International migration: November 2024 – Stats NZ information release

January 23, 2025

Source: Statistics New Zealand

International migration: November 2024 – 23 January 2025

International migration statistics give the latest outcomes-based measure of migration, which includes estimates of migrants entering or leaving New Zealand.

Key facts

Annual migration

Provisional estimates for the November 2024 year compared with the November 2023 year were:

migrant arrivals: 158,400 (± 1,100), down 32 percent
migrant departures: 127,800 (± 1,100), up 28 percent
annual net migration: gain of 30,600 (± 1,400), compared with a net gain of 133,300 (± 200).

The 127,800 migrant departures in the November 2024 year are, provisionally, the highest on record for an annual period.

Annual migrant arrivals provisionally peaked at 234,900 in the year ended October 2023.

Annual net migration provisionally peaked in the year ended October 2023, with a gain of 135,700.

MIL OSI

International travel: November 2024 – Stats NZ information release

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: Statistics New Zealand

International travel: November 2024 – 23 January 2025 – International travel covers the number and characteristics of overseas visitors and New Zealand resident travellers (short-term movements) entering or leaving New Zealand.

Key facts

Monthly arrivals – overseas visitors

Overseas visitor arrivals were 321,200 in November 2024, an increase of 17,800 from November 2023. The biggest changes were in arrivals from:

Australia (up 14,100)
United Kingdom (up 3,700)
Singapore (up 1,900)
Germany (up 1,200)
Japan (up 1,200)
Korea (up 1,200)
Taiwan (up 1,100)
United States (down 1,000).

The total number of overseas visitor arrivals in November 2024 was 86 percent of the 372,100 in November 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic).

For more, see:

MIL OSI

BusinessNZ – Saying ‘yes’ to investment and growth

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: BusinessNZ

The Prime Minister’s state of the nation address has correctly identified many key issues holding back economic growth, BusinessNZ says.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says businesses around the country would agree that NZ for too long has been saying ‘no’ to investment and development.

“The result has been economic contraction and GDP growth of 0% – a sluggish economy where it’s hard for business to flourish.

“Instead of ‘no,’ businesses want to hear ‘yes’ to investment and development,” Katherine Rich said.

“Businesses will be applauding the Government’s new approach to attracting more foreign investment by streamlining the investment process and providing better support to foreign investors.

“We look forward to seeing the work of Invest New Zealand in increasing capital investment into key sectors of banking, fintech, infrastructure, manufacturing, minerals and energy.

“Changes to science and technology policies and institutions separately announced today will also support this improved focus on investment and development.

“NZ needs a thriving innovation sector better supported by NZ’s science institutions and their work, to help grow the economy.

“Businesses will be heartened by the focus on investment and growth in today’s state of the nation address.”

The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

MIL OSI

Name release: Fatal crash Albury

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police can now release the name of the man who died in a single-vehicle crash near Albury, Mackenzie, on Thursday 19 December.

He was Cale Tompkins Tairua, 18, of Albury.

Police extend our sympathies to his loved ones at this difficult time.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

Appeal for information following fatal crash, Nelson

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Nelson Police investigating a crash on the Coastal Highway earlier this month would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash.

At around 3:10pm on Tuesday 7 January, emergency services responded to a two-vehicle crash near the O’Conner Creek Bridge.

One person was seriously injured in the crash, and later died in hospital on 10 January.

Police have spoken to a number of witnesses already but would still like to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash, or saw a silver Toyota hatchback travelling towards Richmond on or around the Coastal Highway between 2:50pm and 3:10pm on 7 January.

If you have any information that could help our enquiries, and you have not yet spoken to Police, please update us online now or call 105.

Please use the reference number 250113/2691.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

Govt’s sanctions regime fails us all

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: Green Party

The Government’s newly released data paints a damning picture: the sanctions regime targeting beneficiaries is an abject failure.

“Benefit sanctions deprive people of the means to survive and there is no evidence they support people into paid employment,” says the Green Party’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson, Ricardo Menéndez March.

“This is blatant cruelty dressed up as policy. People deserve to live in dignity and to be supported in times of need, not punished.

“The Government’s own data shows their vindictive measures are not helping people into work. The number of people receiving the main benefit is sitting at the highest level in six years, despite sanctions going up 126 per cent since last year.

“The Government has both relied on making people unemployed to lower inflation, while also doubling down on sanctions towards unemployed people. Louise Upston is being careless with the truth by trying to draw a correlation between sanctions and people leaving a benefit without any evidence to show this is the case.

“The truth is that under this Government there are no plans to have enough jobs available for every person on the benefit, condemning thousands of people to living below the poverty line.

“These policies aren’t just failing beneficiaries, they’re failing everyone. The Government’s punch-down policies are increasing unemployment, pushing up rents and failing to find people work. It’s a vicious cycle, in which the most vulnerable bear the brunt of this Government’s endless quest to line the pockets of the rich at the expense of everyone else.

“We can afford to care for one another, without blame or shame, all that’s missing is the political will.

“The Green Party campaigned on a fully costed plan to end poverty. Central to this is the establishment of a wealth tax. Furthermore, we would guarantee liveable incomes, end benefit sanctions, and provide tailored support to connect people with jobs that match their skills and aspirations,” says Ricardo Menéndez March.

