Fonterra is taking another significant step toward its climate goals and operational resilience with $150 million in investments in electrification projects across the North Island over the next 18 months.
Investments into electric boilers at the Co-operative’s Whareroa, Edgecumbe and Waitoa sites, along with further fleet decarbonisation, marks further steps in renewable energy supporting the Co-operative’s sustainability targets* while future-proofing operations.
Fonterra aims to build enduring, cost-efficient assets while enhancing energy security across its manufacturing operations and ensuring a sustainable energy supply.
Fonterra’s Chief Operating Officer, Anna Palairet, says the investments are a significant step for the Co-operative’s future operations.
“Last year we turned off the last coal boiler in the North Island, meaning manufacturing operations in the North Island are now coal-free. These investments are the next step in creating enduring assets that are fit for the future, as we look to reduce our reliance on gas.
“Choosing the right energy solutions is about striking a balance between affordability, security of energy supply and reducing our environmental footprint, and the new electric boilers are crucial to navigating this challenge.”
“These electrification projects are at the heart of ensuring efficient operations with a reliable energy supply for our manufacturing sites and to support the long-term sustainability of our business. It also represents a commitment to our farmer owners that we are building a resilient, future-ready Co-operative.”
Investments announced are:
Whareroa: The site will undergo a staged energy transformation with the first stage including the installation of two electrode boilers. The $64 million investment is expected to reduce the site’s annual emissions by an estimated 51,000 tonnes – the equivalent of removing around 21,000 cars from New Zealand roads – and contribute a 3% reduction** towards Fonterra’s overall 2030 Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction target.
Edgecumbe: The site will transition from the use of steam and electricity generated through a co-generation plant, to a reliable source of renewable energy with the installation of a new electrode boiler. The $57 million investment is expected to reduce the site’s annual emissions by an estimated 28,000 tonnes – equivalent to removing around 11,000 cars from New Zealand roads – and contribute a 1.5% reduction** towards Fonterra’s overall 2030 Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction target and reduce the Co-op’s overall natural gas reliance by approximately 8%***.
Waitoa and Waitoa UHT: Following the closure of its last coal boiler in November 2024, the Co-op is investing a further $18 million in installing two Resistive Element Boilers to boost heat production, while providing a secure and reliable energy source allowing for future growth in UHT processing.
Fleet decarbonisation: The next step in looking for more economical solutions for the future includes a pilot of six EV tankers and associated infrastructure later in the year, expected to provide an approximately 60% annual reduction in fuel costs per tanker, along with environmental benefits.
*The Co-operative’s target is 50.4% absolute reduction of Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 2030 from a 2018 baseline.
** From a 2018 baseline.
*** An approximate 8% reduction from the Co-op’s average annual natural gas usage from FY23 and FY24.
About Fonterra
Fonterra is a co-operative owned and supplied by thousands of farming families across Aotearoa New Zealand. Through the spirit of co-operation and a can-do attitude, Fonterra’s farmers and employees share the goodness of our milk through innovative consumer, foodservice and ingredients brands. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to leaving things in a better way than we found them. We are passionate about supporting our communities by Doing Good Together.
Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Researchers exploring the deep waters off the Fiordland coast have caught on camera marine communities that have never been filmed before. These communities include a protected species of red coral that has not previously been seen in such large numbers.
“We were filming at depths of 80 to 130 metres and found amazing marine communities. The most incredible find—unlike anything we have seen elsewhere—was about 4 kilometres north of the entrance to Doubtful Sound/Patea. On the ocean floor, we saw forests of bright red coral,” said Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
The coral species, Errina novaezelandiae, is commonly known as red coral, although it is not a true coral but a related animal called a hydrocoral.
The discovery of the red coral forests was made while the researchers were working on a project to explore and map marine life in Fiordland’s deep waters. They were working on board the Department of Conservation (DOC) vesselSouthern Winds.
“We’ve been exploring these deep reefs in Fiordland for many years, but we’re rarely able to work on the open coast outside the fiords because of the weather. On our most recent trip in January, the weather was finally on our side,” said Professor Bell.
Using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the research team collected video footage of reefs at depths of greater than 100 metres in areas that have not previously been filmed.
“We’ve deployed the ROV more than 100 times in deep waters around New Zealand, but we have not seen communities like those we found off the open coast outside Doubtful Sound/Patea. In other parts of the country, we usually find reefs at these depths are dominated by sponges. In this area off the Fiordland coast, red corals dominated. The water was also incredibly clear down at 100 m and we could see the reef from a distance of about 30 to 40 m,” he said.
Red corals are known to live in some places inside the fiords and are considered to be associated with the sheltered fiord conditions. The population discovered around the open coast was distinguished by its massive size, with tens of thousands of corals seen.
Video footage of the reefs shows numerous red corals, along with a range of other animals including larger black corals. Both red and black corals are protected species under the Wildlife Act.
These coral forests play a key role in maintaining habitat diversity, supporting many fish and crayfish species, said Professor Bell.
“Filming the animals that live on these deep-water reefs provides us with more information about the extraordinary biodiversity in our seas. This information is crucial to decisions about the use and protection of our marine environment. While much of Fiordland’s inland waters are protected, this is not the case for the open coast. In fact, most deep-water reefs around Aotearoa are not protected in marine reserves,” he said.
The research was supported by the George Mason Charitable Trust and DOC’s conservation services programme. DOC also provided logistical support.
Richard Kinsey, a DOC senior ranger who was on the trip, said: “It is exciting when you get to put the ROV into places you can rarely access as it gives insights into a completely different part of the fiord ecosystem. You just never know what you are going to find. For DOC, increasing our understanding of where these protected species are helps us to understand the potential threats to them.”
DOC senior science advisor Lyndsey Holland added: “Our understanding of protected coral distribution in Fiordland is dominated by black corals. Other protected corals in the area haven’t been studied as extensively, so this finding is a breakthrough. We do know that New Zealand boasts a diverse array of cold-water corals offshore, so this discovery validates the need to survey and monitor Fiordland corals so we can best protect them.”
Video footage of the deep-water reefs off Fiordland is here:
29 January 2025 – Consumers will now have a better picture of banking problems following the Banking Ombudsman Scheme’s decision to begin publishing quarterly reports on the cases it receives.
The reports, the first of which was published last week, share insights about cases received by the scheme. They provide a breakdown of cases by bank, the proportion of complaints and disputes received by banks relative to their market share, top problem areas and products, the time taken to resolve disputes, compensation paid, and other insights gleaned from the data.
