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Source: New Zealand Government

Legislation fixing the inconsistent treatment of boarder and rental payments has been passed into law in Parliament today. 
The Social Assistance Legislation (Accommodation Supplement and Income-related Rent) Amendment Bill and the supporting legislation of the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill has addressed the inconsistent treatment of board and rent payments around housing subsidies.
“This has been an unnecessarily complicated and confusing system,” says Minister for Social Development and Employment Louise Upston.
“This legislative change means that from March 2026, payments from boarders and renters will be treated equally when considering housing assistance.
“These common-sense changes were signalled in Budget 2024. The changes don’t take effect until March 2026, meaning recipients will have time to provide information about any boarders they have.”
Currently, if people have only one or two boarders, board payments aren’t included when MSD calculates housing subsidies — unless it’s their main source of income. This can result in the Government subsidising the same accommodation costs more than once. 
In contrast, rent payments received are included when calculating a person’s eligibility for housing subsidies.
“This change supports our Government’s aim of ensuring our public services are fiscally sustainable and effective. 
“We believe that those who have a genuine need should be able to get the help they require while ensuring consistency across MSD payments,” Louise Upston says.
Passed this morning, the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill introduces mandatory reviews of some specified benefits. These reviews will require MSD to check in and confirm a client’s eligibility and rate of benefit at least once a year. 
Clients must confirm if they are receiving any contributions from boarders, as well as any other circumstances which may impact their eligibility and rate of benefit, like their income.
Some aspects of the mandatory reviews will use Automated Decision-Making so MSD staff can focus on supporting people in to work.
Notes for Editors 
From 2 March 2026, payments from all boarders will be included when MSD:

calculates how much a person can get for housing subsidies (e.g. Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support), and
calculates the Income Related Rent (IRR) for a social housing tenant in a social housing property.

Additionally, if the total board and rent a person receives exceeds their total accommodation costs (or market rent for social housing tenants), the excess amount will be considered as income for other MSD assistance. 
The housing subsidies that will be impacted from 2 March 2026 are:

Accommodation Supplement
Income-Related Rent Subsidy
Accommodation Benefit for students who are sole parents
Away from Home Allowance
Temporary Additional Support
Special Benefit.

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government has taken a major step towards protecting food production by ending the large-scale conversion of productive farmland into pine plantations, with the first reading of the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme—Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill receiving unanimous support in Parliament last night.

“This Bill is about protecting our most valuable land that grows food for export and sustains rural communities,” Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay says. 

“For too long, ETS incentives have driven the wrong outcomes for our rural sector.”

“Once farms are planted in trees as a result of carbon credits we lose the ability to produce the high-quality safe food that consumers demand – and we lose rural jobs, export earnings, and the families that go with them. Today we are putting a stop to the harm that this has done to rural New Zealand.”

The Bill will:

• Prevent exotic forests from entering the ETS on LUC 1–5 land (New Zealand’s most productive soil);
• Limit new ETS registrations on LUC 6 land to 15,000 hectares per year, allocated by ballot;
• Allow up to 25 per cent of a farm to go into the ETS, preserving landowner choice while ending full-farm conversions;
• Protect eligible Māori-owned land, and provide time-limited exemptions for pre-announced investments.

The Bill includes temporary exemptions where an investor can provide evidence of a qualifying forestry investment between 1 January 2021 and 4 December 2024. For instance, the purchase of land and ordering of trees prior to 4 December 2024 would be an example of proof of a qualifying investment, whilst each of these actions alone would not. 

“The last Government sat back while 300,000 hectares of farmland were sold off for carbon credits. That short-sighted policy puts ideology ahead of long-term food security. We’re reversing that damage.”

The new settings will take effect from 4 December 2024, with the law coming fully into force in October 2025.

Source: New Zealand Police

Media are invited to the 385 Glenda Hughes Police recruit wing graduation.

What:   Graduation of the New Zealand Police Glenda Hughes 385 Recruit Wing.
Who:   For families and friends to celebrate with the newly attested Police officers.
Why:   Completion and graduation from their initial training course.
Where:  Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana Street, Porirua.
When:  Thursday 26 June at 2pm – media will need to be in place by 1.45pm.
How:    RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz

Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura will be attending the ceremony, along with Minister of Police Hon Mark Mitchell and Her Worship Anita Baker, the Mayor of Porirua. Also attending will be members of the Police executive and Wing Patron, former police officer Glenda Hughes.

Three police officers have won two awards each between them. Two will deploy to Counties Manukau and one to Central District. 

