MIL-OSI Publisher – Page 626

May 7, 2025

HY25: Solid result in challenging economic environment

Source: Indian Muneem Inaugurates Its New Office Branch In New Zealand

BNZ has reported a 4.8% decrease in underlying profit for the six months to 31 March 2025 to $1,075 million, reflecting a challenging economic environment and a highly competitive banking sector.

BNZ’s statutory net profit increased 4.3% on the prior year to $795 million.

BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says, “overall, this is a solid result in the current economic environment. It supports our view that despite the current uncertainty driven by global trade and tariff tensions, New Zealand’s economic fundamentals have improved.

“Looking beyond the current global volatility, we have confidence in the New Zealand economy and have delivered an impairment write back to reflect this.”

“BNZ remains focused on supporting New Zealanders and New Zealand businesses,” says Mr Huggins.

“This focus has seen more than 50,000 New Zealanders switch to BNZ in the first half of the financial year, as we continue to invest in more frontline bankers to improve customer service levels, reduce wait times, and open all our branches five days a week.

“It is also reflected in customer satisfaction, with BNZ moving into #1 position for our Consumer Net Promoter Score* (NPS).”

BNZ’s total lending increased $4.3 billion or 4.1% – with home lending up 5.6% and business lending up 2.0%.

BNZ also reported a significant increase in deposits up $5.4 billion or 6.8%. Term deposits continued to be the most popular choice, while BNZ’s Rapid Save – a market leading everyday high-interest rate savings account**- grew by $1.7b or 13.7%.

Supporting growth

“The economy appears to be at a turning point, and while uncertainty remains, BNZ is well positioned to support its customers,” says Mr Huggins.

“BNZ continues to make capital available for customers looking to invest in their business or buy their first or next home.”

“We’ve supported nearly 6,000 New Zealanders with their home ownership ambitions in the first six months of the financial year, with first home buyers accounting for almost one third of all new home loans.

“As New Zealand’s largest business bank, we understand that businesses will be at the forefront of our economic recovery. That’s why we are always looking for new and innovative ways to support our customers to invest and grow.”

BNZ backed Payap, New Zealand’s first digital wallet and point of sale app utilising open banking and compatible with all New Zealand banks, is one of those innovations.

More than 10,000 business customers have already signed up for Payap, which will leverage the power of open banking to reduce merchant fees by up to 80% on transactions going through Payap.

BNZ continues to lead the market in open banking, with over 300,000 customers and 26 fintechs using BNZ’s APIs.

Economic outlook

Mr Huggins says, “lower interest rates and strong conditions in the primary sector have helped support improvements in the New Zealand economy.

“However, trade tensions have created significant volatility and heightened uncertainty in global markets.

“We are watching these developments closely to gauge how this uncertainty impacts global growth and New Zealand’s economic recovery. However, we remain optimistic about the country’s long-term outlook and are committed to supporting New Zealand’s growth aspirations.”

ENDS

*Consumer NPS – Net Promoter Score. This measures the likelihood of a customer’s recommendation to others.

**BNZ Rapid Save winner of 2024 Canstar Outstanding Everyday Value Account.

An unaudited summary of financial information for the six months ended 31 March 2025 follows:

Statutory net profit has been prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in New Zealand (“NZ GAAP”). It complies with New Zealand equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (“NZ IFRS”) and other applicable Financial Reporting Standards.
Cash earnings is a non-IFRS key financial performance measure used by BNZ for its internal management reporting as it better reflects what BNZ considers to be underlying performance. Cash earnings is not a statutory financial measure, is not presented in accordance with NZ GAAP and is not audited or reviewed in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (New Zealand).
NAB NZ Banking Reporting Segment consists of Partnership Banking, servicing retail, business and private customers; Corporate and Institutional Banking, servicing corporate and institutional customers, and the Markets operations in New Zealand. It also includes National Australia Bank’s investment in FirstCape and the impact of distributions to non-controlling interests.
Unrealised fair value gains or losses on economic hedges that do not qualify for hedge accounting and hedge ineffectiveness causes volatility in statutory profit, which is excluded from cash earnings as it is income neutral over the full term of transactions. This arises from fair value movements relating to trading derivatives for risk management purposes; fair value movements relating to assets; liabilities and derivatives designated in hedge relationships; and fair value movements relating to asset and liabilities designated at fair value.
Spot volumes (unless otherwise stated).

