Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

New speed limits will be introduced in the popular towns of Karangahake and Waihī after a recent speed review was undertaken by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

Three short sections of State Highway 2 (SH2) will have lower speed limits in place before Christmas, making travel over summer safer for everyone. 

Andrew Corkill NZTA Director Regional Relationships for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, says the consultation process ran for six weeks and showed mixed views, but highlighted strong community support for safer speeds, especially near busy intersections and local facilities. 

“We received 271 submissions for Karangahake and 217 for Waihī consultations. In Waihī, many submitters supported the proposed lowering of speed up to the busy Dean Crescent intersection where there’s often a significant volume of heavy vehicles and vehicles towing trailers. 

“Hauraki District Council were very supportive of the changes, pointing out that the Refuse Transfer Station down Dean Crescent attracts significant local traffic having to exit what looks like an urban intersection onto a 100km/h highway.”

While 57% of Karangahake submitters had concerns about the change of speed, many agreed a lower speed limit would help people navigate the tricky nature of the road, making it easier to access car parks and cross the road safely.

The speed limit changes have been certified by the Director of Land Transport. This follows six weeks of public consultation with partners, stakeholders and the community from August to October this year. The enforcement of the new speed limits will become legal once the new signage is in place.  

Specific information:  

Location	Length	Existing speed limit (km/h)	New speed limit (km/h)
SH2 Karangahake (near Albert Street to west of Waitawheta Road)	2.8 kilometres	80	60
SH2 Waihī / Parry Palm Avenue (near the SH2/Martin Road/Baber Street intersection to near Orchard Road)	950 metres	70	60
SH2 Waihī / Parry Palm Avenue (near Orchard Road to near Dean Crescent)	850 metres	100	60

The signage will be installed as soon as possible, at which time the new speed limits will become enforceable. 

More information on the permanent speed limits and our consultation summaries can be found on the NZTA website:

Speed Limit review – Waikato

Source: New Zealand Police

As the weather warms up and Southlanders begin flocking to the beach, Police are reminding people of an important fact – beaches are roads and need to be treated as such.

Senior Sergeant Scott MacKenzie, Southland Area Road Policing Manager, says while it is legal to drive on Oreti Beach, you still need to adhere to the road rules.

“The beach has a speed limit of 30k/h – there is no excuse to be over this limit.

“The days are getting warmer and with school holidays it can be expected that a lot of families with small children and animals will be heading to the beach to enjoy the sun.

“Anyone driving on the beach needs to be mindful of this, and stay focused on your surroundings,” he says.

The risks of injury or worse, to yourself or others, are just the same as on traditional roads.

Senior Sergeant MacKenzie also reminds beach goers that any form of antisocial road-user behaviour will not be tolerated.

“Some people seem to think that road rules don’t apply to you when on the beach – this is not the case.

“Antisocial driving behaviour is unacceptable, on and off the beach, and we encourage the community to report the driving behaviour immediately.

“It is best to make a report while the incident is occurring to allow our staff the opportunity to respond immediately and hopefully disrupt any offenders in the act.

“Please take note of as much detail as possible, such as registration number of the vehicle, any identifying features of the vehicle and its driver, or even take a video of the driving behaviour if safe to do so,” he says.

You can report information to us by calling 111 if it is happening now, or through 105 for non-emergencies.

Alternatively, you can report information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Two firearms have been taken off the streets during two separate incidents in Auckland overnight.

Officers conducting vehicle stops in central Auckland pulled over a vehicle on Customs Street West at about 12.20am.

Upon speaking with the driver, Relieving Auckland Central Area Commander, Inspector Wayne Kitcher, says officers observed a firearm near the driver’s door and requested additional units.

“The driver was quickly taken into custody and a search of the vehicle located a 3D-printed firearm with ammunition.”

A 37-year-old man will appear in Auckland District Court today charged with unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of methamphetamine.

Just hours later, officers stopped a vehicle allegedly speeding on Carrington Road, Mount Albert.

“While Police were speaking with the occupants of the vehicle they saw a suspicious looking zip-lock bag in the centre console.

“A further search of the vehicle has then located a shotgun in the boot,” Inspector Kitcher says.

“These were great results from our teams and a busy night for our staff.

“Another two firearms are now off the streets and out of our community.”

