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Category: MIL-OSI

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

    Source: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

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

    “This looks like an abuse of process. Once again we are seeing the Government rushing through legislation without adequate oversight and the opportunity for us all, especially those most impacted, to have a say. That’s not what happens in a healthy, thriving, representative democracy.
    There can be legitimate reasons for using urgency. However, we are concerned that urgency is being used over and over and over again when it doesn’t need to be – avoiding the scrutiny and public input that helps protect against bad law.
    This is a problem we’ve seen across successive governments. It risks normalising undemocratic practices, bypassing normal checks and balances that support transparency and participation.
    The use of urgency is not an isolated concern.
    We’re seeing actions by Government utterly disregarding Te Tiriti o Waitangi – a fundamental part of our constitutional make-up. We’re seeing accountability and transparency challenged in other areas such as with the Official Information Act.
    New Zealanders must seriously question what path this is all leading us down and take a stand for the kind of society we want – one that’s based on respect, dignity and equity.
    This starts with getting our foundation right. For Aotearoa New Zealand this is about upholding Te Tiriti and the tino rangatiratanga it guarantees. In doing so we provide a place for us all to belong, for respectful relationships to flourish and a just foundation for how we can make decisions together.
    When our systems are designed so we can all make a meaningful contribution, we can all benefit in so many ways, including more well-rounded and informed decision-making, stronger communities and feelings of belonging and connection. Not to mention overcoming intergenerational inequities in how different groups of people are paid.”
  • Maritime Union condemns Government’s attack on pay equity and women workers

    Maritime Union condemns Government’s attack on pay equity and women workers

    Source:

    The Maritime Union of New Zealand has condemned the Government’s attacks on hard-won pay equity legislation, describing these as a direct assault on the rights and economic well-being of women and all working New Zealanders.

    Maritime Union National Assistant Secretary Fiona Mansell says the Government’s proposed changes to the pay equity framework will wreck decades of progress, undermine fairness and equality in the workplace, and harm women in historically undervalued occupations.

    “The proposals completely undermine the principle that women deserve equal pay for work of equal value,” says Ms Mansell.

    “For years, unions have fought tirelessly to establish and strengthen pay equity laws. Weakening pay equity laws will entrench poverty and make it harder for working families to get by.”

    Ms Mansell says pay equity is a critical component of addressing the gender pay gap and ensuring economic justice.

    The Maritime Union of New Zealand stands in solidarity with women workers and is working with other unions across the country who have voiced strong opposition to the Government’s backward stance.

    “Given the serious implications for women’s rights, workers’ rights, and economic fairness, MUNZ believes Workplace Relations Minister Van Velden’s position has become untenable.”

    She says the Maritime Union was calling for Minister Van Velden’s immediate resignation.

    The Maritime Union of New Zealand will continue fighting alongside the wider union movement and women workers to protect and advance pay equity.

  • University Research – Vape shops cluster around schools – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Consumer NZ – This Mother’s Day, give the gift of scam protection and digital confidence

    Source: Consumer NZ

    Now is a great time to brush up on digital hygiene or share advice with someone you care about – in your family, workplace or social circle.

    “When it comes to showing someone you care for them, a bunch of flowers is nice – but helping protect them from scams and digital threats might be the most powerful gift you could give,” says Sahar Lone, Consumer NZ’s communications and campaigns manager.

    “Many of us act as unofficial tech support for the mother figures in our lives. Mother’s Day is a great time to sit down together and set up some simple protections or share some tips to the family group chat. It’s a free, practical and genuinely caring gesture.”

    Consumer’s latest Sentiment Tracker results show that 56% of New Zealand households have been targeted by scams in the last year. Notably, high-value losses are growing – 34% of scam victims lost over $1,000, up from 26% last year.

    With scams becoming more sophisticated – from fake parcel tracking texts to the rise of ‘Hi Mum’ impersonation scams – it’s important to have these conversations, says Lone.

    “These chats can feel awkward, but they don’t have to be. One way that works for a lot of people is to tell a story – whether it’s yours or someone else’s – to share, not shame.”
     
    The Financial Crime Prevention Network found people aged 50 years and older are a bit more common in scam victim data, but all age groups are affected.

    “Scams affect New Zealanders of all ages and backgrounds – not just older individuals or those who aren’t tech-savvy. While women are slightly more likely to fall victim, no one is immune” says Lone.

