Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

New Zealanders with cancer and rare disorders will benefit from faster, locally delivered genomic testing through a new clinical pilot being launched by Health New Zealand, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

Faster results for cancer and rare disease patients
First step in building a national genomics service
Building secure systems to manage genomic data in New Zealand

“Today is a significant day for people needing genomic sequencing for certain cancers and rare disorders,” Mr Brown says.

“Too many Kiwis are left waiting for answers because their genomic tests are sent overseas – delays that can affect treatment decisions or prolong years of uncertainty.

“This two-year pilot will bring testing home, reducing wait times at one of the most stressful points in a patient’s life and supporting our health targets so cancer patients can receive treatment sooner and people spend less time waiting for specialist care.

“It will also strengthen local expertise in genomic medicine and improve diagnostic capability, helping clinicians deliver the right care at the right time.”

Health New Zealand is partnering with global genomics company Illumina to deliver the pilot, allowing advanced testing technologies to be evaluated while building capability within New Zealand’s health system.

The programme will trial two complementary approaches: Whole Genome Sequencing to support the diagnosis of rare and inherited disorders, and Comprehensive Genomic Profiling to help guide cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions.

“New Zealand currently spends more than $4 million each year sending over 4000 genomic tests overseas. This pilot will process more than 6000 samples over two years, including establishing new tests and consolidating existing workflows. By the end of the pilot, around half of tests currently sent offshore are expected to be completed in New Zealand.

“If adopted nationally, modelling suggests this approach could generate around $5 million in operational savings over five years, while ensuring sensitive genomic data is managed safely.”

The pilot will include testing for rare disorders across a range of groups, including metabolic, connective tissue, eye, hearing, and renal conditions, with work ongoing to determine the specific focus for cancer testing.

Alongside clinical outcomes, the pilot will assess workforce readiness, operational efficiency, and the systems needed to support genomic data management and governance, helping inform the development of a coordinated national genomics service.

“Today’s announcement comes during Rare Disorders Month, which highlights the importance of timely diagnosis for the thousands of New Zealanders living with rare conditions. I want to acknowledge everyone living with, and supporting those affected by, a rare disorder.

“Our Government is focused on putting patients at the centre of the health system. This pilot is about getting Kiwis answers faster and building a genomics testing service New Zealand can be proud of,” Mr Brown says.

Source: New Zealand Government

The latest data on fuel stocks shows New Zealand continues to hold healthy levels of petrol, diesel and jet fuel, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say.

“As at midnight on Sunday 15 March, combined petrol, diesel and jet fuel stocks equated to about 49 days of cover nationwide, including fuel held onshore in storage terminals and fuel already on ships bound for New Zealand,” Nicola Willis says.

“It’s important to remember that fuel supply is inherently dynamic. Stock levels fluctuate week to week as fuel is consumed and new shipments arrive. 

“Levels are down slightly from last week, but the changes reflect normal patterns of consumption and shipping. They are not a sign of supply disruption.

“From this week, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is also reporting on the pipeline of fuel shipments currently en route to New Zealand.

“More than a week’s worth of fuel is scheduled to arrive over the coming days, with additional shipments already on the water and due later this month,” Nicola Willis says.

Shane Jones, who has responsibility for fuel security, says the Government is working closely with industry to strengthen the frequency, quality and timeliness of fuel stock and shipping data. 

“This is critical to ensuring we can identify emerging risks early and plan appropriately. My expectation is that fuel companies are responsive and continuing to work constructively with government as the situation evolves.

“All indications are, so far, that New Zealand is well-placed to deal with the fallout from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. We are working closely with other countries and our suppliers to ensure this continues.

“The public can be assured that if the situation changes, the Government will pass on that information quickly, and with plans in place to mitigate any issues,” Shane Jones says.

“I want to be clear that at this stage, there is no need for fuel restrictions. Introducing rationing or restriction measures before there is clear evidence of a genuine shortage won’t create more fuel in the system.” 

Source: New Zealand Government

Tēnā koutou katoa, thank you for inviting me to join you at the Immigration Law Symposium.

It’s a privilege to be here today and speak about the work we’ve delivered in the immigration portfolio over the last two years.

I want to acknowledge and thank you all for your contributions. As immigration professionals, you play a critical role in the system, helping deliver real benefits for New Zealand.

