9 April 2025
The household labour force survey estimated working-age population table shows the population benchmarks used to produce household labour force survey estimates for the upcoming labour market statistics release.
New publishing date for Productivity statistics: 1978?2024
New publishing date for Productivity
statistics: 1978–2024
9 April 2025
The productivity statistics release due to
be published on 16 April 2025 has been rescheduled and will now be published
on 16 May 2025.
Ends
For media enquiries contact: Sandi
Reily, Wellington, 021 285 9191, media@stats.govt.nz
The Government Statistician authorises all
statistics and data we publish.
If you wish to change your details or unsubscribe
please email subscriptions@stats.govt.nz.
Thank you for using the Stats NZ subscription
service.
Publishing team
+64 4 931 4600
More information is available on the Stats
NZ website at www.stats.govt.nz
Follow
us on Twitter
Like
us on Facebook
Health – Protecting our youngest citizens: put people before profit in infant formula rules
Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa
Health Coalition Aotearoa is deeply concerned by reports of industry lobbying that appears to have influenced Government decisions to weaken infant formula labelling standards in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Multinational dairy companies should not dictate rules that shape the health of our youngest citizens. Caregivers deserve clear, evidence-based information-not marketing spin dressed up as science,” says Sally Mackay from Health Coalition Aotearoa.
The New Zealand Government opted out of an infant formula standard in August 2024. Media has recently reported on intense industry lobbying to undermine the infant formula standards for Aotearoa. Multinational dairy companies are reported to have convinced Ministers to back away from the rules. More recently, the media reported the Government is now considering a U-turn and is thinking of recommitting to the baby formula standards.
Health Coalition Aotearoa supports a U-turn in the policy and a recommitment to the infant formula standard. We strongly oppose any move to prioritise corporate profits over population wellbeing. New Zealand health policies need to move away from commercial interests and keep people’s best interests in mind,” says Vanessa Souter from Health Coalition Aotearoa.
Infant formula companies have a long history of using unproven health claims and misleading labels to suggest their products offer benefits that rival or exceed those of breastfeeding. This is simply not supported by evidence.
Whānau-particularly those who cannot breastfeed-are vulnerable to this kind of marketing. They deserve protection from tactics that pressure them to buy expensive formula based on false promises.
Infant caregivers-particularly those who cannot breastfeed-are vulnerable to this kind of marketing.
The lack of transparency in government decision-making only adds to our concern. Industry lobbying must not come at the cost of public trust or public health.
The infant formula export market is worth billions-but that should never outweigh our duty to uphold the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes or Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Article 2 of Te Tiriti affirms the need to protect hauora Māori. That includes protecting breastfeeding-an act with proven short and long-term health benefits for māmā and pēpi.
Now is the time for bold, evidence-based leadership. We urge the Government to strengthen-not roll back-protections for whānau and pēpi. This means putting child health first, committing fully to The Code, and listening to trusted public health voices like the New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance and the NZ Lactation Consultants Association.
Let’s build a future where every caregiver has access to honest information, every pēpi gets the healthiest start, and every policy puts wellbeing before profit.
Governance – Joint committee will help public access to Waitākere, Outdoor Access Commission says
Source: Herenga ā Nuku – the Outdoor Access Commission
Auckland councillors’ proposal for tangata whenua to be part of a committee overseeing the Waitākere Ranges will support public access to the area, according to Herenga ā Nuku, the Outdoor Access Commission.
“Based on our expertise negotiating public outdoor access, we believe the joint committee proposed in the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Deed of Acknowledgement can play a vital coordination and communication role in shaping long-term public access in the area”, Herenga ā Nuku acting chief executive Phil Culling says.
The background to the comment is that in 2008, the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act said the nationally significant area required protection. This would involve a Deed of Acknowledgement that the Auckland Council, the Crown and nominated iwi would enter into.
Under the proposal, a joint committee would be created with equal representation from Auckland Council, the Crown, represented by the Department of Conservation, and tangata whenua – specifically, Te Kawerau ā Maki. Ngāti Whātua is also named in the Act as tangata whenua. Their ability to be part of the Deed will be kept open and discussions are ongoing.
The proposed Deed applies only to public land owned or managed by the Crown or the council within the heritage area. It does not apply to private land or water and will not replace existing governance structures.
Aucklanders need sustainable public access to the Waitākere Ranges, and that requires a strong framework for authentic dialogue, Culling says.
“It is the largest publicly accessible outdoor space near New Zealand’s biggest city. Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission, believes that achieving free, certain, enduring, and practical outdoor public access relies on talking and listening to each other in an ongoing dialogue.”
