A tale of two housing policies

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, July 17th, 2013 - 48 comments
Categories: housing, labour, national - Tags: , ,

Houses are seriously unaffordable, especially for first-time buyers.

Labour has proposed a capital gains tax, to try and take some of the heat out of the speculative market (cash rich investors snapping up all the houses for capital gain), and KiwiBuild to build 10,000 new houses over the next ten years. These policies will help first-time buyers.

The Reserve Bank under the current government is proposing tougher requirements (a higher deposit) on mortgage loans. This policy will make it even more difficult for first-timers. It isn’t proving popular:

Growing opposition to Reserve Bank housing restrictions

Getting a mortgage to buy a house could be about to get a lot harder. The Reserve Bank’s inching towards restricting the amount of money banks can lend to certain customers, in an attempt to cool down a red-hot property market. But that could put mortgages out of reach for many first-time buyers.

…in most cases, buyers will have to save up a bigger deposit, perhaps 20 percent, which, for a $500,000 house, would be $100,000.

… Labour wants an exemption for first-home buyers. “They’re going to make it much tougher, particularly for low and middle-income first home buyers, to get into the housing market,” says Labour housing spokesman Phil Twyford. “And bizarrely they’re actually going to give an advantage to property investors and speculators.”

Housing is a deal-breaker. It is a major issue for young families and workers, it is a major issue for many of the boomer generation who are wondering if their children will ever own homes of their own.

First-time buyers are much better off under Labour’s policy settings. The only way to get them is to vote Left. Parties of the Left – take this issue and run hard!

48 comments on “A tale of two housing policies ”

  1. just saying 1

    Oh, there’s a surprise. Labour’s solution to the housing crisis is a nice gift (maybe worth $40,000, or three years of benefit moneies) to kids of the comfy for brand -spanking-new first homes. There will be more than a few that start their property portfolio with the help of the comfy middle class party’s pressie.

    But never mind. – there’s always the trickle-down. And doesn’t this policy provide wonderful opportunities for pissing all over the poor as they compete hunger-games style for the ptifully inadequate numbers of state or council homes, or to pay lum slords most of their meagre income for any kind of roof over their heads.

    And yes I know it is Labour policy to increase numbers of state houses – from inadequate to still utterly inadequate. And I’m sure social housing will be a reeaally high priority for thm. Not.

    • tracey 1.1

      What do you think the answer is? Serious question, not a dig.

      I dont have any faith in labour but I couldn’t see how the proposed change by RB is going to change housing affordability, at all. I admit I haven’t read widely on it though.

      • Pete 1.1.1

        Reinstate the State Advances Corporation. For a large chunk of the 20th century, they provided 95% mortgages. It worked, and it worked well.

        • Lightly 1.1.1.1

          the Greens’ Progressive Ownership is essentially State Advances (ie. the government passing on its low borrowing cost to first hme buyers) with the difference that the govt does the house building too for better planning, better quality. And, as its a shared equity scheme rather than a mortgage, there’s no default risk, no deposit needed.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.1.1

            (ie. the government passing on its low borrowing cost to first hme buyers)

            The government doesn’t need to borrow and so shouldn’t. They can print the money and make it available at 0% interest.

        • Colonial Viper 1.1.1.2

          Pete +1

          Also greatly increase the number of state houses, get rid of market rentals, and enable secure long term leases.

          Labour’s current proposals do not confront the trading banks fuelling the housing market with more and more debt on exactly the same house.

          It also does not confront the wealthy and the middle class investor types who are out there and own 8, 10+ houses themselves (or through their children, their trusts etc) as speculative investments.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.1.2.1

            Labour’s current proposals do not confront the trading banks fuelling the housing market with more and more debt on exactly the same house.

            Nope, they actually encourage the banks to increase lending thus putting NZ into ever more debt with the banks creaming it.

      • Tom 1.1.2

        The whole toolbox needs to be chucked at this issue.

        Remove incentives for professional landlord’s. All this does is encourage investors to buy up homes and bank on making a capital gain, while effectively paying no tax and having the interest and rates serviced. A CGT would go part way to addressing this, but IMO there are a range of other tax levers that need to be pulled together. Would be very unpopular in the investor community, but needs to be done. Currently, it can actually be cheaper to own a 90% lent, 3 bedroom house in Wellington with an aggressive repayment plan than it is to rent a similar house. This is outside of the social housing context, which could potentially be used more as a market balancer.

