NZ Engine

Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

Bylaws for nine existing mātaitai reserves along the West Coast will support local communities and kaitiaki to protect local fisheries for today’s fishers and future generations, says Allen Frazer, Manager Inshore Fisheries South, Fisheries New Zealand. 

“The new bylaws were made by the tāngata tiaki/kaitiaki (guardians) of the mātatai reserves, with the goal of reversing the depletion of key fish stocks, making the local marine system healthier, and ensuring there is plentiful kaimoana in these areas in the long term,” Allen Frazer says. 

“The rules are different for each of the Ngāti Māhaki Mātaitai, but include reduced daily catch limits for some species, a 70 mm maximum tail width for spiny rock lobster, prohibitions on taking seaweed and some shellfish, and the introduction of vessel limits.” 

The Ngāti Māhaki Mātaitai reserves are a network of 9 mātaitai near Haast, which were established in 2011 and 2012. The locations of the 9 mātaitai are:

• Okarito Lagoon
• Manakaiaua/Hunts Beach
• Mahitahi/Bruce Bay
• Paringa (Knights Point to Buttress Point)
• Tauparikaka (Tauperikaka Point to Fox Creek outlet)
• Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands
• Okuru/Mussel Point
• Okahu/Jackson Bay
• Tauneke/Barn Bay

Mātaitai reserves are customary fishing areas that recognise the relationship between tangata whenua and their traditional fishing grounds. They allow customary and recreational fishing and can include bylaws that are proposed by the tangata kaitiaki/tiaki (guardians). These bylaws are subject to public consultation and ultimately approved by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries. 

Outside of the Mātaitai reserves the normal Challenger Area rules continue to apply. 

Fishers can help Fishery Officers inspecting their catch by keeping a record of where they have been fishing. This can be recorded on vessel chart plotters or shown in geolocated photographs.

“Fisheries New Zealand wants to thank the tāngata tiaki, kaitiaki, local communities, and everyone who submitted as part of the public consultation on these bylaws,” says Allen Frazer.

All the bylaws come into force on 1 October 2025. 

You can view the rules, and maps of each mātaitai, on MPI’s website:

Challenger area fishing rules

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328. 

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  01 October 2025

“We decided on these prices after comprehensive market research, and engagement with Treaty Partners, stakeholders, and the community at these two sites” says Director of Heritage and Visitors, Catherine Wilson. “The outcome is a pricing proposal which we think is fair and reasonable.”

The pricing structure aims to answer submitters’ calls for an initial free period, special consideration for locals, free parking for concessionaires, and a reasonable price for both regular users and occasional visitors.

The final details of the pricing are:

• Free parking period for 20 minutes to allow for drop-offs/pick-ups or staying a short time
• Hourly rate of $5 per hour
• Daily rate of $20 per day
• Annual pass for locals (within Buller, Grey and Westland district boundaries) of $10 per vehicle per year, allowing unlimited access during the year
• Annual pass for other regular visitors of $60 per vehicle per year
• Commercial tourism operators who hold a valid concession will be able to apply for a parking fee exemption for the duration of the pilot.

“Following a competitive tendering process DOC has appointed Stellar to be the company that provides paid parking hardware and associated services,” explains Catherine. “They have a strong track record of delivering customer-focused parking solutions and take a constructive approach to enforcement through clear communication and fair processes.”

Payment machines will be installed at the sites and cameras will record the entry and exit of vehicles. Non-payment of parking fees will incur breach notices, which will be issued by Stellar.

DOC’s estimated combined revenue from the Dolomite Point and Franz Josef paid parking pilots is expected to be approximately $1million over the seven-month pilot period (December 2025 to June 2026 inclusive).

Once the pilot is completed and the benefits have been assessed, a decision will be made whether to continue with paid parking at the three sites, and if it should be extended to other sites.

The introduction of a paid parking programme enables visitors to contribute to conservation facilities as they are out naturing,” says Catherine. “This is standard practice at many national parks overseas, and most international visitors accept this as a necessary contribution to support amazing nature sites.”

The paid parking pilot is planned to start in December 2025 and continue for seven months until the end of June 2026. Paid parking is also planned to be introduced at White Horse Hill, Aoraki Mt Cook in December 2025. Submissions are currently open for feedback on a proposal for that site until 22 October.

For more information visit this web page:

Paid parking pilot programme

Contact

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  01 October 2025

The artifacts included metal wheels, axles and chain associated with the mine.