The post HY25: Solid result in challenging economic environment appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

May 7, 2025

Unemployment rate remains at 5.1 percent in the March 2025 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Labour market statistics: March 2025 quarter

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Unemployment rate remains at 5.1 percent in the March 2025 quarter – 7 May 2025 – The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in the March 2025 quarter, unchanged from last quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

In the March 2025 quarter:

the unemployment rate was 5.1 percent
the employment rate was 67.2 percent
annual wage inflation was 2.9 percent
average ordinary time hourly earnings were $42.79.

“Seasonally adjusted levels of unemployment remained at 156,000 between the December 2024 and March 2025 quarters,” labour market spokesperson Abby Johnston said.

Files:

May 7, 2025

Heritage – Welcome to the first Ōtautahi Festival of Archaeology

Source: Heritage New Zealand

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and the Christchurch Archaeology Project are joined by the heritage organisations, archaeology companies and museums of Ōtautahi to offer a fantastic range of archaeology themed activities at Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House in honour of New Zealand Archaeology Week.

Try your hand at excavation, take part in archaeology themed activities and talk to archaeologists about their artefacts and work. Discover what it takes to be an archaeologist in this hands-on free family event.

The festival is free and open to families and archaeology fans of all ages. Dr Katharine Watson of the Christchurch Archaeology Project says, “This is a chance to bring along any questions for archaeologists about what they do, the things they find, as well as any questions about archaeology as a career.”

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has art activities inspired by experimental archaeology. Make sure to wear old clothes as you might get dirty while practising your excavation skills. Canterbury Museum’s stall will be displaying hands-on collection items and testing your knowledge of middens. Pūtaringamotu Riccarton House & Bush have artefacts discovered onsite, and will be holding story time sessions, complete with magnifying glasses and explorer hats. Test your knowledge of key Māori sites in Ōtautahi via an activity linked to Ngāi Tahu Archive’s Kā Huru Manu online atlas. And bring your library card so you can check out archaeology and history books at Christchurch City Library’s stall.

There will be professional archaeologists onsite from Christchurch Archaeology Project, Underground Overground and the Department of Conservation. They will be displaying artefacts discovered on recent excavation sites in central Christchurch. Touch and hold these taonga and find out more about what has been discovered under our city. You’ll also have the chance to try on real archaeologist’s gear and equipment.

Event organiser, Rosemary Baird, Senior Outreach Advisor for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, is excited about this new archaeology festival.

“All our partners have been so creative in coming up with fun ideas for the day. We also have a Junior Archaeologist activity booklet that kids can get stamped at each activity. Once you have four stamps you can create your own Ōtautahi Festival of Archaeology badge with Canterbury Museum’s badge making machine. Event sponsors Charlies are providing free juice pouches for all visitors.”

Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House suffrage museum will be open to paying visitors between 11am-3pm. The National Portrait Gallery’s exhibtion Background Matters: Portraiture and Place in Aotearoa, is also showing onsite. Entry to the art exhibition is free.

Event information:

Date: 11am-3pm, Saturday 10 May.

Venue: Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House, 83 Clyde Road.

Cancellation policy: The event is under tent cover and will go ahead unless the weather is very bad. Check the Facebook event or Eventbrite listing for cancellation.

Cost: Free, koha appreciated.

Parking: There is no parking onsite. Free parking is available in the University of Canterbury’s Arts Road carpark, which is a 5-minute walk from the property. Otherwise, take the 120 bus, which stops outside on Clyde Road.