Two men, aged 41 and 27, and a 42-year-old woman have been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and will appear in Auckland District Court today.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

Honourable Andrew Bayly, Chair of the Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly 2025, delegate Parliamentarians, expert speakers, Ambassadors, Members of Parliament, and distinguished guests from the New Zealand Antarctic community, 

I would like to thank Mr Mark Stewart and Ainsley Walter, for their generous sponsorship of the Assembly’s dinner this evening and for Mark’s contribution, over many years as former Chair of the Antarctic Heritage Trust.  Mark and Ainsley are represented tonight by Nigel Watson, Executive Director of Masthead.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the New Zealand Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly.

It is a privilege to join you today to deliver the keynote address on behalf of New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Rt Honourable Winston Peters.

I am also honoured to be among the five minsters who had the opportunity to visit Antarctica during this parliamentary term.

It was truly an eye-opening experience to not only take in the vast, silent and breathtaking environment, but also to see firsthand the research they have ongoing on the ground. 

New Zealand’s Antarctic History

Few places on earth capture the imagination like Antarctica.  

New Zealand’s proud Antarctic history began almost 200 years ago and is connected to this same spirit. 

New Zealander, Frank Worsley was a gifted seamen and navigator who was famously hired by Shackleton on the spot for his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914, as captain of the HMS Endurance. 

After the Endurance became trapped in pack ice in the Weddell Sea in 1915 – Shackleton, Worsley and 26 other men were forced to abandon ship.

Worsley’s role was crucial, navigating three lifeboats to Elephant Island and then to a whaling station in South Georgia, through treacherous conditions.

The story of the Endurance is a testament to the power of perseverance and teamwork in the face of adversity; the importance of effective leadership; and adaptability and flexibility when faced with unexpected challenges and changing circumstances.  

In 1957, Sir Edmund Hillary established Scott Base, New Zealand’s permanent Antarctic research station, to support the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition.  

Hillary’s famous ‘dash to the pole’ was the first since Scott to reach the South Pole overland, and the first in motor vehicles. 

30 years later, his son Peter Hillary – who is speaking at tonight’s Assembly dinner – skied to the South Pole from Ross Island, pioneering a new route up the Shackleton Glacier. 

The same courage, perseverance, adaptability and human ingenuity that characterised these heroic explorers, infuses the story of the Antarctic Treaty.  

Antarctic Treaty

Last Monday, Antarctica Day, commemorated the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in Washington DC on 1 December 1959.  

Sixty-six years ago, 12 nations including New Zealand, gathered at a conference on the political and international status of Antarctica.

The resulting Antarctic Treaty, signed by all 12 nations, covers all the area south of latitude 60°.

The Treaty’s preamble recognises that “it is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord”. 

Adopted during the Cold War, it has become one of our most unique, enduring and successful international agreements.   

The Antarctic Treaty commits its now 58 parties to using Antarctica for peaceful purposes only and promotes international scientific cooperation. 

The potential for disputes over territorial claims is set aside, military activity is outlawed, and Antarctica is the world’s first nuclear weapon-free zone. 

The Treaty also guarantees freedom of scientific investigation and promotes international research cooperation, in the spirit of the International Geophysical Year. 

This science has taught us that what happens in Antarctica matters to us all. For example, important research like modelling ice sheets to better predict sea-level rise gives us information to help us prepare for and respond to future climate challenges.

New Zealand remains committed to conserving and protecting the Antarctic and working with international partners to uphold the Antarctic Treaty System.  

These international rules and norms protect Antarctica and its surrounding Southern Ocean.  

However, we cannot take these achievements for granted.

The international order that has sustained peace for the past 80 years stands on the precipice of breaking down.  

The shift in the international order from rules to power continues its malignant path and impacts deeply on perceptions of the broader legitimacy of the multilateral rules-based system.

It has never been more apparent just how much diplomacy and the tools of statecraft matter in our troubled world.  

Although the Antarctic is geographically isolated and the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty are spread across the world, Antarctica is affected by this shifting geopolitical landscape.  

We face these challenges together, with far greater understanding about how our regions are inter-connected. 

Antarctic Treaty System

The Antarctic Treaty System provides the framework to continue responding to challenges facing the Antarctic – whether sea level rise, warming oceans, or strategic competition for resources.

