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Weather News – Weather set to turn on Sunday – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Thursday 22nd – Monday 26th May – Weather set to turn on Sunday:

•    Foggy and frosty in places this morning (Thursday)
•    Settled weather for most to end the work week
•    Potentially severe weather from Sunday
•    Warmer nights early next week

Most of New Zealand will enjoy settled and mostly sunny weather going into the weekend, thanks to a high-pressure system. After some cold nights and frosty mornings recently, temperatures are expected to go up a few notches over the next few days.

MetService expects the chance of showers to persist in the west from today (Thursday), especially in the South Island, due to moist air coming in with southwesterly winds under the high-pressure system. However, the rest of the country should stay mostly clear with sunny skies through the weekend. MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti says, “People should enjoy the sunny weather through the weekend while they can, it’s great for outdoor activities, but things may change toward the end of the weekend”.

On Sunday, clouds will increase over the South Island, mostly in the west, as a rain-bearing front approaches from the northwest. This could bring heavy rain and strong winds to southern parts of the country. Shiviti continues, “This system brings the potential for severe weather, so we encourage people to keep an eye on the MetService website for updates” (www.metservice.com).

That said, Auckland should stay mostly dry with only some clouds during Saturday’s rugby match between New Zealand’s Black Ferns and the USA Women.

“By early next week, the front will move north and may bring severe weather to those areas too. Warmer air with this system means nights will likely not be as cold as the new week begins” adds Shiviti. Next week’s weather will be quite different with cloudier, wetter and windier weather compared to the today’s conditions.

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Growing a productive & resilient rural sector

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

The Government is sharpening its focus and support for New Zealand’s world-leading food and fibre producers through Budget 2025 – backing the growth and resilience of our largest and most Important sector.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says Budget 2025 confirms $4.95 billion in continuing baseline funding over the next four years for MPI to support farmers, growers, fishers, and foresters to lift on-farm productivity and profitability, strengthen rural communities, and drive higher returns at the farm and forest gate.
“This year alone, the food and fibre sector is forecast to contribute $56.9 billion to the economy, that’s why we’re focused on unlocking new global opportunities –from the UK and EU, to the Gulf, and India– while cutting red tape so producers can get on with the job.”
To further strengthen the sector’s resilience, Budget 2025 includes a new focus on driving growth and rural wellbeing through a series of targeted grassroots investments:

$246 million over four years in a new Primary Sector Growth Fund (PSGF) to help lift food and fibre sector productivity, profitability, and resilience;
$2 million over four years in a contestable rural wellbeing fund;
$1m extra over four years for Rural Support Trusts and other organisations to support farmers and growers;
$400,000 over four years in direct grants for New Zealand’s A&P shows;
Ongoing support for catchment groups of $36 million over the next four years, through the Ministry for Primary Industries;
$250,000 for the 2025/26 financial year for Rural Women New Zealand to boost its on-the-ground support for rural communities.

“These initiatives back the people behind the sector who make our rural economy tick.”
The new Investment Boost tax incentive will also improve cashflow and make on-farm and forest investments more affordable, allowing for Farmers and Growers to immediately deduct 20 per cent of the cost of new machinery or farm equipment, on top of existing depreciation rates.
Budget 2025 also continues our commitment to $400 million over four years with an additional $23 million carried over to accelerate the development and rollout of new tools and technologies to reduce emissions without closing down farms or sending jobs and production overseas – a key part of ensuring the sector is globally competitive into the future.
“When our rural communities do well, the whole country benefits. Budget 2025 is about ensuring our farmers and growers have the tools and support they need to succeed – not just for today, but for the long-term prosperity of New Zealand,” the Government’s team of Agriculture ministers, Todd McClay, Andrew Hoggard, Mark Patterson and Nicola Grigg say. 

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New Parole Board chair appointed  

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

Retired High Court Judge Jan-Marie Doogue has been appointed chairperson of the New Zealand Parole Board, Attorney-General Judith Collins announced today. 

“I welcome the appointment of someone with Justice Doogue’s legal acumen and administrative experience to this demanding role,” Ms Collins says. 

 Justice Doogue began her legal career with Cairns Slane in 1983 and became a partner of the firm in 1986. She joined the partnership of Morrison Morpeth in 1990 before joining the independent Bar in 1992 and being appointed a District and Family Court Judge in 1994. 

 She was appointed Chief District Court Judge in 2011 and served on the High Court Bench from 2019-2024. 

 “Justice Doogue replaces Sir Ronald Young, who recently stood down after serving two terms,” Ms Collins says. 

 “I want to thank Sir Ronald for the able and committed leadership he provided throughout his tenure as chairperson, and in particular to the focus he placed on the role of victims within the parole process.” 

