Category: Politics

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Labour Party says the government is in denial about the damage it has done to New Zealand’s economy, after the latest job market figures.

Unemployment has risen to its highest level in more than a decade, with more people chasing work than jobs created, while wage growth slows further.

Stats NZ numbers showed the unemployment rate rising to 5.4 percent in the three months ended December, from 5.3 percent in the previous quarter.

It was the highest level since March 2015 and worse than forecast by economists and the Reserve Bank.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis said while she would prefer the unemployment rate was lower, the underlying details were positive.

“We are working very hard to get unemployment to come down. What is positive to see is that 15,000 more jobs were created in the past three months, that the hours people are working are increasing, that more people are feeling optimistic about getting a job, so are entering that workforce.

“So that’s really positive to see and what economists are interpreting that data to mean is that we are getting that stabilization and recovery in the economy.”

‘Incredibly embarrassing’ – Labour

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the latest unemployment figures were an indictment on the coalition.

“I don’t think the government can spin their way out of this. They’ve been saying for over a year now that unemployment had peaked and that things were getting better, that there were green shoots in the economy, and for so many New Zealand families, things have continued to get worse.

“These are real people with real lives that cannot find work when they need it. Christopher Luxon, Nicola Willis, the whole government need to own up to the fact that they are making things worse, not better.

“This is incredibly embarrassing for Nicola Willis, but it’s worse for the families who can’t find work when they need it.”

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said the figures showed the three party coalition was a “government of despair”.

“There are more people without jobs and without income now, under this government, than at any time in over ten years.

“Food banks are overwhelmed. Homelessness is everywhere.

“Those who are fortunate enough to have jobs still have it tough. Groceries and bills continue to rise ahead of wages for many workers,” Davidson said.

“A just government would be fighting to make sure everyone had the means to have a good job, food on the table, and a safe place to call home.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/labour-lambasts-coalition-over-job-figures/

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones is questioning the circumstances behind Labour MP Peeni Henare’s shock resignation, believing the whole story is not being told.

On Tuesday, Henare announced he was calling time on his 12-year Parliamentary career, citing exhaustion and a desire to spend more time focusing on his family and future.

“It’s a bit of, I didn’t have enough in the tank. It’s a bit of understanding that I can continue to influence the way people vote outside of being an MP and outside of Parliament,” he said.

Henare also said some opportunities had presented themselves to him.

While it was known Henare would not be contesting the Tāmaki Makaurau seat, his announcement he would not be standing at all came in the middle of a joint press conference by the Labour and Green Party leadership.

He told one media platform of his plans before Labour had the chance to put out its own announcement, but Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who initially refused to answer questions about the resignation, denied the announcement had been bungled.

“New Zealand’s a small place, and rumours swirl around. I don’t comment on rumours. I let people have their space to make their announcements, and that’s what I’ve done here.”

Speaking after the opening of the upgraded Haruru Falls Road around the back of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Jones expressed his surprise at Henare’s retirement.

“I had no idea that Peeni was going to move on. Peeni’s grandfather was our paramount chief of the north, the last commander of the Māori Battalion, a dearly loved figure throughout all the tribes of the motu,” he said.

“I’m not across all the details, but I want to make sure that the story, when it’s fully told, that we focus on what’s happened because he struck me as a guy who had quite a large potential for politics.”

Jones said he was going to go and find out what had happened, and the “kumara vine” would inform him, but he thought Labour and Henare should be more forthcoming.

“That’s up to them to ensure that there’s a very comprehensive account as to what’s happened to this young leader of Te Tai Tokerau, and why he, all of a sudden, is departing from the Labour Party. I mean, whatever we think about Māori leadership, Peeni Henare is blessed with the lineage of leadership throughout the north.”

On Tuesday, Henare said things never went perfectly at Waitangi, with “a hui here and a hui there”, and because he was at a pōwhiri for the Governor-General, he admitted the timing had not worked out as well as he had thought.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/new-zealand-firsts-shane-jones-questions-circumstances-behind-labour-mp-peeni-henares-shock-resignation/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will arrive at Waitangi on Wednesday, ahead of meetings with iwi leaders, after opting to stay away in 2025.

While he will not stick around for Friday’s commemorations, Luxon will meet with the Iwi Chairs Forum on Wednesday and take part in Thursday’s pōwhiri.

When announcing the Prime Minister’s intention to return to Waitangi, a spokesperson said Luxon was “looking forward” to the visit, and would be “taking the opportunity to keep engaging with iwi about the response to last week’s weather events and the work the government is doing to grow the economy and help every New Zealander get ahead.”

Despite many politicians having already arrived at Waitangi, they will be formally welcomed onto Te Whare Rūnanga on Thursday morning.

On Tuesday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins joined the Greens on a Treaty Grounds walkabout with Māori Wardens, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters held a bilateral meeting with his German counterpart on the Purerua Peninsula, and associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka visited the flood-affected community of Ngaiotonga.

“They’ve gone through some pretty severe weather, trauma, and severe conditions. It’s damaged a lot of infrastructure, roads, farms, whānau, houses [and] communities, and we’ve taken action,” Potaka said.

The government has sent campervans to parts of Northland as emergency accommodation assistance, which Potaka expected would be needed for a “couple” of months, at most.

The government’s response to the severe weather was something Potaka expected would come up in meetings with the forum, along with the “basics” like the economy, law and order, and education.

However, the chair of the Forum’s Pou Tahua (economic arm), Jamie Tuuta, said the last term had been a challenging one.

Tuuta said iwi leaders had been focused on the government for years, but had now reached a stage where iwi were at the precipice of working together to “actually transform the realities” for Māori.

Pou Tangata chair Rahui Papa said the key message to the government would be what strategies would they employ to bolster Māori aspirations, instead of legislation which “unpicks” te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“We want to hear from them, what is their program of mahi? We also want to say to them, ‘here’s some of our points in a manifesto and you have to live up to this if you’re going to be a government for all.’”

On Tuesday, iwi leaders unanimously gave their backing to a court case by Ngāti Manuhiri, which seeks to challenge amendments to the Marine and Coastal Areas Act (MACA).

Speaking at a rare press conference alongside Labour, Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said the opposition was in Waitangi to “reaffirm” a shared message that te Tiriti required “leadership to step up and take the guidance” of communities.

Potaka, who is also Minister for Māori Crown Relations, insisted the issues that iwi chairs raised were “very engaging,” regardless of who was in government.

“A lot of the kōrero is actually engaged and directed by the chairs themselves, and we want to hear what their concerns are, and we can respond to them accordingly,” he said.

“A lot of them have those concerns around emergency management, but also around the Treaty settlement process, making sure we implement Treaty settlements, and we close out those historical settlements that are outstanding.”

Potaka acknowledged there were serious economic and social “deltas” between many Māori communities and the rest of New Zealand. He said the government would be working “very robustly” in a manner befitting te Tiriti o Waitangi, while also ascribing to National’s values of equal opportunity and citizenship.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/iwi-chairs-prepare-to-challenge-government-ahead-of-prime-ministers-waitangi-visit/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Associate Education Minister David Seymour says a new charter school will provide more options for families in Wairoa, which is suffering high truancy rates.

Te Whare Kounga will open with a roll of 65 secondary students in term three this year, rising to 165 students from the start of 2027, for Years 7 to 13.

The school, located at a former primary school on Carroll Street, builds on the transition programme Te Papatipu Matihiko, which for the past two years has aimed to help children get back to school with a new enthusiasm for learning.

Te Papatipu Matihiko board member Chris Cormack said the school would still teach all the core subjects, but would use a different learning model based on Māori philosophy.

“They’ll start each day with kind of a swim or something to do with water – and that’s almost symbolic as well. An actual thing of, like, ‘we’re leaving all the stuff that’s happened at home, happened on the way to school, whatever,’ and we’re kind of starting fresh for the day.

