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Payroll changes per 1 April Mar 12, 2026

This year, in addition to the usual payroll updates, there is a change to the minimum KiwiSaver contributions.

Below is a summary of the changes from 1st April 2026 and what this means for you as an Employer:

Minimum Wage Increase

  • The Adult Minimum wage increases from $23.50/hour to $23.95/hour...
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What is in a word? Mar 12, 2026

When you start or grow a business, there is one piece of advice you hear over and over again:

“You need to network.”

Join networking groups.
Go to events.
Meet people.
Hand out business cards.

For some people, that sounds exciting, but for many bookkeepers, who tend to be on the introverted side…
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Protecting What You’re Building – A Timely Reminder Mar 10, 2026

The storms recently were a good reminder of something many of us quietly push down the list.

After being prompted into action, my own emergency plan is now mostly finished. My updated Will is ready to be signed. My insurance has been reviewed and adjusted to suit where I am now — and where I’m head...

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Fonterra's sale of its Mainland Group to Lactalis unconditional; payout 14 April Mar 09, 2026

Unlike 88% of Fonterra farmers in New Zealand who voted in favour of selling, I am not entirely convinced it is in the long-term interest of our dairy industry, as we are now basically back in the commodities market.

The sale is done and has gone unconditional, and Fonterra has an

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Happy International Women's Day Mar 08, 2026

Happy International Women’s Day from the team at The Farm Office 🌸

Today, we celebrate the incredible women who keep so many things running smoothly — on farms, in businesses, in families, and in communities.

At The Farm Office, we’re proud to be an all-female team, supporting farmers across New Z...

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Do you have an emergency plan? Feb 26, 2026

The wild weather of the past couple of weeks reminded me of my not-quite-finished emergency plan, so I am determined to finish it this week.

It also reminded me how easy it is to think, “I’ll get to it later,” while hoping nothing serious happens in the meantime, so I am sharing i

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Succession planning on your list? Jan 16, 2026

A big theme in client conversations over the last few weeks of the old year – and in the first weeks of the new one – has been succession and retirement planning.

And no, that doesn’t mean “I’m done farming next year.” or "I am selling my business this year".

The clients I’ve been talking to are a...

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Retirement Relief: Age Stays at 65 retirement Dec 09, 2025

New Zealand’s retirement landscape is changing, and this week’s announcement has brought a real sense of relief for many - especially those in physically demanding jobs like farming. The government has confirmed it will not lift the retirement age to 67. Instead, a new, more stable superannuation fr...

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Pre-plan your holiday season payroll holidays payroll Nov 15, 2025

I am sure many of you have already started planning for Christmas and making sure your roster works, and so have I. In my case, I am pre-planning payroll processing for my clients so my team can get a break and payroll gets processed and paid on time.

Payroll processing is relatively simp

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Why are boundaries and values important? personal development work life balance Jun 15, 2025

There is a lot of discussion in my social circles at the moment about boundaries and values. They work together as your values determine what your boundaries are and where they are. 

Until the last couple of years, I had not truly articulated my values and boundaries. Everyone has values and boundari...

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Kiwisaver changes announced in today's budget May 22, 2025

The very short version of what is happening with KiwiSaver as announced in todays budget.

Government contribution will halve, starting from 1 July 2025 and employer/employee contributions to increase to 4% each (from the 3% default now) in two steps. They will rise to 3.5% 1 April 2026. 

Employe...

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Change to AEWV requirements #accreditedemployerworkvisa #aewv Dec 20, 2024

What this means for farmers

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced immigration reforms this week, including changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa requirements. These changes make filling gaps in your team with overseas staff easier, as the requirements are more reasonable.

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