NZ Engine

Source: New Zealand Government

Minister for Social Development and Employment Louise Upston says the Government’s approach to tackling unemployment continues to make progress despite a challenging economic environment.

“Despite tough economic conditions, MSD stats out today show a 6 per cent rise in the number of main benefit recipients finding work compared to the previous June 2025 quarter,” Louise Upston says. 

“That’s 20,775 New Zealanders moving off the benefit and into work during the period.

“This figure also includes a 6.9 per cent increase in work exits from Jobseeker Support, and a small drop in the number of young people receiving Jobseeker Support over the same timeframe.

“As previously forecast, there have been increases in the number of people receiving a main benefit and Jobseeker Support over the quarter before employment conditions are expected to pick up towards the end of the year. 

“During this period, our Government continues to support jobseekers into work with investment in MSD’s frontline, and by introducing phone-based case management supporting 10,000 more people in case management at any one time.

“Our traffic light system and Kōrero Mahi seminars, which have been running since mid-2024, are helping jobseekers to stay on track with their obligations and seize every opportunity to get work or training. 

“Kōrero Mahi seminars are helping jobseekers to put their best foot forward with advice about finding the right job, CV writing and interview prep – small things which can make all the difference.

“We know many New Zealanders are still doing it tough and that’s why we provide this practical hands on support while people are looking for work. 

“It’s also why our Government remains focused on responsible economic management supporting wider recovery. We are reforming and driving Government policies to support job and income growth, ensuring Kiwis have the opportunity to get ahead.

“Today’s statistics are meaningful. Job seekers finding new roles always means more than just numbers. This data represents independence, security and lives turned around for thousands of New Zealanders and their families.”

Source: New Zealand Government

Foreign Minister Winston Peters leaves this weekend for the United Kingdom and the Nordic region. 

While in the United Kingdom, Mr Peters will take part in the annual UK-NZ Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue with his British counterpart, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, undertake other political calls, and participate in a debate at the Oxford Union. 

“The United Kingdom is integral to our security and prosperity,” Mr Peters says.  “My visit will renew the strong partnership we have with the UK and identify areas where we can work together to address the deteriorating international situation.” 

Mr Peters will also travel to the five Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. 

While in Stockholm, he will attend the first ever New Zealand-Nordic 5 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. 

“There are few countries in the world more likeminded than New Zealand and our Nordic friends. We have collectively benefitted from our partnerships, but there remains much more we can learn from each other,” Mr Peters says. 

Mr Peters will hold one-on-one talks with his Nordic counterparts to discuss geopolitical issues, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and opportunities in trade and innovation. 

“There is no opting out of the geopolitical realities we face. For small states it is imperative we maintain bonds with countries that share our values and our commitment to a rules-based international order. This visit will help lay the foundations for future cooperation and partnership,” Mr Peters says. 

Mr Peters departs New Zealand on 19 October and returns on 2 November. 

Source: New Zealand Government

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has today attended the graduation of 10 new Fishery Officers to acknowledge the importance of the work frontline officers do all over the country ensuring fishers are doing the right thing and protecting the sustainability of our fish stocks.

“Fishery Officers usually graduate with little fanfare. It’s important they know how valuable their work is. There is a lot at stake,” Mr Jones says.

The graduates got off to a flying start this morning, unexpectedly finding some real poachers as part of a training programme.

“The graduates thought they were practising their skills on mock offenders at Wellington Harbour when they came upon two real paua poachers who were allegedly stopped with 48 paua, of which 46 were undersized.” 

More than 11,000 Kiwis are employed in the seafood sector which contributed $2.2 billion of export revenue to the economy in 2024/25. Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders count themselves as recreational fishers – for sport, enjoyment and for food to feed their whānau.

“Every New Zealander can be proud of our fisheries management system which is the foundation of these benefits and ensures our fisheries remain sustainable.”

The 10 Fishery Officers who graduated today join the 100 full time and 180 Honorary Fishery Officers already stationed around the country.

The graduates come from all over the country, from Auckland to Invercargill, and bring with them a wide range of skills and life experiences.

“It’s important because much of the work of Fishery Officers is about preventing offending, which takes a good understanding of regional fisheries and of people. Fishery Officers are often well-known in their communities and can be seen out on wharves and beaches making sure people understand their responsibilities,” Mr Jones says.

Graduates do 12 months of rigorous training to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed on the front line, and will complete more courses on the job.

Fishery Officers have been patrolling the country for more than 60 years. Each year they do thousands of catch and boat inspections in both the recreational and commercial sectors.

Source: PHARMAC

Pharmac is proposing to fund silver diamine fluoride for people accessing dental services through Health New Zealand public hospitals, and ‘Health New Zealand’s Community Oral Health Service’ for children and some adolescents. 

Silver diamine fluoride is a topical treatment that halts the progression of tooth decay and reduces tooth sensitivity. It comes in a liquid form that is applied to the tooth, making it less painful and invasive than a filling.

It can be especially helpful for children, elderly patients and those who may find some traditional dental procedures challenging, such as people who are sensitive to noise.

