Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

The Government has agreed on a new scheme allowing trusted builders to sign off their own work and will set a mandatory target to tackle building inspection wait times, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced.

“Making it easier and more affordable to build opens the door to homeownership for more Kiwis, gives families choice about where they live, and supports growth and job creation in the construction sector,” Mr Penk says.

“We can’t achieve this vision while the building consent system remains slow and overloaded. Even simple, single-storey homes must go through around 12 inspections before they’re finished, with costly delays when demand is high.

“At a time when many Kiwis are locked out of the housing market, that’s simply not good enough.

“The Government is committed to making the building system more efficient and Cabinet has now agreed to an opt-in self-certification scheme, which will allow approved building firms, plumbers, and drainlayers to sign off their own work.

“Reputable building companies delivering large numbers of near-identical houses each year will be able to proceed without the need for Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) to approve a building consent and carry out inspections.

“Giving qualified plumbers and drainlayers the ability to self-certify their work puts them on equal footing with electricians and gasfitters, who’ve had that flexibility for years. It’s a common-sense change backed by Master Plumbers and delivers on a National Party campaign promise.

“Kiwis should have confidence that their homes are built to a high standard. That’s why only proven professionals who meet strict criteria will be eligible for the scheme – and only for simple residential dwellings.

“Initially these changes are expected to see around 3,000 homes built each year without delays from approvals or inspections. BCAs will be freed up to focus on high-risk, complex builds instead of being bogged down by simple homes.

“In addition, the Government will require BCAs complete 80 percent of building inspections within three working days.

“Master Builders have welcomed this announcement as a meaningful step toward reducing inspection delays. We regularly hear from builders frustrated by the disruption to project timelines and the uncertainty it creates for homeowners.

“Wait times sometimes stretch up to a week – having a knock-on effect which can add about $400 for every day a project is held up.

“Updated guidance will be issued to BCAs, outlining practical strategies to boost efficiency, reduce bottlenecks, and help authorities better prioritise their workloads.”

“BCAs success in meeting the target will be shown in quarterly performance data – giving the public greater transparency and encouraging improved performance.

“By backing skilled professionals and focusing council resources, we can cut building costs without sacrificing quality – delivering more affordable homes for Kiwi families.”

Inspection targets will come into force later this year and legislation to enable the self-certification scheme will be introduced by the end of 2025.

Notes to editors:

• The self-certification scheme will be a voluntary, opt-in measure enabled by changes to the Building Act 2004 and the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006.
• There will be two self-certification pathways available under the scheme:
  • An opt-in self-certification scheme for house builders carrying out work on an entire simple residential dwelling (including design and construction).
  • An opt-in self-certification scheme for plumbers and drainlayers carrying out work on a simple residential dwelling.
• The definition of an eligible simple residential dwelling will be set down in regulation, following industry consultation.
• BCAs will still be required to provide a nominal consent for entire simple homes where trusted building professionals are self-certifying their work.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

New Zealand and the Philippines will this week sign an agreement to enable the two countries’ militaries to work more closely, Defence Minister Judith Collins says.

Ms Collins will travel to the Philippines today to sign the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, which highlights the importance New Zealand places on working closely with our partners, she says.

“It formally sets the legal framework for engagement between our respective militaries, better facilitating ongoing cooperation, activities and exercises in each of our territories.

“The agreement follows a commitment made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during Mr Luxon’s visit to Manila last year.”

It will now undergo a final ratification process in the Philippine Senate. 

While in the Philippines, Ms Collins will meet with the President and hold a bilateral meeting with counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the Secretary of National Defense.

“We are committed to reinvigorating our security relationships, to playing our part, and working with regional partners such as the Philippines to uphold the international rules-based order,” Ms Collins says.

Ms Collins returns to New Zealand on 2 May.

Notes to editors:

• The Status of Visiting Forces Agreement is a treaty-level document that sets out the legal conditions for military cooperation between our countries, including the responsibilities and obligations on both sides.
• This agreement with the Philippines builds on two previous agreements that provide for practical defence cooperation, the Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement (2024) and the Defence Cooperation Arrangement (2012).
• New Zealand has a number of similar agreements, the most recent being one signed with Fiji in 2023.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

The Government is backing New Zealand’s teaching workforce by funding teacher registrations and practising certificates, acknowledging the vital role educators play in driving positive change in classrooms.

