Category: Media releases

Source: E-Commerce arrangement with China to boost Digital Exports

MEDIA RELEASE – 5 May 2025

Majority Support For Bill Defining ‘Woman’ & ‘Man’ – ONLY 29% OPPOSITION TO THE BILL

A new poll has found majority support for a Member’s Bill that would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law according to biology, with two in three voters of the coalition government parties in support.

The Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill will provide clarity and consistency in New Zealand law by defining “woman” as “an adult human biological female” and “man” as “an adult human biological male” in the Legislation Act 2019, and was introduced by NZ First.

In the independent polling commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research, 1,000 respondents were asked “A Member of Parliament has proposed a law that would define a woman as an adult human biological female and a man as an adult human biological male regardless of gender identity. Would you support or oppose this proposed law?”

52% of respondents said they support the proposed law and only 29% oppose it. (A further 19% were unsure).

Women net support was +4% with a further 27% unsure, but men were strongly in favour with net support +42%.

Net support by age is +19% for under 40s, +22% for 40-59 year olds, and +26% for over 60s.

In terms of party vote, ACT voters were most supportive (72%) followed by NZ First (68%) and National (64%). Undecided voters were 54% in favour.

Labour were 35% for and 44% against, Greens -15% net support and TPM -13%.

The nationwide poll was carried out between 30 April and 4 May and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.

Family First’s Bob McCoskrie says:

“Given the recent decision by the UK Supreme Court, it’s time that NZ’s Government also removes the confusion and returns to simple biological reality. Family First is calling on both the National Party and the ACT Party to fast-track NZ First’s Member’s Bill and adopt it as a Government bill. It’s clearly supported by 2/3’rds or more of your voters. Contrary to media and left wing commentary, this is not a negative “populist” proposal. This is a very popular proposal!”

READ THE FULL POLL RESULT

Source:

For the full requirements, see the Youth Guarantee funding conditions for the relevant year.
Funding mechanism
The Minister responsible for tertiary education issues the YG funding mechanism. The funding mechanism outlines the general form and essential components of the fund. It provides the mandate for the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) to allocate the funding and what the funding can be used for, and details how we administer the fund.
Funding is agreed through a tertiary education organisation’s (TEO’s) Investment Plan. For more information see Plan guidance and toolkit.
A TEO that receives YG funding is required to:

The overall amount of YG funding available is set through the Government’s annual budget process. We determine the appropriate amount of YG funding for a TEO through the annual investment process and in-year additional funding requests (if available). 
Funding allocation and payments
Funding allocations, including any amendments, are available through the My Allocations and Payments app on Ngā Kete.
YG funding is paid in equal monthly instalments.
After each Single Data Return (SDR) submission we pay (and recover) Youth Guarantee Exceptional Circumstances Travel Assistance funding.
For the calculation of indicative allocations see the methodology from the relevant year. The most recent information is at the top.
For more details regarding your specific allocation, please contact customerservice@tec.govt.nz or your Relationship Manager.
Funding rates
There are two funding rates for all YG provision – the trades and non-trades rates per EFTS.
The trades funding rate applies to trades provision at Levels 2 and 3 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).
The non-trades rate applies to all other provision at Levels 1 to 3 on the NZQCF.
This page provides information on the YG funding rates.
Funding wash-ups
For the calculation of funding wash-ups see the methodology and technical specifications from the relevant year.
Premium allocation
We will allocate the 50% funding premium for the Level 1 and 2 programmes in your Level 1 and 2 commitment
We will allocate the YG premium based on your Level 1 and 2 commitments in your YG Mix of Provision (MoP).
We will calculate your final delivery against your total YG allocation, including the Level 1 and 2 premium and recovery if you were overpaid.
We will adjust your premium allocation, if required, due to other significant Plan changes
Significant Plan changes during the year may affect the amount of Level 1 and 2 premium required, for example if we have agreed a change in the total allocated, or there is a change in the distribution of your commitments within the allocation. If necessary, we will recalculate and adjust your premium allocation.
We will carefully review your submitted MoP to ensure we allocate the correct amount
We will monitor closely to ensure you allocate accurately as agreed with TEC in your MoP. This includes any changes agreed within the year. We will only accept and approve the MoP if the commitment is within the MoP tolerance (tolerance value identified in MoP instructions tab), and the distribution of the funding is in line with what was agreed and approved by the TEC. MoPs must be submitted in a timely matter.
We will take into account previous delivery patterns, and any specific agreements you have with us regarding changes to your MoP.
Wellbeing and pathways support subsidy
The wellbeing and pathways support subsidy is intended to fund a range of services tailored to the needs of individual learners. This may include:

