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Join Dr Ropata and Dr Warner live on stage in the ASB season of Shortland Street – The Musical, an affectionate parody of our iconic Kiwi TV drama.
Whether you never miss a night of Shorty Street or have never seen an episode, the ASB season of Shortland Street – The Musical is for anyone … View moreJoin Dr Ropata and Dr Warner live on stage in the ASB season of Shortland Street – The Musical, an affectionate parody of our iconic Kiwi TV drama.
Whether you never miss a night of Shorty Street or have never seen an episode, the ASB season of Shortland Street – The Musical is for anyone who loves a hilarious night out, a lively musical or a rollicking good Christmas panto!
This is one doctor’s appointment you don’t want to miss. ASB season of Shortland Street – The Musical from November 14 at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Book now at atc.co.nz
Holding down the crown in the Guinness World Records for the world's longest inflatable waterslide, Kiwis will have one last chance to get in on the action in February before the slide is sold.
A letter was sent to all 801,000 premium customers signed up to the UltraCare Base health policy on Monday, alerting them that their funeral allowance would no longer be covered in their plan. A public hospital cash allowance and surgical procedure for sleep apnoea was also removed. Despite the … View moreA letter was sent to all 801,000 premium customers signed up to the UltraCare Base health policy on Monday, alerting them that their funeral allowance would no longer be covered in their plan. A public hospital cash allowance and surgical procedure for sleep apnoea was also removed. Despite the benefit cuts, that were planned to kick in on December 1, customers would not see a reduction in the amount they paid for their insurance.
Southern Cross chief marketing officer of health insurance products Chris Watney said without these changes, the company would have had to increase premium rates by a lot more. "We know that premium affordability is a concern for our members. And we know that members value both the day-to-day use of their insurance, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the 'big stuff' like cancer or other life-changing diagnoses are covered." On the flip side a skin lesion service with a limit of $10,000 per member per claims a year was now included in the premium policy package - along with an extraction of teeth claim. Chief executive of Health Funds Association of New Zealand Roger Styles said in the last decade we have seen it increasingly difficult to access public funded services so a lot of people were using their health insurances more to avoid the wait times and jump the hoops."Pressures also come from medical price inflation, new procedures and new drugs that weren't funded by Pharmac - these things just weren't available two decades ago. "If something becomes available people want it and they want it tomorrow so it's about balancing that with affordability," Styles said. Watney said funeral allowance - that was limited to $2500 - was not related to healthcare service and was generally available under life insurance policies. "Its removal from our policies offers an opportunity to reduce overall claims cost and their impact on premiums." While it was no longer included in Southern Cross' health care policy, it was still seen as a vital coverage. Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand president Gary Taylor said the cost of funerals was going up. "In Auckland the price of a burial site, and that didn't include the actual funeral, was between $5000 to $7000. "Of course cremation was a lot cheaper between $500 to $1000 but for some that wasn't culturally sensitive." On top of that, families were expected to foot the bill for the casket, catering, food, venue and the rest.
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The sun is shining on improvements in town centres across the region, with Glen Eden the latest example of how the Auckland Unitary Plan is enabling the growth of quality urban design and building 'up' rather than 'out'.
This is on top of the roughly $100m a year it costs to service the current annual quota of 1000 refugees. In September, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the Government would lift the annual refugee quota by 500 people to 1500, starting July 2020. She called the "significant and historic… View moreThis is on top of the roughly $100m a year it costs to service the current annual quota of 1000 refugees. In September, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the Government would lift the annual refugee quota by 500 people to 1500, starting July 2020. She called the "significant and historic increase" the "right thing to do". "It fulfils New Zealand's obligation to do our bit and provide a small number of people, displaced by war and disaster each year, a place to call home." A Cabinet Paper written by Immigration Minister Iain-Lees Galloway on the proposed increase, released under the Official Information Act, echoed much of the Prime Minister's sentiment on the issue. It said the global population of people forcibly displaced had increased by more than 50 per cent over the last 10 years, climbing to a record high of a total of 68.5 million people in 2017. Lees-Galloway said in the paper that increasing New Zealand's refugee quota would have other benefits for New Zealand as a whole.These include providing the Government with an opportunity to work with local communities towards a "common goal, building social cohesion and contributing to economic growth".The paper reveals the full cost of the increase of the annual quota as $182.5m over five years.
