Category: Politics

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is expected to announce when this year’s election will be held tomorrow.

The first National Party caucus of the year gets underway on Tuesday afternoon in Christchurch, where Luxon is expected to announce the date of the election at the end of the retreat on Wednesday.

“It’s a chance to bring our team together and align on the year ahead,” Luxon told Morning Report on Tuesday.

While Luxon was tight-lipped over who was speaking at the event, he said he would be announcing the election date.

“I will announce the election date, and that’s just because that’s been a strong convention in New Zealand, I think it gives everybody clarity,” he said.

“Once announced, we get back to the job of getting on with the show and getting the country sorted.”

If announced at the National Party’s annual retreat, it would continue the tradition in recent years of setting a date at the start of the political year.

The decision of when to hold the election is up to the prime minister, who can pick any date at any time, as long as it’s called before the end of the current three-year parliamentary term.

The last possible legal date for this year’s election to be held is 19 December.

Several pundits are picking the election to be called for after the American mid-terms set for 3 November, which will be a key indicator for how US President Donald Trump’s remaining two years in office will fare.

Saturday, 7 November has been mentioned most frequently as a likely date.

Every general election for the past 30 years, since the introduction of MMP in 1996, has been sometime between September and November, except for one.

It comes after Luxon delivered his State of the Nation speech, hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber, on Monday.

There were also no policy announcements during the speech, though Luxon repeated National’s pledge to raise the default KiwiSaver contribution rate if re-elected.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Explainer – Only one person can decide when Election Day 2026 is. How is it picked, and when is it likely to be?

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is set to announce a date this week, continuing the tradition in recent years of setting a date at the start of the political year.

It’s the starting gun that fires off a year-long sprint to determine the next Parliament, but how does the PM make this decision? Here’s how it works.

Who decides when the election will be?

It’s all down to the prime minister’s call.

The Cabinet Manual which guides central government states that “the Prime Minister alone” has the right to advise the governor-general to dissolve Parliament and call a general election.

However, in the current National-led coalition government, Luxon would definitely be consulting partners New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and ACT leader David Seymour before announcing any date, said Massey University professor of politics Richard Shaw.

“The decision won’t be one that the leader of the National Party takes without having had extensive conversations with the leader of the two coalition parties,” he said.

“The prime minister will front this, but it will be an announcement on the part of the government.”

Luxon on Tuesday morning would not be drawn on the exacty date, but confirmed to RNZ he would be announcing the date this week.

“I will announce the election date, and that’s just because that’s been a strong convention in New Zealand.”

When are they required to make that call?

They can pick a date any time, but an election has to be called before the end of the current three-year parliamentary term.

The last possible legal date for this year’s election to be held is 19 December.

What can we expect? When could it be?

Several pundits are picking the election to be called for after the American mid-terms set for 3 November, which will be a key indicator for how US President Donald Trump’s remaining two years in office will fare.

Saturday, 7 November has been mentioned most frequently as a likely date.

“My money is on” that date, Victoria University of Wellington professor of law Dean Knight said.

Every general election for the past 30 years since the introduction of MMP in 1996 has been sometime between September and November except for one.

How does a PM make that decision?

The date of an election is a symbolic beginning for the months of electioneering and campaigning ahead.

It’s not required that election days be on a Saturday, but that’s the longstanding convention which allows for greater turnout.

When choosing a date, prime ministers want to avoid things like public holiday weekends, major central bank decisions, the start of Daylight Savings Time or other major events. In 2011, Key made sure to pick a date after the Rugby World Cup final which was hosted in New Zealand.

“You narrow things down,” Shaw said. “It’s an art as much as a science.”

“There are very few rules for how all this happens. It’s largely vibes-based, really.”

Are elections always about the same time?

It’s pretty typical now for an election date to be named for Spring and to be announced early in the year.

While it’s not required, Knight said that at this point, the early call is quite bedded in.

“I have no doubt that the practice that the prime minister announce the election date well in advance, in the first or second month of an election year, has now crystallised into a constitutional convention.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on 19 January the 2023 election would be on 14 October, and in 2020 she announced on 28 January an election for 19 September.