career planning and advice
specific cultural and learning support that is easy for the learner to access
an orientation programme that informs learners about access to financial assistance
extra-curricular activities
regular activities with other YG learners
building workplace connections, and/or

From 2023, TEOs are expected to work with learners and their whānau to develop a pathway plan to map “where to from here”. The plan should support each learner’s needs to move to further study and/or employment. For more information on what should be included in the pathway plan refer to the YG funding conditions
We will allocate the wellbeing and pathways support allocation based on your total EFTS commitment in your MoP
We will calculate and pay the subsidy separately to your other YG funding.
We will not recover any of the subsidy where under-delivery occurs.
We will pay the subsidy on all eligible Flexible Funding over-delivery (up to 102% of your allocation) based on your December SDR reporting.
We will adjust your wellbeing and pathways support allocation, if required, due to other significant Plan changes
Significant Plan changes during the year may affect the amount of wellbeing and pathways support allocation you are entitled to, for example if we have agreed a change in the total allocated. If necessary, we will recalculate and adjust your wellbeing and pathways support allocation.
Travel assistance funding
For the full travel assistance funding requirements, see the Youth Guarantee funding conditions for the relevant year.
Travel assistance funding must only be used to pay for the actual cost of transport. We expect TEOs to take an “actual and reasonable” approach to the reimbursement of learner travel costs. This means if a learner uses:

public transport, the reimbursement of the student must be based on the appropriate concession rate, or
private transport, where suitable public transport is not available, a reasonable reimbursement rate should be established by the TEO on a case-by-case basis.

If the TEO supplies the transport, the cost of the travel must not exceed 80 cents per kilometre travelled.
Travel assistance funding that is paid directly to a learner must only be used to cover or reimburse costs associated with travel to and from the YG course.
Records
The TEO must keep records of all learner travel expenses and TEO reimbursements to learners.
If the TEO supplies transport to learners, it must keep records of travel expenses. All travel records are to be made available to us on request. Records must include:

a daily travel logbook that sets out the kilometres travelled in relation to each learner, and
the source of funding for each learner’s enrolment at the TEO (for example, whether the learner is enrolled in a YG funded programme or otherwise).

Inland Revenue
If the TEO supplies transport, the TEO must keep records of travel expenses in line with Inland Revenue requirements.
There may be tax implications in the way that travel reimbursements are administered. Contact Inland Revenue directly for further information.
When reimbursing learners for travel, in general, TEOs are not able to claim GST input tax on this cost because the payments are made to individuals who are not registered for GST. GST input tax can only be claimed if the TEO has incurred the cost itself and can produce a GST invoice in support of the claim.
Travel subsidy
The travel assistance subsidy is expected to adequately meet the costs associated with normal learner travel needs.
As the travel subsidy is allocated per EFTS, the TEO may cross-subsidise by using more than the per EFTS rate for some learners (ie, where they have particularly high travel expenses), and less than the per EFTS rate for others (where they do not require the full amount).
The TEO must reimburse each learner within a reasonable time after they have incurred the cost.
Exceptional Circumstances Transport Assistance funding
Exceptional Circumstances Transport Assistance (ECTA) funding is to provide additional transport assistance to learners who live in relatively isolated areas who may have higher transport needs.
For the full exceptional circumstances transport assistance funding requirements, see the Youth Guarantee funding conditions for the relevant year.
ECTA funding is based on EFTS delivered, and the rural isolation of the site where the delivery took place. The rural isolation of TEOs’ delivery sites uses a classification system developed by Statistics New Zealand. 
Based on the urban/rural classification we provide a “top-up” payment per YG EFTS at each delivery site as reported in each SDR submission.
Funding calculation
Disaggregated courses must add up to the total credit value of the qualification, but unlike Delivery Qualification (DQ) funding, Youth Guarantee is not funded at the course level.
For a trades programme at Levels 2 and 3 the funding calculation is: trades rate per EFTS x programme EFTS value. Trades programmes include NCEA where at least 50% of the courses are classified under Delivery at Levels 7 (degree) and above on the NZQCF delivery classification codes – alphabetic and numeric – as C1, L1, or P1. 
For a non-trades programmes the funding calculation is: non-trades rate per EFTS x programme EFTS value. Non-trade programmes include NCEA where less than 50% of the courses are classified as trades courses.
Specifically, we calculate a TEO’s consumed funding using:

the number of valid domestic student enrolments, measured by equivalent full-time students (EFTS), and
the programmes, and their component courses, in which a valid domestic student is enrolled.

To calculate a TEO’s consumed Youth Guarantee funding, we use the following elements:

the metric (EFTS value)
delivery classification
funding category (trades/non-trades, which may also depend on level on the NZQCF), and
funding rate. 

Example only (rates may differ depending on year):

Step

Funding calculation 

Example

1

Assign the programme an EFTS value

A TEO’s NZ2104 New Zealand Certificate in Food and Beverage (Level 3) obtained through half a year of academic year study has a value of 0.5 EFTS.
Note: We use 120 credits per EFTS for all programmes in STEO.

2

Assign the programme a funding rate

This is determined in conjunction with us. The rate will be trade or non-trade, depending on whether the majority of course EFTS are trades or non-trades.

3

Disaggregate the programme into courses
Calculate the EFTS factor of each course (Note: We use 120 credits per EFTS for all courses in STEO)
Classify the courses

The programme is disaggregated into three courses.
Each course has an EFTS factor of 0.1667 EFTS.
The subject matter of these courses is classified as #22 (Trades) in the Delivery Classification Guide.

4

Apply the funding category

Refer to Funding category (CATEGORY) under information about courses:
The funding category alphabetic code is used to determine the category of the course as P (Trades #22).
The funding category numeric code is used to determine the category of the course as 1 (non-degree course with no research requirement, including certificates and diplomas). 

5

Apply funding rates

The funding rate for provision towards a trade programme, including transport subsidy, is $14,981 per EFTS, plus $2,000 per EFTS wellbeing and pathways support subsidy.

6

Multiply the funding rate by the number of valid enrolments

For 10 students on each of the 3 courses, each course attracts Youth Guarantee funding of $28,307.33 (excl. GST) calculated as (0.1667 x $14,981 x 10 = $24,973.33) + (0.1667 x $2,000 x 10 = $3,334.00).
This means the programme attracts $84,921.99 funding if 10 students enrol in each of the 3 programme courses.
Note: From 2023, for Level 1 and 2 programmes, we pay a 50% premium in addition to each EFTS reported in your Single Data Return (SDR). This is to acknowledge our YG definition of an EFTS being 80 credits for Level 1 and 2 programme delivery.

Calculating funding for Level 1 and 2 provision
From 2023 onwards, we recognise that 80 credits is a full-time, full-year workload for a learner enrolled in a Level 1 or 2 Youth Guarantee programme (or programmes) (one EFTS).
As a result TEOs will receive 50% more funding for delivery of EFTS towards Level 1 and 2 programmes.
The amount paid will be determined by the volume of Levels 1–3 course enrolment EFTS that lead towards Level 1 and 2 Youth Guarantee qualifications, as reported in the SDR.
We will fund up to 120 credits worth of delivery per learner in a calendar year.
You must not enrol a learner in more than:

1.5 EFTS (120 credits) for programmes leading to Level 1 and/or 2 Youth Guarantee qualifications; and
1.0 EFTS (120 credits) for programmes leading to Level 3 Youth Guarantee qualifications.

