Healthy Homes Requirements, KiwiSaver, Jobseeker, Parental Leave Changes And More - What's Changing On 1 July
Explainer - It's 1 July tomorrow and believe it or not we're halfway through 2025, which means the government will roll out several new changes to policies and regulations.
Here are some of the highlights you need to know:
Healthy Homes standards come into effect
One big change is mandatory Healthy Homes standards which all rental properties must now comply with.
The rules set basic standards for heating, insulation and ventilation.
Among them:
Landlords need to provide one or more fixed heaters that can directly heat a home's main living room. These need to meet the minimum heating capacity.
Properties need to be insulated in the ceiling and under the floor, unless the design of the home makes this impossible.
Every liveable area needs a window or door that opens to the outdoors and can be fixed open.
Kitchens and bathrooms need extractor fans.
All rental properties also need efficient drainage, guttering and downpipes and any gaps or holes need to be blocked.
There is a compliance tool on MBIE's Tenancy Services website landlords can use to check their compliance.
Parental leave payments going up
The maximum weekly rate of paid parental leave will go up as of 1 July.
The maximum parental leave payment rate for eligible employees and self-employed people will increase from $754.87 to $788.66 gross per week, Employment NZ said.
The minimum parental leave payment rate for self-employed parents will also increase from $231.50 to $235.00 gross per week, to reflect the minimum wage increase on 1 April.
There have also been changes to broader parental leave requirements which will take effect that will clarify certain details around how leave is counted and who is eligible.
Jobseeker tightens up application procedures
Jobseeker is making changes to how people can get support.
From Tuesday, people will only get Jobseeker Support for 26 weeks - six months - before they need to reapply. Currently, people need to reapply once a year.
Those who are already getting Jobseeker Support may still be on a 52-week reapplication before they move to the shorter period depending on their situation, Work and Income said.
There will also be changes to two groups of people already on Jobseeker - sole parents who are the primary caregiver and whose youngest dependent child is 14-18 years, and people who were "grandparented" and getting benefits before 2013.
KiwiSaver changes take effect
The government announced several changes to KiwiSaver in this year's Budget.
As of 1 July, the government contribution will drop from 50 cents to 25 cents for each dollar you contribute to KiwiSaver each year, lowering the maximum government contribution from $521.43 to $260.72. You'll need to contribute at least $1,042.86 to get that.
The government contribution will be extended to include 16- and 17-year-olds from 1 July 2025, and they will be eligible for mandatory employer contributions as well, from 1 April 2026. The age for auto-enrolment will remain at 18.
Those enrolled in the scheme with an income of more than $180,000 will no longer receive the government contribution. Eligibility for this will be tested according to one of the last two tax years based on the member's income, once their final tax return is finalised.
ACC payments to increase
ACC has raised some payments starting 1 July as part of their annual review.
Clients who have been receiving weekly compensation for more than 26 weeks will have their payments increased by 2.89 percent.
The new gross maximum rate of weekly compensation payable will be $2,418.55 per week.
Transport fees to increase
Public transport fees are changing in many locations as councils try to meet a directive from the government to pay more of the cost of delivering the services.
Fares will increase in Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington, Canterbury and Invercargill. Northland's bus fares are going up in August.
Auckland Transport increased its fares in February. The BayBus service around Tauranga and Bay of Plenty increased prices in April, while the Otago Regional Council has agreed to raise prices but it hasn't set out when that will happen.
In Wellington, Metlink fares will rise 2.2 percent while in Christchurch, fees will also rise.
Check with your own local public transport for details in your area.
Raw milk records required
From 1 July, it will be required to keep records of the movement of raw milk to and from farms.
It's part of the National Pest Management Plan for Mycoplasma bovis which aims to prevent the spread of the disease.
Weight loss drug Wegovy becomes available in New Zealand
The weight loss and diabetes drug Wegovy (also known as Ozempic) which is only available on prescription, should be on pharmacy shelves as of 1 July, drug maker Novo Nordisk confirmed.
It ends a years-long wait for the much-hyped medication.
