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NZ Writers College is passionate about uncovering new literary talent in New Zealand. Every year, we sponsor a free-to-enter annual short story competition open to all New Zealanders. Over the past 11 years, thousands of brave, creative Kiwi writers have taken up the challenge and entered their … View moreNZ Writers College is passionate about uncovering new literary talent in New Zealand. Every year, we sponsor a free-to-enter annual short story competition open to all New Zealanders. Over the past 11 years, thousands of brave, creative Kiwi writers have taken up the challenge and entered their stories.
Apart from receiving a cash prize of $1000 for the winner, and $500 and $250 for second and third place, we publish the winning stories in the beautifully compiled anthology 'Surfacing', free to download off our website.
Critiqued by a panel of award-winning writers, many of our top entrants go on to win other writing competitions and achieve publishing success.
The 2020 NZ Writers College Short Story Competition closes on 30 September. Full rules and guidelines are here: www.nzwriterscollege.co.nz...
A 45-year-old man charged with drug offences after police busted an alleged clan lab has appeared in…
An array of Government initiatives come into effect on Wednesday, providing savings to Kiwis in some areas but increasing costs in others.
Here are a selection of the changes affecting New Zealanders:
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Paid parental leave extension
… View moreAn array of Government initiatives come into effect on Wednesday, providing savings to Kiwis in some areas but increasing costs in others.
Here are a selection of the changes affecting New Zealanders:
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Paid parental leave extension
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It's been extended from 22 weeks to 26 weeks, with the maximum weekly payment also increasing by $20 per week. This will be available to parents with children due on or after July 1. Legislating incremental extensions was one of the Jacinda Ardern's Government's first moves when it came to power in 2017.
Petrol price hike and road user charges
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Kiwis will be paying more at the petrol pump. The Government's petrol excise duty increase will see motorists pay an additional 3.5 cents per litre, taking excise tax to 70 cents. Road user charges are also set to increase by about 5 percent. The cost of a road user charges distance licence for a light vehicle, including a car, van or ute, will be $76 up from $72, per 1000 km including GST. These increases are in line with those in 2018 and 2019, with all tax going to the National Land Transport Fund.
Apprenticeships
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To support industries key to New Zealand's COVID-19 recovery, apprentices in any industry or people wanting to train in targeted areas will have between $2500 and $6500 in costs per year paid for them. At Budget 2020, the Government set aside $1.6 billion for a trades and apprenticeship programme, which included $320 million for free trades training in critical industries.
Early childhood teacher pay boost
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Also in May's Budget, the Government announced a $151.1 million funding boost over four years to improve pay for early childhood teachers. The minimum salary is set to increase from about $45,491 or $46,832 (depending on qualifications) to $49,862. That brings their pay in line with that of kindergarten teachers.
Farm debt mediation
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The Farm Debt Mediation Act, which became law in December 2019, now requires creditors to offer mediation to farmers who default on payments before they take enforcement action. Total farm debt in New Zealand sits at $62.8 billion, which is up 270 percent on 20 years ago.
Building Levy
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Kiwis undertaking consented building work will be better off, with the Building Levy being reduced from $2.01 to $1.75 per $1000 of the total build cost if the consented work is over the $20,444 threshold. That's a saving of about $80 based on the average residential new build in Auckland or $5200 for a $20 million commercial project.
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In a statement on Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Ardern said the Government is "making progress on both the long-term challenges we were tackling before COVID-19 hit and our economic response to the global pandemic".
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A group of people stranded on rocks at Mercer Bay on Auckland's west coast have successfully been ta…
The Resene Upcycling Awards are coming back this month, the third year in a row! Watch this space and get prepared for the announcement; there are great prizes up for grabs.
Upcycling is the term used for taking a preloved item and transforming it - whether it's for a new purpose … View moreThe Resene Upcycling Awards are coming back this month, the third year in a row! Watch this space and get prepared for the announcement; there are great prizes up for grabs.
Upcycling is the term used for taking a preloved item and transforming it - whether it's for a new purpose altogether, or just to give it an ‘extreme makeover'. Consider using the school holidays to get Upcycling with the smaller members of your household - or use the next rainy day to drag out the paint and your creativity!
In the meantime, check out some of the creative cookies from last year.
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has rubbished a trucking association report that …
A man sought by police was finally located three days after armed police swarmed a house in West Auc…
Dolphin Theatre presents DEATHTRAP
by Ira Levin
Directed by Matthew van den Berg
03 Jul - 18 Jul
Dolphin Theatre is delighted to once again be opening our doors, so this Friday 03 we are celebrating! - there will be bubbly and nibbles throughout the evening and we encourage everyone attending to … View moreDolphin Theatre presents DEATHTRAP
by Ira Levin
Directed by Matthew van den Berg
03 Jul - 18 Jul
Dolphin Theatre is delighted to once again be opening our doors, so this Friday 03 we are celebrating! - there will be bubbly and nibbles throughout the evening and we encourage everyone attending to glam up for the occasion.
Book Now!
securepayments.dolphintheatre.org.nz...
Sidney Bruhl is a playwright who has run out of success. His faithful wife Myra is supportive and tells him it is just a phase, but is her belief in him misguided? Sidney tries to persuade his reluctant wife to plagiarise the work of playwright Clifford Anderson who has sent him a script for comment. Helga Ten Dorp is a psychic who foretells of ominous happenings and untimely gruesome deaths. But is she away with the fairies?
A Community Theatre production of 'Deathtrap' special arrangement with Samuel French Ltd and New Zealand Play Bureau Ltd
If you’re hungry, please step away from your phone or monitor. Would you try this cheeseburger doughnut? Read more about the small NZ team with some big doughnut dreams below.
