Monitoring update: November 2025

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

At the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), we gather a range of information about common issues through our monitoring work. We’re committed to partnering with tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and sharing learnings from our monitoring work to help the sector build capability. That way, we can all achieve better outcomes for learners.
On this page:

Gateway funding compliance
Recently we have conducted a review of secondary schools that receive Gateway funding. The review identified that a number of schools had not sent/were not sending their students on work placements, and instead were enrolling them in standalone courses/programmes with tertiary education organisations (TEOs).
Purpose of Gateway funding
Gateway funding is designed to support senior secondary learners by providing access to quality, structured workplace learning that complements their school-based education.
This means:

Learners must be placed in real workplaces
Learning must be integrated with their wider course of study
Workplace learning must be assessed and credited towards NCEA or other New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) qualifications.

Gateway programmes cannot be completed in simulated or replica environments, or through standalone TEO courses that lack a workplace component.
What schools must do to stay compliant
For schools to be compliant with Gateway funding condition 4.1(b), schools must not use Gateway funding to fund learner enrolment in standalone courses/programmes offered by TEOs, unless the course:

is to equip learners with specific skills required for the work placement; and
is required by the work placement employer; and
is included in the learner’s individualised learning plan; and
does not exceed three days in duration.

These conditions are not optional, and the school must take every step to ensure compliance.
An important reminder to TEOs
Some TEOs appear to be marketing standalone “Gateway” courses directly to schools.  If these courses do not support a genuine work placement, they breach funding conditions.  Examples like basic food hygiene, first aid, or ATV training are only valid if they are required for a subsequent work placement.
If your organisation offers courses to schools under the Gateway banner, please ensure they meet all funding conditions.  TEOs are expected to understand these requirements and should not promote offerings that risk schools’ non-compliance with their Gateway funding conditions.
If you have any questions, please contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
Final-year Fees Free Update
Inland Revenue supports learners with final-year Fees Free
Inland Revenue (IRD) is now responsible for supporting tertiary learners with final-year Fees Free information following a successful transition on 6 October.
Final-year Fees Free information is now available on the Inland Revenue website and information has been removed from the Fees Free website, with redirects in place.
Fees Free – Inland Revenue
Please update any links on your website and any marketing or communication material as soon as possible. We also ask that you remove the Fees Free logo from your material and check that you have made changes to align with the final-year policy. For more information on the actions you need to take, see the guidance on our website:
Learner support moves to Inland Revenue on 6 October – final-year Fees Free.
TEC will continue to manage the relationship with TEOs regarding final-year Fees Free, so your point of contact will not change.
First-year Fees Free
First-year Fees Free is not transitioning to IRD and the TEC will continue to administer this, including providing learner support.
Submission deadline for first-year Fees Free statutory declarations is 31 December 2025
Learners have until 31 December 2025 to submit statutory declarations, or any appeals, for first-year Fees Free. We will not process any statutory declarations or appeals received after this date.
We’ve updated our website information to include this deadline, and we’re encouraging those who have generated a statutory declaration but not yet submitted it to return it to us as soon as possible. If you have learners enrolled with your organisation who want to check their first-year Fees Free eligibility for 2024 or previous years, please encourage them to visit the Fees Free website.
Final submission deadline for first-year Fees Free reporting changes is 30 April 2026
We’d like to remind you to address any issues or missing data in your first-year Fees Free reporting for 2025 or previous years.  It’s important your data is as error-free as possible so that TEC can accurately cover the fees of your eligible learners.
You’ll be able to update your first-year Fees Free data until 30 April 2026, after which we’ll do a last wash-up to finalise the first-year Fees Free funding for all years.  Any changes after this date will not be covered, and TEO’s will not be able to charge learners for fees that would have been eligible for Fees Free.
We’ll be reaching out to those with a high volume of errors or missing data to offer support should you need it. Reporting guides are available on the TEC website if you’d like assistance working through any errors, see Guidance – first-year Fees Free.
If you have any questions, please contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
Accurate reporting of delivery sites
The TEC uses information reported through the Single Data Return (SDR) to make informed investment decisions, including where delivery has taken place.  For this reason, it is important that the correct delivery site is recorded against the respective learners.  
The delivery site refers to the location in which most of the teaching, instruction or learning occurs for a particular course. The campus or site must be a recognised center of learning by the TEO that is geographically separate from other sites or campuses.
If you require assistance with updating your delivery site in DXP Nga Kete, please contact the TEC on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.

