Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: New Zealand Government

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments:

 

Joanna Kempkers, Ambassador to France;
Greg Andrews, High Commissioner to Fiji; and
Angela Hassan-Sharp, Ambassador to Ireland.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are renewing their appeal for information on the whereabouts of Michael Tautari who has a Warrant to Arrest.

The 27-year-old is wanted by Police for breaching release conditions and we believe someone may have information on his whereabouts.

Tautari is known to frequent the wider Auckland and Waikato regions and is currently avoiding Police.

Anyone with information is urged not to approach him and instead to call 111 immediately and quote file number 250625/2113.

Alternatively information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is delivering a Writing Action Plan to supercharge writing achievement and better set Kiwi kids up for success. 

New baseline data collected in 2024, prior to this year’s introduction of the new English curriculum and structured literacy supports, shows writing achievement declines as a child progresses through school. 

41 per cent of Year 3 students are at the expected curriculum benchmark, 33 per cent are in Year 6 and just 24 per cent of Year 8 students are where they should be. 61 per cent of Year 8’s are more than a year behind.  

“This data confirms what many parents, teachers and the Government already know: we’re not where we need to be. We are highly ambitious for Kiwi kids, which is why we have taken a whole system approach to lifting achievement,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says. 

“Writing is a critical skill for learning, thinking, and communicating. We’ve already mandated the teaching of at least an hour a day of the basics, we’ve mandated structured literacy and introduced a world-leading English curriculum. Today the Government is launching ‘Make It Write’, a targeted action plan to further strengthen the teaching of writing. 

“From Term 1 next year, a new Writing Acceleration Tool will be available to support 120,000 Years 6–8 students who are below expected writing levels and won’t have the benefit of structured literacy from Year 1. Teachers will be supported to deliver explicit teaching and will be able to monitor student progress in real time, adjusting how their teaching based on individual needs and responses to intervention.  

“Every Intermediate and Secondary School will be funded to train their own structured literacy intervention teacher. This training will be tailored for older students and extends what is already available for those teaching in Years 0-6. As requested by the sector, teachers will gain the skills needed to work with small groups of students who need targeted support, using structured, evidence-based approaches.  

“New Handwriting Teacher Guidance will support explicit teaching from Years 0–8, aligned with the refreshed English curriculum. This guidance will support cognitive development and memory retention at an early age, so students are fluent and confident when they write. 

“Every student deserves the chance to succeed at school and beyond. Our education reforms are helping make sure that every student has that chance” Ms Stanford says. 

Source: New Zealand Police

The Coastal Highway/SH60 near Mapua Drive is closed following a crash at 11:48am today.

Emergency services are currently responding to the two-vehicle crash.

Initial indicators are that people have sustained moderate injuries.

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

ENDS 

Source: New Zealand Government

Annual performance statistics released today show Medsafe following my direction and approving new medicines faster than last year, which was faster than the year before, and there is more to come with the Rule of Two and AI, Associate Health Minister David Seymour says.

“New Zealanders need a smarter, more efficient government which gets things done, enabling them to live better lives,” Mr Seymour says.

“Faster access to medicines matters to patients. For many New Zealanders, pharmaceuticals are life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely.”

Medsafe completed its evaluation for innovative medicines 59 working days faster than last year. This is on top of the 55 days reduction in 2023/24.  

Generic medicines decisions were 64 days faster than last year, on top of the 45 days reduction in 2023/24.  

Medsafe has again met 100% timeframes for over-the-counter medicines, providing certainty for pharmaceutical companies. 

“Assessment timeframes for most categories of medicine are now similar to the timeframes required in Australia. We often use compare ourselves to Australia, and in this area we have caught up,” says Mr Seymour.  

“The abbreviated pathway is also reducing timeframes. It requires Medsafe to work smarter by leveraging work already done by other overseas regulators. About 50 percent of medicines are assessed like this, and in half the time of the full pathway. 

“Medsafe will speed up approval processes further. The Medicines Amendment Bill includes the Rule of Two, which will be in operation by early 2026. The Rule of Two requires Medsafe to approve new pharmaceuticals within 30 days of them being approved by at least two overseas regulatory agencies recognised by New Zealand.

“Last year I wanted Medsafe to find more innovative ways to expedite their approval pathways. One way they have done this is by prioritising new innovative medicines and assessing them under urgency because people need them now. 

“Some of these included the Bleriplex medicine for people with blood clotting disorders, the blood cancer medicine Omjjaro, Tyruko for multiple sclerosis, and the Wyost injection for weakened bones due to cancer. For Omjjaro, this meant it was able to be approved 131 days faster than the average time last year for new innovative medicines. 

