The Government is proposing several changes to the laws governing the sale and supply of alcohol, including making it easier to allow bars to open during major sporting events.  Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee today unveiled proposed reform of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, claiming it focuses on “restoring fairness and practicality to the system without compromising public safety”.  Among the changes, soon to be introduced to the House, was a “fairer” licensing process which would only allow objections to a licence application to come from those residing in the same council area.  It would also allow applicants a right of reply to any objectors.  The changes would enable hairdressers and barbers to supply small amounts of alcohol to customers without a licence, a change previously announced by the Government.  Premises like wineries, such as breweries and meaderies, and distilleries, would also be allowed to hold both on- and off-licences to support cellar door sales.  Digital identity credentials would be considered approved evidence of age for alcohol purchases under the new bill.  The reform also addressed calls for a simpler process to allow bars and other venues to open and serve alcohol outside their licensed hours during major sporting events.  It was an issue raised almost every time a sporting event like a World Cup was being held outside typical hours and would require the Government to pass special legislation each time to allow pubs to open.  McKee’s reform would enable the responsible minister to declare a “stand-alone exemption” to licensing requirements for national televised events.  This would be achieved through the Order in Council legal instrument, in which members of the executive advised the Governor-General to give effect to a government decision.  McKee’s bill was expected to be introduced to the House in the coming months and reach select committee by the end of the year.  Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangarei and the Herald in Auckland.  Read...

Visitor-reliant industries are lauding the Government’s decision to establish an investment fund for drawing major events to New Zealand. Duco Events founder David Higgins called the move “music to our ears”. Yesterday Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he’d approached Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston and requested a “total rethink” on how Aotearoa approaches major events. “I think that is something that is genuinely stimulating economic activity. You need to because it’s a pipeline of activity,” Luxon told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking. “You’ve actually got to stuff it with things that may not pay off just this month, but actually will pay off in a year or two ahead as well. “And you’ve got to signal that. So I’ve asked for a total rethink on major events.” He told Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge that Auckland has some “massive conferencing” coming up, and SkyCity’s International Convention Centre (NZICC) coming on stream should further bolster the pipeline. Thousands of people are already booked to attend events at the NZICC. Photo / Michael Craig The new fund, however, would specifically target major events such as SailGP and Eden Park concerts to help drive New Zealand’s economic recovery. Tataki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said that pre-Covid Auckland was recognised internationally as an events city, which had encouraged steady investment in hotels. “We hit a wall at the beginning of 2020 ... Our reputation’s been affected because we haven’t been in the market.” Luxon said he would look at following a similar model to that of the former Premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett, who hosted a major event every quarter to help grow the economy. Higgins said Melbourne takes event attraction ”very seriously” by investing tens of millions in advance and anticipation of events. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it. It takes money, real cash, and substantial investment to achieve what some role model Australian cities like Melbourne have in this space. Duco Events founder David Higgins has welcomed the Government`s plan to commit millions to an events fund. Photo / Photosport “If they’re talking about it now, that’s great. Then it’s a matter of those who set the budgets budgeting cash to invest, and then having good panels of decision-making on what events they try to secure for New Zealand.” Tourism, hospitality and accommodation leaders have long advocated for a coherent national strategy to attract major events, and Hospitality NZ chief executive Steve Armitage said the new fund will provide much-needed reassurance for local businesses. “Many of our members report their best trading days when major events are in town, with bars, cafes and restaurants filled with patrons, and high accommodation bookings for visitors.” Restaurant Association NZ’s chief executive Marisa Bidois agreed. “Hospitality businesses feel the immediate flow-on benefits when New Zealand attracts major events. “Visitors don’t just attend a concert or a sporting match – they dine out, stay in local accommodation, and spend in communities right across the country.” Prime Minister Chris Luxon spoke of establishing a major events fund while in studio with Newstalk ZB`s Mike Hosking yesterday. Photo / Michael Craig The Prime Minister’s comments, while welcomed, reflect “what our industry has been saying for a long time”, Bidois said. Adrian Williams, Accor’s chief operating officer in the Pacific region, said they have seen the impact major events have on stimulating local economies and showcasing New Zealand to the world. “Accor’s 15 hotels across Auckland experienced a surge in bookings for the Coldplay concerts in November 2024. “That surge of activity and vibrant energy flowed through the city, filling hotels, restaurants and bars, and creating a huge positive buzz.” Armitage thought the Government’s call not to progress with a bid to host the 38th America’s Cup in 2027 was a “missed opportunity”. He said having a national strategy with con... Read...

