Explainer - Fuel and public transport subsidies have been rolled over, again, for now - but for most of us, the days of cheaper transport are coming to an end.Here's what you need to know about the end of cheaper petrol.What's the discount?Soaring petrol prices and a cost of living crisis prompted the government to, in March, temporarily slash fuel prices by 25 cents a litre.Train and bus fares were halved, too.Before the discount, petrol prices had tipped well over $3 a litre in some places.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at the original announcement it would bring savings of between $11.50 and $17.25 per tank of fuel.The subsidies were supposed to just be for three months - April to June - but in Budget 2022 they were rolled over to July.It was extended again to January, but today the government announced the end is nigh.At the end of February the petrol subsidy drops to 12.5 cents a litre, before being ditched altogether at the end of March.Meanwhile, the public transport subsidy finishes at the end of March for all but those with community services cards.What's the cost?Big bucks - it had been estimated at $1.3b, now add another $116m to keep the programme running for the final few months.The public transport component makes up about $100m to $160m.Finance Minister Grant Robertson acknowledged many households were still struggling with the cost of living, but he said the government simply could not afford to keep the policy forever.Why did the government slash the fuel tax in the first place?Essentially, because of soaring inflation and the cost of living crisis brought on by the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, among other crises.The government was being hammered by stories of peoples' pain at the pump - and took action.Ardern said in March the Ukraine invasion had unleashed a "global energy crisis", with fuel prices hitting record highs.Prices had jumped 13 percent in the previous month alone, after steadily rising for some time.Today, Energy Minister Megan Woods said that since then global fuel prices have eased."Retail prices for regular 91 have dropped by about 75 cents per litre - including the excise cut," Woods said.Consumers vs the climate - the winners and losers from the subsidiesIt's not just petrol prices that will increase when the discount is ditched.Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett wrote in a Stuff opinion piece that fuel prices will shoot up overnight, along with the cost of everything delivered by a truck."With 93 percent of our freight delivered on a truck, that's basically everything we consume and purchase."So the discount has helped keep the price of other goods and services at bay, too.But there are other reasons to let the subsidy go.The petrol tax discount is counterproductive to Aotearoa's desperate need to cut carbon emissions.The government has pledged to halve dangerous climate gases by 2030.Transport makes up half of that total - and actions like the fuel tax discount incentivises people to keep on driving.That hits the government in the pocket twice.First: to pay for the actual subsidy.Second, because we have so far failed to reduce emissions ourselves the government will likely have to pay pay billions of dollars to other countries to cut them on our behalf to meet our 2030 goals.That said, half-price fares on public transport may have encouraged more people out of their cars and onto trains and buses, which is better for the environment.

🍷🍷🍷Today we are giving away 1 bottle of wine from Gillman Vineyard!!To enter follow/like The Matakana App on Facebook and Instagram, and then head to the Win Stuff button on the App and enter your details. Please include the date so we know which prize you are wanting. We will draw the prizes as we go. Good luck!!

Legislation to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after the 1 January 2009 has passed its third reading.It is another step towards the government's goal for Aotearoa to be smokefree by 2025.The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill makes three main changes:reducing the amount of nicotine that is allowed in smoked tobacco productsdecreasing the numbers of retailers that sell tobaccomaking sure tobacco is not sold at all to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.The bill is now set to become law - passing its final reading in Parliament with support from Labour, the Greens and Te Paati Māori.Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said the legislation accelerated progress towards a smokefree future."The number of retailers around the country that can sell tobacco will be reduced to a tenth of the 6000 there are now. This legislation mandates a maximum of 600 tobacco retailers by the end of next year," she said in a statement.New Zealand's smoking rate is already low with just 8 percent of adults smoking daily, down from 9.4 percent a year and a half ago and half the rate compared to 10 years ago.Verrall said the measures were important for equitable health outcomes for Māori and would close the life expectancy gap for Māori women by 25 percent and by 10 percent for Māori men.Anti-smoking groups reactOtago University Professor and ASPIRE2025 co-director Janet Hoek told The Science Media Centre that all three measures would help reduce smoking across all population groups."Reducing the number of outlets selling tobacco will improve community wellbeing, and enhance the safety of retailers," she said.Removing tobacco from small dairies would help remove an important risk to staff, she said.Aotearoa's approach was world-leading and likely to produce profound health benefits, she said.Action for Smokefree 2025 chair Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole said the bill had several good aspects.However, the bill may have the unintended effect of penalising existing smokers by cutting the number of cigarette retail outlets to 600, he said."The mandatory denicotinisation policy, third main policy, will not come into effect for at least two years and thus will not help achieve the 2025 goal. At best, it may encourage the tobacco industry to promote less harmful products such as vaping. But it might also encourage illicit cigarette trade," he said.

