Podcasts about nz post

NZ Post is copping criticism over its failure to remove Hawke's Bay post-boxes that have been sitting dormant for months. New reports claim six NZ Post boxes across Hastings and Havelock North that were slated for removal are still being used by the public due to a lack of sign-postings. Hawke's Bay Today also spoke to one woman who had completed a free bowel screening test - only to realise it hadn't been sent two weeks later. Postal Workers Union co-president John Maynard says NZ Post should have consulted the public before shutting down the boxes. "Our position is - if people are using those boxes, the company should not be taking them out. This is a publicly-owned institution and if they want to move boxes or take them out, the very least they should do is consult with the local community." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It looks like NZ Post might finally pull a trigger they haven't pulled yet and stop delivering mail to some letterboxes. It's kind of been on the cards for some time, but up until now the proposal has mostly been to not deliver to new houses. Now, what they're talking about is not delivering to existing houses, houses that already have letterboxes and have been getting mail in them for years. So, no more mail. Instead it will be replaced with clusters of boxes where we have to go get our mail. According to the plan they would cut out 5% of letterboxes every year, so presumably within 20 years it's all done and we have no more mail arriving in any letterboxes. Look, I'm surprised. I'm pleasantly surprised they are prepared to be as bold as this, because this has got to be done. Letters are a luxury that cost us a lot of money. This is what we have to understand. It's not free. NZ Post lost $14m in the last financial year and it lost $56m the year before. That's money the taxpayer could be spending on something more worthwhile. Most things you can get on email now, things like your power bill, water bill and rates bill. Some things still come in the mail, like credits cards and the registration for your car. But that can be switched to courier, and sometimes already are. I get that there are communities that will be hit harder than others if the mail stops arriving, especially the elderly and rural communities. But frankly it'll be a schlep for everyone to have to wander down to the cluster letterbox in town to retrieve the mail items. But at least we'll all be in it together. The writing has been on the wall for ages. The trend on letters has only been in one direction. It's not a surprise it's coming to this. It's just a pleasant surprise NZ Post has got the courage to actually start doing it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Posties say proposals to NZ Post that include job cuts, price increases, communal delivery points, and fewer deliveries and postal outlets threaten our culture

Hear from Paul Spain and Logan Ransley (Landlord Studio), as they delve into some of this week's tech news and innovation including ListAssist's breakthrough in the US real estate market, precautionary advice on NZ Post scams and Apple's satellite service expansion. We also explore the significance of the Internet Archive and how hydropanel's are helping hydrate remote communities. Plus, a look at the innovation behind Landlord Studio's all-in-one property management app.Thank you to our show partners One NZ, Spark, HP, 2degrees and Gorilla Technology.

The government wants to reduce the number of days New Zealand post delivers mail each week. Rural Women New Zealand Chief Executive Marie Fitzpatrick spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is asking for feedback on Kiwi postal services. It's proposing changes to NZ Post - including fewer weekly deliveries and reduced postal outlets People are sending 813 million fewer mail items than they were 20 years ago. MBIE Communications Infrastructure and Trade General Manager James Hartley says this is the right time to hear from the public on the best way to maintain services. "We know Kiwis are sending a lot fewer letters than they used to - 2002, for example, one billion letters went through the postal system. It's now down to $180 million. There's been a huge decline over that period... we think it's the right time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 30th October, there are more changes to our building and construction sector. The Government wants to allow builders and plumbers to self-certify their work to cut back on council inspections. Master Plumbers Chief Executive Greg Wallace joins the show to discuss. The Education Review Office has found chronic absence in our schools has doubled over the past decade, saying we have reached a crisis point. Adam Duchac from the Tupuranga Attendance Service talks to Ryan about what's going wrong. NZ Post could be cutting back on the number of days it delivers mail - does it matter when we're sending hundreds of millions fewer mail items than 20 years ago? Rural Women Chief Executive Marie Fitzpatrick discusses the situation. Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hopes rural communities will be considered before changes are made to NZ Post's services. Options include dropping to delivering two days a week in urban areas, instead of three, and going from five times a week in rural areas down to three. Additionally, postal outlets will be reduced from 880 to 500. Rural Women CEO Marie Fitzpatrick says postal services are essential for rural communities that don't always have access to broadband. She said that while this consultation focuses on mail specifically and excludes courier posts, those services are done in the same van if you live rurally. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is asking for feedback on Kiwi postal services. It's proposing changes to NZ Post - including fewer weekly deliveries and reduced postal outlets People are sending 813 million fewer mail items than they were 20 years ago. MBIE Communications Infrastructure and Trade General Manager James Hartley says this is the right time to hear from the public on the best way to maintain services. "We know Kiwis are sending a lot fewer letters than they used to - 2002, for example, one billion letters went through the postal system. It's now down to $180 million. There's been a huge decline over that period... we think it's the right time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Brian Roche has been appointed as the new public service commissioner. Sir Brian has held a number of top roles at the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, Waka Kotahi and NZ Post.