Back in 2017, Prime Minister Bill English announced on 1 February the vote would be 23 September, while in 2014, Prime Minister John Key didn’t announce until 10 March the 20 September election date. In 2011, Key announced the election on 2 February, and it wasn’t held until 26 November.

“The rhythm of parliamentary terms means a general election for a full-term Parliament usually falls in October/November; an announcement in January/February gives folk 9 or 10 months’ advance warning – unlike the old days when it was often only a couple of months’ advance notice,” Knight said.

Prime Minister Helen Clark tended to call elections later – not until June, July and September in 2002, 2005 and 2008, respectively. But that seems to have gone out of vogue.

“An early announcement, as seen in the last five elections, is no longer merely a good idea but is now obligatory and would be met with political heat if ignored,” Knight said.

“You generally get a reasonably early announcement for all kinds of reasons, some of which have to do with stability and predictability,” Shaw said.

Parliament typically runs for the entire three-year term, but there’s actually no law requiring the election to wait until the term ends. An election can be called even earlier – what is known as a “snap” election. Perhaps the most famous snap election was Robert Muldoon’s call in 1984 for a vote that was held one month later.

The only election in recent years that came far earlier than expected was the one Helen Clark called in 2002 for 27 July. Clark called that election in mid-June, after Labour’s coalition with the Alliance party fell apart.

Once the election is called, it’ll still be some time before the regulated period for election advertising begins – it runs the three months before the election date. Before the election, Parliament must officially dissolve and on Writ Day, the governor-general will issue formal direction to the Electoral Commission to hold the election.

This year, the election will take place under changes in the new Electoral Amendment Bill that passed Parliament just before Christmas. Among other things, it requires people to enrol at least 13 days before the election and ends same-day voter enrolment. The government said the bill would improve the timeliness, efficiency and integrity of elections, but the opposition said it would suppress voting.

Do other countries decide election dates like this?

It’s fairly common in many parliamentary democracies, unlike places like America where the date of Election Day is always the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November (typically, around 2 to 8 November).

Australia, the UK and Canada all have similar processes where the PM must call an election before their term ends, or earlier if they want a snap election – sometimes to confirm a new leader’s power base.

Last year, when long-standing Canadian PM Justin Trudeau stepped down, his replacement Mark Carney called a snap election for the very next month, which he easily won. Japan’s new prime minister Sanae Takaichi, who just took office in October, has also called for a snap election as soon as February.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says “tariffs are not the way forward”, as the United States and the European Union go head to head over Greenland.

“We don’t want to see a downward spiral of tariffs and tit-for-tat tariffs, it’s just not acceptable” Luxon told media, after his State of the Nation speech on Monday.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump threatened eight European allies with a 10 percent additional tariff for opposing his plans to buy or annex Greenland.

The EU was reportedly considering retaliatory tariffs worth about 93 billion euros, the equivalent of about NZ$187 billion.

Luxon said it was in New Zealand’s interest to see a “healthy trans-Atlantic relationship in place”, through discussion, debate and dialogue.

“If the US has genuine concerns around Arctic security, we’ll have those conversations.”

He wouldn’t say whether it was appropriate for the EU to retaliate with tariffs.

“That’s a decision for them to make.”

His comments were the first time Luxon had spoken publicly about international events, following the summer break.

He said events in Iran were “incredibly concerning” and “worrying”.

“When you actually see a government using its own forces to kill its own citizens – utterly unacceptable.”

Luxon was also asked about the strike conducted by the United States on Venezuela, in which President Nicolas Maduro was captured.

He said he didn’t have “a lot of time for Nicolas Maduro” and the New Zealand government hadn’t recognised his government – “We saw it as illegitimate” – but he expected every country to be “compliant with international law”.

Ultimately, he said, it was “up to the US to demonstrate that they were compliant with international law”.

“That’s up to them to demonstrate that, as it is for every individual country, to say that they’re operating with an international law.”

Asked why he didn’t speak about the issue earlier, he said Foreign Minister Winston Peters summarised the situation “superbly well” in his statement.

“I didn’t need to add anything more to it.”

On Monday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the government could have been “more visible and more principled” on all those issues.

“Standing up for international laws [and] international rules is something New Zealand has taken very principled positions on in the past, and we should continue to do so.”

