‘Everyone must go’: New Zealand’s tourism drive draws ire

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New Zealand’s most recent tourism tagline can be a well-intentioned appeal for people to visit or a hazard to push Kiwis up, depending on how you read it.

” All Has Go”! reads a slogan printed across posters of people in New Zealand’s majestic landscapes- part of a NZ$ 500, 000 ($ 285, 000, £227, 000 ) campaign unveiled on Sunday.

Given that New Zealand experiences record-breaking immigration rates and poverty, what was intended as a memorable call to action aimed at Asian tourists has been accused of being tone-deaf.

The government has defended the campaign, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon saying he” ]appreciates ] there’s lots of chat about whether everyone loves the slogan or not”.

” The fact that we’re talking about it is a good thing. It’s a wonderful thing”, he added.

The new slogan “makes New Zealand sound like we’re in a clearance bin at a sale,” according to Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, tourism spokesperson for the opposition Labour Party, according to local news outlet Radio New Zealand ( RNZ ).

” The humor of that communication is, that’s how Aotearoa New Zealanders are feeling right today”, she said, pointing to the “many cuts” that people have experienced.

Job cuts to the common sector over the past year, as part of the president’s poverty press, have affected thousands of people.

However, people are moving out of the land in record amounts. Official statistics show that there were almost 130, 000 departures past yr- though that was offset by the introduction of almost 160, 000 immigrants.

Labour MP Barbara Edmonds wrote on X on Monday,” New Zealanders are voting with their legs, leaving in history great figures.” ” Is their true tourism plan ‘ Everyone Must Go ‘- for Kiwis”?

People associated the phrase with desire for toilet.

” Everyone Has Move” may make reference to the need for restrooms in some of our high-tourist areas, in my opinion. I mean, the counters are ridiculous”, Green Party MP Celia Wade-Brown told RNZ.

” They don’t get swimming, they don’t go swimming, but, my god, they queue at the toilet”.

Tourism minister Louise Upston stated in a statement on Sunday that” the campaign motto of” All must go” lets Australia know that New Zealand is a “must visit” place and that we are prepared and waiting to welcome them right away.

New Zealand’s hospitality numbers have yet to jump back to pre-pandemic rates, and government are channelling work into attracting customers from neighbouring Australia, its largest cause of visitors.

Last season, New Zealand welcomed more than 1.2 million tourists from Australia. However, Upston claimed that just 88 % of visitors in 2019 were there.

Luxon expressed his hope that the most recent campaign did increase American visitor statistics by 5 %.

If those Australian didn’t arrive before they actually died, he said, “it may be completely and utterly dreadful.”

The month-long commerce strategy is set to start on Thursday.

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Budget 2025: ‘Considerable’ uncertainty about Singapore government revenues in coming years, says PM Wong

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The government will continue to monitor fiscal styles carefully and release Singapore’s medium-term forecasts, said Mr Wong.

“ In the meantime, we may spend properly and ensure resources are allocated efficiently. ”

If and when there is more revenue, Singapore may set it to “good use”, said the Prime Minister.

THE BUDGET IN NUMBERS

Singapore’s revenue for 2025 is estimated to be S$ 122. 8 billion ( US$ 91. 4 billion ), 5. 3 per share or S$ 6. 2 billion more than the earlier year’s revised quotes.

The increase is anticipated to result from higher corporate income tax collections, personal income tax collections, goods and services tax ( GST ), customs excise and carbon taxes, and other sources.

Total cost is thought to be S$ 123. 8 billion, up 9. 6 per cent or S$ 10. 9 billion from the updated 2024 figure.

The estimated budget for this year is S$ 143 when ministry expenditures are combined with other components like special transfers and the effects of the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act are taken into account. 1 billion, up from S$ 134. 2 billion next month.

The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry each have the highest state consumption increases.

Social spending is anticipated to account for about half of the total cost, at S$ 61. 3 billion. The cost of security and additional connections is S$ 33. 2 billion, while monetary spending is set to come in at S$ 24. 5 billion. The cost of federal administration is anticipated to be S$ 4. 7 billion.

