Fire and Emergency New Zealand volunteers from Oxford, Fox Glacier, Matatā, and Taihape were presented with their Royal Honours by Governor-General the Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House in Wellington today.
“These four recipients have dedicated years to supporting their communities to become stronger, safer, and more resilient through their roles as volunteers for Fire and Emergency, and through all their other community contributions. It is wonderful to see their efforts recognised today,” Fire and Emergency Board Chair, Rebecca Keoghan, says.
“On behalf of Fire and Emergency and the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, we wish to thank you for your outstanding service – your communities are richer for your work.”
Entering its third year, the event continues to grow, giving Prime members in Singapore early access to savings across thousands of products, from categories such astoys, babies, electronics, and home & kitchen.
Customers can get a head start on their holiday shopping withsome of Amazon’s best deals of the season, with savings on popular brands such as Nerf, Pigeon, Bose, SMEG and Dyson.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2025 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon today announced that Amazon Prime Big Deal Days will return to Singapore from 7 – 13 October 2025, giving Prime members exclusive access to deals on thousands of trusted products from top local and international brands across multiple categories including groceries, toys, babies, electronics, and home & kitchen at Amazon.sg/primebigdealdays. Prime members also enjoy free delivery on eligible items including international store. The shopping event comes at the perfect time for those looking to get an early head start on holiday shopping, with deep discounts set to be available on popular brands such as Nerf, Pigeon, Bose, SMEG and Dyson. From popular gifts to everyday essentials, Amazon serves as the ultimate holiday destination where customers can conveniently complete all their seasonal shopping needs.
Sneak Peek: Top Deals on Prime Big Deal Days From 7 – 13 October, spanning 7 days, Prime members can unlock some of the year’s best savings from leading local favourites to global brands, everyday essentials, and small businesses. Here’s a preview of what’s in store*
Up to 50% off on Bioderma
Up to 45% off on SMEG, with additional S$50 off S$300
Up to 40% off on Nerf, Transformers, board games and more
Up to 30% off Bose headphones, earbuds, speakers and more
Up to 30% off on UGREEN chargers, USB cables & more
Up to 30% off Dyson
Buy 4 Get 20% off Magiclean, Biore, Liese
Up to 50%, with additional 3 for 15% off on Dettol, finish and more
Up to 40% off on Pigeon, with additional 3 for 15% off
“Prime Big Deal Days is one of the ways we deliver on our promise to Prime members – combining exclusive savings with the convenience and trust they already enjoy every day with Amazon,” said Peter Li, Director, China & Singapore, International Stores, Amazon. “We know our customers use sale moments to save on essentials, prepare for the holidays, and invest in bigger-ticket items at great value.”
More Ways to Shop and Save:
Join Prime: New prime signups can enjoy a 30-day free trial. Prime renews at S$4.99 per month or S$49.90 per year. Sign up at https://www.amazon.sg/prime
Enjoy convenient Delivery and Return options: Prime members can enjoy fast and free shipping on millions of eligible items across domestic selection, Amazon Fresh as well as Amazon International Store. Need to return an item from US, Japan or Germany? Easy – customers can now experience hassle-free and faster returns, including pick-up from your address or via a drop-off center. More information here.
Amazon Fresh: Free Scheduled Two-Hour Delivery (FST) for Prime members with a minimum spend of $60″ but i’m not sure about this part “available from now until 31 Dec 2025.
Exclusive Prime Member discounts: Exclusive Prime Member discounts: Prime members enjoy up to 10% off on over a million products on Amazon.sg
Amazon.sgGift Cards: Amazon.sg Gift Cards offer an easy, simple, and convenient gifting experience, providing access to an extensive selection of products on Amazon.sg at Amazon.sg/giftcard. Purchase an Amazon.sg Gift Card worth S$200 to receive additional S$15 credit from 23 September till 13 October*
Amazon Vouchers: Discover more ways to save with Amazon Vouchers. Find discounts on everyday essentials, as well as gifts, electronics, beauty, toys, and more. Simply clip the voucher and the discount will be applied at checkout. Visit Amazon.sg/vouchers for information.
