Economic growth the key to better days ahead

Source: New Zealand Government Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. “Right … Read more

Greenpeace – Luxon’s bonfire of natural capital leaves New Zealand poorer

Source: Greenpeace Luxon’s bonfire of natural capital leaves New Zealand poorer Prime Minister Luxon’s plan to burn natural capital in a desperate bid for short term GDP growth will leave us poorer, says Greenpeace. Luxon is due to give his State of the Nation speech today which will once again prioritise the War On Nature. These … Read more

Animal Welfare – SAFE calls for urgent reforms following horrific sheep cruelty footage

Source: SAFE For Animals SAFE is calling for an independent inquiry after evidence of severe violence towards sheep was captured across 34 farms. Workers on New Zealand sheep farms were filmed beating, cutting, and throwing sheep to the ground, with one individual seen stomping on the neck of a sheep. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says these … Read more

International migration: November 2024 – Stats NZ information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand International migration: November 2024 – 23 January 2025 International migration statistics give the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, which includes estimates of migrants entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts Annual migration Provisional estimates for the November 2024 year compared with the November 2023 year were: migrant arrivals: 158,400 (± 1,100), … Read more

International travel: November 2024 – Stats NZ information release

Source: Statistics New Zealand International travel: November 2024 – 23 January 2025 – International travel covers the number and characteristics of overseas visitors and New Zealand resident travellers (short-term movements) entering or leaving New Zealand. Key facts Monthly arrivals – overseas visitors Overseas visitor arrivals were 321,200 in November 2024, an increase of 17,800 from … Read more

BusinessNZ – Saying ‘yes’ to investment and growth

Source: BusinessNZ The Prime Minister’s state of the nation address has correctly identified many key issues holding back economic growth, BusinessNZ says. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says businesses around the country would agree that NZ for too long has been saying ‘no’ to investment and development. “The result has been economic contraction and GDP growth … Read more

Name release: Fatal crash Albury

Source: New Zealand Police (National News) Police can now release the name of the man who died in a single-vehicle crash near Albury, Mackenzie, on Thursday 19 December. He was Cale Tompkins Tairua, 18, of Albury. Police extend our sympathies to his loved ones at this difficult time. ENDS Issued by Police Media Centre MIL … Read more

Appeal for information following fatal crash, Nelson

Source: New Zealand Police (National News) Nelson Police investigating a crash on the Coastal Highway earlier this month would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash. At around 3:10pm on Tuesday 7 January, emergency services responded to a two-vehicle crash near the O’Conner Creek Bridge. One person was seriously injured in the crash, … Read more

Govt’s sanctions regime fails us all

Source: Green Party The Government’s newly released data paints a damning picture: the sanctions regime targeting beneficiaries is an abject failure.  “Benefit sanctions deprive people of the means to survive and there is no evidence they support people into paid employment,” says the Green Party’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson, Ricardo Menéndez March. “This is … Read more

Name release, Fatal Crash, Egmont Road

Source: New Zealand Police (National News) Police can now confirm the name of the man who died in a two-vehicle crash on Egmont Road, New Plymouth, Tuesday 21 January. He was 50-year-old Brien David Vincent Mace of New Plymouth. Police extend our condolences to his family and loved ones at this time. Enquiries into the … Read more

Rat found on Ulva Island triggers response

Source: Department of Conservation Date:  23 January 2025 Ulva Island is a nature sanctuary in Paterson Inlet, 780 metres from Stewart Island/Rakiura. It is popular with visitors who come to experience the thriving wildlife. It first achieved predator-free status in 1997 and has become a sanctuary for many native species, including Stewart Island brown kiwi/tokoeka, kākā, … Read more

Runaway spending growth checked

Source: New Zealand Government The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year.  “That is completely unsustainable … Read more

Welfare that Works making a difference

Source: New Zealand Government The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don’t fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job is … Read more

Heading out of town for Auckland Anniversary weekend? Plan ahead

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency With a mixed bag of weather forecast for Auckland and Northland this Auckland Anniversary weekend NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is encouraging people to plan ahead to get the most out of their holiday weekends. NZTA has updated its Holiday Journeys interactive travel planner for Auckland Anniversary weekend. The … Read more

Economy – Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the five months ended 30 November 2024