The S$ 27 is anticipated to be made from the net investment returns contribution ( NIRC ). 1 billion this month, 12. 9 % more than the 2024 revised number.

Ultimately, the final budget status is anticipated to have a surplus of S$ 6. 8 billion, or 0. 9 per share of GDP.

That is roughly the same as the glut from the past fiscal year, which was revised to S$ 6. 4 billion, up from the estimate of about S$ 800 million.

In the fiscal year 2024, the state generated more profit than anticipated, with operating income rising to S$ 116. 6 billion, 7. 3 per share or S$ 8 billion more than estimated.

Total spending increased 1 percent, or S$ 1, or 2 billion to S$ 112. 9 billion, driven in part by public accommodation demands and defence spending.

Due to reduced requirements for COVID-19 and a lower-than-expected take-up level for group care earnings enhancement techniques, the government spent less on care.

“A important facilitator for Singapore’s continued victory is sound and healthy public finances, ” said Mr Wong. We accomplish this by operating a sensible resources over each word of government and living within our means.

This entails making wise purchases to meet our immediate and future demands, making sure that our incomes cover costs, and keeping the tax burden as low as possible while avoiding a debt problem for Singaporeans. “

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Budget 2025: Singaporeans to get up to S0 in vouchers, income tax rebate and special baby gift to mark SG60

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SINGAPORE: Singapore citizens aged 21 and up will receive cash vouchers of up to S$ 800 ( US$ 600 ) each to mark the country’s 60th birthday, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Tuesday ( Feb 18 ).

As part of an SG60 item, there will also be a personal income tax return of 60 per cent for the 2025 time of evaluation, along with a baby present for newborns this time, he said during his Budget 2025 speech.

The deal aims to “recognise the efforts of all Singaporeans, and to share the benefits of our nation’s improvement”, said Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister.

The government is expected to spend$ 2.02 billion on the SG60 certificates only this fiscal year.

Seniors over the age of 60 will receive an additional S$ 200 for each Taiwanese adult, while those over 60 will receive S$ 600. &nbsp,

The certificates will be distributed in July and disappear on December 31, 2026. They will gain about 3 million people.

” Seniors may say second, and the rest after”, said Mr Wong.

They can be claimed digitally and used at participating supermarkets, heartland retailers, and hawkers in the same way that they do Community Development Council ( CDC ) vouchers.

The SG60 offer even includes a personal income tax return of 60 per share, capped at S$ 200, so that it generally benefits middle-income staff, said Mr Wong.

And Singaporean children born this year will get a SG60 Baby Gift, a move that the Minister second made known in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah in November of last year.

BOOSTING CULTURE AND Group

Individually but also as part of Singapore’s 60th birthday celebrations, booths in hawker centres and areas managed by the government and government-appointed users may get one-time rental assistance of S$ 600 this year.

Our hawker centers and businesses are a significant component of our way of life, according to Mr. Wong. The monument of our Hawker society on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is celebrated this year as well as the 50th anniversary of our founding, which included the construction of our first stalls centers and businesses.

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‘Died for stealing chocolate’: Pakistan anger over death of child maid

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A few in north-east Pakistan has been detained for allegedly stealing candy and allegedly murdering a 13-year-old girl who worked for them as a lady.

The lady who goes only by one title, Iqra, succumbed to many accidents at the hospital next Wednesday. She had been tortured, according to a preliminary officers research.

The Rawalpindi case has sparked a lot of outcry, with messages using the hashtag# JusticeforIqra generating tens of thousands of views, and rekindling the debate about domestic workers ‘ abuse and child labor.

Children under the age of 15 could work as home workers in the province of Punjab, though regulations governing child labor vary across the nation.

” I felt totally shattered inside when she died”, Iqra’s parents, Sana Ullah, told the BBC.

