Latest news with #Matthews
Scoop
3 hours ago
- General
- Scoop
New Farm Safety Approach Reflects Rural Realities
Consultation on proposed changes to on-farm health and safety rules recognise what rural families have been saying for years – farms are not just workplaces, they are homes and family businesses too. 'The Government's review reflects the real lives of many rural families and the fact the farm is a home where children grow up immersed in the rhythms and responsibilities of farming life,' says Rural Women New Zealand National President Sandra Matthews. Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) has consistently argued that health and safety frameworks must be developed in consultation with rural communities to ensure they reflect the realities of life on the farm. 'It is critical that rural voices are at the forefront of farming safety, so we are particularly pleased to see the Government's commitment to consult farmers directly and have industry groups work alongside WorkSafe to develop new codes of practice,' Matthews says. 'Reforms that clearly define the role of children on farm are essential to strike the right balance between common sense, keeping children safe and preserving the valuable learning experiences that come from being involved in farm life. They will also provide confidence to farming parents.' RWNZ also supports continued restrictions on higher-risk tasks without supervision and welcomes the shift toward a more flexible and context-aware regulatory framework, particularly the new model where compliance with Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) can demonstrate that health and safety duties are being met. 'Rural women, who often juggle roles as caregivers, farmers and business operators, have long understood that farms are both a business and a family home,' Matthews says. 'It is impossible to divorce the two and the Government's reforms appropriately recognise this.'
NZ Herald
9 hours ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Why banning surcharges may hike prices for all
Massey University Associate Professor from the School of Accountancy, Economics and Finance, Claire Matthews, told The Front Page she doesn't think banning surcharges is the right move. 'Because what will happen is the business is still going to incur that cost. So, if they haven't been able to absorb it up till now, then I don't see that they're going to be able to absorb it. What they will have to do is build it into their cost structure and, therefore, into their prices. 'Rather than individual customers paying, we will all end up paying higher prices. So, it's not like it gets rid of the cost to the business; it just changes who pays for it. 'Even if you're paying with cash, you're going to end up paying a higher price because some consumers are paying via PayWave or credit card. So there's a question as to whether that's fair,' she said. Matthews thinks the Government would be better placed to make sure businesses are only passing on the actual cost of fees to consumers. 'I believe that the Commerce Commission was doing some work in this regard to make sure that, for example, if a business is being charged 50c, then that's the charge they're passing on to the customer. They weren't taking the opportunity to say, surcharge you a dollar and make an extra 50c. 'The Government could also be looking at costs that the credit card companies and the banks are charging businesses to make sure that those are reasonable and that the costs they're passing on, again, reflect the costs to them for those transactions,' she said. Theoretically, society could return to cash to avoid such fees, but Matthews said it's become increasingly difficult to even get cash. 'There aren't the number of ATMs around, certainly not bank ATMs, anymore. And if you go to a non-bank ATM, there are fees associated with those, quite large fees actually. 'The reality is that businesses don't actually want you to deal with cash because if they're collecting cash, then they've got to do something with it, and that becomes a hassle, particularly in smaller communities because they don't have access to bank services to be able to offload it easily,' she said. 'There's a justification for arguing that if businesses are going to accept cash that they should be able to surcharge for that because it's actually quite expensive for them to manage it.' Listen to the full episode to hear more about what would happen if the Government banned all charges. The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016. You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
Distinctive 'ouch' tattoo leads police to North East drug dealer
A North East drug dealer has been jailed for more than a decade after being identified thanks to a distinctive foot tattoo. Dean Matthews, 46, of Lawrence Avenue, South Shields, South Tyneside, had a main role in the supply and distribution of cocaine throughout the South Tyneside, Sunderland and Durham areas. Evidence gathered by officers at Northumbria Police, working as part of Operation Venetic, uncovered the plot in 2020. Officers were able to link him to the offences partly because of a distinctive tattoo of the word "ouch" on his foot. Matthews communicated via an 'EncroChat' encrypted mobile device, to co-ordinate dealing large quantities of Class A drugs across the region. He sent a picture of the tattoo using the device. The drugs totalled 22kg with a street value of £803,000. He was arrested in May 2022 and was charged in 2023 with concern in offer to supply class A drugs at South Tyneside Magistrates Court. Matthews has now been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. Detective Chief Inspector Marc Michael of Northumbria Police said: 'This is yet another superb outcome for our communities. 'Matthews was a prominent member of an organised criminal network, and I am pleased that the tireless work of our officers has resulted in a significant period of imprisonment for him. 'We have zero tolerance for those involved in organised crime and the supply of cocaine in our Force area. 'These lengthy sentences mark the latest success for Operation Sentinel - our dedicated initiative to tackling serious and organised crime in the North East. 'Anyone with any reports on suspicious activity or concerns should always report them to us – no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.'
