Completion of the first of two new highway bridges on State Highway 82 (SH82) in South Canterbury will make travel more reliable and efficient for all users, Associate Transport and South Island Minister James Meager says.

“The two-lane replacement for the original single lane Elephant Hill Stream Bridge on SH82 is now complete and in use after just three months of construction. The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has delivered the first new bridge at pace, and under budget, coming in at a cost of $3 million from an original budget of $5.7 million,” Mr Meager says.

“I’m really pleased with the progress on site, and with the new Elephant Hill Stream Bridge complete, the replacement for the Waihao North River Bridge, only 12km away and also on SH82, is on track to be finished by the end of this year.

“Both of the bridges being replaced were built more than 100 years ago and their condition had reached a point where it is more cost effective to replace them than to continue to maintain them. The replacements are modern concrete structures and have no load restrictions, which will improve productivity for freight.

“SH82 is an important roading corridor that offers the only alternative route to SH1 for people travelling north and south of the Waitaki River. Without these bridges, motorists using State Highway 1 would face lengthy detours via the Mackenzie District.”

“This important inland route links South Canterbury with Otago, and the completion of this bridge increases local resilience,” Waitaki MP Miles Anderson says.

“Completing the project on schedule and below budget is an outstanding achievement by NZTA. It is yet another example of a bridge project delivered exceptionally well in the Waitaki Electorate.”

“The work to repair or upgrade nine priority bridges and culverts was given the green light in July 2024 as part of the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). Since then, a further five priority locations have been added, and NZTA is progressing design, consenting, and contracting so work can start,” Mr Meager says.

“Fixing the basics of our roading network is a priority for this Government, and with many bridges across the country requiring speed and weight restrictions due to their age and condition, it is essential priority bridges are replaced when funding is available with more modern and resilient structures.

“Our state highways are critical routes for freight and tourism and serve as important lifelines for communities around New Zealand. We expect our state highway bridges to be well maintained and properly managed, which is why this replacement and maintenance work is so important.”

MIL OSI

CANNES, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 7 May 2026 – The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, hosted “Thai Night Cannes 2026” under the theme “Reimagining Thailand” at the Cannes Film Festival, highlighting Thailand’s new direction in the global entertainment and creative economy, and reinforcing its position on the international stage.

“Thailand is entering a new phase in the global creative industries, evolving from world-class filming destination into a source of original content and a strategic partner for international co-productions,” said Ms. Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, Director-General of DITP.

“Thailand has a strong creative foundation, supported by a new generation of talents with bold and distinctive storytelling. This aligns with the government’s policy to position the creative economy as a key driver of future economic growth.”

The event showcased tangible achievements of Thailand’s film industry on the global stage, including:

• Global box office success: “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” generated over US$73 million worldwide.
• International recognition: “A Useful Ghost” won the top award in the Critics’ Week section at the Cannes Film Festival.
• Rising global demand for Thai serices: Thai BL and GL series continues to gain popularity across Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
• Growth in international productions: 162 international productions were filmed in Thailand between January and March 2026, generating over US$36 million in production spending, supported by a cash rebate incentive of up to 30%.

Thai Night Cannes 2026 also marks a significant milestone, celebrating the 170^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and France, reflecting long-standing cooperation in culture, trade, and creative industries.

At Marché du Film 2026, DITP led 15 Thai companies to participate in business negotiations and international networking under the Thailand Pavilion. Participating companies included GDH 559, Sahamongkolfilm International, GMM Studios International, and T&B Media Global.

The “Reimagining Thailand” vision represents a significant step in transforming Thailand from a globally recognized production base into a key partner in shaping the future of the international content and entertainment industry.

In addition, “Amazing Thai Night,” will be held at Annex Beach, Cannes in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), to showcase Thai culture, cuisine, music, and creative industries, while strengthening global partnerships in both tourism and the creative sectors.

Hashtag: #DITP

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

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

Rents have fallen in most parts of New Zealand, according to Realestate.co.nz

Its latest data shows the national average asking rental price in April was $631 a week.

That was down from $640 at the same time last year and $660 at the peak.

The biggest fall was in the central North Island, where the average asking rent dropped from $619 to $566. That was followed by Gisborne, down 5.4 percent from $664 to $628.

Auckland’s asking rent fell from $702 to $690, Wellington’s from $647 to $620, while Canterbury’s increased from $581 to $587.

Both Nelson and Waikato had record rental prices, at $617 and $583 a week, respectively.

There were 5.1 percent more listings available, although Wellington had a drop of 26 percent.

Spokesperson Vanessa Williams said it would be welcome news for renters and came in a wider context of tougher economic times.

She said the peak of the market had been a strange time, before people started leaving the country in larger numbers and while legislation was changing.

“There was a whole bunch of investment properties that got taken out of the rental pool, thinking everyone was going to sell… values dropped from the peak of the market so they put them back into the rental pool again.

“Everybody is just considering the way they live because the cost of living has just continued to grow… outside of rent, everything else is growing.

“While it’s down $30 from $660 to $630, $30 a week doesn’t really go far when you think of the cost of insurance, power and food.’

She said it was still tough on renters in places like Central Otago Lakes, where the average was $860.

“For most people renting down there, tourism workers and hospitality workers, that’s a really kind of hard pill to swallow.”

She said it was likely that rents would remain soft through the rest of the year, while the economy was weak.

But Williams said people should do their market research before they asked their landlord to reduce their rent.

“Depending on how lovely your landlord is, if they haven’t done too many price increases, you might actually be in a house that’s well below the market anyway.

“That is something for people to consider if they are looking to move. Just do a bit of market research around what the size of your house and it’s renting for at the moment. Because if you have been in there for a while, and your landlord’s quite kind, you actually might be in a pretty good spot.”

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Date:  23 April 2026 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation

The Government has set out its priorities to restore biodiversity in New Zealand and make a difference for nature, in the ‘Action for Nature’ – Implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy.  

“Biodiversity underpins our environment, our economy, and our way of life. It connects people to place, to whakapapa, and to each other.

“At the same time, nature is under pressure. Around 75% of our indigenous species are at risk. Without action, we risk losing more of what makes New Zealand unique.”

Action for Nature sets out a clear direction for smarter investment, stronger partnerships, and better use of information to guide decisions.

“This means more native species returning to the places people live, work and visit, and making sure funding goes to projects that deliver real results.

“It also supports jobs and tourism in regions that rely on a healthy natural environment, and backs communities already doing the work on the ground.”  

The plan sets out four ambitious priorities: 

• Coordinated action and investment, including publicly accessible sources of biodiversity information
• Increasing revenue from public conservation land and waters
• Getting better evidence and knowledge to guide decisions on where best to invest in nature
• Empowering people and partnerships, including establishing a network to identify and advise on domestic emerging biosecurity risk.

“This targets effort where it will make the biggest difference and gets more value from every conservation dollar.

“Predator Free 2050 remains central, backed by thousands of New Zealanders taking action in their communities.

“Together, this strengthens our environment and the regional economies that depend on it.”

Action for Nature, the second implementation plan (PDF, 4,937K)

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Date:  19 March 2026 Source:  Office of the Minister of Conservation

Located in the heart of Tongariro National Park, the Chateau has long been an iconic destination for visitors and an important part of the region’s identity.

“The Request for Proposals (RFP), opening on 19 March 2026, invites interested parties to put forward plans that recognise both the heritage significance of the Chateau and the cultural importance of Tongariro National Park.

“The Chateau is a landmark many New Zealanders have visited for holidays to school trips and international visitors experiencing Tongariro for the first time.”

Restoring the building will help ensure the area continues to attract visitors while supporting local businesses and tourism in the wider region.

“We are looking for proposals that balance commercial viability with conservation values, respect for tangata whenua aspirations, and the unique character of Tongariro National Park.”

The RFP process will help identify operators capable of restoring the building while ensuring it remains consistent with the values of one of New Zealand’s most important national parks.

Notes to editors:

The RFP will be open from 19 March to 21 April 2026.

A panel will assess all proposals submitted through the RFP process. Participation in the RFP does not guarantee a concession, and applicants will need to demonstrate they can meet the Department of Conservation’s concession requirements, including all statutory, environmental, and heritage obligations.

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The Government is investing up to $7.1 million to upgrade six Great Rides cycle trails, strengthening regional tourism and safety, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka say.

“This investment supports the continued growth of New Zealand’s world-renowned cycle trails, one of our most successful regional tourism assets,” Louise Upston says.

“The Great Rides boost economic growth by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and attracting new hospitality and accommodation services to set up nearby.

“They are vital to our local economies with people enjoying more than 2.5 million trips on the 23 Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand each year and spending an estimated $1.28 billion in the regions.”

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says the investment will strengthen the connection between people and New Zealand’s natural environment while supporting long-term conservation outcomes.

“Our conservation estate is one of our greatest assets, and these trails give people safe, meaningful access to experience it.