  Justice Doogue takes up her appointment on 15 July 2025. 

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Budget 2025 – Patient fees could rise 10 percent or more after déjà vu Budget ignores general practice – GenPro

Source: General Practice Owners Association (GenPro)

The General Practice Owners Association says patient fees could rise by 10 percent or more this year just to cover costs after the Budget did nothing to fix a funding and retention crisis in primary healthcare.

GenPro Chair Dr Angus Chambers said the Budget was a missed opportunity and primary healthcare is hugely disappointed once again.

“The government currently puts $1.3 billion or just 4 percent of its $30 billion health budget toward general practice.  A 10 percent uplift was urgently required in 2025/26 just to catch up and maintain existing services, with more investment needed in later years. It didn’t happen.

“General practice will have a feeling of déjà vu after successive Budgets have failed to increase government funding to keep pace with rising costs and more complex health needs.

The result is that patients are waiting longer to see a doctor, practices are closing or reducing their services, and have significant staff shortages.”

On top of the 10 percent increase in funding that was needed not materialising, general practices will also have to adjust to prescription renewals being extended from three months to one year.

“Some general practices are at breaking point, and we’ll forego further income due to prescription changes. The end result is that communities are at risk of losing their family doctors.”

With nothing in the Budget, GenPro said its one remaining hope is that Health New Zealand uses its increase in operational funding to significantly increase funding for general practice when it makes its annual adjustment in June.

“We have to remain hopeful that Health New Zealand will use its operational budget to support general practice, although this hasn’t happened in the past to the extent that is needed,” said Dr Chambers.

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

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Budget 2025 KiwiSaver changes set to leave more New Zealanders better off in retirement – Retirement Commission

Source: Retirement Commission Te Ara Ahunga Ora

The Retirement Commissioner welcomes news the Government is making changes to KiwiSaver which early estimates suggest will leave more New Zealanders with more money saved for their retirement.

Announced in the Budget 2025, employee and employer contributions to KiwiSaver will move to 3.5% from 1 April 2026 and then to 4% from 1 April 2028. Alongside these changes, the government contribution is decreasing to 25% (i.e 25 cents for every $1 contributed to a maximum of $260.72) and removed entirely for those earning over $180,000, effective from 1 July.
The Sorted KiwiSaver Calculator is currently the only tool in the country which reflects the Budget 2025 announcements, giving New Zealanders the chance to see how the changes will impact them and what their retirement savings would have looked like without them. (ref. https://sorted.org.nz/tools/kiwisaver-calculator/ )
There are approximately 3.4 million KiwiSaver members, and 2.2 million received an employer and a government contribution or only a government contribution in 2024.
Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson says, “we’re pleased to see the Government take on board some of the key recommendations we made in 2024, including introducing a higher default contribution rate of 4% for employees and matched by their employers, and extending employer contributions to those aged 16 and 17. We’d also recommended employer contributions for those over 65 but unfortunately the latter has been excluded from these latest changes.   
“While increasing contribution rates is generally beneficial for salary and wage earners who qualify for an employer contribution, not everyone benefits from these changes. The reduction in the government contribution will hit low-income earners, Māori, women, and the self-employed the hardest.”
In March, the Retirement Commission released its annual analysis of KiwiSaver balances data which revealed the gender retirement savings gap shows men having on average 25% higher KiwiSaver balances compared to women.
“It’s a shame there are so few government incentives for a scheme that underpins private saving for retirement. I would at least have liked to see some of the savings from reducing government contributions be applied to serving those groups where we see the widest retirement savings gaps,” says the Retirement Commissioner.
“We also hope employers respect the spirit of the changes and understand why they were necessary, passing the savings onto their staff rather than including them as part of total remuneration – which should be banned.”
The Retirement Commission will continue to explore the impacts of these changes as part of the 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies (RRIP) with a focus on how the Government could most effectively reduce gaps in retirement income outcomes.
Summary of the Budget 2025 changes

  • Employee and employer contributions move to 3.5% from 1 April 2026 and then to 4% from 1 April 2028.
  • A new temporary savings reduction will be introduced, modelled on the existing temporary savings suspension, allowing members to opt to reduce their contribution rate to 3% for a period of up to 12 months. Members can take multiple temporary reductions. If a member takes a savings reduction their employer can match them at that rate.  
  • The government contribution matching rate is reduced to 25% (i.e. 25 cents for every $1 contributed up to a maximum government contribution of $260.72) from 1 July 2025.
  • Members with an annual income of more than $180,000 will no longer be eligible for the government contribution from 1 July 2025.
  • 16- and 17-year-olds become eligible for employer contributions from 1 April 2026 (note they will not be auto-enrolled. The age for auto-enrolment remains at 18, but if they join, or have already joined, and contribute, they will be eligible for the matching employer contribution).
  • 16- and 17-year-olds become eligible for the government contribution, if they contribute, from 1 July 2025.

