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NRL: NZ Warriors v Sydney Roosters – what you need to know

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kiwis teammates James Fisher-Harris and Naufahu Whyte will face off, when the Warriors host the Roosters at Go Media Stadium. Photosport/RNZ

NRL: NZ Warriors v Sydney Roosters

Kickoff: 8pm Friday, 6 March

Go Media Stadium, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ website

NZ Warriors kick off their 2025 NRL campaign on Friday night against Sydney Roosters at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.

The home side haven’t enjoyed much success against their rivals in recent times and they will find another old enemy lurking in the Roosters line-up.

Here’s how the game shapes up:

History

Over 48 previous meetings, Sydney Roosters hold a 24-23 head-to-head advantage, with one draw – a 31-31 deadlock at Allianz Stadium that remained unresolved through ‘Golden Point’ in 2007.

That superiority is far more pronounced over the last 10 encounters, where the Roosters enjoy an 8-2 advantage. The first of those defeats came in 2017 at Mt Smart Stadium and the most recent was their last game at the same venue 12 months ago.

Centre Ali Leiataua scored two tries in the 14-6 victory, after the home team trailed 6-4 at halftime, kept their opponents scoreless over the second 40 minutes.

Sydney’s biggest winning margin was 58-6 in 2004, when centre Justin Hodges scored three tries for a home team coached by Ricky Stuart and captained by Brad Fittler. The Roosters would win the minor premiership, but lost to Canterbury Bulldogs in the grand final.

The Warriors’ biggest win was 42-16 in 2006, with Jerome Ropati scoring four tries. The result was part of an impressive finish that saw them win eight of their last 12 games, but a four-point penalty for violating the salary cap ultimately cost them a spot in the playoffs.

Jerome Ropati scores a try against Sydney Roosters. Tim Hales/Photosport

Form

Neither team managed to win during the pre-season, with the Warriors falling 33-18 to Manly Sea Eagles and 38-34 to the Dolphins.

Missing seven players to the Māori v Indigenous All Stars game, they were forced to field a very inexperienced team against the Sea Eagles, but performed much better seven days later at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval, where they led 34-20, before coach Andrew Webster gave his bench a run late.

The Dolphins scored three converted tries in the last 10 minutes – Tevita Naufahu, John Fineanganofo and Brian Pouniu were all born in Auckland – to snatch victory.

Sydney also fielded a makeshift line-up in their 42-26 loss to Wests Tigers, but were closer to full strength for a 28-22 defeat against Parramatta Eels, when they led 22-12 at halftime.

Teams

Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Kurt Capewell, 12. Jacob Laban, 13. Erin Clark

Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Leka Halasima, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Morgan Gannon

Reserves: 21. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 22. Luke Hanson, 23. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

Co-captain Mitch Barnett hasn’t recovered from last year’s season-ending knee injury enough to return for the opening round. He was due for testing in Sydney last week and hopes are high he will be available next week.

Front-rower Jackson Ford will start in his place, Chanel Harris-Tevita has recovered from his pre-season calf niggle to line up outside Tanah Boyd in the halves, while winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has bounced back from his hamstring twinge.

Marata Niukore is still nursing a calf strain and Jacob Laban will take his place in the second row. Englishman Morgan Gannon is poised for an NRL debut from the interchange.

Morgan Gannon may make his NRL debut for the Warriors off the bench. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

Roosters: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Benaiah Ioelu, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12, Nat Butcher, 13. Blake Steep

Interchange: 14. Conor Watson, 15. Siua Wong, 16. Egan Butcher, 17. Spencer Leniu, 18. Cody Ramsey, 19. Fetalaiga Pauga

Reserves: 20. Salesi Foketi, 21. Tommy Talau, 22. Toby Rodwell

Veteran half Daly Cherry-Evans will make his first-game debut for the Roosters, after spending the first 15 years of his career at Manly.

Last time he faced the Warriors, he provided the gamewinning field goal in his Sea Eagles farewell.

With off-season recruit Reece Robson sidelined by a broken thumb, Auckland-born Benaiah Ioelu will line up at hooker, while Victor ‘the Inflictor’ Radley will begin the new season serving a 10-game suspension for his part in the drugs scandal also involving Kiwi Brandon Smith.

