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Restructure.
A scary word that can make people uneasy—and for good reason. According to The Post, more than a third of New Zealand’s public services have recently faced it.
But why is restructuring the go-to strategy for driving change?
In The Post’s article '… View moreRestructure.
A scary word that can make people uneasy—and for good reason. According to The Post, more than a third of New Zealand’s public services have recently faced it.
But why is restructuring the go-to strategy for driving change?
In The Post’s article 'Reaching for change: Is our public service obsessed with restructuring?', doctoral candidate Annika Naschitzki from Victoria University is trying to understand repetitive restructuring.
New Zealand’s public service is often seen as risk-averse, slow-moving, and stuck. But interviewed staff indicate that they want change, that change is needed ... just not through restructuring.
Naschitzki doesn’t mince words: “We always have the same issues, but we keep trying to fix the same problem with the same hammer we've been using for decades.”
Are we leaning too heavily on structural change when real transformation might lie elsewhere? Perhaps through training, resourcing, tools, and practice, as Naschitzki suggests.
What do you think?
Is restructuring the right tool for meaningful change, or just a habit we can’t seem to break?
If you are wary of restructuring, how can we do better?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Butter, power bills, and those sneaky surcharges on your card ... it feels like everything’s creeping up in price lately. We’ve seen the headlines, but we want to hear it from you.
Overall, Most Kiwis say they’re ‘not prospering’. But, according to Retirement Commission data, some … View moreButter, power bills, and those sneaky surcharges on your card ... it feels like everything’s creeping up in price lately. We’ve seen the headlines, but we want to hear it from you.
Overall, Most Kiwis say they’re ‘not prospering’. But, according to Retirement Commission data, some members of our community (women, Māori, and Pacific people) are experiencing worsening financial positions at elevated rates.
Stats NZ tells us that food prices have jumped 4.6% since this time last year, with meat and dairy doing most of the damage. This jump is hitting us all, but groceries are just one part of the picture.
When basic costs keep climbing, the old cost-saving tricks — like bulk-buying or stockpiling on sale — don’t always work. Who can afford to spend more upfront when every dollar already has a job?
We want to know: What costs have caught you off guard the most? What are the expenses that feel impossible to juggle right now?
Share your thoughts below!
Don't forget to enter a Bright Spot in your home, workplace or community for a chance to win one of ten amazing prizes! Whether it's a colourful fence, a mural in your office or a place in the community that makes you smile - we'd love to see it.
Share a Bright Spot today for a … View moreDon't forget to enter a Bright Spot in your home, workplace or community for a chance to win one of ten amazing prizes! Whether it's a colourful fence, a mural in your office or a place in the community that makes you smile - we'd love to see it.
Share a Bright Spot today for a chance to win one of ten prize packs worth $500.
And make sure you check out the entries so far too.
The Government says it's scrapping those annoying card surcharges – and it’s happening next year.
Consumer NZ is stoked, saying these sneaky surcharges cost Kiwis around $65 million a year and should’ve been gone ages ago.
But not everyone’s convinced it’s a win. Labour and … View moreThe Government says it's scrapping those annoying card surcharges – and it’s happening next year.
Consumer NZ is stoked, saying these sneaky surcharges cost Kiwis around $65 million a year and should’ve been gone ages ago.
But not everyone’s convinced it’s a win. Labour and Hospitality NZ are worried the costs won’t just disappear. Labour MP Arena Williams put it simply: there should not be surcharges for customers at all. But she points out that the Government’s plan does not deal with banks and merchants “who still scoop a big fee”.
Many of our community are rocked by the recent announcement. Retailers warn card surcharge ban could lead to higher prices - the unfortunatel reality is that small businesses are feeling the squeeze along with their customers. In comparison, large retailers pay significantly lower banking fees and ultimately have more leverage at the negotiation table.
💸 So someone still pays – but who?
