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Brighten Up Your Deck with Resene!
Transform a plain deck or balcony into a bright, cheerful space with your favourite Resene colour to enjoy looking out onto during the gloomier months. Find out how you can refresh your deck with these easy step by step instructions.
More than 5000 doctors will strike on May 1, postponing treatment for about 4300 patients.
Last-ditch mediation between Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora and the senior doctors’ union has failed to avert an unprecedented 24-hour strike.
Health NZ deputy chief executive Cath Cronin said the agency was “deeply disappointed” that the union had refused to present its latest offer to … View moreLast-ditch mediation between Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora and the senior doctors’ union has failed to avert an unprecedented 24-hour strike.
Health NZ deputy chief executive Cath Cronin said the agency was “deeply disappointed” that the union had refused to present its latest offer to its members following mediation on Thursday.
“We value our doctors and want to do the best we can for them, but the reality is that Health NZ has limited budget available for salary settlements within its tight financial constraints,” she said.
Health NZ was urgently applying for facilitation, which would “give an independent party the opportunity to hear from both sides and make a recommendation”.
“We believe we have been fair and realistic, including offering to remove the lowest pay steps for senior doctors.”
Cronin said Te Whatu Ora had “heard” the union’s concern regarding growing and retaining the senior doctor workforce.
Under Te Whatu Ora’s new offer, a first-year specialist would receive a $17,700 (9.5%) increase on base salary and a 9.5% increase on other remuneration, including KiwiSaver, and another 6% the following year.
A second-year specialist would receive a $11,800 (6.2%) pay increase on base salary plus 6.2% for KiwiSaver, and another 6% increase in the following year.
All other specialists would have their salaries increased by 3% over two years, with a lump sum payment of $8000 to doctors with three or more years’ experience.
“Additionally, we offered an incentive in ‘hard to recruit’ districts, which will assist in attracting and retaining senior doctors.”
Latest offer ‘worse’ - union
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The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Sarah Dalton said however there was no point taking the offer to its members as for most of them it was “worse than what was originally on the table”.
Most specialists were already near or at the top of the specialist scale, and for them the offer (a 33-month term with no backdating) worked out at “less than 0.77% on average”, she said.
Dalton said the offer of less than 1% amounted to a pay cut in real terms, and would “drive existing doctors away rather than help retain them”.
It would not attract any new senior doctors to fill vacancies, which run at 12% on average, and up to 44% in some districts.
“New Zealand will be short more than 3450 senior doctors by 2032 and we are already seeing the impact of doctor shortages across the country with longer wait times in emergency departments and for first specialists’ appointments.
“At the same time, Health NZ continues to pay considerable amounts to locums [doctors covering specialist vacancies] some of whom are left in the posts for months rather than days or weeks, and who are paid significantly more than salaried staff.
“So we think their priorities are wrong, they’re not taking a long-term investment approach. They still can’t adequately account for where there are gaps and where there are not.”
While Health NZ was claiming to have made “recruitment and retention offers” in hard to staff areas, that was only happening in four districts, she said.
“They have coincidentally limited those to the four that have been in the media the most. Some of them do have the greatest need, like Tairāwhiti, but there are regions that have demonstrably higher vacancy levels that have not been included in this list.
“So they continue to ignore their own data in terms of what they say they are doing.”
Dalton acknowledged that Te Whatu Ora did move to address some problems in mediation, including offering to “restore relativities” with junior doctors.
That would benefit about 500 members.
However, some doctors were still waiting for aspects of the last collective settlement to be implemented. For instance, some districts were still not paying emergency department shift allowances.
“The strike will result in planned procedures being postponed, but the same number of procedures are lost every week due to ongoing staff shortages,” Dalton said.
Hospitals and emergency departments will remain open, and the union is working with Health NZ to ensure life-preserving services continue during the strike.
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Have you nominated a Local Business Hero yet?
There have been hundreds of brilliant entries from around New Zealand for local businesses; but have we received yours yet?
