Latest news with #Budget25
Scoop
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Supporting More Tamariki Māori To Flourish
Minister of Education The Government is delivering over $100 million in investment through Budget 2025 to ensure more tamariki Māori thrive at school. 'This Government is firmly committed to properly resourcing our bilingual education system and lifting achievement for Māori students. Our Budget 25 investment delivers on the commitments through our Māori Education Action Plan, which takes a practical approach to strengthening outcomes for ākonga Māori,' Education Minister Erica Stanford says. This investment encompasses: $10 million to launch a new Virtual Learning Network (VLN) for STEM education (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics) subjects in Kaupapa Māori and Māori Medium education settings, addressing the shortage of qualified STEM teachers proficient in both subject matter and te reo Māori. This will fund 15 kaiako to deliver online STEM education to up to 5,577 Year 9-13 ākonga. $4.5 million to develop comprehensive new te reo matatini and STEM curriculum resources and teacher supports for approximately 2,000 Year 9–13 learners in Kaupapa Māori and Māori Medium education. For the first time ever, students will be able to study Shakespeare, international literature, and iconic New Zealand works, including The Bone People entirely in te reo Māori. $2.1 million to develop a new Māori Studies subject for Years 11–13, offering students to deepen their understanding of Māori cultural practices, narratives, knowledge, and language. This new learning area will be developed byMātauranga Māori experts and will support learners to grow their knowledge of Māori culture, narratives, philosophies, Mātauranga and language. $14 million into training and support for up to 51,000 teachers/kaiako in Years 0-13 schools to learn te reo Māori and tikanga as appropriate benefiting over 560,000 students. An additional $60m of ring-fenced funding for Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education property, which will deliver up to 50 new classrooms to support the network, providing access to immersion schooling for approximately an additional 1,100 ākonga. $4.8 million to appoint seven new curriculum advisors for Kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education to support kaiako in implementing the redesigned Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, including Rangaranga Reo ā-Tā, Poutama Pāngarau, and Hihira Weteoro, benefiting over 27,000 ākonga. $4.1 million to support the sustainability and data capability of the Kohanga Reo Network. $3.5 million to support WAI 3310 Waitangi Tribunal Education Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry. 'Each of these investments aim to drive student achievement for our tamariki Maōri so they thrive in the classroom. The Budget 2025 Māori education package delivered alongside investments support every child so they get the very best start and grow the New Zealand of the future'.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Learning Support Funding Welcomed But Something's Got To Give For ECE
Press Release – Early Childhood Council After Budget 2024 we were told there would be real cost relief through the ECE Regulatory Review, but any changes are still unclear and 14-18 months away, said Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube. There was no meaningful financial relief announced for ECE providers in Budget 25 – but the government's commitment to a funding review, buried in the detail, may offer some light at the end of the tunnel. 'If you're an ECE provider struggling to stay viable, you're asking 'what will help me keep the doors open? The lack of investment today confirms providers' worst fears – that the Government does not have confidence to invest in ECE because of the broken funding system,' said Simon Laube, Early Childhood Council CEO. ECC, who've campaigned for a comprehensive funding review over many years, takes the funding allocated to an ECE funding review in Budget 2025 as a big win for the entire sector, but says an announcement with the details can't come soon enough. 'After Budget 2024 we were told there would be real cost relief through the ECE Regulatory Review, but any changes are still unclear and 14-18 months away,' said Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube. Further evidence of the broken funding system was revealed today, with the government having to find $334.5 million to fund higher than expected early childhood payments to providers this year, likely caused by the costly Pay Parity policies combined with questionable population projections. One ECC member alone had a $60,000 shortfall this year due to Pay Parity's teacher salary progression requirements, which give all teachers 4% salary increments, unfunded by government – shortfalls of that size are enough to sink a vulnerable business or community group. This year's ECE cost adjustment of 0.5% is a record low. Over the last six years, successive government's lowballing adds up to a massive 12.7% shortfall against inflation over the period. 'The Government is allowing these cost pressures to mount up – ECE funding in 2026 will be 12.7% less valuable than it was to providers in 2020, that's the equivalent of a massive funding cut in today's dollars,' said Simon Laube. ECC celebrates the Learning Support investment in the Budget, as it has the potential to make a massive difference for learners who need additional support. Supporting these learners shows that New Zealanders truly care for all children, and it's about time. In ECE, additional funds for the Early Intervention Service and an expansion of that service into Year 1 of school will massively help address the well-known problems with children's transition out of ECE into school, when the Early Intervention Service used to get cut off. Now it won't get cut off and children who need additional support can experience a more seamless education.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Learning Support Funding Welcomed But Something's Got To Give For ECE
