Appointments strengthen local conservation

August 19, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The latest New Zealand Conservation Authority and Conservation Board appointments will help to strengthen environmental efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Minister for Conservation Tama Potaka has today announced the 2025 appointments to the country’s 15 Conservation Boards. There are 21 reappointments, 37 new appointments, and 87 continuing members.

“These appointments seek to achieve a balance on each conservation board in terms of experience, geographic spread, gender, age, recreation interests, and representativeness of community interests in the functions of the Department of Conservation at a regional level,” Mr Potaka says.

“Conservation boards play a vital role as liaisons between DOC with their regions, making their community’s voice heard on conservation issues,” says Minister Potaka. “As such, the board memberships should be representative of the communities they serve. I’m thrilled to appoint such a diverse group to these positions.

“Nau mai haere mai to those members stepping up for the first time, nau mai hoki mai to those returning for 2025, and ngā mihi to all the outgoing representatives for their important contributions to conservation mahi in their regions.”

Mr Potaka also confirmed two reappointments and four new appointments to the New Zealand Conservation Authority (NZCA), the national statutory body that provides strategic policy advice to DOC and the Minister.

“Conservation work on Aotearoa New Zealand relies on a wider variety of people coming together for a common goal. The variety of skills and qualities the appointees bring fills me with hope that together we can make a real difference for our native species and ecosystems.”

Conservation board appointments took effect from 6 August.

More information about the Conservation Board appointments are here on the Department of Conservation website.
More information about the New Zealand Conservation Authority appointments are here on the Department of Conservation website.

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New data emphasises focus on teaching basics

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

New literacy and numeracy achievement data reinforces why the Government must continue to have a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

“The latest Curriculum Insights & Progress Study (CIPS) data was collected in Term 4 2024 and provides a snapshot of achievement prior to the introduction of our education reform programme this year. The data reconfirms why it was mission critical to have a laser focus on reading, writing and maths in classrooms this year.”

The results show the Government has stemmed the decline of maths achievement starting with the introduction of an hour a day of reading, writing and maths in 2024. The results also show for the first time, the national level of writing achievement against the new curriculum.

23 per cent of Year 8 students are at the curriculum benchmark for mathematics, up from 22 per cent in 2023.
24 per cent of Year 8 students are at curriculum for writing.

“We are highly ambitious for Kiwi kids. We want them to have the strong foundations they need to do the best they can at school and beyond. Parents can have confidence this Government has and will take decisive and deliberate actions to make this happen by prioritising student achievement,” Ms Stanford says.

“Our Government’s major education reforms are now well underway. After learning last year that just 22 per cent of Year 8s were at curriculum in maths in 2023, we swiftly launched our Make It Count maths action plan to transform maths education.

“We delivered quickly on our promise to mandate structured literacy in all primary schools to respond to the decades of decline in reading.

“We’ve introduced a world-leading Maths and English curriculum, equipped teachers and students with high-quality resources, surged in targeted interventions for students who need extra help and made seismic investments into learning support.

“Early signs show our reforms are making a difference. As they bed in, we expect students are more likely to reach their full potential.” 

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Business Tech – Ingram Micro Adds AlgoSec to its Vendor Lineup to Strengthen the Ability of its Partners to Secure Hybrid Networks in Australia and New Zealand

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: SBM

Ingram Micro’s ecosystem will broaden market reach for AlgoSec and simplify deployment for partners through the Xvantage™ digital platform

Sydney, Australia – 19 August 2025 – Ingram Micro, a global leader in technology solutions, is pleased to announce a new relationship with AlgoSec, an industry leading cybersecurity company.

This new relationship will enable AlgoSec to deliver unparalleled IT Security Management solutions to its partners and their clients across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

Through this collaboration, Ingram Micro partners will gain access to AlgoSec’s advanced application-centric cybersecurity solutions. Managed Service Providers (MSPs) will be able to offer enhanced network security management, automate security policy changes, and ensure compliance across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

“AlgoSec’s automated security solutions enrich our cyber security portfolio and further strengthen our partners’ ability to secure hybrid networks,” says Amanda O’Brien, Ingram Micro’s General Manager of HBA and Cyber Vendor Management in Australia. “This collaboration enables partners to drive efficiency and compliance in the market.”

