“Solar on schools can also support communities during emergencies. Many schools play a connecting role during severe weather and other emergencies. Solar and batteries at selected schools can help ensure that communities have a reliable source of electricity to provide heating, lighting, and other essential services when communities need it most. 

“Schools use most of their energy during the day when the sun is shining and are prime candidates for solar. This initiative will provide smart solutions and the opportunity for Kiwi kids to be an exciting part of New Zealand’s energy future.”

Solar on schools will be rolled out starting this year and finishing in 2028. The programme will expand from summer 2026/27 to include more schools across the country, with a target to install 80 to 100 over the summer school holiday period.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/03/solar-on-schools-to-boost-future-resilience/

4 days ago

Quinn Sidney was not looking for a career in nursing. But spending time in hospital with her three-year-old son inspired the Tairāwhiti mother to enrol in EIT’s Bachelor of Nursing programme.

The 26-year-old (Ngāti Porou) previously worked in trades and farming before making a complete change in direction.

Her son, Roha Chaffey, has a genetic condition that has meant frequent hospital visits, where Quinn met nurses who sparked her interest in the profession.

“We were always hanging around the hospital, and I just met some of the nurses there and thought they were pretty cool and thought I would be interested in giving that a go.”

Quinn says there is limited local support available for people with Roha’s condition, and she hopes one day to help fill that gap.

“There’s not many in our area that actually cover what he has, so I thought it would be pretty cool to try upskill myself and bring that service to our area if possible.”

Before beginning nursing, Quinn’s career looked very different.

After leaving school in Year 11, she completed a pre-trade course in mechanical engineering at EIT before beginning an electrical apprenticeship. After COVID-19, she later moved into farming.

“I’ve only ever really worked in male-dominated environments. It’s been a complete shift for me.”

Quinn says studying nursing has changed the way she sees herself and what she believes is possible.

“I didn’t really think I was smart enough, or had enough dedication, to actually go into the medical field,” she says.

“But now that I’m in it, it’s completely changed my mind set on, yeah, I can do this even though it’s really hard.”

She says EIT’s supportive environment has helped make the transition easier.

“I feel like our tutors all know us on a pretty personal level. Not just our tutors, but all the staff in general are really supportive.”

Quinn says the programme structure has also helped make study fit around family life.

“I expected coming in that it would be like working a full-time job, but the hours we do are really, really mum-friendly,” she says.

“Most of our days we’ll start at nine and be finished by two or three, so that’s perfect for school hours and daycare hours.”

Alongside her studies, Quinn continues to work part-time as a photographer and runs horse-riding lessons while raising her son.

Quinn says nursing has also opened doors she once thought were out of reach, including the possibility of one day studying medicine.

“Because I didn’t get all my NCEA credits at high school, med school was never really on the cards,” she says.

“But nursing has pretty much opened that door for me now.”

Long term, Quinn hopes to work in neurological and mental health care and eventually help address gaps in services in Tairāwhiti.

“I’d like to try be one of those people.”

EIT Nursing Lecturer and Senior Academic, Sue Pulman, says: “Quinn brings a wealth of previous life experience through both earlier study and her own personal journey.

“These experiences help shape her attitude and dedication towards her studies and will make her an excellent nurse who can relate to people from many different backgrounds,” Sue says.

“Quinn manages her time really well to ensure she can balance the multiple roles she holds. Being a full-time student is not easy for anyone, and coupled with being a mother, it can be especially demanding.

“The fact EIT offers a Bachelor of Nursing programme in Gisborne, alongside family friendly study hours, means nursing is a realistic option for local mothers like Quinn, for whom full time study may not otherwise be possible.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/03/hospital-visits-inspire-tairawhiti-mum-to-pursue-nursing-through-eit/

4 days ago

Growing up watching her parents renovate a 100-year-old villa sparked a lifelong interest in design for Hawke’s Bay graduate Isabelle Ashe, who is now turning that passion into a career through EIT.

The 22-year-old completed EIT’s New Zealand Diploma in Architectural Technology at the Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale at the end of 2025 and is now working towards building a career as an architectural technologist.

For Isabelle, architecture had been part of life from an early age.

“My parents were renovating a 100-year-old villa and from a really young age I was always drawing houses, sketching designs and making little cardboard and Lego homes,” she says.

“Both my parents are involved in the construction industry too. Dad’s a project manager and Mum’s an interior designer, so I definitely grew up around it.”

Originally from Hawke’s Bay and a former student of Hastings Christian School, Isabelle had initially enrolled in the programme straight after high school before deciding to spend time overseas.

She spent time travelling around Europe and later worked as a nanny before returning to study.

“I actually think it was perfect timing,” she says.

“If I had gone earlier, I don’t think I would have fully appreciated it or understood everything in the same way.”

Travelling overseas also reinforced her interest in architecture.

“Being in places like Paris, Ireland, England and Scotland and seeing all the architecture over there was incredible.

“I think I was always drawn back to it.”

Isabelle says the practical nature of the diploma appealed to her learning style and provided skills she could immediately take into industry.

“You learn all about the New Zealand Building Code and standards and how to actually design houses.”

“I’m quite a practical learner, so I loved that I could do a two-year diploma and gain skills that are directly useful in a workplace.”

She says EIT’s tutors also played a significant role throughout her studies.

“The tutors were awesome. The course was intense and full on, but they were so caring and genuinely passionate about helping students succeed.”

After graduating, Isabelle spent several months gaining experience in the industry and is continuing to build towards her long-term career goals while working in a temporary receptionist role.

She hopes to eventually work as an architectural technologist focusing on residential design.

“I love the idea of sitting down with people, understanding what they want and then helping create their dream home.”

Isabelle says she has remained proactive in pursuing opportunities and gaining experience.

“I’ve been getting my portfolio and CV out there and doing work experience.”

“The right thing will come at the right time.”

She says she would encourage others to consider EIT’s Architectural Technology programme.

“It’s a course that can lead into so many different careers.

“You can become an architectural technologist, move into project management or work in construction. There are so many pathways.”

EIT Architectural Technology Tutor Vivienne Heward says: “It was fantastic to see Isabelle develop her skills, confidence, and passion for Architectural Technology during her time at EIT”.

“She embraced both the technical and creative aspects of the programme and built a strong foundation for an exciting future in the construction and design industry.”

Vivienne says Architectural Technology is a great option for people who enjoy design, problem-solving, and seeing ideas come to life.

“We encourage anyone interested in architecture, construction, or design to visit our campus, meet the tutors and students, and see firsthand what the programme involves. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; school leavers, people already working in the construction industry, and those looking for a career change. It’s a supportive and practical learning environment that can open the door to a diverse range of rewarding career opportunities.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/03/villa-renovation-inspires-pathway-to-architecture/

3 days ago

EIT Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science graduate Anna Kelland credits her Hawke’s Bay studies with laying the groundwork for a career that has already brought national recognition.

The 24-year-old graduated from EIT as Valedictorian in 2022 and was named the 2025 Young Viticulturist of the Year.

Since joining Constellation Brands full-time in Marlborough in 2023, Anna has progressed into a role as a Viticulture Technician.

Anna says the opportunity to gain experience across different areas of the industry has helped shape where she sees her future.