One Love music festival cancelled, organisers cite economic climate

Source: Radio New Zealand

The country’s biggest reggae music festival has been cancelled, with organisers blaming economic conditions. Supplied / One Love Festival

The country’s biggest reggae music festival is the latest gig to be cancelled, with organisers blaming economic conditions.

In a social media post on Tuesday night, Tauranga’s One Love Festival announced the event would not go ahead in 2026 after organisers “carefully reviewed several challenging situations”.

“With the cost-of-living crisis ongoing – and more than 80% of our audience travelling for two days – we know the strain this puts on household budgets. We hoped for a strong economic recovery heading into 2026, but that hasn’t happened,” the post read.

“Because of these factors, along with unforseen developments behind the scenes, our team has had to make the heartbreaking decision to place One Love Festival on hold for 2026.”

An earlier post in August said the full lineup and festival dates would be announced in September, however, this didn’t happen.

The recent post said organisers had considered offering a one-day, scaled down version of the event, but ultimately decided against this.

“As we take this pause, please know that we are continuing to work diligently on what comes next.

“We look forward to seeing you all again in 2027.”

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

Chatham Island wind farm to slash power prices, cut carbon emissions

Source: Radio New Zealand

The wind farm is designed to give the Chatham Islands a more stable and reliable electricity supply. File photo. 123rf

Chatham Island locals hope a new wind farm will help to slash power prices, cut carbon emissions and reduce their reliance on diesel.

The three turbines at Port Durham Windfarm can deliver more power than the current peak demand, making it possible for the Chatham Islands to run entirely on renewable energy.

The island uses diesel generators which are vulnerable to supply chain disruptions from an ageing ship and fuel price fluctuations.

It means electricity prices on the Chatham Island are about four times higher than the New Zealand average.

Associate Minister for Regional Development Mark Patterson said the wind farm meant the Chatham Islands would have a more stable and reliable electricity supply as well as reducing emissions.

“This initiative means households and businesses on the Chathams will benefit from significantly lower electricity costs, with expected savings of around 40 cents per kiloWatt hour,” he said.

Diesel use was expected to be cut by up to 68 percent, saving approximately $1.2 million each year, he said.

It would more than halve carbon emissions per person from 3.34 tonnes to 1.37 tonnes a year, Patterson said.

The wind farm will be officially opened on Thursday by Patterson after being built in two years on the remote archipelago.

It received a $10 million grant from the previous government’s Climate Emergency Response Fund in 2023.

It also received a $500,000 grant from the Provincial Growth Fund.

The wind farm includes three wind turbines, a storage battery and other infrastructure.

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

Motorcyclist dies in Ashburton crash

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / REECE BAKER

A motorcyclist has died after a crash involving a car in Ashburton.

Police were called to the crash at the intersection of Hinds Arundel Road and Gills Road about 6pm.

The motorcyclist was found dead at the scene.

The road was expected to be closed for some time and motorists should avoid the area if possible, police said.

The Serious Crash Unit was attending.

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

Fire at Auckland LGBTTQIA+ nightclub G.A.Y treated as suspicious

Source: Radio New Zealand

Google Maps

A fire at an Auckland LGBTTQIA+ nightclub at the weekend is being treated as suspicious.

A blaze broke out in G.A.Y on Karangahape Road early on Sunday morning.

It activated a fire alarm, and the road was blocked for an hour while fire crews worked to put it out.

One person was assessed by ambulance staff.

Police have revealed the fire started in a rubbish bin in a bathroom.

They say enquiries are ongoing but the fire is considered suspicious on the information so far.

Investigators will be reviewing security camera footage and further speaking to witnesses.

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

Consumers warned to assume imported products not being tested after asbestos scare

Source: Radio New Zealand

The latest coloured sand products to be recalled over asbestos fears. Supplied

Consumers are being warned to assume imported products including kids play things are not being tested and its best to avoid anything that could be contaminated or faulty.

An asbestos scare has prompted a recall of several brands of children coloured play sand.

It expanded yesterday with two more products added; Rainbow Sand Art Toy, approximately 800 units have been sold at various discount stores nationwide, and sand craft.

Some of the coloured sands are laced with tremolite asbestos.

That is despite it being illegal to import any product containing asbestos.

University of Auckland law professor Alex Sims said shoppers should not assume the law is being followed.

“We’ve just seen it with the with the coloured sand, but I think to be honest, it’s not sort of a product that people naturally thought would have asbestos in it.”

Sims told Checkpoint it is up to retailers and importers to do checks on products, but that doesn’t mean it is always being done.

“There’s a whole lot of laws that cover kids toys…. and if you’re importing product it can’t have asbestos in it.”

“There’s lots and lots of laws, but it is up to the people selling it and importing it to make sure that the law is being followed.”