Many community groups and individuals currently struggle to understand who is managing outdoor public access in the Waitākere Ranges, Culling adds.
“The joint committee could create and implement a long-term strategic plan for the Heritage Area. But, more importantly, it would have the authority and respect to coordinate all the people with an interest in the Waitākere Ranges, improve communication, and increase collaboration.”
“We also support the joint committee’s advocacy role, championing the Waitākere Ranges and raising awareness of their national significance and their significance for tangata whenua. This shared understanding is key to providing long-term recreation and public access.”
Health – Government focus on physician associates a distraction from real issues
Source: GenPro
New workforce regulations in the future are a distraction from what’s needed now to fix the crisis in primary healthcare, says the General Practice Owners Association (GenPro).
“Planned regulation of small numbers of physician associates is welcome but will do absolutely nothing for reducing waiting times for people wanting to see a GP this week,” said Dr Angus Chambers, Chair of GenPro.
“Physician associates can be valued health workers, and we congratulate them on gaining recognition of their skills and service, but they’ll be first to agree they’re not a substitute in a face-to-face consultation with a family doctor.
“Packing these regulations with other minor changes to prescribing rights to suggest that the government is demonstrating a commitment to providing high quality care.is misleading.
“The biggest change the government can make to improve health care is to immediately invest in general practice to retain the GPs we have now and to make it more attractive for GPs to come to New Zealand. And it needs to overhaul the out-of-date funding model which is driving general practices out of business or restrict hours and service,” Dr Chambers says.
“A better funding model which reflected actual health needs of people, and true costs of running a general practice, in 2025 would be more effective at cutting waiting times and taking pressure off emergency departments.
“GenPro appreciates that government finances are restricted but general practice receives just five percent of the $30 billion health budget, which is significantly less than in other developed countries.
“Meanwhile GenPro is surprised that the government signed off on a new regulated profession in the midst of a consultation on whether it would be a good idea.
“Clearly the Ministry of Health’s Putting Patients First: Modernising health workforce regulation risks being seen as a Clayton’s consultation. GenPro will present its views but decisions taken in recent days suggest that the government has already made up its mind on what the future workforce looks like, packaging it as a panacea, and releasing it on a slow news day, when it is actually just tinkering around the edges and avoiding the big calls which need to be made.”
“It is ironic that the Ministry wants to put patients first, but the Minister doesn’t want to wait to hear from them,” Dr Chambers says.
GenPro members are owners and providers of general practices and urgent care centres throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. For more information visit www.genpro.org.nz
Business – Fonterra plans to close Canpac site
Source: Fonterra
Fonterra has today announced that it plans to close its canning and packaging facility in Hamilton at the end of July.
The closure of the Canpac site, which blends and packages milk powders, follows the Co-operative’s decision to focus on higher value ingredients such as advanced proteins and medical nutrition.
Fonterra’s Chief Operating Officer, Anna Palairet, says low product volumes and increasing complexities in production has created challenging economic conditions for the facility.
“It’s been a tough day for all the team at the site. Making decisions like this is never easy.
“Our strategy is about creating end-to-end value and growing total returns for our farmer shareholders. We believe the best way to achieve this is to focus on our strengths and scale in ingredients and foodservice, and we are prioritising our investment on the parts of our operations that are better suited to this.”
“We are committed to supporting our employees as we work through the next steps,” says Ms Palairet.
Around 120 people currently work at the site. The Co-op will now work through a consultation process including exploring potential redeployment opportunities before operations are planned to come to an end on 31 July 2025.
The site currently packs up to 4000 metric ton of powders per year, less than one per cent of the Co-op’s total product volume.
Education and Experience – Local student interns welcomed at Porirua City
Source: Porirua City Council
A group of young people from Porirua colleges are getting a taste of the workplace this term as part of the Mahi Rangatahi programme run by Porirua City.
Now in its fourth year, the Mahi Rangatahi programme provides real-world work experience for young people in Porirua, including developing a CV, applying for a job, having an interview – as well as the hands-on experience of their chosen role.
With term 2 beginning this week, a group of 12 students from three Porirua schools were welcomed by their new mentors.
More schools are now involved with the programme, with a student from Te Kura Māori o Porirua joining Mahi Rangatahi for the first time. Students from Mana and Aotea colleges are also getting a taste of the workplace.
This year’s group of students are experiencing work in a range of teams at Council, including Emergency Management, Communications & Marketing, Arena Fitness, Pātaka Art + Museum, Economic Development, Strategic Partnerships, and Business Technology Support.
Mahi Rangatahi was introduced as a pilot programme in 2022 following feedback to Council from local schools on what would be most beneficial to help their students understand different career pathway options.