“I was out in the vineyards this year, but last year I was lucky enough to be in the winery as an Assistant Vintage Winemaker, so I’ve been able to get experience across both sides of the industry.

“At this stage, when I’m still entering my career really, getting the chance to try everything has been incredible.”

Her pathway into the industry began through a passion for chemistry and wine science, but practical experience helped cement her future direction in viticulture.

“I went into viticulture and wine science because of how much I liked chemistry but after receiving that scholarship from Constellation Brands while studying and getting exposure to the viticulture side and technical work, I realised this is what I wanted to do.”

Anna says many of the lessons and experiences from her time at EIT still influence her work today.

“I still use some of my lecture notes in my day-to-day work, referencing back to pest and disease lectures and even the core theories of botany and plant physiology,” she says.

“I’m quite lucky that my role is probably one of the most applicable roles for using what I learned at EIT.”

She says staying focused during her studies, alongside support from industry organisations, also helped give her a strong start in the sector.

“When I was studying, my approach was focusing a hundred per cent on study, so I was able to stay very focused.”

“There are so many people and organisations that see the potential of young people and want to support them and give them a bit of a kickstart into the industry.”

Alongside full-time work, Anna has continued to build on her qualifications through Wine & Spirit Education Trust study and postgraduate study in agribusiness.

She says further study was driven by a desire to broaden her knowledge and build expertise beyond the science side of the industry.

“I kind of see myself as someone people will come to for information in the future, maybe as an expert or a leader in something.”

“It would be valuable to have experience in the business side as well as science.”

Anna will also represent the viticulture sector at this year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year competition after earning the opportunity through her Young Viticulturist of the Year win.

“I’m just happy to get the opportunity, really. It’ll be a chance to meet new people and learn things as I go.”

Viticulture and Wine Science Programme Coordinator Cryn Russell said: “I first met Anna when she was a Year 10 student at Taradale High School in 2016, and even then, her enthusiasm for science and curiosity about the wine industry really stood out”.

“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see that early passion develop into such a focused and successful career pathway. Anna always brought a strong sense of purpose to her studies, and her achievements are a reflection of both her dedication and her willingness to fully embrace every opportunity available to her.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/03/eit-graduate-building-on-award-winning-start/

The introduction of the new Tertiary Research Excellence Fund (TREF) will direct research effort towards economic growth while cutting red tape, says Penny Simmonds, Minister for Tertiary Education, and Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.

Cabinet has approved the final design of the TREF, which replaces the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF), building on initial decisions in August 2025. The TREF will invest $315 million per year in research capability in the tertiary education system, with funding allocated based on participating providers’ research performance.

“The new fund will significantly reduce compliance costs for tertiary education organisations”, said Minister Simmonds.

“It enables a move away from the burdensome process of assembling individual Evidence Portfolios that was required under the PBRF.”

“It also includes a greater focus on impact – through external research income and new metrics for citations, commercialisation and policy outcomes.”

“The TREF will support New Zealand’s future skills and innovation needs by rewarding research excellence and impact in a more responsive and efficient way.”

The design of the new fund has been informed by the advice of the University Advisory Group, led by Chair Sir Peter Gluckman, as well as subsequent engagement with experts and the sector.

The Tertiary Education Commission will commence operational design of the TREF immediately. Changes will be phased in from 2027, with funding fully aligned to the new framework from 2029.

More information about the TREF can be found on: https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/strategies-policies-and-programmes/tertiary-and-further-education/tertiary-research-excellence-fund

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/02/tertiary-research-excellence-fund-focused-on-driving-economic-growth/

More young New Zealanders will have the opportunity to gain practical skills and industry experience while still at school, with the Government doubling the number of trades academy places available, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Education Minister Erica Stanford say.

“This Government backs the trades. We know that for many young people, vocational education provides a direct pathway into skilled careers and lifelong opportunities,” Nicola Willis says.

“Budget 2026 invests an additional $69 million to double the number of trades academy places from 10,000 to 20,000.”

“This investment means thousands more students will be able to access hands-on learning, gain industry experience, and develop the skills and knowledge they need for apprenticeships, further training, and employment while they are still at school,” Erica Stanford says.

“It also supports our wider qualifications reforms, which are creating stronger vocational pathways for young people and ensuring they have access to meaningful, real-world learning opportunities while they are still at school.

“Alongside the expansion of trades academy places, the Government is investing a further $15 million for Industry Skills Boards (ISBs) to develop new vocational subjects as part of New Zealand’s new senior secondary qualifications.

“For the first time, vocational subjects will be fully integrated into our national qualification system and developed in partnership with industry.

“The Industry Skills Boards are working directly with employers and sectors across New Zealand to ensure the knowledge and skills being taught match what industry needs. That means students will be better prepared for apprenticeships, further study, and employment.

“Subjects currently being developed include Building and Construction, Outdoor Education, and Primary Industries, with additional vocational subjects under development.

“This Government rejects the idea that there is only one pathway to success.

“Our new qualifications will give vocational pathways the same status, rigour, and recognition as any other pathway, giving young people more opportunities to succeed in the pathway that is right for them.

“Doubling trades academy places to 20,000 is a clear signal that this Government backs vocational education, backs the trades, and backs young people to succeed.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/02/more-trades-academy-places-for-young-people/

New Zealand’s largest research database is set for a major upgrade to support smarter, evidence-based decisions and build better futures for New Zealanders, Minister of Statistics Scott Simpson says. 

The Government has committed $57.7 million over four years through Budget 2026 to modernise the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) to meet growing demand and boost social investment. 

“The IDI works like a connecting puzzle, piecing together data from Government agencies. It reveals the bigger picture of how policies affect New Zealanders over time – such as whether free apprenticeships help people move into better jobs, or whether health interventions improve school attendance for children, Mr Simpson says. 

 “The IDI shows us what is working, and what is not. It makes sure Government decisions are based on facts, not guesswork, and taxpayer dollars are directed where they can make the biggest difference for New Zealanders.”  

The IDI brings together data from across Government agencies, non-government organisations and Stats NZ surveys. 

“The current IDI is built on old technology. This critical Government investment will ensure our data infrastructure keeps up with growing demand and more complex use, giving decision-makers a clearer, more up-to-date picture of what’s happening in our communities.

“Better data means funding is directed to where it’s needed most. It’s about fixing the basics and building the future towards a better data landscape and better social services, now and for future generations.” 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/02/powering-up-data-driven-social-investment/

Education Minister Erica Stanford has recognised the King’s Birthday 2026 Honours recipients being celebrated for their services and achievements in, and to, education.

“It is a privilege to acknowledge the exceptional contributions, commitment, and dedication these New Zealanders have shown throughout their careers,” Ms Stanford says.

“The passion, drive, and determination of this year’s recipients is embossed in the lives of the many students, teachers, academics, and communities they have worked with.”

Those being honoured include Professor Emeritus James Chapman, appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and Susan Hassall and Professor Elizabeth Rata, appointed Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

“Sir James has made significant contributions to literacy teaching and learning both in New Zealand and internationally since the 1980s, particularly in learning disabilities and dyslexia research.

“His work has had an instrumental impact. He has shaped how children learn to read, influenced national policy, and guided the development of the structured literacy approach now embedded across New Zealand schools.”

Dame Susan and Dame Elizabeth have made significant and world-leading contributions to their areas of specialist knowledge, research, and educational leadership. 

