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Beneficiaries and people on NZ Super are experiencing faster increases in the cost of living, while the biggest spenders are getting some relief, new data shows.
Stats NZ has released data for the September quarter, which shows the average New Zealand household experienced a cost-of-living … View moreBeneficiaries and people on NZ Super are experiencing faster increases in the cost of living, while the biggest spenders are getting some relief, new data shows.
Stats NZ has released data for the September quarter, which shows the average New Zealand household experienced a cost-of-living increase of 2.4 percent over the previous 12 months.
That is less than the 3 percent rate of inflation, because it includes a 15.4 percent drop in mortgage interest payments.
Mortgage interest payments were the main contributor to highest-spending households recording the lowest annual inflation, Stats NZ said.
Their annual inflation rate was 0.8 percent, compared with 3.9 percent for superannuitants, who are less likely to be paying mortgage interest. Beneficiaries had costs increasing 3.4 percent and the lowest-spending households had an increase in costs of 4 percent.
Rents increased 2.6 percent over the year to September. Rent makes up 29.5 percent of beneficiary household expenditure. This compares with 13.1 percent for the average household, and 5.1 percent for highest-spending households.
Council of Trade Unions policy director Craig Renney, a former adviser to then-Finance Minister Grant Robertson, said it had historically been the case that people on the lowest incomes had the highest rates of cost-of-living increases.
That had changed after Covid when home loan rates increased sharply but now the situation had reversed. He said it was likely that the impact would continue to be felt in this way.
Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) policy director and economist Craig Renney.Craig Renney. Photo: Stuff / ROBERT KITCHIN
"Much of the challenges are in administered costs, rates, electricity, going to see the GP, which are rising faster than general inflation."
But Satish Ranchhod, a senior economist at Westpac, said it was important to note that some of the lower-income people who were experiencing higher rates of inflation would be young people in the earlier stages of their careers, who had not yet reached a point where they could buy a house.
"It's misleading to say they're getting hit, they're just at a different place in the lifecycle."
But he said times were still tough for many households, including many lower-income earners.
He said people who had mortgages had experienced large increases in recent years and a much bigger squeeze on their incomes.
The relief they were experiencing was likely to continue as the impact of falling interest rates filtered through to more people, he said.
Other significant increases were an 11.3 percent increase in electricity on average and an 8.8 percent increase in rates.
How are cost increases felt?
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Inflation experienced in the 12 months to the September 2025 quarter:
all households 2.4 percent
beneficiaries 3.4 percent
Māori 2.4 percent
superannuitants 3.9 percent
highest-expenditure household group 0.8 percent
lowest-expenditure household group 4 percent.
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Exciting news! Tatty’s Rummage Sale is back!
And this time, we’re opening bright and early at 9am. Everything is just $5. Yes, everything!
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We’ve got incredible pieces from Dior, Status Anxiety, Karen Walker, Birkenstock, … View moreExciting news! Tatty’s Rummage Sale is back!
And this time, we’re opening bright and early at 9am. Everything is just $5. Yes, everything!
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We’ve got incredible pieces from Dior, Status Anxiety, Karen Walker, Birkenstock, Juliette Hogan, Ruby and so much more. Expect Womenswear, Menswear, Kidswear, Shoes, Accessories and Jewellery all waiting to be snapped up.
New stock will be hitting the floor every hour, so don’t worry, you’ll definitely find something you love.
476 New North Rd, Kingsland---9am to 2pm
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The amount of drivers pinged annually by Auckland Transport’s license plate recognition vehicles has almost doubled.
Data provided to Newstalk ZB shows the licence plate recognition vehicles issued more than 518,000 fines last year.
That’s almost twice as many as they gave out in 2023.
The … View moreThe amount of drivers pinged annually by Auckland Transport’s license plate recognition vehicles has almost doubled.
Data provided to Newstalk ZB shows the licence plate recognition vehicles issued more than 518,000 fines last year.
That’s almost twice as many as they gave out in 2023.
The cars scan licence plates to see if a vehicle has overstayed its paid time in a parking spot.
If a violation is detected, the system can issue an infringement notice.
Parking Services group manager John Strawbridge said the rise was because the fleet increased from nine cars in 2023 to 16 last year.
