Most people will have heard talk about the median wage and some might even be able to put their finger on it - if you're not one of them, it's in the vicinity of $1250 a week.But that figure is based on incomes for the entire workforce, including school leavers, apprentices, new graduates, experienced professionals, and the semi-retired, to name just a few.So, what are the numbers relevant to your demographic and how does your income stack up?Here's what the Stats NZ data shows.In your teensGetting a part-time job is a rite of passage for a lot of New Zealand teens and can be a lucrative way to spend a few hours after school or at the weekend.Those aged 15 to 19 had a median weekly income of $390 and median hourly rate of $23 an hour.While that is shy of the adult minimum wage ($23.15), it is quite a bit better than than the starting out and training minimum wages ($18.52), both of which can apply to teens (whether that is fair is an issue for another day).In your 20sYour earnings should pick up once your teens and education (or most of it) are behind you.Workers aged 20 to 24 have a median hourly rate of $26 (in line with the current living wage) and median weekly income of $1008. That works out to $52,416 a year.Those in their late twenties earn a median weekly income of $1247 at a rate of $30 an hour.In your 30sIncomes continue to climb as workers hit their early thirties and rack up some experience.The median weekly income for those aged 30-34 is $1360 ($70,720 a year) at a median hourly rate of $33.56.Things are not vastly different for workers in their late thirties, with the median hourly rate of $36.23 and weekly earnings of $1440.In your 40sAlthough you will probably start to notice a few physical changes in your forties (can I interest you in a few more grey hairs, wrinkles, aches and pains?), there is little change in median incomes across this decade.Those aged 40 to 44 earn a median weekly income of $1400, while those in their late forties are only marginally better off at $1419 per week.In your 50sThings start to slide in the final full decade before retirement, with the median weekly income falling to $1396 in the first half and to $1343 ($69,836 a year) in the second half.Meanwhile, the median hourly rate falls by $1 from $34 to $33 between 50 and 59.In your 60sThe end is in sight! But as workers count down to putting their feet up, incomes are also on a downward slide.The median weekly income for those aged 60 to 64 is $1280 at an hourly rate of $34.14.Post-pension age, median weekly income from salary and wages falls to $959, while the median hourly rate is $30.- This story was originally published by Stuff.

The sale of a long-term lease for Ports of Auckland will not go ahead.Instead, as part of a new deal, the port has committed to $1 billion in profits to Auckland Council over the next decade.A new tripartite agreement has been reached where port land, assets, and operations will be retained under council ownership.Ports of Auckland chief executive Roger Gray said handing back Captain Cook Wharf and Marsden Wharf to council would cost more than $70 million.Auckland mayor Wayne Brown also negotiated public access to parts of Bledisloe Wharf - where all the imported cars are currently unloaded - as a shared space for public use and cruises.Gray said over the next three years, "we are looking to making in excess of $100m a year".There were a few different levers and it would be a combination of increased pricing and growing volumes.He said the peak access charge was likely to increase from $95 per container to about $295 in the next three years."[You can] expect to see our pricing be very close in line with the pricing in New South Wales," he said.He told Checkpoint this year the company was on track to make more than $52m but needed to double its efforts."The first is we're going to grow volume. We've seen great growth in cruise and cars. But also we've seen significant market share come back from the Port of Tauranga in containers as we've started to get our operations back to where we were pre-automation."And secondly, we've been quite open about this, we are going to continue to take price."He said the Ports had seen a double-digit growth in imports and exports in the last year."We'll continue to hold that. We think that's volume share that's come back."We're up year on year about 2 percent total container volume."There were no penalties if the Ports did not keep up to its end of the bargain."It's a memorandum of understanding, not a contract as such. We're still working through on what we're going to do, but we're committed to delivering these numbers and we will."Maritime Union Auckland secretary Grant Williams said he was relieved the mayor had changed his mind."Especially in this time now with what's going on everywhere else [in the public sector], to know that people recognise your place of work and that the work you do is valuable and necessary ... those things matter," he said.He said the union was satisfied with the result, even if it took a lot of pushing."We involved ourselves, so I'm satisfied with our own efforts," he said."We made something happen, through organising and getting support from people. We're happy with the result."

