The Government is taking practical steps to strengthen New Zealand’s fuel resilience by temporarily allowing fuel that meets Australian specifications to be supplied to the New Zealand market, Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says.

“In a tight global fuel market, flexibility matters. Countries that can access a wider range of shipments are better placed to keep fuel flowing. This decision removes unnecessary technical barriers and helps ensure New Zealand isn’t excluded from available supply our neighbours across the Tasman are accessing,” Mr Jones says.

The temporary alignment will open up more options for fuel importers by allowing fuel refined to Australian specifications to be supplied domestically.

“The change reduces the risk of supply disruptions driven purely by technical specification differences. Fuel companies have told us this could allow them to secure shipments more quickly and from a wider pool of suppliers.

“Our fuel specifications are already very similar to Australia’s. Fuel refined to Australian standards is compatible with New Zealand vehicles and meets safety and quality expectations.”

New Zealand will not, at this stage, be following Australia’s lead and relaxing standards to allow higher sulphur fuel. Australia has made the decision so it can access high-sulphur fuel from its Brisbane refinery.

“However, we will keep an eye on whether further changes to fuel specifications could open up further supply channels if necessary,” Mr Jones says.

“This is a sensible, time‑limited step that gives importers access to a broader range of fuel shipments, including those already in our region.

“We are closely monitoring market conditions and will keep under review any further practical measures that could strengthen New Zealand’s fuel supply resilience while global conditions remain uncertain.”

The temporary alignment with Australian specifications could remain in place for up to 12 months if needed.

Editors’ note:

Fuel specifications set the minimum technical and environmental requirements that petrol, diesel and other transport fuels must meet before they can be supplied in New Zealand. Each country has its own fuel specifications.
Where there are differences in fuel specifications for the purpose of catering to different climatic conditions, this is dealt with by the requirement that fuel sold in New Zealand must still be ‘fit for common purpose’. For example, this means diesel for hot climates cannot be sold in very cold ones. 

MIL OSI

Last year was among the hottest on record, as the world’s “addiction” to fossil fuels continues to drive global warming, new data shows.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed the average global temperature last year was 1.43°C warmer than the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average.

2024 remains the hottest year on record, but 2025 was the second- or third-hottest, across the nine major global datasets.

The organisation said the global climate was more out of balance than at any other time in observed history, as greenhouse gas concentrations reached their highest levels in at least 800,000 years.

Most of the trapped heat was stored in the ocean, which is warming at an accelerating pace.

Together with melting sea ice and glaciers, that was driving global sea level rise – which projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show will continue for centuries.

Arctic sea-ice hit a record low in some satellite datasets last year.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the planet was being pushed beyond its limits.

“Every key climate indicator is flashing red.”

Current major conflicts were exposing another truth, Guterres said.

“Our addiction to fossil fuels is destabilising both the climate and global security.”

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, after the country was attacked by Israel and the US, has spiked oil and gas prices and prompted fears of global inflation.

The WMO’s State of the Climate report said increasingly severe weather, driven by climate change, was already affecting agricultural production and displacing people from their homes.

“The cascading and compounding impacts of multiple, sequential disasters severely limit the ability of communities to prepare for, recover from and adapt to shocks,” the report said.

That was especially true in places that were already experiencing conflict or other types of insecurity.

In New Zealand, inflation-adjusted data published by the Insurance Council showed that since 2019, insurance companies had paid out nearly $6 billion for extreme weather-related events in New Zealand.

That did not include pay-outs for severe weather at the beginning of this year, which killed six people in a landslide at Mount Maunganui, cut off entire communities, and closed major roads.

Victoria University professor of climate science James Renwick said the science of climate change had been understood for a century or more now.

“We know what we have to do to stop it,” he said. “Stop burning fossil fuels.”

Policymakers had been given that message for decades but emissions just kept increasing, he said.

He hoped the latest report “moves the dial”.

“The costs of inaction are already astronomical, let’s not make them overwhelming.”

Last week, the High Court in Wellington heard a case taken by two environmental NGOs against the government over its emissions reductions plans, which the organisations argued were risky and unlawful.

The Environmental Law Initiative and Lawyers for Climate Action told the court that the government broke the law when it dismantled dozens of climate policies soon after the election, before it had consulted the public.

The current plan relied overwhelmingly on offsetting emissions by planting forestry, rather than tackling emissions at their sources, the organisations said.

The court has reserved its decision.

Similar cases in the UK succeeded in forcing the government there to re-write its own emissions plans.

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

Minister for Racing Winston Peters has congratulated champion jockey James McDonald on his historic achievement in becoming Australasia’s most successful Group 1 rider.

The three-time winner of the world’s best jockey award gained his 130^th Australasian Group 1 victory at the weekend beating the previous record held by Australian Damien Oliver.

“James McDonald’s achievement is nothing short of remarkable,” Mr Peters says. 

“To reach 130 Australasian Group 1 victories, and to do so at just 34 years of age, reflects not only his exceptional natural talent, but also his professionalism, discipline, and deep commitment to the sport.

“We hail F1 drivers, All Blacks and Black Caps, but in James McDonald we have a true global superstar and he deserves all the accolades he receives,” Mr Peters says.

“James has become a defining figure in our racing community. His connection with the public, his strong partnerships with leading trainers such as Chris Waller, and his consistently world‑class performances have made him a true ambassador for Australasian racing.”

MIL OSI

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has called critics of his Fisheries Amendment Bill “a range of noisy voices” and invited them to have their say at the select committee.

The bill, which is scheduled to have it’s first reading on Tuesday, has been welcomed by the commercial sector but condemned by recreational fishing groups.

Fishing Host Matt Watson – probably the country’s most famous recreational fisher – is dismayed by the proposals in the fishing amendment bill.

He told First Up the bill’s “designed purely to prioritise the profits of the seafood industry”.

“If these go through unchecked, it is disaster. It’s beginning of the end for our fish stocks, and that’ not over dramatising it.”

Among Watson’s concerns is the proposal to remove the minimum size limits for commercial fishers from a number of popular species, including snapper.

He said it wouldn’t encourage commercial fishers to avoid undersized fish and would decrease overall fish stocks.

The current recreational size limit for snapper is between 25cm and 30cm depending on location, while the commercial size limit is 25cm.

Minimum size limits are imposed to ensure fish can reach sexual maturity before being caught.

“If you start killing fish before they’ve had a chance to breed, you’re going to run out of fish and you don’t need to be a genius to figure that out,” Watson said.

Jones argued that allowing the commercial sector to land and sell undersize fish would prevent wastage.

Currently commercial fishers must dump undersize fish dead or alive, and it doesn’t count against their quota.

“The new provision is that if you catch them, you pay for them,” Jones said.

“With the commercial industry, we know every single kilo that they take and their conduct is now captured by cameras.”

But if Jones’ bill passes, the footage taken by cameras on board commercial boats can no longer be accessed under the official information act, effectively making it off limits to the public.

Anyone who leaks the footage faces a $50,000 fine.

