NZ Engine

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date:  28 July 2025

Te Anau Bird Sanctuary currently maintains an intensive 7-day operation, with a variety of taonga species cared for at the site, including the iconic takahē. However, DOC needs to redirect resources to higher priority conservation work, such as upgrading critical biosecurity infrastructure on predator-free islands.

John Lucas, Operations Manager for Te Anau, says a transitional model is in development to ensure the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary remains operational while options for the future are investigated.

“This decision has not been made lightly, but DOC needs to prioritise resources where we can be most effective,” says John. “Reduced hours and fewer birds will help us care for the site and its taonga species in a sustainable way, and ensure Te Anau Bird Sanctuary remains open to the public.”

The sanctuary will continue to care for takahē, with tours available on weekdays. Other birds, including four pāteke/brown teal, two kōwhiowhio/blue duck, and four Antipodes Island kakariki, will be moving to new homes in the coming months.

John says the team are committed to keeping the public informed as we move through this transition.

“We share the passion the Te Anau community has for the bird sanctuary, and know it holds a special place in the hearts of many. This is the best way to meet the needs of the region, while keeping the Sanctuary up and running.”

Visitors are encouraged to continue visiting the resident takahē on the shores of Lake Te Anau, and bring their children to enjoy the activities the sanctuary has to offer.

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Source: New Zealand Government

 Surcharges will be axed to put money back in Kiwis’ pockets, says Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson.

 “Surcharges are a hassle and an unwelcome surprise when shoppers get to the till. That pesky note or sticker on the payment machine will become a thing of the past.

 “We’re banning surcharges so consumers can shop with confidence knowing how much they will pay for their purchases.  

 “New Zealanders are paying up to $150 million in surcharges every year, including excessive surcharges of up to $65 million. That’s money that could be saved or spent elsewhere.

 “By May 2026 at the latest, we will ban surcharges for in-store payments. Shoppers will no longer be penalised for their choice of payment method, whether that’s tapping, swiping or using their phone’s digital wallet.”

 The ban follows the Commerce Commission decision to reduce interchange fees paid by businesses to accept Visa and Mastercard payments, a move to save businesses around $90 million a year.

 “Surcharges cover the fees businesses pay for accepting contactless payments and credit cards, but we know these are often excessive.

 “In some cases, the retailer doesn’t even make it clear what the percentage is.

 “A ban on surcharges means no more surprises for people who currently feel like they’re being charged to use their own hard-earned money. It means they can make a purchase knowing exactly what they’ll pay, and how they’ll pay it.”

 

Source: NZCTU

New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has said the union movement is appalled by the Government’s proposed electoral law changes, which include the removal of same-day enrolments.

“As the largest democratic organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand, the NZCTU is unequivocally opposed to electoral law changes that are designed to prevent people from participating in the democratic process,” said Wagstaff.

“The Prime Minister is ignoring his own Attorney-General who advised the changes are in breach of the Bill of Rights Act and may disenfranchise up to 100,000 people. She noted that young people, Māori, Asian and Pasifika communities, are likely to be worst affected.

“Luxon and his government are engaging in outright voter suppression as they probably think it will benefit their electoral prospects to prevent large sections of the public from voting in the first place, especially as the groups most affected are disproportionately negatively impacted by the Government’s policies.

“The system should be designed to make it as easy as possible for people to vote. Setting up barriers to political participation is a fundamental breach of human rights and has no place in our democracy,” said Wagstaff.

Source: New Zealand Government

As part of wider Government health and safety reforms, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden will be consulting with builders and construction professionals to improve productivity.

“We’re simplifying scaffolding rules and streamlining the prequalification process to make them more practical and better aligned with the level of risk.

“I have heard concerns from the construction sector that scaffolding rules are too complex,” says Ms van Velden. 

The current rules have led to a common view that scaffolding should be used in all situations regardless of risk. This has resulted in the overuse of costly scaffolding when it isn’t required for safety. 

“Over-compliance needlessly drags down construction productivity, increasing building time and costs for the sector, and impacting new builds and Kiwi homeowners. 

