Developers in Milldale celebrate as the last of the precast slabs is placed, marking a significant advancement in the construction of the Milldale State Highway 1 Crossing. This bridge will link Milldale with Millwater and Silverdale, enhancing connectivity in the area.With the steel framework now complete, the crossing officially transitions into a bridge, stretching over State Highway 1. The upcoming phase focuses on completing the bridge deck, expected to finish by July.The new bridge, spanning almost 100 meters in length and 19 meters in width, will be a crucial connection from John Fair Drive in Milldale to the Highgate Business Park and Silverdale.Concrete pours for the bridge deck are scheduled for completion by July. Following this, attention will turn to installing bridge and highway barriers, slated for September through October. The final phase involves reconfiguring the Highgate Parkway intersection, targeted for completion in December.As the bridge nears completion, anticipation mounts for the positive impact it will have on the lives of those in the community.

The national house value dropped slightly in April, with an increase in listings favouring buyers, according to the latest CoreLogic figures.CoreLogic's House Price Index edged down 0.1 percent in April, but was still 11 percent down on peak values.The national average property value was $933,633 last month.CoreLogic NZ chief property economist Kelvin Davidson said the continuation of soft house price trends in April reaffirmed it was a buyer's market, leaving sellers with reduced bargaining power."It's no surprise price growth has flattened off," Davidson said, adding that it coincided with a rise in the total number of listings on the market."To be fair, buyers don't have it all their own way. For a start, they've got to have their finance in place first, and that's not easy with mortgage rates still hovering at around 7 percent."In addition, with new jobs still being filled and the unemployment rate relatively low for now, there aren't many 'forced sellers' out there at the moment either."He said the outlook for the market was for an "underwhelming" upturn."Our expectation is that sales volumes might rise by around 10 percent this year, which is decent growth in percentage terms, but it's coming off a low base."Indeed, it'd still leave activity about 15-20 percent below normal."Despite April's flat national result, the main centres continued to show some variability, which was expected to continue.Dunedin values rose 0.7 percent in April, with Wellington and Hamilton seeing 0.4 percent growth.But Christchurch and Tauranga each dropped 0.1 percent, while Auckland values dipped 0.6 percent."In this environment, I'd expect house price movements to remain a bit variable from month to month, and across regions too," Davidson said.He said debt to income caps would also feature in the outlook, but in the meantime, conditions continued to favour first home buyers (FHBs)."Of course, it's never easy to get that first property. But with other groups, such as mortgaged investors, still just watching and waiting to some degree, the recent strength for FHBs' market share in an environment where prices have flattened might remain a feature for much of the year."

Climate change isn't just an environmental threat, it's a financial one too. A new study by researchers at the University of Auckland Business School sheds light on how climate change can negatively impact a company's value.Professor Henk Berkman and his co-authors developed a unique method to assess a company's vulnerability to climate risks by analysing their annual reports. This analysis takes into account how a company reports on potential climate change impacts, such as disruptions to sales or physical damage from extreme weather events."Companies are increasingly disclosing their exposure to climate change," explains Professor Berkman. "Our research converts this information into a score that reflects a company's vulnerability."This score, according to Berkman, reveals a clear connection between climate risk and company value.Henk Berkman is Professor of Fnance at the University of Auckland Business School."Companies with high climate risk see their stock prices fluctuate more dramatically in response to climate-related news events," he says. "For instance, a negative report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or a major flooding event can significantly impact their value compared to companies less exposed to climate risks."The study suggests that the financial market views climate risk as a significant factor, penalising companies with higher vulnerability.Investor Tool UnveiledThis research offers valuable insights for investors navigating the financial landscape in a changing climate. The researchers' tool allows investors to rank companies based on their climate risk exposure."This information helps investors identify companies most sensitive to climate change," says Professor Berkman. "Investors can then assess those companies' risk management strategies, such as cash reserves or diversification efforts, to make informed decisions."By demonstrating the financial implications of climate risk, the study aims to encourage further development of measures and standards to help investors better understand climate risks and their impact on company value.Professor Berkman concludes, "Our findings highlight the connection between climate risk exposure and market value. Companies with greater vulnerability face financial penalties, demonstrating that the market recognises climate change as a serious financial threat."