        Look at the supply side of housing. There is clearly a lack of supply in some areas. The kiwbuild programme, Greenfield development, intensification, and streamlining of consenting are all mechanisms that can address this. The lending criteria around new builds is also quite strict, there may be room offer a first-home programme that encourages new building to enable first home buyers to build (within limits of course). Same goes for apartments – banks wont lend more than 50% for either of these.

        Intensives to encourage occupants of prime family homes to sell and move to more appropriate homes. I recall a number of housing needs studies showing that there are a huge number of older single or couple occupants in 3-5 bedroom homes where the kinds have since moved on. Encouraging these people to move to a smaller, more appropriate house could potentially open up significant supply of the housing in the most demand.

        Look at whether anything can be done to incentivise migration to provincial NZ. has a degree of central planning about it, but are there opportunities to relocate some bigger govt operations to places like Hamilton, Palmerston North, Dunedin etc. Alternatively, are there tax levers or similar to encourage large employers to go there rather than place with massive housing pressure?

        My view is that there is no one single solution, it will take a concerted effort across a range of areas to truly make housing more affordable and accessible without leaving thousands of families badly overcapitalised.

        • Colonial Viper 1.1.2.1

          Remove incentives for professional landlord’s. All this does is encourage investors to buy up homes and bank on making a capital gain, while effectively paying no tax and having the interest and rates serviced.

          I agree with you that the book needs to be thrown at the issue. On this specific point however I go with Steve Keen’s line: there needs to be incentives for professional landlords ie. those buying and holding property in order to gain a reasonable return through rental income, as opposed to property speculators who are looking to make their money through capital gains and simply rent out the property inbetween flipping it.

          • mikesh 1.1.2.1.1

            Agreed. There are still people who prefer to rent rather than buy, and these need to be catered for. I would think though that such professional landlords would need to be subject to licencing, and perhaps we should regulate so that renting out properties is illegal without a licence.

          • Rosetinted 1.1.2.1.2

            CV
            What bothers me is that the returns that some landlords want are based on the annual valuation of the house so that they want a certain percentage return on today’s inflated value and then another rise for next year’s valuation. If rates were set on the historical value plus maintenance and improvements it would be fairer to renters.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.3

            I see no need for professional landlords. State housing could easily supply all the needed rentals and they could do it for cost because the government doesn’t need to get the money that it spent building the homes back.

      • Tinfoilhat 1.1.3

        A green led government.

      • Tinfoilhat 1.1.4

        A green led government.

        • Rosetinted 1.1.4.1

          Crripes Tinfoil. Government has three syllables. A bit advanced for you.

      • Follow-the-money 1.1.5

        Housing affordability need not just be linked to the price of houses. Getting our incomes up with coherent, successful export policies would help.

    • Rosetinted 1.2

      just saying
      You’re right about the likely reactions of the ‘comfy’ middle class. They can do well all right. Some I know can’t settle anywhere as they are constantly having wet dreams of the sort of house and property they could be in and sell up and move on. Very strange attitudes of these spoilt for choice young parents (who got considerable assistance from doting parents).

    • bad12 1.3

      Yes totally agree with you, Labour present to New Zealand a housing policy of,for and by the middle class while not really expressing one big fat f**k about the growing numbers of ‘less than middle class’ who will never even begin to ‘hope’ for home ownership,

      A % of those bright young things with their high earning tickets to the middle class, the uni degree, will go on to, like their parents befor them add to the problem of housing affordability by once gaining equity in the first property financed in part by the taxes of those who have only their labor to offer in this economy, become the landlords of the future,

      Thanks Labour for nothing, the Mene Mene’s of this world, poor manual working stiffs who cannot even begin to save for the deposit, bond, etc needed to get into a simple rental property will have the taxes they pay sucked up by the children of the middle class to pay for their home ownership,

      (Mene Mene is a manual worker featured on a couple of ‘Campbell Live’ programs, His wages and hours of work offered allowed Him his 3 children and His wife the ‘luxury’ of 1 room in an Auckland’ boarding house, there are 1000’s if not 10’s of 1000’s of Mene Mene’s who daily toil in our economy for the same pitiful result),

      This discussion has oft been aired here through the pages of the Standard and my view has hardened to where i see the Labour Party ‘KiwiBuild’ policy of shoehorning the children of the middle class into home ownership as a direct attack on those who are ‘less’ than middle class,