“This investment supports a Bluegreen future, where we grow tourism and regional economies while protecting the natural places that make New Zealand unique.

“It also helps ensure these trails are resilient, well-maintained, and able to support both visitors and conservation outcomes for generations to come.”

The six investments, covering infrastructure and remedial projects, are for:

• Roxburgh Gorge Trail to close the 12 km gap in the trail (up to $1 million)
• Queen Charlotte Track realignment (up to $1,457,500)
• St James Cycle Trail upgrades (up to $2,012,000)
• Mountains to Sea – Ngā Ara Tūhono Cycle Trail enhancements (up to $2,197,000)
• Otago Central Rail Trail restoration (up to $302,000)
• Remutaka Cycle Trail at the Wild Coast Section resurfacing and upgrades (up to $165,000)

The projects are co-funded through the NZ Cycle Trail Fund and the Department of Conservation, to ensure the long-term success and resilience of the Great Rides network.

“These projects will support regional dispersal of visitors and future-proof our Great Rides for both domestic and international riders alike,” Louise Upston says.

“The Government is working together to invest in infrastructure, building a future that delivers for communities, conservation and the economy.”

MIL OSI

Explainer – You’re reading this in English right now – but should English be an official language? Parliament is soon set to decide.

A long-running debate on the status of the most commonly spoken language in New Zealand is nearing its climax in Parliament, as the English Language Act works its way through the House.

During a fiery debate in Parliament back in February at the first reading, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters made his case for the bill while many opposition MPs firmly denounced it.

Peters called it a “common sense idea” and has said it fills an anomaly where Māori and English Sign Language are already both codified as official languages in New Zealand, but English is not specifically.

Others disagree. “Language is being used as a political football here,” said Dr Sharon Harvey, an associate professor specialising in applied linguistics at Auckland University of Technology.

The bill is currently before select committee with a report due to be presented on 3 September. The next step is a second reading of the bill and it’s likely it would come to a final vote before November’s election.

But what would the bill actually do? Here’s what you need to know.

What does the bill say?

Bills are often pretty darned long, but this one can actually be summed up right here – it’s only five lines.

It calls for Parliament to enact the English Language Act 2025, and says, “The purpose of this Act is to provide legislative recognition of the status of English as an official language of New Zealand” and that the Act would bind the Crown.

That’s it.

What would the bill actually do?

“The bill is so short because it doesn’t actually have any legal effect that needs spelt out in detail,” University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis said. “It will have literally no practical consequences at all.

“That isn’t an exaggeration – it will change absolutely no aspect of Aotearoa New Zealand’s current legal rules, practices or procedures. It’s the linguistic equivalent of passing an Act of Parliament that says: ‘The official colour of the New Zealand Rugby Team’s home jersey is black.’”

The bill doesn’t lay out any instructions, punishments or restrictions on other languages. It would add English as an official language alongside Te Reo Māori – which was designated in the Māori Language Act in 1987 – and English Sign Language, designated in the New Zealand Sign Language Act of 2006.

“While the bill is pretty slim in terms of its content it does serve symbolically at least to cast in legislation the pre-eminence of the already dominant and majoritarian language of NZ: English,” Harvey said.

Legislatively, it would not affect Māori and ESL, Geddis said, as they have “separately guaranteed (but limited) rights to use those languages”.

“Legislative language recognition was hard won for both Māori and the deaf community and so the English Language Bill also minimises the historical and contemporaneous importance of those difficult and long language struggles,” Harvey said.

As written, the bill wouldn’t even affect, for instance, signs that include Chinese language at some popular tourist spots, Geddis said.

“That legislative recognition does not add anything to English’s existing legal role and usage. You can use English for any official, public business now. If this bill passes, you will continue to be able to do so. Nothing will have changed.”

Watch: Winston Peters introduces the English Language Act.

[embedded content]

If nothing will change, why was this bill introduced?

Making English an official language was part of the coalition agreement between National, NZ First and ACT back in 2023.

Former NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell put forth a similar member’s bill in 2018 but it was never drawn from the ballot.

New Zealand First has pushed for such recognition for some time.

Did you know that English is not an official language? Well, we’re changing that by delivering on a key campaign promise – we are making English an official language of New Zealand. We will continue to fight for common sense ideas and work in the interests of all New Zealanders. pic.twitter.com/ki3dDh8tDI

— New Zealand First (@nzfirst) December 14, 2023

In introducing the current bill, Peters said that it’s correcting an “anomaly” that English is not included with the other two official languages.

“It has never been formally recognised in statute as an official language. This bill seeks to correct that anomaly, providing consistency in legal framework and clarifying the status of all three official languages in legislation.

“The bill does not diminish the status of other official languages, te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, but rather complements them, acknowledging the linguistic reality of our nation.”

Peters said the bill is “affirming the value of English as a shared means of communication used by the mass majority of the population – I’ll say it again quietly: used by the mass majority of the population.”

Although his name is actually on the bill as the MP in charge, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith previously told RNZ that it wasn’t a top priority for National and did not speak at the first reading.

“It wouldn’t be the top priority for us, absolutely not. But it’s something in the coalition and it’s getting done.”

Peters has said that the rise in te reo Māori has “has created situations that encourage misunderstanding and confusion for all, and all for the purpose to push a narrative”.

“We have some very real situations now where communications and names of important services are using te reo as primary names and language, and the room for confusion and miscommunication is huge.”

He cited the possibility of confusion where places have had primary names in Māori.

“First responders, on their vehicles and in communications, being unable to get to places because they don’t know where they’re going; transport services with important road signs – they have all announced that.”

Harvey disagreed, saying the dynamic of Māori and English is what makes New Zealand special.

“Te reo Māori only exists in ANZ and so if it does not survive and flourish here it will not survive.”

“Most of us would recognise that Te Whatu Ora means health especially if it’s heading a letter with health information or is signage on a public hospital,” she said.

“There is no ‘danger’ to English now or in the future. Apart from anything else it is the pre-eminent global language.

“It would be so much better for NZ if we could all gain high proficiency in te reo Māori (as well as English) and if schools could be proactive in supporting students’ home languages, as well as teaching a variety of languages.”

Is English language use becoming a “culture war” issue?

Well, people on both sides of the debate of the current bill have accused the other of “virtue signalling.”

In Parliament, Peters said that “This bill won’t solve the push of this virtue signalling narrative completely, but it is the first step towards ensuring logic and common sense prevails when the vast majority of New Zealanders communicate in English and understand English in a country that should use English as its primary and official language.”

“The (bill) is virtue signalling to a small, monolingual in English, sector of the voting public by NZ First,” Harvey said. “It’s a waste of public money and time and should never have been agreed to as part of the National-NZ First coalition agreement.”

Debate at the first reading was equally heated.

“The English language is not under threat,” said Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. “We are literally speaking it and debating in it right now. This is a bill which is an answer to a problem that does not exist.”

“The government wants to stoke a fight between te iwi Māori and Pākehā, and they want that fight to be the focus of this election,” she claimed.

At the debate, National MP Rima Nakhle called for calmer temperatures.

“We’re only making English official. It’s not the end of the world.”

Geddis said “the bill seems to be motivated by an odd form of linguistic jealousy – something akin to ‘it’s not fair that those languages get called official in a statute, but English doesn’t!’”

New Zealand First’s 2023 coalition agreement with National also stipulated that public service departments have their primary name in English and be required to communicate “primarily in English” except for entities specifically related to Māori. It has been seen in changes to how agencies such as the New Zealand Transport Agency or Health New Zealand are referred to.

Peters has also been vocal about the use of “Aotearoa” to refer to New Zealand by other MPs.

Other countries like Australia and the United Kingdom do not have any official laws on the books declaring English an official language, although it has de facto official status in government, courts and education.

In America, Donald Trump signed an executive order last year “designating English as an official language of the United States.” But as the decision was not passed by Congress and is an executive order, it doesn’t have the power to change existing federal laws and statutes. Around 30 US states also have proclaimed English the official language.

Will the English Language Act pass?

It’s unclear. It is part of the coalition agreement so National and ACT may be obliged to support it.

“Being that we are an English-speaking country, it is bizarre that we have to do this, but this is how far this extremism has taken our country,” Peters said in 2023 before the last election as he pledged to pass the bill that may finally be law soon.

“The bill very well may be rushed into law during the inevitable end-of-term use of urgency in the House,” Geddis said.

“Given current frosty relations between National and NZ First, there could well be some coalition partner reluctance to give NZ First time in Parliament to proceed with what really is nothing more than a form of legislative virtue signalling to its support base,” he said.

“Although National have publicly said they’re not concerned whether the bill passes or not, I think there is every chance it will pass which will be a great shame for NZ,” Harvey said.

“It’s a waste of the government’s time and considerably sets back New Zealand’s progress in righting the wrongs of our violent, colonial past.”

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The White Ferns have beaten an England development side by 18 runs at Chester-le-Street to open their tour of England.