Banking Ombudsman Nicola Sladden said the reports would shine a spotlight on the scheme’s performance, but also introduce more transparency and accountability into the banking sector.
“Information is power, and the more information customers have, the more they can make informed choices about whether to make a complaint, and what to expect if they do.”
Ms Sladden said the reports would provide more timely and detailed data than that contained in summarised form in the scheme’s annual reports. They would also help inform and educate consumers, as well as supplement information found on the scheme’s complaints dashboard, which compiles data from banks about the number and types of complaints received by banks.
The quarterly report, for the period of October to December 2024, shows the scheme received 1,429 cases, including 938 complaints and 50 disputes. Complaints were down 11 per cent and disputes down 24 per cent on the previous quarter, although mainly for seasonal reasons.
Scam-related complaints continued to feature prominently, making up a fifth of all complaints. Phishing and information harvesting scams were the biggest contributors. Complaints about unsuccessful hardship applications fell, but complaints about internet banking more than doubled, largely as a result of technical malfunctions and outages.
Almost 6 per cent of complaints escalated to disputes, which was down on the previous quarter’s figure of 16 per cent. Scam-related disputes fell 36 per cent compared with the previous quarter, and 63 per cent of such complaints for the financial year to date have been resolved partly or fully in favour of the customer – compared with 52 per cent for all types of disputes.
During the quarter, banks reimbursed or paid compensation of $339,961 to customers who sought the scheme’s help to resolve their complaint, down from $591,703 for the previous quarter.
RHCNZ Medical Imaging Group is excited to announce that Bay Radiology’s new flagship clinic on 17th Avenue in Tauranga is now fully open. Phase One of the clinic, which includes Bay Radiology’s first PET-CT scanner, opened in September 2024. Phase Two opened last week, completing this state-of-the-art facility. The new purpose-built clinic is designed to future-proof medical imaging services for Bay of Plenty residents.
Spanning over 3,000 square metres, this extensive clinic is the largest medical imaging clinic in New Zealand. It is equipped with the latest technology including a high-tech Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scanner as well as state-of-the-art MRI, CT, x-ray and ultrasound equipment. The clinic offers a comprehensive range of medical imaging services to meet the community’s needs, including interventional radiology, mammography and fluoroscopy.
Managing Radiologist for Bay Radiology, Dr Kunaal Rajpal, emphasises that removing barriers to patients accessing healthcare has become a key focus for Bay Radiology.
“Equity of access to healthcare for people living in regional New Zealand is an issue that concerns all healthcare providers, so we are proud to be able to provide better access to high quality imaging locally.”
Dr Rajpal adds
“Our radiologists have a wide range of sub-specialities including Musculoskeletal, Interventional, Breast, Body Imaging, Oncology, Neuroradiology, Abdominal, and Head and Neck Imaging. Patients can feel confident knowing that if the need arises, highly specialised expertise is right on their doorstep.”
A phased design enabled some parts of the building to be safely used while other parts were still under construction. Consequently, Bay Radiology commenced their PET-CT scanning last September. This advanced technology plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Nicola Daisley, Regional Manager, notes
“Since opening in September our PET-CT team have delivered diagnostic results for over 100 patients, enabling their lead care specialists to provide the best possible health-care treatment plans. We are delighted to now be offering a full suite of modalities from one central and easily accessible location, streamlining the diagnostic process for our community.”
RHCNZ Medical Imaging Group CEO Terry McLaughlin says that this new clinic, strategically located in Tauranga, is a significant step in supporting the healthcare needs of the Bay of Plenty community.
“Our 17 th Ave clinic is the heart of our Bay Radiology operations, providing patients access to the full suite of medical imaging services in one convenient location. Bay Radiology has been supporting the local community with their healthcare needs for over 30 years. We look forward to at least another 30 years of better health outcomes for Bay and Eastern Bay of Plenty residents,” said Mr. McLaughlin.
A traditional blessing ceremony for 17 th Ave was held on Friday, 20 December 2024. The ceremony was led by local Iwi leader Tamati Tata of Ngati Ranginui and attended by staff members and the building’s architects.
Conveniently located in central Tauranga, the clinic is adjacent to Tauranga Hospital, easily accessible from medical centres and specialist consulting rooms and is on main public transport routes.
BAY RADIOLOGY is the Bay of Plenty’s leading radiology provider with 9 clinics in Tauranga, Mt Maunganui, Papamoa, Katikati, Matamata and Whakatane. Bay Radiology offers MRI, CT, PET CT, interventional radiology, ultrasound, pregnancy ultrasound, x-ray, mammography, fluoroscopy and PRP services.
RHCNZ MEDICAL IMAGING GROUP is New Zealand’s leading private radiology provider with over 140 specialist radiologists working in 74+ clinics nationwide. This New Zealand owned company operates 3 longstanding brands – Auckland Radiology Group, Bay Radiology and Pacific Radiology Group. RHCNZ stands for Radiology Holding Company New Zealand.
Whangārei CIB are investigating an unexplained death in Otaika overnight.
Just before 5.30am, a motorcyclist was located deceased in a creek adjacent to Otaika Valley Road, State Highway 15.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer says the man’s motorbike was located on the side of the road.
“Our enquiries remain in the early stages,” he says.
“At this stage the circumstances are being treated as unexplained and require further investigation.”
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says a scene examination will be carried out.
A post mortem examination will also be carried out in due course.
“As part of the scene examination, a section of State Highway 15 will be closed to allow this to be carried out,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says.
State Highway 15 will be closed this morning between the intersections with State Highway 1 at Otaika, and State Highway 14 at Maungatapere.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says: “Locals who need to access their properties along the stretch of State Highway 15 should approach uniformed staff at the cordon.
“There will be an inner cordon around the scene itself.
“Anyone who is travelling through this section of state highway is advised there will be diversions put in place.”
Police ask anyone travelling through State Highway 15 (Otaika Valley Road) early this morning, and who saw anything is asked to contact Police.
Please call 105 using the reference number P061439912.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget – will be delivered on Thursday 22 May.
“This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead.
“Budget 2025 will build on our efforts to secure New Zealand’s future prospects, continuing the fiscal repair job made necessary by Labour’s era of wasteful spending.
“We take seriously our responsibility to chart a path out of a spiral of deficits and debt left to us by the last government.
“The Budget will also contain bold steps to support economic growth, including measures to address New Zealand’s long-standing productivity challenges.
“These measures will go beyond the traditional Budget focus on spending and savings initiatives.