Labour condemned the US attack on Venezuela as a “breach of international law”.

Hipkins said he had “no time” for the previous government of Venezuela, “but going and effectively taking over a country with no international law behind you is a very, very big step for the United States to take”.

“For New Zealand to say nothing about that, I think, has been an abrogation of what has previously been a very principled foreign policy position by New Zealand.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Prime Minister says he isn’t worried about being offside with National MPs who have supported more housing intensification in Auckland, as he responds to questions about a potential u-turn on the issue.

Speaking to reporters after his State of the Nation speech, Christopher Luxon says the conversation in Auckland was about “how much densification” and “where it happens.”

He said he’d told Aucklanders “we know it’s a sensitive issue” and he plans to “listen” and “digest” the feedback.

“I don’t think there’s a problem when you actually say, I’ve listened to feedback and I’m going to do something different about it on the basis of that.”

RMA Minister Chris Bishop had directed Auckland Council to allocate up to two million homes in the coming decades, but last week he confirmed the coalition was considering weakening housing intensification laws in Auckland.

Luxon dismissed the idea he and Bishop weren’t on the same page, saying they’d had a “very dynamic conversation” well before Christmas.

“It won’t surprise you, but in our government, we actually talk to each other a lot, and quite dynamically and consistently.

“It’s regular. It’s not formalized. We’re just very open and transparent.”

Luxon said the Council should go through its feedback process, and the government would look and “be prepared to listen” to that feedback.

“There is genuine change that’s going to be needed, and we’re up for doing that.”

He said it was for Auckland Council to make decisions about specific suburbs, but he wanted to get the balance right between densification in the CBD, greenfields growth, and what was needed in various suburbs.

He wouldn’t budge on whether the two million figure would be decreased or not, saying the government would have more to say soon.

He said Bishop had been “working hard” on it for a couple of months, “he will come forward with his views and explain that shortly.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has called the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation address a “whole lot of management speak mumbo jumbo”.

Christopher Luxon has delivered his first speech of the year, to the Auckland Business Chamber.

Luxon launched a defence of his government’s progress and reform programme, and promised there would be no deviation from its plan should it win a second term.

He said National would continue with its savings programme at this year’s Budget, and that there would be no “extravagant” election promises from National this election, saying any party that wanted to increase spending would need to increase borrowing or taxes.

Hipkins said Luxon’s adddress had shown he had no vision and no plan for New Zealand’s future.

“We need a vision. We need a plan for the future and it’s clear only Labour can deliver that.”

In terms of Labour’s plans for the upcoming election, Hipkins said the party had plenty to talk about and would do so.

“Luxon should focus on delivering on the political promises that he made,” Hipkins said, which he said included fixing the housing crisis and making healthcare more accessible.

“Things are getting harder for Kiwis not better.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is responding to the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation address.

Christopher Luxon has delivered his first speech of the year, to the Auckland Business Chamber.

Luxon launched a defence of his government’s progress and reform programme, and promised there would be no deviation from its plan should it win a second term.

He said National would continue with its savings programme at this year’s Budget, and that there would be no “extravagant” election promises from National this election, saying any party that wanted to increase spending would need to increase borrowing or taxes.

Hipkins is expected to speak at about 3pm.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The prime minister will outline his plan for the year ahead and New Zealand’s future in a State of the Nation speech in Auckland today.

Speaking to a business audience, hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber at the new International Convention Centre, Christopher Luxon will also take the opportunity to outline some of the government’s progress in areas such as law and order, education, and cutting red tape.

The prime minister will be using his first election year speech to highlight what he considers wins by the coalition, and will likely reference the India Free Trade Deal announced shortly before Christmas last year.

NZ First immediately signalled its disapproval of the deal, and Luxon will likely speak today about maintaining a stable coalition with a focus on domestic affairs.

Clarification around a potential weakening of housing intensification laws, as well as plans for tackling homelessness in the Auckland CBD, may be discussed today, but will likely be revealed later in the week.

It is the first political event in the New Zealand calendar, and will be the first public appearance by Luxon following the summer break, in which international events dominated headlines.