Winger Mark Nawaqanitawase was the competition’s top tryscorer last year, while centre Robert Toia was Dally M Rookie of the Year.

Player to watch

When fullback James Tedesco lost his NSW Origin spot in 2024, after 22 consecutive appearances, many probably assumed he was entering the twilight of his career.

James Tedesco fends off Nathan Cleary during the 22025 NRL. DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAP/Photosport

Instead, he produced one of his best seasons in 2025, winning the Dally M Medal for the second time and taking Captain of the Year honours for good measure.

“We’ve got a world class fullback that we’re coming up against on the weekend,” Warriors counterpart Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad said. “It’s a really good challenge, a really good individual challenge… he can do whatever he wants, but if we get the ‘W’, I’ll be happy with that.”

Kiwi player to watch

Since the departure of Kiwi hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, young countryman Naufahu Whyte has elevated his game to fill the void, logging 23 games in each of the last two seasons and bringing up his 50th appearance for the Roosters last year.

His progress has made him an automatic selection for the national team and he will come up against NZ captain James Fisher-Harris this week.

“I’ve admired the bro for a long time now, ever since he was first in the Kiwis,” Fisher-Harris acknowledged. “Just the way he holds himself on and off the field.

“He’s developed into a good player now and last year he was killing it. He’s my bro and I’m keen to go at it.”

What they say

“It’s surprised me how well he trains for a guy who’s 37 years old. He doesn’t miss a session, he’s out there doing extras and looks after himself really well.”

Tedesco on new recruit Cherry-Evans

Daly Cherry-Evans celebrates his winning field goal against the Warriors in his final game for Manly. Jeremy Ng/www.photosport.nz

“A bit like us, I’m sure they’re not going to be perfect round one, but they will be experienced enough through those three [Cheery-Evans, Tedesco and Walker] to come with plenty of options. They’re a dangerous spine and Cherry’s going to add a lot.”

Webster on what to expect from Cherry-Evans

New rules

The NRL has brought in some new regulations that will challenge coaches’ adbility to adjust through the early rounds.

  • Trainers won’t be able to run onto the field during play, a move designed to prioritise player safety, while also reducing messages being carried onto the field from coaches.
  • Interchange benches will now consists of six players, but only four can be used up to eight times per game. This will allow coaches to carry specialist replacements among their subs.
  • Defensive teams will no longer have a seven-tackle set, if the attacking team knocks on in goal.
  • Infringements beyond the 20-metre line will be punished with a six-again call, replacing the previous 40-metres threshold.
  • A proposal to give teams the option of kicking off or receiving the kickoff after a try was shelved for now.

What will happen

Too early in the season to make any informed predictions. This is a talented Roosters roster, but the result will come down to whoever can find some early-season cohesion quickest.

Cherry-Evans and Tedesco certainly know how to beat the Warriors, and their combination is scary.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Corey Peters determined to make last Paralympics a golden one

Source: Radio New Zealand

Corey Peters heads to Milan with four Paralympic medals already to his name. PHOTOSPORT

Corey Peters has spent most of the past decade chasing winters.

For 12 straight years, the New Zealand sit-skier went season to season without a break, building a career that has delivered four Paralympic medals, including downhill gold at Beijing in 2022. But the road to Milan has looked nothing like the ones that came before it.

Instead of relentless travel and northern hemisphere campaigns, Peters stepped away after the birth of his first child, Valentina, in 2023. He wanted to be present for her first year – and for his partner – and said the decision was one of the best he has made.

“I wanted to build that connection and bond with my daughter,” Peters told RNZ.

“Up until then, it had been 12 years of back-to-back winters without a season off. So it was a perfect excuse to have a break from the first year of an Olympic cycle. I wanted to support my partner and just be there for Valentina as much as I could.”

He had barely begun his return when a setback followed. A dislocated shoulder in training wiped out much of the next season, meaning Peters effectively spent the first two years of his daughter’s life largely at home.

“In hindsight, it was kind of a blessing in disguise really,” he said. “We’re really close and have a good relationship.”

That closeness has made this campaign different in more ways than one. Valentina, now three, struggles with his time away.

