Posts

Posted on

World Vision – More than 60 landmarks in 22 locations across Aotearoa to light up orange for World Vision 40 Hour Challenge

Source: World Vision

An orange glow will light up across Aotearoa on the evening of 13 June, as 63 iconic Kiwi landmarks show their support for the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, the nation’s largest youth fundraising event.

This is the fifth year that a multitude of New Zealand’s most recognisable monuments will shine orange to raise awareness for the fundraising campaign, which helps to make a life-changing difference to children around the world.  
 
This year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge is encouraging rangatahi to give up technology and go “offline for 40 Hours” to unplug, disconnect, and get together with their friends and whānau while completing a challenge to raise funds for children who struggle to get enough to eat each day due to climate change in Solomon Islands.  
 
World Vision Associate National Director, TJ Grant, says young people today live very “online” lives and that means going offline for 40 hours is the ultimate challenge.

He says World Vision New Zealand surveyed participants who did the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge last year and half of the survey participants said a “no tech” challenge would be the most difficult challenge for them.
 
Some of the key monuments lighting up in Auckland during the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge Weekend (13-15 June) include Eden Park, Spark Arena, Vero Centre, Sylvia Park, and Mānawa Bay Premium Outlet Centre.  
 
Other key monuments lighting up across Aotearoa, include Christchurch Airport, Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, The Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, The Botanical Gardens in Christchurch, the Saxton Oval Pavilion in Nelson, and Queens Park in Invercargill.  
 
Unique and iconic landmarks lighting up orange this year include the tunnel at Wellington Cable Cars, the Big Carrot in Ohakune, the Big Fruit in Cromwell, the KZ1 boat at Auckland’s Maritime Museum, and the corrugated iron Sheepdog in Tirau.
 
Grant says he’s overwhelmed at the number of landmarks supporting this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge.  
 
“The challenge young Kiwis are taking on during the campaign weekend will help to raise funds that will feed families in Solomon Islands who are on the frontlines of climate change.  Funds will give families tools and seeds to farm climate-smart crops, plant mangroves to protect their land from rising sea levels and restore fish populations and provide sustainable food sources for future generations to ensure children can grow up healthy and strong in a changing climate.”
 
Owner of Vero Centre, Kiwi Property, says, “We are proud to support World Vision’s 40 Hour  Challenge by illuminating the iconic Vero Centre halo in orange this June, helping to raise awareness for this important cause.”
 
The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge takes place from June 13 – June 15.Sign up to take part in this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, or donate, at: 40hour.org.nz  
 
The full list of landmarks lighting up orange on 13-15 June includes:

Arrowtown: Lakes District Museum & Gallery
 
Ashburton: Clocktower

Auckland: Eden Park, Spark Arena, Maritime Museum KZ1 boat, PWC Tower, Vero Centre, The Aotea Centre, Sylvia Park, Dominion Road, St. Peters Church (Onehunga), and Mānawa Bay Premium Outlet Centre

Christchurch: Christchurch Airport, The Botanical Gardens, The Bridge of Remembrance, New Brighton Pier, Captain Scott Plaza, The Bowker Fountain (Victoria Square), Vaka a Hina, Memorial Gateway Bridge, Christchurch Town Hall Ferrier Fountain, Fanfare Sculpture, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū 

Cromwell: Big Fruit

Dunedin: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Airport, Golden Centre Mall (digital screens), Tuhura Otago Museum, Wall Street Mall, Otago Boys High School

Gisborne: Gisborne Clock Tower
 
Invercargill: Queens Park (Feldwich Gates, Band Rotunda, and Gala Street Fountain)

Napier: The Gold of the Kowhai Sculpture and Tom Parker Fountain

Nelson: Saxton Oval Pavilion

New Plymouth: New Plymouth Clock Tower  

Oamaru: Oamaru Opera House  

Ohakune: Big Carrot  

Palmerston North: Hopwood Clock Tower

Tauranga: Wharf Street Lights, Beacon Wharf, Masonic Park, Waterfront- North and playground, Tunks Reserve
 