ABOUT HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is the leading national historic heritage agency for Aotearoa New Zealand, operating as an autonomous Crown Entity. Our mission is to identify, protect, and promote heritage – Kia mōhiotia atu, kia tiakina, kia hāpaingia ā tātau taonga tuku iho.

We actively engage with communities, foster partnerships, and provide valuable resources to support those who are passionate about exploring, learning, and connecting with our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit our website at www.heritage.org.nz

ABOUT NEW ZEALAND ARCHAEOLOGY WEEK 2025

This will be the ninth New Zealand Archaeology Week. The New Zealand Archaeological Association is working to increase public awareness and highlight the importance of protecting our archaeological heritage by promoting the work of New Zealand archaeologists both at home and abroad.

New Zealand Archaeology Week 2025 will comprise of a variety of events around Aotearoa and content shared online. These events are being hosted by consultant archaeologists, museums, heritage organisations and iwi and will include public talks, historic walks, community events and displays across a number of regions.

May 7, 2025

Pay Equity – It’s more than just equal pay – Amnesty International

Source: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

In response to reports that the Government is amending the Equal Pay Act under urgency, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s Movement Building and Advocacy Director, Lisa Woods, said:

“This looks like an abuse of process. Once again we are seeing the Government rushing through legislation without adequate oversight and the opportunity for us all, especially those most impacted, to have a say. That’s not what happens in a healthy, thriving, representative democracy.

There can be legitimate reasons for using urgency. However, we are concerned that urgency is being used over and over and over again when it doesn’t need to be – avoiding the scrutiny and public input that helps protect against bad law.

This is a problem we’ve seen across successive governments. It risks normalising undemocratic practices, bypassing normal checks and balances that support transparency and participation.

The use of urgency is not an isolated concern.

We’re seeing actions by Government utterly disregarding Te Tiriti o Waitangi – a fundamental part of our constitutional make-up. We’re seeing accountability and transparency challenged in other areas such as with the Official Information Act.

New Zealanders must seriously question what path this is all leading us down and take a stand for the kind of society we want – one that’s based on respect, dignity and equity.

This starts with getting our foundation right. For Aotearoa New Zealand this is about upholding Te Tiriti and the tino rangatiratanga it guarantees. In doing so we provide a place for us all to belong, for respectful relationships to flourish and a just foundation for how we can make decisions together.

When our systems are designed so we can all make a meaningful contribution, we can all benefit in so many ways, including more well-rounded and informed decision-making, stronger communities and feelings of belonging and connection. Not to mention overcoming intergenerational inequities in how different groups of people are paid.”

May 7, 2025

Employment – Workers pledge hybrid work is best to be productive – Survey

Source: Robert Half

70% of Kiwi workers believe hybrid work has a positive impact on their productivity levels
32% of workers believe working in the office full-time has a negative impact on their productivity
94% say the work environment has an impact on their productivity.

Auckland, 7 May 2025 – Employees believe a hybrid work arrangement has the most positive impact on enhancing their productivity, new independent research by specialised recruiter Robert Half finds.

When asked to outline the impacts on productivity of different work environments, only 6% of employees stated it does not matter where or when they work, as they do not believe it would impact their productivity.

Workers believe working at home has the greatest positive impact on their productivity levels, whether that is for some (70%) or all (63%) of their working week. Similarly, with 32%, working from the office full time was reported as having the highest negative impact on productivity of all ways of working.

	Working from home full time	Working from the office full time	Hybrid work	Working outside of traditional hours
Positive impact	63%	42%	70%	57%
Negative impact	16%	32%	8%	16%
No impact	22%	26%	23%	27%

Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 500 full-time office workers in New Zealand

“Workers find that the blend of in-office and at-home work optimises their productivity by leveraging the unique advantages of each environment,” says Megan Alexander, Managing Director at Robert Half. “But most New Zealand employers now require full-time office attendance as business leaders recognise that the absence of in-person work hinders the collaborative culture that leads to increased productivity.