AlgoSec specialises in application-centric security management and automation for hybrid networks, covering public clouds, private clouds, containers and on-premises environments. Through network security automation, this collaboration allows Ingram Micro to complement its existing vendor offerings, enhancing firewalls and network solutions with automated policy management and risk remediation.

“We hear from our vast network of MSP partners that they are being consistently asked to do more with less. They are looking for solutions that give them improvements in the services they deliver, while at the same time lowering costs. With AlgoSec, they can automate security policies and troubleshoot faster, which will provide a better customer experience and avoid unnecessary work,” says O’Brien.

AlgoSec appointed Ingram Micro to take advantage of Ingram Micro’s broad ecosystem reach across markets and local expertise in hybrid-cloud infrastructure architecture best practices, as well as deep cloud capabilities.

“We continue to see a significant shift towards hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, and our customers are seeking to balance considerations around data sovereignty, compliance and operational complexity. AlgoSec’s solutions address the requirement to manage on-prem firewalls, hypervisor cloud security controls and software-defined infrastructure in a consistent, compliant and automated way to help ensure the highest protection available. This is a gamechanger for MSPs that are looking to scale and embed security into their broader service offerings,” says O’Brien.

To deliver application-centric security solutions to enterprises in the ANZ markets, AlgoSec will also use Ingram Micro’s Xvantage™ AI-driven digital platform to simplify solution deployment and enhance partner efficiency. Leveraging a single platform to manage cloud subscriptions and tap into cybersecurity services, AlgoSec and Ingram Micro possess a unique ability to aid MSPs in building out services faster and supporting customer conversations more effectively.

“We’re so excited to launch our new relationship with Ingram Micro,” says Reinhard Eichborn, Director of Strategic Alliances, AlgoSec. “We’re ready for this relationship to take off and help even more partners to benefit from the very competitive AlgoSec offerings.”

About Ingram Micro

Ingram Micro is a leading technology company for the global information technology ecosystem. With the ability to reach nearly 90 per cent of the global population, we play a vital role in the worldwide IT sales channel, bringing products and services from technology manufacturers and cloud providers to a highly diversified base of business-to-business technology experts. Through Ingram Micro Xvantage™, our AI-powered digital platform, we offer what we believe to be the industry’s first comprehensive business-to-consumer-like experience, integrating hardware and cloud subscriptions, personalised recommendations, instant pricing, order tracking, and billing automation. We also provide a broad range of technology services, including financing, specialised marketing, and lifecycle management, as well as technical pre- and post-sales professional support. Learn more at www.ingrammicro.com.

About AlgoSec

AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organisations to secure application connectivity and cloud-native applications throughout their multi-cloud and hybrid network.

Trusted by more than 1,800 of the world’s leading organisations, AlgoSec’s application-centric approach enables to securely accelerate business application deployment by centrally managing application connectivity and security policies across the public clouds, private clouds, containers, and on-premises networks.

Utilising advanced AI capabilities, AlgoSec enables users to automatically discover and identify the business applications and remediate risks more effectively. Additionally, organisations can leverage intelligent change automation to streamline security change processes, thus improving security and agility.

AlgoSec’s policy management and cloud security platforms provide a single source for visibility into security and compliance issues within cloud-native applications as well as across the hybrid network environment, to ensure ongoing adherence to internet security standards, industry, and internal regulations.

Learn how AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, DevSecOps and cloud security teams to deploy business applications up to 10 times faster while maintaining security at www.algosec.com.

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Consumer NZ – 25,000-strong petition for supermarkets to price it right adds weight to Minister Willis’ warning

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: Consumer NZ

Today, Consumer NZ will present its Price It Right petition to Minister for Economic Growth, Nicola Willis, who said she was considering stronger penalties for supermarkets who get their pricing wrong.

Consumer NZ chief executive, Jon Duffy, says handing over this petition is a significant milestone in the advocacy organisation’s fight for accurate supermarket pricing.

“Supermarkets have had plenty of opportunity to sort this out themselves. It’s time for the government to step in and make supermarkets price it right, and tens of thousands of New Zealanders agree. People want clear pricing rules, automatic compensation and stronger penalties when supermarkets get it wrong,” said Duffy.

