Category: MIL-OSI

Source: New Zealand Government

Parents will soon benefit from clearer, more useful information on how their child’s school is performing through an overhaul to ERO’s school reports, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

“Parents, teachers and school boards want to celebrate the successes of their local schools and need to clearly understand any areas for improvement. To date, reports on school performance through ERO have not sufficiently focussed on the details most relevant to parents and have been dense and complicated to read and understand.

“As Minister, I’ve heard this from parents and know that too often, key challenges facing our schools, or the successes they’re achieving haven’t been evidenced through ERO’s reporting. I am pleased to be releasing a new, simplified report that is focussed on student achievement, progress and engagement and co-designed with parents to ensure fit-for-purpose reports help families to feel informed and support schools to respond. 

“From Term 2, parents can expect more detail on almost twice as many topics. Reports will have clear measurements and strong, visual, easy-to-understand overviews of performance and the value that schools are adding for students.

“The new reports will recognise successes as well and provide a roadmap for improvement. They focus on the key changes that will make the most difference for students.

“ERO has engaged with schools across the country and hosted parent focus groups to gather valuable feedback, and this is apparent in the new parent focus throughout the reports.”

Ms Stanford says the new ERO reports will join the Government’s wider initiatives to lift student achievement and do the basics brilliantly including the introduction of twice yearly assessments in reading, writing and maths for Year 3–8 students, the introduction of the Phonics Check, the Year 2 maths check, and updated student reports.

“The Government’s education reforms have put educational achievement back at the centre of our education system.

“The results for children are beginning to show, and we’re ensuring parents can see exactly where their child is excelling and needing help, so that they can go with them on that journey and help them achieve their potential.

“The Government is committed to ensuring parents have detailed information to be involved in their child’s education, including through updated assessments, clear curriculum outlines, and better reporting.”

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

2 minutes ago

A ministerial delegation from Kiribati has visited EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus to learn about the institute’s national training programme supporting workers in New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.

The delegation, led by Kiribati’s Minister for Employment and Human Resources Hon Auria Kitina, met with EIT staff involved in the programme during a visit on Friday (March 13).

The visit, coordinated by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, focused on labour mobility and opportunities for Kiribati workers participating in the RSE scheme.

It was the first time a Kiribati ministerial delegation had visited EIT. Since the programme, known as NOA – Village of Learning, was launched in June last year, a ministerial delegation from Papua New Guinea has also visited, along with liaison officers from other Pacific countries.

EIT holds the national contract to deliver training to RSE workers across New Zealand, providing practical courses designed to build skills that workers can take back to their home countries.

EIT RSE National Operations Manager Meriama Taufale said it was a privilege to host the delegation and share how the programme supports both New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries and Pacific communities.

“It was a privilege and an honour to host a ministerial delegation from one of our Pacific partners and for them to see first-hand the opportunities available through the NOA programme,” Meriama said.

“The RSE scheme is hugely important to New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries, and it also creates real economic benefits for Pacific countries through the opportunities workers have while they are here, and the skills they take home with them.”

Secretary Terengaiti Awerika, on behalf of Kiribati’s Minister for Employment and Human Resources Hon Auria Kitina, said the visit provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen connections between EIT and the Kiribati Institute of Technology.

“It was a privilege for the Minister and the delegation to meet with EIT staff and learn more about the NOA training programme and how it is tailored to the needs of Kiribati workers.”

“The skills workers gain while in New Zealand are valuable not only for their jobs here but also when they return home, where they can create opportunities for themselves and their families.”

A cohort of Kiribati RSE workers have recently arrived in New Zealand ahead of the harvest season, and Meriama said they will have the opportunity to take part in the programme while they are in the country for nine months.

Since June last year, nearly 1,500 RSE workers have taken part in EIT training programmes delivered across key horticulture regions, from Central Otago to Northland.

Meriama said the programme is designed to ensure workers gain practical skills that can support them long after their time in New Zealand.

“It’s about setting workers up for long-term success when they return home. We are conscious of keeping it simple but doing it well.

“The biggest thing is being able to deliver the training within a country context, meaning it is delivered in the language workers can understand and use to contextualise the learning.”

Courses include practical skills such as concreting, small engine maintenance, financial literacy and small business training.

Meriama said feedback from both workers and employers had been very positive as the programme expanded across the country.

EIT Chief Executive Lucy Laitinen said Noa highlights the importance of partnerships between education, industry and Pacific nations.

“Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti sit at the heart of New Zealand’s horticulture sector, and the RSE scheme plays a vital role in supporting growers in those regions, and around the country. At EIT, we’re proud to deliver training that supports the industry while helping workers

build skills they can take back to their families and communities.”

Source: New Zealand Government

Cabinet has agreed the Terms of Reference and membership for a Government Inquiry into the Fatal Landslides in Tauranga, Emergency Management and Recovery Associate Minister Chris Penk has announced. 

“Eight people died in the devastating events of 22 January 2026 – two when a landslide struck a property in Pāpāmoa’s Welcome Bay Road and six several hours later when a section of Mauao collapsed on to the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park,” Mr Penk says.  

“These events have caused profound grief. For the families and loved ones of those who died, the loss has been devastating. That pain has been shared by the wider Tauranga community and by people throughout New Zealand.  

“The Government recognises the significant public concern regarding these tragic events and acknowledges the importance for both the families and the wider community of determining exactly what happened.  

“The Inquiry will establish how the fatal landslides occurred, report on whether relevant agencies took appropriate steps to manage any apparent risk in the period immediately prior to the two fatal landslides – including steps to warn and evacuate people likely to be affected by the landslides – and identify any lessons that can be applied to reduce the risk of similar tragedies in future.” 

The Inquiry will be led by the Honourable Sir Mark O’Regan, a retired Supreme Court Judge and a former President of the Court of Appeal. He will be supported by Dr Helen Anderson and Steve Symon. 

Dr Anderson was the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology for six years (2004-2010), prior to which she was the Chief Science Adviser. She has chaired and contributed to many reviews of technical issues such as the failure of Statistics House in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and the Christchurch CBD collapse in 2011. 

Steve Symon brings additional legal expertise to the Inquiry. He was recently the Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational, Serious, Organised Crime. His experience includes serving as a lead lawyer for WorkSafe New Zealand during the legal proceedings following the 2019 Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption. 

“Those responsible for the Inquiry will be required to communicate with the families of the victims about its progress. It is my expectation that this engagement will be conducted with respect and sensitivity, and that the work will proceed as efficiently as possible,” Mr Penk says. 

The Inquiry will begin considering evidence and information on 30 March and be required to deliver a final report with recommendations by 3 December 2026.  

Notes to editor:  

• Attached: Terms of Reference – Government Inquiry into the Fatal Landslides in Tauranga. 

Source: PHARMAC

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Source: New Zealand Police

Emergency services are at the scene of a four-vehicle crash in Cloverlea this morning.

The crash was reported about 8.25am, at the intersection of Rangitikei Line and Flygers Line. Two people are being taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Motorists are advised to use alternative routes while the scene is cleared, but the road is expected to reopen shortly. 

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Government

From 1 July, decision-making within Health New Zealand will shift closer to patients, communities, and hospitals, ensuring decisions are made in the right place at the right time so Kiwis get better access to care, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

Local authority: Health New Zealand regions and districts will receive delegated decision making over workforce decisions, budgets, and service delivery.
National focus: Health New Zealand will retain responsibility for strategy, standards, and system-wide planning.
Easier hiring: Hospitals will be able to recruit and deploy staff without central sign-off, reducing response times when demand rises.

“The message from frontline doctors and nurses has been clear: healthcare works best when decisions are made by those who understand their communities and work directly with patients.

“The previous Government’s decision to restructure the health system in the middle of a pandemic shifted decision-making away from the frontline – away from the doctors and nurses delivering care, and away from the patients they serve. Wait times ballooned and service delivery declined.

“The result was a system that became too centralised, with too many decisions made by head office that should have been made much closer to the bedside. These changes, which ensure a nationally planned, locally and regionally delivered health system, will come into effect on 1 July.

“Regions and districts will have clearer authority over workforce, resources, and service delivery, while national leadership focuses on strategy, standards, and system planning.

“This is the most significant structural change our Government is making to improve how the health system operates. It is not a return to the District Health Board model, but it will reduce bureaucracy and give hospitals greater authority to make decisions that ensure delivery of the health targets within their budgets, in a way that reflects the needs of their communities.

Mr Brown says the changes are designed to ensure healthcare services delivered in communities directly improve the lives of patients.

“Health New Zealand’s regions and districts will be responsible for delivering the health targets in their areas, with delegated budgets, the ability to deploy staff where they are needed, and the flexibility to respond faster when demand rises – helping reduce wait times and improve access to care for New Zealanders.

