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Samoa Prime Minister says he asked Sir Michael Jones to calm Christopher Luxon’s nerves over matai ceremony
The ceremony to bestow Luxon with a chiefly title has dogged the PM’s Samoa visit.
Mount Albert residents block construction trucks in early morning protest
Police attended after reports of ‘unlawful activity’.
Struck-off lawyer Davina Reid makes fresh bid to be reinstated
This is not the first time Davina Reid has tried to be reinstated as a lawyer.
Chris Hipkins arrives back in New Zealand amid questions over ex-wife’s allegations
‘A public forum like this is not the way to litigate these,’ he said.
Petrol prices, inflation risk, and tax credits: What can Govt do? – The Front Page
Petrol has jumped up to 50c a litre, adding about $23 to a full tank.
The Reserve Bank has hiked interest rates again. How much will this cost me?
Australian mortgage holders will have to stretch their budgets further following a decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to hike interest rates for the second time in a row.
Today's hike brings the official cash rate target back up to 4.10 per cent after the RBA handed down a 25-basis-point increase February, which took the cash rate up to 3.85 per cent.
Rate tracking by Canstar found after the last hike, the vast majority of lenders passed on the hike in full within two weeks of the announcement.
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So what will this mean for mortgage holders?
Mortgage holders with a debt of $500,000 could pay at least $151 more per month with the cumulative increase from February and March, according to data from Canstar.
For someone with a $600,000 mortgage, the total increase between February and March would be $181 a month.
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Those with a $700,000 mortgage are expected to pay more than $211 a month after the two hikes.
For someone with $800,000 left on their mortgage, the two hikes could add an additional $241 to their monthly repayments.
For those with a debt of $900,000, the culmulative increase could be an extra $271 per month.
Mortgage holders with $1 million of outstanding debt are likely to pay an additional $301 extra a month.
Canstar data insights director Sally Tindall said while the banks were likely to pass the rise through to their variable rate customers in full, there were ways to outsmart the rise.
"Banks might apply a blanket increase to their variable customer base, but still be willing to hand out cuts on a case-by-case basis," Tindall said.
"Often it's just a matter of stating your case."
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Four arrested after police chase across Auckland following alleged home invasion
A stolen white Ford Ranger was stopped at Karangahape Rd and four people were arrested.
Digital birth certificates now available in one Aussie state
Digital birth certificates are now available in NSW, but only for the state's hundreds of thousands of young people.
From today, people aged 16 to 21 who hold a photo card or driver's licence can choose to set up a digital birth certificate for free on the Service NSW app.
The state government said the digital document was secure and designed to adhere to international security standards.
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"I'm proud that NSW is the first place in Australia where young people across the state can carry their birth certificate securely on their phone, instead of having to rummage through drawers or call mum and dad," Digital Government Minister Jihad Dib said.
"For young people living away from home for work and study, this digital document provides instant convenience when they need their birth certificate to apply for certifications and licences – making it easier to apply for jobs.
"The digital birth certificate offers a secure and convenient way to access one of the most important identity documents, giving people greater control over personal information.
"It's the same as having a birth certificate in your pocket, but much more secure."
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Digital birth certificates can be used to verify identities and apply for licences or certificates, such as the Responsible Service of Alcohol.
The state government said the new digital tool could be used for more services over time.
Service NSW and the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages are working with businesses and the community to make it easier to use the digital birth certificates.
It's not clear when the government will roll out this service to other demographics.
The service is free, compared to ordering a physical birth certificate, which costs $68 or $101 for priority services.
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The ‘loophole’ allowing hundreds of thousands of NSW residents to own guns
Over 200,000 people are taking advantage of a "loophole" in New South Wales firearms legislation to acquire guns, according to a research group.
In many parts of Australia, people are required to prove they have a "genuine reason" to own a gun.
In NSW, the overwhelming majority of firearms licence holders state that reason as either hunting or sports shooting, the latter of which only requires the holder to be a paid member of a sports shooting club.
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While 253,000 people in the state list being part of a shooting club or recreational hunting as their reason for holding a firearms licence, only 36,000 people actually participated in either activity last year, according to a study from the Australia Institute.
Experts warn the exploitation of the loophole is allowing a flood of gun owners to legally acquire firearms even if they do not plan to use them for the intended purposes they claim.
Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute, claimed it was exposing the "facade" of Australia's gun laws, and was creating a risk for all Australians.
"There are hundreds of thousands of people who don't use their firearms for the reason on their licence, and that is a major concern," he said.
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"Australia's firearm laws are rightly a point of national pride, but they can only keep Australians safe if they remain ironclad. Right now, this genuine reason loophole leaves the door wide open for someone with bad intentions to get around Australia's firearm laws."
The research from the Australia Institute also found there are currently more guns in Australia than ever before, including before the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, which prompted John Howard to overhaul gun laws across the country.
Firearm laws in Australia have come into focus after the Bondi terror attack, where two men who had legally acquired several long-armed rifles shot and killed 15 people.
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In response, the NSW Government strengthened its gun laws, with the federal government also launching the largest gun buyback scheme since Port Arthur.
However, Campbell warns the delay in fixing the genuine reason loophole may have already had too much of an impact.
"Our research shows that our state and territory licencing regimes are undermining the system and potentially putting people at risk," he said.
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