“Earlier this year I wrote to Medsafe asking them to find ways that AI could help the process new medicines faster. This is something that they have welcomed and recognise could reduce assessment times. I look forward to working with Medsafe as they explore this. 

“We’re committed to ensuring that the regulatory system for pharmaceuticals is not unreasonably holding back access. We want it to lead to more Kiwis being able to access the medicines they need to live a fulfilling life, not less.”

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  19 August 2025

The puppies, estimated to be about six weeks old at the time, were discovered by a member of the public on Monday 10 August.

Aside from the disregard for the puppies’ welfare, releasing pets or other animals on to conservation land is an offence under the Conservation Act and the National Parks Act. DOC can issue an infringement notice or prosecute anyone found responsible for bringing a domestic pet into national park or conservation land.

DOC Ranger Cameron Hunt says the man who found the puppies was heading up Manaia Rd to the maunga to enjoy a recent snowfall when he spotted something black and white moving in the roadside vegetation.

“At first glance, he thought it was a puppy but carried on driving. He then turned around and headed back to confirm his suspicions – and discovered the litter of seven puppies,” Cameron says.

The puppies – thought to be a collie-working dog cross breed – were handed over to the SPCA, where they were vet checked, vaccinated and treated for worms. SPCA staff say the puppies were in extremely good body condition and had been well fed prior to being found. Thankfully they were found as they would not have survived the night in the freezing snowy conditions of the national park. The puppies will eventually be made available for rehoming.

“Someone made a deliberate decision and effort to abandon these puppies in the national park, and to do so would’ve required some sort of vehicle making a brief stop on the roadside”, Cameron says.

“We’re hopeful anyone who saw what happened will contact us and share any information such as the make, model and colour of a vehicle – and better still a registration plate – or possibly descriptions of people they saw.”

Cameron is urging anyone who knows about the dumping of the puppies to contact 0800 DOC HOT and quote CLE-Works number CLE-9642. Any information passed on will be treated confidentially.

Earlier this month, DOC publicised the case of a Northland woman who flagrantly breached the “no pets” rules and photographed herself with her six dogs in Tongariro National Park. One of the photographs showed the woman and one of her dogs in front of a “no dogs” sign.

In August 2022, DOC visitor centre staff encountered visitors carrying jacket-wearing cats in Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki, and in December 2023 a man was pictured with a domestic pet cat in the national park.

Keeping pets like cats, rabbits, ferrets, and others out of protected spaces, is essential to protect our endangered species and our pets are safe. Domestic pets can spread diseases our wildlife has not been exposed to and cannot be protected from. These can devastate our taonga and the ecosystems they depend on. Dogs, in particular, pose a serious threat to kiwi and whio, both of which are found in Te Papakura-o-Taranaki.

New Zealand’s native species are unique and special. On average, 70% of our nature is unique to the rest of the world (72% of our birds, 84% of our plants, 88% of our fishes and 100% of our reptiles are only found here).  

More than 4,000 native species are threatened or at risk of extinction – that is more than any other country.

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Source: New Zealand Government

The latest New Zealand Conservation Authority and Conservation Board appointments will help to strengthen environmental efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Minister for Conservation Tama Potaka has today announced the 2025 appointments to the country’s 15 Conservation Boards. There are 21 reappointments, 37 new appointments, and 87 continuing members.

“These appointments seek to achieve a balance on each conservation board in terms of experience, geographic spread, gender, age, recreation interests, and representativeness of community interests in the functions of the Department of Conservation at a regional level,” Mr Potaka says.

“Conservation boards play a vital role as liaisons between DOC with their regions, making their community’s voice heard on conservation issues,” says Minister Potaka. “As such, the board memberships should be representative of the communities they serve. I’m thrilled to appoint such a diverse group to these positions.

“Nau mai haere mai to those members stepping up for the first time, nau mai hoki mai to those returning for 2025, and ngā mihi to all the outgoing representatives for their important contributions to conservation mahi in their regions.”

Mr Potaka also confirmed two reappointments and four new appointments to the New Zealand Conservation Authority (NZCA), the national statutory body that provides strategic policy advice to DOC and the Minister.

“Conservation work on Aotearoa New Zealand relies on a wider variety of people coming together for a common goal. The variety of skills and qualities the appointees bring fills me with hope that together we can make a real difference for our native species and ecosystems.”

Conservation board appointments took effect from 6 August. 
 

More information about the Conservation Board appointments are here on the Department of Conservation website.
More information about the New Zealand Conservation Authority appointments are here on the Department of Conservation website.

Source: New Zealand Government

New literacy and numeracy achievement data reinforces why the Government must continue to have a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. 

“The latest Curriculum Insights & Progress Study (CIPS) data was collected in Term 4 2024 and provides a snapshot of achievement prior to the introduction of our education reform programme this year. The data reconfirms why it was mission critical to have a laser focus on reading, writing and maths in classrooms this year.” 

