Education – School leavers will benefit from greater industry involvement – EMA

Source: EMA Creating qualifications that have buy-in from industry will set school leavers and the economy up for success, says the EMA. Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement Lead Joanna Hall says the proposed changes to replace the NCEA with new, internationally benchmarked qualifications are promising. “The EMA is New Zealand’s largest employer association, representing thousands of businesses … Read more

Northland News – Twenty-three put names forward for Northland Regional Council

Source: Northland Regional Council Twenty-three people have put their names forward for nine seats on the Northland Regional Council at October’s local body elections. Dale Ofsoske, the council’s Electoral Officer, says nominations opened on Friday 04 July and officially closed at noon Friday, 01 August. Mr Ofsoske says 23 people have been nominated for the regional … Read more

Heritage NZ – Ophir’s postmistress retires after 26 years

Source: Heritage New Zealand Ophir’s postmistress retires after 26 years A much loved heritage stalwart is retiring after more than two decades serving her community. Val Butcher, the postmistress of the historic Ophir Post Office, is leaving her old stamping ground after 26 years working in the iconic building which is cared for by Heritage New … Read more

Animal Welfare – Trapped in the past: NZ hens suffer in cages while world bans them

Source: SAFE For Animals Slovenia has announced a total ban on caging hens by the end of 2028. The move follows Sweden’s announcement last month that is has officially ended the caging of hens without needing a legal ban, driven by overwhelming public opposition to animal cruelty. SAFE’s Head of Campaigns, Jessica Chambers, says while these … Read more

Local News – Central Wellington’s Kumutoto recognised as wāhi tūpuna

Source: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga – Report by Niki Partsch A river with rich connections to tangata whenua, and which nurtured the establishment of the city of Wellington, is part of a wāhi tūpuna newly listed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Kumutoto Pā was established at the mouth of the Kumutoto Awa (stream) … Read more

BusinessNZ – Education overhaul presents opportunity

Source: BusinessNZ The announced overhaul of New Zealand’s education system is a chance to ensure school leavers are better equipped for the modern workforce, says BusinessNZ. Chief Executive Katherine Rich says NCEA is failing students. “The current system of NCEA is not delivering what students, parents, teachers, or employers need. Change is necessary to ensure young … Read more

Fire and Emergency New Zealand specialists continue to respond to the Canadian wildfires

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand Fire and Emergency New Zealand is sending four more personnel to Canada to assist with the country’s wildfire response. Fire and Emergency currently has 50 personnel fighting fires in the Manitoba province. This deployment of four Incident Management Team (IMT) specialists will be heading to the Alberta province after a … Read more

Economy – Firms react more to recent inflation than expected future inflation – Reserve Bank

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand 4 August 2025 – How businesses set prices for their goods and services is a key driver of inflation and how long it will last into the future. To better understand the price-setting behaviour of firms, new research by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand looked at how well … Read more

Stand-alone houses lead annual rise in home consents – Stats NZ media and information release: Building consents issued: June 2025

Post navigation Archives Stand-alone houses lead annual rise in home consents – media release 1 August 2025 There were 33,979 new homes consented in Aotearoa New Zealand in the year ended June 2025, up 1.0 percent compared with the year ended June 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. “This is the first time … Read more

Legal and Finance Sectors – MinterEllisonRuddWatts advises Camco on innovative blended finance fund

Source: MinterEllisonRuddWatts MinterEllisonRuddWatts is proud to have assisted Camco, a leading UK-based impact fund manager, with the establishment of an innovative blended finance fund called TIDES (Transforming Island Development through Electrification and Sustainability). TIDES is an innovative fund aiming to help unlock USD100 million of public and private sector finance to support renewable energy developments in … Read more

Property Market – Doors wide open for first home buyers

Source: New Zealand Property Report July 2025 National stock levels drop by almost 2,000 listings for third consecutive monthAround 60% of new listings on realestate.co.nz priced below the national average asking price Latest data from realestate.co.nz shows a steady drain on housing stock is tightening the property pool for buyers across Aotearoa. Stock has fallen … Read more

Open for Business: Samsung Electronics Singapore Unveils Business Experience Studio

Source: Media Outreach State-of-the-art studio designed to help customers envision how cutting-edge technology from Samsung can help address next wave digitisation SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 August 2025 – Samsung Electronics Singapore has unveiled its new Business Experience Studio, designed to help businesses unlock the potential of innovative technology solutions from Samsung. The … Read more

Men in the UAE quicker to address tech troubles than a mental health concern, new AXA Global Healthcare study finds

Source: Media Outreach DUBAI, UAE – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 August 2025 – Men in the UAE are more likely to take immediate action over a broken laptop, a social media hack, or a car warning light than seek support for ongoing low mood or mental health concerns, according to new research from AXA … Read more

Employment – Skills Group Welcomes Government’s Focus on Vocational Pathways in NCEA Overhaul