In 2024, the Commerce Commission estimated pricing errors were likely to be costing shoppers tens of millions of dollars every year. Recent research by Consumer (April 2025) found 62% of New Zealanders noticed a pricing inaccuracy at the supermarket.

“If supermarkets can’t get their pricing right, they – rather than shoppers – should face the consequences,” said Duffy.

The petition will be presented on the steps of Parliament at 9am, Tuesday 19 August.

About the Price It Right petition

Consumer’s petition asks the government to introduce a mandatory supermarket pricing accuracy code with:

clear pricing rules requirements for supermarkets to automatically compensate consumers when pricing errors occur (for example, by requiring products to be provided free of charge if the shelf price is cheaper than the scanned price, there is a special that doesn’t offer a genuine saving or there is incorrect unit pricing)
the requirement for shoppers’ rights to be clearly disclosed both in store and online
infringement notice powers and much higher penalties (similar to those in Australia) for misleading pricing and promotions.

“We know that all the problems in the supermarket sector won’t be fixed overnight, but new rules like those in our proposed code will help put money back in the pockets of New Zealanders.

“This petition, which has the support of more than 25,000 New Zealanders, s

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Business – Entries are open for Bill Toft Award

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: Bill Toft Awards

The Bill Toft Award is open to broadcasters working in online or broadcasting media in New Zealand.

The Bill Toft Memorial Fund in 2025 will consider applications for a grant of $5,000 for broadcasters working in online or broadcasting media in New Zealand.

The Award is to be used for advancing the skills, experience, or other contribution to professional development as a broadcaster.

Bill Toft was an eminent broadcaster who epitomised clear and consistent broadcast communication and set high standards of professionalism within the industry.

The Bill Toft Memorial Fund was set up to encourage excellence in content and delivery in broadcast and online communication.

Closing date: 31 October 2025

Winner notified: 30 November 2025.

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Construction Sector – Beleaguered construction sector has turned the corner, says new report

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: Chinese Building Industry Association

Tentative signs of recovery celebrated at Parliament event marking 10th anniversary of New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association.

New Zealand’s construction sector generated $94 billion in revenue in 2025, from $99 billion the year prior, reflecting the broader economic slowdown that has affected construction workers, business owners, and suppliers.

Despite this fall, the 2025 Construction Sector Report from the New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association (NZCBIA) sees signs of improvement. Residential consents have levelled off, government infrastructure projects are restarting, and falling interest rates are supporting a cautious lift in mortgage activity.

“This year, the sector has continued to face real challenges,” says Frank Xu, President of the NZCBIA. “Activity has slowed, some businesses have stepped back, and uncertainty has tested our resilience. Yet these cycles are not new to us, they are part of the rhythm of construction.

“Behind the numbers, there are real signs of momentum returning,” he says. “After some very difficult years, we are seeing the green shoots of much-needed recovery.”

“We need to invest in people now, before the next wave of activity begins,” says Xu. “Training isn’t just a cost – it’s a competitive advantage. The smartest firms are planning ahead.”

The 2025 NZCBIA Annual Construction Sector Report was launched at Parliament on 19 August.

Prepared by noted economist Shamubeel Eaqub, the report gives key insights into the economic drivers, the structural state, and the future direction of the construction sector, including:

Despite lingering headwinds, economic forecasts from the RBNZ, Treasury, and range of economists are optimistic that the worst of the recession is over and household spending and tourism will improve over the course of the next three years, with strong growth in 2026 and 2027.
With 9,800 consented homes in Auckland alone awaiting development, a backlog of delayed or postponed projects is likely to drive renewed activity when market conditions improve.
The Government is focused on encouraging investment in infrastructure and housing. For example, the National Infrastructure Pipeline shows planned future projects totalling $207 billion across central government, local government and the private sector.
The sector is stabilising, with the number of active construction enterprises declining only slightly this year, from 82,000 to 81,000, despite rising credit defaults and company liquidations.
It remains a major employer, with 281,000 people directly employed and a further 247,000 supported through supplier networks, together accounting for 18 percent of jobs in New Zealand.
Nearly 70 percent of construction sector revenue goes to suppliers, illustrating the sector’s deep reliance on a broad range of industries – from building materials to professional services. Many of these businesses are local and heavily impacted by fluctuations in construction activity.