Immigration is integral to New Zealand’s prosperity. It supports this Government’s Going‑for‑Growth objectives, enables businesses to access the skills they need to compete globally, and enriches our communities. 

This Government has focused on making the immigration system smarter, faster, and fairer – attractive to talented people, one that prioritises New Zealanders for jobs, is workable for employers, and with the integrity New Zealanders expect.

Today I will talk about the importance of immigration for our economy and our society, and highlight some of the changes we have made so that the system is attracting talent, while managing risk.

I will also be announcing some proposed new changes to be incorporated into the Immigration (Enhanced Risk and Management) Amendment Bill that will be introduced this afternoon. These are to ensure our settings are working for New Zealanders. That means we can respond more effectively to non-compliance, hold people to account when they break the rules, and maintain public confidence in the integrity of the system. 

The importance of immigration to New Zealand’s success

Immigration is critical to New Zealand, and New Zealanders, success. Put quite simply, without immigration, New Zealand cannot thrive, grow, or deliver the aspirations that we have for future generations. 

New Zealand is now a multi-cultural society. Many of you in this room will be migrants or the child of migrants. People who came to New Zealand with a dream for a better life for themselves and their family, who have worked hard, and who contribute to the richness of our multicultural fabric.

Many migrants are fiercely proud, and protective, of the sacrifices they have made to call New Zealand home. Whether that’s pursuing higher education, growing their skills and experience so they can meet residence requirements, or working multiple jobs to be able to support family back in their homeland.   

Others have come to us through humanitarian or family reunification pathways. Feeling persecution or conflict at home, often coming to New Zealand with nothing other than determination to learn a new language and build a new life in a place they would not have necessarily have chosen if things had been different. Or leaving an established home to join with family settled here, for the privilege of watching grandchildren grow up and being part of their day to day lives rather than a face over an iPad or a phone that visits infrequently. 

Smart, targeted, and fair immigration settings makes New Zealand richer in every possible way.

I know that there are those with some concerns about immigration. I see it in the emails that come into my office, in some of the conversations that I have in the community, and in some of the broader public conversation that has been occurring. 

And my answer is you were right to be, and so was I.

As many of you will know, when I because the Minister in late 2023, net migration was running hot as an unsustainable 130,000 per year. This was on top of the over 230,000 people who had been granted residence as part of RV21. 

This was creating challenges across the system – from health, to education, to infrastructure. Many schools were overwhelmed with students with no or little English and high levels of additional learning needs. 

The previous Government was overwhelmed with demand when the borders re-opened in mid-2022 from employers who had been unable to access the international market for skills and talent for over two years. 

And in the rush to let that talent in some unfortunate shortcuts and decisions were made contributing to migrant exploitation, people coming to New Zealand for jobs without relevant skills or experience, wage inflation driven by median wage requirements, and people who were unable to succeed in New Zealand because they had no or little English.  

At the same time our post-COVID economic situation was deteriorating with New Zealanders losing jobs as workforces were downsized or, in some instances, disbanded.

It was immediately apparent to me that we needed to take urgent steps to tighten the settings, address migrant exploitation, prevent the erosion of the social licence for immigration and re-balance our approach to risk and verification. 

However, at the same time, we also had to continue to facilitate businesses being able to access overseas skills and experience where they genuinely could not recruit a suitable New Zealander, especially in skill shortage areas.

Some of the decisions I took through 2024 were difficult, all of them were necessary. Introducing minimum English language requirements for lower skilled roles, minimum relevant experience, no longer allowing partner work rights or domestic student status for the children of lower skilled workers, holding the line on the three year maximum continuous stay for lower skilled roles, continuing to require IELTS 6.5 or equivalent for the skilled migrant pathway, checks to ensure that employers are genuinely engaging with MSD, removing the median wage requirements to address wage inflation and the disadvantaging of New Zealand workers, lifting the bar on acceptable standards of health requirements for AEWV so that people don’t build a life here only to discover when they apply for residence that they aren’t eligible because a family member is not ASH and others.