“In saying this, many organisations are providing flexible work hours, giving employees the option to adjust their day when needed as an alternative, which is shown to have positive effects on worker productivity, motivation, and engagement. The most successful organisations will be those that find the right balance between flexibility and accountability.”

About the research

The study was developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in November 2024 by an independent research company among 500 full-time office workers in finance, accounting, and IT and technology. Respondents are drawn from a sample of SMEs as well as large private, publicly-listed and public sector organisations across New Zealand. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management, and trends in the workplace.

About Robert Half

Robert Half is the global, specialised talent solutions provider that helps employers find their next great hire and jobseekers uncover their next opportunity. Robert Half offers both contract and permanent placement services, and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.  Robert Half New Zealand has an office in Auckland. More information on roberthalf.com/nz.

May 7, 2025

University Research – Vape shops cluster around schools – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Almost half of New Zealand schools are within a short walking distance of a specialist vape retailer, despite a law aimed at preventing vape stores near schools.

Embargoed to NZT 1201AM Wednesday 7 May: Almost half of schools across Aotearoa New Zealand have a specialist vape store within a 10-minute walk, despite recent legislation aimed at preventing this.

New research, which overlays vape stores on school locations, shows 44 percent of schools have a vape store within a one-kilometre radius and 13 percent have a dedicated store within 300 metres.

“That means a lot of our young people are getting multiple exposures on a daily basis to vape stores and vape marketing, to the attractive window displays and to the omnipresence of vaping, as a constantly available and easy thing to engage with,” says Ronan Payinda, a fourth-year medical student at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, who led the study.

Payinda says he saw the explosion of vaping while he was at school in Northland and felt that, as a society, Aotearoa New Zealand was failing to grapple with its potentially serious health effects.

Since 2020, it has been illegal to sell vapes to people under 18.

However, in 2021, more than a quarter (26 percent) of secondary school students reported having vaped in the previous week.

In 2023, the government passed legislation banning specialist vape stores from opening within 300 metres of schools and marae: however, existing vape shops were allowed to continue operating.

The law was a response to reports of teens, parents, schools and teachers struggling with the epidemic of vaping.

Payinda says this study, published today [NZT 7 May] in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health shows that stronger regulations are needed. Read the study. [Goes live 7 May, PDF available]

“We are not putting the right protections in place to ensure that a whole new generation of young people aren’t chained to addictions for the rest of their lives,” Payinda says.

The study looked only at specialist vape stores, whereas corner stores, petrol stations and other outlets, which sell a more limited range of vapes, are more popular with young people who reported no great difficulty making the illegal purchases.

Further, the researchers found inequity in the location of vape stores.

“We stratified these results by the level of deprivation of each community and found that there was a strong association between the level of poverty a community was suffering and the proximity of the vape stores to their schools.

Among the most affluent fifth of schools, seven percent had a specialist vape store within a 300-metre radius. Among the poorest quintile, 40 percent of schools had a specialist vape store within 300 metres.

Research in the US has found exposure to e-cigarette marketing via retail stores increases the likelihood of vape use among middle and high-school students.

The long-term health effects of youth vaping are not yet known, but strong associations are emerging, Payinda says.

The American Heart Association (AHA) says, in a statement, vapes can impair sleep quality, may affect mental health and may lead to nicotine dependence.

Available studies suggest adolescents who vape may have lower lung function and be susceptible to respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia.

Smoking cigarettes can lead to heart disease. So, while comparable long-term data for vaping are lacking, the AHA report raises concerns about the possibility of heart disease in later years.

The number of stores selling vapes within one kilometre of schools shows there is a need for more rigorous vaping policy, Payinda says.

“We need to implement regulations to prevent young people from not just being exposed to vaping products but also accessing them and becoming addicted to them in the long term,” Payinda says. “We need to get more serious about protecting our young people.”