Te Aroha: Clock Tower  

Tirau: The Big Sheep Dog

Waitaki: Craig Fountain  

Waitoma: Tree of Light  

Wellington: Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Cable Car tunnel, Wellington Airport, Kelburn Park Fountain, Hikitia, Nga Kina sculpture and Promenades, Queens Wharf sails shades

Whanganui: Royal Whanganui Opera House (Whanganui), War Memorial Centre

Whangarei: Whangarei Airport, Victoria Canopy Bridge, Kotuitui Whitinga  

Posted on

Tertiary Education – International data science joint programme established on foundation of people-to-people exchange

Source: Unitec

Unitec and Hebei University of Engineering (HUE) are launching a joint degree programme in Data Science and Big Data Technology to begin delivery in September this year.
The degree gives learners the opportunity to complete the first three years of the programme in Hebei before sitting the final year in Tāmaki-Makaurau – Auckland.
Graduates will concurrently earn two qualifications recognised in China and internationally.
“We are delighted to see the programme gaining approval from China Ministry of Education,” says Unitec Executive Director Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.
“It has been a great honour to work alongside our partners at Hebei University of Engineering exploring mutually beneficial opportunities in a generous spirit of our long-standing people-to-people exchange,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.
The approval of the joint programme represents a significant step forward in Unitec’s vision to increase its already well-established engagement with international tertiary institutions and learners, particularly in China.
For more than twenty years, the division has delivered joint Accounting and Architecture programmes in Shandong Province.
“Strong educational partnerships like this are built on years of trust, shared values, and cultural exchange,” says Don Sirimanne, Interim Director Marketing and International.
“Unitec is proud to contribute to New Zealand’s bilateral relationship with China by preparing globally competent graduates and fostering meaningful academic collaboration,” says Mr Sirimanne.
Lecturers in School of Computing, Electrical and Applied Technology will teach across twelve courses in the degree.
“Aotearoa – New Zealand and China have a shared interest in using applied learning to add value to the lives of our populations, sparking innovation and economic opportunities,” says Head of School, Susan Bennett.
“The approval of the programme also recognises the expertise of our lecturing staff who are looking forward to working with their colleagues in Hebei to finalise curriculum alignment and prepare to open delivery,” says Ms Bennett.
The announcement follows a visit from a high-level delegation of university leadership to Unitec in April where talks were progressed on other areas of collaboration including articulation pathways for further disciplines, joint research, study tours and other mutually beneficial activities.
In September last year, a group of engineering students from Hebei visited Unitec on a week-long cultural exchange. As well as attending classes, the students were welcomed on to Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae and taught how to make their own pounamu, cook boil up, prepare fry bread as well as how to make and perform poi.
Posted on

Local News – Streamside Education a hit with Porirua schools

Source: Porirua City Council

A programme giving schools the opportunity to learn more about their local natural environment and the importance of healthy waterways is proving popular.
The Streamside Education programme, run by Porirua City Council Parks Education Advisor Natalie Packer, is flexible and can support what students are learning in the classroom.
Since launching the programme in 2023, Natalie has worked with students of all ages from across Porirua.
Already this year groups from Aotea and Mana colleges have been out learning about the natural environment to help with their assessments.
This term students from Porirua East School have had the opportunity to learn about the connection between art and nature by doing creative activities at Pātaka Art + Museum in the morning, then planting in an area near their school in the afternoon.
This began recently with tamariki planting 230 new trees by Mexted Stream in Rānui, just around the corner from their school.
“We want the tamariki and rangatahi of Porirua to see the connection to their environment in their local community,” explains Natalie.
“This programme is about immersing them in nature and encouraging them to have a relationship with the local environment, so they can cherish it.”
With this year’s planting season getting underway, Natalie says there will be plenty of opportunities for schools to do some learning outside the classroom and put plants in the ground.
In 2024 about 3800 students, teachers and parent helpers from 34 schools across Wellington and Porirua helped during the planting season.
Posted on

