Celebrating Hearts at Home: Eden Grace’s Annual Award Ceremony Recognises Meaningful Partnerships

Source: Media Outreach SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 May 2025 – Eden Grace, a trusted maid agency dedicated to fostering strong and respectful relationships between domestic helpers and employers in Singapore, is proud to announce its annual award ceremony, Heart of the Home Awards to be held in December (exact date and venue … Read more

Public Defence Service changes finalised

Source: Tertiary Education Commission Headline: Public Defence Service changes finalised 5:00pm – 15 May 2025 The Public Defence Service (PDS) is releasing the final outcome of its change process following consultation with staff.  The proposal was announced on 3 March 2025, and staff had the opportunity to provide feedback until 1 May.  “We had a … Read more

Speech to Hillside Workshops

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets Good morning. First, let us reiterate the thanks already given to civic leaders, Ministers, Mayors, parliamentarians past and present, union leaders, business leaders and members of the public gathered here today.  Let us also acknowledge the KiwiRail workers of Dunedin, especially the former and current workers here … Read more

Speech to Otago Regional Growth Summit

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets Thank you for being here. We appreciate your time. We appreciate your work. You have been joined this morning by five Ministers: The Honourable Shane Jones, a driving force for the economic success of provincial New Zealand. Customs Minister Casey Costello. South Island Minister James Meager, and … Read more

150 social homes for Hawke’s Bay through community-led approach

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets Families in need will benefit from 150 new social homes to be delivered in Hawke’s Bay using a new community-led approach, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “As part of last year’s Budget, the Government invested $140 million into 1500 new social homes to be delivered by Community … Read more

New Manawatū Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre focused on improving compliance and efficiencies

Source: Argument for Lifting NZ Super Age Operations are now underway at the country’s newest commercial vehicle safety centre (CVSC), on State Highway 1/3 at Ohakea in Manawatū. This will streamline travel for heavy vehicle operators, deliver targeted enforcement by NZ Police, and efficient monitoring for heavy vehicle compliance. NZTA Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme Manager … Read more

Release: Minister’s rash orders fail frontline providers

Source: New Zealand Labour Party The Auditor-General has found serious failings in the Government’s review of frontline providers such as counselling and prevention services. “It’s been nearly a year and frontline providers who work with vulnerable families are still waiting on certainty about funding,” Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said. “The Auditor-General has found that … Read more

Release: Prices keep rising while National cuts women’s pay

Source: New Zealand Labour Party Prices for essentials, like milk, butter and electricity continue to get more expensive under National, at the same time as the Government takes money from women’s pockets to save their budget.   “It’s more bad news for families today as food prices continue to go up under this Government,” Labour … Read more

Cat-astrophe avoided after purrfect find in car engine

Source: New Zealand Police A member of the public has narrowly avoided a complete cat-astrophe after hearing a funny noise coming from the engine of her vehicle. The woman had been shopping at Sylvia Park when she returned to her car and began hearing concerning sounds from the engine on the drive home. “The woman … Read more

Stats NZ information release: Māori population estimates: Mean year ended 31 December 2024 (2023-base)

Source: Statistics New Zealand Māori population estimates: Mean year ended 31 December 2024 (2023-base) – 16 May 2025 – Māori population estimates give the best available measure of the Māori ethnic population, by age and sex, usually living in Aotearoa New Zealand. This release contains the provisional estimate of the national Māori ethnic population for the mean year … Read more

Marine Environment – KASM slams government as EPA accepts seabed mining into fast-track process

Source: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) Community group Kiwis Against Seabed Mining today slammed the Luxon Government for swinging open the back door to let the seabed miners have another go, at a time when opposition is at its strongest. It is understood that the Environmental Protection Authority has now accepted the application from wannabe … Read more

Stats NZ information release: Productivity statistics: 1978–2024

Source: Statistics New Zealand Productivity statistics: 1978-2024 – 16 May 2025 – Productivity is a measure of how efficiently capital and labour are used within the economy to produce outputs of goods and services. A higher productivity rate means a nation can either produce a higher level of goods and services with the same level … Read more

Arts – Applications are OPEN for NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award 2025

Source: New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) An award for a New Zealand writer of fiction – $5,000 – The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) announce the 2025 opening of this award, which supports the completion and/or publication of new fiction by a … Read more

Arts – Congratulations to the talented student writers awarded NZSA Youth Mentorships for 2025!