A controversial anti-council leaflet has ruffled feathers in the capital. A group called Better Wellington produced the flyer criticising council plans, like changing noise control to let mosques play their call to prayer. But posties are calling it harmful misinformation and have refused to deliver it. John Maynard from the Postal Workers Union says the leaflets are written in a misleading way. "Anyone who reads that thinks - oh, we're going to have a call to prayer every morning. I've asked people to read it, that's what they think it means." Better Wellington spokesperson Alistair Boyce has stepped up to defend the flyer. He maintains it wasn't intended to be provocative. "No, what we've done is highlighted the ideological nature of this council." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join the conversation as host Paul Spain and Seeby Woodhouse (Voyager) explore NZ Post's hydrogen-powered trucks, Trans-Tasman space research projects, the ethical implications of AI, Seeby's intriguing 5-day experience with Tesla's full self-driving capabilities on New Zealand roads, and the development of autonomous vehicles. Plus, a look at Voyager's migration to OpenStack and the competitive cloud services landscape and more. A big thanks to our show partners One NZ, Spark, HP, 2degrees and Gorilla Technology.

Could dynamic pricing help boost cinema audiences? Software firm Vista is trialing the use of artificial intelligence to set ticket prices. 

NZ Post refuses to deliver post to Queenstown development Hanley's Farm, cutting off residents from family and the law. First Up's Leonard Powell reports.

On today's First Up pod: the Princess of Wales has made her first public appearance while she's being treated for cancer; NZ Post won't deliver mail to a new Queenstown suburb and some residents face a two year wait for a PO Box and we find out how many cups of coffee a 'head coffee taster' can consume in a week. First Up - Voice of the Nathan!

NZ Post refuses to deliver to mailboxes of new Auckland developmentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smart Toilet Myth Tested, Lana's Jay made a big purchase, we chat to Matt who isnt getting mail from NZ Post, Milo's Birthday...well kind of and loads of laughs here

Six post-graduate students were awarded New Zealand Space Scholarships last night in Wellington, allowing them to take up three-month internships with NASA. Alexandra McKendry, of the University of Canterbury and Grace Jacobs Corban, from Victoria University spoke to Corin Dann.

It's about to get a whole lot faster to deliver and track your online shopping parcels with NZ Post opening its biggest processing centre yet. The brand new facility opened in south Auckland this week, capable of processing more than double the number of items per hour.

Midweek Mediawatch - Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about Stuff leaping into uncharted waters by taking on Newshub at 6. Also: TVNZ going 'beyond broadcasting,' NZ Post and NZME add to predictions of print's demise; recognition for a one-man band in Southland - and Colin's mistaken identity mix-up . . .again.

Midweek Mediawatch - Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about Stuff leaping into uncharted waters by taking on Newshub at 6. Also: TVNZ going 'beyond broadcasting,' NZ Post and NZME add to predictions of print's demise; recognition for a one-man band in Southland - and Colin's mistaken identity mix-up . . .again.

