Environment – “A Dirty Deal for Dirty Water” – Government’s $56m irrigation subsidy blasted by Greenpeace

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Source: Greenpeace The Government has announced a $56 million dollar subsidy through the Regional Investment Fund for three water storage projects in the Canterbury region – the Opuha Dam and Irrigation Scheme, the Balmoral Water Storage Facility (Amuri), and the Waimakariri Irrigation Scheme. Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says, “It is deeply irresponsible to use public money … Read more

Legislation: Law Experts Issue Open letter to Govt calls for halt to the undemocratic Regulatory Standards Bill

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Source: Professor Emeritus Jane Kelsey As some of the country’s senior lawyers and researchers in a range of disciplines (law, economics, Tiriti o Waitangi, public policy, environment), including a former Prime Minister and two New Zealanders of the Year, we cannot stand by as the Regulatory Standards Bill is rushed through a parliamentary select committee next … Read more

Porirua launches Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities Work Programme (ROCC)

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Source: New Zealand Police Porirua has officially joined the rollout of the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) work programme – a collaborative, community-led initiative designed to address the social conditions that enable organised crime and to support lasting change for whanau. The launch, held at the Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua today (Thursday … Read more

New Beat team for Rotorua and one year anniversary of Community Beat Teams

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Source: New Zealand Police Rotorua has a team of six Police starting on the beat across the CBD. “Rotorua is launching their first beat team and later in the quarter we will see other beat teams operating across the Bay of Plenty and other districts,” says Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. The city becomes the fifth … Read more

SH2 Waikare Bailey bridge to be replaced with wider, stronger, quieter bridge

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency Work begins later this month (from Monday 28 July) preparing to replace the temporary Bailey bridge on State Highway 2 at Waikare Gorge, with a wider, stronger temporary bridge. SH2, between Pūtōrino and the northern side of Waikare Gorge, will close for a 24-hour period from 10am Saturday 30 August … Read more

Getting from A to B in Piarere

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency People travelling between the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato will be able to get where they’re going sooner, with the speed limit lifting this morning at the new roundabout at the intersection of State Highways 1 and 29. After 17 months of construction, the bulk of the work on … Read more

Wandering animals posing hazards on the roads

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Source: New Zealand Transport Agency A spate of incidents of animals found wandering on southern highways recently has the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) urging people to be vigilant about supervision and containment of livestock or pets. Sometimes it is wild animals such as deer also creating hazards on the highways, says NZTA … Read more

Weather News – Filled to the Brim with Heavy Rain – MetService

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Source: MetService Covering period of Thursday 3rd – Tuesday 8th July – We’re in the thick of it again today (Thursday), with a slew of Heavy Rain Warnings and Watches, Severe Thunderstorm Watches, Strong Wind Watches, and a Heavy Snow Watch. The hits just keep coming with these quick moving systems, it’s giving us weather … Read more

Real Estate – Oops, I bought a house! Survey reveals nearly 1 in 4 Kiwis purchase homes by happy accident

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Source: Brainchild for Realestate.co.nz 3 July 2025 – A surprising trend has been uncovered in a recent survey of New Zealand’s real estate landscape: a significant slice of Kiwis are making spontaneous home purchases. According to a realestate.co.nz study, 24% of participants have found themselves as property owners at some stage, having made the leap … Read more

Legal Cases – Greenpeace International begins groundbreaking Anti-SLAPP case to protect freedom of speech

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Source: Greenpeace In a landmark test case of the European Union’s new legislation to protect freedom of expression and stop abusive lawsuits, Greenpeace International has overnight challenged the US oil pipeline company, Energy Transfer, in court in the Netherlands.[1] The multi-billion-dollar company brought two back-to-back SLAPP suits against Greenpeace International and Greenpeace in the US, after Greenpeace showed … Read more

PSA welcomes settlement of Te Roopu Taurima industrial dispute

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Source: PSA PSA members at disability support provider Te Roopu Taurima have voted to ratify a new Collective Agreement. The settlement follows an 8-month dispute. The employer banned Kaitaataki and Poutaaki (residential whare leaders) from working additional hours before Christmas and threatened a six-week suspension in response to low level strike action. “These workers stuck together … Read more

Universities and Security – Counterterrorism watchdog needed – legal expert – UoA

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Source: University of Auckland (UoA) An independent watchdog would shine a light into the shadowy world of security and counterterrorism, says Associate Professor John Ip in a research paper. Since the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, New Zealand has introduced several counterterrorism laws, significantly expanding state power. Now, a legal expert says it’s time to follow … Read more

Appointments – Anna Scott appointed CEO of Mercer New Zealand

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Source: Mercer New Zealand AUCKLAND, 3 July, 2025 — Mercer, a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC) and a global leader in helping clients realise their investment objectives, shape the future of work and enhance health and retirement outcomes for their people, today announced the appointment of Anna Scott as Mercer’s New Zealand CEO. In … Read more

