1685 days ago

Covid-19: North Shore Sky Bus service yet to resume post-pandemic

Caroline Williams Reporter from North Shore Times

Tēnā koutou. The Sky Bus North Harbour Express, north Aucklanders’ only direct link to the airport, is yet to resume more than a year after the service was suspended due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

The 55-minute service, which stops outside Albany Westfield and the Smales Farm and Akoranga bus stations along the Northern Busway, cost $25 and $46 for adult one-way and return tickets respectively, with discounted fares for seniors and families.

North Auckland residents have still been able to get to the airport on public transport, via the NX1 to Britomart, train to Papatoetoe Station and the Airport Link bus to the airport.

However, the trip requires two transfers and takes about an hour and 50 minutes from Albany for $7.20 and two hours from the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station for $8.28 – double the time it would take on the Sky Bus service.

Alternatively, north Aucklanders can take the NX1 into the city – $6.12 from the Hibiscus Coast and $4.86 from Albany – and catch the Sky Bus Auckland City Express, taking between an hour and five minutes and an hour and a half.

A Sky Bus spokesman said it is keen to bring the service back, however it would need to see a "significant lift" in patronage for its Auckland City Express. The service resumed in July, however patronage is down 80 per cent compared to pre-Covid.

Click 'read more' for the full story.

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More messages from your neighbours
14 hours ago

Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!

Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?

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Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
  • 78.1% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
    78.1% Complete
  • 21.9% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
    21.9% Complete
242 votes
1 hour ago

🎄 Christmas 2025 Holiday Pay - What You Need to Know 🎄

Stephanie from Sunnynook

🎄 Christmas 2025 Holiday Pay - What NZ Employers Need to Know 🎄
With Christmas fast approaching, it’s important to make sure your team is paid correctly over the holiday period - especially with holiday legislation changes on the horizon.
👉 Good news: For Christmas 2025, the current Holidays Act rules still apply.

Here’s a simple breakdown 👇
✅ Employees with 12+ months service
• Entitled to 4 weeks paid annual leave
• Pay the higher of:
👉 Ordinary Weekly Pay or Average Weekly Earnings
📌 Full-time example
• 8 hrs/day × 5 days = 40 hrs/week
• $1,200 per week = $240 per leave day
📌 Part-time example
• 3 hrs/day × 4 days = 12 hrs/week
• $300 per week = $75 per leave day
✅ Employees with less than 12 months service
• Not yet entitled to annual leave
• If your business closes down over Christmas, they must still be paid holiday pay for the closedown period (usually paid via payroll accruals or 8% of gross earnings under current law)
🎁 Christmas & New Year Public Holidays
• Christmas Day (25 Dec)
• Boxing Day (26 Dec)
• New Year’s Day (1 Jan)
✔️ If the day is a normal working day, employees are paid for it
✔️ If they work on a public holiday:
➡️ Time and a half + an alternative paid day off
🔔 Important – Changes Coming
The Holidays Act will eventually be replaced by a new Employment Leave Act, moving to hours-based leave accrual and simplified calculations.
⚠️ These changes are not in force yet, so Christmas 2025 still follows current rules.
💬 Need help checking your payroll or holiday calculations?
📧 Email: info@corefigures.co.nz
🌐 Website: corefigures.co.nz...
✨ Feel free to share this with other NZ business owners ✨

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6 days ago

Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️‍💥❔

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What has a head but no brain?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

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