78 days ago

Same Old.......Same Old

Marie from Waikanae

I firmly believe there is nothing new under the sun. In 2012, following the Christchurch earthquakes, the then National government introduced "zero budgets" with a focus on "getting better value from public spending".
Sound familiar? We heard a lot about curbing public spending in the lead up to the last election. Unfortunately, the austerity measures haven't stopped there. As we come to the end of the government's anti-Labour 100 day rampage (arguably the biggest waste of public money I have seen in a long time), prices in the supermarket continue to rise, week on week, despite claims that inflation is easing.
(Well.... it might be, but greedflation is still rampant). We find we are in for more expense for car registration, road user charges have been introduced for electric vehicles and schools will be eating into their operating budgets (literally) to feed hungry children. A UN expert in the UK recently stated that austerity policies were directly linked to a rise in poverty. No surprises there either.

But isn't it ironic that, as a direct result of cancelling all road maintenance during the last round of RONS, the National government is now introducing a special dedicated "pot hole fund" Monty Python couldn't have done it better. Will we be shortly forced to eat hot gravel?

But all is not lost. Despite my Superannuation being cut by $30 this week, for no apparent reason, there's an outside chance I might get it back in the annual CPI adjustment (something the government is legislatively required to do fortunately) And apparently we are still in line for a tax cut sometime in the near future. When is it Tricola? We wait in hope.......

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More messages from your neighbours
2 days ago

Share your most delicious (but affordable!) go-to meal...

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Winter is knocking at the door and the cost of living has already made itself at home. So let's help each other out by sharing your meal ideas that don't break the bank.

Comment below with your go-to meals that are delicious and affordable.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

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1 hour ago

Pet Portraits

Teissi from Paraparaumu Beach

Hi beautiful people, my name is Teissi
I’m based in Paraparaumu.
I’m trying to build my watercolour portfolio with pet portraits
This offer is an A4 watercolour unframed at $80 (1 pet)
*one time opportunity in life because this service has another price*

So if you would like a custom gift of your fur friends, please send me an email with their photos :
teissiaranda@icloud.com

Thank you so much, I’m looking forward to meeting your beloved pets.

Teissi

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2 hours ago

Waikanae Arts and Crafts Society - ART & CRAFT IN ACTION

Jocelyn from Waikanae

It’s this Saturday folks! Come to a ‘Demo Day’ at our rooms, 27a Elizabeth St, Waikanae, 10.00am - 3.00pm to see what we get up to. Groups showing their crafts will be spinning, knitting and crochet, miniature making, painting, Round Tuit (any craft that the group are working on), weaving, felting and embroidery. Our Society welcomes new members who can then belong to any/all of the groups available.

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