The 385 Wing Patron:

Glenda Hughes has had a multifaceted career in sports, law enforcement, media and public relations, and local and central government.
Her athletic achievements as a Commonwealth Games shot put champion and captain of the New Zealand Athletics Team are paralleled by her years of service in the New Zealand Police, where she handled serious criminal investigations, including drug investigations and high-profile cases such as the Rainbow Warrior affair. She was on the frontline of the Springbok Tour and Bastion Point protests. Beyond her police career, Glenda has made significant contributions in media as a consultant, journalist, and public relations expert who has trained New Zealand’s top athletes in media communications. She is the author of Looking for Trouble and has contributed to Last Man Standing by James Shepherd and Organised Deception: My Story by Sharon Armstrong, both focusing on the dangerous world of international drug trafficking.
Her leadership roles include Independent Chairperson of the New Zealand Racing Board and the Racing Integrity Unit, a member of the New Zealand Parole Board, Trustee of KidsCan and Chair of Pet Refuge. These highlight her commitment to serving the community.
Glenda’s academic background in sociology, criminology, and communications underscores her deep understanding of societal dynamics.
Glenda values perseverance, integrity, compassion, and service. She credits her time in Police for her understanding of behaviours, motives, and options for handling various incidents. She believes Police offers a strong foundation for career development and the camaraderie fosters many lifelong friendships.

ENDS

More details about statistics, prize winners and other recruits will be shared after graduation.

Issued by Police Media Centre

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund
The Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund supports training programmes of 25 to 80 hours that are delivered to employed people, often on-site in the workplace. The programmes are tailored to meet the needs of employees and their employers. 
The programmes are offered in two ways:

training provider-led (TEO-led), and
employer-led.

The tasks and outcomes are the same for both approaches, but the funding and contracting process is different. 
The Fund is administered by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). It provides funding so employers can: 

provide high-quality literacy and numeracy programmes that are customised for their workplace, and
address productivity problems where the root cause is in the literacy and numeracy skill levels of employees.

From research, and from employers, we know that high-quality literacy and numeracy provision in the workplace that focuses on addressing employers’ productivity problems has positive effects for employers, and for employees and their families. 
TEO-led workplace literacy and numeracy programmes 
We fund training providers annually to deliver workplace literacy and numeracy programmes. Employers can work with a provider who develops and delivers the programme in consultation with them, or refer employees to the provider directly.
For more information about these programmes, including learner eligibility, see TEO-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund. 
See a list of providers currently offering these programmes.
Employer-led workplace literacy and numeracy programmes
The Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund provides funding directly to employers to provide workplace literacy and numeracy programmes. Employers apply directly to TEC to run a programme. The employer may be supported by a training provider to make this application. We make a contract with the employer for the proposed programme.
We expect employers to contract a person to work in-house or a third-party provider to develop and delivers the programme in consultation with them. 
See a list of providers currently offering these programmes.
Forming a consortium
Because employer-led programmes require a minimum number of employees, a consortium can be a way for smaller employers to apply to this Fund. An employer can form a consortium with other employers, which together can deliver a training programme to at least 20 employees. An external organisation such as a training provider, industry association or community group may sometimes lead the creation of a consortium with a group of employers. We are particularly interested in using consortia to include smaller employers that cannot easily access our funding. 
Apply for funding
For a detailed guide on how to apply for funding, including information for project managers of employer-led programme consortia, see the Employer-Led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund Application Guide (PDF 706 KB).
Use the following application forms.

There are set deadlines for applications. The deadlines for 2025 are:

Friday 7 February 2025
Friday 11 April 2025
Friday 13 June 2025
Friday 8 August 2025
Friday 10 October 2025.

Funding for workplace literacy and numeracy provision by employers is agreed through a funding letter. 
For more information on applying for funding, please contact our Customer Contact Group on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
Current and recently funded employer-led programmes 
See a list of current and recently funded employer-led workplace literacy and numeracy programmes (PDF 230 KB). This list is accurate as at May 2024. 
Contact us
Please contact us on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz and ask to speak to a Skills Highway Relationship Manager.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 8 November 2024
Last updated 8 November 2024

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Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) Fund funding supports the delivery of literacy and numeracy programmes for employees to increase their literacy and numeracy skills, and to contribute to workplace productivity.
Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) Fund funding supports the delivery of literacy and numeracy programmes for employees to increase their literacy and numeracy skills, and to contribute to workplace productivity.

We fund Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) provision to:

raise adults’ literacy and numeracy skills, and
contribute to workplace productivity by providing and evaluating literacy and numeracy learning in the workplace.

This information relates to Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy funding. For information about TEO-led WLN funding, see TEO-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund.
EWLN Fund funding helps employers to:

provide high-quality literacy and numeracy programmes that are customised for their workplace,
address productivity problems due to employees’ literacy and numeracy skill levels,
raise adults’ literacy and numeracy skills,
increase opportunities for adults to engage in literacy and numeracy learning, particularly those in low-skilled employment, and
improve the quality and relevance of provision, including the ability to identify learner need and learning gain.

