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It’s time to start thinking about what you can do to help out those who need it most this Christmas. 1 in 5 Kiwi children are currently living in households that don’t have enough food. Christmas Box is a food box that caters to a family of 4-6, helping supplement breakfast, lunch and dinner … View moreIt’s time to start thinking about what you can do to help out those who need it most this Christmas. 1 in 5 Kiwi children are currently living in households that don’t have enough food. Christmas Box is a food box that caters to a family of 4-6, helping supplement breakfast, lunch and dinner meals over a week.
For just $40 you’re not only providing food essentials and treats but you’re also giving hope to families in need.
To sponsor a box, go to christmasbox.co.nz.
The first round of cost of living payments has gone to 1.3 million people - about 800,000 fewer than the Government had estimated.
The Inland Revenue Department, which is administering the payment, says it expects the number of people who meet the criteria to increase over the next two rounds of … View moreThe first round of cost of living payments has gone to 1.3 million people - about 800,000 fewer than the Government had estimated.
The Inland Revenue Department, which is administering the payment, says it expects the number of people who meet the criteria to increase over the next two rounds of payments as more tax returns are finalised.
It comes as the Government comes under criticism of the policy, supposed to be targeted at people living in New Zealand but which has seen people overseas and earning well above the threshold receive the payment.
The National Party has called it a "significant misuse of taxpayer money" and is calling on the Auditor General to investigate.
About 2.1 million people were estimated to be eligible for the three monthly payments from August 1, receiving a total of $350. People needed to be over 18, "present" in New Zealand, a tax resident and earn under $70,000, among other criteria.
But figures provided to the Herald by Inland Revenue Department show the first round of payments has gone to just 1.3 million people.
An IRD spokeswoman said the 2.1m figure was an estimate of the number of people eligible.
As of Monday, IRD had confirmed just over 1.4m people met the criteria, but there remained about 137,000 people whose bank account information they did not have.
IRD would continue checking eligibility until March 31 next year, and people would then have another year after to ensure their bank details were correct.
The first round had seen $152m paid out. The whole scheme was estimated to cost $816 million across the three payments, with $16m to resource the 700 staff needed.
The spokeswoman said IRD would be running eligibility checks every day and they expected the number of people meeting the criteria to increase towards the 2.1m "over time", as tax assessments and returns were completed.
The scheme has also copped criticism, with many people who do not meet the criteria receiving the payment, including people living overseas and even non-residents or citizens. IRD has explained this is likely due to them retaining a bank account here and some form of income that makes it appear they do live in the country.
The Herald has spoken to an Australian couple each receiving the cost of living payment despite living across the ditch since November.
Charlotte Castle, a New Zealand citizen, also received the funds despite not living here since 2016. She still has a New Zealand bank account with KiwiSaver linked to it.
National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis said the 800,000 underestimate of people eligible highlighted "what a dog's breakfast it is to administer this policy".
"We have hundreds of thousands who need it not getting it and on the other side people who shouldn't are getting it. Officials were warned this approach was risky and fraught and now we are seeing a lot of New Zealanders in need missing out."
She said all of the issues arising showed it was a "significant misuse of taxpayer money" and there was "potentially an issue with the law".
"The eligibility criteria require that people be both present and using for tax purposes, and that they're also living here. What we've seen is money paid out by taxpayers against the purpose of the legislation.
"This is a measure that we think is very serious.
"We think it's unacceptable that Minister for Revenue David Parker is not concerned, doesn't know what the scale of the problem is, is not seeking that information and will not be investigating.
"We will be writing to the Auditor General today to ask an independent investigation be carried out to determine just how wide the scale of this problem is."
Parker has indicated it could be several million dollars in overpayments, but Willis said based on what people were hearing overseas it could run into the "tens of millions of dollars".
Those who have received the payment and were not eligible can return it via the IRD website and opt out of the next two payments.
As of Monday evening, close to 1000 people had done so, IRD said.
Revenue Minister David Parker said the Government did not know the exact number of ineligible people who have received the cost of living payment.
