The government has released an infrastructure update showing $6 billion of government-funded construction is due to start between now and Christmas, which the opposition has dismissed as a public relations stunt. Inflation is expected to hit a 12-month high, as surging food prices and power costs put the squeeze on household budgets. A 15-year effort to fill gaps in the Taranaki health workforce has almost doubled the proportion of Māori working for the region’s public health service. A newly launched Anti-Corruption Taskforce pilot, led by the Serious Fraud Office, will be running for the next six months to assess risks across the public sector.
Union coverage
Employment
- ‘Difficult conversations’ for employers if staff chat about pay, lawyers say
- Will Working for Families changes leave people worse off?
- Public service shake-up: Who’s shuffling, snipping and restructuring (paywall)
Politics
- Watch: Govt says billions being spent on infrastructure will create thousands of jobs
- ‘Announcement of an announcement’: Govt accused of recycling projects in $6b infrastructure push
- Local democracy under threat? Officials warn against removing council ‘four wellbeings’
- SFO launches pilot programme to tackle public sector corruption risks
- Regulations ministry clarifies cost estimate for Regulatory Standards Bill
- Decision on additional Tasman flood funds not yet made – prime minister
- Government faces growing pressure on homelessness (paywall)
Te Ao Māori
- Homegrown health workers filling Taranaki gaps
- Documentary ‘The Bones of Our Past’ tells history of Takahanga Marae near Kaikōura
Economics
- Inflation predicted to hit 12-month high for June quarter
- ‘Stumbling sideways’: the housing market at mid-year (paywall)
- Working from home: Hospitality businesses still struggle for customers
- ASB rejects offer to settle class action lawsuit for more than $300m