Latest news with #RaphaelFranks
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Budget 2025: Young Kiwis, families, react to Kiwisaver, Best Start changes
KiwiSaver is also getting a shake-up, with the Government halving its yearly contribution from $520 to $260, and raising the default employee contribution from 3-4%. The Student Loan repayment threshold is being frozen at $24,000, rather than rising every year as it used to, meaning borrowers will have to start paying it back at a relatively lower yearly income. And the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update noted house prices were likely to jump 5.4% by 2026. The Government has defended the changes, saying tweaks to KiwiSaver would encourage people to save more and have little impact on KiwiSaver balances, while means-testing Best Start would help fund a boost for Working for Families. The Herald hit the streets of central Auckland to gauge young people's reaction to the Government's spending priorities and announcements, and ask if they would be directly impacted. 'It's kind of sad for people who don't really have much income,' two young parents, who asked not to be named, said of the change to Best Start. 'It would probably be a lot harder to look after the baby [if we did not have the Best Start payment], and just not being able to get him all the things he needs,' said the couple. 'It makes it harder for people who want to just live. I think it's a lot harder on the future generation. 'For younger people growing up, and especially younger families, buying a house ... it's just going to be a lot harder for everyone.' Others had similar concerns. 'I want to buy a house one day, so the lower the house prices, the better for me,' another young man told the Herald. Commenting on the Government's KiwiSaver contribution change, a third man said: 'I think, as a young person, it's quite appalling. 'KiwiSaver was meant to be a hope for people like us, investing in our long-term futures. 'I think some of these changes are not exactly optimistic and might actually contribute to more young people leaving this country as we go forward.' Two more young parents said some of the changes were 'a bit of a shame'. 'It [KiwiSaver] is to the benefit of the Kiwi person, it's a great scheme, and the more money that's in that, the better for all of our retirements. I thought that would be something that the Government could get behind, so it's quite disappointing. 'I guess, you know, they say when we get to a retirement age, there's potentially not going to be enough money for us to retire at the nice age of 65. So I thought the Government would be interested in trying to alleviate that issue by helping out now.' Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022. Do you have questions about the Budget? Ask our experts – business editor at large Liam Dann, senior political correspondent Audrey Young and Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny – in a Herald Premium online Q&A here at at 9.30am, Friday, May 23.
Newsroom
14-05-2025
- Newsroom
Herald withdraws ‘scoop' finalist from awards after Tipene Funerals complaint
Leading news media firm NZME has withdrawn a journalist from the finalist list for Scoop of the Year at the national media awards after a legal complaint over coverage of Tipene Funerals. New Zealand Herald reporter Raphael Franks had been one of three finalists for the award to be announced at Friday night's Voyager Media Awards, but his name and entry covering the 'Tipene Funerals Scandal' is now deleted from the event's website. At the same time, 20 stories on the issue on the website have correction paragraphs added at the top, setting out changes made to the stories. The withdrawal of a journalism finalist from the media awards is rare, if unprecedented, particularly when linked to legal issues. The lateness of the withdrawal could indicate NZME recognised ongoing sensitivities if it had actually won the top prize. While Franks' personal entry has been withdrawn, his work on such a legally challenging story as the inquiry into a Tipene Funerals staff member's behaviour would have been guided, edited and vetted at higher levels of the Herald newsroom. It is likely the scoop of the year entry was submitted for judges' consideration before the belated legal complaint from the funeral home had been resolved. The Herald's corrections to the stories published between August 2024 and April this year relate to earlier wording about the actions of funeral home staffer Fiona Bakulich, convicted in April of interfering with human remains and obtaining by deception. She was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail. It's understood the legal complaint over the Herald coverage was from the firm, Tipene Funerals, rather than Bakulich. The Tipene Funerals Facebook page issued a statement to its followers after the sentencing saying, in part: 'We are grateful to our legal counsel who, after reviewing the article published by NZ Herald on 11 April 2025, formally responded to correct several serious inaccuracies. We share this clarification not to place blame, but to ensure the truth is known, especially for the grieving whānau whose stories are being spoken about.' It continues: 'The repeated use of the phrase 'wrapped in plastic instead of coffins' is completely false and deeply upsetting. It wrongly suggests that multiple tūpāpaku were not placed in coffins at all, which is simply not true. The judge has since instructed media to stop using this language, recognising the unnecessary pain it has caused. In truth, one tūpāpaku was in a body bag, which was inside in a wooden coffin, (a standard and appropriate practice in our profession), but was missing the metal liner coffin. This detail matters, especially for grieving families. 'The matter first came to light after the storm, when both Waikumete Cemetery staff and the immediate whānau of a loved one identified an issue with one interment. The concern was that a metal liner, required for mausoleum burial, was missing. Tipene Funerals responded immediately with deep regret, took full responsibility, and ensured that a metal liner was provided as soon as the issue came to our attention. 'Fiona Bakulich faced 13 charges. Of these, 12 related to financial dishonesty involving unauthorised cash payments and misleading whānau over costs. Only one charge involved the missing metal liner coffin, and another charge was withdrawn. These are important distinctions that were not clearly reflected in the NZ Herald article. 'It was Tipene Funerals who reported this matter to police. While the media may have played a role in drawing further attention. It is not accurate to suggest the offending was uncovered by NZ Herald.' Herald editor in chief Murray Kirkness said on Wednesday night: 'The Herald has made amendments to articles clarifying matters relating to Fiona Bakulich's offending and sentencing. We contacted the NPA [organisers of the awards] to remove a Voyager Media Awards entry. 'There were inaccuracies in our reporting and we have written to Tipene Funerals to apologise. Importantly, following the Herald's investigation and extensive coverage on this matter, a criminal investigation led to charges being laid.'