We will continue to fund up to 120 credits worth of delivery per learner in a calendar year.

Student’s 2023 enrolments

Credits

2023 EFTS

Credits ‘funded’

Definition

Delivered

Reported in the SDR

Funded (includes premium payment)

New Zealand Certificate in Foundation Skills (Level 2)

60

80 credits

0.7500

0.5000

0.7500*

60

New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Level 3)

65

120 credits

0.5417

0.5417

0.5417

65

Total

125

N/A

1.2917

1.0417

1.2917

125

*  0.500 Level 2 EFTS reported in the SDR plus the 50% premium = 0.750 Level 2 EFTS funded.
Re-enrolling a Youth Guarantee student
Where a YG learner requires further study to complete their programme, their study can only be to complete courses that they have not yet passed. This can include content not yet studied or content studied and assessed, but requiring a re-sit. 
Note: A learner who turns 25 years old while enrolled is not eligible to re-enrol.
For example:
A TEO enrols a learner in all courses linked to a 60-credit (0.5 EFTS) Level 3 programme. The sum of the course EFTS factors is 0.5 EFTS.
The learner passes/achieves 30 credits from the 60-credit course enrolments. The TEO is funded 0.5 EFTS, for the 60 credits of courses the learner was enrolled in.
The TEO re-enrols the learner in a second period of study for the remaining 30 credits not yet achieved. The TEO is funded 0.25 EFTS for the 30 credits of courses the learner was re-enrolled in.
The learner successfully completes the courses and is awarded the qualification.
The learner will have received 0.75 EFTS worth of provision (90 credits), and the TEO will be funded for 0.75 EFTS delivery (0.5 + 0.25 EFTS) (assuming funding conditions are met for each course enrolment). 
Note: The TEO will report 0.25 EFTS (30 credits) unsuccessful course completions, and 0.5 EFTS (60 credits) successful course completions.
Calculating EFTS remaining vs consumed
To determine the exact value of the EFTS remaining for a returning learner, the following formula should be used:

Qual EFTS value – (credits completed/total qual credits x qual EFTS value) = remaining EFTS

For example:
0.5 – (30/60 x 0.5)
= 0.5 – 0.25
= 0.25 remaining EFTS

Notes: 
You will need to ensure that when a learner needs more time to complete their programme, other learners are enrolled to ensure you deliver fully on your Mix of Provision (MoP) EFTS commitment and consume all funding for the year. 
Consider a learner’s course re-enrolments before you enrol them in a further programme. Where a learner does not complete a course successfully and you re-enrol them and claim funding, the learner is consuming additional EFTS towards their entitlements.
Flexible funding
We fund eligible TEOs for eligible Youth Guarantee provision above the amount the TEO has been approved to deliver. This is to provide TEOs with flexibility to meet additional learner demand. 
For further information about flexible funding, please see the Youth Guarantee funding conditions for the relevant year.
Flexible funding:

is payable for provision towards qualifications that we have agreed to fund in your Mix of Provision (MoP)
does not mean we have changed your approved funding allocation, and
is subject to the conditions that we have imposed on your funding.

The external evaluation and review (EER) category referred to in the funding conditions will be the highest published EER category for the TEO during the funding year to which flexible funding is being applied.
Flexible funding is calculated using the December Single Data Return (SDR). Payments are made in March of the following year.
Suspending or revoking funding
Under clause 16 of Schedule 18 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act), we may suspend or revoke some or all funding given under section 425 of the Act if we are satisfied on reasonable grounds that:

when measured against performance indicators, the TEO has not achieved, or is not achieving, an outcome anticipated in its Investment Plan for a tertiary education programme or activity in relation to which funding has been given under section 425 of the Act, or
the TEO has not complied, or is not complying, with a condition on which funding has been given under section 425 of the Act, or
the TEO has not provided, or is not providing, adequate and timely information required by the TEC or Ministry of Education under section 425 of the Act.

