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Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is consulting with manufacturers to help businesses focus on managing genuine risks rather than navigating red tape. “We’re simplifying machine guarding rules and reviewing exposure standards to reduce complexity and improve consistency in the manufacturing sector,” says Ms van Velden. The proposed changes aim to ensure standards reflect real-world risks and alig

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced the establishment of a new institute to grow New Zealand’s advanced technology sector and boost high-value exports. Minister Reti says the new public research organisation, to be named the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology (NZIAT), will play a leading role in turning world-class science into commercial success. “The Institute will focus

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The Government’s responsible fiscal management has supported the Reserve Bank to keep the Official Cash Rate low, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced it would keep the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 3.25% while continuing to foreshadow further reductions in the OCR. “There has been a 2.25 percentage point reduction in the Official Cash Rate since August last year – easing the cost

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market. The seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the May 2025 month (compared with the April 2025 month) went up 0.1% overall (1,689 jobs) to 2.35 million filled jobs. This went down by 34,237 jobs (1.4%) compared with May 2024. Primary industries went up by 0.4% (439 jobs) and service industries went up by 0.1% (1,990 jobs), while goods-producing

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The Government has passed a change to the Employment Relations Act that reinstates the ability for employers to make pay deductions during partial strikes – making the system fairer for all, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announced today. “These changes will help both employers and unions to return to the bargaining table and restores the law to what it was before the previous government remov

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says amendments to the Employment Relations Act will improve labour market flexibility and help businesses to grow, innovate, and employ with confidence and certainty. “Today I’m announcing the introduction of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill to Parliament, marking a key milestone in this government’s efforts to help New Zealand businesses employ or contra

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Business employment data includes filled jobs and gross earnings, with breakdowns by industry, sex, age, region, and territorial authority area, using a combination of data from two different Inland Revenue sources: the employer monthly schedule (EMS) and payday filing. Both are associated with PAYE (pay as you earn) tax data. Total actual filled jobs in the March 2025 quarter were 2.26 million. In the March 2025 quarte

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: As part of broader health and safety reforms, WorkSafe will significantly refocus from an enforcement agency to one that engages early to support businesses and individuals to manage their critical risks, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says. “During my public consultation, I heard many concerns from a wide range of Kiwi businesses and workers about WorkSafe’s inconsistency, culture and lack o

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market. Key facts: Changes in the seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the April 2025 month (compared with the March 2025 month) were: all industries – down 0.1% (2,246 jobs) to 2.35 million filled jobs primary industries – up 0.1% (108 jobs) goods-producing industries – down 0.3% (1,393 jobs) service industries – down 0.1% (1,081 jobs). The foll

The Coalition Government’s second Budget has landed, attempting to strike a balance between responsible spending and investment in business growth. The Government has identified $21 billion of savings over the next 4 years, reinvesting them into health, education, defence, law and order – and a flagship policy for business: a $1.7 billion a year package known as ‘Investment Boost’. The new scheme will incentivise capital investment by allowing businesses to claim tax deductio

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The Government is removing tax roadblocks to investment, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “Budget 2025 sets aside $75 million over the next four years to encourage foreign investment in New Zealand infrastructure and make it easier for startups to attract and retain high quality staff. “These changes demonstrate the Government’s commitment to driving the economic growth needed to create jobs, lift incomes and fund p

Tomorrow the coalition Government of National, ACT & New Zealand First will announce Budget 2025. The task for the Government is to walk a line that ensures fiscal responsibility, while still investing in measures that will help New Zealanders get ahead. Many of the measures in this year’s Budget have been announced in advance, though there are always surprises to be revealed on Budget Day. Read on to discover what it means for business and what to expect on Budget Day. Budge

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The Government has announced changes to the Equal Pay Act. The Government is committed to maintaining a process to raise and resolve pay equity claims and these changes aim to make the process workable and sustainable. The changes to the Equal Pay Act through the Equal Pay Amendment Act include an updated process to raise and resolve claims of sex-based undervaluation in the pay of female-dominated work when a pay equit

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1% in the March 2025 quarter, unchanged from last quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ last week. In the March 2025 quarter: the unemployment rate was 5.1% • the employment rate was 67.2% annual wage inflation was 2.9% average ordinary time hourly earnings were $42.79. “Seasonally adjusted levels of unemployment remained at 156,000 between the December 2024 a

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Employment indicators provide an early indication of changes in the labour market. Changes in the seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the March 2025 month (compared with the February 2025 month) were: All industries – up 0.2 percent (3,548 jobs) to 2.36 million filled jobs Primary industries – up 0.4 percent (462 jobs) Goods-producing industries – up 0.1 percent (453 jobs) Service industries – up 0.2 percent (2,762 jobs

Executive Summary Wellington businesses play an essential role in the prosperity of our capital, providing employment, value for customers and tourists, producing exports, helping build key infrastructure and sharing the benefits of growth. Businesses are a critical part of our community and deserve a say in the city’s future, especially in light of the significant contribution businesses pay in commercial rates. Businesses are happy to pay for their share of Council services

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: The electronic card transactions (ECT) series covers debit, credit, and charge card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants. The series can be used to indicate changes in consumer spending and economic activity. Based on the value of electronic card transactions for the March 2025 month (compared with February 2025), spending in the retail industries decreased 0.8% ($52 million). Durables, hospitality, fuel and ap

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says changes are coming to support freedom of choice and reduce the burden on employers when new employees start in a role. The Government has agreed to repeal the changes made by the previous government by removing the 30-day rule and reducing related employer obligations. “Currently, if a collective agreement is in place the employee’s individual agreement must

This week the Government announced a series of proposed changes to health and safety laws. The changes are intended to clear up confusion, bring down the cost of compliance, and allow firms to focus on what matters most – keeping people safe. A series of announcements were made this week, focused on small business, recreational land owners, company directors and Approved Codes of Practice. The changes won’t take effect until they’re passed through Parliament, which is expecte

Here's what is leading the news for employers this week: Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says safe harbours of deemed compliance will be created to increase business and worker certainty about what they need to do to comply with their health and safety duties. Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) are practical guidelines to help people in specific sectors and industries to comply with their health and safety duties. “Health and safety compliance is bas