Christmas is nigh! We have managed to score a bunch of goodies and experiences from some lovely localcompanies to pass on to you! A big shoutout to local businesses, who have donated: 8 Wired Ascension Wine Estate Gillman Vineyard Matakana Country Park Express Matakana Village Butchery Monarch Estate Vineyard NZ Oyster Farm Tours Puhoi Kayaks Ti Point Reptile Park Tumbleweed  We are giving something away each day from now until Xmas. To enter go to Win Stuff

People are being encouraged to apply for compensation if their vehicles are damaged as a result of a shody chipseal job that broke-up and stuck to cars travelling along State Highway 1 north of Auckland at the weekend.Waka Kotahi was due to start repairs on the stretch of highway near Dome Valley between Warkworth and Wellsford today. It says the seal originally laid by Fulton Hogan fell short of expectations and was compromised by weather conditions.Waka Kotahi encourages anyone who has received damage to their vehicle as a result of this issue to lodge a compensation claim with Fulton Hogan for action. This can be done by emailing [email protected] or phoning 09 4700 718.

Warkworth RegionTuesday 13th December - Cloudy. Isolated showers clearing this afternoon. Northeasterlies.Wednesday 14th - Rain developing in the morning. Easterlies, becoming strong in exposed places.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 24hrs from 10am Wed, 14 Dec - 10am Thu, 15 DecArea: Eastern Northland south of Kawakawa, Auckland north of the Harbour Bridge including Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, mainly about the higher ground.Thursday 15th - Cloudy. Occasional rain, mainly in the afternoon. Northeasterlies, strong in exposed places.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 24hrs from 10am Wed, 14 Dec - 10am Thu, 15 DecArea: Eastern Northland south of Kawakawa, Auckland north of the Harbour Bridge including Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, mainly about the higher ground.Issued: 9:36am Tue 13 DecFriday 16th - Mainly fine. Fresh northeasterlies, easing.Mangawhai RegionTuesday 13th December - Fine spells, but a few showers until afternoon. Easterlies.Wednesday 14th - Rain developing in the morning. Easterlies.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 24hrs from 10am Wed, 14 Dec - 10am Thu, 15 DecArea: Eastern Northland south of Kawakawa, Auckland north of the Harbour Bridge including Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, mainly about the higher ground.Thursday 15th - Rain. Easterlies.Heavy Rain WatchPeriod: 24hrs from 10am Wed, 14 Dec - 10am Thu, 15 DecArea: Eastern Northland south of Kawakawa, Auckland north of the Harbour Bridge including Great Barrier IslandForecast: Periods of heavy rain. Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, mainly about the higher ground.Friday 16th - Showers. Northeasterlies.