She said products having safety issues is not uncommon and has happened in the past, but often consumers don’t hear about it.

“What often happens is something happens… where some poor child almost dies and then they look into it, and then the prosecutions happens, but this after the fact.”

“One thing that could happen is the Commerce Commission and other people could do spot checks to see that the products are actually meeting specifications, but there’s so many that it might be impossible to do.”

If parents wanted to be reimbursed the cost of asbestos testing or any clean up, Sims said the responsibility lies on the retailer, which is in many cases Kmart.

“Under the Consumer Guarantees Act if a good is not safe, and if it’s contaminated with asbestos it’s not safe, then yes [you are entitled to] a refund of the money, but also the cost of the testing the cost of cleaning,”

“If the colour sand is all through a carpet and it can’t be cleaned properly then the cost of replacing that carpet as well.”

Despite this, Sims said she would be surprised if this would occur.

“The only real way at the moment is for someone to go to the disputes tribunal.”

Schools are also covered under the consumer guarantees act, said Sims.

Despite the laws in place, she said it was ultimately down to buyers to be aware of what they are purchasing.

“Unfortunately the laws don’t work…yes, we’ve got laws, but then as we’ve seen here, they’re not protecting anybody, so it is buyer beware.”

With Christmas around the corner, Sims said for now it might be safest to stick to simpler and more traditional toys, such as wooden items without paint on them.

MBIE product safety spokesman Ian Caplin said the Ministry is working retailers of children’s sand products to understand supply chains and determine the origin of the sand.

The Ministry said it is the retailer’s responsibility to sell a safe product, and the importation of a product containing asbestos is not allowed without a permit.

Kmart did not respond to a request for an interview about its sand products.

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

Fatal crash, Ashburton

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died following a crash at the intersection of Hinds Arundel Road and Gills Road, Ashburton, this evening.

Police were notified of the two-vehicle crash, involving a car and a motorcycle, around 6pm.

Sadly, the motorcyclist was found deceased at the scene.

The Serious Crash Unit are in attendance and the road is expected to remain closed for some time.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible and expect delays.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Tall Blacks’ familiar foes first challenge in World Cup cycle

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tohi Smith-Milner from the Tall Blacks and Boomer Angus Glover will clash again in the world cup qualifiers. Jeremy Ward/Photosport

Boomers v Tall Blacks

Friday, 28 November

Tip-off 9.30pm

MyState Bank Arena, Hobart, Tasmania

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

There will be no secrets between the Tall Blacks and Boomers when the Asia FIBA World Cup qualifiers tip off.

It is hard to have an air of mystery when the opposing coaches worked together for nearly a decade or when most of the players from both sides play in the same competition for 22 weeks at a time.

Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell and Boomers coach Dean Vickerman have both predominately called on players based in the Australian NBL for two games that start the lengthy qualification process for the 2027 Basketball World Cup in Qatar.

Flavell works as an assistant for the Breakers when he is not with the national team, likewise Vickerman is head coach at Melbourne United when he is not stepping in to the Boomers top job to cover for head coach Adam Caporn who has not come back for this qualification window.

The links between the Tall Blacks and Boomers are numerous.

Flavell has coached some of the Boomers and Vickerman has the Tall Blacks captain Finn Delany in his NBL squad. Boomers big man Keanu Pinder matches up with Tall Blacks forward Yanni Wetzell every day in practice for their Akita Northern Happinets side in Japan’s B-League.

Alex Ducas who will represent the green and gold for the first time since 2023 is well aware of what Tall Blacks weapon Tyrell Harrison, who will pull on the black singlet for the first time this year, is capable of as they play together for the Brisbane Bullets.

Friday’s game in Hobart will be the fourth time the Tall Blacks and Boomers have played each other in 2025.

The Australians are leading this year’s tally 2-1 but the Tall Blacks were the winners of the last game played in the Trans-Tasman Throwdown in May in Hamilton.

There are some roster changes from that inaugural series with the New Zealanders injecting some height that Flavell has not had his disposal before now.

Brisbane Bullets centre Tyrell Harrison celebrates during their win over the New Zealand Breakers. photosport

“Sometimes we have the genuine bigs and sometimes we don’t but what a luxury it is to have [Harrison], Yanni Wetzell as well coming back and we have Sam Mennenga and we have Tohi Smith-Milner so genuine size all with a different skillset and our challenge is can we complement that all together and be a cohesive unit in this short window.

“Sometimes they are going to be asked to be interchangeable or be versatile and that is something I think Tall Blacks always have to do. Guys for their club team play a specific role and when they come into Tall Blacks they have to grow and they have to be able to step into these multi positional roles and that’s a strength of the Tall Blacks but that’s the way we have look at it and attack it.”

