29 May 2019

The Panel with Alexia Russell and Eli Matthewson (Part 1)

From The Panel, 4:03 pm on 29 May 2019

The National Party yesterday released what it said were key details of the government's Wellbeing Budget, due tomorrow. Then yesterday evening Treasury announced it had been deliberately and systematically hacked and the matter had been referred to police. Leader, Simon Bridges says the National Party has not been involved in any computer hacking and the government is "lashing out in a witch hunt". Public law expert Eddie Clark from Victoria University tells us what this means for Labour and National. A huge strike of around 50,000 primary and secondary teachers around the country are today protesting the latest Government pay offer. Seconday school teachers have rejected three pay offers to date, primary teachers and principals have rejected four. The minister offered pay rises of 3 per cent a year for 3-years and an extra step at the top of the pay scale. It's a $1.2BN deal over 4-years. The National President of the New Zealand Principals' Association, Whetu Cormick, explains why that's not good enough. Air New Zealand is cutting flights on some domestic routes and reviewing its airfares. Nelson, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Blenheim and Tauranga will be affected by the changes. The airline says this is because of rising costs, such as the price of jet fuel and increases in airport landing fees. Chief executive Christopher Luxon has previously said increases in fuel price would result in $200M in additional costs this year compared to last year.