October brings changes: The Govt policies taking effect from today

October 1 is a hard-working date on the political calendar, with several government policies beginning and other initiatives ending.

Here’s a rundown of what New Zealanders can expect, with changes across health, parking, tourism, vaping, early childhood education and winter energy payments.

New Zealanders have been able to access free Covid rapid antigen tests (RATs) since early 2022 but those days have officially come to an end.

The free supply of RATs ended yesterday, with tests now only available to purchase.

Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said removing access to free RATs could create a “huge equity problem”.

"This equity issue matters because RATs are still useful to protect the health of individuals and those around them,” he said.

"For older people and those with underlying health conditions, a positive test is needed to qualify for antiviral treatment like Paxlovid.”

Such treatment needs to start within five days of illness, so rapid testing is important, he said.

However, Professor Michael Plank from the University of Canterbury said it was worth looking at the cost of continuing to provide free RATs and whether that money could be better spent elsewhere in the health system.

“Using RATs to test asymptomatic people is very inefficient as it likely requires hundreds of tests just to find one case, so the costs mount up quickly,” he said.

“Overall it seems likely that the money we have been spending on RATs could have a bigger impact elsewhere, such as targeted vaccination campaigns for high-risk groups or extending free influenza vaccine eligibility."

Pembrolizumab (branded as Keytruda) is now funded for eligible people with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, and Hodgkin lymphoma.

Keytruda is an immunotherapy drug that has been effective in slowing down the progression of some cancers and improving survival rates – but it comes with an eye-watering price tag. Most patients receive it every three or six weeks.

The fines for people who misuse mobility parks are jumping from $150 to $750 today.

Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the sharp increase in the penalty would “level the playing field for disabled people by helping prevent unnecessary disruptions in their day-to-day lives”.

Government changes around parking and towing vehicles also mean parking infringement fees will increase around 70% from today, with towage and storage fees increasing by 68% and 98% respectively.

The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) is increasing significantly today, meaning most visitors to New Zealand will now pay $100 to travel here – up from $35.

The Government revealed the increase last month, saying public consultation showed 93% of submitters supported lifting the levy.

The news was not welcomed by the New Zealand Airports Association at the time, which said the increase "cemented New Zealand as one of the most expensive countries in the world for a holiday today".

Meanwhile, new charges are also being introduced across almost all visa categories from today.

Reuseable vapes need to have removeable batteries and child proofing mechanisms from today.

The Government had deferred this requirement earlier in the year to “ensure sufficient availability of appropriate reusable vaping products to continue to support people to quit smoking”.

Some families can begin submitting claims for the Government’s new FamilyBoost payment from today.

Eligible families earning up to $180,000 a year can claim up to 25% of their weekly early childhood education (ECE) fees, up to a maximum of $75 a week.

The weather might be about to take a turn for the worse (again) but winter is officially over – and so too is the Winter Energy Payment for this year.

The Winter Energy Payment is an extra payment made to New Zealanders who receive a main benefit, pension or Jobseeker Support Student Hardship payment. The Winter Energy Payment is made between May 1 and October 1 every year.

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