The effect of deep cuts throughout Massey University outlines a stark statistic revealing the institution has cut more than 500 courses this year.At the same time, it would not say what its 2024 enrolment numbers were, as the sector faced a funding squeeze with scant likelihood of a Budget boost later in May.Last year was a tough one for Massey. It declared a deficit of $45.5 million and slashed courses and jobs, including major reductions to science.The extent of that was made clear in a Massey academic board paper, which revealed 624 courses were "retired" this year.Although some new courses have been introduced, the loss of courses was more than 500. Last year, 116 courses were "retired".Palmerston North-based politics professor Richard Shaw had been vocal in warning that continued cuts would lead to what he called the academic equivalent of an ice age."I would stand by those comments in as much as we are still in a part of the process that is disruptive for staff, for students, for managers up and down the hierarchy," Shaw told RNZ."It's a distressing period of time for people. We're still roiling through those circumstances."Shaw works in the college of humanities and social sciences. He said some staff there were competing against each other for jobs, while the number of courses would not be reduced - yet."We will have a smaller workforce and I think it's highly likely that from 2026 on we we will reduce the number of offerings of some of our courses."It may be that we don't lose significant numbers of courses, but we no longer offer them internally on two or three campuses as well as via distance."Students made their views clear at a forum in Albany this week. Photo: Supplied / Niklas PolzerThe 624 courses cut this year included 434 from sciences, 79 from business and 59 from humanities.Courses were cut and new ones added all the time, but this year's high number comes after 116 were retired last year.Meanwhile, university staff were battling on in trying circumstances, Shaw said."At the moment the people I work alongside of, including people who are in the throes of losing their positions, are conducting themselves with considerable professionalism and good grace."Josh Parsons, from Student Action Collective, was calling on Massey to be upfront about its strategy and where it was heading, given the extent of the cuts."It's 624 retired and 66 created, which means there's 558 courses less at Massey," he said."With a total course number of around 3000 that's over 1/6th of the courses at Massey. That's a sixth of the university gone."Students were not being given the full picture about what was happening, Parsons said."The mood among most current students at Massey is to just keep your head down and hope your degree doesn't get cut out from under you, and try and make it out the other side so you can leave it all behind."I don't know what future students are thinking."Massey's far from the only university that had faced financial pain. The government had appointed an expert advisory panel to explore better ways of operating.Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan said the varsities were having to make calls about how to balance their books.Whelan said he could not comment on Massey specifically, but spoke about the sector as a whole from his position leading the umbrella group."Right now, this is something I've never seen where government controls about 80 percent of university funding."Inflation since 2019's been 21 percent but government, perhaps realistically or fairly, has only been able to afford to increase university funding by 8 percent."That left a massive gap between costs and income, despite a $128m boost last year from the then-Labour government."We just don't know when that relief's going to come along and we can read the same runes as everyone else."There isn't a lot of money floating around. We'd obviously love government to invest in us, but we fully understand this is not the environment when that's likely to happen, certainly in the next Budget."Massey provost, professor Giselle Byrnes, said the university had a responsibility to reduce the size and scope of its academic offering to make sure it provided what was required, and in ways it could afford."Over time, student demand for and interest in qualifications changes in response to changing social, employment and industry demands."Closing courses - also known as papers at some universities - specialisations and qualifications that are no longer in demand is part of the normal cycle of academic management."Byrnes said many courses had no or few enrolments in recent years, or were offered every other year, and Massey could no longer maintain "this broad offer over the long term".Other courses on the list being cut had been joined together, such as "research methods" or thesis courses. Those were basically placeholders for research projects.Massey had 3209 approved courses. In 2023, 116 courses were cut and 54 added.Massey declined to release its 2024 enrolment numbers, but last year it had 26,632 students. Of those, 16,246 were classified as full-time equivalents.Those figures have declined from 30,491 students in 2019, with 18,835 full-time equivalents.A Massey spokeswoman said it had undergone significant changes, which skewed year-on-year enrolments patterns, so was not "yet in a position to provide contextually accurate enrolment numbers" for 2024.It would only say it has surpassed its 2024 annual targets for new students by 6.5 percent, made up of an increase of 3.8 percent for new domestic students and 24.3 percent for new international students.

