The new Drury and Paerātā railway stations have been formally opened today, with services beginning tomorrow and weekday peak trains running every 10 minutes, Rail Minister Winston Peters and Transport Minister Chris Bishop say. The stations will serve Drury, Paerātā, Franklin and South Auckland, with each station providing two platforms, 350 car parks and bus connections. “Around 130,000 more people are expected in this part of Auckland over coming decades, and infrastructure must come before growth – not years afterwards, as too often happens in this country,” Mr Peters says. “These stati…

Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager has issued a call to action to Kiwis, encouraging people to get behind the mission to control wild goat numbers and help protect New Zealand’s landscapes. It comes as this year’sNational Wild Goat Hunting Competitionbegins, which has resulted in the removal of more than 33,000 wild goats since its launch in 2023. Mr Meager says the competition is a great opportunity for both aspiring and experienced hunters to head into the outdoors and continue to do their part for conservation. “When not managed properly, wild goats do serious damage to our native…

New Zealanders will be able to have suspicious skin spots and moles checked and removed at a local GP clinic, the first stage of a $23 million investment in community healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. "New Zealand has among the highest rates of melanoma in the world. Skin cancer is our most common cancer, and it is one of the most treatable, but only if it is caught early," Mr Brown says. "For too many New Zealanders, what happens after a suspected skin cancer is spotted depends on where they live. In some parts of the country there are excellent community skin cancer services. …

The environmental impacts of a former Whanganui landfill that operated for more than 40 years will be investigated in a project announced today by Minister for the Environment Nicola Grigg. “The allocation of $464,000 from the Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund, combined with funding from the Whanganui District Council, will enable a comprehensive investigation and assessment of remedial actions of the former Balgownie Landfill,” Ms Grigg says. The landfill operated between 1956 to 1995, with parts of it operating a further six years to 2001. “Due to the age of the landfill, t…

Hon Paul Davison KC KSO has been appointed Independent Redress Officer for a five-year term from 1 August 2026, Lead Coordination Minister Erica Stanford announced today. Established under the Redress System for Abuse in Care Act 2026, the Independent Redress Officer will determine financial redress applications from survivors of abuse in State care who are also serious offenders. The role will also consider exemption applications from survivors with an advanced terminal illness. Hon Davison is a former High Court judge with extensive experience across civil, criminal, regulatory, family, tr…

The Gas Transition Loan Guarantee Scheme is now open for businesses making the investment to reduce their reliance on gas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say. “Businesses across New Zealand are facing higher gas prices and greater uncertainty about future supply. The Government is supporting businesses to lower energy cost and stay competitive and by switching from gas to other energy sources and improving energy efficiency,” Nicola Willis says. “From today, businesses seeking new financing for gas transition projects ca…

A nationwide programme upgrading New Zealand’s small and remote schools has completed its 800th school upgrade, says Education Minister Erica Stanford. “The work of the Small Schools Upgrade Programme | Ngā Iti Kahurangi has benefited thousands of students around the country and reduced the burden of maintenance for busy school principals and school boards.” “When we came into office school property maintenance was failing to keep pace with need and classrooms in Kura had suffered from a lack of investment over decades. To speed up the pace of maintenance programmes the Government: As a re…

This government’s ambitious target of better, and more, training to help staff support in family violence and sexual violence responses milestone has been achieved almost 6 months in advance of the due date. 10,000 frontline workers have been trained in family violence and sexual violence prevention in the past 18 months. Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says, “this was an ambitious target, and its achievement will ensure victim/survivors receive better practice support, and will empower staff to safely recognise, refer, and respond to family and sexual …

Three new appointments have been made to the New Zealand Sign Language Board, Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says. The three new members of the Board – which works to support the promotion and maintenance of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) – are Rāhera Turner, Thora Huebner and Joanne Witko. Existing Board member Kim Robinson will extend his term for another year. Louise Upston says alongside existing experience on the Board, the new members will bring further energy and insight. “The NZSL Board has an exciting time ahead as the new 10-year NZSL Strategy launched last year i…

Regulation Minister David Seymour has today welcomed the Ministry for Regulation’s Sector Review Report (“the Report”) on how to make residential and small to medium scale solar panel installation in New Zealand the simplest in the developed world. “Kiwis need access to reliable and affordable energy, but installation of solar panels can take months. Implementation of the Report’s recommendations would see solar become an easy option for Kiwi families,” Mr Seymour says. “The Report recommends legalising plug in solar because there was no good for reason for preventing Kiwis using it. Plug-in…