Others being recognised include Michael Johnston, a cognitive psychologist who has contributed to educational assessment, curriculum design, and education reform. Mr Johnston is a Senior Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative and has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Former Rangitoto College principal Patrick Gale has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education, in recognition of his record-breaking results and leadership of the school. He has been Chair of the NCEA Professional Advisory group since 2025, providing leadership on the national qualifications.

Alan McIntyre has also been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. As one of New Zealand’s longest-serving principals, Mr McIntyre’s career spans more than 50 years delivering primary education, implementing international teaching and student exchange programmes, and providing support and advice to fellow principals. 

“Education is the great equaliser, and I am pleased to highlight just some of the people across the country who exemplify its importance and impact,” Ms Stanford says. 

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/01/education-contributions-recognised-in-kings-birthday-honours/

Commissioner Richard Chambers has congratulated two members of Police who are today recognised with royal honours.

Inspectors Ross Grantham (Central District) and Neru (Nu) Leifi (Canterbury District) are both made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

Ross has been honoured for services to New Zealand Police and Nu has been honoured for services to New Zealand Police and the community.

Commissioner Chambers says these awards are well-deserved recognition for their decades of Police service and deep connections made in their communities.

“They are role models to us all, having made outstanding contributions within New Zealand and internationally.

“I’m really proud of what they have achieved for Police, with careers that have shown the highest level of service and care to others, as well as a significant commitment to leadership and training.

“Their service has been both distinguished and exemplary, and I thank them sincerely for it.”

Inspector Ross Grantham was farewelled from Police in January and officially retires in October from his final role as Manawatu Area Commander.

Over nearly 48 years of policing and involvement in some of New Zealand’s most significant investigations and operations, Ross has been at the forefront of challenging for improvement. This saw him using forensic science advances in new ways, and developing new approaches to the practice of investigative interviewing and interviewing family harm victims.

He was responsible for developing the Investigative Interviewing programme for New Zealand Police with specialist witness interviewing of children and adults, and he influenced the introduction of family violence victim interviews on Police mobility devices.

His roles in Police have included National Manager Interviewing and National Crime Manager.

Ross also served overseas as part of the international investigation team responding to the Bali bombings, and later in an exchange as Area Commander Sturt for South Australia Police.

“It has been a huge, humbling surprise and privilege to be nominated for this award,” he says.

“I firmly believe I have achieved nothing by myself, and policing has been the best job ever because of all the great people I worked with inside and outside Police.

“I want to acknowledge those I worked alongside as I learnt my craft as a police officer, those I was later able to pass my learnings on to, and the victims, witnesses and experts I interacted with across the years.

“Most of all I am grateful to the support I have received from my wonderful wife, family and extended family – and the sacrifices they made so I could focus on what I needed to do for the community.”

Ross also acknowledges his late brother Sergeant Gordon Grantham QSM for inspiring him to join Police.

“It is fitting that at this time I honour all he did to set me on this path and the service he gave across his 48 years in Police.”

Inspector Nu Leifi (Ngāti Porou, Tokomaru Bay, Ngati Hamoa) has served Police for over 40 years and currently is the Māori, Pacific and Ethnic Services Manager in Canterbury District and a member of the Armed Offenders Squad. He has been honoured for his contribution to the community as well as his service to Police.

Across his Police career Nu has made a significant contribution to the Christchurch Pacific community, spearheading family violence prevention initiatives and building strong partnerships to create better outcomes.

His impact has been across the wider Pacific through his work with the Pacific Policing Programme, contribution to training, and support to peacekeeping efforts. Closer to home he has been involved in many large operations, including leading a major rescue after the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes.

He has also been a mentor and coach to youth in Christchurch.

“When I first got the email, I genuinely thought it was a prank, so my first instinct was to figure out who was behind it,” he says.

“Once I realised it was real, I was completely taken aback. I feel deeply humbled and honoured in a way I can’t quite explain. Even now I still struggle to put that feeling into words.

“For me, service has always been at the centre of everything. In Samoan, we say ‘o le ala i le pule o le tautua,’ which means ‘the pathway to leadership is through service’ – and that’s something I’ve tried to live by throughout my career.

“I don’t think there’s a better way to serve than by getting alongside our communities, listening to them, and working in genuine partnership.

“It means a great deal to be recognised at this level – to go through that whole process and have it signed off by the King. But I genuinely believe this recognition isn’t about me. I’ve been lucky to work alongside a lot of great colleagues over the years – people I’ve leaned on, learned from, and grown with.

“My wife has been my biggest supporter. Even after the toughest days, she has a way of bringing me back down to earth – she reminds me to pick up some bread and milk on my way home.

“That ‘bread and milk’ reminder says it all – you’ve done your job, now come home. Stay grounded, stay connected to your family.”

Their investitures will take place later in the year.

You can find more details of their achievements in their citation below.

______________________

CITATIONS

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)

Inspector Ross Grantham

For services to the New Zealand Police

Inspector Ross Grantham joined the New Zealand Police in 1979, holding various roles in Wellington and Manawatu, most recently as Manawatu Area Commander from 2023 until retiring in 2026.

Inspector Grantham’s rise through the ranks saw him involved with a range of high-profile investigations and operations, recognising and utilising advances in forensic sciences, DNA identification and immunohistochemistry.

He later saw opportunities for Police interviewing and was involved in a review, developing from this a programme of investigative interviewing for children and adults using internal and external academic experts. He ensured the sharing of good practice and learning, regularly tutoring at the Royal New Zealand Police College and other investigation forums nationally and internationally.

He became a National Manager Interviewing in 2007 and led changes within the organisation regarding interviewing practice, as well as supporting investigations nationally as National Crime Manager.

He represented New Zealand Police overseas during this period, seconded to South Australia Police and delivering homicide investigation courses.

He drove a new approach for interviewing family harm victims by handheld video in 2015, which is now a mainstay approach for officers across New Zealand.

He contributed to a current framework for standards expected of new constables, providing mentorship for their careers.

Inspector Grantham was President of the Friends of the Police Museum during a significant museum overhaul.

Inspector Neru (Nu) Leifi

For services to the New Zealand Police and the community

Inspector Nu Leifi (Ngāti Porou, Tokomaru Bay, Ngati Hamoa) has served with the New Zealand Police since 1985, and is the Māori, Pacific and Ethnic Services Manager for Canterbury Police.

Inspector Leifi has been heavily involved with Police outreach to the Christchurch Pacific community, particularly in schools, university and the church. He has established partnerships with Pacific community leaders and has led initiatives to prevent family violence.

He has strengthened Police connections in the wider Pacific through the Pacific Policing Programme. He mentored and trained Niuean officers and their Chief of Police and supported the development of Niue’s community policing.

As an International Peace Monitor, in 2001 he joined Pacific Islands Police, New Zealand and Australian defence forces and government agencies in supporting peacekeeping efforts and saving lives during the civil unrest in the Solomon Islands.

As Forward Commander, he led the rescue of more than 100 people trapped in the Forsyth Barr building following the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes.

He has served as a member of the Armed Offenders Squad since 1989, becoming an Operational Commander in Canterbury in 2020.

From 2020 to 2022 he co-delivered ‘Countering Violent Extremism Through Community Policing’ to the Indonesian Police, Prisons and specialist teams in Semarang and Jakarta.