Armed police have cordoned off a section of Auckland's Ponsonby Road after a person was found dead on Sunday night.Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, Auckland City CIB, said emergency services responded to reports of a firearm being discharged outside an address on Ponsonby Road about 10.18pm."Upon arrival, a man was located deceased."Our investigation is now in the early stages to determine the full circumstances of what has occurred."Police at the scene of a cordon after a reported death on Ponsonby Rd. Photo: Finn BlackwellPolice were still trying to find the person believed to be responsible."Police have been in the area overnight speaking to a number of witnesses who were in the vicinity at the time of the incident," Bolton said."While at this stage, no arrests have been made, police are following lines of enquiry."Auckland Transport said a section of Ponsonby Road, between Richmond Road and Franklin Road, was closed due to an incident."Avoid this area or expect delays with diversions in place affecting all traffic, including bus services."Bolton said there would be an increased police presence in the Ponsonby area on Monday."A scene guard has also been established and will remain in place today while our enquiries continue."An RNZ reporter at the scene on Monday morning said two armed police could be seen inside the cordon.A post-mortem and formal identification of the man found dead will be carried out over the coming days.

Aucklanders can breathe a sigh of relief as the Government and Auckland Council have reached an agreement on water infrastructure funding.The new plan, dubbed "Local Water Done Well," delivers on the Government's election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland's water services.This agreement means Aucklanders will avoid the previously proposed water rate hike of a staggering 25.8%. Importantly, local control of water assets will also be retained.The announcement was made at a joint press conference held at Watercare's Central Interceptor construction site in Māngere.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown were all present."This Local Water Done Well solution ensures affordable water rates now and into the future for Aucklanders," stated Minister Brown. He emphasised the significant difference from the previous government's approach, which he described as "wasteful" and "divisive."The key difference lies in how Watercare will finance its infrastructure upgrades.The new model allows for increased borrowing spread over a longer period, rather than placing the immediate burden on current ratepayers.Mayor Brown expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, highlighting the collaborative effort between the Council and central government.He commended the Government for listening to the Council's preferred approach and praised their swift action in implementing it."This is exactly what Auckland needs," said Mayor Brown.He emphasised the importance of finding a better solution than the previously proposed drastic rate increase.The Mayor also reiterated his belief that water infrastructure management should involve greater local control.He commended the Government for acknowledging this perspective and working together to achieve a more sustainable funding model for Auckland's water needs.International credit rating agency S&P Global Ratings has confirmed that the new model separates Watercare's borrowing from Auckland Council's for credit rating purposes.This provides further assurance for the long-term financial health of the water infrastructure project.

Recycling the right way is crucial for protecting our environment. However, until recently, recycling rules differed across New Zealand, causing confusion and contamination in kerbside bins.To address this, new nationwide standards for recycling have been introduced. These standards benefit both residents and manufacturers. Hibiscus Coast have a clear guide on what can be recycled, while manufacturers gain certainty when designing recyclable packaging.The new standards also aim to minimise contamination, a significant issue. Currently, a quarter of Auckland's recycling bins contain un-recyclable materials. Sorting and disposing of this contamination costs ratepayers $3 million annually.What can go in your bin?Glass bottles and jars: Rinse them first, but lids go in the general rubbish bin. Consider reusing these containers for storage!Tin, steel and aluminium cans: These are all recyclable. Steel is 100% recyclable, so your empty baked bean can might become another can or even building materials! Aluminium is also infinitely recyclable.Plastic grades 1, 2 & 5: Check the recycling symbol – these are the only plastics accepted in your kerbside bin. Typically, number 1 is for water bottles, number 2 for milk bottles, and number 5 for takeaway containers.What has changed?Farewell to these: Empty aerosol cans, aluminium foil, beverage cartons (e.g. soy milk cartons) and compostable packaging now go in your general rubbish bin. For some of these items, you may have drop-off options at metal recyclers or SaveBoard locations.Coffee cups and small items: Disposable coffee cups and items smaller than 50mm x 50mm cannot be recycled in your kerbside bin. Consider using a reusable cup and remember – lids go in the rubbish bin too!Unsure about something?A comprehensive guide is available online. This guide details what can be recycled and provides information on recycling centres that may accept specific items.By following these new standards, we can all play a part in reducing waste and protecting our environment. Let's recycle right, Coasties!