BusinessNZ welcomes regulatory trim

Source: BusinessNZ

BusinessNZ welcomes today’s announcement by Minister for Regulation Hon David Seymour that Cabinet has approved the revocation of the outdated Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980.
Small business owners in the hairdressing and barbering sector will no longer have to operate under unnecessary regulations, including mandatory chair spacing and regulated lighting levels, with dogs banned from salons and restrictions on refreshments served.
With the hairdressing regulations revoked, local authorities will no longer be required to monitor the industry. The industry will still be required to meet health and safety regulations, with any risks managed under general legislation applying to all businesses.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the outcome for the hairdressing sector bodes well for the Ministry for Regulation’s ongoing work reducing unnecessary and restrictive red tape.
“BusinessNZ applauds the methodical and evidence-based approach the Ministry for Regulation has taken in this review. It’s a model for how to tidy up the rules across other sectors. The engagement with businesses, councils and industry bodies was thorough, and the end result is a commonsense solution that still protects public health while removing duplicative and inconsistent regulation,” Mrs Rich said.
The Ministry for Regulation’s next review will be of the telecommunications sector.
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
Posted on

Tech and Security – From 54 billion to 94 billion: Cookie theft skyrockets as hackers exploit your browser

Source: NordVPN

New Zealand ranks 100th out of 253 countries, with 77.5 million leaked cookies — over 6 million of which are still active and tied to real user activity.

According to the latest research by cybersecurity company NordVPN, New Zealand has landed a troubling spot on the global leaderboard for leaked cookies, ranking 100th out of 253 countries. 77.5 million cookies linked to New Zealand users have been found on the dark web. (ref. https://nordvpn.com/blog/cookies-research/ )

Although cookies are commonly seen as helpful for improving online experiences, many don’t realize that hackers can exploit them to steal personal data and access secure systems.

“Cookies may seem harmless, but in the wrong hands, they’re digital keys to our most private information,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN. “What was designed to enhance convenience is now a growing vulnerability exploited by cybercriminals worldwide.”

The hidden risk behind everyday browsing

Cookies are small text files that websites store on a user’s browser to remember preferences, login details, and browsing behavior. They play a vital role in making online experiences smoother, helping websites load faster, keeping shopping carts full, and allowing users to stay logged in across sessions. Without cookies, the convenience and personalization of the modern web would be severely limited.

However, as the digital landscape evolves, so does the misuse of these tools. Cybercriminals have learned to harvest cookies to hijack sessions, steal identities, and bypass security measures.

“Most people don’t realize that a stolen cookie can be just as dangerous as a password,” says Warmenhoven. “Once intercepted, a cookie can give hackers direct access to accounts and sensitive data, no login required.”

Millions of pieces of personal data exposed

NordVPN’s research reveals a massive malware operation that stole almost 94 billion cookies — a dramatic jump from 54 billion just a year ago, marking a 74% increase. Even more concerning, 20.55% of these cookies are still active, posing an ongoing risk to users’ online privacy. Most stolen cookies came from major platforms, including Google (4.5 billion), YouTube (1.33 billion), and over 1 billion each from Microsoft and Bing.

The growth is just as alarming when comparing personal data exposure over the past few years. In 2024, NordVPN identified 10.5 billion assigned IDs, 739 million session IDs, 154 million authentication tokens, and 37 million login credentials. In 2025, those numbers rose sharply, with 18 billion assigned IDs and 1.2 billion session IDs now exposed. These data types are critical for identifying users and securing their online accounts, making them highly valuable to cybercriminals.

The stolen information often included full names, email addresses, cities, passwords, and physical addresses — key personal data that can be used for identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized account access.

The data was harvested using 38 different types of malware, more than triple the 12 types identified last year. The most active strains were Redline (41.6 billion cookies), Vidar (10 billion), and LummaC2 (9 billion). These malware families are known for stealing login details, passwords, and other sensitive data.

Redline is a powerful infostealer that extracts saved passwords, cookies, and autofill data from browsers, giving hackers direct access to personal accounts.