Luxon has yet to release statements regarding the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by the United States, as well as anti-regime protests in Iran, and will likely be asked after his speech for his position on both events.

He was also yet to comment on New Zealand’s Reserve Bank governor writing in support of her counterpart in the US, and President Donald Trump’s push to take over Greenland.

There are no major policy announcements expected in the annual scene-setting speech, and the election date will not be revealed today either.

On Wednesday, both National and Labour will hold their first caucus meetings of the year, and later in the week, political parties will gather at Rātana.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The government is making moves to stop people stripping rock pools of sealife in north Auckland.

On Saturday, more than 100 Whangaparāoa residents protested against what they say are busloads of people plucking out everything from crabs to sea cucumbers.

Local iwi Ngati Manuhiri is seeking a two-year ban on harvesting shellfish along the city’s eastern coastline to allow marine life to recover.

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones told Morning Report he’s considering bans and an education campaign to stop the practice.

“It’s grown into an issue that’s certainly generated a lot of passion thanks to the local community,” he said.

Jones said most of the people beach-combing were migrants, hence the need for an educational campaign.

He has sought urgent advice from Fisheries New Zealand on how to respond to over-harvesting at the site, which was currently being prepared. He said a rāhui, a temporary ban on access, could be enforced by the state.

“We need to ensure that when we introduce these prohibited measures, that not only are they going to be effective, but we don’t create too many unwanted consequences because this particular problem is attributable to unvetted immigration,” Jones said.

University of Auckland marine biologist Andrew Jeffs earlier told RNZ as the country had become more ethnically diverse, it had put pressure on species that were not always harvested here.

“People have different tastes in what they like to eat and enjoy, and harvesting from the shore of fresh seafood material is something that they enjoy.

“It’s about managing that activity so it doesn’t damage the environment, and whoever, whether it’s the community or government, needs to work with those people to make it possible for them to have some of that enjoyment, but without damaging the environment.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Explainer – Trade Minister Todd McClay and his Indian counterpart, Piyush Goyal, announced the recommencement of free trade negotiations as part of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s trip to the South Asian nation in March last year.

Nine months later, shortly before Christmas, the government said the trade negotiations had been concluded, achieving significant wins for several industries but limited gains for dairy.

Indeed, both sides have described the free trade agreement (FTA) as a shot in the arm for their respective economies.

The Indian government said the trade deal was a “forward-looking partnership” that promised to give labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and leather a significant boost.

For New Zealand, the agreement provided new business opportunities through enhanced access for the first time to a rapidly growing Indian middle class – expected to exceed 700 million within five years.

McClay even called the deal a “once-in-a-generation” achievement.

Below is a deeper look at what has been negotiated and announced to date.

First things first. What’s the current status of the New Zealand-India free trade agreement?

The concluded negotiations of the proposed FTA will become a ratified treaty after enabling legislation is passed by New Zealand and India parliaments.

The passing of such legislation is relatively straightforward in India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads a coalition government that is united on the deal.

The path is less clear in New Zealand, after a coalition member has expressed its opposition to the agreement.

New Zealand First has invoked an “agree to disagree” clause of its coalition agreement with the National Party, with leader Winston Peters calling the deal “neither free nor fair”.

As a result, the government will need support from the opposition to make the trade deal with India a reality.

If one of the opposition parties does support the deal, National would seek to pass enabling legislation as soon as possible with an eye on the general election that must be held by the year’s end.

Once both nations have done so, the agreement could be signed sometime in the first half of the year.

Both sides have also agreed to review the agreement one year after it comes into force, which provides a mechanism to pursue further improvements in future, according to McClay.

What has been the reaction to the deal so far?

Overwhelmingly positive.

Export NZ, the NZ Forest Owners Association, the Meat Industry Association, Beef + Lamb NZ, Horticulture NZ, NZ Timber Industry Federation, Wools of NZ, have all expressed support for the deal.

The Dairy Companies Association recognised the deal was good for the country but not for dairy, with core products such as butter and cheese being left out.

However, the association welcomed the inclusion of duty-free re-exports that would see New Zealand export ingredients to India for manufacture.

ExportNZ highlighted existing prohibitive tariff barriers – typically 30-60 percent and up to 150 percent for wine – the trade deal would bring down, giving New Zealand exporters more certainty and options.

