The Remuneration Authority has announced that MPs will be getting a 10% increase in their salaries during the course of this Parliament. From Radio New Zealand:MPs have reacted cautiously to the news they are set to get a pay rise, admitting it was a no-win situation. On Tuesday afternoon, the Remuneration Authority, an independent body which sets pay for key public office holders, determined MPs should get a pay increase. MPs have not received increases to their salaries since 2017. In 2018 Jacinda Ardern acted to freeze MPs salaries because proposed increases were out of step with the wider workforce and were adding to the rich-poor divide.

The Reserve Bank (RBNZ) says the number of people and businesses defaulting on their loans is rising but remains at relatively low levels. Loan arrears and non-performing loans are around the levels experienced during the Covid crisis and are well below what was seen following the GFC in 2007/08. RBNZ data shows $1.76 billion of banks' $352.4 billion worth of housing loans outstanding at the end of March was non-performing. That's 0.5% compared to 1.7% of agricultural loans and just over 1% of commercial property loans considered to be non-performing. Banks expect the proportion of non-performing loans to peak at about 0.7% at the end of this year before easing.

Most National voters voted National in the hope their house price would go up 10%, they didn’t sign up to ACTs Treaty race war and they sure as christ didn’t want Winston’s weird anti vax conspiracy swamp kingdom nuttiness. This hard right racist climate denying beneficiary bashing Government has gone far beyond the comfort zone of most Kiwis and the Chickens aren’t just coming home to roost, they are in an uber and have already booked the air b’n’b online. Watching the Right Wing Trolls scream at the Poll while stammering their spit flecked reckons to explain it away is hilarious. Suck it up right wing buttercups, you detest us as much as we detest you, but there are more of us. If you can’t contribute but want to help, please always feel free to share our blogs on social media

By Mitchell Hageman ofPhoto: Hawke's Bay Today / Paul TaylorHow long is too long to spend in a 24-hour gym? He claims Eagle broke several gym rules and was loitering, leaving no choice but to terminate his membership. The two clauses Hemmingsen said Eagle broke were around health and safety and not using membership for the intended purpose. He said on the final night he used the gym, Eagle had spent all night there, left for a short time in the morning, and then returned again within an hour. He said Hemmingsen's claim he had spent the night in the gym on "numerous occasions" was inaccurate.

Because it is central to their ideology that there should be less government, less public expenditure and less tax in peoples’ lives. One of the measures economists use to determine how much debt a nation can comfortably carry is the debt-to-GDP ratio. (GDP being the value added created through the production of goods and services in a country) According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development our current debt-to-GDP ratio is 56%. NZ 56%Australia 70.8%UK 104%Canada 113.3%France 117%USA 144%Italy 148%Greece 193%Japan 254%(Source )The reality is that in the wake of a disastrous pandemic our debt-to-GDP ratio is lower than that of many other countries. Bryan Bruce is one of New Zealand’s most important and respected documentary makers.

A teenager impacted by the Rights desire to take free food from his school spitting during a haka is a free speech issue. This Government’s 100 day extremist plan rammed through Parliament misusing Urgency has created a backlash of protest. From Haka, to abusing David after he fell off his bike to students spitting at him, the front line is everywhere. “A big part of our work is defending young workers’ rights at work, including those facing disciplinary processes. Their protest was legitimate and we should support them having the courage to face down David Seymour.

The housing market is facing a mountain of uncertainty in the form of unsold stock as it heads towards the end of its peak selling season. That's an overall sales rate of just 21% in what should be one of the busiest months of the year for the residential property market. In February 2021, when the market was in boom mode, the sales rate was 64%, and in February 2020 it was 36%. (The graph below shows monthly sales compared to the total stock on the market at the end of the previous month). So for the time being at least, the housing market pendulum has swung firmly in favour of buyers, who are in the fortunate position of having plenty to choose from and plenty of time to make up their minds.