Make sure you share a few words about your favourite local to give them a chance to be this year's Prospa Local Business Hero because it's the LAST WEEK TO … View moreThere have been hundreds of brilliant entries from around New Zealand for local businesses; but have we received yours yet?
Make sure you share a few words about your favourite local to give them a chance to be this year's Prospa Local Business Hero because it's the LAST WEEK TO NOMINATE! It'll only take you a couple of minutes and they could win a prize package worth over $30,000! And you could win great prizes too.
Nominate a business making an impact in your community now.
Poll: Are domestic flights with Air NZ out of your budget?
A Tauranga man has filed a complaint with the Commerce Commission, claiming that due to dynamic pricing, it’s cheaper for him to fly to Los Angeles than to book a flight for his daughter from Tauranga to Wellington.
Do you think their pricing needs addressed to encourage more people to fly?
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95.7% Yes, it's too expensive
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3.7% No, it's reasonable
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0.6% Other - I'll share below
Show us your projects
Whether it's craft, haberdashery, woodwork or upcycling, we'd love to see what you've been working on lately.
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Tell us about your current project or show us a picture in the comments below...
What does ANZAC day mean to you?
ANZAC Day is a time to reflect, remember, and honour those who served.
It’s also a powerful reminder of the impact of war and the courage of those who stood for something greater than themselves.
We're interested to hear what ANZAC Day means to you and your whānau, and about any … View moreANZAC Day is a time to reflect, remember, and honour those who served.
It’s also a powerful reminder of the impact of war and the courage of those who stood for something greater than themselves.
We're interested to hear what ANZAC Day means to you and your whānau, and about any special traditions you follow each year.
Perhaps you have a loved one who served? If you feel comfortable, we’d love for you to share their story here with us.
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Kawakawa leaves
Hi neighbours. I would like some Kawakawa leaves and wondered if anyone would mind supplying me with some. I can do an exchange with some limes. Many thanks
Make Room This Winter: Why Self Storage Is a Smart Move
As the days grow shorter and the temperatures begin to drop, winter brings a unique set of challenges for homeowners, renters, and businesses alike. From protecting valuable belongings from the elements to making space for seasonal changes, self storage offers a practical and secure solution to … View moreAs the days grow shorter and the temperatures begin to drop, winter brings a unique set of challenges for homeowners, renters, and businesses alike. From protecting valuable belongings from the elements to making space for seasonal changes, self storage offers a practical and secure solution to help you transition smoothly into the colder months.
Outdoor furniture, for example and other items such as BBQs will last longer if stored inside. But this takes up space better used for other things.
Winter is all about staying warm and cozy indoors. But a cluttered home can make that harder than it needs to be. By moving non-essential items into storage, you create breathing room at home.
You can safely store away summer clothes and linen while keeping your winter essentials within easy reach. For families with young children, storage is also a great way to manage growing wardrobes. Hand-me-downs can be boxed, labelled, and stored for the next child neatly and out of the way.
Winter can be a slower season for some businesses, especially those in trades, events, or outdoor services. If you're scaling back operations for the season, a storage unit gives you a secure place to house tools, promotional material, or excess stock without paying commercial rent for unused space.
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Banks have introduced new fraud protections as Kiwis lose millions to scammers
Banks must reimburse fraud victims up to $500,000 and introduce new scam prevention measures.
The changes include technology to identify risky transactions and the ability to freeze suspect accounts.
Compensation applies if banks fail to meet prevention commitments, with the new rules effective … View moreBanks must reimburse fraud victims up to $500,000 and introduce new scam prevention measures.
The changes include technology to identify risky transactions and the ability to freeze suspect accounts.
Compensation applies if banks fail to meet prevention commitments, with the new rules effective from November.
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Banks will be required to reimburse fraud victims up to $500,000 and introduce new rules to crack down on scammers in a suite of measures unveiled today.
The changes include new technology to identify risky or unusual transactions based on a customer’s banking history and the ability to freeze payments and suspect accounts.
The moves are in response to Government demands to improve customer protections or be regulated in the face of Kiwi victims losing hundreds of millions of dollars to scammers each year.