Notes:
The 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies (RRIP)
Every three years the Retirement Commission is asked to undertake a comprehensive review of retirement income policies based on terms of reference set by the Government. The 2025 RRIP includes focus on research relating to KiwiSaver and other savings, emerging trends and how these will play out over the next 25 years, the experiences of women and the self-employed in retirement, spending down retirement savings and how New Zealand’s retirement policies compare globally. It will support the development of recommendations to ensure New Zealand’s retirement income system remains fit for purpose. The final report will be completed by December 2025.

More info: 2025 Review of Retirement Income Policies | Retirement Commission Te Ara Ahunga Ora
Sorted’s a free service run by Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, the government-funded, independent agency dedicated to helping New Zealanders get ahead financially.
As New Zealand’s trusted personal finance site, Sorted has the tools and information needed to tackle debt, plan and budget, save and invest, dial up KiwiSaver, plan for retirement, protect what’s important and manage a mortgage. No matter where people are at when it comes to money – just starting a first job or wrapping up a successful career – Sorted lets helps New Zealanders to fine-tune your finances and get ahead money-wise.
Sorted KiwiSaver Calculator – has been updated to reflect the latest changes announced in the Budget. The calculator demonstrates the effect of KiwiSaver contributions on a first home deposit or retirement savings. It takes someone’s information on age, income, current KiwiSaver balance and fund type to project their future balance.
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Budget 2025 – Drop in the bucket for Government but kick in the guts for Kiwi men – Prostate Cancer Foundation

Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation will continue the fight to save men’s lives after the Budget failed to fund an early detection pilot for prostate cancer.

President Danny Bedingfield said “we have been talking to the last government and now the new government for the last two years on funding two regional pilots for early detection screening of prostate cancer at an approximate cost of only $6.4 million over four years.

“Everyone acknowledges that the sooner cancer is detected, the better clinical outcomes. We just have two questions for the government – is cancer that is specific to men not important?  And what is the barrier to a prostate cancer screening pilot?

“Over 4,000 dads, husbands, sons and brothers are diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 700 die of the disease every year.  We think these lives matter.
“We are at a loss as to why cancer specific to men doesn’t seem to rate with either the last government, or now this new government.  Prostate cancer screening is seen as inevitable by health officials and is supported by New Zealand’s Urological Society.

“While the pilot was not funded in the Budget, we remain hopeful that money can be found by reprioritising a tiny part of the $30 billion vote health spending will get it underway.
“In addition to putting miniscule funding into the proposed early detection pilots, our Health Minister should also accept an invitation from Europe to a join a useful world leading cancer study – the Praise–U consortium,” Bedingfield said.

“This is a world-leading initiative that aims to enhance the ability for early detection of men with prostate cancer so they can access early treatment to reduce unnecessary early deaths,” Bedingfield says.

“However, after today, we are left wondering if men’s health is important,” Bedingfield concluded.

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Have your say on the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide Financial Services) Amendment Bill

Source:

Media Release

On behalf of:    Finance and Expenditure Committee

For release:     23 May 2025

Have your say on the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide Financial Services) Amendment Bill
The Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for submissions on the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide Financial Services) Amendment Bill. The closing date for submissions is 11.59pm on Friday, 4 July 2025.

The bill is a member’s bill in the name of Andy Foster. The bill would amend the Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022 to place a new duty on financial institutions to provide financial services to customers except in situations based on law or for valid and verifiable commercial grounds.

Tell the Finance and Expenditure Committee what you think:

Make a submission on the bill by 11.59pm on Friday, 4 July 2025.

For more details about the bill:

ENDS

For media enquiries contact:

Finance and Expenditure Committee staff

fe@parliament.govt.nz

MIL OSI

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Erica Stanford – Growing and strengthening the education workforce

Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

The Government is ensuring more Kiwi kids benefit from quality teaching and leadership in the classroom by growing the number of teachers and backing school leaders through Budget 2025.

“We know the most important part of a child’s education is the quality of the teacher in front of them. Developing the workforce of the future is one of my priorities for the education system. 

“We want to grow, promote and support the education workforce by backing and strengthening our educators who every day deliver real change in the classroom,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

To do this we are creating over 1,600 Full Time Equivalent teaching and learning support roles by 2028.

Key Budget 2025 investments include:

  • $33 million to expand the School Onsite Training Programme (SOTP) by 530 places over four years and powering up marketing to reach more potential teachers in New Zealand and overseas.
  • $30 million to support up to 800 teachers over four years to access an Aspiring Principal Programme and doubling the Leadership Advisory Service from 16 to 32 Leadership Advisors.
  • $53 million to fund approximately 115,000 teacher registrations and practicing certificates over three years.
  • $3 million to deliver targeted professional learning and development to teacher aides.
  • $5 million into Professional Learning and Development for Literacy, Maths and Assessment, for 450-500 teachers working across Years 0-10.
  • $14.7 million into professional learning and development for up to 51,000 teachers and kaiako to develop their skills and proficiency in te reo Māori and tikanga to levels where they can confidently use it in the classroom. 

“This Government is implementing an ambitious education reform programme that is defined by pace, clarity and outcomes. It is crucial we support the teaching workforce who is leading this reform.  

“This builds on our continued commitment to support our fantastic teachers. We want to grow the skills and knowledge in our workforce. This not only benefits our educators, but gives our tamariki the very best chance to thrive at school and beyond,” Ms Stanford says.

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Parliament Hansard Report – Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill (No 2) — In Committee—Part 2 – 001483

Source: Govt’s austerity Budget to cause real harm in communities

Part 2 Amendments to other enactments

CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): Members, we now come to Part 2. This is the debate on clauses 17 to 30, to the “Amendments to other enactments”. Part 2 contains changes to the KiwiSaver regime as well as changes to the Tax Administration Act 1994. The question is that Part 2 stand part.

Rt Hon ADRIAN RURAWHE (Labour): Point of order. Thank you, Madam Chair. I refer to two matters. Before the closure motion and the vote on Part 1, the Chair seemed to indicate that despite the end of Part 1, that those elements of the KiwiSaver from Part 1 could be debated in Part 2. I just want to confirm that that’s the case, mainly because it is a bit odd given that we’ve voted on amendments to KiwiSaver clauses—but that’s what she indicated. There were very few calls on the KiwiSaver and I note that colleagues from the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori were seeking calls but were not given the opportunities to speak on that part of Part 1—

CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): I understand.

Rt Hon ADRIAN RURAWHE: So my question, just for clarity of the committee, is: have I heard that correctly?

CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): You have heard that correctly, sir. And I was watching the debate and I heard the previous Chair make reference to being able to go back, where relevant, into clause 1 as it relates to KiwiSaver.

Hon Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour): Speaking to the point of order. I just want to really, really clarify this because, with respect, the operative changes to the KiwiSaver regime actually occurred in Part 1. The Chair seemed to think that we could, in actual fact, discuss those operative changes in Part 2, but that’s going to be very hard because we can’t relate them to a clause in Part 2—they actually sit in Part 1. The amendments in Part 2 are very, very technical and just to do with a very small part of the changes. So may I suggest that provided we bring up new points, that we have a rather more thematic debate in Part 2 around KiwiSaver? We could confine it to KiwiSaver and always make sure we are bringing up a new idea rather than repeating ideas, rather than trying to relate specifically to clauses.

Tim van de Molen: Speaking to the point of order.

CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): I’ll just take some advice from the Clerk. Speaking to the point of order, Tim van de Molen.

TIM VAN DE MOLEN (National—Waikato): Thank you, Madam Chair. There is, obviously, under Part 2, clause 17, which relates to KiwiSaver. My understanding of the comments from the Chair during the previous part were that KiwiSaver can, of course, be debated in Part 2 because there is a clause for that. But it would not be appropriate to give the committee the ability to rehash everything in clause 1 aspects of KiwiSaver because, of course, that’s been dealt with and voted on and completed under that part. So it should indeed be constrained to this part.

CHAIRPERSON (Maureen Pugh): We’re all in agreement. I think everyone understands as it—and I did listen to the previous Chair and she has provided me with confirmation of her ruling. So I think you’re correct, Dr Russell, that we can refer back to clause 1 as it relates to the KiwiSaver. But I think we’ll just see how the substantive questions come through. To your point about the repetition, we will be very alert to that. Thank you.

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Retail activity up in the March 2025 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Retail trade survey: March 2025 quarter

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Retail activity up in the March 2025 quarter – 23 May 2025 – The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand increased by 0.8 percent in the March 2025 quarter compared with the December 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. Figures are adjusted for price inflation and seasonal effects.

“Growth in retail activity was modest in the March quarter, with the majority of industries contributing positively,” economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen said.

“Motor vehicle retailing, and pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing saw the largest increases this quarter.”

Ten of the 15 retail industries had higher retail sales volumes in the March 2025 quarter, compared with the December 2024 quarter, after adjusting for price and seasonal effects.

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