The reopening of State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills will be delayed by a number of weeks due to an active slip.The section of highway was damaged during last year's Cyclone Gabrielle, and had been closed for repairs since mid-February.The critical Northland highway was due to fully reopen on the 13 May.NZTA Waka Kotahi says there was a slip over the weekend and it has continued moving over the last couple of days.A substantial amount of material fell on Tuesday, it said.The agency said it was still in the early stages of assessing the best solution, and would confirm more details as soon as it could.NZTA Waka Kotahi spokesperson Mark Kinvig told Checkpoint the sheer volume of material that fell had caused the delay.The material is highly variable, suspeptible to slips and "is quite a tricky site to work through".The priority was safety of the workforce in the next 24 hours, Kinvig said.

Refreshed health guidance released aims to support parents and schools in assessing whether children should attend school, addressing attendance concerns, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.In recent years, short-term illness or medical reasons have been the main reasons for justified absences. Absences due to these reasons remained higher post-COVID-19, with 8.6% in Term 2 of 2022 and 6.9% in Term 2 of 2023, compared to 4-5.3% in 2015-2019.“School attendance is a shared responsibility, and COVID-19 shifted attendance culture. It's time to find balance,” says Mr Seymour."Health's important, but sometimes a choice must be made between health and education. We aim to restore balance.”“Parents should make informed decisions. For instance, mild hay fever doesn’t mean it’s unsafe for a child to attend school.”The refreshed guidance provides information on minor symptoms allowing school attendance and significant symptoms to watch out for.It also offers resources to help students cope with mild anxiety affecting school attendance.“Today's education crisis will have long-term consequences. We need a culture where children prioritize school,” Mr Seymour concludes.

Menulog will cease operations in New Zealand next month, it has announced.The food delivery service, founded in Australia in 2006, has been operating in New Zealand since 2012.It was known for its advertisements titled "Did Somebody Say?" featuring Snoop Dogg, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera and Latto.Menulog said New Zealand represents a small part of its business, and this small size was insufficient to maintain a healthy business in the market.Its website and app will no longer be operational from the 16 May.

Eleven people have been injured after a fire at an apartment block in the Hillcrest suburb of Auckland.Fire and Emergency said crews were called to a blaze in the top storey of a flat in the apartment block just after midday.It said no people were reported inside, and understands six residents had evacuated.St John said five people with minor and moderate injuries were taken to North Shore Hospital, and six further people were treated at the scene.The fire is being investigated.

In a significant move within the New Zealand real estate sector, Raine & Horne, a leading player in Australasia, has acquired Mike Pero Real Estate.The acquisition, finalised on 28th March 2024, marks a milestone in Raine & Horne’s 140-year history.Raine & Horne, renowned for its expertise and extensive network of over 350 offices worldwide, is committed to expanding its presence in New Zealand.This acquisition reinforces their dedication to providing top-tier service, leveraging advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media marketing.Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne - Angus Raine.Mr. Angus Raine, Executive Chairman of Raine & Horne, expressed gratitude to Liberty Financial Group for entrusting them with the acquisition, recognising Mike Pero Real Estate's longstanding contribution to the New Zealand property landscape.“We are honoured to welcome Mike Pero Real Estate into the Raine & Horne family,” said Mr Raine. The transition to Raine & Horne will be gradual, ensuring continuity for clients.While business operations remain unchanged for now, clients can anticipate enhanced services backed by Raine & Horne's cutting-edge real estate systems.Raine & Horne's swift expansion in New Zealand, with 70 offices added since April 2023, underscores their commitment to growth.The acquisition aligns with their strategy of offering reliable support and innovative solutions, including AI-driven technologies like Amplify and DigiKitPlus.The integration of Mike Pero Real Estate into Raine & Horne coincides with a brand refresh across their Australasian network, signalling a new chapter for both entities.Vanessa Jardim, Franchise Owner of Mike Pero Real Estate Millwater office says, "We're excited to embark on a new chapter with Raine & Horne, a real estate super brand. This partnership unlocks access to cutting-edge tools and technology, empowering us to deliver an even more innovative and seamless real estate experience for our valued clients. Expect the same top-notch service you've come to know, with a boost in efficiency and results".This strategic move aims to attract top talent and reaffirm Raine & Horne's commitment to evolution and progress in the real estate market.With Raine & Horne's acquisition of Mike Pero Real Estate, clients can expect a seamless transition and access to expanded services, marking an exciting development in New Zealand's real estate landscape.For more information and updates on the transition, clients are encouraged to stay in touch with their local Mike Pero Real Estate office.

Cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine can once again be sold on pharmacy shelves.The legislation which will allow medicines containing pseudoephedrine to be available over the counter has just passed its third reading in Parliament.The Misuse of Drugs (Pseudoephedrine) Amendment Bill will reclassify pseudoephedrine from a restricted medicine, allowing the public to purchase it from a pharmacy without a prescription.Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient used to make the drug methamphetamine - or P - and then-prime minister John Key announced a plan to ban over the counter sales of drugs containing pseudoephedrine in 2009.The ban came into force two years later with the reclassification of pseudoephedrine as a Class B2 prescription-only drug.Associate Health Minister and ACT leader David Seymour has been championing his party's policy to return the drugs to pharmacies.Seymour told Parliament banning pseudoephedrine cough and cold medicines did not end the P epidemic."What actually happened is that those people in the business of selling it started to connect with criminal elements offshore and created more sophisticated ways of sourcing P from bigger, badder criminals and managed to bring it in at a lower price and make it more available to P addicts than ever before."Seymour said it was "incredibly unlikely" that people "are going to return to a less efficient, more expensive way of manufacturing P that involves going around pharmacies and buying up as many tablets as you can".Due to the state of the health system it was difficult for New Zealanders to get a prescription to obtain these types of medicines and which had "left New Zealanders significantly worse off", he said.Labour's Ayesha Verrall said her party had supported the bill but had some concerns that she did not feel had been adequately dealt with.While those seeking meth could seek it more cheaply from overseas suppliers, there will be desperate people who will now have the opportunity to make meth by via cooking it from P, she said.There were ways to mitigate that, she said."I'm particularly disappointed that the proposal that pseudoephedrine be treated like codeine and be required to be kept in a locked safe in pharmacies has not made its way into the bill in its final form."Verrall said the shortened select committee process meant that some of the potential risks had not been addressed.Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said her party also agreed with the change describing it as moving in the direction of "evidence-based drug law".

A brand new surgical building the size of a provincial hospital is sitting empty on the grounds of North Shore Hospital, its opening delayed and no new date set.There are lights on and hospital beds in place in the four storey, 150-bed Tōtara Haumaru building, but it could be months before there are patients.It did not have the staff it needed, and the amount of money allocated to run it for the next financial year had not been decided.The $300m facility, with eight operating theatres, was always intended to be opened in stages but the first stage - the ground and first floor - was initially supposed to open last December, then this monthNow, Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ head of hospital and specialist services Fiona Dougan would only say "mid-year" for stage one."We don't have the total number of staff required, along with the work, to open the facility. So it's a blend about staffing and work."There was not even a rough date for when the entire facility would be operational."We don't have a date for it to be fully up and running because that is a long-term strategy requiring us to be funded for additional work so that we can make the best use of the full capacity."Funding to run the building for the next financial year (24/25) was still being decided"That budget process is in place at the moment," Dougan said.RNZ understood doctors at the hospital were frustrated by the delay in getting the building into action as surgical waitlists grew.One said they were looking over at the brand new facility every day with no idea when they would get to use it. They worried staffing it would be a problem, with big shortages in many areas of the health sector, particularly anaesthetic technicians.General Surgeons' Association president Vanessa Blair said recruiting for an entire surgical facility would be a big undertaking - including cleaners, anaesthetists, surgeons and more."You have your theatre staff, these are people who sterilise instruments, then there's nurses, there's anaesthetic techs... surgery is a team endeavour."As well, cover was needed to make sure patients were cared for overnight, she said.Dougan said recruiting enough staff was one factor affecting timing of when the building would become fully operational. Some would come from within the organisation, while work had begun recruiting others.In terms of the stage one delay, Te Whatu Ora had been reluctant to commit to scheduling surgery in the new building - and staffing it - before knowing for sure construction was finished, she said.If it did that too early, valuable resources could have been taken away from surgery being done elsewhere in the region.Dougan said Tōtara Haumaru would be a "fantastic facility" when it was up and running. It would help cut waiting lists, but also prevent the need for public hospitals to have to hold weekend catch-up clinics and the expensive outsourcing of surgery to private hospitals.It would be used for patients from across Auckland and Northland, not just in the Waitematā district, which covered the north and the west of the city.There would be four procedure rooms for colonoscopies and gastroscopies as well as two general medical wards for non surgical care.

