Auckland digital agency Fuel Design is launching a new hands-on workshop designed to help small business owners build their own professional websites, drawing on more than two decades of experience in what makes websites succeed online.

The new programme, Learn to Build Your Own Professional Website, has been created for business owners who are willing to put in the time and effort to build their online presence, but often do not know where to start.

Delivered through Fuel Design’s Oncord-based website workshop, the course will guide participants through the practical steps involved in planning, building, launching, and managing a real-world website for their business, without needing coding skills or a large agency budget.

Fuel Design says the workshop is based on lessons learned over 24 years of helping businesses across New Zealand and Australia improve their online presence.

Jason Carr says many business owners are motivated to create a website, but often struggle with the process of turning that goal into something professional and effective.

“We see a lot of business owners struggling to get a professional website in place for their business. They are willing to put in the time and effort, but they often do not know where to start,” says Jason Carr.

“That is why we decided to introduce a course focused on helping business owners create their own professional website in a practical, supported way.”

Founded in 2002, Fuel Design has worked across a wide range of website projects, from service-based business websites through to more complex B2C and B2B eCommerce platforms. According to the agency, that experience has shown that many websites underperform not because businesses lack effort, but because they lack clarity, structure, and a clear understanding of how websites should work as business tools.

“Most businesses think they need more traffic,” says Carr. “What we have learned over the years is that many already have visitors. The real issue is that their website is not converting those visitors into enquiries.”

Fuel Design says the new workshop has been designed to simplify what can often feel like an overwhelming process. Rather than relying on technical jargon or complex development systems, the programme gives attendees a clear roadmap they can follow to build a website that is usable, fit for purpose, and aligned with their business goals.

The workshop covers key areas including website planning, user experience fundamentals, website building, marketing and growth, AI-supported improvements, and launch preparation. Participants will also receive one-on-one guidance and support setting up their Oncord account.

According to Carr, the workshop is not just about showing people how to use a platform, but helping them understand the thinking behind a website that performs.

“What we have seen over the years is that people can now build a website quite easily,” Carr says. “But understanding how to structure it, how users behave, and how to guide someone towards making an enquiry is a different skillset altogether.”

Fuel Design believes the programme will appeal particularly to small business owners who want more control over their website, want to reduce development costs, or want to get online faster with expert support behind them.

The agency says the launch reflects a wider shift in the market, where business owners now have access to more tools than ever before, including AI-powered website features, but still need guidance to make the right decisions.

“AI is making website building faster,” says Carr. “But what we have learned is that it does not replace strategy. If anything, it highlights how important good UX thinking really is.”

For more information, visit Fuel Design’s website.

About Fuel Design
Fuel Design helps businesses create, build, and grow their online presence through website design, digital strategy, and practical business-focused solutions.

8 Moana Avenue
Orewa Beach
Auckland 0931
sales@fueldesign.co.nz
09 428 3047

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand and Tāhono Trust [1] welcome the Interim Report from the Education and Workforce Select Committee, from their Inquiry into youth online harm [2]. Our organisations both submitted to the Inquiry, with a focus on a holistic approach to regulation and the need for an independent regulator. While youth are a particularly vulnerable part of our communities, there are other groups who equally deserve protection, for example some older persons who are being targeted by scammers.

"We note that content harm should include incitement to violence towards particular communities", said Anjum Rahman from Tāhono Trust. "This is a specific form of harm that is beyond young people viewing violent content such as the livestream of a mass murder attack."

"The focus on platform design is critical", says Lisa Woods from Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand. "This requires transparency on the impacts of platform design, as well as accountability for platforms when the design knowingly causes harm. The best way to achieve these results is the appointment of a statutorily independent regulator who would develop codes using a co-design approach with impacted communities."

We look forward to the release of the full report next year, with recommendations. In the meantime, we draw attention to our #NoHarmware campaign, which provides information and some actions communities can take to advocate for effective responses to online harm.

The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is calling for the principals of schools identified by the Auditor‑General as having used public money inappropriately to repay taxpayers in full.