At the same time, we know that the skilled migrant settings introduced by the previous Government were disconnected from the reality of many of the people that we wanted New Zealand to be attractive to – especially skilled trades and technicians. People without a degree, or in a registered occupation, or earning 1.5x the median wage but who were critical to our businesses and regions succeeding. That drove our changes to the Skilled Migrant Category that will be coming in in August. Two new pathways for people we desperately want to remain in New Zealand but who otherwise would have left. 

Our focus on smart and fit for purpose immigration system has not just meant significant changes for the accredited employer work visa and skilled migrant visa, we also made hugely successful changes to the Active Investor Plus visa, introduced two new seasonal visas, the Parent Boost visa, the business investor visa, and late this year will introduce a new short term graduate work visa for people doing Level 5-7 courses that do not currently qualify for post-study work rights. 

Alongside this, Immigration New Zealand has done an enormous amount of work to be both facilitative to genuine employers with real need, while strengthening their risk and verification processes.

The world is an unstable and uncertain place and the push factors out of some countries for people desperate to make a life for themselves somewhere else are significant. This means that Immigration New Zealand sits right at the often challenging intersection of needing to facilitate genuine migrants while adapting to new and innovative ways that desperate people try get around the checks and balances that protect New Zealand.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of Alison McDonald, the head of Immigration New Zealand, who will shortly be retiring, for the incredible work that she has led over the last two and a half years. It is no easy thing to have a Minister who wants you to be faster and better and more engaged with the sector, while not compromising on quality, who is also either changing visa settings on you or introducing new ones every other month. 

Alison and her operational team, alongside the policy team in MBIE, have done an exceptional job the last two years. 

I would also like to thank David Cooper, who has chaired my Immigration Advisor Reference group, made up of six immigration advisors, including the Chair of NZAMI, who have voluntarily given their time and expertise to provide feedback on what is working and what isn’t, sense check changes, and even be in the detail of draft immigration instructions to make sure they are fit for purpose and will achieve the intended policy objective.

To those with concerns and reservations about immigration, I hear you and I have shared some of those concerns.  

When I became Minister we had 60 percent of the people coming in on work visas were lower skilled roles, and only 40% on mid or higher skilled roles. Today that has flipped and then some with currently over 70% of work visas for mid-high skilled roles and only 30 percent for lower skilled roles. 

We have held the line on people needing to leave New Zealand when their maximum continuous stay comes up so that the labour market can be re-tested to see if there is a New Zealander available for the job and we are unapologetic about the fact that a level of English is a requirement, not a nice to have;

We have also welcomed over 43,000 people have been granted residence under the Green List Sraight to Residence and Work to Residence pathways in high demand skilled shortage areas.  Doctors, engineers, early childhood, primary and secondary school teachers, mechanics, electricians, construction managers and many others.

Our schools, our hospitals, our infrastructure, our primary industries, and our businesses would literally not be able to function without immigration. Immigration isn’t a nameless faceless imposition, it’s

The nurse from the South Africa triaging your child late on a Friday night at after hours, the technician from India restoring communications after a storm the Filipino dairy farm worker out in the cow shed at 4am in rural Southland, the Italian engineer helping to deliver a major roading project, the French Senior Cellar Hand turning your favourite grape into your Friday evening drink, and yes, the cleaner from Brazil vacuuming an office block late at night because the cleaning company hasn’t been able to find a willing New Zealander.  

Is the system perfect? No, and it never will be. There will always be opportunities for improvement, decisions that need to be revisited or recalibrated, and more to be done. But I can say with absolute conviction that we are in a lot stronger position and New Zealanders can have a lot more confidence in the operation and integrity of the immigration system than two years ago. 

The privilege of migration comes with responsibility  

As may of you know, the Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Act received Royal assent late last year. 

The amendments represent a significant step forward in ensuring our immigration system is fair, future-focused, and fit for purpose.  

Many of you here today provided feedback on the Amendment Act during its development or provided valuable submissions as part of the Select Committee process. Thank you for your input.

It is now an offence to charge a premium for employment. This is one of many changes we have made to stamp out migrant exploitation.

The Amendment Act also means that when someone pleads guilty or is found guilty of a criminal offence, this able to be considered by the immigration system in resident deportation liability decisions even if the migrant is discharged without conviction.