Source:  Skills Group Skills Group, New Zealand’s largest private vocational training provider, welcomes the Government’s renewed focus on strengthening vocational pathways as part of the proposed NCEA reform. Today’s announcement of a major overhaul of NCEA aims to create more robust and coherent vocational pathway options, ensuring that young people can pursue valued industry-related learning … Read more

Economy – Consultation on regulating the High Value Clearing System opens – Reserve Bank of NZ

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand 4 August 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua is proposing that the Minister of Finance designates the High Value Clearing System (HVCS), allowing it to be regulated and supervised by RBNZ. The HVCS is a pure payment system and is operated by Payments … Read more

PM Luxon to visit Papua New Guinea

Source: New Zealand Government In the 50th year of Papua New Guinea’s independence, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Port Moresby this week to celebrate the enduring friendship between our two nations.  “I look forward to seeing my friend Prime Minister Marape. New Zealand was among the first countries to welcome Papua New Guinea into … Read more

New training launched for New Zealand’s silent harm, asbestos

Source: Worksafe New Zealand 4 August 2025 WorkSafe has joined forces with Site Safe, a leading construction health and safety organisation, to deliver new training for asbestos awareness. WorkSafe has joined forces with Site Safe, a leading construction health and safety organisation, to deliver new training for asbestos awareness.   As health and safety regulator, … Read more

Celebrating 60 Years of the Cook Islands’ Unique Path

Source: New Zealand Government Speech for Constitution Day Celebrations of the Cook Islands hosted by the Upokina Taoro (East Cook Island Community Group) and Cook Islands Development Agency New Zealand (CIDANZ) Kia Orana We’d like to begin by acknowledging Reverend Charles Pange, our hosts the East Cook Islands Community Group, with support from the Cook … Read more

Speech – transforming our national qualification

Source: New Zealand Government Tēnā koutou katoa,  It’s a privilege to speak with you today about the future of our national secondary qualification.  Thank you to Katherine Rich and Rachel Simpson from Business NZ and to Chapman Tripp for hosting us this morning. Can I thank the Prime Minister for his resolute commitment to raising education achievement … Read more

Health – Clare Foundation and Health Coalition Aotearoa launch bold partnership to tackle food system inequities in South Auckland

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) is proud to announce a new five-year partnership with Clare Foundation to address structural barriers to healthy food environments in South Auckland. This strategic collaboration will help South Auckland communities reclaim agency over their local food systems by creating systems and policy change. Clare Foundation’s tagged funding will … Read more

Energy reserve ensures security for next decade

Source: New Zealand Government Energy Minister Simon Watts and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones have welcomed an agreement by Genesis, Mercury, Meridian, and Contact to establish a strategic energy reserve, which will boost energy security and support affordable energy prices.  “New Zealand needs reliable and stable power so our households and businesses can keep their … Read more

Replacing NCEA to transform secondary education

Source: New Zealand Government The Government is proposing to replace NCEA with new national qualifications that ensure young people have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford say. “We want every New Zealander to reach their full potential and contribute to a thriving economy— and that … Read more

Pay Equity – Documents reveal Govt efforts to avoid scrutiny on pay equity – CTU

Source: NZ CTU Newly released Government documents reveal the lengths to which ministers went to avoid scrutiny and ignore official advice on their decision to gut the Equal Pay Act and cancel pay equity claims. “These documents reveal that the Government did everything in its power to shut down public debate on pay equity in … Read more

Unlabelled GE food leaves consumers in the dark

Source: Charles Hyland, Chair, Soil & Health Association of New Zealand Aotearoa New Zealand – Consumers have just lost a fundamental right to informed choice about the food they’re eating, says the Soil & Health Association. New Zealand Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard and his eight Australian state counterparts have approved a decision to allow genetically engineered … Read more

“Colorful Guizhou” Shines in Kuala Lumpur – Guizhou Culture and Tourism Promotion Conference Held Successfully in Malaysia

Source: Media Outreach KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2025 – In an effort to deepen cultural and tourism cooperation between China and Malaysia and further expand into the Southeast Asian market, the Guizhou Culture and Tourism Promotion Conference, hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guizhou Province, was … Read more

Zero Waste Network name evolves

Source: Zero Waste Network The Zero Waste Network is expanding to become Zero Waste Aotearoa so we can better achieve our goal of building a waste free future together.  Our updated name reflects the evolving scope of our work. We’ve gone from being a small group of committed people twenty years ago, to a nationwide … Read more

Boosting trade ties with Thailand and Indonesia

Source: New Zealand Government Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay departs today for Thailand and Indonesia to strengthen New Zealand’s economic ties with two of Southeast Asia’s largest and fastest‑growing economies. “Global food demand is expected to rise 47 per cent by 2050, and Southeast Asia is on track to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by … Read more