New Zealand News: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on April 30, 2025.
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – Voting ban “undermines democratic principles” says justice group
Source: People Against Prisons Aotearoa The Government has announced the total disenfranchisement of people incarcerated in New Zealand prisons. This replaces a partial ban, and will see all prisoners prevented from participating in elections. The move violates a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that stripping prisoners of the right to vote violated the Bill of Rights. […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Community support for Auckland’s Annual Plan
Source: Auckland Council Aucklanders have had their say on the 2025/2026 Annual Plan, with more than 13,000 pieces of feedback received during the recent consultation, and council hearing from individual Aucklanders, groups and organisations. This continues a trend of increased engagement with Auckland Council plans in recent years, with the latest feedback coming from a […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Employment – Home Support Workers to strike over poor pay, ‘broken’ system – PSA
Source: PSA Nearly 1000 support workers from one of the country’s largest home support companies are walking off the job tomorrow to protest chronically low pay and a recent attempt by their employer to claw back staff conditions. Access Community Health support workers will strike from 12-2pm on Thursday, 1 May – International Workers’ Day – […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Insurance Sector – ICNZ Annual Review 2024 released
Source: Insurance Council of NZ The Insurance Council of New Zealand | Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) has released its annual review for 2024. “2024 has been an important year for insurance even as New Zealand experienced fewer major events, ” ICNZ chief executive Kris Faafoi said. “The cost of living remains top of mind […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Consumer NZ is seeking nominations for businesses that are the worst of the worst
Source: Consumer NZ The Yeah, Nah Awards spotlight businesses that have excelled at letting consumers down. It’s accepting public nominations until 30 June. Acting head of research and advocacy, Jessica Walker, says the Yeah, Nah Awards Are about recognising the worst products and services in Aotearoa and putting pressure on poor-performing brands and companies to […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace slams deep sea mining application as a ‘total disregard for international law’
Source: Greenpeace Greenpeace has slammed an announcement by The Metals Company to submit the first application to commercially mine the seabed. Greenpeace International Senior campaigner Louisa Casson said: “The first application to commercially mine the seabed will be remembered as an act of total disregard for international law and scientific consensus. “This unilateral US effort to carve […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appointments – Banking Ombudsman Scheme gets three new directors
Source: Banking Ombudsman Scheme The Banking Ombudsman Scheme is adding another director to its board and at the same time replacing two departing directors. Hon Heather Roy will become the board’s second independent director – along with chair Miriam Dean – following the recommendation of a recent review to add a sixth member to help ensure […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Financial education will help disadvantaged kids succeed
Source: ACT Party ACT’s Education spokesperson Laura McClure has welcomed the Government’s move to embed financial education into the school curriculum for Years 1 to 10, saying it will make a real difference – especially for disadvantaged students. “Every young Kiwi should leave school equipped to navigate a market economy. Knowing how to earn, save, […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reawakening Manu-kau Noa Iho / Hayman Park
Source: Auckland Council From late April to December 2025, parts of Hayman Park in Manukau will be temporarily closed for work to further enhance its green spaces. This will finish the full upgrade of the park and go well with the much-loved playground, which was upgraded in 2023. Upgraded Manu-kau Noa Iho / Hayman Park […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ranger’s dream to protect an ancient kānuka ‘island’
Source: Department of Conservation Date: 30 April 2025 The 13-hectare forest near Eyrewell in North Canterbury is in the Motu Kānuka Scientific Reserve, which sits within a vast sea of privately owned farmland. DOC Biodiversity Ranger Christina Stet says when she’s sitting in the middle of the kānuka forest island or motu on the flat expanse […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, SH3, Awakino
Source: New Zealand Police (District News) Emergency services are responding to a serious crash that has blocked State Highway 3 at Awakino, in the Waitomo district. The crash was reported about 9.50am, between Papakauri and Awakau roads, and is understood to involve a car and truck. At least one person has been injured. Traffic management […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Transforming financial education in schools
Source: New Zealand Government Financial education will be embedded as a core element of the refreshed social sciences curriculum for Year 1-10 students, set to be available for use from 2026, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced today. “Embedding essential skills into the curriculum will ensure our young people are better prepared to make informed financial […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Te Pāti Māori: Denying the Right to Vote is a Breach of Te Tiriti and Human Rights
Source: Te Pati Maori The National Party’s announcement to reinstate a total ban on prisoner voting is a shameful step backwards. Denying the right to vote does not strengthen society — it weakens our democracy and breaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Voting is not a privilege to be taken away — it is a fundamental […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Right-Wing Government Strips Māori Health Safeguards and Pretends Colonisation Never Happened
Source: Te Pati Maori Right‑wing ministers are waging a campaign to erase Māori health equity by tearing out its very foundations. ACT’s Todd Stephenson dismisses Treaty‑based nursing standards as “off‑track distractions” and insists nurses only need “skill and a kind heart,” despite clear evidence that cultural competence saves lives. Health Minister Simeon Brown’s funding cuts, hiring freeze […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: We want to be here long-term: A 20-year journey towards sustainable dairy farming
Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council Reducing nitrate in the water And slowly but surely, it’s paid off. The 221ha property with 630 cows, located on the outskirts of Culverden in the Amuri Basin, had seen a significant reduction in nitrate in the water and a dramatic improvement to the health of its ecosystem. But those […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pilot project delivers promising results for sustainable urban design
Source: Auckland Council Advocates for living roofs, those lush, plant-covered patches of green on our city buildings, have long championed these slices of eco-paradise in our urban jungle. Now, thanks to a pioneering project between Auckland Council and the University of Auckland, we have the data to prove their value. The Living Roof Monitoring project […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: New commercial fish-landing rules come into force
Source: New Zealand Government Common sense new rules allowing certain species of live fish to be legally returned to the sea will reduce unnecessary red tape and support sustainability, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.Under the Quota Management System most fish caught by commercial fishers must be kept and taken to shore unless there […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Protecting New Zealand’s energy infrastructure
Source: New Zealand Government Improving the current system to better protect power lines from falling trees will protect the security of New Zealand’s electricity infrastructure, says Energy Minister Simon Watts. “Secure electricity lines are critical to electrifying New Zealand’s economy and delivering the resilient and reliable electricity supply we need to power economic growth,” Mr Watts […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government to reinstate prisoner voting ban
Source: New Zealand Government The Government has agreed to reinstate a total ban on prisoner voting, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says.“Cabinet’s decision will reverse the changes made by the previous government in 2020, which allowed prisoners serving sentences of less than three years to vote.“Restoring prisoner voting was typical of the previous government’s soft-on-crime approach; […]
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Man sentenced after Operation Barber cuts at West Coast drug supply
Source: New Zealand Police (National News) Attributable to Detective Constable Mat Wood: Police acknowledge the sentencing handed down in the Christchurch District Court this week in relation to the supply of drugs on the West Coast. Leo Smith, aged 22, was on Tuesday (29 April) sentenced to 10 months home detention. Operation Barber started in […]