From research, employer reports and direct employer engagement, we know that high-quality literacy and numeracy provision in the workplace has positive effects for employers, employees and their families.
EWLN programmes are aimed at employees who have low literacy and/or numeracy skills and/or English as a second language. High-quality programmes can include:

describing the workplace issues, how these impact on productivity and how the impact is measured,
outlining the programme content and how it will address and improve the workplace issues,
assessing each learner’s literacy and numeracy skills at the start of the programme using the online adaptive option of the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT), and
understanding and reporting on individual outcomes for employees that contribute to a higher-performing workplace.

Apply for funding
For a detailed guide on how to apply for funding, including information for project managers of employer-led programme consortia, see the Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund Application Guide (PDF 706 KB).
Use the following application forms:

There are set deadlines for applications. The deadlines for 2025 are:

Friday 7 February 2025
Friday 11 April 2025
Friday 13 June 2025
Friday 8 August 2025
Friday 10 October 2025.

Funding for workplace literacy and numeracy provision by employers is agreed through a funding letter.
For more information on applying for funding, please contact our Customer Contact Group on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
Resources
Key resources for EWLN-funded programmes include: 

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 25 June 2025
Last updated 25 June 2025

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This page contains information about the transition to DXP Ngā Kete. 
This page contains information about the transition to DXP Ngā Kete. 

SDR full transition
The Single Data Return (SDR) – and registers – transition to DXP Ngā Kete in February 2025, after tertiary education organisations (TEOs) complete their December 2024 SDR in Services for Tertiary Organisations (STEO). The March Indicative and April SDR are the first returns to be completed in DXP Ngā Kete. TEOs continue to use STEO up to 21 February 2025 (except for pilot TEOs, which already use DXP Ngā Kete).
SDR transition timeline
Here are the key dates for the SDR transition.

Key dates 
Use STEO:
Use DXP Ngā Kete:

Up to 20 February 9.00pm 
Submit register change requests and process trial SDR uploads (for the April SDR)

All TEOs – use for commitments, Other Fund Actuals and document sharing 
Pilot TEOs only – submit register change requests and process trial SDR uploads (for the April SDR) 

20 February 9.00pm to end of day 24 February
STEO is shut down and the STEO icon is removed from TEC website
Access to DXP Ngā Kete is disabled

 
Full transition to DXP Ngā Kete: The DSR team will migrate data and prepare DXP Ngā Kete registers and SDR for all TEOs

From 25 February 9.00am
 

Access to DXP Ngā Kete is restored with the new Registers and SDR
Submit qualification, course and delivery site change requests and process trial SDR uploads (for the 2025 April SDR)

1–6 March
 

Submit March Indicative Return (IND)

14–29 April
 

Submit April SDR (11 April is the extract date for the April 2025 SDR)

Data migration includes:  

all SDR and IND submissions
qualifications, courses and delivery sites and change requests
course change requests where the total fee is within the 2025 Annual Maximum Fee Movement (AMFM) tolerance, all of which will have auto-approved status applied

Note:

Qlik apps will not be updated over this period.
First-year Fees Free reports and data submissions remain on Workspace 2 and are not impacted by SDR transition.

SDR webinars  
To learn more about the SDR transition to DXP Ngā Kete, you can register to attend webinars.

Source: New Zealand Government

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop encourages New Zealanders to have their say on the draft National Infrastructure Plan released today by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission. 

“Improving the way we plan, fund, maintain and build our infrastructure is critical to boosting economic growth and increasing productivity and living standards, and so the Government welcomes today’s draft report by the independent Infrastructure Commission.

“Contrary to many perceptions, New Zealand spends a lot on infrastructure. We are in the top 10% of the OECD for infrastructure investment spending over the last decade – but in the bottom 10% of the OECD when it comes to getting ‘bang for buck’ from our spending. As the Commission says, we need to “lift our game” and there are many draft recommendations in the draft plan that will help drive better value for money from public investment. 

“I am pleased to see the draft Plan makes recommendations that align with existing Government priorities, such as making better use of user pricing to fund investment, adopting spatial planning, prioritising infrastructure through the resource management system, and drastically improving asset management and maintenance. The Government will continue to advance these policy priorities and will be informed by the Commission’s final report due later in the year.

“It is clear that the central government infrastructure system needs to drastically improve. As the Commission notes, central government is New Zealand’s largest owner and funder of infrastructure. Government owns around 40% of our total stock of infrastructure and funds almost half of all infrastructure investment each year. 

“However, the system is underperforming. Half of all proposals for investment in Budgets 2023 and 2024 did not have a business case. There are regularly large gaps between Budget funding being allocated and projects actually starting. 

“Asset maintenance is a major problem, with New Zealand ranked fourth to last in the OECD for asset management, and dead last for the metric on Accountability and Professionalism. Over half of all capital-intensive government agencies do not have robust, comprehensive asset registers in place or adequate plans for looking after existing infrastructure. Maintenance spending is regularly diverted to building new infrastructure, resulting in costly catch-up spending later. In practice, years of poor asset management means leaky hospitals and schools, mould in police stations and courthouses, service outages on commuter rail, and poor accommodation for Defence Force personnel and their families.

“Cabinet has already agreed to an all-of-Government work programme that will improve central government asset management and performance, including investigating legislative requirements for the development of ten-year investment plans by capital intensive agencies and performance reporting requirements.

“The Government is determined to improve New Zealand’s infrastructure system and to work alongside the industry and other political parties to establish a broad consensus about what needs to change.  I’ve encouraged the Commission to brief all political parties as they develop the draft plan and I’ll be writing again to relevant spokespeople encouraging them to give their feedback to the Commission over the next few weeks.

“The Government will respond to the finalised National Infrastructure Plan in 2026, once it is presented by the Commission in late 2025. As part of that response we will be engaging with other political parties in Parliament, and I intend to ask the Business Committee to hold a special Parliamentary debate on the plan. 

“I thank the Infrastructure Commission for its hard work in delivering this draft National Infrastructure Plan. I encourage everyone to provide their feedback on it through the consultation process, and I look forward to receiving the final version toward the end of this year.” 

Source: New Zealand Police

Two burglaries occurred in central Christchurch in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

At about 2.10am an alarm activated at a Withells Road, Avonhead address, then shortly after at the Kwik Kiwi Diner, on Parkhouse Road, Wigram.

During the attempt to break into Withells Road), the would-be burglars activated the fog cannon.

In their rush to escape the scene they have left behind a number of items, which will be forensically examined.

Then at about 2.25am, Police received a call that a car had been driven into the front door of the Kwik Kiwi Diner.

Several offenders were seen on CCTV carrying a cigarette cabinet out of the store.

Enquiries are ongoing.

Police ask any witnesses or those with CCTV in the area to call 105 and reference the relevant event number (shown below).

Please call Police on 111, if you are offered cheap cigarettes or have any information relating to this offence. You can call anonymously using Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Withells Road event number – P062970988
Kwik Kiwi Diner event number – P062971031

ENDS

Issued by the Police Media Team

Source: New Zealand Police

Police used 111 calls to track a fleeing driver, who was arrested after allegedly crashing into two innocent motorists at Ōhaupō yesterday.

Inspector Hywel Jones, Waikato Acting District Commander praised the multiple people who called 111 to report a vehicle’s dangerous driving.

“Those members of the public not only helped us locate and track a stolen vehicle that was being driven dangerously, they’ve potentially saved lives. Thankfully there were no serious injuries following yesterday’s incident, but it’s a miracle there weren’t other crashes based on the information we were getting.”

The incident began about 11.15am in Huntly, when officers were responding to several reports of dangerous driving. After initially spotting the suspect vehicle travelling towards Hamilton on the Waikato Expressway, Police lost sight of the car.

Reports from the public at 12pm led Police to Pine Avenue in Hamilton, then State Highway 3 at Ōhaupō five minutes later.

“Officers have monitored the car for several minutes and then signalled the driver to stop. He’s continued driving, so other units laid road spikes further down State Highway 3.

“In an attempt to avoid the spikes, the fleeing driver nearly collided with a member of the public’s vehicle.”

Inspector Jones said a pursuit was authorised about 12.10pm, but less than a minute later, at the West Road intersection, the fleeing driver crashed into two other vehicles being driven by members of the public.

“Thankfully, neither of those innocent drivers was injured, and somehow the alleged driver of the fleeing vehicle was also unharmed. He fled the scene on foot, but was tracked by a Police dog and arrested at 12.15pm.

“I want to thank those people who called 111 when they saw this horrendous driving – those calls were critical for us and helped us locate the alleged driver and ultimately arrest him.

“It’s only down to luck that we aren’t dealing with a death as a result of this driving, and a large part of that has been down to fast-thinking people picking up the phone.”

The 19-year-old driver has been charged with failing to stop for police, unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, and failing to stop or ascertain injury. He is scheduled to appear in Hamilton District Court on 27 June.

State Highway 3 at the intersection with West Road was closed for several hours while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination. The road has since reopened.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre. 

Source: Maritime New Zealand

The annual Maritime and Oil Pollution Levies for the year 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 will be invoiced in late July 2025.