Pay rise

The Island Sun newspaper reported MPs were given a 3.5 percent pay increase effective from the beginning of this month by the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission.

The commission told the paper the increase was fair given that MPs missed out on one in 2016, the same year the commission gave the MPs tax free salaries.

The chairperson of Transparency Solomon Islands, Ruth Liloqula, said her organisation had crunched the numbers and the latest pay rise negates the tax.

New Zealand Rugby and the Players Association have agreed a new three-year deal, which will see the total pool for player payments rise from $121 million to $176 million.

The money will be spread out from All Black level, all the way down to provincial and development level as well as sevens.

The maximum Super Rugby retainers will increase $5000 to $195,000, while the minimum retainers will also increase $5000 to $75,000.

Provincial Rugby's maximum retainer will remain $55,000 while the minimum retainer has increased significantly, up $18,000 to $21,000.