Taxpayers' Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

"From a kura sending their principal to Turkey using $6,000 of 'well‑being support funding' to multiple trips to Rarotonga, Queenstown and Canada. Why would these school leaders think this funding was appropriate, especially with how many also brought their spouses, partners and families with them?"

"This can only be seen as total disrespect to taxpayers and the students this funding was meant to go to. The Auditor‑General's findings make it clear that too many schools are treating financial rules as optional."

"Every cent that was misused should be returned, and the Secretary of Education must ensure this doesn't become a recurring cycle of bad audits followed by zero consequences."

The latest audits of New Zealand's public schools show that many school boards struggle with sensitive expenditure decisions.

Overall, 95% of schools received standard unmodified audit opinions in 2024 – that is, their financial statements fairly reflected their transactions for the year and their financial position at the end of the year.

More concerns than normal about schools' sensitive expenditure were brought to auditors' attention. These included concerns about spending on travel without a clear business purpose, most of which were related to how principals used the professional coaching and wellbeing funding. In most cases, even though these payments were approved by the school board, the schools were not following their own policies.

Schools, like all public organisations, are spending public money. This spending must be appropriate and be able to withstand scrutiny.

The report includes guidance for school boards on sensitive expenditure and other matters raised through our audits: fraud or suspected fraud, cyclical maintenance, conflicts of interest, and budgeting. We also recommend the Ministry of Education gives schools further support in some of these areas.

The Ministry has now started its project on the future of schools' financial reporting. We are supporting the project in an advisory capacity. We are also planning work to consider whether using a new standard for auditing less complex entities would reduce time and cost for school audits.

We've also updated our data on all school non-standard audit opinions from 2018 to 2024 by region, year, and issue type. You can explore this data using the interactive tool on our website.

Ara Institute of Canterbury has taken an important step in its return to independence, with the Government confirming four ministerial appointments to Ara's Council and the newly formed Council appointing Darren Mitchell as Chief Executive from 1 January 2026, following an extensive competitive recruitment process managed by HardyGroup International.

Council Chair Hugh Lindo said the appointments mark a significant milestone for Ara as it re-establishes its own governance.

"This is Ara's first Council since re-establishment, and with that comes a fresh slate. Ara now has its hands firmly on its own destiny. Our role as a Council is to embed this next chapter, support the organisation through strong strategic decision‑making and ensure Ara is positioned for long‑term success."

"That job is made significantly easier because Ara has been so well run and stewarded. Darren has kept a steady hand on the tiller through a period of substantial change, and the organisation is in a strong position as a result."

Mr Lindo added that the appointment of Mr Mitchell as Chief Executive provides the certainty Ara needs as it moves into 2026.

"Darren leads with clarity, discipline and a deep care for staff and students. They're always at the forefront of his decision‑making, and you can see that reflected in the stability and focus Ara now has. His appointment gives the organisation continuity and confidence for the work ahead."

"We have strong foundations and a genuine opportunity to shape Ara's future in a way that will deliver lasting benefits for Canterbury and the wider South Island. It's an exciting time to be stepping into this role."

Incoming Chief Executive Darren Mitchell said the appointments give Ara the stability and governance it needs to move fully into the next phase of its development.

"This is an important milestone for Ara. We've spent this year resetting the organisation, strengthening our financial position, sharpening our priorities for 2026‑27 and deepening our partnerships with industry. With the Council in place, we can move from planning to delivery with confidence."

"Ara plays a critical role in supporting the economic and social wellbeing of Canterbury and the South Island. I'm honoured to continue leading the organisation as we focus on delivering outstanding outcomes for our learners, employers and communities."

Recruitment for the remaining three Council positions will begin in early 2026.

