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Gambling Law Shake-Up May Hit Local Clubs
Gambling Law Shake-Up May Hit Local Clubs

08 September 2025, 3:08 AM

Every weekend, thousands of New Zealand children pull on team jerseys, play on well-kept fields, and benefit from the quiet dedication of volunteers.Few stop to think about where the money comes from for uniforms, buses or tournament fees.For decades, a large slice of that funding has been drawn from gaming machine (“pokie”) revenue, redistributed into communities through grants.That pipeline is now in danger of being broken.The government’s proposed Online Casino Gambling Bill – due for its second reading in parliament soon – would regulate and license up to 15 offshore casino operators in New Zealand.On the surface, this looks like common sense: rein in an unregulated online market, protect consumers and tax the industry.But buried in the detail is a potentially serious unintended consequence: there is no requirement for licensed online casinos to return a share of their revenue to community funding.For grassroots sports, already struggling with a volunteer crisis, this could be another blow.Each year, around NZ$170 million flows from gaming machine profits back into communities.These grants are lifelines for sports clubs (as well as arts groups, community health initiatives and local charities).They don’t just buy jerseys, they keep clubs alive.If online casinos are legalised without community return requirements, the fear is that gambling dollars will shift away from local pokie venues and into the pockets of offshore operators.Community organisations would then suffer.Sports leaders have spoken out already. Chair of Cycling NZ Martin Snedden has called the proposal a “crazy move” that poses a “massive risk” to grassroots sport.Without those grants, he says, thousands of small volunteer-run organisations will struggle to survive.Volunteers under pressureThe timing could hardly be worse for a volunteer sector that’s been under strain for years.Once thriving clubs are now struggling to recruit and retain people.My research with volunteer coaches and administrators shows compliance demands are growing, from child safeguarding checks to health and safety paperwork, meaning fewer people are willing to take on such roles.The rising cost of living means fewer families can afford club fees or take unpaid time to help.Reduced community funding will only exacerbate the problem.Supporters of the Online Casino Gambling Bill point to its intended benefits: a safer, regulated gambling market that protects consumers, generates tax revenue and imposes strong rules on age limits and advertising, with hefty fines for non‑compliance.They also highlight the government’s promise of $81 million to address gambling harm through treatment and prevention.For generations, however, New Zealand has operated on a social contract: gambling is permitted on the condition that profits are partially reinvested in communities.This isn’t to say the pokie system is ideal.A 2021 report released by Hāpai Te Hauora-Māori Public Health and others, “Ending community sector dependence on pokie funding”, described pokies as a harmful model that makes community organisations dependent on losses from the very people they’re trying to support.Written in the wake of COVID’s disruption to gambling revenues, the report argued it was the ideal moment to shift to a fairer system, calling for the government to directly fund community and sport grant recipients.The new bill, however, doesn’t resolve the bigger picture.It may reduce some consumer harms by bringing offshore casinos under regulation, but it does nothing to replace the community funding that will be lost.Instead, it simply cuts community organisations out of the loop.The consequences will likely be felt widely:clubs will fold or be forced to cut programs, and participation will shrink, especially in low-income areas where grants have been most crucialwealthier communities may survive on fees and private sponsorships while poorer ones won’t, deepening inequalitywith fewer resources, volunteers will face even greater pressure as they are expected to do more with lessand the social cohesion enhanced by community groups is undermined.A consistent approachThe solution could be relatively simple, if politically inconvenient: apply the same community return principle to online casinos that already exists for pokies.That could mean:requiring licensed online operators to contribute a fixed percentage of gross gambling revenue to a community trustring-fencing a portion of tax revenue for community funding (beyond gambling harm services)establishing a transparent framework so communities can see and trust where the money goes.Another option, raised in the Hāpai Te Hauora report, is for the government to move away from gambling reliance altogether and directly fund community and sports groups.The $170 million a year is hardly unmanageable, and it would signal a commitment to sustaining the volunteers and organisations that underpin community life.These approaches would be consistent with New Zealand’s longstanding gambling policy principle: if governments allow gambling to expand, they must also support the communities that feel the downstream impact.For parents watching their children play on Saturday mornings, for volunteers balancing spreadsheets late at night, and for already stretched communities, this is more than just another abstract policy debate.Author: Blake Bennett - Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Pedagogy, University of Auckland

Lawn Etiquette: A Neighbourly Guide
Lawn Etiquette: A Neighbourly Guide

07 September 2025, 9:13 PM

On the regular early morning walk, you see it all—freshly striped lawns, shaggy patches waiting for attention, and the odd berm left to the wild. It is part of the mix that makes Hibiscus Coast streets familiar, but there are a few quiet customs that help things tick along smoothly.Most neighbours reckon a mower sounds best after 9 am, especially on weekends. The official rule is no mowing before 7 am or after 10 pm, but a later start keeps the peace.Clippings are another one. It is easy to let them scatter onto the footpath or across the fence, but sweeping them back onto your own lawn keeps things tidy and makes for handy mulch. A quick check of where your mower chute is pointing saves cars and fences from a peppering of green.Berms are part of the picture too. Council leaves them to us, and when they are mown, the whole street feels tidier.And then there is neighbourly give and take. If you want to help trim a shared edge, or need a car shifted before mowing, a quick word usually does the trick.Hibiscus Coast App Tips:If the grass is brushing your ankles, it's probably too long.Aim for 3–5cm—once it hits 8–10cm, mowing is harder and messier.In spring and summer, try not to leave it more than 2–3 weeks.None of this is heavy stuff—it is just the small courtesies that keep our streets neat, our mornings quieter, and our walks more pleasant.Know something local worth sharing?Send it to [email protected] — we’ll help spread the word.

