Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
The Wainuiomata Hill is currently closed heading towards Lower Hutt following a crash.
The two-vehicle crash involving a car and a motorcycle was reported on the Wainuiomata side of the hill just after 11:30am.
One person has been seriously injured.
Motorists are advised to expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises overnight asphalt resurfacing works will get underway on State Highway 1 at Turntable Hill, Moerewa tomorrow (Tuesday 4 February), before pausing for Waitangi Day holiday traffic.
Asphalting works will then resume from Sunday 9 February through to Thursday 13 February (finishing on the morning of Friday 14 February), with one night of chipsealing scheduled in Moerewa the following week.
The asphalting work will take place between 8pm and 5am, with stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit operating during the works. During the day, the passing lane will be closed with a 50km/h temporary speed limit in place.
On Thursday 20 February, contractors will undertake chipsealing along the main street in Moerewa. Between 6pm and 6am, the road will operate under stop/go traffic management with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place.
During the chipsealing works there will be no access to SH1 (Main Road, Moerewa) from the Marshall St/Pembroke St intersection, Wynyard St, Nisbet St and Snowden Ave. There will also be no parking from 50m north of the Marshall St/Pembroke St intersection to 100m past Snowden Ave.
Temporary speed limits and traffic management will remain in place the following day to guide traffic over the new seal and help to embed it successfully.
It’s important to slow down through newly sealed sections of road because small chips can be flicked up from the road surface and damage vehicles – especially windscreens. That’s why we often keep temporary speed limits in place even after it looks like the work has been completed. As well as safety, the temporary speed limit also helps ensure the quality of the reseal. Travelling at the posted temporary speed limit allows for the chips to be embedded into the road surface and for them to remain in place as the seal cures.
Travel delays during the resurfacing and chipsealing works are expected to be 5-10minutes.
This work is part of Northland’s significant summer maintenance programme, which will see approximately 203 lane kilometres of state highway renewed across the region by the end of May.
As well as ensuring a smooth, skid-resistant surface, road resurfacing helps to protect the important structural layers underneath, improves waterproofing to help prevent potholes, and extends the life of the road. It’s like the paint on your house or the varnish on your deck – it looks good, but, more importantly, it helps keep your most valuable assets safe and sound.
There will be increased noise for residents and businesses in the area, and short delays for road users. We encourage road users to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
Access for residents and emergency services will be maintained throughout the works.
Please be patient and treat our crews with kindness and respect. Reduce your speed, adhere to the temporary speed limits and follow the traffic management directions at our work sites.
This work is weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.
Journey Planner(external link)
For more information about the overall maintenance programme and planned works, visit the Northland state highway maintenance programme website:
Northland state highway maintenance programme(external link)
NZTA thanks everyone for their understanding and support while we carry out this essential maintenance.
Source: New Zealand Government
Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins today released guidelines which set clear expectations for how agencies should adopt AI while harnessing its potential to improve productivity and service delivery.
“Use of AI technologies to improve public services is a priority for me, and this guidance will enable its safe and responsible uptake,” Ms Collins says.
“AI presents a major opportunity to lift productivity and improve public service delivery but government must ensure it is done right.
“This guidance is part of a suite of tools for agencies to adopt AI in ways that are safe, transparent and deliver real value for New Zealanders while upholding the highest standards of trust and accountability.
“Harnessing AI effectively can significantly improve customer experience and boost efficiency.
“It can help reduce wait times, triage issues faster and allow public servants to focus on frontline services – and that means delivering better outcomes for New Zealanders while reducing costs to government.”
The Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) leads the work programme to support safe and trusted uptake of AI technology across the public service. He recently released the Public Service AI Framework, which sits above the Responsible AI Guidance for the Public Service and sets out a structured approach to safely deploy AI all forms of AI used in New Zealand public service.
The GCDO is working with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment to develop similar guidance for the business community. Agencies have joined up to support responsible AI adoption across both government and industry, driving innovation and economic growth.
“AI systems are evolving rapidly, and government policies, guidance and use cases will continue to adapt alongside these advancements and public expectations,” Ms Collins says.
Source: New Zealand Government
Minister of Forestry Todd McClay has welcomed a decision by forestry sector representatives to drop Judicial Review proceedings related to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) fees.
“The Judicial Review was initiated in response to the excessive fees imposed on the forestry sector by the previous Government,” Mr McClay says.
“The previous Labour government made a number of decisions that drove up the cost of ETS Registry and they expected the forestry sector to blindly pay for their mistakes.