He claimed that next Wednesday he received a call from the police about Iqra. When he rushed to the hospital, he saw Iqra lying on a pillow, incapacitated. Minutes later, she passed away.

Iqra started working as a girl when she was eight years old. Her father, a 45-year-old producer, said he had sent her to operate because he was in arrears.

She returned to work for the couple, who have eight kids of their own, after working for a few businesses. She was earning about £23 ($ 28 ) per month.

Iqra was charged with stealing candy from her businesses, according to the authorities, adding that a preliminary investigation revealed she had been tortured.

Additionally, the authorities claim that there is proof of regular abuse. Many injuries in her legs and arms, as well as a serious head injury, were revealed in photos and videos obtained by the BBC.

The authorities have informed the BBC that they were still awaiting the final medical record, and an examination is being conducted to determine the total amount of her wounds.

“My heart cries tears of blood. How many… are subjected to violence in their homes every day for a trivial job of a few thousand?” activist Shehr Bano wrote on X. “How long will the poor continue to lower their daughters into graves in this way?”

Others have argued that her death was reportedly the result of a thus minor incident.

” She died over chocolates”? posed a Muslim person with X.

” This is not just a crime, it’s a reflection of]a ] system that enables]the ] rich to treat]the ] poor as disposable”, another said.

Iqra’s companies, Rashid Shafiq and his family Sana, have been arrested, along with a Quran professor, who worked for the home. After telling medical personnel that the woman’s parents had passed away and her mother was not present, the teacher took Iqra to the doctor and drove her away.

Authorities told the BBC it was not clear whether she believed this to be true.

Iqra’s papa says he wants to view” those accountable for my mother’s dying punished”.

Despite the general outcry that these cases usually cause, they are generally settled out of court, and it’s uncommon for suspects to succeed in getting their charges dropped.

In 2018, a judge and his wife were sentenced to three years in jail for torturing their then 10-year-old maid in what had been a highly publicised case that sparked outrage across the country. But they later had their sentences reduced to one year.

Tayyaba was discovered with serious injury, including burn to her hands and feet, according to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science. A bruised left eye and cuts to the girl’s face were also visible in the girl’s images. She claimed to have been beat because she had lost a brush, according to the prosecution.

Sufferers or their families have the right, under Pakistani law, to pardon someone for a number of grave offences. In order to do this, they must formally status in judge that they “forgive a suspect in the name of God.”

In fact, legal watchers say that the principal motive for that “forgiveness” is usually financial, and paying sufferers is not outlawed.

About 3.3 million children in Pakistan are engaged in child labour, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund ( Unicef ). Moreover, women and young girls make up a vast majority of Pakistan’s 8.5 million domestic workers, according to the International Labour Organisation ( ILO ).

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Singapore does not condone businesses who use local ties to bypass US export controls on AI chips

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NOT IN SINGAPORE’S NATIONAL INTEREST TO Get “MADE USE OF”: BALAKRISHNAN&nbsp,

Assoc Prof Lim stated in response to Dr. Tan’s response that he had initially contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( MFA ) and asked if an MFA minister could respond to inquiries that” call for… &nbsp, a foreign policy approach.”

Assoc Prof Lim questioned whether the government was aware of such “imbalances” and whether they are “positive or bad for the national attention from a foreign policy perspective” because a little larger portion of Nvidia’s profit was billed to Singapore in comparison to &nbsp, physical deliveries to the nation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan reacted to this by stating that Singapore is the world headquarters for dozens of foreign businesses, and that its deal size is three days the GDP.

” These distinctive traits are standard for the distinctive part Singapore plays in the world economy,” said Dr. Balakrishnan.

” There’s nothing strange or unstable about that. The key to the puzzle is really whether these businesses and organizations are using Singapore to escape punitive export controls.

He continued, stating that it is not in the government’s federal interest to be “made use of,” but that Singapore is not officially obliged to impose punitive trade measures on other nations.

