Stories from Wellington · New Zealand

New Zealand has reached a tipping point for solar power adoption. Money correspondent Susan Edmonds-Mordin reported that homeowners installing solar panels will see increased savings. The report discussed the implications of this shift for residential energy use.

An adjustment factor for Cook Strait ferry transport rose as of May 3, 2026. The fee applies monthly to commercial vehicles and trucks moving freight across the strait.

Tangata Tariiti, Chief Executive of Huiye, expressed concern regarding the potential merging of ring-fenced lottery funds. She noted that specialist committees currently distribute more than $220 million annually to community sector groups.

The state drug buyer, Pharmac, is considering feedback on an application from the Meningitis Foundation. The application requests funding for vaccines for all individuals aged 13 to 25. The decision follows reports of rapid symptom progression in affected patients.

A leaked report prepared for the TAB states the horse racing and breeding industry is unsustainable without additional tax breaks. The report was prepared by a committee that includes two major donors to the New Zealand First party.

The New Zealand government has committed $400 million to develop tools to reduce agricultural methane, including vaccines and low-methane genetics. This follows the decision last year to scrap a plan to tax agricultural methane by 2030 in favor of a technology-led approach.

A new agricultural company has been founded by university graduates. The company aims to innovate within the agricultural sector. In 2017, Chen Gejiang and two university students founded an agricultural company.

The government's chief digital officer acknowledged that there is currently no formal public sector strategy in place.

A total of 41 people have drowned so far this year in New Zealand. Increased economic pressure to provide food may be causing individuals to take greater risks, such as fishing alone. Water Safety New Zealand reported that the number of drownings occurring across the country this year is tracking higher than the previous year. No specific casualty numbers or locations were provided in the report. The statement was made during a broadcast on RNZ National.

The ACT Party in New Zealand is proposing new immigration policies to identify individuals overstaying visas. Leader David Seymour stated that approximately 20,000 people are currently overstaying their visas. The party plans to test platform companies, such as Uber and DoorDash, to verify the legal residency status of their workers. Other proposed measures include deporting serious offenders and strengthening English language requirements. The proposal aims to test these companies' compliance with immigration standards. Immigration lawyer Alistair McClements stated that the proposed welfare changes are unnecessary because the vast majority of migrants arrive with existing employment. McClements suggested the announcement does not significantly alter the current immigration regime.