I want to touch on this one for a moment because it was one that I received some push back on. Some accused me of overreaching into the justice system, others that this would cause stress for migrants, yet others told me it would overwhelm Immigration New Zealand’s case management process because of the number of people who now may be subject to liability for deportation.

I want to be very clear on this. Residence in New Zealand is a privilege, it is not a right, and it comes with responsibilities. In some parts of New Zealand it was becoming the norm that migrants were getting discharged without conviction for criminal offending because it could trigger deportation liability while a New Zealander was convicted of the same crime because there was no possibility of deportation. This was unfair and unjust.

If a migrant would like to avoid stress in their life them my advice to them is very clear. Don’t drink and drive, don’t indecently assault children, don’t beat up your pregnant partner or do anything else that might lead to deportation liability.

And if this change leads to more volumes of cases and deportations that have to be managed by Immigration New Zealand then we will increase the resourcing for those teams.

There is nothing that will erode the social licence for immigration than a sense that people are coming to New Zealand, abusing our hospitality and the privilege it is to be granted residence by criminal offending, and not facing the appropriate consequences for it. 

It is in that vein that I want to talk about the Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill and a Parliamentary paper that will be introduced to Parliament.

The Bill aims to increase the effectiveness of immigration compliance and enforcement; improve the integrity of the refugee and protection system; and improve the operation of the wider immigration system.  Many of you will know some of the amendments in the Bill after I announced some late last year after policy decisions were taken.

First, the Bill proposes to extend the period during which a residence visa holder may become liable for deportation following criminal offending – from 10 to 20 years.

New Zealand has one of the more lenient criminal deportation liability regimes. Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland all make residents liable for deportation indefinitely, including for relatively minor convictions. 

As proposed, deportation liability would continue to be scaled according to the seriousness of offending and the length of time a person has held residence. But longer-term residents who commit very serious offences will no longer evade deportation liability.

Two recent examples of migrants who committed serious crimes and cannot under the existing law be deported because they have been resident for more than ten years are:

• the Australian Jaz brothers sentenced to 17 years’ and 16.5 years’ imprisonment, respectively, for serious sexual offending. As resident visa holders for more than 10 years, they will not be liable for deportation upon release.
• and, in 2023, an individual was convicted of serious sex offences. He was not liable for deportation because he had held a resident visa for more than 10 years even though between 2014 and 2017, he committed lower‑level offences that made him liable for deportation; at the time, his liability was suspended because he had a New Zealand partner.

This change makes it clear that serious criminal offending will have serious consequences for resident visa holders.

The Bill also clarifies existing deportation liability settings.

It strengthens the consequences for migrants providing false or misleading information at any stage of the immigration process, making it clear that this could trigger deportation liability; 

It also clarifies that serious historical offending committed overseas before a person holds a New Zealand visa can give rise to deportation liability. 

The Bill also removes humanitarian appeal rights to the Immigration and Protection Tribunal for all visitor visa holders, and for temporary visa holders who are liable for deportation because of criminal offending. This recognises the different status and expectations of temporary versus resident migrants. It supports timely deportation action where appropriate and reinforces New Zealanders’ expectations that people in our country respect the law.

The Bill increases the maximum penalty for migrant exploitation to ten years’ imprisonment, better reflecting the harm that exploitation causes. 

It also extends the practical timeframe for MBIE to issue employer infringement notices to six years after the offending. This is because exploited migrants often do not report their employer until after the employment relationship has broken down, and some more complex investigations can take longer to complete. 

The Bill also establishes two new employer-focused infringement offences: 

• for providing incorrect or incomplete information (for example in an accreditation or job check application), and
• failing to provide wage and time record documents when requested. 

These changes will expand the range of tools available to address non-compliant employer behaviour. 

To improve the effectiveness of immigration compliance activity, the Bill also adjusts the threshold under which Immigration Officers can request basic identity information to people who may be liable for deportation or turnaround or may be in breach of their visa conditions. 

This change will make an existing power workable, supporting enhanced compliance outcomes.  I want to be very clear because there has been some untrue public commentary on this one, this will not permit broad, discretionary checks of people in public places. It certainly will not allow compliance officers to randomly stop or detain people to request their identification and then check on their immigration status without cause.  

Immigration officers will only be able to use this power when they already have a legitimate reason to be at the site or premises and they have a good cause, such as a person attempting to flee or hide, to suspect that the person might be in New Zealand unlawfully or in breach of their visa. 

