Politics
Older people outnumber millennials on housing register
More over 55 than those aged between 25 and 39 on the list for the first time in years.
Latest from Ministry of Social Development
Stories and analysis from The Northern Express Herald.
Food or teeth: The pension squeeze forcing seniors back to work
'It’s not easy to stand when you’ve got arthritis in your legs, but you’ve got no choice.'
Millions poured into Willis' new Social Investment Agency – where is it going?
A decades-old concept is reborn but two years on, what has it achieved?
'Distraught and angry': Youth rally to keep Claire Achmad Children’s Commissioner
Claire Achmad was originally made a Children's Commissioner in 2023 for a 5-year term.
Thousands of MBIE workers stop work over pay offers 'well below' inflation
About 2700 MBIE staff will walk off the job today as bargaining gets underway.
Fake tenancies and a fake landlord: How a man defrauded MSD of $45k
Harrison Tuck pretended to be a landlord, set up a fake company and scammed MSD.
Lake Alice survivor forced to live in carpark after benefit wrongly axed
He won an appeal, but officials have not pledged to review other cases.
Two Govt targets at risk as officials flag slowdown in key reforms
Jobseeker numbers sit at 215,200, well above the 2030 target of 140,000.
MSD boss defends linking staff performance with cutting emergency housing
Emergency housing households dropped from 2880 in January 2024 to 498 by December.
Eyes turn to Immigration’s new IT project after it misses first milestone
Group visitor visas make up about 60,000 applications each year.
Increases for parental leave, ACC payments: What else is changing on July 1?
Vehicle owners face a higher $25 Fire and Emergency NZ levy per vehicle.
Luxon unaware Auckland has no night shelter amid emergency housing crackdown
The City Missioner says the scale of the issue is the worst she has seen in her life.
Bruce Cotterill: $30m public service failure exposes a far deeper problem
OPINION: Waste and mistrust are eating away at the public service.
Hawke’s Bay enslaver and human trafficker Joseph Matamata granted parole
Two trafficking convictions were nullified due to a procedural error.
The state of emergency housing in six charts
The use of emergency housing has declined significantly.
'A sledgehammer': Charities blast new $33k cap on donation tax credits
Charities warn the move will cut large donations and shrink community help.
'Evil little witch': Charity chairman mistreated woman he was meant to be helping
Ministry plans to restrict the man from acting as an agent for other disabled clients.
MSD worker seriously injured in alleged attack at Auckland service centre
The Albany office closed for a day while staff debriefed after the incident.
Cabinet passed AI benefit reforms under urgency despite agreeing on them a year ago
The Government says the changes needed to be passed urgently to generate forecast savings.
'AI' making benefit decisions: Does the new law make things better or worse?
Overseas, the tech has led to costly blunders.
Greg Smith: Why New Zealand’s biggest AI opportunity isn’t technology
AI barely featured in the Government’s latest Budget despite global momentum.
Father fights to cut child support over ex-wife’s alleged hidden wealth
He wasn't legally recognised as their carer, making him liable for child support.
Heather du Plessis-Allan: We all know we won't return to surplus, right?
OPINION: But Nicola Willis could get out of jail free if she just bit the bullet on super.
New law will allow automated benefit decisions to modernise welfare system, Govt says
The MSD says no generative AI, such as ChatGPT, will be used in the system.
Residents given five months to leave council villages they say are 'home to us'
'It's a shame at our time of life we have to start again,' says a tenant in his 90s.
'Just trying to get by': Kāinga Ora tenants speak out on social housing reforms
Income-related rent contributions will increase from 25% to 30% from April 2027.
Budget night document dump: All the revelations – benefit automation, charities tax rules, Working for Families changes
A Budget night document dump has lifted the lid on the Budget's secrets.
'Missed opportunity': Budget criticised for failing on child poverty targets
The Children's Commissioner is 'deeply disappointed' for children in hardship.
Most under-strain Govt department faces more pressure under coalition cuts
Data reveals the public service workplaces where workers are the most stressed.
Dad who lives in tent with disabled kids says controversial benefit policy needs to change
A legal challenge is running so parents who share childcare equally can both receive help.