Waitematā Police have arrested a person in relation to a serious assault on Friday night in Warkworth, which left a man in a critical condition.A 21-year-old-man is expected to appear in the North Shore District Court tomorrow, charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and injuring with intent to injure.Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.Emergency services were called to the intersection of Falls Road and Hudson Road about 11.30pm after a report of a verbal altercation between a man and a group of people in vehicles.Shortly after, the man was found seriously injured on the side of the road, and was transported to hospital. He remains there, in a critical but stable condition.Police enquiries are ongoing, but we would still like to hear from anyone in the area around Falls Road and Hudson Road who were in the vicinity or have witnessed the assault.If you can help, please call 105 and quote file number 221210/6559, or make a report online using Update My Report. You can also share information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The police have quietly lowered the threshold at which speed cameras ping drivers.The result is tens of thousands more tickets handed out for drivers doing between one and 11 kph over the speed limit.For January 2021, for instance, police figures show static and mobile speed cameras snapped just under 20,000 drivers doing just over the limit - a year later, in January 2022, that figure was more than 90,000.In the first nine months of 2022, the number of speedsters caught by mobile cameras had doubled compared to 2021, but fines on average were lower, up by only a fifth."This is likely due to changes in camera settings to address road safety outcome risks, resulting in a higher proportion of notices being for offences with lower infringement fees," police told RNZ."It means camera activation settings are being set in closer proximity to the speed limit."What the new activation threshold was or whether the public were informed of the change, police have not said.The January-on-January figures for fines against motorists from both mobile and fixed cameras show $600,000 in fines in 2021, and $2.7m in fines in January 2022.Police have been under pressure to increase use of speed cameras after years of undershooting the targets that NZTA funds them to hit. NZTA is taking over the cameras next year.Chris Hipkins Photo: RNZ / Angus DreaverRNZ asked Police Minister Chris Hipkins if he supported the police's approach, given people were paying more fines during a cost-of-living crisis."Day-to-day operations such as speed and alcohol enforcement are operational matters for police," Hipkins said in a three-line statement today.Asked if he was made aware of the changes previously, he said from police updates he knew they had increased both speed enforcement and breath testing."I have confidence that police are committed to reducing road deaths, and along with other agencies are playing their part in Road to Zero."In the past couple of years police language has changed around speeding, with the police website saying: "Police have the discretion to issue you with a speeding infringement notice (speeding ticket) if you drive at any speed over the limit."However, officer-issued speeding tickets haven't increased at all in the 1-10kph bracket, only the cameras.Mobile camera usage hours did not go up markedly in the year either, hitting only 58,000 hours in the 2021-22 year against a target of 80,000-plus.A motorist caught doing 47 in a 40 zone emailed RNZ on Thursday to say they challenged their ticket, quoting a police manual instruction that advised leeway for speeds up to 10kph over the limit."It was rejected with the comment that 'this has not been police advice for a number of years'," the man said."My concern is that the police are sending out a large number of speeding tickets for petty amounts over the limit just to make their figures look good."As to whether they are actually progressing their objective to majorly reduce crashes and injury and death on the roads by doing so is quite another matter."In recent times police have had weekends and holiday periods where they've explicitly dropped the threshold to 4kph.Enforcement against speeding was central to the government's Road to Zero strategy that aims to bring death and serious injuries down by 40 percent by 2030.

Five people have been injured after a two-car crash north of Auckland yesterday afternoon, which closed SH1 near Wellsford.Emergency services were called to the scene after the crash at 2.20pm at the south end of Wellsford.Two rescue helicopters responded.Three people in a serious condition were flown to Auckland Hospital and two people in a moderate condition were taken to North Shore Hospital via ambulance, police said.Traffic was diverted off the main highway through Davies Rd and SH16, but Waka Kotahi said at 4.40pm the road is likely to reopen soon.

Yesterday Dome Valley was in carnage with many reports of the newly paved road peeling off tar and sticking to car tires causing total havoc. The affected section is at the northern end of the Dome about 4km south of the Mangawhai turn-off.More than 40 motorists called in to complain in the afternoon. Many cars had to pull over and attempt to scrap off the tar and stones stuck on their tires and car body. The situation was made worse by the sticky mess being kicked from car tires onto passing cars.Late in the afternoon contractors were directing traffic away from the problematic areas. Motorists were told to avoid the area.Waka Kotahi encourages anyone who has received damage to their vehicle as a result of this issue to lodge a compensation claim with Fulton Hogan for action. This can be done by emailing [email protected] or phoning 09 4700 718.