      Amidst this discussion we had then Labour Housing spokesperson Annette King at least conceding that perhaps Labour would need to look at the numbers as far as affordable Housing NZ rentals went, She got reshuffled into another portfolio and a resounding silence has emanated from Labour since,

      What will pull the ‘heat’ out of the Auckland housing market in particular is a serious, ongoing, sustained State House building program which simply takes away from the middle class the impetus to own second and third houses as rental property’s,

      Anything else is simply ‘class war’ waged against the poor, where the labour of the Mene Mene’s of the world is translated through the distribution of the very taxes the Mene Mene’s weekly toil to pay upward into ‘home ownership’ schemes by supposedly left wing Party’s that are soley focused upon the ‘needs’ of their own kind…

      • Draco T Bastard 1.3.1

        What will pull the ‘heat’ out of the Auckland housing market in particular is a serious, ongoing, sustained State House building program which simply takes away from the middle class the impetus to own second and third houses as rental property’s,

        Yep, the government should ensure that there is always a 2 to 3% over supply of housing at low, low rental.

  2. Bill 2

    I’d be quite happy to see some legislation that enabled the right to securely ‘rent for life’ with a private landlord…

    • Lanthanide 2.1

      Can’t see many landlords chomping at the bit for that one – they have everything to lose and nothing to gain from such an arrangement. If you have a good tenant that you want to keep on long term, there’s nothing stopping you from signing a 5 or 10 or x years lease as it is.

    • Colonial Viper 2.2

      Perhaps someone with knowledge of the European situation could explain a bit about how they do long term/life long leases over there.

      • Ant 2.2.1

        I know in a number of places it is heavily regulated, especially the apartment market – body corporates are extremely strict.

      • cricklewood 2.2.2

        I have a sister in law in Denmark who is renting out her Apartment, to get around the laws around long term tenancy she either rents to students or a fixed term contract which is just shy of the tripping point regarding long term occupation. Apparently it is a fairly common approach for those that are renting out a flat and don’t want to be stuck in a long term agreement which is governed by law.
        As with all these rules there are work arounds and unforseen consequences and generally In my experience a landlord doesn’t want to lose a good reliable tennant so will treat one well rather than risk changing tennant for an extra $20 a week

        • Rosetinted 2.2.2.1

          cricklewood
          I think a point you make about not wanting to lose good tenants, would really come into play if we could get wofs on tenanted properties so they couldn’t be left to deteriorate.

          In Australia some decades back there was a tv clip on a consumer channel where some agent would deduct all the bond for a few marks on the wall (despite most agreements allowing for fair wear and tear). So that sort of fanaticism would need to be prevented but money spent would keep good tenants, and good tenants would probably have longer tenancies at reasonable rates from reasonable landlords. Seems a great solution.

      • Rosetinted 2.2.3

        CV
        I would like to know how the Europeans deal with it. They go to the extent of sometimes signing a directive that is sort of an extended option that they will give first offer to somebody, and possibly this involves a payment. That is when someone desires a particular location. Also in Britain people have a long lease sometimes and decorate the place themselves except they can’t structurally alter it I think.

      • Colonial Viper 2.2.4

        Cheers for the info, all.

      • rosy 2.2.5

        Vienna – minimum rental contract is three years. Landlords like up to ten years but ours was negotiated down to 5 years. Rent controls are in place, generally below market rate – current yield in the inner city is 2-3 percent. Bonds are up to three months rent (so going in on NZ dollars required a loan however a nice little bonus for when we leave).

        There is high progressive tax on incomes earned from rents and progressive capital gains tax if the property is sold before 10 years.

        The city is heavily involved in subsiding in rentals, owning properties (220000 apartments) and ensuring housing large amounts of affordable housing is built by working with housing associations – from land acquisition and housing development design stage right through to rentals.

        Importantly, to keep up with housing needs and new ideas, Vienna has it’s own housing research department

        which aims to

        – Providing facts and argument for the housing policy of the City of Vienna,
        – Providing a medium-term data basis that can be updated at any time and may also be used as a basis for short-run detailed studies,
        – Providing a starting point for medium-term strategies of Austrian housing research institutes, broadening the future research community and enforcing competition among the research institutions.

        There are significant differences between the public and private housing markets, but potential investors are warned that legislation is tenant-friendly.