A Focus on People, Productivity and Training

This year’s report places a special focus on the workforce behind the sector’s future, drawing attention to changing demographics and the need to invest in people to service an expected uplift in construction activity.

The workforce is younger and increasingly diverse, particularly in Auckland where Chinese workers make up 12 percent of the construction sector. While still male-dominated, the share of women has edged up slightly in recent years.

Retention remains a significant issue. Nearly 95 percent of hiring is to replace departing staff, with only 6 percent of workers remaining in the same job after five years. Thirty-seven percent of workers in the construction sector have been in their job for less than a year, and this has been the case over a long period of time. High turnover increases recruitment and training costs and undermines productivity gains, as well as creating high accident rates.

Meanwhile, only a third of new hires enter the sector with prior qualifications or experience. This underscores the need for deliberate training strategies, especially as the sector prepares for an eventual upswing. Workers who receive training are significantly more likely to achieve wage growth and contribute to improved business outcomes.

BCITO welcomes report

The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation welcomed the report, saying it increases understanding on how economic conditions affect construction. BCITO, the leading provider of work-based apprentice training for the construction sector, partnered with NZCBIA to support the report.

“The ability of our employers and industries to respond to growth opportunities relies heavily on sufficient levels of skilled professionals across all levels of construction. Industry and Government investment in training now is critical to ensure we have the right numbers of people, with the right skills, in the right trades, at the right time,” says BCITO Director Greg Durkin. “BCITO is committed to working with industry to support economic recovery through effective staff training and development,” he says.

NZCBIA Marks 10 Years

The 2025 report marks an important anniversary for NZCBIA. Over the past decade, the Association has grown to be a respected national voice for New Zealand’s Chinese building community and a trusted contributor to the broader construction sector.

From trade and investment ties with China to safety standards, training, and research, NZCBIA continues to advocate for a strong, future-focused sector. “As we look to the future, construction will be shaped by innovation, diversity, and sustainability,” said Xu. “With the commitment and drive of our members, I’m confident we’re ready to build that future together.”

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UPDATED – Gaza is the deadliest conflict for aid workers, says ChildFund

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: ChildFund New Zealand

The number of aid workers killed in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels-making this one of the deadliest crises in recent history for those dedicated to saving lives.

“Today is World Humanitarian Day, and ChildFund New Zealand is honouring its local partners working on the ground in Gaza.

These are people bringing lifesaving water and food to children in the strip and trying to maintain some sort of normality by continuing education and making safe play areas for children,” says Josie Pagani CEO of ChildFund.

The occupied Palestinian territory is the deadliest setting for aid workers worldwide, with Palestinian staff accounting for 98% of aid worker fatalities: 509 out of 517 killings that took place between 2023-2025, according to the Aid Worker Security Database.

ChildFund has joined more than 100 organisations in a joint global letter calling on Israel to stop the “weaponisation of aid” into Gaza, as “starvation deepens”.

Under the new guidelines, registration can be rejected if Israeli authorities deem that a group denies the democratic character of Israel or “promotes delegitimization campaigns” against the country.

“ChildFund and its partners are not at all involved in the politics of the region. Its focus is entirely on saving lives.”

Aid agencies have been unable to deliver enough aid which has left hospitals without basic supplies and children, people with disabilities, and older people dying from hunger and preventable illnesses.

“The UN says 600 trucks of supplies a day are needed in Gaza. To date only a few are getting through,” says Josie Pagani.

“It’s not just the horror of starvation and lack of water. Gaza’s education system has collapsed and is no longer operating, schools are used as emergency shelters and are often bombed.

More than 50,000 children have been killed or injured, and 658,000 school-aged children are left without access to formal learning spaces.

Through its partners, ChildFund has supported over 500,000 individuals with emergency access to water, sanitation, food and shelter.

“Over the coming months, our partners in Gaza will bring water and food in and set up temporary schools to keep children learning the basics – reading and maths – so they have some hope of a future if they survive this horror.”

Honour the principle of World Humanitarian Day:

The New Zealand government must:

1. Press Israel government to end the weaponisation of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction, such as the INGO registration procedures.

2. Call for the immediate enforcement of international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of aid workers.