About the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
“Vape shops on the way to school: geographical analysis of the proximity of Specialist Vape Retailers to New Zealand schools” will be published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health at 12:01am 7 May 2025.
Please credit the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health as the source of the research. 
The Journal is the official publication of the Public Health Association of Australia.
All articles are open access and can be found here: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/australian-and-new-zealand-journal-of-public-health

May 7, 2025

Economy – Risks to the financial system have increased – Reserve Bank of NZ

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

7 May 2025 – Risks to the financial system have increased over the past six months, Reserve Bank Governor Christian Hawkesby says in releasing the May 2025 Financial Stability Report.

“Financial stability is critical for ensuring that New Zealanders can safely save, borrow, and manage financial risk,” Mr Hawkesby says. “While the global economic environment has become more volatile, our financial institutions are in a strong position to support the economy.”

Geopolitical risks have escalated, particularly following the US imposition of sweeping tariffs on goods imports from many countries, including New Zealand. These developments have heightened financial market volatility and pose a material risk to global economic activity.

Domestically, economic activity remains subdued. Previously high interest rates, rising unemployment, and a weak housing market continue to weigh on demand. However, lower borrowing costs and high agricultural export prices are supporting debt serviceability.

Banks have strong capital and liquidity buffers in place to maintain credit flows even if conditions deteriorate further. They also remain profitable, with non-performing loans expected to decline as mortgage rates reprice lower.

General insurers are experiencing more stable conditions. Our recent insurance stress test highlighted improved resilience in the sector, but also the challenges of extreme seismic events for New Zealand.

Progress is continuing on the implementation of the Deposit Takers Act 2023. Several strands of this work will help to promote competition and efficiency in the deposit-taking sector.

“Work on the review of key bank capital settings is well underway, with the release of the Terms of Reference today. This outlines the purpose, approach, and scope of the review, to ensure the right settings are in place to support financial stability and promote the wellbeing and prosperity of New Zealand,” Mr Hawkesby says. “We will engage leading international experts to inform and challenge our review.”

The Depositor Compensation Scheme will come into effect on 1 July 2025. This will protect depositors’ funds in the event of a deposit taker failure and is a significant milestone for enhancing trust and competition in the financial system.

More information:

What is a Stress Test?

Stress Tests are a critical tool we use to assess potential vulnerabilities, support risk management, and inform policy and supervisory decisions

May 7, 2025

MSF – Israel’s New INGO Registration Measures Are a Grave Threat to Humanitarian Operations and International Law – 55 Organisations Say

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – Doctors Without Borders

The undersigned 55 organisations operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) call for urgent action from the international community against new Israeli registration rules for international NGOs. Based on vague, broad, politicised, and open-ended criteria, these rules appear designed to assert control over independent humanitarian, development and peacebuilding operations, silence advocacy grounded in international humanitarian and human rights law, and further entrench Israeli control and de facto annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

For over a year and a half, humanitarian organisations have continued operating despite unprecedented constraints. In 2024, they reached millions of people across the oPt with essential services – from food and water to mobile clinics, legal aid, and education. The new registration rules now threaten to shut this work down. These measures go beyond routine policy. They mark a serious escalation in restrictions on humanitarian and civic space and risk setting a dangerous precedent.

Under the new provisions, INGOs already registered in Israel may face de-registration, while new applicants risk rejection based on arbitrary, politicised allegations, such as “delegitimising Israel” or expressing support for accountability for Israeli violations of international law. Other disqualifiers include public support for a boycott of Israel within the past seven years (by staff, a partner, board member, or founder) or failure to meet exhaustive reporting requirements. By framing humanitarian and human rights advocacy as a threat to the state, Israeli authorities can shut out organisations merely for speaking out about conditions they witness on the ground, forcing INGOs to choose between delivering aid and promoting respect for the protections owed to affected people.

