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The cost of living in New Zealand is rising rapidly fuelled by high interest rates and increasing food costs.
How does this affect your household for the most costly season?
Share your thoughts in the comments below. Some may be used in our We Say You Say column in the local papers - add NFP … View moreThe cost of living in New Zealand is rising rapidly fuelled by high interest rates and increasing food costs.
How does this affect your household for the most costly season?
Share your thoughts in the comments below. Some may be used in our We Say You Say column in the local papers - add NFP if you wish your reply to be excluded.
Share a festive photo of your furry friend and you could be in to win a $100 Prezzy® card. Because the smell of the Christmas tree and the ripping open of presents isn’t only exciting for us. But for them too.
All pets are welcome - Santa paws, claws, beaks, and squeaks. And if you don’t … View moreShare a festive photo of your furry friend and you could be in to win a $100 Prezzy® card. Because the smell of the Christmas tree and the ripping open of presents isn’t only exciting for us. But for them too.
All pets are welcome - Santa paws, claws, beaks, and squeaks. And if you don’t have a pet, that’s fine; we’d love to see your festive snaps too.
Ends 21 December 2022
Calling all house and garden lovers!
This is a unique opportunity to step inside the pages of the iconic New Zealand House & Garden magazine and experience a captivating mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Simply enquire online and be in to win:
- Return flights for two to the NZ … View moreCalling all house and garden lovers!
This is a unique opportunity to step inside the pages of the iconic New Zealand House & Garden magazine and experience a captivating mix of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Simply enquire online and be in to win:
- Return flights for two to the NZ House & Garden Tours location of your choice
- Tickets for two to the NZ House & Garden Tours
- Two nights accommodation
- Rental car
Hi! My daughter won an amazing Canon selphy printer & paper/ink pack as part of a prize pack, she has decided to sell them and put the money towards getting a car (many years away but she's a real forward planner!), selling it on her behalf on Trade Me, search 3892477251 on Trade Me to get… View moreHi! My daughter won an amazing Canon selphy printer & paper/ink pack as part of a prize pack, she has decided to sell them and put the money towards getting a car (many years away but she's a real forward planner!), selling it on her behalf on Trade Me, search 3892477251 on Trade Me to get to the listing.
Hi! My daughter won an amazing Canon EOS 1500D digital SLR camera & bag, she has decided to sell them and put the money towards getting a car (many years away but she's a real forward planner!), selling it on her behalf on Trade Me, search 3892428357 to get the listing.
Have you read our December Seniors Newsletter? Do you have a Community Services Card or know someone who does? From 1 February 2023 Community Services Card holders are eligible for a continued 50% discount on public transport. You can read more in this issue.
This newsletter also includes some … View moreHave you read our December Seniors Newsletter? Do you have a Community Services Card or know someone who does? From 1 February 2023 Community Services Card holders are eligible for a continued 50% discount on public transport. You can read more in this issue.
This newsletter also includes some good advice on how to keep up your hydration and stay safe and cool this summer.
Respite care provides temporary care in a range of circumstances. From rehabilitation after a hospital stay, to a little extra support – whether it’s for a single night or a few weeks.
A short stay at our care centre could be a welcome break from your usual routine.
We offer respite care … View moreRespite care provides temporary care in a range of circumstances. From rehabilitation after a hospital stay, to a little extra support – whether it’s for a single night or a few weeks.
A short stay at our care centre could be a welcome break from your usual routine.
We offer respite care at resthome-level and in most villages' hospital and specialist dementia-level care.
What you can expect
- Customised care via our award-winning myRyman Care app
- Bespoke seasonal menu, that's prepared fresh on site
- A variety of activities and outings, making it easy to stay connected with others.
We've been caring for people for over 35 years, it's what we do best.
Meeting an ever-increasing need in our communities, Christmas Box provides more than just food in a time of need, it also brings a reminder that there is a community of people who care.
We believe by alleviating some of the pressure that families feel at Christmas time through our food parcels, … View moreMeeting an ever-increasing need in our communities, Christmas Box provides more than just food in a time of need, it also brings a reminder that there is a community of people who care.
We believe by alleviating some of the pressure that families feel at Christmas time through our food parcels, it will create a lasting impact that goes beyond a treat at Christmas.
For only $40 you can donate a Christmas Box to a family in need, providing not just practical help, but much deserved hope too.
By reporter Liz McDonald:
A who’s who of Christchurch property and business owners have joined forces to fight a $33 million revamp of central city streets, as the mayor backtracks on his opposition.
