Stories from Wellington · New Zealand

New Zealand Members of Parliament voted 223 to 112 to reject a Conservative-led motion. The decision means Kea Stahler will not face the Privileges Committee regarding claims of misleading the House.

New Zealand has delivered $3 million in support for a specific scheme. The New Zealand Defence Force has delivered a range of relief supplies to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea in recent days. The $3 million package follows requests for urgent humanitarian aid after tropical cyclone Mila earlier this month. The package aims to assist the affected regions after the recent weather event. The announcement was made during a broadcast on RNZ National.

Worker Sharifat Salaze delivers parcels to individuals who do not qualify for MSD support due to their visa status. These individuals often cannot afford petrol to visit food banks. The Fair Food Bank operates seven days a week, 12 hours a day, to support 70 charities. Food banks in New Zealand are experiencing a rise in demand, particularly among older people. Michelle Blauci stated that organizations are struggling financially, noting that most funding comes through private donations and community grants rather than government support. The Food Secure Communities grant provides some assistance, but organizations continue to operate with minimal resources. Blauci described the current financial state of these organizations as running on the smell of an oily rag. Government support covers approximately 5% of total operating costs for food banks in New Zealand.

Green MP Ricardo Menendez-March has called for an end to perceived double standards regarding language proficiency requirements. Failure to lower these requirements could impact the livelihoods of hundreds of drivers and disrupt local public transport services.

The government is introducing measures to crack down on the sale and misuse of nitrous oxide. Large canisters will be automatically classified as psychoactive substances unless they have a documented lawful use. The gas currently has legitimate medical and commercial applications, including anesthesia and whipped cream propellant. The move aims to target misuse of the substance. Currently, enforcement for recreational use requires proof of intent, but new regulations will remove this requirement. All importers will be required to obtain approval from the Director-General of Health. All large canisters exceeding 10 grams will be automatically regulated under the Act. The government is taking further steps to reduce the recreational use of nitrous oxide, also known as "little nangs." The announcement was made during the RNZ Morning Report.

Warnings are growing regarding New Zealand's national debt. Political battles are expected during the upcoming election year over the sale of state-owned assets. The potential sale list includes Landcourt, over 100 farms, and the Met service.

The New Zealand Education Ministry expects student numbers to drop this year after reaching a record high last year. This follows a period of growth in the sector. The decline is described as the start of a slow downward trend in overall numbers. The Ministry of Education reported that national school rolls rose by approximately 90,000 children over 11 years to reach nearly 850,000 last year. This growth was attributed to a birth rate increase between 2007 and 2010 and high net migration. The ministry predicts a decline in numbers as the mini-baby boom cohort leaves the school system. While this year will see only a few thousand fewer students, declines are projected by 2035.

Mary Becker, a nurse at a youth inpatient facility, stated that proposed changes in the Employment Leave Bill would reduce her annual pay by nearly $3,000.

New Zealand Police have extended their contract with Japanese technology firm NEC to maintain fingerprinting services. The extension follows delays in the tender process for a new National Automated Fingerprint Identification System that began in 2024.

Submissions closed today regarding proposed changes to New Zealand immigration laws. The changes would remove the right to appeal for overstayers on visitor visas or temporary migrants who commit a crime.