Inspector Leifi has mentored Pacific youth in Christchurch and coached junior athletics and schoolboy rugby teams.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/01/stalwarts-of-service-honoured/

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has acknowledged the outstanding efforts of this year’s King’s Birthday Honours 2026 recipients. 

“The achievements and service of every New Zealander honoured on this list have helped make our country a stronger, better place, and I would like to thank them for their contributions,” Mr Luxon says. 

Among the 178 people being recognised, six have been appointed as Knights and Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. 

Dr Paul Baker, Peter Boshier, Professor Emeritus James Chapman and David Ellis have been knighted.

“Sir Paul Baker was a foundation consultant anaesthetist at Starship Children’s Hospital and has contributed more than 40 years as an airway management specialist and paediatric anaesthetist. He is New Zealand’s leading authority on airway management and has personally trained more than 5,000 anaesthetists, emergency physicians and intensive-care doctors through his AirwaySkills training programme,” Mr Luxon says. 

“Former Principal Family Court Judge and Chief Ombudsman Sir Peter Boshier has a legacy of upholding and strengthening the law. He was a judge and a Law Commissioner and, as New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman, worked with government agencies to improve their practices and conduct. His commitment in this area has meant government information is more accessible and transparent. 

“Sir James Chapman has made significant contributions to literacy teaching and learning in New Zealand, and internationally, since the 1980s, particularly in learning disabilities and dyslexia research. His pioneering research has shaped how children learn to read, influenced national policy, and guided the development of structured literacy approaches across New Zealand schools.

“Sir David Ellis has been recognised for his services to the thoroughbred industry and to philanthropy. He has developed world-class racing managers, trainers and jockeys. Sir David supports a range of local and national clubs, charities and organisations, from animal welfare to health and education, and contributes to disaster relief.”

Susan Hassall and Professor Elizabeth Rata have been made Dames. 

“Dame Susan Hassall, in her work with Hamilton Boys’ High School and the University of Waikato, has overseen a number of significant academic and sporting successes. Dame Susan continues to support community development projects and charities through her involvement with Momentum Waikato, Hospice Waikato Trust, and the Association of Boys’ Schools of New Zealand,” Mr Luxon says.

“As a sociologist of education specialising in research on ethnic politics and curriculum knowledge in New Zealand, Dame Elizabeth Rata’s career spans five decades. Dame Elizabeth was a foundation member of Kura Kaupapa Māori in the 1980s and is recognised internationally for her work developing bilingual and immersion curriculum.

“Congratulations to all the King’s Birthday 2026 Honours recipients. New Zealand is incredibly proud of you and stands alongside each of you in celebration.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/01/kings-birthday-honours-recipients-congratulated/

Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua – Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.

Māori recipients recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026 reflect decades of leadership, service, and commitment to strengthening Māori communities, language, education, and governance, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says.

“These recipients represent the strength of Māori leadership across many fields, including education, governance, language revitalisation, and community development,” Mr Potaka says.

“Their service reflects a deep commitment to whānau, hapū, iwi, and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Māori honoured this year include Companions, Officers, and Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit whose mahi has made a lasting contribution to our country.

Emeritus Professor Pare Keiha – Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM)

“Professor Pare Keiha has dedicated decades to advancing Māori education and leadership, helping shape pathways for Māori achievement within tertiary education and governance.

“His contribution to Māori development, language, and academic excellence has influenced generations of tauira, educators, and leaders across Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Rahera Shortland – Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM)

“Rahera Shortland has played a significant role in the revitalisation of te reo Māori through education, teaching, and community leadership over many decades.

“Her contribution through Te Ātaarangi and Māori language revitalisation has strengthened intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori both here and internationally.”

Terry Nicholas – Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)

“Terry Nicholas has provided long-standing leadership within Murihiku, supporting Māori development, governance capability, and opportunities for future generations.

“His work has strengthened community wellbeing, regional development, and pathways for rangatahi leadership and participation.

“While it is my privilege to acknowledge these recipients, they also represent the many Māori who quietly contribute every day to strengthening Aotearoa New Zealand and supporting future generations.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/06/01/maori-recognised-in-kings-birthday-honours-2026/

Investment through Budget 2026 strengthens Auckland’s role as New Zealand’s economic engine room, ensuring growth that lifts the whole country, Minister for Auckland Simon Watts says. 

“This budget delivers for Auckland families, businesses, and communities, and sends a strong signal of our commitment to supporting a thriving, resilient, globally competitive city,” Mr Watts says.

“Budget 2026 is about fixing the basics and building the future. 

“We’re investing in health, including funding to purchase land for a future South Auckland Hospital and to carry out upgrades at the Mason Clinic, and a share of the Government’s $5.5 billion frontline health package. 

“We’re backing housing growth with a new $400 million fund that rewards councils that enable more homes, alongside planning and consenting reforms to make it easier and faster to build. 

“We’re investing in transport and resilience, with more than $1 billion for KiwiRail network improvements and funding to renew critical Auckland rail infrastructure. 

“We’re strengthening education with an additional $1.6 billion for schools and early childhood education, plus new classrooms and school upgrades. 

“And we’re supporting economic growth through energy security, infrastructure investment, and a responsible fiscal plan that gets the Government’s books back to surplus a year earlier than forecast.

“When Auckland succeeds, New Zealand succeeds.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/30/budget-2026-delivering-for-auckland/

18 hours ago

A new waka maumahara has been unveiled at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale as part of celebrations marking the institute’s 50th anniversary and return to independence.

The taonga, blessed this morning at its place near the entrance to EIT’s Taradale campus.

The unveiling followed an evening celebration on Thursday attended by staff, alumni, civic leaders, iwi and hapū partners, former Council members and community supporters.

While EIT Hawke’s Bay officially reached its 50-year milestone in 2025, celebrations were held this year following the institute’s transition back to independence in January.

EIT Chief Executive Lucy Laitinen said the events reflected both the institution’s long-standing connection to the region and its vision for the future.

“Fifty years is a significant milestone for any institution, but especially for one so deeply connected to its people and its region.

“And today is not only a celebration of that history. It is also a marker of an important moment for EIT, as we acknowledge our return to independence and the opportunity that brings for our future.”

Lucy reflected on the vision of EIT’s founding Chief Executive John Harré, who in 1974 championed breaking down barriers to education and expanding opportunities for communities across the region.

“Fifty years later, that same belief in access, inclusion, community and opportunity still sits at the heart of who we are.”

Lucy said EIT had evolved significantly over the past five decades, growing from regional community colleges into a tertiary institution delivering education across Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti, Auckland and internationally.

Today, EIT supports more than 11,000 learners, including international students, with education delivered not only on campuses but also in workplaces, marae, orchards, farms and community settings.

She said education continued to play a vital role in shaping opportunities for individuals, whānau and communities.

“Education changes lives. It changes opportunities. It changes confidence. It changes the future not only for individuals, but for their whānau and communities.”

Designed and created collaboratively by Chris Bryant-Toi and Manuel Dunn, the waka maumahara was blessed by Professor Joe Te Rito during a dawn ceremony attended by staff and guests.

Pouārahi Māori (Executive Director Māori) Robin Fabish said the waka maumahara was a beautiful tribute to whakapapa and EIT’s purpose.