*Terms and conditions apply to all promotions listed above.Shop Prime Big Deal Days Globally Prime Big Deal Days will begin on 7 October in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the U.S., and the UK, and for the first time, Colombia, Ireland and Mexico.
Every Day Made Better with Amazon Prime Amazon Prime was designed to make your life better every single day. Over 200 million paid members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime, including the best of shopping and entertainment. In Singapore, Prime membership offers a range of benefits including a discount of up to 10% on over a million eligible products on Amazon.sg, unlimited access to award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, unlimited access to video game benefits with Prime Gaming, Prime Day, and more. Prime was built on the foundation of unlimited fast, free shipping. Prime members enjoy access to free one-day delivery on domestic Prime eligible selection on Amazon.sg, free delivery on selected delivery windows for orders of S$60 and above on Amazon Fresh, free 2-hour scheduled delivery for orders of S$60 and above on Watsons and Little Farms on https://www.amazon.sg/prime , as well as early access to deals and exclusive deals. Prime is S$4.99 per month, and S$49.90 per year. Start a 30-day free trial of Prime at Amazon.sg/prime
Hashtag: #AmazonSingapore #PrimeBigDealDaysSG
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
NZ Transport Agency is seeking public feedback on a proposed speed limit change for a section of State Highway 3 (SH3) in Hāwera.
The proposal is to change the speed limit to 60 km/h on SH3 from just north of Kerry Road to just north of Fantham Street.
This 1km section of highway currently has a mix of 70 km/h and 100 km/h speed limits.
NZTA Director of Regional Relationships Linda Stewart says NZTA has been working with South Taranaki District Council.
“This proposed change reflects the area’s ongoing transformation from rural to urban fringe, driven by two decades of growth and development.
“Planned industrial expansion, including the business park near Kerry and Fitzgerald Roads, is expected to further increase traffic volumes and activity along this corridor.
“Lowering the speed limit will support safer and more accessible travel for all road users and aligns with the South Taranaki’s District Council’s Corridor Strategy for SH3 (Normandy to Hāwera). The strategy includes planned upgrades to key intersections, such as new right-turn bays at Kerry Road and Fitzgerald Road,” says Ms Stewart.
Have your say
We want to hear your views on the proposed speed limit change. You can share your feedback by completing a short survey on our website before Wednesday 29 October.
From the start of next month tens of thousands of households will get extra help with the cost of early childhood education (ECE) thanks to the expansion of FamilyBoost, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
“Legislation expanding the ECE support scheme passed through its final stages in Parliament today.
“I am delighted that despite previously voting against FamilyBoost, Labour has today reversed its position, sensibly voting to support the enhanced FamilyBoost scheme.
“More than 60,000 families have already benefited from Family Boost and I’m sure they will welcome Labour’s ‘Road-to-Damascus’ conversion.
“The changes made today put more money in the pockets of households currently receiving FamilyBoost and extend the scheme to more households,” Nicola Willis says.
“Because the changes took effect from 1 July, households can apply for their first three months at the increased rate from 1 October.
The Income Tax (FamilyBoost) Amendment Bill increases the proportion of ECE fees families can claim from 25 to 40 per cent.
“An eligible household with fees of $100 a week will see its FamilyBoost entitlement increase from $25 to $40 a week, or from $1300 to $2080 a year.
“The entitlement for a family with weekly fees of $200 could increase from $50 to $80 a week, or $2600 to $4160 a year.
“FamilyBoost is paid on fees up to $300 a week so the maximum a family can now claim increases from $75 to $120 a week.
The Act also increases the household income limit for FamilyBoost from $180,000 a year to just under $230,000, making about another 21,000 households eligible for help with ECE costs.
To date, 87,800 households have registered for FamilyBoost and more than 67,000 families have received payments through the scheme.
“I encourage all parents paying for ECE who have not yet checked their eligibility for entitlement to do so.
“The last few years have been tough for many families, and FamilyBoost provides support at a time when many younger families are facing additional costs.
“Households can check eligibility and apply on Inland Revenue’s website. Families who have made a claim tell us it is simple to do and only takes five minutes.”
Notes to editor:
Officials have been asked to progress work on longer term improvements to the scheme, including exploring ways to make the process more automated and easier for families.
