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Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey speaking at the HNZ24 conference. Photo: RNZ / Adam Burns The tourism and hospitality minister is "challenging" businesses to think of the welfare of hospitality staff following reports of bullying from its workforce. The remarks came during a speech to open Hospitality New Zealand's two-day HNZ24 conference at Christchurch's Te Pae Convention Centre on Tuesday. Hundreds of operators from both the accommodation and hospitality sectors were in attendance. Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey said the government wanted to help create the settings for the industry to thrive. However, Doocey - who also holds the first mental heath portfolio - took the opportunity to alert businesses of problems within the sector, including bullying in the...

Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trustee and PRIP Director Shelley Kopu leads the procession for the laying of the Mauri stone for the blessing of the site for the New Plymouth Airport Solar Farm. Photo: Supplied / Sandra Henderson A 15-hectare solar farm project designed to make New Plymouth Airport energy self-sufficient is ready for take off. The first phase beginning next week will see 14,400 solar panels installed, generating up to 14,700 megawatt hours - or enough to power 2000 homes for a year. Chief Executive David Scott said as well as making the airport self-sufficient in sustainable energy the solar farm would provide an added income stream via the sale of surplus power. "It will also take more than 1500 tonnes of CO2 out of our atmosphere each year," he said. "The solar farm on fa...

Smith and Caughey's on Queen St, Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Iconic Auckland retailer Smith and Caughey's is now considering a plan to downsize significantly, rather than closing the doors for good. The 144-year-old department store announced in May that it would permanently shut in 2025. But in a statement today, chairperson Tony Caughey said another option for the future of the business had been identified, and that was to scale back. He said it would mean closing the Broadway Newmarket store early in 2025 and making the Queen Street store smaller, with a focus on popular goods and online shopping. There would also be job cuts. The company currently employs about 240 staff. The business is consulting further with staff on the second option, with an outcome expected by the en...

Declines in affordable rented properties were consistent with "poor housing policies" says the author of a new report. File photo. Photo: 123RF Affordable rental properties are increasingly scarce, new data shows - and that's prompted calls for New Zealand to reconsider a capital gains tax. Research produced for the Child Poverty Action Group has looked at the affordability of a range of rental housing sizes, for households on middle incomes, low wages and benefits. Rent was considered affordable when households could pay it and still have enough money left to cover their basic livings costs. The report showed that for low-income working families, Northland's share of affordable rental housing dropped 14 percent between 2018 and 2023, Bay of Plenty's 11 percent, Gisborne 14 percent, Man...

The tax cuts coming this week are likely to be absorbed into household budgets, say economists. File photo. Photo: RNZ Tax cuts are coming - but they are unlikely to do much to ease the squeeze on struggling households. From 31 July, new tax thresholds apply, which will reduce most people's income tax bills. Someone who is single and earning $75,000 a year will save about $36.50 a fortnight in tax. A couple, each earning $100,000, with no children, would save about $80 a fortnight between them. Someone on the minimum wage, without a partner or children, working a 40-hour week will save $25 a fortnight. "They're small tax cuts," said Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr. "They're not life-changing. They'll definitely help some households a little bit. I just don't feel they're going to b...