“The Government intends to introduce several legislative and regulatory measures at the Budget focused on removing barriers that hold back job and wealth creation for New Zealanders.
“We will build on the work of Budget 2024 to address the cost of living, deliver effective health and education services and restore laws and order.
“We will advance new social investment measures to improve the lives of New Zealanders in the greatest need by getting better results from taxpayer-funded social services after six years of Labour Budgets focused almost exclusively on agencies spending more.
“Budget 2025 will be squarely focused on ensuring New Zealanders can earn more in the years ahead by growing our economy.
“Budget 2025 will be the responsible futured focused Budget New Zealand needs to secure better incomes and opportunities in the years ahead.”
Notes to editors: The Government’s Budget priorities can be found in theBudget Policy Statement 2025released on 17 December.
After lengthy, torrid and emotional debate a critical decision for the future of Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau is being made in March. One party will celebrate; the other will slink back to the drawing board. But will it really settle the great Auckland stadium debate?
SPECIAL REPORT:By Chris Schulz
It resembles a building from Blade Runner. It looks like somewhere the Avengers might assemble. It is, believes Paul Nisbet, the future.
“It’s innovative, it’s groundbreaking, it’s something different,” says the driving force behind Te Tōangaroa, a new stadium mooted for downtown Auckland.
He has spent 13 years dreaming up this moon shot, and it shows. “We have an opportunity here to deliver something special for the country.”
Located behind Spark Arena, Te Tōangaroa — also called “Quay Park” — is Nisbet’s big gamble, the stadium he believes Tāmaki Makaurau needs to sustain the city’s live sport and entertainment demands for the next 100 years.
His is a concept as grand as it gets, a U-shaped dream with winged rooftops that will sweep around fans sitting in the stands, each getting unimpeded views out over the Waitematā Harbour and Rangitoto Island.
Located behind Spark Arena, Te Tōangaroa is also called “Quay Park”. Image: Te Tōangaroa
Nisbet calls his vision a “gateway for the world,” a structure so grand he believes it would attract the biggest sports teams, stars and sponsors to Aotearoa while offering visitors a must-see tourist destination. Nestled alongside residential areas, commercial zones and an All Blacks-themed hotel, designs show a retractable roof protecting 55,000 punters from the elements and a sky turret towering over neighbouring buildings.
He’s gone all in on this. Nisbet’s quit his job, assembled a consortium of experts — called Cenfield MXD — and attracted financial backers to turn his vision into a reality. It is, Nisbet believes, the culmination of his 30-year career working in major stadiums, including 11 years as director of Auckland Stadiums.
“I’ve had the chance to travel extensively,” he says. “I’ve been to over 50 stadiums around the world.”
Tāmaki Makaurau, he says, needs Te Tōangaroa — urgently. If approved, it will be built over an ageing commercial space and an unused railway yard sitting behind Spark Arena, what Nisbet calls “a dirty old brownfields location that’s sapping the economic viability out of the city”.
He calls it a “regeneration” project. “You couldn’t mistake you’re in Auckland, or New Zealand, when you see images of it,” he says.
The All Blacks are on board, says Nisbet, and they want Te Tōangaroa built by 2029 in time for a Lions tour. (The All Blacks didn’t respond to a request for comment, but former players John Kirwan and Sean Fitzpatrick have backed the team moving to Te Tōangaroa.)
Concert promoters are on board too, says Nisbet. He believes Te Tōangaroa would end the Taylor Swift debacle that’s seen her and many major acts skip us in favour of touring Australian stadiums.
“It will be one of those special places that international acts just have to play,” he says.
The problem? Nisbet’s made a gamble that may not pay off. In March, a decision is due to be made about the city’s stadium future. Building Te Tōangaroa, with an estimated construction time of six years and a budget of $1 billion, is just one option.
The other, Eden Park, has 125 years of history, a long-standing All Blacks record and a huge number of supporters behind it — as well as a CEO willing to do anything to win.
The stadium standing in Te Tōangaroa’s way Stand in Eden Park’s foyer for a few minutes and history will smack you in the face. It’s there in the photos framed on the wall from a 1937 All Blacks test match. It’s sitting in Anton Oliver’s rugby boots from 2001, presumably fumigated and placed inside a glass case.
More recent history is on display too, with floor-to-ceiling photographs showing off concerts headlined by by Ed Sheeran and Six60, a pivot only possible since 2021.
Soon, the man in charge of all of this arrives. “Very few people have seen this space,” says Nick Sautner, the Eden Park CEO who shakes my hand, pulls me down a hallway and invites me into a secret room in the bowels of Eden Park. With gleaming wood panels, leather couches and top-shelf liquor, Sautner’s proud of his hidden bar.
“It’s invite-only . . . a VIP experience,” says Sautner, whose Australian accent remains easily identifiable despite seven years at the helm of Eden Park.
The future of Eden Park if a refurb is granted. Image: YouTube
This bar, he says, is just one of the many innovations Eden Park has undertaken in recent years. Built in 1900, the Mt Eden stadium remains the home of the All Blacks — but Eden Park is no longer considered a specialty sports venue.
Up to 70 percent of the stadium’s revenue now comes from non-sporting activities, Sautner confirms. You can golf, abseil onto the rooftops and stay the night in dedicated glamping venues. It’s also become promoters’ choice for major concerts, with Coldplay and Luke Combs recently hosting multiple shows there. “We will consider any innovation you can imagine,” Sautner tells me. “We’re a blank canvas.”
Throughout our interview, Sautner refers to Eden Park as the “national stadium”. He’s upbeat and on form, rattling off statistics and renovations from memory. His social media feeds — especially LinkedIn — are full of posts promoting the stadium’s achievements. He’ll pick up the phone to anyone who will talk to him.
“Whatsapp is the best way of contacting me,” he says. Residents have his number and can call directly with complaints. After our interview, Sautner passes me his business card then follows it up with an email making sure I have everything I need. “My phone’s always on,” he assures me.
He may not admit it, but Sautner’s doing all of this in an attempt to get ahead of what’s shaping up as the biggest crisis of Eden Park’s 125 years. If Te Tōangaroa is chosen in March, Eden Park — as well as Albany’s North Harbour Stadium and Onehunga’s Go Media Stadium – will all take a back seat.
If Eden Park loses the All Blacks and their 31-year unbeaten record, then there’s no other word for it: the threat is existential.
Called Eden Park 2.1, Sautner is promoting a three-stage renovation plan. Image: YouTube
Ask Sautner if he’s losing sleep over his stadium’s future and he shakes his head. To him, Te Tōangaroa’s numbers don’t stack up. “If someone can make the business model work for an alternative stadium in Auckland, I’m all for activating the waterfront,” he says.