The employer of kiwifruit workers injured when their van rolled has opened an internal investigation into the Bay of Plenty incident. The van containing 10 Indonesian RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) workers from EastPack was involved in a single-vehicle crash near Maketu yesterday. Six workers needed hospital treatment for moderate to serious injuries, and others had minor injuries. Immigration New Zealand Pacific acting national manager Zoe Wyatt said the injuries included broken bones. “Thankfully, there have been no fatalities,” she said. Wyatt said Immigration NZ’s RSE engagement partner was working closely with the employer to ensure the injured workers received support and assistance. EastPack is New Zealand’s largest kiwifruit post-harvest operation. EastPack chief executive Hamish Simson told SunLive the company was carrying out an internal investigation. “As their employer, we’ll be supporting them through their recovery process.” EastPack chief executive Hamish Simson. Photo / NZME The workers were employed to prune kiwifruit vines on a Bay of Plenty orchard and he described them as “very good employees”. He said they had been in the country about five to six months on long-term RSE contracts. He said the workers were travelling to work in a company van with a company driver when the crash happened. Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter said police were investigating to see if charges would need to be laid. He said the cause of the incident was still to be determined; however, it was “likely due to speed and wet road conditions”. Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter. Photo / Alex Cairns Hunter said the investigation would take time as police would have to speak with everyone involved, and some passengers “won’t be speaking very good English”. The accident was on Wilson Rd North, with emergency services called about 7.40am. Maketu fire chief Shane Gourlay said he believed slippery roads from the rain contributed to the van crashing. “The road was closed for about one and a half hours before it was cleared.” Hato Hone St John said four ambulances, two operations managers and one rapid response unit attended. Ten patients were assessed, with eight of those taken to Tauranga Hospital. Two were in a serious condition, five in moderate condition, and one in minor condition. “The two remaining patients were assessed and treated at the scene.” The crash happened a year after three Samoan RSE workers employed at EastPack Opotiki were killed in a crash on State Highway 1 near Auckland. Three survivors in the van were injured. Read...

New Zealand’s infrastructure pipeline has grown by more than $30 billion over the past quarter, with more than 9200 projects now either planned or under way. The Government is crowing about the increase, saying it is “great news for the construction sector and the wider economy”. It follows concerns from the industry about future workload and activity currently being at a six-year low. “The pipeline now contains over 9200 projects that are under way or being planned, helping New Zealand’s infrastructure construction sector plan ahead for major upcoming projects and hire and retain key staff in the right locations,” said Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop. The National Infrastructure Pipeline is updated quarterly and brings together different infrastructure projects from Government agencies, councils and private sector entities. It’s managed by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission. The total value of projects in the pipeline as of the June update is now $237.1b, which is up $30.2b from the March quarter. More than 2500 initiatives, about $53b in expected cost, are reported as being under construction. In the pipeline, there’s about $125b of initiatives under way or planned that are reported as being funded, part-funded or with a funding source confirmed. That’s increased $13.5b over the past quarter. A substantial part of that increase comes from maintenance activity for the country’s state highway network for 2024-2034 being added to the pipeline, along with Christchurch Men’s Prison and Hawke’s Bay prison redevelopment initiatives. The Government is crowing about the increase in the pipeline value. Photo / Sylvie Whinray Bishop said projections showed there is at least $17.5b in projected potential spend across 2025, which is about 4% of GDP. “The commission continues to work with infrastructure providers to improve the transparency and quality of information that is available,” Bishop said. “A more complete pipeline improves the effectiveness and value that we can gain from this tool. I recently wrote to all councils reminding them of the importance of contributing and updating their pipeline data, and I expect the same engagement from our central government agencies too.” He said it was encouraging the number of infrastructure providers contributing to the pipeline has grown every quarter since the Government was formed, with 121 organisations now contributing. “The commission is currently collecting data for the September quarter. This will inform the final version of the National Infrastructure Plan, which will be delivered in December. “I encourage the remaining councils and any infrastructure provider who is not yet contributing to reach out to the commission, because a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects means a growing economy with more jobs and more opportunities for Kiwis.” The latest pipeline update comes after several reports highlighted issues with the construction industry. One found activity was at the lowest level since 2019, with 16,000 fewer jobs in the sector compared with June 2023. A survey commissioned by accountants and business adviser BDO in June found 59% of construction businesses don’t have more than a year’s forward workloads. Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards. Read...

Australia`s Nicola Olyslagers clears 2.04 metres in the women`s high jump to break the national record, set a world lead and be crowned Diamond League champion. Read...

The Devils want to play in the VFL and VFLW in 2026, two years before their planned entry to the national competition. Read...

This week, a major shake up of several government agencies and a four-year-term referendum are both up for debate. Read...

Economists from the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and the Australian National University (ANU) have published an assessment of PNG`s economy over its first 50 years. The book looks... Read...

Samoan voters will head to the polls in a national election on Friday, with no clear favourite. Read...

Follow live coverage as Manawatu host Wellington at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North in round four of the National Provincial Championship. Read...