We won’t permit them to use our association to carry out deceptive or evasive trade practices to avoid unilateral export laws that apply to them. The point is, the onus is on that company and we will not countenance evasion, deception, false declarations or even misaccounting”, he said.

Dr. Balakrishnan added that Singapore will facilitate investigations and determine whether there is any cause for concern if a trading partner visits Singapore with concerns.

” We do that in order to protect our own national interests”, he said, adding that Singapore also has a need for AI chips.

The Biden administration’s final year of office and the release of the AI diffusion rule are now open for comment, so the situation is still evolving, he said.

Needless to say, we will continue to work with the main exporter to make sure we have enough of these advanced chips,” he said.

It is all the more important for us to play it straight in a world that is divided, fracturing, polarizing, and divided, he added, and to be fair, he said in Beijing and Washington. Everything that Minister Tan has said applies to all of our trading partners, in part because of this.

Then, nominated MP Mark Lee posed a query about the economic ramifications of Singapore’s inclusion in the new US AI export controls.

Dr. Tan noted that the new US administration has not made any comments on their policy or position regarding the new rule, and that it did not share specific requirements regarding the tiering requirements or what would be necessary for a nation to be upgraded to a higher tier.

” We are in consultation with industry players in Singapore to get feedback on the potential effects of the draft rules on their business activities,” he said. This will help us decide whether or not to take appropriate steps to support our companies. We are also working with the US to address their questions and understand how they approach the AI diffusion rule.

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Budget 2025: S0 in Climate Vouchers for families in private properties; additional S0 for HDB households

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We will need to create life changes and embrace sustainable practices in our everyday lives to fully realize our natural potential. Every individual actions counts”, said Mr Wong.

If you haven’t already, I urge all families to move to more resource-efficient items.

The Climate Friendly Households Programme, which was expanded to all HDB cottages last month, includes the tickets. &nbsp,

They come in a mix of faiths– S$ 2, S$ 5, S$ 10 and S$ 50 and can be used to purchase 10 types of energy- and water-efficient home items. &nbsp,

Culture RISKS AND TACKLING Pollution

In his speech, Mr Wong even shared how officials did “accelerate” efforts to decarbonise the travel industry, which accounts for about 15 per cent of Singapore’s overall emissions today.

He noted that in 2024, almost half of all new cars registered were electric vehicles and that almost half of those were hybrid cars, and that Singapore is “making good progress” in its effort to have” good progress” toward the previously-stated goal of having 100 percent cleaner energy cars by 2040.

But, adoption of clear power varieties of large vehicles has been slower, said Mr Wong.

The state will also offer an energy large car charger grant and a fresh Heavy Vehicle Zero Emissions Scheme. He claimed that these initiatives will support co-funding of the charging system and the order of clear, heavy vehicles.

During the Committee of Supply discussion, the Ministry of Transport will provide more information about the plans.

Additionally, Mr. Wong made the announcement that the authorities would start levying road tax on electric vehicles and cars with the Additional Flat Component ( AFC) of AFC.

The AFC will be set at S$ 250 per year for electric heavy goods vehicles, and$ 190 and$ 550 per year for electric minibuses and large buses, respectively. Starting in January of next year, it will be phased in over three decades until it is entirely implemented by January 2028.

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Budget 2025: Parents having their third child or more to get up to S,000 in extra support

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Singaporean parents will receive up to S$ 16, 000 ( US$ 11, 900 ) more in financial support for each third child born on February 18 as part of a new program for large families, according to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement on Tuesday ( Feb 18 ).

Speaking during his Budget 2025 speech in parliament, Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said:” People with more babies usually worry about extra fees, because the requires grow with each extra baby”.

He added that the new Significant Families Scheme may assist married couples who have three or more children aspiration.

According to the National Population and Talent Division ( NPTD), which is under the control of the Prime Minister’s Office, this applies to parents who have remarried and are raising three or more children from previous marriages or current marriages. &nbsp,

According to NPTD, the government anticipates spending about S$ 80 million annually on the program. &nbsp,

Parents will be given a S$ 5, 000 Large Family MediSave award for each second and subsequent Singaporean born on Tuesday, according to Mr. Wong.