The Qualifications Authority has told MPs it could use artificial intelligence to help write school exams.The authority appeared before the Education and Workforce Select Committee for its annual review on Wednesday.NZQA wants more students sitting online digital exams rather than paper-based exams.However, the authority's chief executive Grant Klinkum said some schools might struggle to provide enough computers to ensure all their students could sit an online exam at once.He said with that problem in mind, NZQA could develop a bank of variations of each exam which could be offered on different days, rather than having a single exam on a single day for each subject.Klinkum said writing exams took months, but artificial intelligence could help NZQA staff to develop variations of exams more quickly."We have about an 18-month process of developing very robust exam questions and you couldn't do that process five or 10 times, but you could do one set of original assessments and use AI to draft five or 10 variations which a human would then refine," he said.MPs asked questions about last year's failures when the online exam system failed to cope with the number of logins.Klinkum said NZQA had managed up to 13,000 logins to online exams for many years, but it had problems when logins exceeded 20,000 last year.The vendor of the online exam system, Oxford-based company RM, was testing it to ensure it could cope with more users, he said."At the moment we have a version of the platform which they are testing at 45,000 simultaneous users. We think in our current operating environment that's too optimistic which is why we said to schools we're being very cautious about the May round of literacy and numeracy [tests], why we'd like them to stagger log-ons. So it is still two or three years away that we'll have real confidence that an English 1 exam with up to 45,000 students can be done without any staggering of log-ons," he said.Klinkum said the authority was making sure exam centre managers knew what to do if there was a problem with online access."If tens of thousands of students are pushing the refresh button constantly it immediately overwhelms the system," he said.Students should instead sit back for a minute before trying to log in again, he said.Klinkum said 97 percent of students who sat digital exams said they were good or very good."Students expect to be able to have a spell check and be able to manipulate data as we all do as we do our work and really value the word-processing capability of digital assessment."But he said students might struggle if they were not accustomed to using computers in the classroom on a regular basis.Last year about 20 percent of total NCEA credits awarded to students were through external exams, with the remaining 80 percent attained through internal assessment, Klinkum said.That meant quality assurance of teachers' internal assessment judgements was critical.This year NZQA would moderate 57,000 examples of school-marked work to check that teacher judgements were accurate.

Five individuals associated with the Head Hunters Motorcycle Club are under arrest on charges related to methamphetamine, following a recent Police operation.In the early hours of Wednesday morning, law enforcement executed search warrants aimed at dismantling an alleged methamphetamine distribution network linked to members and affiliates of the North Shore chapter of the motorcycle gang.Dubbed "Operation Salmon," the crackdown involved seven simultaneous raids conducted across Auckland and Northland, including the gang's headquarters situated in Wairau Valley.Detective Inspector Albie Alexander, representing the National Organised Crime Group, revealed that tactical support units aided investigators during the operation."Without incident, five suspects were apprehended from various locations," Inspector Alexander disclosed. "Based on evidence gathered during Operation Salmon, these individuals are now facing charges of possessing methamphetamine with intent to supply."Inspector Alexander emphasised that the investigation remains ongoing, with the possibility of additional arrests looming."In the course of our inquiries, significant evidence was seized from all seven locations," he stated. "This includes approximately $80,000 in cash, a small cache of firearm ammunition, and a quantity of cannabis."Highlighting the Police's unwavering commitment to tackling organised crime, Inspector Alexander affirmed, "Combatting illegal activities perpetrated by such groups remains a top priority, given the detrimental impact on our communities."He assured the public that law enforcement efforts to disrupt and prosecute criminal enterprises would persist.Presently, five men, ranging in age from 18 to 57 years old, are awaiting proceedings at the North Shore District Court in connection with these charges.

Your weekend weather forecast.Friday - 3/5 Partly cloudy. Fairly breezy Sou'West winds.High: 18Low: 10Saturday - 4/5Partly cloudy. Breezy Easterly winds.High: 18Low: 13Sunday - 5/5 Showers. Fairly breezy Nor'East winds.High: 18Low: 12Get real-time weather updates, tide information, wind conditions, wave forecasts, recommended swimming areas, and more at your fingertips.Experience convenience anytime, anywhere with everything you need right in the app.