If that bar is not reached, then an immigration officer will not be able to request identity information. I am sure that the Select Committee will ensure that this new provision is fit for purpose and will meet by intended objective and I look forward to their scrutiny and feedback.

Additional protection proposals in Parliamentary Paper

Like our international partners, New Zealand continues to experience large numbers of asylum claims and significant backlogs in determinations, as the world becomes more unstable and uncertain. Since the borders re-opened in 2022 there has been a significant increase in claims and there are currently over 4,000 asylum claims on hand. This is the largest number ever.  

While there are always genuine claims, there are many claims that are not meritorious. In some instances, people lodge an asylum claim in the final days of another visa, not because they will face persecution in their home country but simply because they want to remain in New Zealand and are not eligible for another visa. 

This frustrates the system, meaning that genuine claims take longer to approve and lengthening the time period that person with a non-meritorious claim remains in New Zealand. 

Resourcing and operational changes put in place in recent years have helped to improve processing, however, challenges remain.  

And so today I am announcing that I will also table a Parliamentary Paper alongside the Bill with an additional seven amendments to protect New Zealand’s protection system and over time support more efficient processing of claims so that those with genuine need are afforded protection. 

Importantly, they will serve New Zealand’s aim to tackle global challenges facing the system while affording protection to those who need it.

These most significant changes are: 

• better managing claimants who fail to attend biometric appointments and those who act in bad faith,
• claimants who commit serious crimes onshore before their refugee status is determined, addressing an omission in the Act relating to withdrawing claims. 

Two of the proposals relate to managing instances of bad faith. 

I am aware of cases where people take actions to deliberately engage in provocative political activity after arriving in New Zealand, such as seeking social media or media attention, in a cynical attempt to create or increase their grounds for recognition as a refugee.   

The bad faith proposals will ensure that both INZ and the Immigration Protection Tribunal have the ability to deal with cases made in bad faith as swiftly as possible, and that the benefits associated with refugee status are reserved for those who genuinely deserve them. 

They also ensure that we maintain our international obligation to not return someone to a country where they may face persecution or other serious harm.

Another proposal relates to the interpretation of Article 1F(b) of the Refugee Convention which excludes people who commit serious crimes before admission to the country of refuge from refugee status, to make sure refugee protections only go to those who genuinely deserve them. 

The proposal will broaden New Zealand’s interpretation of this obligation to exclude those who commit serious crimes after arriving onshore but before status determination from refugee status. These claimants may still be eligible for protection status where there is a genuine need. 

Although the numbers of people involve are small, the offending is serious. I know that many New Zealanders would be shocked to know, as I was, that if a person who has claimed refugee status has been convicted of a serious crime in New Zealand but before their claim has been decided Immigration New Zealand is currently unable to take that into account when determining their refugee status. 

Currently, INZ has on hand 14 refugee claims from people who have been convicted of serious offences since arriving in New Zealand, including one person convicted of murder, five for serious drug offences, three for sexual offences, four for family violence, one for arson, and one for burglary with a weapon.

The proposed amendment will ensure that people who commit crimes offshore and onshore are treated the same, sending a signal that this behaviour is not tolerated and maintaining public confidence in our refugee and protection system. 

Overall, this Bill is about further strengthening our immigration system and ensuring it is working well for both New Zealand and migrants. 

I want to acknowledge the groups who have contributed to the development of this Bill and provided feedback on the proposals. 

I welcome your feedback and suggestions through the Select Committee process.

I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in the immigration portfolio and the work we have underway to ensure the system is smarter, fairer, and better able to respond to and manage risk. 

I would like to thank you for all of your contributions over the last two years and I look forward to continuing working with you this year.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police have seized firearms, ammunition and drugs during a search warrant at a Te Kamo property.

Whangārei CIB were executing a search warrant on Mcmillan Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.

“Police were making enquiries into a family harm matter when the discovery of illegal items were made,” Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer says.

“We have located a bolt action .22 rifle, a sawn-off shotgun and a range of ammunition.”

Police also located a large quantity of packaged cannabis and cash.

Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says two occupants at the address were arrested, with various items seized by staff.