After deciding to bat first in the 50-over game, New Zealand were bowled out for 200 in the 48th over.

New Zealand slipped to 49 for four when captain Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green were both dismissed for one.

However, 44 from Jess Kerr, 30 from Flora Devonshire and 22 from Izzy Sharp got the tourists through to a respectable score.

Left arm spinner Phoebe Brett took five wickets.

In reply, New Zealand were able to give most of their squad some game time with nine bowlers used.

Suzie Bates took three wickets and Rosemary Mair and Nensi Patel two each as the development side was dismissed for 182 in the 49th over.

New Zealand and England meet in three ODI and three T20 internationals starting at the same ground on Sunday.

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An economist is warning the unemployment rate is likely to get worse in the coming months and could reach up to 6 percent due to the Iran War.

The unemployment rate eased to 5.3 percent in the three months ended March, down slightly from the previous quarter.

A total of 163,000 people were unemployed, a fall of 2000 on the previous quarter but 7000 higher than a year ago.

Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr said Wednesday’s data was “very outdated”, and the full impact of the fuel crisis would be felt in the second or third quarter of this year.

Kiwibank was forecasting unemployment to reach 5.5 per cent, Kerr said, but there was a chance it could reach 5.8 or 6 percent if conditions didn’t improve.

“We are hearing of [construction] projects being post-poned, we are hearing of projects being cancelled, we are hearing of forestry crews being stood down because it’s too expensive to cut-down trees at the moment.”

He expected both surging air fares and flight cancellations in the wake of the Iran War to dent the tourism industry, including the regions, which had recently been performing well due to a strong export market.

“Tourism is the one we don’t hear a lot about. It was our largest exporter prior to Covid, more than dairy. Now dairy’s our number one.

“New Zealand’s got such a large tourism sector, so for that to be falling back, it’s a big negative for large parts of the country.”

Kerr noted the numbers of people who were employed but needed to work more hours – the underutilisation rate – which was stubborn at 12.9 per cent.

That wasn’t a good sign, he said.

“Businesses, they cut hours before they cut heads…so you’ve got a workforce, you’ve trained them, in many cases you’ve worked with them for years, and a crisis hits – you cut their hours before you cut their jobs…that’s where the slack shows up first.”

ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley told Midday Report said he expected the unemployment rate to reach 5.5 percent and would briefly stall the employment growth evident at the beginning of this year.

Bay of Plenty unemployment rate ‘surprising’ – mayor

Auckland, Wellington and the Bay of Plenty had the highest unemployment rates in the latest figures, between 6 and 7 percent.

Bay of Plenty’s unemployment rate had increased to 7.1 percent in the March quarter, from 5.7 percent in the previous quarter.

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said she was “very surprised” to see the Bay of Plenty’s unemployment rate rise, and would be looking into why it had increased.

“I know that as a region we are actually doing quite well, and I hear from businesses that they are seeking employees as well – so again [I’m] very surprised.”

She said it was concerning to hear families could be struggling.

Some conference and business events in Rotorua were looking at postponing due to the effect of fuel costs, Tapsell said, but in general, tourism in the city was “booming”, and domestic flights hadn’t been cut.

But Tauranga chamber of commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said tourism in the Eastern Bay of Plenty had been “patchy”, forestry was “doing it tough”, as well as some manufacturers exposed to the domestic market.

He cited Ballance Agri-Nutrients decision to end manufacturing operations in Mount Maunganui, and cut 60 jobs, as one example.

“Hospitality has been somewhat contracting due to reasonably tough summer periods,” Cowley said.

Auckland and Wellington’s unemployment rates remain high – Auckland’s increasing from 6.4 to 6.6 percent in the March quarter, and Wellington’s from 5.8 to 6.3 percent.

Kerr said Wellington had been in a “very dark place” over the last couple of years, due to public sector job cuts.

He said surveys consistently showed Wellington businesses were “downbeat”, and Auckland, “not that much better”.

He compared that to Canterbury where unemployment rates were 4.4 percent in the March quarter – up from 3.7 percent in the previous quarter – but the region was generally performing better than the North Island cities.

“I think Auckland and Wellington, they need to do something to drag themselves out of this funk that they’re in.”

Finance Minister Nicola Willis said in any economic recovery, unemployment was the last thing to recover.

“You’re seeing that it is in the cities that that recovery has taken the longest to turn around. What we do see is the signs are there that the recovery is starting to latch on in those cities.”

Willis said some businesses had been expanding, selling more and creating more jobs.

“What we need to do is give them every chance of continuing that in the months ahead, notwithstanding the events in the Middle East.”

Labour’s Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said the statistics were “nothing to sing about,” even though the headline figure had come down.

“If you scratch a little bit deeper, that’s 163,000 people who are out of work, and the unemployment levels being higher in Auckland now than it was 11 years ago, higher in Wellington than it was 12 years ago.”

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Analysis – National’s local government reforms face one of the same problems Labour encountered with Three Waters, with councils at risk of being left out in the cold.

The coalition’s approach offers an illusion of choice which may yet help it avoid the breakdown in relations Labour eventually had to resolve.

RMA Minister Chris Bishop and Local Government Minister Simon Watts on Tuesday delivered their ultimatum to councils: “lead your own reform, or we will do it for you”.

Councils have until early August to do so.

Bishop and Watts have been pushing towards amalgamation as part of Bishop’s RMA reforms, announcing in November a plan to have mayors form boards with some level of government oversight – but consultation suggested mayors would be too busy for that.

Some had already come up with plans to amalgamate – and the ministers presented their plan as a way to enable that, giving councils choice.

The problem is: the solutions one group of councils comes up with could leave others in the lurch.

It is a problem Labour knows only too well from its Three Waters reforms, which also aimed at amalgamating council services and which also struggled to balance effective representation against cost savings.

As I revealed in late 2021, Labour’s Cabinet had agreed to that in June to force councils into its reforms rather than take an opt-out approach – but did not publicly announce it until October.

Cabinet papers showed finalisation of the mandatory ‘all-in’ strategy was delayed to September – with the aim of using the intervening time to build support with the councils, including negotiating with LGNZ to not actively oppose the move, damaging the representative group’s own internal relations.

That secretiveness from Labour, combined with the sustained oppositional campaign led by National, ACT, the Taxpayers’ Union and a breakaway grouping of councils, helped to fuel public opposition.

Of course, the ‘Stop Three Waters’ catchcry also leaned on fears around co-governance and communities losing control of their water assets, but the backlash was effective enough that Labour had to water down its reforms and have Kieran McAnulty visit every council in the country to sell the idea.

By contrast, Bishop and Watts have been relatively upfront about the need for change across the entire sector.

Their warning on Tuesday that oppositional or inactive councils will have reforms imposed on them makes clear the stakes and at least gives some certainty about what the alternative is – a wise move.

But that’s not to say their approach is all sunshine and roses.

Letting councils come up with their own plan may have worked in securing at least acceptance from councils in joining their own water reforms, but it also inevitably meant more groupings and reduced savings.

Applying the same approach to council mergers could end up with some messy, bespoke proposals with their own unique ways of working.

It also risks leaving some councils isolated – without the resources to perform as effectively as their neighbours – and could mean some of the complex structures and processes the reforms aims to eliminate are retained.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment wrote to Bishop last month warning that allowing proposals to come from the sector could lead to having “many more unitary councils than the 17 regional entities” which could “pose serious problems for functions such as catchment management, that must not be fragmented”.

It seems unlikely to come to that – with all the complications involved, the government is incentivised to make the new council boundaries as simple and streamlined as possible.

Bishop and Watts were also clear on Tuesday it was Cabinet that would make the final decisions, and while they will take ideas and pay lip service to councils’ preferences, they will also want a solution that best serves all ratepayers.

The shift away from what they had announced in November – where groups of city and district mayors would come up with the plans – is then almost a mirror to Labour’s shift to a mandated approach to water, but with better stage management.

We’re already seeing complications, with LGNZ’s statement on Tuesday warning some regions would face “greater complexity that needs to be worked through”, and asserting that all councils in a given region – including at the regional level – should be included in amalgamation plans.

As with Three Waters, mayors approached by RNZ after the announcement backed the idea of change – but were quick to raise concerns about how they would be directly affected.

What’s more, National faces the problem of having vocally campaigned for “localism and devolution” on the back of Three Waters, but once in government having consistently taken council decision-making powers away.

Think of Christopher Luxon’s speech to LGNZ in 2024, the crackdown on so-called ‘nice to haves’, the legislated change in purpose for councils, and most tellingly the 4 percent rates cap announced last year.

These are actions that fit the mould of “Wellington knows best”, and sharply at odds with the rhetoric of the last election.

Unlike Labour, this government – far more cash-strapped – is also offering councils no additional funding to ensure its reforms are effectively managed.

Where National would surely decry wasteful spending, similarly cash-strapped councils are already feeling ignored with increasingly expensive rates making up only about a 10th of the total tax take – the rest going to central government.

