New Zealand postal service changes leave rural communities disappointed
Changes to New Zealand’s postal service has left rural communities disappointed.
OPINION: Town and country find themselves on the same page when it comes to anger over price hikes from NZ Post.
Fed Farmers and others have made a hue and cry about the July 1 hikes of 19% for unaddressed bulk mail and an extra 70c to post a letter.
Constant price hikes by NZ Post have seen their rate rises far outstrip inflation, or any other service or commodity, as our mates at the Magazine Publishers Association point out: "These aren't normal price increases. They are multiples of inflation, compounding year after year, imposed by a monopoly provider with no regulatory oversight of its pricing," says MPA chair Stuart Dick.
As he says, no other essential infrastructure service in NZ operates without independent price scrutiny.
Gas, electricity, broadband all have some level of oversight or controls.
Postal services should too.
With the New Zealand/India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) dominating political debate here, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting New Zealand next week.
Michelle and Tony Roberts didn't inherit the farming business they have today. They’ve built it from the ground up.
“We’re not normal.” That’s how Jack Walters, executive director of Pungent Pukeko, describes his gin brand, which has just won gold at the World Gin Awards.
Dr Tim Harwood, a seafood food safety research leader, has been awarded the 2026 Significant Contribution Award at the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST) Food Industry Awards.
Today marks the first day of operations for Waikato Waters, a new council-controlled organisation established by six district councils to deliver water and wastewater services for their communities.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has announced has opened applications for the 2026/27 funding round of the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research (GHGIR) fund.

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