The Meat Industry Association described the deal as a “strategically significant milestone” for the country’s red meat sector.

New Zealand Forest Owners Association believed the deal would provide a platform to lift forestry export volumes over time and grow higher-value trade in processed wood and building products.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand said the announcement was positive for sheep farmers, putting the country on a level playing field with Australia.

Horticulture New Zealand said improved access to India would further diversify horticulture’s export portfolio.

The NZ Timber Industry Federation also welcomed news of the agreement, saying it created “huge opportunities” for saw-millers and wood processors nationwide.

Since the announcement before Christmas, several media commentators have also expressed their support in the deal.

New Zealand Herald business commentator Fran O’Sullivan said the free trade agreement “could reshape our exports – and our politics”.

Meanwhile, Stuff political editor Luke Malpass described the deal as “1.4 billion reasons to cheer”.

Let’s talk trade numbers

Total two-way trade between New Zealand and India, which is forecast to become the world’s third-largest economy by around 2030, was valued at $3.68 billion in the year to June 2025.

Of this, New Zealand exported goods and services valued at $1.79 billion to India over that period.

This makes India the country’s 21st-largest goods export market and fifth-largest services export market.

New Zealand’s key exports to India in year ending June 2025 were travel services ($948 million), industrial products ($265 million), forestry and forestry products ($134 million, of which logs constituted $77 million), horticulture ($118 million, of which apples were $79 million and kiwifruit $36 million), dairy and dairy products ($76 million, of which albumins was $62 million) and wool ($76 million).

While travel is the largest services export between the two countries, other key services exports from New Zealand to India include education and government services.

Key Indian imports in New Zealand in 2024 included machinery and equipment ($174 million), textiles and apparel ($147 million), pharmaceuticals ($131 million), vehicles ($62 million), precious stones and metals ($60 million) and paper products ($44 million).

What did New Zealand and India agree on in terms of tariffs in the negotiations?

The free trade agreement eliminates duty on 100 percent of Indian imports (8284 tariff lines), while 95 percent of New Zealand’s current exports will be tariff-free or benefit from reduced tariffs.

According to the Indian government, New Zealand has generally maintained tariffs of around 10 percent for around 450 lines of key Indian exports, with the average applied tariff being 2.2 percent in 2025. The tariffs are expected to be zero from day one of the agreement coming into force.

India’s labour-intensive sectors – textiles, clothing, leather and footwear – as well as automotive companies are poised to benefit significantly from this.

Meanwhile, the average tariff applied to New Zealand’s current exports to India will decrease to 3 percent.

Tariffs have been eliminated from almost all forestry products, wool, sheep meat and coal.

Current tariffs for forestry products to India range between 5.5 and 11 percent, while current tariffs on sheep meat exports are 33 percent.

What’s more, the current 33 percent tariff applied to fish and seafood exports will be eliminated on most goods over seven years.

Most of New Zealand’s existing trade in industrial products with India will be tariff-free within 10 years.

The current 33 percent tariff placed on cherries and avocados will be eliminated over 10 years.

According to the Indian government, New Zealand has agreed on focused action plans for kiwifruit, apples and honey to improve productivity, quality and sectoral capabilities of these fruit growers in India.

For this, centres of excellence will be established, which will work on capacity building for growers, provide technical support for orchard management and impart knowledge on post-harvest practices, supply chains and food safety.

In return, there will be paired market access for New Zealand exporters managed through a tariff rate quota system with minimum import prices and seasonal imports.

The current 66 percent tariff on mānuka honey exports will be cut by 75 percent over five years to 16.5 percent.

For apples, the current 50 percent tariff will reduce to 25 percent for 32,500 tonnes from day one, growing to 45,000 tonnes over six years.

For kiwifruit, the current 33 percent tariff is eliminated for 6250 tonnes from day one, growing to 15,000 tonnes over six years.

In addition, there will be a 50 percent tariff reduction on kiwifruit exports exceeding the quota to 16.5 percent as soon as the trade agreement is in place.

There is good news for New Zealand wine exporters as well, which currently face a tariff of 150 percent.