A 46-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman have been jointly charged over the finds, and will appear in the Whangārei District Court.

They have been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and a pistol, unlawful possession of ammunition, and possession of cannabis for supply.

“It’s a great outcome for the wider community that these firearms are no longer in circulation, and the pair charged will now be put before the courts,” Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  18 March 2026 Source:  Save the Kiwi

These kiwi were transported back to the region by representatives from Ngāti Hei and Ngāti Huarere for release on the Kūaotunu Peninsula.

Motutapu, an island connected to Rangitoto in Tīkapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf, is a kōhanga for Coromandel brown kiwi. Since 2012, 156 Coromandel brown kiwi have been sourced from the Hauraki-Coromandel region and released on the predator-free island of Motutapu. This is the first muster for the island as part of the next phase in the ‘To the Motu and Back’ strategy.

The kōhanga strategy aims to create a source population of kiwi at a location safe from introduced predators such as stoats. The adult offspring of this population will be moved back to the Hauraki-Coromandel region to accelerate growth of wild populations.

The Coromandel subspecies of brown kiwi are the rarest of North Island brown kiwi. There are now over 300 Coromandel brown kiwi living on Motutapu and Rangitoto islands. Save the Kiwi has determined there are enough kiwi to start moving their offspring back to the Hauraki-Coromandel region, with the muster running from 15 – 24 March 2026.

“Today marks the beginning of the second phase of this strategy for accelerating kiwi recovery in the Hauraki-Coromandel region.” says Paula Judd, Save the Kiwi Kōhanga Coordinator for Coromandel brown kiwi. “We look forward to the kiwi population in this kōhanga site growing and boosting the populations throughout the Hauraki-Coromandel region forevermore.”

“This could not have been possible without the sustained pest and predator control efforts of individuals, iwi, community groups and the Department of Conservation in the Hauraki-Coromandel region, as well the support from Ngāi tai ki Tāmaki, the Department of Conservation, and the Motutapu Restoration Trust to keep Motutapu predator-free.”

“These manu are taonga and being able to return them back to their rohe is part of how we’re taking care of these manu for the future generations.” says Billy Brown from Ngāi tai ki Tāmaki.

Department of Conservation Operations Manager Kat Lane says, “the pest-free islands you can see from Auckland’s coastline play a really important role in conservation on a national scale.”

She adds, “Alongside many partners and the public, we work hard to keep predators such as stoats and rats away from these islands – and the success of these kiwi show how native species can thrive in the absence of introduced predators. Over a decade from the first birds arriving, we’re so proud to be now sending kiwi back to the mainland.”

Kiwi return has been years in the making

‘To the Motu and Back’ has been highly successful through the sustained effort of individuals, iwi, community and the Department of Conservation in the Hauraki-Coromandel region to protect kiwi and their support of the kōhanga initiative.
“Save the Kiwi has actively supported the efforts of kiwi community groups in the region and we’re thrilled to see kiwi return to each of the sites.” says Paula.

Save the Kiwi would like to acknowledge Fullers 360 for supporting today’s event.

Contact

Source: Worksafe New Zealand

18 March 2026

A routine incident at New Zealand’s deepest gold mine has given WorkSafe inspectors rare, real-world proof that years of joint safety training are paying off.

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  18 March 2026

The Department of Conservation booking data from 1 October to late January shows visitors spent more than 323,000 nights in huts and campsites over the peak season, broadly in line with last summer. While severe weather and temporary closures affected some traditionally busy locations, many regions experienced strong growth as people adapted their plans, explored different places and made the most of new and upgraded facilities.

Several regions recorded notable increases, including Otago (+30 per cent), Wellington/Kāpiti (+35 per cent), Wairarapa (+71 per cent), and Taranaki (+96 per cent) following the reopening of Pouākai Hut. The central North Island and Marlborough also saw steady growth, supported by new bookable huts and campsites.

However, January storms, followed by further severe weather in February, caused widespread damage across DOC-managed sites.

Storm damage has been recorded across conservation sites around the country, with early estimates for repairs and recovery currently between $2.25 million and $3.2 million. Assessments are continuing following the latest February weather event, and costs are expected to increase.

“We’ve seen strong demand right through summer, even with the disruption storms have caused in some regions,” says Cat Wilson, Director Heritage and Visitor.