INGOs are further required to submit complete staff lists and other sensitive information about staff and their families to Israel when applying for registration. In a context where humanitarian and healthcare workers are routinely subject to harassment, detention, and direct attacks, this raises serious protection concerns.

These new rules are part of a broader, long-term crackdown on humanitarian and civic space, marked by heightened surveillance and attacks, and a series of actions that restrict humanitarian access, compromise staff safety, and undermine core principles of humanitarian action. They are not isolated but part of a wider pattern that includes:

Blocking or delaying aid through arbitrary bureaucratic restrictions, logistical obstacles, and complete sieges, denying essential lifesaving supplies to Palestinians.
Killing more than 400 humanitarian workers in Gaza, injuring and detaining countless others, and repeatedly attacking marked and notified humanitarian premises, facilities or convoys.
Passing legislation aimed at curtailing the operations of UNRWA, the largest provider of essential services for Palestinians.
Advancing legislation to impose a tax of up to 80 per cent on foreign government funding to Israeli NGOs, while barring them from seeking recourse through the Israeli court system – including organisations that serve as partners for INGOs to deliver assistance and uphold protections in communities facing displacement, demolitions, or settler violence.
Suspending work visas for international staff and revoking permits for Palestinians residing in the West Bank to access Jerusalem, severely disrupting operations.

And now, making INGO registration conditional on political and ideological alignment, undermining the neutrality, impartiality and independence of humanitarian actors.

Under international humanitarian law, occupying powers are obligated to facilitate impartial humanitarian assistance and ensure the welfare of the protected population. Any attempt to condition humanitarian access on political alignment or penalise organisations for fulfilling their mandate risks breaching this framework. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to allow unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in three legally binding provisional measures orders in 2024. Yet, these new rules expand and institutionalise existing barriers to aid.

We call on States, donors, and the international community to:

Use all possible means to protect humanitarian operations from measures that compromise neutrality, independence, and access – including staff list requirements, political vetting, and vague revocation clauses.
Take concrete political and diplomatic action beyond statements of concern to ensure unhindered humanitarian access and prevent the erosion of principled aid delivery.
Support INGOs and Palestinian and Israeli civil society organisations through legal assistance, diplomatic support, and flexible funding to help mitigate legal, financial, and reputational risks. Donors must defend principled humanitarian and human rights work.

The undersigned 55 organisations stress that engagement with the registration process to preserve critical humanitarian operations should not be misinterpreted as endorsement of these measures.

These 55 organisations remain committed to the delivery of humanitarian aid, along with development and peacebuilding services and activities that are independent, impartial, and based on need, in full accordance with international law and the humanitarian principles derived from it. INGOs stand ready to engage with Israeli authorities in good faith on administrative processes but cannot accept measures that penalise principled humanitarian work or expose staff to retaliation. These measures not only undermine assistance in the oPt but also set a dangerous precedent for humanitarian operations globally.

Act Church of Sweden
ActionAid
Alianza / ActionAid Spain (ApS/AAS)
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Anera
Asamblea de Cooperación Por la Paz (ACPP)
Asociación Paz con Dignidad
CARE International
CESVI
Children Not Numbers
Christian Aid
CIDSE – International family of Catholic social justice organisations
Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS)
COSPE
DanChurchAid (DCA)
Danish House in Palestine
Diakonia
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
forumZFD
Global Communities
HEKS/EPER
Humanity First UK
Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International
IM Swedish Development Partner
International Media Support (IMS)
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
KURVE Wustrow
MedGlobal
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
Médecins du Monde (MdM) France
Médecins du Monde (MdM) Spain
Médecins du Monde (MdM) Switzerland
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
medico international
Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
Movement for Peace (MPDL)
Muslim Aid
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Oxfam
Pax Christi International
Plan International
Polish Medical Mission Association (PMM)
Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
Relief International (RI)
Save the Children International (SCI)
Secours Islamique France (SIF)
Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Italia
Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Lausanne
The Center for Mind-Body Medicine
War Child
Weltfriedensdienst e.V. (world peace service)
West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC).

