Articles tagged with Ct
Showing 15 of 1019 articles
Road Cone Hotline Pilot Ends Early, Paving Way for Risk-Based Traffic Management
17 Dec 2025, 12:00 PM | 9 months ago | 1448 viewsThe road cone digital hotline pilot concluded early after six months of collecting data and building relationships with road authorities, revealing that excessive cone use was often due to councils not applying NZTA’s latest risk-based temporary traffic management guidelines. The pilot met its goals by giving the public a voice, identifying root causes, and clarifying WorkSafe’s enforcement role, while prompting councils to comply fully with new guidelines by July 2027. WorkSafe will continue integrating this approach into its inspections and use lessons from the pilot to improve public and business feedback responses.
Tags: Brooke van Velden NZTA WorkSafe Workplace Relations and Safety Minister road cone hotline temporary traffic management councils pilot project traffic management guidelinesNew Zealand Updates Hydrogen Safety Rules to Boost Innovation and Growth
17 Dec 2025, 11:04 AM | 9 months ago | 1402 viewsThe New Zealand Government is updating health and safety regulations to better support the growth and innovation of the hydrogen sector, addressing outdated rules that hinder development. These changes include specific requirements for hydrogen infrastructure, easier approval processes, and adoption of international standards, aiming to balance safety with reduced compliance costs. By implementing these reforms, the government seeks to accelerate hydrogen adoption, drive economic growth, create jobs, and advance sustainable energy goals under the Hydrogen Action Plan.
Tags: Simon Watts Brooke van Velden New Zealand Government Hydrogen Energy Minister Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Hydrogen Action Plan Health and Safety Regulations Sustainable EnergyNew Zealand Sees Faster Access and Shorter ED Stays in Mental Health Services Q1 2025
17 Dec 2025, 9:18 AM | 9 months ago | 1431 viewsNew data for Q1 2025/26 shows significant improvements in New Zealand’s mental health and addiction access targets, with faster access to primary and specialist services and shorter emergency department stays compared to Q1 2024/25. Progress is evident nationally and across Māori, Pacific, and Asian communities, though shorter ED stays remain the biggest challenge, with efforts focused on supporting under-performing health districts. Minister Matt Doocey emphasizes the goal of equitable access to mental health support nationwide, crediting frontline workers for these advancements.
Tags: Matt Doocey New Zealand mental health addiction support emergency departments primary mental health specialist services Māori Pacific peoples Asian communitiesReserve Bank Eases Capital Requirements to Boost NZ Bank Competition and Lending
17 Dec 2025, 9:06 AM | 9 months ago | 1375 viewsFinance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed the Reserve Bank’s decision to ease some capital requirements imposed on banks in 2019, including adjustments to risk weights. These changes aim to enhance competition, particularly benefiting smaller banks and increasing lending to key sectors like agriculture. The revised requirements maintain prudence while promoting a more balanced approach between risk management and fostering competition, with gradual implementation planned.
Tags: Nicola Willis Reserve Bank Finance Minister New Zealand banking sector capital requirements risk weights competition lending agriculture sectorNew Election Laws Boost Efficiency with Early Enrolment and Digital Updates
16 Dec 2025, 11:33 PM | 9 months ago | 1436 viewsThe Government has passed legislation to improve election efficiency by closing enrolment 13 days before election day, allowing automatic enrolment updates, and removing postal requirements to better manage voter participation. Additional changes include extending advance voting to 12 days, reinstating a prisoner voting ban for certain sentences, adjusting donor reporting thresholds, and introducing penalties for providing inducements near polling places. The Bill also enhances Electoral Commission operations, modifies candidate and party registration rules, and supports a separate bill to ensure executive government continuity post-election.