Council members:

• Hugh Lindo, Chair - Senior Partner of Simpson Grierson's Ōtautahi Christchurch office, with expertise in corporate governance and commercial law.
• Michael Rondel, Deputy Chair - Audit and Assurance Partner at BDO Christchurch, with extensive experience in the education and not‑for‑profit sectors.
• Andrea Leslie - Executive Director of Primary ITO, with more than 30 years' experience in vocational education and a strong South Canterbury perspective.
• Rick Hellings - Former Managing Director of Smiths City Group for 16 years, with long‑standing ties to Ara and extensive commercial and governance experience.

The New Zealand Principals' Federation has today published a report exposing holes in the government's plans for a 'knowledge-rich curriculum'. The NZPF report captures crucial lessons from England's experience that our government should be applying when revising the New Zealand curriculum.

"The Minister of Education claims she is focused on closing the gap between our highest and lowest performing students, yet the Government is implementing an education framework that will almost certainly make things worse," says New Zealand Principals' Federation President Leanne Otene.

"The evidence clearly shows that a knowledge-based curriculum fails to deliver the improvements in educational equity it claims to promote. It ignores the fact that students are individuals, many with diverse needs that require different education strategies to succeed.

"After 10 years, England's education equity gap remained notably wide, and those with special educational needs continued to fall behind their peers.

"If we don't hit pause now and rethink what we're doing to New Zealand's education system, we are going to go down the same path England did.

"We risk making the equity gap in our schools even wider. We risk the futures of our most vulnerable young people," she says.

High-performing countries such as Singapore, Japan, and South Korea are actively reforming their education systems to move away from rigid, knowledge-intensive frameworks toward curricula that foster creativity, critical thinking and advanced problem-solving skills. Similarly, Finland and other Nordic countries, which consistently rank among the world's top education systems, intentionally elevate their educational experience beyond basic recall of information.

"By connecting academic subjects to practical and real-world challenges, modern and high-performing education systems strive to make learning more relevant and engaging for their students," says Leanne.

"Our government is clearly not looking at the full breadth of international evidence when making sweeping changes to how our young people are taught.

"The Minister focuses on standardised assessments and easy metrics rather than tackling the inequities that would genuinely improve education for Aotearoa's young people," she says.

The Government is seeking feedback on the proposed Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill by 14 January 2026.

"NZPF will most certainly be making a submission on this wide-reaching proposal before the narrow feedback window closes on 14 January 2026," Otene says. "I encourage others to do so too before it is too late."

Read the New Zealand Principals' Federation report: https://nzpf.ac.nz/englands-knowledge-rich-curriculum-lessons-for-aotearoa-new-zealand/

Make a submission on the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill: https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/65445e46-256b-4800-37f2-08de25831691?lang=en&Tab=history

Open Polytechnic, New Zealand's specialist online learning provider, in conjunction with Spark, is offering business leaders the opportunity to better understand Artificial Intelligence (AI) by completing a new micro-credential.

While Open Polytechnic and Spark teamed up earlier this year to release the Introduction to Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) micro-credential, this latest offering is designed for people in business leadership roles.

Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders (AI Micro-credential) (Level 5) will help learners (ākonga) to more fully understand Gen AI capabilities and identify use cases in business contexts.

"As a world leader in online and distance education with expertise in digital technology, Open Polytechnic is thrilled to combine our expertise with Spark NZ yet again," says Open Polytechnic Executive Director Alan Cadwallader.

"This micro-credential will help current or future business leaders to both upskill in AI and integrate Generative AI into their business strategies to drive operational efficiency and productivity."

The Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders micro-credential will also provide insights into how to analyse potential Gen AI tools, along with teaching ākonga how to develop strategies to integrate Gen AI in a business, managing ethical considerations and risks.

This micro-credential is suitable for business managers, unit leaders, small business owners, operations or workflow managers, AI strategy consultants, digital transformation leads, team leads or project managers involved in AI adoption.

Ākonga who complete Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders (AI Micro-credential) (Level 5) will be equipped to make informed decisions about adopting and integrating Gen AI into their organisation.

Open Polytechnic has been thrilled to work with Spark again in the development of this NZQA accredited micro-credential.