“She’s always saying how much she misses daddy and asks when I’m coming home. That goes to show the bond that we’ve created.”

It has also shifted his motivation.

“Up until then, I guess I’d been doing it for myself and now I feel like I am doing it for them as well.”

Peters won gold at the Beijing Winter Paralympics in 2022, adding to his two silver and one bronze in his medal collection. AFP/Xinhua

But fatherhood brought doubt too – particularly in a discipline as unforgiving as downhill sit-skiing.

“One of the biggest things that I did struggle with was how much risk you wanted to put into it,” he said. “You’re aware of your body and not wanting to crash.”

Working with a sports psychologist and logging more time in the start gate gradually restored his belief. Now, on the eve of his fourth Paralympics, he feels competitive again.

The Milan Games, which officially begin on Friday, will likely be Peters’ last at this level. At 42, he acknowledges another four-year cycle may be a stretch, though a world championships campaign next year remains a possibility.

He arrives in Italy as the defending downhill sitting champion after his breakthrough gold at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, where he also claimed silver in the Super-G. His first Paralympic medal came at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics with silver in the giant slalom, followed by downhill bronze at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics.

He has never left a Games empty-handed – a record he is keenly aware of.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want to get one,” he said. “To have that 100 percent success rate at each Games that I’ve participated in – that’s kind of in the back of my mind.”

This time, though, he knows the challenge will be steeper. The Cortina course is more technical than the one in China, with rolling terrain and blind breakovers that punish hesitation. The field has also deepened, as the sport continues to grow.

“It’s certainly not going to be an easy task. You’ve got a bit of a target on your back. Every four years, the competition improves.”

Peters will contest the downhill, Super-G and giant slalom in Milan and says a multi-medal haul would be “the icing on the cake” of his career.

Peters came away with silver in the giant slalom sitting event at his first Paralympics in Sochi 12 years ago. Supplied

His path to the top of the sport was anything but conventional. A former Taranaki age-group and development squad rugby representative, Peters’ life changed in 2009 when he suffered a crushed spinal cord in a motocross accident. After four months in a spinal unit learning to navigate life in a wheelchair, he discovered sit-skiing in 2011 – a sport that would reshape his future.

“It’s been massive for overcoming the spinal cord injury,” he said. “It completely changed my life.”

Whatever happens in Milan, Peters expects skiing to remain part of it. Even if this is his final Paralympics, he plans to continue recreationally, frequenting his local fields at Cardrona and Treble Cone.

“It’s the sense of freedom that it gives you,” he said. “Your disability kind of disappears when you’re in the sit-ski. You don’t have the same limitations on you as you do in the wheelchair on a day-to-day basis.”

For now, though, his focus is firmly on one more push at the highest level – balancing the pursuit of another medal with the perspective he has gained away from the slopes.

The downhill sitting event is scheduled for late Saturday night (NZT), with the Super-G and giant slalom later in the programme.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Was it really a rubbish summer this year? What the numbers say

Source: Radio New Zealand

Canterbury flooding – Little River – 17 February 2026 RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

The latest data from Earth Sciences New Zealand shows just how wet and cool it was at some points this summer for parts of the South Island and lower North Island.

Chester Lampkin from Earth Sciences New Zealand told Morning Report although it may not have seemed like the best summer, overall the summer was about average, he said.

“Essentially we had a warm start to the summer, December was nearly 1C above what is considered the average and temperatures were near average for January and then it just got a little bit colder.”

In February temperatures were half a degree below average, there was low pressure and more southerlies, he said.

“As a result this is going to end up being an average summer, people won’t remember it that way but statistically that’s how it played out.”

The summer was dominated by lots of high pressure but there were three very unsettled periods, he said.

Flooding at Little River in Canterbury on 17 February 2026. RNZ/Nathan McKinnon

It was unsettled from Christmas to New Year holiday period with many places getting a lot of rain and wind, he said.

From around 20 to 22 January it was also unsettled and that was when record rainfall in Coromandel and Bay of Plenty saw the tragic incidents that occurred there, he said.

“We have the storm that occurred around Valentines Day that brought heavy rain to Gisborne and rain and wind to the Wellington region and parts of the South Island and continued all the way down to Banks Peninsula and Otago.”