The offer will be credited into the family’s MediSave bill, and can be used to offset either her pregnancy and delivery costs, or family members ‘ medical bills.

LIFESG CREDITS

Parents will also be awarded S$ 1, 000 in LifeSG credits for each third and subsequent child between the ages of one and six, or a total of S$ 6, 000 over the course of six years, according to Mr. Wong.

The child’s Child Development Account trustee can access these credits through the LifeSG mobile app, as well as those provided by national servicemen, and they can also be used at any online or physical retailer that accepts payments via PayNow UEN QR or NETS QR.

Families that already have three or more children between Jan. 1, 2019 and Feb. 17, 2019, will also receive S$ 1, 000 annually for each eligible child until they reach the age of six, according to NPTD in a press release on Tuesday.

The LifeSG credits will be disbursed in September. A child’s eligibility will be determined on March 1 for the following years, and the funds will be distributed in April.

Finally, under the First Step grant, all third- and subsequent Singaporean children born on Tuesday will receive S$ 10, 000 in their Child Development Accounts. This is twice the original budget.

According to Mr. Wong, this can be used to pay for the child’s tuition and other medical expenses.

The government also wants to collaborate with business partners to offer” a broad range” of benefits and deals for large families, according to NPTD. Thirty businesses from various industries, including food and beverage, retail, and transportation, have signed on so far.

FEWER COUPLES HAVING BIG FAMILIES

The Singapore government has released a number of marriage and parenthood measures in recent years, including a suite of announcements for large families on Tuesday. &nbsp,

They include 10 additional weeks of paid time off for new parents starting on April 1 and six additional weeks starting the year after that.

The Baby Bonus was also increased in 2023 to encourage more children.

More than a third of married couples want three or more children, but fewer couples actually do so, according to NPTD surveys.

According to figures from the Department of Statistics, the proportion of married, female Singaporeans between the ages of 40 and 49 who have three or more children dropped from 24 percent in 2014 to 18 % in 2024.

In 2023, Singapore’s resident total fertility rate also dropped below 1.0 for the first time.

On Tuesday, Mr Wong also announced other one-off support measures in this space.

For each child under the age of 12 this year, families will receive S$ 500 in Child LifeSG credits. The credits will be distributed in July for those who were born this year between the ages of one and twelve, and in April 2026 for those who were born this year.

Singaporean children aged 13 to 16 will get S$ 500 in top-ups to their Edusave accounts, while those aged 17 to 20 will get an additional S$ 500 in their Post-Secondary Education accounts.

The families of about 455, 000 children are expected to&nbsp, benefit from the Child LifeSG credits and about 300, 000 students will benefit from the top-ups to their Edusave and Post-Secondary Education accounts.

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Budget 2025: Preschool fee caps to be lowered, more support for lower-income families to buy a home

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As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced measures to support families in his Budget speech on Tuesday ( Feb. 18 ), Singaporeans will receive more help with preschool fees. &nbsp,

The regular care costs at lover technician preschools will never exceed S$ 650, while those at buoy operator preschools may be capped at S$ 620.

The figures are lower than the S$ 640 and S$ 640 caps, both, for the second time in a row that Mr. Wong has reduced the school price cap in his Budget statement.

After grants, a dual-income family will spend about S$ 300 per infant, with lower- and middle-income people paying less after more incentives, said the prime minister. &nbsp,

According to him,” This reduction will keep full-day preschool costs at the same as those for the combined costs of primary school and after-school care,” he continued. &nbsp,

Mr Wong, who is also the finance minister, said the government will do more to support lower-income and vulnerable families so they can achieve stability, self-reliance and mobility. &nbsp,

Second-timer families with children who reside in public rental apartments will receive S$ 75, 000 in grants to purchase a new standard two-room Flexi or standard three-room flat on a shorter lease under the improved Fresh Start Housing Scheme, he announced on Tuesday. &nbsp,

Currently, eligible families under the scheme, which was launched in 2016, can get up to S$ 50, 000 in grants.