“Then working with them to kind of create individual learning plans following the curriculum broadly, but … a more integrated learning approach, and having them move kind of at their pace.

“A big thing in Wairoa’s slash in the river and flooding and those kind of things, so maybe that’s what they’re interested in, so you craft the year’s curriculum around that – so we might study the river, we can do biology and chemistry and then we might use sensors and have a programme that records that into a computer.”

He said it was about building learning around things that got the akonga excited and wanting to come to class.

“Building up their confidence, helping them navigate group situations, manage conflict, de-escalate – those kinds of things, to get them to a place where you can challenge them a bit more. You don’t want to, like, challenge them on their first day because they’re going to shut down.”

Cormack said Te Papatipu Matihiko had found students would return to school after the transitional programme ended, but drop out again, so they had decided instead to build a longer-term solution.

“When they went back to school, they weren’t necessarily succeeding there because it was such a different learning environment than the one they’d kind of got used to and they didn’t have the support,” he said.

“It was a good program, people got very excited, not everyone dropped out – people went on to learning, which was far better than the alternative before. But we realised that we could do more, essentially, with a longer period of time.”

An ERO report shows the nearby Wairoa College had a statutory manager installed in December 2024 to help with low attendance and improve learning outcomes.

Despite that, attendance rates remained well below the target, with less than half of students attending regularly.

Cormack said those kinds of difficulties were what Te Whare Kounga aimed to address.

“You’ve got to teach to kind of the middle when you’re a big school, you can’t necessarily accommodate everyone. And that’s no fault of the state schools or the teachers there, who are wonderful people and trying their best, but when you’ve got big classrooms, there’s only so much you can do.

“It’s just an option for those who currently are kind of falling through the cracks.”

He said state secondary schools were already very different to employment, university, or polytechnics, and it was hoped the more holistic learning approach would better prepare students than a strictly subject-based education.

Seymour said Te Papatipu Matihiko was an established programme with a good track record, “which has earned the trust of some people who, frankly, don’t trust the state or its schools anymore”.

“These are students who, in many cases, have been checked out of state education. We don’t want to get into a blame game about why that is, we just want to get them re-engaged in education.”

Pushing back on questions about whether it would make sense to instead bolster Wairoa College, he said it was receiving the same resources as other state schools, or “I suspect, slightly more”.

“The question is, if putting resources into something isn’t working and you’ve got an alternative, then why shouldn’t the students be able to take their entitlement to funding as a New Zealand citizen to a school that works for them?” Seymour said.

“The thing about education is that you really only get one shot. That’s not to say people can’t sometimes go back, but for the most part, you get one shot and that’s why it’s vital. If these students aren’t engaged and there’s an entity with a track record of engaging them in the community, then maybe we should fund them to get the job done – that’s what charter schools allow.”

He said some people would see charter schools and state schools as competing, but in Christchurch, four state school principals had worked together to sponsor a charter school “because they recognise that there are some students that they are not actively serving”.

Describing the demand as “overwhelming”, Seymour said nine applications for a charter school were rejected for every approval, putting that down to limited funding.

He said he expected new attendance services and his STAR mandatory attendance action plans were initiatives being rolled out this year, “that I believe will make a difference at Wairoa College and indeed every other school that’s faced a challenge around school attendance”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/04/new-charter-school-aims-to-boost-attendance-in-wairoa/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Senior Labour MP Peeni Henare is “taking a step back from politics”, saying the time has come to put his energy elsewhere.

Earlier on Tuesday, the former minister confirmed to RNZ he would not be contesting the Tāmaki Makaurau seat this year.

But in an interview with Māori start-up Tuia News, Henare went further, revealing he would step down after 12 years in Parliament, six of them as a minister across multiple portfolios.

He told the outlet there were many other issues within Te Ao Māori he wanted to focus on, including in Te Tai Tokerau and for Ngāpuhi.

Henare noted the energy required to be successful in election year, and the recent resignation of his colleague Adrian Rurawhe. He said he realised he was the only one left.

“Kua tae te wā,” Henare said. The time had come.

Both Henare and the Labour Party confirmed the decision not to seek re-election around 3pm on Tuesday.

“I have thought long and hard about this over the summer and decided not to seek the nomination for Tāmaki Makaurau again or a place on the Labour Party list,” Henare said in a statement.

“Last year was tough after losing the by-election and after careful consideration and kōrero with my whānau over the break, I have decided that it is time for me to take a step back from politics.

“It’s time to focus on my family, my wellbeing and my future”.

It stated Henare would leave Parliament in the coming weeks.

Hipkins won’t be drawn

Speaking to reporters around 2pm, Labour leader Chris Hipkins refused to comment on Henare’s movements.

When asked, Hipkins wouldn’t say whether Henare had his backing for the Māori seat or not.

“I’m not going to start a conversation on this.

“I’m still leaving Peeni the space to make his own decisions and his own announcements.”

He rejected his refusal to answer implied a lack of confidence, “no, it just means I’m leaving him the space.”

Hipkins said he’d been told by Henare in the last week or two that he wouldn’t be putting nominating himself as a candidate for the seat.

The news from Tuia broke as Hipkins was speaking, but despite the confirmation of Henare’s plans, Hipkins declined to answer.

“It’s not fair for me to go out and comment on people’s decisions before they have communicated them.

“You’re not going to have to wait that much longer.”

Hipkins said an announcement would be made at 4pm on Tuesday.

He said he’d comment on the news later on.

A decade in Parliament

Henare entered Parliament in 2014, winning the the Tāmaki Makaurau seat over the Māori party. He held onto the seat for nearly a decade, before being ousted by Te Pāti Māori’s Takutaki Tarsh Kemp in 2023 by a slim margin.

He contested the seat in the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election in 2025, following Kemp’s death, but lost to Oriini Kaipara who received around twice as many votes.

During the by-election he batted away suggestions of a Labour leadership bid, but didn’t rule it out.

At the time Henare said Hipkins, the current leader, had his full support.

During the previous Labour government, he held portfolios such as Defence, Whānau Ora, Civil Defence, Tourism and ACC.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/peeni-henare-stepping-back-wont-be-contesting-tamaki-makaurau-seat-at-election/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A shake-up for the driver licensing system is on its way, with changes the government says will make it a lot cheaper for those looking to get their licence.

The changes include no longer needing to sit a second practical test to get a full licence, an increased learner period for those under 25, fewer eyesight screenings and an expanded zero-alcohol rule.

Making the announcement in Auckland on Tuesday, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said the current system was “expensive, outdated and no longer works as well as it should”.

The changes will mean it’s “significantly cheaper” to get a full driver licence, Bishop said. He also said New Zealand was an outlier in requiring a second practical driving test when moving from a restricted licence to a full licence.

“Removing the second practical test reduces costs and makes it easier to progress to a full licence, provided drivers demonstrate safe driving behaviour while on their restricted licence.

“We’re making practical, common-sense improvements to the driver licensing system to ensure it is accessible, efficient, and affordable, while keeping road safety front and centre.”

Bishop said the shake-up was the first major change to the system since 2011, when the learner licence age was increased from 15 to 16. The changes were informed by public consultation last year.

He said the proposal was refined to “ensure the system strikes the right balance between access and safety.”

Those tweaks included extending the learner period, extending the restricted period by six months for drivers who get demerit points rather than resetting it entirely, and keeping the existing demerit threshold for licence suspension for restricted drivers.