Recycling the right way is crucial for protecting our environment. However, until recently, recycling rules differed across New Zealand, causing confusion and contamination in kerbside bins.To address this, new nationwide standards for recycling have been introduced. These standards benefit both residents and manufacturers. Hibiscus Coast have a clear guide on what can be recycled, while manufacturers gain certainty when designing recyclable packaging.The new standards also aim to minimise contamination, a significant issue. Currently, a quarter of Auckland's recycling bins contain un-recyclable materials. Sorting and disposing of this contamination costs ratepayers $3 million annually.What can go in your bin?Glass bottles and jars: Rinse them first, but lids go in the general rubbish bin. Consider reusing these containers for storage!Tin, steel and aluminium cans: These are all recyclable. Steel is 100% recyclable, so your empty baked bean can might become another can or even building materials! Aluminium is also infinitely recyclable.Plastic grades 1, 2 & 5: Check the recycling symbol – these are the only plastics accepted in your kerbside bin. Typically, number 1 is for water bottles, number 2 for milk bottles, and number 5 for takeaway containers.What has changed?Farewell to these: Empty aerosol cans, aluminium foil, beverage cartons (e.g. soy milk cartons) and compostable packaging now go in your general rubbish bin. For some of these items, you may have drop-off options at metal recyclers or SaveBoard locations.Coffee cups and small items: Disposable coffee cups and items smaller than 50mm x 50mm cannot be recycled in your kerbside bin. Consider using a reusable cup and remember – lids go in the rubbish bin too!Unsure about something?A comprehensive guide is available online. This guide details what can be recycled and provides information on recycling centres that may accept specific items.By following these new standards, we can all play a part in reducing waste and protecting our environment. Let's recycle right, Coasties!

Taking laptops and liquids out of carry-on bags is now a thing of the past for passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport.From today, security lines will now use will use Computed Tomography (CT) scanning machines, which create 3D images of bags in real-time.Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the machines will speed up security lines, while maintaining strong security measures."Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through our airports and reducing the risk of flight delays," he said."This is a great example of innovative technology being used to reduce barriers and deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders. Maintaining strong security measures at our airports is critical, and this technology ensures this."Auckland Airport accounts for 75 percent of New Zealand's international departures.International travellers departing from Christchurch and Wellington have been able to leave laptops and liquids in their carry-on since last December.The machines will be rolled out at domestic airports across the country by the end of this year.Rules around volume limits in containers will not change.

Associate education minister David Seymour has confirmed temporary funding will be put in place for the free school lunches programme until a review is completed.Funding would continue for the "immediate few years" while officials worked out what the alternative programme would look like, Seymour said."They won't end, but they will continue in a different form. Right now we are saving the scheme, keeping it going for the foreseeable future until we've made those policy decisions."Budgeting temporary funding for the programme is what the Coalition spent months criticising the previous government for doing.It has repeatedly described Labour's time-limited funding for free lunches in school as a "fiscal cliff".Asked by RNZ how it could accept one fiscal cliff on its watch, given its rhetoric directed at the previous government, Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she would not "categorise anything the government is doing as a fiscal cliff".She said in the "vast majority of instances" permanent four-year funding would be allocated in the Budget on 30 May.On Monday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told RNZ all Budget programmes would be fully funded over four years.Associate education minister David Seymour and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon are defending the funding approach the Coalition is taking. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver"What we're focused on is delivering a Budget at the end of May where we are very transparent and very up front about our investment, so there is certainty about those programmes that we are supporting that they're fully funded," Luxon said.But by Tuesday morning he had walked back that statement, telling Morning Report, "there will be the odd incident where we're actually putting more money into a programme where we're testing or wanting to see the results before we follow it up with more".There would be a "handful of things where there might be time-limited funding, but again we'll be transparent about that", he said.Luxon disagreed a handful of programmes with time-limited funding could also be described as a handful of fiscal cliffs - the name his government has given to programmes under the previous government which had not been funded beyond this year's Budget.Seymour, who is in charge of the programme's review, is defending the funding approach the coalition is taking.He said it was different to Labour's, which was to say it would continue the programme forever but not funding it forever.Seymour told Checkpoint in April that funding for the programme could be cut by up to half.He said 10,000 lunches were wasted each day and there was no hard evidence the programme, which cost about $325 million annually, improved school attendance or achievement.Luxon said free school lunches would continue, as campaigned on by National at last year's election, but with some changes to make it more efficient."We believe in the programme. We are now funding the programme, but we want to make sure that it's been effective," he said."That's quite a good question to ask a few years down the road as the programme's got bigger and as we have made a big commitment to fund it - to make sure we're getting a return on it."Labour launched a campaign and petition in March to save the programme.Leader Chris Hipkins told RNZ the prime minister was saying one thing and doing another.