“My officials will be consulting on proposed new rules that will let people choose safe options based on how dangerous the job is. Officials are currently refining options for a risk-based hierarchy of controls for work at heights (i.e. when to use ladders, harnesses, scaffolding) to test with industry,” says Ms van Velden. 

“Changes will ensure scaffolding use is better aligned with the level of risk. If it’s not very risky, they will not need to use expensive scaffolding. For example, they will be considering whether a ladder could be used instead of scaffolding for a simple roof gutter repair or minor electrical maintenance when working at height. 

“I believe changes to scaffolding rules should help reduce costs and speed up work for tradies, construction firms, homeowners and anyone else who needs construction, painting, maintenance or other work done at height. 

“One of the other common themes I heard on the roadshow was frustration with the wide range of prequalification systems and the time and money they take to complete. I have listened, which is why I am acting to help this sector. 

“Businesses feel like they have to jump through hoops to tick a compliance box when getting prequalified, even though the prequalification often involves little reflection of the real-world risks workers face. Some have said they have walked away from clients as the cost of getting prequalified is not worth the value of the work. 

“A lack of consistency across providers means that suppliers need to get a new prequalification for every job they tender for, with one submitter saying they completed 76 in a year. That’s not a good use of anyone’s time or money. 

“I’ve asked WorkSafe to work with industry to revise its prequalification guidance, including developing free-to-use templates to improve national consistency.” 

There is also a need for clearer guidance on overlapping duties. This is when multiple businesses share responsibility for managing risks on the same site, such as when builders and drainlayers are both working on the same site and must work together to manage risks. 

“I have asked WorkSafe to develop an Approved Code of Practice [ACOP] on clarifying overlapping duties, as the current ambiguity may be encouraging the over-use of prequalifications in situations where it is not necessary. Clearer guidance will help businesses understand when and how they need to work together to manage risks.” 

Work is also underway to update the scaffolding certificate of competence categories, with a review of certificate fees to follow. These certificates show what types of scaffolding work a person is qualified to carry out, from basic to more advanced scaffolding.

“Concerns have been raised about the distinction between qualifications and actual competency. Many feel that on-the-job experience should be better recognised. There’s also confusion about what constitutes sufficient training, and frustration with inconsistent advice from regulators. 

“After consultation, I will be seeking Cabinet approval to update the categories and fees to ensure they better reflect current costs and industry best practice. 

“I am confident that these changes, which are designed to address the concerns of the construction sector, will support safe and more efficient practices,” says Ms van Velden. 

“These changes will save time and costs for businesses and workers as we cut red-tape to make it easier to do business. When our Kiwi businesses thrive, there are more jobs and lower prices for all New Zealanders.”

Editor notes: 

• These changes are part of the wider health and safety reform, which delivers on the ACT-National Coalition Agreement commitment to reform health and safety laws and regulations. 

• Prequalification is a common way construction businesses check if a company or contractor is ready and able to do a construction job safely, before they’re allowed to bid for or start work. Prequalifications are also often used by businesses outside of the construction sector – for example, local councils using them for groundskeeping tenders. However, prequalifications are most prominently used in the construction industry. 

• A summary of all the changes and major milestones:

Amend the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations to simplify the scaffolding rule for construction, including the general work at height 3-metre rule.	Targeted stakeholder consultation July – Sept 2025    Cabinet decisions in November/December     Commencement mid 2026
Amend the Health and Safety in Employment Regs to update the fee for scaffolding certificates of competence.	Targeted stakeholder consultation July – Dec 2025    Cabinet decisions in March 2026    Commencement mid 2026
Amend the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations to update the scaffolding certificate of competence definitions	Cabinet LEG decisions Aug    Commencement Sep 2025
WorkSafe will work with the industry to revise prequalification guidance and clarify overlapping duties by developing a construction roles and responsibilities ACOP.	Targeted stakeholder consultation Aug – Sep 2025    Develop guidance and ACOP Oct 2025 – April 2026

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Contractors will be working hard on the cliff above State Highway 6 Rocks tomorrow (Monday, 28 July) to further protect the road from slips and debris falls ahead of bad weather forecast for Tuesday.