        Overall, the housing research department has noted that

        In an international comparison, household housing expenses as percentage of household income are low in Austria. With approx. 18% they clearly range below the EU average of approx. 23% (2010)

  3. bad12 3

    Looked at as a simple matter of numbers it is easy to see where home ownership became unaffordable,

    The seeds of this where sown by Governments 30 years ago, the growth of the New Zealand population from 3.3 million to 4.4 million in a 30 year period whilst the State stopped building State housing is the direct root cause of today’s ‘unaffordable home ownership’,

    For a population of 3.3 million we had 75,000 state houses, with a population of 4.4 million we now have only 67,000 state houses, numbers alone would suggest nay demand, that there be at least 100,000 state houses,

    So, being ‘light’ by 30,000 State houses has created demand in the economy for rental housing which the ‘middle class’ have gladly catered too,

    ‘Fixing’ home ownership for the middle class simply leaves the 10’s of 1000’s of low waged manual workers as the ‘victims’, unable to access affordable State Housing, never being able to even dream of home ownership, it is the low waged manual workers of our economy who will be truly paying for the likes of Labours Kiwibuild home ownership program through their taxes,

    In return it will be the low waged manual workers of our economy who will be trapped, paying rentals to the very people who created the supposed crisis in the first place, mere slaves to the middle class…

    • Rosetinted 3.1

      bad 12
      1960’s NZ – 3% loan with child payment capitalisation allowed for young families, up to a level of income and if one could earn more the loan became 5%. Nice houses. People settled and had their families and mowed their lawns and did their gardens and worked and looked after their children and had a life.

      Wasn’t all perfect, but what a good system with a government that worked for not against the population. Arguments there were in government and so on, but people weren’t abandoned to this shape up or ship out you scum mentality. How did a democracy get these shithouse rats we have now, and the others may be better-bred but still are rats.

  4. bad12 4

    In socio/economic terms whilst the population has grown from 3.3 million to 4.4 million and State housing slumped to a shadow of what the population statistics suggest it should be, 67,000 houses, the demographic, apparently irreversibly changed by ‘Rogernomics’, has also changed as far as the tenancy of the remaining State Housing stock is concerned,

    Up to the early years of the 70’s the majority of the State Housing stock was allocated (on the basis of need) to the low waged manual labour workforce, this demographic radically changed as the ‘restructuring’ (spit) of the economy built a new beneficiary class who then became ‘more’ in need of State housing then the previous manual workers,

    What is needed especially in places of high demand is a new model with which to operate the whole State Housing portfolio, which would see the number of State houses double in 30 years, a two tier system is needed where the current demographic of tenants are housed under the present system and a second tier system is gradually inserted into the mix where for every State House rented on specifically ‘social grounds’ there is a State House rented to a low waged working family at 25% of family income up to the market rent,

    Such a system would mean that in dollar terms the ‘low waged working tenants’ would be paying at ;least double what the beneficiary tenants pay, but both demographics paying 25% of income, thus the low waged working tenants would be providing the subsidy that Housing NZ currently garners via the general tax base, a simple self funding system of low cost rental housing…

    • Draco T Bastard 4.1

      there is a State House rented to a low waged working family at 25% of family income up to the market rent,

      Market rent for such low waged families is often 50 to 60% of income.

      • bad12 4.1.1

        Your comment stems from taking part of my previous comment out of it’s intended context, yes ‘market rents’ paid by those renting from the private sector is now often 50+% of wages,

        HousingNZ tho has always operated off of a different definition of ‘market rent’,

        The focus of my previous comment was on the demographic shift in the majority of HousingNZ tenancies from what used to be predominantly low waged workers to beneficiaries,

        This shift in the demographic has occurred within the same period of time as the population has grown by over 1 million and the HousingNZ rental stock has been reduced by 1000’s,

        In strict dollar terms as far as the Governments books are concerned this demographic shift has resulted in the direct government cash subsidy to HousingNZ reaching some 600 million dollars a year,

        My point is that HousingNZ is, in terms of efficient use of capital, is operating on an incorrect model, what is needed is a doubling of the HousingNZ rental portfolio where for every beneficiary housed under the terms of the social contract a low waged working family is also housed,

        Obviously, the low waged working families housed would pay 25% of their total income as rent just as the demographic of beneficiaries do, the difference being that the actual cash amount paid by the low waged working families would tend to be higher than that of beneficiaries thus creating a cross subsidy and dramatically lowering the amount of the direct cash injection from Governments on an annual basis…

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.1

          Actually, I was just pointing out that low waged families would never pay market rent.

