New Zealand's Hipkins cuts many contentious plans

New Zealand's Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he was axing or delaying many of his government's more contentious policy plans as he looked to refocus on priorities like the rising cost of living.

Hipkins said the government was continuing to take a hard look at other contentious plans, which include the government taking more control of water infrastructure, building light rail connections in Auckland and taxing the greenhouse gas emissions of farm animals.

Hipkins also announced a 7% increase in the minimum wage, to 22.70 New Zealand dollars per hour. He said many of the plans remained good ideas but the time wasn't right to implement them.