Rob Service, System Manager Nelson/Tasman, says abseilers will install bidim material – a geotextile material designed to help prevent erosion – along the cliff face in areas where slips have recently occurred, causing the highway to close.

“With more heavy rain coming, we want to reduce the risk of further slips and rockfalls along Rocks Road,” Mr Service says.

“Getting the bidim sheets in place will help mitigate the impact of the heavy rain on the cliff,” Mr. Service says.

He says further work will also be done at the road level to help protect road users and the public.

“Contractors will be extending water-filled safety barriers further south, towards Magazine Point. These will reduce the risk of debris falls reaching the road,” Mr Service says.

The work will require traffic management, and Mr Service warns it will create disruption and delays for drivers.

“We will have to run stop/go traffic management at the site while the work is underway. This will result in travel delays and queues on one of Nelson’s busiest roads,” Mr. Service says.

“We are timing it to start from nine am, after the morning peak commuting time. But we expect it will continue into the afternoon peak travel time. Delays can be expected, and we urge the public to be ready for them,” Mr. Service says.

He says the traffic management is essential.

“We need to get this additional protection for Rocks Road in before the rain arrives. Our crews need time and space to get these measures installed to help protect a key transport route.”

Source: NZCTU

On Saturday 20 September communities across Aotearoa will unite for a Women’s Day of Action for Pay Equity – taking place 132 years after New Zealand women secured the right to vote. This mobilisation responds directly to the Government’s gutting of pay equity.

“This week, alongside our affiliated unions, we handed the Government a petition with 93,924 signatures demanding they stop this attack on workers. But we’re not done. The Women’s Day of Action is another opportunity for women to show the Government that this issue is not going to go away,” said NZCTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges.

“These changes have hurt Māori, Pacific, migrant, and low-paid women – nurses, teachers, care and support workers and more who are the backbone of Aotearoa. We will keep fighting until pay equity is restored, and workers’ rights are respected.

“Over 180,000 workers have already had their pay equity claims scrapped. The changes make it nearly impossible to lodge new claims and allow employers to opt out entirely.

“Pay equity isn’t just the right thing to do – for many workers, it’s the difference between working one job or two, between feeding their kids or going without.

“The Women’s Day of Action is both a protest and a celebration of women’s legacy, honouring the suffrage movement while amplifying collective power. The event is family-friendly and community-led, with kai, performances, and opportunities to hold politicians accountable. Participants are encouraged to wear purple, green, and white in honour of suffragists.

“A range of actions all over the country are being planned. Whether you march in Auckland, gather in Porirua or Christchurch, raise your voice in Wellington, have a crafternoon in Invercargill or show support online – you are part of this movement.

“On September 20, we are sending a clear message: pay equity is not optional, and we will not back down,” said Ansell-Bridges.

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Source: New Zealand Government

Farmer confidence has surged to the highest level in eight years, with Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay describing it as a clear sign of the resilience of New Zealand’s farmers and a sector leading the charge towards our goal of doubling export value in 10 years.

“The latest Federated Farmers Confidence Survey shows a remarkable shift in sentiment, with confidence lifting from -66 per cent when the Government took office to +33 per cent this July,” Mr McClay says.

This result reflects the hard work of 360,000 rural New Zealanders and a Government focused on backing the sector with smart and practical rules.

The last Labour government’s war on farmers eroded trust and stalled investment. Today’s announcement shows the war has ended.

“This Government has worked hard to change the settings, but there’s still more to do to ensure farmers can deliver growth for all New Zealanders,” Mr McClay says. 

The survey highlights major improvements across key indicators including:

• Profitability – at its highest level ever recorded, with two-thirds of farmers reporting they are making a profit.
• Productivity – with a net 23 per cent of farmers forecasting increased production over the next 12 months.
• Mental health – pressures have eased significantly, with fewer farmers reporting stress compared to last year.

“After years of rising costs and uncertainty, our focus is on giving farmers the tools to do what they do best—lead the world in producing high-quality food and fibre. That means replacing the Resource Management Act, changing National Direction including the NPS-FM, and launching a contestable wellbeing fund to support rural New Zealand,” Mr McClay says.

“It’s pleasing to see policy changes returning value to the farm gate.”