A man has been left in critical condition after a serious assault in Warkworth, police say, and they want anyone with information about what happened to come forward.Waitematā Police said an incident was reported about 11.30pm last night.Emergency services were called to the intersection of Falls Road and Hudson Road after witnesses said there had been shouting between a man and a group of people in vehicles.Soon afterward the man was found seriously injured on the side of the road and taken to hospital.He was in a critical but stable condition today.Police want to hear from anyone with information about what happened or who might have seen dangerous driving in or near Falls and Hudson Roads late last night.Information could be reported by calling police on 105 and quoting file number 221210/6559, by making a report on the police Update My Report website, or by reporting anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Upcoming holiday travel plans could be disrupted, with a bad batch of aviation fuel forcing rationing for airlines.Z Energy, owner of the dud shipment, told airlines Tuesday night they would need to conserve fuel in coming weeks.The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said routine fuel testing of a jet fuel shipment had raised some concerns and there was a potential impact to jet fuel supply.Board of Airline Representatives (Barnz) executive director Cath O'Brien said the timing was particularly frustrating, and the problem showed New Zealand did not have "sufficient resilience" if something happened to a shipment of fuel."We are heading into the busiest Christmas season for years and years, and we were finally so delighted to be able to operate, to get people to reconnect with family and friends overseas at Christmas, and to face this challenge at this moment is really disappointing."Z Energy was likely to allocate airlines a smaller amount of fuel than they had been using, O'Brien said."Airlines will have to find solutions to conserve fuel and operate with less fuel than they expect."Extra fuel could be carried in on flights from short-haul destinations such as Australia, but it would be more difficult for long-haul flights to stop and pick up extra fuel on the way."It will take time and it will potentially disrupt entire schedules, so that's less than ideal and in some cases not possible," O'Brien said.Airlines would be making decisions over the coming hours and days on any changes they may have to make, she said."Customers don't need to panic - airlines have not changed anything about their schedules at this stage."'Travel chaos potential, anxiety building'But the problem threatens travel chaos during the industry's busiest time of the year, the head of a major travel agency has told Checkpoint.House of Travel chief executive Brent Thomas said if just one plane is disrupted, hundreds of passengers' plans would be thrown into disarray, with limited capacity to reassign them to other flights."Any plane that doesn't fly has a knock-on impact. One airline, one plane there and back - two flights disrupted is a minimum of 320 people ... that takes a long time to clear, and unlikely to be cleared in one day given the capacity issues," Thomas said."It's the busiest time of year of travel... flights are running at over 90 percent [full] ... we've got unprecedented demand with a lack of supply ... we're not back to full capacity domestically or internationally."Over the summer many travellers were planning travel to go to weddings or family gatherings."We've got to wait and see exactly what will happen. There's going to be some anxiety out there," Thomas said."We are in a situation that we need to know from the airlines as soon as possible, but to be fair to them I don't think they've got all the information to make those decisions at this stage."He expected international flights could get priority over domestic routes because: "You can't expect a plane to sit here and not fly back to its home land."Asked whether the situation should be this fragile, Thomas said that problem needed to be addressed."That's the thing that the government's going to have to sit down with the airlines and airports and look at - what can be done?"Marsden Refinery is no longer refining this kind of fuel ... supply chain from overseas does have issues, therefore have they got enough supply and enough storage in New Zealand is one of the questions they're going to have to answer."Minister of Energy Megan Woods and Air New Zealand both declined Checkpoint interviews.The country's only oil refinery based at Marsden Point ceased operations in April and became an import-only terminal for already-refined products.Former refining manager David Keat - who worked at Marsden Point for 27 years - said this had left the country vulnerable to disruptions, which were inevitable.

NEW TO THE MATAKANA APPWe have some new business listings for you to check out and support.Under the Transport button / Car Dealerships tabNorth Harbour FordBased in Wairau, they have a huge selection of premium cars all AA approved, MTA Assured & come with a minimum of 12 months warranty. North Harbour HyundaiAuthorised Hyundai car dealer for sales, service and parts in North Shore, Auckland. They provide the ultimate motoring experience for all their customers. We have a wide range of sedans, wagons, SUVs, Vans, Hybrids and EV's for you to view and test drive.North Harbour MazdaTheir showrooms are in Wairau and Silverdale. Offering complimentary vehicle appraisals and a full suite of buying and maintenance options, including competitive on-site finance, vehicle servicing, Mazda genuine parts, accessories, and quality aftermarket products.Rodney HondaOffering an extensive range of Honda products:Motorcycles – including kids, farm, off-road and road bikesATVsPower equipment (generators and pumps) Honda servicing and parts are also providedWarkworth ToyotaFormally named Wilmot Toyota, located in Warkworth. This Toyota dealership offers New, Used and Signature Class sales, Service, Parts and Finance.