Greg Clark, Chief Customer Officer at Spark, says, "At Spark, we've been using AI to create better network and customer experiences, and to unlock productivity benefits. We've witnessed firsthand how the right digital tools, properly integrated, can unlock remarkable efficiencies.

"But according to our most recent productivity survey, only 29% of Kiwi businesses are experimenting with AI tools, with 42% citing a lack of knowledge or expertise as one of the barriers to adoption. Unfortunately, this means that many of these businesses could be missing out on productivity gains that could transform their operations.

"This new AI micro-credential enables more New Zealanders to access the skills and strategies to use AI to work smarter, not harder, so they can unlock the benefits for their own operations, and collectively, for New Zealand's economy." The Level 5 micro-credential can be completed online in five hours a week for up to 10 weeks, with intakes each month, making it ideal for personal or professional development.

Heather Langton, Chief People Officer at Spark, says, "The rapid pace of digital change has created a burning platform for New Zealanders to learn the critical digital skills needed to use these technologies safely and effectively.

"Spark's purpose is to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world, and we want to ensure that as we upskill our workforce, we're doing it in a way that leaves no one behind.

"We work with thousands of businesses of all sizes, and our customers have told us that while many large corporates have invested in upskilling their people in AI, this can be more challenging for small to medium businesses. This new AI micro-credential has been designed specifically to support these businesses, who are the backbone of the Kiwi economy, so that we can collectively lift our country's productivity and digital capability."

There is a special price of $199 ($210 in 2026) for NZ domestic learners who register before 31 December 2025. NZ international learners' registrations are also available; terms and conditions apply. If you are a business or individual that is interested in utilising AI technology, then go to the Open Polytechnic website. Terms and conditions apply.

At a glance Open Polytechnic Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders (AI Micro-credential) Level: 5 Credits: 5 Total learning hours: 50 - study online at your own pace, five hours per week, with up to 10 weeks to complete Cost: $199 including GST for NZ domestic learners in 2025 ($210 in 2026).

Letter to the Minister of Education: Curriculum pacing and governance

This letter is written on behalf of the Papakura Principals' Association and reflects our deep commitment to providing high-quality education to the tamariki of Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to first affirm that we, as educational leaders, are not resistant to change. We recognise the critical need for curriculum renewal and value the intent to modernise learning pathways for our students.

The core challenge: Volume and speed of implementation

While we embrace change, the current pace and sheer volume of curriculum reform are creating significant detrimental impacts on the daily operations and long-term planning within our schools. Our staff have demonstrated remarkable professionalism in implementing changes, but the constant introduction of new content, guidelines, and frameworks, often without adequate lead time, has pushed our staff to breaking point.

This continuous pressure jeopardises instructional focus, strains leadership capacity, and compromises the ability of our teachers to consolidate and refine new practices effectively.

Sustainable, high-quality implementation requires time.

Longer lead times and meaningful consultation

We urge decision-makers to adopt a phased approach to implementation moving forward. A longer lead time for major curriculum changes would allow schools to:

• Budget and resource effectively: Align PD, staffing, and resource procurement well ahead of mandatory implementation.
• Conduct meaningful trials: Allow for classroom-level trial periods where teachers can test and refine resources, ensuring smooth adoption.
• Avoid reactive measures: Sudden, high-stakes changes - such as those seen recently with aspects of the Mathematics and English curricula - create unnecessary stress and require reactive operational decisions that could be avoided with greater forewarning and consultation.

We believe a more measured approach, built on genuine consultation with the sector before final publication, will result in stronger, more robust outcomes for all students.

Bicultural partnership

Furthermore, we must express our collective concern regarding the changes to the governance structure of Boards of Trustees, specifically concerning the bicultural partnership in the Education and Training Act.

We deeply value the bicultural partnership embedded in the Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi). This commitment is what fundamentally sets Aotearoa New Zealand education apart on the global stage, ensuring our schools reflect the unique history, culture, and aspirations of our nation.

We believe that the removal, or dilution, of the explicit responsibility of Boards to uphold this partnership risks eroding its importance and impact at the school level. The Treaty is not merely an optional extra; it is a foundational principle that must continue to guide the strategic direction and decision‑making of every school in New Zealand.

We seek your assurance that the Ministry remains committed to supporting schools to honour the spirit and intent of the Treaty through clear, non‑negotiable governance principles. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss these matters further and collaborate on a forward‑looking plan that supports both curriculum excellence and sustainable school operations.

From the Papakura Principals' Association membership.

The Hieke Nelson Principals' Association is strongly opposed to the Government's decision to remove the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi within the Education and Training Act 2020.

Our name, Hieke, grounds us in the symbolism of the hieke; the traditional rain cape that offers protection and strength in all conditions. A hieke shields its wearer when the weather turns, providing warmth, safety, and reassurance in the face of uncertainty. Its resilience comes not from a single strand, but from many fibres woven together with care and intention.

In the same way, our collective strength as principals comes from unity; from many cultures, communities, and kura standing together with shared purpose. As a principals' association, we remain steadfast in our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. In the current climate we stand firm, knowing that Te Tiriti upholds equity, mana, and opportunity for all tamariki.

Together, we form a protective cloak around our learners, our staff, and our communities; unwavering, united, and grounded in our responsibility to do what is right.

Principals across Nelson, Tasman and Golden Bay are united in our commitment to continuing to give effect to Te Tiriti in our schools. Te Tiriti is not an optional extra, it is the founding document of our nation and its place should not be left to chance, preference or political cycles. Voluntary board commitments cannot guarantee equity.

Hieke principals agree that removing the requirement from education legislation is a significant backwards step. Our local schools are committed to our partnership with the eight iwi of Te Tau Ihu and will continue to work with them to give effect to Ngā Kawatau me ngā Tūmanakotanga o Te Tauihu, the collective aspirations and expectations of our iwi for education. We urge the government to reverse their decision on the place of Te Tiriti in Education legislation.

Many School Boards have already written to the Minister to express their concern and make public statements to their communities to reassure them that, regardless of this proposal, they would continue to honour Te Tiriti.

The New Zealand Principals' Federation (NZPF) has welcomed the Education Minister's announcement to expand expert mathematics intervention programmes to all year 7 and 8 students who are not achieving. However, NZPF President Leanne Otene questions the evidence provided by the Minister and whether this is the best use of the Government's education budget.

"I do not deny that this mathematics intervention will have a positive impact ‑ no teacher will argue with that," says Otene.

"Extra tuition time, one‑on‑one attention and lower class ratios ‑ we know that every child taught maths under those conditions will absolutely benefit.

"But at the end of the day, what the Government is funding is just an intervention. It won't support maths teachers' professional learning and development," she says.

NZPF understands that trial participants were tested before the 12‑week intervention and again on the exact same items immediately following it, which Otene argues doesn't provide the real picture of the students' education gains.

"Inevitably there will be a recall effect, where answers can be practised and remembered, even if long‑term learning has not occurred," Otene says.

"So it's pretty clear to me that the trial was designed to present 'ground‑breaking' results, not to reflect the true nature of the students' learning."

Otene is also clear about the use of the 2024 maths curriculum used in the trial.

"It really astounds me that the Minister is touting this trial as strong evidence while teachers are being told to roll out a new mathematics and statistics curriculum in 2026, the third in less than three years," she says.

"Are we to ignore the fact that the trial used a specific selection of 2024 maths curriculum items taken from the e‑asTTle assessment banks?

"The 2024 maths curriculum is what teachers are prepared to teach. It is what is clearly working for our young people. It is what the Government is now wanting to replace.

"We do not need any more curriculum changes."

While NZPF is concerned that the results of this trial are magnified due to design factors, NZPF is supportive that the Government is doing something to uplift our young people's maths achievement.

"The NZPF has been calling for a model to lift the maths performance of struggling students for years," says Otene.