“If you’ve got nothing to hide, why on earth would you behave like that,” Sam Woolford of recreational advocacy group Legasea said.

“When cameras on boats were introduced, we know that the rate of discarding, or notified discards, went up about 46 percent. For snapper and kingfish, it was closer to 1000 percent.”

Jones, a self described apostle of industry, brushed off the concerns about snapper stocks, telling First Up the “amount of snapper in our waters is almost biblical in its profundity”.

“You can almost walk on the water we’ve got so many snapper.”

Coalition support means the Fisheries Amendment Bill should easily pass it’s first reading, but Labour’s fisheries and Oceans spokesperson Rachel Boyack said she would make her concerns heard at the select committee stage.

She said her party would do their “best to make changes to the bill so that it’s not as bad as what it could be.”

Although with commercial fishing a strong feature of her Nelson electorate, Boyack was choosing her words carefully .

“It creates jobs in my local community and it’s important that we are able to produce fish for food and for export, but we also have to ensure that the fishery is sustainable”.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment, but in a facebook post Northland MP Grant McCallum said he met with Legasea and the sports fishing council over the weekend and would strongly represent the views of the recreational sector in the party’s caucus this week.

Seafood New Zealand’s Inshore Policy Manager Tamar Wells said the commercial sector was trying to make the industry more sustainable.

“Fishers do change their methods. In terms of their selectivity of their nets, they’ll have larger mesh to let smaller fish out.

“There’s also new methods coming in, like Flowmo, which is a type of net that can keep fish kind of contained underwater so they have a higher survivability.”

The Fisheries Amendment Bill won’t require commercial fishers to change their methods though and Jones said there was no plan to outlaw trawling.

“It’s evident to me that the vast majority of the activists opposed to trawling are really seeking to undo the Māori fisheries settlement and terminate the commercial fishing industry and that’s just never, ever going to happen for as long as I’m in politics, and I look forward to being in politics for a long, long time.”

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

MIL OSI

Some British dual nationals are getting permanent exemptions from needing UK passports to travel there – but the carve-out is not going to help those in New Zealand.

A low-key change has allowed EU nationals granted British citizenship after Brexit to circumvent the new border requirements.

In New Zealand and elsewhere, some dual UK citizens have spent hundreds of dollars to get new British passports, trying to avoid writing off thousands more they have spent on pre-booked holidays.

The border requirement – which means British and Irish citizens can no longer use their New Zealand passport to enter the UK – came into force a month ago.

The policy, first revealed by RNZ in mid-January, caused panic for travellers unaware of the move.

Advocacy groups and immigration lawyers in the UK have since called on the government to rethink several aspects of its programme.

They only discovered the new passport exemption for European dual nationals given settlement status in Britain after Brexit through Home Office correspondence about the ongoing saga two weeks ago.

The British government website now sets out how citizens of EU and other European countries such as Switzerland will not need a UK passport to travel there.

UK lobby group the3million – named after the EU migrants living and voting there – said it welcomed the government’s partial u-turn, but said it still left many others struggling to navigate citizenship and passport complexities.

“It’s for a very precise group – it’s for those EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and their family members who were living in the UK and applied for status under the EU Settlement Scheme,” its spokeswoman Monique Hawkins told RNZ.

“This is the cohort that can benefit from this new concession.”

The group wants the UK government to go much further in changing the passport requirements and allowing a grace period for people who have not yet got a UK passport, or did not know they needed one.

“As the world moves towards digital travel documentation, we do not see that dual citizens should be forced to maintain two sets of expensive physical documents if they do not want to do so.”

Hawkins also took aim at the digital Certificate of Entitlement (CoE), which is an alternative – albeit ‘extremely expensive’ – to keeping a second passport.

“We are fully aware that these no longer need to be renewed; however, £589 [NZ$1347] is still more than six times the cost of an adult British passport, each of which lasts for 10 years,” said a joint letter to the Home Office.

“It would therefore take more than 60 years before the cost of a CoE outweighs the cost of passport renewals, and for a family the multiplied cost is likely to be unaffordable.”

The letter also points out that some European dual nationals will now not even need a passport to enter the UK, but only a national ID card from their country of origin.

“Although this was not one of the measures we had asked for in our letter, we welcome this change for the cohort who can benefit from it. We note it is a significant departure from the general Home Office position that for a British citizen there is “a legal requirement to hold a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement” as stated in the Home Office response to our letter.”

Meanwhile, dual nationals in New Zealand are still struggling with the changes, as well as flight cancellations and uncertainty thrown up by the Middle East conflict.

Travel agents and some airlines have been updating passengers, but others remain unaware of the change or even that they or their children could be British citizens by descent.

Some are against the clock to access ID documents for citizenship and passport applications, waiting on deliveries, or have decided they will be relinquishing their UK citizenship altogether.

A New Zealander told RNZ he was lucky to see news about the rule change before his daughter, who was studying in the UK, took a trip to the Continent – as she would not have been able to return to Britain afterwards.

Previously, dual citizens had been able to visit the UK on a New Zealand passport, more recently with an ETA, an electronic online declaration costing about $37.

The UK’s Guardian newspaper has reported cases of dual national Britons, including teenagers, stuck overseas after going on holiday to Europe or elsewhere and then discovering they need a UK passport to return.

RNZ has heard from people planning to try to travel without a British passport, hoping that check-in and border staff will not know they or their children have dual citizenship.

The UK Home Office and British High Commission have previously warned against that, and suggested people could use expired passports as a temporary measure if airlines agree, while defending their communication of the changes.

* The full rules around citizenship can be found here https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizenship and a rundown of the passport requirements are here https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport , including information for those who had names changed by marriage, or last had a UK passport issued before 1994.

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

The New Zealand Drug foundation is calling for a “fundamental shift” in drug policies in response to dramatic increases in cocaine and methamphetamine consumption.

The foundation said police wastewater testing showed cocaine use reached an all time high during the last quarter of 2025 – exceeding MDMA consumption for the first time.

In that period New Zealanders used an estimated 9.4 kilograms per week – nearly double the average weekly amount consumed over the previous four quarters of 4.7 kilograms per week.

The wastewater report showed during the last three months of 2025 Kiwi’s were also using nearly 34.7 kgs of methamphetamine every week.

The consumption of the drug had held steady over the previous two years after a sudden surge which saw use nearly double from an average estimated figure of 14.64 kgs per week in the year following 2023.

Drug Foundation Executive Director, Sarah Helm said the results were a “stark illustration” that underinvestment in treatment and harm reduction combined with an over reliance on police to interrupt supply wasn’t working.

“The dramatic increases in methamphetamine and cocaine consumption over the last two years are unprecedented.

“Consumption is at record levels, drug use is diversifying, prices are down, harm is increasing, and new potent drugs are arriving. Every indicator is screaming at us to change our approach,” Helm said.

Helm said since it’s introduction in 1975 the Misuse Drug Act had only seen the problems of drug harm worsen in New Zealand.

“We’ve gone from having a small number of substances – causing a small amount of harm – to mass incarceration, a growth in addiction and much more toxic and new substances appearing all the time. It has accelerated harm and we’ve really given it it’s best,” Helm said.