He said the most common type of infringement is failing to pay for parking in paid zones.
“That’s a $70 fine. It does my head in because if you use the AT Park app, for example, you only pay for the short time you’re there.”
He said people would very rarely pay $70.
AA policy director Martin Glynn said the jump between 2023 and 2024 is large, and they had asked AT about it.
He said he hopes the system is being used for the stated goal of keeping parking spots clear.
“In the past year or so, they’ve been set some pretty big revenue targets by the mayor and Auckland Council from areas they can get revenue from, including parking.”
Strawbridge said while no one likes getting a parking fine, there needs to be a way to manage kerbs and other spots.
“If we didn’t manage the kerbside, there’d be cars parked everywhere, it would be unsafe, and there’d be very limited opportunity for people to come into the city and find a spot,” he said.
Strawbridge said the Auckland Domain is a good example of how the license plate recognition vehicles had helped, with the consistent enforcement keeping the domain at 65% capacity.
“Prior to the LPR cars, we were only able to get up there on foot infrequently, so there was no parking availability.”
Glynn said the cars provide another potential benefit.
“We know it’s become more unsafe for parking wardens, so there’s an advantage to doing it in that automated way where people don’t receive their tickets on the spot.”
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Off cuts of permanent vinyl scraps
Assortment of colours and sizes
These are from magic transfer
Good for smaller projects
Pick up from Avondale
ARAWA STREET- New Lynn: Does this cat belong to anyone? Anyone know who it belongs to? Seems friendly (except with other cats). It is badly in need of medical attention for its eyes. Been around for a month or so. Has really bad conjunctivitis so I will try to catch him/her this week and take to … View moreARAWA STREET- New Lynn: Does this cat belong to anyone? Anyone know who it belongs to? Seems friendly (except with other cats). It is badly in need of medical attention for its eyes. Been around for a month or so. Has really bad conjunctivitis so I will try to catch him/her this week and take to Carevets-Glen Eden if nothing changes by Friday.
UPDATE: caught this kitty this evening as the eyes are much worse. Keeping the kitty safe, warm and fed. Will contact SPCA in the morning. Will update again once I know what is happening. S/he must belong to someone as s/he is very affectionate. Please message if you know who s/he might belong to.
Update 2 Nov: This young man is now being treated by the vet before being collected by the SPCA.
Want to grow your career or upskill your team? ServiceIQ is here to help Kiwis succeed in the service industries including retail, hospitality, tourism, aviation, and more.
We provide practical workplace training, online short courses, and nationally recognised qualifications designed to fit … View moreWant to grow your career or upskill your team? ServiceIQ is here to help Kiwis succeed in the service industries including retail, hospitality, tourism, aviation, and more.
We provide practical workplace training, online short courses, and nationally recognised qualifications designed to fit around real work. Whether you’re an employer building a capable team or someone starting, our flexible options make it easy to gain the skills and confidence to thrive.
Partner with a trusted industry training organisation that understands what today’s service sector needs.
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Love raspberries? We will give away free copies of the December 2025 issue to readers whose raspberry recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way enjoy raspberry (dessert, salad, jam main?!): mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by October 24, … View moreLove raspberries? We will give away free copies of the December 2025 issue to readers whose raspberry recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way enjoy raspberry (dessert, salad, jam main?!): mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by October 24, 2025.
Hey Neighbours!
If counting sheep just isn’t cutting it, maybe it’s time to let music do the magic. Calming tunes can slow your breathing, melt away stress, and gently guide your mind into dreamland.
Try winding down tonight with some soft classical, ambient, or instrumental tunes — … View moreHey Neighbours!
If counting sheep just isn’t cutting it, maybe it’s time to let music do the magic. Calming tunes can slow your breathing, melt away stress, and gently guide your mind into dreamland.
Try winding down tonight with some soft classical, ambient, or instrumental tunes — you might just snooze faster than you think! And of course, a cozy bed makes it even better.
Curious how music truly affects your sleep?
beds4u.co.nz...
Sleep well, Neighbours!