“Putting patients at the centre of the system means decisions about services and resources are made as close as possible to those receiving care. These changes will deliver a health system that is more responsive, efficient, and focused on getting patients the care they need.

“Our Government is focused on fixing the basics of our healthcare system while building for the future. These changes support that priority and will ensure a healthcare system focused on putting patients first in every decision.”

Source: New Zealand Government

Health New Zealand will invest an additional $25 million to boost hospital capacity, increase staffing, and prepare the health system for higher demand over the busy winter months, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

The investment will deliver:

• Up to an additional 378 full-time equivalent staff across the country to support meeting winter demands in our hospitals.
• 71 extra winter hospital beds across key hospitals.
• Up to 567 short stay beds through aged residential care facilities to help free up hospital capacity and reduce bed block.
• Expansion of Hospital in the Home services to support earlier discharge from hospital.

“Emergency department presentations continue to rise alongside population growth and an ageing population, placing hospitals under increasing pressure during the winter months, and creating sustained demand across emergency departments and other health services nationwide,” Mr Brown says.

“Despite these challenges, Health New Zealand has seen emergency department performance improve since the reintroduction of the Government’s health targets, with more patients now being seen sooner, reversing several years of declining performance.”

“While hospitals undertake seasonal planning each year as part of normal operations, winter demand still places significant pressure on services and frontline staff. That’s why strengthening capacity early, ahead of the winter months, is critical to ensuring patients receive timely care.

“In my Letter of Expectation to the Health New Zealand Board last November, I made it clear that I expected a plan to prepare our hospitals for winter to be in place early. This gives New Zealanders confidence that the system is getting ready to support them heading into winter.”

The Board endorsed the plan on 3 March, with implementation now underway nationwide. It provides a coordinated national approach to manage increased winter demand and support frontline teams.

The plan focuses on four key priorities:

• Prevention:  More vaccination opportunities, clearer winter wellness information, targeted support for older people and those at higher risk, earlier access to antivirals, stronger vaccination support in aged care, and easier access to multiple vaccinations in a single visit.
• Strengthening primary care: Expanded telehealth services, expansion of urgent and after hours care clinic hours, and working with pharmacies to treat more minor conditions.
• Improving flow through emergency departments and hospitals: Additional staff and beds to manage higher demand, seasonal winter wards at Middlemore, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch hospitals, faster diagnostic testing and imaging, and systems to help clinicians respond more quickly to critical results.
• Supporting timely discharge from hospital: Expanded hospital‑in‑the‑home services, additional transitional and aged residential care beds, increased allied health support for patients returning home, and improved weekend discharge processes.

Mr Brown says every winter brings added pressure on hospitals, with performance against the shorter stays in ED health target historically lower during the winter months.

“Hospitals will still face high levels of demand this winter. But by planning early, expanding capacity, and supporting our frontline teams, we are giving them the tools, resources, and flexibility they need to better manage pressure, reduce delays, and deliver care for New Zealanders.

“I want to thank everyone working across the health system in advance. We know winter will be busy, and this investment is about supporting you to keep patients at the centre of our health system.”

Source: New Zealand Government

Health Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the ratification of a new collective agreement for Policy, Advisory, Knowledge and Specialist (PAKS) members represented by the Public Service Association (PSA).

“I am pleased for the approximately 4,400 Health New Zealand staff across the country who will benefit from this agreement. It recognises the critical role they play in enabling the delivery of health services and supporting frontline teams across the health system,” Mr Brown says.

The agreement provides a 2.5 per cent pay increase in the first year, followed by a further 2 per cent increase in the second year. Staff covered by the settlement will also receive a $500 lump-sum payment, alongside increases to on-call allowances and other after-hours provisions.

“This ratification means around 20,000 Health New Zealand employees are now covered by recently negotiated collective agreements, including PSA Public and Mental Health Nurses, PSA Allied Public Health, Scientific and Technical members, APEX dietitians, APEX pharmacy members, and APEX psychologists.

“I want to acknowledge Health New Zealand and the unions for their constructive engagement in reaching these agreements, which provide certainty for staff and help ensure New Zealanders continue to receive the care they need.”

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can advise a 65-year-old woman reported missing from the Saint John’s area yesterday has been located.

She is being assessed by ambulance staff and will be transported to hospital for further treatment.

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police