Key changes

• No more full licence test: Drivers will no longer need to sit a second practical test to move from the restricted to full licence, saving time and money. This applies to Class 1 (car) licences only.
• Longer time spent on learners for under 25s: There will be a 12-month learner period for under 25s, an increase of six months.
• Option to reduce learner period: There will be an option for under 25s to reduce their 12-month learner period back to six months by recording practice hours or completing an approved practical course.
• New restricted periods: The restricted period will be 12 months for under 25s and six months for over 25s, with no option to reduce it with a defensive driving course.
• Cheaper to get a full licence: The total cost of getting a Class 1 (car) licence will reduce by $80 under the new system.
• Encouraging safe driving: Drivers on their restricted licence will face a further six months on their restricted if they get demerits.
• Fewer eyesight screenings: Eyesight screenings will only be required at the first licence application and at each renewal. This applies to Class 1 and Class 6 (motorcycle) licences.
• Zero-alcohol rule expanded: All learner and restricted drivers, regardless of age, will be subject to a zero-alcohol limit.
• Stronger oversight of training providers: NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) will gain new powers to monitor and suspend driver training course providers.

There are no changes to licence processes and requirements for overseas drivers or seniors drivers.

NZTA will review the existing learner and restricted tests.

People must continue to adhere to the current system until the new system takes effect from 25 January 2027. The expanded zero-alcohol limit will be implemented separately.

A review will be undertaken by the Ministry of Transport after three years to assess the impact of the changes on road safety, employment and economic outcomes.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/driver-licence-system-overhaul-unveiled/

Source: Radio New Zealand

There’s a rupture in the international rules-based order, but that doesn’t mean New Zealand will be crushed by bigger powers

New Zealand has been a beneficiary of the international rules-based order for decades – trade disputes, action on serious issues, being heard on the world stage; there was a world body to give us a hand sorting stuff out.

While there have been inconsistencies, hypocrisy from superpowers, and the system hasn’t been perfect, it has, generally, worked for us.

But Russia and America between them have shaken up the system, and in a remarkable speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney laid it all out.

“I thought this might be the most important political speech on geo-politics for many a long year,” says Tim Groser, a former diplomat; once New Zealand’s chief trade negotiator; ambassador, including to the United States and the World Trade Organisation; and a National government Minister of Trade.

He says the key message of the speech was to acknowledge the reality that we are seeing a rupture of the rules-based system.

“It’s not just the United States. It is also the invasion back in 2014 of Crimea by Russia, to break the most important norm of the post-war order in Europe, which is, do not try and change sovereign frontiers with force.

“This has been the most important issue facing Europe now for at least 500 years, and was the cause of three wars … the Franco-Prussian war, and the two world wars.

“So it’s not just the United States. The order that we lived in from 1945 to, I think around 2010, was quite remarkable in so many respects, and almost perfect for a small country like New Zealand.”

Mark Carney’s speech spelt out how the ‘middle powers’ such as Canada, Japan and Australia need to act together, “because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu”.

New Zealand is not a middle power, but not helpless either, says Groser.

“Some New Zealanders vastly exaggerate our influence. They seem to think that the whole eyes of the world are watching every move that we make and if we only do the right thing everyone else will think ‘oh my goodness me, we must do what the Kiwis are doing’. This is a fantasy.

“But the more common fantasy is to understate our significance.

“Of course we are a small country. But in terms of GDP measured in conventional terms, we’re the 52nd largest economy in the world in relative terms. Which means since there are over 200 sovereign countries in the world, there are 150 countries smaller than New Zealand.”

New Zealand has also had historic developments to help us cope with these world changes, when in the 1950s Britain joined the European union and our main trading partnership evaporated. It forced us to diversify our markets. Groser says Canada needs to do the same now.

Canadian journalist Jayme Poisson, who hosts the CBC’s Front Burner podcast, says Carney’s speech has landed well in Canada with those who like the idea of being a middle power with power.

But there’s a debate going on in the wake of Carney’s speech over how realistic that strategy actually is.

“Because at the end of the day, we share this massive land border with the United States. We send 70 percent of our exports to the United States. So we’re not just like some random middle power. We are the middle power right next door to the hegemon and we are inextricably tied to them for security and economics … so you can see why people are debating here how much our role is to not rupture our relationship with the United States, and how much our role is to lead this pack of middle powers to do something more ambitious.”

Carney, she says, is “good at bluntly describing reality in a pretty sophisticated way. He was one of the first leaders to come out and say the world has changed … and our relationship with the United States is not what it was before.”

The speech has been criticised for Carney poking the bear when he didn’t have to, and when up until now he’s kept his head down.

But it’s possible Carney has just displayed the kind of strength and leadership that the US President so admires.

“They just spoke,” she says, “and Carney has reported that it was a fine conversation. And while we did see this response from the Americans – you know, mockery, you can’t live without the United States, and threat of a 100 percent tariff floated if we get close to China, that has not come to fruition. It’s just kind of subsided. So certainly that’s a pretty good argument to make – that he likes strength, he likes winners. And that he’s so mercurial that you might as well just stand up to him anyway, because you don’t really know what he’s going to do, day to day.”

Poisson says there’s a lot of anti-American sentiment in Canada right now and Carney’s remarks resonated. His approval rating rose eight points in the wake of the Davos speech, and is currently up at 60 percent.

“I think everybody [in Canada] thought this was a good speech,” she says. “I think the critiques are … was it smart? And is it going to come with consequences, and are those consequences worth it?”

Listen to the podcast to find out why Tim Groser isn’t entirely pessimistic about international developments, and why a rupture doesn’t mean collapse.

Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/what-should-new-zealand-do-in-the-new-world-order/

Source: Radio New Zealand

An Auckland principal says the government’s new report cards will help children who change schools.

Fulfilling an election campaign promise, Education Minister Erica Stanford unveiled the new approach to report cards for reading, writing and mathematics on Monday.

The reports will include:

• A standardised approach across New Zealand
• A percentage mark out of 100
• Five grades of progress: Emerging, Developing, Consolidating, Proficient, Exceeding
• Previous ratings, to enable tracking of progress over time
• Attendance data

These would be backed by:

• Twice-yearly testing for years 3-8 to gauge progress against the curriculum for each year level
• An AI tool to help teachers write reports and carry out the tests

The new approach to testing and reports would be mandatory for children from new entrants – Year 0 – right up to Year 8, the final year of intermediate school, and optional for secondary schools for Years 9 and 10.

Students would be marked on their progress throughout the year, so would likely start on the lower end and get higher gradings as the year went on – then start again the following year with that year’s curriculum.

Remuera Intermediate principal Kyle Brewerton previously headed the Auckland Primary Principals Association, and said the standardised reporting would make a difference for children who moved school.

“At the moment when we look at school reports, if you were to take a sample of school reports from primary schools across or New Zealand you would be looking at probably as many different examples of the school report – there’s not a great deal of consistency.

“If you’re moving from one school to another, and the report looks completely different, it can be challenging for a parent to make sense of … ‘in my old school, they said they’re ‘developing’ and now over here they said they ‘need to work on it’ – Is that the same thing? Is it different?’

“Hopefully it will start to solve some of those problems.”

Brewerton said the language of emerging to exceeding may take some time to get used to, but the changes would be unlikely to add much to schools’ workloads.

“The average teacher that’s in school, you won’t see a great departure from what they’re currently doing. It’s really just the actual reporting that’s been sent home … it’ll be some work to do for sure, but it’s not particularly onerous.

“Schools are all using their own version of the same thing, whether they’re using a three-point, a four-point or a five-point scale. They’ve all got variations on a theme and generally that is ‘this young person needs some extra support, they’re not quite there yet; these young people are where they need to be; these ones are showing progress beyond what we would expect.”

He said it was unclear, however, if the parents of the most vulnerable students would pay attention or not.

“We know success happens when the families are heavily engaged with the schools, and the schools are heavily engaged with families. Often those young people who perhaps their attendance is particularly low, or that partnership is not particularly strong, are our young people that aren’t achieving.

“Whether we change the language on a report is going to change that or not remains to be seen.”

He said learning relied on a collective effort between the school, the parents, and the child themselves – and assessing children’s progress would always depend on teachers’ subjective views.