While the opposition in this qualification window is familiar, Flavell wants the Tall Blacks to also take a closer look at themselves while he looks at the big picture after 13 months in the head coach role.

“It’s given me a great opportunity to gather information over the last 12 months and have a good understanding of who we are again. Our focus for this window is to remember who we are and bring guys together.

“It’s a little bit of a start over again.

“We’re really laying a foundation for what lies ahead…that journey extends for a lot of these guys, for [17-year-old] Jackson [Ball] in particular, hopefully another 10 to 15 years for him so huge for us as Tall Blacks to keep developing our youth.”

The process to qualify for the Basketball World Cup starts in this window, continues in February and July next year. The Tall Blacks will plan to move into the second round of qualifying in August and November 2026 and March 2027. Before the global event in August 2027.

“I don’t think people can plan their lives over the next 16 months but while we can we want to continue to get as many people as we can back into the mix.

“This window is great, timing has worked out people are playing here or close to New Zealand, there are still a number of people who are not here as well but you can never really bank on what life is going to look like in six months time or whenever the next window is but while we have people we try to re-centre back to the Tall Blacks core and back to our kaupapa and remind themselves what it’s like to be a Tall Black and playing together.”

Re-establishing a long-time connection on the international stage

Tall Black Yanni Wetzell. Supplied

Wetzell has not played for the Tall Blacks so far this year and said it was “refreshing” to be back playing under Flavell who first brought him to basketball.

“I played for him as a junior, played for him in my first year as a professional when he was an assistant at South East [Melbourne Phoenix], now he got this job and it was an exciting call up and we have a great relationship so it was a no brainer for me to come back and join this team.

“I know what he likes out of players and we have that player-coach connection where there doesn’t need to be a ton of communication and we know how we see things so we will continue to grow that bond.”

Wetzell is also working on the connection and on-court chemistry with an eye on the world cup and the Olympics.

“There is nothing like playing with Kiwis it’s exciting to see a lot of the talent coming through I feel like we’re leaps and bounds from where we were 10 to 15 years ago.

“There is so much talent, not just within this group but you can see a bunch of these guys signing with big universities over in the States and there is going to be a massive influx of players coming through in the next few years to come.”

Harrison was first involved with the Tall Blacks in 2018 and he also played in Flavell’s first game in charge but the games against the Boomers mark a return to the side for the towering centre.

“I’d say we’re the underdogs but basketball is changing in New Zealand, it’s developing it’s improving and hopefully we can show that these two games as well.”

Harrison wants to be a regular for the national side as he too looks to the big events on the horizon.

“I try be available as much as I can and keep getting around this environment the culture and trying to get used to the coaching staff and the team.”

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

Reserve Bank set to deliver further cut to official cash rate

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

  • Reserve Bank to deliver a 25 basis point cut to 2.25 percent
  • Attention on how wide the RBNZ leaves the door open for more if needed
  • Economy performing largely as forecast in August
  • Last appearance of short term governor Christian Hawkesby
  • New governor Anna Bremen starts on 1 December

The Reserve Bank is set to deliver a 25-basis-point cut to the official cash rate (OCR) to a three-year low, but attention will be on the central bank’s commentary and forecasts and how wide it leaves the door open for a further rate cut next year if needed.

The RBNZ has taken barely a year to cut the OCR from 5.5 percent to 2.5 percent, as it has tried to stimulate an economy going backwards while looking to control a revival of inflation pressures, which have edged to the top of the RBNZ’s 1-3 percent target band.

So is it one more cut and then an end to the easing cycle – the so-called ‘one and done’ strategy?

“Our base case is that November will bring the last OCR cut, but the risk remains for further easing in 2026,” ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said.

“The statement’s forecasts and commentary will leave the door wide open for further easing if it is needed. Doing so will keep a lid on wholesale interest rates.”

Tuffley said such an approach would give the RBNZ breathing space to assess the state of the economy, and the strength of emerging signs of growth.

To an extent the RBNZ has boxed itself into a rate cut this week after saying in its October statement it was open to further cuts “as required for inflation to settle sustainably near the 2 percent target mid-point-in the medium term”.

Turning the economic corner

Partial indicators over the past two months have pointed to the economy turning the corner after it effectively stalled in the first half of the year.

BNZ head of research Stephen Toplis said a key question was how much slack – the output gap – was in the economy.

“Where it gets interesting is what does the RBNZ think is happening to potential growth?