Helm said the foundation sought to remove criminal penalties for drug use – so that people were encouraged to seek help rather than covering up their substance use – as well as addressing parts of the law that criminalised elements of harm reduction initiatives.

“A bunch of the things that we need to be able to do to prevent people from dying or having harms occur are actually criminalised or are made very difficult to conduct under the Act.

“So we do need new law that is centred on evidence and the well-being of people – rather than what has been historically in place for over 50 years,” Helm said.

Helm said the foundation supported the initiatives outlined in the Government’s Action Plan to Prevent and Reduce Substance Harm – announced last week.

The plan included pledges to strengthen early intervention and prevention measures – such as drug checking and health promotion – as well as improving access to community-based support and better data and monitoring of the health system’s performance in the area.

But Helm said “a more fundamental shift” was needed” to reverse the current trends.

“We need step change if we really want to try and get this growth and change in our drug supply and our drug harms under control. If we continue to just do the same kind of thing we will see the harms continue to grow.

“If we could wave a magic wand, we would do two things: vastly increase the spending on addiction treatment and harm reduction, and change our drug laws.

“While these things won’t remove all problems, the evidence is clear that it would reduce the worst harms and provide us with more tools to tackle the increase in harm. But if we continue doing more of the same, things will continue to get worse,” Helm said.

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

MIL OSI

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 March 2026 – Singapore’s economy continues to evolve amid rapid technological change and sustainability priorities, workforce capabilities are expected to shift significantly over the next few years. Workforce insights from Singapore agencies and global labour market research indicate that professionals will need to strengthen both emerging digital competencies and transferable professional skills to remain competitive.

SIM Academy (SIMA), the professional development arm of the Singapore Institute of Management, offers programmes that support several capability areas highlighted in Singapore’s workforce insights. According to SkillsFuture Singapore’s Skills Demand for the Future Economy report, emerging demand is being shaped by growth in the digital, green and care economies, alongside transferable capabilities such as business management and data-related skills. These trends reflect the increasing importance of capabilities such as data and artificial intelligence literacy, cyber resilience awareness, sustainability and ESG knowledge, project management and delivery, as well as risk management and strategic planning. SIMA’s professional development programmes are designed to help working professionals build competencies in these areas as organisations adapt to technological change and sustainability priorities.

Global labour market analysis supports this shift. The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report identifies AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy among the fastest growing skills worldwide as organisations adopt digital technologies and automation.

In Singapore, workforce insights from SkillsFuture Singapore SSG and Workforce Singapore WSG highlight growing demand for skills aligned with the digital, green and care economies, alongside transferable competencies such as project management, risk assessment and digital tool proficiency.

Among the emerging capabilities, data and AI literacy is becoming increasingly important across industries as organisations adopt data driven decision making and artificial intelligence enabled tools. According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report, AI and big data are among the fastest growing skill areas globally as companies accelerate digital transformation. In Singapore, organisations including small and medium sized enterprises are also exploring practical ways to adopt AI in their operations. To support this need, SIM Academy offers programmes focused on digital innovation and emerging technologies. These include AI.dea: An AI Bridge Programme, developed in collaboration with Singtel, that helps SMEs develop actionable AI adoption strategies and prepare for scalable AI implementation.

Another skill gaining prominence is cybersecurity, which increasingly affects organisations of all sizes and sectors. In Singapore, the growing importance of cybersecurity skills is reflected in national workforce and digital economy priorities. SIM Academy supports capability building in this area through selected programmes for different audiences. These include Cyber Resilience programmes for corporate learners, as well as cybersecurity training offered under the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme SCTP. Together, these programmes support workforce development in cybersecurity and organisational resilience in an increasingly digital operating environment.

Singapore’s sustainability agenda is also shaping workforce needs. With the government advancing initiatives under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, businesses are strengthening capabilities related to sustainability strategy and ESG practices. SIM Academy offers sustainability focused programmes such as Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainability, which equips professionals with knowledge in LCA frameworks, enhance sustainability decision-making and strategic sustainability and compliance.

Organisations are also prioritising risk management and strategic planning capabilities as they navigate evolving geopolitical, technological and economic uncertainties. SIM Academy’s leadership and management programmes help professionals develop strategic thinking, systems leadership and decision making capabilities relevant to today’s complex business environment.

SIMA offers more than 300 professional development courses across areas such as management and leadership, digital innovation and sustainability. These programmes are designed to support working professionals in upgrading their skills and staying competitive in a rapidly changing economy.

References:

1. SIM Academy Professional Development – https://www.sim.edu.sg/professional-development/overview
2. SIM Academy Course Listings – https://www.sim.edu.sg/professional-development/courses/course-listing
3. Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainable Organisation – https://www.sim.edu.sg/professional-development/courses/course-listing/life-cycle-assessment-for-sustainable-organisations
4. PMP Prep Course – https://www.sim.edu.sg/professional-development/courses/course-listing/project-management-professional-pmp-l4-sfw
5. World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report – https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/
6. SkillsFuture Singapore Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report – https://jobsandskills.skillsfuture.gov.sg/insights/sdfe
7. Singapore Green Plan 2030 – https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/
8. SkillsFuture Singapore Green Skills Committee Report – https://www.ssg.gov.sg/newsroom/green-skills-committee-report-identifies-green-skills-and-training-pathways-needed-for-a-low-carbon-economy-/
9. Ministry of Education / SkillsFuture Singapore speech on skills demand – https://www.moe.gov.sg/news/speeches/20250122-opening-address-by-ms-gan-siow-huang-minister-of-state-ministry-of-education-for-the-launch-of-the-skills-demand-for-the-future-economy-report-2025-marina-bay-sands-expo-and-convention-centre
10. MyCareersFuture CareersCompass insights on future skills – https://content.mycareersfuture.gov.sg/futureproof-career-top-demand-skills-2025/

https://www.sim.edu.sg/

Hashtag: #SIMAcademy #SIMA

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

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

Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo will visit New Zealand this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced. 

“We share a warm and close partnership with Tuvalu, underpinned by strong development, cultural, economic, and people to people links,” Mr Luxon says.

“I look forward to discussing how we can deliver on our shared ambitions and regional priorities, and hearing about the Pre-COP31 Leaders’ Event Tuvalu is hosting in October.”

New Zealand has a long-standing development partnership with Tuvalu, including support for education, health, economic development and coastal resilience. 

While in New Zealand, Prime Minister Teo will meet Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts. He will also attend community events and engage with the Tuvaluan diaspora.

Prime Minister Teo’s visit to New Zealand will be his first official visit since he was elected Prime Minister in 2024. He will be accompanied by Tuvalu Foreign Minister Paulson Panapa and Tuvalu Minister for Transport, Energy, Communication and Innovation Simon Kofe.

MIL OSI

Explainer – With the Iran war leaving supply chains choked off, pain at the pump is rising, but you still need to drive. How can you get the most out of your tank? Here’s some options.