That was where having a clear curriculum could help, he said – but parents should also understand that the twice-yearly testing was only a snapshot picture of how the child was doing on that particular day.

“Whilst we have these formal assessments, really it’s those conversations day in and day out and the teacher’s knowledge of the curriculum that give a really clear sense of what that young person is capable of and what their next steps are.

“Over time, it will give us a picture of how that young person is progressing. But it’s equally important that we pay attention to what those teachers are telling us … we’ve got to be careful we don’t put all our eggs into that formal testing bucket.”

Most schools also used some kind of New Zealand-based assessment tool anyway – some going back to the 1980s – and again would not take much adjustment.

“And it’s free – one of them we have to pay for at the moment, so if it’s great and it’s free and it’s aligning with our curriculum, then that sounds like a good thing to us.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/03/standardised-report-cards-will-help-children-who-change-schools-principal/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Opposition parties are criticising the coalition for having “secret” talks with the United States about the supply of rare and critical minerals.

New Zealand is in discussions with the US about the supply of rare and critical minerals, as Donald Trump seeks to reduce America’s reliance on China for material it sees as pivotal for tech innovation and national security.

While no decisions have been made, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed officials are working through analysis, targeted consultation and providing advice to relevant ministers.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stressed no Cabinet decisions have been made but said the government would “develop in [its] own brutal self interest”.

The Minerals Council – the industry association representing mining in New Zealand – said the country should scale up mining, arguing it can be done responsibly.

Opposition parties weigh in

Labour’s energy and resources spokesperson Megan Woods said mining opportunities shouldn’t be exploited at the expense of the environment, especially country’s conservation estate.

“We are not against mining as long as it is done in an environmentally sustainable way. Under the Labour government, we were doing work on critical minerals that would help us decarbonise and move away from fossil fuels like coal in a way that ensures jobs in the long term.

“However, the government’s plans as outlined in the MineraIs Strategy for New Zealand, combined with the Fast Track law and refusal to phase out fossil fuels, have lead to greater environmental and climate risks with no public scrutiny.

“Most New Zealanders would be upset that talks about mining and exporting critical minerals are taking place without transparency or accountability.”

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the critical minerals discussions were happening “largely in secret and on terms dictated by the United States”.

Luxon’s government had not campaigned on this, she said.

“When exactly did we agree as a country to be in Trump’s corner? There are far better decisions that we can be making if we are to, even for sake of argument, be thinking about mining more of these rare earth minerals.

“If we return to some of the rhetoric used by both Christopher Luxon and even Shane Jones last year, as they were trumpeting doing more of this kind of mining, they were telling everybody that it was about our clean, green energy transition.

“So it doesn’t take much to put two and two together and figure out that this is a house of cards.”

Te Pāti Māori was approached for comment.

Coalition parties’ positions

New Zealand First’s and self-proclaimed “pro-mining Minister” Shane Jones said the talks followed the coalition releasing its mining strategy and critical minerals list.

“Then there was an invitation for us to sign a global accord shared by the Koreans last year and now America has invited a whole host of nations to work with it and enter into a compact or an accord.

“The status of those negotiations and the final result lies with Cabinet and that’s covered by confidentiality.”

Asked exactly what the government had signed up to in the global accord, Jones said it was about cooperation.

“This is the puzzling thing. We’ve got all these sort of frothy milk fed critics of mine but basically contemplated a lot of cooperation in terms of research, technology, opportunities for nations to work together, both financially and strategically, and boost the availability and access to these valuable minerals.”

The ACT Party’s resources spokesperson Simon Court said his party supported expanding mining in New Zealand.

“We want high paid jobs and we want an economy that can pay our own way so yes, ACT supports more mining, including for these critical minerals.

“That’s why we secured the coalition commitment to create a critical minerals list that provides a simplified pathway for essentially prospecting, getting mining permits and eventually consenting mineral developments.”

ACT was also supportive of New Zealand’s critical minerals talks with the US.

“The United States is a key defence and security partner and it’s important that we are responsive to the markets when we have something to sell.

“We’d also be hypocritical to try and stop it. We all use and benefit from these devices made from these minerals so restricting mining here just means that [if] the US can’t get those minerals from New Zealand, they will be dug up somewhere else, probably somewhere with poor environmental oversight and more child labour.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/02/opposition-parties-slam-secret-critical-minerals-talks/

Source: Radio New Zealand

MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi’s lawyers have claimed Te Pāti Māori’s co-leaders were also projected to overspend their parliamentary budget, and there was discussion of a settlement proposal during the hearing to consider the Te Tai Tokerau MP’s expulsion.

Kapa-Kingi’s lawyers are arguing Te Pāti Māori’s constitution was not upheld during a process that resulted in her expulsion from the party, with Mike Colson KC saying a “political party which was created to fight injustice has visited a serious injustice”.

The substantive hearing is taking place at the High Court in Wellington on Monday, and follows a period of turmoil for the party that resulted in the expulsion of two of its MPs, Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris.

Kapa-Kingi challenged her expulsion late last year, resulting in a temporary reinstatement prior to the party’s AGM in December, allowing her to attend.

At the time, Justice Paul Radich said there were “serious questions to be tried” on the manner in which Kapa-Kingi was expelled from the party.

Both party president John Tamihere and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi were present in the courtroom on Monday morning.

Kapa-Kingi’s lawyer Mike Colson KC begun the hearing by saying the Speaker had not been properly notified by Te Pāti Māori about Justice Radich’s decision late last year, and she remained an independent MP, pointing out this could be in contempt of court.

Colson went on to summarise his client’s key argument: that the party’s National Council did not have the power to expel Kapa-Kingi, and that it breached the dispute process and tikanga.

“And I suppose thematically, that we are now seeing a revisionist approach to the decisions that were made, in which there seems to be an emphasis that there was not actually an expulsion, but a cancelation of the membership.”

Colson then referred to Te Pāti Māori’s constitution, outlining the importance of tikanga, arguing “tikanga should be part of the lens” through which the case is considered.

He then highlighted various clauses, pointing out relevant parts of the Constitution to the case.

In particular, Colson highlighted a clause he said did not allow the National Council to “cut across independently” a separate clause specifying a Disciplinary Disputes Committee.

Colson said Kapa-Kingi was given “no notice whatsoever” that there was going to be a hui where her expulsion would be considered.

He referred to various parts of the party’s constitution, claiming the party hadn’t adhered to it.

Colson provided documentation including a range of emails discussing the projected parliamentary overspend, a key reason for Kapa-Kingi’s expulsion.

Colson acknowledged the judge would not be able to resolve who was right or wrong on the issue of the budget, which he said didn’t “particularly matter”.

But Colson said Kapa-Kingi was entitled to “additional payments” due to the additional work she had undertaken.

In relation to the forecasted overspend, he said the party had argued Kapa-Kingi used those funds for her “personal gain”, which he rejected.

He explained “a fix” was arranged between various parties – including a parliamentary representative – in relation to her forecasted overspend of $133,000.

He then outlined Te Pāti Māori’s co-leaders were also forecasted to overspend their budget.

“It’s a bit ironic that the party to say this forecast overspend was misuse when we know at the time the co-leaders office was also in a budget deficit situation,” referencing the Te Pāti Māori co-leaders who had an overspend of around $40,000.

He also mentioned a “level of unsatisfactoriness” of evidence from the respondents, referencing affidavits that “seem incorrect”.

A settlement proposal was referred to during the hearing, which is expected to be addressed later.

Tamihere’s lawyers will respond Monday afternoon, but their initial arguments during the interim injunction last year stated the National Council did in fact have the authority to expel her.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/02/mariameno-kapa-kingis-expulsion-breached-dispute-process-and-tikanga-lawyer-argues/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford have unveiled changes to how students’ progress is reported.

The government says the new reports will give families clearer information about their children.