“We know the most important aspect of a child’s education is the quality of the teacher in front of them. Teachers have stepped up to implement our ambitious reform programme that’s delivering real change in the classroom. They are teaching a new world-leading curriculum as well as embracing structured approaches to literacy and maths to ensure better outcomes for our children. They are supporting students to gain vital secondary qualifications that will prepare them for the future. This initiative is a direct recognition of the ongoing hard work, dedication, and professionalism of teachers across the country,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

The Government has committed funding of $53 million in Budget 2025 to cover fees through to 2028, including any increases the Teaching Council may implement through their current fee review.  

From July 1, teachers will save up to $550 when applying for registration or renewing their practising certificate. This initiative will benefit around 40,000 fulltime and part time school and early learning teachers in the first year of funding and approximately 115,000 across the three years. 

“As we work to raise standards and restore trust in the education system, it is important that we support the teaching workforce leading this reform. The Government has promised to remove this cost, and we have delivered”.

Since coming into office, the Government has introduced and maintained many initiatives to attract and retain teachers:

• Doubled the numbers of paid School Onsite Training Programme places to 1200, paying out $21,500 for each place, through Budget 2024
• Supporting 352 teachers to return to the classroom since October 2024 by covering the costs of their practising certificates or limited authority to teach fees (LAT)
• Ongoing marketing campaigns, in NZ and overseas, that are focussed on attracting increasing numbers of teachers to teaching in NZ
• Added primary and secondary teachers to the straight to residence pathway on the Green List with 1400 teachers arriving from overseas in 2024
• Continued to fund relocation packages of up to $10,000 for qualified teachers who are overseas to move to New Zealand with 891 teachers supported in 2024.
• Continued to fund more than 400 scholarships to encourage in to, and support people through, teacher training.
• Supported 130 beginning or returning teachers through the BeTTER Jobs Programme in the 2024/2025.
• Funded ongoing targeted marketing campaigns that have seen approximately 2,000 newly graduated teachers join the workforce this year.

“This Government is determined to raise achievement and close the equity gap so all children get an equal chance to thrive. Enabling more teachers to do what they do best in the classroom is another step to achieving this,” Ms Stanford says.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

There are few battlegrounds as ingrained in New Zealand’s history and identity as this place. The very name “Chunuk Bair”, like the name, “Gallipoli” resonates with New Zealanders at home, so very, very far away.

The thousands of our men who spilled blood on this soil mean a part of our country is forever part of this land, too.

At the time, this battle was the culmination of months of fighting for those men.

Many would not have ventured much beyond their hometown at the ‘uttermost ends of the earth’ before arriving here at the start of the Gallipoli campaign.

In the dawn light, they would have seen the ridges and gullies rise and drop along the coastline.

They would have seen this place – the highest point in view – and known it would be crucial to the campaign.

Some would have thought it looked a bit like home.

But for them and for all who joined this battle, it was closer to hell.

Some 16,000 New Zealanders came ashore over those months, 110 years ago.

They fought in unspeakable conditions from trenches that still scar this peninsula.

When Lieutenant Colonel William Malone led the Wellington Battalion to seize this summit before dawn on the 8^th of August 1915, days of horror followed.

Under a scorching sun, they clashed with waves of charging Ottoman Turks. William Malone was killed that afternoon.

The Wellington Battalion was joined by men from the Auckland Mounted Rifles, before being replaced by the Otago Battalion and the Wellington Mounted Rifles.

For two days, they clung to this summit before being overwhelmed early on the 10^th of August.

The losses on both sides were immense. 

An Australian war correspondent wrote, “of the 760 of the Wellington Infantry Battalion who had captured the height that morning, there came out only 70 unwounded or slightly wounded men.”

“Not one had dreamed of leaving his post.”

“They could only talk in whispers. Their eyes were sunken. Their knees trembled.”

The other battalions faced similar losses. Only 22 of the 288 Auckland Mounted Rifles remained.

They say that truth is the first casualty of war and the true horror of this battle was not reflected by the newspapers back home at the time.

Stories were headlined “our boys win new glory,” and “splendid progress made” in the days following Chunuk Bair.

A letter Colonel Malone wrote to a friend was published with the announcement of his death.

“I love these men of mine,” he said.

“Heroes all – as brave as brave can be.”

“Hardy, enduring, patient, cheerful, clever soldiers.”

“New Zealand has reason to be proud of her sons.”

And Turkiye has reason to be proud of its sons too.

They defended this hilltop and their country and gave their lives to do so. 

Too many sons of New Zealand, of Turkiye and of other countries breathed their last breath on this ground and in the battles that raged below it.

The circumstances in which our two nations’ bonds were forged are nightmarish, but we owe it to the fallen to learn from their sacrifice.

Politicians in New Zealand walk past a painting of Chunuk Bair as we enter our debating chamber.