New Zealand Food Safety is urging caution for people with gluten allergies or intolerance.A recent packaging error has led to the recall of a specific batch of Mrs Rogers Naturals brand Gluten-Free Batter Mix.The affected product is actually Mrs Rogers Naturals brand Crispy Golden Batter Mix, which contains gluten, mistakenly packaged as the Gluten-Free Batter Mix.The recall applies only to batches with the number 7093 and a best before date of 26 January 2026."This is an important recall for anyone who relies on gluten-free products," says [Name], spokesperson for New Zealand Food Safety. "We want to ensure people with coeliac disease or a gluten intolerance are aware of this potential risk."The product was sold at selected Four Square, FreshChoice, New World, Pak'nSave and SuperValue supermarkets throughout New Zealand.Customers are advised to check the batch number and best before date on the back of the package.People with gluten allergies or intolerance should not consume the recalled product. If you have consumed it and have any health concerns, please seek medical advice.Thankfully, the recall is limited to this specific batch and does not affect other Mrs Rogers Naturals products.For those who have purchased the affected mix, you can return it to your retailer for a full refund.

Farm worker annual salaries have jumped $7480 on average in the past two years.A just-released Federated Farmers Rabobank Salaries Report shows across all farming types, the average salary was now $71,411 - similar to a primary teacher's pay.Between 2022 and 2024, dairy worker salaries rose 11 percent , sheep and beef 17 percent and arable 14 percent - with an average week being between 44 and 46 hours.This does not include other benefits such as meat, firewood, phone or power allowances. Extras can add up to several thousands of dollars a year.Federated Farmers employment spokesperson Richard McIntyre said for example, the average Total Package Value for someone working in the sheep and beef sector rose to $76,296, nearly $3700 more than the salary.He said the increases were even bigger for more senior roles.The average salary for a dairy herd manager was up 19 percent to $74,185. A sheep/beef farm manager was earning an average 22 percent more than two years ago ($88,381) and the average income for an arable farm manager was up 28 percent to $101,264."This is impressive, especially in light of all the headwinds farmers have contended with over the past two years which have included Covid, severe weather events, production-suffocating red tape, inflation and roller-coaster commodity prices."Even with tight times farmers are prepared to pay good money for good people. They see the value that it brings to their business in terms of improved farm performance and reduced costs through the likes of reduced breakages," he said.Asked how much of an impact the the Accredited Employer Work Visa which required employers to pay at least the median wage to international workers had on pushing up wage rates, McIntyre acknowledged it had some impact."But it's not the role in it's entirety. It's more complicated than that. There are a lot of sectors that don't have huge numbers of migrant staff on the Accredited Employer Work Visa and certainly very few come in at a highly skilled level and those are the categories that have seen the highest wage growth," he said.Rabobank general manager country banking Bruce Weir said while growth in on-farm salaries increased costs for farm owners, it was crucial to help attract young people into agricultural careers.He said highlighting to secondary school students the array of career opportunities available across the agriculture sector was important."We know that remuneration is a key consideration for this group when they're thinking about career pathways and, if we want to attract good young people into the sector, it's vitally important that growth in salaries for on-farm roles keeps pace with, or exceeds, what is happening across the wider employment market.""Statistics NZ data tells us that Labour Cost Index wage growth across all New Zealand sectors in the 24 months to December 31 last year was around 11 percent so it's good to see salaries for most of the surveyed on-farm positions growing at this rate or quicker over the same period."