It says the reports will ensure all primary and intermediate schools describe children’s achievement in reading, writing and maths twice a year in the same way.

They will rank children’s achievement on a five-point scale – emerging, developing, consolidating, proficient and exceeding.

The reports will also provide an overall percentage score and describe what the child can do in each of the three subjects .

The government says schools will report on other subjects and on student behaviour as they do now.

It comes as schools are opening up again for 2026 and must use new maths and English curriculums for students in Years 0-10 this year. Draft curriculums for other subject areas are out for consultation until mid-April.

By the end of 2025, nine percent of students in Year 13 and 15 percent of Year 12s had not achieved the literacy and numeracy co-requisite, figures provided to RNZ by NZQA show. The achievement rates were the lowest in the past five years.

They equated to about 5000 Year 13s and 10,000 Year 12s who would not receive any NCEA certificates because they had not yet met the requirement.

Watch the announcement live at the top of this page.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/02/watch-pm-christopher-luxon-and-education-minister-erica-stanford-on-reporting-students-progress/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Resources Minister Shane Jones shut down the possibility of New Zealand signing up to a ‘road map’ away from fossil fuels at the annual global climate summit, documents reveal.

Opposition MPs say the documents underscore the disproportionate influence that National’s minor coalition partners wield over government policy.

But Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said it was “appropriate” to consult Jones because of his portfolios.

Australia, the UK, the European Union and a group of Pacific nations were among 80 countries pushing for a ‘road map’ to be included in the formal negotiations at COP30 in Brazil last November.

They were unsuccessful, but Australia and several Pacific nations were among 24 nations that signed the Belém Declaration on the Transition away from Fossil Fuels on the final day of the summit.

Documents released to RNZ under the Official Information Act show New Zealand’s negotiating team was also considering signing the declaration – before officials back in New Zealand informed them that Jones did not want them to.

Earlier, a copy of a ‘decision submission’ was sent to New Zealand’s climate ambassador Stuart Horne to share with Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, who was at COP30 with Horne and the rest of the negotiating team.

In the submission, senior foreign affairs officials said the declaration “does not conflict or compromise New Zealand policy settings”.

“It is consistent with the COP28 outcome regarding the transition away from fossil fuels which Parties, including New Zealand, agreed to.”

An assessment against government priorities found that signing up to the declaration would have a neutral or even positive effect.

While drafting the submission, officials noted there was “an open question about engaging Minister Jones for concurrence, consultation, or information”.

The final submission was sent to Jones for consultation.

It was also sent to Trade Minister Todd McClay, but for information only – his input was not sought.

An email sent the next day said Jones had been consulted.

“Minister Jones does not want New Zealand to join the Declaration,” a Ministry for Foreign Affairs official informed his colleagues.

“We have shared this information with the team supporting Minister Watts in Belem.”

That was the last email in the chain released to RNZ.

Green Party MP Francisco Hernandez, who attended COP30, said the government’s agenda “seems to be driven so much by the need to appease New Zealand First”.

“Why are they even talking to Shane Jones? He doesn’t have a climate portfolio – why does it require sign-off from him?”

National was giving its junior coalition partner too much power, Hernandez said.

“It’s for consultation, but it does very much read like they’ve effectively taken what Jones has said and used it as an indication of a veto.”

Hernandez got the impression while he was at COP30 that the New Zealand delegation had been “very much on the fence” about signing up to the declaration.

“It seemed to be a finely balanced thing and I feel like [Jones’ view] ended up being a decisive factor.”

In a written statement, Simon Watts said it was “appropriate” to consult Jones because of his resources and associate energy portfolios.

Watts did not directly reply to a question about his own stance on the declaration.

“New Zealand did not join the declaration at COP30 but as I have previously signalled, the Government continues to support the COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels,” he said.

“We’re contributing to that, for example, through our work to double renewable energy.”

Labour Party climate spokesperson Deborah Russell, who attended COP30 alongside Watts, said there was “no reason” not to sign the declaration.

“It’s consistent with what we signed up to at COP28 and all it did was ask for a road map for getting out of fossil fuels – what’s the problem with that?”

It was fine for officials to consult Jones, she said.

“The problem is that the reason we didn’t sign it, seemingly against officials’ advice, was because Shane Jones said he didn’t agree to it.”

Russell said it was clear that government inaction on climate change was coming from the minor coalition parties.

“Shane Jones has been very pro the extraction of fossil fuels. [So] this is unsurprising given his position on that; it’s nevertheless very disappointing.”

Jones told RNZ that “lofty agreements” like the declaration were “conceived in milk-fed politics that are vastly different from my earthy, pragmatic approach”.

“I don’t see a future for New Zealand if we deny ourselves access to fossil fuels,” he said.

The country’s current energy system had to be shored up – including with imported and domestic coal – while geothermal energy and potentially more hydroelectricity was opened up, he said.

“New Zealand has a plan, however, it’s going to take a lot longer than most activists believe.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/02/shane-jones-shut-down-nz-involvement-in-road-map-away-from-fossil-fuels/

Source: Radio New Zealand

With the 2026 General Election looming, Parliament has begun the ritual of farewell speeches from MPs choosing not to contest another term.

Known in parliamentary parlance as valedictory statements, the year’s first was delivered this week by former Speaker of the House Adrian Rurawhe – albeit reluctantly.

Although this parliamentary term has already seen six valedictory statements (and nearly twice as many departures), election years tend to bring a cascade of them, as MPs decide to hang their boots up. Rurawhe leaves Parliament with the honorific ‘Right Honourable’, a distinction few MPs can claim – it is now awarded only to prime ministers, speakers, chief justices and governors-general.

Despite that honorific, the former MP for Te Tai Hauāuru does not seek the limelight and did not want a valedictory. He told MPs that, when he informed his Labour caucus colleagues of his retirement, he said he would “leave quietly” and skip the speech altogether.

“I can tell you, if you want to upset 33 Labour MPs, tell them you’re not doing a valedictory speech… I don’t think I’ve ever upset so many people so quickly.”

Not one to ignore instructions from the leader, even on his way out, Rurawhe said Labour leader Chris Hipkins insisted that he deliver a valedictory speech.

“I will deliver a speech, but I did not write a speech, so whatever comes out of my mouth… and there are plenty of stories I could tell, just [about] the people sitting in this room.”

Rurawhe held the Te Tai Hauāuru seat from 2014-23, when he chose not to stand as an electorate MP again. That decision came from the presumption that, if he retained the role of Speaker, he would not be able to serve the electorate to the extent he felt he should, particularly given its size, diversity and the number of iwi.

“Te Tai Hauāuru is vast – it’s the biggest electorate in the North Island. It’s as big as Taiwan.

“It’s diverse. It has an urban area, Porirua.

“It has provincial cities like Palmerston North, Whanganui, New Plymouth. It has rural towns and a lot of farming areas.

“Within there, there is also a diverse range of iwi that I got to engage with.”

Rurawhe then proceeded to recite the very long list of iwi within Te Tai Hauāuru.

As is probably the case with most MPs who have gone on to presiding roles, Rurawhe never had a stint in the Speaker’s Chair on his bingo card. Nevertheless, that’s where his party felt his composure, amiability and leadership experience could best be utilised.

Speaking on Wednesday evening, he reflected on redefining political success beyond Cabinet.

“Of course, we all want to be Ministers, but not everyone can be and there are valuable roles outside of that as well. If you’re a true team player, you will do whatever is the best for your party.

“I’m not just talking about my party, but it’s probably a good lesson for everyone to learn, because you never actually know where [these roles] might lead to. I certainly didn’t.”

“I pinch myself almost every day and, you know, wonder how this guy from Rātana Pā gets to be the Speaker of this House.”

Calm humility is a fixture of the Rurawhe brand. His long reluctance to engage in politicking earned respect and goodwill across the House, particularly during his time as Speaker. His predecessor and successor, by comparison, have more adversarial histories.