Second-generation families refer to households that have previously received one housing subsidy. &nbsp,

First-timer families with children living in public rental flats, or those who have not benefited from housing subsidies, will be allowed to buy shorter-lease subsidised flats through the same scheme, said Mr Wong.
 
They typically face more difficult circumstances in life, such as having to deal with family medical issues or raising their children alone, he continued. &nbsp,

Even with the housing subsidies available to first-time home owners, these families may have trouble purchasing a flat with a full 99-year lease, according to Mr. Wong. &nbsp,

Desmond Lee, the Minister for National Development, said he will provide more information at the upcoming Committee of Supply debates.

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Budget 2025: S0 monthly allowance for mid-career workers taking up part-time courses

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SUPPORT FOR HIGHER LEARNING Schools

Mr. Wong praised the significance of higher education institutions in lifelong learning, and proposed that the Singapore Universities Trust be extended by ten years to support fundraising efforts by younger autonomous universities like the Singapore University of Social Sciences ( SUSS) and the Singapore Institute of Technology.

The trust was established in 2010 to support automatic universities in raising their endowment funds by offering related grants for donations over the course of 20 years.
 
Additionally, the government will help SUSS build a new town college. The government and the country’s sixth school, which is now run out of rented space, were previously reported to be in talks for a strategically located campus it could call its own.

On Tuesday, Mr. Wong stated,” This will help SUSS to promote lifelong learning and offer programs with a strong cultural emphasis at an visible location in the city for trainees of all ages.”

HELPING ENTERPRISES TO TRANSFORM THEIR Labor

To help companies train their labor, new and improved techniques will be introduced.

The SkillsFuture Workforce Development Grant does add to the present initiatives being managed by Workforce Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore. The new grant will support work makeover actions by providing up to 70 % funding in addition to easing the application process for businesses.
 
The SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit program, which helps employers pay out-of-pocket costs for business and workplace conversion, may be revamped. Now, companies had paid upfront for personnel training and get insurance. According to Mr. Wong, some businesses are unaware of the scheme’s use and are also unaware of its use.

Companies can check their credit balance and instantly offset eligible workforce transition costs by repurchasing the scheme’s design, which will make it” an online wallet.”

Companies with at least three residing employees may receive an additional S$ 10, 000 in certificates, which are renewable for three years, starting in the second quarter of 2026. Existing funds, initially set to expire this June, will become extended until the fresh funds are made accessible.

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Budget 2025: CPF contribution rates of those aged above 55 to 65 to increase 1.5 percentage points in 2026

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In his Budget statement on Tuesday ( Feb 18 ), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that the Central Provident Fund ( CPF ) contribution rates for those over 55 to 65 will increase by 1.5 percentage points in 2026. &nbsp,

This will begin on Jan 1, 2026, bringing the Pension input costs for employees aged above 55 to 60 to 34 per share.

The CPF input costs for employees over the age of 60 to 65 will increase by 25 %.

The CPF pension account will receive the full benefit of the particular CPF factor increases. &nbsp,

Mr. Wong, who is also the finance minister, stated in his budget speech in parliament that the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Staff ‘ comments were followed by the increase in CPF factor levels. &nbsp,

The authorities announced in 2019 that CPF commitment rates may be eventually raised over the next ten years for Singaporean and permanent residents aged above 55 to 70 in accordance with the workgroup’s tips. &nbsp,

When the increases are completely implemented, those aged above 55 to 60 will have the same Pension input costs as younger employees. &nbsp,

According to Mr. Wong, companies will continue to receive the CPF Transition Offset for another year to cover half the increase in company efforts for 2026. &nbsp,

Companies can use for the offset immediately because it is already available. &nbsp,

Older employees can increase their retirement savings with this decision, and businesses will continue to receive federal funding to reduce business costs, according to Mr. Wong. &nbsp,

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