The area is a popular tourist attraction in the Buller and showcases the old mine site, including the well-known Denniston Incline.

Many of the weathered artifacts remain at site and hint at the living and working conditions from the 1880s, when coal was first sent down the Denniston Incline, to 1967, when the mine closed.

Unfortunately, over time many of these items have been stolen prompting the Department of Conservation to increase its efforts to prevent further thefts by increasing surveillance at the site.

Those efforts have led to the identification of and enforcement action against the man through an infringement notice.

The decision to issue an infringement notice, rather than a harsher penalty, reflects the fact the attempt to remove the items from site was not completed, and the artifacts were left on site.

Suvi Van Smit, Operations Manager for the Buller District says Denniston is classified as a category one Historic Place.

“The site attracts visitors to the Buller and holds a significant piece of New Zealand’s mining history,” she says. “The Denniston Incline is considered a work of engineering genius and the artifacts at the site help tell the story of what took place there.

“I encourage all people to leave places like these as they find them and avoid any potentially embarrassing and costly interactions with our compliance team or the Police. Denniston is a fantastic place to get out naturing, so please treat it with the respect it deserves.”

Contact

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  01 October 2025

A new 42 m suspension bridge across the Routeburn River is now open, reconnecting the popular Lake Sylvan Track after the previous bridge was damaged in a significant storm in 2020, repaired, and then swept away in another storm in 2023.

Department of Conservation Whakatipu Wai Māori Operations Manager David Butt says resilience in the face of increasing storm events has been a big consideration for the replacement bridge.

“Nature is our biggest asset, and it’s important we do the work to ensure we’re investing our efforts across our network of tracks and bridges in the right places,” he says.

“The old bridge site at the Sylvan Campsite was prone to erosion, an issue that was likely to continue. After thorough investigations with our team of engineers we made the call to build a replacement at a more stable site, around 600 m upriver from the campsite.”

The new bridge is also approximately 11 m above the river’s median river height, greatly increasing its resilience to erosion and flood events.

A new section of approximately 1.5 km of track has been constructed to connect the bridge to the Sylvan Campsite and other popular walking tracks in the area, such as Lake Sylvan Track.

The Lake Sylvan Track is hugely popular with locals, families and visitors looking for a gentler naturing experience within Mt Aspiring National Park, says David.

“Lake Sylvan Track is a great option for most visitors, offering scenic views, a gentle gradient and the chance to see native species like titipounamu, pīwakaka and toutouwai along the way.

“It’s an excellent alternative for those who don’t have the time or experience for the three-day Routeburn Track but still want to experience a connection to nature.”

The bridge also provides access for experienced trampers to back country tracks like the Beans Burn and Sugarloaf/Rock Burn Track. Pre-Covid, the site received 11,000 – 14,000 walkers per year.

Having the bridge opened ahead of the busy summer season is great news for the local community, says David.

“The Lake Sylvan area is a popular place for locals. We appreciate people’s patience as we’ve worked hard to get this new bridge open in a safer, more resilient spot.”

Contact

Source: New Zealand Government

The Minister for RMA Reform, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister for the Environment have set clear expectations to all Regional and Unitary Councils to take a pragmatic approach when issuing consents, ahead of the transition to the new planning system.    

“Ministers continue to receive concerning reports of councils across the country applying stringent, unnecessary, and burdensome requirements when issuing new consents, particularly for our farmers and growers,” Mr Bishop says.

“Our country relies on our rural producers. At a time of economic challenges, councils should be doing all they can to unlock economic growth, not stymie it.

“Farmers are not the enemy. Working on the land is not a ‘nice to have’ – it’s vital for our country’s success. Prior to the induction of our new planning system, councils need to recognise that they’ll need to be pragmatic and flexible to ensure our rural economy continues to operate.” 

“The RMA gives local authorities power to exercise discretion over consent processes. This includes extending consenting timeframes and working with individual applicants to reach pragmatic solutions,” Mr McClay says.

“Later this year, a regime to transition consents into the new system will be released. Until then, we expect councils to use this discretion where appropriate. Farmers should not be punished for what amounts to bureaucratic process.”

“We know that the transition into a new planning system could create some bumps for those sectors whose livelihoods depend on their consents. The Government expects local authorities to smooth those bumps as much as possible,” Ms Simmonds says. 

“Local Authorities need to recognise that the system is changing, and change their behaviour accordingly. The Government has committed to working alongside councils to support the implementation of, and alignment with, the future system.”