As supporters, promoters and spokespeople for the Antarctic and the Antarctic Treaty System we can share the message in our communities, through the media, with policy and decision-makers, and with our partners internationally.  

This requires us to correct any myths that arise regarding the health of the Antarctic Treaty System. I would like to address some of these myths.

First, there is a widely promulgated, but false, narrative that the Antarctic Treaty or its Protocol on Environmental Protection will expire in 2048 – with the implication that the current ban on mining would end. This is not accurate. 

Neither the Treaty nor the Protocol on Environmental Protection has an expiry date. 

From 2048 any party can request a review of the Protocol.  However, any amendment requested under a review would require agreement by three-quarters of the Consultative Parties, including all Parties as at 1991. 

Any amendment of the mining prohibition further requires a binding legal regime on mineral resource activities to have been negotiated and agreed.

These thresholds and safeguards mean that both the Treaty, and the Environmental Protocol and its mining ban, are indefinite.

The second myth is that support for the Antarctic Treaty System is wavering. Some have tried to represent disagreements and negotiations amongst Antarctic Parties – which are normal and to be expected – as evidence of the system wavering.

That is not true. Support for the Antarctic Treaty and its related instruments remains strong amongst all its Parties which is proven through the Paris Declaration in 2021 and Helsinki Declaration in 2023.

You may have heard the narrative that the ATS can’t handle potential future challenges – things like resource competition, demand for more fishing, tourism impacts, bioprospecting or geopolitical realities.  That somehow, we would be better off walking away from it. This is not the case.

The Antarctic Treaty System is fully capable of managing these issues. Every country represented here today, and many others, is part of the Antarctic Treaty System.  Contemporary issues are regularly addressed in Treaty System meetings. 

While we are not naive to the risks and the challenges, we are confident the system provides us with the best framework for robust governance of the Antarctic region, for the benefit of all.  

New Zealand firmly believes that we all must continue supporting the Antarctic Treaty System, so that it will endure this new era. 

This is why New Zealand is seeking to energise a wide range of international partners to maximise support for Antarctic rules and norms.  New Zealand has also recently refreshed its Statement of Commitment to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.  

It is also why we are pleased to host this meeting of the Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly.  It is another valuable strand to our shared efforts to raise awareness of the Antarctic’s value, and to reinforce the Treaty System that protects it.

Concluding remarks

Tomorrow, Assembly delegates will consider how Parliamentarians can support the Antarctic and Treaty System.   

My challenge to you and your fellow parliamentarians at home, is to consider how you can support and safeguard this successful system that we already have.   

It would be impossible, in today’s world, to create such a unique, visionary and comprehensive system from scratch.

We must do this together. We need to speak up for the Antarctic and the Treaty system, including to bust myths. If we work collectively and creatively within the Treaty System, we can respond to new challenges. 

We are the current navigators and captains of the Treaty System. We must show some of the same courage, ingenuity and adaptability that Worsley and Hillary showed, for this current stage of the voyage.

There are few places in the world where there has never been war, where the environment is fully protected, and where scientific research has priority. Antarctica is one of them.  And it is thanks to the Antarctic Treaty System that this endures.

Thank you.

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government will make changes to ensure the continued viability of a scheme that helps people travel when they cannot access public transport on their own, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston announced today. 

“Total Mobility provides subsidised taxi fares for people with disabilities and for older New Zealanders who may be prevented from using buses, trains or ferries independently. The subsidy is split between the Government and public transport authorities – local councils and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) – and provides an important service for the people who use the scheme,” Chris Bishop says. 

“Total Mobility’s costs have been escalating unsustainably since changes in 2022 increased the fare subsidy from 50 percent to its current 75 percent. In increasing the subsidy, the previous government did not account for the higher demand and costs this change would produce over time. Increased demand now means the scheme is close to exceeding its Crown funding and is placing significant pressure on the contributions from local councils and NZTA. This is yet another fiscal cliff left to us that we are having to correct and fix.  

“Today, the Government is announcing decisions to stabilise the Total Mobility scheme so that the disability community is supported in a financially sustainable way, by all funding partners.” 

The Government has decided:

• the fare subsidy level will reduce from the current 75 percent down to 65 percent from 1 July 2026
• NZTA will work with public transport authorities to lower the fare caps and the maximum subsidy by approximately 10 percent
• reduced costs to the Crown from these changes will be recycled to public transport authorities to reduce their shortfall over 2025 to 2030.