Peak sale season is here. Labour Weekend marks the start of the big sales period and, after Monday, you can expect Black Friday advertising to be in full swing. Those sales will morph into the December pre-Christmas sales. And then advertising will start for the Boxing Day sales before the big day … View morePeak sale season is here. Labour Weekend marks the start of the big sales period and, after Monday, you can expect Black Friday advertising to be in full swing. Those sales will morph into the December pre-Christmas sales. And then advertising will start for the Boxing Day sales before the big day has even happened.
During all these sales, there are some rules that stores must follow.
Sales rules
We’ll be on the lookout for any rule-breakers over the next few months. If you spot any stores doing any of the 10 things listed below, we’d love you to send us a pic to info@consumer.org.nz.
Here’s what they cannot do.
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1. Use sales prices that aren’t that special
A sale must be a genuine opportunity for consumers to buy a product at a discounted price for a short period. If a business continually sells a product at a discounted price, then that’s the usual selling price – not a sale price.
Rather than assuming a sale price is a good deal, check PriceMe and PriceSpy to see what the product usually sells for. Both websites track the price of products, making it easy to see if you can snaffle a bargain.
2. Exaggerate the discount
When a retailer compares a sale price with a previous price (for example “was $100, now $50”), the "was" price must be the true price the goods were sold at for a reasonable time.
The retailer also should not inflate the normal price of a product, knowing it won’t be bought at that price, only to discount it to get sales.
3. Use “clearance” on products that are coming back after the sale
Clearance sales create a sense of urgency. They should only be used for clearing stock. You shouldn’t see clearance stock back on the shelves at full price after the sale has ended.
4. Charge more than the advertised price
The price displayed should be the final price you’ll be charged. So, it can’t be before GST or have any other unavoidable amounts added on later. Stores can’t bury these extra charges in the fine print, and they can’t say “conditions apply” either.
Sometimes, a retailer might make a genuine pricing mistake, like listing a $2,000 TV for just $200 in a catalogue. They’re not legally obligated to honour the price if it’s an honest mistake. But deliberately or repeatedly putting up the wrong price is illegal.
5. Bait advertise
Retailers can’t advertise a product at a great price to lure in customers when there’s not enough in stock to sell for a reasonable period. This is called bait advertising as the customer has been lured in and might then buy a more expensive item.
6. Only have limited stock at advertised discount prices
Stores can’t make a sale look better than it is. They can’t use sweeping statements like “up to 50% off” or “prices from $5” if they only have a few products at that price. Stores should instead advertise the most common saving. The Commerce Commission suggests “up to 50% off – most items 30% off”.
7. Say there is no return on sale items
You still have the right to return sale items if they:
aren’t of acceptable quality
aren’t fit for purpose
don’t match their descriptions.
This applies even if there is a sign instore or a line on a website about a product being on “final sale”.
The only exception is if the fault was made clear to you before you bought the item. For example, the sales tag for a dress lists a small hole on the right sleeve. However, you can still return an item if it has another unidentified fault.
8. Give only store credit on returned faulty items
If you’re returning a product because it’s not of acceptable quality, you don’t have to accept a gift card or store credit in its place. The Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) makes it clear you can get a refund.
If the store is letting you return it for a different reason though – say you changed your mind – they can offer store credit.
9. Put a time limit on the return of faulty items
Retailers can’t make up a time limit for how long you can take to return a faulty product. The CGA doesn’t set a limit, so a retailer is misleading you if they tell you otherwise.
Whether an item is of acceptable quality or not will depend on what a reasonable consumer would think was acceptable. For example, you would expect a top-end product to last longer than a very cheap one.
10. Make claims like “cheapest” without evidence
Claims like these give shoppers the impression they don’t need to go anywhere else to compare prices. Shops need to ensure these claims are accurate and that they can support the claim.
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A 13-year-old boy has undergone major surgery after swallowing 80-100 small magnets purchased on Temu.
Neodymium magnets have been banned since 2014 but are still available through online marketplaces.
Surgeons at Tauranga Hospital had to remove part of the boy’s bowel after he ate up to 100 of… View moreA 13-year-old boy has undergone major surgery after swallowing 80-100 small magnets purchased on Temu.
Neodymium magnets have been banned since 2014 but are still available through online marketplaces.
Surgeons at Tauranga Hospital had to remove part of the boy’s bowel after he ate up to 100 of the small magnets, according to a case study in the New Zealand Medical Journal.