We want to know: Who should be covering this cost?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Thanks to a generous gift, 730 Hectares in Kaituna Valley are now protected for everyone to enjoy
Four incredible donors have come together to gift 730 hectares of land in the Kaituna Valley to the nation — a multimillion-dollar contribution that will benefit generations to come.
This land,… View moreThanks to a generous gift, 730 Hectares in Kaituna Valley are now protected for everyone to enjoy
Four incredible donors have come together to gift 730 hectares of land in the Kaituna Valley to the nation — a multimillion-dollar contribution that will benefit generations to come.
This land, which has now been protected and opened to the public, forms part of a much larger conservation area — nearly 2,400 hectares stretching from sea level at Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, up to the Summit Walkway, and back down into the Kaituna Valley.
Once used for farming, the land has now been cleared of livestock, and pest control efforts are underway to help native plants and wildlife thrive. The goal? A richer, more diverse ecosystem that everyone can experience and be proud of.
This is a powerful example of how the actions of a few can have a huge impact. Thanks to their vision and generosity, a precious piece of our natural heritage is now protected.
Read more about the Massive win for conservation and recreation in the Kaituna.
We hope this news brings a smile!
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 $5000 Love to Dance grants up for grabs.
Click read more to nominate your … View moreWhether 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 $5000 Love to Dance grants up for grabs.
Click read more to nominate your community dance group.
Applications close 31 August 2025.
Kia ora neighbours. We're on the lookout for broccoli recipes! We will give away free copies of the October 2025 issue to readers whose broccoli recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite broccoli recipe to us, at: … View moreKia ora neighbours. We're on the lookout for broccoli recipes! We will give away free copies of the October 2025 issue to readers whose broccoli recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite broccoli recipe to us, at: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by August 15, 2025.
Does your home have a bright pink front door? Know a secret rainbow-coloured park bench? Is there art in your office that makes you smile every time you walk past it? If it's bright - we need to see it!
Bright Spots is back for a third year - a celebration of the crazy colourful places in … View moreDoes your home have a bright pink front door? Know a secret rainbow-coloured park bench? Is there art in your office that makes you smile every time you walk past it? If it's bright - we need to see it!
Bright Spots is back for a third year - a celebration of the crazy colourful places in our communities and homes. Share a pic today and you could win one of ten prize packages worth $500!
Need inspo? Check out the entries so far.
Have you seen James Gunn's 'Superman' yet?
The new movie stars Krypto, Superman's capable and floofy sidekick. Following the movie release, online searches for dog adoption surged globally! Krypto is based on Gunn's own rescue dog, Ozu. The Neighbourly team is sure that … View moreHave you seen James Gunn's 'Superman' yet?
The new movie stars Krypto, Superman's capable and floofy sidekick. Following the movie release, online searches for dog adoption surged globally! Krypto is based on Gunn's own rescue dog, Ozu. The Neighbourly team is sure that Gunn is pleased that his own rescue pup may lead to more fluffy adoptions!
Looking to match with your own super pet? The SPCA is spotlighting animals waiting for their new and committed families.
We hope this news brings a smile!
Life gets busy—really busy. Between work, family, appointments, and a never-ending to-do list, it’s easy for things to pile up. Add fast fashion, online sales, and homewares aisles that whisper “just one more basket won’t hurt”, and suddenly we’re swimming in stuff and tat.
… View moreLife gets busy—really busy. Between work, family, appointments, and a never-ending to-do list, it’s easy for things to pile up. Add fast fashion, online sales, and homewares aisles that whisper “just one more basket won’t hurt”, and suddenly we’re swimming in stuff and tat.
Sometimes, that stuff is cozy and familiar. But other times, after a long day, you walk through the door, look around, and think: “Okay. Something’s got to go.”
And when that urge to declutter hits, the question is—where does it all go? We're not talking about broken bits and pieces, but those perfectly good things that simply no longer fit your life or your space.
In her piece When decluttering can’t be avoided much longer, Joanna Davis shares the everyday items she's finally ready to part with—and it might just inspire your own clear-out mission.