Source: The Treasury The interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the five months ended 30 November 2024 were released by the Treasury today. The November results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2024 (HYEFU 2024), published on 17 December 2024, and the results for the … Read more

Economy – NZ Treasury – New paper on how the tax and transfer system affects financial incentives to work

Source: The Treasury This Analytical Note examines how New Zealand’s tax and transfer system affects financial incentives to work, using Effective Marginal Tax Rates (EMTRs) as the main measure. EMTRs show how much of each additional dollar earned is lost through taxes and benefit reductions. High EMTRs are an unavoidable feature of any targeted welfare system … Read more

One lands in court following string of driving mishaps

Source: New Zealand Police (National News) The driver of a stolen vehicle who allegedly ran a red light and fled from Police will front court today. At about 2.20am, officers observed a Toyota Hilux Surf travelling at speed on Ronwood Avenue, Manukau, where it allegedly failed to stop at a red light. Counties Manukau South … Read more

Work to repair and restore our Hawke’s Bay’s state highway network back in full swing

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency If you’re travelling the Hawke’s Bay state highway network, you can expect to see a renewed level of activity from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and Transport Rebuild East Coast crews for 2025. Crews are back at work repairing and renewing state highways to ensure more efficient travel and safer, … Read more

SH27 Waharoa road reseal early February

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency Smoother journeys are coming for motorists through Waharoa, with resealing works getting underway in early February for essential maintenance of State Highway 27 (SH27). NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Waikato System Manager, Andy Oakley, says the section of state highway outside the Matamata Aero Club needs attention. ”We’re completing … Read more

NZ-AU: EarlyBirds CEO to Speak at Avalon 2025: Horizon Scanning for Aerospace Innovation

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU) San Francisco, Jan. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — San Francisco, California – EarlyBirds, a leading global open innovation ecosystem, is proud to announce that its Cofounder and CEO, Kris Poria, will be speaking at Avalon 2025 – The Australian International Airshow, the premier aviation, aerospace, and defense event in the Southern Hemisphere. … Read more

Yeebo Declares a Special Dividend of HKD1.8 per Share

Source: Media Outreach HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – Yeebo (International Holdings) Limited (“Yeebo” or the “Company”, stock code: 259, which together with its subsidiaries is referred to as the “Group”) announced that the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) resolved to declare a special dividend of … Read more

Aon Forecasts 11.1 Percent Increase in Employee Medical Plan Costs for Businesses in Asia Pacific

Source: Media Outreach -Medical trend rates in the APAC region rank second-highest globally, according to report SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has released its 2025 Global Medical Trend Rates Report. The report forecasts a projected 11.1 percent rise in the … Read more

V-GREEN and eTreego sign MoU to develop 100,000 VinFast charging portals in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam

Source: Media Outreach HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – V-GREEN has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eTreego, a Taiwanese green energy company, to significantly expand VinFast electric vehicle charging station infrastructure. This partnership aims to install 100,000 charging portals in VinFast’s three key Southeast Asian markets, Indonesia, the … Read more

‘It is the U.S. vs the rest’. Global broker’s Octa view on U.S. exceptionalism

Source: Media Outreach KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – The U.S. dollar has been appreciating almost relentlessly since the end of September. In just three and a half months, the Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the greenback relative to a basket of six major foreign currencies, … Read more

Hong Kong’s Premier International Intercollegiate Tech Event “Hong Kong Techathon+ 2025” Uniting Over 1,800 Global Tech Talent From Leading Local and Overseas Institutions

Source: Media Outreach HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – The annual flagship event in the innovation and technology (I&T) sector, the Hong Kong Techathon+ 2025, co-organised by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and local higher education institutions, has successfully concluded on 19 January. This year’s … Read more

CPA Australia calls on Hong Kong government to increase revenue and reduce expenditure

Source: Media Outreach HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – With CPA Australia estimating a fiscal deficit of HK$96.1 billion for 2024-25 and fiscal reserves of HK$638.5 billion, today, we submitted recommendations for the government to consider including in Budget 2025-26, with the major focus areas being tackling the deficit … Read more

Airport City Blueprint Presented to Business Community with New Brand “SKYTOPIA”

Source: Media Outreach HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 January 2025 – Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) presented the Airport City blueprint to the business community at a major event today as the new brand of the development, “SKYTOPIA”, was unveiled. Airport City Blueprint Presented to Business Community with New Brand “SKYTOPIA” … Read more