“As demand grows, we need to make sure the scheme reaches those who need it most. The Government aims, as part of consultation, to look at improving the assessment process for access to Total Mobility, better targeting the scheme by allocating users a set number of trips based on their needs, and increasing choice of services (e.g. wheelchair accessible trips, ride-hail apps or community transport)”, Chris Bishop says. 

“We appreciate these decisions will mean fares will increase for Total Mobility users, but they will still receive a higher subsidy level than prior to 2022,” Louise Upston says.

“The changes also provide certainty that those who need the service will have continued access to it. 

“Public transport authorities are key partners in funding and delivering Total Mobility. In response to increasing cost pressures on ratepayers, several public transport authorities have been considering reducing the discount to 50 percent in their region.”

“Disabled people should receive the same Crown support wherever they live in New Zealand. That’s why we want to stabilise Total Mobility’s funding pressures in a way that ensures financial sustainability, consistency in how the service is delivered, and fairness across New Zealand,” Louise Upston says.

“As part of these changes, the Government will provide $10 million to NZTA to help reduce public transport authorities’ funding shortfalls,” Chris Bishop says.

“This will ensure quick relief to public transport authorities until the subsidy changes take effect from the next financial year.”

“Beyond ensuring the scheme’s financial viability, the Government is also taking the opportunity to consider changes to strengthen a system so that it works better for disabled people,” Louise Upston says.

“The Ministry of Transport will be releasing a discussion document to consult on proposals to strengthen Total Mobility to ensure fairer, consistent and more sustainable access to services for people with the greatest need. 

“Total Mobility provides an important service for disabled and older people  and we want it to continue to serve them well for years to come. The changes we are making will ensure that happens.”  

Notes to editor:

• Prior to 2022, Total Mobility users received a 50 percent fare subsidy. In 2022, that was increased to a 75 percent fare subsidy.
• The higher subsidy has seen registered users increase from 108,000 in 2022 to 120,000 in 2024/25.
• Total Mobility trips have also increased from 1.8 million trips in 2018 to three million in 2024/25.
• Under current settings, costs are forecast to exceed funding available for all funders by $236 million over the period 2025-2030.
• The Government has decided to:
• reduce the Total Mobility subsidy level from 75 percent to 65 percent from 1 July 2026 (by decreasing the Crown’s subsidy contribution from 25 percent to 15 percent)
• work with public transport authorities to reduce the Total Mobility fare caps by around 10 percent in each region
• use Crown savings from these changes to reduce public transport authorities’ shortfall over 2025-2030.
• The Government is allocating $10 million from existing funding to reduce public transport authorities funding shortfalls this financial year.
• NZTA will be empowered to determined how this funding will be allocated to public transport authorities.
• The Government is also consulting on the Total Mobility Discussion Document, which contains proposals to strengthen the scheme. Consultation material is available on the Ministry of Transport website. Alternate formats will be released as these are available.

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died following a water-related incident in Titahi Bay on Sunday.

Police were called to Bay Drive at around 2:15pm, following reports of a person being pulled from the water unresponsive.

Despite the best efforts of those on the scene, the person died a short time later.

The death will be referred to the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

Honourable Andrew Bayly, Chair of the Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly 2025, delegate Parliamentarians, expert speakers, Ambassadors, Members of Parliament, and distinguished guests from the New Zealand Antarctic community, 

I would like to thank Mr Mark Stewart and Ainsley Walter, for their generous sponsorship of the Assembly’s dinner this evening and for Mark’s contribution, over many years as former Chair of the Antarctic Heritage Trust.  Mark and Ainsley are represented tonight by Nigel Watson, Executive Director of Masthead.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the New Zealand Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly.

It is a privilege to join you today to deliver the keynote address on behalf of New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Rt Honourable Winston Peters.

I am also honoured to be among the five minsters who had the opportunity to visit Antarctica during this parliamentary term.

It was truly an eye-opening experience to not only take in the vast, silent and breathtaking environment, but also to see firsthand the research they have ongoing on the ground. 

New Zealand’s Antarctic History

Few places on earth capture the imagination like Antarctica.  

New Zealand’s proud Antarctic history began almost 200 years ago and is connected to this same spirit. 