There was no meaningful financial relief announced for ECE providers in Budget 25 – but the government's commitment to a funding review, buried in the detail, may offer some light at the end of the tunnel. 'If you're an ECE provider struggling to stay viable, you're asking 'what will help me keep the doors open? The lack of investment today confirms providers' worst fears - that the Government does not have confidence to invest in ECE because of the broken funding system,' said Simon Laube, Early Childhood Council CEO. ECC, who've campaigned for a comprehensive funding review over many years, takes the funding allocated to an ECE funding review in Budget 2025 as a big win for the entire sector, but says an announcement with the details can't come soon enough. 'After Budget 2024 we were told there would be real cost relief through the ECE Regulatory Review, but any changes are still unclear and 14-18 months away,' said Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube. Further evidence of the broken funding system was revealed today, with the government having to find $334.5 million to fund higher than expected early childhood payments to providers this year, likely caused by the costly Pay Parity policies combined with questionable population projections. One ECC member alone had a $60,000 shortfall this year due to Pay Parity's teacher salary progression requirements, which give all teachers 4% salary increments, unfunded by government - shortfalls of that size are enough to sink a vulnerable business or community group. This year's ECE cost adjustment of 0.5% is a record low. Over the last six years, successive government's lowballing adds up to a massive 12.7% shortfall against inflation over the period. 'The Government is allowing these cost pressures to mount up - ECE funding in 2026 will be 12.7% less valuable than it was to providers in 2020, that's the equivalent of a massive funding cut in today's dollars,' said Simon Laube. ECC celebrates the Learning Support investment in the Budget, as it has the potential to make a massive difference for learners who need additional support. Supporting these learners shows that New Zealanders truly care for all children, and it's about time. In ECE, additional funds for the Early Intervention Service and an expansion of that service into Year 1 of school will massively help address the well-known problems with children's transition out of ECE into school, when the Early Intervention Service used to get cut off. Now it won't get cut off and children who need additional support can experience a more seamless education.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Nelson Hospital Investment ‘Awesome News', Says Mayor
Press Release – Nelson City Council Budget 25 delivers for Nelson a new 128-bed inpatient building to be completed by 2029, the refurbishment and strengthening of the Percy Brunette and George Manson tower blocks and a new Energy Centre. The Government's commitment in today's Budget to a major upgrade of Nelson Hospital, including a new six-storey inpatient building, is awesome news for the region, says Nelson Mayor Nick Smith. 'Budget '25 delivers for Nelson a new 128-bed inpatient building to be completed by 2029, the refurbishment and strengthening of the Percy Brunette and George Manson tower blocks and a new Energy Centre. This investment will enable stage two of Health NZ's redevelopment plan and comes on top of the first stage of work already underway on an expanded emergency department, due for completion early next year. This plan is affordable and deliverable. It addresses the major issues of our shortage of beds, the poor conditions of existing wards and the earthquake strengthening. 'Nelson City Council is particularly relieved that this plan delivers the necessary earthquake strengthening of the tower blocks. Council has issued earthquake-prone building notices on the two tower blocks and boiler tower. This Budget announcement gives us confidence, as the building regulatory authority, that this work can be done on time. 'This is the Government's largest investment and biggest project ever for Nelson. The new inpatient building, at 11,000m2, compares with the existing two hospital tower blocks of 4,900m2, built in 1955, and 6,400m2, built in 1970. This additional space for wards and other facilities will deliver a step change in the quality and quantity of care Nelson Hospital is able to provide the region. 'The next step now we have a plan and the funding is to get on with the detailed design and construction. Nelson City Council will be working closely with Government and Health NZ to progress the resource and building consents as quickly as possible to get this massive build delivered efficiently. 'I am relieved and grateful Government has recognised Nelson's urgent need for this investment. I never doubted the merits of Nelson's case, but it is a huge sum for a small region at a time when Government is grappling with large deficits and growing debt. I particularly thank the Prime Minister, Health Minister, Finance Minister, Infrastructure Minister and new South Island Minister, all of whom have visited the region, been well informed on the problems with our hospital and have helped deliver this planned solution,' Mayor Nick says.
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Budget 25: Millions for cyclone-hit roads, SuperGold cardholder rates relief
A media release after the Budget said the five councils likely to receive a share of the $219 million are Central Hawke's Bay District Council, Gisborne District Council, Hastings District Council, Napier City Council, and Wairoa District Council. Bishop said a resilient transport network in the East Coast and Hawke's Bay regions would help deliver the infrastructure communities need to grow their businesses, get their kids to school, and ensure goods get from A to B efficiently'. Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst called the decision a 'promising signal', but the council would need to look at the details. 'Any extra funding for our ongoing bridge and road rebuild programme will be extremely welcome,' she said. In more good news for local councils, Minister of Local Government Simon Watts and Minister for Seniors announced Budget 25 will help up to 66,000 more SuperGold Cardholders with their rates payments by introducing a new income abatement threshold from July 1. The income abatement threshold to be eligible for the maximum rebate for SuperGold Cardholders and their households will be lifted from $31,510 to $45,000 – about the rate for a couple receiving superannuation. The maximum rebate for the scheme will also increase from $790 to $805. Costello said if over-65s have questions about eligibility they can contact their council or retirement village operator. 'It will mean that every SuperGold Cardholder earning only NZ Superannuation, with rates higher than $2000, will be eligible for the full rebate,' she said. 'SuperGold Cardholders earning more than $45,000 may also be entitled to a smaller rebate. 'These changes, worth $154 million over four years, will come as a relief to those seniors who are on fixed incomes and are dealing with rates increases.'