Then he poses a series of questions: “How many events a year would a downtown stadium hold? Forty-five?” he asks. “So 320 other days a year, what’s going to be in that stadium?”
He is, of course, biased. But Sautner believes upgrading Eden Park is the right move. Called Eden Park 2.1, Sautner is promoting a three-stage renovation plan that includes building a $100 million retractable rooftop. A new North Stand would lift Eden Park’s capacity to 70,000, and improved function facilities and a pedestrian bridge would turn the venue into “a fortress . . . capable of hosting every event”.
He’s veering into corporate speak, but Sautner sees the vision clearly. With his annual concert consent recently raised from six to 12 shows, he already thinks he’s got it in the bag, “Eden Park has the land, it has the consent, it has the community, it has the infrastructure,” he says. “I’m very confident Eden Park is going to be here for another 100 years.”
Instead of a drink, Sautner offers RNZ a personal stadium tour that takes us through the exact same doors that open when the All Blacks emerge onto the hallowed turf. There, blinking in the sunlight, Sautner sweeps his arms around the stadium and grins. “I get up every day and I think of my family,” he says. “Then I think, ‘How can I make Eden Park better?”
The stadium debate: ‘It began when the dinosaurs died out’ It is, says Shane Henderson, an argument for the ages. It never seems to quit. How long have Aucklanders been feuding about stadiums? “It began when the dinosaurs died out,” jokes Henderson.
For the past year, he’s been chairing a working group that will make the decision on Auckland’s stadium future. That group whittled four options down to the current two, eliminating a sunken waterfront stadium, and another based in Silo Park.
He’s doing this because Wayne Brown asked him to. “The mayor said, ‘We need to say to the public, ‘This is our preferred option for a stadium for the city.’” It’s taken over Henderson’s life. Every summer barbecue has turned into a forum for people to share their views.
“People say, “Why don’t you do this?’” he says. Henderson won’t be drawn on which way he’s leaning ahead of March’s decision, but he’s well aware of the stakes. “We’re talking about the future of our city for generations to come,” he says. “It’s natural feelings are going to run high.”
That’s true. As I researched this story, the main parties engaged in a back-and-forth discussion that became increasingly heated. Jim Doyle, from Te Tōangaroa’s Cenfield MXD team, described Eden Park’s situation as desperate.
“Eden Park can’t fund itself . . . it’s got no money, it’s costing ratepayers,” he said. Doyle alleged the stadium “wouldn’t be fit for purpose”. “You’re going to have to spend probably close to $1 billion to upgrade it.” Asked what should happen to Eden Park should the decision go Te Tōangaroa’s way, Doyle shrugged his shoulders. “Turn it into a retirement village.”
Eden Park’s Sautner immediately struck back. Yes, he admits Eden Park owes $40 million to Auckland Council, calling that debt a “legacy left over from the Rugby World Cup 2011”. But he denied most of the consortium’s claims.
“Eden Park does not receive any funding or subsidies from Auckland ratepayers,” Sautner said in a written statement. He confirmed renovations had already begun. “Over the past three years, the Trust has invested more than $30 million to enhance infrastructure and upgrade facilities . . . creating flexible spaces to meet evolving market demands.”
Sautner said Doyle’s statement was evidence of his team’s inexperience. “We are extremely disappointed that comments of this nature have been made,” he said. “They are factually incorrect and highlight Quay Park consortium’s lack of understanding of stadium economics.”
Do we even need to do this? As the stadium debate turns into a showdown, major stars continue to skip Aotearoa in favour of huge Australian shows, with Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue and Oasis all giving us a miss this year. New Zealand music fans are reluctantly spending large sums on flights and accommodation if they want to see them. Until Metallica arrives in November, there are no stadium shows booked; just three of Eden Park’s 12 allotted concert slots are taken this year.
Yet, Auckland City councillors will soon study feasibility reports being submitted by both stadium options.
On March 24, Henderson, the working group chair, says councillors will come together to “thrash it out” and vote for their preferred option. There will only be one winner, and The New Zealand Herald reports either building Te Tōangaroa or Eden Park 2.1 is likely to cost more than $1 billion. Either we’re spending that on a brand new waterfront stadium, or we’re upgrading an old one.
“Is that the best use of that money?” asks David Benge. The managing director for events company TEG Live doesn’t believe Tāmaki Makaurau needs another stadium because it’s barely using those it already has. He has questions.
“I understand the excitement around a shiny new toy, but to what end?” he asks. “Can Auckland sustain a show at Go Media Stadium, a show at Western Springs, a show at Eden Park, and a show at this new stadium on the same night — or even in the same week?”
Benge doesn’t believe Te Tōangaroa would entice more artists to play here either. “I’m yet to meet an artist who’s going to be swayed by how iconic a venue is,” he says. Bigger problems include the size of our population and the strength of our dollar.
No matter the venue, “you’re still incurring the same expenses to produce the show,” he says. Instead, he suggests Pōneke as the next city needing a new venue. “If you could wave a magic wand and invest in a 10,000-12,000-capacity indoor arena in Wellington, that would be fantastic,” he says.
Would a new stadium really lure big artists to NZ? Image: Te Tōangaroa
Live Nation, the touring juggernaut that hosts most of the country’s stadium shows, didn’t respond to a request for comment. Other promoters canvassed by RNZ offered mixed views. Some wanted a new stadium, while others wanted a refurbished one. Every single one of them said that any new stadium needed to be built with concerts — not sport — in mind.
“We’re fitting a square peg in a round hole,” one said about the production costs involved in trucking temporary stages into Eden Park or Go Media Stadium. “Turf replacement can add hundreds of thousands — if not $1 million — to your bottom line,” said another.
Some wanted something else entirely. Veteran promoter Campbell Smith pointed out Auckland Council is seeking input for a potential redevelopment of Western Springs. One mooted option is turning it into a home ground for the rapidly rising football club Auckland FC. Smith doesn’t agree with that. “I think it’s a really attractive option for music and festivals,” he says. “It’s got a large footprint, it’s easily accessible, it’s close to the city … It would be a travesty if it was developed entirely for sport.”
One thing is for certain: a decision on this lengthy, torrid and emotional topic is being made in March. One party will celebrate; the other will slink back to the drawing board. Will it finally end the great Auckland stadium debate? That’s a question that seems easier to answer than any of the others.
