Diane McCarthy

1 day ago | stuff.co.nz | Karanama Ruru |Chris Marriner |Diane McCarthy

Further cuts have been made to the proposed rates increase for Carterton. Carterton District Council is to meet on Wednesday to adopt its 2025-26 Annual Plan and with it an average rates rise of 5.4%. It was originally signalled to be a 13% rise as per the council’s Long-Term Plan, and then more recently 8.6%. Last month, councillors criticised the impact of the 8.6% rise as urban ratepayers were likely to cop twice that due to a change in how water depreciation was set to be funded.

4 days ago | stuff.co.nz | Diane McCarthy |Poppy Clark |Alan Granville

More illegally dumped rubbish has been found along Cape Palliser Rd in coastal Wairarapa.SuppliedMore illegally dumped rubbish has been discovered just metres from the biggest fly-tipping site on record for South Wairarapa. South Wairarapa District Council said illegal dumping appeared to be on the rise after the discovery of a second dumping site along Cape Palliser Rd.It followed discovery of tonnes of illegally dumped waste last January that would cost ratepayers $200,000 to remove.

4 days ago | stuff.co.nz | Diane McCarthy |Damien Grant |Alan Granville |Juan A. Lozano

Paige Winfield CunninghamUS senator Josh Hawley has opposed cuts to Medicaid.Tom Brenner / For The Washington PostCongressional Republicans are pursuing changes to the Affordable Care Act that would mean 10.7 million fewer Americans using its insurance marketplaces and Medicaid, a huge reduction that some view as a way to accomplish part of the health-care coverage cancellation that failed in 2017.

1 week ago | stuff.co.nz | Diane McCarthy

2 weeks ago | nzherald.co.nz | Diane McCarthy

Neither Whakatāne District Council, central Government or the Te Rāhui Herenga Waka board can put a figure on how much money has been lost to the failed Whakatāne boat harbour project. Both the council and the ministry told Local Democracy Reporting that Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Whakatāne Board was now developing a wind-down plan, and part of that process would identify what had been spent to date and what may be available for redistribution to partners.