Tariffs on wine exports will be reduced by 66-83 percent over 10 years from the date the agreement comes into force, ultimately ending on a tariff of 25-50 percent and levelling the playing field with India’s existing FTA partners.

There is also a commitment by India that any better outcome for wine exporters offered in the future to any other country will automatically be extended to New Zealand.

According to the Indian government, it has offered New Zealand market access in about 70 percent of the tariff lines, while keeping almost 30 percent in exclusion.

As expected, exclusions include dairy (milk, cream, whey, yoghurt, cheese, etc), animal products (other than sheep meat) and vegetable products.

That said, the current 33 percent tariff placed on bulk infant formula and other dairy-based food preparations and the 22 percent tariff placed on peptones (a dairy-based product) will be phased out over seven years.

The free trade agreement also creates a new quota of 3000 tonnes for albumins (a milk protein product), which is above recent average export volumes to India. The 22 percent tariff will be halved on exports within the quota.

Finally, there is a commitment in the agreement that India could increase New Zealand access to dairy if the South Asian nation offered improved access to “comparable countries” – that is, similar per capita GDP, economic size and dairy production levels – in future.

However, Goyal told reporters that “India [is] never going to open up dairy” to any nation when announcing the conclusion of trade talks with New Zealand in December.

What about delays at the border and customs?

According to the government, the free trade agreement aims to streamline customs processes at the border, reduce transaction costs, increase transparency, cut red tape and provide greater certainty to New Zealand exporters.

“India Customs will release all goods within 48 hours, and, in the case of perishable goods and express consignments, endeavour to release within 24 hours,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

“The FTA codifies access to, and procedures around, advance rulings and a single window for customs clearance import procedures, as well as codifying the ability for traders to submit customs import documentation to India electronically.

“New Zealand exporters will have a choice of the type of proof of origin they can use, either a certificate of origin or self-declaration for approved exporters.”

What other commitments has New Zealand made?

New Zealand has made a commitment to promote investment into India, with the aim of increasing private sector investment by US$20 billion (NZ$34 billion) over 15 years.

To facilitate New Zealand investments, India will establish a bespoke New Zealand Investment Desk to assist New Zealand investors with issues that may arise across the investment lifecycle.

According to the Indian government, a rebalancing clause is in place in the trade agreement “enabling India to take remedial measures should delivery on investment be below commitment levels”.

What about healthcare, pharmaceuticals or traditional medicines?

According to the Indian government, the free trade agreement boosts India’s pharmaceuticals and medical devices sector by making provision for faster regulatory access.

“The FTA streamlines access for pharmaceuticals and medical devices by enabling acceptance of GMP and GCP inspection reports from comparable regulators, including approvals by the US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, Health Canada and other comparable regulators,” the Indian government said.

“These will reduce duplicative inspections, lower compliance costs and expedite product approvals, thereby facilitating smoother market access and supporting growth of India’s pharmaceutical and medical devices exports to New Zealand.”

In addition, the Indian government says, New Zealand has signed an annex in the agreement to facilitate trade in Ayurveda, yoga and other traditional medicine services with India.

“It gives centre stage to India’s AYUSH disciplines (Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, Siddha and homeopathy) alongside Māori health practices,” the government said.

Ayurveda is a traditional form of medicine based around herbs and massage that is popular with the Indian community in New Zealand.

But, as Medsafe has told RNZ in the past, “there are no approved Ayurvedic medicines in New Zealand”.

New Zealand’s health agency does not directly regulate Ayurvedic practitioners or their practices and routinely publishes reports around concerns on products such as Ayurvedic medicines on its website to keep the public and health practitioners informed.

Any other regulatory provisions worth highlighting?

According to the Indian government, there’s a binding commitment in the free trade agreement from New Zealand to amend its laws within 18 months to provide EU-level protection for India’s geographical indications (GIs).

“The current GI Law of New Zealand only allows for India’s wines and spirits to be registered,” the Indian government said.

“Commitment is now in place to taking all steps necessary including amendment of its law to facilitate the registration of India’s wines, spirits and ‘other goods’, a benefit that was accorded to the EU by New Zealand,” it said.

“Timelines for this are 18 months from agreement entering into force.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade noted this in its summary of the agreement.