This episode is all about sustainable business and how you can inject sustainability into your business every day. The thing is, sustainability is confusing as fuck and a survey I read recently said that 85% of business owners want to be more sustainable but have no idea where to start. So if you are unsure where to even begin, why not start with this podcast episode. We'll be going through 10, easy, baby steps to get you started on bringing a little bit of sustainability into your business. In this episode I share:  -       The surprisingly high number of business owners who don't know how to start injecting sustainability into their business -       What the hell business sustainability actually is -       How to do carbon measurement and offsetting for your business -       Things to look out for if using an offsetting company -       Why tree planting is not really offsetting -       Why your business should go paperless -       Easy ways to automate turning off devices and power in your business -       Why shipping products is actually not as sustainable as you might think -       Some sustainable ways you can ship products -       Examples of disposable office supplies that you can get sustainable versions of -       Why you should be measuring your office waste -       How to do an office compost -       Why you should probably not make business merch -       How to focus on cutting down unnecessary purchases and expenses -       Ways you can minimise the impact of your business travel -       The people based policy you must have in place in your business -      The next stage after doing these 10 steps  Key Quotes “No business is truly sustainable because so much of what we do is out of our hands.” “Offsetting is not a silver bullet but it is an excellent first step.” “How many times have you driven through the CBD and you can see all these offices with their lights still on.” More information: I referenced a study by NZ Post that compares different shipping materials and shows what is best. You can find that here: https://www.nzpost.co.nz/sites/nz/files/2021-10/nzpost-courier-bag-lca-report.pdf You can get involved with the podcast online Find our full podcast plus our sister podcast via the website here: https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/ Or follow the podcasts on our socials: https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallpodcasts/ You can follow me on socials on the below accounts. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannemwest/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/   For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: https://incrediballs.com/

The demise of the neighbourhood postie has one prolific letter recipient and writer outraged. NZ Post yesterday confirmed plans to phase out more than 700 mail delivery jobs and said letters will eventually be delivered by parcel couriers. Lots of listeners got in touch via text and email, to say they still love getting a good old fashioned letter, but they also conceded they don't send too many. Kimberley Atkinson speaks to Lisa Owen.

It's confirmed the traditional postie is soon to be extinct. New Zealand post is pushing ahead with plans to get rid of more than 700 mail delivery staff. Letters will eventually be delivered by couriers who currently just drop off parcels. The union has described it as a race to the bottom, using contract workers who don't get the same benefits as employees. NZ Post CEO David Walsh speaks to Lisa Owen.

Posties will be no more in four to six years, as NZ Post announces significant change to their delivery service. It's confirmed both mail and parcels will eventually be delivered by courier drivers, meaning up to 750 people will lose their jobs in mail delivery, processing and support roles. Postal Workers Union spokesperson John Maynard says it's clear New Zealand Post hasn't been fighting for new solutions to the changing world. "We agree there needs to be a different way of going about this, but we think the proposition we put to the company will save them tens of millions of dollars of redundancy pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the Huddle, Neale Jones from Capital Relations and Tim Wilson from Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Were we surprised to learn about Chinese state-sponsored hacking into NZ MPs and Parliament systems? Do you think NZ got the balance right with their response- or should we have gone harder? NZ Post has revealed they plan to scrap 750 jobs amid changes to the mail sector. Is this an unfortunate necessity? Destiny Church was active today, with members heading out to paint over a rainbow crossing in Gisborne to protest a drag queen story hour. Was this a step too far? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Posties will be no more in four to six years, as NZ Post announces significant change to their delivery service. It's confirmed both mail and parcels will eventually be delivered by courier drivers, meaning up to 750 people will lose their jobs in mail delivery, processing and support roles. Postal Workers Union spokesperson John Maynard says it's clear New Zealand Post hasn't been fighting for new solutions to the changing world. "We agree there needs to be a different way of going about this, but we think the proposition we put to the company will save them tens of millions of dollars of redundancy pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Post plans to lay off 700 postal staff in the next five years, in favour of using contractors in vans.  Postal Workers Union Co-National President John Maynard tells Mike Hosking contractors don't have the same employment rights and employers will use contractors to avoid paying benefits such as annual holidays. The union believes a suitable alternative to the cuts is to maintain postal delivery on footpaths with smaller numbers.  The union believe this plan is a more efficient proposition to continue delivering letters than what NZ Post are currently planning.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Post and the Postal Workers Union will be back in talks on Thursday over plans to get rid of all posties within the next five years and replace them with contractors. The company is making the move in response to the drastic fall in mail volumes.  But the union says these changes are being imposed, and argues their collective agreement requires the company to explore other options. NZ Post declined our request for an interview. Postal Workers Union co-national president John Maynard spoke to Corin Dann.

A once-loved method of post is on its last legs. New Zealand Post stopped producing aerogrammes two years ago and the last stock is running out. An aerogram is a single sheet of light-weight paper that is folded to form its own envelope. And fans are finding stock is becoming paper thin. Krystal Gibbens reports.

NZ Post's courier drivers are taking action through the Employment Court, seeking to have themselves declared employees and not contractors. The union says the drivers have no rights to paid annual leave, public holidays, paid sick leave or bereavement leave, and they can't earn overtime pay. John Maynard is the Co-National President of the Postal Workers Union. NZ Post declined to come on the programme Monday morning. Maynard spoke to Corin Dann.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and former National staffer Ben Thomas joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!  Sir John Key got involved in a last ditch effort to turn out voters for National, following growing fears of a three-way coalition with ACT and NZ First. Is this a sign of desperate times for National? Grant Robertson has labelled National's tax policy a 'scam', and claimed less than one percent of all households will get the $250 relief per fortnight. Is this fair criticism? What else could National be hiding?  Is it fair to blame the Electoral Commission for all the missing vote packs if NZ Post is so slow these days? Is this a sign that we need a better system? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lee Pryor has been delivering post along the Whakatāne coastline for 25 years, but he is not the first in his whānau and now his wife has even joined the ranks.

A raft of cost-of-living subsidies and temporary tax cuts are set to end tomorrow, with economists and budgeting services warning it will hurt those already struggling financially. Other changes made by the Government will begin tomorrow, including a total ban on plastic straws, parental leave payment increases and new rules on child support benefits. The biggest hit to New Zealanders' back pockets is the end of the fuel tax discount, adding 25c a litre and almost 4c extra GST. The subsidy for road user charges for diesel vehicles will also end. Half-price public transport fares will stop for most, with only children under 13 riding for free, while half-price fares for community services card holders and people under 25 will remain. “Any additional increase in spending is going to make some people's lives even worse,” said Mangere Budgeting Services Trust chief executive Lara Dolan. She told the Herald families who came to her for help, in particular, spend “about 10 to 15 per cent” of their weekly income on petrol and transportation. “You can't not buy petrol, you have to go to work. Some people won't have enough money to meet basic needs,” she said. “This increase is going to put people further into hardship.” The Government estimated the reduced fuel tax and road users charges will have cost it $2 billion in revenue. A spokesperson for Transport Minister David Parker's office said the cost of the half-price fares from April 1, 2022 to May 31 this year is $142 million. In February, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said extending the subsidies was the right thing to do to help people with the cost-of-living crisis, despite the extension alone costing an estimated $718m in lost Government revenue. “I believe this is the right thing to do for New Zealand families. We can strike a balance between targeted ongoing support and careful management of the Government accounts. We are paying for the extension from savings identified in the most recent baseline update,” he said. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was also clear at the time that the suspension of the fuel excise duty would end tomorrow. But Infometrics economist Brad Olsen said the fuel tax cuts were not targeted and had been ineffectual. “The fuel tax subsidies were a dumb economic policy to start with,” he said. “It doesn't make their removal, though, any easier for the average New Zealand who's having to pay more for fuel from tomorrow. It wasn't a good, targeted policy. We shouldn't repeat it again, but it certainly is going to be a challenge for households when they have to readjust.” Olsen also said with only a few months to go before the general election, “this is the sort of thing that people are going to be looking at and wondering [about]”. He explained the return of the revenue for the Government would give it more options for spending, but money had already been allocated in Budget 2023. “All of that money [fuel taxes] goes directly into the land transport fund to fund transport projects and roads. While there has been a reduction in that revenue, the government has had to top up the transport fund from general taxes. “If anything, there might be less borrowing than the Government might have otherwise done if it had continued with the fuel tax cuts.” Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod echoed concerns for hardworking Kiwis, saying while petrol accounted for 4 per cent of the average household's budget, it was a larger share for those on lower incomes. “It's going to suck a lot of cash out of wallets. We are expecting households are going to go backwards in terms of their spending power,” Ranchhod said. “People are going to find they are not going to be able to purchase as much as they have been, especially since those cost increases are in areas they can't avoid buying like food and fuel. “That means they'll have to cut back in those discretionary areas like entertainment of some of those ‘nice to haves'. There is going to be a decent amount of belt-tightening.” Here is what you need to know Petrol: The fuel tax discount is coming to an end meaning motorists will be hit with an extra 25c per litre of fuel tax and almost 4c extra GST. The road user charges subsidy for diesel vehicles will also come to an end. Public transport: Half-price public transport fares will come to an end for most. Children under 13 will become free and half-price fares for community services card holders and people under 25 will remain. Plastic: Single-use plastic products including produce bags, plates, bowls and cutlery, straws and produce labels will no longer be able to be sold or manufactured. Associate Environment Minister Rachel Brooking with the new reusable fruit and vege bags at Countdown in Newtown, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell Clean car discount: For new vehicles, the maximum rebate will decrease by about $1600 and the maximum fee will increase by about $1700. The threshold at which vehicles will be subject to fees will reduce from 192g of carbon dioxide per kilometre to 150g. A special rebate for new and used low-emission disability vehicles will be introduced. Parental leave: Parental leave payments will increase 7.7 per cent meaning the maximum weekly rate for eligible parents will rise to $712.17 gross per week. Child support: Work and Income will automatically treat child support payments as income when working out benefits and other entitlements. For sole parents on a benefit, there is no obligation to apply for child support through Inland Revenue but IRD will pass on the full amount and it will be counted as income. All child support payments public housing tenants get will be counted as income for Income Related Rent assessments. For those on the Young Parent Payment and Youth Payment, if the child support payments through IR go over the income limit, Work and Income will keep paying the benefit but at a reduced rate. NZ/UK working holiday/youth mobility scheme: The scheme now extends to those aged up to 35. Those taking part in the scheme can now stay for three years and work for the entirety of their stay. Australian citizenship: New Zealand citizens who have been living in Australia for four years or more will be eligible to apply directly for Australian citizenship. They will no longer need to first apply for and be granted a permanent visa. Cost of mail: The cost of sending letters and parcels domestically and internationally will increase, as will the cost of NZ Post couriers, PO Boxes and Private Bags. Alcohol: The alcohol excise rates will increase by 6.6 per cent. Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022. Amy Wiggins is an Auckland-based reporter who covers education. She joined the Herald in 2017 and has worked as a journalist for 12 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elderly New Zealanders and people living in rural communities are worried about how they'll stay connected with the world as NZ Post slashes its workforce. The state-owned enterprise is set to cut 750 jobs over the next five years as mail use continues to decline. Ashleigh McCaull reports.

Warnings New Zealand still needs a strong mailing system. NZ Post is proposing cutting 750 jobs over the next five years, from its workforce of 4500. It expects volumes of post to almost halve by 2028. Postal Workers Union National President John Maynard says physical mail is alive and well in rural areas. "They've got 16,000 people that they regularly mail out to, and they want to continue doing that. There's also some people who might be a bit suspicious of the hacking into their internet, it would be good to have some backup system." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An group of businesses and community members are calling for the government to step in and curb increasing postal prices. New Zealand Post is increasing its prices for a number of services from July 1st. Sending a standard letters will rise 30c from $1.70 to $2. And business customers will notice a thirty percent increase when sending bulk mail. Action group spokesperson Maddison Burgess-Smith spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A group of businesses and organisations wants the Government to step in to stop postage price rises. From next month, New Zealand Post is hiking prices for bulk mail customers by 30 percent, a total increase of 100 percent in the last five years. Thirteen groups signed a letter to the Government including Grey Power, the Magazine Publishers Association and the Rural Advocacy Network. Spokesperson Maddison Burgess-Smith told Mike Hosking the increase is out of line with the rest of the world. She says in the same period, Australia is up 20 percent, Canada seven percent, and the UK 33 percent so the Government needs to have a transparent conversation. LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A West Auckland community is in shock and saddened that its only NZ Post shop is being forced to close because of repeated attacks on its business. There's been a steady stream of locals arriving at the Titirangi Lotto and Post Shop today - hearing the news their one-stop-shop-for-everything has to shut its doors. Owner Aboli Bhave talks to Susana Lei'ataua.  

RNZ's rural news reporter, Leah Tebbutt, takes a look at the week's agricultural news.

Posties across New Zealand warn a new proposal could see fewer home deliveries and more theft. The National President of the Postal Workers Union says NZ Post has set up postal hubs in rural areas and may be expanding these hubs into urban areas. Postal Workers Union co-national president John Maynard says the existing postal hubs are getting broken into and people aren't getting personal deliveries sent to their homes. "We're concerned that that may spread into other rural subdivisions, eventually into the cities and towns." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With more than 2.2 million parcels to deliver this week, NZ Post is flat stick. But it's not just this week keeping the postal service busy - they're forecasting to have delivered about 15m items between Labour Weekend and Christmas Day. The cut-off for economy and international parcels to arrive in time for Christmas has already passed, but today's your last chance to courier domestic items. NZ Post chief operating officer Brendon Main spoke to Gyles Beckford.

With Christmas just around the corner, some post offices are short on stamps. NZ Post says it's the busiest time of year, and with so many items being shipped, stamps urgently need restocking. One used for international letters has essentially sold out forcing the use of multiples to make up the amount, draining supplies. Postal Workers Union National President John Maynard says it's one of several issues affecting the mail service industry.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some New Zealand Post outlets have run out of both international and local stamps - right as the Christmas rush hits.One Auckland NZ Post Shop is displaying a sign warning customers "Please read before entering: Unfortunately we have run out of International and Local stamps, sorry for any inconvenience". A worker there has told Nine to Noon that this is may not be an isolated case and they have heard of other post shops running out of stamps.Last December, some Christchurch post outlets ran out stamps and New Zealand Post warned customers to expect delays.Stamps are only needed to send letters, cards and other mail. Parcels do not need stamps as labels are used instead.The deadline for domestic Christmas delivery is 19 December. The Postal Workers Union says the shortage of stamps is symptomatic of a broken system that is generally unable to deliver on the government's three-day delivery target. Kathryn speaks with National President of the Postal Workers Union Aotearoa National President John Maynard.

It's the busiest time of the year for New Zealand Post, with 2.2 million parcels processed through its depots last week. They're dealing with Black Friday orders, as well as the usual Christmas trade of goodies coming in and out. But with more parcels coming and going, police are warning people to find a safe spot for their deliveries - so they don't get pinched. Our reporter Louise Ternouth and cameraman Nick Monro have the story.  

New Zealand Post has opened a new Wellington depot - the first automated processing hub in the lower North Island with its own super sorter machine. Visual journalist Samuel Rillstone went to see how it all works.  

The Government has become the country's latest bank manager. It's announced the Crown is buying Kiwi Group Holdings, the company that owns Kiwibank and the soon-to-be-sold Kiwi Wealth, from the Superannuation Fund, ACC and NZ Post. The government says it intends keeping a sensible distance between itself and the day-to-day running of its latest asset. So what does the opposition think? Michael Woodhouse is the National Party spokesperson for state-owned enterprises, he spoke to Corin Dann.

The government is the country latest bank manager. The Crown is buying Kiwi Group Holdings, the company that owns Kiwibank and the soon-to-be-sold Kiwi Wealth, from the Superannuation Fund, ACC and NZ Post. The government says it intends keeping a sensible distance between itself and the day-to-day running of its latest asset. The Prime Minister says it was both exciting and reassuring that the government will "safeguard" Kiwibank's long-term future in New Zealand ownership. Finance Minister Grant Robertson spoke to Corin Dann.

The government is buying back Kiwibank to take full ownership. It has just announced the purchase of Kiwi Group, the parent company of Kiwibank, valuing it at $2.1 billion. Until now Kiwi Group Holdings had been owned by NZ Post, ACC and the NZ Super fund. The NZ Superfund had expressed an interest in buying a majority holding in Kiwi Group Hodings but the government's pledge to keep the bank fully locally-owned made that impossible. Kathryn speaks with business commentator, editor and co-founder of BusinessDesk , Pattrick Smellie.

The government has announced this morning it is taking direct control of Kiwibank, buying the holding company which owns the bank from the Superannuation Fund, ACC, and NZ Post. The Super Fund is being paid 527-million dollars for its 25 percent stake. The Super Fund's chief executive Matt Whineray says it considered buying some or all of NZ Post's stake but the government would not agree to having private money in Kiwibank nor give the Fund a free hand on whom it might sell its stake to. He speaks with Kathryn Ryan.