          HousingNZ tho has always operated off of a different definition of ‘market rent’,

          Then someone is lying.

          In strict dollar terms as far as the Governments books are concerned this demographic shift has resulted in the direct government cash subsidy to HousingNZ reaching some 600 million dollars a year,

          Which is a load of bollocks. Not getting the income is not giving a subsidy. Especially in the case of HousingNZ as that income just wouldn’t be there at all, instead we’d have even more homelessness.

          Obviously, the low waged working families housed would pay 25% of their total income as rent just as the demographic of beneficiaries do, the difference being that the actual cash amount paid by the low waged working families would tend to be higher than that of beneficiaries thus creating a cross subsidy and dramatically lowering the amount of the direct cash injection from Governments on an annual basis…

          Yep, I’m quite aware of that which is why I suggested it here. It’s the economists, the RWNJ and idiots on the left that want to get rid of all subsidies. I, on the other hand, realise that society only works because of those cross subsidies.

  5. Herodotus 5

    As an opponent to labours crap solution and that 100k houses to 1st time buyers was totally flawed ( there are not 10k new buyers pa potentially available to enter the market, I see r0b that this policy has been according to this post watered down to 10k new houses in total.(perhaps there is a typo ?)
    But don’t worry think of how govt intervention will be required when reality hits and a std house in the burbs is not worth $800k as currently especially on incomes of $50k pa. interest and rates commence to increase but hey 1% increase will only rest in $2-3k reduction in disposable incomes. Then the middle class will find out how close they really are to the poor.

  6. Phil 6

    One of the drivers of increased demand for housing is that we appear to be less and less willing to live with each other. It’s a trend that has been in place for 60 years.

    From StatsNZ :

    Because of the increasing number of smaller households, the average size of households is projected to slowly decline between 2006 and 2031, from 2.6 to 2.4 people per household. This continues the decline seen in recent decades, with the average household size falling from 3.7 people in 1951 and 3.0 people in 1981.

    http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/projections-overview/nat-family-hhold-proj.aspx

  7. AmaKiwi 7

    I usually agree with most of you fellow Lefties, but not this time.

    Two-thirds of every dollar you and your neighbour borrows on your credit card or for a mortgage is borrowed from an overseas lender. We cannot force them to keep lending to us (as we saw in 2008-2009).

    What happens if the NZD continues to go down and NZ unemployment rises? They will demand higher interest rates or they will not lend us the money which fuels our economy and property market. If interest rates continue to rise in the US and Germany, lenders will demand higher interest for the additional risk of lending to a tiny country which has not had a positive balance of payments in 30 YEARS. (An appalling record only matched in the OECD by Greece and our biggest trading partner, Australia.)

    We can’t print money. These lenders are not fools. They won’t want to be repaid in a debased currency.

    All the other get rich quick schemes have peaked and are going down: gold, bonds, shares, emerging markets, commodities, currencies, etc.

    The property balloon burst overseas in 2008-2009. Now it’s our turn and for exactly the same reasons.

    You can’t “fix” this problem. The pain has barely begun.

    • Draco T Bastard 7.1

      What happens if the NZD continues to go down and NZ unemployment rises?

      We don’t need to lend foreign money – we just need the government to start creating our own and start lending it out at 0%.

      We can’t print money. These lenders are not fools. They won’t want to be repaid in a debased currency.

      The risk you take when you loan money is that you won’t get it back.

      You can’t “fix” this problem.

      Well, actually, we can. Will we be allowed to? That is the question and the banks don’t seem seem overly keen on the idea.

      EDIT: BTW, IMO, if the government took over the creation of NZ$, took that power away from the private banks and spent the money directly into the economy the NZ$ wouldn’t debase. I think it’s value would actually increase.

      • AmaKiwi 7.1.1

        “We don’t need to lend foreign money – we just need the government to start creating our own and start lending it out at 0%.”

        Effectively you go back to the pre-float days when the NZD was not internationally exchangeable.

        Then the government decided who could and who could not buy foreign currency to buy goods and services from overseas. I don’t remember those days, but some of my older relatives do.

        Ask the “old folks” what it was like when there were NO choices about the brands of consumer goods available in our stores. Ask them about how they were could not travel abroad because they had to show their airline ticket at the bank and then were allowed to buy some paltry sum of foreign currency ($50 in today’s money) for each day they would be overseas.