Heavy rainfall across Auckland over the past week has replenished a west Auckland dam – but the city…
🍃 Wild Ferns 🍃
Wild Ferns is made in New Zealand!
With some of the most pristine and beautiful landscapes in the world, our philosophy is to ensure our most important ingredients and components come from natural, ethical, and sustainable sources; so we can help do our part to retain and … View more🍃 Wild Ferns 🍃
Wild Ferns is made in New Zealand!
With some of the most pristine and beautiful landscapes in the world, our philosophy is to ensure our most important ingredients and components come from natural, ethical, and sustainable sources; so we can help do our part to retain and protect the clean, green beauty that is New Zealand.
🛒 Shop at pharmacies, souvenir and gift stores nationwide or buy online here: www.wildferns.co.nz...
#nz #nzmade #newzealand #natural #naturalbeauty #naturalskincare #skincare #skin #skincareroutine #skincareaddict #wild #wildferns
Brand new never worn.
Bought them couple months ago.
Realise dont really like the color..I prefer black.
Still have the box n bag etc that it orginally came in.
The Government will bump up paid parental leave as legislative changes take effect from tomorrow. It is timely that employers update policies and procedures so that staff are aware of their new entitlements.
More paid parental leave
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From July 1, the paid parental leave period … View moreThe Government will bump up paid parental leave as legislative changes take effect from tomorrow. It is timely that employers update policies and procedures so that staff are aware of their new entitlements.
More paid parental leave
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From July 1, the paid parental leave period will increase from 22 weeks to 26 weeks. Eligible expecting employees will be entitled to 26 weeks' paid parental leave to care for babies due or born from 1 July 2020. Primary carers such as adoptive parents are entitled to 26 week's paid parental leave for children under the age of six placed in their care from 1 July 2020. More paid parental leave will support working families with new borns and young children by reducing financial stress and increasing time for bonding and breastfeeding.
More 'keeping in touch days'
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'Keeping in touch days' allow employees to work limited hours for their employer, while receiving their paid parental leave entitlements from the Government. From 1 July 2020, keeping in touch days will increase from 52 to 64 hours. Employees on parental leave will be able to work up to 64 hours without losing their entitlement to paid parental leave. This change will help support workers stay in contact with their employer for longer while receiving paid parental leave. Employees can attend team days, training, and perform other work during keeping in touch days. The change to parental leave provisions will be welcomed by new and expecting Kiwi parents.
Employees are more likely to take 6 months' parental leave that is paid, giving employers greater certainty about the length of time to replace the role. Many Kiwi employers face the challenge of finding cover for staff on parental leave. Employers may find it easier to replace the employee for a period of 26 weeks than 22 weeks.
Research suggests fewer primary carers return to the workforce following a longer parental leave. However, employers can attract staff back to work through effective policies like flexible working arrangements. Offering flexible working arrangements and attractive return to work policies has proven successful for Vodafone. The digital services employer tops up parental leave payments to an employee's full salary for 22 weeks. Vodafone's phased return to work policy has proven popular with staff returning from parental leave. For their first six months after returning to work, staff are only required to work 30 hours per week but are paid full salary based on 40 hours per week. Since this policy has been in place, 97% of Vodafone employees have returned to work following a period of parental leave. While paid parental leave is fully tax-payer funded, employers should check how legislative changes affect additional entitlements under workplace policies.
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Hi neighbours,
Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!
* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
* Same day … View moreHi neighbours,
Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!
* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
* Same day removal
* Free quotes over the phone
We will beat any prices in the market by 10%.
Support your local business.
Give us a call on ** 0800 50 00 01 ** and we will be happy to have a chat.
On June 30, almost all 50km/h streets in the CBD - including the likes of Karangahape Rd, Symonds St and Quay St - will fall to 30km/h. Fanshawe St, Hobson St and Nelson St drop to 40km/h, while Federal St and Elliott St, which are shared with pedestrians, will be 10km/h. An interactive map … View moreOn June 30, almost all 50km/h streets in the CBD - including the likes of Karangahape Rd, Symonds St and Quay St - will fall to 30km/h. Fanshawe St, Hobson St and Nelson St drop to 40km/h, while Federal St and Elliott St, which are shared with pedestrians, will be 10km/h. An interactive map released earlier this month shows almost every major road in the CBD will see speed limits drop as part of Auckland Transport's (AT's) Safe Speeds programme. While road safety advocacy organisation Brake NZ supports the lower speed limits, it wants them introduced more frequently beyond the confines of the city too. "We would like to see this rolled out much more widely in the future," the charity's director Caroline Perry told. "[We want lower limits] in a lot of our communities, suburban centres, around schools and childcare centres - all those areas that global best practice tell us we should have those low 30km/h speed limits for the best chances of safety and saving lives in those areas."
Many rural roads in the Rodney and Franklin districts will see reductions, while changes will also be made to limits on about 100 other roads across the Auckland region on Tuesday. But it's in the inner city that speed limit changes will be most pronounced, with almost every single major road to be affected. "We support these lower speed limits… the World Health Organization says where people on foot and bike are mixing with motorised traffic, it should be 30km/h limits or less," Perry said. "It makes sure if the worst happens, and you're involved in a crash with someone who's a pedestrian or a cyclist, they have the best chance of survival. The reduction in speed makes a big difference." In 2016, Christchurch City Council implemented a 30km/h zone of its own in its CBD. The impacts were notable - a 36 percent reduction in crashes resulting in injury in the two years to March 2018, compared to the two-year period prior. Perry says while the safety impacts are obvious, it's also made the inner city "more liveable and more accessible in terms of people feeling safe to go out and walk and cycle". "That's what we really want in our urban centres," she said. In 2018, 54 people died on Auckland's roads and 595 others were left with serious injuries. AT says it wants to see that number drop to zero by 2050.
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