“Our teams have worked incredibly hard to assess damage quickly and prioritise the most important repairs, so we can safely restore access for visitors and support local communities.”

Over the coming weeks, DOC will continue assessing the full extent of storm damage, prioritising recovery efforts and refining cost estimates. Progress in some areas depends on council roads reopening to allow access for repair crews and equipment. DOC will also consider how to meet recovery cost requirements within existing funding.

“Even though summer is over, we know people enjoy naturing year-round,” says Cat Wilson. “By being flexible about where and when we visit, especially while some places recover, we can keep enjoying the outdoors while protecting it for the future.”

In the four areas where a state of emergency was declared in January, inspections are nearing completion. Of 47 known affected sites in these areas, 40 have now been assessed, with damage estimated at $1.7 million to $2.6 million.

Immediate recovery priorities focused on:

• Reopening accommodation for visitors (six campgrounds and three huts) – $227,000
• Restoring access to camps and tracks (12 roads) – $416,000
• Reopening more than 26 tracks – estimated $1.1 million to $2 million

Three campgrounds – Port Jackson and Fletcher Bay in Coromandel, and Dickeys Flat in the Bay of Plenty – have already reopened following repairs.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government will introduce the Immigration (Enhanced Risk Management) Amendment Bill to Parliament this afternoon, a package of practical and targeted changes to strengthen New Zealand’s immigration system and ensure it remains fit for today’s challenges.

“Immigration is important for New Zealand, and we are committed to ensuring we continue to attract the skilled people we need, while making it easier to address migrant exploitation, serious criminals, and immigration breaches”, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.

“The new Bill introduces several changes to ensure we have the right, proportionate tools to manage immigration risks.

“It focuses on striking the right balance between managing risk and maintaining strong safeguards for all people in New Zealand, ensuring our immigration system is fair, functional, and effective.”

Many of these proposed changes were announced last year after policy decisions were taken. This includes strengthening the ability to deport people who have committed serious crimes by extending the period of residence during which a person can be subject to liability for deportation from ten to twenty years.

Alongside the Bill, a Parliamentary paper will be tabled with proposals for a further suite of changes. These will be aimed at protecting and strengthening the system around asylum claims so that New Zealanders can continue to have trust and confidence in the integrity of the immigration system. 

The Parliamentary paper includes:

• Amending our interpretation of Article 1F(b) of the Refugee Convention which excludes people who commit serious crimes before admission to the country of refuge from refugee status, to extend that exclusion where they have committed a serious crime after arriving in New Zealand but before refugee status determination.
• Better managing asylum claimants who act in bad faith; and
• Better managing claimants who fail to attend biometric appointments

“Currently, if a person who has claimed refugee status has been convicted of a serious crime in New Zealand before status determination, Immigration New Zealand is unable to take that into account when making a decision,” Ms Stanford says. 

“There are currently 14 refugee known claims from people who have been convicted of serious offences in New Zealand, including murder, serious sexual and drug offences, and arson. This change will mean that Immigration New Zealand can take convictions for crimes committed in New Zealand into account when making a decision on their refugee claim.”

The proposed amendment will ensure that people who commit crimes either offshore or in New Zealand before their refugee claim is determined are treated the same, sending a signal that this behaviour is not tolerated and maintaining public confidence in our refugee and protection system. 

Two of the other proposals relate to better managing instances of bad faith such as where people take actions to deliberately engage in provocative political activity after arriving in New Zealand, such as seeking social media or media attention to create or increase their grounds for recognition as a refugee. 

These will ensure that both INZ and the Immigration Protection Tribunal have the ability to deal with cases made in bad faith as swiftly as possible, and that the benefits associated with refugee status are reserved for those who genuinely deserve them. 

The changes will continue to ensure that we maintain our international obligation to not return someone to a country where they are likely to face persecution or other serious harm.

“New Zealanders want us to do our part to provide refuge to people who are genuinely fleeing conflict and persecution. However, the privilege of being offered a life in new Zealand needs to be balanced with consequences for people who abuse that privilege or non-genuine claims that seek to take advantage of the system. These proposals strike the right balance between these,” Ms Stanford says. 

The Bill is expected to have its first reading in the coming weeks and will proceed through the full parliamentary process.