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As Wellington City Council reviews its Long-Term Plan, a new Wellington Chamber of Commerce-Curia poll shows a significant majority of Wellington City residents believe the council is spending too much on cycleways. The poll shows three quarters of residents believe Wellington City Council is spending “too much” on its cycleway program. Voters of the five largest political parties believe the council is overspending on cycleways, including 51% of Green Party voters. Overall,

New Zealand’s consumers price index increased 2.2 percent in the September 2024 quarter, compared with the September 2023 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ. The 2.2 percent annual increase follows a 3.3 percent annual increase in the June 2024 quarter. “For the first time since March 2021, annual inflation is within the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s target band of 1 to 3 percent. Prices are still rising, but not as much as previously recorded,” consumer price

Investment in Apprenticeship Boost will prioritise critical industries and targeted occupations that are essential to addressing New Zealand’s skills shortages and rebuilding the economy, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston say. “By focusing Apprenticeship Boost on first-year apprentices in targeted occupations, we are providing employers in critical industries with the certainty to hire and retain

The launch of a new data tool will provide Kiwis with better access to important data, Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly says. “To grow our economy and improve productivity we must adopt smarter ways of working, which means taking a more data driven approach to decision-making. “As Statistics Minister one of my key ambitions is to make data more accessible for the general public and business owners, who might not have big budgets for market research but could benefit from the

Injury statistics for work-related claims give information about claims accepted by ACC for work-related injuries. A total of 226,600 work-related injury claims were made in 2023 (up 1,200 from 2022). The incidence rate for claims related to work-related injuries was 86 claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in 2023. This is the lowest rate since the start of the series in 2002. The manufacturing; agriculture, forestry, and fishing; and construction industries

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says upcoming changes to the Employment Relations Act will provide greater certainty for contractors and businesses. "The coalition Government has agreed to amending the Employment Relations Act to provide a gateway test that businesses can use when responding to a claim that a person is an employee and not a contractor,” says Ms van Velden. “If the working arrangement in question meets the four factors set out in the

Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This error prevents taxpayers who acquired an asset before April 2023 from using the simplified one-step adjustment calculation when there was a permanent change of

Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and payroll providers,” says Ms van Velden. “I want to ensure that business owners and workers can focus on what they do best, rather than spending valuable tim

Quarterly linked employer-employee data (LEED) provides statistics on filled jobs, job flows, worker flows, mean and median earnings for continuing jobs and new hires, and total earnings. ‘Filled jobs’ in linked employer-employee data (LEED) is defined as the number of jobs on the 15th day of the middle month of the reference quarter. There is no distinction between full-time or part-time jobs. This release contains actual data and compares data for the June 2023 quarter wit

The coalition Government is providing immediate relief to employers with upcoming seasonal peaks by creating a new subcategory of the Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV). “We know in the coming months a number of sectors will need a significant number of additional workers to undertake key seasonal roles,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. “Alongside the changes to the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, we’re also making it easier for employers to access other e

The coalition Government is supporting the growth of New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries, by revitalising the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Scheme and increasing the cap on the number of workers to 20,750 for the 2024/25 season. “Our Government is committed to increasing the number of RSE workers over time in line with industry demand, while balancing the availability of New Zealanders and accommodation for workers,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford

Labour market statistics provide a picture of the New Zealand labour market, including unemployment and employment rates, demand for labour, and changes in wages and salaries. In the June 2024 quarter, compared with the March 2024 quarter, the: Unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, compared with 4.4 percent Underutilisation rate was 11.8 percent, up from 11.2 percent Employment rate remained at 68.4 percent. In the year to the June 2024 quarter: All salary and wage rates (includ

The cost of living for the average New Zealand household increased 5.4 percent in the 12 months to the June 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ. The 5.4 percent increase, measured by the household living-costs price indexes (HLPIs), follows a 6.2 percent increase in the 12 months to the March 2024 quarter. The most recent high was 8.2 percent recorded in the 12 months to the December 2022 quarter. Meanwhile, inflation – as measured by the consumers price i

After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high… people are keen to have a bit more time to have their say,” says Mr Seymour. “Parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research bodies, and others connected to the sector have all co

Wednesday’s Consumer Price Index data which has inflation at 3.3 percent for the year to July 2024, shows we are turning our economy around and winning the fight against rampant inflation, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “While today’s data will be welcome news for Kiwis, I know many New Zealanders are still struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Our work is not done and the Government are committed to rebuilding our economy so that workers, businesses and fa

The coalition Government is proud to announce the launch of its Climate Strategy, a comprehensive and ambitious plan aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change and preparing for its future effects, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Strategy is built on five core pillars and underscores the Government’s commitment to delivering on our climate change goals,” Mr Watts says. The pillars are: Infrastructure is resilient and communities are well prepared Credible

Councils, iwi, businesses and community organisations with infrastructure projects that support regional priorities are invited to apply for funding from the Regional Infrastructure Fund. “The Coalition Government is focused on growing the economy. We are doing everything we can to enable an export-led recovery, regional prosperity and jobs,” Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) will drive regional productivity, prosperity and

New Zealand’s total exports were valued at $7.2 billion in the May 2024 month, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. This is the first time that monthly exports have reached $7 billion. Trade values are not adjusted for price changes. The previous high for monthly exports was $6.95 billion in May 2023. “May months are typically a peak time for exports, being the height of the fruit season, and strong periods for meat, dairy, and vegetable exports,” international tr

A substantial consultation on work health and safety is now open. The Government want to start a conversation about New Zealand’s work health and safety regulatory system, particularly your experiences with it, how you think it’s working now, and what you think should change. They are interested in your feedback on the regulatory system - the law and regulations, the supporting information (e.g. guidance and approved codes of practice), the regulators, and the responsibilitie

Removing the ban on petroleum exploration beyond onshore Taranaki is part of a suite of proposed amendments to the Crown Minerals Act to deal with the energy security challenges posed by rapidly declining natural gas reserves, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “When the exploration ban was introduced by the previous government in 2018, it not only halted the exploration needed to identify new sources, but it also shrank investment in further development of our known gas fi