Vidar works similarly but also downloads additional malware, making it a gateway to more complex attacks.

LummaC2 is particularly evasive, frequently updating its tactics to slip past antivirus tools and spread across systems undetected.

In addition to these known threats, researchers discovered 26 new types of malware not seen in 2024 — a sign of how quickly the cybercrime landscape is evolving. New entries like RisePro, Stealc, Nexus, and Rhadamanthys are especially dangerous. RisePro and Stealc are built to rapidly steal browser credentials and session data, while Nexus targets banking information using mobile emulation techniques. Rhadamanthys stands out with its stealthy design and ability to deploy follow-up malware, making it a multipurpose threat capable of causing extensive damage.

The stolen cookies came from users in 253 countries. New Zealand ranked 100th in total volume, with 7.78% of the cookies being active. However, that still represents over 6 million cookies tied to real user activity — a massive potential exposure.

“Even a small percentage of a huge dataset is massive,” says Warmenhoven. “That’s millions of people potentially exposed to cybercrime.”

Easy ways to protect your data from cyber threats

Stay vigilant online to protect yourself from the risks posed by data breaches and malware. Start by using strong, unique passwords for every account and enabling multifactor authentication (MFA) whenever possible. Additionally, be cautious about sharing personal information and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading unknown files.

Another crucial step is keeping your devices up to date. This can help block harmful malware before it can compromise your system. Regularly cleaning your site data is also essential. Many users don’t realize that active sessions may persist even after they close their browser. Clearing this data helps reduce the window of opportunity for unauthorized access. Lastly, always check the privacy settings on your online accounts to ensure you only share information with trusted services.

“Usually, people close the browser, but the session is still valid, and the cookie is still there. If you never clean that site data, that session will be valid for as long as the site owner deems it secure,” says Warmenhoven. “Taking basic precautions like using strong passwords, enabling MFA, and staying alert online can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyberattacks. It’s a small investment of time that can protect you from big threats.”

Methodology

The data was analyzed by NordStellar, a threat exposure management platform. The research was conducted between April 23 and April 30. The researchers used data gathered from Telegram channels where hackers advertise what stolen information is available for sale. This led to a dataset of information about 93.76 billion cookies. Researchers analyzed whether the cookies were active or inactive, which malware was used to steal the cookies, which country they were from, as well as what data they contained concerning the company that made the cookie, the user’s OS, and keyword categories assigned to users. NordVPN did not buy stolen cookies, did not access the contents of the cookies, and only examined what types of data were contained within them.

ABOUT NORDVPN

NordVPN is the world’s most advanced VPN service provider, trusted by millions of internet users worldwide. The service offers features such as dedicated IP, Double VPN, and Onion Over VPN servers, which help to enhance online privacy with zero tracking. One of NordVPN’s key features is Threat Protection Pro, a tool that blocks malicious websites, trackers, and ads and scans downloads for malware. NordVPN is part of Nord Security, whose latest product is Saily, a global eSIM service. Known for its user-friendly design, NordVPN offers some of the best prices on the market and operates over 7,600 servers in 118 countries. For more information, visit nordvpn.com.

Posted on

Boost for Pacific Wardens to keep communities safe

Source: New Zealand Government

Pacific Wardens will continue to support safer, stronger communities with a funding boost through Budget 2025, announced Pacific Peoples Minister Dr Shane Reti.  

 “Pacific Wardens are a trusted and vital presence in our communities — helping to keep our streets safer, our young people supported, and our neighbourhoods connected,” says Dr Reti. 

 “This Government is committed to strengthening their impact by providing the resources, structure, and certainty they need to grow and thrive in the years ahead.” 

 Pacific Warden Groups have been a trusted presence for over a decade across Auckland and South Waikato. They provide a calm, reassuring influence on the ground — from patrolling streets and community spaces to being a visible, approachable presence at large-scale events like the Pasifika Festival and Polyfest. 