Police have come across the hallmarks of a methamphetamine operation north of Auckland, as efforts continue to disrupt organised crime’s operations.The discovery was made as part of a search warrant underway this week at a rural property in Warkworth.Operation Cobalt staff, with support from wider Police groups, descended on the property on Tuesday and into Wednesday.Detective Inspector Lloyd Schmid says a search of the property on Tuesday and Wednesday this week has concluded with a number of items of interest seized.“Police located a rifle and various rounds of ammunition along with equipment and precursor substances used in manufacturing methamphetamine,” he says.Detective Inspector Schmid says enquiries are still ongoing into the materials seized to fully establish what substances were located.“Our investigation is still ongoing into occupants of the address and we cannot rule out the possibility of charges being laid for the items we have located,” he says.During the search warrant, an 18-year-old woman was also arrested for obstruction and assaults Police.Methamphetamine continues to play a significant role in creating harm right across the community.“This is another example of Operation Cobalt targeting, disrupting and holding to account offenders who are members or associates of gangs,” says Detective Inspector Schmid.“It sends a clear message that their involvement in this kind of unlawful activity will not be tolerated.”

Friday 9th DecemberLet’s bring your ideas for Puhinui Warkworth to life!Wellsford Friday Night MarketCommunity Christmas MarketMangawhai Singers Christmas ConcertSaturday 10th DecemberWarkworth & Districts RSA Xmas MarketMakers Christmas MarketMangawhai Community MarketMangawhai Tavern MarketMatakana Village Farmers MarketLet’s bring your ideas for Puhinui Warkworth to life!Carols @MatakanaMangawhai Singers Christmas ConcertThe Tom Irvine BandSunday 11th DecemberLet’s bring your ideas for Puhinui Warkworth to life!Matakana Country Park MarketChristmas MarketSunday Sessions & Leigh Sawmill Cafe

Warkworth RegionFriday 9th December - Occasional rain, possibly heavy at times this afternoon around the Kaipara Harbour, easing this evening. Fresh northeasterlies, strong about Great Barrier Island, easing this evening and tending northerly.Saturday 10th December - Mostly cloudy, with isolated showers becoming more frequent during the afternoon. Northerlies, becoming fresh for a time in the afternoon and evening about Great Barrier Island.Sunday 11th December - Mostly cloudy with occasional rain, becoming persistent for a time in the afternoon. Light winds.Mangawhai RegionFriday 9th December - A few showers, clearing by evening as fine breaks develop. Easterlies turning northerly this morning.Saturday 10th December - A few showers possible, clearing in the evening. Northerlies.Sunday 11th December - Mostly cloudy with occasional rain, becoming persistent for a time in the afternoon and evening. Light winds.

A petition has been started by Dr Nima Maleki to try and access funding for the sealing of Cames, Lawrence, and Devich roads in Mangawhai.According to Nima, "“we understand councils have been lobbying for this for two decades and despite yearly promises, speed reductions are the only change. Residents have health and safety concerns about the state of our roads. Cames Road is divided arbitrarily between two councils, we pay rates to Kaipara but Auckland is supposed to maintain sections of this road. We believe Auckland Council has no incitement to do a proper job and has neglected the road despite the status as a go-through route to Northland.”National MP Simeon Brown, has offered to present the signatured protest letter to Parliament.To support and sign the petition https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/document/PET_127408/petition-of-dr-nima-maleki-provide-finance-to-tar-seal 