Their repeated calls to have the option to impose a bed tax or to set their own fees and fines have largely faced resistance – although Bishop indicated imminent legislation to enable “development levies”.

The election promise of “regional deals” has also ended up looking relatively ineffectual – Auckland mayor Wayne Brown calling the first one “quite underwhelming” less than a month after signing it, no doubt partly as a result of the lack of funding that had made overseas examples shine.

Regardless of all this, local government reform seems unlikely to become the flashpoint for opposition that Three Waters became.

While Luxon’s pre-election rhetoric is a mismatch with his government’s actions, those moves have been popular with National’s base.

The timing is also far more favourable, with Cabinet not making final decisions on council proposals until 2027 – after the general election, rather than before it – so simmering backlash to any final decisions would come at the start of the next government’s term and land at the feet of whoever is in power.

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A leading economist says businesses could exploit the war in the Middle East to raise prices even when not directly related to the fuel crisis.

Petrol price surges have seen 91 routinely above $3 a litre and KiwiRail this week announced an increase on the fuel surcharge for freight on the Interislander ferry. Internationally, shipping company Maersk announced its own 27 percent fuel surcharge.

The Reserve Bank has warned that the fuel and transport costs would likely push inflation above 4 percent in the June quarter.

Westpac economist Kelly Eckhold told Nine to Noon on Wednesday businesses find it easier to lift prices when inflation is becoming widespread.

“[Many price hikes] you can shape back to fuel quite quickly. And in those cases, firms are taking their approach of imposing surcharges. So they’re saying, ‘Well, we’re going to put the price up by this amount’. It’s reflecting this increase in the oil or the refined fuels price.

“And then they say, ‘When those prices come down, we’ll remove that’. So that’s pretty transparent, isn’t it? And then that’s the sort of pricing behaviour that I don’t think the Reserve Bank or anyone would be very surprised by.”

But in other cases, Eckhold explained, prices are unlikely to drop when the price of fuel normalises – particularly if they cannot be linked directly back to the cost of fuel.

“When the services prices start to increase, for example, my Spotify subscription or your Sky subscription, et cetera, you’re very unlikely to see those prices fall back.

“What’s more likely is that is the price, that’s the base price that you’ll pay in the future. And the best you might hope for is that if costs rise less quickly in the future, then maybe the next increase that you see could be delayed for a period of time.

“That sort of inflation, I think, is less comfortable for central banks and the sort of inflation that they’re really all looking out for to gauge just how much… they have to increase interest rates by.”

The next official cash rate (OCR) update from the Reserve Bank is due on 27 May. The bank uses the OCR to increase or decrease the cost of borrowing – the former decreases spending and aims to curb inflation, while the latter does the opposite.

Eckhold did not believe the OCR would need to rise as much as it did following Covid-19, when it peaked at 5.5 percent in 2023.

“The conditions are a bit different. I mean, there we had a big supply shock coming from the Covid disruptions themselves, and then the onset of the Russian war, combined with very expensive fiscal and military policy. And that second set of factors isn’t really present right now, at least not in New Zealand.”

It could take a few more months to see the full impact of the Iran war on the economy here, Eckhold said.

“Fertiliser is a good example where we produce some fertiliser here, but a lot of it is actually imported. We got a little bit lucky in the fertiliser game because we had imported a lot of our needs for the next six months before the shock hit.

“The questions are going to arise about what happens after that period, and prices are lifting because global prices have gone up over 100 percent. An imbalance increased their prices yesterday by about 10 or 15 percent, starting to reflect that.

“But all through the rest of the supply chain, particularly think about plastics. So pretty much everything you buy comes in some kind of plastic container. That stuff is directly an offshoot of the naphtha market, which is a part of the oil distillation process. And those are the sort of price increases that are going to become really prominent, broad, but also come at quite a bit of a lag as that filters through the global supply chains.”

That delay could prompt the Reserve Bank to get ahead of any possible inflation, he said. The OCR was currently at 2.25 percent.

“They will probably realise that with this increase in headline inflation, that inflation expectations are likely to rise. And they’ll be trying to gauge how long this increase in inflation is going to last. And there, the news hasn’t been very good, because forecasts of the gulf war ending within a few weeks have consistently been disappointed.”

Whatever happens, it was likely New Zealand’s economy was in for a “tough time”, particularly through winter, with increased petrol costs slashing spending in retail and hospitality.

“I think the housing market is one that just won’t do very well in this environment, because we’re probably looking at a rising unemployment rate. Disposable incomes are being cut here by the cost shock. Confidence is also really low, and confidence is quite important for that.

“The other thing is to think about is the tourism market as well, because the costs of coming to New Zealand are probably getting more expensive and uncertain…

“New Zealand Incorporated has taken a big income loss here because we’re basically paying an extra, say, $6 or $7 or $8 billion a year for our refined fuels than we did in the previous year. When I look at that, that’s two-thirds of the dairy industry that we just lost in terms of income. And the government, the Reserve Bank, no one can give that back to us.”

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

Weeks before ski field lifts usually start spinning, Queenstown’s Coronet Peak has flipped the switch on a $2 million “snow factory” to lay down the first coat in Autumn.

Crews have started producing snow from a high-tech fridge-like machine housed in shipping containers that can operate in temperatures of up to 20 degrees.

Coronet Peak’s learners and ski play areas were due to open on 29 May, about two weeks ahead of 2025.

Ski area manager Nigel Kerr said the snow factory was the first of its kind in the South Island and could run around the clock, unlike traditional snowguns that needed sub-zero temperatures to operate.

“It’s turning about 10,000 litres of water a day into about 240 cubic metres of snow, made up of small frozen particles. It’s so cold that it actually doesn’t stick together,” he said.

Kerr said the electric unit had already produced at least 800 cubic metres of “less snowball, more sprinkle-style snow”, to build a base on the mountain’s lower slopes where snow cover was hardest to maintain.

“This is our Achilles’ heel, the bottom of the mountain, so this is where we need to make the snow,” he said.

The snow factory did not require chemical additives and would not lose flakes to the wind, he said.

“We’re not pushing it with the snowcats. We’re actually making the piles in situ, so there’s no wastage, which is another difference to normal snowmakers,” he said.

Coronet Peak head of slopes Eddie Boxer said crews spent the summer laying pipes, pouring concrete and installing power and water systems before the factory was installed by staff from Italian company TechnoAlpin.

“Our pre-Christmas and into the New Year project was getting all the infrastructure in place and then come New Year, we were going pretty hard at trying to get the foundations in place ready for the factory to be landed. There’s a lot of steel and about 42 cubic metres of concrete, plus four metre piles underneath it to support it all,” he said.

“The actual installation of the factory was incredible. Within a day, we had everything stacked up with the crane and then it took about another week-and-a-half to fit it all. Within two weeks, it was pretty well commissioned.”

Snowmaking team lead George Morrissey was there when the factory first fired up.

“It was a pretty warm night. It felt pretty strange actually seeing snow in conditions that we shouldn’t have, just being able to flick a switch and have it come out was pretty impressive,” he said.

Boxer said some of the first snow would be trucked into central Queenstown for an urban ski competition on 29 May, while the rest was earmarked for the ski area’s expanded learner slope and snow play area.

Crews also took a ute-load to last months’ Arrowtown Autumn Festival to toss over the crowds.

“It was a crowd favourite, I reckon. The kids went crazy for the snow,” Boxer said.

Kerr said the snow factory would give certainty to early visitors and seasonal staff.

Although tourism was booming in Queenstown, early season snowfall was well below average last year and El Niño could bring unpredictable conditions, he said.

“Not every year goes to plan. It’s nice to have a backstop. This is our backstop,” he said.

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

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 May 2026 – Cangio Tourist City Corporation, the developer of Vinhomes Green Paradise, and Marriott International have signed a strategic partnership agreement to introduce two of the world’s leading hotel brands,The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Hotel, to Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio (Ho Chi Minh City). With a combined scale of approximately 700 rooms and high-end resort villas, The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Hotel will not only expand the project’s portfolio of prestigious hotel brands but also reinforce world-class luxury service standards, befitting the stature of a global “urban wonder“.

The Ritz-Carlton Can Gio is located at a prime riverside site in the heart of the Vinhomes Green Paradise coastal mega-urban area and is expected to open in Q4 2027.

The hotel will feature 9 floors and approximately 250 keys, with room sizes ranging from 50 to 500 sqm, including suites and pool villas. Facilities include six restaurants and bars, two swimming pools, a spa integrating hydrotherapy and thermal wellness, meditation spaces, a fitness center, beauty salon, and the Ritz Kids club. The event space will comprise three function rooms totaling approximately 540 sqm, catering to a wide range of meetings and events.

Can Gio Marriott Hotel, located adjacent to the opera house and near the golf course and sports complex within the coastal mega-urban area, is also scheduled to open in Q4 2027.