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au

May 7, 2025

Privacy Commissioner – Webinar programme for Privacy Week 2025 announced

Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner

Privacy Week 2025 lands on the second week of May (12-16 May), with a full week of free webinars to promote privacy education.

Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says, “New Zealanders’ concerns over the collection and use of their personal information remains high, and they want to see organisations and businesses responding positively to this challenge.”

“Now’s the time to brush up on your privacy skills, and take up the opportunity to learn more about subjects like AI and privacy, Māori data privacy, privacy and business, or media rules around privacy.

“We’re lucky to have attracted some of Aotearoa’s top privacy experts to speak on AI governance, biometrics and children’s toys, privacy in property management, and more,” he says.

OPC staff will share their expertise on the new IPP3a amendment, how to be a good privacy officer, and local government specific privacy issues.

“The programme is full to bursting with topics that are relevant and interesting,” says Mr Webster.

You don’t need to be a privacy expert to engage with Privacy Week or to be proactive about your privacy rights.

Webinars this year have been rated from beginner to advanced, showing which is suitable for your level of knowledge. All webinars are free.

“I encourage you to have a look at the programme and attend a talk.

Privacy is a basic human right, and the more we can educate ourselves and ensure businesses and organisations understand the breadth of their privacy obligations, the better,” the Commissioner says.

May 7, 2025

Energy Sector – New report reveals 84% of New Zealand’s fossil fuel machines ready for electrification

Source: Ara Ake

The first complete inventory of all the fossil fuel machines in New Zealand has found there are over ten million of them in the country and that 84% could be feasibly replaced with electric machines that are available in the country today.

Rewiring Aotearoa’s Machine Count report showed that upgrading six million of the most ‘electrifiable’ fossil fuel machines – things like cars, heaters, lawnmowers, road bikes, ovens and stoves – would save the country approximately $8 million every day, or $3.7 billion each year.

It would also slash 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, almost six times the total emissions from domestic aviation in 2023, or more than flying the entire population of Auckland to London and back every year.

Another 10% of the total – around one million trucks, utes, vans, buses and smaller tractors – could be electrified if more effort was made to bring electric options to New Zealand, while just 6% of the machines – primarily those in heavy industry – require more research and development, or subsidies for them to be cost-effective.

Check out the interactive tool with all machines sized by estimated count or emissions here.

Rewiring Aotearoa’s previous research has shown that many New Zealand homes, farms and businesses can reduce costs and emissions by upgrading their gas appliances, petrol cars and diesel machines to more efficient electric equivalents and running them on renewable electricity from the grid and solar.

The Machine Count, a project supported by Ara Ake and EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), set out to better understand the size of the challenge: how many fossil fuel machines there are in our economy, and how hard they would be to electrify.

“We always knew there were a lot of them, but now we have a firm idea on the number and on how ‘electrifiable’ they all are,” says Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey. “The research shows clearly that an electric transition is both technically possible and cost effective in the vast majority of cases.”

Daniel Gnoth, Ara Ake’s General Manager of Research and Insights, says the report clearly identifies where the greatest opportunities lie to accelerate New Zealanders efforts to support the country’s electrification journey.

“This study shows that innovation in energy isn’t just about developing new technologies-it’s about making clean, efficient machines more accessible and easier to adopt. The insights from this study will be incredibly useful for energy innovators to develop new solutions, including commercial and financial models, to accelerate the electrification of fossil fuel powered machines. If we get this right, we won’t just cut emissions-we’ll unlock new services and solutions that can be showcased and exported globally.”

“It’s been a pleasure to partner with Rewiring Aotearoa on what is a groundbreaking study, both in its ambition and the breadth of its scope.”

New Zealand’s fossil fuel prices are among the highest in the world, so Casey says shifting from machines that are reliant on expensive foreign molecules to electric machines that run on locally-made electrons is generally a no brainer – “for the economics, for the environment, and for energy security”.