Chris Schulz is a freelance entertainment journalist and author of the industry newsletter, Boiler Room. This article was first published by RNZ and is republished with the author’s permission.Asia Pacific Report has a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters, the Chief Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow and the New Zealand Jewish Council have lined up to protect Israeli soldiers in New Zealand on “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
“We are not surprised to see such a predictable lineup of apologists for Israel and its genocide in Gaza from lining up to attack a PSNA campaign with false smears of anti-semitism”, says PSNA National Chair John Minto.
“Why is concern for the sensitivities of soldiers from a genocidal Israeli campaign more important than condemning the genocide itself?”
Over 16 months Mr Peters has done absolutely nothing to put any pressure on Israel to end its genocidal behaviour but is full of bluff and bluster and outright lies to denounce those who demand Israel be held to account.
If Mr Peters was doing his job he would not only stop Israeli soldiers coming here (as per Russian soldiers) but he would also support the recent International Court of Justice ruling and deny visas to any Israeli with an address in an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Human Rights Commission has issued a disingenuous media release – our campaign has nothing to do with Israelis or Jews – it is a campaign to stop Israeli soldiers coming here for rest and recreation after a campaign of wholesale killing of Palestinians in Gaza. To imply the campaign is targeting Jews is disgusting and despicable.
Some of the soldiers will be Druse, some Palestinian Arabs and others will be Jews.
Thedeeply racist New Zealand Jewish Councilregularly makes a meal of false smears of anti-semitism and they are at it again here. It’s deeply problematic that this Jewish Council strategy takes attention away from the real anti-semitism which exists in New Zealand and around the world.
“The priority of the Jewish Council is to protect Israel from criticism and protect it from accountability for its apartheid policies, ethnic cleansing and genocide”.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is misleading the public by falsely claiming the economy has been in recession for three years.
“Let’s set the record straight: National’s economic mismanagement has caused a recession that began after they took office,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.
A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, which has been the case for the last two quarters where official data is available.
“Trying to claim the economy was in recession when it wasn’t is frankly embarrassing for a Prime Minister.
“Recession indicators are easily verifiable from official sources, so for Luxon to make such an uninformed comment is truly mind boggling. Either Nicola Willis isn’t briefing him, or he’s not listening to her – either way it’s dysfunctional.
“Instead of taking responsibility and presenting a real plan to grow the economy, they are trying to rewrite history.
“New Zealanders deserve honesty and leadership, not excuses and spin,” Barbara Edmonds said.
Night works begin next week that will see State Highway 1 Ngauranga Gorge closed to southbound traffic between Johnsonville southbound offramp and Ngauranga Interchange.
The highway’s southbound lanes will be closed for two nights of resurfacing – Sunday, 2 February and Monday, 3 February, between 9 pm and 4:30 am.
Closing the road at night when there are fewer vehicles on the road reduces disruption, allows more work to be completed faster, and ensures workers are kept safe on this steep section of road.
A local road detour will be available for light vehicles only. They can take the Johnsonville southbound offramp and detour to the city via Johnsonville, Khandallah, and the Ngaio Gorge. Drivers travelling to the Hutt Valley on State Highway 1 should detour via State Highway 58 and Haywards Hill.
Heavy vehicles cannot take the Johnsonville/Khandallah route because of a height restriction on the Johnsonville underpass. They must use State Highway 58 to Haywards Hill and State Highway 2 Hutt Valley to get to the city.
These detours are longer, so drivers should allow extra travel time.
NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank the public for their patience and cooperation while this essential state highway maintenance is completed.
Works schedule and detour routes
Sunday, 2 February and Monday, 3 February. 9 pm – 4:30 am
Southbound closure SH1 Ngauranga Gorge between Johnsonville southbound offramp and Ngauranga Interchange.
Travelling to the Hutt from SH1, detour via SH58 off SH1 Transmission Gully.
Light vehicles detour via Johnsonville southbound offramp, Middleton Road, Johnsonville, Khandallah, and Ngaio Gorge. This route is not suitable for heavy vehicles.
Heavy vehicles mustdetour via SH58 Haywards and SH2 Hutt Valley.
| NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi | Tauranga City Council
Sheet piling works for the Tauriko Enabling Works project are ahead of schedule at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection, which means the lane closure will be lifted overnight on Wednesday 29 January.
Traffic will be able to turn off SH29 into Cambridge Road again from Thursday 30 January. The remaining sheet piling and retailing wall works will start taking place behind the barrier and both lanes will be open for traffic.
Works to improve safety at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection have started off well, despite this area being challenging and narrow to work in, says Darryl Coalter, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager, Infrastructure Delivery Waikato/Bay of Plenty (Acting).
“Everything aligned. Great weather, good ground conditions, no machinery breakdowns and the opportunity for the crew to work extended hours, enabled this tricky stage of the job to be completed 4 days ahead of schedule,” says Mr Coalter.
“Scheduling this work in January while schools are out and traffic volumes are lower helped minimise overall disruption to the travelling public. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while this work was completed, especially residents, businesses and project neighbours.”
Tauranga City Council Bethlehem Ward Councillor Kevin Schuler says seeing work associated with the lane closure completed ahead of schedule is a fantastic result.
“This is a great start to works at the SH29 and Cambridge Road intersection, and an excellent outcome for businesses and for local residents we know use this route often.”
With the temporary sheet piles almost fully in place on this section of Cambridge Road, work can commence on the permanent retaining wall soon, says Mr Coalter.
“Building a retaining wall in this location is complex due to the surrounding geography, traffic volumes on Cambridge Road and constructing a 210m-long concrete wall, with a steep gully on one side. This is further complicated by multiple underground services that also need to be installed including power, water and fibre.
“The retaining wall is a key step allowing us to widen the road, accommodating increased traffic and a shared path, and is scheduled for completion in late 2025. Once the retaining wall is completed, there will be a lane shift on Cambridge Road allowing intersection and drainage works to begin on the other side of Cambridge Road.
“The upgrade of the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection is a key part of the Tauriko Enabling Works project. It will be a much safer and more efficient intersection, including a new connection to Whiore Avenue for buses and people walking and cycling wanting to access Tauriko Business Estate.”
Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Matin Todd:
A man has been charged with manslaughter following the death of a man in Hutt Hospital earlier this month.
The 75-year-old man was transported to Wellington Hospital with a brain injury following an altercation at Hutt Hospital on Friday 27 December, 2024. He was later transported back to Hutt Hospital, where he died on Sunday 19 January.
An investigation was launched to determine exactly what occurred prior to his death, which has since resulted in a charge of manslaughter.