3. Demand safe humanitarian access to deliver life-saving aid in Gaza.

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Energy Sector – Electricity Authority moves to level the power playing field

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: Electricity Authority

The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) is moving to level the playing field between the four large gentailers (Genesis, Contact, Meridian and Mercury) and independent participants in the electricity market.

The level playing field options were developed by the Authority, the Commerce Commission Te Komihana Tauhokohoko (Commerce Commission) and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment under the Energy Competition Task Force.

The Authority has today confirmed three targeted interventions to boost competition, build confidence in the wholesale market, and ultimately give New Zealanders better access to affordable electricity.

“Confidence in the market underpins healthy retail competition and affordable power prices,” says Electricity Authority Chair Anna Kominik. “We are concerned that aspects of the wholesale market may be eroding the confidence required for independent players to compete, and we are acting to address these concerns.”

The Authority is progressing these pro-competition interventions at pace, so changes could be in place by mid-2026:

1. Options for requiring gentailers to trade minimum volumes of the new wholesale electricity hedge product introduced in January to help independent participants manage their risk. Regulation would only apply if voluntary trading volumes do not grow. The issues and options paper is now available for feedback.

2. Code changes necessary to introduce mandatory non-discrimination obligations for the four large gentailers, with draft Code amendments published for feedback in October. This will provide greater confidence that the gentailers’ wholesale businesses are not treating independent retailers differently to their own retail businesses.

3. A review of ‘market making’ in the electricity futures market to ensure it promotes healthy competition and transparency. This will be published for feedback in November.

The Authority is also ready to intervene with urgent regulation if there is a sudden material reduction in the supply of shaped hedges, to maintain the market while an enduring solution is considered. By fixing costs when energy demand is highest, shaped hedges help retailers manage risk and keep prices stable and affordable, even in tight market conditions.

“Targeted and timely interventions are needed to encourage new generators and independent retailers to enter, grow and compete in the market. These initiatives will promote healthy competition, retail innovation and investment in the sector – all of which are essential to deliver a reliable and affordable electricity supply,” Kominik said.

In February, the Authority sought feedback on options to level the playing field between the gentailers and independent generators and retailers, receiving over 40 written submissions and meeting with more than 20 submitters. The Authority is continuing to consider the broad range of views shared as it develops draft Code amendments for consultation and will respond to those views in the consultation paper.

“We know from the conversations we’re having that some feel that regulatory change is not happening fast or hard enough. The proposals being announced today target measures that can be rolled out in months, not years, driving timely progress while ensuring all parties can participate in and contribute to the process,” says Kominik.

“New Zealand’s electricity market is undergoing significant change, and the Authority has a clearly signposted programme of proposed reforms and adjustments underway that keep the focus on security of supply and affordability. The Authority is prioritising practical measures with clear benefits and time for input to ensure policy changes are robust and in New Zealand consumers’ long-term interests,” says Kominik.

Commerce Commission Chair and Task Force member Dr John Small says: “These initiatives are designed to work together to promote increased competition in the sector. Combined they increase transparency for market participants transacting with the gentailers and improve access to the wholesale electricity contracts they need. They would also give new players and investors confidence to enter the market and encourage the development of innovative new products and services. We don’t expect these proposed changes would materially increase gentailers’ costs but do expect they would lead to more choices and lower power prices over the long term.”

About our proposed approach to regulating the wholesale electricity (super-peak) product

The Authority is now seeking feedback on options for regulating the super-peak product, including market making on the over the counter (OTC) market as its preferred approach, should voluntary trading fail to deliver sufficient competition.

These ‘shaped’ hedge contracts enable retailers to offer stable prices to consumers while managing their exposure to volatile morning and evening peak wholesale prices. This increases competition in the market, brings more power into the system, provides more choice for consumers, and puts downward pressure on retail prices. This type of product is becoming increasingly important as the electricity system becomes more reliant on renewable generation and spot market pricing becomes more volatile.

Voluntary trading in the super-peak product began in January this year and while it has already improved availability and pricing, the market remains shallow, with limited seller diversity and low trading volumes. To address this, the Authority is proposing to set clear expectations for robust participation in voluntary trading by the gentailers, who own over 95% of flexible generation (which backs shaped hedge contracts), and signals that regulation may follow if trading does not improve. The Authority is also ready to intervene with urgent regulation if there is a sudden material reduction in the supply of shaped hedges.