This number included the capital costs of building work required at the Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre, as well as the operating costs for further initiatives to meet housing requirements for the additional refugees.The bulk of the $182m was earmarked for 2020 onwards. Roughly $31m was allocated to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years.That figure jumps to roughly $34m in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Just over $35m was allocated for 2024/25 and the "outyears". Included in this funding is $32m, allocated over three years, for housing.This year's Budget allocated $6.2m of new operating funding over the next four years, and $7.7m of new capital to build and operate two new accommodation blocks at the Centre. Lees-Galloway estimated a further 149 public housing places a year would be required to house the new refugees. Although it's not clear which part of world the additional 500 refugees would come from, the Cabinet paper showed half of the 2016/17 refugee quota came from the Asia-Pacific region. Some 22 per cent came from the Americas, and 14 per cent came from the Middle-East and Africa respectively.This was despite 44 per cent of all global refugees (630,000) being from Africa. Seven per cent (102,000) came from the Asia-Pacific region and just 0.3 per cent (4074) came from the Americas. On Monday, an Immigration NZ Spokeswoman told the Government "is committed to ensuring the successful resettlement of all refugees that come to New Zealand"."The strategy focuses on employment, participation in the community, education, health and housing which are all recognised as supporting successful settlement outcomes." She said refugees make a positive contribution to New Zealand and bring a range of skills and experiences to our already diverse communities.
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The NZ Transport Agency advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am, unless otherwise stated. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 2nd November 2018.
Closures affect Northern Motorway … View moreThe NZ Transport Agency advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am, unless otherwise stated. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 2nd November 2018.
Closures affect Northern Motorway (SH1), Central Motorway Junction (CMJ), Southern Motorway (SH1), Northwestern Motorway (SH16), Upper Harbour Motorway (SH18), Southwestern Motorway (SH20), and George Bolt Memorial Drive (SH20A).
Please follow the signposted detours. The Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.
Keep updated here
Setting off fireworks has become an annual Kiwi backyard tradition, and it’s almost time to break out the sparklers again. However, critics say they’re dangerous and people are injured by them every year. Fans, on the other hand, argue that all fun involves some level of risk, it just needs to … View moreSetting off fireworks has become an annual Kiwi backyard tradition, and it’s almost time to break out the sparklers again. However, critics say they’re dangerous and people are injured by them every year. Fans, on the other hand, argue that all fun involves some level of risk, it just needs to be managed safely.
Last year, we saw a 23% drop in the number of fireworks-related injury claims (171 claims across 2017 versus 223 across 2016). What do you think? Should personal fireworks be banned? Click here for advice on how to use fireworks responsibly.
Our Summer League begins on Monday 5th November so don’t delay – register your teams now! Action Waitakere is located at 133 Central Park Drive, Henderson. We specialise in providing social indoor netball leagues as well as offering indoor soccer and indoor cricket leagues.
Also, our … View moreOur Summer League begins on Monday 5th November so don’t delay – register your teams now! Action Waitakere is located at 133 Central Park Drive, Henderson. We specialise in providing social indoor netball leagues as well as offering indoor soccer and indoor cricket leagues.
Also, our Friday Night Junior Indoor Netball Competition is back – 26th October to 7th December. Games from 4pm onwards, with younger age groups scheduled first. Ages 8-16, single or team registrations, all are welcome. You can register by phone, online or just turn up on the day!
Our arena has excellent facilities, with all equipment supplied and a fully licensed bar that is available for your after-match entertainment. Whether you are a serious high-grade player or a complete couch potato, we have graded competitions to suit all levels and ages.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Should it offer cheap parking for people visiting the sick, or should it charge what it can and use the money to pay for more healthcare?
Hi neighbours - keep safe out there! A strong earthquake 6.7 magnitude has struck central New Zealand.
It struck at a depth of 193km about 35km south-west of Taumarunui.
More than 9000 people reported feeling the quake within 10 minutes of it striking at 3.14pm. The quake was felt as far as … View moreHi neighbours - keep safe out there! A strong earthquake 6.7 magnitude has struck central New Zealand.
It struck at a depth of 193km about 35km south-west of Taumarunui.
More than 9000 people reported feeling the quake within 10 minutes of it striking at 3.14pm. The quake was felt as far as the South Island.
We will keep you up to date with the latest. For updates and more info, click here.
So far:
- Parliament has been suspended until further notice on the advice of Civil Defence.
- Make sure you check on your neighbours - even though there may have not been any damage near you, your neighbours may still need your help.