“The carving includes Māui and Kiwa. Māui links us to the name of our institution and the deeds that Māui is famous for.

“Kiwa was a navigator who some say arrived on the Horouta waka, while others say the Tākitimu waka. They are two of the waka that our region is linked to ancestrally. It is the atua or Pacific Ocean deity, Kiwa, being acknowledged in the carving that welcomes our global community. The carving is full of meaning and symbolism, and we are so fortunate to have it anchor us.”

Chris Bryant-Toi said the waka maumahara was designed to reflect the connection between people, place and learning across EIT’s campuses.

“This waka maumahara forms a pūtahi whereby other EIT campus locations radiate outwards and inwards from the centre,” Chris said.

Chris said the carving style also honoured renowned Ngāti Kahungunu tohunga whakairo Taka Walker, who taught many carvers throughout the region, including Manuel Dunn.

“In honour of Taka Walker, we wanted to make sure that we maintain his figurative carving style and distinctive pūhoro kōwhaiwhai design as painted on Te Waka Tapu o Tamatea Arikinui.”

During her address at the celebration last night, Lucy also acknowledged the generations of staff, students, governors and supporters who had contributed to EIT over the past 50 years.

She referenced the whakataukī, Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini (“My strength is not mine alone, but the strength of many”).

While the anniversary recognised EIT’s history, Lucy said it also marked the beginning of a new chapter.

“What remains constant is the role education plays in shaping opportunity for individuals, for whānau, and for our regions.”

“So today we celebrate 50 years of EIT in Hawke’s Bay, but more importantly, we celebrate the thousands of lives shaped through education and their communities with them.”

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/30/new-taonga-marks-50-years-of-eit/

The newly established Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Forum will hold its first public meeting on Monday 8 June 2026 at the Arataki Visitor Centre, marking the beginning of a new phase of collaboration for the long-term care and protection of Te Wao Nui ā Tiriwa – the Waitākere Ranges.

The Forum was established by Auckland Council following the signing of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Deed of Acknowledgement in October 2025, and brings together representatives from Te Kawerau ā Maki, Auckland Council Governing Body, the Waitākere Ranges Local Board and the Crown.

The Forum is a joint committee established under the Local Government Act 2002 with a role is to support implementation of the Deed of Acknowledgement and promote the objectives of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008.

Over the years ahead it will provide a collaborative space for long-term planning, coordination and shared thinking around the future of the Heritage Area. The Forum will make recommendations and provide advice, rather than be a decision-making body. Ownership and statutory decision-making over public land remains with Auckland Council and the Crown.

Forum members are:
•    Mark Allen (Auckland Council, Waitākere Ranges Local Board)
•    Edward Ashby (Te Kawerau ā Maki)
•    Cr Shane Henderson (Auckland Council, Waitākere Ward)
•    Ashleigh McDonald (Te Kawerau ā Maki)
•    Greg Presland (Auckland Council, Waitākere Ranges Local Board)
•    Alex Rogers (Department of Conservation | Te Papa Atawhai)
•    Hannah Slade (Auckland Council, Waitākere Ranges Local Board)
•    Rewi Spraggon (Te Kawerau ā Maki)
•    Tame Taratu (Te Kawerau ā Maki)
•    Cr Ken Turner (Auckland Council, Waitākere Ward)
•    Josie Wall (Te Kawerau ā Maki)

Forum member Rewi Spraggon says the first public meeting is an opportunity to begin building a long-term relationship with the wider community.

“Te Wao Nui ā Tiriwa, the Waitākere Ranges, are the lungs of this great city and an ancient presence within the landscape of Tāmaki Makaurau since time immemorial. We Te Kawerau ā Maki have been guardians of this taonga for centuries, and this Forum creates space for us to share our knowledge and history with the wider community while progressing the enhancement of the area’s heritage features and values, including the re-establishment of our marae at Te Henga.”

Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust Chief Executive Edward Ashby says the Forum reflects a shared commitment to protecting one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most significant natural and cultural landscapes.

“Our priority has always been the long-term wellbeing of Te Wao Nui ā Tiriwa, while recognising that it is treasured and enjoyed by many people. The Forum gives us a way to work more closely with our partners and communities, and to put kaitiakitanga into action in a practical and constructive way.

“This is a step-change in ensuring the national significance of this place is advocated for, that we have a plan for how to implement the Act, and that we are coordinated in our efforts to uplift the mana of the land and all people that live here and visit.”

Chair of the Waitākere Ranges Local Board Mark Allen says the Forum fills a long-standing gap.

“Our local board has advocated for a forum like this for many years, for a place where issues affecting the Heritage Area can be discussed by the people and organisations who can actually make a difference. This Forum strengthens tangata whenua participation and gives our community clearer pathways to be part of the conversation.”

Department of Conservation representative Alex Rogers welcomes the opportunity for a more joined-up approach.

“Te Wao Nui ā Tiriwa is a biodiversity and ecological treasure not just for Tāmaki Makaurau, but for Aotearoa as a whole. Challenges like pests and climate change do not respect boundaries. This Forum creates a more coordinated way of working together to protect and enhance the Heritage Area for future generations.”

Waitākere Ward Councillor Ken Turner says the establishment of the Forum provides a shared structure that fosters better collaboration among all those who hold Waitākere Ranges heritage.

“All of us hold the Waitākere Ranges in our hearts. Since the establishment of the Super City, the Ranges have slipped from the spotlight, and by working beside each other in a smarter, collaborative way through this forum, we will reestablish the Waitākere Ranges’ mana for all those who live, love and visit them.”

The Forum has already begun early discussions around a long-term strategic framework for the Heritage Area, alongside future work programmes and approaches to monitoring environmental and community outcomes under the Act.

Early conversations will also explore the Forum’s potential role in supporting:
•    track re-opening in the Heritage Area
•    environmental restoration and biodiversity protection
•    climate resilience and adaptation
•    sustainable tourism and visitor management
•    smarter long-term access and transport thinking
•    local economic and educational opportunities
•    protection of the natural and cultural values of the Heritage Area.

The first business meeting will cover:
•    establishment matters including appointment of a Chair and Deputy Chair
•    opportunities for public input
•    discussion of future strategic planning
•    presentations and discussion on current issues affecting the Heritage Area.

Meetings will be open to the public, and Forum members have expressed a strong desire to remain grounded in the ngahere (forest/bush) and local communities, with Arataki Visitor Centre selected as an important place to begin that journey.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/29/new-forum-begins-long-term-collaboration-for-waitkere-ranges-heritage-area/

In the afternoon of the announcement of Budget 2026, the NZCTU brought together more than 80 people from 50 organisations to pen a response to the Budget and what we would like to see. This response was then handed to MPs on the steps of Parliament at 6pm – representatives from Labour, the Green Party, and Te Pāti Māori attended to receive the letter, and students from Victoria University joined the rally. Below is the text of the letter.

New Zealand families are going backwards. Wages are too low for too many people. Working conditions are eroding, with 73% of workers getting real terms pay cuts this year. Food and energy are unaffordable for many, and the public services all New Zealanders rely on have been hollowed out.

For the past two years, this government has made poor choices that concentrate hardship on those least able to bear their consequences. Budget 2026 sadly continues this pattern.

