Whitby, Porirua

Protect your family for Less

First Insurance

Many insurance policies are less than a Cup of Coffee per day, due to discounts and premium refunds that we arrange, and also premium tax refunds from IRD. As a Wellington-based Insurance broker with 18 years experience, First Insurance has access to multiple NZ insurance providers giving you the … View moreMany insurance policies are less than a Cup of Coffee per day, due to discounts and premium refunds that we arrange, and also premium tax refunds from IRD. As a Wellington-based Insurance broker with 18 years experience, First Insurance has access to multiple NZ insurance providers giving you the best policies and cover for minimal cost.

If you already have insurance in place, we provide a Free Insurance Review service, including Home/Contents/Car covers.

Free Appointments in your home or office - day or evening.

Click on the link below to go to our website or Phone 0800-112-899 Find out more

Porirua's mayoral candidates taking on Mike Tana seize on STV strategy in local elections

Dileepa Fonseka Reporter from Kapi-Mana News

Create your own plant stand

The Team from Resene ColorShop Petone

Slightly Scandi and very cool, this concrete plant stand is a stylish addition to any home. Finish the legs with your favourite Resene colour.

Make the most of this weekend with this easy step by step project idea from Resene.

Find out how to create this quick and easy project yourself.

Cameron Bagrie

Rhondda Sweetman from Plimmerton Rotary

Our guest speaker this week was Cameron Bagrie, well-known guru on economic affairs, and a trustee of Life Education.

The main thrust of his forthright talk was that we should expect relentless change and disruption across the economy and society. Netflix, AirBnB, and E-scooters were unknown … View moreOur guest speaker this week was Cameron Bagrie, well-known guru on economic affairs, and a trustee of Life Education.

The main thrust of his forthright talk was that we should expect relentless change and disruption across the economy and society. Netflix, AirBnB, and E-scooters were unknown just a few years ago and now they are fixed in the public consciousness. These are technology-driven disruptors.

Demographic trends are driving new behaviours, too. The 64+ age group is growing fast, and the attitudes of younger workers are different. Who will take over the small firms when their owners want to retire?

To succeed in an era of disruption and rapid change our businesses need to adapt, so we need to encourage risk-takers and be more accepting of failure. Complacency is in itself a high-risk attitude. Sectors which in the past have relied on capital gains, such as farming (and especially dairying), will have to innovate more energetically.

There is an unhealthy focus on short-term results and returns to shareholders rather than the needs of customers over the long term. This needs to change. A quick win usually leads to long-term loss.

Cameron considers housing affordability, child poverty and mental illness as national disgraces, and while the ‘wellbeing’ budget shows good aspiration, so far the execution has been poor. Government debt at 20% of GDP is very low and since the government can borrow at low interest rates, it should do so. But then there are resource constraints, especially skilled labour, so projects can be poor value for money.

To future-proof our quality of life, we should invest more in our children, and pay our teachers more. Children need to be financially literate, a mission which Life Education is embracing.

Cameron’s take on economics was wide-ranging, stimulating, disturbing at times, but far from dismal.

Poll: Have you ever challenged a parking ticket?

Stacey Reporter from Stuff

It's true that you agreed to a legally binding contract as soon as you drove into the parking lot. Thankfully, New Zealand law protects consumers from the exploitative clauses that corporates love to slip in the fine print.

Under contract law, parking companies can only claim for "the … View moreIt's true that you agreed to a legally binding contract as soon as you drove into the parking lot. Thankfully, New Zealand law protects consumers from the exploitative clauses that corporates love to slip in the fine print.

Under contract law, parking companies can only claim for "the actual and reasonable costs they incurred". Charging $65 for a short overstay in an empty carpark is as far from reasonable as you can get.

To find out what to do in this situation, click here

Have you ever challenged a parking ticket?

• Yes, and I won!
• Nah, I jut pay it
• Yes, but I still had to pay

Vote View Results

• 46.8% Yes, and I won!
  46.8% Complete
• 32.4% Nah, I jut pay it
  32.4% Complete
• 20.8% Yes, but I still had to pay
  20.8% Complete

1168 votes