Tags: Paul Goldsmith New Zealand Electoral Commission Government Justice Minister elections legislation Constitution Act 1986 prisoner voting ban advance votingNew Earthquake-Prone Building Law Brings $8.2B Relief for NZ Owners
16 Dec 2025, 8:48 PM | 9 months ago | 1479 viewsNew legislation refocuses New Zealand's earthquake-prone building system to target only the highest-risk buildings, easing financial burdens on many owners by removing low-risk areas and smaller buildings from mandatory remediation. This approach is expected to save over $8.2 billion nationwide, preserve heritage buildings, and revitalize communities by allowing longer remediation deadlines and reducing unnecessary costs. The Bill, now with the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee, aims to balance safety with affordability while addressing regional seismic risks more appropriately.
Tags: Chris Penk New Zealand Building and Construction Minister seismic risk unreinforced masonry Auckland Northland Chatham Islands Transport and Infrastructure Select CommitteeNew Zealand Passes First Reading of New Planning Bills to Replace RMA in 2026
16 Dec 2025, 5:30 PM | 9 months ago | 1660 viewsNew Zealand’s Parliament has passed the first reading of the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, which together will replace the Resource Management Act 1991 with a modern planning system aimed at boosting economic growth, simplifying regulations, and protecting the environment. The Planning Bill focuses on reducing red tape, consolidating regional plans, and streamlining consents, while the Natural Environment Bill sets clear environmental limits and promotes proportionate regulation with respect for property rights and Treaty settlements. These reforms are projected to save $13.3 billion over 30 years, facilitate infrastructure and housing development, support primary industries, and are open for public input through the select committee process before aiming for enactment in 2026.
Tags: Chris Bishop Simon Court New Zealand Resource Management Act Planning Bill Natural Environment Bill RMA Reform Parliament environmental reform select committeeNew Zealand Health Progress: Faster Cancer Care, Immunisations & Shorter Waits
16 Dec 2025, 3:18 PM | 9 months ago | 1393 viewsNew Zealand has seen year-on-year improvements in healthcare access, including faster cancer treatment, higher childhood immunisation rates, and shorter waits for surgeries and specialist assessments, despite a busy winter and union strikes. The government’s investments, such as a $604 million boost to Pharmac and the Elective Boost program, have contributed to these gains by delivering new medicines and additional procedures. Health Minister Simeon Brown emphasizes ongoing efforts to ensure timely, quality care for all Kiwis, supported by increased funding and frontline staff.
Tags: Simeon Brown Pharmac New Zealand healthcare workers cancer treatment childhood immunisations elective surgery emergency departments Elective Boost health targetsProtecting Antarctica: Strengthening the Antarctic Treaty System for Future Generations
16 Dec 2025, 11:32 AM | 9 months ago | 1418 viewsThe speech emphasizes New Zealand’s proud Antarctic heritage, highlighting historic explorers like Frank Worsley and Sir Edmund Hillary, and underscores the significance of the Antarctic Treaty System in preserving Antarctica for peaceful purposes and scientific research. It addresses and dispels myths about the Treaty’s expiration and strength, affirming its indefinite status and robust international support despite geopolitical challenges. The speaker calls on parliamentarians to actively support and protect the Treaty System, stressing collective responsibility and adaptability to ensure Antarctica remains a unique zone of peace, environmental protection, and scientific cooperation.
Tags: Andrew Bayly Mark Stewart Ainsley Walter Nigel Watson Winston Peters Frank Worsley Ernest Shackleton Edmund Hillary Peter Hillary Antarctic TreatyProtecting Antarctica: The Antarctic Treaty System and Global Cooperation
16 Dec 2025, 11:32 AM | 9 months ago | 1403 viewsThe keynote address highlighted New Zealand’s deep Antarctic heritage, emphasizing the heroic exploration history and the establishment of the Antarctic Treaty, which ensures peaceful use, scientific cooperation, and environmental protection of the continent. It addressed misconceptions about the Treaty’s longevity and strength, affirming that the Antarctic Treaty System remains robust and capable of managing future challenges through international collaboration. The speech concluded with a call for continued parliamentary support to safeguard the Treaty System, urging collective action to preserve Antarctica’s unique status as a peaceable, protected, and scientifically prioritized region.