Energy Minister Simeon Brown has revealed the government's initiative to bolster New Zealand's electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure by introducing 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes connecting major urban centres. These hubs are designed to accommodate several chargers, capable of simultaneously charging between four and ten vehicles, and will be strategically located near amenities for convenience."New Zealanders considering an EV need confidence they can charge where and when they need on the public network. The Government is committed to working with industry to supercharge public EV infrastructure to remove 'range anxiety' and make owning an EV as easy as possible," stated Mr. Brown.The government aims to significantly increase the number of public EV chargers across New Zealand, with a target of 10,000 charging points by 2030. This ambitious goal aligns with the broader objective of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the Net Zero 2050 goal.To achieve this plan, Cabinet has approved the development of a new model to support investment in EV charging infrastructure in New Zealand. This model is part of a comprehensive work programme that includes several key components:Development of a cost-benefit framework for government co-investment in public EV chargers, consistent with the National Act Coalition Agreement, and transitioning the co-investment model to maximise private investment. Decisions on the model will be confirmed late 2024.Reduction of red tape and regulation, including removing the requirement for a resource consent for the installation of public EV chargers.Establishment of enabling standards to improve consumers' capability to shift home EV charging demand away from network "peaks."Collaboration with the Electricity Authority to address barriers such as connection costs and ensure consistent approaches to EV charging connections across all 29 electricity distributors in New Zealand.Formation of a Cross-Agency Taskforce, including the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, the Ministry of Transport, EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), and Crown Infrastructure Partners, to drive the work programme and engage with industry.The government's commitment to expanding the public EV charging network and its comprehensive plan to achieve this goal reflect a significant step towards promoting sustainable transportation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With the implementation of these measures, New Zealand is poised to make owning and operating an electric vehicle more accessible and convenient for its citizens, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

Auckland pedestrians will get flashing ground lights, traffic islands and other road safety measures to replace the heavily criticised raised pedestrian crossings on roads.Auckland Transport (AT) came under fire for their one-size-fits all approach with the installation of raised pedestrian crossings, costing ratepayers too much.This was despite having a range of other affordable solutions available.Both Mayor Wayne Brown and Transport Minister Simeon Brown honed in on the costly safety upgrades.AT customer care engagement manager Phil Wratt said depending on the situation, they would now use intelligent traffic systems, like flashing inground lights, activated by pedestrians.Driver feedback signs, high friction surfacing, kerb build-out or a central island would also be options."If the residual risks of the crossing facility are still not being managed at an acceptable level, then speed management devices will be considered," Wratt said.Wratt said they had chosen raised devices since 2020 because it slowed motorists down, and increased awareness on pedestrian crossings."While survivability rates will vary based on the exact street or road, Auckland Transport elected to take a preventative approach to protecting vulnerable users."He said vulnerable users were protected from crashes with vehicles as there was a 10 percentage chance of a death, or 25 percentage chance of serious injury at 30km/h, compared to 80 percentage chance of death and a 3 percentage chance of serious injury at 50km/h.Raised devices was the most effective intervention that could be implemented, he said."However, in some cases, peak vulnerable road user activity can occur at the same time as peak congestion when the network is already moving at speed considered to be safe and survivable (e.g. 30km/h)."And in these cases a raised device may not have been necessary."AT estimated there would be a reduction of around 30 percent of raised pedestrian crossings required compared to the current pipeline of projects.A recent project at Kumeū, where pre-cast units were used, cost ratepayers $35,000 - approximately 10 percent cheaper than the old way.The crossing was part of the State Highway 16 access road upgrade project, at the car park of the Main Rd shops.The pre-cast unit was installed in one night, rather than over several days.About 22 other crossings have been identified as suitable for the same approach.AT infrastructure and place director Murray Burt said their priority was to keep people safe as they moved across Auckland, balanced against the cost of work to do so."Over the past five years, 2035 pedestrians have been killed or seriously injured trying to cross the road or walking on footpaths."We know that raised crossing facilities reduce the likelihood of a death or serious injury."AT couldn't provide a figure when asked how many raised pedestrian crossings had been installed since 2020, and its costs.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