Serious and sustained government action is needed now to reduce poverty. We need to rebuild public services, reduce child poverty, develop our public infrastructure and economic resilience, and ensure the wealthy pay their fair share.

This Budget does nothing to achieve these things. Instead, it conjures the mirage of an operating surplus by reducing the incomes of those with the least and cutting the public services we all rely on. 

This Budget cuts the incomes of some of the poorest households and communities in the country and provides almost no tangible cost of living relief. This is no vision for a fair society that provides hope for people, whenua, and the next generation.

• The Government has narrowed eligibility for social housing support and taken money away from the very poorest households in Aotearoa. The Government has chosen to do this, knowing it will push more families into poverty and increase social distress.
• The forecast return to surplus is built on the assumption that fuel prices will fall quickly – which is not the view of the oil markets. The minimal relief measures announced so far fall well short of what’s needed. Tens of thousands of families in need have been left without any support.
• Real wages are set to fall this year for the average worker, and Jobseeker numbers are forecast to stay above 200,000 for the entire forecast period. By the end of 2027, real GDP per capita is forecast to be lower than in 2023 – meaning four years of no real growth.
• We need a people-centred approach. To address the cost of living we need to lift wages, create jobs, and provide liveable benefits. Budget 2026 does not deliver any of this. Instead, it drags us backwards.

This Budget fails to address the historic underinvestment in the system, providing barely enough money to keep the lights on. This means access to healthcare will continue to deteriorate for ordinary Kiwis and unmet need will increase, as will needless suffering. 

• Demand for health services is growing rapidly, driven by an ageing population and increasingly complex health needs. Yet the Government has once again neglected to lift health investment to the levels needed to meet growing demand.
• The Budget’s failure to tackle child poverty, and the cost of living, will drive increased demand for health, further straining an overstretched system.
• New Zealand faces a chronic shortage of skilled healthcare workers. This Budget contains no measures that address this gap. This shortfall will only get more serious in the coming years, so investment is needed now.
• To address the health crisis, we need a sustained uplift in public health investment alongside a workforce development strategy to ensure we train and retain the health workforce of the future.

Budget 2026 will not set New Zealand up for the future we all deserve. The Government has failed to use our collective resources sensibly to strengthen the infrastructure our communities need to thrive. We need to seize this moment to build energy security, and lower energy costs for households. It has failed to invest at scale in the infrastructure that matters most to communities like social housing, hospitals, and schools.

• New Zealand’s energy system is under serious strain. The decline of domestic gas fields and the rising price of petrol and diesel is causing energy poverty for many households and threatening some businesses.
• The path to an affordable and secure energy system is to invest in renewables and clean transport systems. We generate the same amount of electricity that we did a decade ago.
• We have growing homelessness in this country because of unaffordable housing. The government needs to increase its investment in public housing to address the growing homelessness and housing precarity in this country. Yet the new social housing builds announced today do not start until 2028/29.

For the third year in a row, this Government has undervalued te taiao, reduced our ability to mitigate climate change and putting whanau on the frontline of its impacts. This Budget fails to protect the people and communities likely impacted by climate change.  

• In recent years, billions of dollars of damage has been caused by climate-change related storms and many lives have been upended. The frequency and severity of these events is only going to increase as the planet warms.
• Budget 2026 has made almost no provision to address this. The only new funding it has provided for climate resilience is into roads. No funding has been made available to help communities adapt to the coming shocks. 
• Now is the time to begin making long-term investments in our climate resilience, starting with the most at-risk communities and regions. The longer the delay, the larger the cost in the future. 

This Budget makes further cuts to education and to the public services New Zealanders rely on. This government has abdicated its responsibility to deliver the services that hold communities together. This is a Budget lacking in empathy and humanity.

• The operational grants for schools have been cut 2% in real terms and the ECE subsidy has been cut 2.5% in real terms. Over $1 billion has been cut from tertiary education by the ending of fees free, of which only a fraction has been reprioritised to tertiary.
• Core public services are being slashed, with a cumulative real term cuts of at least 18% to public agency baselines over the next three years.
• New Zealand remains an international oddity for not having a capital gains tax, which would make our tax system fairer and generate meaningful revenue for vital public services. 
• We cannot deliver the public services New Zealanders require if we keep cutting the government’s revenue base. We need to lift government revenue by taxing capital gains and ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share.
• Government’s purpose is to protect and sustain the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

The current approach isn’t working. Unemployment continues to rise. The cost of essential goods and services remains far too high for many whānau. Our health, education, and other public services are under more strain than ever. Different solutions are needed.

Budgets are not easy. We acknowledge they involve difficult choices. But the choices made in this Budget are the wrong ones.

We are calling on the Government to change course: to invest in people, rebuild our public services, and lay the foundations for a fair, resilient, and thriving New Zealand. We cannot afford to continue making the wrong choices.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/29/we-are-calling-on-the-government-to-change-course/

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/29/community-groups-get-funding-boost-across-tmaki-makaurau/

Mr Speaker, the Greens want every New Zealander to feel proud of our country. 

Not just for our history; for granting women the vote, standing against the United States for a nuclear free Pacific and splitting the atom. 

We want New Zealanders to feel proud of the country they live in today. 

We want New Zealanders to be able to swim in their rivers.  

To be able to grow food in healthy soil.  

To catch abundant fish from the ocean to feed their families.  

To be able to afford their groceries.  

To be housed. To heat their homes.  

To have the right to a good education and secure job.  

To innovate. To create. To have fun. 

We want New Zealanders to be happy, healthy and safe. Unified. 

But this Government is telling us “computer says no”. 

Today, they have released a Budget that tells us that they have no hope, no plan, no ambition and no vision for our country.  

Unless, of course, that hope, plan, ambition and vision is just what we see here: allowing corporations to profit handsomely off the misery of regular New Zealanders. Subsidising and supporting the very fossil fuels that Treasury’s BEFU tells us are the major vulnerability in our economy. 

This isn’t a cost-of-living crisis. It is a cost of greed crisis. 

Christopher Luxon, Nicola Willis, aren’t you sick of pretending? 

Pretending that there is no money? 

‘Cause the National Party can find money when it wants to. 

And I’m not just talking about their rich-lister donations. 

In the past two years, they’ve found billions in their budgets in tax cuts for landlords, tobacco companies and the wealthy and sorted. 

There’s been billions for fossil fuel production. 

Billions and billions to meet Trump’s request to spend up large on new military equipment. 

So they’ve taken billions and billions from the poorest New Zealanders, cutting access for the homeless to emergency housing and cutting access to benefits while thousands of New Zealanders are being pushed out of their jobs by this same Government to the highest number since 1994 – the year that I was born.  

And the books today show us that unemployment will in fact be higher in the next few years as a result of the decisions that this Government was just clapping for than were forecast in December. That means another 6,500 New Zealanders will lose their jobs thanks to the decisions of Christopher Luxon.  

These books also show us that Christopher Luxon’s ‘responsible fiscal management’ has resulted in further downward revisions of GDP growth forecasts. Treasury today has also warned that his obsession with fossil fuels will raise costs for households and businesses, which can slow spending, investment, and the very growth that they love to grow about, ultimately reshaping the economy’s structure, and lowering our output and economic performance.  