 “Wardens are often the bridge between communities and support services. They speak the language, understand the culture, and are well placed to de-escalate conflict, deter crime, and guide young people towards safer choices,” says Dr Reti. 

 Through Budget 2025, the Government is investing $1 million over four years — $250,000 per year — to support the Auckland Pacific Wardens Trust. 

“This is a practical investment that will go directly toward volunteer training, uniforms, and transport. It also allows the Trust to establish a paid coordinator role and build stronger national governance – providing the stability and structure these groups need to grow,” Dr Reti says. 

 The funding delivers on a key commitment in the National Party and New Zealand First coalition agreement, recognising the value Pacific Wardens add to New Zealand’s social fabric. 

 “Our Government backs community-led initiatives that work. This funding helps Pacific Wardens do what they do best — supporting communities, reducing harm, and strengthening social cohesion. I commend the Trust and all its volunteers for the vital work they do, and I look forward to seeing their impact grow,” says Dr Reti. 

Posted on

Property Market – Average section price drops to the lowest in nearly 3 years – Branz

Source: Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ)

House prices are becoming more affordable, with section prices down 15% ($35,000) from their mid-2022 peak. However, the high cost of building continues to make new builds inaccessible for many, according to the latest data from the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ).

These findings have been drawn from BRANZ’s new data tool BRANZ Build Insights – the first of its kind to bring together reliable economic insights from across the building sector.

The latest quarterly data (January–March 2025) reveals that the average price for a section and new standalone house is down 4.1% to $1,018,000 – $43,000 less than the previous quarter (October–December 2024).

However, this remains substantially more expensive (+$201,000) than buying an existing home.

A driving factor for this is that house build prices have continued to increase in recent years and at nearly twice the rate of inflation. Latest estimates show that building a basic 200m2 home, which would have cost just over $650,000 in mid- 2022, will now cost $777,000. This is nearly a 20% increase over a time when general inflation rose 12%. Existing property prices have increased slightly over the same period.

BRANZ Senior Economist Matt Curtis says: “We’re still experiencing high build costs since the pandemic, from a number of factors, including increased material costs, higher wage costs as well as the general inflation we’re seeing across all sectors.

“But this new data is showing us the first signs of improving affordability in the new-build sector and since 2023, the number of building consents issued for standalone homes has been slowly increasing – growing 5% in the year ending March 2025 compared to the year ending March 2024.

“We’re also seeing house sizes getting smaller to adapt to rising costs. The average size of new standalone houses consented in 2024 was 176m2 compared to 184m2 in 2023,” he says. “Generally, smaller and simpler houses are a good thing – they cost less to build and are also more cost-effective for people to live in, with less energy and maintenance expenses.”

Since 2022, the building and construction industry has faced significant challenges, including a decline in new startups and notable increases in business liquidations (up 37% in the year to February 2025 compared to a year earlier).

However, the sector’s skills pipeline shows a more promising outlook. This has been underscored by a surge in trades training, and carpentry apprenticeships have more than doubled in the past decade, with 21,165 apprentices in 2023 compared to 9,280 in 2014.

BRANZ CEO, Claire Falck explains how the data from BRANZ Build Insights brings together reliable insights from BRANZ and multiple data sources across the building sector into one trusted tool:

“BRANZ Build Insights features data that can help the sector forecast construction demand, track workforce trends and better calculate expected build delivery and consenting times. It’ll also help us understand changes in New Zealanders’ living conditions and the impact of new initiatives across our housing.

“Having all this data in one place means anyone can easily track building system trends and outcomes, which will help support industry best practice, decision-making, and analysis.

“This tool will continue to grow with new reliable data sources being added, allowing a more enriched understanding of the building sector,” says Claire. “It will also be coupled with regular BRANZ economic reports to give sector-leading updates on the status of the built environment, on a regular basis, for the first time.”

