Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

National Party members are gathering in Lower Hutt this weekend for the party's Annual General Meeting, with the economy expected to dominate discussions and a new election policy announcement anticipated from party leader Christopher Luxon. Report by elocal · The AGM comes at a critical time for the governing party as it seeks to build momentum heading towards the November election while managing the political and economic fallout from New…

The India FTA entrenches policies that would not survive the floor of Parliament on their own - uncappable immigration, CBDC, UNDRIP, transfer of our cultivars to a competitor, a US$20B obligation enforceable by India. FTAs used to be about trade. By Joshua Riley · The India Free Trade Agreement has been presented to New Zealanders as a breakthrough deal - one that opens a vast market of 1.4 billion people and promises new opportunities for…

The Green Party's latest tax proposal is being marketed as a solution to inequality. I see it differently. I see it as envy dressed up as economic policy. A wealth tax. An inheritance tax. Higher corporate taxes. More levies on productive enterprise. More government intervention into the lives and assets of people who have spent decades building businesses, creating jobs, taking risks and generating prosperity. The question New Zealanders…

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has strongly criticised New Zealand First's proposal to abolish Auckland's Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB), describing the move as "dumb, racist stuff" and questioning why the Government was choosing to focus on the issue during a period of economic pressure for many New Zealanders. Report by elocal · The comments come after New Zealand First introduced a Member's Bill seeking to disestablish the Independent…

After what has felt like a very quiet few weeks around New Zealand's fuel ports, we're finally starting to see a bit more movement in the system. G'day everyone. · The good news is that fuel is still flowing. · The other good news is that several vessels are now either alongside, arriving, or scheduled across the country over the coming fortnight. That's a noticeable improvement from the sparse activity we've been tracking recently. · At…

What many New Zealanders see as a garden ornament, souvenir, or discarded shell is being transformed into luxury products for some of the world's most exclusive brands and customers. · A Southland-based company is exporting an estimated one million pāua shells annually, supplying international markets that value the iridescent shell as a premium decorative material for jewellery, luxury packaging, furniture, fashion accessories and even royal…

New Zealand's first person convicted of both human trafficking and slavery offences will be released from prison next month after the Parole Board granted parole following his third appearance before the board. Joseph Matamata, also known as Viliamu Samu, was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment after becoming the first person convicted under New Zealand's modern human trafficking legislation. · The case shocked the country and exposed what…

Two official investigations have found a series of serious failures by health services and police led to an 11-year-old autistic Māori girl being mistaken for an adult mental health patient, restrained, and injected with sedatives inside an adult psychiatric facility. By eLocal Report · The findings, released by the Ministry of Health and the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC), describe a chain of errors that culminated in a non-verbal…

A rare public disagreement has emerged inside the coalition government after Finance Minister Nicola Willis criticised Regional Development Minister Shane Jones over a $30,000 budget blowout on an overseas trip to Canada. By eLocal Report · The controversy centres on a March 2025 trip by Jones to the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference, one of the world's largest mining events. · The trip was originally approved by…

The NZ Outdoors and Freedom Party is calling on Parliament to reject the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Amendment Bill, warning it reduces safeguards that protect New Zealand’s environment, our GE-free reputation and status, and the wider community. The Party argues that the Bill prioritises “efficiency” over outcome, exposing the environment to risks from unforeseen and uncertain consequences. It increases risks to the community by…