While some departing MPs use their final speech to burn bridges, Rurawhe chose to acknowledge political opponents that he had worked with in his decade or so as an MP.

“I also want to mention the National Party MPs that I got on really well with, actually.

Ian McKelvie – now, I knew Ian before I came into Parliament. He was so easy to work with, and we could have really good discussions and do the best for our respective electorates.

“Louise Upston – I really enjoyed working with Louise. I remember that we co-hosted the South Waikato event – actually, from Tokoroa – down here at Parliament.

“That was an excellent kaupapa to be involved with.

“I worked with Jonathan Young on the Waitara Lands Act and there’s Barbara Kuriger in Taranaki-King Country, who is the Deputy Speaker.”

Rurawhe went on to name and thank the many people who worked in his parliamentary and electorate offices, along with the parliamentary staff who supported him during his tenure as Speaker.

Rurawhe’s formal final day at Parliament will be Waitangi Day, after which Hamilton-based unionist Georgie Dansey will replace him for the remainder of the sitting year.

Expect to see a steady stream of farewells, as the election nears closer. To date, Celia Wade-Brown (Greens), Paulo Garcia (National), Maureen Pugh (National), and Judith Collins (National) have also already announced 2026 departures.

You can listen to the audio version of this story by clicking the link near the top of the page. Additionally, you can watch the full valedictory speech on Parliament’s website.

RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/02/01/adrian-rurawhe-from-ratana-pa-to-the-speakers-chair/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed he will return to Waitangi next week to meet with iwi, after opting to be elsewhere last year.

Luxon, however, will not stay up north for the national holiday itself, instead spending Waitangi Day at a community event in Auckland.

In a statement, a spokesperson said Luxon was looking forward to visiting and engaging with iwi about the recent weather response and work the government is doing to grow the economy.

Last year, Luxon observed Waitangi Day with Ngāi Tahu at Ōnuku Marae in Akaroa.

At the time, he said his intention was to celebrate the day around New Zealand, rather than in one location.

Luxon’s confirmation means all party leaders in Parliament will travel north next week.

ACT leader David Seymour said he intended to use the occasion to make clear that: “we are all equal and alike in dignity and have the same opportunity in this country, regardless of when our ancestors got here”.

Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka said Waitangi represented the font of kotahitanga.

“We go with an open heart… and some pretty strong convictions around what we need to do to get things like the economy back on track, and public services, but also with an absolute appetite to settle and implement Treaty claims.”

The recent RNZ-Reid Research poll showed 62 percent of people think it is at least somewhat important for the prime minister to be in Waitangi for Waitangi Day.

Previous prime ministers have adopted different approaches.

Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern spent a considerable length of time up north in the days leading up to and including Waitangi Day.

John Key and Helen Clark, however, adjusted their plans after falling out of favour.

After being heckled and jostled in 2004, Clark went up for breakfast in subsequent years, but would not visit Te Tii Marae.

And when Key was denied speaking rights in 2016, he opted to go to the NRL Nines in Auckland instead.

Bill English, in his sole year as prime minister, spent the day with Ngāti Whātua at Ōrākei Marae.

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LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/30/prime-minister-christopher-luxon-will-return-to-waitangi/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will not join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.

In a brief statement on Friday morning, Luxon confirmed the government would not accept the invitation to join the board in its “current form”, after considering the offer.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters posted a longer message on social media where he said a number of states had already stepped up to the board and New Zealand would not add significant additional value.

He said there was a role for the board in Gaza, but it was essential that its work was consistent with the United Nations charter.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Luxon was being “too polite” about the invitation and “he should show some leadership”.

“Not joining the Board of Peace is absolutely the right thing to do, it’s preposterous Christopher Luxon would even consider it.

“The idea that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin can sit around a table and decide on one nation’s peace while they wage their own wars is absurd.”

Hipkins earlier condemned the invite, labelling the government’s refusal to rule out joining the board an “absolute disgrace”.

A draft charter for the organisation, which would be chaired by Trump, was sent to a number of world leaders – including Canada’s Mark Carney, Australia’s Anthony Albanese, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Greens-co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick had written to the Prime Minister on Monday, urging Luxon to “publicly and unequivocally reject this invitation”.

The board’s creation comes shortly after the announcement of a 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee, charged with managing the day-to-day governance of post-war Gaza.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/30/christopher-luxon-confirms-he-wont-join-donald-trumps-board-of-peace-for-gaza/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Explainer – The big flood of election adverts and billboards won’t start until closer to November, but the race to influence hearts and minds begins now.

There are many rules regulating disclosure, campaign spending and the timing of certain election advertisements.

There are still more than nine months before we vote on 7 November, which means the candidates and parties have plenty of time to pitch for your vote.

“The lengthy time period is advantageous for parties with more money to spend as they can effectively campaign for the whole year,” University of Otago professor of law Andrew Geddis said. “Based on recent donation returns, that’s National and ACT in particular.”

Here are the basic rules around political advertisements and what you can and can’t do.

Can people legally advertise before the election is even near?

Absolutely, although you won’t generally see election advertisements everywhere until closer to November.

“There is no restriction on when people can publish election advertisements, other than Election Day before 7pm,” the Electoral Commission legal and policy manager Kristina Temel said.

This can include online advertisements or print media.

However, you can’t put election advertisements on TV or radio until the official election regulated period starts.

Wait, what does that regulated period mean?

It’s when we start counting how much is being spent, for one thing. The regulated election period runs in the three months before Election Day – this year, from 7 August to 6 November.

Once that period begins, a bunch of strict rules around election spending kick in.

Electorate candidates are only allowed to spend up to $36,000 during the regulated period. This includes any advertising by someone else that is approved by the candidate.

Registered political parties can spend up to $1,503,000 if they contest the party vote plus $36,000 for each electorate candidate for the party. Registered third party promoters can spend up to $424,000 while unregistered third party promoters can spend up to $17,000.

Temel said that there are still some requirements about how campaign advertising is conducted outside the regulatory period.

“The regulated period is relevant for election expenditure limits, but both before, during and after the regulated period, obligations regarding promoter statements and written authorisation to publish election advertisements apply.”

And of course, all election advertising has to be taken down by midnight on 6 November, including billboards and online ads, and breaches can result in fines.

What counts as an advertisement?

They can be in the humble newspaper, on television, leaflets dropped in your mailbox or ads seen while scrolling online, or they can be big old billboards you see every time you drive to the supermarket.

The Electoral Commission’s candidate handbook defines them as “an advertisement that may reasonably be regarded as encouraging or persuading voters to vote, or not vote, for a candidate or party”, or alternatively, “a type of candidate or party the advertisement describes by referencing views they do or don’t hold”.

What that all means is that it’s anything that is trying to persuade you to vote a certain way.

Editorial content – news items such as RNZ reporting Christopher Luxon’s latest announcement, for example – doesn’t count as an advertisement.

Individuals posting their political views online doesn’t count, unless it’s paid content or someone claiming to speak for a political party, for example making a post saying they speak for the Green Party or New Zealand First or others.

An MP’s contact details also doesn’t count as election advertising, nor do columns or opinion pieces solicited or published by media with no payment involved.

There are no limitations on where candidates or advocacy groups can buy advertisements, or how often they can buy them, other than the spending limits during that designated regulation period, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) chief told RNZ.

“The ASA does not restrict election advertisements in those ways,” Hilary Souter said.

But if you are making an election ad, you’ve absolutely, positively got to include a promoter statement.

What’s a promoter statement, then?

Basically, it tells people who’s behind the advertisement. Those small notes you see on billboards telling you “authorised by Joe Bloggs” or something similar? That’s a promoter statement.

Promoter statements are required at all times, even outside the regulatory period, and they must include a name and contact details.