    So, yes, helping your mum with scam protections is a gift to her – but also a way to protect your whole whānau from messy financial fallout.

    Seven tips to share this Mother’s Day.

    Set up two-factor authentication for accounts like banking, email and social media. This extra layer of protection sends a code to your phone or email to log in. Make sure the phone number you give is a mobile – not a landline.

    Use a password manager. These tools store and generate strong passwords, so you don’t have to remember them.

    “You only need to remember one password, the ‘vault’ password,” says Lone. “And if you write it down, don’t label it. Just stash it away somewhere safe.”

    Don’t reuse passwords. A password manager makes it easy to create unique passwords for every site, limiting the amount of thinking you have to do.

    Avoid clicking links in emails or texts. “Even if it looks legit, go to the website directly instead of clicking a link that someone has sent you,” says Lone.

    Check that account names and numbers match. Major banks offer confirmation of payee, a service that can help make sure your money goes to the right person. If there’s a partial match, no match, or other issue, check the details and only pay if you’re sure they’re correct. If you proceed without a full match, you risk sending the money to the wrong account and may never get it back.

    Only buy from trusted sites and check the URL. Scammers often use social media marketplaces and create fake websites. According to the State of Scams in New Zealand 2024 report by New Zealand’s online safety organisation Netsafe and the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, scammers use Gmail, Facebook and WhatsApp as their go-to platforms.

    Make a family scam plan. “My mum and I agreed I’ll never contact her about money in writing, only in person. That gives us both peace of mind,” says Lone.

    And while you’re on the topic, take the opportunity to talk with the whole whānau about how they’d respond to a scam, including the following steps.

    If something feels off, act quickly. Contact your bank, report the incident to the National Cyber Security Centre’s response team, CERT NZ, and if needed, reach out to the police, a lawyer or the Banking Ombudsman Scheme.

    Go to Netsafe or CERT NZ for free scam information and support.

    Sign our Stamp out scams petition and help apply pressure to government to introduce a national scam framework in New Zealand that will hold businesses to account: https://consumernz.cmail19.com/t/i-l-fhildll-ijjdkdttjk-j/