“The National-led coalition Government has worked hard to rebuild confidence in the forestry sector over the past 12 months.
“We have been working collaboratively with the sector to ensure we get the settings right to restore trust to the over 4,300 forestry participants in the ETS registry.
“Last year we announced that the cost of participating in the ETS registry would be reduced by 50 per cent for forest owners, and the formation of a Forestry Sector Reference Group to find more cost savings over the next year.
“This Government backs forestry, it will continue to play a key role in achieving our ambitious target of doubling exports by value in 10 years and helping New Zealand meet its climate change obligations,” Mr McClay says.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-NZ-AU)
BRISBANE, Australia, Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NOVONIX Limited (NASDAQ: NVX, ASX: NVX) (“NOVONIX” or the “Company”), a leading battery materials and technology company, applauds today’s preliminary determination by the International Trade Commission (ITC) that China has supressed the establishment of the domestic graphite industry by exporting artificially cheap graphite to the United States. As previously announced on December 19, 2024, the American Active Anode Material Producers’ (“AAAMP”), including NOVONIX, initiated a case with the ITC and the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) to investigate whether China is exporting natural and synthetic graphite used to make lithium-ion battery anode material at unfair prices to the United States and seeking import tariffs as a remedy.1
Mr. Robert Long, Interim CEO of NOVONIX, said, “China’s strategic efforts to control the global critical minerals supply chain, fueled by massive government subsidies with the clear intent of suppressing fair competition, are a threat to U.S. energy and national security. The ITC’s ruling represents an important step towards leveling the playing field for U.S. critical minerals producers and bringing transparency to the global marketplace. This will protect companies like NOVONIX from unfair predatory pricing practises by Chinese producers.
Now that the ITC has made its preliminary determination, the case will proceed simultaneously before Commerce and the ITC under the jurisdiction of U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) statutes. If the investigation proves conclusive, Commerce will assess the use of additional tariffs equal to the extent of unfair pricing by the Chinese. China currently has over 95% market share for battery grade graphite.2
NOVONIX’s Riverside facility, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is poised to become the first large-scale production site dedicated to high-performance synthetic graphite for the battery sector in North America. It is slated to begin commercial production in early 2026. with plans to grow output to 20,000 tonnes per annum to meet current customer commitments for Panasonic, Stellantis, and PowerCo.
This case was filed by the AAAMP which is comprised of four members of the North American Graphite Alliance (“NAGA”), including NOVONIX, and two additional graphite anode material producers in the United States. NAGA represents American and Canadian producers of battery-grade natural and synthetic graphite, both of which are used to create anode material for lithium-ion batteries.
This announcement has been authorised for release by Admiral Robert J Natter, USN Ret., Chairman.
About NOVONIX
NOVONIX is a leading battery technology company revolutionizing the global lithium-ion battery industry with innovative, sustainable technologies, high-performance materials, and more efficient production methods. The Company manufactures industry-leading battery cell testing equipment, is growing its high-performance synthetic graphite material manufacturing operations, and has developed a patented all-dry, zero-waste cathode synthesis process. Through advanced R&D capabilities, proprietary technology, and strategic partnerships, NOVONIX has gained a prominent position in the electric vehicle and energy storage systems battery industry and is powering a cleaner energy future.
To learn more, visit us at www.novonixgroup.com or on LinkedIn and X.
For NOVONIX Limited
Scott Espenshade, ir@novonixgroup.com (investors)
Stephanie Reid, media@novonixgroup.com (media)
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements about the Company and the industry in which we operate. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or “would,” or other similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements in this communication include, among others, statements we make regarding our plans to commence commercial production and meet our production target at our Riverside facility.
We have based such statements on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Such forward-looking statements involve and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the timely deployment and scaling of our furnace technology, our ability to meet the technical specifications and demand of our existing and future customers, the accuracy of our estimates regarding market size, expenses, future revenue, capital requirements, needs and access for additional financing, the availability and impact and our compliance with the applicable terms of government support, our ability to obtain patent rights effective to protect our technologies and processes and successfully defend any challenges to such rights and prevent others from commercializing such technologies and processes, and regulatory developments in the United States, Australia and other jurisdictions. These and other factors that could affect our business and results are included in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 20-F. Copies of these filings may be obtained by visiting our Investor Relations website at www.novonixgroup.com or the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes, and actual performance and outcomes may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this communication is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
1American-Graphite-Producers-File-Trade-Case-with-U.S.-Government-Over-Chinas-Manipulation-of-Global-Graphite-Market.pdf
2 Benchmark Minerals Intelligence Anode Price Assessment September 2024
– Published by The MIL Network
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 1/Bridge Street, Rakaia is blocked at the intersection with Elizabeth Ave following a crash.
