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Auckland Harbour Bridge CLOSED
1:40PM UPDATE: Bridge now reopened but with limited lanes.
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Waka Kotahi shared that the Auckland Harbour Bridge is now closed to both northbound and southbound traffic as of 1:10PM due to weather.
Damaging gales were predicted to blow up to 110km/h, … View more1:40PM UPDATE: Bridge now reopened but with limited lanes.
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Waka Kotahi shared that the Auckland Harbour Bridge is now closed to both northbound and southbound traffic as of 1:10PM due to weather.
Damaging gales were predicted to blow up to 110km/h, while strong wind watches are in place for nearly the entire North Island.
MetService said the gales could cause power cuts in Northland, Auckland and Waikato, with the highest winds on westerly coastlines likely to down trees.
What you need to know:
- The Harbour Bridge is closed due to high gust winds.
- Vehicles needing to travel should detour via the Western Ring Route (SH18/SH16) at this time.
Your young Blues fan could be a special guest at the next Blues home game!
Be in to win an experience of a lifetime for your child.
As the official coin toss partner for the Blues, Stuff is giving away six experiences for kids across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to take part in the famous ritual at the DHL Super Rugby Pacific and SKY Super Rugby Aupiki home games.
… View moreBe in to win an experience of a lifetime for your child.
As the official coin toss partner for the Blues, Stuff is giving away six experiences for kids across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to take part in the famous ritual at the DHL Super Rugby Pacific and SKY Super Rugby Aupiki home games.
They won't just participate in the toss but will also get to watch the game, visit the commentary box and take home a bunch of goodies.
Plan for your future
Birger and Kathy are grateful for the financial certainty Ryman provides them. Their fixed base weekly fee provides security for their retirement.
"You have a reduction in your living costs and the fixed fee just gives you that assurance."
Click below to hear their story.
Share your money-saving tips!
With our household budgets seeing higher interest rates, service price increases and the 12.5% rise in food prices since last year: the cost of living crisis is upon us.
As we head towards winter, let's share some cost of living hacks - whether it's recipe ideas, tips for saving on … View moreWith our household budgets seeing higher interest rates, service price increases and the 12.5% rise in food prices since last year: the cost of living crisis is upon us.
As we head towards winter, let's share some cost of living hacks - whether it's recipe ideas, tips for saving on power or where to buy the cheapest toilet paper! You may have some advice that could make a huge difference for another household, so comment away.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
Have you got this Kmart product?
Kmart has recalled a line of wooden trays after reports of an invasive wood-eating beetle species within them. A Northland woman found sawdust and holes in her serving tray and alerted the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), the government’s biosecurity agency.
What you need to know:
- The… View moreKmart has recalled a line of wooden trays after reports of an invasive wood-eating beetle species within them. A Northland woman found sawdust and holes in her serving tray and alerted the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), the government’s biosecurity agency.
What you need to know:
- The product is called Large $20 Acacia Serving Tray and was sold nationally.
- The product may be infested with Lyctus africanus (also known as the African powderpost beetle), a species not present in New Zealand.
- Kmart are no longer selling these products and will wait for instruction from MPI before destroying these.
Anyone who finds a suspected exotic pest is encouraged to call MPI’s hotline on 0800 80 99 66.
Grief Support meeting
Central Auckland Grief Support will meet in the Hillsborough area on Saturday 20 May 2pm. We are a peer support group for adults who have gone through separation, divorce, the death of a significant person or major changes. Contact Mabel at 021-173-4978 to register.
Budget 2023 highlights: What's in it for YOU?
The key highlights:
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Extension of 20 hours Early Childhood Education to include 2-year-olds - $1.2b
Abolition of $5 prescription co-payment - $619m
Cheaper public transport for children - $327m
$71b in infrastructure spending
Inflation forecast to stay higher, for longer
Net… View moreThe key highlights:
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Extension of 20 hours Early Childhood Education to include 2-year-olds - $1.2b
Abolition of $5 prescription co-payment - $619m
Cheaper public transport for children - $327m
$71b in infrastructure spending
Inflation forecast to stay higher, for longer
Net core Crown debt hits $181b
The cost of living package targets families with young children.