The price of 91 petrol has now heading towards $4 a litre in some parts of the country, the government is mulling weighing in and some have begun to hoard petrol ahead of possible shortages.

Feeling uncertain? Get used to it, for now.

“Nobody has a clue about future petrol, diesel and aviation fuel supplies and their costs,” Massey University Emeritus Professor in Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Energy Ralph Sims said.

There are plenty of other options – public transport, biking or walking if you can, pivoting to electric vehicles – but not everyone can easily take up those alternatives.

If you’re looking to ‘fuelmaxx’ your efficiency, here is more of what experts suggest:

Combine your errands

NZTA estimates that short trips use 20 percent more fuel when your engine is cold.

So if you can manage to tie together things like school runs with the grocery shop and a run to the chemist, you can save your overall petrol consumption, AA fuel spokesperson and former general manager of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Terry Collins told RNZ’s Afternoons.

“Do it all in one trip when the car’s warm – save the fuel, tick off all those little jobs, instead of making them independent trips every time.”

Steady on the acceleration, mate

Sims said that the majority of drivers can save up to 20 percent of fuel use with a few simple changes.

“Most people don’t understand how to drive a car efficiently,” he told RNZ recently.

“I see people accelerate to a red light and then brake heavily, and if you’re running on low tyre pressures, it consumes much more fuel.”

Collins said a lot of it boils down to how you’re driving.

“When we hop in a car what we really want is momentum – movement. So what we do is we use the fuel to gather momentum, but I see every day people wasting that momentum by braking unnecessarily.

“They’re not anticipating the traffic in rush hour, so they’re driving up behind the next car and putting the brakes on. If they could look ahead a number of cars and see that everybody already had their brakes on, they could just drift up behind the other car very slowly and brake.

“Every time you put your foot on the brake, you have lost that momentum for the fuel that you’ve paid for. So think that every time I put my foot on the brake, I’m spending money.”

It’s worth watching your speed on highways, too – Sims said that typically a car at 110km/h uses 10 percent more fuel per kilometre than when travelling at 90 km/h due to greater air friction.

Once upon a time, manual or stick shifts were typically more fuel efficient than automatic transmission vehicles, but thanks to improved technology that’s changing and modern automatics are often as good or slightly better than manuals.

The more you carry, the more you use

Carrying heavy loads will obviously slow your car down, but there are also smaller drags to be aware of.

Modern cars are carefully designed and put through wind tunnels to get the most aerodynamic shape possible, Collins said.

Even leaving roof racks on your car that you never use can add to the drag.

“The moment you put those roof racks on you’re disturbing all that air flow.

“People think ah, they’re OK, but you’d be surprised how much that aerodynamic change affects your fuel consumption.”

Keep up your maintenance

Don’t just think about car services as a way to get your next Warrant of Fitness ticked off. Regular care for your vehicle’s systems can save you money in the long run.

“One of the things we often overlook is just the simple thing of checking your tyres,” Collins said.

Under-inflated tyres can add 10 to 12 percent to your fuel bill, he said.

“You’re just adding drag. … It’s working harder to get that momentum I was talking about earlier.”

Your tyre’s correct pressure should be listed on the vehicle label inside the door or in the handbook. It’s best to check the pressure when the tyres are cold to see how yours are looking.

A dirty air filter or fuel filter can also compromise your efficiency, while old and worn spark plugs may mean you’re not getting enough ignition.

“Just that simple servicing on a regular basis to make sure those jobs are done are going to save you in the vicinity of 10 to 20 percent of your fuel bill,” Collins said.

To A/C, or not to A/C?

This is one of the great existential questions of driving – is it better to wind down your windows or pump up the air con? Studies have had conflicting results and ultimately it’s better to be flexible.

“While it’s more fuel efficient to have it on at 100km/h than it is to have the windows down creating drag, the air con can use around 10 percent more fuel,” the AA’s website states. “You may need to find that balance of comfort and economy.”

A lot may depend on how old your car is and how well maintained the engine and air con systems are.

It’s best to mix and match if you can – windows down and air con off when you’re at town speeds and windows up and air con on if you’re on the motorway.

In general any other unnecessary widgets on your car may also be creating a drag – such as leaving your rear window defroster on long after it’s done the job, or those heated seats when there’s no need to.

Use the technology if you’ve got it

Many newer vehicles are equipped with Auto Stop-Start systems which automatically shut off the engine when a vehicle is in congestion or at traffic lights. As soon as you take your foot off the brake, the engine restarts without delay, Ford NZ explains on its website.

“Your climate control fan, audio system, and headlamps still work while your engine is off for your comfort,” Ford noted.

Collins said some people turn off these features on their vehicles, but it’s counterproductive if you want to save money.

“Some people find that annoying – it’s there for a reason. It’s because those cars have to meet energy efficiency standards. … So every time you turn (that feature) off, you’re actually defeating the purpose of saving fuel.”

Collins said he often commutes over a hill, and said there’s many tricks you can use to avoid consuming excess fuel. Gravity can help to be your brake when going up a hill, and going down, other methods can help keep your foot off the accelerator – such as using those other driving modes you may often ignore on the gear shift.

“I have an automatic but I put it in sports mode, which holds it in gear longer. That acts as an engine brake, so I don’t really need to brake on a lot of the corners. I just go through them smoothly, not touching, and my fuel consumption’s on zero.”

And if you can, avoid rush hour

Sitting idling in traffic will waste significant fuel, so – if your job allows it – consider off-peak travel to avoid those long queues, or working from home certain days a week if your employer permits.

Sims said that many of these steps are easy, but changing habits is harder.

“It’s all pretty basic and the science is well understood for cars, trucks, and buses. But to change human behaviour is always the challenge.”

He called for the government to step up fuel conservation messaging.

“What the government needs to do urgently is to run a national education campaign (similar to what was accomplished during Covid times using all media opportunities) to inform drivers how they can save both fuel and money.”

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

Tourism operators are being hit with international visitor cancellations due to flight disruptions as the Middle East war continues, an industry survey shows.

The Tourism Export Council’s “rapid snapshot survey” of tourism operators found 77 percent of about 70 respondents had visitors from the United Kingdom and Europe cancel travel during March and April 2026.

Many said the cancellations were linked directly to airline flight cancellations, route disruptions or reduced availability on flights transiting Middle East hubs.

Visitors from outside the UK and Europe didn’t appear to be affected, it said.

The council’s chief executive Lynda Keene said while it was not good news, it was a relief that the impact was only being felt at the tail end of the international tourism season, which runs October to March.

“If this had happened in October or November, members would be feeling very, very concerned about how they might get through the summer,” she said.

“We’ve only lost three weeks, really, of the season.”

Bookings for next season were largely unaffected, but concern would grow if travel disruption in places like Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi continued, said Keene.

However the country could also benefit since it’s seen as a safe travel destination, she said.

“There may be visitors, maybe from US or Canada or other countries that might see New Zealand as a safer haven.

“There’s always some form of opportunity that crops up when travellers still wish to travel, they still have the disposal income to travel, and they want to look for alternative destinations.”

It was important that New Zealand continued to welcome international visitors, she said.