Parts of the South Island and lower North Island such as Wellington Christchurch and Dunedin had above normal rainfall and below or near normal in terms of temperature, he said.

Earth Sciences New Zealand’s map forecasting the seasonal climate outlook from March-May 2026. Earth Sciences New Zealand

The weather pattern in autumn is expected to be similar to what happened in the summer, he said.

“That means the possibility of some tropical intrusions or some tropical air seeping southwards from the tropics across the North Island and perhaps the upper South and temperatures will likely be reflected in that if we get more tropical lows that’ll keep temperatures down, at western areas, particularly the South Island will be a little warmer than average but maybe you won’t notice it because it’ll be cooler autumn air.”

Lampkin said it would be difficult to predict how much sunshine there would be but his best guess was that “a lot of New Zealand would be in the cloud for much of the autumn as well”.

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Crash, Shenandoah Highway / SH65, Tasman

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are responding to a report of a crash on Shenandoah Highway.

Police were called to the crash involving a single vehicle about midday.

Initial reports indicate two people with moderate injuries are being assessed by Ambulance.

Shenandoah Highway / State Highway 65 is currently closed between Awapiriti and Maruia West Bank Roads.

Police ask motorists to avoid the area where possible and expect delays. Visit NZTA’s Journey Planner site for updates on traffic flow.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre 

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Construction worker pulls man from burning house in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Marika Khabazi

A construction worker has described pulling someone from a burning house in the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby.

A number of firefighters are at the scene on Tawariki Street, with crews using an aerial crane to try contain the fire on Thursday.

Jeremy Lodder was working at a construction site nearby when he noticed a fire on the other side of the road.

Jeremy Lodder was working at a construction site nearby when he noticed a fire on the other side of the road. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

He stopped working and leapt into action.

“I just thought it was a burn off, but it was a strange place for it in the middle of the city. I realised it was pretty close to the brick walls and once I saw that, I stopped my machine that I was using, told the other boys to stop, talked to the supervisor who was here [and] told him to call the fire brigade,” Lodder said.

“… knocked on the doors, found one guy in there, got him out, while the house was on fire.”

Lodder said he’s seen house fires before and knows how fast they can spread.

“That’s why as soon as I saw it I jumped out [and] stopped my gear.”

Workers were at a construction site nearby when they saw the fire. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Fire and Emergency (FENZ) Senior Station Officer Michael Manning told RNZ there were multiple calls just after 10am.

“We got here within a couple of minutes and the rear of the house was well involved in fire and the neighbouring house was also starting to catch fire,” he said.

He said the first home has extensive damage, but the neighbour’s home has been spared and has only scorch marks.

“The crews did an excellent job stopping the fire moving through that property,” he said.

Manning said the police were called while there were initial concerns for the whereabouts of the person at the home and whether they were hurt or missing.

“He’s now been located and is speaking with our fire investigators and police,” Manning said.

Firefighters at the scene of the fire in Ponsonby. RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Six fire trucks and more than 20 crew were called in.

Manning said it had been a busy morning for Auckland fire crews. They responded to the Ponsonby fire fresh after attending a fire on Hobson Street in the CBD.

“We had just recommissioned from that when this job came in,” he said.

Crews are using a high-reach ladder truck from Wellington to take the roof off and put out the remaining pockets of fire,” Manning said.

The fire comes a day after a person died in another house fire in Auckland.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Wellington eco-sanctuary Zealandia facing huge bill after wild winds hit region

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington’s eco-sanctuary Zealandia is facing a bill of tens of thousands of dollars following last month’s wild winds.

In February, the lower North Island was hit by a brutal storm which brought down trees, shut roads and cut off power to thousands.

The capital experienced its strongest winds in more than a decade with gusts of 193 kilometres an hour recorded at Mount Kaukau, and 128km/h at Wellington Airport.

At Zealandia, which was home to Takahe, Kākā, Little Spotted Kiwi and more, the sanctuary’s conservation and restoration general manager Jo Ledington told RNZ the weather event had been described as like being in a “snow globe”.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

“That’s what it felt like, we came in and it just felt like the whole valley had been shaken, there was just leaf debris everywhere up to sort of 10 centimetres on tracks in places.”

Ledington said the wind toppled pine trees as tall as 30 metres which needed to be cleared.

“They are very big, big old trees.”

She said it had taken a financial toll on the community organisation.

RNZ / Mark Papalii

“The cost of cleaning up is high I have had to pull my team off their normal work of maintaining the predator free fence and yeah we have pulled everyone onto these tracks to get the cleaning up done.

“And then of course we need professional arborists to come in and do that really big heavy work and that comes at a significant cost.”

It was unclear what that full cost would be yet.

“It will be tens and tens of thousands yeah, we are running an appeal at the moment, and we have had incredible community support for that.”

RNZ / Mark Papalii

She said with Zealandia shutting more often due to storms, they were planning for how they dealt with the new normal of more severe weather.

That included refreshing the site’s predator proof fence with the latest climate data.

“The rebuild will be building for our future projections of wind and whatever gets thrown at it.”

It was hoped that the trees would be cleared by the end of March.

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Government backs Kiwi seafarer workforce growth

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government’s taking action to grow New Zealand’s ageing seafarer workforce and improve its supply-chain resilience, through a major investment in training opportunities for those entering the industry, Associate Transport Minister James Meager has announced.

“Our local seafaring industry is under significant pressure. Many experienced seafarers are nearing retirement, and strong competition from international shipping, combined with thin margins make it difficult for Kiwi operators to train replacements,” Mr Meager says.

“These ongoing issues are threatening the long-term resilience of our coastal freight services. That’s why we’ve committed $8.3 million from the Coastal Shipping Resilience Fund to trainee places on ships (known as training berths).

“This support will significantly ease financial pressures on domestic vessel operators training the workforce of tomorrow. It means they can cover things like trainees’ wages, food and travel, course costs and PPE equipment. 

“We’ve seen how recent storms and major events like Cyclone Gabrielle significantly impact communities. In many cases the only way to deliver essential supplies is by sea, due to road and rail links being cut off.

“However, those vessels can only operate if they have skilled, qualified seafarers, engineers and deck officers to staff them. Training capacity is being severely constrained by the number of berths available.

“Maritime schools can provide the required vocational training, but without training berths for sea time, trainees can’t enter the workforce. Time at sea is often a requirement for other roles in the maritime sector such as port pilots, tug operators, harbourmasters and ship surveyors.

“Building a home-grown supply of talent will not only support coastal shipping, but the wider maritime sector that underpins New Zealand’s local and national economy. It will ensure we can move our goods around the country, particularly in a time of crisis.

“This yet another example of our Government’s dedication to fixing the basics and building the future of New Zealand.”

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World media reacts to appointment of new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie

Source: Radio New Zealand

Dave Rennie. AAP / Photosport

Dave Rennie has been tasked with leading the All Blacks through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Rennie was named as the new head coach on Wednesday, replacing Scott Robertson after just two years at the helm.

The former Chiefs and Wallabies coach will take up the role in June, when the Japanese Rugby League One season ends, where he coaches Kobelco Kobe Steelers.

Rennie will then take charge ahead of the July home series against France, Italy and Ireland.

As a former coach of Australia, and with the World Cup also taking place there next year, his appointment as All Blacks coach didn’t go unnoticed across the Tasman.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Rennie was still very popular amongst the Wallabies’ players, with BBC Sport also touching on his popular tenure in Scotland.

Meanwhile, with the All Blacks set to tackle the Springboks in four-test tour in August, South African journalists have drawn parallels between Rennie’s appointment and Rassie Erasmus.

Rugby365

By Jon Cardinelli

A few parallels can be drawn between the appointment of Rennie at the All Blacks and that of Rassie Erasmus at the Boks in 2018.

Like Erasmus, Rennie has the technical knowledge to improve the team as well as the emotional intelligence to connect with the players.

What he doesn’t have, of course, is a lot of time.

There’s plenty of optimism in New Zealand at present, but Rennie himself summed the situation up when he said, “We’ve got a lot of work to do”.

BBC Sport

By Simon Armstrong

Certainly, Rennie’s record aged well. Eddie Jones, who replaced him for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, was divisive off the pitch and then disastrous on it, with the Wallabies losing to Fiji and Wales and failing to get out of their pool for the first time in tournament history.

Rennie was also highly respected during his three years at Glasgow Warriors, where he took the team to the Pro14 final in 2019, and went about his business in a calm, considered way.

He will need that composure in a high-pressure job that seemed to ruffle predecessor Scott Robertson. But Rennie is due another crack at the Test stage.

RugbyPass

By Nick Bishop

There is no question the newly-crowned All Black coaching king will reverse many of the stylistic and tactical trends of the Robertson era.

There will be more kick and turnover returns and more counters from deep with ball in hand. Forwards will be selected for intensity and skills rather than pure mass, and the prophylactic thumb blocking overseas selections may finally be pulled out of the dyke, allowing the water to flow from outside the country and back into New Zealand.

Brutality in and around the all-important tackle area will also make a welcome comeback, though whether it is accompanied by the requisite discipline may depend on the reassuring, steadying hand of Smith on the tiller. Not the first time in his coaching career, ‘Smithy’ may be the vital oil that allows the wheels of the almighty All Blacks machine to roll again.

Sydney Morning Herald

By Iain Payten

Strong references from former Wallabies stars played a part in New Zealand Rugby’s decision to appoint Dave Rennie as the new All Blacks coach.

Rennie remains a hugely popular figure among Australian rugby stars. An onlooker said Rennie was surrounded by Wallabies players when he visited the team hotel in Tokyo last year after a Test against Japan.

In a congratulatory post on X, former Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper sprayed RA.

Planet Rugby

By Jared Wright

The parallels with Erasmus are unavoidable whenever a nation makes a big coaching change so close to a Rugby World Cup. So the question is how much of SA Rugby’s playbook will New Zealand follow?

Erasmus signed an unheard-of eight-year deal in 2018; Rennie’s contract doesn’t compare.

But will the new NZ Rugby board move with the times and at least give Rennie some leeway in selecting overseas players? It’s an issue that Robertson raised almost immediately when he took over the reins, as he pushed to get his serial winning fly-half Richie Mo’unga in his squad. He was unsuccessful with his pleas.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Fatal crash: Sumner

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can confirm one person has died following a crash in Sumner on 22 February.

A cyclist was transported to hospital following the Evans Pass Road crash.

They passed away in hospital yesterday, 4 March.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

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Supporting first-year GP trainees

Source: New Zealand Government

Changes to the way first-year GP trainees are employed will make it easier for new doctors to choose general practice and help strengthen the primary care workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Health New Zealand will directly employ all first-year GP trainees not already in private practice, removing barriers and making it easier for new doctors to begin their careers in general practice, with applications opening on Monday for 2027.

“Currently, doctors have to leave Health New Zealand employment when they move from hospital training into their first year of GP training and instead become employed by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. That shift can affect leave entitlements and continuity of service, discouraging some from pursuing general practice.”

“Under the new model, doctors will remain employed by Health New Zealand during their first year of GP training, keeping the same employment conditions and continuity of benefits as their hospital-based colleagues.”

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners will continue to lead the training programme, including curriculum, standards, quality assurance, and clinical placements.

Currently, around 60 per cent of first-year GP trainees are employed by the College, with the remainder employed by private practices. In later years of training, most registrars are employed directly by general practices.

“We know primary care is the cornerstone of our health system. If we want New Zealanders to see a GP when they need one, we must make it simpler and more attractive for doctors to train in general practice.

“We are focused on strengthening the pipeline because every additional GP means better access to healthcare for patients and their families. Building a stronger workforce now will ensure New Zealanders can get the care they need, when they need it.”

The Government is also progressing a range of initiatives to strengthen the GP workforce, including:

  • Increasing medical training places across Auckland and Otago by 100 per year over the course of this Government.
  • Establishing the Waikato Medical School, which will train an additional 120 doctors each year from 2028.
  • Funding 100 overseas-trained doctors already living in New Zealand to begin work in GP practices over the next two years.
  • Funding up to 50 New Zealand-trained graduate doctors a year to train in primary care settings.
  • Fully funding GP training fees for all three years of the programme, aligning it with other medical specialties.