The results show the Government has stemmed the decline of maths achievement starting with the introduction of an hour a day of reading, writing and maths in 2024. The results also show for the first time, the national level of writing achievement against the new curriculum. 

• 23 per cent of Year 8 students are at the curriculum benchmark for mathematics, up from 22 per cent in 2023.
• 24 per cent of Year 8 students are at curriculum for writing. 

“We are highly ambitious for Kiwi kids. We want them to have the strong foundations they need to do the best they can at school and beyond. Parents can have confidence this Government has and will take decisive and deliberate actions to make this happen by prioritising student achievement,” Ms Stanford says. 

“Our Government’s major education reforms are now well underway. After learning last year that just 22 per cent of Year 8s were at curriculum in maths in 2023, we swiftly launched our Make It Count maths action plan to transform maths education. 

“We delivered quickly on our promise to mandate structured literacy in all primary schools to respond to the decades of decline in reading.  

“We’ve introduced a world-leading Maths and English curriculum, equipped teachers and students with high-quality resources, surged in targeted interventions for students who need extra help and made seismic investments into learning support. 

“Early signs show our reforms are making a difference. As they bed in, we expect students are more likely to reach their full potential.”  

Source: New Zealand Government

Energy Minister Simon Watts welcomes the new rule agreed to by the Electricity Authority will level the playing field for smaller power companies, boosting retail competition to put downward pressure on power prices.

“We know many Kiwis are struggling with the cost of living, with rising energy prices putting more pressure on their budgets. That’s why this Government is taking competition in the electricity market seriously because more competition means Kiwis can have access to more affordable electricity,” Mr Watts says.

“Currently the large power companies can cross subsidise themselves because they both produce energy and sell it. The new rule will mean they have to offer their generation at the same rate to everyone and can’t offer themselves discounts. This will level the playing field by giving smaller companies a better chance to compete and will mean Kiwi consumers have more choices.

“Healthy competition is essential to give us the reliable and affordable electricity we need to power our homes and businesses. The changes announced today will encourage investment in new generation and allow all players to compete on a level playing field. This will lead to better economic outcomes, including for our large-scale industries.”

These changes were developed under the Energy Competition Task Force, established in August last year in response to the winter power crisis. The new non-discrimination rule will be consulted on later this year.

“While today’s announcement is a positive step, we remain deeply concerned about the lack of affordability and competitiveness in the electricity market. I expect the Authority to deliver more efficient, competitive, and reliable electricity market,” Mr Watts says.

“Looking ahead, I have also received the final report of the electricity markets performance review, which looked at how we can improve the market to support economic growth and ensure access to reliable and affordable electricity for consumers. I will have more to say on the review’s outcomes in due course, once Cabinet has given careful consideration to its findings and recommendations.”

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  19 August 2025

Conservation Week | Te Wiki o Te Taiao: 1-7 September 2025.

With more than 4,000 of our native species at risk, the time to step up (and maybe step outside) is now. And don’t worry, we’re not asking for a full-blown forest restoration. Even small actions can make a tree-mendous difference.

Led by DOC, this year’s theme ‘Take action for nature’ is a powerful call for workplaces to support our unique biodiversity – and improve the wellbeing of their teams at the same time.

“Connecting with nature isn’t just good for the environment, it’s proven to benefit mental health, reduce stress, and increase productivity and creativity in the workplace,” says Sia Aston DOC Deputy Director-General Public Affairs.

“Spending even a short time in nature can lift moods, improve focus, and help teams feel more connected. When businesses take action for nature, they’re also investing in their people.”

Whether it’s a walking meeting, a beach clean-up, a lunchtime quiz, or learning to identify native birds, Conservation Week activities are designed to boost both nature and workplace wellbeing.

DOC has created a Conservation Week kete full of ready-to-go resources to help businesses plan, promote and share their involvement.

Workplaces are encouraged to:

• Choose one or more easy activities from the Conservation Week kete.
• Share photos or videos on social media demonstrating how your business is taking action for nature.

Activities include:

• Daily nature quiz – test your team’s knowledge with a new question each day.
• Walking meetings – turn team catchups into nature-connected strolls.
• Beach clean-ups – help your local environment and enjoy a day out.
• Bird ID online course – learn to recognise native birds by sight and sound.
• Spyfish Aotearoa – count fish for science during your break.
• Fiordland Kiwi Diaries screening – relax over lunch with a dose of kiwi magic.

Download your free Conservation Week kete.

The kete includes activity guides and promotion materials to make running your own event simple, fun, and impactful.

Explore ideas at www.doc.govt.nz/conservationweek

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