- If you need to alert your neighbours urgently, then don't hesitate to send out an Urgent Alert to your community. You can find this function when you go to post a message on Neighbourly.
- Metlink Wellington said rail services would continue to run with some delays following the recent earthquake.
- Fire and Emergency NZ had no reports of injuries nor damage across the South Island.
- GNS Science have advised there is no tsunami threat to New Zealand
Hi neighbours,
Get ready, the scary season is here and trick-or-treaters may soon be knocking at your door. So we want to know, is trick-or-treating something your family gets involved in? How about the US trend called 'trunk-or-treat'? Take part in our poll to let us know!
The New … View moreHi neighbours,
Get ready, the scary season is here and trick-or-treaters may soon be knocking at your door. So we want to know, is trick-or-treating something your family gets involved in? How about the US trend called 'trunk-or-treat'? Take part in our poll to let us know!
The New Zealand police are encouraging parents, caregivers, and children to celebrate Halloween, on Wednesday, safely. To read police advice, click here.
Also, for tips on how to make your home seem scary or how to celebrate Halloween without the sugar rush, click here.
In our latest article we explain the main home exclusion to the bright-line test for the sale of residential property, and give examples of how it works in practice.
British Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced his government open up e-passport gates to visitors from New Zealand, Canada, America and Japan. He made the announcement while unveiling his budget in Britain's House of Commons. "Well open the use of e-passport gates at Heathrow and other … View moreBritish Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced his government open up e-passport gates to visitors from New Zealand, Canada, America and Japan. He made the announcement while unveiling his budget in Britain's House of Commons. "Well open the use of e-passport gates at Heathrow and other airports, currently only available to EEEA nationals. "[We'll change the gates] to include visitors from United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan." In the lead up to Brexit, both New Zealanders and Australians are being given access to "fast track" e-gates, previously used only be EU passport holders. In the announcement made by UK Chancellor Philip Hammond, it was said that other nationalities would soon be allowed speedier entry to the UK – including passport holders from Canada, the United States and Japan.
The move will reduce the time it takes for New Zealanders to move through airports when visiting the United Kingdom.The e-passport gates are currently at 22 airports and international rail terminals across the country and will be accepting New Zealand passports as early as next year. The news follows a chaotic summer for British airports, where passport control queues tailed for two and a half hours.
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Join us at WestCity this Saturday to celebrate Diwali. We will have a henna artist on hand and a Diwali inspired craft activity featuring tea light candle holders that kids can decorate with beautiful gems and take home along with electric tea light candles so they can celebrate the Festival of … View moreJoin us at WestCity this Saturday to celebrate Diwali. We will have a henna artist on hand and a Diwali inspired craft activity featuring tea light candle holders that kids can decorate with beautiful gems and take home along with electric tea light candles so they can celebrate the Festival of Lights in true fashion. We will also have colouring in for the little ones to keep them entertained.
What is Diwali? Diwali, also known as Deepavali, or the Festival of Lights, is a popular Hindu festival. It signifies the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and renewal of life.
We hope you can join us!
Where: WestCity Waitakere
Saturday 3rd November from 11am - 2pm
Level 1, Centre Court
7 Catherine Street, Henderson, Auckland
Hi we are overstocked in used furniture and need to move it. We are a non-profit organisation that specializes in providing good quality used furniture to the public in need.
This Saturday there is a huge Fire Sale for good used seconds furniture.
Tables, chairs, Lounge suites, Couches, Beds, … View moreHi we are overstocked in used furniture and need to move it. We are a non-profit organisation that specializes in providing good quality used furniture to the public in need.
This Saturday there is a huge Fire Sale for good used seconds furniture.
Tables, chairs, Lounge suites, Couches, Beds, Lounge suites microwaves etc...
Furniture packages to furnish a small flat. All at very reasonable prices- bulk purchases considered! They are priced to sell and sell quickly!
This Saturday from 8:00am till 12pm. Our warehouse is open for viewing during this time.
Stoddard Place, Mount Roskill. (furniture@mef.org.nz or 0274935686)
This will be held in conjunction with our church Monster Garage sale- all undercover and with plenty of parking.
Click on the link for a brief listing of whats available. Many others are onsite and not listed.
drive.google.com...
Attached is an advertising poster.
All proceeds from our sales goes in to Church Ministry in the Mt Roskill area and to outreach ministries.
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