The Bull Ring

  Members of Parliament and Prime Minister to get pay rise Anneke Smith , Political reporter @AnnekeJSmith anneke.smith@rnz.co.nz Although the Remuneration Authority sets the pay, Parliament can pass legislation to overrule it (file image). Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Politicians are in for a pay rise after the Remuneration Authority determined MPs salaries should go up by 2.8 percent. The independent body, responsible for setting pay for key public office holders, has reported back on its review into MP's remuneration on Tuesday afternoon. It has set an ordinary MPs' salary at $168,600 a year, up from $163,961. The prime minister's salary will rise to $484,200 and the deputy prime minister's salary to $344,100. However, Christopher Luxon has indicated he does not want or need the increase - and will be donating his to charity. Ministers inside Cabinet will earn $304,300 and Ministers outside Cabinet $25

  'Quite a big creature': Kiwi bird surprises sawmill workers near Whangārei Peter de Graaf A Department of Conservation ranger with the Rosvall Sawmill’s unexpected kiwi bird visitor. Photo: Supplied / Department of Conservation Workers at a sawmill near Whangārei had a surprise visitor to their workshop - a fully grown kiwi. Lucas James, a sparkie at Rosvall Sawmill, in Whareora, said the kiwi wandered into the mill on Monday morning and spent a few hours exploring before seeking out a dark spot under a workbench. "I was still bleary-eyed, early in the morning, and was using the drill press in the workshop when I heard a scuttle behind me," he said. "I turned around and there was a big kiwi running around the middle of the workshop. So I called all the guys, we had a look, and sort of panicked. We didn't know what to do." Lucas James was first alerted to the visitor when he heard its claws on th

𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕤 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕡𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 ℙ𝕦𝕓𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕝𝕪 𝕤𝕙𝕣𝕦𝕘𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕓𝕒𝕕 𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕗𝕝𝕖𝕩 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤. T he lines write themselves: "Just one poll", "not focussed on poll numbers", "focused on Kiwis" etc, etc. One poll is easy to dismiss. A trend is not so. Newshub has learned Labour's internal poll also has the coalition falling short of cobbling the numbers to keep the Treasury benches. In its internals, undertaken by Talbot Mills, Labour is neck-and-neck with the Nats - the red team on 33 percent and the blue on 34 percent. . . Where the Talbot Mills differs from  last night's 1 News Verian poll  is New Zealand First on 6 percent - keeping their heads above the 5 percent threshold needed to score a place in the Parliament. Commentator Metiria Turei says this coalition of chaos gover

  Palmerston North ratepayers could face $1000 annual bill for new sewage treatment system Palmerston North's new wastewater treatment system could cost almost $650 million. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham Every ratepayer in Palmerston North could face an annual bill of at least $1000 for 30 years to fund a new sewage treatment system. It is a situation that could be repeated across New Zealand as councils are warned there are no more free lunches when it comes to water. In Palmerston North, city mayor Grant Smith knows city ratepayers will have to dig deep for the new wastewater system, part of the Nature Calls project. "When I arrived in the job nine years ago the project was a $30 million upgrade. It's now $640-odd million." That was a high-end estimate, he said, and one that was included in council consultation for its latest long-term plan. The cost for the upgrade was not included in the plan, but some preparatory work was.

  1News poll: New Zealand First out, Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori could form government Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver New Zealand First would be out of Parliament, and Labour, the Greens, and Te Pāti Māori would have enough seats to form a government together, according to the latest 1 News Verian Poll. National is on 36 percent, down two points on the previous poll from February. ACT is down a point to 7 percent, while New Zealand First is down two points to 4 percent - below the 5 percent threshold needed to get into Parliament. Labour is up two points to 30 percent , the Greens are up two to 14 percent, and while Te Pāti Māori is steady on 4 percent and so also below the threshold, the poll assumes it keeps its electorate seats. With New Zealand First out, National's 48 seats and ACT's 9 would not be enough to cross the line. Labour would have 40 seats, the Greens 18, and Te Pāti Māori 6. In the preferred Prime Minister stakes, Chr

𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕦𝕥𝕪 ℙ𝕄 ℙ𝕒𝕦𝕝𝕒 𝔹𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕥𝕥 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 ℙ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕔 𝕓𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕣 ℕ𝕖𝕡𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕞 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕞𝕤 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕔𝕠𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕠𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕧𝕥 𝕒𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕦𝕥𝕪 ℙ𝕄 ℙ𝕒𝕦𝕝𝕒 𝔹𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕥𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕓𝕠𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕚𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕣𝕦𝕘-𝕓𝕦𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪 ℙ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕔. A ssociate Health Minister David Seymour announced the appointment on Sunday morning. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines," Seymour said. . . "As chair, Bennett will lead the Pharmac board in their role of managing the pharmaceutical schedule and driving greater efficiencies and access to medicine for New Zealanders." Many ex national MP's are being given major positions inside govt agencies and thousands

𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣 ℙ𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝔸𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕦𝕣 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕔𝕣𝕖, 𝔸𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕒 𝕚𝕤 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝕘𝕦𝕟 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣. 𝔸𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝕘𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕤 $𝟙𝟞𝟘 𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕤 𝕣𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 A ustralian police officers will soon be able to access near real-time information on firearms and who owns them after the federal government committed hundreds of millions of dollars to implement a national firearms register. State and territory leaders gave the green light to set up the register at the national cabinet in December last year - the most substantial update to Australia's firearm management systems in almost 30 years. . . Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has now announced next month's federal budget will include a spend of AUD$161.3 million (NZD$177m) over the next four years to establish the register. "Once established, police will know where f

ℙ𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕒 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕖𝕔𝕙 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥 '𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕚-𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕔' - 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕 𝕊𝕖𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔼𝕕𝕦𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕 𝕊𝕖𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕖𝕔𝕙 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕒 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕚𝕤 "𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕚-𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕔". S eymour described the Wellington-based university's decision as such in an X post on Friday.  "Here we have the tragi-comic spectacle of a debate on free speech being shut down because students are 'freaked out' that it includes 'right wing' voices," he said.   . . "I've read about lions on the yellow brick road showing more courage than the university leadership here.  Here we have the tragi-comic spectacle of a debate on free speech being shut down because students are “freaked out” that it includes “right wing” voices. I've read about lions on

ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 ℙ𝕒𝕦𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕠𝕝𝕤-𝔾𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕤 𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕕𝕦𝕖 𝕥𝕠 $𝟜𝕓 𝕗𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕟 𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘 𝕃𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 ℍ𝕚𝕡𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕙𝕖'𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕚𝕟 ℙ𝕒𝕦𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕠𝕝𝕤-𝔾𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕤𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣, 𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝'𝕤 $𝟜𝕓 𝕗𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕝 "𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖" 𝕚𝕟 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘. A s National's finance spokesperson before the 2020 general election, Goldsmith said at the time the $4b "hole" found in the party's fiscal and economic plan  was an "irritating mistake" .  The error happened because National used Budget figures from May 2020 in its cost estimates, instead of using September's PREFU (Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update). Speaking to Newscrap ZB on Thursday about the media and other topics, Hipkins said a go

𝔸ℕℤ𝔸ℂ 𝔻𝕒𝕪: '𝔸𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘. 𝕎𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞.' 𝕋𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕚𝕤 𝔸ℕℤ𝔸ℂ 𝕕𝕒𝕪, 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 ℕ𝕖𝕨 ℤ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔸𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕒 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕚 ℙ𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕦𝕝𝕒 𝕕𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝟠 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕙 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕝𝕚𝕔𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕔𝕜 𝕋𝕦𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕪 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕎𝕒𝕣 𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕒𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕒𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕤 𝕓𝕪 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕟𝕒𝕧𝕒𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕤. T   he Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was formed in December 1914 as a suggestion from New Zealand expeditionary force and Australian imperial force troops stationed in Egypt, as a decision not to lose their separate identities.  The ANZACs came under the command of Lieutenant General Willia