Auckland's central city business association says a police station downtown is still necessary to crack down on crime.The calls for an increased police presence in the city surged last year, with the association Heart of the City expected to spend more than $1.3 million on safety in the year ending June.Chief executive Viv Beck said a downtown police station would send a clear message that crime was unacceptable."We believe it will help increase the speed of response, and, particularly important, is that it acts as a deterrent," she said."A lot of people talk about the impact of taking that downtown police station away, and we do believe it's an important step that's still needed here to really get to the place we want to be."The station was closed in 2013.Beck said having a downtown station was important to keep the city safe."We are an international city, increasingly open on a 24/7 cycle, we've got well over a million people here every week and we want it to be a safe place for everyone."Beck said while there was still a way to go, the situation in the central city has improved."There has been a change, and I think there have been some improvements," she said."The reality is the police have really stepped up in recent months and they're targeting repeat offenders and being very responsive, so that's been a very positive change."She said Heart of the City was continuing its work locally to enhance safety in town, including working with council on different initiatives."We still want to keep going," she said."We do really believe a downtown station is necessary, and we hear that from a lot of other people as well."The police said public safety in central Auckland remained a priority.In a statement to RNZ, Auckland Central Area Commander Inspector Grant Tetzlaff, said the public safety team and beat staff continued to deploy from the Auckland City Police Hub and Beat Base, located on Federal Street.He said their focus remained on deploying to areas where there was higher demand or crime prevention opportunities."Police are also continuing to work closely with a range of partner agencies and stakeholder groups that live and operate within the central city," Tetzlaff said.

A country-wide shortage of morphine is impacting those in palliative care, while more stock could be months away.The daughter of woman who is dying from stage four lung cancer says her mother is in considerable pain and she is "appalled" by the drug shortage.Crown entity Pharmac confirmed it is expecting gaps in the supply of morphine oral liquid this month."Unfortunately, there will be times in April when morphine oral liquid will be unavailable," Pharmac said on its website."We are encouraging clinicians to consider treatment alternatives now to preserve morphine oral liquid for people who need it the most."The availability of morphine oral liquid varies by location, Pharmac said.Jennie McKeown said her mother has stage four lung cancer and hasn't been able to get morphine to help with her pain."I first heard in late February from my mother's hospice nurse explaining why my mother couldn't be prescribed morphine."I was incredulous."Four weeks later both McKeown's mum's pharmacist and GP confirmed there was none available still."I was absolutely appalled," McKeown said."She hasn't got very long to go, and she is in a lot of pain."Her mother has been given OxyNorm, a semi-synthetic opioid capsule, which she was taking well, but McKeown was concerned for those who need morphine."OxyNorm was offered in its place as a similar opioid but I understand some people get nausea with it and can't tolerate Oxynorm."Concerns about the shortage of low-dose morphine had health workers worried in November last year. The stocks were expected to run out in December, due to the manufacturer - Pfizer - closing the factory in Australia.Pfizer gave Pharmac two years' notice, but Pharmac said it had been unable to source an alternative at the time.Pfizer's factory and morphine production was taken over by another company, Bridgewest, but it was unable to supply New Zealand until June.Pharmac said it has secured two brands, Wockhardt and Oramorph. Supply of Wockhardt is low and Pharmac has been advised of potential delays to the delivery of Oramorph."Pharmac has been looking for alternative brands of morphine oral liquid for at least 18 months," Pharmac's website said."Unfortunately, finding both short and long-term supply has been challenging."The logistics of making and supplying controlled drugs, like morphine oral liquid, is [sic] complex."Pharmac said it is working closely with suppliers on permits and labelling to speed up the delivery of stock to New Zealand.Morphine wasn't the only drug New Zealand has experienced shortages of recently.Up to 4000 New Zealanders with ADHD were forced to switch medication after supply problems with methylphenidate, and recently the supply of Concerta has been an issue.There are also global constraints on some diabetes treatments.The suppliers of both dulaglutide and liraglutide have advised Pharmac that they can only secure enough stock for current patients.New prescriptions are now restricted to people with type 2 diabetes who are high-risk and have no other appropriate treatment options.-This story was first published by the New Zealand Herald.