The hotel will rise 25 floors and offer approximately 450 rooms ranging from 40 to 160 sqm, including premium suites. Amenities include an M Club Lounge, a system of restaurants and bars, a swimming pool, Quan Spa, and a sports club. Additionally, the hotel will provide approximately 1,570 sqm of meeting and event space, including two ballrooms, catering to large-scale events.

Together, The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott Hotel will deliver approximately 700 rooms, featuring a diverse range of accommodations, from standard rooms and suites to villas, supported by a comprehensive ecosystem of premium amenities and world-class five-star infrastructure.

The development and operational collaboration will be managed by Vinpearl, a member of Vingroup. With extensive experience in luxury hospitality, Vinpearl will oversee and directly implement operations to ensure the effective performance of these international hotel brands, contributing to the positioning of luxury service standards commensurate with a global “urban wonder” such as Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio.

Mr. Gautam Bhandari, Chief Development Officer for Asia Pacific (excluding China) at Marriott International, stated:“Marriott International’s long-standing partnership with Vingroup has helped shape Vietnam’s hospitality market over the years. We currently operate 11 hotels with Vinpearl, a member of Vingroup, and have several projects under development. With Vingroup’s visionary approach, commitment to excellence, and strong core values, we are confident that this project will not only deliver high-quality accommodations but also elevate the destination and create sustainable value for the local economy.”

Ms. Ngo Thi Huong, Chief Executive Officer of Vinpearl Joint Stock Company, added:“Our collaboration with Marriott International to bring The Ritz-Carlton, Can Gio and Can Gio Marriott Hotel represents a strategic step toward introducing global luxury service standards to Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio. Beyond developing internationally branded hotels, we aim to build a fully integrated service ecosystem, enhancing customer experience, strengthening operational capabilities, and aligning service quality with global standards, so that residents and visitors can enjoy international-level experiences right here in Vietnam.”

Previously, Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio partnered with IHG Hotels & Resorts to develop four hotels with a total of 1,000 rooms. The presence of international brands such as IHG Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International not only expands accommodation capacity but also significantly enhances the project’s ability to attract global visitors. This forms a critical foundation for the coastal mega-urban area to elevate experiences and move closer to its goal of becoming a world-class residential, tourism, and resort destination.

Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio is a 2,870-hectare coastal mega-urban development located in the southeastern part of Ho Chi Minh City, featuring three sides facing the sea and adjacent to a 75,000-hectare biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO. The project benefits from major infrastructure connectivity, including the Ben Thanh – Can Gio high-speed railway (reducing travel time to 13 minutes from central Ho Chi Minh City), the Can Gio Bridge, the Rung Sac – Ben Luc – Long Thanh interchange, and the Can Gio – Vung Tau coastal expressway.

A distinctive feature of the project is its integrated Green – Smart – Ecological & Regenerative model aligned with leading global ESG++ standards. Alongside its spectacular natural setting and green living environment, the development offers a synchronized amenity system and unique highlights, including the 122-hectare VinWonders theme park featuring the world’s tallest artificial snow mountain and nearly 200 attractions; the 800-hectare Paradise Lagoon; Landmark Harbour international port; the 5,000-seat Song Xanh Opera House; an international-standard golf course; and a portfolio of five-star accommodation. These elements form the foundation for Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio to emerge as a new “urban wonder”, with the capacity to welcome up to 40 million visitors annually in the future.

https://vinhomes.vn/en

Hashtag: #Vinhomes

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

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

A microbiologist says it’s crucial to discover the source of a suspected rare virus that’s hitting passengers on a cruise ship.

Three have died in what was thought to be an outbreak of hantavirus on a ship that was now anchored off the coast of west Africa.

Another passenger, a 69 year-old man, was also in intensive care and the company operating the cruise ship said it was confirmed he had the virus.

Oceanwide Expeditions said there were a further two passengers still on board who were symptomatic.

The ship was on a journey from Argentina to the Canary islands, carrying 150 tourists.

WHO is aware of and supporting a public health event involving a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases. Of the six affected individuals, three have died… pic.twitter.com/SqMAAZzoID

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 3, 2026

Microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles told Checkpoint the virus was caught from excretions from infected rodents.

“People tend to get infected either by breathing in dust that has this material on it, or by touching it, then touching their face, or by being bitten by a rodent,” Wiles said.

“So it’s not the sort of thing that you expect on a cruise ship.”

She said the cruise company needed to figure out if the infection came from a rodent infestation on the ship, or from infected food, or some other source.

Wiles said human to human transmission was rare, but the virus was spreading through the air, and passengers should be wearing masks to protect themselves and stop its spread.

Symptoms started with common virus ailments such as fatigue and muscle aches, then victims ended up with a serious lung disease which could be deadly in two to four out of every 10 people who get it, she said.

“The interesting thing is whether one person was exposed and is transmitting it to others, or whether lots of people have been exposed,” Wiles said. “Understanding how they’re catching it will help to stop the spread.”

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

The Black Caps beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-affected third and final T20 in Dhaka.

The series finished tied 1-1 after Bangladesh won the first match and the second game was washed out.

Batting first, Bangladesh’s innings was interrupted by wet weather for nearly two hours, with the match reduced to 15 overs a side.

The hosts eventually posted 102 runs, with Towhid Hridoy top-scoring with 33.

Nathan Smith and Ben Sears took two wickets each with Josh Clarkson snaring three, and Ish Sodhi and Jayden Lennox bagging one each.

Clarkson ended with figures of 3 for 9, while Smith helped New Zealand make a strong start with two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the fifth over.

New Zealand Captain Nick Kelly was pleased with the way they bounced back from their opening match defeat.

“We spoke quite a bit about the last game, the areas we got wrong or maybe didn’t quite hit the mark on,” Kelly said.

“I think a big part of that was our death bowling and I thought Josh was exceptional there. His plans were very clear and he executed beautifully.”

New Zealand then chased down the victory target with 20 balls to spare on the back of a half century to Bevon Jacobs, who scored an unbeaten 62 off 31 balls, including five fours and three sixes.

Jacobs helped the tourists recover from 33 for 4, combining with Dean Foxcroft in an unbeaten stand of 71. Opener Tim Robinson contributed 23 runs at the top of the order.

“Bev, he’s a very, very clean ball striker,” Kelly said.

“We see him in the Nets training very hard and he hits the ball a long way. So it was cool for him to get himself in and then cool to see a bit of power at the end there.”

Kelly said the rain break wouldn’t have helped Bangladesh.

“We spoke about it at the toss. Before the rain came, we were going to have a bat first. But then with a bit of weather, we were like, we’ll probably look to bowl just because it is a little bit nigglier. And that’s how it played out.

“It’s always tough when you come off and then you lose five overs because you probably would have gone a little bit harder had you known it had been a 15-over game. So that was sort of the reasoning behind what we did at the toss. And lucky for us that’s sort of worked in our favour.”

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

Around four million drink containers are landfilled or littered every day in New Zealand and ratepayers are footing the bill for it.

Zero Waste Aotearoa welcomes today’s announcement by NZ First and says a Container Return Scheme (CRS) is the practical fix: it shifts the cost of waste, recycling and litter clean up, from councils onto the producers responsible for it, while putting money back in the pockets of households and communities.

“We appreciate the leadership being shown by Jamie Arbuckle in putting this Container Return Scheme Bill forward. A well designed container return scheme will support local economies and reduce the burden that small communities with high tourist and visitor numbers face in providing recycling and litter services.”

Sue Coutts, External Affairs, Zero Waste Network, says the scheme is simple and it works.

“Return your empty container, get your deposit back, and make sure those materials can be used again. It’s a straightforward idea that puts money back in people’s pockets while massively reducing the number of bottle, cans and cartons that end up in our streets and landfills.”

Double recycling rates and halve litter

Currently only around 45% of drink containers are recovered through kerbside systems. The rest — around 1.25 billion containers a year — end up in landfill or as litter, with councils picking up the tab. A Container Return Scheme shifts that cost away from ratepayers and onto the manufacturers and importers who profit from selling drinks in single-use packaging. It is expected to reduce the cost burden on councils by $50 million every year.

“A well-designed scheme shifts costs away from ratepayers and onto producers, while creating real opportunities for households to get money back and for charities and community groups to benefit through fundraising. The Scouts in Thames, a South Auckland school and a Tairāwhiti community have run very successful ‘bottle drives’, collecting empty bottles, cans and cartons to claim a 20c deposit on each one. The 20c deposit is a great incentive to gather up and return empties,” says Coutts.

The public want it and the evidence shows it works

Support for a Container Return Scheme is broad and consistent. Around 80% of New Zealanders want one, with backing across all political parties, age groups and regions. Countries with well-designed schemes routinely achieve 85–90% recovery within three years. New Zealand’s scheme is designed to hit 85% by year three and 90% by year five.

The design is done. It’s time to act

New Zealand already has a locally-tailored scheme design based on international best practice, with five years of analysis and consultation behind it. The proposed scheme includes a 20-cent deposit per container, covers glass, plastic, metal and cartons, and uses a mixed return model with supermarkets and depots.