New Zealander, Frank Worsley was a gifted seamen and navigator who was famously hired by Shackleton on the spot for his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914, as captain of the HMS Endurance. 

After the Endurance became trapped in pack ice in the Weddell Sea in 1915 – Shackleton, Worsley and 26 other men were forced to abandon ship.

Worsley’s role was crucial, navigating three lifeboats to Elephant Island and then to a whaling station in South Georgia, through treacherous conditions.

The story of the Endurance is a testament to the power of perseverance and teamwork in the face of adversity; the importance of effective leadership; and adaptability and flexibility when faced with unexpected challenges and changing circumstances.  

In 1957, Sir Edmund Hillary established Scott Base, New Zealand’s permanent Antarctic research station, to support the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition.  

Hillary’s famous ‘dash to the pole’ was the first since Scott to reach the South Pole overland, and the first in motor vehicles. 

30 years later, his son Peter Hillary – who is speaking at tonight’s Assembly dinner – skied to the South Pole from Ross Island, pioneering a new route up the Shackleton Glacier. 

The same courage, perseverance, adaptability and human ingenuity that characterised these heroic explorers, infuses the story of the Antarctic Treaty.  

Antarctic Treaty

Last Monday, Antarctica Day, commemorated the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in Washington DC on 1 December 1959.  

Sixty-six years ago, 12 nations including New Zealand, gathered at a conference on the political and international status of Antarctica.

The resulting Antarctic Treaty, signed by all 12 nations, covers all the area south of latitude 60°.

The Treaty’s preamble recognises that “it is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord”. 

Adopted during the Cold War, it has become one of our most unique, enduring and successful international agreements.   

The Antarctic Treaty commits its now 58 parties to using Antarctica for peaceful purposes only and promotes international scientific cooperation. 

The potential for disputes over territorial claims is set aside, military activity is outlawed, and Antarctica is the world’s first nuclear weapon-free zone. 

The Treaty also guarantees freedom of scientific investigation and promotes international research cooperation, in the spirit of the International Geophysical Year. 

This science has taught us that what happens in Antarctica matters to us all. For example, important research like modelling ice sheets to better predict sea-level rise gives us information to help us prepare for and respond to future climate challenges.

New Zealand remains committed to conserving and protecting the Antarctic and working with international partners to uphold the Antarctic Treaty System.  

These international rules and norms protect Antarctica and its surrounding Southern Ocean.  

However, we cannot take these achievements for granted.

The international order that has sustained peace for the past 80 years stands on the precipice of breaking down.  

The shift in the international order from rules to power continues its malignant path and impacts deeply on perceptions of the broader legitimacy of the multilateral rules-based system.

It has never been more apparent just how much diplomacy and the tools of statecraft matter in our troubled world.  

Although the Antarctic is geographically isolated and the Parties to the Antarctic Treaty are spread across the world, Antarctica is affected by this shifting geopolitical landscape.  

We face these challenges together, with far greater understanding about how our regions are inter-connected. 

Antarctic Treaty System

The Antarctic Treaty System provides the framework to continue responding to challenges facing the Antarctic – whether sea level rise, warming oceans, or strategic competition for resources.

As supporters, promoters and spokespeople for the Antarctic and the Antarctic Treaty System we can share the message in our communities, through the media, with policy and decision-makers, and with our partners internationally.  

This requires us to correct any myths that arise regarding the health of the Antarctic Treaty System. I would like to address some of these myths.

First, there is a widely promulgated, but false, narrative that the Antarctic Treaty or its Protocol on Environmental Protection will expire in 2048 – with the implication that the current ban on mining would end. This is not accurate. 

Neither the Treaty nor the Protocol on Environmental Protection has an expiry date. 

From 2048 any party can request a review of the Protocol.  However, any amendment requested under a review would require agreement by three-quarters of the Consultative Parties, including all Parties as at 1991. 

Any amendment of the mining prohibition further requires a binding legal regime on mineral resource activities to have been negotiated and agreed.

These thresholds and safeguards mean that both the Treaty, and the Environmental Protocol and its mining ban, are indefinite.

The second myth is that support for the Antarctic Treaty System is wavering. Some have tried to represent disagreements and negotiations amongst Antarctic Parties – which are normal and to be expected – as evidence of the system wavering.