“Climate change is largely an energy problem. Around 75% of the world’s emissions come from energy and machines use that energy, so solving the problem in practice is about replacing those machines. We figured out how to electrify our cherry orchard near Cromwell and now we don’t use any diesel on the farm. We save tens of thousands on our energy bills each year, we’ve brought our emissions down to almost nothing, and we play a positive role in the energy system. I firmly believe New Zealand could become a demonstration project for the rest of the world and show that solving climate could save us all money.”

Casey says there were many who said it wouldn’t be possible to run an orchard without diesel. There were many who didn’t believe we would see electric trucks, buses, diggers or loaders. And there are plenty who don’t believe we will see large electric tractors or mining equipment.

“There are already plenty of electric buses and trucks on the road, huge electric machines are being launched all the time, and we are seeing massive technological advances and cost reductions in the fields of batteries, high-speed charging, solar panels and high temperature heat pumps, so there will definitely be options to explore in your sector.”

EECA research shows that 36% of New Zealand household non-green appliances are over a decade old. The median age of a car in New Zealand is around 14 years, and businesses are regularly upgrading their fleets and equipment, so there are a whole lot of machines that are set to be replaced in the coming years.

Megan Hurnard, EECA’s General Manager of Insights, Data and Communications says: “We’re entering a critical investment cycle for the machines that power our economy. As old equipment reaches the end of its life, the choices we make now will shape our energy system for decades. Replacing outdated machines with the same inefficient models risks locking in higher running costs, poor performance, and greater exposure to fuel price volatility. By choosing modern, energy-efficient technologies we can improve affordability, boost productivity, and enhance New Zealand’s energy security.”

This research is not suggesting that every machine needs to be upgraded right now, but every machine is going to need to be replaced at some point and it’s clear your next purchasing decision should be electric.

“In saying that, if you are more worried about emissions than economics, it makes sense to replace your fossil fuel machines before they break down,” says Casey. “Some fossil fuel machines can even be turned electric – like our 1990 Hilux, which we recently retrofitted with a 2014 Nissan Leaf motor and battery.”

Casey says the electric transition is already happening in homes, farms and businesses around the country and the cost savings are driving a lot of that.

“We believe the economic argument makes this shift inevitable. It makes no sense to use machines that cost more to do the same job – and it makes even less sense when those machines pump out so much pollution. But it’s not happening as fast as it should, and it’s not happening for the people who need it most; the ones who need to reduce their bills or those who need to improve their resilience in the face of worsening weather events.”

Casey says opening up access to low-interest loans so that everyone – no matter their income – can deal with the higher upfront costs of electric machines and making it easy to upgrade is what will take this “from possible to practical”.

“We need a range of financial innovations – both from the Government and from the banks – to speed this up. We also need innovations around the process – making it simple and easy for busy parents, renters, and retirees, not just the energy nerds, to benefit from going electric. And it needs to be from the first moment of research all the way through to installation. We’ve counted the machines, we’ve shown it’s feasible to electrify most of them, and we’ll be explaining in more detail how to make it happen and what needs to change in our upcoming policy manifesto.”

The machine count database is a free, publicly available resource. It is hoped the database and findings will continue to be used and improved by government institutions, academic researchers, and businesses.

Rewiring Aotearoa is an independent think / do tank working on energy, climate, and electrification research, advocacy, and supporting communities through the energy transition. The New Zealand-based team consists of energy, policy, communications and community outreach experts and it is funded by New Zealand-based philanthropists including Sir Stephen Tindall, Urs Hölzle and the Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation.

Ara Ake is Aotearoa New Zealand’s future energy centre. New Zealand Government-sponsored, it is focused on accelerating the nation’s transition to a low-emissions energy future. Ara Ake is the national hub of new energy knowledge and development, connecting and collaborating across the energy innovation ecosystem to enable energy solutions to become commercially viable.