“Strong communication with offshore trade partners will be key to ensuring the destination remains front of mind for travellers looking to adjust their travel plans,” she said.

The survey covered providers of accommodation, attractions, transport and guided tour experiences.

West Coast suffering

Development West Coast Chief Executive Heath Milne told Morning Report the region’s tourism industry had been growing before now.

“We have seen already international visitors are dropping, and looking at cancellations going forward,” he said.

“I don’t think that’s just about fuel prices, I think that’s about confidence in … geopolitics and what’s going on around the world.”

Westport is also losing its only air service, Originair, from May.

“They have struggled a little bit lately to make that profitable, and this has just tipped them over the edge,” said Milne.

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

Date:  20 February 2026 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation

“Tongariro is a Dual World Heritage site, a taonga, and a cornerstone of the Ruapehu District economy. The fires have damaged biodiversity, disrupted recreation, and affected the livelihoods of families and businesses across Ruapehu District,” Mr Potaka says.

“That is why we are investing $3.5m from the International Visitor Levy (IVL) over five years to fund weed control, pest management and biodiversity monitoring. 

“The IVL ensures visitor revenue goes back into maintaining and improving the places that support local jobs, businesses and communities.”

Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro is working alongside DOC to deliver Maunga Ora, a restoration plan based on science, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.

“Recovery is already visible, with native plants pushing through the charred ground. But without sustained weed control and pest management, including managing deer, that regeneration will be at risk,” Mr Potaka says.

“I want to acknowledge the commitment of Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, DOC staff and the wider Ruapehu community who have been working on the ground since the fires. Their partnership is critical to restoring the mauri of this sacred landscape.

“The investment restores ecological resilience while backing the regional economy and people who depend on it.

“Tongariro is our taonga and restoring its mauri is essential. That’s why the Government is working to secure its long-term future.”

Contact

MIL OSI

Oil prices have risen as the fall out continues from the Middle East crisis.

Brent Crude oil rose about US$1 to be just above US$113 a barrel in early Asia trade.

The New Zealand share market has retreated sharply, with the benchmark NZX50 down 1.4 percent shortly after 11am.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said on Sunday New Zealand’s fuels stocks remain at seven weeks’ worth, including stockpiles.

Fuel price app Gaspy has altered features in an attempt to avoid errors and deliberate misinformation about current prices of petrol.

And the government has announced a $50 million plan to double electric EV chargers in New Zealand.

Follow all the updates in our live blog at the top of this page.

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

MIL OSI

New data showing record-breaking cocaine consumption is just the latest evidence that the country’s drugs approach is failing, the NZ Drug Foundation says.

New wastewater testing data released by Police today shows cocaine consumption surged nationwide to an all-time high in Q4 2025, exceeding MDMA consumption for the first time. Meanwhile, methamphetamine consumption remained stubbornly high following a doubling in the second half of 2024. (ref. https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/national-drugs-wastewater-testing-programme-quarter-4-2025 )

“Cocaine consumption has been increasing since mid-2022. Cocaine carries increased risk of a few harms, including increased addiction and overdose,” says Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm.

The data is a stark illustration that we have our policy settings wrong.

“The dramatic increases in methamphetamine and cocaine consumption over the last two years are unprecedented,” she says.

“A long-term under-investment in treatment and harm reduction, coupled with an over-reliance on supply side measures hasn’t worked,” says Helm.

“Consumption is at record levels, drug use is diversifying, prices are down, harm is increasing, and new potent drugs are arriving. Every indicator is screaming at us to change our approach,” Helm says.

Helm says new interventions announced last week in the Government’s Action Plan to Prevent and Reduce Substance Harm will go some way to responding to the increase in harm, but a more fundamental shift is needed.

“If we could wave a magic wand, we would do two things: vastly increase the spending on addiction treatment and harm reduction, and change our drug laws. While these things won’t remove all problems, the evidence is clear that it would reduce the worst harms and provide us with more tools to tackle the increase in harm. But if we continue doing more of the same, things will continue to get worse,” says Helm.

Helm says the Drug Foundation’s report Safer Drug Laws for Aotearoa NZ provides a template for reform. (ref. https://drugfoundation.org.nz/topics/policy-and-advocacy/safer-drug-laws )

MIL OSI

A couple of key names are missing from Whitney Hansen’s first squad as Black Ferns head coach, with 30-players selected for next month’s Pacific Four Series (PAC4) in the USA and Australia.

Twenty players from last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup return, with eight new faces in-line for potential debuts. Among the squad, nine players were also part of the inaugural Black Ferns XV squad in 2023 under Hansen.

Five Black Ferns who have been playing in the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) competition in the United Kingdom have also been named in the squad.

Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant, Tanya Kalounivale, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, Maiakawanakaulani Roos and Georgia Ponsonby will all travel from England to join the squad in the USA.

Ponsonby, who is still contracted with the Ealing Trailfinders until their season-end has been granted an eligibility exemption by the NZR Board due to injuries at hooker making her immediately available for Black Ferns selection.

However, veteran Black Ferns Amy Rule and Alana Borland (nee Bremner), who gave up Black Ferns contracts to play full seasons in the PWR, are not eligible for selection.

Powerful props Maddison Robinson and Mo’omo’oga Palu, with dynamic loose forwards Taufa Bason and Mia Anderson have been named after impressing during last year’s Black Ferns XV and Super Rugby Aupiki campaigns.

Halfback Tara Turner has also earned a call-up alongside emerging outside backs Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a and Justine McGregor. In 2024, McGregor was a high school sensation becoming the youngest player selected in the Black Ferns Sevens squad at just 17 years old.

Rising star Hollyrae Mete-Renata will add depth to the formidable midfield combination of Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt and Amy Du Plessis.

Mete-Renata, known for her explosive ball-carrying ability and work rate, had a breakout season in 2024 where she earned the Fiao’o Fa’amausilli Medal as Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year and has since become a consistent contributor in Super Rugby Aupiki.

Black Ferns Head Coach Whitney Hansen said the Pacific Four Series is an opportunity to showcase new talent and measure performance.

“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate those who have been selected in the Black Ferns for the first time and their whānau. The past few months have been highly competitive in-camp, and this is a testament to all the work they’ve put in throughout the women’s rugby pathway to get to this moment. We’ve got a great mix of experience in this squad, and we can’t wait for our fresh talent to experience their first Black Ferns Test environment,” Hansen said.

“We’re excited to begin our year of an 11-Test calendar, the most-ever games yet for our Black Ferns. PAC4 is a great starting point and provides us with a chance to go and test our game against some of the best in the world.”

The Black Ferns will continue their preparations at training camp in Wellington until Friday, March 27 and travel to the USA the following week ahead of their first Test match against the tournament-hosts in Sacramento on April 12 NZT.