Advocacy groups such as Council of Trade Unions or Family First NZ also fall in this requirement.

They need to be “clearly displayed,” the Electoral Commission says – no 2-point font, please – and it notes “making your promoter statement too small will likely generate complaints”.

Even advertisements related to the election but not pushing one particular view – such as encouraging people to vote or enrol – must include a promoter statement.

If you don’t use a promoter statement, you can be fined up to $40,000 – which could pay for a lot of pamphlets – so it’s probably worth taking the time to credit your advert accordingly.

Elections NZ also can give advice on whether an ad counts as an election advertisement or not, by contacting advisory@elections.govt.nz.

What about election billboards?

There’s no actual national rule about election billboards waiting until the final weeks to go up.

However, election billboard rules are set by local councils and vary from place to place. For example, in Auckland election signs are only allowed nine weeks before Election Day.

“You should talk to your local council before you put up any election signs,” Elections NZ’s website warns.

In 2023 for instance, the ACT party was found to be in breach of electoral rules in Tasman and Marlborough districts by putting up large signs in June before the October election.

The Electoral Act says you can have election signs that are up to three square metres in size in the nine weeks before Election Day. And all those billboards are required to have the mandatory promoter statement, preferably not at microscopic size.

But the internet is likely to be the biggest battlefield in 2026, not billboards.

“The fact is that such blanket forms of advertising are very expensive and the spend-to-result ratio is not that efficient as most people simply are not really thinking about the election,” Geddis said.

“Which is why parties and candidates will put their money towards online messaging that they can target towards individuals they think are most likely to be influenced.”

A compilation of TV ads from the 2023 election:

[embedded content]

Are media companies obligated to be fair in the ads they run?

There’s no requirement for equal time, so if one party decides to buy more ads there’s no obligation for media to run an equal amount by another. It’s all about how much money political groups are willing to spend.

“Ultimately, the responsibility to be aware of and comply with all aspects of advertising regulation is shared between all the parties to an advertisement, including the advertiser, agencies, and media organisations,” the Advertising Standards Code says.

And if ads are misleading or violate the rules, there are several ways to file a complaint about them.

How do you make complaints?

The Electoral Commission deals with breaching of election advertising or Election Day rules under the Electoral Act, and election programmes under the Broadcasting Act. Offences could then be reported to the police.

When it comes to content, the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA), the Media Council and ASA can all field possible complaints about election adverts that fall in their jurisdiction.

The BSA oversees TV and radio, the ASA oversees ads in other media, and the Media Council looks at editorial content concerns.

“As in previous years, our focus will be on paid election advertising and compliance under the rules of social responsibility and truthful presentation,” the ASA’s Souter said.

Do all these rules apply in cyberspace?

Of course, the days of people only seeing election ads in newspapers and before the 6pm news are long past.

You’re likely to soon be bombarded by election content every time you start scrolling on your phone.

“We are acutely aware of the ongoing changes to the information environment and how rapidly technology is developing,” Temel said.

Broadly, the rules are just the same for online advertisements.

“Our election advertising rules are media-neutral in that the same requirements apply no matter where they appear,” Geddis said.

“As such, online election ads delivered through social media or elsewhere still must contain promoters statements that alert those receiving them as to who is behind the messages.”

What about AI ads? Are there rules about those?

AI-generated content has taken over much of the world these days, and it’s likely to only get worse this year.

There’s no specific regulations around the use of AI in political advertising, although in 2023 complaints were heard about its use in National campaign advertisements, while an ACT party ad with an AI-generated ‘happy Māori’ image last year also drew controversy.

“We have social media advice on our website for people on what to do if an election ad doesn’t look right,” Temel said.

“There are some checks that can be applied. Does the ad have a promoter statement saying who’s behind it? If it’s from a candidate or party, you can check if it’s on their social media account or website. If you’re not sure about it, don’t share it.”

Existing frameworks like the Harmful Digital Communications Act and Privacy Act also apply to AI content, while other advertising standards can also apply to misleading online election ads.

“The ASA codes do not currently contain AI-specific rules,” Souter said. “The codes apply regardless of how content is generated, edited, or targeted.”

Geddis notes the Electoral Act 1993 includes the offence of undue influence”, which prohibits using “any fraudulent means [to] impede or prevent the free exercise of the franchise of an elector”.

“The limits of this provision are relatively untested, but could be read to capture some AI-generated disinformation that is intended to discourage voters from casting a ballot,” he said.

Should the regulated period be longer when the election isn’t for months?

Geddis said the time between the announcement and Election Day isn’t actually unusually long this year.

“The gap between election announcement and Election Day is two to three weeks longer than in 2023, which is not hugely different.

“The problem is that the further the regulated period – where controls on campaign spending are in place – is pushed out from polling day, the more forms of political related speech get captured.

“It isn’t just candidates or parties that have caps on their election advertisements. All individuals or groups who publish these sorts of messages during the regulated period face spending caps.”

Geddis said because MPs and parties are prohibited from spending parliamentary funding on election advertising during the regulated period, “all parties have an interest in keeping this period at three months”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/30/election-2026-how-does-campaign-advertising-work-and-what-are-the-rules/

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Prime Minister is expected to attend Waitangi for the annual commemorations next week, RNZ understands.

Details on Christopher Luxon’s timetable are still yet to be revealed, but it is understood the Iwi Chairs Forum is expecting his attendance in the days leading up to the anniversary itself.

Luxon’s office is yet to confirm whether he will be there for the pōwhiri or the dawn service at Te Whare Rūnanga.

While a lot of focus goes on the Waitangi Day commemorations on the 6th, politicians are formally welcomed on the 5th.

Some opt to spend the whole week at Waitangi, to meet with iwi and soak up the atmosphere.

Last year, Christopher Luxon opted to go to Canterbury instead, spending the ‘political day’ in Christchurch to announce a roading upgrade.

He spent New Zealand’s national day in Akaroa, with Ngāi Tahu at Ōnuku Marae.

That will not be an option this year.

Ngāi Tahu, which usually alternates holding Waitangi Day events between Ōnuku, Awarua, and Ōtākou, is taking the unusual step of heading to Waitangi.

Ahead of Waitangi Day 2025, Luxon gave notice in December 2024 that he would not be going to Waitangi.

He revealed his actual destination a few days in advance.

At the time, Luxon said he held the view that he wanted to “go around the country” and visit the places where the Treaty was signed.

A historical precedent

Not every prime minister has been at Waitangi for Waitangi Day itself.

Helen Clark and Sir John Key both stopped going after falling out of favour.

After being heckled and jostled in 2004, Clark would go up for breakfast in subsequent years, but would not visit Te Tii Marae.

When Key was denied speaking rights in 2016, he opted to go to the NRL Nines in Auckland instead.

Sir Bill English, in his sole year as Prime Minister, spent the day with Ngāti Whātua at Ōrākei Marae.

When announcing the election date last week, Luxon said there was a protocol around when he would announce his decision, based on security reasons, and he would announce his decision “shortly,” while talking up the “positive reception” he received at Rātana.

He did not end up going to Rātana last week, instead focusing on the response to last week’s severe weather.

His decision was supported by the opposition and in speeches from the hau kāinga.

That may well have weighed on his mind when deciding whether to go to Waitangi.

The heat has gone somewhat out of the Treaty debate following the end of the Treaty Principles Bill.

But there is still a lot of hurt amongst Māori, with Waikato-Tainui leader Tuku Morgan saying the relationship with the Crown had become “pretty fractured.”

Plus, it is an election year.

The recent RNZ-Reid Research poll showed 62 percent of people think it is either very or somewhat important that New Zealand’s Prime Minister is in Waitangi for Waitangi Day. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/585236/nearly-40-percent-of-voters-think-treaty-of-waitangi-has-too-much-influence-on-government-decisions-poll

Politicians have their say

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour confirmed he would attend.