A 23-year-old man was due to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court today, Tuesday 28 January, on a charge of manslaughter.
Police have been in contact with the whanau of the deceased who we extend our deepest sympathies to at this difficult time.
As the matter is now proceeding before the Courts, Police have no further comment.
The genocide hotline we launched last week has taken off. It has enthused our supporters with a campaign which gets civil society to act when our government cowers. Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and is about to resume its industrial scale killing of Palestinians.
This campaign will do more to save Palestinian lives than any other initiative we have taken so far in the campaign against Israel’s genocide. The message to Israel is that they may have the New Zealand government in their pocket but New Zealand civil society will take action to hold Israel to account for the genocide they are perpetrating in Gaza.
As is to be expected the pro-Israel lobby is squirming and trying to claim the campaign in somehow anti-semitic. These people would find anti-semitism in the words “the” and “and” if it was all they had to go on. They are furious we are telling genocidal Israeli soldiers they are not welcome here while never speaking a word of criticism of Israel for its daily war crimes.
Through our poster, the message on the genocide hotline and our publicity we are making it clear what the campaign is doing and what it is NOT about. The focus is NOT on Israelis – the focus is on IDF soldiers and reservists here for “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
Our supporters have welcomed the campaign and the poster and media release have been widely shared on social media. The actions we take with the information that is coming in will be clear and consistent – these Israeli soldiers are not welcome here.
The most important message the campaign sends is to Israel and says that even if western governments are complicit in genocide, civil society in the western world does not accept Israeli impunity for war crimes. In that sense it’s a disruptive campaign from the cosy position Israel enjoys through government inaction here.
Of everything we have done in the past 16 months – this action is one that will save Palestinian lives.
Genocide Hotline – action that will save Palestinian lives
The genocide hotline we launched last week has taken off. It has enthused our supporters with a campaign which gets civil society to act when our government cowers. Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and is about to resume its industrial scale killing of Palestinians.
This campaign will do more to save Palestinian lives than any other initiative we have taken so far in the campaign against Israel’s genocide. The message to Israel is that they may have the New Zealand government in their pocket but New Zealand civil society will take action to hold Israel to account for the genocide they are perpetrating in Gaza.
As is to be expected the pro-Israel lobby is squirming and trying to claim the campaign in somehow anti-semitic. These people would find anti-semitism in the words “the” and “and” if it was all they had to go on. They are furious we are telling genocidal Israeli soldiers they are not welcome here while never speaking a word of criticism of Israel for its daily war crimes.
Through our poster, the message on the genocide hotline and our publicity we are making it clear what the campaign is doing and what it is NOT about. The focus is NOT on Israelis – the focus is on IDF soldiers and reservists here for “rest and recreation” from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
Our supporters have welcomed the campaign and the poster and media release have been widely shared on social media. The actions we take with the information that is coming in will be clear and consistent – these Israeli soldiers are not welcome here.
The most important message the campaign sends is to Israel and says that even if western governments are complicit in genocide, civil society in the western world does not accept Israeli impunity for war crimes. In that sense it’s a disruptive campaign from the cosy position Israel enjoys through government inaction here.
Of everything we have done in the past 16 months – this action is one that will save Palestinian lives.
John Minto National Chair Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Source: Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand
The Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand (ERANZ) welcomes today’s launch of a newstandardisedsuper-peak hedge contract to be auctioned and brokered by Aotearoa Energy.
A standardised super-peak hedge contract is a risk management tool for wholesale electricity buyers. It acts as an insurance policy against higher wholesale electricity prices during peak demand periods when weather-dependent generation may be low. These contracts will become even more important as market volatility increases with the embracing of more intermittent renewable energy sources.
ERANZ Chief Executive Bridget Abernethy says the new contracts enable wholesale market participants to better manage higher prices when hydro, solar and wind generation may not be able to meet demand.
“All electricity market participants in New Zealand know our wholesale electricity market is volatile due to our dependence on intermittent renewables, and this product could be very useful for consumers who don’t have load flexibility or have very lumpy consumption patterns.
“We’re pleased to see the joint Electricity Authority-Commerce Commission Competition Taskforce launch this new product and look forward to this first trading event following extensive engagement with an industry-led representative panel.”
Abernethy supports the implementation of the new product and says ERANZ looks forward to the market’s development of more liquidity, which will provide generators and large consumers with another way of managing the risk in their energy portfolios.
“The Government’s recent Policy Statement on Electricity outlines an expectation that wholesale buyers and sellers have well-suited risk management arrangements in place.
“By introducing standardised flexibility products, participants will have far greater transparency around future electricity prices, supporting better risk management and investment decisions.”
The PSA firmly rejects any return to selling state assets following today’s comments from the Prime Minister.
Christopher Luxon said National may seek a mandate for asset sales at the next election. That comes days after ACT Leader David Seymour floated the prospect of privatisation of public health and other public services.
“Not content with stripping the guts out of the public service, now we have a Prime Minister floating selling state assets – it’s a return to the failed policies of the past,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, Acting National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“If the Government thinks selling state assets will drive economic growth, then the public should be worried.
“Have we not learnt from the past? Our history is littered with failed privatisations which required expensive bail outs and buy backs by taxpayers – remember the failures of Kiwi Rail, Air New Zealand and the Bank of New Zealand.
“The PSA doubts the public’s mood for asset sales has shifted since the 2013 citizens initiated referendum where two thirds of voters rejected asset sales.
“Asset sales are just a short-term sugar hit, and the public will be worse off. This is not simply a ‘recycling of assets’ as the PM puts it, but a loss of ownership and control. It’s wrong.
“Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past and keep the state’s silver in public hands. The PSA will be making its opposition to any return to the failed asset sales agenda of the past loud and clear.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers has today released a proposal to reduce the size of the Police Executive.
The proposal was sent to affected staff earlier today and will remain open for feedback until Monday 10 February.
“When I was appointed Commissioner in November, I clearly signalled my intent to restructure the current Police Executive – the highest-ranking levels of our organisation,” Commissioner Chambers says.
“My goal is to ensure our Executive structure is fit-for-purpose, provides strong, clear leadership to the frontline, and delivers on the priorities I have set.”
The consultation document proposes consolidating a number of roles and responsibilities, including the disestablishment of 37 Executive and support service positions.
It also proposes creating 20 new positions, meaning a potential reduction of 17 roles.
“Consultation is an integral part of this process, all feedback will be reviewed and carefully considered before final decisions are made in late February,” Commissioner Chambers says.