The group says the proposal, which is open for public feedback until next week, contains … View moreBy reporter Liz McDonald:
A who’s who of Christchurch property and business owners have joined forces to fight a $33 million revamp of central city streets, as the mayor backtracks on his opposition.
The group says the proposal, which is open for public feedback until next week, contains unworkable aspects and ignores the needs of businesses.
The city council last month agreed to push ahead with planning to redevelop the streets around stadium Te Kaha, which is due to open in 2026. The aim is to create pedestrian and entertainment spaces.
Work would include switching some streets to one-way, removing car parks, widening footpaths to make way for outdoor dining, planting trees, lowering speed limits, and installing $11m of new underground services for the stadium.
Central Government is expected to pick up half the $22m bill for the roading changes, which will affect Lichfield, Madras, Tuam and Barbadoes streets. The remaining $11m is for underground water infrastructure.
Mayor Phil Mauger said pre-election he was “not happy” about the programme and the money should go into stadium construction, but this week he said he was now seeing it differently.
He said the underground water structure was essential, as there was “no use having a stadium with 200 toilets and not enough pipes to take it away”.
The other $11m for the council to fund would be paid over four years. “It’s still a lot of money, but it’s slightly more digestable.” He still wanted to look for savings, he said.
The private operators speaking out in opposition are property developers and landlords Antony Gough, Philip Carter and Shaun Stockman, Central Christchurch Business Association head Annabel Turley, business owners Anne Kennett and Craig Freeman, and property managers Nicki Carter, Kerrie Bloomfield and Tim Hunt.
Gough, who developed and owns The Terrace hospitality precinct around Oxford Tce, said the plan was “sheer lunacy” and would strangle the city centre.
The council seemed to have “a very poor understanding” of what businesses need, he said.
Central City Business Association chairperson and pharmacy owner Annabel Turley said widening Lichfield St footpaths to 6m was “not needed”.
“This is in an area where the cold easterly wind blows often... Christchurch already has well planned areas for pedestrians and outdoor dining.”
Philip Carter, developer and landlord of The Crossing, said he and others had invested millions in the city and their developments attracted locals and visitors.
“But now the council wants to choke the CBD and make it even harder for shoppers, workers, tourists and central city residents to access and move around,” he said.
Fellow developer Shaun Stockman said a fair balance was needed, and while some aspects of the proposal were viable, others were “simply unworkable”.
“We don’t necessarily reject all the council plans in their entirety.”
Stockman said underground infrastructure was “an absolute must”, but much of the plan showed council staff were not at the coalface and lacked understanding of how people moved around the city.
He said he and other developers had followed the post-quake blueprint and created hospitality precincts in sheltered laneways, not on main streets, with the exception of Oxford Tce, which faces the river.
In a tweet last month, councillor Sara Templeton shared before and after pictures of the redeveloped Oxford Tce next to Riverside.
Alongside are a photo of Lichfield St and the council’s plan for that block, with Templeton commenting that Te Kaha would shelter the area and it would become “a great place to be”.
Picnic tables under trees would replace 22 car parks, and there would be “good off-street parking nearby”, she said.
Following the election last month council staff paused work on the Te Kaha streets plan in the face of the mayoral opposition. After a staff briefing, the new council restarted it and agreed to extend public consultation until November 30.
Council staff will then consider the submissions, make changes if needed, and make a recommendation to the council’s hearings panel.
The panel will meet early next year and make a recommendation to the council for a final decision.
From reporter Steven Walton:
Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger says achieving an election promise of keeping rates low will be “very challenging” in a difficult global environment of high inflation and rising interest rates.
His comments come as councillors begin work on next year’s … View moreFrom reporter Steven Walton:
Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger says achieving an election promise of keeping rates low will be “very challenging” in a difficult global environment of high inflation and rising interest rates.
His comments come as councillors begin work on next year’s Christchurch City Council budget.
Councillors have been briefed about it twice behind closed doors, and it is expected that a public briefing will be held before the end of the year.
Mauger, who was elected last month, campaigned on keeping rates affordable. He has indicated that he wanted annual rises set between 3 and 4%.
Asked last week if that was still achievable, Mauger joked, “Haven’t you got any other questions you can ask me”, before adding: “It is going to be challenging, that’s going to be very challenging because of what’s happening globally.”
The council was under “lots of pressure” from inflation and interest rates, Mauger said.
Annual inflation hit 7.2% back last month while interest rates are expected to rise with the Reserve Bank raising the official cash rate by a record amount last week.