FamilyBoost is also included in the Early Childhood Education Funding Review which is examining the full range of supports available to families with children in early childhood education.
Approximately 162,000 families have children enrolled in ECEs across New Zealand.
On Wednesday 17 September,Tomorrow Together, an initiative ofWEAll Aotearoa, is unveiling a national discussion document at Parliament, asking Kiwis how our country can get better at long-term decision-making, to ensure fairness for future generations.
Hosted by the youngest Members of Parliament across the political spectrum (National, Labour, Te Pāti Māori, and the Greens), the forum will also feature reflections from former Prime Ministers Jim Bolger and Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who are urging bold, cross-party dialogue and action.
“Everyone knows Aotearoa has been bad at thinking long-term,” says Gareth Hughes, Director of WEAll Aotearoa. “You can see it in our infrastructure, the environment, and policy flip-flops.”
“We are highlighting practical policies that can address our challenges and move us beyond the type of short-term politics that enable poor decisions,” adds Hughes.
One of the flagship proposals in thediscussion documentis a Future Generations Act, a piece of legislation that could embed long-term thinking and intergenerational fairness into all public decision-making.
Similar models are already gaining traction internationally, including in Wales, Scotland, Australia, and through initiatives led by the UN and EU.
“Too often, it feels like our leaders make decisions without considering the interests of my generation, and those following. But it is within our power to change this. We can refuse to accept a future marked by decline,” says Sophie Handford, Future Generations Lead at WEAll Aotearoa.
Sophie adds, “It’s time we made a conscious choice as a country, to be guided by a deep sense of responsibility to current and future generations and to put the wellbeing of our mokopuna and te taiao at the heart of our decision-making processes.”
“It’s time for a serious and collaborative national conversation about how we make decisions that serve an ideal long-term vision for Aotearoa, not just short-term interests.”
About the Discussion Document
The event and discussion document aim to spark public engagement and political collaboration around policies that prioritise wellbeing over the long-term. It poses eight key questions to help collectively determine which policy levers are best for Aotearoa to use.
People are invited to share their responses to these questions by visitingweall.org.nz/tt-doc
About WEAll Aotearoa
WEAll Aotearoa is a non-partisan and independent ‘think and do’ tank working to redesign Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy around the wellbeing of our people and te taiao. We use an evidence-informed approach and focus upstream to develop practical, long-term solutions for the public good.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2025 – Linyi in Shandong province, revered as logistics capital of China, is home to a multitude of enterprises producing a diverse range of products, including hardware, ceramics, and daily necessities. Located at the central hub of the north-south transportation corridor in eastern China, and the eastern bridgehead of the Eurasian Continental Bridge, it is the largest market cluster and commodity distribution center in northern China.
Shandong Lanhua Group, founded in 1999 in Linyi, covers an assortment of businesses including trade and logistics, e-commerce, international trade, cultural tourism, school education. The three-day 2025 Korea E-commerce Fair, with a special session hosted by Shandong Lanhua Group from Linyi, recently concluded at Seoul, South Korea, showcasing Linyi enterprises’ capabilities and fostering international business connections.
The fair is a highly anticipated annual feast in the e-commerce sector. Over 20,000 professional buyers from South Korea and neighboring countries such as Japan, Mongolia, and Russia surged into this year’s special activity. Engaged with 62 high-quality product enterprises from Linyi in the 5,000-square-meter exhibition area, the event saw a total on-site sale of over 20 million yuan ($2.81 million) and nearly 100 million yuan in intended orders.
Representatives from Seoul’s industrial promotion agencies, import associations, and e-commerce associations participated, integrating trade resources and facilitating Linyi’s market entry. The event featured industry seminars, new product launches, and business-to-business meetings, promoting information sharing and innovative development.
“Linyi smart manufacturing” was a highlight, showcasing the city’s latest products and technologies, focusing on matching South Korean market demands with Linyi’s local products and services.
“The Korean customers specially came to us to place orders for custom-made products. On the first day of the event, we received several large orders for plush dolls,” said a manager of Linyi’s toy enterprise who was surprised to see the product’s large demand in local markets.