Inside, a plaque bearing Gallipoli’s name hangs above us.

And a few hundred steps away from our Parliament sits a stone from this very memorial.

Reminders like these speak not just of the horrors of war that took place here, but of the need for enduring peace everywhere.

Many New Zealanders come to this place to honour our fallen.

We show by our presence that we have made good on our promise: One hundred and 10 years on, we do remember them. 

And the people of Turkiye remember their own sons and the great courage with which they defended their country.

Today – and on all days – we acknowledge their sacrifice.

Heroes all – as brave as brave can be

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on local leaders to join the Government in driving up school attendance, citing it as a foundation for community and national success.

Seymour has written to all mayors across New Zealand urging them to use the Government’s new daily school attendance dashboard to raise awareness and spark local action.

“I’m calling on mayors to be champions for education in their regions. When students go to school, communities are stronger and better prepared for generations to come,” says Mr Seymour.

“The dashboard provides region-specific data. For instance, the Mayor of Southland is able to see their region recorded an 89% attendance rate on the last Monday of Term 1.

“This is a tool for action, local leaders can now see how their region is doing at a glance, and lead the change they want to see.

“Every day a child misses school is a day they miss out on opportunities to learn, to grow, and to succeed.

In the letter, Seymour encourages local councils to:

• Check out the dashboard and how your region compares with other parts of New Zealand. Encourage others in your community to engage with this dashboard.
• Lead a conversation with your community around how they can support schools to improve attendance. Even small steps like encouraging local businesses to be aware that school-aged children should be at school during school hours is helpful.
• Amplify the message that school is helping our young people achieve better outcomes.
• Let us know what’s working, or not working, in your community, to get young people in school.

In Term 4 of 2024, 58.1% of students attended school regularly, up from 53% in Term 4 of 2023 — a 5.1 percentage point rise. Every region saw an increase on the year prior.

“Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive educational outcomes. Positive educational outcomes lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves,” says Mr Seymour.

“I encourage students, parents, and educators to prioritise education. That is what this Government is doing, and it is what is required for New Zealand to have a better future.”

Attendance data can be found here Attendance | Education Counts 

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Minister for Trade and Investment Hon Todd McClay will today welcome Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, His Excellency Eng Abdulrahman A. AlFadley, to New Zealand. 

Minister AlFadley is leading a delegation of more than 35 senior Saudi officials and business people to Auckland for the 9th New Zealand–Saudi Arabia Joint Ministerial Commission—a key platform for advancing trade and economic ties between the two countries.

“The hosting of this Joint Commission in New Zealand reflects the strong momentum in our relationship with Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf region, particularly following the successful conclusion of negotiations for the New Zealand-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement late last year,” Mr McClay says.

“In a time of global uncertainty, the Government is focused on opening doors for Kiwi exporters and providing greater certainty for New Zealand businesses.

lf’s largest economy and one of our top export markets, with exports reaching $1.14 billion last year, Saudi Arabia presents significant opportunities for Kiwi businesses through the NZ-GCC FTA.”

Alongside the Commission, the Ministers will participate in business outreach focused on agriculture, technology, and digital innovation.

“This visit provides a valuable opportunity to profile world-class Kiwi exporters and highlight investment opportunities in New Zealand’s fast-growing tech sectors,” Mr McClay says.

The Joint Ministerial Commission and business programme will run from 28–30 April in Auckland.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey is pleased to announce today that the Women’s Refuge is the latest recipient of the Government’s Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund. 

“Women’s Refuge do incredibly important work in our communities. They provide a safe space for women and children experiencing family violence, some of whom may be experiencing mental health and addiction challenges. I am delighted that the organisation will receive funding from the Government to help deliver mental health and addiction support to those in need,” Mr Doocey says.

“I am pleased the funding announced today will support 250 advocates based within the 41 Women’s Refuges across New Zealand with mental health and addiction training, advisory support from clinical specialists and strengthen referral pathways so clients can access local mental health and addiction services more efficiently.  

“The feedback I often hear about mental health services is that it is too hard to navigate and know where to go in a time of need. This funding will enable Women’s Refuge to upskill their staff on mental health and addiction as well as improve connections with local services and referral pathways and join up the system to make it more accessible to those in need.

“Over the past five years, Women’s Refuge has supported an average of 15,000 clients per year. This funding will strengthen the workforce and improve referral pathways for those women and children who are accessing Women’s Refuge services.

“Initiatives like this is exactly what the Innovation Fund was designed for, and this support will only grow as we move into the second round of funding.”

The Women’s Refuge will receive $540,000 from the Government across two years, which will be matched by the Women’s Refuge to make a total of $1,080,000 over a two-year period.