Black Ferns Pacific Four Series squad 2026

Loosehead props:

Maddison Robinson (24, Canterbury, uncapped)

Awhina Tangen-Wainohu (28, Waikato, 10 Tests)

Chryss Viliko (25, Auckland, 19 Tests)

Hookers:

Vici-Rose Green (23, Waikato, 5 Tests)

Atlanta Lolohea (22, Canterbury, 10 Tests)

Georgia Ponsonby (26, Canterbury, 37 Tests)

Tighthead props:

Tanya Kalounivale (27, Waikato, 27 Tests)

Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu (21, Waikato, 3 Tests)

Mo’omo’oga Palu (24, Hawke’s Bay, uncapped)

Locks:

Laura Bayfield (27, Canterbury, 6 Tests)

Chelsea Bremner (30, Canterbury, 24 Tests)

Maiakawanakaulani Roos (24, Auckland, 38 Tests)

Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu (23, Auckland, 7 Tests)

Loose forwards:

Mia Anderson (24, Waikato, uncapped)

Taufa Bason (19, Manawatū, uncapped)

Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (24, Auckland, 35 Tests)

Kaipo Olsen-Baker (23, Manawatū, 16 Tests)

Kennedy Tukuafu (29, Waikato, 34 Tests) – co-captain

Halfbacks:

Maia Joseph (23, Otago, 16 Tests)

Tara Turner (22, Northland, uncapped)

First-fives:

Ruahei Demant (30, Auckland, 51 Tests) – co-captain

Hannah King (22, Canterbury, 10 Tests)

Midfield:

Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt (22, Auckland, 29 Tests)

Amy Du Plessis (26, Canterbury, 22 Tests)

Hollyrae Mete-Renata (22, Manawatū, uncapped)

Outside backs:

Renee Holmes (26, Waikato, 29 Tests)

Ayesha Leti-I’iga (27, Wellington, 30 Tests)

Justine McGregor (19, Black Ferns Sevens)

Mererangi Paul (27, Counties Manukau, 14 Tests)

Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a (19, Waikato, uncapped)

Unavailable for selection: Luka Connor (knee), Kaea Nepia (leg), Layla Sae (knee), Santo Taumata (knee).

Wider training group remaining in camp: Ariana Bayler, Leilani Hakiwai, Marcelle Parkes, Elinor-Plum King, Cilia-Marie Po’e-Tofaeono, Sam Taylor, Holly Wratt-Groeneweg.

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

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

Fonterra delivered a strong first half result, beating market expectations, while lifting its full year earnings outlook and forecast farmgate milk price.

The co-operative said a “favourable product mix and resilient global demand for high value dairy Ingredients and Foodservice products” enabled Fonterra to deliver and better than expected result.

The dairy co-operative’s net profit for the six months ended January rose 3 percent, with group revenue up 9 percent.

Key numbers for the six months ended January compared with a year ago:

• Net profit $750m vs $729m
• Revenue $1.231b vs $1.107b
• Earnings per share 45 cents vs 44cps
• Normalised earnings per share 51 cps vs 47cps
• Return on capital 11.2% vs 10.4%
• Interim dividend 24cps vs 22cps
• Special Mainland dividend 16cps – Capital return of $2 a share – expected to be paid 14 April

Current forecast vs previous forecast

• FY26 forecast earnings guidance from continuing operations between 50 – 65cps vs 45 -65 cps
• Current season forecast Farmgate Milk Price midpoint $9.70 per kgMS vs 9.50 per kgMS.
• Reaffirms target to close Mainland underlying earnings gap of $300m – FY28 to match FY25

Outgoing chief executive Miles Hurrell said the changes to the forecast Farmgate Milk Price and earnings reflected improvement in global commodity prices and the co-op’s strong underlying

margins and cost control.

However, he said significant volatility remained, particularly as the conflict in the Middle East continued.

“The underlying performance of Fonterra’s continuing business is stable, allowing the Co-op to return all earnings associated with the Mainland Group business and lift our forecasts for the remainder of the year ahead,” Hurrell said.

“Demand for our products is strong, and we’re focused on our plan to maximise both the Farmgate Milk Price and earnings.”

The co-op also delivered a return on capital of 11.2 percent, in line with its target range.

“The first half of the year has been shaped by strong milk flows, with the Co-op collecting record milk volumes in the South Island so far this season,” Hurrell said, though several adverse weather events had put pressure on operations.

“Our performance shows that we are growing the high-value parts of our business through optimal allocation of milk solids across our product mix, which is driving a strong return on capital for shareholders and unit holders.”

Managing geopolitical volatility

Hurrell said war in the Middle East was having an impact on its supply chain through the region, with potential to increase Fonterra’s inventory levels and costs over the course of the second half of the year.

There was also the potential for further volatility in global commodity prices, he said.

“The conflict is a complex and dynamic situation that is changing daily, but we are confident that we’re on the right track to get product to customers.”

He said Fonterra’s business was designed to manage volatility.

“Our scale and strong relationships with customers and logistics provider Kotahi will help us to navigate through these challenges better than most.

“With this in mind, we remain focused on delivering on our strategic targets.”

Where the growth is coming from

The company said it was focused on deepending its position as a world-leading provider of dairy ingredients.

“In line with the co-op’s strategy, we have continued to focus on optimising our product mix by allocating milk solids effectively to the highest accessible demand.

“With milk collection tracking at 2.3 percent growth year-on-year, we have leveraged flexibility in our asset network and increased the manufacture of our highest returning product portfolios, such as cheese and proteins,” it said in its interim report.

Fonterra said it was also expanding its Foodservice business in and beyond China to grow earnings.

“Diversifying our cream portfolio and expanding our customer base remains a key focus. Anchor Easy Bakery Cream continues to perform strongly in China, valued for its functionality, quality and accessible price point.

“The cream has now launched in Indonesia and Thailand, with other markets across Southeast Asia to follow.”

In addition the company said it was investing more in operations.

“During the half, we continued to invest in our assets to drive growth in our Foodservice and Ingredients businesses, and in projects intended to improve energy security, operational resilience, and reduce the Co-op’s emissions.”

It was also investing more in science and technology.

“In line with our strategy, the co-op has continued to advance its innovation pipeline across products, processes, data and new business models.

“Our team and dedicated research and development centre remains focused on core dairy and advanced nutrition, manufacturing performance and capability, and strengthening in-market application capability to support long-term growth, efficiency and resilience.”

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

Date: Saturday 21 March 2026 – “The people of New Zealand continue to await political leadership from Christopher Luxon regarding the US and Israel’s illegal and aggressive
war on Iran. Instead, today he has issued a statement condemning Iran because it will cost us more for oil. It is frankly astonishing that he blames Iran for defending itself while being on the receiving end of US and Israeli bombs and missiles,” said Valerie Morse of Peace Action Wellington.

“The Israelis just bombed the Iranian Pars gas field – the single largest natural gas field in the world. Last week, the US bombed Tehran’s oil refinery, resulting in black smoke choking the city and acid rain falling. Where was Luxon’s condemnation of those actions?”

“To assign blame to the Iranians for hitting oil and gas infrastructure and shutting down the Straits of Hormuz while steadfastly ignoring those who are entirely responsible for this horror – the US and Israel – requires a complete inversion of reality and complete abandonment of any political principles.”