Source: NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) Four secondary school students selected for mentorships will each be matched with a professional writer/mentor in their genre, as part of the NZ Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) 2025 Youth Mentorship Programme. The young writers will … Read more

Environment – EPA approves new turf herbicide

Source: Environmental Protection Authority The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved an application to import or manufacture a selective new weedkiller for use on recreational turf. Colin Campbell (Chemicals) Proprietary Limited applied to import or manufacture Poa Cure SC, a herbicide containing 275 g/L of methiozolin, a chemical new to New Zealand. It is used to … Read more

First Responders – Winslow hay bale fire update #2

Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand Fire and Emergency New Zealand had two crews monitoring the remains of a large fire involving hay bales in Winslow, Ashburton last night. The fire began late on Wednesday night, and destroyed two haysheds containing between 12,000 and 14,000 bales of hay, before being brought under control around midday yesterday. … Read more

Energy Sector – New Zealand Cleantech companies making an impact on the world stage

Source: Ara Ake With cleantech critical to both climate mitigation and economic growth, a visit to Singapore last week by six New Zealand cleantech companies, a Venture Capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, couldn’t have come at a more important time. OpenStar Technologies, TasmanIon, Nilo, Cetogenix, Mushroom Material, Allegro Energy (now Australia-based) and BridgeWest Ventures travelled … Read more

Legislation – Plain Language Act Repeal Bill ‘major step backward’ for disabled community – IHC

Source: IHC Repealing the Plain Language Act 2022 would mark a major step backwards for people with intellectual disability to easily access important information, says IHC. In its submission earlier this week to the Governance and Administration Committee, IHC says that people with intellectual disability benefit from plain language, as they are among those most … Read more

Economy – RBNZ Analytical Notes: Estimating Exchange Rate Pass-through in New Zealand

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua 16 May 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua has published two Analytical Notes; Estimating Exchange Rate Pass-through in New Zealand (ref. https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=6162da22c5&e=f3c68946f8 ) Key findings This Note analyses exchange rate pass-through to tradables prices in each step of the … Read more

Progress on Hawke’s Bay Expressway good news for growth

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets Minister of Transport Chris Bishop has welcomed funding to proceed with groundwork and geotechnical investigations for the next section of the State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance project. “The expressway is a vital link for the whole region and for road users from neighbouring … Read more

Walking together: Council, mana whenua and community deepen conservation relationships online

Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines When you visit the newly updated Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau | Conservation Auckland website, you’re stepping into more than just a page of information; you’re entering a space where mana whenua provides guidance for community conservation within their rohe (tribal area). It’s a powerful reminder … Read more

Officer stops thieves in their tracks

Source: New Zealand Police A group of offenders were no match for one Sergeant during a foot pursuit in Manukau. In the process, thousands of dollars in products that had just been stolen was recovered. Around 4.30pm on Wednesday, the on-duty Sergeant was conducting prevention patrols in the Manukau Westfield carpark, when a group of … Read more

Eyes in the sky assist in locating missing man

Source: New Zealand Police Police wasted no time taking to the sky following a concerning call from a member of the public whose father suffering from dementia had gone missing. Just before 1am, Police were informed of man in his 80s with dementia who had gone missing in the Ōrere Point area. Counties Manukau South … Read more

NZ to host Pacific leaders

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets New Zealand will host leaders from across the Pacific next week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti have announced. “New Zealand is a Pacific country, and regular face-to-face dialogue is a crucial underpinning for our relationships throughout our region,” Mr Peters … Read more

DOC reopens lower Hooker Valley Track

Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house Date:  16 May 2025 “We know how much this iconic walk is valued and how much people love to visit and walk it, so we’ve worked hard to keep the lower part of the track open,” says Aoraki Mount Cook Operations Manager Sally Jones. “There is an … Read more

$577 million to support film and TV production

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets The Government is providing certainty to New Zealand’s film industry by providing the funding needed to sustain the International Screen Production Rebate, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis announced today. “This funding will help bring investment, jobs and income to New Zealand, boosting our economic growth.  “We are … Read more

Te Pāti Māori Condemns Fast-Track Approval of Seabed Mining

Source: Te Pāti Māori is gravely concerned by the Government’s approval of the Trans-Tasman Resources (Taranaki VTM) seabed mining project under its fast-track regime. This marks the first time a commercial shallow seabed mining operation has been approved anywhere in the world- pushed through with no transparency, no public input, and no consent from tangata … Read more