People who access ‘Health New Zealand’s Community Oral Health Service’ would be eligible for this treatment under this proposal. These community services are predominantly for children; some adolescents are also eligible.

People of all ages accessing Health New Zealand hospital dental services, both inpatient and outpatient, would also be eligible for this treatment.

Adrienne Martin, Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals says, “this is good news for children and those having dental treatment in hospitals who need an alternative option to traditional dental care.”

“We hope it takes some of the anxiety away for children with a real fear of going to the dentist, as well as the parents and caregivers who care for them.”

Pharmac wants to know what people think about this proposal. Feedback can be provided through Pharmac’s website until Thursday 30 October. 

Following public consultation, Pharmac will make a decision on the funding proposal. If approved, it will be funded from 1 December 2025.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police are seeking information following a hit and run incident on State Highway 2, Paeroa last weekend.

On Saturday 11 October police received a report that a vehicle had collided with the side of a campervan while attempting a dangerous overtake.

The incident occurred when the alleged driver of the vehicle was travelling south on State Highway 2, at around 12pm, and attempted to overtake multiple vehicles at one time, directly in the path of oncoming traffic in the northbound lane.

In order to avoid a head-on collision, the driver then swerved back toward the southbound lane, colliding with the side of the campervan. The driver then carried on driving south without stopping.

Sergeant Scott Tyrrell says the outcome of this dangerous driving could have been catastrophic.

“Not only has the driver of this vehicle not stopped to check if anyone was injured in the collision or to exchange details, they have also nearly caused what could have been a fatal head on crash.

“This type of driving in unacceptable under any circumstances and it is pure luck that no one was injured.

“We are aware of dashcam footage that is circulating online and throughout media outlets, I ask that anyone who has this footage to please share it with us,” he says.

Information can be provided by calling 105 and quoting file number 251012/3057.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: New Zealand Police

Police investigating the suspicious death of a woman in Pahiatua have located a car that was taken from the victim’s address. 

Officers were called to a residential address on Arthur Street in Pahiatua about 4.40pm on Wednesday, where they located the woman deceased. It was later established the victim’s red, late-model Mitsubishi ASX VRX station wagon, registration QGU91, was missing.

Detective Senior Sergeant David Thompson, Area Investigations Manager, said the vehicle was located in the Rotorua area late on Thursday morning.

“Nobody was with the vehicle, and we are working to identify who the driver was. We hope the public can help us with and need to hear from anyone who saw this car travelling the central North Island, between Pahiatua and Rotorua.

“If you think you saw this vehicle, please speak with us as you may have information that’s invaluable to the investigation.”

If you can help, please contact Police via 105 and quote file number 251015/6286.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre.

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash in Aka Aka, Waikato, on 5 October.

He was Ryan George Terry-Daley, 31, of  Waiuku, Auckland.

Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are continuing.

ENDS

Nicole Bremner/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now release the name of the man who died following a crash in Ōhaeawai, Far North, on 30 September.

He was Riccardo Clark, 20, of Waimā, Far North.

Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are continuing.

ENDS

Nicole Bremner/NZ Police 

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  16 October 2025

38 chicks fledged from the colony, including 18 which were fitted with trackers showing their location using the Global Positioning System – with some already most of the way across the Pacific heading towards South America.

DOC Coastal Otago Albatross Ranger Sharyn Broni says this is the most chicks on record to fledge from the colony in a season, eclipsing the previous record of 33 from the last two seasons.

“It’s been a fantastic season at Pukekura. The weather has been great with slightly cooler temperatures over summer, so there haven’t been overheating or flystrike issues, which is better for both the birds and rangers.

“The chicks have also needed less supplementary feeding than in past years, which suggests there was plenty of food available for the parents. We even found a 2kg eel next to one nest, which a parent had brought back! There were several chicks, however, which lost one or both parents and required a lot of support from the rangers to ensure they were a healthy weight prior to fledging.

“Unfortunately, one chick took off successfully but was found dead at a local beach several days later. We don’t know what the cause was. It’s sad, but it’s natural that not all the chicks will be successful once they leave the colony.”

DOC co-manages the albatross colony as part of Te Poari a Pukekura (the Pukekura Co-management Trust) alongside Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou, Korako Karetai Trust and Dunedin City Council, with the support of the Otago Peninsula Trust. The colony has grown from one breeding pair in 1937 to more than 80 pairs in 2025.

As well as supporting the only mainland albatross colony in the world, Pukekura/Taiaroa Head also has deep cultural significance and is a biodiversity hotspot. Te Poari a Pukekura play an important role in managing this special place.

Te Poari a Pukekura Chair Bill Karaitiana says Pukekura is a place where our tupuna were born and also where they were schooled.

“The challenge for Te Poari a Pukekura is to build the body of knowledge about the ocean, the land, and the flora and fauna. The purpose of this process is to better understand the toroa as an indicator of the mauri (life force) of its ecosystem. The Department of Conservation has made in-roads into gathering this data. Overall, the increase in the health and population of the toroa is a great result and supported by underlying principles of wairua, whakapapa and mauri.”