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Ex-MSNBC host Chris Matthews says ‘country is moving towards Trump' — refuting recent polls
Ex-MSNBC host Chris Matthews contends President Trump is winning over a majority of Americans despite nationwide polls showing his cratering approval ratings. The liberal former 'Hardball' host refuted recent polls from Gallup and CNN that put Trump's approval rating at 37% and 41%, respectively, just above his all-time low after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. 6 Ex-MSNBC host Chris Matthews contends President Trump is winning over a majority of Americans. Charlie Rose/Youtube Advertisement 6 President Donald Trump strikes a gavel after signing a new tax and immigration bill. BONNIE CASH/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock 'To be honest with you, the country is moving towards Trump,' Matthews told journalist Charlie Rose on Saturday. 'These polls, they come out and show him not doing well — I don't buy that. 'His strength is still greater than the Democratic strength. He is a stronger public figure than the Democratic people,' Matthews said. '[Former President Barack] Obama still has tremendous charisma — but Trump has strength. And I think that's what all voters look for,' he said. 'They want a president who is a strong figure. And he's got it. It's just there. And half the country buys it.' Advertisement While Matthews vouched for Trump's popularity, polls show that overall support for the president is waning after six months into his second term. 6 While Matthews vouched for Trump's popularity, polls show that overall support for the president is waning after six months into his second term. AFP via Getty Images 6 'His strength is still greater than the Democratic strength. He is a stronger public figure than the Democratic people,' Matthews said. Charlie Rose/Youtube Advertisement 6 Trump recently bragged about the numbers as a way to show that he remains unfazed by growing scrutiny over his administration's handling of the case involving late sex predator Jeffery Epstein. AP Along with Gallup and CNN, the most recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted in July put Trump's approval ratings at just 40%, lower than those of recent presidents during the start of their second terms. But Trump has maintained popular support among his Republican base, with a CNN poll finding that 88% of GOPers still back the president, with Quinnipiac putting that figure as high as 90%, a small uptick from prior surveys. Trump recently bragged about the numbers as a way to show that he remains unfazed by growing scrutiny over his administration's handling of the case involving late sex predator Jeffery Epstein. Advertisement 'My Poll Numbers within the Republican Party, and MAGA, have gone up, significantly, since the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax was exposed by the Radical Left Democrats and, just plain 'troublemakers,'' Trump boasted on Truth Social. 6 President Trump stepping on stage deliver remarks at the Salute to America Celebration at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines on July 3, 2025. AFP via Getty Images Matthews' Saturday's remarks were not the first time the left-leaning politico has backed Trump since leaving MSNBC in 2020. In April, the former host touted the president over his handling of Harvard University after allegations that the Ivy League school allowed antisemitism to run rampant on its campus. Matthews said Trump and his administration were 'smart' to go after the college's grant money, saying it sent the right message to the country amid record-high levels of antisemitism.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers jersey history No. 1 — Wes Matthews
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary. As the Lakers approach their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years. This article takes a look at Wes Matthews, a guard who played for the Lakers during the Showtime era. Matthews played three years of college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was taken with the No. 14 pick in the 1980 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. As a rookie, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks and averaged 12.4 points and 5.2 assists a game. He ended up bouncing around the league, mostly as a reserve, over the next several years. In October 1986, the Lakers, needing some backcourt depth, signed Matthews as a free agent. The Lakers already had Hall of Famer Michael Cooper, who played both guard spots and small forward, but they also needed some added insurance at the point guard spot. Matthews didn't play much, but he averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 assists in 12.3 minutes a game during two seasons with the team. He was very lucky with his timing, as Los Angeles won the NBA championship during both of those seasons. Matthews moved on to the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association, where he won a league championship with the Tulsa Fast Breakers during the 1988-89 campaign. In the fourth and final game of the championship series, he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Tulsa the title. That meant Matthews had won championships in three straight seasons of pro basketball. Meanwhile, the Lakers went after a third straight title that same year, only to get swept by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals after Byron Scott and Magic Johnson injured their hamstrings. Matthews would appear in one game with the Hawks during the 1989-90 season to close out his NBA career. His son Wesley would play 15 seasons in the league, including one with the Lakers.
