Tamaki Makaurau MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp has died
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Otago Daily Times
15 minutes ago
- Otago Daily Times
NZ 'back on course', govt says
By Russell Palmer of RNZ The government has launched a defence of its record on tackling the cost of living. Finance Minister Nicola Willis joined Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the Beehive Theatrette for the weekly post-Cabinet briefing. She spent much of the previous week facing questions about her meeting with Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell. Luxon said this week marked a full year since the tax bracket changes National campaigned on had come into effect. "It's only through a strong economy that wages rise faster than inflation, that Kiwis can get ahead of their daily costs and our businesses can take risks that can mean that they can invest, grow, and create more jobs," he said. He directly targeted National's main rival in opposition. "Other parties in Parliament believe that raising taxes, growing the public sector, and giving more handouts to those who refuse to work is the answer. Taxing more, spending more, and borrowing more as Labour and others advocate for didn't work in the past and it won't work in the future." The government's decision to increase fees paid to board members on Crown entities - in some cases up to 80 percent - may undercut the messaging that National is prioritising low and middle-income New Zealanders' interests. But Luxon today pointed to the building products changes announced over the weekend, and the proposed ban on payment surcharges as recent examples. He then pointed to other items in the government's agenda, including: the current pipeline of infrastructure projects, Roads of National Significance, completing the City Rail Link, signing trade deals with the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Cooperation Council, starting negotiations with India, the digital nomads visa, and the Investment Boost policy. Willis soon picked up the baton, rattling off her own list of changes the government had made which she said had helped lower costs, including: the Family Boost policy, ending the Reserve Bank's secondary mandate to account for unemployment, curbing government spending, changing residential tenancy laws, tax deductability changes for landlords, delaying the previous government's petrol excise increases, scrapping the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, increasing rates rebates for seniors, increasing Working for Families support, and extending maximum subscription lengths. She said National had campaigned on tackling the cost of living crisis, and pointed to rising GDP per capita and wages rising faster than inflation as a result of the government's interventions. "Taking the pressure off inflation - that is the general level of price increases across the economy - helps with the cost side of the cost-of-living equation. Lower inflation means less pressure on prices... it's pleasing to say that wages are now growing faster than inflation and forecasts show this trend continuing over the next few years." She said the government's tax changes meant "households have benefited by an average of $60 a fortnight". The change to interest deductibility for landlords had helped to take the heat out of the rental market, she said, noting "the 2.6 increase for the year to June was the lowest since 2011". She said the government was also making big structural changes, saying "the last government conclusively proved that band aids are not enough" and pointing to a series of policies yet to come to fruition: the Going for Housing Growth policy, Fast-tracking renewable energy consenting, work to address supermarket competition, and to curb council rates increases. "Economies are like oil tankers, you can't turn them around on a dime. But New Zealand is back on course," Willis said. The lists of government achievements kept coming, with Willis also pointing to: education reform, the investment boost (again), promoting global trade and investment, changes to the research and development sector, and "delivering infrastructure projects faster and better". Meanwhile, a Cabinet Office Circular reveals the government signed off on increases to fees available to board members of Crown entities. This includes increases of 30 percent for Group 2 and 4 boards and Audit and Risk committees, and an increase of 80 percent for Group 3 bodies. Luxon said the public sector director fees "have got completely out of whack compared to private sector fees". "Obviously we will never pay as much as someone in the private sector but when you are spending $32 billion on healthcare for example, it's important that we are actually able to attract really good governors for the Health NZ board, for example," he said. The changes took effect at the start of July.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Watch: Christopher Luxon booed at netball premiership finals
Prime Minister Chrisopher Luxon appears to have been booed by spectators at the ANZ Premiership netball finals over the weekend. Luxon was on stage to present awards after the final game. Loud jeers from the crowd could be heard as Luxon was introduced, video from the official broadcast shows. What prompted the crowd's reaction is unclear. The Mainland Tactix broke their ANZ Premiership drought , dethroning two-time defending champions Northern Mystics 58-46 in the grand final at Auckland's Trusts Arena. Comment has been requested from the prime minister's office. He's due to speak to reporters at the Beehive about 4pm for this regular post-Cabinet press conference Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Dead teen's family told they had to organise getting his body back to hometown
An urgent transfer meant the young man's family did not have a chance to say goodbye to him before his death. Photo: 123RF The family of a teenager who died from complications after an operation never got the chance to say goodbye. They were further distressed by being told they needed to organise his body's repatriation to his hometown. A complaint about the 19-year-old's care was referred to Health and Disability Commissioner by the coroner. The young man - who died in 2015 - had undergone an operation in January that year related to his type 2 neurofibromatosis - a genetic condition that causes benign tumours to develop on nerves, particularly those in the skull and spine. There were complications due to a post-operative infection and meningitis, which was treated successfully at a secondary hospital. The man - who was referred to in the commissioner's report as Mr B - continued to suffer from fluid building up around the brain and required regular release of cerebrospinal fluid through lumbar puncture. He was admitted to hospital with ongoing headaches and vomiting in April. A decision was made to hold off on further lumbar punctures due to concerns it could cause a hernia and to transfer him to another hospital via an air retrieval team. The transfer was delayed due due to staffing issues and a lack of an available air ambulance. Deputy commissioner Dr Vanessa Caldwell said at the time Mr B was neurologically stable and his transfer was scheduled for the next day. However, while waiting he collapsed and his heart stopped. He was then urgently transferred to another hospital, but his condition deteriorated and at the second hospital he was declared brain dead. Mr B's family told the commissioner they did not understand why he was not transferred by road when the air retrieval team was not available, and they did not understand why he was transferred to another hospital when his prognosis was poor. The transfer meant they did not have a chance to say goodbye to him before his death. The family also said they were asked if they would donate his organs only minutes after being told he was brain dead, which left them little time to consider their options. They were also told by a social worker it was up to them to organise transport of his body back to where they lived, even though he qualified for travel assistance. Health NZ apologised for the distress caused by the discussion related to organ donation and the miscommunication regarding transporting Mr B's body. Dr Caldwell said the care provided to the man was at an appropriate standard and decisions, such as the air transfer, were made appropriately based on the information available to the team at the time. Incorrect and minimal information was provided to the family once the man died and this had been particularly distressing for them, she said. She also had concerns about the communication between the air retrieval team and the teams treating Mr B. Health New Zealand breached the patient's right to information under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights, the commissioner said. A number of changes had been made since the young man's death, including the establishment of Health NZ, Dr Caldwell said. "I am also mindful that providing recommendations at this stage for errors that happened some time ago is likely to have limited practical benefit." She recommended Health NZ Southern and Health NZ Waitaha Canterbury provided a formal written apology for the breaches identified in the report within three weeks. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