However, he said he estimated it could be about 1 per cent.
Asked how he came to that figure, especially given IRD said there was no way of estimating, Parker said it was based around wage data.
"We know that the percentage of people for whom IRD's data is inaccurate is a very small percentage."
He said the Government was aware before they had even decided on the scheme ineligible people overseas could receive the payments.
"We were advised from the start that relying upon data sets that are imperfect... we would always have some people getting the payment, even though they're not truly eligible."
Parker said he continued to support the payment scheme, saying the alternative would have been to make people apply for it and consider applications one by one.
"One, would have been an incredibly costly process. Two, would have cost a lot of money. And three, we know, if you run application processes, a lot of people who are eligible miss out. So the process that we have chosen was preferable."
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www.nzherald.co.nz...
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A West Auckland man who had both his arms amputated after suffering an electric shock while working says he has lost all memory of the entire week leading up to the accident.
Jahden Nelson, 28, was left fighting for his life after a steel pole he was holding touched low-hanging overhead power… View moreA West Auckland man who had both his arms amputated after suffering an electric shock while working says he has lost all memory of the entire week leading up to the accident.
Jahden Nelson, 28, was left fighting for his life after a steel pole he was holding touched low-hanging overhead power lines in April.
He received a severe electric shock as he took the entire voltage of the power line and suffered a heart attack. Months on, he is still receiving care as an in-patient at Middlemore Hospital.
Could your local dance group use a $5,000 cash injection?
Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we have three Love to Dance grants up… View moreCould your local dance group use a $5,000 cash injection?
Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we have three Love to Dance grants up for grabs.
Receive one of three $5,000 grants to spend on equipment, transport, costumes or anything you need to support your community’s love of dance.
www.stuff.co.nz...
I've noticed for some time that Consumer NZ gives VERY poor advice - now I know why.
As for Electric Kiwi: I found their customer support excellent, and the 10% bonus for prepay and free "Hour of Power" (you can change each day until midnight when that should… View morewww.stuff.co.nz...
I've noticed for some time that Consumer NZ gives VERY poor advice - now I know why.
As for Electric Kiwi: I found their customer support excellent, and the 10% bonus for prepay and free "Hour of Power" (you can change each day until midnight when that should be, except during peak time of 7-9 am and 5-9 pm) is fantastic - baking, washing machine, dish washer, charging phones, vaccum, etc all happens during that hour. Their app lets you know each day how much you used, paid, and saved, so I have a long spreadsheet with all the data. Last year we had 36.8% of our electricity for free, this year we managed to increase it to 39.26% so far.
That the app shows each day how much electricity you use each hour also helped us to discover within 3 days that our Hot Water Cylinder had a problem - it kept heating every few hours (so usage and costs went up too) which meant cold water was flowing in - and indeed the regulator (?) under the house had failed. We got it replaced and everything is fine, but it could have been MUCH more expensive. Top marks on the app.
If there is ONE thing I wish they would do, then it is to automatically set the Hour of Power each day that gives you the biggest savings. Sometimes I forget to change it and it is really annoying when you only have 3% instead of the 30+% you were aiming at.
George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd is recalling specific batches of various Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal and Oatilicious breads as the products may contain foreign matter (plastic).
This recall affects loaves of bread with the Best Before Date of 26JUL22 in these products:
Tip Top brand … View moreGeorge Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd is recalling specific batches of various Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal and Oatilicious breads as the products may contain foreign matter (plastic).
This recall affects loaves of bread with the Best Before Date of 26JUL22 in these products:
Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal Sandwich (700g)
Tip Top brand Supersoft Wholemeal Toast (700g)
Tip Top brand Oatilicious Sandwich (700g)
Tip Top brand Oatilicious Toast (700g)
Tip Top brand Oatilicious Super Thick (700g)
There have been no reports of associated injury but consumers are being advised not to eat these products. If you have concerns about your health after consuming this bread, seek medical advice.
Customers should return the products to their retailer for a replacement or full refund, and direct any questions to George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd by phone - 0800 449 660.
Enjoy an Antipodes skincare duo (RRP$50) when you purchase a three-month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for just $52.