We want to know:
🧹 How often do you get the urge to declutter?
🎯 Are there certain things you’ve got your eye on to donate or rehome?
💛 Do you have any favourite charities, op-shops, or community organisations you support with your preloved items?
Let’s swap stories, share ideas, and help great stuff find a second life—outside our closets and shelves.
Imagine checking your ticket and realising that you have won big ...
Tell us your dreams - what is the very first thing you would do with the winnings?
Would you make that silly purchase you have always wanted, but could never justify?
Call the bank and immediately pay off your mortgage? … View moreImagine checking your ticket and realising that you have won big ...
Tell us your dreams - what is the very first thing you would do with the winnings?
Would you make that silly purchase you have always wanted, but could never justify?
Call the bank and immediately pay off your mortgage?
Stop by the SPCA on the way home and make a donation?
Buy a captain's hat, open up Trade Me and browse "boats for sale"?
A few weeks ago, the Neighbourly team shared a round of complaints over our morning cuppa about the challenges of juggling runny noses and work commitments.
After reading Flip Grater's opinion piece, Playing germ roulette with our kids’ health, we felt a collective sense of relief - … View moreA few weeks ago, the Neighbourly team shared a round of complaints over our morning cuppa about the challenges of juggling runny noses and work commitments.
After reading Flip Grater's opinion piece, Playing germ roulette with our kids’ health, we felt a collective sense of relief - another parent shares our niggling worries.
We wanted to check in with our online neighbours: do you feel the same way? We are all busy, and keeping children home from school is sometimes impossible given other responsibilities. Busy lives and the apparent loss of collective energy around monitoring cold symptoms have led to more students and staff in shared spaces with sniffles and coughs.
But what do you think? Is this a concern?
We want to know: Are there clear Guidelines on when to keep kids off of school?
Should we be having a nuanced conversation about risk management, and how to better support working families?
Share your opinion with us below!
Kiwi pukupuku (the little spotted kiwi) have been rediscovered in the wild on mainland Aotearoa New Zealand for the first time in five decades!
The pukupuku is the smallest and one of the most vulnerable kiwi species. Only around 2000 birds remain on offshore islands and predator-free … View moreKiwi pukupuku (the little spotted kiwi) have been rediscovered in the wild on mainland Aotearoa New Zealand for the first time in five decades!
The pukupuku is the smallest and one of the most vulnerable kiwi species. Only around 2000 birds remain on offshore islands and predator-free sanctuaries, and are the descendants of just 5 birds which had been translocated to Kapiti Island from South Westland in 1912.
The March discovery in the remote Adams Wilderness Area, on the West Coast, is definitely choice news.
Ka pai to the amazing investigation team: DOC biodiversity ranger Iain Graham and his conservation dog, Brew!
We hope this news brings a smile!
The Neighbourly Team came across the third installment of 'Work, Interrupted', an article series looking at the job struggles different generations face, and we thought it would resonate with our Neighbourly community.
In this article, Amelia Wade reports on what it’s like to seek … View moreThe Neighbourly Team came across the third installment of 'Work, Interrupted', an article series looking at the job struggles different generations face, and we thought it would resonate with our Neighbourly community.
In this article, Amelia Wade reports on what it’s like to seek employment when you’re 50+. Many factors - from financial to social pressures - are keeping people in the workforce longer. The reality is that times are tough, even for our most experienced workers: of those receiving Jobseeker benefit, a third are 50-64 years old.
We want to know: Have you felt overlooked in the job market?
Do you have advice for your community on how to stand out in an increasingly crowded job seeker market?
Share your experience below!
📖 Want to read more from the 'Work, Interrupted' series?
Work, Interrupted: The kids, the mortgage, but no job. What next?
Young and shut out: Gen Z face the harshest job market in years
Work, Interrupted: Is 50 the new 60? Older workers battling algorithms to get CVs seen
© Neighbourly 2025
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