Source: New Zealand Government

A new system for delivering home care services for older people, focusing on restorative care, begins in the South Island today.

“This is one of a series of improvements being made to the current aged care system, backed by a significant increase in funding, to support improved care and the aged care sector,” Associate Health Minister Casey Costello says.

“The aged residential care (ARC) sector has received a 4 per cent funding uplift and will see a total increase of $96 million this year, and funding for home and community support services (HCSS) will increase by $44 million,” Ms Costello says. 

The total funding increase of $140 million this year is on top of an annual increase of $129 million last year and means that government spending on aged care is now more than $2.5 billion.

“The funding increases are aimed at relieving pressure on the sector and improving care services for older New Zealanders while we work towards the longer-term reform needed to better help people age well,” Ms Costello says.

“The reality is the current aged care model is out of date, so we are making improvements in the short term as well as considering system-level change.”

Today’s changes in home care funding and provision see the introduction of a new ‘case mix’ framework and funding model across the South Island to help those people who receive care at home.

“Four providers have been contracted to provide the new model, which is designed to move away from “task-based” care plans where providers are paid by the hour for specific tasks to more flexible care which is responsive to what people need. 

“The new service model will provide better care with a focus on keeping people as independent as long as possible.” 

The case mix framework and funding model will be introduced across the other three Health NZ regions to provide national consistency.

The Minister said that Health NZ was also working with the aged care sector to update the current contract for aged care and to develop a better system for categorising care need.

“The sector has said, and I’ve seen, that people entering residential aged care have higher health needs than before, and some older people need greater care from home services as well as more specialised services, such as bariatric and even palliative care in ARC facilities. 

“I want this process to better categorise this need, and the care people require, which will support the development of an appropriate funding model.”

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has assured the power companies in which it is a majority shareholder that capital is available to support investment in critical electricity infrastructure. 

“Reliable and affordable energy is key to New Zealand’s prosperity,” Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. 

“Energy powers every part of our economy, from households to high-value industries, and will increasingly determine our ability to compete in the global economy. 

“Therefore, I have written to the Crown’s Mixed Ownership Model (MOM) companies (Genesis, Mercury and Meridian) to say that the Crown is prepared to support capital funding requests for strategic and commercially rational investments that support energy security.

“This is to ensure a perceived lack of access to Crown capital does not stand in the way of New Zealand’s energy security.

“The assurance is one of several measures the Government is taking to address the gaps in New Zealand’s energy system that are keeping prices high for consumers.

“The review of New Zealand’s electricity system undertaken by Frontier Economics stated that the MOM companies, in which the Crown is a 51 per cent shareholder, have faced constraints in their ability to invest in larger generation projects, because of a perception that the Government would not provide equity injections to support those investments. 

“We wish to correct that perception. The Government is committed to maintaining its legally mandated 51 per cent stake in the MOM companies, and we accept we would need to participate in any equity raise required for major new investments. We are more than willing to do this, if the proposals stack-up.”

Energy Minister Simon Watts says New Zealand is on the cusp of a renewable electricity boom. 

“More new generation has been commissioned in the last 18 months than in the last 15 years because of our work to knock down regulatory barriers. 

“But there is one major barrier standing in our way. We need reliable back-up options to generate electricity during our driest years, when we can’t rely on hydro lakes or wind to meet demand. Since the 1970s, natural gas has bridged this gap, but our declining gas supply is making this both more expensive and unreliable.

“The electricity market performance review conducted by Frontier Economics confirmed that the market has failed to invest in the back-up fuel and generation we need to keep the lights on and the economy running during dry years. This uncertainty is what is keeping power prices up and placing unacceptable pressure on Kiwi households, businesses and industries alike. 

“When we have dry years, like what we experienced in 2024, it can take the economy up to 25 years to recover from inflated electricity prices. That’s why the Government is acting now.”

The Government’s Energy Package focuses on investing in security of supply and building better markets to improve affordability. It includes:

Security of supply

• Launching a formal procurement process for an LNG import facility.
• Incentivising industry to kick start new energy projects by exploring how whole-of-government contracts could help underwrite projects. 
• Removing barriers to accelerate the delivery of renewable energy through Electrify NZ (speeding up consenting and enabling offshore renewable energy).