House Prices Keep Sliding Into Winter
House Prices Keep Sliding Into Winter

07 September 2025, 12:06 AM

Property values across New Zealand slipped another -0.2% in August, marking the fifth straight monthly fall, according to Cotality NZ’s latest Home Value Index.National values are now down -0.6% in 2025, wiping out the small gains seen late last year.The median home is sitting at $809,113, the lowest since August 2023 and still -17.2% below the January 2022 peak.Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson says the downturn that followed the post-COVID boom has steadied but not yet turned.“Caution is the dominant theme,” he said, noting that rising unemployment and subdued confidence are keeping a lid on growth.Auckland continues to feel the pinch, with August falls across every sub-market.Image: Cotality NZAuckland City, North Shore, Manukau, Papakura, and Waitakere each dropped between -0.4% and -0.6%.Franklin and Rodney fared a little worse, while Rodney’s three-month drop of -1.3% was the smallest of the region.Even so, all Auckland areas remain -20% to -25% below peak values.For Coasties, that means it’s still a buyer’s market.First home buyers and smaller investors are holding a bigger share of activity, helped by lower mortgage rates and more choice on the market.Sellers, meanwhile, may find it harder to get prices they’d hoped for.Looking ahead, Davidson expects steadier growth only from 2026, with lower mortgage rates, easing unemployment, and fewer listings likely to bring some balance back to the market.Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

Customer told it would cost $7500 to disconnect gas
Customer told it would cost $7500 to disconnect gas

05 September 2025, 10:07 PM

A business customer who was told it could take two months and $7500 to decommission gas is one of a number who complained to complaint resolution provider Utilities Disputes (UDL) about gas disconnection issues.UDL said most of the complaints it received related to disconnections were due to payment arrears, when a disconnection and reconnection fee could apply.But fees that were sometimes substantial were also charged when a gas supply was permanently stopped, it said.UDL received 35 complaints in the past six months about gas disconnection, compared to 11 in the previous six.The number of complaints about decommissioning had been increasing steadily over the years, from one in 2021 to seven so far this year.When UDL looked into the complaint about the $7500 charge, the company reduced lines charges by 30 percent while waiting for the decommissioning. UDL did not identify the companies involved.Auckland gas lines owner Vector told RNZ that from next month it was changing its pricing for permanent gas disconnections "to enable full cost recovery" when someone wanted the gas infrastructure taken off their property.The cost ranges from $750 to $2500.In Wellington it costs $1500 for a disconnection, while in Wairarapa it is about $700.If gas is disconnected at the house but not fully decommissioned, some retailers can continue to charge a daily fee for the gas supply.Paul Fuge, Powerswitch general manager, earlier said gas supply to residential homes was in a "death spiral", with prices rising quickly.A reducing number of customers were having to pay increasing network costs. Those who could not afford to leave - or were not able to - were left with the bills, he said.Gas NZ chief executive Jeffrey Clarke told Nine to Noon people who were thinking about disconnecting should talk to their retailer, who could explain the charges involved.He said residential customers did not need to worry about the future availability of gas and there was an increasing supply of biomethane coming into the system.But Andrew Eagles, chief executive at Green Building Council, said the "death spiral" claim was accurate.He said the decommission and disconnection situation was a "shambles" and people did not have enough information at a time when it would benefit the country to have them move away from gas.He said it did not make sense that at the same time that industrial customers were struggling for gas, more homes were connecting.He said it seemed unlikely that biogas would be the saviour of the system."It's many times more expensive… we've already seen gas prices rise 18 percent year-on-year."

Kiwis Weigh Pay Against Work-Life Balance
Kiwis Weigh Pay Against Work-Life Balance

03 September 2025, 8:00 PM

Most New Zealanders still value work-life balance above all else, but new research shows many would give it up for the right pay rise.SEEK’s Money Matters report, which surveyed 1,000 workers, found 68% prioritise balance over a bigger salary. Yet, for a rise of up to 20%, almost a third would work extra hours and 28% would take on more responsibilities.At the same time, 63% said they wouldn’t take a pay cut to get more balance, highlighting the tension between lifestyle and financial security.Working from home remains a sticking point. One in five who can work remotely said no pay rise would get them back in the office full-time. That reluctance was strongest among Gen X (32%) and Baby Boomers (47%).For Coasties, who often face long commutes to Auckland, these findings ring true. Flexibility is worth more than just dollars, especially when it means avoiding hours on SH1 or paying rising transport costs.Beyond pay, the top perks workers want are extra annual leave (43%), flexible hours (29%), reduced working hours (29%), and a company car (29%). Gen Z stood out for being most willing to accept longer commutes and most keen on the car perk.SEEK’s country manager Rob Clark says the line between pay and lifestyle is shifting: “Workers aren’t choosing one over the other – they’re seeking roles that support both their financial security and lifestyle needs.”Seen something local we should cover?Let us know at [email protected]

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