Hoani Langsbury, Ecotourism Manager for the Otago Peninsula Trust responsible for the Royal Albatross Centre, said he “could not be prouder of the respective teams that worked together at Pukekura to enable this increase in fledging success!”

Sharyn Broni says it’s fitting to have had such a great season as the round-the-clock livestream Royal Cam, which watches one chick grow from an egg until fledging, celebrated its 10th season.

“Kaewa, as this year’s Royal Cam chick was named, left the colony on 17 September and is living up to her name, which means to travel or roam. Her tracker shows she has flown more than 2800 km across the Pacific Ocean.”

Sharyn says while its great toroa are doing so well on the mainland thanks to our help, it’s not such good news for the wider population.

“About 99% of the toroa population breeds on small islands in the Chatham Islands and this is a species that faces a range of threats in the wild.

“One way you can help toroa when you’re out naturing is by picking up rubbish, because toroa will mistake plastic in the ocean for food, which can be fatal for the adult or the chick, if rubbish is regurgitated to them.”

Anyone who wants to learn more about the species can tune into the round-the-clock livestream Royal Cam, which follows one toroa pair as they raise a chick from egg to fledging. The livestream is a collaboration between DOC and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Background information

Toroa/northern royal albatross are one of the largest seabirds in the world, with wingspans up to 3 m. They are a vulnerable species that are affected by changes to habitat and climate, plastic pollution, and some fishing practices. They also reproduce slowly, with breeding starting from about 8 years old and breeding pairs typically raising a chick once every two years.

The colony at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head is the only mainland site in the world where toroa/northern royal albatross breed.

A taonga species, toroa have a conservation status of ‘Nationally Vulnerable’, with an estimated population of about 17,000 mature individuals.

The Royal Cam livestream is run in partnership with Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology in New York, helping the lives of these albatrosses reach an international audience. Now in its tenth year, it receives millions of views from people all around the globe annually.

Contact

Source: New Zealand Government

Newly appointed and reappointed directors will bring significant expertise to the Boards of Crown Infrastructure Delivery Ltd (CID), National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd (NIFFCo) and New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says.

“Pamela Bell will join the CID Board for the term of 6 October 2025 up to 30 September 2028, firstly as a Director and then as Chair from 1 March 2026,” says Mr Bishop.  

“Also joining the CID Board as Directors on 6 October are Philip de Joux and Adrian Wimmers, both for a two-year term up to 30 September 2027.

“Two more Directors, Abby Foote and John Sproat, will join the CID Board from 1 March 2026 for three-year terms.

“David Webster has been appointed to the NIFFCo Board for a 3-year term commencing 1 September 2025.  

“David Webster joins three other recently appointed Directors on the NIFFCo Board. Tim Brown and Greg Lowe joined the Board on 1 March 2025 and Melissa Cameron was appointed from 1 April 2025. All three new recently appointed NIFFCo board members have been appointed for three-year terms.

“Finally, I am pleased to confirm the reappointment of Sue Tindal for a further year as Deputy Chair for the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga.”                                                                                                                       

Notes to editor: 

Pamela Bell brings over 17 years of governance experience, with a focus in the construction and infrastructure sectors. She currently chairs the NZ Construction Industry Council and Urban Plus Group. Her directorships include ConCOVE, Abodo Wood Ltd, and previously Seaview Marina, as well as the National Association of Women in Construction and other industry bodies.

Philip de Joux is on the leadership team at Lyttelton Port Company, and previous roles include General Manager for the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce. 

Adrian Wimmers is a former Partner, Deal Advisory at KPMG New Zealand after an international and domestic corporate career with roles at KPMG UK and KPMG Netherlands. He has over 20 years of not-for-profit governance experience. 

Abby Foote is a director and legal professional. Her current directorships include KMD Brands Ltd, Freightways Ltd, and Steering Committee Member of Chapter Zero New Zealand.

John Sproat has 35 years’ experience in corporate finance transactions. His directorships include Advisory Director of Fiso Group, member of the Investment Committee of Tupu Angitu Ltd, Chair of the Opepe Farm Trust and Board Member of the Hawkes Bay Rugby Union. 

David Webster is currently First Assistant Secretary, Commercial Investments Division at the Commonwealth Department of Finance Australia, advising on major infrastructure deals across the transport, energy, communications and defence. 

Tim Brown has over three decades of experience in infrastructure asset investment, infrastructure finance and debt and capital markets. Mr Brown has served on the board of Infratil, Wellington Airport, and has been a Wellington City Councillor.

Greg Lowe has 13 years’ experience as an Executive Director with the Beca Group. Mr Lowe has overseen major infrastructure initiatives including Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects.

Melissa Cameron was a former Senior Partner at Deloitte and has over 30 years of international experience advising and financing companies ranging from pre-IPO to large global public corporations.

Sue Tindal has over 10 years governance experience as a director and chair across both public and private sectors.  She currently serves on the boards of the Infrastructure Commission, where she is Deputy Chair and Chair of the Risk & Assurance Committee, and Deputy Chair and Chair of the Finance Risk & Assurance Committee of Quotable Value Ltd and was recently appointed Chair of the KiwiRail Board and NZ Railways Corporation (NZRC).