Building better markets

• Developing options to reduce policy risk for investors in new energy projects, such as the $200 million set aside for co-investment in gas fields through Budget 2025.
• Strengthening the Electricity Authority to make it a more powerful, decisive regulator.
• Increasing the efficiency of electricity distribution businesses (EDBs) by tasking them to collaborate, standardise processes and make smarter investment decisions.
• Establishing a stronger gas information framework to ensure timely, reliable, and transparent data is available to all market participants.
• Developing new rules, in consultation with industry, to ensure the lack of dry year back-up supply does not re-emerge. 

“Today, MBIE will release a Request for Information inviting the energy sector to tell us how the Government can work in partnership with industry to kickstart new projects that will help boost New Zealand’s energy supply. Leveraging government energy demand will help unlock new investment in energy generation across a range of technologies,” Mr Watts says.

“We are also stepping in to invest in energy security through a procurement process for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility. By bolstering domestic gas supplies, LNG can help manage the impacts of dry years and keep the wider energy system up and running.

“The procurement process will kick off next week, and Cabinet will consider the results of this first phase and determine next steps by the end of the year.

“There is work to do to improve the electricity market for the future. We are strengthening the Electricity Authority, so the electricity market has a powerful regulator with the right tools to deliver better outcomes for consumers. This will include giving it a sharper stick to crack down on bad behaviour and boost competition in the electricity market.

“This will be bolstered by a more sophisticated risk monitoring role for Transpower with better forecasting of security of supply risks; new rules to ensure power companies deliver the back-up supply we need; and greater efficiency across New Zealand’s electricity distribution businesses to avoid unnecessary costs being passed on to consumers in their power bills.”

“This package builds on the work already underway to boost competition in the electricity market and ensure New Zealand has abundant and affordable energy for next winter. 

“The energy system plays a significant role in the economic wellbeing of Kiwi businesses, industries and households. If we can bring wholesale electricity prices down by just 2 per cent a year, New Zealand’s economy could be over $3 billion larger than it would otherwise be in 10 years’ time. 

“This would allow businesses to grow, invest more, and create jobs, while helping to ease the cost-of-living pressures New Zealand households are facing.

“With our plan in place, we can make this a reality. New Zealand’s future will be powered by renewables with back-up supply when we need it most and a well-regulated electricity market that is working to deliver for Kiwis.” 

Source: New Zealand Police

The intersection of Duke Street and River Road is currently closed following a serious crash this morning.

Police were called to the two-vehicle crash at around 7am.

Initial indicators are there have been critical injuries.

The intersection will remain closed for some time while emergency services work at the scene.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

ENDS

Source: New Zealand Police

One person has died following a single vehicle crash in Ōhaeawai last night.

At about 11.15pm Police were alerted to a crash where a car has collided with a bank on State Highway 12.

One person has sadly passed away at the scene, with a second person transported to hospital in a critical condition.

The Serious Crash Unit attended and is investigating the cause of the crash.

The road has since reopened.

ENDS.

Amanda Wieneke/NZ Police

Source: New Zealand Government

With quarter four data now in, for the first time we can compare a full year of data to measure how well mental health and addiction services are performing across the country, Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey says.

“Encouragingly, more Kiwis are getting faster access to support with both primary mental health support and specialist services staying above target all year,” Mr Doocey says.

“We are also seeing positive progress across regions. Whanganui district went from 81.4 percent to nearly meeting the 95 percent target for 6 hour shorter mental health stays in emergency departments. Central region went from not meeting the specialist mental health support in 3 weeks target, to now achieving it.

“In the South Island, access to primary mental health support in one week has also improved from 75 percent to now being well above target at 84.7 percent. Southern district went from being the worst performing district at 66.4 percent, to one of the best at 91 percent.

“I have always said I won’t be happy with just meeting the targets nationally. The value of being able to measure how well the twenty health districts are performing is being able to see where may need extra support.

“Since the first mental health targets were introduced, I have met regularly with HNZ regional leaders to ensure plans are in place to lift areas of underperformance.

“Today’s results back that we’re turning the corner on reducing wait times and increasing the mental health workforce, with the frontline Health NZ mental health workforce growing around 10% since we came into Government.

“This Government is focused on delivering faster access to support, more frontline workers and a better crisis response. These targets ensure this is happening.

“At the end of the day, no matter where you are in New Zealand, this Government is committed to ensuring support is there when someone is reaching out.”

Notes to editors:
•    Workforce data in Q4 only reflects Semester one results. Results for the second semester will be available in Q2 2025/26
•    Q1 results can be found here