“The design is done, the public support is there, and the case is clear. Every day we delay, another four million containers go to landfill or end up as litter. It’s time to pass this.”

Background: zerowaste.co.nz/container-return-scheme/

MIL OSI

Business travellers are among those reducing their visits to regions due to Air New Zealand ditching some flights, an expert says.

More cutbacks to flights came to light on Thursday after Nelson mayor Nick Smith and Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford posted about them on social media.

In a post to his Facebook page, Nick Smith said Air New Zealand was cutting an additional 23 Nelson flights to and from Auckland, 32 to Wellington and 15 to and from Christchurch between 29 June to 26 July.

“This is the third time Nelson flights to and from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have been axed temporarily since the war in Iran started and brings the total number of flights lost to 266 or about 12,000 seats,” Smith said in his post.

“This is disappointing news for Nelson. While it is understandable, with no concrete signs of de-escalation of the oil crisis in the Middle East, it will have an impact on the number of visitors to the region and make it more difficult for people travelling for work, to access healthcare and take holidays outside the region.”

Nelson Regional Development Agency visitor destination manager Craig Boodee told Morning Report, also agreed the cuts were a concern for the region.

“It does create hesitation for people to book travel, because they might think their flights will get cancelled. And, I understand why Air New Zealand has to make some of these cuts to save on costs, many of the tourism operators are having to do the same,” Boodee said.

“Winter is our quiet time of year, about 15 percent of our visitor spend happens over winter. We need every visitor we can get during that time.”

Boodee said it was not just people cutting back on their holidays that was impacting tourism.

“Business visitors that come on monthly sales calls, they’re spreading that out now. They’re pushing it out to about six weekly.

“That’s our bread and butter over winter. Those regular business visitors that come in, they often pay a little higher prices for accommodation, and they often get their breakfast and dinner covered.

“So, it’s critical. We need those visitors,” he said.

Boodee was worried about the long-term future of regional services.

“Forward bookings are looking good, so we need these flights to come back. We can’t let that business slip between our fingers. It’s critical we get flight availability back onto the network.”

He said some tour operators have told him they’ve had their best summer since Covid.

Higher fuel costs to blame

In a statement, Air New Zealand confirmed it had made a number of changes to its schedule in July, in response to increased fuel costs.

“These consolidations affect around 2 percent of passengers due to travel across this period. We’ve targeted the consolidations to minimise disruption and to ensure that the vast majority of impacted customers can still travel on the same day.”

The airline said customers whose updated flight didn’t suit their plans could choose a refund or credit.

Flights to Tauranga have also been cut back, said Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford who also posted on his social media about the change.

“From 29 June to 26 July they will be removing 27 return flights on the Tauranga-Auckland route, 12 return flights on the Tauranga-Wellington route, and five return flights on the Tauranga-Christchurch route,” Rutherford posted.

Subsidies a possibility

The minister in charge of aviation says subsidies for regional airlines will have to be considered as more flights to regional airports are cut.

Regional airlines including Air Chathams, Sounds Air and Island Air have drawn down loans from the Government – a measure that was already underway before the war in the Middle East.

James Meager told Nine to Noon subsidies for airlines would not be his first choice, but will have to be considered.

He says advice from officials on how to support the sector is expected in a couple of weeks.

Cuts to flights a global issue

Simon Calder, travel correspondent for The Independent told on Morning Report, flight cutbacks could become much worse later in the year, if the Iran war situation remained unchanged.

“By September, I am going to predict airlines in Europe will be cancelling flights, not just in the tens of thousands, possibly in the hundreds of thousands, keeping planes on the ground, because, with the very high price of fuel, it won’t be worth flying them,” he said.

“This is all combined with a reduction in demand, simply because people in Europe are thinking, well, I’m not really sure what’s going on in the world. I don’t want to commit. This is all very bad news for the airlines.”

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

Kiwi exports to the European Union have rocketed by $3 billion in just two years under the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), delivering a major boost to the economy and supporting jobs nationwide, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says.

“Because the FTA entered into force early, our exporters got an immediate head start with tariff cuts and better access into what is now our fastest-growing major market,” Mr McClay says.

Exports to the EU hit $8.8 billion in the year to December 2025 – up 29 per cent, or nearly $1.9 billion. Two years ago, exports were $5.7 billion.

“On the Agreement’s second anniversary, Kiwi exporters have now chalked up an extra $3 billion in sales. This growth has significantly exceeded forecasts and expectations and shows what’s possible when we back our exporters and open new doors.

“It means the world is choosing more of the high-quality food, fibre and products our farmers, growers and businesses are known for.”

Some of the standout gains in the last year include butter exports up 121 per cent, meat up 38 per cent, industrial goods up 61 per cent, and tourism up 7.3 per cent.

One in four New Zealand jobs depends on trade. Mr McClay says the surge in exports is flowing directly into stronger regional economies, higher incomes and more secure jobs.

“Making full use of the Agreement is vital in a time of global uncertainty and supports New Zealand’s goal of doubling export value within a decade.

“Today we celebrate not only our strengthened trade to the EU, but also the strong relationship we have developed over many years. The EU remains a trusted and important partner for New Zealand.”

Export growth to the EU in the year to December included:
•    Total goods exports up 35 per cent to $6.7b
•    Services exports up 11 per cent to $2b, including:
–    tourism up 7.3 per cent to $1.1b
–    education-related exports up nearly 18 per cent to 245m
•    Meat up 38 per cent to $1.9b, including sheep meat up 50 per cent to $1.39b
•    Dairy up 58 per cent to 616m, including:
–    Butter up 121 per cent to 276m
–    Cheese up 400 per cent to 51m
•    Industrial exports up 61.3 per cent to 1.44b
•    Fruit and vegetables up 29.3 per cent to $1.36b, including $1.2b of kiwifruit
•    Seafood up 15.1 per cent to $384m
 

Note to editor:

Two-way goods and services trade between the EU and NZ increased 14 per cent to $23.21b in the year to December 2025.
 

MIL OSI

Property values across Aotearoa New Zealand edged up by 0.1% in April, the third monthly rise in a row, despite a soft start to the year for sales volumes and the breakout of the Iran conflict.

Cotality NZ’s latest Home Value Index (HVI) shows the national median value in April of $809,101 was 0.6% higher than three months ago in January, albeit still 16.8% below the peak from January 2022 ($972,643).

Across the main centres, Ōtepoti Dunedin rose by 0.8% in April, with Ōtautahi Christchurch and Tauranga both seeing a 0.4% increase, while Kirikiriroa Hamilton’s figure was 0.3%. Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland both remained more sluggish, with minor -0.1% falls.

Cotality NZ Chief Property Economist, Kelvin Davidson said that April’s small lift in national property values comes as a slight surprise, but also that it’s very modest in the context of the weakness over the past four years or so.

“We’ve now seen property values edge higher for three months in a row, despite the sluggish start in 2026 for sales volumes, listings still elevated, the Iran conflict emerging, mortgage rates gradually rising, and economic indicators worsening.”

“Given all of that, it’s quite surprising property values have crept up on average.  Although that being said, it’s not universal in every area, with key centres such as Auckland and Wellington still looking pretty soft.”

“In addition, we’ve been here before, with small upturns at the start of both 2024 and 2025 eventually going into reverse.”

“With Iran-related uncertainty currently very high, it would hardly be a surprise to see that pattern repeat in the next 3-6 months either.”

“The bottom line is that the housing market broadly remains in a holding pattern, with buyers enjoying current conditions – or at least those that are secure in their jobs.”

“We all have to wait and see how the Iran situation evolves and make the best decisions as we go. But in an environment where an OCR rise seems likely sooner rather than later, although the economy is also turning, it’s difficult to envisage anything other than another sluggish year for the housing market in 2026.”

Index results for April 2026	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland	-0.1%	0.2%	-3.0%	-22.9%	$1,049,650
Kirikiriroa Hamilton	0.3%	1.1%	-1.5%	-12.0%	$740,213
Tauranga	0.4%	0.7%	2.0%	-14.5%	$932,335
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington*	-0.1%	0.0%	-1.1%	-25.0%	$780,504
Ōtautahi Christchurch	0.4%	1.7%	3.0%	-1.6%	$706,245
Ōtepoti Dunedin	0.8%	2.2%	3.1%	-8.8%	$633,632
Aotearoa New Zealand	0.1%	0.6%	-0.8%	-16.8%	$809,101

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Once again Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s broadly flat result overall in April reflected variability beneath the surface. Papakura and North Shore both edged up by 0.1%, while Rodney and Manukau were flat. But Franklin dipped by -0.1%, Auckland City by -0.2%, and Waitakere by -0.4%.

Waitakere and Franklin have also been weaker over the three-month period since January (down by -0.9% and -0.8% respectively), while Rodney has been stable, and each of the other sub-markets have risen by 0.4% to 0.6%.