MIL OSI

Name release, Fatal Crash, Egmont Road

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police can now confirm the name of the man who died in a two-vehicle crash on Egmont Road, New Plymouth, Tuesday 21 January.

He was 50-year-old Brien David Vincent Mace of New Plymouth.

Police extend our condolences to his family and loved ones at this time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI

Rat found on Ulva Island triggers response

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: Department of Conservation

Date: 23 January 2025

Ulva Island is a nature sanctuary in Paterson Inlet, 780 metres from Stewart Island/Rakiura. It is popular with visitors who come to experience the thriving wildlife.

It first achieved predator-free status in 1997 and has become a sanctuary for many native species, including Stewart Island brown kiwi/tokoeka, kākā, kākāriki, yellowhead/mohua, and South Island saddleback/tīeke.

DOC Acting Operations Manager for Rakiura, Bridget Carter, says intensive monitoring for rats is underway on Ulva Island.

“Our incursion response kicked into immediate action last week and the team has been checking traps and using lured cameras and rodent detection dogs to determine the extent of rat presence.

“Since the dead rat was found on 13 January, rat activity has also been captured on trail cameras. Further monitoring will tell us if this is a single rat or more.

“Our plan from here is to continue with increased surveillance and ongoing trapping efforts to monitor for further sign and catch any remaining rats. Toxin may be used sparingly where rats are known to be present but avoid traps.

“Although detecting rats on the island is disappointing, it does show the biosecurity monitoring system is working as it should,” says Bridget.

On average one or two rats manage to find their way to Ulva Island each year due to its proximity to Rakiura where rats are present. This risk increases when rat numbers are high on the mainland due to warm weather and food availability.

Visitors are being asked to keep an eye out for any signs of rat presence on Ulva Island – please take photos, record the location and report it to the DOC Rakiura Office.

DOC carried out a successful eradication operation on Ulva Island in the winter of 2023 after a breeding population of rats established on the island. The island was declared rat-free again in early 2024.

A single rat was caught in February 2024, with genetic analysis indicating this individual was not a survivor from the 2023 eradication. Intensive monitoring using a variety of methods following this incursion event showed the island was again free of rodents.

The risk of ongoing rat incursions on Ulva Island remains high while rats are present on Rakiura, and intensive biosecurity monitoring systems are needed to enable an effective response to protect Ulva Island’s predator-free status.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

Runaway spending growth checked

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

“In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year.

“That is completely unsustainable and helps to explain why the Reserve Bank had to hike interest rates to bring inflation back under control.

“In the equivalent period last year, government spending was less than 2 per cent higher than for the previous year.

“That shows the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for public money have worked.

“This Government is committed to improving public services and to investing for the future, but we will not be wasting public money like the last government on daft schemes and projects that have no chance of coming to fruition and only impose extra costs on families and businesses.

“Our focus is on unlocking New Zealand’s potential by growing the economy to provide greater opportunity for businesses, households and individuals.”

The Financial Statements of the Government for the five months to 30 November 2024 show government spending was 1.9 per cent higher than for the same period the year before. The equivalent figure for the previous year was a 9.8 per cent increase.

Government expenditure and revenue for the five months to November 2024 was broadly in line with the forecasts in December’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update.

Core Crown revenue was in line with forecast at $54.9 billion. Core Crown expenses were $200 million lower than forecast at $57.8 billion.

MIL OSI

Welfare that Works making a difference

LiveNews Publisher

January 23, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months.

“There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don’t fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job is working,” Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says.

“Despite the tough labour market we inherited, 33,147 people cancelled their Jobseeker benefit because they found work between July and December. That’s 22 per cent more than the same period in 2023 under the previous government’s welfare system.

“This increase in work exits coincided with a 126 per cent increase in the number of benefit sanctions issued in the second half of last year.

“Our focus is on young job seekers because they are at greater risk of staying on benefit long-term. Under the last government, the forecast for how long someone under 25 would be on a benefit over their lifetime blew out to more than 20 years.

“In our first year, we delivered:

10,000 more job seekers in case management
2100 more places for young people to get community-led job coaching
A Traffic Light System to help job seekers understand and comply with their benefit obligations
More regular work seminars to support job searches
More comprehensive needs assessments for up to 70,000 job seekers
Personalised job plans to help job seekers overcome the challenges holding them back from finding work
‘Beneficiaries-First’ targets for Flexi-wage and Mana in Mahi

“Unemployment is always one of the last things to improve after a recession, so we know there is much more work ahead to support people into jobs as our economy recovers from a prolonged cost-of-living crisis.

“This year, we will introduce more changes to help keep job seekers on the path to finding work if they’re able, including new non-financial sanctions and only granting Jobseeker Support for six months at a time.

“These changes will help achieve our target of 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support by 2030, which is forecast to save $2.3 billion in welfare payments.

“It’s also encouraging to see that supporting families out of emergency housing is not only paying off for them, but also taxpayers, with the spend on emergency housing grants reducing by $68 million compared to the December 2023 quarter.”

Benefit stats for the December quarter can be found here

MIL OSI

1...931932933...1,034 Page 932 of 1,034