News Direct: Media releases
Maari oil flows
27 Feb 2009
The announcement about the flow of first oil at the Maari oil field is a welcomed achievement and a timely reminder of our untapped resources, says Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.
New draft standards on wind farm noise
27 Feb 2009
Standards New Zealand is inviting public comment on draft Standard DZ 6808 Acoustics - Wind Farm Noise.
RMA attacks encourage environmental vandals
27 Feb 2009
The Government’s attacks on the Resource Management Act will encourage environmental vandals, the Green Party says.
BMW investigates wind power
27 Feb 2009
BMW Manufacturing says it has begun a study into the feasibility of using wind energy on the plant site.
Ministerial working party on electricity
27 Feb 2009
Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee says he’s considering a Ministerial working party to reshape the regulatory functions of the electricity industry.
Billions of dollars of green buildings
27 Feb 2009
Turner Construction Company, a lealding American builder of “green buildings,” completed more than $US3 billion of green construction projects during 2008.
Federated Farmers: Fitzsimons' departure should lead to ETS rethink
24 Feb 2009
“With the news that Jeanette Fitzsimons is to resign as the Green Party’s Co-Leader, the Green Party now stands at a crossroads,” says Frank Brenmuhl, Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson.
Pulling the plug on old, inefficient appliances
24 Feb 2009
Kiwis are getting a helping hand to rid their homes of inefficient appliances over the next few weeks as part of Fisher & Paykel Appliances’ annual recycling days.
Hamilton gets landmark water consent
24 Feb 2009
Hamilton City Council has been successfully granted a landmark consent which will renew the city’s water take for the next 35 years.
Meridian wins consent for Mill Creek wind farm
20 Feb 2009
Resource consents for a wind farm using Wellington’s most famous natural resource have been granted to Meridian Energy for its Mill Creek wind farm north west of the capital city, the company says.
Leading tourism businesses becoming more sustainable
20 Feb 2009
Some of Queenstown’s top tourism businesses are leading the way to a more sustainable future by signing up for the district’s first-ever sustainable business programme.
Vector should pay adequate compensation
20 Feb 2009
“There is a sense of irony when Vector yesterday announced handsome profits at a time when most businesses are struggling in the new economic environment, and then today because of a failure on Vector’s power network many businesses in Newmarket have suffered material financial losses,” said Ralph Matthes, executive director of the Major Electricity Users’ Group, yesterday.
Climate change truth is self-evident: Greens
17 Feb 2009
As Auckland experiences its highest-ever temperatures, droughts worsen each year and Australian bush fires rage, the New Zealand Government is looking more and more behind the game, say the Greens.
Solid Energy confirms biodiesel to proceed with limited expansion to 4 million litres a year
17 Feb 2009
Solid Energy company Biodiesel New Zealand is proceeding with its development plans, increasing capacity at its existing Christchurch facility to four million litres a year.
DOC rejects secrecy claims over Project Hayes deal
17 Feb 2009
The Department of Conservation says it totally rejects claims that its silence was bought over Meridian Energy’s Project Hayes windfarm proposal.
Botany Town Centre sets sustainability target
17 Feb 2009
East Auckland’s Botany Town Centre is adopting leading-edge eco-strategies in order to achieve a sustainable future.
Government welcomes progress to protect Lake Taupo
13 Feb 2009
Minister for the Environment Nick Smith yesterday welcomed a deal by the Lake Taupo Protection Trust to convert more than 930 hectares of farmland into forestry.
National quietly dumps two billion dollar Fast Forward fund
13 Feb 2009
National’s demolition of the $700 million investment in primary sector innovation through the New Zealand Fast Forward fund has been completed in deafening silence, says Opposition agriculture spokesman Jim Anderton.
National grid upgrade
13 Feb 2009
An accelerated work programme on the national electricity grid has been welcomed by the Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.