They said it was “alarming” how difficult it was to enforce the long-standing ban when easily-accessible online marketplaces existed.
The Pasifika Medical Association Group said it highlighted the dangers of online marketplaces in the paediatric population.
“While product safety laws exist in New Zealand that prohibit the sale of high-powered magnets, there is significant challenge in enforcing these laws on products sold on online marketplaces.
“This is especially concerning for our tamariki as these platforms are easily accessible,” a spokesperson said.
University of Auckland professor Alex Sims said small, high-powered magnets were being advertised as fun toys when they could be life-threatening.
“Small high-power magnets have been marketed and sold as fun toys for adults and children when they are sold in sets as they can be used to make different shapes and also be used as fidget toys.
“Unfortunately, they often come as brightly coloured small balls, making them attractive for children to swallow.”
Sims said enforcing the ban on these small magnets was difficult when they were cheap and easy to get through online marketplaces.
“Parents should not be allowing their children to purchase items unsupervised on any online marketplaces, all purchases must be done or at least overseen by parents.”
Temu response
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In a written statement, Temu said the company had launched an internal review after becoming aware of the case from media inquiries.
“We are sorry to learn about the reported incident and wish the boy a full and speedy recovery,” a spokesperson said.
“We take product safety very seriously and continuously monitor our platform to ensure sellers are complying with the safety regulations of the markets they are doing business in.”
The platform had contacted the author of The New Zealand Medical Journal article to obtain more details about the case.
“At this stage, we have not been able to confirm whether the magnets involved were purchased through Temu or identify the specific product listing. Nonetheless, our teams are reviewing relevant listings to ensure full compliance with local safety requirements.
“Any products found to be non-compliant will be removed, and we will take firm action against any sellers found to have breached our platform rules or local regulations.”
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COME AND JOIN US AT THE BLOCKHOUSE BAY COMMUNITY MARKET! SUPPORT LOCAL PEOPLE, BUY NZ MADE, FIND A BARGAIN! FREE PARKING AVAILABLE OPPOSITE AT THE MEDICAL CENTRE OR BEHIND COMMUNITY CENTRE, HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE
Two untouched bags of 20kg each Pedigree Vital dog food for working dogs for sale as my dog just passed away. Plus two half bags are for free if anyone buys the 2 bags (expiry: Dec-2025 and July 2026). I bought them at $115 per bag and now sell for $95/each. Contact: Thomas at 02102753453
Waitematā Police are reminding businesses to be vigilant, after a spate of attempted fraudulent activity in recent weeks.
Waitematā CIB Detective Sergeant Mark Renfree says Police are aware of three recent incidents where a person or persons have attempted to obtain goods fraudulently.
“In … View moreWaitematā Police are reminding businesses to be vigilant, after a spate of attempted fraudulent activity in recent weeks.
Waitematā CIB Detective Sergeant Mark Renfree says Police are aware of three recent incidents where a person or persons have attempted to obtain goods fraudulently.
“In each case, an individual has called a local hardware-type business and placed an order for a large amount of product.
“This person has attempted to charge the product to the account of a company known to the business.”
Once approved, the scammer has sent an Uber driver to pick up the items.
“So not only are they committing fraud, but they are also putting innocent and unaware Uber drivers into the middle of this offending,” Detective Sergeant Renfree says.
An investigation into these incidents is ongoing, however Police want to warn businesses to be aware of this specific type of scam and to take steps to safeguard against it.
“Our message is simple, do not allow anyone to charge items to an account without verifying them and obtaining identification of the caller,” says Detective Sergeant Renfree.
“Anyone purchasing goods should know all the company details they are charging to.”
Businesses should follow these steps:
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• Verify all orders placed over the phone, especially if the caller is unknown
• Cross-check contact details with official account records
• Do not dispatch goods until the order is confirmed by a known contact
• Report any suspicious activity to Police
“We are reminding people to be vigilant and cross-check all details,” Detective Sergeant Renfree says.
“And most importantly, do not hand over anything until you are satisfied everything is correct.”
Police are encouraging any suspicious behaviour to be reported online at 105.police.govt.nz or by calling 105.
