RNZ, Wellington area tax to increase by 17.8% The Greater Wellington Regional Council plans to increase taxes in the Wellington area by 17.8%, according to RNZ. Wellington taxpayers are expected to pay an additional $100 in taxes annually due to a 17.8% tax increase. Wellington homeowners are already facing a 12% tax increase imposed by…

How to keep your home warm and save electricity   Last week, Niwa meteorologist Chris said that the recent surge in cold weather is a precursor to this year’s winter weather in New Zealand and that a very cold winter is expected compared to previous years. As a way to prevent heat loss in cold…

Changes in Kiwis’ work and shopping/consumption patterns after Covid-19 pandemic   While the economy has shown signs of recovery after the pandemic, a new report shows that the number of people working from home has increased while spending in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, has decreased. The number of tourists in Auckland’s CBD area has…

RBNZ raised the benchmark interest rate to 5.25%, the highest since 2008 RBNZ raised interest rates by another 50bp to a record high not seen since the 2008 global financial crisis. This aggressive tightening policy reset the OCR to 5.25% while trying to suppress soaring inflation. The central bank originally expected the OCR to peak…