Mr Davidson said, “there have been hints that property values in some parts of Auckland may have started to turn a corner in the first few months of 2026.”

“But the data remains patchy, and the bigger picture is that values across the board are still lower than a year ago, with only North Shore’s decline from the peak currently sitting at less than 20%.”

“The improvement in Auckland’s housing affordability may set the scene for a pick-up in value growth in the medium-term. But for now, it remains a purchaser’s market, and first home buyers alongside smaller investors continue to enjoy conditions.”

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington

Variability in property values was also on show in the wider Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington area in April, with Kāpiti Coast edging up by 0.1% and Porirua holding steady. But Wellington City dipped slightly, as did Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt (-0.2%) and Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta Upper Hutt (-0.3%).

Mirroring the trend in Auckland, Wellington has shown some hints of growth to start the year, but values remain lower than 12 months ago and significantly below the peak.

Mr Davidson noted, “Wellington is still among the weakest areas of the country in terms of property value falls in the past four to five years, which is benefitting purchasers right now. In particular, first home buyers are running at market shares greater than 35%.”

“This apparent window of opportunity may not be there forever, but with economic and election uncertainty looking likely to linger for a while yet, Wellington’s property values may not move much this year at least.”

	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Kāpiti Coast	0.1%	1.3%	-2.3%	-22.0%	$788,483
Porirua	0.0%	1.0%	-2.0%	-23.6%	$777,311
Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta Upper Hutt	-0.3%	-0.3%	-1.1%	-24.6%	$717,832
Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt	-0.2%	-0.6%	-2.8%	-26.8%	$659,051
Wellington City	-0.1%	0.0%	-0.2%	-24.6%	$876,178
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington	-0.1%	0.0%	-1.1%	-25.0%	$780,504

Regional results

April’s data showed a soft result for Heretaunga Hastings (down by -1.0%), while Ngāmotu New Plymouth had a subtle -0.1% fall. Meanwhile, the remaining main urban areas saw values rise in April, ranging between 0.2% to 0.6%, while Whangārei was a little stronger again at 0.9%.

Most of these key areas outside the main centres have also seen values rise from a year ago, although Heretaunga Hastings and Ngāmotu New Plymouth have remained a little more sluggish – and all apart from Invercargill are still below past peaks (albeit by less than 2% in Tāhuna Queenstown).

“It seems fairly clear that good growth lately in export industries, including agriculture and tourism, has been a factor behind higher levels of economic confidence and property market resilience in many regional areas.”

“But higher fuel and fertiliser prices are nevertheless squeezing profit margins and could start to take the shine off those regional economies as the next few months unfold. Given that, a re-emergence of some patchier property value figures could also be seen.”

Region	Change in dwelling values
	Month	Quarter	Annual	From peak	Median value
Heretaunga Hastings	-1.0%	-0.8%	-1.4%	-19.6%	$710,458
Ahuriri Napier	0.2%	-0.1%	-0.3%	-18.4%	$703,442
Te Papaioea Palmerston North	0.2%	-0.5%	1.3%	-18.2%	$605,835
Whangārei	0.9%	2.7%	0.4%	-17.5%	$731,430
Tairāwhiti Gisborne	0.6%	1.9%	4.0%	-13.4%	$606,102
Whakatū Nelson	0.2%	0.7%	-0.4%	-13.3%	$737,586
Rotorua	0.3%	0.0%	-0.2%	-12.1%	$640,221
Whanganui	0.2%	-0.3%	1.1%	-10.7%	$507,039
Ngāmotu New Plymouth	-0.1%	-0.1%	-1.4%	-6.4%	$696,367
Tāhuna Queenstown	0.4%	1.5%	3.3%	-1.9%	$1,577,842
Waihōpai Invercargill	0.5%	1.3%	5.8%	At peak	$521,702

Property market outlook

Looking ahead, Mr Davidson noted that the incoming inflation data and how the Reserve Bank perceives those figures will be all-important. Of course, the economy itself matters a lot, but the RBNZ’s sole target is keeping inflation low and stable.

“As the Bank has reiterated many times, they aren’t able to do much about the first-round inflation effects of higher fuel prices, while there are also limits to their control over subsequent higher transport charges through the supply chain.”

“But they’re watching closely for any signs of second-round price effects from the Iran conflict such as higher wage demands or raised inflation expectations. There’s even now a growing view that they may want to get ahead of the curve with an OCR rise as soon as July.”

“Either way, it would not be a surprise to see mortgage rates slowly heading upwards, and recent, modest house price increases flattening off or even going into reverse.”

“That won’t be good news for some, but first home buyers would be pleased. Investors looking to expand a portfolio may be looking at buying opportunities, but there are also some would-be rental purchasers sitting on the sidelines as they wait to see the result of November’s election and how property taxes might look thereafter.”

“All in all, the housing market has lifted a little to start the year, but winter could easily see a sideways or downwards trajectory for prices,” Mr Davidson concluded.

For more property news and insights, visit www.cotality.com/nz/insights

Notes:
The Cotality Hedonic Home Value Index (HVI) is calculated using a hedonic regression methodology that addresses the issue of compositional bias associated with median price and other measures. In simple terms, the index is calculated using recent sales data combined with information about the attributes of individual properties such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, land area and geographical context of the dwelling. By separating each property into its various formational and locational attributes, observed sales values for each property can be distinguished between those attributed to the property’s attributes and those resulting from changes in the underlying residential property market. Additionally, by understanding the value associated with each attribute of a given property, this methodology can be used to estimate the value of dwellings with known characteristics for which there is no recent sales price by observing the characteristics and sales prices of other dwellings which have recently transacted. It then follows that changes in the market value of the entire residential property stock can be accurately tracked through time.

The detailed ‘frequently asked questions’ and methodological information can be found at: https://www.cotality.com/nz/our-data/indices

MIL OSI

A Turakina Valley farmer hopes to turn Hunterville into the shopfront of the North Island wool industry.

Sophie Hurley says there’s plenty of life in the 1970s motel on the main highway, which she’s shaping into a new flagship store for her luxury woollen bag business.

She saw the real estate advertisement for the well known Hunters Motel and Cafe, and “jumped at it”.

The 2122 sq m commercially zoned property was listed by experienced Hunterville and Arizto real estate agent Tony Hewitt with an asking price of $724,500.

The space comprises seven “once vibrant” one-bedroom and combined two-bedroom motel suites, with offstreet parking.

Sold on as ‘as is’ basis, Hewitt said it was an amazing, busy establishment. He’s thrilled the new “down to earth” owners are giving it a new lease on life.

Hurley is the co-owner of upmarket brand Honest Wolf, which she manages with partner Sam. The new store is across the road from the building they currently rent.

The wool insulation is already going in to warm the large 70s open-plan space of the old cafe, with a winter opening a possibility.

Hurley is used to creating something out of what’s already there.

“We use our wool off our own family farm up the Turakina Valley,” she said. “We shear our ewes and use our wool.

“Obviously, being on the main highway, you’re getting travellers, people coming through all the time, whether they’re international or local.

“Initially, people wondered why we might put a face up in a little rural town, but for us, our store is becoming a huge part of our business.

“It’s a place to stop between Wellington and Taupō, or wherever you might be travelling, and Hunterville is a destination now – it’s gaining more and more offerings.”

As well as selling a variety of products, the space will also be used to educate school groups and tourists about the wool industry, and it’s not the only place to stop in Hunterville.

Two years ago, a group of farmers and locals banded together to buy the town’s former art deco pub, the Argyle.

It’s now an upmarket watering hole and eatery. The town known for hits Huntaway Festival and the iconic Shemozzle shepherds race, now has a growing reputation as an escape from the city.

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

An Otago vineyard-owner says a proposed gold mine in the Dunstan Hills could ruin the region’s reputation for the best pinot noir in the world, inflicting “terminal damage” on his business.

Appearing before a fast-track panel considering Australian company Santana Minerals’ application to build a large open-cast mine near Cromwell, Canyon Vineyard owner Hayden Johnston said viticulture and mining were fundamentally incompatible.

Santana Minerals argued the two industries could co-exist, and said on Thursday it was committed to ongoing engagement with the local community.

But Johnston told the seven-person panel the Bendigo-Ophir project would irreparably damage the landscape and kill customer demand.

“It’s the scale of it, it’s the nature of it, it’s the permanence, it’s the intergenerational effects and the toxicity that remains forever that makes this completely inappropriate,” he said.

Johnston said he was proud to put the Bendigo label on his wines but the area’s reputation for world class pinot noir was at risk of being lost.

He told the panel he sought expert advice from a Griffith University tourism and marketing professor who advised that every part of his wine production and sales, events, wine tourism and accommodation business would suffer “irreparable and ultimately terminal damage”.

“In other words, coexistence would reduce customer demand and ultimately kill my business,” Johnston said.

“It’ll completely blow the wind out of my sails. It would be a depressing future to know that it’s going to get harder and harder.”