Tags: Andrew Bayly Mark Stewart Ainsley Walter Nigel Watson Winston Peters Frank Worsley Ernest Shackleton Edmund Hillary Peter Hillary Antarctic TreatyKermadec Arc Mineral Reservation Extended Two Years to Protect Marine Ecosystems
16 Dec 2025, 10:27 AM | 9 months ago | 1389 viewsThe Kermadec Arc north of New Zealand will remain under a two-year reservation, continuing restrictions on mineral permitting to protect its unique marine ecosystems and potential critical mineral deposits. Established under the Crown Minerals Act 1991, the reservation covers 412,690 km² and aims to support informed, strategic management aligned with New Zealand’s Minerals Strategy to 2040. The extension, effective from January 2026 to January 2028, allows time for improved research and data collection before future decisions on mineral development are made.
Tags: Kermadec Arc New Zealand Shane Jones mineral permitting Crown Minerals Act Kermadec Ridge copper zinc gold Minerals Strategy 2040New Zealand Government Launches Digital Agency to Boost Efficiency and Cut IT Costs
16 Dec 2025, 9:43 AM | 9 months ago | 1448 viewsThe New Zealand Government is modernising digital services by simplifying and coordinating IT systems through logical groupings of agencies sharing common platforms to reduce duplication and improve efficiency. A new Government Digital Delivery Agency will be established under the Public Service Commission to centralise digital investment and procurement, potentially saving $3.9 billion over five years. These reforms aim to make government services simpler, faster, and more cost-effective, supporting fiscal discipline, productivity, and sustainable economic growth.
Tags: Judith Collins New Zealand Government Digital Services Public Service Commission Government Digital Delivery Agency Government Chief Digital Officer IT Systems Digital Investment Public Sector Efficiency Technology SpendWellington Launches Roadside Drug Testing to Crack Down on Drug-Impaired Driving
15 Dec 2025, 3:54 PM | 9 months ago | 1348 viewsRoadside drug testing has begun in the Wellington District as part of a nationwide rollout by mid-2026 to deter drug-impaired driving, targeting substances like cannabis, methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine. Police will use saliva-based screening devices at the roadside, with positive tests leading to laboratory analysis and potential penalties including fines, demerit points, and driving prohibitions. Drivers refusing tests face immediate penalties, and prescription or medical notes cannot prevent testing, though medical defenses may be applied after infringement.
Tags: Chris Bishop Mark Mitchell Wellington District New Zealand roadside drug testing THC methamphetamine MDMA cocaineNational Wild Goat Hunting Competition Removes 10,349 Goats in NZ This Year
13 Dec 2025, 12:52 PM | 10 months ago | 1374 viewsThe National Wild Goat Hunting Competition in New Zealand, now in its third year, has removed over 33,000 wild goats, helping protect native ecosystems through hunter-led conservation. The event, supported by the Department of Conservation, the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association, and sponsors, engaged 863 participants, including many youth, promoting conservation and encouraging outdoor activity. With strong backing from the hunting community and significant prizes, the competition has positively influenced hunter behavior and become a key annual event.
Tags: James Meager National Wild Goat Hunting Competition New Zealand Department of Conservation New Zealand Deerstalkers Association wild goats hunting community hunting sector conservation outcomesWellington Hospital Installs Advanced SPECT-CT Scanner for Faster, Safer Imaging
13 Dec 2025, 10:36 AM | 10 months ago | 1452 viewsWellington Regional Hospital has installed a new SPECT-CT scanner featuring advanced imaging technology that provides faster, higher-quality scans with reduced radiation exposure, complementing an existing modern unit. This combined imaging technology enhances disease detection, diagnosis accuracy, and treatment monitoring for various patients, including those with cancer and children needing specialized imaging. The installation is part of a nationwide $108 million government upgrade to diagnostic imaging, which also includes refurbishing the scanning room to improve patient comfort.
Tags: Wellington Regional Hospital Simeon Brown Nuclear Medicine CT scan diagnostic imaging cancer treatment MRI patient care New Zealand