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Healthy Homes Requirements, KiwiSaver, Jobseeker, Parental Leave Changes And More - What's Changing On 1 July
Explainer - It's 1 July tomorrow and believe it or not we're halfway through 2025, which means the government will roll out several new changes to policies and regulations. Here are some of the highlights you need to know: Healthy Homes standards come into effect One big change is mandatory Healthy Homes standards which all rental properties must now comply with. The rules set basic standards for heating, insulation and ventilation. Among them: Landlords need to provide one or more fixed heaters that can directly heat a home's main living room. These need to meet the minimum heating capacity. Properties need to be insulated in the ceiling and under the floor, unless the design of the home makes this impossible. Every liveable area needs a window or door that opens to the outdoors and can be fixed open. Kitchens and bathrooms need extractor fans. All rental properties also need efficient drainage, guttering and downpipes and any gaps or holes need to be blocked. There is a compliance tool on MBIE's Tenancy Services website landlords can use to check their compliance. Parental leave payments going up The maximum weekly rate of paid parental leave will go up as of 1 July. The maximum parental leave payment rate for eligible employees and self-employed people will increase from $754.87 to $788.66 gross per week, Employment NZ said. The minimum parental leave payment rate for self-employed parents will also increase from $231.50 to $235.00 gross per week, to reflect the minimum wage increase on 1 April. There have also been changes to broader parental leave requirements which will take effect that will clarify certain details around how leave is counted and who is eligible. Jobseeker tightens up application procedures Jobseeker is making changes to how people can get support. From Tuesday, people will only get Jobseeker Support for 26 weeks - six months - before they need to reapply. Currently, people need to reapply once a year. Those who are already getting Jobseeker Support may still be on a 52-week reapplication before they move to the shorter period depending on their situation, Work and Income said. There will also be changes to two groups of people already on Jobseeker - sole parents who are the primary caregiver and whose youngest dependent child is 14-18 years, and people who were "grandparented" and getting benefits before 2013. KiwiSaver changes take effect The government announced several changes to KiwiSaver in this year's Budget. As of 1 July, the government contribution will drop from 50 cents to 25 cents for each dollar you contribute to KiwiSaver each year, lowering the maximum government contribution from $521.43 to $260.72. You'll need to contribute at least $1,042.86 to get that. The government contribution will be extended to include 16- and 17-year-olds from 1 July 2025, and they will be eligible for mandatory employer contributions as well, from 1 April 2026. The age for auto-enrolment will remain at 18. Those enrolled in the scheme with an income of more than $180,000 will no longer receive the government contribution. Eligibility for this will be tested according to one of the last two tax years based on the member's income, once their final tax return is finalised. ACC payments to increase ACC has raised some payments starting 1 July as part of their annual review. Clients who have been receiving weekly compensation for more than 26 weeks will have their payments increased by 2.89 percent. The new gross maximum rate of weekly compensation payable will be $2,418.55 per week. Transport fees to increase Public transport fees are changing in many locations as councils try to meet a directive from the government to pay more of the cost of delivering the services. Fares will increase in Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington, Canterbury and Invercargill. Northland's bus fares are going up in August. Auckland Transport increased its fares in February. The BayBus service around Tauranga and Bay of Plenty increased prices in April, while the Otago Regional Council has agreed to raise prices but it hasn't set out when that will happen. In Wellington, Metlink fares will rise 2.2 percent while in Christchurch, fees will also rise. Check with your own local public transport for details in your area. Raw milk records required From 1 July, it will be required to keep records of the movement of raw milk to and from farms. It's part of the National Pest Management Plan for Mycoplasma bovis which aims to prevent the spread of the disease. Weight loss drug Wegovy becomes available in New Zealand The weight loss and diabetes drug Wegovy (also known as Ozempic) which is only available on prescription, should be on pharmacy shelves as of 1 July, drug maker Novo Nordisk confirmed. It ends a years-long wait for the much-hyped medication.
RNZ News
16 hours ago
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Healthy Homes requirements, KiwiSaver, Jobseeker, parental leave changes and more - What's changing on 1 July
1 July is typically when many new government regulations take effect. Photo: 123rf Explainer - It's 1 July tomorrow and believe it or not we're halfway through 2025, which means the government will roll out several new changes to policies and regulations. Here are some of the highlights you need to know: One big change is mandatory Healthy Homes standards which all rental properties must now comply with. The rules set basic standards for heating, insulation and ventilation. Among them: There is a compliance tool on MBIE's Tenancy Services website landlords can use to check their compliance. The maximum weekly rate of paid parental leave will go up as of 1 July. The maximum parental leave payment rate for eligible employees and self-employed people will increase from $754.87 to $788.66 gross per week, Employment NZ said. The minimum parental leave payment rate for self-employed parents will also increase from $231.50 to $235.00 gross per week, to reflect the minimum wage increase on 1 April. There have also been changes to broader parental leave requirements which will take effect that will clarify certain details around how leave is counted and who is eligible. Jobseeker is making changes to how people can get support . From Tuesday, people will only get Jobseeker Support for 26 weeks - six months - before they need to reapply. Currently, people need to reapply once a year. Those who are already getting Jobseeker Support may still be on a 52-week reapplication before they move to the shorter period depending on their situation, Work and Income said. There will also be changes to two groups of people already on Jobseeker - sole parents who are the primary caregiver and whose youngest dependent child is 14-18 years, and people who were "grandparented" and getting benefits