New phone plan to help parents manage children's phone usage
Spark has announced New Zealand's first mobile plan designed specifically for children. The 'Kids Plan' can be added to a parent's account for full oversight of its usage, and children will be barred from buying plan add-ons and will not receive promotional marketing texts. Child psychologist and mother of four Dr. Emma Woodward spoke to Jesse.
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Techday NZ
5 hours ago
- Techday NZ
AI to create new roles as Nimbl predicts job growth not loss
New analysis from Nimbl Consulting has suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) is set to reshape the jobs landscape, but predicts that the new era will see job growth rather than redundancy. According to Nimbl Director Wyn Ackroyd, the advent of AI and its integration into core business activities will create opportunities for emerging roles and personalised products on a scale not previously possible. Jobs 'not fewer, but different' In a recent thought piece titled "Customer Service at the Speed of AI", Ackroyd highlights a future where AI enables businesses to deliver highly personalised, real-time services, shifting the emphasis from job losses to new types of employment. "We're not heading toward a future with fewer jobs. We're heading toward a future with different jobs, roles that don't exist yet, but will be essential to delivering the next generation of customer experiences," Ackroyd said. The report draws on industry examples such as the insurance and banking sectors. "Imagine a customer requests a complex mortgage involving KiwiSaver contributions, parental equity, and other non-traditional inputs. In the AI-powered future, financial institutions will be able to instantly generate a bespoke product, tailored to that individual's needs, in real time. Not just for them, but for others with similar profiles, before they even ask," Ackroyd said. This approach signals what Nimbl terms "Service at the Speed of AI", in which unique customer products could be created every hour, each tailored to specific individuals or niche groups. Ackroyd emphasises that rather than eliminating jobs, this will create a vacuum that will be filled by new services and corresponding employment opportunities. Emergence of new roles The analysis suggests that AI-native businesses will increasingly operate with remarkable speed, creating thousands of personalised products as AI tools become more sophisticated. Ackroyd foresees the emergence of new roles such as AI Interaction Designers, Personalisation Strategists, and Synthetic Data Curators. These positions, presently rare or non-existent, are expected to become vital as organisations seek to leverage data for tailored customer solutions. To realise these opportunities, Nimbl encourages investment in data quality, workforce retraining, and strategic redesign. Ackroyd notes that companies must now rethink their approach to workforce planning, prioritising skills that complement AI, like creativity and empathy. Strategic shift for businesses Businesses are also cautioned against viewing AI solely as a means to cut costs. Ackroyd advises that the greater potential lies in deploying AI as a tool to expand capacity and improve customer experience. "The real question isn't how many jobs AI will replace. It's how we'll use the capacity it creates to serve customers in ways we've never been able to before," Ackroyd said. "With some Nimbl footwork," Ackroyd concludes. "the future is full of opportunity." New Zealand-based consultancy, Nimbl, is helping organisations navigate change through a combination of agility, strategic insight, and purpose-driven transformation. Specialising in areas such as AI integration and customer experience design, the business transformation firm supports clients in adapting to an increasingly dynamic and competitive landscape.

RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Do I have to pay for my partner's care?
Photo: RNZ Send your questions to If one person in a de facto relationship needs permanent medical care, does the Government require the other partner to pay for the care once the unwell patient's funds run out? The basic answer to your question is that when your partner is being assessed for their ability to pay for their care, your income and assets will usually be taken into account. If you're referring to medical care in a rest home setting, your assets and personal income affect whether your partner will qualify for a residential care subsidy. "People who need residential care are required to pay for it themselves, if they can afford to do so. If they cannot afford it, they may be eligible for a residential care subsidy, which Health New Zealand pays directly to the care provider," said Ministry of Social Development group general manager for client service delivery Graham Allpress. "MSD's role is to check whether people qualify for this subsidy by performing a 'financial means assessment'. "To get the subsidy, a person's income and assets must be under a certain amount. If they are in a relationship, the combined income and assets of both parties must be under a certain amount." People can qualify for the subsidy if they are 50 to 64, single and without dependent children, or over 65 and meet the income and means test. That means, even if your partner's funds have run out, your assets could still be taken into account. If only one partner needs care, the couple combined need to have assets of no more than $155,873 not including the family home and car, or $284,636 if you do want the home and car in the assessment. If it's other types of care that you're thinking of, it could be a good idea to contact Health NZ for a needs assessment. There are options such as the supported living payment but eligibility for this is assessed on a household income basis, too. I'm currently a NZ tax resident living in NZ, but previously lived in Australia (over a decade ago) and purchased shares on the ASX that I continue to own and receive dividends for (which I declare as part of my income). If I sold these shares now, worth about $150,000, what taxes would they be subject to? Specifically, would I have to pay a capital gains tax on the increased share value (as I would if I were an Australian tax resident). This is probably a question for an accountant with expertise in Australian tax. Based on information available online, it seems that you potentially should have paid tax on the shares in Australia when you stopped being an Australian resident. Assuming that didn't happen, the Australian Tax Office is likely to be expecting capital gains tax to be paid on them when they are sold. You aren't likely to have any New Zealand tax obligations. Tax experts tell me that the authorities have access to a lot of data these days so it's possible that the Australian Tax Office will find out about any share sale and might get in touch with you. I am 78 years of age and still work part time and also still contribute to my KiwiSaver. Am I eligible for the government contribution? Sorry, no. While the government said it was going to start making contributions to 16 and 17-year-olds' accounts, it hasn't budged on the upper limit of 65. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Police pull-back from mental crisis callouts continues
The police's planned retreat from mental health crisis callouts will reach another milestone on Monday. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller The police's staged retreat from responding to mental crisis callouts reaches another milestone on Monday, with a 60-minute limit on patient handovers at emergency departments taking effect nationwide. That change - along with a requirement for people in mental distress to be assessed in health settings, not police cells - is the second of four stages in a year-long programme announced by former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster last August. The rollout has been slower than planned , due to the fact health services in some regions were not ready. Phase Two changes take effect from Monday in the third and final group of regions: Police assistant commissioner Mike Johnson said police and health remained committed to "joint efforts towards making sure people have access to the right help at the right time, which works best for them". "Police have always, and will always, respond when there is an immediate risk to life or safety. The change is about an increased health-led response, enabling our staff more time to get back into our communities do the work that only police can." Health NZ director of specialist mental health and addiction Karla Bergquist said a range of mental health support was available "for those who need it". "This change is about ensuring people requiring mental health support receive the right care at the right time, while maintaining the safety and well-being of patients and our staff. "I'd like to assure the public there is a range of services to help people in mental distress or those who are concerned about the mental health of whānau. "If a person is in serious mental distress or crisis, support is available from their local crisis team." Phase Two had "generally gone well" in districts with strong local partnerships between police and health, she said. Bergquist said detailed planning for Phase Three was underway and it was hoped to confirm new implementation dates soon. "We will continue communicating with each district to ensure a successful, joint approach to Phase Three for both NZ Police and Health NZ and the people who come into contact with our services. "An implementation date for Phase Four is unconfirmed but it will follow Phase Three." Phase Three - which was initially to begin April to June - involves police applying a "new response thresholds" to requests for assistance from health practitioners, or to help with missing person reports from mental health wards and facilities. Phase Four - originally scheduled to take effect between July and September - will cut ED handovers to 15 minutes, unless there is an immediate safety risk, and fewer welfare checks "when there is no risk of criminality or to life or safety". Police said there were "a lot of complexities to these changes" and further consideration and consultation would occur before any final decisions were made. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.