It’s dressed up in a heck of a lot of fancy language, but today the Government is effectively choosing where our collective resources go, and who gets to be in charge. Who really gets to make decisions. 

And this week, Christopher Luxon has shown us – albeit kicking and screaming – into broad daylight, who he sees as his job to serve. 

We have seen laws stripping people’s right to hold big polluters accountable, originally drafted by the country’s largest climate polluters – Fonterra and Z Energy – were introduced by this Government with glee.  

The Greens have exposed that the Government is taking on one and a half billion dollars more in debt to try and quietly cover the tracks of their failed climate policies. 

This is why it’s so important to understand that every time this Government makes decisions to push more of our country’s wealth up to those at the top, they are also damaging our democracy.  

Fewer and fewer people get more and more money and more and more influence, while more and more people are left with scraps they’re told to fight over – and told, don’t look up. 

Let’s run through some important facts. 

Because despite this Government’s best efforts to starve our economy, New Zealanders are slugging away and working hard, and we’ve been lucky with global commodity prices, so our economy is growing in size. 

But more and more people are getting poorer and poorer. 

And the Government is cutting away investment in our basic, collectively owned and operated public services.  

So: our economy is growing, but regular people are getting poorer, and our Government is shrinking, while taking on more debt. 

So, where is New Zealanders’ money going? 

Well, last year, the 100 odd households on the NBR’s rich list increased their wealth by almost 8 billion dollars. In just one year. 

Supermarkets are making $1m a day in excess profit. Power companies’ net profits were $557 million in the second half of last year. Banks raked in profits of almost $7b in 2025. That’s $1,248 in profit for Australian banks for every single New Zealander. 

Our economy is worth $445 billion dollars. It’s bigger than it’s ever been. 

But our hospitals and schools and our nurses and our doctors and our teachers who staff them are struggling. Our firefighters are striking twice a week because the fire trucks meant to save lives are falling apart. 

Our public services don’t fail overnight. When we don’t invest properly in them, those services get slower, more stretched and further away for every year that passes. 

There is a word for that. Austerity. It’s how you break a country in slow motion. 

Luxon’s Government has boasted about new money for health and education. But once you count inflation, a growing and ageing population, and what it really costs to deliver these things, much of that ‘record investment’ is a cut in everything but name. 

This Government will do anything in order to avoid taxing the mega-rich. 

They’ll take school kids’ lunch money. They’ve made real terms cuts to our schools and our early childhood education – meaning higher fees for parents. They’ve cut $300,000 from programmes that help New Zealanders with energy hardship, when record numbers are struggling to pay their power bill.  They’ve raided millions of dollars from food banks, and taken away almost $700m from public housing tenants.  

I guess just some of us are entitled to our entitlements.  

Their decisions will close down sexual violence prevention services.  

Christopher Luxon promises growth means more money in our economy. And he is right about that. 

What he’s not being straight up about is how he knows that growth is not shared. 

He knows that under his economic rules, that wealth goes straight to the top. 

But maybe I’m being too generous. 

Maybe he truly still believes in trickle down economics, like some believe in the tooth fairy. 

Maybe he believes his own shtick about ‘hard choices’ as he entrenches an economy that’s been designated as a speculator’s tax haven by Australians. 

The same Australians from the same Australia where higher tax rates on those who can afford to pay mean there’s more Government revenue to invest in better public services and infrastructure. The same Australia that this Government is sending so many of our best and brightest to, because under this Government, New Zealanders are having a really hard time imagining a better tomorrow here at home. 

I know politics is hard. I know that changing your mind and doing something differently in this environment opens you up to all kinds of attacks that you’re u-turning, or backtracking, or whatever we want to call it. 

But I would like to think, if I was privileged enough to be sitting in those seats over there making the decisions about where our country’s collective resources are used, if I had spent two years making decisions that were hurting regular people, I would like to think that I would pause and re-evaluate. 

That I would listen. To the chanting of our emergency service workers on strike for the longest industrial action in a generation. To the cries of babies this Government knows are being born into unnecessary, entirely preventable poverty. To the New Zealanders down at the RSA who just want some leaders with a spine. 

Instead, this Government ploughs ahead with their economic doom loop. 

They’ve decided to mercilessly cut back on spending without any idea of how the market they worship would fill the gap. That shocked business confidence they said they cared about and private sector investment also contracted by 2%. 

They cancelled thousands of new state house builds, and hundreds of infrastructure projects, which meant the loss of 15,000 construction sector jobs.  

Each job lost isn’t just devastating for that person or just for their family. It’s devastating to their local community, and their local economy, and the small businesses where they bought a morning coffee, or went on a date, or did their home renos through. 

And what’s the Government’s response to the doom loop of their own creation? 

It’s not to stop and think, maybe this thing isn’t working. 

Because maybe, instead of a plan, they’re running on instinct. A well-documented, well-exercised National Party instinct to hand over our collective wealth and control to a few people at the top. 

Former National Governments sold off state housing, which now means we hand out billions to line the pockets of private landlords. 

Former National Governments sold off our state-owned power companies, despite an overwhelming referendum in opposition, and now we all pay for an energy system driven by profit at the expense of innovation and renewable generation. 

Former National Governments shut down and amalgamated Ministries and Departments, closing factories and putting a wrecking ball through the regions. 

This National Government is no different. 

New Zealanders deserve so much better. 

And the Greens have consistently shown that better is possible. 

If we dared to tax multi-multi-millionaires and billionaires so they contributed fairly to the country that helped them build that wealth, we wouldn’t have to rely on charity to get new ambulances on the road. 

We could use this big old economy democratically, to achieve the things that no one of us could achieve alone. Very few people have the individual wealth to build a hospital or refurbish old classrooms, but together, we have more wealth than we’ve ever had. 

We can create jobs. We can build the things we need. We can protect the natural environment we rely on for life on earth as we know it. Or are we going to keep pretending that megalomaniac billionaires are going to solve our problems? 

I actually agreed with the Prime Minister when two months ago, as the fossil fuel crisis was just hitting, he boldly said that hope is not a plan. 

However, at exactly that same time, his Minister of Energy was quietly cancelling the long-awaited Energy Plan.  

The fossil fuel crisis has put a spotlight on the ticking time bomb sitting at the centre of our economy. 

And while Luxon’s Government seems intent on finding new ways to lace this timebomb into the fabric of everything we do. The Government hopes and prays for new fossil fuel shipments, and every time one is confirmed, they hope to restart the countdown timer. 

But if the counter gets to zero, our entire country, our entire economy, grinds to a halt. 

It’s not sensible to spend all of our resources fixated on feeding the beast in hopes to just reset the clock. 

We need to defuse the time bomb. 

The next step is rewiring our economy and country around something that will not blow up in our faces. 

We don’t get affordable, secure energy from expensive fuels that need to be hauled in from the other side of the planet. 

We get it when we tap into the abundant water, wind and sun and the geothermal activity beneath our feet. We get it when we electrify everything. 

That’s what it means to build resilience. 

It’s what it means to insulate ourselves against imported inflation. 

It’s what it means to build our country. 

But it’s not just nation building. It’s common sense. 

It’s taking control over the things that we have control over. 

But this Government is giving up control. 

Not to regular New Zealanders –  

But to corporations, off-shore shareholders and the fewer and fewer people who are getting more and more of our resources. 