That is not true. Support for the Antarctic Treaty and its related instruments remains strong amongst all its Parties which is proven through the Paris Declaration in 2021 and Helsinki Declaration in 2023.

You may have heard the narrative that the ATS can’t handle potential future challenges – things like resource competition, demand for more fishing, tourism impacts, bioprospecting or geopolitical realities.  That somehow, we would be better off walking away from it. This is not the case.

The Antarctic Treaty System is fully capable of managing these issues. Every country represented here today, and many others, is part of the Antarctic Treaty System.  Contemporary issues are regularly addressed in Treaty System meetings. 

While we are not naive to the risks and the challenges, we are confident the system provides us with the best framework for robust governance of the Antarctic region, for the benefit of all.  

New Zealand firmly believes that we all must continue supporting the Antarctic Treaty System, so that it will endure this new era. 

This is why New Zealand is seeking to energise a wide range of international partners to maximise support for Antarctic rules and norms.  New Zealand has also recently refreshed its Statement of Commitment to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.  

It is also why we are pleased to host this meeting of the Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly.  It is another valuable strand to our shared efforts to raise awareness of the Antarctic’s value, and to reinforce the Treaty System that protects it.

Concluding remarks

Tomorrow, Assembly delegates will consider how Parliamentarians can support the Antarctic and Treaty System.   

My challenge to you and your fellow parliamentarians at home, is to consider how you can support and safeguard this successful system that we already have.   

It would be impossible, in today’s world, to create such a unique, visionary and comprehensive system from scratch.

We must do this together. We need to speak up for the Antarctic and the Treaty system, including to bust myths. If we work collectively and creatively within the Treaty System, we can respond to new challenges. 

We are the current navigators and captains of the Treaty System. We must show some of the same courage, ingenuity and adaptability that Worsley and Hillary showed, for this current stage of the voyage.

There are few places in the world where there has never been war, where the environment is fully protected, and where scientific research has priority. Antarctica is one of them.  And it is thanks to the Antarctic Treaty System that this endures.

Thank you.

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has today confirmed the establishment of a new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), to support the Government’s ambitious reform agenda in housing, transport, urban development and the environment.

The new Ministry will bring together the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Ministry of Transport, and local government functions from the Department of Internal Affairs into one coherent new agency.

“The new agency will be at the heart of tackling some of New Zealand’s greatest economic and environmental challenges – from housing affordability, our infrastructure deficit, and adaptation to climate change,” Housing, Transport, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says.

“The Government has a series of ambitious and complex policy reforms underway across all of these areas, from Going for Housing Growth, a renewed emphasis on transit-oriented development, congestion pricing and the transition to electronic road user charges for all vehicles, Local Water Done Well, City and Regional Deals, and the National Adaptation Framework. Underpinning it all is planning and local government reform.

“Responsibility for many of these reforms currently spans multiple agencies. For example, solving our housing crisis is impossible without fundamental planning reform, which is currently the responsibility of the Ministry for the Environment (which looks after city, district and regional plans). It is also impossible without reforms to infrastructure funding and financing (currently split across HUD, DIA and Transport).

“The Government has a clear agenda to drive growth and lift living standards for all New Zealanders. We do not believe the current structures of government can deliver effectively on this strong mandate and change is required. The system is too fragmented and too uncoordinated.

“New Zealand is very well served by outstanding public servants in all of these agencies doing their best to serve Ministers and the public in difficult circumstances. My experience is that they are often as frustrated as Ministers are by the duplication, overlapping responsibilities and lack of coordination.

“Local government and communities rightly complain that dealing with central government on these important issues is difficult, bordering on impossible, because it is often not clear who they should be talking to and coordinating with. The new agency will be the “one stop shop” for local government and others to deal with on these complex challenges.

“The new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) will combine the key levers that shape growth and productivity, including planning, land use, housing, transport, water, and the interface with local government, so advice is integrated and accountability is clear.

“I have spoken often about how City Rail Link, which will open next year, has been a real missed opportunity for New Zealand. It will be a transformational project for Auckland once open, but it presents opportunities across land use change, infrastructure funding and financing, and urban development which have either not been taken up or are only now being belatedly explored. My firm view is that the disconnected nature of central government policy advice has contributed to those missed opportunities.”

