Good evening. It’s been another busy day of politics and wild weather.
1 PM announces a cost-of-living boost for Working for Families
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced Working for Families will increase to compensate for high inflation hammering household budgets over the past year.
At his post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon, Luxon said Family Tax Credit rates will increase from $136 to $144 per week after tax for the eldest child, and from $111 to $117 per week for subsequent children. The Best Start tax credit rate will rise from $69 to $73 weekly after tax.
The changes - part of what Luxon calls his Government's "laser focus" on bringing down the cost of living - will come into effect on April 1, next year.
2 Northland principal slams smokefree changes as 'trading lives for votes'
Northland principal Pat Newman said the new Government's smoke-free legislation changes would be trading off kids' lives for political votes.
Asked how he felt when the changes were announced, Newman said he was "astounded".
Northland doctors have also hit out at the changes.
3 Heavy rain, thunderstorms and cold expected across New Zealand
Summer isn't exactly firing, with Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and eastern parts of Northland expected to be hit with downpours today.
MetService meteorologist John Law says Christchurch and Kaikoura were expected to reach only 13C, while it'll be sunny but "not brilliantly warm" in Queenstown.
4 Harry and Meghan would lose royal titles under MP's proposed new law
UK Conservative MP Bob Seely wants to adapt laws, originally passed during WWI to deny German nobles their British titles, to force the House of Commons to consider turning the Sussexes into Mr and Mrs.
5 Man accused of vaccine data breach appears in Wellington District Court
Barry Young, 56, has been charged with accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes.
He was arrested after Te Whatu Ora Health NZ laid a complaint with police over alleged "unauthorised disclosure and misuse of data by one of its staff members".
ONE BIG QUESTION
Does having children make you any happier?
People no doubt have opinions about whether or not you need to have children to feel happy in life. Psychologists Trudy Meehan and Jolanta Burke look at what the research suggests.
ONE CELEBRITY SPLIT
Popstar Dua Lipa has parted ways with filmmaker Romain Gavras.
The 28-year-old singer and the 42-year-old director were first linked in February but, just months later, have called time on the relationship.
Here's what Dua says about being single.
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