Click here for the BRANZ Build Insights Tool

Click here to view the full BRANZ Build Insights Q1 Economic Report

Q1 2025 building and construction sector insights:

Reduced section prices: The average 500m2 section in the March quarter is $240,000, $35,000 less than in mid-2022. There are however significant regional variations: For instance, the average cost of a 500m² section in Auckland is over $505,000, compared to $65,000 in the West Coast.
Reduced overall new build cost: The total average price for a section and new build standalone house is $1,018,000 – $42,000 less than the $1,060,000 in December 2024.
Construction costs outstrip inflation: The cost to build a house has increased by nearly 20% since mid-2022, with an average 200sqm house now costing $777,000. Over the same period when general inflation rose 12%.
Shift in consents: Building consents for standalone houses have increased slightly, whereas consents for attached dwellings have decreased by 17%.
Decline in consent value: The total value of residential building consents has fallen by 13% compared to 2023 after adjusting for inflation.
Growth in construction businesses: There are more construction businesses and workers now than ever before, with 81,891 businesses operating in 2024.
Increase in construction businesses: There are now more construction businesses than ever before – 81,891 in 2024, outpacing the growth rate of all industries in the last decade. However, construction business liquidations were up 37%, and made up 31% of all business liquidations.

Positive long-term outlook: Despite the economic downturn, the long-term outlook remains positive, with more construction businesses being started and fewer ceasing operations compared to other industries.
Surge in apprenticeships: Carpentry apprentices have more than doubled in the past decade, with 21,165 apprentices in 2023 compared to 9,280 in 2014.
Increase in trades training: Participation in trades training has nearly doubled since 2014, with the total number of trainees, apprentices, and tertiary qualification students in construction increasing from 57,000 to 93,000 in 2023.

Notes:

About BRANZ Build Insights

BRANZ Build Insights is a new tool created by BRANZ to track building system data.

Bringing together reliable insights from across the building sector into one trusted source, BRANZ Build Insights supports industry best practice, decision-making and analysis.

BRANZ Build Insights can help you:

Gain insights into forecasted demand
Track workforce trends
Better predict build delivery and consenting times
Understand living conditions for New Zealanders
Monitor changes across the building sector
Identify the uptake of innovation and business resilience

About the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ)

BRANZ is a trusted, independent expert in building construction. We provide practical research, testing, quality assurance and expertise to support better buildings.

Posted on

Increasing Support For Social Media Ban – Poll

Source: Family First

MEDIA RELEASE – 28 May 2025

TWO OUT OF THREE PARENTS WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN SUPPORT BAN

A new poll has found increasing support for a ban on social media for children under 16, and decreasing opposition.

In a poll by Curia Market Research and commissioned by Family First NZ, 1,000 respondents were asked: Would you support or oppose a law that bans children from all social media until they reach 16 years of age?

56% of respondents support banning children under 16 from social media, and 26% are opposed.

A similar poll with the same wording by the same research company in April 2024 found opposition at 45% and support at just 39%.

Support for a social media ban has grown from 39% support to 56% support in just over 12 months. Opposition has dropped form 45% to 26%. In both polls, 16-18% are uncertain.

Those with dependent children were more likely to support the ban (62%) than those without dependent children (53%).

Interestingly, when comparing the two polls, net support for a ban has risen amongst National, Labour and Green voters.

Family First has long advocated for better regulation of social media and support for parents so as to protect young people.

“First and foremost, there needs to be a community response where parents unite to ensure their young children are not exposed to social media, but there is also room for government support to empower parents,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Dr Jonathan Haidt – author of “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” – notes in his acclaimed research that there is a clear correlation between the introduction of smart phones and a significant decline in young people’s mental health. (Dr Haidt was a guest at last year’s Forum on the Family and he called on New Zealand and other countries to do more to protect young people from the harms online.)

“This is an important discussion which should not be delayed any further.”

The nationwide poll was carried out between 19 May and 21 May and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.