Racing Minister Winston Peters says a brighter future awaits the hundreds of dogs involved in the greyhound racing industry which winds up today. Commercial greyhound racing ends 31 July 2026 following the passing of legislation in April with the support of all parties in Parliament. The legislation followed a decade in which three independent reports showed unacceptable death and injury rates, with no noticeable improvement. Mr Peters says the focus is now on rehoming the estimated 1400 dogs with theGreyhound Transition Agency(GTA) appointed to coordinate the task. “The GTA is has a clear …

The Government has signed a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement to deliver the first section of the Northland Expressway – Warkworth to Te Hana – starting one of New Zealand’s most significant infrastructure projects, Transport Minister Chris Bishop has announced. The Project Agreement was signed this week between the Crown and the Northway consortium to design, build, finance, maintain and operate the expressway, and reached financial close today. Detailed design, site mobilisation and early construction works are expected to begin in the coming months. “Northland has incredible pot…

Education Minister Hon Erica Stanford has announced the remaining appointments to the new Governing Council of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. Patrick Walsh MNZM has been appointed Chair, Andrée Atkinson as Deputy Chair, Kelly Seaburg as a new member. Kelly Seaburg’s expertise in early childhood education is a valuable addition, and Minister Stanford is also confident that Patrick Walsh’s and Andrée Atkinson’s leadership, financial, and governance experience, will provide clear direction over the next three years. “Having a strong board is vital for responding to the significa…

Rural communities across New Zealand will benefit from three new investments that will support the rural health workforce and help more people access care closer to home, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. "Where you live shouldn't determine the healthcare you can receive. That’s why we're backing rural clinicians with the training, support and workforce they need so people can access more care locally," Mr Doocey says. "These three investments will help rural clinicians to make better-informed decisions in an emergency, remove barriers to training and grow the frontline so more rur…

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says changes to hazardous substances regulations coming into effect today will provide regulatory relief and ensure laboratory safety requirements better reflect the realities of working in labs. “I’m making practical changes to health and safety regulations that will maintain safety in laboratories while reducing unnecessary compliance costs,” says Ms van Velden. “In 2017, laboratories became subject to the same regulatory requirements as industrial operations that use hazardous substances. These requirements are nonsensical for labo…

Updated dog control guidelines released today will help keep Kiwis safer while the Government continues its review of dog control laws, Local Government Minister Simon Watts says. “Too many Kiwis have been victims of disgusting attacks from dogs in recent years. Every New Zealander should be able to walk around their neighbourhood without worrying about being attacked by a dangerous and uncontrolled dog. “Dog owners are personally responsible for their animals. They need to ensure that their animals pose no threat to others, and councils need the right tools to crack down on individuals who …

Finance Minister Nicola Willis today announced the appointment of Byron Pepper as Deputy Chair of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Board. "Byron Pepper has made a significant contribution to the Reserve Bank Board since his appointment in 2022, and I am pleased to appoint him as Deputy Chair," Nicola Willis says. "Mr Pepper's extensive experience in global financial markets, combined with his proven leadership, governance expertise and deep understanding of the Board's operations make him well-suited to the role. "He brings more than 25 years' experience in investment banking and financial s…

The Employment Leave Bill has passed its third and final reading, ushering in a long-awaited overhaul of the law that provides employees with employment leave entitlements, like annual and sick leave, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced today. “This Bill delivers on the Government’s priority to replace the broken Holidays Act with a leave system which is simple and straightforward, so that employers have confidence in their calculations, and employees have confidence they are being paid correctly – a benefit to workers and businesses alike,” says Ms van Velden.…

The Arms Bill passed its final reading in Parliament today meaning New Zealanders will soon have much better firearms laws that respect licenced firearm owners and improve public safety, says Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee. “The Bill keeps firearms out of criminals’ hands, while making compliance easier for licenced firearm owners,” says Mrs McKee “Firearms are used by licenced New Zealanders to put food on the table, earn a living, manage pests, compete in sport, enjoy the outdoors, and more. “The new law replaces a complex and confusing patchwork with legislation that is more log…

Otago is the latest region to benefit from the Government’s next phase of Predator Free 2050, with a $3.9 million investment to expand successful predator elimination around Dunedin, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. The investment follows $5.5 million for Wellington and $10 million for Auckland, building momentum behind proven predator-free projects across New Zealand. “Together, this work demonstrates what can be achieved when the Government backs successful local projects and helps take them to the next level,” Mr Potaka says. Predator Free Dunedin has already successfully removed …