For parents
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Two-year-olds included in 20 hours of free early childhood education from March 2024, at a cost of $1.2 billion over four years. This saves eligible parents about $133 a week. Subsidies for childcare centres rise by 5.3 per cent, costing $260 million over four years.
Public transport
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$327 million for free public transport for primary school-aged children, half price public transport for under 25′s from 1 July - benefiting about 774,000 people. Pay rises for bus drivers.
Health
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Removing $5 co-payment for prescriptions, cost: $618 million over four years.
More money to help reduce waiting lists ($118 million) and $100 million to boost primary care. $63 million for 500 extra nurses. $75 million more for Pharmac.
The tax change
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Tax rate for trustees to increase to 39 per cent from April 2024 - the same as the top income tax rate. Aimed at stopping people using trusts for their income to avoid the higher tax rate. Expected to raise $350 million a year.
Post-cyclone infrastructure
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National Resilience Plan set up with initial funding of $6 billion - first priority is repair and rebuild of telecommunications, energy and roading after Auckland flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle.
Housing
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$403 million to expand scheme for heating and insulation installations to 100,000 more homes. 3000 new public housing places.
The economy
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Inflation is forecast to drop to 3 per cent by next September.
Treasury no longer forecasting a recession, due to cyclone recovery. Unemployment is forecast to peak at 5.3 per cent in late 2024.
GDP is forecast at 3.2 per cent this year, dropping to 1 per cent next year.
The books
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Return to surplus forecast in 2025/26. Net debt is forecast to peak at 22 per cent in 2024.
The surprises
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$34 million increase in funding for Te Matatini (over two years) - up from $3 million a year now. The festival will get more funding than the NZ Symphony Orchestra for the first time.
New 20 per cent rebate for game development studios - allowing them to claim up to $3 million a year in rebates.
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Volunteers wanted for Friendship Centre Manurewa
Friendship Centres are located in most Auckland areas.
Centre Coordinators ensure members enjoy various activities, suited to their interests and abilities. This may include crafts, cards, indoor bowls and music, all in a relaxed, friendly environment.
Members also enjoy outings.
Get cosy with your whānau
Don't let your parents go old-school this winter and just throw on another jersey to beat the cold.
They deserve to be truly comfortable in a warm, dry home without stressing about their power bills, or their health.
They might be eligible for Warmer Kiwi Homes, a government grant … View moreDon't let your parents go old-school this winter and just throw on another jersey to beat the cold.
They deserve to be truly comfortable in a warm, dry home without stressing about their power bills, or their health.
They might be eligible for Warmer Kiwi Homes, a government grant offering 80% of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation, and up to 80% off an energy-efficient heater, like a heat pump.
And they may get it even cheaper than that - lots of community organisations offer extra funding to reduce the cost further.
Go to warmerkiwihomes.govt.nz to check their eligibility.
What can you do about that bill?
If you experience a billing issue, you should talk to your provider first. For extra help, you can talk to TDR – your free and independent complaint service.
Almost 40% of complaints received by TDR in 2022 were about bills. Whether it’s a broadband, mobile or home phone billing issue, … View moreIf you experience a billing issue, you should talk to your provider first. For extra help, you can talk to TDR – your free and independent complaint service.
Almost 40% of complaints received by TDR in 2022 were about bills. Whether it’s a broadband, mobile or home phone billing issue, it’s free to resolve your complaint with TDR. It’s easy too – you can contact TDR online or by phoning 0508 98 98 98 – and we’ll start working with you and your provider.
Infant snow suit
3 to 6 months. My daughter was fitting in that until 1 year.
Pick up at New Windsor.
Mayor Wayne Brown’s cost-cutting budget leads to 400 job losses
The Herald understands council chief executive Jim Stabback will announce about 200 job losses later this week as part of “becoming a leaner organisation”.
The job losses at the council are in addition to the announcement that 150 jobs are going at Auckland Transport, 16 at the property arm … View moreThe Herald understands council chief executive Jim Stabback will announce about 200 job losses later this week as part of “becoming a leaner organisation”.
