Employer Bulletin

The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand decreased by $138 million (0.5%) in the June 2026 quarter compared with the March 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ.

Electricity network costs are driving most of the increases in New Zealanders’ power bills and the sector needs to help make power more affordable, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer say.

Kiwi businesses can now find their share of the $400 million a year the government puts into business grants, funds, and equity schemes in minutes rather than hours, with the launch of the upgraded Funding Explorer, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Cameron Brewer says.

New Zealand’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in the June 2026 quarter, in figures released by Stats NZ. “This compared with 5.4 percent in the March 2026 quarter,” labour market spokesperson Abby Johnston says.

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.

The Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) has now supported more than $10 billion invested by businesses in research and development (R&D) activity, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Penny Simmonds says.

Amendments to the primary work health and safety law, the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, have now received Royal Assent. The amendments aim to focus the health and safety system on critical risk so that businesses are clear about the most important things to focus on. It’s part of the government’s wider health and safety reforms.

Kiwi businesses are on track for up to $800 million a year in productivity gains once eInvoicing is fully adopted, with uptake already more than doubling in the past year as businesses get paid faster and spend less time on paperwork, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Cameron Brewer says.

The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill has passed its third reading, marking a major milestone in the Government’s overhaul of New Zealand’s health and safety system, and delivering on the ACT-National coalition agreement, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says.

Legislation to implement the historic New Zealand – India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has passed its first reading, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says. “India is one of the world’s largest economies and is the fastest-growing economy in the G20. With a GDP equivalent to seven trillion New Zealand dollars and an average growth of 8.25 percent since 2021, it represents a major opportunity for New Zealand businesses.

This week’s GDP figures confirm the economy had real momentum at the beginning of this year, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ figures put GDP growth for the March 2026 quarter at 0.8 percent.

New Zealand's small businesses are getting a boost of AI-powered support to unlock new growth opportunities with new Government funding announced today, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Cameron Brewer says.

The first of two shipments of New Zealand’s diesel reserve is now on its way to New Zealand, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say.

Budget 2026 is a responsible Budget that boosts funding for essential services and invests in the infrastructure New Zealand needs for the future without breaking the bank, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The Government is embarking on a fundamental overhaul of the public service to improve services, lift productivity and deliver better value for money, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Minister for the Public Service and Digitising Government Paul Goldsmith say.

The Government has simplified the Fuel Response Plan preparing for the unlikely event of a prolonged global fuel shortage, based on feedback from consultation with businesses, industry leaders and other key stakeholders.

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: New Zealand and Singapore have today signed a major agreement to protect the movement of essential goods such as fuel and food. The signing of the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES), witnessed by Prime Ministers Christopher Luxon and Lawrence Wong, guarantees neither country will impose export restrictions on an agreed list of goods – including fuel, foodstuffs, construction materials and other essential s

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The Government has secured an additional nine days of diesel supply to boost New Zealand’s fuel reserves and help shield the country from the global oil shock, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say. Following a contestable procurement process, the Government has signed a letter of intent with Z Energy today to procure 90 million litres of NZ specification diesel. Under the terms of

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Minister for Social Development and Employment Louise Upston, welcomes new figures out today showing more New Zealanders moved off the benefit and into work over the year to March 2026, even as economic conditions remain challenging. “5,580 more people left the benefit for work during the year ending March 2026 compared to the same period the year before,” Louise Upston says. “Quarterly comparisons are also positive, wi

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The government welcomes new data showing New Zealand’s international visitor numbers continue to rise, with particularly strong growth from people visiting from China over Chinese New Year. “Our tourism sector continues its strong growth, with over 408,000 overseas visitors choosing to visit New Zealand in February 2026, over 53,000 more than the same time a year ago,” Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says