before 2013. The government announced several changes to KiwiSaver in this year's Budget. As of 1 July, the government contribution will drop from 50 cents to 25 cents for each dollar you contribute to KiwiSaver each year, lowering the maximum government contribution from $521.43 to $260.72. You'll need to contribute at least $1,042.86 to get that. The government contribution will be extended to include 16- and 17-year-olds from 1 July 2025, and they will be eligible for mandatory employer contributions as well, from 1 April 2026. The age for auto-enrolment will remain at 18. Those enrolled in the scheme with an income of more than $180,000 will no longer receive the government contribution. Eligibility for this will be tested according to one of the last two tax years based on the member's income, once their final tax return is finalised. ACC has raised some payments starting 1 July as part of their annual review. Clients who have been receiving weekly compensation for more than 26 weeks will have their payments increased by 2.89 percent. The new gross maximum rate of weekly compensation payable will be $2,418.55 per week. Public transport fees are changing in many locations as councils try to meet a directive from the government to pay more of the cost of delivering the services. Fares will increase in Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington, Canterbury and Invercargill. Northland's bus fares are going up in August. Auckland Transport increased its fares in February . The BayBus service around Tauranga and Bay of Plenty increased prices in April, while the Otago Regional Council has agreed to raise prices but it hasn't set out when that will happen. In Wellington, Metlink fares will rise 2.2 percent while in Christchurch, fees will also rise . Check with your own local public transport for details in your area. From 1 July, it will be required to keep records of the movement of raw milk to and from farms . It's part of the National Pest Management Plan for Mycoplasma bovis which aims to prevent the spread of the disease. The weight loss and diabetes drug Wegovy (also known as Ozempic) which is only available on prescription, should be on pharmacy shelves as of 1 July, drug maker Novo Nordisk confirmed. It ends a years-long wait for the much-hyped medication. Read more about the new medication here . Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
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Fijian government unveils US$2b budget as deficit widens
Biman Prasad says that his government has guided the country to a better economic position than where he found it. Photo: RNZ Pacific/Kelvin Anthony The Fijian government is spending big on this year's budget. The country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad unveiled a FJ$4.8 billion (approx. US$2b) spending package, complete with cost of living measures and fiscal stimulus, to the Fijian parliament this morning on Friday. It's around $280 million (approx. US$124m) more than last year, with the deficit widening to around $886m (approximately US$393m). Prasad told the parliament that his government has guided the country to a better economic position than where he found it. "When we came into office we were in a precarious economic first priority was to restore macroeconomic stability, rebuild trust in policymaking institutions, and chart a path towards sustainable and inclusive growth." The 2025/2026 budget consisted of a spending increase across almost every area, with education, the largest area of spending, up FJ$69m to FJ$847m overall. The health sector received FJ$611.6m, the Fijian Roads Authority $388m, and the Police force FJ$240.3m, all increases. A package of cost of living measures costing the government $800m has also been announced. This includes a value-added tax (VAT) cut from 15 percent to 12.5 percent on goods and services. Various import duties, which firms pay for goods from overseas, have been cut, such as a chicken pieces and parts (from 42 to 15 percent) and frozen fish (from 15 to 0 percent). A subsidy to reduce bus fares by 10 percent was announced, alongside a 3 percent increase in salaries for civil servants, both beginning in August. In a new conference, Prasad said that responding to difficult global economic shocks was the primary rationale behind the budget. "This is probably one of the most uncertain global economic environments that we have gone through. There has been no resolution on the tariffs by the United States and the number of countries, big or small." "We have never had this kind of interest in Fiji from overseas investors or diaspora, and we are doing a lot more work to get our diaspora to come back." When asked why the VAT was cut, reducing government revenue and widening the deficit, Prasad said there is a need to encourage consumer spending. "If the Middle East crisis deepens and oil prices go up, the first thing that will be affected will be the supply could go up, people could be affected more." On building resilience from global shocks, Prasad said the budget will reduce Fiji's reliance on tourism, remittances, and international supply chains, by building domestic industry. "It kills two birds in one [stone]. It addresses any big shock we might get... plus it also helps the people who would be affected." In their Pacific Economic Update, the World Bank projected economic growth of 2.6 percent in 2025, after a slump from 7.5 percent in 2023 to 3.8 percent in 2024. Senior World Bank economist Ekaterine Vashakmadze told RNZ that Fiji is an interesting case. "Fiji is one of the countries that suffered the sharpest shock (post-Covid)... because tourism stopped." "On the other hand, Fiji was one of the first countries in the Pacific to recover fully in terms of the output to pre-pandemic level." Opposition members have hit out at the government over the scale of the spend, and whether it will translate into outcomes. Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj, in a statement to local media outlet Duavata News , referred to the larger deficit as "deeply troubling". "The current trajectory is concerning, and the government must change its fiscal strategy to one that is truly sustainable." "The way the budget is being presented, it's like the government is trying to show that in one year Fiji will become a developed country." MP Ketal Lal on social media called the budget "a desperate cloak for scandal" designed to appeal to voters ahead of elections in 2026. "This is what happens when a government governs by pressure instead of principle. The people have been crying out for years. The Opposition has consistently raised concerns about the crushing cost of living but they only act when it becomes politically necessary. And even then, it's never enough." He also pointed out, regarding the 3 percent increase in civil servants salaries, that someone earning FJ$30,000 a year would only see a pay increase of $900 per year.