Santana Minerals has previously said the project would employ hundreds of people and be worth $6 billion in revenue and more than $1b in taxes and royalties for New Zealand.

Some local residents have backed the mine and have formed a Santana Mine Supporters group.

The fast-track panel also heard from resident Holger Reinecke who lived in a historic woolshed restored as a home in 2002.

He said he was worried about the company’s disaster preparedness plans.

“I’d just like to note my astonishment as to how little consideration has been given to the seismic risks residing in the Dunstan mountains and further afield emanating from the Alpine Fault,” he said.

Reinecke said he and his wife decided to sell their property for personal reasons last year but buyers were wary of its proximity to the mine site.

“While some buyers are willing to consider properties further from the proposed access route, properties situated directly on or on the access route are encountering strong resistance,” he said.

The Trevathan family, who live under the proposed tailings dam, expressed concern about a catastrophic failure.

The family’s solicitor Bridget Irving told the panel that Santana Minerals’ application lacked detail and was not decision-ready.

“The location of this mine proposal is not in a remote, unpopulated, expansive or flat area as might be found, for example, in Australia or South Africa,” she said.

“People do live downstream and loss of life is foreseeable if the worst was to happen.”

Santana Minerals has previously said its application reflected years of detailed technical and environmental work and the fast-track process would not reduce scrutiny or standards.

Company lawyer Joshua Leckie was asked by panel chair Matthew Muir KC whether residents should be considered “collateral damage”.

“No, I don’t think they’re to be regarded as collateral damage. Their views are still relevant to your considerations,” Leckie said.

Leckie said Santana Minerals was committed to engaging with the mine’s neighbours and it would consider the suggestion of compensation.

The company’s management plans were sufficient to deal with the impacts, including a catastrophic event, but that would be something to explore further through the fast-track process of expert conferencing this month, Leckie said.

“There is an appropriate level of baseline information in the technical assessments and the evidence that’s been filed at this time,” he said.

Leckie said issues of mana whenua engagement were a key priority for the company as its application progressed.

The fast-track panel was expected to make a final decision on the mine in October.

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

SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 April 2026 – The ninth day of competition marked the conclusion of the sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya, bringing the multi-sport event to a close. Gathering over 1,600 athletes from 45 countries and regions across Asia, the Games not only delivered high-level competition but also offered a window into the new phase of openness following the island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port (Hainan FTP).

The smooth staging of the Games demonstrated Sanya’s capacity to host major international events. From competition venues stretching across 22 kilometers of coastline, to 22 designated hotels accommodating domestic and international guests, and the support of 4,680 volunteers, as well as touristic and cultural engagement activities, the host city’s organization and services received broad recognition. Abdulaziz Baeshen, Secretary General and CEO at the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee, said, “The organization of this Asian Beach Games has been of a very high standard, once again demonstrating China’s outstanding capability in hosting major international sporting events.”

The success of the Games was underpinned by the policies of the Hainan FTP. Benefiting from visa-free access for citizens of 86 countries and event-specific facilitation measures, cross-border travel was efficient and seamless. Qatari athlete Ahmed Elmeniawy said, “The entry procedures were extremely convenient. It took less than two minutes to complete all arrival formalities — a truly excellent experience.” An official from the Saudi Olympic Committee also noted that the FTP policies and visa-free arrangements facilitated participation by delegations and promoted bilateral sports exchanges.

During the Games, Sanya launched a series of cultural tourism activities and consumer incentive packages centered on a “spectating plus vacation” model, boosting the integration of sports and tourism consumption. At the same time, the Asian Beach Games served as a platform for exchanges among Asian countries. During his visit to Hainan, Thomas Bach, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee, said he felt “the unity of Asia.” Raja Randhir Singh, President of the Olympic Council of Asia, noted that despite differences in language and traditions, a shared passion for sport brings people together.

Although the Games have concluded, openness and cooperation continue. The event has provided valuable experience for the Hainan FTP in hosting major international events and demonstrated China’s continued efforts to expand high-level opening-up. The FTP will continue to deepen international exchanges and cooperation with an open and inclusive approach.

Hashtag: #6thAsianBeachGame #Sanya #China

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

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

A Landmark Exhibition Exploring Seven Decades of How Hong Kong Told Its Story to the World

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

Air New Zealand has made further cuts to some regional flights, in what one mayor calls “disappointing news”.

The flag carrier last announced reductions earlier this month citing ongoing high costs for jet fuel.

On Thursday, Nelson mayor Nick Smith said a further 23 flights were being between his city and Auckland, 32 to and from Wellington, and 15 to and from Christchurch.

The cut flights are between 29 June and 26 July.

“This is the third time Nelson flights to and from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch have been axed temporarily since the war in Iran started and brings the total number of flights lost to 266 or about 12,000 seats,” Smith said .

He said the latest cuts reduced seat capacity for Auckland by 8.7 percent, Christchurch by 10.3 percent and Wellington by 15.2 percent over the four weeks.

“This is likely to affect seat availability and prices as well as reduce Air NZ’s ability to manage disruptions including weather-related delays and cancellations,” Smith said.

“This is disappointing news for Nelson. While it is understandable, with no concrete signs of de-escalation of the oil crisis in the Middle East, it will have an impact on the number of visitors to the region and make it more difficult for people travelling for work, to access healthcare and take holidays outside the region,” he added.

“The loss of flights will also have a negative effect on council’s finances as a 50 percent owner in Nelson Airport Ltd.”

Smith repeated earlier concerns about his region’s tourism.

“I continue to encourage Nelson people considering taking a holiday in the next couple of months to think about options locally such as Golden Bay, Abel Tasman or Nelson Lakes to help our local tourism sector.”

In Tauranga, which has also faced earlier cuts, Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford also highlighted new reductions.

“From 29 June to 26 July they will be removing 27 return flights on the Tauranga-Auckland route (mainly mid-morning and late night services Monday to Wednesday plus mid-day on Thursday), 12 return flights on the Tauranga-Wellington route (mid-day Monday to Friday), and 5 return flights on the Tauranga-Christchurch route,” he said.

“For context, there will still be 375 return flights scheduled to and from Tauranga during this period.”

Air New Zealand told RNZ that it had made a small number of schedule changes because of the ongoing impact of high fuel costs.

“These consolidations affect around 2 percent of passengers due to travel across this period,” the airline said.

“We’ve targeted the consolidations to minimise disruption and to ensure that the vast majority of impacted customers can still travel on the same day.”

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

Dental advocates are pointing to the rising popularity of dental tourism as a “damning reflection” of New Zealand’s current approach to oral healthcare.

“We know that many people are getting extractions or even resorting to DIY dentistry instead of receiving the dental treatments they need, because the cost is just too high,” says Dental for All campaigner, Jasmine Taankink (Ngā Mahanga-a-Tairi). “While dental tourism has provided a more affordable option, it shouldn’t be necessary.”

“It is really alarming and a damning reflection of the privatised model of oral healthcare that the best option that some people are left with is to go overseas,” says Dental for All campaigner, Hana Pilkinton-Ching.

In New Zealand, oral healthcare is publicly funded for children up to the age of 18, but not for adults. 43% of adults have unmet need for oral healthcare due to cost, as well as 53% of Māori and 56% of Pasifika adults, according to the 2024/45 NZ Health Survey.

A new policy report released by Dental for All last Thursday, ‘Fixing Oral Healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Costed Policy Plan for Delivering Dental for All’, outlines a detailed proposal to bring oral healthcare for adults into the public healthcare system. This follows recent polling by Talbot Mills, released in March this year, which showed that 83% of people in New Zealand support the move.

The report proposes a network of over 700 community clinics to provide free oral healthcare universally to adults across the country, as well as investing in workforce development and Māori oral health, among other recommendations. The policy has been costed by independent economists. Notably, these costings fall well below the costs of the current model due to the negative impacts of unmet need for oral healthcare on productivity and quality of life.

“Our research shows that we have the resourcing, workforce, and infrastructure needed to deliver universal dental care in Aotearoa. It is unacceptable for politicians to continue to ignore this gap in the public health system, forcing people to take matters into their own hands, when a different approach is workable and would benefit everyone.”

“We should all be able to access the oral healthcare that we need, right here in Aotearoa. It’s time to bring the mouth back into the body, and into the public health system,” says Taankink.

An earlier report released by Dental for All in 2025 shares ten human stories of struggle with oral healthcare. One person interviewed for this report, ‘Mac’, delayed necessary dental treatment due to the cost, and waited for a planned trip overseas to get a root canal done. He experienced further pain and complications due to the delay in accessing care. Mac described his experience as “a series of dental woes”. The greatest barrier he faced to accessing the care he needed in New Zealand was the high cost of private dental care. He also described the poor availability of services in his rural home town, and the shame and stigma associated with not being able to afford dental care. Mac explained that he is now determined to look after his oral health and keep his remaining teeth, however shared that “it still feels like only rich people get to have good quality teeth.”

MIL OSI