A petition hosted on the change.org platform has garnered 1587 signatures as of April 1st, calling for the revocation of Destiny Church's Charitable Status. Organisers of the petition allege that the church's leader, Brian Tamaki, has been openly inciting hate crimes against transgender women and the LGBTQIA community through his sermons and public statements.They assert that such behaviour is inconsistent with the requirements for maintaining Charitable Status and is harmful propaganda that significantly impacts already marginalised groups and society at large.According to the Charities Act 2005, charitable organisations are expected to meet specific standards, including benefiting the community or public as a whole. The petition organisers argue that spreading hatred towards any group does not align with these standards and are calling for action to be taken against what they perceive as a misuse of power and privilege granted by Charitable Status.In New Zealand, community organisations can benefit from tax exemptions depending on their nature and scope. These exemptions, if granted by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), include non-business income exemptions derived by an organisation established exclusively for charitable purposes or by the trustees of a charitable trust. Additionally, exemptions for income from businesses carried on in New Zealand by an organisation established exclusively for charitable purposes or by the trustees of a charitable trust are also available. Furthermore, charitable organisations are exempt from paying Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) on any benefits provided to employees while they are carrying out the organisation’s charitable activities.The petition has sparked a debate about the responsibilities of charitable organisations and the impact of their activities on the wider community.

Auckland Council is warning that funding reductions to transport could see entire suburbs without public transport services, after approving its submission for the government's proposed transport policy.The council's Transport and Infrastructure committee went over the governing body's submission for the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport today.The draft statement was proposing to reduce national public transport funding by 10 percent compared to 2021.Council asked for sufficient funding to be allocated to public transport in order to maintain existing services and deliver on planned improvements.It said otherwise that could mean hiked fares, a 30 percent drop in services, as well as increased congestion at peak times.Council was concerned there would not be enough funding to support existing costs and improved services, with the potential shortfall in funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency ranging between $80 million and $500 million.Fixing the shortfall with hiked fares alone would result in anywhere from a 22 percent to a 136 percent increase.This would increase an average fare of $5.15 to between $6.30 and $12.15, with long term trips like Papakura to the city centre, going up from $7.40 to over $17.During debate, mayor Wayne Brown said he supported the submission in whole, despite disagreeing with parts of it."There are lots of things that most of us can support, and there's bound to be things that annoy some members," he said."I think we've really got it about right, because we're never going to get 100 percent agreement on every single part of this."Councillor Lotu Fuli agreed, saying the balance of the document was right."Of course, we won't all agree with every little part of it," she said."Some parts I think we could go stronger on, for example around the environment and around the public transport funding [...] but generally speaking, the balance is right in terms of the submission."Maurice Williamson Photo: Getty ImagesCouncillor Maurice Williamson voiced his opposition to the document, calling it tone deaf."Do we want the government to listen and to make changes, or do we want start preaching from the political pulpit, having speeches that make us feel good, and excite ourselves about it, and have them listen to nothing," he said."This is the most scattergun approach document I could see."Williamson said the submission would not get the government to listen.Supporting the submission, councillor Shane Henderson called out out the public transport fare hikes while the country was still in a cost of living crisis."Is this action on cost of living," he asked."If this gets passed as is, it will take money out of the pockets of Aucklanders in a crisis, or it'll rip away their opportunity for transport choice, probably some combination of both."Henderson said suburban Aucklanders, Māori and Pacific communities, and those "living close to the line" would be impacted the most.Christine Fletcher urged her fellow elected members to think about what was best for the city."This is no time for extremes," she said."This is not a time for anything other than what is going to take Auckland forward..."Auckland Transport told RNZ it was far too early to tell which suburbs could be left without public services.Committee chair John Watson said it could be the more expensive services that are targeted in a reduction of services."It's a little hard at this stage to get a precise sense of who might be affected, or where, but certainly, obviously, if services have to be cut then that generally can go to the outer suburbs... where the cost is a bit larger."He said higher public transport costs could push residents back into cars.The submission also included recommendations on safety, climate, and the city's rail network.It also recommended the inclusion of the Integrated Transport Plan, something Brown said was already agreed with government and the Prime Minister.The vote was passed 16 to three, with councillor Mike Lee abstaining, and councillor Daniel Newman recording his opposition to part of the submission.