“The Chinese e-commerce market is far ahead. Visiting the exhibition has enabled me to acquire valuable experience in e-commerce operation,” said a South Korean buyer who was impressed by the exhibits at the Linyi Trade City exhibition area, expressing a strong willingness to cooperate.
In addition, the event also launched an “online exhibition tour” live streaming event, enabling synchronous interaction between online and offline platforms. This fully facilitated the exposure of high-quality products from Linyi to a broader international market.
Hashtag: #Linyi
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The Ettrick Burn Valley in Fiordland is home to one of the only remaining populations of the southern lesser short-tailed bat/pekapeka, with a colony of around 400 bats discovered there in 2018.
Department of Conservation Te Anau Operations Manager John Lucas says a heavy beech mast predicted this summer could have disastrous impacts on the tiny population.
“This summer the beech forests are going to be absolutely bursting with fruit, and all that extra food is going to drive up the numbers of rats in the following months,” says John.
“This is bad news for the pekepeka. By the following summer the mast will be over, and all those extra predators will turn to the next available food source, our native species. These pekapeka are especially vulnerable to rats as they forage for food on the forest floor – an unusual strategy they evolved due to New Zealand’s lack of mammalian predators.”
Southern lesser short-tailed bats are only found in three locations in the South Island – predator free Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, the Eglinton Valley in Fiordland which has regular aerial predator control, and the Ettrick Burn Valley. A population in Kahurangi National Park has not been detected since 2008.
In response, DOC is planning an aerial operation using cereal 1080 bait targeting rats over 5429 ha in the Ettrick Burn area in November or December this year, prior to seeding this summer. A potential second round may be required in early 2027 depending on predator numbers.
John Lucas says the timing of the operation has been carefully planned to control rat numbers before they reach high levels.
“We know from our work in the Eglinton Valley that our predator control works extremely well; the short-tailed bat population there has grown from 300 to nearly 4,000 pekapeka over the years. What we do now ahead of the mast can really make a difference.”
This is the first time aerial predator control will be done in the Murchison Mountains, which are also home to Northern Fiordland tokoeka (kiwi), kea, whio, rock wren/tuke, numerous other native forest birds and the nationally vulnerable takahē. In the past, some takahē have been known to eat 1080 cereal bait so additional measures have been developed as mitigation for this operation.
“The Ettrick Burn Valley, at about 5,429 ha, is a small part of the area’s 50,000-ha takahē habitat and at that time of year, takahē are typically above the bush line and will be out of the planned treatment zone,” says John.
“We’ve taken steps to reduce the risk further – staff will monitor takahē during the operation and may attempt to relocate high-risk birds if they are found within the operational area.”
Consultation with iwi and key groups has taken place and public notification will occur in the coming weeks.
Getting ahead of this summer’s heavy mast is an important step in securing a future for the short-tailed bat, says John.
“Like most of New Zealand’s wildlife, these pekapeka are extremely vulnerable, and once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. We need to get in ahead of the mast and nip rat numbers in the bud, before they become a problem.”
Work will begin next week to remove the old Plunket building from Wairaka Park in Porirua’s Pukerua Bay and restore the land to grassed open space for community use.
The building is located on reserve land between the Wairaka Road Playground and the Pukerua Bay Library. It is in poor condition and would need extensive work to make it safe and usable. After community consultation and considering various options, Porirua City Council made the decision that the building should be removed.
Council also agreed to seek proposals in the future from community groups that may wish to lease the bare land.
Work to remove the building is scheduled for 22 to 26 September. During this time there will be no access to the library or the reserve.
Parks Manager Julian Emeny says removing the building will really open up the space and make it an even nicer spot for community use.
“Wairaka Park is surrounded by bush, the library is right there, and the upgraded playground is super popular. Restoring the building site to grass will extend the green space and connect everything really nicely. We think this is a great outcome.”
As part of the demolition, as much material as possible will be recycled. All glass from the windows and doors will be made into new glass bottles and glass wall insulation, the concrete slab will be turned into aggregates, metals will be recycled where possible, non-treated, non-native timbers will be converted into biochar (much like charcoal), and any treated timber will be repurposed as much as possible.