“Net migration is coming in lower than the bank had assumed. Coupled with anecdotal evidence of increasing job shortages, this suggests that potential growth might need revising down again.”

Current picks for growth in the three months ended September range between 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent.

The slack in the economy is one factor expected to keep downward pressure on inflation.

HSBC chief economist for Australia and New Zealand Paul Bloxham said there were modest signs of an uptick in growth.

“Timely indicators of the manufacturing sector have risen for the past four months, and business sentiment has improved. Electronic card spending figures, building consents, and hours worked have all risen recently.”

He expected the RBNZ monetary policy committee to take a “dovish” tone in its statement with a clear signal that a further cut is on the cards.

The degree of dovishness will show through in its OCR rate track, which the RBNZ has said is only a signal of where the rate might be in coming meetings.

New year, new governor

The coming decision will be the last for governor Christian Hawkesby, who was rushed into the job after the abrupt and messy departure of Adrian Orr, added to by the departure of the chair of the RBNZ board, Neil Quigley.

Hawkesby was a candidate for the permanent appointment, losing out to Anna Bremen from the Swedish central bank who starts on 1 December.

It is expected in time he will return to private investment markets.

Bremen made much in her appointment news conference about the transparency of decision making.

“Will things at the RBNZ ever be the same again? A new governor starts next month who is likely to bring about a greater focus on transparency of the decisions made by the Monetary Policy Committee. We’ll see in February – OCR cut or not, ” Tuffley said.

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

Reserve Bank to deliver further cut to official cash rate

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ

  • Reserve Bank to deliver a 25 basis point cut to 2.25 percent
  • Attention on how wide the RBNZ leaves the door open for more if needed
  • Economy performing largely as forecast in August
  • Last appearance of short term governor Christian Hawkesby
  • New governor Anna Bremen starts on 1 December

The Reserve Bank is set to deliver a 25-basis-point cut to the official cash rate (OCR) to a three-year low, but attention will be on the central bank’s commentary and forecasts and how wide it leaves the door open for a further rate cut next year if needed.

The RBNZ has taken barely a year to cut the OCR from 5.5 percent to 2.5 percent, as it has tried to stimulate an economy going backwards while looking to control a revival of inflation pressures, which have edged to the top of the RBNZ’s 1-3 percent target band.

So is it one more cut and then an end to the easing cycle – the so-called ‘one and done’ strategy?

“Our base case is that November will bring the last OCR cut, but the risk remains for further easing in 2026,” ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said.

“The statement’s forecasts and commentary will leave the door wide open for further easing if it is needed. Doing so will keep a lid on wholesale interest rates.”

Tuffley said such an approach would give the RBNZ breathing space to assess the state of the economy, and the strength of emerging signs of growth.

To an extent the RBNZ has boxed itself into a rate cut this week after saying in its October statement it was open to further cuts “as required for inflation to settle sustainably near the 2 percent target mid-point-in the medium term”.

Turning the economic corner

Partial indicators over the past two months have pointed to the economy turning the corner after it effectively stalled in the first half of the year.

BNZ head of research Stephen Toplis said a key question was how much slack – the output gap – was in the economy.

“Where it gets interesting is what does the RBNZ think is happening to potential growth?

“Net migration is coming in lower than the bank had assumed. Coupled with anecdotal evidence of increasing job shortages, this suggests that potential growth might need revising down again.”

Current picks for growth in the three months ended September range between 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent.

The slack in the economy is one factor expected to keep downward pressure on inflation.

HSBC chief economist for Australia and New Zealand Paul Bloxham said there were modest signs of an uptick in growth.

“Timely indicators of the manufacturing sector have risen for the past four months, and business sentiment has improved. Electronic card spending figures, building consents, and hours worked have all risen recently.”

He expected the RBNZ monetary policy committee to take a “dovish” tone in its statement with a clear signal that a further cut is on the cards.

The degree of dovishness will show through in its OCR rate track, which the RBNZ has said is only a signal of where the rate might be in coming meetings.

New year, new governor

The coming decision will be the last for governor Christian Hawkesby, who was rushed into the job after the abrupt and messy departure of Adrian Orr, added to by the departure of the chair of the RBNZ board, Neil Quigley.

Hawkesby was a candidate for the permanent appointment, losing out to Anna Bremen from the Swedish central bank who starts on 1 December.

It is expected in time he will return to private investment markets.

Bremen made much in her appointment news conference about the transparency of decision making.

“Will things at the RBNZ ever be the same again? A new governor starts next month who is likely to bring about a greater focus on transparency of the decisions made by the Monetary Policy Committee. We’ll see in February – OCR cut or not, ” Tuffley said.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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