Funnily enough, if our country were actually the business Christopher Luxon seems to think it is, it would also be a failing business. 

In business, you don’t succeed by firing all of your staff, cutting off your sources of revenue and then begging rich out-of-towners to maybe pop over because they can avoid paying tax, closing your eyes to the crumbling infrastructure. 

If things aren’t going right, you get a new business plan. You find a new strategy. 

But a country is not a company, and a Prime Minister is not a CEO. 

Prime Minister, I’ve spent two years inviting you to come and walk the streets of Auckland Central, to meet the people, including the children, who your policies have made homeless. 

I invite you to go and stand in the middle of Bendigo in Central Otago, and tell New Zealanders with a straight face that you want to poison the local waterways and churn our pristine biodiversity into a mine to make a quick buck for an Australian mining company. 

I invite you to come sit with me with regular people at Mt Smart during a Warriors game, to meet the couple from Hamilton who sit next to me, who drive up every other week for the game, who tell me your Government has been a wrecking ball for small business because you’ve sucked all of the money out of customers’ pockets. 

Prime Minister, I invite you to go outside. 

To touch grass. 

To breathe the air. 

To look at New Zealanders you’re supposed to serve in the eye. 

Those things are real. Those things matter. 

And when your made-up economic rulebook is destroying those very real things, those silly rules have got to change. 

Mr Speaker, here’s the hardest truth. And it’s not for the theatre that is this place. It’s for the New Zealanders beyond these walls. 

No one is coming to save us. 

New Zealanders are going to have to do this ourselves. 

And on November 7th, New Zealanders can resign this Government to the history books. 

But we are not going to spontaneously end up with a government that is willing to take on the well-resourced lobbyists in the country, and to work actively in the interests of regular people. 

So we are going to need a new kind of coalition. 

I’m not talking about the boring, circular talk-back talk of which politician will negotiate with which. 

I’m talking about New Zealanders coming together with a common, intentional idea of who we are as a country, and where all of us want to go. 

Because when everything feels complicated and chaotic, I believe we can agree on some basic things. 

Every New Zealander is entitled to a safe home. A good education. Affordable food. A secure job. Reliable transport. Renewable energy. 

These are the non-negotiables that every New Zealander is entitled to. And they can be the building blocks to help us rebuild our country for all of us. 

These are the things that we should fight for not just for ourselves, not just for the people we know and love, but even for the people we don’t know, and even the people we don’t like. 

To anyone and everyone listening, I’m asking you not just to believe in the Greens. I’m asking New Zealanders to believe in themselves, to believe in each other, and to believe in the country we can build if we are willing to work together to make it a reality. 

And I’m asking NZers not just to believe. I’m asking you to act. 

Because if New Zealanders are feeling powerless right now, it’s kind of by intent. That is exactly the strategy and the plan of this Government. To have regular people switch off so that power and wealth get concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. But I promise New Zealanders, they will find their power when they go out there and they talk to other New Zealanders about these basic things we have in common that we are willing to fight for, for each other. 

New Zealanders can do more than vote this election. They can join the campaign to rebuild this country.  

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/28/chloe-swarbrick-budget-speech-2026/

MEDIA RELEASE – 28 May 2026

HRC’s Conversion Therapy Unit Finds… Nothing

The 2.25 million dollar taxpayer-funded complaints centre set up by the then-Labour government via the Human Rights Commission for generating complaints about ‘conversion therapy’ has struggled to obtain any formal complaints about the use of ‘conversion therapy’ in the four years since the new law was passed – despite significant media advertising – and hasn’t referred a single complaint to the Police. The unit has now been (rightly) dissolved – due to irrelevancy.

According to an Official Information Act response, in the past 12 months, not a single formal complaint was made. This is consistent with numbers before the law was passed. The Human Rights Commission admitted that there had only been one informal complaint and no formal complaints in the past 10 years in relation to ‘conversion therapy’. Even some of the politicians who supported the new law admitted they were not aware of any cases of involuntary ‘conversion therapy’ in their communities.

“The taxpayer via the Human Rights Commission has wasted more than $2m looking for a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. But what the politicians and activist groups have done is make it difficult for parents, counsellors and therapists to support troubled adolescents, and difficult for individuals who are dealing with unwanted sexuality and gender issues to get support,” says Bob McCoskrie, CEO of Family First NZ.

Family First will be campaigning to repeal the law, based on the fact that parents are currently criminalised for affirming their children in their biological sex rather than chemicalising them with puberty blockers. The law is now inconsistent and at odds with the Government ban on puberty blockers which was long overdue.

As an Australian family law and child protection expert warned during the debate four years ago, some mental health professionals will refuse to see young patients with sexual orientation or gender identity issues who have other serious mental health concerns. This could lead to an increase in the mental health burden on already very troubled young people and may lead to increased suicide attempts.

This is leading to huge distress for parents who are already experiencing very difficult circumstances. The NHS report by Dr Hillary Cass confirms that concerned parents have been right all along.

And despite claiming that they wanted to ensure that they “regularly hear from diverse lived experience voices”, the Human Rights Commission admits, “The Commission has not knowingly had any engagement with individuals who made submissions against the new law and who had positive experiences of receiving counselling to deal with unwanted sexuality and gender confusion issues.”

Their rights aren’t important, according to the ‘Human Rights’ Commission. The Human Rights Commission doesn’t care about Issy or Zara and many others.

Ironically, while gender and sexuality is supposedly ‘fluid’, activists want the law to stipulate that it can only go in the direction they approve. ‘Conversion therapy’ is still legal. It’s practiced in schools by groups such as InsideOut and Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (formerly Family Planning).

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/28/hrcs-conversion-therapy-unit-finds-nothing/

The Green Party says Budget 2026 leaves New Zealanders fending for themselves with no vision or plan for the country.

“Everyday, New Zealanders feel the reality that Luxon’s Government has no hope, no plan, no ambition and no vision for our country. Today’s Budget is yet more proof,” says Green Party Co-leader and finance spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick.

“The entire Budget Economic and Fiscal Update is a stark warning for hooking our economy up to more fossil fuel vulnerability, and reads like an ad for renewable energy generation. Yet, Luxon’s Government keeps on digging that hole and growing our vulnerability at the cost of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.”

“As homelessness was today recorded to reach its highest level ever after years of cuts in housing support from Willis, the Government’s housing strategy is clearly prison, where they’re today chucking half a billion dollars to increase capacity for prisoners.”

“Instead of asking the corporations raking in immense profits to pay their fair share as the cost of living soars for New Zealanders, Luxon’s Government has decided to entrench the cost of greed crisis,” says Swarbrick.

Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson says the people who can least afford it are the ones being asked to pay in this Budget.

“This Budget shows it’s students, renters, social housing tenants, whānau on low incomes and families already stretched thin, who did nothing to cause this Government’s economic mess, are the ones being told to wear it,” says Davidson.

“The Government could be doing so much more to bring down household bills and has decided not to in this Budget. Instead, they’ve spent every last dollar on more warships, drones and prison cells.”

“Life can be easier than this, because there is more for all of us when we decide to look after each other. That is the Aotearoa we are fighting for, and on 7 November people get to choose it,” says Davidson.

Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/28/budget-2026-leaves-new-zealand-with-no-plan/