Unstaffed petrol stations are helping drive lower fuel prices in their local areas, according to the Commerce Commission.Its analysis showed areas that included at least one unstaffed fuel station within a five-minute drive, had prices that were on average six cents per litre lower than those without unstaffed stations.However, the competition watchdog said self-serve stations run by supermarkets did not have the same effect."Our findings reinforce that unstaffed stations are definitely the way to go for cheaper fuel and anyone who has had one open in their area has probably experienced lower prices," commissioner Bryan Chapple said.He said local councils should think about the competition benefits of self-serve fuel stations when planning and considering consent applications."New Zealanders spend around $10 billion at the fuel pump every year, so even a small reduction in prices can put money back into the pockets of Kiwis," Chapple said."This pricing pressure - and motorists choosing to shop wisely - also creates an incentive for staffed sites in the local area to reduce their prices."The commission said the analysis followed a "please explain" letter it issued to fuel companies last year, asking for information on "anomalies" in the market."As well as reviewing the information the fuel companies provided us, we have used data from fuel pricing app, Gaspy, to assess the effect on local fuel prices when an unstaffed petrol site opens - which is greater competitive pressure," Chapple said.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly part of our lives, and so are anxieties about how it will change life as we know it.However, AI also holds immense potential to improve our lives, particularly in healthcare.AI's powerful image-processing capabilities are already helping healthcare professionals detect serious diseases early by accurately analysing medical images. For example, AI algorithms significantly help radiologists spot malignant tumours, and in emergency rooms, some medical facilities use AI to spot embolisms and signs of stroke, which is crucial for minimising the risk of brain damage.Dr Reza Shahamiri, a senior lecturer in Software Engineering at the University of Auckland, highlights that AI is not one technology but an umbrella term for several technologies. Currently, it is dominated by machine learning algorithms, which enable computer software to learn to perform specific tasks independently.Dr Shahamiri's passion lies in leveraging AI for a greater purpose: building AI software tools to empower individuals with disabilities and better equip healthcare professionals to support them. Among his current projects is using AI to identify autistic children early, developing AI models to detect early signs of dementia by analysing speech patterns, and creating an AI platform that understands atypical speech.According to Dr Shahamiri, "These are just a few examples of how we use AI to transform healthcare services to be more accessible and affordable, to relieve the pressure on our precious medical doctors and nurses, and give them mechanisms to support us better. This future is not science fiction; it's the exciting potential of AI in healthcare waiting to be realised."

The reopening of State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills will be delayed by a number of weeks due to an active slip.The section of highway was damaged during last year's Cyclone Gabrielle, and had been closed for repairs since mid-February.The critical Northland highway was due to fully reopen on the 13 May.NZTA Waka Kotahi says there was a slip over the weekend and it has continued moving over the last couple of days.A substantial amount of material fell on Tuesday, it said.The agency said it was still in the early stages of assessing the best solution, and would confirm more details as soon as it could.NZTA Waka Kotahi spokesperson Mark Kinvig told Checkpoint the sheer volume of material that fell had caused the delay.The material is highly variable, suspeptible to slips and "is quite a tricky site to work through".The priority was safety of the workforce in the next 24 hours, Kinvig said.

La Niña, a climate phenomenon, has returned to New Zealand, bringing with it increased rainfall and warmer temperatures. This natural occurrence happens when the ocean temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become cooler than average.La Niña events tend to bring more north-easterly winds, which result in moist and rainy conditions in the north-eastern parts of the North Island. However, some areas like central Otago and South Canterbury may experience drought. Warmer temperatures are also expected across the country, with a few regional and seasonal exceptions.According to NIWA climate scientist, Dr. Gregor Macara, "La Niña events have a significant impact on New Zealand's climate. We can expect more rainfall in the north and east, and warmer temperatures overall."La Niña occurs when the ocean water off the coast of South America to the central tropical Pacific cools to below average temperatures. This cooling happens due to stronger than normal easterly trade winds, which brings cooler, deeper sea water to the surface.The effects of La Niña on New Zealand's climate are varied. While some areas will experience drought, others will receive much-needed rainfall. Warmer temperatures will bring relief to some, but may also exacerbate drought conditions in other areas.As Dr. Macara notes, "La Niña is an important reminder of the natural variability of our climate. While we can expect some changes, it's essential to remember that our climate is always changing."La Niña is expected to last for several months, and its effects will be closely monitored by climate scientists and weather forecasters. In the meantime, Coasties can expect a warmer and wetter winter than usual.