Photo: Emergency Management Southland/SuppliedBluecliffs residents living out of temporary accommodation amid a state of emergency have described a community under stress. Sirch said the evacuation had been stressful, but was grateful she'd since been given an exemption by Emergency Management Southland to stay at her property overnight with her partner and son. Aside from the stress of living under a state of emergency, the past six weeks had also highlighted financial loss for Bluecliffs residents. In response to questions from Local Democracy Reporting, Emergency Management Southland controller Paul le Roux said good progress was being made on the removal of material at the dump site. Emergency management is accommodating a total 17 permanent residents following the evacuation.

Public Service Association (PSA) national secretary Duane Leo said Aviation Security (AvSec) workers were at breaking point. It said its staff turnover rate was 10 percent nationally and 13 percent at Auckland Airport. Making matters worse, for the past month airline staff at Auckland Airport have been unable to use their staff entrance to get through security due to facility upgrades. O'Brien said airlines were not happy about the state of affairs at Auckland Airport. Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the recent delays at Auckland Airport were frustrating.

However, to avoid any conflict of interest, Ms Tana immediately stood down from the small business portfolio," the statement said. "The Green Party has long campaigned to ensure everyone who wants to make their home here is treated with fairness and compassion. "To understand fully what Ms Tana knew, and when, we are appointing an independent lawyer to conduct an investigation into the matter. She holds multiple portfolios including overseas New Zealanders, internal affairs and, up until February 1, was the party's small business spokesperson. Her profile said she brought a "lifetime of environmental mahi, business experience and grassroots activism to the Green Party Kaupapa".

Then you hit The Knids’ new album ‘Monochrome’ with its ridiculously catchy opening song ‘Big In Spain’ and the bloody thing just gets lodged in your brain like some cheerful tapeworm. The Knids and that song my brain can’t expunge... There are three Knids and this is their fourth album, another chance to wallow in the warm bath of Michael Baxter’s fertile imagination. There is a lot packed into these 10 tracks: emotive singing, clever lyrics, groovy production tricks, catchy hooks, weird sounds. Once again I find there is almost nothing I don’t like about The Knids.

Photo: Marika KhabaziA Green Party MP has been suspended amid allegations of migrant exploitation against her husband's companyThe Green Party has confirmed to RNZ that Darleen Tana was suspended on Thursday afternoon, after questions from Stuff. Tana initially raised the allegations with the Green Party on 1 February. Ms Tana has not been a director or shareholder of E Cycles NZ since 2019." To understand fully what Ms Tana knew, and when, we are appointing an independent lawyer to conduct an investigation into the matter. Ms Tana will stand aside from all caucus and parliamentary responsibilities until the matter is resolved," the party said in its statement.

Five years after the March 15 Christchurch mosque attacks we need to do more to counter the spread of hate and division, at home and in places like Gaza, Prof Robert Patman says. That meant addressing injustices in New Zealand and overseas. The University of Otago international relations specialist said he was disappointed by how quiet New Zealand has been on the Gaza conflict. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 31,184 Palestinians and injured 72,889, according to Gaza authorities. Speaking on Global Insight, Prof Patman also discussed changes and initiatives that have come from the March 15, 2019, atrocity in Christchurch.

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:30 pm, March 14th, 2024 - 9 commentsCategories: Daily review - Tags:Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …Share this: FacebookLinkedInRedditPinterestMastodonTwitterPrintEmail

Turners Automotive Group has officially opened a new $4 million branch in Timaru, making it the dealership’s 21st car branch across the country. Located at the corner of Meadows Rd and State Highway 1 in Washdyke, the branch started trading in November but had its first ribbon cutting ceremony on March 9. Chief executive Greg Hedgepeth told Stuff.co.nz the decision to move to the area was made a couple of years ago after analysis showing growth potential in the South Canterbury region. He says the site aims to hold 100 cars at any given time but customers can also browse online. “We are selling three or four thousand cars a month and we have, at any given time, 3000 cars available,” he told Stuff.