“The programme develops each year as we receive feedback from the students about what they’ve thought of their experience working at Council,” says Porirua Mayor Anita Baker.
“It’s more than just work experience – the students go through an interview process and after their internship wraps up, their manager provides them with a reference to help them into future roles.”
For students or others thinking about potential career pathways, the Porirua Careers Expo is back for 2025, this year happening on Tuesday 13 May, 9.30am-4.30pm at Te Rauparaha Arena.
Government Cuts – Cuts to public services will be opposed: austerity does not work – PSA
Source: PSA
Finance Minister Nicola Willis today has made it clear that austerity is on the horizon for health and other public services with little new money being made available in next month’s Budget.
In today’s pre-Budget speech the Finance Minister announced that the operating allowance, which funds new operating spending, will be halved to $1.3 billion.
“This is an irresponsible recipe for failure in health and public services which are already in desperate need of additional investment after reckless cuts and the failure to invest,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“Budget 2025 should be about investing in the services New Zealanders need, particularly health with rising costs of care and an ageing population.
“But this government remains hell bent on its reckless ideological crusade to downsize our public health system regardless of the consequences.
“It made a clear choice in last year’s Budget to cut taxes and now the chickens are coming home to roost with the Government’s finances more constrained than they should be.
“Nicola Willis talks about ‘limited fiscal means’ forcing cuts to the operating allowance – well, she is the author of those, and it is a choice that she made.
“The PSA will strongly resist any further threats to the jobs of public service or health workers.”
“This is a recipe for austerity which history tells us does not work, it just creates more misery, and New Zealanders will pay that price from this approach.
“Budget 2025 will be a sad indictment of the Government’s economic management.”
Northland Regional Council News 29/04/25
Source: Northland Regional Council
Climate Resilient Communities Fund open for applications
Northland Regional Council is inviting applications to the Climate Resilient Communities Fund.
The fund aims to build community resilience to the effects of climate change by focusing on local needs and community-led solutions. Council has $600,000 to invest in projects that meet the funding criteria, and eligible groups can apply for between $5,000 and $40,000 plus GST.
Applications must be for projects in Te Taitokerau and from a legal community entity, such as hapū or iwi groups, community or neighbourhood groups, education providers, social enterprises and not-for-profit businesses.
The fund will support projects focusing on: Food resilience (Te Kai); Water resilience (Te Wai); Energy resilience (Te Ngao); Nature-based resilience (Te Taiao); Planning for resilience (Ngā mahi Whakamahere).
Applications close 3 June 2025.
Free open day event at award-winning, sustainable Northland farm
Anyone interested in sustainable farming is invited to attend the Rob and Mandy Pye – Mangere Falls Farm, Ballance Farm Northland Regional Supreme Winner Open Day in Kōkopu (Whangarei) on May 7.
The special free event hosted by New Zealand Farm Environmental Trust will include an overview from Rob and Mandy Pye about striking a balance between profitability, environmental stewardship and farm efficiency, a farm tour, presentations from Alison Whiteford (B+LNZ), Northland Regional Council, Kaipara Moana Remediation and Silver Fern Farms, followed by lunch.
Anyone wishing to attend must ensure all vehicles and footwear are clean (to comply with biosecurity requirements), with 4WDs required to take part in the farm tour (carpooling is recommended where possible).
The event will be held from 10am and finish with a lunch at 1pm at Mangere Falls Farm, 638 Knight Road, Kōkopu, Whangarei.
Government Cuts – Govt spending decision signals crisis and cuts – CTU
Source: CTU
The decision to nearly halve the amount of new investment being made in the next Budget signals that this Government doesn’t care about the users of public services, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney.
“$1.3bn in operating allowance isn’t enough to pay for cost pressures in health alone ($1.55bn). There is no money for cost pressures in education and other public services, or proposed defence spending. This is a Budget that will be built on cuts to essential services,” said Renney.
“The fact that this announcement has come only three weeks away from Budget suggests that there is no agreement around the cabinet table about what government should be doing.
“We now know that we are looking at a Budget where departments will be asked to make further rounds of deep cuts – just after cuts at Budget 2024.
“The Minister of Finance is blaming borrowing for the need to make cuts. At the last Budget the government borrowed $12bn to pay for tax giveaways, including to landlords and tobacco companies.
“This decision to cut investment is a choice. When child poverty rises, as it currently is, it’s a choice to not increase support. When we can’t support people losing their job, that’s a choice. This Government’s choices are now very clear.
“We implore the Government to rethink this decision. It doesn’t help solve the public investment gap that already exists. It doesn’t help tackle unmet need in health and education. It’s time for a better approach, and to rebuild our public services,” said Renney.