The two-vehicle crash was reported just before 10:30am.
Three people have been moderately injured.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
Diversions are in place.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
ASB has today announced decreases to some of its most popular fixed home lending rates for the second time in a fortnight, with market-leading rates on 1-year, 18-month and 2-year terms. ASB’s 2-year term falls 20 basis points to 5.29%, with its 1-year and 18-month terms at 5.54% and 5.34% respectively from today.
ASB’s Tribe Lead, Lend & Protect David Jackson says, “We’ve reduced our fixed mortgage rates 11 times since July last year, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to support our homeowners and Kiwi looking to buy.”
ASB has also reduced three of its term deposit rates by between 5 and 10 basis points.
All rate adjustments are effective immediately for new and current customers.
|
Fixed home lending term |
Previous rate |
New rate |
Rate decrease |
|
1-year |
5.59% |
5.54% |
– 5 bps |
|
18-month |
5.39% |
5.34% |
– 5 bps |
|
2-year |
5.49% |
5.29% |
– 20 bps |
Consumer NZ finds two insurers have topped the list for customer satisfaction across the insurance trifecta – car, house and contents.
Results from Consumer’s annual insurance satisfaction survey found MAS and FMG were rated highly by their customers, both earning Consumer’s People’s Choice award.
“This is the eighth consecutive year FMG has received the accolade, and customers have voted MAS for People’s Choice for nine consecutive years,” says Jon Duffy, Consumer NZ chief executive.
“Winning People’s Choice is no small feat. The fact these two providers have won People’s Choice across multiple insurance categories reflects their continued focus on customer satisfaction.”
The best
MAS and FMG are the top-rated insurers for house, car and contents insurance. Customers praise their value for money, easy-to-understand policy documents and products tailored to customers’ needs.
MAS had the highest overall satisfaction rating for house insurance at 76%, while FMG ranked highest for contents insurance at 78%. For car insurance, MAS and FMG also took out the top spots, with 81% and 79% respectively.
Duffy emphasises the importance of choosing an insurer that puts customers first.
“New Zealanders should expect their insurer to get the basics right – good communication and customer support – especially now, with insurers needing to update policies to comply with upcoming law changes.”
Consumer’s Insurance Satisfaction Survey found that while most banks scored below average for house and contents insurance, they generally perform better in travel insurance.
“Some banks scored higher for travel insurance, likely due to it being offered free through some credit cards.
“In today’s economy, value for money is a key factor in customer satisfaction.”
The worst
Big brands State and AMI (both owned by IAG New Zealand Ltd) scored below average for house and contents insurance, with significantly lower-than-average ratings for value for money, communication, customer support and tailored advice.
“It’s disappointing to see major insurers fall short of the industry average. We’d like to see these big names use their market share to improve customer satisfaction.”
Banks also underperformed when it came to car insurance.
“Four banks – ANZ, BNZ, Westpac and ASB – received below average ratings, with ASB at the very bottom of the pile.”
How to save on insurance
Consumer’s research1 shows that concerns about insurance costs have risen more than any other household expense over the past 2 years, as premiums continue to outstrip inflation. Duffy encourages consumers to regularly review their insurance policies to ensure they’re getting the best value.
“If you’re parking your car in a garage instead of the street – update your policy. We’ve found that switching providers could save you as much as $670 per year in our car insurance survey (ref. https://consumernz.cmail19.com/t/i-l-fiihdx-ijjdkdttjk-j/ ).
“Adjusting your sum insured or excess are simple ways to lower those premiums,” he adds.
Consumer members can compare quotes for health, life, travel, house, contents and car insurance, as well as access Consumer’s independent insurance buying guide at consumer.org.nz.
Notes
1 Consumer NZ’s Insurance Satisfaction Survey was conducted online in October 2024, with 6,415 respondents, including Consumer NZ members, supporters and a nationally representative sample of over 1,500 New Zealanders.
Satisfaction is based on the proportion of respondents who rated their experience 8 to 10 out of 10, indicating they were “very satisfied”.
Learn more about Consumer’s People’s Choice award: https://consumernz.cmail19.com/t/i-l-fiihdx-ijjdkdttjk-i/
1 Insurance cost concerns have increased the most over the past 2 years, increasing from 13% to 27% of people listing it as a top-three concern.