A message from NZ Police:We’re heading in to the busiest time of year for postal deliveries and Police want to remind everyone to do what they can to stop parcel theft. Coming into Christmas there are more parcels being delivered, and more chance for your presents to be stolen. Thieves will take any opportunity to steal, and parcels left on front door steps or in apartment building common areas are an easy target. Our advice is: Get packages delivered to a place where someone will be home to receive them, or to a work address. If you do have deliveries made to your home, make sure you're going to be home to sign for them, or have a secure location where they can be left. Make sure your delivery instructions are clear, and ask for packages not to be placed at your front door, or on top of an apartment building post box. If you're not going to be home when the parcel is delivered, arrange to collect your parcel from the depot, or have the parcel redirected to the address of someone you trust. Be smart when disposing of packaging, so passers-by can’t see what you’ve been buying. Report any suspicious behaviour to Police - e.g. if you see a car following a courier van, or an unexpected visitor knocks on your door asking for someone you don't know.Make sure your gifts get given to your loved ones this Christmas and not thieves.You can report theft online via 105.police.govt.nz

Christmas cheer may have come a little earlier for New Zealand Professional Firefighters Union (NZPFU) members with the NZPFU National Committee today releasing and recommending ratification of a proposed settlement with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). After 18 gruelling months of negotiations and six months of industrial action including all NZPFU members walking off the job twice, the NZPFU members have just received the detail of the proposed settlement that the NZPFU recommends members’ accept. A snapshot of some of the highlights of the recommended settlement are:Life-saving blood screening for the early detection of firefighters’ occupational cancer and other illnessMedical response recognition for Firefighters and DispatchersPsychological support and supervision programme for Firefighters and DispatchersFinancial assistance for all members to access Income Protection and Life InsuranceSafe Systems of Work progress with NZPFU with equal representation as FENZ on working parties to recommend appliances (type, numbers and location), staffing (levels and location) and equipment (boots and helmets including trial protocols)Significant cumulative wage increases up to 24%, and backdating to 202122% cumulative increase to allowances, and backdating to 2021$1500 sign-on bonus to be paid Christmas week (if ratified)Recognition of the increased costs of living and working in Auckland with an additional one-off payment for Auckland members, and ongoing annual Auckland Shift Worker allowance to recognise the Auckland Taskforce report that demonstrated the financial disadvantages of working in the region.Long-notice retirement benefitNZPFU rejected FENZ’s previous offers that did not have the same safe systems of work or safety, health and wellbeing provisions. FENZ’s previous wage offers were dismal in comparison and this current proposed settlement includes significant backdating. The overall numbers put this ground-breaking settlement into perspective. The costing for this offer is approximately $145 million – a $100 million more compared to FENZ’s July offer costed at $45 million. The proposed settlement is much more than the numbers – it is a start to appropriately addressing safe systems of work and necessary occupational health and wellbeing support and assistance. The offer goes some way to ensure NZPFU members are respected and valued and a pathway to begin repairing the relationship between management and staff and FENZ and the NZPFU.This proposed settlement would not have been achieved without the support of the Government, Minister Jan Tinetti and her staff.The turning point in the negotiations was the Graeme Colgan report which arose out of a process facilitated by the Minister, assisted by former CTU President Ross Wilson and independent financial reviewers contracted by the Department of Internal Affairs to assist the parties in determining accurate and reliable costings and options.  The Colgan report found firefighters significantly underpaid, that NZPFU members felt undervalued and disrespected, that staffing and appliance safe systems of work issues needed to be addressed and mental health and occupational illness needed recognition.The proposed settlement now being recommended for ratification goes further than the Colgan report in terms and conditions and costings.This proposed settlement would not have been achieved without the public support for safe systems of work and better health and wellbeing support for our members. We also recognise and appreciate the support our members received across the political spectrum. NZPFU membership ratification meetings will be held from Whangarei to Invercargill from the 8th to the 18th December 2022 with the vote being counted on the evening of the 18th.Sourced from https://www.firecrisis.nz/significant-settlement-offered-to-nzpfu-members/?fbclid=IwAR3dcO__R5FS4ta-JI83uAFdszmKQ3dhsOyGK34IWbGMJqFToDGifBDwy3Y