Information can also be reported anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Waitematā Police are reminding businesses to be vigilant, after a spate of attempted fraudulent activity in recent weeks.
Waitematā CIB Detective Sergeant Mark Renfree says Police are aware of three recent incidents where a person or persons have attempted to obtain goods fraudulently.
“In … View moreWaitematā Police are reminding businesses to be vigilant, after a spate of attempted fraudulent activity in recent weeks.
Waitematā CIB Detective Sergeant Mark Renfree says Police are aware of three recent incidents where a person or persons have attempted to obtain goods fraudulently.
“In each case, an individual has called a local hardware-type business and placed an order for a large amount of product. This person has attempted to charge the product to the account of a company known to the business.”
Once approved, the scammer has sent an Uber driver to pick up the items.
“So not only are they committing fraud, but they are also putting innocent and unaware Uber drivers into the middle of this offending,” Detective Sergeant Renfree says.
An investigation into these incidents is ongoing, however Police want to warn businesses to be aware of this specific type of scam and to take steps to safeguard against it.
“Our message is simple, do not allow anyone to charge items to an account without verifying them and obtaining identification of the caller,” says Detective Sergeant Renfree. “Anyone purchasing goods should know all the company details they are charging to.”
Businesses should follow these steps:
• Verify all orders placed over the phone, especially if the caller is unknown
• Cross-check contact details with official account records
• Do not dispatch goods until the order is confirmed by a known contact
• Report any suspicious activity to Police
“We are reminding people to be vigilant and cross-check all details,” Detective Sergeant Renfree says. “And most importantly, do not hand over anything until you are satisfied everything is correct.”
Police are encouraging any suspicious behaviour to be reported online at 105.police.govt.nz or by calling 105.
Information can also be reported anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
Thousands of people have had money deducted from their bank accounts in recent months as Inland Revenue steps up its efforts to collect the tax it is owed.
IR spokesperson Rowan McArthur said it had sent out 16,500 notices about planned bank deductions since mid-June, 25 percent more than for the … View moreThousands of people have had money deducted from their bank accounts in recent months as Inland Revenue steps up its efforts to collect the tax it is owed.
IR spokesperson Rowan McArthur said it had sent out 16,500 notices about planned bank deductions since mid-June, 25 percent more than for the whole of last year.
"We are targeting customers who have repeatedly not engaged with IR; and those where information we have indicates there may be funds in their bank account(s) that could be deducted from to pay off existing tax debt."
He said IR was also working to get instalment payment plans in place.
What's going to happen to home loan rates? Listen to No Stupid Questions with Susan Edmunds
"As with all tax debt, we welcome customers contacting us so we can work with them to resolve their debt situation."
Between mid-June and September 30, there had been 8181 deductions completed, which had recovered $17 million. There were another 6026 deductions in progress, which had collected $5.5m.
John Cuthbertson, Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand tax leader, said tax debt had ballooned in recent years and the "softly, softly" approach taken over the Covid years meant many people were given significant leeway with their tax bills.
"Tax debt as of March was $9.3 billion. When you think about it that's a significant amount of money. If you look at Budget 2024 and 2025, funding was allocated specifically for IRD to be more aggressive in terms of audit activity… debt is the focus and they certainly don't want to let it get any larger."
He said some of the debt was quite old and some IRD was trying to collect quickly before it became non-collectible.
IRD also had the power to apply to have money taken from people's wages if they were employed, he said.
"It's in people's best interest to get on top of their debt as early as they can and communicate. But we've had situations where employers or companies have used Inland Revenue as a bank by not paying some of these core taxes like GST and their PAYE - that's held on trust for the Crown. That means they've been living beyond their means, really."
Some accountants told RNZ it seemed people were only given a week's notice before money was taken, and it was tough for some businesses that were struggling.
Deloitte tax partner Robyn Walker pointed to Inland Revenue guidance that said people would typically have received advice about the amount that was past due and a warning letter.
That noted that, since its system upgrade, Inland Revenue had more information from a wider variety of sources, which allowed it to be more proactive.
"Inland Revenue also did a systems upgrade [recently] so that the MyIR system more prominently shows any tax debt when people log in. I've heard some feedback that some people think it feels aggressive," she said.
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