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RNZ News
7 hours ago
- RNZ News
Southern councils reluctantly agree to jointly deliver water services
Clutha River Mata-Au. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton The Clutha District Council has reluctantly agreed to partner with other southern councils to deliver water services with councillors saying they feel backed into a corner. Councils have less than a month to submit their water service delivery plans to the Department of Internal Affairs. Four southern councils had been working towards a jointly owned, council-controlled organisation, but last month, the Waitaki District Council pulled out , leaving the others to work out if they should stick with the plan or strike out on their own. Earlier this week, the Central Otago and Gore district councils both voted to stay the course and continue with the Southern Water Done Well model. On Wednesday, Clutha District councillors met to consider if the updated figures for only three councils stacked up and they should stick with their earlier decision to adopt the Southern Water Done Well model. Analysis by Morrison Low Advisory, that was tabled at the extraordinary meeting, found that ratepayers across the three councils would collectively save approximately $392 million by 2054 through setting up the joint entity. This was $220 million less than the estimated savings if the Waitaki District Council remained in the partnership, but the analysis suggested the figures used conservative assumptions and more savings could be made if other councils joined in the future. The decision was not unanimous, with multiple councillors on both sides of the vote expressing their frustration and concerns. Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan said he was gutted and furious, but the new entity was the only option they had to avoid government intervention as they faced rising debt, costs, rate rises above 20 percent and a looming deadline. It was the worst process that he had ever seen a government push through, he said. "Most councils walk out of this totally enfeebled. There's going to be some ghastly costs and ghastly decisions moving forward." But he urged councillors not to vote against the partnership, saying the council could not afford to go it alone and if it tried, the government would step in and councillors would not have a seat at the decision-making table. Clutha district Mayor Bryan Cadogan Photo: supplied Councillors had a moral and democratic responsibility to protect their ratepayers from having a complete stranger from Wellington intervene and call the shots for their district, he said. Councillor Dane Catherwood said they were being pushed into a corner, but he was worried about ratepayers facing separate rates and water bills and that it would be more expensive if the entity went ahead. Clutha Deputy Mayor Ken Payne said it felt like they only had one option, even if he did not like it. Councillor Gaynor Finch said she did not want to hand over the district's assets, but she thought this option was the only way to avoid government intervention. Councillor Brent Mackie said he resented the feeling their ratepayers were being threatened and their district was being bullied and pushed around. Councillor Jock Martin said he believed if the council backed its own staff and process, they could do a better, cheaper job. The analysis was peer reviewed by Concept Consulting and Infometrics, and considered by the Department of Internal Affairs, with all three noting that this model remained the best and most viable option for the three councils to deliver water services. Councillors also voted to agree that the Timaru District Council and Waitaki District Council might join the partnership and they were willing to explore future opportunities to collaborate with other southern councils. During the meeting, they were told that the Waitaki District Council, which has been hosting weekly workshops on its own water plan, had been advised by the Department of Internal Affairs that its plan had significant gaps. On that basis, the department staff told them a specialist would likely be sent in to take over decision-making and they were expected to get the council to rejoin the southern partnership. Councillor Alison Ludemann said no extra costs should fall on the councils already in the partnership if another council sought to buddy up and any request needed to be discussed by the councils. For Clutha ratepayers, the analysis found that a new joint water services entity would mean three waters debt and revenue no longer impacted the council's borrowing limits and the council would improve its debt to revenue ratio, allowing for an increase of approximately $8 million of additional borrowing capacity. The analysis also found, while this model was the best overall, there was a risk that some local control was eroded and some high value jobs might be lost in some districts as the work was centralised. It also said the benefits of the model would be derived over the long term and the transition to a regional price might increase charges for some customers. Southern Water Done Well chair and Central Otago District Mayor Tamah Alley said the entity would be designed to protect local communities and ensure fair, effective governance. "The model is regionally focused, community-driven, and ensures that decisions about water services remain in local hands," she said. Working together remained the best way for councils to achieve their shared goal to provide the best most efficient services for their communities today and into the future, she said. "We remain committed to collaboration and would welcome future conversations with any council interested in being part of a community-led, regional solution." The new water services entity was due to start operations by July 2027, covering 24 urban water supplies and 10 rural supplies. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
7 hours ago
- Scoop
Exporter Confidence Holds Strong Despite Trade Tensions, According To Export NZ DHL Export Survey
The majority (two-thirds) of New Zealand exporters have increased or maintained their export levels over the previous 12 months Concerns about an ongoing international trade war have increased, but exporters are looking to diversify and mitigate the effects of possible future tariffs Auckland, New Zealand, 13 August 2025: Despite rising global trade tensions and looming tariff changes, New Zealand exporters remain optimistic and resilient, with two-thirds (79%) maintaining or growing their export volumes over the past year, according to the 2025 ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer. The annual survey, which tracks exporter sentiment and trends, reveals that 59% of Kiwi exporters expect to increase their exports in the coming 12 months, even as concerns over trade wars and proposed tariffs intensify. Selina Deadman, Vice President, Commercial at DHL Express New Zealand said, 'It's encouraging to see that the majority of New Zealand exporters have continued to ship internationally over the past year. International trade has faced increased scrutiny due to upcoming barriers, it's a positive indication that exporters are optimistic about cross-border trade, and it will be interesting to see how these expectations evolve in 2026. This also reflects the confidence that DHL Express has in globalisation and its importance in economic growth.' Recent trade policies enacted by the USA have dominated headlines this year. When this survey was completed, New Zealand was at the baseline 10% tariff level and the elimination of the 'de minimis' was scheduled for 2027. This resulted in 53% of survey respondents remaining relatively focused on the US market through 2026. However, now that New Zealand's reciprocal tariff has increased to 15% and the elimination of the 'de minimis' has been brought forward to August 2025, the rest of the year will serve as a test to that exporter confidence. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading Executive Director of ExportNZ Joshua Tan said exporters who may be affected by proposed tariffs have sought to diversify by entering other markets. 'This year's survey results show strongly that Kiwi businesses are considering new markets outside their traditional, with the likes of the United Kingdom (41%) and Japan (27%) both seeing an increase of 4% in exporter interest. In the case of the UK, this shift is likely influenced by the New Zealand-UK Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in mid-2023 and is starting to deliver outcomes'. Exporters identified the largest barriers to exporting as the cost and availability of transport and logistics (49%), as well as the high cost of doing business in New Zealand (31%). However, the most notable shift from last year was a sharp rise in concern over an escalating trade war, cited by 27% of respondents. 'Increased concern around trade wars becoming a barrier was expected, with a 15% rise from last year. Concerns over high tariffs due to a lack of trade agreements also saw a 7% increase,' said Tan. Exporters remain divided on the level of external support they were willing to accept, with a quarter (25%) of respondents saying they didn't require any assistance from NZTE in overseas markets. Meanwhile, 22% indicated they would like more help, with 20% seeking support for R&D and another 20% wanting access to market research. In this year's survey, exporters voiced strong support (32%) for 'More Free-Trade Agreements with new partners', alongside 'Support for attending trade shows' (32%) as the most desired forms of government assistance to help boost export activity. The full 2025 ExportNZ DHL Barometer Report will be released in late August, following an online webinar on Wednesday, 20th August, hosted by DHL and ExportNZ. Speakers Selina Deadman and Joshua Tan will discuss the key findings of the report and provide exporters with advice on how to reduce their exporting costs. Further information on the upcoming webinar can be found on DHL Discover. 2022 Export Barometer Report 2023 Export Barometer Report 2024 Export Barometer Report About the ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer A joint initiative between ExportNZ and DHL, a total of 333 New Zealand exporters were surveyed for the 2025 ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer. The ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer is an initiative aimed at analysing export confidence in New Zealand and identifying export trends. It is based on nationwide research, examining the business outlook of exporters, highlighting changes in overseas market demand, and providing insights into the factors impacting New Zealand's export trade. The research was conducted between 01 June and 30 June 2025. The increase in participation was accounted for mainly by an upsurge in the number of responses from the Auckland region. The number of responses from Canterbury remained unchanged, but the number from the Wellington region fell. There was also an increase in the number of sole-traders and small businesses participating. As in previous years, the respondents were most likely to have been in business for more than 20 years, but there was also an uptick in the proportion of those who had been in business for 10 years or less. DHL – The logistics company for the world DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With approximately 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as 'The logistics company for the world'. DHL is part of the DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of approximately 84.2 billion euros in 2024. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Controversial West Coast Te Kuha Mine's fast-track bid stalled
Intact forest from the proposed mining site on conservation land at Te Kuha. Photo: Neil Silverwood / Supplied by Forest & Bird Te Kuha Mine on the West Coast has had its application for fast-track approval declined, after failing to meet seven of the application criteria. The project has raised concerns over its impact on the environment and had already been rejected multiple times by courts . Now, a letter sent to the company behind the plan, Stevenson Mining, in March but only recently published, showed the application never got as far as the minister for final approval, with the Ministry for the Environment finding it did not comply with seven requirements in the Act. Notably, it lacked an explanation of why the fast-track approvals process would enable it to be processed in a more timely and cost-effective way than under normal processes. It did not consult with local authorities like Buller District Council, the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment and the Department of Conservation. It did not address other approvals which would be needed for the project to go ahead, like access to land owned or administered by other parties, including KiwiRail, which runs the Stillwater to Ngākawau line near the proposed mine site. The proposed mine site at Mt Te Kuha, near Westport. Photo: Neil Silverwood Stevenson Mining has been approached for comment. Te Kuha Coal Project would have created an opencut mine, with a footprint of 144 hectares, near Westport. It would have extracted some 4 million tonnes of coking coal - the kind used for making steel - over 16 years. It would have necessitated a land swap with the Department of Conservation, as it overlapped with stewardship land. The project had already been rejected by the Supreme Court in 2020 and the Environment Court in 2023. Adam Currie, campaigner for 350 Aotearoa, said it was welcome news. Patrick Phelps, Minerals West Coast Photo: Supplied "MfE declining it for now is a win for the environment," he said. "It's the process in this instance working as it's supposed to." He said it showed the lack of regard for detail and process which mining companies often demonstrated. "It's pretty incredible that companies are making these massive applications that have ginormous impacts on all these things, and they're just not thinking through these basic things." But Patrick Phelps, manager of Minerals West Coast, said it was a new piece of legislation, and companies were "getting to grips with how it actually works". "It's a novel process - any applicant, they don't fully know what the expectations are. They'll get the best advice, hydrology experts, and they'll put forward the best information that they can. "While I'm disappointed that they haven't got over the line, I would simply say that that should be an indication to people that the fast-track process is not just a rubber stamp." Photo: Kennedy Warne A spokesperson from the Ministry for the Environment said it generally did not comment on individual fast-track referral applications, but explained that it checked referral applications against the requirements of the Acts. "Incomplete or non-compliant applications are returned to applicants, along with reasons for them being returned." Applications which met the requirements would then be sent on to the Infrastructure Minister (currently Chris Bishop), who gathered advice and reports on the project's impact and, if they saw fit, would refer it on to the final step, the expert panel . The ministry said applicants were allowed to reapply if their initial application was found to be incomplete, but it would be treated as a new application, with a fresh application fee - which, according to the MfE website, would cost $12,000. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