“New Zealand agreed to undertake a review of GI protections with a view to matching protections we agreed with the European Union, including to allow for protections of individual GI names,” the summary said.

“That process will start when the agreement is signed, and we will seek public input.”

On immigration, what has been included in the free trade agreement?

In a nutshell, the agreement includes enhanced provisions for student mobility, post-study opportunities, skilled employment pathways and working holiday visas in the negotiated deal.

Accordingly, 1000 Indians aged 18 to 30 years old will be granted multiple-entry 12-month working holiday visas each year, giving them an opportunity for global exposure, skills acquisition and people-to-people linkages.

In addition, eligible Indian students graduating from a New Zealand institution will be eligible for a post-study work visa, ranging from two years for a bachelors’ degree, three years for STEM bachelors and masters, and four years for doctorates.

The free trade agreement codifies the right for Indian students to work for up to 20 hours a week (within the current domestic policy of up to 25 hours).

The trade deal also simplifies entry arrangements for Indian service providers and professionals for short periods of stay, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“This includes an equivalent of 1667 temporary employment entry (TEE) visas per year for a number of occupations where New Zealand has a skills shortage such as certain ICT fields, engineering and specialised health services, as well as certain iconic Indian professions such as Ayush (Indian traditional medicine) practitioners, music teachers, chefs and yoga instructors,” the ministry said.

“These TEE visas are for three years and the total number available under the commitment is capped at no more than 5000 at any one time over that three-year period.”

The ministry did not anticipate this to prompt a surge in applications.

“This [1667 TEEs per year] represents less than 6 percent of the current average total number of skilled visas issued to Indian nationals each year by New Zealand,” the ministry said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A funeral service to publicly mark Sir Tim Shadbolt’s life and legacy will be held in Invercargill this afternoon.

Tributes have been flowing in for the former mayor of Waitematā and Invercargill since he died last week, describing him as a colourful and charismatic character who championed local politics and his city.

Sir Tim was made a Knight Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List for his services to local government and the community.

The funeral service will be held at Invercargill’s Civic Theatre from 2pm with doors open from 1pm.

The service will also be livestreamed on the Invercargill City Council’s website.

After the service, the funeral procession would leave for the Invercargill Airport – home to the Sir Tim Shadbolt Terminal, via Tay Street and Clyde Street, before making its way to Eastern Cemetery for a private interment.

Anyone who wants to pay their respects is invited to line the streets for the procession.

Sir Tim first came into the national spotlight as a student activist in the 1960s, drawing attention to issues including apartheid and the Vietnam War.

He donned the mayoral chains for the first time in Waitematā in 1983, holding them for six years.

He tried his luck again in 1992, standing for mayor in Auckland, Waitākere and Dunedin.

While he was unsuccessful in those races, he breezed into the top job the following year during a by-election in Invercargill.

He also dabbled in national politics, becoming the New Zealand First candidate for the Selwyn by-election in 1994 – less than a day after joining the party.

Sir Tim served in Invercargill until 1995, but was re-elected in 1998 and held onto the mayoral chains until an unsuccessful tilt in 2022.

With the city in decline, he championed the Zero Fees scheme at the Southland Institute of Technology, in a bid to attract more to the south and keep more young people in the region.

Major buildings including Stadium Southland were built during his term, and others including the Civic Theatre were refurbished.

On the screen, he competed on Dancing with the Stars, broke the world record for the longest television interview – just over 26 hours – and made cameo appearances in the 2017 remake of Goodbye Pork Pie and The World’s Fastest Indian.

He became known as the man who put Invercargill on the map, with Invercargill Airport officially naming the Sir Tim Shadbolt Terminal last year to mark his legacy.

In a statement announcing his passing, his partner Asha Dutt said they lost the cornerstone of their family and the man who devoted himself to promoting Invercargill for almost 30 years.

“Tim was a kind-hearted man who cared deeply about the people around him. He was a champion for the underdog and an active political campaigner from his student days of anti-war protest, his activism for Māori rights, and his fight to keep the Southern Institute of Technology and Zero Fees autonomous.

“Tim will be remembered with gratitude, respect, and affection for his commitment to the south and his passion for life.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand