Welcome to OneTreeGrill — New Zealand’s dedicated source for plain-language reporting on law, government policy, retirement income, road rules, and the public interest issues that affect everyday Kiwis.
We started this site because we noticed a real gap. Important policy changes were happening all around New Zealand — changes to NZ Super eligibility, new traffic penalty rules, licensing reforms, benefit thresholds, healthcare policy updates — and most people were only finding out about them after the fact. By the time someone realised a rule had changed, they were already affected by it. We thought that was not good enough.
Our job is to make sure you know what is changing before it affects you, not after.
What We Cover
OneTreeGrill focuses on the areas of New Zealand public life that have a direct impact on how people live, work, and plan their futures. That includes retirement and superannuation policy, changes to NZ Super eligibility rules, and what the numbers really mean for seniors trying to live on a fixed income. It includes road law and driver licensing reforms, from demerit point penalties to the upcoming overhaul of the graduated licensing system. We cover healthcare policy changes that affect ordinary patients and families, benefit system updates from Work and Income and the Ministry of Social Development, and broader law and policy developments that shape daily life across New Zealand.
We also cover relevant developments from Australia, given how closely connected the two countries are and how many New Zealanders and Australians live, work, and retire across both sides of the Tasman.
If a government decision, a law change, or a policy shift is going to affect the way New Zealanders live their lives, we want to report on it clearly and honestly.
How We Work
We believe good public interest journalism does not have to be complicated or buried in jargon. Most policy reporting in New Zealand is either too technical for general readers or too surface-level to be genuinely useful. We aim to sit in the middle ground — detailed enough to be accurate, clear enough to be understood by anyone.
Every article we publish goes through a process of research, fact-checking, and plain-language editing before it goes live. We draw on official sources including Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Transport, Work and Income New Zealand, Inland Revenue, and publicly available government legislation and policy documents.
We do not publish rumour, speculation presented as fact, or sensationalised headlines designed to mislead. If something is confirmed policy, we say so. If something is proposed or under discussion, we are clear about that distinction. Our fact-checking approach is outlined in detail on our Fact Checking page.
Who We Write For
We write for ordinary New Zealanders who do not have time to read through government consultation documents or wade through legislative amendments to understand how a policy change affects them personally.
We write for people approaching retirement age who want to understand exactly what they are entitled to and when. We write for drivers who want to know what the actual rules are before they get a ticket. We write for families navigating the benefit system, for migrants trying to understand their rights and obligations, and for anyone who has ever read a government announcement and thought they needed a translation.
We also write for New Zealanders living overseas, particularly in Australia, who want to stay connected to what is happening back home and understand how changes in New Zealand policy might affect their future plans.
In short, we write for people who want real information, clearly explained, without the spin.
Our Name
The name OneTreeGrill is a nod to the One Tree Hill area of Auckland, one of the most recognisable landmarks in New Zealand and a place that represents something important about Kiwi identity — community, history, and the sense of standing somewhere that matters. It felt like the right name for a site built around the idea that information should be available to everyone, not just those with the resources or background to navigate complex systems on their own.
Our Commitment to You
We are committed to accuracy above all else. When we make a mistake, we correct it promptly and transparently. We do not have advertisers telling us what to cover or how to frame it. We are not affiliated with any political party, government agency, or lobby group. Our only obligation is to the readers who rely on us for accurate, timely, and genuinely useful information.
We take that responsibility seriously.
If you have a question, a correction, or a story tip, we want to hear from you. You can reach us through our Contact Us page.
Thank you for reading OneTreeGrill. We are glad you are here.