"It is our view that interventions are needed alongside specialist maths professional learning and development (PLD). This combination would equip teachers with accelerated practices to meet the specific needs of all students, not just in year 7 and 8," she says.

"The Teaching Council is right to dump a vexatious complaint against a teacher for a perfectly lawful political comment online. However, taking more than six months to figure that out is ridiculous," says ACT Education spokesperson Laura McClure.

"We've received reports of teachers in classrooms helping students make protest signs against the Treaty Principles Bill, and that's somehow fine. Yet a teacher posting a personal opinion on social media is treated like a disciplinary case. The double standard is unreal.

"The Council cannot use its Code of Conduct to police teachers' private political views. That's not only wrong, it strays into breaching the law. But this case shows just how easily a supposedly neutral institution can drift into political territory. The Council took a public stance on the Treaty Principles Bill on behalf of all teachers without asking them, then treated disagreement like misconduct.

"That kind of behaviour chills free expression. Teachers shouldn't feel they have to stay silent to stay safe from a disciplinary process that is itself a form of punishment.

"The complaint has now been dropped, and that's the only acceptable outcome. But the Council needs to go further and:

admit the complaint was vexatious and should've been rejected immediately;state clearly that lawful political views expressed outside work are not Code of Conduct breaches; and guarantee teachers won't face months of uncertainty for disagreeing with the Council on the Treaty – or anything else.

"Instead of playing politics, the Teaching Council should stick to its actual job: making sure teachers are properly vetted and qualified to teach our kids. Not punishing teachers for having a political opinion in their own time."

ERO finds removing cell phones from the classroom has improved learning and reduced bullying - but only half of secondary students follow the rules.

Education Review Office's (ERO) independent review has found that removing cell phones from the classroom has improved students' learning. From Term 2 last year, students were required to keep their phones away during the school day.

"ERO has found that removing cell phones from the classroom has had a really positive impact on students' learning" says Ruth Shinoda, Head of ERO's Education Evaluation Centre.

- Eight in ten secondary teachers report removing phones has improved students' focus on schoolwork.

- Two-thirds of secondary teachers report students' achievement has improved.

"The good news is that removing cell phones from classrooms hasn't just improved learning, it has also improved behaviour and reduced bullying," Ms Shinoda says. "This means that teachers can spend more time on teaching and less on managing behaviour." 

- Three-quarters of secondary teachers report removing cell phones has improved student behaviour in the classroom.

- Two-thirds of secondary leaders say bullying has decreased.

- Teachers report students are now talking more and having good social interactions during breaks now that they aren't on their phones.

These improvements are despite only half of secondary students following the rules. "Student compliance is an issue in secondary schools," Ms Shinoda says. "ERO found less than 4 in 10 Year 12 and 13 students follow the rules."

"School leaders and teachers have put in a lot of time and effort into getting cell phones put away," says Ms Shinoda. "ERO found that strong teacher enforcement is the key to improving compliance and raising student outcomes."

- When schools strongly enforce the rules, students' compliance doubles and they are nearly twice as likely to improve their behaviour and reduce bullying. 

- Tougher consequences like notifying parents also increases compliance and confiscating phones doubles students' likelihood of improved focus in class and achievement.

ERO found parents need to do more to support schools in getting cell phones put away. "What is concerning is that the top reason students break the rules is to connect with their family - 3 in 5 rule-breakers do so for this reason," says Ms Shinoda.

- When parents resist phone rules, students are almost twice as likely to break the rules.

There is further to go. Half of secondary teachers report wearable devices as a problem, and students can still use these and other devices to be distracted by social media in class.

ERO is recommending four things:

1.Keep the 'Phones Away for the Day' requirement - it is making a positive difference for students.

2.Increase compliance of secondary students by sharing with schools the approaches that work most. 

3.Increase parents' awareness of the benefits of removing cell phones (and other digital distractions) and how they can help.

4.Consider further action to remove other digital distractions (e.g. smartwatches) and reduce the potential harm of social media at school - learning from the experience of other countries.