Posted on

Backing Horticulture: record returns & red tape removed

Source: New Zealand Government

Record global sales and strong grower returns from Zespri confirm that New Zealand’s horticulture sector is back on track and growing fast—driven by hardworking growers and a Government focused on lifting productivity and cutting red tape.
“This week’s announcement by Zespri of more than $5 billion in global sales for the 2024/25 season marks a 31 per cent increase on the previous year, with a record 220.9 million trays sold. Direct grower returns have topped $3 billion for the first time, highlighting both strong demand and growing confidence in the sector,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.
“The horticulture industry is going from strength to strength as export revenue is set to reach $8.0 billion this year, up 12 per cent on last year and kiwifruit is leading the way,” Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg says.
“This Government is backing growers with practical policy, better market access, and fewer bureaucratic obstacles to increase returns at the farm gate,” Mr McClay says.
“Last year, we moved at pace to bring the EU Free Trade Agreement into force many months ahead of schedule, saving New Zealand kiwifruit exporters $43 million in tariffs in the first year alone. Since then, kiwifruit exports have increased by 69 per cent, contributing a further $316 million.”
Key actions the Government has taken to free up horticulture and drive farmgate returns include:

Removing barriers to vegetable growing
Improving the Freshwater Farm Plan system
Passing an RMA amendment bill focused on primary sector needs
Rebalancing the hierarchy of obligations for Te Mana o te Wai
Introducing a replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management
Introducing pragmatic rules for on-farm water storage
Investing more in catchment groups – empowering local decision-making
Providing further funding for East Coast debris clean-up
Ceasing the implementation of new Significant Natural Areas (SNAs)
Increasing investment into Rural Support Trusts
Committing over $400 million to accelerate emissions-reduction tools for farmers
Expanding market access through new and existing trade agreements in the EU, UK, UAE, GCC and launching negotiations with India.
Removing $733 million in non-tariff trade barriers

“We’re focused on farmgate profitability and cutting the red tape that’s been holding growers back,” Mr McClay says. 
“Our primary sector is firing again, and this Government is going to keep backing it every step of the way,” Ms Grigg says.

Posted on

Sheep and Beef farmers deliver record red meat returns

Source: New Zealand Government

New Zealand’s sheep and beef farmers are delivering record-breaking red meat export sales and driving strong farmgate returns to the rural economy Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. 

“March was a standout month for our red meat exporters, with a record $1.26 billion in export sales—a 34 per cent increase on March last year. First quarter exports also hit $3.28 billion, up 28 per cent from last year. This is great news for farmers, processors, and rural communities across New Zealand,” Mr McClay says.

The global appetite for high-quality, natural protein is continuing to grow, driving strong prices for New Zealand lamb and beef.
“This reflects a deeper, longer-term shift in global consumer behaviour. People everywhere are turning to clean, high-quality, safe and sustainable animal protein, and New Zealand is delivering,” Mr McClay says.

Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s February forecast projected red meat export revenue to achieve an additional $1.2 billion for the 2024/25 production year. That outlook is well on track, thanks to our farmers hard work and world leading production, with April Stats NZ data confirming an additional $1.1 billion or 5 per cent increase in red meat exports over the past year bringing the total value to $10.6 billion.

The Government is doing its part to ensure farmers see more returns at the farm gate by restoring confidence, slashing red tape, and opening up new opportunities.

Key actions to drive growth and keep Wellington out of farming include:

  • Removed agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme
  • Currently banning full farm-to-forest conversions
  • Started the process of replacing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management
  • Moved to fundamentally reform the Resource Management Act
  • Halted unworkable winter grazing, stock exclusion, and Significant Natural Area (SNA) rules
  • Begun rebalancing Te Mana o te Wai to restore the rights of all water users
  • Disbanded Labour’s He Waka Eke Noa initiative
  • Repealed the punitive Ute Tax
  • Commenced an inquiry into rural banking
  • Halted Labour’s costly Freshwater Farm Plans
  • Completed a number of Free Trade Agreements that offer farmers greater opportunity in new markets
  • Removed $733 million in non-tariff trade barriers 

“Our farmers are world leaders in producing high-quality, safe, sustainable, grass-fed meat. This Government backs them 100 per cent, and we’ll keep cutting through the red tape so they can keep delivering for New Zealand,” Mr McClay says.