Revenue Minister Simon Watts has introduced a new tax bill aimed at boosting New Zealand’s economy, helping businesses grow, and making it easier for skilled people to live and work here.
“This Government’s top priority is growing the economy so we can deliver more jobs, higher wages, and lower costs for New Zealanders,” Mr Watts says.
“One way to do that is by making New Zealand a place where talented people and investors want to stay and build their futures.”
“Currently, new migrants are taxed on estimated overseas income, even if they don’t actually receive it. The new law will change that, so they are only taxed on money they actually earn.
“This makes it fairer and more attractive for skilled migrants to move here, and helps keep talented New Zealanders from leaving.”
The bill also makes it easier for overseas visitors working remotely, sometimes known as digital nomads, to stay longer in New Zealand before being taxed, encouraging them to spend more in our economy while they’re here.
To help businesses attract and keep good staff, the Bill fixes tax timing issues with employee share schemes – a common way smaller businesses reward workers.
The bill also reduces unnecessary tax compliance costs. For example:
Joint ventures: Current GST practices will be recognised instead of forcing businesses through costly changes.
Residential solar power: People who export excess power back to the grid won’t face income tax, recognising that the compliance burden would outweigh any benefit and to encourage greater solar and battery uptake.
“These practical changes make the tax system simpler and more effective. They remove barriers that hold back investment and growth,” Mr Watts says.
“With this bill, we’re backing businesses, attracting investment, and creating the conditions for a stronger economy – one that delivers more opportunities, higher wages, and a lower cost of living for New Zealanders.”
An Ashburton man has been banned from owning horses and ordered to do 300 hours community work after his 12 horses were found to be underfed and living in poor conditions.
Barry Alexander Hill (55) was sentenced today (26 August) in the Ashburton District Court on 8 charges under the Animal Welfare Act after a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). He was also placed on 9 months supervision by the court and ordered to pay $5,314.80 in reparations to MPI for veterinarian costs.
“Animal welfare inspectors visited this property numerous times and tried to get Mr Hill to take responsibility for his horses. He was directed to euthanise 2 horses to end their pain and suffering,” says MPI district manager animal welfare and NAIT compliance Canterbury, Richard Notley.
The 1.2 hectare (3 acres) lifestyle property had 12 horses but only had the capacity to hold 2 horses.
Animal welfare inspectors visited the property and found it was rundown with horses living in hazardous conditions, including amongst rubbish around the paddocks.
“There was no grass cover to graze, a lack of decent supplementary feed and water. Some horses were living in their own faeces, were underweight, ill or injured.
“Not only did Mr Hill fail to address any of the animal welfare concerns we identified but he ignored a Temporary Enforcement Order issued by the court that required him to remove all horses from the property within 7 days.
“We again intervened and rehomed 7 horses still on his property.
“The horses??? suffering could have been avoided if Mr Hill had taken the action we earlier directed. When we find evidence of deliberate animal neglect, we take action,” Mr Notley said.
Animal welfare is everyone’s responsibility and MPI strongly encourages any member of the public who is aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it to the MPI animal welfare complaints freephone 0800 008 333.
The Government has taken action to ban the prolonged tethering of dogs, with new regulations targeting owners who fail to properly care for their dogs coming into force next month, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says.
“Prolonged tethering causes significant distress to dogs, affecting their health by limiting their freedom to move and perform normal behaviours,” Mr Hoggard says.
“This can lead to excessive barking, aggression and other behaviours which could endanger their welfare, and the safety of families that own dogs, the public and other animals.
“These new rules target the unacceptable treatment from a small minority of owners that I often hear members of the public raising concerns about.
“Prolonged confinement and tethering of dogs is one of the most common areas investigated by SPCA. They tell me they receive daily calls about it and it accounts for about 10 per cent of dog-related welfare complaints. That’s why we’re putting a stop to it.
“The new rules target dog owners who do not let their dogs off tether to receive sufficient exercise to maintain their health and wellbeing.
“Responsible dog owners who love and care for their animals and regularly take them out for walks won’t be affected by the new rules.”
Under the new rules:
a person must not tether a dog by a rope, line, or chain attached to a fixed point for extended periods where they suffer harm
certain categories of vulnerable dogs including puppies and pregnant dogs cannot be tethered at all except in a few exceptional cases, for example when visitors such as a tradesperson or other animals are on the owner’s property temporarily.
There are exceptions to the new rules — for example, working dogs such as farm dogs provided they are regularly off-tether and receive adequate exercise.
“We’ve worked closely with SPCA, farming organisations and other stakeholders to ensure the new rules are both effective and workable, and I acknowledge their support,” Mr Hoggard says.
“This Government is committed to animal welfare and received strong public support for this change.”
The new rules take effect on 25 September 2025 and will enable animal welfare inspectors to issue infringements when they identify a dog is suffering harm from being tied up for long periods. This change has been enabled through an amendment to the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2025 – CyCraft Technology, a leading AI-driven solution provider based in Taiwan, announces its partnership with Serbia-based DARSOC, marking its first Endpoint MSSP collaboration in Eastern Europe. DARSOC adopted CyCraft’s XCockpit Endpoint (Endpoint Security Posture Management) to protect its clients, marking a key milestone for CyCraft in the region.
(Left) Miroslav Vajda, CEO of DARSOC, is eager to explore CyCraft’s XCockpit Endpoint more. (Right) Benson Wu, CEO and co-founder of CyCraft Technology.
DARSOC: An Extraordinary Security Service Provider in Serbia Dedicated to Clients Protection
DARSOC, a Serbia-based company with diverse cybersecurity solutions, provides IR, threat identification, malware removal, 24/7 security operations, risk management, and more to its clients, so DARSOC needs to install CyCraft XCockpit Endpoint, an autonomous EDR platform that can identify any signs of an attack, as their MSSP endpoint solution to protect all devices and enhance efficiency. DARSOC has chosen XCockpit Endpoint for its distinct advantages:
Autonomous Analysis and Monitoring: It can analyze root causes based on the context of the case and autonomous case management, which helps DARSOC increase productivity and security resilience.
Increasing Team Efficiency: XCockpit Endpoint leverages AI language model to automatically summarize attack incidents and work with the team closely, allowing them to pinpoint incidents and serve more clients. Within a month of deployment, DARSOC increased protected endpoint devices by 15 times and plans to extend protection to all endpoint devices.
24/7 Quantitative Management: XCockpit Endpoint features 24/7 threat hunting, opens a ticket within 3 minutes, and investigates the case within 15 minutes. With MTTI and MTTD data, DARSOC can troubleshoot cyber threats quickly, improving governance and risk management.
XCockpit Endpoint provides clear, actionable incident briefings that empower frontline practitioners to rapidly investigate, prioritize, and remediate threats—minimizing risk and downtime.
Benson Wu, CEO and co-founder of CyCraft Technology, highlighted the importance of the expansion into Eastern Europe:
“CyCraft Technology created a milestone to expand into a new market – Eastern Europe by working with DARSOC. XCockpit Endpoint as MSSP service can completely solve workforce shortages. With its autonomous case management and visualized root cause analysis, it saves troubleshooting time and increases team efficiency. XCockpit Endpoint addresses the challenges SMEs are facing, boosts efficiency, and strengthens cybersecurity resilience.”
Miroslav Vajda, CEO of DARSOC, added:
“As DARSOC’s CEO, I’m excited to announce our partnership with CyCraft Technology, enhancing our cybersecurity capabilities. By adopting CyCraft’s XCockpit Endpoint, we increased the number of endpoint devices to manage by 15 times in one month, using AI-driven insights for rapid incident resolution. We plan to extend protection to all endpoint devices. This collaboration strengthens DARSOC’s commitment to proactive cybersecurity and robust risk management, delivering superior protection to our clients in Serbia and beyond.”
Why Serbia Is Getting to Enhance Cybersecurity Capabilities
According to the Italian Government Presidency of the Council of Ministers report, Serbia’s economy is transitioning to high-value sectors like ICT and AI, with a 3.9% GDP growth in 2024 and a projected 4.2% in 2025. Foreign direct investment exceeded €5 billion in 2024, bolstered by Serbia’s strategic near-shoring role. The country has invested in AI, startups, and e-government since 2017, enhancing its leadership in technology.
This collaboration highlights DARSOC’s proactive adoption of AI-powered cybersecurity solutions while fostering opportunities for enhanced protection in Serbia. CyCraft’s XCockpit Endpoint sets a new standard for AI-driven endpoint MSSP, delivering speed, accuracy, and actionable intelligence to protect endpoint devices against today’s ever-changing cyber attacks in Eastern Europe.
To learn more about how XCockpit: https://www.cycraft.com/xcockpit-platform
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Media OutReach Newswire – 26 August 2025 – On 12 August 2025, De Beers Group, together with Angola’s national diamond company, Endiama, announced a significant step forward in their joint exploration efforts with the discovery of kimberlite, the host rock for diamonds, in Angola.
The discovery of kimberlite
In July 2025, the De Beers-Endiama joint venture successfully intersected kimberlite in its first drill hole into a high-priority cluster of targets, identified from the airborne surveys completed in March 2025. This breakthrough represents the discovery of the first new kimberlite field by De Beers Group in more than three decades. Over the coming months, further drilling, ground geophysical surveys, and laboratory analysis will be conducted to confirm the kimberlite type and assess its diamond potential.
This latest milestone builds on the foundation of two Mineral Investment Contracts signed between De Beers and the Government of Angola in April 2022, and a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Mining Indaba in February 2024. Together, the agreements underpin the commitment to a long-term partnership focused on responsibly unlocking Angola’s vast diamond potential.
Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said: “Angola is, in our view, one of the best places on the planet to look for diamonds, and this discovery reinforces our confidence. It is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through partnership, and I commend President Lourenco and his government for all the work they have done to enhance transparency, adopt international best practices, and create a business friendly environment, all of which has enabled us to return to Angola and seek new sources of supply. We are excited about the role De Beers can play in helping the country deliver on its huge potential, both below and above the ground.”
Work is due to get underway this week on providing longer term protection from slips on State Highway 7 near Lewis Pass.
A high tensile steel mesh will be anchored to the headscarp/crest of the slope at the slip site near Riordons Creek, between Hanmer Springs and Springs Junction. A slip at the site in June reduced the highway down to one lane with traffic signals and a 30km/h speed restriction and required a series of overnight closures while clearance work was carried out.
The latest measures are aimed at preventing future slips and risks to motorists, as well as further disruption to travel through the area.
“The mesh will be pinned over the crest of the slope to help prevent it from failing or regressing,” says NZTA system manager Mark Pinner.
“We are also including an erosion matting behind the mesh to help hold the weak soil layer at the top of the slope in place and enable vegetation cover to re-establish.”
The work is due to begin tomorrow (Wednesday 27 August), when crews will mobilise on site and do some anchor testing through until Friday 29 August. This will mean that the site is reduced to one lane with temporary traffic signals from 7am to 7pm. Two lanes will be open overnight.
After a period offsite, to analyse the test results and refine the design, crews will then return on Tuesday 9 September for installation and supporting work that is due to be complete by Monday 6 October. Further traffic management will be in place at this time.
We thank road users for their patience while this work is carried out. People can stay up to date on the status of this and other highways at our Journey Planner site(external link).
An example of anchored steel mesh to prevent rockfall/slips, in Kaikōura.
An image from the Riordons Creek slip site in July.
Christchurch endurance athlete to run 617km in honour of every life lost to suicide last year
I Am Hope is proud to stand behind 26-year-old endurance athlete and landscaper Morgan Bartram, who this September will take on an extraordinary challenge to raise awareness and funds for youth mental health in Aotearoa.
Starting 1 September 2025, Morgan will run 617km around Hagley Park South in Christchurch — one kilometre for every New Zealander lost to suicide last year. Over the course of seven days, he’ll cover 100km a day for six days, with the final 17km to be completed on 7 September, coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Day.
It’s more than a run. It’s a call to action.
Morgan is urging Kiwis across the country to take part in the “What’s Your Six Seventeen?” challenge — a seven-day movement inviting individuals, teams, and communities to do something bold, meaningful, and just beyond their comfort zone in honour of those we’ve lost, and for the ones still fighting.
All funds raised will go directly to I Am Hope , delivering free counselling for young people through its Gumboot Friday programme and advocating for real, grassroots change in the mental health space.
“What Morgan’s doing is unreal,” says I Am Hope founder Mike King. “Most people can’t imagine running 6km, let alone 617. But he’s out there, in the cold, the rain, pushing through day after day — all to remind young people they matter. He’s truly special, and we’re so grateful to have him in our corner. If you can support him, do it. Every step he takes is for someone else.”
For Morgan, this mission is deeply personal. And he’s putting in the hard mahi to make it happen.
“I’ve always been fascinated by what we’re capable of — but this is about more than the distance,” says Morgan. “It’s about pushing through pain, showing up every day, and doing something that matters. I want to challenge others to do the same. You don’t have to run 617km — just take one step. Ask for help. Check in on someone. Be part of this.”
Morgan has been training relentlessly — clocking long runs in cold, wet, unforgiving conditions to prepare his body and mind for what lies ahead.
Please attribute the following to Detective Constable Andrea McDowell:
Christchurch Police have arrested a person following reports of students being approached by a suspicious person.
Police began investigating after reports of concern in the Merivale and St Albans areas of Christchurch on 4 August, making enquiries and checking CCTV to identify the man involved.
To open up further lines of enquiry, a letter was sent to 11 schools in the area alerting them to the offending, which resulted in more reports of students being approached.
A 53-year-old man is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court today on charges of breaching release conditions.
We want to thank the community for their caring response and for providing the information that helped us to identify the man.
Reports like this are concerning and we hope the arrest brings some comfort to the community.
It is also a good reminder for parents to:
Educate children on how to keep themselves safe when they’re walking to and from school – to be mindful of their surroundings and not get distracted.
Have open discussions around behaviours and actions that are inappropriate or that make a child feel uncomfortable.
Reinforce that if they feel concerned for themselves or someone else’s safety, call 111 immediately.
Biosecurity experts are asking for the public’s help to identify the locations of an invasive plant hiding in gardens around Kerikeri, Opua and Mangonui and in other Far North areas.
Mickey Mouse plant (Ochna serrulata) is an issue because it can form dense monocultures that prevent regeneration of native species, and it grows and reproduces prolifically in Northland’s mild climate.
Joanna Barr, Northland Regional Council’s Biosecurity Manager – Pest Plants, says Mickey Mouse plant was originally introduced and shared as a garden plant in New Zealand.
It is currently primarily found in urban gardens and unmanaged/disturbed areas, but it is spreading. “Its berries are inedible to humans but are very attractive to birds which spread the plants a considerable distance.”
She says now is a good time for people to be on the lookout for it as it comes into flower in spring and then starts to set its unusual looking fruit in November/December.
It has yellow buttercup-like flowers that are followed by distinctive red and black fruiting bodies.
These fruiting bodies are what give the plant its name because they resemble the face of Mickey Mouse, with black berry-like fruits perched on a red base. These are surrounded by what look like red petals.
Ms Barr says council’s Biosecurity team would like assistance from Far North residents in identifying possible locations of the plant, especially in the Kerikeri, Opua and Mangonui areas.
“These observations will help us determine the distribution of Mickey Mouse plant and help us in our battle to control this plant’s spread.”
Mickey Mouse plant is a shade tolerant shrub that is usually 1-2m tall. It has elongated oval leaves that are 13-50mm long and have finely-toothed margins. It has pimply-textured bark.
Ms Barr says anyone who thinks they have seen a Mickey Mouse plant should contact the Northland Regional Council’s biosecurity team on (0800) 002 004.
“We will have a Biosecurity Officer come out and check the site and if Mickey Mouse plants are found, will undertake control at no cost to the landowner.”
Mickey Mouse plant has a deep tap root which makes it almost impossible to remove manually, and it will often re-sprout if not controlled correctly.
“Please do not try and pull them out yourself or mulch them because this could spread the seeds.”
Ms Barr says one good feature about the plant is that it does not have long lived seed, which is a big advantage in eradicating it from a site.
Two-wheelers were the target for thieves in West Auckland last night with arrests made in two separate incidents.
Just after 5pm, Police observed a pair on a moped weaving through traffic in Titirangi.
Upon closer inspection officers realised the moped was wanted in relation to a previous incident and Eagle was called in to assist in tracking it until it was abandoned in an underground carpark.
“One person was taken into custody without incident and we are following positive lines of enquiry to locate the second person,” Waitematā West Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Kelly Farrant says.
Less than an hour later, Police were called by a member of the public who could see people inside their Glen Eden property.
Inspector Farrant, says the alleged offenders stole two electric bikes from the Panzic Place address before fleeing in a vehicle.
“The Police Dog Unit was quickly on the scent and located the vehicle travelling through Glen Eden where it was stopped.
“Two people, both with warrants to arrest, were quickly taken into custody and the bikes were found at a nearby property and returned to their owner.
“We take burglary and theft incidents seriously, if you see something suspicious please call 111 immediately.”
To report a crime after it has happened, contact Police on 105, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
A 34-year-old man will appear in Waitākere District Court today charged with burglary and possession of an offensive weapon.
A woman, 34, was also charged with burglary and will appear in Waitākere District Court today.
Another person has been referred to Youth Aid Services.