“The Government is committed to delivering the best results for taxpayers in the most efficient way possible, and this new Ministry will do that,” Public Service Minister Judith Collins says.

“We are investing to ensure its success and while it is not intended as a cost-cutting exercise, we do expect to see efficiencies in the medium to long term.  

“The primary purpose of MCERT is to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s cities and regions. It will help boost growth and productivity by reducing duplication and complexity, and by creating a simpler and more responsive public service.

“We are very conscious that uncertainty and change can be unsettling but Cabinet has agreed this new Ministry is the right way forward, and the dedicated public servants who work at the four affected agencies deserve transparency and honesty. 

“Overall, we are establishing a high-performing agency to match our new high-performing planning, infrastructure funding and financing, and local government systems.” 

“For too long, duplicating functions across these agencies has slowed progress and created uncertainty about who is responsible for what. As we move ahead with significant reforms to the role of local government, it makes sense to merge the departments to provide clearer direction and more coordinated support – from planning and infrastructure through to climate adaptation,” Local Government and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.

“New Zealanders deserves a system that operates as one. By bringing these departments together, we will have clearer coordination, more succinct advice, and therefore better decision-making, which will deliver real results for New Zealanders.” 

“MCERT brings together the key levers for growth and environmental stewardship in one place. With clearer accountability and integrated advice, we’ll deliver better outcomes for our communities—across housing, transport, water and the environment,” Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.

“Aligning the right tools in one agency will provide practical, integrated advice that protects our environment and lifts prosperity for every community.”

A Chief Executive will be appointed in the first half of 2026, with the Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport fully operational by July 2026.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the fisherman who has been missing since 23 November off the coast of Tapotupotu Bay, near Cape Reinga.

He was Man Bock Lee, 65, of Hamilton.

Emergency services were called following a report Mr Lee had been swept off the rocks while fishing in the remote location with friends.

Despite extensive searches in the area where Mr Lee was last seen, he has not yet been located and Police believe he has drowned.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Police would like to thank everyone, including Search and Rescue, Police National Dive Squad, Northland Coastguard Air Patrol, Customs, Surf Lifesaving and Northern Rescue Helicopter for assisting in the search efforts.

This matter has now been referred to the Coroner.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

18 seconds ago

Building on last year’s success, EIT Auckland’s second annual Mahi Heke Mai – Working Futures forum brought together dozens of recent graduates and current students to hear from specialists across the IT, supply chain, health and recruitment sectors.

Held at EIT’s Auckland Campus last month, the event also drew attendees from outside the region, including several who travelled from Napier.

The organiser of the event, Brendon Hickey, said: “The benefits of direct engagement with industry and labour market experts to our aspiring professionals cannot be overstated.

“Mahi Heke Mai – Working Futures fulfils this requirement and is now a highly anticipated annual signature event at EIT’s Auckland campus.”

Recruitment professional and Bound Recruitment founder Samsara Powley-Doreen opened the session with a structured four-point employment strategy, offering clear and practical guidance to attendees preparing to enter the job market.

Frontline Health Agency Owner Debbie Glen, who has extensive international experience in people management, spoke about the transition challenges commonly faced by international students and provided targeted advice to support their move into the New Zealand workforce.

Debbie said it was “great to give back”. “Thanks so much for the opportunity to meet your lovely students. I hope what we contributed will help them on their journey.”

A deep dive into emerging supply chain trends was led by Hunter Campbell specialist Wayne Fry, who emphasised the growing importance of data-driven decision-making and analytical capability as the sector continues to undergo automation and digital transformation.

The evolving role of artificial intelligence in contemporary workplaces was a central theme in the contribution from Absolute IT consultant Simon Meehan, known for his labour-market expertise and sector intelligence.

Industry guests responded thoughtfully to a wide range of questions from attendees and remained long after the formal programme concluded, continuing conversations over refreshments.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many participants noting the value of being able to engage directly with professionals shaping Aotearoa’s workforce.

Master of Health Science graduate Komal Saddi said the event left her feeling motivated and informed.

“I’m thrilled to have participated in Mahi Heke Mai ’25, hosted by Eastern Institute of Technology today, where recent graduates like myself had the opportunity to meet industry professionals, gain insights and make connections.

“Moving forward, I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned, build on the connections made, and take the next steps in my career journey.”