If a TEO has its funding approval revoked in accordance with clause 16 of Schedule 18 of the Act, the unspent portion of funding is repayable to us on demand (see the Youth Guarantee funding conditions for the relevant year). We may offset the amount against any funding payable to the TEO. 
Subcontracting
Subcontracting refers to a situation in which a TEO uses TEC funding to pay another organisation to deliver teaching or assessment on its behalf. This excludes:

teaching and learning activities contracted to individuals or organisations that are not TEOs (for example, an employee on a fixed-term contract, an honorary staff member, or a contract for teaching and learning services with a subject-matter expert for part of the programme such as for First Aid provision)
research activities or postgraduate research supervision, and
learning that occurs within vocational placements such a workplace placement or practicum.

A TEO must not subcontract delivery of any YG funded programme without the prior written approval of NZQA and without prior written consent from us.
Note: To gain approval, you must demonstrate how the subcontracting arrangement would benefit the YG programme.
If we approve a subcontract arrangement
Subcontracting can be agreed in two ways
If we approve a subcontract arrangement, the subcontracting can be agreed to within a TEO’s Investment Plan (Plan). The subcontracting specified in the Plan will be permitted for the period of the Plan. If the Plan expires then approval will need to be obtained from us again.
Subcontracting can also be agreed outside of a Plan. Again, the subcontracting specified will be permitted for the period agreed with us.
At any time, TEOs can contact us to discuss proposed subcontracting.
Subcontracting TEO obligations
As specified in section 425 of the Education and Training Act 2020, it is a condition of a TEO receiving funding under section 425 that the TEO will supply to us, from time to time as required by us, and in a form specified by us, any financial, statistical, or other information that we require the TEO to supply.
Therefore, at any time, we can request information regarding subcontracted activities from the TEO (that has subcontracted another party to carry out the activities).
In addition, a TEO that has subcontracted another party to carry out its activities:

must comply with any conditions imposed by us within a consent to subcontract; and
must ensure that the subcontracted party does not further subcontract any functions; and
will be accountable to us for the use of the YG funding, including in respect to legislative and funding condition requirements.

Student Allowance and Student Loan Scheme payments
A programme must be approved for TEC funding before a learner can access the Student Allowance and Student Loan Schemes. YG learners are only eligible for some aspects of the Student Loan Scheme. For further information on eligibility visit StudyLink.
Programmes delivered full-time
We will only approve a YG funded programmes for learner access to Student Allowance Student Loan Schemes if the programme:

is delivered full-time
runs for a minimum of 12 weeks, and
has an EFTS value of at least 0.3.

A full-time YG programme must be made up of at least 0.5 EFTS, comprising one or more qualifications. Where there is recognition of prior learning (RPL) for some of the programme, the learner’s individual programme following RPL must be at least 0.5 EFTS.
Programmes delivered part-time
A programme of less than 0.3 EFTS is classified as part-time regardless of the number of weeks over which it is delivered. A part-time programme is not eligible for learner access to the Student Allowance Scheme.
For a YG funded part-time programme leading to a qualification, we will only approve learner access to the Student Loan Scheme if the programme meets one of the following criteria:

it runs for 32 weeks or more and has an EFTS value of at least 0.3 EFTS, or
it runs for fewer than 32 weeks with an EFTS value of between 0.25 and 0.3 EFTS.

Loan entry threshold
The loan entry threshold (LET) is used to identify the minimum EFTS value required for a learner’s individual study programme to be deemed full-time. This affects learner eligibility for the Student Allowance and Student Loan Schemes. A programme that is not deemed to be full-time (ie, not approved for access to the Student Allowance and Student Loan Schemes) can nevertheless be funded through YG. 
The LET is determined by matching a range of gross weeks to a range of EFTS values. A gross week is the total length of enrolment in a programme, including holiday weeks.
The table below shows this relationship. Programmes of less than 0.3 EFTS may still be eligible for learner access to the Student Loan Scheme.