Kaiwera wind-farm appeal withdrawn
13 Feb 2009
An Environment Court appeal by the Upland Landscape Protection Society, against TrustPower's proposed 240 MW Kaiwera Downs wind farm near Gore, has been withdrawn.
Government welcomes arrival of electric cars
13 Feb 2009
Environment and Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith has welcomed the announcement that electric cars will be commercially available in New Zealand.
Explorer Graphics works help MFE map soil carbon
13 Feb 2009
Porirua-based Geographic Information Systems company Explorer Graphics Limited says it has signed a major contract with the Ministry for the Environment to help it meet New Zealand's requirements under the Kyoto Protocol.
Tasman Eco Village attracts international attention
13 Feb 2009
Mention "development" and you have the attention of every environmentalist in ear-shot. Such attention is not normally something developers relish, but not so a home-grown eco-village project in Motueka Valley within biking distance from the town.
Ice could hold clue to greenhouse effect
13 Feb 2009
It wasn’t always quite so cold at the north and south poles.
Water management needs reform, says NZWWA
10 Feb 2009
The Water and Waste Association is urging the government to continue its reforms and rationalise water management in New Zealand.
Reinstating Labour’s home-insulation plan first step
10 Feb 2009
If Prime Minister John Key is really serious about announcing infrastructure projects this week that preserve and create New Zealand jobs, then he must start by reinstating Labour’s home insulation programme, says Labour leader Phil Goff.
Business as usual for Green Homes Fund: Greens
10 Feb 2009
News that John Key is going to invest in upgrading and insulating state houses is puzzling, given that in the 2008 budget Parliament voted $53 million over five years to complete insulation and energy efficiency upgrades of all state houses, Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said.
Time to nominate environmental champions
10 Feb 2009
Environment Minister Nick Smith has announced the start of a search for New Zealand’s latest batch of environmental champions, calling for nominations for the 2009 Green Ribbon Awards.
Mitsubishi and Meridian launch electric car trial
10 Feb 2009
Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand and Meridian Energy today launched a trial of the first mass produced new generation electric vehicle to come to New Zealand - the Mitsubishi iMiEV.
Smart meters give households power to choose lower prices
3 Feb 2009
The introduction of smart metering will give households a chance to benefit from the electricity market reforms of nearly 20 years ago - and use cheaper power when it is available, says the Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Meridian offers Renewable Investment Notes
3 Feb 2009
New Zealand’s largest State-owned generator is offering Renewable Energy Notes so investors can help support its business in renewable energy.
Ngawha power station officially opens
3 Feb 2009
Top Energy's Ngawha power station was opened on Saturday by Northland MP John Carter.
Time to charge full-steam-ahead with electrification
3 Feb 2009
The Green Party says now is the time to charge full steam ahead with electrifying Auckland's rail network.
Drop in consents builds case for housing and green-home fund
3 Feb 2009
A dramatic drop in building consents and fears about the long-term health of the building industry is more evidence that social housing and the Green Homes Fund have a critical role in the Government's stimulus plan, says Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.
Greens support new hydro scheme in Buller
3 Feb 2009
The Green Party's West Coast-based MP, Kevin Hague, has lodged a submission in support of a proposed hydro scheme on the Stockton Plateau.
Poor state of Earth focus of South Island journey
3 Feb 2009
South Islanders will march from Bluff to Picton in a journey to wake the nation to the world’s dire environmental plight.
Meridian says its programme will boost employment and economy
3 Feb 2009
State-owned power company Meridian Energy is set to provide a major boost to economic activity and local employment as its billion dollar-plus development programme gathers pace.
Stockton long-term investments confirmed, production cut in response to steel downturn
30 Jan 2009
Solid Energy has confirmed it will invest $100 million in a new coal processing plant at Stockton Opencast Mine in the Buller, the next major step in a substantial long-term investment programme designed to secure a further 20-year life for the mine.