In round one of the Innovation Fund the Government have so far supported MATES in Construction, The Mental Health Foundation, YouthLine, Wellington City Mission, Rotorua Youth One Stop Shop and the Sir John Kirwan Foundation.

“I am committed to doing everything possible to bring down mental health and addiction wait times in New Zealand. Partnering with organisations such as Women’s Refuge through the Innovation Fund to deliver innovative projects and initiatives supports the Government’s priority focus of increasing access to mental health and addiction support for Kiwis,” Mr Doocey says.

Note to editors: 

A future procurement opportunity for round two of the Fund was released on the Government Electronic Tender site (GETS) last week and a Request for Proposal is scheduled to be released in May 2025.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

The Government is updating the way it co-invests in public electric vehicle (EV) chargers with the private sector to accelerate the delivery of EV chargers across New Zealand, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Energy Minister Simon Watts say.

“New Zealand needs more EV chargers. We have fewer public chargers per EV than many other countries in the OECD, and we know that this is a barrier to Kiwis purchasing EVs,” Mr Bishop says.

“People buying an EV need confidence that they can charge where and when they need to on a comprehensive public network.

“The number of EV charge points (as of 31 December 2024) is 1,378 – around one for every 84 EVs (battery electric and plug in hybrid). The Government is targeting 10,000 by 2030, so that there will be one public charge point to around 40 EVs. This will remove people’s ‘range anxiety’ and make owning an EV as easy as possible.

“The Government will therefore utilise the highly successful Ultra-Fast Broadband model to accelerate the roll-out of EV chargers. Under the status quo, the private sector are reluctant to invest in charging infrastructure until there’s sufficient demand, but demand for charging won’t grow until the purchase of EVs stops being hampered by a lack of public charging. This chicken-and-egg situation is hampering the roll-out and justifies government action.

“Since 2016, government investment in EV chargers has consisted of direct grants. This made sense when the market for public EV charging was being established. This model is now outdated, with EVs now making up over 2 per cent of the light vehicle fleet, and expected to make up around 11 per cent by 2030. A range of charge point operators have now also entered the market.

“The Government is moving to a more sophisticated, commercial procurement model. We have set aside up to $68.5 million in currently held grant funding, to provide concessionary loans to private operators to co-invest in public EV charging infrastructure. Loans will be quicker to implement and will help achieve the Government’s objectives with less complexity, cost and risk.

“Concessionary loans will bring forward private investment in public EV charging infrastructure by lowering the cost of capital. They will also provide better value for money by maximising private sector investment while keeping the taxpayers’ contribution to a minimum.

“Loans will be awarded through contestable co-investment rounds, and applications will be open to proposals to establish portfolios of public EV charging sites (i.e. multiple charging locations). This is the best way to support scaled-up development and to maximise competitive tension between providers.

“Giving effect to commitments made on the National-Act Coalition agreement, this competitive tension will help ensure public investment flows to proposals delivering the best value-for-money. A cost benefit analysis will also be applied at the point loan applications are assessed, with a successful applicant having demonstrated that the benefits to New Zealand of its project outweigh the costs.”

Mr Watts says that EVs make a huge amount of sense for New Zealand.

“With our bountiful renewable energy resources EVs are a winner for New Zealand. Kiwis charging their EVs are essentially filling their cars with predominantly water, wind, and geothermal energy – rather than fossil fuels – due to our high level of renewable energy.

“There are real benefits to owning an EV. Not only does it support our economic and climate goals, but it also delivers long-term benefits to users by helping keep running costs low. This Government is focused on growing the economy so Kiwis can get ahead.

“By giving people more options to reduce everyday expenses like transport, we’re helping households stay ahead and build a more sustainable future. By co-investing to accelerate public EV infrastructure ahead of demand, we will give more Kiwis the confidence to go electric.”

The new EV charging initiative will be administered by National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFFCo), the successor organisation to Crown Infrastructure Partners (which delivered Ultra-Fast Broadband). EECA will provide assistance as required.

Editor’s notes

• Increasing the number of chargers to support rapid EV uptake will help to reduce New Zealand’s light road transport emissions. An EV used in New Zealand emits at least 60 percent fewer emissions over its full life cycle than do petrol vehicles.
• The concessionary loans will offer up to 50 percent of project costs, have a zero percent interest rate, and a maximum tenure of 13 years. The loans will be awarded through a contestable co-investment bid process.
• Applications will be assessed against value-for-money criteria to ensure loans are awarded to projects of greatest benefit and that New Zealand’s EV charging network grows at pace. A Request for Proposals (RFP) for interested parties is expected to be released shortly.
• Consumer monitoring by EECA consistently shows that some of the main perceived disadvantages of EVs include that the driving range is not suitable for long distance travel, and that there are not enough public chargers available. Increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure gives drivers the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle. See EECA’s Transport Monitor: https://www.eeca.govt.nz/assets/EECA-Transport-Monitor-Mar-Jun-2024.pdf 

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Physician associates will become a regulated profession that will contribute to New Zealand’s talented workforce of health professionals delivering timely, quality healthcare to New Zealanders, Health Minister Simeon Brown has announced.

“Physician associates are overseas-trained health professionals who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a doctor.

“They work in a range of health settings in New Zealand, such as general practice and hospitals, assisting with both clinical and administrative tasks to ensure patient needs are met.

“About 50 physician associates are currently employed across the country, with the workforce expected to grow over coming years.

“Regulating physician associates under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 demonstrates the Government’s commitment to patient safety and providing high quality care.

“By regulating physician associates, they will be required to meet clear standards that are appropriate for the New Zealand health system, including training, supervision, and ongoing professional development.”

The Government has recently made a series of announcements to enable more health professionals to prescribe the medicines patients need. These have included amending the Medicines Act to provide nurse practitioners greater prescribing rights, and changing regulations to allow podiatrists to prescribe medicines relating to their role.

“Ensuring that all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government.

“I look forward to seeing how health services use this growing resource to meet our priorities,” Mr Brown says.

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

One hundred and 10 years ago, on the dawn of this day that we commemorate every year in New Zealand, Anzac troops came ashore here, shoulder-to-shoulder with their brothers from half a world away.

Some anticipated an adventure far from home.

But as the sun rose and the shadows drained from the gullies, it was not adventure that greeted them, but horror.

Instead of the peace we feel now, they faced wave after wave of firing.

Each bullet seeming to come closer than the last, as one soldier put it.

Days became weeks, and weeks became months – but only for those who survived that long.

The metronome of gunfire and shelling kept the dreadful rhythm of life in the trenches.

Gallipoli is a name etched into New Zealand’s national identity.

It represents not only this shore and these hills, but the valour that was shown here on both sides, the terrible sacrifice, and the utter tragedy of war.

Some 16,000 Kiwis served here. At the time, we were a nation of just one million people.

Our contribution as a small nation at the bottom of the world, was disproportionate.

What happened here scarred generations of New Zealanders.

While we remain proud of those who served, we do not glorify what happened here. We know too much to do that. Instead, we acknowledge the courage and tenacity of the Anzacs, and we respect the valour of the Ottoman Turks who resisted them.

Our most decorated Gallipoli veteran, Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Bassett VC said, “real courage isn’t just an act of daring; it’s carrying on.”

And carry on they did. On both sides.

Everyone fought in the same horrific conditions and, through that, unbreakable bonds were formed.

Men of means fought in lockstep with those who came from little.

For the Anzacs, a bond was built between New Zealanders and Australians which we sustain to this day.

The passage of 110 years has lifted the fog of war and given us a clearer view of the futility of the Gallipoli campaign and New Zealand’s role in it. But that greater understanding does not dim our respect for those who fought.

On Anzac Day in particular, we remember the stories of selfless acts of courage that ordinary men committed to save their mates, never knowing that, in doing so, they were writing themselves into the history of our nation.

But it would be a disservice to those whose valour we remember if we forget the real lesson of this campaign: That we should do all we can to prevent anything like it happening again.

Many young Turks lost their lives here defending their country. They fought fearlessly in defence of their position, at great cost. Today, we honour them too.

On behalf of all New Zealanders, I thank Türkiye for protecting the cemeteries and memorials on this site, and caring for our fallen sons as you do for your own.

Visiting this place has become a rite of passage for New Zealanders young and old who seek a connection with those who gave so much for us, so long ago.

Some come looking for their family’s surnames on the headstones.

But some headstones bear the names of men who were struck down too young to bear families of their own.

Whatever motivation visitors have for coming, nobody leaves here unmoved.

Only last year, fire struck the peninsula, reminding us of the fragility of this special environment.

We thank Turkish firefighters for their success in containing the fire and commend the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for restoring the memorials. And as always, we express our gratitude to the Turkish authorities for ensuring this sacred ground is protected into the future.

Soon, the light will reveal the landscape as it did at this hour, on this day, 110 years ago.

It will show us the names etched onto headstones marking where men fell.

It will show us the names of our great grandfathers.

And it will show us the names of men who never became fathers.

We think of them all.

We will remember them.