Subscribe at mags4gifts.co.nz/antipodes Terms and Conditions apply.
Kia ora neighbours, a West Auckland woman who was given less than 15% chance of survival has met with volunteer firefighters who she says helped save her life.
Shortly after 3am on March 28, Laingholm resident Janene Gurnell, 50, collapsed in her home. Her partner immediately called 111 and the … View moreKia ora neighbours, a West Auckland woman who was given less than 15% chance of survival has met with volunteer firefighters who she says helped save her life.
Shortly after 3am on March 28, Laingholm resident Janene Gurnell, 50, collapsed in her home. Her partner immediately called 111 and the Laingholm volunteer fire brigade was the first to respond.
Gurnell said she had no memory of what happened that night, but was told by her partner that less than a minute after the firefighters arrived, she went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing.
A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson said firefighters began CPR on Gurnell immediately and continued until paramedics arrived.
Read the full story at the link below.
It’s easy to give an old fence and trellis a new lease of life with Resene Waterborne Woodsman.
Find out how to create your own.
There's more to reading than learning to read. If you're struggling to get your child into reading, visit us in our centre and ask for tips and a recommended reading list for your child! ?
New Zealand baking classics - Delicious sour cream and lemon syrup cakes and melting moments with a lemon buttercream cream filling in the middle prepared by our Foundation chef students.
Kia ora neighbours, Auckland’s community of young people living with Down syndrome came together in Avondale to brighten up the walls of recently relocated charity UpsideDowns, with help from fashion icon Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet.
UpsideDowns opened the doors of its new headquarters to… View moreKia ora neighbours, Auckland’s community of young people living with Down syndrome came together in Avondale to brighten up the walls of recently relocated charity UpsideDowns, with help from fashion icon Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet.
UpsideDowns opened the doors of its new headquarters to host a Kids’ Art Workshop on Saturday, July 23.
Sarah Paterson-Hamlin, CEO of the charity which provides speech and language therapy for children living with Down syndrome, said: “This is the first time we’ve been able to have a space of our own like this, and having original art from some of the kids we work with on the walls is something we will be able to treasure and enjoy."
"I’m so grateful to Dame Denise for approaching us and coming up with such a great concept. We would never have thought to do this otherwise!"
The artworks will be officially unveiled by L'Estrange-Corbet at the UpsideDowns Art Opening on the evening of 10 August.
An Auckland street artist says he is “at war” with taggers who keep vandalising his work.
Jesse Jensen, who paints under the name Ares Artifex, has painted murals across Auckland, including for Auckland Council, the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Justice.
The West … View moreAn Auckland street artist says he is “at war” with taggers who keep vandalising his work.
Jesse Jensen, who paints under the name Ares Artifex, has painted murals across Auckland, including for Auckland Council, the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Justice.
The West Auckland resident said work like his helped to beautify ugly places, such as bare walls and construction sites.
However, this year Jensen has been battling “toys”, or graffiti artists who tag over someone else’s art with the intention of wrecking it. One of his pieces in Henderson has been tagged about 30 times.
Jensen said that while it was frustrating for him and his clients when his art was vandalised, he had empathy for the taggers and understood why they did it: to lash out at someone who had permission to paint legally.
Jensen believed Auckland Council could curb offensive tagging if it provided more space for graffiti artists to paint legally. The council said it trialled this in the past, however the graffiti had spread onto adjacent properties.
Click 'read more' for the full story.
It’s that time again neighbours - we need your help! Look at all this creativity hiding behind front doors. We now need YOU to vote for your favourite Upcycling Award finalist. The four designs with the most votes will each receive a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
… View moreIt’s that time again neighbours - we need your help! Look at all this creativity hiding behind front doors. We now need YOU to vote for your favourite Upcycling Award finalist. The four designs with the most votes will each receive a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
Find out a little more about each entry here. Voting closes 5pm Thursday 4 August.
Thanks for voting; your clever neighbours thank you!
Make a calm, comfortable place for your family to relax and read independently - or together ?????
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