Pain inflicted on lives of public service workers exposed in housing report – PSA

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Source: PSA The Government’s deep and wide cuts to public service jobs have taken its toll on the housing market over the past year, as well as the lives of public service workers and public services. Cotality NZ (formerly CoreLogic) latest home value index showed Wellington remaining the outlier, the only major metropolitan region experiencing big … Read more

Police appeal for information after baby suffers serious injuries

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Source: New Zealand Police To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Wescott: Police investigating injuries suffered by a young baby in the Hutt Valley are appealing to anyone who may have information to come forward. On 14 June, Police were notified that a three-month old baby had been brought into hospital by her family. … Read more

Universities – Hotspots for conservation of threatened native tree identified in Wellington – Vic

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Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Hotspots for the conservation of maire tawake or swamp maire in the Wellington region have been identified by researchers hoping to save this threatened native tree from the deadly myrtle rust disease. Swamp maire is thought to have been common in the wetlands that once covered the Wellington … Read more

Preparing for a new generation of ‘underbirds’ on Rakiura

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Source: NZ Department of Conservation This winter, with introduced predators hungry and lurking, critical action is being taken to help one of the world’s most endangered birds produce a new generation of chicks on Rakiura/Stewart Island. Pukunui/Southern New Zealand dotterel are critically threatened shore birds that nests on mountain tops. Photo by Bradley Shields. You … Read more

Fatal crash, Wairoa Gorge Road, Wairoa Valley (Tasman District)

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Source: New Zealand Police One person has died following a truck crash in Wairoa Valley, Tasman District, this morning. Police were notified at 9.40am that a logging truck had crashed on Wairoa Gorge Road. The driver was unresponsive when emergency services arrived and sadly was unable to be revived. The road is closed while the … Read more

Fossicking rules broken as gold fever strikes

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Source: NZ Department of Conservation Date:  03 July 2025 At the fossicking site at Slab Hut Creek Campsite, south of Reefton on the West Coast of the South Island, there have been problems with fossickers mining into the creek bank. DOC staff say if left unaddressed, the fossicking will ultimately result in the creek eroding into … Read more

Economy – Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eleven months ended 31 May 2025

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Source: The Treasury The Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eleven months ended 31 May 2025 were released by the Treasury today. The May results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025 (BEFU 2025), published on 22 May 2025, and the results for the … Read more

Economic snapshot: March 2025 quarter – Stats NZ media release

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Economic snapshot: March 2025 quarter – media release 3 July 2025 Our economic snapshot summarises important economic statistics for the March 2025 quarter. It uses statistics drawn from key Stats NZ datasets to provide insights into New Zealand’s overall economic performance. The economy grew in the March 2025 quarter, but contracted over the year. New Zealand’s … Read more

Household saving decreases in the March 2025 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: National accounts (income, saving, assets, and liabilities): March 2025 quarter

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Household saving decreases in the March 2025 quarter – media release 3 July 2025 New Zealand household saving dropped $392 million to -$1.6 billion in the March 2025 quarter, as household spending increased more than disposable income, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.   Negative saving means households spent more than their disposable income. … Read more

Freemans Bay homicide: Charge laid as enquiries continue

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Source: New Zealand Police A woman will appear in court in connection with an investigation underway into the discovery of human remains in Freemans Bay on Tuesday. Police have been investigating since officers located the body of a newborn baby in a wheelie bin outside an address on Renall Street. Detective Inspector Scott Beard, of … Read more

Focusing on maintaining and building roads

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Source: New Zealand Government The Government’s focus on improving roads across the country is well on its way, with the successful completion of one of the largest state highway road renewal programmes in New Zealand history, Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed today. “We are focused on ensuring government agencies are better at looking after the … Read more

Water resilience boost for rural Canterbury

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Source: New Zealand Government The Government is investing more than $56 million into water resilience projects in rural Canterbury to help protect against changing weather patterns and increase productivity through higher value land use, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson say. “Ease of access to water is a top … Read more

Market sounding on toll road concessions to begin

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Source: New Zealand Government Market soundings with international and local toll road investors, operators and financiers will begin next week as the next step in exploring how toll concessions could help fund, build and operate important road infrastructure, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.  “The Government is focused on improving high-quality road infrastructure to … Read more

Fatal crash in Tokaora, South Taranaki

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Source: New Zealand Police Please attribute to Central Road Policing Manager Phillip Ward: Emergency services were called to a crash on Livingstone Road, Tokaora where a car hit a power pole. The incident occurred around 11:16pm and sadly the driver, the sole occupant, has died at the scene. An investigation is underway into the cause … Read more