Loan entry threshold table

Length of enrolment(Gross weeks)

Loan entry threshold(EFTS)

12

0.3

13

0.3

14

0.3

15

0.3

16

0.4

17

0.4

18

0.4

19

0.4

20

0.5

21

0.525

22

0.55

23

0.575

24

0.6

25

0.625

26

0.65

27

0.675

28

0.7

29

0.725

30

0.75

31

0.775

32–52

0.8

53 or more

1.0

Student allowances – paid practical work
Learners that undertake paid practical work as part of their course of study are not entitled to any student allowance payments for the week(s) they undertake that work. It is important that you discuss this with your learners.
For more information on student allowance entitlements and paid practical work please see StudyLink.

Source: E-Commerce arrangement with China to boost Digital Exports

MEDIA RELEASE
2 May 2025

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a report urging exploratory therapy for youth with gender dysphoria rather than the chemicalisation and surgical intervention approach.

This is yet another nail in the coffin of radical gender ideology and the medical experiments being foisted on our vulnerable young people.

The report says that many of these children and adolescents have co-occurring psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions, rendering them especially vulnerable, and is published against the backdrop of growing international concern about pediatric medical transition. They say:

Health authorities have also recognized the exceptional nature of this area of medicine. That exceptionalism is due to a convergence of factors. One is that the diagnosis of gender dysphoria is based entirely on subjective self-reports and behavioral observations, without any objective physical, imaging, or laboratory markers. The diagnosis centers on attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that are known to fluctuate during adolescence. Medical professionals have no way to know which patients may continue to experience gender dysphoria and which will come to terms with their bodies.

The report clearly outlines the risks of significant harm:

Nevertheless, the “gender-affirming” model of care includes irreversible endocrine and surgical interventions on minors with no physical pathology. These interventions carry risk of significant harms including infertility/sterility, sexual dysfunction, impaired bone density accrual, adverse cognitive impacts, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, psychiatric disorders, surgical complications, and regret. Meanwhile, systematic reviews of the evidence have revealed deep uncertainty about the purported benefits of these interventions.

The report also says:

The “gender-affirming” model of care, as practiced in U.S. clinics, is characterized by a child-led process in which comprehensive mental health assessments are often minimized or omitted, and the patient’s “embodiment goals” serve as the primary guide for treatment decisions. In some of the nation’s 15 leading pediatric gender clinics, assessments are conducted in a single session lasting two hours.

The report rightly criticises the “gender-affirming” model of care recommended by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) – which is also the basis of NZ’s model via the activist group PATHA (Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa), saying:

This model emphasizes the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, as well as surgeries, and casts suspicion on psychotherapeutic approaches for management of gender dysphoria… In the U.S., the most influential clinical guidelines for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria are published by WPATH and the Endocrine Society. A recent systematic review of international guideline quality did not recommend either guideline for clinical use after determining they “lack developmental rigour and transparency.”

Finally the report also calls out the harmful resistance to psychotherapy, including the mischaracterisation of such approaches as “conversion therapy” which actually affirms children in their biological body.

The rise in youth gender dysphoria and the corresponding demand for medical interventions have occurred against the backdrop of a broader mental health crisis affecting adolescents… There is a dearth of research on psychotherapeutic approaches to managing gender dysphoria in children and adolescents. This is due in part to the mischaracterization of such approaches as “conversion therapy.” A more robust evidence base supports psychotherapeutic approaches to managing common comorbid mental health conditions. Psychotherapy is a noninvasive alternative to endocrine and surgical interventions for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria. Systematic reviews of evidence have found no evidence of adverse effects of psychotherapy in this context.

Family First has written to the Director-General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati requiring the Ministry of Health to remove the reference to the PATHA Guidelines in the Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care issued by the Ministry on 21 November 2024.

The Guidelines for Gender Affirming Health care for Gender Diverse and Transgender Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand written by activists from PATHA makes statements on puberty blockers which are not supported by the findings from the Ministry’s own evidence brief, as summarised in the Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care, nor by other probative evidence.

Family First believes it is critical that the Ministry act immediately and make regulations under the Medicines Act to stop the prescribing of puberty blockers for delaying puberty in gender incongruent or gender dysphoric young people because there is insufficient quality evidence that puberty blockers are both safe and reversible and efficacious in the treatment of gender dysphoria.