The government said it is planning to reduce merchant service fees for small businesses, which is a fee that banks charge for every transaction made on contactless debit and credit cards.
This week for our regular segment with the Green Party, Jemima spoke to Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson about the government's recent letting fee ban. They discussed what the Green Party thinks of the new legislation, the concern that a ban on letting fees could lead to a further increase in rent and what the Green Party wants to do to address increasing rent in New Zealand. They also discussed whether New Zealand should commit to the International Declaration on Biodiversity to protect the planet's ecosystems and human life itself.
Ron Gallipoli and Billie Fee are in the studio to talk about An Imposter, a song cycle and a melodrama opening at Basement Theatre tomorrow evening. Whakarongo mai nei!
Mandy Hager recently released her new book about Aotearoa's history of protest. Titled "Protest! Shaping Aotearoa", it delves into important social justice, human rights, and environmental movements that have shaped the country today.
Louis spoke to author Mandy Hager about the book and how we can learn from previous protest movements.
Flicks.co.nz's Editor, Steve Newall, pops in to preview the NZIFF quiz night and Nicholas Cage's new horror, Mandy. Think you know films? Take the quiz and find out. And 95bFM's Johnny Vahry reviews Brimstone and Glory, a beautiful, cinematic, fireworks display that documents the week-long celebration of San Juan de Dios. A film about fireworks, Mikey's excited.
Dr. Maria Walls returns after her psychedelic trance into Mandy, Nicolas Cage's latest endeavour. Where horror melts with heavy metal, scored by Johann Johannsson, the film narrates a trip that takes a turn for the worst after the Red Miller's partner gets kidnapped by cultists. If this thriller is spooky enough for Maria, then it's spooky enough for us, right?
Last week Transport minister Chris Bishop announced steps towards improvements to public transport from the Northwest of Auckland. The plan involves three stages, each promoting faster and more consistent public transport from the region. While early stages are planned for the next few years, later stages will be coming over the next ten or more years.
The government has also announced $53 million towards subsidising teachers registration fees. This announcement follows extensive campaigning from teachers on this issue, eliminating a barrier for new and long-time teachers in Aotearoa.
In our weekly catchup with National’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked about each of these issues, starting with the transport upgrades in Northwest Auckland.
The government also announced increased visa application fees, some of them now more than double the previous cost. The government says this change will make Immigration NZ entirely self-sufficient, no longer at any cost to the taxpayer.
However, the projected gain from this fee increase is four times as much as Immigration NZ currently spends annually. While the increased funding is expected to be reinvested in improving services, the actual impact or allocation is currently unknown.
Additionally, increased fees may deter potential applicants and increase costs to businesses looking to hire employees from overseas. The change may therefore reduce the number of overseas teachers and healthcare professionals, among other jobs.
Wire host Castor spoke to CEO of immigration advisory group Aims and chair of the New Zealand Association of Migration and Investment, Arunima Dhingra, about the changes and their impact on immigration.
The government recently announced increases to visa application fees across several groups, in some cases more than doubling the cost to applicants. These changes are due to increase revenue for Immigration NZ, and are said to make the organisation 100% self-sufficient.
On the 12th of August, the New Zealand Police Association released an open letter to the government calling out their exclusion from discussions around firearms legislation reform. The letter spoke to the necessity of existing legislation, and criticised the involvement of former and present gun lobbyists in the process, including the minister in charge Nicole McKee. According to the ACT party website, McKee was formerly the spokesperson for The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners, a gun lobbyist group.
In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Katie Nimon, Wire host Castor asked about the changes to visa application fees and the involvement of police and gun lobbyists in firearms legislation reform.
The change to subsidising teachers registration fees has been well received by teachers across the country. A long anticipated change, it should eliminate a barrier to new teachers and a hurdle for existing teachers to cover.
Education minister Erica Stanford also recently announced new classroom upgrades across the country to areas facing more overcrowding. Many schools across the country face overcrowding as an imminent issue, forcing students into hallways, libraries, or other extra rooms.
To discuss the change to teachers registration fees, overcrowding in schools, and what can be done to address these issues, Tuesday Wire Host Castor spoke to president of the Post Primary Teachers Association, Chris Abercrombie.
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