Ecostore’s green credentials turn platinum
30 Jan 2009
Ecostore has announced its production facility, Ecotech Solutions, is the first New Zealand producer of cleaning and personal care products to attain Enviro-Mark NZ – Platinum certification.
Tourism company darts in to help save endangered birds
30 Jan 2009
A Queenstown jet boat company has joined forces with the Department of Conservation to save endangered species nesting on the Dart River.
BMW makes 10 best engines list in US
30 Jan 2009
A brilliant US debut for the new BMW Advanced Diesel with BMW BluePerformance: specialist magazine "Ward's Auto World" has selected BMW's 3.0-litre inline-six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine with SCR system for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions as one of 10 Best Engines in 2009.
Submissions open on Turitea wind farm
27 Jan 2009
Mighty River’s plan to build a 122-turbine wind farm at Turitea, near Palmerston North, is open for public submission.
Greens issue 'new deal' challenge
27 Jan 2009
The Green Party has presented the Government with a series of ready-to-go policies that it says can help New Zealand’s economy, people and the environment at the same time.
New Zealand should join the new International Renewable Energy Agency
27 Jan 2009
About 100 states will be meeting in Bonn this week to establish an International Renewable Energy Agency (http://www.irena.org/), but New Zealand has not yet committed to being there.
Water meters 'not about conservation'
27 Jan 2009
A user-pays system for domestic water supply will increase inequality and is a dubious way to conserve water resources, says a local human rights group.
Zurich approach 'bearing fruit'
23 Jan 2009
In the first year since its launch, the global Climate Initiative of Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) has led to the development of new products and services addressing the evolving risks associated with climate change, significant steps in measuring and managing Zurich’s own carbon footprint and the facilitation of climate change related research.
SKM Wins Global Business Achievement Award
23 Jan 2009
Leading engineering, sciences and project delivery firm, Sinclair Knight Merz has been recognised by the Environmental Business Journal with a gold medal for business achievement.
Commerce Commission warns over hybrid comparative advertising
23 Jan 2009
A car company has been warned by the Commerce Commission about comparative claims made in advertising for one of its hybrid vehicles.
Obama's green leadership challenges National, say Greens
23 Jan 2009
As the new US president promised again to champion the environment, Green Party co-Leader Dr. Russel Norman asked why New Zealand's government is headed in the opposite direction.
Growth, energy and climate in focus at Trans-Tasman bilateral talks
Today 11:00am
Trans-Tasman climate cooperation was one of the themes at the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, with senior government officials and business leaders from both sides of the ditch meeting in Canberra this week.
Meridian reports worst earnings in a decade
Wed 3 Sep 2025
Meridian Energy has posted its weakest result in 10 years, with earnings hit by a combination of droughts, low wind and declining gas supply.
International scientists slam NZ govt's proposed approach to methane
13 Aug 2025
New Zealand's proposed approach to methane emissions has again been attacked by international climate scientists, with a new study saying the attempt to redefine climate target-setting by livestock-exporting countries undermines the transition to a sustainable and equitable food system
Vector hits emissions reduction goal five years early
Today 11:00am
By Liz Kivi | Auckland lines company Vector has met its 2030 emissions reduction reduction target five years early, more than halving its direct emissions, and crediting innovation and a laser-focus for its success in a hard-to-abate sector.
Air NZ declares surprisingly low SAF prices
Wed 3 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand is able to source sustainable aviation fuel at between 1.5 and 2.5 times the price of conventional fossil fuels used for flying, all sourced from the US.
Forest carbon stores massive blind spot - study
Thu 4 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Aotearoa New Zealand’s planted forests hold significant deep soil organic carbon — with over half of it stored below 30 cm, and much of it over 1,000 years old.
XRB consults on delaying climate reporting requirements
Thu 4 Sep 2025
The External Reporting Board is proposing a further two years relief for companies to adopt anticipated financial impacts reporting and scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions reporting and assurance.