        Yes, it can be done. But is that the world you and your friends want again?

        • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1.1

          Effectively you go back to the pre-float days when the NZD was not internationally exchangeable.

          Why? There really is no need to do that.

          Ask the “old folks” what it was like when there were NO choices about the brands of consumer goods available in our stores.

          Why would there be no choice?

          • AmaKiwi 7.1.1.1.1

            @ Draco

            If we print limitless amounts of NZ dollars, please explain to me why a foreign lender would want them? Why wouldn’t this be hyper-inflation? Toyota wants to be paid in Yen, Boeing in USD, etc. Why would they want to be paid in Monopoly money?

            Regarding consumer choices: Rather than a lengthy explanation (which would be perfectly logical), please ASK older people what shopping was like when the NZD was not internationally exchangeable. ASK.

            • Murray Olsen 7.1.1.1.1.1

              I remember those days. It was hard to buy a new car, chickens from the butcher tasted really good, we had a roast every Sunday, fresh eggs, there were plenty of fish in the sea, people would stop to offer you a lift, you had to chase horses and pigs off the footy field before a game, we only locked the house if we went away on holiday, which we managed once a year, and we only had about 4 types of cheese. On the other hand, society was probably almost as racist as today, and gay bashers were open and proud, while young women seemed to mysteriously put on weight and then disappear for a couple of months.

              Consumer choice? I don’t remember wanting anything that wasn’t available.

        • mikesh 7.1.1.2

          “Then the government decided who could and who could not buy foreign currency to buy goods and services from overseas. I don’t remember those days, but some of my older relatives do.”

          Not necessarily. The banks would still buy and sell overseas currencies. In the old days the government controlled the buying and selling of overseas exchange because of the need to maintain the value of the local currency, in accordance with its Bretton Woods undertakings.

          • AmaKiwi 7.1.1.2.1

            Hyperinflation. If the government prints limitless amounts of NZD, how do you avoid hyperinflation?

            Have you ever been in a country with hyperinflation? I have. It is economic devastation.

            • mikesh 7.1.1.2.1.1

              Why would the government print “unlimited” amounts of NZD? What is wrong with it producing just some NZD, without overdoing it? You seem to be setting up a straw man.

  8. Sable 8

    This is what happens when you give a bunch of academic dick heads with Masters and PhD’s in economics the opportunity to actively get involved in an economy. Send them back work in universities and let the economy look after itself.

  9. Rosetinted 9

    Good news if the Dunedin City Council introduce wofs annually inspected rental places. It could cost $500 and might get added to the rental. So? At least landlords would be expected to meet their already legally demanded obligations.

    The property owners spokesperson doesn’t want it and managed to produce the usual confusing and diminishing arguments – scorn on its stupid uselessness – the wof was going to cover whether there were taps for instance. And made the argument that it was unnecessary because of that. He even said it was demeaning to the tenants who could check that themselves.

    And made a point that instead of this wof there should be one aspect of it concentrated on – insulation etc. (Dunedin has decided that there are too many cold and damp tenancies with uni students too often being offered substandard ones.) Of course warm dry places would be a major, but not the only, part of the wof.

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  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    9 hours ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    9 hours ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    9 hours ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    9 hours ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    9 hours ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    9 hours ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    9 hours ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    10 hours ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    11 hours ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    12 hours ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    12 hours ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    12 hours ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    12 hours ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    13 hours ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    16 hours ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    16 hours ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    16 hours ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    17 hours ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    18 hours ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    18 hours ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    18 hours ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    19 hours ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    20 hours ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    22 hours ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    1 day ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    2 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    2 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    3 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    3 days ago
  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    4 days ago
  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    4 days ago
  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    4 days ago
  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    5 days ago
  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    5 days ago
  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    5 days ago
  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
    No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
    Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
    6 days ago
  • Sad tales from the left
    Michael Bassett writes –  Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • In Whose Best Interests?
    On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
    6 days ago
  • Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
    It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
    Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Small accomplishments and large ironies
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
    In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
    6 days ago
  • Accelerating the Growth Rate?
    There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago
  • The only thing we have to fear is tenants themselves
    1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • Peters talks of NZ “renewing its connections with the world” – but who knew we had been discon...
    Buzz from the Beehive The thrust of the country’s foreign affairs policy and its relationship with the United States have been addressed in four statements from the Beehive over the past 24 hours. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters somewhat curiously spoke of New Zealand “renewing its connections with a world ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
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