“That Luxon and his Coalition partners are craven lackeys of the United States and Israel comes as little surprise to those of us on the front lines of the pro-Palestine movement. We have watched for two years while Luxon and his coalition mates have been complicit supporters of the most grotesque genocide of 70,000 people.”

“This war will not end anytime soon unless Trump decides to pull the US out, which is the only sensible course of action. He and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have seriously underestimated the Iranian government. Instead what we are likely to see is a widening of this war with much more death and destruction.”

“The pain New Zealanders will feel at the petrol pump is the fault of the US and Israel. Luxon would do well to align his statements with the facts, not the fantasies of the criminal leaders of rogue states.”

MIL OSI

Analysis: Christopher Luxon’s personal performance and that of his party is worse, and more people think the country is headed in the wrong direction under his government.

Those are the bleak messages being sent by voters in the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll.

The poll has National on just 30.8 – only just scraping above the death knell threshold of anything with a 2 at the start of it.

For Luxon personally his preferred prime minister score is 17.3 – down from 19.4 in RNZ’s last poll in January.

While there’s been speculation in recent weeks off the back of another bad poll that Luxon’s time as leader could be running out, the RNZ-Reid Research poll doesn’t point to any obvious successors.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop only reached 0.6 percent – down from 1.3, while often tipped future leader and Education Minister Erica Stanford registered 1.4 percent, up slightly from 1.2 at the last poll. Not exactly threatening results.

For Luxon, however, it’s his net favourability – the difference between those who think he’s doing well and those who rate his performance badly – where things really take a dive.

The Prime Minister has a net favourability score of -20.6, even worse than the dismal result he got in the last poll of -14.

If it’s the economy that Luxon will turn to for a brighter outlook, it’s only bad news there too.

Half of respondents – 50 percent – now think the country is headed in the wrong direction under this coalition government, while just 32.3 think it’s headed the right way.

Compare that with January when 46.6 percent picked wrong direction versus 36.3 that picked right and it’s another public sentiment tracking the opposite way to what Luxon and his team would like.

It’s worth noting 72.6 percent of National voters felt the country was headed the right way but a much smaller number for Act – just 57.5 percent – and an even worse showing for New Zealand First – only 26.6 percent – paints a story of coalition supporters also feeling gloomy.

While the net figure for wrong and right direction has been dropping since the first RNZ-Reid Research poll in March 2025, it did lift slightly in the last poll in January, only to plunge to an even lower score this time round.

The grim warnings are hot on the back of another poll that had National on 28 percent.

The Taxpayers’ Union Curia poll that was published on March 6 was a catalyst for questions over Luxon’s leadership and speculation that grew so fevered he had to go on air at the last minute for an unscheduled interview to dampen it down.

On RNZ-Reid Research’s poll numbers Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens had a slight improvement on their party vote while everyone else suffered drops.

Labour has the biggest share with 35.6, while New Zealand First is on 10.6, the Greens 10.1, Act 7 and Te Pati Maori 3.2.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins was also down in his preferred prime minister rating, on 20.7, while his net favourability was comfortably ahead of Luxon’s on +0.3.

While this poll covers the period in which Hipkins was in the media denying a number of allegations made by his ex-wife, which she had posted to social media, at least half of those polled had already been counted before that story broke.

If this poll result played out on election night, both the centre-right and the centre-left blocs would get 60 seats – not enough to form a government, leaving a hung parliament.

It’s been a tough month for New Zealanders already suffering a years-long cost of living crisis, with spiking prices at the pump, at the supermarket, and on other services like flights.

The ongoing war in Iran and no end-date in sight has people feeling nervous about the months ahead.

Winter is also looming, when Kiwis inevitably feel the pressure of sky-rocketing power prices.

It’s a less than rosy outlook and what this poll suggests is that National is wearing a lot of the responsibility for that and people aren’t enamored with Luxon.

Unpopular prime ministers have won elections before and it’s still seven months out from polling day, but the runway for turning the economy around is growing shorter by the week.

The problem with campaigning on getting the country back on track, as National did in 2023, is that sometimes situations well outside of its control can have an overwhelming impact on whether that’s achieved or not.

Rather than quietly cursing the policy-light Opposition at home, it’s political friends (perhaps turned foes) abroad who are causing Luxon the most grief.

*The RNZ-Reid Research poll covered the period of the 12th to the 20th of March and interviewed 1000 respondents online. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

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

The Green Party is offering its votes to the National Party to get on with passing a sensible and urgent fossil fuel crisis relief package. With the Greens’ and National’s combined 63 votes, no other political party’s support is necessary.

The Green’s proposed package includes:

• Making public transport free for users;
• A Relief Payment for low income people or people who live rurally to help meet additional transport costs;
• A Windfall Profits Tax to prevent corporate price gouging;
• Reversing changes to school bus eligibility and routes, and temporary expansion of eligibility for school buses;
• Reversing the Government’s intended reduction in Total Mobility Support for disabled people; and
• Increase mileage rates to the 23,000 care and support workers to meet their actual travel costs.

“We agree with the Prime Minister that hope is not a plan. That’s why the Green Party is presenting our plan to support our country through the fossil fuel crisis, targeting support to those who need it most, and reducing demand for petrol,” said Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.

“New Zealanders expect politicians to do everything we can to support people through this immediate crisis, and to minimise future vulnerability by reducing fossil fuel dependence. That’s why we have written to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance offering our votes to make these obvious solutions a reality, urgently.

“Free public transport is a no-brainer. We remove the barriers to access, reduce congestion, and free up fuel supply for those who don’t have a public transport option.

“If the Government means what it says about ‘preparing for the worst’, now is the time to pull the plug on exorbitantly expensive, low-value projects like the Roads of National Significance and LNG import facility. The Green Party is ready, willing and able to provide the support necessary to invest in building real resilience through renewable energy generation.

“The Green Party’s Fossil Fuel Crisis Relief Payment would be targeted at adults earning under the median income and also people living rurally, where public transport is not available,” said Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.

“The Fossil Fuel Crisis Relief Payment will put money in the pockets of those being squeezed the hardest and those with few other transport options, easing stretched household budgets right now.”

“Petrol companies shouldn’t be unreasonably profiting from this or any economic crisis. A windfall tax would mean any exorbitant profits are redirected to our communities.”

“We need to ensure that corporations aren’t profiting while people in our communities who are struggling or have no alternative transport options pay the price. The Green’s package will provide immediate help for those who need it, reduce demand for petrol, and keep a check on corporate greed,” said Davidson.

Read the letter here.

MIL OSI

The number of electric vehicle (EV) public chargers around New Zealand will more than double thanks to $52.7 million in zero-interest loans from the Government and co-investment from ChargeNet and Meridian, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Energy & Climate Change Minister Simon Watts say.

“Many New Zealanders have thought about getting an EV, even before the fuel challenges we’re currently facing. But research shows that the lack of public chargers is holding many back from making the switch to an EV,” Mr Bishop says.