“It’s also important to note that I’m absolutely committed to boosting our frontline and redundancy is not available to constabulary employees.”
President Trump has issued an immediate stop-work order for all USA funded aid projects to align aid budgets with his foreign policy agenda.
This will cause chaos and suffering across the world, and will impact on some ChildFund New Zealand programmes and partners, says CEO of ChildFund NZ, Josie Pagani.
“It isn’t just USA aid programmes that are impacted – it’s any charity or donor who is working on a joint project with USA funding.”
ChildFund New Zealand is working with its ChildFund partner in America, to support food security and clean water projects in places like Kenya and Sri Lanka.
“With our USA partner we know we reach about 15,000 people in the vulnerable district of Batticaloa in Sri Lanka with nutritious food by supporting small-holder farmers. We know that we get clean water and good food to thousands of people who otherwise would not have it in countries like Kenya. We also know that 10,000 children in Sri Lanka are getting access to education through digital hubs, as well as thousands of children in Zambia, who otherwise would not have access to education.”
“All of that is at risk with this stop-work order.”
“We have been told that all US Aid funded projects have three months to evaluate each program based on three criteria:
Does the action make America safe?
Does it make America stronger?
Does it make America more prosperous?
“We welcome challenges about the effectiveness of aid. We should always hold ourselves accountable for success or failure when it comes to saving and improving the lives of people in some of the most vulnerable, war-torn or poorest places in the world.
New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters is in the process of reviewing New Zealand’s aid, and we welcome the review.
“But President Trump and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio are asking the wrong questions.”
“Aid is not there to make the donor countries rich or prosperous. There are better ways to do that.
The Focus of aid is to save lives, to lift children and communities out of extreme poverty, to stop people dying of preventable diseases, and to make sure every child and person has access to clean water and nutritious food, wherever they live.
Reducing the acute suffering of many millions of people reduces the likelihood of war, terrorism and political destabilisation. There is no doubt that effective aid programmes make us all safer.
The questions President Trump’s administration should be asking are:
Are we making a difference with aid?
Are local communities and institutions strong enough to continue the work after we leave?
Are we helping to make the poorest places less dependent on aid, and ultimately more prosperous?
“At ChildFund New Zealand that is the standard by which we measure our work. We ask ourselves these questions all the time. If the answer is no, we adapt, change what we’re doing and sometimes stop.”
“If we are achieving those goals, to answer President Trump’s questions, we can say ‘yes, we are helping to make New Zealand and our Pacific region a safer and stronger place’,” says Josie Pagani.
This article was written before The Electronic Intifada’s founding editor Ali Abunimah was arrested in Switzerland on Saturday afternoon for “speaking up for Palestine”. He has since been released and deported.
SPECIAL REPORT:By Ali AbunimahIsrael smuggled one of its soldiers out of Cyprus, apparently fearing his detention on charges related to the genocide in Gaza, according to Dyab Abou Jahjah, the co-founder of The Hind Rajab Foundation.
Abou Jahjah, a Belgian-Lebanese political activist and writer, told The Electronic Intifada livestream last week that his organisation was stepping up efforts all over the world to bring to justice Israeli soldiers implicated in the slaughter of tens of thousands of men, women and children over the last 15 months.
Gaza Ceasefire Day 5. Video: The Electronic Intifada
Speaking from Gaza, Electronic Intifada contributor Donya Abu Sitta told us how people there are coping following the ceasefire, especially those returning to devastated homes and finding the remains of loved ones.
She shared a poem inspired by the hopes and fears of the young children she continued to teach throughout the genocide.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to attack Palestinians in some parts of Gaza. That was among developments covered in the news brief from associate editor Nora Barrows-Friedman, along with the efforts to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation.
Contributing editor Jon Elmer covered the latest ceasefire developments and the resistance operations in the period leading up to it.
We also discussed whether US President Donald Trump will force Israel to uphold the ceasefire and what the latest indications of his approach are.
‘There is an openness to the glee and celebration of genocidal violence in Israel that I think goes beyond anything we saw during the Iraq war or during apartheid in South Africa.’
And this writer took a critical look at Episcopal Bishop of Washington Mariann Edgar Budde.
She has been hailed as a hero for urging Donald Trump to respect the rights of marginalised groups, as the new president sat listening to her sermon at Washington’s National Cathedral.
But over the last 15 months, Budde has parroted Israeli atrocity propaganda justifying genocide, and has repeatedly failed to condemn former President Joe Biden’s key role in the mass slaughter and did not call on him to stop sending weapons to Israel.
Pursuing war criminals In the case of the soldier in Cyprus, The Hind Rajab Foundation filed a complaint, and after initial hesitation, judicial authorities in the European Union state opened an investigation of the soldier.
“When that was opened, the Israelis smuggled the soldier out of Cyprus,” Abou Jahjah said, calling the incident the first of its kind.
“And when I say smuggling, I’m not exaggerating, because we have information that he was even taken by a private jet,” Abou Jahjah added.
The foundation is named after Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl who was in a car with members of her family, trying to escape the Israeli onslaught in Gaza City, when they were attacked.
The story of Hind, trapped all alone in a car, surrounded by dead relatives, pleading over the phone for rescue, a conversation that was recorded by the Palestinian Red Crescent, is among the most poignant and brazen crimes committed during Israel’s genocide.
According to Abou Jahjah, lawyers and activists determined to seek justice for Palestinians identified a gap in the efforts to hold Israel accountable that they could fill: pursuing individual soldiers who have in many cases posted evidence of their own crimes in Gaza on social media.
The organisation and its growing global network of volunteers and legal professionals has been able to collect evidence on approximately 1000 Israeli soldiers which has been handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In addition to filing cases against Israeli soldiers traveling abroad, such as the one in Cyprus, and other recent examples in Brazil, Thailand and Italy, a main focus of the foundation is individuals who hold both Israeli and another nationality.
“Regarding the dual nationals, we are not under any restraint of time,” Abou Jahjah explained. “For example, if you’re Belgian, Belgium has jurisdiction over you.”
Renouncing their second nationality cannot shield these soldiers, according to Abou Jahjah, because courts will take into account their citizenship at the time the alleged crime was committed.
Abou Jahjah feels confident that with time, war criminals will be brought to justice. The organisation is also discussing expanding its work to the United States, where it may use civil litigation to hold perpetrators accountable.
Unsurprisingly, Israel and friendly governments are pushing back against The Hind Rajab Foundation’s work, and Abou Jahjah is now living under police protection.