The Herald has been campaigning for new safeguards to protect victims, highlighting dozens of cases in which Kiwis were tricked into losing their life savings through elaborate investment scams – many involving local “money mule” accounts.
Advocates have repeatedly warned that New Zealand was lagging behind other jurisdictions in terms of consumer safeguards. Today’s announcements aim to bring us into line with the likes of the UK.
The New Zealand Banking Association says it is rolling out a package of new protections in line with international best practice, which will be in place by November.
They include:
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A confirmation of payee service for customers to check that the name of the person they are paying matches the account number. Rollout of this has already commenced.
Pre-transaction warnings to consumers based on the payment purpose, for instance, higher-risk investments.
Identification of high-risk transactions or unusual account transaction activity, and the ability to block or delay payments.
A 24/7 reporting channel for customers who think they’ve been scammed.
Sharing scammer or “mule” account information with other banks to help prevent criminal activity, and freezing funds where appropriate.
New fraud reimbursement rules would also see victims who were tricked into authorising payments to fraudsters reimbursed up to $500,000, provided they met certain criteria.
The compensation would not apply to international money transfers, third-party payment services or purchases on social media.
Compensation would only apply if a bank failed to meet the new scam prevention commitments outlined above.
A decision on whether victims were compensated would also depend on whether they had taken “reasonable care” when making payments.
In the UK, the test is a much higher bar of “gross negligence”.
Association chief executive Roger Beaumont said scam prevention was the best way to protect consumers from scam losses. The new measures were a huge step up in the fight against online fraud.
“Banks already do a lot to identify and help prevent scams, and these new measures will enhance tech solutions to help protect customers from increasingly sophisticated scams.”
The new rules and policies are being written into the Code of Banking Practice, which will go live on November 30.
This means the Banking Ombudsman will be able to hold banks to account against the new code and determine if compensation should be awarded to complainants.
‘Important win for bank customers’
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Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson said banks had responded to the Government’s expectation to better protect consumers by introducing stronger safeguards and a compensation scheme.
“New commitments from banks mean that if a bank fails to adequately warn and protect a consumer from a scam, they will reimburse the victim up to $500,000.
“This is an important win for bank customers, who have been advocating for some time for better recognition from banks of the role they play as the final gate between a consumer and a scammer.”
The Government wrote to banks last year demanding improvements to protect customers, threatening regulation if the sector did not bring in voluntary measures.
Simpson said scams caused immense harm to the economy as consumers lost confidence in transacting online.
“While people still need to remain vigilant and take responsibility for their own online safety, these changes will enable consumers to check a payment is legitimate before transferring money.
“I have been clear with banks that the journey doesn’t stop here. I expect banks to continue to prioritise security and adapt to the ever-evolving scams environment.”
‘Emotional and financial cost of scams’
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Banking Ombudsman Nicola Sladden said her office had been calling for stronger consumer protections. While the new measures were welcome, the “devil is often in the detail”.
“We see firsthand the emotional and financial cost of scams. Beyond the monetary impact, victims endure the distress of being deceived, leading to a loss of confidence to operate online.
“Consumers are doing more and more online, making it increasingly vital they have a safe digital environment in which to make payments and transfer money.”
Confirmation of payee was an obvious way to fight back against scammers, Sladden said.
Other initiatives like greater sharing of intelligence, improved fraud detection systems and warnings for high-risk transactions would also help keep Kiwis safe.
Reimbursement scheme comes with caveats
====================================
Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy has been a vocal critic of lax bank scam protections.
He said many of the measures announced today were already common overseas, which meant NZ banks had until now failed to respond adequately to increased scam activity.
The progress was welcome, but bank customers should note the new measures did not guarantee reimbursement if they were scammed, Duffy said.
“Banks will not be liable if they make reasonable efforts to alert a customer to risks. Customers will need to pay attention to warnings from their bank about risky transactions and be cautious if confirmation of payee checks return ‘no match’.
“Consumers should also note that protections do not apply to purchases made on social media or online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace.”
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