Last year, Seymour twice had the microphone taken away from him (although, wearing his own wireless microphone, his speech still made it out to ACT’s social media channels).

He said he would continue to go up and express his view that “we are all equal and alike in dignity and have the same opportunity in this country, regardless of when our ancestors got here”.

Asked whether the prime minister was also going, Seymour said he did not do Luxon’s diary.

“He’ll make his own decision. I’ve previously advocated that the celebrations should move around the country, so I understand if he wants to go to Christchurch or Ngāti Whātua, as he has in previous years. Equally, I’m from Northland and I quite like going up there myself.”

Sons of the North Winston Peters and Shane Jones will also be there, no doubt already preparing to give as good as they get.

Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka, who often speaks at Waitangi, said Waitangi was “the birthplace of the nation” and confirmed he would be there throughout the week.

He also said he was not responsible for Luxon’s diary, but said “all MPs” should be there.

“It represents the font of kotahitanga in our country, and I’m all about that, and I’m very supportive of that.”

Potaka said there had been volatility in the korero on the paepae, and in the relationship “for the last few decades,” and said the government was working to address longstanding grievances.

“We go with an open heart, with some views and some pretty strong convictions around what we need to do to get things like the economy back on track, and public services, but also with an absolute appetite to settle and implement Treaty claims, that’s where we’re at.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it was New Zealand’s national day, and a significant occasion.

“We’re heading up towards a very significant milestone. Two hundred years of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not that far away. Now’s the time for us to be looking to the future, sitting down, having those conversations about where do we want to be when we hit that very big milestone, how do we want to celebrate it, what do we want to do between now and then so we’ve got more to celebrate,” he said.

“Now’s the time to have those conversations, and the prime minister should be leading that.”

Teanau Tuiono from the Green Party also said the prime minister should attend.

“I think it’s appropriate that the prime minister should attend Waitangi Day. It is an important day, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our constitutional founding document and so he should show up. He should answer questions that the iwi have, that Māori have.”

Northland MP Grant McCallum confirmed he would be going, but deflected questions on whether the prime minister would be joining him.

“Waitangi is obviously a great place to be for Waitangi Day and I’m gonna be there as the local MP. And you guys are welcome to come and have a beer.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/29/prime-minister-expected-to-return-to-waitangi/

Source: Radio New Zealand

The PM and ministers are running late. The press conference will begin shortly in the media player above

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is about to speak to media at the Tai Rāwhiti Emergency Coordination Centre after visiting nearby weather-hit areas by helicopter.

He’s joined by Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Chris Penk.

Bishop earlier issued a statement, updating the status of roads around the country.

An estimated 1000 truckloads of debris still need to be cleared from State Highway Two through the Waioweka Gorge after the recent wild weather.

The Bay of Plenty road remains closed due to about 40 slips along the route.

Bishop said crews were working seven days a week, with the goal of reopening at least one lane as soon as it was safe.

State Highway 35 on the East Coast had also been hit hard, with one section between Te Araroa and Pōtaka likely to be out of action for some time.

Meanwhile, State Highway 25 between Whangamatā and Whiritoa was not expected to reopen until next month.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/29/pm-christopher-luxon-speaks-to-media-from-tai-rawhiti-emergency-coordination-centre/

Source: Radio New Zealand

A former Education Ministry employee says development of the new school curriculum was heavily politicised, causing extensive rewrites and sidelining subject experts.

Claire Coleman made the allegations during a submission to Parliament’s Education and Workforce Select Committee on the government’s Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill.

She told the committee the bill would politicise the education system by giving the government more direct control over the curriculum and over teachers’ professional standards.

“I know from my recent experience at the Ministry of Education the dangers of allowing a public service to be politicised,” she said.

“As a curriculum writer, I was asked to disregard the evidence, the research, and decades of my own experience.

“I watched colleagues run back and forth to the Beehive for approval, watched academics and sector experts be removed from writing teams in favour of corporate resource creators, and saw curriculum documents change radically over a matter of hours in response to the latest red-pen notes from ministers.

“Public servants and their expertise were routinely disregarded, bullied, and removed for not aligning with a predetermined outcome.”

There has been widespread criticism of curriculum development, including leaked emails showing concern within the ministry that some curriculum writers were not being appointed on merit.

The Education Ministry told RNZ ministerial approval of curriculums was normal.

“The ministry is responsible for writing the curriculum and has taken advice and worked with a wide range of local education experts, teachers and other stakeholders over a long period, to produce a knowledge-rich curriculum grounded in the science of learning,” it said.

“The curriculum-writing process is rigorous and includes multiple cycles of review and refinement. It combines evidence, insights, and experiences over the last 20 years with formal feedback and input from a wide range of groups from across the education sector.”

“Ministers have always been responsible for the curriculum sign-off as part of the process.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/29/ex-education-ministry-staffer-says-new-school-curriculum-heavily-politicised/

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) faced tough questioning at the Governance and Administration Select Committee in Parliament on Wednesday, much of it focused on the organisation’s banning of all powered watercraft used by local fire stations during water emergencies.

FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory acknowledged that the decision not to deliver a service was tough on communities, but said the organisation had to prioritise what capabilities they were willing and able to invest in.

He also said that FENZ was trying to work with the local councils, iwi and other community groups in Waikato to see if the Ngāruawāhia and Huntly rescue vessels could be run by someone else.

“There’s no doubt that those vessels add value into the community, the question is whether it’s Fire and Emergency’s [job] to allocate resource and financial impact into there to build that capability or whether that sits somewhere else in the community,” Gregory said.

He said it would cost millions to build that capability for New Zealand.

Waikato MP Tim van de Molen, who was on the committee, pushed back against this.

He said the brigades had built their own capability and had never asked FENZ for financial support or resources.

“In this instance we are not asking you to spend millions of dollars. The community fund-raised for the boat themselves, it funded all their own training requirements, they get donations to fund the fuel for it, it’s zero cost on FENZ to operate that and it has been operating safely for decades, why will you not let it continue?” van de Molen asked.

He suggested that FENZ was putting a checklist ahead of the safety of the community.

Gregory rejected that assessment.

“It’s not a checklist, it’s a responsibility of the organisation and we take that very seriously, the safety of our people, because they work in such dangerous situations,” he said.

FENZ deputy national commander Megan Stiffler told the committee she had international recognition for swift water rescue work. She suggested that the vessels used by Ngāruawāhia and Huntly volunteer fire stations were unsuitable.

“The motorised watercraft that I have seen you would never build in a swift water or water rescue programme of work,” she said.

Instead, she said FENZ supplied unmotorized watercraft to provide water rescue. This included land-based rescue where firefighters might throw a bag to someone in the water for them to grab, or paddled inflatables which can travel over shallow water.

Gregory said that what was offered by local stations was a legacy of a time before urban and rural fire services where unified under a new funding model and legislation in 2017.

“Eight years in it’s the right time to look at our organisation and say ‘are we fit-for-purpose, are we right-sized, where do we need to invest, where do we need to divest in and how to we make sure we are sustainable as an organisation going forward so that we can support New Zealanders’ so that’s what we are focused on,” he told the committee.

Van de Molen did not seem to accept this when it came to the grounding of Ngāruawāhia and Huntly’s watercraft.

“They’re both volunteer brigades, they have had for several decades motorized water response capabilities, they have had sign-off for that from the CEO of FENZ post-merger, they have compliance certificates from Maritime NZ to operate that, they have skipper courses for the personnel that operate that, they have MOSS system [Maritime Operator Safety System] – have a certificate of compliance for that – so I’m interested in what has changed?” he asked Stiffler.

She replied that FENZ had to authorize and task the crews for rescue and they would not be building that capability.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/01/29/fire-and-emergency-faces-tough-questions-over-decision-to-ground-its-watercraft/