The job losses at the council are in addition to the announcement that 150 jobs are going at Auckland Transport, 16 at the property arm Panuku Development Auckland and an unknown number at the council’s events and economic development agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.
A Tātaki spokesman said there are regular conversations with staff and the picture will become clearer in the coming weeks.
The number of job losses at Tātaki could depend on push-back from the board and management at a directive from Brown to slash $44 million from its budget.
The job losses will come as Brown seeks to make cuts to address a $325m budget hole, while also publicly calling for the sale of the council’s Auckland Airport shares.
The union representing council employees, however, says canning staff during a cost of living crisis is “not the way to treat loyal workers whose livelihoods are at stake”, while also holding concerns about a drop in public service quality.
Stabback has previously said the changes at Auckland Council will be a mix of senior roles where, for example, teams or functions will be merged, and structural changes to achieve efficiency. Some of the job losses will come from not filling vacant positions.
“I have long signalled that becoming a leaner organisation more sharply focused on the future would require a reduction in the workforce,” he told staff last month.
The council employs about 7200 staff with an annual wage bill of about $530m.
A council spokeswoman said a “revised change proposal” will be outlined later this week based on feedback from consultation with staff.
The council-wide job cuts are a response to Brown’s growing budget hole and “path to financial sustainability” through a mix of measures, including cutting spending, trimming services and demanding better performance from the chief executives and boards of council organisations.
Last week’s announcement that the budget hole has increased from $295m to $325m, and storm-related costs have risen to $50m, increases the pressure on council bosses to cut their cloth.
The job cuts come during the painful cost of living crisis with the Reserve Bank forecasting higher unemployment, food prices rising 12.1 per cent year-on-year, and Kiwi families facing the prospect of a hard-hitting interest rate crunch as mortgages come up for renewal.
Last month, Auckland Transport (AT) said about 150 of the 2000 jobs would go as it faces a $25m cut to its budget. Feedback closed on May 3 and final decisions will be made by the end of this month with changes taking effect from July 1.
At Panuku Development Auckland, 16 positions have been lost. Most of the staff affected have left and the remainder will be gone by July 1.
Panuku chief executive David Rankin said the priority continues to be supporting staff through a difficult and challenging time, adding that out of respect for those affected there would be no further comment.
Public Service Association (PSA) national sector leader Ian Gordon said the union is concerned about the cuts and the effect they will have on a wide range of council functions, including community services, Māori and Pasifika, libraries, and arts and culture.
“Our members are reporting that workloads are pretty extreme at the moment and that will be exacerbated,” he said.
Gordon said that after five rounds of change at the council over the past three or four years, staff are used to the process but suffering from change fatigue.
PSA assistant secretary Bronwynn Maxwell last month called for AT to slow down and undertake proper consultation instead of a 10-day consultation period.
“This is not the way to treat loyal workers whose livelihoods are at stake. We think at least a month would be fair in the circumstances.
“It all smacks of a headlong rush to cut costs and satisfy Mayor Wayne Brown’s austerity drive when the position of our members should be front and centre in what is a major restructuring of the Auckland Transport workforce,” Maxwell said.
The PSA represents about 3800 staff across the council group.
At Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, the board and chief executive Nick Hill are fighting a proposed budget cut of $44m put forward by Brown in a letter outlining what he expects from the agency over the next three years.
In a written response, board chairwoman Jennah Wootten and Hill said they will find savings of $27.5m but the board is not comfortable supporting the other $16.5m of savings without further discussions with the mayor and councillors about priorities.
To cut $44m, they said, would mean stopping all economic development activity except spending tied to assets and facilities. That would leave Auckland as the only major city in New Zealand without an economic development agency.
A mayoral spokesman said Brown has discussed the concerns with Tātaki, saying they are still under review and no decisions have been made yet.
The other council agency, Watercare, is not affected by the budget hole and has no plans for job losses.
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Free Chicken Poop Compost for your garden bed
Free Chicken Poop Compost for your garden bed
pickup from New Windsor
please text 0211755456
thanks
Greenview Park Village & Terence Kennedy House
Did you know that Greenview Park has multiple indoor and outdoor spaces perfect for afternoon tea or a cuppa?
These spaces are communal, and all are welcome, including visitors and family.
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