Supermarket giant Foodstuffs is warning of a olive oil shortage and in turn, higher prices at the checkout.Spain the world's largest producer of olive oil has had extremely dry weather, damaging the harvest of olives for a second year in a row.Global production of olive oil was expected to fall and be short of global demand.Foodstuffs North Island head of grocery Jocelyn McCallum said supermarkets had good supply so there was no need to rush out and top up."With olive oil being a hugely popular grocery item in New Zealand we're already thinking about solutions and alternatives to help customers get the best value""Olive oil represents roughly 40-50 percent of our total oil sales so it's very popular with New Zealanders."Over the last six months, we've seen supplier olive oil prices increase by 50-60 percent and as global demand outstrips supply, we can expect supply prices to continue to increase."McCallum said experts were predicting prices were near the ceiling of the likely increases, however until growers got better conditions and supply levels improved, it was likely supply prices would remain higher than usual.McCallum said with a smaller supply and higher prices, consumers should consider alternative options."When you're choosing your cooking oil, it's a good idea to think about how you're going to use the product. Is it going to be for salad dressing and dips, cooking at high heat, or a general all-rounder.""For cold dishes like salad dressings and dips, vegetable oils such as canola and regular sunflower will contribute less flavour than olive oil but can bring the same body and texture."If you were after an all-rounder, canola oil could be a good option due to its versatility and affordability, she said.With a subtle flavour and high smoke point, it could be used on the BBQ, wok or fry pan and had low levels of saturated fat.It was also about $10 cheaper per litre than olive oil, said McCallum."If you just love your olive oil and can't do without it, consider using a spray bottle to limit how much you use so you get maximum bang for your buck."

The Manifesto for Auckland, a cornerstone of Mayor Wayne Brown's agenda, has secured significant victories with support from the government.Comprising five essential points, the manifesto outlines Aucklanders' priorities and requests to the government, encompassing both legislative changes and policy implementations.The announcements include the government's pledge to grant Auckland's elected representatives authority over the Regional Land Transport Plan, a move hailed by Mayor Brown as a substantial shift in Auckland's relationship with central government.Mayor Brown expressed his satisfaction, stating, "This is a big move and one of my first requests of the government when elected. It signals a change in the way central government sees Auckland. I welcome the Minister's support for this legislative change that will give Auckland Council control of the Regional Land Transport Plan. Good job."He highlighted the long-standing frustration among Aucklanders regarding the lack of control over transport expenditure, emphasising the importance of this change in empowering local decision-making.Additionally, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to time-of-use charging and endorsed the utilisation of dynamic lanes, aligning with the Mayor's transport vision.The exploration of a City Deal signifies a collaborative approach between central government and Auckland, reflecting a relationship built on mutual respect and understanding.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed his support for an Integrated Transport Plan tailored to Auckland's needs, acknowledging the government's responsiveness to the city's priorities.Mayor Brown extended his gratitude to Minister Bishop for granting an extension on Plan Change 78, facilitating a sensible approach to land use planning while avoiding unnecessary costs and disruptions.These developments complement existing commitments accepted by the government, underscoring the ongoing collaboration between Mayor Brown, Auckland Council, and government entities.