About our review of market making

Market making is a service where a participant will quote prices for two sides of a market (ie both buys/bids and sells/offers) in a particular derivative, with a specified amount of volume and a specified bid-ask price spread. This service provides liquidity by ensuring there is always volume available to be bought or sold.

In 2022, the Electricity Authority introduced mandatory market making in the electricity futures market, with the following objectives:

To support a robust and reliable forward price curve.
To increase the availability of risk management contracts for market participants.

This framework was implemented through a combination of four regulated market makers (the gentailers) and one commercial market maker, who are required to provide certain volume of buy and sell offers for specific electricity futures products.

The Authority is now undertaking a policy review of market making arrangements to ensure that current settings remain appropriate and aligned with our market making policy objective.

As part of this review, we will also explore potential changes to strengthen market making services and ensure they continue to support a resilient and efficient electricity market. The Authority will consult on these proposals in November 2025.

About the Energy Competition Task Force

The Energy Competition Task Force was established by the Commerce Commission Te Komihana Tauhokohoko and Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko, with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, in August 2024 to investigate ways to improve the performance of the electricity market.

The Task Force has been considering eight initiatives that will encourage more and faster investment in new electricity generation, boost competition, enable homes, businesses and industrials to better manage their own electricity use and costs, and put downward pressure on prices.

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Advocacy – Palestine Forum of New Zealand Marks World Humanitarian Day, Calls for Urgent Action in Gaza

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: Palestine Forum of New Zealand

On this World Humanitarian Day, the Palestine Forum of New Zealand solemnly recognizes the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where years of blockade, conflict, and systematic deprivation continue to devastate lives.

The situation in Gaza has reached critical levels. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians face food and water shortages, disrupted healthcare services, and a lack of necessities. Children, the elderly, and the most vulnerable communities are bearing the brunt of this prolonged crisis.

“The people of Gaza are living under conditions that most of us cannot even imagine,” said Maher Nazzal, “World Humanitarian Day is a reminder that the international community must act to alleviate suffering, protect civilians, and uphold the rights of Palestinians to live with dignity and security.”

We urges governments, humanitarian organizations, and civil society globally to:

Increase immediate humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
Advocate for an end to the blockade and restrictions that exacerbate suffering.
Support sustainable solutions that ensure long-term safety, healthcare, and education for Palestinian communities.

World Humanitarian Day is a time to honour the courage of humanitarian workers, recognize the resilience of affected communities, and reaffirm our commitment to justice and human rights for all. We call on New Zealanders to stand in solidarity with Gaza and amplify the voices of those living through the humanitarian catastrophe.

Ngā mihi nui,
Maher Nazzal
Palestine Forum of New Zealand

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Boosting competition for affordable electricity

LiveNews Publisher

August 19, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Energy Minister Simon Watts welcomes the new rule agreed to by the Electricity Authority will level the playing field for smaller power companies, boosting retail competition to put downward pressure on power prices.

“We know many Kiwis are struggling with the cost of living, with rising energy prices putting more pressure on their budgets. That’s why this Government is taking competition in the electricity market seriously because more competition means Kiwis can have access to more affordable electricity,” Mr Watts says.

“Currently the large power companies can cross subsidise themselves because they both produce energy and sell it. The new rule will mean they have to offer their generation at the same rate to everyone and can’t offer themselves discounts. This will level the playing field by giving smaller companies a better chance to compete and will mean Kiwi consumers have more choices.

“Healthy competition is essential to give us the reliable and affordable electricity we need to power our homes and businesses. The changes announced today will encourage investment in new generation and allow all players to compete on a level playing field. This will lead to better economic outcomes, including for our large-scale industries.”

These changes were developed under the Energy Competition Task Force, established in August last year in response to the winter power crisis. The new non-discrimination rule will be consulted on later this year.

“While today’s announcement is a positive step, we remain deeply concerned about the lack of affordability and competitiveness in the electricity market. I expect the Authority to deliver more efficient, competitive, and reliable electricity market,” Mr Watts says.

“Looking ahead, I have also received the final report of the electricity markets performance review, which looked at how we can improve the market to support economic growth and ensure access to reliable and affordable electricity for consumers. I will have more to say on the review’s outcomes in due course, once Cabinet has given careful consideration to its findings and recommendations.”

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