“The private sector is reluctant to invest in charging infrastructure until there’s sufficient demand, but demand won’t grow until the lack of public chargers stops putting buyers off. Just as the previous National-led Government did with the ultrafast broadband network rollout, we’re taking action to break that deadlock.”

ChargeNet and Meridian Energy were selected through a contestable, value-for-money bid process. Both companies are co-investing a combined $60 million of their own capital alongside the Government loans, taking the total investment to over $110 million.

“Concessionary loans bring forward private investment in public EV charging infrastructure by lowering the cost of capital, while keeping the taxpayer’s contribution to a minimum,” Mr Bishop says.

“In this case, the average loan per charge point is $20,000, but once repayments are factored in, the net cost to the Crown is around $10,000 per charger, roughly a quarter of what a direct grant would cost.

“We’re also changing our planning rules to make the installation of public EV chargers a permitted activity under the RMA, meaning in most cases no consent is required – another factor that will help to speed up delivery.”

The 2,574 new charge points include 1,374 DC fast chargers and 1,200 AC chargers. DC fast chargers deliver power directly to the battery and can charge a car in 20 to 60 minutes, making them suited to highways and destinations where people stop briefly. AC chargers are slower and better suited to places where cars are parked for longer periods, like shopping centres, workplaces, and residential areas.

“About half the new chargers will be spread across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, the Wellington region, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with the other half throughout the regions, so drivers outside the main centres will benefit too,” Mr Bishop says.

“New Zealand currently has a bit over 1,800 public charge points, which is among the lowest charger-to-EV ratios in the OECD. Another 161 charge points are also in progress. Combined with the investment being announced today, the national total will be around 4,550. The Government is working towards 10,000 charge points by 2030, roughly one for every 40 EVs.”

“Owning an EV in New Zealand already makes strong financial sense. Electricity is cheaper than petrol and almost entirely generated from renewable sources like wind, geothermal, solar, and hydro,” Mr Watts says. 

“Kiwis are already making the shift to electric vehicles as a cost-of-living choice, and we have seen uptake grow. In February 2026, EV sales were up 10.5 per cent on the same month last year – and anecdotal evidence suggests even greater interest over the past couple of weeks as conflict in the Middle East has seen fuel prices increase.

“At a time when global fuel markets are volatile, that matters. 

“A better charging network means more New Zealanders can take advantage of it, and that’s good for household budgets and our emissions profile alike. EVs produce at least 60 percent fewer lifecycle emissions than petrol vehicles.”

Notes to editor: 

• Concessionary loans are loans at below-market interest rates (in this case, zero-interest) which incentivise charge point operators to invest in charging infrastructure ahead of demand. The repaid capital can be used for new loans if co-investment is still required or allocated to other initiatives.
• The loans are administered by National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFFCo), the successor organisation to Crown Infrastructure Partners (which delivered Ultra-Fast Broadband). EECA will provide assistance as required.
• The Government has allocated $66.145m of capital funding for concessionary loans.
• The concessionary loans will fund up to 50 percent of project capital costs, have a zero percent interest rate, and a maximum tenure of 13 years. The loans have been awarded through a contestable co-investment bid process.
• Applications were assessed against value-for-money criteria to ensure loans are awarded to projects of greatest benefit and that New Zealand’s EV charging network grows at pace.
• Consumer monitoring by EECA consistently shows that some of the main perceived disadvantages of EVs include that the driving range is not suitable for long distance travel, and that there are not enough public chargers available. Increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure gives drivers the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle. See EECA’s EV Charging research October 2025 update – EV Charging Research 

MIL OSI

US President Donald Trump has vowed to ‘obliterate’ Iran energy facilities if it doesn’t’ open the Strait of Hormuz.

The threat has added to worries in global markets.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said on Sunday New Zealand’s fuels stocks remain at seven weeks’ worth, including stockpiles.

Fuel price app Gaspy has altered features in an attempt to avoid errors and deliberate misinformation about current prices of petrol.

And the government has announced a $50 million plan to double electric EV chargers in New Zealand.

Follow all the updates in our live blog at the top of this page.

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

National has slipped further behind Labour in the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll, falling to 30.8 percent support.

While a better result than the 28.4 percent it recorded in the most recent Taxpayers’ Union Curia poll, it still makes grim reading for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who has recorded his lowest personal approval rating yet.

If replicated on polling day, the numbers would leave the country in limbo, producing 60 seats each for the coalition and opposition blocs.

The poll, published Monday, puts Labour in the top spot on 35.6 percent, up 0.6 points from January, while National is down 1.1 points to 30.8 percent.

New Zealand First continues its upward trajectory, climbing 0.8 points to 10.6 percent, its highest score since July 2017.

The Greens are on 10.1 percent (up 0.5 points), ACT is on 7 percent (down 0.6 points), and Te Pāti Māori sits at 3.2 percent (up 0.2 points).

The poll surveyed 1000 eligible voters online between 12-20 March. Half of the respondents, however, were surveyed before 14 March, meaning the result won’t fully reflect the public response to the dispute between Labour leader Chris Hipkins and his ex-wife.

Undecided or non-voters made up 7.1 percent of those polled.

If the results were repeated at a general election, National would win 38 seats, NZ First 13 and ACT nine. On the left, Labour would bring in 44 MPs, the Greens 12 and Te Pati Māori four.

That would make a 60-60 deadlock in a 120-seat Parliament, likely sparking negotiations across the aisle to try secure a majority and prevent an election re-run.

The party vote is reflected in the preferred prime minister measure, with Hipkins leading on 20.7 percent, down 0.4 points.

Luxon has dropped 2.1 points to 17.3 percent, while NZ First leader Winston Peters sits at 13.1 percent, up 0.5 points.

More than 19 percent of voters declined to name a preferred prime minister.

Half of respondents – 50.4 percent – say Luxon is performing poorly as prime minister, compared with 29.8 percent who rate him well.

That gives Luxon a net score of -20.6 (down 6.6 points), his weakest result in the Reid Research series since becoming National leader in 2021. (Note: Reid Research did not run any public polls between November 2023 and March 2025.)

Former National leaders, however, received worse scores while in opposition: Judith Collins recorded a net rating as low as -37.9 in mid-2020 and Simon Bridges dropped to -39 in mid-2019.

Hipkins’ net performance score remains stronger, though it too is trending down.

With 35.9 percent rating him well and 35.6 percent poorly, his net rating has slipped to just 0.3 (down 0.6 points), also his lowest as Labour leader.

The poll also shows worsening public sentiment, with 50 percent (up 3.4 points) of respondents saying New Zealand is heading in the wrong direction, compared with 32.3 percent (down 4 points) who think it is on the right track

That gives a net score of -17.7, down 7.4 points from January.

About 16 percent of voters are undecided, while another 2 percent say they do not know.

National supporters are the most optimistic with a net score of +63.1, followed by ACT supporters on +24.1.

NZ First voters are much more pessimistic, recording a net score of -24.6.

This poll of 1000 people was conducted by Reid Research, using quota sampling and weighting to ensure representative cross section by age, gender and geography. The poll was conducted through online interviews between 12-20 March 2026 and has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

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