The Government has announced an independent review into New Zealand's Disability Support Services system. This review, overseen by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha, aims to ensure long-term stability and clarity for disabled people, their families, and carers when accessing vital support."We want to see the best possible outcomes for our disabled community," said Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston. "This review will help provide certainty around the choices people have to lead fulfilling lives."The review comes after concerns were raised about potential financial risks inherited by the Ministry upon its establishment. Minister Upston emphasised the significant investment in Disability Support Services, with Crown funding doubling since 2005-06 (adjusted for inflation). Currently, the Ministry supports services for roughly 50,000 disabled individuals and equipment modifications for approximately 100,000, managing an annual budget of $2.3 billion.Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston.A three-person review panel will be appointed shortly, with recommendations expected within four months. Public consultation on the review's findings will follow. "The community's voice is crucial," stated Minister Upston. The review will be funded within the Ministry's existing budget.Key Areas of FocusThe review panel will delve into several key areas to improve the Disability Support Services system:Funding Streams: The review will examine the purpose of different funding streams within the system and determine the appropriate level of flexibility for each.Eligibility and Allocation: A focus will be placed on eligibility criteria for accessing Disability Support Services, ensuring fair and efficient allocation of funding.Ministry Capability: The review will assess the Ministry's capacity to manage Disability Support Services effectively. This includes risk management, commissioning of services, and the Ministry's overall structure.System Integration: The review will explore how Disability Support Services interact with other crucial systems, such as healthcare, welfare, and education.Legal Framework: A close look will be taken at the legal framework underpinning Disability Support Services.Stakeholder Relationships: The review will examine how the Ministry interacts with stakeholders, including disabled people, families, carers, and service providers.This comprehensive review aims to create a more robust and sustainable Disability Support Services system, empowering disabled New Zealanders to live fulfilling and independent lives.

Contactless payments on Auckland's public transport are experiencing a delay. This delay stems from challenges in acquiring and installing equipment due to supply chain issues and data centre establishment.New readers currently only accept AT HOP cards. However, by late 2024, these readers are set to expand their acceptance to include Apple and Google Pay, debit cards, and most credit cards, alongside AT HOP cards.Stacey van der Putten, AT’s Director of Public Transport, highlights the convenience of contactless payments. She emphasises that once implemented, this system will simplify public transport use, crucial for encouraging more people to utilise it. "It’s about being able to turn up, pay and use public transport that gets people to more places without too much thinking ahead," says van der Putten.Efforts are underway to ensure passenger card data security and regulatory compliance as these changes are finalised. Van der Putten notes that the expansion of payment options will make public transport more attractive to various groups, including tourists, casual users, and first-time riders.In addition to these payment upgrades, Auckland is witnessing significant public transport improvements, including the City Rail Link, Eastern Busway, new train stations, electric ferries, and enhanced road space utilisation."We will continue to invest in ways to make it easy, safe, and reliable to get around using public transport," adds Ms van der Putten. "This will reduce road congestion and our environmental impact."The installation of bus and pedestal card readers is expected to be completed within the next three months, followed by station gates. Approximately 3,600 card readers across 1,450 buses, 180 pedestal readers across 32 train stations and 16 ferry terminals, and 110 gates at 17 stations are part of this upgrade.Some noteworthy statistics about AT HOP cards include:2.45 million AT HOP cards are enabled.97% of trips are currently paid by AT HOP card.Last month witnessed 8.3 million trips on AT HOP cards.With the upgrade of 3,600 on-board card readers and 180 station pedestals, AT says they're on track to extend the system's capability to accept other forms of contactless payment by the end of the year.