“Things are kind of heavy on that level, but this will not disrupt our work,” Abou Jahjah said. “It’s kind of naive of them to think that the work of the foundation depends on a person.”
“We have legal teams across the planet, very capable people. Our data is spread across the planet,” Abou Jahjah added. “There’s nothing they can do. This is happening.”
Resistance report In his resistance report, Elmer analysed videos of operations that took place before the ceasefire, but which were only released by the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, after it took effect.
He also previewed Saturday, 25 January, when nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for four Israeli female soldiers.
Will Trump keep Israel to the ceasefire? Pressure from President Trump was key to getting Israel to agree to a ceasefire deal it had rejected for almost a year. But will his administration keep up the pressure to see it through?
There have been mixed messages, with Trump recently telling reporters he was not sure it would hold, but also intriguingly distancing himself from Israel. “That’s not our war, it’s their war.”
We took a look at what these comments, as well as a renewed commitment to implementing the deal expressed by Steve Witkoff, the president’s envoy, tell us about what to expect.
As associate editor Asa Winstanley noted, “this ceasefire is not nothing.” It came about because the resistance wore down the Israeli army, and statements from Witkoff hinting that the US may even be open to talking to Hamas deserve close attention.
‘Largely silent’ By her own admission, Bishop Mariann Budde has remained “largely silent” about the genocide in Gaza, except when she was pushing Israeli propaganda or engaging in vague, liberal hand-wringing about “peace” and “love” without ever clearly condemning the perpetrators of mass slaughter and starvation of Palestinians, demanding that the US stop the flow of weapons making it possible, or calling for accountability.
This type of evasion serves no one.
You can watch the programme on YouTube, Rumble or Twitter/X, or you can listen to it on your preferred podcast platform.
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by the people of New Zealand with a mandate to change course. Since then, we have made big changes and we are seeing promising signs of success, with inflation dropping and remaining low, interest rates starting to fall, and wages continuing to rise,” Mr Luxon says. “Business and consumer confidence is rising and average mortgage interest rates have now fallen for the first time in more than three years. Wages are rising faster than inflation, supporting a recovery in household incomes. Growth is also expected to resume, reaching 2.1 per cent in 2025 according to Treasury’s latest forecasts in the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update. “We need to act now to strengthen growth and productivity – both in the very near term and over the years to come. “In 2025, we will take action to end the culture of no – whether that’s through Fast Track, comprehensive RMA reform, rewriting our health and safety laws, enabling more mining, allowing our farmers to grow their businesses with much less red tape, or other changes designed to promote more growth and investment. “In this Government’s first year in office we made tough decisions to ease the cost of living and laid the foundations for a stronger economy, rising incomes and more opportunities for New Zealanders to get ahead. “This year we will continue to build on this early progress to make sure these green shoots of recovery grow into lasting improvements that benefit all New Zealanders,” Mr Luxon says.
28 January 2025 – A new survey showing strong support for a capital gains tax among workers has been welcomed by Tax Justice Aotearoa (TJA).
TJA chair Glenn Barclay said the latest Council of Trade Unions (CTU) Te Kauae Kaimahi Mood of the Workforce survey showed almost 90 per cent of respondents were in favour of a capital gains tax.
“We welcome this result, which shows almost universal support for a capital gains tax among workers,” Mr Barclay said.
The CTU survey asked “Should a greater share of public services such as health and education be paid for by taxing non-income profit via a capital gains tax?” – with 87.7% answering in favour.
“It supports what we know from public surveys held last year – and shows support is growing, with our own survey in 2023 finding 62 per cent of respondents thought all income should be taxed the same way, regardless of how it is earned.
“A capital gains tax is now widely accepted as the tax we need to have, because we are so far out of step with the rest of the developed world when it comes to taxing capital gains.
“Aotearoa is an outlier internationally, in that we do not tax capital gains in a comprehensive way – and this latest survey shows it’s no longer a political taboo.
“However, a capital gains tax is not the silver bullet for our unfair and unjust tax system.
“There are other options – such as wealth tax and excess profits taxes – that Aotearoa needs to consider in order to adequately fund public services, including health and education – and to help address inequality and challenges arising from climate change.”
Kiribati President Taneti Maamau was unable to meet New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters because he had “a pre-planned and significant historical event”, a Cabinet minister in Kiribati says.
Alexander Teabo, Education Minister in Maamau’s government, told RNZ Pacific that “it is important for the truth to be conveyed accurately” after the “diplomatic tiff” between the two nations was confirmed by Peters as reported.
Maamau is currently in Fiji for his first state visit to the country.
Peters said New Zealand could not commit to ongoing monetary aid in Kiribati after three cancelled or postponed visits in recent months.
A spokesperson from Peters’ office said the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Tarawa was set to be the first in over five years and took a “month-long effort”. However, the NZ government was informed a week prior to the meeting that Maamau was no longer available.
His office announced that, as a result of the “lack of political-level contact”, Aotearoa was reviewing its development programme in Kiribati. It is a move that has been described as “not the best approach” by Victoria University’s professor in comparative politics Dr Jon Fraenkel.
Minister Teabo said that Peters’ visit to Kiribati was cancelled by the NZ government.
“It is correct that the President was unavailable in Tarawa due to a pre-planned and significant historical event hosted on his home island,” he said.
Date set ‘several months prior’ “This important event’s date was established by the Head of the Catholic Church several months prior.”
He said Maamau’s presence and support were required on his home island for this event, and it was not possible for him to be elsewhere.
Teabo pointed out that Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister was happy to meet with Kiribati’s Vice-President in a recent visit.
“The visit by NZ Foreign Minister was cancelled by NZ itself but now the blame is on the President of Kiribati as the reason for all the cuts and the impacts to be felt by the people.
“This is unfair to someone who is doing his best for his people who needed him at any particular time.”
‘Tried several times’ – Luxon The New Zealand aid programme is worth over NZ$100 million, but increasingly, Kiribati has been receiving money from China after ditching its diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 2019.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country was keen to meet and work with Kiribati, like other Pacific nations.
Luxon said he did not know whether the lack of communication was due to Kiribati and China getting closer.
“The Foreign Minister has tried several times to make sure that as a new government, we can have a conversation with Kiribati and have a relationship there.
“He’s very keen to meet with them and help them and work with them in a very constructive way but that hasn’t happened.”
New Zealand’s Minister of Defence Judith Collins agrees with Peters’ decision to review aid to Kiribati.
Collins said she would talk to Peters about it today.
“I think we need to be very careful about where our aid goes, how it’s being used and I agree with him. We can’t have a disrespectful relationship.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.