School principals across the country are having to get creative to make sure kids are in class as back-to-school costs hit families. As prices rise on the supermarket shelves and at the petrol pump, the costs of sending tamariki to school has taken a toll on many families. In Rotorua, Western Heights Primary School principal Read more
New Zealand
Principals get creative to avoid ‘cost of learning’ impact on attendance
Thursday, February 9th, 2023‘Free’ prescriptions will have long-term costs – pharmacists
Thursday, February 9th, 2023The head of the Pharmacy Guild says community pharmacies are shutting down thanks to the influx of Australian-owned discount chains. Chief executive Andrew Gaudin warns in the long-term, this will reduce access to essential healthcare services – particularly for people outside the main centres. Discount pharmacies like the Chemist Warehouse and Countdown supermarket stores do Read more
New Zealand artist makes faith shine in Australia
Thursday, December 8th, 2022
A New Zealand artist who once dismissed sacred icons as unattractive paintings by people with no artistic talent doesn’t seem like a likely choice to design sacred art. “I just thought Mary always looked so sad, this is done by people who really don’t know how to paint, the perspective’s all out …,” Sr Josephine Read more
Unintended mistakes ensured parallel Māori and European churches
Thursday, December 8th, 2022
The Catholic Church throughout New Zealand made serious mistakes in its approach to Māori, and using te reo during Eucharist helps us become more inclusive even in our daily lives. The comments about parish sacramental celebrations come from Palmerston North’s Bishop emeritus, Peter Cullinane, in an article published in Tui Motu. Citing examples of the Read more
Catholic schools continue to be negatively impacted by NZ Equity Index
Thursday, December 8th, 2022The New Zealand Catholic Education Office continues to be approached by schools and proprietors of schools who have been negatively impacted by the implementation of the New Zealand Equity Index (EQI). What seems apparent is that a number of schools in more impoverished and disadvantaged urban areas have lost significant funds from their operational grants, Read more
From emergency motel to dream home for family of four
Thursday, December 8th, 2022Kisa Vaoga is hoping her new home will be the start of a new life that will see her one day become a judge. The mother of two this week moved into her new home in Taitā with partner Jaiden Ah-Waihi and children Leiloa, 5, and Jhavis, 9. Having spent time in a motel after Read more
Catholic faith included in new RE curriculum
Monday, December 5th, 2022
Catholic schools will still be able to teach the Catholic faith, a Director of Religious Education at a prominent Catholic Secondary school told CathNews. Her comments followed an article published on the weekend suggesting religious education was being replaced by religious studies. The article went on to suggest religious studies would primarily focus on the Read more
Minimum wage exemptions see workers paid $2.17 per hour
Monday, December 5th, 2022
Many disabled workers are being paid far less than minimum wage. Employers offer many reasons for this. AttainAble – $2.17 an hour Steve Drury is the general manager at AttainAble. It’s a social enterprise business that runs a factory and community programme. He says his business model wouldn’t be sustainable if he paid the minimum Read more
Baby blood case: Parents accept that some blood products from vaccinated donors may have to be used
Monday, December 5th, 2022The strange case of parents wanting ‘unjabbed’ blood for their baby has reignited Covid conspiracies thought lost to 2021. Tony Wall and Nikki Macdonald explain that the family are ‘realistic’ about what lies ahead, along with the other key factors at play. The parents of the baby at the centre of the “unjabbed blood” case Read more
Christchurch couple challenges Auditor-General to investigate businesses who received wage subsidy
Monday, December 5th, 2022The Auditor-General is being challenged over his decision to not take any action over the need for businesses to be asked to repay billions of dollars of wage subsidies. The Gama Foundation, a Christchurch-based philanthropic organisation has today filed a Judicial Review application in Wellington’s High Court. The Foundation is run by former Christchurch businessman Read more