The New Zealand government has announced a significant financial commitment of $774 million in Budget 2025 to reform the redress and care systems for survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. This decision comes in the wake of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care's findings, which highlighted systemic failures and recommended comprehensive reforms to address the grievances of survivors.

Minister Erica Stanford emphasized the government's focus on delivering immediate support to survivors by enhancing the existing redress system rather than establishing a new entity, as initially recommended by the Royal Commission. The budget will increase the average redress payment for new claims from $19,000 to $30,000, aiming to provide quicker and more efficient justice to those affected. However, this approach has sparked mixed reactions among survivors, with some viewing it as a missed opportunity for more substantial systemic change.

Alongside financial redress, the government plans to invest in preventive measures to safeguard against future abuse within the care system. These include improving record-keeping and access to records, which were identified as critical issues during the inquiry. An independent review scheduled for 2027 will assess the effectiveness of these reforms, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement in the care ecosystem.

The decision to forgo a new compensation scheme in favor of bolstering the current system reflects the government's challenging balance between immediate action and long-term structural changes. While the increased funding and streamlined processes mark a step forward, the debate over the best path to justice for survivors of abuse in care continues, underscoring the complexity of addressing historical injustices while preventing future harm.

Northern Ireland continues to dominate UK house price growth, posting a remarkable 9.6% annual increase in the third quarter according to Nationwide Building Society data. This performance significantly outpaces other UK regions, echoing trends seen in border regions of Ireland in recent quarters. The sustained strength in Northern Ireland's property market stands in stark contrast to more modest growth patterns elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Wales demonstrated steady improvement with annual house price growth accelerating to 3.0% in the third quarter, up from 2.6% in the previous quarter. The average house price in Wales now stands at £213,359, remaining below the UK average of approximately £272,000. Scotland experienced a slowdown in growth to 2.9% from 4.5% in the second quarter, while England saw further deceleration with annual growth dropping to 1.6% from 2.5% in the previous quarter.

Regional disparities within England reveal a clear north-south divide. Northern England, comprising North, North West, Yorkshire & The Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands, recorded average price growth of 3.4% year-on-year. The North region specifically emerged as England's top performer with prices up 5.1% annually. Meanwhile, Southern England saw growth slow to just 0.7%, driven by marked softening in Outer Metropolitan and Outer South East regions, with the latter being the weakest performing area at just 0.3% growth.

Property type performance shows semi-detached homes leading the market with 3.4% annual price growth, followed by detached properties at 2.5% and terraced homes at 2.4%. Flats experienced a slight decline of 0.3% year-on-year and have shown noticeably weaker growth than other property types over the longer term. Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist, noted that despite global economic uncertainties, underlying conditions for potential home buyers remain supportive, with housing market activity likely to strengthen gradually if the broader economic recovery is maintained.