    About Consumer

    Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

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

    Source: Ara Ake

    The first complete inventory of all the fossil fuel machines in New Zealand has found there are over ten million of them in the country and that 84% could be feasibly replaced with electric machines that are available in the country today.
    Rewiring Aotearoa’s Machine Count report showed that upgrading six million of the most ‘electrifiable’ fossil fuel machines – things like cars, heaters, lawnmowers, road bikes, ovens and stoves – would save the country approximately $8 million every day, or $3.7 billion each year.
    It would also slash 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, almost six times the total emissions from domestic aviation in 2023, or more than flying the entire population of Auckland to London and back every year.
    Another 10% of the total – around one million trucks, utes, vans, buses and smaller tractors – could be electrified if more effort was made to bring electric options to New Zealand, while just 6% of the machines – primarily those in heavy industry – require more research and development, or subsidies for them to be cost-effective.
    • Check out the interactive tool with all machines sized by estimated count or emissions here.
    Rewiring Aotearoa’s previous research has shown that many New Zealand homes, farms and businesses can reduce costs and emissions by upgrading their gas appliances, petrol cars and diesel machines to more efficient electric equivalents and running them on renewable electricity from the grid and solar.
    The Machine Count, a project supported by Ara Ake and EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), set out to better understand the size of the challenge: how many fossil fuel machines there are in our economy, and how hard they would be to electrify.
    “We always knew there were a lot of them, but now we have a firm idea on the number and on how ‘electrifiable’ they all are,” says Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey. “The research shows clearly that an electric transition is both technically possible and cost effective in the vast majority of cases.”
    Daniel Gnoth, Ara Ake’s General Manager of Research and Insights, says the report clearly identifies where the greatest opportunities lie to accelerate New Zealanders efforts to support the country’s electrification journey.
    “This study shows that innovation in energy isn’t just about developing new technologies-it’s about making clean, efficient machines more accessible and easier to adopt. The insights from this study will be incredibly useful for energy innovators to develop new solutions, including commercial and financial models, to accelerate the electrification of fossil fuel powered machines. If we get this right, we won’t just cut emissions-we’ll unlock new services and solutions that can be showcased and exported globally.”
    “It’s been a pleasure to partner with Rewiring Aotearoa on what is a groundbreaking study, both in its ambition and the breadth of its scope.”
    New Zealand’s fossil fuel prices are among the highest in the world, so Casey says shifting from machines that are reliant on expensive foreign molecules to electric machines that run on locally-made electrons is generally a no brainer – “for the economics, for the environment, and for energy security”.
    “Climate change is largely an energy problem. Around 75% of the world’s emissions come from energy and machines use that energy, so solving the problem in practice is about replacing those machines. We figured out how to electrify our cherry orchard near Cromwell and now we don’t use any diesel on the farm. We save tens of thousands on our energy bills each year, we’ve brought our emissions down to almost nothing, and we play a positive role in the energy system. I firmly believe New Zealand could become a demonstration project for the rest of the world and show that solving climate could save us all money.”
    Casey says there were many who said it wouldn’t be possible to run an orchard without diesel. There were many who didn’t believe we would see electric trucks, buses, diggers or loaders. And there are plenty who don’t believe we will see large electric tractors or mining equipment.
    “There are already plenty of electric buses and trucks on the road, huge electric machines are being launched all the time, and we are seeing massive technological advances and cost reductions in the fields of batteries, high-speed charging, solar panels and high temperature heat pumps, so there will definitely be options to explore in your sector.”
    EECA research shows that 36% of New Zealand household non-green appliances are over a decade old. The median age of a car in New Zealand is around 14 years, and businesses are regularly upgrading their fleets and equipment, so there are a whole lot of machines that are set to be replaced in the coming years.
    Megan Hurnard, EECA’s General Manager of Insights, Data and Communications says: “We’re entering a critical investment cycle for the machines that power our economy. As old equipment reaches the end of its life, the choices we make now will shape our energy system for decades. Replacing outdated machines with the same inefficient models risks locking in higher running costs, poor performance, and greater exposure to fuel price volatility. By choosing modern, energy-efficient technologies we can improve affordability, boost productivity, and enhance New Zealand’s energy security.”
    This research is not suggesting that every machine needs to be upgraded right now, but every machine is going to need to be replaced at some point and it’s clear your next purchasing decision should be electric.
    “In saying that, if you are more worried about emissions than economics, it makes sense to replace your fossil fuel machines before they break down,” says Casey. “Some fossil fuel machines can even be turned electric – like our 1990 Hilux, which we recently retrofitted with a 2014 Nissan Leaf motor and battery.”
    Casey says the electric transition is already happening in homes, farms and businesses around the country and the cost savings are driving a lot of that.
    “We believe the economic argument makes this shift inevitable. It makes no sense to use machines that cost more to do the same job – and it makes even less sense when those machines pump out so much pollution. But it’s not happening as fast as it should, and it’s not happening for the people who need it most; the ones who need to reduce their bills or those who need to improve their resilience in the face of worsening weather events.”
    Casey says opening up access to low-interest loans so that everyone – no matter their income – can deal with the higher upfront costs of electric machines and making it easy to upgrade is what will take this “from possible to practical”.
    “We need a range of financial innovations – both from the Government and from the banks – to speed this up. We also need innovations around the process – making it simple and easy for busy parents, renters, and retirees, not just the energy nerds, to benefit from going electric. And it needs to be from the first moment of research all the way through to installation. We’ve counted the machines, we’ve shown it’s feasible to electrify most of them, and we’ll be explaining in more detail how to make it happen and what needs to change in our upcoming policy manifesto.”
    The machine count database is a free, publicly available resource. It is hoped the database and findings will continue to be used and improved by government institutions, academic researchers, and businesses.
    Rewiring Aotearoa is an independent think / do tank working on energy, climate, and electrification research, advocacy, and supporting communities through the energy transition. The New Zealand-based team consists of energy, policy, communications and community outreach experts and it is funded by New Zealand-based philanthropists including Sir Stephen Tindall, Urs Hölzle and the Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation.
    Ara Ake is Aotearoa New Zealand’s future energy centre. New Zealand Government-sponsored, it is focused on accelerating the nation’s transition to a low-emissions energy future. Ara Ake is the national hub of new energy knowledge and development, connecting and collaborating across the energy innovation ecosystem to enable energy solutions to become commercially viable.

