634 days ago

All the cash boosts Kiwis will get from 1 April

Brian from Mount Roskill

The cost of living crisis has hit many New Zealanders hard, but some help is on the way. From the beginning of April, increases to the pension, benefit, student allowance and childcare subsidies will benefit 1.4 million Kiwis.
At the same time, the minimum wage will also increase by $1.50 to $22.70 per hour.
These increases are being touted as helping the New Zealanders struggling the most right now, Sense Partners economist Shamubeel Eaqub tells The Front Page podcast it will take more than this to solve the ongoing problem of poverty in this country.
“Every little bit helps,” says Eaqub.
“The cost of living has gone up and people who do very hard work on these fairly low-paid jobs are going to find that there’s a little bit more money, but the reality is that because there are just so many taxes, even for very poor people in New Zealaand, not a lot of that will end up in the family kitty.”
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Here’s a rundown of all the changes coming on 1 April:
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Superannuation will increase by over $100 for a couple per fortnight and nearly $70 for individuals.
Main benefits to increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children will receive an extra $40.86 a week and a sole parent will receive an extra $31.83 a week.
Student support rates will increase in line with inflation, with single students under 24 without children getting an extra $20.21 per week.
The minimum wage will increase by $1.50 to $22.70 per hour.
The income thresholds for the childcare subsidy will increase.
The latest figures show that 120,000 children are still living below the poverty line in New Zealand, barely decreasing from the figures released last year.
“This shows us we’ve got to do so much more,” says Eaqub.
“We cannot have policies that go thinly over too many people. We’ve got have courage and boldness and we’ve got to spend much more money if we’re actually going to deal with it. Poverty is entirely fixable. We know the kinds of policies that work, but it requires us to take money away policies that are spread too thin and give money to people who do not deserve it.
So what policies would make more sense? Do politicians have the appetite to drive that change? Could childcare subsidies simply lead to increase costs? And is it time to seriously think about changing our superannuation system?
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www.nzherald.co.nz...
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More messages from your neighbours
1 hour ago

“ CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH RED CROSS ONEHUNGA “✨🎄💝

The Shop Manager from Red Cross Shop Onehunga

Step into holiday season with style💫

🎄Chic floral embroidery and crisp white to for that Christmas glow.

🎀Satin gold dress paired with elegant floral hats for for the perfect celebration look.

🕴️Sleek suits that bring sophistication to Christmas Eve.


Shop with Red Cross this Christmas and support a great cause!!!

#ChristmasGiftIdeas#ShopForGood#RedCrossOnehunga#

200 Onehunga Mall Road
Onehunga
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday Closed for Christmas
Thursday -Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday - 10am - 5pm

3 days ago

Worst Xmas ever?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.

Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...

Share your Christmas mishaps below!

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14 days ago

⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️

The Team from SPCA New Zealand

It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:

👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️

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