Bulk wine exports surpass packaged wine volumes
Data from February 2025 shows volumes of bulk wine exports exceeded packaged wine.
The Ministry for Primary Industries is facing the prospect of a 7.5% cut in its budget for the new financial year as part of the new government’s cost cutting exercise.
In an email to staff the Director General of MPI, Ray Smith, says his senior leadership team (SLT) has been working through the issue and have now produced a consultation document which would see staff numbers cut by 9%. He says this would be mix of not filling existing vacancies as well as the disestablishing other roles.
Smith says the proposals would see a net reduction of 384 positions, of which around 40% are currently vacant. He says they are not proposing any reductions to frontline services and statutory roles, such as veterinarians, animal welfare, fishery and food compliance officers, or our biosecurity teams at the border. But he says they are proposing changes to roles and reporting lines in other areas of MPI, including the disestablishment of some positions.
Smith says they will seek to place as many affected people as possible into alternative roles.
MPI has now put out a consultation document to staff and Smith and his SLT will immediately begin the consultation process with on-line and in person meetings. PSA and other union officials have also been notified.
The consultation period runs from 21 March until midnight, 9 April. Following consideration of consultation feedback, Smith and his leadership team will make final decisions by mid-May.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
New Zealand's TBfree programme has made great progress in reducing the impact of the disease on livestock herds, but there’s still a long way to go, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
With much of the North Island experiencing drought this summer and climate change projected to bring drier and hotter conditions, securing New Zealand’s freshwater resilience is vital, according to state-owned GNS Science.
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