  • Privacy Commissioner – Webinar programme for Privacy Week 2025 announced

    Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner

    Privacy Week 2025 lands on the second week of May (12-16 May), with a full week of free webinars to promote privacy education.
    Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says, “New Zealanders’ concerns over the collection and use of their personal information remains high, and they want to see organisations and businesses responding positively to this challenge.”
    “Now’s the time to brush up on your privacy skills, and take up the opportunity to learn more about subjects like AI and privacy, Māori data privacy, privacy and business, or media rules around privacy.
    “We’re lucky to have attracted some of Aotearoa’s top privacy experts to speak on AI governance, biometrics and children’s toys, privacy in property management, and more,” he says.
    OPC staff will share their expertise on the new IPP3a amendment, how to be a good privacy officer, and local government specific privacy issues.
    “The programme is full to bursting with topics that are relevant and interesting,” says Mr Webster.
    You don’t need to be a privacy expert to engage with Privacy Week or to be proactive about your privacy rights.
    Webinars this year have been rated from beginner to advanced, showing which is suitable for your level of knowledge. All webinars are free.
    “I encourage you to have a look at the programme and attend a talk.
    Privacy is a basic human right, and the more we can educate ourselves and ensure businesses and organisations understand the breadth of their privacy obligations, the better,” the Commissioner says.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    1. Act Church of Sweden
    2. ActionAid
    3. Alianza / ActionAid Spain (ApS/AAS)
    4. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
    5. Anera
    6. Asamblea de Cooperación Por la Paz (ACPP)
    7. Asociación Paz con Dignidad
    8. CARE International
    9. CESVI
    10. Children Not Numbers
    11. Christian Aid
    12. CIDSE – International family of Catholic social justice organisations
    13. Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud (CISS)
    14. COSPE
    15. DanChurchAid (DCA)
    16. Danish House in Palestine
    17. Diakonia
    18. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
    19. forumZFD
    20. Global Communities
    21. HEKS/EPER
    22. Humanity First UK
    23. Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International
    24. IM Swedish Development Partner
    25. International Media Support (IMS)
    26. Islamic Relief Worldwide
    27. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
    28. KURVE Wustrow
    29. MedGlobal
    30. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
    31. Médecins du Monde (MdM) France
    32. Médecins du Monde (MdM) Spain
    33. Médecins du Monde (MdM) Switzerland
    34. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
    35. medico international
    36. Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
    37. Movement for Peace (MPDL)
    38. Muslim Aid
    39. Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
    40. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
    41. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
    42. Oxfam
    43. Pax Christi International
    44. Plan International
    45. Polish Medical Mission Association (PMM)
    46. Première Urgence Internationale (PUI)
    47. Relief International (RI)
    48. Save the Children International (SCI)
    49. Secours Islamique France (SIF)
    50. Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Italia
    51. Terre des Hommes (Tdh) Lausanne
    52. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine
    53. War Child
    54. Weltfriedensdienst e.V. (world peace service)
    55. West Bank Protection Consortium (WBPC).

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

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

    Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand  

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

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

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

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

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

    General insurers are experiencing more stable conditions. Our recent insurance stress test highlighted improved resilience in the sector, but also the challenges of extreme seismic events for New Zealand.
       
    Progress is continuing on the implementation of the Deposit Takers Act 2023. Several strands of this work will help to promote competition and efficiency in the deposit-taking sector.

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

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

    More information:

    What is a Stress Test?

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

  • Update: Search for missing tramper, Milford Sound

    Source: New Zealand Police

    The search for a missing man in the Milford Sound will continue today.

    Due to weather conditions, helicopters have been unable to fly, however teams on the ground will continue to search from first light.

    Search teams are mindful of the tricky terrain and weather warnings, which could potentially hamper search efforts.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

  • Bus crash in Pahurehure

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police are responding to reports of a school bus crash in Pahurehure, Papakura.

    The crash involves a single bus which collided with a tree on Elliot Street around 8.45am.

    All passengers are off the bus.

    At this stage five people have sustained injuries and will be transported to hospital by ambulance. 

    The remainder have are being treated at the scene.

    The bus is partially blocking the road.

    Police are conducting an examination at the scene and the public is advised avoid the area if possible.

    ENDS.

    Nicole Bremner/NZ Police