The council has already faced cost increases this year on three large projects: the Te Kaha stadium (an extra $150 million), the Court Theatre (an extra $16m) and the Hornby pool, library and service centre (the overrun amount has not been released publicly).
Mauger said at a public meeting last week the council had to cut its cloth because it was “heading into a bit of strife”.
Earlier this month, councillors were given an “indicative range” for next year’s rate rises – understood to be between 12 and 14% – but this is simply a starting point that will change as it does not account for any changes to deal with inflation and rising interest rates.
“This was in essence a risk check for the council to show the potential impact of these external factors on our operations,” said Leah Scales, the council’s resources general manager and chief financial officer.
Clearer indications of potential rate increases would be released during upcoming public briefings and consultation, she said.
Mauger said he expected work on a “line-by-line” review of the council’s budget to start before Christmas.
“In the past we might’ve done 10 things for a million dollars, now we’re going to do seven and we’ve got to decide very carefully which three dip out.”
Those decisions would involve staff advice and councillors voting, he said.
“I can’t give you any examples because I haven’t seen the line-by-line yet, but there will be things on [the budget] and you go ‘is that totally necessary at the moment?'”
Mauger said things would not get to a point where, for examples, libraries would be shut. He also said: “If it’s an absolutely knackered sewer pipe, you’ve got to fix it.”
Instead, he wanted to cut out the nice-to-haves and suggested a planned upgrade for Gloucester St as an example.
“Say we go into a recession, we can still drive down that road now. They’re the sort of things that you’ve got to say, ‘let’s be a bit careful’,” he said.
At a council meeting last week, Mauger also pushed to reconsider the timing of a $6.2m upgrade to Addington Brook – a stream that runs through South Hagley Park.
Another project on his radar was a $33m makeover to roads around the stadium, but he said last week he was now looking at it differently.
Some work was underground infrastructure and could not be delayed, while the Government was also likely to contribute $11m, he said.
“It’s still a lot of money, but it’s slightly more digestable,” he said.
A report has shown that clinics around New Zealand are understaffed, with GP's being overworked and underpaid. And for everyday kiwis, healthcare and emergency healthcare is simply not accessible.
The General Practice Owners Association of Aotearoa's report titled … View moreA report has shown that clinics around New Zealand are understaffed, with GP's being overworked and underpaid. And for everyday kiwis, healthcare and emergency healthcare is simply not accessible.
The General Practice Owners Association of Aotearoa's report titled ‘‘On The Brink’’ outlines the urgent need to address pay parity for GP nurses and doctors, beef up workforce numbers and improve funding allocations for practices with the hopes that this makes heatlhcare more accessible in the community.
Are you noticing delays in getting GP appointments or long waits at after-hours care?
Any comments below may be shared in your local paper's We Say You Say column.
How to make your own Christmas terrarium painted in Resene.
Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
A progressive disease
I wasn’t an overweight child, but from as young as 5 years I can recall comparing myself unfavourably with two painfully thin twins in my dance class and thinking that was what I was supposed to look like. I’m not sure how I got the idea that I should be very thin.
Share a festive photo of your furry friend and you could be in to win a $100 Prezzy® card. Because the smell of the Christmas tree and the ripping open of presents isn’t only exciting for us. But for them too.
All pets are welcome - Santa paws, claws, beaks, and squeaks. And if you don’t … View moreShare a festive photo of your furry friend and you could be in to win a $100 Prezzy® card. Because the smell of the Christmas tree and the ripping open of presents isn’t only exciting for us. But for them too.
All pets are welcome - Santa paws, claws, beaks, and squeaks. And if you don’t have a pet, that’s fine; we’d love to see your festive snaps too.
Ends 21 December 2022
George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd has issued a recall today of specific batches of its Tip Top brand Oatilicious Toast and Supersoft White Toast breads as the products may contain foreign matter (blue plastic).
What you need to know:
- The recall affects both Tip Top brand Oatilicious Toast bread … View moreGeorge Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd has issued a recall today of specific batches of its Tip Top brand Oatilicious Toast and Supersoft White Toast breads as the products may contain foreign matter (blue plastic).
What you need to know:
- The recall affects both Tip Top brand Oatilicious Toast bread (700g) and Tip Top brand Supersoft White Toast bread (700g) with the best before dates of 03DEC22 and 04DEC22
- Affected products should not be consumed.
- Customers should return these products to their retailer for a full refund.
If you have questions regarding the recall, contact George Weston Foods (NZ) Ltd on 0800 44 96 60.
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